If You… God Will…

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (KJV)
²⁹ But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
³⁰ When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
³¹ (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

There are 1595 ifs in the bible denoting conditions to be met before blessings are released. Repeatedly throughout scripture you will read phrases similar to “if you… He will…” It was what we call “conditional promises.” In other words, God will give us a key in the form of a condition that will unlock the blessing he has wrapped in a promise.

People oftentimes will subtly feel resentment at God because they feel he is not doing something in an automatic way. We often believe that if God wants to do something for us, that it’s all up to him whether he does it or not, and we have little to nothing to do with it. Nothing could be further from the truth! Our decisions have everything to do with it.

Consider the most famous of all scriptures which is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Jesus states that if a person believes in the only begotten son, then the blessing of eternal life will be released into their life.

I have to admit that there is a lot of wasted prayers due to ignorance. Many pray things that will not be answered due to a lack of understanding what our personal responsibility is in the situation. I will give you some examples of what I am saying. Here are some ways we pray that indicates we believe that God will just do it without any personal responsibility of our own.

1. We will pray  “Lord, I am lonely send me some friends!” The Lord will then remind you of a key and where  it is found.

Here is your key:

Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

He is saying “be friendly to others and you will gain friends.” You can pray till the cows come home, but if you don’t use the key you will not receive the benefit!

2. We pray “Lord, please touch my mind – it is confused and miserable and depressed and I am full of worry”

Here’s your key:

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

IF your mind is always on the problem then how do you expect to have peace?

3. We pray “Lord stop this from my enemies and I pray that you make them treat me better…”

Here’s your keys:

Matthew 5:44 (KJV) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Romans 12:20-21 (KJV) Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. [21] Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

God wrote this book for us to use – it is a doing religion! These keys work and this is how you apply the Word.

It all comes down to the original point – if you… God will…

A Revolutionary Prayer!

Bob Russell is the pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the one who wrote the prayer that Pastor Joe Wright read at the Kansas House of Representatives in 1996. Below is the article and the prayer that ensues. I have taken the liberty to bullet list the prayer. It is courtesy of

 http://www.bobrussell.org/2013/05/02/americas-prayer-of-repentance/

In 1995 I wrote a prayer of national repentance and offered it at the Kentucky Governor’s Prayer Breakfast in Frankfort Kentucky. The prayer was adapted by Joe Wright and presented as the prayer to open the Kansas House of Representatives in 1996.

You may have heard about the controversy stirred that day. The prayer infuriated several legislators; one member stormed out of the hall in protest. Several gave speeches critical of the prayer, and one even called it a “message of intolerance.”

The chaplain coordinator in the Nebraska legislature read the prayer the following month, stirring a debate there. Paul Harvey reported on the controversy and read the prayer on the air. He has since repeated the story, claiming it is one of the most requested readings he has ever had. The prayer has been widely circulated by e-mail.

O God, we know that your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good,” but that’s exactly what we’ve done.

• We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.
• We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of your Word and called it moral pluralism.
• We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism and New Age spirituality.
• We have committed adultery and called it an affair.
• We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
• We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
• We have neglected the needy and called it frugality.
• We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
• We have killed our unborn children and called it choice.
• We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
• We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
• We have failed to execute justice speedily, as your Word commands, and called it due process.
• We have failed to love our neighbor who has a different color of skin and called it maintaining racial purity.
• We have abused power and called it political savvy.
• We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
• We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
• We have made the Lord’s Day the biggest shopping and entertainment day of the week and called it free enterprise.
• We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our parents and called it enlightenment.

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today. Try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us of every sin and set us free. Though our sins be as scarlet, may they become white as snow. Though they be as crimson, may they be as wool.

Blood Moons mean what??

The latest craze to hit Christendom is the lunar phenomenon of blood moons. Believers are buying up these books as if their last breath depends on it, and the Christian nerves are on edge once again. Observing this new revelation and the reaction it’s producing, I can’t help but think back to the Y2K phenomenon. The prophesy experts were crying out that the end was near and encouraged food hoarding along with all kinds of doomsday instructions. Of course, nothing happened as predicted, other than gullible people ended up with tons of food, bottled water, and a bad case of nerves. The flip side of the coin was favorable for the authors of the books, the manufacturer’s of the processed foods, and sellers of all the gadgets, because now they were laughing all the way to the bank. I often wonder how many times can people be duped.

One prophesy expert recently said that because of the blood moons there would be a major change with Israel and other nations in the middle east within the next few years. Well, you don’t have to be an expert in saying that and be safe in your prediction. A “few years” lacks the opportunity to scrutinize that statement.

These experts are saying that because of past history when blood moons occurred that they were associated with happenings in Israel and world events. We need to remember that anyone can take a happening or event in history and include solar phenomena and claim it’s the reason or sign. For example, I can do a little study concerning the relationship between full moons and the day wars have started throughout history. Let’s pretend that out of 100 wars I have found that there have been 65 full moons within weeks of those days. Now, I read in the news that Israel is being threatened by Iran and I immediately review my analysis. I see that a full moon is scheduled to happen in July. I go on Christian TV, write a book “The Coming Full Moon War between Israel & Iran,” and create a stir about what I have found. Are you getting the picture? In other words, I can force analysis into saying anything I want but that doesn’t necessarily make it accurate.

Here is the REAL blood moon in Scripture.

Revelation 6:12 (KJV) And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

This particular happening stated above will occur in the Tribulation, not now. It WILL be a sign and will happen in the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation as a result of the 6th seal being unleashed. If you are a believer, you will not see it because you will have been raptured out before the 1st seal was opened.

Here are some of the problems that create confusion when it comes to these topics:

• Associating Tribulation events and signs to the pre-rapture time
• lacking understanding in proper dispensational placement
• not differentiating between God’s dealings with the Jew and the church
• making the bible fit our opinions instead of allowing the bible to form our thoughts into true doctrinal stances
• the subtle desire to prostitute the bible by playing on people’s fears in making money off of it

Once we properly place events, signs, and happenings, of scripture in their rightful place, then all of the foolishness disappears.

The next great happening of scripture is the rapture of the church. No signs are needed for it’s fulfillment – we could go at anytime. This knowledge of not knowing when this event will occur should be a stimulant to every believer to go and win as many souls as they can.

Here are some (not all) reasons for the rapture:

• To take saints to heaven to live in the New Jerusalem and receive rewards (1Th. 4:17; 3:13; Jn. 14:1-3; 2Cor. 5:10; Heb. 12:22-23; Rev. 19:1-10; 21:9-10)
• To change bodies of saints to immortality (1Th. 4:16-17; 1Cor. 15:35-58; Philip. 3:21)
• To cause the saints to escape the tribulation of Rev. 6:1 -- Rev. 19:21 (1Th. 4:16-17; 5:9; Lk. 21:36; Rev. 4:1)
• To receive saints to Himself as promised (1Th. 4:17; Jn. 14:1-3; Eph. 5:27)

Instead of wasting money on the latest and greatest – why not allow the phenomenon of the rapture provoke such a passion that burns in us to win souls? Do you know the rapture itself is a sign? It is the leading sign that the Tribulation is near.

So, if a full moon happens and at the same time a war starts somewhere in the world – I will tell you “see, I told you so!”

HOW You Say It determines…

Tactful speaking and making what you say palatable to the hearer requires forethought and intention. Truth can be spoken but whether it is received depends much upon the one's attitude in speaking it. Think about it, if someone came up to you and revealed things that needed corrected in your life and all of it was true, however, they said it with a nasty attitude – how would you respond? Of course you would reject it, not because it was true, but because the attitude of the person turned the truth bitter.

The following story is from an unknown source but it illustrates the lasting impact of a right attitude.

John Wesley and a preacher-friend of plain habits were once invited to dinner where the host's daughter, noted for her beauty, had been profoundly impressed by Wesley's preaching. during a pause in the meal, Wesley's friend took the young woman's hand and called attention to the sparkling rings she wore. "What do you think of this, sir, for a Methodist hand?" The girl turned crimson.

Wesley likewise was embarrassed, for his aversion to jewelry was only too well known. But with a benevolent smile, he simply said, "The hand is very beautiful." 

Wesley's remark both cooled the too-hot water poured by his  friend, and made the foot-washing gentle. The young woman appeared at the evening service without her jewels, and became a strong Christian.

I have nothing against the wearing of jewelry but I thought the attitude of John Wesley made all the difference in this woman’s response.

Colossians 4:6 (KJV)
⁶ Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

The purpose of salt is to:

• preserve foods
• improve taste – make palatable
• enhances the color of food
• A nutrient source

Finis Dake said in reference to this verse:

Let your speech be always spiced and seasoned with answers that will oppose sin and preserve from the corruption thereof. Let it be holy, wise, gracious, Christian, savory, wholesome, courteous, respectful, desirable, and worthy of being kept in the memory of others.

Salt in this verse has much to do with the attitude, or the way we speak the truth. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say “what to answer” but “how to answer” every person. Not that truth is unimportant, but the attitude makes the spinach of truth more palatable and ingestible for the hearer.

If you have been dealing with someone about salvation, or trying to get a person to see the error of their ways, and you are not seeing success. Don’t change the truth, change your attitude and see what happens. You might be surprised at the change in their response.

Thank God for the Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:12-19 (KJV)
¹² Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
¹³ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
¹⁵ Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
¹⁶ For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
¹⁸ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

The cross and the resurrection are two sides of the same coin. In other words, both are equally important and each depend upon the other to be effective. The blood of the sinless lamb was necessary to be shed so that the ransom of sin’s debt could be paid in full. However, what ultimately enacted the power of the cross in it’s effectiveness was the resurrection. The rising from the dead was the proof that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was accepted by the Father. If Jesus would not have raised from the dead, the blood would have been dormant in it’s ability to save one from sin. When the Lord arose, he unleashed the power of the blood and made forgiveness available to all. 

According to the above scriptures, if Jesus would not have raised from the dead then the following would have been useless, vain, pointless, and to no purpose.

• Our preaching would be in vain.
• Our faith would be vain.
• We would be false witnesses.
• Believers would still be in their sins.
• Those that have died would perish.
• We would be of all people, most miserable.

The good news is – he did raise from the dead!

1 Corinthians 15:20 (KJV) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Therefore the opposite becomes true:

• Our preaching is effective
• Our faith produces
• We are true witnesses
• Believers are NO longer in sin’s bondage
• Those who died in Christ are alive with him in Heaven
• We are NOT miserable but full of hope

Resurrection implies a new beginning. Something has to be dead before it can be raised. According to Romans 6, at the moment of salvation we die, and are buried with Christ and then raised to newness of life. It’s a new beginning, life, and purpose.

My prayer for this Easter season is that many people will experience what Jesus has accomplished for every person. Like a sponge, he absorbed all of our sins and took them all away. Then, he resurrects his own nature in us through regeneration by the Holy Spirit’s miracle in our lives.

Go and live this experience and watch how God will affect others through you for his glory. God bless you this Easter season!!!

To Tattoo or Not Tattoo is the Question

Leviticus 19:26-28 (KJV)
²⁶ Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
²⁷ Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
²⁸ Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks (tattoos) upon you: I am the LORD.

All of the above things mentioned are in reference to heathen worship to their false idols. God wanted Israel to represent him which would put them in direct conflict with the practices of the heathen and pagan societies. His desire was for them to be careful not to identify themselves with unholy religious regimens and appearances. Israel was to reflect the holy nature of God in their attitudes and worship. Interestingly, in the New Testament, Jesus was casting out a devil one day and it said to him “I know who you are – the Holy One of Israel.” The Lord commanded this evil spirit to be quiet because he was stopping it from the attempt of identifying with Jesus. In other words, he was careful to maintain difference in the eyes of the people by not creating confusion.

In verse 27 above, the Israelites were not to trim the hair in the temple area of their heads, and they were not to make certain rounded corners to their beards. “What’s the big deal” you may ask? This certain hairstyle and beard appearance identified them as devoted to a certain idol. God wanted Israel to not take on these styles as a testimony to the heathen world that they were not idol worshippers.

Verse 28 is often used in the tattoo debate and there is legitimate reason for it. Historically, the pagan cultures would cut themselves and even mutilate their bodies as a sign of mourning for the dead. They would also print tattoos on their flesh in connection to superstitions and other religious affiliations. It became an insult to God who designed the human body and so the reason for the law stated here.

Now to the present day and would it be permissible for a Christian. First of all, we know the origin of tattooing was not God ordained, but the result of pagan rituals and idolatry. Therefore there are questions we need to ask ourselves:

• Will it glorify God? 1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
• Some want to establish their identity or independence, while others get a tattoo in order to assert ownership of their body. However, the Bible encourages Christians: Romans 12:1 (KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
• Use your “power of reason” to analyze why you want a tattoo. If it is because you want to follow a fad or to show membership in a certain group, remember that your feelings may prove to be less permanent than the tattoo. Examining your motives can help you to make a wise decision.

What about the arguments used such as:
 
Q - Leviticus 19:28 is Old Testament and I live under the New Testament.

• Answer: The verse following 28 states the forbidding of prostituting one’s daughter and it’s the only place in the Bible that says this. Therefore, using this argument then one could say “since I’m not under the OT and I’m under the NT then it MUST be okay to prostitute my daughter.” There are many other "moral laws’ that are ONLY forbidden in the Old Testament, such as the human sacrifice of children. Nowhere in the New Testament is this forbidden. Does that mean that NOW under the New Testament, God Almighty endorses throwing babies into the fire as a human sacrifice? To be fair we have to use the same line of reasoning for both.

Q – Jesus Christ has a tattoo according to Revelation 19:11-16 so what’s good for him is good enough for me.

• Answer: Revelation 19:16 (KJV) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The vesture here is a mantle that is wrapped around his thigh. It is not referring to a tattoo on the skin of his leg.

Q – I can identify with those who have them and it gives me the opportunity to witness to people who normally would never listen to a preacher.

• Using that same line of reasoning we could also say that Christian women should dress like prostitutes and go witness to them. Or, maybe we should go to the Bar and have a few drinks with sinners because they won’t listen to a preacher. Jesus never changed his appearance to win souls, he simply went in the power of the Holy Spirit and represented the Kingdom of God.

Up until some years ago, this subject was never debated in the church or sanctioned by commentators. Let’s look at a few reputable scholars on the subject.   

Jamison, Fausett, and Brown Commentary: nor print any marks upon you—by tattooing, imprinting figures of flowers, leaves, stars, and other fanciful devices on various parts of their person. The impression was made sometimes by means of a hot iron, sometimes by ink or paint, as is done by the Arab females of the present day and the different castes of the Hindus. It it probable that a strong propensity to adopt such marks in honor of some idol gave occasion to the prohibition in this verse; and they were wisely forbidden, for they were signs of apostasy; and, when once made, they were insuperable obstacles to a return.

Coffman's Commentary on the Old and New Testament: "The cutting of one's flesh also characterized pagan worship as attested by the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel in the contest with Elijah. Tattooing was also a device of paganism. . . Christians generally disapprove of tattooing, despite the fact of the widespread use of it by many even today. In the light of what God says here, and in view of the history of it, it seems strange that anyone would pay someone else to tattoo him."

Charles R. Erdman, Commentary on the The Book of Leviticus: "The custom of tattooing was forbidden, while among all the nations of antiquity it was common."

Adam Clarke Commentary Leviticus 19:28: I have seen several cases where persons have got the figure of the cross, the Virgin Mary, etc., made on their arms, breasts, etc., the skin being first punctured, and then a blue coloring matter rubbed in, which is never afterward effaced. All these were done for superstitious purposes, and to such things probably the prohibition in this verse refers.

I truly believe without reservation that the practice of tattooing should be avoided by Christians. However, if one has tattoos from the sinful days of his/her life, the Lord has forgiven and we should not judge. This Blog is not written with a judgmental spirit but rather the intention is to get people to think and evaluate their response to this latest fad. Let us also remember, we are a holy people and God’s children.

We are to live a higher standard than the world. I want to end with a true story. Dr. Spence who was founder of Foundations Bible College in Dunn, North Carolina, told this story concerning his daughter. It was during the mini-skirt craze of the late sixties and early seventies. She had purchased a mini-skirt (unbeknownst to Dr. Spence) and she put it on one evening just before they were going out as a family. She came to the top of the stairs and hollered down to him “daddy, what do you think?” He looked up at his daughter and said these words “remember, you are a child of the King.” Without saying a word, she went back to her bedroom and changed into something more presentable. Dr. Spence said she never wore one after that.

Something to think about.

What is the greatest need of the church to become effective again?

What is the greatest need of the church to become effective again? Out of the four options listed in the poll:

• Witnessing
• Maturity
• Gifts of the Spirit
• Sound Leadership

 

Maturity is the one most people voted for. I do believe that maturity is the greatest need of the church, however, I do not believe that it will be arrived at without sound leadership. Everything rises and falls on leadership. At this present time, the church as a whole in America is immature. It is in this condition because spiritual leadership tolerates it. Many pastors have a perverted view of their position. Some believe they are employed to be the babysitter. Others, believe their job is that of an entertainer who is to put on a show every week for the audience. I am afraid that at the end of the day that pastoral leadership is amusing more goats than they are leading sheep.

The key to church growth, it's protection, and change, is sound leadership. No matter what condition a church finds itself in, it did not arrive there by accident. Someone led them in a direction that produced this condition.

This is why that the current church's condition will not be solved by emphasizing new programs, techniques, and borrowed psychology from the world. We must renew our demand of putting sound leadership back at the helm of our churches. Pastors today are evaluated by their ability to implement programs and how they can master a budget. However, God may have never called them to that position, and they may not have the anointing to form a congregation into the stature of Christ.

Consider which one of the following armies you would not be willing to face. An army of lions led by a sheep, or an army of sheep led by a lion? What is in the leadership is what will get into the rest of the followers. I would not want to fight the army of sheep led by a lion, because the sheep would take on the nature of the lion and would become vicious fighters. The army of lions would take on the nature of the sheep and would become cowards even though they possessed a powerful potential to be victorious. I have been around many ministers who are weak in their personality, no convictions, no drive, and whine about everything. There is a congregation of potential lions sitting in that church every week – I just want to shout it out – be a MAN and LEAD! Ladies too (smile).

Sound leadership is:

• has character and a good reputation
• has an obvious anointing to preach the gospel
• possesses sound doctrine
• thoroughly educated in the word
• meets the qualifications of 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1
• humble

Why is sound leadership so important:

• there is no development without leadership
• correction is to be administered by leadership
• no progress without it
• direction and attitude is set by leadership
• it is what keeps sheep from scattering

 

For a pastor to be successful in the Lord’s eyes, he must have true convictions about the principles of God's word. Convictions are what enables a minister to remain in a stable condition no matter what the circumstances and conditions are surrounding him. If leadership vacillates back and forth just to please people, if they change their belief system so they can be accepted, then they are not a pastor they are a compromiser.

Therefore, I agree that maturity is the greatest need of the American church. However, it will never reach this heightened state of perfection without sound pastoral leadership. Let’s make it a matter of prayer, that there be a revival of sound leadership back in the pulpits of America that will lead us victorious into the fight for people’s souls!

Sipping Saints?

 

http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/20091-beer-bubbly-and-libation-lies-but-god-is-not-a-buzzkill

I was appalled by a recent article written for charisma magazine which is referred to above. A part of the title was "God is not a buzz kill". The author evidently is stating that God sanctions and excepts a person getting a buzz from an alcoholic drink. At the risk of sounding condescending, I am afraid that ignorance is pandemic in Christendom. With a little objective studying in the word of God, an understanding in all biblical subjects could be arrived at safely, sound, and with proper balance, doing no damage to the human soul.

The word "wine" is a generic term used in the Bible referring to both fermented and unfermented wine.

Isaiah 65:8 (KJV)
⁸ Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

Obviously, the wine referred to here is still in the cluster of grapes, thus it would certainly not be fermented. However, it is also used for the fermented as seen in the below Scripture.

Genesis 9:21 (KJV)
²¹ And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

Context becomes extremely important in deciphering the use of the word wine in Scripture.

The following Scripture has become the staple for many who state that Jesus did not forbid the drinking of alcoholic beverages, but even aided in the practice of it.

John 2:10 (KJV)  And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

Without getting into a long theological discourse of the right and wrong interpretation of this verse, let's just use some good old-fashioned sense. Are we to believe that Jesus Christ, who was the epitome of moral consistency and standards, would have miraculously produced 160 gallons of intoxicating wine for men, women, and children, at a wedding feast? Then after their consumption, making himself morally responsible for increasing their drunkenness. Would Jesus have been the referee when fights broke out as a result of men and women who are intoxicated? Or, did the Lord pray a special blessing over these drunken revelers that they would be insulated from any mishaps on their way home and any marital woes would be miraculously resolved? Of course it would be absurd to think so, and no sane Christian thinks that the marriage at  Cana of Galilee was some sort of happy hour.

Proverbs 23:29-35 (KJV)
²⁹ Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
³⁰ They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
³¹  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
³² At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
³³ Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
³⁴ Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
³⁵ They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Solomon was known as the wisest man that ever lived. The wisdom that he possessed was not the result of IQ, the educational system, or from any other human source. This wisdom was a gift from God. Notice what the wisest man that ever existed had to say about drinking alcoholic beverages. He said that not only are we not to partake of it, but we are not even to look at it. This is a biblical principle throughout Scripture. If something is forbidden by God, we are not to look at it. The reason is, what you look at has the power to create desire in your heart. This is why Jesus said that a man is not to look on a woman to lust after her who is not his wife.

Judges 13:7 (KJV)
⁷ But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.

Numbers 6:3 (KJV)
³ He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

Luke 1:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

Again, we see the bible distinguishing the difference between the two. Let’s notice the high standard for people who were to be consecrated to the service of the Lord in representing him. Are we no less in our responsibility in representing the King and his Kingdom?

I am reminded of the words of Paul when he said:

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

The Real Noah

Since there has been a lot of hoopla concerning the movie Noah, I thought I would give my proverbial two cents. First of all, any time that Hollywood and a producer that is atheist illustrates a Bible character or story you have to be suspect. They're viewpoint will be perverted and twisted as a result of their soul being littered with sin. We must remember that Hollywood's agenda is not about staying true in biblical accuracy nor are they concerned about the souls of men. Therefore, they will circumvent the subject of sin and remove the need of a Savior. Their agenda is to make money, and to make sure that the script does not produce guilt in their own conscience and those who will be watching.

The story of Noah and the reason of judgment was not about:

• Meat eaters against vegetarians
• The ruining of nature by human beings
• Environmentalism

It was about:

• Man’s open rebellion against God
• The corruption of the human race by fallen angels producing giant races
• False worship
• Injustice, cruelty, and oppression

The Dispensation of Conscience which was the span of time from the fall of man to the flood was 1656 years. Adam lived 930 years or well over half of this dispensation. HIs personal account of their beginning in the garden and their expulsion from this paradise would have been common knowledge to all that lived in this period. Yet, mankind rebelled and purposed to overthrow God from their lives and remove all mention and influence of his being from society. It sickened God to the point that he wished he never would have made man.   

Genesis 6:5-6 (KJV)
⁵ And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
⁶  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Thank God for one man who was not corrupted by his environment, but remained true to God.

Genesis 6:8-9 (KJV)
⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
⁹ These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

In spite of all that is happening around us in the world today, we can be encouraged to remain faithful to the Lord. If you are feeling alone, abandoned, or no one cares… take comfort in knowing that God has not left you. Noah had no one to encourage him, help him, and pray for him, but he had a close relationship with God. It turned out to be sufficient in keeping him through the human storm of opposition  and the literal storm sent by God.

If Noah could do it before the early church, Pentecost, and  the cross, then so can we.

The Poll Winner is…

I want to thank you for taking the time to vote in the poll. All four things are needed and would be essential in bringing this nation back to a solid moral foundation again. However, I do have an opinion on which one would be initially the most important. I strongly believe that parents are the key to a lasting and sustained moral revival in America.

Prayer in Schools?

Prayer in school means little if parents are not actively communicating with God in the home. Prayer in school disappeared because long before that, prayer in the home disappeared. We must not forget that society as a whole is a reflection of the home. The younger generation often lampooned and picked on by the previous generation for its lack of morals and restraint. What is not realized, is that the previous generation is what has produced the younger generation. According to the Bible, parents were entrusted with the responsibility of training, discipling, and instilling the word of God, into the child. This requires of the parent:

• diligence
• effort
• working knowledge of the bible
• personal inconvenience
• and time

Many moms and dads are instead taking the easy road in the hope of microwaving children into responsible adults who contribute to the good of society. They are doing this by allowing Hollywood, church youth groups, and all other forms of spiritual and unspiritual entertainment, to replace the personal parental involvement in the child's life in producing the spiritual formation that is needed. Obviously, youth groups and having fun is not something wrong. It's when the parent looks at these things as the replacement for their personal responsibility in the spiritual forming of the child. Strong youth are no more of an accident than a farmer planting seed and expecting a harvest. We can even pray that our young people be strong, but prayer is not a replacement for personal responsibility.

Revival in Church?

Why isn't revival in the church number one? Certainly one could make a very good argument concerning this one. However, a revival in a church will not last unless the home's that make up that church have a revival. We must also defined what do we mean when we say the word revival. I think that in many minds that it means a continual excitement and emotional highs maintained throughout many church services. Though revival is exciting and does effect the emotions, it's main components are change and hunger. Sinners will be changed to Saints, the sick will be changed to healed, the spiritual lukewarm will be changed to being on fire, and there will be no competition for the hunger of the Word. When children see consistent hunger for the Word by their parents it will leave an indelible impression that will last them a lifetime. My parents only had two children – both sons. We are both in the ministry and I can’t tell you the amount of times my parents have been approached and told “how proud you must be that both of your boys are in the ministry.” One of the leading factors was that our parents exhibited a consistent hunger for the Word throughout our time of growing up. We never saw hypocrisy in our home. My father would get shouting happy in church while my mother with tears in her eyes would play the organ for hours during the extended altar times. Then, during the rest of the week, their lives corresponded to the emotions I saw displayed in the church. Here again, if we want to see a lasting revival and one that affects society, it will not be the result of the snap of a finger or some magical wand waved over a few lives, but it will be the result of parents who painstakingly forge the next generation in the halls of a home that is filled with:

• Hunger for the Word in the parent
• Consistent living by the parent
• Biblical instruction from the parent
• Family devotions initiated by the parent

Studies have shown that a child's character is formed by the age of seven. Years ago, one religious organization would often state that if they could have a child from infancy to five years old, they would have the child for a lifetime.

A moral return of Biblical values being ingrained in society will not happen overnight. The digression didn’t happen that way and our way forward will not either. Children are like seed. You cultivate the soil and environment they are planted – born into. Then, we nurture, protect, and fertilize, and eventually a harvest comes. America can become healthy again but it starts at home. The problem is not the White House, it is with our house.

I am convinced that the next revival will not be some fleeting temporal emotional experience, but a lasting heartfelt existence of Christ producing the standard of righteousness for all the world to see. It will not just be a shout but it will be a force that carries clout, it will not be just an emotional high but will be the result of those who died to self!

Perfect - Are you serious?

The word “perfect” according to Webster means:

• being entirely without fault or defect : flawless <a perfect diamond>
• satisfying all requirements : accurate
• corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept <a perfect gentleman>
• faithfully reproducing the original; specifically : letter-perfect
• legally valid

Jesus Christ was the only human being to satisfy everyone of these definitions. He was without fault, satisfied all of the righteous requirements of the law, he was the perfect man, as a son he reflected his father perfectly, and he was the only legal and valid person to redeem us from our sins. The Lord provided a perfect salvation for us to experience. In other words, when we are saved, we are perfectly saved. There is no such thing as an imperfect salvation.

The word sin in the Bible simply means missing the mark. The mark, describes the bull's-eye at the center of the target. The mark is the righteous standard given by God for humanity to live up to. The Law, exposed our inability and inaccuracy to hit this bull's-eye of God standard. However, when I put my faith in this perfect Jesus, he puts me in right standing with the Father. His meritorious work is what has achieved this perfect standing with God and not the result of my own feeble deeds. Then, the Lord will provide his ability for me to use in living up to the standard of God and hitting the moral bull's-eye throughout my life, so that others can see me as an example of Christ living through me.

Every time that I obey the word of God when confronted by a situation in life, it will produce a perfect response. If I do not obey God's word, then I will miss the bull's-eye and then the response to the situation will not be perfect. The sermon on the mount is filled with the standard of conduct expected of a Kingdom citizen of Heaven. As you read through Matthew 5-7, you will notice the multiple situations Jesus refers to, and then the God standard response to them.

Matthew 5:43-48 (KJV)
⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
⁴⁶ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Decisions Decisions 

If someone insults, persecutes, or curses me, I am now faced with a decision. I can choose to retaliate and do to them as they have done unto me. In doing so, I will miss the mark and therefore an imperfect response will be made. However, if I choose to obey God standard and pray for them, speak kindly to them, and do good deeds in return for the evil, then I have hit the bull's-eye and given a perfect response. We have been given the ability by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation to respond in a godly way to all situations. There really is no excuses because no one forces us to choose one way or the other. Satan does not have the ability to force you to make a decision that you don't want to make. On the other hand, God will not violate your freedom of choice.



  
2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)
¹  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Perfection in the Bible also has much to do with growth and maturity. As we consistently obey the word of God in the situations that we face in life, we become practiced. You have often heard it said “practice makes perfect.” The more I practice the word, the more developed I become. What am I doing? By continually obeying God's word, he in turn is perfecting my life. The Lord is maturing and growing me more and more in His image.
 
When you make a mistake or human error - right away - someone may say "I thought you were so perfect!" Human perfection without mistakes and human errors is an impossible achievement in this lifetime. As time goes on though, we should make fewer of them as we grow in knowledge and spiritual development. Even in the natural, I shouldn't be making the same blunders I did when I was 10 years old. The sin functionality in my life should have died at the cross, and the new nature should be growing every day inside of me through purposeful application of the word in every situation I face.

What are you going to do?

Today when someone lies on you - cuts you off in traffic - treats you badly - what are you going to do in return? What will your response be? The perfect Word or the imperfect flesh in the response? It's all up to us isn't it?