“It’s been 100 days since Mike Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, and the grand jury responsible for deciding whether to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson in the death of the 18-year-old could deliver its decision any day.

The incident on the afternoon of Aug. 9 sparked outrage, riots and protests in and around the St. Louis suburb, and has inspired a national debate about police brutality, race relations and civil rights. Now officials, business owners and residents in Missouri are worried that protests over Brown’s death — which sparked violent standoffs with police, looting and vandalism in the immediate aftermath — could resurface with renewed fervor if the grand jury decides not to indict Wilson, 28.”    THE DECODER VOICE

The above headlines greeted me today when I checked the news feed on my computer.  I would venture to say that everyone who read these words – including those of you who are reading them right now – had, or are having, a visceral response to the news print.  I don’t believe there is anyone living in this area that hasn’t formed their own opinion about “what happened” and what the outcome “should be”.  But the ramifications of that unfortunate situation will undoubtedly go beyond the tragic incident itself, because extraneous agendas have surfaced that have ignited the flames of racism, mistrust and hatred.  History has shown that nothing good results from such a recipe.  While everyone claims to want “justice” in this case, the definition of the word would probably vary greatly depending on who was asked.

Unfortunately we live in a culture today that is quick to label people or ideas in an attempt to define “who they are”.  He or she is “liberal” or “conservative”, “Republican” or “Democrat”, “black” or “white”, “Christian” or “Muslim”, “gay” or “straight”.  But what I have learned from my few years on this earth is…a person is defined, not by a label, but by the innermost part of their being…the state of their heart.  This is where we find honor, integrity and character.

Luke 6:45 tells us, “A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart.  Whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” And Mark 7:21 states, “ For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.  All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God.”  Conversely, a good heart, or a heart filled with the Holy Spirit, produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. (Galatians 5: 22-23)  Martin Luther King poetically restated those scriptures when he “dreamed of a day when a man would be judged by the content of his character and not by the color of his skin”.

John 8:31 tells us about Jesus’ directive to his disciples; “If you follow my teachings, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” And what did Jesus teach?  His message was simple, yet profound: to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind; to love our neighbor as our self; forgiveness, mercy, grace and service to others.  When I look back on 9/11, I can’t help but think to myself that if the pilots flying the planes into the World Trade Center would have had the love of Jesus in their hearts, 9/11 would not have happened.  But instead they were filled with a hatred for a life-style and an ideology that was contrary to theirs.  When I look at Ferguson, the same thought crosses my mind.

But truth be told, we live in a fallen world that is satan’s playground, and he never fails to capitalize on a tragic situation such as Ferguson.  And when we see the truth of Mark 7:21 (two paragraphs above) playing out in people’s words and actions, we can be sure that he and his evil minions are present.  But for those of us who are in Christ, this is also the perfect opportunity to let the light of Jesus shine through us.

As Christ-followers, we are called to a higher standard than the world around us because we have committed ourselves to following Jesus’ teachings.  We are called to love our neighbor and to show forgiveness, mercy and grace.  Putting those principles into practice is always a challenge, but the upcoming days will be especially difficult because in today’s techno-world, nothing that is said or done will escape the scrutiny of the media.

Jesus set the bar high in John 13: 34-35 when he stated, “Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  In other words, we are to love and forgive others just as God has loved and forgiven us.  Is that an impossible task?  Well… if we are attempting to succeed through our own effort, it most often proves to be so. However, God’s salvation plan prepares us for such an endeavor.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to empower us to do what we cannot do for ourselves. Jesus knew his disciples drew their strength from him. That is why he told them, “I will not abandon you as orphans, but I will ask the Father to send another Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to lead you into all truth.” (John 15: 16-17)  So when we call on the Holy Spirit to empower us with wisdom, patience, courage, strength, restraint, whatever it is we need to be God’s ambassador in challenging situations, 1John 4:4 tells us we are already victorious: “He that is me (the Holy Spirit) is greater than he (satan) that is in this world.”  Standing on this Truth is how we let the love of Jesus shine through us.

These upcoming days will be an opportunity to show those around us through our words and our deeds, what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, let us not forget who we are in Christ and the wisdom contained in the following statement:  “People would much rather see a sermon than hear one.”

May God bless ya, and feel free to respond to this post.  Also, feel free to share this with your social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Good Morning Meetpastordan Readers…As I mentioned in a previous message, when we are in Christ, the sin-issue ceases to be an issue.  To drive that point home, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins – past, present and future – at Calvary.  Therefore, as it states so clearly and succinctly in Romans 8:1-2; “…there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”  Does that mean we no longer have to be concerned about how we live our life?  Or does it mean that since we are saved, we can continue living the way we did before without consequence?  I’ll let Apostle Paul answer that same question; “Of course not!” (Rom. 6:15)  There is more to God’s Gift of Grace than forgiveness of sin.  Now that we are “a new creation in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17), meaning at conversion our sin-nature was replaced with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are faced with the challenge of living the Christian life in this fallen world.  To meet that challenge our focus must shift from who we were as “sinners” to who we are today as “saints”. (explanation below)

A sinner is one who sins.  When we followed our sin-nature, or as our culture calls it, our “human nature”, we lived with our focus on self-satisfaction and self-aggrandizement.  Through that lens our gods became power, status, wealth, material gain, pleasure, etc.  When we lived that way, our life was about adhering to the standards of this world rather than to God’s standards.  As long as  we are dependent on our own best effort, we will discover that we have bought into the same lie that seduced Eve in the Garden of Eden; “…You will become just like God, knowing everything both good and evil.”  In other words, you will become your own god; you won’t need God.

Unfortunately, many Christians still live their life after conversion seemingly unaware of their new identity in Christ.  Here are the common reasons people get stymied.  We still live in these fleshly bodies and are tempted to yield to our carnal passions and desires; we are still living in a fallen world that espouses standards quite contrary to God’s standards; and satan, the great liar and manipulator, is hard at work in each of us trying to sabotage the new Christian life we have chosen to pursue.  Remember, before you decided to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you were a slave (not my word, but Apostle Paul’s in Rom. 6:17) to your sin-nature. Satan had you right where he wanted you; in his grasp.  The devil does not give up without a fight, and as new Christians, we have a target on our back and are vulnerable to his tactics.  Ephesians 6:10-18  tells us to put on “the whole armor of God (the foundation of scriptural truth) so that we will be able to stand firm against all the strategies and tricks of the devil.”

One of Satan’s most effective tactics is to try to convince us we are unworthy of God’s Gift of Grace.  Since there is no mental delete button to push after conversion, if we keep focused on who we were before we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can get mired in guilt, shame and remorse.  We all have a past, we all lived in sin, and like it or not, we are still going to continue to fall short during our new walk with Christ.  But take solace in the truth of this mini-gospel found in Rom. 3-21-25:  “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.  For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us NOT GUILTY!  He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.  For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us.  We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.”  And did God wait until we cleaned-up our act to step in on our behalf?  No!!  Rom. 5-6 tells us, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”  God provided a savior to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.  He did this because he is a God who loves us beyond our ability to comprehend, and he wants a relationship with us, an eternal relationship.  Rom. 8:38 tells us, “nothing can separate us from the love of God.”   Now when we fall short, and we all will, it’s not about repenting for sin, but rather asking the Holy Spirit to empower us to be the person God created us to be.  Our goal now is to become more Christ-like each day.

What we have been talking about is who we were before salvation.  But after salvation, we are a new creation in Christ: we have a new identity.   Rom.1:7 refers to those in Christ as Saints, meaning holy…without sin and set aside for a sacred purpose.  Now we can come boldly before God without any fear of condemnation, not because of anything we did to make ourselves acceptable to God, but because of what Jesus Christ did for us 2018 years ago.   Now when God looks at us he no longer sees a sinner, but instead he sees a Saint because we are covered with the blood of Jesus.  That’s why the sin issue is no longer an issue!

But once we have made the decision to move from the domain of darkness into the domain of light,  Satan will attack  us unmercifully as he tries to derail our efforts to change. Therefore, we need to be vigilant because we will experience  temptation after temptation as we follow our new path.  But here is our hope.  1 John 4:4 tells us, “He that is in me (The Holy Spirit) is greater than he (Satan) that is in this world.”  That is a promise from God!  We are told in Gal. 5:17-18, “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just the opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.”  But as we learned from the scripture above, we are already promised victory because the Holy Spirit will empower us to make choices that bring honor and glory to God.

As we realize the power of the Holy Spirit in our life, the more confident we are that we can become the “masterpiece” referred to in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can NOW do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (my caps)  Along with our new identity in Christ comes  security, freedom, joy, and peace and serenity.  That is what we had always been looking for, but here-to-fore had been looking in all the wrong worldly places. The more we experience that manner of living, the more sin loses its appeal.

Before I close, I want to be very clear about the role of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the necessary work to be pleasing to God.  He does not do the work for us, then tap us on the shoulder and say, “problem solved, now enjoy your life.”  No!  He empowers us to do the work.  So whatever “mountain” we need to tackle – whether it is a temptation from Satan, a mean person, an unkind boss, loss of a job, an embarrassing situation, etc. –  we call on the Holy Spirit to give us His wisdom, patience, strength, courage, perseverance… whatever we need, to “cast that mountain into the sea.”

God’s plan is absolutely perfect.  Not only do we have assurance about our eternal destiny, but He has provided the Holy Spirit to empower us to rise above this fallen world and begin experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth right now.  Take it from one who has been on both sides;  there is nothing like being in Christ and turning your will and your life over to the care of God.

So my question to you today is…do you allow the Holy Spirit to empower you to be victorious over circumstances?

Feel free to respond to this post, and please “like” and share with other social media friends.

May God bless ya,

Dan Presgrave(a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Today’s post is the final presentation under this title.  This series, Christ-Followers Are Heir To All of God’s Promises!, is designed to be a source of comfort for all of us in our time of need.  Biblical truths are arranged alphabetically under “life-situation” categories for easy access. All four postings can be found at www.meetpastordan.com then click on blog.  Remember, these are all promises from God to those who are in Christ.  We have the authority to ask the Holy Spirit to give us revelation in these matters and to bring these truths to life during our trials and tribulations.  God is loving, merciful and full of grace.  As he challenged us in Malachi 3:10 below, “Try it!  Let me prove it to you.”

OBEDIENCE:

“If you do” (as I have commanded you), says the Lord Almighty, I will open the windows of heaven for you.  I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in!  Try it!  Let me prove it to you!” Malachi 3:10

“For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance.  But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law – the law of love that sets you free – and you do what it says, you will be blessed for it.”  James 1: 23,25

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.”  Matthew 7:24-25 

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”  John 5:24 

PURPOSE: 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'”  Matthew 28:18-20 

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Acts 1:8  (And throughout your neighborhood; at work, at home, etc.) 

REBELLION: 

“A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.”  Proverbs 14:16-17 

 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.'”  1 Samuel 15:22-23  

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”  Romans 6:12-13 

“You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.”  Ephesians 5:8 

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  James 4:7 

REPENTENCE: 

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”  Acts 3:19 

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”   2 Corinthians 7:10 

“If the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live.”  Ezekiel 18: 21-22 

SEXUAL SIN: 

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13   (Through the power of the Holy Spirit) 

“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators, adulterers God will judge.”  Hebrews 13:4 

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!”  1 Corinthians 6:15 

“Those who indulge in sexual sin…adulterers, male and female prostitutes, homosexuals…none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.”  1 Corinthians,6:9  But there is good news in verse 11:  A-men! 

STRESS: 

“Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:7 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”  John 14:27 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.”  Psalm 46:1-3 

“The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble; and those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.”  Psalm 9:9-10 

TEMPTATION: 

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”  Psalms 119:11 

“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.”  Proverbs 28:13 

“For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”  Romans 6:14 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”  Ephesians 6:10-11, 16 

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16 

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”  James 1:2-3, 12 

“Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”  James 1:13, 14 

WORRY: 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”  John 14:27 

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!'”  Psalm 91:1-2 

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace”  Romans 8:6 

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (Godly desires) will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:25-34 

May God Bless you, and feel free to respond to this posting.  And please “like” or “share” this series with your social media friends.  I will be back next week with a new series.

Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

Today’s posting is part 3 of what will be four postings with the same title.  If you have not read the first two postings, I would like to direct you to www.meetpastordan.com and click on “blog”.  You can find the previous postings there.  

Since not everyone is familiar with the Bible, this is intended to be a thumbnail sketch of Scriptural truths (God’s promises), categorized by life’s trials and tribulations, to help us in our time of need.  Even Christ-followers sometime need a short cut to finding applicable scriptures.  If you have all four parts of this series, it can serve as a quick-find guide.

What I am presenting in this series is only a minuscule number of God’s promises found in the Bible.  The more familiar we become with the Bible and the more we abide in Him, the more these scriptures will make sense to us as we realize these words were given (through prophets and scribes while being moved by the Holy Spirit) so we might come to know that God is a loving God; a merciful and forgiving God; and a God who cares for us, and wants to be of comfort in our time of need.  As we see God’s promises coming to life in us, the more our faith will grow.  And it is on this platform of faith we build our life, knowing with confidence we are standing on the truth of God’s word.

DEPRESSION / LONELINESS:

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”   Philippians 4:8 

DOUBT:

“As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.”  Psalm 18:30

“And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying… your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”  Luke 12:29-31

“Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”  Romans 4:20-21

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  Romans 10:17 

FEAR:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:7-9 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  Psalm 23:4 

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?”  Psalm 27:1

“I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”  Psalm 34:4

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 

FORGIVENESS/ MERCY:

“‘They will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’”  Jeremiah 31:34 

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.’”  Isaiah 1:18   (Washed by the blood of Jesus!) 

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:32 

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, just as your Father in heaven has forgiven your transgressions.”  Mark 11:25 

GRIEF/SUFFERING:

“So the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
Isaiah 51:11

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  Matthew 5:4 

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.”  2 Thessalonians 2:16-1 

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-16 

GUILT:

“Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and …will abundantly pardon.”  Isaiah 55:7 

“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.“  Isaiah 43:25

“For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
2 Chronicles 30:9 

“If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  1 John 1:7  

JUDGMENT:

“I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36 

“Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this — not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.”  Romans 14:11

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”  2 Corinthians 5:10

“You, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”  Romans 14:1

“For there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus Christ.”  Romans 8:1  (When you are in Christ, you are heir to eternal life!)

I will conclude this subject next week as I talk about obedience, purpose, rebellion, stress, temptation and worry.  I hope you find these verses comforting in challenging times. 

May God Bless ya, and feel free to respond to this post.  And…feel free to” like” or “share” with your friends on social media.  

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, my introductory paragraph last week was extolling the Cardinals for winning game two of the NCLS.  This week, I’m sorry to say, the Cardinals are out of the World Series picture…but life goes on.  I still have a cup of hot coffee in front of me (but today it’s in my Saint Louis Wind Symphony mug instead of last week’s Cardinals mug); and Glenn and Cliff, my two faithful companions, are again stretched out on the floor beside me.  But best of all, I get to write about one of my favorite topics: the promises of God.  Because today’s posting is part two of a three part series, I would encourage you to take about five minutes and read part one, “Christ-Followers Are Heir to All of God’s Promises!” found at www.meetpastordan.com 

As a Christ-follower, the more we grow in the truth of God’s Word and experience His promises coming alive in our life, the more we build a solid spiritual platform on which we can stand. This is how our faith grows and how we step out in faith…knowing that we ARE standing on the truth and promises of God.  It is also how we rise above the world around us to live the life we are called to live.  Therefore, the way to stand strong while living in this fallen world; in these fleshly bodies; and against the schemes of satan is to know the truth about who we are in Jesus Christ.

As Christ-followers, this IS WHO WE ARE in Christ: our sins are forgiven; we inherit eternal life; we can come boldly before God without any fear of condemnation; we have been grafted into God’s family and we are his Child; we are worthy and acceptable (regardless of “who you are or what you have done”. Romans 3:22); we are the righteousness of Christ; we are loved unconditionally; and we are heir to every promise to Abraham and every other promise in the Bible.  Ephesians 1: 3 tells us we are also “heir to every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm.”  These are promises from God.  They are free to us as Christ- followers and they are true and unconditional!  How’s that for hope?

But knowing the promises of God is only the beginning.  Our faith continues to grow and develop as these promises move from our head to our heart and begins to affect the way we live our life.  When we know – not only in our head, but in our heart! – that we are standing on the truth of God’s promise, we will experience a peace and serenity that has here-to-fore alluded us.

I enumerated earlier the many blessings (promises) that come from being a follower of Jesus Christ, but now I will share with you spiritual promises (“scriptural facts” according to Watchman Nee) that will give us hope and comfort during life’s trials and tribulations.  When these become the spiritual platform on which we build our life, we will begin experiencing the abundant life Christ promised us.

(Remember:  as Christ-followers, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to EMPOWER US to live the life God has called us to live.  Therefore, ask Him to give you wisdom, revelation, courage, strength, patience, perseverance, whatever it is you need, to become the person he created you to be, and to handle life’s situations in a way that brings honor and glory to Him.)  

ACCEPTANCE:  Does God really accept me?

Romans 3:22-24 “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  And we can all be saved in the same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.  For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us NOT GUILTY.  He has done this through Jesus Christ, who has freed us by taking away our sins.”

Romans 8:1 “For now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  For the power of the life-giving spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.”

Galatians 3:24 “…so now, through faith in Christ, we ARE made right with God.”

ADDICTION

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the customs of this world, but let God transform you by changing the way you think…then you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.”

Philippians 4:13 “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

1 John 5:4-5 “For every Child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory.”

1 John 4:4 “You have already won your fight with the evil one, because the Spirit who lives in you (the Holy Spirit) is greater than the spirit who lives in this world.” (satan)

James 4:7  “So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw close to God and God will draw close to you.”

ANGER

Ecclesiastes 7:9 “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.”

James 1:19-20 “My dear brothers and sisters; be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight.”

Matthew 5: 22-25 “But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!  So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar.  Go and be reconciled to that person.  Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.  Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late…”

BELIEF

Romans 10:9  “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son.  Whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life.”

John 6:35 “Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life.  No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again.  Those who believe in me will never thirst.”

John 6:47 “Jesus said, ‘I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life.”

CONTENTMENT

Proverbs 15:15 “For the ungrateful, every day brings sadness; for the grateful heart, life is a continual feast.”

2 Corinthians 12: 8 “My gracious favor is all you need.  My power works best in your weakness.” (in other words…get out of the way and let ME work through you.)

Philippians 4:12-13 “…I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little.  For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4: 6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  If you do this, you will experience God’s peace which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.”

 

Next week I will continue this series and look at depression, doubt and fear,  forgiveness, grief, guilt, loneliness, obedience, rebellion, stress, suffering, temptation and worry.  (humm…this might be the next two weeks).  I hope I will see you again next week.

May God bless ya, and feel free to respond to this posting.  Also feel free to share this with your social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s an early morning, 4:30 AM, but already a good morning.  The Cardinals won game 2 last night of the National League Championship Series beating the San Francisco Giants 5-4; I have a cup of hot coffee in my Cardinals mug (which only temporarily replaces my Saint Louis Wind Symphony mug); and Glenn and Cliff are stretched out beside me on the floor.  This is a great way to start the day!

I have gotten to the point where I monitor carefully my exposure to the “news”.  Now I don’t want you to misunderstand that statement; I have always been interested in current events…and still am.  But goodness, gracious…enough is enough.  In this crazy techno-world…between all the “news” programs on network and cable TV; the internet; cell phones and social media, it’s easy to get overloaded with the constant bombardment of the chaos around us.  “News”, or I should more accurately say “various perspectives on the news”, is available 24/7, in living color, and in 3D-like presentation.  And I challenge you to measure the “good news” against today’s headlines: war; the threat of war; ISIS; beheadings; Ferguson, MO; racial tension increasing; crime is on the rise; institutions that we have always believed in falling short; the degrading, mud-slinging style of today’s politics; lying, cheating and stealing becoming common-place…Whew!  No wonder depression is on the rise and our emotions are numbed!

No doubt that there are times when I find myself sighing in exasperation, but as a Christ-follower, I remind myself that I am heir to all of God’s promises.  That never fails to give me the sense of sanity and security I need when chaos and pathos is the “news” of the day.  But my next thought is… “what do people cling to who do not know Jesus Christ?” While that saddens me for a moment, it also increases my resolve to share the Good News with anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear.  Bringing God’s truth and hope to every reader is the impetus for my blog.   And let me say at this point, because of the scope of today’s topic, this posting will be the first in a series of three.

The Bible is resplendent with God’s promises.  But the first order of business is to understand the difference between God’s promises and human promises.  I feel confident that no one who is reading this would ever lay claim to having kept every promise made, and no doubt we can all supply reasons or excuses as to why that is true. Sometimes we forget; sometimes we are negligent; and sometimes it may be due to circumstances beyond our control.  But the fact is…we know human beings do not always keep their promises.  Why?  Because we are fallen (fallible) creatures.   But the good news is…God is a perfect God!

As I have stated many times, I believe there are two fundamental principles from which springs everything else we find in the Bible: God is Love; and God wants a relationship with us. These two principles are either stated that succinctly or interwoven in scripture throughout every page of the Bible.  1 John 4: 7-10 tells us, “…let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.  Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God – for God is love.” (this is referencing agape love; the highest form of love, self-sacrificial love.)  Therefore, logic tells us that if God is a God of love, he can only beget goodness. And since He is a God of love and goodness, that would preclude lying.  But to substantiate that fact beyond “our” logic, we are told in Titus 1:2 that “…God cannot lie”; and again in Romans 3: 4 when Apostle Paul tells us; “Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true.”

Concerning His desire for an eternal relationship with us, Romans 5: 8-9 states: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ (meaning we are now in Christ), we will certainly be saved from God’s judgment.   Romans 8:1 states: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (meaning, who are in Christ.) We can count on eternal life with God, Jesus and all other Christ-followers because we are washed by the blood of Jesus.  Hebrews 8:12 reveals God’s proclamation, “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sin no more.”   How’s that for hope!  And it’s all because we are in Christ. 

Since we live in a fallen world that seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into a dark abyss on a daily basis, how do we fortify ourselves to stand strong in the face of danger, loneliness, doubt, fear, skepticism, and depression.  Where do we look for something we KNOW we can count on today?  I searched for that answer for half a century, and as the song tells us, “I was looking for answers in all the wrong places.”  So when I was out of options and had no place else to turn, I cried out, “God help me!”  That time it was in desperation; it was from my heart. And He heard my plea.  The good news is, when we are humble enough to admit our own insufficiency, he will welcome us home with open arms.  We are all the Prodigal Son; God is the loving father in that story. (Luke 15:11-32)

THE ANSWER:

The way to stand strong while living in this fallen world; in these fleshly bodies; and against the schemes of satan is to know the truth about who you are in Jesus Christ.  And this IS WHO YOU ARE in Christ: your sins are forgiven; you inherit eternal life; you can come boldly before God without any fear of condemnation; you have been grafted into God’s family and you are his Child; you are worthy and acceptable (regardless of “who you are or what you have done”. Romans 3:22); you are the righteousness of Christ; you are loved unconditionally; and you are heir to every promise to Abraham and every other promise in the Bible.  Ephesians 1: 3 tells us we are also “heir to every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm.”  Those are promises from God.  They are free to us as Christ- followers and they are true and unconditional!  How’s that for hope?

As a Christ-follower, the more we grow in the truth of God’s Word and experience His promises coming alive in our life, the more we build a solid spiritual platform on which we can stand. This is how our faith grows, and how we step out in faith…knowing that we are standing on the truth and promises of God.  It is also how we rise above the world around us to live the life we are called to live.

During the next two weeks I will share many truths and promises from God that deal with particular issues we all have to contend with as we continue our walk with Jesus.  I will cover such topics as acceptance, addiction, anger, depression, doubt, fear, forgiveness, grief, judgment, peace, purpose, sexual sin, stress, suffering, temptation and worry.  I hope you’ll come back for parts 2 and 3.

May God Bless You, and feel free to respond to this posting.  Also feel free to share this with your FB friends.

Dan Presgrave, (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would it not be great if as Christ-followers, when we made the decision to turn our will and our life over to Him, the pits were “filled-in”; the sun always shined; we always made the right choices; and life was perpetually wonderful?  While that sounds like paradise, and I believe such an experience is in our future, it unfortunately will not happen on this side of the grave.  Why?  Because we are living in this fallen world; and we are in the fleshly bodies; and as we are clearly warned in 1 Peter, 5:8: “Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  There was a time in my life when I would have thought the last sentence was totally foolish; a religious “myth”.  But that was when I was still ignorant of the truth.  Today, I know without a doubt it is absolutely true!

Jesus never said this would be an easy journey.  That’s why in Matthew 16:24, He said to his disciples: “If anyone wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross and follow me.” In other words we must die to ourselves and make a decision to live for Him, which is contrary to our carnal desires and the ways of the world. The truth is…that can only be achieved through humility. But James 4:10 proclaims the benefit of that pursuit: “Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up and give you honor.”

Revelation 12:10 reveals the ultimate blessing for those who make the choice to be a Christ-follower: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”  It is clear Apostle John is referencing our spiritual condition (after death) when we are in the presence of the Lord.  But we can also infer from that passage that we are in Paradise for eternity.   How’s that for assurance?

I have written numerous times about God’s love-inspired salvation plan for us. Because God is Love, he didn’t wait for us to clean-up our act before he gave us his Gift of Grace.  Romans 5:6 succinctly states: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for US sinners!”  That verse unequivocally shows God’s unconditional, unending, unfailing love for us.  And our ultimate show of trust and faith in Him is to accept his Gift.  So for anyone trying to figure-out God’s will for your life, Acts 2:21 (or Romans 10:13) reveals the answer with sparkling clarity: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  It’s not complicated, but it does require humility and surrender.

The dilemma of mankind since Creation has always been the issue of “sin”.  It seems clear to me that since man kept sinking deeper and deeper into that ugly quagmire, God decided to do for us what we clearly could not do for ourselves.  He sent a Redeemer, a sacrificial lamb, to pay the ransom for our sin.  Now that we are sin-free in His eyes, we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven and spend eternity with Him, Jesus and all other Christ-followers because we are covered with the blood of Jesus.  That is His promise to us.

Those two gifts, the forgiveness of sin and eternal life, are the two parts of God’s Salvation Plan that most often draw people to Christianity.  And well they should!  It is certainly Good News, and it certainly gives us peace about our eternal destiny. But there is another part of the Plan that many times doesn’t get equal billing.  That is most un-fortunate because it is THE answer to how we can live the life God has called us to live in this fallen world…right here, right now.

As Christ-followers, we don’t have to wait until we die to begin experiencing God’s Kingdom on earth.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  In other words, our old nature (our “sin-nature”, or as our culture calls it, our “human-nature”) is taken away.  We receive a new spirit, the Holy Spirit, who indwells us and empowers us to rise above this fallen world and live a life that is pleasing to God.  Not only does God want us to live a live that brings honor and glory to him, but he empowers us to achieve that purpose.  How awesome is that!   As you can see…His Salvation Plan IS perfect!

I find it interesting that Step 2 of the Twelve Step Recovery Program tells us we “need a Higher Power to restore us to sanity”.  And most recovery rooms are adorned with such pithy statements as “let go, let God” or “just turn it over.”  All of those references are the right answer, but they fall short when it comes to telling us “how” to accomplish that purpose.  As Christ-followers, we know we  have the answer and we know how to use it.  We can achieve the truth of those statements when we call on the Holy Spirit to empower us to be the person God created us to be.

Let me point out one very important principle.  The Holy Spirit does not do the work for us!  The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the work, because it is in the process of “doing” that we mature as Christ-followers.  So when we are faced with a challenging situation and are not sure how to proceed, we can call on the Holy Spirit to empower us with wisdom, courage, power, patience, perseverance… whatever it is we need to accomplish God’s purpose, and his promise to us is, “He will hear our prayers.” (1John 5:14-15)

One great Biblical truth to stand on in these matters is 1John 4:4: “He that is in me (the Holy Spirit) is greater than he that is in this world.” (satan)  That verse tells us we are already victorious!  Therefore, the more we know and experience God’s nature: that he is loving; that he wants a relationship with us; that he is merciful; that he is faithful; that he will never leave us or forsake us, the more we can step out in faith. We can (have the courage) to do that because we know we are standing on His truth and His promises.

Therefore, if we seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out (Step 11, AA), his promise to us is, “He will hear our prayers.”  That, my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, is how we live a Christian life in this fallen world.  It is not through our own effort, but by letting Jesus Christ (the Holy Spirit) live his life through us.  That is the mystery revealed of being in Christ.  

May God Bless ya, and feel free to respond to this post.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

Being a follower of Jesus Christ is much more than calling ourselves “Christians”. It is a way of life that has to be demonstrated to the world around us on a daily basis.  And that is only possible through the mystery of Christianity found in the transformation that takes place in us when we make the decision to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  When we become a “new creature” in Christ, it means our old-self – our sin-nature – has been replaced by the Holy Spirit that empowers us to rise above the temptations of our flesh, the world around us, and the lies and deception of satan!   But as I wrote in previous postings, this is the process we have to follow in order to live the abundant life promised to us by Jesus Christ, a life that is characterized by happiness, joy and freedom.  

We know that all human beings inherited Adam and Eve’s sin nature. It was passed down to all future generations because of their disobedience to God’s directive.  All that means is that man’s natural inclination is to live with the focus on himself rather than on God. The only way to remedy the loss of the spiritual connection that originally existed between God and Man, is for man to initiate the process.  When we become willing to repent, meaning that in our hearts we are READY to turn from “our way” and move toward “God’s way”, He is there to welcome us with open arms.

James 4:10 reads, “When we humbly bow down before the Lord and admit our dependence on him, he will lift us up and give us honor.”  As we develop our relationship with God, we quickly learn that his foremost will for our life is that we accept his gift of grace.  That is the only way we can be freed from the yoke of our sin nature.  2 Corinthians states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come: the old has gone; the new is here.” Now we are capable of becoming the person God created us to be.  Ephesians 2:10 reads, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  We are his masterpiece because we are in Christ.

As clearly stated in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish (to be condemned because of our sins), but have eternal life.”  That truth – that scriptural fact, is a gift from God.  We did nothing to earn it, nor do we deserve it.  But Jesus’ atonement for our sins on the cross is God’s ultimate show of his love for us, and when we accept His gift, it is our ultimate show of faith (belief, trust) in Him.  Romans 5:8 tells us, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”

That is the mystery revealed concerning our salvation.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have an exchange of spirit, or nature.  Our old nature, sin nature, is replaced with the Holy Spirit.  The nature of the Holy Spirit is not to sin, but to empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God; it is a life that reflects the teachings of Jesus.  And what did Jesus teach?  Love, tolerance, humility, forgiveness, and being of service to others. Sound impossible? The only reason it is not impossible is because we have the Holy Spirit in us to empower us to accomplish that purpose.

As Christians we have been set apart for God.  Ephesians 1: 4 reads, “Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy (set aside: without sin) and without fault in his eyes.”  Notice that God chose us because we chose to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  It is a result of us exercising our free will.  There are no predestination overtones here.  We are chosen only because we are in Christ.  There is no other reason.

The Holy Spirit is the essence of Jesus Christ living in us.  (Ref. “What is the Holy Spirit” Oct. 7, 2013: paragraph 5).  God knows our human weakness.  He knows that by our very nature we yield to the temptations of the world, the temptations of our flesh; and the lies and deceptions of  satan.  That is why His plan, even before he created the world, was to send “at just the right time” a savior to do for us what we were incapable of doing for ourselves. (Ref. Romans, 5:8)

Because we are in Christ, we inherit three gifts. (1.) We inherit forgiveness of our sin, which means “we can come boldly before God with no fear of condemnation”. (Romans 8:1). (2.) We are promised eternal life with God, Jesus and all other believers.  These two gifts give us an incredible sense of peace about our eternal destiny.

But the next gift, (3.) is about how we are going to live our life here and now in this fallen world.   The Holy Spirit empowers us to rise above the world around us and live a life that is pleasing to God.  When we are faced with the temptations of the world; the temptations of the flesh; or the schemes of the Enemy, we can call on the Holy Spirit to empower us with wisdom, strength, courage, patience, and perseverance…whatever it is we need to make decisions that are in line with His will for our life.  As we continue to mature and live our life in a way that brings honor and glory to Him, the more we will experience joy, peace and serenity.  This is the life Jesus was referencing when he stated in John 10:10: “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I came that they may have life to the fullest.”   BUT THERE IS MORE!

We are also heir to all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm and all the promises in the Bible…and there are many.  Because we are in Christ, every time we set out to grow in our Christian walk, more truth is revealed.  It is through this revelation that our faith grows and we become more comfortable and confident that our life is built on a solid foundation.  It is on this solid rock of faith that we begin experiencing God’s blessings. He wants us to put our trust in Him.   As stated in Malachi, 3:10, “…I will open the windows of heaven for you.  I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in.  Try it!  Let me prove it to you!” 

My suggestion is that you go to the Bible and open it to Ephesians and read Chapter 1 (only 23 verses). Notice how many times the blessings come because we are in Christ.  We are truly set aside to be God’s ambassadors to the world and to receive all the blessings he promised His children (us).  When the reality of who we are in Christ sets in, we cannot help but be flooded with joy and hope!!

And who are we in Christ?  We are forgiven; now we are acceptable to God. We are worthy to come before Him with no fear of condemnation.  We are loved unconditionally with a love that is unending and unfailing. When God looks at us, he sees us covered with the blood of Jesus.  We are now grafted into His family; now we are his Child.  Regardless of what anyone else thinks of us, this is our new identity in Christ.  Does anything else really matter????

Are you in Christ?  Feel free to respond to this posting.

May God Bless Ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

If you are middle-aged (or even a bit older), you probably have had moments when you look at the world around you and think, “What happened to the world I once knew?”  Everything is so crazy today.  How did that happen?”  No doubt the world is changing at warp-speed in terms of technological advances. That in itself a bit daunting!  And if you don’t keep up, it’s easy to fall further and further behind the maddening crowd.  Now couple that with the moral decline of our culture; the economic uncertainty of today; a government that has become more intrusive in our personal lives; and a volatile world stage, and you have the recipe for exasperation extraordinaire!  No doubt that when the alarm sounds at 0-dark-thirty, the temptation to pull the covers over our head and assume the familiar fetal position can be overwhelming!  “I can’t face another day!”

So how did this happen?  Well, it happened gradually.  Over the years we all saw small changes that caught our attention, but if they didn’t affect us personally, it was just as easy to turn our backs and say, “that is none of my business” or “I’m not going to get involved.”  But those little changes have cumulatively led to big changes (and challenges), so now when we realize they ARE affecting each one of us, the task of turning the tide seems unattainable.  It’s easy once again to find ourselves saying… “what can I do?  It’s too big for me!” (hum…Moses said the same thing.)

So when we are faced with a dilemma, we always have choices.  Whether it is a personal dilemma or a social dilemma, we first have to decide: “where am I going to turn?” and “who can I trust?”  In today’s culture there is an attempt to lead us to believe that the government will take care of us.  But is that true?  Can we trust that solution?  My belief is…let the track record speak for itself.  But that is only my belief; each one of us has to ask ourselves that same question and qualify the answer in our own minds.

In today’s culture, lying, cheating and stealing have become a common occurrences, and it has, unfortunately, numbed our sensitivities to its insidiousness.  It has also created a cynicism toward traditional values.  That is most unfortunate because I believe the answer lies in time-honored values that have proven themselves to be worthy of such distinction. Sometimes the newest, latest, greatest intellectually-driven philosophy spouted by the social icons of our generation, is nothing more than intellectual drivel. Such popular spokespeople for the cause might be actors, sports figures, or our politicians.  And no doubt their spew might sound good to the vulnerable (those looking for “something” or  “anything”), but it is most often rooted in the fallibilities of man, and we all have seen the fallibilities of man in the world around us.  It seems that those who are perpetuating the myth have themselves fallen for the original lie… “you don’t need God; you can be your own god.”(Genesis 3:5)

Looking back to the truths of the Bible, or referring to the governing documents of our Founding Fathers, is considered by a large portion of the intelligentsia to be “old fashion”, “out of touch”, or even worse, “intellectually challenged”, meaning out of touch with the “new world” vision.  For those not grounded in the truth of God’s Word, such labels can be daunting.  No one wants to carry such a burden, so it is easy to start doubting oneself and asking, “am I right in what I originally thought?  I have to admit, this new age thinking can sound pretty enticing?”

When you ask yourself that question, you have just opened the door to satan’s playground, and nothing does he like more that deceiving us by creating doubt and ambiguity.   And he is a master!  Therefore our only shield for such an encounter is found in Ephesians 6:10-13: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor (the truth found only in God’s Word) so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we^] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”

If we look up “truth” in the dictionary, we will find a definition that includes such terms as “fact”, “reality” and “consistent”.  That definition IS God’s Word.  But the only way to accept that truth is to experience it…to experience it coming alive in our own life and shaping our reality.  And contrary to the popular thinking of today’s culture, it IS timeless.  Jesus was very specific in John 8:32when he told his Disciples: “if you follow my teaching, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

And what teaching was Jesus referencing in that statement?  “My teaching”!  And what did Jesus teach?  To love God; to love our neighbor, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and service to others.  (hum…are those things evident or lacking in today’s culture?)  But experiencing the truth of God’s Word is predicated on the first two words:  “IF YOU…”  And therein lies the answer to the moral decline of our culture.  Not many people step-up to that challenge today. After all…our culture believes itself to be too sophisticated to yield to the confines of a musty old book! Proverbs 3:5-6 warns us of that trap: “Trust in the Lord in all you do; do not lean on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do and he will make your path straight.”

Whether speaking to individuals or speaking to nations, God’s Proclamation has been proclaimed through the prophets of old and by current religious leaders: “Turn from your sin and turn to God!”  The history found in the Bible tells us that when we, as individuals or as a nation, are in line with God’s will, we are blessed; when we are out of line with His will, we will suffer the consequences of our decision.  Allow me to list some Biblical truths that are relevant to this discussion, yet truths that give us hope in this crazy, messed-up world:

2 Chronicles 7:14: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.”

Jeremiah 18: 8-10: “But if I announce that I will build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom, making it strong and great, but then the nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless that nation as I had said I would.”

Luke 13:3, when Jesus was speaking to a crowd, “…And you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God.”

Ezekiel 18:21:  “But if wicked people turn away from all the sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.”

Romans 22-24: “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  And we can ALL be saved in the same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.  For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us NOT GUILTY!”

James 4:10:  “When we bow down before God and admit our dependence on him, he will lift us up and give us honor.”

Luke 1:37: “For nothing is impossible with God!”

If you are a Christ-follower, you know and have experienced the truth of these scriptures, and you also know there are literally hundreds more that can form our platform of faith.  But if you are not a Christ-follower, what if all of this is true?  Maybe I’m not just some nut-case writing nonsense.  If you are a non-believer, I challenge you to meditate on “what if…” and please return again next week for another posting from meetpastordan.com.

May God bless ya,

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am anxious to share my thoughts with you concerning a very common phrase that I hear quite frequently; a phrase that always causes me to wonder; “what does the person expect will happen as a result of that statement?”  Without question the phrase IS the correct answer to ANY problem, yet I am fascinated with the “flippancy” with which it is used.  I have been part of a 12 step recovery program for the past fourteen years, and this is rather common jargon in that setting.  But I am more and more convinced that the use – or misuse – of the phrase is wide spread.

The phrase I am referencing can take one of two common forms: “Let Go; Let God” or “I’m just going to turn it over to God!”  I usually hear the comment after I’ve heard someone “singing the blues” about a weighty problem that has them perplexed, and in resignation they exclaim, “I’m just going to ‘let go and let God.”  After listening to this for years, I have taken the opportunity – when appropriate – to ask the question, “What do you mean when you say, “you’re just going to turn this over to God?”  It is those answers that have inspired today’s posting.

In general I have found that the person making the statement believes that “by turning it over to God”, they will be blessed for making that decision.  In other words, “God I have this problem that I can’t handle.  Please fix it for me and when you want me back in the game, just let me know in some tangible way and I’ll get on with my life”.  Oh yes…thank you!  Occasionally someone will mention the Holy Spirit as being part of that process, but that is infrequent and consistently with a misconception of the Spirit’s role.

So why is this dilemma a big deal to me?  Well…I think it’s a shame to have the right answer at our fingertips and misapply it.  No doubt, “Let Go; Let God” or “turning it over to God” is THE right answer.  But the question is… “How do I do that?”  I hope the following truths will shed some light.

As followers of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1:3 tells us we are heirs to “all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm”, and a big part of that blessing is God’s plan for our redemption and salvation.  It is a perfect plan that reveals his unfathomable love for us.  Not only does it include the forgiveness of our sins (past, present, and future) and eternal life, but God also blessed us with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so we can begin experiencing the “abundant life” Jesus promised us in John 10:10.

As Christ-followers, the chasm that here-to-fore kept us separated from God (SIN) was bridged at the cross.  The sacrifice of Jesus was atonement (payment) for our sin, so the sin issue is a dead issue; it has been erased.  We are told in Hebrews 8:12, “I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more”, and Romans 8:1 reassures us that “there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” That, my friends, is indeed Good News! In fact, that is the Gospel of Grace.  Our old self, our sin nature, is gone and we are a “new creation in Christ”. (2Corinthians 5:17) So our challenge today is not our past. Our challenge today is to realize “who we are in Christ” so we can begin living the abundant life Jesus promised.

As I stated earlier, most Christ-followers seem to have an understanding of the first two parts of God’s salvation plan: the forgiveness of our sin and eternal life.  And indeed, they take comfort in that truth.  But the third part, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, in many cases has resulted in confusion and misconception.  That is most unfortunate, because it is that gift that allows Christ-followers to live the life we are called to live right here, right now in this fallen world.  So let me state emphatically what the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is and what it is not.

The Holy Spirit is NOT a fixer.  In other words, we do not call on the Holy Spirit to fix our problems for us.  The Holy Spirit’s role is to empower us to fix our own problems. (I will come back to this point after the next excerpt.) Perhaps this passage from an earlier posting (10-7-2013) entitled “What is the Holy Spirit” will help clarify this matter.

“In the Gospel of John, 14-16, we get a close-up picture of Jesus’ final hours with his disciples in the upper room after the Last Supper.  Jesus told his disciples about his impending death and what it would mean to them as he laid out the series of events that would occur within the next few hours.  He could tell they were shocked and frightened, but he also knew the men in front of him were, of their own volition, a weak lot.  (He was also keenly aware that the responsibility of carrying the message of salvation to the world would rest on their shoulders).  So when he told them he was “going away”, he also told them it was better that he left them so he could ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to be their comforter, counselor,  teacher, and a guide who would lead them into all truth.  This is key…he told them they did not need the Holy Spirit at that time, because He was with them.  Jesus knew that for the past three years the men had drawn whatever strength they had from him, so he promised he would not leave them as orphans.  Instead would send the Holy Spirit to live in them; to empower them to accomplish God’s will.  (For a picture of the transformation that took place in these disciples, I would direct your attention to Acts, 2-4.  These same men who were in hiding during Jesus’ crucifixion became giants among men in terms of spreading the truth of Jesus death and resurrection.  On the day of Pentecost, Peter – the same Peter who recently denied Jesus three times  –  converted 3000 Jews to believers.)”  

So what, or who, is the Holy Spirit?  It is the essence of Jesus Christ living in us.  It is the action part of the Trinity that indwells every person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Remember from the above passage, Jesus told the disciples “they did not need the Holy Spirit at that time because He was with them.  But he also knew that after he was gone, they – and we – would still need to draw from his supernatural strength in order to rise above this fallen world to accomplish God’s will.

So it is the Holy Spirit that empowers ALL Christ-followers to face life’s challenges and to grow and mature in the truth of God’s love, mercy and grace.  Jesus never promised his followers a primrose path. In fact, in John 15: 18-25, he told his disciples emphatically that there would be trouble ahead. But rest assured…we are already victorious.  1John 4:4 tells us, “He that is in me (the Holy Spirit) is greater than he that is in this world.” (satan)

So when a formidable challenge seems to have us befuddled and down for the count, our prayer might be, “Holy Spirit, give me the strength; the courage; the wisdom; the perseverance; the patience; whatever it is I need to be the person God needs me to be as I go to battle.”  I hope this makes it abundantly clear that sitting on the sidelines and waiting for our problem to be solved does nothing to contribute to our Christ-like growth. But when we ask to be empowered by the Holy Spirit so we can meet our challenge, that very act brings honor and glory to God.  And that, my friends, is the true meaning of “Let Go; Let God.”  He doesn’t fix it.  He empowers US to fix it!  A-men

Have you ever wrestled with this concept before?  If so, how?

May God Bless Ya, and feel free to respond to this posting.

Dan Presgrave, (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)