Oct 2007
Speaking with God
28/10/07 22:19
If I am
at home and someone wanted to talk to me they would
have to call me on the telephone. My telephone number
is 829-2601! Those are the only numbers that will
work and they must be dialed in that sequence. If you
try to call me with any other number you will call
somebody else –but not me. The only way that
you will reach me is if you dial my phone number.
“Okay, okay!” you say, “So what!
What are you trying to tell me?” This simple
little act of dialing the right phone number is a
perfect illustration of making sure that when we do
our praying to God –we are going to get the one
true God. Now, God doesn’t have a phone number
but He has surely made it known that there is only
one way that you are going to speak to Him. If you
think that any prayer, at any time, in any situation
God will hear you, you are sorely mistaken. What? Do
you think that God is up in Heaven, governing the
universe and then puts everything on hold just
because someone is praying to Him? Do you think that
just because someone is praying that God is obligated
to hear him? If someone called you on the phone and
started “chewing” you out, blamed you for
something you never even did or were calling you by
another name, (or names! ) how long would you listen
to that? I’m here to tell you that people just
can’t prance into the Presence and expect that
God is obligated to hear them. Grant it, God is
loving and very merciful and He is ready to listen to
anyone’s plea. But that plea must come through
Jesus Christ!
Paul tells us in 1Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men –the testimony given at its proper time.” I hope that you can receive this: Adam was able to converse with God because of Jesus Christ! Abraham, Moses and David all talked with God because of Christ Jesus! In fact, anyone at anytime and in any situation; if men want to converse with God, they must talk to God through the one Mediator –Christ Jesus! Someone may say, “But Jesus didn’t live until just two thousand years ago; how could He have been the mediator since the beginning of time?” Did you know that Christ was slain from the foundation of the world? Rev.13:8 Did you know that man has received grace from God, through Jesus Christ since the beginning of time? 2Tim.1:9 And, did you know that God chose those who would be in Christ before the foundation of the world? Eph.1:4 God has everything under control folks and He is fair and good. From the beginning of time God has chosen that the only way that He would communicate with man and man with Him –was through His Christ. This may be hard to understand but that is only because we are forced to think in a linear manner. God doesn’t think like that. He sees the whole always and without effort. God hears and sees everything but do not be deceived, God can only be approached through One Way!
Paul tells us in 1Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men –the testimony given at its proper time.” I hope that you can receive this: Adam was able to converse with God because of Jesus Christ! Abraham, Moses and David all talked with God because of Christ Jesus! In fact, anyone at anytime and in any situation; if men want to converse with God, they must talk to God through the one Mediator –Christ Jesus! Someone may say, “But Jesus didn’t live until just two thousand years ago; how could He have been the mediator since the beginning of time?” Did you know that Christ was slain from the foundation of the world? Rev.13:8 Did you know that man has received grace from God, through Jesus Christ since the beginning of time? 2Tim.1:9 And, did you know that God chose those who would be in Christ before the foundation of the world? Eph.1:4 God has everything under control folks and He is fair and good. From the beginning of time God has chosen that the only way that He would communicate with man and man with Him –was through His Christ. This may be hard to understand but that is only because we are forced to think in a linear manner. God doesn’t think like that. He sees the whole always and without effort. God hears and sees everything but do not be deceived, God can only be approached through One Way!
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W.I.T.S.I
21/10/07 09:21
I
am sure you have heard about DUI. Someone who is
arrested for DUI has been arrested for driving under
the influence. We have laws to keep people from
driving while intoxicated so that our roads will be
safer. Driving while impaired by alcohol makes the
driver dangerous because the alcohol slows reaction
time down. We were taught to drive defensively; this
means that our ability to react plays a very
important part in driving well. So, it stands to
reason that
anything that impairs that ability should be avoided
like the plague. The
ability to react in a correct manner is essential for
good driving it is also essential for the Christian
life. The acronym above (WITSI)
is
something that I just started! It stands for;
Walking in the Spirit Impaired.
I
think there is a great problem in the Church with
Christians who are walking in the Spirit
–impaired! No, I don’t think that they
are impaired by alcohol or drugs, but with sin. And
sin will keep you from reacting in a Christian manner
when it comes time for you to react. Before I was a
Christian I used to drive under the influence and
during those times if I saw a police car I got really
nervous. I always thought that maybe they knew what I
was doing and they were going to catch me. This sort
of reaction became a part of me so that even while I
was driving legally, I still had that kind of
reaction when I saw a police car. Go figure.
It’s like this, if you are always going over
the speed limit, when you see a police car, then your
first reaction will be to look at your speedometer!
Now, how many of you do that? I have been guilty of
that quite often. Do you see that, as a Christian, I
shouldn’t be reacting in that way? Now,
let’s get down to brass tacks. St. Paul tells
us in Galatians that we should walk in the spirit so
that we will not gratify the desires of the sinful
nature. I submit to you that if we walk in the
spirit, impaired by sin, we will not react in a
Christian manner when we come up against a trial or a
temptation. Cherished sin compounds and manifests
itself in the life of the one who hides it. Solomon
said that he who conceals his sin does not prosper
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Now before my thought gets lost within a bunch of
excuses, let me just say that when you bump a cup of
coffee –coffee spills out! What comes out when
you are bumped? How do you react? Are you walking in
the Spirit impaired?
Enjoying Life but Longing for Home
14/10/07 09:30
Christianity is tough! St. Peter, while quoting
Proverbs, said,
“If it is hard for the righteous to be
saved, what will become of the ungodly and the
sinner?”
Forget the fact that Christians must fall in love and
trust in Someone they have never seen. That we know
(by faith) that we are saved, yet we are looking
forward to being saved and that we are to love the
world and not love it at the same time is a
perplexing mystery. It’s no wonder God has
chosen for us to live by faith –you can’t
do it any other way! But, what I would like to talk
to you about today is the conflict in my heart when I
experience the joy of living and the longing for
Heaven. I think that I am kind of light-hearted at
heart. At times, I have even been accused of taking
things too light hearted. It is my opinion that life
is hard enough to take it too seriously. But in
saying that, I still know that this life is a
battleground for the souls of man and that is very
serious!
I believe that God has given man pleasures in this life and He in no way begrudges us those pleasures as long as they are legitimate in His eyes. For instance, I enjoy playing golf, spending evenings out with my wife, movies and fine cuisine. I enjoy puttering around the house and building little projects. While I am experiencing these things, the longing that I have in my heart for Heaven seems recessed into the back of my mind. How can one continue to have a desire to go to Heaven while enjoying life on this earth? Simply put; to be continually grateful to God for every pleasure that you experience. So often we seek God when life gets rough and we go through trials, and this is right and good; but we should seek Him in the blessings and pleasures of life as well. Doesn’t it seem that the people of this world are quick to blame God for the evil but attribute their happiness to themselves. I think that we, as Christians, should think just the opposite. The Bible says that God blesses man and He adds no trouble to it! Pr. 10:22 Solomon tells us that, “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find any enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness…” I think we should seek the Lord during the blessedness of life, not only will He enhance the blessedness but He’ll even stir our hearts for Home. I hope the next time you enjoy some pleasure here on earth, you hear the Lord say, “If you think this is nice, wait until you see what I have for you up here!” Remember, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him!”
I believe that God has given man pleasures in this life and He in no way begrudges us those pleasures as long as they are legitimate in His eyes. For instance, I enjoy playing golf, spending evenings out with my wife, movies and fine cuisine. I enjoy puttering around the house and building little projects. While I am experiencing these things, the longing that I have in my heart for Heaven seems recessed into the back of my mind. How can one continue to have a desire to go to Heaven while enjoying life on this earth? Simply put; to be continually grateful to God for every pleasure that you experience. So often we seek God when life gets rough and we go through trials, and this is right and good; but we should seek Him in the blessings and pleasures of life as well. Doesn’t it seem that the people of this world are quick to blame God for the evil but attribute their happiness to themselves. I think that we, as Christians, should think just the opposite. The Bible says that God blesses man and He adds no trouble to it! Pr. 10:22 Solomon tells us that, “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find any enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness…” I think we should seek the Lord during the blessedness of life, not only will He enhance the blessedness but He’ll even stir our hearts for Home. I hope the next time you enjoy some pleasure here on earth, you hear the Lord say, “If you think this is nice, wait until you see what I have for you up here!” Remember, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him!”
Fear and Faith
07/10/07 11:14
While
Robin and I were at Myrtle Beach we spent some time
on the beach and in the ocean. It was great fun and
we truly enjoyed our time with our children. Before I
tell you about Robin going in the water, I have to
tell you her great fear of it. It started when she
was young and she was thrown into the water with all
her clothes on. She doesn’t swim and her fear
acts like a lead weight. I believe that when
you’re in the water and are comfortable, you
can float like a piece of Styrofoam, but if you are
nervous and afraid, you’ll sink like a bowling
ball. I don’t know why and I don’t have
any scientific proof, it is just something that
I’ve observed. Well, any way Robin wanted to go
into the water and feel the waves. She had been
watching me play in the water and how much I was
enjoying myself. So, arm in arm we ventured out
knee-deep into the Atlantic Ocean. I held on to her
while the waves crashed around her. The water
splashed up over her head at times and she would
giggle and squeal and giggle some more. I could tell
it was great fun for her even though I knew that she
was still very afraid. I didn’t fool around and
try and scare her. I held on to her continuously with
a firm embrace. She knew that she was going to be
safe as long as I was there. She could face her fear
and actually enjoy the experience more because she
did fear. It was probably more exhilarating for her
than it was for me because I am not afraid of the
water. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy
swimming in the ocean, but Robin experienced more
than just the enjoyment of it.
You know the Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind. There isn’t anything wrong with fear unless we let that fear stop us from experiencing what God has for us. When fear stops us from trusting God then that fear stops us from putting our faith in the love that God has for us. If anyone knows that God truly loves them, then that faith (in the perfect love that God has for them) should cast out all fear that would stop us from trusting in God. When I left my job at Clow to go full-time in the ministry, there was fear. I could have allowed that fear to stop me from doing what God wanted me to do. But I didn’t, and I left the security of that income to enter into… well, I really can’t tell you where God was leading me, I didn’t know. Was there fear? Yes. And that fear brought more exhilaration to my experience. I believe, that the fear actually threw me into God’s embrace more often than what I would have if I would have continued to trust in that Clow paycheck. I felt God’s embrace and I wasn’t afraid. Whatever we are called to do or go through, and there is fear involved, then my suggestion would be that we run to our Father’s arms and feel His embrace. We shall then stand stronger and in greater faith. The walk of faith is more exhilarating when we conquer our fears!
You know the Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind. There isn’t anything wrong with fear unless we let that fear stop us from experiencing what God has for us. When fear stops us from trusting God then that fear stops us from putting our faith in the love that God has for us. If anyone knows that God truly loves them, then that faith (in the perfect love that God has for them) should cast out all fear that would stop us from trusting in God. When I left my job at Clow to go full-time in the ministry, there was fear. I could have allowed that fear to stop me from doing what God wanted me to do. But I didn’t, and I left the security of that income to enter into… well, I really can’t tell you where God was leading me, I didn’t know. Was there fear? Yes. And that fear brought more exhilaration to my experience. I believe, that the fear actually threw me into God’s embrace more often than what I would have if I would have continued to trust in that Clow paycheck. I felt God’s embrace and I wasn’t afraid. Whatever we are called to do or go through, and there is fear involved, then my suggestion would be that we run to our Father’s arms and feel His embrace. We shall then stand stronger and in greater faith. The walk of faith is more exhilarating when we conquer our fears!