When John the Baptist wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus assured John with the following report: “The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.” [1] Our Savior’s signature work is love in action.
When the Pharisees questioned why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. He encouraged them to: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” [2]
Once, Jesus told a rich young ruler, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come and follow Me.” [3]
“Come and follow Me.” What an opportunity for the rich young ruler! But when he heard this, he went away sad. He had great wealth. He wanted the Lord, but he also wanted his wealth.
Jesus already had one Judas Iscariot. Someone who would betray him for money! The rich young ruler was not ready to exchange his lifestyle for the kind that Jesus described.
The Apostle Paul expressed the key to his walk with Jesus this way: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” [4] Paul depended on Jesus to walk as Jesus walks.
Missionary to Ecuador and martyr for Christ, Jim Elliott, expressed the key to his walk with Jesus this way: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, expressed the key to his walk with Jesus this way: “Depend on it. God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”
The Lord desires mercy. To follow Jesus means to be merciful. To follow Jesus is the opportunity to let one’s love be great! To follow Jesus is to have faith in His faithfulness. As we do His will, He supplies all our needs according to HIS riches and glory. Praise the Lord!
[1] Matthew 11:5
[2] Matthew 9:10-13
[3] Matthew 19:21-22
[4] Galatians 2:20
Bearing witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
21st Century Jeremiah
I praise God for revealing to us how He reached out to a young man named Jeremiah and called him to be a prophet to the nations. God describes how He did it in the first chapter. Jeremiah felt inadequate for the task, and he was, but God promised to be with him and help him. In the first chapter, God gave Jeremiah two visions and explained the meaning of the visions to him. Thus, his prophetic ministry began because God supplied him the light to do it. [1]
God strengthened Jeremiah to share His message with His people. Though some hated, falsely accused, beat, and imprisoned him, God helped him to keep bringing forth His Word to people. God also gave Jeremiah the necessary love, patience, and endurance to care for the people that God had entrusted to him.
On July 18, 2012, I established a blog site “21st Century Jeremiah” to share the messages of Jeremiah, the prophets, the apostles, and the messages of our Lord Jesus Christ with people. God’s Word is light. Needed light for our dark world!
When I went to Hong Kong in June of 1985, it was on a gut sense, a knowing, that God called me. I went by faith, trusting in the promises recorded in His Word. That mission involved hardships, lean times and even persecution, but by the grace of our Lord Jesus and working of the Holy Spirit, it yielded good fruit. Orphans and widows were visited! Many lost souls believed in Jesus. Glory to God!
Now, I am praying, “Heavenly Father, if you want me to be like Jeremiah during this twenty-first century, then, please be with me! Please develop and cultivate me. Please also make me like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall to stand for You. [2] Help me lead distant people from You to become close with You!
May the Lord be glorified and may souls be saved.
[1] Jeremiah 1:4-19
[2] Jeremiah 1:18
God strengthened Jeremiah to share His message with His people. Though some hated, falsely accused, beat, and imprisoned him, God helped him to keep bringing forth His Word to people. God also gave Jeremiah the necessary love, patience, and endurance to care for the people that God had entrusted to him.
On July 18, 2012, I established a blog site “21st Century Jeremiah” to share the messages of Jeremiah, the prophets, the apostles, and the messages of our Lord Jesus Christ with people. God’s Word is light. Needed light for our dark world!
When I went to Hong Kong in June of 1985, it was on a gut sense, a knowing, that God called me. I went by faith, trusting in the promises recorded in His Word. That mission involved hardships, lean times and even persecution, but by the grace of our Lord Jesus and working of the Holy Spirit, it yielded good fruit. Orphans and widows were visited! Many lost souls believed in Jesus. Glory to God!
Now, I am praying, “Heavenly Father, if you want me to be like Jeremiah during this twenty-first century, then, please be with me! Please develop and cultivate me. Please also make me like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall to stand for You. [2] Help me lead distant people from You to become close with You!
May the Lord be glorified and may souls be saved.
[1] Jeremiah 1:4-19
[2] Jeremiah 1:18
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The City of God
Have you ever heard of a book called “The City of God?” It was published in 426 by Augustine of Hippo, also known as Saint Augustine.
Augustine witnessed the fall of “Christianized” Rome to pagans. In response to this dramatic event, he wrote, “The City of God.” He envisioned two rival cities formed by two loves. The earthly city, formed by love of self even to the contempt of God, stands in contrast with the heavenly city, the city of God, founded and shaped by love of God even to the contempt of self. These two cities are progressing along separate paths toward different ends.
One city is about love of self and the other about love of God. The love of self over the love of God and neighbour tends to prevail in this sinful world, but one day, sin will be no more, and there will only exist a City of God... thanks to JESUS!
The City of God is not of this world. Jesus is preparing it for those who believe in Him and confess Him before people.
Jesus said to His disciples, “...I go to prepare a place for you.” [1] What will it be like? Jesus revealed the city to John the Apostle. It will come down from heaven. It is where God and humanity dwell together. New Jerusalem has streets of pure gold, walls of jewels and gates of pearl. There is a crystal sea. Far from being a ghost town, it has inhabitants from every tribe, language, and nation. God dwells there! There is no more death, pain, or war in New Jerusalem. There is no hunger or thirst in New Jerusalem. There is no more devil or antichrists in New Jerusalem. [2]
Jesus described His city as paradise to the dying thief next to Him on the cross. Abraham called it a city whose builder and maker was God. [3] Peter called it a city wherein dwells righteousness. [4] The hope of getting there empowered Moses to endure the insults of the world rather than enjoy the pleasures and riches of Egypt for a season. [5]
New Jerusalem comes down from God above. It is His work. “The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [is a place of] an innumerable company of angels.” [6]
What a great salvation! No wonder the writer of Hebrews wrote: “exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.” [7]
[1] John 14:2
[2] Revelation 21-22
[3] Hebrew 11:10
[4] 2 Peter 3:13
[5] Hebrews 11:26
[6] Hebrews 12:22
[7] Hebrews 3:13-14
Augustine witnessed the fall of “Christianized” Rome to pagans. In response to this dramatic event, he wrote, “The City of God.” He envisioned two rival cities formed by two loves. The earthly city, formed by love of self even to the contempt of God, stands in contrast with the heavenly city, the city of God, founded and shaped by love of God even to the contempt of self. These two cities are progressing along separate paths toward different ends.
One city is about love of self and the other about love of God. The love of self over the love of God and neighbour tends to prevail in this sinful world, but one day, sin will be no more, and there will only exist a City of God... thanks to JESUS!
The City of God is not of this world. Jesus is preparing it for those who believe in Him and confess Him before people.
Jesus said to His disciples, “...I go to prepare a place for you.” [1] What will it be like? Jesus revealed the city to John the Apostle. It will come down from heaven. It is where God and humanity dwell together. New Jerusalem has streets of pure gold, walls of jewels and gates of pearl. There is a crystal sea. Far from being a ghost town, it has inhabitants from every tribe, language, and nation. God dwells there! There is no more death, pain, or war in New Jerusalem. There is no hunger or thirst in New Jerusalem. There is no more devil or antichrists in New Jerusalem. [2]
Jesus described His city as paradise to the dying thief next to Him on the cross. Abraham called it a city whose builder and maker was God. [3] Peter called it a city wherein dwells righteousness. [4] The hope of getting there empowered Moses to endure the insults of the world rather than enjoy the pleasures and riches of Egypt for a season. [5]
New Jerusalem comes down from God above. It is His work. “The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [is a place of] an innumerable company of angels.” [6]
What a great salvation! No wonder the writer of Hebrews wrote: “exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.” [7]
[1] John 14:2
[2] Revelation 21-22
[3] Hebrew 11:10
[4] 2 Peter 3:13
[5] Hebrews 11:26
[6] Hebrews 12:22
[7] Hebrews 3:13-14
Overcoming Evil
The following Bible verses provide guidance for those who are battling evil in their effort to share the Gospel with people.
Pray: “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” [1]
“Submit yourselves to God! Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [2]
Listen to your conscious. The Bible warns against a conscious seared by fire. [3] A conscious seared by fire does not work. A good conscious is rooted in the fear of God. Praise God for your conscious.
“For this purpose, was the Son of God manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” [4]
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Jesus said this in response to the disciples telling Him, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” [5]
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons...” [6]
“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” “I cast out demons by the Spirit of God.” Jesus referred to casting out demons as robbing a strongman of his goods. The strong man is a metaphor for a demon. The binding of him refers to how Jesus disables him as the believer places him in the hands of God. The “spoiling” of the strong man’s goods refers to his captive being set free from him. [7]
“They overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” [8] The blood of the Lamb cancelled all Satan’s claims against us because the blood of the Lamb removed our sins. The Word of our Testimony is JESUS. He is our Redeemer. Whether or not the Lord delivers us from death threats, we are determined to serve Him... “they did not love their lives to the death.”
“God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” [9]
The mission of the Church is “to open the eyes of unbelievers, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are made holy by faith in Christ.” [10]
The Lord provides us spiritual weapons and protection to overcome the evil one. [11]
We are more than conquerors through Christ that loves us. [12]
The day is coming when evil will end. However, until that day we must fight the good fight of faith. [13]
To seek to save souls is to enter the battle against Satan.
The awesomely bright side to spiritual warfare is SALVATION. One of the greatest of blessings this side of heaven is to be God’s vessel to share the Gospel with a lost soul and see that person saved by the power of Christ.
[1] Matthew 6:13
[2] James 4:7
[3] 1 Timothy 4:2
[4] 1 John 3:8
[5] Luke 5:17, 19
[6] Mark 16:17; (Mark 9:38-39; Acts 16:18; 19:11-16)
[7] Matthew 12:28-29
[8] Revelation 12:11
[9] 2 Timothy 1:7
[10] Acts 26:18
Pray: “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” [1]
“Submit yourselves to God! Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [2]
Listen to your conscious. The Bible warns against a conscious seared by fire. [3] A conscious seared by fire does not work. A good conscious is rooted in the fear of God. Praise God for your conscious.
“For this purpose, was the Son of God manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” [4]
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Jesus said this in response to the disciples telling Him, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” [5]
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons...” [6]
“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” “I cast out demons by the Spirit of God.” Jesus referred to casting out demons as robbing a strongman of his goods. The strong man is a metaphor for a demon. The binding of him refers to how Jesus disables him as the believer places him in the hands of God. The “spoiling” of the strong man’s goods refers to his captive being set free from him. [7]
“They overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” [8] The blood of the Lamb cancelled all Satan’s claims against us because the blood of the Lamb removed our sins. The Word of our Testimony is JESUS. He is our Redeemer. Whether or not the Lord delivers us from death threats, we are determined to serve Him... “they did not love their lives to the death.”
“God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” [9]
The mission of the Church is “to open the eyes of unbelievers, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are made holy by faith in Christ.” [10]
The Lord provides us spiritual weapons and protection to overcome the evil one. [11]
We are more than conquerors through Christ that loves us. [12]
The day is coming when evil will end. However, until that day we must fight the good fight of faith. [13]
To seek to save souls is to enter the battle against Satan.
The awesomely bright side to spiritual warfare is SALVATION. One of the greatest of blessings this side of heaven is to be God’s vessel to share the Gospel with a lost soul and see that person saved by the power of Christ.
[1] Matthew 6:13
[2] James 4:7
[3] 1 Timothy 4:2
[4] 1 John 3:8
[5] Luke 5:17, 19
[6] Mark 16:17; (Mark 9:38-39; Acts 16:18; 19:11-16)
[7] Matthew 12:28-29
[8] Revelation 12:11
[9] 2 Timothy 1:7
[10] Acts 26:18
[11] Ephesians 6:10-18
[12] Romans 8:37
[13] Revelation 20:10, 15; 1Timothy 6:12
[12] Romans 8:37
[13] Revelation 20:10, 15; 1Timothy 6:12
Saturday, August 11, 2012
A Beautiful Life
A man with great material wealth wrote Ecclesiastes from the perspective of a self-minded person. He had denied himself no pleasure, but after those pleasures were experienced, depression set in. Thanks to God, he came to his senses, and wrote Ecclesiastes to encourage others not to make the same mistake that he did.
Rivalry may be used as a motivator to spur on work, but rivalry doesn’t result in revival. Revival springs forth from a heart that is set free from the sinful self and filled with love by Jesus Christ.
“He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” [1]
“Thank You Heavenly Father for making beautiful that which lacked beauty. Please help us to fathom Your doings more fully.”
“I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear Him.” [2]
“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful works.”
“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” [3] Abiding in God’s love yields tranquility whereas sinful pride never has enough.
King Solomon describes the life of wisdom in the passage below:
“The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath: one person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. People curse those who hoard grain, but they pray God’s blessing on those who are willing to sell. Whoever seeks good finds favor...” [4]
Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” [5]
God’s love initiates well-being and good outcomes. When we abide in His love, good things happen. The love of Christ compels us to be what we would never be on our own, namely, a person whose beauty is from God, and is for the glory of God!
[1] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[2] Ecclesiastes 3:14
[3] Ecclesiastes 4:6
[4] Proverbs 11:24-27
[5] Matthew 10:8
Rivalry may be used as a motivator to spur on work, but rivalry doesn’t result in revival. Revival springs forth from a heart that is set free from the sinful self and filled with love by Jesus Christ.
“He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” [1]
“Thank You Heavenly Father for making beautiful that which lacked beauty. Please help us to fathom Your doings more fully.”
“I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear Him.” [2]
“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful works.”
“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” [3] Abiding in God’s love yields tranquility whereas sinful pride never has enough.
King Solomon describes the life of wisdom in the passage below:
“The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath: one person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. People curse those who hoard grain, but they pray God’s blessing on those who are willing to sell. Whoever seeks good finds favor...” [4]
Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” [5]
God’s love initiates well-being and good outcomes. When we abide in His love, good things happen. The love of Christ compels us to be what we would never be on our own, namely, a person whose beauty is from God, and is for the glory of God!
[1] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[2] Ecclesiastes 3:14
[3] Ecclesiastes 4:6
[4] Proverbs 11:24-27
[5] Matthew 10:8
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Christ the Vein Where True Treasures are Hidden
“Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they refine it. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.” “Its stones are the source of sapphires, and it contains gold dust.” [1]
From fire and rock, from heat and hardness come precious jewels and metals. Miners go to great depths and endure hardships to mine these treasures.
Job speaks of something more valuable than precious stones and metals. Those shiny objects were of no use to him in the day that tried like fire. He asks, “Where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.” [2]
Job contrasts the value of wisdom with fine gold, onyx, and sapphire. Is wisdom really better than costly metals or precious jewels? As if comparing wisdom to gold and precious jewels was not enough, Job continued and said wisdom is better than crystal, coral, pearls, rubies, topaz, and pure gold. [3]
Where can wisdom be found? Job concluded, “God understands its way, and He knows its place.” [4] God points us to His Son Jesus Christ in the Bible as His wisdom.
“...Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” [5] “Christ Jesus became for us wisdom from God.” [6] “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [7]
To acquire true treasure we need not dig deep into the heart of the earth. We need to simply humble ourselves before God as a child turns to a parent for help. Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children.” [8]
Paul declared, “The Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” [9] Jesus reveals to us the most meaningful and inspiring riches of this life. He is the vein where true treasures are hidden. He invites you and me to partake of Him today.
[1] Job 28:1-2, 6
[2] Job 28:12-13
[3] Job 28:15-20
[4] Job 28:23
[5] 1 Corinthians 1:25
[6] 1 Corinthians 1:30
[7] Colossians 2:2-3
[8] Matthew 11:25
[9] Galatians 1:11-12
From fire and rock, from heat and hardness come precious jewels and metals. Miners go to great depths and endure hardships to mine these treasures.
Job speaks of something more valuable than precious stones and metals. Those shiny objects were of no use to him in the day that tried like fire. He asks, “Where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.” [2]
Job contrasts the value of wisdom with fine gold, onyx, and sapphire. Is wisdom really better than costly metals or precious jewels? As if comparing wisdom to gold and precious jewels was not enough, Job continued and said wisdom is better than crystal, coral, pearls, rubies, topaz, and pure gold. [3]
Where can wisdom be found? Job concluded, “God understands its way, and He knows its place.” [4] God points us to His Son Jesus Christ in the Bible as His wisdom.
“...Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” [5] “Christ Jesus became for us wisdom from God.” [6] “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [7]
To acquire true treasure we need not dig deep into the heart of the earth. We need to simply humble ourselves before God as a child turns to a parent for help. Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children.” [8]
Paul declared, “The Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” [9] Jesus reveals to us the most meaningful and inspiring riches of this life. He is the vein where true treasures are hidden. He invites you and me to partake of Him today.
[1] Job 28:1-2, 6
[2] Job 28:12-13
[3] Job 28:15-20
[4] Job 28:23
[5] 1 Corinthians 1:25
[6] 1 Corinthians 1:30
[7] Colossians 2:2-3
[8] Matthew 11:25
[9] Galatians 1:11-12
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Streets of Gold Not Shades of Grey
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” [1]
Jesus warned against lust. He made it clear that lust leads to hell. It is that serious!
I do not like to talk about lust, but it is something with which we must deal. When Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount, He devoted a paragraph to it.
Lust distorts one’s perspective of people. It objectifies them. It de-humanizes others for the sake of personal gratification. Lust is not love. It is selfish.
Jesus said that to be with Him we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. [2] God’s love lays down one’s own life to make another’s life better. It is about valuing others more than self. Jesus Christ empowers us to love as God loves. We must be in a relationship with God to have His love.
One of my favorite illustrations on God’s love is found in the Trinity: The Father so loved the world that He gave His Son, the Son so loved the world that He gave His life, and the Holy Spirit so loved the world that He deigned to live in humans who believe in Christ. The Bible says: “God is love.” [3] Love is His essence and nature.
The carnal self likes to recklessly enjoy sin. The problem with sin is that after we leave this life for the next one, there is a Judge, and His job is to ensure that no sin enters heaven. And no sin will! Sin must be dealt with at the cross or at the judgment seat. Which will it be?
Thankfully, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus said, namely, that if we embrace lust, we will lose our whole body in hell.
Lust is not a friend. It is a fiend. Lust is not something to gamble on. Those who do, lose.
The Bible urges us to FLEE from lusts. [4] Martin Luther taught, “You cannot stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from nesting in your hair.” We need to treat lustful thoughts like the ugly demons they are.
The Bible says, “Submit yourself to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [5] Love God! Hate provocative images. They are robbers. Read Proverbs chapters 5-7 to hear what the wisest man in the world said about lust.
In the Book of Revelation, there are two women: the Bride of Christ and the Harlot Babylon. Babylon is described as an enemy of God's saints. She seeks to destroy them. The Bride of Christ is described as God’s holy people. She is the one who inherits God and His blessings. Babylon is the one who is destroyed by God. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus encourages His people to have nothing to do with Babylon.
If there is anything worth pursuing, it is God’s holiness. Holy vessels do not taint what God pours through them. Jesus said, “For their sake I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” [7] Holiness is about being God’s blessing to others.
With the release of “Fifty Shades of Grey” and other movies of this genre, hell has opened wide its mouth to devour souls. Like fish plucked from the sea, once people take the bait, they are hooked and captured. Unless they submit themselves to God and resist the devil, the devil will NOT flee from them. They will be his captives. They will be his quarry.
Repent of lust. Ask God to forgive you. Ask God to rescue you from it. Lust has the potential to destroy your soul in hell. It is that serious. Ask God to keep you from temptation and deliver you from evil. Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.” [6] Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with God’s love. Live to love not to lust!
In the Book of Revelation, an angel showed John the streets in New Jerusalem. They were made of gold so pure that a person can see through them. Choose gold not grey. Choose God not lust. Heaven is where God and humanity dwell in unity. There are multitudes of angels and people there. It is a place of singing and joy unspeakable. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” [8]
[1] Matthew 5:27-29
[2] Matthew 16:24
[3] 1 John 4:8, 16
[4] 2 Timothy 2:22
[5] James 4:7
[6] John 8:36
[7] John 17:19
[8] Colossians 3:2; (Revelation 21-22)
Five more Bible verses on holiness:
1 Thessalonians 5:23: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
2 Corinthians 6:1: “As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4: “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.”
Jesus warned against lust. He made it clear that lust leads to hell. It is that serious!
I do not like to talk about lust, but it is something with which we must deal. When Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount, He devoted a paragraph to it.
Lust distorts one’s perspective of people. It objectifies them. It de-humanizes others for the sake of personal gratification. Lust is not love. It is selfish.
Jesus said that to be with Him we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. [2] God’s love lays down one’s own life to make another’s life better. It is about valuing others more than self. Jesus Christ empowers us to love as God loves. We must be in a relationship with God to have His love.
One of my favorite illustrations on God’s love is found in the Trinity: The Father so loved the world that He gave His Son, the Son so loved the world that He gave His life, and the Holy Spirit so loved the world that He deigned to live in humans who believe in Christ. The Bible says: “God is love.” [3] Love is His essence and nature.
The carnal self likes to recklessly enjoy sin. The problem with sin is that after we leave this life for the next one, there is a Judge, and His job is to ensure that no sin enters heaven. And no sin will! Sin must be dealt with at the cross or at the judgment seat. Which will it be?
Thankfully, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus said, namely, that if we embrace lust, we will lose our whole body in hell.
Lust is not a friend. It is a fiend. Lust is not something to gamble on. Those who do, lose.
The Bible urges us to FLEE from lusts. [4] Martin Luther taught, “You cannot stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from nesting in your hair.” We need to treat lustful thoughts like the ugly demons they are.
The Bible says, “Submit yourself to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [5] Love God! Hate provocative images. They are robbers. Read Proverbs chapters 5-7 to hear what the wisest man in the world said about lust.
In the Book of Revelation, there are two women: the Bride of Christ and the Harlot Babylon. Babylon is described as an enemy of God's saints. She seeks to destroy them. The Bride of Christ is described as God’s holy people. She is the one who inherits God and His blessings. Babylon is the one who is destroyed by God. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus encourages His people to have nothing to do with Babylon.
If there is anything worth pursuing, it is God’s holiness. Holy vessels do not taint what God pours through them. Jesus said, “For their sake I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” [7] Holiness is about being God’s blessing to others.
With the release of “Fifty Shades of Grey” and other movies of this genre, hell has opened wide its mouth to devour souls. Like fish plucked from the sea, once people take the bait, they are hooked and captured. Unless they submit themselves to God and resist the devil, the devil will NOT flee from them. They will be his captives. They will be his quarry.
Repent of lust. Ask God to forgive you. Ask God to rescue you from it. Lust has the potential to destroy your soul in hell. It is that serious. Ask God to keep you from temptation and deliver you from evil. Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.” [6] Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with God’s love. Live to love not to lust!
In the Book of Revelation, an angel showed John the streets in New Jerusalem. They were made of gold so pure that a person can see through them. Choose gold not grey. Choose God not lust. Heaven is where God and humanity dwell in unity. There are multitudes of angels and people there. It is a place of singing and joy unspeakable. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” [8]
[1] Matthew 5:27-29
[2] Matthew 16:24
[3] 1 John 4:8, 16
[4] 2 Timothy 2:22
[5] James 4:7
[6] John 8:36
[7] John 17:19
[8] Colossians 3:2; (Revelation 21-22)
Five more Bible verses on holiness:
1 Thessalonians 5:23: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
2 Corinthians 6:1: “As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4: “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.”
Thursday, August 2, 2012
De-escalating Verbal Violence
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” [1]
Stay calm. Don’t lose self-control. The more you stress you lose control of your emotional self and become irrational. KNOW your reaction level. If you are getting angry, KNOW when to back off.
We don’t know what just happened in a person’s life to make them behave the way they are.
Signs of emotional duress include pacing, wringing of hands, fidgety, and sweating profusely. Don’t avoid the upset person. Ask how they are. Spend time listening. Only speak when you need to clarify your understanding of what they just said. Then, stop talking again.
People often resolve their own issues if we respond to their expressed needs by asking them what THEY plan to do about it. What are the options THEY are considering? We don’t take their problem on. We let them talk about how THEY will resolve the problem.
When a person is defensive, they usually start talking progressively louder. They may swear and become derogatory. It is usually during an agitated moment that they become violent. Don’t use a direct approach, i.e., “you (something).” Instead, say, “I’m concerned about your behavior. You may hurt yourself or someone else.”
When speaking with an irate person, stand at a slight angle to them as opposed to straight in front of them eye to eye and nose to nose. Face to face can be threatening. To stand at a side-angle conveys help rather than confrontation. Also, we should stand with our arms down and palms out to convey non-aggressive behavior.
Learn the art of setting limits. Outline for the person what behavior is allowed and what is not. For example, with an irate person, you could say, “Please try to get your anger under control. If you can’t get your anger under control, we will have to ask you to leave. If you cool down, we can sit and talk.” After telling them their positive and negative options, let them choose. Do enforce the consequence if they don’t listen.
Statistics show that people with mental issues are apt to be the victims of violence more than the perpetrators of it. Drugs can cause violent tendencies. Give people with a history of violence a shorter leash before intervening. Significant losses can negatively affect a person’s behavior.
People act against a perceived threat. The average personal space someone needs is three feet. Back up if tension is escalating. If you are too close, they may feel threatened. If you are a big person talking to a small person, consider backing up more. Older people tend to expect more space than younger people. Consider the volume and tone of your language. Sarcasm is a reaction to stress. A person on the defense may challenge you or defy you.
Power struggles are an emotional landmine. People may challenge your authority and credibility. When you are locked into a power struggle with a non-compliant person, focus on the problem at hand and not on the power struggle. If we take the threat personally, we become more focused on self. Ignore insults and stay with the issues at hand.
CARE stands for...
Concentrate - give full attention with body language and words
Acknowledge - nod head and consider what is said
Respond - repeat what they said back to them
Empathy - see through the eyes of another
Remember to:
Explain which specific behavior is inappropriate
Explain why the behavior is inappropriate
Give reasonable choices with consequences
Allow time to comply so as not to seem to give an ultimatum
Enforce the consequence if necessary
Time is your friend; the longer you can delay enforcement the better
“Code red” can be used as a signal for another person to help. Call 911 immediately if the situation is uncontrollable. [2]
[1] Matthew 5:9
[2] 8.2.12 notes from teaching by Mr. Steve Wiggins. Former Administrator at the Kentucky Western State Mental Hospital
Stay calm. Don’t lose self-control. The more you stress you lose control of your emotional self and become irrational. KNOW your reaction level. If you are getting angry, KNOW when to back off.
We don’t know what just happened in a person’s life to make them behave the way they are.
Signs of emotional duress include pacing, wringing of hands, fidgety, and sweating profusely. Don’t avoid the upset person. Ask how they are. Spend time listening. Only speak when you need to clarify your understanding of what they just said. Then, stop talking again.
People often resolve their own issues if we respond to their expressed needs by asking them what THEY plan to do about it. What are the options THEY are considering? We don’t take their problem on. We let them talk about how THEY will resolve the problem.
When a person is defensive, they usually start talking progressively louder. They may swear and become derogatory. It is usually during an agitated moment that they become violent. Don’t use a direct approach, i.e., “you (something).” Instead, say, “I’m concerned about your behavior. You may hurt yourself or someone else.”
When speaking with an irate person, stand at a slight angle to them as opposed to straight in front of them eye to eye and nose to nose. Face to face can be threatening. To stand at a side-angle conveys help rather than confrontation. Also, we should stand with our arms down and palms out to convey non-aggressive behavior.
Learn the art of setting limits. Outline for the person what behavior is allowed and what is not. For example, with an irate person, you could say, “Please try to get your anger under control. If you can’t get your anger under control, we will have to ask you to leave. If you cool down, we can sit and talk.” After telling them their positive and negative options, let them choose. Do enforce the consequence if they don’t listen.
Statistics show that people with mental issues are apt to be the victims of violence more than the perpetrators of it. Drugs can cause violent tendencies. Give people with a history of violence a shorter leash before intervening. Significant losses can negatively affect a person’s behavior.
People act against a perceived threat. The average personal space someone needs is three feet. Back up if tension is escalating. If you are too close, they may feel threatened. If you are a big person talking to a small person, consider backing up more. Older people tend to expect more space than younger people. Consider the volume and tone of your language. Sarcasm is a reaction to stress. A person on the defense may challenge you or defy you.
Power struggles are an emotional landmine. People may challenge your authority and credibility. When you are locked into a power struggle with a non-compliant person, focus on the problem at hand and not on the power struggle. If we take the threat personally, we become more focused on self. Ignore insults and stay with the issues at hand.
CARE stands for...
Concentrate - give full attention with body language and words
Acknowledge - nod head and consider what is said
Respond - repeat what they said back to them
Empathy - see through the eyes of another
Remember to:
Explain which specific behavior is inappropriate
Explain why the behavior is inappropriate
Give reasonable choices with consequences
Allow time to comply so as not to seem to give an ultimatum
Enforce the consequence if necessary
Time is your friend; the longer you can delay enforcement the better
“Code red” can be used as a signal for another person to help. Call 911 immediately if the situation is uncontrollable. [2]
[1] Matthew 5:9
[2] 8.2.12 notes from teaching by Mr. Steve Wiggins. Former Administrator at the Kentucky Western State Mental Hospital
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