Parents, It's In Your Job Description

Patsy and I, with our children

Part of my daily Bible reading is from a devotional entitled "The Word For You Today".

There was a particular daily devotion that caught my attention, and I'd like

to share it with those that may not have had the opportunity to read it.

Abraham had a nephew named Lot who succeeded in business, but lost his family.  How come?
 
Because:

(a) he had the wrong emphasis - he placed material success above spiritual success;

(b) he had the wrong environment - he thought his children could live in Sodom and not be affected by it;

(c) he had the wrong expectation - he thought he could change his surroundings by compromising with them;

(d) he set the wrong example - he thought his family would follow his instructions; instead they followed his lifestyle;

(e) he had the wrong relationships - he didn't realize until it was too late, how much Sodom had influenced his family. 

If you think you can live by the worlds rules and expect your children to follow God's, you're kidding yourself.  Instead of preaching about the shoes you want your children to fill, walk in them!  Lead by example. 

Outside of your influence as a parent, the four greatest influences in your child's life are their peers, the inter net, media and music.  And all four are either working for you or against you. 

You say, "But I'm really busy right now."  Get un-busy!  Rethink your priorities.  Your child's character is being molded each day; the question is by whom? 

God's Word clearly states that these six things constitute your job description as a parent:

(1) Instruct them:
"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." Deut. 6:6-7

(2) Train them:
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

(3) Provide for them:
"For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children."  2 Corinthians 12:14b 

(4) Nurture them:
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."  Eph. 6:4 

(5) discipline them:
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." 
                           Hebrews 12:11

(6) Love them:
"And so train the young women to love their husbands and children."  Titus 2:4.



Our beautiful grandchildren

 The truth is, you have no greater responsibility!


God Bless and Press On
Larry

YOU'VE GOT TO "WORK AT IT"

Part of my daily Bible reading is from a devotional entitled "The Word For You Today".  There was a particular daily devotion that caught my attention last week, and I'd like to share it with those that may not have had the opportunity to read it.

Clara Null writes: "At a wedding my granddaughter Melissa asked, 'Why is the bride always dressed in white?'  I replied, 'Because white represents happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life.'  Her next question was: 'Then why is the groom dressed in black?'"
  
Marriage only works if you "work at it." 

So here are three principles for strengthening yours:
(1) Become a good listener.  Jesus said, "Consider carefully how you listen"  (Luke 8:18a).  Sometimes the most important thing in communicating with your mate is to hear what is not being said, to learn to read between the lines.  Just "being there" isn't enough; your mate needs to feel heard - and validated.  When they are, they'll open up and accept what you have to say.

(2) "Speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15).  Nobody likes to be corrected, but when someone is heading down the wrong road, love will "get in your face."  Our marriages break down when truth is violated, integrity is forsaken, trust is broken, manipulation is allowed, self-interest is the rule, control is the goal, and time isn't invested. 

(3) Always believe the best.  Love sees you at your worst but never forgets your best; thinks you're a little bit more wonderful than you really are; will talk with you endlessly or just sit with you in silence; is happier about your success than you are; doesn't try to know more, act smarter or be your constant teacher; it listens even when what you have to say is not particularly interesting.  That's because love believes you're important!!

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends."

                                               1 Corinthians 13:4-8a


God Bless and Press On
Larry

DECIDE, AND TAKE ACTION

Part of my daily Bible reading is from a devotional entitled "The Word For You Today".  There was a particular daily devotion that caught my attention last week, and I'd like to share it with those that may not have had the opportunity to read it.  The author is not acknowledged in the booklet so remains unknown to me.



"For to everyone who has will more be given,
and he will have anabundance."  Matthew 25:29a

Every accomlishment starts with a decision. Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. Jesus gave us the parable of a businessman who gave one employee ten talents to invest, and he doubled them. A second employee received five talents, and he doubled them too. A third employee got one talent, but he buried it. Afraid of losing it, he failed to take even a modest risk. "The master was furious...It's criminal to live cautiously like that...you knew I was after the best, why did you do less?" (Mt. 25:26).

The Bible says we "walk by faith, not by sight" (2Cor.5:7). Unless you're willing to take prayed-over, carefully-considered and well-advised risks, you're not operating in faith.  And "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb.11:6). Jesus ended His parable by saying, "Everyone who has will be given more... Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Your goal should be to maximize the investment on everything you do.

Ken Blanchard calls this getting the highest return on life.  It means putting all your eggs in God's basket (don't worry, He won't drop them!). To get more, you must use what God's already given you. When you step out in faith, God moves, and extraordinary things happen. John Mason says: "Not what we have but what we use, not what we see, but what we choose - these are the things that mar or bless human happiness."

When you limit what you will do, you limit what you can do. Think: if you don't act now, what will it ultimately cost you?

I really hope you enjoyed the read and are motivated to rise up and do marvelous and awe inspiring things in your life for the Lord.

God Bless and Press On
Larry

Christ In You (2)

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." 
           Galatians 2:20

**How did Paul put it in Colossians 3:11?  "Christ is all and in all..."  For Paul, his apostleship was not to advance a defining array of doctrines or a checklist of propositions.  As far as he was concerned , our faith is not even a relationship with a set of doctrines or commandments... Christianity is a relationship with Jesus the Christ.**

Colossians is a letter from the apostle Paul to the church at Colossae.  A group of people that Paul had never personally met. He had received a report from Epaphras, who some believe to be the founder of the Colossians church, that there was some heresy creeping into the church and the believers there were beginning to move away from the teachings of the gospel and into the philosophies of the world and the traditions of men.  They were being deluded by persuasive arguments and not holding fast to the teachings of Christ.

In many churches today, tolerance (to sin) and an ultra social gospel are the focus.  While some are confused between the theory of evolution and Creationism.  Others dabble in horoscopes and palm readings, and many have allowed teachings of humanism and the new age movement to creep into their Sunday morning message.  

Paul's letter to the Colossians was written to bring back to their remembrance, the power which had been attained by the receiving of Christ as Lord and Savior. These are Christians Paul is writing to, and he goes on to say that the Power of the resurrected Lord was available to them, the power to do all things... everything that God required of them.

Paul begins by making mention of the report he has heard about their love for one another and for all believers.  The marks of true conversion, about the radical changes that had taken place in their lives.  These were the evidences that the gospel of Jesus Christ had genuinely changed them.

It wasn't something that was merely added on to their regular life and lifestyle, but something so powerful that it caused a complete and radical change of life and lifestyle.  The same should be true for the church today, and the people of God today.  So often people come to the altar and say a prayer for salvation or raise their hand in a service and say prayer for salvation, yet there is no change in their life.  It merely becomes something added on to everything else they are doing rather than it becoming who they are.

It is my experience and understanding that no man or woman can come in contact with the living God and remain the same.  Nor can they continue a lifestyle of sin, and be changed.  I definitely understand that many changes do not happen overnight, but that which takes place within the heart takes place immediately. 

The desire for and the carrying out of a lifestyle change in a person comes from within the heart, as does the decision to begin to live for God, the way the scripture calls us to live.  As we examine the standard which is God's Word, and we begin to compare it to our own life, we see that we fall far short of our Lord's expectations.  We then begin to make decisions that cause changes in our lifestyle, in our choices, in our thinking, that will put us in line with God's Word.

The purpose of Paul letter was to reestablish their foundation in Jesus Christ, both who He was and what was available to them as believers.  To let them know that they did not have to look to the philosophies of the world and the misguided teachings of men to attain power for living or to find significance in their life.  Which in fact is a trick from our enemy the devil, who desires to subtly come into the church with his false teachings  and half truths, and convince the followers of Christ that they no longer need to look to Christ for strength in living their life. 

Paul goes on to deliver an awesome prayer concerning these saints of God, expressing his desire for their spiritual growth and maturity in Christ, and their knowledge of His Word,  knowing that through growth and maturity they would be able to fend off anything the enemy, Satan, throws their way.  Any false teachings, any unusual wind of doctrine that would cause them to stray from the true gospel or the "truth of the gospel" as Paul called it.

And that is my prayer for you today church.  For each and every one of us to have an ongoing learning and growing spiritual experience, an ever expanding knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is, and to know what He has made available to each one of us saints.

The power that comes to us through Jesus Christ was attained through the resurrection and His ability to conquer death.  Paul establishes early on in chapter one of Colossians, Christ preeminence, that He is the first-born of all creation.  Not that He was the literal first born on the earth, but more accurately, He is the heir of the Father the owner of all creation.

Just a few verses later Paul mentions Him again as the first-born, but this time, unto death, no, unto resurrection.  Again, we know that Jesus was not the first person to resurrect, as we read the gospels.  But He again is the heir of salvation, through His death and resurrection.

Paul makes mention of his calling as a minister of "the gospel of truth". And in that gospel a mystery has been revealed, something that had been kept from God's people, from "past ages and generations". This mystery now being revealed through Paul and the other apostles to the church, the called out ones, is this; "Christ In You, the hope of glory."


He further states that his purpose in this life was to hold every man accountable.  To warn him of this pending doom without Christ, and to teach and prepare all men for the glory that is to come.

Through Christ I can do all things, without Him I can do nothing!!

All fruit that is separated from the branch (it's source) will wither and die, but for you and I - "We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."

If we look at Paul's life we see that he took three missionary journeys during his time of ministry.  He was beaten and chased from town to town by people with bad intentions.  When he stayed in a town to minister to the church there, he would work during the day as a tent maker (his professional trade), and preach the gospel at night, often into the early morning hours.   He had been shipwrecked, bitten by a poisonous snake, beaten by soldiers, stoned by and left for dead by the people he was trying to help and many other tragedies befell him.  All because he was compelled to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness.

It amazes me that he had the energy and the power to move forward, always to do what God had called him to do.  We have no less power then he, we make many excuses like; "I'm too tired", "I don't have the energy", "I'm too busy", "I don't have that gift or ability", "but, my job, my family prevents me!"  Whatever it is we make many excuses to not fulfill God's calling on our life.

But we see here, Paul, as an example to us, that the power of God, "Christ in us", is sufficient for us to fulfill all that He has called us to accomplish.  CHRIST IN ME!!

This message is not meant to be a judgment on anyone in particular, nor is my intentions to put anybody on a bummer for what they are not doing.  This message is to be an encouragement, to let you all know that whatever it is that you want to do for Jesus Christ, you have the power to do it.  It's there, all you have to do is grab hold of it and walk in it. 

Whatever situation you find yourself in today in your life, just know this, that God says to you and I in His word that He will not give you anymore than you can handle, in everything that comes your way, He will make a way.  He will give you the power and the wisdom to do what is needed, what is required to overcome, to gain the victory.  Amen and Amen

You are a "living epistle of Christ" written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is of the heart.

God Bless and Press On
Larry

**from the book 'Jesus Manifesto'

Christ In You

When I'm weak, You make me strong

When I'm blind, You shine Your light on me

'Cause I'll never get by, living on my own ability

How refreshing to know You don't need me
How amazing to find that You want me
So I'll stand on Your Truth, and I'll fight with Your Strength
Until You bring the victory, by the power of Christ in me
The Power of Christ In Me
Lyrics to the chorus of "In Me" by Casting Crowns

In studying the writings of Paul the apostle, I've come across an interesting phrase that he uses a few times.  It's something that I've read before but I didn't pay much attention to the exact phraseology and meaning he was trying to impart.  "Christ in you", Is what he wrote, and I wondered what exactly did he mean by it, and how does it differ or compare with other phrases he uses, such as, "In Christ" and "with Christ".

In the King James Version of the Bible, the New Testament includes seventy-six scripture references of the phrase "In Christ" and many more with expressions similar such as "Christ in you".  We tend to read over it as if it means "with Christ" or as just meaning a "believer in Christ", but a study of this phrase reveals that Paul as well as the apostle John clearly express the idea that Jesus, the living Christ, lives on in the believer, His love, His desires, His authority and His power are available to each and every believer, even today.

I've recently been reading a book (that I would also recommend to other believers), entitled;
JESUS MANIFESTO - (Restoring The Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ)  by authors: Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola.  In one particular chapter they wrote briefly about a topic that has been much on my mind and heart lately, that Christ lives in me and you!

I want to share some of my thoughts as well as some short excerpts from the book (**) to help make my point.  I hope I don't come across too harsh or judgmental but I believe we (the church), which includes myself, need to refocus or better yet we need to know personally the power of Christ that is in us, and available to us, in order to fulfill our calling.  This is what's needed today if we are going to reach the lost for Christ.

Christ In You!

The apostle Paul writes this to the church at Colossae:

"Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been made manifest to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"  Col. 1:25-27

**The mystery of God is this...
The One who is the visible image of the invisible God...
The One who is the power of glory and might...
The One who nailed to His bloody cross evey law, every rule, and every regulation that would condemn the beloved people of God...
Christ,... has chosen to place all of His fullness, Inside of you!

Fellow Christians, has this biblical truth really penetrated your heart yet?  That the creator of the universe, Jesus Christ, actually lives in you?  What that means is this, In order to have the power of God at work in your life daily you must be a pure vessel.  So, no habitual sin in your life will be tolerated by an indwelling Christ; Jesus came into this world to save mankind from sin, and His Spirit cannot and will not stay where sin is allowed and practiced, without regard for His holiness.  Are you lacking the power of God in your life?  Are there areas of sin that you refuse to deal with?  Have you taken your eyes off the source?

As the Father was pleased to dwell in the Son, so Jesus Christ is pleased to dwell in you.  All the riches of the glory of the heavens have been placed inside of you.

That is the mystery of the ages, the hope of glory!

**The Colossian church had become distracted from Jesus... The church had in effect dethroned Him... They were no longer living under His sovereignty, and they had lost touch with His supremacy... The Christ that the Colossians knew was simply too small.  That was why they became susceptible to chasing other things - including religious things.

Upon reading this book I can't help but compare the church of Colossae in Paul's day with the church in America today, and I see many parallels here.

I see the church today has also become distracted by world events, politics, and the economy.  Distracted by church building programs, self-help seminars, and Christian entertainment.  So much so that it appears that Christ has lost His rightful place in our worship services and in our preaching and teaching.  He no longer is the central theme or focus, much of the time we are. We are concerned first with our own joy, our own emotional needs being met, our own prayers being answered, instead of Jesus' name be exalted, worshiped and glorified.

**To have the mind of Christ does not mean merely to posses the knowledge of Christ, or the intellectual comprehension of Him, but instead, the relational knowing of Him.

A great many people in "the church" miss this fact.  they miss the power of Christ in their lives by about fourteen inches, the distance between their head and their heart.  They have much head knowledge of Jesus from many church services and bible studies, but have not the heart knowledge, yet.  What I mean by this is; they believe that there is a God, they believe that Jesus was the Son of God, they believe they are saved (and they are), but not enough to have it change their lives completely and radically.  We still hold on to areas of sin, hidden compartments of it in our hearts.  We haven't fully let go of the world we live in, so we struggle with the flesh under our own strength and power instead of His.

Jesus desires a pure unblemished bride.  He wants a sanctified army of men and women that He can use to make a radical difference in this world before He returns.  And, He doesn't expect us to do it alone, under our own power and strength.  He doesn't expect it because He knows that it's not possible.  Only by the "power of Christ in me" can I even hope to succeed.

If this word, which I believe is from the Lord, is just for me, then fine, it's just for me.  But, I believe that it is so much more then that, I believe it is a call, a beckoning to the children of God to begin to get it right.  God wants to fill us with His mighty power.  He wants us to be able to live that power daily.  And He has made a way for that power to be available to you and to me and that is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

God Bless and Press On
Larry

The Towel Not The Title

"And so when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?... If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I give you an example that you also should do as I did."   Matthew 13: 12,14,15

For followers of Christ, It's about the towel not the title.  Jesus was the Servant Master, or better yet, the Master Servant and He has called all of us to do as He did, to be a servant.

Being a leader or the "Big Dog" is much different in the kingdom of God than it is in the world.  We are called to live by a very different standard, with a much different outlook on this life.  To have the mind of Christ requires great humility on our part, putting others before yourself and recognizing where you are in the great scope of things requires a humble spirit.

"Don't ever seek to be the greatest.  Seek instead to do great things.  If you aspire to greatness, your greatness will die with you. But if you aspire to do great things, your legacy will live on." author unknown

Each of us has the potential to be great - not famous, but great, because greatness comes by serving others.  Christ said, to be the greatest of all we have to be the servant of all.  What a different paradigm from the world's.

"There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do the little things."  D. L. Moody

The only way to accomplish great things is by being a servant.  We lead by serving and when we do that we can accomplish great things in our life.

Jesus was the embodiment of servant leadership.  He didn't just tell the disciples what they should do, he did it first as an example to them and then told them (us) to do likewise.

What is leadership?  It is an influence process - any time you are trying to influence the thoughts and actions of others toward goal accomplishment in either their personal, professional or spiritual life, you are engaging in leadership.  Given that definition, you can see that Jesus is our model for servant leadership wherever we go.

"Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest." D. L. Moody

"But the greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."  Matthew 23: 11, 12 

Jesus is so clear about how He wants us to lead.  He wants us to make a difference in the world we live in by being effective servant leaders.

"We cannot do great things on this earth, only
small things with great love."   Mother Theresa

Leadership by definition, is about others. When you start thinking it's about you, you've lost perspective.


God Bless and Press On
Larry

Last Days

I was young and now I'm a little bit older,
looking over my shoulder at the army
that is marching with me.
Yeah, I see them rising up across the land,
women, children and men,
we're all headed towards the victory.
So watch your sons and daughters prophecy,
your old men dream, dreams and your young men see things.

The Day of The Lord is at hand

We're living in the last days, the last page
is turning, and we're now faced with reality.
Repent and turn about-face, the last days,
are here but will your heart taste this reality?
Tell me will your heart taste this reality?

Woe to the one who hears the Word of God,
but doesn't respond for hardness of heart
has kept him tied up in chains of sin in bondage,
a product, with modern philosophies running around in his head
In the mean time thinks he's fine because his wife and children are fed
but what are you fightin for, daddy could you tell your family this,
that Jesus Christ the sacrifice has come to take their sins,
or will you watch them live their life's in search of what they missed?
But then the Lord comes back and their blood is on your head.

In the last days, the last page
is turning, we are now faced with reality.
Repent and turn about-face, the last days
are here but will your heart taste this reality?
Tell me will your heart taste this reality?

Wake up and see that this is a call to arms,
there's only two sides in this war, what side you on?
The day has dawned, the Son of God has opened up His arms,
embrace forgiveness and get freed from what your holding on.

This world is dying for righteousness, that's why I write you this,
in hopes that you will see the urgency of life He gives.

The Day of The Lord is at hand.

Living in the last days, the last page,
this time we are now faced with reality.
Repent and turn-about face the last days
are here but will your heart taste this reality?
Tell me will your heart taste this reality?

I don't know how I will go, but when I do just know I made it,
the reason that I strive to live this life that was created.
See I was born to serve, and called by name out of the mayhem,
that exists upon this fallen place where Adam, first depraved man.

Ordained to proclaim, instilled with vision in this living passion,
to get across my thoughts and express what this feeble mind inhabits.
But when I go, it's not a casualty of war,
it's a passing on of the baton from soldiers long before.
I'm not afraid to die, I'm afraid to compromise,
I'm afraid to close my eyes and open up to see no sunrise,
and a world that's dark with shadows, people lost with no direction,
I can hear the cry from lost souls yearning for their redemption.

Is there something that I could have done? If so than give me one breath,
if not then let them see You, and bring life through this track,
is there something that I could have done? If so than give me one breath,
if not then let them see You, but bring life.

In the last days, the last page
is turning we are now faced with reality.
Repent and turn about-face, the last days
are here but will your heart taste this reality?

Living in the last days, the last page
it's time we are now faced with reality.
Repent and turn about face, the last days
are here but will your heart taste this reality?
Tell me will your heart taste this reality?

The Day of The Lord is at hand.

song lyrics to "Last Days" by Shachah

Nuff said...

God Bless and Press On
Larry

P.U.S.H.

At Desert Reign Church in Downey we spent the entire month of September speaking and teaching about prayer, the “who, what, why, where and how’s” of prayer. We were taught on every aspect of prayer, from the prayer of salvation to the prayer for purification, from the prayer for the sick to the prayer for revival. I believe the people of God have always desired to experience a great move of God. The trouble is we don’t often seek it out in the right places. We don’t often prepare ourselves properly to be in God’s presence. When looking at the book of Acts chapter 19, we see that Paul began a great work in the city of Ephesus and God moved mightily, in fact it says in verse 11 that “God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul.” Looking at verse 18 it is revealed to us what was the results of God’s moving in their midst. It said; “and many of those who believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their evil deeds” and then in verse 20 it said; “so the Word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.” Notice the author Luke’s perception of what caused the change in the people’s hearts, the Word of God.


Today I want to look at the next step we need to take in order to bring about that mighty move of God we so anxiously await, and that is to P.U.S.H. It’s now time to push ahead! It’s now time to push on through!

One thing we know for sure is that God wants His people praying for revival. But if revival is to come, there must be a change in the prayer life of the Christians of America. It is time for us to return to our knees and remain there until something happens.

The prophet Hosea said, “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you” (Hosea 10:12). God is looking for a company of believers with courage who are willing to do whatever it takes to bring another great spiritual awakening.

There is an acronym for the type of prayer life that is necessary to bring about change. The word is P.U.S.H., which stands for: PRAY –UNTIL- SOMETHING- HAPPENS!

This acronym also stands for four steps you need to take in order to see personal, family, and national revival.

P: Purify yourself – Search your heart, repent from any known sin. The prophet Hosea said, “Sow for yourselves righteousness.” Paul wrote “Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Cor. 7:1). You need to sow the Word of God into yourself until you see that you are a sinner under the searchlight of God’s righteousness. The Psalmist wrote, “The unfolding of your words give light” (Psalm 119:130). When you sin, be quick to turn away from it and cry for God’s mercy.

U: Understand God’s mercy – We need to receive mercy from God, and we need to deliver mercy as ambassadors for Christ to a lost generation. “Be merciful to those who doubt” (Jude 22). Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt. 5:7). Your personal revival awaits your willingness for forgive all who have wronged you and to seek forgiveness of others you have wronged. “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” (Mark 11: 25, 26).

S: Sanctify yourself – Learn to live a life of personal accountability to God. Regardless of what others consider to be righteous, keep yourself “from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Be separated for the purpose of God. “As God has said, I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord” (2 Cor. 6: 16, 17).

Separation for God does not mean we leave the world or neglect our families, just the opposite. It means that our commitment to the living, righteous, holy God becomes evident to all those around us. Hosea said, “Break up your unplowed ground.” We must learn to immediately obey everything God tells us to do. We never want to have a wrong heart toward Him.

H: Hold fast in prayer – Pray until something happens. Prayer is work, it is a blessed work, but it is work. As in any relationship, it takes effort to give up some of your own pleasures to bring pleasure to another. The chief sin of the church today is laziness. We are lazy about prayer. We’re lazy about changing ourselves. We’re lazy about good works. We’re certainly lazy about praying through for a great spiritual awakening in America.

God has made available incredible power to change this nation, and yet we remain in our dulled state of sin, complaining about the conditions of America, crime in the cities and corruption among our political leaders.

Just think of all the power that could be unleashed if all of God’s people in America would begin to P.U.S.H. for America. What would happen if each of us made a commitment to; Pray – Until – Something - Happens? Can you see what a serious force that would be?

Conclusion: Our problem is that we have no understanding of the power within us. We’re unwilling to give up our comforts, like morning sleep, for a few precious moments with God. “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8: 17). The America of our founding fathers is sick and dying because the people have lost hope and vision (Proverbs 29: 18). Even the church is aimless. Why? Primarily because of a lack of faith in God, but why do people lack faith? Because those who say they are children of God are so seemingly helpless to bring about change. We say we pray and study the Word, but our friends and families see little evidence of it in the way we live our lives. Our prayer and study lives should have an immediate, ongoing effect on our everyday life and that of our family. They should be so moved by our love and mercy that they want to emulate what they see in us of the character and qualities of Christ.

Do we really believe that Jesus has risen from the dead and that God answers prayer? If we do we will continually develop that perspective through time with God on our knees – we will become the source of faith, hope, and vision that the world so desperately seeks.

God Bless and Press On
Larry

Hypocrisy, Duplicity or Integrity

We are presently living through difficult times. In the world we live in today there are wars going on and terrorism creeping up everywhere. In state and federal governments we are dealing with a failing economy and political division. In our communities there’s joblessness and rising crime rates. In the church we are encountering a lack of commitment to the Christian life and a watered down faith. In our homes the divorce rate has sky-rocketed both outside and inside the church and our children are in rebellion.

With all that’s going on in the world around us God has given us an unprecedented opportunity to reach lost and hurting souls with the gospel.

When people are hurting and it seems like things are falling apart in their world, they begin to look for answers to their life’s problems in places they might not normally look. That’s where we come in; we have a message of hope and salvation. We have a message of grace and forgiveness, but, we can’t deliver our message with power and effectiveness without personal and corporate integrity.

If you were asked to describe in one word the present condition of the “church” as you see it, what word would you use?

Revival?  I don’t think so, but I wish it were true. The wind of the Holy Spirit seems very still today. Many church leaders are afraid to release the freedom of God’s Spirit to move in the corporate fellowship; in turn the individual believer is reluctant to seek the filling experience.

Renewal?  Maybe in some individual ministries; but for the most part it’s “business as usual” or even “just going through the motions.” A form of godliness, but there’s no power!

Reassessment?  Yes, a lot of studies are being done, and we hope they well be useful. Recently a new survey of “Americans’ knowledge of religion” found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants in answering correctly, questions about the most basic tenets of their own faith. I fear the church has become a place of feel-good socializing instead of the vehicle God wants to use to raise up strong uncompromising citizens of His kingdom.

Ruin?  No, not as long as God is on the throne and there are people willing to listen and obey. God will always have a remnant, and the church will stand, albeit on shaky ground sometimes, until Jesus return to gather up His bride.

Reproach?  I have a feeling that many feel that this is where the “church” is at today. Let me define this most powerful and descriptive word.

“A cause or occasion of blame, discredit or disgrace; the quality or state so incurred or brought upon oneself; one subjected to scorn.”

One of the church fathers once said “the church was something like Noah’s Ark: if it weren’t for the judgment on the outside, you could never stand the smell on the inside.”

Reproach is the one word that seems to describe other areas of society as well, on the sports fields and in the halls of education, at the Pentagon and on Wall Street, On Capitol Hill and in the White House. We have experienced scandal and disgrace in every area of the public arena. We have had and are having disgraces in our churches and ministries on the local and national level. And you better believe the secular media’s going to jump to publicize those failures long and hard. Time magazine in one of its cover stories asked the question “Whatever Happened to Ethics?” Moral standards are dwindling away, even in many Christian homes.

The crisis the church is facing today cuts to the very heart of its authority and its ministry. A commitment to personal integrity among Christians will have a great impact for the cause of Christ in our world.

Let’s look to God’s Word at just one of many examples of integrity in a time of great temptation and see what we can learn from our brother Joseph.

In Genesis 39, Joseph was an individual whose life story stands in stark contrast to the compromise I have just described. Joseph had a motive for compromising his integrity and an opportunity to do so. And yet, under the heat of temptation, he stood firm and true as a man of unquestionable integrity, a man of God.

Now if anyone had a reason to fall into compromise, into sin, Joseph did:

Motive: Joseph experienced indescribable rejection as his eleven brothers sold him into slavery. Can you even begin to imagine the indignity he must have felt as his brothers watched the slave traders shackle him and drag him off into bondage?

Opportunity: When Joseph arrived in Egypt he was sold into the service of Potiphar, one of Pharaohs officials. While in Potiphar’s home Joseph prospered because of the Lord, and was given much responsibility and freedom. Potiphar’s wife set her eyes upon the young and handsome Joseph. While away on business, Potiphar left Joseph in charge of the household, the perfect setup for Mrs. Potaphar to raise the heat and for Joseph to compromise his integrity without being caught in the act.

The key to understanding the pressure Joseph experienced comes in the form of a short, three word phrase: Gen. 39:10, says “day after day.” Joseph did not experience a one-time seduction. Mrs. Potaphar pursued him day after day in a relentless attempt to erode his convictions. Joseph did not budge. Finally in a last ditch try to conquer her prey, Mrs. Potiphar grabbed Joseph by his coat and tried to forcibly rape him. “Come to bed with me! she demanded (v.12). “But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.”

Before running away from Mrs. Potiphar, Joseph made three significant statements that support the cause of uncompromising integrity. These declarations serve as a blueprint for you and me to help keep our integrity intact.

First: Joseph stated,

“My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.” (v.9)

In other words, Joseph was saying, “If I go to bed with you, I violate my master, who is counting on me.” Do you realize when you compromise your integrity you violate those who know you? How many people would you take down with you? How many people would call Christianity into question as a result of your actions? You are an ambassador, a representative of Christ!

Second: is also revealing, “How then could I do such a wicked thing?” (v.9)

Joseph in effect says “If I go to bed with you, I violate myself.” No pain can compare to the agony of looking into the mirror and seeing the reflection of a hypocrite. The consequences of sin have a way of catching up with us. God desires that we have a clear conscience before Him at all times.
Third: Joseph finished with four important words; “and sin against God?”

In essence he was saying, “If I go to bed with you, Mrs. Potiphar, I violate God.” Unthinkable, unconscionable, how dare we, through a selfish choice, violate the one who died for us! When we violate our integrity by whatever means, we injure our relationship with God and handicap our ability to respond to his voice and enjoy His presence.

Conclusion;

Integrity involves the whole of the inner person; the heart, the mind, and the will. The person with integrity has a single heart. He doesn’t try to love God and the world at the same time. The person with integrity also has a singleness of mind, a single outlook that keeps life going in the right direction. Jesus said that the person with integrity has a single desire - he seeks to serve but one master.

George Barna in his book “The Frog In The Kettle” wrote;

To the average nonbeliever, Christians act no different than anyone else. Our faith appears to be simply a theoretical construct (a built up theory) (is your faith a theory to you?), an emotional decision that does not have the power to transform who we are and how we behave. We must now forcefully demonstrate, through our actions, that what we believe dictates what we do… Christians should be discernable as people of love and integrity.

The church is God’s main instrument in this world for putting things together, and in order to do the job right, the church itself must have wholeness. If there is one place where the shattered people of our fractured society ought to find integrity, it is in the local church. After all, we Christians are reconciled to God and united to one another, so people have every right to expect to see integrity in the church and her people.

What is integrity? Oxford English dictionary says that the word comes from the Latin “integrites”, which means wholeness, entireness, completeness. The root word is integer, which means untouched, intact, or entire.

The person with integrity is not pretending (that’s hypocrisy). We can no longer just go through the motions – people have seen through the lie and are rejecting Christ as Savior because of it.

The person with integrity is not divided (that’s duplicity). We can no longer live as one from this world and claim to be a citizen of heaven as God Word claims for those who belong to Him.

The person with integrity is whole, life is put together, and things are working together harmoniously. People with integrity have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. We must all seek, with all our hearts, to live a whole and complete life in Jesus. One without compromise, in doing this we will *effect our world in a positive way, that is our calling.

*not , affect: which means to stir the emotions of,

*but, effect: which is the power to cause results,

We cannot express the power of God without experiencing the power of God.

And what results are we looking for?

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16



God Bless and Press On

Larry

"Their Faith"

 A few months back I had the privilege of teaching this message at Desert Reign Church on a Sunday morning and I thought I'd share it here.  It's a call to be know as more than a Christian to those around you.  It's a call to be a friend, one that cares for the hurting, one who sees others through the eyes of Jesus. 

Be the "Jesus" the world has never seen or experienced.
 
Mark 2:1-5, 11, 12
"1. ...He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.  2. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door.  And He preached the word to them.  3. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.  4. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was.  So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.  5. When Jesus saw their faith, He said the the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you.'

...11." 'I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.'  12. Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God..."

This story from the gospel of Mark is the third telling of the same miracle performed by Jesus.  You can also find it in Matthew 9:1-8, and in Luke 5:17-26.  The same event from three different perspectives, yet one thing is consistent, one thing each gospel writer agreed upon, that was what Jesus Himself attributed this miracle to, and that was 'their faith'. 

We are not specifically told about the paralyzed mans faith.  No, not whether he had no faith, little faith, lost faith, or great faith, the emphasis is on the faith of his friends.  And, I call them friends because it would take great friends with much love and compassion to go through all this trouble for him who could not do it for himself. 

As Christians our deepest desire is to put people in touch with the Master, at least it should be.  God desires to use us, you and me, as His agents of love and hope.  Then we experience again, the joy of our Christian faith, that we can be to others what Jesus has been to us.  To be in Christ means to be in ministry.

So let's paint the entire picture here.  Jesus arrives by boat in Capernaum several days after His sermon on the mount message.  By this time His healing ministry has been made known throughout the land and crowds of people were following him from every village of Galilee, Judea, and from Jerusalem.

He had returned to His home base of ministry and it didn't take long for the people to hear that He was in the house, and gathered to hear Him speak.  So many people gathered in fact, that there was no more room inside the house.  People were standing outside the door and windows listening as Jesus spoke to them The Word.

Now somewhere else in town were four men deciding how they were going to get their paralyzed friend to see the healer.  They each grabbed a corner of his bed and set out to gain an audience with Jesus, believing in their hearts that He would be able to heal their friend - 'their faith' - grew feet.

They walked him through the streets of the town following the crowd and looking for the house that surely would be surrounded with people looking for a healing of some kind.  They found the house but then realized, because the throng of people was so great they would never be able to get their buddy into the house where Jesus was.

They had a few choices, they could turn around and go home, and try again tomorrow or another day, or they could wait outside at the edge of the crowd and hope that Jesus would eventually come out and pass by their way, or they could force their way through the people and make a way in to see Jesus.

I believe it was their great love for this friend coupled with their great faith in Jesus healing power that compelled them to go forward.  I picture in my mind these four determined men, pushing their way through until they reached the door to the house, and then seeing the house completely full they had the idea of going up on the roof, so they did just that.  The scripture tell us "they uncovered the roof where He was,... they had broken through, ...they let down the bed".  Visualize with me, these four men, as they're breaking through the dried mud and thatch roof pulling up the wood stave's that made up the roof to this house.

Did you ever wonder what was going on inside the house at this very moment?  The owner of the house was probably saying "what in the world is going on up there? You know you're going to pay for that roof!!" The gospel said they were above where Jesus was standing.  So again picture with me Jesus standing there as this dust begins to fall on and around Him.  Then the dust turns into dirt, and grass, and leaves, and finally sunlight.  as Jesus looks up He sees these four smiling faces looking down into the room elated that they had found a way in, no made a way in, to see the Master.

Now back on the roof, as they break through and look down into the room, they make sure they're in the right spot and proceed to enlarge the hole so that it's large enough to fit their friend and his bed.  Next problem, how do we get him down there?  "We can't just drop him in there!  I got an idea, lets use our belts, tie one to each corner of the bed and lower him into the room, right smack in front of Jesus, yes, that will work."   So that's what they did, they lowered their paralyzed friend to Jesus feet, and Jesus was moved with compassion.  All three accounts of this incident in the gospels tell us "when Jesus saw their faith"  He healed the man.

This story is an account of a paralyzed man fortunate enough to have four loving, compassionate friends who were also men of great faith.  They acted upon their faith and carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus.  "When Jesus saw their faith" - the faith of the four friends - He acted on "their faith" and healed their crippled friend on the spot.

I believe every miracle in the Bible is there to teach us a concept of the Christian faith.  If we understand the concept behind the teaching of the miracle, then the miracle or concept can take place in our lives too.

The paralytic truly needed his determined friends to carry him and his problem to the feet of Jesus.  The healing took place because of the faith, encouragement and support of the man's four devoted friends.

This particular story deals with physical illness, yet people can be in a state of paralysis for a number of reasons: physical illness, social dysfunction, financial burdens, spiritual turmoil or even emotional illness, and fear.  We need to be prepared for that time when God may call us to lift someones bed, and carry them to Jesus. 

No one wants to suffer alone!  To hurt is bad enough, but to hurt alone destroys people, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Remember also, each one of us at any moment in life can suddenly be put on our backs and feel paralyzed, unable to effectively deal with our problems alone.  In such moments, we will need to have friends, people sharing their gift of encouragement and support with us.  But first, you must be that kind of friend.

So be encouraged church, we have been called to be that friend who carries another to Jesus.  We have been called to be that "stream in the desert", that "flow of refreshing in the wilderness."

And it will be your faith that makes it happen.
We will reach the lost, forgotten, and fatherless.
We will call forth the healing of addictions, afflictions and disease.

And none of it will happen by our own power, no, it will be by our faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Closing:
Mark 2:12b says "...all were amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We never saw anything like this!"

Let God use you in the life of hurting people.  Let Him take you out of your comfort zone and be a friend to those who need a friend.  And let the world be amazed and give God glory for that which He can do through a humble and loving servant. YOU!

God Bless and Press On!
Larry