Repentance is a foundational concept in the New Testament and is a requirement for entering the kingdom of God. Both John the Baptist and Jesus launched their kingdom campaigns by preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” On the Day of Pentecost, in the first post-resurrection gospel sermon, Peter declared, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you…” Repentance is a very important key to the kingdom.

The Greek word that is translated “repent” is metanoeo. It means to change your mind or your way of thinking, to adopt another view, or to feel differently about something. It often carries with it an emotional component of regret or remorse for the foolishness or even evil of former ways of thinking. Most of us have been taught that repentance is about stopping sinful behaviors and replacing those behaviors with good deeds or better ways of thinking. That is included in the concept of repentance, but repentance is not limited to that. In fact, limiting repentance to a change of behaviors greatly hinders our life in the kingdom.

The truth is that our behaviors flow out of our beliefs and perspectives. Sin is a fruit of thinking that is misaligned with the Father’s thinking. Doing away with sinful behaviors is the fruit of having changed the way we think about how we have been living. If we are simply changing behaviors and not changing our thought patterns, perspectives, and values, then we will continue to sin in our hearts and our thoughts regardless of our actions. We will also continue to sin in our actions, only in more subtle ways that are not so obvious to others.

The failure of religion is that it focuses on behaviors much more than an essential change of heart and mind. Jesus addressed that problem in his “sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew 5. In that section he keeps saying, “You have heard that it was said…But I say unto you…” Each time he would point to a behavior (anger, adultery, retaliation, etc.) that had been defined by the Law of Moses, but would then point them to a change of heart that went much deeper.

To truly enter the kingdom of God, we must change the way we think, the way we view life, the way we see ourselves, and the way we see others. We must learn to focus on the spiritual rather than the natural and on the eternal rather than the temporary. We must learn to love our enemies and bless those who curse us and our words must reflect what is truly in our hearts.

Kingdom living requires an extensive remodel of our thought lives. Paul counsels us to make every thought obedient to Jesus Christ (2 Cor.10:5) and calls us to no longer conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom.12:2). If I only focus on the things I should do or should not do, my thought life will be minimally transformed and my life will be minimally transformed as well.

When I’m angry, I should ask the Holy Spirit to show me the source of my anger. Was it pride, fear, insecurity, or a damaged self-image that prompted the anger? When I discover what makes me vulnerable to an angry response, then I need the Word of God and the Spirit of God to change my perspective (my mind and my heart) about God, others, and myself so that the responses of broken and hurtful people toward me don’t trigger anger, but rather compassion, blessing, and prayer.

The gist of this is that we should focus on our thought life more than our behaviors since what we do flows out of what we think. Our actions and emotions are clues to our thought life but are symptoms rather than causes. David was wise enough to pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps.139:23-24). Many of our deepest thoughts, beliefs, and values can be hidden from us and so it is wise to ask the Spirit, who searches all things, to reveal our thoughts or beliefs that are opposed to God’s word.

When we discover those beliefs, we should test them against God’s word, his values, and his truth. Repentance is bringing our thought life and belief systems into alignment with his word in every part of our life. Study, meditation, memorization, spiritual conversations, and prayer all work to renew our minds and to rewrite those things that are misaligned.   When our minds begin to mirror the mind of Christ, then we are able to perceive more of the kingdom and more of the kingdom is released to us. Bottom line…learn to think about what you are thinking.

I prayed with a godly man last night who has struggled with a personal sin for years. He has a few weeks in which he feels that he finally has victory over the sin but then it rushes back in, along with the shame he feels for not living up to God’s standards. We talked about the dynamic of a wound producing a desire to medicate our feelings of failure, unworthiness and shame which leads to a sin that medicates for a moment which then leads to more shame which then leads to a greater desire to medicate and so on. The biblical balance is to receive conviction from the Spirit regarding our sins but not condemnation.

Bill Johnson has a good word on short-circuiting this cycle of sin in his book, Strengthen Yourself in the Lord. “Focusing on our problems more than God’s answers should be a dead giveaway that we’re really dealing with condemnation not the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Focus on God’s answers – not your problems. When the Holy Spirit shows us where we are falling short, the bigger reality is not the area where we are not yet walking in our destiny, but the destiny itself. So many of us read the verse that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Rom.3:23) and focus more on the fact that all have fallen short than the fact that we are destined for glory! The conviction of the Holy Spirit is actually a call to turn our focus away from our sin and our limitations. He is saying, ‘Your made for more than this. Lift your head and set your sights higher’” (p.136-137).

Focusing on our sin does the devil’s work of creating an even greater sense of shame and failure in us than existed before. That focus waters a seed that suggests that God is already disgusted with us so that we don’t turn to him for comfort but to “medications” in the world’s medicine chest – alcohol, drugs, power, pornography, sex-based relationships, etc.   The Holy Spirit wants us to acknowledge the sin, agree with God about it, and then lay it at the foot of the cross and move on with our eyes reset on the goal.

Agreeing with God about who we are in Christ and his father’s heart for us is a greater deterrent to sin than any shame or “beat yourself up” session. Keeping our eyes on our destiny is he key. Paul said, “Forgetting those things that are behind, I press forward…” That is good council. In the 11^th chapter of the book of Judges, the king of the Ammonites sent word to Jephthah that he was going to wage war against Israel if Israel did not return the land they had taken from his ancestors. In response, Jephthah recounted the history of Israel and how God had given them that land and decreed that it belonged to Israel. After recounting the history and the promises of God, he declared, “Whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess” (Jud.11:24).

That is a good word for us as well. God has promised us a destiny of victory and glory in Christ and we should possess (hold on to, defend) that future by faith, not allowing the enemy to take back what has been given to us. That is the vision that should possess us, rather than a vision of past failures. God’s mercies are new every morning. No matter what happened yesterday, in Christ today can begin with a clean slate.

Paul was enamored with sporting events. He often used the analogy of runners preparing for a race and fixing their eyes on the goal. Most of us just finished watching two weeks of Summer Olympics events. When each runner stood at the starting blocks seconds before the race, gazing down the track, I assure you that the winner was imagining a perfect race in which he crossed the finish line first. He was recounting past victories rather than brooding over past losses. Any runner who was focusing on past losses, false starts, or disappointing times did not run that race well. In the same way, we need to spend time imagining our victories in Christ, the glory that is ours and will be ours, the strength that God provides, and the victory that is promised in Jesus rather than yesterday’s failures.

Fixating on our failures is coming into agreement with the enemy who wants is to define ourselves by our shortcomings. Fixating on ultimate victory is coming into agreement with God because that is his promise. Fixating on past failures is “illegal” for believers, because in Christ those past failures don’t exist. There is no record in heaven of our sins and our testimony of failure has no evidence to back it up. Lay it aside. Get on with the race.

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra read the Law to the people of Jerusalem after the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt. As the Law was read, the people began to weep for their sins. But the text says, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh.8:10).

Weeping for our sins has its place, but it must quickly be replaced by joy. The joy of the Lord is ours when we come into agreement with him about his immense love for us, his quick and eager forgiveness, and his promises that point us to our destiny. This mindset is a great weapon in spiritual warfare.  God is always joyful toward us because he knows the end from the beginning and sees us as we will be, not as we are. Sharing the Lord’s view of me, imagining my destiny in Christ, and fixing my thoughts on him open up that joy to me and become a greater comfort and encouragement than anything the world can offer. Meditating on God’s love for me, my eternal home with him, great victories over the enemy, and feeling the presence of God will release more endorphins than any drug or pornographic display and the result will be joy rather than shame. Our goal is not to ignore sin but to simply deal with it quickly through the blood of Christ and refocus on his promises and our destiny. Try it. You’ll like it. Blessings in Him.

Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey. The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”    The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and you; intercede with the Lord, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. Numbers 21:4-7

There are numerous occasions in the Old Testament when the people of God began to grumble and complain about their circumstances. In this circumstance, they complained about an apparent lack of food (or a variety of food) and a lack of water. They complained bitterly about the “miserable food” they had. The miserable food was, of course, the manna that God provided every morning. In response to their constant complaints, God released a plague of fiery snakes into the camp of the Israelites. Some died from the painful bites.

The New Testament writers also have some things to say about grumbling and complaining:

We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. 1 Cor. 10:9-10

Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! James 5:9

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. Philippians 2:14-15

So…why is grumbling and complaining such a serious matter for God’s people? Ultimately, our grumbling and complaining declares that God’s work and provision in our lives is deficient, insufficient and unfair. It is an indictment against the character and the love of God for his people.

After 400 years of bitter slavery in Egypt, God led his people out of Pharaoh’s furnace with an unprecedented reign of terror in the form of ten plagues from which Israel was exempt – at least for most of them. God then capped that off with the Red Sea crossing and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army. Not only that, but when the Hebrew slaves left Egypt they left with gold, silver, and jewels given to them by the Egyptians themselves along with herds of sheep and cattle. God then fed 1.5 million people in the desert every day with manna that formed around them each morning and miraculously provided water when it was necessary. But that wasn’t enough. The Hebrews were unsatisfied with the miserable food God was providing.

Concerning that manna the Hebrews collected each morning, the psalmist declared, “Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat” (Ps.78:23-35).

The miserable daily provision of God each day was described by the Holy Spirit as the grain of heaven and the bread of angels. Jesus would later draw an analogy between himself and the manna as he called himself the “bread of heaven.” Apparently, the manna had an amazing, if not miraculous, ability to sustain life and health in a barren desert. It was more than sufficient for their needs and was provided daily by a faithful God. For the Hebrews, however, it wasn’t sufficient. It did not provide the variety they desired. It could not be stored up so it kept them dependent on God when they apparently desired self-sufficiency. The water complaint points to the same issue. They wanted a ready and infinite supply of water rather than having to trust Gold for miraculous provision each day. When they grumbled and complained, they weren’t speaking against their circumstances, but rather against the character of God himself.

The New Testament writers offered the same observations and conclude that our complaining is also an indictment of God’s love, his care, or his fairness. We deserve more. God hasn’t provided enough or the right kinds of things. His care is inadequate. That was the accusation of Satan in the Garden of Eden when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was holding out and that there was more they needed for life and happiness than God was giving. Grumbling echoes Satan’s accusations against God that he is unfair and uncaring. When we complain and grumble we come into agreement with
Satan and empower him. Then the snakes – the demons – show up in our own lives and when they do they bite. Complaining and grumbling gives off an aroma in the spiritual realm that draws the enemy like flies to rotting meat.

So what is the antidote? After all, aren’t we all human and prone to complaints? Yes, we are but we are also prone to other sins as well. Grumbling and complaining is sin. Therefore, we begin with repentance and then move to thanksgiving based on the belief that God is always with us and is meeting our needs in the way that suits our present condition best.

Graham Cooke makes this observation. “Every obstacle, every problem, every attack, is allowed and designed to teach you to become more like Jesus. That’s why every problem comes with a provision attached to it. As Christians, we must stand in the midst of the problem, knowing God’s promise, and expect a provision. All things work together for good in the economy of God” (Graham Cooke, Crafted Prayer, Brilliant Book House, p. 35-36).

Because God is in the midst of every situation – even those we make for ourselves – and is working all things to our good, we can give thanks in every situation. Thanksgiving closes the door to the enemy. It allows us to see the hand of God in our lives and to hear his voice. It strengthens us and reminds us that he who is in us is greater than he that is in the world. Thanksgiving for what God has done and for what he is about to do is the language of heaven. Grumbling and complaining is the language of hell.

So…if you find yourself prone to complain or recognize that you have been in a season of grumbling, repent and discipline yourself to thanksgiving and praise. It will make all the difference.

So…what do we do when the faithful fail? What do we do when we fail, when we slip back into a sin we thought we had left far behind, or when weakness overcomes our faith? There are many who would say that the cleansing of deep regret and overwhelming feelings of guilt are the right response to realign our hearts with the Father. Many of us believe that a sense of shame and guilt and the emotional pain of our failure will keep us from sliding into sin again. But there is an interesting passage in Nehemiah that raises a question about that course.

In the book of Nehemiah we find the prophet in exile. Jerusalem had been sacked and burned and the best and brightest of the Jews deported. When word reached Nehemiah that the city he loved was still devastated with the walls lying in heaps of rubble and the gates burned he cried out to God. God moved King Artaxerxes to allow Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and restore the city. After a remarkable restoration project, the wall and city gates were rebuilt. Nehemiah and the people were certain that all the things that had happened to Israel were because of their sins, so when the wall was completed Nehemiah called for a solemn assembly to re-consecrate the people and the city. Ezra the priest stood and read the Book of the Law to all the people.

The text says, “They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.   Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh.8:8-10).

The natural response of the people to their sin and the righteous standards of their God was to weep as they felt the guilt and shame of their sins and the sins of their fathers. And yet, God instructed them not to weep but to celebrate. This is a clear picture of the difference between condemnation and conviction.

Condemnation is a tool of the enemy that he uses against us when we fail. Condemnation produces shame and shame pushes us away from the Father at the very moment that we need to be drawing close. Remember, Adam and Eve felt shame in the garden at the moment of their sin and the realization of their nakedness. That shame caused them to hide from the Father and to blame others for what they had chosen to do. Satan loves to come and condemn. In response to the enemy’s strategy, Paul declares that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom.8:1).

Shame is the very thing that drives many of us to sin in an effort to cover or medicate our sense of unworthiness. Our unbearable feelings of insignificance, defectiveness, and inadequacy drive many to substance abuse, sexual addictions, comfort eating, and so forth. Condemnation simply increases our shame and our need to medicate so that we get caught in a destructive cycle. Condemnation convinces us that even God can’t love and that being the case … we are on our own. When we are on our own we are dangerous to ourselves and others.

Even in the face of their sins, Israel was commanded to celebrate rather than weep. The celebration was not a statement that their sins did not matter, but rather a recognition that God’s love and grace were greater than their sin. It was a celebration of God’s love and mercy that draws us back to him rather than driving us away.

In the Nehemiah passage, God calls on us to focus on his grace rather than on our failings. Bill Johnson speaks to this when he says, “The real problem is not in what we lack, but how we respond to what God has said. Focusing on our problems more than God’s answers should be a dead giveaway that we’re really dealing with condemnation not the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Focus on God’s answers – not your problems. When the Holy Spirit shows us where we are falling short. The bigger reality is not the areas where we’re not yet walking in our destiny, but the destiny itself…The conviction of the Holy Spirit is actually a call to turn our focus away from our sin and our limitations. He’s saying, ‘You’re made for more than this. Lift your head and set your sights higher’” (Bill Johnson, Strengthen Yourself in the Lord, p.136-137; Destiny Image).

There is a time for godly sorrow, but the sorrow should quickly turn from our self- focus on our weakness to God’s strength, from our unfaithfulness to his faithfulness, from our failures to his victory, and from our discouragement to his grace. The joy of the Lord is our strength. We will have greater victories over sin if we focus on Him rather than us. The constant goodness of God and his willingness to forgive any sin as soon as our heart turns to him is a reason to celebrate. It does no good for us to wallow in our self-loathing or despise ourselves as if beating ourselves emotionally will pay for our sins or convince God of our sorrow. Our sins are already paid for and the proof of repentance is not found in self-loathing but in loving God.

When we fail in our walk with the Lord, we should own it, confess it quickly, and then get on to celebrating God’s goodness and love. There is joy in that and in that joy we find strength for the next stage of our journey wherever we are. Blessings today as you celebrate the goodness and grace of your Savior.

Some of the newest genetic research is revealing the impact of environment and decisions we make on our own genetic structures. This influence on genes is called epigenetics and science is discovering that what we are exposed to or expose ourselves to not only affects our brain structure but actually turns on and turns off certain genes. This effect on genes can also be passed on to our children. What that means is that our children are not born into this world as blank slates ready to be written upon. They bring with them certain predispositions for certain behaviors and probably attitudes that they inherit from parents. What the parents chose to involve themselves in or expose themselves to impacts what is passed on to their children at a genetic level.

In practical terms, if a parent exposes himself to years of pornography, his child will likely have a predisposition toward pornography or addiction at a genetic, cellular level which means that his child may have a real vulnerability or attraction toward that sin as he or she grows up. On the other hand, if a parent exposes himself or herself to the word of God and practices godliness, a child of that parent will have a genetic predisposition toward godliness and will be drawn toward the things and people of God. Epigenetics is in its early stages but research is strongly pointing towards these realities. It means that not just physical characteristics are passed on to children but also behaviors and attitudes may be passed on as well.

This research adds a dimension to God’s declaration in Exodus 20 that the sins of the fathers will be passed down to the children to the third and fourth generations. This verse stands not as a judgment but a warning that what we do will affect who our children are. It’s not that our sin and brokenness cannot be overcome by the blood of the Lamb, but that our destructive and sinful behaviors do not just affect us but our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well. Our sins cannot only establish neural pathways that create habits and addictions in our own brains, but make our children vulnerable to the same destructive impulses. That should be a motivation for godly living.

This new research, which simply confirms what many of us suspected anyway, helps to explain why certain scriptures state that God does not punish one person for another’s sins or the children for the sins of the parents and yet other scriptures say that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. God is not punishing the children but warning us that in some way our sins are passed on to the children.   We know that demonic spirits are given legal rights to family lines through the unrepented sins of “the fathers” but now science is also confirming that our sins or our righteousness affect them at the deepest levels of their genetic makeup.

However, since environments turn on or turn off certain genes, it stands to reason that repentance and a change of lifestyle can also change us at a genetic level so that our predispositions can lose power over us and our children. God is brilliant and has called us to the behaviors that give life not only to ourselves but our descendants. As this research progresses, I am confident that the words we speak will be classified as part of the environment that shapes the expression of our genes. The tongue has the power of life and death. Science does not replace God but simply continues to reveal his wisdom and confirm that he understands our inner workings so well that he must indeed, be the designer and creator of man.

Make good choices today for your sake and the sake of your children and their children! Blessings in Him.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus issued letters to seven churches in the province of Asia. To Smyrna and Philadelphia, Jesus sent his affirmations and approval of their endurance and faithfulness in the withering face of persecution with a promise that victory was coming if they would just continue to hold on.

To Ephesus, he gave a mixed report. He began by listing what seem to be stellar recommendations. “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men…you have persevered and endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary” (Rev.2:2-3). This seems like the ideal church and yet, in the midst of those admirable traits, Jesus held something against them. “Yet, I hold this against you. You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first” (Rev. 2:4-5).

If you have been a believer very long, you might recognize the reality that the response once prompted by love can cool to a response of duty, obligation, or simply habit. After a few years, we can become good church members living moral lives, caring for the poor, coaching little league, attending church, and so forth. A good Buddhist would do the same. The thing that makes us different is our relationship with Jesus. Many couples marry with a great passion for one another, but after a few years the marriage simply becomes “going through the motions.” The behaviors may mimic what was done the first few years of marriage, but the heart behind it is gone.

God is love and love tends to remain unsatisfied until love is returned. In addition, love motivates us to do what nothing else will motivate us to do. Duty, obligation or habit did not motivate Jesus to endure the cross for us – only love pushed him to Golgatha.

Jesus then asked them to remember the height from which they had fallen. He was not asking them to measure how low they had sunk, but to remember what life was like when they were in love with him. He called them to remember the exhilaration found in a loving relationship with the Savior.

I have to ask how I am doing in maintaining “first love” status. Has my ministry become a job that I do like any other? Is my Bible study to discover new truths or just to get a coherent lesson together? Am I doing what I do out of love for Jesus or just the habits of a Christian life? How are you doing?

He then said to the Ephesians, “Repent and do the things you did at first.” What did you do when you first came to Jesus? Did you pour over his written word with expectation? Did you hungrily seek someone who could help you grow in the Lord? Were you willing to serve in any capacity because you were simply serving Jesus? Did you share Jesus with everyone around you? The truth is that you did those things because you loved Jesus, but you also loved Jesus because you did those things.

Going back to the basics is not a bad thing. We tend to think that basics are for the immature or the amateur, but doing the basics well is what wins championships. Remember the thanksgiving that used to issue from your heart in response to what he had done for you and in response to how much had been forgiven? Remember how you longed for his presence and his voice? Remember the excitement of answered prayers and seeing the hand of God in your life?

His counsel is to remember how rich those days were and return to them. Return to the heights of your first days in the presence of a loving Savior. Pour over his word against with the expectation of discovery. Find a mentor to rekindle the coals and to take you to another level of relationship with the Father. Serve in simplicity. Share your faith again. Keep doing the good you are doing but do it out of love for the Master, rather than from the habits of a moral life. That love makes our Christian walk rich again. Blessings in Him.

More Revelation on Friday.

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. “ ‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: “I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down. (Isa.38:1-8)

This is the final blog in this series on Hezekiah. He is another man in scripture who begins well but then slips toward the end of his life. From the text above, you see that the favor of the Lord was still with him. Again, severe trouble had come to Hezekiah in the form of illness and it seems that his appointed time to die had come from the Lord. When a notable prophet comes to you and says, “Get your house in order, you are going to die,” it is usually time to get your house in order. But Hezekiah cried out and God changed the very word he had sent through the prophet. If Hezekiah had simply accepted his death and not cried out to God, there would have been no extension. Prayer matters even when it seems that something is inevitable.

Can we change the mind of God even when a prophet has declared set times and events? Apparently we can. We never change God’s purposes or his character but we can change his timetable because God has all the time in the world. He owns time. If Hezekiah had not prayed I’m certain he would have died within days or weeks of the prophets announcement but he did pray and God shifted his timetable by 15 years. Not only did he shift the timetable but he also gave Hezekiah a miraculous sign to confirm the words of Isaiah.

What a blessing! But after that blessing a shift occurred. “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah” (2 Chr. 32:24-36, emphasis added).

The blessings of God can be a reminder of how amazing He is or a stumbling block when we believe that the blessings are evidence of how amazing we are. If you search the accounts of Hezekiah in Isaiah 39 and 2 Kings 20, you will see that envoys from Babylon came to see Hezekiah. These were ambassadors from a powerful nation and a powerful king. Hezekiah was flattered and took them on a tour of his palace. He eagerly displayed all of his riches to them. He didn’t take them on a tour to demonstrate God’s greatness but his own greatness and his own pride became a snare.

God rebuked him for that pride and he repented. However, his pride had set something in motion that would impact his children. Not only were the Babylonians impressed with his riches but they were also impressed with how much they would like to have those riches in their own vaults. In time, Nebuchadnezzar would come and take not only the king’s riches from Jerusalem but also every valuable item from the Temple as well. The sins of the father were certainly visited on the children (Ex.20). Hezekiah lived the final years of his life with that hanging over him but the smallness of his heart was revealed when he expressed gladness that the troubles he released would come on his children rather than on himself.

In all things, we must guard out hearts. The accumulation of God’s goodness and blessings in our lives can lead to pride if we loose perspective. As we evaluate our lives we should always take inventory of what God has done for us rather than taking inventory of what we think we have accomplished in our own strength and with our own amazing abilities. Of course, young men can fall into the same trap but those who have displayed humility and wisdom in their past seem vulnerable in their later years. Solomon succumbed to idolatry. David succumbed to lust. Hezekiah was overtaken by pride. Satan never took his crosshairs off these men and as they became careless in their later years, the enemy pulled the trigger.

In the great days of the Roman Empire, generals who had won great victories were given a “triumph” or a parade in their honor. As the generals rode through the streets of Rome in their lavish chariots, we are told that a lowly, unnamed slave was appointed to ride with them and whisper repeatedly in the ear of the celebrated general that he was only a lowly mortal and not a god.

In our own lives, we need people around us who will remind us that what we have has come from the goodness of God and not because we are so awesome. We need people around us who love God enough and us enough to tell us the truth and we should always invite that truth. We cannot guard our hearts alone. Our hearts are too prone to deception.

Those of us who are wise will invite a few trusted people who are spiritual to speak to us when they sense that something is amiss. The more powerful you are or the more successful you are, people will be less likely to tell you the truth so you must insist on it and when it comes, receive it. The wise man says, “Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you” (Prov.9:8). If you don’t have those people in your life ask God to provide some. Be blessed.

In my last blog I quoted extensively from Dr. Caroline Leaf’s recent book, Switch On Your Brain (Baker Books), from a chapter in which she talked about the myth of genetic determinism in our choices. In another section, she raised an interesting question about the intergenerational dysfunctions (or sin) in families.

There has always been a challenging scripture in Exodus that this may speak to. “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Ex.20:5-6, emphasis added).

I have always puzzled somewhat about the meaning of “punishing the children to third and fourth generation” – especially when God says in another place, “The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him…The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son” (Ezek.18:18-20). So…in light of this passage what does Exodus 20 mean?

I have always understood Exodus 20 to mean that the consequences of the Father’s sins will effect the children through four generations if they are not dealt with spiritually. For instance, unrepented sin by a father (especially idolatry) might give Satan a legal right to afflict a family and that right will continue through four generations unless it is dealt with by the children acknowledging and renouncing those sins and serving God. Also, we know that unrepented sins establish behavioral patterns in families that can be passed on from generation to generation.

In her recent book, Dr. Leaf says, “Science has demonstrated how the thought networks pass through the sperm and the ova via DNA to the next four generations” (p.57). That got my attention. She went on to describe the scientific explanation for that but essentially science is discovering that the thought patterns we choose to follow are written in our very DNA like a program on a computer chip. Those may be uploaded into the mind of the next four generations as genetic tendencies or predispositions that can be turned on and become operative if the mind of that generation comes into agreement with the predisposition. Leaf says, “the sins of the parents create a predisposition not a destiny” (p.59). Free will is always at play.

That agreement turns on the program and so the program may be duplicated, along with the consequences, generation after generation. That “genetic expression” can pass on, at a DNA level, both positive and negative results. However our mind (thought patterns that we choose) can turn on that genetic tendency or turn it off. We have power over the genes, not the genes over us. She sums it up this way, “Our choices (the epigenetic signals) alter the expression of genes (the epigenetic markers) which can then be passed on to our children and grandchildren, ready to predispose them before they are even conceived. So our bad choices become their predispositions.”

This reality does not negate the spiritual dimension but adds a dimension to it and gives us even more reason to make good choices – not just for us but also for generations to come. This presents an additional dimension of cursing ourselves and our children when we ignore the truths of God’s word about guarding our hearts, taking every thought captive to Christ, and being those who speak blessings rather than curses. The thought patterns we choose that are contrary to the word of God get written into our very DNA and effect us spiritually, emotionally and physically in very negative ways. Aligning our thoughts and words to God’s truth, however, writes blessings into our very DNA and can be passed on to generations. Think and speak the good things of God today.

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matt. 12:33-37)

The last verse in this section of scripture is very sobering. The thought that I might have to give an accounting on Judgment Day for every careless word I have ever spoken should get my attention. Even if I have not given much thought to my words, apparently heaven has. The context of these words is a rebuke by Jesus toward the Pharisees who have just attributed his authority to cast out demons to some alliance with Beelzebub. Jesus then equates their assertions to blasphemy of the Spirit which, I believe, is synonymous with unbelief in the face of a clear work of God.

Jesus goes on to the reveal the significance of these words spoken by the Pharisees which were obviously not well thought out. In this context, Jesus gives us one very significant reason that our words matter so much. Our words, especially our careless words, reveal what is truly in our hearts. We often deny that truth by blurting out something or making some sarcastic or cutting remark and then declaring that we didn’t really mean what we said. I hear that frequently from couples whose marriages are crumbling under the weight of anger and mistrust in the relationship. They often share with me the brutal remarks with which they wounded one another in the heat of their fighting and then say that they were just angry and didn’t really mean what they had said. The one who received the wound, however, is not so quick to dismiss the words that were spoken. The truth is that their words reveal something that is in their heart about their spouse and until that something is changed, the marriage will not truly heal.

In our hearts reside out deepest beliefs. We have a set of beliefs that rest neatly in our mind and in our intellect but those are often our “acceptable” or our “aspirational” beliefs. Those are the beliefs or attitudes we would like to have or believe we should have. Those are the beliefs or attitudes that we show to others and acknowledge as our own. Our actual beliefs are hidden in our hearts. Those show up when we are tempted, angry, afraid, or offended. They show up in our actions that have not been calculated and our careless words that pop out of our mouths in stressful moments or in moments of temptation.

Sometimes, even we wonder where those words or thoughts came from and are surprised by what we just said. David was aware that deep within our hearts we sometimes harbor thoughts or beliefs that are contrary to the mind and heart of God and reflect a part of us that we don’t want to recognize. He prayed, “Search me O God and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps.139:23-24, ESV).

Our words matter because they can reveal the truest thoughts and attitudes of our hearts – even the ones we carefully hide from others who would disapprove or that we deny when confronted about them. My words will acquit us or condemn me because they reveal my heart which then reveals the “true me”. The good news for every believer is that even our hearts are covered by the grace of God and the blood of Christ. That grace reaches even the hidden sin in our hearts and we can take comfort in that.

However, the wisest path is to pay attention to our careless words, our impetuous words, and our angry words because they do reveal the unattractive reality of our fallen nature. We should pay attention and take responsibility for those words and the part of us that is not yet fully submitted to Jesus. We can then acknowledge that part of us, repent of the attitudes or beliefs our words reflect, and submit them to the cross so that the Holy Spirit can then begin to change our heart at the deepest level.

Our careless words, then, can be our allies in discovering what still needs to be aligned with the heart and mind of Christ. They can be our allies in discovering footholds or even strongholds of the enemy. Denying that spontaneous words or actions reflect who we “really are” leaves an unlocked door through which the enemy can enter when we least expect it. The wise man and the spiritual man will acknowledge that some parts of his heart are not yet submitted to Jesus and as he discovers each part, he will gladly lay them at the foot of the cross. That is a key to real transformation in the kingdom of God.

In one sense, God judges his people every day. He judges us not in the sense of condemnation but in the sense of evaluation and then goes to work changing those things that are not aligned with the mind and heart of Jesus. The transforming work of God is much easier and effective when we cooperate. It is easier when we willingly bend to his will rather than resisting. When we resist or deny that we need to change, more pressure must be applied even to the point of breaking. From personal experience I would say it is better to bend that to be broken. Carless words can alert us t the need to bend or can alert God to the need for more pressure. Our choice!  More about “words” on Wednesday.

Jesus came not only to save us but to transform us as well. Understanding how transformation occurs is essential for us as believers who want to become more and more like Jesus. Obviously, and entire book could be written of the process of transformation but from time to time God gives us a nugget related to radical change in our lives. One of those can be found in Genesis 32.

Remember Jacob and Esau the quarrelling twin sons of Isaac. Jacob and Esau were not identical twins and were very different in appearance and character. Although Esau immerged from the birth canal first, Jacob was holding on to his heal as one who wanted to take his brother’s place as the firstborn. At it’s Hebrew root, Jacob can mean “supplanter” or deceiver. To supplant means to replace and Jacob certainly took his brother’s place by treacherous deception. If you read Genesis 25-32, you will see that Jacob beat his brother Esau out of his birthright (a double portion of the inheritance) and later posed as Esau before Isaac who was old and essentially blind and received “the blessing” that should have been declared over the older brother. After defrauding his brother, Jacob fled for his life. He went to Haran where his uncle Laban lived and settled with his family there. During his time with Laban, Jacob married Leah and Rachel, but was often swindled by his uncle in business deals and deals relating to his wives. Jacob certainly reaped what he had sown. The deceiver was often deceived.

Finally, Jacob had endured all the fraud he could take from his uncle and decided to take his family and his fortune and return to the land of his father. Only one problem stood in his way. His brother Esau still lived in the land and the last time he saw his brother, his brother had murder in mind.

The night before he would encounter Esau, Jacob sent his family and his servants ahead of him to form a buffer between Esau and himself. He stayed behind and encountered a man who wrestled with Jacob throughout the night. Initially, Jacob may have thought this man was a wandering thief or a scout sent ahead by his brother. But apparently, as the night wore on, Jacob began to sense that something supernatural was in the air and that the man with whom he was wrestling might not be a man at all.

Jacob wrestled all night and clung to the stranger but as sunrise approached, the stranger asked Jacob to let him go. “But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me’” (Gen.32:26). Then the man (apparently an angle of the Lord) asked Jacob what his name was. Angels come on assignment. They don’t just wander around picking fights with strangers. The angel undoubtedly knew Jacob’s name so why did he ask?

I believe he asked because Jacob needed to face himself. Jacob knew that he was facing an encounter with his brother in a few hours that could be deadly. Undoubtedly, he had been doing some serious soul searching in the days leading up to this moment and the final challenge was to consider his name which meant deceiver. Biblical names reflect character. Fraud and deception had defined Jacob’s life and had set some very serious consequences in motion. Before God could bless him, Jacob had to face himself and his failings as a man.

Too many of us want to run on to the good stuff in our conversion process without truly facing our sinful nature and our failings. We try to come to Jesus without acknowledging how badly we need him. But Jesus himself said, “He who is forgiven much, loves much” ( Lk.7:47). To love much, we need to be aware of how much has been forgiven. Facing ourselves honestly and humbly before the Lord can bring us to a place of blessing.

The blessing Jacob received was a new name, Israel, which also indicated a new character. It means “triumphant with God” and spelled a turning point in his life. A new name launched a transformation from a man of deceit to a man of godliness. It began with an honest evaluation of his own brokenness, sin, and failings. That kind of honesty before God brought a blessing and launched him into a critical process of transformation. Our own transformation will require such a self-evaluation and an honest look at who we have been with a hopeful perspective on where we are heading.