Foundations

Psalm 11:1-4 says, “IN the LORD put I my trust: How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2. For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 4. The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.”

David wrote this Psalm while he was on the run from King Saul. In the midst of the spiritual battle, we’re helpless against the powers of darkness, against “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that woks in the children of disobedience. Our adversary is in hot pursuit. To whom do we look for our help?

Oswald Chambers said that a crisis is a situation that has reached a critical stage. This unstable situation will result in catastrophic failure unless God’s people take immediate corrective and preventive action. God will allow a nation built upon the wrong foundations to crumble and fall. However, God gives his people a point of decision — an inflection point to change direction and turn their hearts back to the Lord. According to verse 4, God is in his holy temple. He has not moved. God is faithful to His word for His word liveth and abideth forever.

What can the righteous do if the foundation is destroyed?
In 2 Tim o thy 2:19, Nevertheless the sure foundation of the Lord stands. Regardless of the culture wars and the world’s insistence on so-called “political correctness,” God’s righteous standard is his Word of truth. Jesus Christ, the word of God made flesh is our sure foundation and our chief cornerstone.

The men who wield the powers of this world are not the enemy. The adversary holds ungodly men captive at his will. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness from on high.

According to. Psalm 127:1, except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. 1 Peter 4 says that Judgement starts in the house of the Lord. That which can be shaken will be shaken. According to Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Jesus Christ himself is the rock, the chief cornerstone, the firm foundation of our faith.

Peter said, we should obey God rather than men. What is it that you value most? It’s not about the cost, it’s about the value. We pursue that which we value. Jesus, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is set down upon the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus valued our redemption and this was his joy and rejoicing, the purpose for which he was called.

According to 2 Timothy 3, in the last days, men shall be lovers of sin, self, pride and pleasure, rather than lovers of God and his truth. These earthly values undermine a once-strong civilization and precede the catastrophic failure of every great civilization that has fallen into ruin.

Psalm 121 says, “shall I lift up mine eyes unto the hills? From whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord that made heaven and earth. He shall not suffer thy foot to be moved. Yea, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

To seek refuge in the Lord, means to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. He alone is our refuge and strength. Jesus said, “if you abide in me and my word abides in you, you shall bear much fruit.”

It seems as if the enemy doesn’t play by the “rules of the game.” Righteousness is bound by truth, whereas the wicked, because they’re wicked, disregard the rules. When a nation’s judges are devoid of righteous judgement; when the legislators and executives forsake God’s righteous standards, acquiesce to the world’s ungodly standards, and call good evil and evil good, there is no foundation of truth and the nation is bound to fall. As individuals and as nations, the choice is truth or consequences.

Our God is a consuming fire. We should not be intimidated and shaken by the affairs of this world that are undermining the foundations upon which our country was built — one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.

A warriors ethos says, “I will always place the mission first. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade.” The question is, what is it that you value? The ethos is a vow that I will be a better man to uphold values that transcend my own self-serving pride. Life is hard, the enemy’s onslaught is relentless, but greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

We have the legacy of Christ in us the hope of glory. In the midst of the spiritual battle, the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. Martin Luther understood what it means to stand on the firm foundation when he posted the 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg. This defiant act started the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther knew that the leaders of the Roman church had vowed to take his life. After meditating on the word of the Lord Luther took comfort in the words of Psalm 91. After meditating on these words, Luther penned the words to the great hymn of the faith, A mighty fortress is our God:

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.

That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever! 

Abraham Lincoln said, The question is not if God is on our side but rather if we are on God’s side. For if God be for us who can be against us?

The Lord is our sure foundation… that we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Spiritual Warfare

Churches have been called to the front lines of the spiritual battle. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. Ephesians 6:10 is about spiritual warfare. Many Christians have been fighting the wrong battles with the wrong weapons and the wrong armor.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to me on heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

The worldly powers of Jesus’ day were jealous and envious of Jesus’ power. They thought he was taking their followers away. In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another even as I have loved you. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.”

In the midst of the death and destruction inflicted by the Roman Empire, a high ranking centurion remarked about Christians, “we may have power to kill them, but they have the power of love.” Jesus prayed for the soldiers who nailed him to the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Romans 12 says, “recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.”

Oswald Chambers said, “there’s something that requires your utmost. It asks for all you have without apology. It requires everything you have to fight this battle. My commander in chief requires extreme obedience from me with no questioning or complaining on my part and no explanation on his. As servants of the living God, our response to his command is, “here am I Lord, send me.”

The cataclysmic events of life will shake our world. When Pete lost his precious wife Suzan, God said, “I understand your heart is broken. But I knew that I could accomplish more by bringing her home than I could accomplish by leaving her here.” As Paul said, “for me to live and to die is gain. Everything is for the glory of God and the furtherance of the gospel.” We must check our human understanding at the door because God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. God said through his prophet Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts and my ways than your ways. 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, 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 purpose for which I sent it.”

To overcome the sins of the world and the so-called political correctness of the world’s doctrines, we must fight agains the root cause . The root cause is spiritual. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high.

In Romans 1, Paul said, “I’ve been separated unto the gospel of Christ.” Chambers said, “Redemption is the only reality. Everything else is fleeting and for the temporary good…. not for the eternal good to the glory of God.”

The enemy of our souls has infiltrated every institution of this world to influence the hearts and minds of the American Citizen. He has taken control of government, education, the media, popular culture, and worldly religions. Through these institutions Americans have been Indoctrinated to worship the god of self instead of the one true God. Paul warned Timothy that in the last days men would be lovers of self and lovers of sin more than lovers of God. The mantra that says, “what’s in it for me,” has destroyed the American Founders’ message of the blessings of liberty. True freedom is available only through the one who sets us free. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”

God’s word is contrary to the wisdom of the world. The spiritual battle is won on our knees as well as on the battlefield. Prayer is one of God’s offensive weapons. Prayer is listening to and obeying our commander and chief. As soldiers on the spiritual battlefield, our prayer is often, Lord, I have no strategy, and no tactical battle plan, but as my commander in chief, my heart is prepared for your direction. On the spiritual battlefield, we need to allow God to call an audible. The battle is not our battle. The battle belongs to the Lord. The question is not whether God is on our side, but rather, whether we are on God’s side.

When Goliath threatened the armies of Israel, David, a little shepherd boy heard his taunt. He said, “how dare you defy the armies of the living God.” He understood that the Lord does not deliver by sword or spear. David knew that God is the “Lord God of Sabaoth”…..the lord of the heavenly host of armies of angels. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness from on high.

In the midst of the spiritual battle we have important decisions to make. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of (spiritual) strongholds. Therefore, Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The word of scripture and God’s revelation are our standards for truth and practice. The mind of Christ according to the standard of the Word is the filter through which we separate worldly thoughts from God’s thoughts. Then we can make the correct decision to conform our thoughts with his thoughts and our will with his will.

Ephesians 6:10 and following are our instructions for the spiritual battle:

10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…

Before Jesus left, he said to his disciples, I have to leave so that the Holy Spirit, the comforter can come alongside you. The comforter will teach you all things. The spiritual battle is a behind the scenes battle that is unseen by the five senses. The spiritual battle is the root cause of our warfare. The two offensive weapons are the word of God and prayer.

Our small groups are our band of brothers so that we can sharpen each other spiritually and stand together against the schemes of the devil. To be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good, we must together put on the whole armor of God.

Galatians 5 says, walk by the flesh and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirt and the spirit agains the flesh so that you cannot do the things that you would. There is a stark contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit fo the spirit. To counter the works fo the flesh, excercise the gift of Holy Spirit which produces the fruit of the spirit. For the fruit of the spirt is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Against such there is no law.

God doesn’t honor our desires until we delight ourselves in the Lord. When we delight ourselves also in the Lord, making his desires our desires, then He will give us the desires of our heart. When our heart’s desire is his desire, then he will work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

What makes a difference in the spiritual warfare? The difference maker is obieience to our commander in chief. Therefore, trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

…That we may be to praise fo the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Trusting God

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers’ daily devotional on May 31 says, “Put your trust in the Lord for he will surely deliver you. Therefore trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. Do you believe him? He is faithful to His Word. He will direct the path of those who put their trust in him.” In trusting in the Lord, we will understand that which he has entrusted to us: His gift of Holy Spirit that we may be equiped to accomplish His purpose in this life and the next.

The things of this world are uncertain and untrustworthy. In this world there are competing factions, competing interests, and competing sources of information. Trusting in the Lord means to place our confidence in something beyond the powers of this world. The only source on which our hopes are founded is the one who is faithful and true: The Lord God Jehovah.

The devotional book, Come Away my Beloved says, “how often has God called us to put our trust and confidence in Him? We can’t know if we are truly trusting in Him until we have been tested and tried. In the midst of panic and pandemic where nothing is under our control, we will find that God is faithful to His Word. In times of crisis when we trust in Him, committing ourselves into His holy hands, then we can rest assured that He will keep us in His own intensive care.”

According to Chambers, “it’s much easier to do something, to busy ourselves working for God instead of trusting and believing in Him.” When the centurion came to Jesus and pleaded, “Lord, please heal my servant who is at home sick with palsy and in terrible agony,” Jesus said, “I’ll come and heal him.” Then the centurion said with a heart of humility, “I’m not worthy that you should come under my roof. I’m a man in authority like you. I know what it means to speak with authority for others to act. Just speak the word and my servant will be healed. Just say it and it shall be done.” Jesus marveled and said, “I have not seen such faith, no not in Israel.”

Salvation itself is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God sent His word through his prophets, priests, and scribes to bring a remnant of Israel to the point of believing-faith. God worked patiently with Israel for one purpose: your redemption and mine. Mary a descendant of David’s lineage heard the angel Gabriel’s message that she would give birth to the Messiah. She believed the word of God and declared in faith, “Be it unto me according to Thy word.”

In John 2:24-25 Jesus had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. However, he did not commit himself to the people because he knew what was in the heart of man. He understood the sinful nature everyone inherited from Adam. Yet Jesus was not bitter because he put his trust not in man, but in the faithful word of his Heavenly Father.

The Bible says that all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Because of our sinful nature, Jesus said, there is none righteous, no not one. Men trust their feelings instead of the truth of the Word of God. The lies of this world have indoctrinated men of this world to be suspicious, cautious, wary, and untrusting.

However, our need is obedience to God according to His word. He alone is worthy. He alone is trustworthy. The things of this world and the men of this world will let you down. However, God is faithful to his word. God said through his Prophet in Isaiah 55, “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, 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 that thing where unto I sent it.”

According to Chambers’ devotional, Jesus said to his disciples before his ascension, tarry ye here in Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high not many days hence. Since this prophecy was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the power of the Holy Spirit has empowered Christ followers to serve Him. When God’s needs are met in Christians’ service to Him, then His purpose will be fulfilled through His believers.

His trust is that he has given us his son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our purpose is that His life would be manifest in our mortal flesh. According to Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

God calls a minister to pastor his church when the Man of God is ready for the challenge of ministry. A minister is one who “runs to serve the Lord.” When a man spends time in His word, God will work in him, with him, and through him to will and to do fo His good pleasure.

An excerpt from “Faith in the World,” a devotion from the Puritan prayer book The Valley of Vision says:

“The world is artful to entrap. It approaches in fascinating guise, extends many a guilded bait, presents many a charming face. Let my faith scan every painted bauble, and escape every bewitching snare in a victory that overcomes all things.
In my duties give me firmness, energy, zeal, devotion to thy cause, courage in thy name, love as a working grace, and all commensurate with my trust.
Let faith stride forth in giant power, and love respond with energy in every act.
Thy Word is full of promises, ….fruit of refreshing flavor when culled by faith.
May I be made rich in its riches, be strong in its power, be happy in its joy…
Lord increase my faith…..”

That we may trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding,
That we may be to the praise of the glory of His grace,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Jesus Is Lord

What men meant for evil God meant for good. Despite the opposition of this world and the darkness of this world, all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

One of our priorities as Influencers is that Jesus is Lord of our lives. Oswald Sanders wrote many books on Christian leadership. Someone asked him, “can you receive Jesus Christ as savior and not Lord?” Sanders replied, “I received him as Saviour but not Lord because no one taught me what it means to confess ‘Jesus is Lord.’ As soon as someone explained to me the lordship of Christ, I received him as Lord.”

What does it mean to call Jesus “Lord?” Oswald Chambers said, “there is no moral value to a higher authority unless you are obedient to that authority. We are each a slave to our own selfish desires unless we die to self so that we may live to glorify him. The lordship of Jesus Christ means to submit in loving obedience to his will and to his authority.”

Christianity is a rescue mission for desperate men. When like the prodigal son, we “come to ourselves” then we can return to our Heavenly Father. This is the point of repentance — of changing our direction. The world’s man-code says that a man cannot say, “I can’t make it on my own.” However, the moment of repentance is when I recognize that in my own power, I’m powerless to overcome the problems, panic, and pandemic of this world.

The consistency of Christianity is our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. The psalmist asked in Psalm 121, “Shall I lift up mine eyes unto the hills? From whence cometh my help?” The next verse says, “My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” Recognition of a higher authority in order to please him is the point of repentance — of turning from myself and unto Him.

Sin, missing the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, is part of our human nature. Our nature we inherited from Adam is to succumb to the temptations and cares of this world. Jesus said, “in this world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus wasn’t a tyrant who forced his followers to obey his command trough coercion against their wills. When a man comes to Christ, he comes to the realization that he is no longer in charge of his own life. Chambers said regarding Lordship, “I require extreme obedience from you with no questioning or complaining on your part and no explanation on mine.”

Lordship means that I give up authority over my own life in obedience to his will and his calling. To say, “Jesus is Lord,” means that I surrender my will to his will. Confession that Jesus is Lord means to speak the same word. It means to make God’s word my word. It also means to make his desires my desires as I subjugate my will to his will.

When Jesus is Lord, nothing belongs to me. Lord means owner. It means that I sign away my own rights and become a bond slave to Jesus Christ. A bond slave chooses by the freedom of his will to serve his master from a heart of love. The Old Testament description of a bond slave is in Deuteronomy 15:12-18. If a Hebrew buys the services of another Hebrew, the servant shall serve his master for six years and after the six years he shall be set free from his legal obligation to serve his master. After six years, if the slave says to his master, I love you and want to serve you for the rest of my life, Deuteronomy 15:16-17 says, “And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.”

The bond-slave’s earmark identifies him as a life long slave of his master, bound by the bond of love. The master is obligated to take care of his bond servant’s needs. Through the trials and tribulations of life, the question our Lord asks is, “despite what happens, will you still purpose in your heart to honor, love and serve me?” A bond slave lives and runs to do his master’s will. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

At our Influencers retreats, we have a ceremony where we anoint men as a “Man of God.” First we ask each man “Is Jesus Christ Lord of your life?” The second question is, “Do you love Jesus?” The third question is, “Do you want to spend the rest of your live learning to become just like Jesus?” When a man answers yes to these three questions, we anoint him with oil, and declare him “Man of God.” Then we pray over him and put a bracelet on his wrist that says, “Man of God, Absolutely.” The phrase “Man of God” means God’s man. Grammatically, this is the “genitive of possession.” Christianity is not who we are, but rather, WHOSE we are.

Cory Tin Boom said, “I hold everything loosely. Then when Jesus needs to take it away from me, it doesn’t hurt because he won’t need to pry it from my hand.”

Even though we sinned and continue to sin in our flesh, God gives us a way to return to fellowship and reconcile our hearts with him. According to 1 John 1:9:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We’re called to the body of Christ so that we can encourage one another in the love of God. Jesus said, by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.

God always has our best interest in mind. He has called us and made us according to his image, Christ in us the hope of glory. The purpose is that we would be to the praise fo the glory of His grace. Obedience in intimate loving surrender to his spirit is to live life more abundantly. It’s always in our best interest to press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. When we’re on target according to His will, then we can rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.

Peter had to be broken and humbled before he could turn his heart to the Lord. He had said to Jesus, though the whole world forsakes you, I will never forsake you. Jesus said to Peter, “before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me thrice.” The night before the crucifixion, Peter had followed Jesus to the high priest’s house. Jesus was being unjustly accused before the high priest while Peter was warming himself outside by the fire. A man approached Peter and said, “I recognize you as one of his followers. I can tell by your speech that you are a Galilean.” Peter denied him saying, “I never knew the man.” Just then Peter heard the cock crow and Jesus looked toward Peter. Jesus and Peter locked eyes. Peter’s heart was broken. He went off and wept bitterly.

The world thinks that “surrender” is to give up what’s important as a “self actualized” individual. “Hands up, I surrender,” according to the world, is a declaration of defeat and not victory. However, the world’s doctrines are the complete opposite of the truth of the word of God.

The world cannot understand the meaning of the hymn “I Surrender All.” The lyrics of this hymn are what it means to confess with thy mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” In my own power and in my flesh, I cannot sing this song and mean it. However when I return to him in loving obedience, I can sing these words with Christ’s heart behind my heart:

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now,

All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Savior wholly thine
May Thy Holy Spirit fill me
May I know Thy power divine.

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all…

…For you are my Lord and Saviour, that we may ever live to the praise of the glory of Thy grace!

Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Apathetic Busy-ness

Ron Tovar encourages us that men need to bond with other men. This is why men join softball, volleyball, and soccer teams. They form bowling leagues, congregate in bars, or go fishing with their buddies. God made men for fellowship, to share our lives with other men joined by a command bond. According to Hebrews 10, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is….” Despite the government’s orders for social distancing, isolating, and locking down, Influencers is sponsoring 4M groups — small groups of 4 men who meet together in person or on-line to encourage one another in the Word of God.

Jesus himself modeled a 4M group. He chose twelve disciples. He also had an inner circle of three: Peter James, and John.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, ….. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

God created Adam and Eve for each other so that they could share fellowship with each other and with God himself. However, they sinned and broke fellowship with God. They separated their hearts from God and died spiritually the day they disobeyed God by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The question at one of the Influencers retreats was, “who’re your six?” Lynn, a retreat leader, had asked this question. He never had a meaningful relationship with his father whom he had watched die of alcoholism. Lynn observed that his dad did not have six friends at his funeral who would carry his casket. Men need to bond with other men. It’s unhealthy for men to be isolated and “socially distanced” from other men.

Therefore let us consider how to stimulate one another, how to encourage one another to love and good deeds. If you claim to be a Christian and yet there is no evidence of good works to God’s glory, then the church has not stimulated you to the love of God. Jesus said, a new commandment I give to you that ye love one another even as I have loved you. In this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye love one another.

Phillip Keller, a sheep rancher, wrote about Psalm 23 from a shepherd’s perspective. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Jesus said, why art thou cast down? A cast sheep has fallen into a ditch and turned over on his back. In this “cast” position, the sheep cannot get off his back. A cast sheep will die in this position unless his shepherd picks him up and sets him back on his feet. Sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd for their lives and well being. Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice and they know me and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

A minister is one who runs to serve. Our 4M groups influence our walks with God. Our purpose is to stimulate one another to walk in fellowship with each other and with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Navigators Press publishes a diagram to illustrate our relationship with God using a wheel as an analogy. The spokes of the wheel transfer power from the hub to the wheel so that the wheel can turn and progress forward. Jesus Christ is the hub, the power source. The power of God’s Holy Spirit is Christ in us the hope of glory. There are two vertical spokes and two horizontal spokes that transfer God’s power to the wheel so that we can “press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The two vertical spokes are prayer and the word of God. These spokes transfer power by connecting our hearts with God’s heart. The two horizontal spokes are witnessing and fellowship. These two spokes connect our hearts with others within the body of Christ. When we live according to God’s word, we are the witness of the Holy Spirit… We are God’s epistles, His love letters known and read of all men. Fellowship is living transparently, sharing our hearts with other faithful Christians. The wheel symbolizes living in obedience to His will, proceeding according to the purpose to which we have been called. The wheel analogy is summarized in Acts 2:42, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

The new commandment Jesus gave the church is to stimulate one another in love and good deeds. Loving God and loving others start with attitudes. Godly attitudes are summarized in the beatitudes in Matthew 5.

In Hebrews 12, God disciplines those he loves. The purpose of discipline and reproof is to correct — to restore to an upright position. Fellowship means to live a life committed to connecting our hearts with Jesus Christ, with our Heavenly Father, and one with another in the household of faith.

Discipline is often painful but it’s necessary. According to Hebrews 12:9, “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” It hurts to be straightened but it’s for our own good to be restored upright.

Pete recalls that when he started his men’s ministry, he discovered that five men who had risen up as potential leaders were living with their “significant others” out of wedlock. He took each man aside separately and said. “You can’t be an example to the church while you’re living in sin. Either you need to move out or she needs to move out.” He followed up with each man in the weeks that followed but nothing changed. Then he said to one of the men, we need to correct this situation today. If neither of you is moving out, then you need to get married. The man said, “how do I do that?” Pete said, “go down to the courthouse and sign a marriage certificate in front of a justice of the peace.” When Pete confronted each man and gave him this specific instruction, each man married his wife that very week. When it comes to reproof and correction, men need a specific action plan. Years later, each man came up to Pete and said, “Thank you so much for insisting that my wife and I get married. Because of your correction and encouragement to do the right thing, we committed our lives in marriage in the sight of God and men. God has blessed our marriage ever since.” Reprove and correction means to stimulate each other to love and good deeds.

We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. God created us for fellowship with another. Apathy is one of the enemies that will destroy fellowship. Transformational communities are the foundations of church assemblies. Transform means to change in character or condition. Most men judge the quality of their lives by their works and their accomplishments. However salvation is of grace and not of works. Unless Christ is preeminent in our hearts, works will be futile. Jesus said, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added to you.

Sin makes men walk in lonely paths. The selfishness of sin separates us from God and from others. However, the tie that binds is the love of God. Paul said, above all things put on charity — the love of God, which is the bond of perfectness.

Busy-ness is the enemy of fellowship. What does it mean to be busy? Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. He said, “We cant keep Christians from going to church or forming an intimate relationship with their saviour so here’s what I want you to do. Steal their zeal and appetite for God so that their hearts will grow apathetic and lazy. How shall we do that? Persuade them that they need to keep themselves busy. That fathers need to work constantly and have no time for fellowship. Tempt them to get mobile devices for their children so they will isolate themselves in their own self centered little worlds. Have their wives think that they need to work full time so that they can be imprisoned by their covetous desires to keep up with the Jones’s. Have them return from their vacations exhausted and keep them busy, busy, busy. Invite them to gossip in churches but don’t let them pray. Keep them talking about their problems and others’ faults and failures but don’t let them join their hearts together in prayer. Call them to a works based system to keep their hands and their minds occupied with the busy-ness of worldly pursuits.”

Oswald Chambers said that the main thing about Christianity is not the works we produce but rather maintaining our relationship with Jesus Christ. We will not be the men of God we should be without other men of God in our lives. We’re most like the men with whom we choose to associate.

In the First World War, Two boys who had grown up like brothers volunteered together for military service. They both served in France and found themselves defending the same trench line. They charged the German lines when their commander said, Charge! The enemy machine gun fire made them retreat back into the trenches. One guy didn’t see his buddy return to the trench. He started over the trench to find his buddy, but his commander said, “He’s probably dead. Don’t go out to find him.” However, he went out of the trench and into the bloody field looking for his buddy. When he finally found him mortally wounded, his buddy said just before he died, “I knew you’d come.”

The Bible says there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. We can’t survive the spiritual battlefield without other men of God. Part of dying to self is entrusting our lives to other men who “have our six.” They have our backs — our 6 o’clock position — and we have theirs in the midst of the spiritual battle.

Therefore, forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, and so much as ye see the day approaching…

…that we may stimulate one another to love and good deeds to the praise of the glory of God’s grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Encouraged

Despite the bad news about the global pandemic, not everything is as it appears. Even though there is record unemployment with massive layoffs, business closures, and shutdowns of non-essential businesses, God has opened the door for Orlando’s food distribution ministry to flourish. His ministry has increased from distributing 60,000 lbs of food per month pre-Covid-19, to over 200,000 lbs in July. God has been blessing his ministry exceeding abundantly above all he could ever ask or think. In times of need, God shows up and shows off. Orlando distributes 90 lbs of food per needy family during this time of pandemic. At the food distribution sites, Orlando always delivers a message of encouragement from the Word about God’s grace, mercy, and deliverance. God called Orlando to prove Jesus’ words: “in that ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

God has allowed our Influencers ministry to continue despite the government’s orders to socially distance. We have been meeting together via Zoom and conference calls for prayer and continued fellowship. Our Orange County Chapter of Influencers has been meeting continuously since 1992. After 4 months of on-line meetings, we are thankful that today Voyagers Church of Irvine has allowed us to meet together in person.

Pastor Pete recalls that one day he was praying and listing each of his physical ailments. God responded, “I see that you are listing all your friends. Your friends turn your heart to me so that I can help you through your pain and suffering.”

The world thinks that pain, heartache, trials and tribulations are our enemies. However we will never know by experience the meaning of love and hope until we have been tested. Romans 5 says, for tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience (character), 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.

When we write a letter to God and then God dictates a letter in response back to us, His letter is always a word of encouragement. At our Influencers retreats we toss an orange to brothers who have encouraged and refreshed us. The foundation for this practice is in Philippians 1:7: For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

To encourage means to build up, and to fill with inspiration, reassurance, hope and blessing. An encourager is one who is called alongside to deliver a timely word of kindness. Encouragement inspires us not to give up and give in. Philemon was an example of an encourager. An individual is never more Christ like than when he encourages a brother who is discouraged, beaten down, and burdened by the tribulation of this world. Blessed is the man who inspires, stimulates, and influences others to take heart.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. In times of struggle, when a man is broken and repentant before the Lord, God will lift him up. The light affliction of this present time is not to be compared with the glory that shall follow. In other words, the best is yet to come. God will remind us through a brother in Christ that despite the pain, God has us each of us in his own intensive care.

Suzan, Pete’s wife said, “Do you remember what was the nicest thing you ever said to me?” Pete couldn’t remember an incident where he had given her a special word of encouragement. She said, “do you remember the time that I brought the Christmas tree home? I backed the car into the garage with the hatch up. When you came home I was afraid that you would scold me for destroying the trunk lid. Instead you said, “that’s OK honey, that sounds like something I would have done.” That was the nicest thing you ever said to me.” Pete jokes, “After getting the car fixed, that Christmas tree cost me $1,000. But that’s the best thousand dollars I ever spent.”

A word of forgiveness and grace is a word of encourgement. According to Philippians 2, “fulfill ye my joy that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” We’re encouraged to be of the same mind as Jesus Christ himself. Jesus let nothing be done of strife and contention or for his own vain glory. He took upon himself the form of a servant and became obedient to his Father, even unto his death on the cross. Jesus although he was God’s only begotten son, lived to serve and encourage those whom God had called him to minster.

Why don’t Christians encourage one another? Often it’s because they are too concerned about themselves to think about others. Philippians 2 says, Do nothing through vain conceit but look everyone to the needs of others to lift them up acccording to God’s grace.

James chapter 3 talks about the tongue. The tongue can be used as a knife to sarcastically cut down others. It’s better to do what the Bible says: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.”

A critical spirit will kill any relationship. Especially in marriage when one party continues to make deposits into a resentment bank. Even though the percentage of resentment deposits may be outweighed by the good deposits, the seeds of resentment will grow and choke out the good deposits. This will kill the relationship.

James says the tongue is like a flame set on fire by hell itself. It will engulf and consume anything in its path. An unkind word will kill the relationships within the body of Christ. The tongue is full of the deadly poison of hatred spewing cursing toward those who are made in the likeness of God. When the flesh is defensive, the mouth will speak from the abundance of the heart. These destructive words will destroy godly relationships. James 3:15-16 says, “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

The antidote is to turn from the wisdom of this world and instead seek God’s wisdom from above. This wisdom of God comes from the Word of God and prayer. James 17-18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

Even when we were dead in trespasses and sin, God gave us grace and loved us anyway. I was destined for hell, but because of his grace, mercy and love, He gave me heaven.

Proverbs says, Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. You can tell a healthy soul by what comes out of the mouth. Salvation depends on confessing with our mouth hour heart’s conviction that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). At the moment of salvation, a Christian is fully forgiven. Because we have been born again of God’s Holy Spirit, we have been declared righteous in Christ. From the moment of new birth, our forgiveness is a past, present and future reality.

Even though we have been born again of God’s spirit, we often sin in the flesh when we miss the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. However, we remain righteous in God’s sight. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

After salvation, If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we sin by breaking fellowship, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Before we can encourage others, we need to encourage our own hearts in the Lord. This is the purpose of prayer in Philippians 4 beginning in verse 4.:
Therefore, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation, (your loving mercy and grace,) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Aaron’s benediction in Numbers 6:24-26 is a blessing of encouragement:

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

…that we may encourage one another in the Lord,
and that together we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ,
Michael