The Today Series: January 2008 Archives

The feeling of being a “castaway” is one of the most desperate feelings that one can have. In clarification, I’m not referring to the losing of one’s salvation but rather the feeling of being passed over in the ministry. There are times when many who have a genuine heart for the Lord, who have fully committed themselves to Him, who feel called to minister and have made adequate preparation, feel that they have been put “on the shelf.”

“And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).

What an amazing statement, “and great grace was upon them all!” I recall preaching a meeting in a city in Indiana where there was such an atmosphere of God that numerous healings spontaneously took place. During the ministry time many people stood and testified that they had just been healed. Some of the healings were quite spectacular and most were verifiable. The presence of God was so great that we were almost afraid to breathe.

I woke up this morning thinking how important small, simple, and seemingly insignificant things are to the Kingdom of God.

When Naaman,, captain of the King of Syria’s host, discovered he had leprosy, a little Israelite girl, a servant in his home, suggested he go to Israel to be healed by the prophet in Israel. Taking a wealth of gifts with him and a large entourage of servants, etc., he set out for Israel, going to the King of Israel to make his request. The king of Israel, when confronted, was quite understandably upset with the whole idea saying, “And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me” (2 Kings 5:7)?

An almost forgotten ethical/moral ingredient of today’s society is loyalty. Loyalty is totally inconsistent with the primary value systems of the age. Paul defined those people who live in accord with contemporary values as being “lovers of their own selves” (2 Timothy 3:1), i. e. consumed with oneself.

Disloyalty seems to be paramount in the home, in the church and in the world in general. It is the infection that contaminates every segment of society, precipitating the breakup of countless social structures including, and especially, the home and the church.

There is nothing so debilitating as to be caught between two or more opinions and thus unable to make clear and lasting decisions. James refers to this condition as double mindedness. In modern day terminology we would call it confusion.

Our belief system is the hub around which our lives rotate. It is obviously empowered by information from various origins that is varied in value and authenticity. Consequently, all of this can manifest itself in indecisiveness plus mental and emotional chaos.

"Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body" (1 Corinthians 6:18 NASB).

Although this message is specifically directed toward married couples and relates particularly to unresolved sexual histories, in its broader sense, it is for everyone. It constitutes an important facet of liberated living that should be acted upon by anyone who wants freedom.

It would be a very unusual person who has not fallen prey to vain imaginations at some point or time in his life.

To be vainly imaginative is to have an assumptive or unsubstantiated opinion concerning oneself, others, circumstances or even about God, based on anxieties, fears, suspicions, prejudice, desires, ambitions, or other unreliable and emotion driven thought processes. That is quite a mouthful and it maybe necessary for one to take a few minutes and dissect the definition I’ve given to gain the fullest impact of it.

“They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas” (Acts 16:6-8 Holman Bible).

In my last message, I used the oceanic winds, tides, and currents as analogies of the various theological movements in today’s world. I do appreciate the replies and questions I received. Today’s message is a follow up to it.

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1).

“Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth” (James 3:4).

There are winds, tides, and currents in the theological world the same as there are in the oceans of the world.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us; And if we know that he hear us whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14).

The message contained in our text is extraordinary. The promise it contains has the potential of transforming every circumstance of life—if we could dare believe it.

I learned a very important lesson many years ago which I call the principle of the burning bridge.

Simple stated: God doesn't significantly move in our circumstances until we burn our bridges behind us. Many times He gives no hint that He is going to meet our needs until we pass the PNR (point of no return). Frankly, I don't like functioning like that. Norma and I have faced many crises over the years when obedience to the Lord Jesus required such an action. Every time we do it I am filled with trepidations, wondering if this time was the time we heard wrong.

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Fear is both a cause and a result. It is the earliest emotion recorded in the Bible and one of the most powerful.

It is not the will of God for us to live under the power of fear. Unfortunately, more of us than we would like to think are gripped by its power. There are many wonderful and powerful scriptures – such as Psalm 91 – that give stirring promises geared to overcoming this defeating characteristic of life.

“But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints” Ephesians 5:3).

In the scripture, purity is thought of in two separate ways, which, although related to each other, present different ideas. 1. Purity in the sense of focus or single mindedness (see James 4:8). 2. Purity in the sense of holy living. It is from this viewpoint we will look at today’s message.

A significant portion of my ministry time is involved with the emergencies people have in their lives. My heart always goes out to people who are in the grasp of these seemingly unsolvable destructive circumstances and relationships. Many people who are aware of my ministry, however, see me as their “rescuer.” In such cases they want me to help them to untangle their circumstances and relationships, attempting to bring order out of chaos. While there is a great deal of joy in helping to bring a resolution to the problems people have, in most cases, their difficulty should have been anticipated and solved long before it came to that stage. Their real need was to have built strong Biblical foundations.

My wife and I took a trip to Alaska on one occasion where I preached a series of meetings on Kenai Peninsula. I was overwhelmed with the splendor of the scenery and immediately began praying that God would open the door for me to go to Alaska as a pastor. I mentioned it to my wife and found out later that she was praying that no doors would open – she knew it would mean leaving children at home in college, etc. Her prayers must have been of greater effect than mine because no doors opened.

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

You and I both have heard countless summations, questions, and explanations as to the trend toward violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and other deviant behaviors that tend to be so prevalent in our society. Frankly, I have not heard much, if anything, coming out of the secular press that approaches the truth regarding the social ills that exist today.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalms 42:5).

Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and that more abundant” (John 10-10b). I make no apologies for being very simplistic. I believe totally in the idea that every deviation in human attitude and behavior is a result of the fall of man and is solvable through divine power.

“And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (Joshua 3:7).

The scripture confirms that every believer is uniquely called of God and is designed and equipped to fulfill that calling. Consequently, his greatest worth in life is based on the extent he acts according to the role he is given. That role is not necessarily dependent on the religious functions and assignments he is given by man but rather is defined by the ruling and overruling work of God in his life. Therefore a person’s religious duties may or may not be a part of the overarching will of God for his life.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will” (Matthew 10:29).

I was sitting recently looking through our large twin patio doors watching the birds gather at the bird feeder I had placed in the patio behind our house. Predominate among the birds which gathered were the sparrows. I looked through my bird book and discovered more species of sparrows than any other bird. They are essentially worthless. They are considered to be pests in the yard, field and wherever they are. I have never seen anyone keep one as a pet in a cage or otherwise. In the quoted scripture its price on the open market was the equivalent of two for a penny or virtually of no worth.

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Life is filled with missed appointments of great import. Some may be because of our lack spiritual perception, others may be because of our lack of obedience, and still others because of our immature understanding of how God works. Regardless of the reasons why such appointments are missed, the fact remains that everyone is the loser when it happens.

Division in churches and their resultant splitting is always a tragedy. Over the years in my ministry, I have been called upon to try helping numerous churches with existing divisions to find resolution. Unfortunately, when it gets to that stage it is like trying to help restore a marriage when it is on the threshold of divorce; at least one of the partners is so entrenched in bitterness that it is almost impossible to arrive at a resolution.