(Mat 16:24)  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

              People say they will walk with Jesus and that is great, but do they really mean it. Jesus said in the verse above if any will walk with Him they must first deny himself.

              What does it mean to deny oneself? Most often we think of dieting when we think of denying our self. But in dieting we are simply denying our body the extra or luxury item that we are craving. Biblical denying has deeper meaning than this. The word literally means to deny one’s own interest, acquaintances or connection with others; hence when Jesus said that they who desire to come after Him must hate father, mother, brother, sister and their own life. When we think of “hating”, we immediately think of “feelings”, but hate is not feelings, but actions. It means placing Jesus before any acquaintance or connection to other people – even our own family. It means placing Jesus before our own interests and life.

      When people say they are willing to follow Jesus they

Mind set five – don’t make me wait, I am very needy 

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

      There are so many who lack patience and they want what they want, when they want it – and that is NOW. We live in such an instant society that it carries over into our spiritual life as well. We have instant cereal, microwavable meals, instant entertainment, instant web connection, and on we could go. We are so used to having everything we want and need at our finger tips or right away, that we think this should be the norm in our spiritual life as well. Often you hear Christians complaining about praying and not receiving the answer. A young woman was having marital problems and asked a minister what to do. He instructed her to pray and seek God; about a week or two later, he asked her how it was going and her response was, “I did pray, but that didn’t work.” After two weeks of praying she gave up because “it did not

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

      The Scripture text tells us our condition without Christ, but unfortunately many Christians hang unto this passage as an excuse to continue to live wrong. They go about with their bad attitudes, they gossip, bad mouth people and tell people off using this claim to their fame –“I just can’t help it, that’s the way I am.”

      The children of Israel could use that excuse as well – “We were slaves for over four hundred years, so what do you expect from us?”

      Many today use their past and the depraved condition of all people to excuse their present actions. They may be Christian but they are certainly living below their ability and calling. Paul says, “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called.” This means to live according to God’s way as a member of His family. How many a person has soiled the family name by

 Make things easy for me

(John 6:60)  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

How often have you heard the words, “This is too hard, I can’t do it!” After hearing it you just shake your head and wonder how that person is going to get along in this life. The sad fact is that many do not make it in this life unless someone makes it “easy” for them. (Could you imagine an athlete in training for a competition asking for his/her coach to make things easy for them?) Our government has over stepped the boundary of aiding people in need and produced a nation of people who expect everything to be made easy for them. Our nation was founded upon hard work and not giving up just because things do not go right or seem too hard. The Great Depression showed the true character of many in this nation and from that terrible time many accomplishments and successes brought about a prosperity that no other nation has experienced thus far. If many today had to endure the hardships of the Great Depression they

Mindset 2 – someone do it for, I don’t want the responsibility

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, ² Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. ³ Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

      Our society today has been plagued with the idea of “someone else” doing what needs to be accomplished and then it falls upon those who work most to do what should be shared by the many. The principle in the church is usually that twenty percent of the people do eighty percent of the work. I am glad that is not true in all churches but too often it is true in churches today.

      This mindset is prevalent today because we have such a large welfare class in the population. The rules and guidelines that are required to receive “free”

Mind set number one – my past determines my present and future.

(Prov 29:18)  Where there is no vision, the people perish:

      Last week we talked a little about wilderness mindsets that can hinder our spiritual growth. The first one we look at this week is the mindset that our past determines our present and future.

      Israel had been in bondage to slavery for over 400 years and now they were free and away from the task masters and their whips; but they were also away from the protection afforded them by the armies of Egypt from foreign invaders. They also did not have access to the many foods available to them in Egypt. Now they look around and see nothing but desert in front of them, they see no God but hear only His voice or His commands through His man, Moses. They are about to enter a new life, but what will that life be and how will they be able to cope with the problems and challenges ahead of them. Problems arise now after their deliverance as they think upon the future while focusing on their past.

      When we come to Christ

Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. ² And the LORD spake unto me, saying, ³ Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.

The children of Israel escaped from Egypt and saw God’s judgment upon the Egyptians as they were drowned in the Red Sea. Now after they had rejoiced and praised God for His deliverance they were instructed to move forward – He said they have gone around that mountain long enough. We have a similar saying, “We’ve gone around this matter too long”, meaning we have discussed or mulled over an issue too long, now we need to get beyond it.

      God wanted Israel to go into the Promised Land that He had promised to Abraham years before this incident. He wanted them to go in and enjoy the blessings of that land “flowing with milk and honey”, so He instructed them to move on. God had delivered them from the threat from Egypt and now they were safely on the other side of the Red Sea and they had

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

      In the Law of Moses, at least two reliable witnesses were required to convict a man of a crime. Jesus Christ was charged with blaspheme when He claimed to be the unique Son of God (Matt 26:65). They passed sentence upon Him because of His answer to their questions because the witnesses against Him could not agree on their testimony (Mk 14:56-59). They condemned Jesus to death because of His claim to be the Son of God, however there were four witnesses to the fact that He was/is the Son of God.

John the Baptist:

      The first of the witnesses to the claim of Jesus was John the Baptist (Jn 1:34). This was the reason that John was called of God and separated unto the work of preparing the way for Christ (Jn 1:8-9; Matt 3:1-3). John knew his mission and that he(John the Baptist)  was

Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Fire and evolution:

      Fire was considered by certain of the ancient philosophers who worshipped multiple gods to have been the primeval element out of which all things had evolved. This same myth is promoted today by evolutionary thought in the “Big Bang” theory. Fire was present in or brought about by the big bang – so they promote. Actually, fire is a creation of God used both actually and symbolically as God’s vehicle of judgment on sin.

First and last reference to fire:

            It is significant that the first and last reference to fire in Scripture mention both fire and brimstone, used in flaming judgment on human rebellion against God (Gen 19:24; Rev 21:8). In the text verse from Hebrews it refers to a warning given to Israel by Moses just before they entered the Promised Land (Deut 4:24) and used by the writer of

James 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Patience and endurance:

      The word patience means steadfastness, endurance; the characteristic of one who will not swerve from his deliberate purpose and loyalty to faith and piety even by the greatest trails and suffering. It is part of the experience that produces experience that brings hope and assurance to us (Ro 5:3-5). Patience is a discipline, a work that is necessary for our growth. The work of producing patience is not often pleasant, but it is administered by our Father who desires to produce spiritual maturity in us.

      The context of James chapter one has several aspects that promise victory through the process of learning patience. Wisdom is granted upon asking when we are going through the disciplines that produce the “perfect work” of patience. As those who love the Lord endure the testings that will come, the patience (endurance) that comes will produce a “crown of life” (James 1:12)

Principles of gaining patience (Psa 37):

1. Trust in the Lord (Psa 37:3). Follow His leading in everything we do

1 John 5:4   For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Our enemy hates faith:

            The devil hates the faith that we place in God and so he attempted to destroy Job because Job put his faith in God (Job 9). When his first attempt failed he tried another route to destroy Job’s faith in God. The devil is not omniscient so he cannot know our faith as God knows it, and the only way he can see it is by our faith and works together (Jam 2:17-20). The devil rejoices in the many who claim to have faith (be saved) and do not express it in works and actions.

The enemy attacks believers:

            The enemy is an expert at getting us to give up, weaken or leave the faith. When Peter walked on the water he took his eyes off Jesus and immediately sank in the water. When a man’s son was possessed of a demon he asked Jesus for help and expressed his need of increased faith (Mk 9:24); the disciples also asked for

Luke 2:6-7 (KJV)
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

      Christmas has arrived and I can almost hear the laughter, squeals of delight and expressions of thanks as children and adults alike open presents from one another. Too often we try to enjoy this day through sleepy eyes and worn out bodies – we have exhausted ourselves trying to get ready for Christmas and in a few minutes it is all over.

      God laid His gift to the world in a manger in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago and that gift is still thrilling those who find Him today. Some advertisers say their gift is one that keeps on giving, but in reality, it is God’s Gift that keeps on giving. Jesus was a man born to die – die for our sins and those of the world so that “whosoever will” may come and receive the forgiveness of sins and know they are in God’s

Ephesians 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

The call:

     The word “call” is: to invite, to call to bear a name and is used of our invitation by God to all. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, therefore He calls people to Him through His Son to receive forgiveness of their sins and become a part of His family – to bear His name. Jesus issued the invitation to “come unto Him” and said that as “many as receive Him are given authority to become the sons and daughters of God. Our call as Christians then, is God’s invitation be part of His blood washed family, the redeemed of all earth. Paul tells us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, so it behooves us to examine our call lest our lifestyle bring reproach to the One Who has called us.

The calling is “of God”:

      There can come no higher calling than that of the Sovereign God of the universe, the One Who created all things and sustains

What is the “Progressivism” in the church today and where did it come from? Many proudly claim, “I am a progressive” or “Our church is a progressive church”, not understanding what has happened through the years and where the ideals of progressivism comes from.  Most would be shocked if they knew how the progressive ideals came about; some would bristle and vehemently deny the truth.

It began years ago -- during World War II when America was allied with Russia in defeating Hitler and his desires to conquer the world and eliminate "undesirables" from the human race. Communism was the political mainstay of Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution and the dominant power during the war with Germany (and years after as well). They, too desired world domination but their methods were more secretive and subtle than that of Hitler. Even while allied with America in defeating Germany, there were Russian spies actively working in the U.S. trying to steal military and any other secret they could in order to aid the "Motherland" in their world conquest. Those old enough remember Khrushchev declaring, "We will take over America without firing a shot." They had a plan and they were very patient

Leaked emails

The following article from the Institute of Creation Research shows some interesting facts about what we’re being told about global warming.

Over a thousand sensitive emails and documents from Britain’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia were published online in late November without CRU’s permission. Some of their content suggests that the data used to support the theory of human -caused global warming have not been accurately represented.¹

The leaked emails have surfaced in time for the United Nations summit on climate, set to commence in December. Most of the emails are mundane, but some contain dialogue between scientists about adjusting climate data to support the man-made global warming hypothesis. The university is currently investigating the information leak, but if these communications prove to be legitimate, what other areas of research have also been subject to data tampering?

One email in particular that has raised questions appears to have been sent from CRU Director Phil Jones and uses the words “trick” and “hide” in relation to the presentation of climate data. “I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature trick of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years (ie from

Romans 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

Israel is blinded:

      The majority of Israel today is spiritually blinded to the facts of their Messiah. This blindness has come from three main sources. First they refuse to believe Scripture and undeniable facts -- their Scriptures declare that the scepter will not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes (Gen 49:10), and truly the scepter has departed from Judah at the present. Ancient Jewish commentators agree that Shiloh refers to the Messiah, but the fact that the scepter (symbol of leadership) has departed from Judah (and shortly after the crucifixion) should be evidence to them that their Messiah has come.

      David was the first from the tribe of Judah to attain the scepter of leadership among Israel’s tribes. God’s promises were clear that Messiah would be in David’s lineage. The record of Joseph and Mary’s lineage in Matthew and Luke show that Jesus was the Messiah. Even the Pharisees did not question the records of His family stored in the temple when they accused Jesus of blasphemy. In 70 A.D. however,

Psalm 1:1-6  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ²  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ³  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. ⁴  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. ⁵  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. ⁶  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Different ways:

          The Psalmist tells of two different ways in this first psalm. Robert Frost said, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by; and that has made all the difference. Jesus gave us the illustration of two ways – straight gate and wide gate; narrow way and broad way; two trees; two

1 Corinthians 15:57   But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many things we can thank God for and should thank Him for – as the song writer says, It will surprise what the Lord has done. We are told to give thanks when we make requests in prayer (Phil 4:6) and also to render thanks in and for all things (Eph 5:20; 1 Thes 5:18). But there are three notable gifts mentioned by Paul in his letters to the Corinthians in which he was led to use the particular phrase, “Thanks be unto God”.

Victory:

      The first one is in the text which says that God has given us the victory thru Jesus Christ. There are many victories we could attach to this verse, but since it uses the definite article: “the” victory, he is probably thinking of one thing in particular. The context of the verse also tells us that Paul is referring to the victory that we have thru Christ over death and the grave. This victory is one of two victories. From verses 51-53 he is speaking of

2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Life more abundant:

      Jesus said that He came so that we can have life more abundant, which some have misinterpreted to mean materialism -- prosperity, popularity, wealth, health and happiness. The word abundantly and abounding come from the same root word and can mean abundant, but it is in the area of spiritual abundance not materialism. The word can also be applied to sorrow as well.

Good works:

      Christians are to abound in good works – every good work, not just those we choose to perform. God has before determined we should do them after being saved (Eph 2:10). Paul says the reason we should abound is that God has made all grace to abound toward us first. Jesus said that without Him we are not able to perform good works; it is only as we abide in Him we are able to perform good works (bear fruit) – Jesus is full of grace and truth. When we are established in the faith by

Deuteronomy 13:1-4  If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, ²  And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; ³  Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴  Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

False prophets:

     There were false prophets in Israel’s day and they have continued throughout history into our day. One test that God gave about the validity of a prophet is found in Deut 18:22. The penalty for being a false prophet was death Deut 13:6-10. Knowing if a prophet was true or not did not primarily lay in the performance of miracles or even in the test of accuracy, but with his/her