A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Proverbs 29:11

The pastor in Gainseville, Florida who was planning on burning the Quran this Saturday on 9/11, has called it off. I’m glad, because he was acting the fool. Not because of his political beliefs or his Biblical convictions, whatever they may be. No, it was his intended actions and motives that belied his lack of wisdom and understanding of God’s ways.

The anger of man cannot produce righteousness, and though I don’t know anywhere Solomon wrote this, it is possible to be right and still be wrong. In this case, Pastor Terry was within his First Amendment rights, and yet was wrong (I think that’s his name).

The kingdom of God will never come by and through force. The kingdom of God is not political, and it isn’t under threat by Islam or any other world religion. God is sovereign and He is in control of the affairs of man. He raises up those he chooses for His eternal purposes and He takes down whom He chooses, whenever He chooses.

Jesus said the kingdom influences the world in which we live like leaven in a lump of dough, not like a shotgun blast. The power of it’s influence is in its humility, justice, compassion, and authority which are not related in anyway to the abilities or anger of man.

The only thing that will yet come from this pastor’s highly publicized actions is that he will yet discredit the very gospel we preach and pray for the nations to believe in. Through the attention he garnered, he has promoted an ideology and philosophy that isn’t consistent with God’s heart or ways and he has drug you and I into it with him and lessened our credibility with the next person we speak to about Jesus and the Bible.

The world doesn’t need anymore excuses to mock the church; they have plenty. What they do need are reasons to stop and take pause of the sincerity, purity, authority, and humility of true godliness. That is what moves the hearts of men. Even then, most will not believe, but at least they will have less ammunition to use against us.

¹⁴ He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

¹⁸ Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” – 1 Kings 19:14; 18

In this account of Scripture, we find the great prophet Elijah hiding. He was hiding from a woman, the Queen of Israel, Jezebel. This account follows on the heels of the infamous story of Elijah taking on the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, 450 crazed prophets of the demon god called by that name. He stood boldly before them, challenging them to call upon their “god”. And after hours and hours of their chaotic, hypnotic, chanting and dancing that even included them cutting themselves with knives, their god never showed up. Elijah mocked them; even asking if maybe Baal wasn’t going to the bathroom or something, such was his boldness and confidence that day. Of course we know that Elijah then called on the name of the true and Living God and fire fell upon the altar consuming everything including the dirt around the altar!

But now, just a matter of days or perhaps even hours later we find him hiding in fear from Jezebel, fearing for his life. How could this happen? How could this happen to a man of God, a man anointed and called of God? Easily…because of the frailty of his humanity. Elijah was just a man like you and I. And because he was a man, we was vulnerable to all the snares and traps that so easily befall us in our walk and service of the Lord, especially those who are truly sincere and dedicated in their obedience to our Lord Jesus.

One of the most common traps we can fall into is the trap of believing that we are the “only one left”, the only one who is going through what we are currently going through, the only one who really understands, the only one who is really willing, the only one who would do what we have done, the only one who has had to endure like we have, the only one who has ever had to pay such a price, the only one, the only one….boo, hoo, hoo. Truly, there are many times we feel alone, misunderstood, and maybe even forsaken by God, but the truth is that there are always “7000 others who have never bowed down to Baal” as well. We are never the only one, in spite of how hard that may be to believe, and in spite of what we are feeling.

God is always greater than what I can see and feel. God’s purposes are always at work, even when I am hemmed in and constrained. God is always in control. God is ever the Victor. His sovereign purposes are eternal, and He views my current experience from an eternal vantage point. His providential love always keeps me, even when I feel “unkept”.

The Lord’s simple question to Elijah was, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Two times He asks him that question. The Lord’s response to Elijah’s pity party was in the question. “You’re not alone, you shouldn’t be here right now, you need to rise up again, get over your fear and pity, and stand again for me.” Today, we too must hear the Word of the Lord in that question. “What are you doing here?”

As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:48-50

We bore the likeness of the earthly man, Adam; from the moment we were born. We were born of man, by the will of man, and we inherited Adam’s nature. His nature was marred and fallen, and after sin entered his life it no longer resembled who he had been before.

There is much to this earthly likeness. Besides the frailty of our physical bodies as they age, the fallen visage permeates our souls and spirits as well. Because we were created in the image and likeness of God, we have the amazing capability of relating to the spirit realm, with a capacity to actually know the eternal God. But this quality has been reduced through sin’s effects to driving man to a worship of created things, denying the One who created them. Idolatry began in the Garden that day and it continues to this day in the heart of those who are earthly.

Jesus Christ was not of this earth. He was not earthly, in that He was born from above, not by the will of man, but of God. As a result His life was lived free from sin’s enslavement and limitations. The only limitations He experienced were those He willingly subjected Himself to. Becoming a man with a human body He experienced its weaknesses, and as a man He experienced the temptation that is the result of this world’s flow and direction. But because He was not earthly in His nature, He resisted temptation completely, and lived in this world without sinning.

But through the cross and its grave, and the subsequent resurrection Jesus overcame the power of the earthly man’s sentence due to his sin. As a man in the “likeness” of Adam, He provided for all who would put their faith in Him redemption from sin’s guilt, power and consequences.

We who have believed now bear in part, the likeness of the heavenly Man. It is in part, because it won’t be complete until we too are raised from the dead, and put on that which is eternal, immortal, and imperishable. Paul says, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” Nothing of the earth will suffice; nothing that bears the image of Adam will survive in that great and terrible Day. Only that which is born from above, the new creation of God will endure and participate in the reign of our God.

This life is a precursor to eternity. We are here to testify and witness to what is true life. We are not of this world, even as Jesus was not of this world. We are foreigners, pilgrims, yet with a great commission. Saints, keep your eyes on your true identity and your purpose for living. The times in which we live demand it.  Amen!

 ⁵Every valley shall be filled in,
      every mountain and hill made low.
   The crooked roads shall become straight,
      the rough ways smooth. Luke 3:5

The Christian life is to be is one steady climb from faith to faith. That faith takes us from immaturity and selfishness to maturity expressed in selflessness. And unlike the multitudes of those who are yet in their sin all around us, we have a clear hope and in our sights is a Kingdom that gives direction and purpose to our lives. Although it is not evident to the world, it is this clear prize and goal that gives momentum and impetus to our daily existence. As did Paul, we press on to take hold of that for which we were taken hold of.

As a result, though in this life there is heartache, disappointment, and trouble, the Christian’s life is not to be one of valley’s and mountains. We don’t have to live with the huge mood swings, in the valley of despair for hours, days, or weeks at a time. And we should not just live on the mountain of the last “high”, the last move of God, or the last “touch” from the Holy Spirit.

In spite of what is going on around me, in spite of what I am feeling that morning when I wake up, and in spite of what anyone else says or thinks of me at any given time, I live my life in the strength of a consistency that is based upon on what is true in Christ. The Kingdom of God that was manifest in the Lord Jesus Christ came to make a way for man to overcome sin and its consequences. It is the great “leveler”, the great “straightener” as it relates to the ups and downs of life and the twists and turns that can so easily cause us to live disoriented.

We have become adrenaline junkies in the western church. We need the next spiritual “fix” in order to get us through the day. Saints it is not to be so. Christ is enough. Knowing Jesus is enough. Salvation has come in the person of Jesus Christ and its effect on the life of each who receives its grace brings stability and a leveling that will allow us to continue to run with endurance the race that is before us.

If you find yourself in the valley or on the mountain today, know that it isn’t God’s will that you remain there. The cross and its power has filled in every valley and brought low every mountain. He has made the crooked road straight and the rough way smooth. Not smooth in that there will be no challenges, or so straight that we will not daily need His guidance. No, but it will be a grace empowered life we live, the Lord Jesus paying the price and having gone before us on this adventure we call life.

Consistency, perseverance, endurance, and stability are fruit of maturity. It is through these hearts that the glory of the Lord will be revealed. Rise up, strengthen yourselves in the Lord, and set your eyes on the goal of the race marked out for you…the goal is Christlikeness.

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:36

It doesn’t get any clearer than this. The Lord couldn’t have made His priorities more plain and certain. The kingdoms of this world will not and cannot be equated with the Kingdom of God. They are from two different realms, two different ages with two different masters.

Every kingdom and government on this earth is exactly that…earthly. It exists because God allows it to exist for His purposes until the time when His kingdom will be established in fullness in the new earth. We must not confuse man’s governance with God’s. The Word of God says we are to pray for those in authority in the earthly governments over us, so that we might live in peace. But to look to those governments for our future, for our well-being and for our children’s future is foolishness at least and idolatry at worst.

There is confusion in the church in America, where many are looking to politics as the answer for our nation. As much as godly national leaders would be welcomed and be a blessing, we must never confuse the clear delineation of the two kingdoms. The answer for this nation is the same as for every other nation on earth. The answer is found in the church. It’s the new life of Jesus Christ, the gospel and its cross, a new humanity that are citizens first of a heavenly kingdom and only then of earthly ones. The answer is a bended knee to the one true God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, we have a duty and responsibility as citizens of this great nation to engage and have our voices heard for the well-being of this nation and it’s citizens, but we must never allow ideologies, persuasions, allegiances, causes, and political platforms to become idols in our hearts and minds. The goal isn’t a Christian nation, the goal is making disciples, and the goal is reaching as many people as we can before the Lord returns.

When He returns every nation and government will bend their knee to Him; some maybe willingly, most unwillingly, but nevertheless they will bend before Him. Until then, we as His people must keep our focus clear and certain. As His church, whether we live in the U.S, Russia, Canada, China, Iran, or any other nation on earth, the primary focus of our attention and time must be heavenward.

When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.

Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquet. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely. Mark 12:38-40

True spirituality begins in the heart of a man. The tendency however, is to look on the outward, visible expressions of religion because they are the most easily seen and observed. In a day of technology, media, and mass marketing, the church must guard from the sin of false spirituality and return to the heart of the gospel, the transformation of a man from the inside out.

A kingdom heart takes no glory for one’s self. The glory must only and always be Jesus’ alone. A godly man or woman doesn’t expect recognition, prominence, or fame. There is no need for special treatment, perks, or accolade. The subtly of the spirit of the age will entice the leaders of the church to walk down the path that the entertainers, politicians, and CEO’s walk, but in this text, the Lord Jesus warns of its danger.

The leaders in Jesus’ time had no spiritual depth or understanding, so instead they were led by their carnal need for visibility and approval. Their spirituality was superficial, insincere and counterfeit. This is the danger of wandering from the heart of the gospel and the message of the cross. This is the result of rejecting the heart constraints that the ethos of the kingdom of God demands. It is deceiving and ultimately harms the church because it promotes a religion that is false and contrary to the ways of God.

The New Testament writers emphasized care for widows and orphans, giving in secret, prayer that was sincere, fasting that was unknown by others, and abandoning the titles that our flesh craves in order to guard our hearts. How greatly this is needed for the leaders who stand weekly in front of churches and are revered for their authority!

The heart of man has always been the issue with God. As 21st century followers, we have to regain an understanding of this as foundational for our faith and witness. The motivation is two fold; first because of the witness that is so desperately needed in a superficial culture, and secondly, in light of the warning that anything less is grievous to the heart of our God.

Lord Jesus, give us grace to return to the heart of the gospel, to your heart and your ways. Amen

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3

I’m always amused when I hear people say, “I found God in 1995.” I know what they are saying, but the truth is that no one “finds God”…He finds you.

Paul tells us that Christ is the mystery of God. He was hidden and veiled until the fullness of time when God made Him known. In Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and understanding, and Paul’s apostolic calling included the goal of encouraging the church in spirit in order that they would more fully comprehend this great mystery now revealed.

A man is going at it backwards if he is trying to gain wisdom and understanding in order that he might know or find God. To see this great mystery necessitates God making it known to you. In understanding and “seeing” the mystery of God as it is revealed, a man will then gain the wisdom and understanding he so desperately seeks.

This is an act of grace, God’s kindness at work bringing revelation to the spirit of a man, allowing him to see what cannot be seen, understand what cannot be known, and find what cannot be found by seeking, searching, or any work man can devise. Many men have spent their whole lives seeking what has already been revealed in Christ.

In Christ is hidden all the treasures man’s heart longs for. To know Him is to discover these treasures. May we, as did Paul, pray for a spirit of revelation having the eyes of our heart opened to the glorious riches that are in Christ. Yes Father, open my eyes to the great mystery now revealed…the glorioius Son of God.

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. Galatians 3:25

I’ve seen many movies where the plot contains the sad scenario of the unruly child being sent away to boarding school. It’s viewed by the child as a fate worse than death. To him or her it represents the loss of freedom, the need for total conformity, strict rules, swift and harsh discipline, and a school master who has little concern for their individual needs or desires. No wonder they dreaded it! Paul says very succinctly to the Galatian church, that is what the Law is to those under it.

He says, “Before faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.” He goes on to say that one of the purposes of the law was to serve as a “guardian” or “tutor” until faith came. It has the thought of what a young child needs, constant supervision and strict guidelines by which they have to live and learn. But when maturity came, they no longer needed the guardian.

The law was never meant by God to be the means we would relate to Him. The law though holy, could not change the heart of man; it could only regulate his outward behavior. It is a tutor, a guardian, and a strict school master that was given by God for a time, until faith would come.

Now, however, through faith in the redemptive work of God in Christ, the heart of man is no longer under the tutelage of the law. Faith has come and faith supercedes the law; faith in the Son of God, He who is the beginning of the new creation of God. The law is holy in that it reflects the righteous character and purity of our God, but it is no longer needed for man to know God, its work now finished. Now to know God a man must come through the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Him is the doorway and entrance now to God, to maturity and to life.

It’s amazing that so many people today, after their conversion, revert back to the schoolmaster. Saints, its work is finished! To return to the law is to return to boarding school, to the schoolmaster’s scrutiny, and a return to the loss of freedom. The mature Christian life is not conformity to the law, it is to live by faith in the Son of God.

Satanic deception leads to bondage. Bondage is not only the loss of freedom from sin; it is also the loss of freedom from legalism. Stay free saints of God. Abide in Christ and live free from the demands and scrutiny of the law.

 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however is found in Christ. Colossians 2:17

God’s intention from the beginning has been that one day all things would be summed up in Christ. All of the Father’s eternal purposes are found in His Son. Jesus is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. What this means is hard for us to comprehend with our finite minds and perspectives. But it is clear that in Jesus Christ, all that God has intended for mankind regarding life both here and now and into eternity is provided in Christ Jesus.

The Old Covenant dealt in types and shadows. Types that were an incomplete and insufficient picture of the fullness that Jesus would bring, and shadows that were at best only veiled glimpses into the glory of the Son of God. Paul writes to the Colossians that the reality is found in Christ. The blood of bulls and heifers could never cleanse the conscious of man, and their atonement was short-lived. They could only foreshadow the reality that the cross and its atonement would provide. The holiest of all feasts such as Passover were only a limited and preliminary foretelling of the power of the deliverance that would come from the blood of Christ. Even the Sabbath and its deep imprint on the hearts and lives of Israel was a mere hint at the complete and abiding rest that God would provide in His Son.

This is the danger of religious tradition. It quickly usurps the place that is reserved in man’s heart that the Father intended for His Son alone. The fall resulted in man needing to see what he worshipped. Today unfortunately, that remains true even in His church. We must never allow ourselves to make idols of shadows and incomplete reflections of the true glory, a glory that comes from the Son alone.

Jesus is the Reality of God. “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” John wrote. Truth, reality, substance, fullness, completeness, the beginning and the end describe this total work of God in and through His Son. We have everything we need for life and godliness in the Son of God. He truly is the “Yes” and “Amen” of God.

And now dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28

Once again the old apostle’s admonishment is out of the ordinary for 21st century western Christianity. “Continue in Him,” John says. “Continue in Him.”

This isn’t greatly different from Paul’s question to the Galatians when he asked, “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? After having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” The two men of God are saying basically the same thing.

It isn’t uncommon for the believer to start his or her walk of faith dependent and leaning into the grace of God. From a place of bondage, guilt, shame, and fear of God to be brought into freedom, cleansing and an experience of the deep love of God easily convinces the new believer that this walk is grace empowered and has nothing to do with his or her own effort. After all, no man who has been born again, cleansed of his sin, and delivered from the powers of darkness has willed that to happen. It happened apart from anything they could or did do. 

But something unfortunate happens to many along the way. Once the initial euphoria and sense of being loved and forgiven has diminished somewhat, so many then begin to take it upon themselves to live the Christian life. But both John and Paul are quick to say, “No, what began by grace is also sustained by the same grace!”

Notice the words of John, “Continue in him.” He doesn’t say, “Continue with him,” or “Continue to be helped by him.” No, he says to continue in him. The Christian walk and life is not about a changed life, it is an exchanged life. His life for mine. My unrighteousness for His righteousness. My death sentence for His eternal life. My foolishness for His wisdom, and my labor for His rest.

Saints, we must preach the message of the New Testament, that the Christian’s life is a life of faith, ever dependent on the matchless and measureless grace of God. We must repent of the self-help and self-entitlement message that is being preached and return to preaching the power of the grace of God by His indwelling Spirit.

How does someone “continue in Him.” By not resorting to dead works and remaining ever dependent on the grace of God and appropriating the life of God that is in Christ. “That I may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ,” Paul prayed.

“In Him” the two most important words in all of Scripture. Learn them well church, and then continue in Him.