Out of all of the blogs that I have written, I believe this is the hardest one, ever. As I Look back at everything that has happened in the nearly two years since I originally posted this, it is CRAZY. You might say this is an ENCORE to my last Blog and it will be both my last blog in this series and my last blog of the year. By now, most of you know how I have been betrayed and hurt in the last year and a half; I have openly shared my pain and my fears. Maybe like me you've been bitten by some religious vipers spreading religious poison.
Ty Johnston, founder of the Atlanta Pitch Summit that I attended last month wisely tweeted, "eventually, people will show you who they really are." Surely ALL MY FRIENDS who have betrayed me don't think they can lie to God; they GOTTA KNOW they can't lie to or fool the Holy Spirit, which is a serious offense. Luke tells us that Peter boldly rebuked Ananias and Sapphira for this (Acts 5:1-11.) The old cliché' is right, "the truth always comes out( Job 12:22, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Jeremiah 16:7,23:25, Hosea 8:13, Matthew 10:26, Romans 2:16, 1 Corinthians 4:5.)"
Since this is a Christmas blog, it's time for healing. This is a blog about the greatest story ever told; it is CHRISTMAS TIME, which is about so much more than just THE BIRTH OF A KING. It's a story about the ultimate gift, grace; it is what really makes this THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. While we sin and break God's heart, He made the greatest sacrifice for us (John 3:16, Romans 4:25, Romans 5:6-8, 32, John 15:13, Hebrews 8:3.) This is what separates Christianity from religions, OUR GOD died for us, because we were MADE FOR MORE.
A year ago I wrote in a Blog that God gives us a new heart and that is part of His way of making us more LIKE CHRIST. Now, LISTEN with me to the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:43-48.) Loving those who hurt us is what makes us children of the light(Matthew 5:45.) This is why writing this blog is so hard for me, because CHRIST IS ON ME I must forgive and love all of those friends that have hurt me. Herein is MY STRUGGLE, I even must love the broken girl and her family that have hurt me the most. Right about now, MY FLESH feels like tearing that new heart out and I want to RUN AWAY. I guess this is God putting the "crazy” in crazy love.
Some of you reading this may think that grace and forgiveness are signs of weakness, when actually they are signs of godliness. I challenge you to show grace and forgiveness to a friend or loved one who has hurt you. Trust me, it's not easy. In his book I Forgrace You, Dr. David A. Anderson writes, "Grace doesn't make sense. It's too good to be true. Grace is defined as unmerited and unearned FAVOR. It's extra goodness that is bestowed on us by God for no good reason. We don't deserve it, can't earn or repay it. It's crazy. Yet this is God's gift to us every day..... Likewise, when we extend grace to others beyond forgiveness, we are partaking in redemption and healing that becomes a testimony of God's grace, defying human logic... You must think it's crazy to suggest such outrageous behavior. You're right; I can't believe that I am extolling this otherworldly concept... How is it that people who have been violated and betrayed could actually wish the best for their perpetrator? How can an unforgivable act result in a gracious result? Someone once said that 'we have seen a real miracle we have witnessed a man or a woman who is fully surrendered to God.' Forgraceness takes full surrender and divine enablement.” Imagine what would happen if we apply this to our marriages, to all of our relationships.
So sweetie, I still PRAY TO THE LORD for you and your family, THIS CHRISTMAS. Pastor Allen, you are right, “there have been mistakes made on both sides of the table. “For me, CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR is time to take 2 STEPS FORWARD to the table, to sit down and say “grace.” IF EVER I needed to learn this, it's now, while I’m single.
Later this month many of you reading this will make your biannual visit to your church to do your spiritual act of worship; you have lived how you wanted since Easter and now it's time to ask for grace, so you will go to church. Some of you have left the church because you have been hurt like me. However, what you fail to realize is that the church is full of imperfektion. That is why it has to be a community of grace; it’s a community with NO WALLS and NO LIMITS, it should be a spiritual REHAB for religious people. No matter how bad you or I have been hurt in the church, we can NEVER BACK DOWN or STAND ALONE. Paul wrote about this in a letter to the church at Philippi (Philippians 2:1-5.) Christian author and businessman Brian Tracy said it best, “the value of a relationship is in direct proportion to the time that you invest in the relationship.”
While at the summit I heard producer and media mogul, James Dubose explain to aspiring writers, "don't force it, nothing happens without working the relationships, I know I can't do it by myself. I WISH THAT I could learn how to trust more." APS crew and others in the ATL film circle, we need to WORK together. Christianity is like a team sport, other than Jesus, there can't be a SUPERSTAR. We are not a LONELY HEARTS CLUB, every man is needed. The Bible is clear, we need each other as we follow Christ (Romans 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:4,16.) When Jesus sent out His disciples, He told them to baptize people into a community in the name of a community (Matthew 28:19.) And that is what this blog will be about, how God grows us through a community of believers.
Grow (COMMUNITY? REMIXED AND REPOSTED)
Ready or not, let's GET THIS PARTY STARTED. This blog will end this series on how God grows and leads us. To be honest with you, for me this is the most obvious and the most overlooked of all the ways God grows us. I have already discussed in an earlier blog, that God had always intended for us to be part of a COMMUNITY. And that is what this blog will explore, how God grows us through our friends, THA CHURCH and our family. I first learned the importance of community twelve years ago when I started attending the church that I met my mentor at and went to my first Promise Keepers conference with him and my father. It was also where I first went through the Experiencing God small group study by Henry Blackaby, I'll be talking about the study throughout this blog.
Friends
listen with me to words of Jesus in the apostle John's letter to the Gentiles(John 15:13.) Jesus is clear there is no greater love then dying for our friends. I'm sure He was being both literal and figurative. Which means we have to stop being selfish, especially when it comes to money and things. John goes on to say just before Jesus was crucified, He had a meal with His closest friends( John 13:31-38.) This is what most of us call the last supper.
We often call this communion when practiced in the Protestant church, while it is called the Holy Communion within the Catholic Church (I'll explain why later.) It was during this meal that Jesus taught His disciples how they were to serve each other and it was also when He promised to send the comforter, which we have already discussed. Rebecca St. James, once said, "life is about giving away, not taking all the time. We are called to serve others. Until we give ourselves away, we never truly discover who God wants us to be."
Bob Briner and Ray Pritchard discuss this IN their book, "Leadership Lessons of Jesus." In the chapter titled "Eating with the Troops" they say, "nothing brings down the barriers among friends like having a meal together. This is why Jesus often used food or a meal to teach his greatest lessons to his disciples. He uses meals as a backdrop for teaching, learning and growing together." Interestingly enough, most men's ministries revolve around some type of meal ( i.e . wild game dinners and breakfasts.) Take it from me, most leaders fail to use this time for teaching and it ends up being a time to socialize about football, baseball, hunting or Nascar(all of which I hate.)
This is why speaker and author Steve Sonderman shared with us at a Promise Keepers pastors conference that he told the men of his church,” the days of the good ol' boy eat, burp, belch and pray breakfast" were over. The point being, we learn from our friends, if we listen. Maybe if I would have listened to my friends Jubba and Sanjay, God would not had to CHISEL ME with God's chisel.
Maybe if I had not been so hardheaded and listened when my friends told me how much respect they lost for me when I first tried drugs, I wouldn't had to go through all the pain I did with my accident. The Bible has a lot to say about friends. Listen to the wisest man who ever lived wrote in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 17:17, 18:24, Proverbs 27:6, Proverbs 27:17.) Listen to Jesus as John continues during Jesus’ last meal with his friends( John 15: 14-17.) Even though some doubted Him, Jesus still loved them and called them His friends.
Go back with me to the Old Testament and let's continue listening to the wisest man (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12.) It all goes back to the first community, the trinity.
Listen as the apostle Paul warns us in his first letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:33-34.) Mike Foster and Judd Wilhite wrote in their book, "it's also important to understand this book isn't just about you and your deal. Character is both a personal and a community concept. If you are a person of great character, all those around you benefit. The organization, the relationships, the families; they all win. The building of character is a community thing. There are no lone rangers. We need to train together, fight together, and watch each other's backs. True leaders make tough decisions to battle for integrity together no matter how inconvenient or how it may stretch us. They go on to say, "character is a daily, moment-by-moment process. There is no finish line. There is no box to check off when we have mastered it. We are in this for life."
Mike and Jud use the TV series Kung Fu to illustrate this point; when "Master Po gives Caine the nickname, grasshoper, for two reasons. At one level this a term of affection given by an older person to younger person. It also refers to a moment when the old and blind master Po sensed a small grasshopper at young Caine's feet, but Cain did not see it. The name always reminds Caine of how he did not sense was right before him. It reminds him how much he still needs to learn and how far he needs to go." This picture illustrates how we need each other, especially men.
This is why I love getting together with my BLOOD BRUTHAS. You often hear me mention my mentor and pastor, I NEED YOU guys and you can LEAN ON ME. Because, whether it is at a Promise Keepers conference, Men at the Cross rally or at my church's Tuesday morning breakfast, that is WHEN THE BOYS LIGHT UP. It is a time for sharing with each other our struggles and hurts, learning from each other and a time to pray for each other.
This is why I also attend a recovery class every Tuesday at my old church. Which Robb bell talks about in his book, "Jesus wants to save the Church in Exile (a manifesto for the church in exile) in which Bell says, "an AA meeting is a roomful of people who are done pretending. There are no facades. There is no acting. Everybody in that room is in recovery from addiction, and they all know each other's games, masks and manipulations. A whole world of posturing and pretending is simply absent. You're there because you hit rock bottom, at least most of the time and you meet others who know how it feels.
Writer Anne Lamott says that the most powerful sermon in the world is two words: 'me too.' I agree. When you're struggling, when you are hurting, wounded, limping, doubting, questioning, barely hanging on, moments away from another relapse, and someone can identify with you- someone knows the temptations there are at your door, somebody has felt the pain that you are feeling, when someone can look you in the eyes and say, 'me too.' And actually mean it--it can save you." Bell goes on to say in his latest book, "Drops like Stars", “it doesn't matter if you are rich or poor or black or white or right or left or young or old--have had the same disease as someone else or if you both have a daughter with an eating disorder or have a brother in jail or had a spouse die. Or you were recently fired. You have a bond that transcends whatever differences you have. That's what suffering does."
Bell calls this, "THE ART of solidarity." He asks, "is this why people wear crosses around their necks? The first Christians insisted that when Jesus died on the cross, this wasn't just another execution by the Roman Empire. They believe this was the divine, in flesh and blood, hanging there on the cross, bloody, thirsty, and suffering. A God who is not somewhere else- remote, detached distant- but among us, feeling what we feel, aching how we ache. Suffering like us. We have a saying at my Tuesday recovery class. It is, "meeting makers make it,"the point being if you are truly serious about your recovery, you will commit to the meeting.
In his book The Remnant, Larry Stockstill writes, “it is impossible to have true fellowship without discipleship." Thus, without discipleship, all you have is a bunch of fellows sitting around talking. He quotes the writer of the book of Hebrews. Who encourages us, "not to forsake the meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching(Hebrews 10:25.)
Stockstill points out that every time the early church met, the Scriptures were always read aloud. Discipleship is not optional in regard to fellowship. I first learned about this when I went through the Experiencing God Bible study. In which Henry Blackaby quotes the apostle John, by saying, "that which we have seen and heard. We declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son 'Jesus Christ.' Then John adds, "significantly, and these things we write you that your {and our joy.} May be full."
More importantly, this is where I first heard and learned about Koinonia. Blackaby writes, "Koinonia is not an option for a believer. Koinonia is not optional for a church. To be 'in Christ' and to be a member of his body requires fellowship with the living Christ. The love relationship, the Koinonia, the fellowship you have with God is the most important aspect of your knowing Him, knowing His will and being unable to do His will. Only God can produce genuine Koinonia." It is a DIVINE INSPIRATION; again as with the Holy Spirit, we cannot control this. Blackaby goes on to say, "intimate fellowship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, produces fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters. The supreme expression of this divine fellowship is manifested when people with major differences are brought into the living spiritual fellowship." Which is the church.
The Church
In his book Dug Down Deep, Joshua Harris shares a story he heard once on the radio about a summer (which is appropriate, seeing how Spring has sprung, depending on where you live) camp for atheist children. In the story Harris explains, “some guy thinking it wasn't fair for the religious kids to have all the fun camps and programs while the atheist kids got nothing. So he started a camp for atheist kids, a place where students can play and swim, do crafts and sit around campfires talking about evolution and how ludicrous religion is. One part of the story featured a few of the atheist kids railing against religion. One girl was pretty fired up. And she said something like, "and if there is a God, why doesn't He come out and show himself? Why doesn't He just appear and say, 'hello, I'm God. Believe in me. Why doesn't he do that?'
Harris explains," What God does is MIND BLOWIN'!" God is writing His story through His children, through His church, through us. He makes us the show. He proves himself and displays Himself through the church." God chooses us to represent Him. Author John MacArthur goes into a little more detail in his book "Twelve Ordinary Men", when he describes Jesus's calling of the twelve disciples, saying, "there was no second string, no backup players, no plan B if the twelve if should fail. The strategy sounds risky in the extreme. In earthly terms, the founding of the church and the spread of the gospel message depended entirely on those twelve ordinary men with their obvious weaknesses." MacArthur goes on to say, "Christ knew exactly what He was doing. From His divine perspective, the ultimate success of the strategy actually depended on the Holy Spirit working in those men to accomplish His sovereign will.
It was a mission that could not be thwarted. That's why it was the work for which God alone deserves praise and glory. Those men were merely Instruments in His hands--just as you and I can be God's instruments today. God delights to use such ordinary means." Listen to the apostle Paul put it in his first letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:20-28.) So God set up the church to prove GOD'S REAL.
Harris continues to say," most Christians neglect the doctrine of church. That's not really surprising. This setting by necessity involves people, real annoying, infuriating, obnoxious, stubborn people." J. I. Packer says God's mission for the church in his book "Concise Theology: a guide to Historic Christian Beliefs" is to make the invisible Kingdom visible through faithful Christian living and witness bearing."
When we are covered in THE BLOOD of Jesus, we become the RED LETTERS for the world to read. Joshua Harris says that, "every metaphor Scripture uses to describe the church shows how deeply God cares about the church." Scripture reveals HEAVEN'S HEART for the church. Since we've already discussed the Holy Spirit, we will start there (Ephesians 2:22, 1 Corinthians 3:16.) BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE for God, you shouldn't dishonor Him by using your body to sin.
Listen as Paul continues in a second letter to the church in Corinth ( 2 Corinthians 6:16.) So, I BE the church and you are the church. If we are the blody as Paul tells us. Then we are God's hands and feet that God uses to spread the gospel. Which leads me to wonder why so many churches are more concerned about programs and buildings when the people are the church? So LET THE CHURCH RISE.
In the Experiencing God small group study, Blackaby quotes the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, "a local body of believers, and said; 'you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.' Just as your physical body needs every part in order to live a normal and healthy life, so the church needs every member in order to live a normal and healthy church life. No member can say of any other member, I don't need you. Apart from the other members of the church (the body) you will not be able to experience the fullness of life God has intended for you.
When one member is missing or not functioning as God intended, the rest the body will miss out on the fullness of life God has intended for the church. God places members in the body as it pleases Him." Ironically, we often think we leave a particular church to attend elsewhere on our own. This is actually another instance of the leading of the Spirit. That is why I am free to be me and UBU.
For those of you know me, you know that I skate with a group of skaters called the Augusta Jamskaters which is made up of skaters with different styles and tastes. Like founder Toure "uncle Jamm" Clark and Joey Fulghum with his MJ-like skate moves and me the new guy that wants to be a Br8kS8.
Although we are each different, WE'RE ALL ONE team. Jim Daley (president and CEO of Focus on the Family) recently said," yes, I'm a different person from our founder (Dr. James Dobson.) God has gifted each one of us uniquely. But, again, what's important is that I, too, am committed to offering families, tangible guidance, Biblical truth and an compassionate listening ear…..We want to come alongside families, no matter where they are on life's pathway, and engage them in a meaningful, two-way conversation. Every day, we're looking for new opportunities to encourage husbands, wives, parents and kids in authentic ways- whether they simply have a question or face an all-out crisis."
A few years ago I felt led to leave the church I had been attending for nine years. Honestly, I didn't want to leave. I had so many friends there, these people had become like family to me. When my father died, my choir family (Laverne, I miss you) came to his funeral as well as my mother's funeral. I even had a friend that I sang in the choir with who was a doctor. And anytime I had concerns about my health due to my near-death experience, I could just ask him about it or let him know. I felt so safe there, THIS CAN'T BE. I still felt led to leave that church.
It wasn't until I realized that the purpose of going to church was for me to grow and serve. Not for the church to serve me that I realized I wasn't growing spiritually and couldn't serve anymore where I was, I knew then why I had to leave and I've had peace ever since.
Listen to what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 2:19.) So here Paul says, "we are part of God's household. WE ARE FAMILY. This reminds me of something Promise Keeper’s emcee Reggie Dabbs likes to say. He usually starts each conference by saying, "I am your brother from another mother." Which, THE TRUTH be known, we don't always get that right, do we? I'll talk about this a little later. It is so important to understand that we are part of God's family, listen to how the apostle Paul starts his letter to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1-4.). This reminds me of ’s testimony of Justin Lookadoo how he was adopted. Lookadoo says, "when we are adopted, we are CHOZEN."
The Bride
The last metaphor the Bible uses to describe the church really hits home for me. Actually, God teaches us men so much and shows us how much we need to MAN UP and grow up. Listen closely to the words of the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus(Ephesians 5:25-32.) Every man knows this is a SUPERNATURAL mystery. Paul is clear that church is THE BRIDE of Jesus.
I recently heard Jonathon Farwell explain in a sermon about marriage, "the word cleave means that people walk so close together that you couldn't tell their footprints apart in the sand." Here Paul is saying the church is one with Jesus like a husband is with his wife. the apostle Paul describes the church as a bride. Guys, this is marriage 101, first we http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/9/20/230122/protects.jpg our bride and then we SERVE and provide for our families.
Maybe I am just a helpless romantic, what better way for God to describe the church to men, than to use the analogy of marriage to the relationship of Jesus's DEEP Love for the church. Then again the church hasn't exactly gotten the concepts of marriage and love right, has it? Do we really understand love,what is love? The apostle John tells us, "GOD IS LOVE ( 1 John 4:8-20.) And like I explained in my last blog God does not change.
We need to understand that just as God doesn't change, neither does love. There is no letter "d" in the word love. Although circumstances may change, our commitment by definition must remain. Look closely at the words of the apostle Paul in "the love chapter “of his first letter to the church in Corinth(1 Corinthians13:4-8.)
It is here that Paul's next words are the most helpful and underappreciated (1 Corinthians 13:11-12.) Paul tells us that we can't understand love until we grow up." The latest statistics show that a little more than half of Christian marriages end in divorce, worse than marriages outside of the church.
It seems every time we turn on the news there's another big sex scandel or find out about another LOVECHILD. Does ANYBODY value their vows anymore? For you brothers that can't seem to get a grip on what it means to be married, I am more than willing to offer the Christian hand of fellowship(preferably my right hand) to help you understand.
It is through the bridegroom (Jesus) that God says, LET ME SHOW YOU THE WAY to love. For me, this puts everything in perspective; How to love your families, friends, and how to love your wives. I have already discussed in an earlier blog that marriage isn't just about being happy. What Jesus teaches us is that marriage is more about serving. I once heard a message by Pastor Jentzen Franklin on Godly commitment in which he says, "too many Christians go to church for what they can get from it(i.e. programs, safety) thinking the church has to serve them. When really they should ask,' how can I serve the church?'
Unfortunately, guys and gals, this is how too many people go into marriage. We all have friends that go from one relationship to another and at the first sign of trouble or moment they don't feel happy, they want out. We all know people that BOUNCE from one church to another. You know, church hoppers.
Harris calls this the "church hopping syndrome. When people stop in (usually when they're in a hurry) to get filled up. Then they go to the one that's most convenient for them. They get what they need and then move on. Harris explains that this happens, "because there is no real commitment or engagement."
Last year I attended my father's best friend's 25th wedding anniversary in Colorado. I heard something there that has stuck with me ever since. A divorce attorney (of all people) that performed the ceremony stated, "you can plan a wedding. But a marriage takes WORK." And that's what commitment to anything is,work. Recently actor Ashton Kutcher tweeted about his divorce from Demi More, "marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world."
Timing
Most men know timing is everything, it is an innate trait that men have. Scripture confirms the importance of timing. How many times did Jesus say, "the time has not come?" As MY FRIEND and brother Hal Taylor shared with me a couple of years ago, his favorite passage is Galatians 4:4-7. God knew when to REDEEM ME at just the right time, Not a moment before the prophecies of old had predicted or a moment late."
This is what most of prophecies were about, the coming of Jesus (the bridegroom) or preparing the people of God (the bride) for His coming. For those of you who know me, all it takes is a brunette with big brown eyes(yep, yep) and I become like a RUNAWAY TRAIN that has derailed, full speed ahead and out of control; fortunately for me, I have grown up and learned that looks are not as important as character. I've already discussed in a previous blog how I am waiting (hgh) for a LADY that walks the walk. And this is how God works also.
Do you remember the story we all learned about King David in the book Samuel (1 Samuel 16:7?) Later David’s son who is the wisest man ever wrote something similar (Proverbs 30:31-32.) Yet, as I mentioned earlier, the church is more concerned about how it looks in the community, whether it is buildings with the latest equipment, trends, programs or the music. How often do you hear about what this church or that denomination has done or is going to do? How often do you hear the church boast about what they've done and start namedroppin'? Then say they did it in love. Ah, love is not proud, and does not boast, remember?
Jesus gives us instructions on giving in Matthew's letter to the church (Matthew 6:2-4.) Joshua Harris asks, "what is your definition of success for the church? Numbers? Political power? The expectations of Christianity in popular culture?” We often throw the word church around as carelessly as we do the term love. Maybe you've heard a singer or speaker casually say, “we are about have church up in here."
However, Joshua Harris points out, "since the Reformation, Protestant Christians have agreed that the church requires two essential elements: the right preaching of God's word and the right practice of baptism (which we don't always get right) and communion." Listen closely to the apostle Paul's warning produced protégé in his second letter to Young Timothy ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17.) Paul had already explained this in his first letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:1-3.) Harris explains, "that the church is built on a specific message, not just any random idea or philosophy."
Harris explains, "the priority of baptism and communion emphasizes the necessity of the church being a defined community fixated on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Baptism symbolizes a Christians entrance into the church (not their salvation.) Matthew tells us, ‘therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you and surely I am with you to the end of the age.’ While Communion is repeated many times in a Christian's life as Jesus instructed His disciples to do in remembrance of Him.”
In his book, "Sex God" Rob Bell explains the genius and symbolism of what Jesus was saying during the last supper. Bell explains, "in Jesus' time, the Jewish tradition of engagement involved a man offering a woman a cup of wine. If she accepts it, they were engaged and one day would become one." That is why after the disciples accepted the cup this during the Last Supper, Jesus no longer called them servants, but friends.
Each time we observe communion. We are to remember our commitment as the bride. Recently, I looked up the origin of the word communion. I learned it comes from the Latin word communis in which comm-means oneness and unus-means union. Together it literally means a union of oneness. Which is why the Catholic church is so strict about who can observe Holy Communion. Men(and women,) if you can't be a faithful to the one you go home to every night and see. How can you be faithful to one you can't see? Sound familiar?
I often shy away from talking about the subject of marriage, because I'm single. However, more and more I have come to realize (especially through the writing of this blog) that I have more time to focus on following God. As you know, my blog on Facebook is called "Spiritual Perspectives Of Da Single Guy”, as the apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth(1 Corinthians 7:33 – 34.)
Not that I think I am better than anybody. Nor that I don't want to get married, we all WANNA BE LOVED. The guys (Randy and Robert) hammer me about this during the Tuesday morning breakfasts. As I explained to them, I am not looking for a perfect wife. But a wife that is perfect for me. We all know Eve wasn't perfect, but she was suitable(perfect) for Adam(Genesis 2:18 – 25.)
And there is a perfect bride for the second Adam(Jesus.) The church, for her there is not ANOTHER MAN and He is not chasing another bride. Until she is ready, there can't be a wedding. However, there will be a wedding. He hasn't gotten the wedding. It is just a MATTER OF TIME.
Listen to what the apostle John tells us that Jesus told the disciples that during the last supper with his friends (John 14:1-4.) This would fulfill the Jewish tradition of the day. This is, if a woman accepts the cup of wine. The man would often begin building an addition to his family's house where he and bride would live. When he finished building the addition he would return for his bride.
Later The apostle John tells us in a letter he wrote a while in exile on the island of Patmos that he had a vision of this promise being fulfilled and the heavens singing THE WEDDING Song(Revelation 19:1-7.) And that is when the J TRAIN that can't be stopped will come for his bride. even if she walked away or died, He will still come back for her. That's basically what the apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:14-16.)
After that, we who are still alive, and will are left will be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." The bridegroom will never leave the bride; she does not get left behind. This is why I don't understand how everybody including the church can be so afraid that the end of the world is near. As long as the church (bride) is still here the end is not near. The apostle Paul has told us that THE SKY MAY FALL, but the bridegroom (Jesus) will protect his bride by what some call the rapture. Thus, the church will FLY AWAY, fulfilling the prophecies of old. If you go back and study the prophets of the Old Testament, you will see that every time God's people turn from him, God spoke to them through the prophets trying to get them to return to Him. I often hear us older Christians ask, "why is Jesus waiting so long to return?" Jesus knows His bride is not ready, so PEOPLE GET READY. Maybe it is time for the bride to get ON YOUR KNEES.
I have enough faith that IN TIME I will meet the perfect woman for me. Even if she were in my life now, I would not approach her about marriage until I know she was ready. But when I know she is ready and IT IS TIME, I won't need any signs or need to ask my mentor or anybody for advice. Nope, in blink of an eye I am coming for my bride; as long as I have waited for my bride, when she accepts my cup of wine. Trust me, there will be a wedding jitters. I continue to wait because I firmly believe we only get ONE SHOT at marriage. This is why I have started most of these blogs on growth by making some comment about being ready.
Psychology teaches us that men are the only creatures that study their mates. It is another natural, sub-conscience habit of men. It is so natural that we don't even realize that we are doing it. Last year while I was visiting some friends in Colorado I went to a popular tourist attraction called Seven Falls, while there I saw a necklace with a leaf on it in the gift shop there and immediately thought about an acquaintance back home I had a conversation with about how she loves The season of Fall, because of the leaves. Actually she is why I designed my blog layout to have the falling leaves in the background.
I had been studying her and I didn't even realize it. In HINDSIGHT, I don't think a DAY GO BY since then that I don't think about you, sweetie. Now if Jesus was fully God and fully man, wouldn't it make sense that He studies His bride which He will spend eternity with? Most of the parables that Jesus taught with dealt with faith and service. Jesus often asked His disciples if He would find them faithful. Given the track record of God's people in the Old Testament, I would be studying my bride very closely.
Question is when Jesus returns, will He find His lady or an imposter? Joshua Harris asks, "if the church was so important to Jesus for Him to die for her, then why is she avoiding Him( I can relate?)" Why are so many professing Christians making excuses not to be with other Christians? Where is the church?
There is no doubt that the church has not been as faithful to Jesus as He has been to His bride. Here again God teaches us men how to love. Jesus knew His bride would not be faithful, yet we know we have NEVER BEEN UNLOVED. No wonder Jesus is tarrying. We can be more, we have to. Listen to the apostle Peter (2 Peter 3:14.) You can bet Jesus is missing His bride. A few weeks ago my younger brother who is in the Army had to leave his new bride(love ya sis) he married in October to return to the frontline in Afghanistan. Every day I see one writing to the other on my Facebook page, "I am MISSING YOU or something like I can't wait to have you IN MY ARMS AGAIN." I know my brother doesn't want to be away from his wife and can't wait to get back to her. This leads me to the next way God grows us through community.
Family
Rob Bell starts his book, JESUS WANTS TO SAVE CHRISTIANS (a manifesto for the church in exile) explaining that the human race starts in the book of Genesis with a family, "the first family was dysfunctional. “The first husband (Adam) had failed to be the head of his family; one of his children killed and buried the other; then on top of that, lied about it (no comment,) from then on the family apart. Here we see that our families, whether healthy or dysfunctional is the first community we encounter in our lives. So the importance of the family is obvious, and the devil knows this. That is why he attacked the first family (not the Obamas!) And he continues to attack families today by his attacks on the very definition of marriage, which is as pastor and speaker Dr. James Merritt says, “marriage is not just between any man and any woman, but between a husband and his wife."
As I stated earlier divorce is rampant. Even within the church. I have already explained in an earlier blog how God can use spouses to help us be better. This is why I appreciate and respect the much-needed ministry of Focus on the Family. Listen to what King Solomon tells us about the family (Proverbs 23:18-28.) Then Solomon ends his insight on family with instructions to parents. He tells them, " train up your children in the way they should go, even when they are old, they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22: 6.)" Parents teach their children how to live. If you are offended by anything I have said. Don't come to me, I am just a hand. Take it up with the head. And that's how we will end our discussion on community and how it helps us to grow.
Promises?
Napoleon Bonaparte once said , "Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them." For those of you who know me, you know that is my passion to be a godly man; a man of integrity, who keeps his commitments and honors God. That's why when I say I Do, I do. In his current series, Breaking News, James Merritt explains that all of the wars and trouble in the Middle East shouldn't worry us; but should give us hope, because it is proof that God always keeps His promises." It goes all the way back to Genesis and God's promise to Abram(Genesis 12:1-3.) From Genesis to the book of Malachi, God's chosen people constantly turned from God. And every time God remained faithful to them."
Then we get to the New Testament and Jesus arrives on the scene, fulfilling yet another promise, the BIRTH OF LOVE through Jesus, the community of God's chosen expanded beyond the descendants of Abraham. Jesus is the anti-venom to religious poison. Merritt continues, "still one promise hadn't been fulfilled, Israel wasn't a nation(Genesis 12:2.) Then in May of 1948 God fulfilled that promise in one day. Nearly 4000 years after God promised Abram. This shows us three things; God has a plan, He knows the problem(we are neva good enuff,) He always keeps His promises." Even to an elderly, disobedient Abram and Sarah, now that's crazy, that's AMAZING!
Dr. Merritt explains," our trust in God should always be dependent on His promises and not our circumstances; because, if we depend on how our circumstances are to trust God. One day we believe and trust Him and then doubt the next." I stand guilty as charged of that myself. I recently heard Academy Award winning actor Ben Kingsley explain, "when you are in love, you get the feeling the person never takes their eyes off of you. It's a great feeling!"
Most of us would say that only God can forget. But when you think about it forgetting isn't the issue, if we all could forget the wrongs done to us there would be no need to forgive, would there? There wouldn't even be a need for grace, would there? Maybe that's why God doesn't allow us to forget past wrongs, then we wouldn't be able to become more like Him, would we? True forgiveness eliminates the need to forget (1 Corinthians 13:5.) The apostle Paul learned this after he was betrayed by churches in his early ministry (Philippians 4:11-20.) Paul applied the concept of forgraceness here.
Remember, God does what we can't, HE'S ABLE (Philippians 4:13.) Grace doesn't need to chase me down. When Jesus was born, He came to the frontline of this battle between good and evil. That seems unfair, doesn't it? Anderson continues, "I suppose if God were basing His grace toward me on a scale of fairness, I would have been exterminated a long time ago. I could never stand up to God's scale of fairness. I thank God that none of us are judged according to fairness. Who could stand?"
If you remember, in Jesus' time, judgment was THE CAROL OF THE KINGS. Recently, I saw the news Michael Jackson's family say that they were just seeking justice for Micheal's death. Only the Judge(God) can give justice. When we try to pay people back for wrongs, it's called revenge. The Bible is clear that God avenges us(1 Samuel 24:4, 26:11, Proverbs 20:22, Proverbs 24:29, Matthew 5:24, Romans 12:17-19.) I know, it's hard and it doesn't seem fair, does it? Grace is the only REMEDY for my pain.
Grace isn’t fair. Anderson writes, “God made me aware that grace is not fair. In fact grace is unfair and gives beyond what is just or right. It lavishes goodness beyond a measure of exact accounting." God, YOU ALONE can get the glory for THE LIFE I live. When life gets hard, YOUR LOVE helps me GO HARDER and GO CRAZY loving those who hurt me. While at the summit, producer and co-founder of Rainforest Films Will Packer shared with writers," this is your DREAM. You've got to know it and own it." God, I TRUST YOU and I believe your promise. I will STAND ON IT, I know I got it.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I watched the movie The Hiding Place with my mentor and his wife. It centers around Corrie ten Boom, a Jewish sympathizer who was sent to a concentration camp, where her Christian faith keeps her from despair and bitterness. Corrie survives, and after the war must learn to love and forgive her former captors. Corrie's pastor, Pastor De Ruiter told her, "stubbornness is a child of pride and pride is one of the seven deadly sins." No wonder Jesus said what He did (John 15:13.) I guess the old saying is true," the people you love and care about the most are the ones who can hurt you the most." FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE, I am going to admit that I am still having trouble understanding God's timing, I guess that's why He is making me wait a little more to hear you say, "HELLO," sweetie.
I know this isn't HOW THE STORY ENDS ( 1 Peter 5:5-10.) Because my new BUSTED HEART is telling me I LOVE YOU and I need you now . I know God won't be one day too late, He can save me from this hurricane. I hope Christmas this year is your best ever, MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY. In closing this blog I hope the church will realize THIS IS CHRISTMAS as you BREAK BREAD and DRINK FROM THIS CUP, this is the way God wants us to grow through community!
Grow(Holy Spirit? Remixed and Reposted)
Just before I posted my last blog somebody I really care about and miss did and said something that really hurt me, I was left feeling numb and SPEECHLESS. As I began to think about the situation one morning my worst fear occurred, my left arm began to throb and burn like when you hit your funny-bone and it's not funny. I immediately parked my car and ran upstairs to my bedroom. I remember lying on my bed, looking at the ceiling as I cried. The warm tears streamed down my face while the crisp, cool Fall air drifted in my window as I pleaded with God, "no, not this. I trusted You. Why is this happening to me. I know Your voice and I listened to You. I have followed you and trusted You for far too long to let it end like this. Why is she hurting me. Why are they talking about me? SO HELP ME GOD."
I felt so alone and powerless. The first step in the Celebrate Recovery 12 steps is, "We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable." Chuck Swindoll writes in his book Embraced by the Spirit, "Child of God, you are never alone. God gave you His Spirit to be with you. When you came to know Christ, He took up His residence and began living inside you. The very word helper (parakletos) means 'one called alongside to help."
After about 20 minutes my heart rate and blood pressure dropped. My arm was fine and I was able to COOL RELAX. A seizure didn't take place, instead I had a mini-stroke. The whole incident left me doubting my sanity and my salvation. Until I read my weekend devotional that Saturday and got my BATTERY recharged. I had peace as I listened to Solomon's words(Proverbs 29:25-27) which later Jesus echoed in the gospel of Luke(Luke 12:4-7) as well in the gospel of John( John 12:42-43.) In the Message version of Proverbs 29: 25 it uses the word "disables." Given my disability, I can relate more to this Scripture than most. I share this story with you; because WE ARE CHRISTIANS, we BELIEVE in a triune God.
J. B. Phillips once wrote, "Every time we say, 'I believe in the Holy Spirit,' we mean that we believe that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it." When we are told to trust God that means we are to trust the Holy Spirit. Listen to what Jesus says in the Gospel of John( John 16:13-15.) Not some truth, all truth. So wherever You lead, I'LL GO. If God is leading me, how can I LOOSE MYSELF? A friend of mine recently posted a picture on Facebook that said it best, "never ignore a person that loves you, cares for you, and misses you. Because one day, you might wake up from your sleep and realize you lost the moon while counting stars." I can personally attest to that, I had to learn it THE HARDWAY.
By no means did I intend to deny the person or the work of the Holy Spirit in my last blog. I'll be the first to say, "YEAH, THAT REAL." The Bible is clear that would be blasphemy against God Himself(Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10.) The apostle Paul is firm in his letter to the church in Rome that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ( Romans 8:9.) Going further in his letter to the church at Ephesus(Ephesians 1:13-14.) It is by His Spirit that we know we are NOT ALONE and have power; of which the apostle Paul warns us not to deny(2 Timothy 3:5-7.)
The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior(1 Corinthians 12:13.) He explains to the church in Ephesus this is a guarantee and brings glory to God( Ephesians 1:14.) So the moment we ask Jesus into our lives, He sends the Holy Spirit to every SAVED SOUL. You have the Spirit of God in your heart and as I discussed in a blog last year, God can change our hearts. Once we are saved and belong to God, the Spirit takes up residence in our hearts forever, sealing us with the confirming, certifying, and assuring pledge of our eternal state as His children. Up to this point the Bible is clear there is nothing good in us(Romans 7:5,18-19,) until God put the light in us(John 3:6, Romans 8:3, Galatians 5:17-24.)
Jesus said He would send the Spirit to us to be our Helper, Comforter, and Guide(John 14:16-29.) The Greek word, parakletos is also translated here as “Counselor” and has the idea of someone who encourages and exhorts. When the Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in the hearts of believers (Romans 8:9: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 12:13.) Jesus gave the Spirit as a “compensation” for His absence, to perform the functions toward us which He would have done if He had remained personally with us it is through the Spirit Jesus is still ALIVE.
This is part of the LOVE PURSUIT of God for us. At this point my life, I find this comforting; Knowing God is always with me, the Spirit is INDESTRUCTIBLE and undeniable. IF I DON'T WAKE, He WILL BRING US HOME, before you even BURY ME. Once YOU GOT IT, He is always WITH YOU. COME WHAT MAY, we are never WITHOUT GOD, that is why this is a Thanksgiving blog. It is why I have never understood the concept of revivals. If God and His Spirit never leave us, why do we feel that we must BRING IT BACK? If a revival is needed, it isn't because God has left us, it's because we have left or become numb to Him.
Here is where most new believers get BRAINWASHED, YOU KNOW THE DEAL. Churches or traveling prophets, I mean evangelists trying to GET FAMOUS set up a date or period of time to hold a meeting and hopefully the Holy Spirit will move and if we are lucky, we can trap Him. Then some will get footloose and emotional, singing HALLELUJAH. We cannot manipulate the Holy Spirit or Grace, we have allowed Satan and his false prophets to get this twisted. REPENTANCE leads us to the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15, Acts 2:37-39.)John Piper says, "grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon."
When the Spirit moves in our hearts, it is about so much more than getting emotional like when I'M IN LOVE and it's getting HOT IN HERE. It's about more than some creepy GLOW and plastic smile. Chuck Swindoll writes , "these are traits you and I can claim when the Spirit is in control: you have an inner dynamic with which to handle life's pressures, you are able to be joyful … regardless, you have the capacity to grasp the deep things of God that He mentions in His Book, you have little difficulty maintaining a positive attitude of unselfishness, servanthood, and humility, you have a keen sense of intuition and discernment; you sense evil, you are able to love and be loved in return..." When the Holy Spirit is leading us, we and our wants take the background. Church reformer Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens declared, "I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit. If you don't believe in the Holy Spirit or Resurrection or life after death, you should leave the Church.
These twisted religious acts prompt ENVY, which is a fruit of what? This type of religious NONSENSE or spiritual role-playing is what makes the world think and say, "OH MY AHH, IT DON'T MAKE SENSE." Don't forget the church has the RESPONSIBILITY of being God's representatives and the Temples of the Holy Spirit(1 Corinthians 3:9,16-17, Romans 6:16, 8:9) to the world, we are commanded to LOOK OUT for false prophets(Matthew 7:15, 24:11, 24:24, Mark 13:22, Luke 6:26, Romans 16:17.) Author Jerry Jenkins shared with me earlier this year, "there is a difference between being Spirit-led and Spirit-breathed. Many writers feel led while writing. But that doesn't mean it's sacred." That is what this remixed blog will be about, how God grows us and leads us through the Holy Spirit.
Grow (Holy Spirit?)
Alright, ARE YOU READY to continue this series of blogs about how God grows and leads us? HERE WE GO, John tells us that just after Jesus gave his sermon about the vine and the branches, Jesus told his disciples, "I am about to leave you and go to Him who sent Me." Jesus goes on to say, BEHOLD THE SPIRIT, which is the third member of THE GODHEAD will guide you into all truth."Billy Graham once said, "The Holy Spirit illuminates the minds of people, makes us yearn for God, and takes spiritual truth and makes it understandable to us." And that is what this blog is about.
If you remember, John tells us that Jesus said to Nicodemus, "you must be BORN AGAIN", Jesus goes on to tell Nicodemus that he had to be born of water and the Spirit. “The apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that,"we were all baptized by one Spirit. So as to form one body- whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or FREE- and we are all given one Spirit to drink(1 Corinthians 12:13.) Paul goes on to tell the church in Ephesus, "that they received the Holy Spirit when they heard the WORD of THE TRUTH and believed and now they CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY(Ephesians 1:13-14.)" There is a lot of confusion in regard to the Holy Spirit.
Or as Joshua Harris says in his book, Dug Down Deep, "the Holy Spirit has gotten a lot of bad press. A good bit of tacky, strange and just plain wrong things have been done in His name. Maybe Because He Is Spirit, it easier to blame weird stuff on Him. Or maybe because not enough is said about Him outside the charismatic circles, some people are left with mainly negative impressions. This isn't a healthy state of affairs. Whenever we live some part of our faith in reaction to anything other than God's Word, we become unbalanced and misguided. We shouldn't neglect the person and work of the Holy Spirit just because other people have misrepresented Him. Making the decision to give careful thought and attention to the Holy Spirit isn't a decision to become a charismatic. It's a decision to be a faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ and a Student of God's Word." Even though there are numerous commentaries out there, for now I am going to take a friend's advice and stick to what Scripture says about how we receive the SWEET SPIRIT, what the fruits of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are.
I have already explained how and when we receive the Holy Spirit. Paul was little firmer in his letter to the church in Rome(Romans 8:9.) Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the “seal of salvation”, Paul spoke of in his letter to the church at Ephesus, if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior. And this is where the confusion starts. I was saved when I was 15, so according to Scripture I received all of the Holy Spirit I ever will at that moment. However, it wasn't until after my six years living in sin and nearly dying that I became fully able to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. I had promised God, if He would give me the ability to walk again, I wouldn't have sex again until after I got married.
After I got out of the hospital, I ended up naked in bed with my new girlfriend (an old college friend.) I can remember that night like it was yesterday. I remember looking up at the ceiling and saying to God, "I know the deal I made with you to not have sex. But, I didn't say anything about fooling around!" Then, in an instant I felt the Holy Spirit say, "After all I have done for you, this is how you are going to treat me?“ I knew then I had to keep my promise, so I put my clothes back on and told my girlfriend she needed to go. Trust me, I didn't want to, we both knew I didn't. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, I did.
Since then, I haven't had a problem with hearing God's voice. Like while I was driving back from Colorado last year, and felt led to stop and take pictures of the oil wells and windmills. I was pretty tired from driving and just wanted to get to Sanjay’s house. But like I said in an earlier blog, I couldn't shake that feeling to take pictures. And then after I got home from Colorado. I felt God leading me to move back to Colorado (and still do!) But, I was scared of making a mistake. So I decided to visit my old friend Jubba and ask him to pray for me.
While I was explaining to Jubba what I was feeling he shared with me that every time he gets ready to take the stage and perform, "I get scared." He went on to say, “Whenever we get ready to obey and glorify God. The Devil attacks us, just trust God." I left there so encouraged. Then I went to get some lunch. Honestly, there still was a little bit of fear in the back of my mind. Until I sat down to eat lunch and opened a book that I got for Christmas from my mentor's oldest daughter and her husband.
The book was Deadly Viper (character assassins) by Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite. You have probably never heard of it, nor had I. But when I opened the book and read the foreword, the hairs on my arms stood up and I felt like hitting the floor on my knees. It wasn't what the foreword said that struck me, but who said it. When I read, "I am a second chance person, and like Mike and Jud, I am in the second chance business. Check out deadly Viper (character assassins) for a powerful look at radical character and grace. Get a second chance for yourself."Signed Duane Chapman, a.k.a. Dog the Bounty Hunter. Alright here is the deal, not only had I never heard of the book, I had never heard of Dog the bounty hunter. That is, until I went to Colorado. My friends, that I stayed with are huge fans of the show. If you know anything about Dog, you know he is originally from Colorado. So to my friends he is like a local hero.
I don't think all of this was a coincidence. I don't believe in coincidence, it was like the Holy Spirit was affirming what Jubba had just told me. I am sure that there have been times when you have felt the Holy Spirit work through your conscience as well. Like when you have been scared or worried, and a particular verse or scripture came to mind. Often, this is how the Holy Spirit works. Dudley Hall once said, "when you're more father-conscious than people-conscience, more than things-conscience and self-conscience- you've got your secret(inside) Life in order." Martin Luther once said, "My conscience is captive to the Word of God."
However, like Joshua Harris says in his book Dug Down Deep, "I believe the Spirit can move in those ways. But defining His work to those moments is like thinking that a fork can be used only to eat peas. It's not that our knowledge about the Holy Spirit is false; it is just woefully incomplete." Author Edward Bulwer-Lytton said , "The conscience is the most flexible material in the world. Today you cannot over a mole hill; while tomorrow it can hide a mountain." I have been told that if I was "full of the Spirit", I would speak in tongues and prophecy. Some Christians look at the gift of tongues and prophecy as a sign of spiritual maturity. Which is not what the Bible calls the fruit(evidence) of the Spirit. Matthew tells us in his letter to the Greek speaking Jews that Jesus warned us to, “watch out for FALSE PROPHETS(Matthew 7:15-17.)"
I recently read a church sign in the community which I live that says it best, "men are like trees, they are known by the fruit that they bear." Matthew continues to say that in the LAST DAYS false Messiahs and false prophets will appear to perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect(Matthew 24:10-12.)" Remember what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 13:8-12,) which is the primary Scripture used in the cessationist position; which states that the miraculous gifts ended with the last apostles. Because the Bible is complete and thanks in part to our Gideon brothers the Bible has been translated into over 26 different languages; thus why the need for tongues and prophecy? Whereas the continuationist viewpoint believes the miraculous gifts continue today.
In their book, Leadership Lessons of Jesus, coauthors Bob Briner and RAY RICHARD write, “Jesus teaches us that good seed will always produce good fruit." Listen as apostle Paul explains in his letter to the church in Galatia what the fruit of the Spirit are(Galatians 5:22-24.) No prophecy or tongues listed here, don't worry, we'll talk about those later. However, Paul first warns us what the acts of the sinful nature are(Galatians 5:19-21.) Listen to Jesus just before he was arrested in the gospel of John(John 17:20-23,) the Spirit of God brings UNITY. I have already covered this in an earlier blog and I will talk more about it later in my next blog.
The same friend that advised me to follow Scripture, recently shared with me that the reason he left our old church was because they weren't a "full Gospel “church, which I find odd seeing there is only one gospel. As his niece later pointed out God is the same today as He was when the disciples wrote the Bible. My first friend went on to say that he did not agree that our old church didn't believe in speaking in tongues and prophecy. This belief goes directly against what Jesus prayed to the father before he was arrested, anything that gives a we/they or us/them mentality within the body is not of God. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that dissensions and factions are of the sinful nature.
Don't forget what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:11-31.) Since Paul starts off with apostles, and prophets, let's talk about prophecy. I find it interesting that there are so many people around claiming to be prophets, they come to town one week and set up shop. Then a few months later, they are gone. Recently, I visited my mentor's church for Wednesday night Bible study, where the question was asked, "Is Pat Robinson a modern prophet?" Since he recently said that God told him that the earthquake in Haiti was their judgment for a pact they made with the devil, long-ago. Pat Robertson has been known for saying God told him this and that after-the-fact. Like he once said that God told him to run for president, which we all know he didn't become. He also said God told him that the State Department needed to be done away with. These are but a few statements by Pat Robertson. Scripture tells us that a true prophet is right all the time.
Moreover, listen to the prophet Moses’ warning (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) later the apostle Paul addresses this in his letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:20-23.) I will talk more about this in my next blog. True prophecy produces peace within the church, not CHAOS (1 Corinthians 14:31-33.) Joshua Harris puts it this way, "When prophecy is genuine, it points people to Jesus, reminds them of his faithfulness and directs to His priorities. True prophecy always confirms in accordance with God's word." Remember, the apostle Paul states that all parts of the body are necessary(1 Corinthians 12:20-24.) By saying this, it would make more sense not to draw attention to gift of prophecy. Yet, in today's society, churches come close to having INFOMERCIALS boasting of prophecies and speaking in tongues. The gift of tongues is another area that has been exploited.
Go back with me to the first occurrence (Acts 2:2-8) of tongues (languages.) What was spoken was not some CHANT or Gibberish or SPEAKING A DEAD LANGUAGE, but actual languages. That is how the gift of tongues worked in the Bible, it drew people to Christ, if anything it would at least be a joyful noise!
While today it alienates the church. A few years ago, I was at Promise Keepers in Atlanta, when they had a Pentecostal emcee. During dinner, my best friend Mike asked me what the Pentecostal church believed and I simply explained that they believed in speaking in tongues and laying on of hands. To which he responded, "If you came to my church and spoke in tongues. The priest would perform an exorcism on you, sounds funny. But sadly, that is how most people both in and out of the church view the gift of speaking in tongues.
If you notice Luke says that the Spirit came like a violent wind. It is important to note that we don't control the Holy Spirit, if it enabled the apostle's to speak in foreign tongues (languages.) Who was in control? The Holy Spirit, which means that we can't decide when we will speak in tongues. That would be like saying; we control God, since the Holy Spirit is God. I can even attest to this from my experience in writing. There have been times that I've set aside day or a period of time to write, only to just sit behind my desk staring out my window. And other times when I am trying to do something else when the Holy Spirit begins to reveal things to me and open my eyes. But, when I plan to write and express what He has taught me, I go blank. I wish I could tell when the SPIRIT OF GOD would move. Recently, I was talking on the phone with a friend when she started speaking in tongues. I wanted so badly to ask her, what language is that? And remind her that I'M A BELIEVER! Ironically, the ones that rant and rave about their gift of speaking in tongues are the first to criticize my FUNKY JESUS MUSIC. Apparently, this exploitation of the Holy Spirit is nothing new.
In his letter to the church Corinth, the Paul states clearly that the gift of tongues (which is Greek for language) is used for unbelievers not the church. As Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians12:20-22.) Apparently, the apostle Paul had to address some believers that decided to SHOW OFF and ACT OUT. Because, he goes on to give rules and instructions for speaking in tongues to the church in Corinth ( 1 Corinthians 14:26-31.) Joshua Harris says in his book Dug Down Deep, " maybe your bad experience was just watching a few minutes of an oily-haired evangelist wearing pancake makeup, who broke into tongues and claimed to heal people over the airwaves (for a small donation.) Even the apostles didn't have a gift that ensured hearing on every occasion."
Because of my near-death experience, I agree with Joshua Harris that,"God still heals, although I'm less concerned about identifying a particular person as having the gift of healing. Obviously, I believe God can and does heal, because he is glorified when we do. Listen to Jesus' half-brother James( James 5:14-16.) In closing this blog, I have to mention that I have never heard a pastor handle spiritual gifts as well as I did while I was visiting new life Church in Colorado Springs. Pastor Brady Boyd said, "who am I to say, what you're spiritual gifts are or how God can use you? But, I can say this, if it glorifies you and doesn't glorify God by edifying His church. There is no place for it here." Because John tells us that helping us to grow as a body of believers and glorifying God is the purpose of the Holy Spirit(John 14:26.)
IMPOSSIBLE?
In closing this blog on one us to listen to the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus ( Ephesians 3 :20-21.) Founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth once stated, "The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender." When we surrender to the Holy Spirit, His POWER is what makes us not so average, He gimme dat power to show the CRAZY LOVE like Jesus did on the cross while they murdered Him; to forgive those who hurt us, give grace to those who don't give, love the unlovable, and thanks(Ephesians 1:15-22) for whatever we have or go through, over and over.
This isn't just the amazing love that I want to show my future wife, whoever that may be. This is the kind of love the Holy Spirit enables and compels me to give to all who hurt me, now. My best friend, Aaron is always telling me, "people do crazy, stupid things." It's like I told you brother Steve," there's a whole lot of GRACE AND MERCY in love." They are what make true love last forever. Maybe this is why the Bible uses the analogy of marriage to the relationship between the church and Jesus. I've had "trustworthy" friends and pastors that have abandoned me for left me to fend for myself; however, God and the Holy Spirit will never leave me alone. Maybe Saint Teresa of Avila said it best, "We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can—namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us."
One of the benefits of trusting God is knowing that He can do anything, even what is impossible for us to do ourselves. Maybe this is why the apostle Paul urged the church in Ephesus to be DRUNK IN THE SPIRIT and be thankful for it. D. L. Moody once noted, "God commands us to be filled with the Spirit; and if we are not filled, it's because we are living beneath our privileges." Recently, I heard a message by James Merritt where he explained, "one of the main elements every human needs to survive is nitrogen. The only problem is there is an abundance of nitrogen in the atmosphere and we can't get to it on our own. So God sends LIGHTNING to separate the nitrogen from the atmosphere and allow it to rain down to earth. Since we can't absorb enough nitrogen through our skin or mouths like we do oxygen, God puts bacteria into the air that breaks the nitrogen DOWN into nitrates that are absorbed by plants and when we eat the plants or animals that eat the plants with the nitrates, we get all the nitrogen we need to survive. So every time you see lightning, just think about how God is doing what you can't do for yourself."
Listen to Jesus' half-brother James in his letter to early Jewish Christians who were scattered by persecution (James 4:4-10.) J.C. Ryle has stated, "Never was there an eminent saint who was not full of thankfulness." That's why I am so thankful for God's FORGIVENESS. It is why I trust God and I let the Holy Spirit give me HOPE and COURAGE. Although my flesh tells me one thing, His Spirit will LET ME KNOW when I CAN'T QUIT(Galatians 6:8-9,) to keep HOLDING ON to my dreams. In my last assignment for writing course that I am taking through the Christian Writer's Guild I came across this quote by author Jo Berry, "I don't want any of you who miss God's best because you expect too little or because you ignore the obvious-- those wonderful holy dreams and ambitions the Holy Spirit has placed in your heart."
Aristotle wrote, "wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love." I have learned it is far better to listen to God, His Spirit and His word than to listen to a sinful man. For I know how Jacked up they are. And I know how jacked-up I am. While writing this blog, my inspirational dance screenplay won a contest and I was invited to Atlanta to meet with studio executives to pitch it to them for consideration for development, after seven years of trusting God. I know I'm NOT ALONE and I'll LIFT UP THE LIGHT. Remember, being alone was never part of His plan because it is not good ( Genesis 2:18) and I don't mean some DANG GIRL, even if she is crazy beautiful . God, I JUST WANNA LOVE YOU, I've always had someone to love. That is why I let God lead me by His Holy Spirit.
I felt so alone and powerless. The first step in the Celebrate Recovery 12 steps is, "We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable." Chuck Swindoll writes in his book Embraced by the Spirit, "Child of God, you are never alone. God gave you His Spirit to be with you. When you came to know Christ, He took up His residence and began living inside you. The very word helper (parakletos) means 'one called alongside to help."
After about 20 minutes my heart rate and blood pressure dropped. My arm was fine and I was able to COOL RELAX. A seizure didn't take place, instead I had a mini-stroke. The whole incident left me doubting my sanity and my salvation. Until I read my weekend devotional that Saturday and got my BATTERY recharged. I had peace as I listened to Solomon's words(Proverbs 29:25-27) which later Jesus echoed in the gospel of Luke(Luke 12:4-7) as well in the gospel of John( John 12:42-43.) In the Message version of Proverbs 29: 25 it uses the word "disables." Given my disability, I can relate more to this Scripture than most. I share this story with you; because WE ARE CHRISTIANS, we BELIEVE in a triune God.
J. B. Phillips once wrote, "Every time we say, 'I believe in the Holy Spirit,' we mean that we believe that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it." When we are told to trust God that means we are to trust the Holy Spirit. Listen to what Jesus says in the Gospel of John( John 16:13-15.) Not some truth, all truth. So wherever You lead, I'LL GO. If God is leading me, how can I LOOSE MYSELF? A friend of mine recently posted a picture on Facebook that said it best, "never ignore a person that loves you, cares for you, and misses you. Because one day, you might wake up from your sleep and realize you lost the moon while counting stars." I can personally attest to that, I had to learn it THE HARDWAY.
By no means did I intend to deny the person or the work of the Holy Spirit in my last blog. I'll be the first to say, "YEAH, THAT REAL." The Bible is clear that would be blasphemy against God Himself(Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10.) The apostle Paul is firm in his letter to the church in Rome that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ( Romans 8:9.) Going further in his letter to the church at Ephesus(Ephesians 1:13-14.) It is by His Spirit that we know we are NOT ALONE and have power; of which the apostle Paul warns us not to deny(2 Timothy 3:5-7.)
The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior(1 Corinthians 12:13.) He explains to the church in Ephesus this is a guarantee and brings glory to God( Ephesians 1:14.) So the moment we ask Jesus into our lives, He sends the Holy Spirit to every SAVED SOUL. You have the Spirit of God in your heart and as I discussed in a blog last year, God can change our hearts. Once we are saved and belong to God, the Spirit takes up residence in our hearts forever, sealing us with the confirming, certifying, and assuring pledge of our eternal state as His children. Up to this point the Bible is clear there is nothing good in us(Romans 7:5,18-19,) until God put the light in us(John 3:6, Romans 8:3, Galatians 5:17-24.)
Jesus said He would send the Spirit to us to be our Helper, Comforter, and Guide(John 14:16-29.) The Greek word, parakletos is also translated here as “Counselor” and has the idea of someone who encourages and exhorts. When the Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in the hearts of believers (Romans 8:9: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 12:13.) Jesus gave the Spirit as a “compensation” for His absence, to perform the functions toward us which He would have done if He had remained personally with us it is through the Spirit Jesus is still ALIVE.
This is part of the LOVE PURSUIT of God for us. At this point my life, I find this comforting; Knowing God is always with me, the Spirit is INDESTRUCTIBLE and undeniable. IF I DON'T WAKE, He WILL BRING US HOME, before you even BURY ME. Once YOU GOT IT, He is always WITH YOU. COME WHAT MAY, we are never WITHOUT GOD, that is why this is a Thanksgiving blog. It is why I have never understood the concept of revivals. If God and His Spirit never leave us, why do we feel that we must BRING IT BACK? If a revival is needed, it isn't because God has left us, it's because we have left or become numb to Him.
Here is where most new believers get BRAINWASHED, YOU KNOW THE DEAL. Churches or traveling prophets, I mean evangelists trying to GET FAMOUS set up a date or period of time to hold a meeting and hopefully the Holy Spirit will move and if we are lucky, we can trap Him. Then some will get footloose and emotional, singing HALLELUJAH. We cannot manipulate the Holy Spirit or Grace, we have allowed Satan and his false prophets to get this twisted. REPENTANCE leads us to the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15, Acts 2:37-39.)John Piper says, "grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon."
When the Spirit moves in our hearts, it is about so much more than getting emotional like when I'M IN LOVE and it's getting HOT IN HERE. It's about more than some creepy GLOW and plastic smile. Chuck Swindoll writes , "these are traits you and I can claim when the Spirit is in control: you have an inner dynamic with which to handle life's pressures, you are able to be joyful … regardless, you have the capacity to grasp the deep things of God that He mentions in His Book, you have little difficulty maintaining a positive attitude of unselfishness, servanthood, and humility, you have a keen sense of intuition and discernment; you sense evil, you are able to love and be loved in return..." When the Holy Spirit is leading us, we and our wants take the background. Church reformer Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens declared, "I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit. If you don't believe in the Holy Spirit or Resurrection or life after death, you should leave the Church.
These twisted religious acts prompt ENVY, which is a fruit of what? This type of religious NONSENSE or spiritual role-playing is what makes the world think and say, "OH MY AHH, IT DON'T MAKE SENSE." Don't forget the church has the RESPONSIBILITY of being God's representatives and the Temples of the Holy Spirit(1 Corinthians 3:9,16-17, Romans 6:16, 8:9) to the world, we are commanded to LOOK OUT for false prophets(Matthew 7:15, 24:11, 24:24, Mark 13:22, Luke 6:26, Romans 16:17.) Author Jerry Jenkins shared with me earlier this year, "there is a difference between being Spirit-led and Spirit-breathed. Many writers feel led while writing. But that doesn't mean it's sacred." That is what this remixed blog will be about, how God grows us and leads us through the Holy Spirit.
Grow (Holy Spirit?)
Alright, ARE YOU READY to continue this series of blogs about how God grows and leads us? HERE WE GO, John tells us that just after Jesus gave his sermon about the vine and the branches, Jesus told his disciples, "I am about to leave you and go to Him who sent Me." Jesus goes on to say, BEHOLD THE SPIRIT, which is the third member of THE GODHEAD will guide you into all truth."Billy Graham once said, "The Holy Spirit illuminates the minds of people, makes us yearn for God, and takes spiritual truth and makes it understandable to us." And that is what this blog is about.
If you remember, John tells us that Jesus said to Nicodemus, "you must be BORN AGAIN", Jesus goes on to tell Nicodemus that he had to be born of water and the Spirit. “The apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that,"we were all baptized by one Spirit. So as to form one body- whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or FREE- and we are all given one Spirit to drink(1 Corinthians 12:13.) Paul goes on to tell the church in Ephesus, "that they received the Holy Spirit when they heard the WORD of THE TRUTH and believed and now they CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY(Ephesians 1:13-14.)" There is a lot of confusion in regard to the Holy Spirit.
Or as Joshua Harris says in his book, Dug Down Deep, "the Holy Spirit has gotten a lot of bad press. A good bit of tacky, strange and just plain wrong things have been done in His name. Maybe Because He Is Spirit, it easier to blame weird stuff on Him. Or maybe because not enough is said about Him outside the charismatic circles, some people are left with mainly negative impressions. This isn't a healthy state of affairs. Whenever we live some part of our faith in reaction to anything other than God's Word, we become unbalanced and misguided. We shouldn't neglect the person and work of the Holy Spirit just because other people have misrepresented Him. Making the decision to give careful thought and attention to the Holy Spirit isn't a decision to become a charismatic. It's a decision to be a faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ and a Student of God's Word." Even though there are numerous commentaries out there, for now I am going to take a friend's advice and stick to what Scripture says about how we receive the SWEET SPIRIT, what the fruits of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are.
I have already explained how and when we receive the Holy Spirit. Paul was little firmer in his letter to the church in Rome(Romans 8:9.) Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the “seal of salvation”, Paul spoke of in his letter to the church at Ephesus, if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior. And this is where the confusion starts. I was saved when I was 15, so according to Scripture I received all of the Holy Spirit I ever will at that moment. However, it wasn't until after my six years living in sin and nearly dying that I became fully able to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. I had promised God, if He would give me the ability to walk again, I wouldn't have sex again until after I got married.
After I got out of the hospital, I ended up naked in bed with my new girlfriend (an old college friend.) I can remember that night like it was yesterday. I remember looking up at the ceiling and saying to God, "I know the deal I made with you to not have sex. But, I didn't say anything about fooling around!" Then, in an instant I felt the Holy Spirit say, "After all I have done for you, this is how you are going to treat me?“ I knew then I had to keep my promise, so I put my clothes back on and told my girlfriend she needed to go. Trust me, I didn't want to, we both knew I didn't. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, I did.
Since then, I haven't had a problem with hearing God's voice. Like while I was driving back from Colorado last year, and felt led to stop and take pictures of the oil wells and windmills. I was pretty tired from driving and just wanted to get to Sanjay’s house. But like I said in an earlier blog, I couldn't shake that feeling to take pictures. And then after I got home from Colorado. I felt God leading me to move back to Colorado (and still do!) But, I was scared of making a mistake. So I decided to visit my old friend Jubba and ask him to pray for me.
While I was explaining to Jubba what I was feeling he shared with me that every time he gets ready to take the stage and perform, "I get scared." He went on to say, “Whenever we get ready to obey and glorify God. The Devil attacks us, just trust God." I left there so encouraged. Then I went to get some lunch. Honestly, there still was a little bit of fear in the back of my mind. Until I sat down to eat lunch and opened a book that I got for Christmas from my mentor's oldest daughter and her husband.
The book was Deadly Viper (character assassins) by Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite. You have probably never heard of it, nor had I. But when I opened the book and read the foreword, the hairs on my arms stood up and I felt like hitting the floor on my knees. It wasn't what the foreword said that struck me, but who said it. When I read, "I am a second chance person, and like Mike and Jud, I am in the second chance business. Check out deadly Viper (character assassins) for a powerful look at radical character and grace. Get a second chance for yourself."Signed Duane Chapman, a.k.a. Dog the Bounty Hunter. Alright here is the deal, not only had I never heard of the book, I had never heard of Dog the bounty hunter. That is, until I went to Colorado. My friends, that I stayed with are huge fans of the show. If you know anything about Dog, you know he is originally from Colorado. So to my friends he is like a local hero.
I don't think all of this was a coincidence. I don't believe in coincidence, it was like the Holy Spirit was affirming what Jubba had just told me. I am sure that there have been times when you have felt the Holy Spirit work through your conscience as well. Like when you have been scared or worried, and a particular verse or scripture came to mind. Often, this is how the Holy Spirit works. Dudley Hall once said, "when you're more father-conscious than people-conscience, more than things-conscience and self-conscience- you've got your secret(inside) Life in order." Martin Luther once said, "My conscience is captive to the Word of God."
However, like Joshua Harris says in his book Dug Down Deep, "I believe the Spirit can move in those ways. But defining His work to those moments is like thinking that a fork can be used only to eat peas. It's not that our knowledge about the Holy Spirit is false; it is just woefully incomplete." Author Edward Bulwer-Lytton said , "The conscience is the most flexible material in the world. Today you cannot over a mole hill; while tomorrow it can hide a mountain." I have been told that if I was "full of the Spirit", I would speak in tongues and prophecy. Some Christians look at the gift of tongues and prophecy as a sign of spiritual maturity. Which is not what the Bible calls the fruit(evidence) of the Spirit. Matthew tells us in his letter to the Greek speaking Jews that Jesus warned us to, “watch out for FALSE PROPHETS(Matthew 7:15-17.)"
I recently read a church sign in the community which I live that says it best, "men are like trees, they are known by the fruit that they bear." Matthew continues to say that in the LAST DAYS false Messiahs and false prophets will appear to perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect(Matthew 24:10-12.)" Remember what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 13:8-12,) which is the primary Scripture used in the cessationist position; which states that the miraculous gifts ended with the last apostles. Because the Bible is complete and thanks in part to our Gideon brothers the Bible has been translated into over 26 different languages; thus why the need for tongues and prophecy? Whereas the continuationist viewpoint believes the miraculous gifts continue today.
In their book, Leadership Lessons of Jesus, coauthors Bob Briner and RAY RICHARD write, “Jesus teaches us that good seed will always produce good fruit." Listen as apostle Paul explains in his letter to the church in Galatia what the fruit of the Spirit are(Galatians 5:22-24.) No prophecy or tongues listed here, don't worry, we'll talk about those later. However, Paul first warns us what the acts of the sinful nature are(Galatians 5:19-21.) Listen to Jesus just before he was arrested in the gospel of John(John 17:20-23,) the Spirit of God brings UNITY. I have already covered this in an earlier blog and I will talk more about it later in my next blog.
The same friend that advised me to follow Scripture, recently shared with me that the reason he left our old church was because they weren't a "full Gospel “church, which I find odd seeing there is only one gospel. As his niece later pointed out God is the same today as He was when the disciples wrote the Bible. My first friend went on to say that he did not agree that our old church didn't believe in speaking in tongues and prophecy. This belief goes directly against what Jesus prayed to the father before he was arrested, anything that gives a we/they or us/them mentality within the body is not of God. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that dissensions and factions are of the sinful nature.
Don't forget what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:11-31.) Since Paul starts off with apostles, and prophets, let's talk about prophecy. I find it interesting that there are so many people around claiming to be prophets, they come to town one week and set up shop. Then a few months later, they are gone. Recently, I visited my mentor's church for Wednesday night Bible study, where the question was asked, "Is Pat Robinson a modern prophet?" Since he recently said that God told him that the earthquake in Haiti was their judgment for a pact they made with the devil, long-ago. Pat Robertson has been known for saying God told him this and that after-the-fact. Like he once said that God told him to run for president, which we all know he didn't become. He also said God told him that the State Department needed to be done away with. These are but a few statements by Pat Robertson. Scripture tells us that a true prophet is right all the time.
Moreover, listen to the prophet Moses’ warning (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) later the apostle Paul addresses this in his letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:20-23.) I will talk more about this in my next blog. True prophecy produces peace within the church, not CHAOS (1 Corinthians 14:31-33.) Joshua Harris puts it this way, "When prophecy is genuine, it points people to Jesus, reminds them of his faithfulness and directs to His priorities. True prophecy always confirms in accordance with God's word." Remember, the apostle Paul states that all parts of the body are necessary(1 Corinthians 12:20-24.) By saying this, it would make more sense not to draw attention to gift of prophecy. Yet, in today's society, churches come close to having INFOMERCIALS boasting of prophecies and speaking in tongues. The gift of tongues is another area that has been exploited.
Go back with me to the first occurrence (Acts 2:2-8) of tongues (languages.) What was spoken was not some CHANT or Gibberish or SPEAKING A DEAD LANGUAGE, but actual languages. That is how the gift of tongues worked in the Bible, it drew people to Christ, if anything it would at least be a joyful noise!
While today it alienates the church. A few years ago, I was at Promise Keepers in Atlanta, when they had a Pentecostal emcee. During dinner, my best friend Mike asked me what the Pentecostal church believed and I simply explained that they believed in speaking in tongues and laying on of hands. To which he responded, "If you came to my church and spoke in tongues. The priest would perform an exorcism on you, sounds funny. But sadly, that is how most people both in and out of the church view the gift of speaking in tongues.
If you notice Luke says that the Spirit came like a violent wind. It is important to note that we don't control the Holy Spirit, if it enabled the apostle's to speak in foreign tongues (languages.) Who was in control? The Holy Spirit, which means that we can't decide when we will speak in tongues. That would be like saying; we control God, since the Holy Spirit is God. I can even attest to this from my experience in writing. There have been times that I've set aside day or a period of time to write, only to just sit behind my desk staring out my window. And other times when I am trying to do something else when the Holy Spirit begins to reveal things to me and open my eyes. But, when I plan to write and express what He has taught me, I go blank. I wish I could tell when the SPIRIT OF GOD would move. Recently, I was talking on the phone with a friend when she started speaking in tongues. I wanted so badly to ask her, what language is that? And remind her that I'M A BELIEVER! Ironically, the ones that rant and rave about their gift of speaking in tongues are the first to criticize my FUNKY JESUS MUSIC. Apparently, this exploitation of the Holy Spirit is nothing new.
In his letter to the church Corinth, the Paul states clearly that the gift of tongues (which is Greek for language) is used for unbelievers not the church. As Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians12:20-22.) Apparently, the apostle Paul had to address some believers that decided to SHOW OFF and ACT OUT. Because, he goes on to give rules and instructions for speaking in tongues to the church in Corinth ( 1 Corinthians 14:26-31.) Joshua Harris says in his book Dug Down Deep, " maybe your bad experience was just watching a few minutes of an oily-haired evangelist wearing pancake makeup, who broke into tongues and claimed to heal people over the airwaves (for a small donation.) Even the apostles didn't have a gift that ensured hearing on every occasion."
Because of my near-death experience, I agree with Joshua Harris that,"God still heals, although I'm less concerned about identifying a particular person as having the gift of healing. Obviously, I believe God can and does heal, because he is glorified when we do. Listen to Jesus' half-brother James( James 5:14-16.) In closing this blog, I have to mention that I have never heard a pastor handle spiritual gifts as well as I did while I was visiting new life Church in Colorado Springs. Pastor Brady Boyd said, "who am I to say, what you're spiritual gifts are or how God can use you? But, I can say this, if it glorifies you and doesn't glorify God by edifying His church. There is no place for it here." Because John tells us that helping us to grow as a body of believers and glorifying God is the purpose of the Holy Spirit(John 14:26.)
IMPOSSIBLE?
In closing this blog on one us to listen to the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus ( Ephesians 3 :20-21.) Founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth once stated, "The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender." When we surrender to the Holy Spirit, His POWER is what makes us not so average, He gimme dat power to show the CRAZY LOVE like Jesus did on the cross while they murdered Him; to forgive those who hurt us, give grace to those who don't give, love the unlovable, and thanks(Ephesians 1:15-22) for whatever we have or go through, over and over.
This isn't just the amazing love that I want to show my future wife, whoever that may be. This is the kind of love the Holy Spirit enables and compels me to give to all who hurt me, now. My best friend, Aaron is always telling me, "people do crazy, stupid things." It's like I told you brother Steve," there's a whole lot of GRACE AND MERCY in love." They are what make true love last forever. Maybe this is why the Bible uses the analogy of marriage to the relationship between the church and Jesus. I've had "trustworthy" friends and pastors that have abandoned me for left me to fend for myself; however, God and the Holy Spirit will never leave me alone. Maybe Saint Teresa of Avila said it best, "We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can—namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us."
One of the benefits of trusting God is knowing that He can do anything, even what is impossible for us to do ourselves. Maybe this is why the apostle Paul urged the church in Ephesus to be DRUNK IN THE SPIRIT and be thankful for it. D. L. Moody once noted, "God commands us to be filled with the Spirit; and if we are not filled, it's because we are living beneath our privileges." Recently, I heard a message by James Merritt where he explained, "one of the main elements every human needs to survive is nitrogen. The only problem is there is an abundance of nitrogen in the atmosphere and we can't get to it on our own. So God sends LIGHTNING to separate the nitrogen from the atmosphere and allow it to rain down to earth. Since we can't absorb enough nitrogen through our skin or mouths like we do oxygen, God puts bacteria into the air that breaks the nitrogen DOWN into nitrates that are absorbed by plants and when we eat the plants or animals that eat the plants with the nitrates, we get all the nitrogen we need to survive. So every time you see lightning, just think about how God is doing what you can't do for yourself."
Listen to Jesus' half-brother James in his letter to early Jewish Christians who were scattered by persecution (James 4:4-10.) J.C. Ryle has stated, "Never was there an eminent saint who was not full of thankfulness." That's why I am so thankful for God's FORGIVENESS. It is why I trust God and I let the Holy Spirit give me HOPE and COURAGE. Although my flesh tells me one thing, His Spirit will LET ME KNOW when I CAN'T QUIT(Galatians 6:8-9,) to keep HOLDING ON to my dreams. In my last assignment for writing course that I am taking through the Christian Writer's Guild I came across this quote by author Jo Berry, "I don't want any of you who miss God's best because you expect too little or because you ignore the obvious-- those wonderful holy dreams and ambitions the Holy Spirit has placed in your heart."
Aristotle wrote, "wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love." I have learned it is far better to listen to God, His Spirit and His word than to listen to a sinful man. For I know how Jacked up they are. And I know how jacked-up I am. While writing this blog, my inspirational dance screenplay won a contest and I was invited to Atlanta to meet with studio executives to pitch it to them for consideration for development, after seven years of trusting God. I know I'm NOT ALONE and I'll LIFT UP THE LIGHT. Remember, being alone was never part of His plan because it is not good ( Genesis 2:18) and I don't mean some DANG GIRL, even if she is crazy beautiful . God, I JUST WANNA LOVE YOU, I've always had someone to love. That is why I let God lead me by His Holy Spirit.
Grow(Word Remixed and Reposted?)
A week after I posted my Labor Day blog last month, I woke up earlier than normal and I couldn't go back to sleep. The nation was on pins and needles, concerned whether or not Al Qaeda was going to strike again on the 10th anniversary of 911. I was restless, because I was wondering why I hadn't heard from an old acquaintance. I remember lying in bed about 4 a.m. looking at the ceiling and praying to God,” how long should I wait, how long can I wait."
After breakfast that morning, I turned to Ecclesiastes and read (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Oddly, the words that caught my eye were, kill (3:3,) refrain (3:5,) silence (3:7,) and hate (3:8.) These are things we don’t want. However, I noticed that Solomon tells us there's a time for what we don't want before the things we do want; to heal, to embrace, to speak, to love. You see we can never really know one without first experiencing the other. Yet, everything happens in its time. This is hard for me and a lot of us, because it involves patience and perseverance.
I remember after church that day, watching on the news footage of people around the world observing a moment of silence and asking, “why” at the same time. It's the ANTHEM OF THE LONELY. Could it be God had been talking all along through the pain? Was He still talking in the silence? My mind and my heart raced back over the last one year, three months and three weeks of silence that I have endured. You see, in HINDSIGHT, I realize God and my acquaintance were talking all along.
I'm not sure if I learned this in college or through my work in men's ministry, communication is the most important factor in any relationship. And it takes two people; one person can’t give it all you’ve got while the other gives nothing. In a recent message by Bill Purvis, he shared, “over the years I have talked with many couples who want to separate or divorce because they can't stop fighting.” And we all know how people hate to fight. Purvis continued, “as long as they are fighting, they are communicating and letting each other know how they feel. If ever there was a time to walk away. It's when you stop fighting and stop listening, because that's when no one cares anymore and they give up.” Then, there is nothing left to lose. There is nothing left to say, not even I'm gonna get over you,nothing. Christian Writers Guild mentor and writer Sandra Aldrich says it best in the title of her book Men Read Newspapers, Not Minds, sorry ladies. Jerry Jenkins continues sharing his conversation with Ruth Graham in his book Writing For the Soul, “someone once asked if she had ever considered divorce. ‘Never, she said. ‘Homicide, but never divorce.”
Fortunately, for us Christians, we don't have to stand and wonder, why. We never have to experience the sound of silence. If we do, it's our own fault. Listen as Solomon continues (Ecclesiastes 3:9-17.) Father, I know You make everything beautiful. Because, no matter how bad things may look, You are in control.
My favorite excerpt from Jerry Jenkins’ The Betrayal is by Drake Boone while he was trying to prove officer Lamonica’s innocence. Jenkins writes, “But if there was hope, it was in God, in prayer, in Scripture. And the ultimate realization of hope was not forgetting the pain but rather finding a balm for it in the form of a new life, a new love, a new family.” Did you catch that? ”HOPE in Scripture.” And that is what this remixed blog on spiritual growth is about, how God grows us through His word.
GROW (WORD REMIXED AND REPOSTED?)
Alright, the wait is over, I'm ready now to continue my series on how God grows us, this way is one I personally failed at in the past. As I have explained before, there was a time in my life when I was living in the dark. What triggered my spiritual REBIRTHING was when I met my friend Bradley " Jubba" Dyer and he asked me if I was a Christian. To which I replied, "YES, I BELIEVE IN GOD and I am a non-practicing Baptist!" Later my best friend at the time, Sanjay, confronted me and told me that I wasn't a Christian. He told me that my Bible was just a big black book that lay under my bed collecting dust. I knew he was right and that was the DEFINING MOMENT I knew I had to make a CHANGE, you know the rest of the story.
After my near-death experience, it was Jubba who gave me my first Bible while I was still in the hospital, if you look close in the video of my near-death experience you'll see Jubba standing by my father as Sanjay shaved my head. I knew God had given me another chance at life to be a Godly man. I knew I had been REBORN and ALL FOR A PURPOSE. But, I didn’t realize how much I’VE BEEN CHANGED and that I'M NOT MYSELF ANYMORE.
I purposed in my heart to do as the apostle Paul told Timothy (2 Timothy 2:14-15 ,) so I could be UNASHAMED. That is why every day I grab my Bible, go to my hiding place and I DIG IN to THE WORD. It is also why Every Tuesday morning I meet with my pastor and a FEW GOOD MEN for Bible study and to PRAY. A few weeks ago we started discussing how God grows and leads us, my pastor got ahead of me in his comment that God grows us through more than just PAIN. He is right, the Bible is the first way God grows us and that is what this blog is about, growing through the word, God's original plan. It is A SHAME that we fail to learn from it. In his book Growing True Disciples, author George Barna writes, “less than one percent of all believers perceived a connection between their efforts to worship God and their development as a disciple of Jesus.’ This is nothing new; it has always been that way with God's CHOZEN not reading THY WORD.
Listen to the prophet Moses (Deuteronomy 6:9.) It’s not optional for Christians to teach the Bible to their children. However, listen to Moses by the end of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 31:26-29.) Next, listen to what the prophet Hosea had to say a little over 700 years later (Hosea 4:6-9.) I have heard countless preachers take this verse out of context to either urge their followers to buy something or to go back to college and it is a shame. How dare they take scripture out of context and use it for their own gain. At the same time, how can the PEOPLE OF GOD say I'M A SAINT and not read The Word of God? We have no problem putting the Ten Commandments in our store windows on our front yards, but we are supposed to put then in our hearts.
You see getting into the Bible is only half of what Jesus told us to do. Listen to Jesus in the Apostle John's letter to the church (John 15:1-5.) Here Jesus is telling us that getting into His word is only half of the battle, we have to get His word in our hearts or we are as good as dead. That is why I keep the word IN ME. Think about where vines grow, in gardens.
About fifteen hundred years before Jesus gave this message, there was another garden where God told man not to take of a tree or he will surely die, now Jesus is telling us if we stay connected to this vine (which is Him), we will surely live. I once read devotional by singer/author/actress Rebecca St. James where she said this, "someone once wrote to me and said, 'keep spending time with Jesus. I know it sometimes seems like there is no time, but make time to be with Him.' That really challenged me. We are what we fill our minds with. If we're serious about becoming like Jesus, we must spend time with Him." It all depends on WHAT YA WANT. She goes on to say, “the Bible is our instruction book." And we know men don't like reading the INSTRUCTIONS.
One of the things I remember from both Sunday school and high school was the story of Martin Luther and how he was responsible for leading the reformation of the church and his teaching on how we are saved by grace and NOT BY WORKS. However, it wasn't until after being TRANSFORMED that I learned until the Reformation, the Catholic Church had the only Bibles and gave its interpretation to the people. It was Luther that translated it to German and then it was printed for THE MASSES. The early protestant church considered having a copy of the Bible a gift and they were willing to die to keep it. That was six hundred years ago and now it is a much different story, isn't it? Especially for men, I had the opportunity a few years back as an ambassador for Promise Keepers to meet author David Murrow who writes in his book, Why Men Hate Going to Church, "men hate to read." That is unless it is a book or magazine with pictures. The success of Playboy and porn in America proves the opposite and I even confessed in my very first blog how I fell to the power of sex.
Now that I think about it, when I was a little boy, I remember my parents giving me my first Bible and it had big pictures of all the bible stories to help me understand and remember what happened. Pastors, what if we go out and buy a bunch of picture Bibles for our men's ministries? Maybe, we could do as Coach Bill McCartney (co-founder of Promise Keepers) said and turn this thing around?
Before you go and start saying I'm being too harsh, let me go ahead and share another reason for my passion for Bible reading. As I have already shared my brain injury affects my eyesight. So, it can be difficult for me to read, my vision is effected by my inability to focus and I lose track of where I'm at when I'm reading. Thus, I tend to read the same thing over and over. I've heard all the excuses; I have to work, I have a family (which is supposed to be a blessing, not a curse,) I just don't have the time, and of course, I hate to read. I learned a name for men like you while I was visiting Colorado last year, pansies. Get some Bible handles. The Bible is clear, we are to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6: 20, Matthew 19: 21, Mark 10: 21, Luke 16: 33, Luke 18: 22.) So what benefits your family in the long run, you spending hours away from your family working, family time in front of the T.V., or getting closer to God ALL DAY EVERY DAY and not just on Sunday? Guys, it's not your pastor's job, nor your men's ministry leader's job to read the Bible to you.
Listen to the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi (Philippians 2:12-18.) Paul told the church to hold onto the Bible firmly. I've got great news for you, there are no hidden secrets. That is the beauty of the Bible it is written for everyone and everyone can read it. Like Rob Bell explains in his book Velvet Elvis, “when Jesus called His disciples, He choose normal, working guys that didn't excel in studying the scriptures.”You can do it. In case you don't know where to start, I link a men's daily devotion to my Facebook page every day and I double-Dutch dare you to DIVE into the Bible, it is STILL PREACHIN', for some REAL VISION. I challenge you to LISTEN to the WORD OF GOD SPEAK; it is the only voice of truth.
And guys remember, your kids are watching you. Like I mentioned earlier in this blog, God told the Israelites to teach the Bible to your children. It is your job to MAKE A MAN. Maybe then we won't have a bunch of kids with their pants on the ground. Luke goes on to describe how Jesus quoted scripture three times to fight the devil while he was being tempted in the wilderness. If you read the passage, you'll see how Jesus first defends himself with scripture, but by the end of the battle Jesus attacks the devil, by saying, “Do not put the Lord, thy God to the test!" Here Jesus is making a DECLARATION, He is God. After that the devil leaves. The apostle Paul goes on to call the word of God a sword in his letter to the church in Ephesus.
Men, it is time for us to start walking the WALK, not just talking the talk, teach the next generation the BASIC INSTRUCTIONS of how to fight by how you live. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 10:14.) I share that because in closing this blog, I want to remind you of the great commission Jesus gave us before He ended His earthly ministry here. Jesus didn't ask or suggest we take the good news to all nations, No, Mathew tells us Jesus commanded us to GO TELL THE WORLD. To take THE MESSAGE to all nations and LET 'EM KNOW about God's love letter. This is why we GOTTA GROW through THE WORD.
Blessed?
Since I originally posted this blog nearly two years ago a lot has happened in the world. And I am not just talking about the secular world; I'm more concerned about the spiritual realm and the Bride, which we know is the church. To be more specific, here in the town and the community that I live in there have been a lot of false teachings and doctrines floating around. It seems everywhere that I go I hear Christians boasting," I'M BLESSED, God favors me.” Personally I can't help but think, SO WHAT. Maybe they have forgotten that God did all of the work by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for everyone who believes in Him (John 3:16.) It seems that they don't remember the Apostle Paul’s warnings about boasting (2 Corinthians 11:30, 2 Corinthians 12:5-12.)
Then there the churches that brag and boast that they are favored because God has gifted them with the gift of speaking in tongues. As if it was a sign of spiritual growth. Yet they have forgotten the apostle Paul not only said the gift of speaking in tongues was the least of spiritual gifts and urged believers to seek greater gifts(1 Corinthians 12:27-31.) Paul even goes on to tell the church at Corinth that the gift of tongues will stop and to keep doing it would be childish (1 Corinthians 13:1-13.) To put this in perspective, speaking in tongues is a sign of spiritual immaturity. If you look at the first occurrence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1-12,) you'll notice that the real miracle wasn’t that the disciples spoke in different earthly languages, but that “the Jews heard them in their own languages.” So the real gift was in hearing, not speaking at all.
Maybe they forgot to listen to Jesus in the gospel Luke (Luke 13:27-30.) You see Jesus taught His disciples that in the economy of heaven, the last will be first and the first will be last. It is an economy of servant hood and humility. And I'm not talking about some fake humility that is displayed in front of crowds; I'm talking about genuine humility that comes from knowing it's not about you. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 12:8-13.) John Piper has said, “If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life.”
However, the doctrine that disgusts me the most is TWISTED teaching about God's blessings, most commonly known as the health and wealth doctrine. Here stupid preachers falsely teach believers that no matter what you do; God is going to bless you with money and things. Somehow they neglect to teach about the curses and consequences, especially when it comes to sin. You see the Bible is full of blessings and curses from the beginning to the end. You can’t preach about heaven and never preach about hell. Remember that blog I posted in February on half-truths? It's just like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, people want all of the good things without experiencing the bad. King Solomon was clear there is a time for both (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15,) God is the God of every season. He makes the leaves change color and die, then grow back at just the right time (yep,yep.)
As I mentioned in my last blog, I understand people don’t want to hurt and want to have hope, but that's not the hope of the gospel. The hope of the gospel isn't a lie, big or small. The hope of the gospel is that God loves us and will be with us in the fire, ultimately sparing us an eternal fire through the sacrifice made by Jesus. If you are a pastor reading this, understand you cannot water down the gospel to satisfy “twitching” ears. The Bible warns us repeatedly about this (Isaiah 30:10, Ephesians 5:5-7, 1 Timothy 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Jude 1:17-19, 1 John 2:17-19.) Martin Luther once noted, “You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the Word. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 8:5-9.) Don't forget that in the Apostle John's Revelation, he warns us about a curse on anyone who adds to or takes away from the Bible (Revelation 22:18.) It is obvious that no one has a right to change any part of the Bible; to presume to add to it, or to take from it, or in any way to modify it(2 Timothy 3:16.) I guess these preachers forgot about that curse.
While working on this blog I watched the movie The Invention of Lying by Ricky Gervais. It takes place in some pretend version of the world where everyone always told the truth and no one was happy. Until one day the main character tells the first lie and he goes around telling everyone he meets lies to make them happy, even about God (the man in the sky.) The irony of the movie is that Gervais (an outspoken atheist) took just enough Bible truth and twisted it to give people hope. In the end the main character gets the girl by telling the truth, even though it hurt her. It’s amazing what a little honesty can do. Listen to Jesus as He explains this to a Samaritan woman in the gospel of John (John 4:21-25.) True worshipers who follow God will do it “in truth,” not lies. In the end truth wins. Cut to the final scene of the movie where the main character is teaching his son to lie to his mom about her cooking. Hmm, I get it.
This is the stuff the Bible says in THE LAST DAYS( Revelation 18:13-15,) people will flock to and stupid preachers know it. But it looks good, doesn't it? Oh, our church is growing. We are doing so much in the community. They even post it on Facebook. Where is the humility? Here's how it works, God is in control, right? Or have they forgotten that the Bible is clear God is in control of the rise and fall of every leader, King, ruler, president, preacher, teacher, those skyscrappers that fell on 911 (1 Samuel 2:7-8, Psalm 75:7, James 4:10, Ephesians 4:11-16) and even my BUSTED HEART.
The Apostle Paul is clear especially in the area of the church, God is in control. That’s why Jesus is referred to as the head. It is God who holds our DESTINY in His hands. If anything is God's will, it will happen IN TIME, His time. Listen to King Solomon's warning (Ecclesiastes 7:7-11.) It's our love for God and God's word that is supposed to set us apart from the world. The New Testament says we will shine like FIREFLIES in the night (Matthew 5:16, 2 Corinthians 8:21, Philippians 2:12, 1 Peter 2:12.) Former Seattle mayor Norman B. Rice challenges us, “Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light. YES, we have a choice to follow Jesus or not. Chuck Swindoll has said, ‘Few things are more infectious than a godly lifestyle. The people you rub shoulders with everyday need that kind of challenge. Not prudish. Not preachy. Just crackerjack clean living. Just honest to goodness, bone-deep, non-hypocritical integrity.
By now, you're probably saying, “Martin, life is tuff these days.” I know and that is why we should be getting into God's word that much more. Listen to the Psalmists (Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 25:4, Psalm 27:11 and Psalm 119:15-30.) The Psalmists are clear WE ARE to meditate on God's word; notice there is a clear connection between studying God's laws and His blessings. That’s why I like’em all. This relationship is evident throughout the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:19, 29:9, 31:24, Joshua 1:8, 8:34.) Maybe that is because they were under the law and we are under grace, right? But what did Jesus say? Go with me back to Matthew (Matthew 5:17-18.) Perhaps Jesus had the prophet Isaiah in mind when he spoke (Isaiah 55:11.) God's word will last FOREVER and it will fulfill His purpose only, no matter how stupid preachers twist them, we can’t change them or control the Holy Spirit (I'll discuss the Holy Spirit later in this series.)
They are basically playing God. Have they forgotten there is NO ONE GREATER than God? The creation is not greater than the creator, this is what the devil failed to learn (Isaiah 14:13, Jeremiah 49:16.) Go ahead and say it, “you're being legalistic” actually it's more like being lovalistic, remember communication takes two. If God is trying to talk to us and we won't listen by reading His love letter, then what does that say about this relationship? Remember what Jesus said in His sermon on the mount (John 15:8-11?)
Later this month most of the world will celebrate Halloween, what scares me the most is that even seasoned evangelists are walking away from sound doctrine and the word. Last month Pat Robertson agreed with a caller that their friend’s wife, who suffered from Alzheimer's, ‘"his wife, as he knows her, is gone." Robertson went on to encourage the colleague’s friend to seek a divorce. Has even he forgotten what the marriage vows are?
Has he forgotten that the writers of the God-breathed Scriptures used the analogy of marriage to compare the relationship of the church and Jesus to a relationship between a husband and wife (Ephesians 5:25-33, Colossians 3:19, 1 Peter 3:1-7?) Clearly, the church (the Bride) is jacked up with false doctrines and not herself anymore. Yet, the Bridegroom (Jesus) is still coming back for her. He still sees her as BEAUTIFUL. So should our wives leave us for ANOTHER MAN? You see love and respect go hand in hand, it's IMPOSSIBLE to have one without the other, especially in the Greek language in which the New Testament was written. The Greek word for respect is Kairos ,time(value, esteem.)
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Kairos as a right or opportune moment: Fullness of time; the propitious moment for the performance of an action or the coming into being of a new state. When the Lord has set in motion the right events in the world, He established the idea in the hearts of the people involved; He moved in the spiritual world so His will can be accomplished, this is Kairos, time. A combination of circumstances, ideas, changes in people, merging of events — a melding together of all the elements that make up the completeness of a situation, sound familiar?
It is particularly used in Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. Here Paul is saying, if the church/wives respects (spends time with) the Bridegroom/husbands that is an indication of our love for Him. So, the time we (the church) spend with God (in the word) is an indicator of our love for Him. Guys, what does it say, if we spend more time on Facebook and playing PS3 than talking with the women in our lives? Likewise, ladies, if you are on Facebook or cell phones more than you are talking with your man, do you respect…. do you love him? Come on actions speak louder than words. Maybe these stupid preachers have forgotten that the Bible is clear, THIS ONE THING sums up the law, love (Galatians 5:14, Matthew 22:39, John 13:34, Romans 13:8-10.) Remember, this is what the young Pharisee didn't understand (Luke 10:25-37.)
TIME?
In closing this blog, I need to address the men reading this particularly. I'm a little concerned that we are SO FAR GONE from the Bible that we are left with a FULL COURT MESS. If a change is gonna come, we need to become renegades to these false doctrines. I can almost hear our SAVIOR saying, “DON'T LEAVE ME.” You need to let God's word come Alive in you and make you STRONGER. If we and our homes are going to truly have VICTORY, we need to MAN UP just FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS and get into the Bible.I HEARD A WORD from the Bible, not men(Proverbs 8:1-11.) I don't need anyone to FILL ME IN on the word.
After breakfast that morning, I turned to Ecclesiastes and read (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Oddly, the words that caught my eye were, kill (3:3,) refrain (3:5,) silence (3:7,) and hate (3:8.) These are things we don’t want. However, I noticed that Solomon tells us there's a time for what we don't want before the things we do want; to heal, to embrace, to speak, to love. You see we can never really know one without first experiencing the other. Yet, everything happens in its time. This is hard for me and a lot of us, because it involves patience and perseverance.
I remember after church that day, watching on the news footage of people around the world observing a moment of silence and asking, “why” at the same time. It's the ANTHEM OF THE LONELY. Could it be God had been talking all along through the pain? Was He still talking in the silence? My mind and my heart raced back over the last one year, three months and three weeks of silence that I have endured. You see, in HINDSIGHT, I realize God and my acquaintance were talking all along.
I'm not sure if I learned this in college or through my work in men's ministry, communication is the most important factor in any relationship. And it takes two people; one person can’t give it all you’ve got while the other gives nothing. In a recent message by Bill Purvis, he shared, “over the years I have talked with many couples who want to separate or divorce because they can't stop fighting.” And we all know how people hate to fight. Purvis continued, “as long as they are fighting, they are communicating and letting each other know how they feel. If ever there was a time to walk away. It's when you stop fighting and stop listening, because that's when no one cares anymore and they give up.” Then, there is nothing left to lose. There is nothing left to say, not even I'm gonna get over you,nothing. Christian Writers Guild mentor and writer Sandra Aldrich says it best in the title of her book Men Read Newspapers, Not Minds, sorry ladies. Jerry Jenkins continues sharing his conversation with Ruth Graham in his book Writing For the Soul, “someone once asked if she had ever considered divorce. ‘Never, she said. ‘Homicide, but never divorce.”
Fortunately, for us Christians, we don't have to stand and wonder, why. We never have to experience the sound of silence. If we do, it's our own fault. Listen as Solomon continues (Ecclesiastes 3:9-17.) Father, I know You make everything beautiful. Because, no matter how bad things may look, You are in control.
My favorite excerpt from Jerry Jenkins’ The Betrayal is by Drake Boone while he was trying to prove officer Lamonica’s innocence. Jenkins writes, “But if there was hope, it was in God, in prayer, in Scripture. And the ultimate realization of hope was not forgetting the pain but rather finding a balm for it in the form of a new life, a new love, a new family.” Did you catch that? ”HOPE in Scripture.” And that is what this remixed blog on spiritual growth is about, how God grows us through His word.
GROW (WORD REMIXED AND REPOSTED?)
Alright, the wait is over, I'm ready now to continue my series on how God grows us, this way is one I personally failed at in the past. As I have explained before, there was a time in my life when I was living in the dark. What triggered my spiritual REBIRTHING was when I met my friend Bradley " Jubba" Dyer and he asked me if I was a Christian. To which I replied, "YES, I BELIEVE IN GOD and I am a non-practicing Baptist!" Later my best friend at the time, Sanjay, confronted me and told me that I wasn't a Christian. He told me that my Bible was just a big black book that lay under my bed collecting dust. I knew he was right and that was the DEFINING MOMENT I knew I had to make a CHANGE, you know the rest of the story.
After my near-death experience, it was Jubba who gave me my first Bible while I was still in the hospital, if you look close in the video of my near-death experience you'll see Jubba standing by my father as Sanjay shaved my head. I knew God had given me another chance at life to be a Godly man. I knew I had been REBORN and ALL FOR A PURPOSE. But, I didn’t realize how much I’VE BEEN CHANGED and that I'M NOT MYSELF ANYMORE.
I purposed in my heart to do as the apostle Paul told Timothy (2 Timothy 2:14-15 ,) so I could be UNASHAMED. That is why every day I grab my Bible, go to my hiding place and I DIG IN to THE WORD. It is also why Every Tuesday morning I meet with my pastor and a FEW GOOD MEN for Bible study and to PRAY. A few weeks ago we started discussing how God grows and leads us, my pastor got ahead of me in his comment that God grows us through more than just PAIN. He is right, the Bible is the first way God grows us and that is what this blog is about, growing through the word, God's original plan. It is A SHAME that we fail to learn from it. In his book Growing True Disciples, author George Barna writes, “less than one percent of all believers perceived a connection between their efforts to worship God and their development as a disciple of Jesus.’ This is nothing new; it has always been that way with God's CHOZEN not reading THY WORD.
Listen to the prophet Moses (Deuteronomy 6:9.) It’s not optional for Christians to teach the Bible to their children. However, listen to Moses by the end of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 31:26-29.) Next, listen to what the prophet Hosea had to say a little over 700 years later (Hosea 4:6-9.) I have heard countless preachers take this verse out of context to either urge their followers to buy something or to go back to college and it is a shame. How dare they take scripture out of context and use it for their own gain. At the same time, how can the PEOPLE OF GOD say I'M A SAINT and not read The Word of God? We have no problem putting the Ten Commandments in our store windows on our front yards, but we are supposed to put then in our hearts.
You see getting into the Bible is only half of what Jesus told us to do. Listen to Jesus in the Apostle John's letter to the church (John 15:1-5.) Here Jesus is telling us that getting into His word is only half of the battle, we have to get His word in our hearts or we are as good as dead. That is why I keep the word IN ME. Think about where vines grow, in gardens.
About fifteen hundred years before Jesus gave this message, there was another garden where God told man not to take of a tree or he will surely die, now Jesus is telling us if we stay connected to this vine (which is Him), we will surely live. I once read devotional by singer/author/actress Rebecca St. James where she said this, "someone once wrote to me and said, 'keep spending time with Jesus. I know it sometimes seems like there is no time, but make time to be with Him.' That really challenged me. We are what we fill our minds with. If we're serious about becoming like Jesus, we must spend time with Him." It all depends on WHAT YA WANT. She goes on to say, “the Bible is our instruction book." And we know men don't like reading the INSTRUCTIONS.
One of the things I remember from both Sunday school and high school was the story of Martin Luther and how he was responsible for leading the reformation of the church and his teaching on how we are saved by grace and NOT BY WORKS. However, it wasn't until after being TRANSFORMED that I learned until the Reformation, the Catholic Church had the only Bibles and gave its interpretation to the people. It was Luther that translated it to German and then it was printed for THE MASSES. The early protestant church considered having a copy of the Bible a gift and they were willing to die to keep it. That was six hundred years ago and now it is a much different story, isn't it? Especially for men, I had the opportunity a few years back as an ambassador for Promise Keepers to meet author David Murrow who writes in his book, Why Men Hate Going to Church, "men hate to read." That is unless it is a book or magazine with pictures. The success of Playboy and porn in America proves the opposite and I even confessed in my very first blog how I fell to the power of sex.
Now that I think about it, when I was a little boy, I remember my parents giving me my first Bible and it had big pictures of all the bible stories to help me understand and remember what happened. Pastors, what if we go out and buy a bunch of picture Bibles for our men's ministries? Maybe, we could do as Coach Bill McCartney (co-founder of Promise Keepers) said and turn this thing around?
Before you go and start saying I'm being too harsh, let me go ahead and share another reason for my passion for Bible reading. As I have already shared my brain injury affects my eyesight. So, it can be difficult for me to read, my vision is effected by my inability to focus and I lose track of where I'm at when I'm reading. Thus, I tend to read the same thing over and over. I've heard all the excuses; I have to work, I have a family (which is supposed to be a blessing, not a curse,) I just don't have the time, and of course, I hate to read. I learned a name for men like you while I was visiting Colorado last year, pansies. Get some Bible handles. The Bible is clear, we are to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6: 20, Matthew 19: 21, Mark 10: 21, Luke 16: 33, Luke 18: 22.) So what benefits your family in the long run, you spending hours away from your family working, family time in front of the T.V., or getting closer to God ALL DAY EVERY DAY and not just on Sunday? Guys, it's not your pastor's job, nor your men's ministry leader's job to read the Bible to you.
Listen to the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi (Philippians 2:12-18.) Paul told the church to hold onto the Bible firmly. I've got great news for you, there are no hidden secrets. That is the beauty of the Bible it is written for everyone and everyone can read it. Like Rob Bell explains in his book Velvet Elvis, “when Jesus called His disciples, He choose normal, working guys that didn't excel in studying the scriptures.”You can do it. In case you don't know where to start, I link a men's daily devotion to my Facebook page every day and I double-Dutch dare you to DIVE into the Bible, it is STILL PREACHIN', for some REAL VISION. I challenge you to LISTEN to the WORD OF GOD SPEAK; it is the only voice of truth.
And guys remember, your kids are watching you. Like I mentioned earlier in this blog, God told the Israelites to teach the Bible to your children. It is your job to MAKE A MAN. Maybe then we won't have a bunch of kids with their pants on the ground. Luke goes on to describe how Jesus quoted scripture three times to fight the devil while he was being tempted in the wilderness. If you read the passage, you'll see how Jesus first defends himself with scripture, but by the end of the battle Jesus attacks the devil, by saying, “Do not put the Lord, thy God to the test!" Here Jesus is making a DECLARATION, He is God. After that the devil leaves. The apostle Paul goes on to call the word of God a sword in his letter to the church in Ephesus.
Men, it is time for us to start walking the WALK, not just talking the talk, teach the next generation the BASIC INSTRUCTIONS of how to fight by how you live. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 10:14.) I share that because in closing this blog, I want to remind you of the great commission Jesus gave us before He ended His earthly ministry here. Jesus didn't ask or suggest we take the good news to all nations, No, Mathew tells us Jesus commanded us to GO TELL THE WORLD. To take THE MESSAGE to all nations and LET 'EM KNOW about God's love letter. This is why we GOTTA GROW through THE WORD.
Blessed?
Since I originally posted this blog nearly two years ago a lot has happened in the world. And I am not just talking about the secular world; I'm more concerned about the spiritual realm and the Bride, which we know is the church. To be more specific, here in the town and the community that I live in there have been a lot of false teachings and doctrines floating around. It seems everywhere that I go I hear Christians boasting," I'M BLESSED, God favors me.” Personally I can't help but think, SO WHAT. Maybe they have forgotten that God did all of the work by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for everyone who believes in Him (John 3:16.) It seems that they don't remember the Apostle Paul’s warnings about boasting (2 Corinthians 11:30, 2 Corinthians 12:5-12.)
Then there the churches that brag and boast that they are favored because God has gifted them with the gift of speaking in tongues. As if it was a sign of spiritual growth. Yet they have forgotten the apostle Paul not only said the gift of speaking in tongues was the least of spiritual gifts and urged believers to seek greater gifts(1 Corinthians 12:27-31.) Paul even goes on to tell the church at Corinth that the gift of tongues will stop and to keep doing it would be childish (1 Corinthians 13:1-13.) To put this in perspective, speaking in tongues is a sign of spiritual immaturity. If you look at the first occurrence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1-12,) you'll notice that the real miracle wasn’t that the disciples spoke in different earthly languages, but that “the Jews heard them in their own languages.” So the real gift was in hearing, not speaking at all.
Maybe they forgot to listen to Jesus in the gospel Luke (Luke 13:27-30.) You see Jesus taught His disciples that in the economy of heaven, the last will be first and the first will be last. It is an economy of servant hood and humility. And I'm not talking about some fake humility that is displayed in front of crowds; I'm talking about genuine humility that comes from knowing it's not about you. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 12:8-13.) John Piper has said, “If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life.”
However, the doctrine that disgusts me the most is TWISTED teaching about God's blessings, most commonly known as the health and wealth doctrine. Here stupid preachers falsely teach believers that no matter what you do; God is going to bless you with money and things. Somehow they neglect to teach about the curses and consequences, especially when it comes to sin. You see the Bible is full of blessings and curses from the beginning to the end. You can’t preach about heaven and never preach about hell. Remember that blog I posted in February on half-truths? It's just like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, people want all of the good things without experiencing the bad. King Solomon was clear there is a time for both (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15,) God is the God of every season. He makes the leaves change color and die, then grow back at just the right time (yep,yep.)
As I mentioned in my last blog, I understand people don’t want to hurt and want to have hope, but that's not the hope of the gospel. The hope of the gospel isn't a lie, big or small. The hope of the gospel is that God loves us and will be with us in the fire, ultimately sparing us an eternal fire through the sacrifice made by Jesus. If you are a pastor reading this, understand you cannot water down the gospel to satisfy “twitching” ears. The Bible warns us repeatedly about this (Isaiah 30:10, Ephesians 5:5-7, 1 Timothy 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Jude 1:17-19, 1 John 2:17-19.) Martin Luther once noted, “You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the Word. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 8:5-9.) Don't forget that in the Apostle John's Revelation, he warns us about a curse on anyone who adds to or takes away from the Bible (Revelation 22:18.) It is obvious that no one has a right to change any part of the Bible; to presume to add to it, or to take from it, or in any way to modify it(2 Timothy 3:16.) I guess these preachers forgot about that curse.
While working on this blog I watched the movie The Invention of Lying by Ricky Gervais. It takes place in some pretend version of the world where everyone always told the truth and no one was happy. Until one day the main character tells the first lie and he goes around telling everyone he meets lies to make them happy, even about God (the man in the sky.) The irony of the movie is that Gervais (an outspoken atheist) took just enough Bible truth and twisted it to give people hope. In the end the main character gets the girl by telling the truth, even though it hurt her. It’s amazing what a little honesty can do. Listen to Jesus as He explains this to a Samaritan woman in the gospel of John (John 4:21-25.) True worshipers who follow God will do it “in truth,” not lies. In the end truth wins. Cut to the final scene of the movie where the main character is teaching his son to lie to his mom about her cooking. Hmm, I get it.
This is the stuff the Bible says in THE LAST DAYS( Revelation 18:13-15,) people will flock to and stupid preachers know it. But it looks good, doesn't it? Oh, our church is growing. We are doing so much in the community. They even post it on Facebook. Where is the humility? Here's how it works, God is in control, right? Or have they forgotten that the Bible is clear God is in control of the rise and fall of every leader, King, ruler, president, preacher, teacher, those skyscrappers that fell on 911 (1 Samuel 2:7-8, Psalm 75:7, James 4:10, Ephesians 4:11-16) and even my BUSTED HEART.
The Apostle Paul is clear especially in the area of the church, God is in control. That’s why Jesus is referred to as the head. It is God who holds our DESTINY in His hands. If anything is God's will, it will happen IN TIME, His time. Listen to King Solomon's warning (Ecclesiastes 7:7-11.) It's our love for God and God's word that is supposed to set us apart from the world. The New Testament says we will shine like FIREFLIES in the night (Matthew 5:16, 2 Corinthians 8:21, Philippians 2:12, 1 Peter 2:12.) Former Seattle mayor Norman B. Rice challenges us, “Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light. YES, we have a choice to follow Jesus or not. Chuck Swindoll has said, ‘Few things are more infectious than a godly lifestyle. The people you rub shoulders with everyday need that kind of challenge. Not prudish. Not preachy. Just crackerjack clean living. Just honest to goodness, bone-deep, non-hypocritical integrity.
By now, you're probably saying, “Martin, life is tuff these days.” I know and that is why we should be getting into God's word that much more. Listen to the Psalmists (Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 25:4, Psalm 27:11 and Psalm 119:15-30.) The Psalmists are clear WE ARE to meditate on God's word; notice there is a clear connection between studying God's laws and His blessings. That’s why I like’em all. This relationship is evident throughout the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:19, 29:9, 31:24, Joshua 1:8, 8:34.) Maybe that is because they were under the law and we are under grace, right? But what did Jesus say? Go with me back to Matthew (Matthew 5:17-18.) Perhaps Jesus had the prophet Isaiah in mind when he spoke (Isaiah 55:11.) God's word will last FOREVER and it will fulfill His purpose only, no matter how stupid preachers twist them, we can’t change them or control the Holy Spirit (I'll discuss the Holy Spirit later in this series.)
They are basically playing God. Have they forgotten there is NO ONE GREATER than God? The creation is not greater than the creator, this is what the devil failed to learn (Isaiah 14:13, Jeremiah 49:16.) Go ahead and say it, “you're being legalistic” actually it's more like being lovalistic, remember communication takes two. If God is trying to talk to us and we won't listen by reading His love letter, then what does that say about this relationship? Remember what Jesus said in His sermon on the mount (John 15:8-11?)
Later this month most of the world will celebrate Halloween, what scares me the most is that even seasoned evangelists are walking away from sound doctrine and the word. Last month Pat Robertson agreed with a caller that their friend’s wife, who suffered from Alzheimer's, ‘"his wife, as he knows her, is gone." Robertson went on to encourage the colleague’s friend to seek a divorce. Has even he forgotten what the marriage vows are?
Has he forgotten that the writers of the God-breathed Scriptures used the analogy of marriage to compare the relationship of the church and Jesus to a relationship between a husband and wife (Ephesians 5:25-33, Colossians 3:19, 1 Peter 3:1-7?) Clearly, the church (the Bride) is jacked up with false doctrines and not herself anymore. Yet, the Bridegroom (Jesus) is still coming back for her. He still sees her as BEAUTIFUL. So should our wives leave us for ANOTHER MAN? You see love and respect go hand in hand, it's IMPOSSIBLE to have one without the other, especially in the Greek language in which the New Testament was written. The Greek word for respect is Kairos ,time(value, esteem.)
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Kairos as a right or opportune moment: Fullness of time; the propitious moment for the performance of an action or the coming into being of a new state. When the Lord has set in motion the right events in the world, He established the idea in the hearts of the people involved; He moved in the spiritual world so His will can be accomplished, this is Kairos, time. A combination of circumstances, ideas, changes in people, merging of events — a melding together of all the elements that make up the completeness of a situation, sound familiar?
It is particularly used in Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. Here Paul is saying, if the church/wives respects (spends time with) the Bridegroom/husbands that is an indication of our love for Him. So, the time we (the church) spend with God (in the word) is an indicator of our love for Him. Guys, what does it say, if we spend more time on Facebook and playing PS3 than talking with the women in our lives? Likewise, ladies, if you are on Facebook or cell phones more than you are talking with your man, do you respect…. do you love him? Come on actions speak louder than words. Maybe these stupid preachers have forgotten that the Bible is clear, THIS ONE THING sums up the law, love (Galatians 5:14, Matthew 22:39, John 13:34, Romans 13:8-10.) Remember, this is what the young Pharisee didn't understand (Luke 10:25-37.)
TIME?
In closing this blog, I need to address the men reading this particularly. I'm a little concerned that we are SO FAR GONE from the Bible that we are left with a FULL COURT MESS. If a change is gonna come, we need to become renegades to these false doctrines. I can almost hear our SAVIOR saying, “DON'T LEAVE ME.” You need to let God's word come Alive in you and make you STRONGER. If we and our homes are going to truly have VICTORY, we need to MAN UP just FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS and get into the Bible.I HEARD A WORD from the Bible, not men(Proverbs 8:1-11.) I don't need anyone to FILL ME IN on the word.
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