It's That Simple

Are You Ready?

I have prayed for strength, and what I got was struggle. I have prayed, God help me to be an influence, and what I got was resistance. I have asked that my path in life be straight, simple, and succinct, and what I got was crooked, complex, and compounded. So, naturally I asked God, “What’s up? Why, no matter what I pray for, it comes out just the opposite?” I heard Him ask me, “Can you run a marathon?” I answered, “No, of course not, my legs are weak, and my lungs are shot.” “Well then,” God says, “You are not ready for those things you asked for either.” James the Apostle explains, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

Loving This World

The Bible tells us that we should not love the world, and when we do, we make ourselves enemies of God. This seems harsh, doesn’t it? Well, the First and Second Commandment tell us that God wants nothing to come before Him. So, if we love this world more than Him, doesn’t that dishonor God? It is our pride that makes us love this world. Isn’t pride what God says He resists? So, if we love this world more than we love God, are we not making the creation more important than the Creator? When this happens, God refuses to stop the unrighteous behavior … He gives them over to whatever they want to do. So, they love their evil more than God and become His enemy.

A Better World

People say this world is all they know; therefore, it is important to them. I understand this sentiment, because it was once me. This world is important, but I have learned there is more to this world than what you see. Jesus came into our world for two reasons … to be visible proof of the unseen world of His Father, and to save this world by forgiving sin. These two contributions changed the world. Jesus became real and lives among us. His forgiveness is real … restoring the future with God we never had. If we want a better world, we have to become better people. Jesus offers us a better world by helping us become better people. The world is a better place when we allow Jesus to change our lives.

Values

Pastor Heath Beard in a recent sermon asked, “What do we trust in the most?” That, of course, will depend on how much we are impacted by this world. Pastor Heath said, “Our hearts follow what we value, this will determine how our life is defined.” Our barns are full of what we value, yet Jesus said, “Store things in heaven, where moths or rust, or thieves cannot destroy.” Saving things in heaven means we live by a different value system. However, every day we are all bombarded by over 4,000 advertisements trying to get us to fill up our barns. What do you value? Don’t play the ‘enough’ game … you will never be a winner. You win when your values go beyond yourself. Do yourself a favor, listen to the sermon.

Mammon

Pastor Heath Beard said in a recent sermon, “You looked like your parents when you were born, but you look like your decisions when you die.” Pastor Heath also said, “You can’t serve God and Mammon. You will serve one or the other. We often translate Mammon as wealth, but it is more sinister than just money.” Personally, I think this pastor is right. The spirit of Mammon is the root of all evil. It feeds itself on pleasure, power, and prestige. During the Middle Ages, Mammon was commonly personified as the demon of wealth and greed. This is the image Pastor Heath was conveying as he described Mammon, making the point that pursuing this spirit called Mammon, will influence your decision not to serve God … that is an eternal mistake.

The Other Side

There are two sides to everything. There are two sides to every story, there are two sides of good and evil, and there are even two sides of nature. The beauty of a summer’s day versus the hurricane season in the Southeast is an alarming contrast of nature’s two sides. The two sides of God are also quite a contrast. The redemptive side of God is what we mostly relate to, but it’s the side of justice we have a hard time justifying. How can God have these two sides? Isn’t He always love? Yes, but He is always just also. The Proverb writer tells us, “The first to speak in court sounds right, until the cross-examination begins.” It is easy to accept only one side … until the other side shows up.

Small Words

We think that it is always the big things that matter, but not so fast. The bridle, the rudder, and the spark are all small things that control bigger results. The Apostle James tells us this as he relates it to the tongue. In the same manner, smaller words have the same kind of effect with big results. I love you doesn’t change the direction of a nation, but it could change the heart of a person. I am sorry isn’t a going to win a Pulitzer Prize, but it repairs a broken relationship. I forgive you is not going to end a war, but it will start a new beginning. You don’t have to move mountains with your words, just be cool to do the small things … it does matter.

Fancy Lies

I have discovered that excuses are just fancy lies. We use excuses for everything. My favorite is … I don’t feel well. It kills the obligation in its tracks. Was it true? No, it was just a fancy lie. I couldn’t tell the truth, so I invented an excuse. What’s your favorite excuse? Everyone has one. I have known people whose entire life was one continuous excuse, and no one ever told them they were just a fancy liar. Jesus asked a man to follow Him, and the man gave Him an excuse, “Let me go first and bury my father.” Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their own dead, you go do God’s Work.” Jesus sees through excuses. He sees them for what they are … fancy lies.

The Vine

Followers of Jesus are described as branches. They are feed from a vine. The root of the vine feeds these branches which produces fruit. In fact, Jesus said the branches cannot bear fruit by themselves. What kind of fruit are we expecting from being connected? Any fruit expected must start with the vine … nothing can be expected without it. The fruit is always dependent upon this connection. Today, we are more connected than ever before in history. Our connections are swift, and the world is at our fingertips. Yet, the only connection that matters is the connection with God. Our society is crumbling. Why? It is not connected to what gives life. There is no mystery here, detach from the vine, you die. It is that simple.

Discernment in an Era of Opinion

Discernment is one of those gifts that so needed today. I have always said that one of the hardest issues in today’s world is to know what is true. I have learned that my opinion often is fed by sources that may not have it quite right … even sources we would think would not be bias or misleading such as pastors. Just because it is said from a pulpit does not instantly translate to being truthful. I can honestly say that I have preached my opinion many times and used Scripture to verify it. I don’t recommend it, but it is more common than you think. So, discernment is critical in an era where opinion rules. God’s Word is the best discernment guide around … I hope you have discovered it.

Four Dangerous Words

Michael Oh, global executive director of the Lausanne Movement, addressing the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism said, “There are four words that are dangerous to this movement … pride, parochialism, isolation, and arrogance.” Pride and arrogance will always be an enemy to progress. Parochialism only concerns a local area, is narrow-minded, or not open to new ideas. Isolation does not see the bigger picture. I have learned that Christianity is never about a denomination or a theology that separates from others. It is a movement of Christ followers who have denied their preferences, prefer the message of the Cross overall, and works as one to make Him known. This is the essence of who we are as Christians. Anything less than this is an anathema to our Savior.

Place God First

It has been said, “What is done in the Church is often done in the flesh, and what is done in the flesh stays in the flesh.” What that means is simple. What is done in our strength stays in our strength. Great projects, big events, and insightful teachings can all be done without His help. When it is done without Him it only has the potential to be here and now. When God is involved, it has an eternal purpose, and it goes beyond our efforts. Many ministries are done in the flesh. Once the founder is gone, so is the ministry. Why? It began in the flesh … it will stay in the flesh. The moral of the story is simple … place God first in all your plans.

Do-Overs

Does God test people? Exodus 16:4 says He does. God gives his reason, “That I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.” The test is usually about your willingness to keep God a priority in your life. I am telling God all the time that I love Him, and then, I get the test. I hear Him say, “How did you love Me when you were so disrespectful in your attitude?” Okay, I failed the test. Now what? Do I flunk out with God? Tests are God’s way to help us know more about ourselves in our struggle to keep trusting Him. What I love about His grace is that He allows do-overs after the test. When I am weak, He is strong. He becomes my do-over.

Wrong Crowd

When I was a kid, I was accused of hanging out with the wrong crowd. Did it affect me? Of course. I was in trouble all the time, so I understood the power of association. Jesus also was accused with hanging out with the wrong crowd. The religious crowd had judged the wrong crowd as despicable, and Jesus was considered detestable for wanting to hang out with these people. Religion has its own culture, and that culture picks and chooses who is in and who is not. Jesus chose to be with those who were not in. Here, the Founder of what is called Christianity would rather eat and hang out with the outcasts than He did with the religious folks. This is so classical Jesus. I feel right at home with Him.

Power

Why do people resist believing in Jesus? John in his Gospel tells us two reasons that belief is resisted. Firstly, people believe in the works of evil, and secondly, they want to see signs and wonders. Jesus confronted evil and cast it out, and He did signs and wonders to strengthen His message. Christianity in the 1st Century had faith to confront evil and did signs and wonders that accompanied their message. As a result, they changed the world. However, as the Scriptures teach, the power isn’t in the authority over evil, or the signs and wonders … it is in the Name of Jesus. It is in His Name that Salvation is possible, and it is in His Name that miracles are done. His Name is the key to heaven and having power on earth.

Mercy

It must have been awkward. Caught in adultery and publicly exposed. The Pharisees didn’t care that the law required the man and the woman both to be condemned. They only needed one to test this Galilean in the Temple. Testing Him to see if he was a true teacher of the law. If He was, He would condemn her. Instead, Jesus placed these religious leaders on trial by using the law to judge their own sin. Jesus implied two things. (1) Be self-aware and judge yourself before you judge others. (2) Mercy triumphs over Judgment. Could the writing that Jesus was doing on the ground be ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.’ The law condemns the sinner, but the mercy of God always forgives the sinner.

The World

I was reviewing John 3:16, focusing on the believing and the everlasting life promise. Yet God makes a declaration in the opening of this verse that is critical. “God so loved the world,” which means everyone. He uses the term world, indicating those do not know Him, yet. The question I asked myself, “Shouldn’t I too love those who God says He loves?” The nature of most churches is that we spend a great deal of time with the already convinced, and much less time on the world … you know, those that God says He loves. Jesus said, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Again, the mission of Jesus is to love the world.

His Image

Have you given back to God what you have stolen from Him? The Bible says that the earth and everything in it belongs to God and He owns it. All people belong to God, so when we say racists remarks we are stealing God’s image and trashing His creation. When we say someone is a moron or stupid, we are stealing God’s image and trashing His creation. When we hate political candidates, who are not of our party, we are stealing God’s image and trashing His creation. Everyone is made in God’s image, and no one has the right to steal an image of God to abuse it and speak evil of it. Remember, what you say about others, you say it about Jesus … His words not mine.

Women are Incredible

Women are incredible. My wife finds everything I lose and can’t find. She knows where everything is in the house, without question. She edits my writings and corrects the spelling. She does the laundry, because I shrink everything. She keeps the refrigerator stocked with food and pulls together a dinner menu every night. She finds the best movies to go see, and she always pulls together our friends to go out for dinner. She has shoveled snow, cut the grass, and weeded gardens. She works full time and in her spare time she got her conceal and carry permit. I guess it makes me wonder, why she needs me? I suppose you’re wondering that too. Women are incredible, and I thank God for the one He gave me.

Women are Incredible

Death of a Brother

The Bible teaches us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. I experienced that this week when my brother died. He was on full life support for a week and died yesterday. As I walked around his house I could see the remnants of his life. The wisdom of that moment taught me that you leave in the same manner that you came … it all stays behind. Death doesn’t stop life; it transforms it into the permanent state of the soul, the part of us that lasts forever. My walk also reminded me that wisdom says to the count days, because death comes to all. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Count each of your days with this idea … He has your death covered.

Humpy Dumpy

Jacob lied. Moses was murdered. Saul hunted down Christians. David had an affair. Peter disowned Jesus. God used every single one of these people to build His Kingdom. You are never too far gone for God to use. Don’t let the Devil steal your story, let Christ rewrite it. I am amazed at some of the heroes in the Scriptures. King David especially. His adultery and lies that led to murder, and yet God identified him as a man after God’s heart. God uses broken people to bring hope to a broken world. We have all fallen, like Humpy Dumpy, broken, but still usable because of His mercy and grace that puts us back together again. God does not discard … He repurposes.

God is Among Us

The preacher said, “We don’t need another worship service, what we need are services where God is among us to set us free.” In other words, people come to Church and leave the same way they came … still struggling, still questioning. I must admit, most Church services are predictable. I know that doesn’t make me popular with the preachers, but here is some advice from the pew, “We don’t care about your recent theology revelation, we need to hear from God and be moved to know that God is working among us.” The teachings of Jesus often led to miracles among the people, and His presence gave them hope. Perhaps the preacher is right … we need services where God is allowed to be among us to set us free.

Abortion

Since 1973, there have been 63,400,000 abortions. Mother Teresa told U.S. political leaders in 1994, "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use violence to get what they want.” She is right, nothing about abortion is about love. Oprah Winfrey should get an Oscar for her hypocrisy. Oprah has said in the past that she was so glad her mother didn’t abort her, and then at the recent DNC, she endorsed the freedom of reproductive health. How about the 63 million other Oprah’s who were not as lucky as her? The greater sin of abortion is the lie that supports it. “I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion, because it is a war against the child.” ~Mother Teresa

The Lie Versus the Truth

To me, you live with truth, or you live with a lie. The greatest lie says, “You are sufficient, you are enough.” If you live 70 years, just think of all the lies your life has accumulated. A couple of hundred, a couple of thousand, millions? Seriously, life is filled with lies, and the hardest part of life is to admit we live with them. The Bible teaches that ‘the heart is desperately wicked, beyond cure.’ So, without the help of God, your heart is uncurable and prone to lies. How’s that for a diagnosis? The truth is that God says He is the truth that sets us free. Jesus said it clearly, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The lie dismisses Jesus because the truth is harder to accept.

Dogs With No Bark

Watchman are people gifted in discernment. They are usually thought of as persons who have some level of credibility such as a pastor, elder or in leadership in the church. Isaiah 56:10 is a citation from the prophet toward watchman who do not warn, who are lazy, self-centered, and greedy. Watchman means ‘one who looks out.’ In the New Testament, the Hebrew writer says, “Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God.” Isaiah says these watchmen are dogs with no bark. A dog with no bark is not a watchdog, which translates into no warning for impending danger. The American pulpit needs watchmen again who are not afraid to stand their ground in defending what is right and just in the eyes of God.

Backbone

Recently, I heard a preacher say, “A church with no fight is worthless.” He went on to say, “Christianity must develop a backbone again.” Perhaps we have tried too hard not to offend anyone and settled for peace at all costs. However, there is a cost in telling the truth because people want God on their terms. Evil always has an opinion and its main emphasis is to ‘silence’ the truth. The truth is the backbone of the Church, and Jesus told us to shout it from the housetops. Voices of the majority will attack before they retreat, but although public opinion may rule for now, God always has the last word. The backbone of David facing Goliath was God and it was all he needed to stay in the fight.

The Traps

In Luke 21:34, there is an admonition from Jesus concerning the last days. He said don’t let dissipation, drunkenness, and the cares of this life weigh you down. Dissipation is unlimited pleasure, a state of squandering. But then He goes on to say that these conditions will come like a trap, on the entire world. That is sobering. Everyone on earth will face these traps. Then Jesus says, “Always stay awake, and pray you will have the strength to escape these traps.” Staying awake is developing a self-awareness, and the strength we pray for is the discernment to know and identify the spirit of this age. Simply put, know self, know the age. Not being aware, and not having the strength of discernment is the easiest way to getting trapped.

Prosperity Gospel

I just read about another Christian leader whose idea of prosperity is a jet. Let me be clear. The prosperity gospel is not a gospel, it is a philosophy that uses God to get at an end. God does give us prosperity. (1) The prosperity of the Holy Spirit. (2) The prosperity of the Word of God. (3) The prosperity of the promises of God. Man’s idea of prosperity are jets, million-dollar homes, and a large donor base. This is not prosperity … it is a marketing scheme to promote a lifestyle built on a lie. Our Lord gave us His kind of prosperity and it was imaged by a Cross. Anything that tries to compete with it is at best idolatry. It is time to say Ichabod to the prosperity gospel.

The Top Five Sins

I was asked what the top five sins of behavior are, so here is what I said. Pedophilia, incest, betrayal, treason, and murder. Well, in my mind it sounded good. However, God had the five already, I just had to go to the Ten Commandments to find them. Here they are … murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and greed. I guess my five could be a subset of God’s five. These are the sins of relationship, they mirror human behavior at its worst, and they are committed by all of us. The first five commandments have to do with God, and they are in order of importance. Notice, God didn’t start the order with the sins of relationship, He started with the sins against Himself … because that too is a relationship.

Mercy vs Religion

James tells us faith and works are together. Jesus taught there will be a judgment of the nations in Matthew Chapter 25. This judgment will be a judgment of compassion. The sheep represented those who lived in mercy and had compassion toward people. The goats represented those who had no compassion and only used people to get what they wanted. I have known believers who had a Bible Verse for everyone, but had no compassion for anyone. Jesus said, “I want mercy, and not sacrifice.” (Religion) Faith knows God and does compassion as a result. These days, I live to repudiate religious thought for the simple joy of knowing Jesus. Let me declare, “I am not religious, I just love Jesus.” I should make a t-shirt.

Unrestrained Evil

Judges 17:6 says, “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” Leadership isn’t about power … it’s about influence. The Gospel is that influence, it started with the death of a Jewish man, and He changed civilization. Jesus prophesied this world will lose Godly influence and it will implode. (Matthew 24:22) He was making a point; ‘unrestrained evil will be the norm of the day.’ What I’m hearing coming from a convention in Chicago has the potential to fulfill that prophecy. Now is the time for Godly leaders to put down their differences and unite in prayer. Remember, prophecy given by Jesus will only be defeated by God. The Church cannot be silent in prayer … our future depends on it.

Losing God’s Voice

I was cutting my grass and weeping. I was listening to a sermon: “Losing God’s Voice and Being Left with My Own.” The message describes a godless Christian who wants God for Salvation and wants God when there is a cancer diagnosis, yet will live most of their life without God. We direct our lives without consulting God about anything, like the Laodicean Church which said they are rich and without want … God says they were poor and in great need. There is much more to it, so I decided to share the sermon with you. This is a sermon, so please listen to it until you finish it, just as if you were sitting there in Church. This is Tim Delina from Times Square Church in New York City. Losing God’s Voice and Being Left with My Own

God at Work

How do you know if God is working in your Church? The Apostle Paul gives us his advice. “Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace.” Then he says, “Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” Now, he was addressing the Corinth Church and there were a lot of issues in that Church. However, Paul thought they could do better, so these are the questions we need to ask. (1) Do you see God working these areas in your church? (2) Does the community who are not in your Church see God in your Church? The Church is about learning Jesus and then to do Jesus, in other words … Know Jesus … Make Him Known. That is how God works in a Church.

Make Me Willing

Here is a desperate prayer. “And make me willing to obey You.” King David prayed this prayer following his debacle with Bathsheba. The Hebrew writer talks about ‘besetting sins’ which are sins that have you under their control. I have had a few of these kinds of sins and I discovered they are like a pack of wolves they hunt you until you are worn out. Often these kinds of sins will leave for a season, only to return like the vengeance of winter. A desperate prayer, like King David’s prayer is our hope for the deliverance we seek. “Lord, break my will to sin, and make me to obey You.“ Remember, getting rid of besetting sins begins with your desperation to be free, and your willingness to surrender to God.

Less Than

There were two areas that disturbed God greatly as He spoke to His people. The first was the influence of idols. The people of God always had a connection to God throughout their history, but they did not prioritize Him. God hates idols because they influence people to not prioritize Him. The second area of influence that disturbed God, was the unfaithfulness of leaders who teach and lead the people. It is these areas of influence where the goal of evil is to make God second … the objective isn’t to eliminate Him, it is to make Him less. The goal of unfaithful leaders is to make God not enough, there’s more than just God. Keep Him less and keep Him incomplete. No wonder God spoke repeatedly about idols and unfaithful leaders.

The Impossible

Making the impossible, possible is what God does. Heaven is impossible without the assistance of Jesus making it possible. Miracles are impossible unless God gets involved. So many times, in my life, I have said, “This is impossible.” committed it to God, and then saw the impossible become a reality. The most impossible experience I have ever had was to believe in God. I hated the idea of Church, and I hated God for convincing people He existed. Yet, the impossible became possible, and 52 years ago it happened … I started to believe in God, and it changed my life. Today, I love living with the idea of the impossible because I am an example of what God does when He changes the impossible to the possible. Jesus said, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

History Repeats Itself

Now think about this … The courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth has fallen and honesty has been outlawed. Anyone who speaks against evil is attacked. Sounds like America, doesn’t it? It may resemble America, but it was Isaiah talking about Israel 3100 years ago. (Isaiah 59) History does repeat itself. Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. History repeats itself because human behavior is predictable. Every generation faces the same the temptations, the same deception, and have the same results as it had in the past. America is in trouble because righteousness is opposed, justice is not fair, truth is no longer relevant, and honesty is outlawed. These are the conditions that brought down the empires of the past. America beware!

Religious Bias

Jesus never came to establish a religion; He came to provide salvation. I had a long talk with a man this past week who was confused about a Biblical worldview and a Christian worldview. A worldview is a philosophy of life. A Biblical worldview interprets life through the Bible … period. A Christian worldview interprets the Bible through the Bible too, but it also adds the bias of theology and denominational belief. There are no Baptists or Lutherans, Protestants or Catholics in the Bible. These are all extra-Biblical or outside of the Scriptures. Religious bias can become more important than Jesus, and that’s called idolatry. A new reformation is needed, it is called ‘It’s Jesus … Period.’ So how about dropping the tag lines of our religious bias … it could change the world.

Words of Revolution

The first time I got into trouble with words was when I used the word, ‘mankind’ in a sermon. You would have thought I swore. Mankind is an inclusive word, it means ‘male and female’ as the Bible defines it. The strategy of evil has always been to change the meaning of words. The Bible uses the word Father when addressing God, but today Mother is also used. Words do have meanings, and when the intent of that meaning is changed, it could bring a whole new interpretation to the communication. Words like equity, justice, racism, privilege, liberal, and progressive have been words used to promote an ideology. The Devil is not only in the details, but he is also definitely in the interpretation.

Deception

Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. That is the description that Paul gives the Devil. Disguise is a different appearance to conceal one's identity. Now, think about the disguises you face every day. Things you thought were right and real, were only a cover for something else. The Bible talks about the end days being days of, or an era of deception. An angel of light appears to be representing God, but the goal is only to gain your attention to deceive you, just like Eve in the beginning … if you eat you will be like God. There is always a promise with deception, but it’s never a promise that honors or submits to the authority of truth. Watch what you believe and weigh it always with God’s Word.

God Never Changes

One of the ways we lower God down to our level is when we think God changes. Solomon said, “Whatever God does is final, nothing can be added to it or taken from it.” In other words, God knows the beginning and the end, so even before He created Adam and Eve their failure was no surprise to Him. He planned from the beginning there would be a Cross. God’s plan was final from the beginning, nothing can be taken from it, nor can there be anything added to it. His plan was to create, redeem, and give His Kingdom to us … simple yet profound. Often when I pray, I remind myself that He never changes, nor do His promises that He has given to you and to me. God is so good, and He never changes that either.

The Change of Heart

I love the story of the Apostle Paul. He was a religious leader … turned bounty hunter. He would arrest Christians and have them prosecuted. All was going well, until he was knocked to the ground, and heard Jesus say, “Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Paul was doing what his religious tradition wanted him to do, but by doing so, he was persecuting God. Religious tradition can keep people from knowing God. Tradition is a form of Godliness, but it denies the power of having a relationship with God. Persecuting God is allowing the traditions of religion to guide your life rather than letting God into your life as Savior and Lord. Paul was blinded by his tradition, but after his encounter with Jesus, he saw clearly and became one those Christ-followers that he had prosecuted.

Hypocrites

I have lived long enough to know everyone is a hypocrite. No one gets away with not being one in this life, at least to some degree. It’s better to admit to it, confess it, and ask God to help you not be one. At least you are being self-aware of being one, and you aren’t surprised when someone calls you one. Christians are often called hypocrites by people because it’s true. I tell people honestly when accused, “Yes, I am one, and that’s why I’m in therapy every week on Sunday morning, I am getting help. How about you?” Hypocrisy is a weakness between knowing what is right and doing what is right and no one is exempt from blurring those edges between the two.

Three Essentials

I believe there are three critical truths people need to know regardless of any religious affiliation. (1) We please God by loving Him with all our mind, body, and soul. Jesus told us this is the greatest religious observance. (2) Judgment Day is coming, and all humans will appear before God to review the story of their lives. Jesus told us to fear, honor, and respect God because He has the power, the right, and the obligation to punish accordingly. The reality of hell becomes much clearer in eternity, but it can be avoided by preparing now. (3) Religion and its minions are not God. Religion has lied to people for centuries. The language of religion is, “we do,” the language of God is, “Jesus did.” Jesus and only Jesus defines Christianity.

Fairness

I got Covid-19 for the third time this past weekend. All I could think about was, “This is not fair.” Well, most of life isn’t fair. It’s not fair when a child is born with a deformity and is confined to wheelchair for life. It’s not fair when war murders your family. It’s not fair when your police officer husband goes to work and is killed in the line of duty. It’s not fair to see children starving because the village has no food. Yes, lots of things are not fair. But God reminded me in my poor me state of mind, that He doesn’t deal with us in fairness … He gives us His grace. Well okay, it was still my third bout with Covid-19.

Bullys

The opening of the Olympics in Paris had a depiction of the Last Supper that was quite offensive to some Christians. Listen, I am not offended by this stuff, and I’ll tell you why. I feel sorry for people who mock God. The nice thing about God is that He is merciful, otherwise these mockers would be instantly obliterated. God is always working to help even mockers see the errors of their ways … it is called grace. Now, why I feel sorry for them, is because mockery comes from an empty pathetic heart that has nothing better to do but make fun of others. I think we call that bullying. We don’t like bullies, yet in the name of art we allow it. I think we call that hypocrisy. Grin.

Cashless Society

Our cash is disappearing. It is reported that physical cash went from 3.55 billion in 2000 to just 840 million today. That means there is just $2.50 per person in the United States. Cashless societies are preferred for one reason … control. All other forms of finance can monitor money by credit cards, bank statements, and tax records. But cash … there is no records, no trails, and no statements. The Bible tells us of a financial system that will govern the world, and you will not be able to buy or sell without this system. Mayer Amschel Rothschild said, "Let me control a nation's money supply, and I care not who makes its laws." Controlling the world begins by getting rid of all currencies.

Relationships

God created us for relationships. Marriage and family are examples of how important relationships are to Him. In fact, the Church is even called the Bride of Christ. There is even a relationship between believers in Christ and God Himself. Not only is there a relationship with God through faith, but the Apostle Paul also said that there is a relationship between those who plant, and those who water, with God conducting the increase. This relationship is known as ministry. We are either planters or waterers, and both are important in the process of sharing the most important relationship … having faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Those who believe in Me, will never perish, but will have eternal life.” You and I plant or water this message to our world.

No Divisions

It is amazing that Christians have a problem with each other. Especially when the Apostle Paul said, “Let there be no divisions in the Church.” We disagree about the silliest matters, as if we have a right to argue anything. The Head, the Christ, is the only one who sets policy, and the rest of us follow that policy. I have also found that its usually never the plebeian, or common class, who is interested in argument … it is always the leaders. Leadership always feels it has something to defend, and it’s their responsibility to lead people to the truth. The Apostle Paul said to be of one mind, united in thought, and purpose. This is the policy, so why all the disagreement? It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Desire

Desire is a powerful element in our nature. If we desire things that are wrong, then we end up with them. It works the exact same way when we desire good things. God said that He will give you the desires of your heart. He allows you to pursue evil desires, as He does the pursuit of noble ones. Jesus told the Laodicean Church that they were neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, and He would spit them out of His mouth. This Church had no further need to pursue anything … they were fine with what they had. Compliancy is the number one reason our spiritual lives plateau. Jesus reminds us to love God with all out heart, our mind, and our soul … it is the greatest desire we can have that pleases God.

Mercy

God is described without beginning and without end, which defines Him as Almighty. When it says, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends and His mercies never cease,” it refers to His personality. (Lamentations3:22) I am drawn to mercy because I realized early in life, I am a poster child for mercy. Every morning, I realize His mercy covered my yesterday, but mercy isn’t deserved … it is what He offers to us. When we think of the story of the Gospel, it is a story of mercy. As we fall in love with His mercy, it is a reminder to show mercy to others in the same manner we have received it. I want to be His mercy on display … how about you?

Crossroads

I know this world likes innovation and heralds the titans of new ideas. Yet, the Prophet Jeremiah said, “This is what the Lord says, “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, Godly way, and walk in it.” There will always be ideas that compete with the old, but the old is a path well-traveled by those who sought truth. Today, we live our lives at a perpetual crossroad. The culture is calling us to participate, while the Lord is calling us to a life of holiness. Ernest Hemingway said, "We have to get used to the idea that at the most important crossroads in our life there are no signs." Jeremiah had the right idea. Follow the Godly way, and He will guide you through those sign-less crossroads.

How Are You Driven?

What are you driven by? Some are driven by personal gifts, by resources, by fame, by position, and power. So, where do you land when you answer that question? For part of my life, I was trapped by the things that drove me. I wanted the best in life, I wanted to make the decisions, and I wanted to be known. I drove my life by my gifting, and it became my purpose. Let’s face it, we are known by our gifting. Yet, Jesus told us that the Kingdom comes first, which supersedes all gifts and accents on character. The character of a person puts the Kingdom first, and is known by that priority … they are driven to make the Kingdom known. So, what drives your life?

Politics

Politics is an interesting study. Along with religion it is the most contested topic with most people. Yet, politics is the art of governance. There are more lies told in politics than any other profession on earth. Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl, said, “There are two men in every person running the race, one evil and one good.” Which means, on any given day, one will out distance the other and win the race and the next day it could be different. Politics is like that, on any given day, you never know who will come across the finish line first … evil or good. No matter how much we hate politics, it is here to stay. In fact, the Bible tells us that the world ends with a politician known as the Anti-Christ.

It Matters What We Preach

In 1965, mainline denominations claimed around 50 percent of the American population, today they have fallen to 9 percent. So, it matters what you preach. Furthermore, author Howard Hendricks says we remember 10% of what we hear, and Rick Warren says we forget 95% of what we hear after 72 hours. So, it matters what is preached, and it matters what we remember. Mainline Churches lost their focus because of what they preached, and the key to remembering is to practice what we hear. When we hear a Gospel-based sermon, take notes. Study those notes to transform the hearing into the doing. Be more than a hearer of the Word … be a doer of the Word.

The Great Reversal

God has a unique reward system in His Kingdom. Some who are least important now, will be greatly important then, and those who are greatest now, will be least then. So, does that mean the billionaires, the powerful politicians, the famous entertainers and superstar athletes will not have the same status then as they do now? Probably not. People who place importance on profit, power, and recognition, will face a different value system with God … His importance is placed on sacrifice. Jesus said that anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields, whatever because of Him will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal … many of the first ending up last, and the last first.

White Stone

Culture has become an idol in some people’s lives. Ethnic culture, American culture, Christian culture, Tribal culture … everyone comes from somewhere with some kind of cultural story. Culture reminds us from where we came, and that’s a history lesson. Yet, as Christians, we move from where we have come from to where we are going, into the Kingdom of the Son. The Kingdom is made from all the tongues from cultural nations, but our new names are written on a White Stone (Revelation 2:17) won’t reflect the old culture, it will reflect the new Kingdom. Be careful on the amount of time you spend on uplifting your earthly culture and focus on the White Stone of His Kingdom. (Colossians 3:2)

Vultures

The signs of the age Jesus said are like vultures. When you see vultures circling an area, you know a dead body is nearby. The same is true for signs. When you see the signs, know the end is near. The days of Noah was another reminder that Jesus said would replay itself in the last days. Noah’s generation was totally consumed with their lives, and that is what is playing out in our generation. Ungodly generations, unaware, and not knowing God. Noah’s day faced the flood, and our generation will face the wrath of God as revealed in the Book of Revelation. Today, the signs of His coming are like the vultures, they are circling indicating the end is in sight.

Having a Month

As children we learned at an early age a lesson for life. In school if you were given a treat, you were not the only child that got a treat, all children were eligible and were treated the same. Yet, as an adult, we single out various groups for a month-long celebration, at the exclusion of others. February is Black History month, but there is no Hispanic month, or Native American month? So many ethnic groups have no month. June is Gay Pride month, yet there is no heterosexual month or family month? It seems to me that groups that have a month are the special children who get the treats, and the rest of us are left to ask, “what is wrong with us, that we have no month?” Seems odd to me.

Box People

In society there are two kinds of thinkers. In the box, and outside the box. Most of us use the education we were taught from the box. It is safe, it is known, it is acceptable. But what about those outside the box? There are no rules, no measurements, or predictions. They rely on the language of the gut and intuition. Most of us like the box, because we know what to expect. Those outside box face the unknown, they are the visionaries. The box people love the sound of church bells, but the out of the box people like the challenge of the mission, yards from the gates of Hell. Jesus instructs us to get out of the box and “go into all the world.”

Excuses

There is a story Jesus told about a banquet where people were invited to attend, and all the invitees gave excuses not to attend. Some had business dealings, others were investing, chasing their dream, while others were getting married. However, at the end of the day, all made excuses as to why they could not attend. Jesus used this story to illustrate that many have been invited into His Kingdom, but few choose to come. God is still inviting people and He is still getting excuses from His invites. All of us make excuses for ourselves, but there is one excuse that could cost you eternity. No matter what your life is doing, when the invitation is given, by all means, do not make an excuse.

Saltiness

Jesus said, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” If we, the church is like salt, what happens when we lose or change our message? Jesus said, “if you lose your saltiness, you get thrown away.” I recently read about some Christians representing a group called “Progressive Christianity.” Here in part is what they believe. “They value compassion, justice, mercy, and tolerance, often through political activism. Often Progressive Christians will refer to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross as horrific or unnecessary.” I believe we face two kinds of churches, one a true salty church, and one worthy to be discarded. The gospel is salty, it was designed to stay that way.

Circumstances

“Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.” (Eccles 7:14) Now that is something that is not in our theology thinking today. This is one of those insightful wisdom verses that tells the prosperity gospel people that God cannot be manipulated to only prosper you. King Solomon goes on to say, “remember that nothing is certain in this life.” So, in short, God teaches us lessons in both prosperity and in the hard times, because God has created them both. Paul says, “I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” It’s not the circumstances, it is the Christ in those circumstances that matters.

Theology

Theology is important, I get that, however, some theology has become so important to people, that it has become an idol. It reminds me of how people treated the Sabbath in Jesus day: “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27) Sabbath was important, but it became so important it became an object of worship. Some theology is critically important, Soteriology, Pneumatology, and Eschatology, all have a place in the believer’s playbook of belief, but there is other theology that I would question. Calvinism, Supercessionism, Cessationism, Prosperity and Dominion theologies are all Biblically questionable and they have become more important than even the Lord Himself. In my latter years, the Bible is all I need, theology can get confusing.

Kindness

Annie Johnson was 101 years old when I first met her. She was physically weak, but her mind was strong. She lived through some of the most astounding events in history. World wars, inventions of the automobile, telephone, radio, tv, internet. So, I asked her what she had concluded about life in living so long. I thought I would get an answer like, “I was amazed at how advanced we had become.” Instead, what she said to me I will never forget. “I am amazed at how unkind and mean we have become to each other.” Wise words that echo’s God’s Word. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Kindness never goes out of style.

Closets

We have seen a rash of high-profile clergy resign recently over moral failure. It is a good reminder that no one is beyond sin. One of the lessons we learn early in following Jesus is that everything is a temptation. Just because you are a successful pastor does not mean you’re beyond temptation. Given the right circumstances, and the wrong frame of mind, anyone can be seduced into sin. How about the skeletons in your closet? Everyone has a past and I am convinced all closets have skeletons. However, there is mercy for the sinner, repentance for the contrite, and the grace of God for those willing to face their closet. Remember, confession is always forgiven, and it is the best way to clean a closet.