Standing Boldly For Truth And Right

“The next day many Jewish leaders, religious scholars, and elders of the people convened a meeting in Jerusalem. …. They made Peter and John stand in front of the council as they questioned them, saying, ‘Tell us, by what power and authority have you done these things?’ Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered, ‘Respected elders and leaders of the people, listen. Are we being put on trial today for doing an act of kindness by healing a frail, crippled man? Well then, you and everyone else in Israel should know that it is by the power of the name of Jesus that the crippled man stands here today completely healed! You crucified Jesus Christ of Nazareth, but God raised him from the dead. This Jesus is ‘the stone that you, the builders, have rejected, and now he has become the cornerstone!’ There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus.’” —Acts 4:5-12

What a contrast from the night that Peter denied even knowing Jesus. Why did he deny Jesus? Because he feared what others might think or do. Now he faced the religious rulers who had even more power than the people who had “rightly” accused Peter of being a Jesus follower.  Have you ever been accused of being a Jesus follower? I don’t mean recognized by other Jesus followers. I mean accused of embracing God’s truth in the face of a culture who has rejected that truth and calls it a lie?  A culture that says if you don’t agree with us – agree to call what God has said is wrong to be right – then you are a bad person.

“How favored you become when you are hated, excommunicated, or slandered, or when your name is spoken of as evil because of your love for me, the Son of Man.” – Luke 6:22

How often have you read those words – I hope often – and didn’t really see that as something that would ever happen to you?  I mean don’t most people think of Christians as being good people? (a rhetorical question)

“Just remember, when the unbelieving world hates you, they first hated me. If you were to give your allegiance to the world, they would love and welcome you as one of their own. But because you won’t align yourself with the values of this world, they will hate you. I have chosen you and taken you out of the world to be mine.” – John 15:18-19

Because you won’t align yourself with the values of this world, they will hate you.  I didn’t say it. Jesus, the Son of God, did. We have been separated from the world. It doesn’t really matter all that much until you don’t embrace something that is wrong, by God’s definition, as right.  Then you will be accused of being evil. How important is it to you for that not to happen? To be rejected by your culture – maybe even people you care about because you refuse to embrace their sin? This is not about a lack of love for people.  God loved us while we were yet sinners and Christ died for us.  No, it is about embracing sin.  Sometimes it is hard to separate the sin from the sinner. Throwing the baby out with the bath water, if you will.  That separation is a reflection of our spirituality. It is a boldness that comes from the power of the Spirit in us. Just like Peter standing before the Jewish leaders. 

Imagine if we said to God – “God, we don’t need a savior, what we need is for You to change Your mind and agree that we are not sinners.” We want God to agree that the life we have chosen and the things that we do are not really bad. 

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” – Isaiah 5:20

If you are going to take a stand for what God has declared is good – you will not be able to stand on your own – Just like Peter – you will end up denying the Faith for acceptance from the culture – and perhaps from people you know personally.  You will try to justify your choices out of compassion for others.  Truth does not change no matter how much we want it to.  Our willingness to stand for truth and the Word of God does – depending upon our hearts’ devotion.  The Church looks too much like the world because it has rejected the truth for a lie.  Think about it. 

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

What It Means To Be A Follower Of Jesus

“For whom He [God the Father] foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [Jesus], that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” —Romans 8:29

Who is your role model? Who do you want to be like? Who are you like? Given the context of this BLOG, the most obvious and spiritual answer is “Jesus”. But, for me, I know that I am something short of that goal. Life just seems to get in the way a lot of days.  Oh, I can be like Jesus sometimes – but 24/7/365? Hmmm! That has never happened. Try or wish as I might – I always seem fall short.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2

Personally, I think that the reality of our new life – what happens after our second, spiritual, birth, is that we enter into a spiritual struggle between the old nature and new nature that will continue until we stand face to face with Jesus. Our temptation is to be conformed to the world – to not be transformed. To embrace our old nature – to love God less and the world more. We all struggle with it. Some are more successful than others – and in my view – that does not make those with the greater struggle any less saved. The New Testament epistles are replete with encouragement to do and admonition to not do. 

“…. let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-3

To be successful in this new life of ours is to resist sin, embrace the Word of God, keeping our focus on Jesus. We are to be salt and light in the world.  Our job is not to change the world. Our job – our responsibility is to point the world to the One who can change hearts and eternal destinies.  As imitators of God we should be His reflection – a sharp, supernatural contrast to the natural.  Of course we should do good things – but that is a result of the love we have for God, primarily, and the difference that love relationship makes in our lives. We should not continue in sin. We should not and must not become content with a “little” sin in our lives as if it does not matter to God.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” – Ephesians 5:8-11

I want to encourage you to examine your life – as I must do mine – considering our ways in light of the God we serve, the Savoir we follow, the Spirit that leads us and the Word that enlightens us.  It is something we must do every day – perhaps every minute of every hour. The journey – the life – that God has called us to is impossible to walk and to live without Him.  Don’t deceive yourself and imagine that it is OK to be lukewarm. It is not. Jesus did not go to the cross so we could live lukewarm lives.

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

Straddling The Spiritual Fence

 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.’” —Revelation 3:14-16

After all the time that you have called Jesus, Lord, do you yet struggle with sin and the temptation to sin?  I do and I would like to think that I am not alone. Jesus – the Amen and the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, the First Born among many in the spiritual family of God, the Lamb of God – He saved me from the penalty of Sin – but not so I might continue to sin as if sin is inevitable and to some degree acceptable.  I think that was the problem with the church of Laodicea – a group of people that were content with being lukewarm – wanting to be both – saved from hell and content with accommodating sin.

The idea that it is OK with God if we live like that is a lie from the pit of hell.  Jesus railed against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees because they embraced the idea of straddling the spiritual fence.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” – Matthew 23:23-28

God looks at and judges our hearts – not our appearance or the pretenses that we present to others. We compromise our faith for the comfort we find in the acceptance of the world. We yield to sin because it is so easy to do – like slipping on an old pair of shoes – worn and conformed to our feet and the way we walk. We do it with no thought of how displeasing it is to the One we have said that we love with our whole heart. The One who is always present – even in the darkness that we think we hide in as well revel in our sin.

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

We are to be salt and light in the world.  Our job is not to change the world. Our job – our responsibility is to point the world to the One who can change hearts and eternal destinies.  As imitators of God we should be His reflection – a sharp, supernatural contrast to the natural.  Of course we should do good things – but that is a result of the love we have for God, primarily, and the difference that love relationship makes in our lives. We should not continue in sin. We should not and must not become content with a “little” sin in our lives as if it does not matter to God.

We will all struggle with the temptation to so long as we live in these mortal bodies – but that does not mean we should be content with sin.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” – Ephesians 5:8-11

I want to encourage you to examine your life – as I must do mine – considering our ways in light of the God we serve, the Savoir we follow, the Spirit that leads us and the Word that enlightens us.  It is something we must do every day – perhaps every minute of every hour. The journey – the life – that God has called us to is impossible to walk and to live without Him.  Don’t deceive yourself and imagine that it is OK to be lukewarm. It is not. Jesus did not go to the cross so we could live lukewarm lives.

“ ….. those of you who do not give up everything [everything about your culture and way of living that you love that is contrary to the Word of God] you have cannot be my disciples. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” – Luke 14:33-35

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

Being A Real Imitation

"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.” —Ephesians 5:1-2

Great sermon this past Sunday – made me think! I am certain that you have heard the saying “He or she is the spittin’ image of …..” Meaning that he or she acts just like the person mentioned.  Probably mom or dad.  Of course that can be good or bad depending upon the person’s character they are being compared to. You might have also heard the saying, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.” Same idea. So what does that have to do with who we are as Christians.

I think that most of us live our lives without much regard to who we reflect.  We are just trying to get by. Doing the best we can. We are content with being who we are. Acknowledging God and Jesus, but not going overboard with separating ourselves from the culture we live in and its practices.  We live most of our lives in the grey area between the spiritual and the natural. We have resolved that some things are just not that bad – not sin really. We live in a comfortable space. Certainly not spiritual fanatics – but absolutely not like those sinners that we would never associate with or want to be like.  We don’t really imitate God – in a radical way – but we do kinda-sorta look like Him. Especially on Sunday mornings.

My point here is not to send anyone on a guilt trip – but to encourage everyone to stop and reflect on God’s calling – that His commandments are not suggestions but expectations. Is I am having a problem with my family resemblance – it is not my Father’s fault. It is a willful decision that I have made.  Being imitators of God is not a product of my efforts to do better but a result of my loving God and yielding my heart and devotion to Him.  We all know if we are living rightly as Christians. We all know what is expected of us. The problem is not in the knowing – it is in the doing.  

We are to be salt and light in the world.  Our job is not to change the world. Our job – our responsibility is to point the world to the One who can change hearts and eternal destinies.  As imitators of God we should be His reflection – a sharp, supernatural contrast to the natural.  Of course we should do good things – but that is a result of the love we have for God, primarily, and the difference that love relationship makes in our lives.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” – Ephesians 5:8-11

I want to encourage you to examine your life – as I must do mine – considering our ways in light of the God we serve, the Savoir we follow, the Spirit that leads us and the Word that enlightens us.  It is something we must do every day – perhaps every minute of every hour. The journey – the life – that God has called us to is impossible to walk and to live without Him. As I type these words – songs are rolling through my mind – “I need thee every hour – Most gracious Lord. No tender voice like Thine Can peace afford. I need Thee, O I need Thee

Every hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior I come to Thee. I need Thee every hour Stay Thou nearby. Temptations lose their power When Thou art nigh” – another song is – “Precious Lord, take my hand Lead me on, let me stand. I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night Lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord Lead me home.”

Be blessed by friend

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

Knowing Doesn’t Mean You Are Growing

"But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” —James 2:18-20

Had a conversation with my sister-in-law the other day about spiritual maturity. I find it difficult to write about it for fear that my words might seem pious or condescending – neither of which is my intent. Instead my intent is for them to be them to be an encouragement to all of us who are walking after the Spirit and resisting the urge to walk after the flesh.

James was addressing the problem of thinking that faith is enough.  To put it another way, if I am saved – then that is good enough.  I can go on with my life. I don’t have to stand for good and stand against evil – I can just live my life – go to church – remain silent – stay sheltered in my holy huddle. That is enough.

James said that faith without works is dead.  I would add that works without faith are also dead.  Doing good in this world is not just for the here and now, but it is also for the here and then. What we do as Christians has an eternal aspect that is absent from any other good that might be done. The absence of the Spirit does not make “good works” any less good, but they don’t have a spiritual component that brings glory to God and points people to Him through faith in Jesus.

Because of our faith – we are – should be – compelled to love – to show compassion. It is the fruit of our faith. If our total focus is on our comfort and our well-being – every man for himself thinking – then something is not right in the faith department.

“ …… to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” – James 4:17

Meaning you have missed the point if you think that merely accumulating knowledge by attending church or studying the Bible is the end-game.  God wants us to apply that knowledge by faith for His glory and the good of others. 

“If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” – James 2:15-17

So what are you doing to show your faith in God and love for God and others? 

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

Showing The World What Right Looks Like

“The next day John [the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”— John 1:29

The world is on a constant hunt for a treasure that is and always will be just out of reach … peace and harmony.  The reason is the root of the problem – sin. And sin is a spiritual problem…… Does that see too simple? It seems to be an overstatement of the obvious doesn’t it? Indulge me and allow to me substitute some words for sin. But first – consider that God, the Father, sent Jesus, the Son, and eventually, the Spirit of God, to the earth. A spiritual solution to a spiritual problem.  You see – man could not do anything to fix his sinful nature – it took faith in the One that God the Father sent to do that.

Let’s go to Galatians for a short list of word substitutes.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.” – Galatians 5:19-21

Quite a list wouldn’t you say? All of these words reflect some sinful action derived from our sinful nature – all requiring a spiritual solution.

So about that word substitution. Adultery is a spiritual problem. Idolatry is a spiritual problem. Hatred is a spiritual problem. Envy is a spiritual problem. Murder is a spiritual problem.  Have any problem agreeing with those substitutions.  Well, since they came from the Bible, probably not.  As a spiritual problem – they need a spiritual solution.

What if I was to say Prejudice is a spiritual problem. Bigotry is a spiritual problem. Racism is a spiritual problem.  Judging others is a spiritual problem. As a spiritual problem – they all need a spiritual solution.  Man cannot resolve their root cause – only Jesus can.  Do you think that God might be trying to show us that we are seeking natural solutions to spiritual problems and the solutions that we conjure up, all of our good intentions will never – ever solve those problem? God is the source of spiritual solutions – and they can all be found in Jesus. 

“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” – Colossians 3:9-14

Someone once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.  We have laws in the country, states, counties, and cities that say in essence – don’t sin, as defined by man, or you will be in trouble with the law. Yet, our prisons are full. We have laws that say we cannot show prejudice or bias toward others because of race, color, creed, religion, etc. and yet the streets are filled with protesters and rioters. The problem is not that we don’t have enough laws.  The problem is that we don’t have enough Jesus.

We must stop trying to justify our sin. By the way – to sin means that you disobeyed the Word of the Lord. Not caring about the affliction others suffer because it doesn’t affect you is – yes that’s right – it is sin. The solution for not caring is a spiritual one. The real reason you don’t care is because you don’t love God enough.  When you love God like Jesus said to love God, you will not be able to help but love others.  The solution to the problems of this world will never be fully resolved until Jesus returns. But, in the meantime, Christians can show the world what “right looks like” if they will only first fully commit their hearts to God and then fully commit their lives to each other and then let the light of Christ shine in this dark world of ours. Christians, we need to stop talking about it and start doing it – one heart at a time.

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.” – Zechariah 4:6

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

Mop-a-day-oh

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he [a man in the ditch] was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.”—Luke 10:33

The Lord woke me early this morning. Does that sound odd? Or perhaps I should ask – does He ever wake you up? What is it like? I wake up and there is a thought that comes immediately to mind. Actually it was two words – courage and m’ap-ede-ou. I will talk about the second before I do the first.

M’apedeou is a Haitian Creole contraction. The first time I heard it was years ago at an orphanage in Jacmel.  If you “un-contract” the words it is “mwen ap ede ou” – I will help you. I had asked someone to help me and they responded with m’apedeou. Since my conversational Creole was not that great, at the time, I had no idea what they said. We speak in contractions all of the time and think nothing of it. So why did the Lord bring that memory to the forefront of my mind at 3:00 a.m.? God often asks us to do what is impossible for man to do. To do what others would refuse to do. To walk to the other side of the road when we have no “real” responsibility to help.

Someone in the ministry I work with was contacted by some from the city help line. It seems a 72 year old widow, suffering from a recent stroke, her only companion a Chihuahua, was having a serious plumbing problem.  They asked if the ministry could help. The request was passed to another person and then found its way to me – as Pathfinder Mission – a ministry that provides that sort of help. I asked the contractor that does work for us – COVID 19 has eradicated the volunteer work force for a season – to look into it. It was the sewer line from the house to the main line – concrete pipe that had deteriorated. So I told him to fix it. Then I asked the Lord to provide the funds to pay the contractor. Does that seem out of sync to you? A prudent person would first find the money and then do the work. 

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

When Peter climbed out of the boat it was in response to a command that defied nature. Men cannot walk on water. But he did – by faith. God asks us to live like Peter – the Lord called me out of the boat to help that woman. And then the contractor told me that the problem was not just with the cement pipe but the black cast iron drain pipes and the galvanized supply lines and the water heater. My reply was – of course it is. It is always something else.  Then I was reminded that the Samaritan not only bandaged the wounds, but took the man to a place where he could be cared for and paid for it.  Someone had fixed a break in the cement pipe before, but they did not fix the problem.

I am not trying to impress you with my obedience or spirituality. I am trying to encourage you to listen for God’s voice and be willing to do what seems impossible for men. We are all called to get out of the boat from time to time.  To be willing to do something that runs against the grain of what seems reasonable to the natural man. That is where the second word comes in. Courage.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:8-9

Courage is not action in the absence of fear, but action in spite of fear. God asks us to trust Him and do the impossible – the improbable – the unthinkable. And when we step into the water, like with Joshua and Israel stepping into the river Jordan – the river backs up – but our feet touching the water did not cause that to happen. Our faith and obedience did.  God acted for our good and His Glory! The woman I mentioned I have never seen – and will probably never see – that is not necessary. We have helped a lot of people through this ministry and that by the power of God. People that we will never meet this side of heaven. Them knowing who we are, who I am, is not the point. Listen, when you worry about recognition, you are very near to robbing God of His glory. And the temptation will come calling – trust me. So today and every day – be ready to help those in need – whatever those needs might be – be willing to step out of the boat – to defy the natural and trust God – God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think. Remember …..  

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.” – Zechariah 4:6

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

What Dominates Your Thinking And Your Doing?

 "Jesus answered [Pilate], ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’”—John 18:36-37

 We live in the natural world with all of its problems and sin.  We long for the kingdom of God to dominate the affairs of this world, but the truth is – that won’t happen until Jesus returns. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone embraced the Truth of God and harmony and unity reigned in this world – in our country.  Instead we are faced with a pandemic – for some it is real and for others it is a conspiracy.  We are faced with political turmoil – Democrats have their agenda and plan to make life in this country better – Republicans have theirs – now Marxists and Socialist have stepped forward declaring their ideas of what is right and what is truth.  Those who are born again are choosing sides – with hope that whoever they have aligned themselves with will be right and will prevail. But the hope we seek will not be found in this president or the next – only in the Source of all hope. So what to do?

In my view, the answer is not found on CNN – FOX – Facebook – or some other place – but in the Bible – God’s revealed truth that surpasses all generations – cultures and races. It is the eternal truth that there is none Good but One – the Creator God.  He is the source of all that is good and right. People look for heaven on earth – on the natural earth, but it cannot be found.  The kingdom that Jesus brought to the earth is a supernatural one. One that cannot be experienced except by the Body of Christ – but can be seen. But only then, when those who have been saved by faith are living in obedience to the Truth of God by the power of the Spirit of God.

I would never presume to tell anyone how to vote – but, I am encouraging all the saints to be faithful to the God who saved them through faith in Jesus and Who set them apart by the Spirit of God to be a living testimony to the love of God.   

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10

Before we were born again, we were not united as a people, but now we are united – called out of a dark world into His marvelous light.  That unity has been stunted by sin. The influence of our old nature and the particular people group we were born in to. Why would we want to cling to the darkness? Why would we want to embrace what we know is sin, calling it good? Why would we seek natural solutions to spiritual problems? Why do we prefer to embrace our old nature and the sin that comes with it and think that at the same time we are holy and pleasing to God? Why do we fear?

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” – Psalm 121:1-8

Where are you focused in this difficult time in our nation’s history?  Who or what are you trusting in the midst of the social, medical and political pandemonium that is raging all around us?  Should we pull our heads back into our shells and hope the trouble passes by us? No. But rather, we should be, must be a light in the darkness. United by the Spirit of God in the face of the cultural division and great fear that has become so obvious.  What does secular division have to do with a spiritual people called by God and separated for His glory? Each of us must decide – we must choose.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

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

What Does Love Have To Do With It? It Is The Thing That Connects Us

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”—John 15:12-13

That’s right. It is love. Not as the world loves – but the love of God.  Our capacity to love others the way that God loves us comes from God not from an intense desire on our part.  A desire that comes from our will and not God’s. When we try to do that – the love fails.  The world demands that you DO and then your love is proven. God demands that you LOVE and then the proof will show itself in the way that you do.

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” – James 2:14-18

I am certain you have heard many teaching on these verses. Martin Luther struggled with the book of James since he was convinced that our righteousness comes from faith and not works. (I agree with him, by the way). He called is a “strawy” epistle – meaning it was hard to swallow.  I believe James’ point is not that works come before faith, but that works are a natural product of faith. We have a tomato plant in our back yard and it has never yielded one tomato, not one. So what good does it do? It doesn’t get big enough to shade us from the hot Texas sun. That would be something. Likewise, as Christians, we are to demonstrate the love of God – through various means – by good works – good works that are fruit born from our faith in the One who called us out into new life.

If you do something nice for someone that you don’t like because it is the Christian thing to do – you have missed the point. If you do anything out of duty – meaning if you had the option you would not do it – you have missed the point. If you have a problem loving other Christians because they are not like you – you have missed the point. In fact – you have a love problem – not toward them but toward God. Verses I used yesterday …

“We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” – 1 John 4:19-21

Must love means that it should flow from us – as if we had no choice. Our flesh may push back and provide any number of reasons why we should not love someone or even like them – that is the nature of our spiritual struggle.  The Body of Christ is divided because Christians are yielding to the flesh and not the Spirit. Preferring cultural traditions over the providence of God. Do you want the world to see Jesus? Do you want the light of Christ is shine into this present darkness?

 “A new commandment I [Jesus] give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

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

Loving God Is Easier Than Loving Others But It Is Still Difficult

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”—Matthew 22:35-39

Suppose I asked you if you love God – if you are a Christian I am certain that you would say, “yes”. I mean why would I ask you that? Doesn’t your proclaimed faith prove that? Loving God is the greatest commandment. It covers the first four of the BIG TEN. (The last six are covered by the second commandment.) But there is a catch – loving God the way Jesus said we are to love God does not leave any room for loving the world – there is nothing that can be our primary devotion except God. Oh, you get that? I am not telling you anything that you don’t already know. The words in the Bible do not change and yet we are encouraged to meditate on the words of the Word in order to have a prosperous and successful new life in Christ. (Joshua 1:8) In reading those words, the Spirit of God uses them to reprove (reprimand), correct, and instruct all Christians. My point, we need to be reminded that our primary devotion is to God.

“Do not love the world or 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, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17

How much do you struggle with keeping God in His proper place in your life.  It is too easy to let the things of this world – things that seem to bring some sort of comfort to you to dilute your love for and devotion to God. You know it’s true! So if what is easy is difficult – how easy is it to love others?

People who are not perfect – who do not have your best interest in mind. People who really don’t care about your problems but are more interested in what you can do for them.  People who are not like you. People who don’t share your values – your heritage – don’t live like you – don’t look like you – don’t talk like you. People that God says to love because He loves them. Let me share a secret with you.  You can’t love others – not on your own anyway.

 “We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” – 1 John 4:19-21

So you see – we must love God the way Jesus said, if we have any hope in loving others. If you don’t love others, it is because you are having a problem with God not being in the right place in you life. Now don’t confuse loving others with liking what they do. God did not like what we were doing before He sent Jesus to die for us.

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” – Romans 5:6-11

The lack of unity among Believers is proof that we struggle with loving God and loving others.  Fixing that problem starts with each of us. Think about it.

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