Newsletters

”For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

"Yea, truth is fallen in the street, and equity [holiness] cannot enter.Yea, truth faileth: and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment" (Isaiah 59:12-15).

The prophet Isaiah said, Truth is fallen in the streets — the door is being closed to holiness — and those who want to follow the Lord wholly are becoming victims because of soft preaching.

"He maketh wars to cease..." (Psalm 46:9).

What welcome news to the child of God shattered and torn by warfare in the soul: He maketh wars to cease. Blessed relief; the battle in my soul is His battle, and He alone can end it. My loving Father will not permit the flesh or the devil to bully me into defeat.

My war is clearly defined by James, who wrote:

"From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?...Ye fight and war..." (James 4:1,2).

I am so glad my feelings have no meaning I am even more grateful they do not affect my salvation or my relationship to the Lord. I would have given up long ago had I given in to my feelings. My feelings have discouraged me many times; they've tried to deceive me; they've tried to rob me of my peace and joy in Christ; and they have harassed and accused me of every evil thing possible. I have come to recognize all unsettling feelings as messengers of Satan, intended to bring me down into despair and fear.

I feel so ashamed of myself when I think back over my early ministry — because I condemned so many sincere people. I meant well, and often my zeal was honest and well-meaning. But how many people I brought under terrible condemnation because they didn't conform to my ideas of holiness!

The word “favor” is used often in the church today. Pastors across America promise people that God is going to favor them. Sadly, what they mean by favor is limited to possessions, positions and acquisitions—better homes, cars and jobs, a happier family and a growing income. I do believe God favors his people this way. But there’s a danger when we live for this kind of favor at the risk of losing something much higher. We short-change ourselves when we live for anything but “Ultimate Favor.” Let me explain.

Seeking the Turnaround Only Jesus Can Provide

Have you ever been overwhelmed? Are there days when you face things that seem too difficult to deal with? The Bible isn’t silent on the subject. God’s Word provides great encouragement to us as we seek to overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds positioned against us.

In John 2, Jesus enters the temple for an act that would signal the beginning of his public ministry. (His earlier miracle at Cana, turning water into wine, wasn’t a public declaration.) What takes place next is quite dramatic:

To some readers, the statement I’m about to make will sound bold. To others it will sound obvious. Either way, it’s a commentary on the church I’d rather not have to make. That is, most Christians are powerless.

Consider what “normal” Christianity looks like today in the typical believer. This person is a bit self-seeking, a little materialistic, somewhat consumerist. Most of his daily choices are about improving his life. That includes his spiritual pursuits, from his church groups to the podcasts he downloads to the seminars he attends.

Joseph took the body…and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away" (Matthew 27:59–60).

Jesus had just been crucified and was now laid in a tomb. As a massive stone was rolled to seal the doorway, everyone had a sad sense of finality.

Scripture says a group of women, including Mary Magdalene, was sitting opposite the tomb. Those women must have been heartbroken. I can almost hear the despair in their voices: "What will happen now that Jesus is gone? How do we go on?"