A Pilgrim In Search Of A Witness: My Own

May I have permission to speak as a pilgrim, an oft-wayward soul? May I speak as one who, maybe occasionally, gets it right? 

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. 

I was reading in the Old Testament book of Joel. This prophet of God speaks of the “Day of the Lord.” It is a day of judgment when all men will be called into account. For those who believe in God, it will be a day of joy. For those who have not placed their faith and trust in God, it will be a terrible day if reckoning. It will be a day when eternal judgment will be meted out.

If one is a believer he/she might think, as I, "All right God! Sweet justice to all who have rejected you." Truth is, there is no joy in God's heart to judge anyone. He desires that all men might be saved (2Pe 3:9); that all men might turn to him for salvation…deliverance. For he says through the prophet Joel, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32). If God did not care he would not issue a warning. He would just pounce on an unsuspecting human race with fire and fury. He certainly would not send his own son, Jesus, heir to the Kingdom throne, to bear the judgment of sin meted out to set free those vile sinners, like myself, who have offended him in every way. It is no “sweet justice” to punish your own son for the wrong-doings of someone else.

It set me to thinking. When a man, a woman, a child, believes the story of redemption in Christ what exactly is it from which he/she is redeemed (saved/delivered)? He/she is delivered by the mercies of the God who is carrying out this judgment; the final and eternal sentence of separation from God, from any chance of ever being redeemed. He/she is delivered from an eternal fiery burning hell from which there is no relief. Ever!

But what the evil one (Satan), the god of this world, wants us (me) to think is that being "saved" is something more akin to simply joining some cultural revolution. It's just about being different. "Hey, I am a Jesus man. I go to church. I give money to good causes. I do community service projects in the name of my church. I pay my taxes. I’m nice to people. I serve meals at the downtown Mission.” BUT… I never open my mouth and tell someone they’re headed for judgment and hell if they don’t repent and trust Jesus. I never tell someone the “Good News” that Jesus died for our sins and that God is a great and benevolent God, who will one day judge the world for its sin; for turning it’s back on him.

What I do is invite folks to church. “Come and meet some nice friends.” But I never introduce them to Jesus, the friend of sinners. I invite people to come worship God in a nice protected sanctuary. But I never tell them why I exalt the living, redeeming God who loved me and sent his son to die for me. I invite them to join one of our many church programs in our slick facilities,. But I never usher them into the halls of the Kingdom of God. I tell folks about our great preacher. But I never tell them about a great Savior, Jesus, the one who died for me. Such things I do ad nauseam. 

There you have it. This is not a condemnation of anyone, least of all by me. It is just my confession, the confession of a pilgrim who is an oft-wayward soul who rarely gets it right. I want to do better, be better. Today I have sought forgiveness from God for being something less than the witness God wants me to be. I’m asking for a fresh anointing, a new filling of his Spirit, that I may open my mouth and proclaim him. I want others to know the joy that I have known because of repentance from sin (rebellion against God). I want others to know that God loves us and calls us to himself. His deliverance is from an eternal fire and fury. It is his passion and love for all men that moves him to send prophetic warnings by the lips of men like Joel, or Paul, or Billy Graham, or least of all, in my circle of influence, by me.

So I must put the trumpet to my lips. I must sound the alarm. Judgment will come. But, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Lord, open my mouth that I may deliver the whole message of redemption’s story, while there is still time (Joel 2:12,13).

Who is the Glorious One, The King of Glory?

Psalm 24:7-10

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 

Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,

The Lord mighty in battle.
9 

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah

Who Indeed?


King of Glory

THE TEST

A self-righteous Jewish lawyer and teacher of the Law of Moses wants to "test" (sic) Jesus. He asks Jesus how one might receive eternal life. To this Jesus replies, "You're the expert, you tell me." The smug lawyer says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind…Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus then says, "Do that and you will receive eternal life."  The expert lawyer replies, "Who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:25-29)

Really? A man of his intellect and expertise has never thought about that?

To answer the smug lawyer's question Jesus tells a story about a traveler who is attacked by bandits, beaten, robbed and left for dead (Luke 10:29-37). A Jewish priest sees the man, crosses the street and passes by him. A temple servant sees the man, looks him over, crosses the street and passes by him. Last, a hated Samaritan sees the man and has "COMPASSION." He bandaged the man's wounds, put him on his own donkey and took him out of harms way to an inn. There he continued ministry to the man. The next day the Samaritan left the man in the care of the innkeeper. He paid his bill and promised to pay more if it was needed. Jesus stoped there and asked the Jewish lawyer, "Who was the neighbor?" 

Jesus is really not answering the lawyer's question. He is asking his own. 

The lawyer answers Jesus' question as we all would, or should. The neighbor is the one who helps; the one who shows compassion for others irregardless of race, creed or religion. The neighbor is the one who will go above and beyond the norm to help. The lawyer's view of neighboring seems to have been NOT, "Who can I help" but, "Who would help me?" That is "The Test." The lawyer, as one who supposedly loved God, should have been asking, "What kind of neighbor am I?" 

If we really love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, then we would NOT be asking, "Who is my neighbor," BUT "Who can I serve?" "What kind of neighbor am I?" It's interesting that the lawyer didn't ask Jesus how he could love God more. Although, the answer might be (I think), by showing compassion for others no matter their status, education or religious views.

We talk about the indifferent priest and temple servant. We talk about the compassionate "Good Samaritan." We talk about being kind to others and showing compassion. All important truths. But what we seem to miss in this discussion is that the lack of compassion for others likely reveals a lack of genuine love for God - heart, soul, strength and mind. 

The lawyer was probably incensed that Jesus used two Jewish guys in his story and compared them to a HATED Samaritan; that the two Jews were the dis-compassionate ones. What he didn't get was that he was like them. He viewed being neighborly as someone who helps "me." He failed "The Test." What he didn't get was that their (and our) dis-compassionate, selfish examples reveal a much deeper problem - No genuine love of God with heart, soul, strength, and mind. 

"The Test": If I genuinely love the Lord with all my heart, soul, strength and mind, then, yes, I will be the neighbor who shows compassion toward others, even those considered hated and despicable. The test question for me is not, "Who is my neighbor?" "Who will help me?" The test question I must ask myself is, "What kind of neighbor am I?" "Who can I serve unconditionally?" That will also reveal to me a lot about the depth of my love for God. 

Lord, I pray that what I see in my life as compassionate service to others will reveal a passionate love for you. If my compassion is lacking, then Lord, give me a heart that is hot for you.

2016, Does It Matter Who Wins The Election?

I have never been so conflicted about the candidates in an election cycle as I have this one. It has been a real battle of the mind and heart.

I read a quote recently of John Calvin. Calvin was a French theologian and pastor during the Reformation period (circa 1500). He said, "When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked leaders." Actually, those more or less approximate what he actually said in his voluminous work, Institutes of the Christian Religion and in his commentary on Romans. I have read the sections of both these works from which this referenced quote is made. Its accurate.

So here is my take on this and how I think it might relate to this election. I really believe we're at a crossroads in American history. We have these two candidates because for the last 60 plus years and longer, we have been going down a slippery slope of moral and spiritual decay. These two candidates are a reflection of who we have become as a nation. The moral, spiritual bankruptcy reflected in these two candidates has been brought on primarily, I believe, because the Church has become too much like the culture that surrounds it. The church in America has become lukewarm. It is not the "salt and light" that it once was or needs to be. 

Scripture says that judgment begins at the doorstep of the Church ("For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God?" (AMP) - 1 Peter 4:17). The Church is complicit in the implementation of the judgment of God and she should not be pointing her finger at a lost and unrighteous world. 

Scripture also says, "If MY PEOPLE [not a lost and unrighteous people] will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from THEIR WICKED WAYS, then [and only then; when MY PEOPLE pray and seek my face] will I hear from heaven and forgive THEM and heal THEIR land.

If you ascribe to what I just said then you would probably agree with Calvin. Eventually judgment will come. I would not at all be surprised if we are headed for a judgment even now given the two ungodly, unrighteous candidates we have to choose from today. 

[May I just say here that it breaks my heart that my children and my grandchildren are having to face such a time as this in America. It breaks my heart that I and my generation are leaving our children with such a world. But there are still things that can be done and I intend to do them.]

However, to the matter at hand:

If God wants to judge this nation by giving us "wicked leaders" then it WILL NOT MATTER which presidential candidate wins. They are both ungodly and unrighteous people. God could use either one to bring judgment on America. Having said that, here is the question for me:

        Would I rather be governed by

                an ungodly, unrighteous Democrat, or

                an ungodly, unrighteous Republican (who, by the way, has a godly and righteous running mate)?

        Either way I cast my vote, God's plan will move forward. But my vote could likely be an indication as to the severity of the judgment that comes upon the Church and this country.

Psalm 33:10,11 says, "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the people of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all the generations." It goes on to say in verse 12, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD. "

I guess, and in the spirit of this election cycle, one could say, "The Fix Is In!"

Selecting A Candidate

Selecting the candidate that can best serve as POTUS (or any other office).

I will seek for a godly spirit in those for whom I vote. A reading of 2Timothy 2:16, 22-26 provides me with some clues. Look for a person who: 

exemplifies godly values, 

Is humble in spirit, 

uses reverential/decent language, 

honors God, 

pursues a righteous life and a pure heart, and finally,

is a clear thinker. 

I need to pray also that God would grant wisdom beyond his/her years and experience, exceptional counsel and knowledge of truth to discern between right and wrong. 

Since we're NOT electing a "Pastor and Chief" but a "Commander and Chief," my best candidate may or may not have a personal relationship with Jesus. So I need most of all pray that he/she would have a heart for repentance unto salvation.