Monday, October 31, 2011

Piece 2: Breastplate

Ephesians 6.14b "and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS," Righteousness is a right standing relationship with God. It is an essential characteristic of a Christ follower because it is the evidence that we are living for God. Righteousness means that there is nothing separating us from God, nothing is keeping us from going to Him, and nothing is keeping us from hearing Him. Righteousness is essential.

The breastplate is a crucial piece of equipment for a solider. It was made of metal and covered a solider front and back, from neck to thigh. This piece offers protection of most of the vital organs in the body. It allows the solider to attack without fear of injury.

Righteousness gives us protection for battle. A life that is righteous can stand up against any accusation and prove it false. A life lived in a right relationship with God has nothing to hide, and can proudly display all of it's deeds before anyone without fear of something being seen. Satan cannot accuse a solider of God, because that solider is covered in His righteousness.

Even though the breastplate covers the whole torso of the solider, it's main function is to protect the heart. The heart is essential to life, without it blood cannot flow through the body. The heart is also the organ we associate with love and relationships. The breastplate, righteousness, is there to guard our source of life, and to protect our ability to build relationships.

The righteousness of God covers us and clothes us for battle. We come to the righteousness of God through the truth of God. Fasten the belt around your waist, then cover yourself with the breastplate. The truth will not be believed unless it is shared from a righteous life. Righteousness is an essential part of the armor, it allows us to march boldly into battle, unafraid of any attack the enemy may hit us with. Strap on the breastplate and prepare for battle.

Peace be with you

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Piece 1: Belt

Warriors don't go into battle unprotected, they wear armor. We are engaged in a war against an evil force, and our armor must be spiritual if we are going to withstand his attacks. God has provided us with armor that that we can stand firm against the devil. Each piece is significant.

The first piece of the armor of God is the Belt of Truth. Ephesians 6.14a "Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,". When we hear the word belt today you probably think of a strait piece of leather that wraps around your waist to hold up your pants. I used to have a plastic play set of the Armor of God when I was little. In it, the belt was a simple thing, very similar to a belt today. But the belt was very inaccurate to what Paul is talking about.

A Roman solider would have a belt, but it wasn't a belt like we think of today. Back then it was heavy leather, and it looked like a skirt. If you've seen the opening seen of the movie Gladiator you've seen this item. The belt was an important piece of the armor. It would wrap around the soldier's tunic and hold it in place giving him freedom to move. Likewise it also would be the place that his sword was hung from. The belt is crucial.

But the belt did more than just free up movement and hold the sword. The belt offered protection. The belt was designed to protect a soldier's reproductive organs. The belt is important.

Our belt is Truth. Truth frees us, and it allows us to move because we are no longer held in the bondage of the lies of sin. Truth is found in the Word of God. John 8.31-32, "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.'"

Truth sets us free, but more importantly, truth is how we spiritually reproduce. We can only make new believers by passing on the truth of God, found in the Bible, to them. We must guard the truth, we must stand upon it and live by it.

Satan is the father of lies, John 8.43-44, "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." The only way we can hear from Jesus, the only way we can know what He is saying to us, is to be surrounded by truth. We must wrap the truth around us.

Truth is where preparing for battle against Satan starts. We must know the truth before we can stand against falsehood. Pour yourself into the truth which is found in the Word of God, devote yourself to it, and prepare for battle.

Peace be with you

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Warrior's Armor

The Bible is full of war stories and images of soldiers, weapons, and battles. There is a reason for this, we are engaged in a war that has been going on since the beginning. Satan, in his attempt to over throw God, began a war that is still going on. The Earth is the battle field, and there are no civilians. All of us are on a side whether we know it or not.

It's a war where the winner and loser has already been determined, but that isn't over yet. The tide of the war turned and victory was assured by an old rugged cross and an empty tomb cut out of a rock; the D-Day event of history. The death and resurrection of Jesus sealed the victory of good, but the war is still not over.

Those who have joined the side of Jesus have done so willingly and deliberately, no one can do it by accident. But those who have enlisted in the army of God don't go into battle unprotected. No warrior marches onto the battle field unequipped. Some are better equipped than others based on years of service, commitment to the cause, and resources available, but all are equipped.

With God as our general the same equipment is available to all of His soldiers, but it's usage depends on each troop's commitment and discipline to training.

Ephesians 6.10-13, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."

God has given us armor. And it isn't like the armor Saul gives David in 1 Samuel 17, which doesn't fit and is untested. It's armor that is custom made for each of us. Armor that we are given to train with, to learn how it functions, to learn how to use it in combat. It's armor that will protect us and enable us to be victorious.

God has given us armor, let's put it on, let's train with it and keep it ready for combat.

Peace be with you

Monday, October 24, 2011

Servant Warriors

Very often I think about weapons and warriors, I'm a guy. If I wasn't a pastor my dream job would be US Navy SEAL, the most elite commandos in the world. That wasn't God's calling on my life, at times I'm grateful, but there are still times my heart longs for the adventure and the battle. I really wish I had served my country after high school, but again that wasn't what God had in mind. My wife constantly reminds me that if I had enlisted I never would have met her, and for that fact alone, I'm glad I didn't.

The Navy SEALs fascinate me, but there are ancient warriors that I love as well, my favorite are the SEALs of the ancient world, the Spartans. These men were some of the toughest human beings ever to walk the planet. They lived and breathed battle. I wasn't able to get to Sparta when I was in Greece (sadly), but talking with a friend I learned that there really is nothing there. There's a statue of Leonidas, the King at the time of the Battle at Thermopylae (a location I did get to go to), but that's really all that is in Sparta as I've been told. There is no art, no architecture; they didn't have time for it because it didn't relate to combat and training for battle.

There are a few material things in life that I really want. One of them is a Spartan shield. I've been looking for over a year now, and I found one on the internet a few weeks ago that is full size and looks authentic. I showed my wife and told her, someday I'd love one. The reason is threefold. One is that it's awesome, I'll be honest there. Second, we're in a war against evil, and all warriors need a shield, so why not have the greatest shield ever made. Third, is the reminder of how no Christ follower is to go it alone.

The strength of the Spartan army was in the phalanx. In this formation the warriors stand side by side, and their massive three foot shields not only protect them, but their brother next to them. One of the greatest shames for a Spartan was to lose his shield because without it there could be no phalanx, one weak spot and the whole thing falls apart. The church is similar.

I'm taking a two week break from John to look at the idea of joining the work in the second half of the story of the woman at the well. God has a work that He has invited us to share in. He's enlisted us as soldiers in the war Satan has waged against Him (2 Timothy 2). He's not only asked us to join Him, but He's also equipped us for battle. He's given us the Bible to prepare us (2 Timothy 3) as well as armor to protect us (Ephesians 6). But He's also given us gifts to serve.

1 Corinthians 12 tells us that there are many different gifts that all come from God. There is one body of Christ that has many different members, each with a unique function. When each part functions properly, the body is strong and healthy, the body is able to grow. But when part of the body doesn't function as it was made to, there is sickness and growth is hindered.

In a church there are many ministries, and there are many people with a passion of different ministries. The pastor isn't passionate about everything that goes on, and the pastor isn't able to do every job that needs to be done, though some try. We need the other people of the church, the other parts of the body, to fulfill their functions and serve others. We need the other warriors for Christ to pick up their shields and stand beside us to fight the battle with us.

Our focus must be on building the Kingdom. If something we do doesn't help it to grow we need to set it aside. The Spartan's focused on war, and they were the best, the SEALs are the same way. The church must focus on building the Kingdom because nothing else matters.

I'm not saying we have to spend all our free time in Church, not by any means. Take vacations with your family, go out with friends, build those relationships, and in them set an example of what a Christ follower is. That is helping to build the Kingdom. In our relationships show love for others, Jesus said that's how people would know we are His (John 13). Let all that you do be for the Glory of God and for the expansion of His Kingdom.

God has given each person at least one Spiritual gift. No one has all of them, and that's why we need each other. But since we have a gift, we must use it.

Romans 12.6-8, "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

We are servant warriors. Let us use our gifts to serve so that we can build the Kingdom, and join in the victory over Satan.

Peace be with you

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Church is to Serve

Last week my wife and I went door to door to promote a community outreach event the church is putting on next Friday. I was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with a bunch of colorful fliers. People would answer the door, barley open it, or open it, step outside, then close it again. I’d tell them my name, introduce my wife, and then tell them I was a pastor. Their faces showed discomfort and honestly a little anger and skepticism.

I wasn’t there to evangelize by telling them that if they didn’t repent they’d burn in Hell, but I think that’s the idea people have when you tell them you’re from a church. I had one guy tell me he wasn’t interested as soon as I said the word "church", and closed the door before I could say “Have a nice day.” A lot of people probably had the same thought but were kind enough to listen.

People seemed very hesitant, and then we told them why we had come, to invite them to a free community event. Immediately their faces changed. There was relief. They were open and receptive to the invitation. People were excited that that was why we were there. We weren’t looking for anything from them, we didn’t have any words of anger or condemnation, we simply had an invitation to an event for the family.

People are open to that. My mentor has said more times than I can remember, “Separation of Church and State is never an issue when the church gets down on its knees with a basin and a towel and says, ‘How can we serve you?’” That statement is normally preceded with, “No one ever became a follower of Christ because they lost an argument; people become followers of Christ because they are loved. People are loved into the Kingdom.”

We have been blessed with an incredible message of hope and love. Why have we turned it into a message of fear and anger? We are to show love; Jesus said that is how people would know we were His followers (John 13.35). We are to serve; Jesus said that if He, our Lord and teacher, washed the feet of His disciples then we ought to wash the feet of others (John 13.14).

If Christians would live up to the name they carry then the church would be able to be the church it was called to be. If the church would be the body of Christ filled disciples who lived with love flowing out of them, the response from people when you told them you were with a church would be different. We’re here to love, we’re here to serve. Why have we missed that? Why are we refusing to do that?

One of the biggest failures in this area happened in the Late 1890's in South Africa. A young man from India had been studying the Bible and was very seriously considering becoming a follower of Christ. He found a church in the area and went on Sunday morning. When he arrived he was refused entrance because of his race, and was threatened that if he didn't leave he would be thrown down the steps. After this incident Gandhi never again considered becoming a Christian. What would have happened to India if that church had been the church it was called to be?

Who knows when someone who will have an impact like Gandhi will come into our path. Will they see Jesus in us, or will they respond as Gandhi did, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."

Peace be with you

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Removing the Footholds

Over the last two months I've thought a lot about the different ways Satan gets a grip on our lives. And as I've looked at each one my thought has been turning it into a sermon at some point in the future. For that to happen you have to be able to tell people how to prevent Satan from getting these footholds.

It's not easy, it requires intentional effort, but honestly that shouldn't surprise us. This is a war we're involved in, with a real enemy who prowls like a roaring lion. My wife and I recently watched The Ghost and the Darkness. It's based on a true story about two lions in Tsavo that killed railroad works for the pleasure of killing. Satan is like that. He prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5.8) simply because he enjoys it. There is a line in the movie that says, "The devil has come to Tsavo."

In the movie they were intentional about guarding against the lions. They took every measure possible to keep the workers safe and kill the lions, and eventually they do kill them both, but along the way many are killed. Some ignore the instructions, and some just get caught in the path of a deadly enemy who attacks as they sleep. That's how Satan works, he attacks when our guard is dropped; he comes when we are asleep, that's why Peter says to be of sober spirit and on the alert.

As I've been working through these I've tried to see ways to overcome them. Many of them can be overcome by intentional actions. For greed, selfishness and pride, give things away, serve others. Ignorance and apathy can be over come by intentional study, by intentionally looking for opportunities to put your beliefs into action. Anger we can work on overcoming by simply forcing ourselves not to give a reply when our emotions are high, it's difficult but doable.

But then there are ones like fear, doubt, and anxiety which are more difficult to do something to overcome them. These ones I think lead to the rest of them, we use the other footholds as defense mechanisms to protect ourselves from these ones. We build on a bad foundation, and the whole thing comes crashing down on us. Some of these can't be fixed, and honestly none of them can be removed from our lives without the grace of God.

Over the summer I read a book that I've wanted to blog about. I started writing about it two or three times, but each time God wouldn't let me finish it, He wouldn't give me the words to write. But now He's giving me the green light. The book was Walking with God by John Eldredge. In it he talks about the journey he took with God throughout the different seasons of a year. His point in writing is that we can really hear from God, we can really talk with Him. And in it he talks about things that keep us from being as close to God as we could be.

At one point he talks about praying against specific things, and I think that's where removing the footholds of the devil begins. Pray against them. Pray specifically against Anger, Anxiety, Fear, Pride, Greed, Selfishness, Ignorance, Doubt, and Apathy. As you pray tell them that they have no place in your life, that they aren't welcome. And as you pray against them pray that God will fill the space. In place of Anger, pray for Love. In place of Anxiety pray for Peace. In place of Fear, pray for Boldness. In place of Pride, pray for Humility. In place of Greed, pray for Generosity. In place of Selfishness, pray for Selflessness. In place of Ignorance, pray for Wisdom. In place of Doubt, pray for Faith. In place of Apathy, pray for Passion.

The Bible says that if a space vacated by a demon isn't filled with God, it comes back with seven friends who are worse that it is (Luke 11.24-26). It isn't enough just to get rid of the foothold for Satan, we have to replace it with a platform for God. God isn't just going to put the platform in place for us, that would be too easy and it wouldn't last. Instead He gives us the building materials, and He works along side with us to build the platform. We'll have the opportunity and the choice of which characteristic we exhibit. And the more we exercise something, the more instinctual it becomes.

We have two choices in our lives, be ruled by Satan, or submitting to God. Satan will come in and take over, God will lovingly lead us. God will never force Himself on anyone, that isn't how He works. If you want Him, you must choose Him, He's already chosen you.

John 10.10a, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;" Don't let Satan have control of your life, he'll destroy it. He is the thief. If you let him get a foothold, then he will kill you. Instead, let Jesus fill you with life. John 10.10b, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Peace be with you.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Part 9: Apathy

"So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3.16

The word apathy does not occur in the Bible. It didn't show up in the English language until the 1600's. But it is an attitude that is seen here in the New Testament with the Church of Laodicea, as well as with a well known prophet in the Old Testament.

The word for lukewarm is chliaros, and it is found only here in the Bible. It is used metaphorically for the church in Laodicea, which is located in present day Turkey. Six miles to the North of Laodicea are the ruins of the city of Hierapolis, a place still famous today for it's natural hot springs. The mineral water has medicinal use. The cliff faces, that are visible from Laodicea, are covered with white calcium deposits. I have a small bottle of water from hot springs that is now lukewarm as it would have been when it got to Laodicea.

Eleven miles to the south is the city of Colosse, a place with many springs that provided cold, refreshing, pure drinking water. But by the time it got to Laodicea and mixed with the calcium rich mineral water from Hierapolis, it too was lukewarm and useless. It was no longer refreshing and because of the calcium would make you want to vomit.

Lukewarm water is no good. The attitude of the Laodiceans toward the Gospel was lukewarm, it was indifferent. They had no interest in spreading the Gospel or living by it's standards. They were a wealthy city, famous for wool which made inexpensive textiles, and eye salve that was shipped around the world. But because of their indifference Jesus calls them poor, blind, and naked in Revelation 3.17. Indifference in a synonym for apathy.

In English apathy is defined, "absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement; lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting." It is indifference, neutrality, and it has no function in the use of Christ. People have taken the hot or cold from verse 16 to mean spiritually on fire or spiritually dead, but that isn't the case. Hot and cold water both have their functions and their uses. One is good for healing, the other for refreshing, both are good, but lukewarm water is useless. Jesus uses us in different ways based on our calling and giftedness.

Apathy hurts us, it causes God to find someone else to do the task we have been called for, but it also hurts others and puts them in danger.

This morning I was reading an article from Rabbi Melanie Aron on apathy in the Bible. She said that the best example of apathy in the Bible is Jonah as he boards the ship headed to Tarshish. As the ship leaves port and heads out to sea, Jonah goes below deck and falls asleep. As he sleeps God sends a storm. The sailors are terrified. They begin to pray to their gods and to throw the cargo overboard in an attempt to save themselves. The captain finds Jonah and wakes him up telling him to pray, Jonah knows that he is the cause of this, he knows he can stop this storm, but remains silent.

Jonah 1.7-10, "Each man said to his mate, 'Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.' So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, 'Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?' He said to them, 'I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.' Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, 'How could you do this?' For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them."

Jonah was a prophet, his job was to proclaim the word of God to the people. God told him to go to Nineveh, and Jonah refuses. He doesn't care about them being saved, he is indifferent about the mission God has given him to do, and his apathy not only gets him thrown into the sea and eaten by a giant fish, but it puts the lives of others in danger.

Apathy is a strong foothold of the devil. With apathy we have no desire to do anything, we approach situations with the attitude of someone else will do it. "I don't need to pray for them, someone else will." "I don't need to do that, someone else will take care of it." Apathy is a firm foothold for Satan because it pushes off responsibility, it takes no action, and leaves a task to someone else. Apathy has no place in the life of the Christ follower.

Jesus told us in Matthew 28.19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." The command is to be active, to go, to make, to baptize, to teach. It is not to sit around waiting for heaven letting everyone else get their hands dirty for Jesus. We are all called to get off the bench and into the game, out of the barracks and into the war.

Refuse to useless to the Kingdom, take away the foothold of apathy, and join the battle.

Peace be with you

Monday, October 17, 2011

Part 8: Doubt

"Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ' You of little faith, why did you doubt?'" Matthew 14.31

For the past week and a half I haven't been able to stop thinking about doubt, as much as I've tried. I'm ready to be done with the Footholds series, but I have to add this one.

Doubt in English is defined, "to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe." The Greek word used in Matthew 14.31 is edistasas which comes from distazo and means, "to doubt, waver, or hesitate" It is uncertainty as to which way to take. There are two options, but it can't decide which way to go. It is uncertain when the choice should be obvious.

In Matthew 21.21 we see doubt again, "And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, "Be taken up and cast into the sea," it will happen.'"

The word for doubt used here is diakrithete which is from the word diakrivo and in this context means "to hesitate, be in doubt, doubt." It refers to a lack of faith, not a weakness of it. It says faith, trust, belief, is absent and instead there is doubt. Nothing can be accomplished when there is no trust in the power you are calling out to.

Doubt is a foothold of Satan because it is the opposite of faith. It is hesitant instead of decisive. It wavers instead of being certain. It is blurred instead of focused. When doubt enters, faith is absent. When there is no trust in God, when there is no belief that God has the power to do all things, Satan has a firm grasp on us.

Satan wants us to be filled with doubt. Doubt in our selves, and doubt in God. That was the tactic he used in the beginning. In Genesis 3 he said, "has God said,..." trying to get Eve to question the word of God. He focused on the negative and the prohibition, not on God's generosity and love. When we start to question what God has said, we start to question God. When that happens doubt enters our mind, Satan gets a grip.

To combat doubt we must strengthen our faith and fill our minds with the truth of God. God has given us His word through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived life as God would, setting a model for us to imitate. God has given us the incredible gift of the Bible, His written word. In it He shares His heart with us. We must fill our hearts, souls, and minds with the truth that fills the pages of Scripture.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 119.105-112, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and I will confirm it, that I will keep Your righteous ordinances. I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your ordinances. My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget Your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts. I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end."

Joshua 1.7-9 says, "Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

God has told us how to stand firm in faith and have no doubt, we are to meditate on His word, it is to be our guide. It will show us the right path to take. It will remind us constantly of God's love and power. Fill your mind with the truth of Scripture, and remove the foothold of doubt from Satan.

Peace be with you

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Part 7: Ignorance

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance," 1 Peter 1.14

The word for ignorance in Greek is agnoian. No matter how it's used it refers to a lack of knowledge, training, or information, but depending on the context it can be either willful or unavoidable.

Ignorant is defined, "lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned; lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact; uninformed,unaware; due to or showing lack of knowledge or training." Ignorance results from a Christless life.

The Gentile world was haunted by the unknowability of God. The people believed that there was a God, but that He was unknowable and had no interest in humans. Philosophers felt that He couldn't be found, and even if you did happen to discover Him, you wouldn't be able to explain Him. Without Christ there is no help or hope to know God.

But Christ has come. Paul talks about this in Acts 17.23 "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." The days of feeling our way our of ignorance are over. We no longer have an excuse not to know God because Christ has come and has revealed God to the world.

Knowledge is available now. We live in day where we have a new website every few seconds, back then it took months to get a copy of something Paul would have written. But as soon as I finish this post, it will be available to people on the other side of the world. Never has the Gospel been more accessible than it is today. It has never been easier to share Jesus with people than it is today. And yet there are people who don't know about Jesus.

Many people feel that they don't know enough about the Bible to share. Something I have found is part of it is that Christians are some of the most ignorant people in the world. We always pull the faith card, thinking I don't have to have an answer because I just believe it. That isn't good enough, and it isn't an excuse.

2 Timothy 3.16-4.2, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."

1 Peter 3.15 says, "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;"

Faith isn't an excuse to be ignorant. We have been given the Word of God, more today than at any other time in history. We have the opportunity to read the most brilliant minds that have ever tried to interpret the Bible and understand God, and yet so many of us remain ignorant to the knowledge we have at our finger tips. There are atheists who study constantly for something that is a lie. They have no respect for the answer, "I just have faith." We as Christ followers must refuse to be ignorant. We have Christ, and therefore have no excuse for ignorance.

(This has gotten so far off of where I originally intended it to go)

Satan uses ignorance for his purpose. If the people of God are ignorant then our message isn't respected because we don't know why we believe, we just do. We can't be ignorant because there is no excuse for it. Knowledge is ours for the taking. Anything we want to know we can find in five seconds. Ignorance is a foothold of Satan because it is a refusal to learn, it is a refusal to be informed, and I think it's far more common than we realize.

Don't let Satan have this foothold in your life. Refuse to be ignorant. Jesus came to show us what God is like. He came to end the mystery of the character and nature of God. He came to show us how God would live life and how God intends for us to live. Jesus wasn't ignorant, and if we claim His name, then we have no excuse to be either.

Peace be with you

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Part 6: Selfishness

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing." James 3.16

I have to add this one in to the list. As I was studying 2 Timothy this word kept jumping out at me. It's closely related to greed, and therefore a perfect foothold for Satan. Selfishness is similar to greed, but where greed is the unquenchable thirst for wealth and possessions, selfishness seeks personal prestige, admiration and respect. And in many cases, selfishness is a greater temptation than greed.

Selfish in English is, "devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others: characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself"

The Greek word is eritheia and is translated at rivalry. It carries the idea of gathering a following to promote and support your views and ambitions. I think many times we use the word selfish incorrectly in place of greed today.

Where greed is focused on financial gain, selfishness is focused on popularity and self-advancement. It's the desire for influence and recognition. Selfishness does whatever it has to do in order to take care of itself. It spares no relationship, no dignity, it drives people apart, and Satan thrives in it, because Satan is selfish.

Philippians 2.3-4 says, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." We are to do nothing selfishly, we are not to look out simply for ourselves, but for others. James told us that were selfish ambition is there is no unity and evil. Those are the things Satan strives for. Jesus said a kingdom divided cannot stand (Matthew 12.25), Satan is trying to divide the Kingdom of God by dividing His people. Satan tries to get us to look out for ourselves so that we're too busy to unite and advance God's Kingdom. But God's Kingdom cannot fall, and He wants His children to advance it, so He told us how to be unselfish.

Philippians 2.5-8, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Jesus came to earth to show us how God would live life as a human. He came to set an example for us to follow, to imitate. Jesus is the model of unselfishness. He gave up Heaven, and came to live on earth so that He could die a horrible death in our place. God, perfection, became sin and a curse for us to be free. Our response should be humility and gratitude, advancing the Kingdom out of love and thankfulness.

Satan wants us to be selfish, because in selfishness we isolate ourselves and advance ourselves over God. Selfishness is a foothold that Satan was the first one to take a hold of. He is the first selfish being that existed. Do we want to follow his example or the example of Christ?

Peace be with you

Monday, October 3, 2011

Part 5: Greed

"Then He said to them, 'Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed;'..." Luke 12.15a.

Greed, "excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions." It's a desire that is never satisfied and always needs more. It never gives but hoards everything. It is the exact opposite of the Christian life style.

The word used in Luke 12 is pleonexias and it's translated as covetousness. This word means, "inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions; greedy." It's a desire for more, and it has no place in the life of a Christ follower.

In Luke 12 Jesus warns us to be on our guard against every from of greed, and then tells the parable of the rich fool. Ephesians 5.3 says, "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;" We're told in the first two verses of the chapter to imitate God, and to walk in love as Christ did. Greed is in no way to be associated with us because it cannot be associated with God.

Greed has no place in our lives because it causes us to focus on wealth and possessions rather than on God. It ruins our lives. I think of Gehazi in 2 Kings 5. He's the servant of Elisha, probably in a role similar to what Elisha had with Elijah. In 2 Kings 5 Naaman comes to Elisha with leprosy, and Elisha tells him how to be healed. After the healing takes place Naaman returns and offers Elisha a reward, but he refuses to take it. Gehazi goes after Naaman and lies to receive part of the reward. He had a bright future, possibly as Elisha's successor, but greed cost him not only that, but also his health and the health of all of his descendants. 2 Kings 5.27, "'Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.' So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow."

Greed has no place in the life of those who seek to serve God. 1 Timothy 6.10 says, "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Earlier in 1 Timothy 3 Paul gives a list of the characteristics of Church leaders. In this list it says, "free from the love of money." Hebrews 13.5 says, "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “ I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”

Colossians 3:5 states, "Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry." Greed amounts to idolatry. Jesus said in Matthew 6.24, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." If we aren't serving God we're serving an idol.

There is nothing wrong with wealth or having nice things. I think Christians miss this point. Wealth is not evil, money is not evil. The love of money is evil, devotion to wealth is evil. The issue is not having wealth and possessions, but when that wealth and those possessions take the place of God and our desires are not for God but instead for more wealth. If our thirst is for God then it will be satisfied, Jesus talks about this in John 4. But if our thirst is for wealth it's like drinking salt water, the more you drink the thirstier you get. Wealth is never satisfied, greed is never satisfied. It's the perfect foothold of the devil because it keeps demanding more.

We cannot serve God and money, we cannot love both of them, Jesus said so. So which is it God or money? Generosity or greed? It's ok to have wealth, just use it humbly for the glory of God and for building His Kingdom.

If greed is a foothold that Satan has in your life, then I want to turn to the solution Jesus gives to a rich young man seeking eternal life. He's seeking God's quality of life, a life that is lived for the glory of God. Jesus says to Him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." In the parable of Luke 12, we are told to be rich towards God, and that we don't have to worry because God will take care of us.

I close with Psalm 37.25, "I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."

Be generous, refuse to love and serve wealth and give the devil the foothold of greed in your life.

Peace be with you