The Three Men Behind One Great Horse

Behind every great story, there is always a special partnership in relationships. The story of Seabiscuit, one of the world’s most famous racehorses, is no exception. Seabiscuit was a national hero in the midst of the Depression when people needed a boost in their spirits. In 1938, Seabiscuit got more press in the newspapers than President Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler. Not only did he set a record for earnings, but he defeated the great War Admiral—a Triple Crown winner, in a head to head contest. Most horse racing experts consider that race to be one of the greatest of all time.

What made this incorrigible horse so successful? It was the three man horse racing team of Charles Howard, Tom Smith and John Pollard, and their unique ability, despite their differences, to join forces. Ecclesiastes 4:12b says, “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” This group of guys became a three stranded cord that made American history.

Charles Howard was a successful distributor of Buick, National, and Oldsmobile vehicles for all of the western U.S. The enterprise made him incredibly wealthy. Fifty-six year old Tom Smith was a man of the Old West. During his career, he held such jobs as horse trainer, lion tracker and ranch foreman. The two men could not have been more different.

Author and racing expert Laura Hillenbrand says of Howard and Smith:

The two men stood in different halves of the century. Smith was the last of the true frontiersmen; Howard was paving Smith’s West under the urgent wheels of his automobiles. Howard was driven by image; Smith remained the Lone Plainsman, forbidding and solitary. But Howard was blessed with an uncanny eye for horsemen. He took one look at Smith and instincts rang in his head. He drove Smith to his barn and introduced his horses to their new trainer.

John Pollard was the third part of this unlikely team. Not only was he a rider, but he had been a not so good prize fighter. He was a very tough man. As a jockey, he was oversize at 5 feet seven inches. By the time he was chosen to ride Seabiscuit, his racing career had seen better days. His best riding trait was the fact that he was willing to ride horses that other jockeys were afraid to try.

Jesus said in Matthew 18:19-20, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done by my Father in heaven. (20) For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.” The business magnate, the frontiersman, and the prize fighting jockey, three people who had nothing in common agreed on one thing—a seemingly worthless racehorse. They became a three stranded cord as they focused on the one thing they had in common and not on their differences.

I pray we would do the same as believers in Christ, and make history to the glory of God. The one thing we can agree upon is Jesus is Lord and Savior. Let’s focus on him and join together in our differences to accomplish his purpose.

Two Are Better Than One (Part 4)

The fourth benefit of relationships is the ability they give you to do more effective warfare. Ecclesiastes 4:12a says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” One of my favorite examples of teamwork or partnership regarding warfare is found in the book of Exodus.

God had done some amazing feats through his leader Moses. One astonishing miracle followed another: the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, and water from a rock. Even though Moses had performed many miraculous deeds, he still needed the power of partnership to defeat the Amalekites.

As the Amalakites were about to attack the Israeli camp, Moses called Joshua, his military commander, asking him to lead his army into battle. As Joshua and his brave warriors were fighting the Amalekites, Moses climbed to the top of a nearby hill to hold up the rod of God in his hands. As long as he had the rod lifted in the air, God would grant them the victory.

With Moses hands raised to the heavens, victory seemed inevitable for the Hebrews. However, something began to happen to Moses. His arms got tired. The man of God who had led them out of slavery and through the parted Red Sea simply couldn’t hold up his hands any longer.

Without help, the Hebrew people were doomed for destruction. But two men, Aaron and Hur, climbed up next to Moses, stood on his left and right, and held up his hands until Joshua and his men were completely victorious.

The Hebrews won the war that day and, in the process, they were taught a very valuable lesson—even God’s most anointed leaders need others to help them accomplish His mighty work (John Maxwell).

God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible—what a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves. A.W. Tozer

Two Are Better Than One (Part 3)

The third benefit of relationships is the warmth that they provide you with. Ecclesiastes 4:11 says, “Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?” I know this passage of scripture is talking about the warmth of body heat that is produced when two people lie down together; however, I also believe it can apply to the warmth that is produced in our souls from our relationships.

The human relationship that warms my soul (and my body) the most is the one I have with my wife Cindy. We both love to cuddle, so we are especially fond of the winter months. I am so thankful for the marriage that I have to my wife. I can speak from experience, and there is no doubt that being married is better than being single.

When I think of Cindy, there are so many memories that warm my soul. This year we will be celebrating our ten year anniversary. Every year in December, I am reminded of that special moment when we committed our lives to one another forever. I am just as happy today as I was on the day I said, “I do.”

We love our summer vacations with our family. Prior to our vacations, there is such an excitement to spend a week of undistracted devotion on one another and our family. Every week we have a date night. Like a first date, I still get excited to be with the love of my life for a special evening. We love to go to dinner and a movie. At dinner, we often talk about how we are doing, our children and the church we so dearly love. Like a kid in high school, I always say, “I am happy to be with you.”

As we sit in the movie, I love holding Cindy’s hand. It is one of the most satisfying feelings just to be next to her. Quite often, we don’t even have to be talking to enjoy one another. Just the fact they we are together, like sitting out by my parents pool, is a heart warming experience.

Some of my favorite moments with Cindy have been in the delivery room giving birth to our three sons. Even though the births were painful to Cindy, there is nothing like witnessing the first moments of your children coming into this world. Nine months of questioning and talking about what they will look like is answered in an instant. I always cry after the delivery because I am so thankful for my healthy sons, and for the special feelings I have sharing something so unique with Cindy.

Two Are Better Than One (Part 2)

The second benefit of relationships is the support and encouragement they give us in our daily walk. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” If you live life long enough, sooner or later you are going to face adversity and trials. Sunday, August 20th, was one of the days.

Just after midnight, Cindy and I received a phone call from Clayton Bell communicating to us that they were having complications in their pregnancy. Kelly’s cervix was not functioning properly and the cramping she felt was actually contractions. Considering the advanced state of her conditions, there was only one procedure that was an option, and it provided nearly zero chance of things changing. Unless something happened, Kelly would go into labor within 48 hours, delivering a 21 week old baby that was much too young to live very long outside of the womb. The Bells went to sleep that night praying that our God would provide a miracle and allow the baby to live.

After checking to make sure that nothing had changed through the night, Kelly was placed on a medicine to bring about contractions. It was better for her health to have the baby quickly. After the doctor broke her water at about 4:00pm, Kelly gave birth to Grace Shiloh Bell at 4:45pm, August 20th, 2006.

Grace Shiloh, or Gracie, was beautiful and perfect. Small and too soon, she was nonetheless perfectly formed and so beautiful. They spent a little less than two hours with her while she was alive, and then she returned to her Heavenly Father, who graciously allowed them so much time with her. They love her infinitely, and cannot wait to spend Eternity with her creating all of memories that they won’t be able to have on this earth.

I will never forget my moment with Gracie. I felt I had looked into the face of eternity. In a moment of suffering, in her beautiful face I beheld the glory of the Father and the reflection of two wonderful and proud parents.

Grace!!!

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

Beholding Gracie, I was reminded of the grace of God. The grace that empowers us to do the good works the Father has prepared for us, and to run our race in a way to gain the prize of Jesus Christ.

Rest!!!

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. Hebrews 4:1

Looking at Gracie's face, I was also reminded of the rest my soul longs for in being in the fullness of the presence of God after finishing his work and crossing the finish line of my destiny.Gracie fought the good fight and finished her race. I pray I fight and run as well as Gracie Shiloh to the glory of God the Father.

It was such a privilege to be in that hospital room on Sunday. Cindy and I got to pray for Clayton and Kelly and pray over Gracie Shiloh. After two miscarriages of our own, we were able to encourage them with the comfort God had given us in a supernatural way having gone through our own trials of birth.

Not only did we encourage the Bells, but they encouraged us. We saw the joy of two proud parents. There is nothing like the gaze of parents upon their child. Not that I needed any more proof, but my faith was strengthened as I saw the same supernatural peace and comfort in their souls that Cindy and I had experienced. I left the room grieving, but encouraged and peaceful that this situation would work out for good and to the glory of God.

I am so thankful the Bells did not have to go through that day alone, and we could share in this experience. As Cindy and I were leaving the hospital, we gave Kelly’s parents a big hug and reassured them that we would do whatever it takes to love and support Clayton and Kelly during this time. They were thankful and commented on how many people from Every Nation had been at the hospital that day. They knew their loved ones would be okay because they have great friends.

Two are Better Than One

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.” Gleaning from the wisdom of Solomon, let’s examine why two are better than one.

When you parent three young boys, every event or activity requires a plan of attack. Cindy and I have found raising three boys to be so much more enjoyable when we work together. This is especially true when it comes to getting the boys ready for bed. If I had to get all three boys ready for bed by myself, it would probably take an hour. Not only does it take longer, it is much more frustrating. However, when Cindy and I work together, we get the job done much quicker and easier. Together, we can have them showered and dressed in 5 minutes. I wash the boys in the shower with me and she drives them off and puts their clothes on. We rotate on reading them stories and laying them down to sleep. Our teamwork lays the foundation for a peaceful evening together. Two are better than one when it comes to parenting.

One of the best Bible stories about the power of partnership to accomplish a work is the story of Nehemiah. Like many Jews of his time, he had been uprooted from his homeland when Persia conquered Israel centuries before Christ was born.

Nehemiah was given an easy, but potentially deadly job, of tasting wine for the king. Though he was a foreigner, he lived in the palace, spent his days at the court and had great favor with the King. If he would have been content to just hold his position in life, he would never have discovered the incredible power of partnership, and would have missed the greatest accomplishment of his life.

After learning that his people were in great trouble, and his hometown of Jerusalem was broken down and burned with fire, Nehemiah was determined to do something. After securing permission from King Artaxerxes, he set out to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem.

As he walked through the rubble, a passion burned inside to see his city restored. It must have been at this time that he realized the task was to big to do alone. He needed help from others who loved God and the city of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah gathered his fellow Hebrews and laid out his plan for rebuilding the walls. As one man they began this arduous task. As you can imagine, the rebuilding was not easy. To make matters worse, neighboring rulers opposed them and conspirators tried to stop them, but the people persevered. They worked side by side, laying stones with one hand and holding a sword in the other.

Astonishingly, the wall that had lain in ruins for years was built and restored in fifty-two days. This feat is one of the most remarkable accomplishments ever recorded in the Bible.

"It marks a big step in your development when you realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone." Andrew Carnegie

The Liberal Baby Bust

I thought you might enjoy this interesting article from USA Today. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). The birthing of children is a sign of life, destiny, blessing, prosperity and dominion. Over 25 new babies have been or or will be born this year in Every Nation Tallahassee families. His hand of blessing is upon us as a church. Thank you...Lord!!!

The liberal baby bust
By Phillip Longman
What's the difference between Seattle and Salt Lake City? There are many differences, of course, but here's one you might not know. In Seattle, there are nearly 45% more dogs than children. In Salt Lake City, there are nearly 19% more kids than dogs.

This curious fact might at first seem trivial, but it reflects a much broader and little-noticed demographic trend that has deep implications for the future of global culture and politics. It's not that people in a progressive city such as Seattle are so much fonder of dogs than are people in a conservative city such as Salt Lake City. It's that progressives are so much less likely to have children.

It's a pattern found throughout the world, and it augers a far more conservative future — one in which patriarchy and other traditional values make a comeback, if only by default. Childlessness and small families are increasingly the norm today among progressive secularists. As a consequence, an increasing share of all children born into the world are descended from a share of the population whose conservative values have led them to raise large families. Today, fertility correlates strongly with a wide range of political, cultural and religious attitudes. In the USA, for example, 47% of people who attend church weekly say their ideal family size is three or more children. By contrast, 27% of those who seldom attend church want that many kids.

In Utah, where more than two-thirds of residents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 92 children are born each year for every 1,000 women, the highest fertility rate in the nation. By contrast Vermont — the first to embrace gay unions — has the nation's lowest rate, producing 51 children per 1,000 women.

Similarly, in Europe today, the people least likely to have children are those most likely to hold progressive views of the world. For instance, do you distrust the army and other institutions and are you prone to demonstrate against them? Then, according to polling data assembled by demographers Ron Lesthaeghe and Johan Surkyn, you are less likely to be married and have kids or ever to get married and have kids. Do you find soft drugs, homosexuality and euthanasia acceptable? Do you seldom, if ever, attend church? Europeans who answer affirmatively to such questions are far more likely to live alone or be in childless, cohabiting unions than are those who answer negatively.

This correlation between secularism, individualism and low fertility portends a vast change in modern societies. In the USA, for example, nearly 20% of women born in the late 1950s are reaching the end of their reproductive lives without having children. The greatly expanded childless segment of contemporary society, whose members are drawn disproportionately from the feminist and countercultural movements of the 1960s and '70s, will leave no genetic legacy. Nor will their emotional or psychological influence on the next generation compare with that of people who did raise children.

Single-child factor
Meanwhile, single-child families are prone to extinction. A single child replaces one of his or her parents, but not both. Consequently, a segment of society in which single-child families are the norm will decline in population by at least 50% per generation and quite quickly disappear. In the USA, the 17.4% of baby boomer women who had one child account for a mere 9.2% of kids produced by their generation. But among children of the baby boom, nearly a quarter descend from the mere 10% of baby boomer women who had four or more kids. This dynamic helps explain the gradual drift of American culture toward religious fundamentalism and social conservatism. Among states that voted for President Bush in 2004, the average fertility rate is more than 11% higher than the rate of states for Sen. John Kerry. It might also help to explain the popular resistance among rank-and-file Europeans to such crown jewels of secular liberalism as the European Union. It turns out that Europeans who are most likely to identify themselves as "world citizens" are also less likely to have children.

Rewriting history?
Why couldn't tomorrow's Americans and Europeans, even if they are disproportionately raised in patriarchal, religiously minded households, turn out to be another generation of '68? The key difference is that during the post-World War II era, nearly all segments of society married and had children. Some had more than others, but there was much more conformity in family size between the religious and the secular. Meanwhile, thanks mostly to improvements in social conditions, there is no longer much difference in survival rates for children born into large families and those who have few if any siblings.

Tomorrow's children, therefore, unlike members of the postwar baby boom generation, will be for the most part descendants of a comparatively narrow and culturally conservative segment of society. To be sure, some members of the rising generation may reject their parents' values, as often happens. But when they look for fellow secularists with whom to make common cause, they will find that most of their would-be fellow travelers were quite literally never born. Many will celebrate these developments. Others will view them as the death of the Enlightenment. Either way, they will find themselves living through another great cycle of history.

Phillip Longman is a fellow at the New America Foundation and the author of The Empty Cradle: How Falling Birthrates Threaten World Prosperity and What to Do About It. This essay is adapted from his cover story in the current issue of Foreign Policy magazine.

Freedom is Found in Serving

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. (16) Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 1 Peter 2:15-16

God, as our Creator, made every person unique and endowed each individual with a special gift. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “(10) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

There is one common characteristic I have noticed in unhappy people after observing them for over fifteen years. Unhappy people are only focused on themselves. When we focus only on ourselves, we stay yoked to the things we feel will make us happy. We live a life of consumption. Whether it is a new car, new woman, or a new wardrobe, we spend time and money on that which we hope will satisfy. History has proven that “things” never produce true gratification. As a result, we live life depressed, bitter, angry or unfulfilled. The key to living a life of fulfillment is being able to use your gift to serve others.

I meet people all the time who are wandering aimlessly on planet earth wondering why they are here and what they are suppose to do. How many students attend college, earn a certain degree, and later discover they want to do something with there life that has nothing to do with what they studied. Going to college can teach you information and help you develop a particular skill; however it doesn’t guarantee you will have any better understanding of yourself. The key to using your gifts is being able to identify which ones you possess.

Therefore, we should look to the Giver of our gifts to grasp the true identification and understanding of the uniqueness of our design. After all, God made us, so he should know better than anybody else what gifts we possess and what purpose they should be used for. The key to discovering your gift is to know the God who gave it to you.

Something powerful happens in the human soul when we come to an understanding of who we are and what we are supposed to do. This understanding of our destiny produces a security in our soul. Only when we are secure can we be givers, and lovers of other people. When we are insecure, we stay in a constant state of fear and anxiety. This insecurity keeps us bound to the narrow focus of self. It is in this condition of the soul that self preservation manifests in our attitudes and actions. The key to security is to understand who you are.

Since Jesus was so secure, he exhibited a love for people who rejected him, sinned against him, and wanted to kill him. He had a joy that did not reflect his circumstances and the way people treated him. How could he function in this manner? He lived for others and not himself. The key to serving is love for others.

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (14) The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

Family Matters: The Unfading Beauty of a Gentle and Quiet Spirit

1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:1-4

Many women are taught that sexist men have subjugated them, and kept them in bondage, by forcing them to stay home and bear children, and that they must fight their way into the aggressive, competitive, business and professional world. Only by reaching the highest positions of power and influence in that area of endeavor can they find true fulfillment and meaning in life.

Is this assertive, confrontational attitude (so often necessary to be successful in the world) the attitude a Christian woman should have? It is obvious that many women have been greatly influenced by this kind of thinking. They have not realized that the real issue is not “What can I do?” but rather, “What does God say I should do?” A woman’s capability to work just as efficiently as a man, does not dictate the necessity of her doing so. Because she can develop toughness and competitiveness, should she? The Bible teaches a woman's true beauty and power comes from a gentle and quiet spirit.

As in every other area of life, we must look to the Bible to see what God says about character traits women should seek to display, and the role they play in society, family, and in ministry. We must bring our ideas about the subject into conformity with His, not expecting Him to put His stamp of approval on our “creative” ideas about how we can be fulfilled.

By the way, it is crucial to realize that a gentle and quiet spirit has nothing to do with personality. In fact the Bible tells us that all people, not just women, should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19). A woman may well have a bubbly, outgoing demeanor, but an attitude of submission and peace that radiates from deep within and expresses itself through the unique personality that God gave her. On the other hand, a woman may be quiet and seemingly very sweet, and yet be hard and rebellious in spirit, like a brick hidden in a paper bag. All women are equally capable of exhibiting the spirit that God seeks.

In 1 Peter 3:1-4, God is emphasizing what kind of heart a godly woman should possess. As her heart and attitude is right before God, it will manifest externally in an expression that will reflect Jesus. Hairdos, jewelry, make-up and clothing are not the issue. The point is women should not rely on the external things of life to make them beautiful. A beautiful woman is one who first and foremost is godly on the inside. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30).

Family Matters: Hindrances to Submission (Part 2)

A third hindrance to submission is fear. Fear might be expressed in this way, “I don’t think my husband can be trusted with my life, the lives of my children, and the future of our family. I am afraid he cannot handle the responsibility if I really submit to him and help to establish him as the leader of our home.” In submitting to her husband, a woman recognizes that she is submitting to God and trusting Him as the power behind her husband.

Another fear might be expressed like this: “I am afraid if I really yield myself to my husband, I will lose my life.” True life and purpose is found when we live to please and serve another. A marriage relationship should be the place we model “dying to self to live for another.” Only this attitude, which should first be modeled by the husband, can manifest in selfless behavior. Desperately holding on to your life by refusing to submit to your husband means missing the life and glory God has for you.

The fourth hindrance to biblical submission is individualism. The spirit of individualism, or independence, is everywhere in the world today, and many Christian women have imbibed of it. It is a very subtle thing, and can be seen in a woman’s desire for a career apart from her husband (nothing wrong for a woman to work), or her desire to keep her maiden name after marriage, and can even masquerade as a personal “call” to a particular ministry.

The “pride of life” to which Eve succumbed in the Garden of Eden was really nothing more than this spirit of individualism, this desire to be something apart from God and His divine order, to be wise, to know all that God knows. Its fruit is a delusion, for the promised independence is nothing more than submission to a different head—Satan. We are all “slaves to whom we obey, whether of sin and death, or of obedience to righteousness” (Romans 6:16). 1 Peter 2:19b says, “For a man or woman is a slave to whatever has mastered them.” Eve discovered slavery to sin (independence) much more demanding than obedience to God and His law.

Family Matters: Hindrances to Submission (Part 1)

21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:21-24

The first hindrance to submission is godly leadership is so rarely modeled by husbands in our society today. We are all influenced by the situations we grew up in or the paradigms we have experienced. Unfortunately, a majority of young women had a father who was lazy, selfish or too busy to spend time with the family. They might have had a father who was verbally or physically abusive to their mother. Also, many single women have married friends and have observed how their husband does anything but love them and serve them like Christ. Bad examples of leadership can be a real hindrance to submission.

The second hindrance to submission that a wife must face as she attempts to obey God and submit herself to her husband is the prevailing feminist culture of our day. Every day she is bombarded with voices from every quarter telling her to be her own person, seek her own life, have her own career, and be independent of her husband. Examples of successful career women who answer to no man are held up as the only women who are being fulfilled as persons. Those who preach this message fail to understand that being under proper functioning authority actually frees a woman to develop all the gifts and abilities God has given her in a way that will preserve her feminine uniqueness as a woman. Once again, there is nothing wrong with a woman who works a job. However, this should not be done at the expense of fulfilling your roles as a wife and mother in your family.

Family Matters: Misconceptions of Submission (Part 2)

Another misconception many women have is that submission is a contest, “If he is stronger than I am, I will submit to him. If he is not, I won’t.” Strength of will is not exclusively a male characteristic. Women often have a stronger will than their husbands. However, they can establish their husbands as leaders by their willingness to submit to them. They can make it easy for their husbands to lead, or they can make it extremely difficult, depending on their understanding of their biblical role. Submission is not a contest, with leadership going to the strongest marriage partner.

A final misconception is that submission is dependent on right decision making. “I will submit to him as long as he is right, but if he makes a stupid decision, I reserve the right to make the final one.” Submission is not a matter of right or wrong. His decisions should be the ones that God has decreed, and should determine the direction of the family. If he is wrong, God will hold him accountable and deal with him. His wife must trust the Lord to guide her husband. This requires faith in God. The husband and wife should pray and discover God's will for the family together. The wife can be a valuable source of discernment and wisdom in decision making.

I want to emphasize that as we submit to God’s delegated leadership, we can trust that the Lord will work all things out for good. God is a God of order and his delegated leadership should bring his will and way in the different positions they serve. We can trust God that if his leadership is not fulfilling their duties properly, God will remove them from their position. We can trust because God is just. What is so important in this process is the understanding of our roles as husband and wife. I hope this has helped you work as a team in your marriage.

Family Matters: Misconceptions of Submission

21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:21-24

Just as we respond to Christ’s love for us, a wife who wants to obey God will respond to her husband if he is leading properly. Built in her by God is a desire to give herself to a strong, decisive man who is laying down his life for her. Unfortunately, much of the emphasis on a wife’s submission has neglected the husband’s responsibility to love and lead his wife. God can require our submission to his will because he is love and righteous. This means his motives and his actions are always right. Husbands are to model their leadership after Christ. Their motive should be love and their actions should manifest in service to their wives.

Today, there are many misconceptions as to what submitting to your husband means. It does not mean being a doormat for a physically or verbally abusive man who is using his wife for himself. If the situation at home becomes unbearable, or there is a reason to fear for safety of family members, the wife should say to her husband, “I love you and want to be your wife, but not under these conditions. When you have gotten some help and can lead well in our family, I will return.”

Leaving is often the only thing that will get the attention of the abusive husband, and properly done is far more biblical and effective than verbally badgering him. Obviously, the details of how this will work vary in every situation. Still, the principle is that a woman does not have to remain in an untenable situation because of some ill-conceived notion of “submission.” The husband should be held accountable to fulfill the vows he made to God and his wife. When he no longer fulfills his vows to lead, love and serve his wife, he forfeits her responsibility to submit and follow.

Family Matters: The Result of Disobedience

In part four of family matters I want to study how the curse for Adam and Eve's disobedience has affected the husband and wife relationship.

(16) To the woman God said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (17) To Adam God said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. (18) It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. (19)By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:16-19)

For Eve, the first result of the curse was increased pain in childbirth. The effects of the family have even impacted my family today. My wife Cindy just gave birth to our third son Noah. All three of her pregnancies have resulted in c-sections, with this last one being a classical c-section. As a result, she now has an upside down T on her stomach. Her scars remind us of the fact that through pain our children came into the world. Because of the three c-sections and the pain involved, we are not sure if we are going to have any more children. The scars could be the determining factor. Both Cindy and I feel that having children has been the greatest blessing of our marriage. I wish we could have experienced birthing our children without the scars. However, the scars make us appreciate them even more.

After telling Eve she will have pain in childbirth, God says, “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16) The Hebrew word for “desire,” teshugah, is used another time in the Bible, and that is in the next chapter of Genesis. God warns Cain before he kills his brother Abel, “And, if you do not do well, sin lies at the door, and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:7)

Sins desire was to control, or capture, Cain, and indeed it did. In the same way, as a result of God’s curse, a woman can be tempted to control her husband, to contest his leadership, to run the family if she can.

Biblical history records several instances of this feminine penchant for control; Sarah’s attempt to use Hagar to “help” God fulfill His promise to Abraham (Genesis 16); Rebekah’s deceit in tricking Isaac into giving his blessing to Jacob instead of Esau (Genesis 27); Rachel and Leah’s manipulations of Jacob and Laban (Genesis 30,31); and Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, who led her husband into idolatry, and in essence ruled Israel through him (1 Kings 16:29-34,19,21). In Revelation 2, Jezebel is again mentioned, this time as a feminine religious spirit who has gained control, and who has led astray the church in Thyatira. In the 21st century, when people are very open to spiritual matters, a book like DaVinci Code is written to promote the worship of the sacred feminine.

How did the curse affect the leadership role of the man? It is interesting to note that “painful toil” was the curse given to Adam. In our society today, think about how many men are consumed with their jobs in the “dog eat dog” marketplace. They spend so much of their strength at work, they don’t have the time and energy to effectively love and serve their wives at home. Their wives become frustrated, hurt and bitter because they now have to fulfill two roles in the family. For women, this fuels the fire for control in the family.

The “curse of painful toil” that produces a passivity and neglect of family leadership in men fits together with the desire of a woman to control like a hand in a glove. Fallen men tend to want someone else to take the responsibility for the leadership of the family, and their wives step right up to do so. Neither understands that the pattern they are following is a result of sin, and God wants to reverse that curse in Jesus Christ, restoring His divine order.

Family Matters: The Role of a Wife (Part 2)

Secondly, after loving him by submitting to his headship, a wife is to love her husband personally. Paul says in Ephesians 5:33, “…and let the wife see that she respects her husband. In the same way that men are told to be considerate to their wives, (1 Peter 3:7) wives need to be respectful and understanding to their husbands.

A wise woman has respect for her husband’s manhood. A man has to lead his family, provide for them, and protect them. All these things require strength and confidence to accomplish. It is necessary for him to go out into the world to confront and conquer whatever obstacles there are to his family’s welfare. Without strength and confidence, he will be defeated.

Men are task and goal oriented from an early age. It is in the relationship with his wife that a man learns valuable lessons in how to have personal relationships. Have you noticed how little girls giggle (relate) and little boys tussle (compete). A wise woman will affirm her husband, not demean him, because she will understand that it strengthens him for his vital work of taking his responsibilities as a husband.

Nothing is more debilitating to a man than having his wife be disparaging about his manhood. A wife’s role is to continue to encourage her husband and affirm his manhood in healthy ways through love.

Family Matters: The Role of a Wife

Now that we have finished our teaching on the role of a husband, let’s look at three ways a wife should love and submit to her husband.

First, a wife should love her husband by embracing his position of "headship" or leadership in her life.

Ephesians 5:22-24 says, “22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”

This is a command, not a suggestion, and the rationale for it is the pattern relationship that Jesus has with his church. Marriage is a picture of that relationship, and, just as the church submits to Christ’s in everything, so does a wife to her husband.

Notice the word “head” again. It is the same Greek word , kephale, that we discussed in an earlier blog, meaning authority and direction. The wife is to “submit” to that authority just as if it were to Jesus Christ Himself. That is what the Bible says, so it is not surprising to learn that the Greek world for “submit” is hupotosso, which is a military term meaning to rank under, or to put in subjection. In Ephesians, Paul goes on to say that not only is a wife to be subject to her husband just as if he were Jesus Christ, but that she is to do so, not just when she thinks he is right, but in everything. (Remember husbands, you are to love and lead like Jesus does the church. His example of sacrifice and service is the one we should model.)

Jesus, as the second person of the Trinity, showed us how to be under authority in the kingdom of God by submitting to His Father, the first person of the Trinity, in everything even though He was equal to His Father in every way. In the same way, wives are equal “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7) with their husbands. “There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Submission is about order and function, not inequality.

This means that a wife’s relationship to God is identical in every way with her husbands. However, they have a different function in His kingdom. Just as God the Son functioned completely under the authority of God the Father, a wife is to function completely under the authority of her husband. This brings harmony to the home as all members of the family yield to the will of its head, and extends the kingdom of God into that home as its members operate as God intended them to operate. There is always a clear line of authority in the kingdom, for it represents the delegated rule of God. Without that clear authority structure, the rule of Jesus Christ, or the kingdom, is not realized. Stay tuned for point number two.

Family Matters: The Role of Husband (Part 3)

In part two we discussed how leadership is an important part of the husband’s role in a marriage. In part three, I want us to study five characteristics of family leadership that a husband should exemplify.

The first characteristic of leadership is decision making. Leadership, in the final analysis, is decision-making. Regardless of what is said, regardless of how things might appear, the one who makes the final decision is the leader. God holds the man responsible for his family, and for all the decisions that affect it, even those decisions that were made by the wife. Adam was accountable before God for the momentous decision Eve made to eat the forbidden fruit. “For as in Adam all die…” (1 Corinthians 15:22), “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin…” (Romans 5:12), “For if by the one man’s offense, many died…” (Romans 5:15), “Therefore, as through the one man’s offense, judgment came to all men…” (Romans 5:18).

Secondly, listening is a characteristic of godly leadership. Any good leader takes advantage of the insights and wisdom of those he leads, and leading a family is no exception. By listening to our wives and giving them the opportunity for input, we increase the chance of making a proper decision. The same is true for our children, as they grow older.

Thirdly, being considerate is a characteristic of godly leadership. 1 Peter 3:7a says, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives.” A man should be aware of his wife’s needs. A woman was designed to be cared for by a man—first by her father, then by her husband. Because of this, God has given men the insight to know what their daughters and wives need, and then the ability to supply it. To do this well, men need to invest time, energy, and the care necessary to really understand their wives.

Fourthly, serving is a characteristic of godly leadership. Service is the only kind of leadership that is valid in family life. A man must look for ways to serve his family from a position of strength, as the decision maker. In order to do this well, his motive in leadership must be love from a servant’s heart.

The fifth and final characteristic of godly leadership is providing. God designed that the responsibility for providing the financial support for the family rest on the shoulders of the husband. Surprisingly, many men are pressing their wives to work in order to bring in the extra dollars to provide a somewhat higher life-style. This motive is selfish. In so doing, men are placing their most precious wives in the jungle that is the workplace; a jungle where many predators abound.

I am not saying a woman should never work a job. However, I do want to remind you that the most important job is the one done in the home. No one can make a house a home like a mother. Our family should be our first responsibility. Since the family is first priority, it takes a full time commitment to do it well. Family duties should never be neglected for another job or some higher style of living.

Family Matters: The Role of a Husband (Part 2)

In part one of family matters we learned that agape love is the number one ingredient to proper headship. Another key component to effective headship is leadership. Leadership in the family without selfless love is oppressive and despotic, but love without authoritative, godly leadership causes a lack of respect and even contempt, as a wife and her children unconsciously seek the strength that the man, as head of his home, is not providing. Strong family leadership from the husband and father produces security and purpose in the family.

From the beginning of creation, God created man, and held him accountable, to be the leader. This was certainly the case with Adam and Eve. God gave Adam the task of cultivating and tending the Garden of Eden before Eve was on the scene. It was Adam’s responsibility to explain to Eve their mission in life, just as God had previously done with him. His leadership was natural and not contrived, because he was equipped with the knowledge from God as to what their task in life would be. Adam was the leader because he was the one whom God had chosen to create first, and he was the one who had received specific instructions from God, including the prohibition of eating from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Generally, most men tend to be more cognitive. This trait equips us for our role of leadership in the family. Women tend to be more people-oriented than men, and have closer and more intimate friendships. When important decisions with long-term implications must be made, it is usually not wise to base them on how one feels at that particular time, because feelings change very rapidly. Men are therefore better equipped to make the decisions that are necessary for a leader to make, though they should include their wives to help them temper those decisions with discernment and compassion.

What happens when men do not fulfill their role of leadership in the family? Once again, we find the answer in the story of Adam and Eve. Whereas Eve did not see clearly what was happening in the garden as Satan tempted her, when she offered the fruit to Adam, he knew perfectly well what was occurring. 1 Timothy 2:14 says, “And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.” Eve was deceived, but Adam disobeyed. Disobedience always brings a curse.

Adam did what so many of us do as husbands; he just “went with the flow,” letting his wife do whatever she wanted, even though he knew she had been tricked by Satan into disobedience. He avoided confronting her and abdicated his role as leader in the family with disastrous results: a curse from God on each of them, and banishment from the Garden of Eden for life.

Why do men abdicate their responsibility as leaders in the family today? Certainly being ignorant of their biblical responsibility is a major reason. Laziness and selfishness are two other big factors, along with feelings of inadequacy due to past failures and today’s antagonistic culture. However, for Adam, eating the forbidden fruit was easier for him than going through the unpleasantness of telling Eve, “No!” Man fell, not because he ate a piece of fruit that God said not to eat, but because Adam failed to carry God’s delegated authority, and exercise it properly. Satan attacked the order of God’s kingdom, and Adam yielded.

As John Maxwell teaches, "Everything rises and falls with leadership." Our marriages would be better today if men would lead like Jesus.

Family Matters: The Role of a Husband

God has made us male and female, and there is a natural, God-given chemistry between the sexes. When both husband and wife understand their biblical roles and function in them within the context of a committed, permanent marriage relationship, that chemistry releases wonderful emotions for one another that God intended for us to enjoy.

First, let us look at the role of a husband. Ephesians 5:25 says, 25” Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” The Greek word for “love” in this verse is the word agape, which is a word that is used in the Bible to define God Himself. “God is love (agape), and he who abides in love (agape) abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16b). Agape has it source in God, and husbands can love their wives in this way only if that love is produced in them supernaturally by the Holy Spirit.

It is my opinion that most of our relational problems today stem from the fact that husbands have not loved their wives properly. It is a fearful thought to think that one day I will be judged by God on how well I loved my wife. What makes this quite fearful is the fact that my judgment will be compared to Jesus’ love for the church, not to my next door neighbor’s love for his wife. Even as I think about it now, I have to cry out for mercy.

It is a serious act to enter into a covenant with another person. A wife is to be the object of the strongest, most creative force in the universe, agape love, the same love that Jesus Christ has for His bride, the church. Here are some characteristics of agape love.

First of all, agape love is unconditional. This means that it is a “love without reason”, not conditioned on any behavior or quality of the loved-one. Did not Jesus show His love for His church by dying for us while we were still lost (Romans 5:8), dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and totally depraved with no reason for God to love us with ourselves (Romans 17:8)? Yes, he did. This is the way Christ loved the church, and that is the way husbands are to love their wives.

This love is not, “I love you if…(you are sweet, you do things for me, you do what I say, you look pretty, you are intelligent, and you are thin). Those types of love are not love at all, but indicate a selfishness that is really saying, not, “I love you,” but “I want you and love me!”

No, agape love is “I love you in spite of…(your attitude, what you do for me, your attention to my needs, your looks and intelligence). It is a love so strong that you cannot resist it, nor can you do any thing to cause me to withdraw it, and it will capture your heart.

Secondly, agape love initiates. Jesus committed Himself to us on the cross in His humanity, without the guarantee that anyone would respond to his selfless act of love. In fact, he knew his closest friends would deny Him on the way to the cross. Romans 3:11 says, “There is no one who seeks God.” Jesus came after us when we didn’t want anything to do with him. In like manner, the man is the pursuer, the aggressor, the lover. He is the initiator, committing himself first in his love relationship with his wife.

Finally, agape love is sacrificial. Jesus is our perfect pattern for our task as servant-leaders in our families. Matthew 20:28 says, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Jesus did not please Himself, but continually gave His life away for others, culminating in that final great act of service, literally laying down His life voluntarily on the cross for His church. Men, this is our pattern of sacrificial love for our wives.

True joy and fulfillment comes from loving, and not being loved. After being married for almost ten years, I have found this to be so true.

Family Matters Humor

I thought you might enjoy some marriage humor before we dig deeper into Family Matters. God bless and stay tuned for The Role of a Husband.

WHO DOES WHAT

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee." The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee." Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee." Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me." So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says........."HEBREWS"

THE SILENT TREATMENT

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said:
"It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."

Family Matters

After my Mother's Day message, I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine. This gentleman grew up in a particular sect of Christianity that never emphasized the blessing of having children. He said, "If my wife and I had been attending your church when we were younger, we would have probably had more children." I must admit that I was surprised to hear he had never heard this preached in his church. Since family is one of our core values in Every Nation, I guess I assumed everyone feels like we do about the dominion mandate (Genesis 1:28).

This conversation got me thinking about the reality of what is being taught in our pulpits today. As I pondered this further, I began to become deeply concerned about the lack of Bible knowledge people possess when it involves the topic of family. This was confirmed to me today by another conversation with a lady after our service. My sermon topic was called "The Role of a Husband and a Wife."

As I always do after church, I was standing at the entrance/exit door of our facility to shake hands with people as they were leaving the service. I recognized this particular lady as a first time attendee and began to engage in a conversation with her. She was very complimentary of the message she had just heard. I enjoyed meeting her and thanked her for her kind words. Then she said this statement, "My husband and I had no business getting married." In other words, she was communicating to me that they did not have a clue about their roles and responsibilities as a husband and wife when they got married. Sadly, I know this is true for most people who get married in our society today.

Family is the first institution God created, and it is primarily through the family that God intends to accomplish his purposes on planet earth. Unfortunately, we have lived with the devastating results from the breakdown of our families in the 21st century. History has proven that good intentions are not enough to produce a healthy marriage. We must understand God's intentions for us in this divine institution if we are going to build healthy marriages.

If we are going to change the world, we must have strong and godly families. Our future hope for a better world begins in our homes. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to blog on Family Matters. Starting on Wednesday, May 31st, I will be writing on such topics as the role of a husband, characteristics of godly leadership in husbands, the role of a wife, misconceptions of submission, and hindrances to submission.

Please stay tuned. I will try to e-mail a new blog on these topics every three to four days until they are done. I appreciate everyone who reads my blogs. I hope you share my passion for family, and take the time to make sure you have an understanding of your roles and responsibilities in marriage. The majority of the points and thoughts come from Robert Andrew's book "The Family, God's Weapon for Victory." I have included some of my thoughts and experiences from nearly ten years of being married and sixteen years of studying the Bible on these topics. God bless and remember Family Matters.

The Heart of Worship

In Genesis 22:5 Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then will come back to you.” The first time worship is mentioned in the Bible is right before Abraham is about to sacrifice his son Isaac to the Lord. God said to Abraham in Genesis 22:2, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you.”

Abraham went to the place God told him, built an altar, arranged the wood on it, and then bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. As he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called out to him. In Genesis 22:12 the angel of the Lord told Abraham, “Do not lay a hand on the boy.” “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham earned a special place in history among God’s people because he was willing to give the Lord his best offering. How was Abraham able to offer his son, who he didn’t receive until he was an old man, as an offering to the Lord? Abraham was able to give his best offering because he had a heart of worship. The true heart of worship is giving God your best.

Throughout history, one of the main indicators of a people doomed for destruction is when they stopped giving God their best offering. We see this trait from the very beginning of man’s existence. Genesis 4:3-5 says, In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, (5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."

The fat portions represented the best part of the animal, and the firstborn represented the best of the flock. Notice the difference between the brother’s sacrifice. Cain gave “some” of his fruits and Abel gave the best of his flock. The Lord was only pleased with one of the offerings.

Notice also how Cain responded to the Lord’s rejection of his offering. He was angry, and his face was downcast. Receiving God’s favor and pleasing him is the key to our joy and inner peace. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus gave his best, his own life as an offering, and was full of joy even though he was destined for the cross.

In the 21st century, your time and money represent what kind of offering you give to God? Time and money, more than anything else, reflect your heart. Are you giving him “some” or your best? If you are living according to God’s will and giving him your best, then you are a true worshiper of God.

I will leave you with Hebrews 10:5-7 on what kind of offering God desires today.

(5) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; (6) with burnt offering and sin offerings you were not pleased. (7) Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.’”

May God's joy mark your journey as you worship, obey his will, and give him your best.

My Three Sons

Hebrews 1:3, 5 says, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being sustaining all things by his powerful word. (5) For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Savior'?"

The greatest revelation we can have of God is that of a Father. Jesus Christ, as God's Son, came to earth to reveal the Father and do his work. When we gaze upon Jesus, we see the glory of God.

Noah William Miller was born around 1:30pm on Wednesday. He weighed in at 7 lbs 5 ounces. He is 21 inches longs and has a 13.5 inch chest. Guess what? He looks like his father. When you gaze upon Noah you see the glory of his dad.

Cindy had a classical c-section. She is in some pain, but overall doing just fine. She is the love of my life and my hero. You would have been so proud of her courage. The doctors said the day could not have gone any better. Praise God!

I am glowing with the joy of being a new dad for the third time. The third time is truly a charm. I have cried tears of joy and thankfulness at the birth of all three of my sons. I am always reminded in those moments how God rejoices over those who get born again by His Spirit, and become children in His kingdom. What an awesome God we serve.

James 1:17-18 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (18) He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

Thank you for your love and your prayers. We felt so covered in both of them. We love our spiritual family. Our parents have been a huge help and blessing. We love our parents.

I thank God my Father, who loves to express himself through family, for giving me his good and perfect gifts of salvation, Cindy, Josiah, Ethan, Noah, our spiritual family, and our parents.

Happy Mother's Day

She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family. Proverbs 31:15 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. (28) Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31:27-28

I am so thankful that God has blessed me with a wonderful mother. Her unconditional love and sacrifice to care, nourish and nurture me as a young child was so amazing. Mothers have the unique ability to make a house a home. There is no one who can do this like a mother.

As many of you know, we just recently gave birth to our third son. True to her caring nature, my mom is helping at our house as Cindy recovers from a classical c-section. One of the ways she is helping is by cooking meals. My mom is a great cook. I was telling her the other day how much I enjoy the Burgandy Poppy Seed dressing from Manna's restaurant. So, what does my mom do? She made a special trip to Manna's and bought me the salad dressing. Then she came over to our house and made me my favorite salad. That night I got to eat a great salad with my newly discovered dressing. All this was made possible by the love of a mother.

There are few assignments in human experience that require the array of skills and wisdom needed by a mom in fulfilling her everyday duties. She must be a resident psychologist, physician, theologian, educator, nurse, chef, taxi driver, fire marshal, and occasional police officer. And if she succeeds in each of these responsibilities, she gets to do it all again tomorrow.

Listen how Apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy describe their ministry to the church at Thessalonica. "As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, (7) but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. (8) We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. (9) Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you." 1 Thessalonians 2:6b-9

To mother is to nurture, to train, to educate, to rear. We mother each other when we offer our concern, our care, our comfort. We mother each other when we see a need and rise to meet it whether it is a jacket for a friend who is chilly, a meal for a struggling family, or a listening ear for a friend who is hurting.

I want every mother to know how much you are valued and how much you are appreciated. Motherhood is truly a high and holy calling. Mothers, we love you. Thank you for walking so worthy of your calling. I will leave you with a great poem on how God the Father cares for us like a loving mother.

Oh gently lay your head
Upon my Chest
And I will comfort you like a Mother while you rest.
The tide can change so fast
But I will stay
The same through Past, the same in Future,
Same Today.
Oh weary, tired and worn
Let out your sighs
And drop that heavy load you hold
Cuz Mine is light.
I know you through and through
There’s no need to hide.
I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide.
For I am constant.
I am near.
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears.
I am holy.
I am wise.
I’m the only One, who knows your heart’s desires.
Oh gently lay your head upon My chest
And I will comfort you like a Mother while you rest. Jill Phillip, “I AM”

What does it take to save the World? (Part 3)

Whether its terroists trying to kill the president, activate a nuclear bomb on US soil, unleash a deadly virus or meltdown a nuclear power plant, a significant part of the plot of "24" is that there is an enemy who wants to kill and destroy. Many people are currently enjoying season 5 of "24". There are five seasons for a reason. In the last hour of the last show of each season, Jack wins. Somehow he prevents the enemy from accomplishing his ultimate goal.

1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." One of the characteristics I love about the Bible is that it addresses the reality of our situation here on planet earth. We have an enemy who wants to kill us. His name is Satan and he is the devil. The Bible doesn't promise a belief system that creates a perfect world. One of the things it teaches us is how to deal with evil.

The movies we hold dear to our hearts borrow from the plot of the Bible. Because of His great love for the church, our hero Jesus rescues us from the devil, and takes us on a great adventure to make disciples in all the world. Every story that moves us emotionally contains these essential parts in their story line. The story line includes a hero, an enemy, someone who needs to be rescued, a love story and a great adventure.

Take the movie Forrest Gump as an example. Forrest is the hero trying to save Jenny who needs to be rescued. The enemies are the men in her life. Forrest unconditionally loves Jenny, and Forrest lives a great adventure in his pursuit to capture her heart.

Jack Bauer is a great hero to the faithful viewers of "24" because he is so willing to sacrifice his life for the cause of saving the world. Once again, this is a borrowed plot from the Bible. Jesus said in John 10:10-11, "The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (11) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (church).

On the show "24", I love how Jack Bauer uses many weapons to defeat the enemy. His weapons include the lastest in computer technology and a wide array of firearms. The simple fact about Jack is that he can use weapons and technology better than his enemy.

I find it so interesting when I examine the weapon Jesus used to defeat the devil, the greatest emeny mankind has ever known. Jesus used a cross. Colossians 2:13-15 says, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, (14) having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. (15) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

The Romans, through torture, had perfected capital punishment by using the cross. The cross was the place were criminals and the despised of society were sent. It was an instrument of suffering that assisted in executing the sentence of death. It was truly a curse to hang on a cross. The devil's favorite instrument of death on planet earth was the cross before the arrival of Jesus.

Only God could take such a heinous instrument and use it for something good. When Jesus hung on the cross he took the curse of sin and death on himself, and gave us righteousness and life. What a great exchange. Amazing! Jesus used the least likely weapon for good, the cross, to trick the devil and defeat him.

This is the final proof that Jesus is God. He took the devil's favorite instrument of suffering and death and used it to bring forgiveness, salvation, life and righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." It took the cross of Christ to save the world.

The cross symbolizes a cosmic as well as historic truth. Love conquers the world, but its victory is not an easy one. Reinhold Niebuhr

What does it take to save the World? (Part 2)

Whether its Jack Bauer's ability to interrogate, his special weapons skills, his mental toughness and physical endurance, his perseverance to function at a high level without sleep, his tactical expertise, his ability to navigate through the bureaucracy of the CTU, or his willingness to die for the cause, Jack has proven season after season that he is qualified for the job.

If someone was going to claim to be God, they would have to be able to prove it with some overwhelming evidence. In John 15:11 Jesus said, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." What miracles did Jesus do? He turned water into wine, healed people of their diseases and deformities, raised people from the dead, fed the multitudes on two fishes and five loaves of bread, cast demons out of people, walked on water, calmed storms, preached with authority, and lived a sinless life. Aposle John said, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written (John 21:25).

Incredible! However, to me the greatest evidence that Jesus is God is his resurrection after his death. Lord Caldecote, former Chief Justice of England said, "The claims of Jesus Christ, namely his resurrection, has led me as often as I have tried to examine the evidence to believe it as a fact beyond dispute."

Not even the magicians David Blaine or David Copperfield would think about attempting such a feat. Could you imagine them having a show where they invited the audience to bring their favorite weapon of death. They would never say, "Kill me audience and after three days I will rise from the dead." That is insane. Death is the great equalizer. It reminds everyone of us that we are mortal and that we have limitations. If you play with death, you lose.

We know from our law system that in order to prove your case, you must have credible witnesses. The testimonies of the witnesses is the major part of the evidence. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Apostle Paul says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (5) and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (6) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (7) Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, (8) and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Wow! There were over 500 witnesses to Jesus' resurrection.

Apostle Paul goes on to write in 1 Corinthians 15:14-15, 30-32, "(14) And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (15) More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. (30) And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? (31) I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. (32) If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Not only did Apostle Paul preach about the resurrection of Jesus, he was willing to be executed for his message and faith. Apostle Paul was so convinced that Jesus' resurrection was real, he could face death without fear. He said if there is no resurrection, then we have no hope after death. And if we have no hope after death, then we might as well try to eat and drink our troubles away. I find it interesting that many Americans are living like this today.

Jesus' miracles, his witnesses, and most of all his ability to conquer death, proves to all with overwhelming evidence that he is God. He hung upon the cross, the Roman's favorite instrument of death, and conquered the two things that have kept humanity in bondage and fear--sin and death. I will leave you with a quote from G.B. Hardy about the resurrection of Jesus:

"There are but two essential requirements: first: Has any one cheated death and proved it? Second: Is it available to me? Here is the complete record. Confucius’tomb—occupied, Buddha’s tomb—occupied, Mohammed’s tomb—occupied, Jesus’ tomb—empty. Argue as you will. There is no point in following a loser."

What does it take to save the World?

At Every Nation Tallahassee we have started a three week series based on the TV show "24". The title of the series is, "What does it take to save the World?" On Easter sunday, I started the series with a message titled "The Right Man." I believe it takes the right man to save the world.

If you are looking to deactivate a nuclear bomb on US soil, you better call on Jack Bauer. If you are looking to save yourself from sin and death, you better call on Jesus Christ. Both Jack and Jesus are highly qualified for the jobs they do. Jack's experience in CTU, his education and military training have more than prepared him for his job. Jesus' Godly pedigree makes him the only one capable of saving us from sin and death.

Hebrews 1:3 describes Jesus in this way, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Colossians 1:15 says this about Jesus, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." As God's son, Jesus has the most unique blood type in the history of the world. Blood identifies, as much as anything else, who a person really is.

Hebrews 9:22 says, "The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." God taught his people in the Old Testament that in order to be temporarily cleansed of their sins, it would require the sacrifice of their best livestock. Year after year they had to continually offer sacrifices to God for their sins.

John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus, described him as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Jesus came as a man to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins once and for all. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:18-19, For you know it was not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish and defect."

While at FSU on a basketball scholarship, I had a teammate contract a rare virus. This guy was a physical specimen. He was 6'8", weighed 260 lbs and had only 5% body fat. He could run like a deer and jump out of the gym. It was quite shocking to watch him barely walk with the assistance of a cane. This virus had made him very frail. As his body would weaken throughout the month, he would have to go to the hospital for a blood transfusion. After the transfusion, he would have a new source of energy. It was like he got new life once a month. He eventually recovered from the virus.

In a more permanent way, Jesus' blood gives us new life. When we are filled with His Spirit and washed in his blood, we are clean, free and empowered to love and serve him the way Jesus intended. His blood changes us because it has eternal power and his divine nature in it.

Hebrews 9:12-14 says this, "He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. (13) The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. (14) How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

I agree with Edward Mote who once said, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Jesus is the only man to walk on planet earth with a Godly pedigree and it is his blood that is heaven's key. Jesus' blood proves he is the right man to save the world from sin and death. I pray that Jesus would give his people a fresh transfusion.

Serving: The Antidote for Selfishness

(33)“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, (34) who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” Mark 10:33-34

In this passage of scripture Jesus is explaining to his disciples the type of death he would suffer and how he would rise again to life. You would think that they would have been sympathetic and compassionate to Jesus. They should have been burdened with the fact that the one they had left all to follow was about to die. It seems logical that they would ask Jesus if there was something they could have done for him. If nothing else, they should have been more inquisitive about Jesus rising from the dead.

Instead, listen to the request of James and John in Mark 10:35-37. (35) Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” (36) What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. (37) They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

Amazing! Someone tells you they are about to be killed and you make a selfish request. This is exactly what James and John did. Based upon their request, I don’t think they even heard a word of what Jesus had said to them. Sure, they listened, but did they really hear? When you think only about yourself, you are deaf and blind to the needs of those around you. Serving is one of the ways we get selfishness out of our lives.

Many of you know I have two boys, Josiah (5) and Ethan (3). Because they are the only grandchildren in the Miller and Milbuta families, they are blessed with many toys. Every morning, without exception, they fight over one toy. Whatever toy Josiah has, Ethan wants. Whatever toy Ethan has, Josiah wants. Their disputes remind me that selfishness is a sign of immaturity, while service is a sign of maturity. Maturity is a key to obedience. And obedience is the proof that we really love God (John 14:23).

Life has taught me that when I am thinking only of myself I am usually discontent and unhappy. When I stop thinking about myself and put my attention on others, I find peace, joy, purpose and fulfillment. I will leave you with a quote that has inspired me to continue to serve others.

I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded me. I sought my brother, and I found all three (Author Unknown). Only when I serve others do I truly discover God, myself and the blessing of others.

Deceptive Thinking Leads Us Down the Road of Destruction (Part 5)

Why in the world would a successful musician adored by so many fans kill himself? And why would teenagers kill themselves over Cobain's death? Remember, this is just what the enemy desires for mankind. He especially delights in the death of young ones.

This story is an example of privitization. Privitization is the socially required and legally enforced separation of our private lives and our public personas; in effect, privitization mandates that isssues of ultimate meaning be relegated to our private spheres. In the name of non-offensiveness, religion is privatized and relegated to the home, while in the name of freedom all kinds of indecencies and abondonments are made public. The deceptive philosophy of privitization leaves us with no point of reference for life's coherence. When we have no point of reference for life's coherence, we lose our sense of meaning. When we lose our sense of meaning, we kill ourselves.

Privitization causes us to neglect our responsibility to take the gospel into every sphere of society. As a result, the gospel of grunge was the dominant message of the 90's. Because of this, Cobain never got to hear about or experience the God of life. His despair was endless and his god was nameless. He lived in a music culture that was unreached by the good news of Jesus Christ.

God made us in his image and likeness. When the Spirit of God comes into our hearts, our spirit cries out to God as our Father. Only by knowing God as our Father can we truly discover who we are and find meaning in life. I wonder how different Cobain's life and lyrics would have been if he would have known God as His Father and Jesus as the way, the truth and the life?

Unfortunately, he did not. As a result, Kurt Donald Cobain lived a life marked by depression, anger, fear and despair. His songs offered no hope to a lost and hurting world. He never knew the God of peace who could have guarded his heart and renewed his mind in Christ Jesus.

Our sense of meaning and the fulfillment of our mission to take the gospel into all the world is a matter of life and death. My prayer is that we will take the good news of Jesus into every sphere of culture. I believe that as we do this, people like Cobain, will find true meaning in life and use their talents to glorify God and testify of his goodness.

Deceptive Thinking Leads Us Down the Road of Destruction (Part 4)

I spent my teen years growing up in the 80's. The 80's, like every decade, were very peculiar. I can't believe how we used to dress and how we used to style our hair. I had a "flyback" hair style with a "mullet" tail in the back. I laugh when I think about it. However, what is more funny is the fact that the hairdo use to be in style. Another defining mark of the 80's was its music. It is truly the decade of "one hit wonders". Remember "867-5309"? How about "In a Big Country"? And we will never forget "Come on, Eileen". The music of the 80's was fun and feel good.

Another sound began to arise at the end of the 80's. It was called "grunge". If the 80's were marked by music that made you feel good, the 90's were marked by a sound of anger and despair. One of the defining songs of the 90's was a song called "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam. The song was about a kid who commited a violent act in his classroom. The song tells us that the kid was not only picked on by his peers, but also abandoned by his parents.

One of the most popular bands of the 90's was a group called Nirvana. Kurt Donald Cobain was the leader of Nirvana, the multi-platinum grunge band that redefined the sound of the nineties. Cobain's parent's divorced when he was seven and by his own account Cobain said he never felt loved or secure again. He became increasingly difficult, anti-social and withdrawn after his parent's divorce. Cobain also said that his parent's traumatic split fueled a lot of the anguish in Nirvana's music.

On April 7th in 1994, at the peak of his success, Kurt Donald Cobain committed suicide. When police broke down the door they found Cobain dead on the floor, a shotgun still pointed at his chin and on a nearby counter a suicide note written in red ink addressed to his wife and the couples then 19 month old daughter Frances Bean.

The suicide note ended with the words "I love you, I love you." Two days after Kurt Cobain's body was found about 5,000 people gathered in Seattle for a candlelight vigil. the distraught crowd filled the air with profane chants, burnt their flannel shirts and fought with police. They also listened to a tape made by Cobain's wife in which she read from his suicide note. Several distressed teenagers in the U.S. and Australia killed themselves. The mainstream media was lambasted for it's lack of respect and understanding of youth culture (Mick Ronson).

Stay tuned for Part 5. In the mean time, give me your thoughts on why Cobain killed himself and why so many teenagers imitated his suicide.

Deceptive Thinking Leads Us Down the Road of Destruction (Part 3)

In the fourteenth chapter of John, Jesus made the boldest statement ever recorded in human history. He said in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." As the Messiah, Jesus was saying the way to know God would only be discovered by being in relationship with him. One of the points that makes Christianity different from every other religion is the fact that God came to earth in the form of a human named Jesus. Not only did he reveal himself to humanity, but he gave his life to change humanity forever. God came to us and revealed himself as the source of truth for every person.

One of the great challenges we face in the world today is finding truth in the midst of many different religious beliefs, philosophies and worldviews. Who is right and who is wrong? It seems the only sin today is to say that someone's system of belief is incorrect. Are all religions, philosophies and worldviews basically the same? Are all religions, philosophies and worldviews harmless? The answer is no. To believe that they are all basically the same is not only deceptive, but it is also destructive. This type of thinking is called pluralization.

Pluralization is the existence and availability of a number of world-views, each vying for the allegiance of individuals, with no single world-view dominant. When we try to set up a pluralistic society, we have no point of reference for rationality. To be rational you must begin with truth. Truth is the staring part for all rational thinking. When we have no point of reference for rationality, we lose our sense of reason. Without reason, we will believe any teaching or do any activity to feel better about ourselves. Without a reference for rationality and without a sense of reason, we end up killing our neighbor. Remember, all deceptive thinking eventually leads to the destruction of people. This is just what the devil wants for humanity. The following are two examples of the effects of pluralization in our world today.

On September 11, 2001, people of a different religious belief and worldview brought destruction to America. Forever known as 9/11, this was truly one of the most shocking moments in American history. Here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, we watched buildings explode and burn from the crashing of American planes. The enemy had attacked, but this time it was not from across the seas. They were trained in the United States to fly the planes they would eventually use to kill a multitude of people in our country. What was even more perplexing was the fact that the enemy was now our neighbor.

Last year in France, people of a different religious belief and worldview caused one of the most violent uprisings in the recent history of the continent. Once again, these were home-grown terrorists who were causing all of the destruction. It is another picture of neighbors killing neighbors. According to a November 19, 2005 aritcle in World Magazine, the adversity between the young angry Muslim youth and the French government might turn France into an Islamic-type state, or two states. One would be ruled by French law, with extraterritorial entities ruled by Islamic laws. What will it be like for neighbors living next to each other governed by a whole different system of laws, religious beliefs and worldviews.? History has proven that it always leads to the killing of one another.

What we believe is a matter of life and death! Jesus, the way, the truth and the life, taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. The second commandment, which flows out of the first, is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). How different would the world be if we followed Jesus' way, the truth that he taught and lived life according to his example? He demonstrated his worldview to his neighbor by being crucified on a cross instead of crashing planes into a building. Jesus' cross brings redemption and reconciliation.

Stay tuned for part 4.

Deceptive Thinking Leads Us Down the Road of Destruction (Part 2)

One of the main ways we are deceived is through the worldviews, mindsets and philosophies of our age. Paul exhorts the church at Colosse in Colossians 2:8 saying, "See to it that no one takes you captive through the hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." I want to examine three main systems of thought that are deceiving us today: secularism, pluralization and privitization. Remember all deceptive philosophies lead to a broken relationship with God and systems of belief that cause us to destroy one another. This is just what the devil desires...our destruction.

Secularism is the process by which religious ideas, institutions, and interpretations have lost thier social significance. As we become less and less Christian in our thinking, we ultimately turn to worship of self. This is what led to the downfall of the Roman Empire. They began to worship the human body and as a result, engaged in sexually immorality and perversion. This quest for self-worship led to the secularist belief that "man is the measure of all things." When we believe man is the measure of all things, we will do anything to fulfill our own desires. When we think like a secularist, we have no point of reference for decency. When we lose our point of reference for decency, we will engage in any activity with no sense of shame.

Some of the indecent acts we engage in include exchanging natural relations for unnatural ones (homosexuality and lesbianism) and murder. If fully participated in both these practices could lead to the extermination of the human race. Again, this is just what the enemy would want. (Please read Romans 1:18-32)

Secularism, with its philosophy that man is the measure of all things, will deceive a person into doing anything for their self-fulfillment. When Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Genesis 3:6 says, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it." Her own hunger, pleasure and wisdom was more valuable to her than pleasing God by obeying his command. Her disobedience led to her eventual death. God truly knows what is best for us.

With no sense of shame we kill the ones we love to satisfy our own selfish desires. A recent example of a secularist mindset being acted out was the murder of Laci Peterson by her husband Scott. How could a man do this to his wife? Where does this type of behavior come from? After all, they were married and expecting a baby. I'm sure they thought they loved one another. However, Scott's lust and pride, his desire for self-gratification with another woman led to him killing the one he loved. Secularist thinking, played out to its logical conclusion, will always lead to the hurting or killing of others for our own personal gain.

Stay tuned for part 3.

Deceptive Thinking Leads Us Down the Road of Destruction (Part 1)

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (14) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth saying, "(18) Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. (19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness:, (20) and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

As human beings, we must face the fact that we are susceptible to deception. It seems that we are most vulnerable to deception when we think that we know all the answers. In other words, when our hearts are full of pride, we are in an ideal state to be deceived. In a prophecy against the King of Tyre, the Lord says in Ezekiel 28:2, "In the pride of your heart you say, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas." But you are a man and not a god , though you think you are as wise as a god." As you read further in the chapter, God allows destruction to come upon them in the form of foreign enemies to wake them up to the reality of their deceptive thinking.

Not only are we susceptible to deception, but we have an enemy who tries to deceive us. In one of the most famous stories in history, the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, we are told how the serpent deceived Eve. Genesis 3:13 says, "Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What have you done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." The devil's ultimate goal is to deceive us and lead us into disobedience of God's laws and commands. Not only do we offend God when we disobey, but we ultimately hurt ourselves.

Our pain and destruction is just what the enemy wants. God created us in His image and likeness, and in doing so, he literally gave us what the devil always wanted. The devil always wanted to be like God. That is one of the main reasons the devil wants to destroy us. We have what he wants, the image and likeness of God.

In his pride, the devil thought he could become God and rebelled against Him. Later in chapter 27 of Ezekiel, which many theologians believe is prophetic insight about the devil, we get a greater understanding of what he looked like and what he was thinking before God threw him out of heaven. Ezekiel 28:17 specifically says, "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings."

The devil tempts us today in the same way. Through deceptive thinking, humans begin to deify themselves and as a result always end up devaluing God. In Genesis 3:4 the serpent tells Eve, "You will not surely die," "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The greatest deception for humanity is to try and become like God in our own wisdom and strength.

Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live, understood how even he needed divine help to overcome deception. He wrote in Proverbs 29:7-8, "Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: (8) Keep falsehood and lies far from me." One of the two things Solomon asked God for was to keep him from deception.

Stay tuned for part 2.