THE HELMET OF SALVATION

 

            In Ephesians 6 we are given a list of spiritual armor that we are to put on as the people of God. This armor protects us from the attacks of Satan. Each piece protects a specific area. One of the pieces of armor that I believe is desperately needed in our generation is the helmet of salvation. A helmet covers the head. It protects the mind with which we can reason and make decisions. This helmet is the salvation of our minds and, therefore affects every part of our lives. Salvation is deliverance, rescue, recovery and escape from a darkened mind. Our minds can be saved or redeemed from the penalty of sin. The penalty of sin in our minds is darkness. We are born incapable of understanding spiritual things. When Adam and Eve sinned, their minds were darkened. Where there had been enlightenment, there was darkness. Their minds came under the penalty of sin along with their bodies. So that is how we are born, with darkened minds.

In Ephesians 4:17, Paul tells the Gentile Christians they should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind. They were not to continue following in their usual customs and thought, because it was fruitless.

The word “futility” means ineffective, useless, frivolous [because they have no eternal value], incapable of producing any results. When our minds are set on the things of this world, they are on things that are frivolous and ineffective regardless of how well we succeed in them, because they are not eternal. He continues on in Verse 18 saying, ^“for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded.” 

Have you ever had to drive through heavy fog? There are some places that it is nearly impossible to see, especially in low lying areas. When I used to drive to work, there was one area that would cloud my vision almost completely. It was hard to make out the traffic light right in front of me on some days. Without the enlightenment of God’s Spirit, we cannot see clearly. Our spiritual vision is cloudy.

Our minds need to be redeemed just like the rest of us. When we have redeemed minds, we think differently. The fog is lifted. Instead of thinking in natural terms, we begin to think on spiritual terms.

Ephesians 4:22-24 puts it this way: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Salvation is deliverance from sin and the penalties of sin. It is our redemption. The helmet of salvation covers our minds, freeing them from slavery to sin.

Our little grandson has a helmet he wears when he rides his bike. It’s just a small bike, but the helmet will protect (or save) his head from danger if he falls. But sometimes, he will just ride his little tricycle instead, because he doesn’t want to go through the trouble of wearing his helmet.

            The helmet of salvation will protect our minds from the Fall. It will bring us renewal. And it will protect us from the onslaught of the enemy against our minds. Because he fights for our minds on a daily basis. We may think it’s easier to go without it sometimes, but it’s not easier in the long run. We need to always keep our helmets on!

Our minds should never be left open and vulnerable to the ideas of the devil. If we let our minds idly wander, Satan will send his thoughts our way. We may have a random thought shoot through our minds and we say, “where did that come from?” We need to quickly cast aside every thought that comes from the enemy.

We also need to be careful what we subject our minds to. Psalm 101:2-3 is an amazing passage from King David. He says, “I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:”

Notice he said he would walk within his house with a blameless heart. So many think once we are at home, we can do anything, say anything, watch anything and we are okay. We are to be the same in the privacy of our homes as we are in church or anywhere else. Do we set any wicked things before our eyes? What about television? IF you found a decent program, what about the commercials that bombard you? What about the internet and all the other social media sites? What about movies with all kinds of sinful behavior? Do we give evil images access to our minds by opening the door? Once a thought has been planted in your mind it’s hard to get rid of it. We are to be careful what and who we allow access into our lives and our thoughts.

Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Just because our minds are saved, it doesn’t mean that trash cannot come in. Satan still tries to blind our eyes from what we know to be true. He tries to put his thoughts in our minds just enough to make us question truth. If we entertain His meddling, the next step will be to try to question what God said and we come up with the devil’s twisted version of God’s Word and begin to live by it.

            Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ. Simplicity is that which is in its purest form. The gospel is definitely in its purest form. It is clear and simple. And that is how we need to receive it, accept it and live by it.

We need to take every precaution to keep Satan from corrupting our minds. If he does, it will change who we are.

My phone got a virus and at first there were just a few simple interruptions. Then, before I knew what was happening, it practically took over my phone. It added things it wanted to add and removed what it wanted to destroy. My son fixed it. And told me to be careful about what I went into. He also put a filter program on it to delete viruses.

God’s Son fixes our minds, too. But we have to keep our helmet on and be careful what we allow into our minds.            

1 Corinthians 2:16 says “For who has known the mind and purposes of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].” So let’s not let anything else get in there and clutter it up.

In Romans 15:5-6 Paul writes, “Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As part of the Body of Christ, we are to have one mind and one voice! If we want to all be of the same mind, we need to all have the mind of Christ. If we all have the mind of Christ, we will have one voice. We will all speak the same thing.

Guard what you think and what you meditate on. Don’t let just anything take lodging in your mind. Keep your helmet on securely. Protect your mind carefully.  Make sure it is set apart for Jesus and not wide open for enemy infiltration. Bring every thought into subjection to Christ.

Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” The word “stayed” means committed or focused. We have to train our minds to be focused on Christ.

At the television studio we have monitors that face us most of the time. If we don’t stay focused on what we are doing, every little movement on the screen will capture our attention and divert us from the gospel we are sharing with the viewing audience.

Keeping our helmet on means we are focusing on Jesus and not allowing our minds to be pulled away by the ways of this world, or our focus to be turned to other things.

 

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6

 

RESTORING THE RUINS, CLEARING THE RUBBLE

 

    There was a time when the people of God (Israel) became so rebellious against God that He allowed the city of Jerusalem to be conquered, the walls torn down and burned, and the people taken into captivity into Babylon. The walls had been built around the city for protection from enemies that would destroy them or lure them away from God who was their ultimate protection. They rejected God, and their walls fell. They were there for seventy years before God released them to return to Jerusalem.

When I look at the people of God today (the Body of Christ) it seems the walls have been breached, not by a military force, but by being lured away from the truth of Jesus Christ.  Slowly but surely, the pull of the world, false teaching, and the absence of the Spirit of God among us have caused us to rewrite the teachings of Jesus to suit our culture. His Word (Truth) and the power of the Holy Spirit are our walls of protection. Little by little over the years, the walls have been torn down and burned in many areas. But we don’t have to continue to live in the midst of debris and burned walls.

Jesus said that the gates (power, authority) of hell would not prevail against His Church. In other words, He said the devil’s kingdom would not triumph over God’s people. God always has a remnant that has not bowed their knee to the gods of this world. Maybe you are one of them. I hope so. There is a lot of work to be done, but God is with us.

With so much compromise and erroneous teaching that has been imbedded in our minds over the years in the name of Christianity, what can we do to rebuild the walls and restore the whole Body of Christ back to order? The walls that need to be rebuilt are not to alienate us from the people in the world. They are to keep us safe from the power of Satan and his demon spirits as we take the true gospel to the world. They are to keep the gospel pure so that people can be set free in Christ.

Many of the people of Israel who went back to Jerusalem seventy years later found that the walls of the city still lay in ruins. Nehemiah was still in Babylon and was the king’s cupbearer, but when he got word about the condition of his people in Jerusalem, God stirred up his heart. Nehemiah began to pray and repent of his wickedness and that of his people. Then, with the king’s permission and blessing, he left his post and became governor of the people in Jerusalem. He led the people to rebuild and restore the walls.

            When Nehemiah told the people what God had sent him to do, they said, “Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” Every individual was called to do their part so the work could be accomplished. If the work of God’s Kingdom is going to be done, each of us must do our part. That means we have to work in unity with the Holy Spirit and God’s people.

What keeps us from rising up and rebuilding our spiritual life, or building in the lives of other people? Is the job too overwhelming? Are we discouraged to the point of apathy and unconcern? Are we unwilling to put forth the effort? Are we content with the rubble all around us and the absence of the Spirit of God? Maybe we are just used to things as they are, and we have come to a point that it doesn’t matter to us anymore. We say, “well it’s been like this as long as I can remember; no use trying to stir up things now.”

Where are the Nehemiahs of today? Where are those who will begin the work to rebuild what the enemy has destroyed? Who will rise up and repent of apathy and disobedience so the work of restoration can begin? Is God stirring up your heart? Don’t let it settle back down into apathy again. Rise up and build!

As the people built, each one began restoring what was close to where they lived on the wall of Jerusalem. Each one took responsibility for their part. Some did more work than others, but it was according to their ability that they worked.

Piece by piece (person by person), we can rebuild. The work begins first with us as an individual. There needs to be repentance from slackness, negligence or disobedience to the will and Word of God in our own hearts. Repentance brings change. Then we can help others.

Do we feel that it’s too late to change things? Look at the spiritual devastation in our churches, our homes, our cities, our nation. I cannot believe that there is nothing we can do to bring light to the darkness, order to chaos, and restoration to the ruins around us. We cannot blame all our problems on politics. It is the responsibility of the people of God to work on the wall where it is burned and in ruins. When the true Church, the body of Christ, says, “Let us rise up and build,” we will begin to see a change in our surroundings. We will not have a perfect world, but we can make a difference. If we will just purpose in our hearts to strengthen our hands to do the work of the kingdom of God, then we will see results. When the teachings of Jesus are held up by the Church once again, we will begin to see change around us. When the power of the Holy Spirit returns to our own hearts and our churches, we will see a difference. When love for the lost and for fellow believers is evident, then people will see that we are truly disciples of Jesus Christ.

When there is rubble all around us and the very wall that was supposed to protect us has been burned, it is hard to take a stand, but it is necessary for us all to do our part and rebuild to the glory of God. It’s time for us to rise up as one to do the work of God and rebuild what the devil has stolen from us. It is not about us, but about the purposes of God being done through us.

When we try to rise up to accomplish the work we are called to do, Satan will come against us, just as enemies came against Nehemiah. But Nehemiah simply said, “The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah’s trust was in God; not the king, himself, or the people. It was not pride that caused him to answer as he did. He stood on truth and his faith in God. He had seen how God had given him favor and brought him this far. He believed God would finish what He started. He explained to these governors of other provinces that they were not the governor of Jerusalem, he was! They had no legal right over the city, no share in the city and no memorial (historic claim) there.

When we rise and start to build in the kingdom of God, Satan will accuse us, make us feel foolish for believing we can make a difference and all kinds of other things, but he has no right over us. God is our governor, not him. Satan has no legal right over us - no authority. He has no say-so in the call of God over our lives. He has no claim in the Kingdom of God. So we can arise and move forward.

We need to start with what is close to us. We need to do what is within our reach. If we wait until we can attain “great” things in far-away lands, we will never accomplish anything. Matthew Henry said, “If everyone will sweep before his own door, the street will be clean.” We need to get serious about sweeping in front of our door! That’s where we are right now. First, we need to sweep our own lives, then we can help others.

Take a look around you. What needs to be restored? What needs to be rebuilt? Be honest with God and with yourself. Are you doing your part according to your ability? Are you aware of the sin and ruins around you?

You can’t come against evil with evil and win. You can’t fight in the natural and win. Truth, the power of the Holy Spirit, the true Word of God, Love, Joy, Peace, Light, and Life are what we need to bring to our world. It is what Jesus brought to our world. These will combat lies, powerlessness, false doctrine, hatred, sadness, fear, darkness and death without us “firing a single shot”.

             If we don’t do the good work God has called us to do as His people; keeping His Word, His teachings, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and walking in the Spirit, the walls will not be rebuilt. And the fate of the church will remain like that of Jerusalem with the people going through their daily routines and religious duties among the rubble and ruins, resigned to a life of compromise and defeat.

 

LET US RISE UP AND BUILD AND LET THE GLORY OF GOD BE SEEN.

WHAT WILL THIS GENERATION DO?

 

            The generation that God miraculously brought out from Egyptian slavery was ungrateful, unbelieving and rebellious against God and His commandments. Because of their rebelliousness, they were a generation that died in the wilderness without completing their journey. They had seen all the plagues that came to Egypt while they were kept safe in nearby Goshen. They saw the miracle of the Red Sea parting and actually experienced walking through it on dry ground. They saw their enemies destroyed. They received manna to feed them in the wilderness, quail to give them meat, water from a rock and countless other miracles. No doubt, God was providing for them and protecting them. Yet they chose to blind their eyes to the miraculous provision of God and focus only on the hardships they encountered. Most of their “hardships” were caused by their rebellion against God. After all the miracles He showed them, they still didn’t trust Him.

This is what God says to us about them. “Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.” (Psalm 95:7-11)     

            I began thinking about that lost generation who wandered in the wilderness until they finally died, and I compared it to our generation. They were constantly looking fondly back at Egypt, the place of their bondage. We keep fondly looking back at the world, the place of our bondage. Instead of submitting to God and trusting Him, they took things in their own hands time after time. I see some of the same rebellion, unbelief and sense of entitlement among us today. Are we going to settle on being a lost generation, or will we rise up and do something about changing our idleness, rebellion and unbelief before we go to our graves?

Several years ago I was talking to a pastor, and I told him that I was tired of “church”. He was a little shocked until I explained what I meant. Then he understood. I told him I was tired of church politics, people trying to push their way to top positions, seeing powerless lives, witnessing performances instead of worship and watching as the Word of God is set aside for a more up-to-date, comfortable version. Just because we are active in church, it doesn’t mean we are pleasing God. Our generation seems to have a form of godliness, but denies the power of true godliness. When will we shake ourselves and see that the power of God has departed from us just like it did from Samson? When will we see that we are weak and have no effect on the world? Instead they are having a profound effect on us. When will we catch sight of the multitudes around us that are dying and on their way to hell because the church is sequestered in their four walls and is no longer shining the light of love and compassion into the world? There is a tremendous difference in “church-goers” and Christ-followers.

Please don’t come to the conclusion that I have written off the church. Much to the contrary, I want to see us rise to our rightful place and see the power of God returned to our lives. I love and need the church and God’s people, but if we are honest, we will admit the church in general needs to be awakened. The church is made up of the people who are united with God and with one another. But we have become separated from the power and purpose of God and desperately need to return to following the example of Jesus Christ.

One of the books that I read often is “In His Steps”. I am moved every time I consider the magnitude of the promise those people made when they purposed in their hearts to make no decisions without first asking, “What would Jesus do?” Yet shouldn’t that be normal life for every follower of Jesus? Isn’t that the pattern the first disciples followed? And they changed the world. Those who made that decision in the book found that it made a drastic difference in how they saw themselves and how they lived their lives. It turned their lives upside down. It changed their city and then went beyond that. Things they had never had a second thought about doing were suddenly being examined through Jesus’ eyes, and the results were startling. Some lost jobs, some their position in society, others gave up luxury to work among those who were in dire need of a Savior. These people realized they were not their own, but were bought with the price of Jesus’ blood. Their determination to follow Jesus cost them their reputations, their cash flow and their own desires, but they found when they became selfless, it was actually freeing instead of restricting. There was a close camaraderie among those who chose to walk like Jesus walked, and they experienced the Spirit of God in their midst when they gathered together, just like the early church. Where are the prayer meetings where there is actual earnest, effective prayer? Where are those who have a strong desire to know more of Jesus, to the point of putting aside other things? Where is the selflessness that Jesus taught His disciples? Even they, like many in the church today were arguing over who would be greatest in the kingdom of God. They were missing the point. They were thinking of the kingdom of this world rather than the kingdom of God. I would like to see us challenged to take up our possession in God’s Kingdom so we can begin to move in the power of the Spirit and change our world.

            Many people say they are following Jesus, but they are walking apart from His teachings, and they are not serving others. If we think of everything that happens in light of how it will affect us, we are walking the wrong road. We are to think about how it will affect the kingdom of God and the lives of others. Jesus said we are to be the servants of all. We are here in this world, not to partake of its glory, but to point others to the glory of God. If we work for our own glory, once again, we are walking on the wrong road. Jesus was not self-serving. If he had been, we would still be lost.

There is an urgent need for people who are lost to see who Jesus is, and that can only be done through God’s people. He has entrusted His mission into our hands. Our greatest desire and purpose should be to bring glory to God and to actively participate with Him to bring about the salvation of souls and the teaching of the gospel so others can grow in Christ once they come to know Him. How can that happen unless God’s people live in surrender to His will? What gets in our way? Is it selfishness, ego, love of money, prestige, or rebellion against God? Let’s lay aside all the weights and the sin that keep us from doing God’s will. Let’s ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”

We live in a dark world that is looking for purpose in the wrong places and not finding it. We know the answer, yet they remain in darkness because our light has grown dim. Are we failing at our purpose? After all, where does the light come from? Jesus said we are the light of the world. So, why is the world dark? Because God’s people are not shining the light of Jesus Christ. It’s time to wake up and fan the flames of Jesus’ light within us. Just imagine the darkness that can be dispelled if every child of God will enlighten their part of the world! I realize that not everyone will come to the light, but we are to shine anyway. There are some who are waiting to hear our message. If we are not letting people see the kingdom of God through us, we are not glorifying God. But all that can change. Even Samson was given another chance to redeem himself.

Will we be the generation that takes their ease and lets souls slip into eternity lost? Will we be the generation that is hardened by the world and slips into the darkness? Will we be the generation who leaves no link to the gospel for the next generation? We don’t have to be.

We can change the world with truth, justice, love, compassion and the power of the gospel message. We can renew our vow to follow God’s Word no matter the consequences. Are we willing to humble ourselves and empty ourselves of all self-will and allow God to give us a fresh anointing? Are we willing to give ourselves to Him completely? We need to keep in mind that we are in the kingdom of God for the purpose of showing God’s glory to the people who don’t know Him so they can come to Him and be saved.

Psalm 92 says, “I am anointed with fresh oil [for Your service].” If we will choose to be who God has called us to be and do what God has called us to do, we can experience that fresh oil. And we will find that it is consistently replenished by the Holy Spirit as we pour it out to others. Let’s ask God where we can be of service to Him. In what mission is God inviting you to join Him? Don’t hesitate. Go with Him.

Those who have the fresh oil for His service will “flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age; They will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment]; [They are living memorials] to declare that the Lord is upright and faithful [to His promises]; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” (from Psalm 92, Amplified Bible) 

 

It’s time for the Church of Jesus Christ to rise up and be seen as His glorious Church, showing God’s glory to the world!

           

 

 

ARE WE LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

 

             You can visit most countries simply by obtaining a passport to travel there. There are specific steps you have to take and certain information you have to give in order to receive permission to enter the country. But as long as they approve your credentials, you will be allowed to go in for a visit. The kingdom of God is vastly different. You cannot even look across the border and see the kingdom of God unless you are born into it. There is nothing we have that can secure our entrance there. Our credentials are severely lacking and there is nothing we can do to change that. But Jesus did something to alter our situation. He took all our sin and unrighteousness on Himself and died in our place. His death paid the penalty for our sins, but we have to make the choice to repent (turn from) our sins and turn to Jesus, surrendering our lives to Him. Then we are born again. We know when we are born again because there is a tremendous change in us. We might not be able to explain it in words, but we know we are different.

            Being born again is to believe in Jesus - Who He is, His works, His words, His mission, His commandments. It is to choose to follow Him, to walk as He walked on this earth and to be submitted to His will. If we are truly born again, it has altered our lives and changed the way we see everything. It changes the way we think, act, and speak. It should change our relationships, our priorities and our mission in life. It gives us entrance into God’s kingdom because we are now children of God.

            What happens when we turn from our sins and surrender our lives to Jesus? What changes? Our spirit is awakened, enabling us to see and operate within the kingdom of God right here and now. Paul put it this way in writing to the Ephesians. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We are now in the kingdom of God just like Jesus was and is. Are we living fully in the kingdom of God?

            We tend to think we cannot live in the kingdom of God until our bodies die, but that is not what Jesus said. “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21 NKJV)  

Jesus taught us through example to function in kingdom principles now. He came in the flesh to show us what the kingdom of God is like and how it operates. He showed us, even though He was flesh and blood, how we can live in God’s kingdom and this world at the same time. What did He do? Let’s look at what Jesus said He came to do.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” And He accomplished His mission. Then He delegated that mission to His disciples, and because the Holy Spirit was given to them, they were able to work by the same power and wisdom that Jesus had to spread the gospel and do mighty works. They followed Jesus’ pattern. We have the same Holy Spirit and the same mission. Are we living in the kingdom of God?

            Another thing Jesus showed us is that God’s kingdom is a place where the will of God is always done. If it requires a miracle, there will be a miracle. If it requires the teaching of a hard saying, we need to be bold to teach it. If it requires compassion and sacrifice, then we are to have compassion and make the sacrifice. We are always to be completely dependent on and obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us. He will lead us into all Truth and help us to do the will of God.

It seems we are missing something of the power and wisdom of God’s kingdom. And we don’t have to. Maybe we need to re-learn what it means to live in compliance with the principles of God’s kingdom even while living in this world. Start putting it into practice one step at a time. If His commandments seem hard, even unreasonable, that only shows how far we have strayed from God’s Word and how ingrained this world is within us. Go back to the gospels and compare what you do and say to what Jesus taught. Compare His responses to others to your responses. Using Jesus as the example to follow can seem overwhelming, but we can do it by yielding minute by minute to the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

When we are born again, our citizenship is in the kingdom of God. We are in this world but not of it. Yet, we are ambassadors from God’s kingdom to this world. According to the dictionary, an ambassador is “a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative.” We have been delegated to speak and act on God’s behalf in this world. How are we doing? What depiction of God is this world seeing through us? We are to be following the example Jesus gave us and walk, talk, love, rebuke, and act like Jesus. If we don’t, no wonder the world rejects Him. They are seeing an imposter.

We have at our disposal the power of God’s kingdom. We need to learn to use it for the glory of God and for the salvation of people who as yet don’t know Him. We have the Word of God that too many don’t have. We have understanding into the things of God’s Spirit by the Spirit Himself and we need to share those things with others.

Why should we follow the principles of this world when God’s principles are clearly stated in His written Word and in our hearts? Why should we turn away from the work Jesus calls us to? Why should we continue in sin when the Truth has set us free? Why are we not telling others about the kingdom of God? Why do we not see the power of the Holy Spirit move through us when He has been given to us?

 We start out our new lives wanting to know what God says, what He has made available to us and what we can do to please Him. Over the course of years we see other Christians who are not as faithful in their walk with Jesus. Their lives are powerless and mostly focused on this world, but they have positions in the church and seem to be okay. So we get lax by following their example instead of using Jesus as our pattern. Then we pass on to the next generation our watered-down gospel, and their influence is even more diluted in their lives as they pass down a hardly recognizable gospel to the following generation. Just how far have we come from the teachings of Jesus concerning the kingdom of God? It’s time to return to the Bible and take Jesus at His Word. There are many well-meaning paraphrases of the Bible today that just may be watering down Jesus’ words. Be careful to read a valid translation. We are neither set free or commanded by the opinions of others, but only by the Truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the life. We need to be cautious so as not to be misled by opinion. It is a narrow way that leads to life. If we seek out Truth and allow Truth to set our course, we will be safe.

When we read something in the Bible that convicts us of our need to change in that area, do we allow Him to change us? When the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts to do a certain thing, are we quick to obey His voice? Or do we compare what He asks of us to what others are doing?

We need to open our eyes to see what we do, what we give priority, what we neglect in the light of God’s Word. Are we bringing His kingdom among us like Jesus did, or have we fallen back into the pattern of this world? Be careful not to get so acclimated to this world that no one can catch even a glimpse of Jesus in you.

            As this world gets darker and darker, we need to shine the light of God’s Truth brighter than ever before. If we are not careful we can be lulled by the rhythms of this world and turn our eyes back to accomplishing things here instead of in the kingdom of God. That is a mistake, because we come in and out of this world like a flash. But what we accomplish here for the kingdom of God will last forever. This world lures us in to make us comfortable here, but God draws us closer to Him. Let’s never forget our position as ambassadors in this world. We may say, “well I know where I’m going, so I don’t care what happens.” But what about all those who haven’t heard the gospel? Where will they be?

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)

            Pray and ask God what is your part in reaching the world for Christ. We are all called in different capacities to get the one work done – sending the gospel into all the world. Do we still feel our responsibility for lost souls? Do we still have compassion for those who have not heard? Do we recognize the blessing of God in our lives for those of us who know Him?  Freely we have received, we must also freely give.

Are you living in the kingdom of God?

 

THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD

 

            I have noticed a phenomenon that occurs when you are driving nicely in your own lane and someone is waiting to come out of a side road hoping to enter your lane. They often avoid making eye contact with you. It seems they think if they don’t acknowledge you, then you don’t exist and they can take the right-of-way to pull right out in front of you into your lane. It may work for them if you are watching closely, but on their part it’s dangerous to presume.

            I wonder how many people use that technique with God. Some think that if we just don’t acknowledge God, then we can do whatever we want to and get by with it. We can believe whatever we choose to believe and make it a reality. But it is a dangerous presumption that has eternal consequences. Whether we believe in God or not, whether we believe in Jesus to save us or not, we will stand before Him in the end. We won’t be able to avoid Him then. God will not join us in our errant beliefs. He will not accept sin. That’s why, in His love for us, Jesus died, taking on Himself all our sins. But we have to implement that belief into our lives by surrendering to Jesus and walking in His principles, power and understanding, or we will stand before Him in judgment unprepared.

            The nineteenth chapter of the Psalms gives us a description of the oratorical skills of God’s universe. Although there are no words we can actually hear with our physical ear, the message is very clear. There is a God who is the Creator of heaven and earth and His glory is evident for all of us to see on a consistent basis. Just look at the eloquence of these words.

            “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world.” (Amplified Bible)

            With all these wonders surrounding us, many still refuse to believe God. Instead of seeing the works of His hands and giving Him worship and glory, mankind has chosen to make up their own stories of how the earth and our universe came into existence and how it manages to maintain itself with perfect balance. So they say they believe it happened quite by accident over a period of billions of years. Rather than serving the one true God, they have created their own gods, gods they can control, but who cannot satisfy them or help them in their time of need because they are not gods at all. It’s like a childish game of pretend, but the stakes are much higher in this self-imposed delusion, because God has clearly made Himself known, and mankind has rejected the truth.

Romans 1 tells us, that God will not overlook sin because the signs of His creation speak of Him and His glory. They point clearly to Him, His power and His majesty. He goes on to say, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.” (Amplified Bible)

            Even though God will not overlook sin, all is not lost if we will just turn to Him, acknowledge Him for Who He is and believe that through Jesus Christ we can have forgiveness of our sins. Not only that, but we can have the Holy Spirit of God living within us to help us understand spiritual things and purify our hearts and minds to serve Him. That is the only way to find true peace and contentment in this world and prepare for eternity. When we give ourselves to reading and meditating on God’s Word instead of the words of men, we will find ourselves drawn to follow Him. When we open our lives to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have within us the power of God to teach us and lead us in His paths. His commandments are not oppressive. On the contrary, they set us free. We don’t keep His commandments to be saved. We keep His commandments because we are saved. It comes down to a matter of our will. Will we surrender our lives to Jesus and allow Him to live through us? The next verses in Psalm nineteen show us the perfection of God’s laws and precepts and how they renew us to walk with Him.

 

“The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.”

Wouldn’t you like to have your soul refreshed and have wisdom and clarity of mind to make even the most difficult decisions with confidence that you are taking the right way?

 

“The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

Don’t you need joy in your life? And wouldn’t you like to have your spiritual eyes opened to know the reality of life, to have information that is reliable and trustworthy? I know I would. I hear so many voices that I simply cannot rely on because they are deceitful. But I can go to the Word of God and learn the truth. He never disappoints me.

 
“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.”

When we come to recognize the majesty, power and wisdom of God, we will fear Him with deep reverence and awe that will produce a cleansing effect in us. When we see our sin displayed against the backdrop of His holiness, we can cry out for mercy and be made clean. The blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all sin. The righteous judgments of God will be satisfied through the blood of Christ.

 

“They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”

When we know the Lord and understand His precepts, we will realize they are more valuable than anything this world can offer. Only those who don’t know Him and love Him will find Jesus’ teachings to be a burden.

“Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed];
In keeping them there is great reward.”

Not only are the principles of God good, full of wisdom and strength, they keep us safe. We need to be reminded often of the Word of God and His precepts. When God gives a warning through His Word, He isn’t being critical or threatening. He is helping us stay on the right path and away from danger.

Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.

There are times when we will make mistakes or omit to do something we should have done. We can ask of the Lord and He will forgive those “unintended faults.” But our heart needs to be open to hear from Him and trust Him enough to follow His words to change.
 
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins;
Let them not rule and have control over me. Then I will be blameless (complete),
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

 

We can even go to the Lord when we have deliberately sinned against Him and find forgiveness and restoration there. We don’t have to be ruled by sin. It is better to listen to God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us rather than our own will. He will keep us from sinning as we follow Him.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.

What we meditate on will determine what we say and do. It is best to meditate on the One Who is Our Rock. Who do you know that is like an immovable rock? Someone who makes no mistakes, has your best interest at heart, and will do anything night or day to guide you and provide for you? One who never gives false information whether by accident, innocently or purposely? There is none but the Lord our God, Creator of heaven and earth. And He loves us with an everlasting love.

 

            How much wiser it is to see the works of God and acknowledge Him as God than to deny Him. His works and His Word will lead us in His perfect way, as perfectly balanced as His creation. Then, in the end, we can stand before Him complete.

TRANSFORMED BY THE SPIRIT

 

             Under the Law given by Moses, the Jewish people were instructed to offer animal sacrifices to atone for their sins. But the animal had to be perfect, without any blemishes, before God would accept it. Then Jesus came to fulfill the Law and to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so that we can be free from sin and the consequences of sin because of His shed blood. His sacrifice was once for all. No more blood sacrifices need to be made. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice with no sin, no blemishes. The animal sacrifices didn’t change the nature of the people. It just covered their sin until next time. Yet the sacrifice that Jesus made gave us power to be transformed into His image and leave our sin nature behind. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13) By His mercy and grace, we can be forgiven, changed, and free.    We can live in a higher dimension.

            The apostle Paul urged the Christians in Rome to realize the significance of the mercy of God toward them. Then he wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” Our bodies don’t have to die to pay for our sin. Jesus has already done that, so we need to accept what He has done and surrender our lives – body, soul and spirit – completely to Him. We are to set ourselves apart for service to God. That is what it means to be sanctified. It is a process that transforms us as we surrender our lives to God daily. We are to live holy lives by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Paul says this “presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice” is our “reasonable service.” It is not unreasonable at all. It may go against the reasoning of this world, but it is the obvious next step once we are born again. Our regeneration is not the end of the process. It is the beginning of a new life learning to live in harmony with God’s kingdom. We can learn to live every day in the presence of God.

            In the next verse, Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world. To conform means to act in accord with the prevailing standards, thought patterns and practices of a group or society, in essence, this world system. We are born in harmony with this world’s standards. And we take on this world’s nature, character and actions more and more as we grow in this world.

But when we are born again, we are born into a spiritual kingdom to be in harmony with God. We are to grow daily in the nature of His kingdom, the character of His kingdom, the actions or works of His kingdom. And we are governed by the principles of His kingdom. Jesus said that He only said what the Father told Him to say and only did what the Father told Him to do. He was living in the world in a human body, but He was still operating in harmony with the Kingdom of God.

            Paul went on to tell the Roman Christians in addition to not being conformed to this world, they were to be changed. “But be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We can only be transformed when we are born into God’s kingdom. Then we can begin living in harmony with His principles. Our minds are renewed as we study the Bible and allow the Spirit to enlighten us to the meaning of each verse. With the Holy Spirit as our guide, our eyes will be opened to what God is saying to us in scriptures we were not able to understand before. We will sense His presence with us and, according to Isaiah, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” The Holy Spirit is our guide and comforter.  He gives us boldness when we need courage and conviction when we are turning the wrong way. He gives us power, wisdom and discernment and brings to our minds the things Jesus taught. We need the Spirit of God with us! We cannot walk in the kingdom of God without the Spirit of God.

 It is amazing to realize that we are literally born into a literal kingdom that is above this world in every way. We take for granted the fact that we grow in this physical world. We don’t stay the same. It is also reasonable to understand that we are to grow in this new dimension of which we have become citizens. We don’t stay the same. Our physical growth in this world increases and then we begin to decrease in strength and abilities until we die. But in the kingdom of God, we are constantly growing and increasing in strength and wisdom. And our spirit never dies. Proverbs 4:18 says, “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” The just are those who have received the righteousness of Jesus Christ and are following His example. They are being governed by the principles of the kingdom of God, and have discovered that they have within them the power of God’s kingdom, His authority, wisdom and discernment. It doesn’t come from what we do or say. It comes from the Holy Spirit Who is in us. And what we do and say comes from the Spirit. We grow in faith, wisdom, knowledge and every other characteristic of the kingdom as we are governed by its King. We can accomplish great things for the kingdom of God when we are willing vessels surrendered to the King. Then, one day, our bodies will leave this world and we will be with Him forever in that “perfect day”.

Richard Stearns, president of World Vision US, said when he was a boy he had to memorize questions and answers in catechism. One question was “Why did God make me?” The answer is “God made me to love, serve and obey Him.” Richard turned away from God soon after that to live life his way. But later, after much research, he came face to face with the truth of Jesus Christ. He said, “I had a stark choice to make. I could accept the astonishing truth and commit my life to following Jesus Christ, or I could turn my back on God, walk away from something I knew to be true, and spend the rest of my life living a lie. There was no partial step I could take. Either Jesus would be the most important truth in my life, governing all that I would ever do, or I would go it alone, doing everything my way.” He chose Jesus and is making a profound difference in the world.

When we choose Jesus, He will accept no less than everything from us. We cannot live in harmony with Jesus and with this world at the same time. When the people of Israel would serve God and idols, He did not accept them, their worship, or their sacrifices. They were either fully serving God, or they were not His. We cannot serve Jesus and be governed by this world and its principles. We either belong to Jesus and live by His principles, or we are not His at all.

Jesus warns us in the seventh chapter of Matthew that our works will not get us into heaven, no matter how great they are. He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

We are to say what the Lord tells us to say and do what He tells us to do. We can find what that is by looking into the Bible and reading Jesus teachings. We can know what to say and do by living in obedience to the Holy Spirit living in us. We are transformed as we allow ourselves to be governed by Him in full surrender.

1 John 2:5-6 says, “But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected… By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.”

Let’s strive to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. When we do these things, we will be able to prove out in our lives the will of God instead of the will of this world or our own selfish will. But we must live in harmony with the kingdom of God

 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good

and acceptable and perfect will of God.”