Loving God More

"Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." - Job 1:21

"The gift of the essential nature of God is placed and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, making us truly alive. He takes that which was “beyond” us and places it “within” us. And immediately, once “the beyond” has come “within,” it rises up to “the above,” and we are lifted into the kingdom where Jesus lives and reigns (see John 3:5)." - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

When I sit down to write these devotions, I ask the Lord, what am I supposed to say today.  And “out it comes”.  Very often, there will be some event – interaction from the previous day that the Lord uses as a launching point.  So in that regard what I write is not premeditated as such, but more spontaneous … although that is not to say that there are not years of life that undergird what I write.  I’ve done this 3246 times so far, plus this one …. Frankly I am amazed by the process and perhaps more amazed that God is using me in this way.

So to the point. As Christians we live our lives on this earth with a tension between the spiritual and the natural.  The preaching of the earthly health and wealth gospel … God wants you to be rich and healthy … is the carnal Christian's attempt to resolve that tension.  The idea is that God will give you money .. which He tells you not to love … and health .. which He tells you that you will face affliction and hardship of many kinds … and so … you can really be independent of God .. all of your earthly needs will be met … do you see the heresy in this?  God wants us to give up our dependence upon earthly comforts and assurances and trust Him, alone.  When Job lost everything, the assumption was that he had done something wrong .. why?  Because he lost his earthly possessions. What was the truth .. there was something spiritual at work that superseded the natural.  The same is true in our lives.  The thing is, you must be willing to submit to that … to yield your devotion and dependence upon the natural and trust God's provision.  What do you hunger for?  I see people struggling after disasters and war and poverty, while Americans are trying to figure out if they should go ahead and buy that $1000 iPhone and get rid of their $700 iPhone.  The Church in the United States is the “frog in the pot” with respect to materialism.  We don’t know that we are being cooked … instead, we think the water temperature is just right.

"You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." -  James 4:2-4

Ugh! That does not leave a lot of wiggle room does it. I guess I should quote Jesus to bring this to a close. 

“And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,  And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear" -  Matthew 13:14-16

And I would add .. He who is convicted – let him repent. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Asking For One Thing And Getting Another

"And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So, he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God." - Acts 3:4-8

Whenever I read this passage, my mind goes back to our work at the Haitian orphanage in Jacmel. I oversaw the building of 2 orphanages there. My good friends and Brothers, Pastor Doug Moyer and John Turnbull and I reenacted the encounter with the lame man for the orphans. Doug was the lame man - John and I were Peter and John. The message was and is the same. Very often we are looking for one solution, but God has a greater one in mind. The lame man did need money but more than that - he needed Jesus. 

We tend to focus on his physical healing - which was wonderful on its own, but he believed in the name of Jesus. And that brought a greater healing. His physical healing was a demonstration of his spiritual healing. 

I think about what I pray about, and wonder are some of those prayers misdirected? Am I looking at the wrong things - worried about the wrong things - demonstrating my dependence or devotion to the things of this world more than on God? Like the lame man, we may find that we ask for one thing, but God gives us another. Do we recognize it for what it is, a greater blessing, or are we dismayed for not getting what we asked for?

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

It is easy to read it, but harder to do it. That is because it requires faith and trust.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Running The Race

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I [Paul] am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." - Acts 20:22-24

When I was much younger, I used to run in road races - not marathons. I did do a half marathon once, but mainly it was 10K races. That is 6.2 miles. But as I was re-reading Paul's words my mind flashed back to the people I ran the race with. There were always the rabbits who would take off like a shot at the sound of the starting pistol. Most would lose "steam" somewhere down the road. Then there were the rest of us. Not trying to be the best of all the runners, just trying to run their best.

I think that is what God expects of us. To run the race set before us the best we can. We don't all start at the same time, nor will we finish at the same time, nor at the same speed - hey, the races are not even the same distance. It seems that the course for some is run on a flat road while others run in the mountains. Whatever course we find ourselves on, we must run - run the best we can. Run with our whole heart in it. We may not be the best in the race, but we will all share in the prize at the end of the race. 

I don't know that you think about participation trophies that some kids receive nowadays just for playing on a team - win or lose. But - I think that there is a spiritual lesson in there somewhere. Could it be that our task is to play on a team, learn some life lessons, and not quit? Is that praiseworthy? I think it is. Someone once said, "It does not matter if you win or lose, but it is how you play the game."

God has a purpose for each of us. It could be as a preacher, or simply as a person being preached to. The question is are we faithful in the place where God has purposed us? Are we running the race for the glory of God or for our own glory? While I was in the Army I took a Physical Training (PT test) at least once a year. On one occasion as I ran the quarter mile track - 8 times around for 2 miles - I noticed that a friend of mine had stopped running and was trying to catch his breath - he was in trouble - failing the PT test was not an option.

So, I stopped to encourage him to keep moving. To look past the pain in his lungs and legs and to finish the race. Focus on the goal. The evaluators started calling out to me to leave him and finish the run. But I encouraged him to run with me and we finished together under the maximum time allowed. We both passed the test. My score was impacted but my score was not my concern - it was to help my friend who was struggling with his race. 

Maybe you know someone who is struggling with their race. That someone may just need another Christian to come alongside and encourage them to press on. Any names come to mind? It reminds me of Paul's encouragement to the Corinthian church. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-6

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Spiritual Discernment

"Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem....After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." - Acts 21:4,10-11

I thought it was interesting that Luke, who is the undisputed author of Acts, used the words - "through the Spirit". We know that Jesus told Nicodemus that everyone must be born of the Spirit if they are to have eternal life. We also know that the Spirit was sent to 1 - inhabit us - give us spiritual life and 2 - help us with that spiritual life. As mere mortals, we tend to think about spiritual things in human terms. After all - we are using our minds to consider Spiritual Truth - but the fact is that Spiritual truth is only understood by revelation of the spirit in the heart. So, they urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem, not because of what they heard on the evening news, but because of a revelation made known to them by the Spirit. Something that was impossible for men to know about from Divine revelation. And because they loved Paul, they did not want to see any harm come to him. 

Do you think that God would reveal things to you by His Spirit? Has He ever? Or is it something that you have decided is "out of your league"? For the spiritual elite. My friend, you are a child of God - sealed by the Spirit of God. Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the work of the Spirit in every Believer's life. 

"These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." - 1 Corinthians 2:13 

God speaks by the Spirit through the Word of God, prayer, circumstances (where the Spirit shows us God at work and we understand that hand of God is working, and other Christians who have the same Spirit that we do.  It is amazing and true.

Our goal should be that we see the world the same way God does. That we have spiritual understanding in this life we live. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

How To Know When It Is Time To Go

If you have been reading these devotions for any time you know that our life is a nomadic one.  Gypsies for Jesus.  Our ministry is small and we are not fettered with debt and other financial obligations. That means we can turn in any direction that God should point us in, quickly, and with little or no concern for earthly obligations.  When people talked to Jesus about following Him, He always said  - “Follow Me now and don’t concern yourself with the things of this world.”  In response to Pilate, Jesus said “My kingdom is not of this world…”  (John 18:36) When God calls us, it is not as if He does not know our circumstances.  But it is most often our circumstance that is our first consideration.  There are a number of stories about Jesus earthly ministry that recount that response from people who said they wanted to follow him – “Let me first ….”  (Luke 9:59)

One of the problems with the American Christian Culture is that worldly obligations are of primary concern, just like it was for those men.  Some time ago, I have been contacted by two families.  One from Alabama and the other from Mississippi.  In both cases, they have told me that they felt the call of God and were directed to contact us about helping for a short time with our work here.  I responded by saying “Come on, we need the help now.” In both cases, they said that they could not do it now, but there were other considerations that had to be taken into account.  

If you are seeking the will of God and direction, you must be willing to submit to God's leading.  The world may say you are irresponsible – other Christians may say that as well.  What I say is – if it is God telling you to go, then not going is irresponsible – on a significantly higher level.  So the question becomes “How do you know when it is time to go?”

Dr. Henry Blackaby, co-author of “Experiencing God”, said that people knowing it is God telling them is not the problem.  Obeying what God told them is the problem. I asked the man from Mississippi if he was familiar with Henry Blackaby and he said “We are doing the Experiencing God study at church right now.”  So I shared what that study teaches about hearing God’s voice.  All of us are not called to “Go” that is leave where we are currently planted – but all of us are called to “Be” and “Do”.  Whatever the level of your calling – Being a “Stay at home Christian” or to “Go and labor in the fields” we must have a willing heart.  The proof of a willing heart is obedience to God’s revealed will. Following God can be attractive – exciting even – but it is also demanding.  It means laying your life down - your nets if you will. Without reservation.  

I gave a devotion to a group of U.S. Americans in Haiti some time back about this very thing.  I had been listening, meeting after meeting, about how difficult being in Haiti was for them.  By definition serving in a third world country is difficult – very difficult. So I told them that if God had not called them to be there – all of them said they were Christians by the way – then they should go home.  You could have heard a pin drop.  Needless to say, I was not asked to give a devotion at another meeting. That is not the answer they were looking for. They wanted God to make it easier for them. Actually He had.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

The same is true for the two families that talked to me.  Serving in a disaster area is very difficult.  If God has not called you to it – don’t do it.  I am not talking about volunteering for a week – even then most want to know they will have hot water and air conditioning.  But serving – full time.  Willing to commit your life to serving God – even in the hard places.  

So how do you know when it is time to go? When God speaks. We all need to be like the prophet Samuel.

"Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”" - 1 Samuel 3:10

And then obey what He says to do.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Why We Must Encourage One Another

"They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith." - Acts 14:21-22

It had not been that long since Paul and Barnabus had been with those new converts. Why was it necessary to strengthen and encourage them so soon. The reason is that Christians are like a new plant, that must be nurtured - encouraged so that it can mature and stand on its own. But the thing is that the As Christians, we were not meant to be on our own. We have a vertical relationship with God and a horizontal relationship with other Christians that must be maintained.

The Church is like a football team, if you will. Everyone has their role - their gifts or skills. They work as a team - not just 12 heroes lining up to win the game on their own - but one team. The same for the Body of Christ, the Church. A running back cannot run far if the linemen are not doing their job of making a hole in the defense that gives the running back a path to take. The players may physically work out on their own, but they play as a team - mutually supporting one another.

Those players don't sleep on the couch during the week and then show up for the game on Sunday. They study, they condition, they practice, and then they play. We had a saying in the Army that you fight the way you train. If you don't prepare beforehand then when the time comes, you won't do well.  Another thing I would say is that "you don't have to practice be miserable". But you do have to train hard and well so that you can persevere when the going gets tough.

Another thing to consider is that if you don't keep after it, persist in your preparation you will atrophy - get soft and vulnerable if you will. Well, there is a spiritual atrophy that can set in for the same reasons. Paul was like a coach - encouraging the baby Christians to press on with their faith. That is my goal in writing these devotions. There is a song - there is always a song :) with me!

"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here is my heart, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above."

That should be written on a card and taped to your bathroom mirror or refrigerator door or maybe the dashboard in your car. Keep pressing. 

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Core Values Of Christianity

 Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in all we do. Sound Biblical? Like that should be on a plaque in a church. Actually, those are the core values of the United States Airforce. I worked for a government contractor and as an Air Force civilian for a time doing IT work. In the contractor business office, there were posters on the wall citing those values. For integrity was a picture of an American Bald Eagle with the words "Integrity First" at the bottom of the poster. The big boss from headquarters was visiting and talking to me about the work we were doing. I pointed casually at the poster and asked, "Do we really mean that? Or do we just like pictures of Eagles?" I don't think he was sure how to respond. And I am pretty sure he got my point. I have a penchant for asking questions that people don't want to answer. Call it a gift.

But I could ask the same question of Christians. We agree with the idea of loving God with our whole hearts - having integrity - meaning without blemish, flaw or division. Living that out can be and most likely is a challenge for all of us. Our challenge is that we all live with the tension between the spirit and the flesh. We are called to live a sanctified life. Pure and holy before God.

Putting others before ourselves is another one. John 15:13. Jesus said, "No greater love has one [person] than this, but to lay down their life for their friends [or others]. That is an indirect reference to the second greatest commandment. Love God first and others next - we are further down the list! So often we choose to look after ourselves and then we can look to the needs of others.

"And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." -  Mark 9:35

Have you ever heard the term, "It is good enough for government work?" If not - it essentially means that it doesn't have to be your best effort, just good enough. I went to a yearlong school when I was in the Army and the grade everyone strived for was what we called the "Leavenworth B". We were all high achievers, but it was all right if we coasted a bit. 

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." - Colossians 3:23-24

Living and serving for an audience of One. We should be offering God our best, not just offering the leftovers, if there are any. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Willing To Do God's Will

 "I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will." - Acts 13:22

This was the Apostle Paul recounting the relational path to the Messiah while speaking in a Synagogue with Israelites and Gentiles who worshipped God. I thought it interesting that he referenced David being a man after God's own heart but added the caveat that David's will was to do the will of the Father. Does that remind you of anything?

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me [Jesus]; yet not my will, but yours be done." - Luke 22:42

That's right, it was Jesus - the Messiah. Saying the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree is not a reference to the fruit in the Garden, but the fact that David and Jesus shared the same commitment. 

So, to my point. Not only are we to love God with our whole hearts, but we are to submit to the will of the Father. He is to be our primary devotion not our will. Like Jesus, we may want to see something happen in our lives, but we must be willing to yield to the will of God. For Jesus, that meant going to the cross. That was the reason God sent Jesus to the Earth to begin with. Jesus knew that. Even talked about it with the disciples. 

"Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" - Matthew 20:17-19

It is one thing to talk about what will or may happen and what we are ready to do. It is quite another to be facing it - staring in the mouth of the lion. To walk by faith in such times requires spiritual preparation. That is so much more than mere mental acknowledgement of what God has said. We can sit at our kitchen table in the early morning reading our Bible or in the pew on Sunday listening to a sermon and nod our heads in agreement that what we read or hear is Truth. It is quite another to have our faith put to the test.

I am thinking about my old friend - Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

It's our understanding - our old nature that strives to dominate our doing. Like my friend who asked me, "Are you crazy?" when I told him that Martie and I were going to Haiti after leaving Mississippi. Why would anyone intentionally put themselves in harm's way? As I told him - "It's not my idea, it's God's!" 

That is not on the same level as Jesus' struggle, but it is the same issue. The question is, will you submit to the will of God when it is contrary to what you would choose on your own? The proof will be in what you do, not what you say you will do. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

God Works At Both Ends Of The Stick

"Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” So, he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him." - Acts 10:17-23

The idea that God speaks by His Spirit through other Christians is something that I have shared before. Peter and the Centurion is a Biblical example. I think there is a practical value for us to consider the dynamic. First, you know that all believers are sealed with Holy Spirit. 

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

 and we are all indwelt by the same Holy Spirit

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" - 1 Corinthians 3:16

To be affirmed by another Christian when you believe that you have received a word from the Lord has Biblical precedent and personal testimony from the Saints. When you believe that God has spoken - that He is calling and/or leading you to a work then you should make it a practice to seek out the counsel of godly men and women as a way of affirming the call. God works at both ends to the stick.

That counsel should not be received as your sole source of affirmation but in concert with prayer, the Word, and circumstances that have presented themselves. My point is that our response to what we believe that God is saying to us should be tempered with patience and discernment. Testing that it is not our flesh or old nature that is prompting us - but is in fact the Lord.

What the Lord revealed to Peter on the rooftop was contrary to what Peter had known to be true. What he had embraced and practiced his whole life. Now God had revealed the "mystery" that "not all Israel was Israel". That the Jews had thought in terms of the physical - ethnic Israel but there was a spiritual Israel - the Israel of the Promise to Abraham that included Gentiles.  That was radical. But God affirmed it through Cornelius and raised up an Apostle to the Gentiles - Paul. 

Having said that - we must be careful that we don't stray from the truth because we believe that we have heard from God when we have not. Refusing to listen to the counsel of mature Christians we are in danger of charging off on a path that the Lord has not set our feet on. Many who were well intentioned have traveled that road to their detriment. Intending to bring glory to God, they have not.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Is Jesus In Or Is He Out?

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

I must say, before I start, that I am going to be wading into deep water today. I am attempting to clarify the idea of the habitation of Jesus with respect to Believers. Followers of the Way.

I do my best to pay close attention to the sermons and prayers that I hear. Not in a critical sense, but in anticipation of hearing the Spirit speak in the midst of the words of men and women. And I often do -thanks be to God. But sometimes I hear things said that seem to contradict what is written in the Bible, at least as I understand it.

I often hear people say that I have Jesus in my heart. What exactly does that mean? What does it mean when we say that Christ lives in us? We know that when Jesus left the earth He ascended to Heaven. Then Father sent the Spirit to inhabit each Believer. Still with me? Jesus told the disciples that He was leaving and going back to the Father.

"I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." - John 16:28 

Paul wrote that Jesus was seated in heaven waiting for His eventual return for the Church, his Bride. 

"which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." - Ephesians 1:20

"Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest [that being Jesus], who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" - Hebrews 8:1

So is He in or is He out?

Jesus prayed that we might be one as He and the Father are one, emphasizing that Jesus was going to be with the Father.

"And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one." - John 17:11

I think the issue is understanding the Godhead. Father, Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Our salvation is dependent upon the grace and mercy of the Father, the Sacrifice and continuous intercession by the Son and the indwelling of the Spirit as the seal of our redemption. So, my conclusion is - Jesus is in and He is out. He is both. We very often want to think about the spiritual in the context of the natural. Physics says that one object can't be in two places at once and neither can two objects occupy the same space. Those are natural laws. God is not bound to them like our mortal bodies are.

The Body of Christ is spiritual one and yet physical separated by culture, race, geography, language. Separated by natural constructs - united by the Spirit and one faith.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Spiritual Regret - When God Says Go And You Say No

"Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God." - Acts 5:1-4

So what happened here? I think that Ananias and Sapphira initially responded to the prompting of the Spirit to sell their property. But then something changed. A faith response can seem to be a frivolous act when view through the lens of the world. So if I will you permit me to be liberal in my interpretation of the events - knowing that the Word is silent on the details. I imagine a conversation between them went something like this. 

(Sapphira) "Ananias we got so much money from the sale; I had no idea!"

(Ananias) "Me either! I was thinking that maybe we could use some of that money to pay our debts and maybe have some for our future. We didn't tell Peter what we would sell it for. Surely the money we will give to the Apostles will be more than most will give. Let's just tell them that what we sold it for the amount we give them!"

(Sapphira) "I agree. We need some of that money for us!"

And you know the rest. So, why did that happen? The Bible gives us some insight.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." - 1 Timothy 6:10

They lost spiritual perspective - took their eyes off of Jesus and focused on the world. Peter rightly said that they could have decided to give some and not all - but they had committed initially - by their choice to give all - and then decided to lie to conceal their sin. But God sees the heart of man.  

I was on staff with the Promise Keepers ministry some - well I guess many - years ago. I recall the wives of the men who attended the conferences along with as many as 60,000 other Christian men telling me that their husbands came back as new men, but after about 2 weeks, like Moses coming off the mountain, the glory faded. (Later I likened it to taking a Promise Keeper pill that would last a year.) The men were faced with the realities of life on this planet. They took their eyes off of Jesus and started focusing on themselves. Their hearts were drawn back to the affairs of this world.

After 5 years, our time serving in Mississippi after Katrina was drawing to a close. Several people - who were geographically separated and unknown to each other, talked to Martie and me about going to Haiti to help after the earthquake. We both came under conviction that the Lord was indeed leading us to serve in Haiti. And so, we made the commitment to go, knowing what the cost would be.

I was talking with a friend - who was religious but not saved - when I told him what we were about to do - he looked me squarely and asked "Are you crazy! Don't go to Haiti!" I responded with, "It's not my idea, it's God's!" Of course, he did not understand our decision given the difficulties we would most certainly face.

"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." - 1 Corinthians 2:14

The Word says that he was incapable of understanding. It was a faith thing. It was a spiritual calling. And he was spiritually deaf and blind. 

When you are faced with the leading of God in your walk of faith be on your guard! The cares of the world will want to get in the way. When God speaks you must be ready to go. Your flesh will want you to say "no!". Remember the admonition in First John chapter 2 .... 

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." - 1 John 2:15-17

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

The Spirit Is Willing

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Mark 14:38

It is not the "spiritual" me that must face the temptations in this life. It is the natural me. God created mankind with a free will. The ability to choose. Even to not choose. So like any enemy, Satan looks for a weakness. That would be our flesh. God does not tempt and cannot be tempted. (James 1:13) Our spiritual nature cannot be tempted because it is from God. When Adam and Eve were tempted, it was their flesh - their human nature that Satan convinced to sin. Thier natural reasoning and desires. "Did God really say?" (Gensis 3:3-6)

That is why we are encouraged to walk in the power of the Spirit and not try to be righteous in the power of our flesh. (Galatians 5:16) Recall that Jesus told Peter that he would deny Jesus three times and Peter could not accept that. Recall that Pentecost did not happen until after the resurrection, so Peter was dependent upon Jesus for all things spiritual. It wasn't that Peter wanted to deny Jesus, it was that Peter was depending upon himself to face the temptation to protect himself and be faithful to Jesus. 

"When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again, he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about." - Mark 14:69-71

Peter's plan did not go so well, and Jesus was proved right. Surprise!!! You know the same thing happens to us. We face temptations every day. If we decide to face them with our "won't" power and not sin - well, we are walking the same road that Peter did.

"Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You!" - Psalm 119:11

That is about choosing a spiritual solution in dealing with the temptation.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert" - Ephesians 6:12-18

My encouragement to you .... as John Wayne (The Duke) would say - "Saddle up!" Spiritually speaking that is.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone