After over 30 years of being a Christian, I have come to realize how difficult and demanding it is to live the Christian life. Recently, as I preached through the last three chapters of Ephesians, I discovered many practical admonitions that seemed almost humanly impossible to achieve. In the center of all those, you find Ephesians 5:18 which says, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit." I concluded that verse is the key to the last three chapters. The demanding Christian life can only be lived as a believer is Spirit-filled.
It is not to difficult to live for the Lord at church where everyone is encouraging you and you are enjoying the haven that church services provide. But, it is an entirely different story at home and at work. We are to carry our Christianity there, too, you know. That is why every believer must learn to be Spirit-filled.
Being Spirit-filled is like an adrenaline rush. When adrenaline is pumping through your body, maybe as a result of fear or anger, you are able to do things physically that other times, you are not able to do. This is true of being Spirit-filled as well. When the Spirit of God is controlling us, we are able to do spiritually what we could not do otherwise.
Paul shares a contrast between being Spirit-filled and drunk. He says not to be drunk with wine. A drunk person is controlled by alcohol. Paul suggests that instead of being controlled by alcohol, we should be controlled by the Holy Spirit. You might say it like this, "Don't be filled with spirits; be filled with the Spirit." That is exactly what being Spirit-filled is; it is allowing the Holy Spirit to be in complete control of your attitudes, your words, and your actions.
A drunk person is more courageous when he is drunk. A Spirit-filled person will also be more courageous in witnessing and taking a stand for Christ than when he is not allowing the Spirit to be in control. Some people get alot happier when they are drunk. When we are Spirit-filled, we will have the joy of the Lord in our life that is not dependent on circumstances.
The matter of being Spirit-filled is commanded in this verse. It is not an option; it is an obligation. I remember when I was growing up, my dad used to say something like, "I am not asking you to do this; I am telling you to do it." That is what God is doing here. He is not asking us to be Spirit-filled; He is telling us to be. If I am not Spirit-filled, I am being disobedient to God. It is a sin not to be Spirit-filled.
If I will just be obedient to this command to be Spirit-filled; it will allow me to be obedient to all God's other commands simultaneously. If I am being filled with the Spirit, I will have no trouble living in unity with my fellow believers, restraining my temper, forgiving those who hurt me and showing kindness to them, loving my wife unconditionally, or any other command that in the last three chapters of Ephesians seem almost humanly impossible.
There are wonderful results of being Spirit-filled. You find many of these mentioned in Galatians 5:22, 23, a list we refer to as the Fruit of the Spirit. However, there are three additional results mentioned in Ephesians 5 right after the command to be Spirit-filled.
One result is when a person is Spirit-filled, they will surround themselves with Godly music. Paul said, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Nothing is said of music that speaks of getting drunk, running around on your spouse, rebelling against authority, or partaking in illicit drugs. Most secular genres of music contain lyrics that promote such a lifestyle, which grieves the Holy Spirit of God. We must learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we make music choices and make sure He is not grieved by the music we choose. The music we listen to should glorify God and encourage us to be like Jesus in every way.
Another result of being Spirit-filled is to be thankful at all times and for all things. Paul mentions this in verse 20. This is one of the concepts that for me is humanly impossible without the Spirit being in control. I am inclined to complain and focus on the negative. I am trying to get to the place in my life where, instead of complaining that roses have thorns, I can be thankful that thorns have roses. A Spirit-filled Christian will learn to be thankful in all things and at all times. He will fill his heart with gratitude so that there is no room for Satan to fill it with complaining.
The third result of being Spirit-filled is to be submissive. Verse 21 speaks of "submitting ourselves to one another in the fear of God." The word "submit" speaks of teamwork and encourages us to place ourselves in rank of authority. A football team has to have all players submitting to the coach, and in some cases, the quarterback for the offense to click. If the running backs and wide receivers disagree with the play call and refuse to do their job, the offense suffers. The same happens in the home, when the wife will not submit to her husband as a the leader or the children rebel against their parents. It also occurs in the church when people try to usurp authority and impose their will on others in the church. A submissive attitude is a result of being Spirit-filled.
Are you a Spirit-filled Christian? Do you recognize the Holy Spirit's presence in your life? Are you sensitive to His leading and allow Him to control your thoughts, words, and actions? Begin today to call out to God for a fresh anointing of His Spirit and yield your will completely to Him. Soon, you will discover just how strangely simple it becomes to live this demanding Christian life!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Glory in the Cross
The symbol of Judaism is the star of David. The symbol of Isalm is the crescent. The symbol of Communism is the sickle and hammer. The symbol of Christianity is the Cross. But it is not only the symbol of Christianity; it is the secret of Christianity. We cannot live the Christian life without understanding the power of the Cross in our daily lives.
In Galatians 6:11-17, Paul describes what it means to glory in the Cross. All throughout the epistle of Galatians, Paul defended the Gospel (the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) as the only means for salvation. He contended with those who wanted to add religious works, such as circumcision, to salvation. These false teachers were minimizing the importance of the Cross of Christ. In reality, Paul was lifting up and magnifying the Cross, which was the theme of His life and the cornerstone of His preaching, one that brought him much persecution.
Although he had plenty to boast about, Paul refused to boast in himself at all, but only in the Cross of Jesus. He was the greatest preacher, the greatest missionary, and wrote more of the Bible than anyone else who had ever lived. He was the greatest theologian of his day. If anyone had something to brag about, it was Paul. Yet, he realized that it was the cross of Christ that had made him the man that he was.
As we learn to glory in the cross, we become less susceptible to the sin of pride. Religion, with its human achievement, appeals to the flesh of man. The message of the Cross is that man is a sinner and that he cannot save himself. That doesn't do anything for man's egotistical flesh. Religion compels men to glory in their religious activity, yet Paul explained that we are saved by grace, not by works "lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:9)
The Jewish Pharisees were always boasting about what they had done. The Pharisee who prayed in the Temple in Luke 18 bragged about all he had done. However, when one glories in the Cross of Christ, it works to bring about humility in us, rather than devilish pride.
Scripture warns us that "pride goeth before destruction" and that "God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." (Prov. 6:18; 1 Peter 5:5) As we glory in the Cross, we are reminded that if there is anything good in us, it is because of the transforming power of the Cross.
Glorying in the cross helps us overcome the evil system of this present world as well. In Galatians 6:14, Paul said "But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world was crucified unto me, and I unto the world." The message of the cross is that you are to turn your back on the world and its sinful lifestyle. If you turn to Christ, you have to turn from the world and sin. We use to sing, "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back. The world behind me, the cross before me...." That is the message of the Cross.
To be crucified to the world means to be dead to the world. You can tempt a dead corpse with sin, yet he will not give into it. Paul was saying that he was dead to all those worldly allurements. That is what happens when we accept the message of the Cross and glory in it - we die to our old life of sin. It is hard to praise Jesus for what He did on the Cross while engaging in a sinful act of disobedience.
It is the power of the Cross, not religion, that helps us overcome the world. I have heard it said, "Religion can put new clothes on a man, but salvation will put a new man in His clothes." That is the power of the Cross.
Glorying in the Cross will help us be unashamed of Jesus. Paul said in Galatians 6:17 that he bore in his body the marks of the Cross. He had been beaten numerous times for preaching the message of the Cross. These marks identified him as belonging to Christ, just as a slave had a mark engraved into their skin to identify them with their Master.
We should live each day glorying in the Cross and suffering the reproach that comes from doing so. Many Christians stop taking a stand at the first hint of ridicule. May God help us to not to be ashamed of Jesus today and everyday! Let's glory in the Cross of Christ and not in ourselves. Let's confess our sin of pride and realize anything good about us is due to the work of Christ on the Cross. Let's make a conscious decision to turn from the world and sin to Christ in total allegiance.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Why Attend Church?
The average person attends church on three occasions in their lives: when they are born and christened, when they are married, and when they die. One could say that they attend church "when they are hatched, when they are matched, and when they are dispatched." As we study God's Word, we find that God intends for believers to be faithful to attend church. However, it seems that fewer believers are attending church today than ever.
As we drive to church each Sunday, we see plenty of people mowing their lawns, playing golf, and doing other leisurely activities. We might even think, Why should I attend church? If they don't go, why should I? After all, we have busy lives and it sure would be good to have an extra day to mow the grass and do the chores around the house. We should answer that question from God's Word. In Hebrews 10:19-25, the writer of Hebrews gives us some good reasons why we should attend church.
Going to church helps us get closer to God. Verses 19-22 explain how a person can get close to God. In the Old Testament, it was not possible to get close to God. The Jewish people came to the tabernacle to worship God and offer sacrifices. They could go into the courtyard of the tabernacle but not inside the tent. Inside the tent, there were two rooms, divided by a curtain, which is also called a "veil." Only the priests could go inside the tent. He could go into the first room, called the Holy Place and there, he would do his work of intercession. Then, the High Priest could only go into the second room, called the holy of holies, on the Day of Atonement - one day a year. Inside the second room was the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. God was holy, man was sinful, and the message of the Old Testament was to stay away from the presence of God. It was a fearful thing.
When Jesus came into this world, He came to bring us to God. When He died and shouted "It is finished", the veil inside the Temple was torn from top to bottom. Just as the body or flesh of Christ was torn on the Cross, the veil was torn in the Temple. This pictured the fact that the shed blood of Christ had made it possible for believers to get close to God. Now, we have boldness and confidence to enter into the holy of holies, the very presence of God. Where two or three or gathered together, God said, "There am I in the midst of them." So, we are in the very presence of God when we attend church with other believers.
James said, "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8) The writer of Hebrews tells us one way to get close to God is to attend church. In fact, the primary reason for attending should be to get closer to God, not to be entertained. Through worship, we become more intimate with God.
After being married for 17 years, I have learned that closeness must be cultivated. Couples don't just drift to the altar and get married. They write love notes, go on dates, and do little things to win the hearts of their future spouse. Those things must be done even after marriage or the closeness will evaporate. People call it "falling out of love." The same is true with God. If we don't work at our relationship with God, we will not feel close. One way to cultivate that closeness is to attend church.
Another reason one should attend church is to profess your faith. Verse 23 says, "Let us hold fast our profession of faith without wavering." Your profession is what you say. To "hold it fast" means to not just talk the talk, but also , to walk the walk. If you say you are a Christian, you should act like a Christian. If we are going to be witnesses for the Lord, our behavior better match up with our beliefs.
Unbelievers are watching us live our lives as followers of Christ, and they expect something different out of us. They expect to see us going to church on Sunday. When we attend church, we are literally witnessing to the lost. We are saying to them that we are on God's team. We are saying to them that God, His Word, and His people are important to us. How can we verbally witness to our lost neighbors if they don't see us going to church faithfully? How can we verbally witness to our family members if we lay out of church when they come to visit?
Going to church also gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our faithfulness to God. Verse 23 adds, "For He is faithful that promised." That is a great statement. It reminds me of Lamentations 3:22, 23 where the Bible says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness." God has been so faithful to me. He has never let me down. I am here today because of God's faithfulness. His faithfulness should motivate us to be faithful to Him.
I have heard many times people excuse themselves from coming to church because of the actions of someone else. They got hurt or dissapointed by another Christian. I understand that happens all too often, and I have experienced it myself and have disappointed other believers by my actions. However, I want to be faithful to God. God has not let me down. Attending church is my way of being faithful to Him.
The Bible says, "Moreover is it required in stewards that a man be found faithful." We all have different talents and abilities and we are not able to do what others might be able to do. However, we can all be faithful.
Going to church also enables us to encourage other believers. In verse 24, we are admonished to, "Consider one another." Don't just think about yourself; think about your other brothers and sisters in Christ. When people don't attend church, they are being inconsiderate of their brothers and sisters in Christ. They are thinking only of themselves. They might say, "Those people don't need me" but the others in the church get the idea that the person who doesn't attend doesn't need them. We encourage one another by being in God's house.
Some say, "I can get just as much out of watching someone on TV or reading a book than I can going to church." That may be true. You may even get more, but we don't just come to church to GET! We come to give! And what we ought to give is more than money. We ought to give encouragement. Look around for someone you can encourage. Maybe you don't need encouragement, but I guarantee you someone here does. Try to encourage someone else.
We are told in verse 24 to "provoke one another unto love and good works." We are to stir one another up to be like Christ. We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The word "forsake" literally means "to leave in the lurch." When we don't attend, we are hurting our church family. We are failing to encourage them.
More Christians than ever are laying out of church. Some have a legitimate excuse such as health and some may have to work, but most have no good reason. My friend, it is imperative that we who are saved make it a priority to attend church faithfully to encourage one another in the Lord.
Read Psalm 73 some time. David expresses how discouraged he was and how he was ready to quit and throw in the towel. Then he said in verse 17, "Till I went into the sanctuary of God..." David found encouragement in God's house. How many times have you been ready to quit and you came to church and were encouraged?
Going to church also prepares us for the Lord's return. Verse 25 says we should be faithful to church and then adds, "and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." "The day" speaks of the Lord's return to this earth. Jesus is coming again, and we need to be ready. Those who attend church regularly are more ready for the Lord's return.
The early church in the book of Acts went to church daily. They were ready for Christ to come back. But, as we have gotten closer to the coming of Christ, church attendance has gotten more sporadic. We ought to be more faithful than ever, as we see the signs leading up to the return of Jesus Christ.
If you have no desire to be in church, that is not a natural thing for a Christian. You are either not saved or you are very backslidden. If you don't like church, you're not going to like Heaven. The closest thing on this earth to Heaven is the local church. Let's be sure and find ourselves in the House of God every time the doors are open as we are Scripturally commanded to do!
As we drive to church each Sunday, we see plenty of people mowing their lawns, playing golf, and doing other leisurely activities. We might even think, Why should I attend church? If they don't go, why should I? After all, we have busy lives and it sure would be good to have an extra day to mow the grass and do the chores around the house. We should answer that question from God's Word. In Hebrews 10:19-25, the writer of Hebrews gives us some good reasons why we should attend church.
Going to church helps us get closer to God. Verses 19-22 explain how a person can get close to God. In the Old Testament, it was not possible to get close to God. The Jewish people came to the tabernacle to worship God and offer sacrifices. They could go into the courtyard of the tabernacle but not inside the tent. Inside the tent, there were two rooms, divided by a curtain, which is also called a "veil." Only the priests could go inside the tent. He could go into the first room, called the Holy Place and there, he would do his work of intercession. Then, the High Priest could only go into the second room, called the holy of holies, on the Day of Atonement - one day a year. Inside the second room was the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. God was holy, man was sinful, and the message of the Old Testament was to stay away from the presence of God. It was a fearful thing.
When Jesus came into this world, He came to bring us to God. When He died and shouted "It is finished", the veil inside the Temple was torn from top to bottom. Just as the body or flesh of Christ was torn on the Cross, the veil was torn in the Temple. This pictured the fact that the shed blood of Christ had made it possible for believers to get close to God. Now, we have boldness and confidence to enter into the holy of holies, the very presence of God. Where two or three or gathered together, God said, "There am I in the midst of them." So, we are in the very presence of God when we attend church with other believers.
James said, "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8) The writer of Hebrews tells us one way to get close to God is to attend church. In fact, the primary reason for attending should be to get closer to God, not to be entertained. Through worship, we become more intimate with God.
After being married for 17 years, I have learned that closeness must be cultivated. Couples don't just drift to the altar and get married. They write love notes, go on dates, and do little things to win the hearts of their future spouse. Those things must be done even after marriage or the closeness will evaporate. People call it "falling out of love." The same is true with God. If we don't work at our relationship with God, we will not feel close. One way to cultivate that closeness is to attend church.
Another reason one should attend church is to profess your faith. Verse 23 says, "Let us hold fast our profession of faith without wavering." Your profession is what you say. To "hold it fast" means to not just talk the talk, but also , to walk the walk. If you say you are a Christian, you should act like a Christian. If we are going to be witnesses for the Lord, our behavior better match up with our beliefs.
Unbelievers are watching us live our lives as followers of Christ, and they expect something different out of us. They expect to see us going to church on Sunday. When we attend church, we are literally witnessing to the lost. We are saying to them that we are on God's team. We are saying to them that God, His Word, and His people are important to us. How can we verbally witness to our lost neighbors if they don't see us going to church faithfully? How can we verbally witness to our family members if we lay out of church when they come to visit?
Going to church also gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our faithfulness to God. Verse 23 adds, "For He is faithful that promised." That is a great statement. It reminds me of Lamentations 3:22, 23 where the Bible says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness." God has been so faithful to me. He has never let me down. I am here today because of God's faithfulness. His faithfulness should motivate us to be faithful to Him.
I have heard many times people excuse themselves from coming to church because of the actions of someone else. They got hurt or dissapointed by another Christian. I understand that happens all too often, and I have experienced it myself and have disappointed other believers by my actions. However, I want to be faithful to God. God has not let me down. Attending church is my way of being faithful to Him.
The Bible says, "Moreover is it required in stewards that a man be found faithful." We all have different talents and abilities and we are not able to do what others might be able to do. However, we can all be faithful.
Going to church also enables us to encourage other believers. In verse 24, we are admonished to, "Consider one another." Don't just think about yourself; think about your other brothers and sisters in Christ. When people don't attend church, they are being inconsiderate of their brothers and sisters in Christ. They are thinking only of themselves. They might say, "Those people don't need me" but the others in the church get the idea that the person who doesn't attend doesn't need them. We encourage one another by being in God's house.
Some say, "I can get just as much out of watching someone on TV or reading a book than I can going to church." That may be true. You may even get more, but we don't just come to church to GET! We come to give! And what we ought to give is more than money. We ought to give encouragement. Look around for someone you can encourage. Maybe you don't need encouragement, but I guarantee you someone here does. Try to encourage someone else.
We are told in verse 24 to "provoke one another unto love and good works." We are to stir one another up to be like Christ. We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The word "forsake" literally means "to leave in the lurch." When we don't attend, we are hurting our church family. We are failing to encourage them.
More Christians than ever are laying out of church. Some have a legitimate excuse such as health and some may have to work, but most have no good reason. My friend, it is imperative that we who are saved make it a priority to attend church faithfully to encourage one another in the Lord.
Read Psalm 73 some time. David expresses how discouraged he was and how he was ready to quit and throw in the towel. Then he said in verse 17, "Till I went into the sanctuary of God..." David found encouragement in God's house. How many times have you been ready to quit and you came to church and were encouraged?
Going to church also prepares us for the Lord's return. Verse 25 says we should be faithful to church and then adds, "and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." "The day" speaks of the Lord's return to this earth. Jesus is coming again, and we need to be ready. Those who attend church regularly are more ready for the Lord's return.
The early church in the book of Acts went to church daily. They were ready for Christ to come back. But, as we have gotten closer to the coming of Christ, church attendance has gotten more sporadic. We ought to be more faithful than ever, as we see the signs leading up to the return of Jesus Christ.
If you have no desire to be in church, that is not a natural thing for a Christian. You are either not saved or you are very backslidden. If you don't like church, you're not going to like Heaven. The closest thing on this earth to Heaven is the local church. Let's be sure and find ourselves in the House of God every time the doors are open as we are Scripturally commanded to do!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
What Made America Great?
What is it that made America so great? I believe it was the fact that this nation was founded on the principles of the Bible. Our founding fathers were not all fundamental Christians, but they all recognized God and His Word as the basis for this country. At the Continental Congress, Ben Franklin stood up and said, “Gentlemen, if it is true that not one single petal from any flower falls to the ground without escaping God’s attention, will the distress of this nation go unheeded? Let us therefore determine to seek His face.” At Franklin’s suggestion, 56 of the signers of the Constitution dropped to their knees in prayer to seek God’s wisdom for the development of our nation’s guidelines.
Patrick Henry said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The only hope for America’s survival is revival to break out in our churches and for God’s people to return to holy living, being the influence in this dark world we are living in. Ray Comfort recently stated, "While America is celebrating her independence from Great Britain, she should be mourning her independence from God."
Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” You don’t hear much talk about “righteousness” today, even in many churches. There is only one standard of righteousness, and that is the Word of God. However, America has turned its back on the Bible and kicked it out of our schools and courtrooms. If America is to survive, we must return to the moral standards that were observed at the time of our founding. Jesus told His disciples, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” We are to influence our culture by living righteous and holy.
Consider the word “exalteth”. America has been an exalted nation, and it is God alone who has exalted us. We did not exalt ourselves; we were recipients of God’s favor. God enabled us to survive the American Revolution, the Civil War, and many other military conflicts. As America has turned its back on God, God’s hand of protection seems to be less visible. It was Thomas Jefferson that said, "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever." That was back in 1871. The events of September 11, 2001 are only a small taste of what could happen if God removes His favor from this country. We need to realize where our greatness comes from and follow the admonition of the apostle Peter who wrote, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)
Notice the word “sin” from the previously mentioned verse. It is our sin that will lead to our destruction. We have sinned in killing unborn babies, giving homosexual couples marital status, among many other evils. Galatians 6:9 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Could it be that soon America feels the same reproach that is described in the book of Nehemiah?
Many in America would like to see the day when they get rid of all Christians. They are going to get their wish soon, but until then, may God give us a burden to pray for America. Let us humble ourselves and let our light shine in our corrupted culture. Above all, let us pray for mercy and for revival in our churches that America will turn back to its greatness.
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