January 27, 2015

Actress Mae West once stated, "I generally avoid temptation unless I can’t resist it.” That’s the dilemma of temptation: it’s an enticement to do something forbidden that we easily succumb to. 

The account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4) is enlightening. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4.1) An encounter with the enemy was Spirit-led, difficult as this might be to comprehend. Three great temptations were deployed; each an enticing offer appealing to human need. The first was about hunger (Matthew 4.2-4); the second was about doubt, faith, and testing God (Matthew 4.5-7); and the third was about power and prestige (Matthew 4.8-10). Each temptation was keenly directed at a particular need especially hard to deflect and resist.

We have an enemy who knows our weaknesses all too well. And, he is eager to entice us to indulge improperly to meet that need. Now, lest the enemy get all the blame, we do have a choice. He may deploy the lure, but it’s our choice to take it or not - just as it was with Jesus in the wilderness. The old adage, “The devil made me do it,” is neither accurate nor responsible.

The lessons from Jesus’ temptation are important if we are be similarly victorious. Know that you have an enemy who knows your weaknesses, and is adept at exploiting them. He is even capable of cleverly using Scripture in the process! (Matthew 4.6) But, Holy Spirit within us - as it was within Jesus - is the dynamic force to help us overcome, if we are willing. 

Temptation will come today, as it does every day. But, believers have been given the abundant power to overcome and, by overcoming, we become stronger and more effective in service. May we stand guard today, and gain the victory our Father earnestly wants us to have.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
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Monday musings

There is an old story about the man who was asked what the preacher preached about on Sunday. His reply was, “sin”. When asked what the preacher had to say about sin, the man replied, “he was against it”. It’s fair to say lots of people are against sin, but dealing with the problem of sin is easier said than done.

The first murderer was challenged by Creator God, before he had committed the act, to deal decisively with sinful temptation: "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4.7)

Improper motive led Cain to anger and jealousy, which led to a “downcast” disposition. Attitude and outlook were ripe for sinful action. But, Father God wisely prescribed that which could stop motive from becoming deed. Proper action could remedy a downcast attitude. But, harboring ill feelings and attitudes allowed sin to “crouch at the door”, ready to spring into action. Tragically, Cain refused to heed this important advice, and attitude lead to murderous action.

An important take away from this ancient record is the role of attitude and action. Deeds directed from improper motive manifest themselves in a downcast attitude. When we’ve harbored ill feelings, and acted from them, it is impossible to feel good about ourselves. Lingering guilt invites an unwelcome guest to the door of our lives: sin. Unless we deal with guilt and negative emotions in a positive, decisive way, sinful action is a mere step away.

The ability to “master” sin is ultimately available through the inner presence of the Risen Christ through the medium of Holy Spirit. Passages such as Titus 2.11-12, Galatians 5.16, and Romans 8.5-6 remind us that Spirit and grace are effective in dealing with the problem of sin. But, make no mistake: there must be a willingness on our part if there is to be success through Spirit. As long as we willingly dance with temptation, sin stands ready to conquer.

I’m as much against sin as the most adamant preacher and teacher, but I know all too well my tendency to flirt with temptation. I’m thankful for victories through grace that have spared me a great fall, but the admonition to “let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10.12) is a humbling and sobering reminder.

Sin stands ready to pounce and conquer. May we gain victory by decisively battling temptation, and acting, by the power of the Spirit, to do what pleases our Lord.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
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January 21, 2015

I admire and respect those who are skilled at restoration projects. Some have painstakingly restored classic cars to their original beauty. Others have taken old, dilapidated homes and restored them to their former glory. 

Two men once provided a compelling illustration of restoration through a miraculous deed done in another man’s life. “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple." (Acts 3.1-2)

A man, lame from birth, expecting to receive a monetary handout from Peter and John, received something far greater than he could have imagined that day. “Peter said, ‘I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene - walk!' And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God." (Acts 3.6-8)

I can almost visualize this amazing miracle. The lame man became instantly aware of strength in his feet and ankles, and the joy of the miracle moved to do what he had never done before: walk and leap in gratitude and worship. What an amazing sight it must have been for the crowd that quickly assembled around him. This restoration miracle provided opportunity for a restoration proclamation. Deferring credit from himself, Peter pointed to the real source of the miracle: "Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." (Acts 3.20-21)

The miracle of restoration was a precedent for coming restoration. This Jesus, who was the source of restoration healing, had been received into heaven until the appointed time of restoration, when His Father would send Him back to oversee His great project. Not only would the lame, deaf, and blind be healed then, but so would the entire earth. 

God and His Son are in partnership in the restoration business, and they call the people of God to the same. There is restoration work to be done through the power of Holy Spirit. Evangelism and discipleship are processes of restoring lost people to the glory intended for them. Restoration work is also about healing broken relationships, attitudes, and lifestyles. 

This side of the kingdom, restoration work is partial at best. It’s still a broken world we live in. But, miracles of restoration can and do occur as shining examples of restoration to come. The coming kingdom of restoration is modeled through modern-day restoration. 

Let’s participate fully today in the great restoration project. Let us begin be allowing His restoration power to wash over and in us, restoring wholeness in our lives. Let’s testify to others about it, and then let’s partner together to be agents of restoration in a world badly in need. 

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

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January 20, 2015

The man certainly couldn’t be credited with good social or public relations skills. He was immensely popular, however, in spite of serious deficiencies in these areas. There was something electrifying and compelling about his simple message: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3.2)

This survivalist-styled wilderness prophet was the divinely appointed advance man for God’s Son; "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!' “ (Matthew 3.3; Isaiah 40.3). And, John’s message was absolutely straight-arrow; consider what he had the audacity to say to the Jewish religious leaders, coming out to also be baptized by him: "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.” (Matthew 3.7-9)

While some might consider his words a serious public relations disaster, they were authoritative and spot-on. What applied to the religious leaders applies to all: “bear fruit in keeping with repentance”. Walk consistently with the talk; do what you say; live like you mean it.

There are many critics of the people of God, and the hypocrisy accusation is most often leveled against us. Many who are indifferent and even antagonistic toward involvement seem to have a keen eye for lifestyle inconsistency. Blatant hypocrisy, to be sure, is a curse and blight on the church, but all will fail at some point if looked at critically under a judgmental microscope. The popular defense, “Christians aren’t perfect; just forgiven,” rings true, but does not excuse pursuit of John’s admonition to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance”. And that is done in participation with the One who followed John; who “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3.11) The self-improvement plan is to be carried out supernaturally by those who are wiling to participate.

We’re indebted to John, Jesus’ advance man, for a straight, spot-on message about repentance and lifestyle. The call to straighten out the crooked before the coming of Christ is as pertinent today as it was then. The same Christ is coming back, and the same need remains. It’s time to clear the clutter of hypocrisy; time to plot a straight path through life toward the coming King and kingdom. A prepared people of God can be used mightily to help prepared a world of unbelievers, while there is still time. John stills speaks to a generation today, and calls us to be about what he was all about.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
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Monday musings

A word of command brought everything into existence, but humans were shaped and made by His hands.

"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

I don’t doubt for a moment that our Creator Father could have similarly issued a word of command to commence our existence, but the fact that He “formed” and “breathed” says something about our value and destiny. It can be said, in a sense, that we have the fingerprints of God upon us. And, this fact ought to leave us humbly in awe, as the Psalmist so well said: “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139.13-14)

The evolutionist asserts that human intricacy is the product of millions of years of random mutation and adaptation. Nothing is more preposterous or degrading. But, the truth that our Creator personally and deliberately formed us through direct creation elevates our value. We exist because He deliberately willed it so.

If we owe our existence to our Creator, it is not unreasonable that our existence be devoted to His will and pleasure. Thus, this admonition: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual (reasonable) service of worship.” (Romans 12.1)

It is reasonable that we devote specific time and effort in worship and fellowship to and with the One to whom we owe our existence. May a deep appreciation of the Giver of life move us today, and every day, to deliberate worship and fellowship through His Son. 

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
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January 7, 2015

It’s either true or it isn’t. And, if it isn’t true, we might as well give up on all that we think is right and important. 

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1.11)

The Second Coming of Jesus is a much-ridiculed notion by many; including some who profess to be His followers. With the passing of time, it’s easy to be a bit skeptical. After all, if He was coming back, wouldn’t He have done so before two thousand years had lapsed? Honestly, I sometimes am drawn to such skeptical thinking. But, the best answer and remedy is this passage: “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.’ … But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3.3-4, 8-10)

Two thousand years is a mere two days with our Father; hardly any length of time at all. And, if the seeming delay is cause for skepticism, don’t lose sight of its real purpose: a gracious opportunity for repentance. But, once that time period is concluded, God will decisively act, and send His Son back - exactly as promised.

The established fact of the return of Jesus makes this day and moment pregnant with possibilities. On the one hand, it brings urgency to what we do and say. There is kingdom work to be done now, not later. There are friends and family who need to be nudged toward decision. There is huge encouragement in knowing that the challenges and struggles of life could be ended in a moment, with a trumpet blast.

Either the Second Coming of Jesus is fact or fiction. I choose to believe it is fact, and there is abundant evidence and precedent for believing it to be so. Beyond the fact, the key issue to grapple with today, and every day, is: what are the implication for my life today based on this truth? 

May we keep pressing on, all the while we keep looking up.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
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Monday musings

Never before had the words been read and pondered from such a unique vantage point. The readers were at an unprecedented distance, viewing what no man had ever seen previously. Circling the moon, with a breathtaking view of earth hanging against the eternal blackness of space, the Apollo 8 astronauts took turns reading from Genesis one: “In the beginning God created … “ Genesis 1.1)

An infinite, eternal God established time as we know it, and brought into existence all that is; including ourselves. Many scoff at the idea of such a simplistic answer as to how everything came into being, but the keenest scientist admit to intelligent design in the physical world. In other words, there is ample evidence to support the Genesis account of creation. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1.20)

For most of us, the issue isn’t whether our Father directly created all that is; the bigger issue is growing in awe and appreciation of the fact that He did so. And, re-reading the Genesis account of creation certainly enhances that. Our amazing Creator Father spoke the authoritative word, and all that is came to be; out of nothingness. “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11.3) 

The facts are well established in the hearts and minds of believers, but the wonderment never ceases. A careful study of our physical world leaves us in amazement of its Creator. Avoiding the extreme of pantheism, and believing that nature IS God, we clearly see His fingerprints in all that is. And, the more we see and know, the more astonished we are. The phrase, “Intelligent design”, hardly seems adequate to describe what we observe.

A journey back to Genesis, and then a fact-finding tour of creation around us, are good exercises in growing to appreciate our magnificent and matchless Father. As a hymn writer so astutely observed and wrote, “This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.”

May we join the chorus of creation in singing our Father’s praise.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

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