Gregory T. Jacobs
 
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 "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
                        Luke 12:35--40 (ESV)

Maybe some of you have figured out by the tone of my writings that I am a Watchman.  Quite simply this is somebody that has been appointed to Stand Guard on that wall and lay watch to call out danger that is coming.  Notice I didn't use the word "might" come, as danger is inevitable.  I have been told by some that my Blogs sound full of condemnation and don't always paint a rosy picture.  To that I respond that each one of us has our own spiritual gifts that God has given to us.  Mine is not one of an encourager, although I do that from time to time as well.  Mine is one of being a strong arm of challenging and exhortation.  This might come in the fashion of correction, or calling men on the carpet for their sins.

I was sitting in church this morning and a thought popped in my head: "What makes you think that you are any better than anybody else?"  Allow me to answer that question right now.  NOTHING!!!  I am just as much of a sinner as the next guy.  It if wasn't for the saving Grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I would be dead in sin and walking around like a zombie.  However, because of the sanctification process of Christ conforming me into His image, then daily I find that I detest sin more and more.  Occasionally I fall into my past carnal sinful ways and find myself wallowing back at the pigs trough.  However, His Grace is always sufficient to point me clearly back to the path of Righteousness on the straight and narrow road. 

Now to the passage in Luke that I have listed above.  Verse 35 is not just written to Watchman who stand guard on that walls of the city.  No, it is written to everybody that has placed their trust in Christ.  I must spiritually stay dressed for action and keep my lamp burning.  If I put my Sword down for even a moment, which I assure you I am as guilty as the next person of doing, then I can find myself in a compromising position with the enemy.  If I do not keep oil in my lamp, then I can find myself falling asleep and slumbering, just as the enemy decides to scale the wall. 

This weekend I have broken out re-runs of one of my favorite shows, Alias.  This show starred Jennifer Garner, and it was all about her being a CIA operative.  I find the action absolutely stimulating.  Occasionally I find myself saying stuff like, "That guy was so unprepared for what she had to dish out."  From kick boxing to shooting, the action is never ending.  In a way, this is what verse 35 is saying.  We are to stay prepared for Action.  Just like my previous Blog that I wrote, I would like to reiterate my point.  Is your Sword rusty and dull, or is it sharpened to a fine and shiny point?  Are your clothes on, and are your ready for Action???

I have recently had an epiphany of realization that without Christ in my life, I am literally DEAD.  The Bible mentions the word "LIFE" 412 times.  I have realized that not only did He come to give me life, but life more abundant.  This means more than I could ever ask or conceive.  He tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!  Will you live for Him, or continue to wallow in Death and absolute absense from Him?  I choose to LIVE!!!
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I woke up this morning with a desire to write a Blog, but was unsure of what topic to discuss.  As I was pondering, I started reflecting back to a conversation that I had yesterday with a friend.  We were discussing the absolute necessity to be Watchful and Vigilant in today's society, and alert and aware that our guard is up at all times.  Now for the most part some of this is second nature to us from a secular standpoint.  We accept that it is wise and prudent to lock our doors at night in order to keep any malicious burglars at bay.  We also know that it is not wise to pull up beside a Hells Angel biker at a stoplight, and tell him that his tatoo looks stupid.  Point being that in life we have some moral and civic attributes that are absolutes in our daily practices.  However, in Spiritual areas we might be lacking...

I was curious how many times that the word "Sword" was found in the Bible, so I pulled out my Strong's Concordance app on my iPhone, and literally counted every last appearance.  Did you know that the word "Sword" is found 356 times in the Old Testament, and only 27 times in the New Testament (9 of which alone are found in the book of  Revelations)?  I had no idea.  Now before you start jumping to conclusions and assuming that the Sword is less important in the New Testament than the Old, lets look at some passages:

"He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming Sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life."
                 Genesis 3:24 (ESV)

There is much speculation as to what or whom this Sword is or might represent.  I look forward to studying more about this and writing a future Blog on this topic.

"When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The Sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. "
                Judges 7:18 (KJV)

"When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man’s Sword against his comrade and against all the army. "
                Judges 7:22 (ESV)

This is an amazing story of how 300 men armed with nothing more than Trumpets and Pitchers concealing a torch, went up against thousands of armed men.  However, it is important to note that they were obedient to the Lord's instruction.  The Lord fought their battle for them with His Sword, by turning the enemies swords on themselves.

"And each of the builders had his Sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."
                Nehemiah 4:18-20 (ESV)

I love the story of Nehemiah, and would absolutely encourage you to read it soon.  This passage talks about Nehemiah leading men to rebuild the wall.  With opposition against them, they were watchful and alert.  With brick and mortar in their hands, the sword was right there by their side ever ready.

"...and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
                Ephesians 6:17 (ESV)

This passage in Ephesians is dealing with putting on the whole Armor of  God on a daily basis.  We can see here that the Sword is referred to has His Holy Spirit, which is the Word of God.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
                Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

For anybody that tells me that the Bible is just an ordinary book that was written thousands of years ago by some men, I refer them to this passage.  The Word of God is alive and active!  He says that it is sharper than any two-edged Sword.  This is because these are not just mere words printed on some paper, but rather THE  WORDS  OF  GOD!

"From his mouth comes a sharp Sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.  He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords."
                Revelation 19:15-16 (ESV)

I am speechless every time I read this verse.  My LORD is coming back on a white horse.  In the passage before it says that His eyes were like a flaming fire, and that His name is called The Word of God!  This Sword is an instrument of judgement as a fullfillment of His Righteousness. 

I think that it is safe to say that the Old Testament is definitely bloodier than the New, however don't ever neglect the aspect of trading a physical sword for a spiritual one.  It is essential for Believers of the One True God to guard themselves spiritually with The Word of God every second of the day.  May we always be ever watchful and alert that satan is lurking about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (I Peter 5:8).  Therefore, naivety and weariness are not viable excuses, and never have been. 

My friends, Where Is Your Sword?  Did you pack it away somewhere after church camp many years ago?  Did you leave it at Walmart last week, after witnessing to some needy soul?  Or could it be that you have never gripped the Almighty Power of the Sword of the Spirit?  The time is too short to aimlessly walk through life hoping that eventually you might hit the target.  Cry out to God if you have never gripped that Sword or you have misplaced it in your life.  If you are firmly grasping your Sword,  NEVER  LET  GO...


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This is a tough Blog to write as it is innate in our nature to be Kingly and drawn to oneself.  As fallen man we have a tendency to think that we have shed the curses of this world and bettered ourselves and our moral aptitude.  After all, it would not be very becoming of oneself to attest  that we have fallen short of the mark, or to even admit that we do not have an understanding of where that mark may lay.  

The other day I was walking with my son at the KY Game Farm.  I was watching as this woman walked her young child up to a measuring stick to see how tall the juvenile was.  The backdrop was painted like a fish, and only went up to five feet tall.  I was so   tempted to go make a spectacle of myself, just to embarass my son.  However, I refrained from placing my 6'7" frame underneath this measuring contraption, but I was motivated to write on this topic.

The question on the table is, "How Do You Measure Up?"  My premise in posing this question has to deal with how you perceive yourself as a Christian (if you are a Believer in the One True God) and with what are your measuring your growth and depth as a Believer. 

I am a firm believer that no matter how well versed you might be as a scholar of the Bible or close with your Maker, we must maintain a meek, humble, and contrite heart.  Now let me clarify that I am not talking about a false sense of humility.  We all know somebody that thinks that they are humble, because they do not have a problem telling you that they are.  My friends, if somebody has to tell you that they are humble (rather than portraying this explicit character trait) than they more than likely are not. 

There have been many times in my discipleship of men that I have exclaimed to them that I don't feel worthy of the adoption into the family of Christ.  This is an open and aware realization that without Christ's all encompassing Grace in my life, there is absolutely nothing I could do to earn or deserve His love for me.  Inevitably when I have made this statement, the comment back to me goes something like this:

"Greg, you are like a spiritual giant.  You know and quote scripture, spend time in the Word and in Prayer, attempt to lead your family down the right path, etc...  If you don't feel like you are measuring up, then who is?  You stand head and shoulders amongst most around you (No Pun Intended)."

Now I would like you to dissect the above statement with me.  The first thing that I would like to point out is a passage from the Apostle Paul:

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."  I Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

I feel like that a lot of days.  I don't know if we can come into the knowledge and understanding of the saving grace of God until we embark upon the path of Total Depravity.  I am a wretch, and there is absolutly nothing that I can do to earn salvation.  Now with that being said, I also accept and claim my birthright of who I am now in Christ, and how He has washed me clean by the shedding of his Blood as the Perfect Sacrifice, and has given it to me freely to accept.  So when somebody takes my acceptance of Total Depravity and sums it up into a lukewarm paraphrase in life, in so many words they are saying:  "Awe shucks Greg, compared to the rest of us, you are a beacon of shining light into the darkness."   Herin lies the problem.

With or to what are your holding yourself out to be measured against?  If you are measuring yourself against the world, then you will fail everytime!  If you are measuring yourself against fellow Christians, then you will fail everytime!  However, if you are measuring yourself agains the Lamb of God who was slain on the cross for your sin, then you have a starting point.  See, it is at that point that we don't fail everytime, but rather that we start to become alive to Christ and dead to this world, and the things in this world.  The natural assumption of this world is to compare yourself with the Jones's, as they are marching on the same stage and are in the same pattern of  life as you, and therefore are fair game.  However, it is never natural or willingly accepted to measure oneself next to the One who laid it all down for you, Christ Jesus.  Satan loves to whisper in our ear that we can never attain "Christlikeness" so therefore it is better not to even try and thus to measure our goods and services based on those around us.  I am here to tell you that Satan has been called the Great Deceiver from the beginning for a reason. 

In summation, I have to strive for Christlikeness on a daily basis, or I am falling with the masses that are heading towards destruction and utter despair.  Unless I measure myself with the ABSOLUTE measuring device, then I can be assured of the variance and inaccuracy of any other form of measurement they will provide.  Daniel 5:27 is a very sobering passage.  It says "...you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting."  I don't know about you, but for me and my household we have chosen to serve the Lord.  Not merely in verbiage, as talk is cheap, but through our Actions.  Have you been weighed and found wanting, and if so, with whom are you measuring yourself?
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Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
I Peter 5:8 (ESV)

I have thought long and hard about writing this blog, and it has taken me several days to compose my thoughts.  This is fitting for the season that we are entering into, with almost every retailer catering to Halloween.  Let me state up front that my family has never celebrated Halloween, nor will we ever in the future. 

I really hesitated and prayed long about whether I should even put this picture on the Blog.  I am very cautious about not giving credit to satan, but at the same time I really felt a tugging from the Lord that people need to see evil for what it is worth.  Now to me this picture depicts utter evil and the heart of everything satan stands for.  To some, it might be this years Halloween mask that they have picked up at their local outlet store. 

The question stands, "Have We Become Desensitized?"  As always, I would love for you to respond to this Blog and give me your thoughts.  I have been studying Numbers 11.  When the Israelites were brought out of Egypt during the Exodus, the people cried out to Moses that their souls were dry and hungry for the Fish, Melons, Leeks, and Garlic that they had while in Egypt.  Granted they were slaves and treated as utterly despicable while captives in Egypt, they still craved these items.  They were in love with what the world had to offer.  They would rather blend in with their surroundings, although slaves to the world, then to be set free by Almighty God and have Him provide manna for them on a daily basis.

My point to this is simply that I feel that as society we have become desensitized to the world around us.  We crave certain items because it is the "Norm" and everybody else is partaking in these items.  It is almost like we, just like the Israelites, have "Stockholm Syndrome."  We have fallen in love with our captor, and the thing that binds us up and holds us back. 

I know many that say that they are opposed to Halloween, yet they are the first to corral their cars in a circle for "Trunk or Treat" or their local "Fall Festival" at their church.  To me this is total Apostasy to what the Bible teaches.  We have to be so cautious and careful that we are not forming our churches based off of "Church Growth" strategies, when Christ is the one that grows His Church.  WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!  God does not want us to blend in with the world by having "Alternatives" to what the world has to offer.  My Bible has the following to say:

"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,  and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
II Corinthians 6:17-18 (ESV)

I am not finding any passage in the Bible that says that we are to "Blend In" and be "Seeker-Sensitive" to those around us.  My friends, we have become desensitized to the things of this world, because we are craving the Fish, Melons, Garlic, and Leeks just like the Israelites were.  This might come in the shape of Addictions, Obsessions, and basically anything that is of the world and not of God.

For months now, I have been thinking about discontinuing my cable service.  It had nothing to do with saving money (although that is always a positive), but solely to do with the fact that my family and I were watching way too much television.  Whatever excuses you want to throw at this, nothing holds water if it is keeping you from communicating as a family, and spending quality time with Jesus Christ.  So a couple of weeks ago I called and disconnected all of my cable service (we just get the Network channels).  It has been interesting to see two seperate effects of this decision: 1) My family is really going through withdrawals on what they were addicted to watching, 2) My family has read more books in the last week, then the last 6 months.  Although my wife and I enjoyed watching the Discovery and History channel, I didn't like what the world was teaching my kids about the dating scene on Disney and Nickolodeon. 

So my friends, the question is out there about being Desensitized.  Do the things of this world effect you, or are you numb to them?  I recently rented a Tom Clancy Audio Book.  About 30 minutes into the book playing, I had to turn it off.  The cussing was more than my spirit could handle.  Could this quite possibly be because The Holy Spirit is perfecting a work in me through the act of Sanctification?  I believe that it is.  I was at the local movie store the other night renting a few movies.  I put most of them back on the shelf after seeing that they were Rated R.  I have made a covenant with my eyes and heart not to watch anything above PG-13 (I might even get radical and have to lower this to PG).  

So what things of this world are you so in love with that are of satan?  What are you willing to give up to not blend in with your surroundings.  God is calling us not to be a chameleon and simply blend in and camouflage to Babylon.  No he is calling us OUT.  He is sending us out from their midst as the II Corinthians  passage above states.  I am tired of having blinders on and using the excuse that "God just has not convicted me of that."  If you would get in the Word of God and wear some holes in your carpet from praying, then maybe you would be able to see clear enough to see and hear what the Lord is calling you out from. 

As always, this is meant to convict, challenge, and encourage you to Righteousness in Christ.  This is not meant to be judgemental, but rather the Truth spoken in Love.
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Oh peaceful morning, where have you been hiding.  Upon the dew drops that nestle ever so gently on the slivers of grass, I see the handy work of your creator.  In the fog that hovers ever so gracefully over the tightly trimmed grass of the green, I see your creator.  As the wind rustles through the deciduous and evergreen trees, I see your maker.  Through the rays of the sun, I can see the light of your everlasting power.  Likewise, through the setting of the moon, I can grasp the full power of your creativity on the lunar landscape.  As the squirrel scurries in front of me, I stand in awe of his creator as well.  There is not a care in the world, no not one.  All is silent and resting.  The birds are roosting, and man has not set foot on the floorboards of life at this moment.  Everything seems to just hover in humble existence.  Nobody is awake to start the hustle and bustle of this thing we call life.  Everyone and everything in nature are in a pause in honor of the one who made them.

Those are the words that come to mind from my experience of walking 6 miles around Clear Creek Park during the early morning hours.  I snapped this picture this week and found it absolutely breath taking.  I can get pretty deep and challenging in my Blog entries, but this one speaks for itself.  It is about as simple of a blog entry that I have ever written, but at the same time, it is about as complex.  Did you notice how I kept referring to their creator in the above paragraph?  It is not that He is not my creator as well, but rather that sometimes I forget to stop and capture the beauty of my creator all around me.  As Americans, we tend to get so caught up in noise and clanging cymbals, that we forget to take time out and realize the Majesty around us.  When was the last time that you looked at dew this way, or is it just an annoyance on your wet running shoes?  When was the last time that you viewed the awestruck power of fog on our level, or is it a matter for your high beams and wipers to contend with?  When was the last time that you stopped to give a squirrel the right of way? 

My fellow brothers and sisters, please take some time out of your busy schedule to take pause.  To realize the Majesty and awestruck significance of how God manifests Himself around you.  In order for me to also acknowledge Him as my Creator, I must also give creedence to all those other creations around me. 

Upon searching in scripture for the word "morning," I found multiple references to "early morning."  I am not talking about intoxicating oneself with coffee, then sitting down and watching the morning news.  I am talking about finding oneself humbled in the presence of an Almighty God early in the morning before the day begins.  Before you start your day and begin your journey, how about asking God for clear direction.  We are so dependent upon our GPS when we travel, that we forget that God should be the GPS of our lives.  In order for Him to program that direction, try humbly submitting to Him in quietness and solitude and acknowledging that HE  IS  KING  OF  THE  UNIVERSE!
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Last Sunday morning something happened that sparked my thought process.  While I was waiting in the car for my family to exit the house to go to church, my wife appeared at the door and asked me to come inside.  She had tears in her eyes, so I could only imagine that she was either hurt, or the kids had done something wrong.  I know, I know, we are the only family in the world that struggle to get the kids out of the house on Sunday mornings in a timely fashion.  After turning the car off  and walking inside, she informed me that she needed me to take a shard of glass out of her foot.

Having three beautiful God-given children in the house, accidents are quick to follow.  From a young age, one of them picked up the phrase "It was on an accident."  Now they all say it when something happens out of the norm.  Well that week Hannah had dropped a glass and it shattered on the kitchen floor.  Her best attempts to clean it up evidently proved to be futile, as Amy stepped on a shard on Saturday night.  She had mentioned to me that she thought that she had a piece of glass in her foot, but it didn't hurt while she was walking on carpet, or laying in bed.  It wasn't until that next morning when she put her high heels on for church, that she "KNEW" she had glass in her foot.  All of a sudden when she stepped down on the hard surface of those high heels, it went from a tiny little shard, to a broken window pane piercing fire up her leg. 

The good husband that I am, I quickly grabbed my combat tactical knife in order to cut out this insidious creature that had dared to inhabit this part of my wifes body.  After Amy kicked me away, with the knife still in my hand, we agreed to settle on a needle and tweezers instead.  To make a long story longer, I went ahead and dug around a while with the needle, while my wife flinched and bit her lip.  I finally realized that with my flashlight, I was able to make that tiny little shard of glass reflect light.  I grabbed it with the tweezers, and heard a crunch while the two massive arms of those tweezers grabbed a hold of that big pane of glass, and extracted it never to be seen again. 

Yes, part of what happened was comical (for me at least) and others parts not so much.  It did get me thinking about how a little sin in our life can cause so much pain.  When we are spiritually walking on carpet or laying down, we might not be made aware of the pain.  However, when we are walking on a Firm Foundation of Christ, then we are made aware of the incinerating fire that is produced from sin. 

A wise man is ever seeking in his heart to establish whether sin abides, but a fool is frolicking about living in the here and now fulfilling selfish desires.  Once a man knows The Truth, then it is incumbent on him to walk in The Way. 

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."
                         John 14:6

My friends, the challenge that I lay out to you today is quite simple.  Do you have sin in your life?  Many will say to me that we will not be free from the grip of sin until Jesus returns.  I am not saying that we will not fall into temptation and sin, but we should constantly strive to be free from the grip of sin, and to be like Jesus, who was sinless.  I am talking more about a sinful lifestyle.  How long are you going to walk with glass in your foot?  The Holy Spirits light will reflect on that shard, and He will extract it with your willing surrender.  May I take a healthy look at my life and evaluate first and foremost if I have sin in my own life and family.  May repentance start with me!
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"I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness."
                            Romans 6:19 (NIV)

Do you ever wonder if life is harder now than it was in our parents generation?  I constantly struggle with the question of whether I am raising my children correctly, or if I am being the husband that God would have me to be.  I would say that a fair amount of families have questions like this. 

The real question I have struggled with through the years is wondering if as a follower of Christ, do we have it harder now in todays society than 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 500 years ago, 1000 years ago, etc...

When I look at scripture that is God breathed, I am faced with the reality that sin and obstacles have always been there.  Since the fall of Adam, sin has been prevalent, and a man's heart desires to fulfill the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.  The difference might be in the way that the deceiver tries to tempt us. 

Instead of hanging out at the city gates gossipping to the passerby's, maybe we spend our evenings on Facebook and Twitter.  Instead of utilizing the services of a temple prostitute, maybe we seclude ourselves in darkness and look at pornography on the internet.  Instead of denying that we know Christ in the dark ages in fear of losing our lives, maybe we just simply don't give a defense of our faith when asked around the water cooler.  Whatever the situation might be, do you think that the challenges are any less today then in the past?

Friends, I wish we still had front porches, Sunday picnics, Black and White TV's, and no iPod's.  I long for simpler times with less distractions.  Or were there???  Maybe the distractions 50-100 years ago were just different.  I used to have Depression survivors come into my office and share there stories about not having anything.  However, could that not be a distraction as well.  Do you think the human heart stops longing for the things of this world if they are not in its grasp?

This brings me to the passage above from Romans.  When living in sin and not surrendered to God, we are a slave to impurity and wickedness.  We long for instant gratification in any way that will fill our selfish purpose in life.  However, when surrendered over to righteousness, we no longer are a slave to what once was, but to the Holiness of God, which looks nothing like what the world has to offer. 

My friends, we can't serve two masters.  As a follower of The Way, I can not be in love with the idols of this world.  Idolatry is putting something up on a pedestal that inhibits or takes the place of communication with God.  This could come in many forms, such as Sports, Work, Facebook, Pornography, Pride, Guns, Cars, Toys, Hobbies,  etc... 

So you ask, how then do I become a slave of Righteousness, which leads to Holiness.  You can't unless you have been Regenerated by the All Consuming Power of Jesus Christ.  Only Eziekiel 36:26 says that He will remove our heart of stone (in love with the idols of this world), and give us a heart of Flesh (Total Abandonment to the things of this world, and striving for Righteousness).  To be Righteous is to be in "Right Standing" with God. 

As I was laying in bed this morning, I was wondering if I was too in love with the world.  Am I still watching the wrong kinds of movies, and listening to the wrong kinds of music?  Am I waiting to see the latest gossip on the news in the evenings?  Am I spending more time reading Fiction novels than I am the Words of God?  Would I rather tell somebody about my Faith in Christ, then to live it out at home? 

These are all real questions that I think we all need to ask.  Just as I cleaned my basement last week, maybe, just maybe, the cob webs in my heart need to be cleaned out as well. 
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        Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 
        II Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

        But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
        Titus 3: 4-7 (ESV)

Probably one of the most forgotten Biblical Doctrines that is very seldom preached today, is the Doctrine of Regeneration.  Up until a few years ago I had never heard of Regeneration. until a very dear friend of mine asked me a question one day, "Greg, when were you Regenerated?"  WOW...I was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say.  I figured that I had better start studying about what Regeneration was all about. 

Inside of the church today, we are quick to throw out terms such as Justification, Sanctification, etc. without fully knowing what they mean.  One that I had never heard before was Regeneration.  I figured it must have been something that Reformed Baptist used in their terminology.  Then I did some digging and realized that Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield, and both Wesley brothers used it in their everyday language over 100+ years ago.  Why then has it gone by the wayside.  Well, in my opinion, it is quite simple.  It does not fit into our "Simple Church Growth Model" inside of the church in America in 2011. 

Justification is a legal term that simply means that the judge declares that it was as if the sin never occurred.  At the time of Justification when we realize that we are a wretched sinner that has nothing to offer God, then God the Father says at that point in time, that His son Jesus' Blood that was shed on the cross, wiped away all of your sins as if they never were.  That is what Justification is.

Sanctification is a life long process of the Holy Spirit making us more into the image of Christ.  This is the "race that is set before us" that the Apostle Paul talks about.  It is through the Holy Spirits molding and shaping that we abandon all things not of Him.

Regeneration is smack dab right in the middle of the above two.  Justification without Regeneration is mere orthodoxy religion.  It is a stale putrid stagnant vile attempt at us thinking that we as sinful carnal man can make a change in and of ourself to enact forgiveness.  God is the one that Regenerates a mans heart, and there is nothing that we can do to become a new creation in Christ.  No, I am not taking away the free choice element of us surrendering to Him, but without His Holy Spirits drawing and transformation, we can not be Regenerated.

We have become so fond of asking 3 questions of sinners:

    1) You realize that you are a sinner, don't you?  (Folks, even satan realizes that he is a sinner).  Once they acknowledge this, then we move on to question #2.

    2) Do you want to go to Heaven?  (Who in their right mind is ever going to answer you NO.  I have never had somebody come back to me and say that they want to go to Hell.  The problem is that they just don't want God to be there when they get there.  Otherwise, they would succumb to His ALL CONVICTING POWER).  Once they acknowledge that they want to go to heaven, then we move on to question #3.

    3) Would you like to pray "The Sinners Prayer" with me? 

I hate to break it to you, but a conversion experience is more than just repeating a "Sinners Prayer," which is not even Biblical to begin with.  You do not simply jump from one escalator that is taking you to Hell, by jumping on an escalator taking you to heaven, by simply marching down an aisle at church and repeating a prayer.  All that does is make it official that you are on the church's roster.

My friends, Regeneration is the act of the Holy Spirit changing you from being in love with the world and the things in the world, to being a New Creation in Christ, as the II Corinthians passage above states.  The old is passed, and the new is come.  I have seen too many people use the excuse of a new "Christians" shortcomings  being present  because the Sanctification process is still young in their life.  NO, it is because they were never Regenerated to begin with.

        And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
        Eziekiel 36: 26-27 (ESV)

Unfortunately, we are sending more people to hell in this country by affirming them that they have been converted and saved by simply praying a simple prayer up front on a Sunday morning, then dunking them backwards in a baptismal pool.  Then we wonder why Brother Bobby and Sister Susie have decided to stop coming to church anymore.  At the next Deacon meeting it is suggested that in order to stop Assimilation with people coming into the front door, and leaving out the back, that maybe we should boost up our Discipleship programs.  Discipleship is great and essential and I partake in it on a weekly basis, however you can't disciple the dead.  A dead man that is not Alive to Christ will no more walk 1,000 miles with you, then you being able to get him to walk the first step.  If he has not been Regenerated, then he is Dead.

I don't challenge you with anything that is not scriptual.  I get my findings from The Word of God, and not some man.  It is not a denomination or Calvinism that teaches these things.  If we get in The Word of God, then we will become studious and the Holy Spirit will teach, Challenge, and Exhort us onward.

Have you been Regenerated, and been Transformed???  Or are you still in love with the idols of this world?

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Today I took my family to Mammoth Cave National Park.  If you have not been, I highly recommend the experience.  It is the longest discovered cave system in the world.  392 miles have been discovered that go down about 350+ feet below the surface.  The amazing thing is that it is all contained in about 7 square miles, but has about 6 different levels.  Oh yeah, and did I mention that the air temperature is a constant 54 degrees year round. 

Now that I have Wowed you with my intellect, let me tell you what I kept thinking the whole time I was down there: "What if I got lost in this thing?"  Yes, I know I was with 2 National Park Rangers, who I might add kept telling us to not get off the trail.  This was a unique tour (They have 15+ different tours that you can take).  It was called the "Violet Lantern Tour."  Normally the tours are all lit up with Halogen lights strategically placed so it illuminates the walls and ceiling.  However, we went old school with oil lamps. 

The Rangers would stop over the 3 hour /3 mile endeavour to share with us about ancient inhabitants of the caves.  They have found artifacts ranging from mummified remains, to reed torches.  BLACK does not begin to explain how dark it was in there.  Now I must say, at no point was I petrified.  Why?  Quite Simply because there were 11 other oil lanterns besides mine, and I had a flashlight in my pocket as a back-up.  Having the two experienced Rangers didn't hurt matters one bit. 

After we got out of the cave, they shared with the group about a man that had fallen behind on one of the tours several years ago and had to spend the night in the cave.  Once again the question flooded back in my mind, like a stream overflowings its banks.  "What if I got lost in this thing?"  Even if I had a lantern and a back-up flashlight, I didn't know the way.  I could easily take the wrong path that would lead to my demise. 

When I came back from my adventure today, I sat down and read this scripture:

"...for He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you."
                                                                     Hebrews 13:5

Nothing else seemed to matter at that moment.  At times I feel like I am wandering alone on the dark damp passages of life.  However, I am reminded of this passage every time.  I know that my God will never leave me, and that I have nothing to fear. 

Self Evaluation time!  Are you fearfully wandering through a cave in your life without an ounce of light to guide your path?  Are you depressed and discouraged because the "Sonshine" is not shining in your life?  Or better yet, are you running down a dark unlit path with no care in the world, and you are blind to the ravine on either side.  Whatever the situation might be, please know that Jesus Christ is right there waiting to shine light in your life.  He will not allow you to walk blindly, if you surrender your life over to His all consuming Light!
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Before I explain the title, let me first take this opportunity to welcome myself back to my own blog.  No, that is not Pride that you are sensing, but merely the fact that I have been away for over seven months.  Even before that it was sporatic. 

I recently changed jobs three months ago, and have absolutely been engulfed in training, studying for a new license, and juggling family events.  To say that I have been a little busy and preoccupied would be a HUGE understatement.  Since taking this job, I have been wanting to get back into writing my blog, but the time just has not allowed it.  What, you might ask, sparked my interest in tickling the keyboard again.  Well it was a simple question posed to me the other night at a Bible Study. 

A dear friend of mine asked me one simple question: "So Greg, what is the Lord currently teaching you in your life?"  I must say that I am usually the one on the sending part of that question, rather than the receiving end.  I have usually been the one that has challenged men to greatness in Christ by posing that very same question.  All of a sudden I knew what it felt like to be challenged by somebody else out of love, not that I haven't ever felt that before.  More importantly, I knew what my friend Adam must have felt like when I started talking about my job, and how it has kept me busy.  He didn't say anything, but I caught myself realizing that the excuses that I was spurting out, were no more than just that, EXCUSES!!!  I looked at him, just as I had seen from so many other men through the years, and simply said: "But that is not what you asked me..."  You see at that point in time, I couldn't definitvely say what the Lord was currently teaching me...

I have thought long and hard about that moment since Thursday night.  As I was walking this morning at the park, I was crying out to God as to why I couldn't answer that question.  It was as if He simply said, "My son, that is exactly why, because you haven't been crying out to me..." 

After walking I came back home to spend some more time with Him.  As I picked up my Bible, I read the following passage:

          Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
I Timothy 1: 15 (NIV)

You see my friends, it is very easy to walk through life and think that we have it all figured out.  Our pride can rear its ugly head in a moments notice, and if we are not walking with the Holy Spirit in our lives, then there is a good chance that we are not going to notice it.  An offshoot of pride is complacency.  When we are lethargic and complacent, then it is very easy to feel that we are okay, when in essence we could just be rotting on the vine. 

My fellow brothers and sisters, it is not that I was in a dark place in my life over the last three months.  No, I have been having quiet times with the Lord, and serving Him as I could.  I led a team back to Haiti (pictures coming soon on the Haiti tab) and was used immensely by the Lord while there.  My dilemma is that it has been hit and miss with no consistency.  I have not been still to know that He is God.  I have been swayed by the hustle and bustle of life, that so easily distracts and weighs us down. 

Now to the title, why do you think it was that the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to tell him that he was the worst sinner of them all.  I feel that it is quite simple.  It was to express God's almighty MERCY that he has shown to us.  In that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for all of my sins: Past, Present, and Future!!!  It is a reminder that while I was a wretched and distraught man trying to make it on my own, Jesus Christ blood was shed on my account to wipe me clean. 

My friends, may we never forget what Jesus did at the cross for us!  May we always remember that without Him, we are nothing but a mere speck of dust on the road to Vanity Fair.  I beg you to wake up and be challenged by that simple question.  "What is the Lord currently teaching you in your life?"  Not what have you learned out on your own.  Or even further, what has the Lord taught you in the past.  No we have to live fresh fruitful lives that are producing ripe fresh fruit, that can only come from realzing where we came from as wretched sinners, through the Holy Spirits transformation. 
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