Incredible Ignorance

Rom.16:17, 18 - Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

There exists within the evangelical church in America a spirit of ignorance, in fact, incredible ignorance. You have churches contouring their services to identify with certain portions of the community and culture at the expense of solid Biblical teaching. Beds and cars and other objects have made their way to the stage and are visuals for the preacher as he gives “good advice” messages that many times could be delivered by Dr. Phil or Dr. Laura. It sometimes goes beyond the bizarre.

Some time ago well meaning Christians began a church called XXX church and was focused on reaching men especially who had fallen into pornography. Their motives aside, their method is unbiblical. These men did not fall into pornography because there was no XXX church to strengthen them, no, they went into sin because they were unsaved, or because of their shallow devotional life, the surface teaching at their church, or their lack of wisdom and accountability. The elephant in the room is that the church that these men now attend is not sufficient to help them into repentance and victory, and the evidence for that is well documented.

But this church has produced a wicked video that has a puppet, yes I said puppet, who tells kids who probably know nothing about pornography to stay away from pornography complete with a cameo appearance from an unsaved male adult film "star" who takes a position that sex is between consenting adults and not children. How wonderful to teach our children. And of course many emergent types hail this type of straight forward talk, but would they still preach its praises if the puppet said to stay away from homosexuality? Alcohol? Cigarettes? Soap operas? R rated movies (which I consider mostly pornography)? There are many people who are overcoming some addictions through the power of human organization and education and not the power of God. And the Scriptures never give any indication that churches should cull out one particular sin and make it the church moniker.

The church has been called to lift high the Lord Jesus Christ and preach His gospel. We have not been called to extricate sinners from pornography or drugs or alcohol or any other sin, no, our mission is to bring the salvation that only comes through Jesus to a lost and dying world and let Christ do the rest. A cleaned up life is a result of salvation not the goal. There is no such thing as the xxxchurch or the Budweiser church or the cocaine church, only the church of Jesus Christ. It is and always will be heaven or hell, that is our message through Christ and as articulated by the words of our Lord in Jn.3:16. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. There are many well intentioned ideas that are not from God but many have lost the discernment to recognize the subtle counterfeits.

Once you become untethered from God’s Word you can create many religious looking institutions and movements that unsuspecting people see as helpful but in reality they are small, medium, and giant steps toward apostasy. If a rifle is moved one degree off its target it will be 1 ½ feet off target every mile and it will continue to become more and more off target as the bullet continues to travel. So it is with Biblical issues, when they begin with significant error they do not just continue with that degree of error, no, they continue to get worse. Now all that is compounded when the target is wrong to begin with, such is the nature of deception. The deceived person is ignorant, sometimes willingly and sometimes not, of his ignorance.

And so this incredible ignorance presses on, collecting followers as it goes, and if it cannot convert people it will at least waste the time of true believers through useless, meaningless, and pointless dialogue. How many of you waste your time discoursing with believers in the health and wealth movement? Not many and what is the reason? Because not only is it a waste of time, but the theology is so off base that it cannot be given any legitimacy at all. So must now the emergent movement be viewed. We should know by now that the entire movement is heading the wrong way and as of yet I have seen very few repent and return to solid Biblical theology.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears. It is over. What is over, you ask. Let me explain. I have a saying that reveals my feelings about certain things when they get so out of bounds they no longer deserve the energy it takes to search for any good. The saying is “It’s like looking for a nickel in a spittoon”. I apply that saying in all seriousness as it applies to the emerging/emergent church movement. But what about men like Kimball and Driscoll and others whose professed theology seems within acceptable parameters? Sadly, those men might just be the most dangerous of all since it is they who offer cover and some credibility to the others. The question must be asked if those men really believe what they say they do then why do they allow themselves to be yoked in any way with men like MacLaren, Bell, and Pagitt, all of whom are heretics according to me?

These are dark days for the church of Jesus Christ and millions are being systematically deceived by many mediums and the strength of men’s personalities. And what a clever and insidious deception it is, I mean who can argue with feeding the poor, ministering to the sick, and standing for social justice? The devil has ingenuously made it seem like those of us who believe that the work of Christ was completely an atonement are against such acts of love. But we must remain faithful to God’s Word while at the same time recognizing with sincerity that we ourselves are in desperate need of a revival. The absolute worst thing that can ever happen is that we get puffed up and self righteous as we warn others, God’s Spirit is not in that spirit. In my humble opinion it would do us well if we withdraw from conversing or dialoging with the emergent crowd, especially those who are entrenched. Back and forth confrontation serves little if any purpose and a much more productive journey is to seek Christ and His face while not being ignorant of these deceptions. Surely it is a delicate balance.

Like Gideon’s men, we must never become so absorbed in watching for the enemy that we quit drinking the living water. Defending Christ must not become our obsession but Christ Himself must be our living obsession. The times will get worse and as a matter of fact they are much worse than you or I actually realize. Apostasy is much more rampant than we know and like lava it captures more and more territory every moment. Good people, believers that are truly saved, have been captured by this deception and are now defenders of the new and detractors of the old. Truth transcends tense. Let not your hearts be troubled my brothers and sisters, God has already prevailed. Do not rub your hands in worry or let doubt arise in your hearts, it is still a privileged joy to serve the Risen Christ and the Father God.

Seek His face, raise His banner, and let us go without the camp, bearing His reproach, and heralding the same good news that delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of God’s Dear Son!!

What is the Love of God

Jude 21 - Keeping yourselves in the love of God...

Have you ever stopped to contemplate (uh..oh) just what is love? Now on an earthly level love comes first as love for our mothers and fathers. This is kinship love that comes from an innate, God given quality and also the connection with nourishment and protection. Then comes the love we learn to have for our extended family members because of their kindness and also that we are taught to love them. Love for a mate and love for our children and grandchildren naturally follows. But what is God’s love exhibited through a believer in Jesus Christ?

Some say love is telling people the truth and of course it contains that essential component, however it goes much deeper and more personal than that. Love doesn’t just point out the wounds to the wounded, it binds up those same wounds. Love doesn’t just speak the gospel and feel you’ve accomplished your religious responsibility, love grieves for those who reject it. Love doesn’t revel in its orthodoxy, love intercedes for those who have strayed. Love says like Moses, kill me and let them live. Love says like Paul, I wish I was accursed and not others.

God’s love flowing through a human being reaches, reaches, and reaches further still to those objects of God’s love. God’s love renders its recipients as undone and broken, and those who truly understand the colossal ramifications of Christ’s love in their lives can never be prideful or self righteous. We who have never deserved one microscopic sliver of God’s love must exhibit that same love to others. True love, real love, eternal love, God’s love. We are prone to either exhibit conditional love which in God’s vernacular isn’t love at all, or we exhibit a reasonable facsimile of what we have constructed as “God‘s love“. Jesus said if we just love those who love us then we are just like the heathen.

God’s love did not just inform sinful man of his condition, it interceded for us sinners and ultimately took our place. All this while we yet sinners. It is unfathomable, and against that gracious truth I am stretched to find an example of that kind of love in my own life. Love that dies for its enemies, love that intercedes for those who hates it, love that knows no partiality and is always the whole and never in part. What kind of love is that? Can you not see that we have settled for a comfortable and doctrinal love, one that requires little if any sacrifice, one that can be preached with many “amens” but few tears, and whose ecclesiastical expression falls infinitely short of the Messianic exhibition revealed in the pages of Holy Writ?

We guard our exhibition of love so that we are never accused of compromise because of the nature of our love’s object although that sums up the entire narrative of the incarnation. Read the blog comments and see some say “I love you” as a mock and without the corresponding demonstration that those words should, no MUST, require. Months ago I felt led to participate on a blog that most orthodox and reformed believers consider liberal among other things. Now I do not agree with many of the positions but with, hopefully, a different heart. I was criticized and castigated not because I had changed my Biblical views, but because I had the audacity to rub shoulders with brothers in Christ with whom I disagreed.

I contend it is impossible to love people with God’s love unless you get to know people and that love is tested. Words are meaningless and can be spoken by Manson as well as a Christian. My report card on that venture is mixed but it showed me where I was lacking, revealed to me elements of my own pride, and that saved sinners seem to exhibit the same traits around the theological spectrum. It also should allow the Spirit to expand the eyes of our understanding in that we no longer view people, and especially brothers and sisters, as enemies. Those with whom we disagree have mates, children, wounds, imperfections, heartaches, and some have a heart for Jesus even if we consider it misguided in areas.

You can love MacArthur but can you love MacLaren? Maybe we would never allow some unsaved metal band to rent our church building but can we love them and reach out to them? And when those same precious souls become aware of the discussion about them, one that they cannot understand, do we carelessly print the words of their songs for public disdain and ridicule? I would not rent a church building to them but neither would I uncover their sin which love should cover. It is so easy to print objectionable words of sinners but much, much harder is it to shed tears and go before Christ on their behalf. We surely want to flaunt our separation before the church so that everyone is aware that we disapprove of sinner’s sins! And to name them personally is unconscionable. I think I remember a story about people posting an adulteress’s sins on a blog before Jesus and they didn’t seem to get the response from Him they were looking for. Jesus knelt down and wrote a post of His own on His own earthen blog and there were no comments from the contributors. Well, Jesus is still the same.

Loving the sinners of the world is risky business and the church has used their sins to promote our own self righteousness. Watch this year as the evangelical world posts the sins of the politicians with whom they disagree and in so doing they stir up hatred for these men and women. Does our heart break for their eternal predicament or do their particular sins agitate us? How many criticisms have I read about Rosie O’Donnell, or Madonna, or many other lost people who walk in the kingdom that you and I used to call home? We have received God’s grace but have now demanded God’s law to our former spiritual roommates, and we have exposed their sins for all to see as a disfigured expression of our love but certainly not God’s love. God’s disfigured expression of His love is magnificent and is in and of itself a covering of sins. The cross displays the eternal love of God by exposing and covering our sins simultaneously in one confounding and passionate act of inexhaustible love.

So how do we correct and reprove while remaining in the love of God? I have no formula, I only know we are falling short of that goal and are content with our pitiful definitions of love. Words are not love, they are…um…words. The Scripture declares that God proved His love that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Where is our proof? Words? Maybe if we were gathering two and three times a week at the same building we would never rent out and crying out to God for those who we refused rent, and for those who offered rent, maybe then we could claim some kind of deeper love. Maybe if we stood outside the concert doors and offered free coffee and cocoa to the lost metal heads, maybe then we could claim a God like love. Maybe if we bought a ticket and endured the music in order to speak the gracious gospel to some inside, maybe then we could claim an unconditional love. “I would never do that, that would be compromise”, you say. Remember Jesus bought a ticket in Bethlehem to attend a world wide death metal concert so He could reach everyone inside. Praise His wonderful Name, I WAS ONE OF THOSE LOST CONCERT GOERS! Perhaps God saw me in an Alice Cooper death metal concert. Jude exhorts us to stay in God's love and then he says that through that we can make a difference in the lives of sinners. God's love does more than talk, it makes a difference.

I would never rent the church building to the unsaved, but I would encourage us to go their building. Love doesn’t insulate itself feeling smug about its separation, no, love gets dirty and contaminated and even…bloody. I have often felt good about my standards, but those are not my standards they are His and for His glory. Although I would disagree with people allowing church buildings to be used inappropriately, I would also strongly disagree and reprove those of us who would not only close our church doors but also walk on the other side of the street so as to avoid these wicked Samaritans. I have been so blessed to see the conversion of a man named Brian Welch who was a former member of a heavy metal band named Korn.

Someone loved him. Someone didn’t print his lyrics on a blog or make fun of his tattoos. Someone prayed for him and brought him to church to hear the gospel. Someone overlooked his sins and reached out to his soul. Someone took a risk and made friends with him, not considering what others might think, and in so doing the Spirit opened his heart one glorious night and he came to know the One who really loved him. I had tears in my eyes as he expressed his love for Jesus Christ. That my friends is unconditional love.

I am still on the journey…

The Savor of His Knowledge

II Cor.2:14 - Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.

What a verse. What a statement. What a challenge. The great Apostle starts with a praise to our God from whom all blessings flow. He is well aware that every good and perfect gift comes from God and as he states in chapter four, “Our sufficiency is of God”. Oh there is none like our God, none as gracious, none as powerful, and none as glorious as our Heavenly Father and the Risen Son. And all of our knowledge comes from God the Spirit and His illumination of our darkened minds and hearts. Let us never take a particle of praise for that which is all of God and none of us and even our sacrifice and labor to follow Him is all of Him.

And upon that unshakable foundation we move to the second phrase, one that includes God graciousness and power in concert. We all have a free will which in itself is a gift from God, but do not suppose that the strength of our wills is the power for spiritual victory. No, all our victory in the Spirit is caused by God and comes directly from Him through the Spirit. Well, you ask, doesn’t our will and our surrender play any part? Surely and of course, the New Testament is replete with commands to obey and the rewards that accompany that obedience, but when we contemplate the extent of our victory we must quickly see that God’s gift of victory in Christ is greatly disproportionate to our acts of obedience. What do I mean?

I am saying that although God responds to our obedience, the rewards and gifts of grace far surpass the acts of obedience we have offered unto Him. Like the laborer that came at 5:00 PM and only worked for one hour but received the same pay as those who worked the entire day, so is God’s reward for us so overstated and beyond what can be explained by our works of righteousness in Christ. His reward, His victory, graciously lavished upon us should never magnify us and our works but only the lift high the Victor Himself in all His magnificence. It is He who has caused us to triumph and not we ourselves, and it is His victory and His alone and He has graciously shared it with “whosever will” according to His divine will. Yes, to God be the glory great things He has done!

Move on to the words “makes manifest”. We as believers must be the manifestation of Christ on the earth. Paul says we are “epistles, read of all men” and the world no longer sees Christ except through the prism of His followers. God makes Christ manifest through us and that revelation becomes effective in direct proportion to our invisibility. We must decrease and He must increase. This process is both painful and yet wonderfully fulfilling. Letting God’s Word cut away our flesh and through faith and prayer we invite the Spirit to gain absolute control of our lives both inside and outwardly. This metamorphosis reaches its zenith when we begin to think like Jesus. Oh what a challenge is this because we have become adept at thinking for ourselves and altering those thoughts before we act upon them which is good but not best.

The Scriptures tell us we can have the mind of Christ and allow Him to think through us. What a mystery and what a glory! Would the world see something glorious in the body of Christ if we actually thought like Jesus and did not have to alter our thoughts but could immediately act on our thoughts because they were His not ours? What if we loved like Him without any effort? What if our devotional life was so powerful and deep that our eyes became portals through which Christ Himself looked and not us? What if our hearts were so pure that any thought that wasn’t from Christ was immediately recognized and cast down, repented of, and destroyed in the forgiveness of Christ’s blood?

Look at what the Spirit through Paul goes on to say. He says that our triumph does not result in any personal fame or fortune or even physical benefit, but God’s purpose is to let the fragrance of His knowledge be known in every place we go. Oh my, how often do we go to a place and the savor of His knowledge is not flowing through us? God’s desire is that He can make His presence known through His followers in every place. And the presence of Christ is a fragrance that draws sinners and saints alike. Like the sirens in Greek mythology, the fragrance of Christ is unmistakable and can only be resisted by a sinner’s hardened heart tied to the mast of his own will.

Think about all the many and wonderful attributes of the Lord Jesus as revealed to us in the Scriptures. I do not mean just His acts of mercy and grace, I refer just to His presence and His words. Jesus rebuked those who followed Him for loaves and fishes, and He observed that Martha’s work was subservient to Mary’s devotion. Think now about the proportion of time we spend doing something for Jesus in contrast to the time we spend alone with Him, listening, meditating, and letting His presence change us from glory to glory. Could it be that is why the world does not sense His presence through us as they should? Could that be the reason we think and react like we do, and could that be why we are so enamored by the things of this world and our own self-aggrandizement? Could that also be the reason that we give so little thought to the lost souls throughout the world and the missionaries that labor in those fields? Could that be the reason?

What do you surmise Mary felt when she was visited by the Archangel Gabriel? Do you believe his presence was astounding and brought a part of heaven into her room? The sight of this angel must have been indescribable and his voice must have been supernatural. Do you also believe there must have been some fragrance, some angelic savor that reinforced the fact that Gabriel had come from the presence of God Himself? Now if Gabriel came with that heavenly ambiance what do you suppose comes with the presence of Christ Himself? Oh, you say, but Gabriel really was there. Please, please my brothers and sisters do not negate that which God has many time promised those who seek His face. Do not be so faithless as to demand sight at the expense of the glory of faith.

We can and should be daily in God’s presence, and not just the general “God is everywhere” principle of His presence. We should separate ourselves and go beyond the veil and by faith enter into His presence. How can you know you are truly in God’s presence? Well first you will be convicted of your own sins. To sense God’s presence is to sense His holiness and if a sinner is unsaved he immediately desires salvation, and when it is a believer he immediately desires forgiveness through God’s blood. To walk in forgiveness is to walk in His Spirit and we must be careful to be sensitive to our sins. Careless lives can never bring God’s knowledge to the world, it only displays a mirror of themselves. They can fellowship with a carnal believer but they cannot sense God’s presence which is what they desperately need.

In God’s presence we can sense God’s love and grace through His forgiveness. Is it not amazing that God desires us to reflect Him and bring the glory of His presence to the world. And to find that God will work with us to change us and make us “fit for the Master’s use” is breathtaking. What is man that He is mindful of us, and why does God persevere with those of us who have so often been unfaithful? That is just another unplumbed cavern of God’s love and eternal faithfulness to us and such knowledge empowers us to press toward the high mark of His calling. Being an ambassador and a witness for Jesus Christ starts with the preaching of the gospel, but manifesting His knowledge is much deeper and more powerfully spiritual than just handing out a tract.

Missionaries around the world have lived among those to whom they wish to spread the gospel, but their ministry goes far beyond just words. They are being watched and read by the sinners Christ loves, and those lost sinners need a visual revelation of Jesus that will fortify and substantiate the Christ that is being preached. It is without argument that a sinner must hear and believe the gospel to be saved, but he must also see Christ in us so the Spirit may open his heart as well. That calling is not just to overseas missionaries, that is the calling of every believer. Can the lost people at work, the neighbors, or any people that God has allowed you to have contact with sense the presence of Christ in your life?

Now this living revelation of the Lord Jesus includes the humanitarian acts of grace that He Himself produced, but it also encompasses much more. The love of God empowers a life to behave in a way so contrary to the norm that people take notice. Speech that is so seasoned with salt and grace that those with whom we converse sense something different. And an overall ambiance that follows our lives that some will ask the reason for the hope that seems so evident within us. When was the last time someone asked you why you have such hope? We sometimes feel if we say a word for Jesus or pass out a tract or support a missionary that we have fulfilled our religious obligation when in fact our spiritual ministry is much more intimate and carries with it a much greater responsibility to exhibit the light of the world to the darkness of the world in which we live.

In essence, we are to let Jesus live through us. Too often the world has smelled the fragrance of the carnal church and its agendas and not the Risen Son of God. We must humble ourselves, separate ourselves, and seek His life changing presence again. When a believer gives his testimony it usually is about how he was saved and how God changed his life when he was converted, but when was the last time God significantly and demonstratively changed your life? When was the last time God so dramatically changed your life that you could not help but share the experience with others? Are you and I content with where we are and how God uses us in this world, or do we thirst for more of Him? I exhort all of us to inhale the aroma of our own lives and see if we detect the fragrance of Jesus or ourselves.

If we detect ourselves let us repent and go to His presence and let His savor permeate our lives not for us, but for His glory alone.

Blasphemy

Col.3:8 - But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Rev.13:6 - And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

Blasphemy. The word is genuinely defined as disrespect for God and things that are sacred. There are many examples of blasphemy exhibited today in evangelical circles and even within the house of worship. Everyone of course defines blasphemy in their own subjective way and so do I. Inappropriate dancing, questionable joking, vulgar language, and overwhelming light shows that incite the emotions and not the Spirit, these and others are forms of disrespecting the Spirit otherwise known as blasphemy. And these things are not just happening in the privacy of some homes and exhibiting our cultural blending amidst the general public, these are happening in the house of God as believers are supposed to be gathering to worship God Almighty and His Risen Son.

But among those things are much more serious expressions of blasphemy. Believers speak about the things of God in flippant and careless ways in direct contrast to our Jewish heritage which considered God’s Name so sacred it was only to be spoken under special circumstances. Of course we can call upon God’s name every day but we still should have a sense of sacred respect and even fear of our loving Savior. Much of the evangelical community has lost any sense of reverence much less fear of the Lord God Almighty and they speak and treat the things of Christ with a cavalier and careless attitude.

Among liberals there was always a movement to feminize God and even some Bibles have either de-gendered their divine references or made them feminine. All orthodox Bible believers recognized that as blasphemy, not so much that God was a man or even masculine, but that God had chosen to reveal Himself within that gender context. To indiscriminately change God’s name and the essence of His revelation concerning Himself is blasphemy and very, very serious. The limited revelation we have of our Creator can only be accepted as truth and accurate when we receive it directly from Him and not our convoluted linguistics constructed upon the language of culture and pseudo-intellectualism.

Just recently it was brought to my attention that someone referred to the Holy Spirit as “she”. This of course is an attempt to be cute and create another dialogue that is meaningless and seeks to give evidence of an elevated spiritual intellect. It is quite evident that God the Son refers to the Spirit as “He” and the word “parakletos” which is translated “comforter” is a masculine noun that means someone who comes beside us and helps. It refers to a lawyer in court as well but the word itself is masculine. So is the Holy Spirit a masculine spirit in gender as we understand masculinity? I am sure God transcends gender and in fact created it, but His revelation about Himself must remain within His own linguistic framework or He becomes distorted in our hearts and minds.

Just as God is our Father and Jesus is the Son so is the Lord consistent in His teaching about Himself to us. Of course the noun “Son” can give the impression that Jesus was created but the Scripture assures us He was from everlasting to everlasting, the Word from the beginning. So why does God assign these family titles to Himself? It is for our benefit and understanding not His, but His reasons are surely His own and must not endure linguistic violence to satisfy some fleshly and carnal desire of man’s heart. Many are committing blasphemy today and professing believers endure such Biblical treason. If this doesn’t present ample evidence of the new age mindset that has infiltrated the evangelical church I am not sure how to convince you. When I hear someone speak so flippantly of God’s Spirit is sends chills up my spine.

Many preachers energetically pursue the new and reject the tested. Men ask questions like, “If we proved the virgin birth of Christ was a lie would the Christian life still be an attractive way to live?”. There are at least two fundamental problems with musings like this. First, the virgin birth is an essential part of the gospel and who Jesus was when he came to earth. Secondly, it reveals that these new preachers concentrate more on our lives than on the Risen Lord. The question should not be would you still live as a Christian but would you still worship Jesus. The entire new theology centers on man and his life and experience, and in reality, that in itself is blasphemy. To speak against the virgin birth, even hypothetically, undermines people’s faith, reduces the value of the virgin birth in the minds of believers, and is a blasphemous way to use the virgin birth in a carnal and fleshly illustration. These type of intellectualisms undermine the Christian faith and do not edify.

This is now a post modern round table that mixes the sacred with the profane, and more than that, these things do despite unto our precious God in all His attributes and His gracious revelation. Bible schools that once were champions and protectors of God and His truth are training dismantlers that have no concept of the seriousness of their wayward journey. And instead of standing firm and humble and with a devoted heart concerning God’s Word, many are now enablers to the wicked spirits that seek to bring the greatest deception of all. It is not coming, it is here.

I am convinced that Lucifer has dispatched all his demons out of hell and they now roam the world with great numbers and intensity, he knows his time grows short. And the devil loves to distort God’s Word and even make a mockery of God’s Name while cloaking it in evangelistic circles. We must surrender to our prayer closets and be on our watch, many of our precious brothers and sisters have been sucked into this spiritual black hole which eventually will lead to complete apostasy. Many churches are already apostate in their teachings, let God be true and every man a liar.

Heresy is now Bible study, prayer is chanting, salvation is now universal, atonement is now feeding the poor, and God Himself is a many faceted caricature that continues to be a creation but surely not the Creator. You must be faithful and aware that this is what was foretold to us by God’s prophetic Word. The so called teachers are tickling ears with lies and soothing fables, but we ourselves must fervently seek God’s power to come and revive us and glorify Himself. I do not believe a world wide revival will take place, but God will honor personal seekers with His anointing if we get hungry enough. We have a long way to go.

All those who are emergent are liberal in either or both their doctrine and/or their lifestyle, which is also doctrine. Men like Mark Driscoll claim a form of doctrinal orthodoxy while exhibiting a liberal and careless lifestyle. Men like Rob Bell have little resemblance to orthodoxy in either, and men like Brian MacLaren are wolf pack leaders in heretical studies. It does little if any good to even dialogue with these emergent/purpose/seeker types, prayer is more effective and edifies the one who prays. Arguing is counterproductive and in reality I have come to the conclusion that God would have us avoid them which walk disorderly. Some have pleasant personalities, in fact Brian MacLaren seems to have a humble and kind spirit that should shame all of us, but that does not absolve anyone from teaching things contrary to the Scriptures. Perhaps that kind of man is the most dangerous of all.

So have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather rebuke them. The days are evil and God’s Name will continue to be dragged through the mud of heretical slander, but let us remain in the love of God, humbly confessing our unworthiness before our gracious and wonderful Lord. He is worthy to be praised in the night watches. Do not lose your joy in these times, but continue to press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

That my friends is our destination, the Celestial City and its King!

Lifestyle Heretics

Ti.1:16 - They profess that they know God but in works they deny Him;
Rom.3:14 - Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Eph.4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying…
Eph.4:17 - This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles…
Eph.5:11 - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them.

These are just a very few of the verses in the New Testament that concern the believer’s speech and conduct while on this earth. Many of the verses provide such a high bar, especially those concerning being like Christ, that it assures us that our journey will not end until we go to be with Christ Himself. In a previous post I dealt with heretics that change the Word as it applies to doctrinal truth, but this post is about what I will call “lifestyle heretics”. They are a subset of the general collection of heretics. Simply put these are professing believers who have purposely broken down the exhortations and guidelines given to us by our Father in the Scriptures and through convoluted etymology, humanistic logic, identifying with the lost, and a general lackadaisical attitude are moving quite willingly toward behaving and thinking like the world.

The outward signs are recognizable to many who recoil at the very thought of some of the things that are allowed, but it begins with a disregard of God’s Word and a clever way to prove God’s Word as almost meaningless in matters of a disciple’s lifestyle. Now before some throw out some red herring let me say that we all should be loving, merciful, and humble in everything we do and that should translate into living deeds indeed. But I am dealing particularly with the outward lifestyles of certain professing followers of Christ and if this reasoning meets the standards of God’s Word. Be prepared, some of what you will hear will seem unbelievable and if you were not shocked before you will be now. I will never use profane words either personally or in my writings, so I will have to sometimes speak in code that we will all understand having lived in Babylon these many years.

Our calling and mandate as believers has nothing to do with affecting the culture one way or the other, our commission is to live and preach the Lord Jesus Christ. Any effect we may have on the society at large is residual and would come from the quality of the lives that are changed by the gospel. So our perspective must never be as to how we can blend with the lost and their culture, our spiritual perspective is how should we walk pleasing before our Lord. This cultural meshing is a distortion of an Arminian position and makes our lives more laborer than worshiper. We are laborers because we are worshipers and not the reverse, this is made clear in the New Testament.

But in a new and shocking way many evangelical teachers are not only teaching a careless life that mirrors the lifestyles of the lost, but they are personally modeling the lifestyle they promote. While the lost wait in line to see a sexually explicit movie, they may very well be behind the neighborhood pastor and his wife. And this pastor not only believes he has freedom in Christ to enjoy filth, he believes God desires him to rub shoulders with the lost and participate in their sinful hedonism. He might believe that makes him “genuine” and shows the world he is not a fake. This pastor has exalted relevantism above purity and believes in sociological power above the power of God’s anointing upon a separated life. As a matter of fact, this pastor and his wife may be attending that movie with a couple from his own congregation. I know, my shock reveals the antiquity of my Biblical views against the backdrop of the modern Christian lifestyle.

The new and modern Christian and teacher uses profanity within his accommodating view of Christian freedom and cultural relevance. And I do not speak of Biblical words such as “hell” and “damn”, many use the most vile of four letter words and defend their actions by a combination of etymological distortions and by pointing out inconsistencies in others. They use Paul’s use of “dung” as an excuse to use their carnal vernacular and again claiming genuineness rather than being a fake. When and where did allowing Christ to clean up our language become fake?

I do not believe that drinking wine is a sin in and of itself, however some of these new believers giggle like school girls when they speak of drinking alcohol and smoking a good cigar. Liberty, you see, is a sign of mature freedom and flaunting it only adds to their feeling a smug behavioral liberty. Part of the thrill is letting others know you do it, especially those who would disagree because when you can put it before them and they object it adds to the fleshly ambiance of the so called liberty. Oh yes, it is an incredible spiritual genre that has been created.

But all these things and more come from inside the hearts of these new teachers. No more does pleasing God include a simple and clear interpretation of God’s Word, today they wrest the Scriptures in order to allow for things that God has forbidden explicitly. Some use the context of the Jewish leaders and practices to provide proof that God morphs with the culture, but no Jew or Gentile or how they viewed the Scriptures are the authority. In fact all men have feet of clay and God’s Word must be understood and obeyed in the context of its own interpretation, comparing Scripture with Scripture. It does not matter about the Jews, the Greeks, the Babylonians, or any other people or their culture, God’s Word is transcendent.

So once the heart is untethered from God’s Word then they are free to invent any Biblical format that encourages careless living not only before the world, but with the world. And some of these preachers would check the right boxes on a doctrinal test that would insulate them against being doctrinal heretics, but I consider them lifestyle heretics. They have rendered the Word of God as irrelevant and non-applicable to the follower of Jesus Christ. There was a time that a sinner would have to count the cost and he understood that he couldn’t be saved by changing his lifestyle but he had to be willing to forsake that which God would disapprove. But today most are never told that their lives would belong to God when they believe on Christ, they are told you can continue in the hedonistic lifestyle they enjoy and gain heaven as well. Many sinners do not see much difference in their lives and the lives of their church going neighbors.

So I will label those people who have compromised any semblance of Biblical separation as “lifestyle heretics”. I have no insight as to who is and who is not a Christian, I do know that God knows those that are his and commands all who bear His name to depart from iniquity. Legalism in its Biblical definition is adding works to salvation, but this is not what we’ve dealt with here. This is inward and outward sanctification that exhibits a life that glorifies our Heavenly Father. We may have different views about different subjects, but we all must reject the love of this world which is more than just a mental concept, it is a tangible and specific way to live apart from this world and separated unto good works that lift up our Mighty Savior and draws men to ask about the hope that is within us.

Sometimes I feel like I’m giving a history lesson, if you know what I mean.

Absolute Truth

Jn.18:37-38 - …Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?…
Jn.14:6 - Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
Eph.4:21 - If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.

The phrase “absolute truth” means in fact something that is unwaveringly and infinitely true. Truth is the communicative medium of reality, in other words absolute truth is the unchangeable and immutable existence of God, His creation, and His laws. Absolute truth cannot be altered in any way, it stands eternal and unmolested by human hands and thoughts. Is there absolute truth or is all truth something like light refraction that can bend as it goes through the prism of culture and experience? Does truth remain constant or is it redacted by different generations and their sociological and intellectual environment? When Christ Himself said He would send the Holy Spirit and He would guide us into all truth, was Jesus speaking generally and are His words to be taken within a “guesswork” context or did He actually mean “all truth”?

As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane he made this statement, “Thy Word is truth”. He was speaking with the Heavenly Father and the Word Incarnate confessed that God’s Word is truth. Let us consider just what the word “truth” means. If 2 + 2 = 4 is truth in North America but 2 + 2 = 5 in South America then each are only true as interpreted and understood by those who live in the distinct continents. That is why we say it is 5:00 PM in New York but 1:00 PM in California. Which is it, then? It is both because man has assigned those mathematical or time designations based upon geography, but neither are absolute because they are bound by man’s definition and parameters.

So much of what man has designated as truth has come from his cultural and educational experience which varies around the world and through the centuries. But that cannot be how we see and understand God’s Word which existed before the universe was ever created. God’s Word transcends all humanity and their severely limited experience and intellectual disseminations, no, God’s Word is eternally fixed. “Forever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven”. Our experience, our intellect, our definitions, and our interpretations run the high risk of creating our own truth and assigning it as God’s which is one of the greatest sins of all.

We can never claim inerrant interpretations but we can and must always claim the existence of inerrant truths, absolute as interpreted by God’s Spirit. God’s Word has generously revealed Himself and His redemption to the world, and we must receive it as divine and absolute. But as we rightly divide the Word we also see that the teachings about Christ and His redemption are the foundation for any understanding about God. These truths, clearly and without error or dilution presented in written form, must be believed as foundational and revealed by Scripture and interpreted by themselves through the communicative power of God’s Spirit. The reason for so many different interpretations even concerning salvation has nothing to do with Biblical clarity and everything to do with man’s sinful heart and religious imaginations, otherwise known as lies. The Bible is clear concerning the salvation offered by the Heavenly Father through His Risen Son and the tortured versions put forth by man reveal a startling and breathtaking insight into the depth of our sinfulness, even to distorting the priceless redemption of our Creator.

Today some are questioning whether absolute truth can be known or even if it exists, and with that mercurial theology comes an uncertainty that provides a wonderful basis for discourse but no basis for truth. Emanating from such a premise comes a refreshing conversation that provides an elevated view of our opinions and that revels in our place at the dialogue table but rejects any impartial plumb line upon which opinions can be authenticated. If there is absolute truth but it cannot be known then it might as well not exist and in the end it then is irrelevant. As Solomon observed, “Let us eat drink and be merry” or another words “Let us just talk, talk, and be merry”.

Now there are things in Scripture that seem to be more hidden and require much study and deep humility in order to come to an accurate interpretation, and some of those issues are not integral to the core of redemption. But do not feel safe in tossing these around either as unimportant or without significant merit, no, all Scripture is important and when we dismiss one section as worthless we run the risk of having that view seep into the entirety of Scripture. This is what we see happening today on a massive scale. But when two believers who hold that all Scripture is absolute in its authority disagree on some portion that does not do damage to the gospel and Christ’s redemption then those two can challenge each other without accusation and on a platform of general agreement. This is the iron sharpens iron Biblical principle which we all need.

But when theology has no absolute either in its basis or interpretation then it is a discussion, nothing more and much less. Now interpretation is not an earth science, it is a reward of grace by God’s Spirit which must be received by faith, the clear teaching of Scripture, and against the test of proven men of God especially those who have been without question used of God. After two thousand years of church history, both Christ honoring and Christ forsaking, there is no new redemptive interpretation, only new error. New obedience, new desire, new awakening, new repentance, new devotion, new sacrifice, yes and amen, but no new interpretation, especially those generated by a small group of individuals claiming some private interpretation. As the old preacher proclaimed, “If it’s new it ain’t true!” and he was correct.

So all absolute truth concerning God and His dealings with mankind is revealed in the written revelation of Scripture. All orthodox believers spotted people like Joseph Smith and Mary Baker Eddy as false prophets just based upon their extra-biblical written revelations. Those falsehoods and their purveyors are easy to recognize. But it is sometimes much more difficult to spot those who offer no extra-biblical writings as Scripture, but with deft and silent craftiness make their aberrant interpretations just as authoritative as if they had claimed to find ten new books of Scripture. It doesn’t necessitate presenting new writings as Scripture, the same effect can be promoted when the interpretations that are taught dismantle and alter the clear teachings of the same Scriptures. These interpretations become a medium by which new “scripture” can be taught to listeners who believe they are being taught the Bible when in reality they are being taught the machinations of some man who disguises his foundation as Biblical. Some of them are every bit as deceptive as the Book of Mormon but are presented as God’s Word and not new revelation, when in reality they are not God's Word and they are new revelation but presented as interpretive insight. This clandestine process is happening with great vigor and enthusiasm today and is called “Bible study”. It is impossible to accurately and with any certainty ascertain the hearts and motives of those who teach such things, but it is evident they are deceived themselves and are broadcasting that poisonous seed throughout the church.

Some would say that issues like eschatology (for example), the study of the last days, are not important and we all can believe what we want since the Scriptures are not clear. But even when discussing these things we cannot exhibit Scriptural laziness and allow the clear teachings of Scripture to be changed. Some are teaching that Christ’s second coming is through the believer, or that there is no physical reign of Christ on earth, or many other teachings that undermine more than eschatology. The chronology of Christ’s return is fair game, but the truth and essence of that return is not open for interpretation. I address this issue of prophecy so as to alert us that every section of Scripture must be taken with sacredness and seriousness even when it is difficult to understand. In short, the difficulty rests with us and not with Scripture.

Another facet of denying the existence or at least the interpretive ability to understand absolute truth is the teaching of Scripture that Jesus Himself in the incarnation was and is the divine revelation of absolute truth. So when we reject absolute truth we also by implication, and in many quarters open admission, assume that we can not fully understand who Jesus was and what His mission was on earth to any degree of agreeable accuracy. That my friends is about as dangerous as it gets and that view has led to liberalism, cults, and now a generous dialogue that has no defining center and either claims a general uncertainty about what was once understood as certain, or at least embraces that viewpoint as legitimate.

There is absolute spiritual and theological truth and it is revealed in the Scripture. Is it any wonder that so much is interpreted with complete disregard of that premise when we have left the Word and the prayer closet simultaneously, and the church like a wild ass has sniffed the modern air and its newness and has jumped the tested theological fences to follow those who are piping a new and pleasant tune. People who believe the Scriptures can be interpreted with accuracy and present absolutes are now viewed as legalistic Pharisees who are stuck sitting on the ancient landmarks while the new teachers are pointing to a different and more enlightened way. I fear for them and their followers.

Let us recommit ourselves to God’s unchangeable truth and the written revelation of His Word. To be sure we ourselves need an awakening, but while we wait upon the Lord we must do sentry duty against the deception which is already upon us. Birnam Woods has already come to Dunsidane and the hidden treachery with it. But do not fear, no man born of Adam will gain the victory, only the virgin born Son of the Living God will prevail.

Guird up your loins, the Lion comes quickly and with much warning…

Heretics

Ti.3:10 - A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject;

I am formally announcing my freedom in Christ to identify heretics solely based upon my interpretation of Scripture and my subjective application of those guidelines to whomever I sincerely feel meet those criteria. But of course that is what everyone else does. Those who defend teachers as non-heretics do it based upon their own subjective guidelines as will I also now do. I have hesitated to place that moniker on several men in deference to brothers who seem to have an affection for them and their teachings and also to avoid being lumped in with some rather caustic and prideful discernment bogs. But today I declare a personal policy of freedom in my assessments as well as a genuine attempt at humility and loving correction without diluting the core of my observations.

Let me first establish what I believe are the Scriptural definitions of a bone fide heretic. Now one can teach heresy and not be a heretic because my definition of heresy is something that is not true according to Scripture. So, for example, I believe that women should not be pastors according to Scripture, so teaching that they can is heresy. But the person that teaches that is not a heretic just because of that view, a heretic must espouse and teach something that is within the confines of core gospel truth. Something that either dismantles gospel truth or leads to the same. So if I say that “limited atonement” is heresy I do not mean that those who teach it are heretics, I mean that I strongly believe that is unbiblical but surely doesn’t dismantle any gospel truth. So follow me on this principle.

Here are the teachings that I believe define a heretic:

• He teaches that the Scriptures are in any way deficient and partially authoritative in matters of life and faith. Any departure from inerrancy identifies that person as a heretic. Now sometimes their verbiage is very esoteric and mercurial, but it is still heresy.
  
• He teaches that the purpose of the cross was not the atonement. Some teach some victory over evil and either downplay or reject altogether the atonement at Calvary. That is heresy.
  
• He teaches that Jesus was more human than divine and that His mission was to get everyone to emulate His life rather than to embrace His death.
  
• He teaches that a literal, eternal, place of torment known as hell does not exist. This rips at the fabric of the cross and suffering of our Savior and leads to universalism
  
• He teaches universalism, that all will be saved eventually. That man is a heretic.
  
• He teaches salvation by works be they good works, ceremonialism, baptism, or anything else but “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved”.
  
• He teaches such a watered down, self help, and humanistic gospel that has the capacity to make any “converts” as illegitimate.
• He teaches that money is somehow connected to the gospel and God will make a believer rich.
  

These are generally some of the aspects of who I consider to be a heretic, someone whose teachings are significantly divergent from the core of the gospel and of Biblical teaching. I cannot discern who is or isn’t saved, but it is possible to be saved and drift into heretical teachings and become a heretic. There are now men who muse about heresy without actually coming out and espousing the doctrines they speak about as possibilities, these men are heretics.

Now almost any position in eschatology is admissible and usually not a candidate for heresy. But these present day heresies deal with the essence of the gospel or subjects that could lead to different gospel renderings. But the raging controversy now centers around more important redemptive issues that the end times chronology. The saving power of Jesus Christ is now questioned by placing upon sinners without faith, and surely sinners whose profession is so shallow that it results in no corresponding works that substantiate Christ’s presence in their lives.

These types of issues have also resulted in heretical lifestyles among Christians and Christian pastors alike. What do I mean when I say “lifestyle heretics”? I mean there are Christian teachers now who live and teach a lifestyle whose very manifestation and behavior is Biblical heresy. They have almost no standards of separation about their lifestyle, and swearing, drinking, smoking, and questionable behavior is accepted and practiced. “Perfecting holiness in the sight of God” is no longer applicable as was once understood, and they teach a guiltless, libertarian, and conviction less lifestyle that is heretical in practice. Those that teach such things are also heretics.

But, you say, doesn’t that greatly expand the list of men who would be classified as heretics today. Yes, absolutely. As a matter of fact much of the church is now engaged in and believes in some form of heresy. Heresy in many forms has invaded the pulpits of evangelicalism and millions of sinners, indistinguishably lost or saved, are merrily following such false teachers. And we who have ears to hear must speak clearly and with conviction about these teachings and at the same time admit that we ourselves are in need of a revival of God’s Spirit.

I now consider men like Joel Osteen, Brian MacLaren, Doug Pagitt, Rob Bell, Rick Warren, Robert Schuller, Ken Copeland, and many others and all who espouse their ministries as heretics. I do not have knowledge about their spiritual standing before God personally, but their teachings are dramatically unbiblical. The emerging, emergent, purpose driven, seeker sensitive, church growth, and many combinations of these are all heretical and are falling away from Biblical Christianity. So you may mark me down as an old time Christian who refuses to accept the modern and new teachings. I am seeking a personal and church wide revival which I openly admit is needed by all of us, but I must be clear about what is happening within the church. Much of what is being taught is not even worth discussing, it is what I call “flat earth” meaning that the absurdity of their teachings are in the same category as arguing with someone who claims the earth is flat.

There is little productivity in any dialogue regardless how polite and respectful, and I believe my view has been honed by many such discussions. Our objective is seeking Christ, remaining faithful to His Word, preaching the gospel of Christ, guarding ourselves against error, and teaching those under our authority and ministry to reject heresy and its teachers. Heretics are multiplying rapidly and it behooves us to identify them clearly while recognizing that they themselves are not our enemies, it is the one who has deceived them who is the enemy of our souls.

Stand guard, remain humble, be strong in faith, and worship Christ Jesus.

The end is upon us.

A Deeper Work of Grace

I Cor.3:9, 10 - For we are laborers together with God: you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me…

When a lost sinner, still in the kingdom of darkness, believes on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for his salvation, he then is translated in the kingdom of God’s dear Son. That sinner was once blind but now he sees, he was lost and now is found. The depth of that conversion cannot be fully understood on this side of eternity, but our journey is to pursue Christ and in that pursuit we are given the spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Him. We grow in knowledge and obedience simultaneously because knowledge without obedience is information without revelation. It is useless in God’s sight.

But we must always keep one thing in our hearts and minds, the entirety of our journey, our growth, our maturity, our obedience, and our conformity to the Lord Christ is all by grace through faith. We can see the outward obedience of a believer as he seeks the Lord. Perhaps he begins to search God’s Word in a fresh way, perhaps he is praying more and more, perhaps he becomes concerned about the lost, and many other outward signs that he is seeking and obeying Christ in a deeper way. But these are all wonderful works of a believing laborer in Christ’s vineyard that we sometimes attribute to our own efforts when in fact they are all works of God’s grace. Our faith, which is also a gift of grace, is involved for sure but enveloped even in our faith is God’s grace.

I believe our will is also involved, however, our will is also a gift of grace from the Heavenly Father. Well, you ask, how does that work? That is a great mystery but it is all of God and all of grace to be sure. So the spiritual principle and truth is this, if you and I desire to be a more faithful disciple and a more surrendered follower of the Lord Jesus, we must seek a deeper work of grace. Think about the two words in that sentence that seem incongruous, work and grace. Do not be deceived, the work is God’s and the grace is His as well. If you seek your own work you miss the mark, we must seek His work and by faith surrender to His will and work and Word.

Nothing can be accomplished outside the grace of God, nothing. To suggest that man can accomplish God’s will outside His grace is humanism, idolatry, and in fact abject heresy, and can be traced all the way back to Cain. God’s grace is infinite, and within the body of Christ collectively and individually the grace of God is completely pervasive and operates without competition. Even when a believer labors in the flesh and some sinner is converted, it still is a shining and incontrovertible example of a work of grace. There is no spiritual battlefield outside the grace of God, it just does not exist.

So here we are, longing and desiring more of Christ and less of ourselves, and yet somehow we believe we can muster enough human willpower and effort to accomplish that in our lives. The works of the flesh are useless and even counterproductive in any spiritual progress, and without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith, God given faith, unlocks the endless door to God’s grace and allows the Spirit of God to do His unseen work in our hearts that will manifest itself in our lives. That is the work of grace that we must seek.

This is not just some “turn over a new leaf” mindset, and it isn’t a new set of legalistic rules that we set for ourselves hoping to impress God. This kind of work of grace comes only by faith and is a double edged sword that both slays the flesh and opens the heart. It comes by faith which comes by God’s Word and is planted by prayer and harvested through obedience which again comes by faith. How many of us have had seasons where our faith is low and we are spiritually anemic? And if left unattended our flesh grows accustomed to our plight and we become complacent and even satisfied with our condition. But oh what a glorious awakening awaits the believer who hears the Spirit’s call and diligently seeks the Lord again and by faith and through God’s grace is resurrected to a new beginning of life and hope in Christ that had become stagnant.

But God and His grace must do the work in our hearts, and although I realize that it sometimes seems like semantics it is not, it is vital to understand that our foundation is grace. Grace is active, grace is effectual, and God’s grace is powerful. Only by faith we, through God’s grace, can be changed from glory to glory by His strength and that not of works lest anyone should boast. Oh halleluiah, we have nothing to boast of except our Great God and His Great Christ! Grace frees us from legalism and empowers us to serve the Risen Christ in the power of the Spirit and not the fallen works of our own hands. Grace comes from God and it honors Him in all His glory.

Surrender to His grace and by faith admit you cannot do the works of God in your own strength and only His Spirit can change you into that which reflects His glory. We need faith, pure faith, the faith of God to enter into this glorious grace. Faith comes from God’s Word, so if we will not diligently seek the truth and treasures of the Word of God then we will never have the kind of faith that pleases the Father and rains His grace down upon our lives. Look around and see how many are captured by false doctrine, prayerlessness, liberalism, and a reconstructed Biblical viewpoint that is new but not true. And the barrage of back and forth vitriolic fodder accomplishes nothing, since only God’s Spirit can open hearts not man’s words. In the abundance of words there is sin. We should not waste our time attempting to convince the inconvincible, we should pray for them while speaking God’s truth by God’s grace.

A mother robin lands upon her nest with three worms in her beak. Upon feeling her presence two of the three baby chicks lift up their open beaks and each receives one worm. As the mother attempts to feed the third worm to the third chick its beak remains closed. After a while the mother divides the last worm between the two chicks who are still hungry and open. So should it be with us, let us feed those whose beaks are open and pray for those whose beaks remain closed. And most of all let us open wide our own beaks in humble dependence upon the feeding from the Spirit of God, all inside the grace of God. Remember, if we desire a deeper work of grace in our lives, God’s desires to do that work much more.

We must listen, we must diligently listen as we through the spirit Words of God can hear what the Spirit is saying to us. Is He speaking to our hearts about a deeper work of grace in our lives? Can you hear what the Spirit is saying to the church which means you if indeed you are part of the church? When a true believer hears the Holy Spirit speaking through the conduit of God’s Word he cannot rest without obedience. Your flesh will not desire any work or transformation, so you must crucify that rebellious carnality and hear the Spirit and experience an awakening. You must not rely on your own understanding and your own strength, you must confess your total reliance upon God’s power and direction. Surrender is victory, death is life, and crucifixion is resurrection. If you have tasted and found the Lord is good, how can you not desire a deeper work of grace in your life and a work that illuminates the eyes of your spirit and creates an insatiable thirst for God Himself and the things that pertain to His kingdom?

All by faith and all by grace and none of us except a willing spirit, that alone will glorify the Risen Christ. Humility draws God’s Spirit and pride repels His presence. I exhort us all, brothers and sisters, let us seek a deeper work of God’s grace in our lives that so changes our inward man that our earthly lives cannot but mirror what God has and is doing in our hearts. Revel in His grace, labor in His grace, pray in His grace, worship in His grace, study in His grace, and live the life of a modern day disciple that is so immersed in His grace that the fragrance of your life is even different within the church.

Lord, we can work on our lives and effect change, but only You can do a deeper work of grace. That is our desire, and we hear You calling us and we says, “Speak, Lord, your servant hears”.

Waiting in Faith

Ps.27:13-14 - I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.


Psalm 27 is one of my favorite psalms because it so intimate and encouraging. It lifts up God’s “so great” salvation in verses 1 , it removes fear in verses 2 and 3, it beckons us to a deeper worship in verses 4 thru 6, it speaks of seeking God in prayer in verses 7 thru 9, it teaches that the Lord is even more faithful than our parents in verse 10, it shows that learning God’s Word will guard against the enemy in verses 11 and 12, and then we come to verses 13 and 14 which are the ones I would like to deal with here.


I have read and meditated upon this Psalm hundreds of times and it became a great source of strength during a particularly difficult time of crisis. It, of course, comes from the Holy Spirit through the heart of David and after extolling the virtues of seeking and worshiping the Lord, David concludes with two verses that reveal that the eyes of our faith must be upon Christ and Christ alone. The Hebrew text does not include the words “I had fainted” but the incomplete structure of the sentence is aptly filled in with those words, it implies that without faith David would have despaired, as would we all.


Look at the words “unless I had believed” in verse 13. Meditate on those words inspired by the Holy Spirit and see how faith is the currency with which we please God. We can and should live a pure and consecrated life, and even some cults separate themselves from the things of the world, but without faith in the true and living God He cannot be pleased. You see, faith must be the basis for everything spiritual in our lives because faith places the power and focus where is should be, upon the Lord. Our obedience is an expression of true faith but our works without faith are the works of Cain and are an affront to the Lord because it suggests that our works are sufficient in themselves as an offering to Christ and they are not.


We must believe, we must have faith in the Lord God and His goodness as the verse teaches. God is good. He doesn’t just do good things, He is good intrinsically. All the attributes of God are good. His love, His mercy, His mercy, His patience, as well as His wrath, His justice, and His chastening are all absolutely good. We must believe fully in the goodness of our God and that surely the “judge of all the earth will do right”. Hand wringing and doubt is not faith and will provide no rest for our souls, we must rest completely in God and His goodness. The verse says that David was convinced that he would see the goodness of God manifested upon the earth and by implication in his own life.


The children of Israel are delivered by God from the bondage of Egypt and they walk across the dry river bottom of the Red Sea unto safety. But within a day they are murmuring and complaining and doubting that God can “furnish a table in the wilderness”. Are we not the same sometimes? How many times have we seen the powerful expression of God’s goodness in our lives, strong and gracious, and the very next time of testing we enter into fear and doubt? God provides comfort and deliverance in one circumstance yet we are anxious over His ability in the next crisis and test, that is exactly what David is teaching us to avoid. God, David says, is not only good, but He will show forth His goodness in the affairs of men and most especially among the household of faith. It is a truth and a promise which we all should place upon the forehead of our minds and embrace it fully.


Then in verse 14 David gives some insight into how this faith can become a reality in our lives. “Wait on the Lord” he says and repeats it at the end of the verse. This waiting upon the Lord has almost been lost to the church in this fast paced, formula oriented church that has been so compromised by the culture. We as Americans reject waiting almost under any circumstances and we must multi-task if indeed we have to wait, even for minutes. Waiting for us is inconvenience and usually elicits impatience and frustration as well as good dose of verbal discontent just to let everyone else know we disapprove of the circumstance. Our time is precious to our lifestyle and instead of waiting somewhere we could be doing something else that beckons us from our cluttered life.


But waiting upon the Lord is no inconvenience to God, and David ends this Psalm with this particular exhortation about waiting upon the Lord. This is no sitting down, emptying your mind, laying back and just waiting to see what happens. No, this is the kind of spiritual waiting that the verse says will bring “strength to our hearts”. This type of waiting is grounded in faith and includes an expectant hope that is completely in our Lord. This “waiting” immerses itself in God’s Word which substantiates and strengthens our faith and as we gaze into God’s Word it becomes spiritual meat to our bones and life to our flesh. We see God and His goodness and that same Word promises it will bring faith as it enters into our hearts.


Listen closely, my friends. Good spiritual songs encourage us and strengthen our hearts; believers can speak words of comfort that help us; sermons build us up in our faith; but there is nothing like the pure Word of God to bring spiritual strength and nutrition to our souls. The mature believer, even in times of great and trying circumstances, reads and eats God’s Word as if He needs it to live and in fact he does. Reading and believing God’s Word in times when your heart is heavy will bring to you revelation and illumination that many times cannot be gleaned in times of peace and prosperity. God’s grace is so present with a saint who is discouraged and even unsure as to God’s direction, and yet this saint seeks God in His Word and reads and reads and cries and believes until the victory comes. That is a miracle of supernatural proportions!


Waiting on God also has priestly implications that David realized and was fully complete in the New Covenant which made us all priests unto God. So waiting is also ministering unto the Lord. Praising, praying, and worshiping our Heavenly Father and the Risen Christ is part of waiting on the Lord and the mystery is that while our ministering before Lord rises before Him as a sweet smelling incense, His Spirit inside us takes that sacrifice and ministers to us as well.


But is the cost too high and can we sacrifice unto the Lord when our hearts have little joy? That my friends, like the widows mite, is when you give the Lord your best and most sacrificial gift. David himself would not accept a sacrifice from someone else but he proclaimed “neither will I offer unto the Lord that which cost me nothing". And so should it be with us. We should view a time of trouble as an opportunity to offer unto our God a sacrifice of praise, a waiting upon the God of hope with the purest part of our faith untainted by any positive emotions but based exclusively upon our Father and not ourselves. When we arrive at a place that we must say with King Johosephat “neither know we what to do” we must dig deep into our faith and say also with Israel’s King “but our eyes are upon Thee”.


Only special, sacrificial, and sacred times of waiting upon the Lord can suffice and strengthen our hearts. No praying while driving is sufficient; no quick prayers; no reading God’s Word at lunch time at work; no, those things can be good but that is not waiting on the Lord. Waiting upon our Lord comes in the night watches, when the Holy Spirit wakes us up and we obediently rise to seek His face while the house sleeps, those times draw the heart of God. When for unknown reasons you awake an hour early and instead of getting an early start on earthly things, you offer that extra time up before the Lord as you seek His face and presence. When you inform everyone that this Sunday you will separate yourself unto God and not be available for everyone in the usual way. When you secretly fast for a few days and God fills you with Himself in a fresh way, even in the midst of your circumstances.


These are the times which minister to God and He to you. This is waiting in faith. This exhibits the reality of our faith and most importantly the reality of God Himself. Could it be these times that the great Apostle said would elicit questions about the hope that lies within us? If we only have faith when the boat rides upon seas of glass, but it flees when the storm rises to toss our boat, then what difference have we from the world? In those times of great winds and colossal waves, retreat inside the ship’s hull and there you will find as did the disciples the Lord of the waves Himself. Do not ask Him if He cares, His caring is infinite, but sit down before Him and wait upon Him. See Him resting, He does not worry, and as you gaze upon Him through His Word, do as verse 14 says, “be of good courage”.

Oh yes, our God is a great God and in Him we will find rest in any storm and perhaps even the joy of the Lord.

That I May Know Him

Ps.27:4 - One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in His temple.
Ps.27:8 - When Thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
Phil.3:10 - That I may know Him…

How can I proceed this year and make any glorifying progress in my pursuit of knowing Jesus, my Lord and Savior, deeper and more intimate? I guess the first things I must address are those things that hinder me in my spiritual journey, those things that sap my mental time and cause me to think and to dwell on things that do not edify. That can be a longer list than we think when we stop to take inventory.

Time. This is the precious commodity that we so often lavish on unproductive and meaningless things. Beside all the entertainment that comes in so many different forms, there is just the everyday noise of people and things that distract me from dwelling upon Jesus Himself. It doesn’t have to be something significant and important, it can be some minor and casual interaction that reappears within my mind and has me rehearsing the conversation and in that sometimes comes some evil surmising, but in that entire scenario my time is being wasted.

I have also purposed to use the internet in a more edifying and productive way. We don’t have to be looking at pornography to be wasting and misusing God’s gift of time on the computer, I have found much non-productive discourse and reading within the electronic walls called the internet. There is no accountability and against the massive amount of time spent perusing the different sites, reading the articles, and reading and posting our own comments, I feel especially this year that I have been dragged down rather than edified in many ways.

I know all I need to know at this point about the emergent/seeker/purpose streams of Christianity and I will continue to speak from the Word and contend for the faith. But I do not need to pile my mind and use my time to read what Rob Bell or Rick Warren or all the usual suspects are doing, it is enough that I desire no part of any of those movements. I reject them all and leave them to the capable hands of God Himself but I myself am putting away the wasted time reading about them and I will read about Christ. I am not judging anyone for what they feel led to do, and I will still address issues that the Holy Spirit lays upon my heart, but in 2008 I am going to seek Jesus in a more productive and focused way.

I will leave the comment section on Following Judah’s Lion open a little longer, but then I will close it. Why? Well let me honest, it isn’t that multitudes comment here so I am not closing the door to Noah’s ark and letting people drown. And let me also openly expose my hypocrisy for criticizing others for not having comment sections, I repent of judging anyone who does or does not invite comments. But my reasons are three fold. First, I want no part of man’s praise although I appreciate greatly what some friends have written, but I want to seek Him alone without anyone telling me how much they have enjoyed or agreed with what I have written. I want to hear God’s Spirit without the dilution of man’s well meaning praise, and to those who have encouraged me I say “Praise the Name of Jesus”. As John Newton once said, “I know only two things, I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior!”.

The second reason is that this last year I have found precious little edification in commenting. Not so much here because there is so little, but around the internet I personally have found the interaction non-productive. The back and forth, the point and counter point, the name calling and all the calling into question everything from someone’s integrity and salvation is not of God and edifies no one in my opinion. The substance of the discourse changes no one, compliments and supports those on the same side, and takes up volumes of time and thought which could be well used in a more productive pursuit of knowing the Lord Jesus. Much of it is adolescent and I have seen little fruit from it in my own life, as a matter of fact, there were times where it affected my negatively.

Thirdly I want to encourage anyone who reads what I write to use the time they may have commented to pray over what they have read and say a sentence prayer for me. Face to face dialogue and sharing is significantly more edifying than the commenting on the internet, so when and if you read something that ministers to your spirit, thank God and not me. You cannot speak with me face to face but you can to God Himself by the power of the Holy Spirit. Comment to God about what you have read and understood and you will be rewarded much more substantively than any comment you might have left here or anywhere else.

Discernment. I realize we are all called to identify and avoid those who teach things contrary to Biblical truth, but we are called as well to press toward the mark of God’s great calling. Knowing Jesus deeply and intimately requires much time and spiritual perseverance and when we get consumed with thinking about and regurgitating the redundant errors of others we lose the journey. I am not suggesting an ostrich approach, but I am suggesting that especially around the internet many have been captured by a chronic and spiritually draining pursuit of error and not Christ. Read the comment sections and you will be able to easily identify who stands where, and bloggers show up from all perspectives to defend themselves when attacked. It has become a sad game.

When the Holy Spirit enlightens us to error we should use that as a springboard to worship Him for His wonderful protection, and then we should pray for those who have been captured by these errors. That approach is liberating and spiritual, but so often when we see error it inspires a fleshly self righteousness about our own knowledge of truth. We will never be able to know the Lord Jesus in all His fullness while there is any pride dwelling within our hearts and it is almost impossible to be consumed with others and their sins and know him intimately. I know it is a delicate balance and I do not profess to know the exact line to walk, however I do know that many have sacrificed their prayer and fasting and seeking of Christ’s face on the altar of seeking error and the men that teach it.

When a Christian has reached the level of becoming an avid commenter or even a blogger, he or she is usually entrenched in what they believe and is not open to any significant alterations in their views. And who gets all the ink? Those who are most caustic and vitriolic receive the attention on one side and those who are most liberal and careless receive the attention from the opposing side. Make no mistake, though, the posting and commenting venom is quite equal from all sides, and being like Jesus is rare. One side pronounces curses while the other side just curses. One side uses discernment as a self righteous club while the other side rejects any discernment except that which applies to the club wielders. It is time to bring discernment back to the personal level and incorporate it into a life of devotion.

Man. I have noticed a great slide toward the idolatry of man. Now we can be edified by the gifts God has place within men and women both alive and in heaven, but like choosing teams on a playground so many have their heroes that have become authorities and even doctrinal idols. It is unseemly and has the overall effect of blocking any progress to knowing Christ Himself. We have forgotten that only Christ was crucified not any man, and if we could pull Spurgeon out of heaven for ten minutes he would tell us to use his words sparingly and with great caution, never standing alone without the buttress of the Eternal Word of the Living God. He would tell us that he had many more faults and shortcomings than were ever made public and we should look upon him as an unprofitable servant. And just before he returned to glory he would rebuke us sharply for not seeking the Risen Christ and using his name so often.

That is what is again happening today. When John MacArthur comes to town he is treated like Moses in some quarters and when Rob Bell comes he is a rock star. These things should not be. Pamphlets and radio spots and internet announcements and church bulletins trumpet man’s arrival and people are enamored by the entrance of man while God was and is here all the while. Any, and I mean any, view of any man that holds his personage in admiration is idolatry and restricts the Spirit in our lives. We must be very vigilant about distinguishing the difference between being exhorted and edified by the ministry of the Holy Spirit through a human conduit and thinking too highly of the man himself.

Word. I will give more time and diligence to God’s Word without the distraction of others who either agree with me or disagree. I desire no unproductive discourse since praise appeals to my flesh and criticism tends to elicit some self serving response. The Word can only be the revelation it is to us personally if we seek it, read it, meditate on it, pray it, and all this while protecting the ministry of the Spirit through the Word. I have found it abundantly clear that discussion and dialogue is of little value and indeed many times is counter productive. It treats God’s Word as if it is a discussion topic and more seriously it allows those who are immature or liberal a forum to spread that which is an affront to Christ. I desire no dialogue with those who disagree with me and are entrenched. Did you hear that? Listen and be free, I have come to the place where I desire nor will I entertain discourse with any other professing believer who disagrees with me on almost anything. Wow, I feel so much better.

Call me closed minded and short sighted and anything else that makes you feel good, but I have tested discourse and I’ve found it overwhelmingly without merit. Now I will run to anyone who desires to be taught or who has an open spirit and needs direction, but I will no longer converse with those who disagree with me on just about anything. That doesn’t mean I cannot speak with and fellowship with my Calvinistic brethren for example, but I will not discuss or argue with them on any points of disagreement. They will write from their perspective and I will write from mine, both of us sometimes being a little strong, but I will not discuss anything like that with them. It brings bad feelings and does not edify.

And I will not speak with the emergent/seeker/purpose crowd about anything concerning doctrine at all, it serves no purpose. Nope, nothing. I am closed minded, closed ears, and closed mouthed. I have done no good in my many months of dialogue and commenting and conversing with people, and so I have retired from that venue. I desire to teach and be taught, but I do not thirst for any dialogue that has multiple points of view. To what end is that discussion? It is useless and is nothing more than endless chatter and stirs up within us the flesh and we think badly about the other person and more highly of ourselves. I do not like that feeling so I will avoid it.

So I can now study and consume the Word with the teaching of the Holy Spirit and without the human interaction that compromises the power, I wonder why I ever entertained such discourse in the first place. The Word of God must be our stronghold, our daily bread, and indeed our very life. It is our light and illuminates the paths for us to walk. And it is, along with prayer, the powerful conduit through which we can come to know the Lord Jesus Christ more and more intimately. I desire to protect the Word in my life and heart, and I will chase any fowl that seek to steal it. I am so liberated from the verbal pig pen that is so often exhibited on the internet, and since I will only visit one or two specific blogs I will not see what others say about me or about anything and that will provide for me a personal greenhouse that I pray will grow God’s Word in my heart. I suggest some form of that to you as well.

Prayer. This area will be my biggest challenge. I desire a much greater work of sacrificial prayer in my life, one that rises early and stays up to pray and listen to God’s voice. I must be free from all unforgiveness, and I must learn to pray for those who have strayed from God’s way. I must learn supernatural perseverance and to speak from my heart and not my mind. I need to more fully surrender to the Spirit’s direction in my prayers, and I desire not just to present God with some laundry list of requests, but I want to offer my prayers as worship before Him as I acknowledge my complete and utter dependence upon Him alone.

I am seeking the Spirit’s correction in my mind so instead of carelessly driving and working and going about my business in my life, I will pounce upon opportunities to pray throughout each day. That is in addition to the times I set aside to do nothing but be with Him and like Mary bow before Him and listen. I want both to pray as I go and also break open the alabaster box of my life, separating myself to Him alone, and offer up before His regal presence a sweet smelling fragrance of my prayers. Not some “polly want a cracker” prayer closet, but a supernatural time of intimate refreshing that is so Biblical and so experiential that people will see that I have been with Jesus. When I leave His presence His presence goes with me in such a way as to make me decrease and Him increase.

Humility. I find such disgusting pride within me sometimes. Oh don’t worry, I can hide it because I know people will see it and disapprove. But what about God’s disapproval, am I disturbed about that? Do I think highly of myself? And if indeed God grants me these other things and does a dramatic work of grace in my life, will I be puffed up about it either openly or in secret? Will I use that platform to judge others or will I be totally subservient to Christ and in fact feel more unprofitable than when I started?

Humility is a very elusive aspect of a Christian’s life. Not just a little timidity, but an abject humility that regards not our own lives. The greatest man that was ever born of a woman, John the Baptist, gladly receded into a prison of obscurity when he knew Jesus had come. He was bold but humble. The self monikers that some give themselves that make their positions lofty and exalted are disgusting in God’s sight. We are all unprofitable servants before our Lord, and who among us can gaze at the cross and claim we have been proportionately faithful to that sacrifice?

I know I have hidden pockets of self righteousness and pride, and I realize that my flesh will attempt to protect those caverns. But I desire the Holy Spirit to filet my inner man before Himself and me, painful and embarrassing, and by His powerful grace help me to repent and turn away from myself and fully unto Him. When I think of who He is and who I was and even who I am, I am undone. But that attitude is fleeting when challenged and I seek a more firm and unshakeable foundation of humility both before men and before my Lord. I readily admit I have an incomplete assessment of what that will take by God’s Spirit to accomplish.

Love. The greatest commandment of them all is to love God with everything and love our fellow man as well. Before I can even set my compass toward that goal the Spirit will have to more fully illuminate me as to the depth of its meaning. I do not understand how fully I love myself and how incomplete I love God and my neighbor. All these things will not be accomplished in a week or a month, and when the doctor gives you a bottle of pills we do not take them all at one time. So it is with the things of the Spirit, they are powerful and yet delicate, spiritual and yet substantive, in the moment and in the journey, and ours is a calling to faithfulness.

To love God is to hunger and thirst for His presence. Do we seek God and thirst for His presence like we do for water? Or as for a separated fiancée? Or for a mate who is overseas? Do we love God enough to freely acquiesce to His every desire and allow our lives to be changed according to His will? Does His love burn within us so that only His presence will satisfy? And is our love so sacrificial that it spills over into a love for those whom God Himself loves, friend and foe alike? And if not, how do we proceed in seeking that kind of love?

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These are few thoughts about this coming year, I humbly offer them to you as well. As I said I will continue to accept comments for a couple of days but then I recommend all of us repent significantly and seek God’s face without the distractions that we bring upon ourselves. I may open the comments for one post in six months for testimonies about God’s working in our lives. This will be my last e-mail to let anyone know of a new post. I will gladly reply to e-mails if you so desire, however, I will delete without reply any negative e-mails at all. Sorry. I pray my writings will edify and encourage you to desire to know Jesus to a greater and more intimate way, a way that we’ve never known and that will lift Him up high through our lives.

May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering through our crucified lives. Oh that I may know Him.