If you’ve been listening to any news outlet lately you are aware of the uproar over “violence”.  I can’t help but wonder how we seem to have missed the obvious—Jer. 17:8-10, speaking of the contrast between the righteous & the wicked, says  “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”  We are sinful, fallen people and God has told us that our hearts are deceitful and wicked.  And sinful and wicked people do wicked things.

Psalm 1 also tells us that the righteous will be like a “….tree planted by the rivers of water, which bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so…..the ungodly shall perish.”  How is it that we have missed the point?  Man is wicked, not the tools of our humanity, whatever they may be.  Cain killed Abel and we don’t know what “tool” he used, but — “… Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” Gen 3:8.  Cain let the sin in his own heart drive him to  murder.  What can we learn from this?  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom 3:23.  Sin is the issue!!!

I’ve been reading in Jeremiah the last few weeks and it’s almost like reading the newspaper.  Let’s look at some of the “Biblical Headlines”.   Jer 8:20-22  “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”  Jer 6:14 “ They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”    Where are we looking for the “Balm of Gilead”?  In legislation instead of “salvation”?  In government instead of the Prince of Peace?  The cost of our peace was 3 nails and 2 pieces of wood.   The “Balm of Gilead” is offered only at Calvary in the blood of Christ, that “cleanses us from all sin”, that is “…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus….” Ro 6:23

But that blood not only cleanses, it brings “real peace”—peace with God and the opportunity to offer peace to the world.  Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”  These words of Paul remind us that we can only have real “peace” with God (and therefore peace with others), and the love of God within us, through the Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s our disharmonious, deceitful hearts that cause all the trouble, and Jesus alone brings the peace of God when we are born again.  How?  John 1:12-13 tells us that “ … as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  It is Jesus that restores that “in the image of God” part of us that died in Eden—when he imparts the Holy Spirit to us — salvation, the new birth.  Praise the Lord I can be righteous by the power of God in me!!!!   2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  It’s all JESUS!! “Christ in you, the hope of glory…” Col 1:27

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Rom 3:23.   We all have to choose. The gift or the payday?  Who will we follow?   As Christ’s we are to “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Gal 5:16, and Col 3:12-15 says “ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering…….forgiving one another,….: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called…..”  Am I walking in sin or in the Spirit? Spreading peace or disharmony?

We are accountable.  Only when we as believers hold ourselves accountable, will we be real salt and light in this world of darkness.  Only when the peace of God rules in us will we affect our world.  Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”   Am I allowing Christ to keep me in peace, that I might be a “peace maker”—bringing the lost world to my Lord for real peace?

I’d like to leave you with this thought that we’ll explore in more detail next week, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. “   Psalm 37:3  I am to trust GOD and do good.  John 15:5 reminds us “without me, you can do nothing”.  May we all ponder our part in bringing real peace to the world around us as we share Christ and pursue righteousness.

As we have the first few weeks of the new year under our belts, it has brought to mind how quickly things change—the calendar, the weather, our plans, politics, the daily news.  So much going on around us and changing continually.

I was just sitting here reading something that a friend sent me about our obligation to be light in the darkness around us.  It reinforced the message we heard this morning in our church, about the difference that one faithful person can make.  The Ananias who was sent to touch Saul and restore his sight, is a man of virtual anonymity and obscurity but his obedience to God’s call helped change the world of his day and ours.

Can I make a difference?   As this same Saul, later called Paul, tells us in his letter to the Philippians 4:12-13 “12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  In Christ I can do ALL that God asks me to do.  I think we often forget the qualifier of “Not my will but thine be done” Luke 22:42.  It is God who strengthens me to do HIS work and I can trust to His provision every step of the way.  I truly want to make a difference but it’s not easy.

One of the things that haunt us, I think, is the inconvenience of serving God.  We have grown accustomed to “convenience”—Convenience stores, convenience foods, convenience tools that order our lives.  But I have found through scripture and experience that God most often works in unexpected ways, times and circumstances, using ordinary people—in that interruption of our plans and schedules.  Most people don’t schedule time for the flu that is rampaging around us, or for blizzards, scorching heat, floods or accidents.  As a people governed by the clock and the calendar are we ready to hear from the God, who, on the other hand, is concerned with “eternity” not time?

Some scriptures that give us parameters for walking successfully by faith and availability to God include 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” Such powerful verses remind us that we are walking in this world, yet we have supernatural  power to do God’s work, God’s way.  We must remember, as we have talked about the last few weeks, that we are in a battle once we come to Jesus.   But God tells us here, that our weapons are empowered by God –Mighty through GOD– to pull down, cast down, and bring captive the things that plague our minds.

And that, my friends is the point I’d like to focus on this week.  The battle is most often in our minds.  Our thoughts become desires, desires become actions, actions become habits, and habits shape and produce character, which determines our destiny.  If we can learn to recognize the importance of our thought life, it will result in our spiritual growth this year and beyond for Jesus.  How to accomplish this hinges on whether I will bring every thought into the  ‘obedience of Jesus Christ’?  To do this, I must develop a Biblical mindset.  I must read and study the Word of God regularly and consistently, at all costs.  I know how easy it is to neglect time devoted to God’s Word but we must make it a priority!!!

Another helpful verse is Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  I must check the “enemy” at the door of my mind.  When those thoughts come—all thoughts—I simply run them through the checklist of Phil. 4:8.  Is this thought true? Honest? Just? Pure? ….  If not, then I must reject that thought and think on the things of God instead.   Memorizing these 2 passages will be invaluable to you as you deal with your thought life moment by moment.  And I know it’s a moment-by-moment battle!

I’d like to wrap up with parts of 2 verses from 2 Timothy (2:15 & 3:16-17) “Study to show yourself approved unto God…”  To find God’s approval I must study HIS word, because  “all scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness….”  God’s word will do its work in me as I spend time in it, and seek God’s face through it.  James 1:25 says “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  I hope this will encourage us all to make God’s Word a priority in our lives each and every day.  May His blessings rest on you and grow you in grace and truth through His Spirit and His Word. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11

We’ve heard a lot lately about “cliffs” and it brought to mind the Biblical perspective of separation, or dividing.   The dictionary defines division as “the act or process of dividing anything into parts, or the state of being so divided; separation”.   As we think about our country and the divided state of things—right-vs-left; Christians-vs-Muslims;  liberals-vs-conservatives:  fiscal soundness-vs-irresponsibility– there are things that divide us on a regular basis.  Let’s look a few minutes at a Biblical perspective of division.

We usually think of division as bad, a lessening or diminishing of something, and that can be true,  but not always.  Division can be good or bad, let’s look at some examples and see what we can learn about division/separation, the good and the bad of it.   There are many examples in the scripture and the first is seen in Genesis 3, when mankind, in the person of Adam and Eve, was separated from the very presence of God.  But we’ll deal with that major topic at a later time.  Let’s look at Abram and Lot.  Prosperity caused them to separate and that was a not a bad thing, yet as Abram extended grace and generosity in allowing Lot to chose his place first, two different consequences were manifest.  In Genesis 13:14 “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.”

God reconfirmed His covenant promise to Abram, and in verse 18 Abram responds to God …” Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.”  Lot on the other hand, was drawn to Sodom,  a place that God tells us,   “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly”,  and his life affected by his choice.  1 Peter 2:7-9 says “And (God) delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;):” Although Lot didn’t partake of their wickedness, he was ‘vexed’ by it, and apparently, according to Gen. 19, he had not been a vocal testimony to God’s righteous ways.  He lost his wife and his family that stayed in Sodom, and his 2 daughters who went with him, committed incest with their own father.  And the offspring of this incest,  grew into 2 nations that later became bitter enemies of Israel and of God.  Note that one division produced most dire consequences for one and blessings for the other.

Abram drew nearer and nearer to God and was blessed to be called the ‘friend of God’.  Paul tells us in Romans 4:17-24 “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, ……18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, …He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness….;”.     Abram, later called Abraham, walked with God and although divided/separated from his family knew and lived in the power of God.  How are we to live?  What do my choices have to do with my consequence?  Everything!!!

There are many other examples that I wanted to share this week, but for time and space I’ll list but a few.  Solomon’s kingdom was divided because of his choices.  1 Kings 3:3 “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.”  Solomon had a divided heart and it led him into idolatry in his later life, 1 Kings 11:4 “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.” Because he had a divided heart, his kingdom was divided in judgment because of his sin.   A divided heart-A divided nation!

Paul and Barnabas were divided over young Mark; hence the Gospel was taken out by 2 teams rather than 1(Acts 15:39.  The Father and the Son were separated at Calvary—for you and me.  Mark 15:34b “My God, my God,, why hast thou forsaken me?”   The most difficult separation of the ages—for our salvation.   We are called in Rev. 18 to “come out of her my people…..” to be separate from the world’s ways, but ready to share the Good News with those without Christ.

So is division good or bad?   I think the Psalmist has the answer—Ps 37:23 “ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”  So I don’t need to worry about “cliffs”, or separations, or divisions I just have to live Psalm 119:133 “Order my steps in Thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”  What choices are facing you this week?  Are there “divisions” facing you?  So what do you or I do?  Well, very simply we are to do what Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16 & 25…”This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  v 25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” 

I pray that each of us will walk in God’s spirit, being and doing that which is pleasing to the Father.  Sometimes that will bring separation, sometimes not…..  Watch, listen and obey, and God will be glorified in our lives.  Blessings on your week as you watch for God working around YOU!!!  Join Him in His work—You will be blessed and He will be glorified.

I pray that you have had a most holy and refreshing time celebrating the birth of our Lord.  What a glorious time to focus on the one who came that we might have “life and have it more abundantly” John 10:10b.  I know we talked about spiritual warfare last week but I wanted to give us a little ‘ammunition’ for a ‘more abundant’ walk with the Lord in the coming year.

I don’t make resolutions, as such, but I do think it is a good time to look at the past year and challenge ourselves to do better for and with Jesus in the coming year.  As the Psalmist said “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts.” Psalm 139:23 May we be willing to let God search us, try us and lead us in HIS ways.

H– Have the mind of Christ– “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…..and took upon him the form of a servant…. Phil 2”5+ To have the mind of Christ implies selfless living.  Thinking of others, if you would, being HELPTUL.

A– All in all–  “Christ is all, and in all” Col 3:11 The only way that I can have the “mind of Christ” is to have Christ Himself.  To have been born again by the Spirit of God and then I receive the indwelling Holy Spirit to empower and enable me to accomplish the work of God.  As John 4:34    says, “Jesus saith unto them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”  And Phil 4:13 “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  God equips those He call!!!

P– The power of God– “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might.” Eph 6:10 That same ability that enables me to do “all things through Christ” is God’s power at work in me, not my own.  HE will empower our living for this coming year if we will but yield to Him as we hear and obey.

P– Put on the whole armor of God– Ehp 6:10-19 “Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles (tricks) of the devil………(v13)…wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God ….”  We must not go out into the world each day unaware or unprepared to deal with the enemy of our souls.  PUT ON that armor each day.  I pray through the pieces every day before I get out of bed.  We looked at this last week but I felt led to share this injunction of Paul’s again.

Y– You will be able to stand– Eph 6:13 “Wherefore take unto YOU the whole armor of God, that YE may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  You must put on YOUR armor of God—He provides it but you MUST put it on yourself.  I can tell you about it, Paul tells us about it, others have taught about it but YOU must put it on DAILY for YOURSELF!!!

N– Not against flesh and blood.  We must continually remind ourselves (via God’s word) that our battle isn’t again flesh and blood.  Eph 6:12 “For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”.  Our battle is NOT with the folks around us (even the difficult ones) but with the forces of evil, the sin and curse of this world and we must focus on standing up for right but not trampling the right and truth to do it.  We are to care for the lost, the wandering, the lonely the deceived, the helpless of this world as we stand for truth.  Never compromising God’s word, but always ready to reach out and help those who are in our path, that may be ready-even eager- to receive the Good News of the gospel.

E- Evil is all about us.  As we saw above we wrestle against forces of evil, not the people around us.  Even though they may be working with the enemy—in fact they are not the real enemy.  They need a savior too.

W– WE WRESTLE!! It doesn’t say we might wrestle, we should wrestle or perhaps we’ll wrestle—it says ‘WE WRESTLE’—a fact of life for every believer.  We are now in enemy territory, pilgrims in a foreign land, so to speak, as we journey to our Father in heaven.  Don’t greet each day unprepared but remember we have an enemy .

Y– Your armor must be on.  Remember those pieces and pray them on each day-Truth, Righteousness, Peace of the Gospel, Faith, Salvation and the WORD OF GOD!!!

E– Equipped with prayer.  Eph 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…..”

A– Always “Praying ALWAYS’ (v 6:18)!!  And Paul restates this same principle in 1 Thess 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”.  Keeping our hearts in close, continual touch with the Father—not with our eyes always closed but with our hearts always open!!!  Giving “attendance” to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” 1 Tim 4:13

R– Ready.  “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15

I pray that this will be a great year for spiritual growth and power in our lives and may God’s grace abound in your life each and every day as you remember – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”   Matt 6:33

Thanks for spending this time with me and have a blessed and happy New Year.

What a wonderful word—CHRISTmas…   The time that we celebrate our Savior’s birth, I thought it would be nice to just take a few minutes to remember what that means.  Most of us remember the old Christmas song by Jim Reeves (and others) called “C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S”, it was an acrostic for the letters of the word “Christmas”.  Well, I’d like to take a little twist on the acrostic and look at some of the elements of “Christmas” in this acrostic form.  Perhaps it will be a bit thought provoking if not poetic like the song.

C- Is for “Christ” child!  Christ of course being the Greek word for Messiah, the anointed one, the promised deliverer from God.  The angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:20-21 “….fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins.”  And we see the first mention of “Christ” in Matthew 2:4 “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.”  And one of my favorite passages, Colossians 1:14-16  “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”  This tiny babe was the Lord of heaven come to earth to save fallen and lost man HIMSELF!!!  Praise God for His unspeakable gift to us.

H- Is for “Holy”!  Jesus, the Holy one of God (Mk 1:24), a holy God has come to man.  Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 1:16 “ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am Holy”.   How are we to be Holy? 2 Cor. 5:21 answers that question, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” –Jesus–  Peter tells us how we are to behave in a holy manner in 1 Peter 2:21-24, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not: but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed.”  It’s by the power of the cross and the example of our Savior that we should and can walk holy in this world of sin.

I- Is for Immanuel (spelled with the “I” instead of the “E” so it would fit the acrostic…), God with us.   Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (This prophecy being the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14)  God forever with us in our hearts, Colossians 2:27 “To whom God would make known…..Christ in you, the hope of glory…”. Christ the New Covenant –imparts the indwelling Spirit to His children!!!  Christ in me—only by His power can I follow HIM!

S- Is for Savior, one who would save us from the curse of SIN!!!  Matthew 1:21 (again) “….for He shall save his people from their sins” reminds us that we need “saving” and that God has provided the way.  And John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”  Oh, I am so overwhelmed that a Holy God would love me so much as to send HIS son to live and die for me!!!

T- Is for timely—Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons”, how amazing that God sent His own Son to claim me/you as his child!!!  Mark 1:14-15 “…, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel”.  The Good News—the Savior has finally come—do you believe?  Is there a need for repentance in me, in you? Time is short! Today is the day of salvation!!!

M- Is for the manger—a cattle trough, a lowly place of birth.  What a way for a king to enter the world!  11 Cor. 8:9 “ For we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”  For us!!  Philippians 2:5-8 “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  For us!!!

A- Is for ALL!!!  Isaiah 53:6 “ For all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  And 1 Peter 2:25 tells us the result “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”   Do you belong to Jesus?  I pray that you do and if not that you will use this special time of year to call on His name in repentance and faith and let Jesus save YOU!!  NOW!!  And may we who do know Him, faithfully serve Him in gratitude for His unspeakable Gift of Salvation!!

S- Is for Sovereign.  The ruling KING of all of glory—our soon coming KING.  Are you ready to meet him or will you be “left behind”?  Matthew 2:2 “Saying, Where is he that is born KING of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to WORSHIP HIM.”  Have you come to worship Him?   I believe our King is coming soon and I pray that you belong to Him.  Acts 2:11 reminds us that “…..this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”  Look up—our redemption draws near!!!

I wish you and yours a most Holy and glorious Christmas season and trust that God will bless and grow you in Him today and in the coming New Year.