Do We Need Evidence For God?

"The only system of thought that Christ will fit into is the one where He is the starting point."  --Athanasius
We begin with God and explain the universe of ideas, we don't reason to God but from God!  

Unbelievers don't want to believe in evidence because the evidence is stacked against them and they're looking for a loophole to justify themselves.  Find out for yourself:  Ask them just what evidence they have found that proves there is no God!  They will have to answer far more questions for God's existence than they can argue against God, as we will see.  God needs no evidence to exist and merely assumes you have realized His existence--He doesn't need to prove Himself!  The Bible even presupposes and assumes God:  "In the beginning God...."  The Bible doesn't seek to apologize for God or offer any proof but even says those who deny Him are fools.  It is a matter of the heart, not the intellect, for denial of God is intellectual suicide and people suppress the knowledge they do have.  They are in a state of denial!  It is convenient for their lifestyles to deny a God who is the moral center of the universe.

What we know about God is not a matter of speculation or conjecture, but revelation and faith, we cannot have laboratory conditions or put Him in a test tube or conduct an empirical investigation on a God who is not tangible, visible, nor audible to us but dwells in another dimension. He isn't subject to scientific analysis--there can be no laboratory conditions--because He's not observable, measurable, verifiable, repeatable, experimental, predictable, testable, variable, nor controllable.  God has revealed Himself to us and in the Bible we see this consummated, personified, and incarnated in the personhood of the God-man, Jesus Christ.  Where we start determines where we will end up!  We must begin with Truth with a capital T to find God.   We don't start with the universe to explain God or explain Him away, but start with God and explain reality and the universe.  We don't conclude with God in the equation; rather, we start with God in the equation.

Man's problem today is to forget God and take Him out of our reckoning and life's equation.  God makes no apologies and owes no one an explanation for His works or actions.  He is too kind to be cruel, too deep to explain Himself, and too wise to make a mistake, it has been said.  The problem with the infidel and you cannot argue him into the kingdom.  There is always enough evidence or conviction for the willing but never enough for the unwilling.  Even if convinced he will be of the same opinion.  There isn't enough evidence to dissuade the willing, nor enough to persuade the unwilling.  This is because God cannot be rationalized but only known through faith by a work of grace.

Unbelievers are people of faith too, they just place it in their own logic and philosophy and ultimately that science has all the answers or can find absolute truth. Using science to harness truth out of its proper domain is not science but scientism--there are ways to truth outside of science and some knowledge isn't subject to science:  ethics, morality, philosophy, theology, et cetera.  The infidel puts God on trial and to the test, thinking they can judge God when He is their Judge.  The point is that all knowledge is contingent except God's and we all begin our quest for it in a leap of faith, accepting something or someone's word as truth we cannot prove. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge!  It's never a matter of reason versus faith but which set of presuppositions one is willing to accept.

We are all at the stage in our faith at the onset of believing but still needing God to help our unbelief.  Miracles, for instance, never force belief but only bolster and support faith and even produce a desire for more miracles.  God is not in the business of miracles on demand or doing biggie, showy, miracles to amaze us into faith.  Miracles don't make faith--faith makes miracles!  Everyone should realize that juries convict on the preponderance of the evidence, not all of it--which isn't available--and in the direction of the evidence.  Often they must rely on merely circumstantial evidence or witnesses with little corroboration.  But the biblical rule of thumb is to rule in favor of the defendant lest an innocent man perishes by mistake.

Also, history is not subject to scientific inquiry because it's nonrepeatable by nature and cannot be observed or measured.  There are no living witnesses to antiquity!  But the resurrection is arguably the best-attested fact in ancient times.  Christ's resurrection is a matter of history and the circumstantial evidence is most compelling!  In fact, Luke says there are many "infallible proofs." The Bible needs no defense or evidence for it is self-attesting and appeals to no higher authority than itself or it wouldn't be the final authority!  You cannot logically say that it's true because it's never been disproved, but a person only need read it with an open mind and find out for himself--he can prove it himself!  Legally, the burden of proof is always on the party disputing the validity or genuineness of the document.

The only way you can prove God is to limit Him or put Him in a box, and this cannot be done and if we could He wouldn't be worthy of our worship because the finite cannot grasp or contain the infinite.  We do have arguments and evidence though for Him--and evidence isn't conclusive but only a reason to believe- but no smoking gun proof that makes us believe against our wills.  He leaves faith up to our own decision but the Hound of Heaven is wooing us and is able to convict us and even make the unwilling willing and turn hearts of stone into hearts of flesh--for the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart!  But you cannot disprove God either, for it's illogical and impossible to prove a universal negative without being all-knowing and everywhere at once.

You can argue for God by realizing He makes sense of everything.  We don't need a holy grail or theory of everything in science; what we need is enlightenment from God and return to our roots to Christianity as the mother of modern science.  It's like saying we believe in the sun, not because we see it, but because we can see, and see everything else!  Could you imagine someone not believing in words yet speaking them?  We only believe in love because we've experienced it, not because its existence has been proven to us! Where did all the abstracts come from?  For instance, what about heroism, honesty, fair play, aesthetic appreciation, conscience, good faith, altruism, fairness, equity, generosity, truth, honor, bravery, courage, et cetera?   God makes sense of history and of the world, seeing it as having meaning and going somewhere, even telling a story with lessons to learn.

Even science is explained by God and wouldn't have arisen without Him in the picture.  How can we explain the Big Bang or the beginning without a Beginner? If we have "creation," we need a Creator!  How can we posit design without a Designer?  Since we have art, that necessitates an Artist. Things appear to be in order and according to specs:  what about an Orderer?  They want to shun hell but they believe in justice without the Judge!  How can we explain the principle of biogenesis (which denies spontaneous generation) or that life only comes from life without a source of life?  How can we see the Anthropic Principle (or the fine-tuned earth) without realizing a God of design, beauty, intelligence, harmony, and intention?  It looks like our Creator intended it this way.  One scientist wrote a book entitled The Privileged Planet to prove this principle.  Where did the first DNA, the metabolic motor of life, come from, if  DNA only comes from DNA?  How can we explain the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics without God in the calculus?  If we must offer proof, so must the infidel!

Thinking in the abstract, where did love come from and how can you measure it or define it.  Measuring three feet of love is absurd!  How did we come to know of good and evil if they don't exist and there isn't a source?  Why do we have such a concern for right and wrong and a moral compass if there isn't a God who is the moral center of the universe?  How can there be purpose, design, beauty, art, order, and musical harmony without God or one of purpose, design, and intent?  How can there be wrongdoing and crime without a Judge?  How can there even be good without a source of good or Supreme Good as the standard?  History makes no sense without seeing it as His story and having a beginning and ending or consummation and of meaning instead of being circular or cyclical?  Basically, how can we believe in the existence of truth without a God of truth as its source?

Cosmologically speaking:  When we realize the law of causality or of cause and effect, we realize that there must be a First Cause because an infinite regress is illogical and it's impossible to cross infinity--the chain in the link has to begin somewhere. Note that we can know nothing for sure without the principle of cause and effect!  But nothing can cause itself and be its own cause, and therefore everything must have a cause except this one uncaused cause that got it all started--no beginning means being eternal and nothing would exist without this beginning; however, God had to begin everything somewhere in time, for everything captive to the time-space continuum had a beginning and God created time, space, and matter, and so had no beginning--being eternal implies having no cause. In short, God is not an effect, and is independent of time and therefore needs no cause, being self-existence or dependent on no one or nothing. Indeed, there are so many constants and fixed laws in the universe that it makes it look like God has a pure mathematical mind, which is what Einstein postulated.

Note:  We are the evidence:   Our very existence is rigged and we are a miracle!  The biggest miracle is seen in the conversion and transformation of a believer upon salvation. We cannot explain our existence, much less God's!  We will find that a little philosophy may incline one toward atheism, but true knowledge begins with God in the equation we may think we can reason to God, but reason tells us some things are beyond reason; we can only reason because of God of reason and our gift of reason!

Christians have simple, not simplistic faith, but not enough to be an atheist!  The Bible says that unbelievers suppress the truth; this implies they know the truth! We must ask the unbeliever if he would repent and receive Christ as Lord and Savior if given sufficient evidence.  The problem is always the same:  Not that they cannot believe but they won't and will not believe!  Believers are not Christians because of the evidence who were convinced against their will, but because the Holy Spirit made believers out of their sincere hearts, wooing them and turning hearts of stone into ones of flesh.

The conclusion of the matter is making decisions based on facts and evidence, not whim or feeling--without which it ends up being merely blind faith.  We must be willing to follow the evidence with an open mind wherever it leads.  We will never find truth--and all truth meets at the top according to Thomas Aquinas--unless we admit we could be wrong, as Socrates said.  In other words   Soli Deo Gloria!  

The Soul Of A Church...

There is an ambiance to every church body that reveals the health and well-being of the body.  The culture is the sum total of the individual attitudes and parts--the sum of the whole being greater than the sum of the individual parts separately--church bodies are organisms working together as a team and must be cooperative, not competitive.  (It's a team effort and not a one-man band!)  We are not to engage in the "let's compare" game. The church has five distinct purposes or reasons for existence: corporate and public worship as a unified body in Christ in the Spirit and in truth, fellowship in the sphere and orbits of family and friends in the body including attendees, discipleship of all believers, ministry to the church body and members or congregants, evangelism, outreach and mission to the lost.

Note that we all are to be engaged in each function and not to assume the clergy has sole responsibility.  A mission is our work in the world to the lost--our outreach to the world at large, making Christ known.   Our ministry is to each other as we exercise our spiritual gifts in the body, everybody part being essential to healthy growth. They separate gifts in the church work for a common mission and ministry in unity and being one in the Spirit.

We don't just attend church to be social or to get a spiritual high or lift.  We go to share how the Lord is working in our lives and to get a regular spiritual workout or checkup.  We need to periodically examine ourselves as can be done more appropriately in the company of fellow believers.  We should enjoy our church family and even feel part of it as much as our biological one.  We must realize our responsibilities to the body and be faithful in attending for the sake of those that may need our ministry and we are connected with.  We ought to realize that if we really belong, we will be missed when absent.

The mature believer and congregant has realized his role in the body and finds fulfillment in reaching out of his comfort zone to bring life to the church.  The meeting of the church is not a social function, but it is a family and one ought to feel like when what they say, "When you're here, you're family!"  We should all feel at home and free to express ourselves just like the expression WYSIWYG or what you see is what you get!  We ought to feel free to be our real spiritual selves in the church and to see God at work in the sanctuary.  It is everyone's job description as it were to disciple newborn believers and to make them feel at home and welcome in the body.  

Fellowship is vital to the growth and there is a difference between fellowship and small talk or exchanging pleasantries and niceties.  We don't go to church to talk sports or the weather--you can do this anywhere.  We must realize our duty to minister and be interested in how our friends and church family are doing spiritually in life.  When we minister, we may share how God is working in our lives and may have may find commonalities and opportunities to meet needs.  We are all accountable to each other and must accept each other despite our personal flaws--making allowance for our faults.

Many Lone Ranger believers who are really going rogue believe they can worship God on their own and don't need to do it corporately!   However, the Spirit is present in the body in a special way and we ought to contribute to the needs of the saints and do our part in the body.  They may say they can worship in the cornfield, but do they?  We must realize that we really do need each other and no one is an island or rock or has all the gifts so as to be able to shine his light apart from being connected.

We know we are becoming mature when we enjoy our fivefold purpose:  worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission.  We rejoice in that God considers us worthy vessels of honor and uses us for His glory. The more dependent we are on the body the more are contributing to it in a sense because we are humbled and realize the importance of each body part and we cannot stand alone spiritually no matter how gifted we are--we need each other!  Who are we that God should use us for His glory; but He created us for this very purpose: to bring Himself glory through our salvation from sin and evil.  It is only in the contrast and in light of evil that we behold and contemplate or apprehend the good; man has become like God in the sense that he is capable of knowing good and evil, but this is only realized in a mature believer who can discern (cf. Heb. 5:13-14).

The committed Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission!  The ultimate purpose of the body is to fulfill this and bring it to the message and Word to the world.  A successful church isn't measured by its body count or membership roles, but by the spiritual health of its congregants--we don't need to worship in a crowd, but in a family that can interact and knows each other!  And in conclusion, the parachurch cannot fulfill the mission statement of the church and in the final analysis, the raison d'etre (the reason for existence) of the church is to know the Lord and to make Him known to a lost world.  Anything less must be seen as falling short and not measuring up to keeping the main thing the main thing.  In the final analysis, the church is not a crowd, nor an organization--both of which we see many churches becoming today--but it's an interactive and growing body or organism that grows spiritually together and is interdependent and reaching out with a mission bigger than itself--without vision the people will perish says Proverbs 29:18!

The church with real soul is one obeying the marching orders of Christ expecting the Second Coming, keeping the main thing the main thing--preaching the Word, namely the gospel; which involves all five functions of the corporate body:  worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission.  We ought never to lose sight of what our mission statement is; knowing that even to have a mission statement is to have a vision of completing the Great Commission which implies that we not only know the Lord but make Him known by our public testimony and reputation to the community at large that is our common orbit.  

It is only then that we can say we have a soul as a church--not just because the seeker likes us (stressing seeker-sensitivity or consumer-driven policy) or that we just have great preaching or music (which can be selling points but we don't want to get off track and lose focus of our vision), etc., the church must coordinate all the gifts and realize that everyone has something to contribute from a body of happy, growing, and healthy members.  We must not seek to be everything to everyone or please everyone and ending up being nothing of significance to everyone, going nowhere.   Soli Deo Gloria!

My Doctrine Of Work Ethic

"The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me"  (Acts 20:24, NCV).
"I have finished the work You have given me to do"  (cf. John 17:4).
"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer 48:10).
"The Lord assigns each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).
"[E]ach one's work will become manifest.," (1 Cor. 3:13, ESV).
"Rejoice in your labor; it's the gift of God" (cf. Eccl. 5:19).  
"A day of no work is a day of no eating."  --Zen monastic slogan  (No work is considered beneath the dignity and the "sanctity of manual work" is guarded in Zen and considered vital to life.)  

We are made to work, not for idleness, which can be debilitating and dehumanizing--even depressing.   Some wish they could live a life of leisure, play games forever, have all the entertainment their heart's desire, and amuse themselves to boredom, and thinking this is real R & R.  Life isn't made to be just fun and games (though they say girls just want to have fun) we are meant to find purpose and meaning and to set realistic, accountable, measurable, doable, achievable, responsible goals.  We only can recoup or rehabilitate our senses and we only need a recreational activity to restore us after work--no work means we don't need it, but everyone deserves a respite from his task or work--we're not beasts of burden!

We need a certain amount of rest, therefore the Sabbath commandment.  We can't be like the idle rich leading a life of nonproductive leisure.    We are not to indulge in leisure but earn it as a time to recoup!  Children are naturals at play and this is their calling or job description; however, God expects more maturity and responsibility from adults.

Whatever you find meaning and fulfillment in can be your calling. But remember that idle hands are the devil's workshop.  Whatever we find to do, we ought to do it with all our might and be gung-ho, having gusto and enthusiasm (which means putting God into it!). We all need to apply ourselves to whatever gifts and talents we are blessed with.

Once we've learned to work we will love work and not see it as a curse--even Jesus worked and Adam and Eve were given the task of horticulture in the Garden of Eden.  We are hard-wired for work and designed for it, only to be fulfilled doing it and accomplishing our mission. We are uniquely designed by God for His will and work.   Being ambitious for God or God's work is good but not for fame, power, or wearing ourselves out to get rich quick.  God blesses everyone in some ways, some in all ways; however, some even receive their reward or portion in this life--the evil do prosper sometimes our heavenly calling or job description doesn't define us but how we do it and the attitude we have does.

Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth-century monk in a monastery, practiced the presence of God even while doing the servile task of dishwashing for the Lord!  If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well!  We all need to feel we have contributed to society and are not just takers.  Everyone should be productive in what they are called to do; however, we never retire from the Lord's work and will.

We may not get to do what we love, but that doesn't mean we cannot learn to love our work.  What some may need is a little motivation and this can be extrinsic like money, or intrinsic like awards or recognition and validation.  We all need to feel we make a difference and are there for a purpose besides making a living.  When we die we should be able to say, "Mission accomplished!" like Jesus said He had finished the work the Father had given Him.  We should always aim to do our best, not just the good-enough-for-government-work attitude.

Jesus raised the bar and set the highest ethical standard, but also gives us the highest incentive.   Perfection is the standard, direction the test--always room for improvement.  When the work culture is not improving it's dead and going nowhere we are not to become stagnant like the Dead Sea with no life because there's no growth or opportunity and space for it!

We should feel we are not just leaving our riches to our progeny but a legacy to society--what are we here for?  True holiness consists in doing God's work with the right attitude and we don't ever accomplish great tasks alone but only with God's help and with great love and the right attitude--if so, God will bless it and be in it.  God rewards His work and it's never in vain, so it pays to see yourself as doing it as unto the Lord as your motive.   No task is beneath us because Jesus took the towel to wash the feet of the disciple and when done in the name of God there is no menial task, only menial people.  We are not to feel we need to be a success, for God measures obedience and faithfulness.

Our achievements don't matter and are eventually surpassed, records broken, and tributes are forgotten, but God wants us and our obedience and He will surely give us a permanent reward for our labors in the Spirit--that's why it says in Scripture:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit." Attitude matters and counts with God! We are not to become performance-oriented and be like the condemned servants that prophesied in Jesus' name but He never knew them (cf. Matt. 7:21).

Our job is really a dress rehearsal for our future in heaven and preparation for eternity as to what kind of person we become.   We ought to show gusto, be gung-ho, and learn enthusiasm, which means putting God into it.  The trouble with most workers is they have taken God out of the equation and forgotten God the source of true attitude and Spirit.  What can happen is the reduction to the lowest common denominator when there's no supervision or discipline at the workplace.

In the final analysis, see work as therapeutic and we all need it, it's real therapy!  Without it, we become less human and don't fulfill our purpose as being in the image of God.  We are creatures not made for idleness or leisure but work!  Many people find this out when they retire and have too much time on their hands, becoming bored with themselves and end up unproductive and good for nothing.

We ought not to base our performance on our feelings but our faith and attitude, which need to get regular check-ups and examinations.  God is interested in the person we are becoming more than what we are achieving!  When we are called to something, it's a labor of love and we are completed in it.  In the final analysis, work is the expression of the glory of God and how we express His image as is inherent in our nature.  God works and there will be fulfilling, meaningful work in heaven.

Work can be enjoyable and fulfilling, not just have meaning and purpose.  We need to have an identity and realize it in finding God in our work and fulfilling our mission, for all ought to be people on a mission and champions for a cause.  Everyone ought to be in the movement to improve the culture at the workplace, called to a noble crusade:  Christians are held to a higher calling and standard and are to be the salt and light of the earth.

As an attitude check, who has the right one here?
"What are you doing?"   "I'm laying bricks!"  "I'm building a wall."  "I'm building a cathedral!"  Are you the best worker, part of the team, or on God's team?    The more idealistic our attitude and goals, the better our performance!  It's not just for the elite of society to become champions of causes and to be on a mission--we all can find recognition and reward from our labors of love.  ("For the people had a mind to work" --Nehemiah 4:6; "I am doing a great work so that I can not come down" --Neh.. 6:3) 

NB: WE MUST BE TEAM MEMBERS ON GOD'S TEAM AND TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE TOGETHER WE MUST NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT OR ATTENTION, BUT BE WILLING TO JUST PLAY OUR PART IN THE PLAY!    Soli Deo Gloria!

How Big Is Your God?

We can boast of our faith, but faith progresses in natural states: from no faith at all to defying faith--hatred of God at least admits His existence; from little faith (actually no one really has no faith, they just suppress the truth they know and the God revealed to them); next they go to doubting faith--we all have doubts, an element of faith; to rebelling and/or independent, even rogue faith; to misunderstanding but sincere faith; to misdirected and ignorant faith; to accepting faith; to acknowledging,  understanding and comprehending faith; to open-minded and learning faith, to saving faith; to eager, zealous, obedient faith; to expressing faith; to seeing and discerning faith; to confessing faith; to witnessing faith; to overcoming faith; to following faith; to sacrificing and loving faith; and finally, to serving and a disciplined faith in one's calling and gifting--but note that the faith should always be a growing, forward-looking, and advancing faith--it is never inert or stagnant!

(Note I am not dogmatic about the order of my list of progressions of faith per se, since it may vary in individuals.)  That's why Romans 1:17, NIV, says we progress through faith all the way "[I]n a righteousness which is by faith from first to last." God doesn't insist on perfect faith, but sincere, unfeigned faith is what's a prerequisite for salvation (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5)).

We must not boast of the size of our faith, for we shouldn't boast of something we received from God and didn't conjure up (1 Cor. 4:6)--faith is given not achieved or viewed as a meritorious work, but a pure gift of grace (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1; Phi. 1:29; Eph. 2;8-9; Acts 14:27; Acts 16:14; Acts 18:27).  Though it's a gift we must exercise it for good and prove it by good works.  And we should always pray for bigger faith as long as it's in the right object, which is Jesus--we want God-confidence, not self-confidence!  God may just reveal a bigger Personhood to us with resultant, increased faith.  Faith is only as valid as its object:  It's the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, that matters and saves not our faith; i.e., faith doesn't save, Christ does.  We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!  Faith is merely the channel and means!  Grace is the source and justification, faith the channel and method, and Christ the means and reason via the sacrifice.

We can have a lot of faith in the wrong Jesus or false god or idea of God, and that will not save; we must reject those who teach another gospel, a different Spirit, and the wrong Jesus, as Paul admonished us in 2 Cor. 11:4 and Gal. 1:7.  Every religion thinks highly of Jesus, but we must accept Him for who He claimed to be--the Son of God.  Muslims have great faith in a false imposter of a prophet and a god named Allah. You could say that it matters not how big your faith in the long run (and it only takes the faith of a mustard seed to be saved) but how big our God.  Our God cannot be put in a box or labeled by our criteria or standards, and certainly not limited or confined by our definitions or conceptions.

William Carey, the father of modern missions, had the right idea of faith in stepping out of our comfort zone into the domain of faith.  He preached a famous sermon and motto:  "Expect Great Things from God, Attempt Great Things for God."  It goes without saying that too many of us think small and have little expectation from our God.  Think Big!  We can go no further than our dreams and only in the direction of our purpose and calling in life with God's approval.  Saint Theresa set out to build a convent and when asked about her resources at her disposal, she replied she had 12 Pence.  They tried to make it clear to her that even Saint Theresa couldn't build a convent on 12 Pence!  But her comeback was that she "and God can do anything!'  If God is in it, He will provide the resources and means--you can bank on that according to Paul in 2 Cor. 9:8 and in Heb. 13:21!  Our God is the God of possibilities, for with Him nothing shall be impossible (cf. Luke 1:37, KJV; 18:27; Matt. 19:26!  Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 32:27 (cf. Jer. 32:17), "Is anything too hard for the LORD?"  (Cf. Gen. 18:14).   Never count God out, nor leave Him out of the equation!

NOTE:  THIS IS A LONG PARAGRAPH BUT ONLY DELINEATES DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD TO US IN CHRIST.  Christians too often limit their God by putting Him a box like preferring to think of Him merely as their Father, their Savior, or even man upstairs, believe it or not!  But we are really committing idolatry if we fall short in our idea and conception of God.  He reveals Himself in manifold ways; such as these personifications: as our Lord of all, Author and Finisher of our faith, Enabler for God's will, Teacher that inspires us to learn, Wisdom to apply to every situation, Redeemer to fellowship with Him and other believers, Friend (even Confidant), Lover of our soul especially when we feel alone, Judge that is fair and understands our case, Justifier when no one understands our case, Advocate when the facts and status quo seem counterproductive to peace and we need Him on our side, Healer of all our diseases, Balsam for every sore, Balm for every wound, Defender when attacked, Protector from the onslaught of Satan, Reconciler in broken, estranged relationships, Banker who forgives our debts and writes credits not debits to our divine account,  Peacemaker during quarrels, Holy One who convicts us, Glorious One that is worthy and shares His glory and makes us awe and amazed, Sanctifier who makes us holy and doesn't give up on us, Go-between (Intercessor, Mediator, or Middleman) when we are alienated, Maker or Creator to whom we are accountable and find our purpose, Farmer who sows good seed, Potter Who makes us for a purpose, Sustainer of the universe down to every last molecule, in whom we live and move and have our being, Substitute for our sins at Calvary, Exemplar to emulate, Shepherd to lead us to green pastures and feed us, Lawgiver to give us a sense of law and to rely on, King over all the earth and its kingdoms, Orderer and Organizer of our life putting everything in its place and priority, Designer (or Architect) of the intricacies of life, Planer of our goals to make sure we're with the program because He has no Plan B, Artist that we admire and expresses Himself so beautifully, Answerer to all our questions and doubts, Light at the end of the tunnel, Explainer in Chief when we just wonder why,  Illustrator of our life situation, Purposer that gives us purpose, a mission, and calling to fulfill, Counselor in lost causes or crises (Life Coach if you will), Umpire calling all the shots, Referee looking for foul play,  Coach calling the plays of the game of life, Comforter when we are in need of someone being there for us, Consoler in time of need and bereavement, Provider when we are needy, Director of all minutia in our life even as a micro-manager of the cosmos that shows us the Way), Producer of the show of a lifetime financing His will, Author (of the Word, our predestination, election, and salvation), Disciplinarian when we need to learn a lesson in the school of hard knocks and get back with the program, Sovereign One that we can trust will do the right thing for "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28) for all things are under His control and sovereignty (cf. Eph. 1:11), Pilot who guides us to keep us on course, de facto Leader that shows us the way, Inspirer to God's will, Convicter to show us our wrongdoing, Motivator to energize us from our inertial and lethargy, and even Benefactor, for whom it pays to serve and gives fringe benefits and perks, et al., and this list isn't complete, exhaustive, or definitive--He is everything we need Him to be (that's why His name is I Am Who I Am...).

There is a reason God has no predicate in His name and we cannot describe Him fully or exhaustively but can know Him personally and experientially.  When we have a need, God is there ready to meet it, saying, "I Am ...  here to aid you for all your needs!" He foots the bill of our needs and has the right job description and domain or authority to fulfill them.  Indeed, He's the Great King of the universe that doesn't just reign but rules, He's the dependable Rock we can truly rely on, Captain of our soul, and Master of our fate--worthy of all our trust and worship.  In short. we don't just believe in God but in the One who is there and ready to come to our aid in any crisis, trouble, or time of need: He believes in us so we're never hopeless, He is on our side so we cannot lose, and He is with us so we are never alone.

As believers, we are the heart that God loves through, the hands that God gives a helping hand though, the listening and sympathetic ear through which God hears, and the voice through which God speaks--He uses us all in unique ways according to our election and calling, of which we ought to confirm according to 2 Pet. 1:10.  In fact, when we start to realize how big God is and what He is capable of, our faith automatically increases exponentially and we realize how small and insignificant we are, especially how sinful we are in light of His holiness and justice.   We utter with David in Psalm 8:4, "What is man?" [That God takes consideration of Him].  All in all, when we contemplate God, we are humbled and challenged intellectually, our minds are boggled and enlarged and blown away by His greatness, glory, and goodness.

People with small faith have a small God--though it may be enough to save, they will never be satisfied in God nor desire and enjoy Him.   It is a good thing to say, "My God is bigger than your God!" if you get my drift.  It isn't a matter of book-learning or of academics but of realizing who God is and knowing His capabilities and what He can do with us as part of His plan.  Our God cannot be too big!  God is infinite and we will never realize just how big He is in all eternity!  God is whomever He chooses to be and whatever He chooses to be for us.

Cf. Dan. 11:32, HCSB, "The people who know their God will be strong and take action ["and carry out great exploits" in the NKJV]) these people see how God chooses to manifest and reveal Himself in such manifold manners.  One example is the threefold office of Christ:  As our High Priest He puts us right with God as the Sacrifice Himself; as our Prophet He makes us aware where we fall short, aware of our ignorance, and teaches us; and as our King He frees us from the dominion of slavery to sin, setting us free, and rules over us--in fact the more we let Him rule, the freer we are and all the more power over sin we have simply by letting Him be Lord.  When He is Lord we are so glad that He is Lord, for He alone is worthy--this is meant as a comforting consolation.

By way of analogy, some people have small dreams or no dreams in life and end up in "nowheresville" as a "nowhere people" but some are satisfied with a small world with little impact or influence.  We all ought to pray to God to increase our horizons and the size and significance of our orbit, so we can influence the culture for Christ and transform it by being a light in a dark world.  The prayer of Jabez in 1 Chron. 4:9 is for God to make us a blessing and to have a greater outreach.  It is notable also that Zechariah 8:13 says that we are saved in order to become a blessing as our cup overflows!  Einstein considered a success by any standard, said that we ought not to strive to be a successful person, but one of impact!  Mother Teresa, now canonized, and who wouldn't call this success? is known for saying that God doesn't call us to success but to faithfulness!

Mother Teresa lived in virtual poverty, having to take that vow for her church, but Habakkuk lost nearly everything and still praised God in Hab. 3:18, HCSB, as follows: "[Y]et I will triumph in Yahweh; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!"  It should go without saying that we really don't realize we need God and how big He can be and is until we have come to the end our rope or thrown in the towel or even of losing everything.  Then we find out that God is a big God and He is all we really need--all else is extra and we are stewards of. It should be of comfort to realize that God hears all our prayers:  None are too trivial for Him because everything is trivial to Him, and nothing is too big for He is Almighty, and He cares because He loves us all as His children.

In conclusion, only as we see God for who He is are we properly oriented to reality and have a God's eye view on the world and its events.  Since "all truth is God's truth," as Augustine maintained, and Plato said that in order to live in reality he must know what God is really like, so we have no excuse for God is expressed fully and personally in the person of Christ as His icon, express image, and personification--all we need to know of Him is in Jesus, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells!  In the final analysis, the faith you have is the faith you show and it's foolhardy to trust a small, ineffectual God--true faith always expresses itself and is shown not said: we prove our faith and demonstrate it because it's an abstract idea and concept.

CAVEAT:  WE NEVER WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF HAVING TOO SMALL A GOD OR OF HAVING THOUGHTS OF GOD THAT ARE TOO HUMAN, WHICH PUT HIM IN A BOX AND LIMIT HIM.  ALL THIS IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR SPIRITUAL WELLBEING BECAUSE WHAT WE THINK OF GOD IS THE MOST TELLING TRAIT WE HAVE.    Soli Deo Gloria!

Orientation Of New Pastors

A newly accepted pastor needs to know what he's getting into!  Orientation is the order of the day, telling it like it is, though this may seem to be a tall order, it's Job One, or he'll be wasting his time and energy on the futile.  The serenity prayer is in order: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference!  Nothing in an established church body will change overnight-- there are too many powers that be! We must acknowledge the de facto leaders as well as the leadership of the body for it is hard to kick against the goads, as Jesus told Paul in Acts 26:14, HCSB, meaning it's difficult and vain to fight God's will.   Just like in everything else, we all need to know our limitations and how the Lord uses us.  But we are all change agents used by God for His purposes and plan and need to make ourselves available and prepared, for He will accomplish His will with or without our participation or cooperation.  New ideas will ultimately be accepted if from God:  Nothing can resist an idea whose time has come!

All new coming pastors need to realize the already-existing powers that be and respect authority figures in whatever capacity--this is a general principle of life.  We should all be glad that Jesus is the Lord and in charge, not any certain micro-manager or contro-freak because pastor-driven or dictatorship churches are unbiblical.  We need leaders, not rulers!  There are limits to anyone's authority, for the biblical worldview teaches sphere sovereignty and domains or turfs of power and authority, and beware lest we violate God's order of things and the so-called powers that be.  As new pastors bring new life to a church, hopefully, it isn't moribund and needs revival, because no church body is standing still--it's either growing, going somewhere, and alive or it is dying a slow death.  Complacent churches are on the road to oblivion and are of zilch significance in the big picture of God's will and plan for a vigorous healthy church family.

We must realize the difference between the church, an organism, and any other organization or group: it's really a family and fellowship, not an organization.  It should be comforting to all that when you're here, you're family so to speak.   Note that the Catholic church operates as an authoritative organization rather than a fellowship with individual church autonomy.  We are to question authority as our privilege:  the slogan of the Reforms is appropriate, which says, "I dissent, I disagree, I protest!"  We must learn to disagree without being disagreeable and never to be contentious, argumentative, divisive, nor judgmental.  Whenever we feel slaves to church dogma or its leadership we have come full circle and are Catholics in effect.  Protestants question authority as a tradition and are Bereans at heart checking things out for themselves, not just taking a pastor's word for it all the time.  Trusting the pastor is earned, not part of the program or requirements for attendance and membership.

We will always encounter those fuddy-duddies who resist change and are stuck in a spiritual or worship rut, especially in denominational church bodies.  That's why we always need the influx of new, fresh blood to give a new perspective, insight, and M.O.s to implement the ideas.  In other words, visionaries are a rare commodity because everyone is a natural critic and fault-finder.  The warning for a healthy church is not to become complacent or self-satisfied with itself but to realize as Martin Luther did upon his death, that he had only begun the work of reforming the church and the work must go on: that's why the Reforms held to the slogan "Semper reformanda," or always reforming from the Latin.

But change must come from within and everyone must work with the system, not as a revolutionary but a visionary.  The book of Proverbs 29:18, KJV, says a lot, "Without vision the people perish!"  We must have a plan, purpose, goal, or we will end up in nowheresville.   The principle of synergy must be in effect as the only way to go:  the sum of the parts together can accomplish more than the sum of the parts separated.  Together, we can!  It is times when disagreements happen that letting Jesus be the Lord is appreciated.

Any pastor coming in should have a heart-to-heart, man-to-man talk with the man or the leaders to see where they are really coming from--are they on the same page?  It's not a job interview but a mission, calling, and vision interview.  He is not a wannabe but a man on a mission called by God and deserves the church's blessing and prayers.  We must never play the "Let's compare game!" and label a pastor or preacher or try to fit him into our categories, boxes, or preconceived notions, but God has called him individually and will use him for His purposes. When God has called someone, we might find ourselves fighting or resisting God if we resist his calling and vision!  We must remember the wise words of Henry David Thoreau, "If a man doesn't keep pace with his companions, perhaps he marches to the beat of a different drum."

Bear in mind that at the beginning he is still honing his skills and finding his audience and where they are spiritually speaking.  He may see something awry or even amiss that needs fixing in a broken system, but no one can even call something crooked unless he's got some idea of what straight is.  Remember that he's come from somewhere else and sees things from a new perspective. It is important for the candidate to be straightforward and aboveboard about himself and let them see him for who he is, not someone they have imagined:  WYSIWYG! What you see is [or should be] what you get!  Let him be himself and not what he isn't.

What a church shouldn't be looking for is someone who is just an educated wannabe or man of learning, but a student of the Word who's matriculated in the school of Christ and knows the Lord (cf. Jer. 9:24).  Real scholarship isn't how much one knows but how one uses and accesses information and data. He not only knows what he knows and what he doesn't know but knows how to find out information or whom to ask.   It is wrong to appear pedantic or to flaunt his knowledge, training, or education; on the other hand, a pastor shouldn't preach down to the body nor insult their intelligence!

WORDS TO THE WISE ARE SUFFICIENT:  let's heed the wise words of wisdom from Sir Francis Bacon, the founder of scientific empiricism:  "Knowledge is power!"  This is verified or taken from Scripture in Proverbs 24:5 that knowledge increases strength.  We must harness knowledge, not become its slave nor let it make us feel we are a cut above others spiritually because of the spiritual gift of knowledge.  A wise person knows his limitations and when to defer to others to make use of their expertise or learning, for no one has a monopoly on wisdom, the correct use of knowledge, and we can all learn from each other, even children.  The abuse of power is dangerous, and so the real goal is wisdom or its right usage.  Knowledge for its own sake is vain and puffs up one's pride, we must always have a reason for what we seek to know and not just want to know all the answers or to impress others.  We are not to reject knowledge; that's not an option.  "The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly [or trash!]"  God's people can perish for lack of knowledge!  (Cf. Hos. 4:1).  

CAVEAT:  CHRISTIANITY IS NOT KNOWLEDGE OF A CODE OR BOOK NOR EVEN ABOUT A GOD, BUT KNOWLEDGE OF A PERSON WITH A SUBSEQUENT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM: WE TURN OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD INTO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD BY TURNING CREEDS INTO DEEDS AND LIVING OUT OUR FAITH IN PRACTICE; HOWEVER, IT'S NOT ONLY NECESSARY TO HAVE THE RIGHT PREPARATION BUT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE AND SPIRIT!  THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND GOD:  WE USE KNOWLEDGE AND RELATE TO GOD AS A PERSON!   (Proverbs 15:14, NIV).  

In sum, let me close with a quote from Prov. 15:7, HCSB:  "The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools."     Soli Deo Gloria! 

Our Continuing Resolution

Our walk in Christ is one of faith, progressing from faith to faith (cf. Rom. 1:17) increasing in sanctification and glory (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).  Our faith is a continuity:  of our status in the state of grace; one of faith from start to finish; of continuous repentance; of daily fellowship; of assurance of salvation; of security in our salvation; of surrender; of commitment; and finally, with daily renewal, for God is able to transform our lives into His image.  He is like a sculptor that chips away everything that doesn't look like his subject; in our case, God is the sculptor and we are the subject, and God chips away everything that doesn't resemble Christ.

It is important and noteworthy that our repentance is not a one-time deal we make with God but of a continuing, ongoing resolution, renewal, and repetition.  Likewise, our faith is not just a one-time action, but a continual walk with Christ.  For we walk by faith and not by sight! (2 Cor. 5:7).  Job said that he would wait until his renewal would come (cf. Job 14:14)--we must patiently wait for the Lord to (re-everything!) restore, reconcile, redeem, rebuild, and renew us in Christ's image and repair the tarnished one soiled by the old sin nature--final restoration will take place in glory!

Here is where Romanists beg to differ:  They don't believe in assurance nor in the security of the believer!  A believer who claims knowledge or assurance of his salvation, apart from some divine revelation to that effect, is guilty of the sin of presumption.  Au contraire!  Assurance is not only a command (cf. 2 Pet. 1:10) but a duty and a boon to our salvation and walk (cf. 1 John 5:13).  It is the expression of faith!  It is important to note that these two go hand in hand:  If one doesn't believe in security, neither can he presume assurance!  And how can one affirm assurance without some security?

Our faith is an ongoing progression of our knowledge of God.  The goal is to know God in His fellowship--this is by faith alone, but we taste and see the Lord is good!  We can rejoice in the knowledge of the permanency of our salvation (though the term "eternal security" is not biblical, "eternal redemption" is cited in Heb. 9:12 and "eternal salvation" is mentioned in Heb. 5:9).  Note that we are not saved on a provisional, probational, trial, or temporary basis, but on a permanent one!  We cannot utterly and finally fall from the state of grace, for we are assured we will persevere as God preserves and keeps us!  We don't need to do penance (the second plank of salvation for those who've made shipwreck of their faith) like Catholics when they have fallen from the state of grace by committing some mortal sin.   Soli Deo Gloria!

I Saw The Light!

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD shines over you.  For look, darkness covers the earth, and total darkness the peoples; but the LORD will shine over you, and His glory will appear over you"  (Isaiah 60:1-2, HCSB).  

"'This, then, is the judgment:  The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19, HCSB).

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16, NIV).

"If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin"  (1 John 1:6-7).   

Once you've seen the light, your life is transformed not just reformed.  Darkness is expelled by the presence of light, which is its enemy.  They cannot dwell together in the same space.  God is light and in Him is no darkness! He created light and separated it from the darkness. No one has an excuse: God gives light to all, for in Jesus we all can see the light if we look for it; however, He gives us only enough to see where we are to go.  There is enough to see for the willing and enough darkness for the unwilling to reject the light.  We must be willing to come to the light and hate the darkness!  In God's economy, known as the divine order of reality, enlightenment comes from Light!  

If we are to become enlightened by the Word, we ought to seek the Source, the Holy Spirit, who illuminates the eyes of our hearts. We are to be lights in a dark-infested world that is Satan's domain and turf.  We are to let our light shine in the darkness and influence it for the good.  The M.O. of finding the light and being enlightened is via the Bible and preaching of it; the day will dawn and the morning star will shine in our hearts (cf. 2 Pet. 1:19).

The problem with evil men is that they love darkness rather than light and will not come to it lest their evil deeds become exposed (cf. John 3:19)!  Only those who see the light can pass it on to others and show them the Way.  The Bible shows us the real self, for what we are in reality, not painting a pretty picture but being blunt about the portrayal.  For Proverbs 20:27 "The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost thoughts." God made our hearts and knows the diagnosis as well as the cure and prognosis!

There is just enough light for anyone to see if they are willing and the Bible equates Truth with light, for Augustine said that all truth is God's truth (cf. 1 John 1:6)!   It is a sign of evil when men walk in darkness and this type of metaphoric language should hit home for us all, for we can all identify a time in our life without direction and guidance from the Divinity.  This is in contradistinction to Satan, the prince of darkness.  The fulfillment of our faith is to see Jesus: "Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus." "But we do see Jesus" as the ultimate "Beatific Vision" completed in glory  (cf. Heb. 2:9, NIV) for He is the very personification and manifestation of the Light.

CAVEAT:  THE GOAL OF OUR LIFE IS NOT "ENLIGHTENMENT" AS IS SOUGHT IN BUDDHISM BUDDHA MEANS "ENLIGHTENED ONE"), BUT SALVATION OF THE SOUL AND RESTORATION OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.   CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION OF SALVATION!  NB:  BUDDHA, SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA, DIDN'T BELIEVE IN GOD AND  SAID THAT IF HE DID EXIST, HE COULDN'T HELP YOU FIND ENLIGHTENMENT, YOU MUST FIND IT ON YOUR OWN!    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Protestant Work Ethic

Jesus said, "I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do ..." (Cf. John 17:4).
"For the people had a mind to work" (cf. Nehemiah 4:6, ESV, NKJV).  
"The Lord assigns each man's work" (cf. John 3:27, NLT).
"...[R]ejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God"  (Eccl. 5:19, NKJV).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might" (Eccl. 9:10, NKJV).
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God's glory" (1 Cor. 10:31, HCSB).

I once accepted a job as a file clerk for the VA.  Filing was always my bugaboo, so this was a challenge!  My pet peeve around the office was when I was assigned the task of filing.  How God has changed my work ethic to realize you can do anything or any task to the glory of God.  Of course, there is extrinsic motivation like more pay and there are intrinsic motivations like feeling called to do a work for God and His plan and purposes.  Like Nehemiah felt "inspired" to say, "I am doing great work and I can not come down..." (off the wall of Jerusalem which he led to rebuilding in a record 52 days).  Zechariah was also an expert on intrinsic motivation, "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty."  You are only inspired as lofty as your insight is.  You probably heard of the three stonecutters at the quarry asked about what they were doing:  The first one said he was cutting stones, the second was merely earning so and so pounds an hour, and the third said he was building a cathedral.  Obviously, the last one had his eyes on the Lord and was considered for promotion and the good role model.  Paul urges us to do our work "heartily as unto the Lord."

The Protestant work ethic has a long history.  St. Francis of Assisi was asked, "If you had only ten minutes left to live, what would you do?"  He was the gardener at the monastery and said that he would "finish this row."  Work is part of our makeup and is an expression of our image and likeness of God.  We show God's nature in our daily tasks and occupations.  We feel compelled to accomplish something and feel pride in what we do.  During the time of Paul's writing, there were 60 million slaves in the world and work was considered a curse and only slaves should do it.  However, Martin Luther brought honor and dignity to work (even mundane tasks) by saying that all work can be done to the glory of God.  Paul stated that anything can be done to the glory of God (cf. Col. 3:17, 23).    During the formative years of Jamestown in 1607, Captain John Smith quoted Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says that if you will not work, neither shall you eat.  You've heard of the "idle rich," but those who wear themselves out to get rich are just as wrong.  Theodore Roosevelt said, "There has never been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering." Everyone needs a purpose in life higher than himself.  Carl F. H. Henry said we are creatures made for work and not for idleness.  And we can be assured of work in heaven, even Adam was assigned the task of horticulture in the Garden of Eden.  This is because we are hard-wired for work and express the image of God doing it.

God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother (Saint) Teresa.  Jer. 45:5, ESV, says:  "And do you seek great things for yourself?  Seek them not...."  The Bible condemns "selfish ambition" in Gal. 5:20.  Everyone has a niche and a calling from God whether homemaker or President and we are judged only by our faithfulness in our calling, not its success.  It is not what we accomplish as much as what we are.  Only deeds done to the glory of God in the Spirit are to be rewarded.  God isn't against good deeds but only those done in the flesh apart from God's guidance and will.

Whatever our hands find to do we should do with "all [our] might" (cf. Eccl. 9:10).  We should be "redeeming the time because the days are evil" or "making the best use of our time" (cf. Eph. 5:16).  We are a people created to be "zealous of good works" (cf. Titus 2:14).  But Paul says it is wrong to have zeal without knowledge in Rom. 10:2.   Note Col. 1:19, NKJV, says "...being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (note the correlation!)  We are saved "unto good works" (cf. Eph. 2:10).  We are not saved by them but so we can do them.   I hope you too can find a "labor of love" to complete God's will for you and your mission and calling (cf. Acts 20:27).  Note that Haggai, another motivational prophet to rebuild the temple,  said "... and work for I am with you" (cf. Haggai 2:4).

An anecdote is told of the work ethic being put into practice by St. Theresa commencing to build a convent.  Upon being asked of her resources, she had and telling them she only had the sum of twelve pence; they said not even St. Theresa can accomplish much with a mere twelve pence;  her comeback was that "St. Theresa and God and do anything!"  Just like Nehemiah finished the wall in 52 days and the people gave the glory to God, we can bring praise to God and glorify Him by doing it His way, with His means, and giving Him the credit and glory!   It is noteworthy that Jesus is the highest standard of work ethic, but also the highest incentive!  It has been said that to work is to worship!  We can realize our full potential in serving God with our work, for "to work is to pray," according to Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo.  NB: We can move mountains and glorify God only when we trust Him and are willing to do it His way and give Him the glory!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Consciousness (Cognizance) Of Guilt

".. For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matt. 9:13, HCSB). 
"Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8, NASB).
"... God, turn Your wrath from me--a sinner! (Luke 18:13, HCSB).  

That (the title) is a legal term, or lawyers' parlance, for behavior such as some suspect hiding info, engaging in a cover-up, lying, etc., and is an explanation and description of their dubious demeanor.  It is evidence and can contribute to the conviction of the crime in question.  Likewise, in our faith, we don't come to repentance without cognizance of guilt! Before the good news of salvation, we must hear the bad news of sin--that we personally are guilty, not just mankind.   People are claiming they have faith without ever coming to an awareness of their own sin and how they fall short of God's ideal and standard, realizing they are lost ("I was lost but now am found!").  Repentance and conviction go together--you must not only fall short of your own standards but realize you fall short and miss the mark with God.  How can you claim to be found without realizing you were lost!  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and the sinner--we must be cognizant of this.  We must realize the verdict:  guilty as sin (and that isn't even a strong enough word for it)!

To maintain we are righteous and need no repentance is an insult to God, for our righteousness is as filthy rags (cf. Isa. 64:6). If we are righteous in man's eyes, it is a gift of God.  Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to God (cf. Isa. 45:24).  We don't ever have the freedom to sin or to live on in sin, but must come to a change of behavior and attitude toward our sin.  Repentance is that:  changing one's mind!  Repentance involves a matter of the volition, the emotions, and the intellect--all parts of us are affected by grace, for it's all a matter of the gift of God has penetrated our hearts and changed our minds toward our sin--He changed us from the inside out!

The only qualification for salvation is to realize one's lack of credentials!  Salvation is to the lowest bidders!  We must acknowledge our unworthiness and humble ourselves.  If we insist on our righteousness we will never be declared righteous!  Note that God doesn't make us righteous, but just declares or considers us righteous due to vicarious justification, redemption, reconciliation, and redemption.  God accepts vicarious obedience and Christ obeyed the requirements of the law of Moses perfectly on our behalf.  The yoke of the Law had become overbearing and Jesus came to bring an easy yoke of following God's will: for instance, the Pharisees had added thirty-nine forbidden activities considered as work for the Sabbath which made it a burden and not a celebration of the Lord.  What a relief to accept Christ's vicarious obedience on our behalf!

As believers, we don't have the right to live in the flesh, but the power to live in the Spirit.  Our persistent sinning doesn't show our freedom but demonstrates our slavery.  We must learn to overcome the sin that easily besets us (cf. Heb. 12:1) and not to be slaves of sin, but slaves of righteousness, in fact, we are more than overcomers!  (Cf. Rom. 8:37).  We don't want any sin to dominate us and to be our master (cf. Psalm 119:133; 1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23).  We don't want any certain sin to have dominion over us (cf. Psa. 119:133; 19:13; 18:23).  The psalmist says in Psa. 119:133, HCSB, "... Do not let any sin dominate me."  We must let go of the sin that so easily besets us or trips us up! (Cf. Heb. 12:1).  For we are slaves to whatever overcomes us (cf. Rom. 6:16).

We can never be too aware of our sins, for Samuel Rutherford said that the more aware of our sins we are, the less sin.  William Jay of Bath said, "I am a great sinner, and I have a great Savior!'  Also, as we grow in Christ we become more conscious of sin and of God's displeasure!  And who can forget Peter's humility in saying, "Depart from me O Lord, for I am a sinful man" (cf. Luke 5:8).  Then there's the sinners' prayer in Luke 18:13, emphasis mine, saying:  "God be merciful to me, THE sinner!"  Point in fact:  if you don't realize your need for forgiveness and realize your depravity and sinfulness before the Godhead, Jesus has nothing to say to you and the good news isn't relative to you but only condemnation for disobeying the gospel and not fearing God.   Soli Deo Gloria!

No One Has To Be A Loser With God

God is on our side and we cannot lose with Him as our eternal Advocate "This I know:  God is for me" (cf. Psalm 56:9; 118:6).  God is with us through thick and thin (if He got us to it, He'll get us through it!); that means we are never alone! (cf. 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:10).  God believes in us--our situation is never hopeless!  We may give up hope, but there are no hopeless situations, only those who've given up (cf. Isa. 49:6; Jer. 29:11).   The trouble is that we often want our own way and don't realize that God knows what is best for us!  The only obstacle to God's best for us and His perfect will and plan is us--our will!  Sometimes, if we don't insist on God's will and God's way, He will just say to us, "OK, have it your way (but you'll be sorry and realize I was right!)."

Job often wondered if anyone could intercede for him in his predicament and trial (cf. Job 9:32-33); but as Christians, we should always be cognizant of the fact that God will never give up on us and neither should we (cf. Lev. 26:44). That's like giving up on God Himself, for all his promises have been proved true, not one has failed (cf. Josh. 23:14). The problem with many believers is ignorance per se--they are unaware of His promises and don't avail themselves of them (willful ignorance is never bliss nor an excuse!).

Jesus changed the dynamic of the Jewish culture by associating with known sinners, adulterers, outcasts, untouchables, lepers, and anyone else whom the Pharisees despised.  He was pushing their buttons all right and upsetting their religious apple cart!  Jesus simply wasn't the Messiah of conventional wisdom to deliver them from Roman rule, but one to deliver from sin--they wouldn't admit this was their problem!  Jesus was also given the title "friend of sinners" meant as an insult!  Where would we be if God never loved us while we were sinners and even enemies of the cross and gospel?  Jesus is always our friend but we are never His friend unless we obey Him.  Jesus is never ashamed of us and proud to call us brethren--we should likewise boldly witness for Him and never be ashamed to name the name of Jesus!

It is important to note that the Twelve were just ordinary men, even a ragtime bunch of misfits, unlikely candidates, and ragamuffins. Conventional wisdom would question this dubious band of brothers to accomplish God's will. But Jesus knew who they really were by the grace of God and saw their potential to be used for God's glory.  If Jesus were to be asked what would transpire if they failed, He would most likely retort:  "I have no other plan!"

And so we learn from Mark's gospel narrative and theme of Jesus as the Servant the following important lessons:  God never rejects us and can use rejects of society--call no one useless for whom Christ died and redeemed; Christ always will give us a second chance and we should never feel we blew it so bad we can never get back with the program and get our act together to serve God, for His gifts and calling are without repentance (cf. Rom. 11:29), but we must never forget that we are servants and stewards of the mysteries of God and our spiritual gifts; finally, God can accomplish much with losers who may not even have any self-confidence and think they are qualified for anything (Gideon said he was the least in his family, Moses had three excuses for not serving God and didn't think he was even qualified for such a noble task, and David was the least and youngest in his family and only a shepherd when anointed to be king of Israel by Samuel, and the LORD told him that man looks on the outward appearance, but He looks upon the heart  in 1 Sam. 16:7 ).

But we must never forget that God can never be frustrated or thwarted (cf. Job 42:2). He can make the unwilling willing to do His will and bidding (cf. Phil. 2:13; Col. 1:29; Psalm 110:3; Jer. 20:9).  God has no Plan B and will accomplish it despite our lack of cooperation.  We must get with the program but not just be converted to the program, but converted to Christ and knowing Him as well as sharing Him and making Him known!      Soli Deo Gloria!