We've Moved!

For nearly a year and a half, Ben and I have used this blog as a way to express to the world information that we feel is needed sorely. That information is the Word of God. The Word allows each of us to see life as God intended to be from the beginning. The Word is dynamic, and it must continue to be shared, and it will. Instead of us posting here on this site that has served the spreading of the Word so greatly, we will now be posting from WWW.PROVEALLTHINGS.US.

Our brother Benjamin Bruce has so generously designed and built this new site, and we are especially grateful for his good work. Even though our online "headquarters" have changed, our commitment to the Word and the kingdom of God and to Jesus Christ has not wavered. We will continue to provide (for all who will read), material that sheds light on the ancient texts that serve as the foundation of our faith. For all who are regular readers, we are grateful for your patience, and hope that you will visit us at Prove All Things!

biblical

What words do you use to describe your faith? Exciting? User-friendly? Evangelical? Liberal? Conservative? Moderate? Mainstream?

If you answered to any of the above descriptions, I would be interested in hearing your reasoning behind your answer. See, recently, I've been trying to find words that help describe authentic Christian faith, and hopefully words that describe my own faith in and relationship with God.

The very first word that came to mind was: BIBLICAL.

What is a system of belief without the Bible? Absolutely dead! The writer of Hebrews described the word of God as "living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword". There is great power and life in God's word! The Bible is indeed the greatest Book ever written.

Its Author is God.

Its message is universal.

Its truth is timeless.

Peter wrote that, "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit". Paul described the Sacred Writings as "words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit".

The foundation of Christian faith resides in the words of Jesus Christ. At one time, God spoke to the fathers by the prophets, "but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world". By the words of Jesus, the world will be judged.

Any person desiring to follow Jesus must be willing to be a "doer of the word". Those who hear the word but do not practice it have "deluded themselves". If an individual's religion is not based upon the Jesus' word, the Bible, that individual has a counterfeit religion. Therefore my friend, authentic Christian faith is first and foremost, Biblical.

"THE SUM OF YOUR WORD IS TRUTH, AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR RIGHTEOUS RULES ENDURES FOREVER" (Psalm 119:160).

Send Your Reign

What is the kingdom to you? Is it something that is coming in the not-too-distant future? Is it exclusively the church? Is it exclusively heaven? Clearly, there are lots of ideas of who, what, and where the kingdom of God is.

Interestingly enough, amidst all of the conflicting ideas and theology that surround the issue, God's word is very clear concerning the kingdom: it is God's right to rule. The kingdom is God's sovereignty.

Forecasting Reign

Concerning the kingdom, Jesus spoke of it often. In reference to it's inception on earth, Jesus made this statement, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power". Jesus knew that God's rule among men was about to ensue.

His public ministry began with the proclamation of the kingdom. For forty days prior to His three year preaching, Satan tempted Jesus with material prosperity and comforts. Satan attempted to lure Him into serving him by offering Him all of the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Jesus refused his offer though. At this point, Jesus began preaching about the coming rule of God (Matthew 4:1-17).

Praying for Reign

One day, Jesus' students asked Him how they ought to pray. His response was,

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil"

In the original language, "on earth as it is in heaven" is modified by three phrases: "Your will be done", "Your kingdom come", and "Your name is hallowed".

So, in this passage, Jesus tells us to pray for God's rule to come and permeate our lives, not just to pray that the church would be established. The model prayer of Matthew 6 is not obsolete as some believe, but it is very relevant seeing that we are all in need of God's rule and sovereignty in our lives.

The Nature of Reign

Paul wrote this about the kingdom, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit". Eating and drinking are things we do to sustain our physical bodies, and Paul says here that God's kingdom is the opposite. In a nutshell, God's rule is not physical, but is spiritual in nature.

Jesus is recorded as saying, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world". From the mouth of the Lord Himself we learn about the nature of the kingdom: It is His, and it does not belong to the world.

The kingdom originates with God in heaven. A person that is willing to surrender his will for God's will is a subject to His rule in his life. Peter said, "In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy". God's reign in the human heart is a matter of a person abdicating his personal throne and allowing Him to take the rule.

Reign Gauges

How can a person know whether he is a part of God's rule and kingdom? See, soon after Jesus began preaching that the "kingdom of God is near you", He announced the qualities that kingdom citizens must possess. Here are a few questions that we can ask from that amazing sermon that He preached on a mountainside:

• Are you poor in spirit? In order for Jesus to rescue a person from the heinous consequences of sin, that person must recognize that Jesus alone can save. This means forfeiting personal pride and acknowledging that life without Him is empty of meaning and substance. That is why He said, "Happy are those who are poor in spirit, for heaven's kingdom is theirs!"


• Are you hungry in appetite? Just as we need food and water for physical sustenance, we require the food of God's word to survive spiritually. A person who neglects Scripture study, prayer, and fellowship, is neglecting the spiritual food that Christ offers. That is why Jesus said, "Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied!"


• Are you empty of self? Jesus demands that His followers be willing to forfeit all for His sake and glory. He said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me". That is the joy of serving Him: self-denial for His glory and honor. No good citizen ever disobeys the ruling of his king, and no faithful servant of Christ ever substitutes His rule for personal rule.


• Are you full of love? Love is the mark of true kingdom citizenship. John wrote, "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world". Disciples of the Master are known by their love for Him and each other (John 13:34-35). A person who appreciates God's love will reciprocate it into the lives of others.

"I'm Not Ashamed to Own My Lord"

One proverb says that if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. Isn't that true? If a person does not have the backbone, conviction, and courage to stand for truth, he will fall for lies and deception. If a Christian fails to stand for Jesus, he will fall for the dangerous tricks of Satan himself. Let us consider these words from the New Testament:

"As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ASHAMED, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death."

"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

"Therefore DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God....which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me"

Shame is a huge barrier to a Christian's personal impact for Christ, that's why it is addressed so much in the New Testament. Among the long list of the ungodly who will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, are cowards. Imagine that! Cowards are in the same boat as murderers, sorcerers, fornicators, and liars. Interesting.

One of the beautiful aspects of Paul's last statement above is his sense of knowledge and conviction. He said "I know" and "I am convinced". Paul was a man who refused to compromise his confidence in Jesus. He refused to be ashamed of the Lord and His glorious gospel (Romans 1:16), because he knew the power that the good news about Jesus contains. With confidence come knowledge and conviction.

As school begins, it will be a struggle for many of us to be courageous and strong enough to take a stand for the cause of Jesus Christ. Peter said,

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world"

Take courage from the fact that brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world are experiencing the same difficulties and challenges that you are. Whether it be pressure to use bad language, to dress immodestly, to attend filthy dances and proms, or to simply not stand for truth when the opportunity arises.

As we enter this new year, I hope the CONFIDENCE and CONVICTION that we find in Jesus will rest in each one of our hearts.

God Uses Suffering....

To make His children humble. Paul could have bragged. Paul could have boasted. He could have seen his unique relationship with God as point of pride, but God used it to humble him. He says, however, that a thorn was given for his flesh to prevent him from being conceited (2 Corinthians 12:7). That thorn was given to Paul to kill every proud tendency that he would ever have.

God uses pain for us in a similar way. When we feel like we have reached a spiritual climax, and are convinced that we have our many blessings because we deserve them, God allows us to endure pain and suffering in order to "bring us down a notch". God requires that His servants be humble, because He "opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

To draw us to Himself. The old gospel song puts it this way, "Where could I go but to the Lord?" When we face hard times, seemingly, the default Person to turn to is God. When Paul was confronted with his thorn for the flesh, he prayed three times (2 Corinthians 12:8). Profound suffering has a positive on a Christian's private prayer life. Heavenly Father should be the first One we consult when we are facing rough times in life.

To display His grace. When life is "running smoothly", it is a temptation to have confidence in one's self. But, increased grace on God's part, increases our confindence and assirance in Him. Jesus told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9a). God's grace proves itself when we are faced with overwhelming difficulties. When confronted with "affliction and wanderings", Jeremiah said this about God's grace, "His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning" (cf. Lamentations 3:19-23). God's grace is seen in my suffering!