Christian Hedonism -- What In The World Is That?

“I just want to feel – everything!”, the young man cried out upon his graduation from college. Like a young bird jumping at the opportunity to test its wings when leaving the nest, the young man made his exclamation. It sounds pretty innocent, right? Perhaps.


Whereas the above may sound like an innocent statement, it also can represent the beginnings of a slippery slope to trouble. Why? Because the statement: “I just want to feel -- everything!” has hedonistic overtones – the belief that pleasure and the pursuit of pleasure represents the greatest good. This philosophy is generally accompanied by moral indifference. According to the Bible, this is a characteristic of many people in the last days: "People will be lovers of themselves... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." II Timothy 3:2 & 4


Since its goal is pleasure, hedonism must involve the senses of the body. The more the better. It represents the height of “sensuality” and the philosophy expressed in the phrase: “if it feels good then do it!” If one were to travel the hedonistic road long enough, one would likely fall into a ditch of immorality, addiction, gluttony, or one of an assortment of other evils. Pain and disappointment would follow – two things hedonism seeks to avoid.


Solomon, the wisest man on earth, summed up the pursuit of pleasure well when he wrote: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” What did he discover along the way? “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:10-11


Biblically, sensuality (hedonism's twin) is viewed as a sin characteristic of those living apart from Christ (Ephesians 4:19). In the New Testament the word often translated "pleasure" is derived from the Greek word hedone - the root word for our word hedonism.

The Bible informs us that hedonism is detrimental in the following ways:

1. It chokes out the fruitfulness of God's word - Luke 8:14

2. It leads to bondage -- Titus 3:3

3. It can be at the root of divisiveness -- James 4:1

4. It can seriously hinder prayer -- James 4:3

At the same time though, the implementation of our senses can be used for God’s glory. Call it “Christian Hedonism” in contrast to the hedonism of the world. Here are some ways we can use our senses for His glory:


SIGHT – “I (Jesus) tell you, OPEN YOUR EYES and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:35


HEARING– “My sheep LISTEN to my voice; I (Jesus) know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28


TASTE – “TASTE and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8


TOUCH – for she said to herself, “If I only TOUCH His garment, I will be made well.” Matthew 9:21


SMELL – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the FRAGRANCE of the knowledge of him.” II Corinthians 2:14


One can only imagine how the Kingdom of God might expand if we, as Christians (or as Christian hedonists one might say), used our senses in the ways depicted in the above verses to the fullest. May we delight in Him and His ways! May that be where we find our pleasure!

As it is written: “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with ETERNAL PLEASURES at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

Does God Love Me? Know It and Believe It.

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love…” I John 4:16


As she hugged her daughter, the mom reminded the child that God loved her. The daughter then said: “I know mom, but sometimes I just need someone with skin on.” When it comes to God’s love, sometimes we may wish that God was here with us with “skin on.” We think if that were the case, then we might really know whether or not He loves us. Let’s face it. Sometimes we could sure use a hug. Even from the LORD!


But we don’t have that privilege. But what we do have is God’s word which reminds us that God is LOVE. It is an essential ingredient of who He is. That is a fact! So, why is that so hard for us to believe at times?


If you hang around anyone who has done any Christian / Biblical counseling, you would find a common and recurring experience. What is that you say? It is simply this – counseling sessions that center around helping someone understand and grasp the truth that God loves them. Until a person grasps and understands that God loves them, that person’s Christian experience often is characterized by unbelief and lack of Christian service. In many ways, they can be stymied over the issue.


There may be a variety of reasons for a counselee’s struggle with the truth of God’s love. For example, marital problems, bouts with persecution and frustration over unanswered prayers all have potential for creating seeds of doubt in our minds about God’s love. But in a day and age where absentee fathers are so prevalent, it is not unusual that a struggle with God’s love often is rooted in doubt over whether or not a person’s earthly father ever really loved them.


On strictly a horizontal level, it seems there is a natural longing in every human’s heart to experience love from their parents – especially from the male parent – the one we refer to as “father.” That is not to diminish the vital importance of a mother’s love, but generally speaking the “biggie” if you would is the love from the father.


But here is the rub. The love relationship, or lack thereof, with the earthly father often has dramatic impact on the relationship one has with God the Father. Too many times, there is a direct relational correlation between the horizontal (relationship with one’s father) and the vertical (relationship with the heavenly Father). If a horizontal relationship is strained or non-existent, the vertical relationship with God often becomes a struggle too.


Taken to the extreme, a counselee might say something like this: “I really love Jesus. But I have a real hard time with the Father.” During counsel sessions, my wife and I have both heard that kind of statement before from a counselee. So what’s the problem? More often than not, the counselee is viewing God the Father thru the lens of experience with their earthly father. If someone were to experience any kind of abuse, rejection or abandonment from their earthly father, that someone then becomes a candidate to struggle with God the Father’s love for them. And it can be a serious detriment.


As counselors, the hope is that a person’s relationship with their earthly father will become all that it can become. However, sometimes that is impossible or seemingly impossible. But that is not the critical element in a counselee knowing that God loves them! Here is the critical truth. The counselee, like every Christian, needs to know that he has ONE Father, and He is in heaven (Matthew 23:9). And that heavenly Father is completely different from their earthly father! He will never leave them or reject them. Why? Because He loves them!


But we must take it a step farther though. Here is what I mean. Most of us as believers have heard:

1. God loved the world as revealed by the giving of His son… John 3:16
2. God demonstrates His love for us thru Christ’s death for us… Romans 5:8
3. God the Father adopts us and accepts us in the beloved… Ephesians 1:5-6 (KJV)
4. God discipline is His loving act toward His children… Hebrews 12:6
5. God’s very essence is love. He is love and will be that way from everlasting to everlasting – Hebrews 13:8; I John 4:16


So, here’s the point. The passage quoted at the beginning of this article from I John 4:16 says: “We have come to KNOW and have BELIEVED the love which God has for us. God is love…” There are two critical elements about God’s love for us to learn. We must KNOW it. And --- we must BELIEVE it. It seems to me that there may be many believers who KNOW these truths, but don’t necessarily BELIEVE these truths. In other words, they may know these truths but their BELIEF reveals that they think God’s love is for everyone but them. And they are stymied with unbelief and lack of Christian service.
Have you ever been there? I have preached these truths and counseled these truths. That God loves us is a central element to the gospel. I know this truth. Still -- I have been in that place before where I found myself doubting His love for me. The enemy can hit any of us. And if the enemy of our soul hits us with doubt of God’s love for us, we must then preach this central element of the gospel to ourselves. I have done that before. Perhaps you have too.


As a man by the name of A. B. Simpson once stated: “The secret of walking closely with Christ, and working successfully for Him, is to fully realize that we are His beloved…. This was the secret of the Apostle John’s spirit. ‘We have come to KNOW and have BELIEVED the love which God has for us.’ The heart that has fully learned this has found the secret of unbounded faith and enthusiastic service.”


The Apostle John made many solid points in his writings. Here are a few important distinctions that make his writings unique:


(1) More than any other gospel writer, John clearly presents Jesus as God – as God in the flesh. John was keenly aware of Jesus’ deity. John’s understanding from his Messiah was that Jesus and God were one and the same. (John 10:30)


(2) Not only in his gospel narrative but also in his epistles, John made much of God’s love. More than any other gospel writer! God’s love was obviously a subject very dear to him.


(3) And finally, on FIVE separate occasions John, describes himself as being “the one whom Jesus loved.” John’s remarks almost sound arrogant and a little condescending toward the other apostles don’t they? It is almost seems that he thought himself to be a little more “special” to Jesus than the others. But were John’s words really arrogant? Remember, John was led by the Holy Spirit to pen his words. His words were not accidental. (See John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7 & 20)


Rather than appearing to be “Mr. Special” among the other apostles, I really believe it was more like this for John. John had “gotten it.” He had clearly understood that God loved him through the Lord Jesus. And John clung to that truth. He took it personally. He embraced it. And he was unashamed to let others know it. I believe that John was almost giddy with delight over the fact that God loved him despite his nature to sin and yes, sometimes be arrogant. John knew that God loved him and he believed that!



Romans 5:8 makes it clear that at the cross God’s love for mankind was on display for all to see. If you doubt God’s love, then look to the cross. Many Christians like to tell people they evangelize that “when Jesus was on the cross you were on His mind.” This is a valid attempt to point the unbeliever to God’s love in the hope that they would see it for themselves in a personal way.


But what about those of us who are already believers? What do we do if we doubt God’s love for us? The same thing. Go to the cross! Yes. Again! And again if necessary! And still again and again if still necessary! Consider this. If we were really on Jesus’ mind at the cross, and the cross is the demonstration of God’s love as Romans 5:8 states, then isn’t it logical that at the very moment that Jesus was thinking of us individually that we became “the one whom Jesus loved?” And wouldn’t that make us just like John?


Whenever I have preached a message I always sought to resist the temptation of sounding overly simplistic. That is -- the idea that all one has to do is 2 or 3 things and all will be good. But what is the truth regarding God’s love for us? In reality, it really is a 1, 2, 3 thing. I know no other way.

1. Know God’s love.

2. Believe God’s love.

3. And if you doubt God’s love, then preach God’s love – to yourself!


And what does “preaching God’s love to yourself” look like? Here’s an example. Take our verse in Romans 5:8. It says: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”


Here is how we preach Romans 5:8 to ourselves: “God demonstrates His own love for ME in this: While I was still a sinner Christ died for ME.” Just find the verses that speak of God’s love and make it yours by personalizing it. Know it and believe it. It really is that simple. Except for the believing part! That is what must change for us. We must choose to believe the truth – and not what we think or feel or don’t feel.


Back to the little child’s remark to her mother that I stated at the beginning of this article, we do have this truth. God was once here with “skin on.” Jesus was God in the flesh. Though we don’t see Him physically now, we do have God’s word that reveals Him. And God’s Word is our hug from God with “skin on.” How do we know? Because Jesus is the Word that became flesh (John 1:14)! Know His love. Believe His love. And be hugged!

ARE YOU SAVED? --- A LEGITIMATE QUESTION

The fearful Philippian jailer had just experienced an earthquake that unlocked all of the prison doors and shook the shackles off every prisoner in the prison. Would they all try to escape? This came shortly after having heard two Christians praying and singing loud praises to their God late into the evening. Believe it or not, this came after these same two men had been stripped and beaten for the crime of casting out a demon from a local fortune teller!

So what did this jailer do? After coming to the point of suicide, he then fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas (the two praying / praising men) and cried out: “SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?" (Acts 16:30)

There are several important points to be made here:

1.This jailer was stricken with fear - bordering on terror! That fear had obviously created an inner turmoil giving rise to questions within him.

2.The jailer’s fear brought him to the realization that he needed to be saved! He needed a Savior! The Holy Spirit had begun to work on him, and he had legitimate concern over the state of his soul. (John 16:8)

3.In his fear, the jailer saw that he did not know the way of salvation!

4.The jailer’s fear caused him to cry out in hope that salvation was possible and that someone could tell him the way.

5. But in error, the jailer thought that if there was indeed a hope for salvation, then surely there must be something that he could do to earn his salvation. He instinctively, like most of mankind, looked to his own abilities. Surely that would be sufficient to whoever God was he must have thought. Perhaps that's why he asked "What must I do..."

So how did Paul and Silas respond to the jailer's question of: "What must I do to be saved?"

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. (Acts 16:31-32)

Rather than giving this jailer something to do, they told him to believe --- in the Lord Jesus Christ! That's the essence of grace! Not something to work for! Then Paul and Silas shared the word concerning Christ (the gospel - Philippians 1:5; I Corinthians 15:1-4), because they knew that faith would come by hearing the word about Jesus! (Romans 10:17)

But it was also about who Jesus was. Twice Jesus was referred to as Lord in the Acts 16 passage (verses 31 & 32). Then after the jailer and his family were baptized they were thrilled that they had come to know God (verse 34)! The connection was made between Jesus and God -- that He is God! He is Lord! Eternal life had been granted. As it is written: "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." (John 17:3)

Apparently, like the Ethiopian eunuch that Philip the evangelist had encountered in Acts 8:35-39, the jailer and his family had believed the gospel wholeheartedly -- and then were baptized due to their faith. Saving faith exhibits complete trust in Jesus' death for their sins and His resurrection. Within that good news is the righteousness they needed to relate to God! Saving faith clings to the promises God made through Christ! It not only is from the heart, but also changes the heart! Faith believes for the unseen based on the promise and the Promisor Who made it. As the writer to Hebrews put it: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1.

So, why does anyone need to be "saved."

1. Without Jesus -- mankind is lost (Luke 19:10), without hope and without God (Ephesians 2:12)

2. Mankind needs to be saved from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Why?

3. Because "in their sins" mankind is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and in need of being brought to life (Titus 3:5-7)

4. Because mankind's sins lead to God's wrath & judgment apart from Jesus and His blood (Romans 5:9; Jude 22 & I Thessalonians 5:9)

Paul wrote these words to Timothy:

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." I Timothy 1:15

So, who needs to be saved? Every one of us! Wise king Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 7:20 -- "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." That covers us all.

So ...... are YOU saved? That is a legitimate question to ponder. And yes, praise the Lord, you can know that you are saved! Hallelujah! (I John 5:13; Romans 8:16)

“Salvation, Acceptance and Change: What Does the Bible Say?”

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6 KJV)

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2)

Here is something amazing! In spite of being stinking filthy sinners, Jesus died for you and me and accepts you and me into the beloved when we trust Him as Lord and Savior. If we are truly a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are ALWAYS accepted in the beloved! That won’t change! Why? It is because we are accepted into the beloved on the basis of Christ’s righteousness --- not any righteousness of our own (Philippians 3:9). It is His righteousness in which we stand as believers (II Corinthians 5:21). Hallelujah!

No doubt - God loves and accepts His beloved children as they are! Praise God! But here’s a question: “Does God’s love and acceptance of His children mean that He leaves them ‘as they are’ when they come to Christ for salvation?”

There may be more but here are 8 facts from scripture that demonstrate that God does not leave us “as we are” when we become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ:

1. True Christians are born again – it’s a requirement!

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again… You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.” (John 3:3 & 7)

“… He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5b)
If we were going to be “left the same” because He loves us and accepts us, then why would we need to be born again? If He was happy with us “as we are”, then why would He make us born again to be the same person? Reasonable questions! To make us the same way thru rebirth just does not make sense.

2. True Christians have been brought from death to life

Before coming to Christ for salvation, we are spiritually dead. After coming to Christ, our spirits come to life – that part of us that can communicate with God!

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.” Colossians 2:13

3. The true Christian’s former way of life (the old you) died

“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him…” Romans 6:6

The truth is that when we come to Christ for salvation, we are identified and united with Him in His death. Therefore, since He died, so we also died.

“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8)

4. The true Christian’s new life is Jesus

“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:4

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2:20

5. The true Christian’s identity has changed – from a slave to sin to a slave to righteousness

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:17-18

6. The true Christian has been given a new heart as a promise of the New Covenant

“I will give you a new heart… I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

This represents what the Bible would describe as a spiritual circumcision. It is done by God and not by man. In the process, the law of God is placed upon one’s heart.

“No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.”
Romans 2:29

“For it is we (true believers) who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—“ Philippians 3:3

“In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,” Colossians 2:11

“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
II Corinthians 3:3 (See also Ezekiel 36:26-27)

7. The true Christian has been given the Spirit as another promise of the New Covenant.

Though the Spirit may be grieved or quenched by our sin, He represents a permanent gift to the believer. Through His convictions and promptings, and though He certainly may get ignored, He empowers and implores the believer to live a life of obedience. Consider the following:

“I will… put a new spirit in you… And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” Ezekiel 36:26-27

“I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them (thru the Spirit) to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me.”
Jeremiah 32:40

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17a

“Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” John 16:7b-8

“You (as believers), however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14

8. The true Christian has a teacher whose name is GRACE!

Grace, as the believer’s teacher, has a message. What’s the message? The message is HOLINESS. Consider that God’s word commands us believers, as His obedient children, to be holy, because He is holy (I Peter 1:14-15). As already seen, God has provided the Spirit to empower and implore the believer toward obedience. And it is in the sphere of grace in which the believer stands that the message of holiness is taught. (See Romans 5:1)

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” Titus 2:11-12

As you can see, grace gives no license to sin – contrary to what some may believe! (See Romans 6:1) In fact, the false teaching of grace granting license to sin is to be stood against strongly!
(See Jude 3-4)

Obviously, from what we have seen in the scriptures, God does not leave us “as we are” when we come to Christ for salvation. A true encounter with Jesus means acceptance. Yes! Absolutely! But we cannot encounter Jesus and remain unchanged!

So what happens when we sin as Christians? Are we then considered to be “unaccepted” by the Lord? This is a problem many have struggled with, because when they sin it just does not “feel” that God is still with them. They no longer “feel” accepted. This is particularly true for those who had bad experience with their earthly fathers growing up.

But what do the scriptures say? The truth is that acceptance does not and will not ever change for the believer. However, fellowship with the Lord is a different story! Consider what sin does:

1. It can grieve the Holy Spirit of God who grants us access to Him

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 (see Ephesians 4:17 – 5:7 for the context)

2. It can disrupt fellowship with God and even other believers

“And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ… This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (I John 1:3b & 5-7)

“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.” (I Corinthians 5:9-11)

3. It can bring about God’s discipline

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” …
but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. (Hebrews 12:4-6 & 10b)

As Paul stated so should our attitude toward sin be: “Shall we go in sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2)
So what if we are living in sin, proclaim to be a believer and do not experience the Lord’s discipline? That is an important question, as the scripture states:

“God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. (Hebrews 12:7b-8)

A true son will experience the Lord’s discipline. That is a given. But again I ask: “If we are living in sin, proclaim to be a believer and do not experience the Lord’s discipline, what then?” Here is what the Bible exhorts us to do. Examine yourself to see if you are of the faith (II Corinthians 13:5). Here are some questions for you to ask yourself:

1. After having made a “profession of faith in Christ”, did your life change? Did your life begin to look different than before – at all?

2. Since becoming a “believer”, do you feel differently about sin? Does sin bother you at all or is it of little or no effect? (I John 3:9)

3. Do you have a deep rooted desire to be obedient to the Lord’s commands? (I John 2:3-4)

4. Do you hunger for His word?

5. Do you enjoy fellowship with those of the household of faith? (I John 3:14)

If your predominate answer to the above questions was “no”, then it may not be wise to presume that you are “accepted in the beloved.” As we have seen from the scriptures, acceptance into the beloved by faith in Christ breeds change. God clearly does not leave us “as we are.”

As the scriptures say:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (II Corinthians 5:17)

“what counts is a new creation.” (Galatians 6:15b)

Are you a new creation? That is what counts.

The Spirit of Jonah and You

There are several people in the Bible where God gives insight into their spirit. Caleb, one of the Israelite spites sent to spy out the promised land in the days of Moses, is one of them. For instance, in Numbers 14:24 we read:

But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to and his descendants will inherit it.

What we learn of Caleb's spirit is that it was different from that of others, he was obedient from the heart and in other passages we clearly see that he was a fierce fighter -- victorious even in his old age!(See Judges 1:20)

Another bit of insight into a person's spirit is shown in the words of Elisha when he was speaking to Elijah just before Elijah was taken up to heaven by a chariot and horses of fire sent from the LORD in II Kings chapter 2. In II Kings 2:9, Elisha makes the following request of Elijah:

"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit."

That "spirit of Elijah" was not only the spirit of a prophet, but it was also the spirit of righteousness and a spirit of prayer (I Kings 18 & James 5:17-18). In every way, Elijah exhibited these traits. And they made him one of the LORD's greatest prophets, as his ministry was accompanied by mercy and great miracles!(See I Kings 17 and II Kings chapter 1)

It is important to know that John the Baptist performed his ministry in the "spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17 & Matthew 17:13). He had that same spirit!

So the "spirits" of Elijah and Caleb were desirous -- very good things!

Before we proceed much farther, let us consider this verse:

"The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3

Crucibles and furnaces were used for the refinement of silver and gold. Intense heat was part of the refining process of those precious metals. God, in His sovereignty, also periodically "turns up the heat" to refine His people -- precious children. Often this testing comes in the form of an event or set of circumstances. But sometimes it is different -- perhaps a person or people group that is much different.

Consider. Jonah was a prophet of God. God was going to "test" Jonah's heart - that is work to refine him by giving him an assignment. His assignment? Go preach to the Ninevites -- the dreaded, violent, and pagan enemies of Israel! The Israelites despised the Ninevites! The sin of the Ninevites was great and had to be addressed with God's word. The LORD told Jonah to go to these people!

What came out of Jonah's heart revealed his "spirit." For Jonah to be more effective as a prophet, these things needed to be revealed and then removed. So what came out?

1. Disobedience -- Instead of going to Nineveh in obedience to the LORD's command, Jonah ran the other way. In essence, he told God: "Don't ask me to do this, because I won't do it!"

2. Judgment -- Though Jonah was fully aware of God's mercy, compassion and grace, his preference for Nineveh was judgment! Destroy the evil beasts! Rain down God's fire and brimstone as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah! He somehow saw them as being beyond God's grace. Judgment blinded him to the true extent of God's grace and mercy.

3. Prejudice -- This was a national sin of the Israelites. They were the Jews - God's chosen people. The Ninevites were Gentiles -- the unclean dogs of the world! Therefore, the Israelites despised the Ninevites. Jonah was no exception -- even though he was a prophet of God!

4. Anger -- Jonah was angry! Though God revealed Himself as merciful, compassionate, forgiving and relenting from anger, Jonah wanted his will for the Ninevites to prevail over God's will! When Jonah finally became faithful and began preaching to the Ninevites, God was just as faithful by empowering Jonah's preaching to turn the wicked Ninevites away from their sins. That should have produced incredible joy! But.... though Jonah had been covered in seaweed, smelled like dead fish and had been to the depths of the ocean, his spirit had changed precious little! He still wanted God to pour out His wrath upon the Ninevites. When God gave grace and pardon, it angered Jonah severely!

Even Jesus' disciples proved to be prone to the "spirit of Jonah." Look at the following verses and see the disciples' view of the Samaritans:

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Luke 9:54-56 (NKJV)

So what kind of spirit have you? The Ninevites of today come in many forms. One of the foremost forms in many people's minds are the Muslims. There are Americans that see all Muslims as terrorists. When the subject of Islam is raised, eyes begin to burn with prejudice and anger. When asked about Assad of Syria, Gadhafi of Libya or Ahmadinajad of Iran many Americans would prefer they be destroyed. Hatred emerges. Love and mercy are far from consideration! After all, we must remember 9/11!

My questions are these:

"What if God commanded you to pray for Muslims -- all Muslims -- everywhere?

What if God asked you to give of yourself financially toward the evangelism of Muslims?

What if God asked you to pray for terrorists and the ungodly and murderous leaders in Muslim nations?

What if God told you to witness to that Muslim man or that burqa clad women at the grocery store or gas station?

What would come out of you? What "spirit" of yours would be revealed? Disobedience? Prejudice? Hatred? Judgment? A desire to turn and walk or run away from them?

Do you feel they are beyond God's grace?

Would anger come out of you if God's will prevailed over yours regarding the Islamic world?

If any or all of these are part of you, you just may have the "spirit of Jonah."

But this does not have to apply solely to your dealings with the Islamic world! It may be your neighbor or THAT co-worker. Maybe it's that teenager in black who's pierced everywhere. You know the one! Black fingernails, snake tattoo on her arm and a cross tattoo on the back of her neck. Red racing stripe splitting her raven colored hair. And the nose ring. What about the punk black teen who "sags" his pants and holds his crotch? Then there is Casey Anthony. She was just voted the most hated person in America! Mentally -- have you placed her beyond the realm of redemption? Search your heart. What spirit have you? If you think it is the "spirit of Jonah", then pray that God would refine you to remove this "spirit"!

Jesus said to His disciples prior to His ascension:

"... and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations." Luke 24:47

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15

That covers it all, doesn't it? What will we do to see that this is done? Will we let the "spirit of Jonah" stop us?

Zealotry and the Cause of Christ

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter)... Simon the Zealot... Matthew 10:1,2 & 4

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter)... Simon who was called the Zealot... Luke 6:12-15

When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter... Simon the Zealot... They all joined together constantly in prayer. Acts 1:12-14

If you are spending time reading this, here's a guess. I bet this could be the first time you've read something regarding Simon the Zealot. Yes, Simon the Zealot. You may be asking yourself: "Who is this guy anyway?"

The above verses tell us some things about this Simon the Zealot.

(1) He was one of the 12 apostles. One of the pillars of the church -- part of the foundation with Jesus being the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20)

(2) Just like the other 11, he was not chosen haphazardly. Jesus had an all night prayer meeting to determine who would be chosen.

(3) Like all the apostles, Jesus had given this Simon authority -- to heal and to overcome the power of devils.

(4) He was obedient to Jesus. The Lord had instructed the disciples to wait for the promised Holy Spirit to be endued with power for ministry. (Luke 24:49 & Acts 1:4)

(5) He was a man of prayer. In obeying Jesus, he knew that praying was essential for being filled with the Holy Spirit.

But let us talk about how this Simon was referred to in scripture -- the Zealot. What does that mean? Some translations use the capitalized version - Zealot. But it is difficult to know for sure. Is it zealot, or is it Zealot. Let's look at zealot first. It is a word that speaks of one's fervency toward a cause or belief. In the Greek, it carries the idea of being "hot after something". If you are zealous for something, you must really want it bad!

Now, let us look at Zealot. If you were called a Zealot, what did that mean? During Jesus' day, there were 4 groups of Jewish philosophy: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and the Zealots. There were a few outstanding characteristics of note regarding the Zealots. Here are some of them.

First of all, they were probably the most passionate about God - the one true God. They believed that only God should be served, only God should rule over them, only God should receive their taxes and if anyone else were to occupy Israel, they would resist them. Why? Because it was unscriptural for foreigners to occupy the land!

Secondly, they believed in a coming Messiah. But the Messiah they hoped for was a powerful military leader who would lead them to victory over all their enemies.

Thirdly, the Zealots were political revolutionists who were zealous in their beliefs. They were not above using violence or even murder to further their cause.

So what might we learn of value from Simon the Zealot? More importantly, what might we learn about the power of the gospel?

One of the other apostles was Matthew. He was a tax collector. As a tax collector, he was considered to be the scum of the earth. Most Jews hated the tax collectors! Why? Because they were working together with Rome to exact taxes upon the populace. And they would often cheat the Jews for their own benefit. Get the picture. Tax collectors worked with Rome and taxation. Zealots hated Rome -- particularly their occupation of the land and their taxation techniques. The deduction is obvious! The Zealots hated the tax collectors maybe more than any group of Jews! And after much prayer, Jesus put a tax collector and a Zealot together as part of the original twelve!

You may ask: "Why would Jesus do such a thing?" I believe the answer is simple. It would provide a good demonstration of the power of the gospel! Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 2:14-16 that through the cross, people across the world who came to Him for salvation became what Paul referred to as "One New Man". According to this passage, hostilities were put to death by the cross! Hallelujah! Think about that during the next church meeting you attend where a believer is there whom you just don't like very much. Having Simon the Zealot and Matthew together is demonstration of the gospel's power to change hearts and to remove barriers!

Another point to be made is that the gospel brings about what I call a "sanctifying grace." What I mean by that is that often there are characteristics of a person before coming to Christ that are used to their detriment -- increasing their sin. But the gospel takes those traits and then begins using them for God's glory. Consider this: Simon the Zealot was zealous for his cause possibly to the point of being violent before he met Jesus. Once saved, that zealotry was turned into passion for the Savior and His cause -- the kingdom and advancement of the gospel. According to "Foxe's Book of Martyrs", Simon the Zealot went to faraway places -- Mauritania and Britain -- to share God's good news. And it was in Britain that he died a martyrs' death -- by crucifixion! He took it for the cause!

Lastly, and I cannot prove it, I suspect that Simon the Zealot may have been a mighty prayer warrior. He is listed in only 3 passges (quoted at the beginning of this short treatise). The Acts passage shows him as being a member of the large group that gathered for prayer in wait for the Holy Spirit's arrival. As we have learned, though they were misguided in their philosophy, Zealots were characterized by a: passion for God, zealousness for God's rule, willingness to submit to His reign and a fervency in their attitude. These were the Zealots' core values. But sanctified and placed under the blood of Jesus, these same core values provide the recipe for a powerful person of prayer!

But there is another thing about Zealots. They were willing to apply force -- even violence -- against the Romans whom they viewed as tyrannical and an unwanted occupier. Consider that Satan is a tyrant who enslaves. He comes to steal, kill and destroy. And he is an undesirable enemy who does not belong! He is to be resisted. The essence of a prayer warrior is He is passionate for God, ready for God to reign, willing to submit to His authority, fervent in attitude and believes that his praying has the capability of doing violence against Satan and his armies of demons!

Now look at the following three passages and view them in light of what you now know of Simon the Zealot:

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. Matthew 11:12

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

The world has had its share of revolutionaries -- Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, etc. On a contemporary basis, many characteristics of the Zealots would describe the terrorists of today's world. But the power of the gospel can bring change, turn them into leaders and surprisingly unite them with strange bedfellows for the cause of Jesus like the Lord did with Matthew and Simon the Zealot. And they can become among the fiercest of prayer warriors!

Let us pray that some contemporary Simon the Zealots would hear and respond to the gospel and be transformed by its power!

Voices

If you were to visit a psychiatric clinic, invariably you'd find some individuals who psychiatrists say hear "voices." They may have been diagnosed as schizophrenic or having multiple personality disorder (MPD) or whatever, but usually a pill is prescribed that supposedly will silence the "voices." A popular movie a few years back called "A Beautiful Mind" was centered around this phenomenon in the life of a brilliant mathematician and Nobel Prize winner. Even a few murderers have claimed to have heard "voices" before performing their life taking deeds.

Voices. If you have ears that function as God designed them, then you will hear voices. We all hear voices in some manner. Generally, those voices belong to human beings -- macaws and parrots being some physical / material exceptions.

But what about spiritual voices? Are there even spiritual voices? Jesus had some interesting encounters with demons. They are spiritual entities, and they spoke. They had a "voice." Mark 1:23-26 is just one example. When the evil spirit came out of the man in this passage, it cried out with a loud "voice" in verse 26.

In Mark 9:14-26 and Luke 8:26-39, Jesus encountered other individuals who were heavily influenced by demons. These spirits had "voices" and exercised great destructive influence over their victims. After their encounter with Jesus, these individuals were set free. The man in the Luke passage was even found to be once again in his "right mind" in verse 35 of Luke 8.

What happened? All of the individuals mentioned in the above passages heard the "voice" of truth. They had found the way and that way was life giving. The way, the truth and the life. That's what Jesus said with His "voice" in John 14:6.

So what "voices" are we as humans prone to hear?

* The Voice of Self -- This voice plays on our fleshly, selfish and sometimes lustful desires. It will profit nothing and promotes selfishness even moving it farther into the realm of pride.

* The Voice of Sight -- This may sound strange since we see with our eyes and speak with our mouths. But what we see "speaks" with its own "voice." And we listen, because we can hear it. This voice often nourishes fear and is meant to diminish one's faith. This "voice" also delights in speaking with the "voice" of self and the "voice" of the world. Some good reasons we are to "walk by faith and not by sight."

* The Voice of Religion -- This "voice" works with the "voice" of the self and the "voice" of the world. Why? Because it promotes doing instead of relating through what has already been done by the Creator for us. It can be found anywhere in the world. It is the voice of religion. Though Christianity is not another of the world's religions as many would like to think, this voice can even be heard in Christendom, for if one is not careful, being a Christian can become mere religious activity.

* The Voice of the Devil -- This "voice" overrules all of the previously mentioned "voices." Why? Because it is the voice behind those other voices. It promotes pride, self indulgence, self righteousness, religious charade, rules & ritual. He is the "god of this world" and the leader of fallen angels / demons. He is the "voice" behind the "voices" schizophrenics hear. And he has no trouble whispering quietly -- even to believers in Christ. What he desires is our worship, our obedience, our enslavement and our destruction.

His is the voice behind every temptation. The voice of every lie. And he thrives in the environment of decision making where he tends to increase his volume. He is very subtle and often cloaks his voice with truth. But there is one voice he cannot usurp... unless we let him. What is it or better whose is it?

* The Voice of Truth This voice is the voice of the Lord. The voice of the Almighty. And it is the voice of truth. You may be asking: "Does this voice exist?" "Can I hear this voice?" Listen to His words:

"My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27-28
"Call to Me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3
This voice is available to all of us -- particularly while in the valley of decisions.

Maybe you are in the valley of decision right now. Do you hear Him? I believe every person on this earth has heard His voice at least once in their lifetime. The question is: "How will you respond?"

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Hebrews 4:7

Will you soften your heart and receive Him, or will you harden your heart and reject Him. Your eternal destiny may depend on how you respond to His voice when you hear it. He is speaking. And He speaks every day.

Prophetic Reminders

This week has been an interesting one from a newsworthy standpoint in many ways. News reports spoke of UFO sightings in China and Norway recently. I learned of a contemporary false Christ, the murder of a believer's family in Pakistan, the passing of a national referendum in Argentina approving gay marriages and I awoke this morning to news of a 3.6 temblor in the Washington D.C. area. So what do these things have in common? Just this: they serve as prophetic reminders to us as believers.

Let's take each event one at a time and make a few comments:

1. UFO sightings in China and Norway

An airport closed temporarily on July 9, 2010 in China due to some strange light in the skies over the airfield. In Dec. 2009, some erie lights were seen in Norway, and they were not of the aurora borealis kind as often seen during winter months. What were they? I have not seen explanations for the Norway episode, but already some have told us that the phenomena in China was some type of mirage due to the refraction of light. Sounds plausible. But ... whether it is true or it was some hoax or a government coverup, this much is true. Jesus spoke of events that would take place in the heavenlies -- and they would be signs for the people on earth. Here are His words:

"There will be fearful events and great signs from heaven." Luke 21:11b

Was Jesus speaking of UFOs? Not enough room for discussion on that question, but Jesus plainly was speaking of something different that would serve as a sign pointing to His coming again. That is the context of His words.

2. Contemporary False Christ

Whereas, there are many antichrists that have come into the world (I John 2:18), the Bible also makes it clear that there will be many false Christs. They are deceivers. Consider Jesus' words in Matthew 24:4-5 & 24-25

"Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My Name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many... For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect -- if that were possible. See I have told you ahead of time."

There is a man by the name of Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda who presently resides in Florida and ministers throughout the Caribbean in Puerto Rico and has expanded to Central and South America. He not only claims to be Christ, he claims to be the Antichrist. And he has a "666" (see Revelation 13:18) tattooed on his arm. He is a false Christ who teaches a false Christ and a false gospel. Jesus said these type of deceivers will be found on the earth before He returns.

3. A believer's family murdered in Pakistan

Jamshed Masih, a Christian policeman in Pakistan, after having been threatened by the leader of a Muslim mosque in his hometown, came home recently to find his wife and 4 children dead. They had been murdered by a mob led by the leader who had threatened Jamshed earlier. Why were they murdered? Because they were Christians. Jamshed left for work that morning listening to his family singing hymns of praise. He returned to find them slaughtered.

Jesus had these words:

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me." Matthew 24:9

4. Argentina legalizes gay marriages

This week Argentina made the news by making gay marriages legal. This means that same sex marriages will be recognized as legitimate marriages in the same way that heterosexual marriages have always been. Same sex marriage partners now will have all of the rights of legitimate heterosexual marriages in this Latin country.

So what did Jesus have to say about this kind of thing?

"It was the same in the days of Lot... but the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17:28-30

Lot's day displayed a perverse society dominated by sex and perversion that was condemned by God. Jesus said it would be like that again before He comes the 2nd time around.

5. A 3.6 quake strikes D.C

Annually, we hear warnings about the coming "big one" in California. But Washington D.C.? Whereas there was no reported damage from the small earthquake, it was felt by many in the wee hours of July 16, 2010. Virtually no harm done, but again I ask: "Washington, DC?" It's not the first time that DC has felt one, but it is an extremely rare incident.

What is interesting is this came on the heels of our nation's leaders becoming lukewarm, if not cold, in their relations with Israel. There are even reports that Obama has made a promise to Saudi Arabia to get the Jews out of Jerusalem in order to give it back to the Palestinians. If that be true, trouble is on the way. And it will be God we are facing.

The Lord made it clear that He will curse those who curse Israel (Genesis 12:3). We are stepping dangerously close to that warning. Did the Lord send a warning to Washington that He still watches over Israel as its Holy One? Only the Lord knows the answer to that one, but Jesus did say:

"There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." Matthew 24:7b

What is significant about the events of this past week that I read, is that all of them have reference to things that Jesus prophesied as characteristics of the age prior to His return.

It's gettin' late and it's gettin' serious. How are we all doing getting the gospel out? I know that I can do better.

Prayer and Blessing

On May 27, 2010, the dean of White House correspondents and employee of Hearst Newspapers, Ms. Helen Thomas made the following statement: “The Jews should get the hell out of Palestine and go back home.” When asked, “Where was their home?” she replied: “Poland, Germany and America and everywhere else.” Amazingly, she made this comment to a Jewish rabbi by the name of David Nesenoff who interviewed her at the White House Jewish Heritage Conference that day. Thankfully, on June 7, she abruptly resigned amid terse reactions from the White House’s Press Secretary and some fellow journalists.

Unfortunately, Ms. Thomas’ comments only reflect a growing sentiment being heard in our nation’s capital – and even from the White House! That sentiment is anti-Semitic in nature. It represents a complete disdain for Israel and a reversal of our nation’s previous stance since 1948. The recent events regarding the alleged humanitarian aid flotilla and the Israeli Gaza blockade have only exacerbated things around the world. As prophesied, Israel has become a stench in the world’s nostrils!

At this moment, the USA is teetering very close to relinquishing its role as Israel’s biggest supporter and strongest ally. Our nation’s leaders have begun snubbing Israel and now have promised $400 million in aid to the Palestinian’s president. And the erecting of a mosque almost adjacent to "ground zero" in New York is being pursued with a desired grand opening date of Sept. 11 of 2011 belive it or not! Wow! All at once many things are changing -- and drastically!

But (don't you just love that word) the Word of God still says regarding Israel and Abraham’s descendants: “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). Our blessing of Israel is not contingent upon whether or not we agree with Israel’s policies or not. Our job is to be obedient and bless them in some manner, even though the Bible makes it clear that there is coming a day that every nation will come against Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3). Should we curse Israel it will surely bring trouble upon America.

So what should we as believers do? Before I answer that, let me ask these questions. “Do you need a blessing? Could your family use a blessing? Do our churches need a blessing?” Obviously, we all need God’s blessings! We should therefore seek to bless Israel and honor God’s word in some manner. It may not sound too politically correct. But it is certainly biblically correct One of the best ways to bless Israel is to pray in their behalf. Here are some ways to pray.

1. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9)
2. Pray that America’s leaders would continue to support Israel even if we as a nation have to do it alone
3. Pray for the Lord to show us tangible ways to bless Israel
4. Pray for the Lord to open a door to bless a Jew in America. One quarter of the world’s population of Jews reside in America! Choose to bless them with Messiah Jesus.
5. Stand upon God’s promise of blessing for your self, our families and our churches. I don’t necessarily think we need to ask for a specific blessing. Let’s just allow the Lord to bless us in a way that would honor Him most. Then let him bless us as He chooses!

So pray and be blessed! Should our nation turn its back on Israel, stand by kneeling. Long ago, even in the midst of His impending judgment on Israel, God gave this encouraging word to His righteous ones:

“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.”
Isaiah 3:10 (please read the context of this passage, as it important to understanding)

Walk by faith and be encouraged brothers. And enjoy the Messianic music!

What if ...?

In recent weeks, I have learned the following:

1. A great awakening has taken place in Haiti in the aftermath of January's earthquake. The president called for a national time of prayer and fasting and cancelled his country's annual Mardi Gras celebration. The result was that over 3000 people gave their lives to Christ including over 100 Voodoo priests. It was reported that over 1 million Haitians hit the streets and began praying and weeping for their country and asking God for His mercy upon them.

2. I spoke with a man who is 87 years old who for years has had a prayer ministry of teaching the Lord's saints to pray around the world. This man still awakens at 4 AM each day to spend time with the Lord and seek His face.

3. I received a copy of a letter from a missionary in Zimbabwe who ministers to a little reached people group there who wrote of a lost man who died and stayed dead for 24 hours and then God raised him from the dead to serve and testify to the Lord Jesus Christ. He also told of a miracle salvation of a man who had a vision the night before and was ready to receive Christ without a gospel presentation when the missionary arrived at his home.

The man being raised from the dead in Zimbabwe was actually the second one I have known about in the last year, as my wife met a worship leader in Egypt last year who had just been raised from the dead weeks before she arrived.

These events have caused me to ask myself some questions and have pushed me to seek more personal time with the Lord in prayer. For the first time in my life, when I learn of someone who has died or is on the verge of death, I am asking the Lord if He wants this person to be raised from the dead. I have never prayed that though I believed the Lord could do it. But as He has said in His word --- you have not because you ask not.

Here are a few "what ifs" to consider. I hope you will ponder them. May they affect you in the way they have begun to affect me:

* What if we waited for a mega disaster to strike before we determined to pray as they've done in Haiti?

* What if we averted disaster like what Haiti experienced in January by praying as they are doing there now?

* What if we prayed for our president as they've done in Haiti?

* What if we had a president who asked for personal prayer and willingly led the nation to shut down for a few days to pray and fast for our country?

* What if we humbled ourselves and prayed and sought His face and turned from our wicked ways as the Body of Christ and as individuals?

* What if our streets were filled with praying people who cried out for our nation and lost souls?

* What if God just "suddenly" showed up and changed numbers of people's lives in a flash of time?

* What if God had to "shake" His church in America as He shook the earth in Haiti in January?

* What if the church fervently cried out like Moses did for the Lord to "show us His glory?" (Exodus 33:18)

* What if the church in America would dare to be still long enough to "know that He is God?" (Psalm 46:10)

* What if we learned what it means to "wait upon the Lord?" (Psalm 27:14 & Isaiah 30:18)

* What if ... (you fill in the blank)?

You Mean ...God Loves Terrorists Too?

"And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood, You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'" Revelation 5:9

Since the terrible days of Sept. 11, 2001, the term "terrorist" has taken on important meaning since that act of violence took place on American soil. Terrorism now makes the headlines almost daily, and it has been doing so for some time.

So, let us define a "terrorist." From Wikpedia, we get a formal definition derived from the United Nations general assembly. They describe acts of terrorism as such:

"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstances unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them."

Synonyms for terrorism include -- random acts of violence, intimidation, kidnapping & perhaps unjustifiable and unreasonable imprisonment

Terrorism deliberately sows the seeds of confusion and fears among those targeted for terror. It is prejudicial at its root and motivated by selfish pride through domination and intimidation.

But terrorism has been around for eons. It is not something new. Let's consider the following individual and what you would consider him to be:

This man was highly educated. In fact, he sat under the most renowned religious teachers of his day. He not only knew and understood the tiniest of details of his religion, but he practiced them flawlessly. Virtually no one was more religious than he. His pedigree was close to perfection. And to those who no longer believed what he truly believed about religion he sought to destroy through random acts of violence, intimidation and kidnapping. He even travelled from home to home to drag off the prisoners of his choice. He moved with stealth and authority to terrorize. His goal was destruction and elimination, and he performed his duties with a zeal seldom seen in others. He successfully wrought fear among those he targeted. And he fully believed that he was doing all of this for God. Underneath it all, was a self righteous pride cloaked in the garbs of religious practice.

Who was this man? His name was Saul of Tarsus. By any definition, he was a terrorist! Before he met Christ on the road to Damascus, that is what he was! In the same way that Muslim zealots seek to destroy Jews, Chrisians, Americans and any others they deem to be infidels, Paul, the Jewish zealot sought to annhilate the early Christian church (see Acts 7:59 - 8:3; Acts 9:1-2 & 13-4; Acts 22:1-5; Acts 26:4-11; Galatians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:4-6). Paul even sought to get believers in Christ to blaspheme in the same way that some radical Muslims continue to do with former Islamic practioners who have come to Christ for salvation (Acts 26:11). Prior to becoming the Apostle Paul, Saul was a terrorist!

We know for certain that God loves people. That is the primary motivating principle behind Jesus' coming in to this world. In love, He came to save people from their sins and to deliver them from certain separation from God and His wrath by granting forgiveness through His shed blood. We could find other reasons for the Lord's saving of souls, but one reason I believe we sometimes forget is this: the redeeming qualities of a given person. What do I mean by that? Take the pre-Christian Paul for instance. He was highly educated and probably spoke more than one language. Though his zeal was misguided, he was very zealous for what he believed in and who he believed God to be. In short, there was great potential for his being a world wide missionary, church planter, evangelist and staunch defender of the cause of Christ. That sounds like an ideal apostle! And that is what he became! The vast majority of New Testament writings and the founding of many first century churches could be directly attributable to the heavenly Father using the Apostle from Tarsus as His chosen instrument. God saw Saul's amazing potential -- and He saved Him!

In Texas, it is obvious that the Muslim religion has arrived. You can travel through various metro areas and see mosques, shop and dine with Muslim men and women and notice a few billboards advertising Islam to the masses. Many local gas stations and convenience stores are owned and/or operated by Muslims. There is even a proposal for a Muslim slaughterhouse to be built in Texas that would come complete with an Islamic prayer room for the employees slaughtering animals who handle the process according to the stringent Sharia laws of Islam.

As I have pondered all of these things, I have developed a major burden -- for both Muslims and professing Christians. I pray for Muslims, because they follow a false god, are slaves to religious practice and need salvation. And I am very concerned for professing believers too. Why? Because some professing believers seem to harbor much anger, bitterness and animosity toward Muslims and the prospect of living amongst Islamic people. Other professing believers seem to be oblivious to what is beginning to happen all around them. They are blind. A number wrongly feel that every Muslim is a terrorist, so they are bound by unwholesome fears. Some even present an attitude that God either could not or would not save a Muslim man or woman.

Do we believe the verse at the beginning of this paper in Revelation 5:9? Clearly, there will be people from all over the world -- every tribe, every language, etc. in heaven who came to Christ for salvation. And yes, surely there are former Muslims among that throng in heaven!

Read the following:

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear." Isaiah 59:1

"God ... Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." I Timothy 2:4

Do we believe these verses? Are we willing to love all people on this earth -- even a terrorist -- no matter his cause? Can we, as genuine Christians, love them enough to pray for their salvation and open our mouths to tell them about our beloved Jesus? Can we look beyond the "present" in someone's life and see the "future" they can have in Jesus --those redemptive qualities that can glorify the Kingdom as God did with Paul?

God has saved at least one terrorist already! He did it through a divine vision, and He is doing it again today all over the Muslim world! Why can't it happen even here in the good old USA? The question is: Do we believe it, and do we have enough love in our hearts to speak up in order to see it happen?

The religious landscape is changing before our eyes right now in our nation. The truth is: It's coming to America! In fact, it's already here!

It's time to heed Paul's words in Ephesians 5:14 -- "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you."

It is getting late, and it is getting serious!

Earthquakes? Let's talk

In recent weeks, earthquakes have dominated the news with their size as well as their devastation. They have certainly made their impact upon our world! They have aroused our sense of compassion to those in need, touched our hearts and emotions, caused us to stand in awe, etc., but they have also caused many of us to ask questions. Among the most frequently asked questions are: "What is happening?" & "What does this mean, if anything?" & "Is this from God?" or "Is this the result of man's failures to act as proper stewards with the earth and our environment?"

On March 2, scientists astounded us by stating their belief that the earth moved slightly on its axis and the lengths of daytime changed a little because of the February 27 Chilean temblors. They have even surmised that an island off Chile was raised approximately 6 feet due to the enormous upheaval caused by the tectonic plates shifting! And ocean waves were energized to move at the speed of a commercial jetliner across the Pacific! What a display of incredible power!

The recent quakes have even caused some numerologists to search for answers through the numbers involved. For instance, Haiti's earthquake measured 7.0, and it was very close to 7 weeks before the 8.8 temblor shook Chile. Therefore, the questions revolve around the numbers 7 & 8 both separately and joined together. Then there is the name of one of the major cities near the epicenter of Chile's tremor -- Concepcion (translated into English as "Conception" or the beginning of a new life).

Let us look at the numbers first. First of all, this is not meant to be a dissertation on numbers per se, so we will just bring out some pertinent facts about the numbers 7 & 8. Seven is the number of perfection or completeness. Our Creator rested on the 7th day signifying that His creation was complete and perfect as created. Seven is one of the more significant and most often used numbers in the Bible with numerous examples given throughout. Eight is the number of superabundance or the beginning of something new. For instance, the eighth day marks the beginning of a new week. In addition, it is the number of salvation -- the beginning of a new life in Jesus Christ. Turned on its side, the number 8 is a symbol for an infinite number.

Regarding the recent earthquakes, some theories have developed primarily around these numbers. For instance, the sevens came in twos. A 7 point tremor leveled Haiti followed by 7 weeks until Chile's huge quake. Until now, never have 2 quakes of that size come that close together. The earliest that 2 quakes of that size came after one another had been about 3 months. Chile's temblor measured 8.8, so the eights came in twos also. And the most notable town nearest to the epicenter of Chile's earthquake was Concepcion. Putting it altogether, so goes the theory, the Haitian tremor marked the end of a completed period of time. The Chilean tremor therefore marked the beginning of something new, and it was birthed in Concepcion. The sobering reality of all of these theories would be the birthing of a period of an even greater number of earthquakes that are super abundant and seem to almost be infinite in number. Perhaps the theory is just telling us that something new is beginning. The fact that these numbers, 7 & 8, appear to have come in pairs seems noteworthy too. Why? Because in the Bible when things are mentioned twice, it is to emphasize its importance and seriousness (i.e. Jesus using "verily" in pairs often --John 1:51 and others). Pardon the pun, but the theories are pregnant with interest and intrigue!

Contrary to what you may be thinking, I am not a person who is putting a great deal of stock in the theory outlined above. In other words, I am not at all saying that this is a "thus saith the Lord" kind of thing. I am just stating the theory. But let us consider: is this theory true? Only time will tell us. There are those who seem to want to spiritualize everything that they see in the natural realm. I think sometimes things in the natural do tell us something about the spiritual, but this kind of thinking can be taken too far also. So what is the point to all of this? It is this. The Bible has some things to say to us about earthquakes. For instance, Jesus said that among the signs that will appear before He comes again (see Matthew 24:1-8) will be the occurrence of earthquakes in diverse places (v.7) -- or all over our world. In verse 8, he says earthquakes, along with the other listed signs, will be viewed as the beginning of birth pains (conception?). I have never birthed a baby thank goodness, but from hearing women talk, the birth pains gradually get more frequent and more pronounced near the end of pregnancy. These verses in Matthew, however, do represent a "thus saith the Lord" statement.

But regardless of whether or not the recent earthquake facts and numbers discussed earlier prove to be meaningful and prophetic, some other facts remain. For instance, throughout the entire 20th century until now, and particularly since Israel's re-birth as a nation in 1948, the regularity of "killer" sized earthquakes all over the world has greatly increased. Official geological data bears this out. If you want figures, I'll get them for you.

But the biggest facts are found in God's word. Here is what Revelation 16 tells us about an earthquake coming on earth one day:

"The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'It is done!' Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of His wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about 100 pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible." Revelation 16:17-21

Californians like to talk about the "big one" that they fear will dump part of their state into the Pacific Ocean. The "big one" they are imagining does not compare to the "big one" that the Lord will bring upon a sinful and dying world that has rejected His Son one day. This really "big one" comes from God, as it is clearly part of His wrath according to God's word. Does His wrath take place because of man's failures? Yes, but it is not due to our failure to treat the so called "earth mother" properly. It is simply due to sin -- rebellion against a Holy God who sent His Son in love to die for the sins of the world and then was raised from the dead after 3 days. There are plenty of facts to back these truths up.

Should we take God's word concerning earthquakes and judgment seriously? After all, these words were penned long ago. You may be asking yourself: "Doesn't the Bible just represent the words of some men? Is is really God's word?" Consider that God was absolutely perfect in His over 100 prophecies concerning the birth, life, death and resurrection of His Son. Jesus is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. There are hundreds of other prophecies that have proven beyond doubt that God is correct and the revealer of truth. And incidentally, there are twice as many prophecies concerning Jesus' second coming as His first.

Please read the following:

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!" Romans 5:8-10

"They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whome He raised from the dead -- Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." I Thessalonians 1:9-10

Where are you, dear reader? Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you put complete trust -- that is your very life in His hands to save you from your sins and the wrath to come? His love is amazing! He awaits you to respond to His loving call. He has already done all that is needed to provide the way of salvation. It's done! Will you give your life to Him today? Ask yourself, if He came today: "Would I experience His wrath or His salvation?" As you consider the answer to that question, you should also ask: "Why would I experience His wrath or His salvation?" Your answer to "why" is extremely important too.

It is getting late, and it is getting serious.

My Colors Will Be Clear

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:15-16

A long time ago, I heard "My Colors Will Be Clear" on a Christian radio program. It hit me hard at the time, as its message was very challenging and timely in my life. I have strived to live up to its challenge for quite some time. Too often I have failed in my noble endeavor. To be honest, I come woefully short. I came across it again today in my office, and I thought I would post it on this blog. Perhaps it will challenge you too. I am uncertain as to the identity of the author, but whomever it was, they were truly committed to Him. We should all be this committed. Amen. Read on and be challenged beloved.

"My Colors Will Be Clear"

I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, "chincy" giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by His presence, lean by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me --- you see, MY COLORS WILL BE CLEAR.

How Do We Live?

"Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal... Persia, Ethiopia and Libya are with them... Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops..." Ezekiel 38:2-3,5-6

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake." Matthew 24:9

Today I learned of some news on two different but somewhat related fronts. On one front, though it was not a complete surprise, it was reported that Iran finally had the uranium enrichment they had desired. Though Iran's leaders deny it, nuclear capabilities are a logical pursuit for them as a result. Mahmoud Ahmadenijad even told his nation that Iran was now a nuclear state. On the second front, and about 2 weeks later than it should have, it was revealed that 2 street preachers in Florida were gunned down by an 18 year old young man. They were both shot in the head, and one of them in an execution style fashion.(Go to www.mnnonline.org for the story)

So what do these 2 seemingly unrelated news events have in common? Each of these news items remind us of this --- It is getting late, and it is getting serious.

Why so you may ask? Let's look at the first news item -- Iran's potential nuclear buildup. The prophecy in Ezekiel involves a confederacy of nations that one day will seek to come against the nation of Israel in order to virtually wipe it off of the map. Instead, this confederacy itself will be violently destroyed due to the wrath of God, as the Holy One of Israel defends His promised land. In fact, in the aftermath, Gog's confederation of dead troops will become food for the birds of prey and carnivorous beasts as these animals feast on the troops' dead flesh(see Ezekiel chapter 38 through chapter 39:16 for the rest of the story).

This blog has not been written to debate the timing of this event. But we do know a few things about this prophecy. It has not yet taken place, and it was prophesied as sometime in the distant future from Ezekiel's day. We know that Gog's confederation of troops consist of several nations. Real quick now and without going into depth and also knowing that the Bible uses some different names, these nations represent Russia, several former USSR republics, Libya, Turkey, Ethiopia, Persia and perhaps Egypt. The Bible names Persia as a member of the confederation, but at present that nation is known as Iran. Under their present leadership, Iran has made their hatred for Israel and the Jews (and the USA) well known as perhaps the most militant Muslim nation in the world. Though the date cannot be predicted of this confederation of Gog's demise, it will take place in the latter days. Some feel it is prior to Jesus' return, and some believe it is during the Millenium. But here is the point: That time is drawing nearer day by day. And with Iran's intentional proliferation of weapons and its venomous hatred of Jews, the type of scenario as played out in Ezekiel is coming on the world scene.

The second news item stated above was a cold blooded murder. There is no other way to explain it. It actually sounds more like a scene played out in a Middle Eastern Muslim nation where Christians are routinely mistreated and sometimes killed. But this happened on American soil! Why were these street preachers murdered as they were? They were guilty of sharing the gospel with a teenager when this 18 year old abruptly turned on them and started shooting. They were killed for "His Name's sake." When Jesus spoke the above words in Matthew 24:9, He was pointing to a time prior to His return, as He responded to His disciples' questions: "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Many Christians have been lulled into thinking this kind of persecution cannot happen in America. They wrongly believe that it only takes place abroad in pagan, militant and Christian hating nations. Well, we have just been given a news flash. It can happen in America, and it just did!

The title of this blog is: "How Do We Live?" In other words, in light of these contemporary truths, how should we live? Here are a few tips for all of us to pursue with diligence as believers in Christ.

1. Pursue holiness and godliness --- II Peter 3:11 makes it clear that in light of the prophesied "end time" events, holiness and godliness should be our target. It is what we should strive for. Prayer, God's word and the Holy Spirit's work are essential keys for us.

2. Walk by faith and not by sight --- II Corinthians 5:7 exhorts and challenges us to do so. As the day begins to look darker and darker and evil doers succeed in doing worse and worse, we will likely see many more wicked and horrible things before Jesus' approaching day. Our eyesight will cause us to waver and falter if we let it, but faith sees beyond the present into a hopeful future that is guaranteed on God's promises. Amen.

3. Trust God --- Psalm 47:7 & 8 declare that God is King of the earth, reigns over the nations and is seated on His holy throne. His word promises that one day the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9). In His Kingdom, Jesus will reign forever and righteousness and justice will be upheld by Him (Isaiah 9:6-7). Hallelujah! We must trust Him!

4. Be about discipleship --- Matthew 28:18-20 tells us to go and make disciples -- and that includes all nations. The tense of the verbs in these verses suggests that we should be all about making disciples as we are going -- wherever we go. How many of us are doing that? How many of us are either being discipled or spending time discipling someone else? This truly is our "great" commission. Commitment to this command should be one of our greatest pursuits. We should pray for harvesters to be sent into God's harvest in lands all over the world, but particularly those in Gog's future confederacy. Few in those nations mentioned know the Lord.

In reality, we don't need dramatic news stories like the ones I have mentioned to prompt us all to be doing what we are supposed to be doing as believers anyway. The 4"How Do We Live" items listed above are how we are to live and breathe for Christ no matter the kind of days in which we find ourselves living. Amen.

But it is getting late, and it is getting serious!

Enjoy the song below and listen to the words. May His Kingdom come!

To Pray or Not To Pray

And as He taught them, He said, "Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers.'" Mark 11:17

In its context, this is a pretty eye opening passage of scripture. Jesus taught these words in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem amidst an atmosphere of righteous anger -- His righteous anger! Just the day before He entered the temple area, He had pronounced a curse upon a fig tree. It quickly withered from the roots and died. That fig tree represented the nation of Israel and its outright rejection of its long awaited Messiah - Yeshua -- the incarnation of God's own Word. So when Jesus reached the temple the day afterward (which was when He made the statement above in Mark's gospel), His mood was certainly not pleasant as He had discovered how the Lord's house was being used. Irate at what He witnessed, He flipped over the tables of the money changers, the benches of those selling doves and would not let the merchants pass thru as they made a shortcut through the temple to get more quickly to their appointed destinations.

This is amazing, because these are the actions of the Son of God -- the most humble, loving, compassionate, meek and merciful man to ever walk the earth! What the scriptures reveal is Jesus giving us a brief a glimpse of the Almighty's wrath -- a Holy God in righteous anger making His judgment upon sin. So what was the sin of the people? The temple -- the symbolic place of God's manifest presence -- was being used in a way contrary to His will. And God's will was to have His people use it as a house of prayer -- for all nations.

As we break down our passage in Mark 11:17, we see that it is broken down in to two distinct parts. The first part of the verse is actually a quote from Isaiah 56:7 and in the second part Jesus references Jeremiah 7:11. These are significant passages that Jesus quotes from the O.T.

First, let's look at Isaiah 56:7. God's word in this passage (including verses 4-8) indicates that not only the Israelites themselves, but faithful eunuchs and foreigners as well as additional people to the Jewish exiles mentioned in the surrounding verses will come and find joy in the Lord's "house of prayer." That house of prayer, God's temple, was meant for all nations. It was a place of prayer - on God's holy mountain - where all nations could come to pray and find the joy of the Lord. In a sense, it was revealing to us what Jesus said we should pray about in the Lord's prayer -- "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It is God's will for people from all nations to pray and discover God's joy!So, in a sense, Jesus is saying: "Pray and see the people come!"

Secondly, in order to get the context, Jeremiah 7:11 requires us to include verses 9-10 also. In these verses, we see the Israelites violating God's law in at least 5 different ways. To top it off and in this condition, the Israelites are coming to the place bearing God's holy name and falsely believe they have found safety, comfort and solace. There is no recognition of sin on the part of God's people. There is no blushing or confrontation of their sinfulness. The Jews of this day have reached a point where they believed that YHWH, the Holy One of Israel, just winked at their sin. And they had the audacity to try to stand before their holy God in this condition -- in His house -- the temple. If only they had experienced the kind of encounter with a holy God that Isaiah did in Isaiah chapter 6 --- they would have been undone and cried in agony and woe over their sinfulness.

But God was watching it all! And His judgment was that the Jews had made God's house a den of robbers and thieves. So what exactly had been stolen by these thieves and robbers?

1. God's glory was robbed of its holy and righteous image!
2. God's Kingdom was robbed of new converts -- from all over the earth!
3. His people, even His choicest servants, were robbed of answered prayer! In fact, the Lord told Jeremiah in verse 16 of Chapter 7: "So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you."
4. God's people were robbed of God's protection and loving presence. Instead they received the Lord's disciplinary judgment, as they would be overrun by their enemies and taken into captivity.

So let's look at today's church. Honestly, how much prayer is going on in many churches. Praise God there are some great praying churches, but they are beginning to be hard to find. There have been numerous times that as a pastor I found it extremely difficult to find people who were willing to take the time and make the sacrifice necessary for prayer in behalf of God's Kingdom. Unfortunately, there were too many prayer meetings called where no one would show up. And God's people and the Kingdom were robbed!

How many churches have you been to today that you know spend time praying for other countries -- particularly oppressed nations with little gospel witness? Countries where the few believers found place their lives on the line daily. Countries where torture, imprisonment and separation from family and yes perhaps even death can come at any time -- while we live in the extravagant Laodicean comforts of America.

How many churches blush at sin and seek to lovingly confront it as Jesus and Paul did -- to keep from making His house a den of robbers?

I am saddened that many today refer to prayer as one of the ministries of the Lord's church. In reality, it is the ministry of the church. All other ministries should come into existence through prayer and continue to operate and exist through prayer. To do otherwise, is to invite ministering "in the flesh" and the inept power of the soul.

But there is another element to consider -- the "house" that Jesus is talking about -- God's temple, the place of God's dwelling -- is within every true believer of His today. We have looked at the church on a corporate level, but what about on the personal level. How many times, like the merchandisers in the temple of Jesus' day, do we take shortcuts as individuals -- either in our daily living or perhaps in church settings -- that allow us to become as big a robbers as the money changers that Jesus saw. How are we robbing God and His kingdom as outlined above? Do we really take the time and make the sacrifice to pray? We must remember that He sees us all, and nothing is hidden from His sight.

Maybe it is time for us to allow the Lord to flip over the tables in our lives in order to make us -- as churches and individuals -- houses of prayer for all nations. If we don't, we may not see the revival and advance of God's kingdom that we would prefer. If we do though, how fast might God's word spread? I can only imagine. How many people from around the world would come to know Him? Lord, start with me. Make me a house of prayer. That should be our cry. Amen.