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Running! While most of us aren’t connected to a running regiment at the community center or our neighborhood streets, we are certainly guilty of what seems to be an endless task. Running! We aren’t chasing a finish line per se, we are chasing our shadow and we are chasing life in general. Chasing our kids in their perpetual sports events and social gatherings. Chasing our spouse and the responsibilities of life in and around a marriage covenant. Chasing our careers. Chasing our hobbies as we attempt to carve our time for ourselves. Chasing the ever emerging product of self-care and or our mental health care. Finally, our Sunday’s have become our second Saturday as we chase family time and taxiing our children to scheduled sports events that we’ve paid far too much for in the first place. Somewhere in the chase of life we have forgotten our blessed Savior and Creator. We have pushed Him down to pretty close to the last rung on the ladder of what we consider successful living. Big mistake! And most of you who have found yourself at this place spiritually…know it. You just don’t have the intentional strength to change it. But the bottom line is that if you don’t you won’t survive.
Scripture reveals that for us to know to do good and fail to do it – “it” becomes a sin for us. The “it” becomes a life plethora of choices we make that we are consciously aware of that will be sin in by the sacred standards of God for our life. Not our standard but His according to His Word and not ours.
“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17, NASB)
The simple definition of sin is to “miss the mark.” We miss the center of knowing and doing the will of God. We know better but we just don’t take the time to intentionally hit the center of the target. We miss. We “sin.” We fault the will of God for our lives. We sacrilegiously blame God for our exhaustion. Deep down we know it’s not His fault…but it gives a sense of false justification to do so. We do what is so hard for many of us to admit, we fail. We commit an error and we know it. We miss the mark established by God his will and Word for our lives. And we can’t stand the idea of accountability for the miss. That would mean a confession of wrong doing and Lord knows we don’t want the guilt of voluntarily making a confession of missing the mark. I only wish we were as concerned about His feelings of our failure instead of the fear of what others might think of our failure. But thankfully, the Holy Spirit brings a nudge of conviction (not condemnation) for our sin (John 16:7-11).
Chasing God doesn’t have to be a difficult task. He’s an easy chase. Seriously! Let me point you to two men in scripture who made decisions either to chase God or chase promotion (re: success in life).
“Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the LORD of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim. They placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals. But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. David became angry because of the LORD’S outburst against Uzzah, and that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. So David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” And David was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household. Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.” (2 Samuel 6:1-12, NASB)
This is a familiar passage to most of us in the faith community. I am not the first to discover some life principles in this passage and I will certainly not be the last! But I do want to point out a few things about chasing God…that one thing that we seem to have such a hard time connecting with.
The Casualness of Irreverence
I don’t care who you are or what your title is, most believers conclude that his judgement is harsh! It may seem that way on the surface. To be honest, most of us have a hard time with the action of God here because we know, deep down in the core of who we are, we find ourselves replacing Uzzah, knowing that we have only by the grace of Jesus, been where Uzzah was. Seriously! Be honest about this one!
The principle that stood out to me today as I read through this passage was the shear casual approach to handling the presence of God. The ark was symbolic of His presence. First of all, there was the “congregational” unity toward dismissing the presence of God. No one took responsibility to question rather the method of handling His presence was wrong. The people of God had become so casual with His presence that there was almost a recreational attitude toward it. Remember my statement above? Sunday has become, in too many churches and in too many households, a second Saturday! We have not only grouped ourselves together to approve such casual acceptance of His presence, we have taught our children to have a secondary, casual idea of the presence of God. We have missed the mark on this one!
Uzzah, in Hebrew, means “strength.” In other words his own spiritual strength, as God intended for him (remember the meaning of sin), became weak with casualness. He didn’t exercise his faith correctly and what was intended for strength became his weakness. I could mention another who found himself weak under the assumption of strength. His name was Samson. When he realized his strength had become an unrecognized weakness, it cost him dearly. Take a look at this passage of scripture: “She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.” (Judges 16:20, NASB). The tragedy of his verse was not that he couldn’t recover from his error of missing the mark, but the frightening fact that he “did not know” the Lord had moved away from him. Are you there? Are you at a place where when you think you can casually grab hold of the presence of God like a golf club or a baseball bat or glove, and suddenly your realize that He is not there? This is the irreverence of the sin of casualness. This is the awakening moment for us if we are there!
The Seed of Irreverence
We “sought” him not after due order!
“”Because you did not carry it at the first, the LORD our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance.”” (1 Chronicles 15:13, NASB)
“For because you did not do it at the first, Jehovah our God made a break on us, since we did not seek Him in due order.” (1 Chronicles 15:13, MKJV)
Seriously! Some of us have so weakened the conviction of reverence for God in our lives that we totally miss the mark of sacred reverence! Honoring Him! I think this is what Paul meant when he wrote this passage of scripture:
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NASB)
Read that again…this time real slow! Tell me there are not some issues that Paul wrote to Timothy about that we aren’t dealing with today. The whole idea in this passage is a casual approach to holiness, to who who God really is in our lives. We have created a “form of godliness” culture and lived by it’s mandates for so long that we think casual is normal. It is not. Casually approaching God is actually missing the mark. He is holy! He is absolutely holy! His holiness took men to their knees! The word form here means to have an appearance, to have an external semblance. One author writes that it is like a mannequin dressed in religious garb. The idea comes from the old ancient priestly garments that were worn in the days of Christ. Paul used that terminology to speak to our sense of creating an appearance of serving Him.
This seed of irreverence is very much alive and well in our churches today. Let’s not fall for the delusion that that will move away from a committed life of conviction in serving Jesus. We have created idols of irreverence and convinced ourselves its all good. I am reminded of the Word of the Lord to His people in Jeremiah.
“Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD, “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. “They decorate it with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter. “Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.” There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and great is Your name in might. Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You. But they are altogether stupid and foolish In their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood! Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; Violet and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skilled men. But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, And the nations cannot endure His indignation.” (Jeremiah 10:1-10, NASB)
Did you catch that? They became foolish in their “discipline of delusion”. Oh man! If only they had disciplined themselves after the righteousness and holiness of God with a pure sense of reverence!
Chasing God! Chasing His presence! Chasing His holiness! Understanding why the Holy Spirit convicts of us sin…missing the mark! I want to challenge you today to become intentional about your chasing after Jesus! He is there! He is there for us! He is ahead of us! His arms are open wide!
Run the Race with an Intentional Win in Mind!
“I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, NASB)
I, like Paul, do not want to be disqualified by the gospel that I have preached and taught for over forty years. This takes focused and intentional discipline! Come on folks! You can do this! It takes effort! Run the race to win! Run the reverence race to win! Don’t give in to intentional irreverence where your trophy is perishable! Run the reverence race to win the imperishable trophy!!
Posted bypastortimteaguePosted inUncategorizedTags:bible, church-security, faith, god, moses, spiritual-battle, spiritual-warfareEditThe Call for Church Security
Not a Flesh and Blood Battle!
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:10-20, NASB)
You have read this passage so many times. It is very familiar to most who are in the faith community. But please understand that familiarity can be the seed for slothfulness or it can be the seed for preparedness. The choice is ours. I am reminded of several points for you to muse throughout your day.
I trust you read this over and over. You can load up with all the weapons you might think you will need but without prayer you may find yourself shooting play darts into the darkness.
The call to stand firm was important. Soldiers in Paul’s time wore boots or shoes with spikes in the bottom of them. They would forcefully “plant” themselves into the ground to be “unmovable” in the time of battle. This is a call to the ability to stand and fight against our enemies. Not run. Not hide. Not excuse ourselves away from a soldiers responsibility. But plant yourself firm and balanced.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NASB)
When I pastored I had a simple rule of structure, oder and trust for my team. The rule was this: be where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there, doing what you’re supposed to be doing, and everything runs like a Rolex watch. If you take security and safety with a casual sense of responsibility then you will casually serve. You will not fulfill the mandate above. Churches need security and medical teams who are “planted” in their position. They need to “fix” themselves in a position of serving, take it seriously, and be where you’re supposed to be. Simple. Just so simple…but yet we can screw this up so quickly by not taking our responsibility seriously. Let me ask you a question. Would you want someone charged with the responsibility of securing your family to do so with a casual attitude? I rest my case.
I am so proud of my home church security and medical team. They are told repeatedly that each of them is important to the King and His kingdom. They are trained, equipped and ready to serve. That’s why we have to take our assigned task at hand with intentional awareness of the constant presence of evil. It’s out there. It hates you. It hates me. There is an elevated spirit of evil that hates the church/sheep we are charged to secure. Let’s be aware of it. Let’s be “present” when we serve.
One More Lesson
“Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” (Exodus 17:8-13, NASB)
Again, this is story you are familiar with. Moses was tired and aged. In one particular battle he was engaged in, as long as he held his hands up, his team was winning. But as he tired and his hands fell to his side, the enemy gained ground. So Aaron and Hur ran to his side. They placed a rock under him so he could sit down. In other words they “cushioned” him so he could serve with a fresh awareness of the battle at hand. They held his arms up and eventually the battle, fought under the direction of Joshua, was won.
The point to make here is that there was a spiritual battle and a physical battle going on here. The physical battle was on the ground with Joshua attempting to win it. It was real. Trust me. Lives were lost on both side in an on again, off again, war for victory. But there was something abnormal about the battle. It’s as if God was sending us a spiritual lesson. A “general”, a leader, was weary and tired. This seemed to be a supernatural issue for Israel to deal with. Moses could’ve done several things to ensure victory. He didn’t have to. He didn’t make a plea. He didn’t radio for assistance. Aaron and Hur noticed what was going on. They were “present” in a real time battle. They acted responsively. Here is a lesson to remember:
Security teams must work collaboratively. It is imperative that we realize there are no “lone rangers” in church security. We need each other. But not being “present” can cause harm to not just one, but possibly several people. Being aware, being present, being spiritually sensitive to our surroundings is important.
To all who serve on church security and medical teams, let me say “Thank you!” We need you! The church needs you! Together we can work to keep the sheep safe and the wolves at bay.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
I remember my first few days in seventh grade biology class. I wondered, as a kid moving into this new venture of long crowded hallways, a sea of students, and a plethora of teachers, called “junior high”, what in the world was happening in my life! It was a new day that offered a whole new culture of learning for me. Then came the frogs in biology class. Dead frogs! Yep! Right there in front of me, on a slab, lay what I named, “Freddy the Frog”. Next to lifeless Freddy was a surgical type knife, tweezers and some push pins. By the time I left class I had learned to stomach the insides of poor Freddy. I had just finished an amateur autopsy on Freddy. What a day! Many of you can remember the same type experience and the memory tattoo it left in your young mind.
I was reminded of this “dissection” class when I read a passage of scripture this week (don’t ask me why the class came to mind):
“The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”” (John 2:13-16, NASB)
Here is a simple break down of what Jesus did.
In simplified form…
Jesus went in and discovered an issue. He left and dissected the issue at hand. He took it apart in his mind. He analyzed the problem. Then he determined a course of action. He managed his thoughts toward resolve. Last but not least he defined his reason for action. No one was left in the dark. He acted. He did what had to be done. He moved on. He didn’t linger. He didn’t wallow in the wrong of what occurred. He didn’t celebrate at length what had happened. He progressed to the next stage of his story and life journey.
Sometimes it will take a lengthy amount of time to dissect and issue at hand. In this particular case it wasn’t a massive amount of time. I have had to deal with conflict that could be dissected in a few hours. And other times I had to dissect the issue for days or even weeks. Dissection may be the most uncomfortable part of dealing with conflict. Laying the “frog” open isn’t without difficult and wearisome choices. But once we dissect the issue we can better make a determined response to it.
I had to write a paper about my experience after dissecting a Freddy the Frog in my seventh grade bio class! Poor Freddy the Frog had to be sacrificed for me to be to define what all just happened to challenge my education journey. My “definition paper” was a short debrief of Freddy’s biology cause demise. Defining an issue must involve solid and Word based truths. It is imperative we look to the Word to solve our world/business/church issues of conflict. It’s rather simple when we lean into His word!
How Jesus Dealt With Quarantine
Timothy W. Teague 12/9/20
Simplead Ministry
In his book titled, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl B Truman, relates how he challenges his first year students with one question: “Did the towers on 9/11 fall due to gravity?” In reality there were circumstances that expedited the fall, but the answer is a resounding, yes. There are always circumstances that precipitate events and human behavior regardless of natural physical laws.
The current world crisis of Covid 19 has hit us like a tsunami without warning. The entire world has been taken hostage by a virus apparently traced back to a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Evidence is yet to be produced but the fact remains to be dealt with —a real time physical health threat has taken over the world. Our long time friend, Normal, has taken on a new identity. Everything from familial life in celebrating holidays together, to small businesses in our neighborhoods and all across the nation, have been threatened and in some cases, eliminated. The list of questions surrounding the virus are too many for mere simple answers. Out of much confusion surrounding a global virus unlike any we’ve dealt with before —finally came an agreed upon response, just quarantine everyone. I am not virologist and I only know one person who is. Myself like millions of others across this nation, listened to the reasoning of national and local leadership – and we quarantined. Like it or not 2020 will be a year of remembering the quarantine monster that few of us liked. I looked for a model in scripture to ease my frustrations. What would Jesus do? How would the ultimate Healer respond to such a demand?
There is one template found in scripture that can give us some insight as to how the Lord himself dealt with the issue of quarantining those who are ill. It is found in the event of Jesus healing ten lepers.
Luke 17:11-19 (NASB) While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; 13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?” 18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”
You see the virus is real, just as the towers that Truman spoke of were. But surrounding the “fall” of the virus (global pandemic) are the hundreds of voices giving guidance as to how to respond to the virus. Questions arose! Was quarantining everyone the answer? I remember a woman interviewed by a news station early in April when she said, “You quarantine sick people, not those who are well.” Herd immunity was denied a place at the table so we did as we were told, we quarantined. We shut down America from Wall Street to the back street. We even shut down churches (which has everything to do with my article). We were all quarantined for the sake of the nation. The quarantine made us lonely, sad, grievous, angry and disconnected from the world just outside doors.
I prayed much about all the chaos surrounding the quarantine issue. I searched scripture to find a model or template as to how we as believers should respond to the leadership of our national and local communities. Looking at the above passage in Luke enlightened me on several points Jesus taught about the idea of quarantine.
Jesus honored quarantine/distance rules. Jesus did not lay down his Lordship or his Priesthood here. He dealt with a community of lepers quarantined because of their health. This disease put them in a social class of being outcasts and kept them disconnected from those deemed healthy. They were social distancing from others due to a health issue.
Jesus could have called the lepers to him or he could have gone to them. He chose to do neither. Read the story closely. The lepers called out to him…actually they had to raise their voice quite loud. The lepers recognized quarantine rules and Jesus responded likewise. According to Jewish ceremonial law the lepers were to stay 300 feet away from socializing with those outside their community of disease. Jesus seemed to honor that rule of law. They were disconnected socially from friends, relationally from family and even from worshipping in the temple.
But Jesus does something unique. He sends them to the local priest who by the same ceremonial law were the only ones who could certify the lepers as being cleansed. Although he could have ignored the law, Jesus chose to respect Jewish ceremonial law and honor the quarantine by not exposing unhealthy people to healthy people.
I’m not necessarily a fan of social distancing, face masks or quarantine. Jesus had the answer all along but He still respected the rule of law and a current health issue. I have respected all of the above mentioned rules, although I may not agree with them. I am not a virologist. But I am someone who can render unto Caesar what belongs to him as Jesus did with the lepers. I can abide by stipulations that are meant to protect us during this Covid 19 health crisis.
We have cried out to the Lord as did the ten lepers and I believe He has heard our prayers. He hasn’t “healed” all of us and for some believers the virus has stolen the lives of loved ones and friends. He sees us. He hears our cries. He does what He always does, He responds. He gives instructions that seem to defy what we want Him to do. He sends us to professionals who have the only civil authority to declare healing. The same professionals who certified healing for the lepers were the same ones who developed the laws of separation or quarantining. Hence, Jesus by example here accepted quarantine as a means to an end. Since He is the Alpha and Omega maybe we should trust Him to get us to the omega of this virus pandemic.
Jesus honored ceremonial authority. I am reminded that the respect Jesus had for ceremonial law may have come from the fact that He came to fulfill law himself (Matthew 5:17). Jesus on many occasions broke ceremonial law when it was determined between He and his Father that there was no other way (John 5:19,30;8:28) to do His will. With the ten lepers a lesson in gratitude was the end to the means of quarantine. Jesus would honor ceremonial law by sending the ten lepers to the priest. Much was happening around Jesus at this time and it seems wisdom would serve him on this occasion more than simply dismissing ceremonial law.
The bottom line here is that Jesus respected those in authority in dealing with a community ravaged be a medical crisis —leprosy. Regardless of our personal opinions we have a mandate in Romans 13 is very clear on this issue. Romans 13:1-2 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be found as having “opposed the ordinance of God” (vs.2)! Maybe there’s a bigger picture here I can’t see. Maybe it’s not for me and you to see (Acts 1:7). I am convinced that our forward vision is somewhat interrupted when we can only see through a “glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). I am going to have to somehow come to the place where I can, with a sense that God is in control, honor those in authority over me…and you.
In respecting ceremonial law about leprosy Jesus was respecting the authorities who put that law into place. There was a time and place for religious resistance but this wasn’t it. Jesus shows us that there are times when community wide and even nation wide obedience is better than sacrifice. Time will tell who is right and wrong about Covid 19. But in real time response we have to have a sense of respecting those in authority over us. Until our faith or the opportunity of sharing the gospel is threatened we have an obligation to follow instructions from those in authority for the purpose of staying healthy.
Jesus never approached the lepers. He ministered to them from a distance. He healed them by His Word which amounted to instructions of going elsewhere for a declaration of that healing. It seems that all that was necessary for healing was His presence. He didn’t have to “touch” them physically and one of ten was soon to realize this. I am reminded of Luke 5:17 where we are told “as he [Jesus] was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” Did you catch that? The power of the Lord was present to heal the listeners. The presence and power of Jesus is incredibly efficient to accomplish his divine will in spite of restrictions from civil authorities.
Finally, Jesus received worship at his feet from one of ten who were healed. Although there are many ways of interpreting this passage I want to focus on the one leper who found it in his heart to return to worship Jesus. There was still a leper colony quarantined. Out of that community of diseased men and women were ten who sought healing to find freedom from their quarantine. Ten found healing by the authority of Jesus that was greater than any other authority on earth. Only one would return to give gratitude.
Note that in his return to Jesus the leper did not touch Him. Maybe he didn’t know he could yet. Maybe he had not finished his journey to the priest to receive certification of healing. Maybe he was overcome with gratitude toward Jesus and couldn’t help himself. I mean…have you seen lepers? Do you know what he endured before his healing? Maybe there were some issues he had to come to accept before grabbing the Healer and rejoicing in a celebratory dance. We don’t really know. But what we do know is what scripture tells us. The leper fell on his face and knelt at the feet of Jesus to worshipped him. This is true worship in the presence of Jesus! Scholars differ here on the manner in which he probably worshipped Jesus. Did he actually touch the feet of Jesus as Mary did when she wiped his feet with her tears and her hair (Luke 7:36-38)? Again, scripture isn’t as detailed here as it is with Mary’s worship experience. My personal thought is that he did not touch Jesus. I imagine the leper knelt as his feet and worshipped him as culture taught peasants to do with kingly and priestly leadership —without touching the one worshipped.
Jesus never tells the man to stand and rejoice with him. He doesn’t tell him to in any way respond to him with human touch. Jesus tells the leper to “stand up and go because your faith has made you whole.” Jesus seems to go out of his way to not come in contact with the leper for any purpose. Before he was healed and even after he was healed, there was no contact between them. But in this “social distancing” event we find true worship continued. We find healing continued. We find the presence of Jesus so overwhelming that this former leper could only kneel and worship the One who healed him. Oh what lessons we could learn here about the incredible presence of Jesus! Jesus didn’t stop healing because of a distancing or quarantining rule. He is much greater than the laws of quarantining. His presence is much more powerful than a measure of six feet between him and anyone seeking His healing touch. Jesus managed to work with laws and ordinances without upsetting the judicial and priestly order of rule for his time and still do His Father’s will.
Jesus healed ten lepers and only one returned to worship Him in gratitude! One out of ten! The one who returned to worship Him was a Samaritan. The least expected to return was the one who did return. Could it be, for the sake of imagination, that only ten percent of those who find deliverance, redemption, healing, salvation, and restoration actually ever find a place in their heart to honor Jesus by true worship from their heart? Remember Mary (Luke 7)? Here is what Jesus said about her: Luke 7:47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
I think there are two issues here for us to consider. First, to soften our hearts toward those in authority over us and the idea of quarantining us. Have a sense of respect for our pastors who are desperately working to comply with multiple voices of instruction! Second, we should question our hearts as to the purpose of our worship. Being together is how the “body of Christ” survives. We are connected spiritually. We are building of lively stones that makes up the church (1 Peter 2:5). Coming together in a place of worship is important but not imperative. People worship Jesus all over the world who are limited in their physical gathering. I pray that the church can come back to their houses of worship all over America. I long to be worship with my spiritual family. But my worship is not singularly dependent on a place but rather the posture of my heart.
Are we filled with an attitude of gratitude or a disrespectful attitude that says, “I deserve what He gives me!” and then just wonder off without recognizing just what He has done for us? Are we the ones who will go a different direction and not realize the presence of Jesus is so vital to our personhood?
The challenge of Covid 19 is teaching us a great deal about ourselves and about those in authority over us. Jesus taught us that in the midst of quarantine and petitioning Him, that real true worship is not defined by physical circumstances but rather the posture of our hearts. I can still worship Him in his presence!
One thing we know Jesus didn’t do with a place or community that is quarantined. He didn’t stop personal worship with the one who returned. We have to believe He wouldn’t have stopped worship had all ten returned. The point here is that in honoring ceremonial and judicial law, Jesus never stopped performing as the Healer and Deliverer. Can we get that thought to settle in our spirit? Worship did not cease with the order of quarantine! Jesus worked with current ordinances to quarantine but still managed to honor his Father by healing those who needed to be healed. His “touch” was his voice, his Word, and the ultimate end to any time he would heal, which was simply worship!
Someone once said that praise can be given to someone although you may be anywhere near them. I can praise a brothers works even though he may be in another part of the world. But to worship someone, you have to be in their presence. Jesus sits at the Fathers right hand making intercession for us right now (Romans 8:23,34). I can truly worship Him for all he has done for me by just honoring His presence. Quarantine is nothing new. How we respond in worshiping Jesus will depend on your attitude of gratitude. Maybe we should just slow down in all the Covid 19 chaos and follow Psalm 146 which instructs us to “be still and know I am God.” Hopefully we can be found at the feet of Jesus , honoring His presence, with a heart full of worship!
Had this on my mind today so I thought I would repost a post from several years ago. Hope you enjoy!
I just finished teaching a leadership and church government class at my church. One of my students responded to a writing assignment about Elisha and his call to ministry by dealing with 1 Kings 19.19-21 with a powerful analogy that the class talked about for over an hour. In the written response to the call of Elisha one of my students capitalized on the fact that with Elisha’s initial calling to service he killed his oxen, burned the hardware associated with the oxen and then proceeded to follow and minister to Elijah.
We began to uncover some of the “oxen” that inhibits us from serving God, following and serving leadership and can actually dissuade us from our “calling” entirely.
We discussed emotional attachments that can inhibit us. Elisha did request and was granted permission to go back and kiss his parents. But the kiss was one of saying “so long, see ya later”. The kiss wasn’t symbolic of a tie that would keep Elisha from service but one that warranted support and approval.
I can’t tell you in my 35 plus years of leading people in the faith community how many times I have seen “callings” crash and burn because of emotional ties that couldn’t be cut. In order to fully follow Christ and serve Him in complete commitment we may have to kill some analogous emotional/relational oxen.
I don’t think God calls us to destroy family relationships. God is about family and has been since He created Adam and Eve. But what He also created was the total dependence on Him and not family. In other words Elisha left the instruction, guidance and resource of family to pursue following a prophet who had a price on his head (remember Jezebel?). Family, friends, relationships can interfere with our calling and we may have to make choices to accept, deny or integrate family with our calling.
I see this more with men and women who are called into a ministry venue after marriage. The spouse didn’t enter the marriage with intentions of going “full time” in ministry. “Are you insane?” I have heard spouses ask their partners. In order to salvage family you may find yourself balancing family and calling. Does God call someone into full time ministry knowing that his or her calling will destroy their family? i don’t think so! But callings are without repentance and when He calls He is well aware of our circumstances. God expects us to work out our calling by communicating that calling with our spouse, family and friends.
Let me also say that not every person who has a calling to serve has to do so on a full time basis. This is entirely a whole new subject matter. Know this though, callings will force us to slaughter some emotional ties that could inhibit our obedience factor.
Money, as in income, can be another “oxen” we may have to slaughter. Without a doubt, when discovering your calling, rather in full time ministry or in vocational employment, you will be faced with making a choice that may point to less income, less money for your service. Many people who “take a church” or “accept a transfer/promotion” may do so and actually make less money in their new venture. I have made several ministry decisions that on the outside looked like financial gains when in reality I took less salary in my decision to relocate.
Calling isn’t about money. Calling is about the absolute will of God and trusting Him for total provision. When I left employment with General Motors in 1987 to enter full time ministry I made a covenant with God. I told God, “Get me into full time ministry and I will never depend on vocational employment again.” Over thirty years ago we stepped away from a great income with great benefits. I have seen tough times and lean times but God has never failed our covenant.
In moving to Ohio to assume our current pastorate we were met by a lady in the altar who informed me, “You will be our next pastor and you will come by paying a great personal sacrifice.” Needless to say she was on target. We had just had a house built and had lived in it for only a few months. We left Michigan just before the housing crisis of 2005. The house stayed on the market for over four years. We continued to make payments on a vacant home until we finally sold it in a short sale. We put the house on the market for $300,000 and we sold it for a mere $138,000. We lost our shirt and nearly every thing we owned. Our total lose in the scenario was over $200,000. We were certainly slaughtering some oxen!
Folks kept asking if we missed the will of God in coming to Ohio as if the will of God is painless and exempt from financial loss. We finally got it across to people that if the perfect will of God meant no pain than Jesus was out of the Father’s will by going to the cross.
We were in the center of God’s will and we were also prophetically told our choice would be at a costly personal sacrifice. I believe that at some point in our future God will restore what the enemy stole from us. My faith is in a God who holds the world in His hands, not just the housing market.
We slaughtered that oxen of financial loss. We picked up and began chasing our “Elijah” – aka Lancaster, Ohio. God has blessed our ministry here with church growth and an incredible congregation that is committed to following anointed visionary leadership. The lost money? Oh its still lost!! It hasn’t found its way back to our bank account yet. It may never. In the mean time we have a calling to engage.
Finding the will of God is sometimes costly. You may have to take a step backwards financially to see the will of God manifest in your life. But I can assure you of this, God’s word and will is at stake. He will sustain what He calls. He will resource your calling. He will uphold your calling. He will guide your calling. We first have to make a choice to “slaughter the oxen.”
There are a lot more “oxen” in relationship to calling that have to slaughtered. For each of us it could be something different. For some its the “comfort zone” of our job, our geographical location, friends, family, assets, salary, etc. The one thread of commonality in all calling is obedience. Obedience should trump everything else in our lives.
I am reminded of the cost factors Jesus spoke about in relationship to following Him.
Luke 9:59-62 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” (60) But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” (61) Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” (62) But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Rather you are in full time ministry, part time ministry, vocationally employed as a minister or vocationally employed and serving in a church or ministry to fulfill your calling – you at some point have had to slaughter some oxen.
I would very much like for you to respond to the blog and let me know some of the “oxen” you’ve had to slaughter along the way.
As of September 20, 2018, I am officially retired fro pastoring. While the reasons are personal and medical in the root cause, I am, as millions of others who have found labor in the world that of fulfilling a kingdom calling. Pastoring has been our life for nearly forty years. Back problems that involved the surgical removal of tumors from my spinal cord and becoming a neurosurgical patient expedited my retirement date. A lot of nerve damage has been done. I wish my issues were only orthopedic in nature. My Jacob’s limp has included my spinal cord. I am today a living example of God’s grace and progressive healing. God’s grace is extremely efficient.
I have had dozens of people give me advice which I have tucked into my memory war chest. I am appreciative to all who have shown us concern and care for our future. My future will be different. It will different not waking up every morning with over 500 people we have weekly contact with – rest on my shoulders. It will be different that my disability has not and will not go away without divine intervention. It will be different in that the hundreds of people we have pastored in over 35 years and four congregations will become more distant if we don’t intentionally work to keep distance as short as we can. It will become different in that our income level will change drastically. It will be different in that my daily prayer focus will shift. It will different…well, let’s just say that this list could become endless in nature. Life for “pastortimteague” has already taken on many changes.
I have attempted with every fiber of my being to fulfill my calling to be a shepherd. I will always be a kingdom minded shepherd. Retirement will not change that. Nothing can change nor can God take back His calling on my life. By divine calling I am a shepherd. I will continue to view my future from the watchman’s post of a shepherd. My blog will be updated much more often. I will continue to do my very best to impact pastors, church planters and those attempting to revitalize their congregations, via the internet. I hear much today about the positions and offices of the kingdom. I am never impressed with titles when I meet others who labor in the kingdom. I am more interested in the ability they have to tell me about their calling. I am not impressed with statistics and academic achievements although both have a place in the kingdom. I am more interested with how one has fulfilled their calling. I will be writing on the subject of divine calling in the near future.
There are at least two more books I will attempt to write. Any goal I have in the books being “successful” will be to assist others in the kingdom to become all they can be for the King and His kingdom. I often find the word successful being a deceptive trap. God didn’t call us to success. He called us to be fruitful. Much more will said about this also. I am going to attempt to edit an elders internship program I wrote for Victory Hill. We have four young men sitting on our elders council that came through this one year intern program. More on that later.
I will have much more time to enjoy coffee with Kim. No more diners by herself as I tend to the sheep we have been entrusted with. Ministry staff’s spouses pay a price for their spouses calling. Unless you have been on “this side of the fence” you will never understand nor accept that the spouses role in her husbands calling is challenging and personally dangerous at the same time. No more will she be compared to others, judged and second guessed as a leader in the kingdom. She will be free from the constant presence of criticism and often times torn emotions of attacks on her husband and or children. She will forever be the Proverbs 31 woman to me and to my son’s and their families. She is a anointed woman of God and I could’ve never done what I have had the privilege of doing without her by my side. She is a caring person. I have referred to her many times as the only Pentecostal Mother Teresa there is. She is a one of a kind. She is the light of my life. She has paid a price over the last several years to stand with me during seven surgeries. God knew what He was doing when He placed her at my side. She has complimented my ministry in ways that time nor space would allow me share with you. She is an incredible servant of God and a Proverbs 31 wife and mother.
I have to commend my two son’s for their supportive role in my ministry. I could not ask for two son’s to be more than they are in life. They are first of all followers of Jesus Christ. Second, they love their spouses with deep and sensitive love. Third, they are two of the hardest workers you will find anywhere. They are providers and protectors of their family. Their support for Kim and I in ministry has been incredible. While “PK’s” are judged unreasonably in most cases, Brad and Josh have always been able to show more spiritual maturity than those who would judge, mock, tease and joke about their being pastor’s kids. They have grown to be leaders in the kingdom by serving the churches they attend in ways that make Kim and I deeply proud of them. They have grown to become spiritual models for other husbands and fathers. These two sons of mine couldn’t do more to make me any more proud of their accomplishments in the vocational world and in the kingdom of God. I stand amazed at how God blesses and uses them to increase His kingdom.
I love shepherding. I have a passion to lead God’s people. When I said “yes” to my calling it wasn’t contingent on any circumstance out of or in my control. I look forward to posting more blogs in the future as Kim and I discover new kingdom adventure He has planned for us.
While praying about all the changes in my life and how those changes will effect Kim and our extended family, I heard the Holy Spirit very clearly speak this to my heart: “I am not writing a new chapter for your life. I am writing a new book.” I anticipate as the days and weeks unfold ahead of us He will reveal more about the “life book” He will write through our efforts to glorify Him as King. The book of my life for what it was n the past – ended September 30, 2018. He began writing a new life book for me on October 1, 2018. He may only be in the preamble stage but from everything I am sensing the future is going to be quite a book. I await His direction and to once again be as obedient as I possibly can to His voice.
Thanks to everyone who has allowed us to be a part of your life. It has been an incredible journey that has left spiritual tattoo’s in our hearts that will never diminish over time. May all of you be blessed, prospered and favored in life.
May you forever find yourselves in forward motion faith!
Charlottesville, Virginia, will never be the same. Never. What happened there this past week is repulsive to say the least. Two racist groups decided to show their moronic side and clashed in riot, violence and vandalism and the end result was one dead and many injured. All over the removal of a statue. It should’ve never happened. Something is seriously wrong with a nation who’s citizens will riot over statues that are mere symbols of our historic past. Good, bad, agree, or disagree as to what the statue stands for – it is merely a symbol of something in a bygone era. It is not real time action of something historical. We cannot change history. We can only allow history to change us – for good or bad. Scripture is full of symbolism. The final symbol for us to connect with, have a testimony about, is that of the cross. I believe the underlying hidden drive and motivation for this spirit to remove statues is simply that of the kingdom of darkness. The goal, I believe, is to eventually attack the cross being symbolized anywhere in America. Buckle your seats folks…the manifestation of spiritual war is starting to heat up. But I digress.
What took place in Charlottesville is only a small taste of what is possible when people move away from God for social and religious foundation. J. Lee Grady put it this way in his blog (Fire In My Bones with Charisma Magazine) dated 8.16.17 and titled “The Demonic Roots of White Supremacy”: “Racism is sick. Neo-Nazism is sick. And despite what some smug, churchgoing racists may tell you, these philosophies are totally incompatible with Christianity. White nationalism is an idea that was hatched in hell itself.”
White supremacy is evil. Racism is evil. It needs to be eradicated from the earth and it must start with the churches and the true believers in Christ. It’s time we recognize the propensity in all of us for being prejudice and racist, seek forgiveness and pray for a revival of healing in our nation. Any group that has the spirit of racism or white supremacy as part of their creed, public or private, should be called out and cast out. Make no bones about it – it doesn’t matter if these groups falsely hold to the title of “Christian” or not – they are evil. The seed of Satan himself couldn’t produce any spirit of evil any worse than white supremacy and racism. Jesus was a man of color…and it wasn’t white. His skin was olive tone in color. And He was a Jew. Any white supremacist who claims to be “Christ-like” and is full of hatred and racism is a foul mouthed, repulsive and white washed hypocrite. Look at these scriptures to see how racism cannot be connected with Christianity.
Oh, I could pigeon hole a number of other scriptures to prove my point – which is this: no person who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ can support or be a racist, white supremacist, bigot, or belong to any titled group of sick and twisted reprobates (Romans 1). Christians must vociferously denounce white supremacy, the doctrines of the KKK, Nazi hatred, Islamic terrorists, anti-Christian movements and any other group that is filled with this type of evil and putrid mindsets. Scripture doesn’t allow a place for it in our heart simply because it’s not in our Father’s heart! Maybe we should return for a season to our childhood roots and sing in lieu of some of our progressive worship choruses – “Jesus loves the little children … Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight.” All humans were created in the image of God – not just the white ones. Not just the American ones. He created us all male and female. We all bleed red.
Franklin Graham recently said this, “Really, this boils down to evil in people’s hearts. Satan is behind it all. He wants division, he wants unrest, he wants violence and hatred. He’s the enemy of peace and unity. I denounce bigotry and racism of every form, be it black, white or any other. My prayer is that our nation will come together. We are stronger together, and our answers lie in turning to God. It was good to hear that several Virginia and Charlottesville leaders attended church today at Mt. Zion. CNN said, “The racial divides that fueled Saturday’s violence were replaced by unity Sunday…”. It’s too bad, Reverend Graham, that the spirit of Sunday worship couldn’t be as active on Monday through Saturday.
The Canaanite Woman and How Jesus Dealt with Race and Bigotry
In the days of Jesus, the world, according to Judaism, was divided into only two groups – Jew and Gentile. The Jew’s took a rather hard pious look at anyone outside their group. I was prompted to look at this passage this week as I prayed about our nation and where we’re at with the division of racism…especially that of white supremacy. No better model than that of Jesus to look to.
Matthew 15:21-28 “Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. (22) And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” (23) But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” (24) But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (25) But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” (26) And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (27) But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (28) Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.”
At first glance this looks like a display of intentional racism and bigotry on the part of Jesus. We know that it wasn’t due to His deity. His human side kicked in and he leaned, just for a moment, on purpose to prove a greater point, toward the bigoted culture of his day. Judaism had it’s faults. He showed the culture of his Jewish roots that indicated a “us” and “them,” the “worthy” and the “unworthy,” the “uptown” and “downtown” and the “haves” and “have nots” ideology that pointed directly to division via racism. He knew, as the Son of God, that the Jewish culture he lived in and influenced looking down at the Canaanite’s, was repulsively wrong. He knew His Father’s heart which is revealed in Proverbs: 6:16-19 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: (17) Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, (18) A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, (19) A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
Jesus knew the seven sins that God absolutely hated were directly connected to racism and bigotry.
Let me remind you that God intensely detests any one of the above sins. Yes, God hates racism and all of its evil siblings (bigotry, white supremacy, neo-Nazism, etc.) Can you imagine how He feels when all seven sins are engaged toward one person, community, village or nation? I hope you’re starting to sense God’s displeasure for racism and bigotry.
Jesus wasn’t ignoring this woman’s request because there was any sense of racism within His being. He did so to prove a greater point – the power of love, grace and forgiveness toward someone unlike us.
Jesus Didn’t Condemn Her. He Tested Her Faith
He moved past the sinful cultural assessment of who she was. He conversed with her. He engaged in a social and spiritual relationship with her when His group screamed “leave her alone!” He recognizes, for a greater purpose, her positional deficiency as judged by the culture she lived in. He infers that society tags her as a “dog” but He doesn’t personally call her a dog. Thayer’s Greek Definitions (e-Sword.com) defines a dog as a “man of impure mind, an impudent man”. Jesus identified with soemone who, according to social standards of “his group,” represented a culture of impurity. Jesus didn’t see an ethnic variance in her – He saw a person making a request of Him that needed what only He could provide. This is no different in function and process than recognizing and testing someones faith to instruct them to “stand” or “stretch forth” their hand for a healing or some type of provision. He was pushing her toward what I call forward motion faith. He still does this with humanity everyday single day.
Jesus Showed His Father’s Heart Toward Her Canaanite Heritage
Here is what scripture says about those outside our “people group”. Deuteronomy 10:19 “So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” Did you get that? Show love for others outside your people group because somewhere you have been or will be outside of your people group. This takes us directly to the two greatest commands of all. Matthew 22:37-40 And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ (38) “This is the great and foremost commandment. (39) “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ (40) “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
The two commandments are this: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Racism doesn’t just avoid your neighbor. Racism abhors your neighbors ethnicity and or religious position.
Her Faith In Jesus Surpassed Her Ethnic or Religious Position
She had a faith that was tenacious. She believed that Jesus was who He said he was. That’s all He has ever asked from us – believe in Him. She did and that’s what He wanted others to focus on. His recognition of a racial, bigoted, religious and social culture was what He was intentionally throwing aside. His love, grace and mercy was more powerful than all the sin dominated cultures of the world put together. He wanted others to see Him in action. The Canaanites faith was the key to showing justice toward a woman who was “unlike” Jesus according to culture but yet what His Father created to have fellowship with Him – male and female. God didn’t create ethnic division. We did. He didn’t create prejudice and hate toward others who are different. We did. His blood covenant will stretch well beyond the racism, bigotry, prejudice and hatred of anyone. He heals what we injure.
I stand amazed that school districts all across America are taking hard stands on bullying. There is zero tolerance for any type of bullying in school aged students. Isn’t it sickening that while we employ the doctine of anti-bullying in schools across America – and we should by all means necessary – we are allowing people groups of all background to riot, kill, maim, injure and vandalize the streets where these students will engage social efforts in getting along. Without a doubt we are teaching students one thing and engaging another as adults. The classic phrase, “do as I say and not as I do,” comes into play here. White supremacists, neo-Nazi fascists, KKK, Islamic extremist terrorists, and a host of other groups are simply bullying one another. God hates all of it. All of it!
When neo-Nazi’s and white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia they did so with hearts motivated by hate. They arrived with an evil heart and left a trail of evidence of their hatred toward anyone who is not like them. Their trail of hatred left one woman in a funeral home and 19 others in a hospital. Do I need to rehearse the seven sins God hates? He hates racism and bigotry with a passion. How dare anyone attach their racist views, the term Christian, their acts of evil and violence to Holy Writ and say that it’s right. It is wrong in every way imaginable! It is sin. It is evil. It’s time to call it what it is. God hates it and so should we. If you hide racism and bigotry in your heart you are an evildoer. You are a practioner of one of the sins God hates. Repent. Let’s get this right. We’re better than what happened at Charlottesville…and anywhere else racisim, bigotry and white supremacy is practiced.
Years ago I was having coffee with a pastor from a different denominational group than the one I belong to. Walking out of the coffee shop and into the parking we were being approached by a young man with purple neon hair, nonstop tattoos, and weird or unconventional sytle clothes. I immediately drew conclusions that were prejudice by nature. I judged him by what I saw. He greeted my friend and said, “Good morning Pastor!” After exchanging greetings my friend ask him how many he had at his high school Bible study the night before. He gave a number that impressed me but what caught my attention most was when he said, “We were able to lead seven of them to Jesus!” Conviction overwhelmed me. I almost fell to my knees in the parking lot. I sheephisly wandered off to my car where I lamented my sin and ask God to forgive me. The enemy of my soul had attempted to seed the thought of prejudice in my mind. That seed could’ve grown into evil actions that could’ve been embarrasing. I saw how easy it was to open the door to something God hates. I have tried for many years since to keep that door closed and locked. I want to hate what God hates and love who He loves. I hope all of us can move toward that same direction.
“Let’s not make today most days!”
Dallas Police Chief David Brown
We all bleed red. Our blood binds us together as human beings – not our skin color, the uniform we wear or the religion we represent. All lives matter because we all bleed red.
What happened in Dallas, TX this on July 6-7 is despicable. The execution of police officers by, at this writing, what seems to be a lone gunman, is senseless and destructive to our nations attempt to bring racial healing across the land.
I want to say first of all that it is time for the church to stand strong. Only the church can make the difference in this nation that needs to be made by being living witnesses to the grace, healing and love that is found in Jesus Christ. While spontaneous revival is breaking out all over America, Satan is doing his best to throw every counter productive scheme he can at America to bring her to her knees in humiliating shame. I challenge all churches across the nation to “stand strong” and pray for our nation.
I want to commend Dallas Police Chief David Brown for his strong, bold and passionate statements after losing five of his officers to the execution that occurred only hours before his press conference. Chief Brown said, “All I know is that this must stop — this divisiveness between our police and our citizens. We don’t feel much support most days. Let’s not make today most days. Please, we need your support to be able to protect you from men like these, who carried out this tragic, tragic event.”
America needs to listen to this man!
Our nation is facing some critical crossroads. Our government is overwhelmed with the spirit of chaos and disillusionment. Our politicians wane in their concern for the American people who put them in office with a sense of trust that has been prostituted for self serving agendas. Our military has been stripped almost naked and forced to operate with pseudo weapons. Our local, state and federal governing officials are running frightened to caves of political correctness in similar fashion as Israel did when Goliath paraded himself in front of God’s people. We need leadership. We need honest men and women of integrity to lead us. We need men and women who make laws to abide by the same. We need men and women of all ages to honor law. Period. On both side of the fence – regardless of the color of our skin, religion or nationality. Law must once again be revered in our nation. Otherwise we perpetuate lawlessness. When we do then anarchy will follow.
I want to say that the problem with the spirit of homicide in America is not a gun issue. It is a heart issue. Man’s heart is moving further and further away from God. The result is what you’re currently watching unfold in America. You can take a gun away from a man with murder in his heart and he will find another way to kill those he hates. America’s problem is not a gun problem. It is a heart issue. It is a sin issue. You can’t change the heart of a godless man by punishing the Godly. You can’t legislate sin with sit-ins by adults who demonstrate childlike behavior. You can only change a man’s heart by Godly spiritual influence found in relationship with Jesus Christ.
Political pundits won’t want to hear what I and millions of others are saying – but running from the truth doesn’t disqualify it. Politically robed leaders will attempt to legislate sin with more laws and even attempt to dismantle the Constitution that governs our rights to bear arms for protection against the “bad guys” of our nation – won’t change the heart of an evil man. You can’t legislate a Godless heart into righteous behavior. Man has already tried that for thousands of years and it hasn’t worked nor will it. God gave man 10 laws to regulate human behavior of which one is simply “Thou shall not kill”. If a man will disobey the laws of God how much more do we think a Godless man will obey the laws of human government? When America returns to God, righteousness and the pursuit of holy living – America will be revered once again around the world as nation who honors God and is to be feared for her Godliness.
Romans 13 defines for us the plan of God to confront lawlessness. God saw the potential of the wickedness of a heart void of God’s love. He gave us “ministers” to carry out justice when laws are broken.
Romans 13:1-4 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (3) For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; (4) for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
Here is the background to what lead up to the Dallas execution of law enforcement officers.
someone resisted civil law and in so doing opposed the ordinance of God who established law in the first place
when humanity opposes the law of God they by default bring condemnation upon themselves
to arrive at a place of not fearing authority established by God we must engage “doing good” not evil
if you break the law you should fear the sword of the minister of law – i.e.: law enforcement personnel
law enforcement personnel are authorized to avenge the one who practices evil
After you read Romans 13 you should ascertain that what make law enforcement work is what happens on both sides of the fence.
First of all, law enforcement officers are not authorized to be lone carriers of justice. They have been appointed by God for the purpose of “ministering” care, concern and conscious respect for the law they engage to protect us. Any law enforcement officer who does not respect the law they are charged to enforce should turn in his/her badge and weapon. Law enforcement personnel are ministers of God. In other words they are not mere wild west gun slingers who operate independent of law. They are carriers of justice ordained by God. They themselves should recognize, respect and be responsible for the law they enforce.
Second, we as civilians should practice abiding by the laws of the land. Evil is what motivated God to ordain law enforcement. If you break the law you should be aware that you will be accountable to law in a just and practical manner. When man breaks the law he should have an innate fear of the one charged to keep the law. Part of the problem is that some people don’t have a righteous fear or respect for law enforcement. They have become a law unto themselves. They assume they can live the way they want, behave the way they want, treat others without respect and practice law subjective to their interpretation of it. No can do without consequences of the enforcer of the law.
I am asking, begging and pleading with the church to stand strong. Stand strong together. Link up are in arm. Wrap one another up in love, grace and forgiveness. And pray. Pray for our nation. Pray for law enforcement. Pray that man’s heart will be changed by the grace of God Almighty. As a nation we can no longer kill the unborn and expect the “born” to have a sense of righteous law keeping. We will become global hypocrites in doing so. We have to stop all killing in this nation. From the abortion clinics to the streets of Chicago to the road side traffic stops to the sidewalks where law is enforced – we have to stop the killing.
Paul the apostle wrote the church at Galatia 5.15 and said this: If you bite and ravage each other, watch out–in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
In the words of Dallas Police Chief David Brown let’s not make today most days. Let’s work together to stop the killing. Please! Join me and call the church to “stand strong” against the racial and law enforcement violence overtaking this nation.
As a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ and a believer in the authorship of the Bible, I do not agree with the transgender issue. Perversion is the first word that comes to mind but allow me to progress with my opinion. Recent foolish decisions by government representatives to allow male individuals to access female restrooms and vice a versa have brought about another social, political and religious division to America. It seems to be a serious and complicated matter for most. But the reality of this transgender issue is not really complicated. Our massive and growing anti-God media culture have made this issue a popular one to say the least.
According to dictionary.com, transgender is defined as: noting or relating to a person whose gender identity does not correspond to that person’s biological sex assigned at birth. Let me break this definition down for you.
In other words a transgender person is one who is born with evidential proof as to the gender God intended them to have. The key here is the self identification. This simplifies the transgender issue. If a person is a man or a woman by gender and “identifies” himself/herself as someone of the “opposite sex” then he has a psychological issue – not a biological one. He/she needs professional assistance to accept who he/she was born to be. This psyche issue doesn’t give a transgender the right to engage in activities that are correctly gender based – i.e.: using restrooms identified as being male and female. In opening this pandora’s box we have entertained allowing humanity to reverse the God designed gender order they were born with.
We have to get a handle on this issue…fast. If not this will invade every facet of male and female identification evidence that effects us as a God created world. I don’t think those who introduced this perversion of creation knows what they’ve done. It’s obvious they don’t. It’s also obvious that those proponents of this disillusionment are rejecting God in all of His creation. More so they are resisting their God given sexual identification. To change this identificaiton is to assume their choice above God’s choice for them at birth.
There’s another term that can be thrown into the transgender mix. It is the term cisgender. According to dictionary.com cisgender is defined as: noting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s biological sex assigned at birth.
If you do not have perverted and confused illusions as to your biological gender assigned at birth then you are a cisgender. You then are psychologically balanced in your gender thinking and self evaluation.
dictionary.com has made this relatively easy to debate…if there is real debate to have at all. The operative language in the above definitions is “biological sex assigned at birth.” There really is no other way to put the argument of gender. I like the “assigned” operative. In other words someone, somewhere, made an assignment to a person when they were created in their mother’s womb. Oh, did I say something outside the gender argument? I mentioned the biological word “womb” which as far as I know can only be assigned to the female gender. And the last time I checked it is only the female gender who can give birth to a human being. If you think you’re a woman and don’t have the corresponding biological sexual identity evidence otherwise – then you’re a man. No matter what you think of yourself, how you look at yourself or how much you hate your assigned gender – you are a man. If you can’t handle that biological fact then you may need to seek out corrective psychological assistance to accept your birth assignment. To deny your bio assignment is deny the God who assigned it to you. This is both a psychological issue and a spiritual one. Your heart (spirit nature) needs to be redeemed from the perversion of sin so that your mind can be transformed intot the mind of Christ. Our spiritual nature always will positively impact our psychological health.
While there are a boat load of scriptures that give foundation to the biological creative doctrine I want to throw some scripture on the table in closing my unsolicited opinion on the transgender issue.
Romans 1:20-32 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (21) For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (23) and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (24) Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. (25) For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (26) For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, (27) and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (28) And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (29) being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; (32) and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Now let me share with you a few of these verses as they are found in the translation “The Message”.
Romans 1:26-27,32 Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either–women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. (27) Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men–all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it–emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. (32) And it’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care–worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!
It is quite obvious that being a cisgender does not equate with the growing abnormal dynamics of a sexual culture going awry. But as a cisgender I am advocating two things. First, I want to say that is hope for any transgender who is struggling to accept your God assigned lot in life as a man or woman. There are professional folk who can give you the counseling you need to arrive at being a cisgender as opposed to being a transgender. The same God who created you with the biological identity evidence you were born with is the same God who loves you so much that He has given society professionally educated counselors to assist you with accepting your biological assignment. Second, I want you to know that while Christian cisgender’s may be marked as bigots we really are not. We just have this uncanny dynamic about us that accepts God in full creation. We believe that God is the one who “assigns” our biological birth identification. To attempt to change that either psychologically or surgically is to deny God. Call me a bigot if you choose but I will put the authority of Holy Writ above your self proclaimed and assumed authority to change your biological birth assignment. Scripture is clear on the issue. To change your birth assignment in any manner is to deny God, resist His authority and bear the consequences of that denial. On the other hand God is merciful and gracious to us to forgive us of all our sin. The frightening part of the above scripture is found in verse 32 of Romans 1: (32) And it’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care–worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!
To change the transgender issue will start with a change of “caring”. Through faith, compassion, and agape love, Christian’s can prove that God is the only answer for this sexaul
We eliminate the transgender issue by accepting our cisgender assignment. Simple. Not complicated at all. The complication is the result of our “futile speculations” (Romans 1.21) instead of accepting God – even in our biological assignment in life.
It is all too common lately. Police officers being gunned down without reason. This is one of the most frightening reports I believe we, as American citizens, can hear or witness outside of a foreign military attack on our nation. This is clear evidence of civility going backward instead of forward.
A law enforcement friend of mine sent me a text recently. He reminded me of a quote at a Marine barracks in Rota, Spain. “When civilized man refuses to fight, uncivilized man takes over.” What we are seeing across America is the manifestation of something more than the mere lack of civilization. It is the seed of evil at its worse. Civilized man, law abiding man, must fight.
I understand that murder and mayhem found residence on earth shortly after God created Adam and Eve. Violence and its association with death introduced us to grief nearly 6000 years ago. Sin has been pushing the limits on ending life near as long as the righteousness introduced to cover that sin. I get the fact that sin, violence, and murder have been with us for a long, long time. Cop killing takes murder to another level.
But the unmitigated attacks on law enforcement officers in this nation is a deeper issue than evidenced by the anger of a small group shouting “Black Lives Matter!” As a civilized nation, all lives matter. When we become the nation both God and our forefathers intended us to be – we won’t allow color, race, religion nor ethnicity initiate violence against one another. This issue is deeper than any anger initiated by offensive human behavior in any form. While the loss of life in any murder is sad and tears apart families and communities – killing a cop is taking the life of someone representing God’s delegated authority on earth.
I believe that this is a spiritual issue. Before you go off on me and accuse me of being hyper-spiritual – let me explain myself. I am a Christian. I believe in the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. I believe in creation. I believe in law and order as established by God with the introduction of the ten commandments. The root of societal order and human behavior lie with the fact that God Himself introduced us to law. He gave us ten simple commandments that kept by all would give us peace, happiness and security among ourselves. HIs laws were rejected. When law and order is rejected we have the manifestation of evil looking for a place to take root.
Paul the apostle, moved upon by the Holy Spirit, wrote this about law and the enforcement of it.
Romans 13:1-5 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (3) For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; (4) for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. (5) Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience‘ sake.
From creation, God established boundaries. He started with Adam and Even. When they broke the “law” there was consequence for their action. Nothing has changed since then. When law breakers resist authority (Romans 13.2) they are to be held accountable. This is the choice of a just, merciful and graceful God. When law is broken, the action of the law breaker has opposed the ordinance of God. We forget sometimes that law enforcement officers have to pull the trigger only because someone has broken the law in the first place. Remember, law was established for those who are evil not good.
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul goes on to say that law breakers should “be afraid.” Why? Obviously because their breaking the law brings the “minister of God”, the law enforcer, to bring “wrath” (judgement) on the one who “practices evil”. Somewhere along the line we have dismissed the structure that God Himself established as good, righteous and just.
Let’s break this down:
I don’t know where we get the idea that the law breaker has more rights and authority then those ordained to keep it. Are there law officers who push the limits? Yes. Should they be held accountable? Absolutely! Any law enforcement officer who breaks the laws they were ordained to uphold becomes subject to the law. When a law enforcement officer steps outside the regulations established to keep him/her within civil behavior then they themselves are “law breakers” and become “evil” themselves. They then become subject to the conscience of civil law authorities.
Every law breaker, regardless of who they are, is to be held accountable to the law. Law was established by God and therefore law breakers are in His sight – evil. Therefore law breakers are evil and this makes lawlessness a spiritual matter. When civil men, without conviction and conscience of established law, act without accountability to evil influence, lawlessness prevails. We have an issue we need to correct in America! Lawlessness! The rebellion against law and the outright anger being displayed against law enforcement officers is from the root of evil – i.e.: Satan himself.
I believe this present evil manifested against law enforcement officers is nothing less than the anti-Christ spirit already at work in the earth (1 John 4.3). It is lawlessness that needs to be harnessed. The fact that someone can murder a law enforcement officer without remorse is the epitome of evil. It has to end. It must stop. Cop killers should be held to the highest standard of “vengeance” because in all reality, they have taken the life of a “minister of law” – established and ordained by God Himself. They have taken the life of a law keeper who authority has been delegated to him/her by God. Murder is evil within itself but to murder someone delegated by God to keep law is to spit in the face of God Himself.
It is time for civility to return to the streets of America. It is time for righteous men to take a stand and speak up and speak out against cop killing. When someone takes the life of a law enforcement officer they are acting against the established authority of God and should be brought to justice “for conscience sake” (Romans 13.5). When we refuse to hold cop killers accountable, when we say nothing, when we are afraid of our own voice in resisting the evil among us, then we are the ones without a conscience. For the righteous sake of conscience – lets stop the cop killing!
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