Armor of God: Clothed with Dignity and Honor

Stand firm to the end. Cling to your hope. Walk by faith. Endure suffering. Live worthy of the calling. Pray continuously. Fight the battle.

We throw out these Christian adages to encourage one another in the midst of our spiritual warfare – and they’re all important. They all have their place. Before we ever step into battle, however, we need to understand our defensive armor and our offensive weapons. Satan’s fiery darts will take us out in no time if we aren’t prepared before we ever step on the battle ground.

Ephesians 6:14-19 details an entire list of garments required before we step into the battle. Many people compare this list to the pieces of armor worn by a Roman soldier. I don’t think this is accurate, however. Instead, the armor listed in Ephesians 6 correlates with the garments worn by the priest in the Old Testament. The Old Testament is always our best tool to help us understand the New Testament – not cultural surroundings, even first century Roman culture.

The primary correlation lies in a comparison of the duties of the priest with the offensive weapons in spiritual warfare. The priests were “to stand before Yahweh to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8). In other words, they stood before God to minister on behalf of the people as they burned the incense. Incense stood for the prayers of the people (Revelation 5:8, 8:3). Also, they stood to pronounce blessings – or to speak the Word of God – to the people. In the spiritual warfare passage of Ephesians 6, we have two very similar offensive weapons. They are “the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word” and “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request” (Ephesians 6:17-18).

I’ve created two handouts that go into much of the significance and symbolism of the priest’s garments, including what they can teach us about modern day spiritual warfare. I’m including them for you below. Even these, however, barely scratch the surface of all we can learn from the garments and duties of the high priest when engaging in spiritual warfare!

 

 

 

 

Let me give credit where credit is due. I didn’t first make the correlation between the armor and priests’ garments. I’ve based my research on this video by Mark Biltz; he covers it very generally. I built upon that general foundation to find specific, significant connections and relationships between the garments and the armor.

Persecution: What to expect and how to respond

An ISIS soldier "had begun having dreams of this man in white who came to him and said, 'You are killing my people.' And he started to feel really sick and uneasy about what he was doing," Fadely continued. "The fighter said just before he killed one Christian, the man said, 'I know you will kill me, but I give to you my Bible.' The Christian was killed and this ISIS fighter actually took the Bible and began to read it. In another dream, Jesus asked him to follow Him and he was now asking to become a follower of Christ and to be discipled" (Menzie, Christian Post).

I released “Everything We Need: God’s Path to Know Him Better” a little over a year ago. In it, we consider twelve areas where God calls us to know one of His truths. One of those truths – persecution – is growing like a wildfire. For us in America, I think the time has come for us to stop believing our first amendment rights are more iron-clad than God’s Word; persecution will come. For those in America and all nations, we need to know what God wrote about persecution so we can cope.

That’s why I’m sharing excerpts from the chapter in “Everything We Need” that focuses on persecution. This is only about a fourth of what’s in the book. Click here if you want to learn more.

Who is the world?

The gap between believers and the world is growing every day.

We are followers of Christ living in the world; those who persecute believers are part of the world. So, who and what is the world?

In his commentary, Matthew Henry described “the world.” The world is led by Satan although he will be driven out and condemned (1 John 5:19, John 12:31, and John 16:11). The world hates believers because we don’t belong in it. God has chosen us out of it (John 15:18-19). The world has many followers but the number of believers in Christ are few (Matthew 7:13-14).

I also have made two observations regarding the relationship between the world, the believer, and God.

First, a believer’s relationship with the world can’t be one of friendship. The world is comprised of hollow, fleeting obstacles to a relationship with Christ. We can’t desire or seek after those things and love God at the same time as they are diametrically opposed to each other (James 4:4, 1 John 2:15).

Second, the world’s treatment of believers is opposite of how believers are to treat one another. The world hates believers but believers should be known for their love (1 John 3:13-15). Our love is evidence of the transformation Christ makes in our life as we grow in Him. Think about it—we were once part of the world until He chose us out of it and we followed in obedience. Therefore, by our very sin nature, we also once hated believers. For love to now define us requires a radical transformation.

Despite the hatred the world feels toward God and His people, God feels only one way about the world. He loves it and His strongest desire is to save it. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).

Should we expect persecution?

A chasm exists between the world and the children of God. In John 15:18-21, Jesus warned His disciples of this split during the Last Supper. His warning compared two aspects of life for the world and the believer—their relationship with each other and their treatment of each other.

The relationship between the world and the believer is not a pretty one. Believers were once part of the world. If they still were, the world would love them. So what happened to change their status from part of the world to that of a believer? Jesus chose them out of the world. And the world hates Him. The world is those who are “alienated from God” and “hostile to the cause of Christ”. The only possible outcome is for the world to also hate believers (John 15:18-19).

This relationship impacts the second aspect of life between the world and the believer—their treatment of each other. During the Last Supper, Jesus twice told His disciples, “No servant is greater than his master” (John 13:16 and 15:20).

John 15:20 is the second time Jesus said, “No servant is greater than his master.” He said it within the context of persecution. If the world persecuted Christ, which they did to the point of death, the world is going to persecute the believer as well. Notice that Jesus didn’t say they will probably persecute you or they might persecute you. He added no conditional aspect to this part of the sentence. Friend, if you are following Christ, the world will persecute you.

Despite the guaranteed persecution, Jesus set an example for believers in how they should feel about the world. The first time He said “No servant is greater than his master” was in John 13:16. The context was Jesus’ act of humility while washing the disciples’ feet. This act not only portrayed Him as a servant; it was also an acted parable. This dramatized parable showed His humility in coming to earth, giving His life to redeem mankind, and return to the glories of heaven. “The love that is evident in the laying down of life at the crucifixion is also demonstrated in the laying down of life in humble service in the footwashing” (Osborne). Jesus’ life was one of humility and believers should not aspire to anything different.

How should I respond?

All of these factors combine to reveal another aspect of how believers should treat the world. Yes, the world persecutes believers. Jesus says in John 15:21, “They will treat you this way because of my name…” This next part is very important, “…for they do not know the One who sent me.” Friend, the world does all of this because they do not know! How did you come to know the One who sent Jesus? I’m fairly certain it was because someone told you about Him, whether it was in a sermon, over lunch, in a book, or through any other media. Someone told you about Jesus. For those who don’t know, maybe they just need to be told. Who better than you and I to tell them?

I'm Too Busy: How will God view our excuses when eternity comes?

The church is full of hypocrites.

A God of love would never send people to hell.

Everyone has their own truth and their own path to God.

My teacher told me God doesn’t exist.

I went to church when I was little so it’s all good. Or, I’m a member of the local church so it’s all good. I’m covered.

I’ve done too many bad things. God doesn’t want me.

I’m a good person. God will let me in.

I can take care of that some other time. I’m too busy right now.

I don’t feel like it.

All that Bible stuff is too hard. I’ll just wing it.

I went to church but someone there made me mad. I won’t go back.

I’d go to church but someone already there hurt me. I’ll never go somewhere where he/she is at.

They are just after my money. They don’t care about me.

We’ve all heard these excuses for why people reject Christianity. We’ve probably even said or thought some of them ourselves.

I’m not even going to offer a rebuttal to them. Instead, I’m going to skip the debate and go straight to the point. I’m going to focus on the heart of the issue. These are all excuses we use so we don’t have to face the truth. However, when the moment of truth comes, our excuses won’t matter one single bit.

I’m not going to sugar coat this or try to make it politically correct. I’m going to put it out there and leave the rest up to you.

You will stand before God at some point. He’s not going to consider your excuses and make allowances for them. God won’t say, “Yes, I know. The church was full of hypocrites so I understand why you didn’t go. Please, enter into eternity with Me.”

You’ll never hear, “Your teacher told you I don’t exist so it’s not really your fault that you rejected Me. We’ll blame your teacher instead. Heaven awaits you.”

God isn’t going to look at the calendar on your smartphone and reply, “Wow, you’re right. You were really busy with your career and your children’s activities and civic responsibilities and taking care of your home and still trying to fit in some fun stuff. I can see why you never took time to learn about Me. Sure, we can make an exception. I have a spot prepared for you in heaven with Me.”

Do you see where I’m going with this?

We throw out excuses for our rejection of God’s truth as if they’ll make a difference in our eternal outcome. We actually think God will consider those excuses as valid “Get out of jail free” cards in a cosmic, eternal Monopoly game.

I mean, after all, God is love and His is a message of grace, right?

This is God’s Love

“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

God is a God of love. As Creator of the universe, He has the privilege of defining love. He defined it as a sacrifice made by one person for the benefit of another person. He played it out by sacrificing Himself to pay the penalty for our sin so we might receive the benefit of forgiveness and eternity in heaven.

This is God’s Grace

“Since by one man’s trespass [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. … But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:17, 20-21).

God is a God of grace. Grace doesn’t make excuses and exceptions to get around the truth. That’s called lying and deception and they’re trademark signs of Satan, not God. God’s grace recognizes our sin for what it is without excuse. Instead, He forgives it completely and totally because of the blood sacrificed by Jesus.

A difference exists between excusing an offense and forgiving one. To excuse an offense means to pretend as if it wasn’t actually offensive or didn’t hurt you. To excuse an offense gives power to the offender. To forgive an offense means to recognize that the person’s action was wrong, it did hurt you, but you choose not to hold it against them. To forgive an offense gives the power to the one offended. The latter is God’s grace.

No one will hold your hand

When that moment comes and you stand before God, I won’t be there to hold your hand and offer false promises of security. Your excuses won’t be there still promising false justification. That moment will be between you and God alone; all that will matter is what you did with the message of love and grace offered by Jesus. Did you accept it or did you excuse it away?

Please click here to read a full explanation of what it means to accept Jesus’ gift of love, grace, and salvation. It’s eternally significant.

A Place at the Table: How do I reserve a spot with Jesus?

Your table is ready… follow me. I’d be happy to show you to your seat.

Our church family celebrated Passover again this year. Every year, I make place cards to mark the seats of our guests. I know people don’t use place cards very often anymore but I include them for a few reasons. First, we only have a certain number of spots available. I want to make sure we don’t end up with an odd spot here or there which might require those who arrive later to sit separately. Also, I want family groups to sit together. Families are crumbling today; I feel this is a special opportunity for grandparents, parents, and children to come together in a significant way. Finally, I want to make sure I have candle centerpieces in the right places for each mom to light her candles.

It’s kind of a big job to make sure every guest has their own place card. I made a full set about five days before the dinner but all week I was pulling some out and making some new as guests either cancelled their reservations or signed up at the last minute. Even the morning of the dinner I pulled out my supplies and made 14 new cards. It’s also a lot of work to make sure the place cards are all set out in the correct spot to ensure the table is ready when guests arrive. This year, a team of four people spent about an hour making sure every guest had a spot, specially marked with their name. Only when we were confident everyone had a spot could another team go through to prepare all the elements of the Seder.

So much work went into such a small detail of our evening celebration. And yet, it’s nothing compared to the work required for you to have a place card hold your spot at another significant table.

Passover, the Seder, Last Supper, Communion; all link together to display God’s plan for our redemption. They all link together to show God’s plan to take us unto Himself as a groom does His bride.

Jesus’ last Passover meal with His disciples – the beginning of the fulfillment of Passover and the foundation of Christian communion – also held the signs of a Jewish betrothal. I can’t go into all of it now but I want to focus on one single aspect here.

A young Jewish man and woman were betrothed before they were married. A betrothal was similar but much more strict and binding than a modern day engagement. Two significant events mark a Jewish betrothal – the marriage contract and the drinking of a shared cup of wine. Jesus completed the signs of betrothal when He spoke over the third cup, specifically, the Cup of Redemption. “Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:27-28).

You and I didn’t have the privilege of sitting at that table as did Peter, James, John, and the remaining disciples. We didn’t have the chance to look into Jesus’ eyes as we drank from the cup He passed thereby indicating our willingness to be His bride. But every time we participate in Communion, we spiritually join them at that table. Every drink of the cup of the Lord’s Supper is a reminder of our betrothal to Him.

A young Jewish man and woman completed their marriage in a second ceremony that occurred at an unknown time in the future. After a significant amount of time, the groom would return to the bride’s home to take her as his wife and be her husband. The wedding ceremony included a second cup of wine and the marriage feast.

Jesus offered the third cup to His disciples and they drank. However, that night He didn’t drink the fourth cup – the cup of Restoration. The fourth cup represented the promise to take us as His people and to be our God. Rather than drink the final cup, Jesus said, “I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).

Jesus completed the third cup but not the fourth. He fulfilled the process of redemption but He waits to take us as His bride and be our groom. He awaits a future table when the marriage betrothal is fulfilled over the final cup and the wedding feast.

We weren’t able to sit around the Last Supper table with the disciples but we can literally, physically sit at the table of the wedding feast. When we arrive, we can find a place card with our name on it. He will reserve a seat held only for us.

How does that happen?

We prepare.

“Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty has begun to reign! Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself” (Revelation 19:7).

We don’t prepare by striving to do all the right things, say all the right words, or go all the right places. We prepare by drinking the cup of redemption He holds out to us. We prepare by participating in the New Covenant He cut for us.

To drink the cup and accept the covenant means we recognize Jesus as our…

• Sacrifice who atoned for our sin
• Redeemer who paid the price to purchase us from the clutch of death
• Lamb whose blood made death to pass over us
• Groom who provides for our needs

Click here to learn more about a relationship with Jesus and how to reserve your place at the table.

Israel: Does this small nation still matter?

When was the last time the news covered stories from Brazil, Vietnam, or South Africa? You probably don’t know. I know I don’t. What about hot spots like China, Ukraine, or Venezuela? You might hear them mentioned every week or two. One country, however, is in American news almost every day, despite being about 6,000 miles away – Israel.

Another place mentions Israel a lot – my Bible. In fact, my Bible uses the word Israel almost 3,000 times although some of them refer to Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham who is one of the nation’s founding fathers. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel after the two wrestled one night (Genesis 32:24-32). His many sons became the fathers of Israel’s twelve tribes.

So, Israel’s in the news and in the Bible. Why does that warrant a blog article? America and Israel have been key allies since Israel declared independence in 1948. President Truman was the first world leader to recognize Israel’s statehood on the world stage. From that point on, America and Israel have been key allies. However, that is changing. The Obama administration is distancing itself from this important middle-east relationship. I’m writing to share that I stand with Israel and why…

Why do I stand with Israel?

God’s blessing is on Israel
God blesses many individuals, but not many nations. I personally believe the hand of God’s blessing led to America’s prosperity over the last 200 years. Even that, however, may very well be due to our historical support and relationships with the Jewish people. Yes, our support for them goes back much further than 1948. I also believe that if we, as a nation, discontinue our support and friendship with God’s chosen people, then He will remove His blessing from us.

After all, Israel is the only nation of which God has said, “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the people on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).

God’s treasure is Israel
Treasures are rare; I know I’ve never seen one. Yet God placed one treasure in this world – the Jewish people and the blessing that comes through them. God called Abraham’s descendants out of slavery in Egypt. A short distance into their journey, God was ready to take them to the next level. He was ready to make a covenant with them that would include the giving of His Law. In this covenant, God promised to separate them out as a holy nation as long as they obeyed Him. He told Moses to tell the people, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6 NIV).

God’s love is for Israel
Yes, I know what you’re thinking – God loves the world. He loves everyone in the world. He loved them enough that “He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). That love was ultimately expressed through God’s only Son, Jesus, who is also the son of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel. The queen of Sheba spoke words to Solomon which I believe are also prophetic of his descendant, King Jesus. “May Yahweh your God be praised! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel, because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel. He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness” (1 Kings 10:9).

God’s eye is on Israel
Many people groups from the Bible no longer exist. We don’t hear about the Perizzites, Agagites, Hittites, or Amalekites in the nightly news because they don’t exist. Other biblical people groups are still around such as the Persians (Iranians), Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Egyptians.

Israel holds a unique position, however. The Jews were scattered – disbursed among the nations in the late part of the first century AD. However, God promised the land of Israel to the Jewish people and He promised that a remnant would always remain, no matter how many times evil tried to exterminate them. So, despite their dispersion for nearly 2,000 years, the Jewish people aren’t destroyed as were the Hittites and Amalekites. They remain and God is bringing them back to their homeland en masse.

I’d encourage you to read all of Jeremiah 31 but let me share a few verses here, “Nations, hear the word of the Lord, and tell it among the far off coastlands! Say: The One who scattered Israel will gather him. He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock, for the Lord has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he” (Jeremiah 31:10-11).

God still has a plan for Israel
God’s plan since Adam has been the redemption of all mankind. It was never only about one people group. It’s for those who, like Abraham, believe God and God credits their belief to them as righteousness (Romans 4:3). From Abraham came Isaac who then had Jacob whom God renamed Israel. Through Israel’s son Judah came King David, King Solomon, and later, Jesus. Through Jesus, all nations are blessed and salvation has come to the whole world.

God still has a plan to redeem Israel. They haven’t fallen from grace so as to be unredeemable. Praise God, no one can fall so far that God can’t still reach them. “I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. Now if their stumbling brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring!” (Romans 11:11-12).

God’s attention may have shifted to the Gentile church for a while but soon it will shift back to Israel. Now, He calls them home physically to their land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River but soon He will call them home spiritually. “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at Me whom they pierced. … On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity. … They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say: They are My people, and they will say: Yahweh is our God” (Zechariah 12:10, 13:1, 9).

I stand with God

God made all of these promises to the Jewish people. He promised to bless them and keep them as His treasured possession. He promised to love them and watch over them. He promised to not forsake them but to redeem them. He promised to take them as His people and to be their God.

I stand with Israel because I refuse to accept that God would go back on His promises. “God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). God’s spoken word can’t and won’t be broken. His promises don’t change. So, I stand with Israel. Why? Because I stand with God.

Deal Breaker: Crossing the line into false teaching

False teaching. It’s a touchy subject but one that thrust itself into my life this week. It wasn’t loud or obnoxious; it didn’t come from an arrogant televangelist or celebrity Christian. It was small – only a few lines quietly buried in the middle of an otherwise great message.

I’m sure I’ve taught the Word of God incorrectly at times through the years, as much as it pains me to say so. I know God’s Word is absolutely true – every word, every concept, every story. I also know my mind isn’t perfect, my heart is sinful, and sometimes I just mess up.

So this week, I heard something that goes against God’s Word – an errant teaching I’ve encountered before on the internet but not from the mouth of a friend. I’m not going to share what it was as that would be an article in itself. But today I’m wondering a few things…

• What distinguishes a false teacher from a teacher who messed up on a particular point?
• What distinguishes a false teaching from a teaching with which I happen to disagree?
• Where is the line between areas where we “agree to disagree” and areas that are “deal-breakers” under valid Christian teaching?

Many believers think the end times are approaching quickly. If this is so, Scripture warns that false teaching and deception will be prevalent in our world. “False messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). And again later, “Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Timothy 4:1).

So, if false teachings and deceptions will increase, I think it’d be wise of us to answer some of these questions.

A false teacher from a teacher who messed up

No Bible translation is perfect, no denomination is perfect, no pastor or teacher is perfect, no commentator is perfect, and no Christian blogger is perfect. Sometimes I think God allows this on purpose as only He is perfect. No one and nothing will ever match His sinless perfection. Every person who’s ever tried to teach something from the Bible has messed up at some point. So how do we distinguish between a teacher who messed up and a false teacher?

I think a key factor is intent behind the teaching. I can only speak for myself, but I know my intentions in studying the Bible and writing about it is to know Him and make Him known. My books and blog are a natural outcome of my desire to love and serve God. A false teacher’s intention is destruction. “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies…” (2 Peter 2:1). It goes on to describe their work as unrestrained, blasphemous, exploitative, and greedy.

Another key factor is the outcome of their teaching. Good teaching brings others into a relationship with Jesus and then helps them continue to grow in their relationship with Him. This isn't the case with false teachers. “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. … Every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:15-18).

A false teaching from a teaching with which I disagree

Or, to say it another way, it might be ok for us to disagree on some teachings. In other areas, lines have to be drawn, truth spoken, and even relationships severed at times. Where is the line between these two areas? After all, I know of no other person with whom I agree on every single detail of Christianity. When is it ok and when is it a deal-breaker?

Sometimes we may disagree but we don’t have to argue about it. I think of a friend who believes the rapture will happen at the end of the tribulation whereas I think it will happen at the beginning. We can’t know for sure and simply agree to disagree.

At the other end of the spectrum, I heard a church deny Jesus rose from the dead after His crucifixion. I don’t have to question or wonder; I know this is a deal breaker. If we deny the resurrection of Jesus, then God’s Word is a lie. The whole plan falls apart.

The problem comes in a wide range of areas in between these two extremes. That is why Paul wrote, “Test all things. Hold on to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). We have to put this into practice rather than blindly accept every teaching we hear – even if that teaching comes from someone we know and respect.

John gives us a little more help when trying to discern the validity of a teaching. He wrote, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God” (1 John 4:1-3).

Denying Jesus isn’t only denying what the Bible says about Him. To deny Jesus is to deny the whole of the Word of God as John also wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14). The Word isn’t merely about Jesus; Jesus is the Word made flesh.

I guess it comes down to one thing when we’re trying to determine if we can agree to disagree or if the issue is a deal-breaker. Does this teaching deny Jesus – His truth, His Word, or His work? If the answer is yes, then it’s more in the deal breaker range. If the answer is no, then maybe we can agree to disagree. We’ll only know into which category it falls if we know the Bible for Jesus Himself – the Word made flesh – said, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29).

Courage Until the End: Utilizing the power in our words

Encourage – to fill someone up with courage.

Discourage – to take any shred of courage they have and throw it in the trash.

We wield a lot of power when we choose whether to encourage or discourage another believer.

God has worked with me a lot on the power and necessity of encouraging words over the last few years. A lot of it has showed up on here…

Handling Discouragement

Don’t Diss Someone’s Courage

Encouragement in the Last Days

As we draw nearer to Jesus’ return, it will become almost impossible to maintain our courage. God knew that when He inspired the writer of Hebrews to say, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13, emphasis mine). Did you catch the word “daily” in that verse? We may have been full of courage yesterday, but today it’s zapped. Gone. We need a daily fill up of courage to keep believing, keep loving, and keep serving. Later, he also wrote, “Let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). As the time of the end draws near, we have to get together and fill each other with courage. Otherwise, we won’t be able to serve as God calls us – by loving and doing good works.

I’ve written a lot about how to deal with the discouragement so prevalent in the last days…

My Peace I Give You

A World in Chaos: What can I do?

Where is God in a Tragedy?

Life Sucks

The Hand of God

Finding Good Things in Bad Times

Encouragement in general

Jesus may return tomorrow or decades from now; either way, we must keep our courage level full. Our enemy doesn’t want us showing true love or serving in a real way; he knows those things will witness to the world of God’s awesomeness. Our enemy knows if we do those things, people might catch a true glimpse of the Savior of the world. He wants to keep that from happening at all costs. He will do everything in his power to keep you from loving and serving in the same way that Jesus loved and served us. He succeeds when we become discouraged – when our level of courage zeroes out.

I’ve written a lot about the necessity of encouragement in general…

Spark: Five ways to renew the light within you

The God of Peace

Bible Band-aids

Thankful for You: Finding ways to appreciate each other

And yet…

So, like I said, over the last few years God has really been teaching me the importance of encouragement. Even still, the other day someone said something to me that totally discouraged me. In the day that followed our encounter, I felt completely drained. I didn’t want to pray, study, or write. I didn’t want to serve in other areas – forget responsibilities at home, quit on projects at church. As I look back, I realize now that the words of discouragement left me without the courage needed to love and serve in the ways which God has called me.

I tried praying – more out of discipline than anything else. It helped because God is always faithful to hear us when we call out to Him. It wasn’t complete, though. I knew something else was still missing. I knew griping to a friend or my husband wouldn’t help – been there, done that, doesn’t work.

I saw the person. We talked. We worked it out and reconciled the situation. Grace was required on both sides; forgiveness was present. We parted ways once again in unity as fellow believers in Jesus. Once again, I was encouraged.

What’s the point?

Life’s hard and it’s going to get harder. We can’t let little differences keep us down. Sometimes we have to talk to others and work out our problems. They can’t rob us of the courage needed to love and serve God through difficult times.

God says a lot in His Word about pouring grace out all over the place, sacrificing ourselves with unconditional love, humble forgiveness that looks to the other person first, and complete service that gives until nothing’s left to give. We can’t live that way until we have the courage to do so – courage that comes from the power of words poured into us by our fellow believers.

Netanyahu: A man called for such a time as this

History does indeed repeat itself.

I toured the Jewish concentration camp Dachau while on a mission trip in 1992. I read a sign on a particular display that I’ve never forgotten. Even in the moment, it impacted me enough that I took a picture of it.

It’s a well-known expression but I find it appropriate that I first learned it in a concentration camp. In English it reads, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (George Santayana).

I took a picture of another sign that day 23 years ago. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reminded me of it today when he addressed holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel during a speech to the US Congress. He reminded all of us that the horror experienced by Mr. Wiesel and the powerful life he has lived since those atrocities is a testimony to why we must all proclaim, “Never Again.”

Approximately 2,500 years ago, a man named Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, the chief minister under King Ahasuerus in Persia. Rage enflamed Haman; when he discovered Mordecai was a Jew, he decided to destroy the entire Jewish race rather than execute only Mordecai. Haman manipulated King Ahasuerus to bring about the Jewish people’s annihilation. He wrote a decree “to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people – young and old, women and children – and plunder their possessions on a single day” (Esther 3:13, emphasis mine).

Queen Esther, a Jew who had until that point concealed her ethnicity, stepped up in a phenomenal act of bravery. At the urging of her cousin and guardian, Mordecai, she approached King Ahasuerus to plead the case of the Jewish people. Esther’s life was in danger the moment she stepped into the king’s presence unannounced as he could have had her executed for doing so. After a series of acts which displayed her humility, the King asked her to reveal the desire of her heart. She boldly yet humbly petitioned, “If I have obtained your approval, my king, and if the king is pleased, spare my life – this is my request; and spare my people – this is my desire. For I and my people have been sold out to destruction, death, and extermination” (Esther 7:3-4).

In the end, the king ordered Haman executed on the gallows Haman had built to execute Mordecai. The king gave the Jewish people the freedom to defend themselves, sparing the genocide of their race.

Despite the passing of 25 centuries since Esther’s act of bravery, the Jewish people still celebrate her every year on Purim. This year, Purim falls on March 4-5 on our calendar.

25 centuries later, Persian leadership once again threatens Israel’s existence in the form of Iranian nuclear capabilities. They likewise could destroy the Jewish people in a single day once their weapons are complete. The leader of the Jewish state of Israel, PM Netanyahu, spoke to the US Congress on March 3rd, the eve of Purim. Similar to Queen Esther in the past, his petition went against all established protocol of the time. Similar to Queen Esther, he made the request to stop the promised annihilation of the Jewish people. And like Queen Esther, I believe PM Netanyahu came forward in humility but also knowing that if he didn’t speak, massive death would come upon his nation and his people.

The timing of this event reminds me of one more correlation with the ancient Queen Esther. God has promised an eternal destiny for His chosen people, Israel. They will survive and indeed have done so through multiple persecutions throughout history. But for PM Netanyahu, as was the case with Queen Esther, “If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

PM Netanyahu submitted to his call for such a time as this as he declared to the world, “The days when the Jewish people remain passive in the face of genocidal enemies – those days are over.”

I’ll leave all the political ramifications of this speech to the political pundits.

Here’s what I see, though. The Obama administration has deteriorated our relationship with Israel – a country of freedom and democracy. They also have validated relationships with terrorist regimes such as Iran – a country of “death, tyranny, and the pursuit of jihad,” as PM Netanyahu shared.

Lines are being drawn in the sands of the Middle East; on which side of the line will we stand?

I think now is the time for us to individually consider this question. We tend to think all of this is over there – thousands of miles away – and doesn’t matter to us. Our jobs and activities keep us from taking time to educate ourselves as to the multiple crises occurring throughout the Middle East.

But here’s the deal. A time is coming when the world’s attention will focus quite intently on the Middle East. The Bible prophesies many earth changing events still to happen in that region of the world. We need to know what’s going on, how situations might fit in with prophesied events, and discern which side of the line we will choose.

We have different priorities by which we choose which side of the line we prefer. Democracy, freedom, rights for different races, religions, and genders, economic resources, and social standards are among the criteria we naturally consider. However, biased reporting and dishonest leadership can make those areas very difficult to accurately assess.

Let me give you one key criteria that’s very simple and won’t let you down – side with Israel. As events occur, deals are negotiated, and wars and rumors of wars come – side with Israel.

God made it very simple when He said thousands of years ago to the Jewish patriarch Abraham, “Go out from your land, … to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, … I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3).

What's the Point: Living hope in a violent world

Stories of horror at the hands of ISIS’ members continue to pour out of the Middle East. In fact, what began as a trickle of atrocities has grown into a raging river as incidents increase in frequency and barbarity. This week, they reportedly kidnapped approximately 150 Christians from a region in northeast Syria. Early reports put this number at about 90; subsequent reports have increased it to 150. I say with a prayerful sorrow the future is bleak for those followers of Jesus. News reports have also surfaced that ISIS funds their operation in part through harvesting organs, such as kidneys, from prisoners. An alternate source of their income is selling young girls and women into sex trafficking.

My older two daughters asked me the same question at different times last week. “Is this it? Is our world falling apart? Is this the end?”

My daughters were two and newborn when Al-Qaeda flew airplanes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. I realized the world they grew up in would look very different than did my childhood environment. I realized that was their reality – better to help them deal with it than sugar coat their exposures. I answered, “We don’t know for sure. ISIS’ behavior is consistent with biblical prophecies of the end times. Many Christians are sensing that this will lead to that time soon.”

They both responded in similar ways; basically, “Then what’s the point?”

What is the point?

Our purpose doesn’t change
God gave us signs to watch for which indicate the end is drawing near. However, He chose to withhold exactly when those events would begin. I believe one reason why is because our job doesn’t change whether we know the exact time or not.

• Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
• Love other people as much as you love yourself (Matthew 22:39).
• Love faithfulness, act justly, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).

It doesn’t matter if Jesus returns today, in a decade, or in a century, our call as Jesus’ followers is the same. We are to know, love, and serve God. We are to love and encourage a hurting world. We are to behave in a way that honors God and glorifies His name.

We have a message of hope
Current events in the Middle East may or may not lead to the fulfillment of biblical end-time prophecies. Either way, we have a message of hope for the world. I don’t know about you, but the number of hurting people in my life is increasing. Economic problems, family relationships, drugs, unemployment, and many others are all surface indicators of hard times. Below the surface, though, much bigger problems arise under names such as fear, depression, rejection, bitterness, insecurity, disbelief, and deception. Followers of Jesus, we have a message of unconditional love, strengthening joy, unsurpassable peace and gentleness, limitless patience, sacrificial kindness and goodness, unwavering faith, and supernatural self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We have everything we need to accomplish the task to which He calls us – the task of reaching the world with His gospel of grace (2 Peter 1:3, Philippians 1:6, Matthew 28:19-20).

We have hope even in midst of persecution
I can’t speak for the hundreds of Christians held captive in Syria right now. But I can speak for countless others throughout history who’ve faced persecution for following Jesus. I can speak the words of Paul who endured a lifetime of persecution, “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

In studying Paul’s testimony, along with others in the New Testament, I discovered seven aspects of persecution that seem contradictory to human thinking…

• Serves to advance the Gospel
• Encourages others and reduces fear
• Causes rejoicing
• Promotes patient endurance
• Teaches us to trust God and about the power of prayer
• Is a source of comfort
• Brings us to maturity

You may read more in depth on this area in Everything We Need: God’s Path to Know Him Better.

The point is Jesus, the Messiah

I’d like to give you rose-colored glasses through which to view the world. I’d like to give solutions for defeating ISIS and promises that bloody religious persecution will never reach America’s shores. Just like I realized when my daughters were babies, that isn’t the world in which we live anymore. We can ignore it or deny it; reality doesn’t change.

But I can give you a point – a reason – to endure it. I can give you a message of hope. Our hope and reason are both in the name of Jesus. One day, after seven years of tribulation, He will return and reign peacefully over the entire earth. Until then, we have a purpose that doesn’t change. We are to love and serve God, love and encourage others to believe in Him, and live in a way that glorifies His name. In the midst of all the turmoil, only Jesus’ followers have a message of hope found in salvation through faith in Jesus. He alone has the power to bring comfort, encouragement, patience, rejoicing, and more out of barbaric persecution.

American Sniper: What would Jesus do?

If a man burst into our home or approached me on the street with a loaded weapon intent on killing me, I would be ok with Jimmy shooting him. In fact, I would expect him to do everything within his power to protect me. It’s his job.

It was Chris Kyle’s job to do so as well.

Chris is the hero of the blockbuster movie “American Sniper,” a true story based on his military career as a Navy SEAL. Chris’s accuracy with a sniper rifle saved the lives of countless Americans throughout four tours of duty in Iraq. His accomplishments earned him the nickname “Legend” among his military brothers. The movie isn’t only Chris’s struggle on the battlefield, however, just as Chris Kyle’s life wasn’t only as a military hero. Chris was also a husband and dad; balancing the aggression of the battlefield with the compassion of the home may have been his greatest battle just as it is for many who return home from war.

Despite his heroic actions, the movie has met with strong criticism in social media. One tweet has caught my attention more than others. I saw the movie Saturday night; the movie was still fresh in my pondering mind when I read this tweet,

I admit it – the expression “What would Jesus do?” is kind of worn out. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone wearing a WWJD bracelet. Besides, the question of what Jesus would do is pointless as He doesn’t need a sniper’s rifle to strike down his enemy. The power of His spoken word will be adequate when the time comes. Don’t believe me? Read Revelation 19:11-21. But that’s another battle for another day and time.

All joking aside, I think we understand the point of the tweeter’s question, “What would Jesus do?” The question really asks “How should I – as a follower of Jesus – respond to this situation?” Or, sometimes people use the question to indicate, “What is Jesus’ teaching on this issue?” To that end, I’ve come up with six areas where Chris Kyle is a good example for us as followers of Christ as we engage in the battle.

He enlisted.

It seems basic but we all have to start somewhere, don’t we? Yet, some of us never enlist in the battle. We assume life can be all happy thoughts, peaceful moments, and kumbaya campfires. That’s not reality, though. We may find personal peace in Christ but neither the spiritual nor physical worlds will experience complete peace until eternity begins. Only then will God “wipe away every tear from [our] eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Until then, we better come to grips with reality; wars and rumors of wars will continue until the end (Matthew 24:6) and “we will have suffering in this world” (John 16:33).

He developed his skill.

Chris Kyle appears to have had some natural talent with a rifle. Natural talent doesn’t make you the most successful sniper in American history, however. The movie doesn’t go in to much detail in this area but common sense tells me that Chris spent hours practicing and developing his skill so he would be ready when deployment came.

As followers of Christ, we have a gift as well – a special area where God has given us the capacity to serve Him. The capacity to serve is only as effective as natural talent, however. It will get some work done but serving at a higher level requires the development of that capacity. Then we can step into the battle ready to do some damage against the enemy.

He knew his purpose.

Chris Kyle’s job was to protect his fellow soldiers. Period. He didn’t spend time cooking in the mess hall or analyzing intelligence in the offices. His duty – his purpose – was to spend hours staring down the scope of a rifle watching for those who might harm his brothers. That’s what he did and it made him a legend.

We have a purpose as well; we have to know what it is. We can waste a lot of hours doing good things that keep us from the best thing, however. In fact, I believe this is one of Satan’s primary methods of attack for those who follow Christ. He can keep us so busy doing good things that we aren’t effective in our true area of purpose, whatever that might be. The more our relationship with Jesus grows, the more we will know our true purpose. Then, we will be the one striking down the enemy on the battlefield.

He did his job.

He developed his skill. He knew his purpose. All of that is worthless if we don’t step up and do the job. Hours of practice and tons of head knowledge didn’t make Chris a legend. He was a legend because he put it into practice on the battlefield.

When the enemy entered his view on the cross hairs of his rifle scope, Chris pulled the trigger. He didn’t enjoy it but he didn’t regret it either. It was his job to protect the lives of his fellow servicemen. Pulling the trigger accomplished that mission.

Chris also recognized the ripple effects of his job performance. Yes, he took the lives of Iraqis, but doing so saved the lives of countless others. In the immediate sense, it saved the lives of those at the other end of the Iraqi’s gun. It also rippled out into the future as each Iraqi he killed couldn’t kill American soldiers in the weeks, months, and years ahead. The ripples didn’t even stop there. Each time Chris successfully fired his rifle, he took one more step toward keeping the battle off American soil and away from his wife and kids.

Chris served faithfully.

His service was hard. His family suffered as did his health. Sometimes he was unable to save his military brothers. He lived in humble conditions while deployed. No one ever said it was easy to be a Navy SEAL. Likewise, no one ever said it will be easy to follow Christ. If it was, God could have called bunnies and kittens to fight the forces of evil. Instead, He called us – those He created in His image and in whom His Spirit dwells – because through Him He knew we could win the battle.

His service was met with criticism. Obviously, not everyone agrees with what Chris Kyle did. Yet Chris knew his purpose, did his job, and would do so again if he could as he knew it was the right thing to do. Similarly, not everyone is going to agree with or understand when we step up to the spiritual battle. That doesn’t matter; we do it because God called us to do it and it’s the right thing to do.

So in the end

War will continue on this planet. Even more, war will continue in the spiritual realm. Our enemy isn’t a person lined up in our crosshairs; our battle is against forces of evil and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). Some of us would like to sit in our pews, following a Christianity that denies hell and demonic forces where everyone lives pretty, peaceful lives. Recognition of Jesus’ teaching realizes, however, that following Christ sometimes means war. We have to enlist in the battle, develop our skill, study to know our purpose, do our job, and serve faithfully until the end.

Hebrews: A study where I toss the rules out the window

Sometimes we got to do what we got to do.

Sometimes we have to be who we have to be.

Sometimes we have to figure out what's most important and focus on that.

I started a new study this week about which I'm bouncing off the walls excited. I admit it - I'm a Bible geek. The thought of a new study - with new truths, new applications, and new insight into the heart of God Himself - is enough to get me going. I completed the first lesson and taught it a few days ago. I came away thinking, though, that can't be it. I want to do more with this.

A lot of publishers, editors, agents, and other experts have given me a lot of insight into what makes a good Bible study. Here is some of the advice I've received over the years...

• Keep it short. No one cares after a few weeks of a particular study.
• Have lots of personal stories. People find those more interesting than scriptural insights.
• Make it all about the reader. People are only interested in how you can help them.
• Put a well-known author's name on the front, whether he or she wrote it or not.
• Make sure it's sexy. Yes, sexy. I actually had an agent tell me that one time.

Those five keys probably do help to sell books. After all, we've all heard "Sex sells."

When I began the journey of personal Bible study almost twenty years ago, my primary goal was never to sell books. My goal was to know the Creator of the universe; I instinctually knew He couldn't be as boring as many Bible studies try to make Him.

When I began teaching my personal studies and writing them into books and articles, my goal still wasn't to sell books. My goal was to not only know Him but to make Him known.

So, if my goal isn't money, then I'm going to toss those five tips out the window.

What's the new study?

I'm starting a new interactive study of the book of Hebrews. Not only that, but I'll be approaching it from an Old Testament perspective. You could say that the Old Testament will be the lens through which we'll try to understand the message of Hebrews. After all, the Hebrew author wrote the book to Hebrew believers who based their understanding on their only Scripture at the time - the Old Testament (aka, the Tanakh or the Law and the Prophets).

It's something I've wanted to do for years; God has brought me to the point where I see that now is the time. I'm doing it myself so I can better know Christ. I'm sharing it with you so I can make Him known. Plus, I can tell this is the direction in which He is leading Grow Barefoot right now.

Why Hebrews?

David Guzik, one of my favorite commentators, writes, "Hebrews is basically a book that exhorts discouraged Christians to continue on strong with Jesus in light of the complete superiority of who He is and what He has done for us." Let's break that down a little.

I know a lot of "discouraged Christians" right now. Persecution, disease, sickness, and violence are becoming rampant - domestically and internationally. We all see suffering in the lives of our loved ones and even in our own lives.

God calls us "to continue on strong." Over and over the New Testament tells followers of Christ to persevere - to push through until the end. For example, "For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life" (Hebrews10:36-39).

Life isn't about us. It's about Jesus - "who He is and what He has done for us." Much Christian Bible study has become little more than self-help groups. People attend to be encouraged and find a little nugget of truth that might help them feel better. Like much of our lives, we make it about us. We miss the point though if this is the extent of our reason for Bible study. Yes, Scripture encourages. It does give us little snippets of truth to make us feel better. I like to call them Bible Band-aids. Sometimes, however, we need to stop focusing on what makes us feel good and start focusing on Jesus. After all, He alone is the Word made flesh who left the glories of heaven, lived as a common man, humbled Himself unto death, and resurrected back to eternal life. He alone is the One who suffered so He might have an intimate relationship with you and me.

What's this mean for our weekly time together?

The blog will continue as it always has. I'll post a new article every Wednesday about various topics from world news, my personal life, and how God's Word helps me understand both of those things.

In addition, a new tab at the top titled "A Study of Hebrews" will offer the possibility for you to engage in this online, interactive study. The first section will be up in a day or two. I'll warn you now, though, that I'll be tossing those five rules I mentioned earlier out the window.

• This will last more than a few weeks; it will probably go through most of 2015. Bible study, to be honest, requires more than a few weeks here and there. We get to know Jesus when it becomes a regular part of our lives.
• I may throw in an occasional personal story but if you're coming to this site, it's because you want to interact with a community who's getting to know Jesus a little better. Remember, the goal isn't to know Christ and make me known.
• If it's not about me, then it's not going to be about you, either. The goal also isn't to know Christ and make you known.
• The importance of the author's name - well, the author of Hebrews didn't feel it was important to identify himself so maybe we don't need to value that quite so much either.
• Let's be clear from the start on this one. This study isn't going to be sexy. I'm really not even sure why I have to clarify that one but apparently I do in our modern day culture.

If it's not any of those things, then what is it?

It's a place for followers of Christ and people considering Christ to come together and study His Word. No charge. No ego. No time-limit. No sex.

I'll post a new section each week. I'll be waiting for you to leave your thoughts, opinions, and questions in the comments section. We'll interact together on the passage and then move on to the next section. It's that simple. I'll also be trusting you to spread the word to others you might know who are tired of all the marketing and big names.

Remember, it's not about us. It's about Him - knowing Him and making Him known because people are hurting, society is crumbling, and we need to continue on strong.