Desire Spiritual Gifts

1 Cor 14:11 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. (NKJ)

I'm teaching a series on spiritual gifts in our local church. It has been rewarding for me to revisit some of the great texts of the bible which deal with the subject of spiritual gifts. Many people immediately think of the Corinthians when the subject of spiritual gifts comes up. But there is a wonderful passage in Romans 12 about spiritual gifts as well as Ephesians chapter 4. Because of the Corinthian excesses and selfish displays, many have sought to discredit the value of spiritual gifts in our post-modern era.

To use the book of 1 Corinthians as some kind of proof-text against spiritual gifts is a grave error. Paul was not seeking to forbid or devalue the importance of spiritual gifts- just the wrong use of them. What becomes evident from the very outset of Paul's letter to the Corinthians is that they had a problem with divisions and factions in the church. Paul makes numerous references to this problem (I Cor 1:10,11, I Cor 3:3, I Cor 11:18) in this letter. This problem spilled into the arena of spiritual gifts as well- some felt superior because of their gifts, while trying to demean those who had (what they deemed as) the "lesser" gifts.

Many have rightly emphasized the need to follow and pursue charity (love). But following love and desiring spiritual gifts go hand in hand (see the initial verse I posted at the top of this blog entry). The two are not mutually exclusive! I have noticed and observed that many have made attempts to excuse their lack of desire for spiritual gifts. I hear comments like "well, if God wants me to operate in spiritual gifts, He will give them to me, but right now I don't think it's His will." While there is a truth in the sovereignty of God in the distribution of the gifts (I Cor 12:11, 18, 28), this should not be used as a cop-out for not desiring the gifts. This is much like the instruction in the book of James regarding prayer for the sick. While we acknowledge that not everyone is healed when we anoint with oil, and pray the prayer of faith- this does not diminish our responsibility to follow the directives of scripture. Regarding spiritual gifts, God may not grant us the spiritual gift (or gifts) that we desire, but that does not negate our responsibility to desire and pray for them. Paul especially seems to value the need for prophecy in the church.

Until next time...

Life Under the Sun (Part I)

I'm beginning a series of sermons on the book of Ecclesiastes, so I thought I would blog some of the highlights from the messages here. Today I preached a summary from the first two chapters of the book. In the first chapter, the writer of Ecclesiastes (most likely King Solomon, who refers to himself as "the Preacher") laments a life lived only with an earthly perspective. The Hebrew word translated Ecclesiastes means "to assemble." Bible scholars believe that Solomon probably wrote this book in the latter portion of his life. It is not difficult to imagine him assembling folks around him to rehearse the meaning of life and teach lessons about wasting youth on pleasure and the pursuit of earthly wisdom.

He realizes that things continue on an unchanged course- the rising and setting of the sun- the cyclical patterns in history- and that there is "no new thing under the sun." He describes how he sought meaning in life through wisdom. Without doubt Solomon was the wisest man of his day and beyond (until Jesus Christ's advent of course). He had such a breadth of knowledge that he could intelligently speak about horticulture, agriculture, zoology, and practically any other topic. And yet with all of that knowledge he was still miserable.

Then he says he decided to search for purpose in pleasure (the beginning of chapter 2). Scripture records that Solomon's house was 13 years in building. He had thousands of stalls for his horses and chariots to match. He had beautiful gardens and waterfalls to entertain him. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (which eventually turned his heart away from the Lord to serve idols). He could easily say with confidence to anyone who asked of him that he had "been there...done that...and got the t-shirt." If anyone knew what it was to live a life of luxury, power, and pleasure...it was Solomon.

He then laments the fact that all of his wisdom, pleasures, and riches and labor could not prevent his death. That one event unites the foolish with the wise. The writer of Hebrews says that it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this- the judgement. Further compounding the problem is the fact that most likely his heir Rehoboam would turn out to be a flop (which history and scripture both reveal that he did- disregarding the counsel of wise men and keeping the company of fools).

Until next time....

Beating the Air This New Year?

1 Cor 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air (KJV)

If you're like me then you're probably midway through your first day of your new diet and already wondering if it was such a good idea after all! By the grace of God (and the loving support of my wife), I somehow found my way to the treadmill this morning for a brisk walk. I must say that it felt good to get my blood circulating this morning and get some excercise. (We'll see how it works out tomorrow). Ok- enough about me and my journey towards physical fitness, let's wax spiritual for just a moment.

Paul told the Corinthians that he discharged the duties of his ministry with purpose. It's very easy to make bland and generic goals when a new calendar year rolls around. We say things like "I'm going to pray more this year", or "I'm going to get closer to God", or perhaps "I'm going to increase my giving to the work of the ministry this year." These are all noble desires, but sometimes I think we are like the proverbial man that Paul describes "beating the air" or running around aimlessly. Many times we expend a lot of energy and resources, but end up accomplishing very little for the Kingdom of God.

I hate to sound cliche' but just as the old proverb goes, "no one plans to fail, they simply fail to plan." Paul used the analogy of an athlete. No serious athlete approaches a contest or competition with a haphazard method of training. They typically follow a strict diet, exercise, and rest routine in order to maximize fitness and endurance. I'm not saying that our Christian life must be so rigid and programmed that there is no sense of vibrance or variety (the Pharisees and their customs immediately come to mind). But I also believe we should set some quantifiable goals and then be mindful to evaluate our progress (or the lack thereof). Paul said that he had to beat his body into subjection and make it his slave. We must take the initiative and do those things that we know are needful for our spiritual maturity.

If you've been waiting for someone to motivate you into action, then hopefully today's blog entry will serve that purpose. I know I have certainly challenged myself to do more for the Kingdom in 2007.

Until next time.....

Are we missing Jesus?

Luke 2:43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. (NKJ)

In reading the Christmas story accounts in the Gospels, it is tempting to overlook this account that takes place when Jesus was 12 years old. Much emphasis is made of the fact that Christ confounded the teachers in the temple with His wisdom. But I think there is much to be said for the fact that Jesus was missing and yet life went on for Mary and Joseph. There are many (myself included) who would fall into the category of overprotective parents at times. Let's not forget that Mary and Joseph had Divine confirmation that the Son of God was living with them. And yet even with that knowledge, they somehow allowed Him to get "lost in the shuffle" of their busy lives.

Thank God they felt a sense of urgency, and sought him anxiously (the KJV says "sorrowing"). Friends, it is easy to take for granted the presence of Jesus in our lives. In this time of year especially, as we make preparations and plans for festivities and even religious activites, let us not forget to fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. As ironic as it seems, at a time when we are celebrating the birth of Christ, it seems more difficult to resist the temptation to get caught up in all of the frenzy of the season which is supposedly dedicated to Him. Admittedly I find my own thoughts preoccupied with more trivial matters at this time of year (do I really need a new electronic gadget every December?).

Just a reminder that we shouldn't leave Jesus behind as we pursue all of the activities of this holiday season.

~Until next time....

Sin's Devastating Effects

I Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (KJV)

I recently preached a series of sermons at our church from the book of First John. What became very obvious as we went through the book, is the serious nature of sin and the toll it takes on the community of faith as well as the individual. Today, I want to briefly talk about the devastating effects of sin on the human body. Now let me preface my remarks by saying that I do not believe all sickness or disease is related to some sin in a person's life. We live in a fallen world and our outward man is perishing even though our inner man is being renewed day-by-day.

One of the first examples that come to mind are the believers at Corinth. In chapter 5 we read of a man who is involved in a form of gross sexual immorality. Because he (and the congregation) saw no need for repentance or discipline, Paul instructed the church to hand him over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh. Paul seems to indicate that sexual sins are particularly destructive to the human body:

1 Cor 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.(KJV)

To this same church, he also warned that coming to the communion table in an unholy manner and a reckless way could result in premature death as well as sickness. Yet another extreme but biblical example is that of Ananias and Saphira. Their sin brought immediate physical death. John stated that he wrote his epistle so that the believers would not sin (I John 2:1). Not only does sin have eternal consequences when not repented of, but it can have devastating effects on the human body.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Phil 1:33 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, (KJV)

I want to say a special thank you to all who read this blog regularly and contribute. I also want to thank God for His great salvation. I hope that all who read today will be blessed as they reflect upon the goodness of God. Thank God for the people in your life who make a difference.

In closing, please allow me to share a story about the late bible commentator Matthew Henry:

"Matthew Henry, the famous Bible scholar, was once accosted by thieves and robbed. In his diary, he wrote: "Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before; second, because they took my purse and not my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed." "

God bless you today
~Henry

Mechanics of Bible Study (II)

In our last blog entry, we looked at some of the how-to's of bible study, using I John for illustrative purposes. We're looking primarily at chapter one in our example. So if we were going to begin studying the book of I John and beginning with chapter one, this is the way I would approach study. First, I would do as I spoke of in my last entry- read, read, and read it again. Next, I would try to determine the recipients and occasion of the letter. It is not 100% obvious from reading strictly chapter one (that's why I recommend especially with the smaller epistles to read them all the way through several times before beginning more thorough study) exactly what's going on in the Johannine community but there are a few clues.

First we see that John begins with an interesting phrase in his greeting:

I Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (KJV)

Again, without reading the entire epistle it would be unwise to read very much into this, but if you had read the entire epistle you would realize there is some controversy regarding Jesus Christ coming in a physical body. So now the fact that John emphasizes that he has heard (with his own ears), seen (with his own eyes) and "handled" (leaned on his breast) Him takes on even more meaning.

We also see that this verse looks very similar to the introductory verse in the Gospel of John. We will later discover many similar themes between I John and the Gospel of John. In this same thought, we also see some repetetive words in this chapter, one in particular being "Light." A cursory reading or search of the Gospel of John reveals that the imagery of light is a popular theme in the Johannine writings. Walking in the Light is tantamount to living as Jesus did.

In this short chapter, we see this phrase three times "If we say....." so there are certain things we can gather from this. First of all, there are possibly some catch phrases or slogans that have floated around the Johannine community (much like the Corinthians were famous for "everything is permissable "). Perhaps false teachers or deceived persons are making false boasts or claims. One thing is certain, John is trying to alert the reader that verbal profession is not the basis for determining one's standing before God and his "walking in the Light." His deeds are what truly reveals one's spiritual condition and standing before God. In other words, John is concerned that people are actually "walking the walk" and not just "talking the talk."

We also see the word "fellowship" (Greek word Koinonia) repeated numerous times in this chapter. John (through the Holy Spirit) is concerned that his readers have true fellowship or communion with God and with one another. This is only possible when we have a proper understanding of Jesus Christ and the nature of saving faith. John will later offer one of the most transparent and blunt methods of discerning the children of God and the children of the devil in chapter 3, but he definitely whets our appetite for more in this introductory chapter.

Yet another powerful theme in this chapter is that of the nature of sin. We can immediately discern that some have a faulty understanding of the destructive nature of sin in one's relationship with God. It is impossible to determine precisely the meaning of these "if we say..." clauses but there are some pretty strong indicators. Either these professing this thought that they had reached a level of sinless perfection, or this is a foreshadowing of what would later become called "Gnostic" teaching (i.e. that "matter is evil."). Such a person would believe that the regenerated spirit was so pure that no deeds done in the body were considered sinful....obviously a doctrine of demons.

These are all weighty themes, and John will develop them further in his epistle. These are just some basic guidelines of how to approach a biblical text for study. I recommend that you read other books on the topic because there are so many different approaches out there and none of them are exhaustive. I think it's important as with anything else, to make your study fun. Mixing things up, using pneumonic devices, scripture memorization, and word studies can really breath life into the task.

Enjoy yourself...until next time!

~Henry

Mechanics of Bible Study (Part One)

Again, I apologize that I seem to have such a difficult time updating my blog. I would promise to do better, but I seem to be really bad at good intentions too. Oh well, enough about me, let's continue talking about bible study. I wanted to first give you the spiritual dynamics (certainly not all of them, but a few) of bible study. Some things are rather straightforward, while others may not be so obvious to everyone. Having said that, let's look at some of the nuts & bolts of bible study today. Because I'm currently preaching a series at our church on I John, I thought I would use that epistle as an example. Let me share a few ways that I would approach my study of this book, and the first chapter in particular.

First, I would say to do what almost every "expert" (I'm not including myself in the expert class, just in case you were wondering) does when approaching a passage of Scripture. Read it, read it some more, read it again, read...well you get the picture. I know some of my friends reading this are probably of the KJV-only persuasion, but even if you do hold to this position, I encourage you to read a passage of scripture in numerous different translations, just to get a feel for the text. Sometimes the archaic language of the KJV makes it difficult to grasp the meaning of a particular word or phrase. I don't wish to engage in any type of bible translation debates, so please no hateful e-mails or comments (experience tells me I have to include such disclaimers...sorry).

Epistles in particular should be read all the way through in one sitting. This is the way we treat secular literature (especially letters or e-mails sent to us). We don't go "lucky dipping" in the middle of the letter to try to get the sense or tenor of the letter or e-mail. We read the greeting(s), introductory remarks, body of the letter, and the conclusion (or benediction). Reading an entire epistle helps us to discern the tone of the letter. Is it warm and familial? (John frequently uses the term "my little children" as an address in this epistle) Or is it more serious and corrective (as in Galatians where Paul gets right to the issue of false teaching/gospels)? Many commentaries are available which give the "occasion" of the letter, but I would suggest before you ever consult a commentary (as a matter of fact, I recommend that this is the LAST thing you do-and I will discuss this more indepth later) that you read and pray over the text yourself. In doing so, you will probably have a good sense of the occasion of the letter. Pay special attention to the recipients of the letter, personal pronouns and other descriptive titles.

Now in the example of I John, this letter begins with a strong similarity to the Gospel of John. Most conservative theologians agree that the Gospel of John, I, II, and III John, and Revelation have the same author (there are those who disagree, but I will not deal with that here for sake of time). Operating under that premise, it would be wise to be familiar with the other writings by this author. You will find that there are many similar themes between I John and the Gospel by the same name. For illustrative purposes, I'm really only going to deal with the first chapter of I John, but the "purpose statement" of this letter can be found in the last chapter. John says that he writes these things "that you may know you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God" (I John 5:13b). So it becomes evident by reading the entire letter through in one sitting, and paying attention to the "purpose statements" of this epistle (phrases like "these things I have written to you because..." or "I am writing to you so that.." or "I'm writing you because") that the Johannine community needs clarification or at least John through the Holy Spirit was concerned that they needed further information regarding the nature of salvation and assurance.

We will look at some more mechanics in the next entry-until next time.....

~Henry

The Greatest Teacher

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.(KJV)

Today, we continue our series on the importance of studying the Bible. It is no great wonder that unbelievers do not enjoy reading the Bible and have trouble making sense of it all. The Christian however, need not feel despair in this area. It matters very little about your level of formal education. Education is wonderful, and by all means, every Christian should take advantage of every opportunity to further their education. But nothing compares to the spiritual lessons, one can be taught by the Holy Spirit. We read this in I Corinthians:

1 Cor 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.(NKJ)

We often speak and hear about "the anointing" when it comes to the Holy Spirit. One of the purposes of God's anointing, is so that we can understand the truths of God's Word. John, writing to a community of believers struggling with various issues, addresses this purpose of the anointing. It becomes obvious that there was a sect of teachers (John calls them "antichrists") who sought to seduce true followers of Christ. John made it clear to them, that they (the believers in the Johannine community) didn't need some special revelation from a second-hand mediator. They had the best teacher already living within them.

I Jn 2:26-These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.(NKJ)

This is not to say that there is no value in Christian education, seminaries, or other venues of education. The Scripture plainly teaches us that God has gifted specific men and women in the area of teaching.

Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,(NKJ)

This is important to remember, because there is always the temptation to say "I have the Holy Spirit, therefore I can glean nothing from other men." Perhaps there are many we have run across in our Christian experience who share this sentiment. In order to show the fallacy of this line of thinking, I'd like to use the Apostle Paul as an example. Paul had intense training as a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5-6) and had been taught at the feet of the renowned Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)....and this was before he even came to Christ (of which past he referred to as "dung" or rubbish). He had a dramatic conversion on the Damascus road, he had numerous visions of Jesus Christ, and had even been caught up to the third heaven to hear things "unlawful for a man to utter." If anyone could have felt the temptation to be a know-it-all, certainly this man had good excuse- but notice his attitude:

1 Cor 8:1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.(NKJ)

We can come to the Scriptures with a sense of hope and encouragement because we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, teaching us the great truths of God's Word. We have the benefit of those within Christ's church whom He has gifted in the area of teaching and expounding God's Word. And if you are reading this blog today, you already know that there are tremendous resources in print and electronic media that will assist you in your studies (we'll get to those later). Let us always be open to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and show us wonderful things out of the Word of God. Regardless of how many times you have read a particular passage of Scripture, God can always give you that "light-bulb" moment that makes all the difference! I encourage you to pray these words as you open up the pages of your bible.

Ps 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.(KJV)

A Different Kind of Book

II Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB)

Studying the bible is different than studying a textbook, or a piece of secular literature. The bible makes the boast of being the Word of God. Paul told Timothy that all scripture is inspired (literally breathed) by God. Jesus told His followers that the words He spoke were "spirit and life." The book of Hebrews tells us that scripture is "quick and powerful" and penentrates the human heart and the bones and marrow. Merely having an analytical mind is not enough to truly comprehend and properly study the bible. Paul commended the Thessalonians because they received his message not as the word of men, but as it is in truth- the Word of God.

Paul told the Corinthians that the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishness to him. The reason that the bible doesn't make any sense to a non-believer is because they are on a different frequency (if I can use that analogy). It's like being tuned to FM and trying listen to a broadcast on an AM station (for those of us who don't yet have sattelite radio). When Jesus rose from the dead, we read in Luke 24 that He opened the understanding of the disciples so they could comprehend the Scriptures (Luke 24:45).

It takes a renewed mind, and a regenerated spirit to truly be able to comprehend this Book. Next, we will explore the fact Christians have the best teacher in the world available to them at all times.

Until next time....

The Goal of Application

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.(KJV)

I would like to take the next few blog entries, and deal with the issue of personal bible study. I realize there are probably hundreds of “how-to” books on the market regarding this all-important topic, but I thought I would share a few principles for those who read my blog. I don’t consider myself any kind of expert, but I have a tremendous passion for study of the Word of God. I believe that every Christian should learn to enjoy studying his/her bible. Of course there is an obedience factor involved in reading the Word, but hopefully I can stir within you a sincere desire to study for personal enrichment, and not simply a means of fulfilling an obligation. (Although we certainly are obliged to study to show ourselves approved unto God)

For my first entry, I would like to start with the end-goal as opposed to the mechanics of bible study. People study the bible for various reasons- even agnostics sometimes study the bible in an attempt to disprove its miraculous claims. Hopefully, the Christian’s motivation for studying the Word of God is application. Jesus said that a wise man builds his house upon a rock. In this example, the man whose house is founded upon a rock is the man whose goal is application of the Word of God. He is not simply a hearer of sermons and bible studies- he seeks to obey what he’s heard. Probably one of the more practical books of the New Testament (James) tells us that we are to be not only hearers of the Word, but doers. This is the dividing line between a living faith and a dead faith.

If I search the scriptures diligently, but have no desire to know God intimately, or to allow His truth to sanctify me and mature me, I have missed the whole point. Mere knowledge will “puff up” but knowledge coupled with a desire to obey will help us to “grow up.” The Pharisees obviously had a religious knowledge, but they totally missed the object of all Scripture- the Deity and Divine work of Jesus Christ. If we gain tremendous insights and have more understanding than all of our instructors and yet fail to know, love, and obey God more in the process, then all of our efforts have been in vain. So as we look at some of the mechanics in subsequent posts, let’s keep this in the forefront of our minds. As with most “religious” activities- there is always a temptation to approach them with a sense of duty and lifelessness. We can become so accustomed to doing Christian things that we do them without engaging our hearts. Several times we read in scripture that people “honored God with their lips, but their heart was far from Him.”

My prayer is that if you are already engaged in regular bible study, this will reinforce some disciplines you are already employing. If you are not doing this, I hope that you will be stirred into action and will share with me the joy of mining the great riches of God’s precious treasure- His Word!

Until next time….

Why Would He Choose Me?

Deuteronomy 7: 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people

The nation of Israel is the apple of God's eye (Deut 32:10/Zechariah 2:8) and has always been. Some churches have embraced replacement theology, which without going into tons of detail basically says, "the church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people." I think a good reading of Romans 9-11 (and chapter 11 in particular) will dispel that myth and prove that God is not finished with the nation of Israel. And at some point in the not-too-distant future, the fullness of the Gentiles will have come in, and the focus will again turn to Jerusalem as the major center of salvific activity.

But God wanted to make sure that Israel understood her election status as God's chosen people. He wanted them to realize it had nothing to do with their prominence among the nations, their military might, or their influence on global affairs. God chose them because of His great love, and because of the covenant He initiated with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Just a brief survey of the book of Genesis will reveal that even the patriarchs were not without blemish. The New Testament especially places emphasis on the fact that Abraham was justified by "faith" and by no other means. The same is true of the New Testament Church. We have been saved by grace, through faith.

After God explained to them the basis of their election (in Deut.7:7-8), He then went on to describe the commandments that they were obligated to obey. Much like Romans 12:1 begins "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God..", and then follows with a list of practical commands of the Christian faith. Today dear friend, you can rejoice that God has chosen to have mercy on you, not because of anything you have done, but because of the grace of God. This grace is not a license to sin- as a matter of fact, it is a means of overcoming it (read Titus 2:11-12 and Jude 1:4). But it is a tremendous reminder that in all things we should rejoice in the Lord and thank Him for His grace!

Until next time...

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Not Many Mighty...

1 Cor 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: (KJV)

We are so easily impressed with worldly success. We love to hear about the high-profile conversions to Christianity. We are bombarded from the tele-pulpits (for those who still watch Christian television that is....) with a message proclaiming that God wants you to have "your best life now." Much like Job's day and Jesus' day, the idea that monetary wealth and worldly influence=spiritual blessing still permeates the religious world like a cancer. Even though history tells us that it has always been the downtrodden and rejected of society that most readily embrace the gospel, we still want to believe otherwise.

We have carefully sought to soften or even explain away Jesus' words which tell us that it is hard (not impossible...but difficult) for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We scratch our heads as we hear of miracles taking place in third-world countries...meanwhile most of our neighbors in the Western world couldn't care less about Jesus Christ than they do right now. James tells us that God has chosen the poor "rich in faith." The church in Smyrna was in abject poverty and yet Christ told them they were rich. The church in Laodicea was rich and "had need of nothing" by their own estimation- but Christ revealed to them that they were wretched, poor, miserable, blind, and naked.

No, this is not some kind of campaign or propaganda encouraging Christians to sell everything they own and give it to the poor. Nor is it a post championing the virtues of laziness, poor stewardship, or a lack of planning for the future. Paul was correcting a problem that the church in Corinth seemed to struggle with- spiritual pride! Anything that we have in this life (whether it be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, or redemption) is all because of the LORD! God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God says that His strength is made perfect in weakness- we have this treasure in earthen vessels (jars of clay).

God didn't choose the Israelites because they were great in number (Deut. 7:7). And the same is true of the church- it is by grace we have been saved through faith and not of ourselves- it is the gift of God-not of works, lest any man should boast! (Eph 2:8-9). Let's be thankful today that God has chosen foolish things to confound the wise. He is bringing to nothing the things that are so that no flesh can glory in His presence. We can say with Jonah that "salvation is of the LORD" (Jonah 2:9b)!

His ways are past finding out!

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

In our church, we've been studying the book of Romans on Wednesday nights- verse-by-verse. For the past three weeks, we've been studying chapters 9-11 which deal largely with God's eternal plans for the nations and Israel in particular. There are some fairly difficult concepts outlined in those few chapters- the hardening of Pharaoah, the election of Israel as a nation, God's fantastic plan to include the Gentiles and have mercy upon all.

Paul certainly anticipated that some of these weighty themes would illicit questions (especially all that stuff about "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated"....and so on). Here is a man who had studied at the feet of Gamaliel- a master of New Testament and Old Testament theology- one who had been to paradise and heard things not lawful for man to utter- and one who had numerous personal revelations from Jesus Christ Himself. And yet, he concludes this section of the letter to the Romans by saying that God's ways are "past finding out."

This is not a cop-out- nor is it an appeal for a lack of conviction about difficult theological concepts. It is simply an acknowledgment that there are some things we simply will not be able to resolve this side of Heaven. We spend far too much time arguing with one another and trying to convince each other of our particular interpretations which we have firmly cemented in our own minds. Instead of throwing our hands up in frustration, why don't we do as Paul and throw our hands up in the air to praise God. I don't have to understand how everything works in order to praise Him.

There are many two-sided truths in the Bible. For example, God must first choose us, but we also must respond in faith. The bible says "whosoever will, let him come" on the one hand, and on the other it says "no man can come to me unless the Father draws him." I personally cannot embrace the Calvinistic interpretation of election and predestination- I believe the scriptures reveal that God is no respector of persons. However, I will be the first to admit I don't understand Paul's conversion either. He was not looking to "get saved" on the road to Damascus. His intent was to cause harm and injury to the cause of Christ. And yet, Jesus interrupted his plans and revealed to him that he was a chosen vessel for God's glory.

So while we sit and home and ponder the great truths like election, predestination, the Trinity, and other difficult concepts- let us stand in awe and wonder at the Majesty of God Almighty and be thankful that He has chosen to have mercy upon us all.

Praise God on this Friday!

Until next time....

2 Corinthians 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: (KJV)

Do you ever get the feeling that Christians, and especially leaders, get some kind of special satisfaction by speaking religious jargon? I often wonder what unbelievers think after listening to us speak or perhaps after reading some of our literature. Do they come away with a clear representation of the gospel message? Or do they simply walk away clueless because we have thoroughly confused the issue with complicated terminology and "Christianspeak"?

Now I do find it somewhat ironic that the Scripure I quoted above is from Paul- easily one of the most misunderstood writers of the New Testament. But this comment is not so much about difficulties in understanding doctrine, but rather in communicating the gospel. Paul was a master at communicating in the language of his listeners. He often used sports motifs (wrestling, boxing, running, etc.) to communicate spiritual truths. At Mars Hill, he was able to communicate to them in a way those people could clearly understand. To the Jews, he communicated and preached Christ to them from the perspective of the law of Moses. To the Gentiles, he was able to communicate Christ to them in such a way that they understood as well.

Today, I encourage and challenge you to ask God to help us communicate the love and grace of Jesus Christ in a way that is plain and easily understood. The older I get, the less interested I am in being perceived as a dynamic orator or writer- I'm much more interested that people actually understand the concepts I'm trying to teach. Are you using great plainness of speech today?

Until next time.....

Yet, I will rejoice....

Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The book of Habbakkuk is rarely referenced with the exception of the oft-quoted "for the vision is yet for an appointed time." What many people (and apparently many preachers) don't know, is that Habbakkuk's vision was not about building a bigger church, or about an upcoming revival. God was using the Chaldeans (Hab 1:6) as a tool of bringing Israel to repentance. They were a violent people whose mission was to bring them into captivity. When the LORD said "that he may run that readeth it" he meant to "flee", not to "run with the idea."

Naturally, one could understand the frustration of the prophet as God was using a pagan nation to judge the covenant people. Nevertheless, Habakkuk was determined not to allow this to destroy his relationship with God. So many of us worship God with all kinds of contingencies. As long as things are going well, we have plenty of money in reserve, we have good health, and healthy relationships, and satisfying accomplishments and validation- we are willing to worship and praise God. But we can learn a great lesson from the prophet today:

He said even if everything falls apart (i.e. fig trees don't blossom, no fruit, flocks cut off), yet he would rejoice in his God. The scriptures state that there will be a trial of our faith. Only in adversity is the quality of our faith truly tested. Paul's thorn in the flesh reveals to each one of us, that the conditions of life will never be exactly perfect here on earth. You can have all the money in the world and yet have failing health. You can be the picture of health and yet still have a need that exercise or medicine won't cure. God allows us to have these adversities at times in order that we might depend on Him and realize that His grace is truly sufficient for us. So today, can we agree together that we will rejoice in our God regardless of outward conditions?

I feel confident in saying that there are those reading this entry today who are facing struggles. But let's not allow the struggles to destroy our confidence in the integrity and the love of God. He has promised that He would never leave nor forsake us in the midst of life's storms. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!

Rejoice with me today!

Until next time....

IN All These Things We Are More Than Conquerors

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us

I apologize that it has been so long since my last entry. Today I want to look at one of the favorite passages of Scripture from the NT. Romans chapter 8 is a great source of comfort, encouragement, and security to those that love God. Unfortunately we often miss the central message of Scripture because we love (yes I said "we" not "ye" :) ) to isolate the passages of Scripture which were meant to be taken in context of the overall message. In our bible study, we often forget that epistles (letters) are meant to be read from start to finish. Why do we treat Scripture this way, when we do not treat secular literature in this manner? When we open our mail (yes, I'm talking about the legitimate mail, not the mountains of junk mail, credit card applications, and flyers that threaten to implode our mailboxes each day) to read a letter, we don't take a sentence or phrase from the middle of the letter and try to interpret the whole of the letter from that one part do we? And yet we do that with Scripture all the time!!! Shame on us.

Now most of you that know me (or are familiar with my writings) know that I am not the king of subtlety. In the title of today's blog, yep- you guessed it- my emphasis is on the little word "in." We are taught by many popular "teachers" that true faith should be exercised to avoid all possible obstacles. Many teach that a "conquering" faith is one that always rebukes and avoids every storm of life. Any trials that their fellow Christians endure are often looked upon with disdain and scorning. Secretly, they may think to themselves "if only that person had more faith, they could have avoided all of this." But Paul did not think that way. When Jesus appeared to Ananias in the book of Acts, He told him of how Paul would suffer great things for the name of Christ (Acts 9:16).

No, Paul did not teach that a conquering faith avoids all forms of suffering and persecution. On the contrary, he taught that "in all these things" we are more than conquerors. "What things?", you might ask- well, let's take a look:

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Paul affirmed that we are more than conquerors IN all these things. When you look at that list, you may tend to think of one who suffers such as a victim. God does not tell us that those who suffer are defeated. He tells us that even in (what seems like) the face of defeat, we are victorious! So today, if you are feeling low- feeling like you are on the losing end of things- remember that if you are in Christ- you are more than a conqueror- EVEN in the midst of what the world, and even some in the church may think is a defeat for you.

Be encouraged today dear friends!

Until next time....

I'm still around and hope to be back soon!

I'm sorry to post something of such little substance, but I felt an explanation is in order. I've just begun a new position at my work and I have had very little free time to do anything. I hope to post something meaningful within a few days, but until then- don't give up on me!

I would appreciate it, if you would lift me up to the Lord in prayer.

Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof

Much love,
Henry

Don't Blame Everything on the Devil!

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God

This past Sunday I preached about putting on the whole armour of God. I believe there is a large segment of Christianity that falls into two extremes- seeing a devil under every rock, or ignoring spiritual warfare altogether. It would be perilous for us to ignore the fact that there are tremendously significant things going on in unseen realms. We certainly should not be ignorant of Satan's devices. When Christ was accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub (blasphemy of course!) He countered by saying that Satan's kingdom is not divided (i.e. satan does not cast out satan). Thus, we have a clear teaching at least by inference, that Satan indeed does have a Kingdom, and it is (at least in some sense) organized. Paul expands upon this theme in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, speaking of principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. I'm not sure Paul was trying to construct a detailed flowchart of satanic activity, but at the very least we can see that there is something to this whole spiritual warfare thing.

But as I was preparing to preach the message about the armour of God, it occurred to me that we blame quite a few things on the enemy that really have to do with our flesh. That list of sins (dirty deeds, vices, thoughts, attitudes, and all-around deviant behaviors) listed above sure looks and sounds like the workings of the devil. No doubt he is somehow involved in the tempting/yielding processes, and later in the condemnation and accusation of the saints when he is successful. The answer to this problem is found in the same chapter. Whenever we see that list of sins in action- whether it be in our own lives or the lives of others- we can know that the flesh is working overtime. I like the way the KJV says "the works of the flesh are manifest" . In other words, they are obvious!!! It's not a devil problem- it's a flesh problem!! Thankfully, the remedy to fleshly behavior is found in the same chapter:

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh

Want To Know The Will Of God?

I Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: (KJV)

I Thess 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; (NASB)

I'm sure most of you knew where I was heading with the "want to know God's will?" introduction. I'm amazed that everywhere I go, this is a sincere question that believers struggle with. For the most part (and I realize it varies among many) the issues revolve around the particulars of life- who should I marry?- should I take that job?-what type of ministry is God calling me to?-should I sell my home?- and the list goes on. Admittedly there are times when I don't know what to do or where to go, and I strive in prayer and ask the Lord for direction.

But more and more I am learning that God wants obedience from me in the generic sense of His will, before He will speak to me in specific terminology. Why would He be obligated to tell me anything hidden, when I haven't taken the time to obey the revealed? There are several very explicit passages in the Scriptures which tell us in no uncertain terms...the will of God. We've been looking a lot at Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians so I thought this would be a great example. God is concerned for every believer to walk in sexual purity.

Sexual immorality is not a new problem. There is in fact, "no new thing under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). But it is a big problem- and one we cannot ignore. We are warned over and over throughout the pages of Scripture that the sexually immoral will not inherit the Kingdom of God (I Cor 6:9, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:5-6, Colossians 3:5-6, Hebrews 13:4, Revelation 21:8) . Although we cannot claim that immorality is only a 21st century concern, we also cannot deny that the temptations and traps of sexual immorality are pervading the atmosphere in these last days. I could post statistic after statistic showing the epidemic that internet pornography has become, but I doubt that would shock any of you reading this. Almost all literature, television, and advertisements use sexuality (almost always forbidden or immoral) as a means to promote their products. I recently read a movie review in which all of the critics gave a movie a bad review because of its "PG" rating. It was a love story, and they were greatly disappointed that there wasn't more sexual interaction between the two main characters (who weren't married by the way).

Today you may be reading this and in the grip of sexual temptation, or perhaps are already in the pit of immorality. There is a remedy dear friends. It is not mere will-power, or determination- but it is the grace of God! No, I don't mean a "greasy" grace that allows one to wallow in sin, but rather a grace that empowers us to deny ungodliness (or as the NIV translates Titus 2:12 to "say NO") and worldy lusts and live godly in this present world. Come now to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy- and to find grace to help in your time of need! (Heb 4:16) Later on, we will look at Paul's prayer for sanctification of the whole being of the believer (I Thess 5:23-24). He closes with these words:

"5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. "

Thankfully God has provided every tool we need for godly living (II Peter 1:3). So today, if you are in a desperate struggle to know the will of God for something specific- do a quick self-examination and make sure you are walking in the will of God in those ways He has clearly revealed. Especially in this all-important manner of sexual purity. I know I said we were going to cover this in a later blog (Lord willing), but I'd like to close in agreement with Paul's prayer:

I Thess 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (KJV)

Until next time....