The God of Unbelief

“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2Ti 2:13 AV)

Our belief or faith does not altar the nature of God.  God is who He is and what He is whether we have faith or we do not have faith.  The passages in the gospels that tell us Christ could not do miracles in certain places because they lacked faith was not because he power was diminished by their unbelief.  Simply, the performing of miracles would have had no, or the opposite, effect in which was intended.  Jesus Christ did not cease to be God because people had little or no faith.  In our text, the direct context seems to be salvation.  Paul speaks of the salvation of the elect and then speaks in two verse comparing those who do accept Christ as being dead in Him and suffering for Him as opposed to denying Him and having no belief.  So, I believe this verse is directly stating that just because someone chooses to reject the reality of God and His offer of salvation does not mean He and it ceases to be real.  He cannot deny His own existence or nature.  However, there might be an application for those of us who have trusted in Christ as well.

Our faith can affect that which the LORD can do for us or through us.  We know that is it possible to quench the Spirit because we are warned not to.  We know that we do not have because we do not ask.  We know that even if we ask, if we do not do so in faith, then we have not either.  So, we do know that faith does has a bearing on realizing the grace of God on our lives in a practical way.  However, it is not fatally so.  For instance, just because we may not pray for our daily bread as we ought does not mean that God will automatically starve us.  Just because we may not pray as we should for our health does not mean we will automatically be ill and in the hospital.  Just because we fail to pray for the salvation of souls as we should does not mean the Spirit ceases to work resulting in absolutely no salvation decisions. 

This should be good news to the believer.  In this sense, we know that if we are weak in faith; and specially if we know that we are; He is faithful.  Think of the time when the disciples were in the boat, taking on water.  They feared for their lives while the master slept.  They awoke Him and accused Him of being callous concerning their situation.  He didn’t refuse to calm the storm because they feared.  Instead, the Master takes pity on their unbelief.  There are times when the LORD refuses to act because of our unbelief.  There are other times when He takes pity on our weakness and acts in spite of it.  He cannot deny who and what He is.  He is a God of grace and mercy, specially towards those who love Him!

Love Without Dissimulation

“Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.” (1Ti 5:24-25 AV)

This is a great observation from someone who has been in the ministry for a while.  What Paul is saying is that people are not all that they seem.  Consequently, our observations should not taint our love and appreciation for them, or the lack thereof.  Paul is saying that some of those who do not seem as though they have sin problems probably do, and their sins will be discovered after. Conversely, there are those whom we believe to be good persons, and there are others who are, but we will not discover it until after words.  In other words, people may not be as good or as bad as they at first appear.  Therefore, it is good to refrain from framing unnecessary opinions of others because we simply do not, nor we will ever know, the whole truth.

This is actually liberating.  This attitude towards others opens opportunity for ministry.  Our prejudice keeps us from being a blessing to those whom the LORD wishes to influence.  Our prejudgment of their character will formulate how we approach them and what we might offer by way of ministry.  We are not saying that we should ignore the obvious.  Someone prone to anger should be approached on way.  Someone with no objective thinking ability, another way.  But each encounter should have with it an element of neutrality.  Even though a person may be prone to anger does not mean that each and every time he will be angry.  No, a leopard cannot change his spots.  But his whole hide is not one big spot.

When we begin to look at others in that light, it is actually much easier to love them.  We can accept the bad and look for the good.  We can work with the bad to change it to good and appreciate the good that is there.  People are worthy to be loved.  If God loves them enough to die for them, then we should love them enough to be a blessing to them.  If God loves us, faults and all, then we should do the same, one to another.  If God is no respecter of persons, then we cannot be either.  No matter the individual, they are still an individual.  They have needs and desires just like we do.  We take the good with the bad and love on them anyway.  We would want the same towards us, wouldn’t we?

Let Us Pray

“I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” (1Ti 2:8 AV)

Simply put, we don’t pray enough!  The context of the verse is to pray in particular for those in authority.  Even more specifically, to pray for their salvation.  In our current climate, that is getting harder and harder to do.

These past few weeks have shown the world the worst side of our great nation.  We have seen that absolute worst behavior from our leaders.  They seem intent on destroying those with whom they disagree by whatever means possible.  Regardless of what side of the political spectrum one might find oneself, we can agree the drama which our leaders are dragging us into becomes dangerous the more vivid the crescendo.  No matter what our bias or political belief, we are tempted to pray for those with whom we agree while wishing for the defeat of those with whom we disagree.  There is nothing wrong with wishing for the defeat of ideas which would cause us harm or which would take our nation away from what we think is best.  However, in all this rhetoric, let us not forget to pray.

One of the most remarkable statements recently made draws a distinction between right and wrong.  The Bible tells us to pray for our enemies.  A young lady who saw her father endure accusations which could not be substantiated choose to take the high road.  Instead of allowing bitterness or malice to enter her young heart, she felt compelled to pray for her father’s adversary.  We may never know the truth of what happened.  But what we can do is control our emotions and turn our instinctive reactions into purposeful prayer.  This young lady is the shinning light through a rather dark moment in our nation’s history.  This young lady revealed to the whole world how a nation a that at sometimes may be at extreme odds with one another can endure.  We can endure through prayer.  Prayer for all men (and women), but especially for those in authority.  There can never be enough prayer.

The Pleasure of Change

“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Th 1:11-12 AV)

There are three stages of attitudes towards the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  It usually depends on what area of our lives which He is addressing.  The first stage is yielding because we do not know what else to do.  Like a child in his early ages, we yield because we know the consequences are worse if we do not.  Then we mature to the ‘duty’ way of looking at it.  We yield to the work of the Holy Spirit because we are supposed to.  We see it as obedience.  Which it is.  Our lack of maturity hinders us from seeing it any other way.  If we continue to yield, the LORD has a way of marrying the desire to avoid consequences of disobedience with the desire for obedience into a pleasure of goodness.  What is impressing the heart this morning is one little word.  Just one simple word that sums up the heart of God towards His children.  One little word that is the measure of His commitment towards those whom He loves.  One three letter word that puts our relationship in a nut shell.  This one little three letter words explains everything that happens to us.  That one little three letter word is ‘all’.

I have been involved in education for a number of years.  There is a difference between high school and college.  Between the teen years and early adulthood.  It amazes me every time I witness these young people working so hard at all they have to learn.  Specially when one thinks of all the disciplines they are learning at the same time.  There is math, English, sciences, history, music, Bible, and life skills.  On top of all they have to learn in school, they have chores at home which they are learning life skills; church, wherein they learn spiritual truths; and social interaction wherein they learn interpersonal skills.  These young people are a sponge that are constantly soaking up information and abilities from a plethora of different directions all at the same time.  College allows them to hone in on one particular field of interest while allowing all other areas to be secondary.  The importance of growing in all areas cannot be understated.  Even if they do not see the need for what they are learning today, in time, they will understand the need for it as the age.  Dedication to the whole person is what causes the individual to mature correctly.

This is the sense of that one little three letter word.  The LORD loves us way too much to ignore details for a greater goal.  All aspects of life are important.  All spiritual truth is important.  All disciplines of life are important.  The LORD will not allow one area of our lives to remain dormant and only concentrate on a few.  Our Father knows that we have much to learn and not enough time to learn it.  He works without ceasing on every area of our lives.  To our Father, this work is a good pleasure.  If we mature correctly, we can attain that third level, appreciating the hand of God.  We will yield to His hand not because we want to avoid His chastening or not because we are supposed to.  Rather, like a student who loves to learn any and all things, we will yield to His hand because it is a good pleasure.   All of it!

Faithful Creator

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1Th 5:23-24 AV)

The thing that our faithful God will do is the operation of sanctification.  Paul is not saying that he is praying our faithful God will preserve our standing before Him until death as though that standing will change.  The word ‘preserved’ means to attend to carefully.  It does not mean, as we often use it, to keep something as close the original condition as possible.  This would not make sense in that our bodies will corrupt.  They will decay and they will be replaced.  Paul in not praying for our mummification.  What he is praying for is the continued process of sanctification.  Not positional sanctification.  This does not change.  Rather, Paul is praying for the practical sanctification of those whom he has won and whom he cares for deeply.  What the Spirit wants of us today is the promise of verse twenty-four.  How much we are sanctified in this life depends upon how much we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit.

A guiding principle of a godly father is his love for his children.  He sees what they can be and uses skills to achieve that goal.  Correction is not correction for mere truth’s sake.  A godly father will correct because he can see what his child can become.  Not what his child is at the moment.  He nurtures, instructs, and governs because he sees his child as a gift from God.  He sees that child as a creation of the Creator for a purpose designed in the mind of God.  He sets bounds to limit, guide, and train that child into what the LORD desires him to be.  Correction isn’t seen as a negative thing.  It is seen as a positive.  As a means to course correct so that a future filled with purpose, calling, and blessings can become a reality.

In particular, the word ‘faithful’ is a beautiful word here.  God will not stop.  God will not cease to intervene in our lives for the purpose of change.  Whether we yield or not, He is an involved ‘parent’.  He knows what His children are into.  He knows what they are thinking and feeling.  He refuses to leave us unattended.  There is always an eye out for what we might be doing.  He is there in good times and in bad.  When we succeed in pleasing Him, or when we are a disappointment.  The LORD is there.   He is faithful!  He is always guiding.  He is always instructing.  He is always correcting.  For those who wish to live a life that glorifies God and eschew evil, this is a wonderful promise!

Fill 'Er Up

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:” (Col 1:24 AV)

Of what is Paul speaking here?  From what is he experiencing this joy?  In the first part of the verse, his source is obvious.  The sufferings of which he suffered for the glory of Christ and the life of the church is from where he received his joy.  The second part of the verse is Paul’s understanding of further joy.  It is to suffer continued afflictions for the sake of the church.  Paul is resigned to the joy that is set before him to suffer for the cause of Christ and the benefit of the church.  Note in particular the phrase, “…fill up…”.

There comes a time when we get fed up.  Things have got to change or we lose it.  We allow our frustrations or anger get the better of us and we blow.  We are filled up to the boiling point.  When it comes to suffering, we all have our levels of tolerance.  They differ.  They are not the same.  Some have a high tolerance towards malice.  Others may have a high tolerance towards gossip.  Still others may have a high tolerance for the physical demands from ministry.  But that also means we may have a low tolerance for other areas of ministry.  Perhaps debate wears at us.  Or the little kinks that have to be ironed out.  Maybe we become weary of oft ignored counsel.  Whatever our personality or make up, there comes a time when we get fed up.  Paul, however, sought the opportunity to fill ‘er up.  He knew that ministry means suffering.  They go hand in hand.  One cannot have suffering without ministry, nor ministry without suffering.  Once the servant of God resigns to that reality, a wonderful thing happens.  He or she looks forward to it.

There is joy that comes when we stop looking at suffering as a means for results.  We get a low tolerance point because we expect a certain payout to be there if we are asked to go through some difficulties.  However, Christ went to the Cross with the desire to save all, when in fact, He will only save few.  He went to the Cross, not for results, but rather, for love.  Love for the individual, first.  Love for the church, second.  If we want to get to the point of Paul’s desire to fill ‘er up with affliction, our motive must be love.  Love for the LORD and love for God’s people.

Think Right

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Php 4:8 AV)

A good portion of what where we fail begins in the mind.  Our thought life is often undisciplined.  We believe we cannot control the thoughts that enter our mind.  However, the reality of it is just the opposite.  If we cannot control thought, then why the verse above?  If thought is not a choice, then why command us to have certain thoughts?  Having certain thoughts also suggest not having other thoughts.  We have been led to believe we live at the mercy of our minds.  But this is not true.  Otherwise, Paul would not have written the above verse.  If thought control was impossible, the command above would be pointless at best, cruel at worst.  Because Paul was led of the Holy Spirit to instruct us of what to think upon, this must mean our thought life can be controlled.

This list is extensive.  Most are self-explanatory.  There is one, however, which we are prompted by the Spirit to consider more than the others.  At least this morning.  Is it naïve and irresponsible to think only of good reports?  Does this mean we bury our heads in the sand and ignore those pieces of bad news?  Do we simply let them pass by, specially if a decision needs to be made?  Only happy thoughts?  No.  What I believe Paul is trying to tell us is to be and optimist.  That doesn’t mean to ignore the negative nor fail to deal with it.  What it means is that even if there is bad news, seek the good news from it.  Even more than that.  If we are a natural pessimist, we will dwell on the possibility of the negative even if it’s not a reality.  Like the patient who was promised a cured from a terminal and painful disease and saw only the fact he would have to return to his office job.  The bad reports are the possibilities of the future that may never come to pass.

I find myself quoting this verse frequently.  Whenever I am tempted to have thoughts that I know the LORD would not appreciate, or when I feel the flesh tempting me into thoughts that I know that I shouldn’t have, I find this verse very helpful.  Disciplining the mind is a gateway to peace. It is the beginning of the answer for peace of mind and heart.  Disciplining the mind to think only on those things that would please the LORD is a hard task.  But it can and must be done!

Full Dress Uniform

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph 6:11 AV)

Partial protection will not do.  The whole armor of God must be used.  From the loins of truth to the sword of the Spirit, every piece must be there in its fullest.  If the fiery darts of the devil are getting through to our souls, there is a portion of the armor which is weak or missing.  Maybe it’s a foundational truth which we lack.  Perhaps our righteousness has been tarnished from a persistent sin.  Maybe we are not quick to serve in the gospel ministry.  Perhaps we are reluctant to throw up our faith in the face of adversity or we forget that we are saved and that any attack is at best, only temporary.  Maybe, just maybe, the real problem is that we don’t know the word of God well enough to take it on the offensive.  Whatever part of the armor is lacking or weak, that is where the devil will attack.  It is not enough to be proficient in one area.  All areas must be there, in place, in perfect working condition, and ready to be used.

I know how important laying and clothing is to the outdoorsman.  It may not be armor, but the idea is still the same.  It doesn’t matter if it’s ticks in the spring, summer and fall, or frigid temperatures in the winter, having the right cloths on in the right places protects one from a myriad of threats.  Remembering tick spray but forgetting to wear the correct snake proof boots may not be sufficient.  Wearing netting to keep the bugs from biting but forgetting to get a small stool that gets one off the ground and away from snakes may still be hazardous.  Wearing wool socks or gloves without an inner layer of moisture wicking cotton may keep one warm for a little bit, but after a while, one can get mighty cold.  Wearing a decent hat to keep one’s head warm while ignoring the neck is a bit optimistic.  A gentle cold breeze down one’s neck will make a body feel like an icicle.  It is important to wear the right cloths.  And, it is important to bring some rudimentary survival items as well.  A compass, matches, some simple food items, batteries, and a cell phone will all be necessary in a dangerous situation.

The devil seeks to immobilize us.  If he cannot destroy us, he will make us of no use to the LORD.  By whatever means, he will attack, neutralizing us into ineffectiveness.  He will strike us with fear.  Fear of the unknown.  He will strike us with unresolved guilt.  He will strike us with envy or malice towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.  He will attempt to make our lives of no consequence.  The whole armor of God is our defense and offense.  But it has to be the whole armor of God.  Not just a portion.  But all of it.

Unfathomable Kindness and Grace

“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:7 AV)

We often get bogged down with that side of God which requires justice and judgment that we forget He is a God of kindness and grace.  We forget the LORD desires to show kindness by His grace.  Not that He simply does, but that His desire is to show it.  He looks for opportunity to show His grace.  This looking for is not limited to the present.  It is planned on for the future.  “That in the ages to come he might…” indicates that our gracious God is not content to show grace and kindness now and again.  Rather, He is anticipating on doing so in the future.

One of the kindest men I know is my father-in-law.  Probably because of what he did for a living.  His kindness towards those whom he loves is admirable, to say the least.  It was the balance of what he had to do to earn a living.  He worked in the heavy construction business.  More of his time was spent as a foreman or project manager than a laborer.  This required some hard-nosed decisions.  There were times he had to go toe-to-toe with an agency or government to get the necessary permits or approvals.  There were times he sat in meetings will well-intentioned paper pushers who didn’t have a clue regarding the practical side of running a multi-million-dollar project.  But the hardest, I believe, was finding that balance between pushing his guys and also caring for them too.  Over the decades, he has no doubt had to fire hundreds of laborers who failed in their jobs.  These people had mouths to fill.  They had mortgages to pay.  Yet, because of the demands of the job, they simply couldn’t perform.  This influenced his love for his family.  While on the job, management of the job often required a lack of grace.  Off the job, grace abounded.  On the job, kindness may have been a hindrance to the task at hand.  Off the job, kindness was a way of life.  My wife and I, with our children would not have survived our young life without the kindness of a man who has no equals.

God is even more so.  If we know Christ, then we are a child of God.  Any father with a conscience desires to show kindness and grace to his children.  No less the LORD.  We certainly do not deserve it.  We certainly did not earn it.  But it comes anyway.  We see what we want to see.   If we are not looking for the grace of God, we will not see it.  However, if we seek the grace and kindness of God, that is all we see!

Our Greatest Hope

“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (Ga 5:5 AV)

This is my deepest hope!  Positionally speaking, we have this righteousness.  When Christ died on that cross, an operation called imputation occurred.  The Father took our sin and placed it upon His Son.  He also took the righteousness of His own Son and imputed it to our account.  In essence, when Christ suffered the wrath of the Father upon Calvary’s cross, He became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  We swapped places.  What the cross did not do was to immediately remove all possibility we would sin in the future.  We still have that old sin nature which battles for control of the will.  We still fall.  We still fail.  We still sin.  Yet, there is a new part of us which has a deep desire to live in righteousness.  It may start out as a faint glow, but the more we walk with God and bask in his righteousness, the stronger that flame increases.  If we walk with God consistently, the desire for practical, moment by moment righteousness becomes overwhelming.  We just want to be right.  We just want to live right.

The hope of righteousness spoken of above is our glorification.  It is when the saint is called home and the old man of sin is completely destroyed in death.  This hope of righteousness is the hope in the eventuality that we can do nothing but righteousness.  This is the hope of which the Spirit grows within our hearts.  It is one of the proofs of salvation.  It is an indication the conscience is now alive.  It is evidence that the heart has changed.  It is proof the work of the Holy Spirit is not just present, but growing as well.  We note here that Paul says it is through the Spirit that we wait.  This hope of righteousness is through the Spirit.  It is not in our hearts in a natural way.  This is a work of a supernatural Spirit.  This Spirit within us is a third person of the trinity.  God within us.  The Spirit grows this desire.  He multiplies it that we might desire the same as He does.  For this I am very grateful.

The older I get, the more this desire grows.  This tired sinner used to desire heaven for the beauty which we shall behold.  This sinner used to desire glory for the end of all labor.  Now, this tired old sinner simply wants to go to glory that he might meet the Savior who died for him and be granted the final state of sinless perfection.  The ability to live and exist without any possibility of sin.  Even that has changed slightly.  No longer do I wish for sinless perfection so that failure is not a reality.  This would be a selfish and prideful motive.  This old sinner desires perfect righteousness for the beauty of it and the glory which it will bring my Redeemer and Creator!  To be what He desires for me and reflect His glory without and possibility of one speck of dishonor!  WOW!

Present Deliverance

“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Ga 1:3-5 AV)

Heaven is not the only reason Jesus Christ saved us.  He saved us because he wishes to deliver us.  He wishes to deliver us right now.  Not just upon our deaths.  But in life as well.  The mood of the Greek word translated ‘might deliver’ is subjunctive.  Which means there is a potential there.  It is a mood of possibility and potentiality.  It is an action that may or may not occur, depending on circumstances.  If Paul was talking about our deaths and the deliverance that is certain upon it, the mood of this phrase would be different.  So, of what is he speaking?  What deliverance is a possibility and not a certainty based on circumstances?

The context of the entire letter is correcting the false teaching of the legalists to add the old testament law to faith in Christ for salvation.  This created doubt and fear in the minds and hearts of the newly saved Galatians.  If taken strictly in the context of the letter, the present evil world would be the world created by false doctrine.  The deliverance would be from that fear and doubt to a solid faith in Christ.  But this application can be a little broader than this.  As stated above, our Savior did not save us from hell alone.  He saved us from much more than this.  He did not die for the sole purpose of deliverance from a devil’s hell.  Saved or lost, when we die we will all be delivered from this present evil world.  Christ died that we might live in the process of deliverance from this present evil world.  Not that we must wait until we die, bur rather, right now we can be delivered from this present evil world.  It does not need to have a hold on us.  It doesn’t need to keep us in bondage.  We can and should be free!

Living in this world is a difficult thing.  Specially for the child of God. We see things we wish we could un-see.  We hear things we wish we could erase from our memories.  We witness things we wish would never happen.  We are surrounded by wickedness on every side and it pulls us in with its strong temptations.  We cry out for deliverance.  We cry out for an end to all that we are asked to endure.  We just want the LORD to return and set righteousness and holiness in its place.  What we cannot do is give up hope.  He died that we might have deliverance from this present evil world.  The choice is ours.  We can choose to live free, or we can choose to yield to it.  He has died that we might have deliverance.  The circumstances are our desires and will.  The choice is ours.

The Heart of Pastor

“For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.” (2Co 13:9 AV)

Why don’t the people of God believe this?  Why is it they see pulpit ministry or counsel as intrusion, adversity, or of little value?  It reminds me of a three or four-year-old who wants to do everything for himself.  He learned to tie is shoe or dress himself, and all of a sudden, he thinks there is nothing for which he needs to ask for help.  Why is it the saints of God think the preacher of evangelist is being way to particular about things that they think don’t matter?  The details of life are magnified (in their estimation) and result in merely reducing the pleasures of life.  Like an adolescent who defines his parents’ rules like a plebe under the thumb of a lord, the principles of life are meant to rob the saint of happiness.  Why can’t the saint see that what the preacher really desires is for them to grow up under the nurture and admonition of the LORD to a saint who brings nothing but glory to his Savior?

A few years back, I had to get my left shoulder worked on.  I had a small rotator cuff tear and a major bone spur that resulted in near shoulder freeze.  Extreme pain to say the least.  Meds couldn’t even touch it.  The best doctor this side of the Mississippi worked miracle with my shoulder.  But then came the physical therapy.  It didn’t matter what exercise they instructed, there was wide ranging discomfort and pain associated with it.  Most was mere discomfort.  Some were actually painful at first, but shortly into the routine, the area of concern felt really good.  There was one exercise, however, I dreaded.  It was extremely painful.  They gave me a ball and I held it to a wall.  Then, using the palm of my hand, I rolled the ball against the wall and traced the alphabet.  Seems easy enough, but was it ever painful.  At first, I could only do one or two letters at a time.  It took six weeks, three times a week until I could do the entire alphabet without stopping.  The pain was excruciating.  If I didn’t know any better, I would have though these people wanted nothing but to torture me.  Two of them were my church members.  Which would stand to reason they wanted to afflict as much pain on me as I might have been doing from the pulpit.  Just kidding.  But what motivated them to insist that I experience pain and discomfort?  Did they know something I did not?

What they knew was the more pain I endured at the front end, the less I would experience once therapy was over.  They deeply desired to see me regain my range of motion.  They desired that my left arm and shoulder be restored to full health and usefulness.  But what that meant for me was to submit under their care and trust that they had my best interests at heart no matter what the present pain might be.  What I find is the saints are not using the position of pastor/teacher as we once did.  We are far too private.  We are far too removed.  The age of anonymous or fictitious electronic relationships has removed the benefit of transparent and dependent relationships.  We simply don’t need one another like we used to.  Let me say this.  Your preacher does not want to ruin your life.  He doesn’t want to take away all the blessings of life.  His deep desire for your life is your perfection!  Let him do his calling.

A Single Focused Life

“Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,” (2Co 6:3-4 AV)

What follows these two verses is a laundry list of things Paul has suffered, attitudes he carries, personal integrity for which he strives, or misperceptions others have of him.  He lists these things as a means of honoring the ministry into which he is called.  The list is significant.  The list is long.  The list is admirable.  The list is a goal for all who minister in the name of Christ.  Individually, they are challenging.  Collectively, it shows how Paul chose to define his life.  All those things were not individual attempts or pursuits in and of themselves.  They are the manifestation of a whole.  A life that was separated unto the gospel ministry and a servant of the LORD who realized all these things were part and parcel of his calling into the gospel ministry.  They were all part of a whole.  All things were because of his calling, and thusly, worthy to pursue or willing to suffer.

This single-mindedness is what separates those who accomplish much and those who accomplish little.  Those who accomplish little have broken up their lives into compartments.  There is the career.  There is a home life.  There is personal time of growth and enrichment.  These things exist in the life of the single-minded as well.  Yet the difference is he or she sees it as a whole.  Not in parts.  They see their lives as a journey where each part is essential to the overall goal.  He or she sees their role as a parent as guiding a soul into salvation and Christlikeness.  Not a glorified babysitter who is done once they are out of the house.  This individual sees their career as a means to share with others what Christ as done for them.  They see the personal time as a time to read and pray so as to improve upon their relationship with the LORD and grow in Christlikeness.  They are all part of a whole.  Not just parts.

Paul’s motive is that the ministry be not blamed.  He does not want the ministry to suffer loss of credibility or effectiveness because of who he is or what he has failed to do.  His desire is that he is what he needs to be and responds correctly in each and every situation so that the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ be not hindered.  In the exercise of our choices, one has to wonder how much we consider the impact those choices will have on the gospel ministry.  Paul was concerned that every aspect of his life would further the cause of Christ.  It all mattered.

The Satanic Nature of Unforgiveness

“To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2Co 2:10-11 AV)

We wonder what it is the devil uses to gain an advantage over the people of God.  There are many things.  In this passage, it is the spirit of unforgiveness.  Nothing will kill the spiritual life of a church like the spirit of unforgiveness.  When two or more people are at odds, it effects the whole family of God.  Even if those who are at odds are separated by distance, it still effects the local body of believers.  The mere fact that Christ warns us if we do not forgive others, then God will not forgive us, reveals to us that without forgiveness towards others, we cannot possibly walk with God ourselves.  Forgiveness is essential.  Forgiveness is necessary.  The spirit of unforgiveness is a device of the devil to destroy the individual as well as the church.

I have seen more times than I care to dwell upon how unforgiveness can eat a person from within.  I have seen the root of bitterness take over a person’s heart.  I have seen that hatred rack the body of a believer and send them to an early grave because of bitterness and malice.  I have seen extreme loneliness the end result of an unforgiving heart.  Closed off from the offender, the unforgiving become entrapped in the thoughts of their own heart.  This leads to misconceptions.  As if the whole world doesn’t care about the injustice that was suffered.  Becoming a recluse, their bitterness doesn’t stop with the offender.  It reaches to the uttermost, enveloping all mankind.  I have seen people come to the church, attempting to worship in a heart of unity.  Their definition of unity is not causing a ruckus.  Yet, far from the offender is their heart.  They endure one another’s company.  During fellowships, they are as far apart as the room allows.  They are cordial, but deep in their heart they wish the other ill will.  Joy is robbed from the atmosphere of worship.  The church as a whole cannot put their collective finger in the issue, but they know something just isn’t quite right.  This is the device of the devil.  I fear he is succeeding.

Let this sink in real deep.  If we are one with the spirit of unforgiveness, as much as we may think God is ok with it and He will use us anyway, the truth of the matter is, we are an active tool in the hands of the devil.  We are participating in a satanic scheme to ruin the work of God because our feeling got hurt.  Our pride as opened the door for the adversary to waltz right in and wreak havoc with the house of God.  We are a tool of the devil and no longer a servant of the most High.

Let Them Go

“If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” (1Co 16:22 AV)

The term ‘Anathema Maranatha’ means accursed forever.  What Paul has said is that any man who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let hem be accursed forever.  Let his suffer the torments of hell forever.  On the face of it, this may appear as a curse.  Like a wizard who casts a spell on someone with whom they are at odds.  But the fact of the matter is, Paul cannot curse anyone.  He does not have the power to proclaim a soul as eternally lost by his own word.  He does not have the power to damn a soul to hell.  What his is saying is that the word ‘let’ is to allow for the reality that this soul is eternally cursed and that we should resign in our hearts the reality of it. The Greek word means to let it exist; let it happen; or let it be the case.   In other words, this statement is a resignation of the heart that those who have rejected the LORD will suffer eternal damnation.

One of the hardest things to do is to resign to the fact that someone whom we love very deeply is lost forever.  It is also very difficult to resign to the fact that someone who has rejected Christ will never repent.  We strive so hard for the souls of men, but we must resign to the fact that most will not love the LORD Jesus Christ.  I am reminded of this quite often.  I am reminded of the terrible reality that the vast majority of people upon whom my eyes gaze are lost and will never come to a place of repentance.  This should not change the heart’s calling to reach the lost.  It is commanded of the LORD to preach to the lost.  This difference is our own sanity.  The difference is our love for the LORD compared against our love for the lost.

Living in a large city of over 1.5 million people, I rarely see the same person twice.  A trip to Walmart brings with it a whole new subset of people.  Outside of those who work there, all others are complete and total strangers.  Every now and again, I am overwhelmed at the total loss of humanity.  The vast majority of the tens of thousands of people I encounter every day will die without Christ.  The task that lies before us can become maddening.  That is, unless we remember the verse above.  We can only do what we can do.   The LORD builds His church. We sow and water.  God gives the increase.  What we have to resign to is that with all our efforts, the greater majority will not care.  This can sadden us.  But it cannot cripple us.  This can cast a heart of concern and broken-heartedness.  But it cannot cease our labors.  We must resign to the truth of the damnation of humanity yet seek the few that will repent.  Otherwise, we become useless for the glory of God.

Perfect Marriage

“For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.” (1Co 11:12 AV)

This is a tremendous truth.  A perfect description of the nature of marriage each spouse to the other and both towards God.  It gives the purpose, inter-dependency, and cohesiveness of a divinely ordained union.  The most beautiful words in this verse (at least in my humble opinion) are the words ‘is of’, ‘also by’, and ‘of God’.  Let me explain.

The truth that the woman is of the man is not a demeaning one.  This is often how the unregenerate world sees it.  Paul is referring to Eve’s creation in the garden.  She was formed from a rib from the side of Adam.  God did not form her from the dust of the earth, but rather, from the flesh of another.  God did not create Eve from a less glorious material like dirt.  Rather, she came from human flesh.  In this, she finds her value.  She finds her value in that she was formed as an expression of God’s perfect creation.  She is of the man because that is where she finds her origin, purpose, and worth.  She was not formed to feed the animals.  She was not formed to farm.  She was formed to give humanity beauty and personality.  She was formed as an expression that completes man.

Man is by the woman.  He is dependent upon her.  When God formed Adam, it was the only time He said that something was not good.  It was not good that man should be alone.  There was something missing.  All other species could exist with only one gender.  And some do.  God didn’t say it was not good that single celled individuals was not good.  When it came to mankind, man is deficient without woman.  No matter how independent and self-sufficient us males think we are, we are not.  We survive by the provision of a woman.

To give the entire relationship the balance it needs, no matter whether we are a husband or wife, the marriage is established, survives, and grows because God says so.  Without God, it doesn’t work as it should.  The LORD has established the functions of a wife and those of a husband.  He has established the purpose of the woman and the man.  He has done so and it is what is should be because God is at the center of it.  Too much today is debated on the role and worth of one gender against the other.  Genders and their roles really wouldn’t matter without the LORD who guarantees it all!