The “Now What?” Ministry
May 20, 2011 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
1 John 1: 9-10, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
We constantly learn from others. All discipleship, good or bad, that we have received passes through His hands and is a positive in our lives. From two men in particular I have learned greatly by their negative discipleship; both taught me through their example the folly of taking credit for the work of God in a believer’s life and the stupidity of marching to one’s own praise band, refusing any criticism. This awareness of negative discipleship’s being a positive in me leaves me with the hope that my negatives can be a positive for others! It has also caused me not to place so much weight on criticism (which has often been mindless). However, here is a criticism that I just do not understand. It is fairly consistent, so I have to take it to Jesus and ask if there is validity in it. There seems to be a bunch of believers that do not have in their paradigm the concept that a Christian who has failed can move forward in Christ and not have to suffer the consequences of his sins for the rest of his life. His failure does and should make him a second-class Christian the rest of his life. I am accused of not being hard enough on sin, taking Christians’ failure lightly, talking about mercy, and, in so doing, giving a passive consent to sin. I keep saying, “I do not,” and I keep hearing, “Yes, you do.” There is no evidence behind the accusations; I have never condoned sin, moral failures, self-righteousness, judgmental attitudes, spiritual exclusiveness, or those that cause division. But in the world in which I live, I do meet believers that have fallen into all of the above and more; that is a fact. So my question to their repentance is, “Now what?” I have a “Now What?” ministry. To a large extent the Epistles are written addressing the problems into which believers have fallen, having taken their focus off of Christ. It is not a stretch to say that every person that enjoys reading the Epistles is indebted to believers that failed on some level. In essence, we learn from their failures. Without these varied problems we would lack a good portion of the New Testament! We also must see the additional aspect of the writers’ wanting the believers redeemed, pressing on, renewed in their love for Christ, and expressing the life of Jesus within them. There is no hint that once their problem is addressed and they have repented, that they must live a life of consequences in self-condemnation. I remember when a prominent “evangelist” said, “Any man that has had an immoral thought is an outcaste and can never minister.” Three days later his photo was taken, showing his own immorality. No believer is a castaway. Christians fall, but we must let them see that they can fall forward into the lap of love. They need not live in regret. I have often taught that it is not wise for a believer to marry an unbeliever, but the fact remains that some do. Now what? Repeatedly tell the believers they are out of the will of God, until we drive them away from God, and in so doing compound their problems? No, we tell them to keep moving forward in Christ and not to allow their decision to define them, to let Jesus, and Jesus alone, define them. You get the picture, and the list of shortcomings of believers goes on. I have noticed that there is a jealousy among the religious (defined as those that believe success rests in their hands with the many things they must do) when they see the freedom enjoyed by faith persons (defined as those that believe in resting in Jesus and His Righteousness, for nothing is impossible for Jesus). It is easy for the religious to judge someone as hopeless when his flesh flows in a ravine theirs does not. Here is the warning: God can turn that same critical light on them, and they will not stand. Judgmental people are keeping their own list while failing at His list always. Having examined the options, I must line up on the side of faith and believe that there is a glorious “Now what” for every believer who has had a failure.
Separating the Issues in Your Life
October 30, 2010 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
Matthew 16:19-22, And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
We see in this discourse that Jesus is separating the issues in the rich young ruler’s life. What the young man thought was the issue was not the only issue. We think that there is only one issue in our life to be resolved, and even if we discover that there are actually several, the mistake is made of looking for the one thing that will fix all of the issues at once. The same tool will not fix a flat tire, a sink, a bicycle spoke, and a computer; they all have separate problems that need different tools to repair. One answer does not work for every situation, and any one event carries with it several issues, each with a separate answer. The sign that a believer is looking for the magic elixir that will fix every issue is confusion. Therefore, the issues must be separated and dealt with accordingly, such as when an injustice occurs and spawns the need for blessing those that curse, loving the enemy, forgiveness, and the process of reconciliation that will bring closure. Let us take a look at those issues and break them down one by one.
1. We must bless those that curse us or they live in our heads and pay no rent.
2. Loving our enemies is commanded, for He makes His sun to shine on the just and the unjust. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
3. Forgiveness is a package. Just as a person cannot hold a tire and tell me he owns an automobile, since a car comprises many parts, so forgiveness has many parts. There is an offense, a break in relationship, confession by the offender, forgiveness given by the offended (there is no forgiveness for unforgiveness), all ending in restoration. Due to its very nature, there is no forgiveness without confession, since the purpose of forgiveness is restoration. “If we confess our sins,” “repent for forgiveness of sins,” and “as often as your brother comes to you,” all show the context of the giving of forgiveness. We must carry a heart of forgiveness so that when it is asked for, we can dispense it freely. Does God forgive without confession? (I am not teaching here about the common concern of, “What if I die and I forgot to confess a sin?” Once a person is in Christ, Jesus died for all of his sins.) Confession for man is cleansing and releasing, but there is a common teaching that believers should go to an offender and offer forgiveness without any acknowledgement from the wrongdoer that a sin was committed. Instructing a young woman that has been abused to go and tell the uncle, “I forgive you,” when the uncle has not asked for forgiveness, usually has a detrimental outcome. I have heard many stories of believers who went to someone to forgive him when it was not in the offender’s heart to ask for it; the offender actually denied it, walked off, and/or condemned the hurt person for making such an accusation. This is soul killing anew for an injured believer. Many will argue that forgiveness is unconditional, but those two words do not go together, for “unconditional” implies that there is no sin, and if no sin, there is no forgiveness. Yet all have sinned, and through confession, “He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The Prodigal Son asked for forgiveness and was restored. Today there seems to be more emphasis on the need for the offended to forgive when it is not asked for, thus loading responsibility on the victim. Why not call attention to confession of the offender as something that is cleansing and restoring? Those that have sinned against another are cheated when there is no mention of confession. Confession and forgiveness are two words that are inseparable and should remain together. However, the victim is not stuck; there is something to do when confession has not, and may never, come. “Bless those that curse you,” “do good to those that harm you,” and “pray for those that persecute you.” All of these things set us free and make us all the more excited about forgiving, should the occasion arise.
4. Forgiveness must be given when asked for. “Forgive us (See? We are asking) as we forgive our debtors.” However, there is a process after forgiveness that brings closure. Let me explain. A man has an affair; once it is over, for three years he is tormented. He repents before God and then tells his wife, asking, naturally, for forgiveness. She must forgive. However, this has taken her completely by surprise, and she is extremely hurt. Yet, if she asks any further questions or gets angry in the future, he accuses her of walking in unforgiveness, which covertly shifts the load of the whole event to her shoulders. The children have been hurt, the wife has been embarrassed and betrayed, there is a break in trust, and she has many unanswered questions; she needs closure. Though I do not want to camp at the event and want the couple to move forward, there are a few things that need to be said about forgiveness. Talking will help bring closure. Yes, she must move on, but talking and getting a few answers will help her do so. The same is true for the believer who has lost a loved one due to an injustice such as murder. We hear many stories about murderers asking for forgiveness, which must be granted by the family. However, normal questions ensue, such as, “How did he die? Where did you put the body?” (This was the question asked by the women at the grave of Jesus.) Some believers use an injustice and the lack of repentance to get stuck at a point of hatred and condemnation; there is no profit in that. Hearts are revealed through injustices, confession and forgiveness.
5. We must and will forgive. However, that does not mean that a lawbreaker should not go to prison. I Peter 3:17, “For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.” A couple told me of a man that killed their daughter. From prison the criminal sincerely confessed what he had done and asked for forgiveness. The parents asked what they should do. I said that the couple must forgive and must also let the man serve his prison sentence. Forgiveness and staying in prison are separate issues. Judging the man and putting him in prison is the job of government in order to protect the populace. “For (governments) are a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience.” The thief on the cross was forgiven but not taken off the cross. Lawbreakers are not victims, but it does amaze me to watch the news and see how the world is consequence conscious and not cause conscious. It seems as though the treatment of those who have caused atrocities (consequence of their actions) is more important than the cause of their being treated that way! The victims of their crimes are looking for assurance that it will not happen again, and that security will not come as long as those that violated them do not ask for forgiveness. (Of course, the opposing danger is that victimization is a religion; it is very addictive.) It reminds me of the Great Depression. It left such an impact on my grandmother that she still saved newspaper, jars, rubber bands, bread wrappers, and more. She never forgot what it was like and never, looking at unrepentant government, regained the confidence that it would not happen again.
6. Facts do not oppose each other. It is a fact that birds fly and a fact that I cannot. We separate the facts. It is a fact that I love my enemy, it is a fact that I bless my enemy, a fact that my enemy must ask for forgiveness, a fact that when I am asked I must forgive my enemy, and it is a fact that wounds do take time to heal. Each of these facts will come to fullness in our daily lives as He makes them alive according to His own timing.
Only One Faith
October 28, 2009 by admin
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).
For years I would read the passage in Ephesians and attempt to discern what was the “one faith” of the Christians. I think I had read the passage so many times with a religious pair of glasses that I was missing the context. The “one faith” referred to is not the one faith among the many faiths in the world, but a statement of fact that there is but one faith, and everything else is a religion. The basic difference between faith and religion is that religion’s success will somehow end at the feet of the worshipper, whereas the success of faith ends at the feet of God. Hence, religion is all about man, and faith is all about God. Religious people are not exercising faith in God; just listen to them talk to realize that life for them revolves around their behavior, knowledge, or attitudes. Whether it be the piety of the Buddhist, the meditation of the Hindu, the gyrations of the Voodoo priest, the Law keeper, the candle (or incense) lighter, the kingdom builder, the “cutting edge” preacher, or the doctrinally correct, there exists between them the fellowship of the religious. Among them, too, a great lie is perpetrated that the exercise of their religion somehow either alters the very flesh of man or the plane of flesh on which all men live. Religious people have an appearance of godliness, as described by Paul to Timothy: “For men will be lovers of self . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these.” Religious people define what form the godliness will take, so oddly enough they succeed at their own definition! Honestly, I have no vested interest in stating the obvious, but all religious people are failures. The adherents of humanism–which is one great competitor of faith–continue to take human beings’ less than 1% success at playing God and amplify it in their minds and communications until it looks more like 100%. Any of us could come up with a lengthy list of famous people that have been sainted beyond human recognition. Christians have done the same general distortion through stories and images of believers to the point that they would be unrecognizable to those that actually knew, lived, and worked with them. The saddest thing is that many, upon hearing of the exaggerated portrayal of a spectacular spiritual life, begin a lifelong journey to emulate the Christian, who in reality is non-existent. This imitating leads to the disastrous consequences of “acting religious” as they flesh out phony copies of the exalted. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Religious people, no matter what the religion, have fallen short of the glory of God. It is interesting that religious people will focus on certain aspects of religion that most cannot achieve in order to maintain their “position” in their manmade religion. Amen! There is one faith, and in that one faith God deals with man by putting success at His own feet. He gives an attainable faith, for God’s goal is to bring in as many as possible, while religion’s goal is to be as exclusive as possible. “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’” Paul, seeing the difference between the efforts of man that lead to religion and the work of God that leads to the one faith, rightly says, “Where then is the boasting?” “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” Religious people are like shadows that do not exist in the manner in which they would like to portray themselves. If there were one thing I would have changed in my early life as a Christian, it would have been to take all of the religious people and move them to the fringe of my life, keeping Christ in the center. In this one faith, there will be times of discouragement, failure, doubt, bewilderment, rebellious children, loneliness, outbursts of anger, walking in the flesh, and more. There will also be times of unspeakable joy, fulfillment, satisfaction, encouragement, faith that is mountain moving, and unwavering focus. We are unique creatures, half spirit and half flesh. Just as we walk on two legs we must, for now, walk in two realities, that of the flesh and that of the spirit. Religious people seem to want to go through life hopping, either on the leg called flesh and wanting everything that the visible world might offer, or on the leg called spirit, living a life of avoidance of the world. Did you know no revival has ever taken place around a monastery, whether Buddhist or Christian? We must be of the one faith, of those that see this physical world as one in which life with a small “l” will reveal and perfect Life with a capital “L.” The human being is not an accident, but is exactly what God wanted, for the physical must come before the spiritual. This earth, our bodies, our souls, and our spirits have a common goal: the revelation and choice of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Just as we bring a bit of heaven to earth, we will also take a bit of earth with us to heaven. Our minds will not go blank when we enter heaven. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” When we enter heaven, we will remember and rejoice all the more in the Lamb that was slain.
Are You a Machine and Sin the Driver?
October 8, 2009 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
Romans 6:6-7, Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.
Many view slavery to sin as analogous to a machine and a driver. A machine has no will of its own, being completely dominated and controlled by the driver, who turns it on, moves the handles, expects response from the machine, and turns it back off. This is the “life” of a machine; its state of being without a will, without the ability to choose, shows a true example of passivity. Many unbelievers and believers alike have embraced the philosophy toward the slavery of sin wherein sin is the driver and the unbeliever or believer is nothing more than a machine. Sin has complete control over the unbeliever or the believer, who in turn must yield to its dictates. This view of life is soul killing in that it strips man of all hope. If one cannot choose, why even get out of bed? Why keep moving forward to a pre-determined judgment? When those in the world say that their sexual orientation is pre-determined, they have just confessed to being a hopeless machine slave. To convince a believer that he has an addiction is to persuade him that he has no choice. What, then, is there to do but allow sin to turn his switch to on, move him in its direction, and turn him off at its bidding? Oddly, the heterosexual is told that he or she can say no to sex, but the homosexual cannot.
We are not machines, and sin is not the driver. Unlike the piece of machinery, we have free will. However, our Creator, the Master, has set the parameters of our choices. Though thus limited in our choices, we still have choice. As a slave a person can work or not work, live or be killed, eat or not eat, sin or not sin, love or not love. There is a lot that a slave can do and a lot that a slave cannot do. Certainly he cannot leave. Spiritually, sin might be the master, but still the person can choose to do good (follow the Law) or choose to sin (disobey the Law). Now, sin does not sit on a believer or unbeliever controlling; instead, sin manipulates by appealing to pride and the desires of the flesh. Sin cannot control; it is not allowed to do so. Sin gets its adrenaline rush from manipulating someone to choose against God, choose sin, or choose the keeping of the Law. Anyone can simply say “no” to sin. I have seen and met unbelievers that one day said “no” to this or that sin; they meant it and it stuck. How much more empowered is the believer? Sin is a big annoyance, it has the power to deceive, and it is relentless. When someone is the slave of sin, all choices are calculated by sin to serve sin. However, the capability is still there to choose, or how could an unbeliever choose Christ? Once Christ is chosen, a person is taken out of the dominion of sin and placed in the Kingdom of God. He is still a slave (serving a wonderful Master!). However, the parameters are much grander and the choices far more varied. A slave still must choose. We read in John 5:19, “the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” Jesus did do something; He chose to do nothing on His own. That is not passivity.
I once finished a meeting and was verbally attacked by another. I did something: I prayed, I listened, I rested, and I heard nothing from Jesus, so I said nothing. It appeared to others that I did nothing, but I was actually doing a lot of choosing. As a slave of righteousness, I can do a lot of choosing. At other times I have actively done nothing by waiting and listening, and He spoke. In those instances I spoke what I heard, and it was redemptive, as Jesus always is. Again, it is soul killing if as a believer I think I am a machine without free will. I am a slave to Christ, but I do not just sit around waiting for Jesus to get in the driver’s seat. I work within the parameters He has set for me, his slave, and I have so many choices and freedoms that He actually calls me His friend, His beloved, His brother, and His bride. This slave must put one foot in front of the other and walk by faith. This slave must deny his lying emotions. There are many things that my Master will not do for me, because it is His will that I do them for myself, and I am to obey my beautiful Master. What a wonderful kingdom is His; what a great day it is to be a slave. Now, the old slave died, so sin can no longer lay any claim whatsoever on me as a believer. If sin wants to grab back the old slave, it will just end up with a handful of spiritual dust.
The Shepherd and The Natural
October 8, 2009 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
In my own life it is during walks that God most often speaks to me. “You are selfish! How? By spending so much time thinking about yourself! But how? You are to set your mind on the things above. But you set your mind on the things below. The things below are not just sin. The things below include questioning past behaviors, decisions, wondering if you were a good father, a good husband, how much of the work was Mike-inspired and how much was God-inspired. These things come from below. And what are they to Me? If you did good in the morning, give God the glory. If you did bad, confess, but don’t bring it into the now. When your eyes are set above, you will be filled, and next your eyes will be on others. It is selfish to spend that much time on self.” Next a message came. Jesus is not a general with troops walking in lock step, fearful of making the wrong move. Jesus is the Shepherd, and He leads. He leads, and the sheep do what is natural. I had to ask myself the question, what do I do naturally? I disciple, lecture, and write. I could see that the sheep also eat the grass that looks good to them while the Shepherd leads. I am free to pick the grass while I am doing what I do naturally. What freedom! I can pick the grass I like; not all sheep pick the same grass. I can pick to go to Ukraine, Latvia, or anywhere if it looks good to me. For at the end of the day and the end of the year, I will have been led through what I do naturally to the exact spot I should be. Every believer is led to the exact spot. Now to receive freedom, we must have faith. Unbelief will always emphasize man’s role in getting to the right place in life by listening, plotting, seeking, trying to understand, and deciphering the signs. Is it good? Is it my wants or His wants? What will happen if I make a wrong move? It is bondage, but we think about it. Is it not truly simple because God is so big? As I finished my walk there was one more lesson. It glorifies God that we walk with Him because we want to. In that last day we will all stand before Him, and God can proclaim, “You chose to be here.” God does everything permissible to help us make the right choice. He will close all doors but one; however, ultimately walking through that one is our choice. He does everything He can to push us to the right place. I could see that all of creation had been stayed by the hand of God. Every tree and rock, if given the freedom to do so, would burst out with His praise. Jesus said the rocks were ready to shout, and David said the trees clap their hands. But God will only allow nature to whisper of its Creator, for any more would infringe on choice. But every created thing is proclaiming Jesus.
He Will Blot Out Your Name
October 8, 2009 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
. If someone has their name blotted out of the book of life, it is because they specifically wanted it erased.
Deut. 29: 20, “The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.”
Rev. 3:5, ”He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Rev. 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
From the foundation of the world it was God’s desire that none should perish. God even sent His own Son to that end. Therefore, from the foundations of the world everyone has their name written into the Lamb’s book of life. It doesn’t seem to be a matter of choosing Jesus one day and then rejecting Him the next, thus having one’s name blotted out of the book of life. However, there is a choice to stop believing in Jesus. It is interesting that children want to believe in Jesus. In fact, they have to be taught not to believe in Jesus. It is not so much that we make a choice that gets our name in His book; rather, it is that we make a choice that gets our name out of His book. I often hear from people, “One day I just stopped believing.” Unbelievers like to lay all blame at the feet of God and yet maintain their freedom to choose what they want. If someone has their name blotted out of the book of life, it is because they specifically wanted it erased. It is getting the desire of the heart. God will not go against the heart, and if the heart wants out, it can get out.
All These Things Are Against Me
October 8, 2009 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
“Through our God we will do valiantly, it is He who will tread down our enemy.” Psalm 108:13,
“Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.” “I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Psalm 18:3
Are you finding that life is against you? Do you find that the system is causing you frustration? Do you believe that if the devil wasn’t against you, life would be easier and victory would be possible?
How many times as I travel from place to place, country to country, and church to church I find believers who are always fighting with the devil and confessing that he is against them?
It is really interesting that when Paul addressed the church at Colossae he was enforcing the life, teaching, the resurrection of Jesus. To them it seemed that Jesus was important, but not central; His prestige was considerable, but not preeminent; and so Paul writes to them in an attempt to restore Jesus, the Messiah, to the center of their lives. In this book, he emphasizes the work that Christ has done and places everything secondary to the person and work of Jesus, the Messiah, including the defeat on the cross of the devil and all that was contrary to us.
How vital is our focus, our believing, our understanding of what Jesus has done. It is really important to know that God and the devil are not at war. There is not an on-going struggle between God and the devil. Jesus put the devil out of business at Calvary, and yet it seems that the Christian wants to keep putting him back into business. There is no doubt that we live in an anti-God society that is truly unbelieving and that things are seemingly so much against us. Like Asaph in Psalm 73 we ask, “Does God really care? Does He know what is going on?” Someone has said that God is never late, but that He misses some glorious opportunities to be early.
Let me make it quite clear that this system and the devil are definitely against the believer, make no mistake about that. We hear people say in a real defeated voice, “Oh, Brother, the devil is giving me a hard time,” or “The devil has been against me so much lately.” At this I ask, “Did you think that he would ever be for you?” Be assured that he is not, and never will be, for you, and that in his nature he will always be against you. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. He does not have a nature to be for anyone, not even those who serve and fulfill his evil intentions. We see people who serve the devil and whose lives are being destroyed; his evil deception has brought them into bondage and even suicide. The devil is a liar.
However, there is a higher revelation for the Christian, because the devil is secondary and being used by God for His purposes. As my English friend has said, “The devil is God’s sheepdog to bring us to Christ.” In the same way, the world squeezes us into Christ, and then squeezes us to reveal the Christ in us. All these things are against us! How often we have said that, not knowing that there is a greater revelation in the truth that God is in all and to all, and because of Him all things exist.
In Psalm 56:9-11, David talks about all the enemies that surrounded and came against him, and then he said, “When my enemies surround me this I know! This I know! God is for me.” What a belief system that is, what a revelation that is, that when our enemies, modern-day type, come against us, this we know: God is for us!
Let me take you to Romans, Chapter 8, where in verses 35-39 Paul speaks of all the things that are arrayed against us: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, swords, nakedness, principalities, powers, and the list goes on. But he had already made clear the profound truth at which we are looking in verse 31. “What shall we say to these things? If God be for us then who can be against us?” No matter the opposition, who can really be against us? Paul had already reminded us how mighty God is and how He is working in our lives to the extent that (verse 28) “we know that all things work together to them that love God . . .”
Let me emphasize that we have a God, and He is for us, and He is taking all those things that are against us, and they are actually in His hand working together for good as He correctly interprets it.
We know our problems and negatives of life are working for us even though they started out against us from the perspective that we had through the natural senses. In the midst of your enemies, declare like David, “This I know! This I know! God is for me.” Believing this truth will change your lifestyle
Attraction vs Respect
October 8, 2009 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
There is a difference between attraction and respect. Respect will leave the heart of the person with God. Attraction wants some of that heart for one’s self. When we respect another, true Godly respect will send us to Jesus, so we can experience what we see, what we like, in another.
Lust is attraction of any kind. Attraction wants to experience some of the persons heart and attributes for themselves. You see this all the time in congregations. The men or women are listening to a male or female speaker and thinking “It would really be great to be married to them.” That is attraction, not respect. That is lust, not respect. To look at someone and say, “If I were younger and unattached, there would be no question,” is attraction/lust.
What does that statement have to do with respect? Respect is gender neutral and, generally, attraction, is gender specific. So what is the point in understanding the difference? How do we confess if we don’t know what to confess? What if attraction to the spirituality of another is lust? Then, the solution would be easy. Confess it and move into respect.
The lack of distinction between attraction and respect has led to much spiritual abuse. Believers are listening too much to men and not to God. Believers are following too many men and not Jesus. Respect will never let us go where attraction allows us to go. Respect keeps us following Jesus.
Again, this idea is thinking outside the box, but it helps me understand why some get sidetracked.
The Battle of Romans 7!
October 8, 2009 by Mike Wells
Filed under Articles by Mike Wells
What does this passage mean to you? Many are beating themselves up over their sin, so much so that I assume they live under the Law. It is obvious that they believe they are justified by behavior. Abraham understood the secret: without faith, the Law cannot be birthed.
Without first believing in God, Abraham would never have received the commands of God. I wouldn’t listen to any of the commands of the Hindu gods simply because I don’t believe they exist. Law without faith gives birth to sin. For example, if I believe in the love of God, knowing full well that all He tells me is for my good, I will easily and readily keep the command to bless those who curse me. It is simple. However, if I don’t believe in the love of God, I will read the command to bless those who curse, realize that I don’t do that, and not believing that it is for my good, I will find a way around the command. “I don’t have to love them, for they have gone too far.” The Law that was to bless me (if birthed in faith, in the love of God) now becomes the thing by which I am condemned; the Law, without faith, will always give birth to sin.
It is easy to see how Abraham was walking in the greater way of faith; even without the Law he was justified. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Sweeter words were never spoken. I determined long ago to spend my time in the love of God and not in the Law. As I have discovered the love of God, the command has been found to be easy. In fact, I refuse to listen to the Law unless it is in the context of faith in Him and His love.
The Law is good if birthed in faith, and moving deeply into the faith of Jesus brings a higher life than living in the Law, for faith in Jesus will lead to an expression of exactly Jesus. Amazing! Without the Law, sin is dead (Rm. 7:8). Sin counts on man’s boastful pride attempting to keep the Law without faith. This accounts for so much immorality in legalistic churches, where the emphasis is on performance and little or nothing is said of faith. A dating couple comes to the office, they have been sleeping together, and they are under great condemnation. Is the solution to have them stop? If they stop because of the command without believing in the Love of God that gave the command, they will continue to struggle and “slip up.” If they see the Love of God in the command and believe in Him who gives the command, the struggle will cease.
If a child is told that by working he will obtain a bicycle, and the child believes the parent, the work will be a great joy. But what if the child does not believe the parent? Will the work be done grudgingly or with joy? And working grudgingly is sin. If the child were never given the promise, the child wouldn’t be working grudgingly, and there would be no sin. In the end, that child would be better if he had never heard the promise. The problem is simple: the Law was given to men of faith, and men of unbelief have attempted to keep it–which they cannot do, for Law is birthed in faith—and the result is sin and condemnation. Now, Romans 7 becomes quite clear; the battle described is not the battle of the old man against the new man, nor a battle that exists before conversion or after conversion. It is describing an absolute battle between faith and Law, a battle that includes the unbeliever (going to hell) and the unbelieving believer (going to heaven.)
Security only comes in faith
At any time, either the unbeliever or the unbelieving believer can perceive, with the mind, the Law of God and want to keep it, for they know that it is good. Yet, because of lack of belief in God, the entire being cannot keep the Law, the person is divided, and the end result is sin and condemnation. Don’t think that the way out is recommitment, harder work, rededication, vows, knowledge, or strength; the way out is faith in Jesus. “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” The Gentiles have pursued the promise by faith and gotten it, but the Jews sought by Law and lost it. “For with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Where do you begin in your struggle? Stop fighting the Law and start confessing Jesus with your mouth each day. Before you go to sleep, do not let your thoughts end at the Law you have not kept. Instead, let your thoughts end at Jesus, in whom you believe. This brings us to the final “hiccup!”
Security only comes in faith. Regardless of whether you are a Calvinist or an Armenian, to attempt to find security in works will only bring about insecurity. These two camps become one under the Law. Read Romans 7 and think of it differently. Paul is talking about living in the Law and how impossible it is to live so. The Law reveals what I didn’t know was sin, and then it doesn’t give me the power to obey. After the knowledge, I find myself doing the very thing I don’t want to do. This passage applies to all that live by the Law.
