By itâs very definition, stepping out of your comfort zone is UNcomfortable and sometimes fearful. God promises to be close by while youâre in the Discomfort Zone!
I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.Â
âSome believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.â âJ.R.R Tolkien
âIt cannot be exaggerated how much God hates our trying to do His work when it comes to vengeance or vindication. Whether it be vengeance or vindication, either is solely the Lordâs sovereign right. He does not like it when you or I try to punish someone, to vindicate ourselves, making ourselves look good or clearing our own names.â âR.T. Kendall
The worldâs arguments are a lot of noise and very little substance. Donât get into a shouting match, but quietly, gently, and respectfully keep returning to Godâs Word. Charles Spurgeon was once asked how he could defend the Bible and he responded, âThe Bible is like a lion: I let it out and it defends itself!â
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.Â
As we learned last week, we are not the judge, nor the jury, nor the prosecution, nor even the sin police in deciding appropriate retribution. With that in mind, letâs consider Statement #15 in our seriesâDo not judge. Is that in the Bible?Â
Yes, those three words are there, spoken by Jesus, in Matthew 7:1. But then again, we need to say, no, because these words donât mean we are not to make determination about the rightness or wrongness of something.Â
Letâs zoom-out a bit get the context of the words Jesus spoke. Who was His audience for these words? This is a part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5â7). Notice in the opening words, âHis disciples came to Him, and He began to teach themâ (5:1-2). So Jesus isnât speaking to the world at-large, but He is talking with His disciples.Â
Jesus was very specific in His wording. In talking about the world, He uses words like people (5:11) or men (5:16; 6:1, 5). When talking about His disciples, He uses one word quite frequently: brother (3x in 5:22-24).Â
Matthew 7:1 is still in this sermon, and the word brother appears 3x in vv. 3-5. So these are instructions primarily for Christians to use with other Christian brothers and sisters.Â
The words judge here in the Greek means, âThose who judge severely (unfairly), finding fault with this or that in others.â To me, âthis or thatâ sounds like a deliberate searching for something wrong, but Jesus assures us that this will boomerang on the judgmental person (v. 2; Luke 6:37).Â
In modern psychology, we find terms like: Â
mirroring = a psychological term the means quickly seeing whatâs in others because itâs in meÂ
projection = taking the negative things in me and projecting them onto others
Paul addresses both of these thoughts in Romans 2:1-3, where the word for judging here is the same Greek word Jesus uses in Matthew 7.
Paul concludes his remarks by reminding us that God treats us kindly (Romans 2:4). David echos this same thought in Psalm 103:8-10, 13-14.Â
When you read the whole passage in Matthew 7:1-5, please notice the words âbrother,â âfirst,â and âthen.â Â
Jesus does not mean that I am not to point out to my brothers and sisters any areas of concern. Jesus did this, as well as nearly every epistle writer. What it does mean is that correction needs to be gentle and never condemning. In other words, I want to lovingly help someone before they have to stand before The Judge.Â
Thatâs why I need to first humbly recognize that what I see in others may be apparent to me because I am afflicted with the same thing. Thatâs why Jesus says first deal with my own plank. Examine myself before I try to correct a brother or sister (1 Corinthians 11:28; 2 Corinthians 13:5).Â
After I have allowed the Holy Spirit to deal with my plank, I will then have the empathy to help my brother or sister (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Trying to get someone else to repent of something that still exists in my life is hypocritical.Â
If I see something wrong in someone else:
First ask the Holy Spirit to search me.Â
If necessary, confess it, repent from it, ask forgiveness, make things right.Â
Then lovingly and humbly share with your brother or sister (Ephesians 4:15).Â
If someone else sees something wrong in me, I should follow the exact same steps!Â
This is not easy, but it is vital for the Body of Christ to grow in a healthy way.Â
If youâve missed any of the other messages in this installment of our series Is That In The Bible?, you can find them all here.Â
Thereâs no secret formula to fruitfulness as a Christian. We just stay connected to Jesus and the fruit will grow. This clip is from this sermon.
I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.
The âTen Commandmentsâ are not explicitly listed or reiterated in the New Testament. Does that mean they are obsolete? No, says David Mathis, it means they are fulfilled. âJesus Himself says He did not come to destroy the Law and Prophets, but to do something even more striking: fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). That is, fulfill like prophecy. Not simply keep the Ten in place, or remain under them, or leave them untouched, but fulfill themâfirst in His own person, and then by His Spirit in His church. He came not to cast off Moses, but to fulfill Jeremiah, and in doing so, He accomplished what is even more radical: establishing Himself as the supreme authority, putting Godâs law within His people (rather than on tablets), writing it on their hearts (rather than stone), and making all His people to know Him (Jeremiah 31:31â34).â Check out my post The 10 Commandments in the New Testament.
More archeological evidence supporting to the historicity of the Bible. You can check out the full article, but this paragraph is a good summation: âOne of the surprising findings was that, according to the results of their tests, the Broad Wall in Jerusalem, also known as Hezekiahâs Wall, was likely built during the reign of Uzziah, who Scripture says built fortifications in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 26:9). Another finding was that Jerusalem was much more heavily populated and urbanized in the 12th through 10th centuries BC than some scholars previously thought. This would align with the biblical description of Jerusalem, particularly during the days of David and Solomon.â
âThere is much of beauty, goodness, and truth to be discovered in the city of man, as Augustine pointed out toward the end of his great treatise, City of God. But all the culture and best intentions of men turn to corruption apart from the power of God to redeem and renew them. We who live also in the heavenly city now possess the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16); we are able to see the ways that culture can be âtaken captiveâ from the clutches of sin and unbelief and made to serve the purposes of Christ in all things. Thus, for the honor and glory of God, we commit ourselves daily to using all our time, activities, relationships, roles, responsibilities, and culture to furthering His rule on earth as it is in heaven.â âT.M. Moore
âHave movies and most conventional paleontologists got it all wrong? T. rex and other theropod dinosaurs (the meat-eaters) are often portrayed as intelligent predators that can outmuscle and outsmart their opponents. But is that really supported by science?â A very interesting compilation of research can be found here. The conclusion is exactly right: âGod designed dinosaur brains that were perfectly suited for their lifestyles and body size when He created dinosaurs on Day 6 of the creation week (Genesis 1:25).âÂ
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
Jesus has sent us on-mission (which means we are missionaries) to every street. We donât go in our power, but we are empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:46-49).
Jesus said our missionary work would take us to every street, starting with Jerusalemâwhich we have called Main Street. These are people very similar to us. Then our mission will expand into all Judea (Acts 1:8). These are people that have less in common with us. Last week we talked about taking the message of Jesus to Lombard Street: Talking with people who have knowledge of the Bible, but tend to twist and turn with the popular traditions of the day.
Remember that our mission is to be witnessesâshare the Scripture and our personal story. Itâs not our responsibility to try to open peopleâs minds so they can repent, but the Holy Spirit opens minds and calls people to repentance.
The apostle Paul reminded us that, âThe god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelieversâ (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Holy Spirit uses our witness as the catalyst to open minds. This clash of light and darkness creates acceptance and anger. Notice these contrasts in one short segment of Paul and Silasâ missionary journey in Acts 16:13-24 and 17:1-13:
AcceptanceâActs 16:13-15
Angerâ16:16-24
Acceptanceâ17:1-4
Angerâ17:5-6
Acceptanceâ17:10-12
Angerâ17:13
The opposition in Philippi brought Paul and Silas to Thessalonica, and the opposition in Thessalonica brought them to Athens.
Athens was named for the goddess Athena, and it has been called âthe university city of the Roman world.â Philo (a Jewish historian) called the Athenians âkeenest in intellect.â It was the center of art, literature, and philosophy
Iâm going to call Athens âRodeo Drive.â
Rodeo Drive is called âthe intersection of luxury, fashion and entertainment.â Kay Monica Rose, the Rodeo Drive Committee President, said, âThere is nothing in the world comparable to Rodeo Drive. The legendary streetâs magic continues thanks to the exemplary craftsmanship from todayâs greatest fashion houses and brands, the architect-designed boutique spaces, the spectacular window displays, artist collaborations and pop ups, and our unrivaled customer service. At the heart of my vision for Rodeo Drive is the preservation and advancement of an unmatched legacy.â
A marketing professor once told me, âWhen advertising, you have to remember that everyone has radio station WIFM playing in their headâWhatâs in it for me?â The people on Rodeo Drive are self-focused and self-assured.
How do we take the message of Jesus to those Judeans on Rodeo Drive? Letâs learn from Paulâs time there (Acts 17:16-34).
Control your anger. Even though Paul was âgreatly distressed,â he didnât let his anger control him, but he kept his distress under control.
Use measured words. Paul âreasonedâ with the people there, which means he engaged in meaningful dialogue with them.
Donât argue. Some to the Athenians âdisputed with him [Paul]â but he didnât dispute back. Instead he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Start where they are. Paul noted that the Athenians were âvery religious.âHe doesnât condone their idolatry, but he simply uses it as a conversation starter.
Move to the eternal issue. He then proceeds to point them to Jesus as the âunknown godâ that they are worshiping, bringing everything back to His resurrection from the dead.
Be ready for acceptance and anger. As in Philippi and Thessalonica, there were some who accepted the Gospel message and some who got angry when they heard it.
Remember: We donât change mindsâthe Holy Spirit does by using our words as a catalyst.
We need to be careful of overlooking details we think might be insignificant because we can easily think that our small lives are somehow insignificant. They are not! As Tom Kaastra reminded us last week, we are here on purpose and for a purpose; our lives are eternally significant.
Immediately after His resurrection, the followers of Jesus struggled to wrap their minds around what they had just experienced. Just before His ascension, Jesus explained to them both what had happened already, and what was about to happen (Luke 24:44-49).
Jesus said He had already fulfilled the promised about His crucifixion and resurrection. Luke writes that Jesus âopened their minds so they could understandâ (v. 45).
Notice two important things:
The Spirit of Jesusâthe Holy Spiritâopens minds
He opens minds to grasp the truth in Scripture
Jesus also says that we are still fulfilling the âwhat is writtenâ (v. 46) in the the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are fulfilling the prophecy that says the message of Jesus will be preached everywhere to all peoples, so that they also can receive the forgiveness Jesus paid for and repent of their Godless ways.
Who opens minds? The Holy Spirit.
What does the Spirit use as a catalyst to open minds? Our witness.
A witness is a truth-teller, who tells their firsthand story and who amplifies their verbal testimony by their Christ-honoring lifestyle. Jesus used two phrases to remind us that witnessing is not something we do, but it is who we are:
you ARE witnesses (Luke 24:48)
you will BE My witnesses (Acts 1:8)
Holy Spirit-baptized Christians are empowered to take Jesus to every street. God has strategically and purposefully placed us on our âstreetsâ to proclaim our witness. From Easy Street to Skid Row, and everywhere in between, we are to fulfill the prophecy of proclaiming this good news to all nations (see 1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
The Holy Spirit opens minds closed to God. He uses our witness as the catalyst for people to repent from their sin and receive the forgiveness that Jesus made available.
Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He told His followers that they would have the joyful responsibility of taking the good news of forgiveness and eternal life to all the highways and byways of every nation. Later on, Paul would get more specific about all of the groups to which he was taking the message of Jesus (see Luke 24:46-47; 1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
That commission is still in effect for Christians today: We are to share the gospel with everyoneâfrom easy street to skid row, from Wall Street to Main Street, and every street in between.
The streets on which you live and work are different from the streets where I travel. In fact, all of us live on different streets, but everyone we meet on every street needs to hear about Jesus. In this new series of messages, we are going to learn how the Holy Spirit can help us be ready to take Jesus to those on each street where God sends us.
I hope you can join me at Calvary Assembly of God for this highly practical series of messages. If you missed any of the messages, you can find them all here:
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.Â
You may have heard it this last weekend. Someone says, âJesus is risen,â and their friend responds, âHe is risen indeed!â Jesus Christâs resurrection from the dead is the greatest event ever! And yet some people just canât seem to grasp how good this truly is.
Weâve been trained to believe if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. So we are careful to be skeptical of any too-good-to-be-true claims that we may hear. Our heart might get excited at the possibilities, but then our logical mind begins to shout, âWait!âÂ
Hereâs what a logical argument looks like: P1 + P2 + P3 = C.Â
The Ps are premises, and if we put true premises all together, then the C (conclusion) is true as well. All I have to do is invalidate one of the Ps and the whole argument falls apart. Then my logical mind can say, âSee! I told you it was too good to be true!âÂ
People heard the teachings of Jesus, they saw His miracles, thousands of them had even tasted the bread and fish He miraculously multiplied. They had hoped He was the One they had been longing forâthe Messiah that would deliver them. But then He was crucified and their excitement was extinguished.Â
On the Sunday morning after His crucifixion, rumors began to swirl that Jesus had been resurrected back to life. Others said they had actually seen Him and talked with Him. Hearts began to swell with excitement again. But for many of them, their logical minds began to shout, âWait! Donât fall for another too-good-to-be-true story!âÂ
We meet a couple of men who felt like this in Luke 24:13-24. They so wanted it to be true that Jesus was the Messiah they had longed for, but I notice that they use the word âbutâ three times. Thatâs their logical mind trying to invalidate any one of the premises.Â
Jesus was indeed resurrected from the dead. There is so much evidence that I donât have time to go through today, but let me just share one item with you: Paul listed all of the people who had seen Jesus alive (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Facing persecution and even martyrdom, none of these eyewitnesses recanted their faith.Â
Chuck Colson, who was at the center of the Watergate scandal and who was not a Christian at that time, said, Â
âI know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because twelve men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it werenât true. Watergate embroiled twelve of the most powerful men in the world and they couldnât keep a lie for three weeks. Youâre telling me twelve apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.â Â
Jesus gave one of His own in Luke 18:31-33. It would go something like this:Â
âď¸ P1 (He was turned over to the Romans)Â
âď¸ P2 (He mocked, flogged, killed)Â
âď¸ P3 (He was raised from the dead)
âď¸ C (Jesus fulfills every promise of God)Â
The disciples on their way to Emmaus used the word âbutâ three times, but Jesus counteracted that by using the word âallâ three times (Luke 24:25-27), when He said all of the Scriptures point to Him and are fulfilled in Him!Â
The Bible is packed with promises! Promises of courage, assurance, wisdom, healing, direction, provision. And they are all valid promised because of the resurrection of Jesusâ
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are âYesâ in Christ. And so through Him the âAmenâ is spoken by us to the glory of God. ⌠What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us allâhow will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (2 Corinthians 1:20; Romans 8:31-32)
It may seem like these promises are too-good-to-be-true, but Jesus is so good that He makes all of the promises true!Â
If you missed any of the messages in our series looking at how Jesus fulfilled the smallest of details of prophecy, check them out here.Â
We are to love the sinner but hate the sin. This is hard to do, especially when the sin they are doing is directed at us and making us angry! Jesus gave us a great example in these times of high anger: withdraw. Check out my full message âA Christlike Response to Skeptics.â I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.
âIn many pagan religions the purpose of worship is to placate the godsâto keep them happy and to stay on their good side, lest they mess with, you know, the harvest or procreation or whatever. Worship is thus a work pagans do to earn or keep the favor of their deity. Christians donât worship to placate God or earn His favor. We donât worship to make God happy or bring Him pleasure. God is all-satisfied, all-happy, and all-pleased in Himself alone. We add nothing to Him when we come together to worship. At the same time, as we worship, God adds Himself to us. He deigns to commune with us, inhabits our praises, and brings us into His presence and joy in ways that transform all we are, think, feel, value, say, and do. …Â In worship, rightly conceived and conducted, our minds and imaginations expand beyond their everyday thoughts and dreams, stretched and molded to fill up with the glory of the heavenly throne room, to be conformed to the mind of Christ, and to see the world as He does (1 Corinthians 2:16).â âT.M. Moore
J. Warner Wallace shares two reasons why we can still consider the Bible relevant today.
My grandpa had honey bees on his farm, and Iâve been intrigued by them ever since that time. In fact, honey bees were subject of my semester-long research project in my ecology class. So Iâm always fascinated to read more discoveries about these amazing insects!
The level of a leaderâs strength and courage is directly tied to the leaderâs meditation upon Godâs word. Godâs wisdom transforms a leaderâs heart and sharpens his thoughts. This is what gives the leader the necessary courage to lead people in a God-honoring way. I have a whole series of posts on godly leadership where I expand more on these thoughts.Â
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.Â
The prayer that Jesus taught His follower is a prayer for citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. These are not just some magical words to pray whenever we donât know what to pray.Â
We come to a part of the prayer that has confused some people. Jesus instructed us to pray, âAnd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil oneâ (Matthew 6:13).Â
So some people have asked, âDoes God tempt us?âÂ
No, He doesnât! The temptations flare up when the ungodly desires within us are given an opportunity to seize what we think will make us happy (see James 1:13-15).Â
All three of the synoptic Gospels tell us that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to the place where the devil would tempt Him (Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-2).Â
Jesus went through all of this so that He would be assured that He was fully equipped for the intense scrutiny He was going to undergo for the next 3+ years. At the end of that time neither the Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, nor Herod Antipas could find any semblance of sin in His life.Â
The word Jesus uses for temptation in Matthew 6:13 comes from the root word peirazo, which means to assay. We donât use that word too often today, but it means a testing, an experiment, or a trial, to prove somethingâs fidelity, integrity, or virtue.Â
Just like an assayer would test a rock for the quality and quantity of a precious metal found in it, so we are tested to determine our fitness for what God has in store for us. Remember that the beginning of this prayer is a desire for Godâs name to be hallowed and His Kingdom to be made visible through our lives.Â
Hebrews 5:9 says that Jesus was perfected (the Greek word is telios), which is exactly what Jesus wants for usâBe prefect [telios] even as your Heavenly Father is perfect [telios] (Matthew 5:48).
In order to know this perfecting process, we have to be tested and assayed (James 1:12, 2-4).Â
Like all of the other phrases in this prayer, this one is both an acknowledgment (I will face temptations) and a petition (I need Your help to overcome the temptation). This is not necessarily a prayer to keep us from temptation, but to keep us through the temptation. We want to be empowered to pass the test.Â
A loving teacher prepares us for the test, gives us the test, and then gives us the results so that we know we are prepared for the next level. So remember that this prayer is addressed to our loving Heavenly Father. He prepares us for the test so that we can pass the test. We never walk an unknown pathâwe never are given a test unless He has fully prepared us for it.Â
So let me give you four thoughts to consider:
Donât rush ahead because thatâs pride. Jesus went when the Holy Spirit led Him.
Donât lag behind because thatâs fear. Think of the Israelites who fearful of the âgiantsâ in the land and wouldnât move forward.Â
Donât be discouraged by a temporary failure. The phrase immediately before this says, âForgive us our debts.â If you fall short, ask for forgiveness and move forward again.Â
Do give in to the righteousness Jesus has made available for you. This is what will help you stand firm in your time of testing (1 Peter 1:6-7).
Just like Jesus, our Father wants to perfect you and lead you up to higher levels.Â
If youâve missed any of the previous messages in this series looking at the model prayer Jesus taught us, you can find them all here.Â
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.Â
Last week I shared a quote about this Kingdom Prayer from the YouVersion reading plan The Prayer That Turns The World Upside Down. Let me remind you of one phrase: âThis prayer is dangerous, overturning the kingdom of the principalities and powers of this world.âÂ
We live on Earth but we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. This prayer is a desire for that eternal Kingdom to be seen by Earthlings so that they will also obtain citizenship. So we saw last week that the phrase âHallowed be Your nameâ is both an acknowledgement of Godâs greatness and a request that we would display His greatness in our lives. The next phraseâYour Kingdom come (Matthew 6:10)âhas that same two-part motivation: acknowledgment and request.Â
I wrote Shepherd Leadership to address the non-biblical practices in our churches that had taken on biblical weight. I think this is something that invades many Christianâs thinking about what âthe Kingdom of Godâ actually is.Â
Hereâs two things I know for sure: (1) Kingdom power â political power, and (2) Kingdom power â religious power.Â
A.W. Tozer wroteâ
âIn Christian circles today, the church that can show an impressive quantitative growth is frankly envied and imitated by other ambitious churches. Numbers, size and amounts seem to be very nearly all that mattersâŚ. The great goddess, Numbers, is worshiped with fervent devotion, and all things religious are brought before her for examination. Her Old Testament is the financial report, and her New Testament is the membership roll. To these she appeals as the test of spiritual growth and the proof of success or failure in most Christian endeavors. A little acquaintance with the Bible should show this up for the heresy it is.âÂ
Jesus was clearly focused on His Fatherâs Kingdom. The phrase âKingdom of Godâ is used over 50 times in the Gospels, and Jesus uses words like âHeaven,â âHell,â and âeternal lifeâ over 120 times.Â
In teaching us to pray, Jesus called us to focus on the eternal. We want people to see âOur Father in Heavenââin all His hallowed majesty and gloryânot merely in the ways we attempt to âChristianizeâ life on Earth.Â
Alan Redpath said, âBefore we can pray, âLord, Thy Kingdom come,â we must be willing to pray, âMy Kingdom go.ââÂ
Jesus constantly taught like this, âThe Kingdom of Heaven is likeâŚ.â He said, âThe coming of the Kingdom of God is not something that can be observedâ (Luke 17:20). Or better stated: The Kingdom of God doesnât arrive because I oversee something and announce it.Â
Peter summed up the ministry of Jesus like this, âHow God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with himâ (Acts 10:38).
Jesus told us to live the same wayââWhen Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sickâ (Luke 9:2).Â
Our living Kingdom-focused is the answer to our prayer for Godâs Kingdom to come.Â
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)Â
We hallow Godâs name and we make His Kingdom visible when we seek Him as our only priority. Both of these phrases are acknowledgments of His absolute sovereignty and our desire to be empowered to be anointed by the Holy Spirit to go around doing good and delivering all who are under the power of the devil.Â
I love this short verse from A.B. Simpsonâ
Help me to work and pray,Â
help me to live each day,Â
that all I do may say,Â
âThy kingdom come.â
Check out the other messages in our series Kingdom Prayingby clicking here.Â
The worldâs arguments are a lot of noise and very little substance. Donât get into a shouting match, but quietly, gently, and respectfully keep returning to Godâs Word. Charles Spurgeon was once asked how he could defend the Bible and he responded, âThe Bible is like a lion: I let it out and it defends itself!â
Craig T. Owens 