Called Out By God

"Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now therefore hear the word of the Lord." - Amos 7:14-16

Do you feel adequate spiritually speaking? Are you content with being saved and trying to be a good person? You don't have to answer that, but you should think about it! Like Amos, you and I are Christians, called out of the natural world. Called to subordinate our affection for those things natural to those things that are supernatural - meaning above the natural - spiritual. The word for "called out" in the original Greek text is Ekklesia (eck-les-see-ah). (I am not a Greek scholar and certainly not trying to impress you. I had to look that up). A synonym for "called out ones" is the Church (capital C) or assembly. We are collectively called out by God the Father through Jesus, the Son.  

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Like Amos, we must be willing to give up our natural agenda - deferring instead to God's agenda for His children. What is that agenda? Living in a way that glorifies God and shouts out the Truth of John 3:16. You don't have to be a prophet, a pastor, a missionary (meaning you leave where you live and go to another place for the purpose of promoting faith in Jesus) or even a Bible teacher. You can bloom right where you are planted, as they say.  God has called you out and will equip you for your role in the Church. When and if you live out your new life, you will be strikingly different from the majority of the people you live around - work with. Not just because of what you say, but because of how you live. By how you treat other people. In short because you look and act like Jesus.

Does that thought take you outside of your religious comfort zone? It should. Fulfilling your eternal purpose is an impossibility apart from the power of God and a surrendered life. Do you understand how remarkable and amazing your new life is or can be? My hope in writing these devotions is to spark your spiritual thinking - encouraging you to take on a spiritual perspective. Remind you of who you are in Christ and the remarkable calling you have from the Creator God. Don't hide your faith under a basket but to let it shine from the hilltop. 

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might" - Ephesians 1:16-19

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

Love Starts With A Devoted Heart

"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." -  1 John 4:20

I woke up this morning with this verse on my mind. The idea here is that loving others is a product or result of loving God. If you hate your brother then it's because you have a love problem

"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 22:34-40

So what does loving God look like? A devoted heart. A heart surrendered by faith. Where there is no room for anything that is not of God. And if there is, well, it is because you lack devotion to God. So often, as Christians, we justify our attitudes and actions based upon the rules of the natural world - our old nature. The life and ways that we have been saved from. All we need is agreement from others that how we feel or treat others is justified - even Biblical. 

What binds us together is found in our relationship with the Father through faith in the Son. There is a song that we used to sing years ago - in the 70's call "Bind Us Together Lord"

"Bind Us Together, Lord. Bind Us Together With Cords That Cannot Be Broken. 
Bind Us Together, Lord Bind Us Together. Bind Us Together In Love
There Is Only One God, There Is Only One King There Is Only One Body, That Is Why We Sing.

Bind Us Together, Lord. Bind Us Together With Cords That Cannot Be Broken."

The world wants peace, love and unity but actually teaches division and hate. The thing that it craves will always be out of reach apart from God who created us. 

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:35

Your greatest testimony is the love we have for one another. Love birthed out of our love for God. People who have devoted and surrendered hearts toward God.

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

Fulfilling Your Purpose In The Body

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." - 1 Corinthians 12:4-6,12-14, 18, 20,27

If you are reading this, I assume that you are a Christian. That you can point to a moment in your life when you confessed to God the Father, that Jesus is your Lord, and you believe that God raised Him from the dead. That being revealed by the Spirit of God. And so, at that moment, you were born again spiritually. And if you are a Christian, then you are a member of the body of Christ. And if you are a member of the Body, then you have been given certain spiritual gifts to fulfill your role within the Body and outward to the world. There are no unimportant gifts given and so there are no unimportant roles to be accomplished. We all have a significant place and purpose in the Body and our new life in Christ. 

Do you think about your God-given purpose at all? Beyond being a child of God and having eternal life. As if that were not enough! Have you ever taken the time to understand what your gifts are? And if you have, have you been willing to nurture and exercise those gifts beyond personal benefit? They were not given to you for you, but for the edification of the other members of the Body and for the promotion of the Gospel as God's ambassadors in a world headed for hell. In the process of nurturing and exercising you will be stretched. The reason is that being spiritual, their successful application is dependent our submission to the leading of Spirit of God. Having a spiritual nature means that we will never feel that we are personally able to what God's asks of us on our own. It will require faith. Are your ready for that? I hope so! Fulfill your spiritual purpose. 

"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts." - Zechariah 4:6

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

Trusting When God Says Wait Through Silence

When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. —Genesis 15:12

“[A] saint’s duty is to be still and listen. The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. Do I trust at all in the flesh? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Trusting in the Lord and not our own wisdom or plans (Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 16:9) is perhaps our biggest challenge.  We know what “the Lord saith”, but often lack the faith to wait and trust.  Like the E.G. Wentworth commercial, we want it now! We can’t see God’s hand moving so we worry and try to “help” God.  

I can remember one of my granddaughters, when she was 3 or 4.  I would try to help her do something that was way beyond her ability and she would say “Let me – I can do it myself!”  Out of the mouths of babes.  That was Abraham and Sarah’s problem. Sarah was complicit in Abraham’s sin.  Sarah laughed at the thought of her having a baby. (Genesis 18:12) They knew what the Lord had said but lacked faith.  Have you ever struggled with that problem?  When God says something .. you know that it is true, but you have a hard time trusting in the truth.  It is endemic to our old nature.  

“Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.” - Mark 9:21-26)

Faith is the “substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not see”.  (Hebrews 11:1) It’s the “evidence of things not seen” part that that the father asking Jesus for help and all of us struggle with.  What is it in your life that you need faith for?  Faith is a result of nearness to God.  

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” - Romans 1:17

Strong faith is a result of exercising our faith, just like our muscles.  Faith requires trust.  Trust requires submission.  Submission requires humility.  You do not know better than God. 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” - Proverbs 16:18

Haughty means – Proud and disdainful; having a high opinion of oneself, with some contempt for others; lofty and arrogant; supercilious. Supercilious means – behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.  If you think you know better than the Creator God then you have a haughty and supercilious attitude!  Just like the Pharisees. We all struggle with it.  It is the nature of our flesh .. in fact, it was at the root of Adam’s sin.

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

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

The Trouble With Traditions

"And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here [on earth] in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." -  1 Peter 1:17-19

Have you ever seen young children playing together? They are not worried about gender, race or what side of the tracks they were born on. They are content to spend time together - no pre-conditions.  Those worries will come soon enough. And where do they come from?  They are learned. They are told what is right and what is wrong with the world by their parents, family, church, culture - media.  Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said that values are "caught" - not "taught". Meaning most of our learning from others comes from our observing how they live and treat others.  

My parents taught me many good things when I was young. Things that were consistent with the Word of God, but that was not their intention when they taught them. At least not in my formative years. They also taught me things that were not consistent with the Word of God.  They were not Christians until I had left home and joined the Army. But I digress. 

Peter's point is that the traditions of our culture, our families, the people we identify with do not and should not have primacy over the will of God for His children.  But often times, we allow those traditions to shape our thinking and behaving. I have said before that if I profane the name of Jesus or God, people would say nothing, but if I were to speak against their parents, they would be ready to fight. I have met a number of Christians who judged me based upon my accent, the part of the country I was born in or current live in, the denomination of the church I attend, or my ethnicity. The thing is, they didn't see anything wrong with it. It is all part of their world view. An amalgamation of the Word and the traditions of their fathers. If there was any conflict between the two, most traditions won the day.  I always thought about 1 Peter 1 when that happened.  

Do you remember the Fiddler on the Roof? Why do we wear our hats? That's right - Tradition! We very often don't question the traditions passed along from generation to generation. We just accept them - right or wrong.

Who we are in Christ should and must be the thing that binds us together with other Christians. Not race or geography or wealth or education. Certainly not traditions that are contrary to God's revealed will.

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

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

Keeping The World At A Distance

"You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together." - Deuteronomy 22:10

You don't have to be a farmer to imagine the potential problems with harnessing to different animals together. When the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians he addressed being unevenly yoked with non-believers. 

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God." - 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

At first blush, you might think that Paul is saying, as a Christian, don't be around lost people. Far from it. What he is saying is don't embrace their habits, practices and beliefs. You say you don't? Well you probably do. Those who are lost represent what we once were. And like putting on an old pair of shoes, embracing what we were saved from is an easy fit. That is why Paul and God through Paul, encourages us to resist.

That is easy to say and would be easy to do if emotions were not tied to it. We are talking about friends, family, maybe culture and ethnicity. Shared history - but natural history. We have a hard time believing that if we toss out the bath water (the things that we must abandon), we won't also be tossing out the "baby" (people we care about) as well.  How do you separate what people do and believe from the people doing and believing? Well, it is possible but not humanly possible. It requires the power of God which requires primary devotion to God. I am certain you remember Jesus saying that of all of the things we do, what was the most important thing is that we must do first. 

"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." - Matthew 22:36-38

Jesus also said that the love you have for others will look like hate when compared to the love you have for God the Father. In other words - nothing else, no devotion or earthly relationship should come before God. 

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." - Luke 14:26

But what if compliance and participation with the world are a requirement to maintain those relationships? Then you may have to let the relationship go. If you don't like the thought of that, then you are struggling with your devotion to God. And if you don't like the thought of that then you are struggling with your understanding and acceptance of the Word of God. In my experience the "unsaved" people in my life keep me at a distance and "tolerate" my faith. I wish this was a simple matter, but it is not.  

"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." - 1 John 2:15-16

Put bluntly, placing anyone or anything ahead of God is sin. There are none of us who have not struggled with that - maybe are struggling with it today. And if not today then you most likely will tomorrow. Are there some habits or relationships that are proving to be toxic to your spiritual walk and testimony?

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." - 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

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

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

Longing For Beulah Land

"Tell us [Pharisees], then, what you [Jesus] think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." - Matthew 22:17-21

There is a better place that is just over the hilltop. A bright land where we will never grow old. Don't you yearn for Jesus to come soon. Perhaps some days more than others. Do you find it difficult to render unto Caesar when some of the laws are clearly contrary to the Word of God? Are you surprised that there is a tension between the two? Wasn't this country founded by people of faith?

The fact of the matter is that politicians, Christian or not, are bound to represent their constituency. Think about that. Remember, Christians are a minority, not just in this country, but in the world. I wrote about the problem of unity a couple of weeks ago. The impossibility of being fully united with the lost. There is some agreement, but when the consensus of the world is contrary to the declaration of God - therein lies the rub. What to do when there is a conflict. What did Jesus say? 

"render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" If it is in the domain of the government and is not contrary to the Word of God then we must honor it. But, if it is contrary to God then we must honor God. 

God said don't steal. Our country has laws in place that say it is unlawful to steal and have penalties in place for those found guilty of stealing. The same with murder. That was easy!

There are laws in most countries against people assaulting one another, with consequences if you are found guilty. The Bible does not speak to assault explicitly - although the principles for how we are to treat one another are clear. But, I think the explicit issue of assault is in Caesar's domain. 

Money is a medium used in the economy to pay for goods and services. Money is minted by the government and has an underlying value which the government supports. Some of the currency in the United States is imprinted with, "In God We Trust", which is not true for everyone who uses it. (In fact, I would not be surprised if one day that phrase is removed because someone who does not trust God finds it offensive). Remember, our currency belongs to Caesar. 

What I see as the biggest challenge is when God has made something plain as being wrong, but Caesar has declared it through legislation as being right. I will let you think about some examples. It is at this point that we must side with God. Regardless of the personal consequences.

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." Romans 1:28-32

Remember - the Lost are lost - headed for Hell. Jesus came to save them. We don't have to agree with those who practice such things. But that does not mean that we treat them any different than anyone else whose heart is far from God. They need Jesus. The laws of the Land reflect the majority. The majority are lost. Peoples' inclination is to move away from God not toward Him. But one day, some of them will meet Jesus on the road. Just like we did. Be the light in this dark time. 

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." - 2 Corinthians 2:15

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