Fighting Against the World's Desire to Compromise Our Faith

(After the plague of locusts)
"So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?" And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord." Then he said to them, ..."Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence."
(Exodus 10:8-10)


Pharaoh was a prideful and powerful man. As a leader of his people, he was also a politician -- he did not want to lose total face with his people if all of Israel were to leave and never come back. He knew that if Israel were to go with their possessions, they would not serve him again. So he wanted to compromise with Moses and negotiate the terms of Israel's departure.

God often gives us a clear command and in our hearts we know what He says. Sometimes we don't understand the reasons behind the prompts we are given, and oftentimes it runs against our personal comfort zones. Moses never compromised God's command. He was to bring every Israelite with their possessions out of Egypt. Pharaoh counter-offered that the men could leave, but without their households as collateral to force them to come back.

Satan wants to waterdown our beliefs, convictions and purpose. He negotiates with us while beating us down with trials in order to make us abandon our core purpose. Sometimes I am weak enough to take the lesser offer just to avoid the difficulty of maintaining my ground. At the center is my belief system and my faith. Satan wants to attack the edges of our faith and drag us closer and closer to the brink of denying God altogether. Yes, we may still believe in God and even profess faith in God, but if Jesus is no longer Lord over our lives, we are lost -- and Satan has stolen our souls.

"He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws himinto his net. So he crouches, he lies low, that the helpless may fall by his strength." (Psalm 10:9-10 - Description of a wicked robber, the greatest thief is Satan himself)

Negotiation and compromise. We must be careful to never abuse the scriptures by taking it out of context to twist it to our needs. If we are in doubt, we must take a step back to look at the scriptures, Old Testament to New Testament, as a whole in order to discern meaning. The Holy Spirit will also be our guide in this.

Compromise - Putting it into the context of today, we know of a key congressman professing to be a staunch pro-life advocate who recently voted for a big healthcare legislation that opens the door to new funding for abortions. This, even after giving speech after speech against that same legislation? Why? Because he was pressured by his political party into accepting a compromise. One that has a general promise to not use the provisions in the bill, but doesn't actually take the abortion language out of the bill. It is a political promise with no guarantee. Time will tell of the outcome, but in a year or two when the current political cycle has past, isn't it likely that the promise to not fund abortions will fade? What then? This congressman will have to live with his failure to be resolute in the face of overwhelming pressure - such is the pain of compromise. Despite the fact that his inner core told him to vote "No", he was overwhelmed by the world.

Where is there compromise in my life? Am I doing anything that is not of the Lord? Am I really seeking Him first, and His righteousness? Those are pretty tough questions to answer because there are moments when I fool myself (which I think common). Compromise can come so quietly that we hardly notice. I'll have to spend time in prayer today on this topic - to take stock and an inventory of where I'm at. I know that when I was unemployed there were good times with the Lord and I got back to a strong relationship and friendship with Him. Now that I'm working and busy, I need to find out if I am slipping in any aspects of faith.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)

Lord Jesus, please help me to take an inventory of where I am with You. I know that it is easy to see compromise in a public figure like a politican in a large public political fight, but it isn't always easy to see the same spirit in myself. My prayer however, is that I can stand strong in my faith in You... even in the face of losing everything that this world has to offer. May my soul never be for sale. Somethings in life, like our core beliefs, are never up to the highest bidder. Strengthen your servant to have a calm and sturdy hand even in the midst of storms - that I will always represent You in everything I do. In the name of the Jesus, the Lord of my life, AMEN.

Being Built By Tough Times

"Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart." Prov 20:30

"A man's steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?" Prov 20:24

I found Prov 20:30 to be interesting during my reading today. It reminded me of the discipline that we need in life. As a parent to a young child, I see that she has a natural curiosity to touch everything and to explore. However, exploration is not always healthy. In order to keep her away from the things that I know could hurt her, I discipline her from time to time with a light spanking. As a parent, I am wiser and until she develops wisdom of her own, I must give her discipline.

Although we as adults won't get spanked physically, it is very true that most of us will all undergo difficulties. The realities of life, the slogging through difficult circumstances, shape us the most, do they not? Are we not steeped in character because we have experienced trouble with people or events? When we are young, we have courage, the ability to learn, and intellect, but we lack experience. Consequently, we come into situations as fresh-faced and minor things create stress. However, when we have years of experience under our belt, we weather storms with a calm that is developed from having undergone trials in the past. With this, we have a deeper realization of how big God is, and how small we are - we are less prone to evil. There is a toughness about us that comes through the journey and process. In short, we become wiser.

There are times when certain reality shows can be a blessing. Why? Because we get to see a bit into how the other half lives. How do people live when they have lots of money and very little cares in the world? They have problems, but they are of such a juvenile nature that it becomes comedic for us everyday people. Ultimately, what we are able to see is that people who do not undergo stresses, trials and hurts become weenies. Narcisstic, self important jerks that go through a fog of life in a fantasy land where they have little personal responsibility and do little good in life (other than giving us a public example of what we don't want to become).

There is a quality of character that the Lord seeks to develop in us. We don't know what the finished product will look like (though His word gives us a good description) and the journey is a mystery. Does any of us really understand or have control over the path that we will take?

I know many driven people, and they have carefully crafted their careers in such a way that they have attained very good positions in society. That is to their credit. However, can they really say that they know what the next twist and turn will bring? Yesterday, our family was almost hit by a car who got into an accident at night, and started driving away from the scene on the wrong side of a divided road. His car was smashed in the front and he had no lights. At the last minute I had to swerve to miss him because I couldn't see him. It all happened with my wife and child in the backseat. What if I had not missed him? - Even if I arrange my life perfectly, do I really know what the future brings?

But the Lord does know. When we accept His Lordship over our lives, we come under His umbrella. Life as it occurs around us is ultimately in His hands. Those that rebel, those that have denied Him live unprotected - on the precipice of Hell at all times. One slip and they go over the cliff for all eternity. Christians die, get sick, suffer, but ultimately we are promised Heaven. But even as Christians suffer, the dates and times of their deaths are in the hands of God. We will not go a moment before it is our time. In the meantime, our lives on Earth are being used to both develop ourselves and bless others.

Lord Jesus, thank You for invading the darkness of my life and walking alongside me. Thank You for being patient and pushing me to tough places and tough situations. I know they are all designed for a reason, and ultimately You are creating the man I was made to be. Please forgive me for the times that I have reacted poorly and have not shown good character. Please forgive me for the times when I have lashed out in stress rather than simply giving it to You in prayer - knowing that You know best and everything will be fine. I am glad to be humbled by my trials because I know they will never humiliate me - because I live for Your purpose now and not my own. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Staying Single Minded Despite Fear and Uncertainty

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

(James 1:5-8)

This week, I really feel like there was some spiritual warfare going on between my heart (the flesh) and the Holy Spirit within me. My head knew what was right, but my heart kept pulling my emotions toward fear of the future.

The topic of my angst was centered around my career. For a man, our career becomes an integral part of our identity - and it can threaten our faith because we have the temptation to put our career progress above our relationship with God and family.

Recently, I have had the choice between two jobs. The first was a steady position with a great title and responsibilities, but lousy compensation. Our family would have been eeking out a living, paycheck to paycheck. At the last moment, right before I was going to accept the position, I was offered the chance to work on a long term temp assignment that would wrap in about a year, and offered comp in the range that was comfortable for our needs. But it did not have defined responsibilities.

After some prayer as a family (my wife and I always have to agree in prayer when making a major decision), we felt the temp position was the path God was leading us towards. And so that was the decision we made.

This week, I felt the remorse of the decision and let it stew within me. The situation I'm in is great, but I was fearful. The big thing on my mind is the uncertainty of the future because I don't have defined responsibilities that clearly project growth in my career. What will happen once the contract runs out?

I was eventually prompted by the Holy Spirit to this verse in James above. I knew the choice I made was what was prompted to my wife and I via prayer, but I still let myself fantasize about the path not taken. "What if I had done the other thing? - my career would be so much more defined," I lamented. I was the definition of an unstable man.

As Christians, there are many crossroads that we will come to where we will pray and ask for wisdom. The Lord gives wisdom liberally to all, and in this case, my wife and I agreed independently that God was telling us to take the temp job. When we make that choice to follow God's prompting, we must not be double-minded. We are never promised a perfect path without any warts. Anything in life will have its specific good and bad facets.

Instead, we are to be committed to that which the Lord has told us to do. As long as it lines up with scripture, and we are not sinning against Him (such prompting is to be completely ignored as it doesn't come from God), we need to stay the course until we receive a clear message that the season we are in has ended, and it is time to move on to the next thing God has lined up.

If we are to allow ourselves to be simply driven to and fro by the whims of life, we will not accomplish the work of God. Similarly, if we were to only follow our own desires of the heart, we will never listen to God and we will only accomplish our own narcissistic goals. (Remember: The heart is deceitful above all things - Jer 17:9. We must not trust it!)

Because we have given our lives to God, we must seek to follow the Lord in His path. It won't always be pretty, but it is the place where He desires us to be - and it will lead to the fulfillment of what we have been created for.

Recently I faced a crossroads with two different jobs. God answered my wife and I, giving us His wisdom - and I have chosen to walk His path. That is that. The alternative has faded and is gone. However, the promises, peace and protection of God lie ahead on the way that I am walking now. I don't know why it is better (and sometimes we will never know), but I do know that my path is set before me. As long as I trust in Him, He will make my path straight.

Lord Jesus, forgive me for being double-minded and thank You for leading me to this verse which has calmed my soul. You are Lord of all and are in control over everything, and I don't have to worry or be afraid. Thank You for standing with our family and for always providing us with more than we need. We have not had to take even a dollar of welfare or assistance and yet we have been more than fine. Let us be more and more like You, living wisely - being unmoved, even in the storms. In the name of Jesus Christ, which contains all wisdom - AMEN.

God's Truth Invades My Fear

Me: (wallowing a bit in fear, worried about the future)

God: Do you trust me?

Me: Yes - I trust you with my life, the course of my career, my soul, my family's life, their souls.

God: Just simply walk in the way I have set before you. And all these things shall be added unto you.

Such a simple prompting from God - but it is often that I need to hear these truths from Him to combat the fears that I develop as I interact with the world. The uncertainty can be overwhelming, but God is the same yesterday, today and forever. We as believing Christians who have made Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives can rest in His promises knowing that as long as our faith is set on Him, things will work out for the good.

Even in Turmoil, God Has a Balance For Us

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Gal 6:7-8)

Being a Christian in the world is a tough business at times. Oftentimes the ones who do good are the ones who struggle along in life the most. For example, during the real estate boom, the people who borrowed illegally to flip homes made lots of money if they were able to get out in time. Mortgage brokers and Wall Street bankers who securitized bad mortgages made even more money - in the realm of millions per person. In order to do this business, many people directly committed fraud - and almost everyone in the industry indirectly were committing some sort of moral breach in participating in these cycles of bad mortgages that would one day need to come due.

Now society as a whole is reaping the corruption sown by these folks. In this environment, the few who were trying to manage their money and businesses right are left wondering at the injustice of it all. Why are we all suffering when a group of people were sowing to their flesh and made out like bandits? Will anyone come to justice for these frauds and sins? It is not likely. In fact, Wall Street has resumed giving themselves millions of dollars in bonuses based on bailout monetary policies (policies in which a monkey could make money since the Fed is giving funds to the Wall Street bankers for free).

All of this current theatre does seem like a mockery at times. In fact, it feels like it spits in the face of the average God fearing Christian. It is frustrating and maddening.

However, the truth is that God is not to be mocked. He knows everything that happened to the most minute detail, and it has not escaped him. I don't know what will happen to those individuals who are in the midst of this mess - but I do know that vengeance is not ours to take.

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to [God's] wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. (Rom 12:19-21)

In a legal setting, if a crime can be prosecuted and punished, it should be done. For a society cannot survive if consequences are not meted out against lawbreakers.

However, for those sins and corruptions and are not prosecutable by legal means - God will give to each man according to his doings. His wrath may never occur through monetary penalties, but it could certainly be reflected in the condition of their personal lives. We never know - but at least the responsibility for the judgment is not ours to take - and that is something that is a relief. Our role is to simply continue to do good as we are able and to not be drawn into evil through revenge.

For me, the verse in Gal 6 is personal. What am I doing to reap everlasting life? Have I been sowing to the Spirit, or have I been sowing to the flesh? It is a delicate question, and in truth I would have to say that the Lord has definitely limited my opportunities to sow to the flesh, for which I am grateful.

I have a great family with which to spend time - the times with them are the most important in my life next to my time with the Lord. We are all healthy and happy. In addition, we are not wanting for anything urgent - there is enough food and our possessions are okay at this time. Neither do I have the distraction that too much money can bring - the lure and desire for that money can be both intoxicating and endlessly obsessive.

No - I have a good situation in which I need to rely upon the Lord daily for everything, and because of that my focus is currently rooted in the Spirit. There is a balance there which helps me to my knees daily.

But, that can easily change. I know I am not immune to temptations and pride. It can strike any of us if we are not prudent and careful.

Lord Jesus, I know that there are many things in the world which seem unfair. However, I know that you will judge in your wisdom and each man will be given his due - for good or for bad. Am I so thankful however, that in the midst of the current economic turmoil, that You have sought out our family and structured our lives in a balance. A balance that continues to draw us nearer and nearer to You first and foremost. As long as we get closer to You, we will sow more and more of the Spirit - and in the end, we will rejoice with You in everlasting life. That is our deepest desire and wish because all that we see in the world will indeed fade away, and when that happens we want to know that we've been faithful in our worship of You. Please help us to walk in this way. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Remembering He is Holy

5Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."

13Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" 14And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

(Exodus 3: 5, 13-14)

I don't really know what religion Moses was up to the point when he saw the burning bush. Being nursed by his Hebrew mother, he may have heard of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, being raised in the Egyptian court as an adopted son, he may have forgotten God and been taught of the Egyptian dieties.

In this re-introduction to God, it strikes me that the Lord first and foremost wants to emphasize one thing very clearly - He IS God over all - the great Creator who is and from whom everything comes from. Our life force is drawn from the Great I AM, and we do not exist without Him. When I read these passages, the fear of God absolutely crackles off the page and I know if I were Moses, I would not have been more frightened in my life.

Moreover, the place where God exists is holy. Not just sacred, it requires an absolute cleanliness of intent and being. One of the most contentious and difficult parts for us to understand about Heaven is why it would be so elusive to attain. In our minds, everyone who has lived should go to Heaven, but that ignores what Heaven is -

Heaven isn't the gratification of our wants and desires - unending self-aggrandizing joy and fulfillment. Heaven is the place where God dwells in His fullness. Heaven is holy ground through and through. That is why Jesus came. Alone with our sin stained lives, we would not be able to stand before God because His holiness would crush our unclean lives. The holy God and unholy sin cannot co-exist in the same place. The unholy is burned away - killing the one who is unclean. (In Jewish literature priests entering the Holy of Holies who were unclean were stuck dead by God - referenced in the Mishnah).

By the sacrifice of Jesus, the spotless son of God, He took our sins upon himself, so that we could be wiped clean, ready to have eternal life in Heaven. God became approachable when He chose to become a man and He could then seek out sinners and pull them out of their depths. Then, through the Holy Spirit, God personally dwells in us.

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (I Cor 3:16-17)

As a Christian, it is easy to have a casual relationship with God - it has become popular to refer to Him simply as a friend. I even have a shirt that says, "Jesus is my Homeboy". Yes, the Lord is our friend (and homeboy), but He is God too, and we cannot forget that level of respect that He deserves. In loving us, He sacrificed Himself for us. The God who spoke and Created everything. We must remember that and seek after that kind of holiness in our own lives because we are now a temple of God. God dwells inside of us. We cannot simply disregard the Lord as only a friend when He is deserving of all our worship.

Lord Jesus, I know that I have been guilty of sometimes taking Your love and affection for me for granted. That I often forget You in the ragtag pursuit of everyday life. Please forgive me and help me to worship You in spirit and in truth. Help me to clean out all that is not of You to become ready for more of Your presence. In Jesus' name, AMEN.