Category Archives: Discipleship and Christianity today

Christians doing their homework

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A lot of Christians haven’t done their homework. And, sadly, that often results in their being made fools of in public discussions. If anyone should have and treasure the truth, it should be Christians. And facts and truth run hand in hand. If you think you are going to make it by just your emotions, how much you love Jesus and therefore are so vehemently right, I’m afraid you may often end up being made a fool of. And that shouldn’t happen.

My early years of being a Christian were often spent on the street, personally witnessing to people in places like Hollywood Boulevard in California or later Trafalgar Square in London and Dam Square in Amsterdam. And I can tell you, it took more than just loving the Lord to be able to do that. I had to do my homework. I had to know what the facts were or I’d be made a fool of by people who would ask me tricky questions that I didn’t know how to answer. Or sometimes sincere questions by “lost sheep” and I didn’t know what the answer was. It was similar to combat or working in an emergency room and I had to learn what to say and what to do or I’d really be failing the Lord, others and even endanger my faith.

But it seems nowadays that if we Christians just have a snappy rejoinder or popular comeback, we think that’s all we need. It’s not. And the enemy of God can again and again make us look like ignoramuses when that really isn’t necessary. I personally don’t feel like I need to retreat into my warm, fuzzy Christian shell and let the atheists take the day and the high ground. But if we don’t do our homework and even be willing to break out of some of our pet doctrines that some Christian leaders expect us to hold, then I think we can really see a continuing defeat for Christian truth in the realm of public discourse. Because so many think that babbling zingers back at people is what God wants us to do, rather than really speaking the truth in Christ.

We’re supposed to “be always ready to give an answer to them that ask of us” (I Peter 3:15). Sometimes those answers can be simple since often God’s truth is simple. But also there are times to “know your stuff” and not be browbeaten and made to look like fools so that we default to simplistic, cream-puff answers. It’s like the Lord said for us to be, “Wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) Jesus Himself and also the early Christians in the book of Acts were relevant and had the high ground in the battles of dialogue they had in their day. They said of Jesus, “no man ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46). And later it was said of Stephen, “They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.” (Acts 6:10)

Today someone sent me from Scandinavia a very timely and troubling news article about more and more people having a biometric chip implanted under their skin on their hand. Of course for most Christians, this immediately brings to mind the verses in Revelation 13, having to do with the final days before the return of Jesus, how that “no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the number of the beast in his hand or forehead.” (Revelation 13:16)

I found it very interesting that this procedure in Scandinavia is continuing to gain ground where it’s been going on a few years. It’s another sign that things are getting closer and closer to the final days spoken of in the Bible. But then also I felt a sense of sadness. Because I just almost expect that a lot of Christians will immediate pipe up and say that what those folks in Scandinavia and other places in Europe are doing is the literal fulfillment of Revelation 13 and that those individuals who have done this already are now doomed by the Word of God itself to the Lake of Fire.

It’s like watching a chess match or a sport event and you see someone making a move and you just know they are going to suffer for it and be made fools of. Because, as far as I know,

what those people are doing in having that chip implanted in their hand at this time is not specifically, utterly and completely a fulfillment of what is spoken of in Revelation 13.

Is it a major step along the way? Certainly. Is that technology most likely to be what is used for the final Mark of the Beast in the final world government of the endtime? Almost certainly. But the Lord is not going to send people to hell because of some economic step they’ve taken to link them to the commercial system. The Mark of the Beast is certainly going to be that but also much more. Exactly what, we don’t know at this time.

But if Christians now go crazy and start getting irrational about these chip implants that are going on, this is playing exactly into the hand of the enemies of God. They can effortlessly make us look like religious kooks and extremist and the undecided people will be wondering about it since it looks rather innocuous at this time to them.

So, folks, do your homework. This reminds me of another article I wrote a few years back called “Don’t shoot till you see the whites of their eyes”. Or the video I did called “Famous Failures of Prophetic Interpretation.” Don’t go off half cocked. Try a little of that “wise as serpents” thing the Lord spoke of. He also said “The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light”. (Luke 16:8)

Maybe we ought to remember that in the endtime, “the people who do know thier God shall be strong and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many”. (Daniel 11:32 & 33) But we will be made fools of, as has happened many times, when we just run our mouths in emotions without really getting the mind of the Lord and the wisdom of the Lord so as to know what we really ought to be saying in these situations. “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God…” (James 1:5) “Wisdom is the principle thing”. (Proverbs 4:7

Daily habits

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Daily habits at times can seem to be a pointless routine, a of rut of drudgery that we fall into. But this morning I was struck by how thankful I am that I have some daily spiritual habits that have become a part of my life and that they have been for my good.

Some of us just like spontaneity. We’re skeptical of almost any established thing and we just want to kick over the traditions and have a really good cleansing revolution! But then many find that it’s a whole lot easier to be opposed to something and to find fault than it is to really find something truly better. And then, next, to steadfastly go that better way, building up a better life, a better structure and better system than the one we so vehemently originally opposed.

And often it can start with person daily habits. When we were kids, if we had good parents, they taught us such simple things as brushing our teeth, taking a bath, looking both ways before crossing the street, tiny little seemingly insignificant things. But often it’s those habits that make up our lives for the most part and the importance of little things done daily is so often a theme in the Bible.

For me, having daily devotions is a fundamental part of my life. Spending decades on the mission field, working closely with other Christian disciples, you just find that it’s essential to start the day off with prayer, devotion and some time in God’s Word. And now, although I’m not working as closely as I did with others years ago, I still just don’t have a day go by without a time of morning devotions.

I have music that I listen to, songs of faith, that help me start the day. Then, after breakfast, I have several devotional books that have readings for each day of the year that I go through. I have two of the books from “Streams in the Desert” by Mrs. Cowman which have been such a blessing. I read daily from A. B. Simpson’s “Days of Heaven on Earth”. I listen to Spurgen’s “Morning and Evening” thoughts. And a highpoint for me has been to listen to readings of J. C. Ryle’s thoughts on the gospel of Luke.

After this devotion time is finished, I go out to the extended back yard we have on this property on the countryside and take some time in prayer and getting quiet and pouring out my heart before the Lord. Several of the blog articles I’ve written came from thoughts that came to me during this time out in the back. “Green Leaves Hanging On” and “Cardinals in the Winter” are two like that.

And actually, when you read the Bible, you find that this experience of daily habits that the Lord wants us to have has been a constant for thousands of years. Daniel was accustomed to praying 3 times a day and this is what his adversaries used to accuse him to the king of Persia that he was worshiping contrary to the King’s decrees. Of course the whole Law of Moses was full of edicts and guidelines on how the Jews should worship God, in the temple as well as in almost every aspect of their lives.

Can it all turn into tradition and meaningless formalism? It certainly can and sadly often does. The Bible and history is full of that happening. But what’s probably even worse is that, repulsed by empty traditions, many people commit an even greater sin. They “throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

They root out the wheat with the tares, to use the analogy that Jesus shared. Yes, of course: empty, meaningless tradition and formalism is nothing but husks in our teeth. But often there originally were sustaining, invigorating eternal truths that were the basis of the traditions and habits that once had such significance.

So we’ve to come full circle to the beginning again. For me, I have a daily routine that has been good for me. I have daily devotions. I have time in God’s Word. I even review around 40 Bible verses every day of the large number of ones I memorized in my first few years as a Christian. I sing songs of dedication and love for the Lord. I go out in nature and take time with the Lord, probably not very differently from what Isaac did nearly 4000 years ago when he “went out into the field to meditate at eventide.” (Genesis 24:63)

And I hope you have some healthy, sustaining daily habits. We have to not just take care of ourselves physically but we have to cultivate healthy, Godly daily habits as the Lord has been leading His people to do since the beginning. God help us all to not through the baby out with the bathwater. May He help us to maintain Godly “traditions” and routines which keep us on the straight and narrow path of life and His will.

Is it a sin?

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Lord forgive me, sometimes it gets to me a bit when I hear some folks constantly asking, “Is it a sin to…?” Is it a sin to wear make-up? Is it a sin to watch TV? Is it a sin to eat pig? It honestly seems like this is almost the overriding thought on the minds of some people.

Well, thank God. I guess I could also look at it like at least they’re trying to please God by not sinning or doing something wrong. There are far, far more people in the world who are like what it says in Proverbs, “Fools make a mock at sin.” (Proverbs 14:9) For the unbelieving, the whole concept of sin is utterly foreign and abhorrent to them and they reject the whole idea. That’s what I wrote about in the article “What is sin?”.

But there are some Christians who evidently have come to a place where their overriding thought process is to be so fearful of sin and its power in their lives that questions of what is a sin in every affair of everyday life makes this their continual conversation. I find that sad and a misplaced understanding of things.

Is it good to have a tender conscience? Of course, absolutely. Is it good to want to “not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices”? (II Cor. 2:11) Certainly so. We definitely should be on guard in our conscience against sin and not have a light attitude towards the evils in the world or even the sins that rather easily spring up in our own hearts and minds.

But it seems to me that some Christians have not gotten very far in a Scriptural understanding of what sin is. A few verses come to mind among the many on the subject and I’ll share them here. For one, Jesus said, “Not that which enters into the mouth defiles a man, but that which comes out of the mouth defiles a man.” (Mat. 15:11) Or it’s like the verse, “The kingdom of God is not in meat and drink but righteous, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 14:17) Fundamentally it has rather little to do with what you eat or don’t eat and what you wear or don’t wear.

One of the greatest chapters on the whole subject, which I often think about when I see again the outflow of questions about “Is it a sin…?” is Romans 14. Paul says, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23) Think about that!

Is it a sin for a woman to wear make-up? Is it a sin to drink beer? The principles in Romans 14 can and should be applied to so many things. Some things can be done in one situation and among some people which would not be appropriate or fitting in another and could be a sin. Paul said, “It is good neither to eat meat or anything whereby your brother is stumbled or is offended.” (Romans 14:21)

Of course, sadly, some people are offended pretty easily and they should be taught to grow up some and to have a more full understanding of the ways of the Lord. Paul said some eat meat and others being weak, only eat herbs. I can’t quote the whole chapter here but I suggest, if you feel you may have questions along this line, to do a real study on Romans 14.

The clinching verses at the end of the chapter say, “Have you faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is the man who condemns not himself in that thing which he allows. And he that eats [or wears make-up or anything else like this] is dammed if he eats if he eats not of faith. For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:22 & 23)

But this whole thing can get to be a downward spiral of fear, confusion and particularly condemnation and it ends up being disastrous to your spiritual life. I went through some things like this in my early Christian life and they were really some battles. I wrote about these things in “Conviction or Condemnation”, you might find some things in that article that are pertinent to this subject.

The Bible says we should “Walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4), not walk in a foreboding gloom and cloud of fear that at any second we’re going to be defeated by sin.

That’s not the perspective taught in the New Testament. Again, let me just say, it definitely is good to be aware of “the enemy who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour.” (I Pet. 5:8) And it’s certainly true that we need to remain aware of “the sins which do so easily beset us.” (Heb. 12:1)

But even more we need to be mindful of “the blood of Christ which cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1:7) Instead of constantly voicing our fears and worries about our sins, it would be more fruitful and Godly to praise God for the victories He’s given us over all sin and then to get busy following the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He leads us into all truth and shows us those around us who need our love and friendship.

Maybe some folks need to memorize the verse about “He that is begotten of God keeps himself and that wicked one touches him not.” (I John 5:18) God said in one place, “I also kept you from sinning against me.” (Genesis 20:6) Overemphasizing and accentuating sin is just not what the Lord really wants from us. It’s not “looking unto Jesus”; it’s looking unto our own “old man”, our sinful self instead of the Lord.

So I have gotten that off my heart. I hope it is a help to someone and will help you to have more peace, joy, freedom and power to get going with God instead of dwelling in the valley of your own sinful self. We’re all sinful; we all have battles, that’s why we have so many victories, because we have to keep bringing it all to the Lord. “Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you, He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22) “Looking unto Jesus…!” (Hebrews 12:2) Not your sinful self.

Steadfast

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It was said of Jesus, “He set His face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) I got that verse for myself this morning in prayer. “Steadfast.” That’s not a word you read in the New York Times or hear on Fox News very much. But that’s how the gospel of Luke described Jesus of Nazareth as He moved towards Jerusalem, after 3 years of ministry, where He knew He would experience the death of the cross.

I’ve been feeling a little tired today. I’m very thankful for my life but I’ve come to a place where I feel compelled every day to really make the very most of the time and energy I have in order to plow it into the work of the Lord that He’s made possible for me. The Lord said “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mat. 11:30) But He also said to His disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luk. 9:23) And I’m exceedingly thankful that the Lord has led me into the present ministry I have of producing videos in foreign languages about the prophecies of Daniel. And in this ministry, it often becomes like what Paul said of himself, “I die daily.” (I Cor. 15:31)

There’s joy in our labors but they can be real labors. So many of us have spent years working in some slavish, mundane 9-to-5 job, under sometimes rather cruel taskmasters, mostly serving Mammon in order that we can feed our families and pay bills. So, how much more should we put our whole heart into our service for God in the ministry He opens for us?

And it can come down to what can be called steadfastness. It may not be part of our character but it can be a grace given us by the Lord Himself to just not cave in to fatigue, weariness, distraction and all the things that can deter us from the heavenly vision set before us.

I guess if you don’t have the heavenly vision, it’s so much more difficult to have steadfastness. Solomon said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18) and of course for so many Christians, their personal vision of God’s will in their lives is not really full or complete.

Jesus doubtless had the heavenly vision, even if in His case that vision was His crucifixion at Jerusalem for the sins of mankind. Paul said of himself, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) and certainly Christ was the greatest example of that. He was steadfast. He “poured out His soul unto death.” (Isaiah 53:12)

But for most of us, it’s not the death of the cross or that of a martyr that’s before us. It’s the many little deaths each day , of taking up our cross each day and living out our lives in obedience to the will of God. Most churches will teach you the part about being comforted by God but fewer emphasize the Scriptures teaching us to comfort others.

Many know the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. But fewer have embraced I John 3:16 which says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Jesus set His face steadfastly to lay down His life for us. We should take it as our calling and commission, each and every one of us, to lay down our lives for our brethren and for the lost and bedarkened souls of this world.

As has often happened, I came back from my prayer walk this morning to write up this lesson the Lord spoke to me about and laid on my heart. It’s a little like another verse that says, “As the outward man perishes, the inward man is renewed day by day.” (II Cor. 4:6) And “As your day, so shall your strength be.” (Deut. 33:25) Or as some say in a more secular sense nowadays, “it’s better to wear out that to rust out.”

But I do think, if more Christians went further in the heavenly vision of truly laying down their lives for the brethren, for feeding the sheep, for witnessing and wining souls or whatever step the Lord is leading in their lives that they have not followed, then the Lord would greatly strengthen them for the task.

God can and will give us all the steadfastness that can come when we’ve embraced the vision and have committed ourselves to a life of greater sacrifice in order to bring His life and love to this present world. May the Lord truly help every one of us who believe in Him to not only believe but also to obey Him in steadfastly going the extra mile for the sake of others and in service to our Lord and God.

Judge not?

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Many people have heard what Jesus said in one place, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1) And then they’ll say, “Who are we to judge?” Personally I believe that these thoughts have been overused and misapplied to where believers have become emasculated and led to think that passive acquiescence to evil is what they’re called to do.

So let me share some less well known verses which may bring some balance on this subject. In I Corinthians chapter 5, Paul had just effectively excommunicated someone from the Corinthian body of believers for what was a vile wrongdoing. But then, in the next chapter, he went on to reprove and admonish the Corinthian Christians, saying this, “Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?” (I Corinthians 6:2 & 3)

It seems clear from this passage that the well known admonition of “Judge not” that Jesus taught was not to be taken so broadly and universally that it was to hinder believers from “judging righteous judgment”, another of the Lord’s teachings.

In fact, in that verse in John 7:24, He tells us that we actually should judge. The verse in full says, “Judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgment.” As is so often the case, one passage in Scripture has been seized upon and used out of context to sadly make an imbalanced view of some admonition from God so that it ends up conveying the almost totally wrong idea.

“But Mark, Jesus did say “Judge not”. Are you contradicting Christ, Mark?”

No, of course I am not. Jesus went on to say in that passage, “with what judgment you judge you shall be judged”. And James the Lord’s brother also spoke on this saying, “He shall have judgment without mercy that has showed no mercy. And mercy rejoices against judgment.” (James 2:13) Harsh, hypocritical, myopic judgment was what Jesus was speaking against in Matthew 7.

Jesus was not teaching that we should just all utterly wimp out to where we end up being spineless neutrals, “who-am-I-to-judge”, string-for-a-backbone milquetoasts. But millions of Christians are convinced that this is the proper understanding of Jesus’ words and that “pardon-me-for-living” convictions are some kind of testimony of the love of God.

What a device of the devil! How Satan has disarmed and imprisoned so many children of the Most High to where they are rendered almost utterly useless in the battle that rages about us for the souls of men, for the morals of our nations, for the very lives and hearts of our children. I believe with all within me that the body of Christ around the world should be awake, galvanized and properly trained to be, not spectators but active participants at the forefront of the battle for right or wrong, light or darkness and God or Satan that is raging and intensifying every day.

But if your mantra is, “Who am I to judge?”, you’re already almost eliminated from being the player for God that He so desperately needs you to be.

“But Mark, who am I? I don’t have a seminary degree, Mark! I don’t know what to say, Mark! I tried it one time and someone said something that I didn’t know the answer to!  Mark, that’s what our pastor is for! He’s the one that is supposed to lead souls to Christ, not me! Mark, if people want to know about God, let them go to church!”

That’s why I sadly believe that the Lord will ultimately allow great suffering and tribulation to come upon the nominally Christian nations of the world. They may be saved but the vast majority of Christians are already defeated and disarmed. I believe many millions have saving faith; but for the most part, they’ve gone only a little further.

They may be believers, but very few can be called disciples. Of course there are exceptions to this and there are many who are more broken now, more desperate now that the powers of darkness have taken the high ground so clearly throughout much of the once Christian nations. Some are waking up. Some are fighting back and standing up for the Lord. But it’s a very small minority.

Elijah thought that he was the only one left of the Lord’s true people and he told the Lord that. But the Lord said at that time to him that “there are 7000 in Israel who’ve not bowed the knee to Baal” (I Kings 19:18). And then the Lord in effect told Elijah to get busy. God had someone of the next generation that He wanted Elijah to train, the upcoming prophet Elisha, who actually went on to do twice as many miracles as Elijah.

We just have to stand on the Rock, hold on to our crowns and continue to do all that we can, every single day for the Lord to not just be weak, passive “believers” but active, alive discipleship Christians, truly serving the Lord daily. That’s one thing we can do, we can do what we can to be faithful in our generation. God has to do the miracle; He has to bring the awakening. Or the judgment.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 2:42 & 5:42)

Our giants

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One of the more interesting, and to me puzzling guys in the entire Bible is the patriarch Jacob. Some may chide me for saying so but he’s always seemed like almost an anti-hero among the pantheon of Biblical greats.

Jacob even means “deceiver”. He lied to his dad. He tricked his brother out of his inheritance. And he conspired with his mother to do these things. He ended up having to flee for his life and he never saw his beloved mother again.

Did that really teach Jacob a lesson and he was a changed man from then on? No, certainly not immediately it seems. But then God had Jacob work under a more conniving and hard man than he himself was, his uncle Laban. It’s a long story but after some 21 years of work, growth and certainly some bitter lessons learned along the way, God spoke to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” (Genesis 31:4?)

“Oh, great”, you could say, “He’s finally going to be able to go home.”

In Jacob’s case, it was a good deal more problematic than that. By this time Jacob was pretty much a rich man, with vast flocks and herds, wives and children, servants and helpers. And his twin brother, Esau, who he’d so blatantly and subtlety tricked out of his inheritance, was a fairly major local warlord. One way we know this is because, when Esau heard that Jacob was on his way back, he gathered 400 of his personal troops to go out with him to meet his brother.

For what purpose? To get revenge? To give him a big hug? It seems Jacob didn’t really know. But most likely his conscience was still eating away at him because of the scoundrel/crook/rogue-like nature that seemed to be a part of his personality. And this is where it gets really interesting.

Did Jacob boldly walk at the head of his tribe and go forward to meet his brother? No, he sent almost everyone else ahead of him: wives, children, flocks, etc. And then, the night before he was to meet Esau himself, it turns out that the Bible says Jacob “wrestled” with an angel. (Genesis 32:24 & 25)

What a scene, what drama, what pathos. God had evidently softened Jacob’s heart through the years at least somewhat. It wasn’t just him alone anymore. He had a large family who he evidently loved very dearly. And now the possibility was strong that he would get what in most ways he deserved: judgment and destruction of himself and his whole family for the perfidy he’d worked on his parents and brother many years before. He probably knew that if that happened, he would only be getting what justice would decree.

Jacob’s giants were not like David’s hundreds of years later. Jacob’s giants were his own sins and his own evil inclinations. Had he outgrown the sins of his youth? Or was now the time when they would finally catch up with him and it would mean the death of himself and all he loved?

For most of us, our biggest enemy is not someone else, or even the Devil. Our biggest enemy is ourselves. “The devils are subject to us“. (Luke 10:17) But it’s our own evil spirit, our own ornery will that seems to constantly rise up like an ogre to defy God and to lead us astray, even without the devil’s help.

jacob and angelBut Jacob knew the jig was up. We don’t have the entire dialog of that night and all the details. But it must have been one of the most intense battles any man ever fought, pleading with God through the angel as Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:26)

What kind of blessing did Jacob need? Well the next morning he would face his brother and 400 armed men. He needed God to have his brother’s heart touched so that he would receive him as his long lost brother rather than as the trickster and villain he’d actually been. If ever someone had to get their heart right with the Lord and probably really plead with God for the cleansing and remaking he so desperately needed, it must have been Jacob right then.

It sounds like it went on for hours, hours of desperate prayer, wrestling not only with the angel but also his own sins that so easily beset him. But at last, Jacob found grace in God’s sight. The angel even gave Jacob a new name at that time, “Israel”, meaning prince of God and man, perhaps signifying that he was “a new creature” (II Corinthians 5:17) in God’s eyes.

Jacob and esau meetAnd although we don’t know all the story of that momentous night, we do know that, almost surprisingly, the next day Esau didn’t go forward to kill Jacob. It says, “And Esau ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.” (Genesis 33:4) A heartfelt embrace of brothers, much matured and changed through the years who were just glad to see each other again.

Would things have been different if Jacob had not been so desperate in prayer the night before? I’ve always really thought that. Because Jacob really got down to desperate prayer with God, perhaps one of the most desperate in the Bible, most likely God was able to change Esau’s heart also to have mercy rather than justifiable judgment against his brother. God saw that Jacob was desperate for God’s mercy and the Lord did a major miracle.

What a story. Our biggest enemy is ourselves. Getting the victory over “the sins that so easily beset us” (Hebrews 12:1) is our greatest challenge. And, let’s face it: a lot of us don’t always win that battle. May God help us all to fight our “giants” that defy us and will defeat us except for our desperate prayers for the Lord to “deliver us from every evil work and preserve us unto His heavenly kingdom.” (II Timothy 4:18)

Christmas and prophecy

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No other event from 2000 years ago holds the attention of the world like Christmas and the birth of Jesus does. On the other hand, some might say of Christmas, “Not again!”. Or their words might be, “Some unwed teenager has a baby in some shed and we all go crazy!”

But I can tell you one element that’s almost always left out about the story of Christmas which originally was virtually paramount to those who first heard it in the time of ancient Israel. “What’s that?” you ask? Here’s what: Christmas. Was. Prophesied! It’s that important and now virtually unknown. I’ll attempt to explain.

As much as some castigate Christmas, it’s helped make it so that the events of Jesus’ birth are known far and wide and are celebrated yearly, as they have been for 2000 years. People all over the world, Christian or otherwise, often know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. You may be a kid in Baluchistan or in a yeshiva in Brooklyn. But if you ask your teacher, “What’s this thing about Christmas?”, they’ll probably be able to tell you what Christmas is.

But almost no one knows why it matters that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, much less the circumstances of His mother, Mary. And that’s because fulfilled Biblical prophecy has become one of the unknown phenomenon of our enlightened times. Has there been a conspiracy or intentional cover-up to remove Bible prophecy from our knowledge? I don’t think it’s actually that. Nevertheless the plain fulfillment of prophecy is one of the greatest proofs of a supernatural God who has a plan for mankind and is steering events toward an ultimate showdown between Light and Darkness.

“Great, Mark; so what was prophesied about Christmas?”

First, Bethlehem itself was predicted specifically by God through the mouth of the prophet Micah to be the birthplace of the coming King of the Jews, over 700 years before Jesus’ birth. It says in Micah 5:2, (God speaking to the town of Bethlehem), “But you Bethlehem, though you be small among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth the one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose going forth is from old, from everlasting.”

The Jews of Jesus’ time knew exactly what this meant and even used it to try to prove Jesus was not the Messiah. Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth. So the unbelieving Jews knew Jesus was from Nazareth and said, “Has not Scripture said that Christ shall come from the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42) But Christ did come from the town of Bethlehem; He was born there although he grew up in Nazareth. I guess those folks who were trying to use this against Him hadn’t done their research.

What does that mean about “the seed of David and the town of Bethlehem, where David was”? Again, it was majorly significant to people 2000 years ago, but virtually not at all to us now. The Messiah to come for the Jews  was to be a direct descendant of King David, Israel’s greatest king. And, like we’ve read, the Messiah was to be from Bethlehem. Now, 2000 years later, folks still know Jesus was born in Bethlehem. But the significance of this has been erased from the story.

It was prophesied, foretold and every Israeli at that time knew it! They also knew the Messiah was to be a descendant of King David. Was Jesus a physical descendant of David? Absolutely. The opening 16 verses of the book of Matthew traces the linage of “the Virgin Mary” directly back to King David. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

And what about that “Virgin Mary” thing? Please, humor me here but… It. Was. Prophesied! It was prophesied of the Messiah to come that He would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14 says, “The Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.” And Emmanuel means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

The Messiah that every Jew back then looked for would be born in Bethlehem, born of the linage of David and born of a virgin. That’s why Christmas is so important, because Jesus was not some ordinary little baby born to an unmarried teen. He was and is the Messiah promised to Israel.

There’s more. The Roman world of that day knew already that a King was about to be born to the Jews because the knowledge of the prophecies of Daniel was known to some degree throughout the world of that day. In ancient Roman writings can be found places where they knew that Rome was “the fourth kingdom” (Daniel 2:40 & 7:23) and that at that time God would “set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed”. (Daniel 2:44)

If your Christmas has been whittled down to some quick meal like at a fast food joint, if the ingredient of fulfilled prophecy has been eliminated from your spiritual meal, then you surely aren’t getting what was originally there. I just get incensed at how spiritually weak, depleted and malnourished the people of this world have become because they’ve lost the knowledge of God’s mighty power and willingness to foretell the key events of our existence and future here in this world. Christmas was not only a historical event; it was one of the most prophesied events in the history of mankind. But that’s been virtually lost to us.

I hope you have a merry Christmas. But I also hope you “grow in grace and knowledge” (II Peter 3:18)  and are “strengthened in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16) by the power of the truth and Word of God, so much of which is so distant and foreign to the vast majority of those of us in these times. God help us all! Merry Christmas.

Green leaves hanging on

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It’s December, way past Fall, right? But some green leaves are still hanging on. They’re still green, not even turning yellow yet. How’s that happening? I guess they must have a real good grip on the branch. And also they probably were having a good connection with the sap all Spring, Summer and even Fall. Admittedly, there are not many of them. And you can be sure that sooner or later they’ll begin to turn yellow and eventually fall from the tree, like the vast number of other leaves.

Still, it gives one pause for thought. Why do some last longer than others? Why are some still alive and green when all their friends have turned yellow and been blown away? Maybe it’s genetics. Maybe those leaves just got “the luck of the draw” and were “blessed by nature”, as some say, to last longer than others. That might have something to do with it. Even the Bible talks about chance and says “time and chance happen to them all”. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

I’m no arborist so I don’t totally know why this happens. But just the knowledge I do have, simple things that we can all relate to like “holding on”. The Lord told us to “Hold fast that which you have, that no man take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Well, those leaves have still got the look of summer to them against the cold blue skies of winter because they are holding on.

Jesus said, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide in Me.” (John 15:4) I think those green leaves still holding on have probably been doing a good job of really abiding in that tree. They still have life in them. The flow is still there, they are even still producing photosynthesis as they cling to the branch, sending food back to the tree and nourishing it, even in December.

King David said of a person of God, “He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season. His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.”(Psalm 1:3)  So those green leaves, still hanging on in December are a visible example of how God wants us to be.

This little lesson for me happened in basically the same spot in our far backyard this morning as did a similar one around a year ago when I saw a bright red cardinal in the same area, bringing color and cheer against the background of the death of winter. That lesson was called “Cardinals in the winter”.

Of course, as I’ve written elsewhere before, in fact almost many times, “Everything means something“. This is what Paul said in Romans 1:20, “The invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and godhead.” King David understood this also and said in Psalm 19, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” (Psalm 19:1-3)

There is so much information all around us, so many lessons that speak to our hearts through the day if we’re going slow enough to hear them. Paul said, “There are so many voices in the world and none of them is without signification.” (I Corinthians 14:10) Like those leaves. They are holding on. They are still green and full of sap. They haven’t even turned yellow yet.

Maybe it’s even something that could apply to the vision of the future that Bible prophecy points to. One of the signs of the future times is a great “falling away” (II Thessalonians 2:3) and of course many believe we’ve already crossed that bridge a good while back. Formerly strong Christian nations have fallen so far away that true Christianity is in retreat and almost gone in many nations. The “leaves”, the people of faith (what few remain), have mostly turned a pale green or fully yellow, ready to fall away.

And yet, the Word and plan of God says there will still be green leaves on the tree, even in the darkest winter to come, the final days before the return of the Lord. The Bible says there’ll still be green leaves on the seemingly dead tree of Christian faith. “The people who do know there God shall be strong and do exploits. And they who understand amoung the people shall instruct many. ” (Daniel 11:32 & 33), even during the worst onslaughts against Christian faith that ever will happen.

And, strangely, taking the analogy further, the Bible says that some of those last green leaves on the tree will remain until the Spring of all Springs, the glorious return of Jesus “in the clouds with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).

How do I know? Because the Bible says so. It says that at His coming, in that spring of all springs, not only will “the dead in Christ rise first”, but also “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:16 & 17). Green leaves holding on till the spring, holding on through the winter, the worst winter ever for the people of faith.

Some will hold on, abiding in the vine to welcome the great King into the glorious Millennial Kingdom of God to come. Lord help us all still holding on to the Branch and abiding in the vine to continue to stay alive and flourishing for Him. Praise God. “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:14)

Are you in your war room?

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I saw a really good movie last night, “War Room”. Often Christian movies can be a little corny and contrived but this one hit the mark for me. Of course the cynic in me and the cynic among us will say that things aren’t always just like we see in this movie. The other side of the coin is that I personally have experienced what’s in this movie and it changed my life.

It’s not exactly a low budget film but it’s no Hollywood extravagance either. A young wealthy African-American man and his wife are having marriage difficulties when the wife meets a woman a generation older than her, Miss Clara, also African-American. Over coffee Miss Clara learns of Elizabeth’s despair about her marriage and she suggests that a Christian and Godly approach to the trouble would be to fight the problem in prayer and with spiritual weapons to get at the root of the difficulties: sin, forgiveness and the huge need of them all for God’s grace.

In one sense it’s a very modern movie, dealing with modern problems. But in another sense it’s a throwback to the storylines of 60 or 70 years ago. Once upon a time, it was common to have happy endings to movies. Like the famous movie with Jimmy Steward, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, things all work out in the end. That type of movie fell out of vogue long ago and so often in more recent times there’ll be some horrific ending, some depressing tale ending in death and defeat for everyone. But the thing is, for those who are in the Lord and are holding on to Him and His will, there really are happy endings, just like in this movie.

Elizabeth, the wife, after some early stumbles, finally gets down to real and desperate prayer in her “War Room”, a cleaned out closet in her house, after seeing the example of how Miss Clara had done the same at her house. I hate to say it but somehow I feel it does work better to have the lead characters in the movie be African-American. I know white folks who are just as messed up as this young wealthy couple. And also I know white folks who are just as adept at storming the gates of heaven through desperate prayer to get answers as is Miss Clara. But for this movie and for the purpose of the producers, it seems to work better with things the way they’ve done it.

So after Elizabeth getting her own repentance and personal house in order, she continues to pray desperately as she literally fulfills the words of Jesus to “enter into your closet and shut the door and pray to your father in secret.” (Matthew 6:6) And, as the Lord said, the “Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Elizabeth’s husband, a very successful man by wordly standards, comes to his senses of the heart that he’s been a failure to his wife and daughter to love them and a failure to God in his hard heartedness.

Well, there’s more to it but this is the gist of it. Not a bad story line at all and certainly one that’s as needed to be seen in our times, as ever. But the original twist in some ways is that the “war” has to be won in personal, fervent prayer, repentance, confession and then going on the attack against the devil to be able to regain the ground lost to “the prince of this world”. (John 12:31)

The movie of course was panned by critics but, not surprisingly, it’s become a pretty successful movie at the box office. I personally really liked it and agree with everything that they portrayed there. If I had any qualms, it would maybe be from the perspective of someone who’s lived outside the USA for over 30 years of my adult life. The movie was evidently made and directed towards an American audience. Some scenes were reminiscent of somewhat frothy American television productions and at times I did  wonder how those in Berlin or Budapest would view and react to what they were seeing. But for those who can rise above the chummy, feel-good Americana portions of the film, the actually message and spiritual reality that’s being portrayed there is five star.

I was glad to see that there wasn’t a whisper of politics in the film and the actors all evidently really knew personally what they were trying to portray. Miss Clara in particular, the elderly African-American prayer warrior (played by Karen Abercrombie) was excellent. Again, a quibble, I’m from the southern USA and I could understand her accent without a problem. But possibly those outside the USA might have difficulty understanding Miss Clara’s southern, African-American drawl.

Overall I’d say this is a great movie and one I’d recommend. Of course if you are a smug, staunch unbeliever and scoff at prayer, you’ll probably not watch it. Or maybe you’re somewhere in between faith in God and unbelief? In that case, I’d say you should check it out.

What’s in this movie isn’t exactly what happened to me but some of it is mighty close. I had to go through some forceful breakings of my stubborn will and hardened heart by the hand of God. And it was only the undeserved grace of God I ever pulled through into the wonderful life I’ve had for many years. This movie well portrays the spiritual realities of desperate prayer, repentance, fighting spiritual warfare through prayer and the intervention of God in our lives. It’s a good movie; I hope you’ll check it out.

Intimacy in Cyberspace ?

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Intimacy. Let’s admit it: we all want that. Physically, yes; but even as much or more that union of heart with heart with another kindred soul. Jesus prayed to His Father, “That they all may be one, as You, Father are in me and I in you.” (John 17:21) Some have it in their families, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, the special feeling you have with your grandparents.

Intimacy is one of the most desired, sought and even most needed things we have in our lives. And now in our times we have the internet and cyberspace which has made it possible to be in contact basically with nearly anyone anywhere in the world. It’s certainly been a huge thing in my life to where much of my time is based around the material I post on line and communications I have all over the world with people I work with or with ones who’ve viewed or read my material

But am I enjoying intimacy in these settings? Is cyberspace satisfying the deepest desires of my soul and heart? In one sense I can definitely say no. On the other hand, equally I also have to say that some of my interactions with this vast assembly of friends and acquaintances have definitely been very satisfying and encouraging.

Maybe it comes down to what it takes to really satisfy each individual. Some know what real intimacy is like. It can be pinnacle experiences you’ve had in your relationship with God and Christ. It can be those incredible moments of bonding and unity with your mate, where you know you are truly loving that person and are being loved. Even times with your best friend, sharing your heart, being listened to and understood, even that can be a form of intimacy. And of course the interactions we have with our families, when things are going really well, is also a degree of intimacy that can sometimes be sustained over many years.

So how does cyberspace work as being an avenue of intimacy? While it’s been truly fantastic for me personally in being able to reach out across continents to where I’m getting to know folks in places like Rwanda, Dagestan, Nagaland and even remote towns where there are no roads to those places, it still doesn’t beat the real thing.

Real time. Face time. Human to human, right-in-front-of-you where you can see their face, hold their hand, hear their voice. That still is the benchmark of intimacy. We’re not cyborgs. We’re flesh and blood human beings who know the true and full reality when we see it. Cyberspace has been an incredible blessing. But for me it’s not been able to replace the need for traditional reality that humanity has known for millennia.

So, like for probably millions of people, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” In the Lord I certainly have. “You are complete in Him.” (Colossians 2:10) But it’s also true that, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) Even when Adam had God with him in the Garden in a closeness most of us can’t even imagine, God still knew that Adam needed someone like himself beside him. And it’s still the same today.

While I’m thankful for the mass of friends and acquaintances I’ve come to have through the internet, I have to be honest and say that this other aspect of my life, real-time, face-time traditional reality intimacy with others is still pretty lacking in some respects and I feel it a lot.

I can imagine that very many people have turned to cyberspace to try to satisfy the aching void so many feel of the need for real closeness, even true intimacy. I don’t know if you could compare it to those who turn to alcohol or drugs to relieve their heartache but maybe there’s a comparison. But on the internet, you’re mostly interacting with someone real, an actual individual at the other end of a Facebook chat or your email message. So it’s not like alcohol really in that sense. But it can only go so far.

Does intimacy imply ecstasy? No. Solomon said, “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty council.” (Proverbs 27:9) It’s like what I wrote about in “Jonathan, son of Saul”. Evidently King David and Saul’s son Jonathan had a very deep and strong friendship. But there never was any hint of anything physical about it.

Every person needs real, deep intimacy. That’s what we have with God through Jesus. “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 2:5) We are restored, we are reconciled to God in Christ. And those things can bring joys and emotions that words sometimes can’t really reach.

And yet…, and yet we who are still here in this world most of the time still need others. We also need human love. Unity, contact, oneness. It says in the Bible, “Now we know in part, but then shall we know, even as we are known.” (I Corinthians 13:12)

It sounds like, in heaven, intimacy will be the coinage of the realm, intimacy with Christ and God but also with an incredible oneness with each other. But here…? Well, thank God for the internet and the good that has come of it. Still, for me at least I yet yearn and long for intimacy in this world and I know that is not really going to come through cyberspace.

It’s going to have to happen in real time, traditional reality. “The greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13) God help us to continue in Him and His love. And, if it be His will, love with another human being, even real time intimacy.