Defeated Foes

        

        Peter, John and Paul team-up to teach believers about the unfriendly life we enter from day one. John mentions the world (1 Jn. 2:16), Paul documents the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21), while Peter and John call-out the devil (1 Peter 5:8; Jn. 10:10). These are not only stumbling blocks in our lives but enemies of our souls.

        According to 1 John 2:16, The World consists of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life. Notice that John stresses "the lust of..." in the first two worldly enemies. This is the spirit of lust in the kingdom of darkness. It has responsibility over influencing our flesh - sinful desires that do not line-up with God's will for our lives and our eyes that deal with covetousness - something or someone we see and desire but should not seek for whatever reason. The pride of life will always maintain you can do whatever without any assistance from others, especially God's help.  

        According to Galatians 5:19-21, God provides a working list of what is considered The Flesh or detestable desires - "sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like." These are straight forward, so I will not take the time to break them down. If you need further explanation, consult a dictionary.

        1 Peter 5:8 speaks to an actual enemy and his nature - "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." In John 10:10 Jesus gives the enemy a title of "thief" and describes his modes of operation - "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy;". But Jesus follows up this verse with what He came to do - "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."

        In fact, for The World, John records Jesus encouraging all who believe in Him that He has "overcome the world" - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33)

        For all our fleshly/non-Godly desires, Jesus Christ has paid the ultimate price - His life-blood. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (Jn. 3:16-17)

"For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,"  (Romans 8:3)

        God, knowing all things and being all-powerful and being everywhere has witnessed Satan's many defeats and final demise. So, God has these events written in Scripture to encourage the believer that there has never been nor ever will be a challenger to God's throne.

"I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven." (Luke 10:18)

"How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”

All the kings of the nations lie in state,each in his own tomb. But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people." (Isaiah 14:12-20)

"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10)

        Though we come into this life with worldly enemies, a sinful nature and an adversary that works non-stop to steal from us, kill us and destroy us - believers in Christ have Christ Jesus as the Victor over All these and anything else that could be imagined. The song "Oh Victory In Jesus" comes to mind right now.

        However, the total victory has not manifested yet. Until then we must hand over the direction of our thoughts and behavior to the Holy Spirit. To help with this Paul takes chapter five in Galatians and stresses Life in the Spirit. Read this chapter as soon as possible. This is our challenge - to live a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led life while knowing we have Defeated Foes. 

Convinced Of God's Love And Care

        

        Many people in Scripture had a tough life. Two people, in particular, Job and Paul could testify to a seemingly unyielding slew of life-challenges.
        

        Job had it rough. His life, health, family and possessions were all taken away or damaged in some form or fashion. Job was humbled until he was at the bottom of the barrel and there was no where to look but up. 

        However, when all was lost, Job enters a frame of mind and spirit that I feel many, if not most, would not find themselves and all of us could learn from. Job mourns, worships God and surrenders to the Lord.

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'" - Job 1:20-21

        Paul seems to be the New Testament version of Job. He endured trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword. But like Job's restoration of life, family and possessions - Paul toward the end of his ministry used some hardy language to express not questioning the purposes of God.

"One of you will say to me: 'Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?' But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? 'Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?" - Romans 9:19-21

        There are some seriously strong statements in Scripture that should make any reader stop and take notice. For instance when Jesus said,

"I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

        Extreme words demand extreme proof and there is an empty grave in Israel and millions of changed lives as evidence of this.

        As you can tell already, Paul is no stranger to strong words and hard-hitting concepts. As he addresses the believers in Rome, his words speak strong, conclusive blessing for a life that has seen constant challenges.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:35, 38-39

        Powerful words that list a plethora of visible and invisible things that will not render any separation between the believer and Christ Jesus. How was Paul able to declare such a bold statement? He was "convinced". This means, at least for Paul, that he counted the cost and then all the life-long persuasions that followed were valid enough for him to make that claim.

        Many people have jumped into the deep end of The Faith and started their spiritual walk with Christ by pure trust. There have also been those that have entered the fold upon believing proofs either in Scripture or receiving Godly interventions in their own lives.

        Paul had a mix of convincings. He personally encountered the risen Christ, witnessed the miracles of the Holy Spirit work through him on his journey and was afflicted in his flesh with something to keep him on the straight-and-narrow. All this from a person who was the chief refuter of Jesus and The Way before his decision to follow Christ. Paul's encounter with God and suffering lifestyle were necessary for his transformation and ultimately unwavering statement he made of God's love and care through it all (Acts 9:15-16).

        This extremely encouraging passage of Scripture has Paul answering his own question while in a state of mind and spirit that left no doubt about the believer's connection to God through Christ Jesus. When I looked up the original word for "convinced" the term peitho (pitho) means to persuade by argument, prove by evidence or trust in an authority.
        

        These three definitions of this word were clearly played out in Paul's life. In the beginning of Paul's transformation The Lord personally persuaded Paul by argument (Acts 9:4-5) and force to go into town where he would be further educated by Ananias and the other disciples there (Acts 9:10-19) about the life and mission of Christ.

        Later in Paul's tour for The Lord, God's presence in his life was proven by evidence. He was shipwrecked, but an angel told him all would be saved even though the ship would be destroyed. This came to pass along with Paul getting snake bit with no ill effects, God healing the leader of the island's father through Paul, others receiving healing and the entire crew received favor through supplies to continue their journey.

        As documented throughout the book of Acts, Paul traveled many different places in the Roman Empire persuading some Jews, but mainly everyone else, known as Gentiles, of the Good News of Christ Jesus. With the Holy Spirit within him he proved by evidence through miracles that what he taught was God's truth. Paul's trust in Christ as The Authority on all matters showcased his assurance on any request he had of The Lord.

        In order to be successful in any organization, especially the extension of God's Kingdom, being convinced of the plan, the cost, the benefits and people involved is crucial. The decision means you or anyone has stopped to consider all the factors before moving forward - initiating wisdom.

        The Word of God considered everything in visiting humanity as Christ (Philippians 2:6-8). Even while physically with us, Jesus used the analogy of a builder sitting down and estimating the cost of a tower first before constructing (Luke 14:28-30) to emphasize the importance of caution and/or pause before commitment. Then Christ stresses this again by saying, will not a king sit down beforehand and consider the number of troops and supplies he has against the enemy's troops (Luke 14:31-33)?

        I encourage you, when you face difficult times, try to view them as opportunities for the Lord to showcase His many variations of care and love. Perhaps in the midst of the issue and certainly afterward you will be used to help others and God will be glorified in your life through you assisting as in the lives of Job and Paul.

        There are many hardships and challenges that occur in life which prove hindsight truly is perfect vision. As for the now and future time frames, the Christian's faith is bolstered knowing that if the lives of Job and Paul can suffer and then be blessed abundantly afterward, used as a convincing tool of God's love and care, then today's believer can also. But even if we do not see these blessings materialize in earnest this side of Heaven, Paul, once again through his convincings and considerations lifts our spirit as he says,

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." - Romans 8:18

        In his letter to the Roman Christians, Paul says that the consideration of joining with Christ and His kingdom is worth the decision in view of all possible hardships. In essence, he says there is nothing the Christian can think or imagine, in this world or the next that can pull the believer away from the everlasting love of Christ the Savior. Christ Jesus has not just paid a price, He has paid the ultimate price for all who accept God, His Kingdom and His love. As Paul was and I am, I hope you are Convinced Of God's Love And Care.

Room For Improvement

 “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” 

If success is not the end result of a goal obtained, either more could have been done to better the situation or more can be done now at the end to enhance it. Either way, in success there is always Room For Improvement.

When there is failure, the end of the world has not arrived. Fatality means the end of life, the end of one’s journey. Failure means the chance to continue on life’s path and capitalize on all corrections. Within failure, there is always Room For Improvement.

        The key to reviewing one’s goal or project, the key to adding onto one’s finished mission, the key to persevering through failure is courage. Having the mindset and/or spirit to move forward, whether in success or failure, in the face of danger, difficulty or pain is courage. This admonishment would have us to continue in this vein if we are to make a difference, for there will always be Room For Improvement.

*** – Quote NOT Winston Churchill, according to https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour/finest-hour-136/media-matters/

Mental Health In Scripture

        

        Just because you accept Christ as your Savior does not mean you receive an exemption from the trials, challenges, hardships and heartaches of life. There are a plethora of influences that can distract the believer's mind from God. However, the challenge(s) of negative mental health issues like our rebellious nature, our own imaginations, our environment and our enemy - Satan, must be dealt with promptly. The Bible says much about the mind. The topic was important in the Old and New Testament days and remains important today. Some would say this subject has reached critical status. I believe we all have battled our own mental challenges within the grand scope of the mental health spectrum. I have had mental struggles and am a true believer that many of the issues today begin in our mind. The wonderful benefit believers receive is the Holy Spirit, to encourage, support, lead and instruct us when times get tough.

        I have heard the slogan stated, “Do not be so heavenly minded you are no earthly good.” The idea has some merit. To go along with this slogan I have heard as I was growing up the saying, “Get your head out of the clouds.” I believe as long as we keep grounded our gaze should remain skyward, toward the future, on improving and imagining God’s promises fulfilled. To me, being heavenly minded will make me earthly good. Focusing on heavenly concepts will fuel my earthly motivations.

        Thoughts and actions are strongly linked. In all things, good and evil, wisdom is found in considering the source. For that which is good, considering the source allows for us to give thanks, appreciation and capitalize on the goodness. For that which is evil, considering the source allows for us to avoid or rebuke the person, place or thing completely.

        A huge player in negative mental health challenges is the rebellious nature humans have as their default mode of operation toward God. Paul makes this clear when he writes the church in Colossae. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” (Colossians 1:21) It is quite a simple matter of natures. Rebellious nature, rebellious desires. Christ-like nature, Christ-like desires. Paul agrees saying, “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5)

        When we do not relinquish our thought life to God's control and operate out of our own means and ways, many times we become our own worst enemy. We conjure thoughts, ideas and imaginations that have no basis in truth. This leads to spinning a web of our own deceitfulness that we are consumed in until all the cobwebs are cleared from our mind.

        As a Godly solution to this challenge, Paul encourages us and challenges us to “take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5) Taking every thought captive is a challenge, but the more you practice the more you are made perfect. Mr. Rick Renner qualifies the phrase "take every thought captive" by saying - "The words 'bringing into captivity' [KJV] are from the Greek word aichmalotidzo, which pictured a soldier who has captured an enemy and now leads him into captivity with the point of a sharpened spear thrust into the flesh in his back. The captured enemy knows that if he tries to move or get away, the Roman soldier will shove that spear clear through his torso and kill him. Therefore, this captive doesn't dare move but remain silent, submissive and non-resistant." (p.629, Sparkling Gems From the Greek)

        Another mental health concern that stems from our thought life is loneliness which can lead to depression which can lead to loss of worth/value and possible suicide. David knew all too well the struggle of keeping a mind in right standing with The Lord. In my favorite Psalm, David penned about having and surrendering "anxious thoughts" (Ps. 139:23). David also admitted to an enemy who influences our thought life, he said, "How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" (Ps. 13:2)

        On a logical level, there are too many people in this world and there has been too much history that has transpired in which to say that there is nobody else that has felt your pain and experienced to some degree your problem. On a spiritual, but physical and mental level also, the Christian is never alone. The Holy Spirit lives with the believer as the Comforter, Advocate, Helper and Friend throughout life but especially during times when our mind is assaulted by our own imaginations or outside forces.

        Sometimes, in considering the source of negative mental health challenges, the environment is an influence. Paul quotes the Greek poet Menander to emphasize this point when he says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor. 15:33) Just as bad company, places or things corrupt, the opposite is true - good company, places and things purify. Ever heard a phrase similar to - "You can take a person out of the mountains, but you can't take the mountains out of the person."? So, the answer is to maintain a positive support group and surround yourself with images, people, places and things that build good character in you.

        Satan is not just a myth or imaginary boogyman used as a scare tactic to encourage people to behave correctly. The Son of God encountered Satan in the wilderness and was tempted by him. Each time there was a temptation, Jesus rebuked it with His own written Word. The devil has been around long enough that he knows what makes people tick. Paul, in his letter to the church in Ephesus, also spoke to Satan's tricks. "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." (Ephesians 6:11) The word "schemes" translates to mind games.

        So the next time you discern a mental attack from the enemy, remember the armor of God, in particular the Helmet of Salvation and quote whatever God's Word has to say about the matter.

        Jesus, spoke to Satan as the devil manipulated Peter momentarily, Jesus said - "...you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man." (Matthew 16:23) Notice that Jesus stated Satan's agenda is keeping humanity's focus on ourselves - "the things of man".

        Remember what Christ told His disciples as He sent them out to minister? "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) The enemy is crafty, so believers must be even moreso and it all starts with the mind.

        Some helps, based in Scripture, for the Christian who might be struggling with some degree of negative mental health challenges are as follows:

1. Be a transformed Christian by daily continuing to renew your mind. Romans 12:2 implies this is a process that must be maintained. Reminders here are to stay away from triggers to the negativity and stay in God's Word.
2. Pray consistently and when you pray, include a request for The Helmet of Salvation. This piece of God's Armor keeps what Christ did for us at the forefront of our minds and protects our thought life.
3. View your mind as God's Holy Court and keep Christ enthroned here! Too many times we play "Game of Thrones" or "King of the Mountain" with our mind and Jesus.
4. Monitor the intake or influences of the inputs in your life, screen your outputs through the purity of the Holy Spirit and surrender everything - the generator (mind and heart), inputs (eyes and ears) and outputs (tongue/speech).

        Solomon supplies us with the final remedy I will mention in Proverbs 1:23 - "Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings."

        Many Christians know the call to Repent and associate the word with confession of all wrong doings against God. Jesus proclaimed it, but there is no account of Him sitting and listening to everyone's confessions - "From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'" (Matthew 4:17)

        The word that Jesus was using for Repent, as He walked the roads of Israel so many years ago, is metanoeo (met-an-o-eh-o), meaning you think differently, you reconsider. But more than that, it is a compound word (two words forming one). The first word is meta meaning hereafter. The second word is noieo meaning think differently. When you combine the two you have Hereafter Think Differently - Metanoeo. So, you have - Hereafter think differently for the kingdom of Heaven has come near.

        I have heard it said that to repent is to turn 180 degrees in a given situation. However, we can all repent, change our minds completely about something and leave God out of the picture. True repentance involves dropping your view and all other views and accepting Christ’s perspectives. One of my fellow bloggers, Bobby Sparks, described repentance really well, he said, "Repentance is giving up our thoughts, and opinions, and replacing them with God's thoughts, and his truth."

        To combat the negative mental health issues of today and all the many ill spin-offs, Christians need to grasp what it means to have the mind of Christ. To get us started, I will conclude with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through Paul to the believers in Philippi -

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

The Invisible God

 

As a Christian, sometimes I wonder with the world that we live in if it's hard to believe in an invisible God. With so much emphasis placed on proof of our senses, faith in God takes a beating. Even if believers are confident in what they hope for and assured about what they do not see, the spirit of doubt is always there to say, But you can always trust your eyes. How untrue this is now-a-days with the video editing power and other visual manipulative tools humans have at their disposal.

But scripture makes it plain that if we just look around at the world we live in, we will find the invisible qualities of God. Paul says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) To me, this means when we look at nature that has countless cases of design upon it, then there must be a Designer. There are too many cycles, duties and roles that the weather, animals, humans and even micro-organisms contain and perform for someone to conclude there is not a Master Designer/Planner.

Whether we see something or not, God is responsible. Colossians 1:16 speaks to this by saying, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Visible events are a no-brainer experience, while many invisible experiences rely on their effects. With electricity, we cannot see the flow of power but we know it is there when the light comes on. We cannot see the wind but we know it is there when leaves are disturbed in the trees. And we can't see a current in the sea/ocean, but we know the current is there by the surface waters moving a certain direction and moving a vessel on top in that same direction.

However, from a realm of invisibility God has chosen to make himself known. Throughout history, God has manifested his being in many different forms. Whether God embodied Himself in an audible form, a burning Bush, pillar of cloud, a pillar of fire, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit within each believer – God stepped out of the invisible.

Why was God cloaked in the unseen? Why all the different manifestations? Was it that God is so Holy or that humanity’s fall was so great or both? I believe both answers are correct. There was a time when humanity, represented in Adam and Eve, walked with God and saw Him as we see and experience each other’s company today. But after sin or the disobedient nature entered the picture for all of creation, it might seem as though God withdrew back into a tortoise shell of invisibility, but we were the ones who made the mistake and fell. God was the one that reached down and out to humanity with His only Son, Christ Jesus, and died for all of us. The matter was His timing.

I can’t wait to see and speak with Christ like I hold everyday conversations now. Scripture says in Colossians 1:15 about Jesus – “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Inspired by the Holy Spirit, John said, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He (The Word) was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1-3, brackets mine). The Word of God is what Father God, the Holy Spirit and all of Heaven before creation knew the second person of the Trinity as and still do. Because of relationship, our relationship to Father God, we know The Word of God as Christ Jesus, Son of God.  

What an incredible, personal manifestation of God’s Word and presence with us through Jesus Christ! As stated before, The Word of God broke-in on history in the form of The Angel of The Lord and The Burning Bush, but Father God chose to clothe His Word with His own creation of humanity in Jesus The Messiah. However, this entire man would also be entirely The Word of God – Son of God and Son of Man. There would never be a transformation or glorification that humanity could strive for and obtain to regain that face-to-face accord we had with God and therefore redeem our relationship. The life-blood sacrifice of the perfect God-man was the demand.

Although the Disciples visually saw Jesus ascend to Father God’s right hand, they also saw two angels at that moment and heard them say, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11) We do live in a world heavily focused on our senses. However, God has made His presence and plan clear by sending Christ Jesus and the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning Christ’s first visitation skyrockets the believer’s confidence in the hope of His return that we do not see yet as He continues to be The Invisible God.

PURITY

        Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew and steadfast spirit within me."  

        Take notice of some things in this very humble and important prayer of David's. First, David requested of the Lord two things, "a pure heart" and "steadfast spirit". The first appeal David did not have at all so he asked God to "create" in him this characteristic of "a pure heart". The second attribute, a "steadfast spirit", David had at one time for he asked God to "renew" it "within" him. The point is David was willing to humble himself and request of God that which he was in deficit on both accounts.

        What does purity mean or look like? When I researched the word pure in Psalm 51:10, the definition supplied was clean and fair in a chemical, physical, ceremonial and moral sense. That word was Tahor (tawhor) in the original Hebrew. The root of this word, Taher (tawhare) used a great word to sum up the challenge of purity for the believer - uncontaminated.

        Many years ago there was an established moral standard for everyone. This lasted a long time until a corrupting influence on those morals and intellect led to an acceptance of faulty substitutions. Lies, camouflaged as alternate truths, were now put forth as consideration.

        Humanity was dealt a self-replicating code, planted illegally, on purpose, to damage and/or possibly destroy humans altogether. The culprit was the Father of Lies, Satan. The code injected into humanity was a virus of disobedience to God or Sin. 

        Therefore, the instruction from God in Scripture to remain pure after accepting His gift of salvation should come as no surprise. Additional Scripture advise believers to keep their minds pure (Philippians 4:8) and know the pure in heart will be rewarded by seeing God (Matthew 5:8).

        In particular, God points to three areas of the body that need constant purity monitoring and application. These corrupted areas are the heart (generator), the eyes (input and output) and the tongue (output) respectively.

        The heart is an organ that feels the effects and is considered the prime descriptive word for the source of our emotional, passionate, ambitious and zealous responses. So many times we allow the judgments of our hearts/emotions to outweigh our mind or simply not come into balance with our logic. In Matthew 15:18-20, Jesus reveals just how bad the condition of the human heart or emotional system is when He says, 

"But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them."

        Christ even lists some major evil conceptions that have their beginnings in our emotions. This is why Psalm 51:10 - "Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me." - becomes a crucial daily prayer today and always.

        The eyes are our input and output. We take in the world visually with these organs, so while we have them open we need to take responsibility as to what we feed them. However, did you know that Jesus says that people will be able to tell there is the light of God within you or darkness within you from observing your eyes? What you have been consuming with your eyes will go a long way in what your eyes reflect.

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" - Matthew 6:21-23

        Our motivations and visual world will only get us so far. At some point we will have to speak and if we are not practicing a pure lifestyle with the help of Christ, then our tongue or speech will likely get us in trouble. The Holy Spirit inspired James to write the following about our speech or the power of the tongue - 

"The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." - James 3:6

        Notice that this part is not just a bad section of our body or lifestyle, the tongue or speech can 

1. corrupt the whole body
2. ruin your future (set the whole course of one's life on fire)
3. be used by the kingdom of darkness (is itself set on fire by hell)

        Our emotions are corrupted, our eyes are potentially dark and rotten and our tongue or speech can only be repaired if we keep a Holy Spirit filter on 24/7 year round. Is it any wonder God instructs us to strive for purity in our lives?

        

        This is how the Christian has to live - purposefully avoiding the pitfalls of worldly contamination that would inject a dose of that virus called sin back into our lives. Not that we will never stumble again this side of Heaven, but we are new creatures in Christ Jesus, called to live sin-less and to help we must strive for Purity.

Audience of One (Revised)

        

        Who is the target audience of your life? The answers to select from are yourself, others and God. In this life, we can either be a me-pleaser, crowd-pleaser or God-pleaser.

        The me-pleasers take self-preservation and everything self way too far. These individuals have no bone of consideration in their body and live as though the universe revolves around them.

        The crowd-pleasers, even though they are service oriented people, spend way too much time focused on the desires of others and neglect their needs and those closest around them. They have no time for their own maturity and depend heavily on the immediate gratification of the crowd as reward.

        The God-pleasers have all their interests, ambitions, plans and desires centered on God and His will for their life. While taking care of yourself and others is not only important but biblical, priority to pleasing God will help maintain spiritual balance in the Christian life.

        Pleasing yourself has no eternal value. Pleasing the crowd is a bottomless pit or continual revolving door of revisited highs that will never be satisfied. Pleasing God has immediate and everlasting results.

        Do you want to know what pleases God? I hope you do. Ephesians 5:10 encourages - "...find out what pleases the Lord." The following are some things Scripture mentions are pleasing to God, therefore action items for our lives.

1. Don't be a stumbling block to others (Romans 14:13-23). Not being a stumbling block to others results from serving Christ through righteousness, peace and joy by the Holy Spirit.
2. Monetary support of a well respected believer (Philippians 4:18)
3. Family care (1 Timothy 5:4)
4. Do good and share with others (Hebrews 13:16)
5. Pray for authorities over you (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
6. Strive for integrity in your life (1 Chronicles 29:17)

        Not pleasing God to me is very similar to the feeling I received growing up when I disappointed my parents. The disappointment tore me up inside something fierce! My heart, stomach, and soul ached tremendously. It was worse than any punishment I might have received. However, anytime I especially made them proud by following directions or going above and beyond - pleasing them, they let me know their appreciation and I desired to stay in that behavior.

        Pleasing God is mainly about approval, but my relationship is not based on that approval or based on pleasing Him. Twice in Scripture, at Jesus' baptism and at Jesus' transfiguration, Father God says aloud, "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased." Notice how "whom I love" comes before "I am well pleased". Relationship comes before performance with Father God concerning His Son Jesus and through His Son Jesus.

        Another stunning example of living a God-pleasing lifestyle was Enoch. Scripture says the following about this man...

"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:24)

"By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God." (Hebrews 11:5)

        Enoch lived in such an incredible sinful time in history that God said He was going to wipe humanity from the face of the earth (Genesis 6:5-8). But God found favor with Noah. The incredible thing is sometime in the middle of all that wickedness Enoch lived such a God-pleasing life that God snatched him or raptured him away or out of this world to Heaven. What I would give to know the pleasing things Enoch was doing.

        Is God The One who truly matters in your life? If He is The One that you are trying to please, then all the other pieces of life will operate as they should. Again, your thoughts, words, and actions toward pleasing God after your Salvation should be based on the gratitude of your Salvation. So, who is your audience? The correct answer and listener should be your Audience of One.  

A No-Brainer

        Before Christ, there were prophecies setting the great expectation and hope of the promised Messiah of Israel. However, when Jesus arrived and fulfilled His sacrificial, redemptive mission for the Jews, He revealed this salvation was now available to all who believe in Him as Savior of their eternal souls.

        The fact that there is nothing to be done for His salvation but accept it and live according to that decision baffles me still today. I sometimes feel like I need to do something to earn Christ's respect and deserving of being saved. But Jesus died for all my mistakes against God, all my imperfections - so that no man can boast (Ephesians 2:9). God's salvation through Christ is an amazing, awe-inspiring gift.

        I was not even there the day Jesus redeemed me. I did not spend time with Him on the mountainsides, by the lakes and in the cities. I did not hear Him teach or heal the masses of people that came to receive a cure. I did not witness His betrayal, false trial, brutal beating, crucifixion, resurrection or ascension. However, those that were alongside Christ Jesus the Messiah, testify He came and purchased my redemption with His life, long before I existed - when I was only but a thought or dream in His mind upon The Cross.

        There will be those who think like the Pharisees in Christ's day.

"Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. 'What are we accomplishing?' they asked. 'Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.'" (John 11:47-48)

        Jesus did not fit the plan, culture or lifestyle of the Jewish leaders of the day. If you observe closely the priorities stick out like a sore thumb - the temple, the nation and their status or place in both. Jesus' popularity and possible rise to power as King of Israel would see the end of their positions for they knew their character would not be tolerated.

        This same Pharisitic view is still alive and well today. There is no room for anybody in many people's hearts and minds but themselves. Even if they were to consider Jesus, His plans do not line up with theirs, much like the Pharisees.

        For those that execute their power of choice and choose not to accept Christ's salvation, I don't understand. When anyone else but God or God's Son entreats you with an answer to anything, I can see skepticism. But when you have The Son of God laying His life down as proof of His love for you then raising from death, Hell and the grave to prove His mastery or Lordship over all, then how can one not accept His love-gift offer? 

        Yet, the decision is still there to be made. There is only one decision to make - acceptance of Christ as Savior. Attempting to be neutral in this matter is impossible. Everyone's default programming and destination is Damned or Corrupted. But God has changed this through Christ to Saved/Redeemed or Purified.

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." - John 3:17-18

The decision is A No-Brainer.