Take your foot off the brake


Years ago before children had the toys that are available today there were soap box derbies. Dads and sons would build racing carts and enter them in the soap box races. They may be made out of orange crates on short two by fours with axles and wheels. They had a steering mechanism and brakes. That was the total racer.

Most of the contestants were eager youngsters who leaned forward or hunkered down in their carts hoping to decrease wind resistance thereby increasing speed. One youngster was visibly frightened at the prospect of going too fast down a long hill and compensated by riding the brake to keep his speed under control. He finished last

In my younger days some of our relatives would go to the Pacific Ocean for a weekend and would dig clams and have clam chowder. To this day it is my favorite soup. I remember wading out into waist deep water, standing mesmerized as a huge wave approached, broke and knocked me flat in a swirl of sand, saltwater and tangled arms and legs. My next try resulted in a repeat of my first humiliation.

I use these two illustrations to describe the Christian’s frame of mind when the first few steps of faith are taken. A fully committed Christian is like a youngster who takes his foot off the brake and goes full tilt down the steepest of hills. The committed Christian is also like a person who wades into the surf, dives headlong into the first wave and swims into the vast Pacific Ocean.

The problem that exists is once the initial wave of enthusiasm passes, and it will, there is an inclination to settle into a kind of treadmill mentality. Once the excitement has passed, life returns to dealing with the day to day pressures that surround us. So before any more steps are taken we need to learn how to maintain momentum and stay charged.

If you have been reading my blogs, almost every one will tell you that you must develop a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit and be tuned into His presence. I use the word “tuned in” because it is not always a conscious awareness. But when something noteworthy happens, whether it is considered a good thing or a not-so-good thing, the presence of the Holy Spirit comes to mind and is cause for celebration. He is your inner partner when someone aims a six-shooter between your eyes; He is present when the roof caves in or the stock market crashes as we have just seen or He is with you when oil is discovered in your back yard.

It is His partnership that is energizing. It’s the difference between sitting in a foxhole alone and scared or sitting in a foxhole with the Joint Chief of Staff right there with you. It has been my experience that many Christians when it comes to stepping out in faith ride the brakes or only put their toe in the water. If they only knew what God has in store for them and what they may be missing, they will only know when they get to heaven. But what an exciting life we could have if we just put our faith into action.

We as Christians have a tremendous advantage. We have been assured that we can always enjoy beneficial circumstances and it enables us to transform the most hopeless looking position into a favorable position. However, it is all based on the condition of our spiritual heart which determines the kinds of decisions we make.

Every one of us has a worldly nature and a spiritual nature. The two natures are in conflict with each other because the worldly nature is self-serving and the spiritual nature is God-serving. Therefore, the condition of our spiritual heart determines the kinds of decisions we make. Business decisions, job decisions, family decisions and personal decisions are all affected by our true nature or heart.

Countless Scriptures make the point that spiritual health is a direct outgrowth of our spiritual natures winning the conflict taking place within us. Galatians 5:17 – “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”

Which nature are we allowing to win? Is our worldly nature saying “Keep your foot on the brake; you may risk losing everything”? Or are we willing as committed Christians to hunker down, with our foot off the brake saying I am willing to let it all hang out that I might fulfill God’s will in my life. And that might require taking a risk! It may even require swimming with the sharks.

Christ Says We Can Move Mountains…Have You Lately?


Two young men came to my home three or four years ago and said they had been called into a specific ministry. They were waiting for God to open doors for them to get started. They have done some things but I believe there are things they can do to open those doors. This is a letter to them with a copy to all of you.

Mark 11:23 – “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.” Believing that we have faith is one thing but acting on faith is another.

As I was outlining the Gospel of Mark for my men’s Bible group I read in the second chapter where four friends brought a paralytic to Jesus to be healed. The room was so packed that they couldn’t get in so they went on the roof, made an opening in the roof and lowered the man down in front of Jesus. Jesus said: Mark 2:5 – “When Jesus saw their faith; he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” He saw their faith which I believe is a very important part of this story.

Do you have enough faith to take action? It seems like we need more than faith, we need to be bold in getting started. Matthew 7:7 – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” It seems like Christ is saying we must ask, we must seek and we must knock in order for the door to open. What about those dreams or visions that are in your mind hoping that God will open the door and you will walk right on through? What happens if God requires that we must put action to our faith before He opens those doors? As I have been studying, praying and meditating I have been wanting to know how to tell others the importance of having the faith to do what you feel God is leading you to do. I know of no other way than to tell you my own experiences.

It began in high school. Someday I wanted to own my own business. However, the doors never seemed to open. For many years I always worked for someone else. Once my children’s college bills were paid and I had enough savings to last about one year I believed God would help me start my own business. After about eighteen months all of our savings were gone and we were just barely making a living. But with God’s help the business grew and I began hiring my family to assist me. I always believed I could do it but never took the action to make it happen.

In 1988 and 1989 we decide to add on to the church property on Mojave Road. We decided to add 42,000 sq. ft. but had no money to do so. I was chairman of the board both years and kind of oversaw the construction. When the building was completed the money was there to pay for it. I don’t know how long it would have taken if we had waited for the money to start construction.

In 1991 I was asked to head up the relocation to a new campus. It was decided that we needed to buy 80 acres. As usual we did not have the money to buy hardly an acre. After months of prayer and searching we found our present location and had the money plus a loan to buy it. More time went by and we figured if God was really good we might be able to build a 100,000 sq. ft. building costing $15 million. Of course we didn’t have the money but we believed we could borrow it. As the attendance kept growing we decided that to meet the needs it would require a 150,000 sq. ft. building costing approximately $23 million. It seemed like God kept saying that all you have to do is to “knock” and I will open the door. I often wonder where we would be today if we hadn’t kept knocking on God’s door. I hope you are getting the point. How many dreams or visions have we missed because we just believed we could walk up to the door and God would automatically open it and say, it’s there for you?

There are a number of people who are waiting for God to get them a job, to find them a spouse or to take care of their financial needs. When Jesus saw their faith He healed the paralytic man. Would he have been healed if he sat at home praying that Jesus would heal him? We know faith is important but I believe God expects us to show our faith by taking some action.

To the two young men waiting for doors to open may I suggest you really start knocking and knocking loudly. Once God sees you putting action into your faith He may just start opening all kinds of doors.

The Story Of Two Young Men


Scripture tells Christians to put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature and yield to the Holy Spirit. Some Christians will put to death their spiritual nature and yield to their sinful nature.

Unfortunately, some young Christians are more focused on the short-term and the short-term consequences of allowing one’s sinful nature to reign than they are in realizing what the long-term consequences might be. I have lived long enough to have witnessed the short-term and long-term consequences of Christians who have yielded to their earthly natures and those who have yielded to the Holy Spirit. Of course no two situations are ever exactly the same. But I believe the two I am going to describe are fairly typical and they illustrate the differences in choices.

One young man was very outgoing, quick to laugh and easy to get to know. He had an engaging personality and most couldn’t help but like him. He attended church with some regularity but on the few occasions when he was offered an opportunity to serve, he declined claiming he didn’t have time for it. Nevertheless, he had confessed a belief in Christ and seemed to have made a token effort to serve Him. At work he was a different person. He was both ruthless and aggressive and made no effort to conceal his willingness to make decisions regardless of how it would affect anyone else. Words like loyalty, compassion and civic responsibility were not in his vocabulary.

Years later the consequences of his behavior became more evident. His church attendance had dwindled from occasional, to every now and then, to holidays. He was still outgoing, but not as much. He still laughed but it was shallow and he was no longer easy to get to know. In later years I would describe him as being withdrawn. He had become somewhat paranoid, somewhat mean-spirited and hard. He was very successful yet he demonstrated little joy in his success. Only God and the man himself know what personal price he paid for his success.

The second young man made an all-out commitment to serve Christ. His personality and temperament were similar to his counterpart and in the early years there was little noticeable difference between them. Yet he did his best to yield his life to the leading of the Holy Spirit and over the years he too changed. I would describe him in later years as a man turned outward. People were comfortable with him. They felt a kinship with him even when he made unpopular decisions, though admittedly this is only my impression. He did not appear to be as successful as his counterpart, yet he demonstrated a certain joy in his career and personal life. Again, only God and the man himself know the spiritual rewards he received by serving God rather than being self-serving. But from outward appearances, the rewards were beyond calculation.

I believe the moral to this story is that those whom I have witnessed and have seen make an all-out commitment to serve Christ can understand the joy and the advantages that accompanies doing things God’s way. Jesus said in Matthew 7:24 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Will God Give Us Anything We Ask?


I John 3:21 – 23 – “Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” NLT

John 16:23 – 24 –“I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” NLT

I have been asked to interpret what these verses mean that say “if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence (or trust). And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.”

It looks like there are some stipulations:

1. We must not feel guilty.
2. We must obey God’s commands.
3. We must live and do the things that please Him.
4. We must know what the Lord’s will is to please Him.
5. We must believe in His Son, Jesus Christ
6. We must love one another as God loves us.
7. We must ask in the name of Jesus.

What is our answer to these seven requirements? If we can say yes to all seven stipulations it is my belief that God will give us anything we ask. However, the Bible is very clear that God tells us how we can meet our needs or become prosperous. It is very simple: we are to owe no one and we are not to live as the world lives. We are not to put material goals and lusts before spiritual goals and desires.

The fact is anyone in America can make it. Opportunities are limited only to one’s imagination, willingness to take some risks and work hard. There has been some speculation that Americans are drifting into two classes of people: the upper-class and the under-class. Regardless of whether this is true, no one is relegated to one class or the other. Anyone can break into the upper-class and any one can fall into the under-class.

One of the by-products of this freewheeling, anything-goes society is an army of people manufacturing products and providing services and marketing them to other people. Competition can be vicious as each tries to outdo the other. In many cases making money has not been as much of an American problem as spending it.

Most do not realize how many people have spent themselves into debt and have little chance of getting out. We have had people come to us asking that we prescribe a cure for their ailing financial situation that is near terminal. I sometimes feel like a doctor asked to heal a patient with a thirty year history of overeating, overdrinking, heavy smoking and physical inactivity. There isn’t much a doctor can do with arteries that are already clogged, lungs that are already destroyed and a liver akin to a piece of shoe leather! They may have prayed with the above Scriptures in mind but it seems God has not met their financial needs. So what do you tell someone like this? Let’s take the test. How many of the seven requirements have you met in 1 John 3:21-23?

First, it appears we have not developed the right priorities in life. It seems many assign priorities wearing intellectual blinders. If you delve into their finances you will find it quite incredible. The only consolation that we can really give them is: join the party. You are behaving like most Americans and today’s recession proves it. So where do we start to correct the problem? God demands that we tithe, are you? Then you ought to feel guilty, you missed God’s command and you may have not pleased Him. You missed stipulations one, two and three. Shall we go any farther or are you getting the message? So if you are deeply in debt and God isn’t answering your prayer maybe you will understand. (I was only asked to interpret Scripture not necessarily give the solution to getting out of debt.)

Are You Wearing A Mask?


We are made up of three parts. We have a body, a mind and a spirit. When you look at me you really do not see me, you see my body. But who I am is my mind and my spirit. What you see is my exterior side and my behavior. Seeing my character and my behavior only gives you a glimpse of who I am.

I have two natures: an earthly nature and a spiritual nature. These two natures are in conflict with each other because the earthly nature is self-serving and the spiritual nature is God-serving. But you do not see what nature in me is at work. The condition of my heart determines the kinds of decisions I make. Whether I make a business decision, an individual decision or a family decision each is affected by my true nature or heart.

1 Colossians 3:5 – tells us that we are to “Put to death, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.” Galatians 5:17 tells us, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”

We have an advantage as Christians when we make an all-out commitment to serve Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to guide every aspect of our lives. When we make that commitment we must be prepared to deal with the consequences. Scripture tells us what to expect. 1 Peter 5:8-9a – “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

Some of us have yielded to our bodies’ desires and allow our bodies to control who we are. We may be addicted to smoking, drugs, food, alcohol or sex. We then are controlled by our body and not by our mind or spirit.

When we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we are asked to repent and change from the world’s ways. However, to repent we must overcome the control our bodies have over us and allow our mind and spirit to take over and control our bodies.

There are some who convert to Christianity and instantaneously allow their mind and spirit to take over realizing that their body was out of control. Others, it takes time for the Holy Spirit to make us aware of our body’s power and control over us.

No matter whom we are from time-to-time we must deal with our earthly natures. We have two choices. We can give in to it or we can fight it. But we have learned that we can win this eternal war, not by continuous struggle, but by continuously surrendering and allowing the Holy Spirit to win the war for us. Paul wrote in Romans 8:2 – “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free.”

It is not as important who you see when I pass by but it is important to me that I am no longer wearing a mask. What you see is who I really am!

A Day In The Life Of Jesus


It may not have been an unusual day for Jesus. Wherever He went crowds would gather to be healed or to see miracles. In most crowds there would be the religious leaders trying to catch Him doing or saying something so they could condemn Him.

One such day Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee and one of the largest crowds was gathering. It was normal for people to want to be close to Jesus and even touch Him. He asked the apostles to get a boat so that He could minister to the people. Anchored just off shore Jesus began to teach those who had gathered.

He begins by giving a parable about seeds and four soils. As the farmer scattered the seeds some fell along the path, some fell in the rocks, others fell among thistles and some fell on good soil.

Jesus then tells a parable about a mustard seed. The smallest seed at that time grew to become one of the largest of plants. Later when He was alone with His disciples He explained the two parables. The farmer is Jesus. The seed is the good news, the gospel. The parable describes how people will respond to His message.

It will fall on the hard ground and it will make no impression on those who hear. It will fall on rocky ground. People will accept His teaching but do nothing about it. The seed will fall in with the thistles. Some will accept but will allow the world to pull them from becoming committed and true believers. The seed that falls on good soil are those who totally accept and make a commitment to live the life Jesus teaches.

He then talks about the tiny mustard seed. He is describing the church. It will start very small with just a few Christians. But there will be a time when it becomes worldwide.

Mark 4:35 – 41 – “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’   They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’”

Jesus was exhausted and had fallen asleep. Because the Sea of Galilee is below sea level and surrounded by mountains it is susceptible to sudden storms. Down draft winds and a thunderstorm can cause waves up to 20 feet high. The danger was real and the waves could swamp the boats. Some of His disciples had spent their entire life as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Twenty foot waves in a fishing boat are life threatening no matter how experienced a person is.

I was on the USS Hamel, a destroyer tender, just off the Philippine coast when we hit a typhoon. This was a huge ship with a crew of approximately 800. Twenty foot waves and higher in a ship that size is scary. I cannot image what it would be like in a small fishing boat in those conditions.

Mark said they were terrified and expected they would soon drown when they awaken Jesus. Jesus stood and said: “Quiet! Be still!” Immediately it became calm. His disciples realized they were standing in the presence of the Son of God.

The disciples saw Christ heal, drive out demons, perform other miracles, teach with authority and calm the sea. Yet, we have Peter denying Christ, Thomas doubts and others continually questioning. Faith does not always come easy. If there are times when we have doubts we can always looks at the apostles and be encouraged.

However, once the apostles saw Christ resurrected and they had received the Holy Spirit they had the faith to die for the Messiah. I am sure that particular day the disciples hearing the parables and being on the boat they would never forget. But for Jesus, it was just another day!

Is There A God?


Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 says – “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

Most evenings my wife and I will sit in our swing on the patio and watch the humming birds land on our feeder. Within 45 minutes we may see as many as 15 or so little birds land and drink from the feeder that we fill weekly.

It seems they will approach flying in at speeds up to 25 miles per hour as if they were dive bombers and stop suddenly within a foot of the feeder and cozy up and begin drinking. As we watch these birds we ask ourselves how anyone could not believe there is a creator. Someone had to create the hummingbird. There is no way this little thing could evolve. It had to be created by someone having a sense of humor.

Every living specie, birds, animals, insects, fish and humans all are different. In each category there is a male and a female. What are the odds that all of these could just evolve? When you look at a human’s immune system it is capable of allowing some to live more than 100 years.

My wife and I look at each other and say: “Only a fool would say there is no God”. And the hummingbird proves it!

Winning A Race Requires Discipline And Purpose


I Corinthians 9:24 – 27 – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Paul is using an illustration to show that to live a Christian life takes hard work, self-control and adequate preparation. I learned from sports and coaching that those who excel put in hours upon hours of practice and preparation. As Christians how much time do we spend in Bible study, worship, service and prayer?

My friend Doug Lee having played basketball for the New Jersey Nets and the Sacramento Kings spent hours after school shooting baskets and working on fundamentals. It isn’t unusual for a professional basketball player to shoot 1000 baskets every day. In football hours on end are spent in the weight room building up one’s strength. I remember spending hours taking batting practice, fielding grounders and catching fly’s. The more dedication and the more time spent in preparing the chances of excelling improves.

After being discharged from the Navy during my freshman year in college I needed a job to pay for extra expenses. I was hired by Birds Eye Frozen Foods the summer before starting college. My job was to dump 40 pound boxes of lima beans into a hopper. I believed it had to be the hardest job in the plant. Whenever there was down time I picked up a broom and kept my area swept down. No one else cared enough to keep their area clean. It wasn’t long until I was promoted to one of the easiest jobs in the plant, operating the graders that separated good beans from bad ones.

The second year I was offered the job as assistant production foreman. The third year I became the production foreman over 250 employees. As a Christian I believed setting an example at work was the best way I would have an opportunity to share my witness rather than preaching.

Throughout my adult life I believe the teaching that Paul illustrated in the above verses works in everything we do. As Christians we are running toward a heavenly goal as our reward that doesn’t always come easy. We are not to be a fan sitting in the grandstand but we are to be one of the players. We are to train with intensity and diligence as our spiritual progress and maturity depends upon it. Many Christians take the easy way out. They believe they are saved by grace and nothing else matters. But does it? Christ spent three years teaching the apostles and then He sent them out to be of service to others. James 2:17 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” And James 2:26 – “…faith without deeds is dead.” So are we going to be spectators or players? If we are going to be players do we diligently practice or just show up for the game?

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?


For 2,000 years Christians have believed they were living in the end-times. What has prophecy told us to look for; is it now?

I read where Iran and Russia, bitter enemies for centuries, have become allies for the first time in history. It has made me concerned. If you study Ezekiel chapters 36 through 39 it sounds like a war against Israel could breakout anytime. Should that happen no one will come to Israel’s rescue, (Does that surprise you?) and Scripture says that God will destroy the armies from the north. Everyone will know that it was a “God Thing”.

If you follow current events you may be aware that Moscow has aggressively pursued political, economic and military ties to Iran in defiance of U.S. and European protests. Russia has authorized the sale of nuclear technology to Iran. They are training nuclear scientists and are providing them with the latest in armament.

Since May 14, 1948 when Israel was established, Middle-Eastern nations have tried to destroy them. The Bible says that before the Russian and Iran led war, Israel will live in a time of calm and will accumulate great wealth. Isaiah 45:3 says: “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” (Referring to this time in history) Foreign energy companies are finding enormous reserves of gas and an adequate amount of oil in Israel’s possession.

Scripture tells us that (Magog) Russia and (Persia) Iran and others will be led to invade Israel. Ezekiel 38:4 – “I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.” Ezekiel goes on in 38:9 – “You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.”

Russia has hugely increased their defense budget, including new aircraft, rockets and the size of their army. The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes it is his duty to prepare the way for the Islamic messiah by destroying the Jews and Christians. Thus, he has vowed to annihilate the U. S. and Israel and is preparing his military and nuclear weapons to accomplish that. As we continue in Ezekiel 39:2 & 4 – “I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals.” How close are we getting to the time when Ezekiel’s vision will come to pass?

It is possible that Israel could launch a massive, pre-emptive nuclear strike against Moscow, Tehran, Damascus and other enemy cities. However, Russia could launch a nuclear attack that would leave no one standing.
Ezekiel 38:18 – 22 – “This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.”

Ezekiel raises many questions: Will Russia supernaturally be destroyed? The Bible says the devastation will be like something we have never seen before. It is believed that we will see a resurgence of religions worldwide. We assume this will give the world one last chance for salvation before the War of Armageddon.

Afterwards, we believe the Jews will begin their building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:2 – “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. “ We believe Scripture teaches that until the Jews and the Jewish people turn to Christ in huge numbers and get excited about His Second Coming Jesus said he would delay His return.

Should this war occur, as we believe it will, it could start a spiritual crisis for Muslims around the world. When they see God protecting Israel their faith will be shaken. Think of the response churches will encounter. Acts 2:17 & 18 – “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

Do you believe that it is possible for a revival to take place worldwide? Are today’s churches ready?

If this blog does not create comment I will be surprised. I can’t think of anything more controversial than this. Please respond!

CAN YOU LOSE YOUR SALVATION?


We have had seven politicians who have admitted to having adulterous affairs recently. They are Governor Mark Sanford, Senator John Ensign, Governor Eliot Spitzer, Governor James McGreevey, former senator John Edward, senator Larry Craig and past president Clinton in the 1990s. We do not know the religious background of each but we do know that some have testified to being Christians. Can you or is it not possible to lose your salvation? I think it is not up to us to make eternal judgments but how does what we do affect one’s salvation? So let us look at some Scripture.

Hebrews 6:4 – 6 – “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

The debate occurs because some believe Scripture is talking about a person who has received salvation and has fallen away. Others believe these are people who have never received salvation though they have shared in the Holy Spirit. John Wesley believed you could lose your salvation and Calvin believed that once you received salvation you could never lose it no matter what you do.

Most, on either side of the debate, believe that once you understand New Testament teaching and know spiritual and biblical truth a person can either reject or disbelieve the teachings or they can accept it. If a person rejects biblical teachings and salvation they cut themselves off from God’s forgiveness. The Bible is very clear. Any sinner, (and all have sinned), who has not been forgiven by God through Christ cannot enter the presence of God. There is a difference between being enlightened and tasting the heavenly gift and accepting it.

II Peter 2:21 says: “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”

Many believe the author of Hebrews means the heavenly gift is salvation. Some believed salvation was only tasted and not accepted. Others question how can you taste the Spirit without accepting the Spirit? It could be that having shared the Spirit could mean they were around the Holy Spirit and saw the Spirit’s saving grace but they never accepted. Or, they had accepted the Holy Spirit and the Spirit was quenched by their lack of faith and disobedience.

I am sure that many have listened carefully and thought about what they have heard. They may have seen miracles, supernatural powers and signs and were just not willing to give up the world. Is Scripture saying that with all you have seen and heard and you reject salvation it will be impossible to come again to the point of repentance?

Or, is Scripture talking about a person who has received salvation, tried it and gave up and gone back to their worldly ways having rejected the Holy Spirit out of their lives? Many believe that a person can become very knowledgeable and continue to resist making a commitment and totally surrendering one’s self to Christ. They can become immune to salvation. They believe our spiritual system becomes unresponsive and insensitive and they lose the opportunity for salvation. There are many instances where we have prayed years for those who we believed to be lost and finally they accept Christ and invite the Holy Spirit into their lives. Usually they were never fully knowledgeable nor had they tasted the goodness of the Word of God.

Hebrews 10:26 – 27 – “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (I placed the emphasis on deliberately.) We all know we continually “miss the mark”, such as sins of omission or other sins but not necessarily do we do it deliberately or intentionally. How much deliberate sin must we do before we become disqualified as Paul points out?

A person who keeps on deliberately sinning is different from a person who sins through sins of omission, etc. I John 3:9 says: “No one who is born of God practices sin.” Scripture is filled with messages of hope for Christians. It is also very clear; a raging fire will consume those who reject Christ when God’s judgment takes place.

When Scripture says it is impossible, it is my belief that it is not putting restrictions on God but is stating man’s result of denying God is judgment. The only unpardonable sin that I know of is denying, rejecting into one’s life or blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Remember nothing can ever take the Holy Spirit from us. However, it is my opinion we can reject the Holy Spirit from our lives.