High Treason

HIGH TREASON

”Es lebe unser heiliges Deutschland!”

These were the final words spoken by Col. Claus, Count von Stauffenberg just before he met his death from the bullets of SS rifles on July 20, 1944. The attempt on Hitler’s life had failed and thousands would now pay the price. But why would otherwise sane and reasonable men follow someone like Adolf Hitler? Hitler did not attempt to hide his hatred for the Jews or even his affection for war. He had written all about it many years earlier in Mein Kampf. But sill seemingly honorable men had followed him. Why?

Well let us take a look at what those words that Stauffenberg shouted. In English they mean, “Long live sacred Germany!” And those words reveal the underlying reason why men could follow and even serve a maniac. They loved and had an allegiance to their country and it was that loyalty and affection that Hitler leveraged and had millions pay homage to him. In fact Hitler himself worshiped Germany. But the nationalistic fervor is not just peculiar to Germany in WW II. It is alive and well even today.

But so far we have discussed what the world does. The world, the lost and dark kingdom, chooses countries to worship and will die to defend and protect them. And so you have all sorts of politics and negotiations and saber rattling and sometimes even war. It’s a continuing narrative with a similar script throughout the ages. The cemeteries are littered with headstones of men and women who died either defending a country or attacking one. And it continues today with great vigor only with more sophisticated weaponry.

But that is what happens among the citizens of the kingdom of darkness. It is an alliance based upon national allegiance and it includes all races, all creeds, all religions, gay and straight, liberal and conservative, atheist and preacher, drug user and adulterer and liar and every miscreant known to man. All of them bound together in one common cause and with common allegiance that they will march into war hand in hand to defend. And many times these wars are perpetrated by lies and manipulated truths and are fueled by the hidden agendas of men. And millions of gallons of human blood saturate the earth from east to west and north to south.

The word “sacred” is especially revealing as it pertains to how people felt about Germany. Many still do. But make no mistake, there are tens of millions, and perhaps hundreds of millions, of Americans who feel the same way about America. And I am not suggesting that this is an aberration or is wrong in the kingdom of darkness. No, on the contrary, it’s what fallen souls do. They search for some idol to which they can attach their heart and allegiance. And in the case of nationalism it is a self serving idol since defending it serves to defend their way of life and prosperity. In the end, Stauffenberg could not even understand that the very sentence he shouted was the foundational reason for Hitler’s Germany.

When men’s material life is threatened they will join hands with their enemies in order to protect it. It is the way of the jungle. Christians will join hands and hearts with Muslims; racist whites will join hands and hearts with blacks; straight people will join hands and hearts with gay people; prolife people will join hands and hearts with pro-abortion people; and on and on it goes. That which benefits people is considered precious, and that which is precious creates all kinds of strange bedfellows when it is threatened.

But let us leave all that behind since I was dealing exclusively with what happens in the kingdom of darkness and among those who know not God. Let us now address what happens within the community of faith which deems Jesus as Lord over all and which follows the dictates and teachings of the Spirit and not what benefits the spiritual citizenry. Or at least that is what you would think. You would think, just based upon the New Testament teachings, that followers of Jesus would not pledge their allegiance to anything or anyone other than to Jesus Christ. But in these last days there has arisen an expression of a faith which claims to be Christian overwhelmingly based upon what they say they believe and significantly less upon how they live.

The same sin that brought Germany to follow a man like Hitler is now being committed openly and enthusiastically within the evangelical churches in America. Can you even fathom such a thing? And Stauffenberg’s word “sacred” is no hyperbole as it pertains to how millions of professing believers feel about America.

It is almost impossible to overstate the devastating impact nationalism has had on the evangelical community in America. It seems a little subtle and even something that can be managed before it gets a little overboard, but in reality it is spiritual treason at the highest level. I remember my high school basketball coach telling us that in order of importance these things should have the priority: 1. Faith, 2. Family, 3. Country, and 4. Basketball. Seems reasonable, right? But that is exactly the kind of thinking which makes sense to the carnal nature and makes Jesus part of a list instead of Lord of everything. And it is that mindset which has changed the very fabric of Biblical truth and created another Jesus and another faith even though they both find orthodox slots in our statements of faith.   

Because the church has fallen in love with earthly things and pleasures, and because those things have been found in America, the church has fallen in love with America and has set about to create an amalgam which states that Jesus is Lord but He also loves and created America and demands His followers to defend it to the death. And when we embrace such a falsehood the robust nature of our faith becomes compromised. And that foundational compromise leads to fissures within the faith which are patched by more compromises. And eventually the substance and practice of the faith is completely at odds with the teachings of the New Testament.

We have millions of people who not only consider America as a good place to live and to prosper and to have earthly freedoms, but they openly believe that America was created directly by God and continues to enjoy divine favor. Many believe that the sacred favor shown to America is contingent upon America’s support for the secular nation of Israel. All of this seems incredulous in the face of Scripture and yet it is widely and wholeheartedly embraced and practiced. In short, the faith once delivered unto the saints has vanished and a fanciful and western brand has taken its place.

And this deception is so ingrained in the psyche of western evangelical thought that even when you begin to realize how compromised the faith is and just how deceived you have been it is a laborious journey to unravel what you have learned and step into spiritual and Scriptural freedom. It continues to be a painstaking task which places you at odds with mainstream evangelicalism as well as separates you from much former fellowship. It is very painful to sit in churches where you once worshiped and feel alienated and unable to worship at all. You must battle self righteousness, depression, and a critical spirit.

The church has taken the secular and the spiritual, the sacred and the profane, and have made them partners upon this earth. Think about starting a church where everyone is striving to begin a fellowship which seeks to worship and serve the Lord Jesus. But over the years things changed and that church no longer believes the Bible and in fact engages in all kinds of unchristian activities. And it continues to get worse. Would you stay at that church simply because you dream about the olden days? So even if America began as a Christian nation (which it did not) how can you continue to pledge allegiance to that which openly embraces all religions, murders millions of unborn babies, worships money, and is consumed with violence, war, and the pursuit of happiness through material things? The answer is you create a fairy tale about the founding fathers and you suggest that America could return to her former days of glory.

But that is a very sad tale which reveals just how far the essence of the true faith which believes in and follows Jesus has now become a religion of convenience, self affirmation, and national allegiance. The spiritual essence and the magnificent mystery have been removed and in their place is an earthly pragmatism which seeks to satisfy man in his “pursuit of happiness”. And when the essence of Christianity has been replaced with such pragmatic doctrines and practices and attitudes, well then, it is no longer Christian at all. That is a very difficult truth to see and even the suggestion should rattle our beings.

But how many western believers set aside a year or even a month to seek the truth in the face of Scripture with diligence and sacrifice and even with seasons of fasting? Is it not that important and is our love for Jesus not so sacred to us that any hint of compromise must be addressed? Or have we settled into a comfortable and redundant practice which meets our needs and the needs of our family? Is our patriotism so entrenched that we cannot even bear the thought of any sincere investigation? It is obvious the western church runs the gamete from exciting entertainment to dead traditionalism and everywhere in between. There seems to be no real interest in a self denying seeking of the Savior and His kingdom.

But be it known that loving a nation and pledging allegiance to that nation is high treason is the realm of the spirit. Is that too plain and strong? Well, it’s time we all face the reality of the situation. There is little time to play anymore games. That which the Scriptures have predicted is upon us, and the great falling away is in progress and is gaining momentum. And one of the deepest deceptions is when the evangelical community can identify men like Rick Warren and Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen and reveal that they are leading people astray while all the while we ourselves are being bound and gagged by the same spirits of antichrist who seek to comfort our orthodox souls with sweet doctrinal songs while we dwell in prisons of national allegiance and worship.

But we still militantly cling to our own idolatry and even claim God approves of it.

Lk.17: ³³ Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Rev.12: ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

It is a sad day indeed for Christianity. But in the midst of such idolatry there is a place of grace. And God will give us the grace we need to cast off these grave clothes and step into a journey which seeks to follow Christ and Christ alone. Do not resist the Spirit, for shortly we will all stand before our Redeemer and give an account of our lives. Do we wish to lay rewards at His feet or weep because we lived our lives with compromise? Jesus is the Lord of Lords and we must surrender all unto Him. Anything else is spiritual treason and works against the kingdom of God. It no longer makes for a lively discussion. This has expanded in depth and scope and is now a giant leviathan which has literally choked the life out of the faith. It can no longer be dealt with in nebulous and gentle terms. Nationalism is high treason against the faith. Long live our sacred faith!

What is a Missionary?

WHAT IS A MISSIONARY?

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light" — John Keith Falconer

The word implies a person with a mission. Of course every follower of Jesus should be on His mission, but in the generally accepted definition a missionary is a person whose full time job is evangelism on some level. And usually we mean someone who has gone to another country to bring the gospel to people in need. They might include those who preach as well as a long list of support people who might help with their children, help with their finances, help with certain governmental issues, or even people who help with language issues. The missionary network is filled with people working together to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

 

Many of these believers sacrifice a chance at lucrative careers as they surrender to a call of the Spirit which sometimes sends them to far flung corners of the world and sometimes dangerous places as well. They selflessly train and raise support and are questioned by some missionary organization. Many times their own families are confused and speak against such a fanciful adventure. You see even the preparation for going is a great challenge. But if you truly believe you have heard the Spirit’s call then you must go. And they do.

 

"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map." — William Carey, pioneer missionary to India

Being a missionary is not like holding a great outdoor crusade and enjoying the affirmation of great crowds and many converts. In fact many missionaries do not embrace such methods since it seems they are used for fund raising and lining the pockets of American preachers. No one is filming their labors and then using that film to elicit funds. They have seen the pictures of black children shown on television screens and then the dollars come pouring in. Most missionaries want no part of that kind of “mission” efforts.

But in the pantheon of missionaries throughout the church age there are well known stories of sacrifice and courage and yet there are tens of thousands of stories that only God knows. There is Jim Elliot and the five missionaries who left everything in order to reach a lost tribe in South America and in so doing five men lost their lives. There was David Livingston who gave his heart to central Africa and died praying on his knees. There is Hudson Taylor who lost his wife to illness but who opened the door to China. There are many, many more stories.

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." — David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

Just recently we have seen where a missionary in Libya was murdered. He and his family had gone to bring Jesus to that mostly Muslim country and God had imparted a love for those people. He was murdered while riding his bicycle and we watched as his widow offered forgiveness and a prayer for redemption for his killers. And then we watched as a family who had sold everything went to southern Sudan to bring Jesus to them. They had fallen in love and were ministering to ten orphans (there are millions of orphans in Africa) but civil unrest sprung up again and they were forced to leave. They were heartbroken as they left the orphans at a UN camp and were forced to leave.

There are many stories of supreme faithfulness and even martyrdom all across the world. I knew a missionary couple from my home church at the time who were called to Pakistan and share Jesus in a very dangerous country. On one Sunday morning they were in a church service singing praises to our Lord when terrorists threw a few hand grenades right into the congregation. Some people were killed, and the mother was seriously wounded and their 8 year old boy was critically wounded. His life was in the balance for months but eventually he lived. The mother will walk with a noticeable limp for the rest of her life.

"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." — C. T. Studd

During a missionary conference the father stood up with his family and thanked everyone for their prayers and love and support. And he once again proclaimed the mighty grace of God. He asked for future prayers because they were returning to the mission field. Can you imagine such a thing? What kind of illogical nonsense is this? This, my friends, is not nonsense. This is the love of God in action. As Jim Elliot once wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

I have been saddened by some of the responses I have read concerning the plight of missionaries. Some have suggested they should have more wisdom before going into dangerous places, and some have suggested they think about what they have here in America before giving it all up. But you see, those do not know just how sacred are these men and women of God who have the same feet of clay as do all of us but who have left comforts in order to serve Christ and His gospel.

Matt.19: ²⁹ And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

I hold missionaries in a special place in my heart. And I believe if we could see just how attached we are to comfortable living and just how glorious our Savior is, then we would have a missionary’s heart. God bless all true and faithful missionaries who have not only left the easy way in order to spread the Word, but who have placed their own lives in jeopardy in order to serve the Risen Christ and reach those for whom Christ died.

 

"We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first." — Oswald J. Smith

Can You See Jesus in this Picture?

CAN YOU SEE JESUS IN THIS PICTURE?

 I am asking everyone to make it a daily matter of prayer for the family and the orphans for the entire month of January.

This family had sold everything and headed for war torn Sudan in hopes of sharing Jesus with children no one wants. They are being forced to leave without their precious orphans. Their devotion to Jesus pierces my heart. I am overwhelmed when I read things like this. This is what is happening all around the world while western believers enjoy air conditioned rooms and the latest sound technology and expensive pageants. But if you look closer you may see Jesus has appeared in the photograph. Look at it closer and pick Him out.

 

 

I will give you a hint. The face of Jesus in this photograph happens to be black.

Matt.25: ³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

HERE IS ANOTHER LINK. Be sure and read the last paragraph where the two teenage daughters are interviewed.

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS

 

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Oh the audacity of my pride which rears its repulsive head in the midst of such a love! Oh the gaudy filthiness of my self righteousness! The Eternal Prince of Glory suffers in immeasurable pain and dies the cruelest of all deaths in my place and should I not offer up to Him everything? I live because He died. And whatever this world calls rich is filthy rags and abject poverty when compared with His crimson robe.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

Away with any hint of boasting! To that blood soaked cross I cling. The world mocks its simplicity and barbaric nature. The world seeks its own intellect and finds it not at Golgotha. The world seeks life but only sees death at the place of the skull. The world sings and calls to me and desires to show me things that charm my soul but away with them all. Let me leave them in their place and embrace His blood alone.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Only the Spirit can open worldly eyes and allow them to see such a masterpiece of love! Drenched in His own blood and writhing in pain fallen eyes must look away, but eyes that have been illuminated by the Divine Spirit cannot help but look, and more accurately gaze, at such a One. What is macabre to this fallen world is a sacrificial overture of immense and unfathomable love. Here He reigns from high atop a redemptive throne of crimson love.

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Bloody beyond all reason His visage is hidden under layers of torture. Plucked from a cursed earth with cursed hands He wears the cursed thorns upon His head and dies upon a cursed tree. He endures that curse for those who so richly deserve its price. But like a gutted animal he is mocked and jeered and yet there He dies for a fallen race who never asked for or wanted Him. And most never will. Yet He is faithful to His death while we are faithful to our sin.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Oh what can my heart surrender which would be more than a token mockery? What could we offer Him which would be requisite in light of this unbearable sacrifice? Do we dare offer him the scraps of our time? The fringes of our lives? The convenience of our schedules? The distracted compromise of our worship? The faint praise of a twenty minute song fest? Look again at that bloody and gruesome scene and see our sin. Can we stoop to offer Him what we do not need or want anyway instead of our own Isaac? Can we be such spiritual criminals? Watts speaks of the entirety of nature being a mere pittance when compared with His brutal devotion to His own enemies.

So while we argue over tithes and building programs and nursery workers we might take another look at Calvary and rush to hide our embarrassment. It is Christ, it is Jesus, who must receive and demand our everything. Away with these ten minute devotions designed solely to fit into our self absorbed lifestyles. Let us throw off this world and all its trappings and bow before Him from whose face the worlds will flee. Half hearted and partial will never do. Walk over to that altar and lay your being across it. Let the knife of the Spirit slay that which has so often offended Golgotha’s King and in its place let he who lives in His image arise from your heart and soul.

And when you have died and when His image now lives, then walk once again to the feet of that terrible tree and bow down and worship.

You see, that is what He desired all along.

Things Jesus Never Said

THINGS JESUS NEVER SAID

 

 

Another Time, Another Place, and Another Bible

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE

and

ANOTHER BIBLE

In Acts chapter five we read that Peter and the apostles were spreading the gospel as well as doing great signs and wonders among the people in Jerusalem.

Acts 5: 14: And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.

Sinners were coming to Christ! That did not sit well with the high priest so he had Peter and the other apostles arrested and thrown into prison. But the angel of the Lord opened their prison gates and they walked out. And the angel brought the Word of the Lord to them as well.

Acts 5:20 – Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard this they obeyed and went to the temple early in the morning and taught. But someone told the high priest that the men were no longer in the prison and were standing in the temple and teaching the people. They were arrested again and brought before the high priest and the entire council. They reminded Peter and the others that they had been commanded not to teach anymore in the name of Jesus. But Peter said,

“We ought to obey God rather than men”.

After discussing the matter among themselves the council had them beaten, and commanded them not to preach Jesus anymore, and they were released.

Acts 5: ⁴¹ And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

⁴² And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Now that is the true expression of the true faith. But how different things are today. Let the government refuse to allow a nativity scene in front of some government building and Christians complain loudly and clothe themselves in martyrs robes. Beside the fact that Christmas is an idol, and beside the fact that not allowing a nativity scene is not persecution, but just how can people complain when Jesus Himself said we should rejoice in the face of persecution? And when we read how the early disciples rejoiced and counted themselves privileged to be beaten and suffer shame for His sake, how can we say we believe the Bible today? It was another time and another place and another Bible.

We live in a day where professing believers complain loudly about some war on Christianity and that their “rights” as Christians are being attacked by the government and the culture as a whole. I am deeply saddened by what I see and hear coming from so many professing believers. It goes against everything Jesus taught and lived and yet it is accepted within the church. We watch our Savior suffer for us but we are unwilling to receive the slightest disrespect ourselves.

The early Christians suffered much persecution. It wasn’t because they were loud or organized protests or were belligerent. In fact it was said of them that they were gentle and kind and were willing and eager to help others. They were not involved with any political struggles and they seemed to love saint and sinner alike. So just what were they persecuted for?

It was because Rome considered them a threat because they would not give their allegiance to any earthly king or government and most would not serve in the military. Now do you understand why western believers are not persecuted for their faith? While the blood of the martyrs continues to spill even today all over the world, the western church considers not allowing some nativity scene on a government building’s lawn a “war of Christianity”. Oh my!

Many believers languish this very day in cruel prisons under totalitarian regimes. Widows and children watched as their father was murdered for his faith. We read where believers were led to the gallows or burned at the stake and went singing hymns and offering praises and yet we moan and complain about forbidding nativity scenes or not being able to say “Merry Christmas”? Just what kind of faith are we projecting when we use such nonsense to justifying disobeying the Scriptures and offering murmuring? Jesus says “Rejoice!” and we complain but insist we are following Him? Look at the narrative in Acts. When Peter and the apostles were released did they go about telling everyone how they were mistreated? Did they write their Roman consulate? Did they start a petition? No! They preached Christ once again, and they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His sake.

And just where is that spirit today? I know, this is a different time and a different place and a different Bible. But let us ask ourselves this question: Just what do you sacrifice or suffer for Jesus’ sake? And when we are confronted with the smallest of persecutions we squawk as if we deserved better? This business of being persecuted and suffering for His sake is a sacred trust with our Savior and His followers. The world shouts and protests and is offended and returns evil for evil and stakes out its territory and its rights. But that is not the way of Jesus. It never has been nor will it ever be.

We are a peculiar people who do not react to the dictates or injustices done to us. All our rights and privileges are safely held in Christ and can never be touched or taken away. Put us in prison and we sing His praise. Threaten us and we pray for you. Hate us and we love you back. Take away our dignity and we refer you to His cross. Show us contempt and we show you respect. Show us aggression and we show you meekness. Threaten to kill us and we will tell you we have died already.

This is the way of Jesus, my friends. It cannot be found in this boastful political cesspool. It cannot be found in the projectiles hurled at sinners. It cannot be found in support of violence. It cannot be found in the back and forth bickering. It cannot be found in the Bill of Rights or the Constitution. It cannot be found in saber rattling. It cannot be found in moral crusades. It cannot be found in the search for money. It cannot be found in self actualization.

No, the way of Jesus is found upon a bloody hill called Calvary. Those who wish to follow Jesus must count the cost. The cross we see on Golgotha will not be used as a religious token or a convenient ticket to heaven. If you truly desire to follow Jesus you will have to die. And it will not be pleasant. It will be a long process as painful in the spirit as a crucifixion is in the flesh. You will have to deny yourself. Not just deny your rights and comfort and earthly accoutrements. No, you will have to deny yourself; your hopes and dreams and desires and lusts and opinions and thoughts and attitudes. All of it must die. All of it.

But who can do that? Who can even desire such a thing to say nothing of accomplishing it? No one can. That is why you will have to surrender to the Spirit. It is He alone who can implant that desire within you and it is He alone who can accomplish it within you. He alone can begin that work and He alone can finish it. You see, I said this is a sacred mystery that rejects the ways of this world. And if persecution comes then that same Spirit will use it to make you more like your Master. And in that you can rejoice and reach out in love to your enemies and not return evil for evil.

You have been counted worthy to suffer shame for His name’s sake! What a glory! What a wonder! You do not even deserve to be persecuted for His name’s sake.

But alas, I know. This is another time and another place and sadly another Bible.

Let us lay down our lives for Him and Him alone. At home and in the workplace and on the streets and in our private lives. Let Christ always have the preeminence. And if we should be persecuted and spoken about with unkind words let it be because we were so like Him and not because we were so like them. This is what following Jesus means. If you expected applause then you came to the wrong place. If you wanted honor from this world you will be disappointed. If you thought you would be spoken about in glowing terms you are mistaken. If they spit on His face must you be respected? If they clothed His back with brutal lashes must they shower you with accolades? If they crowned Him with thorns must you receive praise?

If you wish to change this world and make it your friend than you have become a part of it. But if you truly wish to follow Jesus then you will have to wait patiently to hear the voice of your Savior saying “Well done.” Until then endure all things for His sake with humility and rejoicing. And if you are counted worthy to suffer for him then do it with humility and a sense that He alone deserves the praise. To know the fellowship of His sufferings is a privileged group of followers. But there are some requirements before you are allowed to enter into that sacred place.

The greatest and most important requirement is that you will not be allowed to defend yourself or return evil for evil. And He will defend Himself through you by breaking open your earthen vessel and revealing His gospel glory even to those who revile you and despitefully use you and say all manner of evil against you falsely. He will love and draw them through you. You see, this is another time and another place, but it is the same Bible. The very same. Selah.

The Gospel Life

THE GOSPEL LIFE

Rom.1: ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…

Feeling good about yourself is not the gospel. Having a never quit spirit is not the gospel. Meditating upon good things is not the gospel. Striving for excellence is not the gospel. Finding favor in the workplace is not the gospel. Being rich is not the gospel. Having a healthy self image is not the gospel. Being kind to others is not the gospel. Feeding the poor is not the gospel. Letting go of the past is not the gospel. Having an overcoming spirit is not the gospel.

Now a few of those things may be beneficial, but they are not the gospel individually or collectively. The gospel, the good news, is that God the Savior whose name is Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected from the dead. And if you truly believe that with all your heart, then tow things will happen. You will receive eternal life and you also will desire to follow Jesus here and now.

That, and only that, is the gospel.

The church has slowly but surely moved away from the gospel. Even in orthodox churches the gospel is looked upon as the first door that when opened can lead you to bigger and better and more profound truths. That is not only very sad, but it is untrue as well. The everlasting gospel was and is and always will be the exclusive vehicle to eternal life which includes the life we have now upon this earth. It should never be considered an elementary step that can propel us into doctrinal maturity. The gospel is doctrinal maturity, and in fact all our most profound theologies receive their life and meaning from the gospel.

But in today’s ecclesiastical marketplace men have taken the gospel and repacked it to suit their own needs and message. No other Biblical truth has been so mangled and so abused as has the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And when you hear some adjective placed before the word “gospel” you can almost be assured that it is not the true gospel. Phrases like “the social gospel” or “the prosperity gospel” or “the healing Gospel” or even “the full gospel” are not only misleading but they are not the true gospel. But the wicked imaginations of men’s hearts have changed the gospel into a vehicle for earthly success and not the power of God’s blood bought redemption. It is both scandalous as well as blasphemous.

Many slick preachers will use the word gospel and even define it generally in redemptive terms. But when your entire message and ministry is earthly and man centered your gospel presentation is powerless and is little more than a perfunctory genuflect. Men like Joel Osteen or Kenneth Copeland or even men like Rick Warren will mention the word gospel and even give a tepid but acceptable definition of the gospel. But cults also give a general wording of the gospel. When you treat the gospel as an appendage and not the very heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus then when you speak the gospel it loses its meaning and power.

Many people believe the gospel is feeding the poor and doing good deeds. Those are a result of people being changed by the gospel, but that is not the gospel itself. This isn’t semantics. It is the difference between a false and the true gospel. A person who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel is saved. But that same person could do all sorts of wonderful and humanitarian deeds and still not be saved if he did not receive Christ by believing the gospel. No one can be saved, in fact no one can be helped to be saved, by any amount of human good deeds. And therein lies the gospel. There is only one deed which God requires to grant us eternal life and that one deed was done completely by the Lord Jesus Christ! Halleluiah! What a Savior!

But the Scriptures are very clear. We who have believed the good news of the gospel and are now the children of God through faith in Christ, must live within that good news. The gospel is not some entrance level position upon which we can climb to greater doctrinal heights. This gospel is the cornerstone of our faith because it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. When we believe the gospel we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption. Brothers and sisters, it will take a lifetime, and dare I say an eternity, to fully comprehend the depth of Christ and His gospel. People make a clumsy distinction between the gospel of Christ and the gospel of the kingdom. They are one in the same. There is only one gospel. It is the gospel of redemption and the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the King!

Every true doctrine we uncover has its roots deep within the gospel of our Lord and Savior. His sufferings and death and resurrection was not a door through we could run and find happiness in the very things which caused His death. No, the gospel is that which should feed us and give us life and hope every day of our lives. He who has moved on from the gospel into the deeper things of God has strayed from that which the Spirit is leading. When the Scriptures declare that the Spirit will lead us into all truth it also states that the truth is in Jesus and even the truth IS Jesus. So if you desire to go deeper in God you must go deeper in the gospel and deeper in Christ.

Anyone can understand the gospel. It is clear and unambiguous and even childlike on some level. But within that simplicity are treasures and mysteries and glorious revelations that elicit a worship that is filled with awe and wonder. Who among us could ever suggest we have completely unraveled the wonders of the cross? Could we ever say that we have fully understood the mysteries of the resurrection? How about the Incarnation itself? You see, we have taken the gospel and treated is with disdain when we suggest it is the key that unlocks greater spiritual treasure. The gospel contains the eternal treasures of Christ and His kingdom.

Here is a man who is digging for a buried treasure. He has a map and he digs to find the many millions he believes is buried here. After digging some twenty feet he finds the chest and upon opening it he finds the many millions he was looking for. But after a short break he walks 100 feet to the west and begins to dig once again. Someone asks him why he is digging now and the man says that the many millions he has found will provide the finances he needs to dig all around. He says there must be more than just this one chest of treasure even though his map only indicates this one place.

And so it is with the modern church. After finding the treasures of eternity through the gospel of Christ we begin digging elsewhere? When you and I were saved by faith in Christ we were presented with all the treasures that can be found in Christ. But initially we only saw the gold coins that lay on top even though we could see there was a great mound of coins underneath. And when we began to search for those coins underneath through the Word of God and the Ministry of the Spirit we began to see other precious coins of truth all of which belonged to that one chest that was first presented to us by grace. And judging by how much we have uncovered and how great a pile of coins remain it will take several lifetimes to get to the bottom of the chest.

But allow me to reveal to you an arresting and breathtaking truth which should completely humble us all. There is no bottom to this chest of truth called Christ.

Phil.1: ²⁶ That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

We are those who have found life through Christ and His gospel and in that life we still live and move and have our being. The gospel is not some redemptive ticket that gets punched and then we go into another theatre to enjoy another movie. Never! Oh that we would bathe ourselves in the cleansing truths of this everlasting gospel! This is the revelation of the sufferings and death and resurrection through which all who believe can find that which they never sought and never deserved and yet found by His matchless grace. It is that gospel to which we are called to live and breathe. It is through Him and His gospel that we are to beam His light and offer His salt and project His glory in our earthen vessels. The gospel is not some kindergarten story and yet it is! It is not simple and yet it is! It is not for children and yet it is! This is the eternal mystery: That God was manifested in the flesh and died for the sins of the world and resurrected from the dead to make a victorious show in front of all His enemies. And we, who caused His sufferings, are now partakers of His glory through faith in Him and His gospel!

This gospel is our very life! Let us speak it daily! Let us live in its power! Let its truth change our beings and conform us to the Christ in that gospel! Oh let us never minimize the gospel and suggest we have matured beyond it. This gospel is the glory of Almighty God and His Son, and the Spirit roams the earth giving power to its message. We are humbled by this gospel. We are changed by this gospel. This gospel is the message and ministry and life of the church. I beseech all of us to fall in love with Christ and His gospel all over again and fall down in adoration and worship the Christ who humbled Himself for us and paid for all the transgressions we have committed and will commit.

Cling tightly to the gospel. The day is coming and now is when the gospel will be rejected by the craftiness of men and their ecclesiastical empires. Many will even speak the gospel with enticing words of men's wisdom but few will believe it and fewer still will live it. But unto us which believe it is the power of God. And that gospel power will never fade. Let us daily find our life within its glory!

Poor in Spirit

POOR IN SPIRIT

 

Matt.5: ³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Is.57: ¹⁵ For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

The Lord God is high and lifted up and He reigns from the Holiest place of all. He Himself is completely and utterly holy and without one spot or compromise. He is august in the heavens and He is the Most High God. He created everything with just a word.

But His love created man and with man He desires fellowship and He will receive worship. But along the many centuries following the Day of Pentecost man has embraced a higher vision of himself and his talents and achievements. And with each inch of human idolatry the true vision of the Lord God diminishes exponentially. The elevation of man is the death knell for authentic Christianity. And at the very heart of this humanism is the local church construct, Christian politicians, the Christian music machine, and Christian television of course. Humility is considered a weakness. We must shout at sinners and force our values upon the lost and protest whatever displeases us. This, sadly, is not following Christ.

But true humility and an authentic poverty of spirit is very elusive and even unsought in this culture of individualism and achievement. American believers are not known for their humility. Quite the contrary, we are known for our moral codes and meeting aggression with aggression. Even on secular talk shows preachers come on with arguments and forceful opinions on anything that draws public interest.

It is impossible to understand the holiness and power of Almighty God without being completely humble and having an understanding of your own sinfulness and powerlessness. In reality any vision you may have of God in His glory must be granted to you by grace through His Spirit, and the Lord gives grace only to the humble.

Ask the most renowned astronomer or cosmologist and all will tell you that the universe is larger than any human mind can truly comprehend. We can measure what we can see in light years, but even one light is beyond our understanding. And what we can see through the Hubble telescope is over 13 billion light years. And that is just the mind numbing size and scope of the created universe. So just how powerful must be the Creator? It brings to mind the Psalmist who said, “What is man that Thou are mindful of him?”

But as mind boggling as the power and glory of the Divine Creator is there is something just as unimaginable as that. This Creator, infinitely powerful and august, desires for and allows us intimacy with Him. Meditate upon that and let it melt your heart. If you truly desire to walk in the eternal realm and fellowship with and worship the Savior you must humble yourself under His mighty hand and He will lift you up.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Newness of Life

NEWNESS OF LIFE

Rom.6: ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Ps.126: When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

² Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.
³ The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
⁴ Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.
⁵ They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
⁶ He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

We have experience the new car phenomenon. The smell, the ride, the gadgets, and just the newness captures our fancy. But it doesn’t take too long before that new car thing dissipates, and eventually the newness factor is no longer there. It is now the same old car we drive every day.

And that is how most Christians experience their faith and their walk with Christ. It was once new and full of wonder. But eventually we got used to it and now is somewhat old hat. The cares of this world, the atmosphere of church, the battle of politics, and just the general way in which everyone lives their faith have all affected our own walk and newness of Christ. And now spiritual autopilot has taken over.

But we can still be restored to that freshness, that newness, and that sense of wonder concerning all the things of Christ. He that sits upon the heavenly throne said, “Behold, I make all things new”. And if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. All things are becoming new. It is time we reclaimed that wonderful feeling of newness about our Redeemer. The grave clothes of this world have silently attached themselves to areas of our life, and even though we still love and profess Jesus Christ there isn’t that sense of newness.

In March of 1975 I was born again. I was a green as green could be, but Jesus had come into my life and everything was different. I felt different. I saw people differently. I read the Scriptures and saw new things all the time. I no longer thought about things I used to. Life itself was different. All things to me were new and fresh. I had been dead but now I was alive.

I am asking the Spirit to restore that freshness and newness once again in my life. I pray you will do the same. I am going to take the entire month of January and read continually the words in red in one of my Bibles. I want to completely consume the words of Jesus and pray diligently that the newness of Christ will explode in my life. There is no reason we should walk in a redundant mantra which is void of the effervescence that should be a part of a follower of Jesus’ life. As the Psalmist says our faith and vision of our Savior should be so real and profound that we walk as if we were in a dream!

May God anoint our efforts and glorify Himself in them so that Christ may be manifested throughout our entire life.

Let us fall in love all over again!

Living in Eternity

LIVING IN ETERNITY

 

II Cor.4: ¹⁶ For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
¹⁸ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Col.3: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
³ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

 

To truly walk with Christ we must have an eternal mindset and a daily vision of Christ and all things eternal. This does not come easily because we live in temporal bodies and a temporal reality. And in today’s church climate there is not just a focus upon the temporal, but it could really be described as an obsession. Add to that the cares of this world and we are faced with a great challenge. Most never accept that challenge, and in today’s evangelical community most are not even aware that challenge exists.

To acknowledge that eternity exists now and that we can walk in it is the very first step. And any journey begins with the first step. So what I would ask us to do is purposefully, deeply, and with faith, fill our hearts and minds with the reality of eternity. Let your mind soar above the clatter of this temporal existence. Think about heaven and Jesus and the Father and a company of angels. If you wish read some of the Book of Revelation where it speaks of the visions of heaven. Embrace the truth that this temporal is submitted to and within the atmosphere of eternity.

Our Savior wishes to meet us in the eternal realm and with each meeting He desires to reveal Himself to us and change us. In the sixties a band called the Beatles became all the rage. And young people especially would watch them and buy their records and put up posters and even collect cards with their pictures. And what eventually happened is millions of young people began to cut their hair like the Beatles and dress life them and talk like them and think like them. You see, what you worship will eventually change you into that image. That is why God forbid idol worship for His children.

But we are called to worship Christ. And one of the major reasons we are not like Him and why we cling to and embrace the temporal is because we do not worship Him through prayer and adoration. And this 20 minute music time on Sundays is hardly what we could call worship. True worship will have within it sacrifice. Abraham would sacrifice his son to worship God. What do people sacrifice on Sunday mornings? I realize Christ is the complete sacrifice for our sins, but does God accept a redundant exercise offered by people who spent almost no time worshiping and in prayer during the entire week? What has happened?

We have made taken what should be a free flowing worship among believers and made it a structured “service” complete with the order of events and much practice. Music is a strong emotional intoxicant that is can drive a group of people without a true spirit of worship. But our Wonderful Savior deserves our focused and sacrificial worship. Our hearts and minds must be set upon the eternal and we lust allow the Spirit to reveal Christ to us. Without a vision of the eternal we are attempting to worship God in the flesh.

My exhortation to us all is to walk in light of eternity and we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.