God's enemy is still subject to God's authority

"Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail." (Luke 22:31-32)

According to the words of scripture our enemy is like a savage lion that goes around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He knows his end is certain for God's word has decreed it, but there is such a bitter hatred for the God who expelled him from Heaven's glory that his last sting against Him is to lead His children into death. The only way left for the devil to bleed the heart of God is to sabotage the eternities of His most prized creation. And, we can be absolutely sure that until his kingdom is completely eradicated at the return of Christ Jesus, Satan will not stop trying to hinder God's redemptive plan for humanity.
In this portion of Luke's gospel, Jesus is speaking to the disciple Simon Peter. Jesus would soon be handed over to the chief Jewish officials and eventually crucified. As He eats His last meal with the disciples, He tells them of how they ought always to reflect Him by being humble servants and warns them that their faith will soon be tested. But when I read this verse (above) I am startled by the truth it conveys.
Basically, in these words Jesus paints a very similar picture to the one portayed in the book of Job (see Job 1:6): Satan, or literally The Adversary, approaching the LORD Almighty and asking to tempt and test the faithful. As strange as this is, and even though my first reaction is to argue the possibility of it, the truth that seems to be exposed here is that the enemy of God actually serves a function! He is evil by nature because everything in him that was once good has been corrupted by pride (see Ezekiel 28:14-19), but the devil still seems to be subject to the authority of The Great I AM. He cannot do to men and women anything that violates his restrictions. In other words, the power of the Adversary is actually quite limited. The scriptures seem to suggest that the only reason he is able to devour anyone at all is because we give him the means. We buckle under his pressure, so to speak.
Jesus says that Satan asks to apply pressure - to tempt us into disobedience and doubt, and away from God - but all he is permitted to do is apply pressure... nothing else. In everything else he is bound to the decrees of God pronounced against him. This kind of scripture is a great challenge for me... I believe it, but I don't really want to. Sometimes I wish God would just stop Satan from tempting me, but then of course my faith would not grow stronger. It couldn't be groomed to last. The purest gold must go through the hottest fire, I guess. It's amazing really... that the enemy of God is still subject to His authority!

Jesus, I thank you that you are always interceding to keep us faithful.

And then the end will come...

"At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people." (Matthew 24:10-11)

The hard reality about the gospel of Christ is that every Christian is expected to persevere. Any faith that does not last is worthless. In fact, the truth is that a lifetime of service is negated the moment a heart recants. There is a haunting future being depicted here by the words of the Master: the church WILL lose faith and shrink to a remnant. It is inevitably the result of a belief that is founded on sand (see Matt. 7:26-27). It is also worthy to point out, at least according to Jesus, that those who turn away from their faith return to a depravity that comes natural to them. They will betray and hate even those they once called brothers and sisters. A Christian that rejects the Christ they once knew will regard those who endure as enemies. They must; their former siblings are a constant reminder of their broken covenant.
Jesus speaks of two different times in this 24th chapter of Matthew's gospel. In the first 2 verses He speaks of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (which happened around 70 A.D.) and in the following dissertation He speaks of the earth's last days. How alarming is it that when Christ returns for His church, true members of the church will be most few! This pronounces a stern warning to all Christians, doesn't it? Perhaps this suggests that the kind of faith Christ will look for upon His return is very different than the faith that fills today's churches. From these words in Matthew, it seems that Jesus will not return to a Bride of vast congregations, but to a certain few who are dotted among the crowds. Who are these certain few? Who are these faithful ones? They are those who remain in Christ's love... and those who remain in His love are those who keep His commands (John 15:10). Almost certainly, they are the disciples who stand alone.
There is indeed a popular Christianity that exists today that is easily seen in churches, on television, in magazines and newspapers and speaks well of itself. It might look like Christianity, but often it is built on nothing that lasts, and will be treated as nothing (Matt. 7:22-23)! I wonder how long after the going is good will it linger? Will it slip away as soon as any kind of tribulation comes? I wonder sometimes exactly how much actual faith is in today's Christianity. When Christ returns will He even find real faith on the earth (Luke 18:8)? Whatever the case, the reality remains that perseverence (or faith that lasts) will become less and less of a quality within Christianity, and as this quality continues to diminish, the return of King Jesus gets closer and closer. For me, this is quite a sobering thought.

Come, Lord Jesus... but cover the faithful by your grace until you do.

Run to Him!

"The LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness..." (Exodus 34:6)

It often brings me to tears when I think of how many times I have failed as a Christian. Whether it be out of selfish ambition or ignorance, stubbornness or sheer disobedience, it seems like every time I earn God's trust as His servant, I get distracted, take a step backwards, and I find myself being guided once more by the tender hand of Jesus back to the Heart of God. Over the years He has taught me to fail less, and His Spirit directs me to live more in His grace, but only because He is so very patient and kind as a teacher - not because I'm deserving.
There are so many things about God that continuously bewilder me. His wisdom is far beyond my deepest thought. His love is limitless. His power is unmatched. His holiness only affirms His transcendence. All that He is far surpasses any and every object-line I try to draw around Him. Yet, having said that, it also stands true that He is merciful beyond comprehension. This attribute of our Heaven Father beautifully reminds us that He loves to forgive.
In the verse above, God is speaking to Moses about Himself. This is not a description of God spoken from the mouth of a man, but they are the words chosen by God to describe Who He is. How encouraging is it to know that God introduces us to His personality by introducing us to His compassion and grace?! ... His Mercy!
Forgetting that our God is merciful and longs to forgive sin is detrimental to any soul and any church. Satan's kingdom grows stronger as long as people remain separated from God by their sin. There is no need to be at a distance from the heart of God! Although we are a people that may fail Him, and we might turn our eyes away from Him, it is the pinnacle of our faith that He forgives all who humbly come to Him. Bring your repentant heart to the cross of Christ, find yourself in His all-covering blood, and remember that He loves to forgive. Run to Him! Never away! Seeing a returning child approach Him with an earnest heart might very well be the greatest joy of our God.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for your longing to forgive your people.

Infidelity: Satan's Victory!

And you ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. (Malachi 2:14)

These words in the verse above came as a result of God's anger against the Priests of Israel and Judah. "You flood the LORD's altar with tears, and weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings." Basically, the priests of God were living as hypocrites. Several things are held against them, including robbing God of tithes (see chap. 3), but without a doubt the most severe words spoken by God are written in this portion of the 2nd chapter. God addresses the fact that the priests were divorcing their wives and engaging in marital relations with other women. It so disgusted the LORD that He refused to listen to their prayers and petitions. As far as God was concerned, unfaithfulness in their covenant to their wives resulted in unfaithfulness to their covenant to Him.
Within today's Christian church, infidelity is widely accepted. Statistics on divorce in the church are staggering. It is not uncommon to find senior leaders, teachers, and mentors who are on their second or third marriage. Of course, each one requiring new "vows" that are binding under the watch of the Almighty. How is this so? Within a church that is supposed to represent the holiness of God, the purity of Christ, and His faithfulness, how have we come to a point where one of the few things our God hates is so acceptable?
Throughout each denomination of the church there is an increase in marital breakdown and divorce (Roman Catholics may be excluded). I wonder how many of these denominations are struggling with church membership and growth? We fast and pray, give our tithes and time, but yet something just seems to be hindering our progress. The world sees almost as much discord and mistrust in the church as it does on television! Jesus said very clearly in 3 of the 4 gospels that marriage unites two people forever under God -- both partners being covenanted to sexual fidelity -- and what God binds together no man has the right to sever. Ministers of the gospel of Christ, representatives of truth, proclaimers of God's redemptive plan for a fallen race, claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit and yet cannot love their spouse enough to remain married.
Personally, I honestly believe this is the single greatest inconsistency within the Christian faith. It is a corrosion and rot that has impregnated the purity of the Bride of Christ. We talk to those still lost in sin about allowing Jesus to change their lives from the inside out, but our pulpits and offices are stained with adultery and broken covenants. It seems to me that we have become so tolerant of our own blasphemies that we have forgotten that God promises they have dire consequences. Only a few things draw hatred out of the heart of God... Infidelity is one of them. "I hate divorce!" says the LORD God (v. 16). Why, then, is it so condoned by Christians? Satan proves himself again to be a clever foe.

Oh Lord God, in your mercy, please forgive us for our broken covenants with each other and with you.

Be brave or go home!

Then the officers shall add, "Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that the others will not become disheartened too." (Deuteronomy 20:8)

In time of war there is dire need for hearts of iron. In other words, the person who cowers at the thought of fierce combat has volunteered themselves for the wrong vocation. No soldier can successfully stand against an adversary with a fearful heart. They become the weakness of the lot. Fear and timidity is as dangerous as the enemy simply because it paralizes, as well as disarms, the soldier... and it's not long before disarmed soldiers create a disarmed army.
When God gave instructions to the Israelites in regards to them engaging in warfare, His instructions begin with "Do not be fainthearted or afraid" (v. 3). This was not simply a suggestion, but an insistance that the nation of Israel ought to trust in His faithfulness. After all, their God was YHWH - the Great I AM, the All-Consuming Fire, the Almighty! He had proven Himself so many times before and His power and glory were unmatched. There was simply no need to fear or become weak at heart... victory was certain because the God of Israel was certain. Interestingly, although His instructions begin sternly with telling the soldiers not to fear, He also gives clear instruction to not allow anyone who is overcome with fear to fight (v. 8). The reason is explained: A soldier that is afraid or disheartened before war is a detriment to the whole army. Now, at first glance, this seems a little unfair. What soldier is comfortable with war? But, in light of the first order, "Do not be fainthearted or afraid", allowing a soldier to enter the ferocities of battle with a timid heart would be blatant disobedience. Basically, it didn't just convey fear, but also a complete lack of trust in the faithfulness of God... and the order was given for "Any soldier that does not trust ME should go home!" They could be of no good use to an army of the faithful.
As a soldier of the gospel of Christ, I take very seriously the fact that I am in the middle of a massive war against sin and evil. Jesus went so far as to describe our enemy as a strong man who is fully armed, but assuring as well that He is indeed much stronger and able to disarm the enemy (see Luke 11:21-22). Without a doubt, as Christians we are in times of war and, like the Israelites, our only assurance is the certainty of our God. But surely the same instructions remain unchanged for us! Any soldier that attempts to fight against an adversary as sinister and vicious as ours with a faint or fearful heart is only able to weaken the rest of the army. Too often, people who call themsleves soldiers - men and women who are supposed to be brave and true - come to the field with a faint heart and it cracks the morale of the faithful. Christians who will not open their mouths and be a witness for their Saviour, but yet assume they are a benefit to the army, should go home! The war is too great! Souls are too precious and they continue to die in darkness! Unless we are an army made up of ones who will boldly carry The Light we are useless in this war. Please... forget your fear, cast off your faint heart, trust the faithfulness of our God, and fight... or go home!

True remorse can be seen!

"But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'" (Luke 18:13)

Salvation of the lost ought to be the absolute priority of every person who claims to be devoted to Christ Jesus. After all, by His own admission Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), and it seems only logical that all who sincerely profess discipleship would long to see those outside God's family returned just as Jesus did. Certainly this is the mark of the true Church of God - those whose hearts yearn for the perishing to be redeemed by the cleansing blood of Christ - they are indeed the true bride.
But as ministers of the Gospel, sometimes I believe Christians are too easily appeased by 'confessions' of faith. Personally, I am guilty of being satisfied because a person has nodded their head in agreeance to a few doctrines. I've seen many cases where someone's eternity with Christ was simply assumed because they grew up in church or because they knew the Bible well. The church has staggered into great error if it has stopped seeing people filled with true, heavy remorse when they claim repentance. Surely the realisation of sin must bring about deep agony within the heart when one approaches a holy God. Too often we are contented with hearing a 'believer' speak of the blessings of God in their life, or the way God has so beautifully revealed Himself through family and friends when times were rough, and yet may have never expressed any kind of remorse for their sin. We say things like, "Oh they are good Christians" or "They have been faithful soldiers", but all the while it could be very possible that no repentance has actually taken place within that person's heart.
When I read this parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector closely, I stumbled onto something I hadn't seen before: The man who goes away justified was the man who was anguished by his sinful state before God. He showed his true remorse by his actions. Too seldom when I speak to people who profess faith do I see this kind of sorrow for sin. Honestly, I don't understand how one can come to the cross of Christ, realise that He hung there for them, be convicted with the Holy Spirit's power, cry out to the mercy of a loving God, and believe that all is forgiven without showing it in their countenance and demeanor. It seems to me, in light of Scripture, that many times the faith we are assuming hasn't actually begun. No true faith can come to be without first there being true repentance, and no true repentance can occur without true remorse... and true remorse can be seen.

The Compulsion of the Call!

"For when I preach, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" (1 Corinth. 9:16)

It is truly staggering when one realises the call of God to carry His gospel to the world. For some it may come with the brightness and intensity of blazing fire, for others it may come as an unavoidable nagging that simply lingers, but it is certain that when a heart finds itself overshadowed to the point of no escape by the persistence of Christ Jesus, that is the call of Abandonment. At this place, there is no other alternative for the Christian other than absolute surrender to Divine purpose. The call to be the Spokesman of God is a haunting one! Obedience to it requires reckless devotion, and disobedience in light of it results in misery. It is perhaps one of the strongest urges produced within the heart of the Christian and it rarely relinquishes its grip.
Paul knew very well what kind of heaviness came with this kind of call. There was no choice in the matter for him. If he refused to preach the gospel that had so engraved its mark upon his heart he would live his Christian life enslaved to his failure. Regardless of what it required of him, he understood that the Spirit of Christ Jesus within him refused to stay silent! His mouth had to speak for the glory of God because it was being birthed in the depths of his heart (see Luke 6:45). The call of God had found him and it drove him to be all things to all men so that he might save some (1 Cor. 9:22).
I sometimes wonder if this kind of compulsion is the reason for so many of our sermons, our meetings, even our missions efforts. Do we really know this real sense of burden to speak up and witness for the name and gospel of Jesus? I've heard many times how we need to be reaching out to the poor, or building relationships with others, or giving more effort to discipling our youth (all these are valid and worthy), but I speculate whether or not these are actually dulling our call to preach the gospel. Are we allowing ourselves to be distracted from the nagging of the Holy Spirit within us to declare the redemptive power of Christ to those who are dying eternally? If the Salvation Army, as well as the rest of the Christian Church, are simply trying our hardest to rectify our failure to obey this very persistent call of God, then all our efforts outside this end will continue to result in our misery. I'm convinced of this. Could it be that the reason so few take up this banner - the reason so few live for the vocal proclamation of the gospel - is because they are more prone to be regarded as fools and outcasts?
Our aim is to win the world for Jesus, is it not? Maybe it's time we seriously reflected on Paul's warning... "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"