God's Sanctifying Work through COVID-19?

Almost every country in the world has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and Christians that know God's sovereignty are not surprised. After all, nations and even empires were wiped out by the Almighty God in the Old Testament and in more recent parts of World history. God is always working in multi-faceted ways and it is good for us to reflect on what God is using this pandemic for.

1. Salvation - Billions of people are sitting at home and the brevity of life is becoming ever apparent. The struggling souls in ICU gasping for air without friends and family around them remind us all that when we all die, we leave everyone else behind and we can't bring anyone with us. So many people are open to the Gospel like never before. 
2. "Barriers of Entry" to Church collapse - With every church forced to go online and livestreaming services, the walls of the church have collapsed. Any curious soul, made curious of course by the Almighty, can easily click on a livestream link sent to them by a believing friend, family member or posted on social media or Whatsapp. Already we've heard of colleagues who were sent the livestream links and clicked into the service out of sheer boredom. Some churches that have had livestreams privately available are now opening them up to the public. Even nosy neighbours who would never walk into the church can now login and see what has been going on next door all these years. 
3. Impact of Church Livestreams - With Church being spread into every believer's household, there could be people who are reached by hearing someone's Church service emanating from the walls of their house. Livestreams have forced families that are not used to singing together, to worship over the coffee table with the rest of their church. God is bringing back family worship whether families are ready for it or not. Christians can no longer compartmentalise their life with Church in one corner and their home in another. People joining in on Zoom, Skype or Teams may no longer be able to hide their home life! 
4.  Sunday school - the pandemic has also caused many Sunday Schools to be discontinued. This has forced fathers to teach their children Sunday School. This is obviously a great side effect of the pandemic as the primary units within the church are families. When you have strong families, you have a strong church as a result. Children are also now worshiping together with their parents, which may not have been the case in their churches with the continuing emergence of children's church. 
5. Discipline - Anyone with young children in church know the difficulty of controlling children in church with the constant gaze of ignorant non-parents and the self-righteous parents who clearly scored an easier lot in life than you. Now when you have church at home, it is the perfect opportunity to round off some rough edges in your children's character without the pressure of others. On the other side of the pandemic, going to church may even be a joy! 
6. Church-hopping - We always used to laugh at the arm chair Christian sitting at home channel surfing TBN or Christian channels. With every church in a pandemic having to go online, it is open season for the church hopper. This can be a good thing when someone is stuck in a church that lost its way. God perhaps could use this to move some onto still waters, from churches where the pastors have scattered the sheep (Jeremiah 23:1). Run, little lamb, to higher ground! 
7. Can't use licensed worship music - Some churches have hit a snag going online because they were using contemporary Christian music like Hillsong which is owned by record companies and individuals. Of course, God never intended the Church to become a marketplace (Matthew 21:13), but now some churches can't worship because they don't have the rights to livestream the worship music. This could force some to go back to hymns but most would rather cancel the worship part and skip to the sermon. Which brings us to the final gamechanger instituted by the pandemic by God...
8. More Focus on The Word - When you have mood music , comfy seats, lights, camera, and onstage action, you can get away with a sloppy message. However, now with social distancing, and limited use of licensed worship music, the pandemic has revealed to some that their church hasn't been feeding them! Now the 10 minute exhortation doesn't seem to cut it and God's people are seeking for sincere milk which is the word of God. The preachers that labour in the word and in doctrine (1 Timothy 5:17) are going to draw God's sheep because "my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). When the lockdown is over, some churches will disappear and rightly so. While others will join a true gathering of the sheep, leaving the goats. 
9. Tithing when no one's looking - Well with electronic banking someone is looking but without a physical gathering of God's people, the true conviction in the hearts of believers is rightly revealed. Only the serious will continue with tithing. And this means many false churches won't survive. And once again, you can see how God continues to work through this pandemic, as with all things, for His Glory. 

5 Things a Church Must Remember in a Pandemic (probably more)

This is the question that every Church in the world is currently asking and many are looking to each other for guidance on how to navigate the responsibility of being a light during this COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial that the Church that God established continues to operate during these times. People are hurting, jobs are lost, fear reigns and despair is setting in for some. God established the church of the best of times and the worst of times. Until Jesus returns, it is on us to be used by Him to minister in this world. This post will probably be added to as we go along and we would love to hear your thoughts as well in the comments, but here are some current thoughts.

1. Continuing the church is non-negotiable. The pandemic is starting to sort out the pretenders from the contenders. 
2. Church websites are now the gathering place. You may have your zooms, hangouts, whatsapps and group calls but to the world, your Church website must be current and the place to organise online meetings, disseminate updates, keep people connected to the church. 
3. Pastors need to work the phones. Suddenly the pastor no longer sees people's faces in church, it is very hard to read what is happening in people's lives. There is never a greater need to call people to see how they are going, whether they joined the livestream etc. 
4. Don't neglect the assembling. While we can't gather physically, the church needs to find ways for the people to gather. Some technologies can be used such as Teams, Zoom and Hangouts. If you have gone through the comparisons let us know. 
5. Look for the opportunities. This may be the best time to reach out to some people. It may be a good time to direct people to useful resources that can help with their quiet time. 

5 Things we learn from a Coronavirus Pandemic

While the world has been through pandemics before, we have had quite a good run over the last 50 years. Now, the world is taking in turns to admit the fact that we are facing a worldwide emergency with COVID-19. Some are still in denial, mainly because no one is able to test for COVID-19 sufficiently to show just now rampant the spread already is. We are only looking at testing people who show symptoms while millions may already be infected and infecting without even a fever. But there are things I have learnt from this so far. 

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

 

1. What really matters? It takes a pandemic to bring everyone back down Maslow's heirarchy of needs. We see a world fighting over the basic necessities because it doesn't matter any more how esteemed one is. 

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: 

 

2. How busy are we normally? The Bible speaks about being still and knowing that God is God. There is no greater truth than that during these times. We are so busy that sometimes we forget that God rules over all things. Having much of our busy-ness taken away from us, we are suddenly forced to reckon with God's sovereignty. Could busy-ness be an idol that we have been worshipping without realising? 

Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

 

3. Diligence pays off. Readiness is a virtue that the lazy shuns. Who would think that there would ever be a pandemic? And yet we see now as the world wrestles with the unknown, those that are most prepared have been able to meet the moment without flinching while others flounder in panic. As governments shut down the opportunity for believers to meet as we always do to worship God, those that had already set up livestreaming have been able to meet the need of their congregation. Those that have always kepy a good inventory of their food haven't been affected by the panic buying in the supermarkets. 

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

4.  We miss church and fellowship We haven't yet had our first online livestreaming of church or our fellowship meeting, but if we used to drag our feet to church, maybe this experience will help us to appreciate the assembling of ourselves together. God knew what he was doing when he instituted the church to care and nurture believers in a world of hurt, struggle and pain. 

Amos 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? 

5. God will be magnified How much has the world become so confident? SO self-assured? With a tiny virus that the microscope struggles to see, the world has been brought to its knees. Great big cities of commerce have been shut down like the cities in the Old Testament at a moment's notice. And it wasn't even terrorism! It is a great opportunity that us believers have to evangelise to a world that may now be ready to acknowledge their desperate need of a Saviour.

FREE Audiobook - A Passion for God AW Tozer Biography

If you have heard messages by A W Tozer or read one of his amazing books, you will probably be interested in knowing more about his life story. Christian Audio is making "A Passion for God" available for free to download only during May 2013. It is the biography of A W Tozer written by Lyle Dorsett. You can get this download here which will require you to sign up to ChristianAudio.com (free) http://christianaudio.com/a-passion-for-god-lyle-w-dorsett?utm_source=CAfreepage&utm_medium=Reviews_link&utm_campaign=CAfreeaudio

You can read more about the book by clicking on the link below to Amazon.com.

FREE Audiobook - Eric Liddell's Disciplines of the Christian Life

At the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, Rowan Atkinson starred in an orchestra piece of "Chariots of Fire". It is the theme song of the movie based on a famous Christian Olympian who refused to participate in the heats of the 200m Olympic Games event because it was held on the Sunday. Eric Liddell instead took on the 400m event and won the event. Later, he decided to become a missionary in China.

His gospel writings have never really surfaced except for one book called Disciplines of the Christian Life. This audio book can be purchased at Amazon.com or you can download it for free for a limited time from Christianaudio.com/Free.  

Landry Fields and Jeremy Lin Pregame Routine is to Glorify God

Many people wondered what the meaning of Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields' pre-game routine. Both players are devout Christians. Landry Fields' twitter account shows him praising God and actively giving the glory to God long before @JLin7 signed up to the Knicks. That and the fact that both players used to know each other in LA when they were young, shows something divine was already in the making.

Their pregame routine shows both putting on glasses, Fields opening up the Bible, Lin flipping through the pages, putting on a tie and then pointing upwards to God. It is not just a tribute to God but it is also a reminder to both players that their audience is God and to play for His Glory.



Perhaps God placed Lin in the Knicks in answer to Landry Fields' prayers... only Landry can answer this one for us :)

5 Lessons Christians Can Learn from Jeremy Lin

As a Christian Chinese born in Australia, Jeremy Lin, the world's biggest sporting phenomenon this week has been amazing to watch. I played for my high school team and follow the Australian basketball league casually but even though there are so many ways I can identify with Jeremy Lin, let's just focus on what I, as a fellow believer of Jesus Christ, have learnt from Jeremy Lin. Here are 5 lessons we should learn from Lin.

1. Lin wanted God to be used by God.. so Lin was used by God


For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him - 2 Chronicles 16:9a

So many Christians don't realise the power of a surrendered life. I recently heard Tim Tebow in a speech about prison ministry where he said "You think that I am passionate about NFL. I am 10 times more passionate about prison ministry than NFL." He thanked God for allowing him to be an athlete so that he could be more effective in prison ministry.

Same thing with Jeremy Lin. He once said that if he could get more than just a 10 day contract in the NBA, he would write an autobiography. Why? So that he could use it to share his faith. God heard both these athletes and their commitment to GOD first, then their sports. Lin even has aspirations to be a pastor one day! God saw two people willing to show GOD to be "strong" because as many people have observed, both Tebow and Lin's rise to stardom was nothing short of miraculous. Their talent had always been there but God brought the spotlight.

2. God backs the underdog that follows Him


But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are - 1 Corinthians 1:27-28

Kobe Bryant said before his game against Jeremy Lin's New York Knicks


"I know who he is, but I don't really know what's going on too much with him," said Bryant of the Chinese-American sensation. "I don't even know what he's done. Like, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I'll take a look at it tonight though."

The put down from one of the NBA's greatest would be silenced in the following game where Jeremy Lin outgunned Kobe with a startling 38 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds in his first game nationally syndicated by ESPN. Jeremy let the Lord have the final say because when you have God behind you and you are a lowly servant of God, you don't need to defend any reputation because God looks after His own name. So Christian, once you have done your preparation for the war, remember to leave deliverance to the Lord! Jeremy had been overlooked for much of his short playing career and that was not easy to handle. However, being rejected is part of a cross-centred life, so get used to it. God will look after you.

3. Discipline is part of a successful Christian life 

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. - Proverbs 12:24


Sometimes we forget as Christians that there is a lot of hard work in our Christian life. All successful Christians have put in hard work to be successful in their vocation whatever it may be. Lin has been described by commentators as a smart player and a "student of the game". His high school coach said that in high school, Lin studied game videos of Magic Johnson playing for the LA Lakers. Even during the half time of the Lakers game, he was watching the tape of the first half to figure out how to play better against the LA defence which the commentators were startled to hear! Who watches game tapes during half time??? A diligent basketball player wanting to glorify God.

4. When God is your audience, life is simpler


And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; - Colossians 3:23

When asked whether he felt pressured having to play for the Christians, the Asians in America and also on behalf of Ivy League graduates. He said that he doesn't play for anyone and that his "audience is God". There is much less pressure when you are doing something for the Lord because if you understand it rightly, when you serve God, you rely on His grace and strength and not on your own strength.



Jeremy Lin's gamewinner against Toronto Raptors today #linsanity!!

5. Unselfish people are loved more 


Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. - Philippians 2:4


Lin has captured the imagination of the watching world, not just because he is successful, but because he is unselfish. In each game that he played, he had a serious number of assists. He was not looking for his own glory but seeking to help the rest of his team to lift. He has become a phenomenon but unlike many other phenomenons, not too many people are getting jealous over him, but are celebrating with him. Everyone loves unselfish people and that is something that Lin has demonstrated.

What lessons have you learnt from watching Lin as an example and a role model to you as a Christian?

EDIT: Just found this a testimony of Jeremy Lin that explains his recent comment where he said that many things happened that were out of his control which brought about the opportunity to play for the Knicks.

Way of the Master Luxembourg

In the third episode of Way of the Master Season 4, the crew takes a journey from Brussels to Luxembourg. The lack of sleep and good food has affected the team and they explain how to continue evangelising when you have 'hit the wall' - too tired to continue. The first encounter is Ray Comfort talking with a gang member who doesn't show too much interest in the Gospel.

Then FishwithTrish.com blogger, Trish Ramos talks to a Bahai believer to explain to him why just having some sort of religion will not bring him to Heaven. Her explanation of the gospel is very clear and a great example of sharing the gospel with others.

Mark Spence from the School of Biblical Evangelism explains how some people say they believe in Jesus but are not Christians. There are plenty of religions that claim they believe in Jesus but their facts about Jesus are not in the Bible. His explanation helps people who struggle with Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses etc who claim to be believers in Jesus.

Discouragement in Evangelism
George Whitefield the street preacher is also examined in a painting that someone made of him, showing the amount of opposition that George Whitefield faced. Kirk Cameron leaves this verse for those that are evangelising and facing discouragement


1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Todd Friel also makes a cameo appearance in this episode, leaving the crew to begin his Church history tour of Europe.

EZ takes on some street preaching in Luxembourg starting with reference to Bill Gates' value of Leonardo Da Vinci's $30.2 million sketchbook in comparison to how little value people place on Jesus Christ because they don't understand why Jesus died on the cross for their sins.

DVD Extras

Tracts
Ray Comfort shows us through the backrooms of the Living Waters ministry in California to show what the packing room looks like and explains some of the tracts that are available from LivingWaters.com.


One to One Witnessing 
Mark speaks to a young man named Nick one to one in a personal witnessing encounter. The guy starts out as saying that he is not religious but after a careful explanation of the Gospel and also what God's Hell is actually like, Nick wants to say sorry but Mark is not letting him off so easily. Mark explains why Jesus Christ's payment was essential for our forgiveness.

How to make an Electronic Prayer List on Google

I've recently been challenged to take up doing a prayer list after reading Disciplines of a Godly Man. One idea I came across was to make a Google Prayer List which uses the spreadsheet application in Google Docs.

Why have an electronic prayer list? 

• You can update it any time. 
• You always have your phone and if you have the internet, then you will also always have  your prayer list with you to pray
• You can see how God answers prayer
• You can watch how a prayer item develops.
• You can testify of how God works through prayer
• Google Docs will remind you of when you last prayed for the items (last updated) 
• You can expand on the prayer list as you go along and you don't have any page limitations

How to set it up? 

1. Create a Google spreadsheet by going to http://docs.google.com and create or log in to Google 
2. Make the left most column wide enough (1/5 of the screen) this will be where you list downwards all your prayer lists
3. Each column will represent one day or prayer session. Put today's date on the top of column B
4. Each row will represent one prayer item 
5. As you pray for each item, type in y and then press ENTER or the down arrow to be ready to mark y for the next prayer item. 
6. Once you have made any changes to the Google Doc, the spreadsheet will jump to the top of your documents list. if you are like me, with many google docs, when you see your prayer list making its way down the list of documents, you know you haven't been praying about things (because the list is ordered by last editted). 
7. When you pray for an item and God prompts you to change the way you pray, then type instead of y, the new prayer item that you would like to pray for. EG You may decide to change a prayer item from Pray for a job to Pray for a job close to home that allows me to serve God. As you pray for a certain item, you may find after certain days you end up changing the prayer item. 
8. You can conditionally format the cells to go GREEN when the prayer item is answered. Ask Google to turn a cell red when the cell includes "TG " in it. 

Have you done this before? Or are going to try this? 

Let's get back into this

I am not sure how many people come across this blog on a regular basis but I notice that many of you have come to this blog via Google. Its been a very inactive blog but I hope to get back into it but I need your help. If finding practical ways to live a life glorifying to God appeals to you, leave a comment to this post. I got some ideas coming up that I would like to write about such as:

• How to use Google Docs for God
• How an online prayer list could be best for you / your church 
• Running a Church office via an internet portal - is it possible? 
• How do you hide God's word in YOUR heart? 

Let me know if any of these ideas appeals to you. 

Best book for Christian Men

I've seen a lot of Christian books that talk about issues for men but there hasn't been one that has challenged me in the same way that the book Disciplines of a Godly Man has done. The author Kent Hughes takes men through some of the most popular realms in our lives such as friendships, marriage, fatherhood, work etc to explore how Christian guys should be living. There are plenty of anecdotes and true stories for us to demonstrate the Biblical  points that he shares and is a great resource for Mens fellowships or gatherings.

If you are a guy who does not have a Mens group in your church, perhaps it's time for you to start something. The ministry that God places before men is extremely hard and very important in the Church. Without faithful men to carry an example, there will not be good Christian families and the Church's most important "cell group" (families) will be lacking. Men need to overcome the laziness of gathering together and the fear of sharing their own experiences and seek the best for each other. What are you waiting for? Your fellow brothers are waiting for someone to take the initiative. And the Holy Spirit may be saying.. You.

Free Christian Audio Books

I think I may have mentioned it earlier but Christian Audio is a great place to get some classic Christian books in audio format. This month, you must download the book "HOLINESS OF GOD" by R C Sproul.

Why Holinness? I think there can be no way that you can relate to God without really appreciating his holiness. It is his most inherent nature if you could call it that, an attribute which the angels in heaven repeat three times in a row for emphasis "Holy! Holy Holy! Is the Lord God Almighty". You will probably find your life changed completely by listening to this audiobook as I hope my life will too. We live in an age of great depravity and Christians need to make the most of the avenues that they have to pursue God.

Download the book here.

My Favourite Biblical Counselor

The world as we know it has changed for the worst and one of the greatest opportunities that Christians have to share with the world is through the ministry of relationships and family. One of the best speakers on this apart from the usual Focus on the Family ministries is Dr Jim Berg who has a website containing some of his sermons here. Dr Berg has been the Dean of Students at a Christian university for over 20 years and has gained a lot of experience counseling students with every problem and deviation under the sun - some you would never imagine in a Christian university.

Check out his messages and let us know what you think.

Christian One Liners that Impacted Me

Hell is not unfair, heaven is

Get to know the God of the Word through the Word of God

We should be doing family worship, not worshipping family

You can tell a lot about a man by what he believes about God

How big is your God?

Don't let your lack of experience be a proof that experiences don't exist.

In life you need to just play the cards you're dealt

How to Find the Cheapest Australian Christian Books

Unfortunately, from my experience, Christian book stores are often just as profitable as other book stores and the lack of competition has affected prices as well. For those that are interested in doing a price comparison on some books online, have a look at Booko. This Australian website allows you to search over 30 different websites at a time for a book and give you a final price for the book

• in Australian dollars after conversion
• including shipping
• ranked from cheapest to most expensive
• showing the potential % saved 

Christian bookstore Koorong is on there, and so are the main bookstores in Australia such as Borders, Dymocks, Angus & Robertson. This search engine has allowed me to realise that how overpriced books in Australia have become. The best prices have often come from Book Depository or the UK website.

Head over to www.booko.com.au to compare Christian book prices now. 

Our Daily Bread goes Mobile Podcasting

If you are one that catched public transport to work, you will realise that almost everyone is playing with their mobile phone. As a sign of the times, Our Daily Bread has recently gone mobile with their website now allowing mobile phone visitors to click on one link which will download the daily podcast of the devotional.

Go to http://rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml and when you click the podcast, you will be able to hear the devotional being read out to you. It will also read the Bible passage that is related to the devotional as well as give you reflection questions and lead you in prayer. Will this help you in your walk with God? that's up to you.. but thought you might like to know

The Purity Principle excerpts

• Chapter One: Forfeiting What Could Have Been
• Chapter Two: Enlightened Self Interest
• Chapter Three: What’s the Big Deal about Sex?
• Chapter Four: Targeted and Vulnerable
• Chapter Five: The Battle’s in Your Mind
• Chapter Six: Wise Strategies
• Chapter Seven: Getting Radical
• Chapter Eight: Guidelines for Singles
• Chapter Nine: Guidelines for Couples and Parents
• Chapter Ten: Confession, Accountability, and Counting the Cost
• Conclusion: A Battle We Can Win

Eric stormed into my office and flopped into a chair. “I’m really mad at God.”

Having grown up in a strong church family, he’d met and married a Christian girl. Now he was the picture of misery.

“Okay...so why are you mad at God?”

“Because,” he said, “Last week I committed adultery.”

Long pause. Finally I said, “I can see why God would be mad at you. But why are you mad at God?”

Eric explained that for several months he’d felt a strong, mutual attraction with a woman at his office. He’d prayed earnestly that God would keep him from immorality.

“Did you ask your wife to pray for you?” I said. “Did you stay away from the woman?”

“Well...no. We went out for lunch almost every day.”

Slowly, I started pushing a big book across my desk. Eric watched, uncomprehending, as the book inched closer and closer to the edge. I prayed aloud, “O Lord, please keep this book from falling!”

I kept pushing and praying. God didn’t suspend the law of gravity. The book went right over the edge, smacking the floor.

“I’m mad at God,” I said to Eric. “I asked Him to keep my book from falling...but He let me down!”

****

Here’s what’s striking about Eric, Lucinda, Tiffany and Kyle. They all thought they were acting in their own best interests when they followed their lusts. If we could have obtained an honest interview with any of them just before they trashed their purity, they would have said, “This is for me. This is for my happiness.”

Yet it wasn’t.

Not even close.

It never is.

In fact, they didn’t just hurt others. They acted against their own self-interests.

What they did wasn’t just wrong. It was stupid.

From the time we were young teenagers, many of us have had heard lists of reasons for walking in sexual purity. God commands purity and forbids impurity. Purity is right. Impurity is wrong.

True? Absolutely. But it’s equally correct to say, Purity is always smart. Impurity is always stupid.

There it is—what I’m calling the purity principle:

Purity is always smart; Impurity is always stupid.

Not sometimes.

Not usually.

Always.

A holy God made the universe in such a way that what’s true to His character, and the laws derived from His character, is always rewarded. What violates His character is always punished. He rewards every act of justice; He punishes every act of injustice.

That doesn’t mean God always intervenes directly. This moral law is like the law of gravity. God has set it in place. When a careless driver speeds on an icy mountain pass, loses control, and plunges his car off a cliff, God doesn’t suddenly invent gravity to punish the driver’s carelessness. Gravity is already in place.

In the same way, God doesn’t need to punish the pornography addict for every wrong choice. The punishment is built in to the sin. Shame, degradation, and warping of the personality follow as a matter of course. Scripture describes those who have surrendered to their lust to live in immorality as “receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Romans 1:27).

That’s the way God’s moral universe operates. We get to choose our own path. But with each path comes inevitable consequences.

The roads of life are sometimes hazardous. But God loves us enough to place warning signs: “Don’t commit adultery” and “No sex before marriage.” We don’t have to obey. We do have to live with the consequences.

Purity is safe. Impurity is risky. Purity always helps us. Impurity always hurts us.Purity is always smart; impurity is always stupid. Write it down. Bank on it.

******

One night as a young pastor I chose to view pornography. I felt terrible. I’d let down my Lord, my wife, my church. I’d been a fool. I was frightened by what I’d done, by the power of the sin within me. I caught a horrifying glimpse of what I could easily become. But feeling guilt and shame did nothing to empower me to victory. That only came when I began to think—and choose—differently.

Do you really want to be like an ox led to slaughter? If so, then keep flirting with that man next door, or the new receptionist at the office. Keep thinking about messing with that girl or boy who sits next to you in class. Keep watching those television commercials and sit-coms and movies that shoot sex at you like arrows. The slaughter is exactly where you’re headed.

But if you want something better, something wonderful, choose purity instead.
It’s okay to be out there “for yourself” on this issue. It’s right to guard your virginity. It’s good for you to encourage your children to save themselves for marriage, not only for God’s glory but for their own happiness!

It’s completely fitting to hold out the prospect of grief and self-destruction as reasons to avoid impurity. That’s exactly what Proverbs does.

One of our church’s elders admitted to me, “There have been times when I’ve had serious temptations toward adultery. I’d like to say that my love for God and for my wife were enough to keep me from falling. But it came down to sheer terror. I was certain that if I traveled that road, God would let my life turn miserable.”

He’s a wise man. A man who acted in his own best interests. He knows impurity will be punished and purity will be rewarded, with heaven’s payoffs. It would be a lousy trade. He was too smart to make it.

Is that a lesser, unworthy motivation? No! This brother never fell. He never shipwrecked his family. He never shamed his church. He never broke his wife’s heart. He never devastated his children. He never trashed his ministry.

Think his wife and children are grateful for the fear of God that kept him pure in the face of dark temptations? Absolutely.

The fear of God shouldn’t scare us out of our wits, it should scare us into them. “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27).

Those who’ve succumbed to sexual temptation did not do so to pursue their self-interest. Rather, they pursued what they imagined was their self-interest, what Satan deceived them into thinking was their self-interest. Had they pursued theirtrue self-interest they would have run from temptation as from a slithering cobra, a live grenade. They would have embraced purity as a drowning person grabs a life-preserver. And how different their lives and families would be today if they had!

When God calls on you to pursue purity, you are not being asked to do what will deprive you of joy. In fact, you are being called on to do what will bring you the greatest joy!

To choose purity is to put yourself under God’s blessing. To choose impurity is to put yourself under God’s curse.

It’s your decision. You cast your vote with every choice. Those choices amount to one of two prayers:

“God, bless me for obeying You”

“God, curse me for disobeying You”

****

“But we really love each other” has no bearing on the ethics of sexual intimacy. Sex does not become permissible through subjective feelings, but only through the objective, lifelong commitment of marriage. Those are God’s rules. There’s nothing we can do to change them. The rules are always enforced. When we break them they always break us.

A smart traveler doesn’t curse guardrails. He doesn’t whine, “That guardrail dented my fender!” He looks over the cliff, sees demolished autos, and thanks God for guardrails.

God’s guardrails are his moral laws. They are there not to punish or deprive us but to protect us. God doesn’t forbid us fleeting pleasures out of malice. Rather, he calls us to higher and lasting pleasures out of love. His warnings stand between us and destruction.

*****

Temptations always look good—otherwise they wouldn’t be temptations. We must believe God that what Satan says will be good, will in fact turn out bad. Always. Resisting temptation is a gutsy, courageous, stubborn refusal to violate God’s law. It’s repeatedly calling upon Christ for the strength to say “no” to the world, the flesh, and the devil—to say “yes” to God instead. We do this in pursuit of the ultimate joy that can only be found in knowing God.

Remember that Beatles song where Ringo Starr sang, “All I gotta do is act naturally”?

The truth is, if you act naturally you’re toast.

But if you act supernaturally, drawing on the power of the indwelling Christ, you’ll enjoy great personal benefits, now and later.

*****

Sooner or later, sexual sin will be exposed. “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Solomon said, “The man of integrity walks securely, but the man who takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9).

Here’s a thought that should give everyone pause—There’s no such thing as a private moment.

Jesus warned His disciples: “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (Luke 12:1-3).

One of Satan’s oldest tactics is to weave a phony web of secrecy, casting an illusion of privacy over our sinful choices. He tells us, “No one is watching. No one will know.”

But he’s lying. Someone is watching—the Audience of One. Someone already knows. And in time, many will know.

We never get away with anything.

*****

Superior Satisfaction

A sexual image lures my mind toward lust. The world, the flesh and the devil barrage me with messages: I will feel like a man or a woman; it will relieve my pain, disappointment, stress. I’ll be happier if I surrender.

God’s Word shows the lie for what it is. It tells me that real happiness can only be found in Christ.

I’m left with the choice—trust Satan or trust God.

I must choose between sexual fantasies and intimacy with God. I cannot have both. When I see that God offers me joys and pleasures that sexual fantasies don’t, this is a breakthrough. But that breakthrough will come only when I pursue God, making Him the object of my quest—and when I realize that fantasies are only a cheap God-substitute. Running to them is running from God.

When my thirst for joy is satisfied by Christ, sin becomes unattractive. I say no to the passing pleasures of immorality, not because I do not want pleasure, but because I want true pleasure, a greater and lasting pleasure that can only be found in Christ.

John Piper says,

The fire of lust’s pleasures must be fought with the fire of God’s pleasures. If we try to fight the fire of lust with prohibitions and threats alone—even the terrible warnings of Jesus—we will fail. We must fight it with a massive promise of superior happiness. We must swallow up the little flicker of lust’s pleasure in the conflagration of holy satisfaction.

Those who drink of immorality are never satisfied (John 4:13). Those who drink of Jesus are fully satisfied (John 6:35). I can either have my thirst quenched in Jesus, or I can plunge deeper into sin in search of what’s not there.

The rest of your life will be largely determined by how you answer this question:

Who will you believe?

*****

Setting Boundaries

To protect our purity we need to set mental boundaries.

On a scale of one to ten, adultery or pornography addiction might be a ten, at the top of a ladder. But the question is, what were the bottom rungs of that ladder—the ones, twos, and threes? When we identify those, disaster prevention can take place.

Of course, prevention’s not always easy—but it’s a lot easier than the alternative: misery.

Often we say we want purity, but then we make choices which sabotage purity. Choices have consequences. If we want different consequences we must make different choices.

*****

A Covenant With Your Eyes

Job says, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1). Job made a commitment to guard his heart by guarding his eyes. The verses that follow spell out the terrible consequences should he not live by this covenant of purity (Job 31:2-12).

A covenant is an agreement between God and man. In this case we make a sacred commitment to God—and to our families and comrades. The agreement is to not look at—and to immediately turn away from—whatever pulls us toward lust.

Have you made a contract with your eyes, to not look where they shouldn’t?

Are you practicing this purity covenant when you walk across campus? When you work out? When you drive? When you select television shows? When you’re at church?

Have you announced your covenant to others? Have you asked them to pray for you and hold you accountable to it? Have you restated your covenant before God?

If not, why not do it now?

Parable of the Doughnuts

Imagine someone whose weakness is eating doughnuts. His doctor says, “No more doughnuts.” He vows to God, “No more doughnuts.” He promises his family “No more doughnuts.” He calls the church and gets on the prayer chain. He even goes to a doughnut deliverance ministry to have the demon of doughnut desire cast out of him.

Here’s a guy who means business, right?

But then what does he do? Well, if he’s like a lot of us, he goes right on reading about doughnuts, listening to doughnut music, and watching television programs about making doughnuts. He spends his time with other doughnut lovers talking about doughnuts, joking about doughnuts at the office, where he often glances at the doughnut calendars on the wall. He looks through the newspaper for doughnut coupons and subscribes to Doughnut Desires, with its glossy, color photos.

It’s not long before he’s driving to work the long way that “just happens” to go by a doughnut shop. He rolls down the window and inhales. Pretty soon he’s buying the morning paper from the rack right outside the doughnut shop. He’s lingering just long enough to check out doughnuts through the window.

Then he remembers he has to make a phone call, and hey, what do you know, the doughnut shop has a pay phone. And since he’s there anyway, why not have a cup of coffee?

Now, remember, this man has no intention of breaking his vow and eating doughnuts. But the totally predictable and inevitable result is—what? That he will give in and eat doughnuts!

And can’t you just hear his sad lament? “What went wrong? I prayed! I asked others to pray. I asked God for deliverance. Why try? I give up. You do your best and look what happens!”

The First and Most Basic Strategy
If we learn nothing else from the parable of the doughnuts, we should learn that sincere intentions, and even prayers, are not enough. To have victory over temptation we must have clear goals and sound strategies, and we must diligently carry them out.

What’s our first line of defense against impurity?

“Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

****

Cultivate Your Inner Life

There’s a danger that a book like this can appear to be behavior modification. I’m well aware that simple guidelines and the “just try harder” exhortation aren’t enough to break the grip of lust, or the power of deeply ingrained habits. There is no “easy little formula.”

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of drawing on the indwelling power of the risen Christ. Self-reformation is not enough. It may bring limited benefits, but it will lead to self-righteousness, not Spirit-empowerment—and nothing sets us up for moral failure like self-righteousness. The Christian life is far more than sin management. It is a divine transformation and enablement to live righteously.

Yet that doesn’t mean practical steps are pointless. Scripture commands us to do and not do certain things that are within our power. And often, in doing these things, our hearts change. So we should take wise steps, knowing that they are not sufficient, but they are necessary. Ultimately, the battle for purity is won or lost in quietness, on our knees with God and in collaboration with our fellow soldiers.

Busyness wears down our ability to hear the promptings of God’s Spirit, His Word, and His people. Fatigue makes us oblivious to what’s really happening. Healthy self-examination reveals to us our “triggers”—the situations that tempt us. We then take these to God.

Time with God is the fountain from which holiness flows...and joy, and delight.

*****

Getting Radical

Suppose I said, “There’s a great-looking girl down the street. Let’s go look through her window and watch her undress, then pose for us naked, from the waist up. Then this girl and her boyfriend will get in a car and have sex—let’s listen and watch the windows steam up!”

You’d be shocked. You’d think, “What a pervert!”

But suppose instead I said, “Hey, come on over. Let’s watch Titanic.”

Christians recommend this movie, church youth groups view it together, and many have shown it in their homes. Yet the movie contains precisely the scenes I described.

So, as our young men lust after bare breasts on the screen, our young women are trained in how to get a man’s attention.

How does something shocking and shameful somehow become acceptable because we watch it through a television instead of a window?

In terms of the lasting effects on our minds and morals, what’s the difference?

Yet many think, “Titanic? Wonderful! It wasn’t even rated R!”

Every day Christians across the country, including many church leaders, watch people undress through the window of television. We peek on people committing fornication and adultery, which our God calls an abomination.

We’ve become voyeurs, peeping toms, entertained by sin.

Normalizing Evil

The enemy’s strategy is to normalize evil. Consider a young person struggling with homosexual temptation. How does it affect them when they watch popular television dramas where homosexual partners live together in apparent normality?

Parents who wouldn’t dream of letting a dirty-minded adult baby-sit their children do it every time they let their kids surf the channels.

Not only we, but our children become desensitized to immorality. Why are we surprised when our son gets a girl pregnant if we’ve allowed him to watch hundreds of immoral acts and hear thousands of jokes with sexual innuendoes?

“But it’s just one little sex scene.”

Suppose I offered you a cookie, saying “A few mouse droppings fell in the batter, but for the most part it’s a great cookie—you won’t even notice.”

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). When we’re being entertained by evil, how can we hate it? How can we be pure when we amuse ourselves with impurity?

*****

Romans 13:14 instruct us to “make no provision for the flesh.” It’s a sin to deliberately put ourselves in a position where we’ll likely commit sin. Whether it’s the lingerie department, the swimming pool, the workout room at an athletic club, if it trips you up, stay away from it.

Proverbs describes the loose woman meeting up with the foolish man after dark (Proverbs 7:8-9). We must stay away from people, places and contexts that make sin more likely.

If it’s certain bookstores or hangouts, STAY AWAY FROM THEM. If cable or satellite TV or network TV, or old friends from high school, the Internet, or computers are your problem, GET RID OF THEM.

Just say NO to whatever is pulling you away from Jesus. Remember, if you want a different outcome you must make different choices.

If you can’t be around women wearing swimsuits without looking and lusting, then don’t go on vacation where women wear swimsuits. If that means not going water-skiing or to a favorite resort, fine. If it means being unable to go on a church-sponsored retreat, don’t go.

Sound drastic? Compare it to gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand!
When our family was going on vacation in the sun, I emailed my sons-in-law and said, “Let’s not do this unless we can agree together to turn our eyes away from the women and their swimsuits. If we can’t do that, we shouldn’t go.” They’re godly young men and they fully agreed, as I knew they would. We became each other’s allies in purity.

Getting radical means establishing a no-rationalization policy. It’s easy to tell ourselves “Okay, I’ll turn away from the temptation when it comes, but I can’t help the first look.” Sometimes that’s true, but often it isn’t. To choose to go to a crowded beach where women are wearing bikinis and then say “I can’t help the first look” is rationalizing. To go to a movie and have to look down at the floor is better than looking at the screen. But it’s smarter to get up and leave...and smarter still to have done your background check and not to have gone to the movie in the first place. Making a covenant with our eyes is not just turning them from impurity, but keepingthem from places where they will have to keep turning.

For many men, the battle gets tougher after dark. Web porn and phone sex lines flourish late at night. The solution may be a hard and fast rule. Don’t stay up later than your wife, or no television or Internet after your wife’s in bed.

If you’re falling, get rid of what’s tripping you up.

“But you’re talking about withdrawing from the culture. What you’re saying is too radical.”

No, what I’m saying is nothing. Jesus said: “If it would keep you from sexual temptation you’d be better off poking out your eye and cutting off your hand.” Nowthat’s radical.

I’ve prayed, “Lord, before I would ever betray my wife and commit adultery, please kill me.” I heard Bill Bright pray that years ago and I know he was serious. So am I.

Many claim they’re serious about purity, but then they say, “No way; I’m not going to give up cable TV,” or “I’m not going to have my wife hold the computer password.”

Followers of Jesus have endured torture and given their lives in obedience to Him. And we’re whining about giving up cable?

When Jesus called us to take up our crosses and follow Him (Matthew 10:38), didn’t that imply sacrifices greater than forgoing Internet access?

How sold out are you to the battle for purity? How desperate are you to have victory over sin? How radical are you willing to get for your Lord? How much do you want the joy and peace that can only be found in Him?

Purity comes only to those who truly want it.

******

Years ago my friend Alan Hlavka and I each developed a list of the consequences that would result from our immorality. The lists were devastating, and they spoke to us more powerfully than any sermon. Periodically, especially when traveling, I’d reread this list, until I memorized it. It cut like a knife through fogs of rationalization. It filled me with healthy fear.

What follows is an edited version of our combined lists. You might revise this list to make it your own.

What would my adultery do?

• Drag in the mud the reputation of my Lord.
• Make me have to look into His face one day and tell Him why I did it.
• Cause untold hurt to Nanci, my loyal wife and best friend.
• Forfeit Nanci’s respect and trust.
• Permanently injure my credibility with my beloved daughters, Karina and Angie.
• Bring great shame to my family.
• Inflict hurt on my church and friends, especially those I’ve led to Christ and discipled. (List names.)
• Bring an irretrievable loss of years of witnessing to relatives and friends.
• Bring pleasure to Satan, God’s enemy.
• Possibly give me a sexually transmitted disease (gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, or AIDS); risk to Nanci.
• Lose my self-respect, discredit my name, and invoke lifelong embarrassment upon myself.

This is less than half of the items from the list.

If we would rehearse in advance the devastating consequences of immorality, we would be far less prone to commit it.

The Purity Principle includes practical guidelines to protect purity, for singles, for married couples, and for parents who wish to train their children in purity. These include controlling the television and internet, and offering alternatives for how to spend our time. It also includes confession, repentance and developing biblical accountability that doesn’t just admit sin, but prevents it

How does revival start with prayer?

This is a question that many Christians would wonder. I came across the following article from "A Powerful Prayer Life" by Gregory Frizzell


1. Ask God to bring deep conviction of sin, spiritual brokenness, a holy fear of God and genuine repentance among His people. There will be no revival without these elements and only God can produce them in His people. After all we cannot program or work up genuine brokenness and repentance. (2 Corinthians 7:10)


2. Pray for deep cleansing, genuine repentance, and spiritual power to engulf pastors and Christian leaders. Revival and spiritual awakening are extremely unlikely without a mighty move of God in pastors and Christian leaders. Renewed pastors are absolutely crucial to a move of  God in our day! (Ephesians 6:14-20)


3. Pray for God to bestow spiritual hunger in His people and draw them to fervent intercession. God has to grant people the genuine faith and the fervent desire for prayer. With all our promotion and programming, we cannot “produce a genuine prayer movement. (Philippians 2:13)


4. Pray that God will bring loving unity in our churches and a deep harmony between our churches. Many churches need healing among members and many churches need to stop competing jealously with other churches. (John 13:35)


5. Pray for God to fill His people with a passion to see people saved. (Only God can give a genuine burden for souls.) Until God’s people intensely pray for the lost and do aggressive soul winning revival will tarry. Be sure you are constantly praying for many lost people by name. (Romans 9:1-3)


6. Pray for God to give His people a passion for missions and starting churches. Great revivals produce an explosion of mission projects, new ministries and new church starts. Only God can grant a genuine passion for missions. (Matthew 28:19)


7. Pray that God will call thousands into ministry, missions and Christian service. Many churches are dying for lack of soul winners, teachers and church workers. Furthermore, we can start only as many churches as we have church planters to start them. (Matthew 9:37) 


8. Pray that God will pour out His Spirit like a mighty purifying flood. Ask God to purify our “motives as we pray for revival. After all it is possible to pray for revival for selfish or ambitious reasons. Our motives must be solely for: (a) the glory of God, and (b) the increase of the kingdom of God. We must not pray for revival just to solve our own problems or make our church successful in the eyes of men. (James 4:2)


9. Pray for a mighty move of conviction and salvation upon communities of cultural influence. Some key examples are Hollywood actors and producers, government officials, educators, teachers, and college professors, news and media people, talk shows hosts, comedians, homosexual activists groups, and the music industry. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Provide specific lists for your congregation.


10. Specifically pray for God to pour out His Spirit in a fashion even greater than He did in America in 1858 and Wales in 1904. (Ten percent of Wales’ population was saved in five months!) Ask God for a modern day of Pentecost in the United States and Canada. (Mark 11:22-24; John 14:13-14.)

Why #iamblessed?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

You ever wonder what is God's will in your life? The Bible says that God's will is that you give thanks in every thing. Recently, the twitter trend of #iamblessed reminds us to take a moment and think about what God has done in your life. If you think about it, if you have said to Jesus Christ, thank you for dying on the cross for my sin and I want you to rule in my heart, then no matter what situation you find yourself in - you are very blessed!!

1. Cos you're not going to hell

You have eternal life in Jesus Christ and there is nothing that will change that!

John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Even if you lost your house, your family has turned against you and your children despise you, you are still saved.

2. Cos you have a God that loves you, and doesn't change

It's nice to know that the God of the universe seeks you out in love.

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

3. And even if you don't have 1 & 2, you still can

There is a good chance that you reading this was because God knew you have been thinking about life, sin and enternity. You are looking for answers. God said in the Bible that he wants you to have eternal life. He wants you to be in the right relationship with him. His death on the cross has taken away your sins.. u just need to receive him now.. this is what he says:

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Talk to him now.. and make a decision to be blessed :)

Do you have the Essentials of Christian Character?

2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How do you add to Faith --> Virtue --> Knowledge --> Temperance --> Patience etc? It is one of those passages that many of us read through, shrug our shoulders and continue reading. Jim Berg's two free messages on Essentials of Christian Character show that we cannot ignore this passage as it is essential to new believers to know how to grow in Christ and live for Christ in the right order.

You can get a PDF summary of each word defined and how they build on each other here.

You can listen to these messages here under Cultivating Christian Character and I should recommend the book as well here. Post up what you learn in the comment section.