Category: Worldliness

Value Spiritual Transformation

1/18/2020

I walked in the television room of the dorm. Bill left his card game and walked toward me. He was the first person to greet me after my move from the fraternity to the dorm. After he helped me set up my stereo, we got into a discussion about Jesus. “Bill, you can’t take the Bible literally. It’s full of fairy tales,” I said, “Stories like Noah’s ark and parting of the Red Sea didn’t really happen. Miracles don’t happen in real life!” This dialogue began my journey to knowing Christ personally and making Him Lord.

Knowing the Bible, believing God exists, going to church, having a social media profile saying "Christian," speaking Christian language, and saying Jesus is Lord doesn’t mean I’m approved not mean you are making Jesus Lord in your life. If we don’t make Christ Lord, we won’t seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

1. Embrace Christ’s authority
Religious leaders asked who gave Jesus authority when He taught people in the temple and preached the gospel. Jesus asked if John's baptism was from heaven or from men. Since the religious leaders wouldn't answer his question, Jesus refused answering them too (Luke 20:1-8). Embrace Christ’s authority so your ministry won’t go unnoticed.

2. Accept Christ as church’s foundation
Jesus told a parable about a vineyard owner sending three slaves to vine-growers to get produce. Each time they beat the slave and sent him away empty-handed. When the owner sent his beloved son who was killed by the vine-growers, he planned to destroy them and give the vineyard to others. Jesus said, "The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust" (Luke 20:9-18). Accept Christ as church’s foundation for protection.

3. Balance worldly and spiritual responsibilities
The religious leaders feared the people, and tried to kill and catch Jesus in what He said, because they knew He spoke this parable against them. They asked if was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus detected their trickery and took a denarius. He said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's." They marveled at His answer and became silent (Luke 20:19-26). Balance spiritual and worldly responsibilities to please Jesus.

4. Value supernatural transformation
Christ told the Sadducees who believe in no resurrection that people marry on earth, but are like angels and unmarried in heaven. The dead are raised since He is God of the living. The Sadducees lost courage to question Him any longer (Luke 20:27-40). Value spiritual transformation because He’s God.

5. Rejoice in Christ’s victory
Christ asked how they could say that He’s David's son when he called Him 'Lord.' David said for the Lord to sit at His right hand until He made His enemies a footstool for His feet (Luke 20:41-44). Rejoice in Christ’s victory over spiritual enemies.

6. Seek humility
Christ told His disciples to beware of the scribes who love respectful greetings and chief seats in the synagogues but devour widows' houses and offer long prayers for appearance's sake. They will receive greater condemnation (Luke 20:45-47). Seek humility instead of power and position.

Further Thought: Ask God to help you value supernatural transformation as you balance your spiritual and worldly responsibilities while putting Christ’s first.

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Components to Advance God's Kingdom Agenda and Not the World's (Insights in Law)

10/13/2012

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An anonymous person wrote, "It takes courage To refrain from gossip when others about you delight in it. To stand up for an absent person who is being abused. To live honestly within your means and not dishonestly on the means of others. To be a real man, a true woman, by holding fast to your Christian ideals when it causes you to be looked upon as strange and peculiar. To be talked about and yet remain silent when a word would justify you in the yes of others, but which you cannot speak without injury to another. To refuse to do a thing which is wrong, though other do it. To dress according to you income and to deny yourself what you cannot afford to buy. To live always according to your convictions."

Certain components are necessary to advance God's kingdom agenda and not the world's. It requires various spiritual gifts working together to write His love on your hearts to empower obedience, serve the poor, open doors to kingdom ministry supernaturally, use every media and situation to train spiritual children, seek the Lord, give generously and obey His word completely as a defense against worldliness.

The Lord told Moses to cut out two tablets of stone so God could write the Ten Commandments again and have them put in the ark. After Aaron died, the Lord set apart Levi who carried, stood, served and pronounced blessings in His name since the Lord was their inheritance. Moses stayed on the mountain 40 days and nights like first time. Because the Lord listened and was not willing to destroy them, he led the people to enter and possess the land He promised (Deut. 10:1-11). God requires various spiritual gifts working together in ministry so people can advance His kingdom agenda, not the world's.

The Lord required them to fear, walk, love and serve Him with all their heart and soul in order to observe His commandments for their good. Heaven, earth and everything in it belonged to God. He loved and chose Israel above all nations. God instructed them to soften their hearts since the great and awesome God was Lord over all gods. He showed no partiality without bribes, but defended the cause of the fatherless and widow, loved the alien and gave them food and clothing. They were to love aliens as they were aliens in Egypt. God was their praise and did great and awesome wonders their eyes saw. Their forefathers went down to Egypt and God made them numerous as the stars of heaven (Deut. 10:12-22). God writes love on your hearts to empower obedience and serve the poor for your good.

Love God and keep His commandments for strength to possess and live long in the land flowing with milk and honey He cared for. Remember their children who had not seen and experienced His discipline, greatness and miracles in Egypt when the Red Sea parted and God defeated Pharaoh’s army. Their children had not seen other great works God did in the wilderness when the earth opened and swallowed Dathan and Abiram. God brought rain if they loved God and served Him with all your heart and soul. Being deceived by worshiping other gods caused drought and death (Deut. 11:1-17). God opens doors to kingdom ministry supernaturally when you love Him and obey His commands.

They impressed these words on their heart and soul, tied them as symbols on their hands and bound them on their foreheads. Taught and talked of them when they sat in their e house, walked along road, lied down and rose up. Wrote them on the doorposts of their house and gates to multiply their sons' days in the land. By keeping His commands, the Lord drove out nations mightier than them. Every place where they walked would be theirs from the wilderness to Lebanon, from the river Euphrates as far as western sea. Every man would stand and fear when they saw them. God set blessings if they obeyed His commandments and curses if they disobeyed by following other gods. Proclaim blessings on Mt. Gerizim and curses on Mt. Ebal (Deut. 11:18-32). Use every media and situation to equip spiritual children to obey God’s word for success and blessing.

These were the commandments to obey in the land God gave them to possess. Destroy every place where nations served their gods, tore down their altars, smashed sacred pillars, burned Asherim and cut down engraved images of their gods. Seek the Lord and bring all the sacrifices at the place He chose to establish His name for His dwelling. Bring burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, special gifts, freewill offerings and the first-born of your herd. They rejoiced in all their undertakings. After crossing the Jordan to live where the Lord gave as an inheritance, He provided rest and safety from their enemies (Deut. 12:1-14). Turn from idols, seek the Lord and give generously to defend against worldliness.

They killed and ate meat within any of their gates according to the Lord's blessing. They ate blood, tithed grain and new wine, firstborn of their herds, freewill offerings or special gifts in the presence of the Lord where He chose. They did not neglect the Levites. They ate anything everywhere except the blood for it was the life. They took holy things they vowed to the place God chose. They were careful to obey these words so it may go well with them and their children in doing what was good and right in the Lord’s sight. When God destroyed nations they were to dispossess to live in their land, He instructed them to not be ensnared by inquiring about their gods saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” Do not worship the Lord their way because in worshiping their gods, they would do bad things God hated. Do not add or take away what God commanded (Deut. 12:15-32). Follow God’s commands solely and completely while rejecting worldliness in fulfilling kingdom ministry.

Consider the following components in advancing God's kingdom agenda:
1. Join an environment where various spiritual gifts work together in kingdom ministry
2. Allow God to write His love on your heart to empower obedience and serve the poor
3. Wait for God to open doors to kingdom ministry supernaturally
4. Use every media and situation to equip spiritual children
5. Turn from worldliness, seek the Lord and give generously
6. Follow God's commands solely and completely in fulfilling kingdom ministry

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How to Protect the Institution of Marriage (Insights in Law)

8/25/2012

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Spiritually battle through prayer and hearing God's word to do His will. Follow God and renew your thinking in Christ to prevent worldliness and idols. Learn from the bad fruit of Israel's history when they did not follow the Lord. These spiritual disciplines equip you to do God's mission and discover your unique inheritance. Then you can exercise justice in the church and community to atone for bloodshed in the land, which will protect the institution of marriage.

Spiritually Battle
The Lord told Moses to take full vengeance on the Midianites using 1,000 men from each tribe along with Phinehas the priest who killed every male and five kings of Midian and Balaam. Moses was angry they spared the women who followed Balaam as he caused them to sin against the Lord at Peor before the plague struck God’s people. He told them to kill every boy and women who had slept with a man along with purifying themselves, captives and clothes. Moses instructed them to count and divide the booty between the soldiers who fought the battle and the rest of the community. They levied a tax for the Lord from those who went out to battle, one in 500 persons and cattle as a half-share to give to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the Lord. They took one out of every 50 persons and cattle to give to the Levites who kept charge of the tabernacle. Moses and Eleazar took the gold articles to make atonement for themselves and brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for Israel before the Lord (Num. 31:1-54). All believers spiritually battle through prayer and hearing His word to do God's will.

Follow God
Reuben and Gad with large livestock herds asked Moses if they could possess Gilead on the east side of the Jordan. Moses asked why their brothers would go to war and be discouraged from crossing the Jordan into land the Lord gave them while they sat in Gilead. He accused them of following their fathers’ example of sinning in not following the Lord fully by taking the land and wandering 40 years in the wilderness. Reuben and Gad said they would build cities for their children and be armed and ready to cross the Jordan until Canaan was possessed. Moses said they would be free from obligation and gave Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh the land and cities of Sihon, king of the Amorites, kingdom of Og and king of Bashan. They drove out the Amorites who were in the land (Num. 32:1-42). Follow God fully to enable your family and congregation embrace His kingdom purpose.

Renew Thinking
Moses recorded the journeys of Israel coming out of Egypt by armies under his and Aaron’s leadership according to their starting places. Israel started out boldly and the Lord executed judgment on the Egyptian gods. After crossing the Jordan into Canaan, they drove out all the inhabitants of the land and destroyed the carved images and cast idols, and demolished all the high places to take possession and live in the land. They inherited it by lot according to their families with the larger ones getting more inheritance and smaller less. If they did not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those remaining became barbs in their eyes and thorns in their sides to give them trouble. Then God would do to Israel what He planned to do with them (Num. 33:1-56). Renew your thinking in Christ so you reject worldliness and idols.

Do Mission
When they entered Canaan, the Lord through Moses gave specific boundaries for the land allotted to them as an inheritance. He assigned the land by lot as an inheritance to 9 ½ tribes because Reuben, Gad and half-tribe of Manasseh received theirs on the east side of the Jordan River. Eleazar the priest, Joshua and one leader from each tribe helped assign the land for an inheritance (Num. 34:1-29). Do God's mission and discover your unique inheritance.

Exercise Justice
Moses commanded Israel to give the Levites cities and pasture lands surrounding them to live in according to specific dimensions. Six cities of refuge (three on each side of the Jordan) were assigned so someone who killed a person accidentally could flee and 42 other towns were given to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe. The cities of refuge would be places to protect someone accused of murder before he stood trial with the murderer put to death. The accused would stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest and then could return to his own property. Anyone killing a person would be put to death on the testimony of at least two witnesses. Bloodshed polluted the land and atonement could only be made for the land by shedding the blood of the one responsible. Do not defile the land where you live for God dwelled among the Israelites (Num. 35:1-34). Exercise justice in the church and community to atone for polluting the land with bloodshed.

Protect Marriage
The Lord commanded Moses to give land by lot to Israel as an inheritance and to give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his daughters. If they married sons from other tribes, their inheritance would be withdrawn and added to the inheritance of the tribe they married into. When the Year of Jubilee came, their inheritance would be added to the tribe into which they married and property taken from the tribal inheritance of their forefathers. They could marry anyone they pleased within the tribal clan of their father. No inheritance could be transferred from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite would keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers. Zelophehad’s daughters married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh and their inheritance remained in their father’s clan and tribe (Num. 36:1-13). Protect marriage as the basic building block for a stable society through laws, mentoring and economic incentives.

Ask God to accomplish the following in your life and city:
1. All believers engage in the spiritual battle
2. Follow God fully to enable your family and congregation to embrace His kingdom purpose
3. Renew your thinking in Christ so you reject worldliness and idols
4. Do God's mission and discover your unique inheritance
5. Exercise justice in the church and community to atone for polluting the land with bloodshed
6. Protect marriage as the basic building block for a stable society through laws, mentoring and economic incentives

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Moving From Double-Mindedness to Single-Mindedness (Insights in Prophets)

7/3/2012

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Double-minded people fear the Lord and serve idols. They seek deliverance from humans, follow vanity and do evil secretly. Those who trust and obey God's commandments prosper, inherit the land, reject the world's systems of support and receive deliverance from the Lord. In 2 Kings 16-18, various kings illustrate how double-mindedness results in instability, but single-mindedness on Christ promotes inheritance and deliverance.

Ahaz king of Judah made his son pass through the fire according to the abominations of the nations the Lord drove out. He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Rezin king of Aram and Pekah king of Israel waged war in Jerusalem but could not overcome him. Ahaz asked for help from Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria to be delivered from the kings of Aram and Israel. He sent them silver and gold from the Lord's and king's house. The Assyrian king captured Damascus and put Rezin to death (2 Kings 16:1-9). Those who disobey God seek deliverance from humans.

Ahaz sent the pattern of the Damascus' altar so Urijah the priest could make it. Ahaz made burnt, meal and peace offerings on the altar. He commanded Urijah the priest to do these offerings for all the people. Ahaz wanted to use the bronze altar for himself. He cut off the borders of the stands and removed the laver from the house of the Lord because of the king of Assyria (2 Kings 16:10-20). Those who disobey God follow the world's pattern.

The Assyrian king captured Samaria and carried Israel into exile to Assyria because they sinned against the Lord, feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations and kings. Israel did evil things secretly by serving idols, building high places, sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill to burn incense. The prophets warned them to turn from their evil ways and keep His commandments but they did not listen or believe in the Lord. They followed vanity and became vain like the nations around them. They worshiped the host of heaven, served Baal, practiced divination and enchantments and sold themselves to do evil. Only Judah was left. The Lord rejected and afflicted all of Israel's descendants and gave them into the hand of plunders (2 Kings 17:1-23). Those who disobey God follow vanity and do evil secretly.

Assyria filled the cities of Samaria with strangers from the nations. The Lord sent lions to kill them. One of the exiled priests lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord. They still made gods of their own and appointed priests of the high places. They should not forget the covenant and fear other gods, but fear Him since He would deliver them from their enemies. The various generations feared the Lord and served their idols (2 Kings 17:24-41). Those who are double-minded fear the Lord and serve idols.

Hezekiah did right like David and removed the high places, broke down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah and broke the bronze serpent Moses made. He trusted in the Lord by following and keeping His commandments. The Lord was with him and prospered him. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory. King of Assyria carried Israel into exile because they disobeyed the covenant of Moses (2 Kings 18:1-12). Those who trust and obey God's commandments prosper and inherit the land.

When Sennacherib king of Assyria came against fortified cities of Judah, Hezekiah gave him silver from the Lord's and king's house along with gold from the doors of the temple. The king of Assyria asked what was his confidence and on whom he relied to rebel against him. He questioned his reliance on Egypt's chariots and horsemen or trust in the Lord through worship before the altar in Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:13-25). Those who rely on God reject the world's systems of support.

The king of Assyria said that Hezekiah would not be able to deliver them by trusting in the Lord. None of the gods of the nations delivered them from the king of Assyria. Hezekiah told the people to be silent and not answer him (2 Kings 18:26-37). Those who trust in God receive deliverance from the Lord.

Ask God for a single-minded heart focused on Christ so you can inherit the land and receive deliverance.

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Pay the Price When Your Heart Turns Away from God (Insights in Prophets)

3/5/2012

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We lose out in achieving our full kingdom potential by allowing fleshly lust and worldly prestige turn our hearts away from God. Even more tragic, we lose sweet fellowship with God. Solomon started out well, but he paid the price when his heart away from the Lord. You can be wise and give good advice like Solomon, but not follow it yourself.

King Solomon loved 700 foreign wives and 300 concubines forbidden by Israel to associate with. They turned Solomon's heart away after their gods so he was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God. He went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidoninans, Milcom of the Ammonites and built a high place for Chemosh the idol of Moah and for Molech of Ammon (1 Kings 11:1-8). Fleshly lust and worldly prestige turn your heart away from God.

The Lord was angry because after appearing to him twice, Solomon turned his heart away from God. He commanded him to not go after after gods to disobey God. He told Solomon that he would tear his kingdom and give it to his servant during the reign of his son for the sake David and Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:9-13). Spiritual experiences don't prevent your heart turning away from God.

The Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite as an adversary to Solomon. He escaped to Egypt when Joab, David's army commander, killed every male in Edom. God also raised up Rezon and gathered men to himself after David killed others in Zodak. He abhorred Israel and reigned over Aram (1 Kings 11:14-25). Outside enemies come against you when your heart turns away from God to make life more complicated.

Jeroboam, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, rebelled against Solomon because he built the Millo and closed up the breach in Jerusalem. Jeroboam was an industrious, valiant warrior over the the forced labor of the house of Joseph. The prophet Ahijah met him and tore his cloak in 12 pieces. He gave Jeroboam ten pieces predicting he would rule ten tribes and Solomon's son would rule one tribe because of his father's disobedience. Ahijah told Jeroboam that God would build an enduring house like David's if he observed His commandments. When Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, he fled to Egypt until Solomon died and Rehoboam became king (1 Kings 11:26-43). Inside enemies come when your heart turns away from God so you can't embrace God's promises.

What if Solomon followed his advice in Prov. 3:1-10? Will you follow it?

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Breaking the Cycle of Worldliness (insights in Law)

9/28/2010

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Consider the strong and wholesome family values promoted in past television shows like Leave it to Beaver and Andy Griffith. Today’s shows glorify dysfunction and immorality. They glamorize sexual promiscuity and frequently present illegal acts such as drug usage as acceptable. Many movie characters as well as the stars that portray them disrespect authority and believe they are above the law. Gen. 19 could have been written today.

Two angels came to Lot as he sat in the gate of Sodom. After Lot urged the two angels to stay at his house, he prepared a feast and baked unleavened bread (Gen. 19:1-3). Men of Sodom wanted to have sex with the angels, but Lot offered his daughters instead (Gen. 19:4-8). Hospitality was a higher value for Lot than preventing rape of his daughters.
1. Worldliness warps your thinking and decision-making.

Entertaining the world's philosophies will defeat us unless unless we submit to God's control. The evil men threatened Lot and tried to enter his home because one of the visiting angels was "acting as a judge." The angels protected Lot and struck the men with blindness (Gen. 19:9-11).
2. God takes the initiative to save you from harm if you invite His control over the situation.

Once we realize that we can't stand on our own, God will provide a way of escape if we look for it (1 Cor. 10:13). The angels were going to destroy Sodom "because their outcry has become so great before the Lord." Lot's future son-in-laws thought he was jesting when told to flee Sodom. The angels commanded Lot to take his wife and two daughters so they wouldn't be swept away in punishment of the city. They seized Lot because he hesitated for Lord's compassion was upon him (Gen. 19:13-17).
3. Separate yourself from the constant bombardment of the world seeking to lower your moral standards.

Once we escape the world, we have another decision to make that will determine our future. Will we set our mind on things above or on the earth (Col. 3:1-3)? The Lord rained brimstone and fire out of heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot’s wife looked back and became pillar of salt (Gen. 19:23-26).
4. Focus on God's kingdom so you don't become useless.

To ensure protection and prosperity over the long-term, recruit intercessors on your behalf to stand in the gap so we are not destroyed (Ezek. 22:30). When God destroyed the cities, He remembered Abraham by protecting Lot from the overthrow of the cities (Gen. 19:29). Abraham's intercession to God in Gen. 18:16-33 saved Lot and his two daughters.
5. Enlist intercessors so God can remember and bless you.

If you don't protect yourself from worldliness, your family will experience devastation like Lot's family. Lot’s oldest daughter conceived a son, Moab, and youngest, Ammon, through Lot after making their father drunk. Moab and Ammon became nations that enticed Israel toward idolatry (Gen. 19:30-38).

In summary, worldliness leads to wrong choices and devastating consequences. Following God and focusing on His kingdom cause God to remember and bless you.

Meditate on 2 Peter 2:7-9. What is God saying to you?

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How to Navigate in a Culture of Moral Relativism

8/3/2010

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Children have a sense of justice and truth. While growing up, we all face situations when someone took advantage of us. After bringing home a spoiled banana from a grocery store, we demand a refund. When a movie doesn't live up to its billing, we feel cheated. Our life insurance policy doesn't cover a procedure listed in the small print so we get angry.

The Psalmist faced a similar situation or just cause and felt violated (Ps. 17:1). He wanted justice! How do we protect ourselves from moral relativism and the associated injustice we all face in the world? The rest of the Psalm will answer that question so let's take a look:
1. Judge your own heart first (Ps. 17:1b-4). Take the log our of your eye to correctly judge the situation (Matt. 7:1-5). So many times, we get on our moral crusade criticizing the government, schools, supervisor or another person before looking at the sin in our own heart first. We will be judged in the same standard we judge others (Matt. 7:2).
2. Hold fast to God's word (Ps. 17:5). The wisdom in the Psalms, Proverbs and Job are especially helpful here.
3. Cry to God and expect an answer (Ps. 17:6). How often do we pray and either don't listen or figure that since God won't answer our prayers, why continue asking, seeking and knocking (Matt. 7:7-12).
4. Experience God's love (Ps. 17:7-8). We are the apple of God's eye. He loves us more than we can imagine. The word, Savior, literally means "to be open, wide, or free." God's love has no bounds. He wants us to be free and not cramped so we can fulfill all our God-given potential. He pays such particular attention to us like He had no one else to care for in the universe. Did you get that? God is wild about you and wants you to succeed beyond anything you could imagine!
5. God watches and guards us from worldly philosophies (Ps. 17:8-12). The world is crafty. Even Christian organizations get trapped in prioritizing business management techniques instead of asking for God's counsel as we observed in the last blog concerning the Gibeonites (Josh. 9). At its best, the lure of the world's promises for success or short-term pleasure. Ultimately, it will enslave
us. At its worst, we experience an unfeeling heart instead of compassion. The church is better equipped than government in social service because believers in Christ have the power of God that overcomes the world (John 16:33).

The Psalm ends with the just cause like it began. How do we obtain the justice and integrity we so desperately long for? It comes only through a relationship with Christ as we continually meditate on Him through the pages of Scripture (Ps. 17:15; 2 Cor. 3:16-18; James 1:25). Christ provides all the resources we need to live in a moral relativistic culture.

Meditate on Psalm 17. How has your thought process changed concerning a circumstance or troubled relationship you currently face after meditating on Psalm 17.

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Value Spiritual Transformation

Components to Advance God's Kingdom Agenda and Not the World's (Insights in Law)

How to Protect the Institution of Marriage (Insights in Law)

Moving From Double-Mindedness to Single-Mindedness (Insights in Prophets)

Pay the Price When Your Heart Turns Away from God (Insights in Prophets)

Breaking the Cycle of Worldliness (insights in Law)

How to Navigate in a Culture of Moral Relativism

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