Young journalists as far back as middle school or even grade school newspapers learn the 5 W's and an H - who, what, where, when, why, and how.
In this post on forgiveness and how this relates to the need for revival, I started to put enough of those W's in the title I decided to simply title it as I did. They won't be in the exact order as above, but not all articles use that order, either. (Or even all six. The location of the Super Bowl will often be buried in a story about the actual game, if it's given at all, for instance. There might not be a "where" here either, except as it relates to "when," but the others are here.)
Forgiveness has been given many definitions. A nice, simple one will actually help the discussion on our problem as a nation with understanding context in a little bit. In an 8th season episode of "Full House," eight-year-old Michelle tells her 3-year-old cousins it means something like, "You love me and you'll give me another chance."
A good Biblical one is wiping the slate clean. That doesn't mean to put yourself in harm's way - forgiveness doesn't mean you let someone keep throwing rocks at you, it just means you give up the chance to throw rocks back at them, something very common in people.
This spirit of anger and frustration is part of our human nature that comes to the forefront a lot when it comes to lack of forgiveness, because it is our nature to want to retaliate; hence the saying, "To err is human, to forgive divine."
Forgiveness is done regardless of context, but context makes it easier, just as in my example about the person who cuts you off in traffic. When we forgive, we choose not to retaliate (in action, word, or thought) regardless of the context. However, if the person is rushing to the hospital to see a relative who has been badly hurt, it's much easier to forgive than if the person is just a lousy driver. the points are that, first, we used to be more forgiving regardless of which it is (or if it's both), and second, sometimes there is no way to know the context (unless you see them peeling into a hospital parking lot) and so that attitude of forgiveness should be with us anyway, instead of the intense rushing to judgment that I mentioned earlier we need to repent of as part of our seeking forgiveness for ourselves and our country.
Interestingly, I read a few comments once that said it didn't sound like something an 8-year-old would say. I replied that it might be a bit advanced for normal conversation, but it's exactly like what a child that age memorizes in Sunday School to get a piece of candy. And, fans of "Full House" certainly recall how she loved chocolate. :-)
What was happening when people complained about this line was an act of refusing to grasp context. Context is vital in many things. My last post on our society's obsession with computer screens listed a few reasons and results, such as people who don't always have the depth of relationships. This lack of depth perception, if you will, also leads to problems in context like this. Granted there is a presumption - that she had, at some point, been in a Sunday School or Vacation Bible School setting and memorized this. However, it's a very plausible one - Stephanie prays for her favorite stuffed animal friend, Mr. Bear, to be returned in "Goodbye, Mr. Bear," Kimmy says she baked strudels int he shape of the Wise Men once, and a couple other things indicate the girls would at least have ridden a bus or van to church at times. Michelle is nuts about chocolate and she'd use any excuse to try and get some, too. So, you can see that in context, it's very plausible Michelle would recite that to Nicky and Alex when she apologizes and asks them to forgive her for getting frustrated and yelling at them, as 8-year-olds do at times.
(I won't get into the fact shows take place over days many times, and we see only 1/2 hour out of 168 in their lives each week (1/336th) - it's not a presumption that they have full lives outside of what we see on TV, even between scenes in the episodes themselves.)
Are we forgiving - and healthy - as we should be?
Forgiveness, then, is something we did a lot more of before, and should do now - in fact, even secular studies show forgiveness is very healthy. In fact, we like to think we are a very forgiving society, but there is actually a big problem. We often refuse to give second chances, or we do only after retaliating.
The reasons, of course, are the same as why people don't always choose to wipe the slate clean on other things. Peer pressure, wanting to seem "better than the other person," etc.. This desire to see who looks the best on the outside is one of the main problems of our politically correct culture, and is why so few are willing to give second chances, such as with Colin Cowherd's latest fumbling of words on ESPN radio. Was he wrong to say it the way he said it? Yes, of course. Could one have chosen to interpret him as trying to talk about the lack of educational opportunities instead of about intelligence? Yes, but it was taken by many as a comment about intellectual ability instead.
However, the point is that people often are let go rather than others forgiving and giving a chance to make amends. (Of course, context is crucial in the above case, too - he was leaving very soon for Fox Sports anyway. Perhaps a different action would have been taken otherwise.)
Indeed, when we fail to forgive others, it is one of those things I
noted earlier makes it hard for this nation to see repentance revival. Psalm 66:18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not
hear my prayer." We are all sinners, but what this is saying is, God
won't listen to a prayer being made while you're plotting something
evil, desiring to take revenge yourself on someone, etc.. "Vengeance is
mine," saith the Lord; indeed, if we do good to those who hate us we
heap burning coals on their foreheads.(Rom.12:20-21) We should pray for
God to deal with a person and not desire to avenge ourselves. He does a
much better job, anyway.
We claim to be forgiving, but forgiveness should involve accepting we all have faults, as noted, and being willing to start anew. (This post was actually wiped 90% clean at one point; it was my blunder that
caused it to be 90% wiped out, but forgiving ourselves is also
important; a good message about that is here. But the devil tries to distract us, too, so as I mentioned in
the post on spiritual warfare, the devil really hates the idea of this
getting out.)
How to forgive (and repent)
By accepting others' faults, we are not saying that they are right, it is only saying we are improving, too, and we are all working on things. As a signature file on one person's posts I saw once in a forum said, "Help me forgive those who sin differently than I do." We may not all cut people off in traffic (especially if like me you can't see enough to drive) but we do other things that fall short of perfection.
This is why the Bible says, "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."(Eph.4:32) In other words, that childrens' paraphrase from earlier - just as God gives us each another chance, many times over, we should to others.
Indeed, God is constantly giving us second chances. His first words to the first sinners were "Where art thou?" (Note: You can also hear an audio recreation here.) He wanted to give Adam another chance. Had Adam not come out of hiding and admitted he'd done wrong(albeit blaming someone else) he could not have gotten this chance, but he did. Yes, a penalty had to be enforced for the sin, but God covered their sin by shedding innocent blood (likely a lamb), symbolizing how He would one day come in the person of Jesus Christ, GOd in flesh, to take the punishment for all the world's sin.
It is in this way we should forgive, before the person even apologizes. In demanding an apology, we are saying forgiveness is not free when it should be. This is how God does it, after all. Yes, repentance is needed to cleanse us, but remember that repentance isn't just "saying you're sorry." Repentance is turning from your sin and trusting Jesus to save you, calling on Jesus by faith to cleanse you from sin.
Then, because He "bore our sins in His body"(1 pet. 2:24), and "became sin for us" though he "knew no sin"(2 Cor.5:21), He will save you and take away all your sins, past, present, and future. We can't do anything to earn it, it is "by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man coast."(Eph.2:8-9) In other words, it's a free gift, not earned or deserved. Then, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1 John 1:9)
So, we should forgive because we are not perfect, either. It doesn't mean putting ourselves in harm's way, but it does mean giving the person more chances whenever that is possible - within reason, that is, of course. And, sometimes a penalty must be assessed first; at times a severe one, such as Michael Vick's before he returned to the NFL. But, he is also a perfect case of someone who did successfully change. IF only our nation's people could repent and seek God to change them inside that quickly.
However, we live in such a vengeful society today, especially with the people venting all their emotion on social media, that it can be very hard. It involves setting aside sometimes very serious emotions. But, that is why we need to do it even more, by admitting we ourselves are also at fault at times.
Connecting back to national repentance
Where does this have to do with repentance? As i noted several times, we have so much dividing us, and we must come together as one race, the human race, realizing we are all humans who must come together in prayer for this country. There are things we must seek forgiveness for in the last 400 years, not just the last 40.
Sometimes, praying for the oppressors as well as the oppressed can help us learn to forgive them anyway; indeed, Jesus tells us to pray for those who despitefully use us. But, it's also important, on a personal level, to avoid this desire to seek revenge and instead to offer forgiveness and a sense of peace that can then spread.
Sure, there will be some who refuse to truly come out and admit things, even after many years. But, remember that this kind of person is the one God will judge because they refuse to let Him remove their sins - if they have not trusted and called on Jesus to forgive them, they will be separated from God's perfect love forever in a horrible place created only for the devil and his rebellious angels. If they are saved having unconfessed sin will cause them to lose blessigns and rewards and possibly ruin their testimony.(And remember, just as Jesus said there would be false Chirsts, there are people who only pretend to be Christians. We don't know the peoples' hearts.)
So, become more forgiving and understanding. As a spirit of being more forgiving and undertanding spreads, it will cause managements and others to do the same.
This Spirit must come from God, though. For Him to heal our land, We must turn from our wicked ways as God says in Jeremiah 18:7-10.(2 Chronicles 7:14 is also quoted a lot, but while it's possible it only refers to God's chosen people, Israel, these verses clearly refer to Gentile nations.)
It is hard for us ourselves, in our flesh. But, that is why knowing God first is essential, so he can fill you with His Spirit and let you grow in your love for others, letting the compassion for others grow as vengeance, retaliation, and so on shrink in your mind as you focus more and more on that unconditional love. And, instead of jumping on others right away for somethign bad, forgive, just as God has forgiven you.
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
Prayer - the strongest connection possible
The world has lots of chaos outside the U.S., as well as inside. We know God has it under control. Here, for instance, is a good illustration of how the Bible tells us of the coming wars - not necessarily in order - which will occur, though it's possible the war of Ezekiel 38-39 will be during the Tribulation or that Isaiah 17 is telling about Damascus being destroyed naturally. But, Jesus also tells us that in Him, we can have peace - in this world we will have tribulation, but we can be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world.(John 16:33)
That connection with Jesus comes through the Holy Spirit, which is how He promises to live in each believer.(John 14-16, Ephesians 1:13,14,etc.) God is one God who manifests Himself in 3 persons because He felt it was the best way to make Himself known; this is the Godhead(Col.2:9) Those who know the Lord personally can talk with God anywhere, anytime, about anything through prayer. We can share with Him the innermost fears, triumphs, anguish, joy, heartbreak, everything. Look at how Jesus calmly accepted Mary and Martha's rebukes after their brother Lazarus died(John 11) for instance.
Nowadays, people seek connections which are much more temporary and at times much more shallow, as in the incredible size of Facebook and Twitter, and how people seem glued to their phones while texting.
Some is just the pace of things. The first person to say, "Stop the world, I want off" wasn't born in the 21st century or probably even the 20th. There is a much more intense increase in focus on computer screens(personal computer and cell phone ones) as opposed to normal bonding. And, that's understandable with the vast amount of information available - anyone can easily Google something they have a question on via their smartphone, or simply provide information or even entertainment to friends and family or to the whole world.
In fact, the Bible prophesied this. Daniel prophesied 2,500 years ago something which is no doubt true today - "Many shall go to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."(Dan.12:4) That "going to and fro" implies a constant flitting about like a hummingbird with a caffeine rush, going from place to place at a ridiculous pace. The increase in knowledge implies a continual increase, exponential growth in fact. This is certainly true today, with what we know doubling every 22 months a few years ago and less now.(Not that we're real close to the end - Dr. H.A. Ironside was saying the same thing about the last days decades ago. But, we're a lot closer than we were.)
(It should be noted a secondary meaning concerns understanding the Book of Daniel itself and Jesus as Messiah. It's important o always interpret Scripture with Scripture to understand it, and also when in doubt to go to the original languages of the Antiochan Texts. Here is a good example of how not doing so hides the richness of God's Word in the different lessons which may be drawn from it.)
Jesus - the calming, loving answer
This constant movement and increase in information can prevent relationships from being as deep as possible. We were meant for interpersonal relationships, but some don't feel a closeness to others because they are, in some sense, too wary because things seem to come and go so often, but also, trying to interpret the depth of things is so difficult at times because they are hit with so many other things, they feel an intense amount of pressure to do so much that they are, in a sense, backing away by having only computer contact. This lack of depth perception, if you will, leads to other problems, such as not grasping the need to keep some things private and not online.
The wonderful thing is that God provides an answer for every situation - and, His Word will give you security even int he most troublesome times.
Jesus bears our burden for more than just sin. He'll provide constant contact just like an online situation, except His love is so much deeper. That's the reason He promised that the Holy Spirit would come and live in each believer, in fact. God desires a relationship with us. This world was made perfect with no sin, but we lost that fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit when sin entered the world.(Gen.3) Once it is restored upon our trusting Jesus Christ as Saviouir, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us andwe canf ellowship with God the way we were meant to. Sure, things can come between us like sin, but when they do, he lovingly points them out and we can forsake them easily if our hearts are tender enough. This "Full House" fanfic, an AU where Michelle's accident is worse, is a great illustration of how the Spirit can work while praying and how such really heartfelt prayer can work.
This is why repentance is so vital for revival to take place, but also why I say it should be easy and anyone can do it. It's just talking to God. . Prayer doesn't have to be really fancy wording. It's just sharing your heart with God.
Sharing one's heart might feel hard for some people - which could be another reason some prefer online communication so they don't have to share what may be very painful memories and intense feelings. But, the key is, God knows what we need - He just wants us to be humble and willing to admit we need His help. that's why we pray when He knows our needs. If we don't pray for something we are saying, "I can do this myself."
The problem is, we are powerless against the spiritual warfare that is out there combating us, and we need His help. Those intense feelings that you might have, those can be shared with God and He will give you strength to cope, He'll give you a strategy for making things better - maybe the circumstances won't change but you will be changing so things can improve for some, such as an older sibling becoming like a parent in a home where parents are emotionalhy absent. and so on. Maybe you can't save the world but you can save one person, for instance. If you are that older teen, for example, maybe can lean on God as the spiritual leader - when you focus on others it takes your mind off your own problems. Indeed, I blogged a free book here on doing just that, being a spiritual leader in the home.
There is so much turmoil out there because of modern life, we need Jesus more than ever.
He will be the answer when you ask how to get through something; he may not heal all your physical ailments (I've had numerous handicaps since birth) but He will heal you spiritually. He is also the answer when you want a friend who will be there forever.
Jesus called His disciples friends
Yes, He called them friends, and will call you friend, too.
This does *not* mean you can just ignore who He is - He is the sinless, holy, all-powerful, etc. Creator of the Universe. he must be approached with respect and reverence, but at the same time, He is willing to hear that prayer for a puppy or kitten that is hurt, all the way up to a scary battle with cancer you or a loved one face, or anything in between.
And, He will be beside you all the time. He will live in you through the Holy Spirit,a nd will never leave you or forsake you.(Heb.13:5,Jude 24,Rom.8:36-39) Each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from eternal life, but that eternal life begins at the moment you trust Him to save you by calling on Him by simple faith to do so, believing He took all the punishment for your sins when he died and rose from the dead.
That constant contact with the Creator of the Universe is possible only because of His amazing grace, not anything we have done or could do. Once it's received, then of course like any relationship communication is key, but that will be so easy. You can share your deepest thoughts with Him and know He will never leave you or forsake you. You can read His Word and He'll speak to you, you can hear His still, small voice through the Spirit, and many other things I don't have time to get into. Just remember, anything you take in must agree with His Word, or it can't be from Him.
So, I pray you will use this chance while we are in the Age of Grace to develop that relationship with Jesus Christ. He wants to have a relationship with you. Indeed, His love for you is far beyond anything mankind could imagine, even the people of a century ago who constantly had those much deeper relationships.
To let Him be that constant guide, comforter, helper, friend, etc., it takes that single, sincere prayer of repentance something like this, remember the words don't save, it's Jesus who saves when you trust Him: "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I can't reach your perfect heaven on my own. But, Lord, I know you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I believe you took my punishment on the cross for my sins. Lord Jesus, today I choose to call on you by faith to save me, come live in me and make me new inside. I turn from my sins and I trust you completely as my Saviour. In Jesus' name, Amen."
That connection with Jesus comes through the Holy Spirit, which is how He promises to live in each believer.(John 14-16, Ephesians 1:13,14,etc.) God is one God who manifests Himself in 3 persons because He felt it was the best way to make Himself known; this is the Godhead(Col.2:9) Those who know the Lord personally can talk with God anywhere, anytime, about anything through prayer. We can share with Him the innermost fears, triumphs, anguish, joy, heartbreak, everything. Look at how Jesus calmly accepted Mary and Martha's rebukes after their brother Lazarus died(John 11) for instance.
Nowadays, people seek connections which are much more temporary and at times much more shallow, as in the incredible size of Facebook and Twitter, and how people seem glued to their phones while texting.
Some is just the pace of things. The first person to say, "Stop the world, I want off" wasn't born in the 21st century or probably even the 20th. There is a much more intense increase in focus on computer screens(personal computer and cell phone ones) as opposed to normal bonding. And, that's understandable with the vast amount of information available - anyone can easily Google something they have a question on via their smartphone, or simply provide information or even entertainment to friends and family or to the whole world.
In fact, the Bible prophesied this. Daniel prophesied 2,500 years ago something which is no doubt true today - "Many shall go to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."(Dan.12:4) That "going to and fro" implies a constant flitting about like a hummingbird with a caffeine rush, going from place to place at a ridiculous pace. The increase in knowledge implies a continual increase, exponential growth in fact. This is certainly true today, with what we know doubling every 22 months a few years ago and less now.(Not that we're real close to the end - Dr. H.A. Ironside was saying the same thing about the last days decades ago. But, we're a lot closer than we were.)
(It should be noted a secondary meaning concerns understanding the Book of Daniel itself and Jesus as Messiah. It's important o always interpret Scripture with Scripture to understand it, and also when in doubt to go to the original languages of the Antiochan Texts. Here is a good example of how not doing so hides the richness of God's Word in the different lessons which may be drawn from it.)
Jesus - the calming, loving answer
This constant movement and increase in information can prevent relationships from being as deep as possible. We were meant for interpersonal relationships, but some don't feel a closeness to others because they are, in some sense, too wary because things seem to come and go so often, but also, trying to interpret the depth of things is so difficult at times because they are hit with so many other things, they feel an intense amount of pressure to do so much that they are, in a sense, backing away by having only computer contact. This lack of depth perception, if you will, leads to other problems, such as not grasping the need to keep some things private and not online.
The wonderful thing is that God provides an answer for every situation - and, His Word will give you security even int he most troublesome times.
Jesus bears our burden for more than just sin. He'll provide constant contact just like an online situation, except His love is so much deeper. That's the reason He promised that the Holy Spirit would come and live in each believer, in fact. God desires a relationship with us. This world was made perfect with no sin, but we lost that fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit when sin entered the world.(Gen.3) Once it is restored upon our trusting Jesus Christ as Saviouir, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us andwe canf ellowship with God the way we were meant to. Sure, things can come between us like sin, but when they do, he lovingly points them out and we can forsake them easily if our hearts are tender enough. This "Full House" fanfic, an AU where Michelle's accident is worse, is a great illustration of how the Spirit can work while praying and how such really heartfelt prayer can work.
This is why repentance is so vital for revival to take place, but also why I say it should be easy and anyone can do it. It's just talking to God. . Prayer doesn't have to be really fancy wording. It's just sharing your heart with God.
Sharing one's heart might feel hard for some people - which could be another reason some prefer online communication so they don't have to share what may be very painful memories and intense feelings. But, the key is, God knows what we need - He just wants us to be humble and willing to admit we need His help. that's why we pray when He knows our needs. If we don't pray for something we are saying, "I can do this myself."
The problem is, we are powerless against the spiritual warfare that is out there combating us, and we need His help. Those intense feelings that you might have, those can be shared with God and He will give you strength to cope, He'll give you a strategy for making things better - maybe the circumstances won't change but you will be changing so things can improve for some, such as an older sibling becoming like a parent in a home where parents are emotionalhy absent. and so on. Maybe you can't save the world but you can save one person, for instance. If you are that older teen, for example, maybe can lean on God as the spiritual leader - when you focus on others it takes your mind off your own problems. Indeed, I blogged a free book here on doing just that, being a spiritual leader in the home.
There is so much turmoil out there because of modern life, we need Jesus more than ever.
He will be the answer when you ask how to get through something; he may not heal all your physical ailments (I've had numerous handicaps since birth) but He will heal you spiritually. He is also the answer when you want a friend who will be there forever.
Jesus called His disciples friends
Yes, He called them friends, and will call you friend, too.
This does *not* mean you can just ignore who He is - He is the sinless, holy, all-powerful, etc. Creator of the Universe. he must be approached with respect and reverence, but at the same time, He is willing to hear that prayer for a puppy or kitten that is hurt, all the way up to a scary battle with cancer you or a loved one face, or anything in between.
And, He will be beside you all the time. He will live in you through the Holy Spirit,a nd will never leave you or forsake you.(Heb.13:5,Jude 24,Rom.8:36-39) Each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from eternal life, but that eternal life begins at the moment you trust Him to save you by calling on Him by simple faith to do so, believing He took all the punishment for your sins when he died and rose from the dead.
That constant contact with the Creator of the Universe is possible only because of His amazing grace, not anything we have done or could do. Once it's received, then of course like any relationship communication is key, but that will be so easy. You can share your deepest thoughts with Him and know He will never leave you or forsake you. You can read His Word and He'll speak to you, you can hear His still, small voice through the Spirit, and many other things I don't have time to get into. Just remember, anything you take in must agree with His Word, or it can't be from Him.
So, I pray you will use this chance while we are in the Age of Grace to develop that relationship with Jesus Christ. He wants to have a relationship with you. Indeed, His love for you is far beyond anything mankind could imagine, even the people of a century ago who constantly had those much deeper relationships.
To let Him be that constant guide, comforter, helper, friend, etc., it takes that single, sincere prayer of repentance something like this, remember the words don't save, it's Jesus who saves when you trust Him: "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I can't reach your perfect heaven on my own. But, Lord, I know you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I believe you took my punishment on the cross for my sins. Lord Jesus, today I choose to call on you by faith to save me, come live in me and make me new inside. I turn from my sins and I trust you completely as my Saviour. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Seeking revival for God's glory, not ours
There's an old joke - Randy Alcorn has told a version, but it's likely hundreds of years old - where a man says to God in prayer, "Lord, to you a million dollars is like one penny, right?" God says "Yes," and the man says, "And to You, a million years is like one second, right?" God says "Yes" again, and the man says, "So, Lord, please give me a million dollars." And God says, "Just a second."
We sometimes pray for things we want, not things we need, and God understands. But, you may ask, what does this have to do with repentance revival? Because God wants tto save souls, right?
Of course He does. However, we have to be careful not only that we pray for things so God gets the glory instead of imperfect man, but also it's vital to pray for the right things for the right reasons, and not for our own selfish ones. The Bible says, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."(James 4:3)
Why, when we pray, should we seek God's glory? The reasons tie in with what has already been said about repentance.
God wants us to recognize that we can't do it ourselves.
Since we all fall short of God's perfect righteousness, we need Him to
do something we can't do for ourselves, namely save us from our sins.
Because we as a nation are forever made up of imperfect people, we need
God to cleanse us and revive our hearts. And, since we are imperfect we
can't rightly claim to have done work only God can accomplish.
Remember that revival comes from the inside out. A person
can change some things about themselves, of course. New Years
resolutions are probably the most famous kinds of these changes, and
many of them fail after a few months if not a few weeks or even days.
One person might decide to quit a bad habit and succeed, another might
do so only after a major health crisis is caused by it, and yet another
might cling to that bad habit even as they lay dying. The point is that
some people are more able to succeed at certain things, but we all
struggle with something, there are things in each of us only God can
change.
And, that is only talking about habits. Attitudes are even
harder to change because they strike more at the heart of who we are. A
person might train themselves not to call people a certain name, but
that is different than changing how they treat such people, and far
different than changing what they think about such people.
This is why we say with trusting Jesus Christ as Savior is a
heart and mind decision. One must choose to invite Jesus into one's
heart and let Him make one new on the inside. That prrson becomes a new
creature as 2nd Corinthians 5:17
promises, and will continue to grow more Christlike as he or she
matures. Jesus Christ works from the inside out, and that is where the
person clearly cannot totally change oneself.
In the same way, we cannot change this country ourselves,
we need Jesus Christ to do it. Then since we need God to work this
miracle, then of course we must give God the glory and pray that He will
be glorified in all that is done.
We must go a step further, also, and pray for repentance
revival to come for God's glory first, and not for our own motives. Our own
motives, because we are human, can be wrong, even as we pray for the right thing.
Case in point. I had a great friend from age 7-8 through high school who I have prayed for 25 years
plus to come to know the Lord; yes, I'd appreciate prayer for him,
please.(To keep it private, I wont' give names, but will say on here when he comes to know the Lord.) He may have been impacted more than I thought by a robbery, so I accept responsibility for not catching that as a possible reason he became very bitter(I may have slight Asperger's or PDD-NOS but could have guessed/asked). But, the crux of the matter is, he developed a very bitter
attitude for a while and when I tried to help him be nicer, he bullied
me with it, too. I eventually realized he was pulling me down
and broke things off.
At first, I prayed for him at first because I wanted us to
be friends again, but God showed me I was praying amiss; what mattered
wasn't here, what mattered was his eternal destiny. He'd never trusted
Christ to forgive and save him, and praying that he trust Christ and get changed on the inside
was the right hing to pray for, but I was doing it for the wrong
motives. I was praying for that for myself. Eventually, I learned I needed to pray for him to get saved regardless of whether we ever see each other again in this life. So, now I do.
On a happier note, I don't know how she prayed at first, but a woman I know prayed for her husband to get saved for 44 years before he accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. A man I know prayed for his brother for decades, and I heard of a woman who prayed for her son for 25 years. Did any of them pray amiss at first, wanting their loved to be saved for their own reasons and not for God's glory? I'm sure they or others have.
So, you can see that when you are engaged with God in fervent prayer over the souls of others - or over this country or anything else - it's important to ask God to point out any wrong motives. It's not that God won't hear our prayers if we have some; at times He grants our petition and then deals with those motives later. But, the Lord wants us to grow, too; He wants us to become more like Him. Sometimes, the way to do that is to help us to see certain things in our lives or things about Him, our situations, or ourselves.(Such as prayer helping me to realize about my possible slight developmental delay in how my brain processes things, and how I am literal enough if people tell me something's not a problem I will presume it isn't.)
So, pray witht he right motives - God to be glorified - as well as for the right reasons.
What is our goal?
Simply put, our goal should be for God to be glorified. He will be most glorified by souls coming to know Him through His lovingkindness. he won't force others to love Him because that is not love, it's intimidation. True love, as noted before, is when we love because we want to, not because we have to.
Thanksfully, the things we as Christians should desire - such as for others to be won to Christ and spend forever in God's perfect Heaven where there is no pain, no suffering, and no tears, where nobody has seen, heard, or even imagined the wonders that await us - are things God wants to give us. He wanted that woman's husband to get saved, he wanted that other woman's son to come to Christ, and so on. He wants these things.
he also wants to save our country, despite how many problems we have now, despite how many problems we've had for 400 years! But, saving one country is going to be a lot harder than saving one person who stubbornly clings to their own failed attempts to work their way to Heaven. It will be a lot harder, and take a lot more people praying, which is why this needs to be passed on, and the need to pray for our country must be encouraged - prayer int he right way, that is.
He also wants us to be able to lovingly show His love to others, because that is how He will be able to get people to see there is a difference between those who simply say they are religious and who have a working relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Thankfully, each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from eternal life. Once that person calls on the Lord to forgive them, then they will have the Holyi Spirit in them nd be able to be a great prayer warrior themselves, getting more and more able as they grow in their faith.
So, pray witht he right motives - God to be glorified - as well as for the right reasons.
What is our goal?
Simply put, our goal should be for God to be glorified. He will be most glorified by souls coming to know Him through His lovingkindness. he won't force others to love Him because that is not love, it's intimidation. True love, as noted before, is when we love because we want to, not because we have to.
Thanksfully, the things we as Christians should desire - such as for others to be won to Christ and spend forever in God's perfect Heaven where there is no pain, no suffering, and no tears, where nobody has seen, heard, or even imagined the wonders that await us - are things God wants to give us. He wanted that woman's husband to get saved, he wanted that other woman's son to come to Christ, and so on. He wants these things.
he also wants to save our country, despite how many problems we have now, despite how many problems we've had for 400 years! But, saving one country is going to be a lot harder than saving one person who stubbornly clings to their own failed attempts to work their way to Heaven. It will be a lot harder, and take a lot more people praying, which is why this needs to be passed on, and the need to pray for our country must be encouraged - prayer int he right way, that is.
He also wants us to be able to lovingly show His love to others, because that is how He will be able to get people to see there is a difference between those who simply say they are religious and who have a working relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Thankfully, each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from eternal life. Once that person calls on the Lord to forgive them, then they will have the Holyi Spirit in them nd be able to be a great prayer warrior themselves, getting more and more able as they grow in their faith.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Seek Jesus to change hearts, lives with intercessory prayer, not just "civilization"
The most recent post shared our need to return to a nation of kindness, decency, etc., and how we must all do our part. However, I wanted to use this one to caution that a Christian civilization does not mean everyone has a relationship with Christ, and that is where we have messed up.
Winston Churchill most famously used this term in his "Finest Hour" speech concerning the soon to come Battle of Britain. (The sound excerpt with that phrase is here.) Set against the backdrop of Hitler's overrunning of Europe, of course, it's easy to see the greatness of nations dedicated to Godly principles and the virtues of that freedom - in fact the story of one great prayer warrior, Rees Howells, though he had flaws in his teaching, is overall very valuable for how he prayed during that terrible conflict. However, it's also very easy to see their flaws when compared to what Jesus commands and also places such as James 5:1-7, one of numerous verses which warn against rich people taking advantage of and oppressing the poor. There were horrible examples of false pride which came from those who thought it was their way of life which should be exalted, when it fact it is Christ which must be exalted. The Bible warns of often that pride cometh before a fall, and of the danger of worshiping the creature and not the Creator.
Overall, of course, the expectations of honesty, compassion on the poor, care for the less fortunate, kindness, gentleness, and so on certainly urged some to behave that way even if they didn't want to. Indeed, given the intense violence, mayhem, greed, and so on in today's culture, one could argue that it caused many people to behave in a Godly manner even though they merely had "a form of godliness, yet denying the power thereof."(2 Tim.3:5) The difference being that whereas before, such people honored God with their lips and their actions, but didn't have Him in their hearts, in these last days (the subject of 2 Timothy 3 as, for instance, this radio show describes) they merely honor God with their lips and not even their actions.
This shows why it is necessary to have changed hearts and lives, not just changed actions. It's not too late for this nation (and world), though time may be incredibly short. However, the choice is clear.
We must start with the Church
I've noted before that the Holy Spirit works in hearts, but the purpose is to convict people of their need for a Saviour, and that Jesus Christ has taken the punishment for their sins by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. If that person is not saved, He moves in their heart to lovingly woo them to Jesus. If they are, they will realize their need to repent and turn back to Him. After all, just becasue a person has been saved doesn't mean they stop needing Jesus' guidance, comfort, peace, help, correction, etc.. We all still have that sin nature, after all.
That's the first thing the Church must realize; we can't do it all ourselves, and we are not going to bring the Kingdom by changing the world ourselves. "Christian civilization was an important, stark contract to the evils of Hitler, but it was never going to change hearts. The Holy Spirit is needed for that.
However, when people come to Christ and repent, they are conceding to God that He is able to judge right and wrong and they turn away from that sin.
This is why those who emphasize what they believe in or don't believe in have it all wrong. That's not what should set Christians apart; Jesus says so Himself. "He who hath the Son hath everlasting life" - not "He who does these things."
Now,if your significant other is afraid of heights you aren't going to force them to skydive, and you will likely be a bit more understanding if they beg you not to do it. In fact, God might use that to save your life if he knows you would die in a terrible accident if you try. So, there are things we choose to do or not do because of our love for Him and what He has done for us. But, they are not done because we have to, but because we want to, like we don't want to get that SO so anxious by makign a death-defying skydive froma ridiculous height.(Okay, can you tell I'd be scared to death of it? :-) )
Praying for transformed nation must be because people want it
We've seen major differences between the civilization spoken of at first and true Christianity. All point back to a focus on the outward appearance. it must be a heart and mind transformation that is sought.
That is hard in some areas. Some hearts are so hardened by the evil out there that while they might be easily swayed to trust Jesus Christ to save them, it will be hard for them to give up the intense vulgarity, anger, pain,a nd so on they have lived with their whole lives.
However, that is where we come in with how we treat them, lovingly coming alongside them and helping them. The Fruit of teh Spirit, showed in Galatians 5:22-23, has things that the Holy Spirit gives everyone, but while the Spirit is what helps them grow, it's also true that we can water while God gives the increase, just as when Paul, Apollos, and others led people to Christ at Corinth.(1 Cor.1-3) We can do that by lovingly encouraging that patience, self-control, meekness, and so on. They will see a difference and, while they might struggle, the Spirit in them will be working, becuase "He which hath begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it."(Phi.1:6)
Thsi highlights another problem we've had, and that is not emphasizing why it's important to be kind, polite, respectful, etc. - there is so much noise out there agaisnt these and other Godly virtues. Any lust seems to be one that the world says to follow right away rather than focusing on other things.
This is where we need God to work. This is where we need to repent as a nation. GBut, even that must be done by individuals, as I mentioned Daniel doing in earlier posts.
But, some action must be done on our own, too, with God's help. These items can be divided into 3 main parts I can think of, though I'm sure there are others and subparts of these:
1. Items God let us handle but we haven't done the best. Let's face it's we're all one race, the human race. This is something people tried to show on their own in a Star Trek style of "let's jsut have everyone get along," becasue God allowed it, since churches were being really bad at ending racism. We've done okay, but as events hve shown in Charleston, Baltimore, etc., it hasn't ended the problem because it's a heart issue, and God's Holy Spirit needs to come down and bild from where we've come. But, we're okay here; this is like a 2YO who tries to dress themself and got halfway there, but pants are backward and a head and arm are in the neck hole and you have to help them a little.
2. Items where we've rebelled against God's ways. In the other direction, there are things we've gotten wrong. We have such voracious lust for money, sensual lusts, etc., that these override our senses and lead to many bad things, including eating disorders because girls think they have to look like models instead of seeing their inner beauty. Some of this stems from a "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality which is totally unBiblical - God tells us "Be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.'"(Heb.13:5) These items also include things which have come due to not focusing on things which are good, such as the many things of Philippians 4:8, or seeing the proper way to use something God created which is wonderful in its proper context, for "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled..."(Heb.13:4) even in things where God has rules, He gives us fun choices within the rules. Just like that partner might not enjoy skydiving, but you can do other fun things together and get thrills other ways.
3. Common sense items. This is one God has to change the most, but people can start that process by encoruaging the thinking process God is needed to restore common sense to America becasue we can't do it ourselves, it requires that people begin o think about consequences, but there are so many individual examples I can't go into them all. Ending the litigious nature of society would be a big example of one that is tied to #2 on the list(ending the lust for money), whereas others are not tied to any particular one but just show a lack of thinking. The entire focus on the outward appearance insted of looking on the heart could be considered a bit of both.
Remember, it comes down to seeking God's face and repenting
It can be argued whether 2 Chronicles 7:14 is meant only for Israel or Israel and the Church, but Jeremish 18:7-10 is clearly speaking of any nation. Plus, Nineveh repented and was spared for a while when jonah preached there, and they were not Jewish. So, God is willing to forgive.
He needs us to turn to Him, though. Notice that the Laodicean Church in REvelation 3 doesn't even have Jesus in it - He is standing at the door and knocking because the people have forgotten Him.
Let's not forget Jesus. let us pray for America like never before, seeking God and turning from evil just as it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Remember that we must rely on the Holy Spirit to save, but that once a person has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour, they become new on the inside and hve the right to go boldly before the throne of grace.(Heb.4:15-16)
Let us use that freedom God has give us to pray for America and to pass on the word, interceding on His behalf, and if you have never trusted Christ as your Saviour, it is very easy to do so. You're only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from everlasting life.
Winston Churchill most famously used this term in his "Finest Hour" speech concerning the soon to come Battle of Britain. (The sound excerpt with that phrase is here.) Set against the backdrop of Hitler's overrunning of Europe, of course, it's easy to see the greatness of nations dedicated to Godly principles and the virtues of that freedom - in fact the story of one great prayer warrior, Rees Howells, though he had flaws in his teaching, is overall very valuable for how he prayed during that terrible conflict. However, it's also very easy to see their flaws when compared to what Jesus commands and also places such as James 5:1-7, one of numerous verses which warn against rich people taking advantage of and oppressing the poor. There were horrible examples of false pride which came from those who thought it was their way of life which should be exalted, when it fact it is Christ which must be exalted. The Bible warns of often that pride cometh before a fall, and of the danger of worshiping the creature and not the Creator.
Overall, of course, the expectations of honesty, compassion on the poor, care for the less fortunate, kindness, gentleness, and so on certainly urged some to behave that way even if they didn't want to. Indeed, given the intense violence, mayhem, greed, and so on in today's culture, one could argue that it caused many people to behave in a Godly manner even though they merely had "a form of godliness, yet denying the power thereof."(2 Tim.3:5) The difference being that whereas before, such people honored God with their lips and their actions, but didn't have Him in their hearts, in these last days (the subject of 2 Timothy 3 as, for instance, this radio show describes) they merely honor God with their lips and not even their actions.
This shows why it is necessary to have changed hearts and lives, not just changed actions. It's not too late for this nation (and world), though time may be incredibly short. However, the choice is clear.
We must start with the Church
I've noted before that the Holy Spirit works in hearts, but the purpose is to convict people of their need for a Saviour, and that Jesus Christ has taken the punishment for their sins by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. If that person is not saved, He moves in their heart to lovingly woo them to Jesus. If they are, they will realize their need to repent and turn back to Him. After all, just becasue a person has been saved doesn't mean they stop needing Jesus' guidance, comfort, peace, help, correction, etc.. We all still have that sin nature, after all.
That's the first thing the Church must realize; we can't do it all ourselves, and we are not going to bring the Kingdom by changing the world ourselves. "Christian civilization was an important, stark contract to the evils of Hitler, but it was never going to change hearts. The Holy Spirit is needed for that.
However, when people come to Christ and repent, they are conceding to God that He is able to judge right and wrong and they turn away from that sin.
This is why those who emphasize what they believe in or don't believe in have it all wrong. That's not what should set Christians apart; Jesus says so Himself. "He who hath the Son hath everlasting life" - not "He who does these things."
Now,if your significant other is afraid of heights you aren't going to force them to skydive, and you will likely be a bit more understanding if they beg you not to do it. In fact, God might use that to save your life if he knows you would die in a terrible accident if you try. So, there are things we choose to do or not do because of our love for Him and what He has done for us. But, they are not done because we have to, but because we want to, like we don't want to get that SO so anxious by makign a death-defying skydive froma ridiculous height.(Okay, can you tell I'd be scared to death of it? :-) )
Praying for transformed nation must be because people want it
We've seen major differences between the civilization spoken of at first and true Christianity. All point back to a focus on the outward appearance. it must be a heart and mind transformation that is sought.
That is hard in some areas. Some hearts are so hardened by the evil out there that while they might be easily swayed to trust Jesus Christ to save them, it will be hard for them to give up the intense vulgarity, anger, pain,a nd so on they have lived with their whole lives.
However, that is where we come in with how we treat them, lovingly coming alongside them and helping them. The Fruit of teh Spirit, showed in Galatians 5:22-23, has things that the Holy Spirit gives everyone, but while the Spirit is what helps them grow, it's also true that we can water while God gives the increase, just as when Paul, Apollos, and others led people to Christ at Corinth.(1 Cor.1-3) We can do that by lovingly encouraging that patience, self-control, meekness, and so on. They will see a difference and, while they might struggle, the Spirit in them will be working, becuase "He which hath begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it."(Phi.1:6)
Thsi highlights another problem we've had, and that is not emphasizing why it's important to be kind, polite, respectful, etc. - there is so much noise out there agaisnt these and other Godly virtues. Any lust seems to be one that the world says to follow right away rather than focusing on other things.
This is where we need God to work. This is where we need to repent as a nation. GBut, even that must be done by individuals, as I mentioned Daniel doing in earlier posts.
But, some action must be done on our own, too, with God's help. These items can be divided into 3 main parts I can think of, though I'm sure there are others and subparts of these:
1. Items God let us handle but we haven't done the best. Let's face it's we're all one race, the human race. This is something people tried to show on their own in a Star Trek style of "let's jsut have everyone get along," becasue God allowed it, since churches were being really bad at ending racism. We've done okay, but as events hve shown in Charleston, Baltimore, etc., it hasn't ended the problem because it's a heart issue, and God's Holy Spirit needs to come down and bild from where we've come. But, we're okay here; this is like a 2YO who tries to dress themself and got halfway there, but pants are backward and a head and arm are in the neck hole and you have to help them a little.
2. Items where we've rebelled against God's ways. In the other direction, there are things we've gotten wrong. We have such voracious lust for money, sensual lusts, etc., that these override our senses and lead to many bad things, including eating disorders because girls think they have to look like models instead of seeing their inner beauty. Some of this stems from a "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality which is totally unBiblical - God tells us "Be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.'"(Heb.13:5) These items also include things which have come due to not focusing on things which are good, such as the many things of Philippians 4:8, or seeing the proper way to use something God created which is wonderful in its proper context, for "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled..."(Heb.13:4) even in things where God has rules, He gives us fun choices within the rules. Just like that partner might not enjoy skydiving, but you can do other fun things together and get thrills other ways.
3. Common sense items. This is one God has to change the most, but people can start that process by encoruaging the thinking process God is needed to restore common sense to America becasue we can't do it ourselves, it requires that people begin o think about consequences, but there are so many individual examples I can't go into them all. Ending the litigious nature of society would be a big example of one that is tied to #2 on the list(ending the lust for money), whereas others are not tied to any particular one but just show a lack of thinking. The entire focus on the outward appearance insted of looking on the heart could be considered a bit of both.
Remember, it comes down to seeking God's face and repenting
It can be argued whether 2 Chronicles 7:14 is meant only for Israel or Israel and the Church, but Jeremish 18:7-10 is clearly speaking of any nation. Plus, Nineveh repented and was spared for a while when jonah preached there, and they were not Jewish. So, God is willing to forgive.
He needs us to turn to Him, though. Notice that the Laodicean Church in REvelation 3 doesn't even have Jesus in it - He is standing at the door and knocking because the people have forgotten Him.
Let's not forget Jesus. let us pray for America like never before, seeking God and turning from evil just as it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Remember that we must rely on the Holy Spirit to save, but that once a person has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour, they become new on the inside and hve the right to go boldly before the throne of grace.(Heb.4:15-16)
Let us use that freedom God has give us to pray for America and to pass on the word, interceding on His behalf, and if you have never trusted Christ as your Saviour, it is very easy to do so. You're only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from everlasting life.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Honesty, kindness, compassion, etc. - Use freedom to return to God's standards
The last post came quickly, first thoughts after hearing of a crisis. That first thought was to go to God for help, knowing we are not fighting for victory, we're working from a point where we already *have* victory.
Now, that is an important thing to do when we face a problem, go to the Lord for help. But, with more time, when the world is between acute crises, s Paul Harvey used to say, what should we be doing?
While we weren't perfect, we insisted upon those attributes of honesty, kindness, self-control, etc.for
much of our history. It is only in the last decades that we have
ignored such things, and that has been to our great hurt. It's true that in numerous ways years ago our hearts were far from the Lord. But, we shouldn't throw it all out, because there were many great attributes we insisted upon as normal for a civilized, God-honoring society.
Why we stopped honoring those time-honored truths is very complex. At times, we were too legalist, and rather than sorting out which rules were appropriate people decided they didn't want any rules. There was no desire for a relationship, it was all about rules, and where there is no relationship there is no feeling of wanting to follow those Godly values; it's not true love when you follow rules because you have to, there needs to be that want to do so. In fact, one way that change of heart upon repentance has been described is that one's "want to' changes, their desire for certain things changes.
Where do we fit in?
First, we shouldn't expect the world to act like the Bible says true followers of Christ should act. It used to more often, though even then there were of course exceptions. Crime occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, but not with the frequency of today, for instance. Now, however, it should be easier to tell the difference between followers of Christ and the world
Sadly, it isn't always.
So, the first step is to be in the world but not of it. Follow those Godly rules of honesty, decency, compassion, and so on, while building a relationship with Jesus Christ so He will help you to draw people to Him.
And, so when yo pray for this country, He will hear you, as He will be a faithful friend, but like a true friend, He will say in a loving way, "Hey, you know this situation, here's a better way to do it where you'll show a more Godly example." And, of course, we know that Jesus Christ set the ultimate example. He won't try to keep you from making Brussels sprout ice cream, of course; His leadership will be in the areas of decency, courtesy, etc.. This is not so he can stop our fun but so we can have even more fun, so He can help us to have that life more abundantly He promises in John 10:10. After all, He gives us things such as in Philippians 4:8 we can focus on that are wonderful and fulfilling becasue they are much deeper than the oftentimes shallow things of today that don't last.
When people see our relationship with Jesus and how abundant our lives are, they will want to follow. That means those who have trusted Christ as Saviour and see you taking the lead, it also means those who hve never trusted Christ as Saviour.
The Holy Spirit's part
God plays a part, too. The Holy Spirit lives in each person who has trusted Christ, but His job is also to work int he lives of the unsaved and woo them to Christ. Here is a great article on the Spirit's work there, but to sum it up, the Holy Spirit is not there to convict people of the need to behave morally, he is there to convict people of the fact they fall short of the glory of God and need the Saviour; they need Christ's righteousness imputed to themselves becasue they can't stand on their own.
But, notice that this still requires us to work at not being like the world. Becasue, if people don't see a difference in us, they may say, "Wait, where's the fruit of this salvation you speak of?"
God understands that we all struggle at times. But, that's why He calls the Spirit the Comforter, so He can guide us in a loving way to follow Him, as we are comforted that He is there with us. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:17; that means a continual filling, a total control by the Spirit. It's how we can more easily flee from temptation(James 4:7-8) and take that way of escape God promises when we face temptation.(1 Cor. 10:13)
Of course, one can try to explain that just because someone says they are Christian doesn't mean they are, and that one should look to God's Word, but understanding that would require a common sense that is lacking in many today. So, how do we get that common sense back to restore America?
Restoring common sense will require God healing our land
There is a delicate balance between legalism and liberalism. It could be argued that the body of Christ has rarely had the right balance throughout history. But, what can't be argued is that a society founded on moral principles such s decency, fairness, compassion, mercy, etc., held those standards because they believed them to be right - common sense, really. it wouldn't be unusual to hear a person say, 100 years ago, "Well of course we need to be honest and have self-co0ntrol and..."
Where our culture has gone, though, we need God to heal us. But, the good news is that He is a God of second chances. We may face some major battles, but He can do it.
He needs us to take the lead, though.
That means he needs you, as a prayer warrior, as a spiritual leader no matter what age, gender, etc., as discussing at takethespirituallead.blogspot.com.
To encourage such things without seeming too preachy may be difficult, but look at the impact social media has on culture. It has been a part of some major positive and negative things. If you just keep tweeting this post and urging others to read, though, jsut that will be a major step. In fact, this should be done to any post in this blog as we must urge people to come to know the Lord. Because, only then will we see a change.
We can certainly be inclusive within the rules - we are all one race, of the same blood, and we know that your young people need help. Not everyone had a stable, two-parent home but everyone has access to Jesus Christ to guide and direct them if they just call on Him. They can also go to sites like Jesus2020.com (en Espanol, jesucristo2020.com) and click to talk to someone about the Lord. Young people can get organized, women can get organized, to take a stand against the meanness and oppression of the streets even without men present. Because, if God be for us, who can be against us, as the Bible says.
Our inner cities but also our suburbs and everywhere else need revival. It starts with you. And, that starts with knowing the Lord. So, I ask, have you come to the place in your life where you know if you died today, you would go to Heaven? And, what are you basing that on?
Salvation is by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.(Eph.2:8-9) God doesn't want us to be able to boast we were somebody special to get there, just as here on earth He doesn't want people to be puffed up in their own pride. It is so simple, each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance away from eternal life.
And, while it is not the words that save, but Jesus who saves when you put your trust in Him, something like this in your own words as a simple heart-mind decision is all it takes... "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I believe you took the punishment for my sin when you died on the cross and then you rose from the dead, becasue I can't save myself by my own good works. But, Lord Jesus, I believe you did all that was needed to get me to heaven, because you are God in flesh. Lord Jesus, today I choose to call on you to save me, I call on you to please forgive me and invite you into my heart and life, to make me a new creature. I repent, I turn away from all my sin and I trust you to save me. And, I believe by my simple faith that you have saved me and come into my heart and made me new inside. In Jesus' name,A men."
It could be short than that - Admit, Believe Call/Choose is a common way I've heard, as is Confess, Believe, Accept.
What matters is that God wants to save His people . He wants to hear our prayers. he wants to protect the children but nobody is stepping out in faith and praying for Him to do so and doing what they can, such as by spreadign the word and by sharing the Gospel.
Won't you please join in the movement to declare this our Independence Day, to be free to return this country to common sense - not on our own strength but with God's Holy Spirit leading the way. And, of course, being those Christlike examples, following the whole counsel of God, so that the world can see a difference and see, "Wow, those Christians love each other with an unconditional love, they care about others, they're so full of the joy of their relationship with Jesus Christ and not hung up on the outward appearance They aren't overwhelmed by lusts. They're not vulgar and mean sounding. I want what they have."
Because, when it comes down to it, we're just beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.
Now, that is an important thing to do when we face a problem, go to the Lord for help. But, with more time, when the world is between acute crises, s Paul Harvey used to say, what should we be doing?
Absolute right and wrong have existed since the foundation
of the world. This world was made perfect, with no sin, disease, death
etc. Once sin came into the world, such kindness, compassion, respect, etc. was not universal - to say nothing of all the other sins that were occurring. So, God provided a way to cover that sin, with all the sacrifices
made up until Jesus being symbols of what Jesus Christ, God in flesh,
would do for us. This is why John the Baptist sees Jesus and instantly cries out, "Behold the Lamb
of God which take us away the sin of the world."(John 1:29)
We, as one human race, were meant to communicate and
fellowship in a caring way without any interference by outside
differences. What differences there were in personality were meant to be celebrated and not be hindrances to communication..More importantly , we were meant to be honest, kind, caring, respectful, and many
other things to everyone, regardless of who they were. We were not meant to be selfishly uplifting ourselves at the expense of others, or putting others down needlessly. Certainly, we were meant to tell the truth in love (like, "Honey, you're a great cook, but Brussels sprouts in ice cream just doesn't seem like it would taste good.) And, we were meant to be able to laugh at our own foibles. (Such as , you'll never believe what flavor ice cream I tried to make - it was so silly!")
Why we stopped honoring those time-honored truths is very complex. At times, we were too legalist, and rather than sorting out which rules were appropriate people decided they didn't want any rules. There was no desire for a relationship, it was all about rules, and where there is no relationship there is no feeling of wanting to follow those Godly values; it's not true love when you follow rules because you have to, there needs to be that want to do so. In fact, one way that change of heart upon repentance has been described is that one's "want to' changes, their desire for certain things changes.
Where do we fit in?
First, we shouldn't expect the world to act like the Bible says true followers of Christ should act. It used to more often, though even then there were of course exceptions. Crime occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, but not with the frequency of today, for instance. Now, however, it should be easier to tell the difference between followers of Christ and the world
Sadly, it isn't always.
So, the first step is to be in the world but not of it. Follow those Godly rules of honesty, decency, compassion, and so on, while building a relationship with Jesus Christ so He will help you to draw people to Him.
And, so when yo pray for this country, He will hear you, as He will be a faithful friend, but like a true friend, He will say in a loving way, "Hey, you know this situation, here's a better way to do it where you'll show a more Godly example." And, of course, we know that Jesus Christ set the ultimate example. He won't try to keep you from making Brussels sprout ice cream, of course; His leadership will be in the areas of decency, courtesy, etc.. This is not so he can stop our fun but so we can have even more fun, so He can help us to have that life more abundantly He promises in John 10:10. After all, He gives us things such as in Philippians 4:8 we can focus on that are wonderful and fulfilling becasue they are much deeper than the oftentimes shallow things of today that don't last.
When people see our relationship with Jesus and how abundant our lives are, they will want to follow. That means those who have trusted Christ as Saviour and see you taking the lead, it also means those who hve never trusted Christ as Saviour.
The Holy Spirit's part
God plays a part, too. The Holy Spirit lives in each person who has trusted Christ, but His job is also to work int he lives of the unsaved and woo them to Christ. Here is a great article on the Spirit's work there, but to sum it up, the Holy Spirit is not there to convict people of the need to behave morally, he is there to convict people of the fact they fall short of the glory of God and need the Saviour; they need Christ's righteousness imputed to themselves becasue they can't stand on their own.
But, notice that this still requires us to work at not being like the world. Becasue, if people don't see a difference in us, they may say, "Wait, where's the fruit of this salvation you speak of?"
God understands that we all struggle at times. But, that's why He calls the Spirit the Comforter, so He can guide us in a loving way to follow Him, as we are comforted that He is there with us. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:17; that means a continual filling, a total control by the Spirit. It's how we can more easily flee from temptation(James 4:7-8) and take that way of escape God promises when we face temptation.(1 Cor. 10:13)
Of course, one can try to explain that just because someone says they are Christian doesn't mean they are, and that one should look to God's Word, but understanding that would require a common sense that is lacking in many today. So, how do we get that common sense back to restore America?
Restoring common sense will require God healing our land
There is a delicate balance between legalism and liberalism. It could be argued that the body of Christ has rarely had the right balance throughout history. But, what can't be argued is that a society founded on moral principles such s decency, fairness, compassion, mercy, etc., held those standards because they believed them to be right - common sense, really. it wouldn't be unusual to hear a person say, 100 years ago, "Well of course we need to be honest and have self-co0ntrol and..."
Where our culture has gone, though, we need God to heal us. But, the good news is that He is a God of second chances. We may face some major battles, but He can do it.
He needs us to take the lead, though.
That means he needs you, as a prayer warrior, as a spiritual leader no matter what age, gender, etc., as discussing at takethespirituallead.blogspot.com.
To encourage such things without seeming too preachy may be difficult, but look at the impact social media has on culture. It has been a part of some major positive and negative things. If you just keep tweeting this post and urging others to read, though, jsut that will be a major step. In fact, this should be done to any post in this blog as we must urge people to come to know the Lord. Because, only then will we see a change.
We can certainly be inclusive within the rules - we are all one race, of the same blood, and we know that your young people need help. Not everyone had a stable, two-parent home but everyone has access to Jesus Christ to guide and direct them if they just call on Him. They can also go to sites like Jesus2020.com (en Espanol, jesucristo2020.com) and click to talk to someone about the Lord. Young people can get organized, women can get organized, to take a stand against the meanness and oppression of the streets even without men present. Because, if God be for us, who can be against us, as the Bible says.
Our inner cities but also our suburbs and everywhere else need revival. It starts with you. And, that starts with knowing the Lord. So, I ask, have you come to the place in your life where you know if you died today, you would go to Heaven? And, what are you basing that on?
Salvation is by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.(Eph.2:8-9) God doesn't want us to be able to boast we were somebody special to get there, just as here on earth He doesn't want people to be puffed up in their own pride. It is so simple, each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance away from eternal life.
And, while it is not the words that save, but Jesus who saves when you put your trust in Him, something like this in your own words as a simple heart-mind decision is all it takes... "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I believe you took the punishment for my sin when you died on the cross and then you rose from the dead, becasue I can't save myself by my own good works. But, Lord Jesus, I believe you did all that was needed to get me to heaven, because you are God in flesh. Lord Jesus, today I choose to call on you to save me, I call on you to please forgive me and invite you into my heart and life, to make me a new creature. I repent, I turn away from all my sin and I trust you to save me. And, I believe by my simple faith that you have saved me and come into my heart and made me new inside. In Jesus' name,A men."
It could be short than that - Admit, Believe Call/Choose is a common way I've heard, as is Confess, Believe, Accept.
What matters is that God wants to save His people . He wants to hear our prayers. he wants to protect the children but nobody is stepping out in faith and praying for Him to do so and doing what they can, such as by spreadign the word and by sharing the Gospel.
Won't you please join in the movement to declare this our Independence Day, to be free to return this country to common sense - not on our own strength but with God's Holy Spirit leading the way. And, of course, being those Christlike examples, following the whole counsel of God, so that the world can see a difference and see, "Wow, those Christians love each other with an unconditional love, they care about others, they're so full of the joy of their relationship with Jesus Christ and not hung up on the outward appearance They aren't overwhelmed by lusts. They're not vulgar and mean sounding. I want what they have."
Because, when it comes down to it, we're just beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.
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