The Mighty God Can Give You Strength 

I received another vivid reminder of the power of nature recently. I arrived at our church building one morning after a storm to find what I originally thought was the usual debris of twigs and small limbs in the yard. However, I quickly realized this was different. It was actually splinters of wood scattered across the area. As I investigated further, I discovered that lightning had struck a large tree on our property, peeling a strip of bark from top to bottom on its trunk. Additionally, it had blown some of its large roots out of the ground. Our security camera revealed quite a powerful explosion. The great force of that event was manifested in other ways as the bolt had entered the ground and shot toward our building, leaving a couple of small trenches in its wake. As it reached the church, it knocked out a box of wiring on the outside wall, cracked a metal frame on a door, and did significant damage on the inside where those wires entered the building. We are grateful to God that there was no fire and that our building is still intact.

Nature is powerful. We see it in lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. If God’s creation carries such a mighty force, what does that say about the One who created it? He must be even more powerful. In our heads we acknowledge that fact. When we list the attributes of God, we affirm that He is omnipotent. However, we tend to lose sight of that truth as we face the trials of everyday life, including dealing with the evil that is in the world we live in. Sometimes we overrate the power of Satan, sin, and wickedness while not giving enough credit to the all-powerful God whom we serve.

In that familiar portion of scripture in the book of Ephesians where we are warned that we are wrestling against evil spiritual forces in the world, it begins by telling us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). It goes on to instruct us to “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). I am afraid that too often we just hear the words “be strong” and “put on the armor”. We try to stand up to the evil around us in our own strength. As attacks come our way, we simply encourage ourselves to “be strong” and to “hang in there”. And there can be a place for that.

However, we need to remember that we can only keep standing as we depend on the Lord. We are to be strong in Him and “in the power of His might”. And the armor we are given is not ours – it is the armor of God. He has provided it and He empowers it. When you think about how great His power is, that is a tremendous resource for us to draw from. The One who can deliver more force than a bolt of lightning is the One who is giving us strength. Satan, sin, and evil may be manifesting their strength and influence in the world these days, and even in the circumstances of our own lives, but we know that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4).

What challenges are you facing? How is your spiritual enemy attacking you? What evil are you dealing with? Remember that the all-powerful God is with you to help you and give you strength. If lightning can do what it does, think what the Creator of lightning can do for you today.

 

What Are We Leaning on for Support? 

We found out that my elderly dad had been using a towel rack in the bathroom to hold onto and to steady himself as he recovers from a fracture in one of his legs. We recognized that this was not a good thing. Towel racks were not made to hold the full weight of a person. They were meant to support the weight of towels, even heavier wet towels, but not the burden of a human being pulling on it or leaning on it. Such pressure on that wooden bar might cause it to snap or might result in the brackets pulling loose from the wall. Therefore we made arrangements to replace that rack with a grab bar – a device that could still be used to hang a towel over if desired, but was also strong enough to support someone’s weight.

It reminds me of how people lean on various things for support when they are going through life’s journey, especially when they are facing overwhelming challenges and obstacles, or in a time of weakness. We often tend to grab hold of things that can easily break or let us down. They might hold us up at times, but at any moment they could crumble or simply disappear and not be there anymore. It could be a person, even a family member or friend on whom we have depended in the past. It might be an institution or a government agency. It might be a savings account or a job or some other entity we hope will provide the support we need. While some of those may be helpful at times, we often discover how unreliable they can be.

The Bible tells us about a time when the Assyrian army was besieging the city of Jerusalem. The Assyrian leader accused Hezekiah, the king of Judah, of relying on the ruler of Egypt to come to their rescue. He said, “You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed of Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it.” In other words, Pharoah was like a towel rack that will break and not hold him up. This official continued on to point out how other nations who had depended on their various gods had succumbed to the Assyrian army. None of those so-called gods were able to save their worshipers who relied on them for help.

However, in his distress and time of need Hezekiah didn’t try to lean on another king or some other god. He reached out to take hold of the one true God. He earnestly prayed to the Lord for help. And in this case, God responded by miraculously defending His people. We are told that He sent an angel into the camp of the Assyrians, killing 185,000 of their soldiers, and resulting in the withdrawal of their army.

We can depend on God to hold us up too. He may not do something as dramatic or spectacular as He did in Hezekiah’s situation, but He will not let us down. He may choose to miraculously deliver us or change our circumstances. Or He might simply give us the strength to endure whatever hardships come our way. If we put our trust in Him, He will be with us, support us, and keep us from falling.

May we have the same spirit as the psalmist who declared: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help…Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help” (Psalm 146:3-5).

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

 

Do You Have a Before-and-After? 

Our youngest grandson recently received his first haircut. Such an event is often viewed as a milestone as it can seemingly transform the appearance of a youngster from that of an infant to boyhood. It tends to make the child look older, which can be an occasion for both a little nostalgic sadness and a measure of joy. So my daughter made sure to get some before-and-after photos of the event. Beforehand you could see his rather shaggy, long curls flowing on the back of his head. Afterwards it was replaced with a neatly-groomed shorter hairstyle. He looked great, especially as he posed for the picture with one of his cute facial expressions.

Hopefully we all have experienced a before-and-after transformation, not just in having some kind of physical makeover, but in our hearts and lives. I am referring to the change that Jesus makes in us when we come to put our trust in Him as our Savior. It constitutes a much greater milestone than a first haircut. It goes much deeper, affecting not only how we look outwardly but the kind of person we are inwardly.

The Apostle Paul makes reference to this significant change in our lives. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7).

Notice that Paul didn’t just point to the “before” picture of others but of himself too. This description fits all of us to some degree before we came to know the Lord. Maybe some of us were more foolish than others. Some may have sunk into deeper disobedience and immorality than others did. Some may have given in more to the lusts and the hatred. However we all were guilty of sin and needed to be delivered from its bondage. And it was something we could not remedy through our attempts to be good or, as Paul describes it, by our “works of righteousness.”

I am thankful that the word “but” is in that passage. It signifies a change. God showed His love and mercy toward us in sending Jesus into this world to be our Savior. Through Him, we can be saved. It isn’t a haircut or makeover. It is a cleansing that takes place in our souls. And it is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is referred to in this scripture in terms of being a regeneration and renewal. Jesus called it a new birth. It is a significant change in our relationship with God, being forgiven of our sins, received into His family, and having the assurance of eternal life.

Can you point to such a before-and-after experience in your life? It will be more dramatic for some people than for others. However, for all of us there should be some recognition of a time when we experienced a transformation in our hearts and in our relationship with the Lord. It was more than simply joining the church, getting baptized, or going through a confirmation class. It involved an actual change in our inner being that affected the kind of person we were and how we would live our lives. Let’s make sure we have been saved and cleansed by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  

 

It Is by the Grace of God 

One day recently I was watching a news report about the aftermath of a tornado in another part of the country. A firefighter was being interviewed about the damage that the storm left behind. He commented that it was only “by the grace of luck” that no one was seriously injured or killed. I wasn’t sure I had heard his statement correctly. Did I misunderstand? Didn’t he say, “by the grace of God”? I was able to go back and listen to the interview again. No, I wasn’t mistaken. He had said exactly what I thought he did. He attributed the lack of casualties to “the grace of luck.”

Maybe it is just me, but I had not encountered that phrase before. What does it even mean? I understand that there are people who believe in the random force of luck. Instead of giving credit to God for His blessings, they point to people simply being lucky. But where does grace fit into the picture? Grace suggests a personal being who shows us favor that we don’t deserve. It is appropriate to talk about the grace of a gracious God. However, luck has nothing to do with grace. It just randomly occurs. It reminds me of how many are increasingly using another phrase these days as a substitute for God. They talk about “the universe” doing this or causing that. They choose to acknowledge some impersonal entity instead of admitting to the existence of God and of His activity in the world.

I believe we as human beings know in our hearts that there is something beyond us – a “Higher Power” of some kind. While many may choose to call it luck, fate, the universe, or some other name to designate this impersonal force at work in the world, I am grateful to know that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is actually an intelligent being and a personal God. He is one who cares about us, who loves us, and is wanting what is best for us. He does show us grace or favor by blessing us in many ways. Some of those are common blessings that we all get to experience – the sunshine, the rain, breath in our lungs, and so much more. Others of us get to experience additional blessings from living a life in right relationship with Him. We have been saved by grace through putting our trust in Jesus as our Savior. And we experience His grace on a daily basis as He walks with us through life, guiding us, strengthening us, and being our constant companion.

So when something good takes place or we are spared from something harmful, it is appropriate to chalk it up to the grace of God. We don’t deserve it, but He blessed us anyway. That cannot be said about luck or any other impersonal force.

Maybe this is simply another indication of the direction much of our culture is trending. People are looking for something to give credit to or to place blame on, but they are steering away from God and going other directions. They are more willing to acknowledge something impersonal than to have to deal with the implications of a Creator who has revealed truth they don’t want to receive, a God who has standards of right and wrong, and a Heavenly Father who is calling for them to come back home to Him. They prefer to talk about luck rather than the gracious actions of God.

Let’s be thankful that the Power at work in our world today is not simply an uncaring force but a loving and gracious Father. Whatever good we experience, it is truly by the grace of God.  

 

What Do the Storms Reveal about Us? 

Last week one of those summertime afternoon thunderstorms briefly brought some hail and strong wind to my neighborhood. Afterwards I discovered that those gusts had caused part of a neighbor’s dead tree to topple over into my backyard. I was somewhat surprised because I had not noticed the unhealthy condition of that tree previously as it had been hidden within a cluster of other trees.

Sometimes storms cause problems. If it rains as hard and as much as it has in some areas of our country, there is inevitably going to be flooding. And if winds are strong enough, such as from a tornado, no structures are going to be able to withstand its destructive force. However, many times the storms don’t actually cause the problems - they simply reveal issues that are already there. The rains may reveal that there are leaks in our roof or around our windows. The winds reveal the presence of a hidden dead tree. Those issues were already there, but it was the storm that brought them to the forefront.

The same holds true when it comes to the storms of life which we frequently face. We are sometimes quick to blame those storms for the damage left in their aftermath when in reality the crisis simply shed light on a problem that was already present. It wasn’t the storm that caused me to lose my temper, to cower in fear, to sink into depression, or to give in to worry. It may have been the occasion that precipitated my reaction, but it wasn’t really the cause. Apparently my trust in the Lord had already sprung some leaks. That stormy circumstance that hit didn’t lessen my faith, but it revealed that my faith wasn’t as strong as I thought it was.    

While we don’t enjoy having to face those difficult times, we can often learn from those experiences. They can show us truths about ourselves that we had failed to see before or maybe had refused to see. When we didn’t stand strong when some winds of adversity blew, we may have realized that we were not as rooted and grounded in our relationship with the Lord as we had supposed. We all have areas in our hearts and lives that still fall short of Christlikeness and need to be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. We still have much growing to do. The storms have a way of pointing those out to us.

It reminds me of Jesus’ story about the two men who built their houses. One house withstood the storm while the other was destroyed. The floods and wind hit both structures. The storm was not the problem. The cause of the fall of the one house was an issue that was already there before the storm hit. The house was built on unstable sand instead of on the solid rock.

What about us? Will our house stand when the storms come our way? The answer to that question may have little to do with the storm itself. Granted, some challenges we face in life are more difficult than others. Some tragedies are such that they can shake anyone. However, the main factor is not the strength of the storm but the strength of our house. Is it founded on the rock of a saving relationship with Jesus, steadfast trust in Him, and in our living in obedience to His will?

Now is the time to get our house prepared – before the storm hits. Now is the time to seal those leaks and to make sure our lives are still standing on a firm foundation. The storms will come. Let’s be ready for them.

 

Don’t Give Satan an Opportunity 

My daughter and son-in-law walked out of their house one morning to find the back windshield shattered in their truck which had been sitting overnight at the top of their driveway. While vandalism was their obvious first conclusion, upon closer examination they discovered a different cause. They realized that the window had not been broken from the outside but rather from the inside. And found among the many pieces of glass scattered in the bed of the truck was animal fur. One of the back windows of the truck had been left partially open by one of their sons riding in the backseat the previous evening. Apparently some animal had climbed in that open window and in a panic to escape had busted the back glass. What was it? From those who examined the remnants of the fur, they concluded it was a deer. Certainly a panicked deer could have caused the damage, but it was just surprising that it would have climbed through that small opening in order to get itself in that predicament.

Their situation reminds us how trouble can slip in on us if we leave any room at all for it to get in. But it is not just wild animals who innocently wander into places where they shouldn’t. It can be those who are intentionally seeking to do harm. And I am not just talking about vandals or other criminals. We have an adversary to our spiritual well-being who is always looking for some way to squeeze his way into our lives and cause trouble. The Bible warns us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8).

One reason we need to be so watchful is because Satan doesn’t always just come announcing his presence and bursting through our door. He doesn’t always come pounding on the door like the big, bad wolf in the fairy tales, declaring that he is going to huff and puff and blow our houses down. He may simply sneak in through a window left open or a crack in the door. While he can be like a roaring lion, he can also act like a slithering snake who can find a vulnerable spot through which he can gain entrance into our lives.

Paul warns us not to “give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). Another translation says not to let the devil gain a foothold. The idea is not to give Satan any opening of opportunity. Don’t leave any room for him to be able to squeeze in and infiltrate your life where he can cause havoc. Keep the windows of your heart closed and the doors to your soul locked tight to this deceitful and deadly intruder.

How might we give the devil an opportunity to sneak into our lives? We might open that door by flirting with some sinful behavior or attitude rather than steadfastly refusing to have anything to do with it. We may open the door by seeing how close we can get to the edge of God’s will without falling off into some kind of immoral behavior. We may leave a crack in the window when we allow our minds to wander off in certain foolish directions rather than immediately resisting those thoughts or fantasies. In the context of that verse in Ephesians, we may be opening the door for Satan when we don’t deal quickly and wisely with conflicts and anger in our hearts. He can get in, incite explosive reactions, or encourage us to brood in our anger until it turns into bitter resentment.

Leaving a window open in a truck can lead to trouble, but leaving a door cracked for the devil can do much greater harm.

 

Being on Guard Against Deception 

Recently I was sent an email expressing appreciation for my devotional book, Be a Holy Man. I have received communications before from people claiming to be familiar with the book and wanting to help me market it. I easily recognized those proposals as deceptive attempts to get my money and ignored them. However, this correspondence was different. I told my wife that if this was a scam, it was a really good one. It claimed to be from an author whose name my wife recognized as having written numerous Christian novels. The letter of commendation was several paragraphs in length, going into considerable detail about the content of my book. It gave all appearances of being from someone who had read the book and was familiar with its contents. Additionally, there was no financial request involved, only an invitation to have further communication with this person in order to share how I had come to write the book.

It sounded legitimate, and frankly it was flattering to think that a noted author would appreciate my work. However, I knew in my heart that it likely was not genuine. There were a couple of little oddities in the email that stood out to me. Therefore I looked up the author’s website, found the contact information for her representative, and sent her a note to check it out. Not surprisingly, I received a reply thanking me for checking and assuring me that the email did not come from that author. I have concluded that it must have been an AI generated letter. At least I hope if a real person was as familiar with the content of a book on holiness as this person seemed to be, that she would not be going around deceiving people.

This is just another reminder of one of the biggest dangers we face today and will have to deal with in the days ahead. Deception. And with increased technology, such deception can be harder and harder to recognize. It is not just people trying to trick us into revealing personal information or to get us to send them money, but it is also those attempting to deceive us in connection with spiritual matters and truth. Deception and lies have always been a favorite tool of Satan. But the Bible warns that in the last days this particular danger will increase as “evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:13).

How do we guard against such sophisticated deception? Don’t accept things at face value. Check them out for yourself. Go directly to the source when you can, as I did with that author. And that includes going directly to the Bible to discover what it really says about subjects. Additionally, watch for those “little red flags” – those things that just don’t seem quite right – whether in someone’s words or actions. Pray for discernment. Know those whom you can trust and seek their opinions about matters. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He seeks to guide you into truth.

I am not suggesting that we need to become like a few people I know. They are overly-suspicious, often think the worst of people, and question the motives of others for no reason. However, we do need to be aware of the presence of deceivers and imposters in our world. We need to keep in mind that we can’t accept every word we hear even when coming from Christian leaders. Neither can we believe everything we see due to how images can be edited.

Jesus said that even His chosen ones could be deceived in the last days. Let’s not allow that to happen to us.

 

We Must Remain Vigilant 

One day I was observing a small flock of geese as they were foraging in a grassy area across from our church. Most of those birds had their heads toward the ground, diligently searching for something to eat. However I noticed that one or two of the geese on the outskirts of the gathering kept their heads up, looking outward to the surrounding area, as if they were making sure there wasn’t any approaching danger. Admittedly, I haven’t spent much time around geese, so I don’t know if this is a common practice or not. But for the short length of time I watched those birds, it always appeared as if at least one of them would keep itself in a posture of vigilance, as if it was guarding the rest of the flock.

It reminds me of the incident in the Old Testament book of Judges when God was intent on reducing the number of participants in the army Gideon had gathered to fight against the Midianites. Why would God choose to have less combatants in Gideon’s army? It was because He didn’t want Israel to be able to take credit for the victory. He wanted them to be so heavily outnumbered in this battle that when they won, they would know that it had to be God who did it. So one way God decided whom to exclude from the army was to have them go down to a river to drink water. Those who got down on their knees to get a drink were dismissed, while those who stayed more upright while scooping up water in their hands and bringing it up to their mouths were retained to take part in the conflict.

Why was that group chosen over the others? It may be that it was simply a random way to pick a smaller number of people with no merit attached to the way they chose to drink the water. However, some believe their actions revealed their vigilance. They didn’t take their eyes off their surroundings. Even as they took a break to drink water, they were still on guard against any attack from the enemy.

As followers of Jesus, we likewise should never let our guards down when it comes to the enemies of our souls. The Bible encourages us to be watchful. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus warned His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). At the close of his discourse on spiritual armor, Paul wrote, “being watchful to this end with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18). And the most familiar admonition regarding this matter is I Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

There are spiritual dangers and enemies lurking in our world. There are temptations that can arise not only from our surroundings but from the desires that can get stirred in our own hearts. Therefore we can’t afford to get so busy or distracted by what we are doing that we fail to be vigilant. We must always stay aware of the possibility of an enemy attack or a sudden temptation. Sometimes those events can occur when we would least expect them. Even when we have just experienced a great victory, have seen God work in a mighty way, or have enjoyed a fresh sense of His presence, those are times when we may be vulnerable to danger if we don’t stay alert.

Stay vigilant, not just over your own soul, but over your flock. Be a spiritual guardian over your children, your family, your friends, and your fellow believers. Don’t grow complacent or get distracted. Be the one who is always watchful for spiritual dangers.  

 

God Can Be Our Place of Safety 

In recent weeks it seems like floods have been in the news more than usual. I saw where one group of campers in another part of the country had to be rescued from rising waters by Black Hawk helicopters. I am sure they will always remember that experience. Even in our own region, there have been flash floods as some of our summertime thunderstorms have sat virtually stationary over one area pouring down heavy rain.

The psalmist wrote, “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed (Psalm 61:1-2). Does your heart ever get overwhelmed? That word “overwhelmed” is often used in scripture in reference to being overcome by floodwaters. Sometimes things pour into our lives and it can be a real struggle to keep our heads above water. But the psalmist wasn’t just talking about financial difficulties, extreme busyness, or times of sickness. He refers to when his heart is overwhelmed. You probably know what he is talking about – those times when there is such a burden or heaviness in your spirit and soul that it is hard to keep going. It is those times when the floodwaters of stress, grief, fear, or discouragement pour in on you. It may be in reference to what is going on in your own life, or in the lives of those around you, or simply in our troubled world.

So what did the psalmist do in that situation? First of all, he cried out to the Lord. We need to know where to go when our hearts are being overwhelmed. We need to pray and bring our burdens to the Lord. He tells us to cast our cares upon Him. He has given us a lifeline of communication and we need to make use of it. It may be as simple a prayer as, “Lord, help me!” Sometimes in our grief, we may not even be able to vocalize what we are feeling, but the Bible suggests that God can hear and understand the groanings of our hearts.

Then the psalmist makes this statement: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). When floodwaters come, sometimes people have to keep climbing up to higher levels in order to keep above the waters. Maybe you saw on the news as I did about a family getting rescued from their house in one of those floods in Texas. It showed that family being pulled out of windows from their attic. They had gone to the highest part of their house in order to stay safe. That is what the Lord provides for us when our hearts are being overwhelmed. He doesn’t just lead us to a rock, but to a rock that is higher than us. The floodwaters may be over our heads, but God has a place of safety for us that is higher than those floodwaters can reach. He not only provides such a refuge – He is that place of safety. He is our Rock.

I don’t know what may have your heart overwhelmed today, or what flash flood may pop into your life tomorrow. Maybe it is the grief, loss, or sorrow you or your loved ones are experiencing. Maybe it is the burden of some lost soul who hasn’t put his faith in the Lord yet. Maybe it is simply the heaviness of seeing all the evil in the world. I don’t know what the floodwaters are or will be, but I do know this: there is a Rock that is higher than you and I. We can cry out to the Lord and trust Him to be our shelter in the storm.

 

Let’s Challenge Ourselves Spiritually 

It was a recent hot, humid summer morning when I stepped onto a pickleball court with my teenage grandson. I was curious to see how I would do and how my physical stamina would be after not having been involved in that activity for many months. My grandson had gotten quite good at the game, so I took this as a personal challenge. I was pleased to see that I could still hold my own against a much younger opponent. We each won hard-fought games, although my victories came with a lot more huffing and puffing than my grandson’s. While my competitive spirit wanted to try to play a tie-breaking game, my body told me I had reached my limit. I paid the price for this strenuous activity later with stiff, sore muscles, but it had been a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

It can be good to challenge ourselves at times, to test our limits, or just to get out of our comfort zones. We may do that in certain areas of our lives, such as with our physical abilities, our work skills, or our relationships. However, do we ever challenge ourselves when it comes to spiritual matters and our walk with the Lord? If we are not careful, we can let ourselves grow complacent or we can get a little lazy in those spiritual disciplines that help us grow in our faith. We can take our relationship with the Lord for granted, or simply become a little slack in our service to Him. Our concern for the souls of others can wane. We can end up isolating ourselves from the needy world around us rather than getting out in it to be the light God calls us to be.

We need to exercise our spiritual muscles, not let them grow weak from lack of use. We need to face the challenging societal issues of our day with the truth of God’s Word, not try to ignore them or stick our heads in the sand as if those problems don’t exist. We need to take the initiative to be that Church Jesus talked about that would storm the gates of hell, not be the ones who simply sit back in perpetual defensive mode.

Maybe we can begin by challenging ourselves to be more active in those means of grace which will help us draw closer to God. Challenge yourself to make church attendance a more regular part of your life. Take that extra step to get involved in a Sunday School class or a small group Bible study or prayer meeting. Challenge yourself to make Bible reading and prayer a daily practice in your life, or to add a little additional time or depth to those practices. Look for a fresh way you can use your gifts and abilities to bless others and to serve God.

Let’s challenge ourselves to be better witnesses for Christ, both by the words that we say and by the Christlike lives we live. Let’s intentionally look for opportunities to show the love of God to someone who needs it. Let’s look for a chance to share His Word or our testimony or some truth of the gospel with someone who needs to hear it. Let’s challenge ourselves to plant those seeds of love and truth every day.  

There may be limits to what we can do, just as my physical strength limited me on that pickleball court. We need to step up wisely and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But let’s not allow apathy, complacency, laziness, or fear keep us from getting out onto the court. Challenge yourself to keep growing spiritually, to serve the Lord in new ways, and to be a better, more godly influence on your world.

 

You Have a Testimony to Share 

Recently part of our family gathered at a restaurant known for its New York style pizza. Having visited that city a few times, we fell in love with their pizza, but have had a hard time finding anything comparable to it in our area, even among restaurants which claim to offer it. My wife had discovered this particular establishment near her workplace. She had taken me there so I could try it for myself. She subsequently took a couple of individuals born and raised in New York there, including her mom. They also loved it and testified to its authenticity. Therefore we ended up there on this occasion with our daughters and their families for their evaluation and enjoyment. They weren’t disappointed.

Testimonies based on personal experience can carry a lot of weight. It was one thing for me to say that I liked the food at this place. However, it was even more impressive to hear native New Yorkers sing its praises.

The same can hold true concerning our experience with the Lord. Personal testimonies can be effective and persuasive. Granted, such accounts are very subjective. They don’t necessarily offer the same kind of proof as objective truth and facts. Nevertheless, they are useful to support those objective realties. For example, it is helpful for us to know about all the evidence that points to the fact that Jesus rose from the grave. But neither should we ignore the testimony that is expressed in a great gospel song, “You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!” Our personal experiences aren’t proof. They could be mistaken. But if the objective evidence is true, then you would expect there would be individuals who can back it up by what they have seen for themselves. They know that Jesus is the risen Lord who can save souls and change lives, not just because the Bible says so or because there is an empty tomb, but because He has changed their hearts and lives.

I am reminded of the occasion when Jesus healed a blind man. Afterwards the religious leaders were questioning the man, trying to discredit him, and get him to disparage Jesus. They were disgruntled over the fact that Jesus had performed this act of healing on the Sabbath. As they drilled this man about who he thought Jesus was, the man finally responded, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). This man may not have been able to make all the theological arguments about Jesus’ identity, but he knew what he had experienced. Jesus had touched him, restored his sight, and changed his life.

If we have had a personal encounter with Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we too have a testimony we can share. While we need to know as much factual information as possible about Him, the Bible, and doctrinal matters, we don’t have to be seminary graduates in order to share our faith with others. Each of us has a story to tell. We can simply share how Jesus has touched us and made a difference in our lives. Every person’s testimony is different. Some involve dramatic conversions from the depths of immorality. Others are about moral people who realized they were also sinners who couldn’t ever be good enough to save themselves.

Whatever your experience may be, it is worth sharing. And there is someone who needs to hear it. Your testimony may be just the thing that will help someone realize the authenticity of a relationship with the Lord. So let’s tell others what Jesus has done for us.

 

250 Years Isn’t So Long Ago 

We are celebrating the 250^th anniversary of what most people consider to be the birth of the United States of America. It is a good time to give thanks for our nation and our freedoms, as well as to pray for our leaders and for a much-needed turning to God. So along with our cookouts and fireworks, let’s remember to pray for our country today.

At first thought, 250 years seems like such a long time. When I was a youngster studying about the American Revolution in school, it seemed like ancient history. However, as I have gotten older, my perspective has changed somewhat. The 1960s probably seem like prehistoric times to my grandchildren, but those days don’t seem so far away to me since I lived them. So consider the fact that someone who is eighty-three years old today can look back on their first years of life as if it was a short time ago. Someone who was eighty-three years old at the time that person was born could look back at their lifespan the same way. A third person who was eighty-three when that person was born could conceivably look back at their birth and it would have taken place around the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Only three eighty-three-year-old individuals separate our day from the birth of our nation. When I think about it in those terms, it really wasn’t that long ago since our country came into existence.

This realization should serve as another reminder to us of the shortness of life. The Bible describes this reality in numerous ways. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Even for those who live to be in their seventies, eighties, or older, life comes and goes relatively quickly. Eighty-three years can seem like a long time, but that lifespan can pass by before we know it.

Therefore, in light of that truth the Bible encourages us to live wisely. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). If life is so short, then we need to make the most of the opportunities we are given. Let’s not allow life to pass us by and suddenly realize all the time we wasted.

Think about how so much has changed in our nation over the last 250 years – from fledgling colonies to a world superpower – from a vast wilderness to great metropolises – from covered wagons to jet planes. And then consider how the world has changed just within some of our lifetimes – the advances in technology – the differences in our culture – the changes in values and morals, some of which is positive but much of which has gone in the wrong direction. We live in a very different world from the one in which many of us were born.

These truths should challenge us not to passively sit back as time goes by. Eighty-three years goes by quickly. So let’s be faithful to fulfill God’s purposes while we are here on this earth. Don’t waste these precious gifts of time and life that God has given you. Receive His loving gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus. Love Him, live for Him and seek to do His will during these few years of your life. Give priority to those things that will still matter 250 years from now. Be a light in a dark world, a godly influence on your family and friends, and a proclaimer of the gospel to those who need to hear it.

Time is short, even 250 years. But eternity is forever.

 

Christian Living Goes Beyond Imitation 

It was interesting to observe the actions of our youngest grandson recently. We were gathered with family at a restaurant when someone let him see their phone. The toddler proceeded to type letters on the keyboard when it appeared. He would also periodically swipe his finger along the screen as if scrolling. He wasn’t accomplishing anything through all his activity, but you wouldn’t know it from the serious look on his face. It looked like he knew exactly what he was doing, but the letters he typed were gibberish and his other actions were meaningless. He was simply imitating what he had witnessed his parents and older brothers doing with that gadget. And there were those watching him closely to make sure he didn’t accidentally do something he shouldn’t.

Imitation can be a good means of learning, including in connection with our efforts to follow Jesus. We have many examples in the Bible from which we can draw lessons on how to live and please God. In Hebrews 11, we are provided with a long list of people who exhibited faith in God in the various situations they faced. The Bible goes on to suggest that we should imitate them so that we can faithfully run our race on this journey through life. Additionally, the Apostle Paul encouraged fellow-believers to imitate certain aspects of his behavior. Of course, the greatest example we could seek to imitate is Jesus Himself. Many of us remember when that idea was popularized by asking the question, “What would Jesus do?”

Imitation is good, but it can also leave us lacking. As was the case with my grandson, we can do what we have seen others do, yet not be experiencing the reality of what they did. We can go through the same motions, use the same words, do what they did, but it all be without meaning. That especially holds true when it comes to living for the Lord. We can attend church, pray, and read scripture without having any real relationship with Jesus. We can even show love and kindness to people, help the needy, and seek for justice and still be lacking any connection to the God who encourages us to do those things.

Imitation is good, but it is not the basis of our relationship with the Lord. We get connected to Him through faith in who He is and what He has done for us through dying on the cross for our sins. It is through receiving God’s gift of eternal life in Christ and being born again that we come to know the reality of what it means to know Jesus and to follow Him. Without that basis of repentance, faith, and a new birth, all our other spiritual activity is simply like a toddler punching letters on a phone. It can make us look good. We can appear to be Christians. We can even fool ourselves into thinking we are involved in something meaningful. However, it gets us no closer to true knowledge of and fellowship with the Lord.

Don’t get me wrong. We can still seek to imitate those godly people in the Bible, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus Himself. But being like Jesus doesn’t result as much from our seeking to imitate Him as it does from letting His Spirit live in us and transform us from the inside out. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). It is not so much about us trying to be like Jesus. It is more about letting Him live through us.

 

Are We Faithful to Our Word? 

At the time of this writing another ceasefire agreement has been announced for the Middle East situation, including the opening up of the strategic waterway that has been shut down for a while. Hopefully, this one will become reality. Over the past months we have experienced so many mixed messages about this conflict from our government leaders that it has become a target of much ridicule and sarcastic humor. We have been assured at various times that peace was imminent, that enemy capabilities to retaliate were destroyed, that ships would be able to get back to normal traffic, only to face disappointment as those declarations proved to be untrue. For whatever reason – premature optimism, exaggerated claims, the difficulty of negotiating with different factions – what our leaders claimed often failed to materialize.

Aren’t you thankful that the One who is the Ruler of all things is more dependable than that? If God says something, we can depend on it. If He gives us a promise, we can be assured that it will come to pass. His character is such that He cannot lie. He is a good God who doesn’t seek to deceive us. Neither are there circumstances beyond His control. He is the all-wise God who is not surprised by anything that happens. While He gives people the right to choose, no one has the power to thwart God’s ultimate purposes for the world. We can choose whether or not we are going to align ourselves with Him and His will for us, but He will fulfill His plan with or without us. He can even take the bad things in life and turn them around to bring about something good.  

One of the clearest statements of this truth comes from the God-given prophecies of Balaam, that enigmatic figure in the Old Testament. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). God will do whatever He says. And that includes whatever He says He can do in our lives. Right after the Apostle Paul prays for God to sanctify His people or make them holy, he declares, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (I Thessalonians 5:24). If God tells us to do something, He will enable us to fulfill His will.   

If God is dependable, if His word is sure, and if we are to be more like Him, then shouldn’t we be people whose word can be counted on too? Jesus talked about how we shouldn’t need to swear oaths. If we say that something is true or if we declare that we are going to do something, then that should settle the matter. Our word should be enough. He said, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

Can people count on us to do what we say? Granted, we still face limitations which could hinder us from fulfilling a promise. We may face an unexpected obstacle. We may be hindered by the resistance of other people who are involved. We may have miscalculated our capabilities. However, we should not be known as people whose words should be taken lightly. We need to be careful what we say. We need to take seriously the promises we make. Instead of becoming laughingstocks because of our mixed messages, we should be known as people of our word.

God is faithful to do as He says. Let’s be more like Him.           

 

Be Filled with God’s Fullness 

My wife and I recently took an overnight trip into Georgia’s scenic northeast corner. We took a few short hikes, visited several waterfalls, and browsed through a couple of antique stores and gift shops. However, one of our main objectives was to eat at a particular restaurant. We had heard others rave about it over the years but had never been there ourselves. It was known for its delicious food and family style meals. After being seated, our server showed us the day’s menu and explained that we could either choose to enjoy the all-you-can-eat option or simply create individual plates out of a few of those food items. There was no question in our minds what we were going to do. We wanted the full experience, choosing the all-you-can-eat option. And we were not disappointed. The food was delicious and plentiful.  And “full” certainly described how we felt when it was over.

Are we similarly determined to possess the full experience of being followers of Jesus? Do we want everything that has been provided for us in a saving relationship with Christ? Or are we satisfied with simply a taste of what it means to be a Christian? Do we settle for a small, carefully chosen plateful of religion rather than indulging in the unlimited buffet of spiritual blessings that are available to those who put their trust in Jesus as Lord over their lives?

One of Paul’s prayers for the believers in Ephesus, as well as for us, is that we “may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). It is hard to comprehend what all such a concept entails. However, it is clear that it means we are to go beyond just seeking the minimum requirement for being a believer. We shouldn’t simply be looking to get enough of God to avoid His wrath, to escape the eternal fires of hell, and to squeeze into heaven’s gates. We should be pursuing the fullness of God. We always ought to be seeking a closer relationship with Him. We should be submitting ourselves to Him to let Him change us more and more into His likeness. We should be letting His Spirit not simply live in us, but fill us, mold us, empower us, and flow from us to touch the lives of others.

We need more than simply a taste of what life in Christ is like. In the book of Hebrews, it warns that there are those “who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come” who could fall away (Hebrews 6:4-5). Continuing to pursue the fullness of God helps us to persevere in the faith.

So let’s cultivate that desire in our hearts to seek everything God has for us. Let’s not just accept the gift of a future life in heaven one day, but also the gift of eternal life in Jesus that changes us and how we live our lives here on earth right now. Let’s not be satisfied with being a born-again infant in the family of God, but let’s seek to grow and become a more mature follower of the Lord.  Let’s pursue not only being a forgiven people but a holy people. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Are we experiencing the abundant life that Jesus wants us to have?

Let’s not miss out on the full experience of following Jesus. Go all out in living for Him and serving Him. Be totally surrendered to His will and His work in your life. Let’s be filled with all His fullness.           

 

God Is Still Working on Us 

Recently several of us in our congregation took on the maintenance project of doing some refinishing work on the front doors of our church building. Those wooden structures had become considerably weathered over time due to receiving a daily beating from the evening sun, as well as the occasional storm whose strong winds could blow a driving rain up under the porch. That combination of moisture and heat had left the doors rough and worn.

Restoring those doors involved a process of sanding them down, applying a fresh coat of stain, and finally adding a protectant sealant which left them with a glossy finish. It didn’t happen at one time or in one day. We took a break after the tiring job of sanding was completed. We let the stain soak in and dry for a period of time before applying the sealant. Along the way, the doors still looked rough and incomplete. However, when the job was finished, it was a big improvement over their previous condition.

We are all in need of restoration. Sin has robbed us of the original beauty with which we were created. We need our relationship with God restored through faith in Jesus and in His sacrificial death as the means by which forgiveness and cleansing have been provided for us. But even after we have experienced that initial transformation, we are still a work in progress. We can still find ourselves getting beaten down by the heat emanating from the evil world around us or even from our own misguided desires from within us. And while God is our shelter in the storms, those problems and challenges can take their toil on our physical and spiritual strength. We are often in need of the reminder from the familiar psalm that the Lord is our shepherd and “He restores our soul” (Psalm 23:3). We are in regular need of His restoration.

We still have our tough spots that need to be smoothed out. It can be painful as the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and exposes our faults, but we need to let Him work. We may be well-aware that we still have a long way to go to measure up to the fullness of the image of Jesus, but we need to yield to the Lord as He keeps changing us. He doesn’t do it all at once. He is continuing to apply coat after coat of those Christlike qualities in our lives, such as love, self-control, patience, and faithfulness. He may need to apply several coats of the same quality over a period of time to get it to sink in. Let’s be receptive, not get discouraged, and let Him work. Meanwhile, He is also putting the finishing touches on us. He is making us stronger and stronger, so that we don’t get so easily beaten down and weathered by our world or by those storms in the future. He is enabling us to better stand against those harsh elements. And He is also making us shinier as we better reflect His light that lives within us.

It can be frustrating when we see ourselves still falling short of what we know God intends for us to be. However, let’s keep in mind that He isn’t finished with us yet. We are still a work in progress. Let’s not hinder what He is doing but cooperate with Him. And let’s trust what the Bible says: “…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Thank the Lord for the work He has begun in us. Now let’s trust Him to finish the job.        

 

Be Glad for Each Day God Gives You 

My daughter and her family were preparing to leave on a vacation to the beach. The day before their departure, I asked one of my young grandsons if he was ready to go. He excitedly affirmed his anticipation of the trip. He went on to demonstrate what he expected to do the next morning when he woke up. He envisioned himself sitting up in bed, then releasing an enthusiastic scream of joy. His stiffened body, his gaping mouth, and the wide-eyed look on his face reminded me of the similar expression Macauley Culkin made famous in the Home Alone movies. I don’t know if my grandson actually reacted that way when the new day dawned or not. I wouldn’t be surprised if his first waking moments were more sluggish than full of enthusiasm. However, I am sure it didn’t take him long to regain the spirit of excitement for what lay ahead that day.

Many of us are familiar with the Bible verse that declares, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). It can be easy to joyfully celebrate the day when we are heading out for a vacation. Maybe it is more difficult when we wake up a week later to the day when we are leaving to go back home. Or possibly some of us are waking up to a day when we are facing less pleasant experiences, such as a doctor’s appointment or tackling some difficult issue at work. Maybe some are waking up to another day of pain, sickness, or other physical ailments. Some may be waking up to a day of dealing with broken relationships and their consequences. Sometimes the hardest days to get enthused about are simply the ones that are rather mundane – nothing special going on – just another routine day.

However, this verse reminds us that every day is one that the Lord has made. Whether it is the Monday morning of a work week or the Friday morning beginning a vacation. Whether the day is full of activity or quietness. Whether the day promises challenges or pleasures. No matter the circumstances, it is a new day God has given us. Let’s seek to see every day as a gift of God.

Additionally, there is reason to rejoice and be glad in this day. Some days it easier to discover those reasons than it is on other days. Nevertheless, God has seen fit to give us breath and life for another day. This day may have its challenges, but it also presents us with numerous opportunities. If we are trusting Jesus as our Savior, it is another day to fellowship with Him, to serve Him, and to point others toward Him. If God has given us another day, He has a purpose for us being here. Let’s rejoice in that truth and seek to fulfill that purpose.

This verse also reminds us that joy and gladness are choices we make. We may not necessarily feel joyful when we wake up in the morning. We may feel tired, or we may be in pain. Our hearts may ache over a loss we have experienced. We may not feel much like rejoicing. However, the psalmist declared, “We will rejoice”. We exercise our will and choose to rejoice regardless of how we feel. We give God thanks in spite of the pain and challenges. We praise Him in the midst of our storms. We rejoice knowing that He is working all things out for good. We are glad because we aren’t going to face this day alone – the Lord will be with us.

Maybe the Lord doesn’t expect us to wake up every day with a scream of excitement, but let’s choose to be joyful, glad, and grateful for another day He has given us.      

 

It Is Time to Get Off the Fence 

One day recently I came upon an unusual sight as I drove by a cul-de-sac near our church. I was accustomed to seeing vehicles parked in that area as workers took a break or ate their lunch there. However, I hadn’t seen a car in this position before. Instead of pulled over to the shoulder of the road, it was setting atop the guardrail. I had to look twice to make sure I was evaluating the situation correctly. It appeared as if someone who was circling the cul-de-sac didn’t successfully navigate the turn and ended up driving onto that metal structure. The only reason this feat was possible is because one end of the rail had been previously damaged and hung low to the ground. Therefore it served almost as a ramp. The car had climbed up the rail and was stuck in that awkward position. Later I saw that a tow truck had been dispatched and successfully rescued the vehicle from its precarious predicament.

Seeing that car perched on the guardrail reminded me of how we sometimes refer to people as “straddling the fence.” It is used to describe someone who isn’t fully committed to one side or the other. Maybe the person is indecisive. Or it could be that he or she refuses to take sides so as to avoid conflict or opposition. In some cases, such an individual is trying to have it both ways – to reap the benefits of both sides of an issue without facing the negative consequences from either side. However, such fence-sitting can not only be a sign of lack of character, courage or conviction, but it often doesn’t end well.  

This principle especially holds true when it comes to our relationship with the Lord. We are called to love Him with all our hearts, not with hearts divided in our loyalty. God expects our full devotion. He doesn’t tolerate those who try to serve Him while still serving other gods in their lives. The first of the Ten Commandments declares, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

There was a time in the history of Israel when King Ahab and his wicked queen were promoting the worship of the false god, Baal. The people were becoming drawn more and more away from worshipping Jehovah and instead were giving their devotion to this idol being endorsed by the royal family. God’s prophet, Elijah, confronted the people with their fence-sitting. “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (I Kings 18:21). In other words, “Make a decision. Choose which side you are on. Fully commit to one way or the other.”

Maybe the Lord would have a similar message for some of us today. It is time to choose which side we are on. Are we fully devoted to Him or to something else? Here are a few possibilities to consider. If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if your preferred politician or political party, follow them. If the Lord is God follow Him; but if your favorite sports team, follow it. If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if your family, follow it. If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if your country, follow it. If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if yourself and your ideas, follow those. If the Lord is God follow Him; but if fame, power, or popularity, follow them. If the Lord is God, follow Him and His word; but if the world and its values, follow them.

Some of us need to quit straddling the fence and get fully on board with God. It is time to make a choice.

 

Let’s Move on Toward Maturity 

One of our grandsons is graduating from high school this weekend. Those commencement events are often seen as being transitions into adulthood. It is a time when young people are usually expected to begin to take on greater responsibility for themselves and become more independent. It can be a pivotal time as they leave childhood things behind and move forward to college, career, or other pursuits. Some struggle with that transition, wanting to hang on to the past or afraid to face the realities that line the path which leads to maturity. Others enthusiastically face those challenges and successfully navigate the changes.

Whatever stage of life we find ourselves in, whether graduating from school or ready to commence retirement, let’s be sure that we are moving ahead toward maturity in our spiritual journey. It can be easy to get stuck in a state of spiritual immaturity. It might be that we don’t progress in knowledge and understanding beyond the basics of our faith. Or it could be that we refuse to grow in our relationship with the Lord, content with being like spiritual babies who remain weak and unable to walk with the Lord, much less go forth as soldiers to serve our King and to conquer the enemy in the name of Jesus.

The Bible encourages us to graduate from our spiritual childhood and to become more mature in our faith. Paul tells us to come “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:13-14). The Bible admonishes those who refused to grow up: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food…Therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection” (Hebrews 5:12; 6:1).

It is time for some of us to start stepping up and taking greater responsibility for our spiritual wellbeing. In order to do that, we may need to set aside some childish things, in both our understanding and our behavior. We need to quit allowing ourselves to be bottle-fed those superficial soundbites of morality, self-help, and religion. Instead, we need to spend time studying God’s Word and digging deeper into discerning the will of God for us and for the world we live in. We need to move past the milk and start chewing on the meat. We need to quit relying on the faith of others and get our own feet firmly cemented into an immoveable relationship with Jesus. We need to stop toying around with sin and start pursuing a life of holiness. We need to realign our priorities, putting less emphasis on worldly pursuits and more value on the things of God.

In other words, it is time to graduate. It is time to move on to becoming the Christlike person God created you to be. It won’t be an easy road to travel at times. It will have challenges, hardships, suffering, and opposition. However, the destination will be worth the journey. As much as we might have pleasant memories of our childhood and our school years, in hindsight we wouldn’t have wanted to remain there. We would have missed so much if we had stayed in that stage of life indefinitely. Let’s not miss out on what God has in store for us in our walk with Him. Let’s keep pressing on. Keep growing. Continue to learn more about the Lord and His will. Keep becoming more like Jesus. Don’t get stuck in being a spiritual child. It is time to grow up.    

 

Beware of Adaptations of the Gospel 

Last weekend we attended a high school play in which a couple of our grandchildren were involved. It was an adaptation of that family-favorite movie, Mary Poppins. While the storyline was very similar to the film, there were some differences as well, including a few new musical numbers mixed in with those familiar beloved tunes. Everyone did a great job and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Creating adaptations is a common practice. Books are revised to make them appropriate for a movie. Movies and television shows are often adapted for the stage. While we may have varied opinions as to which version of the story we prefer, there is nothing wrong with taking license to make such changes, even in familiar, traditional works.

However, that is not the case when it comes to revising the gospel and the truths of God’s Word. There are those who attempt to adapt the Bible to fit their personal views or lifestyles, or to try to make it more in line with modern values and practices. Such efforts are not only unnecessary and futile, they are deceptive and dangerous. The Apostle Paul declared, “Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). That should serve as a word of warning to any of us who are tempted to revise the basic truths surrounding the good news of salvation we have in Jesus Christ.

While we could apply this principle to numerous examples of such misguided attempts at revision in our day, let’s focus on simply one. In a recent article I read, someone was denying the biblical truth that Jesus is the only way to God. The writer claimed that when Jesus stated, “No one comes to the Father except though Me” (John 14:6), Jesus was not excluding people. But I must ask, how is what Jesus said not an exclusionary statement? If I stated that no one could drive my car except those who have keys, aren’t I excluding certain people from driving my vehicle? I could provide keys to numerous individuals, but anyone without a key is excluded. Jesus is declaring that He is the key to our knowing God and fellowshipping with Him. That key may be available to all. However, if anyone doesn’t accept that key, they are excluded from such a personal relationship with God. All are loved by God. All are invited to come to Him. But the only ones granted access must come through faith in Jesus.

The gospel is very inclusive of people regardless of their race, sex, or social status. However it is exclusive when it comes to those who don’t trust Jesus as their only Savior and who refuse to repent of their sin. The book of Revelation pictures a glorious heavenly home, but it also states that there are those who will be left outside the gates of that city. There is a heaven for Jesus’ faithful followers to look forward to, but a hell to be dreaded for those who reject Him.

You can’t get much more exclusive than what Paul stated in I Corinthians 6:9-11. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Whether it is denying the exclusive claims of Jesus or some other issue, let’s not dare to revise the basic truths of the gospel. And beware of those who do.