What Is Your Weakness?

 

Look at the picture above. What if you were the arm wrestler shown on the left side. What do you think your chances would be of taking down the guy to the right? I think the odds would be against you. In the spiritual world, we fight against much stronger forces whose aim is to defeat our own strengths and place us in danger of hellfire. But what if there were a way to defeat something much bigger and much stronger than you? What if you could win the battle over your flesh which is always at war with your spirit? Galatians 5:17 confirms, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

Look, we all know life is tough. Temptations are difficult. It goes without saying that Satan, the great tempter, knows our weaknesses, for he knows that “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet, just as he knew that Jesus had fasted for forty days and nights and immediately hit Him with his first temptation to attack Him there, he knows our greatest weaknesses and hits us there. We do not like to think about our weaknesses—we accentuate our strengths and diminish our weaknesses. In a certain sense, this is not a bad thing; it is only human of us to do so. However, the difference is whether we are diminishing our weaknesses publicly while striving to deal with them, overcome and solve them, or whether we are simply hiding them while privately reveling in them. 

Consider how the Bible describes our weaknesses. What is your forbidden fruit? The weakness for Eve was that fruit: “And when she (Eve) saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat…” (Genesis 3:6). For her, it became a tremendous temptation. What is your forbidden fruit? What temptation seems to have a stronghold over you?  Is it alcohol? Is it the love of money? Is it the opposite sex, the same sex? What is your forbidden fruit? Where is your Sodom and Gomorrah? When Lot and Abraham separated, Lot saw the well-watered plains of the Jordan River Valley and moved his family “in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12). Yet, the very next verse states, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (Genesis 13:13). Later, God told Abraham what He would do to the cities of Sodom. Knowing that his nephew lived there,  Abraham pleaded with God to spare them if he could find ten righteous souls. Yet, it was to no avail. As Genesis 19 describes, Lot and his family fled from their home before God destroyed those wicked cities with fire and brimstone. Peter commented, "For if God…spared not the old world… and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. (2 Peter 2:4-9)

What is your Sodom and Gomorrah? Is it uncontrollable gambling in casinos? Is it the bar where you meet singles for a one-night stand? Is it your girlfriend’s bedroom or the back of your car in a dimly lit area? Be brutally honest with yourself.  The prayer that ought to be on our lips is the one Jesus taught us: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God Himself, was tempted by Satan!  And He overcame those temptations!  He did not give in and sin!  Man, I can’t tell you how much that encourages me! Why?  Because I now know that Jesus understands what I or anyone else goes through. "Therefore He (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-15, 17-18). And again, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Hebrews 4:15-16).  Think about it! Jesus was tempted just like you and me!  He knows how it feels.  He understands the struggle.  He’s been there and done that.  BUT HE overcame those temptations by knowing and obeying God’s Word (Matthew 4:1-11), and so can we ... BY KNOWING AND OBEYING GOD'S WORD. Not only that, but when we fail and penitently cry out to God for forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10; Acts 8:22), Jesus – our High Priest, our Mediator – is at the right hand of the throne of God saying, “Father, I know what [insert your name] is going through.  I’ve been there.  I was tempted in the same way. Be merciful.  Be gracious.”  Jesus pleads for mercy on our behalf and knows that we, as His followers, try to do better because we love Him.  What comfort!  What love!  What hope this gives us in the struggle we face! 

The Scriptures tell us that we all face temptations. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. ”God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." Satan will never be allowed to tempt you beyond what you can bear if you are in Christ Jesus according to the scripture above. Jesus has not left you defenseless! Did you hear that? Then why do we sometimes commit sin? James 1:14 tells us, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." GOD HIMSELF, NEVER TEMPTS US!  So what happens if a Christian gives in to any kind of temptation? God turns His back and kicks them out of His Kingdom, right? No. You must be sorry for what you've done, you must ask for forgiveness, and you must keep running the race set before you! Don't give up. The key here is, don't make a habit of your sin! Don't practice your sin with the attitude or belief God will not be displeased with you. He will. Never use your "salvation" as a free ticket, or as a "pass" to continue sinning willy nilly. None of us is conformed to the image of Christ overnight. Sanctification is a moment-by-moment challenge. It’s a process that won’t be complete until we leave this world and see the Lord face to face. Until then, our responsibility is to trust God and walk with His Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Every sin is “willful sin.” If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be responsible; and if we’re not responsible for our own actions, sin can’t be sin at all. As James says, “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is finished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).  If someone is determined to live an unchristian life even after “receiving the knowledge of the truth” (Hebrews 10:26), we might assume that they never really accepted Christ in the first place. If they willfully commit the same sin over and over again without remorse and without showing any evidence of genuine desire to change, we would have every reason to doubt the sincerity of their profession of faith.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Discerning Truth From Lies

 

Society tells us that we gain wisdom by study, accumulation of knowledge, and application of common sense. These are fine and even good pursuits, but they won't result in spiritual discernment. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and told them that man's wisdom was folly. His instruction on this can be found in 1 Corinthians 1, which includes this from verse 25: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." I love that! Iyou you desire to gain spiritual discernment, that in itself shows a measure of spiritual discernment. Biblically, spiritual discernment, or wisdom, has to do with the capacity of knowing truth, and comes from saving relationship with Jesus Christ. To know Him better and grow in your relationship with Him, and you will also gain spiritual discernment—a growing ability to know the truth.

Jesus said it Himself: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). Paul relates wisdom directly with Jesus: "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Spiritual discernment is granted by God and grown by training in righteousness and prayer. In Hebrews, we read, "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14). Notice how Paul, who in the book of Philippians, identifies Jesus as the source of love, knowledge, discernment, and righteousness: "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9–11). However, the description of Satan as the "father of lies" comes from a passage in the Gospel of John. Jesus was addressing a group of religious leaders in Israel, who were accusing him of being from Satan. He responded by telling them that they were liars, and that proved that they, not He, were of the Devil. Jesus said: "When he (Satan) lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44c). He also told the group of accusers that they were the children of the Devil because they were spreading lies about Him and refusing to see the truth. So, Satan is not only the father of lies but of those who suppress the truth!

From the beginning, Satan has been a liar. He told his first lies to Eve, to deceive her and draw her away from God (Genesis 3:1, 4). He was the first liar, which makes him "the father of lies." God speaks the truth and Satan says the opposite, and man is confused. Ever since the garden of Eden, this has been happening. Satan uses the world system to disseminate his lies (1 John 5:19), and the lies are always growing in number and complexity.

We know that God speaks the only truth. John said, "We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this, we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6). John was drawing a distinction between the teachings of Jesus' apostles and the contradictory teachings which were leading people astray. John and the other apostles suffered greatly, dedicating their lives to the truth. The majority of them died horrible deaths rather than deny the truth about Jesus—His life, His death, His return to life, and the way of salvation for all men through His resurrection (John 3:16). John was saying "We are speaking the truth. Anybody who says the opposite is a liar." Watch closely, this is how Satan operates: he takes God's truth and twists or contradicts it so that people are led away from Him. God is love (1 John 4:7–8). But Satan says "how can a loving God allow so much suffering?" God says Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6). Satan says "a good person of any belief system can get there." Jesus spoke of everlasting torment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46). But Satan says "there's no hell." God claims to exist and to be a personal Being that interacts with us (Hebrews 11:6). But Satan says "God is dead." How many of Satan's lies listed here have ever reached your ears? Unfortunately, since we are finite and fallen, we are susceptible to these lies. So, Satan continues to use them, and rehash even the original lie he told in the garden ("Did God really say…?") in order to get us off track. The Bible is attacked often and viciously by false religions and worldly men who want us to think that the Bible is not literal, is not authoritative, is not reliable. Why do so many people put so much thought and effort into contradicting the Bible? Because Satan is working to convince us that God is the liar—and that is the ultimate lie.

To gain spiritual discernment, we must seek God. First, we are instructed to pray for wisdom. James 1:5–8 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." And, we must look for wisdom in God's Word. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). As we seek to know Jesus more, ask God for discernment, study God's Word to learn truth, put truth into practice in our lives, and rely on the Holy Spirit within us, we will grow in spiritual discernment.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

 The Monarch butterflies are beginning their Fall migration – have you seen the photos being shared on Facebook?  Apparently, there is a lot that even biologists don’t know about butterflies.  Have you ever wondered how butterflies emerge from their cocoons to know to delay their reproductive processes and instead prepare for a long journey?  Who tells them how to find enough nectar to sustain them in this strenuous flight, flapping their tiny wings to travel 100 miles each day?  What calendar guides them, as cold-blooded creatures, so they are not caught in weather that is too cold for them to fly?  What map are they given to find their way to the high mountains of Mexico? When in the caterpillar stage, do they understand what is going to happen when it weaves a cocoon around itself?  Does it have to work up the courage to let go of life?  Or is it driven by a deep hope toward a new life ahead, life in which it will not be earthbound, but will be given wings to fly?  Does it take courage to change, to be transformed?

Change is something we all need. It is an ongoing part of life. With its constant flux, life demands adjustments for our schedules and plans. Essentially, change is the new norm. But people’s spiritual lives call for more than slight changes to the calendar. Their lives are in need of transformation. As you know, transformation is not about trying harder or having a better life. The change people need is not simply about being a better person; that would be a gross misunderstanding of change and transformation. The gospel is bigger than simple moral "ism" and people need to understand the very nature of transformation. Sometimes, what we need is a universal translator that helps us understand words like “change” and “transformation.” The church can, at times, communicate the need for change in peoples’ lives, and it ends up understood as some low-level therapeutic, moralistic belief where a faraway God makes life better and makes you a better person. But that is not the gospel. We don’t want to produce good religious people. We see what becomes of good religious people from the encounters Jesus had with the Pharisees. God wants—as should we—to see people transformed at a spiritual level rather than a behavioral level. It's as simple as that. Though often thought of in the same sense as a New Year’s resolution, transformation does not come from decisions made on January 1. Instead, it comes from re-creation, the re-creation that comes from new life in Christ. The change people need most is not in their circumstances but in themselves. It is not the ability to try harder, but it is a life entrusted to Jesus.

So, when you think of “change,” translate it to mean “gospel change.” It is not the same thing as trying harder; in fact, there is no trying involved. Transformation occurs not because we "DO," but because Christ has “done.” There are three principles about the change we all need. 

1. Real change starts with new life, not just a new leaf. The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, HCSB). The very heart of the Christian faith revolves around change, but it is not turning over a new leaf—it is living out a new life! Christian transformation always involves something old passing away and something new taking its place. Spiritual change is needed by everyone. We are constantly in need of this change, no matter who we are. But too many people misunderstand the words. They believe, “If I change, then God will like me more.” The bid to be better accompanies the hope for divine blessing. But this is the false change that comes from religious idealism. It is a misunderstanding of the teaching of the gospel. Some seek change through obedience. “Religion says, ’I obey; therefore I am accepted.’ Christianity says, ‘I’m accepted, therefore I obey.’” And isn't this the very description of a true Christian? Because Jesus has accepted us we now WANT to obey Him! Our acceptance and subsequent change is affected by the work of Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection. His work causes my acceptance before God. Everything else leads to exasperation. Trying to “turn over a new leaf” is a temporary fix to an eternal problem and it leads to the frustrating, exasperating cycle of always looking for a new fix to our lives. Rules can modify behavior, but only the gospel can impart new life. We should never be satisfied with merely a 'new way' of life. Only a new life will suffice.

2. Real change is a process, not a destination. Nobody ever gets to a place of being everything God has called them to be on this side of eternity. It is part of why we yearn for eternal life with Him. Our life is one of growth, constant growth. The transformation we encounter because of the gospel is how God is shaping our lives to mirror Jesus. Paul wrote, “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). God is starting and completing the work of transformation in us. Real change happens at the moment of our salvation. We are daily being changed to be like Christ in how we live. Day by day, God wants us to grow in our knowledge and connection with Him. Peter wrote, “By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4). It is an overwhelming thought that God would share his “divine nature” with us. Honestly, when I do a quick evaluation of my life, I think, what a waste because I fail Him at times. God gets nothing out of this deal. But He is the giving, sending, sacrificing God who desires to root out my sinful nature and replace it with His own character. This humbles me so. By removing our wrongful human desires and replacing them with the divine nature of sacrifice, God sets our lives in a new direction. It is a new process we partake in that causes life to have true significance—reflecting God’s glory. To the Corinthian church, Paul wrote, “We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). When a believer sets their eyes on God, then life will be in the process of transformation. Transformation happens in a moment to secure a person eternally, but it is consistently happening moment by moment to change that person daily!

3. Change is letting go and grabbing hold. God doesn’t force anyone to change, but He calls us TO change. He says things like, “Be holy as I am holy,” and it sounds like an impossible task. But its possibility comes from the work of God and not the work of man. The transformation that comes to us spiritually empowers us to move from religious behavior to spiritual acceptance of God’s work. Paul put it this way: “But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, assuming you heard Him and were taught by Him because the truth is in Jesus: you took off your former way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you put on the new man, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth" (Ephesians 4:20-24). We are called to put off the “old man” and take hold of the “new man.” But we all know that letting go of the familiar is difficult, even when the new that is offered is better. For some reason, it seems part of our psyche to resist change, even when it will help. We can choose whether to embrace it or resist it.” I believe it is critical to choose the kind of change that advances the work of God in us personally and in the world for the sake of his Kingdom.

Finally, the change we all need is the change offered by Christ and Christ alone. It is a transformation that we are privileged to serve as an ambassador for in this life. Though transformation is a process which works throughout our life, we will stumble and we will fall throughout the process, but if we keep our hearts dedicated to Jesus, ask the Holy Spirit to forgive our weaknesses and failures when we sin, I am 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).

The M Word

 

In this blog, I will attempt to address a question posed by a female believer. It is not a question I like to talk about, nonetheless, few will address it so here I am stepping forward outside my opinion, to share what the bible does or does not say about the subject. The question posed to me was, Is masturbation a sin." What a complicated issue. The bible does not mention the word masturbation but has clear warnings regarding adultery and fornication, even spelling out those two words we still use in our vocabulary today. But the M-word doesn't appear in scripture as these two words clearly do.  If the word masturbation isn't spoken of in the bible then it must be okay. Right? Many believe this to be true. Sometimes people will use the argument that masturbation is healthy to justify their inability to control themselves. Many doctors and psychologists will tell you, "Masturbation can actually be good for your health, both mentally and physically. And it's pretty much the safest sex out there — there's no risk of getting pregnant or getting an STD. When you have an orgasm, your body releases endorphins, which are hormones that block pain and make you feel good." I concur. Neurochemicals released during sex and orgasm reduce stress, help you sleep, and make you feel at peace. However, having sex outside of marriage or habitually masturbating is an abuse of the body's natural response to sex. As Christian, do we listen to man for spiritual guidance and instructions, or do we refer to our Father in heaven? I believe the correct answer is, we search all the scriptures for our answers. I'll do that here, I'll refer you to appropriate scriptures, then you decide the direction for your own life. I am condemning no one. I'm simply making the attempt to give a civil answer through God's Word.

It is well noted by the world that the word "homosexuality" is not recorded in the bible. This is true! However, anyone without a degree of any kind can interpret these words from scripture addressed to the male population, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” and another verse: "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet" (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:27) And there is also a caveat for women regarding lesbianism, "for even the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature" (Romans 1:26). So you see, even though words like homosexual, lesbian, gay, queer, etc. which we assign to these behaviors are not specifically used in the bible, it is clear scripture is addressing these actions. Likewise, the word "abortion" is not mentioned in the bible either, yet scripture points out one thing that God hates is the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17), so much so He labels it an abomination. How innocent is the unborn?

So, how do we know if masturbation is right or wrong if the word itself is absent from scriptures? The same way we looked at the above scriptures that clearly point to homosexuality and lesbianism. The truth is, masturbation becomes a moral issue because it involves sexuality. How so? What is a person thinking of while in the act? I'm sure it never involves unicorns, lollipops, and rainbows! No, for stimulation one must think of a person, a movie scene, what they viewed in a pornographic magazine, etc. Sexual fantasies about someone you are not married to are, as Jesus stated, "adultery of the heart." If you're fantasizing about a married man or woman WHILE MARRIED, that is the same as adultery of the heart. If you're single and fantasizing about a woman or man, even if it's fictional, that's fornication of the heart (look up Matthew 5:28). "So what do we do then? I'm not so naive to think those who are committed to purity in mind and body don't have sexual hormones, dreams, and thoughts that impact their body. 

Paul taught us that nothing should master us. In other words, we shouldn't be controlled or addicted to anything. The ONLY WAY to overcome any addictions or vice is by renewing your mind and the only way to ever accomplish that is THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD! You must wash your mind with the gospel! Ephesians 5:26 specifically teaches that the church (believers) are sanctified and made holy (John 1:14) by the "washing of the Word." This is why I so often stress that Christians need to READ THE BIBLE! That very word will cleanse and transform your thinking and when that happens by the power of the Holy Spirit, your actions and behaviors will follow suit.

"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). This verse can bring conviction regarding a lot of choices we make with our bodies, but it was written in the context of sexuality. If there is a "gold standard" question to ask, this is it. In some situations, the answer to whether you're glorifying God in your body may be yes, and in other situations, the answer is clearly no. I believe masturbation is an issue that each woman has to ask the Lord about. When God wanted to be clear about something, He inspired clear teaching in Scripture. The Bible is silent regarding using the term masturbation. What God did state definitely is that He wants to give us His wisdom. "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking" (James 1:5). God is the High Priest who understands our questions and struggles. Even in this most intimate (and perhaps embarrassing) issue, don't be afraid to pour out your heart to Him and ask for His specific direction and wisdom. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD! He parted the Red Sea for goodness sake, prevented Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from burning in the fiery furnace, and He created heavens and earth. What? Do you think it is too difficult for Him to take away misguided sexual cravings or compulsions? You'd be wrong.

In closing, the hardest prayer for me to pray is a variation of “Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your Will.” (Psalm 40:8-9) When you feel those controlling tendencies creeping in, try to catch yourself and pray-- 'Jesus, give me the desire to know and accept Your will. Give me the desire to want Your will more than what I want. When I try to control things in my life, I am unable to truly receive from You. Help me get out of Your way so that You reign more in my life.' Be honest and direct with Him. He will provide what you are unable to do because as He said, "Fear not, in this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have OVERCOME the world" (John 16:3). Jesus will extend His power to you through the Holy Spirit if you'll only submit.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

Walking Away

 

Imagine with me if you adopted a child. Several things would be involved in your decision from the get-go:

1. Your undying love for a child that didn't know you

2. You CHOSE the child because in your eyes they were special

3. Your intentions were to give the child the best life by directing his or her decisions based on your own knowledge about life

4. Your commitment to supply every need of the child according to all you have

5. Your absolute promise to clothe, feed and shelter the child under your care

6. Your promise to provide the child's emotional, mental, and physical health

7. Your pledge to die, if necessary, to save your child if ever in harm's way

So you adopt the child and throughout each year, you've made available every promise listed above. When the child is old enough to move out on their own you hear less and less from them. Phone calls are few and visits are rare. You realize they are losing interest in the relationship you had with them. Drifting from your love they call only when needing money or a favor. Your own child has become estranged! If you continually pursue them, it seems to serve to make it impossible for them to have a quality relationship with you. They may feel smothered, obligated, or even embarrassed to love you. Eventually, they resent you. What a tragedy!

The above scenario is no different than what many Christians do to their Father, God. In the beginning, we profess our love and are overjoyed to spend time with Him. We revel in all his promises and experience His undeserved blessings. When dwelling with Him our lives are a reflection of Psalm 91, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. He will rescue me from every trap and protect me from deadly diseases. He will cover me with his feathers. He will shelter me with his wings. His faithful promises are my armor and protection." As believer's God's promises are our armor against the world. Under His wing, we have protection UNLESS we walk out and away from underneath His protective wing. You see, God never leaves us, we walk away from Him.  If you look around you, many people are "Christianized," but not truly transformed (Matthew 7:21). God gave stern warnings to those who did not want to follow the Savior any longer. Notice the wording ANY LONGER? It is true that Christians are saved by grace, “for by grace you are saved” (Ephesians 2:8-9) however, we seem to overlook the verse (and meaning of) “you must hold fast to your confession of faith without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23). Paul, the author of Hebrews, brings stern warnings regarding the danger of choosing sin while walking away from Christ (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Consider these verses:

"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" – Hebrews 10:26

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" – Hebrews 10:31

"But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls" – Hebrews 10:38-39. 

I receive so many messages in my spirit to be exclusively directed to Christians that are lazy, slipping, or whose love for God has grown cold. This is yet another one. Insulting the Spirit of grace, who is trying to draw you back, but you do not care and refuse to walk away from your sin, is to trample underfoot the grace of God that can save you from the consequences of your stubbornness. You and I are tempted to sin every day. We are under pressure while suffering the ebb and flow of victory and defeat throughout our lives. I'm often tempted with thoughts of my former life that randomly invade my mind seemingly out of nowhere. We constantly fight thoughts, wishes, temptations, desires, lusts, you name it. That is the flesh warring against the spirit. Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want." No one, I repeat, NO ONE is exempt from the temptations to commit sin, whether from our hearts or from the world in which we live. To be tempted is not a sin, for even Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4:1-11 (Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil) BUT HE DID NOT GIVE INTO TEMPTATION. That's the difference. You can be tempted, and you will be, you must resist.

So today I ask you, have you lost interest in your first love, Jesus Christ? Do you call on Him to talk or revel in His presence and not only when you need or want something? Have the interests, cares, or troubles of life began to mount to such a degree that you decided to walk away from Christ? Do you secretly feel obligated to pray, constrained to talk to God, or embarrassed to admit you love Jesus? Have you walked away? Why is it so hard to take time to converse with God, motivate yourself to read His Word, or to fellowship with other Christians? Is the devil tempting you to fall back into the world and deliberately engage in sin you know God would not be pleased with? Please come back. I may say some of the sternest and most direct things you can say to a person, but please don't feel talked down to or verbally assaulted. Paul loved people enough to warn them about the possibilities of their actions, and so am I. He was like a father to them. Any good father would warn a son or daughter about the dangers in our world and the consequences of choosing those risks (Luke 11:11). May we all be warned. May we all respond by graciously seeking to change ourselves if indeed we have slipped away from our heavenly Father.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

The Unwanted

 

Recently I became friends with a wonderful lady whom I met on Facebook. She operates a dog rescue from her home in Puerto Rico. She rescues dogs who have been tossed away, neglected, or abused by their owners. Most of the time it is all three! Many of these poor, abandoned, creatures have been either hit by a car or suffering from starvation and disease.  I began thinking. How do we deal with those whom others don't want? Do you remember the news headline in 2005 regarding Terri Shiavo? Her husband no longer wanted to keep her alive. Terri became brain-damaged in 1990. Fourteen or fifteen later her husband, Michael, had grown tired of Terri being on a feeding tube and sought the courts to have her feeding tube removed so she could be out of his way. Michael Shiavo stood to inherit a large sum of money if his wife died. Because Michael moved in with another woman, he could not marry her while married to Terri. He didn't want to divorce Terri because that would mean he would cease to be her legal guardian and beneficiary of her settlement. After a long battle to get his wife's tube removed, Michael Shiavo won his case and Terri died after two weeks without nutrients. What painful death starvation is! 

Then there is the awful truth about abortion. How many women chose to abort their babies, some in the third trimester, simply because the baby would "be in their way" "I can't afford to keep it" "I don't have time for it." I'm sure my friend from Puerto Rico has heard these responses regarding unwanted dogs as well.  Since when has humanity determined that babies are disposable? Or our elderly? Or any living thing? When did we come to a point where convenience has become more valuable than human life? When? 

What is the value of human life?

    A. Man has value. He was made in the image of God.  - Genesis 1:26-27

    B. GOD ALONE is the giver of human life. - Acts 17: 24-28

    C. Because of our sins, mankind is damaged goods in the sight of God - Psalm 8: 3-4

    D. YET, HE LOVED US! - John 3:16

    E. Even while in sin - Romans 5:8

    F. What was God willing to pay to ransom us, rescue us? - 1 Peter 1: 18-19

Those with physical handicaps are not less valuable to God, nor are they less human.

    A. God ordered special protection for the handicapped not to be mistreated - Leviticus 19:14; Deuteronomy 27: 18

    B. Job spoke of the care given to the unfortunate - Job 29:12; 31: 15-22

    C. Jesus ministered to the afflicted - Matthew 11:5

    D. Care of the less fortunate is evidence of pure religion - James 1:27

The blood of innocents has been shed throughout the world and sacrificed to the god of personal convenience: through abortion, war, murder.

    A. God hates the shedding of innocent blood! - Proverbs 6:17

    B. God will not acquit the guilty - Exodus 23:7

The Bible teaches that we are not to abuse or punish animals in a cruel way. God created them, and though mankind is given dominion over the animals, we are not to treat them cruelly!

    A. God rejoices in ALL He created, ALL by the works of His hands - Psalm 104:31

    B. A righteous man cares about his animal's health - Proverbs 12:10

    C. Jesus identifies sparrows as animals which are not valued by humans, but which God still knows and remembers - Matthew 10:29

    D. Care and concern for all animals is noted in scripture, even returning a neighbors animal if lost -Exodus 23:4

    E. One reason God commanded His people to rest one day out of seven is so their animals would be refreshed (Exodus 23:12)

The Bible says we must never treat any part of God's creation, whether, people, handicapped folks, fetuses in the womb, animals (domesticated or wild) with contempt. When we do, we are indirectly treating our Creator with contempt for by His creative hands He made them all. God calls us to be stewards or trustees of His creation, and the Bible reminds us that we are responsible to HIM for the way we treat His creation. If we would only learn and apply love to all things God created, we would be much better off. Christians must abide in faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, there grows within us concern and compassion for others. Jesus' life shows us to love God, love man, and love the animals created with His hands.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

How Strong Are You?

 Maybe you are emotionally strong. Maybe you can handle a lot of pressure, work for long hours, day after day after day.  Maybe you are the one who is the emotional anchor in your family and everyone leans on you for support. There are many kinds of strength.  But the most important one is the strength you need in the Lord.  True Christian strength is not of the body.  True Christian strength is of the spirit, measured in faithfulness, trust, and perseverance.  By Grace, we live by Faith. Our (true) struggle is against powers and principalities (not people we disagree with) and the Lord wants you to be strong. There are many things to fight in this world.  For instance, you can fight sickness, fatigue, death of loved ones, failure of your plans and hopes, questions without answers, and pain without reason.  Yes, we fight in this world.  But we also fight in the spiritual world and it is so important that believers understand this! It is Satan who opposes you.  It is he who seeks to sift you and destroy your bodies and souls in the eternal blackness that will be his unending grave of torment. Yet the blood of Christ has guaranteed your deliverance from that awful end.  Jesus bought you with His blood and ensured that none of those so bought would be lost. Praise the name of the Lord.

This is what has to say about spiritual battle and strength. God wants you to be strong in Him because you are in a spiritual battle against the powerful forces of darkness. What is this spiritual battle?  It is the war against spiritual forces. Ephesians 6 verse 12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" These battles take many forms... sexual temptation, serious illness, the loss of a loved one, hatred of others, even hatred of God, coveting, addictions: alcohol, drug, pornography, even simple pride. This is not to say that the devil makes you sick, or causes you to steal and that every bad thing is his fault.  But there are spiritual forces ready to weaken you, to cause you to fall, and then to trample you under their feet.  They may seek to make worse the sin that is already in you.

Being strong in the Lord is the only way to be able to resist the devil. You are not merely fighting frail men with all their physical and mental deficiencies.  You are fighting the innumerable host of fallen angels.  It is they who are in control of the world of ignorance, sin, and sadness.  Therefore, you must be strong in the Lord and fight the battle with spiritual weapons. Jesus promised us, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."  

I want to speak briefly of three men: Solomon, Samson, and David. Solomon was the wisest of all men. He had great wealth and great power. Samson was the strongest of all men. He killed 1000 men with the jawbone of an ass and he toppled a temple with his own hands. David was gifted with devotion. He loved the Lord and sought to honor and glorify God. Just look at the Psalms and their beautiful poetry of adoration. Yet, all three fell!  As strong as these men were they were no match for the schemes of the Devil. Think of that. Satan, in his evil cunning, led Solomon to marry many women, and through them, he fell to the temptation to serve false gods. Samson, as strong as he was, was unable to resist the persistence of a woman.  Delilah hounded him into telling the secret of his strength, and through her betrayal of Delilah, he ultimately fell. David also fell. He fell into the temptation of lust, then adultery, then murder. Are you any stronger than they? God wants you to be strong in Him because the spiritual battle can only be won, first of all, by putting on His armor. Relying on God, not yourself.

A description of His armor:

**Having girded your waist with truth, verse 14.  Truth is that revelation of God, found in Christ, and known in the scriptures.

**Having put on the breastplate of righteousness, verse 14. Righteousness is given by God, through His Son Jesus.  You each, who are born of God, are righteous. 

**Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; verse 15. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.  It is the good news of the kingdom of God.  It is the message of the death, burial, and resurrection Jesus. 

**Above all, taking the shield of faith, verse 16. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen.  It is that bond between man and God that pleases God, "For without faith it is impossible to please God," (Heb. 11:6). With faith, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

**Take the helmet of salvation, verse 17. The cross of Christ is central. Some walk around with only the helmet on.  I've heard them called spiritual streakers. It is the greatest of all gifts (Rom. 6:23).  It is your deliverance from the pit of hell whose grip of sin upon you has been broken.  You are freed from sin!  You are free to believe the gospel, to glorify God in truth, to live in righteousness and faith. Through Jesus, the only way.

**And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; verse 17. The Word is that which teaches you, guides you, and admonishes.  It is worthy of study so that you might learn what is right and acceptable to God.

Why do you take the armor? So you wonï't be naked and rely on your own strength. So you may remain strong verse 10.  That is why these 6 things were given to you.  So that you might remain strong in faith, rooted in the gospel, living in truth, and victorious by faith.  It is the armor of God you wear that keeps you safe and strong.  It has already been field-tested and proven itself worthy of trust.  To trust the armor of God is to trust God. You can trust Godï's provision for battle, not your own.  Godï's faithfulness to you has already been manifested in the cross. You have already tested the armor of God.  You have already trusted in Him and His provision. In regard to testing the armor, I would like to return to David for a moment.  When David was about to fight Goliath, Saul wanted to give David his own armor.  "So Saul clothed David with his armor and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail.  David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them.  And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them."  So David took them off.  Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand.  And he drew near to the Philistine.

Now let me ask you: What kind of protection is a sling against a giant 9-foot tall giant who could crush you between his hands.  It is very little protection indeed.  But David did not go out onto the battlefield alone.  He went with the company of the Lord God. Earlier in his life, David had killed a bear and a lion with nothing more than a sling: Moreover, David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."  And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!" (1 Sam. 17:37). He went with the full armor of God: faith, righteousness, the Word, and truth.  He went out to the place of battle, to that place where the Devil had brought an army to oppose God's people.  David met Goliath.  But it was not the sword that brought the giant down.  It was not the arrow, but a stone, that crushed the opposer's head, the way God promised in the garden that the head of the serpent would be crushed. Goliath was a manifestation of that serpent. The Armor of God has already been tested.  Faith in God is never misplaced.

God wants you to be strong in Him because the spiritual battle is won, second, through prayer.  Notice the "Allï's" pray at all times in the Spirit.  This does not mean every second.  But it does mean in all things with all perseverance.  This means that you are to continue in prayer even though you do not seem to get an answer or the answer you get does not seem to be what you had hoped for and for all the saints.  Are you praying for your brothers and sisters in Christ?  And even the apostle Paul asked for prayer so that He might be able to speak the gospel.  Though Paul is long dead and we cannot pray for him, you can pray for those who further the gospel. In order for you to be strong, in order for you to fight the good fight of the faith, you must put on faith, righteousness, and salvation. You must use the gospel which is the Word of God, and last, but not least, you must pray. Will you?  Will you pray, will you be faithful, will you trust in the Lord and rest in His provision for victory in Christ?  You must decide.  You must act.

Until He comes, 

Pat

The 7th Trumpet

I have been asked numerous times throughout the years what my views are regarding the Rapture of the Church. Most people want to know when will it take place, PRE-tribulation. MID-tribulation, or a POST-tribulation? In other words, will believers be raptured before the return of Jesus, at the mid-point of the tribulation or 3 1/2 years in, or after the Great Tribulation meaning all Christians will go through the entire 7 years? This blog has taken weeks to pull together. It is long. I hope you will stay with me.

There are only three possible choices: 1. The Church will never suffer as Jesus will call us up before tribulation begins. 2) We'll suffer some, a total of 3 1/2 years as a time to strengthen and prepare our hearts through testing, suffering, and persecution. 3) We go through the entire 7 years, the later 3 1/2 years of which God displays His wrath on people but not His wrath on believers because 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." ***Note: Whether AWAKE when He comes or ASLEEP in the grave when He comes. He's coming for all believers who are physically dead at the time or still alive. Remember this for later! Which scenario do you believe? I must admit, the subject is always up for debate. In all honesty, at some point over the years I have believed all three choices because I, as many of you, simply listened to varying opinions and didn't know which to believe. In this blog, I'm not going to give my opinion of how we can know when the rapture is to take place, but I will point out in this blog through scripture that we have been clearly told at what point!

Before I get too deep, you have to understand the "tribulation" is a progression of events highlighted by seven seals (Revelation 6:1–17; 8:1–5), seven trumpets (Revelation 8:6–9:21; 11:15–19), and seven bowls/vials (Revelation 16:1–21) and are three series of end-times judgments from God. The judgments get increasingly worse and more devastating as the end times progress. The seven seals, trumpets, and bowls are connected to one another. The seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets (Revelation 8:1–5) and the seventh trumpet introduces the seven bowls (Revelation 11:15–19; 15:1–8). Today I am interested in the trumpets because that is what affects the Church concerning the rapture.

For anyone who may have stumbled upon this blog who is not a Christian or follower of Jesus Christ, the rapture is that event in the future where believers who are dead will be resurrected out of their graves and receive their glorified bodies and those who are alive at Christs' coming will also receive the same.  Today we'll know when the rapture takes place!

A lot of people say that the Scriptures don’t teach a “rapture” of the Church.  They point out that the word “rapture” is not in the Bible.  It is true that the word “rapture” does not appear in our English Bibles.  But the concept clearly does. Rapture is a word that actually comes from the Latin translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." If you study this, the Latin translation of the New Testament used the word 'rapio' for the Greek word that is translated “caught up” in verse 17.  Rapio means to ‘snatch away’ or ‘carry off.’  So, this is where the "term" rapture comes from. It refers to a time in the future when Christ will come and raise His people from the dead and will also instantaneously glorify those who are alive at that time with new bodies. And frankly, I'm beginning to believe this is closer than ever watching the direction the world is going! 

This event is further verified in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52. "Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, (**Remember my notation above) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."

Everyone wants to know when.  When will this happen?  There are three witnesses that testify this event will take place.  Daniel, Jesus Himself throughout the gospels, and the Book of Revelation. After studying Revelation closely,  I have to believe the rapture will take place post-tribulation! Oh, I'd rather be raptured pre-tribulation! And why not! But I cannot share that as truth. You see, you already read the truth in this blog! The answer was already revealed. You probably missed it as so many do when reading the book of Revelation. I'll show you again. Watch closely! ... "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." Did you see it? When will we be raptured? When will we rise? When will we be changed? In a moment? Yes. In the twinkling of an eye? Yes. But when?? AT THE LAST TRUMP! Revelation tells us there are 7 trumpets that sound throughout the Tribulation. The first 3 1/2 year of trumpet blasts signify the time of trouble and are blown as a basic WAKE UP CALL for the world. The final 3 1/2 years are for those who are not listening and designated as wrath. If you wish to look them up, I have identified where in Revelation they can be found and a brief description of what follows each trumpet blast:

TRUMPET 1- Revelation 8:7 Hail and fire strike the earth

TRUMPET 2- Revelation 8:8-9 Something like a great mountain is thrown into the sea- 1/3 sea turns to blood, 1/3 of everything in the sea dies, ships are destroyed, and a volcano erupts. 25% of the people of the world gone, a third of the trees, all the grass, and a third of the sea life is devastated. Imagine the smell.

TRUMPET 3- Revelation 8:10-11 A star, burning like a torch (could very well be a meteor) falls into 1/3 of the rivers and poisons the water. Men die because the water is made bitter. The Bible calls this "star" Wormwood.

TRUMPET 4- Revelation 8:12-13 One third of the sun, the moon, and the stars are darkened. Angel cries WOE WOE WOE because of what's coming after all this! (We are midway through the tribulation. Now comes THE GREAT TRIBULATION)

TRUMPET 5- Revelation 9:3-11 Demon locusts with human faces, long hair, lion’s teeth, and the power of a scorpion sting plague and sting nonbelievers for five months. Those who are stung will wish for death.

TRUMPET 6- Revelation 9:12-18 Four fallen angels are released and wipe out people from sulfur and fire pouring out of their mouths. They manage to wipe out one-third of mankind.

TRUMPET 7- Revelation 11:15  WE ARE RAPTURED WHEN THIS ONE BEGINS TO SOUND! Then after we are gone come the seven bowls of judgment, 24 elders in heaven declare it’s time to destroy those who destroy the earth. It can get confusing but I'm trying to keep it simple. It is after we are gone that the seventh trumpet calls forth seven angels who carry the seven bowls of God’s wrath which believers are not appointed unto (Revelation 11:15–19; 15:1–8). The bowl judgments include painful sores afflicting humanity (Revelation 16:2), the death of every living thing in the sea (Revelation 16:3), the turning of rivers to blood (Revelation 16:4–7), an intensifying of the sun’s heat (Revelation 16:8–9), great darkness and an intensification of the sores from the first bowl (Revelation 16:10–11), the advance the Antichrist’s armies at Armageddon (Revelation 16:12–14), and a devastating earthquake followed by giant hailstones (Revelation 16:15–21).

Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 about the resurrection and glorification of Christ's followers at His return. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 shows that this will occur when Christ descends from heaven with a mighty shout and the great sound of a trumpet. This is no secret event. That's the last trumpet- the 7th trumpet ... "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye AT the last trump." AT the moment when trumpet #7 begins to sound, we are raptured! In 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, Paul plainly tells us that God will resurrect deceased believers to spirit (incorruptible) at “the last trumpet.” Well, there are only 7 trumpets! This is the same “trumpet of God” mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Paul also states in 1 Corinthians 15:51 that God will also change believers who are still living at the time into incorruptible. So the appearance of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the saints occur in the same time period. One plus one equals two! There is a crescendo as the drama builds through each event announced by a trumpet blast until the seventh and final angel sounds in Revelation 11. His announcement is the finale, the last and greatest event ... The return of Jesus Christ to rapture His saints. Now watch the wording ...Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15, ESV). It is clear that Jesus descends AT the blowing of this seventh trumpet—and that this is when the saints are caught up to Him. We will not experience what follows the 7th trumpet because we are caught up AT the moment it begins to sound.

Are you wondering as many who ask, "How can the Church be here through the Great Tribulation, all the way to the 7th trumpet, when scriptures say, "God has not appointed us unto wrath" (1 Thessalonians 5:9)? God gives us that answer. WE WILL NOT FEEL HIS WRATH! Did Noah? Did Lot? God's divine love will protect us. Read Psalm 91 and take it to heart! Though we may not be taken off the earth during the Great Tribulation, it is promised in His Word God will protect believers during this time of severe distress. How can we know? The most specific reference to the protection that God promises for His people at the end of the age is in Revelation 12. For those who study and are paying attention, Revelation 12:14 says, “But the woman (symbolic here of spiritual Israel, the Church of God, US) was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” The times here denote years—one (time) plus two (times) plus one half (half a time), equaling 3 1⁄2 years, the period of the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord. And note that the protection is not in heaven but in the wilderness, or the desert as it’s often translated. It’s on the earth, not in heaven. The Bible records many ways by which God protected His people in the past, I mentioned two obvious ones above though the Bible does not reveal specifically how, where, or when this time. "Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12).  However, we can have confidence that He will reveal what we need to know at the essential time. In the meantime, our focus must be on the spiritual preparation for Christ’s return and the establishment of our Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 24:38-51). In short summary, the last trumpet is the transition between the kingdom of this world and the Kingdom of God. It sets in motion the wrath of God, the Return of Christ, and the rescue of His people. AT the MOMENT OF THE LAST TRUMP, WHEN IT SHOULD BEGIN TO SOUND, we are rescued but know also, as awful as the coming judgments are if you are a believer and faithful follower of Jesus Christ, these things will not touch you. I urge every believer to read and memorize Psalm 91!

Until He comes,

-Pat-