If I Were the Devil

If I were the devil I’d get pastors to build big buildings for Sunday services and teach nice things about a nice God. I’d make sure they avoided the dangerous God of the Bible. I’d get them to preach a whole lot about the patience and kindness of Yahweh and leave out His holiness and justice. I’d have them preach a one-sided message about a one-sided God instead of the full counsel of who He is.
If I were the devil I’d raise up an army of televangelists to preach a false message of "God wants you to be rich" while much of the world dies of famine and starvation. I’d get them to empty the bank accounts of bent, old widows and blue collar Joe’s to finance their Lexus-driving, $3,000 suit wearing, mansion-dwelling lifestyle of "holy" hedonism. I’d help them cloak their message of greed with a "whatever you donate to this ministry will be multiplied one hundred fold in your own bank account" giving promise.
If I were the devil I’d get evangelists to preach a gospel that sounds like the gospel but is really no gospel at all. I’d get them to make the sinner "say a prayer" whether he or she truly understands and embraces the gospel or not. I’d get them to preach anything and everything but faith alone in Christ alone for the salvation of their souls. I’d empty a great word like "repent" of its true meaning and fill it with the filthy rags of good deeds cloaked as the gospel of grace. I’d deceive evangelists into evangelizing with a self-centered gospel that focuses more on what the sinner does than on what Christ has done.
If I were the devil I’d get youth leaders to teach more devotionally and less theologically. I’d convince them that theology was not relevant to the everyday life of the average teenager. I’d challenge them to give safe talks about safe things, things that teenagers related to, enjoyed and understood. I’d encourage them to avoid complex theology like the Trinity, the inerrancy of Scripture, justification by faith and the like so that they "don’t lose" their teenagers. Instead I’d motivate youth leaders to serve McNuggets of truth, deep fried in fun and dipped in sweet sauce so that their kids don’t get bored.
If I were the devil I’d get good teenagers to do plenty of good things. I’d get them to build houses for the needy, give food to the poor and reach out to the hurting.  I’d encourage them to do all of these things in the name of Jesus but without ever actually sharing the gospel message to those they serve. I’d motivate them to "hack at the leaves of evil" but leave the root of evil intact. I’d convince these teenagers that preaching the gospel was action and service alone. I’d paint a picture of Jesus that only served the poor’s physical needs and leave out his drive to fulfill their deeper, bigger, spiritual needs.
If I were the devil I’d attack the writer of these words with his own inadequacies. I’d remind him of every time he has messed up and failed. I’d show him his own hypocrisy. I’d convince him that he had no right to write such judgmental words. I’d challenge him to take the kinder, gentler course of typing safe, funny things. If that didn’t work I’d convince him that he is somehow better than the money-grubbing TV preacher,  the soft-pedaling evangelist, or the fastfood youth leader.

But I’m not the devil. Satan is. And he doesn’t need any help. He is already doing a very good job at being evil. Don’t you think?

But how much greater is Christ! The Savior has already come. "It is finished." The battle was won on the cross. Satan is doomed. Because of the cross, we have victory in Christ.

So friends, we are called to repent and believe. To take up our own crosses daily and follow after Him. The call is tough, but the eternal reward is well worth the temporary pain.

Mr. Potato Head God

A few weeks ago or so, I perused an article in a Christian magazine that ticked me off. The writer of the piece spewed fightin’ words to all things evangelical. He regurgitated a barf bag full of of his frustrations with some of the core realities of God’s Word firmly held by die-hard Christians for almost 2,000 years. I had the feeling there was a lot more gurgling in his "stomach" ready to come up and out, but he held back (probably out of PR reasons…after all the slow reveal of heresy is much less shocking than a full on coming out party).
After reading his rant I started thinking about other articles, books and blogs that I have read, perused or sampled in the last few years. It seems to me that basic Christian beliefs are falling on hard times in many Christian circles today. The trend setting hip Christians (isn’t that an oxymoron?) are too cool for school, the old school of theological accountability. Many feel that they’ve earned a "get out of jail free card" when it comes to being true in their faith because of their biting intellect and bad experiences with the evangelical church.
Whatever.
As founding member of The Guild of Guys With Lower IQs Who Happen To Believe What The Bible Says Because It Says It, I live in a simpler world. If the Bible says it then I believe it. Now does that mean that I understand everything the Bible is talking about? Nope. I struggle everyday to understand it more. But there are some core truths that are impossible to dispute if you take the Word seriously. Among these are salvation by faith alone, Christ being the only way into heaven, the Trinity, the inerrancy of Scripture, the return of Christ and the deity of Jesus. By the way, these are the basic teachings that the Church has been hammering out as essentials for the last two millennia. And, in that same time span, there have been those who have sought to undermine them every step of the way.
Maybe I should come up with a Mr. Potato Head God game that we can sell in Christian bookstores all across America. Those who don’t like a certain aspect of God’s character can replace that part with another piece that suits their version of God.
If you don’t like the holiness of God (and the implications of an eternal hell and Judgment Day) you can replace the eyes of uncompromised holiness that see into every sinful heart with blind eyes that don’t see transgressions of any kind and allow everyone into God’s presence regardless of their beliefs. If you don’t like a God who is omniscient and knows everything including the future you can replace his brain (yes in my version of the game you can replace the brain) with a big pile of gush that is just as clueless about the future as we are. The strong arms of righteousness can be replaced with the skinny arms of "as long as you are sincere in whatever your beliefs I’ll let you into heaven."
You get the idea.
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson basically did the same thing? He took a pair of scissors to the Gospels and cut out every story about Jesus that seemed too good to be true. He didn’t like the miracles so he sliced them out of his Jeffersonian Version. Anything that sounded too supernatural or too judgmental hit the cutting room floor of his "have it your own way" editing room. Jefferson would have been the first buyer of my Mr. Potato Head God game if he were alive today.
What’s my point to this rant? Let’s not play games with Yahweh. Let’s accept Him on His own terms. The Bible is not a book we can take scissors to if we don’t like what it’s saying. Yahweh is not a Mr. Potato Head to be manipulated and re-manufactured to our own liking.
The Bible is the Bible. It says what it says. If we don’t like it we can choke on it. Or even better, we can repent and accept it. God is God, regardless of what we think of Him and what He teaches. And we will all stand and give account before Him someday for the way we revered and obeyed Him and His Word.

So let’s walk carefully and humbly. Let’s be careful to color within the lines of sound doctrine. Our God is an awesome God and He and His book are not to be be trifled with.

Gotta go. For some reason I’m hungry for a baked potato. Pray I don’t puke.

The Forgotten Beatitude

“Blessed is the person who is not offended by me.” - Matthew 11:6

To be offended means to stumble or trip. Scripture tells us that Jesus is a rock of offense, or a rock of stumbling, to the disobedient (1 Peter 2:8). In His earthly days, Jesus was constantly offending the religious establishment. But in the above text, Jesus has someone else in mind. He’s speaking to His followers: “Blessed are you, my followers, when you are not offended by me.” The context bears this out.
John the Baptist was utterly loyal to Jesus. He walked a life of total self-denial. He gave everything up for God. And now he finds himself in a cold prison. We have no record that the Lord ever visited him there. John’s probably thinking, “Was it really worth it? I lived my whole life to pave the way for the Messiah, and now I’m in prison. The kingdom hasn’t yet come.” John is wondering and wavering; he’s tempted to stumble at his Lord. So he sends word to Jesus asking, “Are you really the one who was to come? Or should we expect another?”

Again, We have no record that the Lord ever visited him there. But He does send this answer to him via his disciples: "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:4-6)

Over the years, I’ve watched Christians take offense with the Lord. Some of them were passionate followers of Jesus in their youth, but later ended up renouncing Him. Why? Because they chose to be offended by Him. “Blessed is the person who is not offended by me.” This is the forgotten beatitude.  So now I want to share a few reasons that I discovered about why Christians become offended by the Lord.

Reason 1: He demands too much. In John 16:1, Jesus tells His disciples that He’s sharing “all these things” so they won’t be offended by Him. Some of those “things” were stern warnings that they would be hated by the world and persecuted (John 15:18). Jesus made clear that following Him won’t lead to a bed of roses. Suffering and loss are involved. Unfortunately, some present a gospel that leaves these parts out. The result: Christians get offended when they realize what they’ve gotten into. But Jesus lets us know up front what following Him entails. Even in His own day, some of His followers stopped walking with Him because they regarded the cost too high (John 6:53-59).

Reason 2: He doesn’t meet our expectations. The Lord often works in ways that we don’t understand. Isaiah says that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). The Lord works on levels that we cannot fathom. Paul says that God works all things for our good (Romans 8:28). “Why hasn’t God answered this prayer? Why didn’t He fulfill this promise? Why did He let this happen to me? Why did He let this happen to him/her? Why is God silent when I need to hear Him most?”
These are the questions that plague the mind of the serious believer. If you’ve not yet met the God who refuses to meet all your expectations, you will. And how you react in that day will reveal whether you are worshiping Jesus Christ or Santa Claus (see John 6:26). It will show whether or not you love God more than His promises (or really, your interpretation of those promises). Jeanne Guyon once said, “I will still serve Him, even if it sends me to hell.” Job said, “Shall we receive good from the hand of the Lord and not evil?” Recall Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They had lived a life loyal to their God. And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Worship my golden image or else you’re going to die in my fiery furnace.” Their answer is telling: “We’re not going to worship this image or serve your gods. The Lord is able to deliver us, and He will deliver us from your fiery furnace. But even if He doesn’t, we’re still not going to bow down to your false gods.” What an attitude. What a posture. What faith. “God will deliver us. But even if He doesn’t, we will still follow Him.”
Those words contain thunder and lightning for every child of God.
If I can use an illustration, we mortals are living on pages 300-400 of a 2,000 page book. Only God can see the whole book. And He’s only given us the ability to see pages 300-400. We have no capacity to understand what’s in pages 1-299 or pages 401 to 2,000. We can only speculate and assume what’s in them (hence we create all sorts of intricate theological systems to explain mysteries we don’t understand). Here’s a lesson to learn: Life always comes down to trusting in the Lord rather than trying to figure out His ways via our finite, limited understanding. Yet together, we can better discover and understand what’s in pages 300-400, and thereby learn to live more effectively within them.

Reason 3: He doesn’t show up on time. He works too slowly. He reacts too late. His deliverance takes too long. God’s clock is a lot slower than ours. We can text or email our prayer to God, and He doesn’t text or email back when we expect. In fact, sometimes we never hear back from Him at all. The screen is blank.
Sometimes we’ll pray for an important matter in our own lives or we’ll pray for someone else . . . for years. And the dial doesn’t move. Waiting on the Lord can become weary. And it can lead to offense. But God always keeps perfect time.

To sum up, here’s how NOT to be offended by the Lord:
    •    Remember that He demands everything, and He has promised suffering and tribulation along with blessing and eternal life. So don’t sell out for a cheap, easy gospel. Such is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. He told us what we were getting into and exhorted us to count the cost ahead of time (Luke 14:26).
    •    Remember that His ways are higher than ours, and He doesn’t always show us what He’s doing or why. We may not always understand what He does or allows, but He can still be trusted. This is the nature of walking by faith rather than by sight. Even when His grace isn’t sufficient, it is always sufficient.
    •    Remember that God is always on time, but His clock ticks differently from ours. He’s a Lord who sometimes shows up long after the hour of healing has passed and we are dead for four days. Just ask Lazarus.
    •    Being offended by God is a choice. You can choose to take offense at the Lord and stumble over that which you don’t understand. Or you can “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

God’s View of a Woman

It breaks my heart to see how women today are treated. As most of us already know, many males in our society today show women by their actions that they're just a piece of junk. That their just a piece of meat. All that matters to so many guys today is her body, her appearance, and what she can give to them sexually.You won't find too many guys today opening doors for women. Rather than being there spending time with their wives, many guys will be off playing Grand Theft Auto, drinking, or shooting pool with the bros. And how do a vast number of guys in our society define true beauty in a woman? Seductive clothing, makeup, perfect skin, an ideal figure, and so on. Numerous guys in our culture have affairs. To a number of guys today, a woman is only an object. I could go on and on but you get the point. Once again, it breaks my heart. And it makes me sick. I'm sure that many of you women feel the same.

But gals, you know what's awesome? Jesus came.
In Jesus Christ, we find God’s view of a woman. Not man’s view. Not the American view. But God’s view. Consider this. When God decided to make His entrance upon this planet, He visited a woman. He chose a woman to bring forth the Eternal Son, the Messiah—the Anointed One for whom Israel had waited thousands of years. The life of God was first placed in the womb of a woman before it got to you and to me. And God was not ashamed.
Sisters in Christ, this is your Lord’s view of a woman. Take your high place.

But that’s not all. As Jesus ministered, He ripped down all social conventions that were pitted against women. On one occasion, He rose to the defense of a woman caught in adultery. He became her attorney and saved her life. And God was not ashamed.

Jesus was noted for palling around with sinners. He supped with prostitutes and tax collectors. We are told in John Chapter 4 that He met a woman, and He did something that shocked the disciples. He talked to her in public. And He was not ashamed. Not only was she a woman, but she was a divorcee. But not only was she a divorcee, she was actively living in immorality. Yet not only was she a woman, a divorcee, an adulteress living in sin, she was worse than a Gentile. She was a Samaritan—a half-breed. (A Samaritan was a person with whom Jews were never to talk.) But Jesus talked to this divorced, adulterous, Samaritan woman in public, and He forgave her of her sins. And He was not ashamed.

Sisters, take your high place. This is God’s view of a woman.

Once Jesus was dining with a self-righteous Pharisee. And in walked a woman. But this was not just any woman. She was a woman of the streets—a prostitute. Upon seeing the Lord, she dropped down to her knees and did something unsettling.
In the presence of Pharisees, this woman unbound her hair and poured costly perfume upon His feet. This unclean woman touched Jesus Christ in public. She wept, washed His feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair.
This scandalous and improper act mortified the self-righteous Pharisees. At that moment, these religious leaders lost all respect for Jesus and doubted that He was a true prophet. But your Lord was not ashamed.

Sisters, take your high place. This is God’s view of a woman.

But that’s not all. Your Lord allowed an unclean woman to touch the hem of His garment, and He was not ashamed. In fact, He praised her for it. He also gave a Canaanite woman who was viewed as a dog in the eyes of Israel one of the highest compliments He ever gave anyone. He also healed her daughter, and He was not ashamed.

In the Lord’s last hours on this earth, He stayed in a small village called Bethany. It was there that He would spend His last days before He gave His life on Calvary. In Bethany, two women whom Jesus loved had their home: Mary and Martha. They were His friends, and they received Him. And He was not ashamed.

Sisters, take your high place. This is God’s view of a woman.

When Jesus Christ was taken to die, the Twelve fled. They checked out. All the disciples (except John) said, “See ya!” But the women stayed with Him. They didn’t leave.
They followed Him up to Calvary to do what they had been doing all along—comforting Him, taking care of Him, tending to His needs. And they watched Him undergo a bloody, gory crucifixion that lasted for hours.
To watch a man die a hideous and horrible death is something that goes against every fiber that lives inside of a woman. Yet they would not leave Him. They stayed the entire time. And He was not ashamed.

Sisters, take your high place. This is God’s view of a woman.

Following His death, it was the women who first visited His burial. Even after His death, they were still following Him. They were still taking care of Him. And when He rose again from the dead, the first faces He met—the first eyes that were laid upon Him—were the eyes of women. And it was to them that He gave the privilege of announcing His resurrection, even though their testimony wouldn’t hold up in court. And He was not ashamed.

Sisters, take your high place. This is God’s view of a woman.

But beyond all these wonderful things that the Lord did in showing us how beautiful women are in His eyes, He did something else. He chose you—a woman to depict that which He came to earth to die for—His very Bride. And He is not ashamed.

Sisters, rise to your high place. This is God’s view of a woman.

Brothers, honor your sisters in the Kingdom of God. For God honors them. When our Lord pulled Eve out of Adam, He didn’t take her out of his feet below him. Nor did He take her out from his head above him. He took her out of his side to be equal to him. There’s not much room for chivalry anymore in today’s culture, but we’re to be radically different as followers of Christ. But this again isn’t easy. We need Christ within us, changing us. In Gods world, there is no reason to romance a girl, play with her emotions, take her heart, – unless there is a clear intention that you think this may be girl that you may wish to commit to – for life. So honor them.

Sisters, you are fellow heirs in the Kingdom of God. You are honored. You are cherished. You are valuable. You are needed.

You are His friends, His followers, His daughters, yea, His own kin.
So sisters, take your high place . . . this is God’s view of you.

Lord, Lord, Didn't We…

Matthew 7 is probably one of the scariest, if not the scariest, passages in all of Scripture. The most horrific word in this passage isn't hell. It isn't fire, everlasting, darkness, gloom, or torment. In fact, none of those words appear in this passage. The most frightening word is indeed many. Jesus says, "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" (Matthew 7:22).
This is judgment day. This is the end. There are no second chances. This is the last peaceful breath that many will breathe before they spend eternity in hell. Put yourself there for a second. Fast-forward your life to that day. Will you sound like the many who will call out in desperation, “Lord, Lord, did I not  __________  and __________  and  __________ in Your name?”
How will Jesus respond to your laundry list of Christian activities–your Easter services, "tithes", Bible studies, church potlucks, and summer-camp conversions? Are you sure you’re on the right side? What evidence do you have that you know Jesus? Please understand my heart. I believe I'm asking these questions for the same reason that Jesus gives the warning. It’s the most loving thing I can do. “Many” will go to hell even though they thought they’d waltz into paradise. Jesus will say, “I never knew you; depart from me” (Matt. 7:23).
Just as this passage makes clear, your profession of faith is no proof that you’re truly in the faith. Heck, mostly everybody in this whole country professes faith in Jesus Christ. If I went out to knock on every door in my city, do you know what I would find out? That probably around 85% of people here believe themselves to be believers. With most of them probably not concerned about serving. Not giving a hoot about holiness. Not a worry about being separated from the world. And yet they claim to be Christian.

Once again, what evidence do you have that you know Jesus?
That you go to a Sunday worship service every week? That you "give 10%" regularly? That you sing loudly and jump at Christian concerts? Once again, that's a laundry list of Christian activities. Or how about this: That you prayed a sinner's prayer one time? I don't think so. The Christian faith is not a once-and-for all flu shot.
What you need to know is that salvation is by faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ. And faith alone in Jesus Christ is preceded and followed by repentance . . . a turning away from sin, a hatred for the things that God hates and a love for the things that God loves, a growing in holiness and a desire not be like the world, but to be like Christ. The evidence––the way that you can have assurance that you are genuinely a born-again Christian––is that there was not just one time in your life that you repented unto salvation, but that you continue repenting today and continue growing in repentance. That you do, as a style of life, the will of the Father. And no I'm not saying that works will save you. Our works are like filthy rags. I'm talking about the evidence of faith. Works will be that evidence. After all, as James says, faith without works is dead.
Examine yourself. Take the Word of God and what the Word of God says about a true Christian, and examine yourself in light of it. And if you fall short of the test, repent and believe. Throw yourself upon the mercy of Christ. Cry out to Him until a work is done.

Pain

Thank you Lord for pain.
Through it you draw me closer to you. By it you drive me to my knees in prayer. From it you forge in me the image of Christ.
Pain is a friend that I welcome with outstretched hands and open arms. Although he kisses me on the cheek while stabbing me in the side I am still glad to see him. Why? Because he was the closest earthly companion of my best friend Jesus. Pain was there in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus called out in utter desperation to God. But instead of giving up, giving way or giving in, Jesus took the cup that pain offered to him in the garden and drank down every last drop.
Pain was right there when the soldiers swung their whips and wielded their fists toward Jesus. He stood silently in the shadow of the cross as Jesus absorbed the punishment and pain that I so deeply deserved. Through pain Jesus bore the sin of my humanity, of all humanity, and screamed out "My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?"
Through pain’s twin brother death I have been justified. By pain’s constant presence I am being sanctified. Out of the ashes of pain and death someday I, like my best friend, will be glorified.
Without pain I’d forget to pray, to trust, to wait.
Pain is the alarm clock that awakens me to the eternal. Pain is the cold water plunge that shocks my senses and makes me run to the warm blanket of my Savior’s love. Pain is the compass that points the way to the true north of hope and heaven.
It is the bitter bread that I must eat. Although I may choke it down, its nutrients are building me stronger every day. With each hard swallow I am taking into my being the bread of life, filling up the sufferings of Christ, so that someday I can partake in his glory at the feast of the Lamb.
Although Satan wants to use pain to destroy me, he will not prevail. I refuse to allow Satan to manipulate my friend pain to distract, embitter or engulf me. No, instead I will allow my dear friend to drive me to the foot of the cross so that I can be reminded of the one who endured the ultimate pain on my behalf.
Heavenly Father, pain is the chisel in your hand that you are using to chip off the excesses of granite sin and rock hard habits that encase my frail frame. I know that your job is not done until the image of Christ appears in me. With one hand you hold the chisel of pain and with the other you wield the hammer of love. I can see the tears in your eyes with each blow. But those tears of love cover me in the midst of my suffering and give me the courage to endure and persevere. It hurts God, but with every swing, every blow and every wince I see more and more of Jesus in me.
Swing hard. Swing true. Swing on.

Context is Key

Context is key when getting into the Word. The truth is that many of us Americans have bought into a materialistic, right-now mindset, and so we're tempted to pull verses out of context to fit that mindset. We need to understand that God's greatest desire is to glorify His name. Too often, we interpret God's promises in a way that is appealing to our sinful side. We often grab things out of Scripture and try to use them for our own benefit, instead of taking the necessary steps to submit to Scripture, to be humbled by it. So let's look at some of the most common verses that are taken out of context/misinterpreted.

"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
- John 14:13

God is not a genie in a bottle. Yes, He has a good, pleasing, and perfect will. But this doesn't mean we should pray for whatever we want. We are sinful people and don't even know what's best for us, as the book of Romans says. Sometimes we pray with wrong motives. Praying random prayers that are self-centered is not God-honoring. We must seek His will when we pray.


"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
- Jeremiah 29:11-13

Most people overlook the context of the verse because it speaks to what they want to hear for their life. This was a corporate promise given to the nation of Israel, to a generation that came out of 70 years of captivity in Babylon. We think through an Americanized filter based on our preconceived notions of what blessing is. But God's promises are spiritual promises, not promises of instant gratification. Though God does bless us in many ways, he has not promised us our best life now. This world is not our home, and we should long for a better world.

“Judge not, that you be not judged."
- Matthew 7:1

Who is speaking? Jesus. To who? The religious leaders of the day. And why? Because they were being hypocritical in their judgments. The Bible talks about us judging. It talks in James 5:19 about leading others from being astray. Spiritual discipline is required. Tough love. There is a difference between that of "judging" (Being self-righteous and ungodly) and that of loving and caring. Romans 12: 16 - 21 talks about this. Matthew 18: 15-17 talks more about this.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
- Romans 8:28

This verse is often used to cheer people up. This verse should cheer you up but not necessarily in the way people usually say. It's usually used to say "don't worry, everything will be fine." What this verse really means is, "don't worry, everything will be the way God wants it to be." Unfortunately, what God wants isn't always going to be something that is necessarily fine in your opinion.

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:13

In that passage, Paul is teaching on contentment and arguing that no matter what our situation is, we should learn to be content. The ability to be content, whatever the situation, is contingent on what Jesus gives us. Athletes love this verse. This verse doesn't necessarily mean that Jesus will give the player victory, but rather that he or she can be content either way because of God's strength in him or her. It's not about God giving you the strength to dunk the basketball as much as it is Him working in you to be content no matter what happens in the game.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."
- Revelation 3:20

This verse is usually used as part of the unbiblical "Sinner's Prayer." Is the King of Kings meekly standing at the door of your heart knocking and hoping that you will open up and let him in? No. Revelation 3:20 has nothing to do with “doors of hearts.” It comes at the end of Christ’s message to the seven churches (specifically here, a stinging rebuke of the church of Laodicia). The door of verse 20 is to the churches, made clear by verse 22: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” It's about Christ knocking on the door of a lukewarm church, so that He might be let in and get to be center focus again. This isn't a letter to unbelievers but believers to not be lukewarm.

Trial by Fire

Peter thawed his cold hands by the warm fire. He said that he would never be ashamed of Jesus. But he was about to deny Him to a maid. He was about to go through a fiery trial, and three times be found guilty of being ashamed of the one he called his Lord.
Peter made a number of mistakes that dark night. He slept while Jesus prayed. He had missed his Gethsemane experience, and when the hour of temptation came upon him, in one sense he was still asleep. It would take the loud crowing of a rooster to waken him.
Scripture tells us "a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire." She was sure that she had seen him with Jesus, but Peter adamantly said, "Woman, I do not know Him." Two more accusers, then two more denials. The accusations came out of the mouth of three witnesses. The trial by fire was over. He was three times guilty.
When he came to himself Peter went out and wept bitterly. He had already lamented over his own sinfulness when he once fell at the feet of Jesus and said, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." But this experience was different.
Peter's denial at first seems a mystery. He had unashamedly walked with Jesus of Nazareth for three years. He had even stayed by His side when he knew that the Jews sought to kill Him. How then could Peter be afraid of a maid? He stepped out of the boat to walk on water. He had boldly taken his sword into his hand in defense of his Lord. He was no wimp. No, his fear was not simply because he belonged to Jesus. It was something deeper.

It would seem that it was the Roman cross that Peter feared. This instrument of punishment was no mere lethal injection. This was a torture stake. It was cruel and usual punishment. The Romans used the cross to execute lawbreakers as if it was going out of fashion. They had raised the crossbar of human suffering to a higher level.

The cross was meant to be something that caused fear. Its grizzly public display was a freeway billboard, designed to deter the busy traffic of crime. Peter, no doubt had seen men writhe like worms, as barbed Roman steel penetrated their tender flesh. He had seen soldiers dutifully hold down unwilling and grasping hands. He had heard the unforgettable thud of the hammer as it pushed cold nails through warm human flesh, releasing gushes of blood from hands and feet. He had been a silent witness as hardened men suddenly became screaming animals, horrified by the stark reality of their terrible plight. One look into their eyes was enough to terrorize the most callous of human hearts.

He had also watched the unspeakable torture as the cross was heartlessly dropped into the ground, ripping apart mortal flesh like a great beast viciously tearing its helpless prey. No. It wasn't the maid he feared. It was the terrifying threat of the Roman torture stake.
Perhaps you too once dropped to your knees at the feet of the Son of God and confessed your sins. You know what it is to lament over your wicked heart. Now you belong to Jesus…and you are not ashamed to confess Him before men.

Let me therefore ask you a few probing questions. It's a cold night. Come closer to the fire so that you can warm your hands. Come nearer to the light so that we can see your face. Let's see how cold you are. When did you last share your faith? I'm not asking if you have a "God is good" sticker on your car, or if you wear a "fish" badge. I'm not asking whether you are ashamed to say that you belong to Jesus. Of course you're not. I'm asking when you last shared the bloodied cross. When did you last preach Christ crucified? When did you last beg with a sinner to flee from God's wrath, and to shelter in the cross?

Perhaps you have been following Jesus, but you've dropped back just a little… because of the cross. Any mention of its bloodstained frame will mean that a sinful world will stop smiling at your walk with Jesus. It will instead begin to spit out its hatred. You are afraid of what the Apostle Paul called the "offense of the cross." Like Peter, you dread it because of the personal pain it would bring. The hymn-writer's "To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true. Its shame and reproach gladly bear" have been nothing but empty words.
Perhaps this is because you have been sleeping when you should have been praying. You have missed your Gethsemane experience. You are following Jesus "afar off." You have been sitting with the ungodly with no real concern for their eternal welfare.
Are you guilty of denying your Lord? Do you hear the crowing of conscience? Has its voice woken you? Perhaps you need to go somewhere and weep bitterly.

Are You Ready for the Lions?

Come back with me to the year 51 A.D. Look on, as another Christian is about to be thrown to the lions. This man has one last chance to publicly deny his faith in Jesus Christ, but he doesn't. The awaiting crowd roars with delight. Once again, the grizzly sight of blood and bone will be spread across the blood-soaked soil of the arena. These Christians rarely disappointed the bloodthirsty mob. There weren't many backsliders. Despite the entertainment, it was a continual mystery to the crowd as to why anyone would willingly allow himself to be torn apart by ferocious lions when a simple nod of the head would free him to go back to his beloved family. So, why is this man ready to be torn limb from limb by ferocious teeth?
A few years earlier, this man had been in Athens on a business trip and had heard the gospel from the lips of an apostle preaching on Mars Hill. He heard the apostle say that his hearers had sinned against Heaven, and therefore needed a Savior because God "had appointed a Day in which He would judge the world in righteousness." He listened as this faithful apostle spoke of that "righteousness of God apart from the law," and showed him that he was under God's dreadful wrath.
As he stood among the crowd, he heard that Jesus of Nazareth had said "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart." He had violated that Commandment many times. He also heard that God would send all thieves and liars to Hell -- "All liars will have their part in the lake of fire," and that He considered hatred to be murder. His conscience began to stir within him and remind him of his guilt. This Judgment Day of which the apostle preached would be a fearful thing. He began to feel a very real dread that he truly was under God's wrath, and would end up in the lake of fire. As he hung his head in a strange mixed sense of sorrow and dread, he heard the preacher explain that this same Jesus of Nazareth--the Lamb of God--had suffered and died on a Roman cross in his place. God Himself had provided a Savior. The Messiah took the sin of the world upon Himself. He paid for our sin in His life's blood by suffering and dying in our place. But death could not hold Him. He burst from the grave; and through faith in His Name eternal salvation was offered to all men.
This sinful man lifted his head in unbelief that God would love him that much. He listened closely to hear what he should then do. He was simply to "repent, and believe in the gospel" and call upon the Name of the Lord. And that's what he did. It was then that he found that Almighty God was almighty indeed. He made him a new creature. He was born again, with a new heart and new desires. God wrote His Law upon his heart and caused him to walk in His statutes. This man, who once lived for sin and drank it in like water, suddenly found that he thirsted for righteousness, and wanted, above all things, to please the God that gave him life. It was a miracle. One day he had no thoughts of God. Not for a second. The next day the love of God was shed abroad in his heart. The Holy Spirit made His abode in him. This gospel of salvation came to him with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance.
This man, whose only concern had been for himself, suddenly became possessed with an all-consuming passion to share the Gospel of salvation with a dying world. It was as though he was filled with rivers of living water. But there was more. When he prayed, he had an inner conviction that God heard his every whisper. It was as though he had been given the gift of faith. He believed without effort. The Name of Jesus was sweet to his ear, and Jesus Christ became more important to him than his own life. The cross he had been told about shone before him with the intensity of the noonday sun. He gloried in it. He found himself weeping at the thought that God in Christ would suffer in his place. Guilt no longer plagued his sinful heart. It was removed as far as the east is from the West. Secret and sinful passions fell off his flesh like unwanted and rotting clothes. Old things passed away--behold, all things became new. He bubbled with an unspeakable joy and relished a peace that passed all understanding. God had given him the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. His faith was solely in God through Christ, and His sure promise of life.
So, why is this man ready to be torn limb from limb by ferocious teeth? It is because he came to actually know the God that he once only knew about. This is why he, and multitudes more, were "faithful unto death."
One day, you and I will also be thrown to the lions. If God allows us to live to a ripe old age, our bodies will become ravaged with time, and we will face the yawning teeth of death. Not too many of us will have a pleasant demise. Most will be ripped apart by some terrible disease, until the ferocious beast of death devours what's left of our bodies.
Such thoughts are not pleasant, but they are true to life. Are you ready for that brutal attack? How deep is your faith in God? Can you say from your own conviction that the Holy Spirit has regenerated you? Does the evident fruit in your life reveal that you are born of God? Don't give a quick answer. This question is far too important for you to give a thoughtless, "I'm okay. I believe in God," or "I have given my heart to Jesus." The Bible warns in Matthew 7:21-23 that there will be many who, on the Day of Judgment, will cry out to Jesus, "Lord, Lord!" But He will say to them, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work iniquity." Can you imagine the horror of that happening to you? On that fearful day there will be a huge category of people who will say that they knew the Lord, but they were in truth "hypocrites." A hypocrite may deceive friends and family, but he can never deceive God. What is really happening, is that he is deceiving himself.
Maybe, like millions of others, you have made a commitment to Christ but you didn't have a Road to Damascus experience. Or perhaps you don't even know the date you decided to follow the Savior. That doesn't matter. What matters is the present. Where are you at this very moment? If your heart gave out right now, how would you respond in those few moments that your life drained from you -- in absolute trust, or total terror? Don't deceive yourself any further by saying, "That would never happen to me." Human nature tends to think that way -- that death is something that happens to other people. But every single day 150,000 people die, and no doubt each of them that are now in eternity, thought just like you -- that death "will never happen to me."
Please, think about the day death comes to you. Let your imagination work for you for a moment. A massive crowd of demons is calling for your blood. You stand helplessly in front of the vicious jaws of death. It opens wide its mouth. Can you face it with courage? Is your conversion experience that real? Are you ready?
Be wise. Examine yourself, and see if you are in the faith. If you are not, then don't be like this world and leave yourself vulnerable to the ultimate of life's terrors. Get on your knees today, right now, and let the Ten Commandments search out your secret sins. Have you put God first? Have you made a god in your own image? Have you ever blasphemed His name? Or looked with unclean sexual desires? Ask God to shine a spotlight on your heart and remind you of those things that you have thought and done that He saw. Nothing is hidden from His eyes. He even sees the darkness as pure light. Realize that if God gave you justice, you would end up in Hell for eternity. We only get one chance in this thing we call "life." Don't blow it for eternity. Confess your sins to God. Name them. Be sorry for them. Plead with Him to open your understanding to the great truth that God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Make your calling and election sure, until you can say with the apostle Paul, "For me to live is Christ. To die is gain." Then your love for God will become so real, you couldn't deny it even if you wanted to. That was the kind of unwavering faith that gave courage to stand before the lion. You need that same faith today.
Repent & believe the Gospel.

"Un's" Part 3: Unlimited Power & Unquenchable Prayer

Un #4  Unlimited Power

Before Jesus went off into the wild, blue yonder (quite literally) he promised unlimited power to his disciples. This power came to them days later when the Holy Spirit rushed into their souls. The Day of Pentecost changed everything for them and for us. No longer was Jesus on the outside trying to work his way into the hearts and minds of the disciples. He was now on the inside working his way out, in their actions, evangelistic efforts and attempts to make disciples of all nations.
Jesus guaranteed his disciples "you will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes on you" in Acts 1:8. The word power comes from the Greek Word "dunamis" which is where we get our English word "dynamite." In other words it is explosive power.
The power of God exploded in and through the disciples as soon as the Holy Spirit came into their souls and pulled the pin on the gospel grenade. The shrapnel of truth pierced over 3,000 moments after the Spirit of God filled the early disciples and Peter stood up "in power" to preach the good news.
This explosive power gave the disciples the strength to endure every torture and gave them grace in their executions to die with style.
This same divine power courses through our spiritual veins and is waiting to pump our hearts and lives with explosive change. All we must do is choose to depend on his strength and not our own and things will start to blow up spiritually.
Will you yield to his strength? Will you allow the Holy Spirit to pull the pin on the inside and explode in power through every aspect of your life?
If you want revival you can’t humanly manufacture it. It must come from God’s strength working in, on and through you!

Un #5  Unquenchable Prayer

It’s hard to pin down just one passage in Acts that showed the unquenchable nature of the early disciples’ prayer lives. When the Spirit came upon them in Acts 2 they had been praying for ten days in the upper room. They continued the prayer service for 26 more chapters. Their prayers were unquenchable and faith filled. They believed in God. This same Jesus that gave them unthinkable goals would help them reach these goals as they continued to get fueled by Him through unquenchable prayer.
I love the words of the great prayer warrior George Mueller, "I live in the spirit of prayer; I pray as I walk, when I lie down and when I rise, and the answers are always coming."
It is this kind of ancient church, unrelenting prayer that we are called to participate in. I’m not talking about a prayer service that we go to once a week. I’m talking about an ongoing prayer service that we live and breathe every second of everyday. We are called by Paul in Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing." The Greek word for "without ceasing" is the same word used to describe a hacking cough. When you have a bad cold you don’t have one cough throughout the day that never stops. You have several coughing attacks throughout the day, throughout the hours of that day. It is consistent, not constant. In the same way we are to pray throughout the day. We are to pray in faith. We are to have prayer "attacks" consistently.
You want revival? There is a price to pay on your knees.

Conclusion

We have everything we need for revival. The Holy Spirit is ready, willing and able to consume the sacrifice when we, like Elijah, act in faith. Let’s live the revival that was purchased through the cross of Christ, energized through His resurrection and delivered into our hands at the moment of salvation through the Holy Spirit.

"Un's" Part 2: Unbroken Fellowship & Uncommon Courage

Part 2 of my new series: "Un's"


Un #2: Unbroken Fellowship

The disciples weren’t lone rangers. They didn’t try to change the world by themselves. As a matter of fact they knew that the only way the world could be won to Jesus was if everyone who claimed the Name was on board. So they spent countless hours in prayer, fellowship, worship, teaching, eating, and hanging out with other believers. Their goal? To see them transformed into the image of Jesus and, therefore, transformed into a missionary force (just like Jesus).
The purpose of fellowship is not coffee and doughnuts, not warm fuzzies…the purpose of fellowship is alignment of a group of people around the person of Christ and mobilization toward a global mission. Think of it like a football game. You huddle (AKA "fellowship") so that you can go out right after and execute a play (AKA "evangelism"). Too often today in many Sunday service buildings and youth groups we huddle to huddle. But we never execute the play. We stay locked in a huddle while the Enemy of our souls executes his plays with precision and power.
What’s the solution? See the huddle for what it is, an absolutely crucial element for your team to win the game of evangelism in your community, on your campus or in your workplace.

Un #3: Uncommon Courage

As soon as the Spirit of God descended on the early disciples, uncommon courage was infused into their souls. Peter stood up and boldly proclaimed the gospel to a hostile crowd of thousands. When the religious leaders pushed back later on in Acts they found that these boys were not intimidated in the slightest. Check out Acts 4:13, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
When we spend time with Jesus and yield to His Spirit within, uncommon courage should spring forth from the deepest core of our souls. We need to, like the early followers of Jesus, open our hearts to God and then open our mouths.
This brand of courage doesn’t mean that we don’t have fear in our hearts. We just choose to conquer this menacing fear by charging ahead anyway. It's like my first quarry-jumping experience. I was at a quarry with some buddies. As I was walking toward the platform that hung over the water-filled quarry (from there the 35ft drop looked like a 70 ft drop), fear began to take over. My heart rate was definitely racing. As I pushed myself to jump over the edge to the water down below, my heart was pounding so hard that it could have been the drummer for August Burns Red. I was scared. But my actions weren’t deterred by the fear pounding through my veins.
The same is true with evangelism. Courage doesn’t mean that we don’t feel fear, but that we conquer it in Jesus’ name and push ourselves over the edge. Courage means that we refuse to let our feelings dictate our actions. We do what we know we should do even though all the fear factors are working to tell us "no."
If we want to see true and lasting revival in our nation then we need to swallow our pride, push down our fears and take the plunge into a lifestyle of sharing the Gospel.
Geronimo!

The "Un" Series (Part 1): Unthinkable Goals

Lately, I've been talking about how revival has gone from a simmer to a boil in my soul. Like I've stated before, it's time for a revolution. A revolution of the soul that can only come through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What would it take to see a worldwide awakening?

Why aren’t we seeing it today?

How could we be a part of a global revival that ushered in the return of Jesus?

These questions and more have stuck in my head ever since the early days of my walk with Jesus. I think the hidden keys to a future awakening lie in the ancient book of Acts. Here you find some unsexy, unpretentious un’s that show us the path to a sweeping movement of God. In Acts, you'll find countless un's that launched the biggest revival ever.
At first I thought about putting all of these "un’s" into one post. But I soon came to the conclusion that it would be way too long. A short book rather than a blog post. With that realized, I figured that I would start off my second blog series (New to the blog? Feel free to check out my Truth or Tradition series from this past Spring). I'm calling this one the un-series. 
So let's begin. What's the first "un" that we see in the book of Acts that launched the biggest revival ever?

Un #1: Unthinkable Goals

Before Jesus ascended, he gave his disciples some unthinkable goals. "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem" (Dangerous) "Judea" (Dangerous and Hard) "Samaria" (Dangerous, Hard and did I say Dangerous?") "and the uttermost parts of the world" (huh? Did he say "uttermost"?)
Basically Jesus is commanding his disciples to go global without e-mail, without cellphones, without planes, trains, automobiles or scooters. Walk it out and shout it out. And you know what’s truly awesome? That's exactly what they did. It took quite some years, but they took the gospel all the way from Jerusalem to Rome.
I think we as believers today are taking the world wide advancement of the gospel more lightly than those believers who lived a generation ago. We seem increasingly enamored with building houses, stopping AIDs, curbing poverty and bringing justice to the world. Don't get me wrong, all of these are excellent and noble acts. But they aren't the final mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ. He told us to make disciples of all nations and be witnesses of the gospel until everyone, everywhere is in the fold. Helping the hurting is something we do along the way to global evangelization. I totally believe in feeding the poor and ministering to those in need. But I think that if we do these acts of goodness without sharing the message of good news we do a HUGE disservice to those we minister to. We are making their world a better place to go to hell from. We’ve brought them temporary comfort as they march toward a cliff toward eternal separation from God in, yes, fire and brimstone.
If we truly want to minister to the poor then let’s minister to the whole person: body, soul and spirit. Let’s be like Jesus: give them real bread for their bodies and then the best bread, the Bread of Life, for their souls. Let’s give them real water to quench their physical thirst and then the Living Water to quench the deepest longings of their spirit.
Do you want revival? It starts with unthinkable goals. Taking the gospel to everyone in our campuses, neighborhoods, cities, states, nations and world is pretty unthinkable. But it can be done. So go for it!
Why not make your unthinkable goal right now? How about this one? To share the gospel with everyone you know in God’s timing, in God’s power and with God’s love. I am doing my best to do that dare myself. And it's leading to some great, awkward and transformational conversations.

So, in light of the unthinkable goal that Jesus gave his disciples, what’s your unthinkable goal?

Forward in Faith

I'm sure that by now most of you have seen the most recent Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. In case any of you haven't: *Spoiler Alert*. Far into the film, Bruce Wayne (Batman) gets the living tar beaten out of him by Bane (the film's villain) and loses consciousness. Once his consciousness is regained, Bruce finds himself trapped in a prison that Bane himself once resided in called the Pit. Its called this because its located at the bottom of a well-type hole that allows the inmates to see the sun and even believe that they can escape, but despite numerous attempts only one person has ever escaped this terrible pit of despair.
Eventually, Bruce desperately tries to climb up and escape this prison, but he is unable to do so.  Despite training everyday and several valiant attempts, he is unable to get away from the hell of the Pit until he gives himself completely to the task and takes away the safety rope. Its when Bruce truly steps out on faith that he is able to accomplish the impossible and escape.
I believe that this is a great representation of the Christian life, except, of course, our faith is in God not ourselves. So often, like Bruce Wayne, we dedicate our lives to something, yet we still keep a safety net (or rope) to catch us just in case we happen to fall or fail. However, safety nets show a lack of faith in God. A number of us are setting up exit strategies and fall back plans just in case God doesn't show up.
I believe that so often we wait for the Lord to give us all the resources so that we can step out on faith, while in fact, God is actually waiting for us to step out on faith, so He can open the flood gates on us.
Faith is not setting up back up plans in case it will fail. Faith is not having all the resources in hand before you start. Faith is not waiting to see if it works before you invest completely in it. Anybody can step out on faith when there is absolutely no chance they will lose anything.
Faith is trusting that God will provide what He promised to provide. Faith is committing our lives, our efforts and our energy to whatever we have discerned God has called us to undertake. Faith is stepping out without a safety net trusting that God will not let us fall, but even if we do, He will be the one that catches us and stands us back on our feet. Faith is starting the task when we only have enough resources to get going, trusting God will give the rest “in due season.”  Faith is committing our lives to something that without God would be impossible.
So from what I noticed in the movie, Bruce Wayne doesn't give himself completely to escaping until he removes the safety rope and goes by faith. I believe the same applies to us who are in the faith. We can't fully give ourselves to the tasks God is calling us to and we can't truly live by faith in Him until we remove any safety nets and truly trust that God will come through for us. Without a safety net, you have no choice but to trust Him and move forward no matter what the “jump” may look like.
Also, think about it this way. Faith is how we applaud God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please God." Let's look at Jesus. He believed in His father. Even in the midst of the torture of the crucifixion he trusted in Him every step of the way. It was his faith in God that carried him through the strain and the pain. With each lash from Roman whips and mock from Jewish lips, Jesus absorbed the horrific pain because, in the words of Peter "he entrusted himself to him who judges justly", his heavenly Father. No wonder the Father would show up on the scene throughout the ministry of Jesus just to say something like, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." There was a love/trust relationship of unparalleled proportions that you and I can never fully understand. But we can partake in it. No matter what trial you are going through in your life, entrust yourself to Him. He will carry you through it. He will walk by your side through the valley of the shadow of death.
Whatever trial you are going through, try trusting instead of worrying. When you do, you are applauding the heavenly Father. You are jumping into the arms of God "entrusting yourself" to Him. You are squeezing His hand, looking in His eyes and saying, "Daddy I believe in you."
Whatever your trial, problem, hurt or challenge, start clapping through faith and wait for Him to come through once again.

He will.

It's Time For a Revolution. Are You In?

Lately, revolution has gone from a simmer to a boil in my soul. Yes, revolution. But the revolution I’m talking about is not political (although it could have political impact). It is not moral (although it could lead to moral reformation). No, the revolution I’m talking about is the revolution of the soul that can only come through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So with that said, it doesn't take a genius to realize that are issues with Christianity in America today. I know I've said it before, but here in America our gospel is watered down. It sounds harsh, but many of you know it's true. We have drained the lifeblood of Christianity and replaced it with Kool-Aid, i.e if you pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart, He will definitely come in. Friends, you will not find this "sinner's prayer" anywhere in Scripture. And if you look back in history, you won't find that appearing until about 60 years ago. The Christian faith is not a once-and-for all flu shot. Kool-Aid bears a resemblance to blood (at least if its red). They share several similarities, and if you need something that looks like blood, perhaps for a play or a costume, Kool-Aid may be a good substitute. However, if someone is dying on a table in the emergency room, they are not going to infuse them with Kool-Aid (not even the red kind). Simply put, Kool-Aid does not have the power of life. Many people are being led into a decision with very little knowledge of the Gospel. Trusting in a decision rather than looking onto Christ. Living in ungodliness and believing that they are saved because some religious authority told them that they were after they prayed a little prayer. If we are to be the body of Christ, once dead but now alive, that Christ by his blood has made a new creation, then only the real gospel will do. Truly, the gospel is the lifeblood of Christianity. It is the very center of the story. The heartbeat of the Bible is Christ, and the gospel is the blood that flows through every vein of the story. The promise shows up in Genesis 3:15 and finds its fulfillment in Revelation 21-22.
Keeping that in mind, I also want to say that with the path this country is headed down today, I personally think that we're only a few Supreme Court Justices away from being a nation where saying that “Jesus is the only way” will be considered, not just intolerant, but illegal. I believe that this “don’t you dare say that” philosophy in this country will bleed over into the subject of evangelism sooner rather than later. All I’m saying by this particular prediction is that I believe that the next big target by the secular community toward the church will be evangelism. I think that perhaps it'll all be cloaked in nice little explanations that sound harmless but underneath will be the bottom line premise that evangelism is hate speech. And that will inevitably lead to social and political action toward those who are willing to share the true gospel.
And as for those people that are willing to go out and give people a full picture of the Gospel, all I want to say is expect some hardcore persecution.
Am I freaked out? Nope. Personally, I think that more persecution would be good for the body of Christ. We have gotten soft as a church in America and we could use a little toughening up, okay a lot of toughening up. I have friends who have recently started the P90X workout program (and yes, from what they tell me, it's as intense as the infomercials indicate.) They are up at 5am and are getting their behinds kicked for a full hour six days a week. Persecution is the kind of like the P90X of the church. It will help us lose the fat of carnality, build our heart rate as we love Jesus and others (especially our enemies) and rip our spiritual muscles out. Why do you think the early church was so spiritually chiseled? They were chased, beaten, crucified and flogged.
So I do believe it's time for a revolution. And where does revolution take place? Well, before it spills over into the streets, it boils over in the soul. When Gypsy Smith, a revolutionary & evangelist from Britain, was asked by a young pastor, “How do I start a revival at my church? his answer was powerful. He replied, “Go home and get a piece of chalk. Go into your closet and draw a circle on the floor. Kneel down in the middle of the circle and ask God to start the revival inside the chalk mark. When He has answered your prayer, the revival has begun.”
What I have begun to realize is that revolution will not start with big arena events like Passion & Dare 2 Share. It will start with one adult, one college student, and one teenager with a piece of chalk. In other words, it will start when you and I choose to live the revolution, to be the revolution in our own homes, neighborhood, schools, and work places. Just like God whittled down an army of 32,000 to 300 (read Judges) so that he could show himself powerful in defeating an army that probably numbered in the hundreds of thousands, God desires to use small squadrons of spiritual revolutionaries to beat down the overwhelming forces of the Evil One that stand against them.
We have everything we need for revolution. For revival. Instead of activating the Spirit’s work through us by faith (aka “revival”) we sing, pray and fast under the pretense of “waiting” on God to do something. Meanwhile He is waiting on us to believe that we have everything we need for life and godliness and to walk in the revival that is already ours through Christ. Let’s live the revival that was purchased through the cross of Christ, energized through His resurrection and delivered into our hands at the moment of salvation through the Holy Spirit.
I am convinced that this country will never be transformed from the outside in (i.e. politics or moral reformation) but from the inside out (spiritual transformation.) Thoreau once said, “For every hundred hacking at the leaves of evil, one hacks at the root.” Friends, only the gospel of Christ hacks at the root of evil that lurks in all of our hearts. We must love, serve and share the good news with everyone while we still can. And if or when it becomes illegal we must share all the more.
Are you tired with what American Christianity has to offer? You say you want a revolution? Well here we go. But be warned. Like every true revolution this one comes with a pricetag…everything.
Following Jesus will cost you your life. But Jesus is worth it.

Making Beds vs. Making Disciples

Learning how to make one’s bed is one of the first micro-chores that kids learn. It helps children begin to discover the importance of being tidy and organized. And, someday if I have the privilege of being a father, its one of those easy-to-do duties that my wife-to-be and I plan to bestow on our kids at a young age.
Let's start with a hypothetical scenario. Let's say I have a son named Nolan (If I'm blessed with a son, I for sure want to name him this) Let’s say I told him, “Nolan, I am going to go pick up some milk at the store. I am giving you one job to do while I’m gone, to make your bed. Do you understand?” He responds by saying, “Yes daddy! I understand.” So, knowing my boy grasps his sole duty, I’m off to the store.
Imagine that when I returned from the store I asked him, “So Nolan, did you make your bed?” Let’s say his response was, “Daddy, I painted this pretty picture for you!” I pick up the picture and say, “Nice picture, but did you make your bed?” Scrambling, Nolan takes me to another room where he shows me how he helped arrange all of his toys. I, once again, affirm his efforts but keep pressing, “Did you make your bed?” Finally Nolan bows his head, knowing he’s in trouble and quietly answers, “No, daddy. I didn’t make my bed.”
Busted. You can be sure that consequences would follow.
Okay, let’s flashback to a non-hypothetical scenario. Jesus told his disciples something like this two thousand years ago after His resurrection, “I’m going to leave and come back. While I’m gone I want you to make disciples.” Soon after He told them this He ascended into heaven while His disciples were watching Him disappear into the clouds. Two angels suddenly appeared and chided them, “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Ten days later they got to work (had to get baptized by the Spirit first) and they died trying to obey the directive of Christ, to make disciples of all nations. Didn’t quite get ‘er done, but the “chore” has been handed down through the centuries to every believer.
It’s our turn now. We are just as called to make disciples as the apostles were. And when our Savior comes back home from the “store” He’s going to ask us what we’ve been up to.
For many of us, our answer will be, “Well, Lord, we’ve built a lot of buildings with sanctuaries that are plush and roomy. These giant sanctuaries can hold lots of people.” Maybe He will respond by asking, “So lots of disciples have been made then?” Awkward silence followed by, “Not quite, but our buildings are full of people who enjoy our preacher, music program and children’s ministry better than the Sunday service building that they were going to before.”
I can imagine Jesus saying, “But did you make disciples?” and many of us stuttering out a, “Well, we went to a lot of meetings. We went to prayer meetings, accountability meetings, Sunday school, small group and elder’s meetings. We had men’s fellowship and women’s afterglows. We filled our calendars with meetings at, about or around these Sunday service buildings.”
Jesus asks, “And what did you do at all of these meetings?” Many of us respond, “We talked about making disciples.”
We are not commanded to sit in a meeting and talk about making disciples. We are called to make disciples.
We are not commanded to fill in the blanks of a sermon outline. We are called to make disciples.
We are not commanded to parse the Greek of our favorite verse in the New Testament. We are called to make disciples.
We are not called to build a house for a poor family in Mexico. We are called to make disciples.
Of course, we may fill, sit, parse and build as we make disciples. But making the disciples is the first and final goal of what Jesus told us to do. If we miss that we miss the whole point and disobey His last and lasting command.
Maybe that’s why I love the words of Charles Spurgeon to the young preacher boys he trained, “Brethren, do something; do something, do something! While societies and unions make constitutions, let us win souls….Our one aim is to win souls; and this we are not to talk about, but do in the power of God!” Over a century ago, Spurgeon knew that the tendency of those in ministry was to do more talking than rocking when it came to the cause (the Gospel) Jesus left for us to accomplish.
Making your bed takes a few minutes. Making disciples takes a lifetime. Making your bed takes a small commitment. Making disciples takes full surrender. Making your bed results in a short feeling of satisfaction. Making disciples makes a difference for eternity.

Why Words Are Necessary When Sharing the Gospel

There is a quote that gets under my skin bouncing around religious circles today. Many attribute it to St. Francis of Assisi (even though he may have meant it in a different way than it is being used.) I’m sure you’ve heard it in a Sunday service, a small group meeting, or chatting it up with a Christian friend. It’s this:
“Preach the gospel. If necessary use words.”
While this quote may look good on a bumper sticker and sound good in a sermon I’m not so sure how sound the theology is behind these seven seemingly harmless words.
I think the idea behind this short but potent quote is that we should be living the message of the gospel of Christ as loudly as we are preaching it. And I agree with that part. Jesus himself said that we should let our “light so shine among men that they may see your good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
But I think that some Christians have used this quote as a get-out-of-jail free card when it comes to actually sharing their faith. These believers, perhaps unknowingly, are shunning the shame that comes from the Name of Jesus Christ. Many may are avoiding persecution by just seeking to live good and exemplary lives but not sharing the controversial message of Jesus.
Here’s the challenge, living a good and godly life is not enough to save a lost soul. In other words, when preaching the gospel, words are absolutely necessary. To say that words aren’t necessary is like saying to a friend “Text me. if necessary use numbers.”
Can you imagine the book of Acts just being stories about a bunch of believers living good and godly lives waiting for someone to ask them why there were so different? No, they preached the message with their lives and their lips. They used actions and words. As a result they were persecuted and many died a martyr’s death. It wasn’t their good deeds that got them beaten and killed. It was their message. And it is this same message we are called to preach with words. Here’s why…

1. There is power in them thar’ propositions!

Better than gold is the power of these powerful propositions. In Romans 1:16 the apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes….” We are not the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, nor are the good deeds we do. The gospel message is the power of God that produces salvation.
I don’t quite understand how a propositional message is infused with power from on high to bring about salvation for an unregenerate soul but my lack of understanding doesn’t deny the reality of it. God uses this truthful, truth-filled message to save. He has injected it with explosive power to blast the sinner out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.
According to Colossians 1:6, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” The gospel is like a seed with built in power to sprout, grow and multiply. When triggered, watered and warmed by the regenerational power of the Holy Spirit it will produce a harvest of righteousness in the lives of those who believe.
When Thomas Jefferson wrote the words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal…” he was unleashing a firestorm of controversy that would eventually lead to a nation being born, forged and formed. The apostle Paul was unleashing even more controversy when he unleashed the message of the gospel on the unsuspecting world. In 1 Corinthians 15:1,3,4 he tells us just what these self evident truths are, “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand…For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures….”
This is the original “Declaration of Independence” that, through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, we are free from the tyranny of sin and the king of the underworld, Satan himself. It is the power of these propositions that God uses to set us free from sin and Satan. I don’t get it. I just believe it and I share it with everyone I can…or I try to anyway.

2. God chooses the foolish to confound the wise.

There are many Christians smarter than me that scoff at the idea that a message alone could save. Many a progressive Christian I have met mock a propositional approach to sharing the gospel. Maybe it was this same high brow perspective that Paul was referring to when he wrote, “The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to those of us who are being saved it is the power of God” in 1 Corinthians 1:18.
What’s interesting is that word “foolishness” in the Greek comes from the word moria. It’s where we get our English word “moronic.”
This is why I have come to appreciate being mocked from time to time over holding the simple belief that the gospel message actually saves the lost soul. God chooses to use the moronic things of the world (us!) preaching a message to confound those who don’t think they are morons (1 Corinthians 1:26-2:2.)
So, instead of saying “Preach the gospel. If necessary use words” I would say, “Preach the gospel with your life and your lips.” Okay, it’s not as catchy, but it is more accurate biblically. My friends, the gospel is a message we must live and we must give. Both are necessary.

Hacking at the Leaves of Evil

Thoreau once said, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil there is one striking at the root.”
It seems to me that more and more Christians are hacking at the leaves of evil and forgetting to strike at the root. We are getting entranced by good causes that oftentimes leave the root, the real source of the problem, untouched. While slashing at leaves can be impressive and can leave piles of leafy accomplishment, if the root is untouched the hacking is simply a pruning that will produce more leaves to hack at the end of the day.
Let me put it plainly, Jesus told us to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations” not “Go into all the world to eradicate poverty and social injustices.” Because Jesus knew that these kinds of efforts by themselves were at best hacking at the leaves of evil.
Jesus understood that the real problem with the world was not physical. It wasn’t a lack of food or shelter or water. The real problem was a lack of Jesus.
Jesus knew that if passionate disciples were developed and deployed into every corner of the planet that the other problems would be addressed as well. Why? Because fully surrendered followers of Christ have a heart for the homeless and the poor and the marginalized. They won’t say to a hungry neighbor, “Be warmed and filled” without backing it up with a blanket and a sandwich.
What is the real key to social justice, issues of poverty, stopping human trafficking and taking care of the planet that God put us on? In a word…Jesus.
Now before you ride me off as “true but trite” consider the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus.
Luke 19:1-5 communicates the story vividly and powerfully, “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up….”
Jesus looked up and spotted Zacchaeus, a tax collector, hovering on the branch of a Sycamore tree. Now you have to know something about tax collectors in this culture. They took money from their fellow Jews and gave it to the enemy, the ruling and ruthless Roman Empire. They were considered the worst of sinners and traitors to their own people.
They were notorious for overcharging their own people and skimming the excess cash to get rich. So, not only were they considered traitors, but thieving traitors. The average Jew considered the average tax collector a few notches below a prostitute or a leper.
But Jesus, from the base of a fig tree, had a different point of view when it came to this stature-challenged tax man. Jesus looked past his fancy clothes and opulent lifestyle into a heart that was longing for real fulfillment and lasting hope. Jesus knew that, while Zacchaeus may have been short in stature, he was tall on faith. He had enough faith to humiliate himself by climbing a fig tree just to catch a glimpse of the real game changer, Jesus Christ.
It all started when Jesus was travelling in a caravan of excited followers. He looked up at this precarious man perched in the twisted branches of a Sycamore tree and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”
Zacchaeus had been a tool of the Roman system to abuse the Jews. He overtaxed both rich and poor so that he would be rich, not poor. How dare this rogue rabbi reach out to this terrible tax collector! No wonder the crowd was upset.
Jesus didn’t even confront him over the way he was abusing the Jews or taking advantage of the poor. He didn’t accuse him of working for a totalitarian government that oppressed millions all over the world. Instead he said, “I must stay at your house today.” While this may not seem significant to us it was very significant in this culture to invite yourself over to someone’s house. This was a sign of 100% acceptance and Jesus was accepting Zacchaeus because he saw 100% faith in his heart.
The crowd may have been expecting Jesus to rebuke this tax collector for all the injustices he had committed. Instead Jesus offered him the hope that comes from the gospel. Why? Because Jesus knew that the only thing that could really fix the injustices Zacchaeus had committed was a spiritual transformation.
Look at Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus in Luke 19:8, “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” In that moment Jesus changed everything. He hacked at the root of evil and the leaves of evil died. He presented the hope that comes through faith in him and it changed the nature of Zacchaeus and, as a result, he gave half of his possessions to the poor whom he had robbed.
If we really want to be game changers we must strike at the root of evil in the hearts of others by sharing the good news. Those who respond will become game changers in the process. They will correct injustices, feed the poor and take care of God’s green earth. But, most importantly, they will make disciples who make disciples.
Are you merely hacking at the leaves of evil with your activism? Are you ready to strike at the root?
Time to sharpen our spiritual machetes and start hacking at the root of evil.

Lead From the Front

The best leaders lead from the front. They don’t delegate, abdicate or relegate the heavy lifting to “subordinates.” They dive headfirst into the hard work.
This is true of the best military leaders throughout history. Battlefield generals like Leonidas of Sparta, Alexander the Great of Greece and George S. Patton of California fought side-by-side with their soldiers so that wars would be won. They didn’t direct and expect from the back of the battle. Instead, they chose to dive and drive into the heat of it.
These warrior/leaders weren’t afraid to get mud and blood on their uniforms. They knew that these condiments of battle were the real medals of honor in the sight of the troops who followed them.
But it’s not just military leaders who knew this principle. Effective politic and spiritual leaders throughout history have understood this as well.
Lincoln, the gangly 16th President of the United States, led the Union from the front by being a hands-on Commander in Chief. As a leader he was immensely practical and accessible, so practical that he won the war, so accessible that he was assassinated at close range.
Ghandi, the bold liberator of India, led an entire nation from the front. He marched 240 miles of dirt roads over 24 days to protest the unjust English taxes on and rulership over his beloved country. His dust-encrusted act of courage eventually helped to emancipate an entire country.
The best leader of all time, Jesus Christ himself, led from the front. He boldly took on the religious establishment of his day without flinching. He stood up for the poor and oppressed when nobody else would. He challenged the stone-throwing hypocrites by protecting a scarlet-lettered woman, putting himself in harm’s way so that she could be saved. He wrapped himelf in a towel and washed the dirty feet of his disciples to show them how to lead from the front. He got mud on his “uniform” and then he got blood on it.
He led the charge for the transformation of the human race by picking up his cross and dragging it to his death. In the heat of battle he lost his life and won the war. He taught us how to win by losing and how to live by dying. He showed us how to lead from the front.
Leading from the front is the most effective way to lead a family, a ministry or a company. Let’s not be afraid of heavy lifting. Let’s not delegate the calluses or splinters. Instead let us, like Jesus, fill our hands with both as we pick up our crosses and die to ourselves so that others can be victorious.

A Snack We Call Supper: A Post Concerning the Lord's Supper

A number of people today get confused about what many churches call communion. They wonder why there is so much difference in how different institutional churches do it. Some use bread, others use wafers; some use wine, others use grape juice; some do it daily, others do it weekly, yearly, etc. So with the Word and some research, I'd like to give my two cents.

What was the Lord's Supper in the early church could better be described as the Lord's Snack in today's church. A friend of mine told me of a lady he knows whose institutional church observes communion every Sunday morning and she recently shared with him that her four year old granddaughter was sitting with her in church and asked, "When are we having snack?"

The Lord's supper, also known as communion, has changed dramatically from that of the early church. In the early church the Lord's Supper was a festive meal shared together. Instead of a solemn mood, this meal was one of celebration and joy. It was essentially a Christian banquet. On top of that, there was no clergyman to officiate it. Can you believe that?
A study of the first century Church shows that one of the practices they followed was that of having “Love Feasts.” These gatherings of the believers served several purposes, chief among which was fellowship. What a joy it is to eat good food with good friends, especially when you are not in a hurry. These joyous mealtimes were also an occasion for the believers to eat, drink, and thereby remember what Jesus accomplished for them by his death and resurrection. Furthermore, the Love Feasts served as a kind of welfare program for those Christians who were poor. Those who could bring more food did so, and that helped those who had none.
And that is the context of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, a section that has often been misunderstood. Remember that the first epistle to the Corinthians is filled with reproof about their many spiritual malpractices, and the last half of Chapter 11 focuses on their distortion of “the Lord’s Supper.” Verses 20-22 specifically address their selfishness, gluttony, and drunkenness at these gatherings. Verses 23-26 reiterate what Jesus said at his last supper with the disciples, and it is well worth noting in verse 25 that the Greek text reads, “…do this, whenever you drink, in remembrance of me.”
The “unworthy manner” in verse 27 refers back to the malpractices of verses 20-22, and in verse 29, the “Body of the Lord” refers to the Church, the believers. Almost unbelievably, verse 30 shows that the gluttony and withholding from some of the weak and poor had become so rampant that some of the believers actually died, apparently of malnutrition. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to exercise internal discipline in these matters, and closes the chapter by saying that if people cannot behave properly at the Love Feasts, they should stay home.
In giving his instructions at the Lord’s Supper, did Jesus really envision a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly ceremony with wafers and grape juice? I don’t think so. I'm sure that he was encouraging his followers to remember him whenever they ate or drank. In that culture, bread and wine were two primary staples, and thus he chose them as the food and drink. For the record, it is certainly not a sin to participate in a communion ceremony. In fact, it can be very meaningful, but let’s think about how practical it is to remember the Lord (and what he did, is doing, and will do for us) every time we eat or drink.
As one scholar so eloquently put it, "It is not in doubt that the Lord's Supper began as a family meal or a meal of friends in a private house. The Lord's supper moved from being a real meal to a symbolic meal...the Lord's Supper moved from bare simplicity to elaborate splendor. The celebration of the Lord's Supper moved from being a lay function to a priestly function. In the New Testament itself, there was no indication that it was the special privilege or duty of anyone to lead the worshiping fellowship in the Lord's Supper" (Barclay, Lord's Supper, 99-102).
The early church celebrated communion as a meal with an attitude of joy and celebration. In doing so, they proclaimed Jesus' great sacrifice, His victory over death and His future return.  Talk about a "This do in remembrance of Me" moment. Wow!
I'd also like to state that I think it is quite possible that many of us have been enjoying the Lord's Supper to some degree without even knowing it, as we naturally have been drawn to share meals with those with whom we feel our relationships are sacred and spiritual. This occurs naturally when people are born again. As Paul wrote, "Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another" (1 Thes. 4:9). And John wrote, "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14).
Love is part of the salvation package. Yet how many sincere pastors have discovered that many of the people in their church buildings have no genuine interest in meeting with other Christians in small spiritual groups, much less actually gathering in a home to share a meal together? Such people will attend a Sunday-morning show and even shake a few hands during the "fellowship minute." But they really don't love each other. As soon as they've put in their time, the goats are running for the parking lot.
Meanwhile, for the sheep, church often really begins after the benediction. They stand around for a long time talking, or head out for lunch where the real food is spiritual and the fellowship is filling. And of course, they don't do it because they feel obligated, but because they really want to. The early Christians did not gather for common meals because they read something in the book of Acts about Christians sharing common meals and wanted to "get back to the biblical pattern." They did it because they wanted to do it! This principal is true for so much of what is truly the work of God.
Food for thought, huh?

Revival?

Have you ever wondered why the word revival is never mentioned in the New Testament? The concept is not even hinted at. So why do we talk about revival as if God had a boiling bowl of instant revival up in heaven waiting to pour it out on his hungry, thirsty, eager people? All we must do is pray enough, cry enough, fast enough, wait enough, repent enough, call on His Name enough…
Okay enough. You get the idea.
It’s hard to imagine our heavenly Father with that overflowing revival bowl saying, “almost, almost, keep praying, keep screaming….okay….now here you go!” And with a flick of his wrist that bowl is poured out and an awakening sweeps across the nation.
Actually, when you think about it, waiting for revival seems anti-New Testament. The call in the New Testament is to act, to do, to drive…not to wait for God to do something. The sole exception is Acts 1 and 2 when the disciples were commanded to wait and pray for the promised Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. After Jesus ascended they waited ten whole days before the Holy Spirit blew the doors open in the upper room and came to indwell each of them.
At that moment the early believers had everything they needed for revival. They had the instantaneous ability to choose to be empowered by the 3rd Person of the Trinity. At the moment of empowerment they were instantly “revived.” According to Ephesians 1:13,14 we receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation and He is there for good and to do good through us.
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
The Holy Spirit brings with Him all of the necessary implements for personal revival. We yield to Him and the revival is on. There is nothing He is lacking in His toolbox and He makes them all available to us as we walk in faith. Check out Peter’s words,
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:3,4
We have everything we need for revival.
So why do I go to Christian meetings and church services where preachers and worship leaders constantly call out for the presence of God and the power of God to come? Some scream, some sing, some wave banners trying to get God’s attention. Sometimes it feels like they are more like prophets of Baal than prophets of God. They dance around the sacrifice, cutting themselves, screaming themselves hoarse all while trying to call down the lightning. Meanwhile the thunder is rumbling down deep in our souls. The Holy Spirit is ready, willing and able to consume the sacrifice when we, like Elijah, act in faith.
Maybe it’s because we refuse to walk by faith by living like that revival is reality. Are we indirectly blaming God by implying that He hasn’t poured out revival yet? Are we saying, down deep inside, that it’s His fault? We are if we are asking for something that’s already ours through the Holy Spirit. But instead of activating the Spirit’s work through us by faith (aka “revival”) we sing, pray and fast under the pretense of “waiting” on God to do something. Meanwhile He is waiting on us to believe that we have everything we need for life and godliness and to walk in the revival that is already ours through Christ.
If a friend asks me for something to eat while he is holding the meal I just bought for him at McDonald’s at best he would seem ignorant and at worst he would be ungrateful. Are we any less ignorant and ungrateful when we hold the Happy Meal of the Holy Spirit in our hands (along with the free prize of revival inside) while begging God to bring revival?
We have everything we need for revival. Let’s live the revival that was purchased through the cross of Christ, energized through His resurrection and delivered into our hands at the moment of salvation through the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Phrases?

As Christians, we know we are to study the Word and obey it. But does the Bible always say what we think it says? The truth is, there are several phrases out there that sound like they come from the Bible, but actually don't. So with some research, I found the truth behind some of these phrases. Here are some of the most common ones:

"God helps those who help themselves."

The earliest recording of this saying is actually from Aesop's fable "Hercules and the Waggoner." A man's wagon got stuck in a muddy road, and he prayed for Hercules to help. Hercules appeared and said, "Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel." The moral given was "The gods help them that help themselves." Aesop was a Greek writer who lived from 620 to 564 BC, but obviously did not contribute to the Bible. As a biblical truth, the proverb has mixed results. We can do nothing to help when it comes to salvation; salvation is through Christ alone. In the work of sanctification—becoming more spiritually mature—we are to join in the work. 1 Peter 1:14-15 says, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior."

"Cleanliness is next to godliness."

Despite the strict rules given to the Israelites about uncleanness as a metaphor for sinfulness, this phrase is not in the Bible. It originated as an ancient Babylonian and Hebrew proverb, but became very popular during the Victorian era after being revived by Sir Francis Bacon and John Wesley. Is the proverb true beyond the metaphor? A new study shows that people are generally fairer and more generous when in a clean-smelling environment. But Jesus also urges us to worry more about the sin in our hearts than the dirt on our hands (Matthew 7:18-23).

"Money is the root of all evil."

This is a common misconception with an easy fix. 1 Timothy 6:10 actually says, "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil…" Money is not good or bad, and being wealthy is not a sin; Job was wealthy and described as a man who was "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1). Loving money, which in the Greek is "avarice" and infers an emotional affection, is the root of all sorts of evil as the desire to accumulate wealth is placed above God and others.

"Hate the sin, love the sinner."

Although this is a biblical-sounding admonition, it is not directly from the Bible. It's a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. As a guideline, it's valid. We are to hate sin—even our own. And we are to show love to all others. Gandhi's quote is coming under fire in the world as more and more people define themselves by their sin and resent the guidelines God has given us in His Word.

There you have it.