Lean Not On Your Understanding - Prov. 3:5-8

What do you do when you have questions, problems, need guidance or advice? I’m not talking about things like how do you cook this, what color paint you should use, and other non-life affecting or unspiritual things. I’m talking about where do you go when you need advice about relationships, or choosing schools, careers, or making major financial moves? What about “following your heart”, what do you do for guidance in that area? What about with conviction, where do you go for counsel and accountability? Who do you turn to when you’re in emotional pain, or mental distress? Who is in your ear? Who are you taking guidance and advice from? What do you do?

More than likely our answer to these questions depends on the situation, right? I go to this person, I go to that person, I go over here, go over there. Or, we may turn to ourselves and our own reasoning and judgment to find the answers to some of these.

In whatever it is we do or wherever it is we may go to deal with these situations, the Bible says our bottom line pursuit for guidance, advice, and counsel is to be from God—–i.e. His will, His ways, and His standards laid out before us in His Word. And that even goes for those “little matters” of life, glorifying God should still influence those decisions and whom we seek for help even in those “little matters”. Now let’s see why the Bible tells us this in Proverbs 3:5-8.

Dissecting Proverbs 3:5-8
–3:5-6 (NASB):

5 Trust (Heb–have a bold confidence/assurance)...
in the LORD with all your heart (Heb–everything within you)...
and do not lean (Heb–support one’s self) [do not depend (NLT)]...
on your own understanding (Heb–knowledge, meaning, wisdom, discernment).
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him [Seek His will in all you do (NLT)]...
and (here’s the promise) He will make your paths straight [He will show you which path to take (NLT)].

Here's Matthew Henry's commentary on the promise in verse 6,

“Those that put themselves under a divine guidance shall always have the benefit of it. God will give them that wisdom which is profitable to direct, so that they shall not turn aside into the by-paths of sin, and then [He] will himself so wisely order the event that it shall be…for their good.”

–3:7-8 (NASB):

7 Do not be wise (Heb–intelligent, skilled)...
in your own eyes [don’t be impressed with your own wisdom (NLT)]...
fear the LORD (Heb–revere/greatly respect God bcuz of who He is and what He can do)...
and turn away from evil.
8 (here’s the promise) It will be healing to your body (Heb–navel)...
and refreshment to your bones.

Allow me to give some historical background so to understand what the promise of verse 8 meant in context to the original audience. It’s known that by the umbilical cord the fetus receives its nourishment while it’s in the mother’s womb. All the nourishment is received and the circulation of the blood is kept up by way of the umbilical cord (which was connected to our belly button/navel). Thus, when the wise man says, that it shall be health to your body (i.e. navel), what he’s saying is that this principle—–trust in God and not in ourselves, seeking His will and not our own wisdom, and fearing God so to turn from evil—–is as vital to our life in God and to our “continual growth in grace, as the umbilical cord is to the life and growth of the fetus in the womb”. So the promise is by following this principle, it will be nourishment/sustenance (that which is sustaining) to our life just as all the nourishment is received and the circulation of the blood is kept up by way of the umbilical cord (the navel). What a promise this is once we have some background and understand what it originally meant in its historical context.

Now to finish what the rest of the promise means, the “refreshment to your bones”. In Clarke's Commentary he notes for verse 8,

“What the marrow [i.e. the soft tissue in the bones] is to the support and strength of the bones, and the bones to the support and strength of the body;” this principle, “is to the support, strength, energy, and salvation of [our lives].”

From now dissecting this passage do we now see why our bottom line pursuit for guidance, advice, and counsel is to be from what God has laid out before us in His Word? Because it is for our holistic benefit if we seek God with all our heart and in all our ways, but it is to our detriment if we go about pursuing guidance, advice, and counsel on our own understanding.

Some Examples
Let’s discuss some ways we, in our own understanding, go about dealing with questions, problems, needing guidance or advice in life-affecting situations, spiritual situations, and even in what we consider irrelevant small matters.

Some of us go about dealing with these situations by seeking guidance or counsel from Astrology and horoscopes, maybe even psychics—–tarot cards, fortune tellers, palm readings, and séances. And some of you might be thinking, what’s wrong with this? First, they are all condemned and prohibited in the Bible as a form of divination (Lev. 20:22-24, 26-27, Deut. 18:9-14, 1Sam. 15:23; 28:3ff). The Bible is very clear, this is not of God. If you look up Astrology, it “is the “interpretation” of an assumed influence the stars (and planets) exert on human destiny.” All of the other practices are, and I’m going to quote Ron Rhodes because he says it perfectly, they are all “based on the concept that there are gods, spirits, or deceased loved ones that can give advice and guidance”. This is not of God. None of these are godly by any means because they require us to place our faith in something other than God. To participate in these things violates Scripture. Don’t lean on your own understanding in this, because you’re setting yourself up in disobedience and whatever consequences that follow.

Some of us go about dealing with these situations by seeking guidance or counsel from immature/carnal/unsound believers, or worldly philosophy (e.g. talk shows, radio shows, news, social media, magazines, word-of-mouth, websites, etc), or ungodly people, and so forth. In 2Chron. 18:4-22, this passage records the story about King Jehoshaphat (the king of Judah) and King Ahab (the king of Israel). Jehoshaphat is looking for counsel before going to war, so he hits up Ahab. Ahab seeks his own prophets for counsel and guidance rather than the prophet of God. His own prophets tell him what he wants to hear, but not the word of God. But when Jehoshaphat asked if there was another prophet, a prophet of God, Ahab said the prophet of God always speaks the opposite of what he wants to hear. In the end, Jehoshaphat follows God’s counsel by way of the prophet of God and is saved from the battle. Ahab leaned on his own understanding and followed the counsel of his prophets and died in battle just as the prophet of God foretold. What does this mean for us? Don’t seek guidance and counsel from people you know or think aren’t biblically grounded and mature, because that’s the equivalent of seeking your own prophets and not the prophet of God–—i.e. the mature, biblically grounded believers who’s going to speak forth only what’s in accordance with God’s Word.

Final Word
As I wrap this up, let me clear something that may be misunderstood. What I’m not saying is abandon “careful thinking or belittle our God-given ability to reason” (NASB), and in that I’m not saying that we should trust our own ideas to the point where we exclude the Word of God or other godly counsel. What I am saying is when it boils down, we are to (1)make our decisions based on the guidance, advice, and counsel from what God has laid out before us in His Word—–i.e. is this thing/decision going to be pleasing to God or not according to His word—–and (2)not make our decisions based solely on our own understanding or solely on the understanding of others (especially those who aren’t fruit-bearing, biblically solid and mature accountable believers). (And that’s not that God can’t speak through anyone, He spoke through a donkey to get the attention of a prophet, but we shouldn’t seek just anyone out. If God wants to speak to us through an unlikely source, let Him do it, not us pursue it).

Proverbs are guides for daily life. Therefore let this proverb guide your daily life by simply following it as opportunities present themselves (our days are filled with opportunities to apply this proverb). Let the truth of this proverb guide your thinking and reasoning in how you go about dealing with questions, problems, needing guidance or advice in life-affecting situations, spiritual situations, and even in what we consider irrelevant small matters. If you want God’s best for your life—–the nourishment of life and growth like the umbilical cord does for the fetus in the womb; the support, strength, and energy like the marrow is to the bones; the wisdom to direct where to go/which paths to take—–then trust God with all your heart and seek His will in all your ways so that this conditional promise can be manifested, and lean not on your own understanding.

2010

The Underestimation of Sin, Men's Edition

We had our first men’s night at church (9/27/15) on the heels of the Ashley Madison scandal. We entered that night by way of heavy hearts and pastoral concern for our men. Many Christian men this year have fallen and been publicly exposed online and/or in their communities because they underestimated their sin and never thought their unconfessed, unrepentant, or secret sins would be exposed and cause themself and others harm. I’m posting my message from that night to warn and encourage men as we are heading into 2016.

Some Fallen Men in 2015
I list these men not to tarnish or condemn them, but as examples of the seriousness of underestimating our sin.
     -Tullian Tchividjian
Tullian wrote, “I returned from a trip a few months back and discovered that my wife was having an affair. Heartbroken and devastated, I informed our church leadership and requested a sabbatical to focus exclusively on my marriage and family. As her affair continued, we separated. Sadly and embarrassingly, I subsequently sought comfort in a friend and developed an inappropriate relationship myself.”(1)
     “[Tullian] says having an affair really forces a pastor, a person, to look at themselves and ask, "What kind of person did I become for me to do what I did, my wife to do what she did, where did I fail? Did I become something, someone I didn't see I was becoming?””(2)

     -Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr.(3)
R.C. Jr. wrote, “In August 2014, in a moment of weakness, pain, and from an unhealthy curiosity, I visited Ashley Madison.”
     “The grace of God’s judgment bore its fruit, and by His grace I repented of my sin. By His grace, I have also received His forgiveness, the outworking of His love. Prophetic providence had done its good office. Jesus died for this sin, but there are still earthly consequences. With the revelation of the hack has come the revelation of my sin. I recently informed the board of Ligonier Ministries, which has handled the matter internally, having suspended me until July 1, 2016. I also informed my presbytery which is also handling the matter internally. And now the world is informed.”
     “My sin, sadly, has impacted those who are innocent––my colleagues, friends, and family. I have and will continue to seek their forgiveness. I covet your prayers.”

     -Josh Duggar(4)
Josh wrote, “I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, I have been unfaithful to my wife. I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him. I have brought hurt and a reproach to my family, close friends and the fans of our show with my actions. The last few years, while publicly stating I was fighting against immorality in our country I was hiding my own personal failures. As I am learning the hard way, we have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences. I deeply regret all the hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example.”

     -Seth Oiler(5)
“Seth Oiler died in the prime of his life. The 42-year-old pastor of First United Methodist Church (UMC) in Newark, Ohio, committed suicide in his church-owned home [in May]. His untimely death followed an adulterous affair with a church staff member to which he admitted.” The writer comments, “I can only imagine the guilt, shame and condemnation that was flooding his soul.” He left behind a wife and children.

     -John Gibson(6)
“New Orleans pastor and seminary professor John Gibson...can now be counted among the casualties of the Ashley Madison fiasco, [he committed suicide], and according to his wife, it illustrates the real and unnecessary human toll.”
     “For 25 of their almost 30 years of marriage, Gibson and her husband struggled with his sex addiction. She knew that he struggled and had relapsed over and over again. She did not know that he had used Ashley Madison until she read his suicide note... In it, her husband talked about his depression and his deep remorse and shame over having his name be among those found in the adultery website’s database.” The late pastor and professor Gibson said, “The shame is in the secrecy and the hiddenness and the lie of this.“

Ed Stetzer said that there might be up to 400 Christian men (all church leaders) whose secret sins will be exposed because of the Ashley Madison hack.(7) This is not counting the non-church leaders who may have an account; which means there may very well be 400+ families and communities impacted by unrepentant and secret sins!
     All of these men underestimated their sin and never thought their unconfessed, unrepentant, or secret sins would be exposed and cause themself and others harm. We don’t want this to be you. We don’t want the enemy ravaging you with bondage to sin, fear, and condemnation. We want you to know you are surrounded by other broken men, with sins & struggles like yours, and we also have a desire for those of you in sin/compromise to experience repentance, forgiveness, freedom, and restoration; because we have experienced it too.

5 Points of Caution
I believe God wants you specific men to hear these 5 particular points of caution—i.e. 5 points if taken seriously and followed will help to avoid the danger and mistake of unrepentant and secret sin.
1. God will put your unrepentant or secret sin on blast. (2Sam. 12:12, cf. 1Tim. 5:24).
     –Don’t assume that He won’t. And remember, God is perfectly righteous and just in doing so if He chooses to (Ps. 51:4). Instead, you need to recognize that the only reason your unrepentant or secret sin has not been blasted by God is because in His goodness He is patiently waiting for you to come to repentance (Rom. 2:1-4). It’s better that you tell on yourself and repent than God broadcast it and bring you to repentance the hard way.

2. Never forget your past. (i.e. don’t forget about your Egypt) (Tit. 3:3)
     -Don’t act like your past isn’t yours. Don’t fail to remember how cruel a master sin was. Don’t disregard the bondage/oppression/deception you were once under. Don’t fail to remember what God has delivered you from [and maybe still is]). The moment we forget about our past, we, like the Israelites, begin to desire the hazardous things of the past we just forgot about.

3. Remain ever watchful in your present. (1Cor. 10:12-13)
     -No sleeping on the job, ever. Always alert. Always inspecting. Be like the German soldiers during the Cold War, weapon in hand, standing guard at every hole in the wall so nothing slips by. There is too much at stake. Be constantly vigilant!

4. Confidently pursue your promised future. (Col. 3:1-4)
     -Your life is hidden with Christ. You are not your past or your present. You are your promised future! Pursue the transformed you, the you being made-over in the likeness of Jesus, the you being progressively sanctified in Jesus, the you controlled by the Holy Spirit, the new you "being renewed in knowledge according to the image" (v10) of God. Your promised future is one of wholeness and holiness. Confidently pursue what God has for you while remembering your past and being watchful in your present!

5. Remember the character of God. (Heb. 13:8)
     –He is just and merciful. God will justly judge our sin, and yet He will extend mercy when we cry out to Him in repentance and for forgiveness.
     –He is holy and full of grace. Anything unholy is offensive to God. Our sin is offensive to Him. Yet, He graciously pardons our sin and iniquities even though we never deserve to be pardoned.
     –He is jealous and loving. God despises sharing our devotion and worship with anything or anyone, but His love remains unconditional toward us despite our disloyalty toward Him.
     –He is sovereign. God is in complete control and works all things together for our good according to His will, and yet He still holds us responsible for our sin, and to repent, and to obey.

Conclusion
There are, what I believe, 9 common sins among men: (The list below is not in any significant order)

(i)Porn
     “64% of Christian men…say they watch porn at least once a month.” “Because porn use thrives in secrecy, many church members are trapped in a cycle of sin and shame, thinking that they're the only ones facing this temptation.”(8)
(ii)Masturbation
(iii)Fornication
(iv)Pride of heart (the attitude)
(v)Pride of life (the pursuit (why and what), the image [reputation])
(vi)Idolatry (putting something/one in the place only God belongs)
(vii)Anger (rage, outward aggression)
(viii)Lust (lust of eyes, lust for sex)
(ix)Selfishness (self-absorbed)

These 9 are seen and done so naturally that conviction decreases, and so does repenting of these things, and so does striving to be transformed from these things (i.e. deliverance, holiness, wholeness).

Three verses to ponder and obey:

Proverbs 28:13 (NLT)—“People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.”
Jam. 5:16 (NLT)—“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
1Jn. 1:9 (ESV)—“If we confess our sins [to Him], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Do not be that man that underestimates his sin and never thinks that your unconfessed, unrepentant, or secret sins will not be exposed and cause yourself and others harm. Confess and repent and experience mercy, healing, forgiveness, and cleansing!

“Freedom means that on your worst day you are loved by the Father because your acceptance is based on the righteousness of Another.” “Freedom means you don't have to hide from God because Jesus took your rejection. Weary and broken you can run to His gracious arms.” –Paul Tripp

____________________
1. www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/06/21/billy-grahams-grandson-steps-down-from-florida-megachurch-after-admitting-an-affair/
2. www.charismanews.com/culture/51066-tullian-tchividjian-gets-why-pastors-caught-in-adultery-commit-suicide
3. rcsprouljr.com/blog/general/judgment-and-grace/
4. www.churchleaders.com/daily-buzz/260849-5-things-pastors-learn-josh-duggars-confession.html
5. www.charismanews.com/opinion/watchman-on-the-wall/49866-pastor-commits-suicide-in-church-owned-home-after-admitting-adultery | www.christianpost.com/news/married-pastor-commits-suicide-after-admitting-affair-with-church-member-he-loved-god-ronald-reagan-and-captain-america-139666/
6. www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/09/09/why-the-wife-of-a-pastor-exposed-in-ashley-madison-leak-spoke-out-after-his-suicide/
7. www.churchleaders.com/daily-buzz/261321-ed-stetzer-400-pastors-caught-ashley-madison-hack-may-resign-sunday.html
8. www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats

12/2/2015

Does God Approve of “Shacking Up”?

I have had many conversations with many professing believers who have argued to me that God does not disapprove of “shacking up” (i.e. a couple living together like they are married without actually being married). Their arguments have ranged from, “we're engaged so what's the big deal”, to “we're getting a feel of what it would be like to determine if we're ready for marriage”, to “the Bible doesn't say we can't live together”, and so on. Many professing believers do not see a problem or any carnality or compromise with “shacking up” (living together) with whom they're dating. Many professing believers may not even know how the Bible addresses this or if it even does or care if it does.

Let me say it first, the Bible does address this topic but not directly like a “Q&A”. You can find the Bible's view on this in it's pronouncement on marriage.

“18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”....21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.””
(Genesis 2:18, 21-25, NIV)

To physically move in and live together with your boyfriend or girlfriend is outside of God's design, and that is what makes it an error. God designed here in Genesis 2 that a man will leave his parents and be joined to “his wife” as “one flesh”. Living with your boyfriend or girlfriend purports becoming “one flesh”. How so? Because both people have left their separateness to live and be together as a couple (as “one”). A couple living together is a component reserved only for God's design in marriage. It is not meant to be done outside of this specific God-ordained relationship; for to do so is superseding God's design with one's personal view and preferences.

I have no need to address the potential and promising problems with couples living together before marriage to build an apologetic against it, because the greatest argument against it is that God ordains from the very beginning of humanity's existence that leaving, cleaving, and living together as “one” is for marriage only. To do otherwise, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is a clear defiance of God's design. One's ignorance or ignoring does not dismiss their violation of God's design. It will always be a violation––i.e. sin (falling short of God's standard).

So, to all the professing Christians that may read this, you have no biblical “omitted” basis for your defiance of God's design for living together as a couple; neither can you use the “cultural context” excuse to explain away the truth principles in this passage because there was no culture defined. This was humanity's inception. Thus, this principle is tied to all generations of mankind in every culture. There is no escape. The only reason you have to stand on is the real one, selfishness and pride––you want to do what you want to do and you don't want to be told that you can't. After this biblical response, to attempt to argue that it's not a violation to shack up (i.e. God does approve) further shows your selfishness and pride in your effort to justify your sin.

If you are a professing Christian shacking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, God does not approve and you are in fact sinning against your Savior and Master. As always, there is grace––of which you've probably been receiving from God in the midst of you sinning against Him and have likely mistaken it for His approval. God will forgive, if you repent (1Jn. 1:9).

My final word to you, thank God for His grace and forgiveness, choose to obey Jesus and either get married, move out, or suffer the consequences of violating God's design (and whatever may come from that).

5/13/2015

Hey Christian, YOU ARE Ray Rice...

By now I shouldn't be surprised when I check my social media or turn on the TV and someone new is in the news for some screw up they've done that many of my fellow “Christians“ are going to share their compassionless thoughts and opinions. And the fact that I shouldn't be surprised bothers me greatly, because we as believers should expect better from us as believers in this area. This blog article is not about the Ray Rice incident. This is about a heart issue that we must address.

How would YOU like it if YOUR sin/mistakes were broadcasted for almost everyone to see? Would you not seek and ask for grace, mercy, forgiveness? Does not God grant this to even murderers who repent (see Moses & David)? Self-righteousness is one of the most glaring deformities of Christians. You’re not perfect. Your life smells like boo-boo at times. Your actions, conversations, and thoughts are at times foul. But because the world doesn’t see it you think you can front like your life is always pristine. We have to stop being scared and fronting like we got it all together and learn to wear our brokenness as a badge of honor unto God’s grace (2Cor. 12:7-10)!

Guess what Christian? YOU ARE Ray Rice...and Darren Wilson, and Chris Brown, and any other person we’re ready to lynch via the media/social-media because of their sins/mistakes. YOU at times sin with a smile and hope no one caught you on camera. But God sees all and it’s by His grace and mercy that He doesn’t blast YOUR sin/mistakes for everyone to see. So be gracious and merciful to others in return, whether they deserve it or not, because let’s not forget we received God’s grace and mercy and we don’t deserve it. Remember, YOUR “righteousness” is filthy rags apart from Jesus; YOUR “goodness” is nothing and means nothing apart from Jesus. Thus, you have no righteousness or goodness in yourself to boast in anyway. We are to boast of and in Jesus’ righteousness and goodness manifested in our broken lives. Self-righteousness is but pride and idolatry of self camouflaged as selfies of our good actions and good character; it’s a glaring deformity that we choose to not see because we’re too focused on looking at and highlighting only or primarily the “nice parts” of ourselves.

This is why I try to boast of my weaknesses and brokenness more so or as much as my good, because any good you see or think you see in my life or from my life is all from God and for His glory. I am completely aware that if Jesus is not in my equation, if He is not my center, if He is not who I am daily surrendered to, I am a vile dude, point blank period. And guess what, so are you. So before you vent or share your opinions about other people’s sins/mistakes on social media or in your offline circles, think of YOUR sins/mistakes being put on blast by God for all to see…and remind yourself that He doesn’t. Then be merciful like your Heavenly Father is merciful (Lk. 6:36) and don’t comment like the Pharisee, comment like the tax collector (Lk. 18:9-14).

We who have received such great compassion should be the first to extend such great compassion to others (e.g. Matt. 18:21-33). Let’s pray for those (and their families) whose mistakes are put on blast by the media and lynched via social media. May they come to the loving embrace of Christ and be transformed by His grace and Spirit!

Jesus said, ““Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then He added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”” (Matt. 9:12-13, NLT, emphasis added)

9/2014

The Danger of Hidden Confidence

While I was in praying this morning, I came to a notion that I had some hidden confidence in a project of mine. Now, is there anything wrong with having confidence? No, absolutely not. However, when we as believers begin to trust more in our confidence--however that may manifest itself, e.g. things, people, accomplishments, money, status, etc--and not being confident in God and His plan, that's when it becomes a problem. Maybe some of you are wondering what I mean by "hidden confidence". What I mean by "hidden confidence" is self-confidence (i.e. the confidence I just spoke of above that is wrong) that masquerades itself as godly confidence (i.e. confidence in God or confidence that's pleasing unto God). It was this "hidden confidence" that I was sensing creeping around in my heart. 

Right as I detected this hidden confidence, the Spirit brought to my mind the story of David taking a census of the people. We find this story in 2Samuel 24 and 1Chronicles 21. This census David took came on the heels of his last words (2Sam. 23:1-7) and the story of his mighty men (2Sam. 23:8-23). Is there anything wrong with taking a census of the people? No, not necessarily. We see Moses did it in Exodus 30:12 and Numbers chapter 1, 4, 26, and 31:48-49. So then what was wrong with David's census? David's census came from his hidden confidence, not by the direction of God as with Moses. Here we see David resting his confidence not in God and what God's done, but in the number of people under his own rule. David had gone against the objection of his army commander and the captains of the army (2Sam. 24:3-4, 1Chron. 21:3-4) and had the people numbered anyway. Afterwards, he realized his sin (2Sam. 24:10, 1Chron. 21:8). David worded it as a great sin and scripture records it as evil in the eyes of God, so much so that there was a serious consequence (2Sam. 24:11-15, 1Chron. 21:9-12).

Before I read this story, I was talking out in prayer why and where I believe there was some hidden confidence in this particular project of mine. After I read this story is how I was able to see my hidden confidence as a problem. I was beginning to put more trust in a portion of my planning for this project and not being fully confident in God and His plan for my project. Praise God for prayer, the Holy Spirit, and His Word! All three of these helped warn me and keep me from a potentially great sin. I could have easily succumb to this hidden confidence, rejected the prompting of the Holy Spirit, disregarded the Word, and continued building this project believing I was truly confident in God but secretly holding on to my own confidence. But God is faithful! I love that He knows me better than I know me, and He won't let me stay the same me. I love that He loves me so much that His desire and plan is to conform me into the image of His Beloved! 

Believers, be warned about this hidden confidence and not taking it seriously, but also be encouraged that the Spirit will bring it to your attention!

"God judges not of sin as we do. What appears to us harmless, or, at least, but a small offence, may be a great sin in the eye of God, who discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Even ungodly men can discern evil tempers and wrong conduct in believers, of which they themselves often remain unconscious. But God seldom allows those whom he loves the pleasures they sinfully covet." Matthew Henry

4/10/2012

From Chance to Choice

We've heard the sayings,

“She get it from her momma.”
“He’s just like his daddy.”
“The apple doesn't fall to far from the tree”?

Is there any truth to these sayings? Does our gene pool determine who we will become in life or is there a bigger picture? I believe there is truth in these statements. And the Bible agrees. There is a bigger picture, and if we have a proper perspective the truth we can learn from these sayings can help us in seeing our utter need for Jesus, in seeing our need for deeper soul transformation, and in releasing us from the bondage of our past.

Our Gene Pool

Our gene pool (which is a complete set of genes called a genome) is all within our cells. In each cell is a complete set of instructions or pre-stored information. This information completely describes a human being. So, biologically speaking on a molecular level, your gene pool does predetermine some things about you as a person pre-birth (e.g. hair color, eye color, skin color, sex [our sexual orientation is determined pre-birth according to what sex we are born as; same-sex/homosexuality is a sexual preference/choice not an orientation/determined], height, our nose, our ears, etc). So we can see from our gene pool that you do get some things from your momma and you are in ways just like your daddy. But it goes deeper than your parents. Your biology is not by chance, but by God (Ps. 139:13-15).

Is It All Because of Our Genes?

Is who we are all because of our genes? No. Our genes do not predetermine who we the person will become in life (e.g. promiscuous, homosexual, hateful, racist, prejudice, conceited, or reserved, kind, helpful, hard-working, analytical, romantic, etc). Our genes do not predetermine this. Who we become in life is a combination of 

(1)our own choices (decisions that we make––the good, the bad, the ugly), 
(2)our family of origin (i.e. how we were raised, our family environment growing up, and the family examples we saw growing up), 
(3)the environment we lived around growing up (neighborhood, school, friends, etc), 
(4)sin (both ours and others), and last but not least 
(5)God (Ps. 139:16).

It is these five things that play the largest part in who a person becomes, whether in the negative sense or the positive.

So we can see that there is no chance in who you are. You are who you are by bio-molecular choice, yours and others choices, and God's choice. And each of these choices has an ultimate destination in God's sovereign plan.

The Bigger Picture

"And He {God} made from one [common origin, one source, one blood] {i.e. Adam/one biological and spiritual gene pool} all nations {Gr. ethnos--peoples} of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes), so that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27, AMP, with my added emphasis)

We've all gone through what we've gone through, both good and bad, to detour us to Jesus. And who we are in the grand scheme of things is either a child of Adam or a child of God. We don't have to do anything to become a child of Adam. We are already Adam's offspring, born from his seed (biological and spiritual gene pool), and thus his sin and it's penalty is imputed (legally and rightfully charged/billed) onto us (Rom. 5:12). This is who we are without Christ. However, if we follow God's detour in our life and come to Jesus and become born-again, we're then born of Jesus's seed (spiritual gene pool) and His righteousness is imputed onto us. In Adam we are not free to become anything other than a child of Adam, or as Paul says in Ephesians 2:3, a child of God's wrath. Regardless to how great, horrible, or somewhere in-between of an upbringing you've had, life you've lived, choices you've made, and so on, in Adam there is no freedom. You are pre-set as a sinner and accounted for sin's penalty. That is your lot in life. But in Christ we are free (Gal. 4:21-31) to become something new (2Cor. 5:17), healed and whole, and something so much greater than we can imagine (Eph. 3:20-21)! 

"Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete." (2Cor. 1:20-22, Msg) 

This becoming something new is called regeneration, and this becoming something so much greater than we can imagine is called sanctification. In Christ we do not have to remain the same! We can become so much more! Life is not about what we can obtain or achieve or how much pleasure we can experience or becoming famous, rich, or someone of significance. Life is about either being sin's puppet and paying sin's penalty, or becoming like the God who left His throne and came to earth and put on this fragile flesh and gave His life to redeem us from sin and its penalty. Life is about either fostering and nurturing characteristics and values to no avail. Or, life is about fostering and nurturing characteristics and values towards us being a demonstration of Jesus in a lost and hurting world so He can heal, restore, and transform our lives first and then through us more lives like ours, and also receiving an eternal reward––the reward being our God saying to us "Well done, thy good and faithful servant". This is what life is about becoming or else you have missed out on true life, and true life more abundantly.

Your Choice

Who you become in life is not by chance but who you choose to become, and who you become in life will reflect to whom you belong to, sin or Jesus, bondage or promise.

"When he [Jesus] died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living." (Rom. 6:10-18, NLT)

1/3/12

Exodus: Depart From Your "Egypt" Or Remain In Bondage

Exodus is not just the second book in the Bible. Exodus is the title of the historical event of the Hebrew people leaving Egypt on the strength of God’s coming out party. God was about to add onto His earthly resume with this historical and supernatural event. The exodus from Egypt for the children of Israel is a parallel for everyone God rescues from sin and bondage, or in other words everyone God rescues from “their Egypt”. The reason I entitled this EXODUS: DEPART FROM YOUR "EGYPT" OR REMAIN IN BONDAGE is, as we will see when we go through the Word, that God wanted the Israelite’s obedience to flow from the gratitude and thankfulness of His rescuing them from their place of bondage—–Egypt. Thus, God kept reminding them of their exodus. And the same is true for us. We have to daily remind ourselves that God delivered us from our Egypt and calls us to not be conformed again to the way we lived and thought in our old life, but be transformed and become holy as He is holy; or remain in bondage—–which is the very thing we cried out for Him to rescue us from—–and then die in the wilderness, not the promise land, but die in the wilderness ungrateful and deceived.

Let’s look at some passages that explain this for us:
Ex. 1:13-14—While sin presents itself as fun and something not to be missed, truthfully, sin is just like the Egyptians in this passage. Sin makes us serve its desires with harshness, and makes our emotional, psychological, and physical lives bitter with hard bondage.
Ex. 2:23—We are the same. We cry out to God to rescue, save, and deliver us because of our bondage, whatever that bondage may be.
Ex. 6:5-7—This is our salvation. This is exactly what God does for us through Jesus Christ, He brings us out from under the burden of sin and bondage.
Ex. 19:3-6—As I said, God kept reminding them of their exodus so that their obedience would flow from the gratitude and thankfulness of His rescuing them from their place of bondage. This is also true for us.
Ex. 20:1-2—Again, God kept reminding them of their exodus so that their obedience would flow from the gratitude and thankfulness of His rescuing them from their place of bondage. I keep repeating this because it's the sole purpose for me sharing this.

Remember what your bondage to sin was like. Remember how cruel and deceitful sin is. Remember how you groaned in your private time for someone to save you. Remember that God was the only One who saw and heard your groanings and responded with His Son’s death on a cross to pay for your eternal punishment for your sin and your deliverance from your present Egypt. I cried out to God from a jail cell. He heard my cry and saved me in jail. Remember yours.

Does your life show God how grateful and thankful you are for what He’s done for you? Because if not, you’re telling God, like the children of Israel did, “I rather go back to Egypt and die in the bondage I cried out for You to deliver me from.” And if you continue to live like this, God will do you just like He did the children of Israel: you will die in the wilderness and not enter His promise land.

I’ll close with this passage:
"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." (2Cor. 5:14-15, NIV)

Live your life no longer for yourself or sin; but live your life for Him who died for you, delivered you, and conquered the grave for you! Either depart from your Egypt (by following God's way) or remain in bondage (by following your own desires, rules, understanding, etc). Your choice! Choose wisely people.

Choose Wisely (Video)

This is a video of me at a church's "Transformation Youth Explosion" sharing a condensed version of my (before Christ) testimony and a word on reality and making wise choices, April 2, 2010, San Bernadino, CA.


Choose Wisely