uncompromisedchristianity.com

IT'S NOT ABOUT US

2012-04-05T20:46:36Z

A few decades ago, Christianity found itself at a fork in the road that offered two optional paths - one option was down the path called DIscipleship Way and the other down the path called Self Avenue. Self Avenue was a broad road with an easy, flat grade, and it looked wonderful - health, wealth, fulfillment, good times, and being the center of attention. Discipleship Way, on the other hand was a narrow road with steep mountains to climb, and it didn't look very appealing - dying to self, surrender, holiness, and brokenness.

So, because the majority of the church was marinated in secular culture, it chose Self Avenue. However, the years have proven that, even though this path looked fabulous to the eyes, it brought spiritual sickness and decay to the church. For those few, however, who refused to be duped by the empty promises of Self Avenue and instead chose Discipleship Way, they found that, even though the going was tough at times, this road led to everything they had ever dreamed of - deep intimacy with God, real purpose in life, and living in the holy, awesome presence of the King.

Unfortunately, the majority who chose Self Avenue were blinded to its harmful effects and kept on barreling down its path. The result? Self has replaced Jesus as the center of the Christian life, which is evidenced in many ways: sermons with "self" as the main theme; Christian book stores filled with books about "self"(how to be a good leader, how to fulfill your dreams, how to be successful, how to unleash your full potential, how to live your best life now, etc); worship services centered around "self" and our senses (major productions with the latest in multi media gadgets, music that entertain instead of bringing us with a sense of awe to the throne of God, etc); and shallow Christians who are literally clueless about the Bible and theology.

The result? We've become "self" centered, "self" reliant, "self" sufficient, "self" righteous, and "self" pleasing.

We've forgotten that life has never been, is not now, and will never be, about us. It is about Jesus. He is the center of all life. He is why we go to church. He is the one who deserves our worship. He is to be at the top of our priority list.

We've lost sight of the fact that it is in dying to "self" that we truly find life. The apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:3: "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God". And in Romans 6, Paul gives the very clear truth that, positionally, we died with Jesus to our old self and now we have to consider "self" dead.

Many people ask: "what is 'self' "? Self is that part of me that wants to be God. It is that part of me that wants to be in charge of my life, that seeks fulfillment and meaning in life apart from God. It is the worldly part of me that desires pleasure, ease, and having everything go just the way I want it. It is me without God's presence.

Far too many Christians have taken Self Avenue and replaced Jesus with "self", and the results are frightening. The church has become powerless and insignificant in our culture. The most powerful entity on the planet, the church of Jesus Christ, has lost its way because we have bowed the knee to "self".

Is the church in a hopeless situation? No! There is hope. But our hope, our only hope, is in an authentic move of God in His church, a move of God in revival. Only when we fall on our faces before Him and repent of our idolatry of worshiping "self" and turn back to the One who really is to be Lord of our lives will the church again be filled with His presence and power, and be used by Him to transform our society. The church must exit Self Avenue and merge onto on Discipleship Way.

My friends, it's not about us! It's about Jesus. A life lived for "self" is, at best, shallow, empty, and void of meaning. A life lived for Jesus, however, is a life lived to the utmost, and the pinnacle of human experience because nothing, absolutely nothing, can compare to living in a deep intimacy with Him. Die to self, gives the reigns of your life to Him, and find real life!!

REPENTANCE: RENDING OUR HEARTS BEFORE GOD

2011-12-01T03:15:05Z

Repentance is a key characteristic of a follower of Jesus. In salvation we repent of our sins and receive Jesus as Savior. However, our repentance isn't over with salvation. Believers in Jesus must be life long repenters because, even though we are saved by the blood of Jesus, we are not perfect and still sin. In discipleship we repent because we are already saved, and it's our heart's desire to keep our close intimacy with God and to experience His manifest presence in our lives. Repentance for a believer is crucial as we journey on the road of holiness, and as we live our lives for His glory.

Repentance, which means to change one's mind, goes deeper than confession. In confession, (which literally means "to say the same word"), we agree with God that our sins are contrary to His moral standard of holiness. But we must not stop there. After confessing our sins, we must turn away from them (i.e.: repent), resolving that, with God's help, we will not fall into them again. Repentance, simply put, means that I hate my sins, not because I got caught or because of the consequences I might have to face because of them, but because they grieve the heart of my heavenly Father. And, very importantly, repentance is seen by changed behavior. A truly repentant heart is intentional in doing whatever is necessary not to repeat the sin. It is a change of mind and a change of heart.

Repentance is a key concept taught throughout Scripture. The message of the Old Testament prophets was a call to Israel and the surrounding nations to repent of their evil deeds or God's judgment would surely come. John the Baptist's message to the people was one of repentance in preparation of the coming Messiah. The first words Jesus spoke as He began His ministry was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). In response to Peter's sermon on Pentecost, his audience asked what they needed to do to be saved, and his response was "repent...". Indeed, repentance is the key to the heart of God because it reveals a humble, broken heart. In David's great Psalm of repentance, Psalm 51, he said in verses 16 and 17:"For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise". This is a powerful picture of.repentance.

And repentance is crucial in revival. If we are to see God rend the heaven and come down in revival (see my previous post), We, His church, must fall on our faces and repent - first of our own sins, and then of the sins of our nation. We must not just talk about how bad things are in our country and how much we need revival. We must act, and that action starts with repentance. The prophet Joel cried out to the Israelites: "And rend your hearts and not your garments. Now return to the Lord your God...". (Joel 2:12-13). What a timely message for today! We must rend our hearts (repent) and forget the lip service of shallow religion. We need to get serious and humble ourselves before our holy God in transparency, humility and desperation, and cry out to Him for mercy.

A repentant heart doesn't look at others and think how much "they" need to repent and how much "they" need revival. The truly repentant person looks at his or her own heart and realizes how desperate they are in need of repentance and revival. Rending our hearts in true repentance reveals a brokenness that God honors: "For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." Isaiah 57:15.

Do you see, my friends, God responds to the brokenness of repentance. America needs revival desperately. And although revival is a sovereign work of God, history reveals that He responds to the urgent prayers of His people when they come to Him in brokenness, and rend their hearts in deep repentance. "If My people,who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land: 2 Chronicles 7:14.

If God is to rend the heavens and come down one more time, we must first rend our hearts in humble repentance. Will you join me in this?

LORD, REND THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN, ONE MORE TIME

2011-09-09T23:08:48Z

     America seems to be on the precipice of judgement. We are turning our backs on the biblical principles that we were founded on and have embraced a life style that is diametrically opposed to God's standard of holiness..
     We have slaughtered over fifty million human beings in their mother's wombs and justify it as a women's right to choose. We are now doing the same heinous crime of fetal murder to frozen embryos under the guise of scientific advancement for medical cures. We are redefining God's standard for marriage - a life long covenant between one man and one woman - and calling it progressive thinking and tolerance. The filth of pornography invades every avenue of media. Marriage and family structures are in shambles. We no longer hold honesty, humility, and integrity as attributes to be desired. And we've replaced God with "self", and worship at our thrones of pleasure and self centeredness.
     And the church, which is the most powerful entity on the planet because of the indwelling Holy Spirit, is powerless to stop this onslaught. Why? Because we have forsaken our First Love and have lusted after the world and pursued its ways. Instead of falling on our faces in humility and crying out to God in repentance for our own sins and the sins of our nation, we, the church, are busy being "emergent", thinking "outside the box", and trying to be "cool" so the world will like us. Instead of deep, passionate followers of Jesus, we have become shallow, lukewarm, and passionless. .
     We need revival! And it must start in the church of Jesus Christ. Only a revived church can become the beacon of light that will lead people out of the darkness of evil that has engulfed our nation and into the light of truth that is only found in Jesus. He is our only hope.
     There have been three such times of revival in America's history - the First Great Awakening from 1734 to 1760, the Second Great Awakening from 1790 to 1840, and the Great Prayer Revival from 1857 to 1858. God has done it before, not only in America but in many places around the world, and He can do it again. However, we must understand that while revival is a sovereign act of God, prayer is the key.  All the great revivals in the past have been birthed in prayer.
     It's time for the church, the bride of Christ, to awaken from its slumber and indifference, return to its First Love, and cry out to God in the words of Isaiah 64:1: "Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down...". It will take humility, deep repentance, brokenness, transparency, and total surrender to Him, but it is the only way. A broken, humble heart is the heart God revives. And it must start with me. It's so easy to see the need for revival in others, but it has to start in my heart, and yours. Our comparison is not with others, it is with the biblical holiness God has set as the standard for His people. And, my friends, we all fall short of that. Indeed, revival must start in each heart of God's people, beginning with me.
     What would a revived church look like? A revived church would be filled with followers of Jesus who have a passion for Him, who are hungry and thirsty to know Him deeper through His word, who are fervent prayer warriors, who worship Him genuinely from the heart, who crave holiness, who are on the journey of absolute surrender to Him, who are sold out bond slaves to Him, whose love for Him compels them to share the gospel with others, and whose main goal in life is to see Him high and lifted up. A revived church, a church blazing with the power of the Holy Spirit, could be used by God to transform our culture from the inside out. As has been recorded in revivals of the past, when God visits the church in revival, the impact of the church on society is enormous - people get saved, crime goes down, fractured marriages are made whole, strained relationships are restored, social injustices are made right, and vices are stopped immediately. In short, the miraculous happens. When our focus is on the Person of revival (Jesus), then the results of revival will follow.
     God has done it before, and He can do it again. Is there still hope for America? I believe there is, but only in a powerful move of God in revival. Will you join me in crying out to God "Lord, rend the heavens and come down, ONE MORE TIME!!!!

WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO FOLLOW JESUS

2011-07-19T02:29:55Z

There is a lot of shallowness in the church today. We've become Christians of convenience rather than being Christians of conviction. Statistics show that most Christians are basically clueless about what they believe and why they believe it. As a result biblical holiness is bordering on extinction - the divorce rate, pre-marital sex, addiction to pornography, honesty, integrity, and unwholesome entertainment choices among Christians are just as prevalent within the church as outside it,

Even with the wealth of specialty Bibles, Bible studies, conferences, and retreats, most Christians are an inch deep and a mile wide. We have just enough of Jesus to keep us out of hell, but not enough of Him to be true disciples. This type of Christianity is totally foreign to what Jesus expects from us. In Luke 9:23-24 He said: "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it". Quite a different attitude from what we see today.

What, then, does it mean to follow Jesus, I mean really follow Him? It is more than just showing up at church once in a while, owning a Bible, or dropping a few bucks in the offering plate. It is more than talking "Christianese", praying before meals, and helping out at the church potlucks. It is much more than any of these. Much more.

Following Jesus is an all out surrender to Him. His will for our lives becomes our desire, and we follow Him, whatever the cost may be. Following Jesus necessitates dying to "self'" so that He can live through us. It is having a passion for Him, and desiring a deep intimacy with Him. Simply put, a follower of Jesus lives solely for His pleasure and His glory. I'm not talking "perfection", as none of us will ever come close to that. I'm talking a life long journey that we choose to be on because we love Him so much.

Jesus said it best in Luke 14:33: " In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be My disciples" (read my 12-29-09 post about this verse). Wow, we might be saying, this sounds pretty drastic. What did Jesus mean in this verse? Simple - He wants our hearts. Not the organ that is pumping in your chest as you read this blog. Your heart is the seat of who you are - the emotions, intellect, personality, talents, and uniqueness that makes you "you". When He has your heart, you discover what intimacy with him really is - the most glorifying relationship a human being can ever have. When He has your heart you find fulfillment, meaning, peace and joy in your walk on this planet, regardless of the circumstances you may find yourself in. When we die to self and surrender our hearts to Him, we find the true meaning of why we were created.

What does following Jesus look like in everyday life? Does it mean that we quit our jobs, sell all our possessions and move ten thousand miles away to a foreign mission field? Maybe, but probably not. Following Jesus is an act of our will that transfers the ownership of ourselves and our possessions to Him. He calls the shots in every facet our our lives. It is holding everything we have - jobs, money, possessions, and ourselves, with open hand, letting Him do what He desires with our lives. Whether He has us stay in our present situation or leads us to make drastic changes, our response is "yes Lord, Your will be done". A follower of Jesus is radically abandoned to him, and finds that, as He said, when we lose our lives for His sake (i.e.: surrender to Him), we actually find it.

Sadly, this has been all but neglected in the most churches today, and the church has suffered because of it. No longer are we a powerful force in the world that God uses to impact our culture for the truth. Oh, how we need sold out followers of Jesus today!! Will you be on the journey of absolute surrender to Jesus and follow Him with all your heart? Will you be a living, breathing testimony of what a real follower of Jesus looks like? The world is waiting to see one.

SIMPLE CHRISTIANITY

2011-05-16T04:26:00Z

I recently read about a major Christian university that commissioned a task force to, among other things, "provide clarity regarding the (school's) identity as an evangelical Christian university" and to establish "a common understanding regarding behavioral expectations for fulfilling roles and responsibilities in light of university values." Wow, is it really that complex? You're a Christian university, follow Biblical standards.

Additionally, one can go to a Christian bookstore and find books on how to measure church health, how to facilitate church growth, how to pray, how to worship, how to be relevant, etc, etc. Christianity is glutted with books that, with great detail and complexity, show you how to find yourself, how ro lose yourself, how to be a leader, how to raise perfect kids. and countless volumes on how to have the picture perfect Christian marriage. For those who are strapped for time, you can buy "instant" Christianity books - thirty days to this, forty days to that, one minute Bibles, and discipleship as quick as microwaving instant oatmeal. All of these books, whether on spiritual disciplines, theological issues, or practical living, use Scripture references to back their claims. After reading these, one's head can be spinning with facts, figures, "how to's", and loads of guilt for not doing what the "experts" say we should be doing..

Really, is living the Christian life really that complex? We sure have made something that is so beautiful, and so simple, into something that is so complicated.

Living for Jesus after you are born again is, at its core, really quite simple. It can be summed up in one word — "surrender." Jesus made this clear in Luke 9:23: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Surrender is giving up all right s to yourself to Him. He calls the shots, He is in control. Your life is totally His and you live in total obedience and devotion to Him.

When we are on the journey of surrender, our lives will be holy, we will be able to integrate spirituality into every facet of life, we will know how to pray and we will glorify Him. When we are growing in intimacy with Him, which is the natural byproduct of surrender, we will be hungry for His Word, and we will build a Biblical world view on life. Take marriage for example. The Bible is very concise about it. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church (put her first and serve her); wives, submit to your husbands (allow him to be the leader of the home as God has ordained). Pretty simple. Yes, I know that the marriage relationship can be complicated. But just think, what if every married couple surrendered to Jesus and followed these two simple rules. Marriage would be in a lot better shape.

If a church is filled with surrendered believers, Jesus becomes the main focus, and it will be alive and healthy; and what is alive and healthy will grow. We won't need to hire consultants, assemble task forces or committees or follow complicated charts and graphs to see what we are supposed to do. Just surrender to Jesus and obey the Bible. That's all we need.

If it is so simple, why has Christianity taken the complicated route? Probably because surrender is not very attractive in a culture where "self" is the focus of life. As I mentioned above, surrender is giving all rights to ourselves to Jesus, but we fight this because we want to call the shots and be in control. So we take matters in our own hands and end up making a mess of something that was intended to be so simple.

Following Jesus is simple — it's all about surrender.

HAVING A CALEB SPIRIT

2011-03-01T17:12:00Z

When God delivered the Israelites from captivity in Egypt, they were to make their home in the Promised Land - the land filled with "milk and honey". This was to fulfill God's promise to Abram (later to be known as Abraham) that this piece of land would belong to his descendants. When the Israelites arrived at the border of the Promised Land, God told Moses to send out twelve spies to scope it out. Upon their return, the twelve reported how bountiful the land was, but also reported that the land was filled with fortified cities and fierce warriors, even warriors from a race of giants. Ten of the spies said that the Israelites shouldn't enter the Promised Land because of the opposition that they would encounter. However, the two other spies, Joshua and Caleb, disagreed with the ten and stood firm on God's promise that He would give them the land. The Israelites agreed with the ten spies and were violently opposed to Joshua and Caleb, so much so that they wanted to stone them. However, Joshua and Caleb would not bend to the popular opinion of the people. God was angry with the Israelites because of their disobedience and lack of faith and, as punishment for their rebellion against Him, had them wander in the wilderness for forty years until all the adults who doubted Him died off. Of that generation, only Joshua and Caleb would enter the Promised Land.

In Numbers 14:24, God said this about Caleb: "But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it". The word "different" comes from the root word which means to loiter, or to be behind, which tells us that Caleb was totally devoted to God and followed Him with all his heart. He would not compromise what he knew to be true no matter what others said and no matter how unpopular it was. Caleb was sold out to God.

How we need Christians today who have a "Caleb spirit"! Those who will stand for the Lord and not fold to popular opinion. Those who refuse to be politically correct by compromising God's holy standards. Those who aren't concerned about man's approval or about being popular with others, but are only concerned with bringing glory to God.

Those with a "Caleb Spirit" have a firm grasp of the Bible, which has led to an deep, intimate relationship with God. They have a tenacious faith and an unshakable trust in Him. Oh, they're not perfect or super saints, but they are sold out to Jesus, surrendered to Him and have chosen to be His bond slaves.

As we look at our current culture, we need followers of Jesus who have a "Caleb Spirit' now more than ever. We are sliding into the abyss of immorality at the speed of light. Biblical Christianity is mocked and is being ousted from the fabric of society. Churches have compromised holiness, solid theology, and, discipleship for what is easy, expedient, and popular. And the results are evident - a world in confusion, chaos, and turmoil.

Will you be a Caleb in our culture? A voice that is strong, clear, and fearless for Jesus? Will you draw a line in the sand and make a covenant with God that you refuse to compromise the truth? Caleb's life challenges us all to be more concerned with God's glory and His approval than with our popularity and the world's approval. Caleb stood up to the popular opinion of the day and would not back down, even if it meant being stoned to death. Will you be like him, being fearless for the truth no matter what?

IF JESUS WERE TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN AMERICA

2011-01-12T21:24:00Z

In Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, Jesus wrote letters to seven churches in the province of Asia. Two of the churches received encouraging letters, but in each of the letters to the other five churches Jesus issued a severe reprimand for their spiritual condition and a pointed warning to either repent or reap the consequences for their actions. I wonder, if Jesus were to write a letter similar to those found in Revelation 2 and 3 to the church in America in 2011 what would He say? Would it be something like this...

"To the angel of the church in America write. . .

The holy almighty sovereign One, the King of kings and Lord of lords says this: 'I know your deeds. ‘You have built impressive buildings that include the latest technology. You have programs for every conceivable type of person, and you are culturally relevant in every way possible. But I have this against you — you have forgotten that church is really about Me.

You have replaced spirit-led worship with well-staged entertainment so the congregation simply sits back and watches the 'show' instead of actively worshiping Me.

You have replaced uncompromised, biblically-based sermons with non-threatening, theologically light, feel-good motivational speeches that are focused on yourselves rather than on Me.

You have traded deep, probing Bible studies for the latest fad on the best-seller list.

In order not to offend anyone, you have neglected to teach theology and doctrine, and have failed to teach that discipleship includes absolute surrender, spiritual brokenness, dying to self, holiness, and unquestioned allegiance to Me.

You have forgotten that prayer is the key to my heart, and instead of seeking My face for guidance and direction you have become self-reliant and self-sufficient.

‘You have allowed the culture to influence your way of thinking so that you look, think, and act no different than the world. Divorce, viewing pornography, and sex outside of marriage are as prevalent within the walls of the church as outside of it.

You are My beloved bride, but you have gone after other lovers — popularity, numbers and 'success'. In your quest to be culturally relevant, you have become spiritually irreverent. You have become so politically correct that you have the world's approval but not Mine. You have played a harlot with the world and have broken your covenant of love and loyalty to me.

The results are disastrous. America is falling apart morally, and you, My church, are powerless to change its course. Instead of falling on your faces before Me in humble repentance and crying out for revival, you are too occupied with being 'emergent', 'seeker sensitive', 'relevant', and 'thinking outside the box'.

Repent! I say it again, repent!

Humble yourselves before Me, and return to Me. Make Me the object of your devotion. Seek My approval. Surrender totally to Me. Cleanse yourself of the sins of compromise, half-heartedness and self-sufficiency.

Die to self so that I may live in you and use you to turn your society away from destruction and toward the truth and the peace that is found only in Me. Oh, My bride, come back to Me. I love you.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear what I say to the church in America.'"

"NO MATTER WHAT" CHRISTIANS

2010-11-24T00:56:00Z

What does it mean to follow Jesus? We live in an era where many Christians are, at best, lethargic and lukewarm in their Christian walk. Jesus becomes like our car repair man. We know He is there but don't talk to Him until something goes wrong. Then, we call Him and expect Him to fix our problem immediately. After He does, we ignore Him until another problem arises. This, my friends, is not what walking with Jesus is all about.

Walking with Jesus, being a Christian, is nothing less than an all out commitment to Him and a total devotion to Him. Half hearted discipleship is totally foreign in the teachings of Scripture. Jesus assumed that all of those who would believe in Him would be true disciples. That is why He said "If any man comes after Me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23). No conditions, no restrictions, no escape clauses.

Following Jesus means that I am totally surrendered to Him in every aspect of my life, everyday of my life, for my whole life NO MATTER WHAT. Even if my hopes, plans and dreams are shattered. Even if He calls me to a different lifestyle than I want. Even if my health is broken. Even if everyone forsakes me. A true follower of Jesus says "Lord, I will follow You, No matter what".

Allow me to use an illustration to explain what "no matter what" means. When you have work done to your house, you get a contract from the one doing the work that spells out the details of what will be done and the cost for this work. You do not sign it until every little detail has been included. When you finally sign it, you know what to expect. However, when we trust in Jesus as Savior and are born again, He hands us a blank contract and asks us to sign it. "Wait", you say, "I'm not signing a blank contract. Jesus, you need to fill in all the details of what following You will mean. I want details! Oh, and one more thing. Under the column marked 'cost', You wrote 'EVERYTHING'. Why so much"? Jesus looks at you with a smile and says, "I'll fill in the details as we go along the journey. And the cost you are so concerned about? When you give me control of everything in your life, you will see how little that is in comparison with what you will receive - deep intimacy with Me. Right now, just trust Me with your life. I want you to follow Me, no matter what. Sign the contract, grab my hand and let's go!"

Does it sound scary, signing a blank contract with such a seemingly high price? If we're honest with ourselves, yes it does. But we need to remember that the One who asks us to sign it is the One who loves us with a perfect love and has our best interest in mind. When we sign His blank contract, we never lose.

My friends, what the church needs most of all right now are followers of Jesus who are hungry for Him. Those who are totally surrendered and sold out to Him. Those who will follow Him NO MATTER WHAT; even if it means a total rearrangement of goals,dreams, career, lifestyle, and even if it means hardship and persecution. A "no matter what Christian" is so in love with Jesus that signing the blank contract is no big deal because they know the depths of the meaning of the cross, and they know that walking in the abiding presence of Jesus and knowing deep intimacy with Him is the greatest journey on the planet.

Are you a NO MATTER WHAT follower of Jesus? Have you signed the blank contract? He has given it to you and now waits for you to sign it and give it back to Him. Go ahead. Sign it. You'll never regret it. As Jim Elliott said over 50 years ago: "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose".

THE FIVE FINGERS ON THE HAND OF GOD'S GRACE

2010-09-09T21:29:00Z

Grace - the key word in our salvation. We are saved by God's amazing grace. It is so profound, so incredible, so powerful, yet we often take it for granted or don't really understand it. You see, we are helpless to save ourselves, no matter how "good" we are or try to be. God's grace is His free gift to all those who trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Ephesians 2:8-9 says;"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift from God, not as a result of works,so that no one may boast". Indeed God's hand of grace is powerful, but what does it include? In order to help us understand the depths of grace, I like to use, what I call "the five fingers on the hand of God's grace". Here they are:.

JUSTIFICATION This is a legal term that, simply put, means that our guilt is gone. Romans 4:25-5:1 says: "He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ". The eternal weight of our sin has been lifted from us through the blood of Jesus as He took our guilt on Himself, and we go free. Think of it like this...you are in the Supreme Court of Heaven and the Heavenly Supreme Court Justice sits on His throne to determine your eternal destination. The prosecuting attorney, Satan, stands up and presents an eight hour detailed case of every sin you have ever committed, accompanied with exhibits and documentation. Finally, when he is done, he glances at you with a smug look of victory and wheezes, "the prosecution rests". Now it is the defense's turn. Jesus your defense attorney stands up and gives only a three sentence case as He says "This person has repented of his sin and has trusted in me as his Savior. I took His guilt upon Myself at the cross. He is Mine". And then he sits down. The Supreme Court Judge asks you to stand up, looks you in the eye and pronounces His verdict: " You are declared innocent because the debt of your sin has been paid in full. Your guilt is gone. You are free to enter into My heaven". That's justification!!

REDEMPTION This is a word taken in the context of the slave market when a slave obtained his or her release through the paying of a ransom. Romans 3:23-24 says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; and Colossians 1:13-14 says :"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins". We have been redeemed not with money or material things, but with the blood of Jesus. You see, a price had to be paid for our sins, and God set down the mandate that blood had to be the price: "And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). A pretty steep price to pay, a price that we couldn't pay. Only perfect blood could pay the price . The only perfect One is God, but God is Spirit. How could this be done? The incarnation of God. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity became man to shed his blood so that the price of redemption could be paid. Because we are redeemed by Jesus' perfect blood, our redemption is eternal. The price has been paid in full and cannot be "refunded".

PROPITIATION This literally means to gain or regain the favor of; an expiation. 1 John 2:2 says: "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world", 1 John 4:10 says : "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins". and Romans 3:25 says: "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith...". Propitiation basically means that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross totally satisfied the demands of our holy God. God accepts the blood of His Son on our behalf and because He does so, the enormous barrier of sin that separated us from having a relationship with God has been obliterated. We can now come into the presence of the Father through the blood of His Son.

RECONCILIATION This parallels propitiation and means to change from enmity to friendship. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 says: " Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Think about your checkbook. When you receive your bank statement the balance of the bank is different from what you have in your checkbook. In order to make sure you have the correct balance you must reconcile your balance to the bank's by adding and/or subtracting outstanding checks, deposits, and other charges. Thus you bring the two into agreement. The same with us and God. He is the standard and we must be reconciled to Him in order to have a relationship with Him. Jesus brought us, sinners condemned to eternal hell, into agreement with God's holy standards by dying on the cross for us. The result? We are now have a wonderful relationship with God!

SANCTIFICATION This means to set apart. 1 Corinthians 6:11 says: " Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God". and Hebrews 10:10 says: "By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all". SInce we have been justified, redeemed, propitiated, and reconciled, we are now children of God. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit who gives us everything necessary to live a life of holiness that brings honor to God. We are His people belonging to Him, and now we must choose to be His bond slave and turn away from enslavement to the world. We must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ, because we have died with Christ to our sin (Colossians 3:3; and see my 4/8/10 blog "Dying to Self - the Key to Life").

Those are the five fingers on the hand of God's grace - justification, redemption, propitiation, reconciliation, and sanctification. What a marvelous grace we have been given. The next time you sing "Amazing Grace" remember the incredible truths that are inherent in God's grace.

INTIMACY WITH GOD

2010-07-23T21:15:00Z

We've heard it said quite frequently that Christianity isn't a religion, it's a relationship, and this is a true statement. However, in the context of today's society, this statement is woefully inadequate. With the wealth of technological communication such as texting, Twitter, and Facebook, relationships are, at best, shallow and impersonal. Face to face communication has been replaced by pounding the keys of a twenty four square inch "phone", and heart to heart communication has been replaced by generic "current status" updates on social network web sites. The "personal" touch in human relationships is quickly barreling into extinction.

Thus, when we tell people that Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ their minds grasp the current definition of what relationships are - a distant, impersonal, shallow acquaintance, and this doesn't seem like such a big deal to them,. But this is far from God's definition of what a relationship with Himself really means. Nowhere in the Bible does one find God desiring a shallow relationship with us. On the contrary, He desires us to have a deep, intimate relationship with Him. The Bible says that when we trust Jesus as Savior, we are adopted into the family of God and become His sons and daughters, and we can thus come to Him as Abba, Father (Abba is Aramaic and conveys the idea of "daddy"). Galatians 4:6 says:" Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

One of the incredible realities of the cross is that Jesus reconciled us to the Father. This reconciliation brought us, who were alienated from God because of sin, back into fellowship with the eternal, almighty God of the universe. Romans 5:10 says: "For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! ". Jesus talked about this intimacy in the upper room discourse the night before He was crucified. Jesus said in John 17:20-21: "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. " , and He said this in John 17:26: "I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.” How wonderful is that!

The sad fact is, however, that very few Christians ever experience the depth of this wonderful relationship with God. Far too many settle for a relationship with God that is shallow and distant. Intimacy with Him, which He desires us to have, eludes them all of their lives and they miss out on the greatest relationship one can ever hope for.

But, what is intimacy with God? It is not some mushy, hyped up, brainless emotion, nor is it just an academic understanding of facts about Him. Intimacy with God has its foundation in our intellect and then builds on this knowledge with our experience with Him. It is a healthy balance of our intellectual understanding which leads us to be in awe of Him and our emotional experience which leads us to be in love for Him.

Practically, intimacy with God is living each day in the reality and power of His presence. It is knowing Him, really knowing Him, and understanding just how much He means in your life. It is acknowledging who you were without Him, who you are now with Him, and grasping hold of the powerful truths of the cross. It is spending time with Him every day and talking with Him about everything throughout the day. It is having a hunger and thirst to know Him more and surrendering every aspect over life to Him. In short, it is falling in love with Him because of who He is and what He has done for you.

How does someone develop this intimacy with God? Well, it sure doesn't come by osmosis. Like any relationship it takes time and effort. First we must want it, crave it, and not be satisfied with where we presently are in our relationship with Him. Then we must be intentional in doing the things that will build this intimacy: read the Bible - this is God speaking to us; pray - this is us conversing with Him; worship - this is us acknowledging His place in our lives as our All in All; serve - this is us experiencing His power through our lives as we partner with Him in mission here on earth; surrender and die to self - this is giving Him total control of our lives. Those believers who walked in intimacy with Him practiced these disciplines, which made them hungrier and hungrier to know Him more.

Are you walking in intimacy with our marvelous God? Would you define your relationship with Him as shallow or deep? As "Facebook" or as face-to-face? Remember, intimacy isn't reserved for only the "super saints", it is God's desire for all of His kids.
Are you hungry for God, and are you willing to be intentional in building an intimate relationship with Him? He's waiting for you with open arms.

SET FREE TO BE A SLAVE

2010-06-17T17:19:00Z

In John 8:31-32 Jesus said"...If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free". And He went on to say in verse 36: "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed".

However, epistle writers Paul, James, Peter, and Jude, call themselves "bond-servants" of Jesus. The term "bond-servant" (doulos in the Greek) literally means a slave. How can we have complete freedom in Jesus while at the same time be His slave? The remarkable truth is that we have been set free in order to become His slave. When we surrender to Jesus and become His bond-servant (ie: slave), we are set free from the tyranny of the old self that is opposed to God's ways.

There is no greater freedom a human being can ever experience than the freedom that comes with being a slave to Jesus. The old "self" (our sin nature) is a cruel master that enslaves us to the things that make our lives miserable and alienate us from God. When we trust in Jesus as Savior we are "born again", we become new creations in Christ and have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our new nature desires the things that God desires for us and leads to a life of holiness that brings glory to God. However, this power we now have becomes operative only as we surrender to Jesus and become His slave (the old nature is not destroyed, it still exists and is in constant battle with our new nature).

Paul knew the glorious freedom of being a slave to Jesus, and this reality is available to every believer. The key, however, is found in surrender and brokenness. As we surrender ourselves to Him, giving up all rights to ourselves to His Lordship, and as we come to Him in brokenness acknowledging that without Him we are helpless, we will know the liberating truth of what His freedom brings - joy, peace, perseverance, holiness, and victory. Not perfection, but a journey of true discipleship and intimacy with Him.

The Old Testament sheds a beautiful light on this. In Deuteronomy 15:12-17, God laid down the command that if a Hebrew owned a fellow Hebrew as a slave, the one held as a slave could only serve for six years. The master was commanded to set him free in the seventh year. However, if the slave loved the master so much that he wanted to serve him for life and thus voluntarily refused to be set free, the master would take the slave and pierce his ear with an awl. This would be a sign to the world that the slave loved the master so much that he chose to be his slave all the days of his life.

What a beautiful picture of what being a slave to Jesus means! He, our Master, is everything to us and loves us with a perfect, everlasting love. We, in turn love Him so much that we dare not want anyone or anything else to be our master but Him. So we, out of act of our will, surrender in our brokenness and choose to be His slave forever.

Are you a slave of Jesus? Have you come to the point in your life where you have become spiritually broken and realize that you can't live without His presence and, in the process of surrendering to Him, have given Him all rights to yourself by becoming His slave? There is no greater freedom on this planet than this.

FAT-FREE, LO-CAL CHRISTIANITY

2010-05-13T16:50:00Z

When I was a kid, low calorie and fat free foods were almost nonexistent. Lately, however, just about everything has a low calorie or fat free version: mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, peanut butter, cookies, chips...and the list goes on and on. Have you ever taken a look at the ingredient list of these foods? You need to have a degree in chemistry to read it. This stuff isn't made in a kitchen, they are made in a chemistry lab!

In order to have the taste of these "lite" foods comparable to their higher calorie. higher fat counterparts, artificial ingredients or cheap counterfeits need to be substituted for the real ingredients. The taste ends up being close to the real thing, but it really never is the same.

Unfortunately, Christianity has followed this practice. In recent years, a form of Christianity has become popular that is close to biblical Christianity but is" light" on intellectual demands and deep discipleship. We want the "taste" of God without having the "added calories" of having to surrender our lives to Him.

The church growth "experts" tell us that we must remake church into something the masses will accept, and that church must not look like church or have any resemblance of it. The mantras are: "think outside the box", "conduct cutting edge services", and "be non-threatening and relevant".

In response to this thinking, modern Christianity, in order to get people in the door, has painted a picture of God that resembles a "Cosmic Sugar Daddy", or has created a "Mr. Potato Head" God where everyone creates a God to their own liking (remember Mr. Potato Head - you created a face that you liked using different noses, eyes, etc.).

No longer is there a sense of awe and wonder of our marvelous God. No longer is there passionate uncompromised preaching of the Word of God. "Self" has replaced Jesus as the main focus of far too many church services. Entertainment has replaced worship, technology has replaced the Holy Spirit, and "feel good" messages have replaced the truly life transforming power of God's Word.

The result of this "new way to do church" is obvious - shallow Christians that are an inch deep and a mile wide. Oh, the large attendance numbers are flaunted as proof that this new way works. However, are we raising a spiritually malnourished generation of believers?

I've been told that we can't bore people with preaching that emphasizes theology, the cross and blood of Jesus, surrender, brokenness, and dying to self because these topics make people feel bad about themselves. And, after all, we must make people feel good so they'll come back next week. And the way to do this is to preach around the Bible and emphasize "me".

No way. I am absolutely convinced that Jesus is enough. He was 2000 years ago, and He is today. Relevant? Jesus is ALWAYS relevant! Sure, culture has changed, but human beings, and their need of Him, has not. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should ignore the cultural context that we live in. There is nothing wrong with using the latest innovations at our disposal. However, we must put these "things" in their proper perspective. The power of God doesn't need any help from our worldly devices. When God's Word is proclaimed with the conviction and passion of the Holy Spirit's anointing, lives will be transformed.

If we are to mature in our faith and become sold out disciples of Jesus, if we are to have a real and lasting impact in our world for the Kingdom of God, then we need to dig deep into the Bible, have a strong foundation in proper theology, and cultivate an intimate relationship with God. The cheap substitutes and counterfeit additives that have replaced the real ingredients of our faith only produce a Christianity that is a mere shadow of what God desires, and builds mediocre, lukewarm believers. We don't need more "chemistry lab" Christians, we need more "real ingredient" Christians.

Don't satisfy for the fat-free lo-cal Christianity that is marketed so extensively today. Go deep into your relationship with Jesus, and be hungry to know Him more. Surrender "self" to Him and be on the journey of real discipleship. There is no greater journey, no greater joy, no greater reality than this.

DYING TO SELF - THE KEY TO LIFE

2010-04-08T19:00:00Z

The most important aspect of a disciple of Jesus is found in the concept of dying to self. This is a concept that is repeated often in the New Testament. For example, Colossians 3: 3 says :For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God". Galatians 2:20 says: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me...". Matthew 16:25 says : "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it". These are just a few of the many verses that communicate this truth.

But what does it mean to die to self? Does it mean I lose my identity and walk around aimlessly without purpose, not using the talents God has given me? No at all. "Self" is the part of each of us that wants to be in control of our own lives. It is the power behind the pride that desires to be first and drives us to promote ourselves at the expense of others. It is the drive that does everything it can to see that we get what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. In short, "self" is the polar opposite of the humble surrender God wants us to exhibit as His bond slaves.

We live in a culture that screams "it's all about me"! We are taught from a very young age to promote ourselves and grab for all the pleasure and power we can; our "happiness" is all that matters. So we go through life acting like we are captains of our own ship and masters of our fate. However, as we go through life, we discover that we are neither. All the self centered pursuits we go after are like mirages in the desert - appearing to offer everything but, in the end, delivering nothing.

Sadly, this "cult of self" has infiltrated the church. "Me" focused books,music, and sermons can be found in abundance. The church has become self reliant, self sufficient, self righteous, self centered, and self absorbed instead of being totally dependent on the Holy Spirit. We have become "Me" focused instead of God focused, and in essence, have pushed God out of our lives and out of His church.

Dying to self is the key to life. It involves absolute surrender to Jesus as His bond slave. When we die to self we live for His glory, not our popularity; we hunger and thirst for holiness, not our happiness; we promote Him, not ourselves. Dying to self contains the humility to recognize that, when "self" takes over, nothing good occurs. Dying to self is the main ingredient in brokenness, and it is a broken and humble spirit that really knows the incredible awesomeness of God's presence (Isaiah 57:15).

Do you see - it's not about us! It never has been and it never will be! It's about our awesome God. Jesus laid it on the line when He said, as I quoted above : " For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it". Ouch! that hurts our ego, but these are the words of life. When we make ourselves large He becomes small. But when we become small, He becomes large, and this is what we so desperately need in our lives.

When we die to self, we finally understand what God meant life to be - a total surrender to Him. We still possess the personality, talents, and make up He created us with, but now we are under His control. He calls the shots, and we live with a hunger to glorify Him. This is the abundant life that has meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. Indeed, by becoming a bond slave of Jesus we discover true freedom.

The story of Job is a classic illustration of dying to self. He was a righteous man, but was self righteous. God needed to break him of this so He allowed Satan to devastate Him. Most of you know the story, and you'll recall that in Job's banterings back and forth with his three "friends" this self righteousness comes out clearly. Then in chapter 38-41 God speaks and Job is in awe of Him. Finally, Job sees God for who He is, and sees himself for what he is, and repents in brokenness and utters the immortal words: "My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6). Job was dying to self on the way to true life.

May we do likewise. My friends, die to "self"...and live!

PRAYER - THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO

2010-03-13T04:26:07Z

In my travels I have found a common characteristic in many churches - the lack of interest in prayer. A church can have a Christian comedian or recording artist perform in the church and the place will be packed out. However, call a prayer meeting and you'll get a scarce handful. What a tragedy!

While all churches pray, there are very few "praying churches". We too often relegate prayer as an afterthought to our church activities and in our daily lives. God is not impressed with our hurried shopping lists of "gimmes" and shallow "newscast" prayer meetings. Prayer and Scripture are the avenues that build intimacy with God., and our often hurried prayer times, or neglected prayer altogether, definitely leave us spiritually weak and vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. Simply put, without prayer, we are powerless.

When we pray we don't inform God of our needs - He is omniscient and knows all things. We don't change God's mind or coerce Him into doing what we want - He is totally sovereign. Well then, why do we pray? Many ask: "Since God is omniscient and sovereign why do I need to pray?" It is important to remember that prayer isn't for God, it is really for us. When we pray, we humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge that we need Him, We cast ourselves at his feet in our desperate need and tell Him just how much we need Him.

Another question that is asked is: "Since God id totally sovereign and knows what He is going to do, what good do my prayers do"? While we may not understand all of the theological aspects of prayer, we do know that the Bible tells us to pray, Jesus Himself prayed, and we know that prayer works. I try to explain it by saying that God, in His foreknowledge, weaved His perfect will through the prayers of his people.

Prayer needs to be one of strongest elements in the church. The church started in a prayer meeting at Pentecost, and this is how God continues to respond to His church today. We don't need more programs, pragmatic activities or promotional efforts. What we need is more fervent, passionate prayer.

We, as individuals and churches, fill our calendars with an endless array of busyness and activity, but forget to pray. We have forgotten that without prayer, all of our endeavors are futile. The effectiveness and fruitfulness of our activities - including preaching, teaching, evangelism, outreach to the poor, etc - are determined in our prayers. Yes, the most important thing we do is pray. Everything hinges on this.

America, and specifically church in America, is in desperate need of revival. While revival is a sovereign work of God, all historic revivals were birthed in prayer, and if we are too a revival in our time, it very well could be the byproduct of our prayer. Where are those followers of Jesus who sense the desperate need of our time and fall on their faces in fervent prayer for God to move in our midst in revival? We need prayer warriors who live with a sense of urgency and who will stand in the gap for revival! Yes it is hard work, but nothing is more important than this. Satan and his mignons will do everything they can to stop us from praying because they know that prayer is the weapon that will bring them to defeat. Satan and his forces fear nothing on this planet except a Christian who is serious about, and saturates their life in, prayer.

There is a war raging around us and the stakes are enormous. As disciples and soldiers of Jesus, we dare not shy away and retreat. We need to take the land for Jesus, and we do this in prayer and then, and only then, do we get busy with activity. Prayer always precedes ministry, not vice versa. Ministry without prayer is like racing in the Indianapolis 500 with a Segway scooter.

Jim Elliott once said: "A saint who advances on his knees never retreats". Brothers and sisters, let us pray.

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

2010-02-04T18:28:00Z

In talking to many Christians over the years, I have discovered that the majority have a common theme. While they are born again and love the Lord, there is something missing - they don't sense the presence of God in their lives. So they journey through life as half-hearted, lukewarm Christians.

Experiencing God's presence in our lives should be the norm for all Christians, not the exception. But the question that begs to be answered is: what is the presence of God? As we talk about God's presence, some might say "but God is omnipresent (all present), so His presence is always with us"! Indeed, one of God's attributes is omnipresence, which means that He is separate from, but immanent in, His creation. There is no place in the universe that God's presence doesn't dwell. However, even though God is omnipresent, the manifest experience of the reality of His presence in our lives is something totally different. Defining the presence of God, however, is like defining love - about as easy as nailing jello to a wall.

What is God's presence? At times God's presence is as gentle as a silent whisper; at times it is as loud as 100,000 screaming fans in a football stadium. At times it's as exciting as a roller coaster ride; at times it's the hush of a ballet. At times it is dancing with exuberance and joy; at times it is falling on your face in humility and awe. At times it's singing at the top of your lungs; at times it's being so overwhelmed at His glory that you can't speak. It is David slaying Goliath, Isaiah on his face before God's throne, Peter preaching at Pentecost, Paul and Silas in prison praising God.

The presence of God is not a physical manifestation, but an undeniable knowledge that He is with you. My definition of God's presence is this: God's presence is the overwhelming result of our abiding in Him in deep intimacy and complete surrender.

It is popular for Christians to say "I want more of God". This is not theologically correct. When someone trusts in Jesus as Savior the Holy Spirit does a marvelous work: He baptizes, seals, and indwells the individual. The indwelling aspect of the Holy Spirit's work is complete, meaning the Holy Spirit, who is God, comes and makes residence in our lives, and this is a complete indwelling. We don't get half of God, or ninety percent of God. We get all of Him. Thus we can't get more of God than we already have.

Thus, the correct statement to make is not " I want more of God", it is "I need to give God more of me". We need to give God more and more of us until we give Him all of us. As we do this, we empty ourselves of "self" and allow God's presence to manifest itself in a greater way. When we die to "self" and fall in love with our marvelous God, His power, peace, and anointing engulfs us.

What, then, are the evidences of God's presence in our lives? An insatiable hunger for, and a deeper understanding of, His Word; a strong empowerment for obedience and service; the courage and enablement to resist temptation; a determined perseverance through trials; a renewed ecstasy of worship; an unquenchable thirst for holiness; and a passion for deeper intimacy with Him..

Just think, what if every born again believer lived with God's presence manifest in their lives? Do you think that the church would have a powerful impact in our world? Imagine how the kingdom of God would be furthered. We NEED God's presence more than anything else! Are you living in the presence of our awesome God? If not, I encourage you to take a realistic evaluation of your life. Are you giving more and more of yourself to God in surrender? In Exodus 33:15, Moses, as he was leading the Israelites through their wilderness journey, said this" :If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here". Moses knew the crucial importance of God's presence in their midst. In Avalon's song "I Don't Want to Go", the lyrics include the following: "I don't want to go somewhere if I know that you're not there, because I know that me without You is a lie...". May we grasp this truth, and be hungry for God's manifest presence in our lives.

OUR MOST URGENT NEED IN 2010

2010-01-14T03:25:00Z

In looking at the condition of our country as we enter 2010 we see lots of needs. The terrorist threat looms ominously over us which threatens our national security. The economy is still limping along on very weak legs. The health insurance reform bills that were passed in the Senate and the House have some very suspect provisions in them. The illegal immigration issue still needs to be addressed. And the "politically correct" philosophy that dominates our culture is threatening the religious freedom that is woven strongly into the fabric of our rights as Americans.

All of these are critical issues that must be addressed. However, there is another need that far outdistances these, and which is absolutely critical to the survival of our country. What is it? The desperate need of a revival in our land. As we see the deteriorating morality that is so prevalent around us, it is clear that nothing short of a powerful move of God in our midst will save us.

We have asked God to leave almost every facet of society, and He has left. Make no mistake about it, God will leave where He is not wanted, and the results of not having His presence are devastating. All we have to do is look around . We desperately need God's presence now more than ever.

As I wrote in a previous blog, this revival must start in the church. The church of Jesus Christ, which is the most powerful entity on planet earth, has become fat with the world's ways. We have saturated ourselves in the "cult of self" and have become so "self" sufficient, so "self" reliant, so "self" righteous, and so "self" centered that we have become powerless to impact our culture for Jesus. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to blaze in our hearts again so that we live uncompromised, emboldened, fearless, and passionate lives for our awesome Savior. We need a return to authentic biblical holiness and unashamed loyalty to our King. We must desire above all things an intimate relationship with our Jesus. Revival, in short, is God's people falling in love with him all over again.

Is it still possible for God to send revival our way, or have we gone too far and crossed the line of hopelessness? I believe that we can still see a powerful, transformational move of God in our midst. But what will it take? We, God's church, the bride of Christ, must humbly fall on our faces in deep repentance for our own sins and the sins of our nation. We must be willing to forsake everything that goes against biblical holiness and seek His face in every aspect of life. We must be hungry for Him and His glory. We must earnestly and fervently pray for Him to move in our midst. We must come to the point in our lives where we see the condition of our hearts in the light of His holiness and be willing to do anything, and give up anything, in order to leave our superficial, mediocre spirituality for a deep, passionate intimacy with Him. In short, we must become serious about revival.

America needs revival, which must start in the church. But, and this is crucial in understanding and desiring revival, it must start with me. I need revival big time. As I pray for God to come down and move in our midst, I need to draw a circle around myself and ask God to start the revival within this circle. Are you willing to join me with a sense of urgency in fervently praying for God to send revival, beginning with you and me? Will you be willing to do whatever it takes to see God move in our midst? Will you humbly fall on your face before Him in deep repentance and die to self in total surrender to Him? Oh, that the Lord would sweep across this land in 2010.

"Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at Your presence" Isaiah 64:1
"Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" Psalm 85:6

THE MOST UNPOPULAR VERSE IN THE BIBLE

2009-12-29T22:19:00Z

I've heard it said many times that whenever Jesus taught He used stories (i.e. parables). However, as I read Scripture, I find that Jesus taught in straightforward directness most of the time, and challenged His listeners with some soul jarring truth. For example, His words about discipleship were deep, and continue to stretch us as much today as they did two thousand years ago.

In Luke 14:33 Jesus uttered what is probably the most unpopular verse in the Bible when He said "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple". You won't find too many sermons on this verse (after all, we must make the congregation comfortable), and many Christians seem to either ignore it or just don't delve into what Jesus meant by these profound words. However, these words of Jesus are timeless and are as relevant today as they were when He said them.

But what did Jesus mean by this statement? Did He mean that we need to liquidate all of our assets, quit our jobs, and go to Papua New Guinea as missionaries? While God does call some to the mission field or full time ministry, for the majority of Christians the answer to this question is probably "no". Well, what, then did Jesus mean?

Jesus was telling His listeners, and all of us today, that He, and He alone must be Lord of our lives. He must be the object of our devotion, our love, and our worship, even over our portfolios, pleasure, careers, calendars, and "self". He must be number one in our lives. He is telling us that we are to hold everything we call "mine" with an open hand, willing to give up everything for His sake if He should ask us to do so.

True discipleship requires an absolute surrender of everything to Him, even our very lives. While salvation is a free gift from God (we are saved by grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone), discipleship, on the other hand costs us everything. It requires dying to self so that He may live through us. It means giving up all rights to ourselves to Him, and becoming His bond slave for life. It is to be so in love with Him that surrender is actually considered a privilege. It's being a Christian of conviction, and having an unquenchable passion and hunger for Him.

Jesus expected that all believers would be on the journey of discipleship. Why, then do the vast majority of Christian avoid it like the plague? Because we have bought into the worldly philosophy of pleasure, possessions, and power. We consider the cost of discipleship too high, or rationalize that it is only for those select few "super saints". We don't want to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. We are content with our comfortable, casual, and convenient Christianity and don't want Jesus to interrupt our lifestyles and agendas with His plans. We like our easy generic brand of discipleship which, in reality, is no discipleship at all. We basically treat Jesus like we treat our insurance agent: "Don't bother me unless I need you. When I'm in trouble I'll call you and expect you to get me out of the mess I happen to find myself in. Then, when you fix everything, you can leave me alone until I need you again". So sad, but so true.

My friends, there are way too many mediocre Christians filling churches today. There are way too many believers entrenched in the temporal pleasures of the world instead of experiencing the awesome, intimate presence of God.

However, for those who take Jesus' words in Luke 14:33 to heart, life takes on an incredible transformation. When we dare to plunge into the depths of discipleship we find that the cost is nothing compared to the abiding presence of God, that in being His bond slave we find the greatest freedom one can experience, and that in surrendering to Him we experience the greatest victory in life.

Please keep in mind that discipleship doesn't mean a trouble free life. Trials still come but we can still have peace and victory through them Nor does discipleship mean a life of cold legalism or distasteful drudgery. On the contrary being a sold out follower of Jesus is the most fulfilled life one can live. Finally, remember that no one "arrives" in this life, and we will struggle and fall at times along the way. Discipleship is a lifelong journey that necessitates a daily surrender to Jesus, an intentional path that we, by an act of our will, choose to be on because we love Jesus so much. We count the cost, and determine that the cost is nothing when compared to the intimacy with Him that we will experience.

Yes, the cost of discipleship is high. Jesus told us that it is everything. But it is the only journey for a true believer to be on. Jesus is asking you and I to open our hands in total surrender to Him and let Him be Lord of our lives. What will our answer be?

HOLY DESPERATION

2009-12-09T02:02:00Z

Webster's dictionary defines the word "desperation" as a loss of hope. When we think of someone who is desperate, our thoughts usually paint a picture of someone who does everything he or she can to either escape an unpleasant situation, or to hold on to something or someone at all costs. Desperation is often one of the more frightening experiences in life.

However, if you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, hopelessness is gone. You have the assurance of sins forgiven and eternal life. You have everything to hope in because of the cross and blood of Jesus, and thus you need not be desperate over the circumstances of life. The One who saved you is the One watches over you and keeps you strong in the ups and downs of life.

However, I believe that every Christian needs to live in "holy desperation". By holy desperation, I don't mean we should live in a state of empty spirituality. Holy desperation must not be viewed in the same context as the desperation defined in Webster's.

Holy desperation means that you are passionate for God's presence in your life. It is to come to the realization that without God, you are nothing and can do nothing. Holy desperation is having a hunger for God, not so much for what He can do for you, but because of who He is.

And who is He? He is the all powerful, holy, righteous, merciful, sovereign lover of your soul. He created you, loves you, saved you, and keeps you. Without Him, you would be an empty shell heading like an out of control locomotive straight to hell. He is truly your all in all.

Unfortunately, too many Christians have no real desire for God's presence in their everyday lives. They live in self reliance, self sufficiency, and self righteousness. And the result? The shallowness of many believers. These folks are deceived by the false claims of worldly things and grasp tightly to these counterfeits. When anyone clutches tightly with both hands to materialism, pleasure, recreation, and to the almighty "self", it is impossible to cling to God.

You can only cling to one thing at a time. If you try to cling to two or more things at a time, your strength and attention are divided, and you will lose your grip on everything and end up with empty hands. You cannot hold on to God and the world at the same time. The worldly things that we cling to only lead to hollow emptiness.

Well, then, you may be thinking, "what does it take to live on 'holy desperation'"? It takes an absolute surrender to Jesus Christ. The relinquishing of all rights to yourself to Him. A brokenness that cries out your deepest need of Him in every aspect of your life. A "falling in love" with Him that leads to an insatiable hunger for Him and His awesome, incredible presence. it takes dying to self so that He may live for you. Holy desperation means all these things, and nothing less.

RADICAL CHRISTIANITY

2009-11-11T00:37:00Z

"RADICAL." In politics it defines someone with extreme views, either liberal or conservative. In a revolution it pictures a group that is fanatically opposed to the reigning power. In medicine it describes a surgery that totally eliminates a part of the body. In today's context it has a highly negative connotation because it defines the terrorists that bring so much fear, pain, and death to the world.

However, I believe that God wants all of His children to be "radical Christians". What comes to your mind when you hear the term "radical Christian"? Wild eyed fanatics standing on the street corner with fifty pound Bibles screaming "turn or burn you heathen"? A monk who lives in seclusion, isolating himself from the mainstream of life? An ascetic who lives in self imposed austerity, sleeping on a concrete floor and eating only bread and water? No, by radical Christian I mean something very different from these.

The word "radical" means "to the root". Thus, a radical Christian is one who is sold out to Jesus to the very root of his or her being, not just on the surface. A radical Christian is one who is on the journey of absolute surrender to Jesus, one who loves Him with all their heart, all their soul, all their mind, and all their strength, and one whose commitment to Him is first and foremost in every aspect of their lives.

What does a radical Christian look like? Well, they certainly aren't perfect, don't ever get that idea. They are sinners saved by grace who struggle with temptation like everyone else. A radical Christian just loves Jesus so much that they ooze with His presence. They have a burning passion for Him, and they want to know Him more. They have an insatiable hunger and an unquenchable thirst for Him, and they have a deep desire for holiness and for a life that brings Him glory.

Radical Christians have no trouble talking about Jesus when the opportunity arises, regardless of where they are or who they are with. They can't wait to come to Sunday service to worship their Lord and Savior with their church family. They sing the songs with robustness even if they are a little (or a lot) off key. They listen to the message with attentive ears to grasp what the Holy Spirit is teaching them, give financially with joy and generosity and come expecting to meet with God. They eagerly look forward to their quiet time with the Lord everyday in prayer, Bible reading, and worship, and humbly serve in their churches in the areas God leads them to with commitment and excellence.

Are these radical Christians a hand-picked-by-God select group of super saints - the "elite" that others stand in awe of? No. They are just common everyday folks like you and I, but they have a deep understanding of how truly awesome God is and are amazed that they can have an intimate relationship with Him. They understand the cost of this marvelous relationship - the cross and blood of Jesus- and are humbled by the fact that God would love them so much. They know, and I mean really know, how amazing God's grace really is, and they understand the delicate balance between having a reverential awe of Him as the Sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords and having a deep intimacy with Him as Abba (daddy).

How do you become a radical Christian? You won't find it in a "how to" book that gives you A-B-C step by step method. Radical Christians don't pop up over night or go to "Radical Christianity" school. No, nothing like this.

Radical Christianity is the natural result of grasping the reality of just how much God loves you, and understanding all that the cross and blood of Jesus accomplished on your behalf. It is having such a profound gratefulness to Him for saving you that you develop a passion to know Him intimately and serve Him unreservedly. It is, simply put, desiring to live as His bond slave for His glory.

Just think for a moment what our country would look like if every born again believer would live as a radical Christian. We would most assuredly turn this nation upside down for Jesus - not with civil disobedience, bombs, or marches, but with the power of His abiding presence in us that others can't help but notice and be attracted to; wIth a life that acts like a mirror that reflects His holiness, love, and grace to all we meet.

Are you a radical Christian? Do you want to be? There is no greater journey on planet earth than this.

THE CHURCH NEEDS REVIVAL

2009-10-20T21:17:00Z

Most Christians in America would agree that we need a revival in our country. We are free falling into the abyss of immorality at break neck speed. Abortion, homosexuality, premarital and extra martial sex, broken homes, cheating, lying, and a general lack of ethics are rampant. And, to top it off, we are ousting God from many facets of our society. Nothing short of a powerful move of the Holy Spirit
across this nation can save us from seeming destruction.

Yes, most Christians would agree that we need a revival "out there" (i.e. outside the walls of the church). However, if we are to experience an authentic move of God in revival it will, and must, start within the walls of the church. To revive means to bring back to life, to bring back to a healthy, vital state, thus assuming that there was life to begin with. The church of Jesus Christ has life - the indwelling Holy Spirit - thus, revival must bring the church back to life. Revival starts within the walls of the church.

The church,which is the bride of Christ, has played the harlot with the world and gone after lovers - popularity, relevance, acceptance by the world, self gratification, and entertainment. We have adopted the ways of the world, and the results are obvious: we have become powerless to impact our culture with the gospel, being basically ignored by our culture as insignificant, and appearing just like the world. When divorce, premarital sex, lying, addiction to pornography, and materialism are as prevalent within the church as outside of it, there is a problem!

How has this happened? In our desire to be "culturally relevant" we have become spiritually irreverent. We have replaced Spirit led worship with a well oiled "show" that the congregation sits back and watches instead of becoming engaged in worship of our incredible God. Instead of biblically based, theologically sound sermons we tickle the ears of the people with stories that are centered on "self". We have, in essence, entertained ourselves and storied ourselves to death. One of the current buzz word today is for churches to think "outside the box". Instead of thinking "outside the box", why don't we go back to thinking "inside the Book"? The Bible, when it is preached and taught with the anointing of the Holy Spirit still has, and will always have, the power to transform lives.

The result of this worldly influence that has crept into the church is an abundance of shallow Christians. Most Christians today have no idea what they believe or why they believe it. They are an inch deep and a mile wide. The church doesn't need more educated scholars, talented singers and musicians, charismatic leaders, or entertaining authors. What the church needs today is deeper Christians - those who leave the shallows of superficiality and plunge deep into our marvelous God. Those who are not satisfied with a mediocre relationship with Jesus, but who hunger and thirst for more. Those who desire holiness above all else, and live for God's glory.

The cult of "self' has invaded the church which has made our awesome God seem insignificant to the world. People are looking for answers, and when they see the church they ignore it because it looks no different then themselves. We are called to be sanctified, set apart unto God. We have never been called to blend in with the world. We are to be different, we are to be counter-culture, we are called to be holy.

It's time for the bride of Christ to repent and turn back to her first love. When revival comes to the church our society will be transformed. We often think revival means people getting saved. This is a byproduct of revival. Revival is God's people turning from their sin and falling in love with Him all over again. When this happens, we will be bold and have the anointing to witness to others, and the Holy Spirit will harvest a wealth of souls. But it starts with you and me.

Will you fall on your face before our holy God and repent of your own sin, and then the sin of the church? Most have a mental picture of revival as being good times, abundant blessings, and exhilarating joy. Again, these are byproducts of revival. Revival is painful...we must come to grips with our own sin and humbly repent. Painful, yes. But we must. It is our only hope.