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Reflection into the heart... God is like a Heart Doctor Spiritual /Emotional Check-up What has sadden you in the last month or two? What has made you happy in the last month or two? What brings us sadness and what brings us joy is a good guage of our spirital and carnal man. We usually have a mixture of both. How the world tells us to handle mourning: 1 Bury your feelings 2. Replace your losses 3. Grieve alone 4. Give it time This will result in living with regret and never trusting fully again. John Hagee in his sermon yesterday said that one of the biggest hindrences to revival is that the church is not preaching repentance and we have become spectators. The word mourn means to embrace deep pain or loss. Denying it only makes us go away. Mourn- let it out -let it come to the surface. Two kinds of grief 1. When people get into a spiritual bankruptcy eg. David grieved over sin and confession was made. 2. The natural order comfort follows grief In my sorrow I find forgiveness In my sorrow I find love In my sorrow I find hope In my sorrow I can forgive myself May take time and help but after we can love others. There is good reason it follows Blessed are the poor in Spirit for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. Until we realize that we are spiritually bankrupt we will not mourn our condition. The word mourn means to embrace deep pain or loss. Denying it only makes us go away. Mourn- let it out -let it come to the surface. The Only Source of Wisdom by John MacArthur The twentieth century produced an information explosion unparalleled in human history–instant access to volumes of knowledge at the click of your mouse. Yet with all we have learned and with all that's been written, man’s wisdom is still impotent to answer life's most basic spiritual questions like: How did we get here? Where do I go when I die? What is the meaning of life? I once read a book by a psychiatrist on how to deal with depression. A section entitled "Reprogramming Your Conscious Mind" particularly caught my attention. Her first suggestion was that every time you have a negative thought, shout, "Cancel!" She also recommended sleep programming–playing a tape recording all night that contains lots of positive feedback. During the day, according to her, you should listen to positive music. The doctor also thought it would be helpful to cultivate a meaningful spiritual philosophy. She said you need to find a belief system that works for you–any will do–but be sure to avoid people who talk about sin and guilt. Her final recommendation was to find the light in yourself. Unfortunately, that is the best human wisdom can do. True Wisdom Begins with God God defines wisdom this way: "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). That verse describes saving faith–both fearing God and departing from evil take place initially at conversion. So you begin to be wise when you fear God by trusting in Him and repenting of your sins. As long as you have only human wisdom–or to put it in James' words, that which is "earthly, natural, demonic" (3:15)–you cannot know God or true wisdom. Without that critical first step, there is no relationship to the Giver of all wisdom and understanding. On the other hand, if you have submitted to the gospel in repentance, you know the "only wise God" (Rom. 16:27) as your Father. His book of wisdom is open to you as a Christian. The indwelling Spirit of wisdom illuminates to you the wisdom of His Word–you truly can be wise. Why then do we still have a sinful tendency to look first to man's wisdom and virtually ignore the sufficiency of God's wisdom found in the Bible? I think if we truly understand the stark contrast–the absolute opposition of the one to the other–we will leave behind the elementary understanding of the world to embrace the riches of divine wisdom. Human vs. Divine Wisdom Today your thinking is attacked by worldly philosophies and methodologies in an attempt to divert you from the Word of God–the only source that can satisfy the deep needs of the human heart. It's not a new attack; the Corinthian believers had the same problem. They were strongly influenced by the prevailing ideas of their day. When they became Christians and were awakened to the revelation of God, they were exposed to an obvious conflict. Paul, describing that conflict, said, "The word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.... Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Cor. 1:18, 20). While the first-century philosophers viewed the wisdom of God as foolishness, in truth, God exposed their so-called "wisdom" as foolish. That opposition makes the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God incompatible–they are mutually exclusive. God has given man the ability to study, analyze, categorize, and develop the physical resources of this earth to benefit physical life. But that's where his wisdom ends. Because of sin, his mind is totally unable to discern the spiritual dimension. He has no power to change his own heart, no understanding to solve his spiritual dilemma, and no resources to satisfy his soul–he is spiritually dead. The wisdom of men makes no contribution in the spiritual dimension, and it doesn't need to make a contribution. God's wisdom is rich and infinite–it needs no supplement. True Wisdom Is Divinely Revealed First Corinthians 2:7 says, "We speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory." The Greek word translated "mystery" doesn't refer to something strange or puzzling; it's a technical term for the kind of truth man has not previously known but is now revealed. The truth that God saves sinners through the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son is now plain for all to see. However, no one can come to that truth by himself because of sin. "A natural man [an unconverted person] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Cor. 2:14). Divine wisdom can't be empirically deduced by analyzing data and physical evidence (verse 9). It comes only as a gift God gives when His Spirit reveals His Word to individuals. First Corinthians 2:10 says, "To us God revealed [His truths] through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God." The Holy Spirit–the divine Author of Scripture–searches the deep recesses of God’s Person and knows the mind of God perfectly. Therefore He is able to reveal God and God's will completely. The Bible contains all the wisdom man needs for solving all the spiritual struggles, problems, and issues of life. Those deep things of God, Paul says, "we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (2:13). You have a resident Truth Teacher to enlighten you about essential spiritual truths. The Holy Spirit takes God's Word, the Word He has revealed and inspired, and illuminates it for those in whom He dwells. You can rightly appraise the Word, but only when you rely on the Giver of the Word. Paul concluded, "We have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16). You can understand if you are diligent and obedient to study and submit to it. Because it is revealed, its authenticity is guaranteed. Because it is inspired, its accuracy is guaranteed. And because it is illumined, its applicability is guaranteed. Don't turn to human wisdom to solve spiritual problems. If the world had anything to offer, the best of its citizens would not have crucified the Lord (1 Cor. 2:8). As a true believer, anchor all your confidence in the Word of God, the only source of true wisdom. Empowering and Equipping a Generation To Be Passionate About God Immovable It was a day, not unlike any other day. Nothing was unusual about the weather; the morning’s news was bad as it always was. As he was walking to his car parked in the driveway, the too familiar feeling of despair crept back into his mind. The feeling had been with him every since he could remember. However, he had gotten used to ignoring it. Once he got to the office and got busy with the day the feeling would soon subside, covered up by the work and meetings ahead. He usually worked late and could get home, eat his warmed up dinner, and get to bed before there was enough time for the feeling to return. As he turned the corner out of the neighborhood, the feeling got worse than it usually did. He knew he just needed to start thinking about the day and the tasks ahead, which would get rid of the feeling. As he turned each corner, the pain got worse and worse, in minutes, he wondered if he would even make it to the parking lot of the office before having to pull off the road. Ahh, the office was just ahead and in minutes, he would be in the safe refuge of missed deadlines and a plethora of phone calls. As he pulled his sports car into a parking space, the tears began to well up and he sat there sobbing uncontrollably. Regardless of all his success and outward appearance of having everything together, his life was in shambles. It had been for a long time. He had only reached out for help from others a couple of times and prayed to God in extreme cases. Nevertheless, he had been immovable toward reaching out for help from God or anyone. Now he sat in his car with nothing to show for his life but failed marriages, failed friendships, lonely nights, busy days, and a half warmed seat in church on Sunday morning. God felt as far away as he had left him years ago. Much of what is taught in families, secondary school, college, and business is how to get ahead, stay ahead, and leave everything else in the dust. We have learned it well, and most have applied the teaching by leaving everything that could be dear to them in a huge plume of smoke. After destroying everything, all that is around these faithful learners is what they have created. Their only friends are others like themselves who have also destroyed their lives. While trying to create “life” and find a happy life they left out the essential ingredients, God and caring for others. Look at this story in the bible, which shows how temporal the material things in life are and how permanent the spiritual decisions are: "There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man's table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores. "Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. He called out, "Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue. I'm in agony in this fire.' "But Abraham said, "Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It's not like that here. Here he's consoled and you're tormented.” Luke 16:19-25 (The Message) Even Solomon, the richest and wisest man whoever lived, said that everything is meaningless except to fear God and obey His commandments. “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.” Ecclesiastes 11:13 & 14 (NLT) Our Challenge Millions of people’s lives around the world are destroyed, yet they put on an outward appearance that they have everything together. They have also devastated most of the lives that they have touched. Their resolve, “life is tough”, continues to affect even more lives with their recklessness. They hide themselves in a shell of successful looking businesses, decadent houses, and a seat in church for an hour on Sundays. Like in the story of Lazarus, they ignore the real needs in life and waste their days here on earth focused on only themselves. They may throw a crumb of hope and charity towards a need occasionally, but they prison their lives in selfishness. This type person has become “immovable” toward getting closer to God, instead living a shallow form of Godliness. Reflect on your own life and ask the real question to whether you focus your life on God’s agenda, or solely your own? You may know those who have abandoned a shallow life for a life that is rich in God's plans for them. It would be well worth your time to spend time with them learning about the rich life God has for you. For those heading down a dead end life pattern, the challenge is to turn your life around and not to ignore there is a change that needs to take place. God has an incredible plan for everyone's life, but to experience it our lives must be squarely focused on Him, and give God complete control. www.scottringo.com ___________ Scott Michael and Melissa Ringo resides in Virginia Beach, VA where Scott Michael the author of "Generations" an online community that empowers youth and equips the younger generations to be all God designed them to be. To join the thousands of readers of "Generations" visit www.generations.injesus.com . Scott and Melissa live to empower and equip generations with the tools and abilities needed to fulfill the call that God has on their lives. They allow them to put in place unique solutions around the world that will make a life changing difference to people that are yet un-reached. Their focus is on releasing the relevant keys each generation carries so they can impact the world in their own unique problem solving way. Scott and Melissa's call is to inspire generations to live with passion for God; help them reach the nations for Christ in a signature way they are willing to die for; and to instill in them a desire to use their life to glorify God, which is the very thing that they also desire in there own life. Scott is an avid writer, songwriter, speaker, and worshiper. Melissa is extremely gifted singer, graphics artist, writer, poet, encourager, and beautiful wife. Scott and Melissa love speaking, challenging youth and the younger generations. _________________________________________________________________________________________ The Truth We must always go back to what God says in His Word. The Bible says that our life as long as it may seem is only like a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. If our life is as short as the Bible says it is, then we have to think of the impact that our lives have had on others once our life is over and done with. We cannot continue to live our life in a manner that is only to please ourselves and look for our own best interests. If we do live in this manner, we will soon find how shallow and unsatisfying that way of living feels in our hearts. (James 4:14) (Romans 15:1-4) (Matthew 19:29-30) You see, we cannot live only for ourselves and our own self interests and not give clear attention to the legacy that we leave behind. This life that God has given us is not meant to be used solely for our benefit, but we are to use the gifts and talents that He has given us for the betterment of others. Jesus tells us to not lay up for ourselves treasures on earth where moths can destroy and thieves can steal, but lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor thief can destroy or steal. We are to be heavenly minded and realize that life is temporary, but eternity is forever. (Hebrews 12:1-3) (Matthew 6:19-22) (2 Corinthians 4:18) I hope you are encouraged by today's message to be one who does good works selflessly for the betterment of others so that you may be remembered in cheerfulness and praised for living an unselfish and pure life before man and God. THE GUY WITH THE DONKEY When we all get home I know what I want to do. There's someone I want to get to know. I want to meet the guy with the donkey. I don't know his name or what he looks like. I only know one thing: what he gave. He gave a donkey to Jesus on the Sunday he entered Jerusalem. "Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will quickly find a donkey tied there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks you why you are taking the donkeys, say that the Master needs them, and he will send them at once." (Matthew 21:3) When we all get to heaven I want to visit this fellow. I have several questions for him. Did you know? Did you have any idea that your generosity would be used for such a noble purpose? Did it ever occur to you that God was going to ride your donkey? Were you aware that all four gospel writers would tell your story? Did it ever cross your mind that a couple of millenniums later, a curious preacher in South Texas would be pondering your plight late at night? Maybe you have those questions, too. All of us have a donkey. You and I each have something in our lives, which, if given back to God, could, like the donkey, move Jesus and His story further down the road. Are You Ready To Give Up Your Donkey? By Max Lucado Be encouraged and know that you will always get the better end of the deal when you do what God leads you to do. I often think of the woman who poured on the head of Jesus the ointment of spikenard that was precious and very expensive. There were many people around the Lord who criticized her for "wasting" the precious ointment, but Jesus said that she had done a good work for Him and because of what she did, Jesus said that wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman did will also be told as a memorial to her. (Mark 14:3-9) (Ephesians 2:10) (Matthew 5:13-16) No matter what others may say about you, always remember that you are going to stand before God alone and give an account of what you did with your life on the earth. Never allow the criticism of others to keep you from being in God's perfect will for your life. Live selflessly and do good works not so that you may be praised, but God be praised because of your life and your care for those around you. (Romans 14:11-12) (Luke 9:23-26) Read and meditate on these scriptures: 1 Peter 2:9-10 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." Revelation 22:12-14 Jesus declares "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Marriage As It Was Meant to Be John MacArthur Our entertainment-saturated society helps feed all sorts of illusions about reality. The fantasy of the perfect romantic and sexual relationship, the perfect lifestyle, and the perfect body all prove unattainable because the reality never lives up to the expectation. The worst fallout comes in the marriage relationship. When two people can't live up to each other's expectations, they'll look for their fantasized satisfaction in the next relationship, the next experience, the next excitement. But that path leads only to self-destruction and emptiness. Marriage is the capstone of the family, the building block of human civilization. A society that does not honor and protect marriage undermines its very existence. Why? Because one of God's designs for marriage is to show the next generation how a husband and wife demonstrate reciprocal, sacrificial love toward each other. But when husbands and wives forsake that love, their marriage fails to be what God intended. When marriage fails, the whole family falls apart; when the family fails, the whole society suffers. And stories of societal suffering fill the headlines every day. Now, more than ever before, is the time for Christians to declare and put on display what the Bible declares: God's standard for marriage and the family is the only standard that can produce meaning, happiness, and fulfillment. Divine Directives for Wives One of the most explicit passages of Scripture that outlines God's standard for marriage is Ephesians 5:22-33. Wives often bear the brunt of that section, but the majority of the passage deals with the husband's attitude toward and responsibilities for his wife. Nonetheless, here's the wife's responsibility before the Lord: Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything (vv. 22-24). Submission in no way implies a difference in essence or worth; it does refer, however, to a willing submission of oneself. Wives, submission is to be your voluntary response to God's will-it's a willingness to give up your rights to other believers in general and ordained authority in particular, in this case your own husband. Husbands aren't to treat their wives like slaves, barking commands at them; they are to treat their wives as equals, assuming their God-given responsibility of caring, protecting, and providing for them. Likewise wives fulfill their God-given responsibility when they submit willingly to their own husbands. That reflects not only the depth of intimacy and vitality in their relationship, but also the sense of ownership a wife has for her husband. Keep in mind that the wife's submission requires intelligent participation: "Mere listless, thoughtless subjection is not desirable if ever possible. The quick wit, the clear moral discernment, the fine instincts of a wife make of her a counselor whose influence is invaluable and almost unbounded" (Charles R. Erdman, The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon [Philadelphia: Westminster, 1966], 103). Elisabeth Elliot, writing on "The Essence of Femininity," offers a fitting summary of God's ideal for wives: Unlike Eve, whose response to God was calculating and self-serving, the virgin Mary's answer holds no hesitation about risks or losses or the interruption of her own plans. It is an utter and unconditional self-giving: "I am the Lord's servant ? May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38). This is what I understand to be the essence of femininity. It means surrender. Think of a bride. She surrenders her independence, her name, her destiny, her will, herself to the bridegroom in marriage ? The gentle and quiet spirit of which Peter speaks, calling it "of great worth in God's sight" (1 Peter 3:4), is the true femininity, which found its epitome in Mary (John Piper, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood [Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1991], 398, 532, emphasis added). Divine Directives for Husbands After giving the divine guidelines for the wife's submission, Paul devotes the next nine verses of Ephesians 5 to explain the husband's duty to submit to his wife through his love for her: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church" (v. 25). The Lord's pattern of love for His church is the husband's pattern of love for his wife, and it is manifest in four ways. Sacrificial Love Christ loved the church by giving "Himself up for her." The husband who loves his wife as Christ loves His church will give up everything he has for his wife, including his life if necessary. Most of you husbands would give verbal assent to that-literally dying for your wife is such a remote possibility for most of you. But I would speculate that it is much more difficult to make lesser, but actual sacrifices for her. Husbands, when you put aside your own likes, desires, opinions, preferences, and welfare to please your wife and meet her needs, then you are truly dying to self to live for your wife. And that is what Christ's love demands. Purifying Love Christ loved the church sacrificially with this goal in mind: That He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless (vv. 26-27). Love wants only the best for the one it loves, and it cannot bear for a loved one to be corrupted or misled by anything evil or harmful. If you really love your wife, you'll do everything in your power to maintain her holiness, virtue, and purity every day you live. That obviously means doing nothing to defile her. Don't expose her to or let her indulge in anything that would bring impurity into her life. Don't tempt her to sin by, say, inducing an argument out of her on a subject you know is sensitive to her. Love always seeks to purify. Caring Love Another aspect of divine love is this: Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church (vv. 28-29). The word translated "cherishes" literally means "to warm with body heat"-it is used to describe a bird sitting on her nest (e.g., Deut. 22:6). Husbands, you are to provide a secure, warm, safe haven for your wife. When your wife needs strength, give her strength. When she needs encouragement, give it to her. Whatever she needs, you are obligated to supply as best you can. God chose you to provide for and protect her, to nourish and cherish her, and to do so "as Christ also does the church." Unbreakable Love For a husband to love his wife as Christ loves His church he must love her with an unbreakable love. In this direct quotation from Genesis 2:24, Paul emphasizes the permanence as well as the unity of marriage: "For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh" (v. 31). And God's standard for marriage still hasn't changed. Husbands, your union with your wife is permanent. When you got married, you had to leave, cleave, and become one with your wife-never go back on that. Let your wife rest in the security of knowing that you belong to her, for life. Just as the body of Christ is indivisible, God's ideal for marriage is that it be indivisible. As Christ is one with His church, you husbands are one with your wives. Paul goes on to say, "This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church" (v. 32). Why is submission as well as sacrificial, purifying, and caring love so strongly emphasized in Scripture? Because the sacredness of the church is wed to the sacredness of marriage. Christian, your marriage is a testimony to the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church. Your marriage will either tell the truth about that relationship, or it will tell a lie. What is your marriage saying to the watching world? If you'll walk in the power of the Spirit, yield to His Word, and be mutually submissive, you can know that God will bless you abundantly and glorify His Son through your marriage. Adapted from Different by Design, © 1994 by John MacArthur. Return to Top of Page |
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