In the Bible, God clearly states that we, as His creation, “are to have no other gods before Him” (Exodus 20:3).  This is the first of the Ten Commandments and sets forth the foundation of our relationship with Almighty God. God desires that we worship Him alone and submit our lives to Him.  But throughout history man continues to place other things above God in their lives.  Perhaps the most common idol man worships is himself and his own will instead of God’s will. And this is where we get off track and begin to derail ourselves from God’s plan for our lives.

God gave us free will to choose Him and He does not force anyone to believe in Him or submit to Him.  Like a loving Father He wants His children to come to Him willfully and gladly.  He sets before us blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 30:19) and wants us to choose Him so that we may live and be blessed (Deuteronomy 30:16). But when we choose our own way instead of God’s way we not only ignore God but we also put our lives in peril.

In America today, many of our social problems and conflicts can be traced back to the same thing – people wanting to do what they want, what pleases them or what makes them happy. They have placed their own personal choices above God.  Our culture calls this tolerance. God calls this sin. Why do you think the church and Christianity have come under attack in America? Is it because Christians are intolerant? No. It is because God stands in the way of man’s desire to justify their personal choices. If God does not exist then man can do what it wants. We can’t have it both ways.  Either we submit to our own will or God’s will. So, for example, in order for man to endorse abortion God must be eliminated from the discussion or at least made irrelevant. The same goes for homosexuality and gay marriage. So endorsing tolerance of these sins is a direct frontal attack on God. It is because God’s Word is the only thing that stands against man doing what he wants.

And who do you think is behind this? It is satan, of course! From the beginning he has been a liar and deceiver and continues to tell people that they don’t need God and that they can be their own god. He convinced Eve to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree so that by eating it “she will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) He continually encourages man to deny God, do what pleases man, so that they can become like God. As Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” This has been satan’s game plan from the beginning, and apparently it still works today!

Today, we have the same choice – to serve God and do what He says, or serve ourselves and do what we want. It comes down to God or Me? God is good and wants to bless all people (“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” – Psalms 34:8). Man is sinful (“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23) and our ways lead to our destruction (“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” – Proverbs 14:12).

Who do you choose, God or Me?

I want to be blessed, so I choose God! I pray that you do too!

The Bible clearly tells us that all sin is an offense to God (Romans 8:8). But so often, Christians act as if some of the sins they commit are somehow either more acceptable to God today or that He understands our human weakness and lets them slide, so to speak.  But that is far from the truth of God’s Word. God detests all sin.  God is Holy and Just, and every sin we commit separates us from Him.  Nothing is hidden from Him. Every sin must be punished!  But God loves us so much, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to go to the cross so that He would be punished instead of us for our sins. So when Christians fail to recognize their own sinfulness, God is deeply offended, and Jesus’ death on the cross is trivialized.

In our American culture today, I believe that some Christians think some things they do are not sinful anymore and so they are not offensive to God.  In some cases they may not even realize they are offending God. It may either be a result of their lack of Biblical knowledge or the influence of our secular culture. Whatever the reason, they are not repentant nor do they consider that God is offended by what they do.  This could be a tragic mistake, because Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:21 that “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven.” 

So knowing and understanding what behavior is sinful is extremely important for Christians. The Bible tells us what is sinful, not the culture and not other people, even pastors. Christians must read their Bible to know what sin is and what offends God.  Then we must repent and seek His forgiveness for our sinful behavior in order to be forgiven and reconciled to Him.

Here are 10 things that some Christians do today that culturally may be acceptable but I believe deeply offend God:

1.  Fornication.  Fornication is defined as sex between non-married individuals. Today, many young Christians live together, have sexual intercourse, and consider it to be normal behavior.  They often have no shame nor believe they are offending God. The Bible clearly calls this sin. (Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”)

2. Homosexuality.  Homosexuality is defined as sex between members of the same gender. Today, our culture is tolerant of homosexual behavior and some churches and denominations even endorse it. The Bible clearly calls this sin as well. (Leviticus 18:22 – “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.”)

3. Abortion. Abortion is the termination of a life that has begun. It is murder. Today, many Christians are pro-choice and believe it is a woman’s right to chose an abortion. But God’s Word is very clear that we do not have the right to terminate a life. (Exodus 20:13 – “You shall not murder.”)

4. Pride. This is about being proud of ourselves and placing ourselves above God.  God is our Creator and is offended whenever we take credit for what He has done. Some Christians today are eager to pat themselves on the back while rarely giving credit to God for the blessings in their lives. (Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”)

5. Selfishness. This is about placing ourselves above others. Today, some Christians are more concerned about themselves than others. They focus more on their needs and what they desire but fail to consider the needs of those less fortunate. (Philippians 2:3 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”)

6. Retaliation. Some Christians believe it is okay to take an eye for an eye, and to retaliate against those who have hurt them. We sometimes see people taking justice into their own hands and justifying it, some of whom claim to be Christians. But Jesus clearly says that we are not to retaliate when others hurt us. (Matthew 5:39 – “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”)

7. Unforgiveness. Some Christians want others to forgive them but sometimes they refuse to forgive others. God’s Word often refers to this as having a “hardened heart.” Scripture clearly tells us that if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. (Matthew 6:15 – “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”)

8. Divorce. Many Christians today believe that divorce is acceptable for any reason and a legitimate way to end a marriage.  But God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and Jesus spoke against it, except in the case of infidelity. (Matthew 19:6 – “What God has joined together, let not man separate.”)

9. Idolatry. Idolatry takes many forms today, including career, family, fame or money.  But these are all false gods and God is offended when Christians seek something else instead of Him. (Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before me.”)

10. Bad Language. In America today profanity is commonly acceptable, even among Christians, whether in conversation, movies, on television, or in Facebook postings. But God is still offended when people take His name in vain, swear or use filthy language. (Colossians 3:8 – “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”)

These are just some of the ways Christians offend God knowingly or unknowingly, and this list is by no means comprehensive. We know according to Scripture that we are sinful by nature.  But that is not the issue here. The issue is whether or not we recognize our sin and repent of it.  1 John 1:10 says, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word has no place in our lives.”  So , if we do not recognize our behavior as sin we tell God He is wrong and that deeply offends Him.

So let us look to God’s Word for what behavior offends Him, repent of it, and seek His forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Is There Any Justice?

Our nation is experiencing large scale civil unrest since the two grand jury decisions not to indict two white police officers in the tragic deaths of two black males in Ferguson, MO and New York City this year. Each case is different, but at the heart of both is the feeling of many Americans that justice was not carried out. There are peaceful protests by many, but some people choose to go further and use violence, destruction and looting to express their outrage over these judicial outcomes. Some have even claimed that our system of justice in the United States is broken.

It is natural for Americans (and people in general) to be angry or suspicious when courts or juries do not decide cases in a way that matches our perceptions. Our news media is quick to point fingers or to suggest who might be guilty before all the facts are known. And when the case comes to court, sometimes there are legal technicalities that prevent some evidence from being admitted.  Other times the legal counsel does not argue their side effectively. Even when there is evidence that clearly supports the decision that was made some people often refuse to accept it and instead choose to let loose their anger on others as a result.  That anger usually hurts people that had nothing to do with the case at all (have you ever had a drink spilled on you at a football game because another fan did not like the referee’s call, even after the reply showed it was the correct call?) There are times when the eyes refuse to see what the heart believes or wants!

I often wonder if people today are really seeking justice.  Do they care about the truth, the facts, or due process, or do they simply want revenge or a vindication of their viewpoint? The justice system in the USA is the envy of the world. In America, people are innocent until proven guilty.  We have an appeals process and trial by jury of one’s peers.  There are lawyers for both sides that argue points of law so that a defendant is not convicted on hearsay or shoddy evidence. All of this is done to try to protect people from injustice. And in general it works pretty well.

But it is not perfect and it never will be.  That is because the justice system is dependent upon people who are not perfect. Lawyers are people, Judges are people, and Jurors are people. People have biases. People make mistakes. People have errors in judgment.  As a result, sometimes the guilty go free or the innocent are punished. But is the justice system really broken?

The justice system is actually fine and likely the best there is in the world. But as people we are deeply flawed. We are the ones who are broken.  We are sinners ourselves and have prejudices often known only to us and to God.  And although we try to do the best we can, our best will never be perfect. 1 John 1:8 says that “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” You see, according to God’s standard and His law, we are all guilty and deserving of punishment under His system of justice, which is perfect. But in 1 John 1:9 it also says that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

You see, if there was true justice, we would all be guilty and punished.  But instead, God chose to have mercy upon us and forgive us because of His great love for us. We are broken and in need of forgiveness.  We are guilty and in need of mercy. And we are sinners in need of a Savior.

Is there any justice? Yes there is.  It is the justice of God who let His own Son Jesus go to the cross and pay the penalty for our sins.  That was God’s justice for every human being and is what allows us to live free from the consequences of our own sin. And Jesus calls us to be no less forgiving of others who are broken and imperfect.

That’s the message of justice we should remember this Christmas and every Christmas – that God would send His own Son Jesus into our world to bear His guilty judgment on all of us!

Praise God for His justice and His mercy! Merry Christmas!!

What is Real Faith?

Christianity is under attack around the world.  Although it is the largest religion in the world with over 2 Billion adherents (33%), it is under attack by Muslim terrorists, Communist governments, and atheists. Every day we can read about the violence committed against Christians, including kidnapping, be-headings, imprisonment, death sentences, being burned alive, and destruction of their property and homes. One ministry, Open Doors, publishes a list of the top 50 nations with the most persecution of Christians in the world, with over half of them experiencing severe persecution. I have personally traveled to and met Christian leaders in many of these nations, including Nigeria, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Colombia, India & Kenya.  I also work with the leader of a ministry in Pakistan that is conducting our training there as well. And what I witness, and have come to know, are the risks they take and the devotion of these Christians to their faith and to Christ – no matter the cost!

And so it begs the question, what is real faith?  Do we have to face severe persecution to know if our faith is real or not? Most American Christians, including myself, have never faced this type of persecution in our lives. We are free to worship and practice our faith without fear of detection, violence or even death. We go about our lives and never really have our faith tested like Christians in some of these nations. But we feel persecution nonetheless.  We feel it when atheists work to remove God from our institutions and government.  We feel it when the culture denounces anyone, or any business, that opposes gay marriage, homosexuality, abortion, or takes a stand for Biblical principles. And we feel it when Christian viewpoints are mocked or ridiculed in public discourse or the media.

Christians everywhere are in a battle.  But the battle is not against Muslims, communists or atheists.  It is against the forces of Satan and evil.  Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 that “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  As Christians, we must remember who the real enemy is. And whether we take a stand or go into battle, it is against the forces of Satan and evil that we must contend with for our faith, and not the people he is using to persecute us.

Jesus did not tell us that if we follow Him our lives would be easy or prosperous, contrary to what some preachers in our nation are saying today. Instead, Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  He also told his disciples in Matthew 10:22 that “all men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” And Paul wrote to his protege Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 that “in fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” In other words, as a follower of Christ we are to expect persecution! It comes with the territory of being a Christian. And when we stand up for God, Jesus and the Bible in America (or the world), this persecution will test our faith.

So, what is real faith?  It is believing in God’s Word and trusting in Him in every circumstance and despite every struggle or persecution.  It is having the courage to stand for Jesus in a world that would kill Him all over again, and us as well.  It is having love enough for others to speak the Truth and to fight against the sin and evil that would corrupt them or us and turn us away from Jesus. Real faith is following Jesus to the cross, denying ourselves, and putting our lives in His hands.

So how do we know if our faith is real? I have long believed that if our faith is not being tested or challenged then we probably aren’t living out our faith. When our faith is evident, Satan and the world takes notice and will try to shut us up or intimidate us.  But if we are silent and do not live out our faith, then we are no threat to Satan or his evil purposes and he does not need to bother with us. So the only way to know if our faith is real is if we are truly living for Jesus, being His feet, hands and voice to our generation, and being persecuted because of it. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “…we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (Romans 8:17)

But we must also know that when we live out our faith and suffer for Jesus, He is always with us to help us (Matthew 28:20).  And no matter what happens, Satan cannot snatch us away from Jesus if we put our trust in Him and hold on to our faith. Jesus said in John 10:27-28 that “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

What a wonderful promise Jesus gives to those who are faithful, who listen to His voice, and who follow Him.  Let us be the ones who follow Christ in America, the ones who truly have a real faith!