October 27, 2023

You Can Never Have Enough of What You Don’t Really Need -Eric Hoffer-

In Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel, The Sun Also Rises, Bill Gordon asks Mike Campbell, “How did you go bankrupt? Two ways Mike replies, gradually, and then suddenly.”  The same can be said for the depletion of our spiritual life. Most people do not wake up one morning and say, today I want to become a drug addict. It happens over a period of time at first and then it collapses in upon them. It is an accumulation of decisions and actions that one day leave a person asking; How did this happen? Let me suggest a terrible triad that leads to spiritual ruin. The downward spiritual spiral begins with Weak Devotions. When our devotional life is anemic, we get sick. If you do not eat or drink what the body needs, you begin to waste away. Slowly at first and then suddenly…crisis. When we fail to feast upon the inspired word of God and meet with the Lord our spiritual vitality will begin to deteriorate. What are you eating these days? Worldly Desires are the result of a weak devotional life. The world pulls at our flesh and promises to deliver us from our cravings and provide all that we desire. But in the end, we find ourselves asking the salient question of T.S. Elliot- “Where is the life we lost in living?” Scripture reminds and exhorts us, “Do not love the world or the things of the world.” (I John 2:15) “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2) Do not miss the connection: Thinking leads to doing. Wrong Decisions are the inevitable and inescapable result of worldly desires that develop from weak devotions. Have you ever asked yourself the question, Why in the world did I do that? The answer is - We do what makes sense to us at the time. Our Attitudes are Articulated in Our Actions. My assumption is that you desire a sense of Spiritual Homeostasis. If this is correct, then let me invite you to develop and deepen your Devotional life daily. Consciously resist worldly desires. Decide to make your decisions based upon the inspired word of God. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments. Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119: 9-11 Serving Him with you Until He comes for us.  Fred

October 20, 2023

Unintended Consequences

It is insidious that the very positive impact that Christianity can have on a person can also cause one to implode in their spiritual life. This is true of individuals and of nations. John Wesley left a sober warning July 2, 1789:  "Christianity, true Scriptural Christianity, has a tendency in the process of time to destroy itself. For wherever true Christianity spreads, it must cause diligence and frugality, which, in the natural course of things, must beget riches! And riches naturally beget pride, love of the world, and every temper that is destructive to Christianity. Wherever it generally prevails, it ultimately saps its own foundation." The subtle erosion and deceptive transformation significantly impacted the second-generation of American Puritans as their children and grandchildren went after gold, glory, and God - in that order. We have seen much of the same in modern America as many families, after difficult beginnings and diligent effort led to prosperity only to be erased by self-absorbed living by the next generation lacking the moral fortitude and work ethic that provided for them so much. This reality may account for so many warnings to Christians in the New Testament. The apostle John exhorts his flock, “Do not love the world or the things of the world for if you love the world the love of the Father is not in you.” (I John 2:15) The apostle Paul urges the church at Rome, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1-2) He also tells them to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh.” (Romans 13:10) In fact the whole correspondence of First Corinthians is meant to rebuke a powerful social class of Christians to stop being carnal in their lives inside and outside the church of Jesus. (I Corinthians 3) I think I can say to all of you who are reading this, that we have all been given a rich heritage. And if that is true then we must always remember: “To whom much is given much is required.” Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

October 13, 2023

Some Things Never Change

My first seminary course was at Fuller Seminary entitled The History of Israel. I learned of such ruthless men as Ashurbanipal, Sargon II, Tiglath-Pileser, Sennacherib, and pharaoh Necho. These were the generals and kings of the empires of ancient Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt. In modern times we remember groups of Islamic terrorists such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood, not to mention Saddam Hussein, the rebuilder of Babylon, the butcher of Israel. These are the names of those who would destroy Israel. The world witnessed an unimaginable event in 1948 when Israel, coming out of the holocaust created the nation of Israel validated by the United Nations and Harry Truman the president of the United States. However, Peace in Israel is never easy. The Yom Kippur War 50 years ago started with an unprovoked sneak attack that looks to be repeated based on a surprise attack upon Israel last week. Hundreds if not thousands of men, women, and children civilians have been murdered, kidnapped, and tortured. The geopolitical designs and the religious paradigm of Islam are easy to describe. It is easy to draw a direct line of Islamic hate to the radical groups in Palestine, Syria, or Egypt. It is also quite easy to see the dotted line to Iran if not Russia’s involvement in such matters. However, we must never forget that behind all of this hatred and savagery is the one entity who hates Israel and the future and rightful coming King of Israel, the King of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Revelation 20) Let me invite you to go back to Matthew 4 and read the account of the temptation of Christ. Notice the focus on kingdom rulership and the proper place of worship. There is a new world order coming. There is a new kingdom to be established. There is a new King to be inaugurated and He alone is to be worshiped. (Psalm 2) Let me invite you to read the Book of Daniel, the Gospel of Mathew 24-25, and Second Thessalonians. These books will give you some history of what has been and prophecy of what is coming. Jesus told us there will be wars and rumor of wars and persecution. The prince of this world will always seek to destroy Israel and the church of Jesus Christ. The power we possess is accessed by prayer to the only true God and only wise God, for as Zechariah 4:6 reminds us, “Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.” Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

October 6, 2023

"Without a firm moral foundation, freedom degenerates quickly ... into anarchy." Harry Truman,1951

The trajectory of America is creating an arc of history that will manifest itself as a great calamity. The collapse of Christianity will lead to the further corruption. We are witnessing the decay of theological doctrine. We are observing the secularization of the sacred as the church seeks appeasement with the LBGTQ+. We are experiencing the extinction of ethics in government. As Benjamin Franklin warned after the formation of the republic in 1787;       "What kind are the men that will strive for this profitable preeminence, through all the bustle of cabal, the heat of contention, the infinite mutual abuse of parties, tearing to pieces the best of characters? It will not be the wise and moderate, the lovers of peace and good order, the men fittest for the trust. It will be the bold and the violent, the men of strong passions and indefatigable activity in their selfish pursuits. These will thrust themselves into your government and be your rulers." Our rulers are corrupt with power, morally bankrupt in their spirit, and their exercise in ethical decision making is based upon pragmatism, utilitarianism, situationism, and political survivalism. If this sounds familiar you would be right based on world history. It is not much different than ancient Rome or modern Marxism. Both are devoid of a Biblical world view of Theism and Truth, and are led by self-interest which is manifested in both individual egotism and collective globalism. However, Christianity is not controlled by environment, not stifled by situations, or suffocated by circumstances. This is because the God of Pentecost is aware, Jesus the king is alive, the Spirit of holiness is present in the Church. Do not forget the spiritual law of thermodynamics: The greater the heat the greater the expansion.   The days are evil, but we are still to redeem the time. It will not be easy, but Jesus never said it would be easy. Count the days and make the days count. Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred