Tag Archives: The Silent Preacher

Out With The Old…In With The New!!!

 Psalms 51:10-12 “10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (KJV).

As we journey through the last few days of 2014; we look forward to beginning a new year, many of us will consider making some resolutions. Personally, I don’t like to make New Year resolutions, but I do like to look back over the past year and reflect on my accomplishments and failures. This is a wonderful time for personal reflection; a time to examine our spiritual walk with the Lord. Before I discuss these verses let’s take a moment to ask ourselves some questions.

During this past year…

  1. How was my spiritual walk?
  2. How much time did I spend in prayer?
  3. Did I spend enough time reading my Bible?
  4. How many Bible studies did I complete?
  5. What ministries did I support? (Financially, prayerfully, physically, etc.)

These are just a few simple examples to help us reflect spiritually. These are not meant to be an exhaustive list but merely challenge us to think deeply and spiritually about our New Year resolutions. The most common resolutions include: weight loss, healthier eating habits, removal of bad habits, money (saving and debt reduction), etc. All of which are excellent resolutions that will help each one of us; but what about our spiritual resolutions?

David begins with “Create in me…” which is the most important ingredient for spiritual change. Create begins the process by cutting down and clearing out what has been standing in our way. It is like clearing out a forest in order to pour the foundation of your home. Once the trees have been removed the cleaning continues with the removal of the stumps and roots.

As we establish our new resolutions, it is critical to ensure our minds and hearts are cleaned, old things are passed away, removed, and forgotten. We now have the ability to fill our minds with a clean spirit and a new heart. As we enter into a new year, I pray we will all focus on creating a new spirit and a clean heart that allows us to grow closer to the Lord.

There are two things that stood out in these verses; the first is our ability to create a new habit that will focus on the Lord. The second is to restore what we have been doing for the Lord, allowing us to enhance and improve them. We can always improve our walk, relationship, and love for the Lord. As a Christian we never stop growing in the Lord, but just as it is important for us to eat healthy, we must eat a healthy spiritual diet as well.

Zabriskie (2014) encourages us to establish a resolution of reading through the Bible in 2015. The article listed 20 reasons and benefits that can be achieved from reading through the entire Bible in a year. It also discussed how quickly most of us fail at completing the common resolutions.

One key to remember when establishing any resolution is your ability and desire. We often fail because we do not allow enough time to perform the new task of change. For example, if you desire to read through the Bible in a year, make sure you set aside plenty of time each day to accomplish your reading. You must also take into account those events that will “pop-up” and keep you from completing your daily reading. This is an area that needs to be accounted for. Either establish an alternate time during your day or ensure you have the time to catch up on your reading. I like to set aside a couple of hours each day, this gives me plenty of time for reading and studying. When something comes up, then I have plenty of time set aside to make up any reading or additional research that I may need to accomplish.

Establishing my daily quiet time with the Lord and His word has not been an easy task for me, but I have to admit, it has been the greatest blessing. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways, reading my Bible has allowed me to slow down and listen to what He has planned for me. It has also provided me a great opportunity to stare into the mirror of my life, showing me those areas that need some attention, cleaning, and redirection. I encourage everyone to do what they can to ensure they have set aside some “quiet time” with the Lord daily. The Bible is the only book that has the ability to continuously strengthen us on so many levels. Reading His word will allow us to grow and strengthen our personal life, marriage, parenting, family, work, and church life and fellowship. The Bible will never be outdated and we can never learn too much from it.

I pray the Lord will bless everyone who reads this post and help them grow closer to You. May the Lord speak clearly and strengthen you daily. May He lift you up when you are down and allow you to be His light to those around you. May His wisdom fill you each and every day. God bless you for taking the time out of your day to read my posts. It is an honor and privilege for me to have the freedom and ability to share what the Lord places on my heart.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

Zabriskie, M. (2014). Resolved: read the Bible in 2015. Fox News. Retrieved from: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/12/26/resolved-read-bible-in-2015/

When the Door is Closed…

Acts 16:5-12 “5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days” (KJV).

Paul is now on his second missionary journey and this time he takes Silas with him. It isn’t long before he meets up with Timothy and takes him under his wing. In verse 10 the use of the word “we” indicates that Luke has now joined the team.

As they continue building churches and teaching new believers, everything seemed to be wonderful then the Lord holds up the “stop” sign.

The Lord’s stop sign halted Paul’s original plan to spread and strengthen the gospel message in Asia. This caused Paul and his team to travel through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia. When they reached Mysia, the Holy Spirit put up another road block. This time the Lord sent him a vision to direct his path to Troas.

Once in Troas and receiving the Lord’s new plan, they immediately set sail for Macedonia and the city of Philippi. Along the way to Philippi, they stopped briefly at Samothracia and then Neapolis.

Application: When we are in a dark place, seeking direction from the Lord, we often sit still, waiting for a clear sign and direction before moving forward. Or maybe we are working in a ministry that seems to be slowly depleting itself. Members are falling by the wayside faster and faster, you have tried everything possible, but have no idea how to keep it afloat. So you sit and pray, waiting for the Lord to show you a new direction. Maybe you are waiting for the Lord to pat you on the back and tell you “well done my faithful servant; but I have shut the doors on this ministry”.

I would like to point out that these scenarios are perfectly fine for a Christian to experience. But maybe when the Lord holds up that stop sign, we need to look around behind us, because He is holding up the “Go” sign for us. It might mean that His new plan and direction might be for a new ministry or new location. I am reminded that Paul and his team could have become distraught, depressed, or angry when their plans were changed. But they didn’t, they simply said “Ok, Lord, but which way shall we go now”?

When we are faced with a closed-door from the Lord, maybe we should begin with prayer and keeping with the door analogy, try opening some of the other doors around us.

I can remember being on fire for the Lord, building and working in a growing ministry that was aflame for God. But it did not last long before He quickly shut that door. I was so confused and hurt, I felt like it was something that I had done. I spent a lot of time in prayer, seeking answers. A new door was opened when I stopped focusing on myself and turned it all over to the Lord. My prayer went something like this “Lord, thank you for all of the blessing that I have been given during my ministry and thank you for closing the door. Forgive me for trying to reason with your plans, I am at your service, use me as your will desires for my life and I will follow you anywhere”.

As I waited for the Lord, I dedicated my time in prayer and studies. It was not long before the Lord opened a new door for me and has been using me ever since. We should not be surprised when the Lord changes directions, as long as we understand that we are not the ones in control.

Isaiah 64:8 “But not, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (KJV).

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (KJV).

Kyle Idleman’s (2011) book “Not a Fan” is a wonderful reminder of these verses. A fan is someone who gives up hope when their team is not doing so great. But when the team is winning, then they are the best fans. Here is just one of his many great quotes ““The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them” (Idleman, 2011).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

Idleman, K. (2011). Not a fan: Becoming a completely committed follower of Jesus. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.

Her Only Christmas Present

Luke 2:36-38 “36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (KJV).

Luke writes and describes an amazing woman named Anna in 3 little verses. But Luke’s detailed method of writing allows us to learn so much about her. Yesterday I discussed the remarkable faith of the man Simeon and today we will look at Anna’s only Christmas present.

From the text we can deduce a few outstanding qualities of this woman. First, she is described as a prophetess. A prophetess is defined as a female who possesses the ability to see and describe future spiritual events, and this is done by an inspired woman (Strong, 1984). “As a prophetess, Anna receives insight into things that normally remain hidden to ordinary people; she recognizes who this child is and tells of his significance to selected people in Jerusalem” (Branch, 2013). Her actions affirm Amos 3:7: “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets.”

She was a very spiritual woman who had a great family origin, “daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asser”. “But she had much more than age and ancestry; she had a deep faith and a resilient piety: she did not depart from the temple, worshipping, fasting and praying night and day” (Arias, 1984).

She would have been married at the age of 14 or 15; which lasted only 7 years before the passing of her husband. From the text we can place her at the age of at least 85; some commentaries place her age at 114-115 years old. The point to focus on is her long dedicated life and service to the temple.

She fasted and prayed regularly and this would indicate the she was probably thin. Her ability to move about the temple in order to minister to others shows us that she was able to move around and her vision was still acceptable (v.38). This is an amazing ability for a woman her age. After the death of her husband, Anna devoted her entire life to working night and day in the temple.

Notice in the latter part of verse 38 “spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem”. She was still excited to be a witness of the truth and her long years of dedicated service at the temple was a testimony of her faith. After spending 80 plus years serving in the temple, Anna was still on fire for the Lord. God truly blessed her for her dedicated service by providing her with the one greatest Christmas gift she could have asked for…

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

References

Arias, M. B. (1984). Simeon and Anna sodalities : a challenge to churches in transition. Missiology, 12(1), 97-101.

Branch, R. G. (2013). Anna in the Bible: Luke reveals the prophetess as a Biblical model for aging. Bible History Daily, Bible Archaeology. Retrieved from http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/anna-in-the-bible

Strong, J., & Strong, J. (1984). The New Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the Bible: With main concordance, appendix to the main concordance, key verse comparison chart, dictionary of the Hebrew Bible, dictionary of the Greek Testament. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Finding Balance

 1 Timothy 6:1-11 “1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (KJV).

Paul is speaking to the young Timothy, reminding him of the importance of maintaining a proper Christian perspective. As a Christian, living in a world with those who are opposed to our beliefs, it may become difficult to find the right balance. We are to live according to His word, follow His instructions, and defend His truth. Paul also reminds Timothy that it is important to remain respectful to others. The picture given is that of a slave working for his master.

In today’s workplace environment, there are Christians who struggle with maintaining a balanced life of faith. The boss or supervisor may not be a Christian; in fact they may dislike everything Christianity stands for. This may cause a great deal of stress in the life of a Christian. Paul reminds us that we need to be respectful toward those we work for and with, regardless of their faith or lack thereof.

How do we balance our faith? The word “Balance” may be a poor word choice for this application. A Christian does not have to balance their faith in the workplace. It may seem impossible to live your faith in an office filled with people who want nothing to do with Christ. Everything you are trying to live for and by seems foolish to others. How we live our faith at home or at church seems impossible to do at work. But this is exactly what Paul is addressing. We may not be able to openly bring the gospel message into the workplace, but we are told to continue living the gospel through our actions, deeds, and words.

Paul explains in the latter of verse 1, “…worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed”. We should not be focused on “how we are being treated as a Christian in the workplace”. The question should be, “how am I treating others, including my supervisor or boss”. Paul gives us a great reminder to “Lift Up” and not to “Put Down” others. That includes putting ourselves down because of the way we are treated.

Paul continues in the remaining verses, describing what happens when we focus on our own self-pity. We become filled with pride, envy, and strife. The “woe is me” syndrome is the opposite of how we should be as Christians. Self-pity is defined as the “psychological state of mind of an individual in perceived adverse situations who has not accepted the situation and does not have the confidence nor competence to cope with it”. 1

Our Lord was not treated kindly, but yet he walked this earth teaching us to love others, through our actions, words, and deeds. Paul reminds us to continue in our faith, walking, talking, acting, and living with a greater goal in mind. We are to respect our supervisors and co-workers; we do it because He did it for us on the Cross. When we respect others, work hard, and do the best we can do, we are putting the Lord first in our lives. Showing others what and who Christ is. There are many ways to share Christ, how we act is the outward display of what the Lord has done for us on the inside.

 Maybe the word “balance” is the right application here. The Christian balances what the Lord has placed on the heart (inside), in order to be able to share with others (outside). If the Christian has too much weight on the inside (heart), then it becomes difficult to shift the weight to the outside (others) and vice versa.

Think of it like this…A man who walks a tightrope has to shift his weight back and forth; otherwise he ends up leaning too far to one side and falls off. His balance must remain centered on the rope. He may use his arms or a long pole to help keep his balance, but no matter what, his focus must remain on the center of the rope.

Walking the rope is how a Christian should walk, straight and centered on truth. If we lean too far in either direction we fall off the path of righteousness. The longer we walk the rope, the more people will see our accomplishments, but if we don’t walk the rope, then nobody will be able to see how wonderful it is to live for Christ. In the workplace, we don’t have to stand around saying “look at me, I’m walking a tightrope”. All we need to do is stay focused and centered on the rope. The further we get, the bigger the crowd. It won’t take long until people will be curious or inspired and want to try walking the tightrope. The applications are endless.

Proverbs 12:28 “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is not death” (KJV).

Matthew 7:13-14 “13 Enter ye in the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

1 Self-pity Wikipedia definition. Retrieved 12/16/2014 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-pity

Character Traits

Psalm 1:1 “1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (KJV).

The psalmist begins with a powerful announcement and calls for our immediate attention. The verse describes the walk and character of a godly man. Character is defined as our moral, ethical, and mental qualities. Character is unique and specific to every individual. As we walk through life, we are taught different character traits, some good and some bad. We have the ability to choose which character traits to accept, reject, or influence our own personal character.

Be careful when given advice. Be careful of the people you hang out with. Be on guard about the character traits of others. The negative thoughts and actions of others can be infectious. You may not know that you “caught” the trait.

Here is an illustration I used in my Sunday school class. Take a church and divide it into two sections. Each section or side of the church has 50 people. They are seated in the pews, evenly filling the rows from front to back. On one side you quietly whisper the good news that a friend of yours at work got saved. On the other side, you quietly whisper that you saw a deacon’s wife with another man walking into a hotel together. Do you think the positive news of salvation or the negative juicy gossip will travel throughout the church?

The negative character trait of one person will quickly infect others. Before you know it, good people will allow that negative trait to become part of their own.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Walking Tall

 Ephesians 4:1-3 “1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (KJV).

Today we see a progressive movement towards the acceptance of a watered down version of Christianity. The Gospel message has been altered and diluted to fit whatever requirements the “ways of the world” demand. Families decide what church to attend because it offers the most amount of fun activities or programs for their children. If there is ever a day and hour that we need to focus on our high calling it is today.

The day has come when we need to allow His word to provide our wisdom. We need to look back at the courage, humility, and enduring commitment our forefathers have taught us. Today is the day that we focus not on our superficial motivations, but rather we emulate the same grace that our precious Lord has bestowed upon us. Our focus and motivations need to rest on the absolute truth found in God’s word. The church we choose should rest on the unity of Spirit, truth, and love.

I’m afraid many churches have filled their services with a modern version of music that does not bring honor and glory to the Lord. When our youth spend more time playing basketball or playing games during the preaching and teaching of God’s word, we leave the door wide open for Satan to throw his fiery darts at our children. We wonder why our youth are facing more problems than ever before, yet parents spend little time praying, teaching, and sharing the Word with them.

Does the Bible not teach us how to raise children? Does the Bible not say “Train a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Pro. 22:6, KJV). “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4, ESV). If we do not run the race of righteousness, how in the world will we ever be able to pass the torch onto the next generation? Our forefathers not only passed on His torch, they provided us with detailed instructions and illustrations that were applicable then and still apply today.

Is there any wonder why the unsaved call Christians hypocrites? Of course no Christian or church is perfect, if you ever find the perfect church; don’t join it because you will ruin it.

“I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of selfishness and ambition and self-seeking and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit, ambition and self-seeking, pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. I also believe that many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray that He would empty us. There must be a n emptying before there can be a filling; and when the heart is turned upside down, and everything that is contrary to God is turned out, then the Spirit will come…” (D.L. Moody)

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

Moody, D.L. Quotes, retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5083573.D_L_Moody

If Only…

 Acts 12:1-7 “1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” (KJV).

King Herod mentioned in the first verse is the grandson of Herod the Great, he is known as Herod Agrippa I. Herod, in an effort to please the religious high priests, begins to attack the believers that remained in Jerusalem. Here we see a clear picture of what the prophet Jeremiah preached “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9, KJV). Herod was seeking popularity in order to achieve favoritism in Jerusalem and he was willing to do anything to gain it. What began as pride in the heart quickly turned into hate, and finally became an outward display of wickedness.

“Vex certain the church”, to afflict against the church, specifically anyone who claims the name of Christ. The affliction would have begun as physical beatings, imprisonments, high taxes, or fines. But this did not satisfy the king’s hunger for fame and quickly turned into a death penalty for James brother of John. Once the king saw how pleased the Jews were about the death of James, he ordered Peter to be placed into prison.

Sixteen guards were assigned to watch over Peter in prison. Herod probably heard about Peter’s prison escape from Acts 5:19, which would explain the amount of guards placed. It was also Roman custom to have two guards on the outside with two guards on the inside, the inside guards would be chained to the prisoner. Each set of four guards would stand watch in six-hour shifts.

As Peter sat in prison, we see the church praying continuously and with a purpose for Peter. The church was in trouble, with the death of James and now Peter held in prison, awaiting his death sentence, there was a need for such prayer. Through their prayers, the Lord sent an angel to set Peter free.

Reflection

If only Christians would seek prayer like the early church. Prayer is something we could all do more of, as individuals and as a church. What fascinated me with this text is how the angel smote or knocked Peter to wake him up. This leads me to one application for this text: it was through faith and believing that allowed the prayers of the church to be answered. Remember that despite the hardship and conditions that Peter was facing, his faith was so strong that he slept while being in prison, chained to two guards, and knowing he was facing a death sentence. Do we pray with the same faith? Or do we pray in desperate times only seeking quick relief? Do we pray with the same faith as Peter? As a church are we praying with this type of faith? Are we gathered together in one accord, praying fervently? Something to consider and reflect on…

Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (KJV).

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (KJV).

Acts 1:14 “These all continue with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Hard to Be Humble

Daniel 3:1-7 “1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up” (KJV).

At the end of chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed with Daniel’s interpretation of his dream, that he tells Daniel “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery” (Dan. 2:47, KJV). Chapter 3 begins with Nebuchadnezzar having a large idol built. This idol was about 90 ft. tall and 9 ft. wide; covered in gold, portraying himself as a god.

I have to wonder how this king could believe in the Lord Almighty, yet turn around and build a huge gold covered statue. He also commanded everyone to worship this idol every time the music played. The king sent official messengers to surrounding towns of his empire, commanding the officials to gather everyone for the dedication of the great golden image. This was more than a simple political gathering or assembly, this was a religious service; a religious service that the king used to gather and control the people. He required everyone to submit and worship to his authority.

Practical Application:

What would cause a man to desire so much power? Pride has a way of controlling our desires and actions. What happens when we allow any form of pride to take over in our hearts? The first thing I thought of was 1 John 2:16 – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. Pride allows us to believe that we are in control and that we don’t need God. When our faith and dependence fall on the ways of the world instead of God, we are placing ourselves in a dangerous situation. Scripture has many warnings about pride…

Proverbs 16:5 “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished”.

Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”.

Galatians 6:3 “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself”. Proverbs 11:2 “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (KJV).

In order to fight against pride and guard the heart, we must accept a level of humility that portrays the same humility our Savior displays. I have always like the saying “it’s hard to be humble”. One reason this phrase is a favorite of mine is that it really is “hard to be humble”. We may say to ourselves, “I’m a humble person”, but if you really think about it, the answer to that question may surprise you. Are we really doing all we can for others, have we taken time out of our busy schedule to pray, study, and read our Bible? Have we given enough time to listen to our family or children? Have we placed anything above our Lord today?

Pride may not be something we view as a problem. Nebuchadnezzar was blessed to have his dreams interpreted, so blessed that he gave glory to the Lord, yet he turned around and let pride take over. Pride begins inside the heart, thinking that we are better or more deserving than others. The “infection of pride” begins internally, but it does not take long for the symptoms to begin to show externally.

Here’s an example that I see every year during the holiday season. I am standing in a long check-out line at the store. People in line are getting frustrated because it is taking longer than they think it should. Then, the cashier runs into a problem, they need to do a price check, or the person checking out is having trouble swiping their card. The people in line are beginning to get angry, spitting their evil venom and hurtful words. How do you react? Does pride take over and you begin to join in with the others? Or, do you smile and share the humility of Christ. That cashier might be working a long shift because another co-worker called in sick. They may have had a really difficult day, something tragic may have occurred.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Caution, God at Work!

   Galatians 1:1-10

“1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (KJV).

The apostle Paul opens his letter by establishing his authority and office as an apostle. He sets the record straight by letting the churches’ know that he did not give himself the title of apostle, but was appointed by Jesus himself. There were multiple churches’ at Galatia and Paul was troubled by the discord that fell among them. The churches’ were teaching a different gospel message; in verse 6 Paul states that he is “marveled” at the short amount of time it took for the churches’ to dilute and distort the truth. He quickly identifies that there are some among them that are agitating or stirring up trouble.

Not only does Paul address the problem with preaching false teachings, but he takes the time to identify and call out the ones causing the problems. I found it interesting that Paul did not just stop there; he dug down deep and explains why these trouble makers were causing problems. They were trying to please men, using the same techniques we see today. People trying to convince, sway, and influence others in order to gain acceptance and recognition. Paul did not just turn the cheek and walk away when these trouble makers were spreading rumors that he was not an apostle. He stood his ground and addressed the problem by proclaiming His truth.

Application

Today we have the same behavior inside the church walls, people trying to gain recognition: by justifying their sinful actions, talking behind people’s backs, or spreading false rumors. I believe Paul teaches us a few valuable lessons here. First, we must be careful about how we talk about others. Second, we must ensure that what we say is grounded in biblical truth and delivered with love. Third, we should not be afraid to speak and share His truth. Paul did not hold back speaking the true gospel, he identified the problem, addressed those who were spreading the rumors and teaching false doctrine, as well as why they were doing it. Paul teaches us to stand up for our Christian faith… we do that by staying true to His word.

Lord, grant us the strength to stand upon your word; teach, counsel, and preach your truth in love. I pray others will see your love and grace through our actions. I pray we will all continue to fight the good fight, living for your honor and glory…Amen.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Unlikely Disciple

   Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (KJV). Saul of Tarsus was a man intent on extinguishing those who followed Christ. He requested written approval from the Sanhedrin high priests to follow after those Christians that fled Jerusalem. The question “why” came to mind; why did Saul of Tarsus have such a passionate belief that Christians were the enemy? Acts 22:3 “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feed of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day” (KJV). He was a man taught by a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was considered a doctor of the Jewish law (Act. 5:34). There is no doubt that Saul had formal education in the Jewish law. His teachings would have included such law as Deut. 21:23 “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thy land be no defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (KJV). Before Saul was blinded by the Lord’s light, he was living by the works of the Jewish law. He believed that Christ died on the cross, but was not resurrected. Since the law was clear that any man who died on a cross was considered cursed by God; certainly he did not think that God would take a cursed false prophet and turn him into the Messiah. The Lord took one simple moment to close the physical eyes of Saul and open his spiritual eyes to the truth, that He was alive. That moment began with conviction upon his heart (Act. 9:5) and turned an unlikely disciple into one of the greatest missionaries recorded in Scripture. Saul of Tarsus became an evangelical soul winner of the lost; now called the Apostle Paul. The transformation occurred on a dusty road as he traveled towards Damascus to persecute Christians. Application Who do we picture when we think about lost souls? What type of occupation, lifestyle, race, economic, or social class of people do we see? Paul was an educated man and I would say he landed in the upper class of the Jewish population. Are we witnessing to all lost souls or do we pick and choose who we are willing to witness too? Maybe we are missing an opportunity to allow the Lord to turn a “Saul” into a “Paul”. Lost souls should not be placed into any other category other than those that are lost; people who need a chance to meet the Redeemer. In Christ, The Silent Preacher