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What it means to know your bible

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Important read on importance of renewing your mind

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Don't be the reason you're in a rut

Say Goodbye to a Double Mind

James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The New King James Version. (1982). (Jas 1:5–8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

This week I have been thinking a lot on the issue of double mindedness.  I am convinced that this is a huge reason people don't grow in their faith and why many never see God's active answering hand in their life.  James 1 challenges believers to TRUST God and not to be double minded.  Double mindedness is different from doubt. Double mindedness shows up as you ask or respond to God with: 

"maybe" 

"I need more information" 

"I don't think that is what you REALLY mean." 

"I might if...."

"Tell me first and then I'll decide."

"You can't be serious"

"I know you won't tell me to stop this ministry because it is so great."

All of these and more indicate that the heart still desires to self govern and not have Christ govern it. Until you and I become single minded, we can't expect God to answer anything. So if you want more of God in your life, more wisdom in decision making, more confidence in your faith walk. Start trusting what God shows you in the word and DO IT!

Truth

The fool has said in his heart,“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call on the Lord?
There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.
Psalm 14:1-5

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

In our day, the predominate American worldview is: synaptic firings and neurological road paths are verity. Simply put, Truth originates in OUR own mind.

This observation can be made in the halls of elite colleges, federal court rulings, Hollywood films, newspaper headlines, major corporations' announcements and actions and talking-head media moguls. The most recent evidence is the transgender bathroom debacle. Our society holds fast to 'we can be whatever we want and think and feel, and that is real, so it is truth.' The money-makers, educators, and legislators have now determined that this will be the way we move forward in America.

Remove God, as Nietzsche suggested, and Society will become whole. Well, we are removing God and any vestige of Him, and we will reap the rewards of such foolishness. "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'." In our world, people are now making the heart confession an act of cultural expression. Chaos and competing individual expressions are rampant.

As Christians, we need not ever endorse such foolishness. Rather, we ought to persuade them to draw near to God while He might be found. People are far more than misguided electro-chemical impulses; they are image-bearers. As such, they cannot and will not find their own way. We must share with them the only way and pray that God would turn on the light to this truth, lest they meander straight to judgement. Let us make this our goal: Vocally and Truthfully sharing Jesus.

Thoughts on Easter

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith .... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 17-22)

The Holy Bible: NIV. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984.

Liberal theologians of the early 19th century really did more to create doubt in Christ than to share the historical legitimacy of the biblical text. They exalted their own minds and their cognitive reasoning ability as lord over sacred scripture. Somehow, they were able to do this and delude themselves into thinking that they were still Christians and God-fearers.

Paul addressed this old philosophy in new packaging when he shared with the church at Corinth, some 30 years removed from the event of Christ's resurrection. He gave many realities, such as the eyewitnesses. He also stated the necessity and the consequences of the resurrection. He clearly stated that Christianity itself rises and falls on the resurrection. If it is real, you must place your hope there. If it is false, you'd better look for another venue.

He had banked his life and message on it, and he shared the reasons why. Reasons that, in any court of law with objectivity (as opposed to pre-suppositional subjectivity), would validate as true.

Harvard professor of law Simon Greenleaf wrote in a book in 1965 these words:

"All that Christianity asks of men is that they would be consistent with themselves, that they would treat the resurrection evidences as they treat the evidence of other things, and that they would try and judge its actors and witnesses as they deal with their fellow men when testifying in human courts or human tribunals. The result will be an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability, and truth."

If reasonable men would submit their reason to revelation, they too would see the hope of life, the resurrected Christ.

The Key to Discipleship

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Jesus said, "Follow ME ..." and he said, "I will send Another Who will guide you into all truth ..."

Both require walking and being lead. Too often, our focus in discipleship is on the "discipline of the flesh" or "the denial of the flesh." These miss the main thing and actually hinder our progress. We focus on "THE FLESH." Our focus should be on "THE SPIRIT"!

When we learn Who He is, How He walks, Where He walks, When He walks, and Why He walks and then get IN sync, THEN we will no longer have to worry over our flesh. Walking will take care of that. The verse says that "you will not fulfill ..."

So what are you focused on? Walking, or your failing flesh? Start walking!

Do I Trust God?

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him ... (Job 13:15)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

The man Job went though the refiner's fire like no other in recorded history. Just a cursory reading of the first few chapters of the book of Job can cause great empathy for this man. What I find intriguing is his simple statement "though HE slay me, yet will I trust Him." This implicit faith is an enigma to me in many ways, yet it draws me, inspires me, and calls me to come pursue this type of real trust.

In 2003, I asked God to show me this depth of pure faith. He answered my prayer with trails - many of them. Today, 13 years later, I can say that my trust for God has grown and that my confidence in His goodness has multiplied time and again. I have seen several dark nights of the soul … I have also seen the Lord!

God's unfailing love, His many mercies, His amazing grace, and His active hand have caused me to delight even more in Who HE IS! I am more captivated by Him today than merely by the faith of Job. Indeed, He alone deserves my absolute trust.

What’s at the Heart of JOB

This edition was written by my lovely wife, Alicia, and shared with her permission.

Anyone with a hint of biblical literacy knows that the God of the Bible has His reasons for what He does and allows, but His actions in the book of Job have certainly raised some eyebrows. Why would God point his finger at Job and brag on him before Satan? God has no need to prove anything to His already defeated enemy, so why does He single out this dear servant, almost as if to dare Satan to make his ugly move? Though we can never know the full mind and motives of our God, we can find evidence that He allowed these trials in order to purge Job of some mixed motives in his worship.

Satan himself has a keen knowledge of man’s weaknesses, not to mention a biblical record of speaking in half-truths - so his estimation of Job’s character, though flawed and ill-motivated, is still useful: “Job fears God - but not without good reason . . . [he] blesses You only because You bless him.” Job never curses God for his lost blessings, as Satan predicted, but the poor man does become increasingly agitated when he cannot recover what those blessings represented - his right standing with God. The face-saving tactics used by Job are symptomatic of a man who has lost his confidence in God’s approval. It is not his treasure he demands throughout the book but rather God’s attention. Satan had it half-right, it seems: when external evidences of God’s justification vanish and God remains silent, Job’s worship vanishes, too.

Nevertheless, Job’s trials eventually lead him back to worship – and this time to a more God-centered version. Although early in the story God commends Job’s integrity, which we see demonstrated in a systematic worship filled with sacrifice and concern for his children's purity, his worship seems to be based primarily on his fear of offending the Almighty (“perhaps my children have sinned”) and bearing His judgment (“What I always feared has happened to me.”) This stage of worship is essential to our growth, but after Yahweh thunders His true glory (“things far to wonderful for me,”) Job sits in awe and silence – not worried about his own sinfulness but convinced of it, and in full, bowed submission to his Creator. “I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” Before verbally intervening, God was the Divine-at-a-Distance; we never read of Job having conversations with God like we do with Noah, Abraham, or Moses. Job isn’t even described as walking with God as He did with Enoch. Nevertheless, Job describes the change brought about by the end of the book: “I had heard about You before, but now I have seen You with my eyes.” God now has a personal voice and a personal message for Job which he will surely never forget, and, like anyone who’s heard God speak, Job will strain his ears again and again to hear from heaven.

Job willingly worshiped God based on the truths he understood about Him – and for that, God was pleased. God’s loving response was to give Job more truth – a deeper understanding of his own depravity and God’s glory. The trials Job endured were intended by Satan to prove his worship as insincere and thus put an end to it and any future relationship between him and God. We can have confidence that whatever schemes Satan means for evil, God intends for good; God used Job’s trials to purge him of an underlying self-focus and to release him to worship with true biblical humility focused on God’s great glory.

What do you choose?

But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 7:11-12)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

The events that had just unfolded were that the people claimed to do what God said and then complained that nothing seemed to change. The attitude was "what's the use." God then answered with a list of remedies that he expected the people to do, and then we arrive at the above text.

Choices have both opportunities and consequences attached to them. The immediate opportunity, however, might not be easily recognizable. The opportunity God had presented them with was one where relationship would be built and flourish - both upward to God though obedience and outward to others - and bring blessings. Upward and outward both involve relationship, and relationships can be messy.

Those people in that day made choices that had consequences. Let's look at their choices:

1. Refused to Heed.
2. Shrugged (or bowed up) their shoulders.
3. Stopped up their ears.
4. Became hard-hearted.
5. Refused to listen to God.

Now let's see the consequences: GREAT WRATH FROM THE LORD.

God is never excited at our reluctance to do as He invites. Which leads me to a few questions:

1. At what relationship in my life am I refusing God?
2. Where am I in the five areas listed above?
3. Am I willing to heed, bow, open, be tender and listen?

We all make choices. What is yours?

Content?

... I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philippians 4:11)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Learning to be content starts with trusting the ONE who is in control. Our nature is to demand control, trust ourselves, fear others, and complain when expectations go unmet. Anxiety abounds!

But God is patient. He teaches us, if we will learn, to be content. To trust Him despite what we see, feel, perceive, comprehend, think, and project. He is God alone. Now Paul, the inspired writer, is a fine example of this. He knows that he is in prison – that he will go to trial – that he will likely be condemned to death – that his traveling days are over. He is content. He is listening. He is being used of God. Despite the situation, God used him to pen this to the church ... to us.

God uses us, too, when we are content. Trust God.

Takeaway: ask God to grow you in this area.

Faulty Action Plan

And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife." (Genesis 20:11)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Interesting little verse on correctly understanding your environment.

Abraham rightly recognized the situation, no fear of God, but he responded wrongly, fearing man.

Abraham properly assessed that the place and the people were godless. There was no acknowledgment of God in their conversation or conduct. There was no respect or reverence for the one true God. Abraham got that right. BUT, Abraham was wrong on their capabilities. Yes, they had capacity, but God Himself would thwart their capability. Abraham had a wrong action plan.

How did this man forget the great God who delivered him from all his enemies? The God who gave him promises? The God whom he had walked with for 25 years? The God who kept him alive? These are the questions for all of us.

Abraham succumbed to the deadly sins of fearing man and trusting self. His fear of man clouded his view of God. While seeing the reality of their ungodliness and understanding their capacity, he failed to lean on the God who is RULER over all. So Abraham came up with a scheme to protect himself, only to see the hand of God overrule. God will not be thwarted!

The bigger issue, in some sense, was that Abraham could have been a testimony, but, rather, he became trouble. We too become trouble when we follow our own faulty plans.

So, the situation you're facing NOW - talk to God about it. Get His take. Trust His hand. Embrace His plan!

How Great is our God?

For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:4)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

This verse makes a declaration of praise to our God. It can also serve as an evaluation of how we view God. Let me explain:

The frequency and fervor of our praise will demonstrate to us how great we view God. The greater we see Him, the greater we will praise Him. If our praise is not so great, then it reveals to us that our view of God is not so great, either.

That leaves us with a single question and a great desire:

How Great is our God?

God, help me to see and express how GREAT you are!

Bearing Fruit

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

The Holy Bible: ESV. Wheaton, IL: Standard Bible Society, 2001.

Jesus is spending His last hours with His disciples, and He shares with them the Father's desire and the source from which the desire will be accomplished. The Father desires FRUIT, and the Son is the source of life from which this fruit develops. We are the abiding, cleansed, pruned branches that declare the Glory of the Father by bearing fruit that blesses others.

As I was thinking on this passage, I thought about the early process of fruit-bearing: flowers. Now, some of you know how much I like flowers. I get amazed at their beauty and uniqueness. I get excited at their splash of colors against the backdrop of the fauna. I become enchanted with their fragrances ... Flowers seem to simply excite the emotions through the senses, but they must die if fruit is to be born. I don't always get so emotionally moved at the sight of a fruit-filled tree; I prefer the appearance of the flowers. But fruit will do so much more than flowers are capable of - fruit will provide me sustenance.

That got me thinking: suppose we as believers stayed only in the flower stage, refusing to be agitated by bees and to decay in our beauty. Suppose we only wanted our life to appeal to the senses rather than become something of sustenance. Suppose we, in our desire, crave the attention we get at the flower stage and just stay there. What would be the results?

I don't want my branches to only have flowers; I want them to have fruit. So I surrender to the hand of the Father to clean, pull, tie up, and prune me. I stay connected to the source of Jesus so I don't wither on my own. I yield to the delight of God that I might yield a harvest of fruit for the benefit of others. Will you?

BELIEVE

And he [Abram / Abraham] believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

This statement is given right after God had assured Abram of His promise to bless him with an heir. It is also right before God changed his name from Abram to Abraham. This statement is also repeated in the New Testament. (Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23)

This statement is the clear indication of faith - believing God. Let that settle. Believing God.

It is more than believing what He said; it is more than what He has or will do. It is believing HIM!

When I believe God, I seek Him. I desire His words and ways. I long to please Him and to relate to Him. Believing is seen in my behavior, my attitude, and my outlook, and it is demonstrated in my values and worship.

So, be like Abraham - believe!

Small Things

"Two olive trees [are] by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left." So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What [are] these, my lord?" Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." So he answered and said to me: "This [is] the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: `Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts.`Who [are] you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel [you] [shall] [become] a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' " Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish [it]. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." (Zechariah 4:3-10)

The New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

The Prophet Zechariah is getting messages from God which he is unable to discern the meaning of. He understands that God will show him the meaning, so this dialog goes back and forth. The situation is the return from 70 long years of captivity to foreign nations and foreign ideas, and God is bringing the people back to His provision, protection, and presence. God is rebuilding the failed city and temple, and He is using Zerubbabel to accomplish this task.

Three things stood out to me this morning as I met with the Lord. First, the Holy Spirit is enabling, empowering, and accomplishing all the work. It is through confident dependence upon the Holy Spirit that true rebuilding occurs. Confidence can be had in God completing the work. God is working with and through the man, and Zechariah needs to know this. Likewise, we all must be attuned to the active Holy Spirit; otherwise, we become confused.

Second, Zerubbabel must persevere dependently in his assigned task. The tedious work is monumental, the naysayers are abundant, the cooperation is lacking, the man is small in ability... BUT GOD! God is with Zerubbabel and with us in the small, ordinary, insignificant things. Do not despise them nor allow others who despise them to discourage you.

Third, God is rejoicing in the little things! This is HUGE! People like monumental things, for it helps them boast of the goodness of mankind, but God takes note of the smallest of details that bring Him glory. Little things that bring God glory become big things that bring God glory as we fade into the background and learn to bask in His glory. God is excited that little by little, in the littlest of things, the passion and pursuit is to bring Him great glory. When we intentionally dedicate and do little acts for the sole purpose of His pleasure they will grow into monuments of His glory.

This leaves me with the question, "Are you / Am I, rejoicing with God in the small things?"