December 5 - Thought for the day....being tested

Quite often we blame our boss, our spouse, our neighbor, the devil or so many others for some of the tough places we are in. In the Gospel of John we see Jesus putting his disciples in a tough place to find out the metal of which they are made.

"Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do." John 6:5,6

By all accounts they were probably looking at actually feeding around 30,000 people. Jesus knew exactly what he was going to do but he wanted to see if the disciples had learned to trust and believe in Him yet. Jesus tested or "proved" His disciples.

When challenges come into your life, the reason doesn't matter. All that matters is do your trust God enough that He will bring your through it. Many of you have heard me say Christians don't have problems only opportunities for God to move. That is what we have, if we actually believe God is real and loves us. He will prove our "metal" to us so we can see where we stand in faith with Him.

He already knows but chooses to "prove" us so we will know where we have left to grow. Growing is a good thing, it makes us stronger and more like Him. Growing proves you are alive in Him!a

How are you going through the "proving" and growing today? Be the miracle God has called you to be allow Him to prove you so you can grow!

Just because some one says they speak for God doesn't mean they do!

In 1 Kings 13 we have one of the most confusing text in the Bible. A young prophet of God came from Judah and spoke a word of judgment to King Jeroboam. The word is accurate and powerful with signs and wonders shown. 

As this young prophet is leaving, the narrative tells us that an older prophet comes to him and invited him to dinner, stating he Lord had commanded him to feed him. The problem is that the younger prophet was instructed by God to not eat or drink anything while in Israel, He was not to join with the people of Israel in anyway because of their great sin.

Questions

1) Why would one prophet ask another prophet to do something that God directly told the young prophet not to do?

2) Were both prophets, prophets of the same God?

3) How does something like this happen and is it happening today?


When Jeroboam became King of Israel he established an anti-God kingdom, setting up idols promoting idolatry, human sacrifice, homosexuality, lesbianism, and all types of sin. We find later under the reign of King Asa of Judah, that many from the north in Israel could not stand the sin and moved to Judah. The old prophet was one who stayed, he became comfortable under all of the sin of Jeroboam, rather than become more like the Lord, where he should have been the one to call Jeroboam on the carpet. He was comfortable with the sin in the land. 

If he was comfortable with the sin in the land how can he still be a prophet? Paul's letter to the Roman church answers that in 11:29 "For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn." When God distributes his gifts and anointing He does not taking them back (this explains Satan's power). This older prophet still had the gift of God of prophecy but was so comfortable in his sin and compromise that he could not really live the character of a godly man even though he had the gift. Character counts! Jesus warned us that people will have the power to perform certain signs and wonders, to speak prophetically, heal, cast out demons but that they would not be part of the Kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23). Just prior to that Jesus cautions us not to be amazed by people's action but by their character, their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20).

Both men were prophets of God. Both had the gift of prophesy, however one man had the flesh ruling in his heart (perhaps jealousy was his motive), but the Spirit of God was not ruling his life and his character, despite the gift was compromised.

Does this happen today? Absolutely, the church today needs to be made much more aware of character than power. Character counts, how does a person treat their family? How does the non-Christian world view them? How do their neighbors see them? No one is perfect but the overall view of their actions, attitude, and representation, should be that of the character of Christ.

However it is not just individuals but the overall life of the church should be challenged. Many things even good things can compromise us as a church. Things like worship, Jewish heritage and traditions, entertainment, buildings, even the way we "feel" and projects are all good things in themselves. If the focus is on them rather than Christ and His call to the church then we are just like the old prophet, getting caught up in what is happening rather than the focus on the Lord.

We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to reach the world for Christ.This is the Father's mandate to us, yet so few Christians have lead anyone to Christ. The leadership of faith is to equip the saints for the work of service but are we equipping the saints for the work of service or to sit in one, watch one on tv or read their book? Don't get me wrong we need to attend church, worship, fellowship these are all vital parts of our growth as Christians. BUT....if we do not have a drive to introduce people to the God who sent His Son to die on a cross for us, because of His great love for us, what fruit are we really bearing? Love requires us to not allow people to go to hell. There is no peace for a Christ follower if there are people who don't know Him yet! How can we have real joy when we are not seeing lives affected by the life changing message of the cross.

Not every person who claims to follow Christ today is a real follower of Christ. Some are deceived and know it and some are deceived and don't know it. The difference is the fruit, pointing you to Jesus or to them? Challenging you to be like Jesus or codling you.

Ask yourself is the message of Jesus I am sharing with others through both actions and words or am I like the Old prophet, burdened under the sin of this age. Believing I am serving God when in truth, I am gifted but far from the one who gifted me?

Trusting God despite the division

The next few month's will be the perfect time to pray for our nation. 

There is great division among both Republicans and Democrats. Those of faith can pray and believe and overcome.

Please do not lower yourself to the vitriol and hatred pushed by the media. Spend time researching each candidate, not listening the the media rhetoric, this is a great time to be a witness to others even if you are in total disagreement with a candidate or the candidate they support.

Jesus supports and reemphasized the commandment to "Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength" Mark 12:30. We can be an example of that love in this season. 

We are very passionate for or against certain candidates but we must love God with our heart first. 

This season is all about choice and our choices are reflective of the condition of our souls. Believe it or not, God does have a choice here. Leadership is placed by God (Romans 13:1) but He gives us the power to be the light even when the leadership is dark. We have the power through Christ, not the government.

We have the ability to think, reason, imagine and that ability too is given by God. We are expected to make wise decisions and use understanding based on God's Word and the truth not what the media may say (both candidates are being fried by the media). Loving God with our minds means, not panicking but reasoning with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, the times and the seasons and what we as Christians ought to do.

We have great power in this country. We are given more power because of the freedoms we have, based on the founding principles of this nation, which came from God's Word. One of those powers, is the power to vote, we must not throw that power away, we must research, pray, and then vote based on the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. This way is part of loving God with all of your strength.

There is hope! Don't be afraid! God does have a plan but being negative, condescending, using the same vitriol, hatred and wicked approach the media uses to gain viewership, will not honor God. People will not see a true representation of Christ in you. When it comes down to it, can't we trust God?

Voting like a Christian

How is Tim going to vote?

I have been asked many times of the past few weeks and have refused to answer, mainly because I like to first research, then pray. I research first so I know how to pray. We have a number of people we will be voting for not just president.

I vote issues. I don't vote men or women, age, skin color, ethnic background, political party, nor how they grew up. What matters is what they believe in and how it relates to the Word of God. Please understand I don’t vote only for Christians. If I did I would hardly vote for anyone. Being a Christian is not about whether you claim to believe in God or claim to be a Christian. Jesus said if you love me you would keep my commandments. Keeping the commandants requires knowledge of God’s Word and living God’s Word. I am sorry to say it is rare in our political process today. However, there are some very devout men and women of God running for office. I believe I am responsible before God to vote for the ones who most reflect godly principles.

It is also critical to understand that I believe regardless of who is elected, God’s will, will be done. We have Israel as an example. God would allow godly and ungodly kings to rule over both Israel and Judah. Even the ungodly served His purpose in drawing the nation back to Himself. As a Christian my destiny is not held by who is in office but by God. I must do everything I can to surrender to him daily (take up my cross daily and follow Him) and be the salt and light to ultimately bring freedom to millions of people around the world. I do believe certain philosophies held by our government can make that easier or harder in the natural arena, so I vote.

Here are some of my issues (not all).

Life 

This is a core value in the Kingdom of God. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Moloch an ancient Ammonite god is still being worshiped today. Moloch required the sacrifice of children as an act of worship (1 Kings 11, 2 Kings 23, Jeremiah 32, and 49). Today we have sacrificed many under the guise of convenience; over 53 million children have been exterminated to the god Moloch in the United States alone. Our economy is suffering because 53 million who could be in the work force, 1/6 of our population are simply missing. Many are missing from art, science, engineering and other fields. Over half of those aborted have been female. So while this is done in the name of women’s rights it is at the same time an attack on women. 

It is genocide against African Americans; this is the real race war. African Americans proportionally are the largest group having abortions. African American women are 5 times more likely to have an abortion than white woman. While they make up 13% of the population, African American women have 36% of all the abortions, to me that sounds like genocide. Nearly 1/3 of the African American population is missing.

 Abortions have been linked to incidents of breast cancer. A Howard University study has shown that women who have had an abortion are 5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who have not. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation made a correct decision to stop supporting planned parenthood if they really do want to help stop breast cancer. Politics of abortion is not about rights or freedom it is about money.

Debt

The borrower is a slave to a lender (Proverbs 22:7). This is pure and undefiled religion that we care for widows and orphans (James 1:27). Our debt has been increasing over the last decade. Under President Bush his 8 year term gave us a deficit of 5 trillion dollars. Under President Obama’s 4 year term that deficit has grown and additional 14 trillion dollars. Our present deficit is over 19 trillion dollars. I can’t even grasp that number. We are in debt to China and others which makes us a slave to these governments. If we want to pressure them for human rights violations or for fair trade practices, they hold us by the throat because they hold our debt. This is not the worst of it!

Most of our debt is to Social Security. At least 2/3 of the debt we owe has been taken from our parent’s futures and ours. The widow’s money has been stolen and I can’t see, except for an extreme change in the way we spend money, that money will ever be returned. The widows and orphans have been robbed. Our future has been stolen. God can’t bless when we intentionally hurt the poor and widowed. It is defiled faith not undefiled! Printing more money does not solve the problem. President Obama believes that we are a household in trouble and the answer to our money issues is to pay our debts with a credit card. If we borrow more we can work our way out. Governor Romney believes we need to look at our spending and cut to come back to a place where we can afford to live. Both plans will cause us pain. Governor Romney’s will cause us pain as a country in the immediate future and President Obama’s will cause us pain in the future. Think about both of these approaches, if these were your personal finances which would you do to solve the problem?

Energy Independence

Jesus did not talk about energy independence, obviously, but I believe in some ways this also comes under the idea of being a slave of the borrower. As long as we are not independent with our energy needs we will always need to serve those who hold our “energy life” in their hands. Since President Jimmy Carter, every President has stated that we must become “energy independent”. Despite all of their best efforts it still hasn’t happened.

Much of the support for terrorism around the world comes from money that flows through these oil-producing nations. In effect, every time we purchase a gallon of gas we are in some aspects helping to fund terrorism against our own nation. 

More importantly the Gospel is being blocked because of the power these oil rich nations carry. Many are dying and going to hell because our support of their oil has kept them arrogant enough to block the Gospel. We have enough oil, natural gas and coal reserves in our own nation to carry us through hundreds of years, at least enough time where we can develop cleaner alternative power sources like solar, wind, fusion, and better batteries. I believe in alternative energy sources. I am cheap enough to believe I would like “free” energy like wind and solar and cheaper energy like fusion technology but to develop it to a marketable level is going to take more time. We have invested millions into solar energy companies that have failed us. I do not blame our President for this. I believe he simply believed in the wrong people. He has the right idea but we can’t do it that fast it is just not possible. To effectively and efficiently develop these alternative fuels is going to take time and much more research and development. I believe we can be there within the next twenty-five years with a correct plan but we must become energy independent now and not mourn over a lost dream.

Thousands have died because of our dependence on foreign oil. Millions have died without Christ because of our dependence on foreign oil. We have become a slave to foreign governments because our lack of insight.

Religious Freedom

In the United States last year a woman was fined and arrested because as a photographer who owned her own business, she was asked to photograph a lesbian wedding. It violated her religious beliefs so she turned down the offer to photograph the wedding. She was sued, thrown in jail, and lost her business. Her religious freedom was violated.

A pastor was holding a Bible study in his home. Cars were parked off of the street in his driveway. His Bible study was shut down and he was arrested for holding an illegal meeting.

This is America, we are given such rights by our creator. Our freedoms are being dismissed daily.

I am worried about our ability to have the free exercise of religion in America today. When claims came from wherever, that it was a movie that started the riots in Egypt and Libya. The man who produced the film was arrested and is still in jail. Where is freedom of speech and religion? The movie was stupid, ignorant, and poorly produced but that is part of the freedom we have in America.

We may say, “these things don’t affect me”. If we allow the rights of others to be violated it will not be long before our rights are violated and there is no one left to stand. Christianity and freedom are under attack in America and it must stop.

There are many more issues we must think about as Christians and Americans. These are the ones on the top of my list. Please pray before you vote. Vote as if the Lord were with you. 

Our Destiny

Please remember our destiny is not in the hands of whoever is elected on Tuesday April 26th and then again in November. However, it may make our jobs easier or more difficult. Our destiny is in God’s hands. I will pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for whoever is elected on Tuesday. I hope you will as well. If your candidate is not elected it is not the end of the world, it is simply a greater reason for you to pray more fervently. We are called to be salt and light and whoever is in charge does not control that we do! God will be always our God. Don’t allow the government to be your god! Your future is in God’s hands. Live like it is!

Listening for God

In the book of Samuel, the young boy Samuel, had never heard the voice of God...

"Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. 2   One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3   The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle* near the Ark of God. 4   Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5   He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. 6   Then the LORD called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” 7Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. 8   So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9   So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. 10   And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:1-10


Samuel had the Lord talking to him personally and directly and he thought it was someone else. That happens to us more than we may know.

Here are three quick points from the story that may help you hear from the Lord.

1) Many times we believe God will talk with someone else but not us, so we don't expect to hear from Him but we must remember we are His children, His beloved, the pupil of His eye,   that His thoughts for us are more than the sands of the sea (all things listed in God's Word about us) of course He wants to talk with us.

2) Samuel thought it was Eli's voice he was hearing. Sometimes God speaks through others to us, it may sound like their voice but it really was Him.

3) Samuel was busy doing, it wasn't until he quieted himself and determined to listen to God (speak your servant is listening) that he really could hear from God.

Look for these things and you will learn to hear the voice of the Lord on a regular basis.

You are a important to God!

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings" 

Psalm 17:8

You are the apple of God's eye!

The apple or pupil of the eye is a most precious part of the body. To lose sight during David's time was to lose the possibility of being a productive member of the culture of society. David is saying that God will preserve me, defend me, and keep me as most precious and valuable!

I know there are times when you don't feel that way but your feelings should never determine how you believe God feels about you. God's Word should always be the determining factor of what you believe never your feelings. 

Your are precious to the Lord, precious enough for Him to always defend you, protect you, and guard you!

Feelings...a struggle in relationship with God

Yesterday in the second service I was making light of "feelings".  Most of what I deal with in my office everyday is people's feelings; "I don't feel in love", "I don't feel like God is with me, I can't feel him" and so on.

Feelings are great, I love when the right song is played or I am in the right mood and something definitely touches my emotions. Any speaker worth their salt should be able to move your emotions that is evident in this presidential campaign year. However, emotions are the steak sauce of life, they are something that adds flavor and zest but are not the thing that will sustain you, you can't live on steak sauce. Truth(knowledge) based on love is where we as Christians should stand our ground, it is the steak.

A cursory glance of history will show us what happens when a move of God shifts from truth to feelings. There was just a great celebration surrounding the Azusa street revival. This revival was birthed in servant prayer, seeking the Lord with all of heart, mind, soul, and strength. Pursuing Him with everything that was within them. Thousands came to know the Lord and even thousands more were impacted but then something happened there was a shift into idolatry, people began pursuing the signs, the feelings, and not the one they originally sought to bring the revival. Division began and what began also as racial healing turned into racial tension and denominations were created and reinforced along racial lines.

Every move of God that shifted from truth and the pursuit of the knowledge of God did not last. Those that continued to seek Him and did, sustained and we still have the effects of it today. If it was not for George Whitfield, the American revolution would not have happened. If it was not for Martin Luther we would not be free to read our Bibles or to worship God in truth. The Apostles were not emotion based but knowledge and truth based, however I am sure that had great emotional times as they saw many coming to Christ, with signs and wonders following. It was not what sustained them, it was knowledge of the Word and God himself. 

Feelings are temporary moments of excitement and exuberance and once again I love them, I am not against them but if most of the prophets, Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah included would have gone by their feeling to follow the call of God, they never would have. You will find dozens of Scriptures talking about understanding the knowledge of God and gaining that knowledge because it is the aspect of God that sustains us long term, strengthens us and keeps us going. Feelings come and go, be blessed when you have them but understand God is calling for something deeper; knowledge of the truth of who He is, His call on our lives, and His great love for us (which is not based on feelings but instead on a decision he made to first love us)

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" Colossians 1: 9,10

Feelings are great, enjoy them, develop them but they will not sustain you or cause growth, only knowledge of the truth and living out His love (which is a choice not an emotion) will bring true relationship with success in the Kingdom. Feelings if not couched by the knowledge of God can become an enemy, a deception, and idol. They can become something that stands against our coming into the very presence of God. We have to believe God at His Word not based on how we feel.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled" 2 Corinthians 10:4-6