It's Reformation Day: Take A Stand

 

  

A monument to Martin Luther in Worms, Germany.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." -1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV

Many Protestant Christians celebrate Reformation Day on October 31st every year. It recognizes the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church in Germany in 1517. Another day that stands out in the Reformation happened on April 17, 1521, in Worms, Germany. Martin Luther stood up against the Church and the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

I  don't agree with everything Luther taught and did during his ministry. But, his boldness in the face of the corruption of the Church of his day is something I admire. He spoke truth to power even under the threat of death.

"Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law." - Proverbs 29:18 ESV

Christians cannot control our culture, but we should bring a prophetic vision to it. 

Many Churches in our day have lapsed into apostasy. Sexually objectable behavior in our culture is being approved by certain Christian denominations. 

We have a "Woke" culture - we do not need a "Woke" Church.

" For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved,

    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” - 1 Peter 4:17-18 ESV

It's time to take a stand against spiritual darkness in the Church. Believers are to love those who do not know Jesus.

 Refusing to speak the truth is not how we love others. 

How can we expect the world to follow Jesus in the path of truth if we walk in darkness?

Scripture for meditation:

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ..." - Ephesians 4:15 ESV

"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." - 1 John 1:6 ESV

 "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” - John 11:10 ESV

“...I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6 ESV

Daily Rhythms

 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)

(Transformed) “That word is used one time in all the gospels, namely, about Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration (the mountain of “transformation” — same word, metemorphōthē): “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2). (1)

(rhythm – a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.)

“Our core being is expressed in language that follows the rhythms of our life, inhalation, and exhalation. We cannot breathe out what we have not first breathed in. The breath that God breaths into us in daily Pentecost is breathed out in our prayers, ‘telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11). – Eugene Peterson(1)

God has made a way through Jesus to enter his presence so that we can worship him and experience transformation by his power. Our minds are the daily target of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Giving into negative thinking, uninformed by Scripture – is harmful to our souls. 

Departing from God’s way of renewing our minds – disturbs the rhythm and design he has for our lives. Practicing the presence of God must become a daily habit. 

Deep meditation and contemplation of Scripture bring life to our souls.

Idolatry is placing anything in the path between God and ourselves. Unnrenewed minds will focus on worldly success and mind-numbing entertainment. And slip into patterns of carnal thinking.

Life is about rhythms: The Sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. The tide goes in and out. The planets revolve around the sun – seasons come and go. So it is vitally important to establish a daily rhythm in our prayer lives – like going to sleep at night and waking up each morning. I find it helpful to start the day and end it in prayer. 

The bottom line for me is: Will I allow idols that compete for my affection for God every day to disrupt my time with him?

We must guard ourselves against those things that seek to displace Jesus from the throne of our hearts. Our goal is to renew our minds daily.

(1) Eugene Peterson, Answering God, page 60.

Abiding In The Vine

 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:1-5, ESV)

Those who abide in the vine have rock-solid faith. Their faith is demonstrated by loving God and loving others. Spiritual nourishment comes from the Son of God himself. They can say of Jesus what the apostle Thomas said, “my Lord and my God.” Discipleship is simply following and obeying Jesus. 

The disciple is in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit and desires to be holy like God. Seeking to follow Jesus in our own power produces frustration, guilt, shame, and legalism.

Without the abiding presence of the Paraclete (Holy Spirit), we can do nothing. While salvation is a free gift, the life of overcoming power promised to us is only given to those who are obedient. Abiding and obeying go hand and hand. A deep sense of joy is available to those who delight in God. 

Jesus did not only come to take us to heaven when we die but to give us the fullness of joy now, even as we experience tribulation in this world. 

The Father prunes those who belong to him. So that we can stay spiritually healthy and connected to Jesus. 

He is the life-giving Vine.

The Weaned Soul - Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder

 

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted;

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.” – Psalms 131:1-2

I believe many Christians (including myself) suffer from, Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder. We have untamed souls (mind, will, and emotions) and are not free from the distractions of this world. 

Waiting upon the Lord is a lost art to many in our generation. The practices of silence and solitude have almost become extinct in our culture. We need God's presence to free us from the anxiety caused by a steady stream of information and images we internalize daily. 

 Busyness or religious activities do not produce spiritual growth. Some of these activities can become a substitute for God. The satisfaction a child has in the presence of his mother is what God offers us.

 "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. " - Psalm 16:11 ESV

The weaned soul is a God-saturated soul that has abstained from excessive preoccupation with this world. Our society is controlled by fear, lust, and greed.

The worldly mind is not focused on spiritual reality. 

The weaned soul is not easily distracted by things of lesser importance. It is unselfish and has learned the secret of contentment.

We need time alone with God while not neglecting active involvement with other believers.  

Try meditating on Scripture and while praying over passages, write down your thoughts. Having our souls weaned from the anxiety-filled information age is a process. We must be intentional about seeking the face of the Lord, which is his presence.

Put Your Watch On: A Prophecy

(I received this word on April 25, 2022.)

I believe God spoke a prophetic word to me while I was doing a study on prayer. It seemed “the still small voice,” said, “put your watch on.” I rarely wear it because I usually check the time on my cell phone. So, I put it on.

I shared this impression with a group of prayer warriors. One of these guys had a similar experience the night before. He was ministering on our Church’s altar prayer team and had a vision of watches and calendars. This is the message he felt the Lord gave him, “listen and see now and focus on obedience now. Don’t try to know far out into the future.”

The watch is a reminder to know the times we are living in. And to keep watch over our souls.

Calendars represent seasons. During this time and season of history, we are witnessing the deconstruction of the Christian faith. It’s no longer unusual for pastors to abandon teachings of Scripture to be culturally relevant.

False teachers and prophets have been allowed into the Church to change the clear moral teachings of Scripture. Wolves in sheep’s clothing are teaching false doctrine

Pastors of Churches that allow this teaching in their Churches – will be held accountable.

If you are a follower of Jesus, it’s time to watch and pray for the Church in America.

Jack Deere -- The Power of Prayer