Good Fear

GOOD FEAR

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” - Proverbs 9:10

There are many who teach that fear is always bad. They say that it is important for people to overcome their fears. According to them, unresolved issues with fear brings an unhealthy balance to life.

I agree that there are unhealthy fears. Perhaps the most common unhealthy fear is our fear of others. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” The fear of public speaking is a variation of this fear. Many people refuse to speak in front of others due to this fear. We resist witnessing to a friend or enter social dialogue with strangers because of our fear of man. Truly, it is a snare to us. It is a bad fear, an unhealthy fear that we need to be liberated from.

Not all fears are bad. I think it is good to have a healthy fear of electricity. Many have died from electrocution because they were careless about electricity and its dangers. While it may be good to have a healthy fear about dangerous situations, they shouldn't paralyze us to the extent of making us bedridden.

Yet there is one fear that most avoid, yet it is the most important fear of all. Proverbs 9:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Fearing God is a good fear. Fearing God is not the summation of wisdom, just the beginning of wisdom. Unless a man fears God, he is not wise at all.

I used to think that fearing God was simply having a healthy respect of God. Certainly, fearing God includes this, but it goes far beyond that. When I was growing up, I loved my father. But I also feared him. I knew that if he caught me telling a lie, showing disrespect to others or misbehaving, I would face his discipline. I feared his discipline, so I feared him. Was this a bad fear? I don't think so. He disciplined me because of love.

In a similar manner, God is to be feared because of who He is. He often disciplines His children. His discipline can be rather painful and severe at times. Hebrews 11:6 says, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

Many well-meaning Christians believe that we should love God, but never fear Him. They believe that fearing God is only an Old Testament teaching. Obviously, this is incorrect. In the New Testament, Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Fearing God consists of more than just having a healthy respect and reverence of God. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” When we fear God, other fears pale in comparison.

To many, it is unthinkable that we should fear the Lord. Love Him, yes, but fear Him, no. Yet the Bible teaches us to fear the Lord. Both the Old and New Testaments teach us to fear God.

Our nation is undergoing moral and spiritual destruction right now. One of the reasons for our nation's indulgence in sin is that people do not fear God. I blame this, in part, on many people-pleasing, lukewarm preachers in America. There are preachers who refuse to preach against sin or warn against hell. They may be popular among people, but refusing to warn others of impending judgment is a dereliction of duty. As a result of such weak preaching, many do not fear the Lord.

Furthermore, we must accept responsibility for our own failure to speak the truth about these matters. Are we trying to make God popular, hip, cool and relevant to people, or are we attempting to please Him by boldly sharing the facts? When a watchman is derelict in his duties by failing to warn the people of an approaching army, God held the watchman responsible for the blood of the people. Today, believers are serving in such a capacity. You are a watchman on the wall. I am a watchman. Do we care enough for the people and fear God enough to warn them of the judgment to come?

Yes, unbelievers need to fear God. Unless they repent, they will face His wrath. Yet believers need to fear God as well. A healthy fear of God will cause us to be more circumspect in our living. If we fear God as we should, we will live holy lives. We will live humble, committed lives.

Here's the inescapable truth. All of us must stand before God one day. His judgment will be true and final. If you feel cocky about judgment day, you aren't ready for it. If you think you will arrogantly strut into His presence, you are in for a surprise. The One who sits on the throne is holy and righteous. We should reverence Him. Respect Him. Fear Him.

That is a good fear.

Are You Grateful?

 ARE YOU GRATEFUL?

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” - 1Thessalonians 5:18

Most of us don't appreciate what we have until we lose it all. We tend to overlook the tiny details of life, not knowing that the tiny details add up to much more than we realize.

Take your health, for instance. If you're like me, you have good days and bad days. Yet our worst days could be dramatically worse … and we don't even consider it. We take our eye sight for granted, until the doctor says we have quick-spreading glaucoma. We don't think much about our hearing until we have an inner ear infection. We take our taste for granted until Covid robs us of our taste. Something as simple as rising from a chair seems to be a small task, until you are confined to a wheel chair. I have found that health is a gift that can quickly be taken away. Yet we tend to take it for granted.

Our tendency is to grumble and complain. Things aren't perfect and never will be this side of heaven. We will have our aches and pains. People will disappoint us. Life can be very unfair. We can feel abandoned and alone at times. There is always something we can complain about. For this reason, the Bible often reminds us to give thanks.

Writing to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Notice the wording of this verse: “In EVERY thing give thanks,” (emphasis added). It is one thing to give thanks sporadically, but do we give things for every thing?

As Christians, we love to use the word, “grace.” Grace is God's unmerited favor. Grace is God's mercy and blessings that we don't deserve. Since we don't deserve any blessings, we'd have to classify every blessing as being a love gift from the Father. James put it this way, “Every good and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights...” Every blessing, every good thing, is a gift of love from the Father. We are recipients of overwhelming grace every day. But are we grateful for this grace?

Paul wrote, “In every thing give thanks.” Does that mean we should be thankful even during the bad days? Yep. But it is easier said than done, isn't it?

If we are honest, we'd have to confess that the challenges and problems of life have taught us more about walking with God than anything else. Pain and sorrow have a way of driving us to our knees and drawing us close to God. We learn and grow through the obstacles we face. The greatest fruit grows in the valley and not on the mountain-top. Aren't these things to be grateful for?

Also, we fail to thank God for getting us through the bad days. All of our pain and problems are temporary. Do we show gratitude for God's faithfulness during these difficult times? Do we praise Him for delivering us from them? The bad days also show us how blessed we are when the good days come. Yes, we have reason to give thanks even for the rough times.

We should be grateful every day. Here are three things we should do to express our appreciation to God.

SAY IT

First of all, we need to thank the Lord for His blessings. Gratitude should be expressed verbally. A grateful person is not ashamed to say “thank you.” Have you thanked the Lord for anything today?

SHOW IT

Secondly, we should show our appreciation through our conduct. Gratitude should prompt us to love Him fully, obey Him explicitly and adore Him reverently.

SHARE IT

Finally, we should share our gratitude with others. When was the last time you told someone about God's blessings? Have you ever given God credit for the good things in your life? Do people know you to be a grateful person? Be transparent about your gratitude. God has blessed you liberally, don't be stingy with your gratitude.

When we go through a rough time in life, we are tempted to throw a pity party. We can easily feel sorry for ourselves. Yet a visit to a nursing home or the corridors of a hospital can quickly put everything into proper perspective.

The late evangelist Bill Stafford is noted for saying, “Everything above hell is grace.” I have been a recipient of God's abounding grace. Let me testify that God has been good to me. I can never repay Him for all He has done. Every morning His mercies are new. Each day I get deeper in debt to Him because His blessings continue to flow in my life. I have everlasting life because He died for me. He is worthy of my life.

What about you? Are you grateful?

Beautiful Feet

 BEAUTIFUL FEET

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” - Isaiah 52:7

I'm glad that I wear shoes in public. I have ugly feet. While shoes provide stability and comfort to my feet, they also keep my feet from being a public spectacle. After shattering my ankle in 2003, I had to undergo therapy to regain mobility in my ankle. I pitied the physical therapist that had to work with my right foot. I'll spare you the details, but she should have received combat pay for what she endured.

I am like most Americans. I don't give much attention to my feet unless I have problems with them. While I wash my feet like everyone else, I don't spend much time thinking about them. You probably don't either. If we're honest about it, our feet tend to get dirty often. They may have an odor that is embarrassing.

Yet Isaiah 52:7 talks about beautiful feet: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Why are these feet so beautiful?

Obviously, television, radio and the internet didn't exist in Biblical times. Newspapers were not in circulation either. Instead, news traveled by means of a messenger. News traveled by foot. It would be great to be a runner who had good news to share!

We have a message to share with a dying world. It is good news. It is the news of everlasting life, available through Jesus Christ. To perishing souls, this is the news they so desperately need to hear. It needs to be shared across this globe. But it also needs to be shared across the street. When God opens the minds of people to understand the good news, it is like giving cool water to a thirsty man. When someone drinks of the living water, it changes them. They have joy in their souls. They are happy in the Lord. They celebrate the event and even thank the person who shared the good news with them.

In foreign lands, missionaries will carry this news to unreached people groups. Upon receiving the news, some of these new converts actually kiss the feet of the missionaries. The feet that had traveled so far just to share this message was honored with a symbol of their gratitude.

So if the Lord directs your feet to visit a neighbor, a relative or even a stranger and they hear the Gospel from your mouth and receive it by faith, they will praise the Lord for such a great salvation. They may also thank the Lord for the beautiful feet that came their way so they could hear the truth.

Paul instructed believers to put on the whole armor of God. Notice that you are to have, “... your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). We are to be prepared for battle, with the very Gospel that changes lives. Because of the Gospel, our feet will walk the right path. Our feet will go to rescue souls from the enemy's camp. Our feet will march forward in triumph because of the Gospel.

Our feet are led by the Gospel, prepared by the Gospel and used for the spread of the Gospel. Some will even consider them to be beautiful feet.

Yet there is something even greater.

When Jesus cast the demons out of the wild man of the Gadarenes, the residents came and found the new convert in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus. When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Martha was busy preparing the meal, but Mary sat at His feet and heard His word. A sinner woman kissed the feet of Jesus, washing His feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. Many came to Him, falling at His feet, seeking His aid or simply worshiping Him.

It was His feet that walked to meet the needs of many. His feet walked the shores of Galilee, spreading the Good News. It was His feet that walked up to Calvary. It was His feet that were nailed to the cross.

One day we will see Him face to face. At His feet we will fall in worship. At His feet we will cast our crowns and rewards. There are no feet like His.

Truly, the feet of Jesus are beautiful feet.

The Coast Is Clear

 THE COAST IS CLEAR

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” - Psalm 118:8

Four times, the Bible says, “Now the just shall live by faith.” At our church, we still sing the old song, “Living By Faith.” As I get older, that song means much more to me. But are we living by faith?

The writer of the book of Hebrews described faith this way: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” After giving us a description of faith, the writer goes on to give us examples of faith, all from the Old Testament. As you carefully read Hebrews chapter 11, you can't help but get inspired by the many men & women mentioned in the chapter.

But where are the saints who are living by faith today? Are you among them?

Faith is simply trusting God. Faith is dependence on God. Faith is taking God at His Word. Faith is relying on the Lord.

Every person on the planet has faith. The difference is the object of faith. Just because a person claims to be “a person of faith,” doesn't mean that his or her faith is in Jesus. I've seen movies classified as “Faith-Based” movies, yet never mention God. Some are even based on teachings of a cult. The object of our faith is critical.

The psalmist put it this way: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” In spite of this basic truth, so many trust in politicians, musicians and actors. Many more trust in their own ability and ingenuity. Proverbs 3:5 teaches us, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Faith is simply trusting God.

A while back, I was driving my mother to town. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, I could easily see the traffic coming my way. From the driver's seat, it is more challenging to view the traffic from the opposite position. Mom offered to check for traffic coming her way. When she said, “the coast is clear,” I took off without even looking back at what she saw. I took her at her word. I trusted what she said. I put our lives on the line, depending on the accuracy of what she said. That is acting with faith.

Why did I have such faith is what my mother told me? Well, first of all, she is my mother. She loves me. Can't we have the same kind of faith in God because He loves us? God loves me even more than my mother.

Also, I can trust Mom's word because she has proven herself to be trustworthy. She has a track record of being honest. Yet, can't we take God at His Word? Isn't He honest? Hasn't He proved Himself to be truthful all the time?

Third, my mother has a reputation of telling me what I need to hear, not just what I want to hear. If she had told me that a car was coming, it wouldn't be what I wanted to hear, but it would be what I needed to hear. God is the same way with us. His Word encourages us at times. At other times, His word convicts us. He cares enough to tell us what we need to hear, not merely what we want to hear.

Finally, I can trust my mother's word because, if she is wrong, she will suffer the most by the misinformation. It is true that an accident would total my car, but my mother would be sitting at the very point of impact. She would suffer the most if she didn't tell me the truth. When God makes a promise, His credibility is on the line. His integrity is in question. If He lies, misrepresents the truth or misinforms us, His impeccable character would receive irreversible damage. In fact, He would fail to be God because He would violate the very essence of His deity.

I figure you're like me. If a family member is riding in your car when you're driving and tells you the coast is clear, you proceed without verifying the accuracy of their word. You trust them. You believe in them. You act with faith based upon information provided by a reliable source.

Living by faith is simply that. We act upon information provided by a reliable source, God Himself. Since He cannot lie, we can proceed without worrying whether He will back up His promise or not. We can go forward without visible evidence simply because of what He tells us.

At times, God's Word warns us. At other times, we are corrected. Still, there are times we are told that the coast is clear and advised to proceed. In any case, we know His Word is reliable. Our eternal future hinges on it.

If you can trust Him with life beyond the grave, can't you trust Him with today? Can't you rely on Him when times get tough? He is trustworthy all the time.

Soon each one of us must face death. From a human perspective, death is a dark, lonely, dreary & uncertain time. Yet if our faith is in Jesus, we can proceed with confidence in Him. He will welcome us on the other side. So proceed.

The coast is clear.

The Importance of One

THE IMPORTANCE OF ONE

“How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?” - Matthew 18:12

We are taught that there is strength in numbers. Whether it is the number of players on a football team or the number of soldiers in an army, we tend to think that large numbers of people are important. We even think this way at church. We feel like the larger the crowd, the better. We celebrate “numerical success.” We shop at Sam's Club, buying items in bulk because there is a price discount if we purchase an item in large quantities.

Let's think about the number, “one.” While large numbers tend to be notable, we tend to think that there is nothing special about just one. One is too small a number for most of us. We may reluctantly settle for one car, but we'd prefer to have two. We may have just one bank account, but we'd prefer to be rich enough to have accounts in numerous banks. We prefer quantities much higher than one.

Yet there is importance in one. I was born in the small town of Mullens, WV. Just a few years ago, Mullens had a mayoral election in which the victorious candidate won by just one vote. Yes, one vote does matter, doesn't it?

One person is insignificant for most politicians and leaders. Yet God cares about each of us, as individuals. One is a significant number to Him.

God called one man, Abraham, to be the father of many nations. He took one son, Joseph, and uniquely used him to save the Israelite tribe. He called one man, Moses, to lead the Israelite exodus from Egypt. He used one king, David, to make Israel a strong nation. He used one queen, Esther, to save the Jews from the evil hand of Haman.

He took one tiny town, Bethlehem, and chose it to be the site of the coming Messiah. He took one twelve-year old child, Jesus, to confound the elite religious rulers.

He used one man, John the Baptist, to bring a prophetic message that would introduce the ministry of Jesus to the world. This one man, John, would be the one that what have the honor of baptizing Jesus.

Yes, one person can be important. When Jesus cleansed ten lepers, only one came back to give the Lord thanks. Jesus took the lunch of one boy and fed five thousand. Only one lady would wash the feet of Jesus with her tears and would be remembered in the canon of Scripture for this act of devotion and love.

God provided one Messiah. He sent us His one and only Son. Jesus came to earth, God in the flesh, to ransom lost souls. God provided one Savior. There is just one mediator between God and man and His name is Jesus.

This Savior lived one solitary life here on earth. By His own testimony, we know that He is the one and only way to the Father. Through His shed blood, sinners become saints. The lost are found. His enemies become His friends. Only one man could do that.

God sent His one and only Son so that we may be saved. One soul matters to Him. If a famous evangelist conducts an evangelistic service to a packed stadium, the crusade would be considered a massive failure if only one person responded to the Gospel invitation. Yet if that one person truly got saved, it mattered to God. The Bible says that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one who repents. One person matters.

The Good Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep in search of one sheep that went astray. The woman cleans her house in search of one lost coin. A father looks for the return of one prodigal son. Yes, one person matters to God.

I write this to encourage you, my Christian friend. Your efforts are not in vain. God can take one person like you and use you in ways that will astonish you. Only in heaven will you know the full impact God has made through your life. You may be limited on resources, but your Father is not. You may have limited talents, but God can still use you. Perhaps you have a limited education, but God has placed His wisdom at your disposal. Don't underestimate what God can do with a surrendered life. Be that surrendered person today. God and one person makes a majority.

Perhaps you are not a follower of Jesus. My final words are for you. You matter to God. Although millions may come to Jesus in a single day, each one is saved on an individual basis. You may feel like an outsider --- one who beholds the good things of God, but never feasts at His table. God invites you to come and dine. Consider this to be your personalized invitation to dine with the Master. Call on the Lord right now in repentance and faith. He will not turn any way who approach Him by faith.

No, not one.

Fear, Faith & The Future

 FEAR, FAITH AND THE FUTURE

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” - 2 Timothy 1:7

We are living in perilous times. We are constantly bombarded with fearful news headlines. As I write this, two separate wars continue to escalate. It isn't uncommon to hear of school and workplace violence. Scientists are always issuing stern warnings about “global warming,” or some new strand of virus they've uncovered. Political, social and racial tensions are at a boiling point. The news is always bad --- and getting worse.

I believe the news broadcasts are intentionally designed to bring fear upon the people and indoctrinate us to embrace their views. Taken to an extreme, a person could easily barricade himself in his house and die of mortal fear.

As Christians, we are called to live by faith, not by fear. Although everyone seems to be overwhelmed with a sense of fear, we shouldn't be. We have every reason to smile and look forward to the future.

Let me be clear about something. I am not like the movie character, Polyanna, who pretends to find good in everything. There are bad things around. Evil does exist. Wicked people excel at the expense of the righteous. Christians do suffer and die. This is a sinful, depraved, destructive society that we live in. Our world seems to be getting worse by the day.

Yet Christians have every reason to rejoice. Our faith is in not in a political process, economic forecast or the latest news headline. Our faith is in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We rejoice because our redemption draweth nigh. We rejoice because Jesus is alive, He hears our prayers, He still saves souls and He's coming again very soon!

As the old song says, “This world is not my home, I'm just passing through.” Often we place too much hope in men. We expect a politician to save our nation. There is only one Savior and His Name is Jesus. My faith lies in Him, alone. I am just on assignment for a few days here on earth. Soon my working days will be over and I will be called home. The best is yet to come!

God has not called us to live in fear. Neither do we live in denial about the state of our world. Rather than looking to Washington, we lift up our eyes to the hills, from whence cometh our help. Our help comes from the Lord. Our confidence lies in Him.

So I refuse to live in fear. I will live by faith, assured that God is in control. My future is in His hands, so why should I fear?

For myself, I have chosen not to watch the national news. Instead, I spend time each day in my Bible. That's where the Good News is found. Furthermore, I've read the back of the Bible, and I know how the future will ultimately unfold. Yes, things will continue to get worse. Yet God is reserving the very best for His children. He is saving the best for last.

Yes, people have disappointed me at times. Circumstances have sometimes gone a different direction than I would have preferred. Yet I know that the Lord is sovereign. Nothing will occur without His divine permission. Although I may not understand everything He does or permits, I know that He is good and is working everything together for my good.

No doubt there are rough days ahead. There are challenges we must face. Yet we are called let our light shine in this world of darkness. Light seems to be so much brighter when it invades the worst degree of darkness. This is our hour to shine.

It has been shocking to realize how far our nation has deteriorated in the last twenty years or so. It can be scary to consider how bad the next twenty years will be. But our time on earth is limited. As Christians, our real home awaits us in heaven. We will live there forever. A better day is just ahead!

Paul summarized it best when he wrote, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” This is not just positive prose, but a powerful truth. When we get to heaven, our earthly trials will then seem as nothing. All we have endured in this life will be worth it on that day.

While others tremble with fear, let us look up with faith. Our Lord may return any moment.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Praying For Our Nation

PRAYING FOR OUR NATION

“We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.” - Daniel 9:5-6

In 1918, Irving Berlin wrote the patriotic song, “God Bless America.” If you're like me, I've often used the title of that song in prayer to request God's favor on our nation. In recent years, I've changed my request from “God bless America,” to “God have mercy on America.”

Daniel faced a similar situation. When he reflected on the spiritual condition of his people, he sought God's mercy and forgiveness. They had sinned greatly against God and failed miserably to keep His commandments.

Like it or not, the United States of America is no better. Our nation still seeks to kill unborn children. America has condoned and celebrated homosexuality. Transgender living is considered normal, acceptable behavior. Fornication is very common, in fact, more common than marriage.

It is easy to point the finger of blame at Hollywood or Washington. The fact is that the moral decay of our country has come even though thousands of churches meet weekly. With so many churches open in America, you'd think that Christians would greatly impact this culture with the truth. Instead, the culture has impacted the church. Churches are embracing the very sins that are destroying the moral fabric of our country. In the name of “love,” many denominations are compromising, yielding to political correctness by embracing the very sins that God condemns in his Word.

Rather than praying for God to bless America, we should be begging Him to have mercy on America. Like Daniel, we need to confess the sins of our country. Yet we also need to admit that these things have happened under our watch. The American Church remained silent as the forces of darkness made great advances.

So how should we pray? First of all, we need to confess our own guilt. We have been silent while wicked people have led a revolt against God, His Word and His people. We need to ask God to forgive us of our apathy and coldness. We should pray for God to wake up the Church, revive His people and raise up prayer warriors everywhere.

When Daniel made confession for his people, he used the word, “we,” in his confession. He admitted that he had been part of the problem. Today, our prayers should be similar to Daniel's. We have failed the Lord. We have been silent for too long. Our silence has given the devil a foothold that he has not relinquished.

Christians need to get back in church. If you think it is hard going to church now, what are you going to do when that freedom is taken away? If it seems difficult to boldly share the Gospel publicly, how are you going to be a witness for Jesus when persecution intensifies? Let's get busy for God and share the Gospel publicly. We may be the last generation of Americans that have the freedom to do so.

The Bible says that judgment must begin at the house of God. There is so much false doctrine being preached these days. Too many members are playing church. While most are concerned about the size of their church, we need to be more concerned about the purity of our church. A church is only as clean and pure as its members. Pray for God to purify your life, your marriage, your home and your church. Repent of all forms of ungodliness. Remove all sinful influences from your life. Come clean with the Lord and stay clean by His Word.

Secondly, we need to pray for unbelievers. Pray that God will soften their hearts. Ask for a mighty spiritual awakening to take place in America. Ask God to give you boldness to share the Gospel wherever you go. Time is running out. Judgment lies ahead. Many are unprepared to meet God. The harvest is ending and many are unsaved. Pray for more harvest workers --- and be one yourself.

Finally, we need to pray for our government. Yes, everything seems to be a mess in Washington. With another election coming up, so much is on the line. Let's pray for the election. Go to the voting booth and vote according to Biblical convictions. Pray for our leaders. The Bible commands us to do so. Pray for our national leaders, state leaders and local leaders.

Our nation is in a mess. It is easy for us to blame others, but the blame begins with us. We need to get serious about our faith. Come to the throne and beg for God to do a mighty work in our land, beginning with the Church.

Daniel prayed for his people. He prayed that God would have mercy on them.

We should do the same today.

Passion and Politics

 PASSION AND POLITICS

“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” - John 18:36

I strongly dislike politics. Politics is a dirty business. It seems like candidates for these positions will do nearly anything to get elected. They will lie, cheat, rob and probably even kill to get elected. It seems like a person will sell his own soul to get ahead in the political arena. As a result, common sense is no longer part of our election cycle. Politicians are often selfish, mean and arrogant. Yes, I strongly dislike politics and many politicians.

I admit that I have strong political opinions, but I have little confidence in the politicians who seek my vote. I often vote reluctantly. I feel the need to express my opinions at the voting booth, but my vote for a candidate does not necessarily mean that I am blind to that person's faults, flaws and failures. In years gone by, a small scandal would end a man's political career. These days, the bar is so low that anyone can get elected regardless of whether they are inexperienced, inept or wicked to the core. We are living in scary times!

In the past several years, I've noticed how vocal people are about their political views. The passion displayed for a candidate or political party is amazing to me. What bothers me is the fact that most “believers” are far more passionate and vocal about their politics than they are about Jesus. People will drive long miles to hear a political speech, but won't drive across town to hear a sermon about Jesus. Folks will fill a stadium or an arena to catch a glimpse of a political candidate, but will stay away from church if the parking lot is getting full. Many will be stirred by a long winded political speech, but will complain if a sermon runs a little long.

I have strong political views, but I want my passion for Jesus to far exceed my passion for politics. Whether it is in person or on social media, I want people to know my Savior far more than I want them to know about a politician. The Bible never teaches us that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one who changes their political views. Yet our passionate social media postings often seem to be geared specifically for that goal. It is obvious that this is an inferior goal.

Passion and politics were an issue during the ministry of Jesus. His disciples were expecting the Lord to bring about a political revolution. They expected Him to free them from Roman oppression. They thought that He would ultimately set up a kingdom and reign over it. When He was questioned by Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

Even before His ascension, His own disciples asked for a timeline when He would return and set up an earthly kingdom. Jesus refused to give them a timeline. It seems like we've been trying to determine this timeline ourselves. Many prophecy conferences focus on providing a timeline of future events. Instead of giving His disciples a timeline, Jesus challenged them to get busy spreading the Gospel. We would be wise to do the same.

The big issue is not our passion for politics, but our lack of passion for Jesus Christ. I am bothered about the state of country and the awful direction we seem to be going. I am frustrated that the Christian voice is being silenced while ungodly, wicked people spread their venomous message of sin. I am troubled that children are growing up in an anti-Christian country. Persecution is just around the corner. Lunacy has replaced common sense. Many years ago, Lester Roloff said, "America is an insane asylum run by the inmates.” This is more true today than when he said it. Yes, all of this bothers me deeply.

Yet we have the answer that America needs. Shouldn't we be passionate about the good news? Shouldn't we be excited to share that our Redeemer lives? Shouldn't we pray for God to use us to penetrate this world of darkness with the light of His Gospel? Shouldn't we be thrilled that He may return at any moment?

Our lack of spiritual passion indicates that the world is having more impact on us than we are on the world. The American church is in dire need of revival. Our nation needs a mighty spiritual awakening. Souls need to be saved. This won't be accomplished through political means. Only the Lord can accomplish this. Only He can transform lives. Only God can bring prodigals home. Only the Lord can restore marriages and reunite families. Our mighty King is the only One who can bring deliverance to those addicted to drugs. God is the only One who can raise up a generation of young people who are sold out to Jesus and make a positive impact in this world.

I am praying that He will do all of this throughout our country. I am confident in His ability to do it. I am trusting Him to change this nation, one person at a time.

That is something to get passionate about!

The Christian And His Country

THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS COUNTRY

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” - Matthew 22:21

I am thankful that I'm an American! Of all the countries of the world, there is not a country I'd prefer to be a citizen of than the United States. When the Olympic games were held recently, I must confess that I had a lump in my throat each time I saw the American flag raised and our nation anthem played at a gold medal ceremony.

At the same time, I get angry and frustrated when I see Americans burn our flag. Many defy the very principles our country was founded on. It is inexcusable for an American citizen to publicly denounce and disgrace his or her own nation. Yes, we may disagree on certain things, but we should not abuse the freedom our nation provides by publicly trashing the United States. If you hate our country, perhaps you should find another one to move to.

While I love our nation, I must confess that I must keep everything in proper perspective. The first time I was born, I was born an American. The second time I was born, I was born a Christian. The United States of America is my natural country. Heaven is my spiritual homeland. The USA is my temporary home. Heaven is my eternal home. I am temporary citizen of America. I am an eternal citizen of heaven.

It is easy to emphasize the temporal, to the neglect of the eternal. I have affection for my country and have allegiance to her. Yet my greatest love should be for my eternal home. Earthly parents made my first birth possible. God brought about my second birth. Slowly, family members are transitioning from this world to the next. Soon, I will make the same move.

While I enjoy the freedoms America extends to her citizens, it is the freedom I've found in Christ that has made the major difference in my life. It seems like America's freedoms are eroding. The liberty that Christ brings never fades. Many men have shed their blood to make temporary liberty possible in this nation. One Man shed His blood to make eternal freedom possible to those who believe. I owe much to to the soldiers who died for America's freedom. I owe everything to the One who died on the cross for my eternal freedom.

I hope to live the rest of my earthly life here in America. Yet my expectations go far beyond that. My faith looks forward to a better place where I will live forever. My American citizenship will end on the day of my death. My citizenship in heaven will never end. On social media, I describe myself as, “A citizen of heaven, on temporary assignment here on earth.” In a sense, I am a missionary, serving here in America. Soon, my mission will end and I will be called home.

Although I love my country, I must confess that I am troubled that some seem to have elevated their love of country to equal or exceed their love for Jesus. It is possible to turn patriotism into idolatry. Some seem to treat our nation's Constitution to be as important as the Bible. The Constitution is a great document, but the Bible is God's inerrant, eternal Word. The Constitution will cease to exist some day, but the Word of God will abide forever.

Jesus taught us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God ...” This is our top priority. Furthermore, He taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” We are to seek the increase of His kingdom. We can be guilty of seeking our nation's increase more than His kingdom's increase. While we seek to make our nation better, our primary allegiance should be toward His kingdom.

Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” Back then, people hated to render anything to Caesar. In our day, people have no problem rendering to Caesar … we just resist rendering unto God.

As citizens of the United States, we should pay our taxes, vote and seek the best for our neighborhoods. As citizens of heaven, we should worship God, proclaim the Gospel and help those in need.

The United States of America is the best country on this planet. Yet it is not heaven. Although we pledge allegiance to the American flag, our ultimate allegiance is to be to Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

This world is not my home. The older I get, the more I realize that there is something better. For Christians, the best is yet to come. So let's celebrate our nation's freedom, honor our soldiers and respect the flag. Yet let's never forget that America is not heaven. The Declaration of Independence is not the Bible. The occupant of the White House is not God.

Love your country, but worship the Lord.

Praying With Faith

PRAYING WITH FAITH

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” - James 1:6

If you order something from a shopping channel, it isn't unreasonable to expect a package in a few days. When you order a cheeseburger at a McDonald's drive thru, you expect it to be ready by the time you reach the checkout window. When you leave a voicemail for a friend, you anticipate a return call.

However, do you expect any results when you pray? When you ask for things in prayer, do you really expect an answer? You see, it is one thing to pray, it is another thing to pray with faith. So many treat prayer like a wishing well, they throw their request in, hoping for an answer, but not really expecting one.

Faithless prayers cast doubt on the integrity of God. If we pray without faith, it reveals that we have little or no confidence that God hears and answers prayer. Yet shouldn't we believe God's promises about prayer? Hasn't He promised to hear and answer our prayers? Why don't we believe Him?

Most believers claim to believe that God hears and answers their prayers, but there seems to be a huge gap between theory and practice. In theory, they believe God answers prayers, but in daily practice, this kind of faith seems to be absent from their lives.

James wrote, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” James teaches us to pray with faith, but also note his word to those who pray without faith: “... let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” In other words, faithless prayers bring about fruitless results.

This may explain the lukewarm nature of many believers. After conversion, we prayed with faith and God did exciting things in response. Yet over time, our faith has been clouded by our daily routine, disappointments and trials. At one point, faith was like a mighty inferno, but now it is only embers.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that we moved our trust away from God and placed it on our prayer. Our faith should never be in our prayers, but instead, our confidence should be in the One we are praying to.

While we may be impressed with long prayers, God is not. John Bunyan once wrote, “In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” God wants us to approach Him with faith. Hebrews 10:22 says, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Let's heed the words of Jesus from Mark 11:22-24: “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Prayer is more than a spiritual discipline. It is the Christian's privilege to speak directly with God. He has invited us to come to the throne and speak with Him. When we pray, it is a time when we commune with Almighty God.

When we pray, we must come to Him by faith. The book of Hebrews teaches us, “... for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Notice two things in this verse. When we come to Him, we must believe that He is. We aren't wasting our breath or our words when we pray, because He does exist. Secondly, we are taught that we must believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. The Bible teaches us to pray with that kind of faith.

Are we diligently seeking Him? Do we believe that we'll be rewarded for this effort? It is one thing to seek His blessings, but are we seeking Him?

One of the problems we face is to pray based on emotions, rather than praying by faith. We are emotional people, but our emotions can easily beguile us. Although we may pray with great emotions at times, we should still pray when our emotions are dormant. If you only pray when you have an emotional “high,” you won't pray very often. God doesn't expect us to pray only when we “feel like it.” We pray with faith, not by emotions. Faith sees past the changing emotions and visualizes the One on the throne. We approach Him with dependence, relying on Him for help, trusting that He will hear and answer our prayers.

We can only come to the Father through the Son. We approach the throne of grace based on the merits of Jesus Christ. In His Name, we have access to the Father. Our faith in Christ is the key to a fruitful prayer-life.

By faith, let us come to the throne of grace today!

 

Thy Will Be Done

THY WILL BE DONE

“After this manner therefore pray ye … Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” - Matthew 6:9-10

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus gave us a model prayer that many erroneously refer to as The Lord's Prayer. It isn't His prayer, it is the prayer that He taught to His followers. In that prayer, we find something that we tend to omit from our prayers. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Do we really pray for God's will to be done?

Before His arrest, Jesus went to the garden and prayed. The weight of the world seemed to be on His shoulders. Realizing the extremely painful hours that awaited Him, Jesus prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Notice the tagline of His prayer: “... nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” In other words, He prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

It is one thing to say those words in a prayer, it is another thing to really mean them. Jesus faced the greatest agony possible with the realization that this was the Father's will for Him.

If we were honest, most of our prayers are more like this: “Not Your will but mine be done.” We spend a great deal of time in prayer trying to convince God to do things our way. We think that if we can inform Him of a situation, surely He'll respond the way we wish. Or if we can convince Him of the need, He will see things our way. Of course, He knows the situation better than we do. He knows the need far better than we can describe it.

Most of the time, we don't pray, “Thy will be done,” because we're afraid where His will could lead us. When a loved one is sick, or finances are dwindling, we pray for God to change His will to match ours. We're afraid His will may lead us to grief, pain or loss. Honestly, sometimes His will does lead us in valleys and through deep waters. We want to avoid them at all costs.

Yet we must confess that our greatest growth as Christians have come through adversity, not during easy times. We've grown closer to God when problems and pain have come our way, not during the good times.

The fact is that we are afraid to fully surrender to God and His will. When we sign a contract, we tend to read every word carefully before signing. True surrender is signing the bottom of an empty page and telling God that He can fill in the contract as He wishes. Whatever He wants is fine with us. Most of us are unwilling to do this on a daily basis. We'd prefer to read the contract and have the power to mark out the things we don't like. We want veto power. Of course, this is not total surrender. If we were honest, we'd have to confess that we want our will to be done rather than His.

I've heard many preachers say that God will never force us to do anything we don't want to do. Jonah would testify otherwise. He didn't want to preach at Nineveh. When he finally did go there, his heart wasn't really in it. I have to shamefully admit that there have been times I've done God's will, but did so kicking and screaming all the way. Each time, I was reminded afterwards that His will was much better than what I wanted to do.

Real faith is signing a blank contract daily and telling God to fill it out as He wishes. Can't we trust Him with the day ahead? If we can trust Him with our eternal future, can't we trust Him with the unseen path ahead of us? Faith is more than just believing that God exists. Faith is trusting Him for all things, taking Him at His Word and relying on Him for everything. It takes strong faith to say, “Not my will, but thine be done.” That is the kind of faith He is looking for.

I have to admit that this isn't easy. Our goals, dreams and aspirations can get in the way. Our sinful flesh wishes to be satisfied at all times. Our pride wishes to point the spotlight on us rather than the Lord. It is a daily battle.

It is wrong for us to be suspicious of God's will. To be wary of God's will is to mistrust God. It is wrong to think that God is trying to harm us or mistreat us. There are glorious blessings that can only be enjoyed as we live and walk in His will. At the same time, His will may lead us in dark areas. It may lead to persecution, pain or problems. Yet through it all, He is with us and promises us a glorious future with Him.

Why are we afraid of the will of God? It is better to walk through valleys with the Lord than to dwell on mountain peaks without Him. Where He leads will be better than any destination we may plan. If required, it is better to suffer in the will of God than to thrive outside of it. In His will, everything works together for our good. So trust Him today. Yield to Him in full surrender.

Today, let's pray as we are taught: “Thy will be done.”