Pillar 3: The Gospel continued-- Jesus is God

2 things before I begin brothers and sisters.  1.  I prayed about this Christmas.  I prayed that God would provide all that we needed.  And He did!  Praise the Lord!  God forgive me for worrying.    2.  If any of you went out and brought extra water, generators, guns, dry foods, in case the end was near, please repent.  Jesus is clear.  No man knows the day.  Therefore the only thing we can expect is that whichever day is predicted as the end, it will not be that day; because God is not a liar.  Some of you will catch that later.

In our previous post, we looked at the Gospel in a nutshell.  However, it is much deeper than it appears.  It is the most beautiful tale of sacrifice and love ever told.  But, in my haste to present the gospel, I neglected to discuss two other very important pillars of our faith.  Again, before one can truly understand and believe in the Gospel, they must believe in the infallibility of scripture (next post) and the deity of Jesus Christ.

I'm not here to pick a fight.  Some will feel as if I'm doing just that, and they will feel that way for a reason.  Here is the the statement that draws the line in the dirt.  Jesus Christ is God.  Either people are going to believe that, or they are not.  If they do not believe that, then there is not a whole lot we can do except pray for them.  We must pray that God reveals Himself to them, and that Christian sowers continue to plant seeds.    
Otherwise, if one denies the deity of Christ, then they cannot enter into his kingdom (Heaven).  How would it look if I went to live in someones home, and I refused to acknowledge that person as the owner?

If you ask anyone who Jesus was, you will get many different answers.  However, the historical record of Jesus is the Bible.  Regardless of what people believe about Jesus; we have to examine what Jesus said about himself.  Jesus said the following things concerning his deity:

John 8:24

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 10:30-33

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁰ I and My Father are one.
³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. ³² Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
³³ The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

John 14:9-11

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Matthew 1:23

New King James Version (NKJV)

²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

John 20:28

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Acts 20:28

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God^[a] which He purchased with His own blood.


Those are just a few.  There are many more.  We see here that Jesus was more than a mere prophet.  He was more than just a teacher of the law.  He was much more than just a moral leader.  In fact, many of his teachings went against the morals and cultural norms of his day.  But in his own words Jesus has said that He  is God.  

Either is Jesus is God, or he was just plain crazy.  The way he presented Himself was as a complete package.  There was no option to break it up and buy just the pieces we like.  Either we believe it all or we don't. 

Watch/Listen to C.S. Lewis as he explains the deity of Christ:

Pillar 3: The Gospel

This, in my opinion, should be 1.  However, in order to comprehend this one, we must first have an understanding of our depravity, and election.  If you have missed those two posts go back and read them first. 

The Gospel, in the most simple terms I can use is that God created man.  Man rebelled against God and broke God's law.  God, being a just judge (just judges must punish) has an obligation to apply the law to Man and execute the law.  The wages of our rebellion (sin) is death.  Death is hell.  God must send Man to hell for breaking the law.  God, being good, gracious, and merciful, built a loophole into the law.  He never said who had to die--he just said that death is the punishment for transgressing the law.  So God became flesh and came to earth.  He lived a sinless life, never breaking the law.  He then offered himself as a sacrifice to die in our place so that the punishment we deserve is satisfied, and we are no longer bound by the law.  All we have to do is believe in Jesus (the God-Man), and repent of our sins, and we shall be saved from the punishment we deserve because Jesus died in our place.  That is the Gospel, or Good news in a nutshell.  There is a lot more to the story, and it is all beautiful and perfect.

If you prefer the Gospel presented more artistically, check out the video.  He does a great job explaining it.

Pillars of the Faith 2: Election

No, not the Barack v. Mitt election silly.  I'm talking about the doctrine of the Christian faith that says because of Adam we are completely depraved, totally wretched, and would not seek a Holy God if he did not call us to do so first.  That is the Doctrine of Election, and it is the center of much controversy. 

I believe the doctrine of election is soooooo controversial because our limited human understanding of it causes us to think that God, by not electing everyone,  has doomed many people to hell by simply not calling them to His grace.  Is that not a hard way to view God?  Especially when we know for a fact that far better people than us may not be called. 

To those who think that way, and I am one of them sometimes, I will quote Issaiah 55:

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

Concerning the doctrine of election and everything else, who are we to question God?  Who are we to judge God?  The scripture is clear, God calls whom he wants to call, and he does not have to answer to us for it.  God calls who he will.  What we have to understand is that without God calling us, we would never seek Him.  We would continue in our rebellion, even unto death and hell. 

Paul writes the following in his epistle to Rome:

9:6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7 nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.” 8 This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise declared: “About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.” 10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac – 11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling) – 12 it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” 13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” 20 But who indeed are you – a mere human being – to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special

It is important for us to understand this so we don't begin to glory in our decisions for Christ.  Certainly the decisions for Christ are the best decisions we could have ever made.   But, when we begin to congratulate ourselves for believing in Christ, and repenting of our sins, then we are giving credit to the wrong party.  God gets the glory for every true conversion because it was He who called us to Him, and he did it before we could commit our first sin. 

So, Brothers and Sisters, let us all rejoice that we have been called.  Let us give honor and thanks to the one who called us.  But let us also remember that in our flesh we are totally deprived, and it took a Holy God to call us to recieve His grace. 

Jesus says in the Book of John:

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[a] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”




I hope it is clear now how the Doctrine of Total Depravity and the Doctrine of Election are linked together.  God calls us out of our Total Depravity through his Election process.  He draws us to him.  Election allows us open our hearts to the truth of the Gospel.  When we are in the flesh our hearts are hard and we are so attuned to our wickedness and the wickedness in the world that we cannot comprehend the Gospel.  When God draws us, those obstacles are removed.

How then do we have the ability to choose our destiny either in Christ, or in the world?  Next week Brothers and Sisters we will discuss Free will.  Stay tuned. 

Pillars of the Faith 1: Total Depravity

Ok, I know some of ya'll are going to call me on this, because I said I would expound on the Gospel in the last Blog entry; but it occurred to me that before the Gospel, there must be conviction, or a deeply held belief.  We'll get into what that conviction is later.

One of the issues I have with our churches is that they teach the Bible, but they do not teach doctrine, or history, or church history.  Thus we have churches full of passionate Christians who cannot really explain what they are passionate about.  The music is amazing, the preaching is exciting, but many mature Christians are still drinking spiritual milk despite the fact that they may be ready for meat.  (Mature Christians will get that reference).  I am not condemning anyone or any church.  I am simply pointing out what I believe to be a fatal flaw in our Black churches. 

Thus, in a effort to review for myself, and educate others, it is a good exercise to talk about these Christian doctrines that every Christian should have a working knowledge of.  A doctrine is a standardization of beliefs. 

Using my experience as a guide for understanding true conversion, I will attempt to frame the doctrine of total depravity, and make a case for why we have to understand that doctrine as it relates to ourselves in order to truly receive the gift of Salvation. 

Long introduction right?  What is Total Depravity?  Total Depravity is the idea that men are born as slaves to sin and as such we cannot choose to follow God, or believe in Calvary, apart from God's grace.

Many of you are saying, duhhhhh, I knew that already.  It is my hope that you did know that already.  But let's dig deeper into the application and implication of this doctrine.

I actually like the example on Wikipedia.  Imagine a glass of water with a few drops of poison added.  Most of the mixture is water, but it is unfit for consumption because of the poison.  The doctrine of Total Depravity is like that.  Man is born into evil, capable of evil, corrupt and selfish.  Man's first and driving instinct is to serve himself.  Those are the drops of poison.  Man is also capable of great compassion, incredible bravery, amazing intellect, and incredible feats of strength and ingenuity.  That is the water. 

Because the poison is thoroughly mixed in the water, man is seen by God as corrupt, because God is Holy.  Even if man does good, it is viewed by God as evil because even our good deeds are self-centered acts of indulgence.  I would submit to you that even when we are working in the church we are working toward something selfish----the Bible speaks of crowns in heaven, and treasures in heaven.  The bottom line is that no one operates out of a pure love for God, thus all of our motives and works are filthy rags before a Holy God. 

We cannot separate the water from the poison.  Even when we do good, we sin.  Let's look at some scriptures to support this:

  Genesis 6:5: "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."


Genesis 8:21: "And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.

Job 15:14: What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?

Job 25:4-6: How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? 5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes; 6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!"


Psalms 51:5: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."
Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

John 8:34: "Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.'"


You see, there is no shortage of scriptures telling us how wretched we are. 

One more point and then I'll stop.  If we are so horrible (and we are) why do go around trying to make ourselves look and appear to be so 'blessed' so 'righteous' when the Bible clearly says we are not?  Why do try to work on our 'self-esteem' so much or put so much confidence in ourselves? The Bible clearly tells us that we are 'worms.'  Is it because we don't really apply the Bible to our lives.  Is it because we only want to believe part of the Bible? Whatever it is, when Christians really understand the doctrine of Total Depravity then we humble ourselves before a Holy God and beg Him for forgiveness, and thank Him for his grace and mercy.  We wouldn't spend so much time thinking about ourselves.  How much attention should we pay a worm? 

In the next post, I want to look at how Total Depravity relates to the doctrine of Election and the Gospel (I hope I get to the Gospel). 

The Last Black American Idol: Blessed Assurance

The thought of going home and entering into the kingdom of the Most High is an amazingly joyous one.  No matter what I am going through, I can always think about going home and seeing my Father's face for the first time.  Hallelujah!  It really makes you want to shout!  It makes you want to run up and down the aisles at church like an NFL running back---knocking down ushers and deacons along the way (just kidding). 
But it is that thought that has produced a joy in me that no one can remove, because no one but God put it there.  It is my blessed assurance that because I have repented and believe in Jesus that I am now a joint heir with the son and therefore grafted into the family of God by the spirit of adoption.   That is the joy in every believer. 

That is also the idol that many of us worship.  Many Black Christians hold on so tight to their own salvation; the blessed assurance, that they are not able to move into a deeper relationship with God.  The belief that they don't have to do anything else to be saved is a snare to many in the Black church.  To be blunt, we tend to sit on our blessed assurance and we don't move properly into our roles as God's ambassadors in this fallen world.  We target the thing we want----salvation----and we deny the gift-giver access to our hearts and minds by continuing old patterns of behavior. 

Brothers and Sisters, your blessed assurance is dangerous.  Yes, if you are truly saved that will never change.  However, if you are a Christian and you believe that you can live any kind of way because your are forgiven, then your very lifestyle is a snare and a trap to the unsaved.  There are too many of us in the church who are running around recklessly endangering the salvation of others by calling ourselves Christians and living like the world. 

If you are truly saved, and you understand your salvation, then that should produce in your a thankfulness, a gratefulness that causes you to love Jesus enough to seek his face.  If you understand that every lie, every piece of candy that you stole, every lustful thought you've had about someone who was not your spouse, carries with it a death sentence---then you will understand what God has done for you and it will cause you to be so joyous that you will get serious about working for the kingdom of God, for the glory of God.  Our zeal for God should drive us to understand Him more and better.

But it seems to me that we are woefully ignorant of our faith, of our church history, and of sound biblical doctrine.  If we don't know about our faith then how can we give a reason for the hope that is in us.  How can we be good ambassadors if we are ignorant about the country we represent, and are misguided concerning the King.  It is a shame that Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses know the Bible as well or better than Christians.  It is like we get saved and give up.  We must not sit around on our assurance and do nothing.  Let Him who began a good work in us continue that work.  We must study the word, meditate on the word, and pray for wisdom and understanding. 

In the next few posts, I am going to examine the pillars of our faith, starting with the Gospel.  Until them, watch this brother give a defense of our faith to these two Mormons.  I must say, he could have been more loving, because we are supposed to combine the truth with love.  However, he made his point using the scripture and sound doctrine.  I wonder how many of us could have done the same, or would we have failed when confronted about our God.

  

Black American Idol: Our Black President Part 2

How do you know a tree?  By its fruit, right.  In this post we will examine Barack Obama's fruit.  We will look at the conviction that has been produced in Obama through the Holy Spirit, and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to Barack Obama as the truth. 

1 thought before the post- when I was in college we had what we called a yard.  On the 'yard' there were several decorated plots of land to represent the different fraternities and sororities.  It was marked as their territory.  No one but members could walk on that territory.  If those who were members discovered a non-member had walked on the plot there would be consequences for the that person because that person had disrespected the organization by impersonating a member. 

I would submit to you that so-called Christians are impersonating real Christians and walking in territory where they don't need to be and no one in Christianity is calling them out.  Obama said he was a Christian, but nothing he says or does sounds or looks like what Christians should be doing.  Let's examine the evidence. 

After watching these videos, can you vote for this man with a clear conscience? For me, Like I mentioned before, I am not saying here that Christians should vote for Romney. I'm saying Christians don't have a candidate in this election, thus we don't have a dog in this fight. I cannot vote because I don't think either man is for God. This year I think I will abstain from casting a ballot for President and pray about the results.

Black American Idol: Our Black President

This is going to be the post that gets me ostracized by my people.  So be it.  It is well with my soul.  This place is not my home.  My eternal brothers and sisters will understand.  The truth must be told. 

Barack Obama is an idol.  He campaigned on hope and change.  He got elected on hope and change.  Jesus is the real hope and change.  Obama is merely an idol, who did not, and cannot deliver on those promises of hope and change.  Jesus is the only one who can ever deliver true hope and true change.  Anything else is a poor substitute, an idol.

Black Christians knocking at my door.  I am glad to see them.  Then I realize they don't want to talk to me about Jesus.  They want me to vote for Obama.  Brothers and Sisters, I have been living in the same house now for 8 years.  I have never had one Black person knock on my door and tell me about the Jesus of the Bible.  I have had more than one Black person knock on my door and tell me about Obama.  Let's get this sorted out.  Christians must believe that Jesus is the most important thing.  He is the way to eternal life.  But they don't come to my door to tell me about Him.  They would rather use their time and energy telling me about Barack Obama.  To me that reeks of idol worship.  Tell me God is happy with us going around telling the neighborhood about Obama, but we wont open our mouths to talk about Christ! 

Our history in this nation has blinded many of us.  We don't trust white people.  We don't believe they have our best interests at heart.  They have shown us time and time again what they think of us.  So when a viable Black candidate arrived on the scene we got behind him.  We would have our Black president to announce to the nation and the rest of the world that we have arrived.  Unfortunately, if you ask the average Black voter why they support Barack Obama, they would be hard pressed to give you a substantive answer.  And if they gave you one, it'd probably be one of those facts that have not been checked well.  If you don't believe me---try it.  So our best reason for supporting him is the hue of his skin, or so it would seem.  Interesting that our people shed all that blood, sweat, and tears so that people would recognize us for more than our skin color; but we don't seem to be able to get past skin color ourselves.

So, instead of looking at Barack the brother, Barack the ball player, Barack the community organizer, Barack the dancer, Barack the orator, Barack the lover who married pretty Michelle, or Barack the father; I want to look at Barack the Christian man.  He called himself a Christian, let's examine the evidence.  You see brothers and sisters, I don't care about all of the public policy as much I care about how much further the next candidate will take this nation away from God. 

I have a 17 year old boy, and a 6 year old boy.  I love them dearly, and I pray that they are shielded from the ungodliness of this American culture as long as possible.  While I am here, I can steer them through this terrain.  But if I died tomorrow, would this ungodly place swallow them whole without them even knowing it?  My sons cannot walk through a mall without having to to look at pornographic images in the store windows.  They cannot turn on the radio without hearing the most blasphemous, ungodly things.  Let's not get started on TV.    As a Christian myself I must let my faith be my guide.  So how Barack Obama measures up to word of God will inform me of all I need to know.  I hope you will let it inform you as well.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm no Romney supporter either.  Mormon's are not Christians.  The Christ in the book of Mormon is not the Christ in the Bible.  So don't think I'm attempting to sway your vote in that direction.  What I would like is for every Black Christian to know who they are voting for before they cast that vote.  I've already decided not to vote at all this year.  I cannot, without reservations, support either man.  I wish there was someone else to vote for. 

In my next post, we will examine Barack, the Christian.

Now that I have your attention, please check back soon for the 2nd installment. 

Black American Idols- Does your popularity condemn you?

No, Brothers and Sisters, we are not going back to high school.  Perish the thought.  However, High School may be a great place to begin this post. 

I know high school.  I should. I went to 4 different schools between 9th and 12th grade.  If there was one thing that I understood, it was this---the overwhelming majority of people wanted to be popular.  We all wanted in some way to be accepted by the peers we attended class with everyday.  As such, we were all sheep when it came to our taste in clothing, music, and other people.  Unfortunately, things have not changed much since high school.  Why do you think Facebook has a 'friends' counter on it.  Because it tells us how popular we are.  I've even heard grown people lamenting the fact that someone had ceased to be thier friend on Facebook.  

.
Let's examine this through a biblical lens.  First, the word church means 'called out.'  Those of us who make up the body of Christ are 'called out' of the culture to be set apart for God.  Peter says it this way:

1 Peter 2:9-10 - 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called
you out of darkness into his wonderful light. NIV

If this is true, why do we as Black Christians seek the approval of the Black culture at large when we know the standards of the black culture are very different from those of God?  If we belong to God, why do we seek mans approval?  What are we doing getting our ideas from various media outlets that are spewing out unchristian ideas that sound good to the unsaved, but should be shunned by the Christian. 

Being popular means we must put aside Christ and embrace the world, because the word says the world will hate us like they hated Christ.

 John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

  So if we are popular with the world, then the world is seeing us and not Christ in us.  We are called to deny ourselves, and our selfish desires to be like the world so Christ can be glorified. 

 Matt 16:24-26 - "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and
take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a
man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

The danger is that our desire to be popular will cause us to sin.  It will lead us to do things so we can 'look' like the culture we so desperately want to be accepted by.  Your desire to be popular will cause you to compromise your relationship with Christ in favor of a union with this world.

But our Bible teaches this:

Eph 4:17-24 - 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no
longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are
darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the
ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all
sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every
kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 20 You, however, did not come
to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in
accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to
your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by
its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and
to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and
holiness. NIV

I will end with this thought.  More is not always better. If you have a plethora of worldly friends and worldly relationships, you may want to question your commitment to Christ.  If your friends have not turned on you because of Christ, then you may not be showing enough of Christ in your daily walk.  If the Bible is true, then people will hate you because of Him.  You will not be popular.  You will not be beloved.  You will walk the narrow road which does not allow many to walk with you. 

Black American Idols---Happiness, Idol or Not

Greetings Brethren,

I know it has been some time since I last posted.  It was not for a lack of trying. 

Today, I want continue our discourse about idols.  Specifically idols in the Black American community, and in the Black American church.  I don't wish to step on your toes, but if I do, you may want to take a moment to examine your thinking through a biblical lens. I have done so myself, and the more I think about my own thinking through the light of the word of God, I find myself lacking. 


It's funny how things work sometimes.  Twice this week I have spoken with different people who mentioned in the course of conversation that they do not believe that God wants them to be unhappy.  It was the first conversation that led me to post about this very topic.  It was the second conversation that confirmed it. 

The question on the floor is this: Is happiness an idol? 

I see many television preachers selling happiness on TV, and I often wonder what happens when people send in their money and they do not receive the happiness promised.  Why is happiness a goal for so many people?  Should we be so focused on our own happiness?  Does our preoccupation with being happy reveal a sort of selfishness within us?  

Remember, our working definition of idol is bascially anything that replaces God in our hearts and minds, or anything that we 'worship.' 

Many times I hear people say, if they just had this, or just had that then they would be happy.  That a certain job, or relationship, or car, or degree would be the thing that makes them happy.  And of course, if it makes you happy, then God must want it for your, because God wants us to be happy?  Right? 

Thus, we chase after the thing that will make us happy.  Then we get it.  Then we are happy.  Then the thing gets old, or boring, or broken in some way and we are no longer happy.  Then we fixate on something else to make us happy.  Sound familiar? 

Brothers and Sisters, if you are chasing after happiness, then happiness may be your idol.  And it is a false idol, like all other idols.  Like all other idols, happiness is temporary, and it cannot last into eternity. 

I do not believe that God is concerned at all with our happiness.  I believe that God is concerned with our salvation.  Question, if everyone was happy all of the time, why would we ever need God?  Why would we turn to God?  Why would we seek his face, or his grace, if we were always happy? 

When I think about my own salvation, it was due to me being very confused, very distraught, and very unhappy.  That unhappiness was the thing that drove me into the arms of my lord and savior.  To be completely transparent, when I am at my lowest points, I am closest to my savior.  Read the following scripture written by Paul in reference to a 'thorn' in his flesh that the lord would not take away.

2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.


  If Paul, who wrote most of the New Testatament, had an ailment that God refused to take away, so that God's power would be made perfect in Paul's suffering---what makes you think God wants you to be happy?    Did you know that almost every apostle was murdered for Jesus?  That they died horrible, terrible deaths, because they followed Christ?  Was God concerned with their happiness?    What about David?  David spent a large part of his life running from his enemies.  Was God concerned with his happiness?   Consider Job, who was a faithful servant.  Was God concerned with his happiness?    Brothers and Sisters, God wants us to believe in Jesus, repent of our sins, and spend eternity with Him.  If we must suffer for that to be accomplished then so be it.  It would be far better for us to suffer in this life than in the next, because if we suffer in the next life we will suffer for eternity.    I hope this is clear.

I hear too many Christians saying that God wants us to have life, and have it more abundantly.  YES,  HE DOES!  What do we think that means?  That means Jesus!  It means Jesus came so we can have access 24/7 to the life that he gives---eternal life with Him. Read John 10:10 again, and see if it makes sense now.  The life Jesus provides is Jesus, and communion with with Him, our savior.  It does not mean we are going to be happy.  It means that whatever is happening, we can always go to our High Priest with with it. 

 Lastly, I want to say this.  A few chapters later, in John 14:6, Jesus says this: I am the way the truth and the life.  You see, Jesus himself is what we need abundantly.  He works all things together for our good.  That is all things--happiness, sadness, poverty, prosperity, all things.  So just because things didn't work out the way we planned--we know that we are being led to a good place by a good Sheppard; even if the way is rough. 
 I can say more, in fact I think I will next time.  Until then, examine your thoughts, search the scriptures, and see what the word of God has to say about happiness.  Maybe you are in a place where God wants you because he can work with you in this place.  He can perfect you in this place.  Maybe your trial is necessary to make you weak so his strength is perfected in you.  Maybe we are too concerned with our own happiness and not concerned enough about His will.  Remember, Thy will be done, not My will be done. 

Black American Idol 4: BET Awards--Really Christians?

Brothers and Sisters, I know some of you think I'm just here to steal everyone's joy.  To the contrary, I believe I must do this to increase everyone's joy---in the lord!  Keep in mind, what I say I say out of love.

I've seen many Facebook comments about the BET Awards.  Some saying they liked this performance, or they liked that performance.  Some saying a certain performer looked like a 'hot mess.'  I say, if you watched that idol worship, that work of the devil, then you need to repent.  Yes You!  Many of the same people who watched that mess post comments every week about going to church on Sunday.

The bible clearly states that you cannot serve two masters.  You cannot worship the world and God.  So what, then, 'Christian' are you doing watching the BET Awards?  It is nothing but the world celebrating itself.  If you are a 'Christian' why are you participating in the world celebrating the world, when you are not supposed to have anything to do with the world besides being salt and light to the world.

That's right, I said it. Call me to complain.  But you so-called Christians are wrong and someone needs to say it.  Those people on that show worship the world system, and many who idolize---yes idolize---those folks are being drawn into their world view.  What's worse is that Christian adults are sitting back watching it with their children teaching them to be world worshippers too.  I say don't support people in their wrong doing.  But as usual, Black folks, even so-called Christian black folks love to look at the spectacle so they can run their mouths the next day.  Yes, I said, because it needs to be said.  You all can hate me all you want, I don't answer to you. And you know in your heart I'm right. I didn't have to watch the awards to know what they are all about.  You didn't either.  Are you mad?  Good.  So am I. 

Think about this the next time you even consider wasting your God-given time on that mess.  God gave all of those wonderfully talented people on the BET Awards incredible gifts.  Those same people have taken those gifts and used them to advance the kingdom of God's enemy.  Talk about a slap in the face.  To add insult to injury, God's people are sitting up watching his enemy's team perform their work and loving every minute of it.  If you don't think those people on the BET are doing the devil's work for him, print out the lyrics and compare them to the word of God.  I dare you!!!! 

Christians, and so-called Christians, the next time you want to look at that mess, think about what Christ did for you.  The intense suffering he willingly endured for you, so you can have eternal life.  After you have thought on that, then try to turn around and applaud while His enemy wins an award.  C'mon folks, you know in your heart it is wrong, so stop.  You have 500 other channels to watch.  

Black American Idol 3- Are you branded

     I apologize in advance to those who are about to be offended.  Please know that it is out of love and concern that I write this. 
     How many of you know that when you talk on your cell phone in a car that everyone else in the car is listening to your conversation?  I was carpooling yesterday with a coworker who had a conversation on the cell phone.  In the context of that conversation the coworker told the vocie on the other end that as black adults we tend to still act like infants who need pacifiers.  The difference is what we pacify ourselves with.  I marvelled at that statement,and the truth it contained.
    To that coworker, things we use to get through life are pacifiers.  I will call them what God calls them, idols.  To many of us, our idols are our brands---those things that we believe make us who we are.  Branding is new to the common vocabulary.  It seems to be the idea that our stuff, or certain aspects of our physical bodies make us who we are.  I will submit to you that every one of those things we rely on to give us an identity is a filthy idol, and God hates it because people will put those things before God.
     Brothers and sisters we are to have our identity in Christ.  He is the potter!  He can shape us, smash us, reshape us, smash us again and make us anew.  Our efforts should be focused on making ourselves like Him, not creating ourselves as a brand so we can resemble the world (world=evil).
     So, when you say brother, 'I gotta keep me a fresh pair of Jordans', or 'I gotta have the baddest ride,' or 'I cant be seen without my jewelry' what you are really saying is- "My identity is not in Christ, it is wrapped up in these sinful things that have become idols." 
    So, when you, sister, spend hundred of dollars on a purse, but cannot seem to tithe (read Malachi 3:8) what are you saying to God?  When you, sister, spend countless hours in the mirror, or in the beauty salon to create the perfect look; but you cannot seem to find time to read the word of God, what are you saying to God? 
     Brothers and sisters, we are an ignorant people, and we are an ignorant church.  We can rattle off 50 fashion designers, cars, shoes, stores, but we cannot remember 5 of the 10 commandments.  What kind of worship is that?  What kind of honor is that to a God that has given us everything? We can identify every Jordan shoe from 1985 to 1999, but we cannot tell you where Paul was when he had his conversion, nor the signifigance of it.  We excel in those things which are unimportant to God, and we are woefully deficient in those things that God values.  Look at our homes, our families, our children!  But we are going to look good, arent we.  The kids cannot read.  The young men cant do anything but play video games.  But we all look good!
     These are everyday things that we do as a church!  A church!  A people who say we surrender all to God.  It is foolish for us to think that a Holy God is going to grant entry into eternal bliss to a bunch of worldly folks who go to church.  It has gotten so bad that I hear people say things like, yes, I'm a Christian, I go to church.  News flash, going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than sitting in a garage makes you a car. 
     Time is short folks.  Let us all pray that God reveal the idols in our lives and give us strength to tear them down.  Let us all repent of our pridefullness that leads to our idol worship and ask God to humble us and make us as clay in his hands.  Let us all pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, whatever that will is.  Let us pray that the groom returns soon to claim his bride, because this whole world is a mess. 

   

Black American Idol 2

This post is a painful, personal testimony.  I have learned firsthand that God hates idols.  I have also learned that God loves his people.  Because God hates idols, and God loves his people, then God will sometimes allow the idols in the lives of his people come to ruin so that his people will have no choice but to love God with all their heart, all their mind and all their strength. 

My idol was a relationship.  At the time it meant more to me than anything, even God.  I put that person above all other things, including God.  At the time I did not recognize what I was doing.  Then God blew on the relationship and it fell apart.  That was probably 3 years ago.  For 21 months and counting I have taken no meat, nor sweets as a fast.  I pray daily and ask God to restore the relationship.  He has yet to answer my prayer.  Though the pain is real, and at times (today is one of those times) crippling and maddening; it has revealed to me the kindness God has shown me in my suffering.  But I am getting off topic.

Brothers and Sisters, be warned if your idol is a person.  Be warned if you have compromised a single step of your walk with God for anyone.  Be warned if you believe in Jesus, repent of your sins, are a member of the body of Christ; and you have a person who you love more than God.  Be warned I say!!!!! 
I have learned this and I hope someone reads this and also learns--God will not be mocked, and he will not be second place!!!!  Your foolish idol worship may carry a price tag you are not willing pay.  Yes, I know, we are under grace and Jesus paid it all.  But God still punishes sin and chastises his children as every loving father does.

Black people, we love our folks.  We love our wives, children, husbands, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, sisters, brothers and play cousins.  We are a people with great emotional ties to people.  We love our celebrities too.  We love our pop singers, rappers, actors, pastors, and our President.  It's a holiday weekend, so I will keep this short.  Don't ever love a person more than you love God.  People enter our lives, exit our lives, and come back into our lives, but God is constant.  Don't ever worship someone because they can sing, act, preach, or read a teleprompter.  God gave them those talents, so why praise the gifted when you can worship the gift maker and the gift giver?

Remember, brothers and sisters, keep God first. 

Black American Idols

The next few posts will be hard to write, and for some (including myself) hard to read.  I have often compared the Black experience in America with Israel.  Both were enslaved people who were freed and inhabited a land that rejected them.  I believe both peoples are deeply spiritual and passionate about God.  However, it seems that Black folks have never truly made it out of the mindset of slavery; and it is something we struggle with to this day.  I will submit to you that a very large part of our collective lack of success has to with our dependence on, and uplifting of idols.  Idol worshipping is not something God loves.

i·dol  (dl)

n.

1.

a. An image used as an object of worship.

b. A false god.

2. One that is adored, often blindly or excessively.

3. Something visible but without substance.

It surprises me that a people whose roots are in the church exhibit such a limited understanding of such a huge biblical principle.  The Old Testament is literally filled with passages about God's hatred of idols.  Yet, we seem to have an ungodly tolerance to idols in our Black churches.  Don't misunderstand, I'm sure White churches also have their idols, but I cannot comment on that because I have not been a member of a predominately White church.  God wants us to love what he loves and hate what he hates.  Why then, do we tolerate, and, even celebrate idols and idolatry?  Is our love of worldly idols blocking God from establishing His will in our churches and in our lives?

What was that?  Yes, thank you.  The man in the back asked what are some specific examples of idols?  I'm glad you asked that sir.  I'm sure everyone in the room would like to know that.  Let's start with the obvious.  clothes.  People, there is nothing wrong with putting on your best when you come to church.  Personally, I love seeing a church full of well-dressed people.  But when you spend more time shopping for your Sunday outfit than you do in the word of God--YOUR CLOTHING IS AN IDOL.  Why?  Because idols receive the worship that should only belong to God.  Idols receive the energy, money, and thought that belongs to the creator, the redeemer, our Lord and Savior. 

I think our addiction to externals runs deep in the black subconscious.  We were never accepted for our beauty in this country.  Therefore we sought to make our appearance more palatable to the majority so we could blend into society easier.  But that cost us something.  It cost us our understanding of the biblical principle that we too were created in the image of God.  So we decided to help God finish what He started by putting all manner of time and effort into making ourselves lovely by standards other than His.  Since we have never really been accepted as equally beautiful, we have continued this foolish pursuit of looking good.

I'm equally guilty with reinforcing this idol.  I tell people in church how nice they look; but I don't inquire about the state of their Christian walk.  I compliment shoes, but I wont dare ask my brother if I can pray for him or with him.  Wow!  What am I communicating to folks?  What am I saying every time about what is really important to me? 

Ok, that last one hurt.  So I'll just make one more point about clothing and cosmetics in general.  I'm not fully convinced that when we invest resources into our exterior selves that we are worshipping the things we put on.  In fact, I want to revise that statement now.  When we are more focused on how we look than we are on what God has to say to us--we are not worshipping the clothes, jewelry, or make up. We are worshipping ourselves. 

Give God some glory today and everyday.  Let us all decrease, so He may increase. 

The Last Love Doctor: Love Never Fails

Brothers and Sisters, I have written this post 4 other times.  It should be the easiest post to write because it summarizes Paul's exposition on love.  Here is our text from 1 Corinthians 13:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails.

This should be the easiest post.  However, one must be very careful not to mislead.  If we talk about love then we must transcend this world and point toward the cross.  Paul's final statement about love is that Love never fails.  Remember, this is not Disney love.  For our purposes here we are talking about Agape- the strongest love.  Agape never fails.

Paul's last statement has been the most difficult for me to reconcile.  I have often witnessed the death of what we commonly refer to as love.  So, how then, can we reconcile what Paul says here with the horrible truth that is our reality?  The truth that we have all been eyewitnesses or participants in love that has indeed failed.

My heart cried out when I reflected on these final words in this section from Paul.  I wanted to say Paul is a filthy liar!  How is it that love never fails when I know love fails.  I have seen love die a multitude of deaths.  I have seen love die in families, in churches, in communities, in friendships, in parent/child relationships, and in marriages.  What does Paul mean love never fails?  Then why is there so much pain in the world?  Why is there so much pain in my world!?  Yes, I compared the word of God to my own life and I cried foul!

But God!
God spoke to my heart as only He can.  He said David, you are a fool.  (I knew that already).  You still think Paul wrote as a man to men.  No David, Paul was writing My words to men.  The problem is not that love fails.  The problem is you still don't understand Agape!  Agape is a picture of my relationship with Israel.  They kept turning away from me, and I kept on loving them.  Agape is a picture of Jesus' love for the world.  When the people who welcomed Jesus into the city turned on Him and yelled 'crucify him' soon after, Jesus said, 'Forgive them Father.'  That is love.  Paul never promised that relationships would never fail.  He said love never fails.

Even though some children cannot stand to be in the same room with their parents, the loving spirit of God in the parent will allow that parent to continue praying for that wayward child.  Even though that boss or coworker treats a person like dirt. My spirit in that person can allow them to love through being mistreated.  Even though that spouse has made the other feel like a leper.  My treasure in that earthen vessel will cause that spouse to stay in the marriage and continue to love the other person.  It is not the person that loves, but the spirit of God in the person that loves. 

So beloved, I will leave you with this logical proof of Paul's great final statement on love.

God is love.
Love never fails.
God never fails.

Love Doctor: Love Endureth All Things

If love, as defined by our fallen culture, has deconstructed me; then love, as defined by God, has recreated me.  Brother's and Sister's I have seen the incredible carnage a selfish love can leave in its enormous wake.  I have also experienced the all encompassing redemption of agape.

Love endureth all things is what Paul says about agape after he writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that love hopes all things.  No matter how much I mediatate on God's word, something new is always revealed to me.  There is a supernatural genius about how this passage is put together.  You see, our hope fuels our ability to endure.  Endurance enables us to continue to love through the storms that test our resolve.

Endure:

1. to remain
   1. to tarry behind
2. to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee
   1. to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
   
   2. to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments 

 In this culture we have a tendancy to abandon relationships that are not currently functioning the way we would like them to.  Look at the number of abandoned children, or the 50% divorce rate in America.  Look at how often some people switch jobs or doctors.  We are a people that love to jump around and experience new things.  Or abandon ship at the first sign of trouble.  Unfortunately, the creator of the universe values endurance in relationships over the ending of relationships.  You see how we relate to each other is a picture of our relationship with our heavenly father.






Please do not believe that this only applies to marriage, but I'd like to use marriage as an illustration for this principle.  Marriage is a metaphor for God's love for his people, and Jesus' love for the church.  Thus, the husband shall love the wife as Christ loves the church.  Christ will not simply abandon his bride if she burns the bread.  He will not abandon her is she fails to come home one night.  He will not abandon her if she is known to be unfaithful to Him.   He will continue to love her, cherish her, teach her, protect her, regardless of her behavior.  Christ has chosen, or elected his church.  Husbands and wives elect one another.  Once that election occurs, it is sure.

Thus, when we encounter tests in our marriages, we must allow our hope that God's will is being done always to allow us to endure.  Satan will try to break apart everything God has put together.  He is the great divider.  He separated us from our God from the begining.  He will separate us from one another because an isolated Christian will fall faster, further, and harder than one who is loved and supported regardless of their shortcomminngs.

Enduring love, agape love is God's plan for every relationship.  It is the thing that allows us to trust each other.  Stay with me here.  We trust God because he is unchanging.  He is the same today, yesterday and forever.  The same is true of our loved ones.  I cannot put my trust in people's emotions.  Emotions are fickle.  Any trust in emotions is foolishness.  I have walked with God too long to be fooled in that way.  What I have learned (through a very painful, sobering work of the Holy Spirit) is that I can trust in those who rely on the hope of glory to strengthen them to endure through any dumb thing I can think of doing.  And I can think of some pretty dumb things to do.  I cannot trust myself not to grieve people.  The Bible says that the fact I believe in Jesus greives a bunch of people I don't even know.  So I know in this life I will offend.  Therefore, I can only trust in those that rely on God to give them grace to forgive me, and endure my human fraility, as I endure the human frailty of others.  I hope that makes sense.  Love endureth all things. 


 

Love Doctor: Love always hopes

Whew!  I made it back to my task.  Satan is busy; and his business has been keeping me busy.  But, glory be to the most high God that I finally can take a breath and turn my mind once again toward Paul's discourse on love found in 1 Corinthians.

 Here is the text from 1 Corinthians 13.
 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails.
In the last entry we looked at love and trust.  Basically we said that love, agape love, gives people the benefit of the doubt.  Paul follows his statement about trust by saying that love always hopes, or love Hope all things.

Of all the posts on this topic of love; I believe this is the strongest aspect of agape love as we can apply it to our lives.  Love always hopes!  We know that agape is a type of love that is selfless and giving.  It is a mirror of the way God loves us.  We cannot ever repay God for his love, yet he gives it freely and abundantly to all of us. 

What about hope?  Hope means to expect with confidence.  As Christians we know we serve a God that is immutable and omnipotent.  He does not change and he has the ability to do all he says he will do.  Those two attributes, when joined together give us hope that every one of over 3,000 promises made in the Bible will be fulfilled concerning those that have repented and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is from this place that we can begin to draw upon the hope that we have in Christ; the hope of glory!

So, our agape love must manifest itself in both an inward expectation with confidence, and an outward display of hope.  This is not hope in ourselves, but hope that God will do what he said he will do.   

One author wrote this about hope:

* "When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.
* When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.
* When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits.
* When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.
* When we lose our way and confusion blurs our destination, hope dulls the edge of panic.
* When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.
* When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control.
* When we must endure the consequences of bad decisions, hope fuels our recovery.
* When we find ourselves in financial difficulty, hope tells us that we still have a future.
* When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.
* When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we're not alone...we'll make it.
* When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in the life beyond gets us through our grief."

(Charles R. Swindoll, Hope Again: When Life Hurts and Dreams Fade, pp.xi,xii)

Brothers and sisters Satan will try his level best (remember he has been practicing his craft since the beginning) to discourage us.  When we are doing well in one area, Satan will attack us somewhere us.  When we are praying without ceasing, Satan will cause us to be too busy to pray for a season.  When we get a promotion at work, Satan will attack a spouse or a parent, or a child.

At a relationship level, Satan will bring confusion and chaos into our relationships with our loved ones in our home and in our church.  He will attempt to bring division through his lies and deceit.  He will bring devastation through addiction to drugs, alcohol, or pornography.  It is during these times that Paul says we must have hope that God has a plan and that plan will come to pass.

 Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Hope allows us to persevere.  It causes us to be able to praise God when things are hard.  It allows us to wait on the Lord and pray through every unfavorable circumstance with confident expectation.

Love Doctor: Love always trusts

Let's begin with our scripture (Paul really causes us to reflect deeply here)

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Today I want to look a little deeper into love always trusts.  Remember that love here means agape, which is God's perfect, unconditional love.  And I want to begin in the physical and move into the spiritual.

Brothers and Sisters, I almost skipped this one.  Trust seems to be one of those things that does not come naturally for me.  Perhaps I am was born with a flawed trust gene.  I can honestly say, this has been a monster in my life.  But God, true to form, has even taught me how to trust.  Praise Him!

The King James Version does not say love always trusts.  It actually says love believes all things.  Anyone out there has ever seen the damage infidelity can do in a relationship will agree that it is a foolish thing thing to trust when someone has proven themselves untrustworthy.  God is not telling us to be fools.  What Paul is saying here is that we need give our loved ones the benefit of the doubt. 

The word of the day here is intentionality.  I am stricken with the horrid foot-in-the-mouth disease.  Things fly out of my mouth with the greatest intentions of kindness and love; however, the misinterpretation of those same things can leave others with hurt feelings.  Most of the time I think of a better way to say things 2 or 3 days after I have already manifested the symptoms of my ailment.  If people who love me did not trust that I say things with good intentions, I would be a very lonely person.   

Paul is saying to us that when there is a question of malice, or wrongdoing, that we should give the benefit of the doubt and believe that people are not out to harm us.  I think that is where trust begins to work.  Trust begins to work in that space between action and response.  If the action which can be a word or deed occurs, and that causes us some sort of offense, then our loving trust will affect our response.  When we can say to ourselves that whatever that person did that hurt us was not intended to hurt us, and quickly forgive them we are practicing this principal of believing all things.

This principal also allows us to be genuinely affectionate and loving to people.  When we do not look for the best in others we are automatically on our guard and our communication both verbal and nonverbal seems false.  It's that to wide smile or too perky hello (and people pick up on it--don't do that folks).  We cannot be effective witnesses, effective living epistles, if we cannot believe all things.

God loves us with the kind of love Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13.  God has given us more than the benefit of the doubt through the remission of all sins of believers by the blood of Jesus Christ.  God has said to us that he knows we messed up.  He knows we have fallen short.  But He still loves us,  and he has provided a way for us to maintain a loving relationship with Him.

Love always Protects

Brothers, this one is for us.

If you have not figured it out already, I am a Black man.  As such, I feel like I can write certain things about my people that others cannot.  Brace yourselves brothers, this may sting a bit. 

I was talking to a brother yesterday.  He has a 2 year old son, and his eyes light up when he talks about his wife and his kid.  It was a joy to just listen to him talk about his family.  He has been affected by this economy and he is working a second job, and he was greatful that he has the opportunity to put in some extra hours so he can put his family in a better position.  He didn't complain, he didn't groan, he was the consummate protector, doing whatever he needed to do to make sure his family survives. 

It is not secret that our culture is sick.  It no longer functions as a way to transmit positive values.  Our women are exhausted.  They are jaded on the prospect of finding a decent man.  They are overworked and underappreciated.  They are sagging under the weight of carrying dual roles.  More of our young men are in jail and prison than in college.  And brothers, it is all our fault!  Love always protects, and we have not been protecting our women and children.

 

The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 the following about love

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Brothers, we have not loved our families the way God would have us to love our families for several generations.  Our children and our women bear the scars of our failures.  While we languish in front of the TV playing Madden, or behind bars because we were not man enough to work for what we wanted.  And while we were so busy loving ourselves, and pleasing ourselves, our women were busy playing the man. 

We have failed to protect our loved ones.  The Greek translation of the term is: to cover.  We have not covered our loved ones.  Men it is our job to cover in every circumstance.  We must cover from the elements, cover from hunger, cover from nakedness, cover from the world, cover in prayer, cover in affection, cover in teaching, cover in everything.  We must be willing to go out and fight, and possibly lose our very lives for the ones we love---and not just when we feel brave. 

You'll notice the term always precedes protects.  That term is unconditional.  Always is always.  So we are to put aside our needs to protect the objects of our love regardless of the circumstance. Try this, ask yourself what do you protect?  Your car?  Your home?  Your Jordans?  Your bank account?  Your reputation?  What do you make sure is always secure.  That, my friend is what you love. 

Let's look at this outside of the physical realm.  I'm writing to Christian men now.  Brothers, if we love Jesus, have we sought to protect him?  It is very true, Jesus does not need our protection.  But do we maintain a vigilant heart against those that would pervert, denounce, or otherwise compromise the word of God?  Brothers, if we love Jesus, then how can we allow people to smear his precious name in our presence without uttering a single word? 

Jesus provides the perfect example of protection on the cross.  His blood is our covering.  It conceals our wickedness from a just God who has to punish sin.  Jesus endured terrible pain, and then death to protect us-who he loves.  He gave all for us.  In doing so he provided a prefect example of how far we should be willing to go to cover those we love. 

Men, let's stand up and love our women and children properly.  Let's put ourselves aside and become the protectors God designed us to be.  It begins by repenting and believing in Christ.  Understanding his love and protection is the beginning of understanding how we are to love and protect. 

Love always protects. 

The Love Doctor 14: Love rejoices in truth

For many, many years I was lost.  I was headed to hell in gasoline soaked underwear.  But the worst thing about my pitiful condition was that the Christians in my life knew it; and no one said anything at all. 

Friends, I can thank a merciful God for reaching in and pulling me out of the murky waters of unrepentant sin.  God allowed me to dig a hole so deep that I had no other choice but to turn to Him.  And when I learned the truth, I did rejoice.  When I learned how wicked my own heart was, I praised God for that knowledge.  Read Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

What the weeping prophet is telling us here is that our desires speak lies to us above all things.  The things we gravitate toward are wicked hateful things.  Brothers and Sisters, that verse set me free.  That verse spoke to me like John 3:16 speaks to many other believers.  That verse told me to take whatever I wanted and hold up against the truth, which is the word of God, and see if they match.  When I understood that, it was like seeing for the first time.  I was able to truly rejoice in the truth. 

You see before I understood that verse I was like that boat lost at sea, being tossed about according to the weather.  I said and did whatever I felt like doing.  I believed that horrible lie the culture tells us.  Our flawed system tells us to do what feels right.  The culture told me that God put the desires I had in my heart so they couldn't be wrong.  When the spirit revealed to me the truth in that verse, I became stable.  My walk began to straighten out.  My thoughts became crystal clear, because I understood that I could not trust what was in my heart, and I must depend on the word of God to guide me. 

Friends, I said all that to get to my real point.  You cannot love fully until you love in the truth.  You cannot love in truth until you know the truth.  Let's look at our text:

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.



When we love with an agape love, we find joy when others experience the truth.  We rejoice when the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost soul and that new name is entered into the book of life.  We almost hear the angels sing when that brave soul takes the long walk down the aisle at church to begin the process of salvation. 

Brothers and sisters when we really rejoice in truth we do not remain silent when others around us do not know the truth.  You cannot really know the gospel and not want to share it.  How much do you have to hate someone to not share the gospel (some of you will get that later).  C.S. Lewis wrote (and I'm paraphrasing here) that there is a kind of joy that produces a seriousness or sense of purpose.  That joy wants us all to be saved, so we can all rejoice in the truth.

Love rejoices in the truth!