Run to Repent

As men of God we believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Jesus commended Peter when he said, “Thou art the Christ the son of the living God.” We encourage men to make Jesus Lord of their lives. We exhort men to gather together as like minded men chasing after our brothers who are chasing after Jesus. Our mission is to raise up men of God who love Jesus Christ and who want to spend the rest of their lives learning to become just like Jesus. Men of God in whom the spirit of the Lord is…for such a time as this.

Christian churches are filled with people filled with sin consciousness. However we have been delivered from the power of sin and have been given the righteousness of Christ. Because of the price Jesus paid for our sin by his death on our behalf, God has exchanged the guilt of our sin for the righteousness of Christ.

When a man of God sins, how does God restore him back into fellowship? Repentance is the inflection point, the change of direction when a man of God returns his heart to the Lord. The story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 is the story of repentance. King David was called to lead God’s armies against Israel’s enemies. However David decided to take some time away from the battlefield. When David left the battle, he also forsook his fellowship with the Lord. An idle mind is the devil’s playground. While David was relaxing in his palace, he noticed his neighbor Bathsheba taking a bath on her roof. David lusted after her. Lust is anything that we love and long for over our desire for God. David gave into his lust and committed adultery with Bathsheba. As a result, Bathsheba became pregnant. Since David was no longer walking with God, he decided to cover up his sin. Uriah was Bathsheba’s husband who served in David’s army. As commander in Chief, David ordered Uriah to take a leave of absence from the battlefield and spend some intimate time with his wife. However, Uriah refused to sleep with his wife. Uriah was so committed to fight against Israel’s enemies that he slept outside of David’s palace so that he could rejoin his brothers-in-arms at a moment’s notice. David told his generals, “put Uriah on the front line of the battle. When the enemy attacks, have everyone retreat and leave Uriah alone exposed to enemy fire.” The generals did as David commanded and Uriah was killed as a result of David’s murderous plot.

David had walked away from fellowship to the point that he no longer feared the Lord God Jehovah. God spoke to his prophet Nathan and told him to confront David about his sin. Nathan was reluctant to confront David because he knew that he had Uriah murdered. God gave Nathan a story to tell David. Nathan told David about a poor man in his kingdom whose only possession was a precious little ewe lamb whom he cherished and loved like his own daughter. There was also a rich man in David’s kingdom who owned many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. A traveler came to the rich man’s house for dinner. Instead of taking one from his own flock, the rich man stole the poor man’s precious little ewe lamb, butchered her, and served her to his rich guest.” David had been a shepherd as a boy so this story moved him deeply. The penalty for stealing a man’s sheep is to pay him back four times over. However David pronounced the death penalty when he said, “the man that did this thing must die.” Then Nathan stuck his finger in David’s chest and said, “You are the man.”

David was broken. When we fall from fellowship, God will call a brother to reprove and correct us. If you don’t find Nathan, then Nathan will find you. Correction is to restore to an upright position. Those who are ready to repent run TO the Lord not FROM the Lord. Jesus said, He who loses his life shall find it and he who finds his life shall lose it.

Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance. This Psalm begins, “HAVE mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” The beauty of David’s confession is that he did not hide from his sin. As he ran back to his Lord, he approached God’s throne of grace and mercy with a broken and a contrite heart. The new nature of Christ in us the hope of glory will convict our hearts when we sin. The Holy Spirit will shed the light of reproof and correction when we fall from fellowship. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit, the comforter, will teach us all things that are true according to His word.

David’s prayer continues in Psalm 51:2-4: “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

The consequences of sin allows us to focus our hearts on the solution from sin. Part of repentance is to make it right with the ones we’ve wronged. An unforgiving heart is an unrepentant heart. Another part of forgiveness is forgiving those who have wronged us. That’s why the Lord’s Prayer says, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Sometimes repentance requires us to “turn the other cheek” so that we can understand the meaning of humility. The greatest freedom is freedom from the “insidious preoccupation with self.” When we repent, we can confess, “I have found the enemy and he is me.”

Verses 5 and 6 continue David’s prayer, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”

The secret to repentance is in John 3:20-21, for he that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought of God.

David’s prayer in Psalm 51 concludes, “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

To know the Grace and mercy of God requires that we approach him with a broken and a contrite heart. He is gracious and merciful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. According to Isaiah, “though your sins be as scarlet, ye shall be as white as snow.” To win the battle and keep our place standing on the wall, we must approach our Commander in Chief according to his terms…For if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of his grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

You Are the Man

The Prophet Isaiah said, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” When we sin, how does God restore us back into fellowship? The story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 is the story of sin and repentance. King David’s army fought against the enemies of Israel but David took some time off. The problem is that David also took time off from his fellowship with the Lord. A wise man said, “an idle mind is the devil’s playground.” David was in his palace and noticed his neighbor Bathsheba taking a bath on her roof. He lusted after her. Lust is any desire that takes precedence over our desire for fellowship with our Lord. David gave into his lust and committed adultery with Bathsheba. She became pregnant. David decided to cover up his adultery so he called Bathsheba’s husband Uriah who was a soldier in David’s army. David as commander in chief ordered Uriah to take a leave of absence from the battlefield and spend some intimate time with his wife. However, instead of sleeping with his wife, Uriah was so committed to his fellow soldiers that he slept outside of David’s house so that he would be on-call to rejoin his brothers in arms. Then David said to his officers, put Uriah on the front lines in the heat of the battle. Then retreat from the point of battle so that Uriah would be alone to face the enemy fire. Uriah was killed as a result David’s plot to have him murdered.

David was so out of fellowship that he no longer feared the Lord God Almighty. God told his prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin. Nathan was reluctant to face the king because he knew that David had committed murder by having Uriah killed. God gave Nathan a story to tell David. Nathan told David about a poor man in his kingdom whose only possession was his precious little ewe lamb whom he loved and cherished like his own daughter. Then a rich man who owned many flocks had one of his rich friends over for dinner. Rather than taking from his own flock, he went over to the poor man’s house, stole his precious ewe lamb, butchered her, and fed her to his rich guest. David was once a shepherd as a boy. He was deeply moved and infuriated about this injustice in his kingdom. David said to Nathan, “the man who did this must die.” David had pronounced the death sentence against the rich man. Then Nathan stuck his finger in David’s chest and said, “You are the man.”

This story broke David’s heart. He realized that he had broken fellowship and sinned against his Lord. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance. When David walked in fellowship with His Lord, he was a man after God’s own heart. Men of God are imperfect in the flesh. However, Jesus said “He who abides in me shall produce good fruit.” Psalm 51 proves the heart of true repentance. You can’t hide from God. He’s the hound of heaven who pursues us when we stray…all we like sheep have gone astray…we have returned every one to our own way. When a man of God stumbles, God will bring a brother across his path to reprove and correct him. Biblical correction means to “restore to a upright position.” A Man of God runs to God for confession of sin. Most men run away from God when they sin. Repentance means to Change direction. It means to turn around to return to God.

David returned to his Lord with a broken and a contrite heart. According to Psalm 51:1- 4, “HAVE mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

It’s always emotional when a Man of God returns to his Lord. Those who are not ready for repentance hide from God. But as Jesus said, “he who saves his life shall lose it but he who loses his life for my sake shall save it…”

There are always consequences for sin. David’s baby son, the result of his adultery with Bathsheba, was taken from him in death. David mourned while his son was on death’s door. In his prayer of repentance David said in Psalm 51:7-10, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

1 John 1:9 is the key to repentance to return to fellowship with our Lord: “For if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Every man struggles with the sin nature that we inherited from Adam. However, when we return to the Lord with a broken and a contrite heart, when our prayer is “Create in me a new Heart, O God,” he will renew a right spirit in us. To be filled with His spirt we must empty ourselves of ourselves so that He can fill us with his Holy Spirit.

In Psalm 51 verses 11 and 12 David prayed, “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

After Peter had denied his Lord three times, Jesus came to restore Peter back into fellowship. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me with the love of God?” Peter said “I love you like a brother.” He didn’t yet know how to love with the love of God. Jesus asked Peter this question three times. The third time Peter said to Jesus, “Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love you the only way I know how.” Jesus said to Peter, “feed my sheep.” Peter learned to love his Lord Jesus Christ when he received the Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost. At that time Jesus’ promise came true. Jesus had said in John 14, “The comforter, the holy spirt, will teach you all things.” The greatest thing that we know according to the Holy Spirit is to Love unconditionally with the love of God. This is the “agape” unconditional love of God.

Joe Briscoe said, “the Holy Spirit has left the church and we didn’t even know it.” Our commission is not to call people to church but rather to call people to the Lord. This is the theme of David’s prayer in Psalm 51 and Psalm 32. Our prayer is that God’s Holy Spirit of Christ in us will teach us the first of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt have no other Gods between your face and God’s face.” As we return our hearts back to fellowship with our Lord, may we pray the lyrics of this hymn:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face…And the things of earth shall grow strangely dim… In the light of His glory and grace.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Culling the Crowd

Influencers focuses on men, marriages, and missions. We believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God who gave his life so that we would be made the righteousness of God in Him. It’s important to keep the main thing the main thing.

God often culls the crowd. He did this with Gideon when he culled the army of Israel. Jesus also did this in John Chapter 6. He needed to separate the sheep from the goats. In John 6, the crowds followed Jesus around. He was the “rock star” of his day. The entourage and the paparazzi wanted to get a photo op and witness a miracle. They wanted to be entertained and Jesus was the biggest draw of his day. Jesus said to the crowd, “unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.” Those who didn’t know Jesus didn’t understand his message. He had said, “my sheep know my voice and they know me and I give unto them eternal life.” The sheep knew their master’s voice. Jesus had told the woman at the well, I have drink you know not of. He is the fountain of living water. Jesus Christ himself is the bread of life. Whosoever eats this bread shall live forever. The multitudes didn’t understand what Jesus meant. According to John 6:66, from that day, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.

A man approached Pete after a marriage builders class and said, “I found a note from my wife this morning that said, “if you want to save this marriage, then go see Pete.” Pete recognized the man and thought to himself, “I’ll help you save this marriage after I levitate you off the ground and then fly you around the room.” Pete asked the man, “are you willing to do whatever it takes to save your marriage?” The man replied, “probably not.” Pete admired the man for his honesty. The word “probably means very likely. The guy had said, “based on my past actions I most likely won’t do whatever it takes.”

According to Psalm 1, there is a process for walking with the Lord. There are three things required: walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, stand not in the way of sinners, and sit not seat of the scoffers. Instead, delight thyself in the law of the lord and meditate in his word day and night. God’s promise is that when we follow this process, we shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of living water that brings forth fruit in due season…a tree whose leaf does not wither and who prospers in all things.

According to Proverbs 3:5-6, “trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.” Men ask themselves, “why can’t I make my own destiny?” Man has been asking himself this question ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Questioning the will of God is the first step in falling away from the truth of God’s word.

The basic principle of God is that he loves us so much that he never asks us to do anything that isn’t in our own and God’s own best interest. The love of God and his grace covers a multitude of sins. In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly. Who’s seeking whom? We didn’t chose Him, He chose us.

In Matthew 16 Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must forsake himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” However, as one guy said, “I realized that Jesus and I were incompatible and one of us has to change.” The problem with a living sacrifice is that it wants to crawl off the altar. Jesus knew what was in the heart of man. The Apostle Paul said, “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.” Jeremiah 17 says that the heart of man is deceitful and wicked above all things. Everything is paradoxical in the world’s “upside down” kingdom. We must die to self in order to live for him. Jesus said, “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” The first shall be last and the last shall be first. I must decrease so that he may increase. He who is chief amount you must be servant of all.

The grace of God bridges the impossible. Without grace it is impossible to approach a holy God. Grace is unmerited favor given by the one who didn’t have to give it to the one who didn’t deserve to receive it. Jesus said, “come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” When we come to him he will exchange our burden of guilt for His righteousness. For he who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus Christ is waiting for us to approach his throne of grace with a broken and a contrite heart. When we pray, “Lord, I know I’m not the man you meant for me to be. Lord, please make me that man”…. this is a prayer that God is eager to answer. He will exchange beauty for ashes when we approach his throne of grace with a heart of meekness and humility.

Pete prayed, “Lord teach me how to love my wife as Christ loved the church.” Pete found his wife’s journal after she had passed away. She had circled the verse that said, “wives submit yourselves to your own husbands.” She had listed several synonyms for he word “submit.” She understood that biblical submission means honor, respect, and reverence… To acknowledge, and love with loving obedience the man of God whom God by his grace has given you.”

Our question is “Am I the man that God intended me to be?” In order to follow him, our lives must be built on the firm foundation. At the end of the sermon on the mount Jesus said, “the wise man built his house upon the rock, The storms came and the waves crashed and the earth shook, but the house stood fast because it was built upon the rock.” Jesus Christ himself is the firm foundation… He is the rock of ages.

We fellowship with like minded men so that we can build each other up. The world will tear us down. For the thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill and to destroy. But Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” We are fellow laborers with Christ, built up in him to stand together as watchmen on the wall. We’re the light on the hill that cannot be hidden. Therefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.

He has culled the crowd and separated us out so that we can stand apart from a world of darkness. According to 1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light…”

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

How Firm a Foundation

When the crisis comes and courage is required God expects his men to be the reliable ones. Dependability is hard to find these days. Our culture and our families are in crisis. A crisis is a point of imminent danger; an emotionally charged situation where there is a distinct possibility of a catastrophic failure. In the midst of a crisis, what would Jesus do? Jesus said that I am the vine and you are the branches. Apart from me you can do nothing. There are many storms of life. Jesus did not come to deliver us from the storm. Rather, he came to deliver us through the storm.

There are three foundational verses for reconciling men with God. Only when we’re reconciled with God can we men reconcile with others and especially with our own wives. The first foundational verse is Psalm 127:1: Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it… The second verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The third verse is in Matthew 7 about the wise man that built his house upon the rock. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” When the storm beat against the house, that man’s house stood. Its foundation was the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ himself. The foolish man built his house on the sand and when the storm came, great was the fall of it. You can’t avoid the crisis. According to the Word, don’t tell God how big the storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is.

Of ourselves and in our own power, we are but dust…here today and gone tomorrow. Our life is hid in Christ with God. It is he that has made us and not we ourselves. Insecurity is relying on that which cannot stand. However, the word of God liveth and abideth forever.

Pete asked Suzan before she died, “how can I live without you?” Suzan understood her husband’s concern. Her response to Pete was, “the lord will provide.” Only he is our strength and our sufficiency. He is our secure foundation. Everything else will take wings and fly away.

Men are encumbered with guilt and shame, even after salvation. The question is, “how do I deal with my sin nature?” Pete recalls that while in college, he read that Jesus Christ is on a rescue mission to deliver desperate men. When we come clean before the Lord, he will deliver us from our sin and iniquity. Not because we deserve forgiveness, but because love and forgiveness is His nature. A loving Christian brother once asked Pete, “If you died today, are you sure that you’ll go to heaven?” In his desperation Pete prayed, “Lord, I know I’m not the man you created me to be.” Then Pete asked God an honest question, “God, would you please make me that man?” That night, the spirt of God showed Pete that He had blotted out all of his transgressions. Pete knew that he knew that he was saved by grace and would inherit eternal life.

The nature of sin is pride… Pride says, I’m the captain of my own destiny. I’ll save myself and I’m my own sufficiency. The point of repentance, of turning from self to God is when we realize that as Paul said, “In my flesh dwelleth no good thing.” Like the prodigal son, when we “come to ourself” we can turn around and run back to our forgiving father.

Salvation is through faith alone by grace alone in Christ alone. The purpose is that we will become the praise of the glory of his grace who has made us acceptable in the beloved.

Pete recalls that when he played Baseball after college he was traded to the Minnesota Twins farm team. Even though he had been an all star he was put on the bench. Pete was frustrated and thought that should have been in the starting lineup. At a game in Indianapolis he was called in to pinch hit. On the mound was another minor leaguer, Pedro Borbon. He struck Pete out that evening. Pete jokes that Pedro was one of the pitchers that he helped graduate to the big leagues. Pedro was eventually was drafted by Cincinnati and was a relief pitcher for the “Big Red Machine” that won several World Series. After the game in his hotel room, Pete was reading the bible. God spoke to him and said, “You’re used to being an all star but there are some things that you can only learn on the bench. You need to learn to cheer for your team mate while you’re on the bench. You’ll learn character by sitting on the bench…things like humility, patience, endurance and putting others first.”

In Rocky Mount, NC while playing in the Southern League Pete prayed the sinners prayer. When we come to the Lord he will exchange our desperation for peace. Therefore, be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The standard for truth is Jesus Christ himself. For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ and him crucified. The Apostle Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation.” We were dead in the sinfulness of our flesh. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Call to Freedom

Pete was asked to deliver his Christian testimony to the Angels baseball team. He told them that he was raised as a good little Sunday School kid at a Baptist church in Alabama. Then when he went off to college, he started to do things that he couldn’t have imagined when he was a child. One guy on the team shouted, “things like what?” Pete read from Galatians 5:19-21. “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.”

The context of these “works of the flesh” begins with Galations 5:13-15: “We’ve been called to freedom. Only use not freedom as an opportunity to the flesh (the sin nature) but in love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”

There is a point of no return in every relationship. A resentment bank accumulates into “irreconcilable differences.” These differences are the devil’s ploy to divide and conquer.

However, Love covers a multitude of sins. According to verses 16-17, “walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that you cannot do the things that you please.” Lust means “over desire.” Lust is anything that we love and desire over our love of God and our desire to please him.

We’re where we are today because of the decisions we’ve made. When we “come to ourselves,” this is the point of repentance…the point of turning from the law of sin and death and toward the law of the spirit of life in Christ.

The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. The devil’s greatest deception is to convince people that he doesn’t exist. Immorality in verse 19 means harlotry, incest, and all types of sexual perversion. Impurity and debauchery is filthy wantonness, indecency and vulgarity. Sensuality gives in to the indulgences of the flesh and the appetites of the sinful nature. Sorcery and witchcraft refer to drugs and addictions that open our minds to the power of Satan himself… The power of spiritual wickedness in high places.

We are subject to the devil and his whims when left to our own devices. We cannot defeat the powers of the Prince of the Power of the Air in our own strength. We’re not strong enough, we’re not smart enough, and we’re not wise enough. However, when we confess that in our own power we’re nothing, this is the point of repentance…of turning to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Insurrection means to separate our hearts from the truth of the Word of God. It is fierce indignation against everything that is righteous and holy. Disputes, dissensions and factions are part of the factious nature of sin and death.

The works of the flesh continue with murder, carousing, and reveling. Reveling is to abandon all self-control…to giver ourselves over to the lusts of our sinful nature.

This is just a partial list of the works of the flesh, the nature of sin and death that we inherited when Adam fell.

The fruit of the spirt is in direct contrast to the works of the flesh. The fruit of the spirt is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Against such there is no law. There is only one place that these things are found: The word of God which liveth and abideth forever. Jesus said that those who are saved have received the Holy Spirt. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things that pertain to life and godliness.

Love activates the other fruit of the spirit. Love fulfills the law and activates the spirit of God in Christ in us the hope of glory. Jesus said, a new commandment I give you…that ye love one another as I have loved you. Love covers a multitude of sins.
Pete has conducted marriage counseling sessions where the husband listed three pages of things that were wrong with his wife. However the love of God thinks no evil… It keeps no record of wrongs done. May our prayer be, “Lord, search me and create within me a new heart. Show me that there’s nothing wrong with my wife that you can’t fix in me. Teach me to love my wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.”

Joy and rejoicing is not the absence of pain. Rather, joy is the presence of the Lord. According to Psalm 37:4, Delight thyself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” The command is to actively, deliberately, and intentionally direct our delight according to the Lord’s delight. When we make his word our word, when we align our hearts with his heart, when our delight is his delight, then he will give us the desires of our heart. Reconciliation means to bring back together that which has been separated. This is the purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection. For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Patience is actively waiting upon the Lord. They that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength… They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint.

The gentleness of the Lord calls a man to repentance. It’s the goodness, grace, and mercy of God that wins the unsaved. It’s not because of who we are, but because of who He is. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

The battle against the sin nature rages on. We cannot resist in our own power. In the words of Martin Luther’s great hymn of the faith:

Did we in our own strength confide, our battle would be losing.
Were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
Doth ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He.
And He must win the battle.

As Paul said, Thy strength is made perfect in my weakness. Thy grace is sufficient for me.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of his grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Which Dog?

Galatians 5 says, “use not liberty as an occasion to the flesh (sin nature) but by love serve one another.” The battle against sin rages on. In a marriage counseling workshop one man approached Pete and said “I found a note from my wife this morning when I went to work. It said, “If you want to save this marriage then go see Pete.” Pete asked him, “Do you really want to be God’s man?” He answered, “yes kind of.” Pete’s next question was, “are you willing to do whatever it takes to save your marriage?” His answer was, “probably not.”

Jesus summed up the question of relationships with one command: “A new commandment I give you: That you love one another, even as I have loved you.” Galatians 5:16 says, “walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Lust means “over desire.” It is anything that we love and desire over our fellowship with God. Desires of the flesh are the things that we battle every day. The way to overcome these sinful desires is to love and treasure the things of the spirit of life in Christ over the things of the our natural sinful flesh. The flesh and the spirit are in opposition to one another so that you cannot do the things that are pleasing to both you and God.

There are two dogs in everyone’s nature. There’s a good dog and a bad dog. When they fight, which dog will win? The dog that wins is the dog you feed. The question for life’s decisions is, “which dog am I feeding?” If we’re casual about which dog we’re feeding, we’ll become a casualty in the spiritual battle.

There are two natures, the law of the flesh that produces sin and death and the law of the spirit of life in Christ. The law of the spirit is the law of grace. Galations 5 contrasts the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the spirit.”

When you’re in the flesh, you start doing things that you never thought you’d do. According to Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like…”

Physical and immoral impurities are the hallmarks of today’s culture. These are celebrated as “acceptable behavior” in our “politically correct” culture where men call good evil and evil good. Laciviousness is indulging to excess that which is impure. Idolatry is anything to which you give your life other than the one true God. Witchcraft and sorcery tap into the devil’s power-source of “spiritual wickedness from on high.” Most people don’t believe in hell. The devil’s greatest trick is to convince people that he doesn’t exist. Variance is division and strife focusing on “irreconcilable differences.” Jealousy and seditious incite insurrection and factions against others who don’t agree with the world’s definitions of “political correctness.” Disputes, heresies, and dissensions focus on hatred against others and drive wedges between opposing factions.

Sometimes you can’t help entering into the darkness of the world that surrounds you. Suzan often said, “you can’t help how others treat you. However, you can always love them in return.” The adversary’s goal is to steal, kill and to destroy. This is his nature and the nature of the flesh that we inherited form Adam.

In a marriage, wounds and hurts accumulate over time. However, when we forsake our pride, humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and meet each other at the foot of the cross, he will reconcile us.

Anger, wrath, jealousy and envyings intentionally hurt others from a heart of malice. Murder is the extreme end result of premeditated intent to kill from a heart filled with hate.

Reveling is to “pull out all the stops” by abandoning self control when we give ourselves over to sin.

In stark contrast to the works of the flesh are the fruit of the spirit. The list in Galatians 5:22 contrasts the flesh nature of sin and death with the spirit nature of life in Christ. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the spirit.

The first fruit of the spirit is love. The Love of God overcomes envyings, wantonness, and selfishness. Love suffers long and is kind. Joy is fullness and calm delight in the presence of God. Joy is not the absence of pain, rather it is the presence of God. When we delight ourselves in the lord, he will give us the desires of our heart. Peace is surrendering our hearts to the higher power in fellowship with our Lord.

Patience, long suffering and forbearance is the result of actively waiting in the presence of God. Gentleness is gracious affection according to the grace we have been given. Gentleness is quick to encourage and bless. It is amiable and uplifting in putting others first.

The fruit of the spirit is the nature of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “come unto me all you who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” When we’re beaten down by the lusts of the flesh and weakened by the powers of darkness, we can turn our hearts to him in repentance. Time in his presence will produce the fruit of the spirit.

When you squeeze a man his essence will come out. The heart of the flesh will produce the works of the flesh. However dwelling in the spirit of life in Christ will squeeze out the fruit of the spirit.

To have a great relationship with a great God is to walk according to the spirit of life in Christ. Our challenge is to choose which dog we will feed. If we feed the dog of the flesh we will produce anger, indignation, strife, contention, confusion and every evil work. If we feed the dog of the spirit it will produce the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance…. Against such there is no law.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael