The Importance Of Judging Through God's Eyes

The Right Spirit For Judgment

From Pilgrims Journal

We may find ourselves in a position (as a parent, supervisor, pastor, etc.) to punish or discipline, but with what spirit do we correct? If we want to work with God and God to work with us, we must operate in the same Spirit. Judges chapters 20-21 illustrates how Israel came into the same Spirit so that God could use them for punishment and restoration. There are invaluable lessons in these passages for us who are called to rule and reign with Christ.

A horrible offence had taken place in Gibeah, within the tribe of Benjamin, and the wicked needed to be punished. The punishment for raping a married or betrothed woman was death (Deut 22:25). When the whole tribe of Benjamin defended the wicked men of Gibeah, they put themselves in line to receive the same punishment (Compare with Deut 13:12-15).

“Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh. So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ‘What wickedness is this that is done among you? Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel.’ But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: but the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel” (Judg 20:1, 11-14).

The men of Israel quickly rose to the occasion to “stand for righteousness.”

“And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, ‘Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin?’ And the Lord said, ‘Judah shall go up first’” (Judg 20:18).

When the men of Israel sought God about this grave matter, the only question was, “Who shall go up first?” It seems that everyone was ready to be first (if told) to smite the Benjamites. So maybe, God was called upon to be an arbitrator only. Nevertheless, it was God’s will to punish Benjamin, therefore He answered their question.

The number of men taking part in this battle is important. There were 26,700 men of Benjamin and 400,000 men of Israel.

“And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men” (Judg 20:21).

What a surprise! The Benjamites were outnumbered 15 to 1, yet they killed 22,000 Israelites! Weren’t the Benjamites the bad guys and the Israelites the good guys? Didn’t God tell the Israelites to fight? Yes, but God was working something into the Israelites.

“And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up against him’” (Judg 20:23).

Now we can see what God was doing. This time the Israelites wept when they sought the Lord. There were no tears the first time. Also, this time they were asking if they should go up to battle against Benjamin. When you ask, you know the answer could be “yes” or “no.” Now, the Israelites were not eager to punish; their selfish motives were removed by their loss on the battlefield.

The first time their attitude was, “Who should go up first against these no-good Benjamites, children of the devil?” This time, they asked, “Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Now there is some sympathy in their hearts for the Benjamites. The men of Israel had tasted some of the punishment God told them to afflict upon Benjamin. Now, in empathy, they refer to Benjamin as “my brother.” Again, God says, “Go up against him.”

“And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword” (Judg 20:24-25).

Another setback! Not as bad as the first day, but still a great disaster! Yet we can see that God is still working.

“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand’” (Judg 20:26-28).

In two days of fighting, the Israelites lost 40,000 men. That’s more men than the entire tribe of Benjamin! This God-ordained punishment was hurting the Israelites more than the Benjamites! This is an illustration of the love of God. If God has to punish His people, it hurts Him too.

After the second day of loss, the Israelites again sought the Lord with weeping, but this time humbling themselves with fasting too. They also offered burnt offerings and peace offerings after the second day. This time they asked if they should again go out against their brother Benjamin, or if they should cease. This question (“should I cease?”) shows that they did not want to punish their brother. They only wanted to do what God wanted, no more and no less. This is what the whole burnt offering represented: doing only what the Lord desires for our lives. Now, they were no longer motivated by pride, anger, hatred, despising, etc. They were at peace with God and their brother. This is what the peace offering represented—peace with God and man. Now they are in the Spirit of Christ and God can use them for punishment; they won’t inflict any more than what God ordains.

In the Book of Revelation, only Jesus Christ the Lamb of God was found worthy to open the book, loose the seals thereof and send great tribulation upon the earth. He has suffered to take away the sins of the world, proving His love for all mankind. He alone could be trusted by the Father to inflict no more punishment than required.

“And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times” (Judg 20:30).

“So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to” (Judg 20:46-48).

“And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; and said, ‘O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?’ And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings… and the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, ‘There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?’” (Judg 21:2-7).

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up” (Hos 6:1). God had used the Israelites to smite Benjamin, but now they want to be used to heal them. The Israelites are now weeping, but it’s not for themselves; they are weeping for their brother Benjamin, the “enemy.” Their entire focus is to lawfully restore the remnant that escaped.

“But them that are without, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1Cor 5:13). We don’t see any repentance at all by Benjamin anywhere in these chapters. Even if we have to reject a backslider who is actively sinning, and cast him out of the church, God doesn’t want to see anything in us except love for that soul.

If Israel had not been humbled, they may have laid siege to the remnant at the rock Rimmon and killed all of Benjamin. Thank God they didn’t. The Apostle Paul came from Benjamin.

“And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel” (Judg 21:15).

Even though Benjamin didn’t repent, God worked a change, (a repentance) in Israel.

“And they said, ‘There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel’” (Judg 21:17).

How beautiful: “There must be an inheritance for them that escaped.” This is the hope and faith that Israel had for Benjamin. “Faith which worketh by love” (Gal 5:6).

Chapter 21:6-7 states that the men of Israel “repented” and asked, ”How shall we do for wives for them that remain?” Then the men of Israel discovered a way to get wives for 400 of the 600 Benjamites that escaped. In verses 15-16, the Israelites again “repented,” and asked, “How shall we do for wives for them that remain?” Then they discovered a way to get wives for the remaining 200 men. Thus, the tribe of Benjamin was torn, but also healed by the men of Israel.

In our lives, let us learn to judge as God judges, with love and compassion, knowing that his purposes for our lives are redemptive in nature, to bring us closer to Him.

No chastening, correction, or rebuke is easy to take, but if we realize that it is coming from a heart of love, from our heavenly Father, we can take it in the right spirit and bring forth the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:11). Let us also remember, as we are in positions of responsibility over others (be it parents, teachers, pastors, or in the work place) we must learn to see everything through the eyes of the Lord who has good thoughts towards us to bring us to an expected end (Jer 29:11). “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1-2 NIV). ❏

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What does binding and loosing means?

Binding And Loosing?

Q. What is binding and loosing? Is it appropriate for Christians to pray for binding and loosing? If not then what is the proper way?

A. The concept of binding and loosing comes from Matt. 16:19 and is repeated in Matt 18:18. It comes from Jewish legal terminology where something bound was forbidden and something loosed was authorized. In Matt. 16:19 it was used in reference to the disciples’ authority regarding the Kingdom. Having the Keys to the Kingdom meant Peter, and by implication the others, could in effect open it to believers and close it to unbelievers on the Lord’s behalf. They did this by preaching the gospel, so when a person heard the gospel and asked to be saved, they had the authority to promise them entry into the Kingdom.

In Matt 18:18 there was a second, related application. This one has to do with church discipline. If a person refuses to acknowledge his sin and be reconciled to a brother, the church has the authority to treat him or her like an unbeliever. The phrase “like an unbeliever” doesn’t mean the church can revoke a person’s salvation, but that after all the other steps have been followed can suspend the person from the rights of fellowship until there’s reconciliation.

The Bible never refers to binding and loosing in the context of spiritual warfare. While believers do have authority over evil spirits in the Lord’s name (Luke 10:17), it doesn’t come from these verses, and to use “binding and loosing” in this context is a misapplication of Scripture. Paul demonstrated the proper way to deal with evil spirits in others when he said, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her.” (Acts 16:18) And in personal matters James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 2 Cor. 10:3-5 also outlines personal application.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

The True Vine

Who is the True Vine?

By Dudley Hall

www.sclm.org

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. John 15:1

In the Old Testament era, Israel was considered the vine that God took from Egypt and planted in the promised land. One primary reference to Israel's role as God's vineyard is Isaiah 5:1-2,7:

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; He built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes...For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

When Jesus identified himself as Israel, he was making a huge point. He was doing what Israel was assigned to do, but couldn't. He was the Seed who would bless the nations that God promised to Abraham. The people of God would not be known primarily by their relationship to Abraham, but to Jesus the Christ.

It should be noted that Israel had failed at the assignment to display the true nature of God the Father as a nation of priests. She had turned her calling into a self-exalting superiority and generally excluded the nations. But she had succeeded in one thing: She had produced the Messiah. However, she could take no credit for this because it was the sovereign hand of God who worked through the good and bad decisions of the descendants of Abraham. No matter what she did, she could not prevent the Messiah's coming at exactly the right time. Jesus came in Israel's stead to do what she could not do.

Just as David had represented Israel as king, now the Son of David would identify himself as the Vine-Israel. Jesus is Israel in one person. So we can say that Israel succeeded in her role. Jesus did accurately represent God the Father, and he was the ultimate priest who brought man and God together. Jesus is the Savior. He saved Israel from failure just like he saves the Gentiles from wrath by doing for both of them what they cannot do for themselves.

Now in the last discourse with his disciples Jesus is giving an identity to his followers. They are the true branches of the true vine. Where Israel had been a false vine and produced wild grapes, this new people could display the fruit of his own life as they embraced their new identity. They were the new Israel in the sense that they would now have the assignment to display his true nature to the nations and bless them by presenting the gospel of Jesus and His kingdom. 

There aren't two vines. Jesus has stepped in and fulfilled Israel's role. He is the true vine. We as his disciples have the privileges of being connected to the very source of eternal life. Our job is to abide in the Vine.

Double Paycheck

Work For The Lord. Get Paid Twice.

Q. Do you think there is there any chance of a future or anything? I keep thinking of Jeremiah 29:11 whenever I think about a career, but when I see the world collapsing I wonder if anything is worth it anymore. I’m basically praying for Him to return soon but remember I still have work to do and such ministry wise with my photography projects and whatever career door opens up. I am honestly running out of options and have hit one of those road signs that says either continue here and hit the same bumps again or go there and everything will fall into place since everything happens for a reason.

A. In my opinion Jeremiah 29: 11 was meant for Israel and doesn’t have general application. But even if it does, I think all those who have the option should strongly consider devoting their remaining time to serving the Lord. I don’t mean going to seminary, unless that’s where God has called you, but instead becoming missionaries of one kind or another.

One of the first things I learned in Mexico is that most missionaries don’t go around knocking on doors preaching the Gospel. They help in orphanages, build houses and churches, care for the sick, feed the hungry, teach the children, and do thousands of other jobs in the US and in other countries. Best of all, a life on the Lord’s payroll provides a double paycheck. One takes care of you here, and the other stores up treasure in Heaven.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

OSAS

Yes You’re Saved, But …

Q. My question is if you are a real born again believer and are in a back slidden state, will you go in the rapture, is your salvation secure, and do you have the spiritual authority to do spiritual warfare against the enemy and demons in particular if you are back slidden? My 20 year old daughter who is on fire for the Lord is constantly questioning my salvation because of the situation I am in and just doesn’t understand why I can’t get out of it “If I love the Lord and have faith in him”.

I hate where I am and I pray with tears all the time. I believe He is working out His plans for me and that He will get me straight and that I wouldn’t feel conviction if I didn’t have the Holy Spirit, but she makes me feel that at some point, His patience will run dry and that will be the end for me.

I know I am wrong for being in this backslidden state to begin with for my choices but I do love the Lord and I want to change and get things back on track with my life in the Lord. What do you have to share with me? I don’t just want someone to agree with me, but someone who will speak biblical truth to me from an objective standpoint.

A. The Scriptures are clear that we’re saved because of what we believe, not because of how we behave, so if you are truly saved then no one, not even you, can reverse that. You’re part of His Church and will be taken in the Rapture along with the rest of us.

However what I don’t understand is that if you know you’re sinning, and feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit, why aren’t you taking steps to clean up your life? Even though your salvation isn’t threatened, you are losing out on blessings both here and in heaven, and are living a defeated life. Unless you are continually confessing your sins and praying yourself back into fellowship with God, you not only won’t have authority over Satan, but he’ll have access to you.

By your own admission, you’re making yourself and those around you miserable. As soon as you make some sincere effort at turning your life around, the Lord will provide all the help you need to succeed. But as long as you choose to remain as you are, He’ll respect that too. Salvation is something the Lord did for you purely as an act of love. Expressing your gratitude by living in a manner pleasing to Him requires your active participation. Remember, He has accepted responsibility for keeping you saved, (2 Cor. 1:21-22) but you’re responsible for how you choose to live your life.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Prosperity Gospel?

The Way It Was Meant To Be

This Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley

The Prosperity Gospel teachers are right when they say that the Lord intended for us to live abundant lives. The problem is that these teachers have misrepresented the Lord’s motives in making these promises to a point where although they themselves are personally awash in material wealth, their followers rank 2nd lowest of all American Christians in average income. (Source: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life2) The Lord intended for us to be financially secure so we’d be generous to a fault, not so we could amass personal fortunes at the expense of others.

But that’s a story for another day. Our topic here is the way it was meant to be. In spite of current evidence to the contrary the Lord always intended for our lives to be much better than those of the pagan/secular world. I’ll show you what I mean. Here are some of the things God had Moses tell the Israelites when He was preparing them for their life in the Promised Land,

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. (Deut. 7:12-15)

Their crops would never fail and would always be abundant. Their flocks and herds would grow in number season after season. Every marriage would produce happy healthy offspring. There would be no disease. In modern terms, this means job security and steadily increasing household wealth, in addition to being blessed with great kids and good health. In short, they would live long and happy lives, secure in the Lord’s blessings.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. (Deut 8:10-11)

He also admonished them never to forget the source of their prosperity,

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (Deut. 8:17-18) and not make the mistake of thinking they had created their own success. There were to be no self made men in Israel. He would bless them beyond measure, but He wanted all the credit for doing so.

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. (Deut 15: 1-2)

If a person did come upon hard times and had to borrow money, any balance remaining after seven years had to be forgiven. (By the way, according to Deut. 23:19, it was also forbidden for a lender to charge interest on these loans.) There was no long term debt. And once every generation not only were all debts forgiven, but any who had sold themselves into servitude to pay their debts were set free, and any real property they had sold was returned to them. There was no incentive for empire building, or enriching one’s self at the expense of the less fortunate. (Leviticus 25:8-55)

However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. (Deut. 15:4-5)

Having to go into debt because of personal hard times should have been an almost unheard of situation. He promised them uninterrupted prosperity in exchange for obedience.

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. (Deut 15:7-8,10)

He wanted them to demonstrate their generosity toward each other out of gratitude for the generosity He had demonstrated toward them.

During the reigns of David and Solomon, these promises came true in a way never before seen on Earth. Israel was blessed with a standard of living that was the envy of every nation. Especially during the reign of Solomon, Israel was the healthiest, wealthiest, and happiest nation on Earth.

That Was Then, This Is Now

Now I know what you’re thinking. All that was in Old Testament times. But before you say that these promises were only for Israel, think about this. I’ll show you that all these promises are repeated in the New Testament, only now they’ re directed toward the Church. American Christians need to remember this. America didn’t become the wealthiest nation on Earth because the Lord promised to bless our nation like He did Israel. There is absolutely no Scripture to support such a view. America became wealthy because the freedom to pursue the Christian religion without government interference (separation of Church and State) attracted so many faith filled Christians to its shores that for all practical purposes America became the headquarters for the Church on Earth. As He had promised, God blessed these believers. It’s what came to be known as the Protestant work ethic that produced America’s wealth, and made even average Americans wealthy beyond the expectations of average non-Americans.

Even a cursory study of American history will show that with few exceptions our government has always been corrupt, big business has always taken advantage of the little guy, and there’s always been an elite group lurking in the shadows, enriching themselves from the sweat of the common people. Most of our founding fathers were deists. That means they believed in God, but rejected the notion that He would ever involve Himself in human affairs. In spite of their lip service, they never expected God to bless America because deists don’t believe God blesses any nation. They think He just observes His creation from afar. It was the Church who started thinking of itself as the new Israel, not the government, (and certainly not God). What the politicians did was to play up to that false doctrine, blurring the distinction between religion and patriotism as a way to get re-elected.

America’s decline began when separation of Church and State was re-interpreted to mean that the government could not do anything that was perceived as favoring one religion over another. Having divorced itself from the Church, America no longer had any right to the blessings that had come to it because of the Church. In seizing the philosophical control of the government, non-believers succeeded only in killing the goose that been laying America’s golden eggs, and in the span of a generation or so America went from being the world’s largest lender to becoming its largest borrower. It was a stunning reversal of fortune.

But that doesn’t mean God’s promises to the Church were rendered null and void. God’s word can’t be broken by the actions of a corrupt government. Consider these.

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt. 6:31-34)

This is the New Testament equivalent of the promises of Deut. 7:12-15. The difference is that it was not made to a nation, like it was in the Old Testament, but to the Church. And the condition is not obedience, it’s faith. When we seek the righteousness imputed to us by faith and focus on the coming Kingdom in which our true citizenship is vested, the Lord has promised to meet all our Earthly needs.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)

So many Christians live lives indistinguishable from their worldly neighbors because over 90% of Christians have a secular world view. Half their wealth disappeared in the past year because they’re storing up treasure on Earth where the moths and rust of inflation and interest destroy, and the thieves of government and banking break in and steal.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)

Once again, the focus here is on individuals. Instead of the polarizing (and largely futile) effort to force non-believers to live by our standards and condemn them to Hell when they don’t, each and every one of us can follow these admonitions regardless of what our country or our neighbor does. If we don’t judge others for their sins, we won’t be judged for ours. If we don’t condemn them we won’t be condemned. If we forgive others, we’ll be forgiven. And even while the entire world goes to hell in a hand basket, our generosity toward others will be matched by God’s generosity toward us.

Please remember, these admonitions were given in a relational sense not in a judicial one. We’re saved by grace because of our faith, but remaining in fellowship with God requires that we be merciful to others in the same way that He’s been merciful to us. (Matt. 18:23-35)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7)

The City of Philippi was a Roman colony, populated largely by former members of the military who had been given land there as a reward for service. They were proud of their Roman citizenship, loved being Romans, and tolerated no threats that could disrupt the status quo. They viewed the Church as such a threat, so believers were persecuted. Many lost their jobs and most were ostracized by the community at large and deprived of their right to worship in peace. In the midst of this Paul, himself imprisoned for his faith, exhorted them to maintain an attitude of joy in the face of persecution, in effect saying that none of this could prevent God from meeting their needs. (Phil. 4:19)

So many ask me questions these days about how bad things will get before the Rapture. Some send me reports of concentration camps being built to house Christians and other potential “terrorists”, and of a special branch of the US army being trained for use against the civilian population in cases of public protest against government policy. Others wonder if they should start hoarding food as a hedge against coming shortages. And still others warn of a Great Depression style bank holiday that could deny us access to our money for weeks or months and cripple our economy.

My response is that the parallel between the Church in Philippi then and the Church in the world now is obvious. Like them, our destiny is not dependent on the favor of any human government, but upon the immutable promises of God. We should rejoice in our salvation, pray about everything, be fearful of nothing, and give thanks for anything. This alone will give us peace. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.Romans 8:15) We are the children of the Most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32) These fears are born of our humanity, not of our spirituality.

If you want a strategy for the days ahead try this.

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously … for God loves a cheerful giver. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Cor. 9:6,7-10,11)

As you can see from Deut. 8:17-18, it’s God who has supplied the seed. Within your circle of acquaintances there’s someone in need. Sow generously to help meet that need and you’ll reap accordingly. First there’ll be the joy that comes from giving, followed by an increase in your store of seed. You may actually find that you’ve wound up with more at the end than you had at the start. Next you’ll discover that you’ve begun a chain reaction. As long as you keep sowing the seed the Lord will keep increasing your supply so you can sow still more. This is what it means to be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion. And as a special bonus, each time you sow you’re also storing up treasure in Heaven that nothing can ever devalue. These are My Thoughts. 07-04-09

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Faith

How Can I Increase My Faith?

Q. How does one go about increasing his faith in Christ and His power. It would be nice to have the faith to move mountains, the size of a grain of mustard seed. I pray for it, and wisdom. I read His word continually and I do believe that He has that kind of power and that He lives in us, but my faith is so weak, as if it is non-existant, especially in regards to things that might apply directly to me, healing and those kinds of things. Maybe I feel unworthy of His love in this way, although I believe He has love and mercy towards me. Is there some key element I am missing in obtaining and increasing faith?

A. Think of faith as a spiritual muscle. You were given enough faith to save you when you were born again (Ephes. 2:8-9) just as you were given your physical muscles at your physical birth. Both are increased through exercise. If we never exercised our physical muscles they would atrophy to the point where they would barely work. The same is true with our faith.

We exercise our faith by applying Romans 12:1-2 to our lives. We offer our entire life to God to use as He pleases. That means we don’t do anything without consulting Him, and we wait upon Him to give us direction. We learn to listen to His voice and follow His lead. (John 10:27)

The Lord promised that if we do this, He’ll see to all of our needs (Matt. 6:25-34) and He said that if we delight in Him He’ll give us the desire of our heart. (Psalm 37:4) We exercise our faith by believing these promises and relying on Him to guide us through life. The more fully we rely on Him, no matter what, the stronger our faith will grow.

Our Measure Of Faith

Q. In Romans 12:3, it speaks of “the measure of Faith” God has given us.

My question is: do we all get the same “measure” of Faith, or are some of us given a bigger or smaller measure? Some of us are called to serve in areas where I would think they would need a very large portion of Faith.

Also if we get the same measure, maybe some exercise that Faith More?

A. We are all gifted with the faith to believe (Ephes 2:8-9). We are instructed to make that faith grow, through the study of God’s word (Romans 10:17) and through living by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We read about God’s promises to us, and as we trust in Him we see those promises come true. That makes our faith grow. Many people who seem to have stronger faith are like people who have stronger muscles. They’ve just exercised more. Others are actually given extraordinary faith as a spiritual gift (1 Cor. 12:9) to prepare them for some special work.

But we could all have the faith to do great things for the Lord, if only we spent more time exercising it. (Matt. 17:20)

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Who is worthy?

Worthy To Escape

Q. Would you be kind enough to explain Luke 21:36? I am a born again Christian depending on what Christ sacrificed on the cross for me. I do not believe I am worthy to escape what is soon to happen, except for Christ in me, He alone is worthy. I am confused as to why it states in Luke 21:36 to pray always that I may be worthy to escape.

A. The correct understanding of this verse depends on knowing what it takes to be worthy. Throughout the New Testament we’re told that no one will be made worthy by attaining a certain standard of behavior. In 2 Thes. 1:3-5 Paul used the same Greek words found in Luke 21:36 to explain that it’s our faith, even through times of persecution and suffering, that makes us worthy. When we pray that we’ll be counted worthy to escape, we’re praying that our faith will be sufficient to sustain us in spite of what may be happening around us.

Am I Worthy To Escape?

Q. RE:Luke 21:36 - Jesus says “pray that you be counted worthy to escape these things” - meaning the horrors of God’s judgment. This scripture troubles me as I sometimes wonder if I AM worthy, even though I am a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian who loves the Lord and is serving Him to the best of the talents and abilities that He has given me. I have always believed in the pre-Trib Rapture, but this verse seems to suggest that there are some Christians who won’t make it.

Also - it has been reported that we, meaning the Church of this age, is the Laodocian church - the one that Jesus said He would spit out of His mouth because it was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. I tend to agree with this as I see very few churches, including my own, that are truly on fire for God.

A. A couple of corrections are in order. First, the Lord’s words in Luke 21:36 concerned the first century destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, not the Great Tribulation. We know this because He said “what is about to happen” in the verse. If you read Luke 21 carefully you’ll see that He jumps back and forth between 70 AD and the end of the age.

But actually the same qualifications apply to both events. We are made worthy by the shed Blood of the Lamb, and by that alone. If you’re saved you’re worthy.

Second, the Laodicean Church (apostate) is alive and well on Earth today, but so are Thyatira (Catholic) Sardis (Main Line Protestant) and Philadelphia (Church of the Rapture). Just because you’re here on Earth and part of the Church doesn’t mean it’s the Laodicean Church.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Christian World View?

What’s A Christian World View?

Q. Thanks for all of your insights and thoughtful answers to the questions of your readers. The questions are great and so are the answers.

In many of your articles I have seen you speak of a “Christian World View.” I think I have that view but I would like to know what that view consists of in your opinion. I feel that it is looking at the world through the Bible and it’s prophecies, looking at what is happening in the world news and relating it to prophecy and living in anticipation of what Jesus said would happen in the end times in which we are living. Am I close?

A. Good question. The Christian world view holds that the Church is in the world but not of it. That means we know we don’t belong here, so we don’t try to fit in. Our thoughts and actions are focused on Heaven, where we do belong, and on making sure we’ll have a good life there. We long for the return of the Lord because we know that when He returns He’ll take us there. We love the things that God loves, hate the things He hates, and can’t wait till we’re with Him for good, because that’s our destiny. (Surveys show that less than 10% of Christians have this view.)

What About The Other 90%?

Q. I read with interest your description of the Christian World View. You commented that surveys show less than 10% of Christians feel this way or agree with this world view. What do the other 90% see as their world view? Any thoughts?

A. Yes. According to the survey, the other 90+% of professing Christians hold a secular world view. They’re focused on the things of this world, desiring the same consumption driven materialistic lifestyle as non-believers. They don’t think much about the 2nd Coming or of the eternity to follow. Like the seed that fell among the thorns in Matt 13:22, the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth have choked them and stunted their growth, making them entirely unfruitful.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

The Parables of the Gospel

The Sower And The Seed

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Every time I post a study on the completed work of the Lord who took away all the sins of the world, and how all that’s left for us to do is believe, I get a number of questions from people. These questions are always about others who don’t seem to have been changed at all by their salvation experience. The writers ask me, “Where’s the evidence of a changed life?” or, “What about sacrifice, and repentance, and death to sin?” or “Are you saying that just because a person went forward and mouthed some prayer, and then never did anything else, that means they’re saved?”

If we look carefully we’ll find that the Lord anticipated questions like these, and answered them in advance. In this case the answer can be found in Matt. 13, so that’s where we’ll look.

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matt. 13:3-9)

As He explained later in the chapter, the farmer represents the Lord, the seed is His word, the soil is the world, and the birds represent the evil one. While the parables He gave us in Matt. 13 are often called the Kingdom Parables, it’s important to understand that this first one describes the whole world, not just His kingdom. In the world His word is met with four kinds of responses.

No Comprehension

The first kind is called the seed that falls on the path. It represents people who hear the word but fail to comprehend it. In Matt. 13:19 He said this is due to the fact that the evil one comes and snatches it away. Paul put it this way.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor 4:3-4)

Because of their lifestyle choices some people have developed a heart so hard that the Gospel cannot penetrate its shell. The words lie there on the surface for the enemy to sweep away lest any should slip into a crack and take root. When you try to share the gospel with these people, they look at you like you’ve come from another planet. It’s foolishness to them, as Paul said it would be. (1 Cor. 2:14)

No Conversion

The Lord called the second response the seed that falls on the rocky places. This refers to people who hear the Gospel message and in the passion of the moment run forward for the altar call, but never really let the Lord into their hearts, so there’s no conversion. It all sounded so good at that crusade or revival meeting and they got all caught up in the excitement of the event. But they didn’t really open their hearts to the Lord so the first time someone laughs at or ridicules them for their beliefs they deny the Gospel and act like the altar call never happened.

Sadly this describes an overwhelming majority of those who come forward at public events. They don’t ever wander into a church afterward, or even crack open their Bible, so they were never really saved at all. Had they sincerely asked the Lord to forgive them, they could have been part of the small minority who really does get saved this way, but they didn’t give it a thought. They just jumped up and ran down front because it felt good at the time. Paul warned us against letting this happen to us.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col 2:6-7)

No Fruit

The seed among the thorns describes believers who are saved but are so distracted by the things of the world that they bear no fruit. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) He wasn’t talking about our salvation there because salvation is not a fruit bearing event. Fruit has an effect on others where salvation is purely personal. In other words, fruit is not something that happens to the branch, it’s something that happens through the branch. And the branch does not make fruit grow by its own effort. It’s the vine that does the work.

Why are there so many believers who don’t bear fruit? It’s because of the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. According to Matt. 13:22 they choke the Word and make it unfruitful. Preoccupation with the things of this world makes it impossible to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This is probably the biggest group in all of Christianity, saved but not fruitful. This is the group some other believers look at and wonder, “Are those people really saved”? Odds are the answer is yes, but you’d never know by looking at them.

But before we go on, there’s something we should remember. Living a “sacrificial life” is not the same as being fruitful. To sacrifice is to give up something for nothing, like the lambs did on the altar. They received no benefit from it. The notion that Christians have to live sacrificial lives is man’s idea, not God’s. Jesus said that He came so that we could have an abundant life, not a sacrificial one. (John 10:10)

Christians aren’t asked to give up something for nothing. No one who is truly walking with the Lord thinks of it as a sacrifice, he thinks of it as a greater blessing than anything he could have otherwise received. People who take pride in living a sacrificial life are missing the point, and by denying themselves the things they secretly still want (it wouldn’t be a sacrifice if they didn’t), they not only aren’t producing any fruit, they may just be performing works of the flesh. You can tell because the result is not joy, it’s jealousy, envy or resentment toward others. These are not the fruit of the Spirit.

No Problem

The seed that lands in fertile ground produces a crop many times its size. This is the group that Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-26, where he also described the fruit we produce.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

This fruit grows when the gospel finds fertile soil. It impacts others, and draws them to the Lord. The peace and contentment we feel, and the love and kindness we express, causes others to want what we have. When they get it, they in turn draw still others, and without trying or even knowing, we’ll have produced a crop that will multiply us over and over.

So we take pity on those for whom there is no comprehension and pray that the Lord will soften their hearts. And likewise for those for whom there was no conversion. The Gospel was just a passing fancy for them, a rush of emotion that never became a commitment. Let them hear it again, Lord, and this time may they choose to invite you in. And especially for those who though saved, are so caught up in the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth, that they’re totally unfruitful. Help them gain the eternal perspective.

The best witness we can offer to the world lies not in doing what we think the Lord wants us to do, but in being what He wants us to be. So while we’re at it let’s pray that since we live by the Spirit, He’ll keep us in step with the Spirit, so we won’t become conceited, and begin provoking and envying each other. Amen. Selah 06-28-08

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com