Spiritual Bobcats

I live on a rural farm and we have a pond.  We used to have several ducks that lived on the pond, but now we're down to one little fella.  That is because not only do we have ducks, but we also have a bobcat.  I hate that bobcat.  We've tried to trap it a couple times, but to no avail.  How do I know it's a bobcat?  I know it's a bobcat because of the evidence it leaves in its wake.  The bobcat doesn't want to be seen, it wants to stay hidden and do its damage in secret.  It wants to pick-off our farm animals in stealth, one by one.  And the bobcat would stay hidden, if it weren't for the evidence of his presence, which is the loss of our ducks.

And because we are down to one duck, I have declared war on the bobcat.  I mowed around our pond with the riding lawnmower, but I can only get so close to the edge with it before I get stuck in the mud.  So that means there is about a 4 to 6 foot border of very tall grass around it.  And that means that the bobcat has plenty of space to hide, as he waits for the ducks to swim to the edge.  Since I have declared war on the bobcat, today I realized that I was going to have to get my hands dirty if I was going to win this war.  The riding lawnmower would only get me so far, but the push mower would get me right to the edge.  However, the push mower was harder to use and using it meant that my feet would have to be on the ground, walking right along with it through all the tall grass and yucky edge-of-the-pond yuckity yuck yuck.  But the good thing about the push mower was that it went out ahead of me, into the tall grass and unknown yuckiness, so even though I had to be down on the ground with it, I could see where I was walking and what I was walking on because it cleared the path ahead of me. 

As I was mowing, I was praying and fellowshipping with God and He began to minister to me.  God began to use my declaration of war on the bobcat to show me spiritual truths that could be related to it.  Many of us have spiritual bobcats in our life.  Spiritual bobcats like to remain hidden, operating in stealth.  But these spiritual bobcats always leave a trail of evidence in their wake.  Once you realize you have a spiritual bobcat, you must declare war on it, and often times that declaration of war will require you to get your hands dirty.  It will require boots on the ground.  A spiritual bobcat will require you to confront some really nasty things as God leads you to mow down the tall grass blocking your line of sight.

When I started mowing, I wanted to start with the biggest, nastiest, tallest patch of grass that the bobcat most likely hid in once he got close enough to the pond to lay in wait for one of our ducks.  But as God ministered to me He showed me how the ducks were safe as long as they were in the middle of the pond, it was only when they came to the edge of the pond that their life was in danger.  So I realized that the best thing for me to do was not to start mowing the patch that hid the bobcat once he got close to the pond.  The best place for me to start was to mow the area around the pond that was blocking the duck's ability to see beyond the pond, to the edge of the woods where the bobcat came from.  If the ducks could see clearly to the place where the bobcat came from, they would see him coming and swim back to the center of the pond where they were safe.  Our ducks have been prey for the bobcat not because he lay in wait at the edge of the pond, but because they never saw him coming.

Another thing God showed me was that far too many of us spend more time hanging around at the edge of the pond, rather than in the middle of it.  One of the things I noticed about the edge of the pond, is that there were a lot of nasty things collected around there.  There was a gross layer of pond scum, there were all sorts of spiders and bugs.  The edge of the pond is also where snakes live and hang out.  The edge of the pond seemed to have a lot more things going on around it than in the middle of the pond, that's for sure.  The edge of the pond may have seemed more interesting than the middle of the pond, but it was also more dangerous.

Another thing that happened while mowing around the edge of the pond, was that my mower would sometimes stop.  The engine would die when I got into a particularly tall patch of grass and I would have to pull it out and restart it.  I would back out, pull the starter rope and the engine would spark back into life and I would push my way back into the tall grass.  Several times the engine died, but every time it died I would pull it out, pull the cord, start it back up, and resume mowing.  The mower made a clear path and I followed behind.  When we have a spiritual bobcat, God is the one Who does the work, God is the one who clears the path to deliverance, but we must follow behind.  As we follow behind, sometimes the mower will stop, but we have to be determined to keep pressing on.  We have to press on because while mowing, we are going to disturb some of the things lurking around in the tall grass.  If we don't press on, we may find ourselves standing on a large fire ant hill that is none too happy that we mowed the top off.

Mowing around my pond with the push mower was hard.  I was hot and sweaty, it was tiring, I kept seeing ginormous, gnarly spiders everywhere, there were ants and I even got a blister.  But since I have declared war on the bobcat, mowing around the pond was absolutely necessary to create a clear line of vision for our duck to be able to see the edge of the woods where the bobcat comes from.  God wants us to declare war on the spiritual bobcats in our lives so that we can live in the spiritual victory He has already won for all of His children through the death and resurrection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.  God wants us to live and act with determination to keep the tall grass that blocks our spiritual vision mowed down from the edge of the pond.  Too many of His children live in spiritual bondage because they can't even see the enemy coming!  Too many of God's children spend their time at the edge of the pond, making them vulnerable victims to the enemy that lies in wait in the tall grass. 

 

Pray for God to reveal to you the spiritual bobcats in your life.  Declare war on those spiritual enemies. Cry out to God to tread a path through the tall grass before you, leading you to victory.  Keep pressing on, determined to have the freedom that God has already won for us.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12)

The Pieces Of Peace

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matt 5:9)
Jesus also said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matt 10:34); also recorded in Luke 12:51 as, "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."
Then, upon His departure from earth Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives." (John 14:27)

How can Jesus say blessed are the peacemakers and that He leaves us His peace, yet also say that He Himself did not come to bring peace?  How can Jesus seemingly contradict Himself?  He can't, and I covered the issue of seeming Biblical contradictions in this series HERE.  If you read that series, then you understand that the Bible cannot contradict Itself, and the fact that a scripture is not understood by a reader does not make it a contradiction.  So how do we reconcile these seeming contradictory scriptures?  We reconcile them the same way we reconcile all seeming Biblical contradictions, we let the Bible speak for Itself through contextual application and correct word understanding.

When Jesus said He did not come to bring peace, but a sword or division, He was talking about the effects of the Gospel message.  The Gospel is divisive, because you either accept it or you don't.  And those who don't, are against those who do.  Jesus said, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you"  (John 15:19).  Therefore, even though the Gospel message brings peace to those who receive it, it also brings division from those who reject it.  Those who receive it are divided from and are at spiritual enmity with those who don't receive it.

When Jesus said "blessed are the peacemakers", He was talking about those who share and stand up for the Gospel message.  How do I know this?  Because He says peacemakers will be called the "children of God."  And when you read the Bible, you find out that the Bible tells you exactly who the children of God are, and how they come to be considered God's children:

-- "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Romans 8:14)
-- "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12,13)

The children of God are those who have accepted Jesus Christ.  So what does Jesus mean when He says that we are to be peacemakers?  What sort of peace is He referring to us making?  Fortunately, the Bible tells us that too:

-- "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." (Rom 5:1)
-- "For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;" (Col 1:20)

When Jesus says "blessed are the peacemakers", He is referring to those who share the Gospel message.  Peacemakers are the children of God because we share the message of the reconciliation of men with God through the death and atoning blood of Jesus Christ.  "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Rom 5:11)  This verse says that before Christ, we were enemies of God, we were not at peace with Him.  But through the death of Christ, we were reconciled back to God, the death of Christ is the peacemaker between us and God.  We become peacemakers when we share this message of reconciliation with others. 

As Christians, we should strive for peace with all men because it is one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit that dwells within all genuine Christians, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22,23)  But we are also to stand up for the truth of the Gospel and defend righteousness, "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." (Matt 10:33)   We deny Christ when we go out of our way not to offend someone based on religion.  In our effort not to offend anyone, we fail to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.  Peacemakers are blessed and called the children of God, not because we don't offend anyone, but because we stand up for the Gospel of Truth.  We stand up for true peace, which is the reconciliation of mankind back unto God through Jesus Christ.   

When Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives." (John 14:27), we must pay particular attention to the fact that He says, "I do not give to you as the world gives."  That is what tells us what sort of "peace" Jesus is talking about in this verse.  So if Jesus says that He isn't giving us peace as defined by the world, then what sort of peace is He leaving and what sort of peace is He giving?   He LEFT us the Gospel of Peace, the Good News of reconciliation between God and man, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom 10:15).  He GAVE us the peace of God:  "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:7).

 

We know that Jesus said He didn't come to bring peace, but He did say He would leave us peace and give us peace.

 

 

An Exercise In Intolerance

Why are we so afraid of the notion of intolerance?  A genuine Christian should never think they are better than anyone, for any reason whatsoever, but they should think their religion is.  How could we dare think such an offensive, intolerant thing?  Well, for starters, Jesus did.  Jesus said His way was the only way, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6).  God said His way was above anything we could ever think, say or do,  "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' declares 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.'" (Isaiah 55:8,9).  According to God, Christianity isn't just a better way, it's the only way.

Look, the Bible says we are all sinners, every one of us (Rom 3:23).  No human being should ever think themselves superior over another.  The Bible says we are not to criticize, despise, treat with contempt or discriminate against anyone (Rom 14:10).  Self-righteous intolerance is no bueno.  But that's not what I'm talking about, I'm talking about righteous intolerance in the context of the Gospel message, and that's a good thing, that's muy bueno.  Intolerance in the context of the Gospel is truly a Godly thing because it's rooted in a heartfelt love and genuine concern for someone's best interests.  God always has our best interests at heart, that is why He is intolerant of sin.  Therefore, we should be intolerant of sin.  God is intolerant of hypocrisy, so we should be intolerant of hypocrisy.  God is intolerant of mankind attempting to reach Him by any other means except the One He has provided-- Jesus Christ.  So why do so many Christians feel compelled to go out of their way in fear of offending someone over religion?  If you're gonna follow Jesus, then get down off that fence AND FOLLOW JESUS!  The REAL Jesus-- not the comfortable Jesus or the hippy-dippy kumbayah Jesus or the politically correct Jesus or the unfundamental, seeker-sensitive Jesus-- follow the Jesus that's in the Bible.  Because the Jesus of the Bible is the only One that will truly set you free from this world.  The real Jesus of the Bible is the only One that will deliver you from the crippling chains of tolerance and the blindfold of liberal propaganda.  What's so bad about liberalism?  It's bad because it's rooted in, and a vehicle for, humanism.  And humanism is the antithesis of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Humanism, on the surface, seems like a great, noble thing but at its core, tries to replace God with man.  Humanism says we are intrinsically good and that we can save ourselves.  The Bible says we are all sinners and our salvation comes only by, through and in the context of Jesus Christ.

I say a Christian should be intolerant and humanists lose their minds.  Why?  Because that's what the world tells them to do.  The world tells them that a Christian being intolerant is the same as a Muslim being intolerant or a communist being intolerant or a Nazi being intolerant.  But the reality is, that it's not the same.  Why?  Because Jesus is not a Muslim, a communist or a Nazi.  Jesus is, "the name above all names, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:9-11)   And if you are a genuine Christian, then that's Who you serve and worship.  That doesn't make us superior, that makes us saved.

There was a time when I called myself a Christian, yet all the while I was trying to be friends with the world.   You know what the Bible has to say about that?  "You adulteress, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).  God is intolerant of His people making an idol of tolerance.  When we make a special effort to accommodate, defend or justify those who reject Christ, we are telling them that their rejection of Christ is okay.  Jesus said He is the only way, and if we truly believe that, we will love people enough to be intolerant of any other way.

Gospel Of Intolerance

One thing I've learned about my relationship with God is that you can't have spiritual growth unless you are willing to move out of your comfort zone.  And moving out of your comfort zone usually involves confronting something that's a lot more comfortable to ignore.  Why am I saying this?  Because I see more and more people going out of their way to defend Muslims simply because they are Muslim. Does that mean I am racist and prejudice?  No, it does not, it simply means that I want to bring some of my brothers and sisters in Christ out of their comfort zone and remind everyone that Jesus was intolerant and exclusive.  Don't believe me?  Read the Bible, it's all there in black and white.
I am also saying this because I want to introduce those who follow the "love your neighbor" Jesus, to the real Jesus of the Bible.  The Jesus of the Bible is hardcore.  The Jesus of the Bible is radical.  The Jesus of the Bible ain't playing around.  The Jesus of the Bible said things like, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)  That's pretty exclusive.  The Jesus of the Bible said, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter eternal life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out." (Mark 9:43)  That's pretty intolerant.

As a Christian, I can love a Muslim and be friends with a Muslim and reciprocate kindness and compassion, but I don't have to go out of my way to tolerate their religion.  As a matter of fact, if I go out of my way to tolerate any religion that is not centered upon Christ, I am in essence, telling them that their religion is okay.  Why would I tell someone their religion without Christ is okay?  When Christ Himself said He is the only way?  Unless I consider Christ to be a liar?  The extremely uncomfortable truth about Christianity is that, according to Jesus Christ, no other religion on the face of the planet is okay.  That doesn't mean we are to discriminate against someone's freedom to practice their religion, but that does mean that we don't have to go out of our way to be tolerant of it.  What if the Apostle Paul had been tolerant of the pagan religions of the gentiles of the Roman empire?  What if he had just traveled around telling them that it was okay?  No!  It was BECAUSE Paul was intolerant of their pagan religion that he shared the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!   The world has caused too many people to confuse intolerance with discrimination.  The world has caused too many people to associate intolerance with violence or oppression.   

 

The definition of "tolerate" is:  to allow the existence, occurrence or practice of something that a person does not necessarily like or agree with without interference.

The definition of "discriminate" is:  to unfairly treat a person or group differently from other people or groups

 

If Jesus says He is the only way to heaven, that doesn't mean He is discriminatory.  That means He is intolerant of any other way.  That also means that anyone who has not chosen Jesus, ain't gonna be where Jesus lives.  And "ain't where Jesus lives", happens to be that ugly place we don't like to talk about, but a place which Jesus referred to quite frequently.  Over 40 times to be exact.  I don't want anyone to end up in "ain't where Jesus lives", so for that very reason I am intolerant. 

Besides, as Christians, we should all be intolerant of other religions that don't include Christ.  Why?  Because Christians are expected to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the whole world:

---"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." (Mark 16:15)

---"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;" (Matt 28:19)
---"..repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47)
---"and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
---"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matt 24:14)

Because we are expected to share the Gospel with other people, we necessarily have to interfere with "the existence, occurrence, or practice" of other people's religion.  Therefore, by definition, that makes us intolerant.  But being intolerant does not make a person prejudice, racist or discriminatory.  I can love my neighbor but be intolerant of them driving across my lawn or letting their dog poop in my yard.  For all intents and purposes, a person can be intolerant if only for the simple fact that they know a better way.  "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) 

Despite what the world would have us think, Jesus didn't preach tolerance, He preached salvation.

Wearing The Parachute

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28)
Rest from what?  Rest from sin.
How do we enter into rest from sin?  Repentance.

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matt 11:30)
What is our yoke and burden under Christ?  Faith and obedience.

We are "yoked" to Christ in faith and the "burden" (or responsibility) of that faith, is obedience.

"If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matt 16:24)
"...come after Me" = yoke of faith
"...deny himself and take up his cross" = burden of obedience

Don't be like me. Don't waste so many years of your life being comfortable in your faith in Christ, only to find out that your faith means nothing if it isn't paired with obedience. By Jesus' OWN WORDS, He instructs us that our faith in Him as savior MUST be validated by our obedience. I am not preaching a new Gospel, I am trying to explain the one we have already been given.

We live in a time of hyper-grace and our Christian brothers and sisters are living lukewarm lives, wading up to their waists in the world, thinking as long as they don't get their hair wet they are still good with God. Our garments are washed white by the blood of Christ when we put our faith in Him as Savior, but our garments are KEPT white by obedience when we surrender to Him DAILY as Lord of our lives.
Salvation happens in a moment-- the washing happens at the moment of accepting Christ as Savior. But our sanctification happens over a lifetime-- we keep our spiritual garments clean when we pick up the cross of Christ and surrender our lives to Him daily. 

"So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:17)
We are not saved by good deeds, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8).   However, genuine faith and genuine salvation are evidenced by our actions of obedience.  Jesus tells us, "If anyone would come after Me...."  How do we come after, or pursue Christ?  By faith.  But then what does Christ tell us to do with that faith?   "...deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."  That's an action of obedience.

Perhaps many have lost a true understanding of what salvation actually is. If someone hands you a parachute and you take it from them, it still won't do you any good unless you put it on and wear it. So what exactly is salvation? Jesus tells us in His own words, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matt 16:24) According to Jesus, true salvation is to pursue Him by faith, then follow Him in obedience.

Now is the time for all believers to decide whether to continue following their own version of God, or Who God has revealed Himself to be in His written Word to us.

Walking The Tightrope

A famous tight rope walker walked across a large drop with many people watching and cheering. He asked after crossing, "How many people believe that I can carry someone across this chasm?"
The crowd cheered, "We do!" they said emphatically.
He then asked, "Who wants to be the one that I carry across?"
The crowd was silent.

There is a difference between believing in Christ versus having genuine faith in Him and living your life accordingly. The devil believes in Christ insomuch as Who He is and what was accomplished by His death on the cross.
Yall hear what I'm sayin'?
Even the devil is aware of Christ's authority and His victory over death and sin. Even the devil believes Jesus existed and is the Son of God sent to the world for the remission of the sins of mankind.  So what's the difference between us and the devil? Submission.
We BELIEVE and have faith that we are saved by Christ, but we also SUBMIT to Him as Lord of our lives. For far too long I believed I was saved by Christ, but had never submitted to Him as Lord over my life. I had no problem believing I was saved, it was the surrendering part that took me a while to get around to.

"Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity." (John 12:25)

More Than A Conqueror

When you are accomplishing things for God's kingdom, it is only a matter of time before you come under spiritual attack.  God allows this because not only does it teach us and refine us, but it also gives Him glory when He gives us victory over it.  I am currently under spiritual attack and what the enemy is trying to use for my harm, I will be obedient to God and allow Him to use it for His glory.

As I sat down this morning to engage in spiritual warfare, God led me to Romans Chapter 6 and Chapter 8.  As the Holy Spirit ministered to my spirit through God's Holy Word, I began to personalize these Chapters and claim them over my life.  I am sharing what I wrote for those who may also find themselves under spiritual attack.  I pray for God's anointing on what I share with you today to help you in your victory over the enemy:

My old self has been crucified with Christ and the old body which was ruled by sin has been done away with. 
I am no longer a slave to sin-- I have died with Christ and I have been set free from sin.
          "Whom the son sets free is free indeed." (John 8:36)
I have died to sin once and for all and the life I live, I live to God.
I count myself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I offer myself to God as one brought from death to life.  I offer every part of myself to God as an instrument of righteousness.
Sin shall no longer be my master because I am not under the Law, but under grace.
I used to be a slave to sin, but I have come to obey from my heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed my allegiance.
          "Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths, guide me in Your truth and
          faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation." (Psalm 25:4,5)
I have been set free from sin and have become a slave to righteousness.  I offer myself as a slave to righteousness, leading to holiness.
I have been set free from sin and have become a bondservant of God, and I will reap holiness and eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ, the law of the Spirit Who gives life has set me free from the law of sin and death.
I do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit and my mind is set on what the Spirit desires.  My mind is governed by the Spirit and is life and peace.
The Spirit of God lives in me, therefore I do not dwell in the realm of the flesh but in the realm of the Spirit.
Christ is in me and God's Spirit gives me life because of righteousness.
I am led by the Spirit of God, therefore I am a child of God.
          "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
          prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10)
God's Spirit testifies with my spirit that I am His child.
God's Spirit helps me in my weakness.
God's Spirit intercedes for me in accordance with His will.
I love God and have been called according to His purpose, therefore God will work all things for my good benefit.
God foreknew my love for Him, therefore He predestined me to become conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.  And because I am predestined, I am also called; I am justified, and I am glorified.
Evil can hold nothing against me, because God is for me.
Evil cannot bring a charge against me, because I am chosen and justified by God.
Evil cannot condemn me, because Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God interceding for me.
Nothing in all of creation can separate me from the love of God, through Christ.
I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, Who loves me.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor.  He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed." (Luke 4:18)