Be my witnesses

 I was reading about the trial of John Edwards, who ran for the democratic nomination to be President of the USA in the 2008 election.  He is being tried for illegal use of campaign funds.  Funds that he used to pay off a woman he was having an affair with to keep her silent and keep the public from knowing he got her pregnant.  He did this while his wife was dying of cancer.  The key witness of the prosecution was one of his closest aides who contacted a wealthy supporter and asked for her financial help to pay off Edward’s mistress.  His testimony was considered crucial, such that the government offered him immunity if he would testify.  Without the offer of immunity he may have been reluctant to share what he knew but now he is free to tell the truth without being incriminated.  His witness to the truth of what actually took place will be a vital piece of evidence the jury will consider and use to make a decision on the guilt or innocence of Edwards.  In order for a witness to have validity he or she must be credible and their testimony must be consistent and truthful.  The lawyers for the defendant will always attack either the character of the witness or find holes in the testimony that will cause the jury to doubt its truthfulness.  A truthful witness whose character is stellar has tremendous influence.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples that they would be his witnesses after they received the Holy Spirit.
 Act 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
Jesus told the disciples to wait until the Holy Spirit was poured out on them before they did anything.  The promise of the Holy Spirit was in fulfillment of the OT prophesy of Joel 2.28.  The disciples met in a room after Jesus ascended into heaven in obedience to what he had told them to do, simply to wait.  For 10 days they sat waiting, searching the Scriptures, talking among themselves about what it may mean to have the Holy Spirit come upon them.  They probably thought about the stories of the Spirit falling upon certain men like Saul, Samson, Elijah, Elisha and the other prophets especially.  I imagine there was great anticipation and wonder as to what would happen when the HS was given.  What could this mean?  Perhaps they reflected on the teachings of Jesus on the coming of the Holy Spirit who would lead them into all truth, be their teacher and guide to replace the physical Jesus they had known for 3 years.  Jesus had told them that it was expedient that he go to the Father in order that the Holy Spirit would be sent.  It is difficult to know if they remembered these teachings of Jesus at the time but this time of waiting must have been exciting.  Jesus did not tell them how long they would have to wait so it is probable that after a couple of days they may have become a little anxious or even doubtful if anything would happen.  The one thing they did try to do was appoint someone to take Judas’ place and even then they resorted to casting lots to determine who they thought would be the right person.  Matthias is not mentioned after he was selected so you have to wonder if he really was the person God wanted in that position.  Eventually Paul filled that role.  The 120 in the room were playing the waiting game.
The Power of the Holy Spirit
When the Holy Spirit fell upon them it was evident to everyone.  The power was supernatural. There was no guessing if this was real, everyone knew that the sound of the rushing wind and the cloven tongues of fire falling on them plus the ability to communicate in a language they did not know was proof that it was the fulfillment of what Jesus said would happen.
The Purpose
The results of the impartation of the Holy Spirit was that they were witnessing to the masses about Jesus. The word witness in the Greek is martus from which we derive the word martyr.  History records that the apostle truly became martyrs because of their witness of Jesus.  He was the focus of Peter’s first sermon and as a result 3,000 people got saved.  This was huge and the ongoing impact of these 3000 sharing what happened helped multiply the number of believers rapidly.
The witness of the 12 disciples as well as others who walked with Jesus was based on first hand experiences.  The apostle John wrote:
1Jn 1:1-5  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
 When Peter was talking to Cornelius, the Roman Centurion and his family about Jesus he said:
Act 10:37-43  you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
The Apostles were witnesses of what they had seen, heard and touched regarding Jesus.  They were first hand witnesses of the existence of Jesus and the things he did, his teachings, his death and resurrection.  Even though they had been with Jesus they needed the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses.  The Holy Spirit helped them remember and understand the teaching of Jesus.  He is the Spirit of Truth and in order to be an effective witness they needed to know the truth and be able to communicate it clearly and consistently in order for their testimony to be valid.
 Throughout the book of Acts we read of how the believers continued to be witnesses wherever they went.  They were willing to travel, undergo persecution, be thrown in jail and even put to death for their uncompromising message about Jesus. The Greek word for witness is martus from which we get the word martyr.
We like the disciples are called to be witnesses that are so convinced of what we believe about Jesus that we are willing to go anywhere, anytime, to anyone even if it means we may be martyred.  To deny being a witness to the Truth is to deny Jesus who claimed he was the Truth.  More than ever we need to know Jesus and communicate to this fallen world who he was, what he taught, how he lived and what was accomplished through his life.  The world has a very distorted image of Jesus mainly because they are ignorant of the Scriptures but also they look at people who claim they are Christians and do not like what they see especially if they have an understanding of who Jesus was.  Unfortunately throughout history many horrible things have been done by people who claim to be representing Christ and this has damaged the image of Christians.   When our character and actions do not match us with the teachings of Jesus our testimony is discredited and people turn away from becoming believers.
Just as when Jesus walked on the earth, there are people who really want to see Jesus as he really is.  There is a hunger to know him when he is presented as he really is.  There is a book entitled, “Jesus before Christianity,” by Albert Nolan, a strange title for many but it presents Jesus as he really was and not as how some in Christianity have depicted him.
  In the gospel of John it is recorded that one time a group of Greeks were attending a festival and wanted to meet him.
John 12:20, 21 now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
They wanted to see him for themselves.  They had probably heard many things about him but second hand knowledge was not going to satisfy their curiosity.  They wanted to meet him personally.
I think this is the cry of people today, they want to see the real Jesus and we are the ones who can help them see him as he really is.  We need to talk about Jesus, talk about his life on earth how he lived among the people, how he loved the unlovable, the outcasts, the prostitutes, the widows, the children, the bereaved, the poor, the lame and sick and how he did miracles among them.  We need to talk about his love and compassion for people and his opposition to religious people who did not know the truth but claimed they did.  We need to reveal the real Jesus to a world that does not understand where he came from or who he was.  Sometimes we focus our witness on many things that are part of our faith but how much to we testify and witness to the truth of who Jesus was and what he did?  How well do we share his life with others?  I believe there is an attraction to Jesus that is revealed in the gospels.  His life speaks volumes to people.  This is why it is so important for people to get the Word of God in their own language so they can have a personal encounter through the Word with Christ.
  Our conduct, character and communication are the witnessing tools we have to offer.  All three are critical to being an effective witness and we have the Holy Spirit working in us to help us in all three areas.  In fact without him we will not be the witness God has called us to be.
 Witness by our Conduct
How we conduct ourselves among the unsaved is critical to their reception of the gospel message.  I once read a message by Jim Baker in which he said the three things people need are love, acceptance and forgiveness.  This message has stuck with me for more than 30 years. Jesus modeled these in his life and taught his disciples the importance of them.  How well do we love those who hate us, oppose what we believe and even beat or kill our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?  Does the love of Christ compel us to seek them out, to demonstrate love to them or do we pray that they will be taken out to make life more comfortable for us? It is said that Idi Amin who was the former Dictator of Uganda came to visit the USA.  He entered a restaurant and a man who claimed he was a Christian spit on him.  How this demonstrated the love of God is beyond me.  Who knows what may have happened had there been a true demonstration of love.  Amin returned to Uganda and began his reign of terror putting to death thousands of people.
Do we accept people as they are even when they are way different than us?  The homosexuals, lesbians, racists, the arrogant and proud, the beggar, the thief, the cheat, the adulterer, the abuser, the drug addict, the religious person and the list can go on.  The agape love of God includes all of these in His circle of love.  What about us?  Do we go out of our way to accept and befriend them or do whatever we can to avoid dealing with them and spend our time judging them?
Forgiveness according to Jesus was not an option at least if we too want to be forgiven.  Holding grudges, shunning people, mistreating them because of things they have done against us has to go.  Unforgiveness holds us in bondage and serves only to develop bitterness with in us.  We should be quick to forgive if nothing else but to free us from the potential damage it will do to us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  I remember a story told by Paul Olson an evangelist from my home church who related an incident that happened when he preached a message on forgiveness.  At the end of his message he invited people to come forward to receive and extend forgiveness to those who had offended them.  A young girl came forward weeping.  Her face was horribly scarred and burned.  She had come forward to forgive her mother for pouring battery acid on her face when she was a child so she could receive more money when she was begging.  When she uttered the words of forgiveness as hard as that was, she was immediately released from bitterness toward her mom.  She was a different person after forgiving her mom.  There is such power and freedom in forgiveness.
  Witness by our Character
Our character is also part of our witness and is closely tied to our conduct.  Many times our character is revealed when we are alone, when no one is watching.  I was listening to a man who is the head of a huge mission organization speaking about his character flaw being revealed when he was alone.  He struggled with pornography when he was young and he thought he had overcome it.  But one day he was walking in the woods and he saw a porno magazine hanging from a tree.  How strange that it would be there but nonetheless he walked over to it and began to read through it.  Afterward he felt dirty and ashamed for what he had done and it revealed a flaw in his character that needed to be healed.  We all have our little secrets of things we are ashamed to admit we do or think.  We need the Holy Spirit to constantly refine our character to make us more like Jesus.
 In the news last week was the death of Chuck Colson and man who at one time in his life wielded a lot of power with President Nixon but was convicted of obstruction of justice and sentenced to prison.
Christianity Today summed up Colson’s life and legacy thusly:
Before his conversion to Christianity, Colson was described as an aggressive political mastermind who drank heavily, chain smoked, and smeared opponents. He served as special counsel to President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973 before he was indicted on Watergate-related charges, which led to a 7-month prison term. After his conversion experience, he published Born Again, helping popularize the term many evangelicals use to self-identify.
 He found the Lord in prison and his character was radically changed.  His mission in life after he was saved was to minister to those in prison as well as the families of prisoners.  He lived his life for the Lord and was a tremendous example of godly character.  There was also an article in the news last week of the death of a man who was the executive director of Voice of the Martyrs for 30 years.
The Voice of the Martyrs statement concerning the death of Tom White:
The events of the last week are tragic. On Wednesday we learned that Tom White, VOM’s executive director, had died.
Allegations were made to authorities this week that Tom had inappropriate contact with a young girl. Rather than face those allegations, and all of the resulting fallout for his family and this ministry and himself, Tom appears to have chosen to take his own life.
Something happened to his character that enabled him to fall into this sin.  We have to allow God access to our lives to bring about the changes in our character to accurately reflect Christ in us.  Peter summarized well the character that we need to represent  the Lord
  2Pe 1:3-10  His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
We also need to be open with trusted believers to share our struggles and seek help so that we do not become a laughingstock among nonbelievers and hinder them from coming to Christ.  Godly character is a powerful witness.
  Witness by our Communication
Finally we are witnesses through our communication.  Our words have the power to heal or destroy.
Pro_18:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
What we say and how we say it has a tremendous impact on people.  Our verbal communication of the gospel must be clear, truthful and full of grace.
Eph 4:15  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ
We are not trying to win an argument but win a soul to Christ by presenting Jesus as he really is and explaining what he has done for us because of his great love.  If we intentionally offend people with words of condemnation and judgment we can drive them away from the Lord.  We need the Holy Spirit to help tame our tongue and be sensitive to what he wants to communicate through us.
 One of our teachers in our DTS teaches on Supernatural ministry.  One of the concepts he stresses is that we need to look for the gold in other people.  We need to ask God to show us positive things about the person we are witnessing to and allow the Holy Spirit to communicate to us what God sees in that person.
  We are called to be witnesses and to testify verbally what Christ has done for us and in us.  Our experiences with Christ are powerful.  Often when I am talking with someone I relate to them some of the things Christ has done in my life.  One of my friends is an evangelist and conducts huge crusades in India and Haiti.  He makes it his goal to witness to someone every day.  One of the techniques he uses is to simply ask the person he is talking to:
  "What would you say is the greatest thing that has ever happened to you?" The person will then share something afterward he asks them, “Can I tell you the most important thing that has happened to me in my life?”  If they say yes, he shares about his salvation experience and if they say no, he does not say anything.
  Our witness must include verbal communication.  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, through the preaching of the gospel message.
Rom 10:14-17  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
 If you say you cannot share your faith verbally, then you are living in unbelief that God is not able to give you the power to do it.  He gave us the Holy Spirit in order that we will be his witnesses.  To remain silent is to deny the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work through you to touch lives for eternity.  You may have fears about speaking in public but we have the Holy Spirit living in us to be our helper and he will enable you to do it because of his great love for people and desire that they know the Truth.
  It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin and bring people to repentance and faith in Christ.  Our job is to simply be the witness of what Jesus has done for us and for a lost world.  Be a bold witness for him in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Let your conduct, character, and communication be an effective witness every day of your life.  Make it your goal to take advantage of every opportunity God gives you to be a witness of his love.  Make it your lifestyle not just a special event.

Facing the Giants

When Israel entered the Promised Land they were told to utterly defeat their enemies. The nations they would expunge from the land were evil, so evil that God like in the time of Noah had to destroy them. The problem that was presented to Israel was the influence the enemy would have upon them if they remained in the land. There could be no compromise, the potential of Israel falling away from God was too great, and thus the enemy had to be annihilated. There were 7 nations listed as inhabiting the Promised Land.

Deu 7:1 "When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than yourselves,

These were nations that had established themselves in the land, had built fortified cities and were renowned warriors and feared giants. The first group of spies sent into the Promised Land by Moses came back with great fear because of what they saw but more important was how they saw themselves, mere grasshoppers compared to the giants they saw. But with a new generation and a new leader in Joshua, the Israelites entered the Promised Land in obedience to God, resting on the promises of God to give them victory over these nations. The enemies were greater in number and stronger. Israel would need the help of God to destroy them, they could not do it in their own abilities, they had to depend upon the Lord and follow his instructions.

In our spiritual walk there are enemies that we must put to death or they will destroy us and cause our hearts to be drawn away from the Lord. Unlike the enemies Israel faced, our enemies have the ability to be brought back to life and we must constantly be aware of their attempts to entice us. When our love for God wanes we open ourselves up to replacing God with our own gods. When we give the enemy a foothold, he takes advantage of it and will continue to move into our lives if we keep the door open. Small compromises lead to greater compromises and more rationalization of the wrong decisions we have made. It is not long until we find that we are no longer serving God but are living our lives separated from him, doing our own thing. Instead of living with Agape Love, The Love of God that is unconditional, covenantally faithful and self-giving, we fall into Eros Love that is man centered, self-centered love that is manifested in our desires to possess, acquire and control.

Bob Mumford in his book “The Agape Road” lists 7 giants that we must conquer in our internal and spiritual lives. These must be put to death or they will keep us from enjoying intimacy with God and others. They come as a result of ungoverned desires that are at the root of each of these 7 giants.

The seven giants are:

1. Look Good

2. Feel Good

3. Be Right

4. Stay in Control

5. Hidden Agenda

6. Personal Advantage

7. Remain Undisturbed

The first 3 are motivations to possess and intimidate. The Kingpin of the 7 is Stay in Control and is the most dominate of them all. The last 3 are manifestations of the need to acquire and manipulate.

As God’s love takes control of our lives the giants begin to lose their grip on our lives. The selfish love that generates ungoverned desires is put to death and the true love of God takes control.

What are these 7 giants and how do they manifest themselves in our lives?

 

Look Good:

Mat 6:1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Look good people are concerned about their image and reputation. They want to be seen as important and are full of pride. It is hard for them to admit they are wrong and even harder to ask for forgiveness. They present a façade and have no substance. They are mere shadows. They may wear the stylish clothes, be covered with tattoos to make them look unique, drive fancy cars and do other things that will draw attention to themselves and make people think they are on top of it all. They wear masks to hide their true identity. Like in the drama “King of hearts” each person wore a mask to present an image that was not who they truly were in their hearts. The masks give false impressions, misrepresentations and half-truths. They seek for positions and titles that will give them respect, fame and recognition.

Look good is ruled by the fear of man.

Pro 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

He fears rejection and is willing to do whatever is needed to feel accepted. They want to be liked by everyone. Pride keeps them from true repentance, seeking forgiveness or help because to do any of these would expose weakness which would not look good. Look good is not an authentic person. They are often people pleasers more concerned about being accepted than being real.

We live in a world where “image is everything.” We must recognize this enemy at work in our lives when we try to misrepresent ourselves to others and not be honest about who we really are. It is the genuiness of our faith that will make a lasting impression on others.

 

Feel Good:

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Feel Good people are pleasure seekers. Whatever makes them feel good whether it is a healthy or unhealthy activity is what they pursue in excess. They avoid pain and discomfort at any cost. They focus on the sensual and sensual pleasures. Eventually pleasure becomes the governing force in their lives and from it addictions to drugs, food, shopping, sex, pornography, gambling etc. arise along with compulsive behaviors. Feel Good people will risk anything because immediate gratification is an insatiable goal. Eventually, however, feeling good stops working because there are not enough drugs, alcohol, attention, or sex to meet the ungoverned desires that keep expanding. The more they use the less satisfaction is received thus leaving greater frustration and pain.

Our society is becoming more pleasure oriented than ever. Paul warned that in the last days people will be:

2Ti_3:4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Entertainment and recreation are consuming more of our time and energy. Many people live for the weekend so they can do what brings them pleasure. We want our church services to make us feel good. If the message is disturbing we will look for another church that will make us feel good and help us continue to live in denial of the issues we need to confront. People want to feel good as a way of escape from difficult situations that they are encountering through their own choices or as a result of choices of others that have direct effect on them. People involved in ministry are not exempt. We have all read or perhaps personally knew pastors who have fallen into illicit relationships, drug addictions, pornography etc. The desire for pleasure is strong and we must stand against it, resist it and place the focus of our lives on pleasing God rather than self.

 

Be Right:

Job 40:8 Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

Adam and Eve were banned from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Yet this desire to be like God, to know good and evil and become like God was the very thing the serpent used to cause them to fall. Original sin left us with an innate desire to enter God’s sphere where we have assumed that we possess the needed knowledge of good and evil. This leaves us insecure, anxious, and unable to admit being wrong.

It is the curse of insecurity that makes us feel the need to always be right. An unwillingness to readily admit mistakes is fueled by the insatiable desire for the approval of others. Do we honestly believe that others will like us less or respect us less if we admit that we are wrong? Yes, we do. http://gscandrett.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/the-need-to-always-be-right/

If we admit we are wrong we question whether we have ever been right. Be Right does not want to be challenged or confronted or even questioned. They are often stubborn and rebellious and are very rigid in their thinking. They present the image of always being right yet live with the fear and shame that they may be found out.

Be Right often experiences broken relationships because they have to be right and anyone with a different opinion is labeled as wrong. A rift is created because they are unwilling to admit the possibility of error. They become inflexible and refuse to accept the reality of their situation. “My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts.” Parents who are unwilling to admit failure and ask for forgiveness from their children drive a wedge between them that can cause a lot of lost intimacy with their children.

Be right wants to be in control and have things their way. Many churches have suffered from leadership that demands submission because they know more or better than the people. There was a time when there was a “Shepherding Movement” in the church in which certain leaders had to be consulted by the followers on almost every decision that they made. They were the Be Right people who lorded over their followers. It was unhealthy and eventually was disbanded. Be right is often self-righteous just like the Pharisees whose righteousness turned into darkness (Mt. 6:23).

Be right people are not happy people and they are not fun to be around. I have been around people who were always correcting, always insisting they were right and it literally drove people away from them. No one wants to be around people who are always finding fault and constantly insisting they know more or know better.

I witnessed this in a friend who did not like the way his daughter-in-law was carrying out her responsibilities as a wife and mother. He thought his son was being overworked and taking on more responsibilities than he should have. It became a big issue for him because he thought he knew what was right for them. Instead of resolving anything it created animosity between the daughter-in-law and him. His son did not have an issue with what was happening, everything was fine with him and there was no need for Be Right to interfere.

When we have the attitude of Be Right we place limitations on receiving instruction from others and we do not handle the Word of God properly because we already have our mind made up regarding its meaning. Receiving instruction or prophetic words are also difficult because of our need to be in the Right and not needing others.

When Jesus healed the man who was blind, the Pharisees were not able to receive the words of the healed man or his parents and felt offended that he a “sinner” would have the audacity to correct them.

Joh_9:34 They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

We can become entrenched in our denominational doctrine and become proud or our special knowledge or revelation that others do not have. When we are validated or proven right regarding a point of disagreement we gloat with pride knowing that we were right all along. We find it hard to not say, “I told you so.”

Be right is difficult to identify, expose and slay because it is so defensible and insidious. We feel justified in what we are doing or saying because it seems right. Getting free from the Be Right Giant requires grace, space, liberty, and understanding from others.

Stay in Control

Luke 4:5-6 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.

Desire to be in control is a major issue-it is also set forth in Is. 14:13-14 in the five “I wills” of satan.

Isa 14:13 You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'

Stay in control has to be in the driver’s seat, he always wants to be in control. He believes that if he is in control, everyone is safe and the results are guaranteed. He is like god to others, determining what the end result will be as long as he is in control. He struggles with relinquishing control to God because he does not know the results or he thinks that God will ask more that he can give.

Stay in Control refuses to abide by limitations, they must have everything under their control regardless of the boundaries others may have established. They cannot participate in anything wholeheartedly unless they are in control. They deceive themselves into thinking they are the only person who can do it right so they have to be in control.

People who have to be in control exhibit behaviors like the following:

• It's difficult for you to trust people.

• As much as possible, you need to do everything yourself.

• You rarely think that you're wrong.

• You love to be the center of attention.

• You get bored when you have to listen to other people talk.

• You tend to think that you know what's best for other people.

• You don't like people touching your stuff.

• When you're in a relationship, you like to know where your significant other is at all times.

• You are definitely a perfectionist - and your own worst critic.

• You can't stand to wait for people who are running a few minutes late.

• You tend to interrupt people a lot.

• You don't like taking orders.

• You don't take it lightly when people disagree with you.

• Other people's messes really bother you.

• When you're watching TV with other people, you always have to have the remote.

• You are easily irritated.

• You generally don't trust people.

• You are insulted when people don't take your advice

Anxiety is a major symptom for anyone who has to be in control. Lie detectors function on the principle of our fear of losing control and consequently being discovered.

Being a loner is one way to stay in control. Isolation eliminates the possibility of losing control. Stay in control shies away from real love because of the fear of being hurt if they reach out in love to another person. Loss of control with its accompanying rage, violence, defiance, and self-hate, is the first cause of suicide. Loss of control leads to the heartbreaking discovery that you are not God.

We have to confront the Giant of control with grace, forgiveness and mercy.

Hidden Agenda

Jud 1:12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;

Hidden agenda is covert with words of peace and a heart of criticism. With this giant in operation we lie in wait with hidden motives, watching for weakness and vulnerability, ready to spring the trap, which has been disguised and then set with lies or half-truths. We hide one thing in our hearts while proclaiming another. This Giant is a user; it seeks to use life, people, and every event for the express purpose of advancement of our own interests.

Judas had a hidden agenda. He ate with the disciples and pretended that all was well but he had already contrived the plan to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The Pharisees used their hidden agenda to try to trick Jesus by asking questions they thought would put him in a corner. Jesus knew what was in their hearts but they did not know what he knew.

Luk 20:19-22 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Jesus was aware of their hidden agenda and he did not give them the satisfaction of achieving it.

 

Paul addressed hidden agendas in his letter to the church in Corinth.

2 Cor 4:1-2 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

Paul highlights 3 hidden agendas in these verses. Hidden agendas are maneuvered, cultivated, and nourished in secret, clandestine, and often self-deceiving ways. Once engaged, we cannot rest until and unless our hidden agenda has been accomplished.

I have seen this in operation when people need something but they do not come out directly and ask for it. They hide their agenda by stating things like “I wish I had one like that.” Or “I would like to go but I don’t have the money.” Both of these are stated to people who have the means to give what you need and in statements like these, you have a hidden agenda of hoping they give you what you need.

Personal Advantage

Jud 1:16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

With Personal Advantage in operation, we are constantly maneuvering for title, position, or recognition. The original Greek work for Personal Advantage is translated “selfish ambition”: Strongs #2052. This Giant uses others for its own purposes. When we are not the center of attention, we suffer envy and pain. We will help others only if it directly benefits us.

Mat 19:27 Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?"

Peter wondered what was in it for himself. What personal advantage could he expect?

The disciples were affected by this when they disputed among themselves who would be the greatest or be placed in charge.

Personal advantage people use others for self-promotion and value relationships based on what they will get out of it or how others will help them fulfill their own dream.

An original idea behind the word parasite in the ancient Greek was one who arranged to have all his meals in other people’s homes and then paid for these meals by flattering their host or hostess.

Parasites suck the life out of others. They use others solely for their own benefit.

John wrote is his letter to Gaius about a problem he had with someone who acted out of personal advantage.

3Jn 9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.

Diotrephes hindered the apostolic work of John by discrediting his written words. Selfish ambition is a giant that must be evaluated whenever we considering work in the Kingdom. Am I truly motivated by love for God and people or am I looking at opportunities to advance my position or status? Am I looking for personal benefits of trying to work for the benefit of the Kingdom?

Remain Undisturbed

Jer 48:11 "Moab has been at ease from his youth and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; so his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed.

This Giant disguises himself as the need for stability, or the need to preserve his reputation or honor of respectability when more is asked of him than he wants to give. Becoming a Father pleaser requires that we deal with being undisturbed. Kingdom rule may cause serious disruption and or interference with our own plans, desires and comfort levels. Undisturbed says “I will follow you, but I cannot follow you that far!” Undisturbed is that subtle difference between admiration for Christ and identification with Him.

When undisturbed Giant sees drastic or unpredictable change in his life, his sets his face, hardens his will and determines to deny or avoid all challenges at any cost. Note Jesus’; evaluation of the power and strength of the Undisturbed Giant in

Matthew 13:14-15 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'

Inconvenience becomes a barrier to our helping others. It is too inconvenient to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, invite the stranger in, clothe the naked, or visit the prisoner. (Mt. 25:35-35. As someone once observed, those with modern home entertainment centers do not rise up in revolt.

Undisturbed was on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10:30-35). It wasn’t that the Levite and the priest were not concerned about the man; they just did not want to be disturbed. The Samaritan was willing to have his day, journey, and pocket book disturbed in order to act in mercy and compassion. Undisturbed is a lifestyle so guarded and protected that we don’t let anybody or anything touch it. Every one of us has experienced this.

When we set ourselves to remain undisturbed, we calcify and soon become undisturbable.

Hos 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone.

Jesus said of the people about to be judged in the fall of Jerusalem

Mat 11:17 "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

Their unwillingness to and inability to be disturbed and respond to Christ and his purpose was symptomatic of what it means to be ruled by this Giant.

Undisturbed can describe a powerful and potentially useful person wrapped in spiritual sloth, apathy and self-preservation. We can lose our life because of the refusal to embrace the adventure and take the risk.

Heidi Baker and her husband Rolland established a ministry in Mozambique reaching out to hundreds of kids and families in need. I encourage you to read any of the books she has written as her life will truly inspire you. There is a short video I want to show called “Stop for the One” that will challenge us to not be undisturbed. http://youtu.be/mO8FFI6pJJA

These 7 Giants will always try to sidetrack us in our walk with the Lord. We have to recognize them when they surface and put them to death in order for us to advance God’s Kingdom in our personal lives as well as the work of God’s Kingdom in the world.

1. Look Good

2. Feel Good

3. Be Right

4. Stay in Control

5. Hidden Agenda

6. Personal Advantage

7. Remain Undisturbed

Which Giants are controlling or influencing your life?

Tonight I want to talk about being a nation of priests unto the Lord. We are approaching the Holy Week in which there is much emphasis in Guatemala regarding the suffering and passion of Christ. Christ was our sacrifice for our sin but he also is our perfect High Priest who was the only one qualified to offer the eternal sacrifice once and for all time. In the Old Testament God established the nation of Israel as he had promised to Abraham in Genesis 12. When the nation was liberated from Egypt, God set in order the laws and the sacrificial system that would prepare the nation to receive the Messiah when he arrived.

The nation of Israel had a high and holy calling to represent God as his royal priests and a holy nation. The entire nation was given this privilege and responsibility.

Exo 19:3 while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:

Exo 19:4 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

Exo 19:6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."

Exo 19:7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.

Israel was a people holy to the Lord. Holy means separated for service to the Lord. When God drew the Israelites out of Egypt he had to establish a counter culture that was ruled by a new set of standards that would identify them as his people and be a reflection of his character and nature. His laws were given to protect the people, to establish a moral code and a system of justice and to prepare the generations to come with knowledge of the need for a sacrifice for their sins that would be accomplished through the Messiah.

Israel was God’s special treasure. His love for them was demonstrated from the very beginning when he chose them because of his love for them. He chose the nation of Israel to be a special people who would represent him to the pagan nations and through which the Messiah would come. He chose them not because they were a great people but out of his love for them and to honor the covenant he made with Abraham, he set them apart and gave special revelation of his nature and character.

Deu 7:6 "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Deu 7:7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,

Deu 7:8 but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Deu 7:10 and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face.

We like Israel have been chosen by God’s grace to be his holy people, to represent him on the earth. God has a holy calling on each of our lives. He calls us to be separated unto service to him. Our lives are not our own to do as we please but we are hand picked by God to labor in his Kingdom. We are the people God has chosen and separated unto himself. He chose us because of his love for us and we are his treasured possession. When you understand the tremendous love God has for you it will transform your life.

God loves you not because you are valuable; you are valuable because he loves you. God’s love for you is beyond your understanding, his love is beyond our comprehension because his love is infinite and our understanding is finite.

The prophet Hosea stated

Hos 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Hos 11:2 The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.

Hos 11:3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them.

Hos 11:4 I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.

These verses reveal the tenderness of God toward his people. The illustration God uses is one of a parent teaching their child how to walk, lifting them up by their arms to embrace them, leading them with cords of kindness and bands of love wrapped around them, easing their pain from mistreatment, lowering himself to feed them as you would a child. Many people claim the God of the OT is different from the God of the NT seen in Christ but this picture of God shows his great love, compassion, patience and care for his people in spite of their rejection of him. Do you see God like this in your life? You are his treasured possession and he delights to show his tender love toward you.

Too often we judge our value and worth by what other people say or think about us. We allow them to be our judge and often we are put down because of our imperfections. God wants us to let him be the one who judges our value and worth. The fact that he loves you makes you infinitely valuable. God did not create you to just live a short time on earth and then disappear. His love for us is eternal and we were created to live with him and experience his love for eternity. Human love often falls as we see marriages terminated for reasons that seem insignificant. Fidelity in spite of changes that may happen is not honored by all but when it is it reflects God’s love for us and his commitment to us.

Last week I mentioned the fidelity of a missionary and university president, Robertson McQuilken, to his wife Muriel. I came across a similar story that also reflects committed love in spite of difficult circumstances as told by a nurse in hospital.

Nurse: "It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am , when an elderly gentleman, in his 80's, presented to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am . The nurse took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning somewhere else, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease. As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him. "And you are still going every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said. "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is." I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

http://kmgarcell.blogspot.com/2011/04/kind-of-love-i-want-in-my-life.html

God’s love for us is even more committed than the highest form of human love. He is eternally committed to us to always love us with a love that will never change or fail. We are God’s special treasure and he has decided to pour his love out to us and allow us to represent him to a world that has a very warped image of true love.

God invited the entire nation of Israel to be his priest but because of the fear the people had of the Lord they asked that Moses represent them on Mt. Sinai. When the laws were given to Moses, God required the people to wear a special tassel on their garment to remind them of his Word.

Num_15:38 "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.

Num_15:39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.

Num 15:40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.

Num 15:41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God."

As God’s representatives on earth we have a responsibility to walk according to his ways. The Israelites had a visual reminder every time they saw the blue cord and tassel that they were to obey the laws of God which separated them from the nations. As believers today we have the written Word of God and the Holy Spirit residing in us to keep us walking in God’s ways. We have an internal guidance system within us that will keep us on track but we have to develop ears to hear the voice of the Spirit. As God’s special people we have been given His Spirit to guide us and teach us. The people in the world do not have this available to them but we do. Our lives should be very different from the world because we have the Holy Spirit residing and directing our lives as we allow him access to us. We can hinder the work of the Spirit by acting in arrogance, pride and selfishness or we can give way, yield ourselves to the Him by humbling ourselves and submitting to him. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God and he can communicate God’s thoughts to us. As we learn to hear and recognize God’s voice we will have wisdom and understanding that is not available in the human realm. God will speak things to you that you would have never thought on your own. He will give you ideas, visions, dreams, words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discernment that will help you make decisions and give counsel to others. Often these messages comes as impressions, gentle thoughts and at times even loud words to help guide us. A pastor I who spoke at my church a couple of weeks ago told of a time he was driving his car and he heard a voice tell him to stop at a certain house and share the gospel with a person in it. He looked at the house, did not recognize whose home it was and continued driving. The voice again told him to stop and go to the house but he continued to drive away. Finally the voice came through loud and clear and said stop your car, turn around a go to the house. This time he obeyed and went to the house. He knocked on the door and a woman came to answer it. She had a pistol in her hand which startled him. The pastor introduced himself and said God had spoken to him that he was to stop at this house and share the gospel. He told the lady “I don’t know what you are going through but I know someone who can solve any problem you may have.” The lady broke down in tears and told him that she had the pistol in her mouth and was ready to pull the trigger when she heard the knock on the door and decided to see who was there instead of blowing her head off. She received the message of the gospel and gave her life to Christ and continues to follow after him today. As you grow in intimacy with the Lord you will learn to hear his voice and experience supernatural ministry.

The priesthood established by God had three groupings: Levites, priests and High Priest.

The LEVITES were the appointed servants of the court, but they were excluded from the holy Place on pain of death. All priests were Levites but not all Levites were priests.

The PRIESTS executed the ministry of the Holy Place but were as solemnly prohibited from entering beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies. The Priests were responsible to:

• Teach the people. (Leviticus 10:8-11)

• Serve as judges to resolve controversy. (Deut. 21:5)

• Offer sacrifices. (Exodus 29:38-42)

• Assess impurity. (Leviticus 13-15)

• Burn incense. (Exodus 30:7-8)

• Bless the people. (Numbers 6:22-27)

• Bless God (Deuteronomy 10:8)

• Keep the tabernacle. (Numbers 3:38; 4;16)

• Take care of the altar (Leviticus 6:8-13), the lamps, and the

showbread (Leviticus 24:1-9)

• Prepare the holy things for each days journey. (Num. 4:5-15)

• Continue the sacred fire. (Leviticus 6:12-13

• Blow the trumpets. (Numbers 10:1-10)

As a priest hood of believers today we have the responsibilities of

• teaching others how to be a disciple of Christ (Mt. 28:19-20);

• judging controversies according to God’s Word even as Paul reprimanded the Corinthian church for not judging among themselves but going to a public judge (1 Cor. 5:12, 13);

• Offering our lives as living sacrifices unto the Lord (Rom 12:1, 2);

• Keeping purity a priority (1 Jn 3.3);

• offering prayers on behalf of others (1 Tim 2.8);

• being a blessing to others through our works and words (Heb. 10:4);

• caring for our bodies that are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3.16,17)

• keeping ablaze in the Spirit, being filled with the Holy Spirit daily (Eph. 5:18) and

• sounding the warning when danger is present (2 Cor. 13:2, 2 Thes. 3:15).

A final aspect of the priesthood is that God has placed us in a community of believers. God knows how much we need each other and how important it is for us to be a part of a loving community. People who are not linked to a body of believers separate themselves from the very environment that will produce the most growth in their lives. Through our involvement and participation in a body of believers we grow spiritually and become a visible force on the earth to carry out God’s will. There is tremendous potential when we are unified as a body. When you read about the construction of the tower of Babel you begin to understand the dynamic of a unified group.

Gen 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.

Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

God recognized the power of unity and he had to break up the culture by diversifying the languages because they were using the power for a wrong purpose. When we as a group of believers are unified to carry out God’s plans there is a tremendous amount of power released to accomplish it.

Jesus prayed for unity among all the believers.

Joh_17:11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

The power of unity is seen in every institution and movement to bring change. I watched the video “Kony 2012” which began in the mind of one man, Jason Russell, who is trying to bring to justice the despot leader of the Ugandan group called the Lord’s Army. The leader, Kony, is not a Christian so the terminology of “the Lord’s Army” falsely represents the Lord as he abducts young children to be his sex slaves and soldiers. Efforts are now underway throughout the world to find Kony and bring him to justice to stop all the atrocities he is guilty of committing. You may or may not agree with this story or the motivations of Jason Russell but the main thing we can all agree upon is the power of bringing people together to accomplish a mission.

As I watched this video I was reminded of how much power we have as a body of believers to bring changes that God desires on the earth. This is the challenge we face as a group of believers is to be united to carry out God’s work on the earth. Too often we are individually trying to make changes or are only a small group of people trying to make a difference and we are seeing some success. But I believe we will see greater changes as we unite with other believers to truly become the Lord’s Army in this hour. We have to be united as a true body, removing walls of separation that hinder the progress of the gospel message. We have to declare war on the real enemy and unite our efforts to destroy his works. God has blessed us with technology that can be used in a positive way to accelerate his work but if we are unwilling to cooperate and unite ourselves with other believers our work will be hindered, delayed or discredited. A united church is a powerful church as it submits itself to Christ as its head and each believer submits one to another for the purpose of achieving unity. I once lived in DeRidder, LA a town of 12,000 people that had 23 churches from the same denomination in the city. This did not take into account all of the other church denominations. Are the differences so great that unity is unachievable? How much more could be done if we truly were united in the main purpose of the church of evangelizing the lost and making disciples of all the nations.

Find your priestly purpose and mission and unite yourself with other believers who are dedicated to bringing changes that God has place in your heart. Be a part of God’s plan of action to see his Kingdom come and his will be done through a community of believers united in love, willing to sacrifice and committed to the work. Don’t be on the sidelines, get in the game and give yourself wholeheartedly to work and you will see God do amazing things.

What Does God Love?

What Does God Love?

What does God love and take delight in? What brings joy to his heart? The scriptures reveal several things that God specifically loves and takes delight in. Each of these things is a reflection of his character, who he is. God takes delight in himself. He loves who he is because he is the perfection of everything good. Tonight I want to look at specific things that he loves and delights in so that we can put them into practice in our lives. As in any relationship you want to do the things that please the other person. God has specific things mentioned in the scripture that bring him pleasure.

God loves to be loved.

Pro_8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

This chapter in Proverbs is talking about wisdom but it is specifically making reference to God who created the heavens and the earth by his wisdom.

God loves those who love him. He wants love to be reciprocal, he wants our love, our affection. Just as we are the object of his love, he wants to be the object of our love. He wants us to seek after him. No one in a relationship with the opposite sex does not want to be sought out. When we truly love someone there is a longing for them and we intentionally and diligently seek them. Our love for God is measured in the actions that come from that love. To be loved is one of man’s greatest needs and this desire to be loved comes from God himself. It is not that God needs our love because he has perfect love within the Trinity yet because we are created in his image and likeness we have the capacity to love him. If we choose to love him it will be demonstrated by our actions. The love that most people know is not the same love that God has for us. Fallen man loves with a selfish love which in the Greek is Eros. Eros love is a sensual love, a love that seeks its own satisfaction. This is the love of fallen mankind and it is only when we come to know Christ and receive him as our Lord and Savior that we can begin to experience and live out the love of God, the agape love.

Bob Mumford in his book, “The Agape Road” has compared the differences between Eros and Agape love.

“The essential meaning of Eros is the desire or intention to possess, acquire, or control. Eros does not seek to be accepted by its object but to gain possession of it. Eros has an appetite or yearning desire that is aroused by attractive qualities of its object. Eros, in Greek philosophy, came to mean that which is loved for the purpose of personal satisfaction. It is from this posture that the word Eros took on its sexual and ultimately pornographic connotation. The word is not primarily sexual, but has more to do with living for my own personal advantage…It can be recognized because it is self-referential… self-centered, but it becomes self-consuming, turning increasingly inward upon itself in a tighter and tighter spiral…The Greek symbol for Eros is actually a serpent consuming its own tail.” When Eros love is operating in our lives even as believers we live to get things from God and do what we know we should do in order to receive his blessings. We are not motivated by true love but selfish love.

“The word agape has to do with the nature of God. 1 John 4:8 says, “God is [agape]”. He is the source of love and when we are united with him in Christ we are able to give this love to him and to others. We can also love ourselves because we possess the love that God has for himself.

“Love, biblically understood is a longing and intention toward another person, object, or experience. God’s agape creates a longing and intention toward Himself-He is the One who retains the initiative.”

Agape love is described most clearly in 1 Corinthians 13.

1Co 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

1Co 13:5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

1Co 13:6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

1Co 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1Co 13:8 Love never ends.

Have you ever evaluated your love for God based on these verses? We often use these verses to test our love for another person but have we thought about loving God this way?

• Are we patient with God or do we demand that he act now to do something about our situation?
• Do we take credit for things that we do instead of give the glory and honor to God who has enabled us to do it?
• Do we think we can do quite well on our own and really don’t need God’s help and don’t seek his advice?
• Do we demand God do things our way instead of asking Him what He wants us to do?
• Do we get mad at God when things seem to go against us and we feel that God has let us down?
• Do we love truth and have God’s hatred for evil?
• Do we carry our burdens with gratefulness or spitefulness?
• Do we speak in faith, believing in the goodness of God and his faithfulness to fulfill his promises to provide for our needs?
• Do we express hope in every situation or do we doubt that God is really at work?
• Do we stay strong in our love for God during the hard times or do we retreat or give up?

God desires that we love him in the same way that he loves us. The more we allow Christ to dwell in us and live his life through us the more capacity we will have to truly love God in the way he wants us to love him. Our love for God should always be growing and always be a source of joy and delight to God.

God is unified in his character. He is not more one thing than he is another. He is just as much a God of love as he is a God of wrath. We have to view God is his entirety and not just focus on the character traits that appeal to us the most because that will give us a distorted view of God. One of the traits about God that he loves is his justice.

God loves justice.

Isa_61:8 For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

God’s justice is based on his righteousness and his moral law. He is the standard of what is right and we have his Word which explains his righteousness and the moral laws he has given to us that reflect his character. As you study the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy you become acquainted with God’s standards that cover many areas of conduct. God’s justice is revealed through the laws he established for Israel that would set the nation apart from the other nations. Since we are created in his image and likeness we have within us a desire for justice. If our conscience has not been defiled completely, we cringe when we hear of injustices that are happening. Justice is served when the guilty are convicted and given the proper punishment for the crime. When the guilty go free or when the guilty do not receive a just punishment, we have a righteous indignation that rises within us. The moral code God has placed within us demands that justice be given for the victim and the offender. Statistics in Guatemala indicate that 98% of crimes go unpunished so there is little incentive for the criminals to not commit the crimes when they know they will get away with it. Because of this people take justice into their own hands.

God hates all evil and can never be accused of doing anything wrong.

Job 34:10 "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.

Hab 1:13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?

All sin no matter how small it may seem is an abomination to God because it is completely opposite of his character. He does not close his eyes toward evil and injustice. He will take revenge one day and he will repay those who have committed acts of injustice and not repented.

He loves honesty.

Pro_11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.

Abomination 8441 something that is vile, shameful, detested.

God established a standard weight, “the shekel of the tabernacle” that was used to measure the weight of the items that the people were required to give. The people knew exactly what was expected of them and when they fulfilled it they brought joy to God’s heart. When they cheated and did not give what was expected of them they were considered robbers, robbing God of what was rightfully his. The book of Malachi exposed the greed of the people who gave God less than the best he demanded.

They brought animals that were blind, lame and sick to be offered as sacrifices. Mal 1:7,8

They brought was taken by violence not of their own free will. Mal 1.13

They made vows to bring the best offering but instead brought offerings that were blemished. Mal 1.14

They robbed him of the tithes not giving the full tithe which was used to support the Levites and the sacrifices offered to God. Mal. 3.8

In doing these things they made a mockery of God and did not honor Him for who he is and their offerings were rejected and cursed.

God delights when people are honest, don’t cheat in business transactions, and give what God demands and deserves.

In his justice he will render judgments on those who have violated his laws.

Mal 3:5 "Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

Mal 3:6 "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Pro_12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

We bring delight to God when we speak the truth and live out the truth in our lives.

In the story “Les Miserables” Jean Valijean was sentenced to prison for stealing bread. He escaped and established a new identity after he was given a second chance by a priest who had mercy on him and did not have him arrested for stealing from him. Jean was later confronted with a situation in which he was told that a man named Jean Valijean had been captured and was going to be tried as a criminal who escaped prison. He knew that this man was not the man they thought he was. He was faced with the decision of letting this man take his punishment or revealing his true identity so the man would not be unjustly accused and sent to prison. He went to the place of the trial and when it appeared that the court would convict the man, he came forward and revealed that he was the man they were looking for.

Video clip http://youtu.be/A25-dJt7O-0

Psa_51:6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

This Psalm was David’s confession of his guilt and cover up for his sins after he was confronted by Nathan the prophet. Life for David was not easy after he tried to hide his sin, he was miserable until he came to admit his sin. He realized that God delighted in truth and that the lie he was living needed to be confessed and forgiven. God wants us to come clean from any secret sin. When we admit the truth, he takes delight because we will be set free through our confession and his forgiveness. We need to be brutally honest and truthful with God and not hide anything from Him. Our secret sins will destroy our lives.

God takes pleasure in those who fear him.

Psa 147:11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

To fear the Lord is to reverence him for who he is. It is to be in awe of Him not to be afraid of him.

Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous.

When we have the fear of God we also have a hatred for evil.

Pro_8:13 The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

Pro_16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.

Deu_28:63 And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you

This verse may be hard for many to accept but we must always remember that God is unified. If he was not just, he could not punish sin or evil. If he were not loving, he would not love justice and thereby hate evil. God would only delight in bringing ruin if he loved justice. His justice is both punitive judgment and restorative justice. He punishes with the hope that it will bring restoration to a broken relationship.

God takes delight in prospering us

Deu_30:9 The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers,

God will prosper the work that we do. It is not that God will just dump blessing on you but rather that he blesses the work of our hands. When we take responsibility and do our best, God prospers our lives. He wants the earth to be filled with the knowledge of his glory so he blesses the womb and the possessions that we have to be able to provide for us so we can mulitiply. We are the people who have the knowledge of his glory and in blessing us and sending us out into the world we spread his glory to the nations.

God desires to bless us in order that we will be a blessing to the nations. God takes delight in prospering us because it enable us to fulfill his purposes as we use the blessings God has given us to advance his Kingdom on earth.

Psa_16:3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

We bring joy and delight to the Lord. We are the apple of his eye, the focus of his attention and the desire of his heart. He loves us and longs for us. He wants to be united to us and to shower his love upon us. He has adopted us into his family and called us his sons and daughters.

1Jn 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

God absolutely loves his children, we are his delight and he delights in our well being, in prospering us.

I pray tonight that each one of us will live in a way that will delight God. We so often live for ourselves and think about what we want or need God to do for us. But if we live our lives in a way that delights God he will take care of all of our needs because of his great love for each one of us. When we love the things God loves we bring delight to him because we are living with the values that reflect his true character.