The Fundamentals of our Faith: Overcoming

Editor’s Note:  This is from a series I have been preaching entitled the “Fundamentals of our Faith.” 

There it is!  That’s your life isn't it?  All of these obstacles in front of you, and you have to jump over them to get anything accomplished.  Do you want to raise your children to be productive adults?  You have to jump over hurdles.  Do you want a better job?  You have to jump over hurdles.  Do you want to do something for God?  You have to jump over hurdles.  Life is like an Olympic Event.

Have you ever wondered why nothing is easy?  It’s like one thing after another.  You’re trying to get somewhere in life and it’s one obstacle after another.  It’s one thing after another.  We all have to face obstacles in life.  We all have to face roadblocks in what we want to do. 

Sometimes, it’s the devil.  He hates you and doesn't want you to succeed at your dreams, especially if it involves God’s will for your life.  Other times it’s you and your flesh.  You just want to give up and quit, or you just can’t find the energy to persevere. At still other times it might be God doing a work in you. checking your faith, or teaching you to overcome.

Today, I want to post on being someone who can overcome the obstacles of life.

Romans 8:35-37 (NKJV)
^8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

When it’s Worthwhile it’s Hard

God’s promises are not always easy to receive.  Very often these things look like struggle, turmoil and adversity taking place in your life.   God promised the people of Israel a “Land flowing with Milk and Honey,” but they were going to have to fight for it.  They were going to have to move out the current inhabitants of the land.  The PROMISE was there…but it was going to be difficult to receive.

Nothing in the world is worth having or doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…I have never, in my life, envied someone with an easy life.  I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well. – Theodore Roosevelt

Let me break this down for you into Christian language. Let me tell you what he’s saying in Christian speak:  Blessing comes through struggle.  It’s a principle of life – The harder it is the more worthwhile it is.

For example, raising kids is hard.  It’s really hard, and the bigger they get the harder it is.  My dad told me when my daughters were babies, “When you have little kids you have little problems, when you have bigger kids, you have bigger problems.”  He’s exactly right.  When your kids get older you don’t have problems like whose toy it is, or a scraped knee, or a wet bed.  You have problems like: Are they going to get pregnant?  Are they going to get killed while driving?  How am I going to pay for college?  Are they dating/marrying the right guy?

It’s not easy.  It’s expensive, you have to discipline, and sometimes you have to remember. “I’m supposed to be the mature one here,” when it would be easier to just kill them.  Is it easy? No, it isn't.  Is it worth it?  Yes, it is.

My daughters are a HUGE blessing, now.  They weren't always.  My mother and sisters always tell me what great kids they are, and they are.  It wasn't easy to get them there, though.  It wasn't easy for me, and it wasn't easy for them, but we all persevered.  I have two grown, beautiful daughters whom I believe will make it in life.

The difficulty and struggle was worth it.  Receiving the promises of God is also worth it, if you can overcome all the obstacles.

There are three places that obstacles come from.  The first is that lying devil.  How many know that the devil’s a liar.  He wants to keep you from God’s plan for your life.  The second is your own flesh.  Your fears, your feelings of inadequacy, laziness, or whatever keeps you from doing what you need to do to see God’s plan work out in your life. The third is God, Himself, checking your faith; whether or not you can believe God for His promises.  I can illustrate this from the Bible.

Taking the Promised Land was no Piece of Cake

There is a story in Numbers Chapter 13:  Israel has left Egypt.  They've finally made it to the Promised Land.  They've arrived at the promise of God to Abraham.  Moses has sent out spies into the the land to check it out and they have come back with their report:

Numbers 13:32-33 (NKJV)
^13:32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. ³³ There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

That Lying Devil

So, here’s the devil lying to them.  “There’s too many obstacles…it’s too hard.  You’re weak and puny, like little baby grasshoppers.  What can you do against GIANTS?”

How many times have you heard that voice in your head say, “You can’t do it.”  Or, “You’re not good enough.  You’re not smart enough.  You didn't go to a good enough high school or college”?  Maybe someone even actually spoke those things to you.  That’s the devil trying to work in your mind.  He’s trying to sow unbelief or doubt into your heart.  You can trust God for His promises, but the devil says, “No!”  He’s doing the same thing he did to Eve.  In the Garden of Eden he said, “Did God really say…?”  He cast doubt about the Word of God into Eve's mind.

In our text, when they saw the giants, the devil said, “Look at them, You’re puny little grasshoppers.  These guys will eat you for breakfast.”

Verse 32:  “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours it’s inhabitants.”
Verse 33:  “We were like grasshoppers in our OWN sight and so we were in their sight.”

The spies were just telling the people what the devil told them.  The devil said there are obstacles and you’ll never overcome them or conquer them.  God may have promised it, but there are GIANTS!

Believing the Lie

Let’s continue with the Bible’s narrative:

Numbers 14:1-4 (NKJV)
^14:1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. ² And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" ⁴ So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt."

None of them is willing to fight for the promise.  God doesn't say it’s going to be easy.  Nowhere in the Bible does he say that.  We have to be willing to fight for His promises, but we get discouraged.  We become defeatist.  Have you ever said this, “Nothing ever works out like I planned.  Why does it always have to be so hard”?  The devil lies to us, but we don’t have to believe him.  In our text the people of Israel believe the lie. 

The devil lies to you and sometimes you listen to him.  You say to yourself, “This is too hard.  Nothing ever works out for me.  I might as well quit!”  Quitting is the easy way every time, but what’s the reward of quitting:  Wasted time, wasted money, shame, guilt, letting yourself down, letting others down?  Those are the rewards of quitting.  Making it through the obstacles will be harder, often much harder, but what are the rewards of succeeding?  Aren't those rewards much easier to live with? 

Israel stands to receive a great inheritance.  God has a covenant with them, to bring them to this place.  It’s called the Promised Land, because it’s promised.  God promised it, but the devil tells them, “You can’t do it,” and the people all say to themselves: “You know he’s right.  We’re not strong enough to defeat giants.  Those cities are fortified; we can’t break in.  Let’s beat up Moses, and find a new leader to take us back to Egypt”  Which one would be a better ending:  Owning a land flowing with milk and honey?  Or going back to a land of slavery and oppression?  Here’s the reward for Israel quitting on the promises:

Numbers 14:34 (NKJV)
^14:34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.

Forty years of wandering in the desert until the whole generation died.  All of the adults died in the desert, never seeing the promise of God play out in their lives.  Let’s go back to the Promised land:

Numbers 14:36-38 (NKJV)
^14:36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, ³⁷ those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. ³⁸ But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

Faith Activates God

So, the people of Israel wandered the desert for forty years, because they didn't believe the promises of God.  The whole generation never saw the promise of God except Joshua and Caleb.  They made it into the Promised Land, but why them?  Why did they see God’s promises?    Why weren't they like all the others? 

Numbers 14:6-8 (NKJV)
^14:6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷ and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.'

The entire congregation of Israel, all the people gave up.  They all wanted to quit.  They believed the devil and all of his lies and doubted God.  All of them except Joshua and Caleb.  They wanted to go and take the land.  “God promised it, so let’s go get it.”

The people of Israel made their decision based on their own strengths, but they left out something important:  THE GOD FACTOR.  God can do what we can’t.  God is more powerful than us, AND he’s more powerful than the devil.

It may look impossible to you.  You may think, “I can never do this!  I can never make this happen.  I can never have God’s promises, because I’m not strong enough to do it ”  You may be right.  You probably can’t do it on your own.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that what God has for you is too hard for you to do on your own.  You can’t do it...but God can.  I guarantee it’s not impossible for God. 

Luke 18:27 (NKJV)
^18:27 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

So knowing that the question is:  Can you believe God for His promises?  That’s what God is looking for.  He wants to show Himself strong.  He wants to win your faith and trust.  If God wants to show himself strong why would rely on YOUR strength?

If Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to show you how strong he was, he wouldn't tell you to lift up the weights.  He would lift them.

Joshua and Caleb understand that God is a God who cannot lie.  They know His promises are real – They’re promises.  So, they believe God for what he’s promised and because of that they are the only ones to see those promises play out in their lives. God fought with them to take the land.  Their faith activated a move of God and they succeeded and received the promise.

What about you?  Do you want to see God’s promises for your life?  It’s our faith that activates a movement of God.  We need to believe Him; we need to speak like Joshua and Caleb, and live like we believe what we've spoken.  Most of all we need to have faith that the promise IS a promise. 

We are more than Conquerors

Our text promises us that we are more than conquerors:  That we can overcome the lies, and the flesh to see for ourselves the promises of God.  All it takes is faith and a willingness to fight for it.

What is it that God has promised you?  Provision? That’s a promise.  Your family saved?  Salvation is a promise.  A Plan for your life?  It’s a promise.

What is your role in receiving the promises?

1. You're going have to believe God for the promises, and
2. You’re going to have to fight for it.

God has a promise for your church as well.  People get discouraged:  They’ve seen people leave the church.  It seems like no one responds to the outreaches.  It seems as if the church is falling apart.  So, is God mad at us?  Is the devil too strong for us?

Here’s what’s happening, first, the devil is lying.  He says, "People can’t get saved in Taoyuan City.  It’s too hard for them.  They won’t believe Jesus.  They won’t go against their parents.  The traditional religion is a giant, we’re too small and weak to make a difference."

Second, people believe the lies.  Some of the people who've left have left because of that.  They believed the lies.  Some others are discouraged, “Why bother with outreach, it doesn't work here.”  Others even say, “I wanted to do something for God, but I don’t see it happening (in my time-frame).  So, they give up?  That’s happening in the church and it’s happening in people’s lives.

We need to be like Joshua and Caleb, “Hey God promised this… Let’s go and take it.” 

Let’s face it, the devil’s big and bad...and ugly...and mean...and nasty.  He’s a liar and the father of lies.  He WANTS you deceived and discouraged.  He wants to see you give up on the promises of God for your life and for the church.  But look at this promise:

1 John 4:4 (NKJV)
^4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Are you ready to give up?  Well don’t!  Maybe it’s hard right now, but anything worth doing is hard.  It’s life – It’s hard!  That’s the way life is, but if you want to see the promise of God you have to be willing to fight for it.  You have to be willing to have faith.  I’m willing – We can take the Land.  We can also see God’s triumph in YOUR life.  Let’s go get the promise.

Sticks and Stones

Sticks and stones will break my bones but words can never harm me!  Our mothers taught us this to help us to overlook the put downs and downright meanness of other kids.  It was an attempt to help us to keep from being damaged by bullies who use words to hurt.

The problem with it is that it’s a lie.  Words spoken can do great damage.  Words break no bones, but they do break hearts.  I've seen children’s lives messed up by carelessly spoken words.  I've seen marriages ruined by hateful words. 

The plain fact is that we DO care about what others think of us, especially the people we love.  Sometimes, those words are designed to injure, sometimes they’re just spoken in anger, and sometimes they’re just spoken carelessly without regard for the effect it has on the hearer.  Today I want to post on words, from this portion of scripture.

Romans 14:17-19 (NKJV)
^14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. ¹⁹ Therefore let us pursue the things, which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

Word Power

Words are powerful tools:

1. They can be used to describe complex theories
2. They can be used to evoke an motional response
3. They can be used to express love
4. They can be used to bring understanding
5. They can be used to create:

The Bible tells us that God used words to speak the universe into existence.  Nine times in the first and second chapters of Genesis the Bible says, “Then God said…!”  He didn't create the universe with His hands.  He didn't use any tool except words.  Words can be used to create.

Words definitely have power.  You can ask any novelist, politician or lawyer, who use words in their profession.  Novelists create a scene and a story through the use of words.  Politicians use words to influence people to a course of action.  Lawyers use words to persuade and allow innocent men to go free.

These people can testify to the power of words.  Words can create but words can also damage.  According to Psychology Today:

“…prior to the recent study by Martin Teicher and colleagues at Harvard Medical School, taunting and other verbal abuse experienced by middle school children by their peers was not thought to leave a structural imprint on the developing brain.  But it does, according to their new study published on-line in advance of print in the American Journal of Psychiatry.” *

So we can see that words can also be destructive.

There is power in the words you speak.  There’s the power to edify, or build up, and there’s the power to destroy.  How we use the words we speak to another person determines the direction our relationships take.  Our text tells us that the “Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  Do the words you’re using reflect that?  Are you using words that “make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”?  Are you building up or tearing down?

We use words so quickly, don’t we?  Listen to a casual conversation, sometime.  Our minds work so quickly that we have words to respond in fractions of a second.  We don’t even have to think about it.  Words just come flowing out of our mouths. 

Sometimes, though, I think this is a problem, because we speak through our emotions.  We speak through our anger.  We speak through our frustration… and we do it instantly, without thinking.  Maybe we should take time and think about what we’re going to say.

I don’t think people try to damage their children by speaking words of discouragement to them.  It’s just that frustration and irritation come out of our mouths without thinking.  We do the same thing in other relationships.  We jam our wives or husbands with no thought as to the effect those words will have on them.

“You’re lazy.”  “You’re so stupid.”  We label each other and those labels can have destructive consequences.  Sometimes, the problem is that we speak words that aren't positive or faith affirming.

At our house we’re trying to speak positively.  It’s amazing how many times something comes out of people’s mouths that are negative.  I’m not saying that we sit around and say hateful things to each other, but we don’t always speak faith-affirming words.  For example, someone might say, “We’re not going to have enough money to pay the church rent this month.”  The response might be something like, “God will help us.  Don’t be so negative.”

Sometimes we use sarcasm as a weapon, or we speak negatively to show how much we think we know.  Isn't that an amazing thought?  Someone comes to us excited about a possibility, or opportunity and we say, “What do you know about doing that?” Or “that isn’t going to happen, you’re too naïve.” Or, “You don’t understand how it works here, people won’t do that.”

When we pastored in Riverside, California, I wanted to try and reach into the Chinese community there.  There are a lot of people from China there.  I wanted to get to know some of them, to reach into that community.  So, I tried to talk to some other pastors.  I was looking for an effective strategy to reach them with the Gospel.  They all said the same thing, “That community is too close knit.  They won’t let you in.  You’ll never get anywhere with them.”   It was discouraging; I almost gave up before I started.

On a whim, I put our information on an electronic bulletin board asking for a language exchange or Chinese tutor, so we could learn to speak Mandarin.  Within 24 hours I had six or seven offers for teaching or language exchange.  This was in August, by Thanksgiving we had thirty Chinese couples over to our house to experience American culture.  We were accepted, in fact, we still have close relationships with some of those people.

So we had people who had no idea what they were talking about being negative, only because it made them appear to have knowledge and understanding.  They spoke discouragingly, when they could have been encouraging.  Is this how we should use our words?  Is this how we should use the power that we speak?

As Christians the idea is to be Godly.  We want to be Godly men and women.  We want to be like Jesus. Jesus used His words to create.  He spoke words of edification.  What words are you speaking today?  Are you building up or tearing down?

Edification

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)
^4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

I want to take some time to digest this scripture.  Specifically, I want to focus on two words. 

The first word I want to focus on is edify or edification.  According to Strong’s Lexicon of Greek and Hebrew, the Greek word translated as edify literally means to be a house builder.  This word house is used a lot in the Old Testament to signify one’s family.  The House of Abraham refers to his family; the people who lived in his household.  It’s the same with the House of Jacob, or the House of David.  So, in a sense it means to build your family members; the people who love in your house, like your wife, your husband or your children.  I think it also can mean something else, as well.

A few days ago I sent a text to one of the women in our church.  I was thanking her for some help she had given us.  Her response was, “Don’t mention it, we’re family, right?”

We are family.  That’s why we use words like, brother or sister in Christ.  The Bible tells us we should be “house builders” but often we’re not we’re just the opposite.  It’s really easy to tear each other down through gossip, slander or discouragement.  Take a moment and think about the last thing you said to: Your spouse, your children, your church friends, and your pastor and his wife.  Think about the attitude you used and see if you were building the house or tearing it down.  Now, think about the last thing you said about those same people.  Were you building up those people in the eyes of others or are you tearing them down.   Were you complaining about them, embarrassing them or speaking badly of them? 

The Bible tells us in the story of Balak and Balaam that the words of cursing don’t need to be spoken directly to the people you’re cursing.  Balaam only tried to curse Israel before Balak.  Look at the moment in scripture. 

Balak has hired Balaam to curse Israel.  Apparently, Balaam is famous for cursing.  God has a different idea and puts words of blessing into Balaam’s mouth.  He begins to tell Balak what God has said.  This is a personal conversation.  He’s not saying this in front of the people of Israel.  He’s only speaking to Balak, and instead of cursing Israel he speaks blessing.  Look at Balak’s reaction:

Numbers 23:11 (NKJV)
^23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!"

He’s beside himself.  In fact, he wants Balaam to go with him to where he can see the people of Israel and try to curse them again.  Balaam isn't blessing Israel within earshot, but the words still have the power to bless.

In the same way, words that are spoken against someone, whether they are spoken in their presence or not, have the same power to curse.  I become concerned, sometimes, when I hear someone talking about things they said to their husband or wife.  Things like, “I wish I wasn't married to you.” Or “We should get a divorce…I hate you.”  I fear for the future of their marriage, because the words you use will shape your actions.”

I had a friend who always talked about how much he hated his wife.  He always told her he was going to divorce her, “As soon as our son is old enough I’m leaving you.”  He told other people, “I hate my wife.”  He made jokes about it; he humiliated her, thinking she didn’t understand English, so she wouldn’t know what he was saying.  For her part she was angry and hostile to him, but maybe it was because he always said those things to her and about her.  He spoke words of cursing to her face and to others about her.  Remember, she doesn't have to hear the words to be cursed. 

Recently, he left her.  He did just what he had been speaking.  He abandoned her.  I wonder what would have happened if he had spoken the opposite way:  If he spoke blessing instead of cursing.  What could have been the outcome if he used the power of his words to build his house?

This ties into the other word I want to examine and that word is corrupt.  According to the Strong’s Lexicon, the word translated as corrupt means rotten or worthless.  Do the words you’re speaking to or about someone have power to edify, or are they destructive, corrupt, rotten, worthless words.

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)
^12:36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

That word idle means inactive, or useless.  Words that don’t have a positive purpose for the ones they are spoken about are useless words.  We will be accountable for them.  Evil words cut more deeply than a sword.

My friend destroyed his marriage, because of the corruption that flowed from his mouth:  Because he didn't edify or build his house.  He did that through idle words.

Some of you may have already spoken like that to your spouse.  Some of you may have already torn down your children.  Some of you may have already spoken curses on your church family’s lives.  We need to understand that our words have power.

Mending Fences

Psalms 34:12-13 (NKJV)
^34:12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? ¹³ Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.

Hopefully, damage hasn’t already been done to the point where there’s no chance for redemption and reconciliation.  The reason I say that is because we’re all guilty of speaking things that shouldn’t be spoken.  We’re all guilty of idle words and corruption.

James 3:7-9 (NKJV)
^3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

James includes himself in this:  “No man can tame the tongue, with it we bless our God and with it we curse men.”  I believe we are all guilty of this.  So, what can we do to mend fences that we have torn down? 

The first thing we can do is repent before God.  When we sin against each other we sin before God.  When David sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, the prophet Nathan confronted him.  In response to that confrontation, he told Nathan, “I have sinned against God.”  His sin against Uriah the Hittite was a sin against God.  When we sin against each other the sin is against God, so we need to repent before God. 

The second thing is to look for forgiveness from that person.  Do you know what power is found in two simple words, “I’m sorry.”?  Most people have the capacity to forgive.  I can’t tell you how many times as a pastor I've heard someone say, “I just want an apology.”  “If they’d just say, ‘I’m sorry.’”

The final thing is to stop saying things that are hurtful.  You can’t just say, “I’m sorry,” and continue with the same old behavior.  It makes the words meaningless.  It’s a necessary part of repentance, anyway.  There is no repentance without change.

Finally, we can help each other when people speak badly about others.  I have a friend that has been loyal for many years.  We've been friends for a long time.  Someone told this friend something about me that was bad.  They took an event and skewed it to make it look like I was saying terrible things about this friend, when I hadn't been.  So I came to this person to explain and she told me. “I wasn't worried about it, because I don’t listen to gossip anyway.” 

We don’t have to listen to people spewing gossip.  We can quickly stop it by saying, “I don’t listen to gossip.”  If people speak things to you that are cursing, you don’t have to listen to those words either.  Find someone who will edify you and let them encourage you.

I’m not saying you should go to them and say things like, “My husband is such a beast…do you know what he said to me?”  Don’t do that because the next words out of your mouth will be gossip.  You can ask them to pray for you about your relationship with your husband.  You can ask them to speak words of encouragement to you.  You can let them care for you.

None of us should allow anyone to tear down our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We should be here for each other.  The world wants to destroy us… The house of God should be there to strengthen us.

*  Psychology Today, 10/10 2010; Sticks and Stones Hurtful Words Damage the Brain;

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-new-brain/20101010/sticks-and-stones-hurtful-words-damage-the-brain

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Editor's Note:  In lieu of dumping freezing cold water over my head, I wanted to help to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis AND Muscular Dystrophy.  This is taken from research via the MDA website and my own experiences.

In light of the recent popularity of ALS Ice Bucket Challenges, I thought to myself, “I can pour a bucket of ice water over my head or I can take some time to tell you about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.”  Its not that I’m opposed to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, but I’m wondering if people are really understanding how the disease affects those who suffer through it and why it is so important to raise awareness and funding to defeat it.

In much the same way Muscular Dystrophy affects the body ALS causes weakening and atrophy of the muscles.  The way it works is this:

The neurons or nerves that control the muscles are lost.  Your nervous system works like an electrical system to provide power to every section of muscle in your body.  There are millions of neurons, which are like the connection point between the muscle and the power supply. Electrical impulses come from your brain and travel through the nerves to the neurons and cause the muscles to work   When you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis the neurons begin to be lost.  They no longer function and the ability for the muscle to work is gradually lost.  The muscle is, in a sense, paralyzed in that one point.  Because it doesn’t receive the impulse it doesn’t work, and atrophies.  Atrophy is the wasting away of muscle.  The muscles lose function and waste away.

The symptoms of ALS usually onset in a person’s forties or fifties but can come on at any age.  In the beginning it is usually marked by weakness or spasticity (uncontrolled movement) of an arm or leg muscle.  It is easy to ignore the symptoms at this point.  Think about how many times you’ve felt weak or had a muscle twitch or jerk on it’s own.  It starts in one set of muscles and moves to the adjacent ones, until large areas of muscle are affected and can no longer be ignored. 

Most research done on ALS is done through the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  In some ways it is very similar to Muscular Dystrophy.   

So, I want to take one more moment and talk about Muscular Dystrophy.  A person suffering from Muscular Dystrophy (MD) has much the same problem.  There is a different reason for the weakening of the muscles but the outcome is similar.  MD also results in loss of muscle strength in the voluntary muscles.  The muscles for breathing and heartbeats aren’t affected.  But muscles become weak, atrophy and eventually become stiff and unusable. 

Here is where that becomes a problem.  The muscles that control your lungs continue to function properly, but the muscles that control coughs weaken and become stiff.  So if you are affected with a respiratory illness you can’t easily clear your lungs.  Most MD sufferers die from respiratory illnesses like pneumonia.  ALS and MD are not painful, directly, but as muscles weaken and become loose you tend to experience joint pain. (Stiff necks, sore shoulders, rib cage pain, etc.)

Currently, there is no treatment for ALS or MD.  There’s no medication that will stop the spread.  It is a long slow slide into weakness.  Because of that people suffer with depression, a feeling of a loss of usefulness or value.  Someone that is prone to depression can really be affected by the loss of strength.  I believe that depression can propel someone toward and early death from the diseases. 

I believe the way to help someone you know that is struggling with this is to assure them that they can lead a productive and “active” life for two decades or more.  I have lived with MD for 30 years now and I’m not close to death.  I’ve remained productive through preaching and writing and look forward with hope to more years, ahead.  There will be a need or adaptation and improvisation in an ALS or MD sufferer’s life.  But it can be managed and life can go on.

Donating to the MDA is a good way to insure that research continues and the disease can be eventually defeated. 

This has been written through research and my personal experiences with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy.

God Elevates

God has a plan for you.  I've said that about a million times.  It probably seems like a cliche, but I want you to know that God does indeed have a plan for you.  Those aren't idle words.  “This isn't just preacher talk.”  This is a truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I want you to know that God has a plan for you.  It’s something that ELEVATES you.  It’s something that will lift you up.  It’s something that will bring you into His kingdom.  I've seen this happen over and over.  It’s one of the powerful things about attending CFM conferences, that you see men who were at one time, drug addicts, thieves, and liars, lifted up into a usefulness for God:  Elevated into someone that can be used by God.  He takes common men and makes them men of God.

So, today I want to post a post that I have entitled, “God Elevates.”

1 Kings 19:15-16 (NKJV)
^19:15 Then the Lord said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. ¹⁶ Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

The Call

God elevates, not just the off-scouring of the earth, but He takes simple, common men, men like you and I and elevates them into men of God.  God took a simple shepherd and made him a deliverer.  He took another shepherd and made him the king of Israel, and he took Elisha, a farmer and made him a man of God.

That’s what I want to look at in this post – the process.  How man becomes not just a man, but a man of God.  This isn't about men becoming preachers; it’s not about men being launched out – It’s about becoming a man of God.

The process of becoming a man of God without fail comes from a calling.  It’s a calling, it’s not a profession.  It’s a calling, it’s something that God does in you.  It’s not something that happens in a classroom.  It’s not something that happens as you respond to an advertisement – It’s a calling.

1 Kings 19:19-21 (NKJV)
^19:19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. ²⁰ And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" ²¹ So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

This is the calling on Elisha’s life.  Elijah walks past him and throws a mantle over him.  That mantle is like a cloak.  It’s like a covering that the prophet wore.  It was the symbol of the calling to be a prophet.  He’s saying, in a sense, “Here it is, this is what God has called you to; you’re called to be a prophet.” 

Elisha recognizes this as a calling.  He knows what’s meant by the mantle being laid upon him.    He knows what’s happening here, and so he says to Elijah, “let me go and say goodbye to my family.”    Elijah says, “What’s it to me what you do.  I haven’t called you to this, God has.  This isn't coming from me this is the call of God.  What are you going to do about HIS call?”

We have a tendency to stay with what’s comfortable; to stay with what’s familiar.  We want to stay in the culture in which we’re living.  For example, people will say to me, “The culture of Taiwan is familiar.  I can’t violate the culture of Taiwan.  This is how I was raised.  There are certain things I’m uncomfortable about as a Christian.  There are things that go against what I've been taught.”  It’s another way of saying, “Let me go and kiss my parents,” but Elijah says, “Are you going to let your parents  keep you from the calling of God.  Are you going to put filial piety before God’s will for you?  This is the calling of God!”

So what does Elisha do?  He turns around and destroys the things of his old life.  He offers them to God as a sacrifice.  He’s a farmer, but he says, “I’m not going to need these things anymore.  God has called me to a different place.  I need to respond to God’s calling.”  There’s always a sacrifice in the response.  We can’t continue in the things of the world when we respond to the call of God.  There’s a change that’s going to take place.

I met a young man a number of years ago.  I was witnessing to him, telling him about Jesus and he told me, “I don’t believe in God.”  I pressed him and he eventually said to me, “You know to tell you the truth, I can’t become a Christian, because there are some things I want to do that I know I ‘d have to give up.”  He knew that it was a calling of God.  He knew he couldn't answer God’s call and remain the same.  Elisha knew that if he followed the prophet he’d never be the same, so he gave up the vestiges of his old life. 

In 1520, when Cortez the explorer, landed in Mexico, his men came ashore and Cortez burned up the boats.  There was no way back.  His men HAD to be committed to what they had embarked on.  They had to follow Cortez. 

This is what Elisha was doing.  He burned his farming tools and boiled his oxen.  There was no way he could go back to being a farmer.  He was now committed to what he was doing; he had to follow God.  Then, “he arose and followed Elijah and became his servant.”

God’s Method of Elevation – Discipleship

It’s important that it says here, “he became Elijah’s servant.”  It wasn't that he was taking the prophet’s clothes to the laundry or washing his car.  I’m not talking about servant-hood in that case.  What Elisha did was serve in Elijah’s ministry.  He grabbed hold of Elijah’s vision.  He learned to do things the way Elijah did them.  He wasn't out there with his own plan and his own methods; he was doing what Elijah did. 

He followed Elijah.  He went where the prophet went.  He was trying to glean as much from the prophet as he could.  It was like Jesus’ disciples, who followed Him around.  They weren't off doing their own thing.  They were with Him.  They were doing what He did.  They were listening to His words and following His teachings.  They were on board. 

Elisha was doing the same thing.  He was going where Elijah went.  He was doing what Elijah did.  He was actively taking part in ELIJAH’S ministry. 

People come to me all time, “This is what you should be doing.”  Or, “This is where I think you’re making a mistake.”  Or, even, “This is what they did in my old church.”  I appreciate your input, but this is where I’m going.  I’m following God AND my pastor, who’s following HIS pastor, who’s following HIS pastor.

2 Kings 2:5 (NKJV)
^2:5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!"

They weren't just being informative, here.  They weren't thinking, "Elisha may not know, we need to tell him."  They were trying to talk him out of following Elijah.  They were saying, “Why are you following him, God’s going to take him away.”  The sons of the prophets were trying to send Elisha in a different direction.  They were going to Elisha and saying something different than Elijah, and the result could have been confusion and division, but Elisha said, “I’m following Elijah.”  Because God had spoken to him.

2 Kings 2:6 (NKJV)
^2:6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on.

His prayer was give me a double portion of what that man has.  “I want what Elijah has but I want twice as much.  I want to do what Elijah’s doing but more so.”

2 Kings 2:9 (NKJV)
^2:9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."

It was God speaking to Elisha, but from where was God speaking?  He was speaking from the mouth of Elijah.  Elisha was listening to Elijah not the other voices; not the conventional wisdom – He was listening to Elijah and hearing from God.  This is what discipleship is.  It’s not being “blown around by every wind of doctrine.”  It’s not listening to all the “Christian” voices and opinions.  It’s not following the sons of the prophets, for Elisha it was following God and Elijah.  So look at what happens:

2 Kings 2:7-8 (NKJV)
^2:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸ Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

Elijah takes his mantle and uses it to open the waters and they cross the Jordan.  A chariot of fire descends and Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind, and Elisha witnesses the whole thing.  Then he picks up the mantle, only now it’s his mantle – The transference is completed.  He walks back to the Jordan and look at what he does:

2 Kings 2:13-14 (NKJV)
^2:13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

He did the same thing his pastor did and with the same result.  Now he’s the prophet of God.  God ELEVATED him.  He learned what to do by watching and imitating his pastor.  He didn't get together with the sons of the prophets and ask, “What do you think I should do?”  He didn't ask, “How do you think I should go forward.  What do they do in the Sons of the Prophet church.”   He did what his pastor did and it worked.

I think if I hear one more time about how because of Taiwanese culture this can’t work or that can’t work, or you can only say that in Taipei…I’m going to scream.  I’m not preaching American Christianity and I’m tired of hearing about Taiwanese Christianity.  There is no American or Taiwanese Christianity; there is only Christianity.  It’s not American culture or Taiwanese culture that I’m preaching it’s Christian culture. 

Recently, our fellowship added two more churches in Africa.  There must be close to two hundred fellowship churches in Africa now.  It was all started by non-African pastors and they have exploded:  Because it’s not about culture – it’s about Jesus, and what He said and did.

People always tell me Taiwanese people won’t go to church on Sunday evening, well Christian people do – All over the world.  In every culture that our fellowship is in, people go to church on Sunday evening – It’s Christian culture.

God Elevates

Elisha received the double portion he asked for.  He did exactly twice the miracles that Elijah did.  God elevated him from a simple farmer to a man of God.  How did He do it?  He did it through discipleship.  Elisha fastened himself to the man of God.  He said, “I’m going to follow what he’s teaching, because what he’s teaching is from God."  God elevates through discipleship.

After this episode you never really hear about the sons of the prophets again.  Do you know why?  They never really did anything after this, but lose some guy’s ax head, that Elisha had to find for them.  That’s it.  They didn't do anything else.  But Elisha, we can read about what he did and all that happened in his ministry.  The Bible goes on and on. 

I don’t listen to the sons of the prophets in Taiwan.  If I listened to the things they’re saying:

I have no idea what I’m doing.  I have no understanding of Taiwanese culture.  I’m running off all the converts, because I preach too hard.  I don’t conform to the local churches' actions.  What I’m preaching isn't God, it’s American culture. 

If I listened to all that, I’d go home immediately feeling like a huge failure. 

I’m following a pattern.  A pattern that’s resulted in more than three thousand churches all over the world.  If it can work in all of the rest of the world, it can work in Taiwan, or wherever you are; in spite of the local culture.  So, I’m going across the Jordan – Are you going to stay here with the sons of the prophets or are you coming with me?

The Bread of Adversity

Affliction is a treasure and scarcely any man has enough of it – John Donne

How often does everything go right in life?  How often does everything happen in just the way it should?  There’s a struggle all the time, isn’t there?  Not just struggle but sickness, injury, pain and setbacks in life.  There are painful moments; loss of a child, miscarriage, and deaths of loved ones.  There are moment of betrayal, gossip, slander and persecution.  These things are called life.

Life is filled with affliction and adversity.  As Christians, we sometimes think that we shouldn't have to go through these things.  We think that God should protect us from all suffering and pain.  We accuse the devil, “That lying devil, he’s attacking me.”  But today I want to examine that.

As Christians should we be able to expect an easy life, free from all adversity and problems?  Is it right to expect God to keep us from problems, sickness, and setbacks?  Is it right for us to think we should be blessed and never expect any adversity?  Let’s examine that today from this portion of scripture:

Isaiah 30:20-21 (NKJV)
^30:20 And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers. ²¹ Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

The Bread of Adversity

I think that this is such an interesting scripture, especially the phrase – “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.”  Bread and water are the necessities of life.  He’s comparing adversity and affliction to food and water.  How long can you live without food?  About forty days.  How long without water?  About a week. So this scripture tells us that adversity and affliction are life preserving.  We need adversity and affliction, like we need food and water.  But it’s difficult to accept that, isn't it? 

Look at what Paul says:

2 Corinthians 12:10 (NKJV)
^12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

How many of us really take pleasure in those things?  Isaiah says those things are life preserving.  Why is that true?  These are things that God uses to work in us.  We don’t always see it while we’re struggling through it, but often when we look back, we can see how that worked something through in our lives, like patience or character or hope.  Adversity results in hope:

Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV)
^5:3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Character and hope don't come from blessing.  Tribulation and trial make us more like Jesus, and that’s the intention of trials.  Look at how Jesus faced the trial of crucifixion.  He spoke not a word, in fact, look at this:

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)
^12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him.  That’s hope, right?  He endured suffering knowing that something better was coming.  This is what we should see.  Jesus had character in the face of overwhelming adversity and hope in the midst of trial. We need to endure suffering in order to be more like Him.  After all, that’s the goal of Christianity…to be like Jesus.

We need adversity, it’s necessary to the Christian lifestyle.  It’s what shapes us and forms us into being like Christ and so a faithful God ALLOWS us to have adversity.  He ALLOWS us to face torment and struggle.  Adversity is really a gift:  That’s why Paul said, “I take pleasure in infirmities.”  That’s why he said, “I glory in tribulations.”  That’s what he meant when he said, “For when I am weak, I am strong.”

The question today is, “Do you want to be Christ-like?” because if you want to be Christ-like you’re going to have to endure some adversity.  It’s life preserving because it’s the bringer of hope.

I know what it’s like to be hopeless.  Hopelessness takes away the desire to live.  When you have no hope, when there’s nothing to look forward to. When there’s nothing to believe in then life becomes a miserable time of struggle and disappointment, but when you believe, then adversity can become life affirming.  Look at Joseph’s take on adversity:

 Genesis 50:20 (NKJV)
^50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

It was meant to be evil, but God meant it to be good.  It refines us, it teaches us.  Can we only expect good things from God?  Or is God doing a good thing when he gives us trouble?

Job 2:10 (NKJV)
^2:10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job’s wife is advising him to “curse God and die,” and he responds with this, “You fool!”  God is faithful to bring adversity – It’s a gift from God.

Psalms 119:75 (NKJV)
^119:75 I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

 It’s as necessary to us as food and water.

God Uses Affliction to Make us Better

It’s easy to see God’s intention with adversity, when you look at scripture.  God uses affliction to chasten us:

Deuteronomy 8:5 (NKJV)
^8:5 You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.

You know a measure of our love for our children is that we will sacrifice to “chasten” them.  You’re not doing your children any favors by not correcting them.  It’s a sacrifice that parents have to make to raise their children properly.  My wife and I hated to spank our kids.  We hated to restrict their privileges.  We hated to stop what we were doing to correct their behavior, but they needed that, and as good responsible parents we had to do it.  It’s because we made that sacrifice when they were little, that we have very little trouble with them now.  I know other children that have put their parents through hell, because the parents wouldn't fight the fight when they were young.  Look at this:

Proverbs 3:12 (NKJV)
^3:12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

So adversity is used to correct our behavior.  We want to blame the devil for every problem we have in life, when very often, the problem is really the consequence of our own behavior.

Let me tell you  a story.  This falls under the “when I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible” category.  When I was a young man I didn't file my income taxes for three years.  I didn't think anything of it.  I had overpaid what I owed I just didn't file the paperwork.  That’s against the law in the US.  So I got a letter from the IRS saying that I owed them US$15,000.  It was a horrible thing.  I was afraid to get in touch with them because I didn't have that kind of money.  Finally, I broke down and called them and they reduced it to US$5,000, even though I had already paid them at least that much.  Penalties and interest were still accruing.  I ended up paying about US$9,000 by the time it was all over.  I learned something through all of this.  It wasn't the devil attacking me, I was being chastened because of my irresponsibility.  I knew it was God, because it drew me to a place of repentance.  It was a huge adversity but it wasn't an attack on my finances, it was the consequence of my irresponsibility

Seneca. A fourth century philosopher said, “Gold is refined in the fire, acceptable men in the furnace of affliction.

God also uses adversity to refine us.  What does that word refine mean?  According to Mirriam-Webster Dictionaries it can be defined as:  to free from impurities or waste matter 2: IMPROVE:  PERFECT

So God uses adversity to refine us; to improve us:  To make us free from impurities.  Doesn't it feel like we’re going through a fire when we have troubles and afflictions?  We have an expression in the US, “He’s in the hot seat.”  We use it when someone is trying to do something and things are going wrong and everyone is putting the blame on him.  I've been in the hot seat a number of times in my life.

Have you ever seen gold or silver refined?  The gold ore, this is rock that contains gold is crushed and then put in a furnace that’s heated to 1064C (1947F).  The gold in the ore melts at that temperature then the remaining rock and impurities float to the top where they’re scraped off and only the purified gold remains.  This process has to be repeated a number of times.  The more it’s done the purer the resulting gold. 

What does it mean to be pure?  In our case it means to be holy or it means to be in the will of God, not living in your flesh.

Isaiah 48:10 (NKJV)
^48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Take some time and think about the impurities in you…are you pure?  Are you holy as God is holy?  We all have some flesh that rises to the top.

I've seen it the saints:  I've seen pride.  I've seen laziness.  I've seen irresponsibility; all of these things are impurities that need to be rooted out.

It’s like bamboo.  Have you ever tried to get rid of bamboo?  We had this neighbor who planted bamboo in his yard.  The idea was that it would grow and provide him with some privacy, but it was awful because bamboo grows underground and pops up in another place.  It grew under the fence and came up in our yard.  We were constantly digging it up and trying to get rid of it.  Finally, the guy tried to take it out, but the next year it came up again.  He had to dig really deep to make sure he got all the roots out, someone suggested that he burn the roots out.

That’s how sin is in our lives.  We have to root the sin out and sometimes the only way to do that is with fire.  This is what God is doing through refining.  He’s pulling out the impurities and refining us, making us more and more pure.  He’s preparing us for Heaven.  We’ll never be ready for Heaven until we get there.  God will keep refining us.

Finally, He uses adversity and affliction for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Philippians 1:12-14 (NKJV)
^1:12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

The people watching Paul became much more bold, because they'd seen how Paul handled his imprisonment.  The thing that Paul did here was that he demonstrated how Christ was Lord over his life by how he handled his afflictions.  By how willing he was to stay in the will of God despite the trials and struggles he went through.

One thing that I think is an interesting phenomenon is that it's during the times of trial and persecution that when we see the greatest and fastest growth in the church.  China is poised to become the largest Christian nation in the world at a time when it suffers the greatest persecution.  Persecution is something that’s afflicted on the entire church, but it manifests itself in individual affliction.  It is individuals who go to jail and work camps.  It is individuals who are beaten or murdered for their faith.  Yet, even in that the church grows, and the Gospel moves forward, even faster than in places where there is freedom to worship.

What are the Rewards of Adversity and Affliction?

James 1:2-4 (NKJV)
^1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The reward of adversity and affliction is growth and maturity; being ready to enter into God’s kingdom.  I know most people think they’re ready for Heaven right now.  I’m ready to go to Heaven, but I’m not ready to BE in Heaven.  God hasn't completed or perfected me, yet. I've got a few more things to go through before I’ll be ready.  After I've been through them I will be perfected, like the gold in the refiner’s fire:  Like the child who’s been disciplined.  Then I’ll be ready to move to the next thing, which in this case, is Heaven. 

Will you allow God to complete those things in you?  Will you allow Him to perfect you?  I know it seems hard now, but it’s worth it.

When I first started working, I worked in the lowest position that was in our company.  I drove a pickup truck and picked up people’s trash at minimum wage.  It was a time to learn; it was a time to gain new skills.  It was difficult, not always pleasant work, but when I had gone through that I was ready for the next level of my career.  I had to go through the difficult things to be ready for the next thing.  The next thing wasn't any easier; I just had different things to learn so I could continue to move up. 

You have to go through the difficult things here on earth to be ready for what awaits you in Heaven.  It’ll be a better place:

Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)
^21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

That’s the next thing… Strive for that!

Give Me Oil

When we got saved there was a change or a transformation that took place in our lives.  We were no longer the same person that we had been prior to salvation.  We all recognize that we quit the drugs, the pornography, the gambling, the smoking and drinking, the fornication, or whatever bondage it was that you walked away from, and something transpired in our lives.  For many of us it was a renewal of our minds.  That word renewal means to make new.  Our minds were made new once again.  It was a restoration of our personalities.

I remember talking to my younger sister on the phone, in the few weeks after I got saved.  Immediately, after I hung up with her, she called my mother and said, “Chris is Back!”  Even though she didn't understand what had happened in my life.  She didn't understand the renewal and transformation that takes place in an encounter with Jesus Christ, she recognized that something powerful had happened to me.  She may not have understood exactly what had happened but she did understand that I was no longer the bitter, depressed and angry person I had been.  My old personality and outlook on life seemed to have returned.  I’d been transformed. I’d been renewed.  There was a new excitement and joy in my life that was missing before.

What had happened?  It wasn't that I’d embarked on a new program.  It wasn't that I’d found a religion.  It wasn't that I was taking vitamins.  I had been transformed.  The “old” Chris hadn't returned but a “new” one had emerged:  One that had been born of the ashes of my old self.

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV)
^61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, ³ To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

I think it's appropriate that Isaiah had chosen those words to describe the ministry of the anointed one of God and his purpose on the earth. This is what happened in the moment of my own salvation.  I had been given the Oil of Joy at the moment of my acceptance of God’s Christ, His Messiah into my life.  That’s what I want to post about today; the Oil of Gladness:  The oil of joy that comes into our lives in the midst of salvation, and the necessity of oil in our lives and relationship with Jesus.

Matthew 25:1-12 (NKJV)
^25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' ¹² But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

The Oil of Anointing

In this scripture we see ten young women who are about to take part in the wedding ceremony.  Five have planned ahead and brought oil for their lamps and five have neglected that duty.  The Bible calls those who have neglected the duty “foolish”.

Throughout the Bible we see that there is an importance for oil that goes beyond just having a light.  Oil is also used in those times when God has called someone to something beyond himself or herself.

1 Samuel 16:12-13 (NKJV)
^16:12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!" ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

So, when God called David to be king over God’s people He sent Samuel to anoint him and Samuel did that with oil. God has called David to his will and so He has anointed him to be king. 

This anointing speaks of consecration.  It speaks of setting David aside for God’s purposes.  It speaks of sanctifying him and making him holy.  When we respond to the call of God in out lives there is also a need to set ourselves aside for His use.  When we have set ourselves aside, we receive an anointing from God.  You can’t be anointed against your will.  There must be a willingness on your part to be used by God.  So, that anointing is a transaction that takes place with God.  It is God choosing you as a tool for His will, and it is you assenting to to be used by God.

God can’t use us if we are unwilling to be used.  He can’t use us if we resist His will for our lives.  The Bible says that many are called but few are chosen.  This is the importance of the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22. 

We know the parable:  A king has a son who is to be married, so he invites a number of people to the wedding feast, but they’re busy with their own things and choose not to come.  So the king sends his servants out to the highways and byways to compel people to come to the feast, so they did.  However, look at one of the guests who come:

Matthew 22:11-13 (NKJV)
^22:11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. ¹² So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

This man came to the feast but was not prepared.  He made no effort to be a part of the wedding, because he refused to wear a wedding garment.  He was called and did not respond.  He wasn't willing to assent to the call on his life and so he was cast out.  The parable ends with this phrase:

Matthew 22:14 (NKJV)
^22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen."

We’re like the people at this wedding.  We've been compelled to come into the feast.  We've been called and there is a transaction that must take place.  We must be willing to order our lives around his will.  To put on the wedding garment that signifies our willingness to respond to His call:  Our willingness to be used by Him.  In turn we will receive anointing.  Anointing is necessary if you’re going to do a work for God.

Exodus 28:41 (NKJV)
^28:41 So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

You shall anoint them, consecrate them and sanctify them that may be used to minister to me.  They must first be anointed before they can be used.  Anointing comes from that willingness to put His will and His calling before you own wants, needs, and purposes.

This is what has taken place in our text.  The five wise virgins have oil in their lamps; there is that anointing in their lives.  They have put the needs of the bridegroom first.  They've prepared for the role they will play in the wedding feast, they are able to be used and they receive the reward of that use.

The questions for you today are: Have you prepared yourself for the role God has asked you to play in the furthering of the kingdom?   Are you able to be a part of what God has called you to?  Are you able to be anointed to His purposes? 

It’s not preparation, in that you need to learn some specific information or skill.  You don’t need to understand all the finer points of preparing and preaching expository sermons, or something like that.  The preparation is that you’re willing to enter into the transaction that is God’s will for your life.  If you are, then He will bring the oil of anointing and you’ll be able to be used.

A couple of years ago, we visited our home church in Colton, and I preached a couple of sermons.  After my morning sermon one of the brothers came up to me and said, “I was really inspired by that sermon, but it didn't have anything to do with anything you said.  It’s the anointing that’s on your life.”

It’s not my skills (or lack of skills) as a preacher that God can use.  It’s the willingness to struggle through and His anointing that make me useful.

The Oil that Lights the Lamp

Oil is not given.  There is a call to be useful to God:

Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)
^5:14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

This is the primary purpose of the oil in our text.  The oil is to be used in the lamps to create light.  The bridegroom returns at midnight.  It’s dark and there’s a need for light light in order for the procession to enter in:  To light the way for those in the darkness.

We are also called to be a light for those who stumble in the darkness.  We’re called to light the way for them into the wedding feast.  The wedding feast is a metaphor for the Kingdom of God. 

There are many who are struggling in the darkness.  They have no direction; they can’t see the way for themselves.  They need light; they need direction. 

Have you ever been in the desert at night?  On those days every month where there is no moon, the desert is extremely dark.  You stumble because you can’t see the unevenness of the ground.  But if there’s a light that’s shining on a hill, you can see that light for a great distance.  There are those who are wandering around, lost in that desert called sin.  We can be a beacon of light giving direction to their wandering.    It gives them a location to aim for, but in order to be that light we must have oil.  That same oil that anoints, lights the way.

In Jesus’ day the oil they used was Olive oil.  It was used to anoint kings and it was used to light lamps.  The same oil that that fuels the lamp, which becomes the light of the world is also the oil of anointing.  It’s the oil that makes the lamp useful.

The five foolish virgins couldn't light the way because they had no oil.  So they asked the others, “Can you give us some of your oil?”  However, the Oil couldn't be given.  Think about this for a moment:

Where does the oil in your life come from?  If your husband or wife has anointing on his or her life, does that mean you will also?  If your parents have an anointing on their lives, will you be anointed, too?  The anointing can’t be borrowed; it’s something you must purchase for yourself.  You must go to those who sell the oil and buy for yourself.  In other words there’s a price that MUST be paid.  There’s a transaction that MUST take place.  Oil isn't given it’s PURCHASED. 

In order to fulfill the calling on our lives, we must buy the oil to burn for light.  The light isn't something that’s contained inside us.  It’s not something that shines out from us.  The light comes from the oil that we burn.  If we’re to be a lamp for the world, then we have to have the oil inside us.  That oil is purchased though our willingness, to sacrifice, to pay the price.  The cost of the oil is that which w sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
^12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

The cost is paid in the moment we lay aside our own will to take up His.  The cost was paid when Isaiah cried out, “Here I am send me.”  It was in the moment when Jesus said, “Not my will but yours.”  It’s in the moment when James and John walked away from their nets:  When Elisha offered the oxen and followed Elijah.  This is the purchasing of Oil.

These are the types of sacrifices that buy the fuel that lights the way.  If you want to be someone who can be used by God, then you’ll have to pay the price that makes the that usefulness a priority in your life.

The five foolish virgins only went halfway.  They brought the lamps but didn’t pay for the oil to fill them.  So they missed out on their usefulness and their reward, which was entering into the wedding feast with the bridegroom.

The Oil of Gladness

Way back in the introduction to this I wrote about the Oil of Joy or Gladness:  The change from sorrow and misery to joy in my life.  What was it that brought about the change?   What miracle had transpired in my life, that dispelled the darkness that I lived in and allowed the light to shine forth?

Hebrews 1:9 (NKJV)
^1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions."

It’s the anointing wit the oil of gladness.  In my salvation God anointed me, but what is it that brings that anointing?  There was a marked turn in my life from lawlessness.  Let’s face facts; I was a sinner.  I loved lawlessness.  In fact, I had a pickup truck with a bumper sticker that simply said, “Outlaw.”  That’s how I thought of myself.  I was no lover of righteousness.  I was a drunk, a fornicator, and a blasphemer until I came to Jesus.  Look at Paul’s testimony:

1 Timothy 1:12-13 (NKJV)
^1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

This is Paul’s testimony, that he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent man, but he was anointed and placed into the ministry.  When he turned from his sin to Jesus he was anointed.  He wasn't useful to God while he was a sinner.  He was an angry man.

Acts 1:9 (NKJV)
^1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

That was my life, as well.  My testimony reads the same way and I was also angry.  Every sentence that I spoke carried with it a curse.  My voice was often raised in anger, but when I got saved and turned from my will to His that changed.  That’s when my sister said, “Chris is back.”  When the anger turned to joy.  What was it that brought about that joy?  It was obedience to the calling of God on my life.  That’s what made it joyful…obedience.

Even Jesus experienced the same thing.  He was obedient to the purpose of God for His life.  He was sent to the cross for us.  That was His purpose in life; to be the sacrifice for atonement.

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)
^12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The joy that was set before Him.  He found joy in His obedience to face the cross.  There is joy in obedience. 

There’s joy in answering the call.  There’s joy in sacrifice.  If there’s joy in those things then there’s joy in the anointing that they purchase.  Let the oil of Gladness be poured out on your life.  if you enter into the transaction with God that makes you useful and you will also know that joy.  Pay the price of sacrificing your will to His to obtain the oil with which to be a light to the world.  The oil of Gladness (or Joy) comes with them.  In fact, they’re the same thing.