And the tongue is like a fire. It is a whole world of evil among the parts of our bodies. The tongue spreads its evil through the whole body. The tongue is set on fire by hell, and it starts a fire that influences all of life (James 3:6 NCV).

A grand feast of marinated steaks and jumbo shrimp was winding down, and a group of friends was sitting on the back patio of a Capitol Hill home, sipping red wine. Suddenly, a hooded man slid in through an open gate and put the barrel of a handgun to the head of a 14-year-old guest.

"Give me your money, or I'll start shooting," he demanded, according to D.C. police and witness accounts.

The five other guests, including the girls' parents, froze -- and then one spoke.

"We were just finishing dinner," Cristina "Cha Cha" Rowan, 43, blurted out. "Why don't you have a glass of wine with us?"

The intruder took a sip of their Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry and said, "Damn, that's good wine."

The girl's father, Michael Rabdau, 51, who described the harrowing evening in an interview, told the intruder, described as being in his 20s, to take the whole glass. Rowan offered him the bottle. The would-be robber, his hood now down, took another sip and had a bite of Camembert cheese that was on the table.

Then he tucked the gun into the pocket of his nylon sweatpants.
"I think I may have come to the wrong house," he said, looking around the patio of the home in the 1300 block of Constitution Avenue NE.

"I'm sorry," he told the group. "Can I get a hug?"

Rowan, who lives in Falls Church and works part time at her children's school, stood up and wrapped her arms around him.

Then it was Rabdau's turn. Then his wife's. The other two guests complied.

"That's really good wine," the man said, taking another sip. He had a final request: "Can we have a group hug?"

The five adults surrounded him, arms out. (Washington Post, July 13, 2007)

When we think of the destructive power of the tongue, we usually tend to imagine such things as curses, slanders and verbal abuses. These are most definitely examples of the destructive power of the tongue. But what we don’t usually associate the poison of the tongue with are “crafty speeches” designed to manipulate and deceive. Such crafty speech can be very “flattering.” Compliments and flattery can fly off of the tongue onto its target in order to do evil by an altogether different means.

The above story illustrates my point. A robber crashes a party and points a gun to a fourteen-year-old girl’s head and threatens to shoot.

The family and guests are shocked. They offer the would-be robber some wine and cheese. He likes it and then asks in return for some hugs. Each person hugs him and then the robber wants more – he now wants a group hug.

With all that hugging, one would think that someone would grab his gun or pin the man down to the ground and call the police. But such is not the case. He is let go and escapes with his palettes flavored with expensive wine and cheese.

What defused this potential disaster? Wine, cheese and hugs.

As you read this story, what went on in your mind? Did you not have some sympathy for this robber? All he needed was for someone to talk nice to him and give him hugs in the process. Pretty soon we begin to think that’s the way we should fight our wars oversea. If we can just talk to the enemy, offer the enemy some hugs and an understanding heart, we can get our enemies to turn the other way and leave us alone.

And so after a few examples of these kinds of things occurring, we blindly approach evil with our guards down and walk right into a death trap.

We read in Proverbs 7:21 concerning the ploy of the adulterous woman: “By her clever words she made him give in. By her pleasing words, she led him into wrong doing.”

The man’s guard went down. His mental alertness got turned off. The power of the tongue used in a clever and pleasing manner did the same damage that an abusive tongue would also do. It brought down another victim.

How about this one? “A person who hates you may fool you with his words. But in his mind he is planning evil. His words are kind, but don’t believe him. He mind is full of evil thoughts. He hides his hate with lies, but his evil will be plain to everyone” (Prov. 26:24-26).

Watch out for flattery. If you are use to hearing abusive language, you will be more prone to accept flattery since it presents itself as the opposite of what you have been use too. Nevertheless, your destruction is still its goal.

Let me show you one more: “Everyone who gives false praise to his neighbor is setting a trap for him” (Prov. 29:5). In other words, watch out, you are about to be asked to do something, which very well may compromise your beliefs or better judgment.

My point: The tongue that is said to get its fire from hell can lash out in a fury of verbal expletives, or it can be very cunning and filled with flattery. The end is always the same: Destruction of the person. Be careful and stay alert to the power of the tongue, as you hear things and especially as it moves around in your mouth.

As a side note: Have you ever notice that within the church, the bible does not encourage “free speech?” God does not encourage free speech within His church. Why?

For one thing, only certain ones are able to speak (cf. 1 Tim. 1:3; 2:11-12; 3:1-2; James 3:1). Next, those who tried to exercise their “free speech” rights were excommunicated (1 Tim. 2:20), and cursed (Gal. 1:8-9).

Why did God put such limitations within His church? Because no one is strong enough on his own to tame (or control) his tongue (James 3:8). Since it is also full of deadly poison and destructive forces (3:8), to give it the freedom to operate freely without restraints, is to give it the power to defile the whole body (3:6). Furthermore, the tongue used outside of the will of God gets its authority and power from hell itself (3:6). Jesus declared that the church would overcome the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18), therefore hell itself should never operate freely or get a foothold within the church as a means to poison the flock.

Finally, the tongue simply reveals the condition of a person’s heart. Jesus said in Matthew 15:18-20: “But whatever comes from the mouth has come out of the heart. These things make the man unclean inside. For out of the heart come bad thoughts, killing other people, sex sins of a married person, sex sins of a person not married, stealing, lying, speaking against God. These are the things that make the man unclean inside.”

It is a person’s heart that’s full of evil and the tongue is merely the tool, which distributes the evil. Therefore, to allow the tongue to go uncheck is to give the evil within a person’s heart the green light to spray others with sinful contaminants.

Look what free speech has done to this nation. It is a noble idea, but it won’t work in the long run. Why? Because with free speech comes responsibility. And we’re told that no one is responsible enough to tame his own tongue. This is why God has put within His church check and balances.

But we are not left to our own peril. For God has given to His people His Spirit who lives within us and wants us for Himself alone (James 4:5). With the help of God’s Spirit and God’s grace that He freely gives to those who are humble (James 4:6), we can tame the tongue.

Free speech in the church is the ability to praise God and encourage others; it is not the ability to say whatever one wants.

By the way, if the robber in the above story “went to the wrong house,” what would he consider a “right one?”

As you already have heard, the Rev. Jerry Falwell is dead. Was he a good Christian man? Not in the eyes of some. All one needs to do is to read some of the comments that have been written about him after his death.

"Good riddens!!! What a great way to move into the season of gay pride!!!!"

"No wonder everyone is so happy and shiny faced today. I think we all should have lots of premarital (or in some other way offensive to him) sex to celebrate. Yes, I see no ill in celebrating the death of a man who has caused so much pain and suffering to others."

"At a time like this, people deserve sympathy and good wishes --- except for Falwell, who is an evil ----."

"The gates of hell swing open and Satan welcomes his beloved son."

"Couldn't have happened to a more deserving fellow … I hope he's found his just reward in the next world he loved so much; but I'm --- glad he's finally out of mine."

"He's dead as a doornail. Parade starts at 3 … be there!"

I am not surprised to hear and read about the jubilee over the death of a spiritual giant. I am reminded of some passages that I would like to show you and make comments on. Each passage is in no particular order.

2 Timothy 4:2-3: 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

We are living in such times. People do not want to hear such things as “homosexuality is a sin,” “premarital sex is wrong,” “supporting Israel is biblical,” and “abortion is murder.” You try standing up in public and mentioning these things and see what happens. It has gotten to the point that pastors almost have to say these things apologetically within their churches otherwise they might witness a mass exodus. But Jerry Falwell broadcast these things and other truths unapologetically. Believe me, he is getting the last laugh in the arms of Jesus. But it’s not a malicious laugh, but a laugh of satisfaction and pure joy that one can only have in the presence of God (Psalm 16:11).

2 Timothy 3:13: “Evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

Notice how the passage does not state from “good to bad,” but from BAD TO WORSE! It is one thing to go from “good to bad.” It does not stop there. Once a person goes bad, there is still more to come – “bad to worse!” Why? What causes such things to occur? They deceive others and themselves with the things they believe and practice. Things which are contrary to the Word.

We are witnessing such things today. Just answer this question: “Is the world getting morally better?” Is crime on the decrease and are marriages improving? Jerry stood up and preached Christ to the world and said that He is the world’s only hope. What’s wrong with that? Nothing if you’re a Christian and a sinner in need of saving.

But you know what upsets me? When I hear Christians on TV and elsewhere say such things as, “Well, I did not always agree with Jerry Falwell” (that’s their disclaimer). Every remark about Jerry Falwell is preference with a personal disclaimer: “I did not always agree with what he said.”

DUH! Can you name me one person that you totally do agree with? You cannot even make such a statement about yourself.

Would be to God to have some pastor or church leader stand up and say without any shame: “I agree totally with Jerry Falwell.” You see, when people make such a statement such as, “I didn’t always agree with what Jerry said,” no one challenges them by saying, “Such as? What was it that you disagreed with Dr. Falwell on?” Did you disagree with Jerry on homosexuality? Abortion? Israel? A.C.L.U.? Don’t just say things to make yourself look and sound good, tell the world what is it that you disagree with Jerry on and see if you have at least ten percent of the boldness that Jerry Falwell had.

What is missing in our churches today is the kind of preaching and boldness that Dr. Falwell possessed. Read the New Testament and see how many times it is mentioned about the boldness of the apostles when they preached (cf. Acts 4:31; 2 Cor. 3:12; Eph. 3:12; Eph. 6:19; Philip. 1:20; 1 Thess. 2:2). When Jerry spoke, you knew where he stood. His message was clear. And the greatest love you can give to someone is to tell them the truth without hiding any part of it. Jerry did this and he was hated for it.

2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

Some times people will not like what you preach. Preach it anyway. Some will not like what you point out from the Word. Point it out anyway. Some will take exception to your message. Say it anyway. Some will ridicule you for your strong stance and identification with Christ. Stand strong with the Lord anyway.
Look what God did with one man who was not ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). He began his career as a pastor in 1956 when he founded Thomas Road Baptist Church. That same year, he also launched regular radio and television broadcasts and became a pioneer in religious broadcasting.

Now with more than 22,000 members, Thomas Road Baptist Church has given birth to various organizations and outreaches such as Liberty University, Lynchburg Christian Academy, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Liberty Bible Institute, Elim Home for alcoholic men, the Liberty Godparent Home for unwed mothers, Liberty Broadcasting Network and numerous Christian missions programs.

In 1971, Falwell founded Lynchburg Baptist College, later renamed Liberty University -- the largest Christian university in the country, with more than 14,000 students from 50 states and 52 nations enrolled in its various programs.
Falwell has often stated his desire to provide for evangelical Christian young people what Brigham Young and Notre Dame have provided for Mormon and Catholic young people - a world-class university. Many would agree that Falwell has succeeded in accomplishing that goal, believing Liberty University will be his greatest legacy.

In 1979, Falwell founded the Moral Majority in response to a desire to mobilize the Christian church and encourage participation in the political process. It was a novel thought for a pastor who had preached against Christians participating in politics.

The organization quickly became a household name, and Falwell became a lightening rod on a wide array of moral and social issues. The group mobilized tens of thousands of churches, registered millions of voters, and laid a foundation for what has became known as the "religious right" or "Christian right."

Falwell led the Moral Majority for 10 years, traveling more than three million miles across the nation to speak in churches, conduct rallies in civic centers and on state capitol steps, direct voter registration efforts and mobilize concerned citizens who would join forces to prevent the continued downward moral spiral in society.

Though the organization was formally dissolved in 1989, dozens of like-minded organizations were formed and began to flourish at virtually every level of society, demonstrating the vast influence Falwell has had on the Christian political movement.

Finally, my last passage I want to share comes from the Book of Revelation. For three and one half years (42 months), two witnesses preach day and night on the streets of Jerusalem and no one can silence them. Then one day, God takes his protective covering off of them and they are killed – only because their testimony was completed (Rev. 11:7). There in the streets their dead bodies will lie for three and one half days (v. 9). Then in verse 10 we read these words: “And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.”

How did these two prophets torment those on the earth? They prophesied (i.e. preached about sin and the need to go to God for forgiveness) for 1260 days (Rev. 11:3). Not only this, but they had power to do environmental disturbances (v. 6).

They brought about a 42 month drought. And what water the world did have, became blood. Such things, added with their message about the need for sinners to repent only added more anger incited against them. The world was experiencing a great threat environmentally and it was due to their sins and their failure to acknowledge God. The witnesses’ message was designed to fix such things and to give everyone a shot at making the most eternal decision they could make – what to do with Jesus Christ.

Because they refused to repent of their murders, sorceries, immorality and thefts (Rev. 9:21), the message about the need for repentance was painful to hear. And the conditions of the world bearing down upon those who refused to repent added to everyone’s deep-seated anger against God.

Therefore, when these two witnesses died, guess what the nations thought? Their problems would go away. Now there will be no one to tell them how to live their lives and run their government. Yet, any bible student of prophecy knows that the next 42 months of the Tribulation Period is far worse than the previous. You can kill the messenger, but there is no way you can kill the message. The rejoicing will be short lived.

After three and one half days, these two witnesses resurrect bodily in the sight of their enemies and ascend into heaven (Rev. 11:11-12). The next verse then mentions a great earthquake that claims the lives of seven thousand people. But that was only the second “Woe,” for the “third woe” is coming (v. 14), and all hell will be unleashed.

My point is this: Dr. Jerry Falwell was much like these two witnesses in his preaching. He spoke boldly, directly, personally, lovingly and biblically for a long time. His message was not entertained by those who refuse to repent, so naturally they are glad he’s gone.

But don’t rejoice for very long. Because the message that Dr. Falwell preached is still alive and active today. And God still has His remnant of messengers who will carry the gospel to the ends of the world and tirelessly proclaim that Jesus died for sins and wants to give to everyone who wills, an opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life.

Why do the Falwells of the world do this? Because the “love of Christ controls them” (2 Cor. 5:14). It is an obligation they must fulfill having been part of the unredeemed at one time themselves.

We Christians do not feel sorry for Dr. Falwell. We know exactly where he is and Who he is with. If he hasn’t already heard, he will the following words: “Well done, My good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).

May God help the rest of us to have half the heart and courage that Jerry had to finish the race that God has set before us (Heb. 12:1).

Have you been inundated with the Don Imus fiasco? You know, how his bad mouth got him in trouble when he called The Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos."

Now that was certainly wrong and so I am not going to try to justify such talk because I can’t. But what gets me is how there is so much bad press on what Imus said and so little to nothing said about the language in rap songs.

For example, the No. 1 rap track is by a new sensation who goes by the name of "Mims." The "song" is "This Is Why I'm Hot." It has topped the charts for the last 15 weeks. Here's how the lyrics go:

This is why I'm hot
Catch me on the block
Every other day
Another "b" (word) another drop
16 bars, 24 pop
44 songs, "n" (word) gimme what you got . . .
. . . We into big spinners
See my pimping never dragged
Find me wit' different women that you "n" (word) never had
For those who say they know me know I'm focused on ma cream
Player you come between you'd better focus on the beam
I keep it so mean the way you see me lean
And when I say I'm hot my "n" (word) dis is what I mean

The No. 2 rap track in the nation this week is by rappers Bow Wow and R. Kelly. The "song" is called "I'm a Flirt," and it's been on the charts for 12 weeks:

Ima b pimpin
I don't be slippin
When it come down to these hos
I don't love em
We don't cuff em
Man that's just the way it goes
I pull up in the Phantom
All the ladies think handsome
Jewelry shining, I stay stuntin'
That's why these niggas can't stand em
Ima chick mag-a-net
And anything fine I'm bag-gin it
And if she got a man, I don't care
10 toes and I wanna be, cause I gotta have it

All this leads me to reflect on what the bible says in Proverbs 11:11: “The influence of good people makes a city great. But the wicked can destroy it with their words” (NCV).

It doesn’t matter if a black person says something racial about the black race or a white person says something racial about the white race as a way to justify themselves. The results are the same: “Society is being torn apart by our choice of words.”

We cannot accept a double standard and say that the rap super-stars are legit in using racial slurs because they are black and besides, it is art. It is amazing how much some people will go out on a limb to look and sound stupid to justify what is wrong. A racial slur coming from a pig would still have the same affect.

If there is one thing we can all learn from Imus it’s this: “Whoever is careful about what he says protects his life. But anyone who speaks without thinking will be ruined” (Proverbs 13:3).

When Joseph revealed his true identity to the utter shock of his brothers, he comforted them by saying, “It was not you who sent me here, BUT GOD” (Gen. 45:8).

Sure, his brothers had thrown Joseph into a pit and left him there to be sold as a slave (Gen. 37:23-24). And yes, he was sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites and taken to Egypt (v. 28). Could we say that Joseph was having a “bad day?” Could we also say that what happened to Joseph was a form of human injustice? The answer to both of these questions is a definite YES!

But listen: Behind the curtains is the Lord orchestrating all events that occur in our lives. We only see what appears on the front side of the curtain. We do not see “But God” on the other side.

Folks, you are where you are by the grace of God. The terrible things that have happened to you, the Lord allowed it for a purpose much greater than you can ever imagine. If there is anything we learn from Joseph, it is this: “God orchestrates all events that happens to us in order to bring us to a greater place of opportunity and influence.” I cannot answer all the “WHY” questions. I cannot even begin to tell you what God is planning and forming in your life with all the rotten things that happened to you. But Joseph, who went through the mill said to his brothers, “You did not bring me here, BUT GOD!”

Here, let me see if I can explain the “WHY” issue a little more closely. My attempts will be feeble at best. But I will try to at least make the attempt even if it is a small one.

In Matthew 19, Jesus answered the issue of divorce and remarriage (vv. 3-9). The Pharisees approached Jesus and tested Him over the sensitive issue concerning divorce. Jesus ended His answer with these words, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (v. 6).

The Pharisees who believed that a man could divorce his wife over anything he found wrong with her, replied: “Why then did Moses command to give her a certificate and divorce her?”

Jesus corrects them by answering, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning is has not been this way” (v. 8).

The Pharisees incorrectly stated that Moses “commanded” divorce. Jesus corrects them and says, “No, Moses PERMITTED divorce to occur, now watch this: BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF YOUR HEARTS. But such was not the way things were from the beginning.

Okay, now let me break this down.

Moses permitted divorce to occur whenever a man wanted to separate from his wife. He did not command it, but permitted it. Now watch this: By permitting divorce, did that make Moses responsible when a man divorced his wife? No, of course not. If Moses had commanded a man to divorce his wife, then Moses would bear responsibility for that person’s action. But since he only permits a man to do so, the man therefore has the will to choose for himself what he wants to do.

Now, let’s look at this from a wife’s perspective. A man wants to divorce his wife. So he does. The wife is now separated from her husband. She was against the divorce, but her husband was in favor. Moses permits a husband to make such a choice. Does that make Moses responsible for what had happened to the wife? No. Her husband is responsible because he was the one who divorced her. If Moses had commanded the husband to divorce his wife, then she would have a case against Moses. But since he only permitted it, due to the hardness of her husband’s heart, it is her husband who bears responsibility of choosing to separate from his wife, not Moses. Although Moses permitted this to occur, it was not suppose to be that way from the beginning.

Therefore, let’s apply this to God. God permits bad things to happen to us. I mean BAD THINGS! Why? Because of the hardness of man’s heart. That is, because of the determination of man to do evil against his fellow man.

Now, does that make God responsible for the evil and injustice done to me because God permitted it? No. If God had commanded the injustice and evil done to me, then “yes” God would be responsible. But since He only permits it due to the hardness of hearts that people are born with, God is not the one responsible, the person with the HARD HEART, determined to do what he wants regardless of what God thinks, HE IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE, not God.

From the beginning, at the time of creation, it was not God’s intention for evil to occur. He knew it would and it did, but He did not command it to. Man became bad all by himself.

So you see my point? Although God behind the scenes permits injustices to occur, that does not make God the one responsible. This is why – watch this – Joseph was able to say to his brothers, “You did not send me here, but God” – He permitted it.

How can this be since it was his brothers who threw him into the pit? God permitted it for a much greater good to occur in the life of Joseph and in the lives of others. This involved pain, trials, prison, and loneliness in Joseph’s life. But God was showing Himself wise and powerful to take the hardness of man’s heart and redeem a potentially bad situation into something good for Joseph and others. So then, no matter how bad something appears, God has the power to redeem it for something good. Nothing evil or extremely rotten is outside of His awesome control. The Lord is a Master when it comes to taking the bad things that have happened to us and somehow changing things so that the bad with all of the pain and problems, come out beneficial.

Are you still confused? Good! Have I answered your “WHY” question? Probably not. But hopefully with a little faith on your part, you can say with confidence: “You (name that person or circumstance) did not bring me here, BUT GOD!”

Allow me to end with this true story:

In his Jan. 15 B.R.E.W. Monday newsletter, Kirk Byron Jones writes: Let's play a guessing game. I will give you a few of the courses and grades from a famous person's college transcript. Look at the grades, think, and then guess the person's identity. Here goes:

Introductory Biology: C
History of Civilization: C
Intermediate French: D
Language and Thinking: C

What's your guess? The person is Martin Luther King, Jr. In all fairness, one of the reasons for King's less than stellar grades was his age. He entered Morehouse College, headed by the legendary Benjamin E. Mays, in 1944, at the age of 15. Because of the wartime draft, the school's enrollment was down, and promising high school juniors were allowed to fill out the entering class. Even when placed into context, King's college grades are striking, given his historic achievements and contributions.

But that's the point -- he did go on to make historic achievements and contributions, in large part, because he kept learning and growing. In his sophomore year, King became a 'B' student. During his junior year, he earned his first 'A' in, you guessed it, Bible. King went on to finish strong at Morehouse, and excel academically as an 'A' student in two challenging graduate programs at Crozer Seminary and Boston University.

It was once said of another great African American man, Duke Ellington, that he "never settled for an earlier version of himself."

One of the best things you can do for yourself and others is to commit to growth, to commit to imagining and becoming your best. Don’t let anything bad that happens to you keep you from becoming God’s man or woman. God has given to you the choice and ability to rise above your circumstances. By God’s help, do so and you will be a positive model of encouragement for many others to follow.

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the evil that was going on. He decided to send an angel down to Earth to check it out.

So he called on a female angel and sent her to Earth for a time. When she returned she told God, yes it is bad on Earth, 95% is bad and 5% is good.

Well, he thought for a moment and said maybe I had better send down a male angel; to get both points of view. So God called a male angel and sent him to Earth for a time. When the male angel returned he went to God and told him yes, the Earth was in decline, 95% was bad and 5% was good.

God said this was not good. He decided to E-Mail the 5% that were good and encourage them, a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what that E-Mail said?

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?????????







Ohhhh... So you didn't get one either!

This humorous story reminded me of what I just read from Acts 3:

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's, astounded (Acts 3:11 ESV).

Acts 4:22, tells us that this man had been healed at the age of forty. Acts 3:2, tells us that this man was born lame from his mother’s womb. So for forty years this man never was able to walk. He had gone to the steps of the temple for years, begging, asking for prayer and seeking to be healed.

One day, Peter and John arrive and through the power of Jesus, this man becomes healed. He can walk for the first time in his life. Acts 3:11, states that the people were astounded! You know why? Because many of them had been praying for the man’s healing. Many of them even laid hands on him. Many of them had given up. Now before their eyes this man is healed and it is truly an amazement.

Like the email above from God, you may not get one. You may not be the one whose prayers heal the person you prayed for. You may not be the one whom God uses to bring help, counsel and restoration to a hurting family for friend. However, if someone else comes along that God uses to perform a miracle that did not involve you directly, how would that make you feel? Would you still rejoice even if you were not used directly by God?

Notice carefully how the healed man “clung” to Peter and John. He got healed and so he could walk, but he held on to Peter and John. About 24 to 48 hours later, notice what is said in Acts 4:14: But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

Was the healed man “clinging” to Peter and John? No, he was now standing BESIDE them.

Here’s the point: When you help someone to walk again (physically or spiritually), expect that person to be clinging to you for a while. This is natural. This is to be expected. You in a sense are their savior – the one whom God used to answer their prayer. You have become a father, mother or big brother or sister figure to them. Your miracle will cling to you.

But, be sure that after a short while, get him or her to stop holding on to you and start to stand beside you instead. When you do this, you are helping the person to not depend so much on you but to transfer all dependence on God alone. Oh yes, he or she will still come to you now and then for help, advice and direction. But when they do, you are to show them how they can access the throne of God on their own and hear from God themselves.

Yes, we all may not get an email from God since we may not be in that ninety-five percent that is good. But when you see something good happen before your eyes even if you had nothing to do with it, can you still rejoice and give God the glory? Perhaps, if we do this often enough, we may move out of the ninety-five percent that’s bad and into the five percent that’s good.

In Genesis 22 when God tells Abraham to offer his own son, Isaac on the altar as a sacrifice, notice how severe such a test it was? Why did God test Abraham so severely?

Let me offer this as a suggestion: Abraham was tested by God so severely because he failed God’s previous tests that were not as severe, and as an old man who had a great nation riding upon him, time was running out for him to get it right.

Now let me show you how I arrive at this conclusion. But before I do, remember this principle: “Everyone who is given much shall much be required” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, when God gives you or I visions, understandings, light from His Word and knowledge of His will, we become that much more accountable to Him to walk in it. If we fail the tests that come after such visions (by visions I mean an understanding of God’s will through His Word), then subsequent tests from God become more intense.

Vision 1 – Genesis 12

God told Abraham that he would be made into a great nation. God promised him three things: land, seed and a personal blessing (vv. 1-3).

Test 1 – God told Abraham to separate from his relatives (v. 1). Did he pass this test? Look at 12:4: “So Abraham went forth and took Lot (his nephew) with him.” Failure number 1.

Test 2 – God said to Abraham to “go to the land (Canaan) which I will show you" (12:1). How did Abraham do on this test? Look at 12:9-10: 9After this, he traveled on toward southern Canaan. 10At this time there was not much food in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live because there was so little food.

Notice that the text does not say that there was “no food” in the land; only that there was “little food.” Well how much is little? God would have provided. Not seeing very much food was also part of the test. Rather than staying in Canaan as he was told to be God, he left and lived in Egypt where the food was more plentiful. Abraham failed again!

Test 3 – Since he was living in Egypt, a place where God did not tell him to go, the Lord gave to Abraham another test. This one had to do with trusting God with his safety. Sarah apparently was a beautiful woman. Abraham thought that if the king of Egypt discovered that Sarah was Abraham’s wife, he would have him killed for his wife. So Abraham told his wife to lie about who she was. She was not to tell anyone that she was his wife, but rather his sister (12:11-13). Abraham failed now a third test.

Vision 2 – Genesis 15: God is now going to turn up the heat and give to Abraham more light and therefore more accountability. In this chapter, God reaffirms His covenant with him (vv. 1-5). Abraham believes God (a first step in passing future tests). But now as in all such beliefs, God is going to test his faith with tests of obedience.

Test 1 – Genesis 16: The birth of Ishmael.

When God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15, Sarah was quite worried over the fact that it was several years and still she had no son. So, she came up with an idea. She gave her handmaid (Hagar) to her husband in order to produce an offspring. The bible says that, “Abraham listened to the voice of his wife” (16:2). He should have listened to the voice of God who said, “The one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir” (15:4). Although up until this time, the Lord did not give Abraham much detail on how He was going to bring this about, what the Lord wanted from Abraham was his trust and obedience. God will work things out. Abraham just needed to trust Him. When he listened to his wife who was doubting and slept with her handmaid and tried to help the plan of God come about, Abraham failed yet another test.

Vision 3 – God again talks to Abraham and reaffirms His promise to him (17:1-2). Then the Lord changes his name and the name of his wife (vv. 4-6, 15-16). Here the Lord was indicating to Abraham that He was going to bring to pass His promise by bringing about a child from Abraham and Sarah. No one else was to be involved.

Test 1 – God then told Abraham to circumcise “every male among him” (v. 10). By doing this, Abraham was showing outwardly that he was believing and trusting in God and was willingly choosing to be part of this covenant. Did he pass this test? Yes (v. 23).

Vision 4 – Abraham was personally visited by the Lord Himself and two of His angels (Gen. 18). The Lord told Abraham that Sarah would bear a son a year from now (v. 10). Upon hearing this, Sarah laughed (v. 12). God who hears and sees everything, asks Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh” (v. 13)? “Is anything too difficult for the Lord” (v. 14)? Then the Lord told passed onto Abraham an insight on what He was about to do with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (vv. 20-21).

Test 1 – God wanted to see if Abraham would intercede for the inhabitants of the city, especially since Lot his nephew was living there. Did Abraham pass the test? Yes, he did intercede for the city on the basis that God would spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah if the Lord could find at least ten righteous people among all the wicked (18:22-32). God was not able to rain down judgment until Lot and his family were safely out of arms way (19:22). Abraham’s intercession for his nephew and family saved their lives (cf. 19:27-29).

Vision 5 – Gen. 19:27-29 – Abraham had witness the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He had witness first hand the power of God to save as well as to destroy. He had seen first hand that God keeps His Word. He is not only merciful, but also just.

Test 1 – Gen. 20 – Abraham after witnessing the power of God to save and destroy, lies once again how Sarah was not his wife, but merely his sister (vv. 1-2). Abraham failed the test by not putting his trust in God to keep him safe and alive!

Vision 6 – Isaac is born from the seed of Abraham and through his wife, Sarah, just as the Lord had all along promised would happen (21:1-5).

Test 1 – Again, Abraham had failed to obey God’s original command to separate from his relatives (12:1). So through Sarah, God had Hagar and Ishmael taken away (21:10-12).

Now with all these visions from God (total of six), and with all the failed tests from Abraham (he did pass two out of the eight tests).

With this in mind, now notice the very first phrase in 22:1: “Now it came after these things.” What things? All the visions by God to Abraham and his subsequent failed tests. It came about that now God was going to give Abraham the MOTHER OF ALL TESTS! He was going to command him to kill his son as a sacrifice to God (22:1-2).

Remember the original principle I gave at the beginning: “To whom much is given, much is required.” God gave to Abraham six visions. Each time God gave to him a vision, there was a test or series of tests that followed. Some of the tests Abraham had passed, and some (most) he had failed.

Abraham is getting old. Time is running out. Isaac is now born to him. And God has to move on. Is Abraham really the “father of faith” (cf. Rom. 4:11, 16) or just another imposter?

Test 2 – Abraham is told to kill his son, Isaac (22:1-2). Did he pass this test? YES! (v. 12). Although he did not actually kill his son because the Lord stopped him just in time, however he was going to go all the way and God had seen his heart and knew that Abraham not only believed that God would make him into a great nation, but Abraham proved his faith by obeying God even when he did not understand how everything would work out.
Summary:

The principle: “To whom much is given, much is required.”

After each vision from the Lord (however God chooses to communicate; mainly He does so through His Word), the Lord tests our faith by giving to us a series of tests to see if we really believe Him, and if so, how much do we believe Him. Remember, the “testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:3), therefore, consider all such trials in life which are merely God’s testings as joy (James 1:2).

Trials or testings from God is designed to strengthen your faith in God and His promises; never are God’s tests designed to defeat, weaken or harm you in any way. It is God’s intention for you to excel in your faith and walk with Him, not succumb to despair or defeat. Therefore, each test by God given to you is perfectly times and constructed by God for your absolute best.

Some tests you will fail – we all do. Some you will succeed and pass. The more you fail, the more intense are future testings from God. God cranks it up in order to help you to be more proficient and consistent in your obedience.

If your son or daughter continually disobeys you, what do you do about it? Well, you don’t make your discipline upon him or her lighter, no, you crank it up. The greater the disobedience the more severe the discipline, especially if he or she has been told by you in a clear cut fashion what is expected of them. The greater the light, the deeper the accountability.

Finally, all of God’s testings and disciplines are designed to show us the Father’s love. Check out this passage:

You have forgotten the encouraging words that call you his children: "My child, don't think the Lord's discipline is worth nothing, and don't stop trying when he corrects you. The Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as his child." So hold on through your sufferings, because they are like a father's discipline. God is treating you as children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. If you are never disciplined (and every child must be disciplined), you are not true children (Heb. 12:5-8 NCV).

What the writer here is saying is this: Behind every test or discipline from God is His heart of love for you. Furthermore, if you are tested and disciplined by God, it is for a purpose to help you, not hurt you. Third, the Father’s discipline is His assurance to us that we are indeed His children.

Now do you see the heart behind that trial you are going through right now? Do you understand what the Father is seeking to accomplish in your life. And most of all, do you see your role in receiving it and passing the test?

This is not to deny the pain that trials and testings bring. But it is good to know that life is not a random series of chance events that bear no good results whether we pass or fail.

Take God’s trials seriously and pass the tests that He brings across your path.

Bill Bouknight tells the story of a certain isolated Pacific island where it was the custom that when a young man proposed marriage, he would announce his intention to the entire village. Then he and the whole community would go to the young woman's home. Her father would come outside and then -- in front of the community -- the father and suitor would barter.

The main item of value on the island was the cow. Therefore, a suitor would offer the father a certain number of cows for his daughter. The average bride was worth two cows, perhaps three if she was unusually bright or attractive. The all-time record was four cows.

The most eligible bachelor on the island was Johnny Lingo. He was handsome and wealthy. Imagine all the excitement among the women of the island when Johnny announced one day that he had selected a wife. But then he shocked everyone by announcing that his choice was a girl named Lisa. Lisa was not even in the top ten. She was regarded as rather plain and frightfully shy.

Some of the jokers in the crowd even suggested that Lisa's father might pay Johnny a cow or two.

The community gathered at Lisa's house for the bartering. Then came an even greater shock. Johnny's opening bid for Lisa was eight cows! Her father almost fainted, but he managed to say yes. That very evening Johnny and Lisa were married. They departed for their home on an adjacent island.

For a full year no one saw Johnny and Lisa. Then on their first anniversary they returned to visit their parents. From the moment they arrived at the dock, the grapevine went ballistic with gossip. Everybody said, "Come and see Johnny and Lisa! You won't believe it!" Everybody came, but nobody noticed Johnny. All eyes were on Lisa. She had been transformed! She was a vision of loveliness. She was poised, warm, friendly, and confident.

At the end of the day as Johnny and Lisa were preparing to return to their home, one of Johnny's long-time friends pulled him aside and said, "I want to know the secret of this amazing transformation in Lisa. How did it happen?"

Johnny said, "I will tell you. From the time Lisa was born, she had been treated as though she was not worth very much. She had begun to believe that about herself. But I announced to the community that she was an 8-cow wife, and I have treated her just that way. She has become that vision of herself that she sees every day in my eyes."

If you want an 8-cow wife or husband, or if you want to be an 8-cow Christian, you have to catch that vision first and then treat yourself and others that way. And God, the master change agent, may produce that 8-cow person that you envision!

As you read the story of Abraham and the rest of the great Patriarchs in the bible, you will notice at no time does God speak down to them even though they certainly deserved it.

After God told Abraham that he would be the “father of many nations” (Gen. 12:1-3), how did he respond? He went to live in Egypt and lied to the Pharaoh about Sarah being his sister rather than his wife (Gen. 12:10-13). Abraham was afraid that he would be killed if the Pharaoh saw his beautiful wife and wanted her to himself. So Abraham made his beautiful wife lie in order to save his own life because of fear that was motivated by his “imagination.”

Again, Abraham had done the very same thing this time to Abimelech, king of Gerar (Gen. 20). When confronted by the king afterwards about his lie, Abraham responded, “I thought. . .” (v. 11). In other word, his fear was again motivated by his overworked imagination.

In Genesis 12, God promised Abraham that he would be a great person and from him would come a great nation (Gen. 12). Then in chapter 15, God reaffirms His promise to him. One would think that since God promised this to Abraham, it would be God who would keep Abraham alive!

You see, we often hear about how Abraham was a great man of faith – and he was. But he also failed miserably at times too. Rather than trust God to keep him alive by telling the truth, he imagined what might happened to him and took matters into his own hands and lied about Sarah being his sister. Although he was partially right (Gen. 20:12), the important part he left out was that Sarah was his wife.

God could have slammed dunk Abraham with a few verbal lashings. But rather than doing so, God gave to Abraham a fulfillment of His promise through the birth of his son, Isaac (Gen. 21).

God kept Abraham alive even while he doubted God and lied about who his wife was – twice! God would have kept Abraham alive if he had told the truth as well and Sarah would not have been used as a pawn for his sinful intentions.

Listen carefully: Sin will make you look ugly and others too if you involve them in your plan. God sees you as an “8-cow person.” You are special, called, and good enough for His Son to die on Calvary’s cross for your sin and ultimate eternal destiny. That how God sees you. Don’t make yourself and others look rotten by taking fleshly matters into your own hands.

Trust God and you will look the way God sees you – special, unique and altogether beautiful

Members of the Religion Newswriters Association -- who cover religion for the mainstream media -- voted on their choices for the top religion stories of 2006. Here are the results:

1. Muslims in a number of countries react violently to publication of Muhammad cartoons in Denmark and other European nations. Scores of both Christians and Muslims are killed in riots in Nigeria.

2. Pope Benedict XVI angers Muslims by including in a speech a centuries-old quote linking Islam and violence. He apologizes and later smooths the waters on a trip to Turkey. Earlier, he begins to downsize the curia and emphasizes God's love in his first encyclical.

3. The Episcopal Church riles conservatives when the General Convention elects a presiding bishop who supported the consecration of a U.S. gay bishop, which conservatives oppose as unbiblical. Seven Episcopal dioceses refuse to recognize the leadership of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who is also the first woman elected to the top post. Later, the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin becomes the first diocese to adopt measures that set the stage for it to secede from the denomination.

4. Charismatic leader Ted Haggard resigns as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and is dismissed as pastor of the huge New Life Church in Colorado Springs after allegations surface of gay sex and methamphetamine use.

5. Candidates backed by the Religious Right suffer a series of defeats in the fall elections, with many voters citing morality as one of the strongest motivators in the way they cast their ballot.

6. Religious voices grow louder for peace in Iraq, but by year's end experts fear the spread of sectarian tensions throughout the Middle East Conflicts between Sunni and Shiite Muslims increase, and the Israeli incursion in Lebanon aimed at curbing attacks by Hezbollah touches off major strife within Lebanon. Christian churches also reconsider efforts to pressure Israel on the Palestinian question.

7. The schoolhouse shooting deaths of five Amish girls in Bart Township, PA, draw international attention on the Amish community's ethic of forgiveness after some Amish attend the killer's funeral.

8. (tie) The release of the film The Da Vinci Code adds to the previous buzz about Dan Brown's novel. Religious critics, who say the book portrays traditional Christianity as a fraud, are divided over whether to boycott the film or hold discussion groups. Controversial plot lines include Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene and conceiving a child.

8. (tie) Same sex marriage bans pass in seven of eight states that hold referendums on the issue during mid-term elections; Arizona becomes the first state in which voters defeat a same-sex marriage ban. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Supreme Court rules that same-sex couples are entitled to the same benefits as married couples.

10. President Bush casts his first veto to defeat a bill calling for expanded stem-cell research, to the delight of religious conservatives and the disappointment of more liberal ones. The issue is later credited with playing a deciding role in the key Missouri Senate race. Meanwhile, progress is reported in efforts to create stem-cell lines without destroying embryos.

As you look at these ten top stories of 2006, the question might be asked: “Where is you in all of this?” As the world focused on the so-called big stories, what about you and your story? Do you have to do something crazy and insane to get the attention you need from heaven itself to look down upon your circumstances? The answer is a definite “NO.”

Here is a very important phrase that I want to pass on to you. It is found in Genesis 8:1 and it reads: “But God remembered Noah.” Four words that says it all.

How long did it take for the water to cover the whole earth? Forty days and forty nights (Gen. 7:12, 17-20). After the highest mountain on earth was covered with water, how long did God keep the earth flooded? 150 days (7:24; 8:3). When the waters receded and he ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat, how long did Noah remain in the Ark? Seven months (8:3-4, 13-14).

Okay, let’s add this all up.

It rained for forty days and nights – 1.5 months.
The ark remained afloat for 150 days (five months) while the earth was flooded.
When the ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat, Noah remained in the Ark for another seven months.

So the total time that Noah lived in the Ark with members of his family and all those stinky animals was about 13.5 months or a little over one year!

Wait! There’s more!! How long did it take Noah and his family to build the Ark that they would stay in while the flood occurred? At least 100 years.

Remember, Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth (5:32). The same account is given in 6:10, which seems to be in the context of when God informs Noah about his new assignment to build the Ark. Then in 7:6, we read that Noah was 600 years old when the flood came upon the earth. So it took Noah about 100 years to build the Ark.

Now there’s more so stay with me on this. When God looked down on the world at that time and saw the wickedness of the hearts of the earth dwellers, He said: "I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever. No one will live for more than one hundred twenty years” (Gen. 6:3 CEV).

In other words, God said that mankind had 120 years to repent before He would send a world-wide flood. So Noah built the ark in about 100 years. But what do we do with the extra 20 years mentioned in 6:3? Probably when God spoke His warning in 6:3, He waited 20 years before He approached Noah with his assignment to build the ark. Therefore, when Noah completed the ark in 100 years, it came to be a total of 120 years since the time God issued His warning in 6:3.

At the end of the 120 years, God told Noah to enter the ark with his family and the rest of the animals (7:1-3). Once in the ark, God waited an additional seven more days before sending the rain (7:4). He did this again to give people time to repent. Finally at the end of the seven additional says, God sealed the door (7:16) on the ark and it began to rain.

Therefore, Noah took 100 years to build the ark. Once he got inside, he remained inside for about 13.5 months. Now let’s read that phrase again in Genesis 8:1: “But God remembered Noah.”

No one else did? No one else paid any attention to Noah and what he was doing. He was ignored for the 100 years he built the ark. Finally after the 120 years that God gave in His mercy for the people to take notice and repent, God put Noah in the ark and kept him there for 13.5 months before releasing him.

BUT GOD REMEMBERED NOAH! When no one else was looking his way, God kept an eye on Him.

Here’s my point: It takes time – lots of time to build character in a person. Noah’s assignment was not just to build an ark for him and his family plus a whole lot of animals to hide in safely during a universal flood. No, Noah and wife also had the assignment of being the new Adam and Eve! Everyone on earth accept him, his wife and his sons and daughters-in-law all died! When he came out of the ark in Genesis 8:15ff, it was only him and seven others (Gen. 7:13).

God knew that starting over would be a big job. Noah and his family would have to start to build homes from scratch. So God gave them the training they needed when He commanded them to build the ark. After 100 years of building the ark, they were all seasoned builders.

They also needed patience with one another. God knew that they would remain in the ark for 13.5 months with themselves and the animals. They had to learn to get along. Why? Because if any of them went the way of Cain, that would reduce the size of the human race! So God had them work together for 100 years and live together in a stinky ship for over one year, so when they got out, they knew how to get along. Why? Because they had learned such essential qualities by virtue of developing godly character.

Folks, God has a big assignment for you. But unless you learn the character you need to handle such an assignment, you will not get the opportunity to fulfill your calling. Character takes time!

You may finish a task here or there and think that now you are ready. You may see some fruit from your ministry and think that you are ready. But completing a task or laying eyes on fruit is not the same as building character. God will put you into a situation for a purpose – “To build in you the necessary character qualities that you must have for the assignment God wants to do through you.” Are you willing to do your time? Are you willing to receive your share of bumps along the way? Are you sure you want to go all the way with God?

Stop trying to look for quick results and instant fixes. God does not use a microwave oven to cook you; instead He uses a crock pot and puts the heat on slow cooking. This is when all the juices and necessary flavor from one’s life begins to smell good and God looks upon you and say, “Now you got the character I want you to have for the assignment I want to do through you.”

Just be thankful that you are not Noah! Imagine spending 13.5 months in a box with smelly animals high above the tallest mountains on the earth floating on water? We have it so much easier today. Let God work with you and you cooperate with God. Time is running out. When God shuts the door of opportunity, what side of the door will you be standing?

 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were happy to enjoy his light for a while (John 5:35 NCV)

In John 5:35, Jesus informs us about something too crucial to look the other way. He says that when John the Baptist first came on the scene and announced the good news about the coming of Jesus (His ministry and kingdom), the people who heard him were “willing to rejoice FOR A WHILE. . .”

Interesting. The phrase, “for a while,” indicates that at some turning point, the people had stopped following John due to the fact that they had changed their minds about what they were hearing. What was it that caused the people do stop rejoicing over their commitment to follow the Lord via the ministry of John?

The answer is simple: It was John’s message of repentance. Read Luke 3:7-14. Three groups of people come to John asking what to do – the multitudes (v. 10), tax-gatherers (v. 12), and some soldiers (v. 14). But here is the dirty little secret: When John informs each groups what they had to do in order to follow the Messiah, there is no record given of their response! We are not told if each group had actually done what John had told them to do. In fact, there’s good evidence to show that they had not “brought forth fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8), because when Jesus comes on the scene, were there any tax-gatherers, soldiers and multitudes of people ready to follow Him at the premier of His ministry? None! Jesus had to go and choose twelve in order to get the ball rolling.

Also, notice that in verses 10 and 14 of Luke 3, the multitudes and soldiers were “questioning Him.” The bible does not say that these groups were asking Him questions, but that they were “questioning Him” – do you see the difference?

If you were teaching and I ask you a question, that would not be a problem. But if you were teaching and I started “questioning you,” then that would be a problem because I would be seeking to pick an argument with you.

The idea is that the people were not asking Jesus questions about repentance, but they were “questioning Him” about it. “What do you mean this is what I got to do? Who gives you the right to say these things?” “Where are your credentials?”

And as you remember the story about John’s life, he was quickly arrested and put into prison for his “preaching of repentance” (Matt. 14:3-4). Later he died there (14:6-12). For a while, John was believed, until he started talking about repentance and changing one’s life, then he needed to be silenced!

Earlier Jesus pointed out to the multitude (Matt. 11:7) that they had been saying about John, that “he had a demon” (v. 18). What would give people that idea? John was not a glutton or a drunkard the text says. So why would he be characterized as someone who possessed a demon? Because when people do not like someone and the message that he is expounding, and they cannot logically refute it, the next best thing is to try to discredit the messenger by labeling him with something bad to demean his character.

Oftentimes people are not able to stand toe-to-toe with a Christian as he uses the Word of God to confront a moral issue. God’s wisdom is always right and if used well will come out as the most logical and influential idea in any argument. Therefore, since God cannot be shown to be wrong, let’s discredit the messenger by labeling him with bad names, such as: “he’s possessed with a demon.” It doesn’t matter if his life is holy and pure such as was the case with John the Baptist. Let’s just give to him a bad name so others will hear about it and not pay any attention to what he is saying.

The same thing was said of Jesus but using different analogies. Although John did not drink wine and had a very strict diet, but was nevertheless labeled as a “demon-possessed” person, Jesus on the other hand did drink wine and was not on any ceremonial eating plan (Luke 11:19). Yet Jesus was labeled as a glutton, a drunkard and worse of all, A FRIEND OF SINNERS!

Again notice that no effort is being used to discredit Jesus’ message, because they could not. So the unbelievers were throwing out immoral labels onto Jesus seeking to discredit his character.

If you oppose homosexuality then you are a homophobe. If you are not in favor of affirmative action then you are a racist. If you do not favor the war in Iraq then you are insensitive and mean-spirited. If you don’t agree with Hillary Clinton then you are a sexist. If you are a conservative then you are a bigot. If you are suspicious of Arabs and Muslims while in a crowded area or at an airport, then you are xenophobic and racially profiling. The list goes on.

But my point is this: Why did the people only follow John for a while? Because as soon as he started demanding of the people repentance and a change life if they were seeking to be true and authentic followers of Jesus Christ Himself, they abandoned ship and tried to justify their decision of doing so by labeling John with bad names.

This commonly happens today. People will come to church all excited and emotionally charged! As soon as they hear a message that pertains to them personally about the need to repent of a particular sin that they do not want to give up for the love of Christ, they move on telling themselves and others that there is something wrong with the pastor or the church.

This is not only true of sheep – I need to make this clear, but also of shepherds. No one likes to be told to change their ways especially if they like their ways even though such ways may be evil and suspicious.

But the bottom line behind it all is this: Jesus stated, “You search the Scriptures. . .that bear witness of Me, but you are UNWILLING TO COME TO ME that you may have life” (John 5:39-40).

Most of the time it is not the messenger’s fault or some faulty reasoning in the kernel of the message, rather it is the “unwillingness” of the listener to appropriate “fruits in keeping with repentance.”

A woman goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. She says to the clerk, "May I have 50 Christmas stamps?"

The clerk says, "What denomination?"

The woman says, "Has it really come to this? Okay, give me 6 Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists."

Yes, it “really has come down to this!” Personal repentance on a daily and regular basis is a necessity for following the Lord (1 John 1:9). A refusal to do so, reveals the spiritual condition of one’s heart and also the motive for following Jesus or a commitment to a church “for a while.”

 Marriage should be honored by everyone, and husband and wife should keep their marriage pure. God will judge as guilty those who take part in sexual sins (Heb. 13:4 NCV)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Conservative leaders voiced dismay Wednesday at news that Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of Dick Cheney, is pregnant, while a gay-rights group said the vice president faces "a lifetime of sleepless nights" for serving in an administration that has opposed recognition of same-sex couples.

Mary Cheney, 37, and her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe, 45, are expecting a baby in late spring. Mary and Heather's decision to have a child is an example that families in America come in all different shapes and sizes. The bottom line is that a family is made up of love and commitment (The Salt Lake Tribune, Dec. 14, 2006).

There is and always has been since the start of marriage by God in the Garden of Eden an assault on the sanctity of marriage. By marriage, I mean the sacred union of oneness between a man and a woman.

Opponents seek to redefine marriage. Gay marriages are promoted and even recently we have seen polygamy in the news with the arrest and trial of polygamous sect leader Warren S. Jeffs.

But God makes it clear – Marriage between a man and woman is to be honored among all. All other situations imaginable that the corrupt human nature can conceive of that is outside of God’s plan, the bible says in Hebrews 13:4, “God will judge.”

Now, I know that the opponents would say, “But marriage among heterosexuals does not work very well either when it comes to raising kids and staying married. Just look at how many couples end up getting a divorce. And notice how many fragmented heterosexual families are out there. So how can you say Rich, that heterosexual marriage works best when the data shows that it has a very serious track record?”

The breakdown of traditional marriage and the family in this country does not mean that traditional marriage and family is somehow broken. It simply means that the rules and principles that God has given to govern and orchestrate a successful marriage and family are not being followed.

God says to husbands, “Love your wives as Christ love the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). God tells wives to “Submit to their own husbands, as to the Lord” (Eph. 5:22). God further tells kids to “obey their parents in the Lord for this is right” (Eph. 6:1). If these rules are not obeyed and seriously worked on in a committed manner, there will be fractures and breakdowns within marriages and families. Again, this does not mean that traditional marriages and families where there is a father and mother are becoming obsolete. Attention is to be on the participants within marriages and families. These are the responsible parties. The failure to live according to the standards set forth in the bible in making a marriage work and families successful is not to be tied into redefining marriage and family.

Here’s what’s happening. We are not able to measure up to God’s standards for marriage and family, so we have chosen to redefine marriage and family in order to bring it down to our level of living. Rather than rising up to God’s standards, we have chosen to lower the standards for successful marriage and family by redefining what is a marriage and what is a family.

We must not try to be politically correct. We must not try to be politically cute. Make no bones about it – Traditional marriage between a man and woman is an institution ordained by God and should be honored AMONG ALL. This is what Hebrews 13:4 states. Those who try to buck this institution and redefine it so as to engage in all sorts of deviant behavior, the passage says, “God will judge.”

What does this mean? Two things: Success in this life will not be possible, because God’s hand of mercy and help will be drawn away, and second, success in the life to come will certainly be met with wrath. So even if alternative unions do somehow succeed to a degree here and now, the eternal outcome will be one of judgment.

Let’s take our three branches of government. We know for certain that the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches have had some rotten apples, both past and present. However, should we rally and suggest that all three branches of government should be redefined? The Office is still considered sacred and holy even if someone who occupies it is less than admirable and successful. It is not the fault of the Office or branch of government, it is the fault of the ones who are in it.

Let the politically correct crowd fire off their name calling – homophobes, bigots, mean-spirited, etc. That’s okay. It doesn’t change what God says is right. Truth is not culturally defined, it is biblically known and understood. We are not to give in. We are not to be intimidated. We are not to buckle under the pressure to conform.

We are to seek to better our marriages and families. We are to practice what we preach, because this surely helps our cause and gives God a good name. But even in our feeble attempts and failures to have successful marriages and families, we must honor and uphold traditional marriages and families. If we cannot agree on this, it doesn’t change the truth of what God says about marriages, families and the certainty of judgment on those who do otherwise.

In a little devotional booklet titled Christmas: The Miracle of God With Us (J. Countryman), Billy Graham writes: "Christmas is not just a date on the calendar. It is not just an annual holiday. It is not a day to glorify selfishness and materialism. Christmas is the celebration of the event that set Heaven to singing, an event that gave the stars of the night sky a new brilliance.

"Christmas tells us that at a specific time and at a specific place a specific Person was born. That Person was (in the words of an ancient Christian creed) 'God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God' -- the Lord, Jesus Christ.

"From the lips of Him who came fell these words: 'The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost' (Luke 19:10). Like piercing trumpets, these words heralded the breaking in of the Divine to human history. They declare that Heaven has come to our rescue and that God has not left us to stumble alone on Earth's pathways. What a wonderful and glorious hope we have because of that first Christmas!"

And what a privilege we have: to be called to proclaim that Good News!

Telling others the meaning of Christmas ought not to be a hard thing for any of us to do. We ought to know by now the reason for the season. But for some, getting beyond the basics of what Christianity is all about is not something easily done.

The writer of Hebrews wrote to a group of believers and said, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Heb. 5:12).

In 5:12-14, I see three principles concerning spiritual maturity.

First, mature Christians are self-taught (v. 12).

Notice that the writer said that they ought to be teachers by now. In other words, with all the time they had spent learning the bible, they ought to be able to – watch this – TEACH THEMSELVES the bible!

You see, all Christians are to teach others (cp. Col 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:15; Deut. 6:4-7; 2 Tim. 3:14-15). Which means that all Christians ought to come to the place in their lives in which they can also FEED THEMSELVES and not rely completely on anyone else to do so.

This is why in the very next phrase, right after he says that you ought to be teachers, he says, “YOU HAVE NEED AGAIN for someone to teach you. . .”

In other words, when will you get to the place in your Christian experience where you can TEACH YOURSELF?

It was said of the Bereans: “These people were more willing to listen than the people in Thessalonica. The Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said and studied the Scriptures every day to find out if these things were true” (Acts 17:11 NCV).

The Bereans did not wait for someone else’s commentary on whether or not Paul was giving to them the truth. They had reached the level of being self-taught. They studied the Word to see for themselves whether they were being taught the truth or not.

Here is how the writer of Psalm 119 puts it:

Verse 97: How I love your teachings! I think about them all day long.

Verse 100: I have more understanding than the older leaders, because I follow your orders.

Verse 148: I stay awake all night so I can think about your promises.

To be self-taught begins with a “love for the Word.” Then it filters into a commitment to “follow God’s orders.” Finally, there is a strong determination to stay awake ALL NIGHT in order to THINK ABOUT GOD’S PROMISES!

How often when we read the Word we fall asleep? We can talk all day and gab into the night with little to no effort. But as soon as we open the bible, the eyelids become heavy and we succumb to the temptation of falling asleep. No wonder we can be a Christian for years and still rely on getting only the milk of the Word.

Isaiah tells the people of his day to: Look at the LORD's scroll and read what is written there (Isa. 36:16 NCV).

This is not rocket science, but notice how we come together once a week on Sundays to feed on a message from the bible. Then the other six days of the week guess what? We have to feed ourselves. Do you think this is by coincidence?

Mature Christians become such because they do not rely solely on others to teach them the oracles of God. They have gotten to the place where they can “teach themselves.”

Second, mature Christians feed on solid foods (vv. 12-13).

The writer says that as a result of not being mature, “you have come to the need of milk and not solid food.”

What is milk? Simply put: Reading the scriptures and not applying it. What is solid food? Simply put: Reading AND applying the Scriptures. You say, “How do you know this?” Look at verse 14: “But solid food is for the mature, who because of PRACTICE have their senses trained. . .”

What distinguishes milk from solid food? PRACTICE! Application! Appropriation! Obedience! Call it what you want, it is all the same. No Christian ever reaches the level of maturity apart from reading the Word and OBEYING it!

We tend to think that the “meat” of the Word has to do with understanding certain doctrines of the bible, such as: Predestination, election, prophecy, the Trinity, etc. Not so. The whole bible is said to be – watch this – “MILK.”

“Like newborn babes, longing for the PURE MILK of the Word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:2).

Peter is simply telling us that we need to have the kind of appetite for God’s Word that new born babies have for milk. But the point here is that Peter calls the Scriptures milk. You see, it only becomes solid food when we apply it to our lives.

Paul said the same thing but in a different way.

(1) My friends, you are acting like the people of this world. That's why I could not speak to you as spiritual people. You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is concerned. (2) So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot, (3) because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world (1 Cor. 3:1-3 CEV).

Why could these Christians only feed on milk? Verse 3 – Because they were living fleshly lives which means that they were not applying the Word to their circumstances.

You see, don’t think of milk and meat as various doctrines of the bible that some come to understand more than others. Christians drink the milk of the Word and then once they begin to apply it, the milk becomes solid food in their hearts. The difference has to do with application, not by knowing and understanding a deeper level of theology.

Third, mature Christians are discerning (v. 14).

The writer says, “because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (v. 14).

How do you know when someone is teaching you the Word, or that what is being said is right or wrong? Some say, “Because of the Holy Spirit.” Partly true, but the Holy Spirit is only one part of the equation. Read the verse again: “Because of practice have their senses trained. . .”

To know the difference between biblical teaching and false teaching comes by PRACTICE! What does this entail? Some times you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong. But in the end, because you continue to practice reading the Scriptures and applying it in your life, you eventually come to the point where you get it more right than wrong.

Some people set out on a hunt for the “perfect” bible teacher. Then they put that person on a pedestal and cling to him as the only person they can trust to deliver the true teaching of the Word.

But this is not what God had in mind. Yes, God did give to the church gifted people (Eph. 4:11) to equip us to do ministry (v. 12), and to enable us to go onto maturity (v. 13). But a truly gifted teacher will be the first to tell people that the one and only person who is truly capable of being his or her spiritual instructor is Jesus Himself.

But to get to know Jesus and understand His Word and Ways will take discernment. This can only occur and develop through experience – reading and adjusting your beliefs to the bible.

I can tell you that there are scores of times that I have had to rethink some of the things I use to believe and teach in the past. As God allowed me more additional light on a subject or verse, and as He showed me a better interpretation over time, I had to revise some of my views. My point is this: Don’t wait to take a stand on something unless you think you unde