“And they said to him, ‘Thus says Hezekiah: “This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth’”(2 Kings 19:3).

This verse paints a vivid picture as the nation of Israel is compared to a child who lacks the necessary strength to grow. This image is that of a struggle that many Christians face. We have trusted Christ, and as a result, have been born of God, but we lack the strength to let go of certain behaviors or effectively serve the Lord. This often leads to discouragement, and in some cases, to greater failure. Over the years, I have spoken with many people who have shared that a failure in their walk with God has often led to greater failure. A person who looks once at something they shouldn’t will usually look several times before they find the strength to stop, and a person who is afraid to step out and serve Christ will often miss many opportunities before they find strength.

Just today I met a young man who staggered onto the church grounds. With his arm in a sling and a few exposed bruises, he shared with me how his life is falling apart due to his drinking. He stated that he had received the Lord, and that he loves Jesus, but that he struggles to find the strength to let go of the things that keep pulling him down. Fortunately, there is a remedy, not just for this young man, but for all of us. Those who have been born of God can find the strength necessary to grow out of their struggles and into their relationship with Jesus. This strength is found in several places.

There is strength found in community.

Each person must make an individual decision to follow Christ, but no one has to follow alone. Like a coal in a fire, we will find our greatest success when we are lumped together with others who want to live for Christ. The more effort we give to developing community with other believers, the more strength we will have to grow. Find a good church, get plugged into a connect group and invest in some Christian relationships. Beyond a doubt, you will find that there is strength in numbers.

There is strength found in the Bible.

The promises of God are so sure that no force in heaven or on earth is strong enough to break them. The Bible contains the ability to empower us. When we read its pages, we find that the words of the Bible act like spiritual food, strengthening our inner man. The more we ingest the promises of Scripture, the greater our strength will become. When Daniel was weakened by his circumstances, we read that he heard the word of God and was given the strength to rise to his feet. When Jeremiah felt that the obstacles to serving the Lord were too great to overcome, he decided he would no longer share the words of God with others, that is, until the word of God burned within him like a fire. Taking the word in empowered him to give it out.

There is strength found in the Spirit of God.

Jesus promised to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. He also said that the Spirit would give us power and that power would help us to live a life that would be a good example to others. The Bible is filled with examples of ordinary men who received strength to do extraordinary things through the Spirit of God. Samson defeated enemies; Saul spoke for God; Peter engaged a hostile crowd and led thousands to Christ, and the same power is available to the child of God today. It is worth noting that the Spirit provides strength for us when we choose to obey God. It was when the crippled man allowed Peter to pull him to his feet that the Spirit of God gave strength to his legs to hold him and as Moses’ staff hit the waters of the Red Sea that they actually parted. We will find the same thing to be true today. When you choose to do what God asks, the Spirit will always provide the power to do it.

There is strength in setting up a good defense.

Ancient cities built walls to ensure the safety of the inhabitants. Even Jerusalem, the city of God, had high walls erected around it for protection. When Nehemiah arrived and saw the walls broken down, he demanded that the people do more than pray for protection; they were to work hard to build solid defenses against attack. Strength will be found when we realize our weaknesses and take the time to erect safeguards in our lives that will make it more difficult to fail. A good filtering program for your computer or smart phone will do more for your spiritual health than simply trying to muster up more will power against temptation. The higher your walls of protection, the greater your strength will become. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 25:28, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” There is strength in preparing in advance for the daily battles we face.

Those who have moved on from infancy in their walk with Jesus have not done so because they have a different constitution than the rest of us, but because they have found strength greater than themselves. Maybe it is time to approach your walk with Jesus a little bit differently. Perhaps it is time to see it as a team effort and get plugged in with others who will help you grow.

“…O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths” (Isaiah 3:12).

Isaiah was warning of coming judgment. The people had left the ways of God, perhaps thinking that the Word of God was antiquated. Instead of being a nation that shined as a light to the world around them, Judah had become like all the other nations. Morally, spiritually and ethically, the people who were called by God looked all too similar to the world around them. Isaiah points out one of the main contributors to their downfall: “Those who lead you cause you to err.”

Those who should have been leading the people to follow the paths of God, we’re in fact leading the people away from God. Jesus warned about blind leaders who led blind followers right into a ditch. A nation is in trouble when the leaders lose sight of the proper destination. But who are these leaders?

Who are the people who have the greatest influence on the next generation?

It is not difficult to see the influence that entertainers have upon a culture. Whether it is a sports hero, musician or actor, they have a powerful platform and a strong voice. Companies and causes alike understand that the way to increase their influence is to get a famous person behind their product. Billions of dollars are spent every year by marketers who realize the face of a famous person will lead to increased sales. Even politicians have come to realize that one of the greatest resources for increasing their constituency is to get a rock star or a famous actor to endorse their campaign. That being said, I think it is crucial for us to keep in mind that the most influential leader with the loudest voice into the life of the next generation is not a pop star or an action hero.

The most influential voice impacting the life of a child is the voice they hear within the home.

Even in our modern culture, with its vast array of pressures, parents continue to have the most powerful effect in the lives of children. The decisions we make as parents have a lifetime impact upon our children.

If we want to see the next generation walking with the Lord and seeking to honor Him, we cannot leave that kind of leadership to others. Christian parents cannot expect the church to be the primary tutor of their children’s spiritual development. That is the role of the parent. Every mom and every dad who wants to see their kids walk with the Lord should determine to walk with Him themselves. If you want your children to read their Bibles, start reading yours. If you want your kids to make good choices, exemplify that in your life. If you want your kids to think that living for Christ means that we follow a higher standard than the world around us, then be sure you are living by that standard yourself. If you want to see your children lay up treasures in heaven, then make investments in eternity with your time, talents and treasures. If you want to see your children serve the Lord, then get involved in serving Christ with them.

Fortunately, we do not have to travel down the road of parenting alone.

God established the church where we can develop good and godly relationships for ourselves and our children. We have the resources of devoted people who are willing to pour into our children week in and week out. I think sometimes the most important and under appreciated people in any church are the children’s ministry leaders.

That being said, it is important that each parent sees the church for what it is. God designed it as a support for what He has called each of us to do at home. If our children are seeing one model six days a week and being taught a different one for one hour on Sunday, there is little chance that they will make decisions to follow Christ. Robert Munger wrote a tiny little booklet called My Heart Christ’s Home. In it, he imagines our life to be like a home, and we are to invite Jesus into every room. As He enters, there are things that please Him and other things that need to be removed. It is good for us as parents to take inventory of our lives and make any and all changes necessary for the sake of our children. Keep in mind, it is never too late to have a positive influence, and an apology goes a long way in the life of a child.

Allow me to share one more thought. Some of us are brokenhearted because our children have turned from the lifestyle they were raised in. They have walked away from the Lord because of the influence of an ungodly professor or group of friends. Keep in mind that although it is painful and it may seem like they are lost forever, God is far from done in their lives. Our fellowship is filled with people who at one time or another walked away from the Lord only to be drawn back to Him later. Jesus told the story of a young man who ran from his father’s influence and almost destroyed his life. Yet he later came to his senses and returned home. Don’t lose heart; God is not done. I met a woman just the other day who came to Christ at 88 years old, and it was the influence of her daughter that finally broke down the walls and caused her to soften to Christ.

For most of us, Christmas is a joyous time of year, filled with family gatherings, gift exchanges and various means of celebrating the birth of Christ. The first carol we hear often floods our minds with images of houses filled with guests, festive meals and little faces overcome with excitement in anticipation of the gifts they will receive. We spend our time thinking of creative ways to engage the family with the story of the birth of Christ and praying for opportunities to share Christ with family members who have yet to come to faith.

There are, however, many within the church who have suffered great loss, and the holidays tend to magnify their pain more than they provide the comfort they need.

The ministry of Christ was filled with expressions of compassion and mercy to those who were facing difficult seasons.

We read of widows, lepers, distraught parents and brokenhearted family members that encountered Jesus, only to be overwhelmed with His tremendous expressions of love. Christmas lends us the opportunity to do more than celebrate with loved ones; it provides us the backdrop to express the love of Christ to those who are hurting.

Perhaps you know someone who has lost a loved one in the past year: Go out of your way to reach out to them.

A phone call, an invitation to coffee, an offer to sit together for Christmas Eve service or a thoughtful gift may go a whole lot farther than you ever thought. We often think that an expression of love must be large to be valuable, but the economy of God is quite different. Jesus spoke of the value of a cup of cold water, a personal visit or even a widow’s mite. If He values those things, it would do us good to put a high price tag upon them as well and look for simple ways to express love to those who are hurting. Your own personal celebrations might be greatly enhanced by including someone whose heart is broken and needs nothing as much as they need a friend.

Perhaps you have undergone great loss yourself, and your heart has been broken. I know that those wounds run deep and the sorrow is often overwhelming. Without diminishing the difficulty you are facing, I hope the words of Paul would bring you a great deal of comfort. He was writing to a group of believers who had recently suffered the loss of loved ones. “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

The hope that Paul is speaking of is twofold. First, it refers to the fact that those who have died in Christ are in glory, experiencing the wonders of heaven and of intimate fellowship with Christ.

This hope of heaven includes the promise that we will one day be with them again.

We can anticipate and even long for a day when we will be united together in glory. Secondly, this hope refers to the comfort, peace, healing, restoration and strength that Christ will give to us in our time of sorrow. One of the great benefits of being in a relationship with Jesus is that He promises to give us peace that will outlast the storms of life. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Whatever difficulty you are facing, whatever struggle or loss that has broken your heart, be encouraged that the comfort of Christ will mend your broken heart and guard your heart and mind with a peace that passes understanding.

With the US presidential elections only a few days away…

I thought it appropriate to take a few minutes to share some thoughts regarding the Christian’s responsibility in the realm of politics. While it is clear to all of us that the Bible says nothing specific about voting, it would be difficult to imagine that, if the New Testament writers had an opportunity to be involved in the selection of the emperor, they would not have cast a vote for one who would increase the hostility toward believers or reduce the freedoms they enjoyed in propagating the Gospel message. Since persecutions ebbed and flowed in the first centuries of the church and the level of persecution directly impacted the believers’ freedom to perform the great commission, the person seated upon the emperor’s throne played a huge role in the furtherance of the kingdom.

Today an ideal situation might be that we, as American voters, were presented with two equally godly individuals, where we could simply vote for the policies they promise to uphold. We, of course, do not live in a perfect world and the character of the candidates has been one of the hottest topics in the news, social media and around the kitchen table.

Since it may be difficult for a believer to cast his or her vote for either candidate based upon character, we must look beyond that and determine, first, if we bear a responsibility to vote, and second, what criteria we should look to when making our final decision.

The Bible places a responsibility upon the Christian to be obedient to authority. Paul is perhaps the clearest on the subject when he writes, “There is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” If that is true, then we must concede that the form of government we reside under was designed by God for the age in which we live. Since a democratic government places a responsibility on its citizens to vote, we can conclude that it is not only the right but also the responsibility of the believer to vote his or her conscience. The Bible also explains the purpose of government. It was established not to replace the church in ministering or caring for the needs of the citizens but to provide structure and to protect its citizens. Paul wrote “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”

How then do we determine whom to vote for?

The first few centuries of the church saw a variety of different Roman emperors. Some were indifferent to the Christian church while others were harsh opponents whose policies restricted the spreading of the Gospel and the safety of the believer. If the first century believer could have chosen, there is little doubt he would have voted for fewer restrictions and more freedoms. Today we are presented with candidates that have done much to call into question their character, and as a result, it may be difficult to vote for either party. Perhaps we need to look at this election from a different standpoint. Rather than focusing upon the character flaws of the candidates, perhaps we should look at the freedoms they will protect or remove as it relates to our responsibilities to perform our Christian duties. If one party shows evidence that these freedoms will be protected, it is my opinion to cast our vote for that candidate. Remember, it is not the government’s responsibility to perform the duty of the Christian or the church.

Ultimately, we must understand that God is on the throne, and He is the one who sets up and pulls down regents. Daniel declared, “The Most High rules the kingdom of men.” We know that all things are heading toward the return of Christ who will set up His kingdom where righteousness will reign. Until then we should be praying for our leaders that we might enjoy an environment that allows us the freedom to serve Christ and proclaim the Gospel freely.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

The apostle John wrote that the part of the purpose of Jesus coming into the world was to reveal God. If we are going to know who God is, the barrier between the natural and the spiritual must be broken. The incarnation broke that barrier. The mystery of God would now forever be made known to mankind, and we no longer have to wonder what God is like. John explains that God became flesh, so we could behold Him, and that if we do, we will see that He is full of grace and truth. These two characteristics are not opposed to one another. It is not as though Jesus wants to be gracious but must also be truthful. His grace is expressed in truth and His truth in grace. Every encounter Jesus had with fallen man would be an expression of His grace and truth, and as we seek to reflect Christ to a dying world, we must seek to do the same.

Over the past 26 years of ministry, I have often found myself in pretty awkward situations that have left me wondering, if I had known what ministry really was, would I have signed up for it. I have been in hospital rooms when decisions were made to “pull the plug” on a loved one. I have been behind enemy lines to encourage churches in difficult regions. And I have even had ashes from an urn inadvertently blow in my face and get in my eyes, nose and mouth.

All that said, I recently experienced one of the most awkward ministry opportunities of all time.

I was invited to pray at a candlelight vigil in response to the recent horrific shooting in Orlando. Our community, like many across Florida, put together an event to show support for those hospitalized or who lost loved ones. I knew next to nothing about the organizers of the event and simply saw it as an opportunity to share the love and comfort of Christ to a group of people who were hurting and confused by such a senseless act of violence. When I arrived, I immediately found the event organizer who placed my name on a list with several others and informed me that the schedule was very informal, and that he would be calling us up at various times throughout the evening. After a few minutes, he introduced the musicians who played several well known songs concluding their set with “Hallelujah” by, “???.” Our host then took the platform and, to my surprise, introduced himself as a leader among the gay community and thanked all those who came in support of those who had been targeted in the attack. Over the course of the next hour or so, many individuals were introduced who sought to comfort the grieving and show support for the gay community.

I was a little shocked that at a prayer gathering there was very little actual prayer offered, and instead, we heard from several individuals who spoke in defense of Islam as a religion of peace that condemns the violent attack of terrorists and even one clergyman who apologized on behalf of Jesus and the church for the way the LGBT community has been treated. As the evening moved on, numerous thoughts were running through my head including, “How did I get myself into this?” And “Would anyone notice if I slipped out the back?” I truthfully considered leaving, wondering if my presence would somehow be construed as acceptance. As I stood side by side with my wife, silently praying, I thought of Jesus in the house of Levi, and what it must have been like for Timothy to minister under the shadow of the Temple to Diana in Ephesus.

I soon began to sense the Lord granting me boldness to share grace and truth.

When my turn finally arrived, I was the last person to take the mic and was instructed to close the event in prayer. I addressed the audience, declaring that part of the reason times like these are so difficult is because of the vast array of emotions that we must endure. We have all experienced disbelief, shock, sadness, rage, and perhaps, even a level of fear of what may be happening next. I drew their attention to the promise of Jesus who declared that all who were weary and heavy laden could come to Him and find rest, and that He wanted to relieve their burden and replace it with one of His own.

I proceeded to share about His death, burial, resurrection and Ascension in order to explain that He is at the right hand of God serving as our High Priest, and that any who will come to Christ receives mercy for sin and grace to aid them in life. Sensing my time was up, I began to pray for those who were hurting, saddened and fearful. I reminded them that developing resolve to stand strong is probably not the best reaction to these events but instead to humble themselves and cry out to God. While I was treated kindly, I could sense an uneasiness among the crowd. Certainly, the message they heard from me was quite different than the others that preceded it, but I remembered that the job of the Spirit is to testify of Christ, and it is our job to simply bear witness.

When the event ended, we spent a few minutes hanging around just to be available in case anyone wanted to talk.

As I scanned the area for people looking my way, I noticed my wife bending over an individual who was sitting on one of the steps. As I approached, he was sharing his story with her and talking about a medical procedure he had endured years before. We soon found ourselves laying hands on him and praying for God to touch his life. The next evening at our midweek service, one of the teenagers approached me and shared that his mother had been at the event and how thankful she was that we would come to such an awkward setting and share the truth of Christ in such a gracious way.

We are living in an increasingly secular society that is becoming further and further removed from the Judeo-Christian ethic upon which it was developed. We are actually in the midst of raising the third generation of citizens without the influence of the Scriptures. Many of the people who we meet in the streets, pass by in the markets or work side by side with have never really heard the message of Christ. It is imperative that we as leaders continue to share the truth of Christ in a gracious way. Remember, we were never sent out to win theological or moral arguments with the world, but we were sent to declare the gospel of Jesus in the power of the Spirit of God.

“You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:4).

John 3:16 is the most famous verse in the Bible, because in 25 words, it captures the entire message of Scripture; there is a loving God who will freely give eternal life to all who believe in His Son Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 13:4 is similar in that it’s 28 words capture so much of what it means to walk with with God.

Moses gives six steps that will lead any believer to success in following Christ:

1. “You shall walk after The Lord your God”

The first step in following Christ is following.

In other words, if we are going to follow Jesus, we need to go where He is going. Too many believers fail, because they continue to go where God is not going. We often hear of college students who attend fraternity parties, where drinking and other activities are rampant. They convince themselves that they will attend and not participate, but not too long after, the pressures of the crowd become too great to resist.

We hear of married men who spend too much time with a co-worker, establishing an unhealthy relationship that leads to a weak moment and devastates a marriage and a family. Remember these things and others like them can be avoided if we walk where He is walking. Solomon reminds us that there are certain roads the believer should not travel.

“Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on” (Proverbs 4:14-15).

2. “Fear Him”

Fear is often viewed as a negative emotion. We learn early in life that, if we are going to succeed at anything, we must overcome our fears. The Bible itself exhorts the Christian not to fear, because God is with us and will protect us. There is, however, a healthy side to fear. Being afraid of falling will cause us to be more cautious when climbing. Being afraid of illness will help us to avoid certain foods when traveling, and having a healthy fear of God will cause us not to want to practice things that He has forbidden.

Proverbs 8:13 explains that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil and depart from it.

A practical way to define the fear of God is to be more concerned with what God thinks than anything else. This will help us avoid ungodly activities and pursue righteousness. Instead of viewing things as whether or not they will bring us pleasure, we should view them as whether or not they please God.

3. “Keep His commandments”

The surest way to succeed in our walk with Christ is to read the Bible and do what it says. The Bible is designed not only to guide our lives but also to redirect us, when we get off course. The surest way to stumble is to either ignore the Bible completely or to begin to read without action.

We should daily consult the Word, allowing it to cast light unto our thinking, our behaviors and our way of life. During Israel’s journey in the wilderness, they were led by a cloud and a pillar of fire. It would seem that with that kind of clear guidance, they would always make the best decisions and do the right thing. Sadly, we find that they struggled daily to obey the Lord. We do not have a cloud to follow through life, but we do have the clear teachings of Scripture. If we want to succeed in following Christ, we must obey them at every turn.

4. “Obey His voice”

One of the great benefits of being in a relationship with God is that He will speak to us. When Elijah fled to the caves of Mount Horeb, he heard God speak to him in a quiet voice. When Paul and his party were traveling through ancient Turkey, they heard God direct them away from Asia and Bythinia and ultimately to Macedonia. It seems that God is still in the practice of speaking to His children in a quiet voice. I have found that He will prompt me to send a random text to someone only to find that it was an opportune moment for ministry. I have learned that He will often warn me in advance, so I am prepared to face the temptation that is coming.

On one occasion, I was invited to lunch by a new member of our church. As I pulled up to the restaurant, I suddenly thought of James’ exhortation not to elevate the well dressed above the poor in the local church. Not sure why that thought came to mind, I quickly read through the passage, prayed and made my way in the restaurant. It did not take long for me to realize that this man was attempting to use his success to buy his way into leadership in the church. I was so glad that I had heeded the quiet voice of God.

5. “You shall serve Him”

Just recently, a woman from our church approached me and said, “I have become so confident in who I am in Christ, since I began to serve Him.” Serving Jesus has a way of making us depend upon Him, and dependence leads to getting to know Him at a deeper level.

One of the surest ways to get in a spiritual rut is to fail to have an outlet of ministry. No matter what your comfort level might be, get involved in your local church. Listen to the needs that are presented and commit your time, efforts and energy to serve. You will find that your relationship with Christ will explode.

Think about what great things have been accomplished for the Lord because people stepped away from what was easy and comfortable and into what made them rely on God for every step. Personally, I am not very comfortable in front of people, which is pretty awkward for a pastor. I realized long ago that, if I was going to continue to experience the power and provision of God, I had to be willing to go where He was leading, even if it was difficult.

6. “Hold fast to Him”

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Hold on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride?” Well, following Christ can be like that. We must cling to the Lord in times of darkness or difficulty. Instead of allowing hard times to cause us to accuse God of wrong, we should use those times to cling to Him and find His strength and learn His ways. Some of the greatest stories in Scripture happened with the darkest of backdrops. In fact, summing up the behavior of a generation of individuals who faithfully followed the Lord, the writer of Hebrews declared:

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

Their success was linked to the fact that they embraced the promises of God. There are times in life where we must cling to a promise like it was our lifeline.

Thankfully, there is nothing in heaven or on earth strong enough to break the Word of God.

Regardless of our philosophical viewpoints, I think almost everyone would agree. We live in very interesting times. We are in the midst of one of the most highly contested presidential elections we have ever seen. While some are passionately committed to a particular candidate, others have resigned themselves, determined that no possibilities give us any real hope of changing the downward direction of our nation. Added to this, we have just lost one of our Supreme Court justices, creating an even more complicated scenario for American politics. It seems our natural reaction to these things is despair. This hopelessness often produces a constant flow of complaint about the present condition and fear for what lies ahead. I am reminded of the words of Charles Spurgeon who wrote:

“Ill weeds grow swiftly. Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated.”

It is natural to complain about the economy, politics, and the moral state of our nation. But the Bible places an expectation upon the child of God.

That we would go beyond the natural and do things that will actually bring about positive change in the world we live in.

“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.” Exodus 22:28

Under the Old Testament law, God made it illegal for the people to curse their rulers. This was not because the rulers would always prove to be faultless, nor did it mean that they were above the law, or that their actions could not be questioned. In fact, God always puts a higher standard on rulers than He does on the rest of the people. James even warns those who are teachers. They will be under a stricter judgment than others. This law was designed to point out the folly of complaining about those who are in charge. Instead of grousing about our leaders, the laws, or the direction the nation is heading, the Bible gives us far more productive ways to handle poor leadership and a declining culture. God instructs us to pray for our leadership and to infiltrate the culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Our nation allows each of us an equal voice in the selection of our leaders. We exercise that voice at the ballot box. Yet, we have a means far more effective than our vote. It is our prayer closet.

As believers, we bear a responsibility to vote but an even greater responsibility to pray for our leadership.

In Israel’s history, God allowed certain kings to reign, because they represented the wickedness of the people. At other times, God expressed His mercy by raising up a leader, who would bring about significant change, that resulted in wide spread revival for the nation. Paul explained the motivation behind praying for our leadership: God desires all men everywhere to be saved. We should be faithfully praying for leaders who would create an environment that allows for the furtherance of the kingdom.

Regardless of who sits on earthly thrones, the responsibility of the church does not change. The church was birthed in very heated political times. Israel sat under Roman dominance, and immorality was rampant throughout the empire. The early church did not look to Caesar as the answer to life’s problems. They looked to the Lord. They did not wait for legislation to make ministry easier or more accepted, nor did they become sidetracked from the mission in hand. Instead, they took seriously the great commission, and believed that no matter what happened in Rome, the world needed to hear about Jesus. Their message was not political but biblical. They believed that the hope for their world was the cross, and they proclaimed it boldly to the farthest reaches of the globe. As things heated up politically, the church became more devoted to prayer and the proclamation of the Gospel to the whole world.

I wonder what would happen if we took half the time we spent complaining about the condition of our nation and invested that in prayer and in seeking effective ways to bring the Gospel message to others.

“You shall go… and take a wife for my son Isaac.” Genesis 24:4

Relationships are a key part of life. Healthy relationships lead to a good life and unhealthy relationships will make life very difficult. The most important earthly relationship is marriage and who you marry is the second most important decision in life (second only to receiving Christ). Solomon wrote, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22). Genesis 24 tells the story of how Isaac and Rebekah met. Their story is a bit different than most of ours because the marriage was arranged, but there are some vital principles to keep in mind for any relationship.

But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. Genesis 24:40

First, it is important to remember that God has a plan for you. Paul wrote that God has foreordained good works for us to walk in. That includes whom we will marry. Long before Abraham’s servant arrived at the well, the angel of the Lord was there preparing the way. To think that God has forgotten you is bad theology and often leads to bad decisions. When we forget that God has a plan for us, we get impatient and begin to settle for less. Imagine if Adam did not wait on the Lord, he may have ended up with an ape.

Secondly, we are told where they met. Abraham was adamant that Isaac’s bride not be selected from the Canaanites. The reason for this was that they were ungodly. If Isaac was going to have a good marriage he must choose a godly wife. As his servant went on the search he selected a location where the young women gathered to draw water. I have been told that the three most important rules of real estate are location, location, location. The same is true of relationships. If Isaac was going to find a godly wife, he needed to look in the right places. Too often people become lonely, impatient and discouraged. When they have not found the right someone, they lower their standards and start looking in the wrong places. Remember there are certain places that are off limits. Looking for a relationship with an unbeliever, off limits. Looking for a relationship with someone who is married, off limits. Looking for a godly relationship amidst ungodly people, foolish.

Thirdly, Abraham’s servant had a high standard. He was first taken by the beauty of Rebekah, but that beauty was soon overshadowed by her godliness. She revealed her godliness in her willingness to serve and her great faith. Having never met Isaac, she was willing to trust the Lord and move forward with the relationship. Solomon wrote,

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

One of the grave mistakes that we make is in seeking a spouse instead of seeking the Lord.

Notice also that while the servant is out searching, Isaac is at home waiting on the Lord. This serves as a vivid illustration. Isaac represents the believer waiting on the Lord and the servant represents the Holy Spirit at work. Isaac finds his bride, not by seeking her but by seeking the Lord. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). One of the grave mistakes that we make is in seeking a spouse instead of seeking the Lord. There are things worse than being single. That is not a curse but a condition in which you must learn to trust in and walk with the Lord. Who you are and what you do while single is a picture of who you will be and what you will do when you are married. If you are discontent, distracted and compromising now, you will do the same when married. The key is to rest in Christ, trust in Him and faithfully wait for Him to provide you with your spouse.

Allow me to give one more bit of guidance. Sometimes a person will remain single because they either have unrealistic expectations of others, or they are set in their ways and unwilling to make any changes for the sake of a relationship. Relationships cannot happen if we are not willing to let go of self, humble ourselves and exalt the needs of the other. Rebekah was willing to give up her way of life for the sake of a relationship with Isaac. Isaac was willing to forsake the ways of the world around him and give himself to Rebekah alone. Once married it did not mean that life went on without difficulty. Later we will read that after twenty years of marriage, they were still unable to have children. Rather than become angry with God or their circumstances, we are told that they cried out to the Lord. The secret to solving relationship problems is found in seeking the guidance of God.

Whatever state you are currently in, whether you are single and waiting or married and struggling, the key to success is learning to trust in and wait upon the Lord. Remember, He has a plan for your life and much of that plan has to do with making you into the person He desires for you to become.

Pastor Jim Gallagher of Calvary Chapel of Vero Beach speaks at Creation Fest 2015.

Creation Fest is a Christian Music Festival and Bible Week held at The Royal Cornwall Events Centre (Royal Cornwall Showground), in Wadebridge.

Acts 21:8-9

“On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”

As Paul made his way to Jerusalem to celebrate a feast and look for opportunity to share Christ with his countrymen, he stopped in the city of Caesarea at the home of Philip the evangelist. We were first introduced to Philip back in Acts 6 when the church sought to solve a problem by selecting servants to minister to those in need. Philip was one of these young men. Later he became a missionary to Samaria, and then an itinerant evangelist who finally settled down and raised a family in the Roman city of Caesarea.

It is here that we are introduced to his four virgin daughters who prophesied. While we are not given much insight into his family life, we can conclude that if he raised four young ladies who walked with and served the Lord, he must have implemented certain biblical principles into his home. While it is true that even those raised in the godliest of homes sometimes walk away from the Lord, it is also true that applying biblical principles in our homes will greatly increase our chances of raising godly kids. The following are some important principles to keep in mind as we seek to raise up another generation to love and serve Christ.

Psalm 127:3-5

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

As parents we need to see our children not as our property but as our responsibility. We bear a responsibility to God, to them, and to society in general to raise children who understand who God is and what is required of them. It is the primary responsibility of home, not the church or Christian school, to educate our children on God and His Word. The question we want to ask ourselves is, how do we go about doing that? Part of the answer is found in the actions of Hannah as she offered Samuel to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

“’For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to Him. Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.’ And they worshiped the LORD there.”

Perhaps the first step in childrearing is to dedicate our children to the Lord. We need to see that God formed them in their mother’s womb and has a plan for their lives. They are fearfully and wonderfully made and He has foreordained good works for them to walk in. It is our responsibility to prepare them for the calling God has placed upon their lives.

I have always been struck by the actions of Amram and Jochebed, who took their infant child, placed him in a basket and set him adrift in the Nile. They were able to do this because they trusted their son into the hands of the Lord, believing that God had a plan for his life.

Joshua 24:15

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua gives valuable insight into biblical childrearing. He declares that he not only devoted his family but also himself to the Lord. One of the mistakes that many parents make is hoping that their children will walk with the Lord and make godly decisions while they themselves fail to do the same. This behavior crippled the parenting of David. When he allowed sin into his life, he became incapable of dealing with the misbehavior of his children. Lectures, church attendance and disciplinary actions do not speak nearly as loudly to a child as a good example does.

Not long ago a young pastor was sharing at our church. After the service he was asked how he as a pastor’s kid grew up to love and serve Christ. His answer stayed with me. He said, “My dad was the same guy at home as he was at church.” It was the godly example of his father that most impacted his life.

Parenting is the greatest and most challenging adventure we will ever set out upon. It is important that we do so carefully and with the guidelines set for us in the Word of God.

Proverbs 22:6

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

In addition to dedicating our lives and our children to the Lord, it is critical that we take the time to properly instruct our children in the Word and the ways of God. This can seem like an overwhelming task to many parents. We feel as though we are no experts on the Bible and do not have what it takes to instruct others. This can be easily dealt with by simply reading through the Scriptures with your children. Perhaps a good way to start is to read through the Gospels each night before they go to sleep. Even older children enjoy hearing the stories of Christ. It also might be helpful to get some simple, age-appropriate devotionals to read with your children or to have them read before bed. Every investment of the Word will bring about great dividends in their lives.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

As important as it is to read the Scriptures with your children, it is also important to put the lessons of the Word into practice in the real world. Infusing biblical principles in the issues of life is a great way to go about doing that.

For a period of time my oldest son and I were spending time surfing together a couple times a week. When I would get home from work he would have the boards waxed and ready to go. Those drives to the beach and hours spent in the water became a great time to disciple him. We talked about surfing, competing, winning, losing and applied the principles of the Word to every situation. It was those times where he learned how to live his Christianity out in the real world. You might not have an ocean nearby or any desire to get into it, but drives to soccer games, ballet or science fairs become ideal times to let your children talk about what matters to them and to help them see how God would have them react.

Recently we saw the reward of some of those investments in our youngest son when he was having issues with a friend. My wife listened to his grievances without really giving him any direction. The next day he called and informed us that he felt as though the Lord told him that he needed to humble himself and show love to his friend. We were so proud of him, as well as so blessed to see him applying the truths of Scripture to his personal situation.

Proverbs 13:24

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”

Ephesians 6:4

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

There are times as a parent where we need to step in and discipline our children. A recent study showed that children who had clear guidelines that were lovingly and strictly enforced had a much higher self worth and were much more socially prepared than those whose parents failed to have clear standards.

While discipline is important, it is also necessary to realize that we cannot place standards on our children that are too difficult for them to keep. It is pretty common for parents to see character traits in their children that they do not like about themselves. Since these traits have given us such difficulty in life, we attempt to discipline them out of our children.

I can remember growing up and seeing my dad and my older brother in regular conflict with one another. Recently he and I were reminiscing and he said, “Do you remember Dad threatening to send us to military school?” I immediately responded, “He never threatened to send us to military school, he reserved that threat for you alone.” The reason they had such conflict was due to the fact that my oldest brother was the most like my dad. The fear of him repeating his father’s mistakes drove my dad to put expectations way too difficult for him to fulfill. This seems to be pretty common. What we need to do is trust that God will use some of the weaknesses of our children to sanctify them and transform them into the image of Christ. I am not talking about failing to address the misdeeds of our children but we must do it with grace and understanding.

Parenting is the greatest and most challenging adventure we will ever set out upon. It is important that we do so carefully and with the guidelines set for us in the Word of God.

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:15)

Sin is the most deadly force on the planet. It is the cause of indescribable suffering for innumerable people, yet for some reason we are often confused regarding its dangers. We think that God is trying to keep us from experiencing the fun things in life by putting restrictions on us. People mistakenly think that sinful things are “not that bad” and don’t really hurt anyone. This idea comes from a wrong view of sin and its nature.

Years ago I was sitting in the back of a room filled with junior high students and I heard the phrase, “Sin is not bad because God said don’t do it, sin is bad and so God said don’t do it.” Allow me to illustrate. There is nothing immoral about chewing gum. Repeatedly chomping gum up and down inside your jaw is not wrong or a sinful action. However, I once worked at a school that had a policy that forbade chewing gum. The janitorial staff had become tired of cleaning gum off the desks, carpet, concrete and every other surface students happened to stick it. Because of the rule it became an offense.

Often we think of sin like that. We think there is nothing wrong with sin except that God forbids it. This attitude leads to compromise, and compromise leads to unnecessary suffering. The fact is sin destroys lives. That is sin’s nature. When a person chooses to ignore the warnings of God and pursues a lifestyle that God forbids, it will lead to his or her demise and will spread like cancer, impacting the lives of those closest to them.

Empirical data proves this to be true. Those who live for pleasure will quickly find that pleasure does not satisfy. If their pursuit of pleasure leads them to the use of controlled substances, it will not be long before they find that the substances control them. I cannot tell you how many families have been in my office weeping over a husband or a child whose life is being destroyed by drugs or alcohol. If their pursuit leads them into promiscuity, they will often leave shattered lives in their wake. How many homes have been destroyed by the promiscuity of one man or woman? How many more children need to grow up without a father because a person pursues a life of pleasure without regard to those who are impacted by his or her decisions.

Sin destroys and leads to death. That is what it does. It is not capable of accomplishing anything else. If we want to live a blessed life, it will not be found by compromising with sin but by allowing the power of God to remove it from us.

As we come to a crossroad in life, we look for an obvious sign to point us in the right direction, but it seems that oftentimes we find that the sign is illegible or non-existent. This is a very common experience for almost every Christian and can apply to numerous settings in everyday life. To discover the will of God can often be confusing and even somewhat frustrating.

Whenever we face decisions we face the dilemma of attempting to decode the will of God. I think there are two things we need to keep in mind if we are going to succeed in determining what God wants in any given situation.

First we need to remember that there remains for all of us what is called the general will of God. No matter who we are and what we might be facing, these things remain true for all of us. We know certain things to be true of God and these remain the constant in any equation we are seeking to solve.

Some of these constants include the following:

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality. 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Whatever situation we are facing, the purposes of God will always include reaching the lost, or bringing us into a deeper commitment to Christ and sanctifying us––a process of making us more like Jesus. When we seek to make any decision, about a new job, a relationship or a difficulty in the home, we need to keep in mind the big picture that God wants to save souls and make us more like Jesus.

The second thing to keep in mind is that God not only has a general will that includes all of us, but He also has a specific will for each one of us. Paul explained that the Lord has “foreordained good works for us to walk in” (Ephesians 2:10). That is a beautiful way of saying that God is concerned with where we work, whom we marry and how we live. As we walk with Him we need to learn how to determine His will so that we can walk in His path. The Bible gives us practical ways to help discover His will. Consider these passages.

In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:3

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

“Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” Deuteronomy 4:6

We learn that wisdom is hid in Christ, accessed through prayer and received in the pages of the Bible. In other words, when we are confused we can go to God in prayer and expect Him to speak to us through His Word. Sometimes the answers are easy to find. We might have an idea to do something and find that Scripture forbids it.

I recall when I first got saved that I began to pray about everything and I even asked God to bless things that His Word forbid. I recall being in a relationship that was clearly forbidden by Scripture, yet I continued to keep asking God to bless it. As time went on the relationship collapsed and I later learned that it was built on ungodly principles. To determine whether or not something is forbidden, we need to look at what the Bible has to say about the subject.

Sometimes we will find a wealth of information. If we are struggling in our marriage the Bible is filled with scriptures that address both marriage and relationships. If we begin to apply biblical principles to our circumstances, we will discover that the will of God begins to become very clear. Other times the Bible seems to be silent on the subject. It may say nothing regarding the promotion you have been offered or whether or not it is time to move into a new home. In those cases the words of Paul to the Colossians are priceless. He wrote in Colossians 3:15, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

As believers we are not left simply with a road map to guide us, we are also filled with the Spirit of God who speaks to us. When I first sensed a call of God to ministry and realized I needed training, I made an appointment to tour a nearby Christian university that my friends attended. I had prayed and even asked for prayer from some of my Christian friends, but it was not until I walked onto the campus that I heard from the Lord. It became clear to me that this was not the path I was supposed to walk down and the clarity came from an overwhelming sense of the peace of God departing from me. Sometimes we can have a wide open door to do something, yet the peace of God is lacking. It is at those times we must trust that the Spirit of God is speaking to us and has a different route for us to take.

As you keep moving forward in your relationship with Christ, keep these principles in mind and remember that God desires to speak to you. It is not as though He is hiding His ways from us but has tucked them away in His Word and will reveal them to us as we daily walk in step with Him.

Acts 2:42
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The word “doctrine” is a translation of the Greek word διδασκαλία (didaskalia) meaning “teachings,” and is used generally to speak of the entirety of the teachings of the Bible, but more specifically regarding what the Bible teaches on any particular subject. Biblical doctrine is important because the gospel is based on a specific message that cannot be altered, changed, added to or subtracted from. As Christians what we believe will affect how we live. It becomes the responsibility of the student of Scripture to accurately uncover what the Bible says regarding the subjects it addresses and how to use those principles to guide us in subjects that are never mentioned within the Word of God. There are a few simple principles to keep in mind when attempting to uncover biblical doctrine.

First, doctrines are developed by looking at everything the Bible has to say on the subject.

We cannot formulate our position on any subject by only looking at a few select verses and ignoring others. An example of this might be the Sabbath. The Bible clearly teaches that Israel was to rest on the Sabbath by avoiding regular activities that constituted work. However, the law also required a child to be circumcised on the eighth day. That meant that any male child born on Friday would need to be circumcised on the following Sabbath. An operation of that nature clearly constituted a form of work. These truths do not contradict one another but complete one another. So observance of the Sabbath, or we might even say proper worship on the Sabbath, included the circumcision of the child. This principle must be applied to every doctrine within Scripture.

Second, we need to make a distinction between doctrinal texts, support texts and those that illustrate doctrine.

For example, the Bible teaches that a generation of believers will enter heaven without going through the doorway of death. This doctrine is referred to as the rapture of the church and is taught, supported and illustrated within Scripture. The texts where the rapture is the primary subject of the writing are found in John 14:3, 1Thessalonians 4 and 1Corinthians 15. We are told that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

These passages form the primary doctrinal texts on the rapture, but there are a host of passages that both support the subject and illustrate it. We have text like Revelation 4 where John is called through a doorway that takes him from earth and into heaven. It is from here that John watches the events of the tribulation unfold. It seems clear that this passage illustrates not only the event of the rapture, but its timing as it relates to the tribulation. In Revelation 4 it is John that is being caught up, not the church. The rapture might also be seen in Enoch’s translation and in Elijah being taken to heaven in a chariot. These texts are clearly not about the rapture but certainly seem to illustrate it in one way or another. As a student of Scripture it is important that we learn to make a distinction between doctrinal passages and those that illustrate doctrine.

Some of the doctrines that seem to be getting a lot of press today are God’s view of drinking and of sexual orientation and practice. A lot of the discussions could easily be avoided by simply taking the time to look into Scripture and uncovering exactly what the Bible says on each of these subjects. Be sure you take the time to be a careful student of Scripture and avoid the temptation to explain away certain things just because you do not understand, agree with or like them.