Miracles are not well thought of in some circles today. In fact they are usually viewed with varying degrees of suspicion or, by some, with outright rejection. To some it is an insult to the rational mind to propose that God in this day of enlightenment would interrupt the flow of cause and effect and change the course of natural events. Would He dare to defy our natural minds?
Amazingly, just when we think we have God "pegged," with a clear view of what He will and won't do, He pulls a fast one on us. God reserves the right to be the sovereign Lord of all of creation and may do as He chooses--when He chooses--without our permission. He seems to take delight in confounding the foolish wisdom of men. In fact, note how the scripture describes our wisdom when viewed in the light of His: "The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:25).
I have studied the Bible rather thoroughly over the past 49 years and I can't find a single scripture that convinces me that the miracle working days of God are past. Man may offer many justifications why it seems reasonable for him to believe the days of miracles are past but the best he can offer is just that--a reasoned out objection, not a strong, definitive Biblical teaching.
Objections to the idea of miraculous events seem to fit into some of the following categories:
Reactionary prejudices against the teaching and practices of others based on bad previous personal experience. I have to admit that it is easy to be turned off by some who profess to be miracle workers based on their practices but one should remember that the practices of some should not be used as a standard for all. Personal reactions or prejudice is not an acceptable basis for determining whether a thing be of God or not.
Rational presuppositions. Having spent a number of years in various universities hearing the ideas and prejudices of man espoused, it made it very difficult for me to believe. The background that I came out of was extremely rational having no room for speculations about the supernatural and miraculous. It took years for me to shed the debris of my presuppositions that had accumulated in the cloisters of my mind and to come to the place of simple faith.
Ignorance or lack of exposure. Many people in Western societies simply haven't been knowledgeably exposed to recognizable authentic supernatural activity. In the more primitive societies where spiritism is taken as a natural part of their thinking and society, there is a much greater acceptance of the miracle working activity of God when exposed to it, simply because their culture includes the belief in spiritual activity.
The propensity of the church to attribute unexplainable phenomenon to Satan rather than to God. Man is all too ready to stereotype miraculous occurrences as cultic or occultic. Frankly, such tendencies make me very nervous. I'm perfectly aware of both cultic and occultic activities, having spent much of my adult years helping people to get free from the bondages associated with them. We must not be too ready, however, to cast all supernatural and miraculous occurrences on a theological dung heap by attributing them to Satan.
Jesus warned us: "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come" (Matthew 12:32). According to the context of this verse, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is attributing His works to the devil.
An arbitrary determination of what may be considered to be a legitimate act of God. With this mentality, a person would not deny that a miracle has occurred but due to the nature of it would be unable to see logical reasons why God should do such a thing and thus reject it considering it a work of the flesh or of Satan. I have some difficulty accepting such criteria as a legitimate basis for determining whether an occurrence is a work of God or not. When I read of a God who parts flooded rivers, makes axheads swim, makes the sun stand still for nearly a day, who heals leprosy with muddy water, who cripples an army with hemorrhoids, who makes a king crawl on his knees like a beast, a donkey as a spokesman to a prophet, who makes fish to deliver money, roosters to sound an alarm, heals blindness with spittle--I don't know what He might do next. He will do exactly as He chooses whether we like or approve of what He does or not!
Am I saying that one should take all unexplained phenomena and attribute it to God? No, that would be a very foolish thing to do. Paul warned against being too gullible when he said: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth 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).
There are definite tests that can be applied to determine if a thing be of God.
Did it occur in context of Godly people or situations
Was human manipulation involved?
Does God get glory from it?
Did it bring people closer to Christ?
Does it contradict the scripture?
Has it contributed to your peace with God?
Is it lasting?
Need I say that miracles were a matter of course throughout the Bible, although on one occasion Gideon chided the Lord because of the lack of them: "And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites" (Judges 6:13).
Many believe that the canonization of the Bible removed all need for miracles; that they were only given to give testimony of Christ. There is no clear Biblical teaching that makes that point. Historically, they have occurred throughout the church age through the agency of Godly men and women.
Today, the resurgence of them, I believe, is to refute the skepticism and rationalism of the age that causes men to reject the Bible as the Word of God and refuse to acknowledge His authority in the conduct of personal and world affairs. Yes, concurrent with the resurgence of miracles will be the counterfeits of Satan. We should remember one thing regarding that; there can only be a counterfeit when there is the real thing that it imitates. In times of spiritual activity, God gives the gift of discernment, helping men to discover that which is real that the moving of God may not pass them by and that they may not fall prey to the activity of Satan.
God grant us the courage to accept everything that is of you and to reject everything that comes from the enemy and the wisdom to know the difference.
Jeff
]]>The chronicles of history are filled with the accounts of successful people. Time, space and/or the lack of knowledge prohibit a listing and description of such people. Hebrews 11 is the roll call of the faithful with a listing of Godly people dating back to Adam. A man whom I consider to be one of the greatest men of all time (with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ) is not listed in that chapter, quite possibly because he may have been the person who wrote it: the Apostle Paul.
]]> From all modern standards of success, he was an abject failure. He wasn't well known. In virtually every town he visited, he caused a riot. He was whipped, beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and continuously accused of a variety of misdemeanors which kept him in constant trouble with the authorities. He died a pauper in prison.This brings up the question, "What constitutes a successful person?" In determining the measure of success it seems to me, we should use the standards that will have the greatest longevity and ultimate meaning. There are many contemporary models used by the media and pop psychologists (and others) to illustrate what would be considered, in today's society, the epitome of a successful person. That person would surely accumulate much, accomplish much, be well known, have great authority and/or would create a legacy of great creativity. All of this is good, valuable, and important for a well functioning society however, it is temporal, and much of it may well be consumed in the judgment.
We tend to think of success as that which leaves the greatest impact on society and precipitates the most accolades from man. In view of the eternal picture, however, such things don't provide a very accurate measure of success. The values of the world, "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16), essentially come under the heading of ambition. Ambition, in turn, is the worldly standard which expresses itself, and is manifested, by avarice, accolades, and accomplishment.
Each of us has been created with a special design and a particular role in life. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). A successful person is one who has faithfully and effectively fulfilled the plan and will of God for his life, thus fulfilling the role for which he was created.
That role will be the standard by which our lives are evaluated when we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. "For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble - every man's work shall be made manifest, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abides which he hath built upon it, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet as by fire" (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
Paul uniquely fulfilled the plan of the Father for his life. In the final year of his life, he was able to say, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
What is the dynamic of such a life and confidence? That secret may be summarized by his own words: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Success in Christ as compared to worldly standards of success might best be illustrated by this little story: "A ship was arrived at the New York harbor early in the twentieth century. On shore was a huge crowd with banners waving and the people shouting. A band was playing and a parade was waiting for the arrival of a very important passenger: President Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Roosevelt and his entourage was returning from Africa where he had been on a hunting safari.
After the crowds and the parade had left, a little elderly couple - retiring missionaries returning from Africa, who had also been passengers, left the ship. Taking their dilapidated luggage with them, they wandered down the harbor until they found a little cheap hotel. Checking in, and as they settled in for the night, the man, feeling alone and dejected, said: That man spent a month in Africa hunting animals. When he returned thousands formed a great parade to greet him and to welcome him home. We spent forty years serving Christ in Africa hunting souls and there was no one here to welcome us home." His wife replied gently, "but honey, we're not home, yet." (Anonymous)
God bless you as you seek success that has Kingdom merit.
Jeff
]]>One might sometimes despair at the instability of people who should know better. The writer of Hebrews speaks of such people in the following terms: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food" (Hebrews 5:12 NKJ).
Today's world conditions demand leadership that is strong, discerning, and focused. With such leaders, those being led can safely rely on that leadership, trust it, and will rise up to support it thus propelling forward Kingdom work. Paul voiced a question that embodies the very issues we are speaking to: "For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle" (1Corinthians 14:8 NKJ)?
1. Know when to release the past and go forward: "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them the children of Israel" (Joshua 1:2 NKJ). Many people who are approximately my age and should be the Fathers and Mothers of the faith in their churches but, instead, are hindrances because they cling to and insist on the structures, strategies, and styles of the past instead of realizing that every new generation must define these things for itself. The seniors of any church should be offering counsel, sustenance, support, and spiritual guidance to their pastors and their fellow church members instead of wasting their time and that of others yearning for things and ways of the past.
2. Assertively and aggressively possess the potentials God has given you: "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses" (Joshua 1:3). Many lament the ineffectiveness of their work and at the same time languish in inertia and apathy instead of taking up the mantle of God and pressing forward in assertive and possessing faith. I often refer back to the words of Billy Graham in his leadership of his staff in difficult and discouraging times. He would often say: "I don't know about you, but I'm going on!" Every great work of God takes time and persistence, i.e., "every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon."
3. Be driven by a single vision. God said to Joshua: "From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory" (Joshua 1:4 NKJ). When one is vision driven, he cannot turn back and he won't go back. His vision drives him through the best of times and the worst of times.
4. Remain absolutely confident in God's protective power. "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5 NKJ). Jesus promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us but would be with us unto the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). When one has the absolute certainty that God is with him, who can be against him?
5. Trust God's compelling promise: "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them" (Joshua 1:6 NKJ). The promises of God are "yea and amen." Abraham was convinced that "what [God] had promised He was also able to perform" (Romans 4:21). Like Abraham, we should not waver in doubt and unbelief. James teaches that one who doubts is double minded and will not receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7).
6. Stay totally focused: "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go" (Joshua 1:7 NKJ). One who is open to anything will fall for everything. Many are like the philosophers of Mars Hill who "spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing" (Acts 17:21). People cannot rush from one new idea, movement, or method to another and remain stable and effective in what they do. They must commit themselves to a track that they know in their heart of hearts is from God and not "turn from it to the right hand or to the left." To do otherwise is to be caught up in double mindedness and miss the greater works of God.
7. Increase your devotional life: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (Joshua 1:8 NKJ). Too many fit the spiritual mentality described by Jeremiah. "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13 NKJ). We neglect the Word of God, filling our lives and minds with material and natural things rather than exercising the disciplines of prayer, the Word, and contemplation of the things of the Spirit. God clearly teaches the poverty of one's spiritual life when such things are so.
8. Be strong and courageous in the face of any difficulty, enemy, or condition of life: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). What a glorious promise. We have nothing to fear but can go forward in utmost confidence relying totally on our Father each step that we take in His Name and in His behalf."
What a wonderful role model we have in Joshua. It is interesting to note the challenge Joshua, in his later years, made to the still struggling Israel: "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
God give us multitudes of Joshuas today that will walk in confident and obedient faith in the face of the challenges of this age.
Jeff
]]>There are times, needs and situations that require the raising up of people who are beyond ordinary - ordinary people who do super-ordinary things. Caleb was one of those people.
]]> One would tend to think that people are born great but birth is a great leveler. Although people are born with different backgrounds, settings, and into different stations of life, they come into this world with no achievements or personally earned credentials. It is when they begin to grow and to flex their muscles - both inwardly and outwardly - that they begin the processes that affect their destiny - and, quite possibly, ours!God has the power to turn a young shepherd boy into a giant killer and later a king. He can take the baby of a slave and raise him up to confound a pharaoh by delivering a nation of slaves from his bondage. He has the power to changing simple fishermen into fiery evangelists - impacting a generation with the gospel.
Every generation has must reach itself with the gospel. Even through great spiritual heritages can be left by a previous generation, the current can quickly become passive or degenerate into spiritual stagnation. The tides of revival that may flood a continent can quickly recede into isolated pools disconnected from each other and the lost world.
Faith and faithfulness thrives in critical times. Ordinary people are raised up to do super-ordinary things when the faith of others lags, Satan's hoards threaten, and the social/moral standards of an age ferment. We live in such an age. Although great churches abound and the gospel is advanced, there is an encroaching spiritual vacuum that threatens every step we take. The ranks of truly faithful people are depleted by the seducer whose greatest desire is to decimate and to render impotent the body of Christ.
Spirits of violence, moral decay, and satanic deception are infiltrating our society and threatening our youth. Among churches, the big get bigger but will not get better unless there is breaking up of the fallow ground. Until the preachers, "the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not your heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?" (Joel 2:17).
Ordinary people are changed into giants of faith when they have hearts that are given wholly to God, raising them up to greatly impact a society, to give leadership in turbulent times, and to be channels of living water in times of spiritual drought. When there are those who have a heart for God that supercedes any other priority in life, the ordinary will rise up with super-ordinary power and authority - taking our land for Christ.
Jeff
]]>There is an aura of warm fuzziness that tends to surround the body of Christ that is due to its tendency to see itself in the role of martyr-ism rather than to be the overcomers that Christ intends.
On one occasion I heard someone say that the job of the preacher is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. I think that statement is right up to a point. It is my opinion that many people would rather see themselves as victims than as overcomers and, therefore, seek out those that offer solace rather than those that prod them toward personal responsibility.
]]> The road we walk is difficult for all of us. It is not a question of how many sorrows we can valiantly bear but rather how many obstacles we can overcome. One can either be crushed by the weight of affliction or see it as an instrument so designed to build him up.It was with that thought in mind that the Apostle Paul said, regarding his own life of affliction: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).
There is a time to comfort the afflicted and to fail to do so in an appropriate and timely manner is to contribute to his spiritual demise. However, there is little room in the scripture for one who accepts the role of a perpetual martyr. To fail to see the difference is a pitfall that both the afflicted and those who minister to him sometimes fall snare to.
To build one another up in the holy faith requires discernment and wisdom. We must learn when to bear the burden of another and when to require him to bear his own. In one location Paul admonished us to "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). A few verses later he commanded: "For every man shall bear his own burden" (Galatians 6:5).
For my part, I would rather prod the faithful toward greater responsibility and growth than to pour the balm of sympathy over their self-pity. In the west there are bog holes that cattle, in search of water, sometimes wander into. If left to themselves they will only be drawn deeper into the mire by their struggles. One role of the cowboy is to find cattle in such need and rope them and pull them out to solid ground and security.
As believers, we should watch out for believers who wander into life's "bog holes" that we may draw them to the safety of solid ground. Some who are drawn into "bog holes" of life, however, don't see the benefit of solid ground and would rather struggle in the mire of their own self-pity than to receive the effort and help required to place them on the solid ground of overcoming faith. Our job is to sufficiently prod them that they see their need and submit to the help that is proffered.
It is not our job to make the afflicted feel comfortable in their affliction but rather to see them safely out of their sorrows and to convert them into overcomers.
Jeff
]]>Many wonder if they are in the will of God, often going through great inward struggles in the process. All of us have been there at one time or the other. Today's text gives hope for those who are caught up in that quandary and helps to dispel their fears. The Psalmist declares that the Father determines the steps that we take in life: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalms 37:23).
]]> There is a qualifier included in the Psalmist's statement, however. According to the text, the steps of a "good man" are established by the Lord - the emphasis is on a GOOD man. The GOOD man is a person of faith; one who is determined to be obedient to God.There is sense that God in His sovereignty directs the steps of all men. While He doesn't make their choices for them, He enlarges on the way they have chosen. A case in point is the Children of Israel, who, in their rebellion, found that God directed their steps back into the wilderness and while in the wilderness after they had chosen to rebel.
A person who is determined to walk in faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ should not fear that he would end up doing the wrong thing. As Proverbs affirms, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). As long as he considers his ways wisely giving priority to the things that are taught in the Word, he can walk confidently. I have long used the "peace principle" found in Isaiah 32:17 as a guiding factor in knowing that I am in the will of God: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." When I have consistent peace about the steps I take, I know I am following the will of God. If I have doubts, I listen to them. In that case, my motto is "when in doubt, don't!"
All of us, being the fallible people that we are, will inevitably have some fear that we will fail to properly hear what God is saying to us or will, through our own stubbornness, set out on our own. We, like the Psalmist, find ourselves praying against any sinful attitude or intent in our hearts that will cause us to get off the path of God's leading. The Psalmist prayed: "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalms 119:133).
The wonderful thing about living a life of faith and obedience is that the Father is as excited as we are when we walk obediently. The Living Bible very aptly emphasizes the fact that the Father not only orders our steps but also takes delight in each step we take: "The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take" (Psalms 37:23 TLB). Isn't it wonderful to realize that our Father is excited over each of righteousness that we take? It is like a parent watching over his child as she takes her first steps.
Our Father watches over us to guard us. As David said when he was pursued by Saul, "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip" (2 Samuel 22:37). The Psalmist continued our original text by saying, "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand" (Psalms 37:24).
It is helpful to know that the Lord Jesus gave us an example of how we should walk. Peter expressed it thusly, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).
Paul, in Philippians 2:5 gave us the underlying foundation that defined the example of
Jesus and thus His life of obedience, "Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ." Foundational to all other things in the life of Christ is the attitude He had. In order to follow His steps, we must have and exemplify His attitude.
Christ's attitude may be expressed in the following ways. He was
Jeff
]]>Ambition is the antithesis of contentment and is a great unsettler, causing one to struggle against situations he is in, to be dissatisfied with the possessions he has and/or to question the nature of his relationships with others. All of this manifests itself in discontentment.
In addressing this subject I feel that I have to walk a very narrow line, one with a precipice on either side. One can be gripped in the throes of complacency that stifles any development or advances in his personal life, professional life, or spiritual life. On the other hand he can be consumed with ungodly ambition which can ultimately cost him everything. According to Paul, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6).
]]> For many there is a battle that is being waged between being complacent as opposed to being content. A complacent lifestyle will cause one to be lackadaisical about the present, dilatory regarding his future and can result in a denial of his God given destiny. Complacency will cause one to deny or neglect God-given talents and gifts in opting for a stress free life. Many are lax in the basic issues of life and choose to be dormant rather than to stretch their God given muscles, becoming what He has for them to be.For others the battle is the difference between being contented versus having ambition. Godless ambition, in its simplest terms, is a driven life that is consumed by self-seeking. When one is ambitious he tends to live in world in which he strives to satisfy his worldly desires to have, to be and to do. Such is his drive to attain that he rationalizes the hurt caused to others--even his family--by the benefits his pursuit purports to be for others rather than seeing destructive nature of it. On one occasion, Jesus questioned, "For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away" (Luke 9:25).
A strong characteristic of ambitiousness is that it causes one to have little regard to the needs and rights of others, focusing entirely on himself. He will be driven to seek stature with men plus self-satisfaction and grandeur through personal accomplishment and attainment. All of this so futile because roles and levels of living are determined by God. The Psalmist knew the secret when he said, "Lift not up your horn on high; speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; he putteth down one, and setteth up another" (Psalm 75:5-7).
Paul knew that the basic essence of contentment was for a person to quit questioning God and to be happy in the state he is in. A few years ago when I was going through some struggles with areas of satisfaction in my life, my eldest daughter, then a college student, read to me the following scripture and appealed to me to be content. Paul said, "Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, in this to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to abound and to suffer need" (Philippians 4:11, 12). I was very chastened and appreciated her admonition very much and have referred back to it many times since then in my life.
We are not instructed to be ambitious but we are taught to be zealous for the things of the Lord. In Titus we are taught that a characteristic of people looking for the coming of the Lord is that they are "zealous of good works." Lest we misunderstand, the good works we do include such things as being good business men, employees, wives and husbands, good parents, good neighbors, good citizens, etc. To be zealous is to aggressively pursue Godly virtues and works regardless of what the arena of life is they may be lived out in.
The scripture gives three very important pointers for contended living.
When one lives a life of praise, thanksgiving, and rejoicing, he will little time for complaint but will be filled with much contentment.
Jeff
]]>Finally, after many years of defeat in this very vital area of my Christian walk, I noticed that in only one scriptural location was I encouraged to win souls: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30). I discovered that in multiple locations both by example and admonition the scripture taught that I should be a "discipler" which seemed to be a much broader and "slower paced" kind of approach.
1. INITIATION of contact and the establishment a relationship with a person whom the Holy Spirit seems to be attracting to the gospel. Aggressive witnessing is the launching pad for establishing a discipling relationship. Two analogies are used in the scripture for witnessing, fishing and sowing.
A. Fishing. Jesus called to Peter and Andrew, saying: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Like fishing, witnessing requires a broad scale approach, addressing many potential hearers. When one is fishing, every fish in the lake is a prospect for the hook, therefore presentation of the bait should be broad enough to catch the attention of many. Ultimately, though, the number of fish caught at one time depends on the number of hooks offered.B. Sowing. The Psalmist described witnessing as one who sows seed: He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:6). The risk involved in sowing seed is illustrated by the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9). Witness is like the broad scale distribution of seed in spite of being perfectly aware that the devil will steal the truth from some, others have little depth of understanding and will soon wilt and fail, some will be receptive but the clutter of their priorities in life prevent them from flourishing while still others will receive the truth and flourish. These are the ones on which we pour our attention.
2. ILLUSTRATION of truth to others. Peter admonishes us to "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15). People learn quicker by example than they do by words. The child's observation of the modeling of truth in the lives of his parents is probably the earliest and most profoundly impacting learning device he has. So it is with the people that we disciple.
This brings up a question over which I have puzzled for many years: What did Paul mean in Philippians 4:9 when he said: Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with you." At first sight he seems to be filled with arrogance and pride, either that or he had risen to a stature of holy living that escapes most of us. Actually, it is neither.
Paul knew his limitations, typifying them by what he said earlier: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13, 14).
In essence, what Paul is saying is that one should watch him and how he handles the real issues of life. In no place does he intimate that he has arrived at a state of perfection that should be emulated by his disciples. We are perfectly aware of the struggles of life that Paul faced both within himself and his relationship with others. Real discipleship requires real life settings where one's faith and obedience is actively practiced. The question with Paul was not how bad he looked to begin with when faced with the conflicts of life but how he ultimately resolved them. Transparency is a terrible risk when discipling others, resulting in our pride and reluctance prohibiting openness in living. Consequently our temptation is to be "plastic people" who appear to be perfect in every situation covering the real person that we are. Such a practice can be devastatingly destructive to the one being discipled when faced with similar situations and finds failure in his own life in living up to the image portrayed by his mentor. The disciple should learn early on that we are real people with real problems but have spiritually proven ways of resolving them.
3. INSTRUCTION. At the heart of all discipleship is the necessity of instruction. That can occur in sterile academic environments where concepts are presented systematically and definitively or it can occur in the laboratory of real life situations. The New Testament model calls for the disciple to walk the same paths that his mentor walks. It is in such settings that problems and questions arise that demand explanation or instruction. When truth is given in such settings as the basis of faith, practice and life, it is powerful, applicable and quickly entrenched as a model of spirituality in the face of life issues.
Jeff
]]>The Christian life can become so complicated and mundane that we lose sight of the simplicity that is in Christ. 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 ladened and I will give you rest."
]]> Men are rarely satisfied with the simplicity of the Christ as is revealed in the Bible. It is a quirk of human nature that men attempt to design a Jesus that fulfills their own specifications, expectations, and imaginations.Jesus once asked the disciples who men said that He was. Their answers were interesting. The most common answer had Jesus being the reincarnation of one of the prophets. It seems inevitable that men will have Jesus to be different from He is or less than He is.
This will always be true when men view Him with eyes other than what the Holy Spirit gives them. As long as men view Him with human eyes they will find only a historic Christ and will evaluate Him as such. Eyes of reason will always find human explanations for all that He is and has done. In order to appreciate and appropriate who He is, one must have all scales of rationalism and human expectation removed.
The Thomas mentality of our lives with its cynicism must be removed. Jesus doesn't need to be proven by us to anyone. When He reveals His graciousness to men's hearts, they come to rest realizing His reality.
It is human nature to make the simple complicated. We preachers can turn a single word into a three point message--complete with introduction, exposition, poem and conclusion. When we get through we may have educated the mind but until Christ is revealed that is all that happens.
Most of the books in the average Christian bookstore or theological library would be rendered useless when Jesus is realized in the human heart. I'm aware of and subscribe to the need for explanation and edification in men's pursuit of obedience. I am convinced, however, that much of what we write and speak would be unnecessary if men were made more aware of the presence of Christ.
Long forgotten practices of piety need to be restored to the Christian life. Generally speaking, probably the least practiced part of piety is that of prayer. Many questions of understanding, faith and obedience are answered when we spend quality time with Jesus in prayer. It is much easier to talk about prayer--to read and write books about it--than it is to practice it. Without the continual practice of prayer our faith becomes a definition rather than a practice and our walk a struggle of human will rather than one of divine enabling.
There was a time when the prayer and fasting practiced by the saints caused Satan, his hosts and followers to tremble with fear and to flee with desperation. It seems in this day that he has captured the day. Right is now considered to be wrong and the multitudes defend practices that have long been considered to be the ultimate in perversion. Moral and ethical standards are viewed in terms of political and economic expediency rather than Biblical convictions and standards.
Our knowledge of Jesus will be limited to emotional and rational considerations unless we despair of all and turn to Him with our whole heart. The hour is too late and the needs are too great for us to equivocate. God fearing and Christ centered people must go back to their knees in absolute abandonment to Him. It is unfortunate that it takes the ultimate in human struggle to bring us to the point of surrender instead of a genuine hunger for Christ but, however, God loves us enough to use whatever means it takes to bring us back to the simplicity that is in Jesus.
There could never be a better time for a great national revival of Christian faith. Now is the time and today is the day. Let us seek Him with all of our hearts, forgetting all complicated notions of religion---simply clinging to Christ in His simplicity.
Jeff
]]>It would seem that a relatively few people grasp the potential of an effective prayer life. Many extol its benefits who fail to actively engage in its practices.
]]> Prayer is not a ceremony, a dissertation, nor is it a privileged practice reserved for the spiritually elite. It is the cry of one's heart to a personal, compassionate, and powerful God in intimate conversation with Him.One does not pray to alert the Heavenly Father of the conditions and needs of life. Quite obviously, the omniscient Father is aware, has always been aware, and will always be aware of the needs of His children. He knew the needs, conditions, and the desires of each of His children before the foundations of the world. He requires us to pray about our needs in order that:
Prayer is hard work. It contests the unbelief of one's heart, the reliability of his reason, and extent and focus of his expectations. It is founded on the Word of God, enabled by the Spirit of God, endorsed by the Son of God, and received by the Father God.
Every day should begin with prayer, every step should be accompanied by prayer, and prayer should be the last murmur of our lips as we close our eyes in slumber each night.
Jeff
]]>Revelation knowledge is a powerful force in one's life. A person will go no further, climb no higher, nor sacrifice more than the greatness of revelation knowledge in his life enables and demands. Such revelation is the essence of what Paul spoke of in Ephesians 1:17-19 when he prayed: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe."
]]> Revelation knowledge is the intrinsic understanding of the Father and His will and works.The revelation that is the most life-changing and impacting is revelation knowledge. That, in essence, is our first love. It would be well noted that we can have no higher revelation than we have in Christ or a more complete revelation than we have in the Word of God. There are, however, those moments of profundity when our eyes are opened to a new wisdom, new ideals, or a new application of the truth we have in Christ as confirmed in the Scripture.
One's calling should be determined by the vision given in his spirit by the Holy Spirit. That inner voice is the revelation of the plan and will of God for one's life. It becomes the powerful motivation of his life, with him, from that moment on, becoming like Peter and John who testified to the Sanhedrin in the face of their threatening: "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
Every great servant of God is motivated by a particular knowledge that is given by divine revelation. That revelation becomes the Energizer Bunny of his life that keeps him going in good times and in bad. A person will flounder in ministry until this happens. From the point of his revelation, he becomes totally single-minded and focused; giving his whole attention to that aspect of the Word and ministry; trusting God with everything else.
In my early years as an evangelist, I was so focused that friends would accuse me of only having one message. They claimed that I just changed the text, illustrations, and format but preached the same old message. My reply would be: "When you start practicing this message, I will preach number 2!"
What they were saying was the truth, though. My whole attention was consumed with the Lordship of Jesus, faith and obedience, and resting in the Lord. That was what people were hungering for and they responded well when I preached it.
Vision based on revelation knowledge will supercede all the trends and fads that go on in the Christian world, remaining constant and a clarion call to those who ears to hear. While the bearer of this revelation may vary in presentation and passion, he will not long be able to long deny it in his life.
The following thoughts might be helpful:
Jesus said in His letter to the church at Ephesus: ""Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent" (Revelation 2:5).
Although there is a much more profound thought to this passage, an immediate warning is that one can come to the place that he is no longer effective in the ministry. This is the essence of being "burned out." The simple message is: "Repent!" Although the message is simple, the process may be much more involved. That is where loving care and counsel can mean so much.
Jeff
]]>In the early 1970s I was the pastor of a church in south central Missouri. In those years we experienced much of the wonderful graciousness of our Lord. It was easy for people to get saved and the Christian life was one of great joy. Many things happened that were very memorable during that pastorate.
A young man named [Bill] came to me on one occasion wanting spiritual counsel. He was married and was the father of a young child. The story he told me was one of drunkenness, debauchery, and infidelity. At my suggestion he went through a period of personal cleansing from the defilement of sin and fully surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus.
]]> He became a very dynamic and spiritual person. One was never sure what would happen next with him but it usually was good.One Sunday morning I noticed that [Bill] was missing during most of the morning service, which was unusual. Toward the end of my message the front doors to the worship center opened and he came walking in with a somewhat strange looking couple in tow. (This was in the hippie days!) He took them into my study (near the front door). Being very curious as to what he was up to this time, I closed the service somewhat sooner than I would usually have done and went to my study.
When I walked in he said, "Brother Jeff, this is [George and Mary] and they want to get saved." Of course, it didn't take me long to get into that mode. I explained the plan of salvation to them and they both committed themselves to Christ, receiving Him as Lord and Savior. After they had prayed, [George] made a very powerful statement. He said, "Up till a few minutes ago before I committed myself to Christ, I felt that there was a deep chasm in my life that I struggled to fill. I tried drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. and found no satisfaction. The chasm just got larger. Now, it is not filled--it is gone!"
As it turned out, [George] had been a local drug dealer. He and [Mary] lived in a little trailer on four acres of woods a few miles from town. There they conducted their activities. On Monday night after they had received Christ, a couple of young men from our community drove out to their house wanting drugs. [George] explained that there was none available. He, [Mary], and [Bill] were gathered around a campfire and were burning all that he had in the fire--getting rid of them.
They explained, "We have gotten saved and don't need them anymore."
The two men were quite upset because their source dried up and so they left. They returned a couple of nights later to challenge [George] and [Bill] to a debate about their new faith. They could out argue them on every point of philosophy but [George] made one statement that they couldn't get around; one that made a great impact in their lives. [George] said, "I can't refute what you have said. I don't know enough to do so but one thing I can tell you is that I have joy in my life and you don't. You have to get yours out of a bottle and mine never leaves. God has given it to me." It wasn't long until God had moved in the lives of these two young men also. His fire was spreading and continued to do so for quite some time.
In our day, people struggle to experience all that life can give them. Often times what they try is destructive to them and their families. A favorite saying of the young is, "Get a life!"
[George], [Mary], and [Bill] had "gotten a life." They found the kind of life that God could give them. They learned that in that path is the presence of joy and great pleasure. As the Psalmist said, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
Jeff
]]>We consistently confess that which we believe the most. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34b). What we believe, we speak. "I believed, and therefore have I spoken" (2 Corinthians 4:13b)
]]> Not only do we speak what we believe, what we speak, we ultimately get: "Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he says" (Mark 11:23).The things that we say over and over again have a substantial impact on us. What we continually confess is what we will ultimately do, get or become, thus becoming a pattern of life. When we confess fear, we will be more afraid. When we confess lack, we will be more likely to have poverty. When we confess illness, we open the door for illness. When we confess failure, we will tend to fail.
On the other hand, when we confess strength, we will have strength. When we confess plenty, we will have plenty. When we confess health, we will have health. The words of our mouth largely shape the events of life, our personal esteem, how others view us.
The word "confess" means "to say the same thing as another" or "to verbally accept the viewpoint of another." Therefore, our confessions either bring us into agreement with God, unlocking His resources or they will bring us into agreement with the enemy who thrives on our failure. It is very important, therefore, that we speak the truth; not how things appear to be in the natural but how they are in God's viewpoint: "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance" (2 Corinthians 10:7a)?
To speak God's truth regarding our circumstances, others, and ourselves demands that we ferret out and take issue with any corruption contained in what we believe, confessing truth in and to every situation and relationship. As we steadfastly do that, we will experience change both in what we believe and the quality and content of our lives.
Confessing such scriptures as the follow will help the change process:
Jeff
]]>Anxiety is the antithesis of faith. When we are anxious, we are not believing and when we are believing, we are not anxious. It is that simple.
]]> Unfortunately, it is not always that simple when it comes to living it out. Anxieties are like termites, always eating away at the foundations of our faith. They cause us to ask "why," "when," "how," "where," "who," and many more questions.Looking at the question in a simplistic form, it is much easier to believe in the debts, illnesses, estrangements, employment problems, etc. because they are tangible. We can see them. It is much less easy to believe in the faithfulness of God, simply because we can't see Him. We can't see how He will meet out needs and from what source. The scripture doesn't permit to use that as an excuse. Paul said: "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).
A very human frailty causes us to permit our anxieties to run their full course, having no place else to turn and then, and then only, turn to God. Jeremiah addressed this issue when he said: " Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord" (Lamentations 3:40).
Anxiety is motivated by hidden agendas in our lives. They are things that we feel we must have or that we deserve to have on the one hand or that we resist having in our lives on the other. Anxiety causes us to make arbitrary demands of God instead of waiting His favor or timing.
Our Lord understands our failures and although He would prefer that we live a complete life of trust, He knows that we will stumble and stagger along the pathway of trust and has made provision for it.
James gave a great discussion of this subject where he said: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:5-8).
To be doubleminded is to be torn between two thoughts or ideas. On the one hand, one wants to specifically trust God in the issues of life but on the other, His intangibility produces a handicap that is hard to surmount in the face of our trials and difficulties. Our faith pulls us one way and our struggles pull us the other. On one occasion, Elijah challenged Israel on this very issue by saying: " How long halt ye [go limping or stagger] between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:21).
There is always a risk in trusting God. He does not always inform us in advance as to when, how or even if He will meet our needs. Faith then requires that we step forward, believing Him, even when what we trusted Him for seem to be impossible.
The life of trust is inseparably linked to prayer. God's answers to prayer addresses the issues of our anxieties. When we bring issues before Him, He will answer our requests in one of the following ways:
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things [live uncomplainingly on what ever level God provides] through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:11-13).
A life of peacefulness comes when we release our demands and fears and trust God no matter what happens. Take steps of trustfulness in the Father today. It is never too early or too late to do so.
Jeff
]]>It was quite a struggle for me to come to the place that I could believe that God could do anything. When I began to realize that the work of God depends of the faithfulness of God, it was then that I started depending on Him instead of on me or on others.
Key ingredients to a walk of faith and victory are concepts, attitudes, and life expressions.
]]> Conceptualization of truth is an absolute essential if one is to walk the faith walk. The Word is more than rules and principles to memorized and obeyed. It is the living Word of the Living God. When one accepts it is being true and when he realizes the personal implications and applications of the Word in his own life, he begins to conceptualize the word with it coming alive in his spirit. Instead of it being a dead legalistic formatted way of living, it is a vital dynamic walk of obedience. When one spreads wings of faith, the winds of the Spirit lifts him, energizes him, and enables him to do the work of the Father.Until the truth comes alive in a person with him seeing who God is in his life and what God can do through his life, the Christian life will be drudgery rather than a joy. There is a paradigm shift that must occur in the inner man of people who want to walk in the victory and power described in the scripture. One must come to the place that he believes that God can indeed do anything. To do that requires that he let go of old defeatist ideas and turn with a whole heart to all that Jesus is and can be in his life. It is a total change of one's point of view.
Attitude is of primary value in one's life. Regardless of what he knows, attitude determines what he will appropriate and apply in his life. One's attitude will overpower anything that impedes its expression whether it is good or bad. A good attitude will cause a person to rise up in the face of all opposition and march ahead with banners held high. He will be an inspiration and an influence on all that he encounters on his march to victory. One who has a sour or negative attitude will be a hindrance and a corrupter of all who will accept the attitudes he espouses with he, himself, ultimately realizing the defeat he espoused.
Most people who are defeated in life are more defeated by their negative attitudes than they are by the personalities and circumstances that oppose or impede them. We are taught that we should let the attitude of Jesus be ours. To let the attitude of Jesus be ours is to hold the values He held, to possess the determination that He held, to be controlled by the Father as He was, and to walk the walk of faith as He did.
Jesus never clung to His rights. In fact He denied Himself the right to live as God on the earth He had created and chose to live among men being made vulnerable to them. When one desires to have the attitude of Jesus, he must forsake his rights and, taking up his cross, follow Jesus.
The things that we conceive and the attitudes that we express will ultimately be demonstrated in the form of life expressions. What we do, where we go, what we say, and how we relate are determined by the concepts and attitudes that dominate our thinking and controls our way of life. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Guard you heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life" (Proverbs 23:7; 4:23).
God, indeed, can do anything. The major hindrance to the fullest expression of His working in our behalf is that which lies incubating in our hearts. "And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58) or "And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven" (Matthew 8:2).
Faith ultimately is the final determination that one makes in which he concludes in his own mind, attitude and actions that God is able. That He can, He will and He does work in lives that are open and obedient to Him.
Jeff
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