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The Path to Discipline

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“I’m here to train soldiers. Let me know when any get here?” (Attributed to Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben)

These are words that paraphrase the sense of humor of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben when he entered the complex of Valley Forge in the winter of 1777 and found the Continental Army battered and demoralized. It did not resemble an army and the men had no likeness of being a soldier.

“I’m looking for Christians. Can you please tell me where I can find some?”

In our classrooms and churches, among the Body of Christ, where are those disciplined enough to take a stand against the enemy? I see more evidence of sympathizers of the enemy than soldiers of the cross. We are fraternizing with the wicked one and the evidence is in our tolerance, identification, and assimilation with the wickedness of the world. It is a symptom of a lack of training and being undisciplined.

To Baron von Steuben, training was of utmost importance. Training not only engages the enemy with confidence, it also instills confidence in those standing next to us in the ranks of many others who stand firm for the same cause.

In the wake of the battles of Brooklyn, the British taking Manhattan, and the surrender of Philadelphia, the Continental Army was reduced to a ragtag force of no cohesion and low morale. Along with these lows, dissertation was becoming more of a problem.

I happened to be fascinated by military history. The movement of ranks beginning with squad, to platoon, to company, to battalion, to brigade, to division, is a discipline of order.

In the Gulf War, my trucking company was one of only a few heavy transport companies that could carry loads of sizes up to and including the M1A1 Main Battle Tank (MBT). At the beginning of the conflict, Desert Shield, in January 1991, we were certain all troops were deployed along lines from which the coalition forces would launch an invasion into Iraq and Kuwait. Suddenly, orders came from VII Corps that the divisions that we delivered needed to be re-deployed. Everyone needed to flip-flop. All we knew is that it needed to happen NOW. Yes, we could question motives, but never strategy since we were not privileged to see the whole Theater of Operations. We did it and it became clear why it had to be done and the proof was in the victory.

Reflecting on the poem by Tennyson “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” and I paraphrase, “ours was not to reason why.” When it comes to deciding between morality and immorality, the Christian should have no other option but to flee immorality and impurity.

The Bible contains metaphors of athleticism (mostly from Paul) and the discipline needed for the individual to succeed in the ONE RACE. Note how I did not say TEAM. Physical discipline produces mental and psychological confidence. But a resolved acted on solely by our own strength will prove futile.

Rosie Ruiz. How many of you know her name? She crossed the finish of Boston Marathon as one of the fastest female runners of all time. It was discovered later that she never completed the race. She rode the subway until the very end of the race where she jumped out of the crowd and accepted the winning medal. After it was discovered that she cheated, the race committee tried to recover the medal but she never gave it up to her dying day. She never confessed to any wrongdoing. Her physique should have betrayed her, but despite that she entered the race without qualifying claiming she had brain cancer, so they gave her a medical exception. Her life was a lie. Here own efforts at success, brought her to defeat.

Personal ambition and conditioning in the spiritual realm is different. Spiritual self-discipline isn’t a pursuit that we simply force into habit; for if that were the case, there would be little need for the Holy Spirit in our lives. Physical habits work like that, like what we call “muscle memory.” Remember Galatians 5 then, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.

We wouldn’t have it without the Spirit as it is His gifting and work in us. This realization begs the question then: How do we become more self-disciplined in our spiritual lives?

Consider what Jeff Iorg puts forth in his book The Character of Leadership, “No fleshly effort will please God or build true discipline. Self-discipline refers to self as the object of discipline rather than its source. Even though discipline is learned, and self is the object of the discipline, the motivation and power to develop discipline comes from the Spirit.” It’s in the daily surrender, the daily opportunity, the daily service, as Paul frequently refers to being “slaves” for Christ.

In order to become self disciplined, we need to stop trying to take on the Spirit’s role as the source of life-changing power and rely on the strength He will faithfully work IN us. By allowing the exercise of the Holy Spirit in us, we will gain a faith and confidence in our training that is the fruit of obedience and this will equip us for future victories, and eliminate failures.

Paul told Timothy to be strengthened by the Grace of Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1). If our motivation isn’t coming from the Holy Spirit, then we will continue in vain and fail in the practice of self-discipline. You know what I’m talking about. You’ve tried to kick a bad habit. You try, and try, in vain, and in all your physical ability, you fail. I’ve been there. Remember what I said, we are the object of the discipline, the motivation and power to develop discipline comes from the Holy Spirit. We can not be conformed into the likeness we want. He is the Potter and we are the clay. Like the old song, “Have Thine Own Way” says, “mold me and make me, after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded, and still.”

The great early American preacher, Jonathan Edwards, when he was only 19 years old, made this declaration of personal resolve, as recorded in his Diary on Saturday, January 12, 1723.

“In the morning. I have this day, solemnly renewed my baptismal covenant and self-dedication, which I renewed, when I was taken into the communion of the church. I have been before God, and have given myself, all that I am and have, to God; so that I am not, in any respect, my own. I can challenge no right in this understanding, this will, these affections, which are in me. Neither have I any right to this body, or any of its members: no right to this tongue, these hands, these feet; no right to these senses, these eyes, these ears, this smell, or this taste. I have given myself clear away, and have not retained anything, as my own. I gave myself to God, in my baptism, and I have been this morning to him, and told him, that I gave myself wholly to him. I have given every power to him, so that for the future, I’ll challenge no right in myself, in no respect whatever. I have expressly promised him, and I do now promise Almighty God, that by his grace, I will not.”

Our motivation will be of an eternal scope when we press into the Holy Spirit, and He will give us the strength to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

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No Exception. Divorce and The Weakness of Moses.

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Before Moses, divorce was already a wrong choice.

He (Jesus) said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 19:8.

Why was divorce allowed in the OT? This was a question that Jesus turned on the Jewish leaders in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 19 when they asked Him if is is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus here reinforces the idea that divorce was not an option from the beginning since from the beginning a husband and wife are one flesh when previously they were two. Moses allowed it due to the “hardness of their hearts.”

Prior to this, the covenant was preserved as any vow or oath stood, and not as a contract. Malachi warns against “dealing treacherously with the wife of your youth” (Malachi 2:14). Following these words in Malachi, the prophet continues speak on behalf of God. God’s position on divorce is very clear, “he hates the putting away [divorce]” (v. 16) said Mala­chi.

Malachi, like Jesus, had to remind Judah of God’s original plan in marriage, “And did not he make one?” (v. 15). Man and woman were to leave their fathers and mothers to become “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). In creating man and woman God was still left with the “residue of the spirit” (2:15). Why did God make them one? For the fruit of godly offspring. Has not God been ONE Father to us all? Has not ONE God created us? (Malachi 2:10). He has not adulterated Himself to any and His offspring are to be ONE.

Now, concerning the ONE thing, let’s explore the unity of the flesh of Adam and Eve. Adam, we know, was created from the dust of the ground. Eve was formed from the “side” of Adam. The Hebrew for “side” sela can be interpreted as something from his inside, as in a “rib,” but more than that, his “side.” The word is used for hillside, mountainside, and extension of a building. It’s a architectural term meaning to split, as in section. It could easily be seen as Adam being cut, or sectioned, (in half) and from the two halves came a man and woman. And the two were one “flesh.” The Hebrew word for “flesh” is bassar. It is a word can not only apply to human and animal flesh, but with sacrificial ordinances and covenant obligations (Lev 7:17).

And Adam said:

"This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman (Heb. Ishaah),
Because she was taken out of Man."(Heb. Ish).

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ge 2:23.

Why does God hate divorce so? Because it violates His original and intentional plan for marriage (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:4-6) and brings untold hard­ship on those involved, destroying both the family and society. Jesus is speaking to a Jewish audience who understood marriage would be first engaged then consummated. If the exception clause exists, it is to ensure that virginity is the emphasis when selecting a spouse. Putting someone away for porneia ensured that if one is discovered to have not been a virgin at marriage, then the consummation must not be allowed. Jesus emphasized it when He said, “Anyone who marries a divorced woman/man is guilty of adultery.” To harmonize the Old Testament Mosaic exception, we have to find agreement with this since Deut. 22:22; Lev. 20:10-18 reveal to us that adultery is punishable by death.

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The Sin of Dissatisfaction

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Why Worry? (Matthew 6:22-25)

Kingdom Culture. One of the biggest hindrances to the cultivation of God’s Kingdom is our failure to appreciate its value. Why are we not satisfied with God’s Kingdom? Because the truth of the matter is we have not found it satisfactory enough.

AND, dissatisfaction brings with it anxiety and worry. Inadequacy is a fruit of dissatisfaction. We’re dissatisfied with our appearance. We’re dissatisfied with our performance. When we judge ourselves through the eyes of the world, we will always fall short. When we see ourselves, and others through the eyes of Christ, we will discover a value beyond measure. God sees more value in you than the world ever will. What is worry?

It is a lack of faith in God’s promises. The roots of worry come from the seed of dissatisfaction. We question God when the questions of life are not answered when we want it and how we want it.

Can we all agree that God values our lives? We should all agree that He wants all good things for us:

Indicators are: 1) He created us and gave us life, and 2) He redeemed us for life again through Jesus Christ.

Reality: Bottom line, He will meet our: 1) physical needs, and 2) spiritual needs

Satan, the deceiver, is emboldened by our worry over this; by our boredom, and dissatisfaction. Satan wants us to NOT be satisfied. Anxiety and worry are fruits of discontentment. In other words, lack of being satisfied. We are going to look more into this in a second.

In Matthew 6, there is a discussion about serving two masters. It uses the sense of vision to make a point. In verses 22 and 23 it calls the “EYE” a “lamp to our bodies.” If the EYE is clear, the whole body is full of light. If the EYE is bad, or clouded, then the whole body is filled with darkness. The end of verse 23 says, “And GREAT is that darkness.” What’s in the eyes is on the mind

The one with clouded vision is serving a master other than God, who is light. Verse 25 goes on to say that the one with clouded vision is the one who worries because he is not content, nor is he satisfied. Serving the wrong master blinds you leaves you and without the ability to see long range, you will not have faith. Faith is living the reality of the future in the present.

The first sin ever recorded was also the result of dissatisfaction when Lucifer revolted against God because was not satisfied with his place in God’s order. It is believed that the story of this is what Isaiah is referring to in Isaiah 14:13–14 — “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”

The first human sin ever recorded in the Bible, committed by Eve, was a sin of discontentment. Why were they not satisfied with everything God provided for them? The distraction of the ONE tree was fertile soil for the Serpent. Many many times, temptation begins with: WHY? And BECAUSE. Eve had it in her heart to question WHY it was forbidden to eat at which time she opened herself up to dialogue with the “father of lies” when, “Because God said so” wasn’t enough.

How do we question our parents’ authority? By asking, “WHY?” Our parents most often reply with the default answer, “Because I said SO.” And because we are not satisfied with “because,” we go find someone who can tell us what we want to hear. It’s a practice not unlike many adults who church shop or doctor shop. Our pursuit of resolving our dissatisfaction with the commands of God can cloud our vision and erode our faith. Chances are, you will find the wrong counsel that will tell you that if you choose disobedience, you will have the same authority as the parent since you have replaced their authority with another. Yes, the temptation and desire for a child to have the authority of its parents is alive and well today, isn’t it? Like the two Masters of our story, we give AUTHORITY to whomever, or whatever, we CHOOSE. And, it will either be light, or darkness.

There are two things in life over which we have control. Our ATTITUDES and our ACTIONS.” Worry can tempt us to sin and sin can result in guilt and that is the SEED of ANXIETY. Yes, anxiety grows from guilt, ESPECIALLY not doing what we should be doing when we should be doing it. We’ll save that for another day.

Look at our story. Verses 25-34 says the ones in the light will never worry about eating or drinking; about the clothes they wear or the measure of their days. Worry belongs to the ones of cloudy vision. In fact, verse 32 plainly states, the ones who are NOT God’s people are the ones who will never be satisfied. The godless will never be satisfied. How is it that God’s people on the other hand would ever think about putting hope, contentment, and satisfaction in perishable things? Ahh, but we DO and it comes from US wanting the authority to choose. (perishable things will never satisfy and an endless cycle worry, disobedience, guilt, anxiety, etc., continues).

When God says, “Because,” when we ask “WHY,” why are we not satisfied? Going back to what I said at the beginning, does God value our lives? YES. Why do we doubt His commands, especially when they don’t make sense? The world does not know you better. Read Psalm 139 sometime. That’s a WHOLE other message right there. The Bible includes dozens of stories about God’s commands NOT making any sense. A Kingdom Culture will be made up of committed believers whose ATTITUDES and ACTIONS bring LIGHT into the body. Desiring God’s Kingdom FIRST will eliminate dissatisfaction, discontentment, worry, and pride. Keeping our place as the Master’s slaves, we will be satisfied in knowing He values us and will provide for every need. We willl walk in faith.

Worry’s worst enemy is FAITH. Faith exists when we exercise belief, trust, and commitment.

Jesus preached on contentment many times in the use of His parables. Remember the parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price? Both are found in Matthew chapter 13. The hidden treasure was found by accident and the pearl was found by seeking. It’s a reference to God’s Kingdom being available to everyone, not only to the Jew but to the Gentile. That’s how much God cares for everyone. Are we, like the persons in the parable, willing to give ALL we have to possess God’s Kingdom, and not look back?

Sometimes we accuse God of having weaknesses. What? You never do that? When we question His authority and disobey, we are calling God WEAK. “If God had only removed the potential for sin from the Garden of Eden, everything would be okay. That tree, that one tree. You know the tree I’m talking about? That single tree that bore fruit that was a delight to the eyes. That single tree that was off limits to eat. Eve understood it well enough that she even convinced herself that not only should they not to EAT it, but also not to TOUCH it. The temptation was in the eyes. You remember the eye? The lamp of the body? So, every day Adam and Eve walked around in the garden with God, as friends would walk and talk, and every day their eyes were drawn to THAT TREE. The FORBIDDEN TREE which had fruit of the most delectable appearance, but a sign was hung on it, “DO NOT EAT.”

The purpose of that potential to make the wrong choice and therefore, sin, not only brought mankind to its lowest point in DEATH, but most importantly, elevated the love of God to its highest point in LIFE. If our lives were lived in a linear plateau with a consistent state of “happiness,” how would we understand the layers, and depths, of God’s love for us? How about the fullness of our faith? The first family sure found out that what God said is TRUE. You know what? And so did the Devil. If we didn’t have the freewill to choose God, what kind of love would there be? God WANTS us to choose Him above all else because above all else, there is NO ONE greater than He.

To finish up, let me leave you with the same encouragement Paul left to the Philippian church. Philippians 4:19: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

(Separate thought to conclude)

Anxiety—not doing what we should be doing when we should be doing it. Therefore, anxiety is guilt.

When someone comes to you and asks you for help, try saying, “Yes, I’d be happy to help you with that.” Do not decline an opportunity to serve others. I learned the most by saying, “YES!” Don’t serve the master of future guilt and failure over something you haven’t even tried. We often serve distractions from the Kingdom and blind ourselves to the faith that can be increased.

The Christian’s NEED to live without distractions–

Mark 4:19 – but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced

James 1:14 – But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

We have others to think about and less of ourselves. Romans 8:19-21—”All creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” That’s sowing, cultivating, and reaping the Kingdom Culture on earth.

If you are not a Christian, or you need to re-commit your life to Christ because you want to exchange your dependency on the world and find satisfaction only in God, I invite you to come and speak with a staff member who can help you get to that place.

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The Shallow Field of the Earth’s Harvest

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Colossians 2:8

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

World’s philosophy will generally stop with the heart. The attitude of happiness and it’s fullness is the litmus test of satisfaction. We have found ourselves failing to attain the deeper, meaningful, relationship with God and others. Our foundation leaves only to serve ourselves.

This is the weakness of the foundational ground laying that many Christians cease to build upon, or they build without precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12). 1 Corinthians 3:1, 2 mention leaving the milk of the Word and moving to maturity.

Who can forget the immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who dreamt of a day when his children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. We are a people who judge others on the surface. To have a “color blind” society, we have to judge others by a deeper character. Those of color must understand they are not limited by the amount of melanine of their skin just as whites are not “privileged” based on the unequal portion of melanine in their skin.

Marriage is less understood when divorce is so easily attained and the elementary counsel of friends is so easily followed. People divorce because they are unhappy, or the emotion of love ceases to bind them. The false hope in seeing others who have done it only betrays our immaturity further.

Life’s remedies would be best served in having the deeper understanding of why such things divorce is wrong. We will understand why such things as the need to forgive, show grace, have mercy, be compassionate, and love others will solve so much of our cultural issues and offer healing to ourselves and others.

We are taught byu society to be limited and shallow. It is our habit not to grow. It is our shackle from which we must be freed.

2 Peter 1:5ff states that every Christian must be in the process of maturing. We must work in the faith of our perfection. We must exercise the eternals of faith, hope, and love.

We flounder with thinking God is LOVE and God is GRACE and that simply is not deep enough when the limits of that understanding demands no change on our part.

Beware of phrases like, “Follow your heart,” “Love is feeling,” “Your happiness matters most.” “You deserve your just rewards.”

The heart is desperately wicked and deceitful in all things (Jeremiah 17:9). Guarding it is of the utmost importance since the appeal at the emotional is the fertile ground of temptation.

“Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.” (Mark 4:5-6)

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To What Interest Do We Serve?

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Something of a sermon outline here that I’d like to share.

“Saved by Grace Through Faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Formula for healing and salvation, if so inclined, as God is inclined, toward those who are in opposition to Him

What if this principle were applied to MARRIAGE, FAMILY, CHURCH, and SELF

Saved—made whole; preserved from destruction

Grace—favor on behalf of the other with no thought of self

Faith—living presently in the reality of the future best

Reconciling to our SPOUSE

are we interested in securing the BEST in our MARRIAGE

Reconciling to members of our FAMILY

are we interested in securing the BEST in our FAMILY

Reconciling to the KINGDOM OF GOD on earth

are we interested in securing the BEST in God’s church

Reconciling to YOURSELF

are we interested in securing the BEST in YOURSELF

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The Galilean Accent

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Take no fear in being recognized as a disciple of Christ

The Galilean Accent (adapted from a sermon first delivered by Ed Bousman, 1978)

TEXT: Matthew 26:73—“A little later, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Surely you too are one of them, for even the way you talk gives you away.’”

Peter is recognized as a Galilean by his accent, and as such was identified as a follower of Jesus. Three times he denied that he was a disciple and at least one of the times with a curse. He put on a great performance, because he evidently convinced the enemies of Jesus that he didn’t even know him. They probably thought: no friend of Jesus would talk like this.

May it be that we develop a Galilean accent and that people will identify us as followers of the Nazarene. I am not talking about mere appearance. There’s enough CINOs out there now—Christians in Name Only. When Scripture says that narrow is the way and few that find the Kingdom of God, I think that many are in for a rude awakening on Judgment Day. I travel frequently and meet a lot of people. I come across many people with crosses and fish on their cars quite frequently. It might lend one to have the opinion that there are a lot of people of faith on the highways and byways of life and it’s tempting to believe that the narrow road that Scripture talks about may be wider than I first imagined. I have friends who have had crosses and fish tattooed on their bodies as if to say that if if anything recognizable be found on their bodies, it would be the last visible sign their mortician would see at their death. Again, it might lead many to believe that the world is full of faithful Christians. This, however, might be a false hope.

We are called to be “imitators of God as beloved children” (Eph. 5:1), not advertisers. The modern term is “Posers.” Advertisers are slogans, jingles, images, and sales pitches. There are a lot of churches involved in the business of advertising, but not delivering. People who are imitators often develop a routine exactly after the pattern of the person whose character they represent. When I was young, I used to imitate my father. I saw in him all the qualities I admired as a man and I adopted his habits to try to make them routine in me. Let us in our speech and attitude try to imitate the habits and the language of the writers of the New Testament so that those who hear us will also say like the servant girl did, “This man also was with Jesus the Nazarene.”

Let me try my Galilean accent. Let’s see if I can talk like the apostle Peter. The speech of a Galilean distinguished him from the Jews in Jerusalem and Judah, particularly because of their difficulty in enunciating the gutterals which are important in the Hebrew and Aramaic. Someone has said that the Galilean accent was rather obnoxious to people who were not used to it and it may be that you will find my speech a little obnoxious, but if so it is because I, too, have a Galilean accent. Let’s try the Galilean accent on Peter’s words:

Acts 2:38

“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Did I get it right? Some would say, you got it right and it surely was obnoxious. The reason it sounds obnoxious is because I have a Galilean accent. You see, Peter did not say that salvation came before baptism. He said it comes at a time when the person is baptized and at the same time that he is baptized he receives the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The verses that say, “You shall not murder,” or “You shall not commit adultery” are not any more difficult to understand. Acts 22:16: “And now, why do you wait? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” You see, “calling on His name” is the prophetic appeal by Joel for those prompted to receive God’s salvation (Joel 2:32). Those who are saved first call and then the ones who “call” commit to the conditions of the covenant to be saved. God could not have made it any more plainer. Human language could not be more specific. Yet to some this is an obnoxious teaching. I am not going to deny it with a curse, I am going to affirm it with an AMEN.

Now let’s try the Galilean accent on . . .

Acts 4:12

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Did I get it right? Some would say yes, you got it right and it surely does sound obnoxious. Well, the reason it sounds obnoxious is because I have a Galilean accent. According to this verse there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. Now this includes all non-Christian religions. Without Christ, there is no hope. Without a redeemer, there is no redemption. Heaven belongs to Jesus and if you want to go there, you will have to do things His way or not at all. Jesus himself has said (John 14:6), “No one comes to the Father but through me.” Is this intolerant? God has always made the basis of His covenant conditional on His requirements. The conditions for the New Covenant are calling on His name in faith, repentance, confession and baptism. Jesus says in Mark 16, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Even in the Old Testament, in Psalm 147:19, 20, we see how God’s Word and ordinances and statutes were for His covenant people and these were not known by other nations. It is by his Word, Psalm 147 says, that all things are sustained and only through his Word that all things are, in the words of Milton, re-gained. In Milton’s poem, “Paradise Regained” who else but Christ was sent forth:

Winning by conquest what the first man lost 
By fallacy surprised. But first I mean 
To exercise him in the Wilderness; 
There he shall first lay down the rudiments 
Of his great warfare, ere I send him forth 
To conquer Sin and Death, the two grand foes. 

The Son of God, with Godlike force endued 
Against the attempter of thy Father’s throne 
And thief of Paradise! Him long of old 
Thou didst rebel, and down from Heaven cast 
With all his army; now thou hast avenged 
Supplanted Adam, and, by vanquishing 
Temptation, hast regained lost Paradise, 
And frustrated the conquest fraudulent. 

No, there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. God is not going to ask by what religion or by what law we choose to be judged. He will judge you whether you like it or not. But not only does this verse put out the light of hope for non-Christian religions, it is also for those who reject the Bible WAY whereby a person gets into Christ. It certainly does not make us feel good to think that they are going to hell, but it ought to do something for our zeal in reaching the lost. It’s time to stop beating around the bush under the guise of political correctness and tell it like it is. Remember, you have a God to answer to on that great day and He is going to make an accounting of your words.

Perhaps some would say, that is the most obnoxious teaching I ever heard! The reason it is obnoxious is because I have a Galilean accent and I am not going to deny it with a curse, I am going to affirm it with an AMEN!

Now let’s try the Galilean accent on:

2 Peter 1:20, 21

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

Did I get it right? Some would say, “Yes, you got it right and it surely was obnoxious.” The reason it sounds obnoxious is because I have a Galilean accent.

Now, here is the way it is. No scripture is of private interpretation. This indicates that no denomination can formulate a doctrine for any individual. No church can tell you, this is what you must believe or you are not a Christian. The Bible says in Acts that the Berean Church, “Searched the scriptures daily whether these things (Paul and Silas said) were so.” If they checked on the Apostle Paul, how much more should preachers and priests and pastors be checked on today. It is not what your preacher says nor what your denomination believes. It is WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY. Don’t take my word for the contents of Acts 2:38, read it for yourself and see. Don’t take my word for teaching that divorce and remarriage is a sin, turn to Mark 10:11-12 and Romans 7:2-3 and see for yourself. After reading for yourself, you can admit as the Samaritans did in John 4—they believed, not because of the testimony of the woman at the well, but because of the living WORD.

I know that to some this may be obnoxious teaching, but I am not going to deny it with a curse, I am going to affirm it with an AMEN!

Now let’s try the Galilean accent on:

2 Peter 2:20

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”

Did I get it right? Some would say, “Yes, you got it right and it surely was obnoxious.” the reason it sounds obnoxious is because I have a Galilean accent.

A person can be lost after he has once been saved. Don’t let some preacher juggle scripture and tell you anything to the contrary. Once in grace, always in grace is Baptist doctrine. Church of Christ people would never admit that they believe it, but they surely do practice it. Once a person is baptized, to most people that’s all there is to it—he’s home free.

There exists a question that is asked by many that we’ve probably had: “What would be easier: to die for the cause of Christ or truly live for Him?” Honestly, and a preacher friend of mine who must be in his 90’s now, Knofel Staton, used to use this illustration: The best thing that could have happened to some people was for them to drown in the baptistry. It would have been better if at their baptism the preacher said while holding them under the water, “I . . . baptize you . . . in the name . . . of the Father . . . and God the Son . . . and God the Holy Spirit . . . If ever there was a justified mercy killing, it would be at baptism. The crown of victory is not easily won. But to some, as long as their name is in the roll book of the church, they’re eternally secured. As a minister, you never know the extent of a church’s membership until you get calls to do funerals for people you have never met who are supposedly members. I remember sitting down with a widow trying to get information on her departed husband who was a “member” of the church but had not attended in 14 years. During the interview I was trying to find some redeeming quality that I could use in my eulogy, but it was the wife who stated bluntly to me, “Preacher, don’t work too hard to make my husband sound good. My husband died and went to hell.”

We need to face up to the fact that hell will be full of church members whose eyes on earth sparkled with dreams of glory.

To some this is a very obnoxious saying, but I am not going to deny it with a curse, I am going to affirm it with an AMEN!

Now let’s try the Galilean accent on:

Acts 11:15

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as he did upon us at the beginning.”

Did I get it right? Some would say, “Yes, you got it right, but it surely is obnoxious.” The reason it sounds obnoxious is because I have a Galilean accent.

In Acts, the previous chapter, Peter had been amazed when the household of Cornelius had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Peter’s amazement was more than the fact that they were Gentiles, because here it says it happened even as in the beginning. Peter seems to say, “I haven’t seen anything like this in at least seven years.” The baptism of the Holy Spirit took place only on the Apostles at Pentecost and on the household of Cornelius, who is described as “a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews” (Acts 10:22). All of the 3000 on the day of Pentecost received the gift of the Holy Spirit but this in no way indicates they all could speak in tongues or work miracles. Paul would say to the Corinthians, “Are all apostles?” The obvious answer is NO. Are all prophets? NO. Are all workers of miracles? NO. Do all speak in tongues? The obvious answer is, NO. All Christians had the gift of the Holy Spirit as promised on the day of Pentecost but this in no way means they all had the miraculous gifts of the apostles.

This may seem very obnoxious to some, but I am not going to deny it with a curse, I am gong to affirm it with an AMEN!

Now let’s try the Galilean accent on:

1 Peter 4:16

“but if anyone of you suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”

We’ve all been asked the question, “What denomination do you belong to?” I always tell them I belong to no denomination at all. I am a CHRISTIAN. I am nothing MORE than a Christian and want to be named nothing less. I don’t need any other name with it, before it, over it, behind it, or in place of it to identify me as a follower of Jesus Christ. When I say I AM A CHRISTIAN, that says it all. The name of Christ is big enough and powerful enough and important enough to stand up all by itself. I need no other and I want no other and I will accept none other.

This of course to some is a very obnoxious teaching, but I am not going to deny it with a curse, I am going to affirm it with an AMEN!

I could go on and on, but for the sake of time, I think the point has been made. I appeal to you, the church, that in these last days, as Paul counseled Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-7:

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,

always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Our mission should imitate the Great Commission given by Christ in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Fatherhood, Main, Mission, Strategy, Work

Habits of Holiness

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Habits of Holiness

Not a trite phrase to be written off as strictly cliché, but a very urgent sense of responsibility each of us should possess.

What is a habit? A habit can be good or bad. Habits can become so routine that we do them without thinking—both good and bad ones. Habits are a pattern of behavior acquired through repetition.

What do we do to make sure we have a good visit to the dentist’s office? Be in the habit of teeth brushing as part of our daily routine. How can we assure ourselves a better chance of overcoming temptations when they come before us? Be in the habit of reading God’s Word and following His commands.

Some of us have our favorite sports figures perhaps. We might have a person who to us is the pinnacle of success. Did you ever wonder how they got to be so successful? Through the habit of practicing or working many hours a day to be more proficient and more competitive. They developed a talent that sets them apart from others.

Habits are built into our lifestyle. We exit a room, we turn off the lights. We buckle up our seat belts upon entering a vehicle without even thinking about it.

I have had a multitude of occupations during my life. I have been a mechanic and a truck driver. I remember how as a driver, I trained so much that every time I got into a vehicle to drive it, a check list was automatically completed without giving it any thought. Whenever I was on call, I knew by reflex what needed needed to happen, what needed to be packed, and what each team member had to do.

Did you ever think about how much money is spent analyzing our buying habits? Our eating and drinking habits? Our personal hygiene habits? Our driving habits? Even our recreational and worship habits? It’s called “market analyzing.” People are paid to research buying habits. They look at packaging and merchandising and how things are sold. Some employers study work habits to improve your efficiency. I have heard that delivery companies count the steps of employees to determine if their movement can be more efficient and save less time handling packages.

When a company wants to move into a town to start a production business, it analyzes the population to determine the hiring pool, aptitude, demographics, and economy of the area to be sure there will be a good return on their investment. If there is no future for the company because of the area being a poor investment, the company not only misses out, but the future prosperity of the community loses out. So it is with any who have poor habits. Habits of poverty exists among people as displayed in their work and school productivity. Many settle for the least.

Now, Christian, don’t think the Devil isn’t into knowing our habits because he IS. He doesn’t want us to see our full potential, but rather maintain habits in keeping with laziness, greed, and pride. We haven’t been paying attention to our market strategy in distributing the Word of God. Can we “sell” others on the benefit of God’s salvation? In word or deed?

Now, let’s talk about TIME MANAGEMENT. How much time do we waste in the exercise of poor habits? What benefit could be gained by exercising good habits? What health benefits would be gained in exercising healthy habits, like getting to bed early enough to get 7-8 hours of sleep and waking up with enough time to be fully prepared for the opportunities of a new day? Wouldn’t that lower our anxiety? This change might take the elimination of trivial activities.

In my life, I’ve learned that changing habits involves substitute, sharpen, sustain, and success. It takes some time, but given that strategy, you’ll find success. Bad habits, like walking away from a mess you made on the floor. Substitute that by keeping things tidy to prevent accidents and things being lost. The sharpening of a new habit can make it efficient. Cleaning as you go saves from cleaning a bigger mess at the end of the week. The sustaining of a good habit ensures success by making the area safe and your items accounted for and cleaned.

I was thinking of something the other day and brought this up to my wife Julie. What if we focused more on the habits of success and less on the goals of success. In my own life, I’ve tried to set goals that time after time I failed to achieve. It’s hard to set a goal and make it SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. It’s hard to map out something like that with directions on finding the best way to the end. Finding the END usually involves overcoming the obstacles of your weaknesses. It is my feeling that if we build the habits FOR success, the obstacles preventing us from reaching our goals will be naturally eliminated.

A city in Kufa, Iraq, was the scene of mob violence for months. An observer was called in to analyze the pattern of behavior. After watching videos of each violent occurrence, he noticed a pattern. People would fill the square around a certain mosque and when the crowds began to swell, shwarma and kebab vendors would come, hoping to capitalize on the crowds by selling kebabs and shwarmas. By late afternoon, someone would enevitably throw a rock, or other item at police, and the angry mob turned violent.

The observer then made an odd request: going forward, don’t allow food vendors into the square. SO, the police decided to deny the protesters their food. Sure enough, the next day, crowds began to build in the square outside the mosque, loud protests against the police were heard, angry slogans rang out and soon the crowds were restless, AND hungry. Looking for food and finding no vendors who were selling it, the crowds dispersed. Just a change of habit.

So much of our lives is based on habits. We might find it in our habit to frequent the company of a particular group of friends. Among that group of friends we might find the temptation to be in the habit of doing something bad. Not all of our friends care about our best interests. It doesn’t mean that we are going to contribute to mob violence, but the consequences can be the same.

I remember a time in the city of Irbid, Jordan, when a group of men were running through the market area. It looked like something major was happening so I went out into the street to see what the all the commotion was. Pulling the young man towards me, I asked him to slow down, “Shway, shway.” And then I asked, “Shoo hartha, shoo hartha?” “Madha yahduth?” which means, what’s happening? The young man paused and thought for a second and said, “I don’t know. I saw everybody running and so I started running.” We can be pulled into a situation with little to no knowledge of what is going on by the habit of blind compliance.

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the distractions that take me away from what is truly worth our time. I used to have some really bad habits. There was a time when first and last thing I did every day is smoke a cigarette. Presently, I’m trying to force myself from looking at my phone the first thing every morning and before bed because it is taking me away from time with my family and time with God. The Devil wants only to distract us from these important things. In fact, we sin when we are in the wrong place at weak time. Imagine if people we love who are on their phones or computers constantly would turn off the power of such devices and plug into us? It would be wonderful! Imagine what God would think if we were to unplug ourselves from the world to focus on His Word? That would be exceedingly wonderful!

1) Jesus was in the habit of prayer. We know this from the references in the Bible that says He was in the habit of prayer. From his youth to adult, he often retreated to a quiet place to pray.

2) Jesus was in the habit of being in the Lord’s house on the Lord’s day. Not much is known about Jesus as a young man, but the verses we do have in Scripture mention Jesus being in the Temple on the Sabbath (Luke chapter 2:42ff). Verse 49 says the Jesus had to be in His Father’s house. Later in Luke 4:16, while in Nazareth, Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath, “as was His custom.”

3) He was in the habit of obedience. John 6:38 says that Jesus came from heaven not to do His own will, but the will of the Father’s. Looking again at Luke chapter 2, verse 51 it says Jesus was in the habit of being obedient to His parents. Of course that was right after his family had discovered he was left behind finding him in the Temple. Jesus further said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” We are not to follow the pattern, or habits, of the world.

4) Jesus was in the habit of loving others. Many times we are told that Jesus was moved with compassion. When little children visited Jesus, the disciples were of the habit of turning them away. When Martha was in the habit of hospitality, Jesus needed to commend Mary for doing something that wasn’t routinely done and was the feet of Jesus and dry them with her hair. Peter was in the habit of sitting at the head of the table and Paul gently corrected his behavior.

These simple habits of Jesus led to opportunity. Opportunity acted upon leads to God’s work being fulfilled. Isn’t that a fine goal to have without setting a goal, but having the habits that get you to the finish?

Try adopting this habit: when someone asked you to help them with something, be in the habit of saying, “Yes, I’d be happy to help you.” When considering going to church, it should be our habit to do so. And lets make prayer NOT a last resort or a reactive occurrence, but a frequent practice so that our minds might be focused always on the will of God in our lives and His sovereignty and grace. If we try these habits of holiness, our lives will conform more to the likeness of Christ. And THAT is our supreme goal and most honoring to God.

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Where There Is Hope

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Don’t lose hope

Is our faith lived in the future? Well, it should be. There is danger in living for the moment; for the now. When we pray for God’s will in our lives, how much do we prepare? Do you believe God has something great in mind? Well, prepare for it. Do we believe that God ordains world governments? It says so in Romans 13:1-8 and 1 Peter 2:18ff. Why don’t we talk politics in church? Is it not on the basis of faith in line with God’s will that we pray? Let’s prepare by contributing to a process that secures the best interest of all. We pray for God’s will all the time. Why can’t we be contributory to it? We pray for change, let our conduct be for the affect of change. Faith without works is . . .?

Pray according to God’s will, and He hears us. Revelation 8:1-6 are the prayers of the saints under the altar which brought the hand of God to move. James 5:13-18 mentions the fact the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. The example of Elijah and his prayer concerning rain is used. We are reminded that Elijah prayed and the rain stopped. He prayed again and the rain resumed. Jesus said that there are demons which can only be cast out through prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:28, 29).

The people of Israel, during the days of Gideon, complained, murmured, grumbles, and rebelled against the LORD because they were living in the PRESENT. The satisfaction of their immediate needs was in the front of their thinking. All the Hebrews needed to do was walk—in faith.

Jesus called us to a future, not a reconditioned past. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Revelation 21:5, “And He Who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things NEW.’”

Now, think about this. Can we affect the life of another? Yes. Can we contribute to the sanctification of another? YES. Did you ever think about how a husband and wife can preserve each other in their matrimony? The Bible is clear. It is important to understand that faithful marriage secures the benefit and blessing of both spouses and their children, to facilitate the blessings of God. 1 Corinthians 7:14ff,

“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?”

Now consider 1 Peter 3:1-2, “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.”

How would living for the needs of the future change our way of thinking? I think our time would be managed a lot more efficiently.

Proverbs 24:13-14, “My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off.” It’s plain. To secure our hope, we must find the good and the sweetness in wisdom.

Main, Marriage, Mission

Old Versus New

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Love letter from God- A vow unbroken

Once upon a time, God created the earth, around which He wrapped the universe as a blanket. On the earth He created a Garden in which He placed a companion, the Ish. He created the Ish from the earth and when God breathed life into his nostrils the spirit of life, he became a living soul and it was good—for a time.

It was soon discovered that the Ish himself needed a companion and from the Ish God formed Ishah, because she was taken OUT of the Ish– man AND woman. God considered what He had done and He and man were satisfied—for a time.

The separation began when both man and woman were tempted to break fellowship with the God Who gave them life and all good things. Under the temptation of a lesser creature, they began to esteem themselves more than their Creator and God knew that His love for them would be the only means to bring humankind back to Himself.

God tried to the uttermost to intercede as best He could. Things got so bad that man was only doing evil, continually. After finding only eight righteous who were saved through the water, God called down a great flood decimating the progeny of humanity and the wickedness that if allowed to remain would have kindled a wrath so great that the hope of men would have been utterly snuffed out.

It wasn’t too long after that, even after God left tokens of His esteem in the rainbow, in stones, and by His word, that humanity turned towards itself again. Assembling on the Plains of Babel, they erected a tower to proclaim their greatness. Men began to esteem themselves better than their Creator Who not only gave them life but preserved them through calamity.

The Creator went to greater lengths to secure a long life for man and to bless him. Man’s destruction would be certain if left to doing that which was right in his own eyes and he would have little chance to know the God who loves him. God attempted to prove Himself through the covenants of blood that were cut between Him and those who would agree to His terms. Yes, the consequences were grave, but the conditions not only represented the gravity of sin’s effects on man but also the capacity of God to love him.

Still, God’s love expanded to greater horizons as mankind began to esteem himself better than the one who gave him life by breathing into his nostrils the spirit of life. God in an almost last attempt would call a people unto himself; a people whom He loved, desiring only to be esteemed as their Creator and esteem themselves as His creation. His Word was sealed through miracles, blessings, and curses. God would be betrothed to His people, promising them that He would be faithful for life. He brought heroes, healers, prophets, and kings. To demonstrate His power, the Creator showed that He Himself was greater than any power on earth, any graven image, or any strength in men. Yet still, God’s betrothed was an unfaithful and adulterous bride. Man esteemed himself greater than the One who gave him life.

Any other husband whose wife played the harlot would have cast her off. Not God—He loved her. This kind of covenant could not last. The bride was making a mockery of the NAME her Husband gave her. To preserve His holy name and a remnant to carry it forward, He came to terms with the unthinkable. It was the only means a marriage could be dissolved. One party had to die. The blood of man was not worthy to satisfy such a significant role. It had to be God himself. The ritual of shedding the blood of animals ceased. Only the Word of God, Who created the heavens and the earth and all the dwell in them, could be the Testator to die and bring about a New Covenant in His blood (to be cont’d)

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Entitlement Revisited

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Read Psalm 23

God’s concern for us is beyond our comprehension. To what do we owe such love? Can we return to God anything that would merit such grace? Entitlement is a word that gets a lot of mileage these days. People feel entitled to the property (intellectual and material) of others because the opposite party is believed to be more privileged than the other, leaving the first part at a disadvantage. Because of the confusion of social justice, there is a confusion of what is “FAIR.”

There is also an emotional entitlement people may feel they deserve, like anger. The offense of another tempts us to feel we have the right to be angry or hateful of another because of the feeling of being disadvantaged by the abuse of an opposite in which the other takes advantage of that is considered as being abusive of their privilege. Some would feel entitled to be angry with God for the loss of a loved one. It can go deeper. Some even cling to the right to hate themselves to the point that they feel they do not deserve to be loved. They don’t love themselves because the privilege is not theirs and they don’t feel entitled to be loved another, especially God.

We could easily lay on God the right to be angry with us. If anybody has a right to be angry and deserving of our love, it would be God. If anyone has the right to distance himself from His creation because of the offenses committed against him and his son, it should be God. From that thinking, we’ve made an enemy of ourselves and of God.

It hurts God when we think this way. The bible tells us in exquisite detail how God had let us fumble in our own devices in order for us to hopefully awaken to His goodness. Isaiah 5 says that God only wanted to take his people and put them in the garden which he created for them, securely and safely.

Isaiah 5:2

My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.

2He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines.

He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well.

He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour!

3“And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard.

4What more could I have done for My vineyard than I already did for it?

Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit?

So, a lot of talk about expectations. A lot of talk about entitlement and privilege. God has made every preparation for us to attain to our created purpose–to have a relationship with Him. Is it not right that we should receive the benefit of the love and care with which He wants to bless us? After this past year can there be any greater testimony to the fact that in this world there is NO hope.