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.
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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