We are surrounded..."Good, they can't get away"

Obviously, the title is not my quote and I can't remember the origin this minute.
Read this morning about the battle of Israel against Ammon and Maachah (the hired army of Syrians)

Ch 19:12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.
1Ch 19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

These are the words of Joab to his brother Abishai...
These men and their army were placed into this circumstance without any choice in the matter. David was not going to stand by after the Ammonites shamed his servant ambassadors and so he sent his army on the march.

God sent His ambassador Jesus Christ to the earth out of love and kindness - as David did in sending his ambassadors to Hanun in this passage. The response was the same - the Ambassador was treated with mocking and abuse and sent away (crucifixion). The response of the King is the promise that He will not allow that and all those that are not on the side of the Ambassador has a judgment that awaits.

We, my friends are in the position of Joab and Abishai. We are sent as the initial wave of this battle against darkness. We have the authority and direction of the King and ultimately the King is sovereign over the outcome. Yet in a physical sense, the KING of Kings has not yet mounted His white horse and initiated the final slaughter of the enemy - rather He has entrusted and equipped us to continue the message of the Ambassador while being well warned that the enemy is all around and that this is a war of great magnitude.

Is our response today to fight or run?
Is it to help each other in battle should we begin to falter as good brothers or just worry about the frontline of our own battle?
Is our attitude one of courage knowing that safety is of the Lord and that He is to be feared and not man?
Are we going to behave ourselves valiantly for our people? (my spiritual application for our people would clearly be those for whom we are to be a witness and testimony - do they see us as spotless, blameless, sons of God, without rebuke, shining as lights in the world?)
Lastly, do we have faith in our God that He will do what is right in His sight - fighting on our behalf?

• The strategy of God may be to allow us to suffer some casualties of suffering, persecution or tribulation etc in his plan to show "our people" - (the lost) how His soldiers can overcome any adversity with His help

Let us today be courageous and valiant for our God and watch Him sieze the victory in due time!

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world!

Tenderly opening and closing it again and again

Yesterday I was reading in God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew about how a local CHURCH in Bulgaria were given their first Bible. Tears of joy, hugging, patting on the back and outbursts nearly loud enough to draw attention to their underground church abounded.

It made my eyes well up as I thought of those that we gave Bibles, NT or John/Romans to in Zambia and their reaction of overwhelming joy as they took off to a quiet place and sat down to tenderly open and begin reading the pages of God's perfect word.

I immediately wrote some notes that I intend to share in Sunday School. It grieves me that there is such little care and reverence for God's word. People dont remember to bring it to church, they leave it behind, they toss it, spin it on the table like a gumball machine top, scribble in it or just plain never open it. What a tragedy. I do not comprehend how kids raised in Christian homes cant answer trivia questions about how many disciples Christ had, who was known for his wisdom in the Bible and the like. Is that Sunday Schools fault - think again.

IT BEGINS WITH REVERENCE TO GOD'S WORD.

God has magnified His word above His name it says in Psalm 138 (Andy spoke to this on His blog yesterday). www.Hindsey.blogspot.com

What fools we are when we have the answer to every question, the solution to our every problem, the wisdom of the Creator of the Universe, the message of Life Everlasting, the encouragement for the downtrodden and so much more and yet some treat it worse that the $5 video they bought at Walmart and will never watch again. At least that is prominently on display with the rest of their collection on shelves next to the Family Altar (aka TV set).
SHAME on us.

May God do what He needs to do to make the Word of God precious to us as it is to so many without it around the world. It cannot be so long as we want to keep a foot or two in the world.

Issachar and the Call to Biblical Fatherhood

The first part of this post is also found in the what I am reading section - sorry for the duplication.
I just started reading Family Man, Family Leader by Philip Lancaster. The first couple of chapters tell a very important story of how we have lost our culture, heritage and family priorities through the "improvements" of industry, communication, transportation, feminist movement, entertainment, materialism etc. Is the structure of your family biblical? Who is raising your kids - the media, their friends, a daycare, public or private school? Homeschooling is not the emphasis of this book but rather biblical parenting, leadership and decision making. The influences in our kids lives can't be their TV, Ipod, Xbox, friends, etc. The father cant be that guy that leaves early, comes home late and occasionally shares the supper table (or TV trays in front of the news) before mowing the lawn and going to bed. What do you think this will lead to in their teen years and beyond...and we wonder why todays generation is how it is - it should not be a surprise but it should be a rebuke. Some of us still have an opportunity to make a change here - is it important enough to you - this book needs to be read!

I read this morning in my daily reading 1 Chron 12:32.

And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do...

I heard this verse mentioned recently from the pulpit and then in this book last night before I got up to find it in my daily reading this morning. The children of Issachar were men that had not allowed themselves to be blinded and enthralled by the current trends and acceptible practices. They seem, according to this verse to have enough God given wisdom to realize that where we have come is not necessarily the result of continuous improvement. After all, isn't it evolution (which we vehemently and almost laughably refute for its ridiculous lies) that teaches that things are gradually getting better to the opposition of the 2nd law of thermodynamics - that everything is wearing down... They saw the impact of the influences around them, they understood what was happening from history, they used thought and discernment for each and every decision and they knew what they ought to do.

I asked the question to myself and some friends recently whether the benefits of someone who is very smart and can teach us many good things is worth having come in if one of the costs that will be incurred is that a very foundational truth that we support will be questioned, criticized and publicly "corrected" thereby casting doubt in the minds of the star-struck people who are not sound in their foundational beliefs on that topic. This was a situation that was warned against and not anticipated but not there is damage control in place. The lesson to be learned - fool us once, shame on you - allow it to happen twice - shame on us.

So it is with today. So many things are advertised with loads of advantages - get there faster, cheaper products, better technology, information at your fingertips, give your family more (they deserve it) - but what does it bring with it. Satan is the king of subtlety and loves this tactic of sales. HOOK, LINE AND SINKER...

We can be the Issachars of today if we would only step back and understand the times. If we could see where todays influences have already taken us and where they will lead if we continue to follow in them. If we will understand the times then we can know what we as individuals, families, Christians, congregations should do.

ISSACHAR - UNDERSTAND THE TIMES

What does God teach or example for us in...

• Who is to raise our kids
• Who is to lead the home
• What should be the foundational curriculum
• How important money should be to us
• How the influences of the world can impact an individual, family or church
• Whether our model to follow is to be the world or the Bible

How have these factors influenced our country in the past 150 years

• Industrialism
• Transportation
• Communication
• Media
• The eroding of our minds and inability to comprehend and utilize the written word by this image driven society
• Idolizing men and making their word the final authority
• Feminist Movement - biblical roles are out the window, men and boys are soft and being made more effeminate all the time, little girls are no longer virtuous little maidens but savvy, street smart and often self serving, children dont have the proper balance or influence that God intended
• Humanism
• Materialism/Commercialism
• Education systems
• Age segregation, common interest groups where peers are the influence rather than parents
• Moving away from home businesses or farms where kids were highly valued commodities to fathers and now in most cases both parents working outside the home and kids being an expense.
• Lost reverence for God and His word through busyness, casting doubt, corrections, and perverted interpretations of meaning.
• Degredation of music and clothing

This is a short list.

What's done is done?

We know these influences wont go away around us until the judgment of God on this wicked land but we also have the command to know God's word, understand His desires in comparison with the times and know what we ought to do...

With the history of the world and influences of surroundings well documented for us along with teh completed preserved, perfect King James Bible - we will be held accountable for choosing to continue in this regression or be do something about it.

Fathers, lets be biblical fathers.

I am not buying a goat and opening a farm, we have been given our marching orders but as the Lord takes us to the Philippines it is clear that the influences are global. We are praying that we will understand the times, understand God's word and by God's grace, do what is most glorifying to Jesus Christ with the rest of our lives that He gives us.

Let's consider our ways...

Enjoying whose blessings?

Reading 1 kings 12 this morning of course was not the most encouraging passage. This is the fall of Solomon - turning his heart after women and then through the women having his heart turned to other gods.

Twice God spoke to him personally, he had the history of all God had done through his father David in establishing the kingdom and he had greater wisdom and riches than any individual who has walked the earth (except the wisdom of Christ of course).

Here he is going to the absolute bottom of wickedness in idolatry and abominations - the extent of the ritual worship practices of these gods is named elsewhere and is sickening.

I noticed 2 things this morning beside this though

1) Despite Solomons fall - God still chose to use, document and preserve the words of wisdom that were given to him through the Holy Spirit and preserved them for us today.

• The precedent is that clearly we are not following the carrier of the message but the message they are giving while being directed by the Lord
• The messenger can be a great king of Israel, a shepherd, a fisherman or an ass (literally) but it clearly is the message that we are to get and to remember that the man carrying the message may fall but the God of whom the message speaks is still matchless in holiness and purity.
• We are plagued with seeing people fall that we have come to love, appreciate and respect - yet we have the precedent that although discouraging - none is more disappointed than God about it and the message that God used them to deliver has not become any less true because they as a messenger faltered.

2) The kingdom was not taken away fully. Solomon did not lose the kingdom at all because of God's promise to David and of course the line of David remained for the 2 fold purpose of blessing the faithfulness of David and out of promise of the coming Messiah Jesus Christ through that line. Yet much of the kingdom was lost and only the portion of Judah remained for this line after Solomon.

That any portion remained was not for Solomon's sake. One thought.

How many blessings might we and others be enjoying because of the faithfulness of our fathers?

How much greater a part of the kingdom might God intend to have us be a part of but we are limiting through our faithlessness or lack of complete submission to His will?

I see here that people could be enjoying the blessings of the investment, service and faithfulness of their predecessors even though they themselves may not be in the will of God. So many of these kings reigned because of God's faithfulness to David and His promise to bring Christ through this line.

We must remember that a) God is faithful to His servants and will bless their faithfulness for generations to come and b) that it is not about us and whether we are deserving (none are) but it is about His glory and for His reputation and His light being shone forth that will He maintain a people, a remnant, a church etc in order to be a testimony to others. God is jealous for His glory and as Moses recognized when He plead for Israel - not for their sake or their righteousness but for His glory and reputation will God preserve that light.

We talk of how America is blessed because of our forefathers and the way the country was established. Is this not a model very similar to the line of kings - down to the civil war, enemies being raised up all around and well, a mix of leaders that led in varying degrees of righteousness or wickedness and eventually losing the land... how close are we - fearfully close I believe

Individually though we must be careful that we are not riding the wave of blessings that are resultant of the faith of our fathers but rather removing the high places, standing for holiness and developing a godly heritage of our own for our children.

The blind and the lame shall not come into the house - btw - THE KING JAMES BIBLE IS STILL PERFECT TODAY!

The blind and the lame shall not come into the house

2 Sam 5:8 offers this statement as do other places - Malachi 1 being another that I know well from one of the greates messages that I have ever heard (Inspecting our Service to God - Pastor Bob Brado - 2002)

Is this a difficult statement, in some ways perhaps but without much time this morning I wanted to give a couple spiritual applications

1) Blind and lame are obvious handicaps (is that still PC to say?). Someone with one of these conditions will be noticed because it is outward and not easily hidden.
2) Those with a handicap like this are certainly well capable of doing many useful and important things of great benefit but in this case (from a spiritual perspective I am referring) someone with a handicap should not be in the house (in the service of God actively ministering).
3) God expects our best, a sacrifice that is given to Him is to be whole and unspotted.
4) Might we consider that if God wants those that are brought into our house with no obvious handicaps that this could be applied to say that we as Christians need to be sure that what is brought in the house is whole and pure in all areas that are readily apparent to us prior to allowing them to serve in certain capacities. If there is a blatent deficiency - whether it be in doctrine, in testimony, whatever - there should be disqualification until their be healing. Consider the implications of how many people that one can influence if there is an area of blatent deficiency that seems to be acceptible. Why else does God provide the qualifications of deacons and pastors in the 5t's. Example - we had an experienced agent in the call center coaching our newer team of agents just coming out of training. The experienced agent was taking the calls and the others were typing for him and listening to how he handled it. I happened to silent monitor one of the calls. On this call the agent told the customer something that was inaccurate and I know for a fact that the agent knows the right information. I never would have anticipated that this agent would say something like this. The inaccurate way creates a much shorter call with less trouble for the agent but obviously is a disservice to the customer. Because the three new agents were sitting with him, they consider him an authority and will understandably mimic his handling of the issue. Now I have 4 agents that will likely continue this which will multiply over all of the customers that they deal with. This is very dangerous. The next step was to openly talk to the agent in correction and be certain that the new agents know that the info given is wrong, that it must be corrected to the customer that heard it and that there will be accountability when the expectations of service are not met.
The first and foremost application of this is that we must consider our ways - are we unblemished, are we sanctified, is our service to God acceptible or do we have eyes blinded by the world, ears plugged from hearing God's voice, lame legs not willing to move at God's command or bad doctrine that will lead others astray? God doesnt imply here that if someone has one useful thing to offer despite other blatent handicaps that they should be used but rather if they have a single handicap they should be eliminated until there has been healing in that area.

Next Chapter - I have preached 2 Sam 6 and love the text primarily because it demonstrates an important and often overlooked truth - it shows that just any way of doing something doesn't cut it with God. David was attempting to move the ark. He has his new cart - it will be the fastest and easiest way to get that cart from point A to point B (from man's reasoning). One problem, that is not the best way in God's eyes - it is not His ordained way. God uses sanctified men to accomplish His work and He gives us His word to tell us just how we are to do it. When we try on our own power with our methods and our standards then our ways will falter and it will cost lives and souls.

Hag 1:5-7
(5) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
(6) Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
(7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Our ways are not His ways nor are our thoughts His thoughts - Isa. 55

There are many factors to consider in bringing people into the house, into service and how we go about our service. Our heart - absolutely, our motives - absolutely (Sermon on the mount) - our methods - Absolutely.
God could have made creation to work in a much less complex manner. He could have allowed for everyone and everything to do as it wanted and yet all would work just fine. He did not have to have a water cycle, a food chain etc. Certain species would not have to rely on other species which rely on other species etc in order to form the stability needed - yet it does.
There is an order, a structure, a complexity, a set of rules that nature abides by - sodomites try to defy that proper order of how God designed things, yet try as they might they cannot overcome God and it causes confusion and death.
God has standards - we always try our ways of doing things (like leaves for a covering) and he rejects that. Lets do things His way - lets seek God's ways and be sure that the offerings and service we give are not blind and lame in His eyes.

THE KING JAMES BIBLE IS PERFECT!

The title says it all. Might not know my multiplications by 7 as well as others but I am glad that I can read my Bible and know that its correct and true, trustworthy and eternal, inEnglish!

1Co 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1Co 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

I want you all to know that I love Jesus - but talk is cheap, may you see it from me as much as you hear it from me!

The B-i-b-l-e, yes thats the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God, the 1611KJV - BIBLE!!!!!!!

Pontificating on things I know nothing about

This phrase came up the other night during a great time of fellowship around the Word of God. The point was simply that we must not let these blogs or any other venue of communication be an avenue to spout off about things that we are not any kind of authority on.


I enjoy writing and this forum is more for my own purpose of jotting down thoughts from reading than anything else but knowing that others have/do read this blog makes me take seriously the things that I post. If you are going to take time to read, do me a favor and read first the blog of Andy Hinds. It is updated very frequently and contains great material again and again in a well thought out and practical way. Andy, as far as I have calculated, is approximately 17,000 times as smart and wise as I and therefore should be referred to that much more often. I am grateful that God has gifted some of our own in such great ways. (I have not figured out a way yet to get 20 cents a click for this ad but oh well)

www.Hindsey.blogspot.com



What this blogging has accomplished has been to start some great conversations offline as well as encourage some others to take time to document their thoughts. If this is done responsibly, humbly and in a way that will allow for correction, then I find it valuable.