The Day Has Come!

OH LORD!  Bring about AWAKENING of Your people and great REVIVAL among the lost and wandering!

Lord, bring forth Your word spoken through Joel:

Wake up people of God!
Cry out to the Lord!

"LORD - deliver us from our grieving!  The Day of the Lord is at hand!  Pour out Your Spirit upon Your sons and Your daughters, to declare the Day of the Lord is at hand!  As Your Ambassadors, let us sound the alarm and declare with boldness that we must must turn to the Lord, Who is gracious and compassionate!  There must be a repentance of our sins and a seeking after the righteousness and holiness of God our Creator, Master of all heaven and all earth!  Let the days be filled with proclamations of God's goodness and mercy!  Pray that many will turn from wickedness and be filled with the Holy Spirit of the Living God!"

As I woke this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this very freeing and most glorious thought filling my mind and heart:

It really doesn't matter what is going on in the world AROUND me; it matters only what is going on WITHIN me!

When it isn't about WHAT we trust, but about WHO we put our trust in, and our trust is in the Everlasting God, our minds are filled with peace and our hearts hold right attitude that keeps us joyful and hopeful, in all things and through all things!

If we base our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors on the conditions and actions of the world around us it is no wonder at all that we would be fearful and terribly discouraged!  The god of this world, the devil, has only one mission:  DECEIVE PEOPLE SO THEY WON'T  WORSHIP THE ONE TRUE GOD OR TRUST IN THE SAVIOR, JESUS!

He does this by working through PEOPLE!  He works through religious people to deceive even Gods elect if possible.  John 10:10 tells us the works of religious leaders who have given themselves completely over to the deceit and have set themselves up as something to be adored and worshipped by their foolish pride!  They kill, steal and destroy! They keep the very people God intended them to serve, enslaved to their whims and selfish human desires!

 In Jesus' day, the religious leaders set themselves against the very Savior they claimed they were seeking diligently for, waiting for and hoping for!  When He came, they were so enamored of their own high status and financial prosperity, they continued to "use" the name of God to legitimize their actions, but they no longer worshipped or served God or God's people!  They served themselves - just like their father the devil! (See John 8:44)

Because of this, they were blinded to the truth, even when He stood right in front of them and declared He was the One they had been seeking and waiting for!  Instead of rejoicing, they were afraid of Him, set themselves against Him and ultimately caused His arrest and imprisonment that led to His crucifixion!

Religion can lead you far from the Lord and cannot set you free!  Church attendance, while helpful to your growth (if truth is taught!) cannot set you free! Head knowledge about the Lord cannot and will not set you free from doubts, worries and fears.

There is only ONE who sets truly FREE INDEED and that is Christ the Savior!

In the words of our Savior I implore you today:  REPENT, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!  Ask and receive forgiveness of your sin through the sacrifice Jesus made of His life on the cross to pay every penalty for you!  Trust His work and believe that God raised Him from the dead and you SHALL BE SAVED!  Let today be the last day you face the concerns and evils of this world alone.

BEHOLD NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME, BEHOLD NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!

We'd love to pray with you; fill out the prayer request form in the upper left of the screen.  Go to a local church and talk to them about your decision to walk with Christ on your side and living in your heart.

NEVER WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN FEAR AGAIN!

Holy Spirit Revelation

When I was a young and impressionable new Christian just beginning my quest for truth and to know God and His word, I came across this wise statement from a respected minister and Pastor of a large movement in the 60’s who said “you can’t go beyond what you are taught”.

Many years of study and research later, I came to the realization that there also is no shame in not knowing what you don’t know. But there is a problem with refusing to consider truth that may be new to you and therefore uncomfortable for you to assimilate into your current knowledge base.

Once upon a time everyone believed the world was flat and that if you got in a boat and began to sail in one direction you would eventually fall off the earth.

(It wasn’t, and you wouldn’t)

Once upon a time all medical professionals believed that bloodletting was the way to cure diseases.

(It wasn’t, and they killed more patients than they helped)

Once upon a time men believed that flying was just for the birds.

(Until a couple of brothers named Wright dared to think differently)

Once upon a time each individual Christian trusted in the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them.

You heard that right.  There was no waiting for Sunday morning and a sermon to instruct them.  Each believer was able to receive direct instruction from the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus instructed His disciples in Acts 8 to wait for the Holy Spirit, which would give them the power to be witnesses to Him, He was indicating that all disciples from then and for all time would be filled with the Spirit in order to carry out the mission; to be witnesses to Him.  The mission hasn’t changed and neither has the method of revelation.

We are BLESSED to have the valuable reminder of the written revelations for us to study and learn from, but they are not a substitute for or in place of the direct inspired revelation available to us from the Holy Spirit.  Nowhere in scripture are we told that the written word REPLACES revelation, but that it is in addition to! (Romans 15:4)

Main stream churches have been teaching for CENTURIES that the only way to hear truth is through showing up on Sunday mornings to hear preaching.  

Just because something has been taught for a long time doesn’t make it the truth.  It just makes it a misrepresentation that hasn’t been corrected… yet. 

It’s time we correct this misreading of Paul’s words in Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

While it is entirely true that unbelievers need to hear the gospel, because they cannot receive direct revelation from the Holy Spirit as they have not yet been “born again”, this isn't true of Believers. Without the indwelling Spirit an unbeliever needs someone to “reveal the truth” to them through the foolishness of preaching. This is the true “work of the ministry”.  (See 2Corinthians 5:18-20)

But Believers do have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!  God expects believers to hear Him and receive wisdom directly from His Spirit.   

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Jesus Himself clearly teaches that it was by revelation from the Holy Spirit that we would learn and grow in Him.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Paul taught the same in his letters to the gentile believers.

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

During my continuing quest for truth, I spent time with a Presbyterian minister who insisted that God doesn’t talk to people.  The only Word of God is what is found in the Bible.

Yet the bible itself declares that if everything Jesus taught were to be written down the world could not contain all the books! (John 21:25)

And Paul, who had only the Old Testament to work from, might never have trusted and shared the GREATEST new revelation we ever received – GRACE

I’ve read the book of Colossians numerous times.  This very morning, God gave me a NEW REVELATION. See if you can spot it, too.

Colossians 1: 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Paul would surely not pray for something that wasn’t possible! That they, having no “written word” to study as the New Testament didn’t exist yet and being gentiles, very likely didn’t possess the Jewish scrolls of the Old Testament, would be FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GODS WILL.

It can only be that Paul knew they, like himself and all believers, would have knowledge revealed to them by the Holy Spirit.  

We read exactly that here in Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

This leading by the Spirit is that which Jesus taught and we read in John 14, that the Spirit would teach us "all things".  Not some things, not a few things, but "all" things!

So why are so many not hearing direct revelation from the Holy Spirit? Because we are not being taught!

The bible clearly teaches that God never changes, but that He is always changing US. If history teaches us anything at all it is that what worked well in the past isn’t necessarily the best way forward.

There is no shame in not knowing what you don’t know.  But now you know. 

We will find answers in Gods written word, ABSOLUTELY.  

But we will hear from Him as long as we make sure we are not too busy to listen!  He still speaks, He has always spoken and He will continue to speak.

2Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman who needs not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.

The revealed, written word of God gives us a foundation, instruction and guidelines to keep us from going off in any which direction.  

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The Word of God works hand in hand with revelation when the believer is listening to and being led by the Holy Spirit, Who will give wisdom and knowledge for specific situations.

12 Things to AVOID for Strong Spiritual Health

1. Self Righteousness
2. Personal Truth
3. Lies of every kind and type
4. Jealousy
5. Greed
6. Self Deception
7. Trusting the false strengths of this world
8. Foolish jesting
9. Sexual Promiscuity
10. False idea of "cleaning up" before coming to Christ
11. Rejecting the Grace of God and holding unto guilt
12. Rules of man, particularly in church settings, that bind & condemn in the flesh

Love and Trust the Christian Way

My Dad used to say the sweetest things, to let me know he cared about me and was thinking of me.
He'd tell me he always thought of me once a day, every day, all day long.
I never doubted that he loved me.

Our decision to trust and obey God works like that.  We don't make it once, one time and it stays in place forever.  Our flesh is too fickle for such an easy way as that.

It is a decision we must make daily.

Once a day, every day, all day long; we need to choose to yield to the Holy Spirit.

Once a day, every day, all day long; we must decide we will obey the commands we were given.  To love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.  And to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Many of us think we have the "Love God" part down really well, even if we do struggle with the "love the neighbors" part.

God says if we aren't loving the neighbors, we aren't loving Him.

1 John 4:20

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

Jesus put it clearly as well.  

John 14:21

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.

To love is to forgive, show mercy, encourage and think the best of others.

Show the Love of God to those around you today.  You'll be amazed at the results. You'll be amazed at the blessings that are showered down on YOU!

Apologetics, debates and atheists

Do you ever feel like you have to "defend God"?

When other people scoff at your beliefs or dismiss them as weakness or fables, it is natural to want to defend those beliefs.

In reality, we aren't so much defending God as we are trying to justify why we believe what we believe.

Right here I’ll stop and make one point very clear; the belief system I am addressing is that of taking Jesus at His word.  That He is, as He declared, the Truth and the ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.   That God, in the Beginning, Created the Heavens and earth and everything in it.  That our faith must be in Him, not in our church doctrines, our own feelings or the philosophy of others.

Recently on a Facebook post, a well meaning and very polite atheist expressed the opinion that Christianity is as easily dismissed a religion as any other religion practiced on this earth.

I shared some basic Truth, which he, as expected, dismissed or ignored while pressing forward, gearing up for a “fun” debate that would waste out time and perhaps only serve to supply him with some entertainment.

I spoke the Truth in Love and made it clear I would not join him in a debate, as Truth is not open to debate, it STANDS on its own.  Jesus needs no apologies and God certainly doesn’t need me to defend Him. (I did declare I would pray for him, did pray and will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would deliver him from blindness).

According to the revelation shared by the Apostle Paul, it is both unnecessary and an exercise in futility to spend time on what he calls “endless genealogies” or “vain jangling”. 

Take a look for yourself:

1Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

2 To Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 As I asked you to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that you might charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

5 Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: (unfeigned is ‘not false’)

6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

1Timothy 6: 20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Indeed, there are many mysteries that only God Himself knows and we are ignorant of their origins or how they affect our world and our hearts.  God, being God and Creator, is naturally superior to that which He created.  That is difficult for many to accept or comprehend.  They prefer to bring God down to their own level, debate lofty truths that we have no control over as though they did control them, and reject the very premise of a Creator that would make them not completely and absolutely autonomous in their own being.

As if, in rejecting the existence of God, they could actually diminish or dispel His existence and influence upon the earth and the creatures He created.

IT REMINDS OF THE JOKE ABOUT GOD AND THE SCIENTIST.

That’s the biggest problem with every argument I’ve ever heard from one who dismisses the existence of God.  All argument begins precisely with what God has already provided; LIFE.  They live because God made, formed and created man to begin with and gave man free will to choose to worship and trust God the Creator.

I have always had a problem with lies.  It stems from a childhood that was filled with them, and caused me fist clenching tooth grinding frustration that is with me to this day. When I was raising my children, I used to tell them that as long as we had the truth of any situation, no matter how bad or devastating it might be, we could deal with it.

That is the same way I view the Bible.  I may not understand all of it, I may not even want to agree with all of it, but since it is Truth and it reveals nothing but Truth, there is something substantial to deal with whatever the circumstances. 

Those who reject the Truth – and we should understand that Truth is not a “what” but a “Who”- Jesus Himself! – those who reject that Truth have no premise, no foundation to stand on.  So anything they come up with may or may not resemble reason or logic; BUT IT WILL NOT BE TRUTH.

To be sure, faith is a difficult thing.  Centuries of scholars have written discourse after discourse about it, refuting it, defending it and discussing it at length.  One post here can't even begin to deal with the intricacies of faith and I am not going to try.  What I will say is this; you don't have to have rock solid faith in and of yourself when your faith rests on the Rock Solid foundation of Christ.

When we consider faith only from our own perspective, then losing it, if only for a time at different times, is almost a given.  When things are going well faith is easy and strong.  

When the going is hard, the stuff of life deals us a blow or a defeat or failure, if your faith is based on how "good" you are treated, how often you get not just answer to prayer, but the answers you want - if faith is based on anything other than JESUS CHRIST THE SAVIOR, your faith will fail you.

When you recognize that faith in the Truth is based ON that Truth and not your circumstances or your feelings, you discover faith is steady, stable and continually growing stronger in every situation.

Faith is:

Expectations

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...

Have you ever wondered what God wants of you? 

God asks us to:
walk humbly before Him;
recognizing that we are not able to be holy, perfect, clean, righteous on our own, God provided a way for us to humbly receive ability to be clothed in Christ the Redeemers Righteousness

God asks us to:
love mercy;
thinking about all the mercy that has been poured into us should make it very simple to give away as much as possible, but God didn't even say "give mercy" or "be merciful".  He just said Love Mercy, for yourself and for others.  He knows that what you love will be manifest in your life

God asks us to:
do justly;
and since we are not capable of complete objectivity and balanced justice, we are NOT to judge, but do justly - according to what is morally right or fair - and that is ONLY Gods department, so we have the added understanding that vengeance is the Lords!

In essence, God has given us a framework to work within, in order to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  He made each of us individual, unique and special.  He isn't looking for cloned Christians, all looking, speaking and acting the same.  He is looking for His particular, peculiar children to be witnesses OF Jesus His Son, each in our own unique way.

This isn't a comprehensive, all inclusive or exhaustive study.
I've read Oswald.
I've devoured Tozer.
C.S. Lewis
Jonathan Edwards
and many, many, many other authors who know a lot more than I ever will.

and I've read the Bible.  Over and over and over again for the last 49 of my 55 years.  My understanding has grown with each reading.  My life has changed dramatically over time as I've gained new understanding, insight and wisdom.

One of the main things I've discovered is that God is sovereign.  We, the created beings, cannot put Him in a neat package of our making without losing all that He is!

• He is INFINITELY CREATIVE
• He is BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION
• He is THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

Until the day we see Him face to face, the best we can hope for is to imitate Him in some manner so others will see how great HE IS.  Everyone relates differently, so He created many different ways for His greatness to be seen, heard, experienced and understood.  He set a frame.  Boundaries if you will.  

Within those boundaries, there are no limitations except those we set up ourselves, denying ourselves the fullness of all HE IS.

Scripture to consider: (New King James Version)

Micah 6:8

Psalm 139

Ephesians 1 and 2

Philippians 2:12

Acts 1

I Corinthians 13:12

Compassion

Feeling what another person is feeling, without regard to your own personal feelings is the mark of true compassion.  How many of us can even begin to experience such emotion?

Our own feelings swallow up every thought and direct every emotion.  Our own experiences shadow every thought and emotion.  Our own concerns outweigh concern for others.

Unless we are led by the Holy Spirit of the living God.

Through the Spirit working in and through us, we find our own self set aside, and are able to fully, compassionately be consumed with honest care for the hurt and needful hearts of others.

It has always amazed me how some people are so much better at this than I've ever been.

Until I yielded my heart to God, and sought His heart for the people He is calling to repentance and new life in Christ.  I can't say when it happened.  I cannot tell how it happened.

Surrender to the Holy Spirit brings about miraculous occurrence that there is NO earthly, physical explanation for.  Within the power of the Holy Spirit is where we truly begin to bless, minister to and love other people as Jesus loved, unselfishly, no personal agenda, pouring our heart out in order to fill it with compassionate empathy for the need of others.

Gods Word in Action

Keepers of our hearts

Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life.

What is it to keep our hearts?  Does it mean we close the heart off?  Do we never fully reveal ourselves, never fully allow others in?

What are the issues of life?  The daily mundane routines of life?  Our spiritual life? 

What is it then, to keep our hearts and how, if indeed we even can, do we control the issues that come out of it?

Grasping and understanding what God desires of us and for us can sometimes feel like an overwhelming and impossible task.

Create in me a CLEAN HEART O GOD! the Psalmist prayed. 

Is it true that only God can cleanse and wash our hearts?  God, Who knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts?  God, the One Who gives the desire of our heart?

If so, then the question is, how can we keep these hearts? 

By paying attention to what we allow to influence us, that’s one way.  By watching carefully what ideas, thoughts, visual pictures and sounds – words and music included – that we give our time and attention to.

The heart, the physical organ, is the unifying factor in the functioning of our bodies as a whole.  Every drop of blood passes through our heart and by that heart is pumped out into every cell of our bodies.  If the brain stops working, we are still alive.  If the heart stops pumping, we are no longer alive, life has left our body.

It is the same with this spiritual heart the Psalmist is talking about.  Thoughts come from our minds, influenced and affected by the things we've allowed into it. 

• ·        The conversations we have with other people
• ·        The movies or TV shows we watch
• ·        The books and magazines we read
• ·        Pictures we look at
• ·        Things we discover on the internet

Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The renewal of ourselves comes from the renewing of our minds to Gods truth.  Our five senses are continually taking in data from all around us, and then circulating that information and emotion through the spiritual heart on a constant basis just as every drop of our blood circulates through our physical heart.  Even when we are sleeping, our minds are churning, thinking, and the spiritual heart is sorting, organizing and deciding what it will keep, how the data will be processed and what will be discarded.

Keep our (spiritual) hearts with all diligence, the psalmist warns us, for it is with that self same heart that we will believe to receive righteousness, the peace of God that passes all understanding and trust in the Lord with all of that heart.

With all our hearts, we pray Gods merciful grace be bountiful toward you in all ways and your heart be created clean in His image.  When we confess our sin and receive the gift of Eternal Life through Christ Jesus, He gives us a brand new heart! 

2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

DOUBTING GOD

Do you ever doubt God?  His interest in you personally?  His very existence?  Do you ever wonder if the bible really IS a book, written by people specifically inspired by an unseen being known as GOD?

One more question.  Would it shock you to know that I sometimes question all of this too?

Faith is a very interesting state of being.  If it were easy, it would never to be need be exercised.  If it were never exercised it, like actual human muscles, would lose strength!  So I am pleased and happy to have my faith tested, exercised and strengthened on a regular basis.

I worry a bit about those who are afraid of faith being tested.  I am concerned over those who are afraid of God being questioned.  

As if Gods feelings will be hurt and He’ll just curl up and cry because someone is uncertain of His powerful presence.  I decided a long time ago that a God who would tell Moses to tell Pharoah, at that time the most powerful human in all the world, that His Name is simply and straightforwardly ‘I AM’ probably doesn’t have any ego problem I need to compensate for.

I am far less interested in writing a set of rah – rah go GOD blogs, and far more interested in getting people to think, question and come to strong, firm conclusions others cannot easily talk them out of.

I trust God that much.  I trust that anyone who genuinely pursues knowledge of the Almighty will be confronted by it.  I trust that anyone seeking wisdom with a humble heart will discover wisdom that causes their heart to soar beyond any boundary they’ve ever considered existed.

I trust Him to keep His word.

Deuteronomy 4:29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Matthew 7:8  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Diligence is more than a quick glance or one fast perusal.  Diligently seek Him honestly with your heart and soul and He promises you will find Him and receive reward as a result.  

His promise.  I trust Him to keep it.

I understand that the argument is that anyone can say that about any religion.  But only the One True God will keep a Word that has been written down, can’t be changed, and the reward is BOTH now and later.  Not just later, maybe, sometime in the future.  And not just some otherworldly reward.  REWARD NOW.  Tangible.  Obvious.  

He is a very individual God, so the reward may be one thing for one person and something else for someone else.  But it will be evident.  Evidenced in changed hearts, changed lives and in many other ways unlimited by human ability to conceive or explain them.

It is my strong and ever strengthening faith in God as Creator, Master, Savior, Deliverer and all that 'I AM' encompasses that keeps me preaching His truth and sharing His message of Salvation through Christ in spite of running across a few apparent evidences to the contrary.  

I don’t take them as isolated incidences and build unbelief based on them.  I don’t offer “explanations” for them.  I don’t pretend to know or understand everything in this vast universe.

Neither have I taken a few evidences of His existence and built belief based on those.  I have weighed the evidence of all I have been exposed to.  His Word, what I’ve experienced personally, what I have witnessed firsthand in the lives of other people and all the evidences presented. 

There are a few things on the “negative” side.  There are a great many things on the positive side.  That tipped the scales for me.  

Go ahead.  LOOK for evidence of the Almighty God, weigh that evidence for yourself.  I trust Him that you are in for a pleasant, Holy Spirit surprise.  I trust Him, because I’ve seen what He can and will do for those who seek Him.

I have come to know that I can trust Him.  Not that I will never have a difficult time in life.  Not that there will never be consequence because of my own bad choices.  Not that I will selfishly get everything I ever demand of Him.  

Trust happens when you KNOW someone.  Seek.  You may be surprised by what you find.

Need help getting started?  Turn the Tide Ministries is available to help you!  Fill out the prayer request at the top left, and tell us you would like the free study guide to SEEKING GOD.  We will email you the Study Guide and add you to our prayer list.

 

Of Fools and Wise Witnesses

In our Daily Bible Reading this week, we came across Psalm 53 which opens with as clear a line of truth as any statement made anywhere by anyone at anytime.

The fool has said in his heart “There is no God”.

There are times when the command Jesus gave His disciples to “go into all the world” hits square up against the reality of those who choose NOT to believe.

Should we shake our heads and walk away?

Should we argue with them, point by point?

Should we regale them with stories of miracles until we have no breath left?

Should we tell them they are foolish?

YES!

and NO!

Speaking the truth in love comes in very handy right at this time. 

After making every mistake in this area, here’s what I’ve learned, and I hope it helps you when you run across a fool.

We are to LOVE as Jesus loves.  He wouldn’t argue.  He wouldn’t declare them a fool and walk away.  He wouldn’t waste his breath or time sharing truth endlessly, either.

He would TRUST that the TRUTH, spoken in LOVE and infused with the POWER of the Holy Spirit would work in the heart of the most hardened fool who says in his heart there is no God.

Share truth.  Share it lovingly, as an offering given in grace.  Share it as the Holy Spirit leads you to, with gentleness and all meekness.  Leave them with a blessing of some kind.  A smile, a kind word, a caring reminder that “it’s all food for thought, isn’t it?”

Then walk on, but not “away”.  Not away, because YOU know that the truth is if they don’t receive Christ as Savior, they will spend Eternity in Hell. 

So you pray for them.  Pray for their salvation.  Pray for their deliverance.  Pray for Gods goodness to draw them close to Him, to open their eyes to His love and mercy, to open their hearts to His salvation gift.

In this way, you are at peace, they are at peace and the Holy Spirit is free to move.  He is very good at His job – convicting hearts and leading souls to salvation.

With a little practice, we can get very good at our jobs – speaking the Truth in Love!

Pour a little LOVE on the next fool you meet, and then  let us know, so we can join with you in prayer for their salvation. 

Bear in mind the words of our Savior:

Matthew 18:19  “Again I say to you if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven.” ~ Jesus

This mess a SUCCESS?

Genesis 39:  Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. ² The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

Just prior to this verse, Joseph had been thrown into a pit by his brothers.  They were going to kill him, but Reuben talked them out of that.  He intended to rescue Joseph from the pit after the brothers had gone on their way.  However, Judah saw an opportunity for financial gain and convinced the rest of them to sell Joseph as a slave to some passing Ishmaelites.

Imagine how Joseph would be feeling about now.  How would YOU feel, having your own brothers, in a murderous rage, throw you in a pit, then fish you out only to sell you as something worthless to them, like  something of no more value than a used cart or mule, to perfect strangers who don't care about you at all?  How would you be feeling about now?  Depressed?  Angry?  Miserable?

In Egypt, the Ishmaelites sold Joseph as a slave.  It was obvious they also saw little to no worth in the dirty, beat up and unwanted boy they had purchased.  They didn't see the strong, handsome 17 year old young man he'd been just prior.  This leaves me with the impression they hadn't treated Joseph very kindly on the trip to Egypt.  By the time he arrived there, he probably looked no better than any other slave available for sale that day.

I am of the opinion that this is how most of us are viewed by others as well.  Of little to no worth.  Beat up and beat down by the worries and cares and concerns of this world.  Sadly, this is how most of us view ourselves as well.  Nothing in our countenance or posture indicates we are any different than the next guy who has been used and abused by the uncaring attitudes of this world.

BUT the man who purchased young Joseph saw something that set Joseph apart and made it clear that Joseph was no ordinary slave.  He did not see the circumstances that had brought Joseph to that auction block that day.  He saw the "state" that Joseph was in, but he saw something more, something deeper.  

In Joseph's face, in the way he held his head, the look in his eyes, the way he stood revealed that Joseph had something more, something far better than despair in his heart.  Whether he recognized that God was with Joseph or he just recognized the something different, he bought Joseph that day. 

Potiphar took Joseph into his home and gave him rule over all that was in his house, over all the slaves he already owned, who had been with him longer, some of whom may have even been born in his home. (In this culture, slaves, especially if born in your household, were considered members of your household.)  He gave Joseph a position of value befitting what he saw in Joseph.

Take another look at the verse in Genesis:  ² The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man;

This does not describe a beaten down, unwanted, abused, hungry, sad, confused and angry boy.  This description of Joseph doesn't show us a downcast, destitute and desperate man.   Not at all.  We are given a description of Joseph as seen through Gods eyes.

The Lord was with Joseph and he was a SUCCESSFUL MAN.  In Gods eyes, Joseph was already a successful man.  Not that he was going to be a successful man.  That would mean the opportunity afforded him by Potiphar would be the influential factor in his success.  Not that he was becoming successful, as if Joseph by his own actions and behaviors would make a success of himself eventually.

NO! God declares that the Lord is with Joseph and therefore Joseph IS - right now, this instant, while in the process of being sold as a slave, while poorly dressed and dirty and hungry - JOSEPH IS IN GODS EYES ALREADY A SUCCESSFUL MAN.  Why?  Because Joseph had a dream in his heart that God had given him, and he believed what God had given him would come to pass.

Because Joseph's success would never be about whatever "state" he was in.  It is and would always be about his "status".  WITH THE LORD, in agreement with God Almighty.  His faith guaranteed that the Lord would favor Joseph, and therefore, no matter what "state" he is in, in the eyes of God he is successful.

How much more are we, children of the Living God, born again of His Spirit, washed in the blood of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit and possessing CHRIST IN US, THE HOPE OF GLORY, "with" the Lord?   He has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us.  Is our faith firmly founded on that truth? 

Take your eyes off the state you are in.  Fix your eyes firmly on your STATUS as a son or daughter of the Most High God.  

Stand up straight, shoulders back, head held high, looking others right in the eye, with a smile of gracious love on your lips and let your STATUS speak for you.  

YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL.    If Christ is your Savior, then regardless of whatever state of sanctification you are in, in the eyes of God, you are already completely and totally SUCCESSFUL.  Whether you see it or not, others will see and respond accordingly. 

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean NOT to your own understanding.  In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3: 5-6

Be encouraged, brothers and sisters.  Our God is FOR us, and not against us!  Perhaps you haven't ever really given your status with God the Creator much thought.  God reveals Himself to each of us in ways He knows will speak to our hearts.  Answer that tug, that pull on your heart today.  Acknowledge you have sinned and been separate, out of the will of God.  Repent and ask God to forgive you.  Call on the name of Jesus, declare with your lips that He is the Lord.  Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead to redeem YOU from the consequences of your sin AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED.

God is not concerned with the state you find yourself in.  He knows what you truly need is a change in STATUS.  

From wounded and worthless to LOVED and CHERISHED child, in Gods eyes a SUCCESS.