Speechless

This past Wednesday's convocation at Liberty University was well beyond "normal". Students and faculty had the honor of hearing a testimony from Steve Saint, the son of martyred Nate Saint, and a Christian convert from the Waodani Indian tribe, whose name was Mincaye. Now don't get me wrong, this "Christian convert" was not someone who was expected to be standing by Mr. Steve Saint. This Indian man named Mincaye, killed and tortured Steve's father, Nate. Mincaye boldly stood before thousands of people and shared how Christ had saved him and set him free. In addition to his powerful testimony, the son of tortured Nate Saint stood beside him, with his arm around him, smiling, looking intently in to the eyes of thousands of students. He made one comment that I will never forget. Nate said: "Mincaye didn't kill my father". 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come". His comment literally caused me to be speechless. Please take around 10-15 minutes out of your day to watch this clip. I promise it will change your life as it has changed mine! It will also challenge you to be a global Christian witness, as God has commanded us(Matthew 28:18-20). Simply click on the link and then click on "play" next to Steve Saint's "Hearing the Macedonian Call".

http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=9002

God's Consistent Truth vs. Man's Inconsistent Feelings

I recently began a new work out called “The New High Intensity Training”. To say the least, this work out is kicking my rear end. If you would like to stay in shape while not being in the gym 10 plus hours a week, I highly recommend this workout to you. On another note, this work out causes a love/hate relationship with the gym. I love to be in the gym because this workout keeps me in shape while only working out 3 days a week for a combined 90 minutes per week. You just can’t beat that! At the same time, I hate being in the gym because I literally feel like throwing up at the end of each set. It’s not fun. To be honest, I feel like quitting sometimes in the middle of the workout. However, due to the results this workout produces, I am devoted to finishing each work out every time I set foot in the gym, no matter how I feel. I’m sure your just itching to begin this workout…

As a child of God, saved by the blood of Jesus, I don’t always feel like serving Christ. Furthermore, I don’t always feel like remaining faithful and obedient. My feelings shift and are forever changing. Let me be transparent with you….One minute I feel like setting a Christ-like example for my family, and the next minute I feel like being a lazy husband and father. One day I feel like preaching the Gospel and making disciples, and the next day I feel like remaining selfish and comfortable in my faith. It is at these times in life, where I must remember that my obedience to God is not based upon how I feel, but, rather, on the consistent truth of God found in the scriptures. Our feelings are inconsistent and changing while God’s truth is consistent and steady. Our feelings change based upon a myriad of reasons(time, setting, environment, weather, health, etc). However, no matter what time of the day it is or whether or not it’s raining or sunny, God Word doesn’t change! Thus, it is rational for us to base our obedience upon the eternally consistent Word of God and not upon our inconsistent and unsteady feelings.

Consider Abraham, if his obedience was based exclusively upon his feelings, would he have taken the walk to sacrifice his son( Genesis 22)? Probably not. Consider Stephen, if his obedience was based upon his feelings, would he have been able to say to those stoning him: “Lord do not charge them with this sin(Acts 7:60).” Most likely not. Their obedience was based upon something bigger than their feelings. As you base your obedience on the truth of God found in scripture, be encouraged that the result of your obedience is beautiful praise unto Jesus Christ!

Tylenol PM, a Bag of Peas, and Acts 8

What do Tylenol PM, a bag of peas, and Acts 8:26-40 have in common? Most likely absolutely nothing to the average Joe, however, to me, they have much in common.

Yesterday my family and I (I love saying that) went to watch a Liberty University basketball game vs. UNC Asheville. I was particularly pumped for the game because UNC Ashville has the tallest player in the NCAA playing for them. My boy(he's not my boy, I just use that phrase a lot), Kenny George, is 7 feet 7 inches tall. Even though he got dunked on by Tyler Hansborough, I still wanted to see this mammoth of a man play the game of basketball. On our way to the game, we received a phone call from Erica's mom telling us that we need to go pick up some Tylenol and a bag of peas for my brother in law, Stephen, who broke his nose playing pick-up basketball. So, we went to Target and I ran inside to pick up some Tylenol PM and a bag of peas.

On another note, just the other week, I had the opportunity to speak on the topic of being obedient to the Spirit's prompting in regards to sharing the Gospel. I used Philip as a prime example of someone who embraced the Spirits prompting instead of stiff-arming it. At Target last night, I was fed up with missing opportunities to share the Gospel and not embracing the Spirit's promptings. I returned to our sporty Ford Taurus and had a few minutes to spare(Abigail was getting her grub on). I saw a kid pushing carts and I was prompted immediately to share the Gospel with him. He looked pretty down and was visibly not having a good time. I walked over to him and introduced myself. His name was Luke and he was a student at a nearby community college. To make a long story short, I had the privilege of giving him a few bucks in appreciation for what he does and followed that “act of kindness” by sharing the good news of the gospel with him. Luke didn't receive Christ as Lord of his life; however, he heard the gospel and numerous scripture passages.

In Acts 8:26-40, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian is shared. To summarize this text in a few words, an angel of the Lord prompted Philip to approach a man who needed to hear about Jesus Christ. Upon the spirit's prompting, Philip had to make a split second decision. Do I embrace or stiff arm the Spirit's prompting? According to the scriptures, Philip embraced this opportunity to share Christ and the Ethiopian was saved and baptized. Glory to God!

Every day, just like Philip, you and I are going to be prompted by the Holy Spirit to share the gospel. At times, you will be prompted to share with a friend, co-worker, or even a stranger. As a team, let's embrace these opportunities to advance God's kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel! Never succumb to the exclusivity of “friendship evangelism” in your life and avoid opportunities to share the Gospel with random strangers. Jesus is coming back and people are going to hell. We don’t have time to wait….

A Tozer Truth

Check out this article from A.W. Tozer. This is a great read. Take 3-5 minutes out of your day to digest the content below. Well, maybe 10-15min. As I like to say...Get your grub on!

The Holy Spirit: The Need for Illumination

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. --1 Corinthians 2:14The doctrine of the inability of the human mind and the need for divine illumination is so fully developed in the New Testament that it is nothing short of astonishing that we should have gone so far astray about the whole thing. Fundamentalism has stood aloof from the Liberal in self-conscious superiority and has on its own part fallen into error, the error of textualism, which is simply orthodoxy without the Holy Ghost. Everywhere among Conservatives we find persons who are Bible-taught but not Spirit-taught. They conceive truth to be something which they can grasp with the mind. If a man hold to the fundamentals of the Christian faith he is thought to possess divine truth. But it does not follow. There is no truth apart from the Spirit. The most brilliant intellect may be imbecilic when confronted with the mysteries of God. For a man to understand revealed truth requires an act of God equal to the original act which inspired the text....Conservative Christians in this day are stumbling over this truth. We need to re-examine the whole thing. We need to learn that truth consists not in correct doctrine, but in correct doctrine plus the inward enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. We must declare again the mystery of wisdom from above. A re-preachment of this vital truth could result in a fresh breath from God upon a stale and suffocating orthodoxy. The Pursuit of Man, 76-77,84."Lord, I do believe in the authority of the Scriptures, and thank You for that foundation of truth. But I need this reminder that even that inspired text is not alive until the Holy Spirit takes it and enlightens the recipients. May the Holy Spirit indeed take what I teach and imbed it in the hearts and minds of my hearers. Amen."- A.W. Tozer

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THE GOD BEHIND AND WITHIN THE WORK

I don't know about you, but I sometimes can get so busy that I forget about WHO I am "doing" everything for. With family responsibilities, preaching responsibilities, school work, and my job at Liberty, life can become so busy. Thus, I become exhausted and at times discouraged. In addition, I lose my zeal for God and I simply just go through the motions with no recollection of why I am doing what I am doing. I know many of you can relate to what I am talking about. In the midst of busy schedules and life’s demands, it is imperative that we don't forget about the God behind and within all of our work.

As you work for God and remain faithful in the duties he has given to you, don’t forget to reflect upon the God who is mobilizing you to accomplish His work on earth. Marinate in the Scriptures and spend time "Being still" before Him-Psalm 46:10. When we reflect and focus upon the God who has enabled us to work for him, our responsibilities and duties become a joy rather than a burden.