October 2, 2002
Are You a Good Forgiver?
A little girl read the verses in Matthew 18 about Peter coming to Jesus and inquiring as to how many times he was supposed to forgive someone who treated him unkindly. Should it be seven times? he asked. Jesus replied, Not merely seven, Peter, but seventy times seven. The little girl had been having quite a bit of trouble with her brother. He teased her and did all kinds of things that irritated her and made her very angry.
After reading the account in Matthew 18, she realized that as a Christian, she should not get mad, but rather forgive her brother. She figured that seventy times seven was 490 times. Thus, she felt if she forgave him 490 times, her obligation would be discharged. So she began keeping a record. Each time she forgave her brother, she gave herself credit.
Later she realized there were times when she irritated her brother and consequently he forgave her. So to be fair, she set up two sides to the forgiveness account, one for her and one for him. When he forgave her, she gave him credit. When she forgave him, she took the credit. This being the case, after a while she made an interesting discovery - it was impossible to attain the 490 times since the account kept balancing out. She then concluded that as a Christian, the only thing to do would be to forgive under all circumstances.
This is exactly what Jesus meant. It is not a case of forgiving someone 490 times and then we quit forgiving. Forgiveness should be a regular routine for Christians at all times. Think how many times God has forgiven us. Consider how He forgave us of all our sins when we were saved. Daily, as we continue to confess our sins to Him, He keeps forgiving us. Consequently, as conscientious believers, we should not forgive five times, ten times, or even 490 times: we are obligated to forgive at all times.
To be a follower of Christ and not to forgive someone is sin. That's right! God says in Mark 11:25, 26, "And when you stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." God makes it very clear in these verses that if we do not forgive others, we remain unforgiven. If we bear a grudge against someone, we are guilty of an unforgiving spirit. In Ephesians 4:32 we are told that we should forgive one another even as God...has forgiven you.! When we consider the grace of Almighty God in forgiving all our sins, how can we not forgive?
What do we recite in the Lord's Prayer? Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. If we do not forgive others, we cannot expect God to forgive us.
I am quite sure that no one has treated us as badly as we have treated God. In 2 Chronicles 28:10 He says, "Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?" Yes, yes, yes! We sin against the Lord every day of our lives. And what does He do? When we confess to Him He forgives us. He does not lecture us. He doesn't say "I will forgive you this time, but if it happens again, watch out." He invites us to come to Him a thousand times if necessary for He is a forgiving God. David wrote in Psalm 86:5, "For thou, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive. He is always ready. He is plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Him." We who profess to be God's people should treat everyone as the Lord treats us.
A minister rebuked a girl in his congregation because she refused to forgive a friend for an unkindness. The girl replied, "Well, I will forgive her but I never want to have anything more to do with her." Asked the minister, "Is that how you want God to forgive you? Do you want Him to say He will forgive you but He will have nothing more to do with you?"
A missionary tells of the wife of a tribal chief who attended one of his Bible classes and came to know the Lord. When her husband heard of this, he forbade her to go again, even threatening to kill her if she did. Eager to hear more about the Lord Jesus, the woman took a chance and went anyway. Her husband found out, met her on her way home, beat her unmercifully, and left her for dead. Later, his curiosity moved him to go back and take another look at his wife. To his surprise, she was not where he had left her but he found her lying under a bush. He sneered and shouted, "What can your Jesus do for you now?" Bruised and battered she stared at him and replied quietly, "He is helping me to forgive you."
This reminds me of the One who hung on the cross for you and me. As the many insults were hurled at Him by His persecutors, His response was, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
We who are Christ's followers must not under any circumstances permit Satan to hinder our spiritual growth by giving in to an unforgiving spirit. If we are guilty, let's make it right with the Lord but also with others who might be involved.
Should it be that you are one who has never claimed the forgiveness for your sins that God offers in His Word, I urge you to call on Christ and invite Him to become your Savior and Lord. He will do it if you ask.
By J. Allen Blair
Glad Tidings, Inc
www.gladtidingsradio.org
October 9, 2002
"The Cave of Adullam"
1 Samuel 22:1-2
C. H. MacKintosh pointed out that there are three rests spoken of in Scripture. The first, is the rest which we, as sinners, find in the finished work of Christ to take away the penalty for our sins. The second is a rest we are called to at the present, which, as saints, we find in being entirely submitted to the will of God. The third rest spoken of is the rest that remains for the people of God, eternally, glorified and in His presence.
David becomes a beautiful example of the second type of rest for us, in the snapshot we get of him right here in these two verses. He has already been anointed king, and since that anointing came from God's man, David must know that in God's eyes, he is king, even though Saul still sits on the throne. But he is at peace, and willing to wait for God's timing, because his years in the desert with his father's sheep, and his time in the house of Saul and even his ill-treatment at Saul's hands, has taught him that perfect peace is being in the center of God's will.
It was quite probably while sitting in the caves of Adullam, that David penned the words of the 94th Psalm, where he says,
"This poor man cried and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those
who fear Him,
And rescues them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who
takes refuge in Him!"
(vs 6-8)
Chapter 21 of I Samuel recounts the early travels of David after he was warned by Saul's son Jonathan and fled the presence of the jealous king. Then verse 1 of our text says that David escaped to the cave of Adullam. And that is accurate, of course; at that moment David was avoiding the clutches of Israel's enemy, King Achish of the Philistines. But I want you to see today, that these caves were much more than a hiding place and a place of refuge. They were a place of growth and training and waiting on the Lord.
How many times in the history of God's people, even up to the lives of those hearing this sermon, has it been proven that we grow the most, and learn the most, after His Spirit has removed all distractions from us; taken us out of our comfort zone, kicked all of our standards and expectations out from under us, and taken us to a humble, lonely place, where only we and He know what's going on in our hearts?
David is called a man after God's own heart, and we can certainly see His likeness to Christ in His refusal to attack God's anointed in order to ascend to his rightful place; as Christ, the greater David, humbly submitted Himself to the plan and purpose of the Father, and waited and obeyed unto death. He, who...
"In the days of His flesh, ...offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety"
Who...
"...although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered, and having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation."
Saul sat in comfort on the throne of the castle, rejected of God, but refusing to surrender or submit to Him. This is the way of the world, and even, unfortunately, in our own hearts as Christians; that we would prefer to be outside of God's will and comfortable in this world, even enjoying the passing pleasures of sin, in order to avoid the discomfort that may be involved in having it removed from us.
But the way of peace; the way of Christ-likeness; the way of obedience and blessing and eventual exaltation, is always, always, outside the camp with Him.
Remember, David was taking refuge in the caves, but he was still the king; and Christ was despised and rejected of men, but He was never less than King of Kings; and if we are identified with Him in this world, we too will be despised and rejected by a Satan-owned world system... but we remain nonetheless, royal children of the King.
Remember the exhortation of Peter: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time..." (I Peter 5:6) ...and wait.
The day of triumph is coming, but this is still the day of Christ's humility, and we are here, in the cave of Adullam, to continue His work of humility and patience; suffering with Him outside the camp of this world, until the trumpet sounds.
Who is drawn to the rejected King?
Now I want you to stop for a moment and think about the type we have before us, with King David representing a rejected Christ, and the house of Saul being a type of worldly religion; having a form, but not the power - not the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Had David stayed in Saul's house, there would have been no perception of a need for separation in the minds of the people. I remember an old Dragnet television episode back in the mid '60s, when the arguments about the dangers or relative safeties of marijuana use were in full bloom. The main character, Sgt Joe Friday, was expounding to a young suspect the harmful effects and results of heroine sale and use, and how in his business he witnessed many times, that so-called innocent marijuana users often graduated to worse things. He ended his tirade by saying, "You want to know what I think of marijuana? I judge it by the company it keeps".
Christians, people outside of the church do not understand the church. They do not know Jesus; they have absolutely no knowledge of the Holy Spirit; they do not care one iota for the will of the Father; but as they look on, and hear that we call ourselves 'Christians', and watch our lives, they will judge us by the company we keep. And when they look at a church body and witness gossip and judgmental-ism and condemnation, and formalism and ritual, but no love and no peace, they will see no need whatsoever, to separate themselves from the life they have in order to join what is there. They will go away with a shrug, saying, "They are no different, so why waste my time?"
If the people of Israel had only the picture of David, coming and going freely from Saul's house in apparent peace and harmony with Saul, then to them, David would have been no different than Saul. But the moment David separated himself from Saul and chose rather to be an outcast, rejected of men than to be connected with one rejected of God, then no one could remain neutral. Then they had to make a choice. THEN, they were GIVEN a clear choice.
So, we see, "And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them."
Continuing to look at this account as a type of Christ and the church, what kind of people flocked to David, seeking leadership and comfort and counsel and direction?
The distressed, the debtor, the discontented.
Jesus told the grumbling Pharisees that it is the sick who need a physician. In saying that, He was sending them the implied message that if you are not aware of your need, you will not be inclined to seek the cure.
I did a brief word study, and what I discovered was that these words used to describe those who were drawn to David are more intense than the English words they translate to.
The word 'distressed' refers to those oppressed to the point of anguish; under a great deal of stress and pressure. Now the word 'debt' there is pretty straightforward; but common sense would tell us that it is not just referring to those who have run up some credit card bills and need some financial counseling to get back on track. These were folks, most likely, who had borrowed against their property, and perhaps against their own freedom, in hopes of pulling themselves up out of poverty. But having gambled that crops would be good, or livestock markets would rise, or whatever, had lost it all, and perhaps borrowed again, and lost again. I'm engaging in some degree of speculation here; but remember that in those days there were debtor's prisons. There was indentured servant-hood. There was harsh punishment for debts unpaid. And whatever the individual circumstances were, they were enough to drive them from their homes to David's side.
As to that word, 'discontented'; this one impressed me the most. It actually comes from a combining of two words that, in short, means, 'bitter souls'.
Ah, how very many of us can nod our heads and let out a long sigh, and say, "Yes, I know that feeling. I know what it is like to be so disappointed by the people I've loved...so let down by the things in which I've put my trust...for so long, with no relief; seemingly no vindication, that bitterness threatens to take root in my very soul and drag me down into the darkness".
In self defense we sometimes even joke about it, and the fact that everyone laughs at the jokes only confirms that they all know the feeling. "When you finally see that light at the end of the tunnel, don't get your hopes up; it's probably just an on-coming train". But in reality that is precisely how most of us have been conditioned to look at life; by the very fact that 9 times out of 10 it really is just an on-coming train; and what we thought was some relief from our troubles turned out to be just another crushing blow.
Bitter souls. Look around you, believers. They are all around you everyday, and they're in the church too; for the moment. And whether they stay or go will depend entirely on whether they find that they have come to David or to Saul.
But let's not allow this to escape our notice; these are not innocents running for cover. Their oppression is often brought on by their own sin and self-service. Their debt is often a result of years of gambling with the few resources they have; and over-spending because of greed and materialism. And their discontentedness and bitterness is often a result of an unwillingness to realize that the world doesn't owe them comfort and bliss, and they have responsibilities toward their fellow man like everyone else. They've lived for themselves, grabbing for what they can get, manipulating when they can and bullying when they must, and the world has responded in kind, and now they are bitter souls.
But Jesus said, "It is the sick who need a physician". So whether their condition is imposed by life, or self-inflicted - no matter - when they come to recognize their need that is when they will run to the greater David for refuge.
David found himself surrounded by about 400 men, gathered to him, and he became their captain. And what an army to start with! Stressed-out rebels with empty pockets and angry creditors on their tail. And in keeping with the type were studying here, my friends, that pretty much describes the church!
We were oppressed of the devil, we were rebels against God in our own selves, and we were spiritually bankrupt, and the spirit of this world constantly hounded us with its claims on our souls.
But we gathered to David.
And let's see what became of this motley assemblage to the cave of Adullam.
What does the King make of those who draw near to Him? As we consider this question of what became of these men who gathered to David and the type we see here of Christ's church, I want you to see first the difference between them and other Israelites in their response to the truth.
All Israel was aware that Samuel the prophet had anointed David king. They knew David as the champion who had killed Goliath. Jonathan, Saul's own son, had befriended and protected David. But only 400 were willing to be so identified with him that they went out and shared his rejection and separation from Saul's reign. It was one thing to be an Israelite, but it was another thing to be with David in the cave. Even Jonathan continued to eat at his father's table
Now I want to avoid anyone thinking here that what I am saying is that the Christian makes himself better by his efforts; that separating himself from the world to Christ is what makes him holy and righteous. That is monkish thinking. That is the thinking of the legalists, whose constant emphasis and energy is spent on calling believers to take up this, or put away that. In keeping with the type, remember that these 400 men did not become loyal to King David when they went out to the cave. They went there because they were loyal.
The man in Christ does not become sanctified and holy because he withdraws from the things of the flesh and the world and draws near to Christ. He does those things as a matter of his course, because Christ has sanctified him and called him 'holy and blameless', and that through faith, not works of any kind.
It's not a soldier's acts in battle that make him a hero; heroic acts are the manifestation of an heroic character.
Now as I said, other Israelites also knew David was king by God's command. So in a sense, they were believers also. The difference between them and the 400 at Adullum; the difference today between the believer clinging to the comforts of the world and the believer sold out to Christ and willing to suffer with Him, - are you listening? - the difference is in what Christ is able to accomplish through that life.
If I tell you that you are a better Christian if you draw spiritually nearer to your Lord than the believer who never quite lets go of the comforts of Saul's house, then the ground is no longer level at the foot of the cross. If I make those distinctions, then we are not united in one Spirit, because we cannot exist on varied planes of worthiness and be united. If I tell you that to be a successful Christian your life must be a demonstration of sacrifice and suffering and worldly rejection, then I have nullified grace.
The difference is in what Christ is able to do through the life! The difference is in the impact that the sold-out life will have on a watching world.
What do we know of Jonathan, other than whose son he was, and how very much he loved David? We know that he died ignobly, at the hands of uncircumcised Philistines, on Mt. Gilboa, along with his brothers. You can read about it in I Chronicles 10. But we read of much grander things from the lives of those who went with David. If you go to I Chronicles 12, you will read things like this of them: "...mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains".
and
"...he who was least was equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand".
Then in II Samuel 23 their stories are told. Men like Eleazar who stood alone and struck down Philistines until the muscles of his hand were so weary that his hand clung to the sword. (Can you see his comrades, pouring warm water over his hand and helping him to unclench his fingers?) Then there was Shammah who took his stand in a plot of land full of lentils and defended it against a roop, saving the lentils for the people. And Benaiah, who slid down into a snow-lined pit and killed a lion, probably just to keep his friends safe from attack during the coming night.
But even these did not attain to the honor of the three unnamed mighty men, who, having overheard David mumbling to himself that he longed for a drink from the well of Bethlehem which was near the gate to a heavily fortified town, fought their way through the Philistines, drew water from that well, and brought it back to David; just to be a service to their King!
Now I ask you; would we know of these things if it weren't for the Holy Spirit, recording them for us in the Scriptures? Who would have thought to pass on for future generations, a simple account of three fools, willing to risk their lives to draw a cup of water for their leader? Who would have thought to mention a man sliding down into a snowy pit to face a ravenous lion?
These things are recorded for us, to encourage us, to teach us what God is like, to show us that there is no earthly limit to the amazing things the Holy Spirit of God will accomplish through the life yielded to Him.
In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews the writer documents the faith and acts of faith, of people like Noah and Abraham and Moses and Rahab, and makes mention of Gideon and Barak and Samson and David and Samuel. He lists their great accomplishments and their great suffering for their faith, and calls them "men of whom the world was not worthy".
But of greater interest to us in light of all that information, is the exhortation he gives in chapter 12:
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Believer, no matter your age, no matter your level of academic intelligence, no matter your accomplishments, no matter your vocation or your socio-economic lot in life, if you are a Christian by scriptural definition, then you have a place with Him for eternity. All the promises of heaven are yours, because He purchased them for you and preserves you for that day. But also know that no matter your age, intelligence, accomplishments and all those other things, there is no earthly limit to what God will do with the life sold-out to Him.
Don't be afraid to leave Saul's table. Let go of the worldly and the material and the temporal, and go to our greater David, outside the philosophy and the mindset of this world and worldly religion. Gather to Him at the cave of Adullam, and He will lead you forward to meaning and fulfillment and ultimate glory in Him.
"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me. And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.." (Psalm 34:1-5).
By Clark Tanner, Pastor
Cornerstone Christian Chapel
Montrose, Colorado
October 16, 2002
Some Excerpts about Passion and Violence
(in our search for Jesus and His Life in Us)
Jesus encouraged everyone who wanted to be saved to "make every effort." If you're content with being lukewarm or half-hearted-then you won't make it. You've got to shake yourself awake! Jesus also said that the kind of people who would be a part of His Kingdom were people who decided to be "violent" or "forceful" about it. Without a passionate pursuit of Jesus and His Kingdom, you won't make it through the narrow door. According to Jesus, You must Ask, Seek, and Knock in order to find Him. That's the kind of full-hearted pursuit that Jesus honors. Jesus promised that if you seek after Him with all of your heart, YOU WILL FIND HIM! Please, don't settle for less.
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(Luke 18:39-43) The crowds ahead of Jesus tried to hush the blind beggar, but he only shouted louder, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus asked the man, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord," he pleaded, "I want to see!" Jesus said, "All right, you can see! Your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
Is that the greatest cry of your heart? "I want to SEE!!" Our blindness to His Love, to the tragedy of selfishness and sin, and to our need for union with God's People leads to so many unnecessary falls and wounds. "Lord, I want to SEE!! I want to SEE everything just as YOU do. I don't want to be blind to Life and Love and Truth anymore. I don't CARE what the crowds think. I'm going to shout at the top of my lungs to You until You hear my cry. I WANT TO SEE! Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, I beg you. And Your MIRACLE in my life will capture my heart and demonstrate Your Love and wonders to all who know me!"
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Oh God, I really want this! I want to be violent but I don't even know how or what that looks like. Without a vision I'll cast it off. My flesh is strong and I wander off. I don't want to be numbered among those that CAN'T SEE! How can one be violent when "we can do nothing." How can I be strong when I am so weak and I don't even see what I'm so weak with. I need to see! I need your vision! I need my enemy defined so I know who and what I'm fighting! What are the things that drag me away from you? Why do I find myself empty? I know you are there because I feel the burning in my heart "closer, closer, more, more." I long for more but I'm blind and have no vision.
"Remember the small armies of Israel, I defeated their enemies and they were scattered. YOU MUST be violent. You will get NO WHERE if you are not! You say you are not violent... you don't even know what that looks like! Well.... I do! That's who I AM! Have faith in ME your KING! Every battle I fight, I WIN! I went to Hell and back! There is no one else more violent than Me! Believe Me? LOOK TO ME! I AM in you! Only just BELIEVE!"
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Our struggles with sin and issues in life can be very difficult, can't they? They can even seem "overwhelming", right? But now we have a MESSIAH - A DELIVERER! Jesus did refer to satan, our enemy, as a "strong man." But it's all relative!! (Luke 11:20-22) "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when SOMEONE STRONGER ATTACKS AND OVERPOWERS HIM, He takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divided up the spoils! Our Jesus, if we'll let Him in, IS "STRONGER"! He ATTACKS AND OVERPOWERS our enemy, releases us from bondage to sin, and even gives us GIFTS as He "divides up the spoils" in celebration of the enemy's destruction. It's GOOD to be His people, eh?
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"Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels long to look into what we've been given! So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; YOU DO NOW. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness...You call out to God for help and He helps - He's a good Father that way. But don't forget, He's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living. Your life is a journey. You MUST travel with deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty headed life you grew up in. So clean house! Crave spiritual milk, drink deep of God. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God."
Excerpt from the Message
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You have got to deal militantly, energetically, even passionately and definitely, with sin! Emotions of "depression" or "loneliness" or "passionate ambition" or "wander lust" or "discouragement" or "bitterness" any such thing must be taken captive! You can't just think in your mind, "This isn't right, that thought is not very good." You have to deal with it severely and say to God, "THIS IS SIN. IT IS UTTER SIN. I don't know what I'm going to do about it exactly, but I do declare it is wickedness, and there is NO place for it in my life!" That doesn't mean you have all the answers on how to totally eradicate the temptations, BUT it does mean you call it what God calls it. You don't just make a mental note of it, saying, "I shouldn't be this way." You deal with it ruthlessly. You take the seed and you fling it away from you on purpose. You don't just say, "Well that was a bad seed wasn't it" and then allow it to sit there anyway. You've got to ruthlessly deal with it OR it will eventually reap a harvest that is bigger and bigger and reproduces itself. In your own mind there has to be the clarity to say, "NO!!! I REJECT IT!!!" There can't be just an acknowledgement of "this is bad." RATHER there must be a rejection. There must be the clarity and militancy and violence of "I WILL NOT TOLERATE THESE THOUGHTS!! I confess to you, O God, that this has no place in my heart and life. It is wicked and your Son died for things just like this, and I am sorry about this specific sin." This requires mental energy. You must stop and call it what God calls it. Confess it. If you don't deal with those "thimblefuls" this way, that sin will just sit there, and you'll think that you confessed it because you kinda believed it wasn't very good. You'll substitute THAT watered-down and ineffective response... for a rejection of sin in the way God would have it, because of the Cross of His Son, His murdered and risen baby boy.
You need to know that real, clear, energetic REJECTION of sin is a very necessary element in ridding your life of that kind of junk. Talk to Jesus about it, right now, and every time it comes up. Okay? He is, most definitely, a mighty Redeemer AND Deliverer! Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, son of man.
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"Who is this uncircumcised philistine that he should defy the armies of the
Living God?!" In other words, "This enemy has no right to be here in our
midst, mocking God and defying us, His Chosen People!! How dare this godless
man open his dirty mouth against our God! This must not be allowed to
continue!" This seems to be a glimpse of a Warrior's heart: calling the
enemy what God calls him and fiercely protecting what belongs to God. I was
thinking that must be our heart toward all of satan's lies, the way he tries
to sneak in and destroy our hearts and minds and lives. "No way, you liar.
How dare you try to steal, kill and destroy in the midst of God's People!!
This heart and this mind belong to God Almighty. You will be defeated--Jesus
reigns here!"
("Brother Andrew" - "People God Can Use")
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In the battle to thrill Jesus by overcoming sin in your life... DID YOU KNOW... If you give into your sin by dabbling in it, or justifying it, or blaming others for your weaknesses -- the sin will entangle itself deeper into your heart and mind and body. If instead, you:
1.) Refuse to give in to the desire to indulge your flesh with what it's screaming for, and
2.) Hold out, for however long it takes, against your flesh (without attitudes, rationalizing, blaming or using others, and without giving in to the sins of the mouth or eyes or belly or other parts of the body or mind).....
3.) Turn to Jesus and talk to Him about it, no matter how bad the temptation are, THE POWER OF SIN WILL BE BROKEN in your life.
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Your bout with sin and satan is not a weekend sport; it is the final conflict. Strive to put off the old man - that corruption David called his own iniquity. Observe what it is and mortify it daily; it is a favorite handhold of satan's. He will beat a shameful retreat when he finds no iniquity in you to catch hold of - and he dare not touch that in you which is holy. Is your flesh mortified? Now anoint your soul with the frequent meditation of Christ's love. It will help you disdain the offer of sin and, like oil, will make your spirit supple and your will agile to evade the enemy. Satan will find little welcome where Christ's love dwells. Love will kindle love, and flame as a wall of fire to keep him away.
Perhaps you are discouraged, not only by the strength of the enemy, but by your own apparent weakness and the constant contention with sin and self. Be encouraged! There is strong consolation for the Christian who struggles with the truth of God's grace and his own inner conflicts with sin (1 Peter 4:1). Why do I find such struggling in me, provoking me to sin, pulling me back from that which is good? Too often we mistake the state of a Christian in this life. You are a wrestler. You are not handed immediate triumph over your enemies, but rather are carried into battle to fight them, so that in the process you can understand WHO IS THIS GREAT I AM who is your victory. Wrap your soul in this promise: there is a place of rest reserved for the people of God. You do not beat the air, but wrestle to win heaven and a permanent crown. Here on earth we overcome to fight again. One temptation may be conquered, but the war remains. When death comes, however, God strikes the final blow. We know peace is sweet after war, pleasure after pain. But what tongue can express the joy that will flood the creature at the first sight of God and his eternal home?!!
(Thoughts from the year 1655)
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"If we wish to be free -- if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained -- we must fight! -- I repeat it, sir, we must fight!! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts, is all that is left us! They tell us, sir, that we are weak -- unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger. Will it be the next week or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when [an enemy] shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely (sluggishly) on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which God has placed in our power. [P]eople armed in the cause of liberty, and in such a kingdom as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles with us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election (choice). If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains.! The war is inevitable -- and let it come!! I repeat it, sir, let it come!!!
"It is vain, sir, to extenuate (to make it seem less important) the matter. Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace -- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our bretheren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! -- I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
(Lightly paraphrased P. Henry, US Revolution times)
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"The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and every man entereth violently into it" (Luke)."
Here is the spirit of citizenship in that Kingdom--"by force." Why? This is not merely an appeal to be in earnest--though it certainly includes that, seeing what a tremendous thing this Kingdom is, and what an immense loss will be suffered if we do not take it seriously. But you see, the Lord Jesus is speaking as in the midst of things which are constantly opposing. There is a whole organized system expressing tremendous prejudice. There is everything, from devil and men, to obstruct. To enter in requires violence. If you can be hindered, you will be hindered. If you are going to be easy going, you will give antagonistic forces all the ground they want to put you out. "That is why I pointed out that it is not going to be a once-for-all entering into that Kingdom, but a continuous entering. The Kingdom is so much bigger than conversion. Of course, if you are going to be saved at all--I mean saved initially--you will have to mean business for that. You will have to make it a desperate matter, because there will be everything to stop you. But the Kingdom means a very great deal more than merely getting into it, far more than being converted. There is a great deal more in the purpose of God for our lives than we have ever imagined, and if we are going to enter into that, violence has to characterize us. We must desperately mean business, and come to the place where we say: "Lord, I am set upon all that You mean in Christ. I am set upon that....I am going right on with You for all Your purpose. I am going to do violence to everything that would get in the way." It calls for violence and we have to do a lot of violence to get all that God wills for us. "How easily many lives are side-tracked, simply because they are not desperate enough! They are caught in things which limit--things which may be good and some of God in them, but nonetheless are limiting things....The only way for us to come into all that the Lord means--not only into what we have seen but into all that He has purposed--is to be like that? Well, if we are passive, there is everything to be lost. If we mean business, there is everything to be gained. The Lord make us men and women like that, lest we be numbered among those of whom it is said that they "have ears to hear, and hear not" (Ezekiel)
(T.A. Sparks, The Kingdom Suffers Violence)
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Let's all be pro-active, militant, kick satan right in the face, take the gates of hell by storm RIGHT NOW. I mean it. YOU! RIGHT THIS SECOND deal satan a blow that will make the armies of hell tremble and change the universe forever, right this second. Go ahead! Oh, yea -- here's how you do that: Just this -- Tell Father you love Him, from the heart, RIGHT THIS MINUTE! You can kick the devil in the teeth by REALLY telling the Father and His Son that you love them, and want to love them more. THAT is probably the most powerful thing that any mortal can do in the seen and unseen realms.
Submitted by Sarah
October 23, 2002
Question it all. Where will YOU draw the line in your allegiance to Jesus Christ?
Saints, I do realize that we are writing to Family in many nations, on every continent, as we say what follows. These thoughts, this commitment, trumpets forth from the many unified Believers that are a part of the local Lampstand here in Indianapolis, in the United States. In one sense, we view this brief note as a Spiritually bellicose "call to arms" for ourselves, and all who wear His Name. We know a great many of you, from conversation and visits, have the same heart.
Because of our daily intermingled Life in the Church here, "from the least to the greatest," I know we speak as One in this matter that follows. There is no "committed nucleus" here, surrounded by "attenders" who we could know nothing about. There is only One Life, and nothing to "attend" -- but to attend to one another and to Jesus 24 hours a day -- so it's not difficult to know and love one another "deeply from the heart." Having said that, who among us would not leave our nation of birth and residence, in spite of personal cost? There is not a single Disciple of Jesus, Believer in Yahweh and His Son, who is a part of the Church here that would be unwilling to act decisively in this matter we are discussing: a willingness to move to another city or nation, should it be apparent that this would please Father.
Can you describe your country as we might describe ours? Though none of us chose to be born here, this is a description of our current home nation, the United States: Shameless arrogance, drunken materialism, blatant deception, and international tyranny.... There are perversions and vanities too numerous to mention. Addictions to food, to entertainment, to electronic devices, and to who-knows-what. Duped by the narcotic of the "World Wide Web" - the Internet and its twisted chat rooms and forums, its infinite variety and types of mental and perverted and materialistic pornography, and its amazing possibilities for criminal thievery of God's Right to our time. On top of all this, this nation, for the most part, rages in its rampant apathy towards Jesus -- hidden under a righteous fa�ade of ritual and form and clever programs and personalities, with persecution of truly committed Followers of Jesus right around the corner, it would seem. When Jesus described His generation as "wicked and perverse" -- his had nothing on ours.
Is there a time and circumstance where "flee that city" (or some other country) might actually become appropriate? COULD that happen? Is there a time where the situation in a city or country, or simply the lack of fruit in the Work of God in that place, would make a move to another city or country expedient? COULD God's Call, in some situations, warrant departing unregenerate physical phamily ties, comfort of culture or climate, stability of occupation, and even knowledge of the local language -- for JESUS and His Work? You had better believe it. That is, if it's TRUE Christianity we are a part of -- the one in the Bible -- rather than the omnipresent cultural and emotional placebo. Certainly there is Biblical precedent even for a willingness to be beheaded for His Cause and Life. "Fleeing" a location is small stuff, by comparison. Even Jesus Himself while still a child, when called to do so, fled a nation for a time.
We may never see the day, or know of a reason to do so. But are we PREPARED to be Christians, in the likeness of our Lord and His Followers who have gone before us? Are we willing to pay ANY price for that Pearl of Great Price, and the inseparable Calling on each of our lives? What is our perspective of what we are doing here on this planet?! Do we live in the location we find comfortable and convenient, and then try to "add" our "religion" (faddish attendance-based stuff -- in a castle or in a living room -- that ignores Holiness and Obedience and Daily Love of One Another) to THAT? Will be satisfied with externals without true substance, so we can be comfortable and unchallenged? OR is our heart to leave all behind, if necessary, to go to another city or country or culture... when it is His Call, or Warning, to do so. Is that POSSIBLE, for you? Let it be so. Be soft in His hands.
A few of the "examples" of leaving a place in response to ugliness, or unfruitfulness, in that location... just to ponder:
Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whatever city will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city!"
And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were proclaiming the good news there.
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes."
And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.
"Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God."
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod.
What is your culture and country like, from GOD'S vantage point? Does it matter to you what your nation is made of? Mere church-goers can, of course, be blinded by "conforming to the patterns of the world" and not even see it clearly. What is your culture's morality, its quality of life, its religious opportunities or cultural slavery? We've already described our situation, growing in intensity year by year, above - and it is abominable. What to do? We're listening. Willing to die to stay in the middle of a metropolitan area, as we are; willing to leave all for more fertile Ground of His choosing. It's His business -- not the decision of any doulos.
What is it like where YOU live? In Australia, the recent national Census has registered 70,000 who claim their religion is "Jedi" - the imaginary "Star Wars" nonsense of George Lucas concoction. Some nations are drunk on immorality and witchcraft. Some countries take pride in the fact that they will listen to no one, and are arrogantly independent. Some cultures are steeped in materialism. Others are pummeled with fear and emptiness. The world is a preposterous mess.
In the midst of this, Father has made it clear that governments are to be honored - as all authority emanates from Him. We attempt to honor and obey, "as unto the Lord," in as far as we are not told to compromise our Faith and Obedience to our one true Master. WE do not "pledge allegiance to the flag" - but are "foreigners" and "aliens" and "strangers" and "pilgrims" on this planet, in this realm.
We are "in the world" but surely "not of it." As our brother Paul said, by the Holy Spirit, "From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away." THAT is "radical" - but is surely how our Master lived... and died... and ROSE, in Newness of Life. "Then He said to another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' And another also said, 'Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and say goodbye to my family.' But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'"
What am I saying? Only this: be sober-minded and realistic about the world around you, and then ponder what price you are willing to pay for His Sake, for His Cause. This world is NOT "neutral" as some who compromise their children and their own lives to the world would have you believe. And YET, do nothing and "move" NOWHERE out of ambition, or fear, or "movement seeking," or some dramatized hallucination and power play of a "prophetic word," without confirmation in Life. Never make a decision out of guilt, or wander-lust, or emotional energy. Maybe you need to risk your life for Him where you are, particularly if you've risked nothing so far. However, we must always, if we wear His Name, be WILLING and READY to do absolutely ANYTHING for Him. That's the Deal. To this we were called. "We are not our own - we were bought for a Price."
"Who are these, here, in Heaven?" he asked the Angel.
"These are the ones who are here by the Blood of the Lamb, by the word of their Testimony, and who loved not their lives, even to the point of death."
This is a message from some good Christians who are part of the house church movement in Indianapolis.
October 30, 2002
Of The Difference Between Godly And Godless Friendship
(written in 1595 AD)
Take notice, my child, that the honey of Heraclyum, which is so poisonous, altogether resembles that which is wholesome, and there is great danger of mistaking one for the other, or of mixing them, for the virtue of one would not counteract the harmfulness of the other.
We must be on our guard not to be deceived in mak�ing friendships, for not infrequently Satan deludes those who love one another. They may begin with a virtuous affection, but if discretion be lacking, frivolity will creep in, and then sensuality, till their love becomes carnal. Even in spiritual love there is a danger if people are not on the watch. Consequently, when Satan seeks to interpose, he does it stealthily, and strives almost imperceptibly.
"Come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord.
"Bad company corrupts good character."
"A little leaven leavens the whole batch."
"We are not ignorant of Satan's devices."
You may distinguish between worldly friendship and that which is good and holy, just as one distinguishes that poisonous honey from what is good. The carnal, unacceptable to God, is sweeter to the taste than ordinary honey, owing to the aconite infused. And so worldly friendship is profuse in honeyed words, passionate endearments. commenda�tions of beauty and sensual charms. True and Godly friendship speaks a simple honest language, lauding naught save the Grace of God, its one only foundation.
That strange honey causes giddiness; and so false friendship upsets the mind, makes its victim to totter in the ways of Truth and devotion, inducing affected, mincing looks, sensual caresses, inordinate sighings, petty complaints of not being loved, slight but questionable familiarities, and the like, which are sure precursors of evil. Whereas true and Godly friendship is mod�est and straightforward in every way, has no sighs save for Heaven, no complaints save that God is not loved sufficiently.
That honey confuses the sight, as worldly friendship confuses the judgment, so that men think themselves right while doing evil, and assume their excuses and pretexts to be valid reasoning. They fear the light and love dark�ness; but true friendship is clear-sighted, and hides nothing�. It rather seeks to be seen of good men.
Lastly, this poisonous honey leaves an exceeding bitter taste behind; and so false friendship turns to evil desires, upbraidings, slander, deceit, sorrow, confu�sion, and jealousies, too often ending in downright sin; but pure friendship is always the same-modest, courteous, and loving� knowing no change save an increasingly pure and perfect union, a type of the blessed friendships of Heaven.
When young people indulge in looks, words, or actions which they would not like to be seen by their parents, husbands, or Con�fessors, it is a sure sign that they are damaging their conscience and their honor.
Remeies Against Evil Friendships
How are you to meet the swarm of foolish attachments, triflings, and undesirable inclinations which beset you? By turning sharply away, and thoroughly renouncing such vanities, flying to the Sav�ior's Cross, and clasping His Crown of thorns to your heart, so that these little foxes may not spoil your vines."
Beware of entering into any manner of treaty with the Enemy; do not delude yourself by listening to him - while intending to reject him. For God's sake, my daughter, my son, be firm on all such occasions! The heart and ear are closely allied, and just as you would vainly seek to check the downward course of a mountain torrent, so difficult will you find it to keep the smooth words which enter in at the ear from finding their way down into the heart.
Alcmeon says that the goat breathes through its ears, not its nostrils. I know not whether this be so, but one thing I know, that our heart breathes through the ear! While our heart exhales its own thoughts through the mouth, it inhales those of others by the ear.
Let us then carefully guard our ears against evil words which would speedily infect the heart. Never hearken to any indiscreet conversation whatsoever-never mind if you seem rude and dis�courteous in rejecting all such. Always bear in mind that you have dedicated your heart to God, and offered your love to Him; so that it were sacrilege to deprive Him of one particle thereof. Do you rather renew the offering continually by fresh resolutions, entrenching yourself therein as in a fortress. Cry out to God, He will succor you, and His Love will shelter you, so that all your love may be kept for Him only.
If unhappily you are already entangled in the nets of any unreal and Godless affection as described, comforting to the sinful flesh but addictive and utterly destructive to any Godly destiny, truly it is hard to set you free! But place your�self before His Divine Majesty, acknowledge the depth of your wretchedness, your weakness and vanity, and then with all the earnestness of purpose you can muster, arrest the budding evil, abjure your own empty promises, and renounce those you have received, and resolve with a firm, absolute will never again to indulge in any trifling or dallying with such matters. This you MUST do. Delay no longer. The only true risk is in delay or negotiation.
If you are unable to resolve this before God, with clear repentance, you may need further action. If you can remove yourself from the object of your unworthy affection, and stay near to those who can best show you the integrity of His Ways, it is most desirable to do so. He who has been bitten by a viper cannot heal his wound in the presence of another suffering from the like injury, and so one bitten with a false fancy will not shake it off while near to his fellow victim. Change of companions is very help�ful in quieting the excitement and restlessness of sorrow or love. Ambrose tells a story of a young man, who coming home after a long journey quite cured of a foolish attachment, met the unworthy object of his former pas�sion, who stopped him, saying, "Do you not know me, I am still myself? ' "That may be," was the answer, "but I am not myself" so thoroughly and happily was he changed by forcefully avoiding the bad influence, replacing it with Good.
But what is he to do, who cannot try this remedy? To such I would say, abstain from all private interactions with them, all tender glances and smiles, and from every kind of communication which can feed the unholy flame. If it be necessary to speak at all, express clearly and tersely the eternal renunciation on which you have resolved. I say unhesitatingly to whosoever has become entangled in any such worthless love affairs, cut it short, break it off-do not play with it, or pretend to untie the knot; cut it through, tear it asunder. There must be no dallying with an attachment which is incompatible with the Love of God. If they will not likewise agree to this resolve of stepping back to Godly distance as is best, than you must impose it without their agreement.
But, you ask, after I have thus burst the chains of my unholy bondage, will no traces remain, and shall I not still carry the scars on my feet-that is, in my wounded affections? Not so, my child, if you have attained a due abhorrence of the evil. In that case all you will feel is an exceeding horror of your unworthy affection, and all appertaining thereto; no thought will linger in your breast concerning it save a true love of God. Our Messiah and Savior is also Healer.
Yet, if by reason of the imperfection and weakness of your repentance, any evil inclinations still hover round you, repeatedly renounce your evil desires; abjure them heartily; read pious books more than is your wont; spend time in confession, worship, and petition before your God; simply and humbly lay before trusted Saints all that tempts and troubles you, if you can. At all events take counsel with some faithful, wise friends. It is in openness and relationship in His Body that we find Christ Jesus, "in our midst."
And never doubt but that God will set you free from all evil passions, if you are steadfast and devout on your part. "He is able to complete that which He has begun in you."
Perhaps you will say that it is unkind, ungrateful, thus pitilessly to break off a friendship. Surely it were a happy unkindness which is acceptable to God; but of a truth, my child, you are committing no unkindness, rather conferring a great benefit on the person you love, for you break their chains as well as your own, and although at the moment they may not appre�ciate their gain, they will do so by and by, and will join you in thanks�giving. "Thou, Lord, hast broken my bonds in sunder. I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of the Lord."
