Expect A Fight When You Do What’s Right.

“Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6 

Conversion invariably precipitates crisis.  In fact, one of the biggest problems people encounter in turning their lives over to God is the huge set of conflicts that conversion seems to cause.  Eruptions and disruptions explode in marriages, children, relationships, personal lifestyle, finance, job and nearly every aspect of life.  Some say, “I have problems now that I never used to have,” or, “This is such an uphill battle!” 

This conflict represents your first clue of the enormity of your choice, and you are not alone.  The disciples of Jesus were faced with the Master’s hard sayings.  Unfortunately, many of them decided it was too much for them. “And He said, ‘Therefore, I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” John 6:65-67.

Why is it this way? Why can’t serving God be easier? Why must trials and tribulations happen when one decides to follow Jesus?  First, every believer has three sworn enemies. The devil. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. The world.  “In the world you will have tribulation.” John 16:33. Your own flesh.  “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” Romans 7:15. Remember, while you drifted downstream in this world, you were no problem to Satan.  But, the moment you balked at his control, you unleashed a bombardment of retaliation.  

Not only this, but every small step you make towards righteousness represents a reversal of major proportions. You are literally turning around an entire life, will all its potential, its promises and its power.  It may seem insignificant to you, but it is a monumental event in the spirit world.  The question is not, “Can I make it?”  It is not, “Will God help me?”  It is not, “Am I going to damage my life, my happiness or myself?” The question is, “Is it worth it?” 

Let’s settle the question now.  Yes, it’s worth it! You are doing the right thing. You are obeying the Bible.   You haven’t found happiness or peace any other way.  Satan is a master at exaggerating the troubles and trials of serving God and minimizing and camouflaging the trouble he causes you.  Yes, it’s worth it.  Jesus has answered the paramount question in your life—the sin question.  Jesus has put meaning into your purposeless life.  Jesus has put peace deep into your soul.  Jesus, the number one personage in the universe, loves you!  Yes, it’s worth it.  Your life will be a beacon to others.  Your courage will inspire others.  Your decisions will open up the way for others.  Yes, it’s worth it.  You will escape the everlasting darkness of eternity without God.  You will be ready when the trumpet sounds.  You have a home prepared for you in heaven.  Yes, it’s worth it.  The afflictions you face in serving Jesus are nothing compared to the tribulations coming upon this world. 

No one who has ever done the right thing has escaped the attached penalty.  The choice, however, is its own reward.  Right choices usher in a profound, inner peace that transcends any tribulation that they cause.  It is always a fight, but it’s a good fight!  (2 Timothy 4:7).

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!

Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.

One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase.

So, bravely run the race, till we see Christ!

 Esther Kerr Rusthoi 

Just How Great Is God?

“How much less man, who is a maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?” Job 25:6. 

A maggot or a worm? Not very flattering.  Job’s view of man’s status with reference to God demeans the ego.  Yet, the servile existence of an earthworm whose success may be defined by crawling across a sidewalk without getting squashed contrasts aptly with the greatness of God.  We have no business in company with our Creator.  In every imaginable way, He occupies a world apart.  

Take the universe, for example.  “The number of stars in the universe is really unknown, since every time we look deeper into space, we find still more stars. David Kornreich, an astronomer at Ithaca College in New York, has given an estimate of the “known” stars in the universe. Kornreich used “a very rough estimate of 10 trillion galaxies in the universe. Multiplying that by the Milky Way’s estimated 100 billion stars results in a large number indeed: 100 octillion stars, or 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars, or a ‘1’ with 29 zeros after it. Kornreich emphasized that number is likely a gross underestimation, as more detailed looks at the universe will show even more galaxies” (Space.com).  To contemplate this vast expanse boggles the mind; to create it is—well, inconceivable.  

Even our incredible earth, an infinitesimal speck in space, defies human comprehension.  It maintains an optimum temperature to support life, its atmosphere filters out corrosive ultraviolet rays, vital elements enrich its soil, an abundant supply of H₂O permeates its crust, physical laws govern its operation and it orbits the Sun with precise timing.  And the Sun?  According to NASA, “During a single second, the sun converts four million tons of matter into pure energy.” That’s “about equal to ninety billion megatons every second. The entire power-generating capacity of the earth equals about 60,000 megatons per year, so in one second the Sun produces over a million years’ worth of energy for the earth” (University of Wisconsin—Green Bay).  As fantastic at these statistics are, don’t focus on them or the creation.  Instead, worship the Creator!  The author is always greater than the book, the artist is always greater than the art. “Professing to be wise, they became fools … who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:22-25.  

Before the universe; God was. He is the Prime Mover, the Self-Existent One, the Eternal Spirit—without beginning, without end, uncaused and infinite. The Scriptures do not attempt to explain His existence. Genesis 1:1 boldly states, “In the beginning … God.” Singular. There is no plurality of Gods. He has no equal, no rival, no partner. He has no father, no mother, no siblings. “LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:1-2.  God asked Job, “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth?” Job 38:12-13.  

Look around you, my friend.  If God can speak all these things into existence, don’t fret about heaven or hell, time and eternity, sin and salvation, righteousness and unrighteousness.  Stop worrying. Your God has proven that He knows how to take care of you. He is worthy of your trust. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”  Deuteronomy 33:27.

Make it Personal

“Accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior.” We’ve heard it all our lives.  It rolls glibly off the tongue of the nominal Christian.  Of course, there is more to the new birth than a verbal assent to accept Christ.  Jesus told Nicodemus to be born of the water and the Spirit.  Peter preached the first sermon at the inauguration of the church in which he called for repentance, baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 2:38).  But, let’s go back to the personal part.  This is the pill that gets stuck in the throat.  We can talk all day about the idea of sin, the love of God for the sinner, the pain of Calvary and the efficacy of the blood of Jesus.  We can argue over soteriology, redemption, atonement, propitiation and the like, ad nauseam, yet, never feel the impact of opining on these very subjects.  But, anything that is not personal is not real.  

Take the Kate Steinle case.   Juan Lopez-Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant who’d been deported five times, was accused of shooting Steinle, a 32-year-old woman as she walked on a San Francisco pier. The shooting set off a heated, national debate over sanctuary cities, immigration policies, legislative proposals, illegal alien statistics, gun control laws, and endless rancorous arguments over ideas and concepts.  On and on it went.  Eventually, the jury found Lopez-Sanchez not guilty.  But the verdict and all the back-and-forth conversation did nothing to assuage the pain of Kate’s family.  For them, it was personal. It was not a matter of statistics, social policy or immigration laws.  Disengaged people can banter these topics about as much as they want, but at the end of the day, they can go home and forget about it.  It’s just talk.  There is no impact on their personal lives.  Things like this don’t become real until your personal life is blown to smithereens by a senseless act that causes everybody else to yawn and order their mocha latte with triple sugar.  They dismiss the matter as a routine entry in the daily log. 

So it is with sin and salvation.  As long as sin is generic, as long as evil is theoretical, as long as guilt is hypothetical, then it’s not real.  If Jesus is not personal, however, He is just a story.  If sin and salvation don’t have real-time meaning, they will never be fully appreciated.  If we can relegate salvation to a long-ago, far-away tragedy, it will never be real.  If we can confine the cross to the stale words of a memorized prayer, or the rhyming lyrics of a song, or the text of a clever sermon, or the seed thought of an interesting article, then it will never be real. 

Make the cross personal to you.  Understand that it was your sin that hammered the spikes into the hands and feet of Jesus.  Recognize that your transgressions drove the spear into His side.  Fully admit that it was your lying, cheating, stealing, fornication, abusive actions, pride, rebellion, greed, violence, slander, and so much more that crushed the life out of the Savior.  That’s when it becomes personal.  When it becomes personal, you will experience an epiphany, a revelatory moment, a soul awakening that will propel you into a dimension you never thought existed.  Isn’t it strange?  We want healing to be personal.  We want deliverance, our daily interaction with Jesus, what’s going on in our marriage, our children, our job, our finances, our church, our ministry, our friendships, our situations in life to be personal.  

If He is your Savior, make Him personal.  It was your sin that kept Him on the cross.  Own it.  Claim it.  Confess it.  Spell it out.  See His blood covering your sin.  Hear your Savior speak your name.  See His eyes fully engage your gaze.  He’s more than a generic Savior.  He’s more than a theologian’s lesson on soteriology.  He’s your Savior.  “Alas, and did my Savior bleed?  And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I? Was it for sins that I had done, He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!

Unfold Those Fabulous Wings

“They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”  Isaiah 40:31 

Wings showcase God’s incredible creative genius.  Beyond flight, they also assist many water birds in diving and swimming; they shield eggs or tender young from rain and hot sun during hatching and brooding; and they serve as weapons. In some birds the wings make a distinctly audible noise when in flight.  Many animals use wings as a means of emotional expression, especially during the mating season. In such cases they are fluttered, elevated, spread, beaten against the body, or clapped together over the back to produce drumming or crackling sounds expressing excitement or serving as signals or challenges.  

Wings are ancient symbols for strength and swiftness.  “And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings.” Daniel 7:3-4. Pagan and heathen tribes cast or sculpted likenesses of wings upon their images of worship.  Wings were coveted attributes of birds, especially of the magnificent eagle, who gave its owners god-like qualities, ascending power, an untouchable defense against all attackers.  Wings adorn the seraphim of scripture—those special fiery, always ablaze angelic creatures that exist exclusively to produce praise and rendering of glory to God.  God incorporated the wings of cherubim into the furniture of the tabernacle.  God’s protective care was referenced as wings.  When Ruth came to Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, the scripture records, “The LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you are come for refuge.” Ruth 2:12.   

Wings radiate the beauty of fluid, graceful motion.  While they produce powerful exertions on the air, they appear to work effortlessly and without strain. With wings, we see the eagle soaring, flying, mounting, rising, gliding, sailing, floating, climbing.  You have wings.  God gives everyone that waits on Him—serves him gladly, tirelessly, purposefully—a set of wings.  Too many of us have not learned to live with them. 

For believers, wings are far more than objects of beauty or historical throwbacks. They do the same for us spiritually as they do for creatures of flight. Consider the following: Wings have aerodynamic properties that enable a bird in flight to overcome the force of gravity. Some people ask, “Why doesn’t God change my circumstances altogether?”  God’s plan is for you to live within the reach of sin’s gravity, yet resistant to the will of gravity. Wings permit the eagle to thrust up and forward in flight; gliding and riding thermal currents; hovering and landing. God equips his people to survive in every situation, to defeat any enemy, and to live for Him regardless of the pressures against them. Wings change the range of a birds environment from two dimensional to 3-D. God gave you wings to provide you with a broad perspective on the world.  God wants you to “mount up” with the wings of eagles.  When you mount up, you are above the sin and evil, the frustrations and aggravations, the sniping and griping, the hatred and attacks prevalent in this world.  “And fowl that may fly above the earth in the open heaven.” Genesis 1:20.   

Check your wings.  Are they folded and unused?  Are they injured?  Have your wings been clipped by misconceptions and intimidation? God did not supply you with spiritual wings for adornment or for rare excursions into exhilarating flight. They are powerful instruments that you can and must use every day. Learn to mount up with wings of eagles!

Jesus: BFF

“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24. 

Do you have a friend—a real friend?  I know you have golfing buddies, shopping partners, backyard barbeque pals and neighbors.  You have professional colleagues, co-workers, and socializing schmoozes.  You have former schoolmates, club members and the old gang.  But do you have a friend who will really impact your life?  

You need a friend who will stick with you through the hard times. “Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend.” -Spurgeon.  You need a friend who will tell you the truth.  “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Proverbs 27:6. You need someone who will look you in the eye and say, “You are wrong.  You need to change your ways.  You need to swallow your pride, slay your ego and confess that you are a sinner in need of salvation.” You need a friend who will put himself out for you.  People have limitations, boundaries and deadlines.  Welcomes’ wear out, loans come due and time expires.  Very few, if any, will watch their own dreams fade away while they help you pursue yours. 

You need a friend who will be there when no one else is. “A true friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” -Samuel Johnson. You need a friend who knows what you are really like, but loves you anyhow. You need a friend who wants nothing in return except your friendship. You need a friend who will put all his resources at your disposal. Simply put, you need a friend whom you cannot do without. “In the progress of personality, first comes the declaration of independence; then a recognition of interdependence.” -Henry Van Dyke

Jesus is the Friend you need! Jesus will stick with you through the hard times. “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” Matthew 28:20. Jesus will tell you the truth.  “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6. Jesus will put Himself out for you. “Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5. Jesus knows the real you, but loves you anyhow.  That’s grace!  Jesus will remove the sin, but leave the personality intact.  Jesus wants nothing in return except you. He wants you to love Him the way He loves you. Jesus will put all His resources at your disposal. He is the Healer of Galilee, the Miracle Worker, the Multiplier of bread and fishes, the Crucified Lamb, the Risen Savior.  Simply put, Jesus is the one friend you cannot do without. What a Friend! 

He left the pristine purity of heaven to slog through the muck of the earth;He forfeited the company of holy angels to hang with corrupt humanity;He traded beauty for ugliness, ecstasy for misery, pleasure for pain, life for death;He gave everything for nothing to pay a debt He did not owe;He could not have His life taken from Him, so He willingly laid it down.  What a friend!

Are You a Practicing Christian?

Is a football player still a football player if he is no longer playing football?  Is a Christian still a Christian if he (or she) no longer practices Christianity?  What other kind of Christian is there other than one who practices his or her faith?  Truthfully, there are none, but some operate under the illusion that a mental or verbal assent is all that is necessary.  The key to a successful Christian life, however, is to live your faith on a day-to-day basis, no exceptions, no loop-holes, no cutting corners, no pretense and no hypocrisy.  Although it may be simple, it is not easy.  The difficulty lies in resisting the alternatives.  When the alternative is feasting, fasting is difficult; when the alternative is pleasure, pain seems oppressive; when the alternative is playing, praying becomes wearisome.  But the bitter irony is that sacrificing doctrinal purity on the altar of ease sabotages the Christian’s ultimate goal.  If discipleship is to lead one to a full relationship with Jesus Christ, it cannot be practiced halfway. 

The term non-practicing is amusing.  It is a professional who is not engaged in the practice of that profession, or who claims to believe a certain set of doctrines but does not abide by its mores.  It’s like saying that a non-living person is somehow different from a dead person.  But, the only way authentic Christianity can live is when it is practiced just as its Founder established it.  “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Ephesians 2:20.  Unpracticed orthodoxy is not viable.  It is an unread book gathering dust on a shelf; a high-powered car rusting away in a garage; a rich harvest unharvested and rotting in the field.  James said faith without works is dead.  “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”  (James 2:17-18).  He was not preaching salvation by works; he was qualifying faith in terms of works.  Those who trumpet their faith but have no practical, quantifiable outcome of their faith are frauds in his view.   

Practicing your faith means living life according to the laws of God.  If you have ever put yourself on a strict diet, or if you have ever committed yourself to a rigorous exercise routine, then you know what is involved.  Walking with God means that every day, a spiritual discipline demands to be practiced: prayer, reading the Bible, worshipping, or sometimes fasting.  But, this is where many people balk.  “I am saved by grace, not by works!” they fume.  “I don’t have to do all that!”  Sadly, they misconstrue faith and works.  Legitimate faith eagerly embraces spiritual discipline; it is the way to prove love.  “I speak to prove the sincerity of your love.” 2 Corinthians 8:8. 

Practicing your faith brings your mind into unison with your heart.  “And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.”  2 Corinthians 8:10-11 (NIV).  If you believe something but do not follow your own beliefs, tension and turmoil set in and you work in contradiction to yourself.  To say, “I believe it but I don’t live it” is a destructive force in your life.  If you profess Christianity, live in accordance with your convictions.  It has the power to lead you to peace with yourself, peace with the world and peace with God. 

Is There Blood on Your Shoes?

“Who has trampled the Son of God underfoot.” Hebrews 10:29 

Images often become universal symbols. After toppling Saddam Hussein’s statue in central Baghdad’s Paradise Square, pent-up emotion burst forth from those who had felt the scourge of the Iraqi dictator.  Many expressed their disdain of Hussein in a way commonly understood in Middle Eastern culture:  they stomped on anything tied to him.  As one news story reported, “Locals now feel vindicated by TV pictures of jubilant Iraqis stomping on images of Saddam Hussein.” The feet, and by association, the shoes, represent power and authority over something or someone.  Joshua called for the men of Israel to “Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings.” Joshua 10:24. Malachi wrote “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet.” Malachi 4:3. This symbol culminates in a powerful verse. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” Romans 16:20. 

But, there’s a caveat: Be careful what you step on!  Anything you put your shoes on means you despise it.  Indeed, God told Moses, “Then He said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.’”  Exodus 3:5. In other words, “Take care how you stand in My presence.  Don’t be crude, insensitive or uncaring of My holiness.  Let your very demeanor acknowledge who I am.”  While God reached out to Moses via the burning bush, He demanded profound respect from Moses. 

Today, in their zeal to expand the frontiers of evangelism, some have confused free salvation with cheap salvation.  We must not re-cast God’s grace into a bargain-basement buyout frenzy.  Shoving aside the essence of God’s perfection imperils our relationship to Him.  Is it possible for anyone who has known the grace of God to fall from that grace, or for a friend of God to become His enemy?  Paul thought so.  “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4. The smaller the impact Calvary makes on our lives, the more insignificant it becomes.  Gradually, salvation shrinks into a meaningless exercise in semantics.  

Do you have blood on your shoes?  Do you hate your brother?  Do you love the world?  Are you abiding in Christ?  Are you continuing to commit sin? “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”  1 John 2:15-17.  What about prejudice or racism?  Arrogance?  Sowing of discord?  Gossip and backbiting?  Hypocrisy?  Pornography?  Withholding God’s money?  Defiling God’s temple?  Trusting in uncertain riches?  Check your shoes. 

Anyone who’s shoes are stained with the precious blood of Christ should clean them and apply that blood to their hearts!  Herein lies a potent principle: When you walk in sincerity and purity, you walk in power!  It is not enough to be doctrinally correct.  We must have purity in our lives as well.  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:11-12.  Where is the blood of Christ in your life?  “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  (1 John 1:7). 

Bon Appetit!

“A good report makes the bones fat.” Proverbs 15:30 

Excuse me, but you probably eat too much, and your diet contains too much fat, too many carbs and you sit around too much.  Obesity dominates the news these days. At least 64 million Americans meet the federal government’s criteria for the excess weight, and the rate approaches 50 percent among the elderly. The percentage of overweight children and adolescents more than doubled since the 1970s, making about fifteen percent of them now overweight. Authorities identify the primary causes as fast food, junk food and the lack of proper exercise. Ironically, for being a nation of fatties, we spend more money on weight loss programs than any country in history. Weight loss strategies run the gamut from aggressive treatment like stomach stapling or liposuction to the more passive restricted-intake diets. Diet pills, dietary supplements, shots and fasting fill up the middle ground. Those who need more help can seek out clinics, clubs, therapy and even hypnosis practitioners. And, after calorically-challenged people finally achieve their optimum weight, their ultimate goal is to curb their out-of-control appetite. 

Most agree that they could keep their weight down if they just didn’t love to eat so much, or at least eat so much food that was bad for them.  From a spiritual perspective, a healthy appetite for good food remains the best way to a strong inner man. David said, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1. The soul thrives on an insatiable appetite for God. In fact, we gauge the measure our spiritual health by how much desire we have for godliness. Jesus forever established this standard when he taught, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6. He differentiated between appetite for anything and appetite for righteousness. Filling up on non-nutritious food may suppress the hunger and thirst for a while, but eventually, it leads to a breakdown in health. 

One of the most effective strategies Satan can use against us is to either to fill us up on junk food or take away our appetite altogether. His first ploy can easily be seen in our growing preference for fun, entertainment, materialism and pleasure. Whatever surpasses our love for God will eventually replace it. The second prong of Satan’s strategy is appetite loss. Physically, when people lose their appetite, food becomes irrelevant. Nothing sounds good. Likewise, if people lose their appetite for spiritual things, then the gospel, the church and God become irrelevant. The enemies of Christ have discovered that they need not destroy Christianity; they only need to render it unnecessary. Without understanding sin, there is no need for Calvary. If there is no judgment, there is no need for a savior 

Appetite loss happens by the onset of sickness or by tricking the body into feeling full. Thus, people do not always recognize the danger of spiritual appetite loss. When passion for God dissipates, the slumbering soul may become oblivious to the crisis. The huge job facing the church today is to help this generation maintain a healthy appetite for God. This will take a renewed commitment to teach the most basic of spiritual laws: sin and salvation. The world needs to know more than just the how of doctrine. It must constantly and effectively be taught the why. 

You are what you eat.  What have you been eating lately?