“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” I John 2:15-17
Every sin will fall into one of these three categories. Every moral failure will be a consequence of yielding to one of these three basic realms of temptation. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
The elder apostle John, in the twilight years of his ministry and of his life wrote passionately and kindly. He wrote with the burdened heart and the warning spirit of a grandfather who watches his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren trying to wade through the confusion and noise of life. He wanted them to make it. They must not fall. They must not fail.
When I read his brief epistles, I cannot help but take it personal. It is like a father talking with me. Though I am no longer young, I am not “home free” yet, and I cherish this kind of compassionate counsel.
These three verses are magnified in their importance when we compare them to the account of Jesus’ temptation recorded in Matthew 4. The three temptations that Jesus was faced with were these:
* ‘the lust of the flesh’ – in verse 3 Jesus was hungry from his extended fast. Satan tempted him to turn the stones to bread and satisfy his flesh.
* ‘the pride of life’ – in verses 5 and 6 Satan encouraged Jesus to cast himself down from the pinnacle of the temple and "wow" the people. Make a grand entrance and they will follow you anywhere.
* ‘the lust of the eye’ - in verses 8 and 9 Jesus was shown a fast motion view of all of the kingdoms of the world. "Look at all of this". "I will give you all of this, if only you will fall down and worship me." Jesus refused to yield to each of these three temptations. He answered and overcame them by the written word of God.
We read in Hebrews, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16. There is nothing that we face or experience that Jesus did not face. He met those three basic temptations "head-on" and, without hesitation, dismissed them with the written Word of God.
Our temptations also are, in reality, rather simple. We inevitably complicate issues that would be better left in simple and basic form. John’s inspired admonition was simple. . . “love not the world.” “The world passes away.”
Why love that which has no lasting importance? Why surrender the everlasting love of the Lord Jesus Christ to grasp for something that is gone in a fleeting moment? Why sell your honor, your integrity, your purity of heart, or your clear conscience in the attempt to satisfy a profane appetite, an issue of pride, or a lustful eye?
Life is too short, heaven is too near and dear, and eternity is too long to forsake the counsel of the elder John, or to ignore the temptation of Jesus. If it was important to Jesus, and it was important to John, it certainly must be important to us.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Plans
The gate of a city was more than the entryway.
The gate of the city was the place where the city council met and determined plans and programs. It was where decisions were made and judgments were declared concerning the many issues that were brought before the leaders for settlement. It was the place where plans for defense from, as well as aggression toward, its enemies were drawn up. It was the place where the respected leaders of the city gathered to govern. Lot was one of those leaders who sat at the gate of the city of Sodom. (He is not the subject of this note however.)
Consider the following excerpt of Jesus’ conversation with his disciples. Then consider with confidence his reply to revelation.
He (Jesus) saith unto them, “But whom say ye that I am?”
And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:15-19
It is no doubt that hell has plans for every church. Hell has plans for every home, every family and every person. The enemy plots, schemes, connives, orchestrates, and facilitates a plan to spoil every effort that is birthed in a righteous heart. The gates of hell are busy places. Hell has a plan for every life and an intent to spoil every Godly vision.
But Heaven also has a plan for every life, every home, every church, every preacher – known and unknown. Heaven has a plan for every young person, every small child, every unborn infant whose members are already written in a book. Heaven has heard -- and stored -- every prayer prayed, and weighed every grief endured. God knows, and God also has plans.
Jesus proclaimed to Peter and to the disciples in that close cluster of wonderers, that the plans that hell has made, the counsel that hell has gathered, and the conclusion it has come to, will not prevail against. . . will not, cannot, succeed against the church that is built on the revelation of the deity and the authority of Jesus Christ.
Whatever “new” plan hell conspires against the church cannot succeed. Those plans, however fearsome and traumatic they may appear, cannot succeed. (Hell has no new ideas. Every idea hell has is simply a regurgitated and re-packaged leftover of a former effort. Satan has no new tricks.) They will not prevail against a church that is founded on the revelation of who Jesus is and who we are. The authority that comes with the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ will prevail against any flood-tide of agnosticism, atheism, humanism, and the list goes on. (Many names, shades and nuances, but the same source.)
I like the word “shall”. Jesus did not say “might not”... “Perhaps not”... “Probably won’t” prevail against the church. He said “SHALL NOT prevail against the church.” We can stand with confidence in a shaky world.
The darkest council chambers are not hidden from the eyes of God. He knew what wicked kings said to themselves in their bedrooms. He who controls the winds can change the words of wickedness. He turned Balaam’s curse into blessing.
(Jeremiah 29:11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The gate of the city was the place where the city council met and determined plans and programs. It was where decisions were made and judgments were declared concerning the many issues that were brought before the leaders for settlement. It was the place where plans for defense from, as well as aggression toward, its enemies were drawn up. It was the place where the respected leaders of the city gathered to govern. Lot was one of those leaders who sat at the gate of the city of Sodom. (He is not the subject of this note however.)
Consider the following excerpt of Jesus’ conversation with his disciples. Then consider with confidence his reply to revelation.
He (Jesus) saith unto them, “But whom say ye that I am?”
And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:15-19
It is no doubt that hell has plans for every church. Hell has plans for every home, every family and every person. The enemy plots, schemes, connives, orchestrates, and facilitates a plan to spoil every effort that is birthed in a righteous heart. The gates of hell are busy places. Hell has a plan for every life and an intent to spoil every Godly vision.
But Heaven also has a plan for every life, every home, every church, every preacher – known and unknown. Heaven has a plan for every young person, every small child, every unborn infant whose members are already written in a book. Heaven has heard -- and stored -- every prayer prayed, and weighed every grief endured. God knows, and God also has plans.
Jesus proclaimed to Peter and to the disciples in that close cluster of wonderers, that the plans that hell has made, the counsel that hell has gathered, and the conclusion it has come to, will not prevail against. . . will not, cannot, succeed against the church that is built on the revelation of the deity and the authority of Jesus Christ.
Whatever “new” plan hell conspires against the church cannot succeed. Those plans, however fearsome and traumatic they may appear, cannot succeed. (Hell has no new ideas. Every idea hell has is simply a regurgitated and re-packaged leftover of a former effort. Satan has no new tricks.) They will not prevail against a church that is founded on the revelation of who Jesus is and who we are. The authority that comes with the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ will prevail against any flood-tide of agnosticism, atheism, humanism, and the list goes on. (Many names, shades and nuances, but the same source.)
I like the word “shall”. Jesus did not say “might not”... “Perhaps not”... “Probably won’t” prevail against the church. He said “SHALL NOT prevail against the church.” We can stand with confidence in a shaky world.
The darkest council chambers are not hidden from the eyes of God. He knew what wicked kings said to themselves in their bedrooms. He who controls the winds can change the words of wickedness. He turned Balaam’s curse into blessing.
(Jeremiah 29:11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Percentages
(John 3:30) He must increase, but I must decrease.
The speaker is John, the cousin of Jesus Christ and the 'Preparer of His way'. The one of whom Jesus said, "a prophet,yes, but more than a prophet".
John was aware of the rule of percentages. A "whole" is 100%. At least it was when I went to school. Full capacity is 100%. Complete is 100%. John understood that for Jesus to increase, he personally must decrease. There is not room for more of Jesus unless there is less of us. The more of us, the less of Him. The more of Him, the less of us.
John was the "friend of the bridegroom". This is a profound position and place of trust that John occupied. The closest thing to the "friend of the groom", is the "best man" in today's typical wedding entourage. In John's and Jesus' day however, the role was much more vital, detailed, and responsible. I will leave all of the detail for another space and another day.
Suffice it to say that John realized that, when he saw the arrival of Jesus Christ, and he understood that it was Jesus whom was to be the bridegroom of the church - the saviour of the Jews and then the entire world - he understood that his role and his time of being the "preparer of the way" was coming to a conclusion. And it did.
He knew that he must decrease so that Jesus could increase. That decrease included the sorrowful end of John, who was martyred for his uncompromising commitment to speaking the truth when it was not acceptable. For Jesus to increase in our lives, it will likewise cost us to yield and cast away something else.
In nearly every aspect of our lives we look for increase. Seldom do we think that we all have only 100% to work with. If one thing increases, something else must decrease.
I want more of Jesus and less of everything else. I don't know if any of us have the ability to accurately describe the true mathematical equation of our own lives. However, we would all do well to give it some thought and effort.
The speaker is John, the cousin of Jesus Christ and the 'Preparer of His way'. The one of whom Jesus said, "a prophet,yes, but more than a prophet".
John was aware of the rule of percentages. A "whole" is 100%. At least it was when I went to school. Full capacity is 100%. Complete is 100%. John understood that for Jesus to increase, he personally must decrease. There is not room for more of Jesus unless there is less of us. The more of us, the less of Him. The more of Him, the less of us.
John was the "friend of the bridegroom". This is a profound position and place of trust that John occupied. The closest thing to the "friend of the groom", is the "best man" in today's typical wedding entourage. In John's and Jesus' day however, the role was much more vital, detailed, and responsible. I will leave all of the detail for another space and another day.
Suffice it to say that John realized that, when he saw the arrival of Jesus Christ, and he understood that it was Jesus whom was to be the bridegroom of the church - the saviour of the Jews and then the entire world - he understood that his role and his time of being the "preparer of the way" was coming to a conclusion. And it did.
He knew that he must decrease so that Jesus could increase. That decrease included the sorrowful end of John, who was martyred for his uncompromising commitment to speaking the truth when it was not acceptable. For Jesus to increase in our lives, it will likewise cost us to yield and cast away something else.
In nearly every aspect of our lives we look for increase. Seldom do we think that we all have only 100% to work with. If one thing increases, something else must decrease.
I want more of Jesus and less of everything else. I don't know if any of us have the ability to accurately describe the true mathematical equation of our own lives. However, we would all do well to give it some thought and effort.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Anniversaries
We just celebrated our fifth anniversary as pastor of Lighthouse Pentecostal Church in Wausau, Wisconsin. What a wonderful display of thanksgiving and appreciation was shown toward my wife and me by the Lighthouse church family. Great kindness and generosity was “slathered” on us. We felt so special. I never do feel comfortable in the spotlight, but it is so encouraging to see that what we do with our lives is truly making a difference.
Bill and Marsha Davis (friends from Sandwich, Illinois) came to celebrate with us and to minister in the morning and evening services. They are friends whom we met in our very first year of marriage. We had such a good time together, along with Rick and Vondeleigh Robinson (missionary friends from Turkey), who also were in town and spent time with us in fellowship. What a great weekend we had. It truly seems like just a few months have passed, (not years), since we arrived in Wausau. God has been good and has done great things.
Anniversaries are like mile-markers. They are times of reflection and introspection. They are times when we turn and look behind us and do a “self-check”. My wife has a journal in which she lists how we spent every one of our 37 wedding anniversaries. We can recount every restaurant we dined at in celebration of our wedding day. We know where we were on our first anniversary, and our second, third, fourth, and etc. We occasionally recollect where we were on “such and such” a date and talk about the significance, or the humor, or the wonder of the occasion. Just yesterday we passed by the little church where, nearly 38 years ago, we stood at the altar and pledged ourselves to each other before God in matrimony.
She also has a journal of the trip we took to Europe in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. She brought it with us and read parts of it while we were recently traveling out of town. The journal includes receipts, sketches, and side-notes of that exciting adventure across the Atlantic. What memories came back to us.
Anniversaries worth celebrating are the result of a unique combination of personal success for those with a determined spirit, along with a huge dose of God’s great blessing and providence. Each occasion becomes a treasure that cannot be lost, stolen, or taken from us. We may lose our house, car, possessions, but we cannot lose an anniversary.
To remember where you have been, to recognize what you have experienced, and to understand God’s great blessing on your life is such a pleasure. What great joy and satisfaction it is to know that Jesus Christ has been there all the while. The riches of His grace are incalculable and His faithfulness endures to all generations.
Enough anniversaries, lined up in a row, make a life. What a wonderful life it is when Jesus Christ is at the center of it all.
Bill and Marsha Davis (friends from Sandwich, Illinois) came to celebrate with us and to minister in the morning and evening services. They are friends whom we met in our very first year of marriage. We had such a good time together, along with Rick and Vondeleigh Robinson (missionary friends from Turkey), who also were in town and spent time with us in fellowship. What a great weekend we had. It truly seems like just a few months have passed, (not years), since we arrived in Wausau. God has been good and has done great things.
Anniversaries are like mile-markers. They are times of reflection and introspection. They are times when we turn and look behind us and do a “self-check”. My wife has a journal in which she lists how we spent every one of our 37 wedding anniversaries. We can recount every restaurant we dined at in celebration of our wedding day. We know where we were on our first anniversary, and our second, third, fourth, and etc. We occasionally recollect where we were on “such and such” a date and talk about the significance, or the humor, or the wonder of the occasion. Just yesterday we passed by the little church where, nearly 38 years ago, we stood at the altar and pledged ourselves to each other before God in matrimony.
She also has a journal of the trip we took to Europe in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. She brought it with us and read parts of it while we were recently traveling out of town. The journal includes receipts, sketches, and side-notes of that exciting adventure across the Atlantic. What memories came back to us.
Anniversaries worth celebrating are the result of a unique combination of personal success for those with a determined spirit, along with a huge dose of God’s great blessing and providence. Each occasion becomes a treasure that cannot be lost, stolen, or taken from us. We may lose our house, car, possessions, but we cannot lose an anniversary.
To remember where you have been, to recognize what you have experienced, and to understand God’s great blessing on your life is such a pleasure. What great joy and satisfaction it is to know that Jesus Christ has been there all the while. The riches of His grace are incalculable and His faithfulness endures to all generations.
Enough anniversaries, lined up in a row, make a life. What a wonderful life it is when Jesus Christ is at the center of it all.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Just a thought
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
1John 3:1-3
A simple thought.
On that very long day when we each, in our own turn, come to stand before Jesus, we will stand alone. What merits will we claim to our own tribute? Not the works of our own righteousness. Even if our efforts, great or small, were counted toward some advantage, how would we stand alongside men of great spiritual stature, whose accomplishments shine like purified gold? There are so many great men of God whose lives cast long shadows. Do we dare compare?
Would we want to compare our character or personal accomplishments with Moses, the meekest man on earth? Or, consider Abraham the father of the faithful; Solomon the wisest; David, the man after God’s own heart; Job or Joseph, the patient in unexplainable suffering; Paul in his profound inspiration, intellect, endurance in trouble, and spiritual impact in his generation; Stephen, the first Christian martyr, or James the first Pentecostal pastor who died for his faith.
We will not have any appeal based on our own righteousness. We have only the righteousness and mercy of Jesus to base our hope on. We have no position or place guaranteed by our own accomplishment. We have only a place guaranteed by our sonship. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.
It is no personal accomplishment, great or small, that is our hope. It is our sonship, our new birth in Jesus Christ through repentance, taking on His Name in baptism, and the infilling of His Spirit that is our hope. It is not accomplishment, but relationship.
Now are we the sons of God. It’s not clear yet what we shall be... what place, position or reward awaits us... but we are promised that we shall be like Him. The spiritual genetics will be evidenced by our being cast in the likeness of our Lord. Imagine that moment when He says, “Yep, my Name, my Spirit, my Likeness... you look like Me... you’re Mine.”
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
1John 3:1-3
A simple thought.
On that very long day when we each, in our own turn, come to stand before Jesus, we will stand alone. What merits will we claim to our own tribute? Not the works of our own righteousness. Even if our efforts, great or small, were counted toward some advantage, how would we stand alongside men of great spiritual stature, whose accomplishments shine like purified gold? There are so many great men of God whose lives cast long shadows. Do we dare compare?
Would we want to compare our character or personal accomplishments with Moses, the meekest man on earth? Or, consider Abraham the father of the faithful; Solomon the wisest; David, the man after God’s own heart; Job or Joseph, the patient in unexplainable suffering; Paul in his profound inspiration, intellect, endurance in trouble, and spiritual impact in his generation; Stephen, the first Christian martyr, or James the first Pentecostal pastor who died for his faith.
We will not have any appeal based on our own righteousness. We have only the righteousness and mercy of Jesus to base our hope on. We have no position or place guaranteed by our own accomplishment. We have only a place guaranteed by our sonship. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.
It is no personal accomplishment, great or small, that is our hope. It is our sonship, our new birth in Jesus Christ through repentance, taking on His Name in baptism, and the infilling of His Spirit that is our hope. It is not accomplishment, but relationship.
Now are we the sons of God. It’s not clear yet what we shall be... what place, position or reward awaits us... but we are promised that we shall be like Him. The spiritual genetics will be evidenced by our being cast in the likeness of our Lord. Imagine that moment when He says, “Yep, my Name, my Spirit, my Likeness... you look like Me... you’re Mine.”
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Mercy
In Mark chapter 10 the man named Blind Bartimaeus called Jesus "thou Son of David". He then pleaded for mercy -- "have mercy on me". "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
Reading in the book of II Samuel, I recognized the profound presence of mercy in the life of King David.
David recieved a great measure of mercy shown to him. He also showed an incredible measure of mercy to others. Chapter after chapter reveals the tide of mercy as it came to him in the form of forgiveness by God, and a generous tide of mercy as it flowed from him in his forgiveness to others.
How God forgave him of his transgression with Bathsheba and the awful crime of the loss of Uriah's life is incomprehensible. This transgression was unimaginable. Yet Mercy came. Forgiveness came.
How, again and again, David spared the life of Saul, who sought to destroy David's. Mercy flowed out. How he showed mercy to Saul's son. How he showed forgiveness to men who cursed him and threw stones and dust at him. How he forgave men who plotted against him. How he wept for the loss of the life of his son who, without reservation, attempted to destroy his own father and take the kingdom for his own. Mercy flowed from him.
Yes, Bartimaeus knew what he was saying when he called on Jesus, the Son of David, and cried for mercy. He knew that this descendant of David would know what mercy was all about. He cried for mercy, asked for his eyesight, and received that for which he asked.
Reading in the book of II Samuel, I recognized the profound presence of mercy in the life of King David.
David recieved a great measure of mercy shown to him. He also showed an incredible measure of mercy to others. Chapter after chapter reveals the tide of mercy as it came to him in the form of forgiveness by God, and a generous tide of mercy as it flowed from him in his forgiveness to others.
How God forgave him of his transgression with Bathsheba and the awful crime of the loss of Uriah's life is incomprehensible. This transgression was unimaginable. Yet Mercy came. Forgiveness came.
How, again and again, David spared the life of Saul, who sought to destroy David's. Mercy flowed out. How he showed mercy to Saul's son. How he showed forgiveness to men who cursed him and threw stones and dust at him. How he forgave men who plotted against him. How he wept for the loss of the life of his son who, without reservation, attempted to destroy his own father and take the kingdom for his own. Mercy flowed from him.
Yes, Bartimaeus knew what he was saying when he called on Jesus, the Son of David, and cried for mercy. He knew that this descendant of David would know what mercy was all about. He cried for mercy, asked for his eyesight, and received that for which he asked.
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