Off The Map

Recently I have been involved in an on-line discussion about why we so often launch into new revelation only to fall back into the same old-same old. There are many reasons we discussed, fear, pride, comfort and habit to name just a few. As I was meditating on this yesterday, I suddenly heard, “Many hide from My grace.”

I wondered about that, and as I let my mind dwell on it, I realized that we all fall prey to this. I then began to wonder why? We are limited finite beings with limited finite minds confronted by the reality of a limitless, infinite God and His limitless, infinite love and grace. Faced with this we naturally try to place this incomprehensible God with His incomprehensible love into a box we can comprehend. Boxes like rites and ritual, hierarchy, theology, tradition, in a word, works. We can understand and comprehend works. If we are good enough, if we can do enough, if we do all the right things, then we will be rewarded. It may not be God’s way, but it is a way we can wrap our minds around.

So what does that have to do with slipping back to the same old-same old? Simply this, when we step out into new things we step “off the map.” There is no longer a marked path, no blazed trail to show us the way. As the pioneers of old, we are faced with unknown, unexplored and potentially dangerous territory. If we truly understood God’s grace, we would be secure in the knowledge that He is with us, He knows the way, and He will guide and protect us each step of our journey. But we do not, oh we may say we do, but if we are honest with ourselves, we don’t really, so instead we retreat back to where we feel safe, returning to what we do, works.

Selah

Tiny Big Treasure

Merry Christmas to all. May you be blessed!

Tiny Big Treasure.

Whats Next?

Unless your habitation is under a geologic formation, by now you are aware that President Obama was reelected. There has been much weeping and gnashing of teeth among conservatives and evangelical Christians, but the people have made their choice. Some are predicting gloom and doom, some talk about moving, but what should our response be?

Not surprisingly, the bible has some things to say about this:

“First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior…” 1 Timothy 2:1-3 (AMP)

Yes, that’s right, Paul tells us to pray and intercede for “…all who are in positions of authority ….” I heard that comment, I didn’t say like him, no, you don’t need to agree with his policies, but you are commanded to pray for him. Oh one more thing, you are also commanded to love him. Hold on, hold on, don’t leave just yet, I do have a solid biblical basis for this:

“But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, to show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven….” Matthew 5:44-45a (AMP)

“But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked.” Luke 6:35 (AMP)

You don’t have to like him, God never demanded that, but he does demand that we love others as He loves them.

So then how do we pray for our elected officials? Well we don’t pray our will, for example, “God make them see how foolish this policy is,” but we pray God’s will. We pray that He will grant them godly wisdom and understanding, pray that he will change and soften their hearts, pray for divine protection and that his will be done in their lives. Most of all, pray that those who do not know him as Lord and Savior, will, and that those who do will hunger for a deeper, more intimate relationship with our Lord. Also, ask Him to grant to them the strength and courage to make a stand for godly values in all we say and do.

Finally, pray for the nation. Ask for revival, ask for the Kingdom of God to manifest itself in this nation. Call for an awakening like we have seen in the past, one that will touch and change this nation. That is where our hope for the future lies, not in a party, not in a philosophy or any other invention of the mind of man. As good as they may be, they can not effect the fundamental, foundational changes we need. Only a sovereign move of God across this nation can accomplish that.

PS: I wrote the draft of this a couple of days ago. Since then the news breaking of General Petraeus’ infidelity has broken, serving to underscore the need to pray for our leaders. If a man with the strength and moral fiber of David Petraeus can fall in this way, how much more so those lacking such discipline. Yes, we are all tempted every day, but I believe that those who would serve in high office receive special attention from the enemy. When we fail to pray and stand in the gap for them, we leave them open and vulnerable to attack. I will say it again, pray, pray for all of our elected and appointed officials, pray for them whether you like them or not. Pray regardless of what you feel about their policies. Pray for them all, and pray for our country.

Four More Years

Well Election Day 2012 has come and gone. This election cycle may go down as the most deeply divided we have seen. It will surely go down as the most expensive in history and by a large margin. Finally, after months and months of hype, prevarication, spin, surveys and pundits, votes have been cast and counted, and for the most part, winners decided.

Some will be happy with the results, some disappointed. Many failed to participate and thus gave up their right to be either. Already some prophets of gloom and doom have proclaimed God’s judgment upon this nation. That is their right, but I reject their proclamations.

As I look back at these first post election hours, I am both encouraged and concerned. Despite profound disagreements on major issues, the elections were accomplished peacefully. There continues to be concern over the issue of election fraud, and there is a need to address this in a way that is both fair and effective. (By the way, from the accounts I have seen, the UN observers were astonished that we would allow people to vote without verifying their ID.) There were also scattered reports of election law violations at polling places. These seem, for the most part, to be more cases of overzealousness rather than malicious intent, so let’s identify the problems, take corrective measures where needed, and move on.

For me, the greatest concern is the apparent lack of participation by the church. Early exit poll results seem to indicate that participation by those who self identify as Christians even lower in the past. Worse, many who did seem to have sacrificed Christian values on the altar of political correctness. Perhaps a part of this problem is that many pastors have avoided things political. This was not always so, certainly members of the “Black Robe Regiment,” members of the clergy so influential in the early days of this country would certainly disagree with such actions. (For more information on these ministers this is a good place to start: What is the Black Robe Regiment? ) I have already shared my views on this here, and here, so for now I will only state that it is not only our right, but our responsibility in a democratic republic form of government such as we have, to actively participate in that government. That means to express our opinions, vote, and if so inclined, run for office. When “we the people” fail to do this, we abdicate our rights to special interest groups or worse.

So now we go on. President Obama will continue to be president for four more years. Hopefully, he will provide better leadership reaching out to Republicans and working with their leadership in a spirit of unity and compromise to solve the many problems we face. Likewise, I pray we will see both chambers reaching across the aisle to tackle those issues so critical to this country.

One thing is clear; neither party has any kind of mandate. The race was hard fought over major issues and in the end, was very close with less than five percent of the popular vote separating the candidates. If any message is to be taken away, it is that support for current policies is underwhelming. The same old same old in Washington is not acceptable. Our legislators MUST work together, regardless of party, to deal with the very real issues we face. I pray that they will do so, and if they do not, that “we the people” will vote them out next time. Their job is to represent our interests. If they fail to do this, they are not doing their job, and we their employers owe it to ourselves to fire them and hire someone else.

Am I happy with the results? No, not really. Personally I would have liked to see many, even most of the incumbents fired. They have not been doing their job and this is not acceptable. (By the way, that includes all of our local congressional delegation.) Am I concerned? Not at all, God is still on the throne, and He is still in charge. I will look to Him, and I will continue to pray for protection and guidance for our elected officials, and yes, for them all to come to a saving knowledge and personal relationship with our Lord Jesus.

LWF: Don’t Let An Election Steal Your Song

The following is part of a message preached by Dr. Adrian Roberts and broadcast on his “Love Worth Finding” program Monday. The complete audio message can be found here. I hope you will listen, read, and be encouraged.

Don’t Let An Election Steal Your Song

Like many Christians, you may be discouraged about the way your nation is going. Whether you live in the United States or elsewhere, contention and infighting headline our news each day. It’s discouraging. But don’t let an election steal your song of joy.

The prophet Habakkuk wrote his three-chapter book in a time of national calamity. Everything that wasn’t nailed down was coming loose, and the devil was pulling nails. We live in just such a day—anarchy in the nations, apostasy in the churches, apathy in the streets. Habakkuk wanted to inspire God’s people not to lose their song but to keep singing despite difficult times.

A PERPLEXING PROBLEM

Habakkuk was intensely patriotic. He loved God, God’s people, and his land. He wanted God’s glory, but nothing he wanted worked out. Eventually he faced the same questions we face: Why doesn’t God answer prayer? Where is He? Is He weak and can’t do anything? Is He so hard-hearted He doesn’t even care? We stain heaven with tears, we fast and pray. Yet things still don’t get better. In fact, sometimes they get worse.

Habakkuk looked upon his day and cried, “Lord, I’ve been praying and praying. Why are You silent? Do You hear my prayer?” We understand how Habakkuk felt. In such times, people lose their faith. They wring their hands and wonder if God is going to intervene.

In Habakkuk’s day conditions were deplorable. The priests of God weren’t preaching His Word. They were worldly and selfish, taking bribes and serving God only for what they could get out of it. In America, the problem is not in the White House. It’s in the church house—a generation of preachers who “dumb down” the Word of God, telling people what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear—that sex outside of marriage is fine; homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle, and it’s all right to take the lives of pre-born babies.

Sin that used to slink down back alleys now struts down Main Street with a banner: “We’re loud, and we’re proud!” A nation of unblushables is a nation on its last legs.

A PROPER PERSPECTIVE

God revealed to a grieving Habakkuk the judgment He was bringing upon His people, explaining, “Unfortunately, that’s the only thing My people understand. I’ve called them with lovingkindness, but they would not answer” (Habakkuk 1:5-6). It was true then. It is true today.

Our country does not belong to the humanists, perverts, pornographers, or abortionists. Christian people established this country for religious freedom. Now the church in general is being held captive by the world, the flesh, and the devil. God wants us to get sober and come back to Him.

In these desperate days, we need to get quiet in God’s presence, center on Him and Him alone, and listen. As He told the Israelites in Isaiah 30:15: “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” Let’s not make the same mistake.

In this age, each of us must rely totally on God. Faith is what keeps us going in dark days. Faith sees beyond the physical to the spiritual, beyond the present to the future, beyond the temporary to the eternal. Faith does not judge by the appearances of the hour. Only faith will enable us to endure.

A PROFOUND PRAISE

Habakkuk began with the question “Why?” God never answered his question. Instead, God told Habakkuk to tell the people to remember His greatness and rejoice in His goodness…the holiness and majesty of the Almighty, who reigns in darkest times. (Habakkuk 3:18-19)

One day God is going to put His Son upon His holy hill of Zion. Then the earth will be filled with His glory! Oh friend, what a day that will be when Jesus reigns! When we become discouraged, God wants us to focus on Him. Draw all your attention to His throne, where He reigns in complete control and perfect love. He says, “I am your strength! I am your hope!”

If you find yourself feeling like Habakkuk, I promise if you’ll get the message of Habakkuk down in your heart, it will do the same for you that it did for me. My song of joy returned! This is God’s book for this hour.

Don’t let the dark times or the political crisis of the day steal your song! Keep on singing! Keep on praising! Keep on believing! Keep on loving! Our God reigns!

via LWF: Don’t Let An Election Steal Your Song.

How Should the Church Vote?

One thing that is painfully apparent as we approach the elections this year is the deep chasm in this country. Perhaps not so much for the average person, but certainly this is so in politics and the media. The political parties seem to be locked into a pattern of divisive attacks and mud slinging with little, if any, desire to seek out middle ground. Likewise, the media seems to have abandoned all pretense of nonpartisan reporting.

Many within the church also seem to have bought into this divisiveness with some choosing one candidate over the other and refusing to even discuss the reasons. Others refuse to even engage in the political process quoting scriptures such as Matthew 22 and Titus 3. Yet they also ignore passages such as Acts 5:29:

“Then Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey God rather than men.”

But there is more to it than that. We are indeed told to render unto Caesar, and to be submissive and obedient to authorities, yet who is Caesar? Who in the United States is the ultimate authority? Many will say it is the government, but is that the case? Well I don’t want to get into a long constitutional discussion, so I’ll just say if you really believe that, pick up a copy of the Constitution and read it. It will not take long to realize that you may have been mistaken. The answer is actually summed up in the first six words of the Preamble; “We the People of the United States.” Lincoln understood this and summed it up better than perhaps anyone in the last sentence of the Gettysburg Address; “…this government of the people, by the people, for the people….” There can really be no other conclusion. Under the democratic republic form of government established by our Constitution, “we the people” are Caesar.

So then what should our position be? What are the criteria for selecting those who will represent us in government? It really boils down to one word, righteousness. Which candidate best represents and supports godly values and principles? Not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. In the end, that’s what matters, not who has the best sound bites, or who says what you want to hear, nor who is younger, older, male, female, of the right denomination, or any other grouping you might think of. Who is walking the walk and bearing good fruit? Look beyond their words, examine their lives, and most importantly, pray and then vote.

One last thing, before you cast that vote carelessly, remember God sees your action and your heart and will one day hold you accountable for the choice you make.

Day 3: Will Riots X Out our Nation?

Reblogged from LAMPostings:

SPECIAL PRAYER CALL WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24! Heads-up now. We will be joined by key multiracial leaders to address the issue of potential riots following the election. Be prepared to pray through for your state and nation!

I am used to sudden shifts by intercessory change agents. That said, when Matt Lockett joined our call Tuesday night, the burden of his heart stunned me.

Read more… 658 more words

This is a time for prayer like perhaps never before. Pray for you state, pray for your nation, intercede and do not let up.