To Dwell in the Presence of God.

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

                                   Psalm 15:1-5 KJV 

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand  in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

                                   Psalm 24:3-6 KJV 

Obedience in the presence of almighty God go hand in hand. This can be seen in the example of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, as priests. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them. God has an eternal standard for all who would approach Him. God will be sanctified or shown as Holy in all who would draw near to Him. He must be glorified before men (see Leviticus 10:1-3).

Again, when Moses struck the rock in anger, he, along with his brother Aaron, were denied entry into the land of promise. Why? Because they did not treat the LORD as holy in front of the congregation of Israel. God was sanctified in the midst of Israel now, through Judgement. That was a steep price to pay for a moment of anger (see Numbers 20:1-13).

This is not an Old Testament thing, where God is an angry God, but now under the New Testament he is living and forgiving. Just ask Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead when confronted by Peter for their hypocrisy. This had a cleansing,  purifying effect upon the early Church, as "great fear came upon the Church" (Acts 5:1-11).

Jesus tells us that it is the pure in heart who will see God (Matt 5:8). We fool ourselves if we think that we can enjoy intimate fellowship with the Holy God, while indulging our sinful desires.

Yet many professing believers, who were once passionately pursuing Jesus, have grown cold. They are unaware that the presence of God is absent from their lives. It's like the proverbial frog in the kettle of water. The water heated up slowly, the frog unaware, until it was boiling. A backsliding Christian grows colder and colder, until like Sampson, one day wakes up to the realization that God has left them ( see Judges 16:1-20).

There is a remedy however. When one has come to the realization of their backslidden condition, the only thing one can, and must do is to repent and return to God. 

Evan Roberts, the man mightily used by God during the Welsh revival of 1904-05, consistently emphasized these four points. 

1. Confess all known sin.

     Your past sins that remain           unconfessed must be dealt with.       Confess them to God, and forsake them. Confess them to those you have wronged, and do what is in your power to make it right.

2. Prompt obedience to the leading of the Spirit.

     Obedience must be prompt. To hold back our obedience to the promoting of the Holy Spirit is to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), and to quench the Spirit (1 Thess 5:19). In Acts 5:32 we read that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him.

3. Get rid of all doubtful habits.

     Are there things in your life that you are uncertain of? Are you doing things that you are not sure if they are right or wrong? Remove them from your life. There are actions that are not specifically addressed in scripture. Our conscience then becomes our guide. Romans 14 explains this. We must not allow our liberty to become an occasion to cause a brother to stumble (Romans 14:13-15). We also must be convinced in our own mind, and abide by our conviction, because to act contrary to this is to sin, because our actions do not flow out of faith (Romans 14:20-24).

4. Confess Christ openly.

     If we desire the presence of Christ in our lives we must openly confess Him before men. If we are ashamed of Him in this sinful world; if we deny Him, He will deny us before the angels of God. The Holy Spirit comes to empower us to be witnesses. As above, we quench the Spirit when we do not obey Him. How can one expect the presence of God while being ashamed of Him?

During this time period Wales was transformed. A sleeping Church was wakened, and while there is no exact count, they agree that well  over 100,000 souls were saved in this move of God. Bars were shut down, Judges had no cases to try in court. The mules used in the coal mines had to be retrained. They were used to being cursed at. They didn't know what to do now that the miners' language had been cleaned up. This is what happens when God draws near, and it begins with one individual who seeks after Him.

As we read above in Psalm 24:4-6, it is the one who has clean hands and a pure heart who receives the blessing from the LORD. This is the generation, or people who seek after Him. In a allusion to the story of Jacob, who wrestled with the LORD until the break of day, we also must tenaciously go after God with the same attitude, "I will not let you go until you bless me!"

The term "selah" at the end of this verse literally means "stop and think about that "

The story of Jacob does not start well. He deceives his Father and steals the birthright and blessing from his brother Esau. Forced to flee, he ends up working for his uncle Laban, who takes advantage of him, just like Jacob once took advantage of others.

God was with Jacob however, and when Jacob finally leaves Laban to return to back to Isaac, his father, he was a different man. Fearing Esau, he prays for God to deliver him. This is the point where he wrestles with a man, who turns out to be the LORD, and prevails (see Genesis 32:1-30).

Are we like that? Is our hunger for the presence of the LORD such that we can also say, "I will not let you go until you bless me." And is it temporal blessing that we seek, no matter how important that may be, or is it God Himself who we desperately desire?

.

Focus

     If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:1-3 ESV)

     I have run across a saying that goes something like this. "He is so heavenly minded, that he is of no earthly good." Immediately we think of an individual with his or her head in the clouds, dreamily going through life with heavenly thoughts, but unable to function much in the everyday affairs of life. But is this saying biblical? 

     The passage quoted above mentions several important aspects of the Christian life. First, the Christian has died. When we come to Christ in repentance and faith, we renounce ourselves, our sin and selfishness, and die to it. Paul, in Romans 6:1-13, paints a picture of the believer's uniting with Christ's death through baptism, and consequently uniting with Him in His resurrection, resulting in newness of life. We have forsaken our old life, to live a new one. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin (Romans 6:6-7 ESV).

     Paul writes that he has been crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20). As a result, it is no longer he who lives, but by faith, Christ lives in him. Jesus tells us that one must renounce all to become His disciple (Luke 14:33), he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him. We must lose our lives for Christ's sake (Matt 16:24-26). 

     To tell the truth, I often find myself caught up with earthly affairs. I worry about making ends meet. I can get caught up with my job, or hobbies. I'm sure many of us can relate to this. Life can be hard at times, and it is so easy to let our focus settle there. But what does Jesus say? He tells us to make His kingdom our priority! He knows our needs, and tells us not to worry, to be consumed by them. These are the things we need, clothing, food, the essentials of life. These are also the things the world is consumed with (Matt 6:25-33). He encourages us to pursue His interests, not ours, and what we need, He will provide.

     Now I am not saying we must all quit our jobs and go sit on a rooftop somewhere waiting for God to do something. We all have gifts and callings that God has given us, and we must walk in them. It might mean a radical change of direction in our lives. At the very least our focus must change. We are not our own, we have been purchased by Jesus Christ, to live for His glory (1 Cor 6:19-20). How will that fact affect my job choices, my interests, my pursuits? Can I glorify God in these areas of my life, or must I make a change? One who has died in this sense of the word has given up himself.

     We have also been made alive in Christ Jesus. Not only have we died, but now, as Jesus has been raised from the dead, so we also have been raised up to newness of life (Romans 6:4).

     Newness of life entails everything of one's life. We have renounced all for the sake of Christ, so now we use all for the glory of God. To set our minds on the things above means to focus on the interests of Christ. It means that we are consumed by the advancement of His kingdom. It is our priority. The things that hinder, that get in the way, must go. We cannot serve two masters, one or the other must go. You can only focus on one thing in the natural, and so it is in the spiritual as well (Matt 6:22-24). We must ever be careful to keep the things of eternity in sharp focus.

     Let us have the same attitude as that of Paul, who counted all things loss for the sake of Christ, who forgot the former things to press on towards the goal (Phil 3:8-15). He said he did one thing (verse 13). We know that Paul traveled as an Apostle planting churches and preaching the gospel. He wrote under inspiration a large portion of the New Testament. He suffered persecution and stood before kings. He did many things, but his life with all of its experiences and accomplishments flowed out of one thing. Paul was passionate for Jesus Christ. He had renounced all, he had been crucified with Christ, and was merely living out the life of Christ by faith.

      

      

 

Obedience.

It is quite common to see an individual when faced with a choice to obey Christ or not, set out to pray about it. This is not entirely wrong, it is true we find grace and help in time of need, and the way of escape during times of temptation, as we seek God in prayer. Jesus sets the example for us in His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, as He fervently sought the Father that he cup might pass from Him. Although sweating drops of blood in His anguish, He yet submitted to the will of His Father and found the strength He needed to go on to face the cross (Luke 22:39-44).We read that He learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Heb 5:7-8).

Yet it is far too common to see individuals substituting prayer for obedience. They pray for God's will, they pray for strength, they pray for help, but the truth is they do not intend to obey. Having thus prayed, they feel justified​ in their inaction, as they wait for God to somehow make them obedient. God however will not obey for us, He will not force us to do what we are unwilling to do, as true obedience must come from our willing hearts if it is to be pleasing in His sight.

God does not command us to do that which we are unable to do.
It has been taught that man is incapable of doing any good at all, that his depravity is such that he can only do evil. Yet look around and you will see unsaved individuals doing right things. There are people who are not born again, yet have some morals that they follow. Jesus said that even sinners love those who love them back. The rich young ruler was obedient to the commandments, yet fell short in one area (Mark 10:17-22). Likewise Paul, before his conversion was also blameless in the Law, yet he could not break free from covetousness (Phil 3:6; Rom 7:7). The fact that sinful people can obey God's law does not make them righteous, it does not give them favor in God's eyes, but it proves the point that God does not expect us to do something impossible; we can obey. Depravity lies within our wills, we refuse to do what is right, choosing instead to do wrong, and as a result falling into bondage to our selfish desires.

We might say it is too hard. There are things that we may face in our Christian walk that are indeed hard, our flesh is selfish, and Christ's commands go against that. Yet we read that His yoke is easy and His burden is light ( Matt 11:28-30). We also read that His commands are not burdensome (1John 5:3).  The problem is not with what we are asked to do, but lies with us. Our human nature will try to rise up and gain the mastery if we will not subdue it.

In Luke 17:1-10 we read of Jesus' instructions concerning an offending brother, and our duty to not only confront such a one, but to also forgive, multiple times if necessary. Finding this a bit daunting, the disciples cry out, "Increase our faith."
Jesus replies that a tiny bit of faith, even the size of a mustard seed is all that is necessary to accomplish great things. It is not a burst of heavenly energy that we must wait for if we would be obedient, but simply to take God at his word, and then put it into practice. We like to claim His promises in this way, but we must also put His word into action in our lives by faith as well.

Jesus goes on to teach us that as His servants it is our duty to obey as well. Once again it is not an issue of I can't, but just as an employer expects so much out of an employee, likewise God expects our obedience as well.

As Christians we have the law of God written upon our hearts, and the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. We do not have to live in bondage to sin and selfishness, as Christ has done all that is necessary to bring us into a life of loving obedience. It is up to us to count ourselves dead to sin (Rom 6:11-14), to put off the old man (Eph 4:23), and put on the new (Eph 4:23-24), and to abide in Christ (1 John 3:6).

How Do You Read Your Bible?

Scripture tells us that there is one faith (Eph 4:5), that was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3). If so, how can it be that we see so many differing doctrines among professed believers? Why is there so much confusion over things such as divorce and remarriage, or eternal security? How about Jesus' teaching on materialism? He taught against it, but the opposite is taught by prosperity teachers today. There is much confusion within the Church over issues that should be cut and dried instead.

Much of the problem stems from how we approach the Bible. First off, let me be clear that the Bible is God's inspired word to us. From Genesis to Revelation, it is God breathed and useful for training and correction (2 Tim 3:16). The events of the Old Testament were written for our example as Christians today (1 Cor 10:6). However we also understand that not all of the Old Testament commands given to Israel are binding upon followers of Christ under the new covenant. So we must interpret God's word correctly so that we can follow it correctly.

It is common for many Christians to approach the Bible as a "flat book." That is they place equal authority upon both the Old and New Testaments. Again, while it is true that both testament are equally inspired, yet we do not follow the precepts of the Old in the same way we follow what Christ has commanded in the new. For example, most Christians are not following the dietary laws found in the law of Moses, and we are not stoning people caught in adultery, as New Testament believers.

However, when the Bible is approached this way, we can get ourselves off track. There are many verses in the Old Testament dealing with war. God allowed Israel to fight their enemies under the old covenant. We also have examples of wealthy men such as Abraham, David, and Solomon in the Old Testament. Many Christians today turn to these passages when seeking to defend their position on these two issues. The focus was on Israel, a physical nation chosen by God, so we often lose sight of the kingdom of God as found in the New Testament, blurring it with our own physical nation. In America there is a tendency to combine God and country, resulting in an overly patriotic Christianity. We also see emphasis placed upon the law, and the inability to keep it. We then turn to the epistles of Paul, and focus on the teachings of grace through faith, finding comfort in the fact that we are "covered" in spite of the fact we are living in disobedience to what God expects us to do. Sadly many are unaware of the promise found in the new covenant that will enable us to live in a manner that pleases God. Much harm has been done in the past, by professing believers, in the name of Christ, because people looked to the law instead of to the words of Jesus.

We read in Hebrews 1:1-2, that at one time God spoke through the prophets, but now he has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is introduced to us as the "Word" in the first chapter of John.

In Matthew 17:1-8 we read of the transfiguration of Christ. Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ, talking with Him. Peter desired to build three tabernacles, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Jesus. But while he spoke, a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice proclaimed out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear Him." When they again looked, Jesus remained alone.

 There is much we can learn from this. Moses and the prophets had much to teach. Not only to ancient Israel, but to us today as well. We learn from them about God, His attributtes, His holiness, what He expects concerning sin and righteousness. We read of the prophets urging the nation to turn back to God in repentance, something that is vital to our own salvation today. Yet it is Jesus Christ who we follow. He calls us as disciples to lay down all, and come after Him. It is His word we are to hear and obey, His example we are to emulate. His kingdom is built upon entirely different principles than those that the nation's of the earth are built. His is a kingdom of peace, mercy, and extravagant love. While the old covenant may have made provision for war, Jesus forbids it. While men may have acquired wealth and material prosperity under the old, we are taught to give it away, as we cannot serve two masters. We must look at all of scripture with an eye to Jesus Christ, as He holds the rights to us as disciples and citizens of His kingdom. The law of Christ is our rule. This does not abrogate the old, as the moral law has been summed up by Jesus as loving God with supreme love, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. What Paul teaches about grace in no way clashes with Christ's demand for obedience, instead if one carefully reads through the New Testament epistles, you will soon see a harmony between the two. It is all about Jesus. Whether it is Old Testament or New, Jesus must be central.

Its About Souls.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. 

(Romans 10:14-15 KJV)

My family and I were in Fargo ND. the other day. We hadn't been there in quite some time, and were quite surprised to see the large number of Muslim immigrants shopping along side of us. We were not aware that so many had settled in this area. We have also heard that there are other communities nearby that have a large Muslim presence in them also.

I am aware that a large segment of American citizens are opposed to this. They voice concerns for safety, concerns about jobs and welfare. There is a general fear of terrorist activity related to the influx of these immigrants, and as a result, people are demanding that we close our borders. Sadly, a great number of professed evangelical Christians seem to be loudly at the forefront of these demands. They, like all the others, are concerned about terrorism, jobs, giving "handouts" to undeserving refugees, and the like.

I would like to look at this from a totally different standpoint. As Christians, this life is not supposed to be about us. Our lives as Christians are not supposed to revolve around our material prosperity, or maintaining our physical safety either. A safe and secure country with carefully guarded borders is not what Jesus has in mind for those who would truly follow Him. As Christians we have been given the awesome task of going into all the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15). We serve Jesus Christ as citizens of His heavenly kingdom. The business of His kingdom is to be the all consuming business of our lives (Matt 6:33). How can we claim to be His followers, intent upon advancing His kingdom, while we cry out at the same time to close our borders, desiring to keep these "dangerous" people out? Things like this were never upon the minds of the early Church as they fearlessly advanced the gospel, even at the cost of their very lives. The desire to glorify God by bringing souls into His kingdom burned within their hearts. They were compelled to go. 

There are many who have not yet obeyed the command of Jesus to go. For those of us who have not yet gone, perhaps Jesus is bringing the mission field home to us.....?

Victory Over the World.

It is impossible to be a worldly Christian, as the values of this world are in opposition to the values of Christ and His kingdom.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

(James 4:4 KJV)

Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters. Our allegiance cannot be divided (Matt 6:24). Likewise, friendship with the world puts us at odds with God. The things that this world esteems make it impossible to serve Christ with the wholehearted devotion that He demands of His followers. We read in 1 John,

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

(1 John 2:15-17 KJV)

Once again, it is impossible to love the things of this world and God at the same time. Those who claim to love God and yet live in the pursuit of worldly pleasures and accomplishments show that they neither love, or even know God.

Love towards God requires obedience. To truly love someone is to desire the highest good of that person, even to the giving of ourselves to meet the needs, and promote the well being of that individual. To truly love God requires that we seek His will and kingdom (Matt 6:33); it is to do all in His name, and for His glory (Col 3:17; 1 Cor 6:20, 10:31). Obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ will flow naturally from the disciple who truly loves Him (John 14:21-24; 1 John 5:2-3). 

We are required to Love God with the entirety of our beings (Deut 6:4-9). This is upheld by the words of our Lord Jesus as well (Matt 22:36-40). Love is something that cannot be legislated; it cannot be coerced, it must come from the heart willingly, and unrestrained. Jesus demands this love, as the Highest good in the universe. How can we measure up? How can we overcome this world with all of its vain trappings; with all of the things that would steal our hearts from the One who truly deserves our highest affections? 

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory thst overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God? 

(1 John 5:4-5 KJV)

If we are not overcoming the world, it is overcoming us! We overcome by faith in the risen Christ, Jesus the son of God. When we trust, we will obey, with a faith that works by love (Gal 5:6).

Investment Principles According To Jesus

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be  also.

Matthew 6:19-21 KJV

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:32-34 KJV

Following Christ.

      For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few that find it.
                                            Matthew 7:14 NASB

     There is a wonderful old Anabaptist hymn, that as I read it, the scriptures seemed to be opened up to me in a fresh way.

He who would follow Christ

 

Who now will follow Christ in life must scorn the world's insult and strife, and bear the cross each day. For this alone leads to the throne; Christ is the only way.

Christ's servants follow Him to death, and give their body, life, and breath on cross and rack and pyre. As gold is tried and purified they stand the test of fire.

Renouncing all they choose the cross, and claiming it, count all as loss, e'en home and child and wife. Forsaking gain, forgetting pain, they enter into life

     We have this idea that all we need to do is to believe in Christ at some point in our lives, and we are good. Just ask Jesus into your heart, and you are saved. Sadly, I fear, there are countless thousands of modern evangelical "Christians" who have no concept of what it means to believe in Christ; to take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34). That however, is the call of Christ; "Follow Me." Repeating a prayer, going forward at an altar, saying we believe in Jesus, are all actions that in and of themselves can give us no assurance of heaven. It starts at the cross, where we confess and repent, and by faith "enter the small gate." However we must follow Christ. Read what these persecuted Christians did. They scorned the world and all of its insults, as they followed Christ. They braved torture and death as they followed Him. They renounced all, and like the Apostle Paul, they counted all as loss for the sake of knowing Christ (Phil 3:8).
     You see, many of us stop at the new birth, believing that is the end of the matter as far as our salvation is concerned. We do not go on to follow Christ as He leads us through the narrow way to life. We are far behind Him as He calls us to renounce this world, as He leads us away from materialism, and as He calls us to humility. We are far behind Him as He call us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek. We know little of laying up treasure in heaven, and seeking first His kingdom. He calls us to follow Him and become fishers of men, but somehow we do not follow. We do not follow Him as He leads us through suffering and tribulation; but all who wish to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Tim 3:12), and it is through much tribulation that we enter into life (Acts 14:22).
     It is not enough to merely believe in Him. That is nothing more than a mere head knowledge; a mental assent to some historical, biblical facts about Jesus. To really believe in Him is to follow Him, as this hymn says, Christ is the only way.


He who would follow Christ                  
Jorg Wagner, 1527, in the Ausbund, 1564     Bartholomeus Monoetius 1565
Wer Christo jetzt will folgen nach
Tr. David Augsburger, 1962

The Mennonite Hymnal
Copyright 1969 Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa
p344




    
      

The Open Door.

     I know your deeds. Behold I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
                                                             Revelation 3:8 NASB

     The only one that can stop you from walking in the calling of God upon your life is you! When God has called you to something, no one else can close the door upon your opportunity to fulfill that call. It is only through your unfaithfulness; your refusal to obey, that the opportunity can go lost. Do not fear man, what he may say, or do to you. Walk in what God has called you to. He is the one who has opened the door! 

Strive to Enter the Narrow Door.

     We seem to have this idea that the Christian life requires little or no effort on our part. It is true on the one hand that salvation is the gift of God, received by faith, and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But we also have the words of Jesus as recorded in Luke's gospel,

     "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets'; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME ALL YOU EVIL DOERS.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast out. And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last."
                                     Luke 13:24-30 NASB

     The word strive is a strong word that means to gain the mastery of, to agonize in contention for something. To strive is to give an all out effort in the obtaining of a prize. In this instance Christ is telling us that we must make every effort to enter through the narrow door. The four men who brought the paralytic to Jesus were an example to us of what it means to strive, or make an effort. They were not discouraged by the large crowd surrounding Jesus, but instead, dug a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was teaching, and lowered their friend in front of Christ (Mark 2:2-4).
      We are told that many will try to enter, but will not be able. Elsewhere we read that there will be FEW that enter the narrow gate, and walk the narrow path that leads to life (Matt 7:13).
     The problem that multitudes of professing believers have is their lack of faith, evidenced by their lack of commitment to Christ and His call on their lives. They may desire to live better lives; perhaps to even give up some sinful habits, but their desires do not run deep enough to make a radical break with sin. For many, their profession is based upon an emotional experience with no depth. They may have said a prayer, made a commitment, but they failed to count the cost as Jesus tells us we must do (Luke 14:28). Just like the people in Jesus' day, there are many today who are familiar with Jesus. There are those who are content to believe the historical facts about Christ, but their faith remains in their heads and not their hearts, and their lives are unchanged. It is the same with those who are "Christian" based on the fact they grew up in a Christian home. Others are satisfied with religious forms and rituals. They, like those who ate and drank in the presence of Jesus, and heard Him teaching in the streets, will be shocked on the day they stand before Him and hear "I do not know where you are from." They have missed the new birth, through which we must enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3-7).
     Just as birth is painful and requires great effort to bring a life into the world, so also it is painful, and requires great effort to be spiritually born anew into the kingdom of God. Once again, I am aware that works will never save us, and it is impossible to earn our salvation, or to be able to impress God enough to save us. It is not a case of being able to somehow trust in God, and trust in works, and being able to get to heaven.
     You see, we must be stripped of pride, stripped of self, and this is a painful process and few can endure it, but God is opposed to the proud. Those who are humble, are those who receive grace (James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5). The new birth is a radical change. We come just as we are, but we will never enter the kingdom just as we are. We come to surrender, to lay down our sinful lives, and be changed by the washing of rebirth, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-7). This surrender, this laying down of our lives is repentance, a complete change of mind and action. It is a turning from ourselves to God. It involves giving up our sin. It is painful to see ourselves as God sees us, but once we do we will turn from our selfish desires and actions and give ourselves to follow Christ.
     Jesus calls us to follow Him, and to follow Him requires that we deny ourselves, take up our cross; that we renounce all we have, that we completely lose our lives for Him (John 12:25-26; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 14:27-33). To follow Jesus requires that we obey Him (Luke 6:46; John 14:21, 15:14). Our obedience does not save us. If we are following Jesus from a motive of self preservation, we have failed to lose our life for Him. We are still in control of our life, and have failed to enter in through the narrow door. The door is indeed narrow, and one must squeeze through it painfully. We must follow Him for His sake, and love Him for His sake. It is not about what He can do for us, but about losing our lives for Him.
     It is a narrow gate and an equally narrow road that leads to life, with few on it, while the broad path to destruction is filled with souls (Matt 7:13-14). The cost is high, and few are truly willing to pay it.

Living In Anticipation.

     Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
                                        Matthew 24:42 NASB

     Jesus exhorts us to live in anticipation of His coming. As we do not know the day nor the hour of His return, we are to live as if He could come at any moment.
     It seems that as time goes on, and He has not yet returned, many become careless and complacent. The tendency is to get caught up in the affairs of this life, and to take our eyes off of Jesus.


    Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?
      Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
     But if that evil slave says in his heart "My master is not coming for a long time," and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
                                        Matthew 24:45-51 NASB

     Sadly this is what happens so often. As time goes on our anticipation of Christ's return diminishes. Maybe it is because our love grows cold (Matt 24:12; Rev 2:4). We see professing Christians begin to nit pick one another, rather than build each other up in the faith. We see our brothers and sisters fall into sin. We see churches and denominations tolerate and accept gross immorality within their ranks, in defiance to the Word of God.
     As Christ's body here on the earth, we need to be about His business. We have a charge to keep, souls to rescue, brothers and sisters to strengthen in the faith. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Christ, lest He come at a time when we do not expect Him, catching us unaware.

Don't Neglect Your Gift!

     There are many of us Christians who have had burdens for lost souls, a heart for revival, and a passion to see the church built up and edified. We may have at one time labored in the strength of the Lord to see these things accomplished for Christ. 
    It seems like we often let other things slip in and get us off track. We let our urgency wane. We grow lazy in our prayer life, our zeal for the service of the Lord grows cool.
     Paul exhorted Timothy not to neglect the spiritual gift that was within him (1 Timothy 4:14). It is so easy to neglect the spiritual gifts that God has placed within each one of us. The world clamors to get our attention. Christian! God has gifted you. Do not neglect it!
     If it has been lying dormant in your life you need to fan it into flame once again (2 Timothy 1:6). Get filled afresh with the spirit of God, and walk in your calling! Let God use you for His kingdom and glory.

Inhabited By God.

     Our love for Christ is proven by our obedience to Him. We live to please those we love. those  who love Christ in this way are the ones who experience the abiding fellowship of the presence of God in their lives. The very presence of the indwelling Christ burning deep within the soul (John 14:23).
     We are deluded if we think we can abide in Christ and He in us apart from this love.
                     

Active Prayer.

     There are those who spend their lives praying for lost loved ones, revival, their neighbors, etc. but never do anything about it. They don't witness, they won't give a testimony of God's grace in a church service, they never think to confront a sinning brother in a spirit of love. They believe all that they need to do is to pray, and God will take care of it.
     There are also those who plunge into these things, but never pray. They are always busy doing good things, but have no anointing of God on their efforts. They also see little if any results.
    Jesus told the seventy to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send workers. He then sends them! (Luke 10:2-3). James tells us that true faith will produce works. What good is it to bless a needy person with good intentions when we have the ability to help them? (James 2:15-17). Likewise, how can we expect God to answer our prayers for loved ones when we have no intention to go to them ourselves?
     The truth is we must pray and seek God for His presence and power in our lives. We must be willing to go where He sends us, and to do what He calls us to do, bathing it all in prayer. We go in the strength that He provides.
     Who knows, Maybe you are the answer to your prayers for the lost, for the needy, for revival in your church or community?

Religion of the Heart.

     Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah. "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the Lord. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle; and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies-
I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.
                                 Isaiah 1:10-18NASB

     Many individuals are content to worship God with mere lip service, and through countless rituals. They somehow believe that God looks down on all of this and is pleased. They feel that this all God requires, and they are then free to live as they please.
     All of the countless rituals, all the empty praise and meaningless prayer, are nothing more than an abominable stench before God. God is looking for hearts that are inclined to Him. He desires our devotion, our commitment of all we are and have to Him. Everything must flow out of a loving devotion to God, out of a passion for Him and His glory.
     Those practicing a mere external religion lack that love to God, and love to their neighbor that is required. God desires justice and mercy, and that must flow out of the heart that has been touched by His love and mercy.
     We often use the words of verse 18 as a call to the lost to receive salvation, but in the context, He is calling His backslidden people to repent and come back to the "religion" of the heart that pleases Him.
     It is no different today. God still desires the worship of those who are truly redeemed. He desires praise that flows from a heart filled with reverence and awe. He desires the deeds done in love, and for His glory. He is looking at the heart.

I Sought a Man.

     Will it be God's judgement, or revival? God is looking for a man to stand in the gap. Someone to intercede for a backslidden church, a nation that has departed from God, and a lost world. watch this video by George Delo and allow God to challenge you to step up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTbfwjDL5ro

A Voice of Thunder.

     Few men have spoken for God with the power and conviction of Charles G. Finney. In an age where the church had grown cold and formal, he labored to bring them back to a life of holiness for the glory of God. He refused to compromise, calling sin sin. He understood many of the "refuges of lies" (excuses) that sinners hid behind. With a powerful voice, full of the Holy Spirit, he preached with conviction. Men would fall to their knees trembling before the holy God they had rebelled against. Thousands were saved from lives of sin, thousands were brought back from backsliding. God used him mightily to bring revival to the church of his day.
     He had no power in and of himself. What was his secret? He was yielded to God, full of the Holy Spirit. He walked in total obedience to God and His word. He was a man of prayer. He understood that without the power of the Holy Spirit in his life, he could do nothing.
     His writings exist today, and have been a source of growth and encouragement to many. Many individuals have read them and God has used them to bring revival as well.
     Why not let God use you? We need a voice of thunder today. Let God fill you and use you. Oh how the church needs revival today.

Grieving the Spirit.

     Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
                          Ephesians 4:30 NASB

     As Christians, we are called to maturity. We are not to be like children, falling for everything that we hear, but we are to grow up in all aspects of our lives, into Christ, who is our head (Eph 4:14,15). We are to live our lives according to the truth, the truth that is revealed to us in the word of God. It is one thing to know and study the truth, but unless we allow it to shape and mold our lives, unless we become Christlike in our behavior, it is useless knowledge.
     It is the job of the Holy Spirit to take the truth and reveal it to us. The Holy Spirit will take the word of God and illuminate it to our hearts and minds so that we can understand it and know how we need to apply it to our lives. It is His job to sanctify us, or to make us holy, set apart in every aspect of our lives. To be holy, is to be separated from sin, selfishness, and all the ungodly ways of this world, and be devoted to the service of God. The Holy Spirit will convict us, promt us, lead and guide us, and empower us, to the end that Christ is formed in us.
     Those who follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, exhibit lives filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, are all marks of the Spirit filled life (Galatians 5:22,23).
     Paul exhorted the Believers in Ephesus to put off the old man, the corrupt way of life that they once lived, and to put on the new man who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness, and holiness of the truth (Eph 4:22-24). This involves a renewal of mind, a looking at life through the lens of scripture with a determined willingness to obey God in everything at all times. We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit, or we will grieve Him. The Spirit is filled with sorrow when we go against Him. It grieves Him when we are dishonest with one another. He is grieved by anger, theft, vain and foolish conversation, bitterness, wrath, clamor, and slander (vss. 25-31). All of these sinful behaviors are the fruit of yielding to our fleshly, selfish desires. These are the results of failing to follow the Spirit, and this grieves Him. A loss of the fear of the Lord, a lack of respect for Him and His presence grieves the Spirit. This only shows that we are living for ourselves, and not for Him.
     To grieve the Spirit is to lose communion with Him. It is to lose that peace that comes from a right standing with God. It is to lose the inner witness that the Holy Spirit bears with our spirit. If persisted in, it leads to spiritual death (Gal 5:21, 6:8).
     The only remedy is found at the cross of Christ. True confession of sin, confession to God, and confession to those we have offended, and a honest repentance, are needed. When sin is dealt with, and dug out from the root, when the blood of Christ has been applied by faith, we will once again enjoy the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Narrow Way.

     Jesus makes a sobering statement in Mattthew 7:13,14

    " Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
     "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."

     Hear what Jesus is saying! The broad way to destruction is full of people! The narrow way to life is only found by a few!
     We live in an age where salvation is "easy". Just say this prayer, come as you are, you do not need to give up anything, God loves you just as you are. People are looking for a Jesus who will give them a wonderful life. They want a Jesus who will make them happy without making them holy.
     The Jesus of the Bible demands a total commitment of all we are. He demands we deny ourselves, and take up our cross, not just once but DAILY, as we follow Him. There is no coming into the kingdom without a thorough repentance. Repentance was the cry of John the Baptist, of Jesus, Paul, Peter. They did not say "Repeat this prayer after me, while every head is bowed, and every eye is closed" They called for repentance, a turning from sin and self, and by faith, surrendering to Christ as Lord.
     There are few who make this commitment. Most want heaven, but have no real desire to live a life sold out to Christ, a life lived for His will, His glory, His kingdom. Most are content to look back at a moment when they said a prayer, exercised some faith, but never exchanged self for Christ. They were never truly regenerated, born again, and made into a new creation.
     What road are you on? Are you satisfied to live a life of sin, never getting victory over temptation, never really changed from how you have always lived? You might have "accepted Christ" but where is the fruit? Or have you been transformed, truly set free, living for the will of God?
     What road are you on?
    

Just like us.

     The bible tells us that Elijah was a man with a nature just like us. There was nothing extra special about him. God chose to use him, and he yielded in obedience.
     This should encourage us to step out in faith and let God use us as well. Who knows what He may do through you?