Tag Archives: christianity

Unleavened bread and barley still life painting

Easter vs Passover: Clarifying Biblical Terms

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Where would we be without Easter? Before I address that question, let me take a moment to address the issue of the word itself. Is Easter found in the Bible? Well, yes, and no. The word is found in the King James Version of the Bible. Found in Acts 12:4, the verse reads: “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” This is in reference to Peter being arrested, and kept in his cell until after Pascha (Hebrew for Passover). Thus, it is a clear reference to the Jewish feast of Passover rather than to a day referred to as Easter.

Is this really important? I think that we will reach the solid conclusion that it is crucially important when we understand the significance of the word. Easter has no place in the original languages of the Bible. There are varying explanations as to how the word “Easter” came to be in English translations of the Bible, but the one that seems to have the most consensus is that when the King James Version (KJV) was translated in 1611, the word Easter was commonly used in reference to the Passover, and would have had that understanding to those in that era who read that particular translation. However, with the changing of the definition of words through the years, it is now a matter of confusion. Thus, it is far better to understand Acts 12:4 as Passover, not Easter.

Now let’s consider the ramifications of not using the word “Passover”. Passover is one of three Jewish feasts that take place within an eight-day period. It begins on Sunday, and concludes on Sunday. The first Sunday begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread, during which all leaven must be removed from Jewish homes for the duration of those eight days. It then concludes on the following Sunday, which is the Jewish Feast of Firstfruits. Between these two Feasts is the Feast of Passover, which is celebrated on Thursday.

The reason we should be careful to use the right terminology relative to each of these Feasts is because Jesus is the fulfillment of all three. Let’s consider carefully this extremely important part of those Feasts of Israel, and how each is related to Jesus.

To begin with, these are not to be thought of as being types of Christ found in the Old Testament. Think of a type of Christ as being a symbol, or picture, or foreshadowing, of the coming Christ. There are many of these types of Christ found throughout the Old Testament. However, we must be careful that we do not think of Firstfruits, Passover, and Unleavened Bread as being symbols, or types of Christ. Why? Because the New Testament makes it clear that Passover is not a type of Christ, but rather that Christ IS Passover. Firstfruits is not a type of Christ, but Christ IS Firstfruits. Unleavened Bread is not a type of Christ, but Christ is the Unleavened Bread.

Read the following verses carefully:

“And Jesus said to them, ‘I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'” John 6:35

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7

Jesus Christ IS the Bread of life, Firstfruits, and the Passover Lamb. This should make it abundantly clear that those Feasts of Israel are all fulfilled in our Lord, Jesus. We must not allow the world’s practice of changing the meaning of words to adversely affect these three terms that are so profound as we think about the season we refer to as Easter. We must maintain a commitment to the clear teachings of Scripture, especially those that teach us these phenomenal truths about Jesus.

So, what exactly should we call the day we have come to know as Easter? Simple: according to God’s plan as laid out in the Old Testament, we celebrate Unleavened Bread (we normally refer to it as Palm Sunday), Passover (Thursday after Unleavened Bread), and Firstfruits (we call it Easter). To understand the meaning of these terms, and the significance of the Old Testament feasts that were all fulfilled in, by, and through Jesus Christ, will shed so much light and provide so much clarity in why these Christian celebrations are rooted in Old Testament worship.

For over 3500 years orthodox Jews have participated in Communion every time they celebrate Passover

And now for the reason for this blog. Did you realize that for over 3500 years orthodox Jews have participated in Communion every time they celebrate Passover? And secondly, did you also realize that for over 2000 years the church has celebrated a part of Passover every time they have observed the Lord’s Supper?

For over 2000 years the church has celebrated a part of Passover every time they have observed the Lord’s Supper

It was during the observance of Passover that Jesus took a specific piece of unleavened bread, broke it, and said, “This is my body given for you.” Then, He took the third cup of wine served during the meal, and said, “This is my blood, shed for you.” That is astounding! Jesus IS the Passover. He is the ultimate Passover lamb whose life was given for others.

It is remarkable how God actually provided these graphic portraits of His Son approximately 1500 years before His birth. What a mighty God we serve – Amen!

Blessings!

Three wooden crosses silhouetted on a rocky hill against a vibrant sunrise sky.

The Passion of Christ

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Last night, Teresa and I watched the movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” This was only the second time we have watched this particular theatrical presentation of the crucifixion of our Lord. The first time was in 2004, shortly after the movie was released and was being shown in theaters across the country. Teresa and I went to see it with a group from our church. We traveled the 25 miles to the theater in our church van, laughing, talking, enjoying one another’s company as we made the trip. Upon our arrival we went into the theater, made ourselves comfortable in the nice, cushioned seats, and readied ourselves for the movie to begin.

At least I thought we were “ready”. Physically present? Yes. Chattering as the pre-showing ads ran on the screen? Yes. Still enjoying each other’s company? Yes. All was well as we enjoyed the comfort of the modern theater, and the company of our friends.

The movie began, and we watched as scene after scene was depicted on the large movie screen before us. As the movie progressed, I felt as if the screen was somehow getting larger and larger, and beginning to press in on me. I felt overwhelmed by the graphic depiction of the savagery of the soldiers as they hit and punched Jesus after arresting Him in the garden. I felt anger well up in me as the religious leaders were shown to be cold, callused, calculating, in their appeal for Jesus to be executed. I had to literally close my eyes to shut out the horrific scourging He was given. I actually felt nauseated as the scene of Him being nailed to the cross was shown, again in grotesque detail. I was in a state of stunned silence. I felt as if I needed to scream, but could not.

The movie finally ended. Not a sound was heard in the theater. No one spoke. The only sound I heard was that of crying, even after the movie had ended, and the credits had run. Silence, except for the crying.

We made our way back to the church van without a word. We all were seated, doors were closed, engine was started, van was moving. Silence. Twenty-five miles back to the church. We all sat in stunned silence. Not a single, solitary word was spoken. We arrived back at the church. No cordial “Good-byes” or “See you later.” We all made our way back to our vehicles and drove away. I later told Teresa that I would never watch it again. And I did not – until last night.

So why did I watch it again after saying that I would not? To be honest and completely transparent, it was only because Teresa wanted to see it again. Twenty-two years after watching it the first time, we sat and watched it again. And again – silence. No words were spoken between us. Once again I had to close my eyes several times to shut it out. It was too much to bear.

And yet, Jesus bore it all. He went through every moment of it, because it had to be done. And He was the only One who could do it. I have been preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over 45 years, I have preached many, many sermons on the crucifixion. I have tried, in many of those sermons, to give a verbal description of what His crucifixion might have “looked like.” But to see it displayed in such horrible, graphic detail on a huge screen right in front of me – well, that gave it a whole new meaning.

So, now I’ve watched it a second time. And once again I said to Teresa, “I will never watch that again.” I think I really mean it this time. I thought I meant it the first time, and yet, here I am, the day after watching, and saying it once again.

But, let me close by saying it does put things in a different perspective. It does cause us to think seriously about all He did for us. And it does make us so much more appreciative for Jesus’ willingness to go through all He did to secure our salvation. So this morning, I sit here typing these words with the scenes of the movie still playing in my head, and with every different scene, I have to say, “Thank you Jesus, for loving me so!”

Blessings!

Finding Clarity: Knowing God’s Will

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Through the 45+ years of my pastoral ministry, I have been asked literally hundreds, even thousands, of questions. They range from the silly to the serious, from the light-hearted to the life-altering, from the amusing to the amazing, from matters of this life to matters of the life to come. As I have given thought to those questions that seem to come up more often than others, the one that stands out clearly (from the perspective of my personal experience), as the number one most often asked is this: “How can I know God’s will for my life.” This is certainly a most important question to address. It is imperative that we seek God’s guidance in striving to determine our personal life-path.

However, I am inclined to believe that Henry Blackaby, in his most powerful and thought-provoking study, “Experiencing God”, hits on a key point. He suggests that “How can I know God’s will for my life” is actually the wrong question. He suggests that the correct question is this: “How can I know God’s will?” He then goes on to explain that once we understand God’s will, then we can make His will our will. That is certainly an interesting concept to consider, don’t you think? Let’s think seriously about the implications of that statement.

The first thing we need to address is, how do we know God’s will? And the first place to look is in the Bible. God’s will for the life of the believer is clearly laid out for us in Scripture. Think with me about a few statements Jesus made that will validate this truth. He made several “when you…” statements that give us some insight into things that are clearly actions that He expects of us. For example, in Matthew 6:6 He says, “When you pray…” Jesus is obviously making the assumption that part of the believer’s daily routine is prayer. He doesn’t say “If you pray”, but rather “When you pray”. He then goes on to give instructions on this matter of personal prayer. So, when you begin wondering about His will for you, make sure that you are involving yourself in the actions He assumes you are actively engaging in.

Another of these “when you” statements is found in this same passage of Scripture. In Matthew 6:2, Jesus says, “When you do a charitable deed…” The expectation, of course, is that believers will involve themselves in charitable causes. He also gives a word of explanation on this “when you” statement. He says clearly and specifically that we are not to do these charitable deeds to draw attention to self. Rather, they are to be done for His glory, as well as the good of the recipient of our charitable deed.

These two examples of “when you” statements are only given as examples, there being many others that are clear indications of certain actions and activities that are God’s will for every believer to engage in.

Another example of Biblical teachings on how to know God’s will is found in other types of statements made by Jesus. For example, He said, “Follow Me and I will make you become fishers of men.” Clear, isn’t it? To follow Jesus means that we will be witnesses for Jesus. And we need to make sure we understand the gravity of this statement: we are witnesses for Him! We are either good witnesses, or bad witnesses, but we are witnesses none-the-less.

Jesus also taught His followers that we are to abide in Him, because it is only as we abide in Him, the Vine, that we, the branches, can bear any fruit. And how do we go about abiding in Him? By personal surrender to His Word, His will, His teachings. We are to live daily in the awareness of His presence.

Perhaps a good way to facilitate knowing His will is to remind ourselves that everywhere we go, we take Jesus with us. He is always there, ever present. He hears every word, sees every action, witnesses every attitude. He is our ever-present Friend who is with us always.

Having said all that, there is still that looming question in the back of our minds, right? “How do I know God’s will for my life? And, yes, it is an important question. I am not suggesting that we should take it lightly. But I agree with Blackaby: ask the right question first, and the second will most likely make itself pretty clear. As we begin obediently doing what we know to be His will for all believers, then His will for us as individuals will make itself known as we obediently serve Him.

Blessings!

How to Discern True Christianity from False Religions

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Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3

The world of the apostle John’s day, just like today, was filled with religious fervor. Judaism was one among many religious systems which competed with one another, presenting their views, inviting people in, indoctrinating those who would embrace their system of belief with their teachings and dogma. With so many different religions to choose from, how does one know what is true and what is false? How are we to test them, to put them through a strenuous trial, making sure that what we believe is the truth and not merely a fabrication, created ingenuously by the mind of man.

The apostle John gives us some very sobering words of warning, coupled with words of sound advice, on how to know what is true and what is false. It would be awful indeed to spend one’s life devoted to a religious system which in the end proved to be riddled with falsehood, presenting false hope that is based in fantasy rather than reality. Some of the major world religions that were present during the time of Christ were: Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism – all of which are still active in the world today. Into this mix, Christianity was added after the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

The vast majority of my readers are professing Christians, having embraced the teachings of the Christian faith. So this question is for us – professing Christians. How do we know that Christianity is the true religion? How do we answer those who adhere to other religious systems of belief?

Christians living in the United States are being faced with this question more and more as our country is becoming more and more the religious melting pot of the world. Adherents of other world religions are growing in number, as immigrants from other countries are now calling the US home. As they come, instead of assimilating into American life, they are maintaining the traditions and beliefs of their homeland – including their religious belief and practice. And, even more, they are in many ways demanding that the American people embrace their beliefs and practices, rather than respecting the longstanding traditional values and beliefs of America.

The results? They are very clear and evident. The United States has lost its Christian distinctive. As a past president of our nation stated, “The US is no longer a Christian nation.” And, sadly, it was due to individuals like him that this statement could ring true, since he, personally, was an adherent to a different religious belief system. Now, we are seeing politicians who embrace Islam being elected to high political offices, and we hear cries for the enactment of Sharia law. I believe that our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves if they were to realize the drastic turn in the religious fabric of their beloved nation.

But now, back to the question. How do we, as representatives of Jesus Christ, know that our manner of life, based on the teachings of Scripture, and specifically the teachings of Jesus Himself, is true? We can present all of our arguments, defending our faith, as the Bible teaches that we should be able to do. But the fact of the matter is, adherents to other world religions could defend their beliefs as well. So again, how do we test the spirits of these other religious systems, and have confidence that Christianity is true. Because, we must realize, that to say that Christianity is true we are in essence saying that all others are false. And the adherents of other religious belief systems are just as adamant that theirs is true as we are that Christianity is true.

We could defend the Christian faith by citing Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled, down to the most minute detail, in Jesus first coming. There are Old Testament passages that prophecy His birth, His miraculous conception, His sinless life, His death by crucifixion, He resurrection, His ascension back to the Father. We could also cite other prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled.

We could defend the Christian faith by sharing passages that speak of Jesus’ sinless life, His radical teachings, His ongoing influence that created a revolution throughout the entire world.

But, we could hear adherents of other religions speak of the influence of their religious beliefs and practices. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism all have throngs of followers. It is estimated that there are 354 million Buddhists, 762 million Hindus, and 1.2 billion Muslim in the world, while Christianity is estimated to have 1.8 billion. These are not insignificant numbers. So, when we say that we believe the words of Jesus, that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him, we are suggesting that all of the adherents to these other religions are spiritually lost, without God in this world, and without hope for the world to come. Of course, they would say the same about us, but how can we know which one is true?

Well, actually we have already read the answer. Test the spirits. What do they say about Jesus? Do they believe He as a good man, a good teacher, an example of moral uprightness? Please read my following words very, very carefully. If they believe that He was a good man, a good teacher, and a person of moral integrity, but don’t believe He was God in the flesh, then they are dead wrong!

If anyone believes that Jesus was a good man, a good teacher, and a person of moral integrity, but don’t believe He was God in the flesh, they are dead wrong!

If Jesus was not God, then He was not a good man, nor a good teacher, nor a person of moral integrity. As a matter of fact, He was a dangerous liar who deceived multitudes with His fabrications about Himself. So, once again, how do we know that Christianity is right, and all others are wrong? Simple!

Buddha – DEAD!

Confucius – DEAD!

Mohammed – DEAD!

Dali Lama – DEAD!

Jesus Christ – Dead, Buried, Resurrected, Ascended, at the right hand of God the Father

What further proof could we possibly need? Jesus is the only one who promised that He would conquer death, hell and the grave, and kept His word. He changed the world, and continues to do so through His arms, legs, feet and hands – and that would be us. We are members of His body, the church. And one day, possibly soon, He will come for us, that we might be with Him forever.

Please never lose sight of what He has done for you. Your life is His gift to you; what you do with it is your gift to Him.

Blessings!

Walking in the Spirit: A Guide to Overcoming Fleshly Desires

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Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Paul gives us some much needed, timely advice in this verse. But what exactly does he mean by this statement? It actually brings a picture to my mind from my brief stint in the marching band at Lancaster High School. I played trumpet in the band for a couple of years, and one of the highlights of playing in the band was being able to go to all the football games, where the band would perform at halftime. In order to be in the marching band, you, of course, had to learn to march in step. Every member of the band stepped in unison – where a hundred sets of footsteps sounded as one. We were all marching in step with everyone else.

The picture Paul is drawing is that of the disciple of Jesus Christ walking in step with Him by walking in the Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. It would mean being guided by the Spirit, allowing Him to direct our thoughts, our actions, our behaviors, and our attitudes. It would entail yielding ourselves to Him, allowing Him to have control of our surrendered mind, heart, and will.

Paul says that to do so will give us power to refrain from engaging in acts that are guided by the flesh, and he then goes on to give a list of the works of the flesh. It is a rather sordid list of sinful activities that every disciple of Christ should refrain from engaging in. It is not to be thought of as an all-inclusive list, as many other sinful acts could be added. Rather, it is a sampling of behaviors that every believer should guard themselves against.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissentions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5: 19-21

This is what it looks like to walk in the flesh. It does not mean that an individual would be characterized by all of these behaviors, but that their life would be recognized as being in alignment with the spirit which leads to these actions.

The person who is walking in the Spirit, on the other hand, would be characterized by a different list of behaviors. Paul says, in contradiction to the works of the flesh, that the fruit of the Spirit is:

…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25

This list of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit bears testimony to character traits of those who are walking in step with the Spirit. And Paul asserts that those who walk in the Spirit will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

In another of Paul’s letters – the letter to the Ephesians – he gives a graphic illustration of what living in the flesh looks like. He says:

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:18-19

Here, Paul gives a contrast and comparison between being drunk with wine and being filled with the Spirit. It is truly a picture that can’t be missed. If you have ever seen anyone under the influence of alcohol, then you can understand the imagery. We sometimes hear someone say that a person who is drunk is out of control. But that isn’t exactly true. They are actually under control – the control of the alcohol. They are being controlled by walking in the spirit of the drink.

In contrast, Paul says that the person who is filled with the Spirit – who is walking in the Spirit – will be living differently, as he/she is under the influence of the Spirit. They will be characterized by the things of the Spirit, and not by the things of the spirit of the world. It would mean that he/she is living a life that bears testimony to the reality of being in step with the Spirit.

A good question to ask ourselves periodically would be, “With whom am I walking in step? The Spirit God, or the spirit of the world?” And the answer will be found in your conduct, your behavior, your attitudes and your actions. Let’s strive to always walk in the Spirit so that we don’t fall prey to the lusts of the flesh.

Blessings!

Listening to God’s Creation: A Call to Worship

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The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord is King!” Let the sea and everything in it resound; let the fields and all that is in them exult. Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. 1 Chronicles 16:30-33

It is obvious from these words that King David is overwhelmed by the presence and power of the Lord. This outburst of praise is filled with words of adoration to the Lord, and he is calling all of creation to worship and exalt Him. The occasion for this psalm of thanksgiving is the day the Ark of God is being carried to the city of Jerusalem after having been captured by the Philistines. There was great rejoicing in the city as the Ark, which represented the presence of God, was returned to its rightful place.

I find it very interesting that David calls for creation to be involved in this day of celebration. He refers to the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in it, the fields, and the trees of the forest, saying they will shout for joy before the Lord. What a powerful way to describe how nature can lead one to worship and praise.

I remember one such occasion from many years ago. I was a student at Fruitland Bible Institute, located in Hendersonville, NC. Teresa and I were living at Chimney Rock while I attended the school. We had heard that there would be an Easter Sunrise Service on Chimney Rock and decided to attend. I remember that it was a cool, clear day as we made our way up the winding road to the parking lot far above the streets below.

I must admit that I don’t remember anything that was said during the time of worship. It wasn’t that I did not listen – I just didn’t hear. Why? Because the words of the preacher were being drowned out by the beauty of God’s creation. The glorious beauty of the panoramic view from the top of Chimney Rock was screaming so loudly that I could “hear” nothing else.

The pastor had completed his message, and he asked everyone to bow for the closing prayer. As much as I hated to close my eyes, I did as the pastor asked. He prayed a beautiful prayer of adoration, praise, and worship of our mighty God, and our Savior, Jesus Christ, whose resurrection we were celebrating on that Easter morning.

When he said “Amen” at the conclusion of his prayer, I opened my eyes to see one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen: the sun was just rising on the horizon. I was mesmerized. Tears of joy began to flow down my cheeks as I once again was enraptured by the “sounds” of creation, speaking much more loudly than the words of the pastor, even though he was speaking through an array of speakers which had been assembled for the occasion. Oh, it wasn’t a voice that you could hear – that is, unless you were listening.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one listening to creation’s message of praise that beautiful Easter morning atop Chimney Rock, but as far as I was concerned, I was the only one there. I was hypnotized by the message I was hearing. There have been other times when I experienced the message of creation, but none have ever topped the one that day long ago.

Is it important to realize the truth that nature gives testimony to the power and presence of God? The Apostle Paul certainly thought it was. Listen to the words he penned in his letter to the Romans:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Nature is a testimony to God’s invisible attributes! Paul even asserts that no one will be able to stand before God and say that he did not know God existed, because the creation itself bears testimony to His existence and power. The constant, consistent testimony of God’s creation is enough to convince anyone who will “listen” to its voice that there is a Creator, a Designer, a powerful, personal “cause” behind what exists.

Are you listening? Don’t get so caught up in the “voices” of the world that it causes you to miss out on the “voice” of God’s majestic creation. Let it, instead, bring you ever closer to God as you see His presence in the things He has made and given to us to enjoy.

Blessings!

The Power of Community in Worship: A Family of Faith

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Have you ever taken a few seconds to look around at the people with whom you worship? If not, the next time you are gathered for a time of congregational worship, take a moment to look around. Let your eyes take a survey of those gathered – think about what you know about them, individually. What is their background, their family make-up, their job, the number of people in the family, etc.?

Then, after a quick glance around, think about the fact that you are all together, in your place of worship, lifting your voices together in worship through song, uniting your hearts together in times of prayer, giving attention to the message being preached by your pastor. During that time together, you are as one – one body of believers, united in spirit and truth. You are seeking the same thing – the presence of the living Lord. You are desirous of the same thing – that the will of God would be done – right then, right there.

But as you take this cursory glance around, you also detect that, even though you are one in worship, in prayer, in desire, you are also very different from one another. Different backgrounds, different levels of education attainment, different career choices, living in different neighborhoods, with different preferences that drive you to make different choices.

So, as you look around, what is it that has brought you together, in that worship center, united as one in seeking the Lord? Why are you there? In that particular place? With those particular people? What is the driving force, the determining factor, that has brought you all together?

Then, think about the original twelve disciples. They were such a diverse group of individuals. At least four of them were fishermen. One was a tax collector. One, a political activist. The Bible doesn’t tell us the occupation of the others, but we can assume there were several other occupations among the remaining disciples.

Can you imagine some of the conversations they must have had? Can you picture a tax collector and a political activist being in the same room? Simon the zealot would have despised Matthew the tax collector. Simon would never have been a companion of someone who collected taxes for Rome, and yet there they were, following Jesus. For over three years they invested their lives together with a single focus: Jesus.

When you gaze around at your fellow worshipers, think of the diversity – the many, many differences you can think of. Then, think of the one common denominator: Jesus. It is Jesus who has brought you together. Chances are that you would never have any relationship with them outside of your worship of the Lord Jesus. Now, you love spending time together. You enjoy times of worship, times of fellowship, times of ministry and service. Why? Because of Jesus – He is the uniting factor.

What a powerful testimony to the reality of being changed through the new birth. We actually become part of a family – a huge, universal family made up of every person who has a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We are now brothers and sisters in the family of faith. But then, we are also members of a local congregation of believers. It is there that we develop intimate relationships. It is there that we enjoy times of corporate worship. It is there that we enjoy ministry, fellowship, service – in short, we enjoy doing life together.

Let’s not take this family relationship for granted. It has to be nurtured, cultivated, developed through times of family gatherings. Take time to thank God for your faith family. Call members by name as you pray. Seek God’s guidance for each member, and also for the whole.

Enjoy one another, learn from one another, be encouraged by one another, love one another, carry one another’s burdens, laugh with one another, cry with one another. In short, be family. We all need each other to become all that God desires for us as individual family members, as well as a family unit.

Battling Emotional Turmoil: Insights from Charles Spurgeon

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Do you ever experience seasons of emotional distress, mental confusion, spiritual darkness? Have you gone through times and experiences that put you into a state of perplexity, causing you to wonder why God had seemingly abandoned you? (Please note the word “seemingly”, because the Bible testifies to the fact that God never abandons His children.)

You are not alone! Really – you are not alone. There are multitudes of people who have experienced the same thing. It is commonplace among humans to go through times that test us, and cause us to question ourselves: Does God really care about me; does He hear my prayers; is He not our ever-present help in times of difficulty; has He left me to deal with this alone?

Charles Spurgeon, known as “the prince of preachers”, by his own admission confessed that he battled seasons of depression. One of his most well-known quotes on the subject is, “There are dungeons underneath the Castle of Despair as dreary as the abodes of the lost, and some of us have been in them.”

There are dungeons underneath the Castle of Despair.

What a graphic, horrible image that creates in our minds. It is bad enough to be in the Castle of Despair, to be in in the throes of mental and emotional upheaval, to experience the fingers of darkness invading our thoughts and minds, filling us with a sense of foreboding, helplessness, and despair. But to have it engulf us to the point of being enslaved to it, to actually be taken from the Castle to the dungeon below.

The dungeon is where you go from the freedom of moving about in the castle above, to the place where you are chained, detained, unable to move, locked in that state of mental anguish and emotional turmoil. You begin to believe that there is simply no way out, that this will be the lot of your life forever. Spurgeon, again, gives more painful insight to this matter: “I think it would have been less painful to have been burned alive at the stake than to have passed through those horrors and depressions of spirit.”

I think it would have been less painful to have been burned at the stake.

Perhaps you see a bit of yourself in these quotes from Spurgeon. Perhaps you have spent some time in the Castle of Despair. And maybe, just maybe, you have at times felt yourself imprisoned in that deep, dark, dungeon, far beneath the surface, in the cold, dark clutches of despair and hopelessness. And maybe, someone reading these words, is actually there right now, this very moment. You are thinking to yourself, “How did he know? Has he been looking into my life? Has someone told him what I’m going through?”

No! I only know this because it is the common need of humanity. We are all prone to bouts of depression. One final quote from Spurgeon: “Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down.”

Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down.

If anyone has been peering into our windows, it was the spirit of Spurgeon. He made these statements over 125 years ago, and they still ring true today. We are all prone to periods of depression – sometimes quite mild, sometimes extremely intense. So the question is how do we handle it? What are we to do in such times?

Spurgeon lived with it, as do many today. However, Spurgeon learned how to deal with it on those occasions in which he felt the fingers of depression wrapping around his mind. First, and foremost, Spurgeon looked at all of life through the lens of Scripture. Doing that, he believed fully in the fact that nothing happens in life outside of the will of God. Therefore, God brings into our personal experiences of life things that are uniquely designed specifically for us that will result in our good. His desire is that His children become more and more like Jesus as we go through life. He either personally ordains, or providentially guides, those things that will facilitate that desire.

Second, Spurgeon learned that a basic human need is rest, a time of getting away from it all in nature. A person cannot just go full speed through life without taking time to rest and refresh. Some of my most memorable moments of spiritual growth were in seasons of just getting away from the rigorous routine of life, taking a quiet walk, or going to one of my favorite places of solitude, and spending time allowing nature to remind me once again of the greatness and goodness of God. The psalmist often spoke of how the creation itself is testimony to God’s goodness and grace.

Finally, Spurgeon learned to look at everything through the lens of Scripture. In the pages of the Bible we learn the truth of God’s love for us. His desire is to see His children experience Him in His fullness. It is not to experience Him in what we can get from Him, but to experience Him, personally. To get to know Him intimately. To be so close to Him that we do as Jesus did, call Him “Abba.” The name is only found three times in the Bible (see Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6). In each, Jesus and Paul are referring to God in the most intimate way. To try to describe the difference between Father and Abba is difficult, but to think of it in the most simple of terms, Abba is like calling the Father “daddy”. It is an extremely intimate term, showing the close relationship between the one using it and the person being spoken of or to.

So, let’s try to learn lessons from someone who had truly been there – in the deep, dark recesses of the dungeon beneath the Castle of Despair. And lets remember – God, our Father, our Abba, is with us always and in all things. To Him be the glory for His goodness and grace.

Blessings!

American Christian vs Christian American: A Critical Analysis

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I feel quite sure that what I am about to say is going to ruffle some feathers, make some waves, rub some the wrong way, upset the apple cart – well, you get the picture, right? What I’m trying to say is that there are going to be those who adamantly disagree with the gist of this blog. It is an alarm of sorts, warning of the dangerous path our present cultural state in the United States is leading. And please be clear: this alarm is for each of us, and all of us, but particularly for those who identify themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ.

So, having said that, let me ask what might seem at first reading to be somewhat of a non-sensical question: Are you an American Christian, or are you a Christian American? Some might say that this is nothing more than a play on words, but I suggest that it is not. I suggest that there is a stark difference between the two. Let me explain.

The emphasis of these two terms is seen when you consider which word is the noun, and which is the adjective. Remember from your study of English, a noun is a person, place or thing, while an adjective is a descriptive word giving further explanation to the noun. So, when you look at the phrase, “American Christian,” the noun is Christian, and the descriptive adjective is American. However, when consideration is given to the other phrase, “Christian American”, the noun is American and the descriptive adjective is Christian.

Now, let’s look a little more closely at the difference. First, let’s focus on the phrase, “Christian American.” The noun is “American.” Usually, the word “American” would be used as an adjective, as in the sentence, “Steve is an American.” Steve is the noun, the subject of the sentence, and American is an adjective, describing Steve. So, when giving consideration to the phrase, “Christian American,” American is the noun, and Christian is the descriptive adjective.

Let’s think about the phrase, “American Christian.” In this phrase, Christian is the noun, and American is the descriptive adjective. So the emphasis of this phrase is on the adjective – American.

Some of you are thinking that this is just an absurd example of me being a word smith. However, please read on and hopefully I will be able to give a clear distinction between the two. First, what does it mean to be a Christian American? It would mean, in its simplest form, that the person is characterized, first and foremost, as a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ. It would mean that his/her life bears testimony to the reality of their relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Their commitment to Jesus would be clearly evidenced by their behavior, their conduct, their actions, their words, etc. They would be living testaments of Christian character. Their outlook on life would be determined by the teachings of Scripture rather than on cultural and societal beliefs and standards that seem to change every time the wind blows. They would be committed followers of the teachings of Jesus, and would live lives that would focus on bringing Him glory.

Conversely, those who might be described as American Christians could easily be swayed by those ever-changing winds of culture. They would very easily be persuaded to embrace a different belief system and behavior pattern that would go along with whatever is now being accepted by the culture in which they live. Thus, they are living a sub-standard Christian life because they are focused on the world and the things the world and embracing worldly standards in opposition to the clear teachings of Scripture. Therefore, their behavior, conduct, actions, words, etc. would be living testaments to American character, rather than Biblical character. Their outlook on life would be determined by the whims of society and culture rather than on the teachings of Scripture.

Is this really important? Does it really matter if my life is characterized as being an American Christian? If the answer to that is yes, then you are in danger of embracing beliefs and behaviors that are in alignment with the world, and your Christian testimony will be tarnished by a worldly system that gives little regard to the teachings of the Bible.

However, if your life is characterized as being a Christian American, then you will be known as one whose life bears testimony to an intimate, and growing, relationship with the Lord because you live your life based on the teachings of Scripture. And when the world and the Bible collide, you side with the Bible, regardless of the cost you have to pay to do that.

I encourage each one to take a serious assessment of their lifestyle, their conduct, their behavior, their attitudes and actions, and pray that the Holy Spirit would try us and prove us, so that we might see any area of compromise which needs to be addressed through confession and repentance. Let’s all strive to be Christian Americans, letting the light of His glory to shine through us.

Blessings!

The Consequences of Turning Away from God

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Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the nation He has chosen for His own inheritance. Psalm 33:12

The nation the psalmist is referring to in this verse is the nation of Israel. God chose one man, Abram (to whom God later gave the name Abraham), and promised him that He would make of him a great nation through which all nations of the earth would be blessed or cursed, depending upon their relationship with His chosen nation. So, first and foremost let’s remember that what the psalmist says in this psalm is directed at them.

However, there are certainly applications that can be made to other nations based upon the sentiment stated in this verse. Nations that accept God’s teachings and strive to honor Him in their decision-making process will be blessed, while others will suffer the consequences of His judgment. Based upon that premise I would like to make a few observations about the United States of America, a country that has been richly blessed by the Lord in countless ways, but one which is now suffering from mass divisiveness, unrest, hatred, violence, and unprecedented rejection of the very vision that drove our founding fathers to establish this nation on God’s Word with the desire that it be, not simply a religious nation, but a decisively Christian nation.

Our generation is seeing the destructive erosion of the foundation our founders laid, and upon which they envisioned a nation whose God is the Lord would be established. A quick review of decisions that have dramatically altered that initial vision will show clearly that we are not what our founders gave sacrificially to accomplish, and to pass off to future generations.

The beginning of this downward spiral began with what some viewed as a necessary change that was demanded by our nation’s changing constituency. In 1962-63, the decision was made by our Supreme Court that prayer and state sanctioned Bible reading and prayer would be removed from our public schools. I remember vividly as a ten year old student witnessing the change that took place. Instead of opening the school day with a student led devotion and prayer, we only heard the call to repeat the pledge of allegiance to our flag, and then a litany of announcements. No Bible, no prayer.

A nation that once had no problem identifying as a Christian nation (although there has never been a time in which all citizens of this country identified personally as Christian), the population began to change. Adherents of other religions began flocking to our nation. But things began to change. No longer did they come to assimilate into the life of our nation to seek a better life than that which they were leaving behind, but they began demanding that the citizens of our nation accommodate their religious beliefs and practices.

The next major step away from life based on Christian principles was in 1973, when abortion was legalized in our nation. Now, 53 years removed from that alarming and destructive decision, over 65,000,000 babies have been aborted in the United States. That is a mind-staggering figure, would you not agree? For a nation that had now turned its back on the principles of God’s Word, it was not a big jump to embrace a culture of death. If you don’t believe that life begins at conception, and that every life is one created in the very image of God, then the taking of a life loses its significance.

Two decades later, in 1992, abortion was reaffirmed. This time it elevated personal autonomy over moral tradition. “My body, my choice” became the mantra. I could give hearty assent to that statement if it was based on fact. However, it is not the body of the expectant mother that is being killed, it is the body of an innocent baby, being formed in that mother’s womb. Her choice had already been made. It was the choice to engage in sexual activity that resulted in her pregnancy. Now, having made that choice, the body growing inside her body is not her body, but the body of a human being who deserves to live.

Move with me to the year 2003, the year that sexual morality was redefined. In the landmark Supreme Court case, Lawrence v. Texas, the court’s decision invalidated nation-wide state laws which criminalized sodomy between consenting adults. This decision set a precedent for future legal challenges to same-sex marriage.

That decision in 2003 played a huge role in leading to another major shift in American life. In 2015 same-sex marriage was legalized which ultimately redefined marriage. Traditionally, marriage had been viewed as one man married to one woman. With the legalization of same-sex marriage, the institution of marriage itself was completely redefined. As a matter of fact, many would say that the institution of marriage became totally unnecessary. Once again, we see a major shift from life lived under the direction of God’s Word to life lived by personal choice and preference.

The final major cultural shift I will mention took place in 2020. It was then that personal preference of self-identification was elevated over biology. God created man and woman – male and female. There are no other possibilities. It matters not how loudly and adamantly one might demand to be identified as something than what they are, his/her anatomy tells the tale. A male is a male, and a female is a female.

Teresa and I had an in-home health assessment the other day, and one of the questions was: “Do you identify yourself as male, female, or other.” To me, that is an absolutely ludicrous question. I was born “baby boy Stewart,” and nothing has changed to make me anything else. You are who you are by the design of Almighty God. Period!

It is not difficult to see how quickly things can deteriorate when a nation changes its allegiance. Our nation’s allegiance was for 200 years settled on the truths of Scripture. It has only taken one generation to move us far away from our founder’s dreams and intents.

So, what can we do? First and foremost, pray. Pray for a return to Scripture. Pray for a return to Biblical guidance to be the norm for our political leaders. Pray for spiritual renewal and revival to sweep our land. Pray for preachers to preach the truth in love. Pray for strength and courage to let our voices be heard in the public arena, by whatever means possible as good representatives of our Lord. And be involved. Those who oppose Christian values and principles are shouting their demands loudly and clearly. Christians must do the same.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Let’s do all within our power to turn our nation back to Him.

Blessings!