Something Worse Than Failure

The terms “success” and “failure” are goal-oriented terms. When a person sets a goal and accomplishes it, we say they “succeeded.” On the other hand, when a person sets a goal but does not fulfill it, we say they “failed.” 

Make no mistake about it – I love the idea of people, especially Christians, setting definite goals in life and accomplishing them. In Daniel 1:8, I am told that Daniel “purposed in his heart.” Daniel accomplished something on purpose. The only way for a Christian to live an abundant Christian life is to plan on it! Set out to do it on purpose. A thriving prayer life that acquires answers from God will never happen accidentally. You will not meander into a deeper study of God's word. Soul winning will not happen by chance. The romantic fires of marriage will not ignite on their own. All of this should be purposely striven for, and goals should be set to see that they happen.

One of the greatest disappointments in life occurs when a goal is set but not met. Nothing sucks the life out of an individual like failure to meet a goal. However frustrating this may be, failure is not the worst outcome that can possibly happen. There is something worse than failing to accomplish a goal. To identify this fate that is worse than failure, listen carefully to William Carey, the father of modern missions:

“I'm not afraid of failure; I'm afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.”

You may or may not realize it, but the above quote is likely the best on the subjects of success or failure you will most likely ever read (and I've read many of them). As a pastor, it literally breaks my heart to watch young people set goals that do not mount to anything, and then put forth all of their energy into acquiring them. It is truly sad to watch a young preacher who has a wife and children spend every waking moment at the gym, away from his family, because it is his goal to bench press 800 pounds by the end of the year. It is equally sad to watch a young woman completely preoccupied, not with her family, but rather with her body, because it is her goal to look skinnier than a super model. How about a young man who spends hours upon hours, sleepless night after sleepless night, trying to accomplish the goal of beating a particular video game? Or what about a man who never sees his family because his goal is to do whatever is necessary to become a millionaire? Each of these goals, along with many others just like them, are the quintessence of worthlessness. No man lying upon his deathbed wishes he spent more time at the gym (unless he is a complete nut). No one when breathing their last breath wishes they made more money for their children to fight over.

It seems that most people either have no goals or stupid goals. As a pastor, I cannot express how much it grieves me to watch people pour a thousand dollars worth of effort into something that isn't worth six cents. Time is swiftly passing away. Your children are growing up faster than you can imagine. One day, you will not wish you made more money, lost more weight, or beat a video game. You will, however, wish that you had been a better father or a better mother. You will wish that you had been more devoted to God. You will wish that you had influenced more people for the kingdom of God. You will wish that you had held your babies longer, spent more evenings at home, and made more of a difference in someone's life. As we press full-throttle into this new year, let's not succeed at accomplishing a bunch of worthless junk. Set goals that are worthy of your time and effort. What's worse than failure? Succeeding at things that don't matter.

He Could Have, But He Didn't

It was Christ’s life in a motto - “He could have, but He didn’t.” If Christ’s life were a book, then this would be the title.

Our first glimpse of Him is in a manger, laid there by His parents and adored there by the shepherds. Why is He even there in the first place? What is the reason that He would depart from the splendors of heaven and become a human being? What would cause Him to humble Himself to such a degree? We get a clue from John’s account of the gospel, where it is written, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.” Before I conclude the verse, I am amazed. Christ did not come to condemn! The remarkable truth here is that He could have, but He didn't! Instead of condemning the world, which He had the power, right, and ability to do, He chose rather to come to this fallen world to save it.

During His public ministry, Christ was one day teaching in the temple. Standing in the middle of the room so that all present could hear clearly, suddenly, Christ was interrupted. The door abruptly opened. In walked a few men with a woman, whom they drug through the temple. Her heels literally drug the ground. Finally, in front of Christ and the vast audience, the men stood her up. One of the men, speaking for the others and against the woman, laid out his case to Christ. “This woman,” he said, “was caught in the act of adultery. Moses said that people such as this should be stoned. But,” the man temptingly asked, “what do you say?” At first, Christ did not respond. He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then, He stood to answer the question. In a paraphrase, Christ said, “What a splendid idea! You who are without sin - cast the first stone.” There are two remarkable details at this point in the story. First, no one picked up a stone. But secondly, and probably more impressive than the first detail, there was someone there who was without sin. And He didn’t cast a stone. Make no mistake about it. He could have, but He didn't.

When it was only hours until Christ is to die for the sins of the world, He was with some of His disciples in one of His favorite places to get away from it all. He was in the garden of Gethsemane. Suddenly, a band of soldiers showed up with Judas, one of Christ’s own apostles, among them. Judas told the authorities that the man whom he kisses is the man guilty of insurrection. Judas walked up to Jesus, kissed the door to heaven, and then hours later, went to hell. The soldiers present then made a move to arrest Jesus. When this move was made, the disciples began to fight the soldiers. Jesus did not participate in it, nor did He approve of it. During the altercation, Peter swung the sword toward one of the soldiers whose name is Malchus, cutting off his right ear. Jesus simply healed the young man’s ear. Then, turning to Peter, Jesus rebuked Peter, commanding him to put up his sword. But wasn’t Peter’s motive pure? After all, wasn’t Jesus innocent? Of course, but Jesus was not about to fight. He then said to his disciples, “Do you not know that I could presently call on my Father, and He would give me twelve legions of angels to fight for Me?” He could have, but He didn't.

Jesus was then escorted from the garden to the house of Caiaphas. There, He was mocked. He was clothed with a purple robe. After all, “He is a king,” they said. “Every king needs a crown,” they announced, placing the crown of thorns upon His head, the blood flowing down His face as the crown is pressed into His skull. They bowed before Him, proclaiming, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Then, He was blindfolded. One of the soldiers, with the palm of his hand, smote Christ so as to “knock the taste out of His mouth,” as they say. Christ staggered from the blow. As He regained His balance, He heard the order, “You’re a prophet, are You? Then tell us the name of the one who smote You.” Do you think Christ had the ability to comply with such a command? Of course He did. He could have told them all of their names. He could have, but He didn't.

From there, He was taken before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. When questioned, Christ offered no answers. This astounded Pilate. “Don’t you know,” Pilate asked, “that I have the power to crucify you, and the power to release you?” Still, Christ did not answer. This amazed Pilate because, deep down, Pilate had no doubt that Jesus Christ, the man from Nazareth, was innocent. And Pilate knew that every innocent man is capable of self defense. But Christ made no effort to defend Himself. He could have, but He didn't.

Then, we see Christ upon the old, rugged cross. The passers-by began to taunt Him. “If You are the Son of God,” they said, “then come down from the cross, and we will believe You!” Another one then chuckled and said, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself!” Save Himself? He could have, but He didn't.

Why all of this restraint of power? Over and over in the life of Christ, we see that He could have, but He didn't. Why didn’t He exercise all of His power? For two reasons, primarily. First, as Dr. Fred B. Craddock put it, “The character of God is not just power; but the restraint of power.” By restraining His power, He was showing us the character of God the Father. Secondly, had He exercised His power and came down from the cross, I would still be in my sin. It was love for fallen humanity that kept Christ from exercising all of His power.

Do you want to be Christ-like? Don’t do everything you have the power to do. Restrain yourself. When God does it, it’s called mercy. When we do it, it’s called temperance. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It is one of the best, and one of the most Christ-exalting ways to show the world the love of God.

Nothing is Easier Than Finding God's Will

Most people's Christianity is a series of simple things made complicated. Many ministers take pride in how carefully they can complicate the simplest scriptural truths. You are not a good minister if you can take a simple truth and complicate it; instead, you are a good minister if you can take a deep Biblical truth and simplify it! Christian ministers seem to specialize in making the simple as difficult as possible.

A man once approached Dr. Monroe Parker. “I've been visiting as many churches as possible,” the man told Dr. Parker, “because I'm trying to understand God.”

“How are you coming along in your quest to understand God?” Dr. Parker asked.

“Understand God?” the man replied. “I can't understand preachers, let alone God.”

Leave it to preachers to make things complicated. We complicate salvation. Salvation by faith in Christ is literally the easiest teaching in all the Bible. However, if you ask the next ten professing Christians that cross your path how to know that you are saved and heaven bound, you will get fifteen different answers. Every church has a plan of salvation that it endorses, but very few preach salvation by grace through faith in Christ.

We complicate prayer. Some say you must kneel; others say you must quote prayers verbatim from a prayer book. Others insist that you pray long prayers; others demand loud prayers; others promote secret prayers; and others endorse public prayers. Yet, the sum of all these things matters very little in a person's actual time of prayer.

And we ministers are great at complicating the truth of how a Christian finds the will of God. Mark my words – one of the easiest things for a Christian to do, hands down, is to find the will of God. When I was a student in Bible college, I watched as young ministers prayed, wept, and fasted because they wanted to find God's will. Almost all of their praying, weeping, and fasting was completely unnecessary. These young ministers wanted to know from God - “Am I going to be a pastor, or an evangelist?” “Am I going to live up north, or down south?” They would lose sleep worrying about the details of God's plans for their lives. It was sad to watch many of them lack the simple Bible teaching about the will of God and how to find it.

How Does a Christian Find the Will of God?

Finding God's will is clearly laid out in Proverbs 3:6 –

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Please notice that the above verse has two distinct parts. The first part is my part; the second part is God's part. Nearly all of the turmoil that possesses Christians attempting to find God's will occurs when they get out of the first part of the verse (their part) and meddle in the second part of the verse (God's part). The first part of this verse is the condition we must carry out; and the second part of the verse is God's promise to fulfill His part.

The first part of the verse (our part) reads this way - “In all thy ways acknowledge him.” My part ends there. The rest of the verse is no concern of mine. The rest of the verse is God's part – God's promise that He will fulfill. Proverbs 3:6 promises that, if I acknowledge God in every area of my life, He will direct my paths. This is one of the greatest promises of the Bible. Finding God's will is as simple as believing what God said. Period. If you believe what God said, you will never sweat this concept of finding God's will ever again. My part in this matter is to acknowledge God. In turn, God will lead me. He promised. He cannot lie. As a Christian, I have never lost any sleep worrying over whether or not I was in the will of God. I have only tried to acknowledge God where I am, and God has always done the leading. As of now, I serve as a pastor in Indiana. Am I worried that maybe it is God's will for me to be elsewhere? Not at all. I am going to serve God, acknowledging Him where I am, and when I need to be elsewhere, He will lead me. He said He would. He promised.

To someone who wants to be sure of God's will, simply acknowledge God in all you do, wherever you currently are. God will take care of the rest. A friend of mine once stated that many times, Christians miss out on God's will because they are always looking for some big project in the future. I have heard Christians say, “I am going to have a great ministry someday.” And they say it their entire lives. As their fleeting lives drift away, they do nothing for God because they believe that God's will contains something big for them... down the road. Don't think of God's will as being something in the future. There are opportunities to carry out God's will all around you. Serve God where you are. If you cannot serve God where you are, you cannot serve Him anywhere. Someone in very close proximity to you needs salvation. Someone you know is hurting. Someone associated with you is hungry. Give the gospel to the lost; it is God's will for you to do so. Feed the poor; it is God's will. Give to the needy; it is God's will. Lighten the load of a fellow Christian; you are fulfilling the law of Christ – the will of God – when you do so.

Acknowledge God. Serve Him today. Serve Him now. Serve Him where you are. Don't wait until God's will takes you to another location. Acknowledging God is your part. Do it. Directing your paths is God's part. He will do it. He promised.

Written Prayers

What do you think of written prayers? By “written prayers,” I mean the practice of writing out at least a portion of your prayers. Have you ever given the practice any thought? For many of the deeply devoted, the thought of writing out one’s prayers sounds artificial. We look with suspicion at anything done well; anything involving preparation. We equate sincerity with spontaneity. If we pray, preach, or witness on the spur of the moment, giving it little or no thought, it must have been done because we are incredibly spiritual. If, however, any of the aforementioned acts were done as a result of planning and preparation, then it had to be a work of the flesh. That’s how some think, anyhow. I’m not sure how one comes to such a conclusion. I am certain that no conclusion is reached as a result of scriptural exposition, but the conclusion is reached nonetheless. The fact is that most such thinking is the result of tradition, which esteems thoughtless, spontaneous devotion very highly.

What do you think of written prayers? I was standing in the front of the auditorium of a Pentecostal church a few minutes before service was to begin. I was speaking to the pastor, who was telling me with beaming eyes and an enthusiastic voice that he was going to be, in a short time, a grandfather again. “My grandson will have quite a name to live up to,” he said. His grandson was going to be named “Wesley.” Of course, this pastor compared his grandson’s name to that of John Wesley. This particular pastor revered Wesley very highly, as do many Pentecostals (though Wesley was not Pentecostal). John Wesley was a devoted Christian whose thoughts on holiness are soul-stirring. Many Christians, both those who worship more formally and those who worship more spontaneously, think highly of John Wesley. In my library, I have a volume entitled, The Prayers of John Wesley. Wesley wrote out at least a portion of his prayers.

What do you think of written prayers? John Wesley was not the only Christian who penned his prayers. George Müller, in his autobiography, included the prayers he prayed in various times of his ministry. The reformers left behind volumes of the prayers they prayed. We are all aware of Martin Luther’s tremendous courage when standing before the emperor at Worms when he said fervently and uncompromisingly, “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise.” From where did he receive such courage? He tells us that, as he was standing before the emperor, he was praying. He prayed, “O Thou my God, stand by me against all the world. Do Thou do it! Thou must do it! Thou alone! It is indeed not my cause but Thine.” The people of God, from the time of the ascension of Christ until the present day, have left us with the words of their prayers for our edification and reflection. St. Augustine prayed this way: “Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts beneath the shadow of Thy wings; let my heart, this sea of restless waves, find peace in Thee, O God.” Missionaries with hearts aflame for the souls of men have left us the words of their prayers. Whether you are reading David Brainerd’s journal or Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, it is clear that missionaries have given us a window into the depths of their souls by recording the words of their prayers. Listen to the fervent prayer of David Livingstone concerning the continent of Africa – “May God in mercy permit me to do something for the cause of Christ in these dark places of the earth!” In addition to these men, I have acquired other volumes containing the prayers of the saints throughout church history. I have eloquent collections of prayers by Dr. John Baillie, Robert Burns, Alfred Tennyson, John Donne, Carl Sandberg, Peter Marshall, Samuel Johnson, St. Patrick, Helen Steiner Rice, George Fox, Abraham Lincoln, John Calvin, and many others.

What do you think of written prayers? Furthermore, what do you think of reading or quoting someone else’s written prayer, and making it your own? Have you ever thought about it? Chances are, if you are a Christian who has attended church for any length of time at all, you have already done that.

The month was March; the year was 2003. It was only a few days after President Bush gave Saddam Hussein and his sons the ultimatum that led to the second war in Iraq. I was attending the annual Holiness Convention in Export, Pennsylvania. The auditorium was full for the evening service, which was just getting under way. The President of the Institute began the service by leading the congregation in song. The opening song was the patriotic hymn “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.” When we got to the final verse, hands went up all over the auditorium. Voices rang out in unison –

Our fathers’ God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.

We were singing a verse of a hymn that was written as a prayer. Though the words were written by Samuel Francis Smith, we quoted them, and directed them to heaven, making those words our own prayer.

Many hymns are written as prayers. You have most likely sang someone’s prayer, and made it your own. Some such hymns include Take My Life and Let it Be, Revive Us Again, I Need Thee Every Hour, How Great Thou Art, Have Thine Own Way, Great is Thy Faithfulness, and countless others. If you are against quoting someone else’s beautifully written prayers and praying them for yourself, you have just outlawed many of the most beloved hymns.

What do you think of written prayers? Has it ever dawned on you that many Bible writers recorded their prayers? I was in a particular place in life where I was keenly aware that my spirit was becoming bitter. During this time, I prayed many times this prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Those are not my words. I borrowed them. King David, Israel’s second king, prayed those words and penned them within the Hebrew Scriptures. I took those words and prayed them because it was the request I wanted the Lord to grant, and I could not think of a better way to pray it. The Bible is filled with the exact words that the saints prayed. The Psalms are full of written prayers. Daniel’s eloquent prayer is recorded verbatim in Daniel 9. Elijah’s short but powerful prayer is recorded for us. Paul interrupted his discourse in Romans 9 to insert a prayer of doxology. Many times, Paul concluded his epistles with prayerful benedictions.

What do you think of written prayers? Most likely, many of you are reluctant to accept the idea because in your tradition of spontaneous worship, it is a new concept. But really, if you read the Bible, you have read many written prayers. If you sing hymns, you have prayed someone else’s beautifully written prayers.

What do you think of written prayers? Would it help you formulate your opinion if you could know what a highly revered Christian thought of the idea? What if you knew what someone like Matthew Henry thought about the notion of a Christian writing out some of their prayers? I don’t know what Matthew Henry thought about it, but here is what he said about it:

It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we might not “unsay” them in our practice.

What do you think of written prayers? Do you think there could be some benefit to you if you were to write out your own prayers?  Just think about it.

Lessons in Leadership (from the Life of Moses)

Having understood clearly that I do not consider myself the quintessence of leadership, I do wish to address this subject. I speak here of leadership, not because I claim to be the prime example of leadership; but rather because I have seen so many examples of how not to lead. On the other hand, I have more positive examples of leadership than negative. I have had the privilege of working with great leaders. I have seen a few men attempt to lead and fail miserably. But I have seen more men lead with courage, truth, stability, and integrity.

Desiring to illustrate some traits of godly leadership, I know of no greater leader (excepting Jesus Christ) than Moses. Moses was the man who was called by God to deliver His people out of their bondage in Egypt. Some traits of Moses' life proves to be great characteristics of good leadership.

1) Moses was chosen by God to lead. The best leaders are God-called. Their leadership is an act of obedience to God Almighty; not a fulfillment of a political agenda; not a following of a personal career; not a job; not a means by which to attain popularity; but a direct act of obedience. Moses never asked to lead. He never approached God and said, "Make me the leader of your people." Actually, he attempted to get out of it! A person who shoves himself into the spotlight is not a godly leader. A godly leader is first chosen by God to lead.

2) Moses learned to lead. Before he took God's people from Egypt, across the desert, and to the brink of the promised land, we find him tending to the flock belonging to his father-in-law. He learned to lead sheep before he learned to lead people. Sheep are stubborn, self-willed, and slow learners; but they are easier to lead than people. He tended to this flock for years! We have, in our day, so many men who wish to be leaders, who have never led in small things; and who have never been a follower! Good followers make good leaders. Let me sit under a leader for just a couple of weeks, and I can tell you how good of a follower that person was prior to becoming a leader. If a man was a good follower, and could lead in the small areas of life; it will certainly be evident when he leads in the big areas of life.

3) Moses was one of the people. By this, I mean that Moses did not elevate himself higher than those he led. Offending one of the children of Israel was to offend Moses. He loved his people so much that he did not separate himself from them. As a matter of fact, when Israel sinned, God purposed to destroy the entire nation, except Moses. But Moses interceded for them, telling God, "If you're going to destroy Israel; destroy me." He did not see himself as being on a throne, and everyone else under him. He was one of them!

4) Moses led by example. He lived like the people lived. He did not feed Israel manna, and then find a secret place to ask God if He could feed him something better! When the cloud led the nation of Israel to go forward, Moses did not command the people to walk; Moses started walking! The greatest leaders must delegate responsibilities at times. Even Moses had to do this. At times, it is beneficial, and even necessary. But Moses didn't sit in an office and delegate orders all day. His number one order to the people of Israel was, "Follow me!" He led by example.

5) Moses was stern when it had to be that way. Moses had a fear of God, and he demanded it from the people. He never asked of them to do what he would not do; but demanded that the people please God. He had a fear of God, and this caused him "lay down the law (literally at times)!" Moses had high expectations for the people, demanding that they please God.

6) In contrast to the previous point, Moses was the meekest man on the face of the whole earth. He was gentle. Did you get that? Moses was a man who demanded strict adherence to the law; and AT THE SAME TIME, was the meekest man on the face of the earth. I will spend a little time on this one, because I have met some "leaders" who "tolerated no disobedience," but their spirit stunk to high heaven. Now, I am talking to those in authority (within the church). Listen carefully. If people cannot stand to be around you, you are absolutely an ungodly leader. Moses was strict; yet gentle. Moses was tough on law-breakers; but had an excellent spirit! It is possible to "lay the law down," AND "be meek (humble)" at the same time. If you can't reconcile the traits of strictness with meekness, I am certain you have elevated yourself to your position. You are not chosen by God to be in authority, and you need to get out of authority. If you are a pastor, youth leader, bus captain, Sunday School superintendent, overseer, bishop, or any other leader in a church or church-related scenario, I'm talking to you! If you walk into a room where there are people who are under your authority, and they quickly leave because they cannot stand your spirit - you need to either find an altar and get a good spirit (the Holy Ghost would be nice) or resign your position until you've sat under some good, godly leadership.

I am not saying that leaders should be soft concerning sin. Preach the Bible! Demand that those under you fear the Lord. I am for all of that. I am not talking about your strictness right now; I am talking about your spirit. I have heard so-called leaders brag because those who are under their authority are scared to approach them. Let's get this straight. If you are a leader, and those who are under your authority are scared to come to you with an issue, opinion, concern, or question, THAT IS NOT COMMENDABLE! It is sick enough to gag a maggot! The Bible says that the wisdom which is from above is first PEACEABLE, GENTLE, and EASY TO BE ENTREATED! If you are not easy to approach, you need to get off your high horse and get on your knees! You need to pray, as David prayed in his backslidden state, "Renew a RIGHT SPIRIT within me!" If you are in authority, and have a filthy, unapproachable spirit, I think you should be forced to follow orders of someone as mean as you are! Maybe that would adjust some attitudes!

It would benefit every leader to know that while they are in authority, they are also UNDER authority. Every leader will stand before God and give account of how they have led. If you are a person who condemns people to hell if they don't obey your every order, let me say that judgment will be dished out to you the way you have dished it out to others (Matthew 7:1, 2)! I have met some in authority who treated people like dirt. They thought that, since they were in authority, those who are under their authority must submit regardless of their filthy, ungodly spirit. If someone who is under your authority does not submit, they will give account. But if you, as the leader, do not rule with meekness, you will give account to God. Let me say this while I'm here. If people hate to be around you, you can make yourself feel good by saying things such as, "Oh, that's just my personality." Personality nothing! If your personality is not saved, you're not saved! You have no right to treat people in a disgusting fashion. When a man is chosen by God to lead, he understands that he, too, is under God's authority. Moses, like all God-called leaders, was strict, yet meek.

In Conclusion
Certainly, my little list of Moses' great leadership traits is neither exhaustive nor complete. I must say that, as for the negative aspects of this post, I am not referring to anyone personally. If that were the case, I would contact that individual personally, rather than writing my thoughts in a blog. I am not mad. I am not angry. I do, however, believe every word I have written, and take full responsibility for the words in this post. I am simply blogging some good traits of Moses' life that pave the way for godly leadership.

Furthermore, to eliminate any thoughts along these lines, the negative remarks in this post DO NOT reflect the leadership of my pastors, Bro. Carlos Burdine and Bro. Wayne Grace. These men are two of the most humble men and two of the greatest leaders I have known. They fit all of the traits I posted here. I thank God for these, and for the many godly leaders with whom I have been privileged to work.

The Most Quoted Promise in the Bible

The Bible is full of promises. There are literally hundreds of promises in the word of God. Personally, I have stood on the promises of God. Repeatedly, I have taken God at His word. Faithfully, God has always fulfilled His promises.

There is one Biblical promise that seems to be quoted more than the others. On numerous occasions, I have heard preachers stand behind a pulpit and repeat it. Christians have stood up in the midst of a congregation to quote it. It is not likely that this particular promise is greater than any other. In my opinion, some preachers quote it as they begin the church service because they do not have anything else to say. Despite the motive of the one speaking the promise, it is a promise of God nonetheless. I am sure you have heard it quoted, and multiple times if you have been a Christian any length of time at all. Somewhere in your Christian walk, you have heard someone say, “I’m glad Jesus said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

There it is – the most quoted promise in the entirety of the scriptures (at least, in some of the circles in which I have been involved). The promise is found in Hebrews 13:5.

Two Prominent Messages in Christ’s Earthly Ministry

In the days when Jesus Christ walked the shores of Galilee, there were two messages that were constantly interwoven throughout the gospels. The first message was from Christ to His disciples. Christ continually told His disciples, “I’ve got to go.” Of course, He had to go to Calvary to suffer and die for the sins of mankind. The second message found throughout the gospels was the response of the disciples to Christ. When Christ spoke of His death, His disciples always replied, “Don’t go!”

In Matthew 16, Jesus spoke to His disciples, saying that He must be rejected of the scribes and elders of Jerusalem and be crucified. “I’ve got to go,” He says. Peter responded, “Far be it from Thee!” In other words, “Don’t go!”

In one instance, we find “the woman who was a sinner,” with her hands around the ankles of our Lord, as she washes the Lord’s feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. There’s something about her grip on the Savior’s feet that says, “Don’t go!” But He must go. He must be separated from the disciples to lay down His life for lost mankind.

In his account of the gospel, Luke tells us constantly that Christ’s face was “set” toward Jerusalem. What’s in Jerusalem? A cross. With His face set, His spirit firm, and His will determined, the Lord says, “I’ve got to go.”

Then came the day when Christ’s death upon the cross ceased to be a prophecy and became a fulfillment. He left His disciples for Calvary. The disciples would have loved to be able to claim the promise we claim so often, that their Lord would never leave nor forsake them. But the Lord left His disciples for Calvary.

Three days following the crucifixion of Christ, Christ is raised from the dead. On that resurrection day, Mary Magdalene is among those who found the tomb to be empty. When the others headed for the city, she remained in the garden where the empty tomb was. Weeping with her head in her hands, she earnestly believes that someone had taken away the body of her Lord. Suddenly, she sees a man. Since the man was evidently the gardener, Mary requested concerning Jesus, “Please tell me where you have laid Him.” Then, the “gardener,” who was none other than Jesus Christ Himself, said to her, “Mary.” Upon hearing the Lord speak her own name, Mary recognized Him. Mary must have fallen upon her knees, taking hold of the Saviour. But Jesus stopped her. “Touch me not,” He said. The word, “touch” here can mean more than just a simple touch. It can mean, “to hold on to; to cling to.” But again, Jesus says, “Don’t hold on to me.” In other words, “I’ve got to go.” Where is He going now? Since He has been resurrected, Christ must now go to the Father. He did not want Mary to get too attached. He is about to depart again. This is a good place to insert that the doctrine of the ascension of Christ is an underrated doctrine in the Bible. The entire discourse of John 14-16 centers around it. The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost depends on it. “If I go not away,” Christ said, “the Comforter will not come.”

Notice what Christ says to Mary. “Touch me not; do not hold on to me.” What does He go on to say? He says, “For I am not yet ascended.” That is where is going – to the Father.

The Ascension

Then, forty days after His resurrection, the day comes for Christ to go to the Father. Christ gathered with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. In Matthew’s version of the Great Commission, Christ gives His disciples His last words before His ascension. First, He instructs them to “teach all nations.” Secondly, He commissions them to “baptize them.” And third, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” I can’t help but chuckle when I read Matthew’s account of the Great Commission. Jesus says to His disciples, “I am with you always.” Then, what does He do? He ascends. He leaves. He says, “I’ll never leave you.” Then He leaves!

But when He goes, He takes His place at the right hand of the Father. It is there that Jesus prayed for the Father to send the Holy Spirit to dwell with His disciples forever. This may be a news flash to you, but you do not have the Holy Spirit because you prayed; you have the Holy Spirit because He prayed. Christ said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter” (John 14:16). Of course, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Wherever the Holy Spirit is, Christ is. When Christ prayed for the Father to give us the Holy Spirit, the Lord assured us that He would abide with us forever (John 14:16).

Throughout the gospels, mankind begged Christ, “Don’t leave us!” But He had to go. Now that the Holy Spirit has been given, I know that Christ will be with me through the trials of life, through tears and toils, and even to chilly Jordan – death itself. He will never leave me nor forsake me!

God Wants You To Be Spiritually Poor

Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Spiritually poor – that is God’s will for you. Contrary to contemporary theological exegesis, our Lord was unmistakably clear – “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Some biblical scholars have explained it away. “He means,” they insist, “that we are to be humble.” But He did not proclaim, “Blessed are the humble.” He clearly stated, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

How can this be? To hear it taught in many pulpits today, one would get the impression that God wants His children to be rich, both materialistically and spiritually. In other circles, many ministers insist that, while God does not mind if His children are monetarily poor, He surely wants us to be spiritually rich. After all, is not this the comfort we give to God’s poor people? Do we not console them by reminding them that they are richer than their wealthy neighbors – because their wealthy neighbors’ possessions are only physical, while their own salvation is worth more than all of earth’s gold?

In spite of our efforts to console God’s poor with heavenly riches, it is yet true that God wants His children to be spiritually poor.

Christians, especially American Christians, are accustomed to abundance. Most American families have more than one vehicle. Most Americans have several pairs of shoes, cupboards full of food, and closets full of clothing. Make no mistake about it – this attitude of abundance carries over into our spiritual lives. We get the notion that God wants His children to be spiritually rich. Somehow, we have gained the impression that God desires His children to have storehouses that are filled and overflowing with His grace, love, peace, and joy. However, for us, we would be better off spiritually poor.

What about Exhortations for Christians to Be Spiritually Rich?

I can hear the objections of some of my readers. Does not the New Testament exhort Christians to be spiritually rich? It does. A couple instances come readily to mind. In Luke 12, Jesus tells of a rich fool, who planned to build bigger barns for his earthly treasures, but made no preparation for his soul. Christ concluded the parable in Luke 12:21 by saying, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Surely Christ was exhorting us to be “rich toward God.” Another instance that presently confronts me is 3 John 1:2, where John says to Gaius, “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Did you catch that? John wished for the soul of Gaius to prosper! Is this not an exhortation to the prosperity of the soul?

I acknowledge these exhortations for Christians to prosper spiritually. There are other such exhortations in the New Testament. These exhortations notwithstanding, Christ still proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Can there be any legitimate reconciliation between the New Testament exhortations to be spiritually rich and Christ’s unmistakable blessing upon the spiritually poor? I believe that there not only can be such reconciliation, but such an understanding exists.

On one hand, Christians are spiritually rich. On the other hand, we are spiritually poor. Both terms – “poor” and “rich” – describe the state of the true child of God. We are rich in the many spiritual possessions God has graciously given to us. We are poor in our Father’s wise distribution of those possessions.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the Father tells the older brother, “All that I have is thine.” This statement best describes the child of God and his spiritual possessions. Everything God has belongs to us. All the peace of God in heaven is ours. If you are lacking in peace of mind, this is a most unnecessary lack. All the love God has is ours. Christ has everything, and we have Christ! “Rich” is a good word to describe such a disposition.

However, although we possess everything God has to offer, God does not allow us to build barns and store His love, joy, and peace in abundance. Our heavenly Father, in His wisdom, distributes His greatest possessions to us as we need them. Let me give you a few examples of great possessions that our Father gives us only as we need them.

Provision for Physical Needs

I began this post with Matthew 5:3, where Christ said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew are known as the Sermon on the Mount. In the same sermon, Jesus taught His disciples to pray. In that model prayer, we find this phrase – “Give us this day our daily bread.” Notice carefully how our Father plans to meet the needs we may have. He does not instruct us to ask for a year’s supply of bread; not a month’s supply of bread; not even a week’s supply of bread; but daily bread! God promised to meet our needs when the day arises that we need them! I am rich because I have a heavenly Father who will supply all my needs. But He does not give me the means to meet the need until the need arises. So, like a poor beggar, I am dependent on my heavenly Father.

Ability to Stand in Time of Persecution

I have seen a number of Christians who seem to love to torment themselves. Often, such Christians perform this “self torment” in the area of persecution. Many American Christians are aware that, though we currently have freedom to worship in our great nation, this freedom is not guaranteed. Consequently, Christians worry about whether or not they will be able to stand for Christ should they called upon to suffer for Him. Such worry is unnecessary. You say, “Don’t you believe Christians should be ready to suffer for Christ?”

No. As a matter of fact, if you peruse my spiritual barn and look for “ability to stand in time of persecution,” you will be disappointed. It is absent from my shelves. Allow me to be frank with you. I do not have what it takes to suffer for Christ. I am spiritually poor. I just don’t have it. But I do not panic. Whatever I need when I am called on to suffer for Christ – my Father has it! And He will see that I have it at the very hour I need it.

In Mark 13, Christ told His disciples that they would be brought before judges and be persecuted for His name’s sake. In verse 11, Christ said these words – “Take no thought.” What does “take no thought” mean? Does it mean to “prepare to suffer for Christ”? No, not at all! As a matter of fact, it means the exact opposite. Christ then told His disciples why they need not worry about persecution. They would be given exactly what they need “in that hour.” Not before then. God will give me the ability to stand for Him when I need it.

Grace to Die

If you are a Christian, and if I were to ask you whether or not you are ready to die, I am certain you render an affirmative reply. I am almost equally certain, that if you were told by a specialist that you had contracted a terminal illness, you would wish the physician to take whatever necessary steps needed to lengthen your life. We say we are ready to die. Of course, when we say it, we are generally not dying. When Christians genuinely believe themselves to be dying, they typically struggle to remain alive. This is both normal and commendable. Christ promised to give us life, and even more so, abundant life. Even though Christians know our names are recorded in heaven, we still would rather live than die.

If I conducted a check on the inventory in my spiritual barn and looked for “grace to die,” I would find that such grace would be absent. Is this cause for alarm? Not at all. I am not ready to die. At this point, I would much rather live than die. I do not have what it takes to lie down and peacefully journey from this life to the next. I do not have such grace. What can I say? I am spiritually poor. But my Father has such grace. And He will give it to me in that moment.

Corrie ten Boom, whose family suffered persecution in World War 2, tells of a conversation she had with her father. She asked her father about being ready to die. Her father responded, “When you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?”

“Why, just before we get on the train,” Corrie replied.

“Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time.”

Righteousness Exalts a Nation

Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

I Love the United States of America!

Make no mistake about it! I love America! I do not apologize; I do not take it back; I do not make such a proclamation with my head facing the ground! I get chills when I hear our national anthem. I cannot view our flag without thinking of the blood shed over the years to give us our freedom. I am thankful that God Almighty allowed me to be born and raised in the United States.

In our own nation, I have come across ministers who preach that it is a sin to be patriotic in any form. I have been acquainted with some ministers to object to those saluting a flag or honoring a veteran. The odd thing about it is – THEY WON’T MOVE! If the reader thinks that it is a sin to love America, why don’t you find a better country that you can love, and get out of here? I love this nation, and I’m not ashamed to say it!

In the scriptures, we find Daniel praying concerning the sins of his own people. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. Do you know why? It is not because he wept over the state of the Syrians; it is not because he shed tears over the conditions of the Chaldeans; it is because he poured out his tears over his own people! Moses stood in the presence of God Almighty, reasoning with God. Moses told the Lord that if the Lord was going to wipe Israel from existence, to destroy him also! He interceded for his own people. I hear people talk about “having a burden for the lost.” That’s nice. But it should start with loving your own people! How can you have a burning desire to reach the lost in Honduras and have no feeling whatsoever concerning your own people?

When I say, “I love America,” I am not saying that American people are better than any other people. I am not saying for a moment that I am a better man of God than anyone else because I’m American. I am not insinuating that God loves America more than He does anyone else. I do not saying that America is perfect. But I am declaring that I love the United States.

Righteousness Exalteth a Nation

Our nation is a great nation. We have a great history. Men and women risked their lives to come to a fresh continent where they would have the freedom to worship the God of the Bible out of the convictions of their own heart. Our founding fathers were at least God-fearing, and many were professing Christians. The Creator is found in MANY of our founding documents.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” – Declaration of Independence

“For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” – Declaration of Independence

“Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great Britain, left their native land, to seek on these shores a residence for civil and religious freedom.” – Continental Congress’ Declaration on the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms; July 6, 1775

“…the freedom of speech may be taken away, and, dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter.” – George Washington, making reference to Isaiah 53, a Biblical passage.

Many more founding documents could be cited, but let me go on. How about our national motto, “In God We Trust,” which is a testimony of our greatness as a nation? In 1864, the Congress of the United States of America approved adding “In God We Trust” to the two-cent coin. In 1908, legislation was passed and “In God We Trust” was mandatory on all coins. In 1955, “In God We Trust” became mandatory on all U.S. coins and paper currency. In 1956, “In God We Trust” became the national motto of the United States.*

Have you ever seen a flag-folding ceremony? There is much Christianity involved in it. The second fold symbolizes our belief in eternal life. The eleventh fold is for the Hebrew, or Jewish citizen, “and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” The twelfth and final fold is for the Christian, glorifying the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. “When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, ‘In God We Trust.’”*

Yes, our nation is great because it is founded upon the righteousness of the Bible. “Righteousness exalteth a nation.” America has been exalted because of her rich, godly heritage. I know there are goofy professors who want to place Islam on the same plain as Christianity, but it is not. Many Muslims have migrated to America; but few Christians are dying to get into Muslim countries. There is a good reason for this: Christianity has made the United States a great nation. Islam, on the other hand, has never made a single nation in the world great. I cannot think of one Muslim nation where people are dying to enter, as they do America. As a matter of fact, I do not know of one single person who has ever gone to a Muslim nation to spend a vacation (I’m not saying they don’t; I just do not know of any). Islam is not a Christian counterpart. Christianity makes nations great. Every day, radio talk show hosts brag about how capitalism has made America great. No, that’s not it. America is not great because of her capitalist system; America is great because of the God she has trusted in through the years.  Show me a communist nation with greatness equating to that of America.  No one can make such a claim, unless they are dishonest and possess a warped mind.

Sin is a Reproach to Any People!

While it is true that America has become great through her reverence of the God of the Bible, it is equally true that America’s departure from the God of the Bible will bring her down.

We live in dark times in our nation. The God of the Bible defines marriage as being between a man and his wife (Genesis 2). Yet, our nation, state by state, is shaking their fist in the face of God Almighty, calling Him a liar, and redefining marriage their own way. Sin is a reproach to any people.

The God of the Bible has stated that the baby in the womb is known by Him (Jeremiah 1). Yet, many in our day have responded to God that “the child is womb is nothing to us!” And then they brutally kill the baby, showing no mercy as the baby writhes in physical pain.  Sin has reproached the United States!

All over the land today, the most important issue of many voters is the issue of the economy. It should not be this way. My number one concern for America is not that America’s families all become rich. We have worried about that entirely too much. AMERICA WAS GREATER WHEN SHE WAS POOR. She didn’t have the best material things in life, but she had priceless treasures. Family time was valued time. Divorce rates were much lower when America was righteous in the eyes of the God of the Bible. Suicide was rare. Children were brought up to become ladies and gentlemen. The Bible was the textbook in the public schools.

Friend, America needs a revival. Sin is a reproach to any people, and America has sinned! We have taken God Almighty out of the public square. The ACLU (a devilish organization which stands up for every rotten thing under the sun) sues companies wishing to display a manger scene at Christmas. Islam demands freedom of religion while it is soon to be a hate crime for Christians to preach parts of the Bible that condemn sin. Euthanasia is on the table for discussion as it has never been before! Politicians have not and cannot give us the revival we need. There is more corruption in Washington and in our states than ever before. America, when going to the polls, cares little about having a real leader in office; but only desires the man who can best pad their pocket books.

Listen to me! God Almighty is not about to put up with the trash in our nation forever! America will be humbled! Sin is a reproach to any people! The U.S. Supreme Court, once a noble institution, does not have the final say on abortion, gay rights, flag-burning, or any other issue. God Almighty’s word will be the last word! Mark it down. The God of the Bible will have the last and final say!

So, this Fourth of July, I will spend some time in prayer for our great nation. Though our nation is great, our sin has reproached us. America WILL fall to her knees again to petition the God of the Bible. The only question is – “Will it be too late?”

*God Bless America: Prayers and Reflections for our Country. Zondervan Publishing House. ©1999.

The Bible and The Cults

Seeing in my previous post the value of the word of God, it is my intent, at this time, to expose the attitude of the cults regarding the Bible. Before examining this, it is necessary to observe a few basic traits of cults in general.

First and primarily, the chief characteristic of a cult is brought out by its definition. Microsoft Encarta’s dictionary defines “cult” this way – “a system of religious or spiritual beliefs, especially an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided or unorthodox.” So, the first characteristic of a cult, as shown by its very definition, is that it deviates from that which is fundamentally and Biblically true. There are fundamental truths brought about in the word of God. Such truths include the virgin birth of Christ; the deity of Christ; the literal and bodily second coming of Jesus Christ to this world; the existence of a literal heaven and a literal, burning hell; the Trinity, and others. To deviate from these is to characterize yourself with religious groups we call cults.

Secondly, a common trait of the cults is extreme exclusivism. Now understand that Christianity itself is an exclusivist religion. By this, I mean that true Christians teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to God’s heaven. Yes, true, born-again Christians are the ONLY ONES going to heaven. However, cults do not teach that you must go to heaven through Christ; they teach rather that you can only get to heaven through THEM! This is a major difference between true Christianity and the cults. Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you that you must accept Christ, but their teaching goes further than that. Christ, they say, established ONE church (their church, coincidentally), and you must join THEIR CHURCH to be accepted by God. I was acquainted with a group years ago called “Gospel of the Kingdom,” or “Sowderites,” a movement started by William Sowders of Louisville, Kentucky. Among their far-out ideas was the suggestion that you are only a part of the body of Christ if you are in their group.

While I preach strongly that one must be a born-again Christian to be saved, I do not preach that one must be a part of my group to be saved. You do not need to join my denomination to be saved. You do not need to run with my crowd to be saved. There are true Christians who are not part of my group, and they are as saved as anyone. The cults, however, do not see it this way. You must be a part of their group to be saved.

Look at what Jesus Christ said regarding followers of Christ who are not in your group:

Luke 9:49, 50 – “And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

So, it is clear. Every cult that teaches that you must be a part of their group to be saved is as wrong as they can be! Yet, this is a major peculiarity of the cults.

Thirdly, a widespread custom of the cults is the fact that most all cults have a founder (other than Jesus Christ). Of course, Christianity has a founder. Yet, the cults seem to all have a man or a woman who founded their group. Charles Taze Russell founded the Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witnesses); Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons); William Sowders founded the so-called “Gospel of the Kingdom;” Ellen White was among the founders of the Seventh-day Adventists; Mary Baker Eddy is remembered for her role in founding the Church of Christ, Scientist. While there is no wrong in a group having a founder, you will notice when studying the cults how that the founders are idolized. Their words are often equal with the words of Jesus Christ.

The Worst Attributes of the Cults

Having briefly looked at three traits of the cults, I wish to expound upon two more; perhaps two of their worst characteristics.

A fourth feature of groups we call cults is the fact that their view of salvation is perverted. You will not find a cult that teaches that what Jesus Christ did upon the cross is sufficient for salvation. Roman Catholics, for example, teach that God gives us grace to perform sacraments to be saved. Even after fulfilling a lifetime of sacraments, the devout Catholic cannot know for sure that he has done enough to be saved. The Seventh-day Adventists make worship on Saturday a requirement for salvation. The so-called “Church of Christ” has a list (they tell me) of five things one must do to be saved, among which is baptism in water. Apostolic Pentecostals teach that one must be baptized in the name of Jesus only, and that one must speak in tongues in order to be saved. The message of the cults in regard to salvation is simple – what Christ did on the cross was insufficient. The cross, they say, is part of the plan, but it is not enough to save us. They all add laws and commandments one must keep in order to be saved. But look what the Bible says:

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Such strong words are the words above, but there is as much truth in them as there is strength. The Bible is clear – what Christ did on the cross is sufficient. Placing faith IN HIS BLOOD gives propitiation:

Romans 3:24-26 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Yes, it is the doctrine of the Bible that faith in Christ’s blood gives salvation. It is trusting Christ’s work, not commending our own, that saves from sin. The cults, however, teach that Christ did not do enough to save us. He did much of what needs to be done, they teach, but we must do the rest. How blasphemous!

A fifth element of the dogma of the cults is stated as follows – Not only is the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross insufficient, but the Bible is insufficient. Every one of the cults, without exception, teach that the Bible is not sufficient to be the sole rule of faith and practice. Every cult adopts one or more false statement regarding the Bible. At least the cults are honest – if the Bible is absolutely correct, complete, and accurate, then their ideas MUST be wrong. So, instead of changing their beliefs, they attack the Bible.

The attack on the Bible by the cults is manifested in a couple of ways. First, some cults teach that the Bible is inaccurate. Listen carefully. If a Jehovah’s Witness stands at your door and tells you that the Bible is erroneous, what does that tell you about the teachings of this group? They are admitting that their teachings do not line up with the Bible! This is the sole reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses have scrapped the King James Bible, and have written their own “New World Translation.” The Mormons teach this regarding the Bible – “The King James Bible is the word of God, SO LONG AS IT IS TRANSLATED CORRECTLY.” And guess what? When the Mormons’ teaching disagrees with the Bible, guess where they say the error lies – with the Bible! Anyone can say that the Bible is correct until it disagrees with them! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if someone must write their own Bible because the King James Bible disagrees with their teaching, their teaching must not be Biblical! If someone claims that the Bible is accurate until it disagrees with them, an honest person can see what is happening! The cults, instead of admitting that they are wrong, have the audacity to say that the Bible is wrong!

There is a second method in which the cults attack the word of God. As we have seen, some say the Bible is inaccurate. Others, however, state that the Bible is insufficient. The Bible is right, some cults say, but it is not enough. The Mormons are number one on our list. The Bible may contribute something to their church, but it is not the sole authority. The Book of Mormon was added, because the Bible is not the complete word of God. I spoke earlier regarding the Sowderites, or the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” One attribute of this group is that they speak often regarding revelation. A good deal of you seeing the scriptures as they do depends upon God REVEALING it to you! The Bible is good, but there must be extra-biblical revelation, according to the cults.

Dear reader, you may not attend a “kingdom hall.” You may not be a member of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” You may not be a part of a “Gospel of the Kingdom” church. You may not be an Adventist. But if your pastor teaches that the Bible is erroneous, or that the Bible is not enough, or that there must be extra-biblical revelation, BEWARE! There is a reason why the Bible does not line up with your pastor’s teaching! If your pastor gets up and says, “This passage was not translated correctly,” WATCH OUT! He’s teaching that the Bible is wrong and he is right! If your pastor teaches this, there is great danger here! Your church may not be a cult, but your pastor most definitely possesses one of the cults’ characteristics.

The Bible is absolutely complete and accurate. It needs nothing more to substantiate it. Anyone who adds to it, takes from it, rewrites it, or contradicts it is absolutely wrong in every instance!

The Love of God

Ephesians 3:17-19 – “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

No subject has seized my attention, filling my mind with awe at its truth, as has the grand subject of the love of God. Authors have tried to pen it, but have never done the matter justice. Songwriters have tried to express this subject in time and measure, but have only left the subject much more complex than the song. Preachers have tried to declare it, but as Dr. B.R. Lakin said, “You may as well try to describe a sunset to a blind man” as to expound clearly upon the love of God!

One noteworthy truth concerning the scriptures’ mention of the love of God is that the phrases, “love of God,” and “love of Christ,” are absent from the sacred writings of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 6:5, Israel was commanded thus – “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” While Israel was commanded to love God, there is little mention of God’s love in the Old Testament. Please note, I am not saying that God did not love His people Israel. Neither am I saying that the Old Testament does not tell us so. However, I am saying, that there is very little emphasis on the love of God in the Old Testament, especially when compared with the New. This should not be surprising. The law was never kept out of love; but out of debt (or, obligation; Romans 4:4). The law was never intended to give life, for if it could have done so, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21). The law only administered death. The law only condemned. Outside of condemnation and death, the law could do nothing (Romans 8:3). The scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ came in a body like ours to condemn sin in the flesh. When He did so, it was at this time that the love of God toward man appeared (Titus 3:4)! Before Christ came, the love of God could only be seen through the keen lens of types and shadows. But now, on this side of Calvary, even the most self-centered, nearsighted individual can see clearly the love of God demonstrated toward every lost sinner! No matter how farsighted a person may be, the love of God shown at Calvary, where He gave His only begotten Son, is not so far that it is out of sight!

Understanding that the love of God is little mentioned in the Old Testament, it becomes clear why those who emphasize the law of God and justice of God care little about the love of God. I have written much in this blog concerning the justice of God. I have shown oftentimes that man is condemned in His sins, and that this condemnation leads to Hell. God’s love and God’s justice must be equally balanced. I have shown numerous times that God can treat me as innocent only because His justice was satisfied when Christ, who knew no sin, took my sins upon Himself, and paid the penalty for them in full! I do not preach the love of God apart from the justice of God. I do not preach God’s love for the sinner apart from God’s hatred for the sin. However, there are some who preach only the law of God, but they never preach that Jesus fulfilled the law entirely, including the death penalty that was upon you and me.

I have been saved for more than twenty-three years, and I am honestly amazed at the love of God more at this moment than I ever have been. One preacher was asked the question, “Why did Jesus choose Judas, if He knew Judas would betray Him?”

The preacher responded, “I’ve been struggling with a question harder than that one!”

“What question is that?”

“You’ve been wondering why Jesus chose Judas,” the preacher began. “But I’ve been wondering why Jesus chose me!”

I pray that, as Paul the Apostle stated in the first passage in this post, we may be able to gain some comprehension of Christ’s great love for us!

Hunger

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Evidence of Hunger
The Bible gives us a story of a great famine in II Kings 6:25-33. In this account, we are told that there was a famine in the land of Samaria. The famine was so bad that a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver. Dove's dung was sold for five pieces of silver. Now, I cannot imagine being hungry enough to eat dove's dung or a donkey's head. But, they say that if you get hungry enough, you will eat anything.

However, the famine gets even worse. We are told further that two woman make a pact. Their agreement is this: on one day, they will boil one of their sons, and eat him. On the next day, they will boil the other woman's son, and eat him. However, we are told they actually boiled and ate one of their sons on the first day. But, on the second day, the other woman hid her son.

Here, we are told about people actually eating a donkey's head. It is reported by God's Word that during this time, people actually ate dove's dung. As if that is not gross enough, we are then told that people were actually eating people. The chief sign of hunger is made clear in this statement: When you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Many Americans know nothing about real hunger. Most of our hunger is "habit hunger." A good percentage of our eating is a direct result from boredom. But there are those in this world who know what it is to be genuinely hungry. There are those who give evidence that they are hungry when they are ready to eat absolutely anything.

A Hungry World
It is evident to me that we live in a world of people who are starving to death. I know they are starving because they will eat absolutely anything. The atheist and agnostic will laugh at my belief in God and His Bible. But then, I examine the pitiful theories they swallow. The Big Bang Theory, the theory of evolution, and even the theory that the universe came from nothing are all laughable explanations of the existence of the universe and mankind. If you believe in this nonsense, you are swallowing a donkey's head. But when you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Atheists are starving, and the way that sit down and eat filthy slop proves it.

Some of the most confused people today are religious people. Religion never has satisfied the hunger of man, nor ever will. When I see Muslims with their face to the floor, bowing to their god, some of them willing to sacrifice their own life - and still have no assurance that their god is pleased with them, their willingness to eat a donkey's head reveals their true starvation. When I see Catholics keeping sacraments, observing traditions, reciting prayers, worshipping Mary, and praying to saints, their willing to eat slop shows how hungry they really are. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other cults who emphasize men other than Jesus Christ are so hungry they are willing to swallow anything!

I Am Satisfied
I can write with confidence that I am satisfied. I was starving at one time, but I found the bread of life. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." The key phrase is "after righteousness." I got tired of eating the donkey's head. I was sick of dove's dung. I finally cried out in my spirit "Just any piece of flesh won't do!" Then, the gospel was preached to me. It made me hungry and thirsty for righteousness! It may be wrong to be picky about what you eat when you are hungry, but I got picky! I got to the place where it had to be righteousness, or I wasn't eating it! Jesus is the bread of life, and He is the only substance that will satisfy. When I found Jesus, I found bread that stopped the hunger pains. I found water that quenched my thirst to the extent that I never thirsted again! I have found that there is always a vast supply! I'll never need to go back to the donkey's head, or the dove's dung. I'll never need to go back to unsatisfying religions and creeds. I'll never need to settle for the pitiful theories that some swallow. Once you've tasted of Jesus Christ, you'll never be deceived by something other than righteousness! I was at a church recently where someone got up and said, "Someone here has a headache." This man was supposed to be prophesying. God was supposed to be telling him that someone in the crowd had a headache. Let me shine a little light on this for you - In a crowd of four, someone's got a headache. That's not God! God had nothing to do with that man's "prophecy." When you have tasted of the real bread from heaven, dove's dung doesn't entice you! That night when that man prophesied that someone had a headache, would you believe that there were those who swallowed that mess? Yes, when you get to where you're starving, you'll eat anything!

Why don't you cast the dove's dung away and partake of the bread of life? One bite, and you'll never have to sit down to a plate of slop.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled!"

The Worst Kind of Backsliding

Galatians 5:4 - "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

If God Examined Your Works
Suppose you were called upon by Almighty God to stand before Him right now. Suppose the Lord required this of you for the purpose of examining your works. As you stand in the presence of a just, holy God, He gives you the orders of how your works will be examined. He tells you to present your best works first, then your evil, bad, corrupt works.

So, you prepare to show the Lord your best works. You go to church regularly; so you present it to the Lord. You give to work of God; so you make that known to Him. You treat your neighbors in a kind fashion; so you do not hesitate to call names of your neighbors to whom you have shown kindness. Then, you stop for a minute. You think, making sure you can tell of another good work, without stretching the truth in any way. You tell the Lord, that, you are not a gossiper. You do not spread rumors on people. You do not lie. You give to charity. You pay all of your bills on time. When you owe money to any party, you are prompt to pay what you owe. You study the Bible regularly. You pray every day. You even fast on a regular basis. You make it a point to witness to so many people a week. And, you go on and on. Hours pass, and you still rattling off your best works. In your mind, you are thinking, "This isn't so bad; I'm a lot better than I thought I was!" You present your good works to the Lord for eight solid hours. Then, after a period of silence, the Lord asks simply, "Are you finished presenting your best works?" You answer, "Yes." There is another long silence before the Lord responds to all these good works you have presented to Him. You wait, wondering what the Lord will say about all these great things you have done. Suddenly, you hear a sound from the throne. You listen, but can't make out the words. Then, you realize that the Lord is not speaking; He is gagging at all your good works. Your BEST WORKS have made the Lord regurgitate all over heaven. This is the Lord's response to your BEST WORKS; you have not even presented your evil works yet!

Oh, you think this is far fetched. It's only an analogy, but it correctly reflects the Lord's opinions of your best works.

Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

ALL our righteousnesses are as FILTHY RAGS! When we think of filth, we think of homosexuality (and it absolutely is). When we think of filth, we think of adultery, fornication, pornography, lying, stealing, cheating, child molestation, child abuse, domestic abuse, legalized murder of babies, and sins of this nature. And, yes, every one of these things are sheer filth in the sight of a holy and just God.

But God used this word, "filth" to describe our goodness; our best righteousness.

The Pharisees' Religion - A Religion of Righteousness
Upon reading the New Testament, you quickly discover a religious group of people called Pharisees. They strove to keep every jot and tittle of the law of Moses, even adding to it! They were strict. They had rules and regulations. Jesus spoke of their righteousness. Notice:

Matthew 5:20 - "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Here, Jesus speaks to a multitude, using the Pharisees as an example. He tells the people, "If you are not more righteous than the Pharisees, you'll not enter the kingdom of heaven!" The Pharisees were the strictest bunch around! I'm not sure it was even possible to get more strict than they were (I've been in churches that have tried)! Know this: Jesus was not teaching, that to go heaven, you must be more strict than the Pharisees. However, He was teaching that you have to be more righteous than they were. Then, Jesus begins to expound.

"You have heard it said, Thou shalt not commit adultery," He begins. "But I say unto you, He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart." The rules of the Pharisees dealt with actions; Jesus was dealing with the heart!

Then Jesus goes on to say that they have heard the command, "Thou shalt not kill." But He informs them, "I say unto you, if you are angry with your brother without a cause, you are in danger of the judgment." Again, Jesus deals with the heart!

The problem with the righteousness of the Pharisees is that their righteousness didn't go DEEP ENOUGH. It didn't get into the heart. Their righteousness was manifested in rule-keeping. There was never a change of heart!

I have heard Holiness preachers say that we are going to have to be more strict than the Pharisees to get to heaven. But Jesus was NOT teaching us to have more rules than them; He was rather teaching us to be more righteous than them. We need a righteousness that is not merely conformity to a rule, but rather a change of heart. There's only one thing that will change your heart from filthy to clean - the blood of Jesus Christ!

II Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

The Most Important Fact You Will Ever Learn
When a person hears a clear declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and decides to respond, the first thing that the individual must do is let go of every feeble, sorry effort to save himself. You are not fully trusting Christ if you are trusting in any effort of your own to save yourself. The greatest truth you will ever admit is that you are hopelessly lost - that your best works are pitiful and disgusting in the presence of a holy God. Once you realize this, salvation is on the horizon! Help is on the way!

How the Galatians Fell from Grace
At the beginning of this blog post, I opened with a scripture from Galatians 5:4, which shows us that the Galatian churches were fallen from grace. Those in the Galatian churches realized this truth. At some point (probably under Paul's preaching), the Galatians heard the gospel. They finally let go of their religion of works, and trusted Jesus only for their salvation. Every lost person must do this if they expect to be saved. You must let go of every philosophy, ideal, religion, creed, and everything else, placing all of your faith in Jesus Christ alone.

But at some point, the Galatians slowly began going backwards. They had backslidden; they had fallen from grace. There is a very important fact we must realize about this backsliding. The Galatians did not go back to doing evil works; they went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS. The Galatians did not forsake Christ to become murderers, thieves, extortioners, liars, adulterers, homosexuals, and the such like. There is a backslidden state worse than that! And that is the state in which the Galatians found themselves! The only state worse than falling from grace to become a murderer or a thief is to fall from the grace of God, trusting in your works rather than in Jesus Christ.

In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul describes the method by which the Galatians fell.

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

The Galatians began their walk with God at "the altar," if you will. They began their journey realizing that if they were to be saved, Christ would have to do it, for they could not save themselves. They cast aside every work of their own and trusted solely in Christ. They began IN THE SPIRIT. But now, they went back to trusting in works to keep them saved. I've heard it over and over - "Oh, the Lord will save you. But if you're going to 'stay saved,' you have to..." and then the list of works is preached. Dear reader, get this straight. If works can't get me saved, works can't keep me saved! If going to church won't save me, going to church won't keep me. If paying my tithes won't save me, paying my tithes won't keep me. If dressing modestly won't save me, dressing modestly won't keep me.

Paul plainly asks the Galatians in Galatians 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" You began trusting in Jesus, and now you're going back to a bunch of works that couldn't save you to start with???? Paul is flabbergasted! He is absolutely beside himself! He is certain that he taught them better than that! He has preached to them that Christ is their only hope, and now they are trusting their works to keep them saved!

No, the Galatians wouldn't fit a "backslider's category" among many churches. But Paul said they were fallen from grace. Not because they went back to BAD WORKS; but because they went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS.

Yes, placing faith in good works to keep you saved is the worse kind of backsliding that has ever been. Look at what Paul tells the Galatians about trusting in good works to keep them saved:

1) Works cannot justify - Galatians 2:16
2) Rebuilding works once destroyed makes you a transgressor - Galatians 2:19
3) If works could justify, Christ died on the cross in vain - Galatians 2:21
4) If you trust in works, Christ is become of no effect - Galatians 5:4
5) If you trust in works, you are fallen from grace - Galatians 5:4

Clearly, trusting in works after you are saved is backsliding as much as anything. We must trust in Christ for salvation, and in Christ alone.

Nothing can for sin atone; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of good that I have done; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow!
No other fount I know!
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!*

*Robert Lowry

The Road Between Two Ditches

Matthew 7:13, 14 - "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

The Road
In the above verses, Christ gives an analogy, using the illustration of two roads. One road, which has a wide gate at its entrance, is the broad way that leads to destruction. This is the way to hell. It is comfortable. On it, there is plenty of company. It just has a "feel" about it - it feels right. But this is the way which Solomon spoke of when he said, "There is a way which seemeth right unto men, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Those who are not following Jesus are on this road.  So much about it "seems right," but it is everything but right. It leads to death; more specifically, the second death in the lake of fire.

The other road is road on which I wish to focus. It has a straight gate, and a narrow path. It is far less comfortable. There is not near as much company. But, this is the road on which I travel. I chose this road not because I enjoy a lack of comfort; I chose this road because of its destination - it leads to life eternal. You may ask, "Where is this road?" The question is not, "Where is this road;" the question is, "Who is this road?" Jesus Christ is the way, the only way, that leads to eternal life. Let me be clear so no reader is confused - YOU WILL GO TO HEAVEN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AND HIM ALONE, OR YOU WILL NOT GO! The blood Jesus shed on the cross is the only cleansing agent that can cleanse your sins and mine. The works of Jesus are the only ones that please the Father. Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. All religions, creeds, beliefs, good works, prayers, gods, temples, mosques, altars, pulpits, books, philosophies, ideals, and every other sorry, pitiful attempt man makes at trying to save himself will lead man to HELL. You don't want to go hell? Then cast off your religion, creed, belief, and every other thing to which you are clinging, and trust Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary, and trust nothing else. Jesus is the absolute only way that leads to life.

The Two Ditches
The straight and narrow way has a ditch on either side. You can go too far either way, and be lost. In the same chapter as the verses mentioned above, Jesus talks about two groups of people, neither of which are on the straight and narrow way. Let us look at these groups together.

Matthew 7:21-23 - "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

The scene in the above verses is the day of Judgment. Jesus speaks of the day when all mankind will stand before God. Jesus talks about two groups of people that will stand before Him on that day, and plead their case. Both groups thought they were on the straight and narrow way, but were not. One group fell in one ditch; the other group fell in the other. Let us look at these two ditches.

The First Ditch
Jesus begins the above passage by saying, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." This is a favorite verse among many Holiness preachers. I have heard it brought out many times. And, what is brought out is mostly true.

The first thought that is brought out of this verse is the fact that not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord" is going to heaven. That is ditch number one. There are those who claim to be saved just because they say a prayer. SAYING A PRAYER WILL NOT SAVE YOU! If all you did was regurgitate a prayer, and there was nothing in your heart that believed, rested, and trusted Jesus Christ solely, resulting in Him giving you a new heart, making you a new creature, you have fallen into the first ditch.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven," the Lord said. Then, He goes on to say, "...but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." I have heard preachers use the latter part of that verse and say, "You have to do the will of God to be saved." Then, they pull out a long list of works to be done! They say that you must pray so much a day; fast so much a week; witness to so many people; go to church so many times a week - all of this is "the will of the Father," so you must have all these wonderful works if you are going to be saved!

Whoa! Wait a minute. They are right when they say that salvation is more than just saying a prayer. But when you start preaching that we have to keep a long list of works to be saved, you're about to swerve into the second ditch.

Jesus said that those who simply say a prayer are in the first ditch. They're not on their way to heaven. Jesus said the ones who are on their way to heaven are those who "do the will of the Father." What is the will of the Father? THE WILL OF THE FATHER IS NOT A LONG LIST OF WONDERFUL WORKS! In John 6:40, Jesus clearly defines the will of the Father - "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." The will of the Father is simply believing on the Son and having everlasting life! It is not fasting, witnessing, a dress code, or any other wonderful work. When you pray to be saved, it must be accompanied with BELIEVING, or putting your trust in, Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 bears this out - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." So, "doing the will of the Father" is not completing a long list of wonderful works. If you preach it that way, you're about to land in the other ditch, if you're not already there.

The Second Ditch
Having just looked at Matthew 7:21, let us look at the next two verses.

Matthew 7:22, 23 - "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many WONDERFUL WORKS? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

The first group fell in one ditch because they said a prayer, but did not do the will of the Father - believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, there was no change in their life. They were not made a new creature because they were not "in Christ." Their heart was still filthy. They were not washed from their sins. There was no deliverance from sin. As a matter fact, no man can tell that they have been to Jesus, because they haven't! This group thought they were on the narrow way, but they had fallen into the ditch!

The other group, however, make an interesting claim on the day of Judgment. "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied and cast out devils in your name, and in your name done many wonderful works?" But Jesus will say to them, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity; I never knew you."

LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY. You can knock the crowd that just "says a prayer," and there is no life-changing faith involved; and certainly, they are in the ditch. But if you are trusting in a long list of wonderful works, you are not on the narrow way either! The man who is trusting in a long list of wonderful works and outward standards to get him to heaven is just as lost as the man who says a prayer without exercising faith. You can talk about how lost the crowd is that preaches a gospel that produces no change - but if you are trusting in your long list of wonderful works, you are lying in the ditch just across the road from them! Saying a prayer with no faith in Christ will certainly lead you to hell. But trusting in a long list of standards will lead you to the same hell, just as fast.

Dear friend, I am not against having good works; but I am thoroughly against trusting them! If you think you are on the narrow way because you keep a list of rules, standards, creeds, dress codes, laws, or commandments, you are in the ditch.

Conclusion
Jesus Christ is the narrow way. If you say a prayer, but do not trust Jesus Christ, you are in one ditch. If you claim Christ, but are trusting in any wonderful work outside of Christ, you are in the other ditch. We had better get our faith - all of our faith - in Jesus Christ and in nothing else. Faith in anything else leads to hell.