John Anderson

Doing and Knowing God's Will.....In That Order!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:53:34 +0000

Last Sunday Evening following church services, we had a young adults

fellowship with all of the single adults. We discussed the subject that no one wants to talk about because we have talked so much about the subject; yet we all want to talk about the subject because we are searching for the answer! What is God's will for my life?

This question has brought much agony to the hearts of many sincere single adults. Many people are searching books, reading stories, and getting hours of counsel for something that God has already made extremely clear in His Word!

I made a statement to our group last Sunday evening: "You will never know the will of God until you do the will of God." I received quite a few strange looks when I said this, so I restated the above phrase. One person asked, "How can I do the will of God if I do not even know it?" 'Great question', you may be thinking right about now!

The truth is simple, God has plainly stated in His Word what His will is for your life today! Notice these things:

God's Will Is For You To Be A Christian

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who WILL have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim.2:3). “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not WILLING that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet.3:9).

God's Will Is For You To Be Spirit-Filled

"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the WILL of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." (Eph.5:17-18).

By the way, being Spirit filled is not an emotional experience or high. It is not fasting and praying. Being Spirit filled means to be completely submitted to the authority of Scripture in your life. (*Read Colossians 3:16)

God's Will Is For You To Abstain From Sexual Sin

“For this is the WILL of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” (1 Thess.4:3).

God's Will Is For You To Be Submissive To Authority

“Submit yourselves, therefore to God” (James 4:7). “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the WILL of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." (1 Peter 2:13-15).

God's Will Is For You To Suffer Righteously

“For it is better, if the WILL of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing." (1 Pet.3:17). "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the WILL of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." (1 Pet.4:19).

God's Will Is For You To Be Thankful...In Everything!

“In everything give thanks: for this is the WILL of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thess.5:18).

There is no mystery, no emotion, no feeling, no long drawn out counseling session with a pastor in order to understand the above stated will of God. If you want to know the unknown will of God for your life, you must obey the revealed will of God in Scripture.

When I make it my responsibility to obey God in His revealed will, the most amazing thing begins to take place: He directs me in the areas that are unknown to me. So let me encourage you today if you do not know God's will for your life; Do God's will!!!!!!

How To Love Life! (Part Two)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:31:15 +0000

Four weeks ago, I had the privilege to be one of the pastors to preach and teach a group of single adults....

in a Single Vision Conference. We had a fantastic time together around the Word of God and great fellowship for four days! During the meeting, Pastor Brent Stancil and I said to each other on more than one occasion: "I wish every single adult could be in this meeting and hear what these guys have heard this week!" At the end of the meeting, Pastor Stancil received a phone call about a 19 year old young man that took his own life. In essence, the young man came to a place where he hated life to a point that it seemed better to die than to live. What brings people to a place where they hate life instead of loving the life that God has gifted to each of us? The devout lover and follower of Jesus Christ, Simon Peter, states in his goodbye to the world, that God wants us to love life! (1 Peter 3:10) The last post we dealt with the fact that if you are going to love life, you must learn the principle of submission.

The second principle that we can implement in order to love life is found in 1 Peter 3:10: "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:"

The second Principle for Life Lovers is Speaking

How do people speak that love life?

They do not talk about sinful things.

What we talk about reveals what we are thinking about. If our minds are full of wrong things our mouths will eventually spew forth wrong things. James, the brother of our Lord, says it like this: "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." - James 4:8-10

Have you ever said something that was wrong and you wished you could take your words back? I know that I certainly have! The problem with sinful words are the fact that words are what we remember about someone and how we view them. It is difficult to not see someone except through the lenses of the words that they have spoken. When we speak, how are we viewed? Are we seen as a wholesome, righteous, and pleasant source of godliness, or do others see us as they see everyone else around us that hates life? To quote James, "My brethren, these things ought not so to be."

They do not talk like politicians.

Peter states we should refrain our lips from guile.

Definition of guile: "insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception;duplicity." Literally, to be a politician, to say whatever needs to be said in order to get our way. Whether we sin, lie, deceive, malign, gossip, manipulate, and destroy, as long as I get what I want, I will say whatever I have to say.

There is no person that lives their life this way and speaks this way that can honestly say, "I Love Life." We all have to look ourselves in the mirror each morning and stand responsibly for what we say to others and about others. Life Lovers refuse to have lips full of guile.

If you have a pattern of guile in life, you have to remember every conversation that you have ever had with everyone. What a terrible life! If you refrain from this evil, you can have open, transparent, and real relationships with others! I have pastored people that should write a book on Psychological Warfare or Manipulation 101, because you could never expect the truth from them without a bucket full of guile to work through first! Again "My brethren, these things ought not so to be!"

I want to love life, not endure it, not hate, but love the life that God has given me to live! It starts with submission, and it certainly will effect my speech!

How To Love Life! (Part One)

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:13:07 +0000

I was listening to LBC 97.3 a few days back on my way into the office.

One of the early presenters was interviewing a young lady that has been unemployed for six months. She has placed her CV in over 250 agencies, and has not found the line of work she wants employment with. After six months of relentless pursuit, she was ready to shut it all down and take her life. What a sad commentary that a young lady could get so frustrated with her life or lack of life that she is ready to end it all! She literally stated that she "hated life."

The wisest man that ever lived, wrote in his final words to the world, "I hated life". (Ecclesiastes 2:17) Solomon, a man that had phenomenal potential and opportunity to have a great life came to the place where he hated life. One thing can be said immediatlely, things, career, people, and power certainly cannot bring meaning to life, Solomon had each of these.

Do you love life? Very few people really enjoy living their life every day. The majority of people find life monotonous and boring, very few find real purpose and meaning to this thing called life.

Peter, a devout follower and lover of Jesus Christ, pens in his farwell to the world in 1 Peter 3:10 that it is possible to love life! There is hope not just for ETERNITY but for NOW! How can we love the life that God has given to us today? Peter emphasizes one principle throughout chapters 2 & 3 of 1 Peter, submission.

The first way to truly enjoy life is to learn the principle of submission.

Be Submissive To Scripture (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Live a life that is completely saturated with the Word of God and determine that when God reveals truth to you from His Word you will submit yourself to His Word. Someone once wisely stated "If your Bible is falling apart, your life probably is not."

Be Submissive To God's Calling (1 Peter 2:4-12)

Peter gives a reminder that we are lively stones, a holy priesthood, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, strangers, and pilgrims. These terms can certainly only apply to one who has placed his faith in Jesus Christ and been forgiven of their sins! There is much more to this life of a believer however, than eternity, there is now!

God has called us out of the life of sin and bondage to a life of love and holiness to Him! What a privilege to submit to this calling! By the way, if we do not submit to this calling, we will submit to something! The only way to enjoy life, is to truly submit to the calling of God!

Be Submissive To Government (1 Peter 2:13-17)

God has raised up government and authority and it is His will that we live submissively under this government. Yes, that includes those who you do not like and vote to place into office!

Be Submissive To Authority (1 Peter 2:18-20)

One of my closest Pastor-Mentors told me the story of leaving home at age 18. He told his mother that he was tired of the rules at home and tired of everyone telling him what to do. In a fury of rage, he left home and went to the military recruitment office and joined the Air Force! He quickly found out that everyone has authority in life!

We all have authority in our lives even if we are in a position of authority. The only way to enjoy life is to have a submissive spirit towards that authority.

Be Submissive In The Home (1 Peter 3:1-7)

The Christian home is to be a sanctuary from the world, and a shining example of the love of Christ to His Church. The only way for the home to function as God intends is for each member of the home to embrace their God-given role. Peter calls wives to submit themselves to their own husbands. Simply put, recognize the God-given head of the home and graciously allow the husband to lead the home.

What I have found very quickly is that a submissive wife will find an easy-going husband. My wife and to this day still argue when we are going to dinner at a restaurant about where we are going to eat. The conversation usually goes like this: "Honey, where do you want to go?" "I don't care, where do you want to go?" Then "I don't care, where do you want to go?" We go back and forth for a long time until we finally decide where we are going to eat!

The principle is simple, SUBMISSION PRODUCES SUBMISSION!

In every area of life, submitted people always get further than the unsubmitted. If you want to really love life and enjoy it, may I encourage you to look to our example, Jesus Christ, and master this principle of submission. If Jesus Christ, the Supreme Creator and Son of God could willingly submit to sinful man (1 Peter 2:21-25), we can certainly learn to submit and enjoy the life that God intends for us to live!

The Heart Is The Heart Of The Matter!

Thu, 26 May 2011 11:09:38 +0000

The number one killer in the Western World over the last two decades has been heart disease. Many of us have been touched in one way .....

or the other by a friend, family member, or colleague that has suffered with the symptoms of heart disease. The longer I work with people in ministry every day, the more I am convinced that the Body of Christ is suffering greatly with heart disease. This disease is more dangerous than our physical hearts being effected, for this disease effects every part of our lives as believers.

One thing that I have been told about heart disease, there are always indicators that reveal the health of our hearts. When it comes to dealing with our hearts before the Lord each day, there are always indicators that help us determine whether our hearts are healthy before Him.

What Is The Heart?

When God speaks of our hearts, He is not speaking about the blood-pumping organ on the left side of our chest cavity. The word "heart" is used three different ways in Scripture:

1. To Express Thought

"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart." - Luke 2:19

2. To Express Emotion

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

3. To Express Will

And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? - Mark 2:8

Warren Weirsbe has called the heart "The Master Control Unit of the Body." The heart controls our Thoughts, Emotions, and Will.

The Heart And Salvation

In context of Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah is calling Israel to worship and serve Jehovah God. He is exposing the error of their ways through his prophetic preaching and he reminds them that there heart cannot be trusted. How untrustworthy was the heart of Israel? They executed the Messiah when He presented Himself to them as their King! That is as untrustworthy as it gets! Because of this rejection, Romans 9 tells us that Israel has nationally been blinded. But one day, God is going to give Israel a new heart that will believe on their Messiah and embrace Him as their King! In God's Sovereignty and love for us, we as Gentiles are blessed by Israel's rejection and we get the opportunity to know the power of the atonement of Christ and receive a new heart! "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26

Literally, the heart of man is untrustworthy in it's best efforts and attempts. When people say to me "I know my heart" I automatically think to myself, "I know mine as well and it is untrustworthy!" The wonderful thing about salvation in this Covenant Age of Grace in which we live is that God is able to give us a new heart through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ!

The Heart After Salvation

When we receive this new heart in salvation, everything changes. Emotions, thoughts, will, desire, everything becomes new through the power of Christ's atonement! We do however have to heed the instruction that Solomon gave his son in Proverbs 4:23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." We even as believers with new hearts must be diligent in daily guarding our hearts and cooperating with the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

The most vivid beatitude in my opinion is Matthew 5:8: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." The word "pure" literally means "undivided." Jesus was teaching His disciples in Matthew 5, they had already believed on Him and they had also forsaken all to follow Him. These were committed followers He is addressing in the Sermon on the Mount! If their heart could be divided while following Christ, certainly my heart is vulnerable to the wrong direction as well!

There is a vivid picture in the Old Testament of a man that received a new heart that allowed his new heart to become divided between his will and God's will. This man's name was Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul was given a new heart to become the king of Israel in I Sameul 10:9: "And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day."

God gave Saul the heart that he would need to lead Israel as their new king. Just five chapters later, we find Saul has sinned against God by not completely eliminating the Amalekites as the prophet of God Samuel had commanded him. Immediately Saul is rejected as the king of Israel and God sends Samuel to find another king that would be after "His own heart." That king of course was King David! "

Simply put, Saul's heart became divided between his will and God's will. God today is looking for disciples whose hearts are completely loyal and undivided to fulfill all of His will.

What Divides Our Hearts As Believers?

Hosea 4:11: "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart." Unholy unions, pleasure, and prosperity can steal the heart very easily even from believers. I have watched many believers over the past 12 years who were given the blessing of a new heart, but a friendship, job, or possession has stolen their heart from the One who redeemed them. We really must guard our hearts.

The Remedy For A Divided Heart!

"Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name."

-Psalm 86:11

When there is a determination to learn God's ways and live God's ways, there will be a uniting of our hearts, we will be undivided and pure in heart. May our prayer be a Psalm 86:11 prayer today!

A Reminder To Christian Single Adults

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:26:04 +0000

"Pastor, I love him and he used to love me!" "I don't know what happened, everything was going great but now all of the sudden he is telling me...

that he does not love me anymore." These are excerpts from two counseling sessions that I have had with two separate individuals in the last four days. Both of these people are Christians that have a heart for the Lord but have married unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 6:14 states emphatically "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" Both of these precious individuals have both stated to me that they knew it was not right when they married, but they both believed they would win their spouse to Christ after their marriage. This is a common lie that many Christian Singles believe, it rarely works this way. Another thing that both have said to me "I thought that I could change my spouse." I want you to see the illustration below that God gives in His Word, you will see really quickly that the Christian does not change the unbeliever, the unbeliever begins to change the Christian!

The most vivid illustration that God gives us in His Word of an unequal yoke in marriage is King Solomon. Obviously, we should say "yokes" for Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines! What a task he had remembering birthdays and anniversaries! Listen to the words of 1 Kings 3:3: "And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father:..." No doubt about it, Solomon loved the LORD, he had a heart to serve and honor God. There is one small detail that I left out, look at the beginning of 1 Kings 3:1, Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter. He married an unbeliever but he still loved the Lord. Let me share a few factors to consider with you:

1. The Convenience Factor

Solomon married the Pharaoh's daughter for political advantage. The Scripture states that he made an affinity or an alliance with Egypt by marrying this woman. I have met so many young adults that are dating or considering marrying someone for all of the wrong reasons: "He is financially secure." "Her dad owns a company and has offered me a future." "He or she owns their own place." None of these are reasons for marrying anyone, especially and unbeliever! Marriage is reserved for the revealed will of God. The only question that should be raised when considering marriage: Is this person the will of God for my life.

2. The Change Factor

1 Kings 3:1 stated that "Solomon loved the Lord." Notice what 1 Kings 11:1 states: "But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely THEY WILL TURN AWAY YOUR HEART AFTER THEIR gods: Solomon clave unto these in love."

Now instead of Solomon loving the LORD, he is in love with Many Women. Instead of Solomon worshipping the God of Heaven, now he is susceptible to worshipping other false gods. You see, it does not take long when you give your heart away to an unbeliever before their life choices begin to become your life choices. This is why it is so important that when you marry, you marry a believer that has an undivided heart to love, worship, and serve God alone. I promise you, if you do marry an unbeliever, it will not be long before you will begin to worship their "gods."

3. The Conformity Factor

If you will study the remaining text of 1 Kings 11, you will find that Solomon not only tolerated the gods of his wives, but when he was old he actually was building temples and altars to worship their false gods. He went as far as to worship a false god to which innocent babies were butchered and burned in order to offer homage to him! Is this the same Solomon that loved the LORD in 1 Kings 3? Absolutely! His heart was completely changed because of a wrong relationship with an unbeliever. There is no telling how far you can go into sin and wrong worship when you sacrifice your heart on the altar of a wrong relationship!

4. The Children Factor

1 Kings 11:9-13 tells us that God judged the future generations of Solomon by rending the kingdom from Solomon and giving it to another besides his children. One of the most heart-breaking things for me as a pastor to witness is watching a believer and an unbeliever compete for the heart of a child that they have had together. There is more to think about than just you Single Adult, there is your children to think about and their hearts and their future. As I am writing this article, I just finished counseling a third person in my office today that married an unbeliever, has been divorced, and is sharing custody of his daughter. The mother is giving him all sorts of grief because he wants his four year old to attend our Sunday School program on Sundays, but the mother has no desire to allow the child to hear the truths of Scripture. He literally wept in front of me and said, "I don't know what to do, my ex-wife and I have two different sets of values and our daughter is caught between the two."

5. The Conclusion Factor

Solomon writes the conclusion on his entire life in Ecclesiastes 12:13: "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Solomon wrote the book of Song of Solomon when he was young and in love. He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes when he was old and embittered with sin. At the end of it all, Solomon states that life without obeying the precepts and principles of God is not worth living. Right now, you may be considering a relationship with someone that is an unbeliever, it is my prayer that you will heed this reminder from the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon, and simply fear God and keep His commandments. Please remember and consider these important factors when considering relationships.

Decision Points by George W. Bush "Initial Impressions After Reading"

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:54:55 +0000

I just finished reading "Decision Points" by former President George W. Bush. The following are some initial thoughts that I had after reading the book:

1. It is easy to forget how big a responsibility being the President of the United States encompasses.

As I read through the book, I could not help but think about how awesome the responsibility of making so many decisions every day that will affect millions of people must be! One thing is for certain, I am glad that I do not have to wear those shoes!

2. I need to pray for our leaders more than I do.

I recall the principles taught in Romans 13 about how we should be subject to the higher powers that God ordained. I am also reminded that we should pray daily for them and ask God to guide them and protect them so that they may be able to make decisions to keep our lives more peaceable.

3. It is impossible to make an accurate assessment without all of the facts.

I was shocked to learn some things that were going on behind the scenes that the media conveniently forgot to put into the 6 o'clock news. There are few people that really knew all that took place on 9/11; the decision to invade Iraq; the financial crisis, etc. If you are like me, it is to assume and come to inaccurate judgments when I react to an initial situation; the older I get the more I believe it is wise to hear a matter before speaking.

4. The U.S. Military personnel & Coalition forces are still my heros.

One of the more touching parts of the book was to read how our President wrote to each family that lost a loved one, visited the wounded, (More than any other President in history) attended funerals, and upheld the military in highest esteem. President Bush is not a perfect man, but I certainly thank God for his compassion towards the heros of our military and coalition forces.

5. We are a media driven culture not a truth driven culture.

It was humorous to read the "other side" of the story. Throughout President Bush' Presidency, no other President has endured such scorn, mockery, and media bias than He did. I remember even thinking at some points during his Presidency, "If this guy has done half of what he has been accused of by the media, bloggers, etc.. we ought to throw him in prison and hide the key." It was refreshing to get the other side of the story. I was once told by a politician in Tampa, FL, "There are two sides to every story, and the truth generally lies somewhere between the two sides." There is no doubt that the media has an agenda today and they are always looking for the next big thing to report. I determined nine years ago to read the news not watch it for the simple fact that I want to process the news for myself. I do not want it recycled through the presenter's prejudice and bias.

6. I was disappointed and encouraged by the President's thoughts about Jesus Christ.

Disappointed:

The most disappointing part of the book for me was when President Bush was describing a family meeting that his father, George H. Bush, called with Billy Graham. In the conversation, George H. Bush turned to Billy Graham and said: "Dr. Graham, you preach that everyone has to be born-again to go to Heaven; my mother here is one of the finest Christian women that I have ever met, yet she has not had a born-again experience, will she go to Heaven?" Dr. Graham replied, "Well some people are born Christians, others have to be born again in order to become a Christian." That was the lowest point of the book for any Bible believing Christian. Just a side note, EVERYONE MUST BE BORN AGAIN TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! No one is born a Christian, each person must make a personal choice to accept Christ alone by faith alone in order to become a Christian. Whether Dr. Graham believes this or not, Jesus Christ certainly taught this in John 3.

Encouraged:

Whether President George W. Bush is a believer or not is not my place to decide, but I am certainly thankful that he has an appreciation for the things of God and the Word of God. It was a blessing to hear how he attended church services, read his Bible every morning, worked with Faith Based Organizations, and knew that Jesus Christ could certainly change people's lives. It is always encouraging to hear when any public figure is at least sympathetic and kind towards Bible-believing Christians.

7. We need a Heaven Sent Revival Amongst God's People!

As I read through the book, I could not help but think back to the time when President Bush was in office. During these years, Islam was on the rise, Judeo-Christian values were on the decline, the Seeker Sensitive Movement was in full throttle, and Biblical Christianity was in dire straights. I remember during these years there seemed to be a "coasting" that was taking place amongst believers. It seemed as if our thoughts were: "We have a Christian President, all is well." After 9/11 the churches were full for one month straight; the next year after 9/11 church attendance was in a state of decline. What are the evidences of a need for revival? The most popular preacher in America today is a pagan religionist named Joel Osteen; fewer and fewer young men are willing to preach the gospel and the Bible; a pastor must trim his sermons with funny stories, cute outlines, and earth-shattering media effects just to keep his congregation's attention for his 35 minute share session. We are in serious trouble if we do not return to the Bible.

Conclusion:

I thank God for President George W. Bush and I am praying for our current President. But my hope is in neither one, my hope is in the Changeless One Jesus Christ who can change lives, homes, and nations that will turn to Him and to His Word.

Celebrating Jehovah in Psalm 23!

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:18:38 +0000

Naming babies has become a science it seems these days! I have had the privilege as a pastor to visit many new babies and mothers in the hospital after delivery. The first question I always ask...

is "What is their name?" As Christian parents, we always want to give a name to our child that has significance and spiritual meaning. The real hope we have is that our child will live up to their name. When it comes to God, names were ascribed to Him not on the basis of what He might do, but who He was known to be. Old Testament worshippers were known for their building of altars and naming them to describe the greatness of God. Yesterday, I took these following eight names and applied them to our daily worship of God, then concluded with Psalm 23, here is what we have found: There are several names ascribed to God in the Old Testament:

1. Jehovah-Rohi: The LORD My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

If anyone knew the role of a shepherd, it certainly would have been David. A tender warrior that cared for the flock of His father. The primary role of a shepherd is that of Protector. I love the fact that God is called our Shepherd in the 23'rd Psalm. He is the protecting God that shepherds us and cares for us.

2. Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD Shall Provide (Genesis 22)

This name for God appears for the first time on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22. Abraham has raised his knife to take the life of his own son Isaac when God intervened and provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice. So Abraham names the place Jehovah-Jireh, or Jehovah who shall provide. God provides for us what we need when we need it. When we worship Him, we are certainly worshipping a providing God!

3. Jehovah-Rophe: The LORD Who Heals (Exodus 15)

Exodus 15 records the story of Israel coming to the bitter waters of Marah. They begin complaining against Moses and the Lord. God tells Moses to cut down a tree and place it in the water, when Moses obeys, the waters become sweet again. God tells Moses that He did this to test Israel whether or not they would obey His commandments. If they obeyed, He would keep them from experiencing any of the diseases He put on the Egyptians. He then tells Moses that He is the God who heals. So, in that place, Moses celebrated the Lord Who Heals. I think it is interesting to note that the healing God gave was preventive healing. God stayed the plagues and the diseases from Israel. How many times can we look and see that God has prevented so many things in our lives. He certainly should be worshipped as the Healing God!

4. Jehovah-Nissi: The LORD My Banner (Exodus 17)

The children of Israel are facing the Amalekites in Exodus 17, and their victory is based upon whether Moses holds his hands up or not. Aaron and Hur come alongside Moses and hold up his hands until the battle is won. To celebrate the victory the Lord has given, Moses builds an altar and names it The Lord Is My Banner. "Banner" is not like a flag we might fly, it is the word we use for "standard" and refers to a standard that was raised as a rallying point for troops. Therefore, the Lord was to be Israel's rallying point in all things, the One around whom they would gather in times of need!

5. Jehovah-M'Kaddish: The LORD Who Sanctifies (Leviticus 20)

The theme of the book of Leviticus is Holiness. Worship and sacrifice were to be carried out in such a way that the holiness of God and His people were reflected. In chapter 20, we find this pivotal statement: "Be ye holy, for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you." He is the Lord who makes us holy. We are set apart by Him and for Him. He is to be worshipped because He is a Holy God.

6. Jehovah-Shalom: The LORD Who Is Peace (Judges 6)

In Gideon's day, every man was doing that which was right in his own eyes. Israel was under constant threat by the Midianites, and God raised up a farmer named Gideon to deliver them. Gideon at the beginning was extremely hesitant about his new role as the deliverer of Israel, can you blame him?! It was not until Gideon built an altar to worship Jehovah-Shalom, that he finally settled into his new position. He did that because the Lord said to him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die." Gideon celebrated the peace that God promised unto him and claimed this peace in an act of worship!

7. Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The LORD Who Is Righteous (Jeremiah 23)

Jeremiah is prophesying during a time of great sorrow and despair in Israel. No one was listening to Jeremiah and he was discouraged. God comes to Jeremiah with reassurances that in the midst of sin and destruction, a Ruler would come and establish righteousness in the land. The Ruler's name would be Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord Who Is Righteous! What a joy to worship the God who will one day come and establish righteousness in an unrighteous world!

8. Jehovah-Shammah: The LORD Who Is There (Ezekiel 48)

The last verse of Ezekiel's prophecy comes from Babylon in 597 B.C. He had seen visions of the glory of God gradually departing from Jerusalem and Judah, and he prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. But God also gave him a vision of a new Jerusalem that God would build, a magnificent city that would make the original fade into dismal memory! The name of the city would be, Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord Who Is There. In Babylon, Ezekiel celebrated the God Who Is There, so can we today!

Notice Psalm 23:

"The LORD is my shepherd" - Jehovah-Rophi

"I shall not want" - Jehovah-Jireh

"He maketh me to lie down" - Jehovah-Shalom

"He restoreth my soul" - Jehovah-Rophe

"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness" - Jehovah-Tsidkenu

"For thou art with me" - Jehovah-Shammah

"In the presence of mine enemies" - Jehovah-Nissi

"Thou annointest my head with oil" - Jehovah-M'Kaddish

Psalm 23 is a celebration of the Shepherd of our souls! I pray that you will come to know that the God we worship is not a distant, untouchable force. He is a loving Shepherd!

Success in Action Not Argument!

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:54:23 +0000

Words are cheap and always perceived as so. Everyone knows that in the heat of an argument, we will all say anything to support our cause...

We will quote the Bible, refer to unverifiable statistics, and make ridiculous claims. Who can be persuaded by that type of air being spewed out? Action and demonstration are much more powerful and meaningful. They are there, before our eyes, for us to see. There are no offensive words , no possibility of misinterpretation. No one can argue with a demonstrated proof. As Baltasar Gracian remarks, "The truth is generally seen, rarely heard." Unfortunately, we have facebook, twitter, linkedin, blogs, and every imaginable means of communication that gives us an element of bravery to talk but not the motivation to act! I am exhausted of reading argumentative statements unders updates that lead into a long line of useless comments being made. No one is actually convinced by this type of behavior! Action convinces, arguments only ignite ignorant statements being made.

Sir Christopher Wren was England's version of the Renaissance man. He had mastered the sciences of mathematics, astronomy, physics, and physiology. Yet during his extremely long career as England's most celebrated architect he was often told by his patrons to make impractical changes in his designs, never once did he argue or offend. He had other ways of proving his point.

In 1688 Wren designed a magnificent town hall for the city of Westminster. The mayor, however, was not satisfied; in fact he was nervous. He told Wren he was afraid the second floor was not secure, and that it could all come crashing down on his office on the first floor. He demanded that Wren add two stone columns for extra support. Wren, the consummate engineer, knew that these columns would serve no purposes, and that the mayor's fears were baseless. But build them he did, and the mayor was grateful. It was only years later that workmen on a high scaffold saw that the columns stopped just short of the ceiling! They were there for show only! Both men got what they wanted: The mayor could relax, and Wren knew posterity would understand that his original design worked and the columns were unnecessary.

The power of demonstrating your idea is that your opposition does not get defensive, and are therefore more open to persuasion. Making them literally and physically feel your meaning is infinitely more powerful than argument. Every time I have taken a step of faith in ministry, I have always found there will be people that want to argue with the step. The truth is most of the time they are arguing just because they do not understand or they have an agenda. I have found that it is useless to argue with such people, it is much better to illustrate the need for the step to be taken and the folly of not taking that step! A demonstration is always more powerful than an argument.

A heckler once interrupted Nikita Khrushschev in the middle of a speech in which he was denouncing the crimes of Stalin. "You were a colleague of Stalin's," the heckler shouted, "why didn't you stop him then?" Khrushschev apparently could not see the heckler and barked out, "Who said that?" No hand went up. No one moved a muscle. After a few seconds of tense silence, Khrushschev finally said in a quiet voice, "Now you know why I didn't stop him." Instead of arguing that anyone facing Stalin was afraid, knowing that the slightest sign of rebellion would mean certain death, he made them feel what it was like to face Stalin, he made them feel the paranoia, the fear of speaking up, the terror of confronting the leader, in this case Khrushschev. The demonstration was sufficient and no argument was necessary.

The truth is the truth, it need not to be argued and debated, better yet it should be illustrated. When it comes to the realm of leadership in ministry, we need not argue with people that do not believe the truth of Scripture and the biblical principles contained therein; we only need to act decisively upon the truth and illustrate it to their unbelieving eyes. Arguing only cheapens the truth, illustrating truth is always much more powerful. Dr. Paul Chappell once said to me, "The greatest answer to your critics is to complete your assignment." I believe there is some good wisdom in that statement. Let the critics criticize and spew out their nothingness, but let those that have truth from God not cheapen that truth by arguing about it. Let us act decisively and boldly on the vision that God has given us from His Word.

Pseudo Evangelism vs. Biblical Evangelism (Part 4) Do We Really Need To Talk About The Empty Tomb?

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:25:50 +0000

What if you were approached by a respectable businessman that wants you to invest in a software idea that could be the next wave of prosperity in the technological world?...

The only fact he gives you is a guarantee that you are going to make millions and you will not have to worry about work for the rest of your life. I am sure that many of us would initially get excited and may even inquire more. I do not know anyone who will hand over any amount of cash without asking some important questions. "How is this really going to work"? "Are there any hidden fees"? "What is the time frame"? "Is the product really reliable"? These are questions that are natural to ask when such an investment is going to be made with the hope of a great return at the end. Suppose the businessman refuses to give any more information, he just simply says that you will be wealthy and care free after your investment. I am sorry, but I do not do business with that limited amount of information, neither do you, I hope!

The gospel of Jesus Christ is much more than an eternal home in Heaven, in fact, that is not the gospel, that is only a result of belief in the gospel. The gospel, or good news, according to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is the fact that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and that He rose again three days later. Unfortunately, the majority of gospel presentations and gospel literature today eliminates 2/3's of the gospel message! We quickly speak about the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross, but somehow we forget to mention that He was buried and three days later arose from the grave. Preaching the cross of Christ without preaching the burial and resurrection is like asking you to invest in a software company without giving any details apart from promising an awesome return at the end. It is insufficient information.

When we share the good news of Christ, we must be mindful of the fact that the gospel is not complete if Christ is still dead and in the tomb. Our presentation of the gospel must include the fact that Jesus Christ was buried. The burial was so vital because it proved that Jesus Christ actually died. We do not bury people who are still alive, we reserve this practice only for the dead. If Christ was not buried, then He really did not die. One famous theory in the late 60's being promoted was "The Swoon Theory." This theory stated that Christ did not actually die, but He merely swooned while on the cross into a comatose state. When He was laid in the empty tomb, the cold temperatures of the tomb resuscitated Him back to life. If we believe the Biblical account, we must accept that He actually died, stopped breathing, and that He was buried according to the custom of the day to prove and verify that He had actually tasted death.

Our presentation of the gospel must not only include the death and burial, but we must also include the glorious resurrection from the dead! In fact, if you study Early Church history in the book of Acts, Resurrection preaching was the theme and basis of Peter and Paul's preaching. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the approval of God given due to His sacrifice on the cross. The resurrection of Jesus Christ verified to all people then and now that He truly is God the Son who has power over death, hell, and the grave. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is so relevant to us today because only a living Saviour can deliver us from the bondage of sin and give us eternal life. The resurrection is more than an Easter Sunday message, the resurrection is the backbone of our Christian faith!

Why then do we eliminate the preaching of the burial and resurrection in our presentation of the gospel? Thirteen years ago, a friend and I went to the University of Tennessee and were sharing the gospel with students on the campus. We were speaking to two young ladies about Christ and sharing the gospel with them. I remember as I was going through the gospel, I emphasized that Christ was buried and that He rose again on the third day. When I made that statement, one of the young ladies, stated: "I can go for the cross thing, but the resurrection thing is just too far out there! It is almost like a fairy tale to me." Truthfully, I think she would have prayed the sinner's prayer five hundred times over if I would have stopped at the Cross; unfortunately, she denied the burial and resurrection, therefore she denied the gospel. When you bring people to the burial and resurrection, they are forced to either believe that Jesus is God or that this whole thing is just a "fairy tale."

Do not stop short in your evangelism efforts, do not try to give people a quick and abbreviated version of the gospel. People are only saved when they believe the whole message. The gospel is not ours, it is Gods; we are simply stewards of it. Do not take for granted that people believe in the resurrection of Christ, teach them, show them Scripture, and verify that Christ is a living Saviour and is able to save today because the tomb is empty. If a man rejects one part of the gospel, he rejects the entire gospel. I chatted with an Anglican priest last month that said he believed that Christ died a necessary death to satisfy God. His next statement shocked me, "I am not so sure about the resurrection bit, I think history has misplaced the emphasis from the cross to the empty tomb." What is that! History has not placed the emphasis on the empty tomb, God Almighty did! This priest is in denial of the true gospel of Christ. Let us be faithful to share the entire gospel as we preach the gospel to our culture. Do not stop short, go all the way to the empty tomb, it is not only wonderful it is necessary!

Pseudo Evangelism vs. Biblical Evangelism (part 3) Hell Is Under Fire!

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:25:58 +0000

"How could a loving God send anyone to Hell"? How many times have we heard these type of statements from people that reject the Bible....

and the truth of the gospel? Many times, if you actually are sharing the true gospel of Christ! Four months ago, I read a startling article about the belief system of supposed Christians about the subject of Hell. Six out of Ten professing American Christians believe that there is no literal place called Hell. A staggering Eight out of Ten in Europe claim to hold to the same belief that Hell is not really a place. Obviously, this is a problem when we approach the Bible as a literal book that speaks of a literal place called Hell and the judgement of God over 230 times in the New Testament alone!

Sadly, this is not just a problem amongst "professing" Christians, this is a huge problem when it comes to sharing the gospel. I read five gospel tracts this week, here is the summation about the judgment of God in all five:

"Because you have sinned, these sins must be paid for." - Tract #1

"Sin has a price tag, and that price tag was paid for on the Cross." - Tract #2

"Sin has separated you from God." - Tract #3

"Because of our choices, we have to pay the price for our actions." - Tract #4

"Because of sin, we are separated from God and that separation is unnecessary because of Jesus' cross." - Tract #5

Let me quickly say, I appreciate Gospel Tracts, I believe every Christian should be in the habit of carrying them and distributing them. But I want you to notice how weak all five of these statements are about the wrath and judgement of God. There is a trend in our evangelistic efforts to remove all offense at all costs and "REPACKAGE" the subject of Hell and eternal retribution. We repackage the subject by throwing Romans 6:23 into the mix and claiming that we have warned sinners about the judgment of God. It is almost as if we are selling the gospel by emphasizing the positive points of the Cross but completely eliminating one of the main reasons why the Cross was so necessary. The truth is Hell is under fire not only by the unbelieving world, it is also under fire and attack by those who are claiming to be sharing the gospel of Christ.

We would call anyone who denies a literal Hell a modernist or a liberal in the theological world, but our presentation of the judgment of God is so weak, I am afraid that we should classify ourselves as that some times. Hell is not just a place, Hell is a punishment for rejecting the gospel of God, we must warn sinners of this place. The biggest reason we are afraid to emphasize the judgment of God is because we are not bringing men and women to a place of utter helplessness before God. When a man realizes that he is utterly helpless before God to save himself, he will not deny eternal retribution in Hell, he will submit himself to what God says about the subject and believe that Hell is his destiny unless he turns to Christ. Again, this is why it is so important to use the Law of God to bring men to a place where they cannot save themselves and need a Savior.

I was sharing the gospel with a cab driver two months ago who was ready to pray anything that I wanted him to pray and was willing to believe that he had broken God's Law and Christ had taken His place. When I began to deal with the subject of Hell, his immediate response to me was "I know that I am a sinner, but I am not as bad as Adolf Hitler, God surely would not put me in the same Hell as He would put Adolf Hitler in!" Did you catch that, he was still justifying himself and attempting to declare himself as too righteous to accept God's punishment of Hell. The pride in his heart would not allow him to humble himself as a little child and believe the gospel of Christ. A man has no need to be saved until he realizes what he is being saved from.

While speaking with an evangelist friend last week, he relayed this story to me: He was preaching a revival meeting in a well-known church, after the second night of the meeting, a man approached him that wanted to be saved. The evangelist shared the gospel with the man, but the man would not acknowledge that he deserved to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. My friend pleaded with this man to humble his heart before God and stop justifying himself, but the man refused. Afterwards, the man approached a Sunday School teacher in the church and told him that he wanted to be saved, the Sunday School teacher foolishly led the man in the sinner's prayer without ever once asking him any questions. The man approached my friend the next evening and said these very words: "I asked Jesus to save me last night, I am glad that He accepted me even though I do not believe what you believe about Hell." Friends, that man did not reject my friends teaching, he rejected the teachings of Scripture. There is a man whose heart is still lifted in pride against God and His standard, that is not salvation, that is an unanswered prayer.

If a man believes the gospel, that same man will believe the consequences of rejecting the gospel. Do not cheapen the gospel by eliminating the doctrine of Hell from your presentation of it. If a man rejects the teaching of Hell, he is still in his sins. The eternal nature of Hell is simply because the eternal nature of salvation. Either a man will experience the Second Death or He will experience the Second Birth. The only way to escape the Second Death in Hell is to embrace Christ alone and experience the Second Birth. Let us warn men with tears and let us teach the whole counsel of God.