Whose Perspective?

It’s not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting, it’s that Christianity has not been tried. When you approach the Lord Jesus Christ from the world’s perspective, Christianity doesn’t make sense. We have to approach the Lord on his terms, not ours. The Word says that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the lord.

There’s a story about a pig farmer who attended a church near his home for the first time. He was moved to action by the preacher’s sermon so he called the church. He said to the church secretary, “I’d like to speak to the big hog.” She replied, “I don’t think the pastor will want to talk to you if you’re going to insult him.” He said, “I meant no disrespect ma’am. That’s just what we call the boss in the pig farming industry. I called because I wanted to donate $50,000 to your church.” She said, “hold for just a moment, I think I see the big fat pig coming this way.” What’s the difference between a term of disrespect and a term of endearment? It’s just a matter of perspective.

Oswald Chambers said in his devotional on November 1, “ye are not your own.” When a man or woman is brought into the presence of Christ, we’re brought into the fellowship of his suffering. When you enter His world, you become a thoroughfare for the world to tread on. He’ll bring his broken people into our lives whether or not we think we’re ready to represent Christ. The world looks at us as if we’re professing Christians even when we don’t feel like it. The world expects us to turn the other cheek and to love our enemies. They’re looking for someone who actually lives the gospel. They haven’t seen it in the world. Ironically, the world will call us hypocrites whenever we do what conforms to the world’s perverted norms. The world also questioned Jesus. They asked him, “how many times shall I forgive my brother?” Jesus said, “you have to forgive your brother not seven times, but seventy times seven.” There are no bounds to God’s forgiveness. When they nailed Jesus to the cross he said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

We’re not sanctified for ourselves. We’re set apart to the fellowship of the gospel. It’s not about us, it’s about Him. The things of this world aren’t done for us. Trials and tribulation are for the gospel. The purpose of trials is to crush the self out of ourselves. When we come to him with a broken and a contrite heart, he will embrace us in his arms. He’ll pick up the treads of our broken hearts and weave them together again. He’s called us to be “gracefully broken.” As Paul said through his pain and suffering, “Thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.”

When Mao came to power in China there were 50 thousand Christians. Mao attempted to stamp out Christianity by making Christianity a crime against his regime. After Mao died, there were 50 million Christian Christians in China. The underground church had exploded and had outlasted Mao’s oppressive regime.

When we suffer, either we can become discouraged and curse God, or we can acknowledge that we’re helpless in your own power. When we’re crushed and gracefully broken, then we will come to the realization that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed, for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

The grace of God is God’s gift given by the one who didn’t need to give it to the ones who didn’t deserve to receive it. We’re forgiven not because we’re forgivable. We’re loved, not because we’re lovable. It’s not because of who we are but because of who He is. Forgiveness, grace, mercy and loving kindness is the nature of God himself.

One way to get a donkey’s attention is to hit him with a two-by-four. Donkeys are notorious for their stubbornness. Through the pain of trials, God gets our attention. Pain tells us that we’re in need of deliverance. To resolve the problem we need to be like the crew of Apollo 13. They radioed their control center, “Houston, we have a problem.” The solution to life’s problems is Jesus Christ himself. The root of the problem is sin. Sin means to miss the mark. It also means to cross the line of God’s righteous standard. We inherited our sin nature from Adam. In ourselves, we’re doomed to sin and death. However, Jesus Christ paid the debt of our sin. Even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. For he who was without sin was made the Perfct sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Grace and mercy are all of thee and none of me. Grace relieves our burden of sin. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. What neediest thou? Grace brings us to understand that “All I need is thee.” Therefore when we’re broken we can come to him as David did. Even though he had committed murder and adultery, David’s confession was, “Against thee and thee only have I sinned. Create in me a new heart O God.”

In 2 Timothy 2 Paul exhorts Timothy that even though those with foolish and ignorant speculation will question you, the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, and patient. Through the trials of life, the question is, “Lord what are you teaching me through this trial?” We’ll learn humility through the trials of life. We will learn to serve God by serving those whom he’s called us to minister. He’s teaching us that the blessing is “if perhaps God will grant them repentance. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” The purpose is that they can turn from themselves and unto God.

Our challenge is to see ourselves, and those whom God has called, not according to our own worldly perspective. Through trials he will teach us to see according to his vantage point. Ephesians says that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ. Through the eyes of Christ in us, God will grant us the perspective to perceive the knowledge of the truth.

In the Old Testament God called his prophet Hosea and commanded him to marry a prostitute. This was to show Israel how they had committed adultery by worshiping other gods. Hosea’s message and example was not of condemnation but of mercy and forgiveness. Even though Hosea’s wife kept returning to prostitution, Hosea kept pursuing her and loving her despite her sin. The Lord God Jehovah kept pursuing the children of Israel even though they played the harlot and went “a-whoring” after other gods. He did not call Israel to condemnation. Rather he called them to repentance. It’s the love, grace, mercy and goodness of God that calls a man to repentance.

In 2 Timothy 4:7-8 the Apostle Paul says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” In the midst of the spiritual battle, when we fight the good fight, we will catch a glimpse of His eternal perspective. When we’re wronged as the song says, “try a little kindness.” To fight the good fight Romans 12 says, “recompense to no man evil for evil. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”

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

A Matter of Perspective

Last week we examined what it means to be steadfast.  Steadfast means firmly fixed in place.  About what should we be steadfast?  We should be steadfast about our Master and about the gospel of salvation.  Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.”  To be steadfast in him we must have the self crushed out of us.  Repentance means to turn from myself and to approach God’s throne of grace with a broken and a contrite heart.

What is the cost of following him?  It’s not about the cost, it’s about the value.  What is it that you value most?  The first of the Ten Commandments says, “thou shalt have no other gods between your face and God’s face.  In coming to him, we must grasp the nail-pierced hands of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There’s a story of a pig farmer who decided to visit a church near his house.  After the service, he was moved to action and called the church.  “I want to speak to the “big hog” in charge,” he said.  The receptionist replied, “We don’t speak about our pastor with such disrespect.”  He said, “I meant no respect ma’am, That’s what we call the boss in the pig farming industry.  I wanted to speak to the preacher so that I could donate $50,000 to your church.”  She said, “wait a minute I think I see the big pig coming this way.”  What’s the difference between a term of disrespect and a term of endearment?  It’s just a matter of perspective.

According to Isaiah 55:6-11   “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
9. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

God is faithful to his word.  He will bring forth the abundant blessings of the fruit of his righteousness.  Our job is to meditate upon his word…. To make his will our will and his word our word.  The word of God says seek the Lord while he may be found, Seek him while he is near.”  When Jesus calls, he calls us to know and understand the nature of God himself.  God’s nature is faithfulness, loving kindness, and tender mercy.

Every revelation needs an application.  Jesus said, “he who loves me keeps my commandments.”  Therefore be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.  Isaiah 55:7 says, Therefore let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts.  To turn to God and the things of God is to forsake our own ways.  Repentance is to turn from self and unto the Lord.  A man of God comes to the revelation that God’s best interest is high above my own best interest.  The safest ground is to trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In him is the solid foundation.  In Matthew 7:24-25 Jesus said, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  25. 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.”  Jesus Christ is  the true foundation.  He himself is the rock of ages.

The book “Voices from the Edge of Eternity,” records the last words of people on their death beds.  Many people when being administered “last rites” to confess Jesus as Lord say, “It’s too late.”  However, when Jesus woos us, he bids us “taste and see that the Lord is good.  Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”  He says, “now is the acceptable year of the Lord.”  To those he has chosen, he reveals his word.  If any man is in Christ he is a new creation…old things are passed away, all things are become new.

Gary Stubblefield said, “Christianity starts with an invasion of God into our lives.  The harder we run, the greater he pursues us.  Life’s cataclysmic moments, when we are broken by running to escape God’s hot pursuit, are our “come to Jesus moments.”  Come to Jesus…  and live.”  The real life change is when he opens the eyes of our spiritual understanding…. when we come to the revelation that we’re forgiven of our sins.  We will understand what it means to love God when we understand that he first loved us.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Salvation is all of thee and none of me.  For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast…..   There’s nothing I could ever do to earn salvation.  It’s not of my works but of the completed work of Jesus Christ on my behalf….for he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Our Father shows compassion to his children even when they stray.  God is a god of loving kindness and tender mercies.  The kindness and goodness of God leads a man to repentance.  We undervalue the power of kindness.  God will get ahold of our hearts when we forsake our own sinful nature and turn to his loving kindness.

God instructed his prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute to teach the nation of Israel a lesson.  This was an example of God’s loving kindness and  mercy to Israel even when they kept on committing adultery with other gods.  How many times should we forgive?  Jesus said, not seven times but seventy times seven.  The prodigal son when he returned home rehearsed his speech to his dad, “I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me one of your hired servants.”  The parable of the prodigal son is the parable of the forgiving father.  He didn’t allow his son to finish his speech.  We’re loved not because we’re lovable.  We’re forgiven, not because we deserve forgiveness.  Love and forgiveness is the nature of our Heavenly Father.  When the prodigal son was afar off, the forgiving father ran to meet him, embraced him and restored him to an upright position.

Psalm 34 says, “Therefore let not your good be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”  Jesus said, “Blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.”  Loving kindness and tender mercy is the nature of God himself.  Therefore recompense to no man evil for evil….be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ,

Michael

Steadfast Part 2

Character is built through steadfastness through the trials of life. Thank God for godly men and godly mothers who mold and shape our character. According According to 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

How do we become steadfast and what does that mean? Steadfast means to be firmly fixed in place. In order to stand steadfast in him, God will need to crush the self out of ourselves. Through trials he will teach us that we have no control over our lives. We’re not the masters of our own circumstances….God himself is Sovreign overall. Anything I have is all of grace and none of me. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.

Every man reaches a fork in the road of life where he must decide what is more important: to please God or to trust God. The road that says Please God leads to a gathering of people where everyone seems to be having fun. When you approach the guest table, they hand you a mask. A banner on the wall says, “I’m working on conquering my sin to live a better life.” However, if we could conquer our own sin, then Jesus Christ would not have needed to pay the price on our behalf. A performance based Christian lifestyle will leave us frustrated and defeated. Many men leave the church in shame because they’re tired of lying to themselves and others. Shame says you don’t give enough, serve enough, pray enough, study enough, or love enough. When you become discouraged trying to please God and others, you slip out the back in shame and guilt. When you return to the fork in the road, you take the other road that says Trust God. This road leads to a house full of messy but honest people. They know that they are sinners saved by grace. In this room they live in the Liberty wherewith Christ has set them free. In this room God says, “I love you and I even like you. When I see you, I see the righteousness of my son Jesus Christ. There is nothing that you could ever do to keep me from loving you. By trusting me, you will learn to love me by spending time in my presence and abiding with me and within me.”

The world doesn’t teach us what it means to be a man of God. The world teaches that men must work for their own salvation. However, salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The story of Les Miserables is an illustration of grace. When Jean Valjean had escaped from prison and was hiding in the shadows destitute, a passer by said, “you need to go to the church and see the priest.” He went to see the priest and the priest lovingly took him in. That night, Jean Valjean stole a costly candelabra from the church. When the gens d’armes arrested him for stealing the candelabra, they brought him before the priest. They said, “We caught him red-handed. We’re sending him to prison.” The priest said to his accusers, “The candelabra was a gift, he forgot to take this matching candelabra with him.” Grace is all of thee and none of me. We are all guilty as charged before a righteous and holy God. However God intervened in mercy and grace. For The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ his son.

The fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians shows us the foundation of remaining steadfast. We’re steadfast and unmovable because we have the hope of the resurrection. Because Jesus Christ conquered the grave when God raised him from the dead, we can rejoice in the hope of His return. Our new life in Christ is the witness of our resurrected Lord. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul said in his farewell address: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

What is a man of God? To answer this questions, the diagnostic question is: “Do you find your purpose in your Lord Jesus Christ?” As Paul said, the purpose for life is that we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace. Our victory is that through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been set free from the bondage of sin and death. Our freedom is that we can live our lives to His honor and glory. A steadfast man is not confused about the purpose of life.

The average man on the street doesn’t know what it means to be a man. A survey of men concluded, “men no longer feel empowered.” When you approach a man in church and call him “man of God,” he will usually look down in shame and humiliation. When you ask him why he looked down, he’ll say, “because I feel unworthy.” In our own power we’re unworthy. However, A man of God comes to the revelation that the phrase “Man of God” means God’s man. It’s not who we are but whose we are. We’re no longer our own. A man of God understands that we are his and he is ours.

The prayer of repentance says, “I’m not the man that you meant for me to be, Please God make me that man.” This is a prayer that God will run to answer. We’re saved not because of who we are but because who he is. He is a God of grace, mercy, and love.

Our prayer of repentance is the same as David’s prayer in Psalm 51: “Against you only have I sinned. Blot out my transgressions and create in me a new heart, O Lord.” Acceptance of the grace of God will change our hearts. The law of sin and death is enforced by fear and intimidation. However acceptance of grace says, “Lord, I’ll gladly live my life to serve you because I love you.” According 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Paul says, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14. Let all your things be done with charity (the love of God.)” 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Truth is that which is revealed. God will open the eyes of our understanding when we’re faithful to serve him from a heart of love. When we go the first mile, we’re doing it because the law of sin and death says to go one mile. When we go the second mile we will come to understand the meaning of service in love…. Not because we’ve got to but because we get to.

The word of God is profitable for doctrine, reproof, and correction. Doctrine means how to believe rightly. Reproof will convict us of our sin when we’re not believing rightly. Correction teaches us how to get back to right believing. Correction restores us to an upright condition. When we’re in a right position, then we’ll be blessed, not because of who we are but because of who he is. We’re not saved because we’re good but because he’s good. Not because we’re lovable but because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Because our resurrected Lord lives in us and through us, “be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

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

A Bond Servant and Apostle

Paul wrote his inspired letter to the Romans prior to his missionary journey to Rome. He knew that he was called to preach the gospel in the center of the secular Roman Empire. After Pentecost there were believers who lived in Rome and returned to their city to start Christian house churches. In Romans 16, Paul acknowledged specific Christians in Rome who were standing together as likeminded followers of Christ.

Paul addressed this inspired epistle in Romans 1:1 with these words: “PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,”… Paul’s life purpose was to serve as a bond slave of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament law according to Deuteronomy 15, a slave could be purchased to serve his master for six years. Most slaves couldn’t wait to be freed from their obligation to serve. However, some slaves after being freed chose to continue to do their master’s bidding. A bond servant does not serve his master by obligation. Rather, he serves his master from a heart of love. A bondservant was marked with a permanent mark in his ear. This earmark identified him as a willing and loving servant who belonged to his Lord and Master. Paul was a bond servant dedicated to serve his Lord Jesus Christ as a willing slave for his Master bound by the bond of love.

Paul was called by his Lord Jesus Christ to be an apostle. An Apostle is one who is sent by his master to serve his Lord in word and deed. Historically, an apostle was one who had followed Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. Paul was called to be an apostle on the road to Damascus where he had a life changing encounter with the risen Christ.

Paul understood his purpose and his calling. Salvation, being born again is a one-time event. However, working out your own salvation with fear and trembling is a lifelong journey. Paul knew that in order to follow his Lord, he had to forsake the world and the trappings of this world.

Paul also knew that hardships awaited him along his missionary journeys. When he purposed to go to Jerusalem, he was warned that persecution awaited. Paul said, “I’m set aside for the gospel of God.” According to Romans 1:16 Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power God unto salvation to the Jews first and also to the Gentiles.”

In America, it used to be an advantage to profess Christianity. In days gone by, most Americans believed that we were a Christian nation. Church attendance and participation was considered honorable for all upstanding American citizens. Today, America has become increasingly secularist. It has become “politically correct” to ridicule Christians for their so-called “puritanical and close-minded beliefs.”

Jesus said, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” In the Garden of Eden, the serpent was the most crafty and cunning of all of God’s creatures. We’re encouraged to be shrewd and wise according to the power of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:25-26 Jesus said, “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Jesus sent the comforter, the holy spirit to come along side to help us and to teach us the all truth.

Jesus said, “fear not the ones who can kill the body but rather fear, respect, awe and reverence the one who has the power to kill the soul.” If you’re to be afraid, then fear the Lord. In the movie Patton, General George S. Patton said, “the Americans will lose their fear of the Germans. Hope to God they never lose their fear of me.” Ye are slaves to whom ye obey. As Joshua said to the children of Israel, “chose ye this day whom ye shall serve. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.”

God has called each of us to profess our Lord Jesus Christ. The English word “profession” or “confession” is from the Greek word homologeo. Homo means “same” and Logeo means “word.” When we confess Jesus as Lord, we make his word our word and his will our will. Profession also means that our words and actions are the same. It means that we’re practitioners of His Word…that we walk the talk and talk the walk. Like Paul, God has sent us to be “living epistles” known and read of all men. We are the only Bibles that some people will ever read. We who are called of God are God’s love letters written not with ink or in tablets of stone, but in “the fleshly tables of the heart.”

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

Steadfast and Unmovable

Some people think that if you quote the bible, you’re guilty of hate speech. However, the Word of God says abhor that which is evil and to cleave unto that which is good. Despite the darkness of a fallen world we have hope in the resurrection. Our hope is in our risen Lord. The challenge in 1 Corinthians 15 is to finish strong. According to 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Steadfast means to be firmly fixed in place. Paul said in 2 Timothy 6-8, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Steadfast also means devoted and loyal and unyielding to accomplish the purpose for which we’ve been called: that we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace both now and in eternity. Despite persecution and shame, Jesus said “even though they will crucify me, I’ll rise again on the third day.” 1 Corinthians 15 is about our hope of heaven because we confessed that Jesus is Lord and have believed that God has raised him from the dead. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the hope of our resurrection.

Peter had dedicated himself to follow his Lord Jesus Christ. However, Peter prided himself on his own ability and in his own confidence. Jesus said to Peter, before the cock crows twice you shall deny me thrice. God’s timing is amazing. When Jesus was led out during his mockery of a trial, he looked toward Peter and their eyes met. Peter had just denied his Lord the third time. Jesus looked at Peter not with condemnation and judgement but with love, mercy, grace and compassion. Peter turned away convicted, went away, and wept bitterly. Repentance means that God will break our heart for what breaks his.

In the Old Testament, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, a rich man who served the Pharoah. Because Joseph proved himself trustworthy, wise and ethical in his dealings, Potiphar gave him authority over everything he had except his wife. Potiphar’s wife was drawn to Joseph and tempted him to sin with her. Joseph said, “Your husband has entrusted me with everything he has except for you. How could I do this evil against him and against my God?” He literally obeyed the command, “flee fornication.” As Joseph ran away from Potiphar’s wife, she grabbed his coat and stripped it away from him. Later she used Joseph’s coat to accuse him of attacking her. The conclusion to Joseph’s story is in Genesis 50:20. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

Jesus changed Simon’s name to “Peter” meaning the Rock. However like Peter, we must be crushed in order to be rebuilt according to his purpose. We’re all works in process. He will break our hearts like he did the Apostle Paul’s. Only then can we come to Paul’s conclusion: “thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.”

Trials and tests are for our good. Only through the trials of life can we learn that God is our sufficiency. Jesus said, I am the vine and ye are the branches. if you abide in me and I in you then you will bear much fruit. Those he loves he will prune. When he prunes us, Only then can we together bear much fruit. According to Psalm 1, blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, nor standeth in the way of sinners. But his delight is in the law of the lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters. His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Steadfast is rooted, grounded, and built up in him. As Oswald Chambers said, when the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects us to be the reliable ones. Through the trials of life, we will learn that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

We were unworthy and guilty Before a holy God. We are saved not because of who we are but because of who He is. For Jesus Christ came not into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Therefore, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

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

Steadfast

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Steadfast means to be firmly fixed in place. As Christians, everything we do to nourish our souls in the word will help us to stand steadfast. Immovable is unyielding. It means to never give up since He is our strength and our sufficiency. Testing proves the faithfulness of our faith in Him. Why are we always to abound in the work of the Lord? It’s because in the Lord our labor is not in vain. Otherwise, as Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, everything is vanity of vanities. That which is done in vain is “dust in the wind” and will come to naught. As steadfast Christians, we may not see the harvest but we can know that God is faithful to bring forth the harvest. Our reward is in him and not in our own vain glory. The motivation is not because of who we are but because of whose we are.

When we’re down and out, we will find out who are our true friends. Steadfast friends are not deterred by the affairs of this world. They stand by our side despite our failures and shortcomings. The opposite of steadfast is one who’s here today and gone tomorrow. They have no commitment to stand firm. Many pastors feel insecure, inadequate, lonely and fearful. When you call a man “man of God,” most men will look away. When you ask them why, they’ll say, “I feel unworthy.” However, our strength is not in our own confidence. In Greek the phrase “man of God” is the genitive of possession. A man of God is God’s man. It’s not who we are but whose we are.

Steadfastness is to stake our lives on faith that God will do what he says he will do. Peter failed the test of steadfastness. Even though he had raw courage and the audacity to stand for his master, he needed reproof to understand that in his own strength he was insufficient. According to Jeremiah 9:23-24: “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

Sometimes men can seek knowledge, but according to 1 Corinthians, Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifies. Knowledge inflates men’s egos, but the love of God builds up others. Many religions keep knowledge to themselves to that others can be subjugated to their masters who hold secret knowledge.

Joseph was put in a position of trust in Potiphar’s household. When Potiphar’s wife tempted him to sin, he said, “how can I do this since my master has entrusted me over everything he has?”

Jesus said figuratively, “if your right hand offends you, cut it off.” Joseph said in resistance to temptation, “How can I do this great evil and sin against my God?” Joseph literally followed the command, “flee fornication.” Potiphar’s wife grabbed his coat and pulled it off as he escaped her grasp and ran away.

Politicians will plot to overthrow a man of God. In the Old Testament, Daniel prayed openly three times a day. His political adversaries used this to plot Daniel’s downfall. They went to Darius the king and said, “if anyone prays or makes a petition of anyone or any God other than you, O King, for the next thirty days, he will be thrown into the lion’s den.” The King approved of this new declaration since it appealed to his own vanity. Daniel went ahead and prayed as he had always done. King Darius was distraught since he had made Daniel his trusted chief administrator because he perceived that Daniel had “an excellent spirt.” Darius had been tricked by Daniel’s adversaries. When Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, Darius stayed up all night agonizing about Daniel’s fate. Early the next morning he called out to Daniel to see if he had survived. Daniel said, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me…”

Jesus knew Peter. He knew what was in the heart of man. He had told Peter, “before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me thrice.” Peter trusted in his own power, in his own strength. When Peter denied his Lord the third time, Jesus caught Peter’s eye. Jesus looked at him with love and compassion. Peter went away and wept bitterly. He learned that in his own strength he could do nothing. He came to understand like the apostle Paul, “thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient to me.”

There were two missionaries who were scheduled to be burned at the stake the next day. The older missionary was ready to sacrifice his life, however the younger missionary was wracked with fear. They prayed together that night. In the middle of the night the old missionary was awakened by a blood curdling scream. He awoke to find the young missionary trying to put his hand in the fire. The Old missionary said to the younger, God didn’t call you to put your hand into the fire. He called you to be burned at the stake tomorrow. Tomorrow your martyrdom will be a great witness for your Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Courage is learned under fire. Courage is learned in the crucible of life. Jesus said, when the courage is needed, you need a good reason to stand steadfast and immovable. He said If my word abides in you, you will be faithful to stand. According to Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters. His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were threatened for not bowing down to the golden statue, they said, “our God will deliver us, and even if he does not deliver us, we will not bow down the the image of gold.” They were steadfast and immovable… They wouldn’t bend, they wouldn’t bow, they wouldn’t burn. God sent his angel, the “fourth man in the fire” and delivered them from the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Decisions are either fear based or faith based. In whom do you trust? If you lead with a guilty conscious, it will profit you nothing. Confidence is in the love of God. Galatians 5 says that Believing faith worketh by love. Our Confidence is in him and for him. God has called us to be practitioners of His word. Oswald Chambers said, When the crisis comes and courage is required God expects us to have such confidence in him that we will be the reliable ones. In the midst of the trials of life, we’ll do what we’ve practiced….what we’ve been trained to do.

Peter was called to be the rock. However, he had to be crushed to understand that his power was only in the Lord. Through the trials of life, God will crush the self out of us. Peter could not understand who he was called to be until he understood that his true foundation was the rock of Ages….Jesus Christ himself. In our own power we are nothing. He who builds his house on the Rock will stand when the storms of life rage.

Therefore, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

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

Report from the Mission Field

The “great commission” is in Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus said to his disciples, “Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, …teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.” Colossians says that God is our sufficiency and that he has made us able and sufficient ministers of the New Testament of the gospel of Christ. Either we are missionaries or we are a part of the mission field.

Steve works with Gideons International. The Gideon’s bible society is famous for distributing bibles in hotel rooms throughout the United States . They also work with local churches to saturate a particular local area with the Word of God. A scripture blitz in Senegal is part of the total of 96 million bibles that the Gideons will distribute this year. The Gideons are an extension of local church congregations to bring people to the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Wherever they distribute bibles, the word of God never returns void.

A Vietnam veteran named Fred recalls that the Gideons gave him a bible before he was deployed to Vietnam. Fred was captured by the Viet Cong and found solace in the scriptures while in captivity. He finally escaped but left behind his precious Gideon bible. Many years later Fred received a letter from a prison guard who had brutalized him in the VC prison. His captor had become a Christian as a result of finding Fred’s bible that he had left behind. Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. Peace is a result of reconciliation. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. There is no peace without the Prince of Peace. Reconciliation and peace is available only at the foot of the cross of Christ.

At the LA county fair last year, the Gideon’s distributed 13,500 bibles. Many were accompanied by personal testimonies from people who were saved by reading the scripture. Each bible that the Gideon’s place in a hotel room will be touched by over 2,000 people. Nothing is as powerful as the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. The word of God never returns void…. According to Isaiah 55, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but is shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the purpose whereunto I sent it.”

Glenn and Father Kelly

Pete travelled with Father Kelly and Glenn to Israel earlier this year. Glenn is in Southern California to “help himself to the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” at our Influencers meeting in Irvine. Father Kelly works with biblical archaeologists in the ancient city of Magdala. He and his team are excavating a synagogue in the city of Magdala. This is the city of Mary Magdalene. At one end of the synagogue is a stone engraving of a chariot of fire, a symbol of God taking Elijah into heaven. The wheels of the chariot represent the presence of God in the synagogue. This building matches the description of the synagogue in Luke 4 where Jesus preached in Galilee. At the site is a women’s atrium, a beautiful area where the pillars are engraved with the names of many women who appeared in the bible. Mary Magdalene herself was the first person to witness the resurrected Christ. Many women in Galilee were at the top of their social hierarchies. Some of them supported the work of Jesus’ ministry. God spreads the gospel of the good news through people from community to community. Women often have the gift of relationships…they live to pour out their lives to their family, friends, and communities. Father Kelly reminds us that before there was wi-fi, there were wives. Wives were the instantaneous method of communication that God used to spread his gospel message from house to house.

In the Men’s chapel at this synagogue there is a life size mosaic of Jesus walking on the water. The significance of this mosaic is the compassion and grace in the face of Jesus Christ as he bids Peter to come walk with him on the water. This reminds us that the first of the Ten Commandments is, “thou shalt have no other gods between God’s face and your face.” Father Kelly recalls that he witnessed one man who wept as he pressed his hand against the mosaic of Jesus’ hand as he looked intently into the mosaic of Jesus’ eyes. His children who were with him had never before seen their father pray this intently. They joined their hands with their father’s hand and prayed together, looking intently into Jesus’ eyes of compassion and grace.

Either we’re missionaries or we’re part of the mission field.

In John 3, a Pharisee named Nicodemus came to see Jesus by night. Jesus’ message was a message of exclusiveness. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the father except by me. Salvation is on God’s terms not ours. There is a narrow way though a narrow gate. Jesus Christ is the narrow way. Although Nichodemus was a Pharisee who had been trained in the best higher institutions of learning of his day, he didn’t know the truth. To know Jesus is to know the truth, for Jesus Christ is the truth of the word of God made manifest. According to the beatitudes, he who hungers and thirsts after righteousness will be filled. The third chapter of John gives the context of John 3:16, one of the foundational verses of the bible: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

This is the gospel message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

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