Evidence, part 1

What we believe as Christians is not some wishy washy, cosmic, touchy, feely nonsense. We have a faith that is rooted in history and logic. It's time to grow up Christians. We've been baby Christians for too long. It's time grow and mature so that we can be SALTY SALT and BRILLIANT LIGHT. Let's look at the evidence for our faith, so we can be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us.



Evidence, part 1

I am going to get a few rocks, some gas, a firecracker, a couple hundred toothpicks, some bottled water, and add in a few blades of grass, some dirt, and some leaves for good measure. I’m going to take all of that stuff put it in a container and light the firecracker. What will by my result?

If you answered: “A hot mess,” you are correct!!!!

How many times would I have to repeat that same process before I create a galaxy?

So, why then, would we more readily believe that this is essentially how our planet was created than believe that there is an ultimate designer to our world?

What is your belief on how the Earth got here?

More than likely, if you went to high school in the U.S., you think we are an accident that occurred by a bunch of stuff getting mixed together, blowing up and voila—the Milky Way, starring planet earth. Have you ever considered that it takes more faith to believe that version than the actual truth!

Let’s not start with something as large as a universe. Let’s begin with something smaller. William Paley used the same argument over 100 years ago using a watch. Basically, he stated that the deliberate design of the watch points to the existence of a watch maker. If you can, mentally wrap your mind around something with so many specific pieces working together in a mechanism to produce a precision time piece. Then think about all of that engineering pointing to the fact that someone had to make this watch. This watch is absolutely the product of someone intelligence. Then you can begin to make the leap with understanding that the watch is a brilliant piece of engineering and it took someone of great skill to make it. Using this as a starting point, how much more complex is the universe we live in?




If the watch’s design points to a designer, then how much more does a vast, living planet teeming with life and natural laws point to an even greater designer—God? In the upcoming postings, we are going to look specifically at some of the structures in place in the universe that point to God. Stay tuned.

Christmas History 2

The events in my last blog entry are recorded by the Gospel writer Luke. They are verifiable historical facts. Luke, who was a doctor, did not simply write down what he remembered about Jesus’ birth story. Luke was supremely concerned with getting the facts correct. Therefore, Luke interviewed eyewitnesses and recorded with fidelity their own telling of the story.
Luke also reported that Mary was not pregnant with Joseph’s seed. That she was pregnant through a miraculous act of God. While this is not as verifiable as other facts, it is important to remember here that Luke was writing during a time when other eyewitnesses were still alive. If he skewed the facts, even a little, it is very likely that the criticism from the public would have discredited his Gospel.
Joseph was a descendent of David. The messiah was prophesized to come from David. It makes sense that Joseph and Mary would travel to Bethlehem, the city of David to be counted and to pay taxes. It also makes sense that Joseph and Mary could not find a room because the city was overrun with people who had traveled to Bethlehem for the same reason—to pay their taxes. Thus, Luke reports, while they were in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus, in a manger. It is perfect that Jesus, who is the Lamb of God, given as a sacrifice for man’s sin, was born in a manger, where a lamb would be born.
Luke goes on to report that angels appeared to shepherds who were tending their flocks in the field and announced the miraculous birth. Not only did they go to worship Jesus themselves, but they also told many people along the way where they were going, and why they went there. Thus, there would have been several witnesses of this when Luke wrote his Gospel.
Joseph and Mary, being Jews, were bound to wait the allotted time and have Jesus circumcised. When they entered the temple, according to Luke, Jesus was proclaimed the savior by Simeon, a prophet. He was also prophesized to be the messiah by Anna, a prophetess. Both Simeon and Anna would be known in and around the temple. The statements they made would have been heard by bystanders and onlookers. Their statements about Jesus being the Christ would have been easy to corroborate.
What we have in the Christmas story is a miraculous event that is historically accurate and verifiable. Praise God.
If you are an unbeliever, and you are not sure about all this, that is ok. I was not sure either. When I began to dig into the scripture and verify scripture through commentaries and historical writings, I became convinced of the inerrancy of the Bible.
My brothers and sisters, Satan will have you ignorant and hell bound over small details. He will use his earthly minions to bring up weak arguments that cast just enough doubt to cause unbelief. He will direct your attention to small differences in the Bible and he will call them contradictions. He will plant a seed of doubt in your mind about an issue in the Bible that is very difficult to translate into our understanding because the events happened so long ago. Satan wants you ignorant and unbelieving so he can lie to you. If you are not sure about this find out for yourself and make a decision based on the evidence.
As I watch the snow I am thankful on this day that God humbled himself and came to earth as man to be sacrificed for our sin. I am grateful that He was born and that because He was born, and because He willingly gave himself, I can live forever in paradise. Hallelujah!

The History of Christmas Part 1

Circa 6 A.D. (In the year of our lord)

Caesar Augustus ruled the Roman Empire. He was a brilliant politician and statesman. His wise decision making as a ruler brought unprecedented peace. In fact, Caesar Augustus was also known as the 'prince of peace.'
Rome, if you didn't know, was a conglomerate of peoples. Rome spread throughout the world by conquering and annexing its neighbors. At the time of Caesar Augustus Rome had already annexed Egypt and Syria respectively. In 6 A.D. Caesar Augustus received a request from the land of Judea (Israel) to be formally annexed into the Roman Empire. Judea had already been dominated and controlled by Rome. This request was really to legalize what had already occurred.
Romans did not like the idea of governing Judea due to the constant unrest and disputes between the Jews and the Greeks who populated the land. There were also disputes between the different sects of Jews at that time: Samaritans, Pharisees, and Sadducee's. Judea was a nightmare to govern, and Rome had put off governorship of the area for as long as it could.
Judea represented a strategic area for Rome. Through Judea, Rome could protect itself from attack from the Iranian Empire, which was a powerful enemy. Also, Rome could gain access to valuable Middle Eastern grain through Judea. Thus, Caesar Augustus granted the request and Judea formally became a Roman territory.
Caesar Augustus, being a shrewd leader, would tax all of the Roman territories through a census. Every man would return to his hometown to be counted, assessed and taxed.
All of these facts can be researched and verified. Judea was annexed by Rome. Rome initiated a tax. Every Jew and Greek in Judea went home to be counted and to pay taxes.
Joseph was a Jew living in Judea at this time. His wife Mary was pregnant, but he was not the father. Joseph and Mary travelled to his home town of Bethlehem to be counted and taxed.

Surprised by Joy! 2

Brothers and Sisters,

During this season we speak much about joy. But we seem not to have joy. If we were steadfast in our faith our joy would be unshakable, because we would know without doubt that Christ, our savior, who defeated death itself, will one day return for us—his bride. Having that good news continually before us should be more than comfort. Having that good news continually before us should be a source of constant joy.

Instead, brothers and sisters, we get weighed down with this life. We focus on all these pretty things with bells and whistles that are all temporary. All of this stuff will not last. It can only make us comfortable while we are here. However, brothers and sisters, we were not called to be comfortable. We were not called to ‘prosper’ as the current, ignorant world defines prosperity, with filthy money, and things that distract us from God. We are called to prosper in HIM. To receive His spirit and prosper in the JOY that only He can provide.

Our biggest mistake is comparing our lives to the lives of non-believers. We see those who do not serve God and we look lustfully on what they have and we wonder why we don’t have the same. Brothers and sisters, read this carefully.

We may not have the earthly goods that some heathens may have. We may not be able to afford to go to Cancun over the holidays. We may not be able to go to Aspen to ski. But, brothers and sisters what we have is a treasure that cannot be measured by earthly standards. We have God---yes God---living inside of us! That is worth more than anything on this planet. We have eternal life, and when this short earthly sojourn is over, we will be in the presence of God forever!

How dare we forsake the eternal for the temporary. How dare we look at what man made and even for a second, compare it to what God gave. This season, forget about earthly gifts wrapped in pretty paper. Focus instead on the real gift of Christmas---Jesus. He nailed our sin to the cross so that we may enjoy eternal life in paradise. Brothers and sisters, that is real Joy! That joy transcends our current situations and lifts us up regardless of worldly trouble. Give Joy this season. Talk to someone about the Christ of Christmas.

Joy! Part 1

I am having the most difficult time thinking of a clever title for this. Maybe I'm not that clever.



Perhaps it is because Thanksgiving is just behind us and Christmas is right around the corner. Maybe it is because I am old now, and I can no longer check the 25-34 age group box. It could possibly be just the change in me since I've become a real Christian. Of course, the truth is in the last reason. I have enjoyed 33-35 more than I enjoyed 1-33. Because I have experienced the truth behind joy, I can write about it.



What "Joy" has meant to me is simply this:



"I no longer say to myself that I got to do this and I got to do that. (I know this is bad english). Instead, I say, I get to this and I get to do that."



Do you see the difference?



When Christ began to work in me, he began to purge that ugly, childish, selfishness that was deep inside me. He revealed to me that my life no longer belonged to me because I have now been redeemed by His blood, and His sacrifice. This revelation set me free. I am no longer bound by my own foolish selfishness. I am now, as the apostle Paul wrote, a bondservant of the Lord.



Stay with me folks.



Because I have a more perfect understanding of the truth that my reasonable service to the one who died for me is the surrender of my will to His will; I now have a greater appreciation of the gifts and blessings He has given me. What I understand is this: God doesn't owe me; I owe him. So, if everything is my Father's and he shares it with me, I would do well to be greatful. True joy means you are able to focus on what you have, and not focus on what you want. Therefore, I can freely enjoy everything in my life, as opposed to only enjoying the things that come easily, or that give me the most pleasure.



I no longer say, "I got to go to work." I say, "I get to go to work." Because now I understand that being able to work is a blessing. I no longer say, "I got to eat this nasty fast food again." I say, "Thank you Lord, I get to eat today." I no longer say, "I got to drive this old car of mine for another year." Instead I say, "Lord, thank you. I get to drive where I'm going, and not walk, or have to wait for a bus." I no longer say, "I got to go to church." I now say, "Lord thank you for allowing me to come into your house once again. How may I serve you?" I don't even say, "I got to go pay this speeding ticket." I now say, "Lord, thank you for giving me the resources to be able to pay my debt."



Do you see the difference? The difference is not what I'm doing that provides the joy. The joy comes from the changed attitude in whatever I'm doing. This attitude comes from knowing the Lord. The Lord said he would remove our stone hearts and replace them with flesh. The Lord will replace our grumbling and complaining with thanksgiving!

My friends, it is late in the age. I love you too much to leave you ignorant. Follow Christ, or go to hell. Those are the only two options given to us. Have you been joyless, as I once was. Follow Him and He will fill you with a joy that world cannot steal.

Bad Advice: Follow Your Heart

Don't follow your heart. Don't tell people to follow their hearts, don't receive it if someone tells you to follow yours.

In this culture, we are experts in giving bad advice. Telling one to follow their heart is the same as telling them to go to hell, because that is precisely where our hearts will lead us. Let's examine the scripture.

In Genesis 6:5 God himself saw that every inclination of man's heart was only evil all of the time.

In Matthew 15:19 Jesus said out of the heart come evil thoughts, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

In these passages we can see that our hearts are corrupt and evil. The desires of our heart are worldly, lustful, prideful things. We need to resist our hearts and follow God's Spirit that he put in us. The next time you want to give advice, don't tell anyone to follow that wicked thing. Instead, tell them to search the scriptures and pray.

Narrow Minded

Brothers and Sisters,

It is my goal to continously keep the work of the enemy in front of us so we may know it when we hear it, or see it. I was listening to sermon by Vodie Bauchum on SermonAudio.com, and he was talking about the Wide Gate and Narrow Gate. I was so convicted by the message that I am compelled here to address the topic as it relates to a function of modern culture to condemn Christians for being "narrow" minded.


Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Clearly, Jesus intends to explain to the Christian that the way to life is narrow. Remember, the word life, is how Jesus descrisbed himself. The way to Him is narrow, and one must enter it intentionally. When we enter through the narrow gate, we must allow our worldly attachments and lusts to be stripped away. The strait gate is lonely, because there are few that find it, and less that enter it. But Heaven is on the other side. On the other hand, the wide gate is crowded. I imagine it is lit up with neon signs, music playing, people dancing and having a great time. Most people will take that gate and that road. That road leads to hell.

The enemy has made it offensive, and insulting to be a narrow minded thinker. However, we know that to do something intentionally (like enter into the narrow gate) we must first concieve it in our mind. We must think it. Therefore, bretheren, I say to you that every true Christian must be narrow minded. We must adhere to the word of God and live our lives within the culture, but not be influenced by the culture.

As we can see from the text, being narrow minded is a wonderful thing. It means we have a purpose and have intentionally entered into a straigt gate that lead to heaven, our true home. My brothers and sisters, don't let the enemy convince you to broaden your mind! The culture tells us we need to be broad thinkers and experience all that life has to offer. I write to you today to warn you to beware of anyone that tries to sell you that. Broad and wide are synonyms. We don't want to be broad thinkers as Christians, we want to be deep thinkers, with a narrow focus, Jesus. Broad thinkers are on their way to hell.

One last thing. To complete the analogy, I think it is appropriate to say here that the people on the narrow road and the people on the wide road can see one another as they are travelling. And, as the people on the narrow road, it is imperative that we carry ourselves quite differently from the people on the wide road. They should look at us and see that although our road is much harder, we are determined to stay on it because we know paradise is on the other side. They should look at us and want to take the road less travelled.

Going Home

I was recently blessed enough to attend a funeral service for a beloved family member. She was older, and her health had declined greatly, so her transition was not altogether unexpected. In my role, I was not certain if it was appropriate or not to get up and say what I was really itching to say. So, I must settle for writing it hear for no one to read.

First, I would like to say a few things about her. She was the kind of person who never met a stranger. In an entire family of people, I felt closer to her than anyone. She was full of life and laughter. Even in my foulest of moods (cursed be my flesh) I was always happy to see her.

I met this lady before I got right with God. I was in the church, but I was playing church. Even then I was drawn to her. I loved being around her and I felt relieved when she showed up at any family function. It was not until much later, when I truly received the Holy Spirit and began walking with the lord that I realized several things about this remarkable woman.

I recognized that she was always joyous. Even in her pain and illness, she had an incredible amount of joy. I get a headache and I'm mad at the world. She had far worse and she was still able to smile, and make other people smile. What I know now is that her joy is a reflection of the life of Christ in her. It is not humanly possible to obtain that level of joy without Christ. And when I was in sin, I was still drawn to her. I realize now that when the word says be 'salt and light' in the world; that her example is what that should look like. It draws people in; the same way Jesus did. She was a light that was always on, even in her own dark places.

When I was in the world there was a saying that I used. It was this: game recognizes game. What that means is that we recognize ourselves and our habits in others. For example, an addict recognizes another addict immediately. They know, because when we view other people we see little flickers of ourselves. The holy spirit is the same way. Only those who have been given the spirit can recognize that spirit for what it is in others. Those who are not in the faith may be drawn to it, but they may think it is personality, or what people call charisma. But I am here to tell you, when I received the Holy Spirit, I could recognize the spirit in her always.

The service was full of rejoicing and happiness. The saints in the building knew that one of their own had made it home, our true home. It was beautiful. But it was also a wake up call! If you are outside the faith, or halfway in and halfway out, please make up your mind to get all the way in. Time is short on this earth and you have a choice to make. Are you going to have a funeral, or are you going to have a Homecoming?

More Reality

Before I got right with God, I used a lot of foul language. I was particularly fond of a 4 syllable compound word beginning with the letter 'M.' Every now and again that word comes into my mind, not because I want it to, but because my cursed flesh is a part of me. And when that word comes to my mind now, it is almost always in reference to the enemy, Beelzebub, Satan, the devil himself. And it is a very fitting term for him.





In my last post I posed a question about the evidence of our faith. Where is the evidence of your faith in your life? Since then the devil has been busy trying to drag me off my blessed assurance. But the Word says my Lord is a fortress, and I will run to my fortress in my time of trouble. My question today is, How do you handle hurt? How you handle your pain is a way to gauge how much Christ you actually have. It may be a starting point for dealing with stuff you didn't know needed to be dealt with.





For instance, recently, I made a special trip to a function to see a friend. My friend did everything to avoid me for some reason. My friend would not talk to me, my friend would not look at me. If I walked close to my friend, my friend would walk away from me. And I left the function to do some things, and I went back a few hours later. My friend was still there and I received an even colder treatment the second time. Then, as I was trying to figure out why this was happening again, my friend's phone rings, and my friend begins to laugh out loud , smile, and engage in conversation with the person on the other end. I was greeted warmly by several other people, hugs, smiles, handshakes, etc. But the person I went specifically to see, treated me like a leper. That is painful, when you get rejected by the very person who you came to see. That hurts pretty deep.





I can do many things with my pain. I can tell that person where to go and how to get there. I can use that word I referenced in the beginning of this post. I can internalize it and blow up at this person weeks later. I can allow that thing to be a blow to my self esteem and resent that person. Or, I can pray for that person, and lay my pain down on the cross of Christ.





Because I am a new creature, and old things have passed away, I no longer belong to myself. I have given up my free will in favor of His will. So when I wrote, I can do many things with the pain, that was not altogether true. There is only 1 thing I can do that would not violate my conscience. I must present myself to that person again and allow that person to issue another blow. After that, I must go back and allow that person to kick me. I must do this until the person who is hurting me understands that it does not matter how many times they hurt me. The God who lives in me has enough love to forgive us for every trespass.





People, that is one of the hardest things to do. And we cannot do that. We are too fallen to be able to give that person grace. We must allow God to work in us and do that thing for us. Because left on our own, we would probably use that word I referred to at the beginning of this post. Chrisitans, how we handle situations can be a strong witness for Christ. When was the last you prayed for someone who wounded you?

Reality Check for Christians

Brothers and sisters, the hour is far too late not to be vigilant. The enemy is walking around seeking those he may devour. And devour he does.



I have asked this question of myself and I do not like the answers. So, as a service, I will pose the question to you friend. If you are a Christian, how have you set yourself apart from the world?


Simple question, right? If we belong to the Father, how are our lives markedly different from those who do not? I'm not talking about attending church, that is the easy part. How do our lives reflect our beliefs? Do we listen to the same music as the nonbeliever? Do we watch the same movies and television programs? Do we use a sick day when we are not sick? What kinds of books or magazines do we read? Are we wagging our tongues about in gossip? Do we dress and behave modestly? Do our checkbooks reflect what we say is in our hearts?


I would submit to you that the majority of church goers are not Christians. They live regular, sinful American lives, and come to the sanctuary on Sunday. It is not enough to live like that beloved. More is required of us.

When you got saved, Christian, your citizenship in this fallen world was nullified. The moment you said you believed on Jesus Christ as the son of God, and believed that his death and resurrection paid the cost for your soul, you became a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven! You became a joint heir with Christ to everything in God's Kingdom! Praise God! This means we are no longer of this world. We are foreign ambassadors, and we should dare not adopt the customs and beliefs of this foreign land. Our task as ambassadors is to change the world, not be changed by the world.

So, if you had trouble, like me, answering the question, it may be time to look at two areas. 1.) What do you do? 2.) What don't you do? The answers to these questions will allow you to look at your life honestly. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal to you the things that need to be added and subtracted from your life so you look, speak, behave, and can be mistaken for nothing other than an ambassador for Christ.

Last question, when Jesus comes back, how will he distinguish us from the rest of the world if we look, sound like, and behave like, the rest of this fallen world? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck......

A Message to the Black Greek

Black Greek Fraternities and Sororities have been an important part of our society. They have done critical work in our communities and continue to be a valuable part of black culture. I admire their commitment to community service and their visible love for one another.

I would like to issue a challenge to my Greek brothers and sisters in Christ. What good could be accomplished if you represented Christ with the same fervor and tenacity that you represent and defend your precious fraternities and sororities? What mighty works could be done in the name of Christ if every Christian Black Greek (notice Christian came first, that is not an accident) could quote scripture with the same speed that they can rattle off the names of their founders, or recite their Greek poems, or sing their Greek songs. How many lives would be changed if our Christian Black Greeks would wear Christian T Shirts with the same regularity and pride that they display their Fraternity letters? Some Greeks have gone so far as to get branded or tattooed with their fraternity logo, I wonder if they would be so bold as to get branded with a cross? What would be the impact on our community if Christian Black Greeks would work as hard in church as they do for their fraternal organizations?

If you are a Christian then you are a new creature, and your purpose is to glorify God. You understand that Jesus has called his followers to suffer and even die for his sake. You have accepted the gift of salvation and all of the responsibilities that come with it. You have knowledge that as Christians we are to be separated from worldly, carnal lusts and practices.

My Christian Black Greek friends, have you examined your relationship with Christ through the lens of your fraternity or sorority? Have you relaxed your Christian standards so you can 'fit in' with your fraternity brothers or sisters? Is it more important to you to be Christian or Greek? Can you do both well, and never have one conflict with the other? Have you done things with your fraternity brothers or sisters that can be considered less than Christian? The bible admonishes us to examine ourselves to see if we are really in the faith. Use these questions for self reflection. If this post makes you angry, that is not the intent. The intent is to not have my brothers and sisters ignorant of what they may not be able to see. If you cannot say amen, you can always say 'ouch'.

What are you doing

Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore: for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

What if He did return this day. What would you be doing? Would he be pleased with what you are saying, thinking, watching, listening too, reading? Would he be able to take you to everlasting paradise? Think about it friend. How many times are you going to say, "I'll get right with the lord tomorrow?" It is tomorrow.

Friend, the devil has distorted our view of time so that we believe we always have tomorrow to change. First, we don't know when the true ruler of this earth will return. Secondly, we don't know when our own personal time cards will be punched. If you met Him today would he welcome you, or throw you in the lake of fire? Those are the only two choices open to us, and when your life is over it is too late to decide.

Friends, midnight is always closer than we think. Everyday we say, there are not enough hours in the day; or 'time flies.' Has anyone noticed that time only moves in one direction, and that direction is always moving toward the last day. No man knows when He will return, so everyone must be prepared.

The word of God says everything physical will pass away. Gold and money will rust and disintegrate. Nothing on this earth is forever. Why put your trust in something so weak as to have an expiration date, when God is eternal. He wants us to be with Him in heaven, so he sent his Son, Jesus, to sacrifice himself for us. All we have to do is repent, and follow the example of Christ, and we will have everlasting life. Our bodies will die, but He will give us new, incorruptible bodies, that will not die! That is good news. That is gospel. What are you waiting for....REPENT and be saved!

Keeping it Real

Attention Readers, if there is anything in this post or any previous posts that you know in your heart to be true, please do not attribute it to me. All truth comes from the Father, all praise is due to Him.

My topic for today is the propagation of the falsehood commonly known as 'keeping it real.' As a culture, Black folks especially, but also the nation as a whole, is very accepting of someone, 'keeping it real.' To be certain, the definition of keeping it real as I am defining it is as follows:

-to act on ones thoughts and emotions as they occur, to effectively communicate one's natural thoughts, to behave in a way that is consistent with one's feelings


Working from that definition, let's talk about why 'keeping it real' as a positive notion is undesirable for the kingdom of God.


According to the word, as descendants of Adam, because of his sin, we are born into sin. Because of his transgression, we are all natural sinners. Our first natural inclination in most situations is to sin. We are by virtue of being human, wretched, sinful beings. That is the whole of humanity, not just the poor, or the minority. That applies to every human being that ever walked, or will walk the planet sans Jesus Christ.



Working from the established premise that we are sinful in our very nature, then it would follow that our natural behaviors are sinful. What we think, feel, and desire in our flesh is wretched in the eyes of God. So by definition, 'keeping it real' is sinful, because it requires that we act on those naturally sinful impulses that are hardwired into our DNA.


What the Bible requires of us is to behave in a way that is counter intuitive. We are to arrest our inclination to act on our desires and hold them up to the light of truth according to the word. Thus, when our natural desire is to tell that irritating coworker to 'get a life', thus keeping it real; the world tells us to love that coworker in words and deeds. Our natural reaction would lead us to sin. When that driver cuts us off and almost causes us to wreck with our kids in the car, we want to display a finger to that driver that symbolizes something less than Christian. Again, the word tells us to pray for those individuals, while the flesh would have us behave wrongly.

I am not suggesting that christians should not, or do not have sinful thoughts and feelings. I am suggesting that a christian will not act upon the same. Christian's should not seek to 'keep it real'. Christians should instead seek to be an example of the word of God through their actions.

We are all sinners. Christians are merely sinners who have repented of their sin. God has given the world a law that cannot be fulfilled by humans. He has given us the law so that we understand that we need the gift of salvation. Reader, no one can enter into God's peace who is blemished. God is holy and he demands holiness. We, by ourselves can never be good enough to enter into the kingdom. Jesus died a horrible death as a sacrifice for our sins. Because he sacrificed himself, we can accept his salvation and enter into paradise.

Reader, let's stop keeping it real, and begin the process of modifying our behavior to reflect the example set by Jesus. I understand that the world is urging you to 'be true to yourself,' and to 'keep it real.' I even understand that this sounds good and right. However, man's wisdom compared to God's wisdom is foolishness. The enemy is a liar, a thief, and a murderer. He is also very crafty at popularizing foolishness that sounds like wisdom. You will 'keep it real' in hell. Christians will 'keep it Christian' on earth and in heaven.

False Teachers

Brothers, the enemy is unceasingly busy. I would not have you ignorant of any of his deceptive ways. Inasmuch as you are members of the body, both your thoughts and your actions must conform to the purpose of the creation, that is, to glorify Him. In this time, long after the dispensation of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, it is increasingly more difficult to discern truth. Those of us who are pious enough will read the scriptures, others will attempt to gain spiritual insight from televangelist, or radio ministries. Therein lies my warning. Brother, be very mindful of those teachers who have gained fame and notoriety through their teaching. Do not assume that God's favor is the catalyst for the success of any ministry. Brother, the enemy will raise up his own teachers, to pervert the gospel and lead the elect astray.



If a teacher has attained a status in the popular culture--beware! The world would not embrace Christ in any form, and it will not embrace the teachings of those who love Him. Remember, they killed John the Baptist, and several of the apostles. Most assuredly brothers we should have a healthy distrust of anything popular, for if the world loves it too much, Christ cannot be in it too much. This is not my opinion. This is a biblical principle.



My warning is this, measure everything uttered from these teachers against the word of God with the utmost scrutiny and diligence. Do not allow yourself to be led astray by those who would pander the gospel for personal gain. The purveyors of prosperity give a measure of the truth without delivering the whole message. This is a trick of the devil. They say, 'sow financial seeds in faith and God will bless you 100 fold'. This is a tool of the enemy, and it is a gross distortion of god's promise. However, there is just enough truth in it to pass with those who have not hidden the word of God in their hearts.

Here is the danger. As more people are bamboozled by the enemy's minions, the windows of heaven are still sealed and the blessings that have been promised are not being poured out. If the deception is complete, the unfulfilled expectation of blessings is not attributed to the false teacher, but to God himself. Those who were already weak in the faith are now almost totally disenfranchised. Not to say God does not fulfill his promise, rather that his blessings are not always tangible. In fact, the type of blessings promised by these pulpit pimps are almost always material goods. Does the scripture not warn us against these things. Does the scripture not say these things are temporal and our focus should be on the eternal. Why then would a loving God give us all kinds of stuff to remove our focus from him.

Brothers, it falls to us to defend the gospel. We may not have the platform to do it, but if our lives are conformed to Christ, then others can see the real Christ spirit in us. There we can speak with authority in our sphere of influence because we are known as men of prayer, study, and meditation. We can challenge the brother at work, in love. We can show the brother on our softball team where the false teacher is perverting the gospel. We can say to our family, 'I love you, and I see you being led astray.'

Brothers, this is no small issue. Do you love your brothers and sisters enough to risk their temporary anger to gain their eternal salvation. Men speak order into chaos. Men defend their territory. Men stand up.

Judgements and Exhortations

Lie: Men should not judge other men.





As I stated in my previous posts, the enemy is a liar. This particular lie has not only permeated the world, but has gotten deep into the body of Christ. Again, he has taken the idea presented in the word of God, that we should not judge unrighteously, and perverted it. Now, it is politically incorrect to judge at all.





When I was in the world, I loved listening to hip-hop and rap music. Tupac was one of my favorites. He had a song called, "Only God Can Judge Me." In that song, he attacked anyone who had ever criticized him, calling them hypocrites. I loved that song because it empowered me to participate in all manner of sin and dare any man to criticize me. This is how the world now looks at judgement.





The power of the lie is not in what it causes us to do. The power of this particular lie is what it causes us not to do. This lie causes men to reamain silent, when we need to speak. That's not so bad, you say. It is the same sin Adam committed. You know, the one that got us all banned from paradise on earth.





We now have a fear of being looked at as judgemental. Judgemental is actually a derrogatory term. The danger is that we say nothing when that brother talks a little to much about the pretty young lady at the office. We see the folly, but we don't point it out. We may bite our toungue when our teenage son is watching a music video that is clearly ungodly. We may choose not to speak when our wife starts spending too much 'family time' on the computer.





You see, to be the men God has called us to be we must speak righetousness into unrighteousness. However, it is incumbant upon us to first establish righteousness in ourselves. The word of God is clear on that. Once we have done that, we must speak God's light into the world's darkness. We have to speak against evil. To do that, we must first be able to discern the difference between goodness and evil. In short, we must judge our loved ones in love and admonish and exhort them in love when neccessary.



Here is the rub. Admonishements should never be done in anger, or to gain self satisfaction. Admonishments should always be done in love. We have to love so deeply that we are willing to anger people by telling them the truth. This means we will never be popular. This means we will never win the Mr. Congenialty award. But how can we love anyone, and silently watch them walk further down the road to hell.



The enemy heaps lies on top of lies. He says that the most important thing is that we have high self esteem. We should build up everyone around us by telling them how wonderful they are. Should we have lofty opinions of ourselves? Aren't we all sinners? Aren't we all wrtetched creatures compared to the standard of the most high? If we value the self esteem of our loved ones, over their salvation, then we will remain silent. If we value thier salvation over their self esteem then we will speak.

In all things, brothers, we should stay prayerful. We need to constantly seek the will of God and pray that our words and actions are conformed to Jesus' example.

Strength

What lies have been told regarding manhood by the enemy?

Lie #1

Man comes from Ape-The theory of Evolution



Let's put this thing to rest. If you believe in evolution, you are not a Christian. Did you see what was at the end of that sentence, it was a Period! There is no way to be both Christian and evolutionist.



People, we are created beings, not evolved beings. If we believe that we came from monkeys, then we are merely animals. Thus, we cannot be expected to exercise control over our animalistic urges. The enemy uses this argument to disarm us subconsciously. It serves as our ultimate excuse. After all, if we are merely animals, then we cannot be expected to govern ourselves.




When God created this world, he created animals and man separately. He gave man dominion over the animals, thus he must have placed something in man that makes us greater than any animal. The enemy, who is Satan, has honed in us (through all manner of media and public thinking) those aspects of our humanity that are more closely related to the animal kingdom in his effort to make us believe we are somehow related to the animal kingdom. In doing so he has made it easy for us to indulge in, and derive pleasure from, lust, greed, envy, violence, and a host of other sinful deeds. He does this by pushing the thought that we do these things because they are essential for our existence. In a sense, he makes us believe we must live as animals, exercising no self control. Eating is not good enough, overeating is better. Having one wife is not good enough, man must conquer what he lusts after with his eyes. It is only natural--right? If I see something I want, then I can participate in all manner of activities to get it. The end justifies the means. Is this not what we tell ourselves. Then we say, I'm only human. If we are human, why are we behaving like animals?



Men, we don't fight those powerful urges because we are second cousins to King Kong. We have these urges because our idiot forefather, Adam, didn't tell his wife to put the apple down. We are the way we are because we live in fallen world. Our sinful urges are a remnant of Adam's weakness, not a leftover from our days of swinging on vines in the jungle.



The good news is this. God has placed on the inside of each of us a free will. Through this free will we can govern our urges and emotions. The operative word in free will is free. Free is the root word in 'freedom.' Hence, our free will can grant us freedom from those seemingly overpowering urges. We can choose not to act on our urges and emotions.

Here is the hard part (not really). The strength to properly operate the free will given to us, and therefore access the freedom to live out our lives as men who are not beholden to any earthly, or carnal urges does not belong to us. The power belongs to the one who paid the price for our transgressions, and the one who sent him. The way to access that power is by accepting Him, and conforming our lives to his example. It is only then that we have the strength necessary to live as free men. Otherwise we are leaning on our own strength, which is inadequate in the face of our enemy. Without Jesus, men, we are waging a supernatural battle with natural resources. Picture facing a fully loaded tank with a plastic water gun.

Without Jesus, men are not free to be who they are created to be. Therefore, a man without Jesus is merely an imitation of a man. We are not evolved from apes. However, without the power of Jesus working through us, our humanity, and our manhood cannot be fully realized.

One of the fondest memories I have of my youngest son is the priceless look on his face when I let him to pee in the woods while we were hiking on a secluded trail. The sheer enjoyment of moistening the fall foliage, the rhythmic sound of the urine hitting the dry leaves, and the satisfying feeling of complete freedom put a huge smile on my son's face. I have it captured on my minds camera and I replay periodically. I smile every time.



The more I recall the image, the clearer it becomes that what I see in my son's smile is more than just unadulterated devilish fun. What I see in his 3 year old face is the rudimentary fulfillment of a man's need to be lord over his environment. It is an expression that is way too uncommon on the faces of men in our society.



Men, we need to pee in the woods more often! As those who are called by the Most High to exercise dominion over this world, we must embrace those things that set us apart from our female counterparts. We should not allow our fallen society to dictate how we should behave as men when the word of God is clear on the matter. We are providers, protectors, and the ministers of our families. That is who we were created to be. In the absence of the fulfillment of our God given roles, the enemy has provided substitutes to placate our God given sense of manhood.

Satan is a liar, and he is the lord of this world. He knows enough about us to use our falleness (of which he is the engineer) to manipulate our behavior and beliefs. Even those among us who are Christians are not immune to his tricks. Satan's major tool is our own sinful pride. For men, it is the proverbial 'ego'. Our overinflated, overvalued sense of self.

One way in which the enemy uses pride to kill his enemy, (If you think our sin is not death; read James 1:15) is through perpetrating the myth that there is strength in lying and denial. What that liar does is take the true premise that men are the stronger sex and twist it. He doesn't deny the truth because even as dumb as we are we would not believe such a blatant lie. He takes one aspect and perverts it. In this case; I am referring to the idea that strength is somehow related to the ignoring and denying of pain. You see, he hasn't changed the truth, he has manipulated our definition of the truth to fit his needs. So now, men see crying, or admission of pain as weakness; so we don't do it. We also teach our male children not to do it. But what happens when we do feel pain? We run!!!! We run so we don't have to suffer the blow to our pride that accompanies an admission of pain. The second we cannot handle something we move away from it. By not embracing the pain we never learn how to pray through it. So through our own definition of strength we are made weak.

Look at the implications! When men run, women and children suffer. Communities falter. Wars are lost. The man, who is the barrier between Satan and the family, is no longer present to do his job. Let your imagination run wild with that thought. I know what this sounds like; but look around you?