OUTWIT GOD?

To the faithful you show yourself faithful,

to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

to the pure you show yourself pure,

but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

Psalm 18:25, 26 NIV

There is an abiding principle revealed here that you and I must never forget – God deals with us in the way that we deal with Him.

The Bible declares that God is utterly faithful. There isn’t even a hint of unfaithfulness with God – His nature is to be faithful in all His dealings. Because God is radically faithful, He rewards even the smallest act of faithfulness. He never loses sight of a single thing that we do in sincere faith and obedience.

To the faithful God shows Himself faithful. To the blameless God shows Himself blameless. If we are pure and upright in our walk with Him, then He will be the same toward us – far purer than we can ever be. But it’s the way that we relate to Him that determines the way He relates to us.

But then there is that final word of warning: “to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” Have you ever thought that you could fool God? There are still people who foolishly believe that they can somehow deceive God. These people believe that they can “pull the wool over God’s eyes” and get away with it. They are so taken up with their own shrewdness and intellect. But I want to warn you, God is much shrewder than you are. Scripture says that even “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Cor. 1:25).

So beware of any attempt to outwit God because it cannot be done.

Joy in the journey,

Danny

FINALLY GETTING THE MESSAGE

It's taken a while, but the world is finally getting the message. After decades of hearing that all God wants is to be allowed to improve their lives with a wonderful plan, they are now getting the second part of the message from the seeker-friendly church. What is it? It is that we should eliminate anything that would make seekers feel uncomfortable.

So the world has taken that message to heart. The name of Christ makes them feel uncomfortable, so it's logical then that traditional Christmas greetings should be replaced by "Happy Holidays."

The seeker-friendly church also suggested removing the cross from the church building so that seekers wouldn't feel uncomfortable. So we shouldn't complain that California removed the cross from their State Seal.

The Ten Commandments were taken out of the gospel message, so we need not be concerned that they were taken off State properties.

Teaching "Intelligent Design" in schools also has uncomfortable connotations of "God" being behind it, so the natural selection in schools is the only alternative: Unintelligent Design--the unscientific explanation of the "Theory of Evolution."

So, what should we do to reach this younger generation? Should we sign more petitions or somehow protest? I don't think that will do much for our cause. I think that we should rather do what we have been told to do. We should "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." There's a novel idea. But how do we do that when can't go into schools and mention God?

After putting Santa into our limo (our ministry was given a limo which we are using to raise money for "The Children's Hunger Fund"), and giving out stuffed toys after I had preached, I had an idea. I purchased an extremely authentic-looking gorilla suit. Picture this. We park the limo on the street at a wide area of the sidewalk, right outside a high school just before thousands of students pour out of school. The gorilla is standing in the limo sticking out of the hole in its roof. He climbs out and sits on the hood of the vehicle; I stand up and say,

"Hello. My name is Ray. What an incredible country this is. We are known as 'One Nation Under God,' we have 'In God we trust' on our money, an amazing 90% of Americans believe in God, millions go to church . . . yet there are laws that are being passed in this country saying that it is illegal to talk to school kids about 'Intelligent Design' because it has connotations of God behind it. They only want you to hear one side--the theory of evolution. I don't think they should censor what you hear, so I'm going to talk for a few minutes about Intelligent Design, and as a token of appreciation of you listening, we are going to give out these gifts after I have spoken. I believe the most compelling argument for Intelligent Design is your conscience. So that's what I'm going to speak to today, by going through a few of the Ten Commandments . . . " etc.

If they refuse to teach Intelligent Design in schools, we will teach it outside the schools. What's more, we will take the limo to wherever there are crowds of people--to beaches, outside malls, parades, and spring breaks . . . wherever. We are not going to wait for the world to come to Church because we know that the world hates the light of the gospel, and will not come to it "lest their deeds are exposed" (John 3:20). We are taking the battle to them.

This is because we are at war, and we are not fighting liberals, school boards, politicians, the ACLU or judges. The Bible says that we "wrestle not against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12). Instead, we wrestle against a subtle enemy that is trying to tighten a steel noose around a complacent Church. In the last few months, we have been banned from preaching on American soil outside of the local courts. We have been forbidden from exercising our First Amendment rights and preaching at the local DVM to lines of people, before it even opened. We can no longer go into schools and mention God.

It's easy to forget that we have a very real enemy that "walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). But we know that if God is for us nothing shall be against us and that we have been issued with "weapons of warfare that are not carnal but mighty thought God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). We have tossed away the "carnal" feather duster of the modern message, and have replaced it with the "mighty" Ten Great cannons of God's Law. The Law makes the enemy tremble. The rousing words of General Douglas McArthur are applicable for a conflict such as this: "The enemy is in front of us. The enemy is behind us. He is to the right and to the left of us. He can't get away this time!"

Maybe you haven't been given a limo. Perhaps you would never do what we are planning to do. Maybe you could never see yourself standing up and preaching in public. But there is something you could do, and it's not difficult. Perhaps you could get the Giant Money tracts and pass them out on the sidewalk outside your local school, as kids go in or come out. We have done this, and the tracts go like hot cakes on a cold day in Alaska. They eat them up.

Throw caution to the wind by stepping out in faith. Be like David--run to the battle. Refuse to surrender to the enemy's weapons of intimidation. Take ground for the Kingdom before some tool of the enemy passes legislation to ensure that precious school kids aren't harassed by "religious sects" (that's us). We still have liberty, so use it for the most noble of causes--to fight the good fight of faith.

Whatever you do, do something . . . and do it now.
-- by Ray Comfort

Amen!(article at http://www.livingwaters.com/columns_ray)
Joy in the journey,
Danny

THE GIFT

The first essential point we have made is that our righteousness cannot satisfy God's requirements. Furthermore, because we are imperfect, our own righteousness seldom satisfies us either.

God's requirements is nothing less than his righteousness and his holiness. Our righteousness cannot earn for us right standing before God. Such a standing before God must be imputed or credited to us, as a gift, by God himself.

How many people have you talked to who will say, "Hey, I'm a fairly good person. I haven't murdered anyone. I try to keep the rules. I try to help my neighbors," and so forth?

However, the issue in the gospel is God's righteousness. Who does God recognize as righteousness? To whom does God impute standing? What is God's criterion for right standing before him? The Bible clearly announces that there are people to whom God imputes righteousness. Who are they?

In Romans 4:3, Paul referred to Genesis 15:6:

• "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Here is how Paul, the apostle, says this applies to you:

• "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness ...." Rom. 4:1-5

God made a promise to Abraham, Abraham believed it, and the Lord reckoned Abraham's simple faith to Abraham as righteousness. In other words, God imputed righteousness to Abraham on the basis of faith alone.

This, then, is how God justifies the ungodly.

According to Scripture, the gospel works exactly this way for us. The Lord has promised right standing (righteousness) before him to anyone who will put his faith in the finished work of Christ for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Therefore, like Abraham, when we simply believe this promise of God, the Lord reckons righteousness to us.

Anyone qualifies for this grace -- every day! You can simply believe God and receive the gift of righteousness. And the best part is that this imputed righteousness is God's righteousness, nothing less!

This salvation is the only salvation. And it is God's best, not some lukewarm compromise. Then and only then can you experience the promise of Romans 5:17:

• "... much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."
  

It's that simple: The grace of God is primarily the gift of God's righteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ.

And as a believer, you have it!

What a glorious privilege!


Joy in the journey,

Danny

OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS CAN'T DO IT

There is a vast difference between our trying to please God and God working in us that which pleases Him (Phil 2:13; Heb. 13:21). When we don’t have a revelation of this indispensable truth, we are doomed to failure in our walk with God.

Every Christian must face the obvious truth: our righteousness can’t do it. The body of Christ in the United States has had access to more teaching and preaching than any church in history. Technology has opened the door and made available to us an abundance of Christian tapes, books, and television programs. To be sure, these are the blessing of God.

But for many of us, our knowledge has outstripped our ability. If we are honest, most of us must admit that we’re not applying what we’ve learned. We’re not living up to God’s expectations. We are striving too much; and our righteousness is falling short of the mark.For many, grace comes at an opportune time in their lives. Having gradually realized that the majority of their attempts at righteousness have fallen short of the mark, many are feeling quite confused and condemned about it. Although remembering their zeal for the Lord of years gone by, many have settled for more or less a nominal Christian life; some have even given up completely. And worse yet, some have even thought that God has given up on them!

But something good is about to happen to you even if you don’t expect it. If the description above fits you in any way, congratulations! You have finally come to a place where the Lord can intervene powerfully in your life.

While the Lord has not caused you to fail, he has allowed you to fail in order to reveal that your righteousness can never satisfy his requirements for righteousness. He usually shows this truth through a process familiar to every generation of God’s people. He allows you to struggle for years and years trying to be spiritual, trying to be holy, reading everybody’s exhortation and formulas, zealously applying new keys to true spirituality, or learning new techniques about the deeper life or healing or prosperity. Then, after all those years of striving, you discover that many of the standard formulas don’t seem to work, and, worse yet, your righteousness still has blemishes all over it.

Or, perhaps, you are the sort of person who usually succeeds at your own righteousness. Then the Lord reveals your spiritual inadequacy in another fashion – for example, through a deep hunger for more holiness and power in your soul. You may recognize that, despite all your success, the true spirituality and abiding peace and lasting satisfaction you expected haven’t been realized. Where are they? You thought Christians were supposed to have them!

You have them sometimes, maybe in worship or praise, but they are all too fleeting. You have tried to obey the biblical admonition to be holy as your heavenly Father is holy, and you have usually tried to respond zealously to preaching that exhorted you to aim at perfection. But you are becoming discouraged and exhausted!

Face it. Your own righteousness and spiritual activity cannot do it. God wants you to be totally convinced of this biblical and practical reality. Totally convinced. Why? Because the requirement of God is nothing less than his righteousness and his holiness. Always! The Lord expects and accepts nothing less than his own righteousness and holiness. The peace you seek cannot be found in your own righteousness. The only peace that can ever satisfy your soul is peace with God.

The standard in the gospel is always God’s righteousness. But how do we obtain this? God’s word tells us:


“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:21-24).


God’s standard is always God’s righteousness, and that is where you must find your peace. Peace with God results not from trusting your own righteousness but from trusting only Christ. Have faith in him and the gift of his righteousness.


“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).


Perhaps you are a new Christian, or perhaps up until now you have not hit the brick wall I have described here. Thank God, because if you will learn grace now, you can avoid a lot of the pain and confusion the rest of us have suffered. Begin now to allow the Lord to show you how to live in his righteousness rather than your own. Finally, perhaps you have been plagued by some kind of addiction, or maybe you have done some horribly unacceptable or sinful things. There is always hope for those who have learned their desperate need for grace.


“Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).


The primary issue is placing our hope completely in the grace of God. Our only hope of righteousness is trusting Christ and his finished work at the cross – plus nothing! This sounds pretty radical, and it is. But it is also biblical. The gospel of Jesus Christ is radical because nothing less can accomplish his purposes in us. Works righteousness is dead! The performance basis for right standing before God is dead! Don’t kid yourself, if you persist in work righteousness, the Lord will allow you to fail in order to drive you back to trusting totally in his mercy. The Lord never causes us to sin, but he may allow some painful struggles and defeats in your life until you acknowledge his grace more fully. Most Christians say they know grace, but their struggles and defeats indicate quite the opposite. Don’t depend upon your human ability to grasp and apply grace. Rather, repent of that right now and ask the Lord to begin to reveal his grace to you – what it really means and how it really works. Think about it – if your own righteousness seldom satisfies you, how can it ever satisfy the Lord?

“…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that [you] may … find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).


Oh Lord, have mercy upon us and grant that we may see and know and accept your grace. Grant that we may learn to fix our hope completely in Jesus Christ and his shed blood.

Joy in the journey,

Danny