REVDANS

Let’s face it. We all need a plan of action when it comes to tackling a difficult task. No army takes the field to fight without “counting the cost” as Jesus said, or without having a plan to execute, a battle strategy.

(2 Corinthians 10:3-6) For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way, since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.

THE AIM: THE DEMOLITION OF STRONGHOLDS. What is a stronghold? It is a fortified structure, a detaining wall, a highly defensible position. What strongholds must we demolish? The strongholds of the enemies of the gospel: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Where are these strongholds positioned? Remember that we are not fighting a physical battle, but a spiritual one. I would include in the list of strongholds areas where the enemy has become entrenched in your life. Ingrained bad habits, ways of thinking that are contrary to godly ways, behaviors that are second nature and go unrecognized, but are nonetheless sinful, attitudes that go unchecked and flare out of control: rage, anger, malice, bitterness, resentment, hatred, partiality, self-loathing and punishment, discouragement, despair, depression, despondency and such, sinful attitudes, actions or words that we have come to justify as permissible, even though they are explicitly forbidden by God’s Word, evil speech such as slander, gossip, innuendo, backbiting, name-calling, and blame. Basically, a stronghold exists because we have failed to tear it down. The wisdom, philosophy, ideas, attitudes, motives, values and goals that the world exalts run counter to what God wants. Because we are in the world and listen to the world and are influenced by the world, we fail to even evaluate them and see if they are in line with God’s desires. The more we listen to the world and follow the world’s ways, the more we become immersed in them. Satan’s lies underlie and reinforce the world’s thinking, speaking, and behavior. The flesh desires what the world presents and provides. These three enemies are aligned in their efforts to build fortresses of wrong thinking, wrong speaking, and wrong actions in our lives. The word “argument” is the word for reasoning. We must destroy sinful reasoning that continues to justify, support and encourage sinful living. “Every lofty opinion” is literally “every elevated place or thing.” Those ideas, opinions, reasoning, and attitudes that seek to elevate our desires above God’s desires must be destroyed. We must decide that it will be God’s way, not ours. When you think of all of the bad thinking, acting, and speaking we have grown accustomed to, you begin to realize that this is going to be a fierce struggle, a horrible battle, a bloody war.

Understanding the enemy’s strategies. We must make sure we understand the tactics of the enemies of our faith. We know that deception is a big part of that strategy. Therefore, we must constantly guard our thinking and evaluate every thought, word, and action to see if it conforms to godly living. Rationalizing is another tactic. Getting us to question God, His goodness, His will, His plan and His commands will introduce doubt that will open the door to justification of ungodly ways (reread Genesis 3). Seducing us into overconfidence is a familiar tactic, but continues to be effective. Our pride, our extreme confidence in our ability to master our selfishness and control our lives, leads us to believe that we are safe, secure, untouchable. We don’t have to worry about this sin, that evil thought, those ugly words (or so we are led to believe). Then, from out of nowhere, the enemy unleashes an ambush that takes us by complete surprise and we fall or retreat in disbelief. Making sure we are familiar with the enemy’s tactics will help us to face the battle head on.

Using our weapons effectively. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It is sharp and powerful, cutting through the doubts, fears, rationalizations, and wrong thinking in our lives. It cuts to the core of our being. It reveals the stealth tactics of the enemy. It lays out the right attitudes, actions, and speaking that we must adopt. It lays out a course of action for our lives. It unveils God’s thinking, God’s actions, and God’s words for us. It reveals His plan for the world, the future, our salvation and our living. It brings to light the dark deeds of this world and exposes them for what they are: the path to destruction. It is our military manual and we must become familiar with it if we are to succeed in battle. It is the sword that we must learn to wield in battle if we are to cut through the lies, deceptions, rationalizations and fallacies of the enemy. A soldier who goes into battle but doesn’t know how to shoot a gun is useless in battle. We must become students of the Word, yes, even masters of the Word.

Self talk is another weapon. We must learn to identify false thinking and speak the truth to ourselves. Sometimes, I listen to Christians talking and I think, if they would just listen to what they were saying, they should easily see how wrong that thinking is. Over and over in Scripture, we are told to stop deceiving ourselves. If we learn to scrutinize what we are telling ourselves (our thinking) and evaluate our thought processes, we can begin to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” When I catch myself lying to myself (and still happens more frequently than it ought), I speak (sometimes audibly) the truth as the Spirit brings it to my attention. I will even chide myself (“You know better than to think that way, Dan!”). We must learn to take prisoners in this battle: imprisoning evil thoughts, selfish desires, and sinful actions.

Prayer is a powerful weapon. With it we marshal and rally spiritual forces to aid us in our struggle. We cry out to the Spirit of God to give us strength to stand. We pray for the encouragement and consolation of the saints of God to stand with us. We plead with the angels of God to encamp around us for spiritual protection. We pray for wisdom to understand God’s plan, His will and His ways. We invoke the spiritual authority to send Satan fleeing. In God’s power, when we resist the devil, he will flee. We ask for the power to do what we know is right, what we know we need to do, what we know must be done to win.

Winning the war. Determine that you will never surrender to the enemy. Decide that you won’t quit, you won’t give up, you won’t give in, you won’t stop fighting. Winston Churchill, in a speech titled The Unrelenting Struggle, spoke these inspiring words:

“Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

Stay alert. Continue to learn to use your weapons and to fight the battle. Guard your walk with God. Remind yourself that losing a single fight does not mean that the war is lost or that the struggle is over. Follow orders, even when you don’t understand them. Remember that the overall battle plan is bigger than you and your particular struggle. You may not know now how your little campaign will ultimately affect the overall battle or the struggles of others. But maybe someday you will see how your success in the struggle contributed to an overwhelming victory in the larger war.

Galatians 6:9 ESV  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Casualties of War. The worst thing about fighting a war is the huge loss sustained in terms of the killed and wounded warriors. I trust that leaders want to do everything in their power to protect from loss of life, but it is inevitable that such losses will occur. It is an inseparable part of war.

It is no different in the Christian army. As a pastor, I have observed the casualties of war: broken homes, lost faith, scarred lives, disabled disciples, tattered trust, maimed testimonies. The enemies I wrote about in a previous post–the world, the flesh, and the devil–are ruthless in their attack and seek to inflict as much damage as possible. They invoke stealth tactics and blindside their victims. They deceive and manipulate and torture. They don’t play fair and their prisoners are in for brutal and ruthless treatment. If help is not sent, if relief is not provided, permanent damage and spiritual death may result. Just because we are engaged in spiritual warfare, we must not assume that the damage is an illusion, an imaginary problem. The battlefield may remain unseen, but the results are very visible and very real.

Some have been wounded by “friendly fire.” They have been the target of misguided Christians who have taken pot shots instead of offering correction, counsel, comfort and healing. Others are simply exhausted by battle fatigue. They have stood in the heat of battle and have taken hits from both sides, friends and enemies alike, and feel that they are just too weary to bear up under the burden of battle.

Some of us will react in disgust and shame when seeing these wounded and seek to maintain a safe distance, repulsed at the sight. If we don’t acknowledge the carnage, maybe it will go away. We seek to avoid the problem altogether. Others take a more confrontational approach: blame them, shame them, maim them. They think that by adding pain, they will discourage them from further wounds. Maybe this time, when they return to the battlefield, they will be more careful and will avoid getting shot. The compassionate will seek to step in and give aid. However, sometimes the well-intentioned helper will fail to help, lacking the knowledge and skills to do so. The best that most of us can do is to simply offer comfort, a safe place to heal and recoup.

In Galatians, the Apostle Paul is writing to defend the gospel from the Judaizers, whose mixture of grace and law were confusing, deceiving and deterring people from accepting or continuing to embrace the gospel message. The apostle mounts a rigorous defense of the gospel and launches a frontal assault on its detractors and enemies. But as he ends his letter to the Galatians, he offers words of instruction and encouragement that provide hope for the war-worn, weary warriors who are struggling to maintain their position in the heated battlefield.

Galatians 6:1 ESV  Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Christians ought to be committed to the cry, “Leave no fallen warrior behind.” The wounded, whether their fault or not, deserve the respect, concern, and care of the healthy to carry them to safety. “You don’t kick a man when he’s down!,” my father used to say. Where is our compassion for the spiritually wounded? Where is the basic concern we should have, not only for the wounded, but also for the family and friends affected by the fall of the warrior. Someone “caught in any transgression” is a wounded soldier. The person is “overtaken,” ambushed, overrun by the enemy. Now, I am not saying that sinful behavior is accidental or unintended. A person willfully chooses to disobey. A person walks into the line of fire. That soldier may have been lured out of safety into the ambush by the enemies listed above, but is ultimately responsible for the careless and callous behavior. However, we who are spiritual, who have the knowledge, strength, and spiritual maturity to see what is happening and respond, have the responsibility to step in and render assistance. We fail our brothers and sisters when we ignore the danger of their situation, when we ignore carnage in their lives, when we refuse to listen to their cries for help. The idea that what they are facing is personal and that we must refuse to involve ourselves in their personal lives or personal matters is neither wise nor biblical. It is worldly wisdom, it is political correctness, it is comfortable deceit, it is a lie of Satan. Restoring means to “completely and thoroughly mend or adjust.” It can refer to the setting of broken bones precisely so that they may mend together properly. It may seem a trite phrase, but it really is full of import for today’s church, the church should function as a hospital for sinners, not as a museum hall for saints.

(Galatians 6:2) Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

What a blessed sight…watching soldiers leaning on each other, holding each other up, some carrying another off the field. We are inspired by the courage, sacrifice, and care those pictures convey. I have witnessed the wonder and glory of saints huddled around a weeping sinner, some tear-stained themselves, as they seek to offer consolation and encouragement. I have seen fellow Christians helping to carry, emotionally and spiritually, a fallen saint before the throne of grace to find grace and mercy to help. We sometimes feel that this kind of support is an unintentional condoning of sin, an encouragement to take sin lightly and dismiss it too easily. I’m not in favor of ignoring true repentance. But I am seeking to encourage compassion. We must stay alert because we realize we, too, are vulnerable and susceptible to temptation. As fellow soldiers, who have been wounded ourselves and face the danger of being wounded again, we ought to offer compassion to others. Now, we are to help carry the loads (burdens) that are too heavy for one person to bear. But we must not try to take away the responsibility of each warrior to carry his own load (“Each person must carry their own weight,” is a common saying).

(Galatians 6:6) The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher.

Leaders especially carry a heavy load. James advises his followers that they should not rush to be teachers, because teachers will fall under stricter judgment, because of their greater responsibility for others. They also are under more severe attack, because a fallen leader inflicts greater damage on the faith and on the followers. What a blessing a leader experiences when followers care for their leader as he cares for them.

(Galatians 6:7-8) Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

Wounded warrior must acknowledge the principle of cause and effect. We must acknowledge that insanity is doing same things expecting different results. We must learn new and more effective ways to fight the battle. We must remember why we are fighting and what we are fighting for. Just as soldiers answer to their superiors, we will answer to our Superior. So, how we fight, what weapons we use, our tactics, strategy, and strength, will affect the outcome of the battle. As the farmer sows with the view of reaping and will inevitably reap what he sows, so the soldier sows with a view to victory, and will inevitably reap what he sows, whether victory or defeat.

We must refuse to give up during the heat of battle. We might need to retreat to recoup, but we are not giving up on winning the war, even if we have to concede the loss of the battle. Don’t grow weary in well-doing.

The testimony of a wounded vet. I will share a little of my testimony, not to illicit sympathy or consolation. I want you to know that I know what it means to be in the battle and experience the fatigue and weariness that may lead to retreat, though not complete surrender. I had spent 20 years in post-secondary education (college-level) and, at the same time, pastored churches half of those years and sought to be a husband and father. I had travelled extensively across the southeast, representing my school, and led it through three rounds of accreditation. The last round I ended up serving as the editor of the Self-study, literally reading, authoring and editing more than a thousand pages of documentation. The resulting self-study was crammed into a 4″ notebook and supporting documentation filled other smaller notebooks. Near the end of my tenure, I knew that I was functioning less and less effectively and sought from my board and friends support to pursue a course of renewal, but, possibly due to my failure to be completely candid about the my situation or their failure to perceive my wounds, the support was not forthcoming. I left that position to take a position in administration and finance for my denomination.

From the frying pan into the fire, they say. I found, three months into my new position and checks bouncing like a basketball, that the situation that had been reported and recorded was sadly and grossly inaccurate. We were supposed to have over half a million dollars in assets, but I had the misfortune of discovering and reporting that we were actually $250,000 in the red. Due primarily to the dis-unified way of recording the finances, in several different programs with different formats and disconnected, the true picture of our financial situation had become hopelessly confused. I, a pastor with a layman’s understanding of fund-accounting, had to find a way to immediately take control of financial recording and reporting while spending a couple of months rebuilding the financial records and recordkeeping from the ground up. The auditors finally gave up finding a direct connection with past records and we established a starting point to move forward. My superior and myself took up the challenge to find a way for the organization to continue to function financially while repaying the massive debt. Before I left office two years later, most of that debt had been repaid and the organization was still functioning effectively.

After two years of doing a job for which I had no training or preparation and whose job description had to be altered significantly, I choose to leave the position and become a pastor of a church and the principal of its Christian school. Because of that decision, I was accused of being a quitter, of being unstable, of being undependable. Those were just the accusations spoken to my face. I’m not sure what was being said behind my back :-). This church I consented to pastor had recently narrowly voted to remain in our denomination and I had been assigned to help the church while still serving in administration and finance. The problems and challenges of this work were demanding enough, but I was still reeling from the exhaustion of the work at the college and the stress dealing with  denomination finances. The sensitive and stressful situation of this new pastorate offered no relief from the years of stress and weariness I had labored under.

Then in a span of less than a year I lost my best-friend’s daughter, my best friend, my father, and my mother to death. This loss was more influential than I would have ever thought or admitted. Pastors are always surrounded by death, it seems, but these deaths left me feeling more alone and lonely than I had felt before. Despite a loving wife, family and friends, I was hurting and wounded, functioning on a basic level, but not an effective one. I needed a fresh start.

Almost seven years ago, my wife and I left our 25-year residence as citizens of South Carolina to journey to Nashville, TN. It was a challenging move because we had become settled and had accumulated so much stuff. But we stepped out in faith, leaving family and friends, and started a new leg in our journey of faith. What a blessing it has been. I can honestly say that I have, under the care of a loving Father and a loving congregation, fully recovered from my wounds. I do have the scars to remind me of the journey, but I also have the renewed strength to face the challenges of the future.

I confess during those trying days that I experienced the doubt and discouragement that I know many of you face. I was tempted by anger and bitterness. I wanted to give up, surrender, quit. I wanted to throw frequent pity parties, seeking to feel sorry for myself and my lot in life. I wanted to, and often did, withdraw to a safe corner, not wanting to be around others, to be confronted with problems or need, to be challenged by the battle. I kept functioning, but often only did what was necessary, not willing to go out of my way to serve. I often found myself asking “Why?”. Sometimes, I contemplated leaving the ministry for some other work, any other work, on a daily basis! I would have jumped at any opportunity to leave and never return. Those days are gone! But the memory motivates me to move forward. I did find a couple of ministers who reached out to me in those times of battle fatigue, but sadly, most just let me go on my weary way. Maybe it’s because many of them are among the walking wounded, too. I only know that there are many wounded walking in our midst and we may be totally unaware of them or their need.

So, what is the morale of this story? Well, I trust that it highlights the need for the church to function as a hospital for the hurting, a way station for the weary, a facility for the fallen, and a safe haven for retreating soldiers. Even wounded leaders need its comfort and care. More than ever, we need to reach out to the wounded and hurting around us. There is a huge need for our service.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
(Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV)

Every soldier who heads into battle must be prepared. A soldier carries protective gear, supplies, ammunition and weapons. Everything needed for defensive and offensive support is included in a soldier’s outfitting. The Christian has also been given spiritual armament for the battle as well.

The belt of truth – Although we are told that today’s generation is no longer concerned with truth, that may be an overstatement of the situation. For instance, most of us are still angry if we aren’t provided with truth in advertising. If we are told that a product provides this service when it doesn’t, we are upset. We don’t appreciate our government officials telling us lies about political situations. We would not want our physician lying to us about our health. We don’t like being lied to on a personal level. We want our friends to be honest with us. It’s just ultimate truth that we have rejected. The absolute truth about ultimate realities, the truth that is always true for everyone everywhere all the time throughout all generations, is what our culture rejects. It’s what Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer would call truth Truth. Truth for many in our generation is truth that is true for me but not necessarily for you. It is true in this situation but not necessarily in every circumstance. It is true for now but may change later. This is fickle truth that cannot be counted on. Fortunately, Christians are given true Truth. His Word is true. He is not a man that He should lie. Our Savior is the way, the truth and the life. His truth sets us free. And we are to speak the truth in love. We have believed the truth. Truth is a binding force in our lives, providing a source of stability and strength. Truth is absolutely essential as a defense to the lies of the devil and the errors and falsehoods of people.

The breastplate of righteousness – Recognizing that vital organs lie in the chest area and need protection, soldiers have been given protective gear to guard this important region of the body. The breastplate is such a provision. Righteousness, or rightness, refers to right thinking and right living. How do we guard our faith? How do we guard our passion? How do we guard our commitment? These are sensitive areas in the Christian life. We cannot think and live loosely and maintain a guard on our internal spiritual life. Some may seek the illusion that we can live as we please and still maintain a pure, healthy and committed spiritual life, but when we face reality, we see that what we think and how we live affect who we are deeply. Righteousness, provided by God and imparted to us, maintains a guard over our spiritual life.

Gospel shoes – The soldier’s feet may seem inconsequential in the overall scheme of battle gear, but they are not. The feet serve as the foundation for stability and mobility. The Roman soldier wore boots laced up the foot to the top of the ankle to give support and spiked to provide added strength. In this passage, Christians are challenged three times to “stand.” The gospel provides the foundation for “standing firm.” When I remember how much my salvation has cost (the life of my Savior), how indebted I am (I owe a price I could not pay), and how blessed I am (with every spiritual blessing), I am motivated to stand firm in the face of hardship, difficulties, and opposition. The gospel tells me I am a sinner saved by grace. The one who has been forgiven much loves much. This is the gospel of peace. Jesus promised his disciples that He would leave with them His peace. The Apostle Paul tells us that the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6). Peace with God, at peace within myself, and working to spread peace in my relationships provide the strength to stand firm.

The shield of faith – Probably one of the first protective elements used was a shield of some sort. Shields are used to deflect the offensive weapons and blows of the enemy. Faith could refer to “the doctrines of faith” we have believed or it may refer to our trust in Christ, the act of faith. It could be that the two, believing and what we believe, are interconnected and both are in view. This shield of faith protects us from “the flaming darts of the evil one.” What are these “flaming darts?” Well, we know that Satan is a liar. When the thought is planted in my mind that I am not good enough, my faith reminds me I don’t have to be good enough. I have trusted Christ and His goodness and forgiveness. When I think that I cannot face this situation or make it through that trial or endure that person, my faith reminds me that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” When I am tempted to think that I have had to sacrifice more than others, that my situation in life is not fair, that I am not treated well, my faith reminds me that I am no better than the One who gave Himself for me, that I have been blessed beyond measure, and that I have a home prepared for me with Him. My faith defends me against Satan’s lies and other devices, such as appealing to my pity, anger, resentment, pride, etc.

The helmet of salvation – The need for headgear is universally acknowledged. The battle is won here. What we see, how we respond, the split-second decisions we make, the tactics we employ, all originate here. The Bible reminds us that Christians have the mind of Christ. We are told we must “think” on the things that are good, beneficial, and profitable. We are told to think “soberly.” We are told that we must guard our thinking. We are commanded to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). In battle, a clear mind is essential. Mistakes made during heavy fighting can have disastrous consequences. Our salvation provides us with the wisdom and resources to think clearly about God, ourselves, others, and our circumstances. We make bad decisions when we refuse to rely on our provision. We have no excuse for foggy thinking.

The sword of the Spirit – the Word of God. This is a powerful weapon that we fail to utilize, either because we aren’t familiar with it, don’t know how to use it, or underestimate its effectiveness. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 KJV). The Apostle Paul describes our warfare this way:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
(2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ESV)

We do not wage war according to the flesh. Our enemies are false ideas, philosophies, and thinking. We confront them with the truth of the Word of God.

Prayer – Many people stop describing the Christian’s armor with the sword of the Spirit. But there is no break between the sword of the Spirit and prayer. My ESV Study Bible calls prayer “the main weapon of spiritual warfare.” As underutilized as the Word of God often is, prayer is possibly the more underutilized weapon. In battle, every soldier understands that the lines of communication need to be established, maintained and guarded. The only way for waging an effective campaign is to stay in touch with HQ. Out of touch with command center, soldiers are vulnerable, not knowing where to turn, when to move ahead, how to proceed. Prayer is the Christian’s “walkie-talkie,” keeping us in touch with Command Center. When are we to pray? “At all times.” In what attitude? “In the Spirit.” How? “With all prayer and supplication.” In what frame of mind? “Keep alert with all perseverance.” For what do I pray? “Making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.” We are told elsewhere to live in an attitude of prayerfulness, “praying without ceasing.”

Soldiers whose armaments are adequate will not be able to blame their failure on their equipment. Failure to utilize the equipment effectively will more likely be the problem. The Christian has been outfitted with the most effective and powerful resources for the battle. We must rely on these resources to wage the war against the forces of evil.

The posts this week will focus on the theme for this year’s VBS: The Armor of God.

I never served in the armed services. The draft ended just before I turned 18 and I never had to even sign up. In a way, I was glad not to have to face the prospects of fighting in Vietnam, but I also felt deprived of the experience that military service affords. I remain appreciative of the sacrifices and dedication of the people who serve in the military. But I have served in the Lord’s army for 51 years and as a leader in that army for 39 years. I enlisted at the age of 8 and I have never regretted the decision to enlist.

WHY SHOULD I ENLIST?

Enemies exist. That is why people enlisted in WWI and WWII. They realized that there were enemies that threatened their way of life and that, as the war edged closer and closer to their homeland, they chose to fight on foreign soil rather than allow the war to come to them.

Who are the enemies of Christians?

The World – I John 2:16 – For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

This is the world system, not the people in the world, although people may also set themselves against believers. Our struggle is with a world whose values, ideas, goals, philosophy, and motives stand in direct conflict with those of Biblical Christianity. The desires of the flesh remind us that the world focuses on the material. You need this car, that wardrobe, those gadgets. Physical gratification is the mantra of the world.The desires of the eyes remind us of the gate through which the world pushes its agenda. We are a very visual culture and the world constantly throws images at us to reinforce that agenda. Pride in possessions forces us to confront a big part of our problem: we want the world’s approval. The focus on status, the emphasis on success as indicated by what we have, the desire to prove our value and worth through possessions cause us to elevate possessions to a level never intended by our Creator. Jesus tells us “not to worry about what we will eat, what we will drink, or what we will wear,” but the world obsesses about these constantly. Jesus tells us to “store up treasures in heaven, not on earth,” while the world is frantically seeking, like the rich man in Jesus’ parable, to store up more and more riches on earth, only to find that life ends too quickly and material pursuits leave them unsatisfied spiritually.  Jesus says, “You cannot serve both God and Money,” but the world is convinced that this is not only possible, but that material possessions are a sign of God’s blessing. While the world labors tirelessly to accumulate possessions, God challenges his people to answer this question, “Why do you labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2).

I John 2:15 
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The Flesh – 1 Peter 2:11 – Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

“We have met the enemy and he is us” (Pogo). Lurking within us is an enemy that everyone of us must face. Humans seem bent on self-destruction. We know, all too well, the experience that the Apostle Paul relates in Romans 7. The things that we know are right, that we should do, we fail to do. The things we know are wrong, that we should not do, we do anyway. That is why people who think that education will correct all of our problems, that the problem is ignorance, and that when people know what they need to do, they will do it, are so disappointed when education does not fix the problems. The “passions of the flesh” are at war with our best interests, with our spiritual nature, with our very soul. “It’s what I want!” often flies in the face of reason, logic, wise counsel, and realistic expectations. This is an enemy we ignore to our peril.

The Devil – 1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul reminds us that our warfare is against “the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We face a spiritual battle against spiritual forces of evil, very real and very dangerous. Satan and his demons deal in deception and lies. The devil is a liar and the father of lies. His deception of our first parents with crafty lies reveals his favorite and most effective strategy. Unfortunately, many believe the lies, especially “The Lie,” that we can be like God, in charge of our fortunes, our destines, our future.

The battle is raging. There is no avoiding this war. It has come to us. In fact, our minds are the battlefield and the enemies have surrounded us. We only have two choices: surrender or fight. Surrender in this warfare means “spiritual death.” We must fight, but we cannot win without reinforcements. Fortunately, God’s Spirit, His angelic host, and His Word stand ready to assist us in this battle. With Their aid we are more than conquerors in this war.

People are dying. This war is not just about us. Casualties of war are found everywhere, and the battlefield is literally strewn with the minds and souls of those who have been ravaged by the world system, fleshly passions, and the devil’s lies.  “For Christ’s love compels us,” the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:14. How can we stand by and watch the spiritual destruction of family, friends, associates and neighbors without a thought or a care? How can we sit in comfort and complacency as they speed headlong toward the abyss of spiritual destruction?

HOW DO I ENLIST?

People who enter the military are required to sign enlistment papers declaring their commitment to military service. Signing on the dotted line is another way of saying that you have declared your commitment to the cause. To enlist in the Lord’s army, one must believe and confess (Romans 10:9-10). The commitment to believe is more than just an intellectual assent; it is a commitment to trust Jesus enough to follow Him and obey Him. He is the commander-in-chief. When we confess, when we openly declare, that we are stepping out to follow Christ, we are committing ourselves to His cause and we are willing to fight for His kingdom. Becoming disciples (followers and learners) of Jesus Christ follows the commitment to enlist. And we must understand that this is not just a temporary period of warfare. People who enlist in the military usually do so for a specific period of time. But we must prepare for a lifelong struggle against enemy forces seeking to destroy us and others.

WHERE DO I ENLIST?

You can sign the papers (make the commitment) to follow Christ anytime and anywhere. However, you need to know that God is expecting for you to show up for duty at one of the outposts He has established for training and deployment of His forces called “local churches.” You need to understand that you are not alone in this war. God is with us. We are on His side. Fellow Christians stand with you in this struggle. It may be a harrowing battle, but it is comforting to know that there are others standing side-by-side with you in the fight.

WHAT IF I FAIL?

It happens. Some soldiers go AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave). In the heat of battle, they desert their fellow warriors and run away in fear. This happens to Christians as well. It’s important to remember two crucial truths. God doesn’t give up on you, and the church doesn’t shoot deserters. Because of the failure, you will have to “earn your stripes” but we will welcome you back. In the Lord’s army failure is not final!

ARE YOU READY TO ENLIST?

James 1:19-20 ESV    Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Okay, I’ll admit it (reluctantly). I’m getting old. One sign of old age is the fading of our physical senses, particularly the hearing. I prepared a speech in High School, which I delivered on several occasions, on the subject of Noise Pollution. Even then, there were ominous signs that more contributes to this than just old age. Our generation has been a noisy one! But I believe that James speaks of more than physical hearing.

Communication requires at least two things to be successful and these are more difficult than we imagine. Someone must speak with clarity and another must listen with understanding. If I say what I think I mean but, because of assumptions and distortions, I fail to communicate it in a way you can understand, I will fail to communicate. If you hear what you think I said, but because of assumptions and distortions, you fail to understand what I meant, I fail to communicate. Whether the problem lies with what I said, the way I said it, what you heard or the way you heard it, a communication break-down is not just possible, it is probable. Communication is definitely a continuing problem we face every single day.

Of course, the above is a simplification of the problem. Actually, for those who study communication the whole process is even more complicated than that, involving environment, noise, motives, emotions, self-awareness, desire, words, definitions, values, and other contributing factors surrounding the senario. Whether at church, at work, or at home, communication is clearly a major part of most problems we face.

When it comes to communication on a spiritual level, the situation becomes even more complicated. We have an enemy, the spiritual forces marshaled against us by Satan and his demons, who seek to destroy any spiritual understanding or response to the Word of God. We have an Adamic nature that tends to be resistant to the work of God. We have worldly influences that seek to pull us away from spiritual commitment. THE WORLD, THE FLESH, and THE DEVIL are the enemies of spiritual life.

QUICK TO HEAR. Listening especially requires willingness to hear. When I was a child, if I heard my mom tell me something I didn’t want to hear, I simply pretended that I didn’t hear her. When it comes to the Word of God, if I hear something I don’t want to hear, I want to pretend that God didn’t say it, that maybe He said it but didn’t mean it, or that He said it and He meant it, but that still doesn’t mean I have to obey. But it doesn’t work that way.

SLOW TO SPEAK. James will talk about the importance of guarding our speech, as does the rest of Scripture. Here he simply encourages caution. Words are powerful, influential, weighty. They are much more powerful to build up or destroy than we want to admit. Considering that a person speaks between 10,000 and 20,000 words per day on average, depending on the research study consulted, and considering the influence that those words have, we must carefully choose what we say.

SLOW TO ANGER. One emotion that causes the most damage is anger. There is no sin in having strong feelings about an issue. But we cannot seem to control those feelings. We must berate, badger and vilify. We have a tendency to believe that we can beat our opinion into the mind of another person, if we just continue to pound it loudly and emotionally long enough. It’s easy to understand why James tells us that anger “does not produce the righteousness of God.” We cannot be right or do right when we are out of control. In anger, we “lose it.” We end up doing things we don’t want (such as throwing one’s fist through a wall, but I wouldn’t know anything about that), saying things we don’t mean (“I hate you, mom!”), and fueling thoughts that create a false view of people, situations, and circumstances (these people hate me, no one cares, this is the worst thing that has ever happened in the history of the world).

The key to spiritual progress is a willingness to do three things. Listen to God and follow His directions. Think before you speak. Is it wholesome, truthful, and helpful? And fight back against anger. You think you can control it, but it ends up controlling you. Don’t despair. You have help. The Spirit of God will help you understand and obey God’s Word. He will guide you in communicating with others. He will help you control your anger. You need only call on Him and allow Him to help you.

James 1:16-18 ESV    Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

THE DAY I LOST ALL MY MARBLES, (LITERALLY!)

I was 8 years old and not very wise in the ways of the world. I had a full bag of shiny marbles of various kinds. I was proud of my marbles and enjoyed playing with them. One day a couple of neighborhood boys invited me to play marbles with them. I had never played marbles in a real game before. I’m sure I had “EASY MARK” printed on the back of my shirt. Well, I got a schooling that day. I soon learned the rules and how often they seemed to work against me. One by one my marbles were in the competition’s hands and I was down to an empty bag. I started to leave and asked for my marbles back. That’s when I learned that they were playing for keeps. I spent a couple of miserable days adjusting to the shock, and several weeks avoiding the neighborhood boys. I learned a lesson that I have never forgotten. I was certainly humbled (and maybe humiliated) that day. There were two deceivers involved in that game of marbles. They deceived me about their skills and their motives. I deceived myself, thinking that I knew more about marbles than I actually did. If I seem a little off, it’s because I’ve lost all my marbles.

That is not the only time my hubris has gotten me into trouble. We think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (according to the Apostle Paul). We seem so sure of ourselves, so confident in our knowledge, so self-assured in our wisdom. We have the 411 and we are ready for the challenge. But we are in for a rude awakening. We often find that we are self-deceived, realizing only too late that the reality we believed to be true is only an illusion of our own making. I tell people often (just ask members of my congregation) that self-deception is the worst form of deception. We are normally suspicious of other’s declarations, but it’s easy to believe what we tell ourselves. What would certainly be proclaimed a bald-faced lie coming from the lips of another person, is entertained as a self-evident truth when we rehearse it in our minds. We tend to believe what we tell ourselves, even as it flies in the face of reality. The simple solution to the problem is to tell ourselves the truth, and to challenge ourselves, to talk back to ourselves, when we try to slip in a lie.

Why talk about self-deception. Well, that’s because James tells us not to “be deceived.” But think about the context. If we think that God is our problem, causing us to trip and stumble into sin, we are wrong, he says. So who is deceiving us, when we think this? Of course, we are deceiving ourselves about the nature of God. Deceiving ourselves in the context falls between blaming God for our problems and refusing to recognize Him for His goodness and acts of goodness. Others may encourage us to entertain these errors about God. But ultimately, we are the ones who are the deceivers, if we believe these lies about God.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” God is the source of goodness. He is the “Father of lights”, the creator of the light-bearers in the universe. He doesn’t change, He doesn’t vary, He is “the same, yesterday, today and forever. “Of his own will,” out of His own goodness, He who is truth has “brought us forth by the word of truth.” He in His goodness has saved us. He doesn’t deceive; He shares the truth that “shall set you free.”

His purpose, His intent, is to show through those of us who trust Him what He desires for all of humanity. We are “a kind of firstfruits of his creatures”, revealing the kind of life He can produce in us and the abundant life He can provide for us, if people will only trust Him. Even in tribulation and trials, He can show the power of His grace, when we trust Him. “My grace is sufficient” he tells the Apostle Paul and through him that message comes to us. Whatever you are facing, won’t you trust Him to show you just how sufficient His grace can be?

James 1:13-15 ESV  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

When something bad happens, the first thing we want to do is assign blame. Remember when you were playing as a child with your siblings or friends and during your adventures you destroyed a family heirloom (or at least something that was valuable or sentimental)? It’s his fault! She did it! It was an accident! No he did it! No she did it! I think you get my drift. From the garden on we have been seeking to blame someone for all the hurt and wrong in the world and in our lives. Of course, while we are pointing that finger at everyone around us, we seldom see the other three pointing back at us. Ultimately, we begin to blame God for our lot in life. If only He had kept us from those bad choices, if only He had delivered us from those circumstances, if only He had refused our constantly badgering and not given us what we thought we wanted so desperately, if only…

James puts it bluntly. “Let’s be clear about this: God is NOT your problem!” You cannot blame God. He is not against you, setting up traps, laying out stumbling blocks, carefully placing trip wires. He is holy, good, righteous and gracious. He wants what is good for you. He does not enjoy watching his children stumble, flounder, and sink. Christ has reached down and pulled us up out of the miry clay and set our feet on the Solid Rock. Blaming God is not only inaccurate; it is unhelpful. Even if we can establish who is to blame (and accepting blame is hard for any of us to do), that does nothing to rectify our problems. We are no closer to a solution to the problem by blaming other people or things or circumstances.

The solution is to humbly own up to our part in the problem. We made bad choices because we wanted what we wanted, period! It didn’t matter, at the time, that God’s Word declared it to be wrong, that other people were warning us against it, or even that we knew deep within us that it was a bad move. I have observed so often that we go against what we know is in our best interest. We are our own worst enemy. AND WE KNOW IT! We have within us a selfish, possessive nature that wants to be in control, to call the shots, to determine the direction: “our own desire.”

A. W. Tozer describes the problem in The Pursuit of God:

Our woes began when God was forced out of His central shrine and “things” were allowed to enter. Within the human heart “things” have taken over. Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne. This is not a mere metaphor, but an accurate analysis of our real spiritual trouble. There is within the human heart a tough fibrous root of fallen life whose nature is to possess, always to possess. It covets “things” with a deep and fierce passion. The pronouns “my” and “mine” look innocent enough in print, but their constant and universal use is significant. They express the real nature of the old Adamic man better than a thousand volumes of theology could do. They are verbal symptoms of our deep disease. The roots of our hearts have grown down into things, and we dare not pull up one rootlet lest we die. Things have become necessary to us, a development never originally intended. God’s gifts now take the place of God, and the whole course of nature is upset by the monstrous substitution.

–A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing

The problem with calling the shots is that we run into the wall of consequences. Every action has an opposite and equal reaction. Every decision has a consequence. We can make the choice, but we cannot choose the consequence that goes with the choice. They are matched and inextricably connected. Lust leads to sin, and sin leads to death (moral, spiritual, physical and ultimately eternal death). It’s that simple digression that we must learn to accept. Since we know that we have this tendency to desire, decide and do the wrong things, maybe we should decide, for a change, to relinquish control and follow the One whose way is good, true, and sure. We think we know what we want, but when we get it, we regret it. His way may be narrow, but it leads to life, while the broad way (the easy way) leads to death.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

The choice is yours. You can continue to control your life, hoping that somehow you can overcome the odds and successfully navigate the tumultuous storms of life and keep your boat from capsizing. Every time you go under and come up for another breath, remember the  definition of insanity:  “continuing to do the same thing hoping for different results.” I plead with you, I implore you, I beg of you: “Yield to the Master!”

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7, ESV)

You can shake your fist in the face of God and blame Him for all of your problems, or you can open your hand, lift it to God and humbly plead for forgiveness and grace. He promises to fill that open hand with His blessing. Listen to the words of King David:

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. (Psalm 37:23-27, ESV)

James 1:12 ESV    Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

My son-in-law recently posted on FB: “Does anyone else think kindergarten graduations are ridiculous?”

He received several responses pro and con. I refuse to enter the fray, since I never graduated from kindergarten. And for the record, it was because I never attended kindergarten. LOL!

I think that the point he was trying to make is a valid one. In our culture, we don’t want to harm the psyche of any impressionable person and make them feel inferior. So we award every little thing they do. We award those who show up, who participate, as well as those who win the competition. The problem is this: if the award is not earned, if effort, energy and endurance are not represented by it, then awards become meaningless, since they represent only minimal effort expended. This not only cheapens the award presented to the winners, whose effort and endurance are rewarded; it also reduces the desire to strive for the award, since all will receive one regardless of the outcome.

If I had a kindergarten diploma, I might give a nostalgic glance back to it and try to remember something about that experience, but it would not compare to my bachelor’s degree diploma. Now that I remember well, because it represented four years of blood, sweat, and tears (only my wife witnessed the tears!). And that doesn’t compare to the four years I spent earning a Master’s degree. Yes, a potentially year-long program can be stretched into four, if one works full-time, pastors a church, and tries to maintain a home with 3-4 children and a wife. The 60-page paper I prepared on Interpretive Outlines on the Book of Revelation, which had do be written twice, since a power outage caused the first draft to be vaporized in the wordprocessor, was a project that left a lasting impression, even if it left me harboring lingering questions about that book.

The more challenging the goal, the more we invest in the effort, the more we will appreciate the award. If it is just given to anyone for anything, it will be less appreciated, for it represents less, and for some, possibly nothing.

There is a reward for the person who remains steadfast under trial. Life is challenging, and the trials of life seem overwhelming at times. We have all been tempted to give up. I know I have. I can still hear my dad’s voice: “Winners never quit and quitters never win!” I wanted to give up at several points in my four years of college. And I REALLY wanted to give up during my four years in my master’s program. I have wanted to give up, at times, on marriage, have quit most jobs I have pursued at least once or twice a month (in my mind anyway, even though I kept on working), and have even been tempted to leave the church and my faith. I gladly rejoice that I listened to those words from my dad and rehearsed them in my mind. I haven’t quit and I’m glad I didn’t. All the blessings I have experienced in life came AFTER the endurance of challenging times not BEFORE.

God’s award ceremony comes at the end, when those who have stood the test will receive recognition. James says that they will receive the “crown of life.” Now, as my ESV Study Bible explains, this is not a bejeweled crown of a ruler; it is the laurel wreath of victory given to the winners in athletic games and victorious emperors. God has promised this crown to “those who love him.” Our love for Him, our service for Him, our faithfulness to follow Him, will be rewarded. When we are in the middle of one of the storms of life and we feel our resolve to stand firm dissipating, we need to remember what we are striving for, what awaits us at the end, what should motivate our endurance. Keep your eye on the prize and hold on a little longer. You can do this, you can make it, He will help you. The words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” will be reward enough for me. What about you?

Revelation 2:10    Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

James 1:9-11 ESV    Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Can a poor man be considered rich? Well, that depends on how one defines riches. Rich in love, joy, and peace. Rich in the fellowship of friends and family. Rich in every spiritual blessing. Yes, James reminds us that a poor man can indeed be rich. He reminds these scattered Christians that, although they may only have the clothes on their backs, they are rich because they have been exalted to the position of “sons of God.” As the Apostle Paul would later put it: they were “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Corinthians 6:10). They might not be rich in possessions, but they were rich in family, fellowship, friends, and faith. Their Heavenly Father would watch over them and their adopted family would rally to their aid. They had nothing for which to feel ashamed; they were kings and priests to their God; they were rulers in the world to come.

The rich, on the other hand, might be considered poor, unless they had experienced the humiliation of recognizing the poverty of possessions. Can someone have everything others could desire: fame and fortune, and still feel empty and unsatisfied? How many times have we heard the stories of such people, whose wealth, power, status and position left them longing for something more. Some, many more than we would expect, have ended the pain and dissatisfaction by taking their own lives. Fortunately, many have also experienced the fullness of faith in Jesus Christ. The abundant life that He offers, like the water He offered the woman at the well, really does quench our thirst for meaning and purpose in life. He gives us a reason to live.

Steve Balmer, former CEO of Microsoft and a multi-billionaire, can afford to drop $2 billion to purchase the LA Clippers, but just like all of us, his billions won’t buy him extra time, greater satisfaction, a better or more loving family, loyal friendship, or eternal life. At some point, we all must realize that our lives will end. Like the vanishing vapor, the fading flower, and the withering grass, our lives have an expiration date invisible to us, but certain nonetheless. The rich man may determine to build his barns and establish his empire, only to hear the words “Tonight your soul will be required of you.” Gone in the middle of the project, in the prime of life, on the verge of enjoying the things he spent his life amassing. No wonder the Preacher moaned, “Vanity, vanity, all is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes is a great read for anyone who has the notion that meaning and purpose can be found in this world, in its possessions or pursuits. Solomon had the resources, time and desire to put these to the test to determine their value in offering inner satisfaction. He concluded that they were “meaningless.”

If you have found Christ, you have found the source of satisfaction, abundant life, eternal life, life worth living. It’s not how much you have, it’s Whom you follow that matters. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Rags to riches is the story of every Christian and the ultimate reversal of fortune awaits us at Christ’s return.