christianity

Works Won’t Work

/ Lee A. Robinson / 1 Comment

How do we gain favor with God? Many people think that we “earn” eternal life by being good, religious and charitable, but works won’t work. Come see what the Bible says will work . . . 

We intuitively know that God wants us to be good and do good. We know that God is good and glorious, so it naturally follows that if we’re to be welcomed into his presence (favorably) then we ought to be good and seek for his glory. This human focused tendency is manifested in every religion mankind has come up with. Though culturally religions vary widely, the core principle of the systems are the same: God requires us to do certain things in order to gain his favor. Roman Catholics must follow the sacraments to hopefully gain eternal life; Muslims must faithfully observe the 5 pillars to gain paradise; Jehovah’s Witnesses must witness and obey the watchtower; Hindus achieve liberation through respect to Karma, etc. It all comes down to being good and doing good. But what does Jesus and the Bible teach?

Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day (the day of judgment), Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto you, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23 It is clear from his teaching here that there are many people who are professing worshippers of God who will be rejected by him. They say, “Lord, Lord…” showing repetition. These are people known to be religious and are consistent in their practice. Not only so, but they even carry a spiritual power: they perform wonderful works. There are people who can do supernatural things and are capable of doing unusual levels of philanthropy and altruism that will be rejected by God. Their works won’t work. Jesus told us in this passage that the person who will enter the kingdom of heaven is “he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 What is God’s will? “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40 Everlasting life is not earned by religious or good things we do, but is rather a gift given to those who believe in Jesus, who trust in the work that HE has done on our behalf.

The apostle Paul made it abundantly clear when he said, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 Eternal life is too precious to be purchased with our good deeds. It is and always will only be a gracious gift from God. Works won’t work, but faith will. Paul, in speaking about his own conversion wrote that God, “…saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” 2 Timothy 1:9 

He made this very plain in another passage as well, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-‬7 Favor with God is predicated on the fact that he has shown us mercy. In other words, we have all done wrong and need to be forgiven – this is the first step towards God. Criminals go to jail, not because of their lack of philanthropy, but because they have committed crimes. God has laws, and we have all broken those laws: do not lie, do not steal, honor your parents, etc. We deserve death and judgment from God. If we are attempting to argue our innocence before God’s throne on the basis of our good works, it won’t work. We don’t need a larger portfolio of charitable action, we need a changed heart. Our problem is internal. This is why the passage says that we needed “the washing of regeneration” and “renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Our lives are not naturally like spiritual soup kitchens that just need to feed more people. Rather, we are like abandoned, condemned sleaze motels that need to be torn down and rebuilt by God himself if we are to please him at all.    

Even if it were possible to work your way into heaven, no one’s work would be good enough. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 2:23 Do we really think that we could approach the God who made this universe and has continued to sustain it perfectly would be impressed with our accomplishments??? God rejects sinners who try to pay him off like he’s a corrupt judge. God is good and glorious. The way that pleases him is when we come to him humbly, with repentance, pleading for mercy, and receiving his wonderful gifts. Ultimately, it is set up this way so that he receives all of the glory. “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:27 There will be only one person receiving praise in heaven for all of the souls saved and welcomed in – and that is Jesus Christ! 

A simple note of reasoning to think about – If you could work your way into heaven, then why did Jesus need to die???

Good works are good. We should be abounding in good works and pure forms of worship. However, it is only good if it is done from a heart of gratitude and to earn nothing from God.

The Grace of God You Need.

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

The grace of God is multifaceted but we will just focus on one face. Simply put, God’s grace are gifts we receive from God: spiritual gifts that enable us to possess certain God-like qualities. For example, the ability to remain calm and unirritated in the face of difficult people and to respond with kindness and genuine compassion is a gift from God. This kind of response is not natural to any human heart. I don’t know if I need to spend much time trying to prove this, but it really is. Just think of how rare that type of response is among our fellow humans. A few people do naturally have higher levels of endurance, but are not our innate strengths gifts from God as well? Truly, any good character quality or action does not naturally arise from our human heart, but is a divine enablement: an undeserved gift from God. If we are to become more and more like God and effectively do his will, we need as many gifts as we possibly can get! The first step, of course – as always – is to realize and admit that we are in deep need of his grace. Secondly, we must earnestly seek for his grace moment by moment. 

Christian, you need the Gospel. Do you think you are okay today? Are you all set? In what ways, specifically, are you not like Jesus? Are you kind to every person you can come into contact with? Are you more focused on yourself instead of the needs of others – your wife, your kids, your neighbor or coworkers? Are you deeply concerned about those around you who don’t know Christ? Are you ashamed of the Gospel? How often do you cross paths with people and not give glory to God or preach his Gospel? Do you carry a spirit of gratitude and contentment or are you weighed down with depression, anxiety, complaints and murmuring? Are you self-disciplined in your appetites and activities? What is your singular focus in life – is it heavenly things or earthly things? Are you bitter towards anyone? Are you harboring resentment towards anyone or for something that happened in the past? Are you angry with God or in awe of him? Are you watching things on the internet you shouldn’t be? Do you have any besetting sin? How are you falling short of the glory and goodness of God? If you’re not sure about your weakness, then maybe your struggle is with pride? Ask the people that know you the best, “What is my weakness?”

When you first came to God for salvation you had nothing to offer him except your sin. Nothing has changed in this regard. You still have nothing of value to offer God to earn his favor except your repentance. Once you realize this just simply tell him how busted up you are. Name your sin and the gift that you need. “God, I don’t deserve it, but I need patience. I need love. I need boldness. I need a spiritual mindset. I need kindness. I need joy and contentment. I need the right priorities . . . and God, you are the only one who can give me these abilities, because Jesus died for my inadequacies so that those parts of me might die and only Jesus rose from the dead, being the only one able to create in me these fresh, beautiful, powerful, Godlike qualities.”

In asking for such precious gifts, you must ask for the right reason. James 4:3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” We’re not fooling God. He knows our true motivation. It must be pure. These gifts are not for our glory or pleasure, they are for the glory and pleasure of God, that his will would be done in the earth. Sure, when we do his will, most often we find ourselves with peace, contentment and joy, but our main desire must be that we please him and serve others well. So, when you begin to experience your relationships being handled in a supernaturally different way, verbally give God praise right then and there and then afterwards as many times as you have opportunity. When you achieve success through God’s grace in the areas that you failed repeatedly for years and years and years give God joyful praise and thanksgiving.

Thankfully, James also tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5).” No one is more ready and prepared to give you a gift than God. We can go to him boldly, as the scriptures say, in prayer. Any grace that you ask for is certainly praying according to the will of God, which gives us confidence that he will grant that request. What are you waiting for? Go now and receive from our heavenly father the good things you need to be more like him in the earth that you live in. 

Why did God set things up this way? Doesn’t it seem like a strange operation – we have to come to God to receive the ability to live in a way that is truly righteous? Why can’t we just do it on our own? Well, first of all, we can’t. It’s that simple. Furthermore, if we could, who would get the glory and praise? O, you know we definitely would take as much of it as possible! The reality is that there is only One Man who is worthy of it all – the Lord Jesus Christ. All things considered, is yucky when man receives high praise, because we all know that no man is an island, and every man has great faults that others don’t know about. However, it is soo fitting that Jesus receives all and the highest praise. He is the Almighty One (Heaven’s eternal adoration) who willingly and humbly left heaven in great condescension; who took off the garment of infinity and wrapped himself in restrictive human flesh; who suffered and died the most horrific, shameful, brutal, unrighteous, substitutionary death ever; who, by his own power and virtue, raised himself from the dead and was exalted back to the highest throne! What have we done that can even begin to compare?

May the Lord receive his fitting glory from you today. What an honor, that our sins would expose his generosity and power, which as a result we benefit from!!!

Embracing True Beauty: A Father’s Reflection

/ Lee A. Robinson / 2 Comments

I am the privileged father of three beautiful girls, now becoming little women. I probably should have written this letter a long time ago, but later is better than never. Among other prayers, my prayer for you is that you would be earnest and thoughtful to develop your own convictions before God in every area of life: striving to please and glorify God in everything, for, “whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). I do hope that you would especially consider the heart and perspective of your parents, since it is God that made you our daughters for a reason, and knowing that our advice comes from a heart unmotivated apart from love and goodwill. So, I love you, and may this advice help you mature and be wise, ultimately leading you to happiness. 

I’m glad to say that without having really used make-up throughout your life each of you have been praised for being beautiful. The Lord did a stellar job (as he always does) at creating each of you distinctly beautiful in your own way. My first hope is that you would recognize that God is the greatest sculptor, and that any attempt to “improve” on his design for you would by default be a failing venture. As these beautiful lyrics explain, “As I look off into the distance, watching the sun roll on by- beautiful colors all around me, painted all over the sky. The same hands that created all of this – they created you and I. What a beautiful God” (Shawn MacDonald). If given the opportunity, would you attempt to paint a more magnificent sunset than the Lord? Would you try to establish a more glorious mountain than he has? No. We would be off somehow: too bold, too bright; not enough subtlety, not enough contrast, etc. The masterful artists simply imitate God’s handiwork well. So it is with you, God made you the very best version of you that you could be. So, believe in his handiwork. You may want to look different than you do, maybe more like some other women, but you will only be at best a 2nd rate imitation of them and lose yourself. God thinks you are the most beautiful just the way you are. 

I’m not yet talking about whether or not you should or shouldn’t wear make-up, or how to handle it if you do. I’m speaking directly to something much deeper. When you go to God in prayer, in the secret place, just you and God, you don’t need make-up or jewelry to feel attractive and to know that you’re loved. You don’t have to alter your appearance to please him. Isn’t that a wonderful truth, that he loves you just the way you are? I pray that this confidence, settledness of heart and peace of mind permeates your spirit, so that when you are in public you also wouldn’t feel compelled to be something more or something different than God made you. I know your mom and I love you with this same kind of love, and my prayer is that you would be surrounded by girl friends and boy friends who love the real you, not a superficial version of you. 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth [which is the correct way to see]; for man [the fleshly, worldly man] looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Which leads me to my next thought…

The condition of your heart and the quality of your actions is where God defines true beauty, not on the appearance of your skin. “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion (wisdom, discernment)” (Proverbs 11:22). A strikingly beautiful woman (with or without makeup) with a bad attitude, a bitter spirit or immoral behavior is ugly to God and also ugly to godly people (the people you truly want to be attractive to). In your life right now, if you compare your desire to look outwardly pretty versus being inwardly beautiful, which one weighs heavier on your heart? In all the days you have ahead of you to continue growing up, meet people and go places, I pray that every day your priority would be to have a simple, clean, childlike, joyful and beautiful inside, and afterward be concerned about what needs attention on the outside. It seems to me that the more a woman is insecure in who she is, the more she will want the attention of man over God, which will inevitably lead to more reliance on her flesh in order to feel valuable. A woman who rests in God’s delight of her will have much less of an impulse to embellish her exterior. If she knows she’s already loved and accepted, why would she feel deeply compelled to use her body to try to get the attention of others?   

Every part of Scripture was written with a certain topic in mind. Passages specifically directed towards women often focus on appearance. Your appearance is a big deal to God, to you and to everyone. Think about the cosmetic sections of stores related to women and how little there is relating to men! Haha. So, consider with me a few of the passages directly related to the subject we’re speaking about . . . 

Paul, in giving specific instructions about how to behave in church gatherings, instructs women to “…adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety (respect, being appropriate) and moderation (restraint, avoiding extremes), not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing (flashy, expensive), but, which is appropriate for women professing godliness, with good works.” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). The emphasis for women is to focus on being clothed with good works rather than self attracting clothes or cosmetics. Of all things that could be given as instruction to women in worship, why this admonition? And why for the ladies and not the men? Well, we should first admit that if this is what God put as the challenge, then it must be what women need to hear the most. But then we just turn to experience, which agrees, that so many women – whatever the reason – are so compelled on Sunday morning to show up looking good (attractive). A woman that is strikingly attractive is powerful (yet not in a healthy way), much like a man simply with a lot of money or great influence. 

Let me take a little detour from this passage, but continue speaking directly to this natural temptation that every female faces… Men were created to be builders, hunters, warriors, so their manly instinct is to be pursuers. Women, on the other hand, were created to help a man in his pursuits, so her innate desire to be pursued. Her heart’s desire is to be found by a man. Boys love adventure stories and girls love the love stories. In addition to this, it just so happens that God placed inside of men eyes that really like the way that women look and put in women a deep desire to be looked at, or seen, noticed and pursued. Mix all a dat together and, yes, you got a solid recipe for a smoochie love story, but also for a cunning, devilish plan of temptation. Adam fell ultimately not because the food looked good, but because Eve looked better. He ate the fruit she offered to him. This fine tuned boy/girl romance of pursuer/pursued is mysterious, exciting, fulfilling and very, very dangerous. The reality is that you, my daughter, want to be seen. You need to be seen above all of the rest if one day you’ll be noticed by your prince. Wake up and realize that the Tempter is going to tempt you – with every tool he’s got – to do something ungodly to get this attention that you crave. There is a boy out there right now: God’s first choice for you. There are billions of other young ladies your age. How is he going to find you? With God nothing is impossible. God’s first choice will notice you when he is ready (not before and not after). He is looking for a girl that’s not looking for him, but looking for his God. The Holy Spirit will show him your sweet demeanor, submissive spirit, concealing clothing, and your real face that has the fingerprints of the Master sculptor on it. He won’t recognize you if you have on a worldy costume and a mask. If you unwittingly and unwisely yield to the temptation to attract men before it is time, or in a manner that God isn’t behind, you will attract someone – you’ll attract many actually – but they won’t be God’s first choice. 

Notice a couple places from Scripture that highlight how the ungodly woman uses appearance and cosmetics to attract ungodly men. The book of Proverbs warns young men to not fall into the trap of the strange woman, “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids” (Proverbs 6:25 ). We can safely assume her “beauty” is not inward beauty or the natural beauty of her face, but rather the embellishment of her body with exotic cosmetics. There’s something she does with her eyelids that baits the simple man. The next chapter warns that she wears the clothes of a prostitute. What does a prostitute typically look like? A very short, tight skirt, high heels, boobs sticking out, thick red lipstick and makeup, an elaborate hairdo all presented with a provocative demeanor. Something like that. Try not to look like a prostitute as much as possible. 2 Kings 9 tells us the story of Jezebel’s death. Jehu was anointed by God to put away evil in Israel and to punish the wicked ruler Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Jezebel knew that Jehu was coming into the city to kill her and what power did she rely on to try to evade her doom? She put on makeup and fixed her hair! She was going to try to seduce him; to use her body to manipulate him into submitting to her, like she always did in her life. Don’t be like her… All of that to say that you are not above this temptation. It will be part of your path. Be aware of your fallen heart and the devil. You can overcome by God’s grace and his Holy Spirit, to be faithful and watch God bring you the right guy, at the right time in the right way.           

Back to the Timothy passage…

He said that women should dress in “modest” clothes. We use this word alot, but I want you to understand more deeply what the idea is, so think about this. One way to understand modesty is to be self-effacing, meaning “drawing attention away from yourself.” It also has the idea of being not excessive or expensive, so an appearance that is plain, simple or humble, some would even say homely. A modest home is one that is not very big or fancy, it’s nice but basic. There’s not really a “wow!” factor when people see it. Immodest dress is less cloth, more skin; it’s goal is to reveal rather than conceal what’s underneath. Modest clothing wants to hide what’s behind there. Modesty is sober, reserved and respectful. Think of a drunk, sloshy, disrespectful and flamboyant woman. Now think of how she is dressed. Now think of a dignified, chaste, serious woman intent on her business. What does she look like? Does all of this seem unfair? Doesn’t it somewhat feel like, “I guess God just wants me to wear a big brown paper bag and never look good!” If so, notice the tug of your heart and how looking good means a lot to you. Wearing a bag though would also be immodest. You can be balanced and simple and yet at the same time pretty. The point is that when people see you it should be your gracious spirit and your good works that are immediately noticed!     

Another related passage is in 1 Peter 3. Again, in giving specific instructions to women, Peter writes, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands” (1 Peter 3:3-5). What is truly precious to God? A lady with a gentle and quiet spirit, coupled with a submissive demeanor. This type of woman is actively trying to deflect attention, not be the center of it. She is there to serve. This is attractive to God. It is Christ-like. He came into the world quietly, concealed, to serve. Notice also he says that the hidden man of the heart is not corruptible (it doesn’t decay). Cosmetics are superficial. It’s not who you truly are. Your heart is who you truly are and no amount of mascara or blush can cover it up. I’m not saying that makeup is sinful. It can be if you are relying too much on it. But it’s just to make the point that, all things considered, it is completely superficial. It’s not really important when it comes to what defines you as a person.    

One more related Scripture. Read Proverbs 31 about the virtuous woman. The word “virtuous” in 31:10 means “strong or capable.” It is most often used to describe military force, as in “the host of the LORD.” The passage goes on to describe this wonderful woman: the ideal woman, we’ll say. The description is mostly about her works, some about her moral character, but basically nothing about her appearance, except to say metaphorically that “strength and honor are her clothing” (31:25). The passage ends by saying, “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain (fleeting, futile, empty): but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:30-31). Wisdom doesn’t rely on or prioritize fleeting beauty, instead she is focused on doing good and being good. So, in your life journey of deciding who you are, remember these principles. FOCUS on the heart: guard it, challenge it, wash it and fill it with God’s love for you.

It is true that we live in a world subjected to a curse. The earth bears thorns and the face produces pimples. Man was made to till the ground, to dress and to keep it. Creating, restoring and beautifying is a godly task. So, as a man landscapes his front yard and paints his house to the glory of God, it is a good thing that you would trim your hair and decorate your face to the glory of God. The goal of the carpenter and painter is to achieve natural beauty, restoring and only adding things that complement nature. Your goal (in my opinion) should be to use cosmetics to restore your appearance as much as possible to what God originally intended. I think of our cat Buster, how he is so exotic looking with that deep, sharp black coloring around his eyes. God didn’t make you a cat so don’t try to be like that. I also think about cultures like native tribes who heavily paint their bodies and hide their faces, who also worship animals and desire to have the traits of the animals they worship. We’re not animal worshippers. We worship the one true God who is a Spirit, and if our focus is on him we’ll want to “look” like him, which is purely a spiritual matter. Again, the real value in all of this is mainly on the emphasis. There is nothing inherently sinful about make-up/cosmetics. The earth is the LORD’s and its fullness. It’s what we do with it that matters. It may seem like from this letter that I am against it, but I’m not. I’m against the misuse of it, which I’m sure is going to be a temptation in your life. But I believe that if you internalize deeply what I wrote above and seek to put it into practice, the Holy Spirit and the grace of God will lead you into a balanced and healthy relationship with all cosmetics. I love you. May each of you continue to become more and more beautiful in the days ahead, and may the Lord give you the grace you need to use every self care tool for his glory.

Caution In Hope. America’s Future?

/ Lee A. Robinson / 2 Comments

It is encouraging to feel the optimism because of a Trump victory. I’m reminded of the scripture, “When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice.” It could simply be who I am surrounded by (most of my closer friends and acquaintances are of the more Republican type), but it seems like there is a general sense of relief, unity (for our times) and hope that the ship of America might not be completely lost at sea. However, I’d like to offer a thought or two – a reminder – of what really needs to happen in order for us to have biblical assurance of hope for our nation. 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 33:12). The cornerstone of genuine, lasting blessing is surrender to and exclusive loyalty to the One True God – the trinitarian Christian God (Father, Son and Spirit). This is true for individuals, families, states and nations. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” applies to nations as well. In order for us to have the deepest confidence of good, we must, as a nation, be surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. A Trump victory is a sweet reprieve, but we need more than a mere postponement of judgment to truly thrive, we need genuine generational hope. Proverbs 10:22, “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” God’s blessing follows believing hearts. “Lord, somehow, turn the collective conscience of America back to you, in repentance and faith in Christ.” We must be very on guard against putting too much hope in a single man – especially a man with a pretty checkered past and a shady present (at least as far as humility before God and a commitment to truly following God’s ways. I enthusiastically voted for Trump, but I confess boldly that he is definitely not our Savior and hope, in any way shape or form. Psalms 146:3-5, Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:” Trump will be here for 4 years only, then will be gone. We want a plan that will put us on track for the next 40 years, yea the next 400 years, much more like the foundation that our founding fathers were building on. Jeremiah 17:5-8, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

Secondly, we have to stop killing babies. One of the surest ways to provoke the wrath of God on yourself is to harm an innocent child. Luke 17:2, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” God has made it clearly and forcibly known that he is an especially jealous protector of the fatherless and widows (those who are most vulnerable to attackers). There is no one in our nation as vulnerable as a human baby. Our leaders (from the lowest to the highest) must name abortion as nothing less than murder, and we must initiate and sign into law the strongest protections possible to preserve every human life from conception, and to appropriately punish those who try to harm them. Matthew 18:10, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” When we nurture and protect the little ones God has created, he will nurture and protect us, but if we continue to mutilate and annihilate them God will continue to do the same to us.

Thirdly, another red flag of a nation in decline is a public acceptance of homosexuality and perverted sex stuff. Romans 1 spells this out so clearly, as it seems that everyone is aware of nowadays. We must get back to the root, which is to be grateful to God for who He is and who he made us to be: Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Everyone has problems and everyone has been hurt by others to varying degrees, but we have all been blessed by God to be uniquely and specially created by God and also to be born into a prosperous nation. Whoever you are -whether male or female, whatever color, ethnicity or social class – accept the fact that a good, All mighty, perfectly providential God designed and planted you right where you are. Be content with what species your are, let your roots go deep and become what he has designed you to be. Our leaders – in public and in law – must make it abundantly clear that there are only – and will forever only be – two genders, that sexual activity must only be between a man and a woman, and that activity must only be within the boundaries of covenanted, lifelong marriage. The more we tighten up the culture and legislation on this issue, the more confidence we will have that good will come our way. Psalms 128:1-6, “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.” 

There are many other things we could talk about that are important to thriving (good financial stewardship, protecting our borders, striving for unity, weeding out corruption of all forms, not giving place to lies, etc.), but the ones I mentioned I believe are the really big ones. 

“Father, make your name to be hallowed in our land. May every heart confess his or her sins and sweetly cry out to Jesus for salvation. May every home, every neighborhood, every town, every county, and every state surrender to the authority of the Holy Bible. We don’t deserve it, but we appeal to your incomparable mercy and grace, and also the the prayers of our fathers in the past, who prayed for us that we might not stray from your ways. May it be in the soul of our nation, that, when we are blessed that we would not wax fat and kick against you, but be humble, generous stewards of your marvellous grace. Revive the churches and raise up preachers and prophets. Send your choice servants to the White House and to Washington in general. Whatever comes may we commit to joyfully praise you. Amen.” 

On Sinning Less

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

I heard someone recently ask Elon Musk what he thought was the greatest piece of advice ever given him. After some deliberation he concluded that it was “to strive to be less wrong.” This struck me as a different and perhaps helpful way in approaching life. It is futile and frustrating to strive for perfection. However, to simply shave off a little bit of imperfection seems much more likely and encouraging of a goal. I could say, “I am never going to eat anything unhealthy ever again!” Wishful thinking. However, if I say, “If all else fails, I’m just not going to drink soda for a few months.” This is much, much more likely to be realistic and, if achieved, will push my health in a positive direction.

The ultimate goal for every person is to become more and more like Jesus Christ. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:28-29). We are born in the image of our fallen father Adam and it is the lifelong challenge for us all to be recreated and restored into the image of the perfect son of God. This is aiming at perfection. My thought at this moment though is not to think of it as, “I have to become perfect,” but rather, “Today the goal is just to remove something – even if it’s seemingly small – from what is unlike Christ. Sculptures start with a bland block and chisel away little by little until the desired image appears. 

Here are a few suggestions on how to effectively purge off imperfections of your life…

  1. Remember who God is and who you are. God made you. You did not exist eternally and then at one point create a god to worship. God always existed, then in time he made you, to worship him. God created the game, therefore he gets to set the rules. He embedded the rules in our hearts. We intuitively know what is right from wrong. We didn’t create our conscience, it was factory installed. Who put it there? God. This all means that our obligation is to obey the rules. Obey and live, disobey and die. Submit to God’s authority & rules and be happy, or rebel and be sad. Where is your heart right now? Is it resting under God’s authority? Are you content being a servant of God, or are you still longing to be the master of your own life? Positioning yourself gently under God is the first step to sinning less. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10)
  2. We must admit that we are sinful and that the true enemy is within. We are our own worst enemy. Of course, there is a devil, a corrupt world, difficult people, and severely challenging trials, but if we were like God (if we were holy) we still would not sin because we would be patient, merciful, forgiving and full of faith. I am the problem, not something or someone else. I have this part of me that doesn’t want to admit it. Why are we so quick to judge others, to point out their faults, to excuse our own and to think that we are better than others? Why does it seem so offensive when other people wrong us, but when we do wrong it doesn’t seem to bother us as much? This is our real nature manifesting itself. We are sinners. Admit it. If we don’t we will always be making excuses for ourselves, never actually growing spiritually. We must be quick to turn ourselves in to God. “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5) “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
  1. Meditate on the consequences of your sins until it hurts. Our sins displease God: our wise creator, benevolent provider, redeemer, savior and friend: the one who left heaven and was crucified for us. There is no one so gentle towards you; so kind, compassionate, merciful, longsuffering, encouraging, thoughtful, committed. Think of how loving God is to you. He only wants your good. He never makes fun of you, hurts you, lies to you, or abandons you. He is by far your best friend. When you choose to sin it breaks God’s heart because he loves you: he knows that in some way your joy and peace is going to be disturbed because of this. Do you see him? He’s not upset or mad, he’s broken. Honor him by doing what pleases him.  
  1. Our sins also displease and hurt others. Every time we sin, no matter what it is, we hurt other people. Sometimes it is directly, by saying or doing something wrong to that person. But think about the other people involved in your life. Those who witness your wrong doings are presented with an unpleasant thing to watch and the weak are encouraged to do the same. When we sin other people are inconvenienced by it. There has to be valuable time spent trying to deal with the sin until it is corrected. Life is not all about you. We know deep down that it is more honorable to put others’ needs and desires in front of our own. Love other people by choosing to sin less. Another thought on this is, every time you sin, you become less equipped to serve other people in the future, so people who could have benefitted from you now will not. “Consider one another” (Hebrews 10:24). 
  1. Sinning now conditions you to sin easier and more in the future. Most people don’t like smoking the first time they try, but many acquire a taste for it. The more you allow yourself to do the same wrong thing over and over and over again, the easier it is going to become and the more you will enjoy it. Drug addicts build up a tolerance to the chemicals. This means that the more their bodies become used to those chemicals, the more chemicals are needed in order to get the same effect. A person who started consistently smoking a couple cigarettes a day will be smoking a whole pack after some time. Do you want to enjoy sin more and need more extreme sins to get the same feeling? God forbid. If not, sin less. Be afraid of where you may end up. Ask any old person and they will tell you that time flies. Time flies. They say about things that happened 40, 50, 60, 70 years ago, “It seems like yesterday.” Don’t wake up tomorrow being deep in sin because you excused your “little sins” today. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Proverbs 8:13). 
  1. Sin robs you. Do you like being robbed or lied to? Of course not! But when you sin you are freely giving away the most precious treasures you have: your peace, your joy, your freedom! Think about it. When you sin you hide because you’re scared and ashamed. Sin never leads you to joy or confidence. It may feel good for a brief moment, but then you are plagued with worry: you start having to think of ways to not get caught or to get out of the consequences. All of this is dark. Sin is a shrewd liar: promising you freedom but only bringing you into bondage. It’s proven that little children are happier if they play in an area that has clear boundaries. If they have no boundaries and no rules then they get frustrated. Dealing with God’s rules and boundaries are hard to handle sometimes, but playing inside of them is unexpectedly the true path to freedom and joy. “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:21-23).
  1. You only have one life. If you break your pencil you can always go and get a new one. You can’t just go get a new one if you break you. You only have one opportunity to manage the life that you have. How many days old are you? Today, I am on exactly day 13,600. That’s a lot of days. I will never be able to live any of my past days, ever again. I only had one chance to either make good decisions or bad decisions. The person I am today is the culmination of all of those decisions. The more that I consistently do what is right the better my life will be. The more I abuse my body, soul, mind and spirit, the worse my life is going to become. Also, we have to live with this life for the rest of our lives. You will always carry your past decisions with you. Strive to live in a way that will preserve your life instead of destroying it. You are precious and valuable – there is only one you – so treat yourself as though you are. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
  1. Have faith. There are times in your life when you desperately wanted something and didn’t get it, but it was ok. For example, there was a night when you really wanted dessert, but your parents said, “No.” It hurt alot and it seemed in the moment like you couldn’t handle it. But the next morning you completely forgot about it never to think about it again. Recognize that temptations only last for a short while. If you overcome it in the moment it will go away. Whatever the sin is, it will try to convince you that you will never be happy without it, but this is a lie. The truth is that you need righteousness and holiness, because without them you truly will not ever be happy. Crave what is good, yield to holiness and it will satisfy you for real. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).
  1. Believe the Gospel: the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. You cannot sin less without Jesus. You have a fundamental problem: you are a sinner, you’ve sinned already and you will want to sin more in the future. Thankfully, Jesus died for all of your sins – past, present and future. Not only did he die for you, but also rose from the dead, for you. This means that he is the way for us to have power over the temptations of sin. Jesus came out of the grave: he can create life out of death. If he can do that, then he has the power and wisdom to be able to make you happy and content without that sin. You do need water and food to survive, but there is no sin that you need to survive or to prosper. You need the miraculous, creative power of Jesus to generate in you what is not there. This miracle happens as we internalize and obey the truth. Jesus said, “The truth shall make you free.” There is nothing in this world you can see or touch that will truly make you happy. Truth, righteousness and love makes you happy, and these are received only through the Gospel. So, confess your sins to God. Ask Jesus to forgive you. Thank God and rejoice in his forgiveness. Next time you are tempted to sin, run to Jesus and ask him to save you and do a miracle in your life. Ask him to give you contentment without having whatever sin it is you’re being tempted with. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).
  2. Meditate on God’s Word. Fill up your heart and mind with his Word. “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). God’s Word is alive and powerful. The Word will lead you to a better understanding of God, yourself and the world around you. It will make you wiser to understand good and evil. The more you learn and grow in knowledge and understanding, the more you will be able to identify sin and avoid it. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:9-11).

One Reason Many Christians Don’t Vote

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

Most Chrsitians in America believe in what is called the Rapture: the idea that at any moment Christians all around the world will be instantaneously “raptured” or “snatched up” into heaven by God. Accompanying this idea is the belief that the world is going to get worse and worse leading up to the rapture. There will be an increasing decline in morality; an almost total abandonment of true religion; chaos worldwide and dramatic political upheaval. Simply put, the current craziness of our world today is the harbinger that Christ is about to return at any moment – certainly within our lifetime, but most likely within the next couple years, weeks or even days. This doctrine I believe has the power to have a profound effect on the worldview of Christians specifically as it pertains to politics and voting. Here’s how:

If the world is certainly going to hell in a handbasket, and if Jesus is literally about to snatch the church away from this world, why would we invest any effort into culture or politics? As it is commonly stated that it is foolish to “polish the brass of a sinking ship.” If Jesus is coming back tomorrow afternoon the list of things to do is very limited: basically shout the gospel from the rooftops until he comes. Not only is there no time for casual activities, but there’s also no time for wholesome, godly, constructive activities such as: reading books, planting a garden, building homes, writing songs, starting schools or businesses or striving to redeem our state and the culture we live in. 

As a new Christian I took the rapture and its corresponding end-times belief system to heart. I think this is one of the main reasons why I used to not vote. Why would I vote? I thought, “It doesn’t ultimately make a difference. Things are going to get worse and worse anyway. This world is not my home. We just need to get the gospel out to the world before Christ returns, etc.” 

Over time I have seen another possibility from the Scriptures, namely Post-millennialism, or A-millennialism. What both of these views share is the belief that the world is actually going to slowly but surely become more and more Christian until ultimately the world as a whole will be discipled, which will culminate at the 2nd coming of Christ. I like the way Doug Wilson describes this: “In other words, the Great Commission will be successful in history.” Not only will all of the people groups of the world as a whole be converted, but also the governmental structures and systems of the world will also be redeemed. The world will become a Christian world. 

Now, how does this viewpoint affect the mind of the Christian as it relates to politics and voting? Well, if we have the promise that Jesus is already the King of all the Kings and that he is the ruler of the nations (Rev. 1); that he is going to save the world (John 3:17); that all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth already (Mat. 28:18-20); and that he is committed to partnering with the global Church and all Christians to redeem the world: then the time to get involved is now. In this system the harbinger of Christ’s coming is that all enemies are placed under his feet (1 Cor. 15). So, it’s not the ungodly passions of the world that attract the coming of Christ for judgment, but rather the passion of Christians redeeming the world and presenting it to Christ at his coming.   

The point of this article is not to defend in detail the postmillennial view over the premillennial view (maybe a later time some more analysis will be given), but my goal is to show that these different systems do exist in the minds of Christians and they do have an impact on how we view the world and live in it. 

Whether you are premillennial or postmillennial there is no absolute guarantee that Jesus will come back in your lifetime. It has been 2,000 years, it may be another 10,000 before he comes again. Either way there is nothing in Scripture that would negate the possibility that you might experience the greatest revival that has ever happened in history; that your country might become the most Christian nation that has ever existed.

So, pray, then go vote.