No Room For Division

Verse of the day: Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

The wicked man; God has much to say about him. As we study these verses, let us pray that none of us fall into this category as one of God's children. What the Lord describes for us here is what many of us used to be, but should no longer be as a follower of Jesus Christ (Eph 4:17-5:21). As New Testament believers, we are continually instructed to be a people of unity (1 Cor 12; Eph 4; Phil 2). Why? Because in Christ there is no division. In the body of Christ, even though we may have differing gift, talents, opinions, and personalities, we are called to serve together, in Christ, for the glory of God. Jesus told us that by our love for one another the world will know we belong to Him (Jn 13:35). Are there times when we can agree to disagree? Yes. Unless God says it is so or it is not so, we have room to agree or disagree. Our convictions are not Scripture or doctrine, but our convictions should come because of Scripture. With that said, our convictions may differ, and in that case we can agree to disagree, as long as we are not using our conviction(s) or liberties to justify sinful behavior. The bottom line is that the God of the Old Testament is still our God of the New Testament; therefore, when God says He hates something, and considers something an abomination, in the Old Testament, it still stands today. The list of things that God hates in these verses are very clear, and the one thing He despises above all is clear as well. Lying in general, pride, murder, a wicked heart, mischief, a person who tells lies about another. All these things God hates; but above all God despises, and loathes, when discord is sown among brethren. Why? Because in Christ there is unity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One. In Christ we are called to be One with Him, and with one another. We are called to love one another, and forgive one another, even as God has, for Christ's sake (Eph 4:32). A brother or sister in Christ who displays the characteristics found here in Proverbs is one that needs to go before God confessing and repenting of such actions. As God's children we are new creatures (2 Cor 5:17), and therefore we must represent Jesus as such. One of the greatest forms of hypocrisy, and shame, that we, as Christians, can show the world is our inability to get along and be united in Christ. How are we to preach the Gospel of unity to a divisive, and devilish, world, when we refuse to get along as brothers and sister in Christ? Phil 2:3 tells us, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

It Is Worth It

Verse of the day: 2 Timothy 1:8-9 Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; 9 who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

In the Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 20, Jesus told his disciples that they would suffer persecution because He was persecuted, and they were not greater than their Master. This still stands true today. During the time that the Apostle Paul wrote this to Timothy, Christians were being imprisoned for their belief in Jesus and the Gospel. At some point in his ministry, even Timothy was imprisoned (Heb 13:23). For many of us, we have not even come close to this type of persecution; yet, too many of us still shy away from the possibility of being rejected or persecuted for the cause of Christ. We avoid talking to family or friends for fear of what they might say or do. However, may I remind us that we have not been given a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7). Rather than shy away from persecution, we should welcome it, knowing that if we suffer for Christ's sake, we will be rewarded by Him (Matt 5:11). The Apostle Paul was reminding Timothy that the Gospel was worth suffering for. He also reminded him that he could endure suffering because of the power of God, which was also the power that saved us, who have already called upon Jesus as Lord and Savior (Rm 1:16). Aside from that, the suffering endured is nothing compared to the free gift of His salvation. How did we receive this free gift? Was it something special that we did? No. It was because of the love, and grace, of God. But let us not just rest there. Let us ponder why it was that we were given eternal life. We have been called. We have been called to holiness (1 Pt 1:13-15). We are called to serve Him. We do not call ourselves. For any man/woman who calls themselves will not last in His service, as the hardship this service involves can only be endured in the power of God, in Christ. Our works have no merit in gaining the salvation that has been freely given. May this serve as a reminder that we were not saved simply to be idle in our Christian life. We are to be living sacrifices to God (Rm 12:1). We are to live in accordance to His truth, and for His purposes. Too many Christians are trying to live Christianity on their own terms, living with Jesus as Savior, but refusing to let Him be Lord (mostly because they want to keep one foot in the world). Lastly, may we be reminded that long before any of us were born into this world, and long before we called upon Jesus, God had a plan for our lives (Jeremiah 1:5; Gal 1:15; Acts 9:15). The bottom line is that we cannot fulfill God's plan for our life without Jesus, and with that plan there will be a certain amount of suffering associated with it because we live in a world that opposes anything that is godly and involves the truths found in God's Word. The suffering we endure here is nothing in comparison to what God has in store for us when we go to be with Him (1 Pt 1:6-9). My brothers and sisters, whatever we are called to endure, we must endure as soldiers of Christ (2 Tim 2:3), knowing that in Him we will receive our reward (which is far better than anything this world can ever offer us). Be steadfast until the end, for the greatest victory has already been had in Christ, victory over death and the grave (1 Cor 15:55-58).

Our Testimony Counts

Verse of the day: Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.

Some of us have heard the saying that "we are the only Bible some will ever read." In many instances, that is true. However, I find that often, as Christians, we are more careful about our behavior, and language, when we are in church with other believers, than when we are in public, or at work, with unbelievers. These versus are a good reminder for us that we need to use godly wisdom in dealing with the unsaved. "Them that are without" are those that have not professed Jesus as Savior. We are Christ's ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20). We are called to be light and salt on the earth (Matt 5:13-14). This means that our attitude, and behavior, should mirror that of our Lord and Savior. That means that our level of morality, and integrity, should be higher that what the world says is acceptable. It means that we measure our life by the truth of God's Word, and not by what the world says is "okay". We can be all thing to all men without compromising who we are in Jesus (1 Cor 9:19-23). In the world, the unsaved person cares nothing for how many verses we have committed to memory or how much doctrine we know. These things are great for our own personal growth in Jesus, but if we are not living godly lives, and treating others with the same love, kindness, compassion, and patience, as Jesus, being separate from the world's ways, we will be as hypocrites before those we are supposed to be winning to Christ. We cannot be known for being dishonest, mean-spirited, and speaking with foul language constantly, and expect the unsaved people around us to want to hear about our faith, and about our Lord Jesus. We cannot dismiss those who need our help or be a person of poor work ethic, and then expect the people who needed us or the unsaved that work with us to want to readily hear about our Righteous and Holy God. We cannot offer others something we claim is life changing when our lives looks no different than theirs. We must be a people who are known for getting things done, and done with honesty, and integrity. We must be known for our kindness, and language that is laced with grace, being polite, and well-mannered; not rude or discourteous. As salt improves the flavor of the food it is added to, so our presence should add flavor to the situation or conversation we are involved in. When a Christian behaves as he/she ought to, there will be no need to announce that we are different, for those around us will take notice of the difference (some will welcome it, while others will oppose it because it will expose their own dishonesty, immorality, and corruption). Nonetheless, we are called to live holy before God. When we take extra measure to do this, the Lord will certainly open doors of opportunities for us to share the Gospel message without hypocrisy. For this reason we must also always be ready to give and answer for what we believe and why we live as we do, as followers of Jesus Christ. Aside from speaking the Gospel, our life may be the only gospel others have ever seen, or ever will. Make it count for Jesus!

Turn Before It's Too Late

Verse of the day: Amos 5:14-15 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

How easy it is to fall into the trap of going through religious rituals, and thinking that just being religious is pleasing to God. Too often, when times are good, and we have plenty, it is easy to become complacent in our relationship with the Lord. Even worse is when we live corrupt lives, but deceive ourselves into thinking that doing good works will cover up our acts of wickedness. This is where the Northern Kingdom found itself. It was a time of prosperity, but they were corrupt. They cared not for the poor, practiced idolatry, and their justice system was corrupt. They used their religious rituals, traditions, and customs, to cover up the fact that their outer display of religion was contrary to where their hearts were...far away from God. Amos was warning them of God's coming judgement; for they did not know that they were on the brink of their captivity, and enslavement, under the Assyrians. We must be careful that we not think that we are "okay" simply because God allows us to prosper. It is false thinking to assume God is pleased simply because He allows us, as His children, to experience His goodness; for the sun rises on both the evil, and the good, and He sends rain on the just and unjust (Matt 5:45) What He is trying to accomplish with His goodness is to turn us to repentance (Rm 2:4). Amos commands these deceived people to turn from evil, and seek good. However, they were not just to turn from evil, but they were to hate it. These verses are not just an encouragement to do good. They are a command given for complete reformation, not just of the individual, but the entire corrupt system. That command still stands today. It is not enough to cover up our wickedness with acts of good. God sees deep beneath our "religion", and goes right to the heart of the matter. It is not enough to just stop doing evil. We are to allow God to perform a complete overhaul, from the inside out. Just like Amos was boldly warning the Northern Kingdom of the coming judgement, so we today need to be mindful, and warning others, of the fact that all of us, whether saved or unsaved, will give account for our lives. The unsaved must give account for their sins, and be punished, so turn to Jesus, and call on Him, before it is too late! We, as His children, though we are not condemned (Rm 8:1), still have great responsibility, and accountability, for the way we live for Him. We are not excused from living righteous, and holy, lives. We will be accountable for how we serve our Lord, and represent Him, here on earth. For us, there will be either gain or loss of reward, base on how we have built our lives on the Foundation that is Jesus (1 Cor 3:11-15). Let us not forget that as His children, when we choose evil, regardless of how much of the world's riches He allows us to have, we will not escape the chastening of our Heavenly Father (Heb 12:3-11). That chastening could come in the form of loosing all that He has allowed us to gain. In the blink of an eye, we could lose it all. This was where the Northern Kingdom eventually found itself. The wealthiest of God's people found themselves with nothing, poor as those they neglected, and slaves to the Assyrians. Let us not wink at God's warning. Be grateful for His goodness, and let His goodness drive us to repentance. Let draw near to God, purify our hearts (James 4:8), turn from our wicked way, and allow God to show us where we need reformation so that our outward good works come from a heart that desires, and strives, to be right with God first.

Prepare Your Mind

Verse of the day: 1Peter 1:13 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober, and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Our mind is a battlefield. The enemy desires to control it, and cause us to self-destruct in our thinking. What we believe is of utmost importance in relation to how we live. This is why we are told in Romans 12:1-2 to renew our minds. We are not to be conformed to the world's way of thinking, but allow God's truth to change the way we think. In 2 Cor 5:17 we are told that, in Christ, we are a new creation. We are made new from the inside out. In verse 16 of that chapter we are reminded that at one time, before we called upon Jesus Christ, we thought of God, and man, in a certain way (worldly), but now, as His children, we think of God, and man, differently in light of what we know about Jesus and the truth found in His Word (heavenly). In Eph 6:14, the Scriptures tell us to gird our loins with the truth. This is where too many Christians fall short in their attempts to grow in their knowledge of Jesus. Rather than rely on the Word of God to learn who He is, and learn what truth is, too many still rely on self-help books, and motivational books. I do praise God for the godly men He has used, as commentators, to help us have a better understanding or perspective, but the bottom line is that God has provided us with everything we need to grow in our faith; that is His Word and the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:13) who will guide us into all truth. As we learn the truth, and change the way we think, we will grow in our trust of the Lord. When difficulties arise, we will learn not to default to worldly thinking, and seeking worldly solutions. The truth of God is what will give us the balance needed in our Christian walk. In days of old, the people wore loose clothing, and girded them in order to be to run or move quickly, when the occasions arose. When we gird our minds with the truth (God's truth) we will always be ready for what comes our way. Not that we will not be caught by surprise, but we will always be confident that our God is never surprised; therefore, we will more readily bring our concerns to Him in prayer and supplication, thereby receiving the peace of God that passes all understanding (Phil 4:6), and falling into the "worry" trap. The truth of His Word is what cements us in the hope that we have in our God. Brothers and sisters, let us not be deceived into thinking that we have no need to be in His Word continually, just because we have grown in our walk, and have committed a few verses to memory. That is exactly what our enemy wants us to think. We must remain watchful, and anticipate Jesus' return. It is this hope, and anticipation, that should drive us to live holy lives, as Peter encourages us to do. We are to be holy, even as our Lord is holy (v.16). Let us fight the good fight, continue to seek God without fainting, and committing ourselves to the continual reading and studying of God's Word. His truth is the only thing that will put a strong, impenetrable barrier around the battlefield, which is our mind.

Imitators of God

Verse of the day: Ephesians 5:1-2 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

I am sure that many of us have heard this question before... If you were charged with being a born again Christian, would there be enough evidence in your life to convict you? I believe many of us would be ready to proclaim that there would be, but the real answer would be determined by what God, and others, see. Why? Because we generally do not see, of ourselves, what God, and others, see of us. That truly is a humbling thought. We are exhorted to be imitators (followers) of God. Like children who want to imitate, and be like their fathers, we ought to desire, and make great efforts, to be like our Heavenly Father. As God is kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving (Eph 4:32), so ought we to be the same. Too often, we get the whole concept of being like God backwards. We encounter others regularly, but we let the other person's attitude or actions determine whether or not we respond in love. That is not what our God does. He begins with love, and already knows about our bad attitudes, and wicked, sinful, actions; yet He still loves us, and demonstrates it by the way He responds, and deals with us, daily. That is what we, as His children, should be doing in our approach to life, and others. We must allow the love of God move us, and be the determining factor in our response to others. Who the other person is should not be the determining factor in our behavior toward them; for even if it is an enemy, we are to show them love (Mt 5:44-47). If we love only those who love us, how are we different from the world? How are we imitating God when He loved us, even when we were His enemies (Rm 5:8)? This is the love, and lifestyle, which Jesus demonstrated toward us. His actions toward us are based on His love, and not our actions toward Him. How great His grace! As He gave Himself for us, and sacrificed Himself for our sake, in obedience to His Father's will, so we are to be in our imitation of our Lord, willing to love, and take up our cross daily (Mt 16:25). The bottom line is that, in Jesus, we are an acceptable sweet-smelling savour (2 Cor 2:15). Our God is love (1 Jn 4:16), and we are called to love one another, even as He has loved us; for by this the world will know that we belong to Him, and that we are His disciples (Jn 13:35). The Apostle Paul encouraged the church to be followers of him, as he was a follower of Christ (1 Cor 11:1). If those who observe us in our every day lives were to follow us, who would they be following, us, the devil, or Jesus? As we desire for our earthly children to imitate us in our faith, and love of the Lord, so our Heavenly Father wants us to imitate Him. Would those who imitate us be imitating our Father? I ask again... Would there be enough evidence in our lives to convict us of being true followers or imitators of our Father in Heaven or our Lord and Savior?

The Refiner's Fire

Verse of the day: Malachi 3:2-3 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.

If we were to be honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that not one of us would be able to stand (in and of ourselves) if Jesus appeared before us at this moment (Ps 103:3). Our Lord, and His Word are a Refining Fire, that burns through us, and exposes our facades, to show who we really are (Heb 4:12; Jer 23:29). As God's children, we should praise Him for the fact that Jesus' righteousness is what allows us to stand before Him (Lk 21:35-36). Like a refiner of fine metals, the Lord purifies us with the Fire of His Word. Interestingly, the refining process is one that is painful, and precise. The refiner heats the metal to a temperature hot enough to bring the dross (impurities) to the surface, in order to purify the metal. However, he intently monitors the temperature so as to not overheat the metal, so that it is not ruined. Once the metal is purified, it is then polished until the refiner can see his own reflection in it. This is our Lord Jesus, who allows the heat to be turned up in our lives in order to bring out the dross, or impurities, that He went to the Cross for (1 John 2:2), and continues that process until He can see Himself in us. He brings it all to the surface to make us aware of what is there, as He purifies us. The fuller's soap was used to make stained garments white. The Lord, by His Blood, has washed us, and made us white as snow (Ps 51:7; 1 Jn 1:9). One day we will all stand before Him, and as a Refining Fire He will judge our works, and what we did in His Name (1 Cor 3:12-13). I say all this to say that whatever difficulties we face in our walk with Him, we must faithfully endure, and ask ourselves, "What is God trying to teach me about myself, and Him, in allowing this?" We must trust that every trial, and every challenge, has been allowed for the purpose of purging us of some attitude, habit, or hidden sin, that God wants to bring to the surface, that He might purge it from our lives. For this reason it is of utmost importance that we maintain a daily routine of reading and studying His Word. We must continually allow God to show us what is in our hearts, that we may be continually confessing, and repenting of, those things He shows us that do not belong in the lives of His followers. I should also remind us at this point that the Lord does not just purge us from within, but He also uses this process to purge us from without in respect to relationships that ruin our walk with Him. The Scripture is very clear that corrupt company also corrupts our life (the way that we live, 1 Cor 15:33). There does come a time in our walk with the Lord when we must forsake certain relationships that corrupt us (companions that lead us to do that which is wicked or immoral before God). The one comfort we have is that regardless of how long we are in the furnace of life or how hot He has to turn up the heat, like a Refiner, He is with us, intently watching, so that we are not ruined in the purifying process.The bottom line is that God began a process of changing us, and making us more like His Son, who came and sacrificed Himself for us. Let us not make this sacrifice of no affect in our lives. Let us not resist what God is trying to do in our lives to make us more like Jesus. Let us intently seek to give up those impure habits, attitudes, sins, and companions, that the Lord is trying to purge from our lives. Remember, some day Jesus will return, and unlike His first coming, His second coming will be one of us giving an account of the lives we lived for Him here on earth. Our desire is to hear those words spoken in the Gospel, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Mt 25:23).