With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. James 3:10

When we speak of cursing today we usually think of swearing or cussing or simply saying hateful things to someone with whom we are angry. In our minds we limit the damage to hurt feelings or broken relationships. The Bible views curses as much more serious because they have a spiritual dimension to them.

In Numbers 22, we find an interesting account. Israel had moved into the region of Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, felt threatened by their presence. He went to a man named Balaam and declared, “Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed” (Num.22:6) But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed” (Num.22:12).

Balak had seen the power of Balaam’s words over people and situations. Those over whom he spoke blessings seemed to be blessed and those over whom he had spoken curses seemed to be cursed. The interesting thing is that God took him seriously and instructed him to speak a curse over those whom God had blessed. How do we make sense of that in our world?

It is not that words have power in themselves but they have authority to set things in motion in the spiritual realm. A curse releases forces in the spiritual realm to come against a man, a family, or a nation to work for negative outcomes in the natural realm. Before you write that notion off, think of a curse as a kind of prayer. We pray to God and ask him to set forces in motion to bring blessings and positive outcomes to ourselves, our families, and people we care about. We pray for health, provision, protection, direction and all kinds of things and expect God to mobilize his angels or to work through his Spirit to create positive outcomes for those we bless.

A curse is a kind of a prayer than mobilizes forces in the spiritual realm to hinder blessings and bring about negative outcomes in the life of the individual over which it has been spoken and Satan is very eager to take the curse as his authority to come against those who have been cursed. Satan is always poised to kill, steal and destroy and he is simply looking for the legal right to do so. A curse may give him that right.

If you are reading this blog, you probably already believe in the God-given authority of believers to command, declare, and pray for kingdom outcomes in lives, situations and nations. If our words have authority, how much more should we guard our words so that we do not release a curse over others either purposely or carelessly. We should always speak blessings because our words can set demonic forces in motion to enforce any curse we speak over others. As I have already said in this series, we may not take our words seriously but the spiritual realm does.

Our words don’t have to be formal curses. They can simply be expressions of ill will or judgments over others: Your worthless! You’ll never amount to anything! I wish you were dead! You’re going to end up in prison just like your worthless father! Etc. We can even speak curse over ourselves in the same tone. I don’t believe every careless word is enforced as a curse by demons but I do believe that if we say it often enough or with enough venom, the demonic realm may answer. I also know that there are man and women today who do pronounce formal curses over God’s work and God’s people. Maybe someone has even spoken a curse over you or your family even in past generations. I will discuss that in our next blog. Until then, be a constant source of blessing even toward your enemies (see Luke 6:27-28).

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:29-31

If we were to take a survey at any church and ask the members what they considered to be “unwholesome talk” they would most likely identify unwholesome as coarse or sexual language. In his statement to the church at Ephesus, however, the apostle Paul seems to include a much wider range of spoken things than that. From the scripture above, we might conclude that Paul thought of unwholesome talk as anything that tore down or diminished a person rather than building him or her up.

That view seems to be confirmed by the list of things Paul commands us to jettison from our lives…bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander, and every form of malice. Malice means to hold ill-will or spitefulness toward another person. So, things we might blurt out in anger or words we might share over coffee that slandered another person’s reputation or character (gossip) would fall under the umbrella of unwholesome words. Put-downs, constant criticism, or sarcasm would also find their way into this category of words that tear down rather than building up.

The gist of the command is that we should be a people whose words constantly build up the people around us and that call out the best in them. To do less grieves the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Unwholesome words grieve the Spirit because they are contrary to his character and his nature. In a world of hurt, our words should always be a source of healing. The wise man said, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prov. 12:18). James said it this way, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” (Ja.3:9-11). Salt water kills living plants and humans while fresh water brings life. Our words should impart life because our God is a God of life.

Words matter because they have the power to build up or tear down. The heart of God is to build up and the to call out the destiny and greatness he has placed inside every human being. Whatever your emotional or relational struggles are in life they usually relate to early experiences of rejection, constant criticism, abuse, or fear. Most of that came in the form of words. Words can wound or words can heal. God calls on us to be encouragers, healers, comforters, and those who build up the people that the world has torn down. Anything short of that falls in the category of unwholesome and honestly constitutes sin. David declared, “I have resolved that my mouth will not sin” (Ps. 17:3). We should resolve the same.

If you want to change the world around you or even want to change yourself, you may want to start with your own words. Examine your words. In one sense, our heart determines our words but in another sense our words affect our hearts. It is a two-way street. The things we speak consistently eventually are written on our hearts. Speak as God would have you speak and you will become more like God in your heart. Speak life not death; encouragement rather than criticism; greatness rather than failure; and words that always build up rather than tearing down. Your words have impact for good or for evil. You choose the fruit that your words produce.

(Thoughts on blessing and cursing in Friday’s blog.)

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Gal.6:7-8)

There are a few basic principles repeated throughout scripture that would profoundly change lives if we would truly believe God’s word. The scripture above is one of those. It is essentially about decision-making and outcomes. We make hundreds of decisions each day and many produce long-term consequences. Those decisions can touch a number of areas in our lives.   Some of those decisions might be encompassed in the following questions: How will I spend my time? How will I spend my money? How will I treat my relationships? Will I follow biblical principles or go my own way? Will I stay in a sinful relationship or will I get out? Who will I yoke myself to in relationships or business agreements? Will I take personal responsibility for my failures or blame others?

The list goes on but ultimately all of my decisions boil down to one question: Will I do it God’s way or will I do it my way? Paul phrases that question in terms of being led by the flesh (the natural, worldly nature) or the Spirit (the redeemed part of me that heeds God). The tendency of the immature in Christ is to give in to the promptings of the flesh and then hope for good outcomes. The law off sowing and reaping, however, is about as certain as the law of gravity. You might violate the law and escape harsh consequences by the grace of God on rare occasions but most of the time you will absolutely harvest what you planted.

Paul begins his statement regarding this “law” by saying, “Do not be deceived.” Satan’s greatest snare is the notion that we will be the exception and that God’s clear word will not apply to us. Remember his deceptive language in the garden” “You will not surely die.” But Adam and Eve surely did. They immediately became subject to physical death and immediately experienced separation from God in the spiritual sense. They were deceived and so are many believers. The enemy spends a great deal of time subtly suggesting that we can give into the promptings of our flesh without consequence while he also suggests that doing it God’s way will not answer the needs of our life.

But Paul says that such belief is deception and confirms that with the statement that God cannot be mocked. That word means to ridicule, to make fun of, to demean, to diminish or to not take seriously. To disregard this principle is to not take God at his word. It is to live as if God is a permissive parent who threatens consequences but never follows through. In reality, God doesn’t even have to be part of the process. He simply tells us the inevitable outcomes of certain behaviors. A good parent tells a child that if he jumps off the roof or sticks his finger in a fan pain will be the result. The parent does not cause the pain. He or she simply is telling the child the natural or spiritual outcomes of his actions.

Ultimately, the law of sowing and reaping says that whenever you decide to do something God’s way, there will be a life-giving outcome and many decisions that are Spirit-led will create a harvest or an accumulation of positive, life-giving outcomes. When we choose to ignore God’s word and warnings and do it our way then we begin to accumulate destructive outcomes. Paul suggests that this law is as certain as the law of gravity and we should not think we will escape bad decisions (especially a series of bad decisions) without consequence.

If we truly believed this basic law of the spiritual realm, we would make better decisions and create a life built on better outcomes. Negative consequences are intended to be God’s great teachers. But Satan always has another trick up his sleeve. When we have made our decisions and experience the hurtful outcomes, Satan follows up with the accusation that God did that to us so he doesn’t love us and isn’t fair. When we entertain that demonic thought, instead of learning our lesson and making better, godlier decisions in the future we stomp off angry with God because he didn’t suspend this spiritual law for us. We act like children who jumped off the roof and are mad at out parents because it hurt when we hit the ground.

We really need to take God at his word and make our daily decisions based on the consequences that God has promised. Do it his way – good outcomes. Do it our way – hard times. If you want life to work out, quit giving in to the flesh and start trusting the way of the Spirit. Truly believing this one principle would redeem a multitude of broken lives.

The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 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 (Phil.4:5-8).

This familiar quote from Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi has a great deal to say to us today related to faith and peace. We have had a week of challenging news from friends who have been struggling with life threatening illnesses, emotional burdens, and relationship issues. Everything seemed to oppose our prayers and our hearts this week and move in the wrong direction. Maybe you have had a similar week or month so I thought we might reflect on these verses this morning.

The first part of the good news is that the Lord is at hand. Paul was not speaking about Christ’s imminent return but about the fact the God stays close to his children – within arms reach. In fact, he may stay even closer in times of struggle and pain. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps.34:18). “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps.147:3). God is close. He is not unaware. He hears our prayers and our cries even though he sometimes seems silent. He is there.

I know in my own life, during times of struggle, God may have seemed silent because I was not listening. I was doing all the talking as I offered up my prayers and quoted scripture to God and made my case for how things should turn out. I suspect I wasn’t listening because I was afraid of what I might hear. I may have been afraid that God would tell me something I didn’t want to hear. I don’t want to hear some things because I am not seeing life with God’s perspective. I’m reminded of God’s words to Isaiah. “The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil “(Isa.57:1). God’s expressions of love do not always match my desires because my desires are often all about me. Sometimes I need to hear from the Lord to readjust my focus so in the midst of my struggle or my pain I need to pause and listen rather than just crying out. Nevertheless, we must know that the Lord is at hand and there is grace for every struggle.

Next, Paul (who struggled and suffered more than just about anyone) reminds us to pray and ask God for all kinds of things but to baptize those prayers in thanksgiving. Especially, in the midst of our struggles, we can get so focused on the issue at hand that we forget the blessings and the faithfulness of God that still stand in every other part of our lives. When we are focused on our pain we begin to wonder if God really loves us although the expressions of his love are everywhere. Thanksgiving reminds us of God’s love for us and we must remember that God’s love is constant. He does not give it one day and withdraw it the next because we haven’t been perfect or because he is having a bad day. The Lord, who is love, at hand.

The certainty of God’s love and closeness is what opens our hearts to a peace that passes understanding. It is a peace that transcends our circumstances and reminds us that no matter what we are going through, a God who loves us is in the mix and his grace will be sufficient if we choose to trust him.

Finally, Paul instructs us to choose what we think about. Many of us believe that we have no control over out thoughts and some nights when I am trying to get to sleep I feel the same way. But, we are told to choose our focus and to take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5) so it is possible. Have you had any conversations lately with people who say they don’t watch the news anymore because it is just one negative and threatening thing after another? They have sensed that what they are watching is affecting their emotional and spiritual well-being. They are choosing not to give those issues center stage in their thought life anymore.

We need to make many choices like that and not be passive about our focus so that random thoughts are free to bounce around in our heads. Many of those thoughts will likely be from the enemy. We typically cannot choose to think about nothing (although men can certainly do that from time to time) but we can only shut down negative thoughts by choosing to focus on something positive…something good, lovely, honest, inspiring, etc. Read scripture, read or listen to faith-filled books, talk to positive people, praise God with thanksgiving for his faithfulness even when you don’t understand what is going on. If you have a prayer language then pray. I find it almost impossible to focus on the negative or be fearful when I pray in tongues.

Paul simply reminds us in this passage that we have a choice about what we believe and to a great extent how we feel since emotions are released by our thoughts. Choose your focus. Choose the topic. Listen to God from time to time. I cannot always have faith in the outcomes I desire but I can always have faith in the love and the goodness of God. A life of thanksgiving reminds me of that. Be blessed today and choose your focus. The Lord is at hand.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

… I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 3:7, 11-13)

This letter offers more promises to the faithful who hold on to their faith until the end. One of the constant messages of the book of Revelation is that in order to experience eternal life and to receive your reward you must finish the race. No medals are given to those who step off the track and never cross the finish line. No victor’s crowns are given to the runner who begins the marathon as a whim and then soon tires of the race and goes on to other pursuits. No crowns are given to those who stop as soon as it gets hard – when the hill is steep, the sun is hot, or when wind is against you. You must finish even if you crawl across the finish line.

Endurance is not a trait of modern life for most of us. As soon as the job gets hard we quit. As soon as a marriage enters a difficult season we divorce. As soon as our faith really begins to cost us something we may lay it aside. But the kingdom of God calls us to endure and when we do the King is pleased and in his pleasure he give’s great reward.

Philadelphia was a church that had little strength but had held onto the truths of the faith even as they had experienced the bite of persecution. In the midst of their trials Jesus called to them like a coach from the sideline, “Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev.3:11). Then he promises them strength, glory and a permanent place in the kingdom of heaven if they would just hold on until he came. For those in Philadelphia and for all those who hold fast until the end, Jesus promises to make us “pillars in the temple of God.”

Pillars are the strength and glory of a temple. They create space, hold up the roof, and supports glorious art and architecture that can be seen for miles. They let in light and the cooling breeze and are often are seen as works of art in themselves. In the Temple of Solomon, pillars were huge, ornate, and costly. Some were so impressive that they were given names. They were permanent and glorious.

Jesus promises that those who finish the race will be given a permanent place in the temple of God. They will be known for their own strength and glory. They will also clearly belong to God and the city of God, as the names of both will be written on those who endure. In the ancient world, certain cities and kings were so great that the citizens of those cities held special honor wherever they went. They shared in the glory of the king and in the greatness of the city. As citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem where the Great King rules, we also walk in that glory and power now. How much more will that be true when we are in the physical presence of the King?

Jesus makes one other great promise as well. He promises to write his new name on each of us if we hold on to our faith to the end. He will make us his possession in the New Jerusalem and we will reflect his honor and glory as well. When scripture speaks of “a new name,” it usually implies a new found relationship with the Father or a new order of things in the same way that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Peter were given new names. When the heavenly Jerusalem is finally established on the earth, a new order of things on the earth and in heaven will be established. Jesus will garner even more glory and more titles beyond King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The faithful will share in that glory and will wear the name of their King and his glorious titles throughout eternity. They will have a permanent place in the presence of the Father (in his temple) and although they were scorned on earth, they will be honored in the courts of heaven.

The time is coming and is already here when being a Christian will not be a title of honor and acceptance in this world. There is a real war on Christianity in this nation and across the world. Believers who hold to the truth of God are being painted as intolerant, hatemongers, bigots, and the like. Governments are competing with God to dictate truth, determine morality, define marriage, and decide who lives and dies. Those who love God will be despised by those who despise him. But Jesus says, “Hold on, I am coming soon. And those who do not deny my name will be honored and rewarded in ways they cannot possible imagine. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take your crown!”

Pergamum was the city where Satan had his throne. It was a city filled with demonic religions where the persecution had been so severe that Christians had been put to death. In his letter, Jesus had affirmed for their faith but had also scolded them for tolerating “believers” who were leading members of the church into idolatry and immorality.   Jesus called the church to endurance and faithfulness with the following promise.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. (Rev.2:17)

This is a promise not just to believers at Pergamum but to all the churches and to all believers. Being faithful to the end is not always easy. Sometimes it is difficult because persecution comes rushing our way and threatens our lives, our security, or our ability to provide for ourselves or our family. At other times faith falters because life or the enemy has pecked away at our hearts and our hope through an accumulation of disappointments, losses, and loneliness through the years. Sometimes the constant distraction of the cares of the world causes our faith to wither and eventually die. Enduring and overcoming day after day and year and year is not easy.

God’s word is filled with promises that tell us that enduring in our faith and guarding our hearts is worth it. Here Jesus promises hidden manna for those who continue to battle and overcome the enemy. Manna, of course, was the supernatural bread that Israel found in the desert every morning. As a symbol it speaks of God’s strength and provision for his people. As the Jews left the wilderness to enter the Promise Land, the manna ceased because they had entered into a land that would sustain them with God’s blessing. But as a reminder of the source of their strength, health, and provision  manna was placed in a golden pot inside the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder of the days when Israel was totally dependent on God’s faithful provision.

Jesus promises the “hidden manna” to those who endure.   Jesus tells us that he is both the bread of life and the bread of heaven (See Jn.6:48, 51). This manna is hidden because it is unseen. You can’t walk out in the morning and pick it up off the ground but it comes to you unseen and supernaturally. It is Jesus giving himself to us for strength, health and provision. Like the manna in the wilderness it can’t be stored up but must be collected every day. Manna is daily bread and those who will overcome must receive from him every day. The promise is that when we seek Jesus daily and endure in our faith, he will be there and meet our needs for life in amazing ways seen only by faith.

The second promise is a white stone with a new name written on it. In the ancient world, those on trial were found innocent or guilty by the casting of a white stone or a black stone by those sitting in judgment. It is probable that Antipas, the faithful martyr of Pergamum, was found guilty by black stones and executed for his faith. But Jesus will cast the vote for those who are faithful to the end and he will cast it with a white stone. On that stone your new name will be written and known only to you and the one who wrote it – Jesus. A new name represents a greater and more intimate relationship than you have had before. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, and so forth. As God gave them new names their walk with him deepened and their blessings increased.

As we continue to live in faithfulness to God and overcome the enemy day by day, our walk with Jesus will increase, our intimacy with the Father will deepen, and we will have a unique and abiding relationship with him. Those who are extremely close in their relationships share things that no one else knows. Nicknames, shared experiences, and inside jokes are expressions of fondness and familiarity. This promise offers a relationship like that with the Father, the Son and the Spirit – extremely personal and intimate. You will not just be a face in the crowd in heaven but you will have a name and, perhaps, knowledge of God that will not have been revealed to anyone else. Power, provision, intimacy, and eternal innocence is the promise for those who keep their hearts aligned with the Father and who do not step off the track before finishing the race.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev.3:14-20)

The church at Laodicea is famous for the rebuke they received from Jesus rather than any praise. The church is mentioned several times in Paul’s letter to the church in Colosse. He mentioned how hard he had been working to establish the church in Laodicea and how much prayer he and others had been pouring into that church. Apparently he had great hopes for it. By the time John penned the Revelation he received from Jesus, Paul has been martyred for the faith and the church at Laodicea has slipped to a dangerous place.

Laodicea was a town famous for wealth and commerce in a region that produced medicines, including eye salves, along with wool for clothing. They were also famous for hot springs and fresh cold springs in the region that people travelled to for therapeutic reasons. Apparently the church there had prospered rather than being persecuted. Jesus does not mention any false teachers or persecution from the Jews or Romans. The church there had simply settled in to the good life and had stopped doing the works of God.

They considered themselves rich and in need of nothing which, biblically, is a very dangerous place to be. Apparently, their contentment and prosperity had taken the spiritual edge off their lives. Undoubtedly their prayer life was withering, their evangelism was probably aimed at the other prosperous citizens of Laodicea with whom they did business, and it’s possible that the poor had completely dropped off their radar because they didn’t live in “that part of town” anymore. Sometimes wealthy Christians and churches cocoon themselves off from poverty and suffering and take pride in great music, facilities and programs that rarely if ever touch the poor, the outcasts or the lost.

Jesus warned them that their worldly contentment made them of no use in the kingdom of God. Cold water and hot water both had therapeutic uses but lukewarm water had no healing properties so Jesus said he would spit it out on the ground. As believers we are to be salt and light for this world. We are to provide healing for the hurting and reconciliation for the alienated. Laodicea got not honorable mention for being any of that.

The church in Laodicea undoubted took their prosperity as a sign of God’s approval when, in fact, it was just the opposite. Jesus declared that, from the walls of heaven, those at Laodicea appeared poor, naked, miserable and blind. Jesus counseled them to reconsider their hearts and their position and to do business with him once again rather than the world. He counseled them to seek treasures in heaven where true and eternal riches could be stored up rather than pursuing what the world valued.

The most sobering part of this letter is the revelation that their self-sufficiency and prosperity had pushed Jesus out of their church. He was on the outside, knocking at the door, and seeking fellowship with them again. Their hearts had become misaligned with his and they were no longer walking together. This letter is not an indictment of prosperity because prosperity can fund the works of the kingdom but it is a warning that prosperity can give us a false sense of security and a false sense of God’s approval.

In the oil rich Permian Basin right now, many people are making more money than they ever imagined but in many churches giving has gone down, non-profits are not seeing their donations soar, and many believers are rarely seen on Sunday mornings because of work or travel. The prosperity God has provided seems to be flowing away from the kingdom rather than toward it. That is certainly not true for all but is apparently true for many.

One of the dangers of prosperity is that it forces believers to do business with the world and in doing so often promotes compromise and unequal yoking for the sake of business. Eventually, Jesus can be crowded out of our hearts by the priorities of the world and worldly thinking. Wise believers who are being blessed financially have to guard against those things. All of us need to listen carefully to make sure there is not a knock on our door because Jesus has found himself on the outside of our lives. If you hear it, open it quickly and let him back in. Ultimately, he is the only business partner you will ever need.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Rev. 3:7-11)

The church at Philadelphia receives no rebuke from the Lord but only a commendation and a promise. When we are aligned with the Father’s heart we can expect the same. Let’s look to see what they did have. First of all, this church was faithful. Apparently it was not a large church full of resources and influence but it was a church that had continued to serve Jesus with good deeds, they have kept his word and been obedient to his commands, and had not denied his name even in the face of Jewish opposition or criticism. They had endured patiently and that fact caught the Lord’s attention in a big way.

Endurance and patience are spiritual qualities of the mature. It is easy to stay passionate and faithful when everything is going your way. When churches are growing and God is prospering his people the kingdom looks bright. When persecution is a short-lived event then people shake it off like a bad storm and move on feeling triumphant because they survived. The hard thing in the kingdom of God is grinding out a life of faith when the persecution keeps coming and you are not seeing massive breakthroughs. It is easy for discouragement to set in when God hasn’t answered the prayer or brought the solution as quickly as you thought he would. It’s even tougher if you see other churches or other believers prospering and having quick victories in their lives while you continue to slog it out.

The praise and the promise for Philadelphia came because they had continued to do what they could with little strength or power even in the face of constant discouragement. They were faithful and had endured. Because of that Jesus, determined to open a door for them that no man could close. Because they had endured long he was giving them success that would last long time…an open door for evangelism, ministry, or blessing. Not only that but he was going to protect them from trials that others would soon face because they had already faced their trials. In addition, he would cause those who had persecuted them to come and acknowledge that these believers were true children of God.

The principle in this is that those who must wait another season before prayers are answered are given a greater blessing if they endure the season with faith. The question of Job is whether God is worthy of our worship and service regardless of our circumstances or only if we always get what we want. Job answered that he was always worthy and because of that he was blessed more in the end than in the beginning.

Some believers wait for healing, others wait for pregnancy, others wait to be release from re-education camps in China, others wait for a child to come home. If they wait in faith and continue to serve and obey God will surely honor that faith when some kind of open door that no man will be able to shut. God declares, “Those who honor me, I will honor” (1 Sam.2:30). Patient endurance and faithfulness honors God. Be sure, he will honor you as he honored those in Philadelphia. Be blessed.

In order for someone to find freedom in Christ, that individual must recognize and acknowledge the sin in his/her life.  Unrepented sin gives the enemy legal access to our lives because in those areas that we have roped off for ourselves and our flesh, we are in agreement with Satan.

To help people find their freedom in Christ we must learn how to help people deal with the sin that is usually so apparent to others but not always apparent to them.  In addition, we must do so in love.  In everything we do, we must follow the lead of the Savior of all men and the one who has shown us the heart of the Father.  As we look at the life and ministry of Jesus, however, we find two or three general responses to sin and at times they seem to be quite contradictory.

Most of us love the response of Jesus to the sins of the woman at the well (Jn.4:1-26) and the woman taken in adultery (Jn.8: 1-11).  In both of those settings Jesus encounters women whose lives have been marked with sin.  The Samaritan woman of John 4 seems to have had a reputation in her village that had gained her the status of outcast. She had lived with a number of husbands and was simply living with her latest lover.  According to John, Jesus was resting at the well about noon when the woman showed up to draw water.  Traditionally the women of the village would have come to the well in the cool of the morning and the evening rather than in the heat of the day.  Perhaps, she came at noon to avoid the other women of the village. The woman described in John 8 was a woman caught in the very act of adultery who doesn’t bother to argue her innocence even when her life is on the line.

In both cases the gentleness and mercy of Jesus is almost overwhelming. In both cases Jesus acknowledges the sin in the lives of each woman but almost in passing.  Instead he emphasizes the grace and forgiving nature of God.  He points them to a better life but in no way shames them or condemns them as they go on their way.  That is the Jesus most of us love and are comfortable with – the Jesus who says little about sin but just points people to the grace of God.

But in his gospel, John describes another moment when Jesus heals a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years.  This man had spent his days begging at the pool of Bethesda.  In a moment of compassion, Jesus saw the man and healed him.  It is such a quick moment that the man doesn’t even discover who has healed him.  But John tells us that later in the day, Jesus found the man in the temple area and privately warned him to “stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (Jn.5:14).   In this case Jesus gives a private rebuke to a sinful man so that he might find eternal life and not lose the healing he had received for “the kindness of God calls us to repentance” (Rom.2:4).

Finally, we are all aware of the sharp confrontations Jesus had with the Pharisees. With these men he was not gentle nor did he give a private rebuke.  He scolded them in public and called them sons of Satan (Jn.8:44), a brood of vipers (Mt.12), blind guides (Mt.23) and  more.

So how do we reconcile these encounters if we are to do all things in love? If Jesus came to seek and to save the lost why is he gentle with some and scathing with others?  I believe that the common ground of each encounter was the redemptive motive of Jesus.  His goal for all three types of sinner was redemption and that goal was motivated by love.  Remember, we are called to love even those we don’t like.

To the women, Jesus took on a priestly role of dispensing hope, gentleness, grace and forgiveness. These women were quite aware of their sins and already carried their own burden of shame for the lives they had been leading.  Jesus had no need to convince them of their sinfulness. He needed to convince them that the great and holy God of Israel was willing to forgive and embrace them despite their sinful past.

That was the message they needed to hear. To the lame man Jesus seemed to take a middle ground of demonstrating God’s mercy but then confronting his sin in a personal way so not to humiliate the man. In a sense, this man needed to be reminded that God’s mercy was not released into his life so that he could continue to be the man that he was before he was healed. He needed to be reminded that the grace of God call us to a different life.    In that case, Christ took a position somewhere between priest and prophet and brought grace with a word of warning.

When facing the Pharisees who trusted in their own righteousness and who were blinded to their sins by a spiritual arrogance, Jesus came in the spirit of the prophets with a get-in-your face rebuke and a call to repentance.  Though it was harsh it was still an attempt to redeem these men.

So in helping men and women deal with their sins there are times to be very priestly, times to be very prophetic, and times to stand somewhere in between.  For many, it will be very apparent which approach to take in order to help them find freedom.  For others it will take a clear leading of the Spirit.  One approach will easily fit our temperament while the other will be very foreign to us but discernment and flexibility is key.   Jesus did not love some and hate others.  He simply knew which approach was most redemptive in the moment – not only to the one he was dealing with but to the ones who were watching.

However, we do it, we must help people discern and acknowledge their sin and their brokenness if they are to be healed and set free.  Think about what is most needed and the spirit in which it must be ministered the next time God puts someone in your life that needs the grace and the healing touch of Jesus and may the Lord bless you today.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).

In one sense this may be a familiar scripture but in another sense it is a startling text. As a believer, you literally participate in the divine nature – the very nature of the eternal God. How much do we participate?  Probably as much as we want…or as little as we want.

In preparing a study on the gifts of the Spirit it occurred to me that every spiritual gift we exercise is a participation in the divine nature.  If our gifts are spiritual gifts then they are not ordinary nor are they of this world.  Spiritual gifts are supernatural and are little explosions of the divine nature being released through us.

Peter also said, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (I Peter 4:10-11). As we exercise our gifts then we distribute God’s grace to others in all kinds of forms.  In other words, God releases himself through us so that his grace touches them.  We really are distributors of the divine. Your gift of healing releases God for he is Jehovah Rophe, the God who heals.  Your gift of encouragement releases God for it is his nature to encourage. Your mercy is a literal outpouring of him for he his mercy.

I speak to believers every day who doubt God’s love for them and hunger for some touch to prove that he really cares.  What they miss is that every believer who has hugged them, encouraged them, prayed for them, affirmed them, or laughed with them was God.  He was simply doing those things through his people who were participating in his divine nature.

One reason, among many, that we should want to hang out with God’s people is that God is going to express his love, his concern, his approval, etc. through his people to us.  If you want to hear from God you can do so in the quiet moments of your devotional but you can also hear from him in very concrete ways through his people who are prompted by his Spirit to dispense his grace and to leak a little of him onto you.  God is truly the fresh fragrance of life but we are the aerosol cans that release his fragrance into the environment.  It’s really a great gig if we understand that God is literally loving people through us or loving us through his people.

The more of God we store up, the more of him we have to release.  Jesus was filled with the Father so he literally left a touch of heaven everywhere he went. At times Peter was so filled with God that even his shadow imparted the nature of God to others which was healing.  The key is to realize that you are literally a partaker of the divine nature. That sets you apart from every other part of creation and gives you amazing significance.  No matter the gift or the call you are the dispenser of God’s heart and nature to the world. Wow.  You are a very, very important person.  Live like it!