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CULPRITS
THAT STEAL PEACE & PASSION Above all things in this life, we need
peace and passion. Peace is seen in the scriptures as serenity of heart,
soul, mind and body. Without the peace of God, we are tossed about as a
vessel on turbulent waters. Passion is the fervor that drives us in the
issues of life. Without passion we become lethargic, cynical and
fruitless. The most effective, influential Christians I’ve ever known
were tranquil and passionate. The enemy of our soul is constantly trying
to rob us of these virtues. During my forty years as a Christian leader
I’ve concluded these three to be his ultimate culprits against us. 1.
DIVERTED INTENT: We all live with intentions. As Christians we
intend to love the Lord, live pure, apply ourselves to His will, pray
without ceasing and fill our minds with His word. Satan is relentlessly
looking for ways to divert us from our intent! We need to continually
ask ourselves…“am I being diverted? Does this new venture fit the
schematic of my God-given intent? Will I still be comfortable in His
presence if I pursue this path of action, or will it cause me to avoid
Him?” Remember, the longer you travel down the path of diverted
intent, the less time you have left to represent the Savior. 2.
ROMANTIC ESCAPADE: The Holy Spirit once whispered in my heart “people
will do just about anything for a little romance.” The
word romance means to be physically & emotionally attracted. It is inevitable that
most of us will be attracted to a member of the opposite sex
occasionally. However, to throw purity to the wind and trash our
relationship with family, relatives and spiritual friends is ludicrous.
All of us go through unfortunate relationships and are sometimes faced
with awkward decisions, which we make with great tactfulness. But the
demonic world must have a party when we throw everything away for a
romantic escapade. Oh the ruined ministries I’ve witnessed.
3.
MATERIALISTIC SPECULATION: The world about us is engrossed in
financial exploits. Their lives are dedicated to the pursuit of monetary
independence. Most of the Christians I know are inundated with
insurmountable debt and lack of funds to be the blessing they desire to
be. The devil sees this as a major opportunity to derail them. If he can
get them overwhelmed by their plight and keyed up about some speculative
venture, he can distract them from the Lord’s calling upon their life.
This is not to infer that we can be financially irresponsible, but we
must keep everything in proper perspective or Satan will take advantage
of us. Life is not about owning things and paying bills. Life is about
knowing the Lord, following the leadership of the Holy Spirit, filling
our minds with His word, supporting the issues of His kingdom, and
living by Divine appointment. If we do these things we will not be
tripped up by materialistic speculation. Distraction is our enemy’s primary device against us. He listens to our words, watches our reactions, notes the areas of our greatest weakness and attempts to distract us. This is why our words should be spiritually positive, our reactions righteous and ethical, and our weaknesses unnoticeable. When we must talk about our negatives, we should dismiss the devil from our presence. Having said all this, if you would send him away each morning he couldn’t distract you. Of course, you always need to maintain intimacy with the Lord. As David said, “teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies” (PS 27:11) STAY
THE COURSE “It
is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation
of the Lord
(Lamentations This
life is laden
with distractions, disturbances, dilemma’s, opportunities, supposed
breakthroughs, and seeming advances. Any of these things might be
designed by the enemy to get you off course. He has been observing human
nature for several thousand years. If you haven’t daily dealt with
him, he and his cronies are listening to your every word and watching
your every move. As
we travel through this life we
are supposed to grow in
knowledge and wisdom, be instant in prayer, exercise sufficient self
restraint and wait patiently before the Lord. But we are often guilty of
hopping on board when the opportunity wagon arrives, or allowing
aggravations to modify our direction. Both of these are inappropriate. When
we are young we crave experience. As we mature we devote our lives to
acquiring things. Then when we grow old we lose our strength, looks,
friends and employment. We may also lose our wealth, home, health,
spouse and independence. Perhaps the worst loss is our sense of dignity
and self-worth. All of these
anxieties may tend to push you over the edge and send you down an
alternate path. Staying
the course
is a matter of “hope” and “quietly waiting” for the salvation of
the Lord. Looking back on my own life, those activities I regret the
most, were the ones I engaged in without the benefit of hope and
carefully waiting before Him. Jumping
the gun is a very serious matter. As sons of God we need our Fathers
guidance and presence in every matter
of life. Nothing is insignificant! I
have been in Spiritual leadership all my adult life. I’ve sadly watched people wreck their health, ruin their
testimony, misspend their human allotment, throw away their families,
destroy their ministries, and grow old before their time.
These folk considered themselves the master of their own
destinies and were not about to wait before the Lord, or heed anything I
had to say. Many of them were church-going, Bible-spouting individuals,
but cared little about His pleasure. Some of them left the Lord
altogether. Personally,
I am trying to maintain a course
of intimacy with the Master, fill my heart with His promises, and
quietly wait for His salvation. As always the opportunity for deviation
is before me. Talk of a better life, financial bliss, popularity,
security and coalition seem to be forever present. Without His favor
these would just waste my remaining time. Are
you staying the course?
Can you, with confidence, say “I
know His appointed way and I’m devoted to it until I get home to
Glory!” If
so, the Lord says… “Even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar (white) hairs will I
carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will
deliver you (Isaiah.46:4).” If
you do not stay the course, you will live to see the dissolution of your
fellowship with Him and the miserable consequences. Life is short at
best! Don’t take a minute of it for granted. Yes He will always love
you, that’s His personal promise. If you’ve fowled up, repent,
pursue His heart, live the unadulterated life, and stay
the course. LIVING
IN CRITICAL TIMES But
thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith,
longsuffering, charity, patience (II Tim Paul
makes this statement after a most bloodcurdling glimpse of the last days
in verses 1-9. He says our world will be characterized by conceited
smugness, flagrant ingratitude, sexual insanity, premeditated rebellion,
religious fraudulence and hatred of God. Most of us have no trouble in
recognizing the critical times we live in. You would have to be
unsighted or in defiance of the truth, to escape the reality of our
plight. There is tyranny with perplexity, fatal upheavals in the
weather, belligerent attempts to remove God from public life and the
media, disgust for those who love and honor the Lord, enormous threats
of deathly disease, and sickening sexual impurity. And, according to the
Scriptures, it’s going to get worse… much worse! Are you ready for
what’s coming? Paul
says, you know what I believe, the way I live, my purpose, faith,
longsuffering, charity and patience. Obviously, Paul is setting forth
his personal life as a model of how we should live in critical times.
Let’s look at these together. 1.
Doctrine:
This
word is translated from didaskalos
which means “instruction.” Our belief system is paramount. We should
know the truth and build our lives around it. Others may not agree with
our doctrine, but it is absolutely essential that we arrive at what we
believe to be the truth. Otherwise you will never be stable enough to
mature. 2.
Manner
of life:
Our lifestyle will reflect where we have placed our confidence and what
is significant to us. Most importantly, we should know our place in the
body of Christ and build our lives around it. Our calling and gifting
should determine where we live, work, attend church, and choose to
travel. It should also dictate what we own, wear, say, give and intend
to do with our time. 3.
Purpose:
This term is taken from prothesis which
means “to set forth.” We should be known as people of intention and
not open to compromise or enticement. We should be known for our passion
to bring pleasure to the heart of God and accomplish His will.
4.
Faith: Derived
from pistis which means “to
be persuaded.” We should be a people who build our confidence around
the promises set forth in His word. A people who daily fortify our
hearts through Biblical confessions and taking nothing whatsoever for
granted. 5.
Longsuffering: Makrothumia is the Greek word here, meaning
“forbearance.” It signifies a life of self control, restraint, and
resilience. A life lived in command of our circumstances, not a victim
of them. 6.
Charity:
This word, agape
has become quite familiar to Christians around the world. It means
“benevolent love.” It is a love given without promise of
reciprocation. It is a love never traded for favor, gain, or personal
satisfaction. Only those who are born again can experience and portray
this love because it is communicated through the indwelling Holy Spirit. 7.
Patience: This
Greek word, hupomone, means
“cheerful endurance.” We must continually remind ourselves we’re
just passing through. Our future is secure, a reward awaits, and we must
cheerfully endure the nuisances of this life. One plus God is always a
majority, so our primary motivation should be to stay the course. Do
you really know your place in the body of Christ? Are you just hanging
around waiting for heaven or do you know where He’s placed you and
busy at what He’s assigned? The only people who are truly safe in
these uncertain, bewildering, death-defying, critical times, are those
who have entered into their God-ordained place, living a life of purity,
and filling themselves with His promises. They have their hearts wrapped
around His and ready to move out under His direction, at the slightest
gesture of His hand. This is not a time for building a future in this
world! There
are many things that beg for your time and devotion. Some are so caught
up with things, obligations and restrictions, that their entire lives
are filled with stress and frustration. Vigilance is the word, my
friend. Don’t be tied to debt, dreams of prosperity, visions of
popularity, and self-serving activities. Get prepared for the worst and
pledge yourself to honoring the Lord with whatever time you have left.
Don’t be caught with your heart in this world and your life in
disarray. BH LIVING
FOR THE DAY Well,
here we are at the onset of 2006. We all know that we’re living in
“frantic” times, so I won’t labor that reality. Many of us have
used up our most robust years, so whatever we intend to do for the cause
of Christ better be currently ongoing. Only the deceived put off until
tomorrow, the directives of the Holy Spirit for today. I’ll not
address that either. All any of us have is “today”, how should we
live it? 1.
Bringing pleasure
to His heart:
We are not our own, we have been “purchased
with His own blood” (Acts 2.
Begin each day
with a disciplinary measure:
Life’s circumstances, responsibilities, family and society demands,
tend to take precedent from the moment our feet hit the floor. Without
proper discipline, these things will govern our lives. Each of us need
an early morning routine that purges us from 1) yesterdays shortcomings
2) satanic activity in the day facing us 3) and worry about tomorrow.
This routine should A) prioritize the Spiritual B) delineate the most
important issues C) energize us for the tasks ahead. Every saint of God
should be in charge of the day, not the day in charge of him. 3.
Pledged to others: “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” (John 4.
Staying
alert:
“We are all the children of light, and the
children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and
be sober” (I Thes. 5:6). We
dare not be lazy or inattentive. The world flows with the tide of
circumstances, but the child of God is to be salt and light in this dark
world. To be useful, effective, productive and life changing, we must
compel ourselves to stay alert. Some
of us live very complicated, stressed, and duty-bound lives. If we’re
not careful our activities may become “‘who we are” instead of “Him.”
While volumes have been written on how we should live, we dare not
overlook these four absolutes. And never forget… “we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad” (II Cor. 5:10).
BH THE
PERFECTING PROCESS The
Biblical word “perfecting,” in its many variations, means to complete,
accomplish, consummate, or bring to maturity. From the moment of our
conversion the Lord is constantly changing us. This process includes our
Spiritual understanding, routine, lifestyle, relationships, mode of
employment, and type of Christian service. It will take us through many
levels of usefulness and value to His kingdom. Typically it begins in
the church setting where we are taught and trained. It may then take us
into church leadership and varied Christian ministries. Eventually, the
process may also shift us into His Kingdom-at-large.
Ever keep in mind that the Lord has His own methodologies and
destinations. No two people are the same, neither is the work of the
Lord in their lives. In
order for the Perfecting Process to work effectively, we must not hold
back the hand of the Lord in any way. We must stay totally open-minded,
open-handed, and open-hearted. Our task is to be available, moldable,
unhampered, unpolluted and Spirit-directed. Nothing hinders this process
like selfishness and vile living. If we choose ourselves over Him or
live in a way that restrains His identification with us, we obstruct the
process and bring unspeakable frustration into our lives. The
Father may sometimes call us to do what seems to be bizarre. But if
we’re obedient and flowing with the process, every day will include
new adventures, fresh looks at the familiar, incredible circumstances,
unlimited opportunities, and the sweet awareness of His presence. The
Perfecting Process is so essential that we dare not let criticism,
harassment, self-satisfaction, or “bad hair days” hinder it. The
Lords thoughts and ways are not always understandable to us, but you
must trust His techniques and be totally devoted to bringing pleasure to
His heart. If you expect to be valuable to the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the process must be revered and cherished. Your eternal rewards
and position will be determined by His use of you, which necessitates
the Perfecting Process. And
finally, don’t fall into the trap of rituals and formality. Religion
offers numerous substitutes for intimacy with the Lord and the
Perfecting Process. God wants your heart, not your inducements. He
cannot be pacified with sacrament, ceremony, custom or tradition. Entire
countries have been ruined and destroyed because they betrayed the Lord
with their substitutes for Him. BH
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