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The Abnormal Heart

Posted in Bible, church, faith, health, Holy Spirit, investment, Jesus, love, prayer, religion, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

Tone

Don’t you hate it when you write a letter, an email, or an IM and the person for which it was intended didn’t get it?  Oh, I don’t mean that they didn’t receive it, but they just didn’t understand what you were trying to say. The problem: it’s often difficult to convey attitude when we write, especially when its our purpose to convey the truth without a lot of fluff or political correctness (PC). Paul was having a similar problem with the Corinthians.

While these occurrences tend to frustrate and anger us, Paul chose to diffuse the tension with Godly praise. What’s the difference between Paul and the rest of us? A clue is found in our refrigerators. Tip it over and what falls out? The answer of course is, what’s ever inside of it. The same is true for the heart: when it’s nudged the true contents are discharged.

We plainly see that Paul’s heart was filled with love and adoration for Jesus Christ.

For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45B

Heart Questions:

  • Is it your practice to ask the Lord to search your heart?
  • Do you see the guy who cut you off or took your parking space as an answer to that prayer?
  • What spilled out of your heart as you slammed on the brakes to avoid a collision?

But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Jeremiah 12:3a

In these types of situations, what if instead of rage we chose gratitude; after all, didn’t God just answer your prayer?  I don’t know about you, but having my prayers answered so emphatically is extremely cool! What if instead of rolling down the window and cursing, we paused to thank the person, sharing how God just used him to answer your prayer?

Talk about a witnessing opportunity!

The Abnormal Heart

Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. Acts 16:22-26

Paul’s heart was filled with love for Jesus and when it was disturbed, prayer and song sprang forth naturally. Paul did not have Acts 16 to read, therefore he could not have intellectually surmised,

Ok Silas, all we need to do is pray and sing and God will break these chains and open these doors.”

That’s Not Adoration, That’s Manipulation

Paul’s reaction was not normal and I submit to you that Paul was in the habit of:

  1. Asking God to search his heart, and
  2. Submitting himself to whatever changes God wanted to make.

Paul was submitted to the sanctification process.  The proof of that is seen in what oozed from his heart when it was squished.  What’s oozing from your heart today?

For He knows the secrets of the heart…Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties…And give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men) Psalms 139:23; 44:21b; 1 Kings 8:39b


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Your Bad Day

Posted in Bible, church, evangelism, faith, Holy Spirit, investment, Jesus, religion, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 3, 2011| 2 Comments »

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

A quote from ‘Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,’ Mary J Blige:

My God is a God who wants me to have things. He wants me to bling. He wants me to be the hottest thing on the block. I don t know what kind of God the rest of y all are serving, but the God I serve says, ‘Mary, you need to be the hottest thing this year, and I m gonna make sure you’re doing that’.”

I’d be curious to hear how Mary Jane justifies her philosophy against the truth found in Ephesians 5:5:

You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. (NLT)

Tribulation on the other hand is a promise from God. Christians don’t have to go looking for it, it just shows up on our door step.   It shows up, that is, if we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing — glorifying Jesus Christ in all we do.  And if there’s no tribulation in your life, there’s a good chance nobody knows that you’re a Christian.

An odd thing about tribulation — followers of Christ glory in it!

Why?

Because the Bible tells us it’s sanctifying. Tribulation we are told…

Produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope (and) hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

What’s Hope?

Pastor Jon Courson explains hope this way:

Throughout Scripture, the word ‘hope’ always refers to that which is coming, to that which is ahead. I’m convinced the single greatest problem carnal Christians have is that they don’t know the hope of His calling. They don’t know the reality of heaven. Consequently, they constantly strive for material things and are continually caught up in carnal pursuits. They’re depressed and discouraged because they don’t see the big picture of eternity.”

And the Bible tells us tribulation has another purpose. If we go back to the opening passage and chop-it-up a bit, we can focus on this other aspect.

God…who comforts us…that we may be able to comfort…with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted.

Our Blessings Don’t Belong to Us

In God’s name and for His glory, they’re to be given away. We’re comforted to be a comfort! We’re blessed to be a blessing! Our tests inspire our testimonies and our messes fuel our messages! So that we might prosper?

No!

So that the Body of Christ will.

It’s what we get to do!

Are you doing it?

 

For ye are bought with a price…glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20

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A Bigger Picture

Posted in Bible, church, evangelism, faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, religion, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2011| 2 Comments »

Now I will come to you…And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go…if the Lord permits. 1 Corinthians 16:5-7

“Wherever I go…if the Lord permits,” is a powerful statement.

In seven words Paul effectively establishes that God is in control of all things. However, recognizing that fact and being submitted to it are two entirely different things. Paul’s consistent behavior demonstrated that he not only knew the Truth, but that he was surrendered to Jesus as well.  This is evident throughout the Pauline Epistles. Despite adversity, Paul’s life screamed, “Peace and joy come with submission!”

Having said that, please note that the Christian life is more than just about the blessings He bestows upon us.  There’s a huge picture being created, intricate beyond our capacity to imagine. Fibers so perfectly complex, so expertly intertwined, each one affecting the other regardless of their location within the tapestry.  I suspect that when completed, it will be to us as if this masterpiece had been woven with one enormous single thread.

In awe, the Church will have but little choice to collectively proclaim, “Only God could have made this!  Glory be to God!”

And that’s a significant point: it’s all about God.

Romans 1:13

Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

Did you see it?

I underlined it so it would be easier to find, but don’t miss the implication.

Why did Paul write the Letter to the Romans? Because he was hindered!  In other words, we would not have this magnificent, God-breathed composition if Paul’s plans had not been interrupted.  Could Paul have imagined that his letter would one day be a part of this thing we call the New Testament?  That doesn’t seem likely.  However, his conduct is a testimony to God that he perceived something greater was going on.

Do we trust God?

Stuck in traffic?  Lost your job?  Arrested?

Embrace the situation–God can still use you.  Never assume you have been given the day off because you woke to a flat tire or the power has gone out.  God is still doing something and like it or not Christian, you are still a part of it.  Our choice when adversity strikes is simple: faith or failure; function or dysfunction.  Remember, we don’t have to see the big picture to know that it’s there.   By faith we assume that it is and we act accordingly.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

Life is a vapor.  We appear for a short time and then we vanish.  Incredibly, we serve a God who can do marvelous things with vapor.  Just look at what He has done so far.

Are you seeing it?

Comments?

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The Great Wisdom Deception

Posted in Bible, Bible Prophecy, church, faith, health, Holy Spirit, investment, Jesus, literature, religion, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 28, 2011| 5 Comments »

“ 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.” Romans 12:2

This quote was posted today on one of the social networks:

To know what is right and not to do it is called cowardice – Confucius

That’s Wisdom, Right?

Wrong. That isn’t wisdom.

It’s dumb.

How do we know it’s not wisdom?

God told us so.

“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living.” Job 28:12-13

But it’s Confucius! It must be wisdom.

It’s not. It’s a deception and it’s one of the devices satan uses to get our focus away from Jesus Christ and off of the truth. Christian, it’s the subtlety that makes it so dangerous. In fact it’s so subtle; you might even find yourself wanting to defend Confucius.

Don’t.

By the way, God would say to Confucius (and his quote),

“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Romans 4:17

The truth of the matter is that Christians have no business whatsoever quoting and/or drawing upon secular philosophies. We can argue the contrary position all we like, but at the end of the day there is no getting around God’s wisdom found in Colossians 2:8.

“ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Despite the Holy Scripture references, there will still be some who defend the practice. That’s a shame, but I’m not going to argue about it – God’s word defends itself.

And just to be clear, I’m not condemning to hell anyone who quotes a non-Christian source. However, as we have previously seen, ‘if we know what’s right and do something else, it is a sin.’

“ And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ” Job 28:28

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Formula Revealed

Posted in Bible, church, exercise and fitness, faith, health, Holy Spirit, investment, Jesus, love, peace, religion, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 25, 2011| 3 Comments »

Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

When it comes to exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it’s obvious that churches have different approaches. Some have the ‘let all things’  part down, but aren’t too keen on the ‘decent and orderly’ perspective, while other congregations have nailed  ‘decent and orderly,’ but might be neglecting some of the gifts. The Apostle Paul adds some clarity by adding another component to the equation.

Let all things be done for edification. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:27, 33

Who’s Getting the Glory

Edification is just a fancy word for strengthening, or building up another person in the Lord as it pertains to the good of the church.  The root of the word essentially means, ‘to build a house.’ Properly exercised, edification does not take any glory away from God.  Ignored, it produces strife rather than peace. God is the author of peace and where there is no peace there is likely no body-building going on.  And where there’s no strengthening of the body there is probably no order or decency.  Reverse the negative trend and a usable pattern emerges.

All things + Order + Edification = A Strong, Loving, Peaceable Church

“This sounds like my church.”

Then I thought about it more deeply.  I remembered that my congregation, like me, is a work in progress.  If I’m honest, the church I attend is not operating as smoothly, as efficiently, and as effectively as we could.  I further see that I am part of the problem and by God’s grace, part of the solution.   Remembering that Christ is the faithful provider, if the situation is to improve, it can start with me.

I must purpose in my mind to exercise the spiritual gifts I have access to, in an orderly fashion, in a manner which builds up rather than tears down,  for the singular purpose of bringing glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I am not saying that this is a work we must do.

If anything, it’s a commission that we get to do.  If there’s a sense of obligation that comes  from anywhere other than gratitude, the effort is of little use because it’s misguided. Our motivation in this realm is directly proportionate to gratitude, and if it isn’t, then a reexamination of doctrinal terms ‘deliverance and redemption’ would be in order.  Why is Communion so important?  This is why.

What are Your Thoughts

  1. What does your church like?
  2. What would your church like if it were filled with a hundred of you?
  3. Do you have gifts you’re ignoring?
  4. Are you ‘in order’ or ‘out of order’?
  5. How’s your gratitude?

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Your Christ Life Now

Posted in Bible, church, faith, health, investment, Jesus, love, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , on October 21, 2011| 3 Comments »

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Has Joel Osteen has missed the mark?  You can decide for yourself.  Here are some quotes from his highly successful book, ‘Your Best Life Now.’

“Someday, I’ll earn more money, and I won’t have to worry about how to pay the bills.”

“God wants to increase you financially…”  

“Even if you come from an extremely successful family, God still wants you to go further.”

“Get rid of that small-minded thinking and start thinking as God thinks. Think big. Think increase. Think abundance. Think more than enough.”

“Many people settle for too little . . . ‘I’ve gone as far in my career as I can go. I’ve hit the peak. I’ll never make any more money than I’m making right now.’ “

Anyone familiar with the teachings of Jesus Christ perceives immediately that these (teachings) are not biblically sound. An abundant life in Christ has never been about personal gain, but remembering  that  prosperity of any kind is from Him and for Him. It’s not about getting more before you die, but giving more so others might live — to His glory!

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? Luke 9:23-25

I once heard a story about a man who, while hiking in the wilderness had become caught in a blizzard. He walked for hours in the blinding snow and was soaked through, frost-bitten, and exhausted. The compulsion to collapse in the snow and sleep unto death was overwhelming and so to his knees he fell.

In a second’s time, he tipped forward from his knees to his elbows, hoping to go fetal, but instead he felt a mass beneath the snow. He had literally stumbled upon another person; a person who he would discover was unconscious, but alive.

He lifted the man across his shoulders and began walking. In less than an hours time he came upon a cabin. This home was occupied, there was a fire burning, and both men were saved.

In this account, a proper definition of an abundant life in Christ emerges.  This man, the very picture of an empty vessel, was restored after he had given up his personal quest and made himself available to a greater purpose, the saving of another man’s life.  The story’s only omission — who got the accolades as they warmed themselves before the fire?

Blessed For a Reason

Isn’t the Lord saying to us, “Look! There are bodies all around. I’ve given you the means to pick one (or more) up and begin walking.”

The choice has always been ours. In our salvation we can hoard our blessings or even curl up and wait to die if we want, but there is a wiser option: living abundantly in gratitude, love, and obedient service in the precious name of the One who redeemed us.

Take a Test:

  1. Silently consider your testimony.
  2. Are the God-parts recent or ancient history?
  3. Overall, who is the benefactor of the God-parts?
  4. Is there consistency in your walk of faith?
  5. Do you hoard?
  6. Is your testimony in need of an update?
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An ‘Occupy Wall Street Protest’ Update

Posted in Bible, Bible Prophecy, church, faith, history, investment, Jesus, love, tagged , , , , , , , on October 16, 2011| 1 Comment »

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret–it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.”  Psalm 37:7-9 

UPDATE: The Bible (God) says that the rich (i.e.,those who selfishly abuse others in the hoarding of their wealth), aren’t going to get away with it.  Their joy is temporary at best.  In steep contrast, our joy, found in Christ Jesus alone, can be permanent.

So all you Occupy Wall Street Protesters can go home now.  Please remember to leave the place nicer than you found it.

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35:10

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The Lie Men Hide Behind

Posted in Abject Poverty, Bible, Bible Prophecy, church, investment, Jesus, love, marriage, religion, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 19, 2011| 2 Comments »

Why are we counted as beasts, And regarded as stupid in your sight? Job 18:3

All Men Are Bozos

That of course is a lie; men are not Bozos. You will not find Bozo-theology offered as truth anywhere in the Bible. What you will find are sinful people (like Job’s friend Bildad) saying foolish things, as he does in Job 18:3. The truth is that God does not count men as beasts, nor does he regard us as stupid. The concept is a lie from the pit of hell.

What the Bible Has to Say on the Subject

Two Bible verse jump out at me:

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1a

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool. Proverbs 28:26

On the surface, those are pretty incriminating passages, but when we sort through the rhetoric it’s plain to see that sin-nature is the true culprit. We should also take note that the passages are not gender specific—human beings are foolish when they are ensnared by their own sin, men and women alike.

So What’s My Point?

My point is that men are not Bozos, despite the fact it’s a lie perpetuated in almost every single TV sitcom.  The truth be told, men are sinners, and we have discovered a convenient lie to hide behind so that we may continue in our sin. In other words, we often pretend to be stupid so we can continue to be selfish and lazy. There, I said it. Let the fireworks begin.

I’ll give you one example from my own life: doing laundry. I use to do my wife’s laundry, that is until I ‘accidentally’ shrunk a few things in the drier and turned a few white things ‘pink’ in the washing machine. My wife took back the chore when we both agreed I was an idiot.

Now let’s examine the facts. First, I am not an idiot—I know how to do laundry. Any moron can figure out and recall the basic steps of separating colors and whites, the use of hot and cold water, and what can and cannot go into the drier. The problem is not that I am stupid, the problem is that I’m lazy (aka: a sinner). 99% of the time you can get away with being a lazy launderer, but every so often your sin will find you out.

Here’s what really happened: I could have a) objected to being called an idiot and defended my laundering skills, or b) accept the idiot moniker and never have to do my wife’s laundry again. Hmm…tough choice huh? While choosing ‘plan b’ seemed like the wise, manly thing to do it, was also the sinful thing to do. “Yup, I’m a bozo honey; couldn’t agree with you more (have fun washing your own clothes)!”

The Spiritual Fork in the Road

I’m rocking a very sacred boat and I suspect this is where I am going to lose a lot of the men. Why would I even dare to raise the issue? I bring it up in the light of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians’, particularly this passage in chapter 5:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27

Men, if we are hiding behind a lie in our marital relationships, we are not loving our wives as Christ loved the church nor are we cleansing them with the washing of the word. What we are doing is deceiving our wives and giving them a sinful example to emulate. Men, we are not Bozos…we are sinners. As painful as it is for us, we must reject the notion of the world that we inane and accept that truth that are hearts are deceptively wicked. Change that is pleasing to God cannot come until we confess our sin and repent.

 

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We Can Boldly Say

Posted in Abject Poverty, Bible Prophecy, church, faith, health, Holy Spirit, investment, Jesus, peace, prayer, religion, sanctification, social justice, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them. God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work. Psalm 62

David’s flight from Jerusalem is the setting for this Psalm. Absalom wants his father’s throne and his physical and verbal attacks upon David are never-ending. David confirms the assault in verse four. Speaking of Absalom and his co-conspirators, David cites their sole purpose is to cast him down with their lies and their craftily concealed curses. Inspired by God, David counsels his own soul.

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Again, David is not merely talking to himself; his counsel is of the Lord. What is that counsel? Be still, “Wait silently for the Lord.” Be stable, “He is my Rock,” Be strong, “He is my strength.” Be safe, “He is my refuge.” And notice the change that takes place within the passage: in verse two David says that he will not be ‘greatly’ moved, but by verse six he proclaims that upon this Rock he will not be moved at all. That kind of conviction can only come from the Lord. Consider this passage from the Book of Hebrews:

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

I underlined the key words: “God has said (so that) we may boldly say.” In other words we are not making disingenuous claims or hyping ourselves up emotionally and/or psychologically in order that we might get through our day or our problems. No, we can boldly say the things we say because God has asserted them beforehand. Our patience, our stability, our strength, and our security have been preordained by the Creator of the Universe. By whose authority can a Christian say the things he says? By His authority!

David Shares the Revelation with the People

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them. God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy…

David cautions his subjects to not trust in men, might, or money, but in God alone. Look at the contrast: men of high degree, of money, and of might have a limited amount of power, but typically are short on mercy. Men of low degree and the oppressed have a limited amount of mercy, but lack power. Not only does God have access to both power and mercy, the attributes belong to Him—He doesn’t just have some, He owns it all! In light of that, why should we trust in any other?

In God alone!


 

These ramblings are typically (but not always) a byproduct inspired by God through my personal Bible study at SearchLight with Pastor Jon Courson and with my pastor at my home church, Calvary Chapel Coastlands

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Who Told You to Say That?

Posted in Abject Poverty, Bible, Bible Prophecy, church, faith, investment, Jesus, love, peace, prayer, religion, sanctification, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118:9

Had a little chat this morning with a lady about our religious differences—it was polite and respectful, but it still had that ‘Christians-aren’t-tolerant-and-everyone-else-in-the-world-is’ cloud hanging over it. That attitude of course comes with the territory and I’m at peace about it. After all, I consider myself an alien—why should I take up a dispute regarding the planet’s collective mindset. It is what it is and there are more important things to be concerned about…like salvation.

We danced around the tolerance issue a little more, but then I asked a question that ended our conversation.

“By whose authority do you speak?”

She asked what I meant.

I told her that in our zeal for our respective religious positions, we were both guilty of lovingly throwing around language that was absolute. I used one of her phrases, “pluralism in religious faith is necessary,” as an example. I pointed out that the use of the word ‘necessary’ was exclusionary as it implied that her remark was absolutely correct and my remark was not. For the record I wasn’t objecting to her remark or even her right to say it.

To clarify I told her that God was my authority. Oh not that God had specifically ordained me to say the things that I was saying, but rather that the words were His, that they’re found in the Holy Bible, and I was merely repeating them (or paraphrasing them as it were). In other words, what I was sharing was not a personal philosophy, tradition, or contemplation.

After my explanation, the conversation ceased and I have not heard from her since. Why? I suspect she realized that her authority was her own and that she had been sharing from her heart what she believed and what was relevant to her–She had in fact created for herself a religion that best suited her needs. The Book of Romans describes her behavior:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Romans 1:18-23

Look around. God is obvious and to deny Him is to declare that you are wiser than Him. Currently there are over four billion people roaming this planet that do just that—they proclaim supreme authority over themselves. Professing to be wise, four billion people are playing god while simultaneously playing the fool. I spoke to one of them today.

I don’t say that mockingly or even condemningly—I pray that this lady will come to understand that there is only One Authority, not billions and that she would wisely submit herself to Him. Honestly, how can we make sense of this world or our lives when there are billions of us who believe that we know better than God? Our God is not a God of confusion and probably the main reason why there is only one of Him.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Matthew 28:18


These ramblings are typically (but not always) a byproduct inspired by God through my personal Bible study at SearchLight with Pastor Jon Courson and with my pastor at my home church, Calvary Chapel Coastlands

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