What If It's True?

STILLED THE STORM!

Manipulating God

"You, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth" Psalm 97 

Lawrence beamed at the capacity audience in San Francisco; the sixth stop of his Worldwide Evangelical Movement tour. "God is sitting on his throne, waiting for you to give him a hint. That's right, God is leaning forward, anxious to hear your requests so he can give you what you desire in the deepest place in your heart. He made you to abide with him some day and until that day, he wants to make you happy and satisfied. 

"Have you been passed over for that promotion? God knows and wants to release the blessings of that new job to you. Can't find that special person to complete you? God is aware of that missing piece in your puzzle of life as well. What about the home you keep driving by, wishing it was yours? Yes, my friends, God is fully aware of your needs and he wants to fulfill them, make you happy and give you the greatest, most fulfilling experience that life has to offer. 

"I know some of you are thinking something like, 'How can I ever afford that home I truly want? I need a better job and less debt.' Friends, God is the God of satisfaction and delight. He made you and knows how to make you satisfied and content on this earth as you prepare for eternal life with him.  

Lawrence became silent, walking back and forth on the platform, scanning the audience as he moved. And then, "What is the key to unlocking God's blessings, you ask? Sacrifice. Yes, it is sacrifice. Think of how he showed his love for us. Sacrifice! He sacrificed his own Son so we could have this wonderful life. And now he expects us to learn that same sacrifice. God GAVE so we could live and now it is our turn. We must sacrificially GIVE to release those blessings from heaven."  

By now Lawrence was commanding the audience with his fine-tuned and powerful voice, it was as though he hypnotized them...Give, give give. Sacrificially give. Give when you don't think you can. God is waiting. Release those blessings from the throne of God." They were on their feet as the army of ushers passed buckets across the rows of excited, believing people. 

Does this scenario sound familiar? Do you have, perhaps secretly, desires that you hope God will bring to pass to make your life better? Desires of more money, better job, better marriage, better body, bigger house? If you do, admit it to God. As the famous southern pastor, J. Vernon Mcgee once said, "You might as well tell Him because He knows anyway." 

God does understand our secret desires of wealth, health, homes, trips, etc. But what he wants for us is far better. Does anyone really believe that God sent his only Son, Jesus, to live and die for us so that we could have more money, bigger homes, better cars, and more fun? Jesus did give sacrificially, didn't he? His sacrifice was given freely so you and I could experience redemption and forgiveness of sins. Surely we can see clearly that Christ did not experience such an excruciating torture and death so we could accumulate more stuff on earth. 

Psalm 97:1-5  The Lord rules! Let the earth rejoice! Let all the islands celebrate! Clouds and thick darkness surround God. His throne is built on righteousness and justice. Fire proceeds before him, burning up his enemies on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees it and trembles! The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of the whole world! 

Our lives are actually spiritual. As such our warfare is taking place in the spiritual realms, every day...every hour. God's great sacrifice has made it possible for us to walk in the spirit, guided by the Holy Spirit. As we gear up each day with the Armor of God, we engage in the battle prepared and protected by God. Do you see material things as important in this daily battle for souls and lives? 

Ephesians 6:10-17  In conclusion be strong—not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless resource. Put on God’s complete armour so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s methods of attack. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organisations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil. Therefore you must wear the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power, and that even when you have fought to a standstill you may still stand your ground.  

Take your stand then with truth as your belt, righteousness your breastplate, the Gospel of peace firmly on your feet, salvation as your helmet and in your hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Above all be sure you take faith as your shield, for it can quench every burning missile the enemy hurls at you. Pray at all times with every kind of spiritual prayer, keeping alert and persistent as you pray for all Christ’s men and women. 

Men and women who claim to speak for God but seek to gratify their flesh are, in truth, serving the enemy of our soul and feeding their own flesh. The Bible tells us to die to the flesh: 

Romans 8:12-16  So then, my brothers, you can see that we have no particular reason to feel grateful to our sensual nature, or to live life on the level of the instincts. Indeed that way of living leads to certain spiritual death. But if on the other hand you cut the nerve of your instinctive actions by obeying the Spirit, you are on the way to real living. 

All who follow the leading of God’s Spirit are God’s own sons. Nor are you meant to relapse into the old slavish attitude of fear—you have been adopted into the very family circle of God and you can say with a full heart, “Father, my Father”. The Spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God. Think what that means. If we are his children we share his treasures, and all that Christ claims as his will belong to all of us as well! Yes, if we share in his suffering we shall certainly share in his glory.    

A man left his house early one morning to attend a Bible study. It was then he saw an obstacle! A flat tire. Not low but dead flat. He had no time to change a tire. He pondered his situation and felt God nudge him to have faith that He would take care of the tire. So, he prayed and believed that God would do the impossible. 

He drove three miles to a gas station, filled the tire with air and drove to the study. The tire never leaked or deflated again. Life is spiritual! 

Statement of Faith

I believe in One God, the Creator of all things, visible I believe that within the nature of the One True God, there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are coequal in power, nature and eternity.

I believe that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God, but the Son of Man, who was born into this world of a virgin, lived as a man among men, suffered and died for our sins and was physically and literally resurrected from the dead, that He ascended back to Heaven and is alive today, seated at the right hand of the Father. He Himself is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the one to whom every knee shall one day bow.

I believe that all mankind is helplessly lost, separated from God, and that the only path to reconciliation with God is personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Salvation is therefore the free gift of eternal life, bought and paid for by the death of Christ on the cross.

I believe that Jesus Christ will one day return physically and literally to this world at the climax of the age, at which time the dead of all time will be raised and judged according to God’s mercy and righteousness.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world today revealing Jesus Christ, convicting of sin, and empowering the Church. I believe in the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian as proclaimed in the scripture and lived out down through the ages. What the Holy Spirit did in the time of the Apostles, He desires to do today!

I believe that the Bible is a gift from God, written by men who were moved by the Holy Spirit. I can think of no better proclamation that what the scripture itself gives us in regard to our faith concerning the Bible:

“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

-II Timothy 3:16-17

I believe in One Church, comprised of all true believers in Jesus Christ, regardless of race, or denominational creed, and that Jesus Christ Himself is the Head and Lord of this Church.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

CONDEMNATION OR FORGIVENESS?

At first, Allen held his shield of faith high, deflecting those fiery satanic darts, extinguishing them quickly. But as time wore on, his shield seemed heavier and his focus scattered so it wasn’t held as high. A little space is all Satan needs for those darts. He is an excellent marksman.

            Time passed, Allen’s attention shifted, his shield dropped lower. More darts hit their mark. Allen seemed less positive about his faith and standing in Christ. He found doubt to be a normal part of his life, slowly replacing faith, slowly dropping his shield.

            Until finally, Allen didn’t bother to put on his armor at all. His shield of faith was somewhere in the closet, under a pile of doubt and insecurity.

If only I'd (done or not done) that. I should’ve seen that coming; saved more money; got rid of that credit card; been more honest with them; studied harder; finished the project on time. . . and so the little accusing voice (fiery darts) within our minds goes, piling on guilt and condemnation. The Bible clearly says, however, that there is no condemnation for believers. Will I listen to the condemning voice (not God) or the uplifting, encouraging one (God)?

            Romans 8:1-2  So there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² For the power of the life-giving Spirit—and this power is mine through Christ Jesus—has freed me from the vicious circle of sin and death.

            Romans 8:9-11  But you are not carnal but spiritual if the Spirit of God finds a home within you. You cannot, indeed, be a Christian at all unless you have something of his Spirit in you. Now if Christ does live within you his presence means that your sinful nature is dead, but your spirit becomes alive because of the righteousness he brings with him. I said that our nature is “dead” in the presence of Christ, and so it is, because of its sin. Nevertheless once the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives within you he will, by that same Spirit, bring to your whole being new strength and vitality.

            Romans 8:14-15  For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, Abba! Father!

            Galatians 4:6  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!

            Romans 8:28, 31  Moreover we know that to those who love God, who are called according to his plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good. What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us?

 John 1:12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

            God's rescue is eternal and very personal. He prepared the way by allowing Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God,  to be crucified so we may experience not only joy for the moment, but a joy everlasting. Well aware of our weaknesses, He implanted His Holy Spirit in our hearts, our souls—preparing  an immediate, incorruptible two-way communication system between us and Himself.

            And what of your shield of faith? Is it shiny and dent-free, hanging on the wall or hidden in the closet? Or is it covered with dings, dents, scrapes and black spots where those fiery darts were extinguished?

Floundering or Flourishing?

“But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.” Romans 12:24

            My friend had been a Christian for 15 years, having the same combination of joys and struggles most of us have, when he began listening to a pastor who proclaimed that God wanted all believers to enjoy prosperity, better jobs, health, happiness and that elusive promotion.

            “God loves you so much,” the man said, “that he wants you to enjoy your piece of heaven right now while you're here on earth. Don't believe the talk about a recession or bad economic times,” he continued, “it is during these times that God moves all obstacles in our way so we can prosper and be an example to the world!”

            After listening for several months and sending his tithe and offerings, suggested by the pastor (as you give so shall you reap), his overall fortunes took a dive. My friend was floundering. He was discouraged and disappointed with God. Instead of realizing that the pastor was in error, he looked higher and fixed the blame on God. His heavenly dispensing machine had failed to produce according to his wishes.

            My friend had been lured away by the promises of a worldly pastor, using materialistic bounty to distort and confuse the truth of the Gospel.