Never Give Up!

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I saw one of these inspirational statements that make the rounds on social media, recently. On the surface, it sounds uplifting and affirming, however, when analyzed through the lens of Scripture, it is revealed to be composed by the enemy of our souls himself. This is the statement: “Never give up! Reach inside! Give it all you got! As long as you’re alive you can keep on trying! Never give up! Discover how strong you are! Don’t let anything or anyone bring you down! Instead be someone who lifts others up by not giving up and inspiring others with all you’ve achieved! Never give up!” (Karen Salmansohn)

When I first read this statement I was disheartened. Disheartened because of the depth of control our enemy has on the way we think. These words seem like good advise and encouraging life affirming words to get us through the day but the reality is the sentiment of this message will only lead us to deeper misery. Let’s break it down: “Never give up!” good opener, perseverance is an excellent trait to develop, this is supported by scripture (Luke 9:62; Hebrews 10:23). However, the next line is pure poison: “Reach inside!” What do we have inside us to reach for? Unless Christ is living in us, there is nothing worth reaching for (Psalms 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18; Philippians 2:13). This promotion of an inward reach is the plan of the enemy. He was the original self-centred creature. He declared that ‘he and his fellow angels had no need of God’s law because in and of themselves they were able to do good’. We can see where that mindset has brought us thus far.

The next few lines reiterate the idea that there is some inherent good in us. “Give it all you got! As long as you’re alive you can keep on trying! Never give up! Discover how strong you are!” The Bible informs us that our “righteousness are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Because of our first parents’ sin we are by nature weak and unable to do any good thing in our own strength. Scripture tells us that it is only through the power of Christ that we have the strength to do anything (John 15:4, 5; Acts 17:28; Philippians 4:13). The very life we live is because of God’s sustaining power.

With all that we have seen thus far in Scripture the next line is now taking a direct swing at God’s word: “Don’t let anything or anyone bring you down!” The Bible tells us to humble ourselves, and let Him lift us up (Proverbs 16:18; 29:23; Matthew 23:12; Luke 1:52; 14:8-11). Christ is to be our example and He humbled himself more than any being in existence. He is the Creator of all things, and He chose to come to this earth and let His creation disparage and mutilate Him so that these same creatures could have a chance at life (Philippians 2:8). And we write little statements to encourage ourselves in our own self-importance.

The final line: “Instead be someone who lifts others up by not giving up and inspiring others with all you’ve achieved! Never give up!” The audacity! What can any of us achieve to bring inspiration to anyone else (Luke 12:25)? Our only source of inspiration and hope is in Christ. The spirit of boasting that this sentence encourages only feeds in us and in others a disregard for the tenth commandment. The songwriter said it well “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling” (Rock of Ages- Toplady, A 1776). The Apostle Paul said: ‘follow me as I follows Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Our achievements and worldly gains can do nothing but help a person loose sight of the true aim of reuniting with Christ.

The mentality encouraged by inspirational words like these is what has led to the utter and complete disregard for God’s commandments. It feeds into the idea that because Jesus died we don’t have to sacrifice anything in this life (but that’s a discussion for another post). My only aim in this is to encourage us to think about these seemingly uplifting statements that we distribute so freely. Please read them critically before you distribute them. You may be building up the enemy’s kingdom by fostering ideas of self-sufficiency and self-importance. Remember we are to die daily so that Christ may live out His perfect life through us (1 Corinthians 15:31; Galatians 2:20).

Be Encouraged

Pendulum

I am writing this in the month of March (“Women’s month”) and I am receiving a wide array of information regarding the women’s movement. I saw a video recently about scholars at a particular university suggesting the abolition of the word “man”, the issue of female pastors is ever looming in the background of church life and the reality of societal behaviour in the past towards women stands evident. I am by no means a supporter of any of these women’s “liberation” movements as I see them only causing division and a complete disregard for the order God designed. However, certain realities need to be addressed and accepted on all sides of this debate. What we see now is a pendulum swing that was inevitable. Physics demands: that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

For centuries men have treated women as property to be traded, collected, abused, and ignored. This was not the instruction given by God. Anyone adhering to scripture will know that women are to be loved, respected and cared for not mistreated or ignored (Ephesians 5:25-29). The enemy of our souls initiated the original movement of this pendulum. Now without thought many professed believers are adding momentum to the inevitable reaction, the pendulum has now swung resulting in the movement we see today – women attempting to displace men from society. As women we should take heed to the words of the wise king “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands” (Proverbs 14:1).

In the eyes of Heaven men and women are equal in regard to salvation (Galatians 3:27-29). However, when dealing with societal structure God is very clear about the order of things: the man is in charge (Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11: 1-9; Ephesians 5:23). If men had behaved properly in the past treating women as Christ treats His church (Ephesians 5:25) we would not have this upset in society in which roles are being reversed and children are neglected. Each member of society would know their role and fill it gladly not feeling disenfranchised. Just as Jesus being equal with God did not feel diminished when He came to this Earth, subjected Himself to the Father and carried out His will (John 4:34; Philippians 2:3-8).

The failure of men to do the will of God is no excuse for the full rebellion we see in society today (1 Samuel 15:23). God has been notably absent from all sides of this argument. Only the feelings and rights of individuals are being expressed, no one is consulting the will of God. This is dangerous, specifically when addressing this issue within the church. The purpose of the church is, after all, to do the will of God and share His message with the world. But if our depraved sinful human feelings and perceived rights (Isaiah 64:6) take precedence, how will we be able to do the will of God? Self needs to be removed. Self-exaltation, pride and envy need to be checked. Our only motivation should be that of our Saviour and example, what would our Father in Heaven have us do (Luke 22:42).

God’s Speed

Number Ten

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.”

To properly comprehend this command we need to define some terms, covet, envy, and jealousy. To covet is “to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another. Envy: “painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage”. Jealousy: to be “intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness” or “vigilant in guarding a possession”. Number Ten is the commandment that lies at the heart of the preceding commandments. It speaks to the motivation behind the actions in each of them. While on Earth Jesus emphasized the importance of our motives and the thoughts we harbour in our minds (Matthew 5:17-30). These lie at the foundation of our characters, which is all we will take into eternity.

Covetousness was the motive of the first sin. The serpent tempted the woman, suggesting to her that in eating the fruit she would become “as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, 6). When she thought about the words of the serpent and she saw the fruit as something to make her wise she took it. The woman desired to be more than she was created to be. She desired an advantage that was not hers to have, and when she gained it, it resulted in her down fall.

Envy and covetousness are dangerous, powerful emotions. They are the motives behind the origin of evil (Isaiah 14:12-15). A created angel decided he wanted to be greater than God and as a result has fallen lower than God’s lowest creation (Matthew 25:41). His envy has been manifested in lies and murders and the trampling of all of God’s commands (John 8:44). The wise man tells us: “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?” Proverbs 27:4. Wrath and anger are terrible emotions to deal with but they subside. Envy is seething and at times imperceptible and it is only when the breaking of the other commandments come to bare that the covetous motive behind them can be seen. Beware of covetousness.

Some people use the terms ‘envy’ and ‘jealousy’ interchangeable, but this is not right. Envy refers to desiring something that is NOT yours. Jealousy refers to desiring something that IS yours. God describes Himself as a “jealous God” (Exodus 20:5; 34:14, Deuteronomy 2:24; 6:15). He does so because He is very protective of what is His. Our worship, belong to Him, our gratitude belong to Him, our very lives belong to Him (by creation and redemption) (Acts 17:28). Therefore, He guards His creatures that accept and acknowledge Him jealously.

There is a statement that many of us have heard from childhood: “beware of the green eyed monster”. This is sage advise, envy has lead to murder, theft, adultery, and the most heinous lies against God, our parents and our fellow man. Harbouring this feeling and will lead to our destruction and the injury of all around us. BEWARE!

In Love

Number Nine

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Exodus 20:16

I’ve been meditating on this commandment for quite some time, trying to understand how best to address it. The obvious approach comes straight to the point – don’t lie. However, leaving it at that raises many comments from the Biblically literate. I was told once by a pastor that the commandment specifies not lying against your neighbour. And yet others raise the classic example of Rahab lying to protect Joshua’s spies (Joshua 2). David told the priest he was on a mission for the king when he was actually running away from Saul; he also pretended to be a lunatic to preserve his life from the Philistines (1 Samuel 21). One example that came up most recently in a discussion I was having is the fact that Moses told Pharaoh that he was leading the Israelites 3-days journey into the wilderness to pray when the plan really was to go back to Canaan (Exodus 5:1-3).

Facts: The Bible is a guide for how we ought to live; the Bible also gives accounts of people’s lives, not sugar coating the details of their choices and actions, neither the results of these choices. Did Biblical heroes tell lies? – yes – were there consequences for these choices? – yes. The examples above had positive outcomes, Rahab and her entire family were saved and she became a part of Christ’s ancestry (Matthew 1:5). David’s life was preserved and he became king (2 Samuel 5:3,4) and Christ was known as his son (Matthew 1:1; Luke 18:38). The Israelites were freed from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 20:1) and Moses is now in heaven (Jude 9; Matthew 17:3). In these well-quoted scenarios, the untruths were said to preserve life not to cause harm. Christ admonishes us to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). We are to be prudent with how we present information ensuring that no harm is done.

The individuals that bring up these events tend to be those who are seeking an excuse for some harmful lies they have told. However, they forget the consequences that come from lies. Abraham lied about the nature of his relationship with his wife causing a plague on Pharaoh and his household (Genesis 12:11-17) and the threat of death on Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-3). Saul disobeyed God, then lied to Samuel about it and lost his kingdom and his mind (1 Samuel 15:20-28; 16:14-23). Ananias and Sapphira pledged to give all the proceeds from the sale of their property to God’s work then lied and held a portion back and fell dead for their lie (Acts 5:1-10).

Scripture informs us that the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). His lies were against God Himself, accusing Him of being unfair and unjust (Job 1:6-11; 2:1-5). We help to perpetuate these lies by either portraying God as an exacting taskmaster, who will preserve someone’s life so that they can burn for all eternity as a consequence for 70-years of sin (Ezekiel 33:11). Or, we make God seem like a doting grandparent that would accept anything we do with no consequences (Zephaniah 1:12). Both of these extremes are the most vicious of lies, against our Creator. God is the perfect balance of Justice and Mercy. His Law is perfect and will not be put away (Matthew 5:18), and His Grace is supreme in the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 2:5-8). Both of these were manifested in the cross. Jesus died because His Law could not go away; but His Mercy could not be done away with either, so in His death He gave us hope of reconciliation to the Law.

The lies we tell each other, and ourselves about God, are detrimental and will lead to destruction (Matthew 5:19). There is a day of reckoning coming in which we will give account for how we’ve received God’s Mercy: Did we Love Him in response by obeying His words and teaching others to do the same; or did we disregard His Mercy and encouraged others to be complacent in disobedience?

In Love

Number Eight

“Thou shalt not steal.”

The command against stealing is yet another that seems obvious but there is more to it than meets the eye. We are aware that theft, larceny, robbery and any such activity is against this instruction from God. Those of us that go to church have heard on a nigh weekly basis Malachi 3:8-11. Commitment to returning tithe is a vital part of building faith in God. We have multiple examples of the patriarchs returning tithe (Genesis 14:20; 28:22; Deuteronomy 14: 22; Hebrews 7:5,9) and God fulfilling His promise to bless them. The tithe is a fixed amount – ten percent – however; we are also admonished to give a liberal offering (Numbers 29:39; 2 Corinthians 9:7) for different purposes such as, building and sustaining the church (Exodus 36:3-7; 2 Kings 12:4-14) or helping the widows and orphans among our numbers (1 Timothy 5:16). Neglecting these is a clear act of robbing God. God could easily send what is needed from heaven to fulfil His work, but as a tool for our salvation we are called to sacrifice (Romans 12:1).

However, we can be guilty of stealing a wide range of things beyond money, such as, stationery supplies from work, other peoples’ time, or even the affections of others. These are more subtle and we often don’t consider the real repercussions of these actions. Supplies from work may seem trivial but the smallest act of unfaithfulness is indicative of one’s character. The life of sin occurs gradually, beginning with the small indiscretions, which stand as excuses for larger ones. Scripture admonishes us to be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8) because there is an enemy working solely for our destruction.

What of time? How often do we steal time, by being late, or unprepared or just forgetting an appointment? We steal God’s time when we neglect the true purpose of the Sabbath. We also steal God’s time when we neglect prayer and study. He gives us 24 hours in a day and 7 days in the week. He asks specifically for one 24 hour period at the end of the week, but, as with tithe and offering, for our sake, He asks us to give a bit more willingly, that He can give us strength to sustain us each day (Psalms 55:17, Psalm 119:164, Daniel 6:10). Many of us neglect daily devotion for selfish reasons – 30 minutes more sleep, 1 hour more television – or because of improper planning – food needs the be prepared, children need to be dressed, household chores need to be done. Sometimes we even get all of these things done but because of intemperance in our work and rest we sit to read or kneel to pray then wake up 1 hour later not gaining anything from the time we should have spent with God.

We also steal time from each other. With the office supplies we steal time from our employers, spending work hours socializing with co-workers, or scrolling through social media. Being chronically late for work or appointments or unprepared for class or presentations, all these steal a bit of a person’s time and life. In scripture we have been promised prominence and great responsibility if we are diligent in our work (Proverbs 22:29). However, there is an even graver theft, with eternal consequences is, every time we neglect to share a word of hope with someone we take away time they could have had knowing their Saviour (2 Timothy 4:2).

As we discussed in the previous post, interpersonal relationships are a part of God’s will for our lives. Marriage was created by God for our benefit and it is His will that we participate in this institution. However, initiating a relationship outside of His will is to our own detriment. Some individuals act insidiously to gain the affection of others alienating them from their families. Many feel the desire to be in a relationship and oftentimes neglect principles and responsibilities to achieve this goal. Some relationships result in rifts between an individual and his or her family because the chosen partner does not share the same foundational values. This is stealing of a most treacherous form. Though we are admonished to leave father and mother and cleave to spouse (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5) we still have a responsibility to those who gave us life and supplied us with our guiding principles (Exodus 20:12, Mark 7:9-13). When engaging in such long-term relationships it is vital that we know who we are, where we stand and honour the will of God in the attachments we form.

In Love

Number Seven

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14

None of the commandments brings with it such notoriety among church people as this one. This particular topic is avoided in the most creative ways by the church, and in so doing many lives are left in ruins. The term adultery is understood as ‘sexual relations of a married person outside of his or her marriage’. However, when taking the Biblical perspective this commandment encompasses any intimate relationship outside the covenant of marriage. Clearly if we love we will not dishonour our marriage – before or after it occurs – our bodies – which is the temple of God (1Corinthians 3:16) – or our God because He created marriage for our benefit and for us to experience the oneness of love that exists in the Godhead. There are many ways and countless reasons why we fall short of this command, I will address a few that may or may not have crossed your mind.

Fornication – the detriment of countless young lives and the subversive rot of many marriages – unlawful sexual relationships before marriage. Engaging in premarital sexual activity is taken extremely lightly in our current society whether in secular or religious communities. Human beings were designed to pair up and engage in sexual activity. God himself said ‘it is not good for man to be alone’ (Genesis 2:18, 23-25) and when He created a partner for the man He instructed them to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ (Genesis 1:28). However, with everything good that God created the devil has seen fit to corrupt it. The natural desire, to share one’s life with another, that God has given to us as human beings, the devil has inspired us to act on outside the intended context. We convert the fulfillment of these natural desires into gods in the place of the one true God. Therefore, by transferring the focus we should have in developing a relationship with our Creator, to satisfying our need for companionship or our physical urges, we convert what is to be a loving relationship into lustful encounters.

Many theologians speculate as to Adam’s motives for eating the fruit, saying that ‘he loved Eve so much that he gave up paradise for her’. If we study this scenario fully we will know that his act was not out of true love for her. God instructed them that if they ate of the tree they would die (Genesis 2:17). If Adam was acting out of true love his priorities would have been straight and obedience to God’s instructions would have been paramount in his course of action. Adam acted out of lust and self-interest. He prioritized the gift rather than the God who gave the gift. Similarly, we prioritize companionship over the God that designed companionship, to our own detriment. A relationship formed without the foundation of love for God will not last. Because of the nature of the sinful human heart (Jeremiah 17:9) the only reliable aspect of any human relationship is when it is rooted and grounded in a love for our Creator. Without allegiance to God we end up with hurt feelings, broken hearts, disrespect, abuse, broken marriages and damaged children, who without Christ, end up repeating the cycle.

Divorce is yet another outgrowth of disrespect for the marriage covenant. It may be caused by adultery or it may result in adultery. Marriage was designed by God to be life-long (Mark 10:9). Therefore, it should not be entered into lightly. Fervent prayer, study and a humble spirit are vital before making this commitment. Many, because of a need to fulfill selfish desires, haughtily enter marriage not understanding the idea of becoming “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5, 6). The scriptures instruct us not to attach ourselves to people that are not like-minded (Amos 3:3; 2 Corinthians 6:14). However, we obstinately rush on, marrying individuals that don’t share our beliefs about spiritual, mental or physical life. Then, the honeymoon ends and steady stream of little quarrels begin. Some escape this “living nightmare” physically by leaving or engaging in adulterous relationships. Others choose the mental escape encouraging friendships with someone who “shares” his or her spiritual, mental and physical life values. This too is adulterous. Sharing intimate thoughts outside your marriage is just as hurtful and damaging as sharing sexual acts outside the marriage and many times leads to physical infidelity.

Most professed God-fearing individuals declare proudly that adultery is an acceptable excuse for divorce citing Matthew 19:9. This is true adultery is the only “sanctioned” reason for divorce, however, we tend to skip over verse 8; which emphasizes the point that divorce is not a part of God’s plan and the only reason Moses allowed it was because of the ‘hardness of our hearts’. Now, as God-fearing heaven-goaled individuals, are we really to engage in something that appeases a hardened heart? I heard a sermon once in which the term contract and covenant were contrasted. In a contract if one party breaks their side of the agreement the contract is voided. However, in a covenant if one party breaks their vow the agreement remains and a remedy can be agreed upon to recover the covenant. In our society we treat marriage as a contract, the solemnity is lost and genuine commitment is gone. We only engage in it for what we can get out of it and when we feel slighted we escape. But the escape is never good because separating what was once “one flesh” will always cause damage and leave scars. Furthermore, we learn from Christ’s words that remarriage after a divorce is adultery (Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11, 12). It would behove us to think cautiously before embarking on these relationships.

With the understanding that intimate relationships outside marriage is adultery; and the knowledge that marriage is the union of one man and one woman (Mark 10:6-9) then what of homosexual relationships? This is clearly in opposition to the seventh commandment. This form of aberrant relationship is diametrically opposed to God’s intent for human relations; He calls it an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:27, 28; 1 Corinthians 6:9). God designed that one man and one woman should unite and procreate in the image of God, however, our society is now bringing homosexuality and all related classifications (LGBTQ+) into “normalcy”. But these practices will never be acceptable to our Creator. It is not His will and is in direct violation of His immutable law.

We all struggle in some degree with this particular commandment; we are physically designed to desire companionship. However, as with all physical needs it is our duty to rein in our minds and bodies, dying daily to selfish desires and allowing Christ to live in and through us (Matthew 5:28-30; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Corinthians 15:31; Galatians 2:20).

In Love

Number Six

“Thou shalt not kill.” Exodus 20:13

This commandment seems straightforward; morally, ethically, logically, and legally obvious. However, as with all of God’s utterances, because our minds are clouded by sin, there are some things that we miss. The obvious part of this command is that we are not to take the life of another person. Some versions of the Bible translate this “You shall not murder” (NKJV). This particular translation seems limited due to the varied definitions our society has for different types of killing. All killing is bad whether justified or not. Taking the life of a fellow human being takes a toll on a person. Ask anyone who has served on a battlefield or committed manslaughter. Something in their mind changes. However, I would like to focus on a few aspects of killing that people tend to overlook: self-murder by fork, murder by words, and does God really kill?

Suicide by fork: In church this past week the speaker gave testimony of her healing from cancer when she changed her diet and mindset. The Bible clearly states how God originally expected us to eat, scientific research has been done demonstrating that this is the ideal diet for the human body, and yet we disregard it. The speaker used the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-14) to emphasize the point that the simple acts of eating well and living by faith we think hard to do yet we’d rather take medication or endure some extreme procedure to get well. Everyday we disregard the laws of nutrition, exercise, hydration, temperance, rest, and faith in God yet still expect to maintain good health. This is an affront to God (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17). God promised that if we would adhere to His commands He would protect us from the diseases He placed on the Egyptians (Exodus 15:26). As we now know many of the diseases we face are diseases archaeologists have identified in ancient Egyptian mummies. It is time for us to think and make a conscious change to a simpler, faithful way of life.

Death by words: Growing up there was a chant we use to say as children – “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Oh how wrong and misguided this statement is! The rampant increase in suicides among teens, and young people, associated with social media, is clear evidence of the fallacy of this sentiment. 'The pen is actually mightier than the sword.' While on Earth Jesus amplified the Law explaining that the thoughts and attitudes we have are forms of violating these Laws (Matthew 5:21, 22). Gossiping and slander are clearly identified in Scripture as a source of death and God will judge those that spread death with their tongues (Ezekiel 22:9, Leviticus 19:16; James 4:11).

Does God really kill? There is a new theory going around that God doesn’t really kill anyone. The first time I heard it I had a visceral reaction, then I started to think about it. It sat in the back of my mind for a few years then I heard it again from another source. As Bible believers our source of answers to all questions is Scripture. Scripture says that God is the Creator. The fourth commandment clearly identifies this as such and that this is the reason He is deserving of obedience (Exodus 20:8-11). Through the bible we also come to understand that God’s Law is a rendering of His character (Psalms 18:30; 19:7; Galatians 5:14; 1John 4:8, 16), by this some are of the opinion that He will not kill.

However, as one preacher said, ‘God has a track record’. The flood (Genesis 7), Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), the firstborns of Egypt (Exodus 11), the destruction of the Amalekites (1Samuel 15), Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) all are examples of God, himself, or through angels or His human servants killing. So if we believe the Bible is truth why is it so had to accept that the Creator can and will destroy? This brings us back to definitions, generalized killing and specific murder. Murder is a premeditated act borne of malice. Throughout the Bible we see that this is were God takes offense. Jesus compared ‘being angry with our brother without a cause’ to killing. In the time of ancient Israel there was recourse for those that killed accidentally, or in defence of oneself or another (Numbers 35:11-34).

The fact is, this idea that God will not kill is a dangerous lie. Zephaniah 1:12 warns of judgement on those that adopt the complacent belief that God is disinterested and innocuous. The Lord is our Judge. Built into His law are consequences and the consequence of breaking His Law is death, plain and simple (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). And as Judge and the One against Whom sin is committed He is the only One with the right and the power to ultimately kill. His word is sure, His track record is real, and He is not to be trifled with. Scripture declares that He will perform what is termed "His strange act" (Isaiah 28:21). The final death will be done in defence of all creation, because sin cannot rise a second time.

In Love