We’re All Vulnerable

The recent news of Tony Evans and Robert Morris, two prominent ministers who were forced to resign from their respective churches because of past sins, should be a stark reminder to us all that we have not yet achieved perfection.

We’ve seen and heard of “indiscretions” by pastors, priest’s, rabbis and other religious figures for many years now, and the trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

These “failures”, and I really do not like to use that word because it conveys an attempt to ‘pretty up’ SIN, almost always involve sexual sins, either heterosexual or homosexual, and the devastation left in their wake can leave the victims traumatized and scarred for life.

It’s worth noting that the guilty ministers are often leading some of the largest mega churches or ministries in the world, which gives us insight into the fact that even though a man or woman may reach the pinnacle of ministry “success”, there may still be something lacking in their character.

They are still human, and along with their humanity comes the vulnerability to commit sin. All of us possess this same vulnerability, the same flawed character traits, and we will never be completely free from them so long as we dwell in these fleshly bodies.

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires“. [1]

Indeed, the battle between flesh and spirit is a continual battle, and the apostle Paul recognized the need to walk in the Spirit in his letter to the Christians in Galatia.

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish“. [2]

Now, please understand that in no way am I excusing the sins of anyone, minister or layperson, who has willfully engaged in sinful and sometimes illegal behavior that has caused harm to another person. I am simply trying to say that no matter how popular or successful one becomes, they are not above temptation. In fact, the more popular and successful one becomes the more they must guard their hearts and not allow sin to overtake them.

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall“. [3]

Let us be wise and understand that this flesh is weak, and it must be overcome by the Spirit. The battle is real and it is intense because the prize is our immortal soul, therefore the devil will stop at nothing to gain the advantage over us.

Always remember: when we pray, we are bringing God into the battle. Don’t try to fight without Him by your side, for alone you are no match for the wiles of the enemy. ‘Walk in the Spirit’ Paul said, and in so doing we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Remember…..we’re ALL vulnerable!

Be blessed on this Lord’s Day,

Ron

[1] Galatians 5:24

[2] Galatians 5:16-17

[3] 1st Corinthians 10:12

The Gospel: Still Worth Defending!

It’s no secret that we are living in a time of great confusion among churches. A simple online search of how many different denominations now exist is proof enough that the waters have been muddied, as some estimates list tens of thousands of different Christian denominations and beliefs.

While that number seems nearly impossible to believe, one thing that is believable is that man has been hard at work diluting and polluting the Gospel of Jesus Christ with personal interpretations and agendas bent on producing “another gospel”.

We see many popular but “perverted gospels” today, such as Jehovah Witnesses who deny the deity of Christ, Gnosticism, the idea that only through attaining secret knowledge can people find their salvation and overcome the material world, Universalism, the belief that all humankind will eventually be saved, and Hyper Grace, the idea that God has forgiven all our sins past, present and future and that there is no need to confess them or repent of them.

Why, you may ask, would someone want to do this? The simple answer is that the message of the gospel is offensive to human nature. It always has been. To understand this, we should first understand what the true gospel is.

The message of the gospel is what Jesus did for us through His death, burial, and resurrection. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. John 3:16

It’s the good news that mankind can be saved from the consequence of their sin and receive the gift of eternal life through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater news than this, for it breaks every chain and shackle that has us bound in sin and sets us free in Christ. This is the gospel.

Getting back to why anyone would want to corrupt the only path to heaven, there are several “offenses” to consider. For one, the gospel offends our pride. It tells us that we cannot save ourselves, therefore we need a Savior. That is a serious blow to all of us who claim to be “self made” men and women. In an age where everyone’s feelings must be validated, the gospel offers no “participation trophy” to us for our salvation; it is the finished work of Christ alone that redeems us.

The gospel also offends the wisdom of man. As brilliant as some men and women are, and as far as technological advances have taken us, the truth is that we are saved only because God came down in the form of human flesh and suffered a humiliatingly cruel death on the cross, which thing the unregenerate heart considers foolish.

Finally, the gospel offends our common sense. It requires that we believe an unbelievable story that happened over two thousand years ago: that an innocent man was condemned, tried, found guilty, nearly beaten to death, was subjected to crucifixion, and then did what had never been done before- He rose from the dead in a glorified body.

Humanity says the Gospel message offends our pride, our wisdom, and our common sense, yet it is the only message that has the power and authority to overcome each of these obstacles! This is why it is so dangerous to pervert it and so important to defend it!

In his letter to the Galatian believers, Paul boldly confronted this issue of the corruption of the gospel by telling them that:

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6-7

Did you see the progression here? First, Paul said he was taken aback by how quickly they had removed themselves from “him that called you”. Who is Paul referring to here? He’s referencing the Lord, of course. Second, once removed from Christ, the Galatians were easy prey for those who brought another (perverted) gospel to them.

This is how Satan always works. If he can get us to divert our attention away from Christ’s gospel, he will have a counterfeit readily available that will drive us even further away from the true gospel. This counterfeit will be disguised as something we are easily agreeable to, and most likely will not require much from us, especially repentance.

But wait! There is a high price to pay for abandoning the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! Paul goes on to say “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed”. Galatians 1:8-9

Is that plain enough? According to this man of God, there is no room for any other gospel. No compromise. No co-existing with other belief statements. Even if an angel from heaven were to bring a different gospel, let him be cursed. Strong words? You better believe it! Then again, this is the same Paul who said that “I am set for the defense of the gospel”. [1]

All of this to ask: in your circle, is the Gospel still worth defending? Even if it costs you friendships? If it costs family relationships? How far are you willing to go to stay true to and defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It’s a question worth asking, because when the day comes that we are called to answer for the hope that abides within us, there is but one acceptable answer.

Have a blessed Lord’s day, and happy Father’s Day to all of you Dads!

Ron

[1] Philippians 1:17

In It To Win It

I love the “we’re all in a race” analogy that the Apostle Paul uses to describe the Christian life. Read along with me from 1st Corinthians 9:24:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it”.

It’s so important that we understand something about this race. You see, it’s one thing to line up at the starting line, position yourself in the starting blocks, and at the sound of the gun going off launch yourself forward, determined to cross the finish line first. This is Paul saying that “all run”.

The downside of Paul’s race however is that not everyone wins. There is only one winner, and he or she gets the only prize. Unlike the Olympics, where the top three are awarded a prize, in Paul’s race there is but one 1st place trophy, which is why he urges the runner to be in it to win it.

Everyone who has been born again has been entered into the great race of life, and just as Paul alludes to, there is a prize waiting for those who cross the finish line. This isn’t a sprint, or even a mini marathon. No, this is a lifelong race of endurance, stamina, and patience, and to the finisher goes the prize. Unlike the example of Paul’s race, however, is that every child of the King who crosses the finish line is declared the winner!

The writer of the book of Hebrews understood this principle as well. Knowing that in life there will always be obstacles and trials of every sort, the writer reminds us that we are surrounded by an army of witnesses who have already crossed the finish line.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1 KJV

If we are in it to win it, if we are determined to cross the finish line, the message is clear: discard the weighty things that hold us back, get rid of the sin in our lives, and set our face as a flint to run this race of life with patience.

Have a blessed Wednesday,

Ron

Measuring Success

Success is a word used to define accomplishing a goal or task. It can be a victory won, a financial goal met, an achievement in education, or gaining a degree of notoriety in a chosen field. Success is something that most of us strive for, and our desire to be successful is the engine that propels us to persevere in the face of challenges.

The world loves successful people. They are the captains of industry and entertainment, and many of them are instantly recognizable by their name. Names like Ford, Gates, Jobs, Swift, Musk, and Pitt are all very familiar to us as extremely successful individuals.

Success however, like its cousin Fame, can be a fleeting thing. Fortunes are lost, careers ruined, and a fickle public will adore their favorite actor or singer until someone else rises to take their place. What this tells us is that the world’s definition of success is definitely not the standard we should be using.

Thankfully, God has given us a much better way to measure success, lasting success, and that is by our being faithful to Him in all of our ways. Consider this from the Psalmist:

Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:23-24

Reading through the Psalms we know that David had his share of problems, many of them self inflicted. History will never forget his sin with Bathsheba, or the murder of her husband Uriah. Truth be told, for someone who wrote about delighting in the law of the Lord , he sure didn’t seem to practice what he preached. Let’s face it, for a man who supposedly sought after God’s own heart, David managed to follow his own heart as much as God’s.

It can be argued that David experienced as many trials as he did triumphs. As many failures as victories. What cannot be argued however is that at some point David came to the realization that if he were to ever be successful in life, he would have to be faithful in all his ways.

Despite his past failures, some of which haunted him for the rest of his life, at some point he became an encourager to others. In his later years, his heart softened and was more inclined unto the Lord. As great as his past sins were, he, like all of us, found through the grace of God that repentance was even greater.

To some up David’s seventy years in a few words is impossible, yet I believe despite the terrible sins he was guilty of, despite his human frailties, his life is measured as successful because his heart was indeed inclined to his God. This gives us hope that we too, prone to the same temptations and wrongdoings as king David, can find that same measure of success if we will be a man or woman after His heart.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah Psalm 46:1-3

No matter what life throws at us, God is our hiding place. He is our strength when we are too weak to continue the fight. He calls us to be faithful in every situation, and knowing He is with us causes all fear to dissipate.

As Christians, our lives are not measured by worldly standards. They are measured by our faithfulness to God and His word. That, my friends, is what success is all about!

Have a blessed Sunday,

Ron

For Such a Time As This

I’m sure many of you recognize the title of this post as taken from the book of Esther. In what has to be considered one of the greatest stories of God’s providential care for His people, the book of Esther reminds us that God is always working behind the scenes on our behalf.

Esther’s background mirrors that of many of us. She came from very humble beginnings, and through a series of events she found herself being chosen as the next Queen in the kingdom of king Ahasuerus in what is now Iran.

Bible.com

Shortly after her rise to the position of Queen, her older cousin Mordecai sent word to her that an edict had been issued that all Jews in the kingdom would be annihilated. Being of the tribe of Benjamin, this meant that he too would be targeted, so he asked her to speak to the king in hopes of saving the people of God.

Mordecai reminded her that as a Jew, she too would be destroyed if the kings orders were carried out. What he told her next is the basis of Esther’s story.

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

I love Mordecai’s confidence that should Esther choose to remain silent, God would raise up someone else to deliver His people. Along with that came a stern warning however, that if silence was her choice, she and her family would also be destroyed. Doesn’t sound like much of a choice, does it?

Despite such a dire warning, Mordecai wanted Esther to consider that maybe, just maybe, God had divinely positioned her at just the right moment in history, at just the right place, to intervene and save the Jews. And that is exactly what happened.

In every season of life and history, God has always had people who faced their own fears and did what He commanded. Is it always easy to do what the Lord asks us to do? Honestly, it’s never easy. As a matter of fact, I have learned that the greater the assignment, the more challenging it can be to overcome our fears and doubts.

Yet when we can lay aside those fears and doubts, God can accomplish great things in and through us. Even now, I have no doubt that God is raising up individuals for a specific task related to these last days we now live in. What those tasks are remain to be seen, but we know that based upon the history of how God uses men and women to accomplish His will, they will not remain hidden for much longer.

If there ever was a time when “for such a time as this” is relevant, it is today. At this moment in history, mankind is on a course of self-destruction the likes that has never been before. Wars and rumors of wars are on the rise. The nations of the world are uniting in their hatred of Israel, which will ultimately lead them to a final, prophesied showdown at Jerusalem.

For such a pivotal time as this the world needs to hear the message of hope and salvation that is available only through the Lord Jesus Christ. May He raise up messengers who will boldly speak the truth that there is salvation in no other name. Billions of souls hang in the balance, lost and in danger of eternal punishment, therefore we must speak when opportunities arise to do so.

For such a time as this, the Lord needs all of us to not only face our fears, but overcome them, that we might be used to win even a few to the kingdom. After all, who knows whether or not God has placed you here for such a time as this?

Have a blessed Lord’s Day,

Ron