The Only Reasonable Response

"Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you! Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call! For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread. Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh. I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places; I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink, because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down. My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass." - Psalms 102:1-11

I want to start of with a question. If a Christian is "saved by grace through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9), then why are Christians worried about how they act? Could it be that the Christian has begun to depend upon their works for salvation? I hope not, for the Bible says, "we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" (Isaiah 64:6a). Lets talk of the Christian who is sincere in their faith; why are they walking according to disciplines, rules, and standards they consider Christian? The Bible says works do not save us, so why do them? The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Most of us know grace is unmerited favor, but if faith is the medium by which we are given grace, we must now inquire about the true meaning of faith. Is faith in Jesus Christ a prayer pleading that the holy spirit would enter one's life? Is faith wearing a Christian T-shirt everywhere you go? Is faith having "christian" under your Facebook info? Or is faith nearly synonymous with works? Could it be that the two are inseparable? We know faith brings salvation, and not works, but does it logically follow that works are not involved in faith? If I believe that a chair can hold my weight, but I never sit in the chair, have I yet put my faith in that chair? Or is the faith only true once such faith has inclined someone to do something? Is faith that does not bring about change true faith?

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love" (2 Peter 1:5-7). This passage starts with the words "for this very reason." If you glance back at 2 Peter 1:3-4, the author is simply making notice of a Christians salvation through the work of Jesus. Peter first points out that he wants Christians to supplement faith with virtue (or works), but for what reason? Well he tells us in the prior verses: because we are a saved people. In essence, Peter is saying act your faith because what other response is there? What other response to salvation should a Christian have except complete contempt for worldliness and absolute desire for righteousness?

Peter goes on to say, "whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall" (2 Peter 1:9-10). Christians do not practice righteous qualities for the sake of boasting about them or being seen as righteous, they practice them because they desire to practice them. The Christian is a servant to Christ, and a servant serves his master out of love. We do not serve because we want to please others but because we want to please Christ and we desire to hear the words "well done good and faithful servant."

My friends, seek God today because you want to; because deep inside you is a desire to do so; because you want to understand why Jesus died for you. When you have found inside yourself a prideful heart that is getting in the way of true communion with God, cast it out, that relationship with, and understanding of Christ may be renewed. Allow the Holy Spirit to live through you and quit trying to live through yourself. When we live through ourselves, we are glorified; when the Holy spirit lives through us, Christ is glorified.

Tests Are Good

“Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord, a God greatly to be feared  in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.” - Psalms 89:5-9

People suffer for many reasons. People suffer when effected by others’ sins; or when pain makes us aware that we are being damaged. There is a bigger question however: why did God plan for us to suffer, specifically his elect? Why did God work the suffering of his redeemed people into his plan? Did not Jesus already pay the price, why must we? 

Tests are one of the most common reasons a believer suffers. The word “test” is a very vague term. Does a test in the Bible have any similarities to a test taken here on earth? What is the purpose of a test taken in school? It is to reveal what level of knowledge a particular person has when it comes to a specific subject and it also reveals what they have left to learn in order to become scholarly in a certain field. Does not a test do the same for the believer in Christ? A test planned by God, put into the life of a believer, exists for several different reasons. A test is to show the believer where they stand in their spiritual walk and where they need to grow. For a test does not only reveal strengths, but weaknesses. 

There is another reason as well. In the book of Job, God shows his disciple off to Satan by allowing him to suffer great trials. This event brought much glory to God in the spiritual realm. There is also a spiritual realm where things are happening that we cannot yet see and these could well have an effect on why we are tested. There are many reasons a Christian is tested, but I have not yet revealed what I believe to be the most important.

God uses his chosen people to spread the gospel throughout the world, is this not a gift to the Christian life? Indeed it is. What does the spreading of the gospel include? It includes the testing of Christians. When a Christian is tested by suffering of the flesh, they are tested primarily that others may see the perseverance of the believer through the test. Did not the disciples die for their faith so that today we can use their witness to back up our faith in apologetics? Are not people amazed by stories of Christian martyrs who endured the trials God put in their way? Are not such stories a testament to the power and practicality of the Christian faith? 

We are tested primarily for a missional purpose - the purpose of spreading the gospel. This is why we are to rejoice when being tested, for it is a unique opportunity to spread the word of God in a powerful way. My brothers and sisters, stay strong during trials, for it is not a time of sorrow, but a time of joy. Pray that others may see the glory of God through your strength during trials. I love you friends, and I want you to understand that testing is a blessing. 

Pursue righteousness in all that you do and be a God-fearing believer. Remain in Christ.

Our High Priest

"I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, 'Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.; You have said, 'I Have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 'I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.''"
- Psalms 89:1-4

Sin is part of humanity. Paul couldn't rid himself of sin as he talks of in Romans 7, nor could Moses, Jonah, Aaron, and every other person who has lived. We run into a problem here: who is to intercede for us? In the Old Testament, the High Priest would intercede for the Israelites in order to propitiate God's wrath against them. This raises an even more serious question: how did a sinful man intercede for sinful man and successfully propitiate God's wrath against sinful man? Before a judge, can  a known murderer step in to defend another murderer? Sinful man is not adequate to intercede for sinful man.

Just as Hebrews 5:1 points out, it was the job of the High Priest to offer sacrifices for the peoples sins (the day of Atonement). "For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins." Did sinful man actually satisfy God's wrath against sinful man? No, the use of a high priest was God's way of explaining the future role of Christ in redemption. We have a High Priest who is sinless and is therefore adequate to intercede for sinful man. "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession" (Hebrews 4:14).

However, people do not only want a high priest to intercede for their sins, but a high priest who also sympathizes with them for their transgressions. For what high priest will intercede for sins if temptation is not experienced by the priest himself? Do not be grieved my friends, for we have a high priest who has experienced temptation, and can indeed sympathize with us. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Someone is thinking to themselves "was Jesus really tempted if he couldn't have sinned because of his Godly nature?" The question then is, could Jesus have sinned? Yes, technically speaking, he was a human and had the ability to sin. Would Jesus have sinned? No, because he understood the things of God and knows the evil of sin. A person will only sin once they have convinced themselves it is acceptable, this is something Jesus wouldn't have done knowing the truth.

Hebrews goes on to say, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered" (5:8). Did I write that correctly? Jesus had to learn to be obedient? Is that true? Many times, this passage is taken to mean that Jesus learned to be obedient to God the Father and his wishes, but within the context of the passage, it means something else. The passage says he "learned obedience through what he suffered." This indicates that he didn't learn to be obedient to God, for he knew how, but he learned what the cost of being obedient to God was: suffering. He didn't learn how to obey God, but he experienced and came to understand the cost of doing so.

On the cross, Jesus cried out "Father, forgive them." He was talking about me and you, believers and obedient followers of Christ. He was interceding for when me and you nailed him to that cross. He continues to intercede today when we pick up the nails once again. The Spirit is with us to halt us and put down the nails, and Jesus is there for when we nail him once more to the cross. These are sorrowful but joyful truths. Rejoice that Jesus is our high priest; rejoice that he has overcome the world; and rejoice that you can return, in the end, to your true identity in Christ. Sinful man does not intercede for you any longer, sinless man who became sinful man does. Remember these things as you walk through your day. Spirit of God be with you and our High Priest Jesus Christ watch over you.

Talking As Christ Would

"O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves." - Psalms 88:1-7

It never ceases to surprise me when I go to a Christian school and hear Christians profess Christ one moment, and the next talk of impure things. Christians do not usually talk of unrighteousness seriously, but with humor. They seem to think if it amuses others, than it is perfectly acceptable. Believers assume that they can, with the same tongue, praise God and curse man. These people have seriously and unfortunately convinced themselves that crude, unruly humor is acceptable for the Christian to utter.

I do not find this premise within the word of God, the very book these people claim they stand by. There is no place in the Bible I find a verse saying "thou shalt not glorify sinful things unless it makes a brother laugh." This kind of verse in the Bible is absurd, wouldn't you agree? Are we taking the Bible seriously, or only the parts we think are reasonable? Are Christians pursuing the easy commands but not pursuing the commands which demand more time and devotion? More importantly, are you?

Ephesians 5:3-4 says, "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." I believe Christians have forgotten who they are. I believe crude jokes and our immoral humor is, at least partly, a result of wrong self-perception. In other words, we have forgotten we are "saints." We are the image bearers of Christ himself. How dare we glorify immorallity, whether it be out of humor or seriousness? As Paul says, this kind of talk is "out of place." As a "healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit," neither "can a diseased tree bear good fruit" (Matthew 7:18). Christians should, by the power of God, produce only that which is inside of them: the image of Christ and his kingdom.

It is interesting that in Ephesians 5, Paul names "Thanksgiving" as the alternative to "crude jokes, covetousness, and sexual immorality." How would thanksgiving rid the Christian of these sins? Thanksgiving is the act and proclamation of giving thanks to God for that which he has given, produced, and done. Is not sex a gift? Is not humor a gift? Are not possessions a gift? Why than are we intermixing these gifts (that Paul refers to in Ephesians 5) with sin and then going on to mock them, and enjoy the perverse and immoral humor that comes out of them? Do you now see how thanksgiving is an alternative to mocking the gifts God has granted and twisting them for your own amusement? Where genuine thanksgiving to God lies is where sin removes itself.

I do not want you to deceive yourselves or others. I pray that you will refrain from indecent talk as well as action. As James says, learn to "bridle the tongue." Peace with you this day in the name of Jesus Christ, and may he dwell within you more ultimately day by day.

Do Not Drowned While Saving Someone

"O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me." - Psalms 86:14-17

It is easy to hate, isn't it friends? It is easy to gossip, to mock, and to point out the qualities in people that are imperfect. Why do we, as Christians, not point out the good in one another? It seems that everywhere we turn, we are being degraded, laughed at, and used as a form of entertainment. The Church has gossip within it, and ultimately the body of believers has gossip within it. I do not wish it to be this way, for this is not pleasing to God, but why is it this way? Could it be that some believers are not actually believers? Or could it be the mere fact that believers are sinners too?

I think it is a mixture of the two: some believers aren't actually believers, and believers happen to be sinners. This evil within the church firstly comes from a lack of genuine Christianity, especially within the bounds of American churches; I believe we are a highly self-deceived nation. And it secondly comes from the truth that believers still sin, even though they strive not to. As Romans 7 talks about, they "do what they do not want to do." What are churches and genuine Christians to do about this folly in the body of believers? Are we to excommunicate them and no longer acknowledge their existence? Are we to kindly accept them for who they are? I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle; somewhere in the "ethical mean" (as aristotle would say).

Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 to "not grow weary in doing good." What are we to do when people do grow weary of doing good? Do not abandon people within the body of believers who have lost their way or who have began to step from the faith. In fact, pursue them more diligently. Paul goes on to help us understand what action we should take in this situation. "If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed" (2 Thessalonians 3:14). Did you catch what Paul just said? Did he say "have nothing to do with him," and cause him to be "ashamed"? Let me grant some insight.

The word translated "have nothing to do with him" is sunanamignumi, and it means more specifically "to mix up together". In other words, it doesn't mean to completely abandon this person who has not followed good ethics. It is a warning to not mix your lifestyle with his/hers so that you will not become unethical as they are. Keep your distance to stay pure, do not let them entice you into their evil. 

Causing them to be ashamed makes perfect sense. It does not say to point out their flaws to others so that others will be ashamed of them, but merely let them be ashamed of himself/herself by showing the true way a believer is to function and think. 

Lastly, Paul says in verse 15, "Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." Do you understand this my friends? We are not to look at lost people as infidels and tyrants, but as captives. Not as evil people, but as people bound by evil. Not as slave-owners, but as slaves. Lost people are to be pitied most of all. We feel sorry for them and we "warn them as a brother" because we know the condemnation they are entitled to if they do not pick up the key to escape from their shackles. Do not regard your sinful brother or sister as an enemy, but as a soldier taken captive to the enemy to do his work. 

Love one another, work with one another, and do not abandon each-other when one is falling. Help him get out of the water, but don't let him pull you in while in the process. I love you friends, support the body with your whole being and run from evil in the name of Jesus. 
Blessings to you this day.

Now For The Sake Of Then

"There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol." - Psalms 86:8-13

Some Christians have trouble with the concept that God is just. Not directly of course, but it is implied by the characteristics of God they ignore. Many Christians do not like that God sends people to hell. Many Christians do not like that God has a wrath, or a hatred. I wonder if these Christians would prefer that all unrepentant God-blasphemers not be punished. I, personally, prefer that our God is just. I prefer that our God does hate sin, does despise evil, does look on unrighteousness with fury.

If the Christian accepts the notion that God is not just, what are the repercussions? No one is punished for their sins; everyone gets to go to heaven; love doesn't exist. These are a few of the necessities for a world ruled by an unjust God. Looking at this list, I hope you quickly realize this is not the God we serve. This is a mythical god, it is not our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our God does punish sin, but not yet. The people living in sin are fortunate enough to be able to live out their lives with mere consequences of their sin, but not yet any true punishment. In fact, if they are to repent of their sin, they shall be saved, and they have a whole life-time to do so. As for us Christians, we are the opposite; our sufferings come during this age. Christians endure temporal suffering for the sake of eternal joy, whereas the unbeliever relishes temporal enjoyment and will suffer eternally for doing so. There is a choice to make here. Either suffer for a life-time, or for infinite life-times.

The Christian at this point may be thinking to them-self "I have suffered so little. I go to church sunday, I do all the right things, but I haven't suffered." I am sorry to tell you this, but if you have truly pursued the Christian way of life, you have surely suffered. You have been persecuted, slandered, hated, cursed, and worn-out. You will say "can one not be a Christian without suffering?" and I tell you no, they can not. "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:12). The Christian will be persecuted. Does not Jesus tell us "whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38)?

I want you to understand, friends, that the Christian walk is a short period of suffering for the sake of eternal time with God! Endure my beloved, do not cast aside Christian values when life gets difficult, but push all the harder. When you don't have time for prayer, fast; when you don't have time to read your Bible, read it longer; when you don't have time to do the dishes, do the laundry too. Let the Spirit of Christ keep you and guide you in all that you do and always remember: temporary suffering, eternal reward. God bless you.

Do More And More

"Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you - you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me." - Psalms 86:1-7

Do you ever feel like your walk with Christ has come to a halt? Like you have stopped learning? Stopped growing? Stopped having purpose? Maybe today is one of those days. Maybe today you feel as though life isn't even worth living. Or maybe today is a good day; you feel as though life is worth living, and worth living to the fullest. Either way, we all have experienced some sort of stagnation in our walk with God. Is this stagnation merely perceived as such or is it an actual loss of spiritual growth?

R.C. Sproul, a famous theologian, would claim that the Christian never stops growing, rather the growth is merely slowed for a short while and we often see such as a complete halt. I have not yet decided whether I agree with Sproul on this point, but I think it is a premise that deserves further thought.

What would you say is the first lifestyle change a person must make after they have made their commitment to Christ? I believe it is to make an effort at refraining from temptations of the flesh. When we live in the flesh, we act of the flesh; but when we live in the spirit, we now must discipline ourselves to act in the spirit. Essentially, I would claim that the first step a Christian takes towards being a Christian is to refrain from sinful actions. But does the journey of the Christian stop there? Is the Christian walk only a walk of "don'ts"? Or is there more to it? What is the next step to take after the Christian has dedicated themselves to abstaining from evil?

The next thing the Christian needs to pursue is good. The Christian walk is not only a walk of "don'ts" but a walk of "do's". We are not only to refrain from temptation, but to fight against it. We are not only to not be involved in great evils, but to interfere. We are not only to stand by, but to stand up. The Christian is not only called to a life of redemption, but a life of righteousness. Let the Christian walk in righteousness: give to the poor, help the needy, love the wounded, persevere in tribulation, and walk in peace.

You may be saying "Mike, what else am I to do? My schedule is booked with helping out in volunteer positions, I help the needy, I refrain from sin. What more is there for me in the Christian walk?" Though I think few Christians will be saying this, I will still tell you what more there is at this point. Listen to Paul first: "Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more" (1 Thessalonians 4:1). Once more, "Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more."

 Do you understand friends? You may feed the needy, feed them more. You may help the wounded, help them more. You may pray often, pray more. You may love much, love more. Someone may be saying "What more is there to love, or to give? I have given everything I have to God." All I can respond is no you have not. Does not the Christian faith rely upon the very foundation that we are sinners and are bound to sin whether under the redemptive power of Christ or not? Do you not realize you are a sinner? For I tell you the truth when I say that you have not perfected your walk with God; there is always more to be done. The moment you believe you have perfected your walk is the same moment you need to realize your filth.

Firstly, abstain from evil, from the desires of the flesh. Secondly, pursue righteousness, hope, love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Lastly, pursue these things more.

Christ be with you throughout the day and watch over you.

Prayer Works

Hear we are Father, your children, desiring you, and you alone. Will you hear us this day? Hear our prayer and let us partake of the blood of Christ. May we every day pick up our cross and walk next to Jesus, may you accept our sacrifice of a broken heart, and repair it that we may have life to the fullest. We thank you for your gifts this day and ask that you would allow us to be your servants. In Jesus name, Amen.

Why do you pray? Is it because you were told to pray before you eat? Is it because thats what you've always done? Is it because that what they told you to do when you became a Christian? Or is it because you believe it truly has the power to change reality? I truly believe that Christians would live differently if the latter options was the real reason we prayed. Too often, Christians pray because thats what they grew up doing, or because they think it's a requirement to get into heaven, or because they know they should probably ask for forgiveness now and again.

One of the main reasons Christians have trouble believing in prayer is because they don't understand how it works. Do you not understand my friend that merely because you don't understand how something works doesn't mean it does not work? If you are using a computer, do you know every detail about how that computer is built, and how it works? I assume not. But does that computer work none the less? Yes. This is the same as prayer. Because you don't understand how it works does not give credit to the assumption that it doesn't. Someone will say "But if I pursue it, I can figure out how that computer works!" Yes you can, because we are the creators of the computer. Whoever created something is obviously aware of the means by which it functions. We created computers, so we understand how it works, but we did not create prayer. God did, and only God is aware of how it works; we just know it does.

Do you have to know how a computer works to use it? I'm not talking about "click here" or "click there" but the stuff inside the computer that makes it work. No, of course not! You don't have to know what is going on inside the hard drive to use a computer sufficiently. Again, prayer is the same. You don't have to know how it works to use it. God controls how it works, and we are recipients of it. It is a gift given to us that we are meant to use as Christians. Do you yet understand my friend, that prayer works?

I urge you brothers and sisters, pray earnestly, attentively, and with faith. I don't know how it works, but I know it does because I've seen it work. It is one of our most powerful weapons against the enemy and for the building up of the body. God has granted it, we are to use it. Please friends, pray, it works.

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." - Romans 12:12

Acting Out Your Part

Almighty God, who are we to come to You? Would You come to us that we may experience Your presence? We are not worthy of who You are, we are only deemed worthy through Your own work. Thank You Father, You gave up Your son that we may become Your son. He lost His life that we may have it abundantly with You. We praise You and thank You and ask for You. The blessings You bestow on us are a gift, but they aren't the gift. You are the gift Father. Your being is the gift; Your love is the gift; who You are is the gift we have been offered and You have given us the ability to receive. Thank You for these profound truths. In Jesus name, Amen.

If I look back on my life, I can see a lot of times that I overloaded myself with work and in the end, accomplished none of it. There were times I committed to two things that were at the same time and ended up attending neither because of the stress it put on me. There were also times when I committed to something every day of the week (things I enjoyed and loved) and ended pursuing them half-heartedly. Have you experienced this my friends? I'm sure you have, it isn't a rare problem to experience. We (Christians especially) take on so much that we have trouble having joy in what we are doing. How do we gain that joy back? How do we renew our excitement for working for God?

Well brothers and sister, it's easy in one sense and hard in another. It's easy because it means doing less for others and doing a bit more for personal growth and rejuvenation. It's hard because it requires a very delicate balance between time spent growing personally and time spent for the sake of others. Before I move on, I think it's important to make the point that time spent for yourself and time spent for others both need to ultimately be time spent for God. Not a moment should be wasted in this pursuit. Having said that, we must learn when is the time to grow personally and when is the time to exert ourselves for the sake of others.

The problem of overloading yourself with work for others comes primarily, I think, from wanting to be the body of Christ. None of us want to only be the arm, we want to be the legs and the head and the ears and everything else in the body. Why do we want to? For some people, it's a problem of pride. They think that they can do everything by themselves and so they attempt to do so and fail miserably (like the basketball player who never passes the ball). For some people, the problem is that they have never seen any other christians working hard to do their part. In other words, the arm has quit doing it's job, so they take over for it. As the body parts quit, these people step in to take over their roles. They then get exhausted, and fail. Though we may have a bias to think that one of these situations is better than the other (and possibly the motives are), that is not the point. The point is that both of these situations, regardless of the motives, are unhealthy for spiritual growth.

We need to quit trying to be the body, and be parts of the body. If everyone takes on the part that they have been given to play, the body will work in great harmony. Trouble comes when parts of the body shut down and when peoples pride gets a hold of them. If your a teacher, be a teacher; if your an encourager, be an encourager; if your a lover, be a lover. Be what God has gifted you to be and do not pursue that which God has created others to pursue. If we truly pursue with our whole being the objective that God has set before us, then we will pour into that objective with all of who we are, and not just part. Do not devote yourself to many things, but to one thing - that which God has called you to. Just as you do not devote yourself to many gods, do not devote yourself to many parts of the body.
You are called to be a specific part of the body, and so I plead with you on behalf of my brothers and sisters, be that part!

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." - Romans 12:6-8

Fighting For Christ

God, we grow weary. We are tired and we need supplication. We are weak and we need strength. We feel like failures and we need reassurance of Your grace. We are filthy and we need cleansing. The body of Christ is persecuted and becomes tired of the repercussions of following a great God. Though we know that the sufferings of this present time are not to be compared to the glory that is to come, we compare. Shake us, break us, and move us. We no longer care what it takes for us to become what You wish, we just wish that we could become that very thing. We give up ourselves and give in to You. Love us, keep us, and help us endure. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have you ever been in a fight? If you have, was it fun? Did you get hit in the face, punched in the stomach, or slammed to the ground and say to yourself "I wanna do this again"? What about how tiring fighting is. Do you get tired when you fight? UFC fighters fight for five-minute rounds and are exhausted by the end. Fighting is, in my opinion, the most strenuous exercise someone can do. It involves at least two people who are trying their hardest to win, which means one person will inevitably lose. There is no possibility of someone coming out of a fight and both people winning; one has lost, and one has won.

I bring up the strenuous actions that fighting involves because Paul calls our faith a "fight." He says "fight the good fight of the faith." I feel assured that Paul would not have used the word "fight" if walking in the faith of Christ was easy. He used the word fight to convey how difficult walking with Jesus can be. It is exhausting, strenuous, and most importantly, there is opposition.

In our walk, we fight against the Spirit world and it's temptations. We fight against the flesh and the desires within us. We fight against persecutions by trying to rejoice in them. We battle anxiety, depression, lust, deformity, anger, heart-break, isolation, perversity, and many other antagonists. Paul calls our faith a fight because it is so difficult to do. He calls it good because it is the right thing to do. And he calls it faith because it is only through Jesus that the fight can be fought.

We have pronounced ourselves Christians, we have taken the name of Jesus Christ upon ourselves, what will you do with it? Will you fight for his name, enduring hardship, affliction, trials, temptations? Or will you flee from his name and embrace the evil one? Choose wisely, but do not misrepresent the name of Christ. We are to fight, and when we are hit, may we surround each other with love and may Jesus take the blow with us; for our sufferings are a cross we cannot bear on our own. The fight of the faith is not a fight to win, but a fight to endure. God has already won, it's just a matter of who is on the winning side.

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." - 1 Timothy 6:12

Greeting The Body Of Christ

Our Father, grant us your love and patience this day. Don't let us only receive it, but also distribute it according to your will. We want to be your ambassadors and preach the gospel to the ends of the earth. You have not created us to be alone in this mission Father, and we are so thankful for that. You have created us for relationship; firstly with you, and secondarily with other believers. We were created for worship through fellowship and that is what we should pursue, would you give us the strength and desire to do so today. We love you Father, dwell in us this day and again, work through us that we may feel your presence further. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have you ever had a friend stay at your house? Maybe just for the night, or maybe for a week. Or perhaps have you had a foreign exchange student stay at your house? Having a guest at your house is not always an easy undertaking. It can be quite stressful. You often have to provide food, a restroom, entertainment, and conversation for your guests. This kind of hospitality is less common today than it was in the earlier days of America and other civilizations, but it is still prevalent. When someone stays at your house, something is expected morally. 

There are levels of hospitality in every day life: when we have a friend stay the night, when we go out to coffee or lunch with someone, or when we house someone for years. Whether the stay is long or short, there is some expectation for hospitality, even in the Christian walk. In Romans 16, verses 3 through 16, Paul says the word "greet" 18 times. He lists the people who he wants these believers to "greet". When we greet someone, it isn't just saying "hello"; though sometimes that is how we think of it. Greeting someone includes true hospitality and care for their condition. It includes sacrifice of time, money, food, privacy, and many other things. For this reason, hospitality can be a very difficult pursuit. 

The people who Paul wishes for the Romans to greet are mostly other believers. There is something to learn here. We Christians should be showing hospitality, care, and love for one another. We should give when needed, we should receive when needed; we should listen when needed, we should talk when needed. For if everyone in a community (the body of Christ) shows hospitality to everyone else in the community, all sacrifices for the community will be reimbursed by other sacrifices. This is exactly how the church of the book of Acts looked. "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common...There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need" (4:32, 34-35). Do you see the love in this picture? The hospitality and care for one another? The harmony they lived in? 

The walk of the Christian should be showing constant hospitality and love to his brothers and sisters. Would you agree with me that the Christian needs constant encouragement because the walk is so hard? I think you probably would. The walk is hard, and lets not make it harder for each other, but in love, patience, gentleness, selflessness, and sacrifice, show hospitality to one another and truly "greet" each other in the name of Jesus Christ, for this is what we have in common. 

Promise Driven God

Father, teach us who You are. For when we understand You further, we are more able to enjoy Your presence. Allow us to remember and know that Your words do not come from feelings, but from careful and concise study of Your word. Hearing Your voice will not always be easy because You speak when You choose to speak, not when we want You to speak. May we learn to accept this as true. We love You Father, but circumstances show that You love us more, and we thank You so much for that great love. In Jesus name, Amen.

Is God unchanging? We are told yes by theologians and pastors, but aren't there some confusing underlying implications to that premise? For example, does God change his mind after we pray? Let me narrow this question down a little bit; does God break promises? If God says yes to one person, and another person asks for the opposite thing to happen, will he have to say no to the second person? Let me again narrow this question down; does God break a promise so that he can punish evil? I've brought up several thought provoking questions in this introduction that I hope you will think on, but the question I want to focus on is the last.

Does God break a promise so that he can punish evil? Think of it this way, when God promised the Israelites that they would enter the promised land, did they ever fall away? Yes. Were the punished by God? Yes. Did God break his promise to them? No. God punished and fulfilled his promise to them. Surely though, God held back true punishment from his people. Yes, they suffered in the dessert for forty years, but they still entered the promised land. God would have had every right to take that promise from them too because of how they had disobeyed him, but he didn't.

"And Jehoram walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever." - 2 Chronicles 21:6-7

Here we have a man who was evil in the sight of God, but God partly restrained his wrath because he had made a promise. Later in the chapter, we see Jehoram being punished, but not to the extant that he deserved. For he deserved for his kingdom to be wiped out, but his kingdom was meant to be a means by which God would fulfill the promise to his son David.

The point is that God has always been gracious to us, he has withheld his wrath from us by way of his son. Why does he not wipe the evil out from the world though? Why has it not disintegrated under the hand of God? I'm not talking about the people who have accepted Jesus and still struggle with sin, I'm talking about those who are completely and utterly evil and feel no remorse for their evil. The answer to this question is found in Romans 9:

"What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory." - Romans 9:22-23

God has endured these evil people so that we, his children, can see his glory even more. You will say "how does that makes sense mike? How do I see God's glory more when there is evil?" If you walk into a dark room and you turn on the light, are you not more thankful for the light? If you walked into a cave without a flashlight, would you not crave light and search for it? If you walk into a dark world, when you see the light, will it not be so much more glorious? Do you understand my brothers and sisters, that God has endured the evils of this world in order that we may see how much better he is and how much more he has to offer.

God is good when there is evil, God is good when there is good. God has planned for both of them because in the end, it all leads to something beautiful. We may not like a particular color in the painting, but when applied in the right spot of the painting, it may make it look more beautiful than it was; suffering is the same. Though at first glance, it doesn't seem glorious, we cannot compare "the suffering of this present age to the joy that is coming".

In, Not Of

Our great Father who is so full of love, bless us this day. Show us your grace even further. We are so unsatisfied when you do a wondrous work, for we want to see another. We are never content with the amount of love you have shown us; we want to see more. Oh, please put the ability in our hearts to be content and rejoice in what you have given us. For this is the product of true faith. May we not focus on what we can get from you but what we have gotten from you. You are love, you are God, and we adore you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have you ever bought pants that were too small? You didn’t think they were too small when you first bought them because you had been convinced by some friends that they looked good. You got home, and after a few days, you realized how uncomfortable they really were. The pants didn’t change at all, your perception of them did. What about shoes? Have you ever done this with shoes and then realized how uncomfortable they were (high-heels ladies)? 

These pants or shoes are much like how the Christian fits into the world. When we are born, we grow up usually thinking the world is pretty nice. We will try it on, be told it looks good, and continue wearing it. Until we realize how uncomfortable it is. The Christian is uncomfortable in the world because it’s not where they fit. They now have a renewed mind, whereas the world has a filthy mind. How is the Christian to learn to be comfortable in the world? 

This is asking the wrong question. For there is a difference between buying the pants and wearing the pants. In other words, there is a difference between being of the world (wearing the pants) and being in the world (buying the pants). The Christian is not to wear the pants, but to put some money into the pants and buy them. The Christian is not to do as the world does and live as the world lives, but to care for the world enough to tell them the gospel.

Please learn this lesson my beloved brothers and sisters. We must be in the world, but not of the world. In closing:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:2

Commit Yourself

Father, here our prayer tonight. We suffer for You in our lives; we rejoice for You in our lives; we strive to love everyone for You. Every effort we have, every attempt we make, every thing we do, may it only be done so that glory will be given to You. We want to understand You because we want to honor You. We don't understand You because you are so much greater than us. We pray today for love to lavished on all Christian's Father, that Your heart would have mercy and grace on them. We also pray for unbelievers, that you would change there hearts, because you have the ability to do so. In Jesus name, Amen.

Do you ever wonder why the Bible talks about wanting Christians to sacrifice their lives to God? Surely it couldn't mean that we are supposed to kill ourselves for the sake of Christ. Oh, my friend, but it does. We are indeed to sacrifice ourselves; to kill ourselves off that we may finally live with Christ. We are not supposed to kill our body, but who we once were. We are to kill off all unrighteousness and evil for the sake of Christ, this is what it means to truly sacrifice yourself to God.

Christian's are to live in such a way that represents that we have sacrificed part of who we are. If someone has cut off their arm, are you going to notice? Yes. How much more easy would it be to notice if someone sacrificed there very person! It will be noticeable when we have killed off the flesh, and have begun to live in the spirit. For no man can come to God in the flesh, "no one in the flesh can please God". Only by the grace of God, in the spirit, can man finally come to God. And only when God puts a clean spirit in you will you begin to change.

For we are all born with an indwelling evil spirit "none is righteous, no, not one." The only way that this spirit can be killed is by the grace of God and the only way we can get a clean spirit is also by the grace of God. Man must always have a spirit to remain a man. The difference between the believer and the unbeliever is the cleanliness of their spirit; not based off their deeds, but based off who the sacrifice was. For the believer, the sacrifice must be Jesus; for the unbeliever, even if he sacrifices his soul, it is not enough, for it is unclean. God only receives perfect sacrifices, therefore, man needs Jesus.

Remember always my friends, the grace of God is the only way to God. Never rest on the imperfect grace of man to get to God, but rest in the arms of God and he will change you. Such an act is the only acceptable sacrifice to God. May we cry out to the Father with Jesus,

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!"

Be a Sinner

Great God, why have You decided to cast sufferings upon Your children? For our minds are often too insignificant to understand such things. Though we do not always understand why You have chosen for some to suffer, may You still grant us comfort when it is our appointed time. May Your sovereign hand guide us through the thorn bush. As we try to escape, may we not do so frantically and hurt ourselves further. We know that You are good when life isn't and we know that You are good when life is. We pray for our brothers and sisters who are ebbing away from the faith, that You would not let them fall but would grant them endurance. In Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Think of the worst sin you've ever committed. What was it? Lying? Stealing? Cheating? Adultery? Murder? Pornography? Drugs? Alcohol? Hate? Lust? I know that many people view all sins as equal (I am one of them), but for now, let's use our human standards to think of the worst sin we have committed; because God knows we make our own standards up. After you have thought of your worst sin you have committed, what do you feel? Despair? Hopelessness? These are a few words that come to mind when I think of my worst sins. I feel like a couldn't undo what has been done, and this is true. However, I can do what needs to be done: change.

We were never called to be perfect people. We were called to desire Christ with our whole being. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says "You are a sinner, so be a sinner, and don't try to become what you are not. Yes, and become a sinner again and again every day, and be bold about it." What? Did you read what he just said? He said be a sinner and be bold about it. But listen to the what he says next: "But to whom can such words be addressed, except to those who from the bottom of their hearts make a daily renunciation of sin and of every barrier which hinders them from following Christ, but who nevertheless are troubled by their daily faithlessness and sin?" Bonhoeffer is saying you are a sinner, so be a sinner. Admit when you sin and move on with your life. Though these words will be easily twisted by the self-decieved Christian. They will think "Oh, I can do whatever I like and be bold about it". This is not the point Bonhoeffer is making. Only to the man who has the genuine spirit of God within his soul, can this point be made and offered as a loving testimony to the joy of Christ's sacrifice.

Here is the reality for those who have the spirit of God dwelling within them: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). Forget about your sins and move on. My child, by the grace of God you have been forgiven, so move forward eagerly in your faith and pursue the calling God has put on your life. No longer dwell on that which reveals the very fact that you need a savior, but dwell on your savior. Jesus didn't die so you could continue feeling guilty about the things you have committed, he died so that you could be released from being a slave to those things. May the power and grace of God overwhelm you today my friends and may the love of God grant you perseverance and hope.

Against All Odds

Our great God of all, why did You not cast us aside the moment we sinned? Why did You not turn from us when we turned from You? Why did You pursue us when we pursued evil? Because of Your great love. You have loved us beyond measure, beyond the reaches of the ocean and the stars, Your love stretches. You reach to the broken, the weak, to those who have lost hope and we thank You for being such a loving God. You have done what only You could do: You have saved us from ourselves. You knew that after we sinned, You must not let us live forever or else forever we would live in our broken condition, thank You for not letting us suffer like that; one lifetime is enough. We praise You and thank You for all You have done and are going to do. In Jesus name, Amen.

What would you think of a basketball game where team A had five players on at all times and team B had ten players on at all times and all players were of the same skill level? Or what about a war where everyone is equally trained, but one side has 400,000 people and the other side has 800,000 people? It seems pretty obvious what the outcome of these two situations would be. Unless, the lesser team gets incredibly lucky, they are faced with inevitable defeat. In 2 Chronicles 13, we find a similar story of a war between two leaders. One named Abijah with "400,000 chosen men", and Jeroboam with "800,000 chosen mighty warriors." Notice the difference in the text? Not only did Abijah have half as many men as Jeroboam did, they were only men! Whereas Jeroboam had experienced, mighty warriors. Good luck Abijah.

Although man-power between the two armies was far from fair, Abijah declared his loyalty to God. Now you may be thinking "okay, for sure Abijah will win" and he does. He is victorious and kills 500,000 of Jeroboam's men before they give up. "Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 Chosen men. Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers" (2 Chronicles 13:17-18). This story shows that it isn't the man power that determines a war. We can take that even further and say it isn't the man power that determines whether a project will succeed or fail; it isn't the will of man that decides what will happen; it isn't the strength of man that determines anything. God alone is the great determiner.

What is greater than 800,000 men? God. What is greater than depression? God. What is greater than anxiety? God. What is greater than death? God. We are called as Christians, to step out in faith as Abijah did during this time of war. We should be stepping out of our comfort zone, to minister to people, and to do the will of God as "little Christs". Just as we see in this story in 2 Chronicles, it greatly pleases God when his people step out in faith. What does this require of us? It requires that we surrender ourselves to him; it requires that we possibly give up our swords, and walk around the building yelling until it collapses; it requires obedience to do, not that which you want to, but that which God has called you to.

Someone will say "if it pleases God to have faith in anything, would it be wrong to have faith that God will catch you if you jump off of a building for fun?" As ridiculous as this question seems, it makes a good point. Shouldn't there be a line drawn for faith we can have in God? No, there shouldn't be. Here is where the line lies: the line is the difference between trusting in God and testing God. The former is a declaration of your faith to God, the latter is a way of seeing if this "god" is someone to be trusted. God loves those who believe without seeing, and those are the people he blesses (John 20:29). He does also bless those who have seen and have believed, but again, the question must be asked as to whether that person believes because they have seen. And if they have, a serious self-examination needs to be done.

The point is that it pleases God when we are faithful under circumstances that seem to not be in our favor. If it is a calling from God, it will always succeed. Always remember that my friends. God be near you today and speak to your heart and may you pursue everything you do in faith and love. Blessings to you.

Is God Near?

Father God, we need you this day, just as every other day that we live. We thank you that you have woken those of us up to serve you once again, though many of us desire to be with you already. For in imperfect, it is difficult to serve the perfect. Daily, we grow weary and want to serve you, but find ourselves lacking. Oh, how great is Your grace and how greatly You are to be praised! We pray for those who are suffering for Christ's name, that you would comfort them and Your mighty hand would be in control. We pray for those who are joyful, that they would remain so as long as You ordain. We ask that your will be done, and that our will aligns with Yours. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes it doesn't seem like God is with you? I'm sure you have, every Christian experiences doubts or times of trouble where it seems as though God has completely abandoned you. My question is why does it feel so much like God has indeed abandoned us when the Bible tells us the opposite, that he is always near?

When I ask myself this question, I began to wonder why I asked it. Let me elaborate. Think of David in the Lion's Den, a popular story that every baby Christian hears in sunday school. Most Christians have heard it so many times that it has almost lost its' effect on us at all. Our sunday school teacher says "David got thrown in the Lion's den" and we think, "eh, don't worry, he'll be fine". But, I guarantee you this is not what Daniel was thinking when he got thrown into the Lion's den, what better time for him to think he had been abandoned by God than right before he was supposed to die? We know Daniel remained faithful, but I don't doubt there was at least a little fear on his part. Or what of Joseph? The man who lived as a slave, lived in prison, and none of the things he went through had to do with any wrong on his part. Most, if not all, the suffering he experienced in his life were the direct result of someone else's sin. Do you think Joseph was fearful sometimes? Doubted sometimes? Yes, I think he did. For he is only a man, the only thing that kept him faithful was God next to him. And what about Paul? Peter? Stephen? What about these men who ended up being martyred for Christ? Do you think they were ever fearful at all, or depressed? I don't think they doubted because of the solid evidence of Christ's resurrection that they experienced first hand, but I'm sure they had other difficulties. Paul talks of a thorn in his flesh that he prayed to God three times and asked that it be removed, and God said no.

There is a huge set of Christian's and Jews who have suffered greatly for there faith and who have somehow persevered through it. The problem with the question "why doesn't it feel like God's near by when I'm suffering" is that it's focus is on the wrong thing. Why doesn't it feel like God is near by? Because it's suffering! Suffering, by definition is hard and can cause doubts, depression, and all these things. We have trouble feeling the presence of God when we are suffering because we are suffering. Suffering is not a natural thing that humans are meant to go through, it is the result of a fallen world, and therefore it is even harder to see God when this unnatural event occurs.

How then do we know that God is with us when we go through our sufferings? We know God is with us when we have endured the sufferings and come out stronger in our faith. If this has happened to you during your sufferings, God was surely with you. No man can suffer on his own and remain faithful to God, that is only by the power of God that such a thing happens. Thank God for your sufferings, because when he is with you through them, you will come out a stronger Christian.

"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." - John 12:27-28a

Listen for Your Calling

Oh Lord our God, come down and dwell within us this day. Allow us to show the grace that you have given to us. To represent the love that you have bestowed upon us. To carry your glory to the ends of the earth and reveal it to your other children that need to hear the gospel preached. We pray for help in our endeavors today. We pray that you would strengthen the body of Christ to help it become more as one, and less as many. That it would truly become a body, and not a people. May we take your word and proclaim it by your power. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have you ever done something really awesome for God? Something really monumental that you pursued? Maybe it was a missions trip; maybe it was an organization you were trying to start; maybe it was an opportunity to teach that you took a hold of; maybe it was the encouragement of a brother or sister in Christ. All christians should take on something to pursue for Christ's sake, whether it's a missions trip or an encouragement of a brother or sister. My next question is have you ever had it fail? Have you ever begun a work for God that you felt called to and it collapsed on top of you one brick at a time? Yeah? So have I.

Why does this happen? Why would God call us to something and then that calling, when we pursue it, completely fails? God is not a God who likes to trick people, is he? He doesn't just want to keep us busy, right? No, he is not trying to trick you nor is he just trying to keep you busy. The first question to be asked when we began pursuing something for Christ is "is this the will of God?" Well how does God answer this question? Because the rest of our whole journey in pursuing God rest on the answer to this one question. If it is the will of God, it will happen, if it isn't, it won't. This is the one question that needs to be answered. So how does the Christian listen for this answer?

When it seems that God is calling us to a work for Christ, how do we discern whether or not it is the calling of God upon our life? We discern by doing, not by waiting. We discern by continuing in our walk of faith until we are either so pulled by God to that one thing that we can no longer resist the pull and must act, or we are so pushed away from it that we have no choice but to not pursue it. When we feel God may have called us, continue in your walk of faith, serving God daily, staying in the word daily, and keep the possible calling in your prayers. As you go throughout your daily life, you will be either called to it more strongly by the power of God through his word or called to other things to pursue for God. The latter situation can be hard to discern because people like to take the easy way out. They like to say "Oh, God isn't calling me to that", but only say such a thing if the other path you have chosen to take is a stronger calling for Christ's sake. For example, if you feel called to start a church somewhere, but you would rather sit on the couch and eat potato chips your whole life, the latter is not a decent excuse to not start a church. But if you feel called to start a church somewhere, and then later, God seems to lead you to pastoring an already existing church, the latter option is more than acceptable to pursue. In other words, do not use your laziness as an excuse. Pursue that which God has called you to.

Listen to God when you feel a potential calling upon your life. My brothers and sisters, I urge you, do not be hasty in deciding what you will do, but do not be lazy as you are trying to decide. Continue in the faith, serving God and walking with him daily, but do not sit back and do nothing waiting for his audible voice to get you off the couch. God is an active God for an active people and we should respond to him actively. May we, the body of Christ, be encouraged and strengthened daily by the power of God and may we clearly hear is calling on our lives.

"The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established." - Proverbs 16:1-3

Running Towards the Father

Our great Father who is in heaven, we need your grace today. We need your strength in this moment and to continue throughout the day God. We want to experience you by being with you, and be with you by persevering in the faith. Thank you for your mercy upon our souls when we have failed you. When we have fallen into the temptations of our flesh, for the times we have knowingly disobeyed you God. We love you and we are glad you know our hearts, because you have made our hearts clean, but on the outside we often look so dirty. In Jesus name, Amen.

Do you ever feel like God is speaking very clearly to you or has spoken to you about something very clearly and you simply don't want to listen? You know for a fact it's God, but you say "no, I don't want to". Have you ever knowingly disobeyed our Father? Don't say no to this question, that would be a lie. All of us have experienced saying "no" to God when we know for a fact it is God calling. We all have "fallen short of the glory of God" in this way, and many others.

What are we to do after we have said "no" to God? Jonah said "no" to God and he even tried to run away and tried to kill himself and wanted to kill himself. Talk about saying no to God! Jonah was very avidly trying to pursue not doing what God called him to. Guilt often times takes over when we have said "no" to God. How are we to get rid of this guilt of having said no to God? How do we get over ourselves and focus on God again after we have so obviously denied him as Peter did? In order to get over the times we have said no to God, we must say yes to God. What did Jonah end up doing? He went to Ninevah. What did Peter end up doing even though he had denied Christ? He was crucified for Christ at the end of his life.

So how do we overcome our guilt? We change our ways. We don't overcome our guilt by simply saying "it's okay, God loves me anyways". No! We overcome our guilt by saying yes to God next time he calls. God will change his Children. We may run, we may try to hide, but it will all fail if we are truly a Child of God. If you are a child of God, give up on running away, and start running towards.

"'You are my witness,' declares the Lord, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.'" - Isaiah 43:10

Living Sacrifice

Oh Lord, how precious is Your name. You are the King, the Lord, the Messiah, the Love, the Hope, the Redeemer. You are everything to a lost world and everything to a found world. There is no one above You nor is there anyone who can measure up to Your greatness. We praise You as our Father, our Lord, and our King. Because of Your grace, we will one day get to experience Your ultimate presence once again. For in adam all die, and in Christ, we are made alive. We thank You for Your sacrifice, we thank You for Your love, we thank You for Your many names, and above all, we thank You for who You are. In Jesus name, may we reflect Your glory. Amen.

As I read through the Old Testament, hoping to find something to write this blog post on, I came across a passage that read "And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered" (2 Chronicles 5:6). As you might expect, that italicized statement took me by surprise. I would venture to guess that some people may be so surprised by this statement that they would conclude "What? No way, that is just an exaggeration." Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. There is one thing that can be drawn from this passage without argument: there were A LOT of sheep and oxen being sacrificed.

I began to meditate on this piece of scripture and I thought "Why do they need to sacrifice so many sheep and oxen?" Do you have the same question? Well I think the question goes even deeper than that; Why did they sacrifice any animals? After-all, the sacrifices didn't cover their sins, Jesus did. There are some who hold the view that Jesus only covered the sins of those who came after him, I'm not one of them (Hebrews 10:4). So what was the point of all this seemingly pointless killing? Did the Jews even know or was it just a blind tradition that was being followed?

The Jews didn't sacrifice animals because it was a covering or atonement for their sins. They didn't sacrifice because Jesus' sacrifice just wasn't enough for those before him. The Jews of the Old Testament sacrificed animals without blemish as a way to worship and acknowledge God's godliness. They sacrificed animals to God because he was God and they weren't; this exercise reminded them of that. The sacrifice of animals reminded the Jews that they were the creation, not the creator. The sacrifices also showed their repentance of their sins to God. It represented a turning away from unrighteousness and a acknowledgement of their unrighteousness.

If then, these people who were followers of God were making sacrifices; not so that they would be redeemed, but so that God would be acknowledged as God, what sacrifices do we need to make in our lives today? You see, we don't sacrifice our time, our money, our whole lives to God because it redeems us and grants us salvation but because it reminds us that we are the creature and God is the creator. When we sacrifice ourselves to God, we must remember not to do it out of a prideful heart, because this defeats the purpose of the sacrifice. God is sacrificially glorified because he is the creator and we are to be sacrificially glorifying Him because we are the created.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." - Romans 12:1

Our Detailed God

Our Glorious Father who reigns over all creation, hear our prayer today in the midst of our weakness, our suffering, our joys, our excitement, our anxiety, hear the prayer of your children this day. We come to you and ask that you would remind us yet again this day of who you are, and thereby remind us of who we are. We ask that you force us to remain faithful to you and to glorify you by enjoying you Father. Lavish your love on our bodies and our souls this day, do not let us grow weary, and grant us what it is your infinite wisdom knows we need. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have you ever worked under a boss who always micro-manages? I remember I used to work under a boss who had a philosophy that if you were working, you needed to be watched. I didn't like this boss very much, to say the least. I hate being micro-managed. It seems that when we are micro-managed, the person who is doing the micro-managing doesn't trust us. That they don't have faith that we can accomplish the goal they have told us to accomplish. Perhaps for some people, micro-managing is great, but I am not amongst those people.

A micro-manager is someone who looks at every detail of what you are doing, and tells you it has to be done a very specific way. Most people have different ways of doing things and getting a similar conclusion. For example, my boss may tell me to close the drawer, so I shut it using my foot, where as he may have used his hand to shut it; same result, different methods. Now we have run into a question: is God a micro-manager?

If we look back to the old testament scripture where Moses is getting instructions for building the ark or where the israelites are getting instructions from God for building a temple, it sure seems like God is micro-managing. Was God actually micro-managing or are we just understanding it wrong? I tell you the truth brothers and sisters, no matter how much you like it or not, our God is a God of details. He is not a God who only looks on the actions, he looks on the heart; he is not a God who only sacrificed his son, but sacrificed his son in the most gruesome of ways; he is not only a God who watches what happens, but planned what happens. Our God is a God who cares about the little things as well as the big things in life.

What can we learn from this? What lesson is there to take from the fact that we serve a God who genuinely cares about the details of our life, our faith, and our death? It means that a follower of Christ must also focus on the details. If you have a boss who focuses on the details, you better focus on the details as well to please your boss. God is kind of the same, except he is a Father. Our Father focuses on the details of our life, and because we, as his children, desire to please Him, we also need to focus on the details of life. For example, is what you are doing a calling from God or just busy-work? Is it something God has set upon your soul to accomplish or is it something to keep you busy for a while? Discernment there is very important. You can do something good that is outside your calling. Another example, why are you doing what you are doing? Because it glorifies you? Because you want to show off? Or because you want to bring glory to God? Lastly, is what you are doing righteous? Is it pleasing to God?

These are some practical questions the Christian can ask when faced with difficult decisions of life. Ask if God has lead you there and if your intentions are in the right spot. The great God we serve is a God who cares, not only about what we do, but about how we do what we do. He doesn't only want us to feed the homeless, he wants you to do it humbly and for his sake. He doesn't only want you to teach, he wants you to do it to the glory of God. God cares about the little and big, the important and unimportant. I, for one, am thankful that He does, because I'm not all that important.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:6-7

Asking With Your Heart

Father God, we call you Father because you care about us, because you love us, because you provide for us. Jesus, we call you savior because you have died for our sins and in so doing given us the gift of eternal life in your name. Holy Spirit, we call you Holy because you are set-apart from the rest of creation and you live in us and set us apart from the rest of creation because we are a redeemed creation. We love your wondrous works O God, and may we never forget the lengths you went to in order to grant us redemption and love. May your glory be reflected back to you through us, your instruments. In Jesus name, Amen.

We have often heard sermons on James 4:3 where it says "you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." This is a very important verse in the Biblical text. James is very boldly saying that sometimes we pray and do not receive because we haven't asked with the right intentions. As I'm sure most Christians know, God looks on the heart rather than what is being done. If God only looked on the action, the Pharisees would have been very righteous people, but God knew the intent of their heart and condemned them for their actions. It doesn't matter what your asking for unless your heart is in the right place.

Now the question arises, what's the right place? Where should my heart be when I ask God for supplication? Where should my heart be when I'm asking God to bless the food on my table? Where should my heart be when I'm asking that God speaks through me as I teach? My dear friends, I will tell you where your heart needs to be; it needs to be where God's heart is. Your will, as much as is humanly possible, needs to align with God's will. When you ask God for a blessing over your food, it should be a form of praise and a declaration that God is sovereign over your food and has provided it for you, that is where your heart should be. When you ask God to speak through you when you teach, your heart should be focused on those you are trying to reach, for God "wishes that all would come to repentance." You should wish for this as well when you teach biblical truths. My point is that when you pray, do not simply say a prayer you have memorized and has become devoid of meaning, but bring meaning to prayer by praying with your heart and your head.

Does this mean that your family member died because you didn't pray with the right intent? Or that your friend has cancer because you didn't pray with the right heart? No! I blatantly refute any such perverted theology. However, if God said no to a prayer of yours, does this mean that your priorities in life were different than God's priorities? Yes, absolutely. We are all guilty of such prayer, and it is not necessarily wrong to pray for something God says no to. It becomes wrong when you distort your image of God and fall away because he said no. This may seem contradictory to what I have been saying the whole time. One moment, I said you should align your will with God's when you pray, and the next I am saying that you should ask for things even if your will isn't aligned with God's. Let me put all of this more succinctly. When you pray, align your will with God's will as much as possible through theology, fellowship, and the Bible, but expect that your will can never be on the exact same page as God's because you do not know the beginning from the end as God does. Strive to align yourself with God's will, but expect imperfection in doing so. Pray for what you think will bring glory to God, but accept that which will bring more glory to God.

I must answer one more question. How do we align our will with God's? Think back to one of your relationships and how it started out. In the beginning of the relationship, you didn't fully understand the habits of that person, the thought-processes, or the overall analysis of who they were. As the relationship developed, you began to understand why they did what they did and why they thought what they thought, and eventually you may even be able to predict some of the things they would do because that was simply who they were. It is the same in our relationship with God, we must grow closer to God to understand who God is, thereby being able to partly know the will of God, but never the full will of God. As Paul says "For now we see in a mirror dimly but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." - 1 Corinthians 13:12.

"God answered Solomon, 'Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you." - 2 Chronicles 1:11-12

Waiting Patiently

Our heavenly Father, we praise you for the works you are going to do in our lives today and the works you did yesterday. We thank you for our sufferings, our persecutions, our ability to endure in the faith, and your love you have so graciously given to us. We pray for those who are suffering for Christ, that they would rejoice in those sufferings and be made strong by the power of God. We pray for those who do not know Christ, that through the body of Christ and your Grace they would come to knowledge of who you are and accept you as their savior and Lord. Honor and Glory belong to you O Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

There are those people who believe that God is constantly speaking, we just have to listen so that we can hear what he is saying. I think that this is an incorrect view that is held partly because people want to believe they can hear the voice of God whenever they want to, they just have to listen. The Bible, however, doesn't teach this. The Bible teaches that God speaks when he wants to, when he has a divine mission or appointment for us. In other words, God speaks on his own time, not ours.

There have been many times I have prayed and asked God to speak to me, and have heard nothing. Some people will say that I didn't pray with enough faith, or I didn't really ask with all of my heart, which has some backing. James says "you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly." However, if we look at the request I made, I think we will find that perhaps not every time it was asked with the right heart, but trust me my friends, there have been times in my sorrow when I cried out to God and heard nothing. Has God abandoned us? Has he given up on us when we don't hear him? Or does he love us enough to be by our side in our anguish but not speak clearly because it does not fulfill his will for us and may even end up being destructive to us? I believe the latter is partly the answer.

I have found throughout my life and my walk with God that he speaks in the moments that I'm not asking him to: when I'm exercising, when I'm going to the store, when I'm working, when I'm doing homework. Have you ever experienced this brothers and sisters? Why does God sometimes speak when we aren't ready for him to, and doesn't speak when we ask him to? This seems like God is just trying to frustrate us. I tell you, my brothers and sisters, the intention of God is not to frustrate you, or manipulate you, but to discipline you as his Child. God speaks in the times we aren't ready for him to speak so that we will learn to always be ready for him to speak. God spoke to Abraham in the midst of a polytheistic culture and told him to leave that place and Abraham responded in obedience even though he had his whole life set up where he was. God called on moses from a burning bush when moses was working with sheep, and moses left what he was doing to enter into the presence of God.

God shows us that he is in control by speaking when he wills to speak. For his timing is far better than ours because we cannot see the whole picture as God can. We only see what is happening now, but God see's everything that has happened, will happen, and is happening. God has perfect timing, and as his children, we need to learn to trust in that diving timing. "Be silent and know that I am God" he says. Be patient when you wait upon the Lord with perseverance and strength and remain in the faith and the promise of forgiveness God has given us through his son Jesus Christ. When God speaks, give up what your doing and listen. When he doesn't speak, read the word of God to be encouraged, enjoy fellowship with your brothers and sisters, pray without ceasing, and in all you do, be glad, because God is good and God is there, even when you can't hear his voice. Look back to the times you have heard his voice and remember the times that God moved in your life. That was the purpose that alters were built in the old testament, the people would pass by an alter and remember that God had worked in their life at that time and that was a reminder to remain faithful to the Lord.

God loves and disciplines his children. He is near even when he feels far away. Our imminent yet transcendent God speaks and will continue to speak, but on his own time. The question isn't are you ready for him to speak? The question is Will you listen when he does? 

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him" - Psalms 37:7a

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry." - Psalms 40:1

"but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

He is by Our Side

Our great Father in heaven, thank you for the missionaries you have sent out to preach the gospel. Please give us all the ability to proclaim the gospel wherever we are and wherever you have called us to. We thank you for the strengthening given through Christ Jesus and pray that temptation would not arise this day but that we would be lead and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Oh Lord that dwells within us, light a fire in us that cannot be put out and cannot be dimmed, may we remain with you all the days of our lives. Blessed is your name. In Jesus name, Amen.

How many times, when you are suffering, have you come out of it? A weird question? I don't think so. We all go through seasons of more or less suffering but the reality is that this life is full of suffering and sure, we come out of some specific sufferings of life, but do we ever, before death, come out of suffering? God has clearly told us in his Word that we will be facing persecutions my friends and these persecutions and sufferings as a whole are part of the fallen world we live in. Whenever we come out of a specific suffering, we get hopeful and tell ourselves that it's all over and done with when the reality is that there are more sufferings to come tomorrow. Does this seem like a depressing thought? Maybe your saying to me "yeah mike, I know, but can we just not talk about it and pretend that eventually life is going to turn out how I hope." I wish that we could merely walk away from the problem always hoping for a better tomorrow, but we can't.

Why do you think the Bible says to "not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Jesus said this because we will be destroyed from inside out if we try to take on all the troubles of life at once, but he also doesn't say to ignore that there will be trouble to come. In fact, in other places he says to expect persecution. There is a balance between completely ignoring suffering and expecting every day to be horrible. We are called to take every suffering one at a time that we may be able to endure what is thrown at us. The question still must be answered "how are we to truly find meaning in life if we are constantly being bombarded with suffering and the only thing we have to look forward to without fail is suffering?" Well I must point out that there are surely other things we can look forward to, such as blessings bestowed by God upon his Children, and the forgiveness of our sins, but when it comes to suffering, we must always remember one thing (and it's a cliche), God is by our side.

The Bible tells us over and over again that God stands by our side through our suffering, but what does that actually mean? How can we apply that to our Christian walk, and what good is God being by our side? I must admit that when God is by your side, he may tell you to commit to a task that will only cause more suffering, but right after, he will say "take courage, I am by your side." You see, the fulfillment of being able to make it through sufferings doesn't come in the form of butterflies and daisies, it comes in the very fact that the God of the universe is for you; it comes in the very fact that God says "If I am for you, who can be against you?" So what does it mean practically for the Christian it times of suffering? It means that you can pray to God, he will hear you, and he will answer. Not necessarily how you want it answered, but he will listen and answer. Ultimately it means that we have the strength of God pushing us forward in the "running the good race of the faith". If we have the strength of God pushing us forward in our God-ordained tasks, than literally nothing can get in our way. Be encouraged brothers and sisters, you have God next to you, and he is embracing you in your times of suffering.

Yes, we are going to suffer in life, and no, suffering will not cease until the elect have reached paradise.  This part of the story is very unfortunate for us. However, God is near and God is love. When suffering, come to God by prayer, fast if you must. Talk to brothers and sisters and ask for encouragement, seek fellowship, ask that God will grant you perseverance. God is near you, he created you, and he loves you, so let's get to work for him.

"Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me." - Psalms 118:5-7

Resting in God's Hands

Father God, hear we are. Your children, ready to serve, desiring to serve, hoping humbly that you use us to serve. We know that you have granted all of our provisions, our needs, our money, our being. You are the God of all the earth, the great three in one; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We praise you for making us, for calling us "very good." For allowing us salvation and bestowing your love upon our souls. There is nothing above you, none who can out-do you. You are the beginning and end, the alpha and the omega, the first and the last. We love you because you have chosen to love us. In Jesus name, Amen.

I wonder how big God's hands are. I suppose it would make sense that they are infinitely big, but what good does knowing that do for us? We can know that God is infinitely big, we can say "yeah, God is bigger than anything else in the universe" nonchalantly. Do we not realize the magnificence of that proclamation? Do we not realize what the greatness of God means for the whole human race? Are we missing the obvious implications?

If God is bigger than anything in the universe, than he is bigger than all of the galaxies combined, right? Which means he is bigger than the Milky Way (our galaxy), which means he is bigger than our solar system, which means he is bigger than our sun, which means he is bigger than Jupiter, which he is bigger than Earth, which means he is bigger than the United States of America, which means he is bigger than us. This is the conclusion we must run into daily to truly grasp the beginning of understanding God: we small people serve a big God. These two revelations are directly correlated. Once you realize how big God is, you will immediately afterwards realize how little you are.

Why does God love us? Because he has chosen to love us. Why do we love God? Is that a serious question? I don't mean to be facetious, but after realizing how huge God is, doesn't that question seem a little ridiculous. The only response to "why do we love God?" is "why not?" What reasons can we think of for not loving God? I sure can't think of any, except it means I have to give up on sin and actually pursue goodness, which my flesh doesn't want me to do. We praise God because it reminds us of how big he is and of how little we are. Why does God want to remind us that we are little? Because when we realize we are little, we realize God truly is gracious in his love for us. I don't think twice about killing an ant or a spider, but God sacrificed himself for us.

When we are held in the overwhelmingly big hands of God, we know he cares for us. He has picked up his fallen creature with his divine hand, and that means he cares. When I pick something up, it means, in one way or another, I care about it. God saw that we were fallen, and chose through his glorious grace to pick us back up and hold us in his hands. What does it mean to be held in the hands of God? It means that God has cared for you so much that he chose to pick you up, and when you try to jump out of his hand and fall, he will restrain you with his love and care for you to not hurt yourself. That is what the love of God is like.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the he gave is only son so that whoever believes in him may have everlasting life and not perish."

John 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."