Things

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Things of God or Man

Mark 8:33

"But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."

One of the things that every Christian must learn to be successful in is to discern whether something is of God or man. Peter was like most Christians in that early in his Christian life he had no discernment in this area. Jesus questioned Peter to teach him how to discern whether something is of God or man. Jesus asked Peter, "But whom say ye that I am?" After Peter answered, Jesus responded by telling His disciples that He would have to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. However, Peter took exception to Jesus saying He would die and rebuked Him. Yet, in the verse above Jesus began to teach Peter how to discern whether something is of God or man.

The first test of discernment is to determine whether it is about you or God. Verse 34 says, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Discerning whether a work is about man or God is to see who gets the glory for the work. If man gets the glory, then the work is of man. Every work should be about God getting the glory. Whatever you do, only get involved in works that will bring glory to God.

The second test of discernment is to see whether the work is trying to impact the immediate or the future. You will see in verse 35 that the future impact is God's main concern. You will find that there are many things that are only concerned with the immediate results. For instance, one of the biggest problems you will see in the political realm is how politicians are more concerned with the next election cycle than they are with the future of their country. This is a very dangerous way to live. God's Word was written with the future in mind. Most of God's works will not have an immediate impact, but all of His works will have a good impact on your future.

The third test of discernment is to see if the work will cause you to have to change your soul to profit. Verse 36 asks, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Your soul is who you are; it is your character. When you have to change who you are for the sake of profit, then this work is not of God. God never asks you to sacrifice your character for His work. If you have to sacrifice your character for a job, then the job is not right. If you have to sacrifice your character to marry someone, then that person is not the right person to marry. If you have to sacrifice your character to be successful in your business, then you are joining the wrong business venture. Always remember that God's works put character before profit.

The last test of discernment is to see if the work is being done for perception instead of right and wrong. Verse 38 makes it very clear that God does not want us to be ashamed of His Words. When you are more concerned with perception than you are with truth, then you are working for the wrong reason. Truth should ALWAYS be your major concern. Don't ever let your perception cause you to compromise truth.

Having the discernment to determine whether something is of God or man is imperative to your Christian life. Until you acquire this discernment, you will find your Christian life to be unstable. Start using these four principles to help you determine whether something is of God or man.

A Burden?

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Why the Christian Life is a Burden

Matthew 23:4

"But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,"

One of the sad things I have seen throughout my Christian life is the dropout rate of Christians. According to the Barna Group, there is a 59 percent dropout rate of young Christians from ages of 18 to 30. This percentage should be alarming to every Christian. Another study showed that of those who dropped out of church, only 13 percent came back in their late 20's. What I have also seen that these studies did not cover is that many of those who stayed stopped their involvement in the church ministries. God's desire is that no Christian would ever stop serving Him. However, let me show you what I believe is the cause of this dropout rate and young Christian's lack of involvement.

In the verse above, Jesus addressed the multitudes about the dangers of the scribes and Pharisees. Though these two groups of people were very religious, they caused many to leave the Christian life because of the burdens they placed upon people. The sad part is that the philosophy of the Pharisees and scribes still exists today. This philosophy that has infiltrated our churches has caused the Christian life to be burdensome. I believe God wanted the Christian to enjoy serving Him. Too many Christians come to the point where they only exists as they try to succeed in the philosophy of the Pharisees. There are four things we see from Matthew 23 that causes the Christian life to be burdensome.

First, seeking position causes the Christian life to be a burden. Verse 2 shows us that the Pharisees sought to "...sit in Moses' seat:" You must be careful about falling into this trap of seeking position. I have watched many preachers get discouraged because they sought position among their peers in Christianity only to become disillusioned with the whole Christian life. I have watched Christians whose whole agenda is to acquire a high position in their church. Let me warn you that this will burden down your Christian life.

Second, pleasing man causes the Christian life to be a burden. The verse above shows us that the Pharisees were only concerned with what man thought about them. Christian, if you do everything with the concern of what others think about you, you will place an undo burden on your Christian life. You will never please man! If your Christian life consists of worrying about what others think about you, then serving God will be a burden.

Third, seeking titles causes the Christian life to be a burden. In verse 7 we see that the Pharisees were concerned with how they were addressed. They wanted titles placed on their names to impress people. Stop worrying about titles. Too many people seek a title in their church so they can impress others. If your whole purpose in serving God is to acquire a title, then you will find the Christian life a burden.

Last, seeking associations will cause the Christian life to be a burden. In verse 6 the Pharisees were concerned with being in the "uppermost rooms" with the leaders of their movement. Though I believe this is a small group of people in Christianity, there are those who want to say they are close to a "big name" preacher or Christian to impress others. Don't be a name dropper, for once you start dropping names you will feel you must prove to everyone how close you are to these people.

The answer to all of this is simple. The answer is to serve God to please Him and not man. Let God worry about positions and titles. You just need to stay busy serving God. When you come to the point in your Christian life when you are not concerned with what man thinks, but with what God thinks, then you will find the freedom and enjoyment that you desire.

Distant

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A Distant Heart

Matthew 15:8

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."

The Pharisees were a very religious people. If you were to look at the Pharisees, you would think that they were a very moral people. Their lifestyle was very righteous. Jesus commented about their morality in Matthew 5:20 when He says, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." However, though their lifestyle was moral, their heart was very distant from God. They lived their life for man's perception. Yet, their heart was not in tune with their lifestyle. In the verse above, Jesus condemned their distant heart because He wanted them to draw nigh to Him with their heart.

I see today that there are many people whose lives are very similar to the Philistines. They know how to talk right. When you go to church these people know the "Christian" lingo and how to impress people with it. They dress right as well. If you were to see them walk inside the church, you would think that this is a very sharp Christian person. However, their heart is very distant towards God. They have learned how to act out the Christian life in public, but inside their heart is worldly and vile. Sure, they live moral lives on the outside, but inside they are so filled with worldliness and sin that they have no desire to pray or read the Scriptures. What a sad commentary of many Christians whose heart's are distant towards God.

However, let me take this a step further. There are married couples who draw nigh to each other with what they say, but inside their heart is distant towards their spouse. These couples say what they need to say, but inside their heart is going a different direction. The same can be said about children who say the right things to their parents, but their heart is drifting away. Yes, on the surface they may seem like good children, but they have slowly drawn their heart away from their parents. It is just as bad to have a distant heart with your spouse or parents as it is to have a distant heart with God.

Married person, is your heart distant towards your spouse? Are you just going through the motions of marriage? Your spouse desires your heart to be close more than they desire you going through the motions of saying the right things. They see when you get more involved with other things than you do with them. They can see when another person's phone call brings more emotion than their presence at home. Be careful about simply going through the motions of marriage. Don't just draw near to your spouse with your lips, but also draw near to them with your heart. When your heart has drawn near to your spouse, then meeting each other's physical and emotional needs will be enjoyable, and not an obligation.

Teenager, is your heart distant towards your parents? Are you guilty of saying the right things, but inside your heart is slowly being pulled away? Your parents can see when your heart is slowly being drawn away. Your heart reveals itself when you roll your eyes or complain because you have to do something with them. Teenager, telling your parents "I love you" is a wonderful thing to do, but your parents desire you to draw near to them with your heart.

Christian, don't be guilty of lip service. Put your heart into every relationship. Saying the right things may make someone feel good for the moment, but eventually your heart will be revealed. If you will draw near with your heart, then your actions will back up what you say.

Miranda Rights

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Your Spiritual Miranda Rights

Matthew 12:37

"For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

Anyone who has watched a television show that involved someone being arrested has heard what is called the Miranda rights. When the police arrest someone because they are suspected of a crime, by law the police officer is to read the suspect their Miranda rights which say, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you." These rights warn the suspect that every word they say will be used against them to try and convict them of the crime they are suspected of committing. The power of the suspects words will either condemn them or set them free.

Before the Miranda rights ever existed, God established the fact that a person's words will be held against them. No, you may not be suspected of a crime, but every word you say will be held against you at some time in your life. Often you will hear something brought that a politician has said in the past. Their words condemn or validate their stance on a certain issue. Likewise, it is very important that you watch every word that you speak, for it is likely that one day your words will be used against you.

Every parent needs to be careful what they say. Parents, your children listen to what you say, and if you change your children will throw it in your face. Don't promise your children something that you are not sure that you can fulfill. Only make a promise to your children that you can absolutely fulfill. A parent's word to their child will either justify or condemn their character in the eyes of their child.

Every spouse needs to be careful what they say. Often a spouse will make a promise that they cannot fulfill. When you promise your spouse something, then do everything in your power to fulfill that promise. You can greatly damage your marriage by not keeping your word. Don't break your word, especially when it comes to your marriage vows. When you break the most sacred words that established your marriage, you could ruin the trust your spouse has in you and ultimately destroy your marriage.

Christian, be a person of your word. Follow through with what you say. Preachers need to be careful to follow through with their words. Sunday school teachers need to be careful to do what they say they will do. Spiritual leaders need to be sure that their words do not condemn them. Your character is at stake, and your words will either justify or condemn your stance on the Scriptures.

Simply put, realize that everything you say may be held against you. Because of this, be slow to speak. Don't be rash with your statements, but let everything you say be deliberate and thought out. Before you say you are going to do something, be sure you count the cost of your words. Guard your words all the time just like you would guard your words if you were under arrest. Don't let your words condemn you, but rather let them justify your life because you follow through on everything you say.

Greatness

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Greatness Defined

Matthew 5:19

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

When God defines greatness, you will notice that His definition does not include position. We often hear that a preacher is a great man because of the size of his church. However, the size of a man's church does not make him great. Likewise, the amount a person gives in the offering plate does not make a person great. Just because someone has sacrificed greatly in the Christian life does not make them great. Furthermore, just because a person has started a great Christian organization does not make them great. Though most of these accomplishments will be rewarded, these do not make a Christian great. We often define greatness by how much influence a person has. However, if influence or the size of a work is what make a person a great Christian, then there would be many who would never be able to attain that status in the eyes of God.

God makes it possible for all to attain the status of greatness. God always gives the wherewithal for His people to be able to do what He expects of them. Therefore, when God defined greatness, He simply said that a person who obeys and teaches His commandments is considered great in His kingdom. When God narrowed it down to this definition, then you can see that any person can be considered great, for greatness has nothing to do with status, it all has everything to do with action.

First, to be great you must obey God's commandments. God's Word is filled with His commandments. You will have a hard time attaining greatness if you don't read God's Word daily. When you daily read the Word of God, you will find out what God expects from you as a Christian. Afterwards, you can go from your time of study and obey what He taught you in the Word of God. For instance, God commands us to be faithful to church. That means that you will never be a great Christian without being faithful to church. Likewise, God commands us to be personal soul winners. You cannot be a great Christian unless you actively pursue leading people to Christ. If you don't fulfill the Great Commission, then you cannot be a great Christian. Simply put, the first step in becoming a great Christian is to obey God's commandments.

The second step in becoming a great Christian is to teach God's commandments. In other words, obeying them is not enough, God wants you to graduate into teaching them to others. I often hear people who are trying to impress me with their Christianity by telling me what they don't do. They want me to think they are great because they are obeying God's commandments. However, God says a person is not a great Christian until they start teaching His commandments also. It is not enough just to obey, but you must also teach others what they are supposed to do. This is the final step in becoming a great Christian.

You will notice that becoming a great Christian can be accomplished by simply obeying the Great Commission. If you will start living right, and then lead people to Christ and teach them how to do the same, then you will be considered a great Christian. This means you can be a great Christian. My question to you is this, would God consider you great? Are you actively obeying God's commandments and His will for your life? Then, are you teaching others to do the same? These two are the two requirements needed to become a great Christian. I challenge you to strive to be a great Christian. You may not be recognized as a great Christian on this Earth, but when you get to Heaven you will be recognized as a great Christian if you will do what you've been taught and then teach it to others.

Greatest Words

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The Greatest Words of God

Malachi 1:2

"I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,"

When we think of the greatest words that God has ever said, it seems that it would be hard to come up with the one statement that is the greatest. Face it, there are many wonderful things that God has said or promised. However, I believe that the greatest words that God has ever said are that He loves us.

Notice the verse above says, "I have loved you,..." This love is past tense. God reminds us that He has loved us in the past. When you look at your past you will see God's love was evident. He loved you enough to save you from your sins. He loved you enough to send His Holy Spirit to convict you so that you could get saved. He loved you in the past by allowing you to be created. He proved His love in the past by dying for your sins on the cross. Notice Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Thank God, we can look at our past and see God's love toward us.

However, not only did God love us in the past, but He also loves us in the present. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Christian, this is a present tense love. God loves us so much that the only way He could describe how much He loves us is by saying, "For God so loved the world,..." When you try to describe how great God's love is toward mankind, it is so great that the only word that can describe it is the word, "so." You may think that God could never love you, but I can promise you that He loves you.

Moreover, God will love you in the future. 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, "Charity never faileth:..." This statement is a great statement because once love has been turned on it can never be turned off. Christian, this is wonderful news for you because this is a promise that God will always love you. Because God loved you in the past, and He loves you in the present, then that means that He will continue to love you in the future because love cannot be turned off. What a promise!

The greatest words that God ever said to mankind are that He loves us. You may think that God could not love you because of what you have done, but let me remind you that God does not love you for what you have done, but He loves you because He chose to love you. God does not love us because of who we are, but He loves us because of Who He is. God is love! It matters not how deep you have fallen into sin, God still loves you. It matters not what you have said to God, though you may have hurt Him, He still loves you. It matters not what your status in society is, God loves you. Whether you're rich or poor, God loves you. Whether you're mentally challenged or intelligent, God loves you. Whether you're good or bad, God loves you. Always remember that God's love for you will never stop.

Christian, don't frustrate God's love by continuing in your sin. Let God's love for you be the catalyst that challenges you to clean up the sin in your life. Moreover, don't take God's love for granted. Daily thank God for His love for you. Never let a day pass without thanking God for His love, and telling Him that you love Him.