Light-work

Cancel-Proof Your Faith: First Principle

A Recent Sermon

https://vimeo.com/541382048

Ready for a New Day?

What a year 2020 was! Everyone seems ready to “get back to normal.” So I have to ask, “Is 'normal' a truly attractive prospect?” The term can refer to what is typical or to be expected. So what can we expect in 2021 and beyond? Is it reasonable to anticipate the coming new day as an improvement?

Jesus (and the other New Testament writers) have perfect insight into what we can expect in the days ahead. Their descriptions are a bit sobering. For example, on the night in which Jesus was betrayed, He prayed for His disciples, including us! Here is one of His prayer requests for you and me: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14). The world views Jesus folk just as they view Jesus. We are aliens, as in off-world aliens. (Remember the movie Independence Day?) We are a threat, not an asset. We are a problem to be dealt with. The Apostle John got Jesus’ point and later cautioned us to do a reality check: Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you (1 John 3:13).

Jesus and John want us to understand what normal looks like for those who follow Jesus. We will be hated by the world. Do not look so shocked! As our world trends toward this normal, we who are devoted to Jesus will increasingly be considered a roadblock to “progress.”

Jesus provided an extended teaching session about what this approaching normal looks like. His description concerns the season before things ramp up at the end. In other words, Jesus is not describing the end. He is describing what we should expect life to be like before things ramp up. Jesus is describing the now.

And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Mark 13:5–13).

Wars and the threat of war, earthquakes, food shortages - these will be normal before we ever even come to the end. Daring to think or express what Jesus teaches will get you arrested, beaten, and condemned in court. You will not be safe at home, either. Fathers will turn in their children and children will turn in their parents and consign them to death. Doesn’t sound so good, does it? But this will be and even now is becoming the norm.

When Jesus talks about enduring to the end, He is not talking about physical survival. He is talking about staying true to Christ (enduring) right to the end of life. He is talking about losing your life in the name of staying true to Him.

I offer no comments on the recent election, economic developments, and the Covid crisis. These are but side-shows to a larger drama. Things are moving inexorably to “normal,” a normal in which naming the name of Jesus is costly. Persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ are already quite well acquainted with what we should expect. Get used to it - embrace it! We will be increasingly hated for our allegiance to Him.

You might object, "Yes, but I know a lot of folks who don't love Jesus but who don't hate me. Maybe Jesus and John are not talking about my normal?" Good question - stay tuned.

What It Means To Be A Christian in Syria

"Liena" and her family are Christians living in Syria. As Liena prayed and asked God what He wanted her to do as His witness, He answered three times in three days. What He asked of her on day three was hard but she obeyed.  Along with her husband, she explained to her children that someday, men with swords might force their way into their home and demand that they convert to Islam. She told her children not to deny Christ. She told them that they might feel some pain and see some blood, but soon would be in the presence of Jesus.

I am grateful for Liena's example of a parent protecting her children from a threat greater than death.

“And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8–9).

This is not just what it means to be a Christian in Syria. This is what it means to be a Christian.

Click Here if you would like to hear Liena's story in her own words.  

Is Proverbs 22:6 Just Pie in the Sky?

I tried, I really did, to break this story into two or three smaller installments. But I just couldn’t without detracting from the telling. So, get a fresh cup of coffee, sit back, and let me tell you the untold story of the most amazing parents we never knew. Ready? Let’s begin . . .

Taken

There was no way to put a good face on this. One minute he was a favored son from a prominent family, a young man with bright prospects. The next moment he was a prisoner captured by an invading army. Forcibly separated from family and transported over 500 miles from his homeland, he was scheduled to be “de-programmed” at an institution where every connection to his former life would be stripped away.

The majority of people from his homeland had defied God for years, and their recent defeat against the invaders (now his captors) was the beginning of God’s judgment of them. A good boy being jerked around for others’ mistakes, no one would have blamed him if he wondered, “Why weren’t they taken captive? Why me, God?”

The young man was marshaled to the formidable capital city, Babylon, through one of nine gates named after local deities: Ishtar, Marduk (also known as Bel), Sin, Enlil, Urash, Shamash, Adad, Zababa, and Lugalgirra. The point could not have been more obvious to all who entered Babylon – This city was the center of idolatry, paganism, and the worship of all things fashioned by the hands of men. The training center in which the young man was forcibly enrolled for “re-education” was steeped in philosophies hostile to his faith.

It didn’t take long for it to get personal. The young man, whose given name of Daniel meant “God is my judge,” was renamed “Belteshazzar,” which is derived from the name of a local god (Daniel 4:8), perhaps Bel or his consort, Belet. “Belte” + “shazzar” means something like, “Belet, protect the king.” So every time Daniel was called by someone using his newly assigned name, Belteshazzar, the one who summoned him was invoking a false god for the king’s protection. How humiliating for Daniel who feared the one true God to have his name turned into a prayer to an idol.

So here was a second reason for young Daniel to struggle. Before being captured, he enjoyed all the spiritual benefits of being raised as a follower of the one true God. Now he was thrust into the center of a world that opposed Yahweh and enrolled at an institution bent on crushing his faith. For one who affirmed God’s control over all things, it would be easy to wonder, “Why has God consigned me to forces compelling me to forget Him? How does this make any sense?”

These are the provocative circumstances in which we are first introduced to this remarkable young man named Daniel. He does not question God’s fairness, sovereignty, or wisdom, even though his circumstances might sponsor such doubts. Instead, we see a young man whose bold trust in God rises above his circumstances, indeed whose faith rouses him to challenge a core tenet of the very institution charged with his “re-education.” Probably in his teens at the time, Daniel proved himself a spiritual force to be reckoned with in Babylon.

Daniel’s Dilemma

The King of Babylon was interested in grooming future diplomats and ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to screen the group of captives of which Daniel was a part. Daniel (as well as three friends) was among those who excelled and was enrolled in the king’s college. Hardly had he begun his training before drawing a line in the sand, but not in a place we might expect. He did not protest being named after a god who was no god. He did not refuse to master the language and literature of the Chaldeans, literature that was riddled with praise for the pantheon of Babylonian gods. His allegiance to God was not threatened by these impositions.

But in a matter that would seem benign, Daniel dug in his heels. The biblical account reads: “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). Popular explanations for Daniel’s conviction propose that the “king’s choice food” did not conform to dietary requirements of the Mosaic Law or that this food had been sacrificed and offered to pagan gods. These seem reasonable explanations but cannot be regarded as anything more than plausible speculations since the text makes no mention of them to explain Daniel’s response.

There is another possibility with a stronger biblical basis. In order to understand why eating “the king’s choice food” was a problem for Daniel, we should look at other passages where “choice food” is found. Outside of Daniel 1, this term is only found in one other place in the entire Bible, namely, in Daniel 11:26.

Let’s get a little background on Daniel 11 before looking at “choice food” in verse 26. Daniel 11 is a remarkable, extended prophecy which precisely predicts events that will occur in the Middle East in the centuries to follow the time of Daniel. This prophecy traces events in Medo-Persia, the rise of Alexander the Great, and the division of his empire into four kingdoms. Then it predicts the conflicts between two of these kingdoms, named the North (the Seleucids) and the South (the Ptolemies), in the years after Alexander the Great. They are called the North and South, respectively, because of their relation to Israel.

Daniel 11:26 foretells exactly what will happen to a particular king from the South who will be betrayed by members of his inner circle. This prophesy was fulfilled when Ptolemy VI was fooled by two of his counselors, Eulaeus and Lenaeus, who purposely gave him bad advice. Despite having a superior military force, the false counsel of Eulaeus and Lenaeus led to Ptolemy’s sound defeat by a king from the north in 170 BC.

Here is Daniel’s prophecy concerning these events: “Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain” (Daniel 11:26). Eulaeus and Lenaeus are described as “those who eat his choice food,” which is an idiom used by Daniel to denote the inner circle of the king, individuals who should be devoted to the King. Ptolemy met disaster because Eulaeus and Lenaeus subverted him even though they should have been loyal to him as befits those who eat his choice food.

Based on how the phrase is used in Daniel 11:26, refusing “to eat the choice food” of the king (in Daniel 1:7) constitutes a refusal to pledge unstinting loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, along with his three friends, discerned that their allegiance to God would be compromised by eating food from Nebuchadnezzar’s table. They were willing to attend the king’s college, serve in the king’s court, and cooperate with the king’s staff. But Daniel and his three friends would not eat the king's choice food and therein broadcast a denial of their loyalty to God alone.

If this smacks of treason, you will find the response of Daniel’s headmaster perfectly understandable: “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king” (Daniel 1:10). The man was not closed to hearing Daniel’s objections, but was more than aware of the implications. If Daniel’s refusal was discovered, his own life was at risk. Make no mistake, Daniel’s objections to “eating the king’s choice food” could make heads roll!

When Daniel “resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food,” he was most definitely NOT messing around. You know how the story proceeds. Daniel suggested a creative alternative that was granted a trial run. The plan was a stunning success and the crisis averted.

More Loyalty Tests

Events to follow kept the question –  “Whom do you serve?” – on the front burner. In chapter two, Daniel and his three friends are sentenced to die, along with all the members of Nebuchadnezzar’s brain trust. But Daniel and company get before God in prayer Who gives them what they need and what eventually leads Nebuchadnezzar to declare: “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery” (Daniel 2:47).

In chapter three, Nebuchadnezzar grills Daniel’s three friends over the question, “Whom do you serve?” Their reply takes my breath away for its audacious boldness: “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17–18). Once again, you know how the story ends. Don’t let that knowledge diminish your appreciation for this profound moment and their poignant declaration. They did not know how things would turn out even as they made their bold declaration. Daniel’s three friends, kindred spirits in the “God alone” club, stare at the mega pizza oven that will claim them and unflinchingly declare, “We trust God alone. We will trust Him to the death. Any questions?”

Living Examples of Proverbs 22:6

Who are these guys! And how is it possible for men so young and so deprived of the spiritual support structure of home and country to display such incredible strength of commitment to God? From their first days as foreign students enrolled at the king’s college to the earliest days of service in the king’s court, they show themselves not as king’s men, but God’s men who serve God in the court of the king. (Remember the hat trick post!)

I believe that Daniel (as well as any one of his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) is a poster child for Proverbs 22:6. The spiritual conviction and boldness of the four friends most naturally displays the fruit of efforts informed by this verse: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The most reasonable explanation for the faith of Daniel is that he was trained in the way of wisdom prior to being taken to Babylon. I realize that the ultimate explanation was that God had His hand on this young man. But I also think there is clear evidence in the book of Daniel of a "Proverbs 22:6-driven process" through which God worked to raise up a Daniel.

Evidence That Daniel was Trained

We know virtually nothing about Daniel’s parents. But we do know two things: (1) They gave their son a name that probably means, “My judge is God.” Every time someone called Daniel, they declared great theology, that God is the only one to whom Daniel was ultimately accountable and that God’s is the only opinion that matters.

(2) The second piece of background on Daniel’s years in Jerusalem is embedded in the description of Daniel’s entrance exam for the king’s college. Ashpenaz was on the lookout for men who met specific criteria, including “skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning” (Daniel 1:4, ESV). Note the three core qualities, wisdom, knowledge and learning. Don’t miss this: When Ashpenaz declared that Daniel already possessed the requisite wisdom, knowledge, and learning to be enrolled in the king’s college, he was telling us that Daniel received wisdom training before coming to Babylon. Daniel was fully trained during his formative years among family.

The Curriculum for Daniel’s Training

In the preface to the Book of Proverbs, the author explains the book’s purpose: “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:1–4). Proverbs is the young man’s course (It works equally well for young women, by the way!) for walking in the way of wisdom. Did you notice the highlighted terms? Wisdom and knowledge are the same words in both the preface to Proverbs and Ashpenaz’s list of search criteria.

It seems more than coincidence that the Book of Proverbs represents curriculum for the development of the precise characteristics that Daniel effectively demonstrated in his interview. Ashpenaz was looking for the very thing that training in the way of wisdom produces. He was looking for young men who have been on the receiving end of a Proverbs 22:6 ministry!

Identity of Daniel’s Trainers

The most reasonable explanation for what Ashpenaz saw is that someone made a Proverbs 22:6 investment in young Daniel. And the most reasonable identification of who made that investment would be the same parents who named him “My judge is God.” I suspect that some of the most amazing parents we have never known are the fathers and mothers of Daniel and his three friends. I must allow for the possibility that others trained Daniel besides his parents. But whether directly, or indirectly, Daniel was “trained up in the way he should go” and his parents cannot have been anything other than supportive of the process.

Living Proof of Proverbs 22:6

Although we cannot say with certainty who did the actual work, it is obvious from the evaluation of Ashpenaz that someone trained up Daniel in the way he should go before he was taken to Babylon. Remember the second half of Proverbs 22:6? “And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Daniel was forcibly taken from the support structure of home and country. Despite the absence of these spiritual benefits, he never departed from the way of wisdom all his days. Proverbs 22:6 tells us that if parents will impart to their children a personal devotion to God’s way before they become adults, they give their children maximum opportunity to stay faithful to God for all of their days.

The story of Daniel and his friends shows us that Proverbs 22:6 is not just some pie-in-the-sky idealism disconnected from the real world of parental challenges. Proverbs 22:6 is about something that actually works. It is doable, it bears fruit, it can set our children up for spiritual success even when the odds are against them. It can lay a foundation for wisdom living for a lifetime. Daniel is the proof!

So, what does this story have to do with “An Amazing and Colorful Chart That Affects Everything Parents Do!” I believe this chart can help us unpack what is involved in “training up a child” the way Daniel was trained.  I believe it shows us what parents can do to raise up Daniels (and Danielles) who have a bold, audacious faith, a faith that they make their own. Daniel shows us it can be done. Now, we need to better understand how it can be done.

Waiting for Breakthrough!

By God’s delay to solve man’s “alone” problem in the Garden of Eden, Adam’s heart was prepared to greet God’s gift of a “suitable helper” with supreme joy. The delay was not the product of God’s displeasure with Adam but of His love.

Think of a young man who intends to “pop the question” to his beloved. He has covertly determined her ring size, found creative ways to benignly discover what she would like, and secretly purchased the perfect engagement ring. Now he delays to give his gift until he can arrange for the perfect moment. Love compels this delay as he plans a special occasion that will climax in dramatically revealing a ring and placing it on the finger of his intended. He wants everything about this moment to shout, “I love you with all my heart.”

While the young man is engaged in his clandestine activity, his bride-to-be feels the pull of two opposing forces. She can wait patiently, trusting in her heart that she is loved. Or she can yield to fear, doubting by what she sees (or actually doesn’t see) that her yearning will ever be fulfilled. The longer her wait, the easier it becomes to trust her eyes more than her heart.

This same battle makes waiting on God a challenge: We must hold fast in our hearts what we know from God’s Word while denying our perceptions the power to shake our trust. The longer the wait, the more easily our eyes convince us that there is no good gift coming.

In the summer of 2010 and shortly after our oldest son graduated from law school, he was diagnosed with cancer.  Praise God for two gifts He provided in the year that followed: He healed our son and delivered him from an overwhelming financial burden. But there was another gift that God withheld. We prayed; we pled with God; we cried; we battled discouragement; yet, we saw no daylight.

From the time of his diagnosis till March of 2014, our son applied for hundreds of  jobs with judges, law firms, and legislatures. He was personally interviewed dozens of times. He was told “you’re our second choice” for several positions. (Jobs are not given to the second choice candidate.) But not once in the span of almost four years did someone say, “We want you!”

These were dark days and it was hard to hold ourselves in a place of trust. This excerpt from my journal (dated December 23, 2013) captures it: “Today, Austin should hear back from [a firm where he interviewed]. In every respect, as far as we can see, this is an ideal setup. I have been praying non-stop for months and this looks like a perfect and impossible miracle. If he is rejected, the pull of despair will be overwhelming. A ‘no’ will bring us close to breaking – I am afraid of this one. Despite my fear, I am thanking You God, in advance, for whatever You give because I am choosing to trust in Your goodness more than my perceptions.” A few days later, my son learned he was their second choice.

Part of what God used to sustain me were the lessons from Beauty of the Barren Land and Blessed Deprivation in Eden. I fixed my trust on these statements: There is no such thing as delay in God’s gift giving; He gives His gifts in the perfect moment; That moment will yet come.

In sadness from watching my good son be unceasingly rejected, I added my voice to the Psalmist: “I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning” (Psalm 130:5–6). Did you catch the phrase, “in His word do I hope?” A bold declaration from the lips of Jesus became the word anchor for my hope: "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11). If even despicable men give their children good gifts, how much more will my perfect Father give perfectly appropriate gifts to His children who are asking? My mind retraced its steps on this promise a thousand times over. Choosing again and again to rest on His Word and His character, I waited for breakthrough.

The Babylon Code, Pt. 2 of 2

In a previous post, I indicated my preference for an interpretation that connects Revelation 17-18 to Babylon on the Euphrates. I closed with two questions. The first concerns the "imminence" of the Lord's return. If the events of the tribulation will occur at a time when ancient Babylon has returned to become a thriving religious and economic center (which it is anything but today), wouldn't this suggest that the return of the Lord lies far in the future? I also asked, "Does the urgent appeal for saints to 'come out of her [Babylon]' (Rev. 18:4) have any relevance to saints living today since this Babylon does not yet exist?"

To answer the first question, I would point to Dubai as an illustration. (The luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel is pictured above.) This city has a lot in common with future Babylon, and the pace of its emergence as a mecca of opulence has been brisk. Babylon will apex at the end of the seven year long tribulation. A petro-dollar fueled orgy of construction begun a few years (or decades) before the start of the tribulation could repeat the "miracle" that is Dubai. So while I can say we are not there yet, we may only be not QUITE there yet.

As to the second question, understanding the Babylon Code is critical. Based on Revelation 17-18, we can identify five statements which capture Babylon's creed. These declare how future Babylon thinks:

• “I live for me.”
• “You cannot argue with my success.”
• “Get in my way and you will regret it.”
• “There is no ‘right and wrong,’ only what makes me feel better.”
• “No one can stop me from doing what I want.”

Do these not have a familiar ring to them? Do they not sound like the mantra's of western materialism? So I am inclined to suggest that while the city of Babylon is not yet built, the Code of Modern Babylon is very much in evidence. In which case the urgent appeal for God's people to make a clean break makes perfect sense. We live in a day and age when the spirit of Babylon is alive and well even though the city has not yet made her grand entrance. Saints who prevail when she does will have learned how to defy her philosophy even while living in Pre-Babylonian times.

Prevailing saints disagree with the five tenets of the Babylon Code, and they are capable of expressing that disagreement even when it is unpopular to do so. Learn how to recognize it today, how to make a clean break from it, and you will ready when construction gets underway in earnest.

The Babylon Code, Pt. 1 of 2

The Book of Revelation is quite graphic in its description of the Fall of Babylon. This city boasts a long history and notorious reputation. Originally founded by Nimrod (Gen. 10:8,10), it soon became the focal point of men's celebration of their own accomplishments. Bad idea! God intervened and the city was branded with a fitting designation: Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth (Gen. 11:9).

Despite this setback, Babel refused to go away nor mend its ways. Notably, Babylon (same city) was the destroyer of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC. In her historic heyday, power, wealth, commerce, and wisdom were hers. The OT prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah would describe her as idolatrous, wicked, arrogant, self-confident, covetous, cruel, and domineering. Babylon is less than a shadow of her former self today, so it is curious that she is presented once more in Revelation 17-18 as the global focal point of man centered religion.

Bible students differ in their identification of "Babylon" in Revelation. It would seem straightforward to identify it with a rebuilt city on the Euphrates river (see image above). The vast gap between the current state of affairs (quite humble) and the future state of Babylon (grand and impressive) suggests the merit of finding another interpretive option. So some have proposed that "Babylon" is a code word for some other physical city (Rome or Jerusalem are often suggested), an institution or entity (the "apostate church" or papacy are often proposed), or a "Babylonian ideology" that gains a global hold on men's thinking.

We need to remember that this is a problem of biblical interpretation. If the text is clearly discussing a rebuilt city of Babylon on the Euphrates in Iraq, then we must choose to believe what Scripture says will happen MORE than we believe our own perceptions of what could be. Yes, I have difficulty imagining a world class city like the one described in Revelation 17-18 coming into such wealth and prominence out of the current political, military, and economic milieu. But I must not allow the limits of my imagination to dismiss out of hand what the text might clearly be saying. Bottom line: I am open to all the options.

All views which propose that "Babylon" is a code word or symbol face a serious difficulty. They lack a decoder. There are 29 phrases or terms used in Revelation that are clearly symbolic. And all 29 of them are identified as symbols by the use of a key term or phrase which connects the symbol to what it represents. The first of these code-breaker phrases in the Book of Revelation appear in 1:20: “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches (Rev. 1:20). (I have highlighted the code-breakers in blue.) No such code-breakers are used with the term "Babylon" to indicate it represents something else. In fact, the exact opposite occurs. A woman sitting on a scarlet beast is clearly identified as code or a symbol of the great city of Babylon (Rev. 17:3-5). Babylon is not the symbol but the reality behind the symbol (which is a harlot in scarlet and purple).

The view that this is the actual city of Babylon on the Euphrates at the apex of a future "greatness" is the conclusion of a plain sense reading of the text. In Rev. 2-3, John clearly intends the mention of a city name to be taken literally. In the one place in the prophecy where he employs a code name for an actual city, he provides a clear code-breaker: And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified (Rev. 11:8).

Several descriptive details add to the impression that the actual city of Babylon is targeted in Rev. 17-18: The fact that the Euphrates River is specifically named in 9:14 and 16:12 marks out a geographical area connected to Babylon as a key focus of coming judgment. The suggestion that Babylon has access to the sea is a detail that fits with Babylon on the Euphrates which is navigable to the Persian Gulf. The descriptive phrase "which sits on many waters," itself a code phrase for the city's global dominance (17:15), recalls Jeremiah's use of this language to describe Babylon (Jer. 51:13), a city of canals, waterways, and marshes. The position of the city "in the wilderness" (Rev. 17:3) is a detail that would also fit Babylon on the Euphrates, although it is not clear if this phrase indicates the city's location prior to or after her judgment.

I find the view that this is the actual city of Babylon on the Euphrates to be more persuasive. Of course, this raises some other questions: Does this mean that the events described in Revelation are "a long ways off" since it would take years for such a city to become a reality? And, does the urgent appeal for saints to "come out of her [Babylon]" (Rev. 18:4) have no relevance to saints living today since this Babylon does not yet exist?

Good questions! What do you think?

Sionara Moriah!

What was it like for Abraham and Isaac on the return journey from Moriah? In a previous post, I speculated about the inbound leg to Mount Moriah and the associated faith test that Abraham passed with flying colors (see Genesis 22). So what mixture of relief and high fives propelled the journey back to Beersheba?

The biblical text is somewhat terse: So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba (Gen. 22:19). Alas, there are no details. But the return destination is named - Abraham established himself at Beersheba. It was here that Abraham had taken his faith to a new level before the whole Moriah challenge. Genesis 21 recalls, Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God (Gen. 21:33). Abraham's choice of a tent site after Moriah affirmed that calling on the name of the Lord was a good idea in the first place.

And well it should be! After passing the Moriah Test, God made His intentions clear. Genesis 22:15-18 recounts, Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” What a promise! God vowed to profoundly bless Abraham because he had declared, "God matters more to me than even the life of my son."

I am grateful that God is allowing me and my son to return from Moriah. Although Austin had a large mass in his chest, and has been (and will continue) receiving treatment, his latest scan came back "completely normal." From over four inches across to nothing in two months seem miraculous to me. The Doctor has declared this a "textbook case" of how treatment should work. I consider it a textbook case of how the goodness of God works. We are grateful for treatment, but overwhelmed by God's goodness.

I have sought to emulate Abraham and hope that the God who reads hearts has seen in mine echoes of Abraham's faith. Should God find in what He sees a reason to bless me, I cannot say. But I am grateful that we are walking away from Moriah and that I am already so profoundly blessed. High fives all around!

Enroute to Moriah

What a trip! In Genesis 22, God asked Abraham to travel to a mountain He would designate and there offer up his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham arose early the next day to begin the three day trip.

There is no record of the conversation on days one and two, although I cannot imagine a lot of playful banter lightening the mood. Yet the brief interchanges that have been preserved from day three sound a note of hope. Abraham could envision how the situation might turn out differently. But no plan B was forthcoming. So Abraham kept his pace steady to fulfill God's original request. The altar and wood were arranged, the lad bound, the knife unsheathed, and Abraham's arm bared as he braced to plunge the blade into the heart of his son.

What would the journey to Mount Moriah have been like if I walked in the sandals of Abraham? Although my pace on foot would be labored, my mind would be racing in a tumble of questions like these, "How does this request square with God's previous promises? Isaac's birth was miraculous; his destiny was to become the first installment of God's covenant with me; he is poised to become a man who fears God and who is ready to serve Him. And now I am to extinguish all the hope and promise Isaac represents! God's request just doesn't make sense! And then there's the moral dilemma. How can the God of life advocate taking the life of the innocent? Surely this is the opposite of what I would expect of a holy God. Perhaps I have been confused. Perhaps, I have assumed that God is asking me to do this, when God couldn't possibly be the source of such a request! This is all a horrible mistake caused by  miscommunication."

Against the backdrop of such reasonable doubts, Abraham stuns us - he betrays no trace of flinching from God's request in the pregnant moment as the blade is raised. But then God interrupts: He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Gen. 22:12). Did you catch the connection God made? Fearing God and withholding a son are mutually exclusive. By his willingness to give God his son, Abraham proved the genuineness of his fear of God.

I would not presume to equate my experience with Abraham's. But I have recently joined the fellowship of those who journey to Mount Moriah and am striving to learn from Abraham's victory. Earlier this week, our son was diagnosed with cancer. That God would call our beloved son to Himself is among the range of possibilities. So I am asking God to grow in me the authentic fear of Him that is capable of releasing a son to his heavenly Father. I want to fear Him without doubt, without flinching, and without regret. I want to have the kind of regard for my God that considers it an honor to give Him such a precious gift.

God may choose to restore our son - we are fervently praying for precisely that. But even if God does not, we will still love Him and fear Him. Indeed our experience is only deepening our love. For in some small measure, we are experiencing something of what it was like for Father to journey to Mount Moriah and willingly consign His Son to death on a cross. The ghastly picture of what Abraham was about to do shows us what the Father actually did. God stopped Abraham but refused to excuse Himself. Through our tears and anguish of heart, we are seeing with even greater clarity the amazing love of our Father.

The Onesimus Protocol

Onesimus was a first century slave belonging to Philemon of Colossae in Asia Minor. After having robbed his master, Onesimus fled to the anonymity of Rome. There he encountered and was converted by the Apostle Paul, who sent him back to his former master bearing a letter of appeal. In His letter (known to us as The Epistle of Philemon), Paul was struck by an irony suggested in the name, "Onesimus," which means "useful." He declared, "I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me" (Philemon 10-11). Where once "Useful" had been a galling liability to Philemon, now he had been transformed into an asset to both Paul and his friend, Philemon. What had changed? Character! Onesimus had become a new man in Christ.

Here are the characteristics that, according to Peter, define such a man (or woman). Seven qualities are listed first, followed by a description of the outcome for those who develop them: Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8).

The "outcome description" in the last sentence is an "if/then" statement. "If" these qualities are increasingly evident, "then" you are someone whose relationship with Jesus is making a positive difference in the lives of others. The implication is quite clear - the man who does NOT possess or has stopped growing these virtues is like an old abandoned jalopy in the desert, totally useless!

There is one difference between the jalopy and the useless believer. The condition of the latter is not permanent! Notice the phrase, "applying all diligence" in 2 Peter 1:5. It indicates that these seven virtues respond to elbow grease. The man who lacks self-control can make progress if he will work at it. The disreputable woman can become a lady of moral excellence, if she will apply herself to doing so.

There is one important caveat. A regimen of character development begins with a specific kind of faith, the belief that God has purified a man from his sin and enabled him to become a new man in Jesus. This kind of faith gives the believer the capacity to change, but the process is not automatic. The individual must supply diligence.

So here is a summary of the process of character development based on 2 Peter 1:5-8: When a man or woman comes to know God through faith in Jesus, he is provided with a resource kit. And in this kit is everything necessary to grow a whole host of character qualities, IF the individual will supply personal effort. As he directs his energies toward becoming morally pure, wise, self-controlled, persevering, godly, kind, and loving, he will make genuine progress and become the kind of person that others value having around. He will be like a tree that bears fruit.

The process of adding character building effort to a faith in Jesus is the protocol that made Onesimus look like his name. You can use this same protocol! Have you come to know God through faith in Jesus? Then you don't need anything except a commitment to work at growing noble character. Doing so will make you an "Onesimus" who is both useful AND fruitful.

When 24 Becomes 48

It was only noon, and Joshua was having a very long day! It began about 30 hours earlier when a breathless runner stumbled into Israel’s camp at Gilgal. His message: A coalition led by the five kings of the Amorites has laid siege to the city of Gibeon. They are going  to “teach Gibeon a lesson” for breaking ranks and aligning with Israel. Gibeon will be no match for this overwhelming force unless their new ally, Israel, answers their SOS.

To Joshua’s mind, the action of the five kings was a critical blunder (on their part) and a strategic opportunity (for him). The prospect of conquering the five walled cities of the Amorites in the hill country looked like a long and grizzly business. But now the armies of the five cities, including the army of Jerusalem, had left the safety of their walled defenses to take to the field. If Joshua could meet them on the field before they returned to their cities, he could do in a day what would otherwise take many weeks and lives.

Joshua sprang into action. He assembled the army of Israel for a stealth march under the cover of night. As they moved silently through the darkness, Joshua heard a voice outlining the necessary battle plan.  It was God who spoke and informed Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.” So, this would be a battle that involves pursuing an enemy in retreat. When the morning sun rose behind their backs, Israel saw complete shock illumined on the faces of five armies.

The day of battle began with open field combat at Gibeon. With God’s assistance, Israel promptly seized the upper hand and began paring away at their confused opponents. When it became obvious to the five kings that remaining on the field would lead to the total loss of their armies, they sounded the retreat.  God slowed the retreating armies by providing a killer hail-storm at the descent of Beth-horon as Israel took up the pursuit.

So it was that Joshua found himself facing a dilemma at high noon. Despite his fatigue, he knew that Israel needed to finish the job TODAY! Once the five armies (or what was left of them) reached the safety of their walled cities, even a remnant could defy Israel with impunity. So Joshua made an audacious request of the God who promised him success in the day’s battle. He asked God to make this a 48 hour day. The rest of the story you know well! And there was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel (Josh 8:14).

So what’s the point? God had a job for Joshua and all that was required was faithfulness and trust. God supplied what was missing to transform Joshua’s faithfulness into unbelievable effectiveness. Look at all that God supplied: A key window of opportunity, timely information, encouragement and critical battle field intelligence, cosmic reinforcements (hailstones to die for!), and a supernatural day in which a man could accomplish what would otherwise require two.

The story turned out this way because Joshua did two things: He was doggedly determined to follow through with what God asked and was audacious enough to ask God to supply what he lacked. Our God is the same God who heard and answered Joshua’s prayer. So do whatever He asks of you and pray for Him to supply what you lack to complete it. He can give you whatever is needed, including a single day in which you accomplish the work of two, if you will ask!

Could You Be Convicted?

In Revelation, the Overcomer is presented as a model of authentic Christianity. In the future, he will overcome three intimidating threats, a “smart idol,” “the beast” and “his number.” This victory will be won despite considerable cost, including market exclusion, and in some cases, death. So how will the overcomer pull this off? What’s his secret?

One of the overcomer’s victory strategies is based on understanding the concept of “deed forwarding.” Here is John’s explanation: “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them” (Rev. 14:12-13).

In this verse, a special blessing is extended to those who pay the ultimate price for their allegiance to the Lord. But the phrase, “from now on,” suggests that, at a certain point, the difficulty of maintaining one’s allegiance to the Lord will increase (as will the blessedness of doing do).

This blessed condition has two results: The overcomer/martyrs will rest from their labors and their “deeds follow with them.” For those who have been about fighting the good fight, “rest” seems a fitting reward. The second phrase describes those whose deeds provide strong evidence of their faith. By the way, their deeds do not go “before” them as the basis of their salvation. They “follow” as a trail of evidence left by those who are the real thing. “Their deeds go with them and speak for them” would be the idea. On earth, there is no shortage of evidence by which to CONVICT them as followers of the Lord. In heaven, there is no shortage of evidence by which to REWARD them as genuine followers of the Lord. Their deeds make it clear beyond all reasonable doubt who they are.

So what about you? If a Jesus-hater were to follow you around today, would there be enough evidence to convict you of being a follower of Jesus?

Farewell, Faithful Servant!

Toyota is having a run of bad press lately. So I thought I might put in a good word to help balance the equation. Yesterday, we bid a tearful adieu to our faithful servant, a 1999 Toyota Avalon. Even in the brief moments before our parting, she was still smiling with her trademark grin (pictured above), declaring with playful smile, "Where would you like to go?" Dubbed "The Grey" (same name as Gandolf before his promotion), she was (like Gandolf) dependable to the end.

We bought this Avalon from a cricket rancher (farmer?) in Mississippi who just "had to have" a new PT Cruiser when they first came out. The Grey was in immaculate condition and had about 30,000 miles on it. Yesterday the odometer read 191,237! We have never owned a car that ran as well, as long, and as comfortably as The Grey. I don't know if it was produced in some exceptional moment when the factory got everything right, but it stands as undeniable evidence that Toyota can make a GREAT car. We used it as a trade-in so Puddin could get a new ride. Because the Avalon was in great shape, the dealer seemed pleased to get it and gave me more than I thought for it, despite it's high mileage.

So now as I stare at the bare spot in the driveway that was its berth, I wonder. What does the next chapter hold? Will the new owner appreciate The Grey and give her the kind of care that allows her to reach the next milestone? But without knowing the specifics of the plot, I know with certainty how the story will end. Perhaps suddenly in a brutal collision, perhaps while abandoned to a ditch beside a country lane, perhaps in rusting repose as her frame perches on concrete blocks, the days of faithful service will end. There will be no celebrations, no fanfare, no congratulations for a race well run. She will simply slip softly into the night.

I am struck by a contrast. The Apostle Paul explains, Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve (Col. 3:23-24). Servants of the Lord will never be consigned to the scrap-yard. Their faithfulness may be forgotten among men, but not in the least by the Lord, who will personally give them the greatest reward any man could receive, a heavenly inheritance.

Our bodies, on the other hand, will follow The Grey. They are mere vehicles, transports for the human spirit. They can be damaged; they wear out. Mine is already showing the miles. And I know how the story will end. But Jesus has got things under control. One part of that heavenly inheritance is the provision of a new body, one suited to heavenly existence. On the day I die (or the day the Lord returns, whichever comes first), I will trade in an aging clunker for a new model that is not subject to rust, or aging, or decay. I am so ready to trade up.

For Christians Pleading the Fifth

It was quite entertaining a few days ago to watch the White House Party Crashers "plead the fifth" (a lot!) during their testimony before the House. I have been tempted to do likewise when a critic suggests, "So, you think I'm going to hell if I don't believe in Jesus, right?" For Christians who take John 14:6 seriously, answering such a question seems a choice between betraying Jesus and incriminating oneself as a bigot. Reminds me of the question, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" There's no good answer. Or is there?

The critic's inquiry uses some terms that need to be defined: What is meant by "hell?" And, what does "believe in Jesus" mean? Is believing in Jesus a binary condition, you either do or you don't? Or is it a variable that must pass a certain threshold before it "saves?" Both thieves believed that Jesus was a real person and that he was crucified, but only one thief was promised entrance into Paradise. In their case, only one had a faith that rose to the level of saving faith. So when someone wants me to respond to his accusation, "You think I'm going to hell because I don't believe in Jesus," it's perfectly appropriate to ask, "What do you mean by 'hell' and 'believe in Jesus'?"

Note that the critic has not asked a simple question. He is asking me to affirm a logical construct. Here is the critic's logic: "A" - I do not believe in Jesus; "B" - I am going to Hell; and "A" is the cause of "B." In which case, it is entirely reasonable for me to remind my critic that I must examine all three elements in order to affirm what "I think" is true.

I would start with the first one by posing, "What do you believe (and not believe) about Jesus, and why? Have you always believed this or is this something you have recently come to?"

Isn't this nifty! You can use the critic's cold water question to open a lively discussion. If the critic gets all cranky and says, "Just answer my question," you can respond, "That's exactly what I'm trying to do, beginning with statement A!"

There is more, something implicit, in the critic's question. His inquiry has been phrased in a way that rings of threat language. God is depicted as the petulant despot who dispatches any detractor, who consigns good folks to a cosmic dungeon for daring to entertain an independent thought. If this is what the critic contends by His question, then the only right response is, "I couldn't disagree with you more!"

I understand "hell" to describe a realm of existence in which everything associated with God has been extracted. I also believe that Jesus gives men what they choose, even when what they want is a life wholly apart from Himself. In this life, God allows men the time to lock in their choice. He takes no pleasure in their foolish direction and is disappointed in their rejection of Himself. However, He shows them both continued patience and kindness to give them a reason to change their minds. But once a man has made his choice, Jesus will give that man what he has requested.

So I would pose these words to my critic: "Your question implies a threat. But if you understand 'hell' to be a term that describes existence wholly apart from God, aren't there some who would consider this a blessing? Don't some individuals think that life would be easier without the God of the Bible? So which are you? Would you consider living wholly apart from God a good thing or a bad thing?"

If my critic thinks living apart from God is bad (a conclusion the Bible would affirm), then I have some Really Good News we can talk about. If he thinks living apart from God sounds like a good idea, then his original question is both confusing and misleading. He is labeling what he desires as a penalty and blaming God for giving him what he wants. Makes me want to ask, "Have you stopped misrepresenting God, yet?"

An "Unusual" Ultimatum?

I read about a curious conversation from the life of King David. To appreciate what caught my ear, ponder the art of the ultimatum. Presidents and Kings need to be masters of the art when declaring a final demand, one whose rejection will end negotiations and be followed by a resort to force. There are lots of ways to mess up.

• The Petulant: Provoke a fight that's not worth fighting.
• The Pacifist: Fail to issue an ultimatum when vital interests are threatened.
• QuickDraw McGraw: Issue an ultimatum when there are viable alternatives still on the table.
• Johnny-Come-Lately: Issue an ultimatum after a "point of no return" has already been passed.
• Mr. Hollow Threat: Draw an appropriate line in the sand, but attach it to a threat you have no intention of using.
• The Cream-Puff: Make a reasonable demand, but attach it to a threat of insufficient force.

The above possibilities are enough (there are plenty more) to illustrate how easy it is to get it wrong and singularly daunting it is to get it right. David understood this art well. While Saul was still alive and seeking David's death, a group from the tribe of Benjamin came to his stronghold. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, so David had good reason to be suspicious of the intentions of these new recruits. He delivered a "choose-whom-you-will-serve" ultimatum: Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. David went out to meet them, and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and decide” (1 Chron. 12:16-17).

What kind of ultimatum is this? The first half makes perfect sense: Help me and we will become a great team. But in the second half, David's "threat" would strike a "modern man of enlightenment" as the words of the cream-puff: Mess with me and you'll have to deal with God. In a day when life is defined with God factored out of the equation, a threat has no "teeth" when it invokes God.

To get an appreciation for the modern irony of David's ultimatum, imagine saying this to a robber who has you at gun point: "Walk away. If you don't, you will answer to God for whatever you have done to me." How many thieves would find this compelling? How many would flee in terror for their fear of God?

David's ultimatum is a window into a value system profoundly different from modernity. David knew how to wield a big stick, but the verdict of heaven's opinion was of far greater consequence. The worst possible outcome, from David's perspective, was for a man to be on God's bad side. The poverty of modern "threat making" stands in such stark contrast. Where there is no respect for God, men are left to issue ultimatums that depend entirely upon their own efforts. Such ultimatums only carry as much force as the stick one is able and willing to wield.

Do we believe that men will answer to God for their actions? Is this the worst that could happen to those who act on their intentions against us? Is this what leaks out when we utter a threat? If not, our value system may fit the times but not the heart of David, a "man after God's own heart."

Out With The Bad, In With The Good

In a recent sermon, I stated that fearing God (used in a positive sense) is synonymous with "fearing God's disapproval."  JP has a question: "You say we should fear God's displeasure, but is that the only way we should fear Him?" GREAT QUESTION! Let me answer by first laying some groundwork.

Our English word, "fear," is most often used to denote panic, terror, and dread, so it seems decidedly ill-suited to describe a positive response to the God whom we are also encouraged to "love." How does one love God AND fear Him? It seems like it should be one or the other. Indeed, the Apostle John seems to say that fear and love are polar opposites: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (1 John 4:18).

The Greek word phobos (used by John and elsewhere by almost every other New Testament writer) has a broader range of meaning than the English word "fear." In some contexts, phobos is a positive virtue that is translated by words like "awe," "respect," and "reverence." In others, phobos is something to be avoided. Compare these two passages: "On some have mercy with fear" (Jude 23); "And all the people . . . asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear" (Luke 8:37). In Jude, "fear" assists one to show mercy - this phobos is good; In Luke, "fear" drives a people to put distance between themselves and Jesus - this phobos is bad. Notice another thing about this passage in Luke. The "bad fear" of the people in Luke 8:37 is fear OF the Lord! Here are a people who really "fear the Lord" but this fear produces a disaster: They compel Him to leave the scene!

For Paul, the fear of the Lord is a powerful and positive motivator (2 Cor. 5:11). But for the residents of Gerasene country, their fear of the Lord motivated an aversion to Him. Think about what they had witnessed. Prior to Jesus' arrival, a man had become the unrestrained terror of the neighborhood through demonic power. Yet, at the man's first meeting with Jesus, the Lord merely used words to accomplish what neither chains nor posse's had here-to-for been able. Again through mere words, Jesus provoked a local shortage of ham and bacon when the demonic horde was promptly dispatched to a herd of swine. Obviously, everything about "life as normal" was subject to change with Jesus around.

Jesus was the enemy of the status quo and the Gerasenes liked their status quo. They had their own agenda, their own plan for what their lives should look like. So when Jesus flashed some muscle, it threatened their comfortable little existence. To see how even the demons were subject to Him made it hard to assert that they themselves were not. When men who resent the Lord are confronted by His power and faced with their accountability, their fear is about consequences. They fear the Lord, not because they love Him, but because they despise Him, despise His power and authority, despise His right to call them to account for their opposition, despise Him for administering punishment. This is fear borne by hate.

1 John 4:18 tells us what happens when this kind of fear has a close encounter with God's love. If a man's eyes are opened and he grasps what actually happened when Jesus died for him on the cross, he sees that the one he has hated loves him with a perfect love. How can he not love Him back? As he does, the fear borne by hate evaporates in the face of His perfect love. This is John's point in 1 John 4:18.

But there is more to the story. The awareness of accountability to God is transformed by love from being a penalty to a privilege. It is an honor to live in a way that pleases the God who loves us with perfect love. This is fear borne by love. An image that helps to capture what this kind of love looks like is discerned in the newlyweds' first meal. By love, the bride has prepared her table. But as "the first bite" approaches, she is anxious and apprehensive. She longs to see her beloved's face beam with pleasure and his approving gaze turn toward her. Here is fear borne by love.

Yes, JP, there are other ways to fear God. But this is the best way.

Remembering Your Sisters in Jail

Last Sunday, August 9, Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were brought before an Iranian court. They have been held for the last five months in Evin prison and were brought before the court to pressure them into recanting their profession of faith. You can read the full report filed by Elam by clicking here - highly recommended. Here is an excerpt:

Mr. Haddad, asked the two women if they were Christians. “We love Jesus,” they replied. He repeated his question and they said, “Yes, we are Christians.”

Mr. Haddad then said, “You were Muslims and now you have become Christians.”

“We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims,” was their reply.

Mr. Haddad’s questioning continued and he asked them if they regretted becoming Christians, to which they replied, “We have no regrets.”

Then he stated emphatically, “You should renounce your faith verbally and in written form.” They stood firm and replied, “We will not deny our faith.”

During one tense moment in the questioning, Maryam and Marzieh made reference to their belief that God had convicted them through the Holy Spirit. Mr. Haddad told them, “It is impossible for God to speak with humans.”

Marzieh asked him in return, “Are you questioning whether God is Almighty?”

Mr. Haddad then replied, “You are not worthy for God to speak to you.”

Marzieh said, “It is God, and not you, who determines if I am worthy.”

Although Christian persecution is (currently) rare in the United States, it is the norm in many parts of the world and has been so from the beginning. The New Testament outlines specific steps of action to be undertaken by those who are NOT in prison toward those who are. So read these verses and think of Maryam and Marzieh.

The writer of Hebrews commands, "Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body" (Heb. 13:3). Maryam and Marzieh are our sisters in Christ, so we will not forget them. We will remember them in prayer, and serve them as God gives us opportunity, knowing that we, too, could someday share a similar fate. Paul requests, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God" (2 Tim. 1:8). We have every reason to be proud of our sisters. In the strength of their faith, they will leave their prison with honor.

But we are not blind to the pressure that is being brought to bear against them. They need divine strength to maintain their testimony, and we can play a vital role by asking Father to keep them strong. When Jesus addressed the church of Smyrna, He identified seven key truths that can reinforce persecuted saints. Here is a prayer for the Maryams and Marziehs of the world that is informed by these seven truths.

Dear Father, we come before you on behalf of Maryam and Marzieh and all persecuted Christians. (1) Even though their circumstances have been turned upside-down, remind them that You are the beginning and the end. That which matters most, their relationship to You through Jesus, has not changed. You are still God; your purposes have not changed; your love for them has not diminished. Give them incredible calm in the face of glaring uncertainty because they KNOW You have not changed.  (2) Give them hope in the confidence that death is our door to life! Jesus has already shown us by His resurrection that life follows death, that death is no threat but a door to life, and that we will follow Jesus to life in Your presence. (3) Please remind them that you understand what they are going through. Nothing that is being done to them has escaped your notice or failed to arouse your concern. You know! Remind them that You do not take lightly what is done to Your children. (4) Give them the profound inner joy that, regardless of what is taken from them, what matters most is absolutely secure. They are rich in Christ. Nothing that men, nothing that judges, or guards, or prosecutors do, can confiscate their true riches. (5) Speak to their hearts and remind them that You are in charge. This is not a situation that has spun out-of-control. You are calling the shots, and whatever these men do out of anger or opposition to Jesus, they will only further Your purposes. Help the hearts of our brothers and sisters to bubble over with joy in the knowledge that you ALWAYS lead us in triumph. Someday, we will be able to look back on what transpires here, and discern in it one more stepping stone for the victory that is ours in Christ. (6) Give our brothers and sisters the kind of wisdom that creates joy in the face of trials. Help them to know that You will use this experience to better conform them to the image of Christ. (7) Whisper to their minds, "It will be worth it!" Cause the hope of eternity to burn brightly within their hearts, for them to have an unshakable resolve to stay true to Jesus, to know that they are walking a path that leads to eternal life. We pray these things in the blessed name of Jesus our Savior, Amen

Who's Got Your Number?

Sometime in the future a very powerful smart idol will "encourage" allegiance to a charismatic world leader. Most folks will receive this encouragement as an offer that cannot be refused. A few will see past the hocus-pocus, declining to join the fan club despite the cost: These are the overcomers who are victorious over the beast (the antichrist) and his image - see previous post for more info.

But there is a third facet to their victory. In Revelation 15:2, we learn that they are also victorious over "the number of his name." Now how do you achieve victory over a number? To answer that question let's consider Revelation 13:16-18, which declares: And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (Rev. 13:16-18).

Lots of energy has been consumed in attempting to make a positive ID on the number "666." It seems warranted because of the exhortation to "calculate" this number and the tantalizing prospect that someone who solves this high-stakes Sudoku puzzle "gets it," he understands. So there has been no small amount of speculation about what it represents. I won't go into all the proposals; they are myriad.

I am of the opinion (and it is just an opinion) that solving the 666 puzzle will be impossible until we pass a certain juncture in future events. Once we pass that juncture, anyone with a biblically informed understanding will "get it" quite easily. There is a biblical precedent for this idea. On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus explained, “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them” (John 16:4). Jesus predicted future events knowing full well that his disciples couldn't possibly anticipate how they would be fulfilled. However, He did not provide this information so that they could predict what would happen in the future but recognize what was happening for what it was once it had occurred. His prophecy was not about prediction but recognition!

I think that the "triple six" number system will be immediately recognized (by overcomers) for what it is when it actually appears. The saints will experience an "aha" moment when they are blinded by the obviousness of what they see. But, today, in the season when "666" is not manifest, every attempt to predict what to look for is a subjective stab in the dark.

What we can say right now and with certainty is this: The possession of this number is a requirement for market participation. The beast "provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Rev. 13:17). Can you imagine having to survive in our modern world without buying and selling? I don't care how "off the grid" you live, buying and selling is still critical to your existence. Someday in the future, without a "beast mark" issued in the form of a name or number, you will be on your own.

So why would anyone refuse such a number. According to Revelation 14:9, receipt of a "beast mark" is a clear declaration of loyalty to this coming charismatic world leader and a declaration of opposition toward God: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb” (Rev. 14:9-10). Anyone with the spiritual eyesight to see the issues clearly would realize that "taking a number" is a choice to keep the pantry stocked at the cost of incurring God's wrath! This is a no-brainer!

The "third victory" of the overcomer is a refusal to align himself with the antichrist even though it means his exclusion from the marketplace. When the time comes and when everyone around him thinks having a triple six makes perfect sense, he will KNOW this is a course defined by perfect stupidity. When told to "take a number," he will respond without hesitation, "Take a hike!"

Ain't No Scary Idol Gonna Break Me!

In a previous post, I talked about how modern technology could solve the age-old problem of dumb idols. Until now, a man might dress up a tree, call it his god, and start consulting it for guidance. There's just one problem, his idol is dumb! In the future, perhaps the near future, the "right hand man" of a charismatic world leader, will solve this problem by inventing the ultimate smart idol.

Here's a preview of his accomplishment. I have inserted in square brackets some descriptions that will help you sort out who's who. "And he [the right hand man] deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast [the charismatic Jesus hater], telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast [the charismatic Jesus hater] who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was given to him [the right hand man] to give breath to the image of the beast [living representation of the Jesus hater], so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed" (Rev. 13:14-15).

Talk about a scary idol. This one doesn't just LOOK menacing, it IS menacing! It is sentient and  intelligent. It speaks! It is capable of using these endowments to discriminate between supporters and opponents of the charismatic Jesus hater AND can effect the execution of those opponents. Needless to say, most folks will "get religion" from an encounter with this bad boy. The religion they will be "getting" is fawning allegiance to the Jesus hater.

It is this understanding which helps us make sense of Revelation 15:2: "And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God" (Rev. 15:2). There will a group of people who successfully oppose the living image's attempt to intimidate them. I have said it before, and will say it again: The overcomer has within him the power to discern that giving allegiance to the Jesus hater is the stupidest thing a man could do. The overcomer will be able to see through all the hype and PR that everyone else has bought into. He will stand firm in that conviction, even when a talking idol utters very real threats like, "Off with his head!"

It will be worth it: "And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Rev. 20:4).

Overcomers and Drop-Outs

Yesterday, we made two observations. (1) The term, "overcomer," that is used in the book of Revelation is simply another title for a "true Christian." (2) The overcomer is willing to die for his faith. He loves the Lord more than life itself and overcomes by thwarting others' attempts to compromise that love. This seems clear enough. But we have to ask, "Is someone who fails to 'overcome' because he denies the Lord not a 'true Christian?'" Our notion of what constitutes a "normal believer" doesn't seem to include this courage that thunders, "Die before deny!" Isn't the whole martyr gig for the Stephen's of the world, and surely not the stuff of ordinary Joes for Jesus?

It is common in today's church to encourage people to pray a "sinner's prayer." It's a good idea! But the simplicity of this moment has potential to reinforce a really bad idea, "Insurance Policy Salvation." When a man says, "Yea, I prayed 'the prayer' a long time ago so I'm good with the man upstairs," it is appropriate to ask if that prayer was about getting fire insurance or the day a fire for God got started! A man can receive salvation in such a moment of prayer, but if he truly has been saved, we ought to be able to see some changes. James would say that faith without works is dead. Faith without change is lifeless faith. Living faith changes a man.

The true state of a man's faith is not always obvious. True, the Lord knows those who are His. But, we can be fooled. Even an apostle like John admits to being taken in, for a time, by some pretenders: They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us (1 John 2:19). There were some in the congregation who gave the appearance of being the real thing. But only when they bailed from the fellowship to pursue an agenda of opposing Christ were their true colors revealed. Perhaps these pretenders "prayed the prayer," but they demonstrated the falseness of that prayer by their actions.

The overcomer is the real deal. Striking evidence is provided by his willingness to be steadfast when following Christ is accomplished by carrying a cross. True believers are willing to die for Jesus. I don't hear this principle talked about much in our pulpits. Not a good sign! It ought to be preached - because it conveys something profoundly encouraging. A marketing slogan queries, "Is it in you?" For the true believer, the answer is a resounding "yes," and we're not talking about sugar water. When someone genuinely surrenders to Christ, he receives the capacity to stand for Christ despite the cost. If you know Jesus, then the capacity to "overcome" is in you. You can do this!

What Overcomers Overcome

Each of the seven churches addressed in Revelation chapters 2-3 receives an "overcomer promise." Here's one: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God” (Rev 2:7).

The other six promises have a similar three part format. (1) They are each preceded by a call for careful consideration, "He who has an ear, let him hear...." (2) The condition is identified by the phrase "To him who overcomes." (3) The result for those who successfully overcome is a profound benefit, although it is variously described as "eat of the tree of life," "not be hurt by the second death," receive "hidden manna, ...a white stone, and a new name," receive "authority over the nations," be made a "pillar in the temple of My God...," and granted to "sit down with Me on my throne." All of these promises are associated with the "finish line" that is described in the last two chapters of the book, chapters 21-22.

A road-map shows what to expect and how to prepare for the journey. Revelation is just such a road-map. The drama that plays out in Revelation 4-20 describes events "before the finish." It identifies the obstacles that will cause some to fail. It points out critical route markers that will indicate when the goal is near. It provides exactly the information an aspiring overcomer could use to great advantage in his journey to the finish line.

So who is an overcomer? View one: This term is synonymous with a "true Christian?" Or, view two, this is a description of a super saint who rises above the norm? View one is preferable. The benefits offered the "overcomer" are no different from what is promised to the true follower of Jesus. If the benefit, "eat of the tree of life," for example, is only available to super saints, where does that leave the less than super saints? Not in a very good place! Conclusion: The fact that the successful overcomer is promised benefits which are extended to all genuine disciples of Jesus tells me that "overcomer" is simply another term for a "true Christian."

Holding this position does raise a sobering question. Some of the characteristics of an overcomer seem to surpass what we would consider "normal" Christianity. For example, the overcomer is one who "keeps my deeds until the end" Rev. 2:26). The overcomer is compared to Jesus who "overcame" by completing His earthly mission (Rev. 3:21), a mission that culminated in His death. In Rev 12:11, overcomers are described as those who "did not love their life even when faced with death." Overcomers don't seem to overcome death, indeed, their victory is somehow secured in death. So what, exactly, does the overcomer overcome? Rev. 15:2 answers that the overcomers' victory is "over the beast, and his image, and the number of his name." The overcomer might not beat death (although he will beat the "second death!"), but he beats the beast at his game of compelling allegiance to himself.

It is not possible to appreciate these verses without concluding that the overcomer represents the true Christian, but his true Christianity includes a surpassing devotion to the Lord. The overcomer shows us that a true believer is willing to die for his faith. His is a simple and uncompromised devotion: He loves the Lord more than life itself. He would rather die than deny his Savior.

Holy Hatred!

"Hate Crimes Legislation" attempts to make murder more egregious when it is motivated by hate. You might get the impression that hatred always makes things worse. No so, according to the Bible. In Revelation 2:6, Jesus commends an ancient church by saying, "Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." Jesus considers it an earmark of a healthy church when they have a holy hatred for the same thing He hates.

If hating what God hates is a good thing, it's worth asking, “Are there other things that God hates?” Twenty are specifically mentioned in the Bible: The Lord hates the sacrifice of children to false gods (Deuteronomy 12:31); sacred pillars (Deuteronomy 16:22); those who do iniquity (Psalm 5:5); the one who loves violence (Psalm 11:5); hypocritical or heartless worship (Isaiah 1:14); robbery in the burnt offering (Isaiah 61:8); idolatry (Jeremiah 44:4); those who do wickedness (Hosea 9:15); impure worship (Amos 5:21); evil schemes against others and perjury (Zechariah 8:17); divorce and wrong-doing (Malachi 2:16). In Proverbs 6:16-19, we have a complete laundry list of the Lord’s “top seven” hatreds.

   

There are six things which the Lord hates,
    Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
    Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
    And hands that shed innocent blood,
    A heart that devises wicked plans,
    Feet that run rapidly to evil,
    A false witness who utters lies,
    And one who spreads strife among brothers.

This list orbits around two poles: False worship and mistreatment of others. The Lord loves it when we love God and love our neighbors. Here’s the hard-edged flip side: He HATES it when we do otherwise. The Lord finds false worship and false dealings with others absolutely distasteful. So when we can’t stand worship that is fake and compromised, when we are disgusted by injustice and mistreatment of others, that’s when Jesus says, “I can’t stand that either – it’s nice to meet a kindred spirit.”

In these oh-so-tolerant times, it is decidedly out of fashion to break from the homogenized spirituality that has become the norm. Oh, we might get our groove on for some praise singing, maybe even give the preacher an "Amen" now and then, but heaven forbid we develop the kind of fierce passion for God that gets worked up over the things He despises. Where are the lovers of God who share His hatred for what is unholy?

An Apocalyptic "Smart Idol"

What would church be like if the morning message was delivered by the "Serminator?" Would it be an improvement to consult a cyborg "Bible answer man" who can instantly answer all of your questions? How will "technological progress" affect "the worship service of the future?"

We have smart bombs and smart home technology. Wait till you see the new "smart idol!" Some time in the foreseeable future, a religious leader called the "false prophet" will arise who assists a powerful governmental leader called "the antichrist" or "the beast." One of the great accomplishments of the false prophet will be creation of a "smart idol," an image of the beast that is capable of breathing and speaking. The achievement will be impressive enough to promote worship of the beast.

In a previous post, we noted that the inability of idols to speak diminishes their appeal. By solving this problem, the false prophet will take worship of the antichrist to a whole new level. Here's the Apostle John's warning about what to expect:

And he [the false prophet] deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast [the antichrist], telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was given to him [the false prophet] to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Rev. 13:14-15).

This image appears to be a living thing, it speaks, and it kills. The Terminator series has already introduced us to the idea. The false prophet will take the idea and make it real in the world in which we now live. I do not know if this will be achieved through technology or something supernatural. But it will be utterly remarkable. Most men will be enthralled by the beast and captivated by his image. Those who see it for what it is, will discern a connection with the numbers 6-6-6, will be excluded from participation in the marketplace, and will be marked for extermination. The smart idol of the future will not be very tolerant. How politically incorrect!

The Preferred Way to Lose Stuff

Here's a recent snapshot from our ministry partners in central India. The people in this picture serve Jesus in a place where doing so can prove costly. But despite damage to property and time in jail, they are still smiling. Why? They understand the meaning of this passage: But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one (Heb. 10:32-34).

In the current economic crisis, lot's of folks have suffered losses, too. But they're not smiling. Why not? When your treasure is on earth, it's depressing when you take a big hit in the marketplace. But when your real treasure is safe and secure in heaven, and you're using all the disposable stuff here on earth for Jesus, then who cares when you lose some stuff! It's all going to burn up anyway! So here's a simple choice - EITHER accept the loss of earthly benefits for Jesus sake and you can keep smiling (because your real treasure is safe). OR, live for earthly treasure and fight depression when your portfolio takes a beating (because your hoard is vanishing). I join our Indian partners by choosing the former as my preferred method to lose stuff.

Prayer That Packs a Punch

This verse ought to take your breath away:  “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). The speaker is Jesus and He is making a stunning offer. He, the Lord of the Universe, will put "whatever you wish" on His personal to-do list. You don't get a better prayer guarantee than this.

So what's the catch? It's captured in two conditional clauses that precede the promise: (1) "If you abide in me," and (2) "[if] My words abide in you." The promise is only relevant to those who meet these two prerequisites: They must be living "in Jesus" and His words must be living in them. Jesus is describing someone whose entire approach to life is defined by a devotion to Jesus and His Word.

The reward ("Jesus will do whatever you wish") is too great for us to ignore the prerequisite. So how, exactly, can we meet it? Here is one practical step: Learn how to pray "Word driven prayers." These are prayers that are informed by what the Bible says. They are NOT a mere dressing up of personal desires in Bible lingo. They ARE prayers which use the Bible to identify Jesus' desires and then declare, "That's what I want. too." In John 15:7, Jesus is describing the power of prayer when a man's (or woman's) heart beats in unison with His.

I have prepared a little booklet called "Only by the Hand of God," which gives you some examples of these kinds of prayers. Click here to download a copy. It uses Scripture to identify the things that matter to Jesus and express those desires in simple prayers tailored to different situations. This is NOT a prayer book - but an illustration of a kind of praying that occurs when the Word abides in us and leaks out in our prayers, the kinds of prayers of which Jesus says, "Now that's a prayer I want to answer."