QUESTIONS #12 & #13

Here's an easy one!

How righteous is Jesus Christ on a scale of one to one hundred?

Bet nobody misses that! The correct answer, of course, is 100%.

Now the next, and last question is a different matter altogether. Here goes!

How righteous are YOU on a scale of one to one hundred?

I think I'm going to let you fret and stew on that question until tomorrow! You wouldn't DARE answer 100% on that, would you? Or would you?

Preacher's Kid

P.S. It's a little cooler today. PTL for the relief

QUESTIONS #10 & #11

Heat wave? Yep! In western Washington State, no less! We're right in the middle of it! You've probably seen it on national TV. The only way I can get through it is to sit in my La-Z-Boy in front of the fan! Hence, no blogs for a couple days! Had a lovely rain this morning, however, which helped. So here goes, even before breakfast, or it will be another blogless day! And I'm glad you can't see the clock which says 10:30 am. (Early morning is the only time it's cool enough to catch a few Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z's!)

We'll take Questions #10 & #11 together. Put on your thinking cap for these. Question #10: How many sins did you commit yesterday? Watch it! Can you count that high? Did you run out of fingers and toes? And question #11 is: How many good deeds, or acts of righteousness, did you perform yesterday? Wow! Was just one hand and foot enough for counting those?

I read somewhere that the majority of Christians think their sins exceed their good deeds on a ratio of three to one. We pretty well covered this business of Christians sinning daily and especially not knowing it in a couple other blogs. And no Christian who sins three times as often as he does good deeds experiences very much, if any, spiritual freedom. In fact, I'd question such a person's relationship with the Lord! And I don't think I'd be judgmental in doing so!

I want to EMPHASIZE that the erroneous idea many Christians have that they must sin in word, thought and deed every day is the teaching of "turkeys".

The truth is: EVERY ACT THAT A CHRISTIAN DOES IS AN ACT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS! Think about that today no matter what you do. Brushing your teeth is an act of righteousness. Going to the super market is an act of righteousness.

Eating breakfast is also a good deed, or an act of righteousness. So breakfast, here I come -- my first good deed of the day -- unless getting out of bed counts!

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #9

Is temptation a sign of our sinfulness?

No, it is not. We've already touched on this in Question #6. To think that temptation is a sign of our sinfulness is the teaching of "turkeys" and their misguided, mistaken "turkeyology".

Just the opposite is true. Satan doesn't bother tempting people who are already his.

As we said before, the fact that you are tempted is one of the signs that you are a Christian, that you are righteous, that you are a saint. (Have you gotten used to the idea you're a saint, yet?)

So the next time temptation comes your way, recognize it as coming from Satan in an effort to discourage you, and rejoice that even the devil knows to whom you belong!

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #8

Are you a saint?

Betcha said "No Way, Hosea."

Most people believe that sainthood is attained by only a few Christians. Hogwash! Turkeys teach that there are three levels of Christians:

1. Plain, ordinary Christians;
2. People engaged in Chjristian ministry;
3. Saints -- but who can ever get that far?

But what does the Bible teach? (This is all part of knowing who you are in Christ that we've mentioned several times.)

If you're a Christian -- and ARE you a Christian? -- THEN YOU'RE A SAINT! Really!

A saint, in the New Testament, is not a sinless person but a saved sinner! It is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that a person becomes a saint -- not through a decree of some ecclesiastical body! This is a Christian's place as a member of the Body of Christ. In Ephesians 1:1 Paul even addresses the Ephesian believers as saints. Check it out.

In Romans 1:7, Paul addresses his epistle "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, CALLED TO BE SAINTS." If you look at that verse in the King James Verson, you'll notice the two little words "to be" are in italics which means they were not in the original manuscript. In other words, it really reads "beloved of God, called saints."

In the New Testament (KJV), the word "saint" always refers to a person set apart to God for His possession and service. And isn't that true of a Christian? All Christians are set apart to God for His possession, for His service. Believers are saints regardless of their experience and growth.

Any other thinking is "turkey thinking." Stinkin' thinkin', too!

Talk about knowing who you are in Christ -- and we'll discuss more of that later. We've lived beneath our spiritual rights and privileges too long.

So think on this: YOU ARE A SAINT, A HOLY PERSON. "But I don't feel I'm good enough to be a saint," you say. The Bible doesn't say you have to FEEL like you're a saint. It simply says you ARE a saint! Do you, or do you not believe the Bible?

If you've been "turkey-ized" in this regard, I challenge you to look in the mirror every day and start telling yourself, "I am a saint. I'm a holy person." Go ahead. You can do it!

Knowing you're a saint is part of your God-given privileges.

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #7

Will doing acts of righteousness get us closer to God?

This, as well as the correct answer, is more or less a repeat of yesterday's blog. And the correct answer is a resounding "NO"!

Nevertheless, some people have been "turkey-ized" (how I like that term!) into thinking that the more good works they perform, the more they will be accepted by Christ, and the better their chances will be of getting into heaven. They're depending upon "good works" for their salvation rather than the precious Blood of Jesus. They're trying to EARN their salvation.

Have you ever been guilty of looking back over your day and patting yourself on the back because you've done so many good things? How good it felt to think you had been super spiritual that day! Whoa! For if you did, you've got problems -- big, big problems -- YOU'VE BEEN "TURKEY-IZED".

Remember our story of the two eaglets and how Hagen was kept in captivity by the turkeys until the wise old owl told him who he was? Told him he was not a buzzard but a majestic eagle?

What we Christians need to do is discover WHO WE ARE. We live like a bunch of turkeys because we FEEL like turkeys!

Friends, spiritually you are NOT a turkey. You don't belong with turkeys. You're an eagle if you only knew it.

Now, fly like an eagle for a change. You'll never desire to return to living with turkeys!

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #6

How about this statement: The closer we get to Christ, the less we will be tempted.

True or False?

I hope you said False! Just the OPPOSITE is true. The closer we get to Christ, the MORE we are tempted!

Surprised? Don't be. Why should the devil tempt someone who isn't a Christian? That person already belongs to him.

"Turkeys" will tell us that we need to get closer to Jesus, which gives the impression that there is a great deal of distance between a believer and the Lord. But what does the Word of God say? Check out Romans 8:9 and 11 and you'll discover that the Spirit dwells WITHIN US. How much closer than that can you get? He's closer than the very air we breathe.

You'll find that every time you make progress in your Christian life, satan's attacks will become more intense than before. Why? He's mad and is going to do everything he can to hinder and discourage you. Frankly, temptation is one of the proofs that we ARE Christians!

So remember -- you are as close to Jesus as you can get now! (But you can, however, MAKE PROGRESS in your walk with Him!) It's really a question of position vs maturity, or growth!

Preacher's Kid

WHAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT

In his book "God Don't Make No Junk" (The grammar in the title stinks, but the book itself is par excellence!), Billy Joe Grandstaff describes a testimony service where the testimonies glorify the devil rather than the Lord. Apooparently the people involved have been "turkey-ized" and really don't understand what the real, true, Biblical Christian life is all about. Wish I could give you these illustrations verbatim, but that would infringe upon fair copyright practices! So here's my paraphrase!

Sister De-Feat was the first to testify and told how hard it was to depend upon God's Word as His promises for healing didn't work and now she was worse off than before!

Sister Vinegar took the floor and commiserated that she knew what Sister De-Feat was going through. Seems her dead husband's sister married a guy whose mother's fourth husband loved the Lord, attended church regularly, was faithful in paying his tithes but still died from cancer.

Sister Bucketmouth was next and claimed that this was the most difficult week of her entire life since she became a Christian. "The devil has been on my back all week, bless His Holy Name," she declared and wondered if the Lord even heard her prayers. Said she'd been wishing, hoping, and praying for the Lord to give her strength; but even so, she almost backslid before time to come to prayer meeting.

Sister Motorbeak took the floor next and told how difficult her Christian walk was as none of her family were Christians. She bemoaned the fact that her newly-converted husband couldn't take the ridicule of his co-workers so gave up on his walk with the Lord and now was meaner than the devil himself. She thinks God did all this for a reason like maybe trying to teach her something.

Sister Dark Cloud told how it took her forty-seven years to be filled with the Holy Ghost. She thinks the Lord ought to give her strength, especially since the Bible says, "Every tub must stand on its own bottom." So she's trying to stand on her own but is so fearful that she'll backslide at any time.

Pastor Drydust looked so sad as he stood to close the testimony meeting. He told how his neighbor wanted to come to church with him that night; but he told his friend he was so discouraged he didn't even know if he was going to church himself even though he was the pastor! "But the Holy Ghost got me here in spite of myself," he said. He requested prayer for his neighbor, that his spiritual eyes would be opened because he needed the same wonderful experience that all these other people had testified about!

I'm afraid such testimonies are popular in church services today (if you can even find a church that still has testimony meetings)! But they are NOT Biblical!

Somewhere along the line these people have been "turkey-ized"!

See ya tomorrow with another question!

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #5

Do you think it is easier for a Christian to sin or to do right?

It's not hard for a dog to be a dog. It's not hard for an elephant to be an elephant. Nor is it hard for a snake to be a snake. And neither is it hard for a Christian to be a Christian if he has been taught who he is in Christ. (Who you are in Christ is another subject in itself!)

I heard someone once say, "If a cat had kittens in the oven, would that make them biscuits?" Of course not! People who have a struggle living a Christian life really aren't struggling with the Christian life, per se, but with a DISTORTION of the Christian life. They don't really know what the Christian walk is.

The way you think determines how you act. If someone lied and told you that a close friend had just died and you didn't know that was a lie, you would be overcome with sorrow and grief. Because you didn't know you had been lied to, you would act on the belief you held even though it was wrong. Someone once told my Uncle Harry that his only sister (my mother) had died, and she really hadn't. Several members of his family cancelled their plans for the next day and drove the thirty miles to our house to comfort my sister and me. When Mother answered their knock on our front door, Uncle Harry couldn't even speak for a few minutes. He later said that for a few hours, Mother was as dead to him as she would ever be. Why? Because he believed something that wasn't true.

Similarly, if a Christian believes he is constantly sinning, he becomes so sin conscious that a dark cloud hovers over his spiritual life all the time; and it so affects his behavior that he becomes "turkey-ized". The real Christian life is simply not what is being portrayed to believers today.

The Christian life is easy, because the Holy Spirit lives within you. Here's something to think about. It's just as easy for the Lord Jesus Christ to live within your body as it was for Him to live in the body of the Virgin Mary!

Now, it's not hard for a Christian to be a Christian, but it IS hard for a Christian to be a turkey! Which are you?

Preacher's Kid

P.S. Tomorrow: humorous illustrations of people who found it difficult to live a Christian life!

QUESTION #4

Is a bad thought a sin?

I hope you didn't say that was true! Many people think that bad thoughts are sin because they have listened to the teaching of "turkeys" for too long. Here's something to think about. If you feel that a bad thought is sin, then every time you are tempted to do something wrong, you sin, just because the temptation came to you. That, too, is a teaching of "turkeyology".

To begin with, sin is an act, not a thought. A bad thought in itself is not a sin -- it's what you do with that thought that determines whether or not you sin! It's one thing for a thought to knock at the door of your mind, but it is quite another thing to invite that thought in and then ACT on it!

I know you've heard the old cliche, "You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair!" And that's the way it is with thoughts. We can't always control the thoughts that come to us, but we CAN refuse to entertain them. We don't have to act on them! So the thoughts, in and of themselves, are NOT sin if not acted upon!

How about a concrete example? Matthew 5:28 says, "(W)hosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Be honest, now. Haven't you always felt that just because the thought entered your mind, you had sinned? Whoa! Back up. First of all, sin is a deliberate action. Of course, if a person turns and gazes on someone of the opposite sex and plays out an act of adultery in his/her mind, yes, THAT'S a deliberate act of sin. But that's a far cry from a thought that enters the mind when someone passes by dressed in a seductive manner and you push the thought away and cover your mind with the Blood of Jesus.

So bad thoughts are NOT sins. That's "turkey-talk!" But bad thoughts which are received and ACTED UPON, on the other hand, ARE sin.

Don't succumb to "turkey" teaching. Rise above it, for you're a child of God! You're an eagle, not a turkey!

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #3

Would you say the following question is True or False? It is normal for Christians to sin every day.

If you said "Yes", you're way off the beam!

People who believe that it IS normal for Christians to sin every day EXPECT to sin every day! They look at sinning as a normal way of life for a Christian. What's the purpose of getting saved in the first place if we're going to keep on sinning every day? It makes no sense!

This is the teaching of turkeys, but it is NOT the teaching of Scripture. You can't find a single place in God's Word that says it is normal for a Christian to sin every day! In fact, the Bible says just the opposite. I John 2:1 says, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." Would God ask us to do something that is impossible? Absolutely not!

Let me say at this point that as humans, we will slip and fall occasionally. But provision is made for those times in the last part of that verse. Look it up. And for those people who believe in a sinless perfection, remember that this passage was written to Christians, not unbelievers!

I get so tired of that mentality that says, believes, and practices that Christians must sin in word, thought and deed every day. No, no, no! There is something far better than that, and that is deliverance from the bondage of sin. Liberty and freedom in Christ is the believer's inherent birthright.

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #2

Can a Christian sin and not know it?

That's the teaching of "turkeys", but is it the teaching of God's Word?

You probably caught from our brief story yesterday about the eaglets that they were taught by their turkey benefactors to be afraid. And just as they were taught to live like turkeys, so many of us have been taught that Christians can sin and not know it!

It seems that the emphasis of much of our religious teaching has been on sinning when it should have been on the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us to keep us from sinning, to give us victory over sinning. That Holy Spirit Who dwells within us knows our hearts even before we do wrong, and will protect us from sin if we'll let Him. He is very sensitive and will convict us of sin immediately if we transgress His law.

After all, just what is sin? It's rebellion against God, and rebellion is something that's deliberate. And do you mean to tell me that I can deliberately rebel against the Holy God of Heaven and not know it?

How can I believe that the Holy Spirit Who lives within me will watch me sin yet say absolutely nothing about my wrong doing? And how can I reconcile the fact that I can not know when I sin with Psalm 66:18 which says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me"?

How can I come into God's presence with confidence under those circumstances? Or is that why people today DON'T come into His presence with confidence and see answers to their prayers?

So I don't hesitate to proclaim that if we have a proper relationship with God, we cannot sin without knowing it!

Don't let yourself be "turkey-ized" into believing that you can sin and not know it. Don't let yourself be "turkey-ized" by "turkeys" who DO sin and claim they don't know it!

Preacher's Kid

TURKEYS & EAGLES

The question I posed on yesterday's blog, as well as the upcoming questions, have been taken from Peter Lord's book, "Turkeys and Eagles." (Your local Christian bookstore can order you a copy. It's excellent reading!)

Pastor Lord weaves a fascinating tale of two eaglet siblings, Hagen and Selin, who represent new-born Christians. Their parents, who represent spiritual leaders, forsake their babies as they want to start a new family (another church) rather than nurture and disciple their little ones!

In desperation, Hagen and his sister Selin, jump out of their nest, and fall to the ground where they are adopted by a flock of turkeys. The turkeys, however, drill it into the minds and hearts of the ususpecting eaglets (since they really don't know who they are) that they are nothing but no-good, rotten buzzards. No one has ever told them, you see, that they are eagles, that they are destined for the wide open spaces of the skies!

Although the eaglets feel the pull of the skies, the turkeys keep reminding them they are NEVER to look upward. Instead they must keep their heads down as they forage for their food. But the wild berries and seeds don't satisfy the taste buds of the poor, mislead eaglets.

Hagen does not willingly accept the habits and food of the turkeys and looks longingly into the sky whenever he sees the majestic eagles flying so freely. Realizing he is not a turkey, and thinking he is nothing but a no-good, rotten buzzard, he leaves the "turkeydoo" (false religion) and slinks off alone into the forest. He becomes severely depressed until eventually a wise old owl reveals to him that he has been duped, that he is not a buzzard, not even a turkey, but a glorious eagle!

How thrilling, when Hagen finally learns the truth, to hear him give a wild screech of recognition of who he really is and watch him sail off, higher and higher, into the freedom of the skies for which he was born!

The gist of the book can be summed up in one sentence: "It is difficult to soar with eagles when you live with turkeys!" Everything, of course, is spiritualized.

I hope this brief condensation of Peter Lord's story serves as "fodder" for you to meditate on, and I'll see you tomorrow with another question!

Preacher's Kid

QUESTION #1

I have a series of questions for you. We'll try to do one a day, and maybe this will help keep me more regular with my blogs!

Is the following statement a good definition of a Christian? A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF A CHRISTIAN IS A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE.

If you said that's a good definition, you're wrong! It's an ACCURATE statement, of course, but not a GOOD definition.

What's my logic? Well, you WERE a sinner. And you WERE saved by grace. But NOW you're no longer a sinner -- you're a saint!

What? Me? A saint? No way!

Do you know what the word "saint" means? It simply means "a holy one." Are you holy? If you've been washed in the precious blood of Jesus, yes, you are holy!

If you think of yourself as a poor, miserable, no-good sinner, that indicates you live in fear, condemnation and uncertainty.

But if you are born again, you are a saint, a holy person. You're a child of God. You're royalty. Learn to know who you are in Christ Jesus. And from now on, start thinking of yourself as loved by God, a new creation, forgiven, a saint, a holy person!

Preacher's Kid

REDEMPTION

What does redemption and salvation really mean?

Most of us have been taught it is forgiveness of sins. Yes, indeed, it is. But it is SO MUCH MORE! Church lingo differs from denomination to denomination. Other terminology is often used in describing salvation such as "being born again", "getting religion", "joining the church", "giving our heart to the Lord", "getting converted", etc.

But what does the Bbile say? Have we been taught the truth of 2 Cor. 5:17? "If any man is in Christ Jesus, he is a New Creation." Our sins are not only forgiven, we're new creatures! We've been delivered from Satan's bondage and set free from his dominion. He has no power over us. Instead WE HAVE POWER OVER HIM!

Our sins are not only forgiven, we're children of God. Not only are our sins forgiven -- and that is a wonderful, miraculous thing -- we've also been made a partaker of the Divine Nature; we have the same spirit dwelling in us that raised Jesus from the dead, and that is one powerful Spirit! We have become the righteousness of God. We have been given the Name of Jesus. We have eternal life. Space limits me from listing Scripture for each of these concepts, but the Bible plainly backs up everything I've mentioned, and more besides.

Why haven't we been taught these things? Why aren't we using all the means of spiritual growth that God has provided for us?

Let's start searching the Word of God to discover the wonders of our redemption and then begin to live on a higher plane spiritually than we ever have before.

Yes, we rejoice that our sins have been forgiven. But now let's claim and walk in all the other blessings that are part of this wonderful, glorious plan of salvation!

We've been living beneath our privileges long enough.

Preacher's Kid

FEAR

This will be short and sweet, but it's so good I wanted to share it!

A few weeks ago I talked about all the "Fear Nots" in the Bible -- one for each day of the year. The other day I ran across the neatest definition of the word "fear" I believe I've ever seen.

F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal

How's that for an eye-opener? Today create your own blog in your mind by meditating on that acrostic!

See ya next time!

Preacher's Kid

PRISONERS OF WAR

The story is told of the end of the Second World War. Japan had surrendered to the Allied armies. But because news didn't travel as fast as it does today, it took time for the notice of victory to reach some isolated areas. Consequently, many Allied soldiers continued to suffer at the hands of the Japanese even though Japan had been defeated.

Such was the case of General Jonathan Wainwright and his fellow prisoners at a prison camp near Mukden, Manchuria, who continued to obey rules that were no longer in force ALL BECAUSE OF A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE! These men gave respect to a system that no longer existed. They continued to be prisoners of a foe that had been conquered.

What a picture of many Christians today! Although Satan was defeated by Christ Jesus over 2000 years ago, some of God's people are still prisoners of war, giving in to a satanic system that has no right to exert authority over them.

Stop and ask yourself at this point if that description fits you!

Back to our story. One day a paratrooper managed to sneak a letter through the fence to a prisoner of war and told him to deliver it to General Wainwright as quickly as possible. Imagine the joy and celebration in that camp when they learned the war had ended! The General called for the commanding officer of the prison, showed him the letter and DEMANDED their freedom IN THE NAME OF GENERAL MacARTHUR who had written and signed the letter! As a sign of surrender, General Wainwright also demanded that the commanding officer surrender his sword, and the officer had no choice but to obey!

Say, have you read YOUR letter (the Bible) yet? If not, turn to Luke 10:19: "Behold, I give unto you power" -- or authority in the original Greek -- "to tread on serpents and scorpions, and OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

When the devil comes around trying to intimidate you with fear, temptation, sickness, unbelief, etc., point out to him some of the choice paragraphs (Scriptures) in your "letter" and DEMAND HE SURRENDER HIS SWORD IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

No longer are you under Satan's authority, for he is a defeated foe! You are free from his dominion. And don't be afraid to assert your authority and tell him so!

Preacher's Kid

WRESTLING (WITH SATAN, THAT IS)

I'm not a sports fan -- never have been! But there is an opponent I'm engaged in a wrestling match with! And that's everyone's good-for-nothing foe, the devil!

Colossians 2:15 (Amplified Bible) says "[God] disarmed the principalties and powers ranged against us and made bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]." In other words, God took all the devil's weapons away from him! And do you think He's ever given them back? Of course not!

Scripture confirms this. (Remember -- "in the mouth of two or three witnesses" Matt. 18:16, 2 Cor. 13:1) "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil." I John 3:8.

OK, if Satan has lost his weapons, if his works have been destroyed, why is he so powerul today? Or is he? As far as the Christian is concerned, Satan is no more powerful in our lives than we let him be! Wow! Why haven't we been taught that?

II Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan is still "the god of this world." Ephesians 2:2 reminds us that he is still "the prince of the power of the air". And Ephesians 6:12 warns us we're still in a wrestling match, there's still a spiritual combat to be won! And if the devil has no weapons left, why does James 4:7 tell us to resist him? It also encourages us that he will flee from us when we oppose and resist him. (I hope you look up and study these Scriptures, for THEY ARE OUR WEAPONS!)

So, if Satan has lost his weapons, what gives, anyhow? We find the answer in Ephesians 6:11. We must become aware of "the WILES of the devil." What are "wiles"? Tricks, deceptions, schemes, etc. If we gullibly believe Satan's lies, he gains power over us.

You've heard of people who rob banks by claiming to have a gun when, in fact, they have no weapon at all. And if Satan makes us believe he has his weapons and can do what he threatens to do to us, it's just as good as though he really does have his weapons back! Satan has deceived the greater part of the human race into believing his trickery and lies in this regard!

So here's what I want you to think about today. The reason we still have problems with sin, sickness, fear, death, depression, etc., is because we believe what the devil says about those things more than we believe what God says about them!

Yes, Jesus won complete victory over Satan, but WE MUST ENFORCE OR APPLY THAT VICTORY IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS! We've been given authority to do this in Luke 10:19: "I give unto you power . . . over all the power of the enemy." (And "greater is he that in you, than he that is in the world." I John 4:4.)

Do you believe that? REALLY believe it?

Preacher's Kid