Getting Excited Again

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 1 Peter 1:8

I had an English teacher who was about as exciting as a box of rocks. English was usually my best subject, not because I was a hard working student, but because it came easy to me. Yet my mind often drifted off while this teacher was speaking. But suddenly one day I heard excitement in her voice, so I perked up. She was talking about an author named J.R.R. Tolkien. This was long before any movies or anything else had put Tolkien or the Fantasy genre on the radar. Indeed, I knew nothing of the fantasy genre of books. But based upon Mr. Tolkien having sparked my teacher’s excitement, I searched out his books, then went on to discover other fantasy books, eventually becoming a lifelong fan of the genre.

Today the fantasy genre is awash with sub-genres and fantasy authors are as common as rain in April. You seldom find such excitement today as early fantasy fans who had been digging up old authors all the way back to the 1930s. They discovered just a few truly great authors in the genre. Today fans of the Fantasy genre have little new to get excited about. It seems like everybody has been there and done that.

I’m beginning to think Christianity for many has taken the same turn. When I was a teenager watching Pat Robertson on the 700 Club on my 19” black & white TV it was awesome to hear Jesus talked about on TV. When a friend told me about DeGarmo & Key, and Petra, I discovered Christian Rock in its infancy. It was an exciting time and it seemed Christianity was exploding across the scene. Only later did I learn I was reaping the blessings of the Jesus Movement that came out of the disillusioned Hippy Movement. Church buses were everywhere picking up kids when I was a boy and there was excitement about Jesus in the air. Today we have TV, Internet, Radio preachers that can hardly be counted. Christian Music is all over the radio and Christian artists are just a quick download away. We have perhaps a dozen or more different Bible translations today in so many styles and types it boggles the mind. Incredible compared to the King James Version I grew up with that came in either a “gift and award” cover or nice leather cover, perhaps some hardcover Bibles for the church pews for visitors.

My point is that too often today Jesus and the Gospel have become commonplace. Maybe you will go to church, but no big deal, if you miss it just catch the podcast or Youtube or Facebook recording later. Unlike myself as an eight year old boy holding the King James Bible in his hand like it was gold, you have Bible apps on your phone, iPad, perhaps half a dozen print Bibles  that were given to you or that you picked up over the years collecting dust on your shelf. Many people no longer carry Bibles to Church because the scripture reading is put up on the big screen above the Preacher during the sermon. 

I’m not judging anyone, I’m as guilty as anyone else of taking God’s blessings for granted. But it does mean a great deal to me when I can make it to church, and I still get excited finding something new in God’s Word that I had read a hundred times before but jumps out at me unexpectedly.

We are so blessed today we are almost bored with blessings. I think we see this time and again in the Bible when the Holy became commonplace to the Hebrew people. So what, we have manna from heaven to eat every day–where is the fried chicken? Water from a rock? Where is the wine? God thundering on the mountain? Soon they got bored and were making their own god, a golden calf.

Early America had several Great Awakenings. Revivals that reawakened the excitement for God in our early ancestors. I think we need another Great Awakening, or a series of Revivals. Sadly, Christianity today has become too easy, demanding too little of us. The gospel is so accessible today that you run into it without trying. Even some unbelievers can describe the essence of Christianity just from what they have heard and seen around them.

I expect Jesus is going to shake up and wake up, reignite and re-excite, His people soon. It may come through hardship or persecution. It may come through Evangelists who can cut through the dross in our commonplace Christianity and stir up the dying embers of the church today. 

Exited Christians, like that boring English teacher who suddenly became animated in my class that day, will fire up the world for Christ. Fire spreads quickly, it just needs some fuel.

Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Psalm 85:6

Until Revival stirs up our nation and people get excited again about Jesus and the things of God, we need to do our part as believers to stir ourselves up in the Spirit of God. We must keep the gospel message fresh in our hearts and never take for granted blessings that could be taken away from us. Those “boring days” of eating manna in the desert ended, but how the generations later would have given anything to taste that heavenly bread. Even now Christians in many nations would give anything for one of our ragged worn out Bibles. And to hear Christian Music on the radio is only a dream they may never see fulfilled. Most of us have churches within walking distance or a short drive from our homes. Those people have no churches and if they hold a meeting in their homes are subject to arrest. We are drowning in blessings in this country and we take it all for granted. Just more of the same old manna.

I grew up in a county where Christianity became mainstream. Christianity became cool. You couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Christian. All of our commonplace Christianity is just one generation away from disappearing either through neglect and disinterest, or some government authority sweeping it away. 

We may not individually be able to start a Revival or another Great Awakening, but we can stir up our own excitement, renew our joy, stir up the Spiritual Gift God has placed within us. We can become excited Christians. Just look around you at the myriad of blessings God has given to us. We have every reason to be excited.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 1 Timothy 1:5-6

Stir up the joy of your salvation. Rekindle that excitement you had when you first became a believer. Excitement is contagious. And there is no telling how many people might come to know Jesus as their Savior if they could only hear the excitement in your voice as you describe and talk about Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help our wells not to become stagnant but to be filled with clean clear water. Help us to quit treating as common the incredible gifts and blessings You have poured out on us and our country. Forgive us our lack of joy and excitement. Set a fire in our hearts that burns passionately for You. Amen.

Looking For God In All The Wrong Places

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. 2 Chronicles 34:3

When we read in the Bible about the people of Israel worshiping idols made of wood, stone, and metal it seems crazy to us today. The idea of bowing down to and making sacrifices to stone, wood, and metal images is insane. In fact, if someone were found in a public park that had a statue and that person was worshiping the statue they would be taken away to have their head examined.

 “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Habakkuk 2:18

Yet we have as many idols today, if not more, than the people of long ago who made their own gods from materials available to them. Everything from celebrities to houses and cars and people and pets are the focus of worship for those who are trying to fill the “God Vacuum” we are all born with. We were destined to worship the One True God, but those who resist Him, instead use many other things to fill that void in their lives.

For those who have not experienced the peace, love, and joy that comes from knowing their Maker, they too often turn to drugs, alcohol, and pleasures of all sorts as substitutions for the spiritual blessings only known to the believer. We must turn to the Fruit of the Spirit instead of the Spirit of the Fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).

While it is true that sometimes Christians also lose their way and their focus upon God becoming prey to the world’s artificial religious substitutes, it is primarily the godless who create and find new gods to worship.

Some take pride in the fact that they worship no god/s and that they are “free” of such superstitious things. Yet their very pride and arrogance are idols they set up as arguments and philosophies that oppose the idea of God. Their new religion of an Agnostic or Atheistic stance wrapped up in pride is a wall that they believe will protect them from any responsibility of action and reaction in their lives. But the god of pride will fail them as surely as the other gods and idols people put in place of the God and Maker of us all. Now they deny the God who made them. And one day God will deny them.

When I am outdoors, looking at an azure sky filled with beautiful billowy clouds, or looking into the starry heavens at night, or any other lovely thing God has made, I often wonder how anyone can go through this life thinking these things “magically” appeared on their own. How could anyone think the creation simply arrived by chance? When I see a beautiful work of art it makes me wonder who the artist might be. It is the same when looking at God’s artwork through His Creation. 

since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:19-20

Despite the gods or ideologies you have chosen in this life, one day your life will end. You will no longer be able to deny the God you will stand before at that time. God reveals Himself in many ways all around you today if you will only resist the gods of this world and its foolish ideologies. Don’t wait until it is too late to recognize the God whose fingerprints are on every created thing, including yourself.

And you are a believer, never make the mistake of worshiping the creation instead of its Creator, and never get sidetracked by idols.

Prayer: Dear Lord, open the eyes of the spiritually blind, and help Your children to remain spiritually alert, always resisting the gods of this world and the foolish ideologies that surround us. Amen.

What Is Religion?

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Jeremiah 7:1

Jesus said many hard things to the religious leaders of His day. He described them as the blind leading the blind (Mat. 15:14). Just as then, too often we make religion a man-man affair of certain trappings, styles, and activities that have little or nothing to do with God or His will for us.

Our first mistake as always is to put the emphasis on ourselves instead of God’s will. To focus on people instead of Jesus. Throughout my life when God is brought up or Jesus is mentioned the reaction is predictable. The response: “I try to be a good person”, “I feel like I’m doing what I should”, “I go to church”,  “I do alright”. How funny it is when God is brought up the focus turns only to humans. Others have responded not by mentioning themselves when it comes to God but other people: “That church hurt me”, “That preacher offended me or made me angry”, "I was a believing person until I saw what happened with that TV Preacher” etc.

How human to put all the focus on us when it comes to God. Even in what appears to be better circumstances, the case of true believers, how often we get sidetracked by our efforts instead of relying upon God. Some Christans have a long resume of good activities helping at church, helping the poor, even going overseas to help those in dire need. And that is all awesome until you lose focus of relying upon God and instead get fixated upon your own accomplishments.

Charles Spurgeon was perhaps the greatest Preacher England ever produced or ever will produce. And no wonder. On his way to the dais to preach he would say over and over: “Help me Holy Spirit”. A visitor to his church was met by Spurgeon and Spurgeon asked the man if he would like to see the church furnace. The man was surprised by the question, but not wanting to offend, he agreed to Spurgeon’s suggestion. Spurgeon led the man to the basement and to the man’s surprise when the door was thrown open he saw a room filled with praying people. That was indeed the furnace that fired Spurgeon’s church and sermons.

The American Preacher Charles Swindoll wrote a book about “Grace” years ago. I remember him saying that every Christian should read the book of Galatians at least once a year. It only takes about twenty minutes, and it has the great effect of reminding us that it is God’s grace and power and not our own that accomplishes God’s will on this earth. 

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3

Even in the Old Testament we are reminded of what “our religion” is worth:

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

And yet once more from scripture we are reminded of the danger of being too religious without acting in the power of God's Love:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Then what is true religion? In my own humble opinion I believe it begins with Jesus and is the act of relying upon God’s Holy Spirit, Christ within us, to overcome our selfish, self-centered nature, and to put others first. Not focusing upon “religious acts” but everyday acts of kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness, and simply being guided by God’s Love in our actions and reactions. All the while keeping in mind the Grace of Jesus Christ that Saved Us. His Love that Sustains Us. If we do that, all the while holding fast to humility which delivers us from the pride of our self-righteousness, God may be able to use us to accomplish some good on this earth. 

We can feel pretty good about going to church, giving an offering, taking communion, and any number of religious activities. Religion is a good word, but we have it treated religion badly by making it completely dependent upon us.

I don’t know about you Christian, but I praise God that my eternal security is locked up in Jesus and not dependent upon my useless acts of piety or more frequent acts of sinful stubbornness. I’m right there with the Apostle Paul when he described himself as the Chief of Sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). I have felt that way too many times in my life. My hope is that the older I get the more my awareness of and dependence upon God and His Holy Spirit grows.

I will end with another word of wisdom from the Apostle Paul as the Spirit led him to write this:

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:7-9

Prayer: Dear Lord, You did not have much use for the religious people of Your day. Help us to avoid being like them and instead to be like You. May Your Spirit and Power and Love grow in us more every day. Amen.

Spiritual Warfare Is No Joke

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

For any non-Christian who might be reading this I cannot emphasize enough that you had better get Saved. For Christians do not always survive Satan’s attacks much less unbelievers.

When Satan sets his sights on you–you are in trouble. Spiritual Warfare is a joke to unbelievers. But to Believers who have experienced it, you will never forget it.

The enemy can bring circumstances to bear that can test you, often working through other people, but his primary method of attack is in the area of your thoughts. He is an opportunist. He will come at you when you are physically weak and/or feeling mentally and emotionally unstable.

Spiritual attacks are not a one time event. And when you get old enough you can look back and see events where you have been tested to your limit. That was my case in 1991.

I had been struggling with secondary depression on the heels of the collapse of my physical health. Suddenly I found suicidal thoughts assailing me, backed up by panic attacks. This was something I had never experienced before and I knew it wasn’t me. Certainly not the normal me, and it was sinking me deeper into depression. I went to my doctor and explained the situation. He immediately put me on Prozac. Later I found out that I had a bad reaction to SSRI medications as some people do. Indeed, the number one thing Prozac did to me was to vastly ramp up my anxiety levels. Satan started having a party in my head.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:16-17

Those fiery darts spoken of above are aimed right at your head and can go into your mind. I was having the fight of my life. I was fighting for my life. After speaking to a therapist I realized I was getting weaker, and the therapist was concerned my ability to withstand those constant suicidal thoughts was going to weaken more over time if I did not get help.

I voluntarily went into a mental health facility. I spent about two weeks there. It was surprising the number of believers I met there, we even had a Bible Study. And I’m pretty sure I met a lady who was possessed, the things she was screaming sent a shiver down my spine. Just more evidence that Satan is alive and well.

I was no spiritual novice. Saved in my teenage years, growing up in a strong Bible believing church, reading my bible and memorizing scripture since childhood, you would have thought I was more than prepared for what Satan had in store for me. 

A change of medicine in the hospital helped. But I was still in the throes of depression. Satan was not just telling me I was going to die in my thoughts, but illustrating how I was going to do it. I did what any Christian should do, along with praying, I opened my Bible to see what God had to say about it all. This is the first verse I found:

I will not die but live,

    and will proclaim what the Lord has done. Psalm 118:17

I held tightly to that verse and had prayer warriors praying for me and I was constantly praying. I was 28 years old. I was in my prime when Satan tried to destroy me, and things looked and felt grim. No one who has not been through this sort of thing can fully comprehend it. 

I don’t judge those who have succumbed to depression. Without the grace of God and hanging on by the skin of my teeth I would not be here today. God protected me, but again, I had been at this awhile and knew the importance of prayer, that I needed the prayers of others, and that I needed all the help I could get. Nevertheless, no one wants to admit they are in trouble and in need of serious help. I wouldn’t and didn’t until I knew I absolutely had to. After all, I was a Christian and had been for many years. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to Christians, Right?

I’m here to tell you that Christians, just like everyone else, are not immune to mental health issues. And the Christian needs to understand we walk around daily with a target on our back. If Satan can’t get you with depression, he is more than happy to get you to commit adultery, or theft, or some other foolish and dangerous activity. It all begins with a thought. One of those fiery darts mentioned above.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 

If you really think you are immune from temptations and dangerous thoughts, then you are saying you are better than Jesus. Do you realize Satan tried to tempt Jesus to commit suicide by throwing Himself off of a building?

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Matthew 4:5-6

I’m sharing all of this with you because not only do most churches never mention such things as Spiritual Warfare, many preachers are simply clueless. But if you read your Bible, you find it reminding us to be strong in the Word of God, to beware of our enemy, to stay armed and ready for battle. For friends, this side of heaven we are in a battle. If Satan can’t get you to destroy yourself while in the throes of depression, he is just as happy to turn you into an alcoholic, drug addict, someone who cheats, steals, is filled with bitterness, resentment, hate, unforgiveness, and the list goes on. 

Prayer is one of the greatest weapons the Christian has in their spiritual arsenal.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 1:20-21

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 15:16

And the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the saints before God. Revelation 8:4

Satan wants to set up spiritual strongholds in your mind. Strongholds of fear, doubt, dread, disbelief, filthy thoughts, dangerous thoughts. He shoots them into your mind hoping you will make them your own. His thought-darts get the ball rolling. How do you combat this? First off by being aware of it. Not every stupid thought that comes into your mind should be acted upon. Indeed not every stupid thought that comes into your mind is your own thought!

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:5

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed that verse and taken captive stupid thoughts and ideas the enemy has cast my way.

You can also use faith to deflect such thoughts.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16

And how do we have that faith?

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

And as mentioned, prayer is a mighty weapon to withstand the enemy. Jesus spent time in prayer, how is it you think you don’t need to pray, or can simply toss up a prayer and go about your business? Prayer is constantly being in communication with God.

And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. Mark 1:35

Jesus told us not to judge for one simple reason: We are all subject to temptation and will be tempted. As I mentioned, even Jesus was tempted, so how do you expect to escape it?

As I was coming of age there were lots of “Name it and Claim it” preachers on TV. And they were not all wrong, but they were wrong enough to be dangerous. God blesses His children and protects them, but we end up tempting God when we think we are, or should be, strong enough to withstand the devil just by saying so. Sometimes Christians need help. Medication, therapy, treatment of a physical ailment or mental disease. We have flesh and blood bodies and brains that are very much subject to the decay and diseases of this world. We are still waiting for our heavenly body to house our new spiritual birth.

For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1

The Christian is dangerously foolish if they expect to simply ‘believe their way’ out of a problem. Consider what I did. I got medication and treatment and prayed and believed and held on to the Bible for dear life. I did everything right, and barely made it. Yes, I should have gotten treatment earlier, but like many young guys in the prime of life it was hard to admit I needed help. I also ran my physical health into the ground which didn’t help. But in the end I did the right things and it saved my life. Sadly, not everyone comes to these realizations in time or are far enough along in their Christian walk to stand strong in the face of the enemy. The answer in those situations is to call upon prayer warriors, spiritual warriors, not a few of which are in wheelchairs or using walkers. You need people who know how to pray down strongholds because they have been in the battle and have the scars to prove it.

Not everyone is so lucky. So do not judge. I’ve been there and it could have gone the other way for me. And as I mentioned, it isn’t always a mental health thing, but often a physical temptation that is acted upon and brings a person or entire families down. And it all begins with a thought.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for rescuing us from our enemy. Deliver those who are mentally under attack from the enemy, and heal those who have suffered much due to those who have fallen sway to temptations of all kinds. Have mercy on us all, Lord. Amen.

Does God Laugh?

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Psalm 2:4

You have heard the saying: Laughter is the best medicine. 

"I made the joyous discovery that 10 minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep," –Norman Cousins.

Norman Cousins actually put that saying to the test and credits humor and laughter for healing him of a life threatening illness.

Years ago two sisters broke out in laughter while attending their father’s funeral. I was a teenager at the time but even I understood sometimes we must laugh at the absurdity of life–and death. Laughter often comes out of our pain, suffering, and even our foolishness and stupidity. We laugh at ourselves and others. We laugh at the absurdities of both life and death. And the pain that comes from them.

But does God laugh? I have often wondered about that question. We know from scripture that God laughs at fools who deny Him and ridicules those who scoff at God.

The fool says in his heart,

    “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1

but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. Psalm 37:13

This line of thinking brings me to Jesus, who is God manifest on earth. We know Jesus attended banquets. We know He attended at least one wedding. Of course Jesus was here on a very important mission and to teach His disciples, so it is not surprising that we don’t see much of the humorous side of Him in Scripture.

Nevertheless, I suspect Jesus had at least an ironic sense of humor. And we know He used hyperbole in His teachings to drive home His point. You can imagine some in the crowd smiling when He told them if their hand causes them to sin, to cut it off. Matthew 18:8. While sin is no joking matter, Jesus’s admonishment with its imagery must have seemed a bit humorous. They got His point or we would see Christian amputees everywhere we go today.

Then there is one that always sticks out in my mind when I question whether Jesus had a sense of humor.

James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Mark 3:7.

It is speculation, but I can’t help but wonder why He called them “sons of thunder”. His nickname for them. I suspect we get a tiny glimpse of Jesus’s ironic sense of humor in fixing that name upon the brothers. Were they loud and boisterous? Hard to keep quiet? Noisy in general? One of the mysteries that will be interesting to discover one day.

Humor often comes from pain. And God in His kindness does not laugh at our pain and misery, even though we often do so for our own sanity. I think there is a stronger force that supersedes laughter that God not only expresses, it comes as a gift from Him: Joy.

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, Psalm 30:11

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Psalm 43:4

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:12

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts:13:52

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:7

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22

I can’t remember the exact date I became a born again Christian. I was either 13 or 14 years old, or perhaps in between those ages. But one thing I will never forget was the joy of my salvation. I was overwhelmed with joy, a joy I had never experienced before. It reflected an eternal change in me that I will forever be grateful to God for. And joy upon salvation is not surprising as the Holy Spirit imparts joy to believers.

Does God laugh? Yes, at those who are foolish and wicked who believe they can either outsmart God or simply deny Him altogether. Did Jesus laugh? I strongly suspect so, but not much is recorded as Jesus was focused upon our pain in a different way. He was focused upon how to remove pain and to cure it by removing sin from our lives. One day we will receive that complete promise of being free from pain altogether in heaven, but He gives us joy to strengthen us now here on earth.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Not The Best And Brightest

 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

According to this world’s standards you may not find that the majority of believers are the so-called “best and brightest”. It is your average Joe, the everyman and everywoman who most often find their way to God. Sure, occasionally a few of the so-called elite will become believers, but more often than not it is your “regular person” who stands up for the Faith and calls themselves Believers in Christ.

Just by observation and common sense I have seen the truth that average, or even below average, people become believers. Over the years I have learned that those I grew up with, old friends, co-workers from the past, are now believers when years ago they were anything but a believer in Jesus Christ.

Today I heard of another person I once worked with that now goes to church. I can say I never imagined him going to church back then, but it doesn’t even surprise me today.

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 1 Corinthians 1:20-21

In the early years of the Internet I would often argue with so-called “smart people” online. They often had high sounding arguments and based their ideas on a certain system of philosophy, or merely hedonism, atheism, any “ism” that supported what they wanted to believe or whichever argument made them appear smart. Indeed, they were so smart that they were stupid when it came to important truths. I soon got tired of debating them as I realized it’s fruitless to argue with foolish people for they will not stand for common sense arguments or truth that does not fit into their sacred box of knowledge.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1

Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

    or you yourself will be just like him. Proverbs 26:4

Fools find no pleasure in understanding

    but delight in airing their own opinions. Proverbs 18:2

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

    but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

I take great joy in not being among the elite of this world. Like your everyman/everywoman sinner I’m pleased to put my faith in a Living God who changes hearts and minds and scoffs at the world’s wisdom. A God who takes sinners and changes them by degrees into those who will become citizens in heaven, not by anything we did or could do, but by His Grace and His Goodness and Mercy.

So if you are like me, one of the lowly sinners who recognized their need for a Savior–congratulations! You are a member of the only “truly elite club” headed for heaven. But if, sadly, you are one of those who think they are “too wise” to believe in God, above such “lowly thinking”, you have my sympathy and pity. I hope and pray that you will one day join the rest of us “lowly folk”.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for saving lowly sinners like me. Amen.

Who Has Bewitched You?

 

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. Galatians 3:1

Years ago I listened to Pastor Charles Swindoll's radio program. He did a teaching on Galatians and grace. Pastor Swindoll said every Christian should read the Bible book of Galatians at least once a year to remind them to avoid legalism. I agree. Legalism creeps up on you.

Too many churches and Christians are captives of legalism. The "do's and don't's of religion". Some churches have actual lists of rules and regulations for its members to obey. Many of the rules are completely outside of anything Biblical. One that comes to mind is a church I grew up in that insists all its members only read the King James Bible even though its language is quite dated and difficult for its members to understand.

Beware of Jesus plus. Jesus Plus Anything else is a warning sign that you are getting into legalism. At its core legalism suggests, or even promises, that to be a "real Christian" you must work for it. You should follow certain rules or traditions, and fall into line with everyone else.

Of course when you begin to speak of depending upon Christ, His sacrifice, and His righteousness accredited to our account, the super religious say: Aha, you think you can just live like the devil and go to heaven!

Yet the Apostle Paul had an answer to that statement:

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24

Paul explains we are given the Holy Spirit and through the Spirit we will bear fruit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Sometimes the problem is that we get into the mindset that we are already good enough without God. Many times people who are not Christians, or even those who are Christians, seek to justify themselves and explain how they are good enough on their own aside from God or anything He does.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

Without Jesus we are lost, both here and in eternity. When we begin to think of a list of rules or certain practices and behavior to qualify us, to earn us the right to go to heaven, we deceive ourselves. There is no way we will ever be that good on our own.

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Romans 3:28

Our faith, trust, and dependence upon Jesus will help us to become better people. But make no mistake, nothing can qualify us for heaven apart from Christ. The criminal hanging on the cross beside Jesus at His crucifixion merely asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus promised the man that he would enter heaven with Jesus. What good works did the criminal do? How was he good enough? How was he righteous enough? Nothing could be done from that cross as he hung there beside Jesus except to believe, to offer a seed of faith. That was enough to save him and for him to enter the kingdom of heaven. All because of Jesus and the sacrifice Jesus made on that cross.

We are often tempted to get into the mindset that we are good enough. We do a few good works and become proud of ourselves. Somehow we even foolishly can begin to believe that God owes us something for our actions. Nothing we did or will do can save us. The only things that matter are trust in Jesus and faith in His goodness and grace.

Prayer: Dear Lord, whenever we become righteous in our own eyes, remind us of You hanging on that cross and the high price You paid to redeem us. Amen.