Why Do Babies Die of Cancer If God Exists

 September 16, 2024

Monday

People who deny there is a God make some of the most ridiculous arguments. Take for example the "God can't exist because bad things happen" argument. One of the favorite examples of this is: Why do babies die of cancer if God exists? The argument stems from the idea that God must be good by their standard and prevent anything bad from happening. (Many of these same people support abortion, but let's leave that alone for now.) They surmise that the child is completely innocent and does not deserve to die so young. Life is good, then, right?

We say that this is a fallen world. This means that it falls short of God's glory because man invited sin into it. The corruption from this sin permeated all of creation. This does not mean that all of creation is bad. It means that all of creation has been affected by sin. Thus, bad things happen in the world that God created.

God set in motion the physical laws in this world. His interventions in these physical laws are called miracles. They are not the normal operation of the world. The physical laws generally prevail. Yet, even those laws have been corrupted. Bad things happen naturally. They are tragedies brought about by a corrupt world.

On the other hand, there is always a remnant of God's goodness in all of His creation. Thus, most people cry out for justice because mankind was created in the image of God. This means that the values of His character are present in mankind. God is love. Most people want to love and be loved. God is just. Most people want justice for themselves and others. God is giving. Most people who give have found it is more blessed to give than receive. Each of these values have been corrupted to some extent. Thus, we do not always love, want justice or give.

One of the dangers that face people is becoming self-righteous. People declare themselves and their corrupted values to be more righteous than others and their values. Some people will even determine themselves to be more righteous than God. Therefore, they can claim that He is not good because He didn't stop all the bad things from happening. If they had the power, they certainly would have. The question they should be asking is: Why are they still alive if a holy God exists? They have never seen themselves as fallen and a part of the evil that goes on in the world.

This is, also, a misunderstanding of holiness altogether. There is no such thing as "holier than thou." Holiness is a complete condition. It is completely separated from sin and evil. People can be better in their actions than others but they cannot be holy in their actions. We have all needed a Savior to pay the price for our sins to attain holiness. It does not stem from our actions but in the sacrifice from Christ. A person who believes in his own self-righteousness is determining his righteousness by his own understanding of righteousness. Thus, nothing is ever better that what a person has experienced for himself. I can only be self-righteous if I have never experienced anything better than my own self-righteousness.

Finally, the argument also presupposes that the questioner knows everything. (I suppose we can blame Google for this.) A simplistic example of this is in the child who has broken his arm. Setting the bone will be painful. The child can only see than an adult is hurting him. That must be bad. The moment determines the reasonableness and morality of the action. While I cannot think of any good coming from a child dying from cancer, I also must admit that I cannot truly see the big picture. I depend upon the values in God's character even in these tragedies. I know He loves that child. I know He carries that child into His arms. Yet, the pain the parents experience at the point of losing the child cannot be translated into words. I pray that they are reunited in heaven someday. Then, the joy can exceed the pain.

God Is Calling

September 15, 2024

Sunday

God seeks people who will proclaim Him. He seeks those who will bring others to Christ. He sees them not as we see them. He sees them in their futures. He sees their obedience. He sees their sufferings for Him. That is not how many see those who proclaim Christ. They see them as privileged. They see them with an easy life. Maybe that's why surveys reveal that 70% of preachers would do something else if they had something else they could do. 

When Christ confronted Saul (Paul) on the Damascus Road, He already knew what Saul would do. He already knew the impact that Saul would have. He already knew how much he needed to suffer. Saul, later called Paul, could not have known that. He is left blind for three days in which he neither ate nor drank. He was waiting for Ananias to lay hands on him. Why three days? Maybe that is the amount of time that Paul needed to be convinced that he wasn't making this up. He really did encounter the risen Christ.

God created a great testimony in Paul. He was breathing threats and was infamously known as an opposer of Christ. He was a real threat to Christianity. But instead of simply snuffing out Paul's life, Christ confronts him. He does so because Paul didn't do things halfway. When Paul believed, he would do something with it even if it cost him his life. 

Most of us might say that God needed Paul but the One who can make a donkey talk doesn't need any of us to do His work. Paul needed to become an apostle for Paul's sake. As hard as Paul's life would become, his conversion and calling to preach the gospel was God's grace to him. Yes, even the suffering is God's grace.

I suspect that Paul did not know the impact that he was having during his lifetime. He might have seen himself as being forgotten except for the letters that he wrote. Yet, his impact continues to grow each time the Bible is read. His recorded testimony says that God comes for us. He does so out of His love. He gives us His grace. Let's just read Paul's salvation story. What does his story mean for us? God is calling.Acts 9:1–20 (NASB 2020)

¹ Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, ² and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; ⁴ and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, ⁶ but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.” ⁷ The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰ Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem; ¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.” ¹⁷ So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like fishscales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were in Damascus, ²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

A Man in Christ

September 14, 2024

Saturday

Salvation has always been a mystery for me. I know that I needed it but I don’t really know how I got it. I know that saying a prayer by itself is not salvation. Lots of people are scared of going to hell and will repeat that prayer. They believe that saying it will keep them out of hell. They have neither repented nor committed their lives to the Lord. They feel better and may get baptized and attend church for a while. It is soon evident that they do not possess the Holy Spirit. Nothing changes. They simply say that they are going to heaven now even though they are on the same road they have always been on.

Paul has been keen to say that a believer is in Christ. He further tells us that we are so united with Christ that our baptism baptizes us into His death. That baptism must be the Spirit for water is just water. It symbolizes a new life but it is not the new life. So that salvation involves a baptism in the Spirit that unites us with Christ’s death. Understanding this is not necessary. Having this happen is absolutely necessary.

We often say that children have not come to an age of understanding and therefore cannot be saved before that happens. If that is the case, I could not be saved even now for I don’t really understand how this happens. I am united with Christ. I have been crucified with Christ. I am baptized into His death. I know it to be true. I know that I am united with Christ in all these things. I just don’t know how it happens.

My understanding is that faith causes a change in a person. Faith is more than being convinced that something is true. All of us know many things as true but we never act on them. We know that too much salt is bad for us. We know that exercise is good for us. We know that we should not sin. Unfortunately, some are better than others but no one is perfect. As believers we must be agreeable with God in our transformation but we cannot say we caused it. It comes from the Holy Spirit living in us. It comes from uniting with Christ. 

This morning I prayed about this. The Lord led me in my understanding of what some people are experiencing. There is a difference between seeing pictures or videos and actually going to a place. I have been to Israel five times. I cannot say that any virtual tour has ever been close to walking where Jesus walked. A virtual presence is an absolute absence. Sure, everyone can see what there is in Israel on a virtual tour. But being there is like uniting with the place. It is more than emotional. It is truly experiential. That is like the difference between a faith in Christ that believes that He is the Son of God and one that unites with Him that knows Him intimately. Some are just on a virtual tour. Others are there with Him.

Romans 6:3–6 (NASB 2020)

³ Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

Do You Have a Godly Preacher?

 September 13, 2024

Friday

What should be the prevailing characteristic of a godly preacher. Of this there is no doubt. A 

godly preacher or any truly godly person should exhibit humility. It should be one of the first characteristics noticed. It will and should stand out among so many who are full of pride. So, why do I say that humility should be the most prevailing characteristic of the godly preacher or person?

There is n o way to walk with God in pride. God demands humility from those who walk with Him. He will not share His glory with others.

It takes humility to confess sins. Each of us must know that we are more than capable of sin. We continue to commit sins. Humility places our lives next to holiness. Sin glares back. There is no self-righteousness. There is guilt from the sin we have committed that grieved the Holy Spirit. There is recognition that there is a separation between us and God for He will not walk with us in our sin. So, in our great need, we confess and repent. We admit that we acted apart from God. We know we left Him. Restoration emphasizes our humility. We are humbled byGod’s grace in returning us into His presence.

It takes humility to obey. Obedience always cost something. It may cost people around you too. So, we give up time, money and even our own desires to follow the Lord in obedience. Each one of these things may seem essential before we obey. But the obedience becomes a blessing. Full obedience requires extreme humility.

It takes humility to love others like Jesus loves them. “Greater love has no man than to give his life for another,” Jesus said. Jesus told us that we are to love others as He loved them. I am sure that you can connect the dots. But we are to love others to the point that we will lay down our lives for them. This can only be done with humility.

It takes humility to worship the Lord. No one can serve two masters. You and God can’t be master at the same time. Worship is declaring that God receives the glory and honor. It declares that no one else is worthy of it. It is more than saying the words. It is living the life after the words have been said. Life must be a worship to the Lord if the person seeks to walk with the Lord.

It takes humility to wait upon God. Most of us hate waiting. We want to make something happen. Waiting on the Lord humbles us because we can’t make things happen. God acts when God pleases. God acts at the proper time. God acts with His strength. Waiting on Him reminds us that we can’t make a god-sized thing happen on our own. Waiting on Him reminds us that these acts cannot be done as we please. Waiting on Him makes joining Him in His work make sense. We see His power and give Him the glory.

Self claimed success is the enemy of humility. It doesn’t matter how good it looks or how many people say that the person is godly when there is no humility. The Church will never have humility with proud preachers. She will never be the proper Bride of Christ either.

So, if you want to know if you have a godly preacher, ask others what they think is his overwhelming characteristic. Of course, you might ask others that about yourself while you are at it.

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

He has told you, O man what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to humble walk with your God. Micah 6:8

The Good and Bad News of the Gospel

 September 13, 2024

Friday

What is the gospel? It is good news. Yet, it is also bad news. The gospel tells us that each and every one of us has earned a place in hell. It tells us that we are eternally doomed without forgiveness. The gospel tells us that everyone is already condemned to hell without saving faith. It tells us that this is a place of eternal torment. It tells us that everyone is separated from God without Jesus. It tells us that Jesus came to Earth, lived among people, taught, healed and was sacrificed for our sins. The gospel  tells us that saving faith will unite us with Him so that His payment for sin becomes ours. The gospel tells us that saving faith is faith that changes us. We become a new creation. We are inhabited by the Holy Spirit.

The gospel is truly a mixture of good and bad news. There would be no need for the good news if there was no bad news. So, why are preachers telling only the good news without the bad? Without the bad news, there is no compelling reason to come to Jesus for salvation. Instead of Jesus healing our wounds, He has become more like a vitamin that makes us feel better. The Christian advantage becomes what we have on Earth without anything eternal being discussed.

A partial gospel is no gospel at all. The common sentiment today is that all people are good. The gospel says that all people are sinners. People want to believe they can absolved their own sins. The gospel says that Jesus paid for those sins without and help from us. Many preachers seem to be preaching what people want to believe. They tell the people how good they are. They tell people that by continuing to do good they will have salvation. Their mantra is that by believing in their own goodness the they will have salvation salvation. They stay away from the bad news and call it the good news.  But it isn't, not according to the gospel.

Romans 6:23 (NASB 2020)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The P's Are Keeping Us from God's Revival

 September 12, 2024

Thursday

This morning I was riding my bicycle to work very early (4:50 AM). I often speak to the Lord as I ride. There aren't that many people on the road and it is dark. I asked the Lord why we weren't seeing Him work in a mighty way. (Those aren't the words I used, but they do convey my question.) He told me that it is because we trust in our P's. If that won't get a follow up question; I don't know what will.

The first P is programs. We create elaborate programs that will revolutionize our churches. Surely, this will bring the people in. Surely, we will be looking for chairs to seat everyone after this program. We take that program to God and ask Him to bless it. He says, "O, that is a beautiful pie. I haven't seen a more beautiful pie, but it is a mud pie and I'm not going to eat it." But that doesn't stop us. We start the program and may even keep it even though we know it is just a creation of man.

The second P is preachers. Churches are depending upon their preachers to bring their churches to prosperity. They just need a young guy with incredible charisma who will wow the populace so greatly that they can't help but leave their churches and come to their church with the new preacher. If these preachers are successful, the people make him into an idol. God has always been in the business of tearing down idols. (Just ask Elijah.) They fall and the churches are devastated. The world laughs.

The third P is people. Churches sell their properties and move to a community that is being built. It's even better if they can get their church in place before the community is built. Churches are starting new franchises in areas that will take people away from other churches. It's all about the number of people who come. They wait until they have a critical number in attendance to convince those new people that they are not fools for coming to their new church. Attendance grows.  A mighty work of God is declared at that moment. 

The fourth P is purity. Many churches are declaring that they are pure. They have doctrinal purity. Thus, there is a plethora of Youtube channels that are pointing out the churches that are impure. Of course, they mix the truth with the lies. That is the only way to get people to believe a lie. You must tell them the truth first. Some groups are resorting to excommunication of churches who won't comply with their doctrinal purity. Remember, the Pharisees tried that and missed who Jesus was altogether. They thought they got rid of Him too.

Can God use each of these things for His kingdom? Absolutely! But they will not be created by man and empowered by man. He will need to be the author, builder and sustainer if it is of Him. God must be at the center. We must join Him where He is. We must trust in Him. Otherwise, we will only have the opportunity to try to do what God desires. 

Isaiah 31:1 (NASB) ¹  Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

Coming into God's Presence

 September 11, 2024

Wednesday

Years ago I conducted a meeting with the leadership of a Single Adult Council in a church where I was the Singles Minister. I proposed something that would undoubtedly bring singles closer to God. Of course, they would need to alter what they were doing. To me, the payoff for a closer relationship with God far outweighed the output. One of the more cynical people on the Council huffed, "You act like they want to do that!" He was right. I was assuming that most people whether or not they were single would want the things that I wanted. I wanted a closer relationship with God.  I have found that most people don't.

After Moses delivers the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, they are invited to come closer to God but they refused to go.

Exodus 20:18–21 (NASB 2020) ¹⁸ And all the people were watching and hearing the thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. ¹⁹ Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak to us, or we will die!” ²⁰ However, Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you will not sin.” ²¹ So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Would God have invited them closer just to kill them? I don't think so. I know something about coming closer to God, though. You can't just run into His presence without expecting to be significantly changed. It is far easier to let a preacher speak to God. Then, you can decide if you will obey. Getting that close and telling God no would have been a very dangerous act.

It appears that people want to get close enough for the benefits but not so close that it will cost them something. The rich young ruler was an example of this. He was willing to follow Jesus as long as he didn't need to give up his money. Getting closer to God means giving up some earthly love. In some cases, people become missionaries and rarely see their parents. In some cases, people live in obscurity serving the Lord. In some cases, they serve the Lord and lose their lives. Yes, getting truly close to God will cost some earthly treasure.

When Peter was said to have "little faith" I wondered about the rest of the disciples. He was the one who asked Jesus' to command him to walk on the water. The other disciples stayed in the boat. If Peter had only little faith what did the other disciples have? 

No one can honestly call Jesus Lord while clinging to something on this earth. What we will give up determines how close we will come to the Lord. We sing "I Surrender All" but most do not mean it. They think faith is something that doesn't change the way they live in this world. They don't realize that if what you have doesn't change how you live in this world, it isn't faith.

Today, I decided for the nth number of times that nothing will get between me and Jesus. I'll bet a bunch of you will decide that too. You will be rare, but you will also truly know what it is to come into the presence of an awesome God.

What Does a Christian Do When All Hope Is Lost?

 September 10, 2024

Tuesday

We all face difficult periods in our lives. Some of these may be severe. Good people have bad things happen to them as much as bad people. They get divorced, get terminal diseases, lose their jobs, have their houses repossessed, can't find a job, fail their tests, and live their lives in loneliness. Some very good people might tell you that their prayers go unanswered. In fact, they might tell you that they think they are talking to the walls when they pray. Sooner or later, many of them will lose hope. Even Christians can fall into this trap.

The problem is that people are hoping for things to happen instead of hoping in Someone. Sure, they pray but their hope isn't in whom is being prayed to but what is being prayed for. Thus, they wait for the supply instead of upon the One who can change everything. It just might be that the thing being prayed for isn't actually needed.

Let's take a terminal disease, for example. I had a friend who had liver cancer. He knew that he would die. I suppose we all know we will die someday but his death was more immanent. His first hope was not for healing but in the One who held life and death in His hands. My friend's greatest need was for grace to run the race to the end. He did with an amazing witness in his life for the Lord. His funeral service was packed with young people with whom he had a tremendous impact. The service was over three hours long because these young people wanted to tell what a difference he had made. Sure, there were lots of tears but heaven celebrated his entry. According to the Bible, he received his crown of righteousness. 

Most people can't identify with that because they aren't hoping in God. They are hoping in something they believe they need. They will live in anxiety while my friend didn't show any. He never lost hope because he hoped in God. God was faithful and strengthened him until the week he died. In fact, he appeared to be in good health until the Tuesday before he died on Saturday. 

Most people will worry before they will hope in God. Worry pays a debt that hasn't been made yet. Worry steals the joy and peace from our lives. Worry makes a bad situation much worse. On the other hand,  hoping in God never runs out of hope. It brings joy and peace. The Holy Spirit empowers that hope.

When we lose hope, we should realize that we aren't as close to God as we thought. If we were, we would know that nothing comes into our lives that He didn't allow. And if He allowed it, He's got this. The best thing we can do is draw as close to God as we can. He is the God of hope. He is the God who seeks our joy and peace.

Some will think this is too simplistic. They want something more complicated that gives them a revelation that will make their crises go away. But remember the line in Psalm 23, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." It doesn't say that God takes us out of that place. It says that God's rod and staff give comfort.

Too often, we are like Peter getting out of the boat on his way to Jesus. He walks on water until he starts seeing the wind and the waves. He focuses on his problems instead of focusing on Jesus. Of course, he sinks. We all do when we take our eyes off the Lord.

Know that God does not want you living a hopeless life. Know that He will empower you with hope if you will go to Him. Even now, you can go to Him. You can pray until you know you are in His presence. How will you know? You will receive joy and peace.

Romans 15:13 (NASB) ¹³  Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Are the Lights On?

 September 9, 2024

Monday

It is easy to surmise that the world is committing more sins than at any other time. That may not be true. The world likes darkness rather than light. Light shines upon everyone’s works exposing them for what they are. Christians lived lives that reflected the light of Jesus which exposed evil. Therefore, like rats will scurry when the lights are on, the world hid its evil. It was still there; it just wasn’t as public as it is today.

It is also just as easy to assume that the world is more opposed to Christians and Christ than at any other time. After all, the Paris Olympics began with what many say is a parody of the Last Supper. (If it wasn’t a parody, the Paris committee who approved this opening ceremony didn’t try to prevent it from being interpreted as such. It reminds me of the child who says no one told him not to when he knew full well that he should do whatever it was he did.) Thus, people openly ridicule, denigrate, curse and blaspheme Jesus. However, this is exactly what happened in the New Testament. The soldiers who crucified Jesus ridiculed Him. They spat on Him and hit Him. They treated Him like the religious leaders of the day in looking down on Him. They thought, as the world does today, that the world will be better off without Him.

So, the world is exposing itself for what it really would like to do. Thus, the need for Christ is as vital as it ever was. The Church fell asleep while the world complied with what it wanted. Now, the world is saying that it has no need of the Church, Christians, or Christ. It has said that before. The Church rose up with the testimony of the reality of Christ. Many in the world gave their lives to and for Christ. The world was turned upside down.

Will the Church meet the call again? Many are just hoping for Christ to return so that they won’t need to stand up for Christ. In fact, most Christians seem to be seated right now. They seem to be glad they are going to heaven. The rest of the world can go to hell.

Before we condemn the world or just allow the world to be condemned, we should ask ourselves how we have shined the light of Christ in the world today. Who did we tell our salvation story to? Who did we encourage to live for Christ? Are we living in a way that reflects the love of Christ?

Yes, Jesus may return before the world will turn around. That isn’t the point. If Jesus comes today, how will He see you shining His light? 

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV) ¹³  “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. ¹⁴  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Too Busy to Attend Church

 September 8, 2024

Monday

I realize that we do not need to be legalists. I realize that missing church once in a while is no great sin. But I also realize that our relationship with the Bride of Christ, the Church, is a relationship with the Lord. It amazes me that when something comes up, attendance at church almost always takes the back seat. I just don't think that would be true if we were talking about a person's work. Work would take precedence over these other things. Of course, something that is really important would require vacation time. That means that this would be more important than work. I get that. I just wonder why just about everything is more important than church attendance.

Company is coming in town next weekend so people stay at home and miss church this weekend to get their homes ready. Of course, they are out next week too. Surgery is performed and the whole family stays away from church for six weeks even though they continue to go everywhere else. People I see in restaurants or out shopping are somehow to weak to be in church. They will go to the movies but claim they just can't sit an hour in church. Unfortunately, lots of church members buy these excuses because they will need to use them someday.

Let's be honest: God just isn't that important to them. They will be back at church as soon as they need Him. They will call as soon as they have a crisis. They will be on their knees when they claimed they couldn't walk in the church before. Does anyone believe that God is okay with this?

Why would people act this way toward God?

Many of them do not know the Lord. They are depending upon a work that they have done to get them into heaven. They may have said the prayer of salvation. They may have been baptized. They have attended church infrequently. They may even have a bumper sticker. But they truly do not have saving faith. Saving faith compels the person to walk with the Lord. Sure people can resist but God continues to work through the Holy Spirit to bring them home. These people will not go home because their home is not with God.

Some people are passively running from the Lord. They are continuing to make excuses why they can't be that committed to the church and to the Lord. They actually believe their own excuses. They just want to be like the majoring of other people who are exactly like them. Truthfully, they don't think that God notices that they aren't close to Him.

Some people actually believe they have done everything necessary to get all the rewards of heaven. They do not know that they could be building up rewards in heaven. They think that they will get everything everyone else will get because they are Christians. Unfortunately, many of them will not wake up until they stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

Some people have never grown as Christians. They are exactly what they were when they became Christians. They looked around, determined that the committed were weird and just went along with everyone else. Thus, they act like everyone else.

We all have a responsibility to the Lord. We all have a responsibility to each other. We can't neglect meeting together. We can't continue giving God some place way down on our todo lists. He is central to our lives or He isn't. And that, with other things, will be reflected by how we treat Him. He invites you to join Him in church this next week. Will you go? Or are you too busy with something else?

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) ²⁴  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

Prayer Reveals Our Faith

 September 7, 2024

Saturday

I have a weird mind. When something pops into it, I must investigate that something. This morning, I reflected on a parable that I have blogged about in the past. Something clicked in my spirit to re-examine what Jesus taught. Here is the parable:

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV) ¹  And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. ²  He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. ³  And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴  For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, ⁵  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” ⁶  And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. ⁷  And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? ⁸  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The purpose of this parable is stated: people ought to always pray and not lose heart. But at the conclusion of the parable Jesus asks: When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? My conclusion was: Persistent prayer comes from true faith. That is contrary to the actions of many Christians. Many would say: Real worry follows challenges to faith.

Many churches either have an elected group or a congregational meeting to decide issues at their churches. Most of them will give a financial report. It seems that none of them have prayed for their daily bread. They want enough money in the bank so that they don't need to pray at all. If there is sufficient funds, they want more. If the funds are sinking they say that they will "tighten their belts." When has anyone stopped and said, "This is a matter of prayer. Let's pray right now!" Faith in God recognizes that He is the One who will provide. If not, the church is depending upon marketing.

God is a just God. God answers prayers. He will provide when we follow Him. Acting on these statements reveals our faith. 

So, I ask a little different question. "When the Son of Man comes will He find faith in the church?" I believe this is the crux of the matter. Will He? Of course, this must start somewhere. How about you and me?

Potential vs. Purpose

 September 6, 2024

Friday

I heard a preacher (on Youtube) say that Jesus did not live up to His potential. He claimed that Jesus could have been the ruler of Israel. He could have conquered the Romans. He could have been the supreme emperor of the world. I believe this young man does not understand what potential means.

Potential must be tied with purpose to understand potential. Potential without purpose gives no means of measuring potential. Case in point: Since 1775 with the American Revolution over a million Americans have died in wars. Since 1913 with the mass production of Henry Ford's automobile over 3.5 million Americans have died in automobile crashes. Was the potential of the automobile the ability to kill over three times the Americans as war? I don't think that is in the minds of those who build autos. Thus, the real potential of the auto is to get the maximum number of people from point A to point B quickly. It is not to kill as many people along the way as possible. (Though that seems to be the way some people drive!)

When I hear the story of someone who failed but had the potential to be one of the best, I realize that this person did not set that purpose in his mind. Without purpose, potential is like a guitar that sits in the corner of the room that is never played. It could have made great music but it doesn't because no one with purpose plays it.

What was Jesus' purpose?

John 3:17 (ESV) ¹⁷  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Jesus came to give us salvation. He didn't come to be a military ruler. He did not come to personally reform society. He did not come to be the greatest show on earth. He came to show us that we can have salvation by believing He is the Son of God who gave His life for us. That faith would infect our lives to change the world. He gave us purpose. He succeeded. 

That is why Jesus would say on the cross:

John 19:30 (ESV) ³⁰  When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Potential without purpose is never finished. There is always something else to do. Jesus could say it was finished because what He did is finished then and it is still finished. There is not one thing more He needed to do.

We must also discover our purpose. It may have very little to do with our own perceived potential. Moses couldn't see himself as one who would lead God's people out of Egypt. Gideon couldn't see himself as one who would defeat the Midianites. Purpose trumps potential. 

I saw a commercial recently about a father whose son was great at motocross racing. He said that his son had found his purpose. I have to tell him but his purpose will most likely die before he will. I heard an All-American football player say that his god died on a football field in Arkansas. He said he watched as the clock ticked down. His playing days were over. There are three things that will last forever. God's word, other people and ourselves will last forever . Our purpose is always in those three things or our god will die. If we do not invest in these, potential will matter because we will not have fulfilled our purpose. 

So, go to God to find your purpose. Then, live up to that purpose for that is your potential. No other measurement gives an accurate measurement of your potential.

What Is Saving Faith?

 September 5, 2024

Thursday

Sometimes you find things that you aren't looking for. While cleaning out the utility room I found my wife's aqua-size gloves. I wasn't looking for them but she was grateful that I found them anyway. So, I am doing a message on hope and got into the scripture found in Romans 5:3-4. It has a phrase that made me look further (the phrase was "not only that"). The previous two verses (Romans 5: 1-2) has a "therefore" at the beginning. Therefore, I had to see what it was "there for." I went all the way back to Romans 4: 13:

Romans 4:13-14 (ESV) ¹³  For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴  For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

This caught my attention Faith is of no use if people can do it themselves. Promises are worthless if you can do it yourself. Of course, I was thinking of salvation and that made sense. But that's not all:

Romans 4:18-22 (ESV) ¹⁸  In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹  He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰  No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹  fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²²  That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

Abraham acted in faith when he could see no circumstantial means of accomplishing the promise. His faith was counted to him as righteousness because it was a faith that included action that would reveal what he truly believed.

For a long time I have declared (as if I had the ability to declare) that anyone who believed in Jesus would go to heaven. I have acted like that acknowledgement is the same as agreeing that 2 + 2 =4. That just isn't the case. The faith that the Bible speaks of with regard to salvation and righteousness is one that lives beyond the original acquiescence of faith. It is lived out or there is no salvation. There cannot be a salvation that has no faith that is lived out. This is why James would say:

James 2:17 (ESV) ¹⁷  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

The faith for salvation must have a life that lives out that faith. In other words, there is no declaration of righteousness without faith being lived out. No, we do not earn our salvation but saved people will prove their faith by their works.

Fish don't swim to be fish. They swim because they are fish. The saved do not work to be saved. They work because they are saved. 

This changes my definition of saving faith. It will result in obedience to the Lord. This is true even for the thief on the cross next to Jesus. He testified of Jesus on the cross. It wasn't the amount of work that he did. It was the fact that his faith worked in him.

So, I start with a person who has declared that Jesus is their Lord and Savior but realize that true faith will result in obedience or Jesus is neither Lord nor Savior.

Did your salvation experience change you? If not, isn't it time to plunge yourself into a faith that does?  

Disciplining the Body

 September 4, 2024

Wednesday

Someone comes to church and publicly comes forward saying that he or she wants to repent of what has been done in the past and wants to fully commit to following Christ. Great, huh?

The question is not whether they are serious or whether they are sincere. The question is whether or not he or she will be able to keep that commitment. Most don't.

Consistency is the hardest part of a commitment to Christ. Sure, we do not lose our salvation but our intimate relationship with Him erodes as we slowly forget our commitments. We get too busy to have a quiet time. We have an unexpected bill and don't tithe. We are distracted by what we are doing so that we don't share Christ with anyone. We miss church attendance one week this month, two weeks next month and only make it one Sunday a month for the next six. Even when we remain consistent with our church attendance our relationship with the Lord slowly cools. We become "Sunday only" Christians. Let's face it: this is the bane of our Christian faith. We must be more consistent.

The Apostle Paul would write:

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 (ESV) ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Paul knows that he could lose the rewards that are stored up for him if he is not consistent in his faith. He doesn't want to be disqualified from these rewards. He, therefore, focuses on what he must do. He disciplines his body because it is with his body that he acts. If he is to have a quiet time, he will do so with his body. If he is to witness, tithe or do anything else with the Lord, he will do so with his body. It will be his body that neglects to do what he should. Note that this can happen even after preaching that others ought to live for Christ. Knowing what to do isn't the problem. Doing what we need to do consistently is the problem. 

When God spoke to Cain, He said:

Genesis 4:7 (ESV) ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Sin is always crouching at the door. We should be well aware of this. So, what do we do?

We make it a point of having tomorrow's quiet time the day before. We prepare by going to sleep when we should so that we can get up early enough to have the quiet time. Organize your day at the end of the quiet time. Don't wait to do this later or it will slip away from you. Make sure that you act on your plans. Though you won't lose your salvation if you fail, make sure that you repent if you do fail. Start again, and keep it up.

Nearly everyone who reads this knows that we all have a tendency to wander. Let's do our best for our Lord.

Husbands, Step up to the Plate

 September 3, 2024

Tuesday

There was a time when Dad was the law of the land. Today, he is no longer in the land of the law.

(Legalism is keeping the law to attain righteousness. We can never do that. We can however be obedient to the Scriptures and walk with the Lord is a close relationship. Keeping the Word of God is only legalism when it is used to establish our own righteousness. It will neither save us or give us a close relationship with God by itself.)

The Scripture points out that the husband is to be the spiritual leader in the home. No matter how egalitarian I can be about allowing women to preach, I cannot get around this clear teaching from Scripture.

Ephesians 5:22–24 (NASB 2020)²² Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

Many Christian men seem to sitting in the backseat letting their wives drive the spiritual car. They do not take the lead in teaching nor in deciding what other spiritual instruction should come beyond the home. The wives are often telling their husbands where to go to church. The husbands use whatever excuse they can muster to get out of going each week. The result is a family who learns that spiritual leadership comes from mom. The daughters are taught by example that they should lead their incompetent husbands. The sons learn that they are to submit to everything their wives say. They, too, try to get out of going to church.

Of course, this doesn't end here. There are some families who are allowing their perceived needs of their children to lead. They will take their children out of church to attend sporting events. Dads, again aren't taking spiritual leadership. They are teaching that God will always wait if we don't want to meet with Him. Here, the children learn they can find a new excuse for avoiding church. Here, they might even convince their parents that they don't want to go to church unless they are the center of attention or with the most elite kids. They will decide not only when the parents go to church but which church they will go to. That is not spiritual leadership coming from the dad.

Ephesians 6:4 (NASB 2020) ⁴ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Surely, a father can so rule over his children that he angers them. Fathers instead are to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. It means more than how much the father knows. It is how the father acts toward his children. It is how he teaches them by example It is how he leads them rather than follows them.

In many homes, mom decides where children go to church. She responds to the perceived attractiveness of the church she chooses. Often, whether the church has a safe preschool, an engaging children's ministry and an exciting youth program becomes the center of her attention. She does this for her children. It would be somewhat odd if she didn't. On the other hand, she may ignore the preaching of God's word, excusing herself with the idea that this happens at all churches. This is where fathers must use spiritual discernment. It may be that they church they attend will have all these things that their children want and preach the Word of God faithfully. The problem is that this isn't how it was chosen. God's Word was not the focus.

So, Dads, step up to the plate. Take your place as the spiritual leader of your family. Use discernment, show extreme love and lead your families to spiritual maturity. It is your responsibility and privilege. 

Trusting in God

 September 2, 2024

Monday

It seems like mega-church pastors are falling everywhere. Of course, they are just the ones that make the news. They often founded the churches. They were the only pastor that many of their people who have ever known. Mega-church pastors must be careful that they don't develop or foster a cult-like presence in their churches.

Not all of the churches dealt with the failures of their pastors correctly. Some tried to cover up these pastors' transgressions. Why would they do that?

Often, people think that they can't take action against others because they are sinners, too. The reasoning is that they see themselves as sinners judging sinners. But that isn't how judgment should work. Surely, people who have committed the exact same sin shouldn't be judging others of that sin. But when it comes to those inside the church: 

1 Corinthians 5:12 (ESV) ¹²  For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 

So, saying that no one can judge others doesn't hold water in the church. 

Another reason that people may have covered up these pastors' sin is that they loved them, almost worshiped them and could not see the church continuing without them. Truthfully, they believed the future of the church was contingent upon their pastor continuing at the helm. We should never trust God's work to be done by people.

Wait, you say, are you saying that we should not trust people? No, absolutely not! I am saying that God's work is done through people often but is not dependent upon people. God used a donkey to speak in the Bible. He is not opposed to using one in the church today.

Depending on the confidence, the looks, the charisma or the leadership abilities of a person is dangerous when we are doing God's work. Every last person has feet of clay. Every last person is susceptible to falling for physical pleasures, money and pride. Those who operate apart from God's Spirit are even more susceptible. They should be covered in prayer and held accountable by someone who is walking with the Lord and accountable to someone else. Many of these pastors have no board that can observe their behavior. Many of them are miles down the road of sin before anyone notices.

The problem is that those who knew the failures of their pastors and covered up their sins have placed these pastors in the place of God. They depended on these pastors instead of depending upon the Lord. This is a problem that is common in most churches.

There have been times in the life of many churches that a one-time large gift comes in. Those in the finance committee will quickly exclaim, "We can't depend of a gift like that. It won't happen next year." They do so because they are afraid that the church will start operating apart from what they think the members will give in the next year. In other words, they are afraid the church will do what God says rather than what can be easily raised. In this case, they are not depending on God to move in the hearts of others who might give a big gift the very next year. They see this as the decision of the individual without God's prompting and working in that person's life to give the gift. They simply aren't trusting in the Lord.

That is why there is so much anxiety among Christians. We are trusting in someone or something other than the Lord. And that is why we are also so disappointed. 

Recently, a guy told me he believe God wanted him to work at a job that was going to pay him much less than he has made in the past. I told him that he had to do what God wanted him to do. It would be God's responsibility to supply his needs if he is obedient to God. Most people don't want to live like this. They would rather depend on someone or something other than God.

Psalm 20:7 (ESV) ⁷  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.