Through Time

In AD 341

I believe is more than two words. It is a statement that defines who we are as a people or who we are as an individual. I believe cats are cute but snobbish creatures that seek to kill us in our sleep. I believe celery is among the most disgusting tastes. I believe Ronald Reagan was the best president in American history. I believe that 80s music is the greatest.

Each of my “I believe” statements will immediately invoke a reaction from you based on your held beliefs. You may love cats, celery, Jimmy Carter, and 90s music. Neither person is wrong when we discuss these things because these issues are based on our opinions.

How, then, do we approach our absolute beliefs in God? These things are not negotiable for us, but certainly, others do not hold to our faith beliefs. Many beliefs were circulating in the early Christian Church, most of which claimed to be revelations of Christ or from the writings of one of the Apostles. Many were true, but many others were not.

The early church fathers developed creeds, essentially statements of belief, to create continuity in the Christian faith. One of the earliest creeds was called the “Old Roman Creed.” It first appeared in a letter written to Julius, bishop of Rome, in 341 AD. Ambrose first uses the title “Apostles Creed” in a writing dating from 390 AD.

Almost 2,000 years later, the Apostles’ Creed is still held as the fundamental belief for followers of Christ. We may quibble over distinctive doctrines, such as Calvin vs. Arminius, Cessation vs. Continuation, Women in Ministry, etc., but we all hold to these doctrines. Even many who may be qualified as liberal in their scriptural interpretation still hold to these statements. There are, of course, exceptions, such as those who deny the virgin birth. Let’s be honest; those have existed since the time of Christ.

In much of the Christian world, adhering to a set of doctrines is undervalued. As a result, many doctrines are based on experience rather than the Word of God, which must always be the starting and ending point. King Solomon wavered in his doctrinal opinions and the practice thereof. Read 1 Kings 11. Here, Scripture shows us that Solomon lost faith in YHWH because of the many foreign women he married. This was against God’s will from the beginning. See Deuteronomy 7:3-4.

Sound theology, doctrine, or creed is essential to remaining faithful to the truths of the Gospel. They cannot be an afterthought. They must be a central focus in our growth and discipleship. Beyond just knowing these truths, we must learn to apply them to our lives. Solomon allowed the culture of his day to dictate his practice. We must keep ourselves from following his example. Culture is never our guide; God’s Word always is, even when the two conflict.

Satan will do everything he can to get you to water down or reject sound doctrine. To do so is to deny the Savior we follow. After all, His own life and Words form our doctrines. Likely, Satan will not come through your front door but through the cracks in your foundation. When you begin to doubt the authenticity of the Gospel or a tenant of our faith, or maybe falter in your moral standards, Satan is there to drive a greater wedge between you and God.

We may quibble over nuances of meaning and interpretation, but these things remain true now 2,000 years later.

The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

On the third day, He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From there, He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

The Holy Universal Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting. Amen.

I profess to you, this, I believe!

But I’m Innocent

Over the past few weeks, we have examined several relationship issues, including navigating conflict, preserving unity, and spiritual attacks.

There is a part of us that recognizes that we may deserve something that directly results from our actions or attitudes. But what if you are innocent? False accusations can take many forms, from minor attitudes to significant character issues.

Living through these moments is painful and strains our faith as we grapple with Jesus’ words to walk another mile, give our coats, and turn the other cheek. Our current culture teaches us to do anything we can to get away from relationships that hurt, but the whole of Scripture seems to point us toward patient endurance.

James 1:2-4 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

This verse teaches us that if we do not experience trials, we will not grow in our faith.

Here are a few people in Scripture who were falsely accused: Joseph by his brothers, Job by his friends, Jesus by the religious leaders, Judas, and the witnesses brought to his trial. David was also falsely accused by his father-in-law, King Saul. Read that account with me in 2 Sam 24:1-9, 17.

Now, the area around Egadi is full of caves. Some large enough to hold thousands of people. Suddenly, David’s enemy, the King, steps into the exact cave where he and his men are. Saul likely removes his robe so that he can relieve himself. David’s men immediately see the will of God in this and believe Saul is delivered into their hands.

There was one major problem.

God never directed David to kill Saul or seek to remove him from the throne.

David knew that.

So, he took his knife and cut the corner of Saul’s robe. Even this brought guilt to David’s heart because he reached out his knife toward the Lord’s anointed one. Cutting the robe showed great disrespect to King Saul.

We see in our text that many of Saul’s advisors falsely accused David of trying to usurp his throne. This was a false accusation. Yes, it is true God anointed David as the next King, but there is never a place where David tries to force the timing. Instead, he bears the burden of false accusation while respecting God’s “anointed one.”

There is another moment in David’s life that mirrors this account. Many years later, David’s son Absalom seeks to take his father’s throne. With Saul, David will not raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed one. David was aware of God’s choosing Saul, his anointing as king, and the fact that the Spirit came upon Saul, and he prophesied. With his son, he says, what if he is the Lord’s anointed one? So, again, David would not raise a hand against Absalom. In this account, David is falsely accused by his son.

One accuser is in authority over him, and another is family. In our culture, we would cut ties with these people and never interact with them again. We would do everything we could to remove ourselves from the painful situation, crying out, “But I’m Innocent.”

What we may fail to recognize amid trials such as these is the sovereign hand of God, shaping us into His very image. He is refining us, remaking us, and cutting away the things that are not of Him. It’s hard, it hurts, and we do not like it. But what if it is God’s way? What if God seeks a heart of brokenness and humility, and what if God has placed that person over us to bring about that end?

David knew that God had not told him to kill Saul. If he had assassinated Saul, David’s throne would always be overshadowed by insecurity and his reign by illegitimacy. David submitted to the position that Saul held as King, not to the man who, at this point, was going mad.

How, then, do we handle accusations when we are innocent?

First, begin with prayer.

Douglas McKelvey writes this prayer in the second volume of his series, Every Moment Holy, “O Spirit of God, when I feel the urge to express my pain in anger directed at another, restrain my tongue, reframe my frustration, stay my hands, reign in my heart, fill me afresh with your grace. Let me see and name my own emotion rightly. For at the root of this mess is the good, deep, and heartbreaking desire for reunion. And my anger cannot achieve that end.”

Second, seek to reconcile.

Third, ask for counsel from a spiritual leader.

Fourth, be obedient to the Word of God.

Fifth, wait on God.

Walking through seasons of false accusation is excruciatingly hard, but Jesus may be working in you and through you amid your pain.

Authors Note: Adapted from my sermon by the same name, preached July 14, 2024, at C3AG Louisville.

Life is a Fight!

Bump……bump, bump, bump…..bump, bump, bump…..bump, bump, baaaaaaa!

And now you have the theme song from Rocky III, Eye of the Tiger, stuck in your head. You can thank me later. Life is a fight. We are fighting from the moment we take our first breath until the moment we take our last. We fight for position, advancement, and education. We fight with siblings, parents, children, and strangers. Life is a fight!

King David faced many battles in his life—so many that God did not allow him to build the Temple. Instead, Solomon, who reigned at a time of peace, received that honor. Scripture records that at the moment of his anointing as king, the enemies of Israel came out against them (2 Samuel 5:17-29). Israel is a physical nation that has had physical battles. Their uniqueness is that they are also a spiritual nation. So, every physical battle is also spiritual. Often, the opposite is true. The spiritual and the physical affect the emotional. They are all interconnected.

Life is a fight. We often miss that most of our battles as humans are spiritual, not physical. Paul writes we wrestle not against flesh, but against powers and principalities of the air…spiritual.

From David’s life, we learn three principles that pertain to spiritual battles.

First, the reality of spiritual battles.
2 Samuel tells us that the enemy mobilized at the moment of David’s anointing. In this case, the enemy was the Philistines. A few chapters before, David is fighting with the Philistines. Now, he is the king of Israel and their enemy. When God anoints you for a task, the enemy will fight. In general terms, every follower of Christ is anointed to be His representative; as such, you have a target on your back. Life is a fight.

Second, the timing of spiritual battles.
Attacks from the enemy will often follow a spiritual victory. Say that out loud so you can hear it. As followers of Christ, spiritual battles can come at any moment. Remember, the enemy of your soul is relentless. He will attack again and again. Sometimes, in the same places in your life. Our text outlines the following sequence.
The enemy came to fight at the valley of Rephaim.
David prays and wins a great victory.
He gives glory to God.
The energy mobilizes again in the same place.
David prays again and follows God’s precise instructions.
Again, David wins a victory.
Be prepared for the enemy to attack you repeatedly. Life is a fight.

Third, the overcoming of spiritual battles.
Let us be overwhelmed by the fact that we will battle the enemy; let us remember that both times David prayed, both times he followed the Lord’s instructions, both times he won the battle, and both times he gave God all of the credit.

Yes, life is a fight, but you are not alone. Say that out loud. Repeat it like you mean it.

Paul wrote these beautiful words for the church in Rome.
Romans 8:35-39 NLT

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You are not alone. Yes, life is a fight, but your God is victorious. Though we may be attacked, you will ultimately be victorious if you do not give up on the fight. Follow David’s example. Seek the Lord, obey His direction, and give our God all the credit and glory. Stand and fight. You’ve got this!

Sacred Accountability

After several weeks of travel, I am happy to be back in the grove—almost. Today’s blog is an adaptation of this past Sunday’s sermon.

It is not uncommon for us to hear the word accountability. We recognize the importance of people around us who help us remain accountable. That might be accountability in our work, our finances, or our marriage. While it is true that we need people to hold us to a higher standard, ultimately, we are accountable to God first and then to others.

King David was a man after God’s own heart because he remained accountable to God. Yes, a human often called him to deal with his sin. Following those conversations, David immediately made things right with God.

In Gen 6, we find the account of Noah building the ark. We do not often stop and think of the human cost God asked of Noah. He was ridiculed; it took 40-50 years to build and was built by faith, as it had never rained. Though people around him mocked and decried him as a silly old fool, Noah knew what was necessary. Despite these challenges, Noah remained faithful to the Lord his God. Gen 6:22 states, “So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.”

As we follow the lives of the kings of Israel, we come to a place where Kings Saul, David, and Solomon are all dead. The throne is now in the hands of Solomon’s son Rehoboam. He stands at a choice that will determine the future destiny of Israel. In this moment, his willingness to be accountable comes to the forefront. You can find this account in 1 Kings 12:1-13.

In his book Simple Accountability, my friend Dana Coverstone lays out these four steps of accountability. First, Search your heart. Second, Find the right person to be your accountability partner. Third, Establish patterns. Fourth, Grow as a person.

Some of these may seem obvious, but our text shows that Rehoboam took none of these steps. There was a lack of accountability. He did not approach this question with the correct attitude…his heart was not in the right place. He did not take advice from the wise men of Israel; instead, he went to his friends. We do not see a pattern of seeking the Lord’s advice or wisdom.

Author Warren Wiersbe writes, “There’s no evidence that the king sought the Lord in prayer or that he consulted the high priest or with a prophet.” I have always imagined this scene as a bunch of college frat boys trying to direct a nation politically and spiritually.

Finally, he showed no signs of trying to do the right thing. His intention was not to cement the love of his people but to cement his power. His selfish thoughts and actions cost him more than half of his kingdom. We must all be accountable to someone.

Lack of accountability leads to arrogance, self-righteous behavior, and separation from those we love. Sacred Accountability encourages us to listen to the wisdom of a mentor or accountability partner. God wants us to be accountable to Him first. That demands that we respond to the voice and conviction of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit says we are out of line, we immediately repent. Subsequently, we are honest and open with those who keep us accountable, not only so that we admit our mistakes but also so that our relationship with that person helps prevent the action or attitude from occurring again.

In The Weight of Glory, C S Lewis writes, “To please God… to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness… to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” (pg 10, 1966 edition)

The commentary where I ran across this quote explains, “This quote beautifully captures the idea that our accountability to God is not a mere obligation but a glorious privilege—a weight of responsibility that leads to eternal joy and fulfillment.”

Scripture teaches us that four years after becoming King of Judah, Rehoboam led Israel into idol worship. Accountability and wisdom go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Accountability to God first and man second.

King Rehoboam’s dad wrote these words in Prov 15:1 “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” Rehoboam’s mistake was so egregious that all the following evil kings of Judah are compared to him. In addition, the prophet Isaiah speaks of the nations’ coming destruction, harkening back to this pivotal moment.

Isaiah 7:17 says, “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”

Ironically, Rehoboam means “he enlarges the people.” Instead, he loses 9 of the 12 tribes. As Alexander Maclaren writes, this is “a miserable story of imbecility and arrogance.”

Accountability requires honesty, humility, vulnerability, and teachability. Rehoboam possessed none of these traits. He did not, but we must. As followers of Jesus, these four must be evident in our lives as we approach our God. Sacred Accountability speaks to the spiritual nature of our accountability. Therefore, all four must also be evident as we interact with those who hold us accountable.

We must strive to be accountable to God first and then to a trusted person God has placed in our lives. Sacred Accountability is a serious matter, one many take too lightly.

When Dreams Die

About a year ago, I went through a season of extreme discouragement. It is a time I hope I never have to repeat. There were moments when I thought I might not survive spiritually or mentally. I suppose, at some level, I was in a season of depression. One might wonder what brought on such a season of darkness. It all began when I believed the lie that my dreams were dead and, in so doing, that my dreams were the most important thing to me.

For many years, the Spirit has led us and spoken to our church about many incredible things that He desires for us and will accomplish among us. For context, our family has been in leadership here for 36 years. I was 10 years old when we moved in 1988. That’s 36 years of prayers, waiting, and believing. Over those years, people have come and gone, but the dream has remained.

I began my ministry here on Memorial weekend of 2000, now 24 years ago. I became lead pastor on the first Sunday of June in 2013, now 11 years ago. It is wonderful that our family has been here in Louisville and has not moved from place to place, as so often happens in ministry. The downside of being in one place for a long time is that you may see your dreams die.

King David (2 Sam 12) commits a series of grievous sins, adultery, and murder. When the Prophet Nathan confronts the king about his sins, David recognizes that he deserves death under God’s law. Would his dreams die? God chooses to spare David, but He does allow the son born in sin to pass. Again, is this a sign that David’s dynasty and his dreams will die?

In Genesis 39-50, we see the story of Joseph, who quite literally had dreams. After sharing those dreams with his brothers, Joseph finds himself a slave in the land of Egypt. One thing leads to another, and eventually, this dreamer is in prison following a false accusation of sexual misconduct. Here, too, Joseph came face to face with the death of his dreams.

The disciples walked this path as they watched their Savior die on the cross and be buried in a borrowed tomb. They did not yet understand all that was happening. What they did know was that the master they followed was now dead, and they were in hiding. Can you imagine the desperate thoughts they endured over the course of the next three days? Everything they thought they understood about the future came crashing down with their dreams.

We serve a God that resurrects dreams!

King David and the woman he sinned with had another child, Solomon, who became the King of Israel.

Joseph was released from prison and became the second most powerful person in Egypt because of a dream Pharoah had.

Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day. In so doing, He accomplished what He came to earth to do. He conquered death and became the first fruit of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15).

It is easy to believe your dreams are dead when everything is falling apart around you. But what if your brokenness is the avenue by which your dreams come back to life? What if God takes you through difficult times so that you will give Him glory when His promises come to pass? What if your dream is not dead?

Last summer, our family traveled to Colorado for my nephew’s wedding. Sitting in a hotel room near Denver, the Lord asked me a simple question, “Do you trust me?” At that moment, my fear of dead dreams came crashing into the hope of my Savior. At that moment, my dreams did not matter. They were secondary to the trust I placed in Jesus. I recognized that even if my dreams never come true, Jesus is and must always remain my single greatest pursuit.

I walked away with a renewed sense of hope and a new approach to my dreams. None of them matter if I am close to Jesus. If they come to pass, it is because of Him. If they do not, it is because of Him. Either way, I will serve Him.

Dreams are not my greatest pursuit; Jesus is.

Since that time last year, at any moment, I begin to drift to questions of why or why not. I hear the Spirit quietly ask, “Do you trust me?” The answer remains the same.

Yes, I trust you!

I Need the Holy Spirit

Adapted from my sermon on Pentecost Sunday, 2024.

Before we come to Christ, our greatest need is salvation. Once we have made that decision and surrendered our lives to Jesus, Our Greatest Need becomes the Holy Spirit’s daily activity. We need the Holy Spirit to become even more active in us as we grow in Christ and learn to live according to God’s will rather than our own.

The day of Pentecost is one of three celebrations where the children of Israel were required to go to Jerusalem. It was a celebration of the harvest; thus, it is also called First Fruits…think of it as Jewish Thanksgiving. It was also a celebration of the giving of the law. Both point to the Jewish name for Pentecost, Shavuot, which means weeks, as it was celebrated seven weeks and a day (50 days) after Passover.

In Jewish tradition, the First Fruits of the Jewish faith was the giving of the Law. In Christianity, the First Fruit of the Church was the giving of the Holy Spirit.

As a young man, I saw everything in my school and culture that countered God’s desire for my life. So, could I, as a middle schooler, high schooler, or college student, hold to the faith I had while facing such antagonism and crushing immorality in the world around me? The answer is the Holy Spirit’s active participation in my life.

Many of you are facing challenges from culture and your sinful nature, and you are wondering, how can I overcome them? Your greatest need, my greatest need after salvation, is the Holy Spirit’s Presence in our lives.

In the time that we have, I cannot dive deep into every aspect of our theology of the Spirit. For that reason, let’s turn to the Word and recognize that God fulfills His promise.

Acts 1:4-5 “Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus’ last words to His disciples were giving them a promise that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. So, in obedience, 120 believers waited and prayed.

In Acts 2:4, we see the fulfillment of that promise; “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” When the Holy Spirit filled them, they understood that the promise was fulfilled as they began speaking in tongues, languages they did not know. I still believe and teach that those baptized in the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues.

Dr Stanley Horton writes, “It should always be kept in mind that the baptism in the Spirit is not a climactic experience…the baptism in the Holy Spirit is only a door into a growing relationship with the Spirit.”

I want to remind you that we do not seek a language; we seek Jesus and the depth of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We do not believe someone must speak in tongues to be saved, and we do not believe that we are better Christians once we have received this gift; that would be pride, not humility.

I want to focus on why we need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

First, Greater Witness

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Second, Greater Worship

Read 1 Cor 14:25 “As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”

Third, Greater Prayer

Rom 8:26-27 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”

Fourth, Greater Holiness

Gal 5:22-23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

Fifth, Greater Unity

Eph 4:3-6 “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

We do not have the power to accomplish these things outside of the Holy Spirit’s activity. Our greatest need is for the Spirit to be active in our daily lives. This must come after our salvation…which is always the most important thing.

Be open to how the Spirit wants to move in your life. Welcome Him in and ask for His participation. As for me, I need the Holy Spirit.

Doors

I love doors. I know that’s an odd thing to like. I find the craftsmanship and variety beautiful. Doors also represent hope…something new and exciting on the other side. They may also represent something familiar and inviting. Think of a Christmas wreath hanging on your loved one’s front door. You know that there are amazing things on the other side.

Doors can also bring fear and trepidation. They can bring us face to face with challenges of our past and anxiety if they lead to the dangerous unknown. Doors may look beautiful from the outside but hide something sinister behind them.

Our eyes and ears are the doors to our minds and hearts. What we allow through the doors will determine our destiny. They can derail our God-given anointing or lead us to it. Often, the choice is before us.

After a severe sickness (Isaiah 38), King Hezekiah opens his doors to envoys from a faraway land, Babylon. At this point in history, Babylon is a vassal state of Assyria. They are little known and have very little power. However, Hezekiah’s interaction with a foreign, ungodly nation shows that, at a minimum, he was shortsighted in his interaction with them.

In Hezekiah’s case, he did not just welcome them into his home but showed them everything the Kingdom of Judah possessed (Isaiah 39). Likely, the envoys were there to ally against Assyria, but they left with information about the wealth and power of Judah.

Isaiah visits Hezekiah shortly after the Babylonians leave the palace. His prophecy predicts a time when all that they saw, and Hezekiah’s sons (descendants) will be carried into captivity by the king of Babylon. In verse 8 of Isaiah 39, Hezekiah makes a very odd statement. “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good.” For the king was thinking, “At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.” NLT

Again, Hezekiah is short-sighted. He looks at how there will be peace in his day but does not think ahead of the ultimate destruction of his nation. Your decisions today may not cause you to lose your salvation, but they may set up the next generation for failure.

Judah goes into captivity because of its continued disobedience toward God. Hezekiah’s actions are not a direct cause of that captivity but are a symptom of the broader problem with Judah’s dependence on the God of Israel.

When my brother and I were young, we frequently played “King of the Mountain.” In this game, each participant tries to push the one at the top off and take their position. One fateful day, I was at the top of a pile of gravel…12 to 15 feet tall. I was winning as one kid from the neighborhood helped defend my position. Of course, that was until only two of us were left. While I thought he was helping me, I was helping him. I realized this as I tumbled down this massive pile of rocks. Ouch is an understatement, but yes, I played again.

The enemy consistently looks for doors, entry points, into our lives. That can come through our attitudes and our actions. They can be overt or descriptive, as with Hezekiah. As Christ-followers, we must be careful about what doors we open.

In his book Gift & Giver, Dr Craig Keener discusses the state of the Western church. He writes of five areas the early church understood as doors for the enemy, but we have normalized in the modern church.

Our excuses as they pertain to Entertainment. We open the wrong door.

Our disobedience in Stewardship. We open the wrong door.

Our unwillingness to Evangelize. We open the wrong door.

We are ignoring Justice Ministry. We open the wrong door.

A lack of Traditional Spiritual Disciplines. We open the door.

My question for you is, what doors are you opening in your life? Ones that let the Holy Spirit in and welcome His activity. Or are you letting the enemy in through your daily choices? Like the Babylonians, our enemy’s ultimate goal is to lead us into captivity. God desires to bring you freedom.

Open doors, but make sure they are the correct doors.

As the old Jamaican song goes, “Shut the door, keep out the devil…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmJZrJ2aEYM

The next time you see a door, remember that it can be an entry point for good or evil. The choice is yours.

Danger, Comparison Ahead

Comparing is human nature. We do it daily as it applies to many aspects of our lives. I compare menu items for lunch, fruit at the grocery store, the health of flowers at Home Depot, or the two socks that don’t match, but my teen wears them anyway. What’s up with that trend?

Caprison is natural and, in many facets of life, not unhealthy. However, comparing our lives to the lives of others is a slippery slope. In 1 Samuel 18:7, the women of Israel wrote this song to celebrate David’s victory over Goliath. “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” NLT From that moment, Saul compared himself to David: his strength, valor on the battlefield, reverence for God, and the love of the people for him.

When I was a young youth pastor, a fellow youth pastor was knocking it out of the park in every way. It was like everything he touched turned to gold. I struggled to accomplish my vision through those months. Though my friend seemed to have everything together, his life was a mess. No one knew, but poor choices led to a loss of everything.

Sometimes, a person’s success remains. From the outside, it looks like everything is easy. We do not know what challenges the other person went through to be where they are. We don’t know the spiritual battles they have fought silently. We do not see the hours of prayer or the countless meals fasted. In other cases, we do not know the mess that was their life before Jesus. Christ may choose to bless abundantly to show His faithful hand. Comparison is dangerous.

I want to share an illustration from Jonah Berger’s book Contagious: Why Things Catch On. “A few years ago, students at Harvard University were asked to make a seemingly straightforward choice: which would they prefer, a job where they made $50,000 a year (option A) or one where they made $100,000 a year (option B)? Seems like a no-brainer, right? Everyone should take option B. But there was one catch. In option A, the students would get paid twice as much as others, who would only get $25,000. In option B, they would get paid half as much as others, who would get $200,000. So option B would make the students more money overall, but they would be doing worse than others around them. What did the majority of people choose? Option A. They preferred to do better than others, even if it meant getting less for themselves. They chose the option that was worse in absolute terms but better in relative terms. People don’t just care about how they are doing, they care about their performance in relation to others.”

Comparison brings out the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives. It is a battle between our two natures. Think of Paul wanting to do but not doing and not wanting to but doing. Our human nature is in a constant battle with the Spirit. Both are vying for control. Comparison leads to jealousy, coveting, and much more if we allow it to take hold of our lives.

It is easy to look at what another person has or what they’ve accomplished. Human nature is to be envious. The Spirit in us celebrates what God accomplishes in the lives of others. So, how, then, do we move past human nature into the nature of the Spirit?

First, Pray for the other person. Every time you begin to compare, stop and pray for them. Pray that God will bless them. It is hard to envy someone when you pray for their blessing.

Second, Pray that the Fruit of the Spirit will be evident in your life. If the Spirit grows in us, those things not of Him are pushed out. It is hard to be envious when the Spirit grows fruit in our lives.

Danger, comparison is ahead of you. Don’t let it gain a foothold in your life.

Change Is Needed

I am not a person who finds change difficult. I see change as exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to find a new career every few months, but I love the progress that change brings. We have a new grocery store opening at the entrance to our subdivision. I could not be more excited. The possibilities are endless. I can imagine warm summer evening walks to the grocery store to buy my favorite carton or two of ice cream. Many in our neighborhood are not happy. There is more traffic, blah blah. Ultimately, they resist something different, which may bring more inconvenience to their lives.

I enjoy change until it affects my character. Parents are given to kids to help form them into responsible adults, while the Holy Spirit is given to believers to help change us into the image of Christ. Which do you think is easier? The process of change is difficult. Giving up our attitudes and opinions is not a natural process. When we throw our sinful natures into the mix, we really have issues. Thank God, He can change our stories.

King David struggled with sin at times in his life. His sin with Bathsheba was perhaps the most grievous. The Fire Bible notes that David broke commandments 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. As is often the case, one bad choice leads to another.

First, David was not where he was supposed to be. Scripture clarifies that David was at home when kings went out to battle.

Second, David allowed His eyes to wander and focus on Bathsheba. Indeed, this would be a natural reaction. We cannot always control what we see, but we cannot allow what we see to control us.

Third, David acted on his lust. Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount that we should deal with sin while still in our minds. That way, they never become an action.

Fourth, David sought to hide his sin. He even went so far as to get Uriah drunk to hide Bathsheba’s pregnancy.

Fifth, David’s first sin led to another murder. Not just Uriah’s murder but that of several other innocent soldiers that were loyal to David.

David needed his heart to change. When confronted by the prophet Nathan, he admitted his wrongdoing. He states in 2 Sam 2:13, “I have sinned against the Lord.” David sinned against many people, but above all, he dishonored the name of God.

Coming from this challenging situation, David pens one of my favorite Psalms.

Psalm 51 partially says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”

This Psalm of repentance and rededication reminds me that Change is Needed. Sometimes, my attitude stinks. Sometimes, I don’t deal with hurt very well. So, I willingly pray, Change my heart, Oh God.” If you ask, He will come and change yours too.

Control

Its hands tightly gripped my neck. There was no place to go. I saw no way out. The room was dark except for a lightbulb blinking on the far side. I could not tell if I was above or below ground. All I knew was fear—fear of how this would end, fear of what I had become. Fear gripped my chest and choked every breath from my lungs.

There was an acrid smell that made me want to vomit. My mind reeled with questions of how I got to this point. How could life, my life, come to this? All I did was open myself to a relationship I thought was positive, but in the end, all it wanted was control. Now it had it. It controlled every aspect of my life: my money, my relationships, most of which were now broken, and my health. I could get close but stay in control. I was assured of so much that now seemed like a far-off and elusive dream.

With every thought and struggling breath, it tightened until I thought I would pass out. Images of my life passed in front of me. So many opportunities were wasted. So much time was ill-used. All for what? To find myself consumed by this thing that now controlled me. In this moment of desperation, I just wanted someone to help me.

Just as I began to give up and yield myself to the fate I helped create, I felt something. It was foreign to me. It started small but began to grow. I don’t know how to describe it. Maybe it was like a hot shower after being caught in the snow. There was a warmth to it, but something so much more. The warmer I became, the clearer I saw and the more my thoughts made sense. I vaguely began to see an image. I did not fully recognize the person but knew I needed to remember something. A name. A name. What name? Why a name?

As my mind searched for a name, it suddenly squeezed even tighter. I thought I was going to be free, but its hands seared my body, not like warmth but like acid touching my skin. I heard its voice shouting, “You are mine! You are nothing, and you will always be mine.” It was as if I was passing in and out of consciousness. One moment, I felt anticipation; the next, the reality of defeat.

In a moment of lucidness, I screamed, “What is the name?” But no sounds came from me. A wave of searing heat came again and again as it tightened its control. I began to lose consciousness again; I remembered an image. Nothing but an old dead tree. It was a fearful image as the tree was covered in blood. Pools of blood were all around its base. Though I knew the image should repulse me, the more I focused, the more warmth and clarity came. I shut my eyes, screaming, “I must be free of this.”

When I did, I softly heard a familiar and yet foreign song, quietly at first as if carried by breath. “There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; It sounds like music in mine ear, The sweetest name on earth. Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh, how I love Jesus, Because He first loved me!”

Every cell in my being was suddenly filled with a beautiful warmth, but this was stronger. With what little strength I had left, I pushed my voice to respond. Somehow, with its fingers still gripping my neck, in a raspy voice, I called “Jesus.”

My body shuddered, not as in death or a violent act, but the loss of control. The loss of my control. I gave up control of my life, all of it—every aspect. The more I gave up my own will, the freer I felt. Silently at first, then, with a rising voice, I cried out for God to take complete control of my life. At that moment, I experienced the total surrender of my control and of the sins that had fought to control me. In its place, I gave God control.

My blog today is presented very differently than usual. I sat at my computer, asking God for an illustration, and began to type. Thirty minutes later, these words were on the page. I am not by nature a storyteller or an author of fiction. I feel that God wanted me to present the idea of control this way. Perhaps this reading will hit you differently than usual. Maybe you will be ready to give up your control for God’s control.

To whoever reads this, know that someone or something will control you. It could be your desires, a person who has hurt you, sins, or God. 1 Sam 18:1-12 tells the sad story of Saul ceasing to be controlled by God’s Spirit. In the Spirit’s place, an evil, tormenting spirit came. Why? Because Saul rejected God and clung to his anger, jealousy, and rage. Stop trying to be in control. Give it to God. Let Him be in control of your life.