November 2007 Archives

“Then you replied, ‘We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.’ So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country. But the Lord said to me, "Tell them, 'Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.'" So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord's command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah. You came back and wept before the Lord, but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you. And so you stayed in Kadesh many days – all the time you spent there” (Deuteronomy 1:41-46).

Enthusiasm and excitement, while personally invigorating, can cause life to quickly become sour as they potentially lead one to presuming on God. There is nothing quite so discomforting and defeating than for one to act presumptuously and to find himself to be outside the will of God. This was one of the lessons learned by Israel when they rashly went against the Amorites after first refusing to be obedient. The following personal experience will illustrate this reality.

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes” (Song of Solomon 2:15). “Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off an evil odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1 RSV).

In late 1966, Pastor Jim Hylton had a radio program in West Plains known as the “Second Cup of Coffee” in which he shared details and concepts of what was happening in the ongoing revival. A little chorus was used as the introductory theme that voiced well what we were feeling, a part of which is: “, it’s a grand new day. Thank you for the life in a brand new way!”

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and I will shew thee great and hidden things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3). “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Nearly forty years have passed since the beginning days of the revival at West Plains, MO. Since that time I have been in countless churches scattered across the globe as an evangelist and conference speaker. In all of these years and in all of those places, in many of which I have seen a significant moving of God, the revival in that small Missouri town is without exception the most unparalleled I’ve seen. Its greatness was in its magnitude, compass, profundity, and lasting impact in the lives of so many.

“Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain. Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights” (Exodus 24:15-18).

How can one describe the indescribable? Certainly the overt manifestation of the glory of God was so unique on Mount Sinai there were no words that could adequately describe it. Exodus expressed it thusly: “The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel” (v. 17). The glory was so strong on the face of Moses that the children of Israel couldn’t look upon it and begged him to put a veil on his face.

“For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalms 51:16-17).

Having to relearn the Christian walk is not an easy thing. Early in our West Plains experience it became very apparent that our new walk involved a close and vital fellowship with Jesus. When one’s Christian experience has historically been one involving rather rigid patterns of conduct and religious activities, it seemed somewhat drastic and even a bit scary to think that the Father is not so concerned with these things as much as He is in our having an essential fellowship with Him.

“So I went down to the potter's house; and there he was, working at the wheel. But the vessel he was making came out wrong, as may happen with clay when a potter is at work. So he began again and shaped it into another vessel, as he thought fit” (Jeremiah 18:3-4 NJB).

After a life-changing and life-shaping encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ in late 1966, I suddenly found myself somewhat unexpectedly sharing with inquirers who were seeking a similar walk with Jesus. They came all times of the day and night—sometimes showing up on our doorstep considerably after midnight! Frankly, I didn’t know what to say to them other than to tell them what had happened to me. So many of us were walking in amazement in those days when it seemed that we, like Paul, were “gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord,…being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18 NAB).

“Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

I have spent over thirty years of my life helping people to find inner freedom for their lives. Over the years and through much experience I have come to realize that freedom is not an accident nor is it the result of a single experience. In most cases it is the result of a careful and thoughtful process of seeking God in the whole of one’s life.

According to Eliphaz in his dissertation to Job, “Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). For most of us, that certainly seems to be the case. The question remains, however, are man’s troubles an abnormal part of living or are they a part of it?

“Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16).

The jettisoning of traditional values, mores, and standards in Christian communications and life will ultimately destroy the very thing that they are trying to build. The “shock value” of alternative speech causes the listeners to be identified with worldly communication that would move them away from the purity of the Gospel rather than entrenching them in it.

“Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people” (1 Chronicles 16:8).

Life should be treated very carefully, each of us have only one to live on this earth. “The quality of life” is the measuring stick often used to determine its value. By “quality of life,” a person could be thinking of a variety of criteria as the basis by which he judges its value.

Paul, in his writings, gave glimpses of some of the problems in the early church. He lamented Demas who deserted the cause. He rebuked the disorder at Corinth, and in his letter to Titus, commanded the establishment of elders that “those things might be put to order that are lacking” (Titus 1:5). (In other words, straighten out the mess!)

“By him, therefore, let us offer the to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips [confessing His name]” (Hebrews 3:15).

Living life to the fullest is greatly enabled by deliberate praise. Praise to the Heavenly Father is not a natural condition of the human heart. Our praise is more inclined to be toward ourselves, our families, or anything that is near and/or dear to us or even for the works of His hands than to our Father.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is not law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Most of us would agree that love is the primary characteristic of the Spirit-filled life and, as such, is listed first in the listing of the fruit. It is interesting to note that gentleness is the pivotal characteristic of one who walks in the Spirit; being the fifth fruit of the nine listed.

“But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil” (Psalms 92:10).

It seems a mystery to know that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit – knowing that He will never leave us – and at the same time know that His anointing is not always present on us. The can be a significant difference between having Him in us (salvation) and having Him on us (anointing for service and ministry).

The Lord Jesus clearly promised that the Holy Spirit would come and that He would never leave us. In fact it is through His agency that Jesus is made to live in us even though He (Jesus) never leaves the throne of Heaven.

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

Sometimes I wonder if other people read the same Bible that I read. If they do, where do they get the concepts of Jesus that they have? In essence, that is the question Paul had in his mind when he offered this warning.

For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

It is extremely important and desirable in these days for each of us to spend quality time with Jesus for an Emmaus road rejuvenation since it is so easy to drift away from the simplicity of Christ. The Christian life can become so complicated and mundane that we lose sight of Him. In the early years of my ministry He was all I knew. It was never my desire to be philosophical, psychological, or even theological. I just wanted to know Him. I could relax in Him and draw from His wonderful love and benevolent care as I heard His voice saying: “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10-12).

While practicing the principles of the laws of the harvest could greatly prosper a person that is not their intended use. To reap God’s bounty and not share it with others even more abundantly than one has reaped will produce a spiritual stagnation that will ultimately defeat the whole process. I listed, somewhat arbitrarily in the preceding message, three levels of giving: obedient giving (the tithe), abundant giving (giving above the tithe as one has prospered), and prolific giving (giving as a ministry in which he gives the greater portion of his income away).

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

What an amazing statement! Notice the “alls.” When one considers the total impact of what Paul shares, there is not much room for lack in our lives. We would have to see that any lack we experience is a result of bondage of thought and action, not of supply.

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Because of the materialistic imprints that are etched in the human flesh, giving away our hard earned substance is not our favorite idea. However, God does not cater to the fleshly values and instincts that we favor; His way always takes us by way of the cross.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).

As already stated, the beginning point of the life of giving is when we are able to establish tithing as an ongoing principle in our lives. Learning the necessity and practice of tithing is essential in spiritual development for those who want to go on with the Lord. It is one of the fundamentals of power-filled living.

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalms 37:25).

What an amazing testimony! It seems to me that too many of us as believers are slaves to our assets (or lack of them). We place our confidence in them rather than in the One Who owns the cattle of a thousand hills, thus falling into the bondage created by spirit of lack.

"Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8b).

I'm aware that life is filled with issues and needs that require one to exercise faith. There is none quite so tangible and ubiquitous as one's need for money. Some are gifted with the ability to achieve financial independence while others are not. Regardless the principles of giving affect us all.

Because money is such a visible and essential part of living, it is also a very significant battlefield on which we all strive. One person's ability to attain wealth on the one hand and another's inability to do the same does not eliminate one more than the other from the necessity of practicing the Biblical principles of faith and giving. In fact, although each person must approach it from a different point of view, each, of necessity, must practice the principles of giving.

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:30).

God doesn't really need our money in order to survive. We, however, need what He does for us when we see money from His point of view. God owns the cattle of a thousand hills. He created wealth and can disperse it as He wills.

Marriage is privilege that should not be taken lightly. Jesus equates a marriage relationship to that which He has with the church. It is important to Christ that, as spouses, we have the proper attitude and relationships with each other. Not only are there God given benefits to a proper marriage relationship but there are also God imposed penalties when the marriage in not in order.

It is hard to achieve and maintain a balance of relationship in marriage. Even when both spouses are well balanced and mature in themselves, it is still difficult.

In every relationship in life there is a “pecking order.” Even though there may be a formal definition of authority in that relationship, there may also be an informal and unspoken reality--in other words, the voice behind the voice. An old joke had a man saying: “I am the head of my home, of course my wife is the neck!”

The importance of a purified conscience is often overlooked, neglected or considered to be unimportant. We often don’t realize it is one the most marvelous birthrights we could have as a believer. A guilty conscience is the result of unresolved sin issues regarding the soul and body. People have a mistaken view of God’s grace and mercy feeling that when they became a believer they were set free from sin and bondage, therefore being liberated to live life as they choose.

A major reason for disharmony in the home is the mental and emotional “baggage” brought into the marriage by one or both spouses. Many come out of their birth families having built-in destructive devices based on teaching, treatment, and observation in their home. Others come out of previous marriages with much the same thing. In each case there are demands and expectations that will be hurtful to the new marriage. Compound that with the same dysfunctionalism being imparted to their children, is it any wonder that many homes are a battlefield rather than a bit of Heaven? Each person, prior to marriage, should go through an extensive healing process to insure that the problems of the past don't rear their ugly heads to bring defilement and destruction to the new home and ultimately, the children of that marriage.

The original attack of the enemy was on the home. The home was the first God-ordained institution in history (with the church being the last). God ordained other social institutions such as government to maintain order and function on a community basis—all of which receive the attention of the enemy.

Anyone who has been married for any period of time realizes that much of the emotional fluff that accompanies courtship, the wedding, and the honeymoon of a marriage wears off as reality sets in and adjustments have to be made.

It is a very difficult thing to get involved in other people’s lives. Although it is easier to see what many of the problems are when looking in from the outside, one doesn’t know or understand many of the nuances of personal living that go on day by day. It makes it difficult, therefore, to try to offer healing and counsel.

For many years, in my marriage counseling, I have limited my counsel to fundamental scriptural principles that apply universally to every family wherever they might be and regardless of the difficulty of circumstances. With such a method, the people involved must see on their own what their problems are and address them based on those principles.