IN GOD'S KINGDOM ... LESS IS MORE

The pulpit has become a vainglorious soapbox. False prophets are spouting an 'egocentric' doctrine that leads untold numbers away from Biblical Christianity. 

Jesus was deeply offended by those who misrepresent the Kingdom of God,  calling them ... whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27)

Christ's teachings shake the foundation on which 'religion' is built. They run contrary to man's innate desire to be in control and serve from a position of authority: 

Blessed are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance]: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

Blessed are the meek [kind-hearted, sweet-spirited, self-controlled]: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)

Blessed are the merciful [compassionate, serving] for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

Discipleship is a 'Less is More' calling:

Jesus told His followers ... If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. (Mark 9:35)

John the Baptist knew ... He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

Paul understood ... When I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Eschew anything that exalts 'self' ...    

Vine - There are true grounds for Christian glorying, but these are not found in the man himself, nor in his religious attainments, nor in the observance of laws and ordinances, but in what he is by God’s grace and what God’s grace does through him. Empty glory, or conceit, is carnal and stupid.

Shift your focus ... Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (Philippians 2:3)

Unbelievers are watching your walk of faith. Its impact will either draw them to Christ or justify their rejection of Him.  

RECEIVE GOD'S GIFT

Once again, it is time to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the fore. Nothing is more important than acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior before He returns.

Truths you need to know ... 

You are 'found wanting' ... There is none righteous, no, not one. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:10,23) 

A just sentence awaits ... The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) 

Pardon is available ... For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

It is not some 'religious' rite of passage ... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

What to do ... 

Surrender all you are to all He is ... That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)

Don't hesitate ... Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) 

Pray ... Lord, forgive me. I know that I am lost in sin and that I cannot save myself. I believe that you are the only begotten Son of God, that you bore my iniquity on Calvary's cross, and that the grave could not hold you. By faith, I receive the gift of salvation and surrender my life to your Lordship. 

The promise ... These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

Come lay your burden down. 

THE TROUBLED HEART

As we witness mankind plummet into unprecedented immorality, the mind struggles to find respite from this prophesied 'end-time' evil. Our thoughts are often held captive by feelings of angst, grief, trepidation, or despair.

For Christian believers, this need not be so. 

Jesus promised calm assurance for our beleaguered souls ... Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Wiersbe - Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling, and before long, the heart and mind are pulled apart, and we are strangled by worry. 

Focused faith stops that inner turmoil ... casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Believers are sojourners in a lost and dying world ... strangers in a strange land. Regardless, the Lord desires that we experience peace in the midst of all this chaos.

We're encouraged to replace anxious thoughts with comforting reflections ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

You are divinely positioned in the eye of the storm. 

HOPE DEFERRED

When expectations are delayed or suspended, we experience disappointment ... which can lead to disillusionment ... and eventually, abject resignation. 

Solomon compared 'waiting' to a lingering ailment ... Hope deferred makes the heart sick. (Proverbs 13:12)

It's as if prayers go no further than the ceiling. Even our most sincere, selfless supplications seem to go unanswered, and in desperation, we want to cry out with King David ... How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? (Psalm 89:46)

Year after year, you've been praying for those who are suffering, those in harm's way, and those in need of salvation ... often to no avail.

Though your soul aches, don't give up ... God hears your heartfelt petitions. 

He is in the process of doing an 'inner' work ... but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul. (Proverbs 13:12,19)

It is an opportunity to trust in the Lord's omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent oversight ... If we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently. (Romans 8:25) 

Unfulfilled desires can actually lead to a rich encounter with our Savior ... The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. (Lamentations 3:25)

'Hope deferred' is never 'hope forsaken' for those who truly know Christ as Lord ... Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)

Pray without ceasing. 

A FEW QUESTIONS

On the sixth day of creation, man became the pinnacle of God's handiwork. Not only were we made in His image, He imparted into us that which separates us from every other living thing ... a 'soul'. 

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) 

The soul is your emotions, desires, personality, and will ... from it flows every thought, word, and deed. Your soul will be judged one day, the consequences of which are eternal. Because of Adam's sin, we've inherited a corrupted nature ... detestable in the eyes of God. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that cleans the slate ... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

If the soul is that precious to the Lord, those steeped in sin should ponder this question ... For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

One can 'lose his soul' in several ways:

• You can 'murder' it by loving sin and cleaving to the world.
• You can 'poison' it by following a false religion with doctrines of men.  
• You can 'starve' it by refusing to receive God's provision. 

But ... you cannot 'save' your own soul. 

Jesus proclaimed ... I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)

So there remains one last, vitally important question ... How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? (Hebrews 2:3)

The answer ... 

There is no escape. 

THE CARES OF THIS WORLD

If abiding in Christ takes a back seat to your pursuit of financial security, physical health, or earthly pleasure ... your soul inevitably goes unsated. 

Jesus calls His followers to focus on that which is eternal ... But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. (Matthew 6:33)

Preoccupation with the cares of this life demonstrates a lack of faith. God is called Jehovah Jireh for a reason (translated ... 'the Lord will provide'). Honoring Him as such brings peace in the midst of this chaotic existence. 

Prioritize your relationship with the Lord, trusting that His plans are far better than anything you can imagine ... Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

We naturally align our schedules, budgets, and relationships based on perceived importance. If and when we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit resets those priorities with one command ... You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37)

The responsibilities and pressures of this world vie for our attention. The unrelenting noise can distract us away from the God of our salvation ... unwittingly placing Him in the background of life. 

We must keep Him first, stay in His presence, hold His hand. Don't allow your walk of faith to be hampered by misplaced focus.

RESISTING TEMPTATION

Many believe that there is a 'good vs bad' scale on which life is measured. But the Bible teaches that 'sinless perfection' is God's standard when judgment comes.

Nothing we do in our own strength can make up for the sin that plagues this earthbound existence ... All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)

For every lost soul, the Gospel of Jesus Christ made a way where there was no way ... God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

For every saved soul, the Lord becomes a 'freedom fighter' ... knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Romans 6:6)

When Paul lamented over the tendencies of his flesh, he cried out ... O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24)

He then answered his own question ... Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25)

Every day we face a choice. 

We either allow our old nature to justify succumbing to temptation ... or rely on God's power to resist it. 

WITHOUT FAITH

Christianity is an intimate relationship with God through faith in His Son. We're called 'believers' because of our ongoing trust and confidence in the Lord. It is by faith that newness of life begins ... and it is by faith that we endure till the end.

You cannot gain access to the throne room any other way ... But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

That verse reveals two parts of saving faith:

1. 'believe He is' ... Those who desire to draw near to God must have the initial deep-rooted belief that He exists. This is not merely intellectual knowledge, but a wholehearted yielding to His presence and participation in life. 

2. 'that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him' ... This aspect of faith has to do with an ongoing daily pursuit of God, a personal quest that reaps the benefit of His good, loving, generous, gracious, and merciful nature.

Scripture defines faith as the firm foundation upon which hope is built. It is not a blind grasping in the dark, but an absolute conviction that comes from experiencing God’s love ... Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) 

• Without faith, it is impossible to receive the gift of salvation ... For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

• Without faith, it is impossible to live for God ... I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

• Without faith, it is impossible to be a bold witness ... For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

Without faith, religion becomes routine, worship becomes performance, and obedience becomes self-effort. Faith turns duty into delight, because it rests in the One Who is pleased by trust, not toil. (anonymous quote)

Walk by faith, pilgrim.

THE SPLINTER AND THE LOG

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used an exaggerated hyperbole to shed light on people's duplicity ... blind to their own faults while keenly focusing on the weaknesses in others.

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First, remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:4-5)

Decrying another's sinful behavior while ignoring, minimizing, or excusing our own is pharisaical by nature. This lesson played out in dramatic fashion when vain 'religion' encountered divine 'mercy' ...  

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap in order to have a basis for accusing Him. (John 8:3-6)

Christ would not fall prey to their fiendish scheme ... 

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. (John 8:7-8)

'Self-righteousness' failed ... 

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:9-11)

Those in liberal belief systems go to the opposite extreme when it comes to warning the lost of sin's consequences. They use the following passage to justify 'winking at' immorality ... 

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)

Not only do they not share the Gospel message with 'unbelievers', they refuse to come to the aid of 'believers' who stumble ... 

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

All ungodliness is cause for concern, whether it be in ourselves or in others. If we hope to help someone, we must honestly face up to our own sins and confess them. 

We are to first take the plank out of our own eye.

FRAILTY OF THE FLESH

We have an enemy who rarely shows himself for who he is. Satan often dresses himself in 'religious' garb ... subtly making his way into the heart and mind of man. 

A life of 'vigilance' is needed if you hope to walk uprightly. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to His disciples ... Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)  

The word 'spirit' in this passage represents the believer's soul. 'Flesh' refers to his old nature and the body in which it is housed (with all of its moral and physical frailties). 

God is familiar with our vulnerability ... For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14)

We are easily distracted by the cares of this life when we aren't diligently alert and prayerful. Our flesh shouts loudly when it wants something, and the ruckus it makes can easily drown out the desires of the Spirit.

The Lord's promise for those who seek His will and His way ... God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Death to that which draws us away from Him is necessary for our sanctification ... I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Be a tireless sentry over your walk of faith ... The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. (Proverbs 22:3)

The demands, desires, and fears of your latent human nature can pull you off course. Don't allow the 'frailty of the flesh' to break your fellowship with God. 

Stay alert and pray often.

DISPENSATIONS

Biblically speaking, a 'dispensation' is a divinely appointed age through which human history unfolds.

Scripture reveals seven:

1. The Age of Innocence 

It began when Adam was created ... And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

It ended when he disobeyed God ... Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

2. The Age of Conscience 

It began when Adam and Eve were evicted from their idyllic home ... He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden, he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24)

It ended when judgment fell in the form of a flood ... And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. (Genesis 7:21-23)

3. The Age of Human Government 

It began with the commands and promises to Noah and his family ... God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth'.  I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:1,13)

It ended with the Tower of Babel ... there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:9)

4. The Age of Law

It began with the Mosaic Covenant ... The Lord said to Moses, 'Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction'. (Exodus 24:12)

It ended at Jesus' death ...  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

5. The Age of Grace 

It began at Pentecost ... And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)

It ends with the Rapture of the church ... For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

6. The Tribulation 

It begins after believers are taken out of the way ... For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. (Mark 13:19)

It ends after seven years ... If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)

7. The Millennial Kingdom

It begins at Christ's second coming ... Those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

It ends at the final judgment ... The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:13)

We happen to live at the end of the 'Age of Grace,' and the rest of human history is about to play out in staggering fashion. 

'Dispensations' will give way to an eternity not bound by time ... a forever home in the presence of our Savior. 

Be there. 

THE DIMENSIONS OF GOD'S LOVE

'Head knowledge' is a religious intellectual grasp of who Jesus is, while 'heart knowledge' is an experiential, intimate relationship with Him (the evidence of which is a transformed life). 

Paul desired that we ... comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, of His love. (Ephesians 3:18)

The Greek word translated as 'comprehend' implies more than cognitive understanding. It literally means ... 'take hold of something and make it one’s own'. 

By faith, we are to surrender to what Scripture describes as a fathomless love. It is ... 

• ‘Broad’ enough to encompass all of humanity and address every concern that comes our way ... God so loved the world. (John 3:16)

• ‘Long’ enough to last for eternity, it will never let go of those who trust Him as Lord ... Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

• ‘Deep’ enough for Jesus to leave the portals of heaven to redeem the lost ... But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

• ‘High’ enough to one day lift us far above this lost and dying world to an incorruptible Kingdom ... He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

The journey from the head to the heart is what secures your salvation. This 'dimensional' look at divine love is also found in other passages:

I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:11-12) 

A verse from the hymn, 'The Love of God'. 

Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole

Though stretched from sky to sky.

May your soul personally identify with those amazing words. 

IS IT DISBELIEF OR REJECTION ?

By definition, a 'freethinker' is a person who forms opinions based on reason and logic rather than tradition, authority, or established beliefs ... particularly those related to religion. 

Atheists fit into this category. They maintain that there is no 'supreme being' and consider themselves intellectually superior to those who live by faith. 

But God's existence is evident ... For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Therefore, what atheists espouse is not simply 'disbelief in God', but the 'rejection of God' ... For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

They actually have a 'belief system' ... unprovable theories to explain the cause, nature, and purpose of the known universe. Though they defiantly say, 'No God for me', they actually mean, 'No God but me'.

'Atheism' cannot be successfully defended. According to Scripture, it is a nonsensical pursuit ... The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God'. (Psalm 14:1)

Strobel - Essentially, I realized that to stay an atheist, I would have to believe that nothing produces everything; non-life produces life; randomness produces fine-tuning; chaos produces information; unconsciousness produces consciousness; and non-reason produces reason. Those leaps of faith were simply too big for me to take.

You'll be ridiculed for your belief in God at some point. When someone tries to discredit your faith, know that you cannot 'argue' someone into heaven. 

Be kind ... yet unwavering when it comes to truth. 

The Gospel message has the power to transform a life. As you look into the eyes of a wayward soul, remember that the Lord loves him beyond measure. 

COME TO ME

When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is shared, the only response necessary to receive its benefits is ... 'Come'. 

His invitation ... Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

This verse shouldn't be read as a loving suggestion, but an emphatic statement. It speaks of the sufficiency of Christ for every aspect of your salvation. Note that it is not a 'do this' or 'don't do that' religious command ... we're to simply 'come' by faith into a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord. 

It doesn't end there, though. 

We initially come for salvation through faith in Jesus' atoning sacrifice (justification). But our ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ requires us to come every day thereafter (sanctification). 

Finally, there is the invitation to come when He returns for His church (glorification). 

In whatever stage you find yourself, there is only one command ... COME. 

Come, lost sinner: Quit trying to make yourself an acceptable version of 'good' outside of Christ ... There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12) 

Come, struggling saint: Quit trying to earn God's approval in your own strength ... For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Come, weary Christian: Quit doubting God's return ... The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Spurgeon - To Jesus Himself we must come, (How?) by a personal trust. Not to doctrine, ordinance, nor ministry are we to come first; but to the Saviour. 

Come to that vital, dynamic, radical relationship with the Living Lord.

THREE LOATHSOME WORDS

In the following verse, three terms were used to express mankind's immoral condition. 

David stated ... I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:5)

They communicate pretty much the same idea ... that of evil or lawlessness. Upon closer examination, each carries a different aspect of 'wrongdoing'. 

Representing a progression:

Sin: 'miss the mark' ... To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17) 

If left unchecked, it gives rise to ...

Transgression: 'presumptuous sin' ... Keep your servant from willful sins. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. (Psalm 19:13) 

Eventually leading to a life steeped in ...  

Initquity: 'premeditated unrepentant sin' ... Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil. (Micah 2:1)

This digression into depravity can only be stopped through repentance ... The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

If you are in the throes of this downward spiral, the Lord wants to set you free. 

Run to Him ... 

THE FATHER OF LIES

Threatened by Christ's earthly ministry, the religious leaders of His day argued that the spiritual authority they wielded came through a sacred 'birthright'. Pridefully claiming Abraham as their father, they attempted to discredit Jesus and His teachings. 

They had arrogantly stated their case and supposed that the Lord would concede defeat. Instead, a harsh rebuke concerning their true heritage fell from Jesus' lips ... 

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

We are witnessing this same evil in the church today. Religion has become Satan's weapon of choice, and 'half-truths' his playbook ... 

Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. And in their greed, they will exploit you with deceptive words. (2 Peter 2:2-3)

Satan uses charismatic, self-serving individuals to fill pulpits and further his agenda. They deny that faith in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection is sufficient payment for sin ... teaching unbiblical doctrines that put the onus on man to earn salvation.

Here is truth ... 
The Gospel message is 'all-encompassing', independent of human effort.  

Jesus is the only provision you need ... I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)

Satan is the 'father of lies', an enemy who continually seeks to distort or suppress the truth of God. 

Study the Bible so that you might have discernment, and pray accordingly ... Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalm 25:5)

Stumble not, pilgrim. 

PERSECUTION

The 'end time' die has been cast. 

Hatred for Biblical Christianity is more overt than ever. Simply dismissing the Gospel message and ignoring those who proclaim it no longer satisfies a world steeped in sin. 

We are now considered purveyors of hate, not hope ... a threat to mankind's freedom to do as it pleases. Our 'intolerance' is seen as a blight on humanity's collective conscience, blamed for any guilt it feels for sin.  

Therefore, persecution of the body of Christ is justified in the mind of an untoward generation. This 'ego-driven' aggression is seen as virtuous by those who ... call evil good and good evil. (Isaiah 5:20)  

Moral restraints are seen as an insult to mankind's intellect and free will. 

David witnessed it in his day ... Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:1-3)

The preaching of Jesus as Lord is so offensive to their ears that His devoted followers must be silenced by any means necessary ... All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12)

Barclay - If anyone proposes to accept a set of standards quite different from the world's, he is bound to encounter trouble. If anyone proposes to introduce into his life a loyalty which surpasses all earthly loyalties, there are bound to be clashes. And that is precisely what Christianity demands that a man should do.

In His 'Sermon on the Mount', Jesus encourages us to persevere ... Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)

But understand that there is an opposite side to the coin: 

When 'so-called' Christians live like the world - vain, earthly, sensual, and given to pleasure, wealth, and ambition ... Satan is satisfied and persecution is nonexistent. 

THE CONTRADICTION

If you study the Old Testament, it's obvious that God is incensed by the presence of immorality. Over and over again, His righteous judgment fell upon those who sinned against Him. 

Yet the psalmist wrote ... The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in compassion and lovingkindness. (Psalm 103:8)

This apparent contradiction is one of the main reasons a lost person defiantly snubs his nose at the Christian Bible. He refuses to believe in a God who, in his estimation, arbitrarily punished mankind under the old covenant ... yet wants him to accept His love and forgiveness under the new. 

He stubbornly contends that his 'unbelief' is justified by this dichotomous portrayal of God's nature. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is what bridges that gap ... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

As we read about the divine wrath that was poured out on His only begotten Son, it is obvious that God did not change His attitude toward sin ... God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

It is not the Lord's righteous anger that brings us to the foot of Calvary's cross, but His benevolence ... Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

God is not of two minds concerning man's sin. Judgment remains for those who reject Christ as Savior ... For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, (Hebrews 2:2-3)

Regardless of what vain human reasoning concludes, there is absolutely no 'contradiction' when it comes to God. 

IN HIM

The Gospel of Jesus Christ reveals what it means to be 'In Him'.

We find that He is not a distant and unapproachable deity, but readily available to those who earnestly seek Him ... The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. (Psalm 145:18)

For the believer, He is not only the source of life, but the sustainer of it ... He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:27-28).

Every aspect of our walk of faith is in His hand ...

In Him we live: And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (1 John 5:11)

In Him we move: Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29–31). 

In Him we have our being: All things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things are held together. (Colossians 1:16-17)

No other words more perfectly express our utter dependence on the finished work of Jesus Christ and His sufficiency to see us through to the end.  

John Piper - At the heart of what it means to be a Christian is to receive a new identity. In Jesus, we do not 'lose' our true selves ... we 'become' our true selves.

Only 'In Christ' is your sin debt cancelled, your relationship with God restored, and your eternity secured.