What Is Agnosticism?

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see" (Heb. 11:1).  We can know and Paul said he would rather have us not ignorant. 

Agnostic (Greek root) and ignorant both mean the same thing and come from the Latin root for ignoramus. Intellectually honest people often subscribe to this tenet of faith (and all positions about God require faith) and admit that they don't know and can't prove there is or isn't.  This is true:  You cannot prove either way.  If you could put God in a box and define Him, limit Him, or even prove Him beyond a doubt there would be no place or basis for faith.  It is faith that pleases Him and without faith it is impossible to please Him (cf. Heb. 11:6).  "He that cometh to God must believe that He exists..." (cf. Heb. 11:6).  No one knows all the answers or can prove their position; Christians are not alone, but have taken a leap of faith in the direction of the evidence and seeing the preponderance of the evidence in God's favor like a jury would make a decision without having literally all the evidence at hand, but only enough to grant no reasonable doubt.  

We are all agnostics in one way or another at some time, because we have faith and not the knowledge to get saved, but afterward, there is a so-called "properly-basic belief" or experiential proof (the proof of the pudding is in the eating!).  God reassures us and as Christ lives in our hearts "the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God"  (Rom. 8:16).  We have the witness inside.

But to get to the point of knowing the truth that sets us free from our slavery to sin, we have to be willing to do His will and admit we could be wrong.  As a scientist is willing to go where the experiments lead and eliminate all preconceived conclusions.  The notion that there are no miracles possible is a preconceived idea, for example.  There is enough evidence to believe if you want to and never enough if you don't. In other words, it is a moral issue and not an intellectual one because the Bible does have the answers to all the questions and no one is going to come up with some question to make Christianity come tumbling down.  The heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart is what Rick Warren says.  What kind of soil is what Jesus describes people as, the seed of the Word sown by God is the same, but the condition of the soil is different and some people just don't respond because of the hardness of their hearts or blindness of their souls.

The reason you can't prove God is that it would be reversing a universal negative and disproving that: Could you say that there are no little green men without knowing it all or being everywhere to test your theory?   It is impossible to prove a universal negative.  You have to be omniscient or pansophic (knowing everything) in other words be God Himself!   Being an agnostic is philosophically bankrupt and an invalid position because there is sufficient evidence in nature, philosophy, logic, and in the Bible itself to give witness and testimony of God--there is even an innate knowledge of His existence that is muffled or destroyed and therefore Romans 1:20 says that "they are without excuse."  Chuck Swindoll says you practically have to teach kids not to believe.

Most people really disbelieve because they want to justify their lifestyle, like believing they are animals so they can live like one and not feel accountable to anyone.  They say that believers have a psychological need to have a "father figure" but they too have a psychological need not to believe and don't see it.  It is very convenient for them to doubt or deny God because it would change their lifestyle. What's the worst part is that most agnostics don't know why they don't believe but are very superficial in their reasons and haven't thought out their position--this is nothing but blind faith, which is not knowing why you believe, but going by gut feeling or emotion--they just feel there's is no God because of their bad experience or bad encounter with a Christian.

It seems only logical that one should consider the consequences of being wrong:  Pascal's wager challenged people to realize that you've got nothing to lose and eternity to gain by believing and nonbelievers will go to hell if they are wrong, believers will only be annihilated or absorbed into the cosmos as an animal if they are wrong.  Who's got more to lose?

God looks upon neutrality with more disapproval than other stands and it is the position of the coward to not be willing to stick his neck out or go out on a limb.  When you have an encounter with God you are never the same afterward.  Neutrality is like being "lukewarm" described in Revelation 3:19 where Christ spews them out of His mouth because they won't take a stand for Him or even against Him.

I like to get a hold of unbelievers who have blind faith--they can't defend their beliefs and don't have a leg to stand on, having more questions to answer than they can ask. Actually, it takes more faith to not believe than to believe!  As Norman Geisler well wrote:  "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist [or agnostic I would say]." Finally, agnostics don't have the answers but only doubts--we may not know all the answers but know the one who does.  Just as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (the German Shakespeare) said, "Tell me your certainties, I have enough doubts of my own."  Soli Deo Gloria!

Strange Fire...

God speaks of His Way, he is deadly serious: My way or the highway!

God is really big on instructions, so it follows that He likes it when we follow them.  The book of Leviticus is a "how-to" book, you could say, (or God's instruction manual--Torah, for instance, means revealed instruction) just filled with them.  It is reasonable to assume that a godly person follows instructions and doesn't try to do things his way.  Like some are wont to say:  If all else fails read the instructions!  This is bad mentality and disastrous spiritually as Nadab and Abihu found out when God consumed them with fire for offering a sacrifice their own way and making a fire their way which God called "strange fire" and God judged immediately He was so angry.   They became examples of those who "do it their way."  Frank Sinatra became famous for singing "I Did It My Way" and I'm sure that now after he has died that his song led many astray and that he was dead wrong!  It is a serious thing to disobey God's instructions and we are responsible for what we have the opportunity to know as David found out when the transported the Ark of the Covenant and when it tipped the person bearing was struck dead because He didn't follow protocol.  What do you think Bible?  "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." Disclaimer:  The Bible is more than an instruction manual, praise the Lord!

God is a God of order, design, and precision and instruction, not chaos or confusion.  We become more godly (God wants you to get organized and be orderly!) by following this pattern and God making us in this image of Christlikeness.  We cannot have everybody doing their own thing as it says in the last verse of Judges:  "In those days there was no king, everyone did as he saw fit [what was right in his own eyes]" (Judges 21:25).  Jesus said there was a "way" and He was it.  Knowing Jesus is knowing the way and the first believers were called followers of the Way. 

In the Army you learn that there is your way and the "Army way"  and you learn this lesson pretty fast--you become a quick-study!  "There is a way which seems right to a man, but the ends thereof are the way of death" (Prov. 16:25).  "For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray and have not known my ways."  Do you know the Way? In another passage it says:  "But my people do not know the rules of the LORD" (Jer. 8:7).  Jesus is the logos or logic behind the cosmos and God has a plan for everything under heaven according to Proverbs 16:4:  "The LORD works out everything for his own ends--even the wicked for a day of disaster."

People that don't know God are always offering "strange fire" before the Lord and trying to please Him their own way by good works, ritual or religion, morality, philosophy, ethics, etc.  and not by faith alone.  Nothing that the unbeliever does can please God, for it is all dirty and filthy rags in His sight according to Isaiah 64:6.  Do it God's way or don't do it at all because there is no reward for man's way or works.  God only rewards what He does through us as His vessels of honor.    Finally, the reason God gives instructions is to test our obedience and see if we are serious about being His followers:  Israel repeatedly refused and failed to follow instructions--isn't this something we learn in kindergarten?

Jesus condemned the Pharisees, though they followed the instructions, for the same reason God judged Amaziah, (he followed the law, but not with his whole heart).  The Pharisees were culpable for externalizing the law and going the motions, as it were, and not doing it from their heart.   Today, in our churches we see many who have "memorized the Dance of the Pious" also and have no inward reality--this is exactly what Malachi rebuked Israel for in being frauds at worship.  We are to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.  No one achieves this perfectly in time but in eternity we will be glorified to have the capacity.

What is sin, but doing something our way instead of God's way ("We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way..." (Isaiah 53:6).  It is vain and useless to fight God and do it your own way because God is never frustrated and knows what He is doing and can turn curses into blessings and make everything turn out for the good (cf. Rom. 8:28).   Job 42:2 says:  "I know that you can do all things, and no plan of yours can be thwarted."  As William Cowper said, "God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform."  Soli Deo Gloria!

Speaking Your Mind on Profanity

I am not speaking theoretically but from the trenches of spiritual warfare and realizing the outcome of these positions.  I've had OJT or "on-the-job training" and have felt blessed by my stands.  Once when I applied for a job a profane word slipped out and she said the interview was now over.  I learned my lesson and hope to teach others that they can be judged by the content of their language.  As believers, we are always on display like we live in a glass house. Do not tolerate bad language especially from fellow Christians or those who claim to be.  Sometimes we can say more by our silence (like Jesus did) than by saying something and someone has said that he has often regretted his speech, but never his silence.  These verses may apply:   "...but a man of understanding holds his tongue" (Proverbs 11:12); "...but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue" (Prov. 16:1).

Let me point out that the best witness against foul talk is clean and articulate talk that isn't peppered with profanity. You don't want to jeopardize a witnessing opportunity by bringing up a pseudo-issue like this that might bring extra cleavage, so have a tolerance level and know when it is time to speak and when to keep your peace.  As Christians we don't talk wholesomely because we have to, but because we are cleansed and want to. God will rebuild us:  "...I will wait for my renewal to come" (Job 14:16).  Solomon's admonition:  "Do not let your mouth lead you into sin" (Eccles. 5:6).

Too many Christian have grown lax on their tolerance of people's language, no matter how foul it becomes, thinking they are being "nice" by not saying anything--they have developed an "anything-goes" mentality because of overexposure.  They are confirming them in their sin that it is acceptable and fine and doesn't offend. To take no stand on an issue is nothing but cowardice if you really believe that potty mouth is okay, they use it yourself!  If not take a stand and let the person have a piece of your mind (try not to condemn or judge though) and let them know.  You are doing them more of a favor by being honest, even if it "offends" them.  Remember we are to be "holy" and this cannot be in the presence of filth. In other words, don't be a fickle chameleon that changes like a weather vane to whatever kind of people you are around--that's hypocrisy. I can usually tolerate a little creative vulgarity or gutter talk, but when they carelessly use God's name frivolously or in vain (I do not mean cursing or cussing, but invoking Christ), I feel compelled to object:  On one occasion someone did just that and I said, "Please WATCH your tongue!"  It worked!

If you wouldn't talk that way in church you shouldn't be two-faced and approve of it at home or place of business or leisure.  There is no neutral territory--you are either for or against it.  It is like being lukewarm and Christ not knowing where you stand.  Christ can give you the nerve to stand up for Jesus and not condone such talk.  For Jesus said in the Beatitudes that the pure in heart shall see God.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O God" (cf. Psalm 19:14).  "...keep watch over the door of my lips" (cf. Psalm 141:3).  "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth"  (Eph. 4:29). Even David was known to pray for a clean mind:  "Create in me a pure heart O God" (cf. Psalm 51:10).  God commands us to watch our lip and if we cannot control our tongue James says our religion is worthless (cf. James 1:26).

At least say something or let them know you a Christian when the time comes to take your stand:  Don't just keep on pretending you don't notice.  There is a difference between an occasional slip of the tongue ("No man can tame the tongue" per James the Great) and someone deliberately trying to shock and offend you or someone else.  When I was in the Army I had to take my stand against drill sergeant in Basic Training and was summarily shipped to another company that had a Christian captain in charge.

In summation,  I am forgiving, sympathetic, and understanding and wise enough not to make rash judgment calls, but there does come a time when you must speak up or forever hold your peace--it's like having the moment of truth (what kind of person are you?).  I've come to the time when I just couldn't take it anymore and had to object.  But bear in mind that the goal is to witness and let them know what kind of person you are, in other words.  Soli Deo Gloria!

To Complain Profitably

Meditate on these verses to commence the study:

"O God, listen to my complaint" (Psalm 64:1a NLT).
"Those in error will then believe the truth, and those who constantly complain will accept instruction [i.e., doctrine or teaching]"  (Isaiah 29:24).

If you read the book of Numbers you will realize the main theme is the "murmuring" or grumbling of Israel and how they were not content--they wanted to go back to Egypt (representing the old way of life) and eat onions and garlic and eat fish, to boot!  They had become connoisseurs all of a sudden and critics.  And so God gave them their request and then sent leanness into their souls (cf. Psalm 106:15).  We may actually get what we want and suffer the consequences because we don't know what is best for us.  Getting our way is not the best way; that is why we pray for God's will to be done.  We are incapable of running the universe, or even our own lives.

The issue with complaining is to whom you do it and it is not evil in itself.  Habakkuk complained to God and Job never once attributed wrongdoing to God no matter what.  God wants to hear our complaints in the right spirit, but it can be contagious if we tell others and try to leave God out of the equation.

Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content in Philippians 4, but don't confuse this with complacency!  There's always room for improvement and we are never to entertain ideas of perfectionism or having "arrived."  The bad thing about Israel's complaint was that they had become rebels and refused to listen to Moses and God.  They listened to each other and not the leadership that God had appointed over them.  This showed sheer lack of faith and insulted God after all He had done for them.  Only Joshua and Caleb "believed" God and were granted the privilege of entering the Promised Land of Canaan.

The spiritual significance of Moses not being allowed to enter because of his one act of disobedience in striking the rock (representing Christ) twice instead of once was that we know that He didn't arrive as he wanted to and didn't make it to the goal but had to allow Joshua to lead the people to the Promised Land as a type of Christ.  Moses wanted to be like Christ to the people and saw the significance of this role and opportunity.  Moses complained to but he had faith and never wavered in it--though he certainly had a temper which God chose not to restrain.

Tell the Lord how you feel and He will surely listen with sympathy to your plight or dilemma.  We must get in the habit of directing our peeves to God because He is the only one who can solve them.  God does complaints as one would say nowadays!  He is saying:  I'm all ears just speak up, and I'll listen to your case.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Who Is Our Leader?

Look to Joshua for someone to emulate:  "I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly" (Joshua 14:8).  The best leaders are, first of all, good followers or disciples or Christ.

Remember the sitcom "Who's the Boss?" This is the spiritual dimension.

By definition, I don't mean who makes the policies like the senior elder dictates something, but who leads spiritually and only Christians can do this. The leader in the office of leadership may not be the de facto leader as we will see.  I went to a Bible study and they told me that I was the de facto leader though I was not the teacher!  I believe that Christ alone is the cornerstone, which was rejected by builders, and He manifests Himself in His body the church through all believers in their gifting.

Many believers seem to idolize and put their favorite preacher on a pedestal when he is human and makes mistakes like everyone else.  "To err is human" applies to everyone but Christ.  Even the Supreme Pontiff of Rome is not perfect, though he claims infallibility when speaking ex-cathedra or from the chair of Peter.  Popes have contradicted each other, as Martin Luther testified at the Diet of Worms.  The biggest problem we have today is that sheep are too easily misled and led astray by false prophets and heretics and yes, false teachers.  Some have sufficient charisma to lead, if possible, even the elect astray.  Chuck Swindoll says that if we only "drink of one fountain," we lose our perspective (we can get brainwashed because we can get into the habit of letting others do our thinking for us).

The job of the teacher is to equip the saints for ministry, not to make them dependent on them--i.e., disciple them so they can do likewise.   Sheep need a shepherd and don't know the way instinctively--they must be taught.  We all need to learn to think outside the box and step out of our comfort zone to explore new vistas of opportunities where God wants to use us.

It is not necessary for a good preacher to have "charisma" as I have referred to, but to be faithful and know the Lord.  One can have a fine reputation of being a preacher and hardly know the Lord.  A good preacher and leader never goes over the flock's head or loses them while trying to "wow" them with their scholarship or expertise and education.  He is not a hireling who sees his calling as a "job" but should recognize it as a noble calling that not too many get.  Many preachers have not been called of God, unfortunately.  The hireling (who sees it as a "job" and is in it for the money or thinks religion is a means of financial gain), according to Jesus, cares nothing for the sheep.  Notice that Jesus asked Peter if he loved him and then asked him to feed His lambs and sheep (reaching believers at all levels of growth and having something for everyone from milk to meat).

To answer the said title question:  We are all leaders in our element (everyone can become a teacher in some domain even if only in the family); we are all stewards of this gift and the best leaders have learned to be followers, so they know the score and how the game is played, as it were;  we just have to find out what God has called us to do.  Jesus is the Head of the church, not some man in charge.  Jesus indwells all believers and He alone is the cornerstone and true Head of the body.  He works through all of us as we exercise our gift.  We all have different domains or turfs and would be awkward trying to do someone's else's calling--he'd really be on the spot, as it were!  We all have at least one gift according to our abilities for the benefit of the body and edification of the local church. No one can say that a fellow believer is useless of no value to the body--just wait till they find out who they are in the Lord!

By way of example, one believer may be anointed to pray and another to give announcements and pray and another to minister musically as a worship leader.  Sometimes they seem to steal the spotlight and outshine the pastor, but that is their gift and one must not compare (whoever invented the "Let's compare rule book?") ourselves with each other or be jealous of another person's gift or talents.  Some preachers are jealous because worship leaders are known for stealing the show.  Caveat:  Distinguish between personality and temperament and spirituality and what is "of God:"  Charisma or charm can be deceitful and has led many astray!

The more we have the more responsible we are because we are only stewards of Christ and for the building up of the body of Christ--not necessarily our personal gain or benefit.  It is an honor to be a vessel used by God for His glory and to be rewarded, to boot.

It is wrong, in my take of doctrine, have one person dictating the policies or affairs of a body because Christ works through the body as a whole and they are to work together as one in Christ--this shows unity, not all agreeing with one person.  Sometimes it seems like you have been upstaged or shown up and made to look bad (like when it seems like someone left a hard act to follow), but the key is to be yourself the way Christ loves you and saved you and to know how He uses and blesses you--too many Christians are completely in the dark as to their spiritual gift or even what talents they have.

"Take me to your fearless leader!"  In Judges (it said that they had no king and therefore did their own thing--this is the last type of leader type) three types of leaders or judges were given:  prophets, priests, and warriors.  Priests stand in the gap for sinner and saint; prophets proclaim the Word from God to man; warriors are the practical workers who do God's bidding and calling and do the "dirty work" that no one else wants to do--often the thankless jobs! Jesus' threefold office was namely prophet, priest and king and He is the final judge, to boot.

A spiritual leader doesn't mean he is on a different plain spiritually speaking but that God uses him as a leader to enlighten and encourage--the gift of encouragement is vital to the church and is in a great position to be in for an aspiring leader--if one desires the office of bishop or elder he desires a good thing but should be aware of what it entails.  Some of us are natural followers and bless through following rather than leading.

Who the "boss" is may not be the spiritual leader:  Spiritual leaders usually edify and lift the spirits of the body and these may not coincide.  I think of the relationship of husband and wife--he is the head but not necessarily the "boss" or spiritual leader. In antiquity "might makes right" but today we believe in universal right and wrong because Jesus is the personification of truth itself; He didn't just tell us the truth--He became it!  They need each other and she may be more "spiritual" than him.  Just because she is subordinate doesn't imply inferiority because Christ is subordinate to the Father and not in the least inferior--they are coequal members of the Godhead.  They say the man is the head but the wife is the neck that turns the head!  Sometimes a great sermon inspires me but sometimes what I needed to hear was in a worship song or hymn and it spoke to me as I was singing.  The person who picked that song was led by the Spirit just as much as the pastor preaching with an anointing.  We are all in this together and must realize that we need each other.

The Christian life is not about walking around on some spiritual high or in the memory of some experience--and God doesn't exist to give us experiences.  Usually, the filling of the Spirit is when God is equipping us for ministry and not for our own personal gain.  We are said to "walk in the Spirit" on the other hand, because Christianity is a faith walk.  The question one needs to ask is where they sense and feel God with them and how does God use them?  As mature believers, we learn to see Jesus in our brethren and see Him becoming real to us in our life and walk.  "But we see Jesus..." (Heb. 2:9).  And again "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith..." (Heb. 12:1). Seeing Him and having our spiritual eyes opened is a breakthrough to maturity.  When you see someone do a good deed don't you see Jesus at work?  Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that God has no hands but our hands, and no speech but our speech if you know what I mean and follow me.

In conclusion, never underestimate your impact and influence on others: "It's a good life!"   The goal is to be faithful and make a lasting impact with a legacy, not to accumulate wealth in this life--work for eternal wealth!    Soli Deo Gloria!

Making Plans God's Way

"Then the king ... rejected the advice of the elders'  (2 Chron. 10:13).
"Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap"  (Gal. 6:7).
"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!  For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision"  (Joel 3:14).
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?"  (Job 38:2).

Too many Christians erroneously make plans without counsel or wisdom from above.  If we rely only on human wisdom and insight we only get human results.  To achieve the impossible, to move mountains, we need God in the equation!  Equate the God factor--everything else are variables and He's a constant.  It is not an option to forget or ignore God and live as if there is no God; whether we believe there is a God or not, this is called "practical atheism."  There is safety in the multitude of counselors according to Solomon, and without counsel, plans fail.

Today we have everything from clergy, deacons, elders,  life coaches, school counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals to assist us in making wise decisions--we are not exempt from being wise, even as believers. God will reveal His will to us day by day and not necessarily in a rolled out itinerary.  For example, in Proverbs 24:27 it says to first make your career and then build your house.  Map things out before getting married, don't just hope to get it all together afterward (don't wait to get your act together!)--this is God's way!  God's way is to always put Him first (set priorities!) and let Him take care of the details and results.  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you"  (Matt. 6:33).

Being wise enough to be a success means seeing the Big Picture and not getting too detail-oriented, and thinking small-time. God does have a plan for us and He will get His way regardless of whether we cooperate. In mapping out our life course it is necessary to have "vision," without which we perish according to Proverbs 29:18.  We want God to get all the glory and credit for our success and realize it came from Him and we owe Him and have no place to boast (cf. Deut. 8:17-18) they say, an Englishman is a self-made man who worships his Creator!   Ponder this verse:  "All that we have done [God] has accomplished through us"  (Isaiah 26:12).

God is in control and micromanages our life as well as history itself and no one can say to God: "What hast thou done?"  (cf. Dan. 4:35).  God's will will be done and He has no Plan B case we mess up and ruin our lives; we cannot blame God for our failure because we are still culpable for our errors and sin. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9).  And also in the same vein:  "A man's steps are directed by the LORD.  How then can anyone understand his own way?"  (Prov. 20:24). "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails" (Prov. 19:21).

We may be determined, for example, not to ever marry; however, God may have other plans and we might still end up hitched.  "I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD..." (Jeremiah 29:11) implies that as His children He has good intentions toward us and not evil ones to destroy a good thing.  After all He is the Potter and we are the clay (cf. Isaiah 64:8).   All of our life was laid out before we were born according to Psalm 139:16 and this demonstrates His sovereignty--which is not limited by our so-called free will, which means we cannot frustrate God! (cf. Rom. 9:19 quoted:  "...for who can resist His will?"). Therefore, Job 42:2 says:  "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."

In making plans we must turn over the lordship and ownership of our lives to Christ and surrender to God's will in all matters, holding nothing back--without reservation--this is a lordship issue and all believers struggle here because it's ongoing--Satan never relents.  "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3).  God gives us the power to get wealth and to be a success (Mother Teresa said that God calls us to faithfulness and not to success!). Be careful what you plan for because you may get it (this goes also for praying).  In planning it never hurts to think big and to aim high, because then even if you don't reach your ultimate goal you may still be successful in God's eyes.  The revelation of God's plan or will for our life is conditioned upon our piety:  "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD?  He will instruct him in the way chosen for him"  (Psalm 25:12).

Don't be wise in your own eyes or think you have a monopoly on wisdom--it takes the body of Christ to function and we all have something to contribute.  Finally, success means that whatever God has called us to do we will bear fruit and glorify God, it doesn't mean achieving the "American dream" or making a lot of money, having power or fame.  A word of wisdom from Deuteronomy 32:29 says: "If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!"  In summation, the goal is achieving God's will for your life (a life of relinquishment), and walking with the Lord day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment, in faithfulness and leave the results to Him--just trust and obey!  Soli Deo Gloria!

How Do You Read Scripture?

ATTITUDE CHECK!

"I am profitably engaged in reading the Scriptures"  (Abraham Lincoln).
Challenge:  Do you read with a purpose in mind?
Ezekiel's challenge:  take it and eat the scroll (cf. Ezek. 3:1-3; make it your own!).
Mark Twain wisely quipped:  "It's not the parts of Scripture that I don't understand that bother me, it's the parts I do understand."
"Take it and read it; take it and read it!" (words were spoken to St. Augustine by a child concerning the Bible--this lead to his conversion experience).  EMPHASIS MINE!

"For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days..." (Deut. 32:47, NKJV).

We are responsible for the light we have and to whom much is given much is required--the light that we had access to and cannot claim willful ignorance. When you pass on insight, God grants more! Don't try to understand every passage, but concentrate on what you know and let further light reveal the meaning as God's Holy Spirit illuminates through pastors and teachers.  We are not to ignore the tradition and scholarship of the ages and especially the church fathers of orthodoxy.

It is commanded to read in Isaiah 34:16 saying, "Look in the scroll of the LORD and read...."
There is a blessing in reading it in Rev. 1:3. ("Blessed is he that readeth")
Paul urged Timothy to "pay attention to the public reading of Scripture" in 1 Timothy 4:13.
It is vital to know that we read because we want to and not because we have to and should look forward to our time in the Word as hearing from the Almighty Himself.

According to John MacArthur, the prerequisite to learning something is a teachable spirit, a receptive mind, and an obedient heart.
"As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby"  (1 Peter 2:2)
"On this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word" Isaiah 66:2).
"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).  We are drawn to the Word because Jesus is in our hearts, i.e., the Author himself!

By way of intro; a word to the wise is sufficient:  Never put someone down for reading the Bible for whatever reason and especially that they may read too much--thirsting for God in essence--("curiosity killed the cat" doesn't apply to the Holy Writ); they will eventually grow up and learn what God is teaching them.  You can't read the Bible enough! It quenches your thirst, then makes you thirsty for more--how blessed that the Word of God abides forever (Isa, 40:8)!  Sola Scriptura!  (Scripture alone is our authority, in other words--from the Latin--a key battle cry during the Reformation period.)

First of all, we follow the rules of reading for any book:  interpreting the obscure in light of the clear, putting things in context, distinguishing genres and interpreting accordingly (poetry, didactive or teaching, prophetic, wisdom or parable, and narrative) and adjust our reading speed and habits as needed.  We need all the skills of reading itself, and learning to read is a skill that does come in handy, though God can speak to the most simple-minded individual if his heart is needy, his spirit is willing, and his mind is open.

We don't want to take any preconceived notions into the Word or to read into it, but to read what God meant it to say--not our own fabrication--for no Scripture is of any "private interpretation" (2 Pet. 1:20).  We have no right to invent truths that God doesn't reveal to other believers.  What does the passage mean and what did God intend for us to know, is more important than what we "feel" is right. We don't want to get mystical or to claim that secret knowledge will save us (this is what Gnosticism was all about). If God speaks to you, share it and don't think that it is some kind of secret!  We have a right to our own opinions, but not our own facts or fabrications.

We don't read the Bible (you have to be alert to genre analysis and distinguish narrative form didactic, poetry from prose, and teaching portions--read them differently!) like it is an ordinary book like it is some interesting tale with a plot to keep us enraptured or engrossed.  We read it like we should read a divine book, to have God speak to us. We read with the purpose in mind and expectation that He will open our eyes to wonderful things that only the Word can do.

We must pray for the Holy Spirit's illumination and guidance to read what He wills for our needs to be met.  It isn't how much we read, but how we read and what we read.  Some may say that they proudly read for two hours a day--well maybe they aren't getting "fed" by the Word but are only reading for "information" to get "informed" and not to be enlightened. We don't need an education or to improve our knowledge, but to change our lives.  God doesn't handicap believers due to a lack of education; it's in their hearts where the issue is.

Some may comment that we must read the Bible a lot to remember so much  (quality, not quantity is the measure of a good reading session), but it is the Spirit that brings Scripture to mind and puts meditations on our hearts.  What is meditation but to digest and rethink a Scripture until we arrive at the meaning God wants us to get? It does no good to read a lot of Scripture if we come away and don't know what God has convicted us about or spoken to us in.  If I don't get an "Aha!" moment I feel I have read in vain. I don't want to be just informed and read for academic reasons to get educated, but to feel that God has met my daily needs and spoken to me personally.

Sometimes it is necessary to read more than usual, because we may have "Bible fatigue" (boredom when it has lost its zing and seems too familiar to excite our spirits, like when we read the same translation too much), but if we faint not God will open our spiritual eyes (conditioned upon our being in fellowship with Him and it is not our fault by harboring some sin we have not known or confessed).  According to Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16 two of the purposes of the Word is reproof and instruction in righteousness--they can show us where we went wrong and how to get back on track!

I challenge you to stick with it till you do have an existential encounter of sorts, and not just read academically (for no practical, but only theoretical reasons) for the info, but to have your soul enlightened.  We must be patient and not give up reading until we feel that God has spoken to us and we have some "meat" of the Word that we can chew on for the day.  It is the condition of our soul not the Bible's problem if we are not fed.  The biggest temptation to read is the desire to know as much as a fellow believer (just because of the motive of wanting to know everything) who has accumulated knowledge by virtue of many years reading and lose track of the goal, to hear from God. It is good practice to pray that God opens the door to knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in the Word prior to reading--keep the faith and don't quit until you feel God has met your needs and spoken to you for the day (i.e., something to chew on or meditate upon). You may read and find some verse that is just what you needed to hear for the day.

Now the whole goal of reading to put into practice God's Word that convicted.  Jesus said that if we know these things happy are we if we do them!   The real joy comes in doing the Word and not just accumulating knowledge, which is a byproduct of our experience in the Word and should never be a goal--so as to think we are a cut above others if we just "know" more.  The more we know, the more responsible we are, but this doesn't mean that ignorance is bliss.  We are commanded to grow in the knowledge of Jesus (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18).

Faith comes by hearing the Word and this doesn't just refer to hearing sermons but to the public reading of Scripture and to any time we hear the Word either from friends or by media.  We are to speak to one another in psalms and hymns, etc. ("Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" says Col. 3:16), and how can this be if we are not "full of the Word" by virtue of much-devoted reading. Now, the wonderful effect of maturity is to love the Word and to read it because we love it.  "Oh, how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day long"  (Psa. 119:97). "Great peace have those who love thy law, nothing shall cause them to stumble"  (Psalm 119:165).

We have reached a point of maturity when we actually love the Bible and look forward to a time in the Word to hear from the Lord for the day's needs.  One verse that really speaks to you can have more impact than a whole lot of reading that is just "interesting."  God doesn't want His Word to be just interesting or inspiring (we can go to Shakespeare for that), but life-changing, convicting, and uncomfortable---even knocking us out of our comfort zones.  When God speaks to your spirit you know it and you feel fed and can have the courage and strength to face another day.

The Word has many ways of speaking to us:  Warnings to take, prayers to echo and utter, principles to follow, promises to claim, commands to heed, examples to emulate, and if we read with a purpose and don't quit till we have achieved it we will gain good habits in the regular reading of the Word, that will develop into a lifetime habit and relationship to God that we can confidently go to Him to have Him "speak" to us for our daily needs.

Neglect of the Word estranges or alienates us from God and we are no longer in sync with Him, and cannot walk in the Spirit and in daily fellowship. The characteristic of the Word is that it feeds you, then makes you hungry!  You can never read it enough--you don't just read it and put it aside like a novel or textbook to study and master, but never grow weary of it and get new insight every time you read it. You can never say, "I read it and know what's in it" as if its an ordinary book and put it back on the shelf--for we can never say we know enough or have mastered it as if we are scholars.  If you have never had an existential experience in the Word, you are missing the boat and haven't yet known what it feels like to have God speak to your heart and encourage you in the Word.  It is our lifeline and link to God's will--of which we should desire to know and do. Time in the Word is never wasted and we must remember that we are all at different levels--God's Word is at work in us who believe and has the power to change our lives into Christ's image.

To sum up, we cannot really read it unless we know the author and have a relationship with Him! We speak to God in prayer, but He promises to reply to the Word.  One key to understanding Scripture is to see the big picture and learn to see Christ in it. The Word should not just be important but take precedence:  Billy Graham tells of a man who just made millions of dollars, but when he met Billy he insisted on telling him what the Lord had shown him that morning in the Word! Just have priorities and put first things first!  If we ignore the Word we cannot know God's will for lives, (doing the will of God is the easier yoke that Israel needed from the heavy yoke of the Law) case closed.    Soli Deo Gloria!

Knowing When To Change

VERSES TO PONDER:
"When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies"  (Psalm 119:59).
"Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD'  (Lam. 3:40).
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death"  (Proverbs 14:12).
"... Consider your ways" (cf. Haggai 1:5,7).

This is just as much a confession as it is a doctrinal post.  It seemed like Providence was smiling at me and I took my cue on schedule.  God allowed me to make a fresh start or to have a clean slate once more.  As you will see we have to be willing to step out of our comfort zone (in faith as Abraham did to be the father of the faithful).  As a word to orient you:  I had the biggest to-do list of my lifetime--trying to fit a week's job of organizing and moving into one day (it took over 12 hours!). But the reward was worth it in the end.

A radical change of lifestyle is a sign of a true conversion, for that is what conversion means (change).  "Behold, all things are become new"  (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). When we heed God's call on our life in His timing it is aided by the grace of God, so it is not in the energy of the flesh.  I'm not against reform or making new resolutions, but they are usually done in the energy of the flesh, and not of God. While we are in the mood, you could say, why don't we take the opportunity to change all our bad habits one by one!  Like Amos talked about in Amos 6:13 saying:  [paraphrased by me] "You boast about accomplishing 'nothing' by your own power!"  Paul said he "ventured not to boast, but of what the Spirit did through [him]," (cf. Rom. 15:18).  

It is clear in Hosea 14:8 that our "fruit" comes from Him.  Our disposition, demeanor, temperament, and personality type are God's gift to us--not our gift to God (He is the Potter, we are the clay).  He doesn't owe us anything and all is of grace!  Isaiah says in chapter 26 verse 12 that all that we have accomplished He has done through us.  God rewards us for working through us as His vessels of honor.  "... [You] have done for us all our works" (Isaiah  26:12b).  Jesus said that "apart from [Him] we can do nothing"  (John 15:5).

There is a "window of opportunity" that we must recognize when God is blessing us to do His will and we are to "seize the day" (carpe diem), as it were.  It gets harder and harder to stop a bad habit or vice the more we "try" to stop and it only gets more ingrained in us as if we were getting "programmed."  I'm not claiming that it is smooth sailing, but Isaiah says, "When you pass through the waters I will be with you" (cf. Isaiah 43:2).  Some people literally don't know when to quit or have gone too far.

My moving experience was sort of an Abrahamic "episode" you might say, because of the parallels. I was "called" to leave my room because I was on the list.  I didn't want to go at first because I was content (or stuck in a rut) to be where I was (maybe complacency too) and had everything the way I wanted after ten-plus years of being there.  I didn't even want to check out the new room but was talked into it.  When I saw it that this was a "promotion" I jumped the chance to better my fortunes because they believed I had paid my dues, however, I wasn't worthy of myself (they say I deserve it because I've been here so long--but what did I ever do?).  Now that I am all settled in, and it was the hardest work I have ever done to move all my stuff and prioritize my belongings, I realized what a blessing it was and was overcome with gratitude to God realizing that the goodness of God leads us to repentance (cf. Rom. 2:4).  

Now, this new attitude of gratitude has spilled out into other domains of my life and it shows.  Moving is usually the time people get rid of excess baggage and personal effects, and reevaluate their lives, putting them into perspective--their values, that it.  We tend to "accumulate" in more than one dimension of being.  Sometimes we don't realize how much we have till we move. Was I willing to part with some of these things or not?  I was forced into an assessment or an inventory, as it were.  Abraham had to shed all idols, and only take what was necessary and what was God's will--no idols--a tall order in those days of idolatry.

Now, why do you hear about so many people testifying that it was easy for them to "quit?"  Because they did it when God convicted them and when He was giving them the grace to do it in His power of the Spirit.  Repentance comes naturally when prompted by the Spirit and is not forced--we want to change and don't feel we are forced to.  Once true repentance or genuine repentance--versus spurious repentance or regret--(always accompanying the flip side of saving faith) only then can conversion transpire, and as Jesus gets the "passkey" to our inner sanctum or sanctuary of our soul and we allow Him to clean house, as it were, the more He is allowed, the easier it gets to yield more to Him.  If there is something that we are withholding and unwilling to surrender, that will paralyze our walk and God will have to deal with these "lordship issues."

When I got moved to a bigger and better room where I reside, I felt it was time to take inventory and take stock of what paraphernalia I actually needed.  It was a shock at how much "stuff" I had been holding on to just because I didn't like to throw things out!   It would have been postmortem embarrassment to realize someone actually going through my personal belongings and being able to judge what kind of person I was.   

Matthew Henry said to live each day as if it were your last.   I want to be ready and have a "clean house" when my time comes.  Corrie ten Boom always said to "hold things loosely." A. W. Tozer writes of the  "Blessedness of Possessing Nothing," meaning that nothing possesses you--and you realize that you are only the steward of God (do you control and manipulate it or does it control you?), and you are not a materialist guilty of idolatry.   

Obadiah says that Israel shall "possess their possessions [we don't possess people!]." We manipulate things and love people, we don't manipulate people and love things! There is a point of fanaticism (being a "fan" to the max) or when we idolize someone, putting them on a pedestal, and we are too devoted to people too--our sole celebrity or object of worship should be Jesus!  There is a certain freedom and inner catharsis or release when we give back to God of what He has given out of His bounty as our provision.  "It is more blessed to give than to receive," as Jesus said (cf. Acts 20:35).


Another godly trait I determined to undertake as I moved was to get organized:  "For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33).  It made me even feel more godly:   My friend and fellow veteran and resident says he worked in a warehouse twenty years and learned that for everything there is a place and a place!  I took his advice seriously as I moved and found out as I did it as a man "on a mission" it was actually a joy to work so hard and work up a sweat like I never had before--labor can be rewarding if we know the why and have a purpose.  I wanted to make my room presentable as if Jesus Himself were to be my visitor!   I changed the decor and took this into consideration.  Case in point:  I even got rid of some possibly offensive CDs!

Doing things God's way and not your way is the only way:  Jesus said, "I am the way...."   It is not one of several ways, nor the best way, but the only way!  The key to staying in fellowship with our Heavenly Father throughout the day, as Brother Lawrence wrote about in his book,   The Practice of the  Presence of God, is to keep short accounts of when we get convicted and to do things God's way and according to the light we have, of which we are responsible for.  We are not people-pleasers" in the least, but when we are approved of God, there is inevitable approval by God's people and the world will not understand our motives, which are not as selfish as theirs are.

Another thing that contributed to my attitude was gratitude to God for this new room and that I was finally getting some respect it felt like a whole new "born-again" (it is like a new beginning and new world to get to know) experience with my move because I used it as an opportunity to rededicate myself to being a better man and develop healthier coping skills and mechanisms and to have good habits, not bad--would you believe that the power is there to do this because the timing is right. I try to write when I feel the juices flowing  (when the Spirit moves), as it were, and when in the mood and the Spirit are calling me--and not to be disobedient to the heavenly "vision" of exercising my spiritual gift.

In summation:  If you don't change when God is convicting you---then you may be like a drinker or smoker who claims he can't lick his vicious habit, in actuality, vice.  You cannot do it in your power, so you might as well do it with God!  Clean up your act and make your lifestyle presentable to God for ready inspection.  It is like God told Hezekiah to "get his house in order."  In other words "Be ready!" Death is a promotion and a door to a superior way of living!  We never know when our master will come or our time is finally up and we shall meet our Maker.  "...[Prepare] to meet your God, O Israel" (Amos 4:12c ).  Soli Deo Gloria!

To Possess Or, Not To Possess...

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" (Hab. 3:17-18, NIV).
"...[A]nd the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions" (Obadiah v. 17, ESV).
"... Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor so that by his poverty he could make you rich" (2 Cor. 8:9, NIV).
"... Freely give as you have freely received" (cf. Matt. 10:8).

A. W. Tozer wrote of the Blessedness of Possessing Nothing.  What he implied is that, like Abraham sacrificed his greatest prize (Isaac), we are to let go of our most valued) possessions and let God own everything--"The earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof" (Psalm 24:1).  One of the richest men of his day was not preoccupied with his riches--they didn't distract his devotion to God.  It takes more faith to be loyal to God during prosperity than during deprivation when we naturally turn to God.

"Somehow, not only for Christmas
But all the long year through
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.  (John Greenleaf Whittier)

We often forget God when all is going well.  Prosperity is no sign of God's favor, though it is a blessing:  "... for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth" (Deut. 8:18).  Corrie ten Boom said often that her secret was to always "hold tings loosely."  The more attached we become to things the less place we have for God:  He cannot pour out His blessings into hands already full!   We must come to the realization that we are only stewards of what God has given us and will be held accountable.  "What do you have that you didn't receive?"  (Cf. 1 Cor. 4:7).

We have received our eye color by genetics just the same as our choice of career laid out by God's providence (cf. John 3:27, NLT), in knowing what's best for us in the long run(cf. Job 23:12, 14, Psalm 31:15 139:16).  "Moreover, it is required of stewards that they are found trustworthy" (1 Cor. 4:2).  "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth'" (Deut. 8:17).

God blesses everyone in some ways, and some in all ways; this is because of the so-called "common grace" that He sheds on everyone as His creatures.  No one can say God was against them!  We all have much to be grateful for.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change"  (James 1:17).

The book of Obadiah mentions Israel finally shall "possess its possessions" (Obadiah 17).  We don't want to be materialists: What this means is that they don't possess you!   Who's in control?  We use things and manipulate things, but we have relationships with and love people. We don't love things and use or manipulate people.  We should not love material things period.  We can appreciate and be blessed by them--but it is a misnomer to say we love them, a much-misused word in English.

St. Francis of Assisi said that it is in giving that we receive!  Jesus also said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).  If you give it up and it returns, it is yours.

In sum, we must learn to "let go" of what God has given us and give it as an act of devotion back to Him as a" sacrifice of thanksgiving" and dedicated to His service.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Talking The Talk

Yet "... it is written:  'I believed; therefore I have spoken.'  With that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak"  (2 Cor. 4:13).
"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard," (Acts 4:20, KJV). 

In the seventeenth century, it was every gentleman's hobby to converse in "God-talk" or be clued in on theology and in the know, as it were. But this is no guarantee that one knows the Lord, simply because he is acquainted with Scripture!  Even the devil quotes it for his own purposes.

It seems like some reticent Christians who think "talk is cheap" (Rom. 10:17 says faith comes by hearing by the way!) and they attack believers who voice their opinions, saying that if you don't "walk the walk, you shouldn't talk the talk."  Satan will muster all his forces to shut us up!  However, we are commanded to speak out to the best of our ability.  These cliches are unbiblical and have no basis in truth--can you give me a Bible verse to back them up?   If we had to wait till we were perfect to talk we would have an excuse to keep quiet all our lives because we are always working in progress and no one can say that he has "arrived." 

However, we don't want to be hypocritical in our talk and talk a talk that contradicts us.  When one is filled with the Spirit he wants to talk about spiritual matters and share Christ with others, whether he is "perfect" or not.  "As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).  In other words, they got the "can't-help-its" as they say.

Fellowship is not just for a few elite believers who have their act together, but for all of the body and no one can say that he doesn't need some "body part."  In my experience, one merely doesn't have the ability to speak of spiritual things and share Christ without the guidance of the Holy Spirit;  it is not mere energy of the flesh, but the power of the Spirit--(cf. Zech. 4:6 says:  "... Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD of Hosts").

It is the religious people who think they are better than others by virtue of their performance and are a cut above other believers, that don't think God can speak through the least of these of Christ's brethren.  The devil is the one who wants to muzzle the ox that treads out the grain and can't stand it when someone speaks for Christ or witness and says he is "unworthy."  But no one is worthy and it is because of grace alone that we have the privilege of speaking on Christ's behalf as His ambassadors of reconciliation.

Now, my interpretation of this matter is that if you don't witness, you shouldn't pass yourself off as an expert on the subject (however, I'd still like to hear your opinion of what you do know or think you know!); and if you don't pray don't teach about it, but it is always fitting and proper to boast in the Lord and of what He has done through you ("I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me," says Rom. 15:18).

You don't earn the right to witness, you just see an open door and take advantage of the opportunity whenever the Spirit leads--we are commanded to witness via the Great Commission.  Fellowship is a birthright of all believers, not just a select few.   All believers have the right to witness and should never be ashamed that they are Christians or of the gospel (cf. Rom. 1:16 which says:  "I am not ashamed of the gospel...").

It is vital that we practice what we preach, but the devil will do everything to muzzle us and keep us from speaking for Christ.  It is a shame that some who profess a faith in Christ deny Him by their works and life testimony.   (Cf.  Titus 1:16:  "They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him.")   In conclusion:  God will not stand for hypocrisy and we have to be careful not to condemn ourselves by our speech because Jesus did say that it is by our own words that we will be judged--but do not get discouraged that you aren't good enough, because no one is.   Soli Deo Gloria!