No Discrimination

Do you harbor any form of prejudice in your heart? For example, do you look down on the homeless and view them as a stain on society? Do you harbor negative feelings toward an ethnic group, the gay community or even hate groups? Do you think of, or treat others differently, who don’t agree with your world view even though your world view may be Christian? If you do, remember that true love is all inclusive. We need to learn how to love every soul even if, at the moment, that soul may be opposed to our world view or live contrary to our way of life. We need to really love our neighbor as we love ourselves no matter who they are. We need to treat everyone as Jesus would treat them. James chapter 2, verses 8 and 9 tells us: 

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

You may have heard it said regarding sinners and unbelievers that we should “love the person, but hate the sin.” Though that may be true, I believe that many Christians find it difficult to separate the two. The Bible tells us that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Every person was created by God, and every person has a soul; a soul that God wants to save. The Bible reminds us that it isn’t God’s desire that any should perish. Any of us. We are all people, loved by God so much that he died for us… all of us. John 3:16 says, “for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” In light of these truths we need to evaluate what it truly means to love the person, but hate the sin. For all people we should never discriminate, we should not show favoritism because as James says, when we do, “we sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

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James says that, “if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” We need to truly love our neighbors as we love ourselves because remember, without Jesus, we could’ve been one of the people we currently abhor. We could’ve been that which we revile the most. We could’ve been the worst of sinners, misguided, and maybe even one who preys on the innocent. But as far as our walk with the Lord is concerned, we are not to discriminate. If God loves the world, we should too. I pray that we all learn how to truly love the person, while at the same time hating the sin; realizing that these are two separate entities. Our job is to show the love of Christ while allowing the Holy Spirit to help us in that effort.

Vile Honored

In America we are in the midst of experiencing a monumental shift in the nation’s moral compass. At an ever quickening pace what was once considered vile is now honored. And what was once honored is now considered vile. As this pattern continues, believers may find themselves in harms way as identifying with Christ becomes less and less popular. If we look around the world at nations where belief in Christ is opposed, we understand that our Christian brothers and sisters suffer great persecution. Will we experience that here in America? Will we see that level of persecution in our lifetimes? Will we have to hide while the wicked strut about freely? Look at these words in Psalm chapter 12, verses 7 and 8 which says:

“O Lord, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”

This verse is as true today as when it was written. When what is vile becomes that which is honored, the wicked will freely strut about. And as the tide continues to turn in our nation, I’m sure believers will feel what David felt when he wrote these words. Earlier in this chapter, in verses 1 and 2, David says:

“Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.”

Even if you feel as if you are the only one left who honors the word of God, I encourage you to stand strong. It might be a good idea to examine your dedication to the Lord now; to decide what you might do in the event that our nation fully turns its back on God to the point where it seems that “godly men are no more”, as David puts it. If this happens, would you be willing to stand alone? I hope you would, and I hope I would too.

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David prayed that the Lord protect him from those who are vile; those who openly sin and strut about with pride as their sins are honored by men. He laments that his world has turned dark with sin; that there are no more godly men and that everyone around him are liars and deceivers. We may not live in that world now, but we should know how we will respond if, some day, we find ourselves in that world. Yes, some vile acts are honored in our country. But at least, right now, people of God can be found, and we are still free to live out our faith. As things get darker, I pray that we, as believers, become the beacon of light; the light on a hill as the Bible describes. Are you willing to be that light? I encourage you to consider how far you are willing to go for the Lord.

God Is Near

When you pray, do you envision God as being way up in heaven looking down from his throne hearing your request from afar? I used to. And when I’m not focused, I still might. But when my heart is in step with the Spirit, and when my walk is strong with the Lord, I understand that when I pray to God he isn’t far, but very near. You may have experienced the presence of the Lord yourself when you’ve prayed; the feeling that God is physically with you right then and there. But even when you don’t feel him, have faith to believe that he is close. He was close to the Israelites when they prayed, and he is close to us as well. Moses said in Deuteronomy 4 verse 7:

“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”

I believe that God wants to be close to us. The Bible tells us that the Lord wanted to be close to the Israelites. That is why the tabernacle and the temple were built, so that he could be physically close to them. In Genesis, God was close to his creation, speaking directly to Adam. And even now, God wants to be close to us. Moses says that God is near us whenever we pray to him. Do you believe that? In the midst of your pain and sorrow, when you cry out to him, I encourage you to know that God is not far off, but he is very near. And even when you pray to him casually, I believe that God is still very near. So when you talk to God, don’t think of him as being on a phone listening to you from somewhere else. Think of it as if you are visiting him; that when you pray to him, he is in the same room with you. Because as Moses shares in Deuteronomy, God is near us whenever we pray to him.

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The Bible reminds us that where two or three are gathered together in his name, God is right there in the midst of them. And Moses encourages us that when we pray to God, he is near to us. He could’ve been referring to the tabernacle, where the ark of the covenant and the physical presence of the Lord resided; that when the Israelites prayed, the ark of the covenant was close by. But I think he was explaining that any of us; past, present and future; no matter where you are, or what time of day it is, that God is near you when you pray. Whether God is near or far may not matter to some. But I find it very comforting to know that God is near, and so did Moses.

Eternal Life

When you think of “eternal life”, what comes to your mind? Are you thinking of a place where there is no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more fear? Are you thinking of a place filled with angels and other majestic beings that are difficult to imagine? Does your mind show you our God in all his majesty with Jesus sitting at his right hand? What do you think of? Though these things may ring true in eternity, Jesus tells us in John chapter 17 verse 3 what we should focus on when we think of eternity in heaven. He says:

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

I believe that heaven is more than just a place, it is more than what we’ll see, it’s more than what we’ll have and more than what we’ll no longer have to deal with. It is a relationship with God that we’ve never experienced this side of heaven. Jesus says that eternal life is that we may know God and that we may know Jesus. Though we may think we know God now, our understanding of him is like looking through a dark, dirty window. We have an idea of who he is, but there is only so much we can know of, and about, him while we live here on earth. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to being closer to God than I’ve ever been, knowing him in a way that I’ve never known, and worshipping him in ways that I can’t even imagine. That is the heaven I’m looking forward to, and that is the heaven I believe Jesus is describing in John 17.

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The Bible only gives us hints of what we can look forward to when we die. We have an idea of what both believers will experience and what unbelievers will experience, but as Jesus explains, for those who will have their names written in the book of life, our eternity will mean to “know” him. I don’t think we can truly understand what an amazing reward that will be. I would guess that all other things, or experiences, we will have in heaven will pale in comparison to knowing God. In fact, I’m sure that none of it will matter aside from knowing him. So I would challenge you, if your thoughts on eternal life differ from the one Jesus laid out, I hope you will realign your thinking to what truly matters both in this life and certainly in our eternal life, which is knowing him.

Flee Evil Desires

It is incredible how powerful the desires of the flesh are. Much like the things we can become addicted to, when we fall in a certain area of sin, we are more prone to fall again in that same area than someone who has never tasted that particular sin. Because once our flesh has tasted sin, it can be ever more enticing and addicting. But the more we flee those evil desires, the easier it should get over time to resist it. Paul tells Timothy in second Timothy 2:22: 

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

God wants our heart to be pure. He wants us to pursue righteousness. I’ve even heard it said that “God does not merely call us to pursue righteousness, but to prefer it.” For most of us, to prefer righteousness, faith, love and peace, like it says in this verse, requires a change of heart. It requires a change in mindset, and it requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as the truth sets us free; the truth that righteousness is better than sin. Paul tells Timothy to flee evil desires and to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. And as an extension, I believe that God is telling us to do that as well.

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Paul alludes to the idea that those who call on the Lord with a pure heart are also the ones who pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. These are attributes that every believer wants to reflect. Step one is to flee the evil desires of our youth, as Paul puts it. To prefer righteousness means that we want to be righteous over indulging in sin; that we enjoy being right before God over satisfying our fleshly desires. Let us heed Paul’s instruction. Let us flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.