The Last Straw (Dec 05)

Paula McDonald's original story, "The Last Straw," is about a mother who gets stressed out during the Christmas season—(I didn't say it was entirely original.) With all of the bickering and arguing between the four kids, Kelly and Eric stood out as the worst—absolutely horrible to each other. Then she remembered her grandmother's age-old custom of making the birth of the Christ-child more real. Each week, the family members would pick a name and then secretly do kind things for that person.

With each good deed, a straw would be placed in the manger—making it ready for the coming of Jesus. It seemed to be working overall, but mother noticed that Eric was always unhappy, and on the last week, he ran up to his room crying. When Mom and Dad tried to discover the problem, he was packing his little suitcase and declared that he was going to his snow fort across the street and would be back right after Christmas. They let him go, but shortly after, Mom went over. His story gushed out with his tears—he had picked Kelly's name each week and had done much for her, even loaning her his favorite race cars—which she broke! It was the straw that broke the camel's back—he was afraid he would haul off and hit her, ruining Christmas for one and all—just as the baby Jesus was brought out. Mom suggested that she and Eric switch names, which was fine by Eric. But when she went up to secretly turn down Kelly's bed, it was already done, and there, on the pillow, was another race car. Eric had placed the last straw!

I know Christmas is not just a matter of doing nice things for nice people, or even for people we don't especially like. But it is about a God who loved us so much that He would become one of us, giving Himself for all—including those who don’t especially like Him. Eric was having a pretty tough time of it, but something—or Someone—spoke to his heart of the true meaning of Christmas—Love! Yes, Love—love so powerful and real that it transforms the heart as well as the situation. A.W. Tozer once wrote, "A simple-hearted man was once asked how he managed to live in such a state of tranquility even though surrounded by circumstances that were anything but pleasant. His answer was as profound as it was simple: 'I have learned to cooperate with the inevitable!'" He is not speaking of fatalism, or even denying the freedom of the human will. On the contrary, he is asserting that freedom unashamedly!

You see, we cannot control everything around us, but we can determine our attitudes towards it. We can accept God's will, no matter what! If our will is to do God's will, then we will have no place of irritation or argument—even when we would normally feel that the circumstance was the last straw! I believe we see this in Luke 1—the story of Zechariah the priest. He and his wife, Elizabeth, would eventually be the parents of Jesus' forerunner, John the Baptist—"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3). It happened at the temple—even in the midst of worship. While he was within, all the people were outside in prayer. You see, they knew their need—ever since Adam and Eve, people had chosen their own direction and their own understanding. It would seem that this first straw in the Garden of Eden would have been the last straw for God, knowing how much God hates sin. But He allowed them to go for centuries—Judges and Kings; Prophets and even the Babylonian exile—straw after straw after straw. Was it now time for the last one?

As the incense ascended, an angel descended to the right side of the altar. In the Greek, the "right" side refers to that which grabs a hold of something. The angel had indeed grabbed a hold of Zechariah's attention—…"he was troubled, and fear fell upon him." (vs. 12) This "trouble" refers to a stirring or agitation. But how can that be?—the message of the angel was one of Good News—the child that he and his wife had been praying for was finally coming, even in their old age. But had he expected this?—"And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (vss. 14-17)

Wow! Did you see how many "shalls" are in this prophecy? Maybe this is why Zechariah is so flabbergasted—"Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years."(vs. 18) What is really happening here? Does his unbelief stem from a limited view of answered prayer—he and his wife were praying for a baby, but God seems to be sending a fireball of a deliverer? Is he just simply startled by how definite God's plan seems to be—no wiggle room, no place for his own ideas? Could be! But really it doesn't matter—unbelief, no matter what the source, is sin! Oh, sure, back in verse 6, he is declared to be, "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless," but that was then, and this is now. It is one thing to follow the Lord in the past, but what about right now—in the brand new situation that has just come our way?

We know that God had a problem with Zechariah's initial response, because the angel declares that he will not be able to speak until the child is born. Now, this is not to say that God hatesmercy! For the next nine months, he would NOT be able to utter another word of unbelief. He would have plenty of time to consider one simple fact—God is God and he is not! Physiologically, nine months is the time that God takes to bring a human life into this world, and while He is doing so in this family, He is also bringing an ever deepening spiritual life into Zechariah. It is all a matter of authority—will he, and will we, come under God's authority, through Jesus Christ, believing and obeying His Holy Word. Will we let God make the alterations, using the circumstances of our lives, as He sees fit? Have we finally come to the point of just trusting Him to know what He is doing, and know in the depths of our beings "…that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose?" (Romans 8:28) Have we learned to cooperate with the inevitable, and if we haven't, will we now do so—by the grace of God?
Zechariah and is now punishing him—on the contrary, this is actually His

So much of the picture is attitude—receiving His attitude of authority! Oswald Chambers once wrote, "Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our minds from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from true faith in God. Until we get back into a quite mood before him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives." Oh, His wonderful authority? No longer having to figure out what would be best in my life. No longer running here or there to hear a new Word, but settling into the truth of the Bible that is right before me. No longer trying to justify my own understanding of obedience to God, but now coming under the true authority that will produce both true faith and obedience, without all the wrangling and excuses. No longer making claims of spirituality and devotion, when there is virtually no hunger for a strong word of conviction or a desire to be changed body, mind, and spirit. No longer demanding that I know what others need, including my own family, when the end result of that way is a running away from God—not toHis authority, all of life changes. Now that doesn't mean that all my problems just vanish into thin air, but they might as well have—they are no longer my focus. Praise God for the last straw—the authority of Jesus, which is expressed vividly in the humble coming of God to a manger that starry night—this is my glorious focus!
Him! Praise God—when I come under

Ironic, isn't it? On that first Christmas, though the world was teeming around them in its busyness, Mary and Joseph had settled into a quiet stable to witness Love coming down from heaven. The Psalmist writes, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." (46:10-11) But today, the whole season of Christmas is often nothing but a helter-skelter hub-bub of confusion and clamor. Learn from Zechariah—we need that "quiet mood" before the Lord. No more expressions of unbelief; just total surrender and submission to His authoritative will. In this, we place the last straw in the manger of our hearts, becoming ready for His Christmas!

Giving Thanks: The Thing That Ye Shall Do (Nov 05)

The story is told of a retired man who volunteered to entertain patients in nursing homes and hospitals with his portable keyboard. He told some jokes, sang some songs, and even went from room to room to see those who couldn't gather. When he finished in one room, he told the elderly gentleman, "I hope you get better." To which he replied, "I hope you get better, too!" OOOOO—that hurt!

As one who goes to several nursing homes to teach Bible Studies during the week and lead worship services on Sunday afternoon, I can identify with the above story. I think it speaks a very deep spiritual truth, as well. Shouldn't the goal of every Christian be better than that—not just to "get better," but to be so led by the power of the Holy Spirit, that, as each day passes, we are more and more conformed into the perfect image of our Lord Jesus Christ? Is not the life God intends us to live to be ever-filled with a thankful Spirit for all that the Lord provides, for His miraculous keeping, and for a powerful anticipation of all He has yet to do in us and through us?

I see this in 2 Kings 11, which contains the story of how seven year-old Jehoash came to rule Judah at just the right time. How did it happen? Well, Athaliah, the daughter of wicked King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, ascended to the throne when her son, King Ahaziah, was killed in a purge led by Jehu. Now this presented a very real problem, for she was the only ruler of Judah, to date, who had not been in the Davidic line. Years before, the prophet Nathan had promised David—"And thine house and thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."(2 Samuel 7:16) The situation was further complicated when Queen Athaliah "…arose and destroyed all the seed royal,"—meaning, she attempted to rid Judah of all of David's descendants, killing even all of her own grandsons. That was her plan, but, Thank God, that was not the Lord's plan. In all of the mayhem of the ensuing bloodbath, Jehosheba, the wife of the godly High Priest Jehoiada, was able to hide the queen's own infant grandson, Jehoash, and thereby, save his life.

And amazingly, not just for a few days—with the Lord's protective hand, she was able to keep him away from the queen for six whole years—right in one of the chambers of the Temple. Queen Athaliah's reign of terror couldn't touch him, because God had a plan—after all, if David's line were terminated, from where would the Messiah come? In the seventh year, the High Priest Jehoiada sent for and gathered 500 captains, guards, and Levites from all over Judah. In giving them their instruction, he said, "This is the thing that ye shall do," (vs.5a)—one third of those who came on duty during the Sabbath were to be divided into three parts. One band was to stand guard at the palace; another group was to guard the palace exit, known as the Gate of Sur; and the last detail was to guard the approach to the palace. The other two-thirds were to guard the Temple and the young future king. And they weren't just standing around with their hands in their pockets—"…ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in." (vs. 8) They even had to take an oath, swearing their allegiance to the king!

Absolutely every precaution was taken to ensure that the rightful heir to the throne lives long enough to ascend that throne. And, Oh, what a picture it puts before us! God has every intention of protecting and preserving the life of Christ that He plants in His people. Remember—when the Lord calls us into one life, it is intended to mean that we leave the old one behind. A.W. Tozer once wrote, "The same grace that saves, teaches the believer inwardly, and its teaching is both negative and positive. Negatively, it teaches us to deny ungodliness and even the most logical of our plans and our own order. Positively, it teaches us to live righteously, embracing God's order and His leading—right here in this present world. Remember—the best way to keep the enemy out is to keep Christ in!" On one hand, there is the guarding of the palace—this is where the wicked queen is. Every effort is made to keep her in her own place, and to make sure she has no contact with Jehoash. On the other hand, the majority of the guards are placed around the precious boy—no one who shouldn't get close to him, gets close to him. Christ in, Enemy out!

Most people today think that Christianity is a matter of discerning good from evil, and doing their best to avoid the latter. But that is a gross over simplification! Evil is not just the obvious, like Germany's Adolph Hitler, North Korea's Kim Jong II, or Iraq's Saddam Hussein. Multiple thousands sit in communist and Muslim-state prisons even this very day—for the true faith! Why? The Bible says that Satan is the "prince of this world." (John 12:31) First John 5:19, tells us, "The whole world lieth in the evil one." (RV, 1881) In other words, the wholeif they don't come from the power of the Holy Spirit. For example, many equate salvation with infant baptism, absolutely denying the Biblical call to surrender and a changed heart. Others suggest salvation is found in a sinner's prayer or even repentance—no, they are fruit of salvation, not the cause of it. We are saved by grace through faith—the same grace that brings us out of one life and into another. All other ideas were concocted by Satan!
world, and all of its systems, have satanic fingerprints all over them. And that goes for our own plans, agendas, and logical ways of doing things, as well—

Do you see it, yet? All who would come to the Lord and be filled with Him, must also be emptied—not just of the obviously evil, but of every bit of our own strength, abilities, and ideas. But how, and where does it lead? Well, it "happens" in absolute surrender to the Lord's heart, and we see where it leads in verse 12—"And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king." The boy had always been set apart for the Lord's service, but now it was official! The Hebrew word for "crown" is "nayzer," which ultimately points to the King of kings and Lord of lords, who would be raised up hundreds of years later in "Nazar"eth! But notice, the boy is also given "the testimony." Probably referring to the Ten Commandments, they speak forth that a godly rule will only be found in following His expectations. All previous crowns were of the flesh (2 Samuel 1 and 12)—this crown has power, and power comes in praising God for His Holy Word! Remember—Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law; He came to fulfill it! Christ in, Enemy out!

Oh, sure, not everybody is going to like it—the world won't, and its boss, Satan, won't, either. When Athaliah heard all the commotion and came running, she cried, "Treason, treason." (vs. 14b) They quite promptly took her outside the temple and killed her—for all evil must be unceremoniously cast out of the house of the Lord and destroyed. But who will do it? Who will take a stand on the truth of God's Word nowadays? The High Priest Jehoiada did when he established a covenant between the king, the Lord, and all of the people. And the result today?—"…they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Rev. 12:11)

Immediately, the house of Baal was destroyed, as was it's priest, Mattan. In the ensuing months, Jehoash proceeded to oversee the repairs to the temple, but did he go all the way? Tragically, no—before the next Chapter is done, he buckles to a foreign king and down he goes! Yes, there isall the way—a heart thankful for God's logic. Recently, a Northern Sudanese soldier yelled at the captive Christian, "Sing this Muslim Creed, or you will die!" As the soldier pressed a huge knife to his throat, the Christian could see the hatred in his eyes that had killed so many others. Logic told him, "Sing! God knows you are under pressure. Why give up your life for not saying a few words you don't believe anyway? On the other hand, he knew that the Bible taught that a person's words have power. Would a blasphemous confession be powerful, too? Even if he didn't mean it? The questions seemed to do battle in his mind—his logic was fighting his love for Christ! Many before him had refused to sing it, and they died. They stated that Christ living in them could not sing such a song, and therefore, they faced the blade. They were already dead in Christ—dead to sin, dead to human logic, one more death didn't matter—they had Jesus! Oh, give thanks—there is a thing we must do—Christ in, Enemy out! All of Christ, AND all of the Enemy! a thing that ye shall do, and that thing must go

Storm Watchers (Oct 05)

A pediatric nurse had the formidable assignment of giving immunization shots to young children. One day, a mother and her four-year-old daughter, Lizzie, entered the medical center for such a shot. When the little girl saw the needle coming, she screamed, "NO! NO! NO!" "Lizzie!!!" her mother scolded. "That is not polite behavior, by any means!" At that, little Lizzie yelled at the top of her lungs, "NO, THANK YOU! NO, THANK YOU! NO, THANK YOU!"

Obviously, somebody misunderstood! Or, did she? She really didn't want that shot, and whatever it would take to get out of it, was worthwhile. Acts 27 reveals a different attitude in Paul—he knew he was to go to Rome as a prisoner. He had most certainly been through manyAny devastation is but a tiny glimpse of God's final judgment against all sin!
storms—beatings, scourgings, and persecutions of all sorts—but there was yet another storm on the horizon. A few weeks ago, our gulf coast—and indeed the whole nation—experienced a horrendous hurricane called Katrina. Even as I write these words, the storm watchers are keeping an eye on yet another one—Rita. With all of the devastation, many find it hard to believe, let alone even say, that God is in control. But it is true! If God is truly God, He could have stopped it—right? But He didn’t! He must, therefore, have a purpose in letting it happen—He is most certainly trying to draw all of us away from our sin and into a powerful relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul was evidently a storm watcher, too! There was no National Weather Service or Doppler radar, but he had use of the best forecasting and warning system ever—the Holy Spirit! Having been obviously warned by that Spirit, Paul told them, "Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives." (Acts 27:10) But the master and owner of the ship disagreed, and so did the centurion, the latter listening to their voices and not Paul's. In fact, the majority wouldn't listen to the warning, and decided to risk it and keep sailing. They wouldn't even say, "NO, THANK YOU,"—they just flatly said, "NO! NO! NO!" Oh, it began as a soft southerly breeze, but in due time, "there arose against (them) a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon." (vs. 14) This combination of Greek words refers to an east wind and amazing storm surges. These storms blow from all points, the danger coming in the uncertainty of its course. You got it—it’s a hurricane! Well, the ship got caught in it, and what a mess! They drew up "helps", or ropes, down under the belly of the ship to try to help support it in the crashing waves. The next day, they lightened the ship of all non-essentials. The third day, they even threw the tackling overboard—they were desperate! In fact, Luke even tells us, "And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away."

Well, there is no small tempest that has descended upon this land, and many don't even recognize it. The true Word of God has been ravaged. In recent years, several new translations have emerged, leaving out literally hundreds of verses. On purpose, too—some very crucial doctrines are minimized and even lost. My wife and I have been reading a devotional book compiled from the writings of Andrew Murray, but the editor has used the New Living Translation for its Scriptures. It is not even a real translation, but a paraphrase, and we have found it to be in error quite often. Remember—when the Bible is diluted, it is polluted! One of the worst is Eugene Peterson's "The Message." It isn't even close enough to call it a paraphrase—it is just what the author wanted it to say. I have personally compared many verses, and have found it to be way off base much of the time.

I thought the storm couldn't get any worse than that, but it has. Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and Eugene Peterson (mentioned above) have come together to produce the "The Renovare' Spiritual Formation Study Bible." In this "Study?" Bible, these New Age thinkers are leading many to embrace the satanic techniques of Eastern mysticism and use them in Christianity. Referring to "faith formation" and "spiritual discipline," which sound like noble endeavors, they draw the reader into meditation, visualization, and the occult. Years ago, before I was saved, I tried to use some of these things—super Christianizing them, of course—but they still had the same root, namely demonic efforts to empty the mind in order to possess it. (see Matt. 12:43-45) Foster even admits that he was taught these things by Agnes Sanford, who popularized "inner healing," which is a major source of occultism in the Charismatic movement. He even says, "Go deeper and deeper into outer space until there is nothing accept the warm presence of the eternal Creator. Rest in his presence. Listen quietly to any instruction given."
(p.27) This, my friends, is "astral projection," the occult technique used by shamans to contact their spirit guides. Watch out—this is nothing other than blasphemy!

Within the articles of "The Renovare'", Divine inspiration of the Bible is actually denied, relegating much of Scripture to myths, legends, and oral traditions that just happened to develop. In an effort to take away the truly prophetic nature of the Book of Daniel, these so-called scholars claim that, "We do not know who wrote it or exactly when it was written." The Bible itself answers these, but if you can say that something happened before the prophecy, then it isn't really prophecy—it is only reporting, and that doesn't take the Spirit of God. Many prophesies concerning Jesus, the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ, and the Millennium, among others, are made "figurative," making them "non-events." There are many other problems, but you get the point!

Well, the storm is even worse than that—without the power of the Holy Spirit, even the most accurate words have demonic influence. Remember—all order apart from God's Holy Spirit, no matter how good or logical it may seem, is satanic. A.W. Tozer once wrote, "Religious instruction, however sound, is not enough by itself. It brings light, but it can't bring sight. How many multiplied thousands have learned Scriptures and catechisms by heart and still wander in moral darkness simply because there has been no inward illumination by the Holy Spirit?"This storm is really raging, so every one of us had better watch it! THANK GOD—Paul gives a Spirit-led response. He begins with, "I told you so!" It sounds cruel, and even catty, but it must be said, for once the Holy Spirit states the case, the case must be stated by God's people. Others must know that they missed the warning. Paul then told the rest of the story—an angel had appeared to him and said, "Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee." (vs. 24) What a powerful spiritual picture—if Paul would just stay focused on the Lord, those with him would be drawn to embrace the same God. It's true today, too—your seeking of the Lord will influence others! When land was seen nearby, "they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day." (vs.29) Pretending to let down more anchors off the bow, the sailors let down the life boat and planned to get out while the getting was good. So many today do the same thing, abandoning true Christianity when the seas look a little rough, not willing to stay together as the Body of Christ. But Paul told the centurion, "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved." (vs.31) What a call to recognize Christ's Body, and see "…how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." (Psalm 133:1) So, the soldiers cut the ropes, making it possible for all to be saved—not just the sailors!

After two solid weeks of struggling with the storm and having not eaten, all were quite weak. We can not make it through the spiritual storm without sustenance, either—the true Bread of Life, which is the Spirit-filled Word of God—even Christ! Once nourished, they lightened the ship even more—they dumped the wheat, a picture of their own natural strength—stored up and ready to be used. Then it happened—they spotted a creek and decided to try to thrust the ship into it. So they took up the anchors and away they went! It is interesting in the Greek—"The anchors having cast off, they left in the sea." Remember, they had already lightened the load—it is not likely that they would raise the anchors and store them. NO, THANK YOU—they were done with whatever held them back. We, too, must be done with man-made gospels and worldly ways—cutting them away, and making for shore. But when the ship hit a sand bar and started to break up, the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners. But the centurion, having seen the power of God in both Paul and the storm, ordered that each must make their way on a piece of the ship. THANK GOD—the ship makes it, even in pieces, and all were saved! We are surely living in a stormy time—anybody hear the forecast for today?

The Tragedy of Funny Hearing (Sep 05)

A young mother, who lives in Virginia, spoke with her four-year-old son, Brent, as he asked about why all their relatives in Wisconsin "talked funny and sounded like their noses were plugged up." "They think we have the accent," she replied. "But they're the ones who have the accent, right?", asked Brent. "They talk funny." Trying to explain, his mother said, "Everybody talks in different ways—to them, we sound like we talk very slowly and all our words are d-r-a-w-n out." Brent's eyes got big, and he whispered seriously, "Oh no! You mean they hear funny, too?"

Well, as a Michigan transplant in Western Pennsylvania for over 30 years, I had better not go very much further with that—if you know what I mean—for both locales have their own idiosyncrasies. But let's not miss the point—when spiritual hearing is "funny", it can be quite tragic. In His Parable of the Sower, Jesus speaks of true hearing—"…on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." (Luke 8:15) When we allow the pressures and the pleasures of this life to rule and become our focus, our hearing becomes tragically "funny", and ultimately, the fruit of obedience to the will of God is no where to be found.

We see this same thing in Acts 20 as Paul concludes his third missionary journey—"And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (vss. 22-24) While he didn't know exactly what was going to happen, he did know that he had heard from the Holy Spirit quite correctly—Jerusalem was his next destination. For Jesus, for Paul, and for us, too, going to Jerusalem is a spiritual picture of waiting on the Lord, hearing directly from Him, and ultimately, being poured out for others.

In Acts 21, Paul speaks with the elders of the church in Ephesus, exhorting them to remain faithful, and saying good-bye to them for the last time—for he was truly on his way to Jerusalem. After a couple of more stops, Luke, the author of Acts, makes clear, "Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden." (vs. 3) I wonder if even this was meant by the Lord to be yet another word of direction for Paul. He, too, was about to be unloaded, so to speak—his precious life was about to come to an end, but not without a very special purpose! A little later, in His third and final appearance to Paul, as the latter sat in prison, Jesus declared, "Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." (23:11) In other words, Jerusalem was only a stop along the way to sharing the gospel with Caesar and his household.

But, Praise God, Paul doesn't know that part of the puzzle yet—he would have to proceed by faith, and yet, not without some potential roadblocks. Verse 4 tells us, "And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem." Now, the Holy Spirit was not changing His mind and forbidding Paul to go—these Christians were simply wrong in their assessment, spurred by their love for Paul. God was giving him even more warning of what to expect if he were obedient to the call—suffering for Christ's sake. Oh, the mercy of God—in all of this, the Lord was preparing Paul's heart for the difficulties ahead. Do you see the need for true spiritual discernment?

What a powerful warning for us that we can't just flip-flop around in the directions we go, depending on how other people feel about it. We need to hear it directly from the Lord and His Word, and not listen to other voices that contradict God's way. Within a couple of days, Paul finds himself in the home of Philip the evangelist. This is the Philip we are told of in Acts 6 who was chosen with six other Spirit-filled men to help the disciples. At that time, a prophet named Agabus came into the area. Now this was not some false teacher like Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8); Agabus was the man who prophesied quite accurately the famine of 46 AD. (Acts 11:27-28) In other words, both Philip and Agabus were credible and their assessments could indeed be trusted. Upon Agabus' arrival, "he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem." (21:11-12) Wow! Now everyone is trying to stop Paul! Is that what you heard, too? Oh, watch out for "funny" hearing—Agabus didn't say that! He didn't say not to go; only that Paul would suffer for Christ's sake if he did, the very message Paul himself had received from the Holy Spirit. This wasn't a change of direction; it was an amazing confirmation of the Lord's will!

There are so many voices today competing for our attention, and many people think that one voice is just as good as another. I remember several years ago, I was having a conversation with a regional leader of my former denomination. A vote was coming up at the national General Assembly concerning homo-sexuality. I had just stated that the Scriptures, which were inspired by the Holy Spirit, were amply clear on this subject, condemning it as an abomination (Gen. 18-19; Lev. 20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rom. 1:26-28; etc.). His opinion was that the Holy Spirit speaks differently, depending on the times—intimating that now ordination of homosexuals was fine with God. Absurd and even blasphemous! The problem is, that contrary to popular opinion today, we are not entitled to our own opinions. I hadn't expressed my own; I had expressed God's! When we are looking for direction, we often run to voices, or even make up our own, desiring to hear what we want to hear. Zodhiates' "Wordstudy" emphatically states that man's glory is his opinion—"shifty, uncertain, and often based on error." On the other hand, God's"absolutely true and changless—His opinion marks the true value of things as they appear to the eternal mind." Even the unanimous wish of genuine caring believers is not necessarily the will of God. Paul told them, "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." (vs. 13) Praise God—he would rely on the personal guidance of the unchanging Holy Spirit and His unchanging Holy Word. And, Praise the Lord, now the other Christians agreed with God, too!
Glory is

A.W. Tozer once put it this way, "The work of the Holy Spirit in the human heart is not an unconscious or automatic thing. Human will and intelligence must yield to and cooperate with the intentions of God. Watchfulness, prayer, self-discipline, and submission in the purposes of God are indispensable to any real progress in holiness." How true! Now that the Lord has chosen us, we now can choose Him and live for Him—His way! This very thing was recently seen in Islamic Tajikistan. Contrary to popular opinion, this religion is not about peace, but of hatred for God's truth and His people. One Sunday, a group of Muslims rocked a church with several explosions. The bombs left bodies and blood strewn all over the "sanctuary." An elderly woman lay on the floor with her blood-stained Bible lying next to her. It was opened to the page where she had just circled three verses—"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Cor. 4:7-9)

Had she heard God "funny"? She was destroyed, and yet God had said she wouldn't be. No, the enemy may have broken the woman's body—her clay jar—but it was only then that her treasure glistened for all to see. And since it still glistens today as you hear of it, how can that be totally bad? The Psalmist, having been too hasty himself to blame God, declared—"For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee." (31:21) Corrie ten Boom, a holocaust survivor, knew from experience, "There is no pit too deep that God is not deeper still." This Fall, let Him draw you out of the pit of changing personal opinions, and begin to make your way to Jerusalem. Come away from the tragedy of "funny" hearing, and go with Jesus—His way!

Irreplaceable (Aug 05)

A little six year old boy called his mother from his friend Charlie's house and confessed that he had just broken a lamp by throwing a football in their living room. You can well imagine his mother's reaction to the news, but the boy tried to calm her down by explaining further, "But, Mom, you don't have to worry about buying another one—Charlie's mother said that it was irreplaceable."

Whew! Well, in that case, no problem, right? Wrong! Evidently, the young boy's understanding of the word "irreplaceable" is different from Charlie's Mom's. Oh, how important it is to have a truewe want, but in reality, we need to go by God's definition—going as far as He wants. So many think that the Spirit-filled life is optional and that they can just go along as they see fit. A.W. Tozer put it this way: "The Holy Spirit and fallen human self are actually diametrically opposed. Before the Spirit of God can work creatively in our hearts, He must condemn and slay the 'flesh' within us. To do this, He must have our full consent to displace the natural self with the person of Christ—a personal crucifixion and then raised to new life. Self is dethroned and Christ is enthroned forever!"
understanding, especially when it comes to spiritual things! So many today think the Christian life is just a matter of going as far with the Lord as

Lets turn to Acts 18 to see this truth lived out on one of Paul's missionary journeys—"…a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John." (Acts 18:24,25) His name—Apollos—the name of a pagan deity, and in the Greek, meaning "to destroy fully," helps us to understand the choices before him. He had already decided to replace his pagan heritage with a truly Godly one, repenting of his sins and being baptized for their remission. But eloquence and instruction wouldn't cut it—would he go deeper than that?

It turns out, Paul's associates, Aquila and Priscilla, "took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly." (vs. 26) With this further revelation of Jesus and the fulness of His Spirit, Apollos would then travel through Achaia, "showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ." (vs.28b) Obviously, Apollos had not only been willing to crucify the natural "self" and sacrifice his pride, but he also gave the Lord full consent to replace everything with the power of the Holy Spirit. Self was dethroned and Christ was enthroned, to reign and rule over every aspect of his daily life!

Now when Paul arrived in Ephesus, we see it all played out again—"…finding certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism." (Acts 19:1b-3) So, who were these people, or, more importantly, where were they—spiritually, that is? Were they true Christians or were they just disciples of John the Baptist? Some believe they were just followers of John, still waiting for the Messiah. But if that were true, they were not following John's teachings very carefully, for he himself had pointed to Jesus, and told everyone, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Others suggest that these Ephesians were truly saved already, since Paul himself recognized that they were believers. In either case, it is clear that these 12 Ephesian disciples are not yet filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, for that is about to happen!

Clearly a choice had already been made though—to replace a pagan heritage with a godly one—first, in repentance and turning from sin, as indicated by John's baptism, and secondly, in a true saving belief in Jesus Christ. But would they be willing to go even deeper than that? Paul's previous question is really a powerful one. The Greek for their "having believed" is "pisteusantes," an aorist participle, which normally indicates an action prior to the action of the main verb, which, in this case, is the receiving of the Holy Spirit. So, literally, the question is, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit after you believed?" Of course, Paul is not speaking of the initial indwelling of the Holy Spirit that happens from the very moment of one's belief, conversion, and regeneration. No, he is speaking of an even deeper work of God that has been given into the hands of Jesus to perform. Even John the Baptist pointed to it, when he confessed, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." (Matthew 3: 11) It isn't that they hadn't actually heard of the Holy Spirit, for they had certainly done so through the message of John. What they hadn't been aware of was the present day outpouring of that Spirit. They were then baptized in the name of Jesus, consenting to a new covenant of God, replacing the natural man with the Spirit of Christ. And then even more happened—"…when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied." (vs. 6)

Praise God—we would, in the natural, think that the things of God would be irreplaceable, but the call of God upon your heart and mine is so precious and so powerful, that as we submit to it, it is almost as though whatever has gone before is now replaced. 2 Peter 1 speaks of it as an "adding", but the resulting walk with the Lord is so much deeper than before, if feels as though the former things have been displaced by something much better. Peter tells us that, "…if these things be in you, and abound, (such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, brotherly kindness, and love) they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." (2 Peter 1:8-10) God never intended people to just "get saved" and just sit!

Do you see now just how crucial it is for our own spiritual walk to not refuse to go where God calls us to go? And not only for us, but what about for those around us, even if there is only one? Years ago, a famous evangelist from communist Eastern Europe, was overcome by a sense of failure, even though he had seen 200 respond to the gospel that night. After he had poured his heart and his life out in preaching, a teenage boy came up and said, "Pastor, I need to talk to you." The evangelist said that he was too tired and that the boy should return the next night. He never came back! The saddened evangelist recounts, "The Communists arrested me later that second evening. I was interrogated nonstop, day and night for five days. I answered all their questions because I feared the tortures and the beatings I would receive if I hadn't. Out of fear for the Communists, I could speak five days and nights without stopping. Out of love for God, however, I could not speak five minutes to that teenager looking for the way of life. He never came back! How will I stand before God and account for bringing only 200 to Christ that evening, and not 201?

Do you see how crucial it is to not let your faith-walk stall out? Whether it be in a self-centered life, with no thought for the Lord at all; or in the ritualistic warming of a pew, thinking all is fine; or in the midst of a curiosity of spiritual things; or in the joy of a born-again relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ; or in the glorious throes of being baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit; or in the ensuing days of ongoing Christian growth—don't let anything hinder your walk with the Lord! Matthew Henry once wrote, "If we desire to be in earnest in the great work of salvation, every pursuit and enjoyment must be given up which hinders the effect of the gospel upon the mind, or loosens it's hold upon the heart." Until the Lord comes again, which could be very, very soon, there will always be one more who needs the Lord. Understand this—we may be the onlyonly sermon preached to yet another soul. No longer let the natural man, with all of his logic and eloquence, with all of his instruction and fervency of human spirit, with all of his mightiness of even the Scriptures—no longer let this "Apollos" rule, for it only leads to destruction. Apollos needed Jesus and His fullness, and so did the Ephesians. We need Jesus and His fullness to replace everything else. Will you let His definitions be your definitions? Irreplaceable? No, it is very replaceable, so let Him do it right now! Bible read or the

Giving Heed in the Great Big Middle of it All (Jul 05)

A young father and his daughter were on a "get-a-way" cruise together. His wife and her mother had just passed away after a lengthy illness, and they were trying to do something to ease the pain. On the deck of the ship one beautiful morning, the little girl asked her father a very tough question—"Daddy, does God love us as much as Mommy did?" He didn't know what to say as he held back his own tears. It was a very important question—what should he say?

Finally, he pointed out across the water to the distant horizon. "Honey," he said, "God's love reaches out further than you can see in that direction." Turning around, he said, "And God's love extends out further than you can see in that direction, too. And God's love is higher than the vast sky, and deeper than the deep blue ocean." It was then the little girl uttered an amazing thing—"Just think, Daddy, we're right here in the great big middle of it all!" Imagine—what ought to be our response when we truly recognize that the Lord has planted us right in the great big middle of His immense and even boundless love and freedom?

Freedom! Defined in so many ways today, but in truth, it is giving heed to the Lord in every way! In Acts 8, we see this as we find Philip in Samaria. Jesus had said at His ascension, "…ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) Philip was currently in the third stage—not even at the finale—and he still finds himself in the great big middle of it all. Oh, what a lesson wethis Jew! God was about to do an amazing thing—if only people would give heed to it!
can learn from this—we don't have to be in the exciting climax of what God is intending to do in us and with us in order to see His amazing hand upon our lives. Philip is in the middle of Samaria; a land and a people hated by the Jews—but not by

Acts 8:6 spells it out—"And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." This "giving heed," in the Greek, refers to something that holds the mind, causing you to pay attention—not just a mental enthrallment, but even to the point of letting it be applied to your life, causing you to adhere to it. Yes, even to the point of hearing and seeing the miracles performed! Imagine—not just seeing, but hearing! The fact is, without this heart change, you can see a lot of things, but you won't really hear and perceive them as being from the Lord. Since He alone isis in control of all things. The true Christian recognizes this—sees and hears—and allows Him to have His way in this life. The immediate result is found in verse 8—"And there was great joy in that city." But what then? The Samaritans gave heed, "…when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." (vs.12) Praise God—they were gloriously saved!
Lord, He alone

But what now? Well, before we go further to see what happens to them, we are also told of a sorcerer in the area. What about him? This man, called Simon, had, "bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God." (vss. 9,10) Now, it would seem that he would be nothing but the proverbial "monkey wrench" in this powerful revival. BUT—look at verse 13—"Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs that were done." Right there—in the great big middle of it all, Simon the Sorcerer ends up in the same place as the Samaritans—believing and baptized! Once word got back to Jerusalem of this Samaritan revival, Peter and John—the "big guns"—were sent there to check it out. Note what happened next: "…when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." (vss. 15-17)

Praise God—previous to this, they had "believed," which, in the Greek, refers to putting faith in Jesus for their spiritual well-being, and they were baptized in water, a public expression of commitment. In other words, they were saved, but now God moves again. When the Spirit had "fallen" on them, according to the Greek, it seized them and embraced them—they were baptized in the Holy Spirit! (Matt. 3:11) This "receiving of the Holy Spirit" runs parallel to the Pentecost experience in Acts 2, and is also found throughout much of the rest of the book. In fact, Luke, the author of Acts, inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself, used this term primarily in an empowering sense—to equip the recipients for service and witness (1:8; 2:38; 10:47; 19:2; etc.). Both Philip and the apostles considered the Samaritan's faith to be valid, but whatever happened to Simon? Having experienced the same belief and the same baptism, he then took a completely different path. When he saw the others get filled with the Spirit, he thought it would be great to have the ability to impart that power to others—so, he offered the apostles money for it. Not only would that be great, but he would be great!

Do you see his downfall? He failed to give heed to what the Lord was saying and doing. It no longer held his mind, and instead of applying the truth to his life to change it, he went back to the philosophies and motivations of his former life. Now I know that many would object here, and claim that Simon was never saved in the first place, BUT immediately after the Bible says that the Samaritans believed and were baptized, the very next verse says, "Then Simon himself believed also…" Notice the word "also"—no indication whatsoever that at that point, there was any difference between them. Face it—if it weren't possible to backslide, there wouldn't be hundreds of warnings throughout Scripture concerning it. But let's not get all bogged down in that age-old debate of who's saved and who is not; the real question that must be answered is, "Where am I right now?"

It may not have been Simon's conscious decision to walk away from the Lord, but when he stopped giving heed to what the Lord was speaking into his life, he did choose to leave Jesus. It is likely Simon was planning to use this new power for the Lord, but he was going to do it all hishe was at the center of his own great big middle of it all, and the Lord was on the outside. Peter told him that he and his money would perish—physically, spiritually, and even eternally. Furthermore he said, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." (vs. 21) Peter also told him to repent of his sin, for "thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." (vs. 23) It doesn't really matter where Simon's heart was back at the beginning; where is it at this point? Certainly, it is not good! In fact, the metaphor of gall and bitterness refers to a deadly poison, and the "bond" speaks of an increase and a growing up…BUT, it is in the area of iniquity!
way. In fact, as he resorted to being "The Great One,"

The apostle Paul told one of his churches, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth…? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1a, 3) Oh, how possible it is to veer off in our own directions—if we cease to want His! Whenever we start to add anything to Jesus—our own strength, abilities, thinking, or works—we cease to give heed to His call to surrender and let His blood shed on Calvary pay the total price for our own freedom from sin and our subsequent Christian growth. If we cram our lives full—even in our service to the Lord—and don't let the Holy Spirit define our lives—we cease to give heed. This "giving heed," Oswald Chambers says, "is where our individual desires die and the sanctified life lives. If you abandon everything to Jesus, and come when He says, 'Come,' then He will continue to say 'Come,' to you and through you. You will go out into the world reproducing the echo of Christ's 'Come.' That is the result in every soul that truly comes to Jesus and continues to abandon all to have Him in His fullness." Simon would not continue—even when told to repent, he just asks the apostles to pray for Him. Oh, it's good to desire prayer, but Simon only desires to not have anything bad happen to him—this is not true repentance! Will you not only come and give heed, but also be the "Come" that calls out to others to do the same? Will you give heed and let His Holy Spirit bring you into true freedom—freedom from sin—right in the great big middle of all of Him?

Don't Take It So Seriously! (Jun 05)

A traffic officer stopped a woman for a minor violation. After examining her driver's license, he said, "You know something, this is one of the finest, most realistic pictures I have ever seen. It's refreshing to see that you are not one of those vain women who has her photo retouched to remove all the lines in her face." To which she quickly and coldly responded, "Sir, you are looking at my thumbprint!"

Oh, how important a true seeing can be, to which, I'm sure, that officer would now concur! Do you remember back to your school days and not being able to see the board clearly? Did you ask to sit up front, or did you spend your time squinting? In recent weeks, our church has been looking at the lives of the first disciples, but now the one before us could cause us to squint! There is so little known about him, we don't think we can "see" him clearly—and if we can't see him, how can we take him seriously? In Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18, he is called Simon the Canaanite, but how much can we glean from that?

Plenty! Some suggest his home to be in Cana, where Jesus turned the water into wine. Others speak more generally of the entire region of Canaan. But both are probably wrong—in the Hebrew, it is "Kana", meaning ardent or zealous. In Luke 6:15, he is called just that—"Simon called Zelotes," also translated, "the Zealot."(NIV) The Zealots were the Pharisees of the Pharisees—the strictest of the rabbinical schools. According to the Zealots, the Roman Empire had destroyed the independence of Israel, and made it impossible to keep all of the Mosaic laws. Centered in Galilee, they stirred up rebellion and sedition against Rome, while at the same time, looking for their own brand of Messiah—a political deliverer.

In response to this insurgency, the Roman generals Titus and Vespasion destroyed Jerusalem and its temple. The Jewish last stand would be at Masada, the great impregnable fortress of Herod. In 71 AD, General Silva laid siege to hundreds of Jews who were holed up behind its massive walls. With great determination, the Roman armies slowly built an earthen ramp up to its gates. Anticipating the upcoming massacre, the armies were shocked to find that all but three of the Jews were dead—they had cast lots to see who would kill whom. They would not die at the tip of the Roman sword, and so Masada became a Jewish symbol of heroism—similar to the Texan Alamo. It is quite probable, that at first, this Zealot, Simon, was looking to Jesus to be that Deliverer. Perhaps Jesus' persistent announcements that His Kingdom was not of this world redirected Simon's focus. Maybe through constant discipleship at the feet of Jesus, the hatred for Rome in Simon's heart vanished. His new leader, Jesus, had no use for hatred or violence—He spoke of love for God, vindication of the truth, love even for enemies, and doing good to those who use you. Simon soon learned that his greatest enemy was not Rome, but sin and separation from God. This ardent, and possibly violent, revolutionary laid his zeal at the feet of Jesus, and thereby, became a fiery herald for the Lord's Gospel.

Acts 1:13 makes it clear that Simon is still called a Zealot even after the ministry of Jesus, implying his zeal continued. Jesus didn’t just "clean up" his worldly zeal and now use it for His own cause; Simon had taken his fervency to the foot of the cross and laid it down. From then on, it wouldn't be his zeal, but Christ's. The late Leonard Ravenhill called it "Love Ablaze,"—that is, love with the glow of heavenly light. Simon's zeal would no longer be powered by sin; now it is against it! Both he and His new Master would know the reality of Psalm 69:9—"the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me," implying that zeal will bring us to see clearly the reproach of sin, taking it personally and seriously. This reminds me of a little boy who sat in church with his mother as the pastor preached a stirring message on the suffering and death of Jesus. Soon the boy started to cry. The mother, in embarrassment, leaned over and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't take it so seriously." That's right—Don't take it so seriously!

That, my friends, is precisely the problem today! A.W. Tozer saw it coming years ago when he wrote, "Men and women will gather anywhere and everywhere to talk about every subject on the planet, but the conversations stop when anyone dares to suggest that there are spiritual subjects of vital importance to our souls that must be considered. There seems to be an unwritten rule in our politically correct society that if any religious subjects are to be discussed, it must be within the framework of theory—'never let it get personal!'" Some today are even willing to say, "Go ahead and attend church if you want to, but you don't have to take it any further than that—you can live for yourself the rest of the week!" In other words, dead and ritualistic Christianity is enough—just as long as you believe in something. I have actually heard people say that their faith is personal, and therefore, it is private. In other words, "Leave me alone, because I don't want to be challenged to go any deeper. I just want to sit in church, looking like death warmed over—if even that—and still claim to know the Lord." No, that won't work! Where is the zeal for righteousness, holiness, purity, and obedience, which are the hallmarks of true Christianity? In the Greek, the word is "zelos", referring to a heat that produces ardor and fervency. The word is also used of the Lord Himself, being "jealous" of His people—expecting fidelity and faithfulness. In these days, where will it be found?

True zeal takes the Lord very seriously, not being afraid or ashamed to set the Cross in the face of a Godless world. So many today shrink in fear when they get a demeaning glance or a joking rebuke. Today's "quiet religion" apologizes, "I haven't anything to say," but that does not square with the vision of the heavenly beings who say with their voices, "Holy, Holy, Holy," and they weren't even redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God!!! Some will then say, "Well, I worship God in my own heart." I wonder if they do—I wonder if they are simply excusing the fact that they have not generated enough spiritual heat to even get their mouths open. And remember—if you are going to rely on your heart in this, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9) I would much rather trust in what God's word says—the Bible links faith to expression, and faith that never gets expression is not a Biblical faith.

Daniel Webster, one of the greatest statesmen this country has ever known, was at a banquet in his own honor. One man asked, "Sir, what is the greatest thought that ever entered into your mind?" Without hesitation, Mr. Webster responded, "The greatest thought that ever entered my mind was the thought of my responsibility to God." As he spoke, he wept and finally excused himself in order to regain his composure. Upon his return to the room, he proceeded to elaborate for thirty minutes on his responsibility before his God. If we truly realized what God has done for us through Jesus Christ—both at Calvary and in the upper room on Pentecost—no one could stop us in our praise to Him. The zeal for His house would eat us up! It consumed Simon—sometime after he and the others were baptized in Holy Spirit and fire on Pentecost, the Lord sent him out to Egypt. Historical records indicate that after Simon preached throughout Northern Africa, he was led to Spain and even Britain. At that time, Boadicea, the queen of Britain, came against the Roman forces that had occupied her land. Incredible stories of extermination and destruction in London caused many to flee to the south. Simon may very well have been in that number, as the reports next place him in Palestine. Had his fervency been extinguished?

No! His zealous love for the Lord still blazed in his heart and life! Some records indicate that Simon then set out with his fellow disciple Judas Thaddeaus into Syria, Mesopotamia, and eventually, Persia. It was there that Judas was clubbed to death and Simon was sawn in half—while still alive! Why? For their zealous faith. Why? A lot of people don't like to see zeal for the Lord in other people. Why? I think it sort of reminds them that they should be on fire for the Lord, as well. Imagine—sawn in half! Do you see it? I mean, do you really see it—clearly? Read Acts 2—the purging fire of the Holy Spirit and the power of the indwelling Spirit of God has already been poured out. Now it is our turn to receive it—how seriously will you take it? More accurately—how seriously will you take Him? These aren't just words, this zeal is true saving faith in Christ—anything less, isn't!

Now It's Our Turn: Come and See! (May 05)

One of the most popular comedy teams of the radio era was George Burns and Gracie Allen. In "real" life, Gracie was actually a bright businesswoman, but, on the program, she played a naïve, and even ditzy, wife. One time, her new electric clock wouldn't keep time, but the repairman couldn't find the problem—except that it wasn't plugged in. Gracie declared, "Oh, I know that! I didn't want to waste electricity, so I only plug it in when I want to know what time it is."

I'm sure it was a funny bit, but, Oh, how tragic when it so aptly describes what often happens in the spiritual realm. So often, the world can get us to think we are wasting our energy if we stay "plugged into" the only true source we need—the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit. Many today are looking for that "something" that is missing in their lives, but looking for it in all the wrong places—looking to themselves, to others, and to worldly ways. Even in churches today, many are being encouraged to believe that God's ways are not the only ways to accomplish His will. Tragic!

The disciple Nathanael provides for us a very powerful and insightful picture of how one can avoid such tragedy. In John 1: 43-51, Jesus finds Philip, and calls him to follow. Philip then finds his friend Nathanael and tells him, "We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (vs. 45b) What would be his reaction? He flatly declared, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (vs. 46a) You see, Nazareth, and all of Galilee, for that matter, had a very bad reputation—it was known as the home of riffraff, dissidents, and leaders of rebellion. Nathanael's comment seems to be prejudicial, but I don't think so. His question actually arose out of true humility, not con-descending pride.

You see, Nathanael was from Galilee as well—Cana, in fact, just a few miles from Nazareth (John 21:4). He was probably thinking, "Surely the Messiah could never come from such a poor despised people as us—whether He be from Nazareth or any other Galilean town." Praise God—Philip didn't just give up, considering Nathanael to not be worthy of any further pursuit. No, Philip simply told him, "Come and see." (vs. 46b) It is crucial—people need to meet Jesus personally, and never make their decisions about Him based on someone else's experience. True Christianity will always be a matter of coming and seeing, and that is precisely what Nathanael did. No soft soap, no compromise, no watering down the truth to placate him, no sugar coating, and no soft mood music to entice him to the altar to sign a decision card. No, he came and met Jesus, and before Nathanael could get a word out—before he even got close enough—Jesus declared, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (vs. 47b)

First, notice Jesus' immediate take on Nathanael—he was an Israelite indeed—a true Jew! Jesus was referring to his character and disposition, not just his ethnic background. He saw him as a genuine son of the covenant—honest and open. Paul said in Romans 9:6 that "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." In other words, Jews are not true Jews just because they have Jewish blood. The same thing is true in Christianity—you can spend an hour or two warming a pew, but that doesn’t make you a true Christian. A true one will live by the Scriptures according to purity, holiness and obedience—not just say he is. Secondly, notice we are told he was also without guile. The Greek word is "dolos," and it refers to a decoy, trick, or bait. Nathanael was not a false follower of God, a decoy leading others astray. His "trueness" was obvious in his character and in his relationships—he just loved God! How do we know?

That is the third point—he was under the fig tree! That seems like an odd place to be, but in the East, it was a very common occurrence. It was the classic Biblical picture of the personal place of meditation—a prayer closet, as Jesus Himself would refer to it in Matt. 6:6. The devout Jew would sit under his own fig tree in his own yard contemplating the Word of God. Nathanael wanted to know Him, not just know about Him. So, he asked Jesus, "Whence knowest thou me?" (vs. 48a) Jesus' answer was quite unexpected—"I saw you while you were in your prayer closet…In essence, I'm the one you were praying to; I'm the Word of God that you were meditating on." BAM—like blazing rockets going off in his mind and heart—he knew immediately, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." (vs. 49) He wasn't just guessing it—he knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt! He had had a close, personal relationship with the Lord in prayer and in the Word, and now he was face to face! Nathanael could recognize Him so assuredly because he had already known Him—he already knew the Son of God and the King of Israel. Now, it is our turn! And, Oh, what a reward awaits all who enter into that true and guileless surrender—"Thou shalt see greater things than these" (vs. 50b). Nathanael would come to see the cross, the shed blood, the empty tomb, the fullness of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—and these are indeed greater things! Praise God for His mercy!

But that is not all! Notice as the Gospel writer John makes the transition from verse 50 to the 51st—"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John goes from the singular "thou" to the plural "ye," emphasizing that the greater things are intended to be seen by one and all. But do we want to? Do we want to see heaven opened, not just at the rapture or at the end of the world, but right now—seeing Him as the only One who can conform us into His own image? Do our entire lives show that we want Him to rule every aspect of our relationships, just as the Holy Spirit ruled His? Remember, He said, "the Son of man"—He didn’t just do all this because He was God, and so we, as human beings, don’t have to enter into it! No, now it is our turn to be filled with that same Spirit! True Christians will indeed overcome without guile—no faking people out with false senses of security. His Church will be living the Word, not just professing it; and doing so, not out of legalism, but out of love—His redeeming love!

A.W. Tozer, the great preacher of the 20th Century, put it this way, "Let a man become enamored by Eternal Wisdom, and set his heart to win her, and he takes on himself a full-time, all-engaging pursuit! Thereafter, his whole life will be filled with seekings and findings, self-repudiation, disciplines, and daily dyings, as he is crucified unto the world and the world is crucified unto him. The heart that learns to die with Christ soon knows the blessed experience of rising with Him, and all the world's persecutions cannot still the high note of joy that springs up in the soul that has become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit." Praise God—true, guileless faith requires that we believe everything God has said about Himself, and everything He has said about us! Modern religion wants to stress the "niceness" of God, and the misfortune and victimization of man. Heresy! Oh, not that we don't have a very good God, but His goodness includes judgment against all falseness, that is, sin. We are not victims; we are sinners—and that can't just be psychoanalyzed away; it must be washed away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

How much do you want to know the truth of Jesus, to love Jesus, and to be with Him? After Nathanael and the others were baptized in the Holy Spirit and His fire, they were sent all over the world. Historical writings put forth that when some went up into Asia Minor, Nathanael witnessed his friend Philip skewered with metal rods through the thighs and hung from a pillar to die—and all for the love of Jesus! Later, Nathanael himself was flayed alive, and then crucified without his skin—all for the love of Jesus! And don’t slough it off because it was so long ago—just a few years ago, 28 Christians from the North Korean village of Goksan were threatened by the Communists with death if they didn’t forsake their Jesus. All quietly refused. When the parents were told their children would be hung, one mother whispered to her daughter, "Today, my love, I will see you in heaven." All of the children were then hung! The remaining believers were brought onto the pavement and ordered to lie down in front of a huge steamroller. "Deny your Jesus," declared the Communists. As the driver started the heavy piece of equipment, the singing from the villagers started softly, "More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee." You know what happened next—and all for the love of Jesus! What a waste! Or was it? They came, they saw, they knew, they loved, and they stayed plugged in, not worrying at all if they were "wasting" their energy—now, it is our turn!

The Triumph of Telephoto Time (Apr 05)

A father and his small son were standing in front of the tiger's cage at the zoo. As the father explained how ferocious a tiger can be, his son listened on with a very serious expression on his face. "Dad," the boy finally said, "if the tiger got out of his cage and ate you up…" "Yes, son?" the father said expectantly. "What bus should I take home?" the boy continued. WOW—that is either the epitome of planning ahead, or, more likely, the height of self-centeredness! Praise God—He has every intention of bringing us out of our own focus, and into His! And this He does in a very amazing way! Let me illustrate this with a digital camera—my still camera can reach out and bring things in right up close, all of the way to 10x. My digital camcorder can go to 18x normally, but up to 900x digitally. Using a tripod, I have seen each needle on the top branch of a 75' spruce tree in vivid detail, and the tree itself was 200' away! Incredible! But God's telephoto zoom is far more amazing than that! It can bring everything in the future and throughout eternity into the right-here-and-now!

Daniel, a prophet during the 70 year-long Babylonian captivity, was given a powerful vision of the "seventy weeks." In Daniel 9, the word "weeks" is translated as a unit of seven years, so 70 of them would represent 490 years. God revealed to Daniel that 69 of these 70 periods, ie. 483 years, would occur between the time of the commandment by Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One. Sir Robert Prince, in his book "The Coming Prince," presents a very detailed calculation of this time period. Allowing for leap years, 360 day "Biblical" years, and no "Year Zero" between BC and AD, he shows the 69 weeks ending the very year Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Can you hear God's telephoto time lens just whirring?

But it's not done yet—Prince's calculations bring it up even closer than that. This 173,880 day time period concludes on the Sunday before the crucifixion—the very day Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was publicly proclaimed to be Messiah and King! What an amazing thing! Before we see what else this telephoto lens can do, let's dwell on this setting for a time. When Jesus came close to Bethphage and Bethany, He sent two of His followers to retrieve a colt, the foal of a donkey. The gospel writer Matthew makes it clear that the mother of the donkey was also brought. But even if he hadn't mentioned that, you could have known it. Way back in Zechariah 9:9, God had declared, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Hundreds of years before this scene is actually lived out in life of Jesus, it was prophesied that it would happen. As God's telephoto time zooms in, He is seen as the only one who can bring all of eternity to bear on our individual lives.

But it goes even further back—way back in 1 Kings 1:33, we find King David arranging for the succession to the throne by his son Solomon as the latter rides on the back of the king's own mule—a symbol of the humility that both Solomon and Jesus would need on the road ahead. Now, before Jesus mounted the young donkey, some in the crowd laid their garments on the animal as a saddle, of sorts, while others laid theirs on the road ahead—a laying out of the red carpet, if you will. Once again, this is not new—way back in 2 Kings 9:13, we find that when Jehu was declared to be king, a similar honor was bestowed—and God's telephoto lens whirs right along! Other gospel accounts tell of branches being cut down and spread in the way, with John's gospel making it obvious that they were palm branches—a word, in the Greek, that speaks forth of the "uprightness" of the One who was passing over them. As Jesus rode, the multitude shouted, "…Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest." (Luke 19:38) They were quoting Psalm 118, adding their own recognition of Him being "King." And at the birth of Jesus, the shepherds heard a similar praise from the angels, but now the peace is not just for the earth; it is for all of heaven! Praise God—all through the centuries, His telephoto time focuses right in!

Remember—we had started with a vision in Daniel 9:24, and now we can see the underlying problem in Deuteronomy 9:24—"Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you." Originally, it spoke of Moses bemoaning the golden calf, but now the Pharisees set up their own idol— "Master, rebuke thy disciples." (vs. 39b) "Censure them, Jesus—we don't like what they are saying! It's true, but we don't like it!" Simply put, it's rebellion! What is Jesus' response to it?— "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (vs. 40) Even nature and all of God's creation knows who He is—King of kings and Lord of lords—and even if no one else will give Him the glory, the earth itself will! What a grievous thing it is when God's beloved human creation won't take the time to focus on Him or His glory!

As Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept over it. Why? Well, W.H. Griffith once wrote, "Let us sit at Christ's feet until we learn the secret of His tears, and beholding the sins and sorrows…weep over them, too.” Oh, how grievous—they should have known Him, and so should we—"If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!" (vs. 42b) They could have, you know, but their eyes were focused on their own "stuff," and the truth was hidden. In 40 years, their beloved temple, which had virtually become an idol to them, would be destroyed by the Romans, not even leaving one stone upon another—"because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." (vs. 44b) Every stone would proclaim the judgment of God against rebellion. That would be in their future, but what about ours? Well, amazingly, that is where God's telephoto lens comes in again! Daniel's vision of the 70 weeks didn't just zoom in on Palm Sunday and the Cross of Calvary—that was only 69 of them. Revelation declares that the 70th week—the last 7 years—will play out, encompassing the Rapture of the overcoming Body of Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-18), the rule and deception of the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27), and the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ (Rev. 19-21).

Oh, yes! It is true! All of it! And it's all coming very soon! Jesus had always said, that in the very last of days, the earth itself would proclaim His Kingship, even if people wouldn’t. For example, in Matthew 24, we are told that the closeness of His Second Coming would be marked by an amazing increase of earthquakes. Lo, and behold, before 1900, there was only one 7.2 or greater quake per decade. From 1900 until 1949, there were 3 per decade. In the 1950's, there were 9; the 60's saw 13; the 70's were rocked by 56; the 80's recorded 74; and, if that rate continued, the 1990's would have seen an amazing 125 major earthquakes! I never heard the exact tally, but it is clear that the world is being shaken. And it was only a small one that brought on that horrific Tsunami! Don't forget—when Jesus died on the Cross, the earth shook, rocks were split, and the dead were raised; when the stone from His tomb was rolled away, the earth shook again! And He is not done—"Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven…that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." (Heb. 12:26)

It has been God's focus from waaaay back. Psalm 114:5-6 declares, "What ailed thee…ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord." If a mountain actually "skipped," would not some of it fall off—you know, kind of like all of the mud and rock slides lately—faaaar more than usual? Focus and see His signs! Micah 1:3-4, Nahum 1:5, Psalm 97, 2 Peter 3:10-11, and hundreds of other Scriptures speak the same truth—God's telephoto time lens has had all of this in focus all along. Truly, He alone is the epitome of planning ahead—from before Daniel's day, to the Cross and the Resurrection, to our day and beyond, His telephoto time reveals Him to be in control of all things, and therefore, triumphant! A.W. Tozer once wrote, "Let no one apologize for the powerful emphasis Christianity lays upon the basic doctrine of the world to come. When Christ arose from death and ascended into heaven, He established forever three important facts—that this world has been condemned to ultimate dissolution; that the human spirit persists beyond the grave; and that there is indeed a world to come!" Praise God—Jesus Christ is risen; may His resurrected life triumph in our hearts and lives right now, and throughout all eternity!

In the Shadow of the Cross: Perfectly Logical? (Mar 05)

The boss was getting very, very frustrated with his new secretary. Every time the telephone would ring, she would ignore it and not answer it. One day, he just couldn't take it anymore and confronted her—"You must answer the phone!" "All right," she replied, "but it seems so silly. After all, nine times out of ten, it's for you!" It sounds crazy, but isn't that the way we often see it? No matter what God has to say in His word, whether it be direction or reprimand, many want to believe that nine times out of ten, it's for someone else. As we go through the Lenten season, it is absolutely crucial that we answer the phone, so to speak, for the Lord wants to speak something very clearly into our hearts right now. The Cross of Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of all of human history—even all of time was separated by it, B.C. and A.D. As the famous hymn puts it, "In the Cross of Christ I glory, towering o'er the wrecks of time"—this towering Cross casts a very long shadow! And just as shadows get longer in the setting sun, in these last of days, the Cross' shadow reaches out great distances to overshadow and influence so very many. Normally, we would focus on those right at the Cross on that ominous day, but let's take a broader perspective—let's go back to the very moment it's shadow first touched the disciple Simon Peter.

In Matthew 16, Jesus wants to know who people think He is. Then Jesus made it much more personal—"What do you think? It was Simon Peter who boldly answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (vs. 16b) In this very moment, Peter was taking it very personally—he didn't just think it; he knew it! After commending Peter for hearing directly from God, Jesus went on to declare, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (vs. 18) Peter was certainly center stage here—the "fisher of men" was evidently quite the "catch" himself!

But let's not misunderstand something here—Jesus was not setting up a line of supreme and infallible church leaders that would extend throughout the centuries. He is using a play-on-words here—in calling him "Peter," the Greek being "Petros," Jesus is labeling him "a small stone." But when He goes on to speak of a "rock," the Greek is "Petra," meaning "a massive rock or a rocky cliff." In other words, the Church would not be built on Peter per se, but on His adamant profession of the Gospel truth—Jesus Christ is the "Rock of Ages, Cleft for me," and as Peter would later come to know, "…the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word…" (1 Peter 2:7b,8) While many won't submit to this crucial call, the true church will! And when they allow that to be full and real in them, Jesus is no longer an offense—and the stumbling ceases.

What about Peter and his faith-walk? He seems to be doing great, but then the bomb drops—Jesus will suffer, die, and be raised three days later. From our perspective—on this side of the Cross and the empty tomb—this new message seems to be Good News, but it isn't to Peter—he "…took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee." (vs. 22) Did you hear that? Did Peter just tell Jesus He was…wrong? How many times have we done that by refusing to surrender to His ways…fully? Human logic says, "No way!" He is savior—how can He possibly die? But in mercy, Jesus now rebukes Peter and says, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (vs. 23) Oh my, from mountain-top euphoria to the darkest valley in just a few minutes! Corrie ten Boom once said, "Faith brings us on highways that make our reasoning dizzy." You see, when we get all wrapped up in human logic, we miss the blissful eternity of God's perfect logic!

A. W. Tozer spoke of it, too—"Real faith is not the stuff dreams are made of; rather, it is tough, practical, and altogether realistic—a world not of fiction, but of fact!" This reality will go beyond the stark fact that Jesus would suffer, die, and rise again to take away our sin. Yes, it is true—this work of the Cross would pay the eternally mandated price for sin, even death of the sinless Son of the living God. But it is perfectly logical that since such a price has been paid, that the beneficiaries of such an arrangement—namely, you and me—would enter into it…and stay there! The call for Peter and us is not to just visit the Cross at special times of the year, but to live in it. Peter, however, would continue to flip-flop around in his own logic until he was baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire! (see Mt. 26:31-35; Luke 22:54-62; Acts 2)

Let me show you what I mean. After Jesus' announcement that He would be "rejected" and even "slain", Luke gives this small but significant detail—"And He said to them all." (9:23a) Praise God—His word is for all! Verses 23b-26 declare, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels." The italics in this passage are my own, for I want us all—every one of us—to see and experience something here.

Everyone of these words—"rejected," "slain," "deny," "lose," and "cast away,"—all incorporate the Greek prefix "apo," which inserts the proposition, "from." In other words, Jesus' being rejected points to His separation from the ritualistic, dead religion of the day. As His followers, we will also come out from the dead ministries that promote entertainment, self-gratification, and indulgence. Now, beware—these churches don't look dead because they are packed, perpetually growing, and inundated with programs. As they focus on prosperity hype, purpose-driven everything, and other such foolishness, they prove their spiritual deadness by redefining repentance. In this, Christ and His true church are "slain," while sin and self live on. If you, however, will be dead to these—sin and self, you will find yourself to be considered "dead" by many around you, who would rather that you "lighten up." Many pastors today won't even hardly mention sin in their preaching, let alone stand against it. And yet, this is the very center of the Gospel—"the remission of sin"—literally in the Greek, "standing against sin." As we come with Jesus under the shadow of the Cross, we won't promote "self," but, rather, deny it—and not just occasionally, but daily! So many have turned the faith-walk into just a past experience at an altar—or for some, even just the moment of church membership—and then assume they are saved, no matter how much the life doesn't line up. Many "Christians" are totally wrapped up in themselves, refusing to be connected to, or even dependent upon, others in the Body of Christ—not caring one iota about what people go through. Quite frankly, this is rebellion, and to continue in it, is stubbornness. 1 Sam. 15:23 says, "…Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." It's demonic! No wonder Jesus said for Satan to get back behind Him! G. Steinberger once wrote, "Herein we learn to understand the meaning of the Cross, to comprehend its power, and to walk in its shadow. The deepest meaning of the Cross is to give up one's self." When Jesus mentions the "losing" of life, in the Greek, it means to come away from that which we had. If our whole focus in life is to get what we want, and thereby, saving and keeping our own lives, we lose—right now and throughout all eternity!

Lastly, Jesus warns us of refusing to follow Him His way—we will be "cast away" from His redeeming presence. Do you see it? Peter, as well as each and everyone of us, are being called away from human logic that can even want God, but in our own way, and into a perfect logic that is vitally connected to a faithful surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is perfectly logical that the Lord, in His boundless love, would call us away from our own ideas and into His, for as Peter himself would later say, He is,"…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9b) The phone is ringing, and it’s the "Boss" who is calling! Answer it! This Lenten season, don't just visit the Cross; truly enter into its all-enveloping shadow and influence through true repentance, and live right there!