CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

 

 My Mom passed from this life September 21, 2023. She was taken quickly out of this world by an aneurysm and was ushered into the presence of Jesus. We were very close, so I am sad for me because this life will never be the same. But I am happy for her because she is in the presence of Jesus, the One she lived her life for. She has reached the goal we all should be striving for. Mom was a prayer warrior, and she prayed on a daily basis for many of you who receive this newsletter. She was the one who led me down the path where I could meet Jesus. She was also the one who proofread, folded, stapled and stamped all these newsletters. She had a desire for every lost soul to be saved and prayed diligently every day toward that end. I thank God for what she taught me and what she brought to my life. She was a voice in this world proclaiming truth, grace, righteousness and faith in Christ Jesus. She proclaimed it in her conversations and her life. She proclaimed it in the poems she wrote. She even proclaimed it on Facebook. Now she has her eternal reward.

Most of us are willing to take a stand for the things we really believe in, the things that are of great importance to us. But it’s not always easy. We are not always popular when we stand for God’s Word, but truth is truth, and we cannot afford to hide it from others. Everyone needs to know. We are called to be a voice that proclaims Him. But are we? Are we really a voice to this world that proclaims God’s truth, grace, righteousness and faith in Jesus Christ?

 If we want to gain a reward that will not fade away, and if we want to bring others to Jesus, we need to learn how to work together as the people of God for the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to be His voice in this world. His voice is very unwelcome among many, but Truth still needs to be proclaimed. There are those who will hear and welcome the good news. There are those who will hear and reject. Proclaiming the gospel isn’t just with words. It is also through our lives and actions. We can show people the gospel message by how we act, how we respond to them, and how we love. Those first Christians had a great love for one another and were one in Christ. They were the body of Christ in this world who shared the pure message of the gospel without adding or taking away from what the Lord had first spoken to them. They received a lot of opposition, but their message was more important than the opposition against them.

            Philippians 1:27-30 says, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.”

            Paul wrote that to the Christians in Philippi as well as to you and me today. He preached truth. He made sure it was available to everyone he spoke with. He underwent great persecution because of the message of Jesus Christ. But he continued to strive to make Truth known to as many as he could reach.

            What does it actually mean to strive? It means to make strenuous efforts toward any goal. And what more worthy goal than the gospel of Jesus Christ? It also means to contend in opposition, battle, or any conflict. It takes effort and determination. We must strive, because if we retreat, who will teach others the Truth? How can people hear without someone telling them? Jesus told us to go and make disciples. That means to teach others the Word of God and the ways of God. We cannot afford to retreat. We must continue to move forward. No soldier ever won a battle by retreating. We don’t have to be afraid of those who oppose us. Our job is to make the truth of the gospel known. Then others can choose to accept salvation (a state of final spiritual bliss) or perdition. (a state of final spiritual ruin). So you can see that the reason we are to strive is because eternal souls are at stake. We can’t force anyone to follow Jesus, but we can make sure they have knowledge so they can make their own choice.

Jude wanted to write about the joys of the salvation we share, but God had a different message for him. So he wrote, “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” Jude warned them that everyone does not teach the truth of the gospel and they needed to be aware of those who taught false doctrines. We need to know Truth and stand for it.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Galatia, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert [distort] the gospel of Christ; But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” [Galatians 1:6-9]

There are those who try to change the Word of God, but they cannot. They can write their own gospel, but God’s Word is Truth and Truth never changes. It remains absolute…complete and unadulterated. That’s why we need to contend for the faith, the Word of God. To contend simply  means to struggle in opposition; to exert oneself vigorously. If there was anyone who contended for the faith, it was the apostle, Paul. He struggled in opposition with those who tried to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. It wasn’t a physical battle, but a spiritual battle. Paul wasn’t a fighter in the physical sense. Physically he seemed to be constantly being beat up because he taught the Scripture. Look at 2 Corinthians 11:24-28. Here Paul outlines a few examples of the opposition against him. He said, “ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” But he never quit being the voice of God in this earth until he was beheaded and received his reward in heaven.

What kept Paul from getting burned out and leaving the ministry? His love for Jesus Christ, his disregard for himself, his passion to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit even when he stood alone in dangerous territory, his stand to follow Jesus rather than do what everyone else was doing. I can’t imagine him following the notion of ‘church as usual’ with its form and lack of God’s Spirit. He didn’t have a goal he had set for himself. He had a message that burned in him and the world became his pulpit. He even said, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.” [1 Corinthians 9:16-17] Even with all the trials Paul endured, he said, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” [Philippians 4:11-13] When he was on the top, he was content. When he was on the bottom, he was content. When he was in the middle, he was content because his contentment was in Christ, not in goals he had carefully crafted out. We burn out when we get our eyes on what we are doing instead of Who we are serving. We get burnt out when we go through the form that is expected of us instead of following the leading of the Holy Spirit burning inside of us. One is focusing on pleasing people. The other is focused on pleasing God. Paul wanted to please God, so he followed what He said and let God handle the consequences. His experiences taught him that even in the worst circumstance, Jesus was with him.

“Striving together for the faith of the gospel” is a concept we may find strange. But every true believer in Jesus is part of His body today. We are His hands, feet and voice. If we as the people of God do not strive together and contend for the gospel of Jesus Christ, who will? 

In all the ups and downs in our lives, we can strive together for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can stand together and make a difference. And Jesus promised He would never leave us or forsake us.

HOW DO WE STAND?

 

    To stand means to be in an upright position on the feet or to remain firm or steadfast, as in a cause. That can be difficult to maintain if something or someone is pushing against you. There are some types of opposition you might possibly be able to stand your ground against. But if someone is stronger than you, or you try to stand against tornado-force winds, you cannot remain standing. You will fall from the force of the power being used against you.

In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul tells us how to stand against evil powers that are much stronger than we are. We cannot remain standing on our own, but God has provided a way for us. Here we find the secret to having overcoming strength.

“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Put on the full armor of God,…so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of Truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of Righteousness (an upright heart), and having strapped on your feet the Gospel of Peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take The helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times…in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition interceding in prayer] for all God’s people.” [Amplified Bible]

We are to put on the complete armor, not just a piece here and there. Not just on certain days, or taking a break every once in a while. It is imperative that our armor stay intact.

Jesus came into this earth as the Son of God and the Son of man. His character remained consistent in every circumstance He encountered. Who He was and His conversation were the same whether He was with His disciples, the crowds, an individual or the religious rulers. Even in the presence of evil spirits, He took authority over them.

Jesus’ purpose was also always the same, and He never let anything divert Him from His purpose. Not the temptations of the devil, the acceptance of the crowd, the defiance and threats of the temple rulers or the horrors of the cross. He lived His earthly life totally surrendered, yielded, to the Father’s will. He spoke the truth clearly without apology. He understood the urgency of getting His message across to as many people as would hear Him. Yet He never tried to browbeat them into conforming. The Truth was there to either accept or reject. Even on trial, Jesus spoke Truth, knowing the consequences. He realized the power He had over His interrogators and tormentors, but He also knew His purpose for coming to this earth as a man. He was faithful to complete it.

Jesus never took a break from Who He was or His purpose. But He did take occasional breaks from the crowds, the religious leaders, the busyness of life, the heavy load of the ministry, and even from His own disciples. He went away alone to talk to His Father. Being in the presence of God is like recharging our spiritual batteries.

If we want to stand in every situation as Jesus stood, we must unceasingly keep ourselves covered with righteousness, salvation, faith, the gospel of peace, truth, the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and we must continue to pray in the Spirit. If any of the armor is missing, we have a weak area where the enemy can get an advantage over us. We never need to take a break from this armor. It is our protection, authority and strength. Satan looks for a weak area or a missing piece of armor. He will take advantage of any weakness he finds.

Jesus said we are to be rooted and grounded in Him. If our roots are deep in Jesus, we have a firm foundation and can remain standing. “Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5.

A vase of flowers can be moved from place to place easily. But a deep-rooted plant remains where it was planted. If you uproot it, it will die. It is the same with us. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing.

One Mothers Day I was handed a small plant as a gift from the church. I was happy to receive it, but then remembered my track record with plants. I asked my husband on the way to the car, “I wonder how long it will take me to kill this one?” But I decided to make it live. I would take good care of it. And I tried. I really did. But in my exuberance to succeed, I overwatered it and killed it. My husband tried to revive it by repotting it for me, but to no avail. It made me sad to think I had killed the little thing. I really wanted it to live.

            Have you ever had a dream or a direction from the Lord that you tried so hard to make come to pass that you killed it by your own determination and efforts? Maybe you rushed the timing or took it the wrong direction, and God was not in it. If we are not careful, we can take the work of God out of His hands, place it in our own and run with it. That never succeeds. Either He will have to find another person to carry out His plans or wait until we see our error and turn it back over to Him. When we do things His way, we will have His power behind it instead of our own might and power. His plans always succeed.

Can we honestly say that we, like Jesus, are the same in every circumstance and are loyal to the purpose God has entrusted to us? Are we suited up in God’s armor all the time, or just part of the time? Is our character consistent and are we faithful to our purpose every day? Do we even know what our purpose is? Our purpose is to be at the right place at the right time by God’s design and to make the right choice when we get there. The only way we can fulfill our purpose is to be led by the Holy Spirit and take on the whole armor of God. We can only do that by taking a break from all the busyness around us so we can hear from the Father.

In the days of Jesus, the laws that were instituted by God through Moses had been adapted to fit the mindset of those interpreting it. Many laws were added or taken away to accommodate the new mindset of the rulers. That sounds familiar to our day. But the problem was that the law of God is Truth, and if you change or twist Truth, you have created a separate entity that is a lie. Truth is Truth regardless of how we choose to view it. Jesus is the Truth, and to speak anything else would be to speak a lie, which He cannot do. So, when Jesus came teaching truth, it went against many of their man-made laws. That sounds familiar in our day, too. Naturally that made Him very unpopular with those who wielded the religious power of their day. Although His teachings demanded more holiness from the people, He made it easier to live a holy life by changing our sin nature to a new nature inhabited by the Spirit of God Himself.  “But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” It was no longer struggling to do what pleased God. It was a change of heart, a change of nature that allowed people to be empowered and led by the Spirit of God within them. It was no longer a physical struggle but a spiritual freedom to do what was right.

As we, the people of God, speak Truth, live Truth, and walk in Truth, we find ourselves walking against the forces of this world and the powers of darkness. That is why it is important to have every piece of our armor in place at all times. Then, and only then, can we stand. We stand in righteousness, salvation, faith, the gospel of Truth, and the sword of the Spirit [Word of God], and we continue to pray in the Spirit. That is how we stand. It is the only way we can successfully stand.

Have you got your armor on?

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

 

    Most of us are familiar with the account of David facing Goliath. There seems to be no rational reason for a shepherd boy to put himself in the place of danger that none of the trained soldiers or even the king were willing to place themselves. The army of Israel had been hearing the threats of this giant of a warrior for days, and they had been cowering in their own camp with no reply to his demand and no warrior willing to fight him. No one offered to risk their lives. They were at a stalemate. That is until David was sent by his father to take some food to the front lines where his brothers were in the army of Israel. While he was there delivering the provisions, he heard the giant come out and defy, not only the army of Israel, but the God of Israel. He began asking the soldiers questions about this giant. When his older brother heard him, he said to David, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” There was a good reason why David was there in the camp. He was sent by their father to deliver food.  But while he was there, David saw a much greater cause. A cause that was being neglected.

David was just the delivery boy. But once he arrived at camp and saw what was happening, he knew there was a greater cause than delivering food. This Philistine was defying God, so David volunteered to fight him. King Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth…Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this…Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”  Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him.” David didn’t back up. He stood his ground. “And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth…So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” This warrior was sure of himself. Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, … Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

David was sure of His God. He knew from experience what God can do, so he declared boldly that he would win. And he did because God was with him. When the Philistines saw that a boy had conquered their greatest warrior, they took off running. The army of Israel was right behind them to conquer them.

            Look around you. Is there not a cause? Is there not sufficient reason to stand up and proclaim the power, love and the Name of our God? We have been left in this world to provide truth and light. But what do we do when the enemy rages against us? Do we retreat and tremble? Or do we keep proclaiming the Good News of Great Joy because we are sure of our God?

Have we lost sight of our cause?   The cause of every Christian is found in the words of Jesus. He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

            Jesus gave us the command to carry on the work He started in this earth. We are to teach His Word and make disciples. Jesus made it clear that all authority belongs to Him. He is the one in charge. Then He gives us a promise. He will be with us. He is not sending us out in our own strength. Just as David did not go out in his own strength, neither do we. He promises to be with us even to the end of the age, so we need to continue His work “even to the end of the age.” There is not a cut-off date. Are we so sure of Jesus Christ that we will take up the cause?

            As professing Christians we would do well to look within to see if we are in the condition to accomplish the work Jesus has assigned to us. Are we, ourselves, walking according to the teachings of Jesus and the principles of the Bible? Are we ready to be broken and poured out so others can hear the message of salvation? Are we willing to lay our lives into the hands of Jesus to use us as He wills, regardless of the outcome?

We are not told to raise up a physical army and go to war with whoever won’t receive the gospel. The kingdom of God is spiritual, not physical. Only Light can dispel darkness. So we are here to shine Christ’s light in the darkness so everyone can see it and accept or reject it.

There is a great need for the people of God to allow Him to search our hearts and see if there is any wicked way there. If there is any unbelief, apathy, complacency or disobedience to God’s Word, we need to confess and turn from it. Proverbs 29:13-14 tells us that “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy. Blessed and favored by God is the man who fears [sin and its consequence] at all times, But he who hardens his heart [and is determined to sin] will fall into disaster.”

If we truly want to see the Spirit of God move in our world, in our sphere of influence, we need to be prepared by the Spirit of God. We need a revelation from God to show us His will and purpose.  Proverbs 29:18 tells us this: “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
 but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.”

Without revelation from God, without light illuminating His Truth, people will not restrain themselves from sin and evil. Sin becomes rampant and the light goes dim. Without revelation, the Light in the people of God grows dim. When the Word of God is not taught or demonstrated in the lives of believers, others will have no example to light God’s way and they will go deeper into sin. There will be nothing to restrain them from delving into greater evil.

Where there is no revelation, even the people of God will begin to compromise Jesus’ teachings. Revelation comes from the Word of God and the Holy Spirit within our hearts.  We need a fresh revelation of what God’s Word really says instead of accepting the watered down version of man’s invention. We cannot bring Truth down to our sinful level and expect God to accept us. We are seeing that happen in a far-reaching way. And many are deceived about their soul’s salvation because they are depending on the “updated rules of religion” instead of having a relationship with Jesus Christ and following what He has declared as Truth. If Truth is changed, it becomes a lie.  Many are looking for an easy way when Jesus declared the way of Truth is a narrow path and few walk in it. Many professed Christians walk in the parts of Jesus’ teachings that make them feel comfortable, but turn a deaf ear to anything that requires something of them. If we have no vision from God, no understanding of His Word or leading of His Holy Spirit, we will live carelessly and spend our time and energies on things that don’t matter. But if we walk according to the Holy Spirit in us, He will lead us into truth and holiness. And we can be the Light of Christ to this world instead of blending in with the evil or hiding in fear. We need a spirit of brokenness over our sins and the sins of our cities and nation. We need to remove sin and apathy from our hearts and be firmly established on the Word of God. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – These, O God You will not despise.” “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Psalm 51:17  and Psalm 34:18] When we draw near to the Lord, He will open up our understanding and show us spiritual things that only He can reveal. We need those revelations to remain steadfast in the faith. Are we cowering in the camp or taking His Light into the darkness?

Look around you.

There is a cause.

 

 

BUT THERE WAS LIGHT IN GOSHEN

 

        Have you ever experienced darkness so dense that you could see nothing at all, not even your hand in front of your face? That kind of darkness brings a halt to any activity and a fear that can only be removed when light enters in. I have heard of some caves that are so deep and dark that if you don’t have a guide and a light, you could easily fall into a deep chasm and lose your life. My husband and I went on a guided tour of a cave that was much less dangerous than that, but still if it hadn’t been for our guide and the lights, we would have been lost.

Life sometimes presents us with circumstances that seem to leave us in a dark place with no sense of direction of how we can get out. In the book of Exodus, we read the story of the Israelites who were stuck and had no way out of their situation. Most of us know the story of God’s people being enslaved in Egypt and how God sent Moses to deliver them out of slavery to a land of freedom He was giving them. Their nemesis was Pharaoh, the powerful king of Egypt, who was determined not to allow these people to leave their homes in Goshen no matter what consequences it brought on himself and his people. Pharaoh was determined to stand strong and prove he was in control, so he repeatedly rebelled against God.

 God brought ten plagues on Egypt. Before each of these plagues, Pharaoh was warned of what was to come if he did not obey God. Yet he refused to follow God’s command. The telling signs that these things were happening by God’s intervention and not some human force were the facts that God had Moses announce each one before it happened and most of them only affected the Egyptians and not God’s people just a short distance away. There was no way a mere human could arrange these catastrophes. There were ten plagues in all: water turning to blood, frogs, lice, flies, pestilence among their livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. But I want us to focus in on the plague of darkness.

 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

Notice there was light in Goshen where God’s people lived. Those who followed God did not experience this darkness. They had light. The Egyptians not only experienced darkness, but they were totally disabled by it. They couldn’t even see one another in their own homes. It was that eerie type of darkness you can feel. They couldn’t go about their everyday business because they couldn’t see. They were blinded with thick darkness.

Let’s look at this same scenario on a spiritual level. The nemesis of humankind is Satan. He is determined to keep us all in darkness and to disable us from seeing the light of Jesus Christ that can bring us into Truth and freedom. He wants to be in control.

But Jesus was sent to deliver us from slavery to Satan and to bring us into a land of freedom which is His kingdom. Jesus warns us of the dangers if we continue walking in darkness. And He gives us the choice to walk in the light. However, Satan tries his best to keep us in darkness. That is the only way he can keep us under his control. This darkness disables us from walking in freedom. It causes us to be blind to the way of Truth.

Darkness and Light are total opposites. They cannot coincide. But how can you separate light and darkness? And how could there have been total, dense darkness, darkness that can be felt, in Egypt and yet there be light in Goshen? Goshen was part of Egypt. Only God can do that. After all, He separated light and darkness in the beginning. We read in Genesis 1:1-5 how God separated the light from darkness.

God also separates the darkness and the light spiritually. The light of God is there for everyone who wants to be part of the light. But we cannot be part of the light and part of the darkness at the same time. When light comes, darkness has to flee. Second Corinthians 6:14 asks this question. “and what fellowship can light have with darkness?” There is no way there can be an alliance between what is evil and what is good. When we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, we are no longer part of the darkness.

In Matthew 4:16 Jesus quoted an Old Testament passage that was prophetic of His coming to restore light in the world. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” So, who can walk in light? Everyone who is surrendered to Jesus Christ. “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)  Psalm 18:28 says, “For you will light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.”

 Since Jesus is the Light, that is where I want to be. If God has separated the light from darkness, we should, too. Does that mean we live in little Christian communes away from the world? Absolutely not! Jesus prayed to the Father, not to take us out of this world, but to keep us from the evil, the darkness of this world. The only way those in this world can see light is through those of us who have the light of Jesus in us. But if we partake of the darkness of this world, we lose our light.

If we truly want to belong to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of light, we will choose to establish our lives on the Word of God. Then we will have spiritual light to understand those things that we never understood before. Suddenly the Bible becomes clear. It makes perfect sense, just like when you turn on a light in a dark room. Everything changes. Suddenly you can see clearly what is there. You see the arrangement of the furniture in the room and you can move through the room without running into something and getting hurt. Jesus said, “If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

When we purpose to live our lives in the light according to Jesus’ teachings, we will find that He enlightens us. When we read the Bible and take it as our guide for life, we will receive understanding and wisdom to lead us through the pitfalls and obstacles of life. We don’t have to stumble through a dark world because we have His light in us. If we allow the Word of God to be our guide, we will have light and life more abundantly. We don’t have to be ruled by habits, sin, past failures or any other thing that will bring us down. Darkness no longer has dominion over us. But we need to keep our lights burning bright and not neglect them.

One of the light bulbs went out in the room where I was. It was noticeably dimmer than it had been before. But since it was up on the ceiling, I left it like it was until I could get help. I had a hard time seeing without that bulb at first, but after a few minutes my eyes adjusted, and I didn’t even notice the poor lighting. It did not take long to accept a lesser quality than I had before.

            As darkness settles over the earth, it’s easy to shift gears and compromise rather than retain the light in our souls. Others’ rejection of Christ, humanism, and trying to be politically correct can turn us from the true Light, Jesus Christ. If the light dims in our soul a little at a time, we won’t notice as much. That happens when we compromise a little here and a little there. Then we find ourselves apart from God and groping in darkness like everybody else. Beware of letting your light go out. Make sure you keep your light burning brightly by staying in fellowship with Jesus.   Jesus said those who hear His teachings and have a teachable heart, those who love the truth and walk in the light of the truth they have been given, will receive more truth, more light. But those who do not have a teachable heart and who do not practice what they hear in the light of Jesus’ words will lose what they heard. The choice is ours. We can walk in the brilliant light of Jesus Christ where His light will plainly show us the truth and lead us into more and more of His Truth, or we can walk in darkness.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth).”

STILL

 

 Have you ever had an MRI? You are placed in a restrictive tunnel, and they tell you to be completely still. Movement will keep the test from giving a true reading. It’s not always easy to be still. Even if we have a broken bone or illness that calls for bed rest, we can get antsy and are ready to get up and get something done instead of lying there accomplishing nothing. But just lying there is accomplishing something when we need the rest to make us mobile again. Sometimes we need to stop so we can start again. Sometimes we need to be quiet so God can speak to us. It’s easy to interpret these “time-outs” as punishment when it is actually a time of refreshment and renewal. God knows we need them, even if we don’t.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says, “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.”

What season are we in? We may be pushing ahead into the kingdom of God and working as hard as we can. But, what happens when God takes us aside to be still? Can we understand when it is the hand of God at work in us? We need to know the times and know when to do what. We can only do that as God reveals it to us.        

From the foundation of the world, God has had a plan and has carried it out in His wisdom and power exactly as He intended it to be and exactly when He intended it to be.

Between the end of the Old Testament writings and the New Testament, there were 400 years of silence from God. But when He spoke next, what exciting news He brought.

Galatians 4:4-5 tells us: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” There was a time for that Son to become flesh and dwell among us. There was a time for Him to sow the Word. A time to gather His disciples. A time to speak and a time to be silent. There was also a time for that Son to die.

Hebrews 2:10 tells us: “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” But it was only for a time. Jesus was only on the cross for a time. He was only in the tomb for a time. He was only “made flesh and dwelt among us” for a time. When He rose, it was forever!

Through Jesus Christ, mankind will once again be in perfect union with Him in a perfect place, and all gathered together unto Him…in God’s time.

Satan is trying to bring the whole world together under the canopy of evil…a new world order under his rule. But it can only last for a time. Because God has a purpose and it is not for the devil to reign. And when all evil is vanquished (destroyed), nothing will be left except those who are one with God. God’s purpose is to bring everything into one in Christ. That is true peace. Just as Jesus was born, lived and died in the fullness of time, He will return in the fullness of time and set up His kingdom in the fullness of time, bringing everything into one in Him. Nothing will stop Him.

            I know there are times when God brings a pause into our lives and we feel as if we just need to move a little. But there is a time to move and a time to remain still, motionless. We need to distinguish the times and seasons we find ourselves in. If this is a season for you to be still, embrace it. Listen for the voice of God and remain calm even in the midst of the turmoil around you. Let Him impart to you the wisdom and strength to be able to continue on the journey He has ahead for you. We can learn so much when we remain still in the presence of the Almighty Lord God.

            Don’t allow yourself to feel neglected or useless. God took years to prepare Moses for the task He had for him to accomplish. He sent David through many harsh conditions before he was able to be used by God in a powerful way. Don’t pull away from God in silent times. Draw closer to Him and let Him accomplish in you what He needs to do so He can use you in a powerful way. Being still seems to be the exact opposite of becoming powerful, but in reality it is a powerful tool used by God. Jesus Himself pulled aside often to be still in His Father’s presence and gain wisdom, strength and guidance for what lay ahead. Surely we need to do the same.

The word ‘still’ has several meanings. Here are a few:

Remaining in place or at rest; When we are unsure of a time or season in our lives, it is imperative that we not push forward on our own trying to create something outstanding for us to do. We need to remain at rest in the place God has ordained for us to be until the fullness of time comes. Then when the season comes for us to accomplish God’s purpose, we will be prepared and ready to face the task.

Free from turbulence or commotion;   Many times we have no choice but to remain still, but we are turbulent inside. There have been many times when we had ministry scheduled for a certain place at a certain time when something came up that made it impossible. I would get turbulent inside, trying to think of a way to make it happen anyway. All it did was cause turmoil inside me and prolong the inevitable. The truth was we were going to have to cancel and re-schedule. Rather than pushing to make something happen, we need to learn to be still and let God work out His will through us.

Peaceful; tranquil; We can only be at peace when we are at one with God. In her book, “Suffering Is Never For Nothing”, Elizabeth Elliot wrote about arriving at the airport and finding the airport was closed when they arrived for their flight although they had tickets to leave for their destination that day. She said that everyone was upset and ranting, raving and crying. There were fist fights and people who wouldn’t get off the plane even after they had been told the airport had closed. There was total chaos. Although she and her husband had people expecting them on the other end of the line, they had peace. This is what she said about it all. “Lars and I were not at the mercy of the weather, let alone of the airport. We’re not adrift in chaos. We’re held in the everlasting arms. And therefore, and this makes a difference, we can be at peace and we can accept. We can say yes, Lord, I’ll take it. The faculty by which I apprehend God is the faculty of faith.”  We can trust God in all our ways, knowing that He knows best.”

Without waves or perceptible current; not flowing, as water. The water that the Lord, our Shepherd, leads us to drink from is not an ocean or the rapids. He leads us beside the still waters. There we can drink our fill without fear of drowning or being overcome by the tide. God gives us precious times beside the still waters to refresh and restore our souls. There is time enough to face the wiles of the devil and do the work of God’s kingdom as we face persecution. But in these moments of stillness, we gain courage to walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil.

The seasons of stillness in our lives are for our good. They are to teach us the value of waiting on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” That scripture applies to those who wait on the Lord. Those who accept His times of stillness when He prescribes it for them. Those who rest in His hands.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Embrace your moments of stillness and learn afresh and anew that He indeed is God.

GOD’S CHILD? OR GRANDCHILD?

 

 David Du Plessis awoke early one morning hearing a voice loud and clear. It simply said “God has no grandsons”. David thought over the words and couldn’t really grasp what they meant. It was over a week later when he understood. In order for us to be God’s child, we must be born of His Spirit. We are not God’s child because our parents are. We are not part of His family through a natural lineage. We are only part of God’s family when we are personally born again of the Spirit into the kingdom of God.

It seems many in our churches today consider themselves Christians because they were raised in a Christian home. They were taught the Ten Commandments, agree with the tenants of faith and attend church. They are ‘second generation Christians’ who came up under born-again parents, but they themselves are unregenerate. That is why so many of our churches are spiritually weak and the attendees are sincere and active in the church, but without the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They have no power or freedom to walk in the Spirit because they have not personally been renewed in their hearts and minds. They have not been reborn in spirit or baptized in the Holy Spirit. They just adopted the habits and traditions of their parents. They adhere to the form of godliness their parents have, but are void of God’s Spirit within their own hearts.

The truth is if there has not been a rebirth in a person’s life that has brought about a life-changing experience, that person is not born again. When the Spirit of God enters a life, that life cannot remain the same. It is enlightened by God’s Spirit and the touch of God always brings spiritual light, driving out the darkness. It’s like being in a dark room and then turning on the light. Suddenly you can see and are aware of what is around you – things you didn’t see before. There is a spiritual world of which we are unaware until we are born of the spirit. We cannot see it. We cannot operate in it.

Are we sons and daughters of God, or are we simply carrying on a family tradition of ‘faith’? It is quite a burden to shoulder the weight of such a tradition in our own power.
Those who try to be grandchildren of God instead His children, will labor through life with no peace, no freedom, no joy, no love, and no power. The cause of those effects is that they are unregenerate. Jesus told Nicodemus, “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The Amplified Bible translates it this way: “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above - spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

So what is the cure for this dry, burdensome religion so many inherit from their predecessors? If we change the cause, we will change the effects.”You must be born again.” The faith and rebirth of our parents can be a wonderful example for us to follow, but it cannot and will not carry us into the kingdom of God. If there has been no change in our hearts and minds, we are not born again and we cannot see or experience God’s kingdom in this life or the next, no matter how we try to copy the faith of those who have gone before us.

Jesus said in John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Once we have been personally born again, we will begin to see the effects of that rebirth. We can begin to grow in the kingdom of God. We can experience the freedom, peace, love, joy and power of God living in us and through us. We can have life that goes beyond just the physical. Our spirits are renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit in us, the power of God Himself. Only then can we have wisdom and knowledge beyond anything we have ever known. We can begin to walk in that wisdom and knowledge. It is called living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the knowledge we need and the power to act on that knowledge. We can say what the Spirit tells us to say and do what the Spirit tells us to do because He is working through us on the inside. Galatians 5-:25-26 in the Amplified Bible says, “If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].”

If we make the claim that the Holy Spirit is at work in us, it needs to be proven out in our words and actions. When God’s Spirit is in control, we will do the will of God instead of our own will. We learn to put others before ourselves and share the gospel with them. We learn to hear what the Spirit speaks to our hearts and then follow Him. That is being led by the Spirit.
How many so-called ‘grandchildren’ of God have been raised up who have neither the power of the Holy Spirit nor the inheritance of the saints? They only have a form of godliness without the Holy Spirit. They name the name of Christ but continue in their sins and the lifestyle of this world. They are enslaved to an empty religion of works and duty instead of life and freedom. They are deceived into believing they are living a Christian life. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Every person can be born again and walk in newness of life. ‘Whosoever will’ can become a child of God. John 1:10-13 says, He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own people [the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him. But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name - who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth - they are born of God - spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].

If you are a ‘Christian’ only under the grandfather clause, you can change that right now. You can know what it really means to follow Christ. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.”

The unregenerate have none of that. They have no testimony, no cleansing by the blood of Jesus, no infilling of the Holy Spirit, no insight into spiritual things and no power to do God’s work. Their words and work lack power and meaning because there is no life. They have no lasting purpose. But every person can be born again. Every person can become a child of God. Jesus made it possible.

If you have realized that you are not a true child of God, don’t miss out on what God has for you. Don’t settle for less than you can have. Elijah told the people of Israel, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” Likewise, we all have a decision to make. Follow Jesus Christ or follow a form of religion.

Let’s look at John 14:21-23. “Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” In other words, Jesus said His Spirit would live in us. Following a form of religion can be depressing and quite a tremendous burden, but having the Spirit of God living inside of us is refreshing and empowering. He is described as rivers of living water flowing out from us. Those living waters are very refreshing to us and to those we meet.

 

How good it is to be a true child of God!

SHOW ME JESUS

 

            If I had to identify what humanity needs more than anything else in this life, I would have to say our greatest need is love. Real love. Not the manufactured, conditional type of love or even the romantic type of love, but the love of God. The love that emanates from the One Who, even while we were sinners and rebelling against Him, loved us anyway and made a way for us to be reinstated to fellowship with Him. And no one is left out except by their own choice.

I believe love to be the most needed element of life because God is love, and we cannot experience true life, life in the kingdom of God, without Him. All we have to look forward to is eternal death and punishment without the love of God.

            Love has been defined as “affectionate concern for the well-being of others.” We cannot love a stranger for their actions, their disposition, their temperament, personality, or nature. That would be impossible because they are strangers to us. We don’t have any knowledge of their attributes or characteristics. Yet we can still be concerned for their well-being, both spiritual and physical.

            My husband and I receive numerous pleas by mail asking us to help people all over the world. You probably get them, too. They are pleas to help people that we have never met. But we are moved by the need. And the love of Christ within us compels us to do what we can to help. We can’t help everyone. We cannot answer every request. That would be impossible, but we can help some. That is part of loving our neighbor. We can show them Jesus by the Spirit of God in action through us.

Many of you probably get a lot of prayer requests on social media. We do, too. Some of the people we don’t know personally. But we can still reach out in prayer on their behalf because we care about their difficulties. We have compassion and a concern for the well-being of others.

I opened the mail one day while my grandson was with me. We saw a picture of a young boy who was bent in a terrible position, making it impossible for him to stand and walk. My grandson’s heart was immediately touched. He wanted to help. Feeling sorry for the boy was not enough. Something needed to be done to change his situation.

That is how God’s love works. It is a love of compassion that compels us to do something, to act. While I was in the process of writing this article, my grandson came over wearing a shirt that said, “Love Out Loud”. That is what true love does. It makes itself known in compassionate ways. We can look back to the “Good Samaritan” and see love in action. He loved out loud. Allow me to give you my paraphrase of this story. A man who had been beaten and robbed lay by the roadside, left for dead. Two members of the Jewish ‘clergy’ saw him and passed him by. They couldn’t be late for ‘church’. Later a Samaritan, who was hated by the Jews, came along and saw this man who needed help. We are told he had compassion on the man. So, he stopped and helped him. Then he took the man to an inn and paid for him to be taken care of until he got back from his business.

Too often we forget that love is an action word. If love is never seen in action, if we don’t love out loud, it is no more than a feeling within a person that only they know anything about. The religious leaders may have felt sorry for the beaten man, but they did not have compassion. They were not concerned for his well-being.

Romans 5:7-8 tells us, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Again we can read How God’s love took action in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is the love of God. It is the love that we have received. It is the love we are to give to others so they, too, can see Jesus, and they can only see Him through those who allow His love to flow through them. We can love people by extending charity and benevolence to them. Will we?

Imagine living in a place where you cannot support yourself or your family. Then someone comes to you and tells you there are people on the other side of the world who have sent money, food, clean water, or instruments so you can begin to farm and take care of your family again. When these are given in Jesus’ name, we show them Jesus in His compassion and love.

Even greater than relieving the physical maladies and deprivation of others is relieving their spiritual maladies and deprivation. Every person needs to hear about Jesus Christ. Every person needs the opportunity to know Him. Jesus said that is up to you and me – those of us who know Him. Yet so many are preoccupied with the things of this world. Not necessarily evil things, but things that take the place of God in our hearts. The Apostle John says those things are idols. Anything that gets in the way of our serving Jesus Christ and sharing the gospel with others on a regular basis is an idol.

With all the social media and other electronic devices we have now there are so many opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. How are we using them? What is important to us? What are our priorities? Are we majoring on ourselves and our positions in this world? Or is our focus on Jesus and living in the kingdom of God here and now?

People need to know about Jesus. They need to understand that they can be free from the bondage of sin and live freely in the kingdom of God even while they are still in this world.

The Apostle Paul endured years of persecution so he could take the gospel message to as many places and people as he could. His whole Christian life was spent spreading the gospel. He traveled. He wrote. He preached. He used up every bit of himself for the glory of God’s kingdom and the salvation of souls. As God’s children, we have received the same call.

Matthew 28:18-20 says, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”

Every person is not called to ‘go’ in the same way or the same place. But if we name the name of Christ, we are called to make disciples. It may be one-on-one. It may be preaching. It may be writing. It may be going to another country. It may be ministering to those around us. But we are all called.

            We are not called to do our own business, but to do God’s business. And when we step out to do God’s business, we are not alone. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you... He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

We show God that we love Him by following His commandments. And He will baptize us with the Holy Spirit to enable us to love others as He loves us.

Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Again, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Laying down our lives for others doesn’t always mean dying. It may mean putting self aside to show this world Jesus in action through us. We show our love for others by showing compassion and meeting their physical and spiritual needs in the name of Jesus Christ.

If we don’t see the result of someone’s love, we don’t know it exists. God understands that. So He proved His unfailing love for us. God’s love has no limits. It reaches to everyone and it never ends. The power of His love causes us to feel the wind of His Spirit blowing and to experience the transformation He works in us. The fact of God’s love is undeniable, because the proof of God’s love can be seen in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and it can be felt in our hearts when we open them to Him.

God loves out loud!

So loud that it echoes throughout time and space!