REVDANS

James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Let’s face it. When it comes to understanding what’s going on in our lives, we all lack wisdom. We wonder, we question, we second-guess, we obsess, we retrace, we shake our heads, and we bow in bewilderment. We have not, because we do not ask. I believe that God wants to give us the wisdom we need to live lives that are pleasing to Him. I also believe that He can give us the wisdom to understand what He is doing and how He is working in our lives, but only in His time and when it is beneficial for us. Some may ask, “Why would it not be beneficial for me to know such things right now.” I suspect that the knowledge very well might short circuit the very lessons He is teaching us and we need to learn. Here, as well as in all of life, trust is the key. The bottom-line question is this: Do I really trust God?

In my last post I mentioned the missionary Helen Roseveare. She experienced unspeakable horrors at the hands of rebels. She could have given up on God and her faith because of what she endured. SHE DID NOT! Listen to her story and her response to the evil she endured.

During the pinnacle of her suffering, God spoke to Roseveare in a way that He knew she would understand and accept. “I believe the words that God spoke to me, although I didn’t hear them as words, were, “Can you thank Me for trusting you with this, even if I never tell you why?” You know, that’s shattering. You and I think of us trusting Him. But the thought that He wants to trust us, that was something very new to my thinking.”

He gave her the strength to say yes and she prayed, “Yes, God. If somehow, somewhere this fits for purposes, I don’t know how, but yes, thank You, God, for trusting me with this.” God did not take away the wickedness, the cruelty, or the pain. It was still there. But He turned her fear into peace.

What about you? Can you trust God amid your suffering, your pain, your disappointment, your failures, your trials, even if you don’t get an answer to your “Why?” Or are you awash on the shifting sands of doubt and confusion? Trust God! Look to God! He will give you the wisdom to understand His ways. He will not fail you. Though you may stumble, you will not utterly fall, for He will hold you up!

Today, can you thank God for trusting you with the seeming messes in your life? Can you thank Him for trusting you to serve Him, to reveal His love, and to make His name known in your life amid the challenging circumstances you face?

Today, would you give up your double-minded ways. Will you quit looking both ways, first to God, then away, then, back, then away? Your instability will not yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness. You will only receive what you are seeking, if you are willing to surrender your rights, your will, your all to God. He will answer!

I saw on Facebook a comment from a friend as a reminder that we need to walk the walk, not talk the talk.

She asked: “How can people who call themselves Christians deliberately and repeatedly mistreat a fellow Christian?”

Now, I know this person well. She has a degree in Bible, is a mature Christian, and knows the answer to the question. I worked with her for several years at a Christian school, so I know she knows the answer. The question was posed (in my humble, but perceptive opinion) as a reminder that we need to take stock of ourselves and our behavior and ask, once again, if love (for God and others) is the dominant motivation in our lives and if its expression is visibly evident in our lives. I offer this blog post, not as an explanation which she needs to hear, but, in the spirit of her question, as a reminder of the need we all have to constantly check our motives, examine our thoughts, and control our actions. Thoughtless words and deeds have caused more damage to the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of people than all the natural disasters combined have ravaged the landscape. And I must add (reluctantly and remorsefully) that I have been found guilty of such behavior.

Of course, we all are tempted, from time to time, to express an unloving or unkind attitude, word, or action. Saying that we are human doesn’t justify these, but does explain them. There are persons and personalities who constantly grate on us, like sandpaper on wood. Although they may not understand and although we may not be aware of it, this work of friction is not necessarily a bad thing (Proverbs 27:17 ESV:   Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.) It is easy to love a lovely person, but the test of love comes when we are confronted with the need to love the unlovely. Any of us can be at ease with those like us, but can we find the courage to reach out to those who are different?

Two key phrases stand out in her question. “People who call themselves Christians” reminds me that words are cheap. People in the media, in business, and in all of life are constantly making claims of one sort or another. Although I often chuckle at the various prescription drug advertisements I see on TV, I realize that they may be the most honest form of advertising, since they spend a couple of sentences explaining the glorious benefits of this miracle medication, and several paragraphs and most of the commercial explaining the possible disastrous side effects. Again, words are cheap and our claims are not necessarily a reflection of reality. (Proverbs 27:19 ESV:   As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.) It’s not who you say you are that makes you who you are. It is who you are in your actions that defines you, because what comes out of us is a reflection of our heart (Jesus taught this – Matthew 15:18-20). We all have this view of ourselves that often needs adjusting (we call it a mirror, and it is brutal in its honesty). The Christian’s mirror is the Word of God (see James 1:21-25).

“Deliberately and repeatedly” are serious accusations that, if true, spell real trouble for the troublemakers. If there is anything the Apostle John has to teach us (in agreement with all of Scripture), it’s that the expression of love in our lives is one evidence that the God of love is at work in us. If that love is absent in those who make the claim that they know Him, then that claim is false.

1 John 4:20 ESV:    If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

We can’t judge the heart of the unloving, but we can discern and condemn the actions of the unloving. It’s time that we lovingly challenge and rebuke the unloving actions of fellow believers. It seems to me this is the only loving response we can make to such behavior.

[NOTE: I am writing this from the perspective of one who serves a particular denomination. Any illustrations or observations come from that perspective. I have only served in one denomination for 39 years, so my perspective is limited to that realm. This is a long read and unless you are interested in, serve in, or have a heart or concern for denominations and denominational work, you probably will find it less compelling. If you call yourself a Southern Methodist or have an interest in The Southern Methodist Church, I implore you to read it in the hope that a crucial and profitable discussion/dialogue can begin concerning these issues. However, many observations are not limited to denominations. Organizations and local churches face the same problems and are likely to respond in the same ways.]

Recently I came across and read an article by Thom Rainer entitled “Fourteen Predictions for the American Church for 2014.” It stirred within me feelings that I had been suppressing amid the rigors of secular employment and the demands of church
ministry. Having been less involved in denominational events and meetings due to these commitments for about a decade now, I know that I am probably not the one to speak out on the issues raised in my mind by the article. However, being on the sideline
of denominational involvement also gives a different perspective that may be needed. It’s too easy in the thick of the struggle to see only the immediate surroundings and to fail to see the larger picture. And the larger picture is one of denominational illness and
possible death.

Sadly, there are signs of death surrounding most denominations, and not just liberal ones. For every one thousand churches that open each year, four thousand close. Fewer churches are being planted by denominations. In our denomination one church
has been planted in the US in the last 20 years and maybe a handful in the 20 years before that. Fewer pastors are being recruited and trained by our denomination and their loyalty toward the denomination will be significantly less than previous generations, if it exists at all. The aging of current pastors and members is another sign of death. Pastors and church members do not live forever and when they pass and aren’t replaced, their churches close and the denomination edges closer to extinction. For those of us who have spent many years serving in denominations (close to 40 for me) these signs of the times are particularly painful. I have watched as three of the churches I have pastored, and even my home church (all thriving works at one time), close and I have mourned their passing as I would the death of a loved one.

Sadly, we ignore the warning signs. We reminisce about the “former days of glory” and hope that somehow they will magically reappear. Some may be even hoping that a “messiah” will come along and lead us back to victory. We continue to function as
before, ignoring the signs of death. We maintain staff and increasing budgets as though funds were not decreasing and the mask of any prosperity comes at the expense of the future, because we have to live off the sale of properties instead of investing it in
growth. We may seem healthy, as a man might, even as the reality of terminal cancer or an impending heart attack is lurking on the inside. The appearance of health only masks the problem and allows it to continue its work of death. The desperate attempts
to seem “normal” or “okay,” the stubborn refusal to “face the facts,” exacerbates the situation, making the receiving of help unlikely, even impossible. With each passing of the guard, a glimmer of hope appears briefly then evaporates as the same course is
followed. We tell ourselves that we need continuity, stability, in turbulent times like these, but these words fail to cover the complacency and inner fears that really grip us when harsh reality sets in.

Sadly, some will respond to this message of impending doom with an accusation that the messenger is deluded and fails to see the true situation. If I am wrong, then by all means, ignore what I say. As I told denominational leaders and church representatives
the last time I had to deliver a harsh and difficult message, I wish I were wrong, that nothing would please me more than being wrong, and that I would be the first person to step aside and celebrate my failure to perceive the facts. I was not wrong then, but I
would still like to be wrong now, even as my head overrules my heart and forces me to stand by my analysis. Others will respond that a pessimistic perspective is inappropriate for such a time. What we need is a positive voice, one that will inspire hope and
engender confidence. My nature is not to be pessimistic. Those who truly know me know that I seek to be positive and encouraging. But I am what I call a “positive realist” who believes that we can’t be positive, if we ignore reality. Some will attribute faulty
motivation to my analysis, thinking that I am trying to make a name, seek an office, or be placed in the spotlight. That is not the case. I have nothing to gain and much to lose, but like Ezekiel, I believe that to see and fail to report as a faithful watchman should is
to be guilty of being irresponsible and unfaithful to the call to warn of danger.

Sadly, some will respond with an immediate dismissal. We don’t want to face the harsh reality and don’t want to expend the energy and endure the hardships that this challenge will require, if we are to meet it squarely. We feel that we can ignore the situation for a little while, hoping that a cure will come along, if we can just hang in there a little longer. If we don’t acknowledge it, maybe it will disappear or vaporize as an illusion, thinking that we have refused to give it life by such acknowledgement. If we ignore it, it will go away. Forget the facts, let’s just forge ahead as if nothing is different, nothing is wrong, nothing speaks of danger. But what we don’t know can hurt us, what we fail to acknowledge will affect us, what we refuse to hear will continue to ring loudly, whether or not we respond. If we aren’t careful, we will be tempted to give a sigh of resignation and decide to give up without a struggle or a fight. We may conclude that death is inevitable and, therefore, the best course of action is to accept the fact. The question is this: Is living worth the effort; is this something worth fighting for?

Sadly, some may respond in anger and seek to find someone or something to blame for the current state of affairs. We can blame our culture for being less concerned about denominations and denominational loyalties. We can then respond by setting more
stringent rules that seek to force loyalty. But we know that such a response will only make the situation worse. We can blame past leaders and say that they should have been more perceptive, that they should have seen these things coming, that they should have taken firm action and exerted stronger leadership. Of course, whether or not they deserve blame (just remember that all leaders are human and can make mistakes, fail to act or simply fail to lead), we cannot go back and change the past. Regret, second‐guessing, and blame will not correct the present or change our situation. We can blame ourselves for sitting on the sideline and letting things drift along toward disaster. But again, that will not change the situation. We can even blame God for not blessing our efforts as we think He should have. But He could blame us for not being more perceptive to His Spirit and more responsive to His leadership. Any way you look at it, the blame game is ultimately a waste of time and energy. We fail to agree on the source of blame, while we continue to flounder, and we expend valuable resources in such futility.

Some may be ready to take action. They may chide that we have waited long enough. Now is not a time for words, but a time for doing. However, just taking action may result in a beating of the wind, a flailing of the hands, an exercise in futility. More than
action is needed; we need thoughtful action. I applaud those of you who wish to move and move swiftly. I share your focus on action. I’m tired of words; I want to see results. But when resources are limited (and they usually are), they must be focused to provide
maximum results. When you are down to your last bullet, you must take aim carefully. You can’t afford to miss again. This may be the last shot at success, a last resort for a cure, a last chance at redemption. So we must proceed swiftly, but with caution.

What are denominations supposed to provide? Doctrinal integrity, cooperative ministry, leadership development, committed fellowship, educational resources, and strong encouragement come to my mind.

Doctrinal integrity is essential, if a denomination is to remain true to the Bible and its roots. However, this must involve more than a doctrinal statement or a pastoral form affirming agreement with the doctrinal statement. It cannot depend solely on a committee or group to investigate and to discipline doctrinal deviations and deviators. It must involve a close association and oversight that keeps tabs on pastors and congregations and encourages them to stay the course and maintain the standards.

Close associations that strengthen resolve and bolster convictions are needed. Cooperative ministry involves activities and ministries that require greater resources and organization than a single congregation can tackle alone. Shared ministries such as supporting and sending missionaries, summer camps, Bible training, benevolent activities, resource development, and other such ways help churches become a part of larger kingdom work.

Leadership development is an important part of denominational responsibility. Now I realize that the local church is the foundation of such development. The local church must identify, raise, train, and encourage leaders. Beyond this, the denomination can oversee, train, encourage, and challenge pastors beyond the local church level. Studies show that pastors leave the ministry in large numbers and that there are crucial points in the pastor’s journey where these exits occur. These areas must be addressed by a denomination that truly cares about leadership development and about its leaders.

Committed fellowship is the sharing of life and ministry with those of like minds. The denomination should provide the platform for pastors and people who share common core beliefs and values to build friendships and share in ministry. When I first entered
the ministry, denominational meetings were times to get together with people I didn’t get to see often, but could get to know better and enjoy talks, walks, and meals with them.

In all of these areas we need strong encouragement to walk together, minister faithfully, and keep the faith. Denominational leaders have a voice and a platform from which they can offer such encouragement.

Prediction: “More large churches will function like mini‐denominations. These churches will have multiple locations. They will have one senior or lead pastor, and several other campus pastors. They are more likely to fund their own missions priorities, even if they
are also contributing to a denominational missions fund. Many of them will write their own small group literature. Some will have their own church planting strategies.”

It’s easy to see why this prediction is coming to pass. Large churches have the advantage of the resources to accomplish such ministries, but also have the edge in staying close to their people and providing a consistency in ministry that denominations
can’t or won’t.

Prediction: “Increased church acquisitions. Smaller churches will seek to be acquired by larger churches in increasing numbers. One of the big factors is simply personnel cost. Many smaller churches can no longer afford to pay a pastor a salary and benefits,
particularly health care benefits.”

This prediction seems to be tied somewhat to the previous one. Smaller churches will find that being a part of a larger church/church network will provide greater benefits than a denominational association with fewer of the negative demands.

What can a denomination do?

Well, I would recommend exploring, identifying and implementing ways to build bridges, strengthen ties, and provide real encouragement to its member churches and especially to its pastors. I have already provided a lengthy list of ways that I think could
help to accomplish this to current denominational leaders, so I won’t list them here. Most require only effort, without costing a cent or demanding any additional personnel or overhead.

Focus. The first step is to slough off the past that has ceased to be productive. These are the words of Peter Drucker, management guru. Every organization has activities, programs, and investments that drain resources but produce little if any results in return. These have become entrenched in the way we do things and we have grown comfortable with them, but they must be identified and removed to free resources for the really important and effective ministries that will benefit growth. As painful as it will be, removing the dead weight will also provide a new sense of freedom and energy, because we no longer carry the heavy burden of dead and dying appendages.

Prediction: “Many denominational structures are becoming smaller because their churches are declining. Others are feeling economic pinches. This trend of smaller and more efficient denominational structures at all levels will only become more pervasive
in 2014.”

Find ways of encouraging and promoting, church growth, evangelism, and church planting. In God’s Word and in His program for the church, these are primary, vital, essential. Of course, these areas are the concern of the local church as well. But the denomination has a role and resources to help in ways that the local church alone doesn’t.

Prediction: “Decline in conversion growth. American churches that grow are more likely to get their growth at the expense of other churches. Evangelism is waning in many churches, and fewer non‐believers are becoming Christians. The negative reaction to
programmatic evangelistic methods has evolved into an overreaction. Too few churches emphasize personal and church‐based evangelism.”

Most churches will lose at least half their congregate by 2025 due to the loss of a generation of church goers who will not be replaced.

Prediction: “Church movement to the community. The posture of many American churches in the most recent decades has been to find ways to get people in the community to come to the church. That is shifting, perhaps dramatically. In more churches, the congregation will move to the community. Instead of a philosophy of “y’all come,” the dominant theme will be “we’ll go.” The congregants will be a more powerful presence in the community they serve, thus ministering to, influencing, and reaching more people with the gospel.”

The invitation to sinners is “Come” but the command to the church is “Go.” A denomination that wants to serve its churches must find ways to help them “Go.”

Dry and monotonous denominational meetings ought to be turned into training seminars and pep rallies. I recently witnessed a regional meeting of a secular network marketing business (experiencing phenomenal growth)where information was shared
about the company’s success and progress, about best business practices, and about how they can stay focused and motivated to pursue financial gain, but it was anything but dry or boring. It was informative, instructional and inspirational. That is what our
churches need on a spiritual level. When we gather church leaders together, we can’t afford to waste that valuable time on reports and procedures that have little, if any, effect on our effectiveness in ministry. Some information needs to be retained as essential to organizational needs and growth. Some information needs to be jettisoned. Some information needs to be repackaged into a form that is more practical, motivational and beneficial to our vision, purpose, priorities and goals. We need to meet and conduct important business, but I have observed from 39 years of meetings that much of what we do is routine, perfunctory, un‐useful and un‐imaginative (you can insert boring). But it doesn’t have to be this way! More time must also be allowed at these meetings for fellowship and networking.

Prediction: “Longer pastoral tenure. There will be incremental but steady growth in the length of tenure of pastors at a given church. Part of the reason is the influence of the Millennials who do not view larger churches as their next step in ministry. Part of the
reason is economic; moving in today’s economy is not nearly as easy in pre‐recession days. Hopefully, the main reason is a sense of God’s call to stay rather than move.”

Of course, research has shown that pastoral tenure is less than 4 years, but that long term pastoral ministry is more effective for church growth. To the two reasons mentioned above for longer tenure, I will add a third that will produce negative results in ministry: staying at a church because the pastor feels trapped with little or no opportunity to do otherwise and fearful churches who hang on to ineffective pastors out of fear that they won’t be able to replace them. However, it would seem advantageous for a denomination to encourage longer tenured pastorates and provide training and help to ineffective pastors.

I will close this challenge by revealing my optimistic side. I believe there is still a place for denominations, if those denominations can adapt to present realities while holding firmly to timeless truth. But they can’t afford to move at a snail’s pace or they will lose by a hare. The time has come to face the harsh realities of 21st century ministry with the hope of the life‐transforming gospel. We can’t continue to put new wine in old wine skins. The result is disastrous. Let us learn from the Master about how to conduct effective ministry. Radical measures are needed, but vast opportunities are visible to the one with eyes of faith. Some may say that what I am proposing is risky. The Bible uses another five‐letter word to describe it: FAITH. I believe it may be more risky to move cautiously or do nothing at this point. Like Abraham, we will have to leave Ur if we want to see the promised land. The way may seem uncertain, unknown, risky. But it is the way of FAITH. May God help us to move out for Him.

For those interested in reviewing the entire list of predictions, they may be viewed at:
www.TheAmericalChurchMag.com

1 John 5:21 ESV    Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV    Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

FIrst, you may be thinking that this is a very disjointed and unusual as well as abrupt way to end a letter. I happen to believe that it is an apt summary of what John has been trying to communicate throughout his letter. It is his core message.

Second, you may be thinking that this is an unnecessary command, since surely worshipping idols was no longer a problem. And both of these thoughts would be wrong.

The core of sin is selfishness, wanting to choose for ourselves rather than allowing God to guide our choices, wanting to BE God rather than to SERVE God. It started in the Garden with the first pair and their desire to be like God, in essence wanting to take God’s place in their lives as their Tempter had done before them. That is why the Apostle Paul defines covetousness as idolatry in Colossians 3:5. Any desire that exalts itself above allegiance to Christ is idolatry.

The idols here are not pagan deities or images of stone or wood. An idol is a false picture of God that causes one to stumble and fall away from a relationship with the true God. [Marianne Meye Thompson, IVP New Testament Commentary on 1-3 John, p. 148]

So, rather than being a disjointed and abrupt ending to the epistle, it becomes a summary statement of the entire message of the epistle. John is leaving his readers with a very pointed and memorable one-liner to drive home his message. Don’t let anything stand in the way of true belief, of becoming a true follower of the true God, Jesus Christ, of maintaining a true relationship with Him. Anything that comes between you and God is your god and you are worshipping it rather than Him.

If this is the definition of idolatry, our society has become a very pagan one. Look at the gods around us: wealth, fame, social standing, popularity, branding, commercialism, and a thousand others. Everywhere we turn something or someone is wanting our attention, even our worship. If there was ever a time this command needed to be heard, it is today. The issue is clear: life and death are bound up in whether or not we have the Son, whether or not we have a relationship with the Son, whether or not we worship and follow the Son.

I still meet too many who can’t accurately and biblically answer the question posed to me so many years ago and I have presented to so many since: If you were to die and stand before God, and He were to say to you, why should I let you into Heaven, what would you tell Him?

“I don’t know,” “I hope He would let me in,” “I’ve tried to live a good life, to do good things,” are not adequate answers. The only sufficient and biblically adequate answer is “I believe in the Son of God.” “Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” “Whosoever believes in him” has everlasting life. Make sure your answer is right and that you can make it confidently. Whatever the form of the question God may pose on the day of judgment, we certainly don’t want to hear the answer that Jesus says some will hear, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” Fortunately, He has provided the answer, if we are willing to accept it.

1 John 5:18-20 ESV  We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. (19) We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (20) And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Christians know instinctively and experientially what the Apostle Paul was talking about in Romans 7. When he said that he did what he did not want to do, and found himself unable to do the good he desired to do, we know exactly what he means. The sad reality is that most Christians I have known constantly explain that, as humans, we all sin all the time and they seem to really believe this. Their lives reveal a lack of victory over sin that necessitates this explanation. But the witness of Scripture and the Spirit speak otherwise. Now, understand that I am not advocating sinless perfection whereby some Christians attain an exalted status and never are tempted or sin again. I realize that we will always face temptation in this life and therefore face the possibility of sinning. But God did not save us from our sin so we could continue to live in sin. Otherwise His salvation is not effective for us. He leaves us with the same problem we were facing before, our sin, and we are just as helpless and hopeless as before we came to Him.

In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul was not describing the normal experience of Christians, but the experience of someone who was trying to live by the law under the law in order to earn salvation or sanctified living. Victory over sin is the birthright of every born-again believer. In fact, the evidence that Christ has come into our lives, brought new life and new changes, and has given us new spiritual power is our response to sin, is this: “Sin no longer has dominion” over us. We do not keep on sinning. The “one born of God,” our Savior, protects us and the evil one cannot touch us while we remain under His protection. The reason the world cannot understand this experience is because it “lies in the power of the evil one.” We are no longer under that power. We have God’s Spirit, who empowers us.

We have been given understanding. We KNOW Him who is TRUE. We are IN Him who is TRUE. He IS the TRUE God and eternal life. Its all about what is TRUE. Have you come to an understanding of what it TRUE? Have you accepted and now believe what is TRUE? Do you have a relationship with the TRUE God, Jesus Christ? Our world wants to downplay TRUTH. They want to redefine what is TRUE in terms of what they want it to be, or to adjust it according to their experience, or to explain that what is TRUE for you may not be TRUE for them. God deals in TRUE TRUTH. His TRUTH is TRUE for everyone all the time in all ages.

Confident living is understanding the TRUTH, and believing the TRUTH, and living the TRUTH. We have the knowledge, we have the witness, we have the power.

1 John 5:16-17 [ESV2011]  If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

I know that when I read this passage, my mind is drawn to “the sin that leads to death” and I fail to see something else here. If we see someone who is a brother (I assume that John is using this term to refer to a fellow Christian) committing a sin, we should pray. We spend a great deal of time praying for temporal needs for ourselves and for others, but precious little time for the spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters. It is past time to realize that we must engage spiritual energy in prayer to focus on the spiritual needs around us. We see sin all around us. We see friends and family enslaved to sin, enslaved to harmful habits, enslaved to their lusts and desires. How can we fail to see that these are serious offences, serious problems, that need to be addressed. These are not just personal choices, personal problems, personal failures. These are sins that stand against God, grieve His Spirit, hinder the church, and hurt both the perpetrators and those around them. We cannot sit idly by while the spiritual lives of others stand in jeopardy.

We must act, but what can we do? We cannot play the role of the Spirit in their lives and seek to bring conviction. We cannot force them to stop sinning. We must not rant and rail against them. We should not gossip about them and their sin to others. We may be able to share a word, to keep the door open and the lines of communication clear, to assist them when they are ready to repent. But we can always pray and should pray. Now, some may wonder how prayer for a sinning brother will help the situation. First, we can pray that God will be merciful and forgive them for their actions. That is the prayer Jesus prayed from the cross on behalf of those who were scoffing and mocking in disbelief. That is the prayer that Stephen prayed for those who falsely convicted him of blasphemy and were stoning him to death. That is the type of prayer Jesus encouraged us to pray “for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28). We must not gloat over another’s sin. we must not revel in their misery and agony, we must not shrug it off, thinking that they deserve this. When Israel had sinned against God and deserved His punishment, and when He told Moses He would wipe them off the face of the earth and make a nation from him, Moses stood and pleaded for Israel (Exodus 32). Prayer from a heart of love is needed on their behalf.

Second, we can pray that God’s Spirit will bring strong conviction on them, so that they will realize the magnitude of their sin and turn from it. It’s easy to turn a deaf ear to God’s Word and refuse to listen and obey. We often seek to justify our sin or to minimize the magnitude of it. We find ways to say that this command in God’s Word doesn’t apply to me in this situation. I see this so clearly in children. They didn’t do it. They didn’t mean to do it. They didn’t say that. They didn’t mean it. Everyone else is doing it. No one else is being punished for it. They actually didn’t break the rule. It was someone else’s fault. Minimizing our blame and pointing a finger toward another are ways of seeking to avoid the blunt truth that we have sinned and deserve the consequences. Pray that God will pull away the veil over their eyes, Pray that He will reveal to them their self-deception. Pray that they will finally face their sin so that they can seek God’s gracious pardon and forgiveness.

Third, we can pray that God will bring people into their lives and use circumstances in their lives to show them their need. Whether with Joshua at Ai, Moses with the serpents in the wilderness, or David taking a census of a people exalted in pride, God can use circumstances to bring us to our knees and point us to a gracious and forgiving God. Like Samuel, Elijah, or Nathan, God may choose to use us by giving us the words to confront their sin and show them their need. Prayer prepares us for the ministry opportunities and challenges that result when we pray for a brother in sin. Do not underestimate the power of prayer. “The prayer of a righteous man is mighty in its working.”

This passage in John brings to our attention that there are situations where our prayers are ineffective. There is a “sin unto death” and it is one for which prayer will not work. 

1 John 5:16 Sin not leading to death is sin for which forgiveness is possible because (1) forgiveness is sought and (2) God is willing to grant it. Death and eternal life are present spiritual states as well as ultimate actual destinies (hell, heaven).Sin that leads to death is probably sin that is (1) unrepented of and (2) of the kind or nature that John has warned about throughout the letter: resolute rejection of the true doctrine about Christ, chronic disobedience to God’s commandments, persistent lack of love for fellow believers—all indications of a lack of saving faith—which will not be forgiven. [ESV Study Bible note]

Jesus tells of such a sin. 

Matthew 12:31-32 [ESV2011] Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

The context makes clear that the sin against the Holy Spirit is having such spiritual blindness to the work of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of Jesus that one would attribute it to Satan instead. When Jesus cast the demon out of the blind and mute man, the Pharisees accused Him of acting in the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. At some point, a heart becomes so seared, so hardened to the truth and so insensitive to the work of the Spirit that one absolutely refuses to listen, to relent, or to repent. Just as Pharaoh hardened his heart to God’s message through Moses and refused to listen, even becoming increasingly obstinate, so there are those who so harden their hearts against the work of the Spirit in their lives. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, a person cannot be convicted, regenerated (born again), or grow in grace. There are those who think that they have committed this sin by making some thoughtless or angry remark against God, cursing Him or foolishly lashing out at Him. Others fear that they have committed this sin by becoming so enslaved to some sin that they have gone too far. I protest that the person who has committed this sin would feel no such concern, fear, or regret. These persons, much like the antichrist, will be so emboldened to commit evil that they will feel they are actually carrying out the will of God. Evil will be seen as good, and good as evil. So hard and coldhearted, they will feel no shame for their shameful behavior.

Confident living is learning to pray and to extend our concern for others in need of prayer. As we grow in our knowledge and practice of prayer, we will see God answer our prayers and we will grow in confidence.

1 John 5:14-15 ESV  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  (15)  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

What a blessing to cast our cares upon Him, knowing He cares for us. When children are hurt, in need, wanting something, they invariably come to their parents first. This is because their parents have shown them care and concern, have taken care of them, have showered gifts upon them. They know of no one who would be more ready, more able, more willing to help them. Our Father in heaven cares more for us than some imagine. There are those who see Him as a grudging Father, holding back, holding out, and making us beg. This view of God is neither biblical nor accurate but is nonetheless prevalent.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (Psalms 84:11 KJV)

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. (James 1:17 ESV)

Like children we need to learn what to ask for and how to ask. My parents never gave me everything I wanted nor everything I asked for, but they did give me what I needed and more. Their answers often ranged between “yes”, “no”, “wait”, and “you’ve got to be kidding” (see a previous blog post). Just like children, we have the hardest problem with the “wait” answer. It seems so much like a “no” which drags out under the guise of a “yes”. But my parents eventually came through on the “wait” answer. I just had to learn how to wait for it.

Now, what a privilege to know that we can come “boldly before the throne of grace” to find help in the time of need. Just like children who can rush up to their mother, knowing that they can capture her attention when they are in trouble or need, we, also, can “rush” into the presence of God, casting our cares upon Him. It’s a comfort and a delight to know that He stands ready to help us. If we have become reluctant to seek His help, we need only come before Him again and find that He is still ready to receive and help us.

Prayer is not some magic formula that must be spoken correctly or some magic procedure that must be followed exactly. Some seem to think it is. They try to make sure that they address the Father in a certain way and end their prayers in a certain manner. They seem to think that the effectiveness of the prayer is determined by the form of the prayer or the words used or the physical posture. They pray as the “heathen do” and “in vain”. Some pray with the same assurance as the child casting pedals to the wind hoping they will return to her hand.

So, what makes prayer effective. John says that we can have CONFIDENCE in prayer. That confidence comes from praying “according to his will,” knowing that “he hears us.” How do we pray according to His will? This is not somehow discovering His secret plan that He reveals to only a select group of people (hint: Gnostics, whose ideas still linger today) or to find His “hidden will” or “will of decree.” Unfortunately, some still feel that God is holding back or holding out and will not let most of us in on His plans or desires. That is not biblical either.

First, to experience answered prayer we must be the right kind of person. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). Praying in the will of God first involves becoming the right kind of person, the person who is right in thinking, in living, in desires. It means becoming the kind of person who will ask for the right things and for the right reasons. The more we are right with God, the more we can ask rightly for what we need and want.

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalms 37:4 ESV)

Second, we must know God’s will by studying His Word. Because I knew my parents, I knew what I should and should not ask for. I knew what they were and were not willing to give me. Now, on occasion, they would surprise me. But even when they gave me things I would not have requested, I knew better than to ask or beg for them. The better we know God, the better we can know what He wants us to have and what He wants to do for us. His “revealed will” is in His Word. The better we know the Word, the better we know His will.

Third, to learn to pray effectively, we are greatly aided by studying the prayers of people in the Bible. These people knew how to pray effectively. Their prayers were effective. They knew how to pray according to the will of God. Studying those prayers will help us learn to pray effectively. Even praying those prayers, as they express our needs or situation, will help us pray effectively. So many think that prayer is a spiritual exercise that they will never master, that they will never even be able to practice without difficulty. But prayer can be mastered. It can become “the breath of the soul.” It can become as natural as breathing.

Answered prayer can become a regular experience when we simply trust God to meet our needs and place into His care our desires without dictating how, when and where He must meet them. We cannot give commands and dictate terms, expecting God to jump to our wishes. He is not our servant, our errand-boy, our rich uncle. He is our Father who wants to give us good gifts (especially the Holy Spirit). He, in His great wisdom, may say “no”, because we have asked for something that is not good for us, will not truly benefit us, and may even cause us great harm in the long run. He may say “wait”, it’s not the right time for this. He longs to say “yes” and to allow us to experience His delights. But we can always trust Him to answer us and to meet our needs.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know (emphasis mine) that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13 ESV)

Which do you have: a KNOW SO salvation or a HOPE SO salvation? The difference between the two is profound. Someone who is depending on a HOPE SO salvation will vacillate with each failure, each misstep, each decision. That person will always be wondering, did I blow it this time, did I go too far, did I make a bad decision that will result in my dismissal? In a HOPE SO relationship you never know where you stand. You will always wonder if you are good enough, have performed well enough, or have made an adequate impression. What will it take for this relationship to fall apart, what will create a strain too great, what will be the last straw? Some people think that, given the fickleness of the human heart and possibly, the fickleness of God Himself, we can never really be sure about our relationships.

I am thankful that God is not fickle. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19 ESV) God says that we can KNOW that we have eternal life. “He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” It’s simple. Do you have the Son, or not? Have you trusted Jesus Christ for your salvation, or not? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV) This is NOT rocket science. If you trust someone, you will not constantly question them, second-guess them, or doubt them.

A KNOW SO salvation is the kind that God has promised to provide. He wants us to have a certainty about our relationship with Him. He wants us to walk in confidence, knowing where we stand with Him. If we have fallen into some sin, if we have failed to love, if we have experienced any uncertainty about where we stand, we can come to Him, confess our sin, confess our doubts, and bare our souls. He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. His Spirit will restore our inward confidence. His Word will renew our confidence. We can walk in confidence, knowing that God is guiding us.

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. (Psalms 37:23-24 ESV)

Don’t settle for a HOPE SO salvation, when God wants you to have a KNOW SO salvation!

1 John 5:6-12 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

For there are three that testify:

the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

When I have read this passage in the past, I have left confused, wondering just exactly what John was trying to tell me. I now believe that it is simpler than I ever imagined. He simply wants me to believe God’s testimony about who His Son is and what His Son has done. Faith is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. “Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ,” we are told, “and you will be saved.” Believing is simple. Notice I didn’t say “easy”. A. W. Tozer has this to say about faith:

Now, if faith is the gaze of the heart at God, and if this gaze is but the raising of the inward eyes to meet the all-seeing eyes of God, then it follows that it is one of the easiest things possible to do. It would be like God to make the most vital thing easy and place it within the range of possibility for the weakest and poorest of us. [Tozer, The Pursuit of God, 88]

We tend to try to make things complicated. We have complicated our lives with “time and labor saving” devices. We complicate meetings with procedures and rules that overshadow the reason for meeting. We complicate relationships with unrealistic demands and expectations. We complicate religion with rules and regulations that place heavy burdens on followers.

The gospel is sublime in its simplicity. A small child can understand the simple message and believe, while an adult may be thrown off-guard by its simplicity and humbly bow to it. It is this simplicity that puts some off and drives them away. They want something complicated, something challenging, something that will prove their superiority. Faith is simple, but we all know that it can be challenging as well. But God has made it simple, for He wants a relationship with us and simply asks us to “trust” Him and what He has done for us, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

What is the testimony that comes “by water and by blood?” Two events stand out as a testimony to who Jesus was and what He had come to do: His baptism and His death. At His baptism, the Spirit descended as a dove and the voice from heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son.” His baptism was one of identification with us and his ministry was to become our substitute. He “who knew no sin” became one of us so that He could pay the price for our sin. His death on the cross was the cost our sin exacted. His crucifixion stands as such a central and pivotal act that crosses now symbolize the Christian faith. The Spirit bears witness, driving home the veracity of these acts and His claims to our hearts, and this witness is a compelling call to believe.

Confident living comes from knowing why we are here and what life is all about. Confidence comes from knowing that we have a place and a future. Jesus has told us He has gone to prepare a place for us and that He is coming for us to take us there to live with Him forever. It all hinges on our relationship with the Son. If we have a relationship with the Son, we have life. If not, you are dead in your trespasses and sins. Trust God’s testimony. Listen to the Spirit’s voice. Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ. It really is that simple. But that one step will transform a shaky existence into confident living.