Fan the Flame of Your Spiritual Gift

 May 8, 2024

Wednesday

Its amazing how much more sense scripture makes when verses are placed in their context. Too many times I have taken 2 Timothy 1:6 alone or 2 Timothy 1:7 alone without relating them to each other. When set next to each other they present a total picture.

2 Timothy 1:6–7 (NASB 2020) ⁶ For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

When someone is engaged in the moment of accomplishment, factors that would normally prevent them from acting are ignored. For example, a person fully engaged in a project may lose all track of time. The project may have been rejected before it is engaged. I have worked into the night installing a TV on a wall or a built-in microwave oven or working on a computer. Once I have engaged in the task, I am oblivious to time or even injury. I notice the blood on my knuckles but cannot tell when I injured myself. The concentration on the task does not allow for these distractions.

When a Christian is fully using his or her spiritual gift the same occurs. It comes to life like a flame and burns brighter with each moment. It exudes the essence of the Spirit that is power and love and a sound mind. It does not shy away from the task at hand. No other course is considered.

I especially notice this when I allow the Spirit to preach for me. I am still the one preaching but it seems like I am no longer aware of whom might be offended or reached by my preaching. I know that there is power but can't claim it as my power any more than I can claim the love I have for those I am preaching to as my love. It is more than me. It is done with my permission but it is not simply my mind for it is much more sound than mine alone. And, yes, I do lose track of time.

This is why cowardice is not an option for the one fully engaged in their spiritual gifts. Once the commitment is made and the gift is in operation, cowardice is gone. Cowardice is running away from something fearful when confronting that fear is the best action. Cowardice takes away confidence. It is the enemy of acting with God for He challenges the faith of those He walks with. Those who flee cannot walk closely with Him. Their faith remains stagnant.

How many Christians have rarely employed their spiritual gifts and experienced this power, love and sound mind? Only a few can know the fulness of the Spirit because they have been arrested by the spirit of cowardice. They have only counted the cost of acting. They have not counted the cost of not acting. Without the Spirit fanning the flames of the gift, God's call often seems impossible.

This isn't the way it has to be. We all could fan that flame. We all could act in the power, love and sound mind. The world could be turned upside-down again. Fan the flame!

Do I Blame God or Praise Satan When Bad Things Happen?

 May 7, 2024

Tuesday

There is no guarantee from God that this day will be a great day.  Everything can go wrong even if you have done everything you can to walk with God humbly. But when things go wrong when you haven't been wrong, do we try to make it fit into God's will?

This is not the first blog I wrote for today. I had one that was rather long that explained how people who had been in Bible-believing churches would follow after false prophets. While I was writing it the power blinked. The blog came back up on my screen so I continued writing for another half hour.  I set it to be published and it disappeared though everything looked right before I clicked the publish button.

Should I assume that God did not want me to publish that blog? It gave six ways that false prophets lure people into their preaching. It said that they were servants of Satan. Could God have some reason that this wasn't to be published? Was losing this blog good? Do I need to recite Romans 8:28 so that I can shrug off the hour spent writing the blog?

Romans 8:28 (NASB 2020) ²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Is it reasonable to say that everything bad has a purpose allowed by God? This question stops short of saying that God caused the bad thing to happen. Saying that God causes all things, even the bad ones, will leave you with a bad God rather than a good God.

On the other hand, since the blog was an attack on Satan, his servants and his tactics, should I assume that he was the one who caused the power blink that ultimately lost the blog? Surely, the Lord gave Satan permission to attack Job. (I am not saying what happened to me has any measure of what happened to Job. I am just saying that Satan has been given permission to attack those who are walking with God.) Job lost his children, his livestock and his health. Satan controlled the wind and fire from heaven. He influenced the hostile people around Job to attack. He made Job miserably sick.

Jesus said that Satan had obtained permission to sift Peter like wheat. Peter would deny Jesus vehemently within hours of Jesus' declaration. Do we blame that on Satan, God or Peter himself?

No, I don't think that I need to invoke Romans 8:28 to explain the loss of the blog. I, also, do not need to give Satan any credit for its loss either. This world is just what this world is. It allows the natural things in the world to happen. God can intervene but most of the time He allows the natural laws He put in place to function as He designed them. Thus, planes often fall when their engines stop, injuries to the heart most often end in death and overspending results in debt.

Matthew 5:45 (NASB 2020) ⁴⁵ so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

To think that every moment is a volitional act of God is blaming God. To think that every bad moment is a volitional act of Satan is praising Satan. I must act responsibly. I must walk with God. I must do what is right. However, even all of these things will not assure me of a harmonious day.

So, today may have some glitches. Don't blame God or praise Satan. Pick yourself up and start all over again. 

Maybe this was a better blog anyway.

The Anonymity of Someone Great

 May 6, 2024

Monday

I saw some pictures from the past of the church I pastor. The sanctuary was full. That isn't what it looks like today. Sure, we have two services but combined it would not have been as full as in those past pictures. And yes, there are more churches in the area but the population is also much larger. I don't need to read articles that say that church attendance is not what it used to be.

Yet, I also see churches filled to the brim on TV. These churches have thousands in attendance. What are they doing that I am not doing? Or what am I doing that they are not doing? This question has many preachers running from one church growth seminar to another. They are all looking for the magic that will fill their churches.

So, after being in the full time ministry for over forty years I have concluded a few things. Some of the things these preacher are doing I don't want to do. I must have Jesus as the Christ as the foundation of the church. It cannot be me or some promise that Jesus never made. He never said that everyone would get rich, be healed or become the most successful in his or her field. He never said that giving Him money would make Him love people more or cause Him to give them their wants. Most of Jesus' messages about money warned His followers of its dangers.

There are some things that these charismatic pastors do that I can't do. I may want to do them but I can't. They are able to convince the congregation of the truth through their intellects, through their magnificent deliveries and through their sheer presence. I am not as smart, have tried as hard as I know how to put myself in the hands of Jesus but don't have their deliveries and have nothing in my looks that would draw people to me.

Could it be that some churches are created to reach people but never become mega-churches? It may be their location or they reach people who don't follow the crowds. They baptize one person at a time rather than by the hundreds. They know their members so they rejoice over their victories and grieve over their failings. The people of these churches cannot say they are changed by the pastor. They were changed by the Lord. These people are not swept up in the hype. They put roots of faith down deep. The church misses them when they are gone.

That doesn't mean that I fail to pray for revival. I pray that God will fill our church and all the churches around us. I pray that we will all be purified so that we will reach people without tricks, hype, marketing techniques and charisma. I pray for revival before Jesus returns. I am not sure that His return is far off. I am convinced that I will not bring about revival. I am convinced that only the Holy Spirit will bring that to the churches. I believe it will start in the smaller churches because God does not share His glory with a preacher. I know that no one would point toward me if revival breaks out.

Sometimes God does great things with people whose names never hit the spotlight. I pray that I am one of those people. The Magi were men like this. They gave great gifts to the Savior without anyone ever knowing their names. Yet, nearly every Christmas we talk about them. 

Maybe you have thought that you must do something great for the Lord when all He wanted you to do was join Him in what He is already doing. Maybe your name will never be up in lights. Maybe you could be as great as those who did great things but never demanded anyone know their names.

Matthew 2:11 (NASB 2020) ¹¹ And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

God's Message to You for Today

 May 5, 2024

Sunday

I believe the Bible. I don't just believe in it. I believe it. There is a difference. I can believe in a friend. I can believe he is trustworthy. However, my friend may be misled. Therefore, he may say something that isn't true even though he believes it is. In that case, I don't believe him but I can still believe in him. He is still trustworthy but misled.

The Bible speaks truth. It reveals who is truth. It was God-breathed and contains no errors. However, those who interpret the Bible cannot say the same thing about themselves. Their interpretations are not God-breathed and they may contain error.

Too often, we believe a preacher or theologian as one who is truth. Though they may have spent countless hours studying, their interpretations may still contain error. One error that some have is citing another person above the Bible as truth. In other words, the interpretation from some is considered as true as the Bible. While insight into others interpretations are helpful, they cannot take the place of a personal study of the Bible. That study must include the Spirit's leading in understanding.

Traditions also muddy our understanding of the Bible. Traditions often result in doctrine. Doctrine will read itself into the Scriptures if one is not cautious. In other words, the words of the scripture are translated to meet the doctrine. In some cases, it isn't necessary to make the scriptures comply with doctrine. Many just ignore the scriptures that don't agree with their doctrine.

Today, as we read scripture, we see it as God's message to us for today. That means that God knew that we would read it on this day. He, through the Holy Spirit, has a message for us. It is truth. The truth neither depends upon what others have said or the doctrine that has been developed for it to be truth. The truth may agree with others and doctrine but the others and the doctrine depend upon the Word not the other way around.

For many people this is dangerous territory. It is easy to believe in heresy when the interpretations of others and doctrines are ignored. Surely, they must be considered. We must be sure that it is the Holy Spirit who is leading our interpretation.

When in college, I took a course called "The Bible as Literature." The professor was an Episcopalian priest who left out any mention of understanding the Bible through the Holy Spirit. It was read like any novel. It left no impressions on me. That is not the proper way to handle something as precious as the Bible.

So, we read the Bible today without prejudice. We read it as God's message to us. We read it with the understanding of the Holy Spirit. We read it in prayer for we may not interpret what the Spirit is saying to us. We read it to be changed. We read it with awe. We read it as truth. 

We believe the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB 2020) ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.

What Would You Ask of Jesus?

 May 4, 2024

Saturday

We have lots of fairy tales that give someone a wish. These stories were read to us and we read them for ourselves. It seemed wonderful to think that something could be given just for the wishing. We started asking and kept asking when we got older. Then, we quit.

We shouldn't have quit. We just should have changed who we were asking. God is the one who answers prayers. We should have become more discerning. We can't expect to get things that are against God's will. We can't rob the bank and pray that God will give us a fast getaway car. That would be inconsistent with God's character.

On the other hand, what would you ask of God if He asks?

Luke 18:35–43 (NASB 2020) ³⁵ Now as Jesus was approaching Jericho, a man who was blind was sitting by the road, begging. ³⁶ But when he heard a crowd going by, he began inquiring what this was. ³⁷ They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. ³⁸ And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹ Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁰ And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!”⁴² And Jesus said to him, “Regain your sight; your faith has made you well.” ⁴³ And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Was the question Jesus asked necessary? Shouldn't anyone have known that a blind man would ask to have his sight restored? Maybe, but the blind man expressed his faith in the question. Blind men without faith in Jesus' ability would have asked for something any man could do.  (Mark gives the man the name of Bartimaeus.)  Bartimaeus believed Jesus was more than a man. 

Too often, we may ask Jesus for something that we could have received from any man. We will hold back from asking too much. It seems okay to ask for a new job. We are discouraged from asking for $100k to pay off our house. We desperately cry out for healing from cancer but we do so like we would buy a lottery ticket. It just might win but we have no faith that it will. We might be healed but we have no faith that we will.

So, what would you ask from Jesus if He stood before you and asked? Be careful, whatever you ask will reveal your faith in Him. What would be pleasing to Him and go beyond what any man could do? Don't hold back. Be willing to accept what He gives you. Then, make sure you follow Him.

Today's "To Do" List

 May 3, 2024

Friday

What's on your "To Do" list? If you make one, like I do, you put the things that must be done first. Then, you list what should be done. Last, there is the "nice to do" things follow. Things will go haywire if you get these things out of order. Of course, God can change your plans. Everyone needs to be sensitive to that.

So, what's on the "Must Be Done" list?

1. Acknowledge God by thanking Him for what He has done and honoring Him by praising Him for who He is. Failure to do this step is the root for many to stray away from God. They can't even see Him in creation. They come up with speculations and theories that leave God completely out of every day.

Romans 1:21 (NASB 2020) ²¹ For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

2. Spend time with God in prayer. This has two parts. First, confess any known sin. Remember that if we say that we have no sin that His word is not in us.

1 John 1:9–10 (NASB 2020) ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Second, commit your life on this day without any reservations. Remember that Jesus was committed to His Father's will above saving His own life. That is what we pray when we repeat the Lord's Prayer.

Matthew 6:10 (NASB 2020) ¹⁰ ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

3. Read and meditate on God's word. Many times God's word will help you understand what you are doing. Many times the answers to other prayers are found in God's word. It is essential for you to walk with the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB 2020) ¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

4. Join God in what you see Him doing. This was Jesus method of acting in His Father's will. You, too, need to look at what is happening, note what God is doing and join Him in it. For example, God is bringing divorced people to the church. You look to where you can minister to them. Or, God is pressing you to pray, join Him by inviting others to pray with you.

John 5:19 (NASB 2020) ¹⁹ Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way.

5. Depend on His strength for the day. This includes what you will do with Him and the attacks that you will endure from the evil forces coming against you. Those who say they never see the devil must be traveling along the same path or they would run into him. You need strength to put everything in perspective. You need strength to know that this is not your home. You need strength to walk when you would normally be weary.

Philippians 4:13 (NASB 2020) ¹³ I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Keep this "To Do" list and your days will be His. They might not be easy. They might have many disappointments. They might even see tragedy. But you will know that God is with you and will bring you through whatever you face.

Can I Join Any Church I Like?

 May 2, 2024

Thursday

So, you are looking for a new church. Does God direct you to that church or do you choose one that you like? Are there features that you should look for in a new church?

Of course, you need a church grounded in God's word, the Bible. Otherwise, you are guaranteed to receive heresy. Beyond that, there is only one thing a person walking with the Lord needs to know. Is there a ministry for me in this church?

Too often, church attenders are consumers looking for the best deal. They want to spend their time in a place that pays off. The sermons and music should be uplifting. The ministries should be the best for them and their families. The youth ministry must interest their children. The children's ministry must engage their children. The music should be like a concert that no one can forget. The whole church needs to be cool, too. Only the "in" people should attend the church they attend.

It is this attitude that has squeezed the life out of churches. The churches who are under this pressure do not understand that it is God who builds His church. They are marketing themselves just like the rest of the world because they are not just in the world, they are of the world.

Those who are walking with the Lord must have a ministry that God walks with them through. They need to know that the church that is walking with God will be attacked. They need to know that the church walking with God will be a challenge. They need to know that God may have them in a church that isn't so perfect and it may be filled with genuine sinners who need a savior. They need to know that the church needs them if God has sent them to a church walking with God. The church is a body and every part of the body has a function. They need to know that being a part of the church God has for them will not let them be attenders only. They need to know God expects to use them to grow His church. 

Some of you reading this have a ministry. A ministry means that you go where God tells you to go. God bless you. You are truly walking with the Lord. God is working in you.

Philippians 2:13 (NASB 2020) ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.