“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”–(Matthew 23:15

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent me.  Why do you not understand My speech?  Because you are not able to listen to My word.  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it….He who is of God hears God’s words, therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”                                      (John 8:42-44, 47)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.  (Romans 8:14-17)

          A dear friend and sister in Christ was recently disturbed by a relative’s assertion that God would not condemn the sinful lifestyle of a mutual acquaintance because, after all, “we are all God’s children.”  Until she mentioned this to me and asked my opinion, I had considered neither the phrase nor its accuracy, but I immediately recalled all the times I have heard it from the lips of other Christians.  Along with that recollection came certain scriptures to my mind which give the lie to the idea that all people are children of God.  Are we, in our desire to spread the love of God, sometimes guilty of condemning friends or family members to never receiving the redemptive forgiveness of God by refusing to show them that being a creation of God is not the same as being a child of God?

     We are indeed all creations of God, and we know that He hates nothing that He has made.  God does not want to see any person go to hell–not one–so He sent His sinless Son to bear our sins and die on Calvary’s cross so that we might be spared eternal damnation and be washed in His shed blood, able to stand in righteousness in His presence.  This was Jesus’ supreme sacrifice for us, and He proved the truth of all He taught in His time on earth by His glorious resurrection and His ascension to the right hand of God.  Jesus provided the way for us to stop being a condemned and sinful people and to become children of the Most High God.  We are born in sin, but we are adopted into the family of God ( Romans 8 ) by our faith in Jesus Christ upon our profession of repentance and upon our asking for God’s forgiveness.

     Jesus Himself called the Pharisees of His day “children of hell.”  Is it possible to be at one and the same time a child of God and a child of hell?  I think not: as I’ve said before, the Holy Spirit and a demonic spirit cannot live in the same room.  He spoke of those who are “of your father, the devil.”  Can one be both a child of God and a child of the devil?  Never.  Those who never hear the truth and believe the lies of those who are against the Son of God will never be allowed in the kingdom of God.  We do no favors for those who are dying in their sins if we sugar-coat the reality of the consequences of refusing to acknowledge and accept the commandments of God.  By speaking only of His love (which is very real and very powerful), we do not encourage those who are lost to repent and be saved–and salvation can come only with repentance.  Love is not God’s ONLY attribute.  God is Love, but He is also just, mighty, holy and righteous.  He hates sin.  He will never allow sin into His presence in heaven.  We are not born children of God, but He has provided the Way for us to be adopted into His family and to become His sons and daughters.  Does that mean that we will never sin once we have become His adopted children?  Of course not.  But we are to be constantly aware of our sin nature and to eschew those thoughts, acts and words that are displeasing to Him.    “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  (1 John 1:7)  This is a continuous process, praise God!

     Current wisdom (or ungodliness, depending on your point of view) tells us that to condemn certain behaviors as “sinful”  or “of the devil” is wrong: intolerant and offensive.  We who are believers, however, as children of God, answer to One who is all good and all knowledgeable.  He has told us to sound the alarm to warn the lost of their sin and their need of repentance and salvation.  When we tell those whom we know to be lost that they are children of God, we are allowing them to continue on the path to their own destruction.  God must be served, whether or not to do so is politically correct.  He has told us that a day of judgment is coming upon the earth, and that we may be held accountable for some who fall because we did not sound a warning.

     A little aside here for some of my female readers:  Some versions of the Bible have changed the words “sons of God” into “children of God” or “sons and daughters of God” because many women object to being left out.  I have a belief that this may have been deliberate on the part of God.  Understand, this is not church doctrine, merely my own opinion.  In the days in which the scriptures were written, women had very few rights personally, religiously or socially.  Jesus was definitely speaking to both men and women when He addressed crowds–I believe that He was conferring all the male rights of “sonship” -which women were denied in society- on women who accepted Christ as their Savior.  In those days, the rights of the sons were more important than the rights of daughters–in Christ, they gained equality!

     For those of you who are already children of God–be blessed and joyful in the Lord your God.  Stay uplifted in spirit knowing that Jesus loves you and is coming soon to renew and redeem all that belongs to Him.

     For those of you who are not yet children of God, remember that Jesus said that “He that is not with Me is against Me.” (Matthew 12:30)  If you are not a child of God, then you are of your father the devil and you are lost.  It is not too late, though, to change your mind and your heart.  Jesus died for your sins as well as mine–repent of all evil and turn to the One who offers you everlasting life, and become a true child of God!

Maranatha!

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”  (2 Cor. 4:3-4)

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…”  (2 Cor. 4:8-9)

“The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever.”  (Isaiah 40:8)

My dear brothers and sisters, people are perishing for lack of the gospel.  Some are perishing because the god of this world has blinded them to the glory of the great Lord Jehovah, and made them believe that He has been replaced by technology and scientific paradigms.  Some are perishing because their hearts are evil and they have actively made the decision to live in the presence of darkness and hell.  And some, my friends, are perishing because we Christians have failed them.  We have failed to take the gospel to those who are unsaved, and we have failed to tell the truth concerning God’s commandments and the ultimate destination of those who do not turn to the Lord Jesus for salvation.  We have failed to show His love to those who are living in less fortunate circumstances than we may be, and we have failed to lift up His name in praise and thanksgiving in the public square.

Please understand, God’s word is unchanging.  That was what Isaiah meant when he said “the word of the Lord stands forever.”   What He wants us to be and what He wants for us to do has never changed.  His laws have never changed.  What He loved before He loves now; what He hated before He hates still.   He loves good and abominates evil.  We have gotten so used to believing that good and evil are relative terms that we no longer seem to fully comprehend either the difference between the two or God’s true aversion to evil.  He made it quite clear throughout all of scripture that evil will never be allowed to invade heaven.  It cannot be allowed into His presence, and those  persons who are not His belong automatically to the evil one.  Jesus said that any person who was not with Him was against Him (Luke 11:23).  This is in direct contradiction of what is being preached today:  that all paths lead to God and that (as our President told a Muslim contingent at a Ramadan dinner) we are all children of a loving God, regardless of to whom we pray .  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life; and NO ONE comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)

Throughout time, God has shown His displeasure with His people by lifting His hand of protection from the nations that disregard His authority.  The United States had been especially blessed over the last 200 years because the cause of Christ had been made paramount in the nation.  Now, severe weather patterns are devastating the country; flooding has ruined crops in the mid-west, heat has annihilated crops in the south, tornadoes have wiped out several towns and hurricanes have ruined a major southern city and several smaller rural areas, and a huge amount of people are asking why!  Is it our deodorant’s fluorocarbons or global warming due to our refusal to revere Mother Earth properly?  And why did our economy fall?  Was it because “the Rich” sucked the nation dry, or because the politicians spent too much on social programs?  While a lot of factors entered into the economic equation, very few people  look at the real truth–that God is lifting His hand of mercy from us because we as a nation have sinned against Him.

We are commanded by God to be a holy and righteous nation, and to share the gospel.  We are commanded by an ungodly government to not annoy others who might be offended by hearing the name of God in public.  We are commanded to keep the laws of God but we are encouraged by television, advertising, political activism and even by some people of God to be greedy, blasphemous, covetous and even to allow the killing of our unborn children.  We are commanded to love His chosen people the Jews in the nation in which He has regathered them as He had promised a couple of thousand years ago He would do, but now we support Israel’s enemies financially while trying to bring peace to the middle east by trying to force Israel into giving up more of her God-given territory than she already has.  God said clearly He would bless those that bless Israel, and curse those who curse her.   Much of our nation’s prosperity has been predicated on the aid we have been to Israel and on the part we played in her rebirth.  Are we now to become another cursed nation because we are allowing those who want the annihilation of Israel to gain in strength and power?

A group of mid-western pastors recently signed a statement that homosexuality is no longer to be considered a sin.  New York recently became the most populous state to allow homosexual marriages.  A move is being made in California to require the teaching of the contributions of homosexuals in the public schools.  A new television ad features well-known actors and actresses bemoaning the fact that homosexuals are the subjects of prejudice and suffer from depression not because they are gay, but because they are not accepted.  While we should never treat others unkindly for any reason, the truth is that most of that depression is due to the fact that gays are living lifestyles that are strictly forbidden by God.  We can sign all the statements in the world denying this; we can ordain homosexual pastors and lesbian bishops all we want, but we cannot change the word of God concerning homosexuality: a practice that He refers to as an abomination.

We are commanded to care for the poor, the needy, the hopeless and the down-trodden.  I cannot tell you how many e-mails I have received over the past year suggesting that we allow the homeless to starve since they’re in the trouble they are in due to their own negligence, that we should not allow foodstamps to women on welfare for too long or without testing them for drugs regardless of whether or not their children would go hungry without help, etc.  I have said before that I do not believe that it is the government’s place to force its citizens to work and pay for those who will not;  however, God commands us to care for widows and orphans, to take care of needy children, and to show our neighbors the right way to live.  I realize that there are welfare recipients who are third generation recipients and yes, that is annoying.  However, if we do not show these people a better way to live, then we cannot blame them for making the poor decisions they tend to make.  If we do not teach them God’s laws for purity, for work, for righteous living, how can we blame them for not following the way of the cross?  Do you not believe, brothers and sisters, that God will not judge us for how we relate to those around us in need?

God commands us to forgive our enemies, yet we revel in hatred as long as it is something or someone it is politically correct to hate.  Every time a youthful gang member is arrested on an assault charge, the internet posts are full of people suggesting the best thing to do is kill them quickly.  They suggest ten-year-olds who kill be thrown away like garbage.  While I by no means think violent people should be allowed to continue their crimes, I know that God has a better plan for these people.  As  a Christian, I know that His love can redeem those we consider irredeemable, and that we must make the effort to share both the knowledge of His grace and the knowledge that they will spend an eternity in hell if they do not accept the salvation of Jesus with those who we consider to be damned.  We give money to missionaries who go spread the gospel overseas, but we don’t want to share that gospel ourselves in our own jails and prisons and hospitals or with our next door neighbor.

There is good news in all of this, dear ones.  2 Corinthians 4:8 and 9 says we are hard-pressed but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.  This is because we know that the word of the Lord stands forever.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  God loves us all so much that He sent His only Son to die for our redemption, so that we need not pay the eternal price for our sins.  God is judging America and the world, and His judgment is both harsh and righteous.  It is time to stand up for Him and His word.  It is time to share the gospel as we never have before. Time is running out and people, including some that we know and love, will perish for lack of knowledge of the gospel of Christ.  We must not fail them.

If you have not accepted the Lord as your savior, it’s not too late—–yet.   Read the scriptures, and see all the wonderful things that the Lord has in store for those who love Him.  Read also the fate of those who ultimately will reject His offer of love and an eternity in His presence.  Heaven is real; so is hell.  Make the choice while you can.

Maranatha!

For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  But why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and not do the things which I say?

     Recently I watched a movie called WWJD, an updated version of Charles Sheldon’s “In His Steps.”  Christian movies, like all others, can be  good, bad or indifferent;  and as I inserted it into my DVD player, I hoped that at least it wouldn’t be too lame.  Actually, I enjoyed it very much.  More than being an enjoyable movie, however, it set up a train of thought in my mind that made me realize how often I don’t consider whether or not Jesus would have done as I have.  I’ve mentioned before that I’m not particularly fond of Christian catch-phrases, so I haven’t really paid much attention to the question “What Would Jesus Do?” which adorns so many wristbands and keychains.  Many fundamentalist churches stress being “Christ-like,” a laudable but impossible-to-achieve ambition.  Bad news here:  we are not Christ (only Jesus is Christ) and therefore we cannot be exactly like Him.  The good news, though, is that we can live lives that are pleasing to Him, ever learning, loving and growing closer to our Father in heaven.  As Jesus cares about every tiny aspect of our lives, we can indeed ask the question of ourselves in our daily situations ”What would Jesus do?”.   In order to do so with any success, it is necessary to study His word.  Just a quick review of the four Gospels chronicling His life on earth shows us that many of our present day problems were addressed by our Lord.   Of course, we know that Jesus was without sin and was born without a sin nature, so perhaps our question should actually be “What Would Jesus Have Us Do?”

     First to be considered is the fact that, according to Scripture, every time Jesus had faced a difficult choice or decision He took it first to His Father in prayer.  He did this during the forty days of fasting He spent in the wilderness before beginning His earthly ministry; He did it the night before He chose the twelve men who would become His apostles ; He did it the night before He went to the cross to become the sacrificial Lamb.  From these and other instances we can assume that He took all things to the Father before He acted.  Do we, when we must make our life choices, take them all to the Father?  While I dither and moan about not knowing what to do in a given situation, do I go to God immediately and ask His will in the matter?  Too often, no I don’t.  But that is what Jesus would do.  It is what He would have me do as well.  Do we seek God’s will as we choose our relationships–our friends, our spouses?  Probably not; and yet, if He cares about every aspect of our lives (and He does) shouldn’t we be consulting Him about the most important decisions we will make concerning the well-being of our hearts and emotions?

     Jesus never put His own needs above the needs of those who followed Him.  Even when He became so tired that He withdrew from the crowds to rest, when they followed Him He took pity on their needs and infirmities and healed them and gave them the words they so needed to hear.  There have been times when I have felt resentment that others have made claim on my time and emotions when I was in need of  help myself (or felt myself to be)–did I ask what Jesus would have me do?  Too often not.  Selfishness is a much more easily acquired trait than is compassion.  Had I asked myself what Jesus would do in my situation, I would have known that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” and the resentment would have died.  Since the time of creation, it has always been a truth that when we follow the way of the Lord faithfully we will have peace in our spirits and be more emotionally healthy than if we follow the way of the world.

     Each day on television  there is a plethora of courtroom reality programs showing.  Every day millions of viewers watch Judges Alex, Judy, Mathis, Brown, Hatchett, etc.  settle disputes among families, friends and neighbors; every day these viewers relish the animosity and even violence of those who appear to have their court claims settled publically.  How many of us ask, “Is this the way Jesus would have us settle our differences?”  Of course, I’m sure He prefers this to physical violence, but the answer must indeed be “Probably not.”  What He is more likely to tell us is “…pray for them which despitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.”  (Luke 6:29-30) 

     Every day thousands of people are on the street begging for food or money for shelter.  These people are often the subject of political debate, with some liberals claiming the government needs to provide completely for them while usually refusing to help them themselves, and some conservatives claiming they are the product of their own bad choices and deserving of no aid since helping them will only encourage their depraved lifestyles.  It doesn’t take more than a quick reflection to realize that neither stance mirrors what Jesus would do or have us do.  God cares very much that people have something to eat, and intends His people to supply want as much as is within our means to do so.  While on earth He fed the hungry and commanded others to do the same.  He would do so yet today–and then teach them what His heavenly Father would have them do to turn their own lives around!      

     When we meet those who have been in prison or jail or been addicted to alcohol or drugs and have sincerely repented of their past behavior yet have difficulty in finding work and Godly friends, do we embrace them as brothers or sisters in need, or is there a metaphorical drawing aside of skirts when we encounter them?  Jesus greatly loved those abominable sinners who left their sin behind to follow Him–should we be doing any less?

     There’s another, joyful component to asking what Jesus would have us do:  too many times, when we fail at a task we have undertaken for the Lord and it does not bear the fruit we hoped it would, we become despondent; feeling as though we have in some manner failed the Lord.  I have felt this myself numerous times over the past couple of years.  Many television evangelists tell us that if the fruit is less than we had hoped for, then our efforts weren’t of God: we were wrong, wrong, wrong.   Yet even Jesus was not always able to bring into the kingdom of God all the people He ministered to–and He was not only preaching as God Himself, He was healing leprosy, restoring eyesight and hearing, feeding thousands of people from a little boy’s lunch bucket and forgiving sins!  My dear sister went through the same feelings of failure when she visited a dying relative with whom she hoped to pray and lead to salvation.  Unfortunately, the woman’s heart was closed to the love of Christ and refused the offer of  prayer, dying in her sins.  Would Jesus have her be disheartened?  Not at all; she did the will of God in making the attempt to bring the woman into the kingdom.  Jesus did not castigate Himself for not being able to reach everyone; He mourned for the loss of their souls and continued to preach the Kingdom of God.  What would Jesus have us do?  Feel for the lost so much that it spurs us on to greater efforts to reach those who have not yet found Him!

     Brothers and sisters, we are nearing the end of the days in which we will be able to influence others for Christ.  Our time grows exceedingly short, and we are in a desperate race with the forces of evil  for the souls left undecided as to how they choose to spend their eternity.  It is not a time to pick and choose what will go over easily with those around us, or which passages of the Bible we will ignore in order to pacify those who are against the holy word of the Most High God.  Now we have only the time to ask, “What Would Jesus Do?”

Maranatha! 

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”—The Third Commandment, Exodus 20:7

     What part of “You shall not” do we as Christians not quite understand when it comes to the third of the Ten Commandments?  The word God has given this particular sin is blasphemy.  Blasphemy, as the word is used in the Scriptures, is speaking evilly of our Lord; defaming His name either by word or deed.  It is to deliberately demean what is the holiest name in all of the universe.  That unbelievers take the name of the Lord in vain constantly is not all that surprising; that Christians often do so without compunction is both inexplicable and inexcusable.

     Some of the blame for the casual use of God’s name as a swear word may rest upon those in charge of many of our churches.  Even some preachers and priests use God’s name irreverently with frequency, and it is a subject rarely addressed from the pulpit although it is probably the most commonly-broken commandment.  To many, nowadays, I suspect the pervasiveness of violence, anger and mean-spiritedness has thrust the misuse of God’s name into a background of sins they consider to be of lesser importance.  God tells us clearly, however, that He “will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” 

     Doubtless also is the fact that the use of the names of God or Jesus merely as swear words in movies and on television has blunted our sensitivity toward blasphemy.  It is the rare television show indeed that avoids the phrases, “My God!” or “Christ!” although many shows carefully avoid the depiction of good Christians praying earnestly or any mention of Jesus in a worshipful manner.  When I was a child (right after we stepped off the ark), even the liberally-inclined Hollywood producers hesitated to allow even the bad guys to swear using God’s name.  Now it is so common that Christians rarely notice it unless the blasphemy against God is so egregious it is impossible to ignore, like comedienne Kathy Griffon’s offensive shout of “Screw you, Jesus! This is my idol now!” as she accepted her cable award.  The rationale behind this Christian acceptance of blasphemy seems to be a philosophical, “Well, it could be worse words they’re saying.”  I am not convinced that that is true.  While I know that we are to reject all uncleanness of language, blasphemy against God was considered by the Father to be of such importance that He placed it high upon the list of “You shall nots.” 

     When we first come to the Lord, it can take a very long time for the Holy Spirit to convict us of all those bad habits and sins that we continue to commit.  It may take years of work on the part of God to teach us what we need to change, and an extraordinary amount of self-discipline.  Sadly, since blasphemy is no longer considered taboo, many Christians may never even consider that each time they yell “Oh my God!” or forget to teach their children not to use the “OMG!” when texting they are abusing the name of God (taking it in vain) and are hurting the One who has granted us our salvation.  Will we be sent to hell if we slip up and break the third commandment?  No.  God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to take this sin along with all others upon Himself on the cross so that we might be saved,  but we can still wound the One who loves us and whom we love in return. Surely putting a watch upon our mouths and our hearts is an appropriate response to His great gift of mercy and grace.

Maranatha!

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.  The servant fell on his knees before him.  ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’  The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.  But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.  He grabbed him and began to choke him.  ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.  His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me; and I will pay you back.’ But he refused.  Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.  When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.  Then the master called the servant in.  ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’  In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.  This how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”        (Matthew 18:23-33)

     I’ve heard the comment recently from many people that everyone seems remarkably angry nowadays.  In general, I tend to agree.  Incidences of road rage are up; violent crime is rampant; filthy language masquerading as free speech is common; discontent with the government and disagreements  between political ideologies have led to extremely uncontrolled public confrontations.  Add to this mix the newish belief that “we have a RIGHT to be this angry” and the volatility of our society becomes more complete.  The world’s economic crisis being what it is and the moral neutrality we insist upon infecting even the Christian community, this situation is not particularly surprising.    What we who call ourselves believers must ask ourselves is this: do we indeed have the right to be this angry?  Is there a time when civility must be put aside in order to gain our advantage?

     There is such a thing as righteous anger.  Jesus Himself displayed it when He cast out the money-changers and merchants from the temple in Jerusalem. (See Matthew 21:12-13.)   He did not resort  to anger when He was arrested, nor when He appeared before Pilate and Herod, nor when He was nailed to the cross.  His anger was reserved for those who blasphemed by word or deed the holy name of God.  His anger did not manifest itself against those who were dying unknowingly in their sins–for them He showed compassion, mercy and the Way to eternal life.  He never showed anger towards those who could not accept Him, only sadness at their unrepentant condition.  He told His disciples (and therefore us) that “whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment” (Matt. 5:22).  Now, I realise that “without a cause” may be a relative phrase, but it is important that we learn the difference between the world’s definition of sufficient cause and God’s definition of sufficient cause.  I am certain that the Lord becomes angry when we allow the abuse of children and those who are unable to care for themselves to go unchecked;  I believe He becomes angry when we allow our nations to turn their backs on His words regarding what is right and what is wrong in His sight, and when we bestow legitimacy upon the slaughter of our unborn or upon lifestyles He has condemned.   His anger is always righteous anger.  Is ours?  Or are we just reacting negatively to those with opinions that we do not share?  Are we allowing that anger to fester in our hearts until we can no longer feel love or compassion for those who have not yet come to a knowledge of the truth?  If so, then we also will come under the condemnation of Christ.  Further, what we do with that anger will make a huge difference to whether it will be acceptable to the Almighty or whether we will be condemned for it.  If our anger over the declining Godliness of our nations leads us to more boldly proclaim the Gospel of the risen Christ and to shine the light of His love more frequently into the dark places we encounter, then we are responding properly to the evil we wish to combat.  If we sound the alarm as watchmen on the wall and warn our fellow servants of the wrath to come , showing them at the same time that we are doing so out of love for them and concern for their eternal souls, we are channeling our anger properly.  If our language is bitter and as spiteful as that of the growing number of those who oppose the word of God, then we become worse than useless–we begin to work for the enemy. 

     There is, which is a great difficulty for many believers, sometimes a fine line between forgiveness and acceptance of evil.  Those who embrace the universalist point of view and believe that God, through Jesus, forgives all men of all sins whether they believe in Him or not, have crossed this line.  They refuse to believe in the God of scripture Who actively condemns evil and evildoers.  Even many well-meaning believers have come to the conclusion that there is virtue in bestowing their blessing on actions and behavior that God has forbidden.  We must never do this.  As Christians we are called upon to treat all people with respect and love, knowing that God loves us all and wishes for all to be saved.  We are also called upon to hate evil and to speak out against it wherever we may find it.  It is not always easy to reconcile the two duties.  We are to hate the sin, but love the sinner.  We are not to encourage the sinner to die in his state of sin.

     Let us say that we can show mercy and compassion towards those groups who oppose us in our walk with Christ, or towards those who we feel are leading our nation into ungodly ways.  Can we show that same mercy and compassion toward that person who hurt our feelings last night?  Toward that person who cheated us out of something we had considered ours by right?  Toward that person who behaved so unfairly or meanly  to us  that our hearts may be sore or even broken?  Jesus told Peter in Matthew 18:22 that we must forgive someone who acts against us “seventy times seven” times (490 times for those of us–like me–who have to work that out on paper).  Jesus knew how hard forgiveness comes for humanity.  Forgiving others is a choice we make, but it is not always an easy one, and it is likely to have to be repeated “seventy times seven” times before we get it through our heads that the forgiveness must be complete.  God said that He would forgive our sins and remember them no more, and that is how we are to forgive others.  We are to forgive them, and remember their sin no more.  Of course, we do not have the completely holy nature yet that God intended us to have at the time of our creation, and so we cannot truly forgive and forget as He does, but we can show compassion to our fellow servants in all situations, so that at Jesus soon return He will show compassion towards us.

Maranatha, my dear brothers-and-sisters-in-Christ!

Melissa

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)

“He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” (2 Samuel 23:3)

     This will be my last post for a few months.  If you hear “TAPS’ playing in the background, that is the sound of my internet being disconnected.  While I have a tendency to mistrust modern technology, (yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but remember that I grew up in the era of telephone party lines with rotary phones and black-and-white TV) I have felt blessed to have the opportunity to write for anyone who cares to read them the articles God has laid it on my heart to write.  Though I hope to be back online soon, I have a few more words for those who are undecided about their faith which I feel are important enough to print before I go offline.

   We have undoubtedly entered the time Isaiah was speaking about when he called woe upon those “that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness.”  The line between good and evil has become so blurred in our present day that even many of the churches that call themselves by the name of God cannot distinguish between the two.  Real Evil has been replaced in the minds of most by the “little e” evils of racism, poverty and not playing nicely together.  Don’t get me wrong: it is a sin for those following Christ to be racists or to allow those in need to go unrelieved if we have the means to help.  But these, which we now consider to be the greatest of ills, really are only symptomatic of the true evil:  we have chosen not to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength; and we do not love our neighbors as ourselves.  We have convinced ourselves that our salvation and that of the world depends not on our receiving the finished work of Christ on the cross for our redemption, but on the pulling down of the barriers that have always existed between Godly behavior and the enemy’s lies.  In many places and in many hearts God has been abolished because He has imposed on all His children such stringent standards of right and wrong; specific behaviors to be encouraged and exhibited, others to be condemned and avoided.  In most free nations of the west, an attempt was always made to elect those who would reflect the values of a righteous God in their representations of our best interests.  Not all of those elected did reflect those values, of course, since we are dealing with fallen man, but it was generally acknowledged that no nation can achieve the blessings of God without trying to follow the will of God.  Here in the United States we have now elected an administration that prefers to adhere to the Marxist principles of government, to honor those living in ungodly lifestyles and to attempt to force those who know that it is sinful to remain silent in their knowledge, to keep the God of our creation and salvation away from the public eye yet to show respect and honor to false gods and those who worship them, to lead us into the New World Order–the global government that will take away our sovereignty and lead to the creation of the final government of the antichrist–and finally, to turn us away from our support of Israel, the land on which He has set His name.  Our leaders no longer rule in the fear of the Lord or according to His principles.  Unless we can completely reverse this trend that is quite too far along, the rendition of “TAPS” that will playing that time will be for the death of this nation’s greatness.

     Our righteous God is a God of love, yes, but He is also a God of judgment and justice.  He will never allow the principles of hell to invade His place in heaven.  The rapture is coming, as I said in my last post, but so is judgment.  Make your decision now, if you have not already done so.  Some are probably thinking that if all this is true then the decision for Christ can be made during the seven-year tribulation period.  That is, of course, true.  But, my dear brothers and sisters, if you fail to accept the gift of grace and mercy He is extending to you now, can you be certain you will be strong enough to accept them when doing so may mean your swift and ugly death?  When it will undoubtedly mean rooting through trash for food and struggling to find shelter since believers will never accept the “mark of the beast”? 

“And he (the false prophet who will support the antichrist) will cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: that no man might buy or sell, except he that has the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13: 16, 17)

     God loves you.  Should you put off your decision to invite Jesus into your heart and your life, He will still love you and will still keep knocking at the door of your heart unless you commit the final apostasy of accepting the mark of the beast.  But why wait till then?  Repent of your sins, ask for His forgiveness and begin your new life–your new self–immediately.  Rest in the loving embrace of the Father now; assured that no matter what comes to pass, He loves you and you will spend eternity loving, worshipping and working for Him.  God loves you and wants you to love Him too.  If you don’t do so now, when will you?  Be ready, be joyful:  Become truly His child. 

Maranatha!  (Our Lord, Come!)

Melissa

“Cry aloud, spare not;  Lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression…

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?  Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’…

…You will not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high.  Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul?  Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?  Would you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?’

Is this not the fast that I have chosen:  to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?  Then your light shall break forth like the morning,  your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “  (Isaiah 58: 1, 3, 4-9)

     Fasting occupies an important place in the life of God’s people.  Jesus, Himself, fasted during the times of the  traditional Jewish holidays and told his disciples that certain diseases and demonic powers could not be cast out without prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21).  He prayed and fasted before making all major decisions–for example, when He was about to begin His public ministry (Luke 4) and when He chose His twelve apostles (Luke 6).  Unfortunately, as with nearly all Scriptural precepts, we have a certain tendency to place too much emphasis on the act of fasting itself, and not to the state of the heart which must accompany the act.  Jesus addressed this tendency several times: in chapter 23 of the Gospel of Matthew He warns the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees against the habit of outward holiness and righteousness while allowing their inner being to be full of “dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”  God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah centuries earlier, addressed this same tendency in His people to believe that the act of fasting itself, conducted without charity and/or righteousness, obligated Him to show them justice, mercy and restoration.  Following Him necessitates some sacrifices–but do we sacrifice according to His word?

     The word of the Lord is given to us “precept upon precept, precept unon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isaiah 28:13).  Every word He gave to us in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments is to be put to use in our lives for our benefit and ultimately for His glorification.  We are most of us already aware that our true purpose in being is to glorify Him who is our Creator, Father and King.  We are His because we worship Him and we seek to give Him pleasure.  However, giving to God through sacrifice is somewhat like giving a sacrificial gift to a friend:  we have to see that the gift is one that He desires.  There are many people who fast with frequency and give up things in His Name for a certain period of time, and I’m sure that God appreciates any effort that is made on His behalf.  He is a gracious and loving God, and I expect that He accepts our efforts even if they are slightly misguided ones as long as they are cheerfully made with a loving heart.  Those who fast and pray wishing to become closer to God will probably be granted their desire.  But those who fast with a grim determination to bring themselves to the attention of God and receive a particular blessing as a result are probably sacrificing out of  a greedy and selfish heart.  Those who say, “I will fast until God does what I ask (tell?) Him to do” are not fasting; they are on a hunger strike, trying to force the hand of God to move as they wish. 

     Luckily, we do not have to wonder what kind of sacrifice is most acceptable to the Lord in our daily lives.  While He has called upon us to fast and pray for our nations, His kingdom, our redemption and those around us in need of redemption, it is clear from the words of Isaiah 58 that it is His very real desire for us to show our love for Him in our love for others.  Are we really prepared to do this?  Can we learn that to give a “hand up” to those in need must come from a loving heart and a desire for them to get a glimpse of Christ through us?  How many times have you seen those who designate themselves as Christians metaphorically sweep their skirts to the side to avoid having to come into contact with someone who appears to be a person of the streets? I am not suggesting that panhandlers be handed money with which to buy drugs or alcohol (which is, indeed, sometimes what happens), but God has undoubtedly called us in the afore-mentioned passage to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, help house the needy, lift the burdens of the poor and oppressed.  While some pastors have made the point that the only thing that matters in the long run is how many people one has personally brought to Christ (thereby earning crowns in heaven), I am not convinced that they are correct.  I do believe, nonetheless, that how many people to whom we personally introduce the face of Christ is important.  Many of us have difficulty in orally testifying to the love of God to unbelievers. ALL of us can testify to the love and power of God in our lives by showing  those who may not know His name that He is a gracious God, through the charitable and compassionate way in which we treat others.  There is nothing that we can do or say that will make God love us more or less than He does at the moment we turn our hearts and lives over into His keeping, but when we act righteously in His name, and explain that all we do we do in the name of the Lord because of  His love for all His children, we are keeping the acceptable fast of the Lord.  When we treat our employers and employees as we would like to be treated, when we sit with a grieving or depressed neighbor when others hesitate to do so, when we help an unwed mother to see both her errors and the great gift she has been given, when we give food to the homeless and oppressed, we are keeping the acceptable fast of the Lord.  When we pray for the hungry in spirit, we are keeping the acceptable fast of the Lord.  I can almost hear somebody now–”But I thought that a fast meant you give up something?’  Very true.  Can you fast properly?  Can you give up old prejudices and resentments?  Can you give up feeling virtuous that you have things because you work while others may not?  Can you give up your pride or maybe even your social standing in order to visit with, comfort and love those who may have little education, upbringing, or even personal hygiene?  Can you give up selfishness and replace it with compassion?

     A popular joke in the church in which I grew up was “God loveth a cheerful giver, but He accepteth from a grouch.”   Not so, brothers and sisters.  He will use a “grouch” for good in the same way God can use all things and all people for good if He so chooses, regardless of their beliefs and hearts.  Solomon tells us (Proverbs 17:22) that “A merry heart does good like a medicine.”  God wants us to give out of a merry heart, for the correct reasons.  He tells us to give to the needy; not just those needy ones whom we consider to be worthy.  It is these people that we are not to judge.  “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink…”(Prov. 25:21).  In other words, introduce others to Christ who dwells within you.  This is indeed the acceptable fast of the Lord!

Maranatha!

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”  (John 6:51)

…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:31-32)

     Beloved friends, in an earlier post about the covenants God has made with man, I pointed out that while some covenants were unconditional, depending only on God’s willingness to bestow them; some were conditional, and needed man to perform his part in the “if/then” covenant.  There has been so much talk lately, even within the confines of the church, about Jesus bearing the sins of all so that no one will be condemned.  In other words, the new covenant which was birthed in the person of Jesus is an unconditional one which makes no demands upon His people.  As a result of this refusal to trust in the words of our Lord, many people who call themselves Christians will die in their sins, for lack of knowledge.

     Jesus told his disciples that “He that is of God hears God’s words.” (John 8:47)  As is evident in the Scriptures at the beginning of this post, Jesus’ covenant with His people is conditional upon :  IF any man eats of this bread, THEN he will live forever.  He goes on the say that IF we do not partake of His body and blood (by accepting His sacrificial death and resurrection as an atonement for our sins) THEN there will be no life in us.   In Rev. 3:20-21, Jesus tells us “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”  What thrilling promises!  Yet, note that they were not made indiscriminately.  They were promises made to those who overcome–to those who accept and love Him, those who live in His word and for the sake of His name; to those who overcome sin and the wiles and assaults of the devil by the power of His name.  Brothers and sisters, there may be so little time in which to become a part of the kingdom of God.  He is coming soon to claim His own, and His bride needs to be dressed in the finest wedding clothes we can find in order to be present at the nuptials.  Though no man knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return, Jesus gave us the warning signs of the generation that would see His return (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17).  Nearly all of the signs are in place.  Study the Scriptures for yourselves–read for yourselves the words of Christ in the New Testament, and the promises, admonitions and prophecies of the Father in the Old.  We are falling away, beloved, and hearkening to our own vision of what we believe God should and should not be.  “Scholars” are debating which of the words of Jesus were really His, which were truly ordained by God–yet God Himself tells us that His word is true and Scripture inerrant.  Do not be led astray by the Oprah philosophy that “MY God is not a jealous God” although God tells us that He is.  Do not be misled by the false doctrines of demons that tell us God would never condemn what He has created.  When we refuse to accept the laws and truths God has given us in Scripture, we become as the ultimate man of sin who will soon appear, “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)  God has given us His word so that we might not live in darkness; that we might know our true place as sons and daughters of the Most High God.   Even if you do not believe in the end times prophecies of the Bible, or if you do not believe we are living in that last generation, take a lesson from the recent earthquakes in Haiti.  Those people were living their daily lives without expectation of calamity or the imminent destruction that was to come upon them.  They ate, they slept, they married, they worked, they partied, some worshiped the Father and some were practioners of darker religions–yet the end came upon many of them without notice.  Some were prepared to stand in the place of judgment before God; many were not.  Those who died in the Lord are with Him in heaven.  I suspect that there are now some souls who wish they had heeded the words of God–too late.  Don’t let more time go by before you take stock of your life and your relationship with the Creator of all.  Repent of sin, be restored to a right relationship with God through the covering of the atoning blood of Jesus–and live forever.

Maranatha!

“Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…..Repay no one evil for evil.  Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men….’If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink…”  ( Romans 12: 9-14, 17, 18, 20)

     As the world we live in becomes more and more secularly inclined, we Christians have been taking quite a bit of ridicule and abuse for our beliefs.  At first this mystified me, as I couldn’t understand how even unbelievers could be so mean-spirited and hard-hearted that they could not even refrain from harrassing those who tried to share the wonderous love of Jesus with them.  How could they not at least understand why we choose to live in the joy that comes with a life lived in close relationship with God?  Then it occurred to me :  What if the problem is that they are not seeing either from us?

     As children of God we are commanded to preach His word, in and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). The Epistle of James makes it clear that, although works cannot bring salvation, we show our faith in Christ by the works we do; and that “faith without works is dead.” (James 2:20)  We are to “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (Ephesians 5:2)  Yet, too often we spend our time complaining of our treatment and demanding our Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and worship.  Please don’t misunderstand me:  those rights, guaranteed in the US by the 1st Amendment are crucial to us as believers, as “hearers and doers of the word.”  However, it is important to remember that even the first Amendment is not as irrevocable as God’s word to us.  The temptation to “fight fire with fire” is  almost overwhelming:  I have myself spoken in too  unguarded a fashion when defending my faith at times.  Although we must never be silent in the presence of evil or turn down an opportunity to testify about the love of God, we need to be careful to not present ourselves as merely opponents schlepping on the opposite side of the boxing ring.  Recently I reacted to some very ungodly statements made on the internet.  The blasphemy both startled and angered me, and I wrote a response that was intemperate and unloving.  Afterward, I realized two things:  One, that (although my anger may have come under the heading of “righteous anger” ) God didn’t need me to get angry and defend Him; and two, that by exhibiting only anger I was sharing neither God’s love nor His mercy.  God asks that I respond in a way which shows His unconditional love for people; I merely wanted someone to PAY for their unrepentent blasphemy.  Which way, God’s or mine, is more likely to bring unbelievers into the kingdom?  Naturally, God’s way!  God requires us to return good for evil; to be a blessing to our enemies, and to spread the good news of His love to those who are living in darkness.  Not everyone will respond; some may even be positively venomous in their response to hearing the word of God.  Scripture tells us the Light came into the world, but many prefer to live in the darkness because their deeds are evil, and they don’t want to be confronted with their sins.  This embracing of  evil is between those who do so and God.  Our job is to see to it that they understand that they really do have a choice–that Jesus loves them and wants them to come to Him with  contrite and repentent hearts; that there is a life and an eternity in the presence of God in heaven awaiting those who call themselves by His name. 

     Perhaps the first step for us all is to recapture that spirit of joy ourselves.  If we are getting too weighted down by the evils of the world around us, then it is time to step out of the world for just a short time and refresh our spirits in the presence of the Lord.  Remember, we are to be ”in the world, but not of it.”  We are meant to live in the world as salt and light, but Jesus tells us that salt can lose its savor.  When this happens, we need to be renewed through fellowship with the Lord.  Maybe we need to go to Him for forgiveness of sins we have committed but have long ago gotten out of the habit of confessing to Him, maybe we need to ask Him to help us see others through His eyes again or maybe we just need a little time to sit at His feet and worship Him for who He is and what He has done for us.  That feeling of joy which settles on the heart of a Christian when he or she is first born again should be within us regardless of our circumstances, yet many seem to be losing that feeling.  With the problems in the economy we are facing, and a world that is increasingly hostile to the word of God, it is easy to forget that we really have no part in it.  Our trust should not be in the world at all–not in the economy or in our bank accounts, not in a government or in politicians–but in the promises made to us by the Lord Jesus.  He who died to be the perfect offering for the sins of the world and was raised again to be our king forever more is more than capable of helping us through difficult times if we walk in His righteousness and trust in His word.  He will neither leave us nor forsake us–and we must remember not to leave or forsake the lost if there is even a tiny chance that our witness and testimony could bring the sinner to repentence.  While it is the Holy Spirit who draws men and women to God, we may well be the final witness to someone around us before the Holy Spirit is able to convict him or her of the glorious presence of the Savior.  Glory to God!

Maranatha!

“So he [Elijah] arose and went to Zarephath.  And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks.  And he called to her and said, ‘Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.’  And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, ‘Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’  So she said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.  And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.  For thus says the Lord God of Israel:  The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’  So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.”  (1Kings:17:10-15)

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”                            (Luke 6:38)

     “ Oh no!!!”  comes the yell from whoever reads this.  “She’s about to ask us for money!!!  Run for it!!”   Relax, dear brothers  and sisters.  This is emphatically NOT a request to have you send money to the Watchman.  It is, however, a request that you who call yourself by His name not see this economic downturn as an excuse for not giving to the Lord that which He asks of you, but as an opportunity to show your trust in His promises and your desire to follow in the way of righteousness.

     One of the first things that happened when the recession hit the United States was that money ceased to flow into charities’ offices.  As a matter of fact, I had to cut back on some of my own donations, but I cut out those that were earmarked for social and political purposes and tried to increase my giving to the Lord’s work.  I run a small ministry which includes a food pantry and I give to various other Christian ministries (especially those that show the love of Christ to the Jewish people for whom God has given me a great love).  My cash flow has been greatly reduced and at times I have nearly panicked when I have observed the difference between my debts and my income and my nearly non-existant savings, but the Lord has cautioned me not to see my financial position as the world does.  To those who are faithful to Him, He will continue to be faithful as well.  Will He see that I keep out of financial disaster?  I don’t really know and will have to wait and see what He has in store for me.   All I am SURE of is that He tells me I must continue to give to Him at least that little tithe (ten percent) of my income which He has always asked of His people.  I think those ministries (usually on television) that tell people that if they give 10% of their income to God, God promises a ten-fold financial return on their money are greatly to be admonished.  God promises a ten-fold return of His blessings–which may not be the same thing in the least.  I do know that ever since I began tithing (many, many years ago) God always covered my tithe.  When I first determined that I needed to follow the Lord’s command to give the first fruits to Him, I made a list of things I could cut back on so that I could afford to do so.  Oddly enough, I never had to cut back on those things.  I didn’t always have extra, but I never seemed to run short because of the extra money I had given off the top to my Lord. 

     Now, believe it or not, God does not need our money.  This is THE God, Who owns all the earth and has all the resources of the universe at His disposal.  God ordained the concept of the tithe, and we follow His commandment for several reasons:

1.  God has largely chosen to work through His people.  Since the earliest times, God gave to His chosen people (first the ancient Hebrews and then the grafted in Bride of Christ) the duty to care for the poor, the widowed and orphaned, the imprisoned and the sick.  He even commanded the ancient Jews to leave the corners of their fields unreaped and whatever they dropped in the field to not be picked up so that the poor and hungry could come in and gather food.  (An aside here, I find it interesting that the poor were to come to the fields and pick the grain or corn for themselves.  Asking someone to work for what they are given has certain Biblical precedent.) Even we Christians have been too ready in these latter days to give this job to the government to implement.  While I have no objection to the government providing some much-needed assistance to those in real need, we are to bear a great part in this in order to spread and illustrate the love of Christ.  We no longer call ourselves a Christian nation, so no government agency can explain to those who receive some assistance that they really do have a heavenly Father who loves them and cares that their needs are met.  No government agency can grant the laying on of hands and prayer as a part of real nourishment and feeding, or tell the unbelieving about the wonderful gift of salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2.  We tithe in order to come under the covenant that God Himself established.  Tithing is part of the agreement made with the beloved of  God.  When we tithe, we open the way for God’s blessings to be poured out on us.  When we tithe, we show our trust in Him: our trust that whatever comes, He knows and will see to our needs; that He has a plan and purpose for our lives that will somehow or another come into being and be for our ultimate best. When we tithe, we show thankfulness for all He is and all He has done for us.  It is then that He will “open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”  Will that blessing be a financial one?  Maybe.  Maybe it will be a double portion of love, of courage, of strength, of wisdom or righteousness. 

3.  We tithe because God tells us to and we love Him.  It is an act of love and an act of worship.  He gives us so much, and we offer Him back such a minute portion of what He already owns.  We have nothing that does not come from Him: He gives us gifts, and it is a part of His own gifts that we give to Him. 

     I fear little financial distress because the Lord has said that if I live in obedience to what He tells me to do, then He will see to my needs.  But you know what?  In times of His financial blessing I will praise Him.  In times of need, I will praise Him.  Should I lose my home and my ministry and be dependent completely upon Him for my next meal, I will praise Him and give Him thanks. He is my God and my King.  Whatever He ordains for me will ultimately come together for good because I “love the Lord” and am called “according to His purpose”! (Romans 8:28)

Maranatha!