LIES THAT MANY BELIEVE, Part 4:  "IT IS ALWAYS WRONG TO JUDGE"

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." - John 7:24

I am convinced that the most quoted verse of the Bible is Matthew 7:1, where Jesus said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."  Although that verse is the most quoted verse, it is also the most misinterpreted & misapplied verse of the Bible.  When the verse is quoted, it is normally used in this context:  "You can't judge me or anyone else.  The Bible says, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged.'"  Those who quote the verse believe it means, "It is always wrong to judge people." 

As we continue examining lies that many believe, we must examine the popular lie, "It is always wrong to judge."  Going back to Matthew 7:1, Jesus DID say, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."  However, like all Scripture, it needs to be understood properly, which can only be done when we read the verse IN CONTEXT.  As we read Matthew 7:1-5, it is clear that what Jesus is saying is to avoid hypocritical judgment.  Jesus is NOT teaching that it is ALWAYS wrong to judge, but it is wrong to judge hypocritically.  Look carefully at the context:

"1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

If you read the passage carefully, it is obvious that Jesus is teaching that hypocritical judgment is wrong and is harshly condemned.  In the passage, Jesus is not teaching that it is wrong to get a speck out of your brother's eye.  Instead, He is teaching that it is wrong to condemn the speck in your brother's eye if you have a beam in your own eye.  Obviously, Jesus is NOT teaching that it is always wrong to judge. 

That being said let me share some things we can judge ... and some things we shouldn't judge.  First of all, let's look at some things we should judge.

1.         WE SHOULD JUDGE SIN

Clearly, we should judge sin.  Our understanding of right and wrong is illuminated by the truth of Scripture.  God gave us a moral law, by which we can discern what is right & what is wrong.  For instance, we know that lying is wrong.  We know that is stealing is wrong.  We know that murder is wrong.  We know that adultery is wrong.  We have the insight to judge right and wrong, which should motivate us to make right decisions.  The laws of our land are based upon a judgment that some things are right and others are wrong.

2.         WE SHOULD JUDGE OUR OWN SINS

Secondly, we should judge our own sins.  Some of our sins are obvious and immediately should be judged as wrong, which should lead us to repentance.  At other times, God uses the mirror of His Word to show us sins that we tend to overlook or condone.  Again, this should lead us to repentance.  When it comes to judging, most of our time and effort should be focused on ourselves.  We are ultimately responsible for our own lives, not the lives of others.  We are more aware of our own faults and flaws than anyone else's.  I have found that when I focus on my own sins, I have little time to deal with the sins of others.

3.         WE SHOULD JUDGE THE OBVIOUS SINS OF OTHERS

If we should never judge the obvious sins of others, that would make us ineligible to serve on jury duty.  In fact, no one could serve as a judge in our judicial system.  We would have anarchy in our land if we were not permitted to judge the obvious sins of others.  Is it wrong to judge a man who kills his neighbor in cold blood?  Is it wrong to condemn a man who rapes a woman?  Is it wrong to judge and condemn a man who abuses children?  I think all of us would condemn such sins --- and it would not be wrong to render such judgment.  Jesus said that we should judge a righteous judgment. 

4.         WE SHOULD JUDGE FALSE TEACHING

Many Christians hesitate to judge or criticize false teaching, yet the Bible clearly does so.  Read this challenge from the Apostle Paul:  "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8-9).  How can we be silent when polished TV preachers proclaim unbiblical doctrine and misrepresent Biblical Christianity?   It is time for the true believers to declare these false teachers to be heretics --- because they are.

We've looked at four things we can judge, yet there are some things we should not judge.

1.         WE SHOULD NOT JUDGE THE MOTIVES OF OTHERS

We may have the right to judge the actions of others, but we cannot judge the motives of others.  Sometimes people do wrong things, but had intentions of doing right.  There are times we are tempted to question the motives of others.  However, we cannot look at the hearts of others.  We should refuse to judge the motives of others. 

2.         WE SHOULD NOT JUDGE SUPERFICIALLY

Sometimes it is easy to rush to judgment without knowing all of the facts.  It is easy to take sides on an issue when you only hear one side of the issue.  We should not judge superficially.  There are times we need to hear facts from several sides before judging a situation.

3.         WE SHOULD NOT JUDGE HYPOCRITICALLY

As we've already seen, Jesus clearly condemns those who judge hypocritically.  Get your own life cleaned up before you start pointing out the dirt you see in the lives of others.

We've looked at some things we should judge ... and some things we should not judge. 

Let me close by telling you the obvious:  God has the right & obligation to judge everyone.  Every person will ultimately stand before Him.  Perhaps you arrogantly tell others, "Only God can judge me."  You may think that is a good way to tell others to stay of your business.  While it is true that God will bring final judgment, that thought shouldn't comfort you, instead, it should bother you.  God's judgment will be strict, swift and severe.  God will not judge you by your standards, but His.  He will not grade you on the curve.  You will not be judged in comparison to others.  You will be judged by His high and Holy standard.  God can & will judge people --- including you.  Instead of rebuking others, you need to get ready to meet the final Judge.  

Prepare to meet thy God.

LIES THAT MANY BELIEVE, Part 3:  "ABORTION IS A WOMAN'S RIGHT"

"Thou shalt not kill." - Exodus 20:13

In recent days, disgusting videos have appeared online, demonstrating the evil act of abortion, conducted by Planned Parenthood.  The ruthless actions taken during the procedure called into question the organization's integrity and worthiness to continue receiving Federal funding.  From my own point of view, Planned Parenthood should have never received Federal funding to begin with.  I find it appalling that my tax money is being used to fund an organization with such a bloody purpose.

For several weeks, I've dedicated my blog message to the specific issue of "lies that many believe."  Today we are examining this popular lie:  "Abortion is a woman's right."  Let me clarify this.  Those who support abortion claim that the issue of abortion is really all about the woman's health.  They believe that a woman has a right to decide what to do with her body and the medical procedures she may choose.  Furthermore, they conclude that the unborn baby is not a human being, merely a piece of tissue. 

I believe a woman has rights, but so should the unborn.  The unborn's right to live certain trumps the woman's desire for convenience. I believe in a woman's choice about pregnancy, but that choice comes before conception and not afterwards.  The mother's womb should be the safest place for an unborn child, but often that is not the case.  Since the unborn cannot speak for themselves, who will speak for them?  I think Christians should be the voice of the unborn, speaking out against the evil nature of abortion.

The fact is that abortion has become a legal way for people to try to avoid the responsibility of their actions.  Abortion doesn't really remove responsibility because every person will one day answer to God for his or her actions and decisions.  The fathers and the mothers of the unborn ARE responsible and will be held accountable. 

Certainly, this subject is a hot-button political matter.  Although the subject of abortion is a hot topic among politicians, I know that the subject is far more than a political matter.  On the authority of God's Word, we know God sees the unborn as people, not tissue.  The slaying of the unborn is murder, pure and simple. 

Are you not convinced?  Then open your Bible to these passages:

• "And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child." - 2 Samuel 11:5.  Notice she said, "child," not "tissue."
• "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." - Psalm 51:5.  Notice that sin was part of his being from conception ... not from birth. 
• "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5.  God formed Jeremiah in his mother's womb and ordained him to be a prophet BEFORE HE WAS BORN.
• "For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink." - Hosea 2:5.  Notice she "conceived them..."  They were people at conception, not tissue. 
• "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren." - Luke 1:36.  Please note that she conceived "a son."  God considered the unborn to be a child, shouldn't we?
• "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb." - Luke 2:21.  Please note that "... he was conceived in the womb," a person was conceived in the womb.

In the womb, the unborn has a heartbeat and human form.  If a pregnant woman suffers a miscarriage, she feels loss because she has lost a child.  It takes a cold-hearted, evil person to tell a woman that she shouldn't feel loss over a miscarriage because all that died was a "tissue."  The woman has such built-in motherly emotions about her pregnancy because that which is within her IS A CHILD.

Those who support or perform abortions have blood on their hands.  There is nothing worse than the diabolical, cold-blooded murder of children --- born or unborn.  Furthermore, each person who supports or performs abortions will stand before God one day as murderers. 

Let me close by sharing a few things.  First of all, from my pulpit I do not and will not give an endorsement to any political candidate.  However, let me be clear about this.  Personally, I will not support a Presidential candidate from any party that supports abortion.  If abortion is murder, I can't imagine any born-again believer supporting a candidate that endorses the murder of the unborn. 

Some dismiss the subject of abortion as being only a political issue.  If abortion is murder in the sight of God, we need to treat the subject with the serious nature it deserves.  The subject of abortion is far more important than the economy or any other popular political issue.  Abortion is a moral, spiritual issue.  It is time for government-sponsored murders to cease.  America needs to repent.

Finally, let me say something to the women who've had abortions.  While I believe that abortion is murder, it is not an unpardonable sin.  God offers forgiveness and grace to those who will repent and trust in the Savior.  You don't have to carry a burden of remorse for the rest of your life.  Look to Jesus today and experience salvation through His shed blood.  

THE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE

"Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." - Romans 14:5

In recent days, social media has been abuzz with stories, articles and news clips about Kim Davis.  Kim is the Kentucky county clerk who defied a Federal court order when she refused to grant marriage licenses to gay couples, which led to her temporary imprisonment for contempt of court.  According to Ms. Davis, she refused to grant the licenses because it violated her religious convictions.

From the social media comments I've read, some believe she is menace to society while others consider her to be a Christian martyr.  Even among Christians, there is disagreement about whether she should have resigned or continued to stand her ground.  From my own point of view, I am bothered by all the hypocrisy in this news story.  On one hand, I have no doubt that the "Kim Davis Story," will soon be in print.  On the other hand, I know that many of the gay couples that were denied licenses got their 30 seconds of fame when they were interviewed by news agencies.  Then there is the President of the United States who hypocritically said that "no person is above the law," when he, like many of his predecessors, conveniently ignores laws that he doesn't agree with.  I get rather disgusted by the whole situation.

Rather than voice my support or opposition to Kim Davis, I want to address an issue that has been brought to the forefront through her situation & many other similar cases.

As a Christian, I am deeply bothered by the fact that the Christian conscience is being silenced in the public sector.  Although the Supreme Court allowed the owners of Hobby Lobby to maintain their Christian conscience in the light of the new healthcare law, more often than not, Christians are facing overt efforts to silence their conscience. 

In addition to the Kim Davis issue, we need to remember some of these recent news stories:

• A judge has ordered a Christian couple to pay fines because their bakery business (founded on Christian principles) refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding.
• A Christian pastor in Vermont was sentenced to one year in prison for refusing to marry a gay couple.
• The continual threat to remove "tax exemption" from specific churches when the pastors preach against public sins that are deemed "political" issues.
• A current Presidential candidate stated publicly, "deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed." (Emphasis added).

Unbelievers tend to say that Christians have the right to practice their faith --- as long as it is kept private.  This belief has silenced many people of faith.  However, the Christian faith is NOT just a private faith.  It is impossible for a person to take the Bible seriously and remain silent. There is no such thing as "private Christianity." Jesus commands His followers to take the Gospel PUBLICLY.  Today, when the Christian faith enters the public arena, there is an explicit effort to stifle that faith.  "Freedom of Religion," has become "Freedom From Religion."  The "Separation of Church & State," has become the "Separation of Faith from the Public."  The devil is actively at work in America. 

Whether or not you agree with Kim Davis, here's a major questions to ask yourself:  What if your boss or the government demanded that you do something that is in total violation of your faith?  Of course, answering this question in theory is easier than answering this question in reality.  However, I agree with John MacArthur when he advised Christians to settle this matter in advance.

In coming days, I have no doubt that there will be severe consequences for those who stand firm in the faith.  Such issues as a loss of income (losing a job), financial loss (through law suits) and a loss of freedom (through imprisonment) are not outside the realm of possibility for Christians. 

Some may argue that I am overreacting.  However, history proves that once freedom is compromised, it is a matter of time before it is completely gone.  The key issue that Christians face today is the loss of religious freedom. 

In my opinion, the Christian voice has been silent long enough.  The Christian conscience should compel each of us to have private piety AND a public voice.  The world needs the message of the Gospel and that message must be shared publicly.  If we allow ourselves to be manipulated into compromise, the Lord will be dishonored, dying souls will perish and we will ultimately regret it.  

LIES THAT MANY BELIEVE, Part 2 - "WE MUST BE POLITICALLY CORRECT"

TEXT:  "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." - Galatians 1:10

"Political correctness" is the standard by which Americans are expected to live these days.  In an effort to avoid hurt feelings or offense, people will go to great extremes to be accommodating ... unless, of course, they are dealing with a born-again Christian.  Since Spirit-filled Christians live by a different standard, our society has does not attempt to be "politically correct," with believers.  Instead, believers are often treated with scorn and verbal abuse. 

The reason that Christians are treated differently is because believers refuse to participate in "political correctness."  If someone refuses to be "politically correct," they are not treated correctly.

Honestly, I think that the phrase "political correctness," is an oxymoron.  Typically, politics is not correct.  Usually we have a dim view of politicians & suspect them of being corrupt.  To use the word, "political" with "correctness," gives a mixed message.

Let me share why "political correctness," is false:

• "Political correctness," is based on a continually changing standard.  What may be "politically correct" today may not be "politically correct" tomorrow.
• "Political correctness," is based upon relative truth, which I wrote about last week.  "Political correctness," may be political, but it is not correct because relative truth is not correct.
• "Political correctness," is a cynical way to manipulate people into compromising their convictions in the name of "respectability."
• "Political correctness," is a brainwashing tactic.  Brainwashing is designed to control people by removing rational thought from their thinking process through fear and intimidation. "Political correctness," is a method Hitler used to manipulate the German population into embracing his message.
• "Political correctness," ultimately corrupts a nation by destroying the foundation of truth and justice.
• "Political correctness," is often in complete opposition to the truth of God's Word.  A person CANNOT be "politically correct," and Biblically correct at the same time.

Let me clarify something.  I believe that Christians should treat people with respect, dignity and fairness.  We are called to love others, including our enemies.  However, we should never bow our knee to the idol of "political correctness."

It is vital to know the truth and stand on it.  The truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ, revealed in the pages of God's Word.  "Political correctness" will not influence us if we know the truth and refuse to compromise the truth.

In the Gospel of John, we learn that many Jews secretly believed in Jesus, but refused to confess Him publicly because of "political correctness."  Ultimately, Jesus was crucified because people bowed to "political correctness."  These days, "political correctness" has even seeped into the church.  Many believers refuse to condemn false prophets and doctrinal heresy because of "political correctness." 

The Apostle Paul refused to give in to "political correctness."  When he wrote to the Galatians, Paul said, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."  It is impossible to please God and maintain popularity with a sinful, unregenerate world. 

It is time to draw a line in the sand and decide which side we are on.  Do we seek to please God or please the world?  Are we going to give in to the enemy's brainwashing tactics or are we going to stand firm on God's Word?

When all is said and done, it will be obvious that "political correctness," has never been and will never be correct.

LIES THAT MANY BELIEVE, PART 1:  "THERE'S NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH"

TEXT:  "Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?" - John 18:38

Pilate seemed to ask a philosophical question when he asked, "What is truth?"  The question is more than a philosophical question; it is the most important question of all.  Our society is very uncomfortable discussing the subject of truth.  Here's the reason:  truth is more than a philosophical subject; it is a very spiritual subject.  Our society is in the process of banning all spiritual content from public discussion.  Even worse, most in our society refuse to even consider anything spiritual because they believe that spiritual matters are offensive.

At the core of our problem is this issue:  does absolute truth really exist?  Right now, our society is boldly and forcefully proclaiming that there's no such thing as absolute truth.  Instead, they promote something called, "relative truth."  Relative truth is a belief that what may be true for me may not necessarily be true for you.  Each person can define and express his or her own view of truth.  At the core of this belief is a refusal to embrace absolute truth and a rebellious spirit that objects to personal responsibility and accountability.

In an effort to practice political correctness, our society finds comfort in relative truth.  They believe that relative truth offends and hurts no one.  Most believe that relative truth promotes relational harmony and personal liberty. 

Here's the real problem:  if absolute truth really exists, then relative truth is false.  If absolute truth exists, then those who embrace relative truth believe a lie.  If absolute truth is reality, then those who promote relative truth are facing severe consequences. 

Again we return to the important question:  does absolute truth really exist?  The answer is obvious.  Absolute truth DOES exist.  Let me give you some examples:

·    Those who believe in relative truth cannot be absolutely positive that their view is correct.  After all, if they are absolutely convinced that relative truth is factual, they have destroyed their own argument, because they would be saying that relative truth is absolute truth.

·     When I was in school, many subjects were taught.  We were often given exams to verify that we learned the content taught in the class.  When I took math, I knew that 1+1=2.  This is an absolute fact.  If I answered, 1+1=7, because 7 is true for me, this would be wrong.  In mathematics, there is absolute truth.  The same is true for history.  If I were asked what year was the Declaration of Independence signed, the answer would be absolute:  1776.  There is no other correct answer.  Absolute truth DOES exist!

·        For those who promote relative truth, there is a core problem.  There are many moral issues that are absolute.  If you believe in relative truth, let me pose this question:  If Adolph Hitler believed in his heart that it was okay to murder 6 million Jews, was he right?  If relative truth is believed, then a person would have to say that his actions were fine ... which of course, is absurd.

·      The basics of our legal system are based upon absolute truth.  Without it, a criminal could use relative truth as a defense and should be set free.  He could argue that the law he broke was based upon absolute truth and he felt that his deed was acceptable.   Furthermore, no citizen could participate in jury duty.  How could a person sit in judgment about a situation if relative truth could render a crime acceptable and a law as being unacceptable?

·    If relative truth is carried out to its fullest extent, we would have civil unrest in our country.  Our nation would be destroyed if absolute truth is not factual.

Here's the main reason that relative truth is so popular in our day.  At the core of the matter is Biblical truth.  Jesus said, "I am the way, THE TRUTH and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6).  Jesus declared Himself to be the person of truth.  Furthermore His statement makes it clear that He is exclusively the only way to the Father.  Relative truth permits each individual to create his own belief system, one that he is comfortable with.  However, if Jesus is right, then absolute truth hinges upon Him.  If Jesus is who He claimed to be, relative truth is a vicious lie of the devil and many will suffer the most severe consequences by embracing such a lie.

Ultimately, every person will stand before God in judgment.  His judgment will be absolute ... based upon absolute truth.  Relative truth is just a mirage.  Relative truth is designed to deceive people into believing a comfortable lie that will ultimately destroy them. 

The reason I boldly promote absolute truth is because truth does exist and truth is absolute.  The future of each person hinges upon his or her response to the absolute truth embodied by Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ IS the truth. 

Believe the truth and you will live.  Deny the truth and you will perish.  

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES

TEXT:  "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." - John 8:44

When I was growing up, the worst whippings that I ever received from my parents were given when I lied.  My parents were intolerant with lies.  In hindsight, I am appreciative of their stand against dishonesty.  As an adult, nothing angers me like a person telling me a lie.

As a Bible-believing Christian, I am troubled about America's eroding moral and spiritual foundation.  To put it bluntly, our society has been duped into believing lies.  To make things worse, our culture has not only embraced lies, it is now forcefully promoting these lies. 

When I was growing up, there was an old TV show called, "Truth or Consequences."  Bob Barker was the host of the show.  A contestant was randomly called from the audience.  After a little chit-chat, Bob Barker would give the person a riddle and ask them to solve in just two or three seconds.  If they failed to give a correct response, they had to face "the consequences," which was usually some funny game. 

The fact is, there is truth.  If we fail to believe and practice truth, there will be consequences --- and those consequences will be severe.

To counter this, our culture has embraced and proclaimed the concept of relative truth.  Basically, they believe that there is no absolute truth.  According to their belief, something may be true for me but the same thing may not be true for someone else.  The concept of relative truth is designed to relieve a person of responsibility.  The idea is that a person's conscience can be kept from guilt or remorse if relative truth is embraced.

Here's the problem with relative truth:  It is a lie.  For the most part, people are being deceived.  They believe lies.  Here are some of the lies that are embraced and promoted by our society:

• Abortion is a "woman's right," and thus it is a medical decision, not a moral or spiritual issue.
• It is acceptable to expand the terms of marriage to include gay marriage.  After all, if two people love each other, it is nobody's business to interfere.
• There's no such thing as sexual sin.  Sexual freedom is fine as long as it is consensual.  Co-habitation is fine.  Even adultery may be good in some cases. 
• It is expected for everyone to observe "political correctness."  It is always wrong to say or do something that may be deemed "offensive," to someone, even if the person is just hypersensitive. 
• "Tolerance," is defined as treating all lifestyles as acceptable.  If you disagree with a lifestyle choice, you are "intolerant."
• It is always wrong to judge.  Judging someone's deeds or lifestyle is a sign of ignorance, hypocrisy and bigotry.
• The theory of evolution should be taught as fact.  The story of creation should not be taught at all because it violates, "the separation of church and state."  
• All roads lead to God.
• If a person is a Christian, his or her faith is a private matter and should never be expressed publicly.  Faith should never be spoken of or affect a person's job or decisions.   

It could be that some reader of this blog will take exception that one or more of these statements are "lies."  In coming weeks, I'll be addressing each of these matters individually.  For now, I think it safe to say that a Spirit-filled, Bible-believing Christian should recognize the deceit in each of the above statements. Believing, practicing or defending these lies will ultimately bring great consequences.     

For the Christian, we realize that lies emanate from the father of lies, the devil.  Our text teaches us that the devil is a liar.  The spiritual darkness that now covers our land is part of the devil's strategic design to remove the Christian influence from our nation.  Sadly, the devil has even infiltrated churches with lies.  It is tragic to see churches compromise the truth.  When truth is compromised, you give place to the devil.  Truth that is compromised is no longer truth --- it is a lie.

Our thoughts, actions and lifestyle should be anchored in the foundation of truth.  These days, people don't hunger for truth.  Instead, they simply want to be entertained. 

Either you will embrace truth or you'll be forced to face the consequences. 

  

CLOSET CHRISTIANS

TEXT:  "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." - Matthew 6:6

It is almost a daily occurrence to hear of some notorious person that "comes out of the closet."  The public boldness of those proclaiming their sinful practices is sad and disgraceful.  While the world cheers such behavior, the Bible-believing Christian mourns and weeps over the sinner who shamelessly reveals his or her wicked lifestyle. 

For some time, I've said that it is time that all Christians come out of the closet and let it be known publicly where we stand.  We need to be publicly bold about our faith and our Lord.  We should be vocal in our opposition to the sinful erosion of our nation, but we should be even more vocal about the answer to this nation's woes, Jesus Christ.

Here's the problem:  many believers aren't coming out of the closet to publicly stand for Jesus.  I think I know one of the reasons.  Although we need to come out of the closet and publicly stand for truth, righteousness and justice, we aren't spending any time in another closet, the closet that matters most ... the prayer closet.

At the end of this month, the Kendrick Brother's new movie, WAR ROOM will be opening in theaters.  This past week, I finished listening to the audio book, WAR ROOM, which is based on the movie.  I won't go into details about the story (go see the movie yourself), but I will let you know that the prayer closet is the main emphasis of the movie.

The prayer closet is a location where we meet secretly with God.  The fact is that many need to spiritually clean their closet before much communion can occur. 

Jesus told us to get alone with the Heavenly Father and spend time talking with Him.  It may be that you need to literally go into a closet to pray.  For another, it may be that a walk through the woods accomplishes the same thing.  Some find that kneeling beside the bed in the privacy of the bedroom gives them enough seclusion to meet with God.  Regardless of the location, we need to have private time with God.

We live in a busy world.  The pace of life is often hectic.  Time limits and other constraints make it difficult to carve out sections of time to meet with God.  For many Christians, there is a temptation to say, "I don't have time to pray," or "I'm too busy to pray."  Actually, you're too busy NOT to pray.  The stress of time is an extra reason to seek the face of God.

Let me share a few things about making the most of your prayer closet.

1.         PRAY DELIBERATELY

First of all, we must deliberately seek the face of God.  Jesus said, "... when thou prayest," not "if thou prayest."   Prayer is not just a religious exercise, it is a time of holy communion with God.

2.         PRAY SECRETLY

Jesus does not condemn public prayer but He does criticize public prayers that are hypocritical.  Jesus stresses the importance of private prayer.  It was not uncommon for Jesus to get alone and talk with the Father.  We need that private time with the Father ourselves.

3.         PRAY EXPECTANTLY

In our text, Jesus promised that the Father would hear and reward us when we pray secretly.  Pray with faith.  Although God may not give us the answers we want, we can pray with assurance that God will answer.

4.         PRAY SPECIFICALLY

If you want specific answers to prayer, then pray specifically.  Make a prayer list and consult it as you pray.  Don't just pray for yourself.  Pray for others.  Learn from the Apostle Paul and focus primarily on the spiritual needs of others when you pray. 

5.         PRAY REGULARLY

Schedule a time to meet with God daily.  It is true that we should pray throughout the day.  There will be moments of spontaneous prayer.  However, it is vital to set and keep an appointment with God every day.  I suggest that you begin your day with the Lord.  It may be five minutes, fifteen minutes, an hour or even more.  Meet with God daily.

Yes, we need to come out of the closet and voice our opposition to the "political correctness," and sinful agenda that the world seeks to shove down our throats.  However, we need to also come out of the closet and let others know the Gospel --- the only real hope this world has.  While we need to come out of the closet concerning our faith, we need to stay in the closet when it comes to prayer. 

Whatever you may refer to as your "prayer closet," God will meet you there and will change your life.  So stay in the prayer closet!

We need to be closet Christians!