DARE AND DO MUCH

God has not changed.  His power is still limitless, but we have not dared to trust Him and sought to do great things by that great power  Spurgeon underscored this when he said:

But it is also said that there is a want of power largely manifested by individual saints. Where are now the men who  can go up to the top of Carmel and cover the heavens with  clouds? Where are the apostolic men who convert nations?  Where are the heroes and martyr spirits of the better days?  Have we not fallen upon an age of little men, who little dare and little do? It may be so; but this is no fault of the great  Spirit. Our degeneracy is not His doing, We have destroyed ourselves, and only in Him is our help found. Instead of crying  to-day, “Awake, awake, O arm of the Lord,” we ought to listen  to the cry from heaven which saith, “Awake, awake, O Zion;  shake thyself from the dust, and put on thy beautiful  garments.” Many of us might have done great exploits if we had but given our hearts thereto. The weakest of us might have  rivaled David, and the strongest among us might have been as angels of God. We are straitened in ourselves; we have not reached out to the possibilities of strength which lie within grasp. Let us not wickedly insinuate a charge against the good  Spirit of our God; but let us in truthful humility blame  ourselves. If we have not lived in the light, can we marvel that  we are in great part dark? If we have not fed upon the bread of  heaven, can we wonder that we are faint? Let us return unto  the Lord. Let us seek again to be baptized into the Holy Ghost and into fire, and we shall yet again behold the wonderful  works of the Lord. He sets before us an open door, and if we  enter not, we are ourselves to blame. He giveth liberally and upbraideth not, and if we be still impoverished, we have not  because we ask not, or because we ask amiss. (Spurgeon, Service and Honor, pp. 37-38, Kindle Edition).

COMMITMENT TO THE END

The Apostle’s commitment will be to the end, sealed in his own blood.  Here is his swan song—Paul’s last will and testament.

There are reflections on the past (v.7). 3 times, he reflects, “I have.”  Paul speaks as the soldier when he says, “I have fought the good fight.”  The old Gospel general has taken many a wound in his war with the world, the flesh, and the devil.  He has faithfully worn the whole armor of God and wielded the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. Now, he will lay his armor aside and head for home.  The battle is over and victory has been won!  Paul speaks as a sportsman when he claims, “I have finished the race.”  It has been a marathon—a grueling race of endurance with many hurdles to clear, but now the finish line is in sight and he is sprinting to the tape.  The race is over and victory has been won!  Paul speaks as a steward when he asserts, “I have kept the faith.”  In his time, a steward was a household slave entrusted with his master’s possessions.  He was to manage them and invest them wisely, caring for the household. Paul had been entrusted with the faith—the body of Christian truth (ref. 2 Tim.1:11-14). The work is over and the reward has been won!  God help us to have this testimony in the end.  

Also, we hear a readiness in the present (v.6). Paul’s mind runs to his Jewish roots for an illustration—the pouring out of a drink offering on the altar as an act of worship.  His entire ministry had been a pouring out of his life for Jesus, the church, and lost humanity. The time for his departure from this world is close and he is not dreading it, but delighted in it!  Departure is a nautical term for boarding the ship, raising the anchor, and setting sail. Paul was boarding the Old Ship of Zion for a voyage to golden shores!

Thus, there was rejoicing in the prospects (v.😎. If we bear the cross, we will gain the crown!  Notice the reward is reserved for “that day”—the appearing of Jesus the second time. You don’t get the reward when you die, or you will get short-changed. Our influence lives on!  Only when time is no more will the final results be in and full reward be given. Not just for Paul, not just for preachers,  but “to all those who have loved his appearing.”  Do you love His appearing?  Are you looking up? Looking for Jesus? Living with expectancy and urgency?  Those who are most heavenly minded do the most earthly good.  Look up!  Live for eternity!

LOOK UP!

The dungeon was dark and damp.  Rodents raced across the floor and fleas gnawed at the flesh. The smell of sweat and urine hung heavy in the air.  The sound of men cursing and crying reverberated off the stone walls. Soon, there would be other sounds—iron soled boots echoing as soldiers marched down the corridor, the clanging of a key turning a lock, the squealing of a heavy iron door swinging on rusty hinges, and the brusk command, “Come with me.”  The old preacher would have his head laid on the chopping block, the sharp sword of the executioner would fall—head one way, body another, soul another—and Paul, the Apostle would be set free from this sinful world and be welcomed into glory.  Knowing his time was short, he penned these final words.  

By no means, do I count myself worthy to be named in the same sentence as that champion of faith, but I can share his words that are so fitting in the times we live. God wiling, that is our planned course of study for the week—Paul’s final days in these final days of 2020.  My call to you is to “Look up!”

THE CONTEST ON CARMEL

“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings‬ ‭18:21‬)

1 person + God = a majority. God told one man, Elijah, to go on the offensive and challenge the devil’s crowd to a duel. That is the kind of faith that forges victory. Too often, God’s people have a fortress mentality. We view ourselves as outnumbered and outgunned, just hoping we can hold on. Yet, Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt.16:18). The church is to be militant and triumphant, as we storm the gates of hell!  We are meant to confront the vile values, vain philosophies, and virulent deceptions of our day.

When I was young, I recall the Ali-Frazier boxing match, “The Thrilla in Manila,’ and the Foreman-Ali bout, “The Rumble in the Jungle.”  1 Kings 18 gives us a ringside seat for “The Contest on Carmel.”

There was A CHALLENGE TO A DUEL (v.1-19). The wicked King Ahab and his demonic Queen Jezebel were in power.  The false worship of Baal permeated Israel. Here we encounter the god-fearing Obadiah, who was holding to faith in God, even while serving in the polluted palace of Ahab and Jezebel. Of course, there stands stalwart Elijah—one prophet challenging 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah to a duel!  God always has a people who will stand up and speak out. Will you?

Then, there is A CALL FOR A DECISION (v.20-40). There is no place for fence-straddling. God wants us hot or cold, but not lukewarm. It nauseates Him. Elijah would repair the altar. That is the place of consecration. We need to go all in!  He would prepare the sacrifice. That is the place of expectation. We need a faith that overcomes our fear. Then followed prayer. That is the place of intercession.  An ordinary prayer can bring extraordinary results!  The response of the people was to worship God, when the fire fell!

The saga closes with A CRY FOR A DOWNPOUR (v.41-46). Elijah had prayed and the heavens were shut. He prays again and the heavens open. James tells us this, ““Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James‬ ‭5:16-18‬). Only a praying church is a powerful church. We stand strongest when we kneel weakest.

IMPROVE YOUR SERVE

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.  For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  (Hebrews 6:9-12 NKJV)

What Paul means by “things that accompany salvation,” points in the context to the Christian’s “work and labor of love” demonstrated “in that you have ministered to the saints….”  Our “full assurance of hope” is reinforced by our service to Christ.  Note—we are not saved because we serve, but we serve because we are saved.  The question then is not will I serve God or not—that is not an option—but how effective am I in service?

That vital matter leads me to share a series of messages in October entitled, “Improve Your Serve.”  No matter where we are on the scale of faithfulness to serve and fruitfulness in service, there is always room for improvement.  So, we will share from Scripture how we can be more effective in our work for the Lord.

I don’t know if you play tennis or have at some point, but if you do then you understand how crucial the serve is to winning the match.  Where you serve—there is a specific area where the ball must land—and the way you serve—the greater the speed and spin you put on the ball the better—cannot be overstated as to its significance.  One of the keys to improving your serve in tennis is follow through.  It isn’t just focusing on the immediate impact at the point of striking the ball—certainly crucial—but how we follow through the point of impact which determines direction and velocity.

As a spiritual illustration, the point of impact is the commitment to follow Christ which calls us to salvation and with salvation a commission to service.  The impact on us is the receiving of grace gifts that equip us with the resources we need to get the job done.  The impact on the world is measured by the degree of follow through.  This is what gives our service force and leads us to victory—victorious Christian service!

So, what has God called you to do?  How has He wired you up?  What are your spiritual gifts?  Are you following through on serving Him?

DEFEATING THE DEVIL

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.  (Revelation 12:11)

In the twelfth chapter of Revelation, we find war in heaven.  This passage has a prophetic interpretation.  The swirl of events seen here involve the consummation of the age.  However, there is also a perpetual implication.  Throughout the history of the planet, there has been a conflict between light and darkness, between God and the Devil.  Yet, our focus is upon the practical illustration.  Daily we do battle with the enemy of our souls.  Contained in this text are spiritual truths that will enable us to defeat the Devil. 

We can overcome Satan by THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE LAMB. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb….”  In Eden, God pronounced the curse upon sin.  Still, I remind you, that where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.  So on the heels of the curse, God decreed the cure for sin.  Genesis 3:15 presents the first prophecy of Messiah.  It reads, “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  At Calvary the old Serpent plunged his venomous fangs into the heel of the Seed of woman, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus was bruised for our transgressions, but in so doing, crushed the Serpent’s head.  Christ’s victory is our victory.  We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.   Plead the blood.  The blood of Christ has purchased us and preserves us. 

We defeat the devil by THE CONFESSION OF THE LIPS.  It says, “they overcame him . . . by the word of their testimony….”  This Word referred to is the Word of God. Paul calls it, “The Sword of the Spirit” in Ephesians 6.  Jesus put the Devil to flight in the wilderness by the word of His testimony, as He uttered this response to each temptation, “It is written….”  We store the Word in our life and then speak the Word with our lips.  Words can be weapons of destruction when tongues are controlled by Satan. But words can also unleash the power and blessing of God when the mouth is mastered by Christ.  Remember how Jericho fell with a shout!  So will the strongholds of Satan crumble before the power of a positive confession rooted in the Word of God. 

We can defeat the Devil by THE COMMITMENT OF THE LIFE, for “they did not love their lives to the death.”  That’s total commitment.  What power there is in a life yielded unto God!  The stoutest demon trembles at the sight of a saint whose gaze is fixed on heaven, with the world behind his back, whose mind is consumed with Christ, whose ears are sensitive to the Spirit’s still, small voice, and whose feet are set on the highway of holiness.  How can the Devil threaten such a person?  He can say, “I’ll take your possessions!” But having surrendered it all to God, we have nothing to lose.  Satan can rave, “I’ll destroy your family!”  If like Hannah with Samuel, we’ve given them to God, we’re persuaded that He is able to keep that which we’ve committed unto Him against that day.  Satan can say, “I’ll take your health!” However, we realize our body is a lump of clay in the hand of the Divine Potter to shape as He sees fit. Therefore, we do not fear.  This is victory!

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

And [Hezekiah] did what was right in the sight of the LORD…. (2 Kings 18:3)

Paul warned the Roman Christians about the danger of being conformed to the world (Rom.12:2).  One translation renders it, “Do not let the world press you into its mold.”  By the world, we mean the organized system of evil which characterizes unbelievers under the dominion of Satan.  Each day we face this relentless pressure.  It isn’t hard to give in.  Most people do.  Yet, we are called to be radically different.   God’s children are living for another world—for eternity.  Hezekiah dared to be different.  His life as described in 2 Kings 18 is a challenge to us.

We are to dare to be DIFFERENT IN OUR ACTIONS (v.3).  This was so different from most of the kings of Judah.  Of Ahaz who preceded him it says, “he did evil in the sight of the LORD” (17:2), and of Manasseh who succeeded him, “he did evil in the sight of the LORD.”  Hezekiah dared to be different.  

There were two motivating factors that aided him that will also help us.  First, Hezekiah knew God was always watching.  The private sin on earth is a public scandal in heaven.  The good deeds men overlook are always documented by God.  2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."   Secondly, Hezekiah had a godly example in David.  King David wasn’t a perfect man, but he was “a man after God’s own heart.”  Hezekiah was challenged by that example.  Such can inspire us.

We are further to be DIFFERENT IN OUR ATTITUDES (v.4).  The attitude of most of the kings toward idolatry was to encourage it by tolerating it, and some actively embraced it by practicing it.  Not Hezekiah! He sought to eradicate it by attacking it!  The Jews had come to venerate the bronze serpent.  Hezekiah called it Nehushtan—the bronze thing.  Are we tolerant of evil?  Right attitudes are important.  Paul’s demand not to be conformed to the world is connected to a renewed mind that is transformed by the Word (Rom.12:2).  

Then, we are to be DIFFERENT IN OUR ASSURANCE (v.5-6).  The world seeks success and security in position, possessions, and pleasures.  If I get the right status I'll be successful.  If I get enough stuff I'll be secure.  If I get enough stimulation, I'll be satisfied.  That is instead the path to disappointment for there is nothing this world offers that is enduring.  God alone is worthy of our faith.  He gives the highest status, true riches, and everlasting joy to His obedient children.   A living faith produces works.  James tells us that “faith without works is dead.”  Hezekiah’s life was marked by connection, “he held fast to the LORD”; consistency, “he did not depart from following Him”; commitment, “kept His commandments.”  

Finally, we should be DIFFERENT IN OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS (v.7-8).  Several of the wicked kings experienced worldly success.  In the end, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?”  True success is having all the resources we need here and all the rewards we can store up hereafter.  "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17)  Hezekiah lived in victory.  Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  Dare to be different!

SURRENDERED TO THE SAVIOR

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  (Romans 12:1)

Nicolas Zinzendorf gazed at the painting called “Ecce Homo” (“Behold the Man”).   He read the words “I have done this for you; what have you done for me?”  and committed his life to Christ and started a great missions movement.  Frances Havergal saw the same picture and wrote the words of this hymn:

  

“I gave my life for thee,

My precious blood I shed,

That thou might’st ransomed be,

And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave my life for thee,

What hast thou given for me?”

That is the point of Romans 12:1.  The sacrifice of Christ calls us to absolute surrender to the Savior. 

  

Consider first, THE REASONS FOR SURRENDER.  Although Paul might have spoken with the authority of an Apostle and demanded it, instead he stoops as a beggar and pleads for it.  He knew that love cannot be coerced.  It must be freely given.  This verse marks a transition in the thrust of Paul’s letter.  The Apostle has for eleven chapters directed us to the manifold mercies of God.  He has spoken of the greatness of God’s grace in saving wretched sinners like we are!  We love Him for He first loved us!  The Lord is not being unreasonable in demanding we surrender all.  Don’t you understand that He surrendered everything to give you eternal life?

  

Then, we observe THE REQUIREMENTS OF SURRENDER.  We yield our entire being, particularly our body as an instrument in God’s hands to accomplish His work in the world.  Christ didn’t die only to save our souls, but to redeem the total person.  He wants to use your eyes to see hurting humanity, your ears to hear their cries, your heart to care for them, your feet to go to them, your hands to help them, and your lips to tell them why.  This is a commitment from which there is no turning back—it is living and ongoing. Constantly we surrender—a thousand times a day when faced with God’s will or our will, we choose to follow Him.  “Present” is a definite act—once for all never to turn back, but “living” is a daily attitude.—ongoing in keeping all on the altar.  The sacrifices God demanded under the Old Covenant were to be without blemish.  They were not acceptable if they were not holy.  Repentance from sin is to accompany resignation in sacrifice.  The Pharisees brought offerings to God, but motivated by the applause of man.  Rather than commend them, Christ condemned them.  What is the motive for our surrender?  Our service isn’t to be about our glory, but His.

Finally, we face THE RESULTS OF SURRENDER.  Surrender means we report for duty.  We will serve God doing anything, anywhere, anytime He directs us.  The Old Testament saints brought their sacrifices as an act of worship.  Presenting our bodies to Him is the ultimate in worship.  He gets our minds engaged in meditating on Him and His Word, our mouths open in prayer and praise, our hearts filled with love and joy, and our hands ready to respond in giving and serving.  The world will take notice of such a life.  By this we bear testimony of our estimation of the worth of Christ’s sacrifice.  Today is the day to surrender your all to the Savior.

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.  ‎(Luke 14:27)

The nature of many evangelistic appeals is to get someone to repeat a prayer, sign a commitment card, and get them into the baptistery.  The preacher tries to make it as easy as possible for someone to respond.  The message is often: “Do you want a better marriage?  Do you want to be happy and fulfilled as a person?  Do you want success in business?  Then come to Jesus.”  While it is possible that some of that may happen, Jesus never promised, “Your Best Life Now.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote in The Cost of Discipleship, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”  Bonhoeffer was a pastor in Nazi Germany and his opposition to Hitler led to his execution.  If we would follow Christ there are three things we cannot do (Luke 14:26, 27, 33). 

We cannot put anyone in the place only God deserves (Luke 14:25-26).  This teaching is shocking.  It was to the multitudes that first heard it.  It does not mean that we are to literally feel loathing for our family members.  The Bible tells us to honor our parents, for husbands and wives to love each other, for parents to love their children—even to love our enemies.  No Scripture can be interpreted to contradict what it means in another place.  It was a way Jesus used to make a radical comparison.  It meant that the love we have for God is to be so superior to any other love that those other loves would be as hate.  J.C. Ryle gave the practical application this way: “If the claims of relatives and the claims of Christ come into collision, the claims of relatives must give way.  We must choose rather to displease those we love most upon earth, than to displease Him who died for us on the cross.” 

We cannot live for self and live for Christ (Luke 14:27).  The crowd thought Jesus was marching to Mt.Zion to overthrow Caesar and replace Herod—reestablishing the glory days of Solomon—and they would, of course, benefit from it.  Jesus tells them no—He’s marching to Mt.Calvary to bear a cross and die for sinners—and the result would be eternal life—if we follow Him.  That means we must die to self as we take up our cross.  Yet, the airwaves today are filled with the so-called prosperity gospel promising health and wealth if you just have enough faith.  That is the polar opposite of what Jesus says here.

We cannot cling to the things of this world and still hope to possess heaven (Luke 14:28-35).  We might almost conclude Jesus didn’t want people to follow Him, but such is not the case.  What He was doing was separating the wheat from the chaff; the believers from the make-believers; the committed from the curious.  Following Jesus has to do with building and battling—one costs money and the other costs blood—so He told these stories about counting the cost.  What will it cost you?  It could cost you everything (v.33).  We recognize that all we have is God’s and we are just stewards.  He may let us keep it.  He may even multiply it for ministry.  He can claim it when He wants.  Jim Eliot, missionary and martyr said, “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  It costs to follow Christ, but costs much more not to do so!

A CRISIS OF COMMITMENT

 

Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.  (Joshua 3:17)

There seems to be a wide gulf between the claims of many Christians and their character.  We are too often spiritual under-achievers whose performance falls far short of our potential.  Like the ancient covenant people, the entrance into such a life today has a barrier—for them it was literally the Jordan River at flood stage.  For us, it is what that river represents spiritually: death to self.  In our hymnody, the Jordan has come to mean the place of physical death, and Canaan symbolizes heaven.  I hope not!  Canaan was a place of fruitfulness, but also a place of fighting and failure.  The first city on the other side was not the New Jerusalem but Jericho.  So we see that the Jordan does represent death—not the death of the body, but the crucifixion of self.  Canaan is the promised abundant life here—involving spiritual warfare, but, also, the power for victory. 

This is the crisis of commitment.  It is the threshold that must be crossed.  Joshua got up early that morning (v.1).  He was eager to enter—his heart set on Canaan.  The Jordan proves no deterrent to the one whose heart has been captivated by a land flowing with milk and honey.  If we could just envision the life God has for us—if we would die to the life we have—then we would zealously embrace the cross.  Interestingly, God made them wait three days (v.2).  There was to be a time of contemplation before they came to the place of consecration (v.5).  That generation had time to reflect on the failure of their forefathers.  Unbelief was the reason the previous generation did not enter, and faith would be the needful response if they were  to seize the prize.  They had three days to look at the flood and consider the human impossibility of crossing—they had no boats or bridges.  It would take an act of God to bring them in—and so they would learn if God was for them, nothing or no one could stand against them.

The ark—testimony to the presence of God among them—would lead the way (v.3-4).  Never again would they be led by the pillar of cloud and fire.  The ark contained the commandments of God.  Just so, the Lord no longer leads us with visions, but with the verities of His Word—not signs but Scripture guides our path.  We have a confirmed Word of prophecy (2 Pet.1:16-21).  The will of God is in the Word of God.  Read the roadmap and go forward!

The miracle happened when they stepped out by faith into the water (v.5-17).  God affirmed the leadership of His man (v.7).  God also displayed His lordship over their foes (v.9-10).  If God could remove this barrier, then they could trust Him to drive out the enemy.  We will never experience the power of victory and the fullness of blessing God has for us, until we step out of our comfort zone and into the commitment zone!  They could have turned back into the wilderness.  Their forefathers did.  God has brought us again to consider throwing caution to the wind, stepping out in faith, and entering abundant life.  Abundance demands abandonment.  What will we do?  We stand at the crisis of commitment.

THE GREAT PURSUIT

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  (James 4:8a)

“Why do some persons 'find' God in a way that others do not?  Why does God manifest His Presence to some and let multitudes of others struggle along in the half-light of imperfect Christian experience?  Of course the will of God is the same for all.  He has no favorites within His household.  All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children.  The difference lies not with God but with us.”  That’s what A.W. Tozer said in his classic book, “The Pursuit of God.”   We have as much of God as we desire.  James tells us that in chapter four of his letter.  This is the great pursuit, and four things are required to “find” God fully.

The first requirement is COMMITMENT (v.8a).  God wants us and woos us, but we must respond to His love.  There must be a commitment that we want Him.  I heard a story of an old couple driving the beat up pickup truck down a dusty country road.  Old Eb is behind the wheel, and his wife is scooted over to the passenger side window, wistfully looking out at the cornfields.  She says, “Eb, remember how we used to sit so close?  How we would ride down the road right against each other?”  To that Eb simply replied, “I ain’t moved.”  God hasn’t moved.  We are the ones who need to scoot back over!

The second requirement is CLEANSING (v.8b).  Has there been a time you were in your dirty work clothes and had to make a run to the store?  You hoped no one you knew would see you—or smell you.  Sin is a barrier to intimacy with a Holy God.  Adam and Eve enjoyed walking with God in the garden, until sin came, and then they ran and hid.  Thankfully, God made provision for their forgiveness.  We can be cleansed.  That’s why Jesus came.  We must confess that we are soiled and the barrier will be broken.

The third requirement is CONTRITION (v.9-10).  Sin is not only an activity—where we do the wrong deeds—but, it is an attitude—when we have the wrong disposition.  If I do not take sin seriously, then I show I do not take God seriously.  If I do not humbly repent of my pride, then access to God’s gracious presence will be denied.  My heart needs to be broken by what breaks the heart of God.  It has been the eyes are the windows of the soul.  If that is true, then the windows need washing with tears of contrition.  Then we can see God clearly, and the light of His love will flow in unobstructed.

The fourth requirement is CONTROL (v.11-12).  James has much to say about the tongue and the need to control what we say.  He returns to that theme here.  When I speak wickedly about someone else in a judgmental way, I am inviting God to judge me accordingly.  When we visit the doctor, one of the first things he does is ask you to open your mouth and stick out your tongue.  He can assess much about the state of your health by looking in your mouth.  That is true concerning our spiritual health as well.

Let us not accept a cheap substitute for God by pursuing the things of this world—that is idolatry.  May we give ourselves fully to the great pursuit of the true and living God!

THE BRINK OF BLESSING

If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’  (Numbers 14:8)

Are we standing on the brink of blessing?  Ancient Israel did. God brought them out of bondage in order to bring them into blessing.  Standing on the banks of the Jordan, they stood on the brink of blessing.

There was a problem, however--in fact, a big one!  There were large, fortified cities and giant, fierce enemies there.  This presented DIFFICULTY.  "So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night."  (Num.14:1)  This was the reaction to the report of the reconnaissance team of twelve that had been sent into Canaan.  Ten of the twelve--Caleb and Joshua being the notable exceptions--brought back an evil report.  The people responded in fear rather than faith.  They focused on problems and not possibilities.  Where Caleb and Joshua saw the huge fruit, the ten saw the heavy fortifications.  Ten saw the giants, while two looked to God.  What difficulty is too great for Deity?  Any church that purposes to be all God wants them to be in their community--glorifying God, reaching sinners, growing saints, and impacting the culture will face difficulty.  Satan will see to it.  God permits it as a test.  Will we respond to the challenges with faith or fear?

There comes the moment of DECISION.  "So they said to one another, 'Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.' ” (Num.14:4)  God brings us to the point of decision.  You can't straddle the fence.  We can choose to wander by going backward in fear.  You can't stand still spiritually.  If you aren't moving forward, you are slipping backward.  We speak of churches on a plateau--what that means is they are out of gas, and coasting on the momentum they had, but there is no power, and soon they will head downhill, faster and faster, until they crash.  Has God brought us to the brink of blessing?  We can choose the wonder by going forward in faith.  We will never see the miracle until we must have one.  We can never attain the blessing until we step out in faith.

Sadly, Israel choose to reject the promises and rebel against God.  This brought DISCIPLINE.  "I the LORD have spoken this.  I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me.  In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” (Num.14:35)  We witness God's patience.  This was not the first time they had rebelled.  It became a pattern.  God displayed His patience over and over.  Yet, there comes a point of no return--a moment when God draws a line in the sand that we dare not cross.  Israel presumed upon God's long-suffering once too often.  Then follows the punishment.  The door of opportunity slams shut.  The offer of blessing is withdrawn.  Churches die in the wilderness!  They could have known blessing, but refused to trust and obey God!  Then God writes, "Ichabod," over the door--the glory is departed!  What could have been a movement, became a monument, and eventually a mausoleum.

Backward in fear; forward in faith--what is your choice today?

LIGHT YOUR WORLD

 

that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world….  (Philippians 2:15)

A demonic darkness has descended upon America.  Daily, it seems, we hear of the most horrific crimes that are committed.  Dope, debauchery, drunkenness, devil worship—all this and more has enslaved millions.  The evil of sin is decimating our nation, destroying our families, and defiling our churches.  What are we to do?  Enough hand-wringing!  Our response is clear according to Scripture!  Paul admits to the reality of the darkness—it is “a crooked and perverse generation.”  So, let your light shine!

Paul speaks of THE LIGHT OF CONTENTMENT (Phil.2:14).  You must keep the wick of an oil lamp trimmed or it becomes hard and gives off more smoke than light.  A spirit of discontent hardens our heart and disputes smoke up the church with a foul odor and dim the light.  Contentment, on the other hand, is an attitude that brightens the room!  Don’t argue with Paul about, “If you knew what I was going through…if you knew how people have treated me…” because he was writing these words from a dark prison cell, suffering what he did not deserve!  Yet, the whole letter is brimful of joy and the Apostle exults, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”  (4:11b)  Have you?

There is also THE LIGHT OF CONSECRATION (Phil.2:15a).  For an oil lamp to shine, you must keep the globe clean.  Consecration is about the cleansing of sin that comes from confession.  It is a regular need, for we all at some point or another succumb to temptation.  We can be wiped clean again through repentance.  God calls us to be blameless—where no one can point to a scandalous sin that contradicts our claims as the children of God.  We are to be harmless—and the word means, “for real,” so sinners cannot call us hypocrites.  If we are to bring others to the light, then we must be clean.

Next, we note THE LIGHT OF COMPASSION (Phil.2:15b-16).  An oil lamp requires fuel!  Compassion is the oil in the lamp of our testimony.  Paul had a burning heart to reach the lost.  Even in prison, his compassion brought a compulsion to win souls to Christ (read Phil.1:12-14).  People are sailing on the storm-tossed seas of sin—in the darkness of deception drawing ever closer to shipwreck on the rocks of God’s wrath.  Their only hope to make safe harbor is for the church to be a lighthouse and where there are those already sinking in sin—throw them the life-preserver of “the word of life.”

In conclusion, we need THE LIGHT OF COMMITMENT (Phil.2:16b-18).  You may have your wick trimmed, the globe clean, and oil in the lamp, but there is one more requirement—a flame to ignite it!  Commitment is the spark for our witness.  Paul had such a commitment to Christ and His commission for him that he saw himself as a sacrifice—a drink offering poured out on the altar.  He was running the race to win and laboring to receive an eternal reward.  God wants us to be productive—and reach our world.  Let us seek Paul’s passion and emulate his pattern lest our race and our labor be, “in vain” (v.16).  The darker the world, the more our light is needed—and effective!

STAYING CLEAN IN A SEXUALIZED CULTURE

 

How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”  (Genesis 39:9b)

Sex is used to sell everything from hamburgers to video games.  You cannot access the internet or go to a movie without encountering temptation.  Wherever you turn, you will see more flesh than you should and hear more lurid conversation than you ought.  Ours is a sex-saturated society.  Yet, God calls His people to holiness.  How is this possible?  The story of Joseph helps us understand how to stay clean in a sexualized culture.

We note THE DANGER THAT HE FACED (Gen.39:1-7).  Joseph was a red-blooded young man with all the sexual desire any man his age possesses.  God has wired us up that way.  He has also, however, established marriage to be the place where that joyful experience is celebrated.  Sin—in whatever form—is exceeding the boundaries God has established.  Temptation came to Joseph as he goes through his normal course of life.  The challenge to our purity will arise, the issue is how we will respond to it.

There was THE DECISION THAT HE FORTIFIED (v.8-9).  Joseph had developed moral convictions.  His prompt reaction shows he had thought this matter through and was prepared for the crisis.  He knew God’s demands, and was determined to follow them.  With each decision made to stand, that commitment was fortified.  “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  (Rom.12:2)  We are either being conformed to the world or transformed by the Word.

So came THE DEFILEMENT THAT HE FLED (v.10-12).  You don’t have to go looking for temptation—it will come seeking you.  It did for Joseph.  His temptation was not an occasional matter, but a continual challenge.  Then came the moment when he had no choice but to run—the fire was too hot!  We cannot get away from all temptation in the world we live in, but there comes the point in which we must, “Flee sexual immorality.” (1 Cor.6:18a).  It may mean installing internet monitoring software, getting an accountability partner, not traveling out of town alone, or something else, but linger long enough near the edge of that polluted stream, and you will one day dive in!

Still, there was THE DIFFICULTY THAT HE FACED (v.13-20).  We have heard the expression, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” and this story illustrates it.  If we decide to stand for God, don’t assume that means you are free from trouble.  The world will seek the downfall of the godly.  If they can’t find a legitimate means of attack, then they will spread false accusation.  Satan will then whisper, “See, what serving God gets you!”  As Joseph was isolated in a prison cell, those who seek holiness will feel very much alone—on an island in an ocean of pleasure-seekers.

Yet, there was THE DELIGHT THAT HE FOUND (v.21-23).  God blessed Him despite his circumstances.  The Lord still had a wonderful plan for his future.  Had he yielded to sin, he would have disqualified himself.  Instead, God favored his faithful servant.  Trust Him!  He will help you stay clean in a sexualized culture—and in the end it is rewarded.

ALL IN

 

 

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.  (Jeremiah 29:13-14)

God does not want half-heartedness.  To be partially faithful is to be wholly unfaithful.  How do you think your spouse would react if you said, “Honey, I will love you 364 days out of the year, but on just one night I am going to share my love with someone else”?  Yet, we often have divided affections when it comes to the Lover of our souls.  The truth is that we have as much of God as we want.  The only issue is—do we have a passion for Him?   God’s Spirit, by His Word, summons us to seek Him today—particularly and persistently.  He promises the great delight of Himself in His fullness when we do!  I am a fool not to do that.  The world promises much, but the pleasures of sin are a cheap thrill that leave us emptier than before we indulged.  It is like trying to quench your thirst by drinking water from the ocean—the more you swallow, the thirstier you become—and it leads to madness and death.  Only God can satisfy our soul—and He does it to overflow!  He gives rivers of living water flowing from our innermost being.  Lord, forgive us for our unfaithfulness.  Renew our focus on You as we repent of our carnal distractions.  Today, we set our heart on You alone!  Let us be “all in.”

A PASSION FOR THE PRIZE

 

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 3:13-14)

A passion for the prize—that is how we could sum up Paul’s motivation in ministry.  That prize was Christ-likeness—to be ultimately attained in glory, and relentlessly pursued on earth.  Such a life focuses on becoming all that God has designed us to be in Christ.  Our position in Him gives us the solid ground to passionately pursue our call. 

We cannot look back, lest we trip.  Yesterday is past—for good or bad.  Regret over past stumbles will only hinder us today if we wallow in self-pity.  Reliance on past successes will only hobble us today if we swell in self-promotion.  Regret the past to the point of repentance and then move ahead.  Reflect on the past to the point of rejoicing and then go forward.  There is not enough energy for such fruitless retracing our steps, but all our strength must be expended in the race ahead of us.

Friend, we are headed down the homestretch!  The finish line is in sight!  It is time to pour it on—the final kick to propel us onward!  Did you know that today might be the last day of this earthly race?

Beyond the finish line, there stands the Judge on the dais in Heaven.  He holds in His nail-scarred hands the victor’s crown, ready to place on the head of all who finish as champions.  There will be no greater joy than for Him to place it upon our head and hear Him say, “Well done!”  What a victory celebration awaits!  Glory to His name forever!  In running for Christ, we have given ourselves to Him who gave Himself for us!  How much did He give?  He gave His all, and let us respond in turn.  Our ultimate delight is to be abide in Him and live for Him.  If that is true, we will not be disappointed.  We will attain our prize and be finally with Him and become fully like Him!

COMMITTED TO THE CALL

 

Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

And your justice as the noonday.  (Psalm 37:5-6)

It was the summer of 1976.  My wife and I had been seeking God for His direction in our lives.  He was stirring us—but to what end?  There was much we were doing in church, but always a nagging thought that there was something more He wanted.  In the old open-air auditorium at Ben Lippen Conference Center, we went to hear the late Stephen Olford preach.  That night he took his text from Psalm 37:5-6 and issued an invitation to commitment to God’s call.  My wife and I signed a card, “Lord Jesus, anything, anywhere, anytime—I am ready!”  Although I have fallen short at times of this, it has been my consistent goal.  What does this text say about our commitment to the call of God—whether that is to be a missionary, a pastor, a secretary, a salesman, or a factory worker—whatever?

We fail when we make our plans, pray for God to bless them, and then wonder why things don’t pan out.  What we must do is commit ourselves to God’s plans and then we will have His blessing.  It comes down to faith.  Do I trust Him?  God has not promised to do what I want, but that He wants me to do what He wills.  Wisdom is to bring myself into alignment with His purposes and not to try to persuade God that my agenda is worth His favor.  God’s train is moving down the tracks.  He invites me to get on board.  I could decide to get in front of that train and seek to derail it—and that is madness!

This could be the dawn of a new day.  The righteousness of God could radiate from us as we walk with the Lord in the light of His way.  The justice of our cause will be established in the submission of our course to His roadmap.  It will be as clear as the sun at high noon can reveal it.  What brought me clarity in my calling?  It was commitment first!  I had wrestled with the specific assignment He had for me, but couldn’t gain confidence in any particular area.  I didn’t grasp that what God wanted was not my ability, but my availability!  When I made the commitment, He filled in the details.  When I yielded to anything He wanted, within a week I knew the one thing—I was called to preach the Gospel.  Commitment to that call has sustained me through some dark valleys of discouragement and carried me through many deep waters of difficulty.

We all can think of many opinions.  Others feel free to give many opinions. “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.”  (Prov.19:21)  What we must do is find that singular focus—an understanding of God’s call for us.  Any other path we chart turns to quicksand.  There is solid ground on God’s straight and narrow road.  Commit to His call today, or renew your commitment made long ago.  You’ll be glad you did!