Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
— 2 Timothy 1:6

Do you ever struggle to keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in your heart? Perhaps it sometimes feels like all that is left burning are a few small embers — or perhaps even the embers are starting to die out and become cold! How do you stoke that fire inside you so that it begins burning in your heart again? That’s what I want to talk to you about today. But let me begin by turning to a story from our family’s earliest days in the former USSR and what we learned about keeping the fire burning.

We had purchased an abandoned apartment in the heart of our city. It was in miserable condition — so ruined that it should have been condemned. But after restoration work was complete, the apartment was just as elegant as it had been in the years before the Soviet occupation. Before restoration, the apartment was a morass of mold, collapsed ceilings, and plaster falling off the walls. But when the work was complete, the walls were covered with fine wallpaper, and magnificent chandeliers hung once again from giant, hand-carved medallions in the center of the ceilings. The giant crown molding that wrapped around the ceilings of each room had been meticulously restored. Every room had beautiful, new parquet floors to match those that had existed before the Revolution. And the nine fireplaces — one for each big room and in each bedroom — were the most magnificent features of all. Once restored, they looked like something that belonged in a museum! Meanwhile, every other apartment in the building still remained in a state of devastation and abandonment.

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Eventually the whole building would be beautifully restored, but when we moved into our apartment, the other apartments and the central staircase of the building looked like something that had been bombed in World War II. It looked so abandoned that derelicts slept in our entry way. We were told by city authorities that the city-wide heating system would be connected to the building before winter, so we installed new pipes to carry the heat to every room in preparation of wonderful heat. But as the weather turned cold and winter approached, it was apparent that heat was not coming that year and our family would be living in freezing temperatures inside our apartment. This was a serious problem, because that city got very cold in the winter.

Suddenly those museum-quality fireplaces became necessities — and we started using those lavish fireplaces to provide heat for our home. Transporting wood was difficult because we lived downtown and there was no nearby source of wood. But in that desperate situation, our young sons — Paul, Philip, and Joel — came up with an idea about where we could get wood so our family would have heat for the winter. When it’s really cold, that’s a good time to get creative! So our sons, out of their desire not to feel cold, thought of something Denise and I would have never thought of in a million years.

The apartment directly below us was in such a horrible condition and it was owned by no one. When we first purchased our own apartment, it was so ruined that the bathroom had a hole next to the toilet. Men had “missed” the toilet for so many years that the urine had eaten a hole through the floor! That apartment under us was so unkempt and so destroyed that nothing could be salvaged. Walls were half gone; fireplaces were destroyed; and there was no glass in the windows! That latter feature was especially bad for us because our apartment, located directly above, felt the effect of the freezing winter wind blowing through the apartment beneath our floor.

The floors of that lower apartment had once been splendid parquet with all types of inlaid exotic woods and designs. But those same floors had become ruined from water leaks, and the parquet tiles were half ripped up and lying all over the apartment in irreparable, shattered pieces.

One morning when Denise and I were pondering what to do with the cold temperatures that were getting worse by the day and hour, our three sons disappeared — but they soon reappeared, walking through the front door of our apartment with armloads of 100-year-old parquet flooring that they had gathered from the devastated apartment below. Denise and I watched as the two older boys shoved that old parquet into the doors of our fireplaces and then lit each fire. They worked on them until a blaze was going strong in each of those old museum pieces all over the apartment. The wood was so old and dry that it began quickly popping and burning. Soon our apartment was warming up in every room, fueled by the wood from the apartment below that our sons had collected and put on the fire.

When it started to get cold again, we’d throw open the door to the fireplaces to see if the fire was going out, and if we saw that there was nothing left but embers, our sons would throw on their jackets, rush down two flights of steps to the abandoned apartment below, and rip up more flooring (which any eventual buyer would have had to replace anyway). Soon they’d be back with armloads of antique parquet flooring. First, the boys would break it into smaller pieces; then they would shove it through the fireplace doors into the fire, and almost immediately the house would start warming up again.

As long as wood was on the fire, we could be assured that we would have heat. But if there was no wood left to burn or if only embers were left, it was certain that the fire would go out unless we took action. Fuel was essential to keep those fireplaces going, for when fuel of any sort is depleted, the fire eventually goes out.

Often there was enough wood to keep the fire burning, but it needed to be stoked — moved around and repositioned with a long poker. We’d insert that long iron rod into the wood and embers; then we’d rigorously rake them back and forth and side to side to provide more oxygen for the embers so the fire would keep burning longer. In fact, if we didn’t regularly stoke those embers and fan the flames, we discovered that the fire could go out even if there was enough wood to keep it burning. Those embers had to be tended to regularly to keep the fire going.

As I personally took my turns to stoke the embers, I regularly meditated on Paul’s words to Timothy in Second Timothy 1:6. In that verse, Paul wrote, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

The words “stir up” are from the Greek word anadzoopureoo, a triple compound of the Greek words, ana, zoos, and pur. The word ana carries the idea of repeating an earlier action or doing something again. The word zoos is from the word zao, which means to be enthusiastic, to be fervent, to be passionate, to be vigorous, to be wholehearted, or to be zealous. The word pur is the Greek word for fire — but it must be noted that in Classical Greek, fire was a life-giving force. Fire was used on the hearths of every ancient home to keep people warm; it was used in matters related to the divine and supernatural; and it was used as a force to defeat enemies. Fire was central to life and considered both practically and spiritually essential for one’s existence.

When these three words are compounded, they form the Greek word anadzoopureoo — which is the very word Paul used in Second Timothy 1:6 when he told the younger minister to “stir up” the gift of God that was in him. It implies that the fire in Timothy’s heart had ebbed to embers on a low burn. Hence, Paul told the younger minister to passionately and rigorously begin again to stoke and stir up the gift of God in his life, just as one would stoke the embers of a fire in a hearth or fireplace. Paul was not just kindly suggesting that Timothy take action; the apostle was commanding Timothy to spiritually reach within and begin to rekindle the fire in his heart.

At the time Paul wrote this epistle to Timothy, this young man was surrounded by confusion resulting from the intense persecution that was taking place. Is it possible that he was exhausted and that his own fire was beginning to wane? Most likely the answer is yes. But regardless of Timothy’s current state, Paul told him to take action before the fire went out. Timothy was to open the door to his heart, look inside to determine the condition of his inward fire, and then take action to “put more wood on the fire” and stir up the gift of God inside him. This would not occur accidentally but would require a proactive response. If Timothy would obey Paul’s command, that inward fire would blaze again and Timothy would once again have fire burning in the center of his being. The younger minister would be reconnected to the supernatural power of God and provided with a weapon that would consume his spiritual adversaries. Wow!

In those early days of living in the former Soviet Union, the Renner family learned that if we intended to have heat in our freezing apartment, we would have to become proactive to make it happen. We had to find fuel; we had to carry it upstairs; we had to open the door to the fireplaces; we had to put the fuel into the fire; and we had to stoke the fuel regularly throughout the day to keep it burning. And if we started to hit a low burn, it meant we had to begin the process all over. Our choices were to be proactive and do what was required or to freeze.

It is the same for you. If your “fire” is at a low burn or close to going out, it’s time for you to take Paul’s words to heart “to stir up” the gift of God that is inside you. You cannot depend on someone else to do something so vital for you. So ask the Holy Spirit how to do it — how to open the door to your heart and take an honest look on the inside to assess your need. Then let Him show you how to proceed in fueling your fire and stirring up those embers so that you will once again become a bright blazing inferno for Jesus Christ!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I confess that I need to stir up the gift of God that is in me. There was a time when it seemed the fires burned much brighter, but for one reason or another, I’ve allowed the flame in my spirit to grow colder. I take responsibility for this, as it is my heart, and I ask You to forgive me for letting my condition go this far. Today I am accepting responsibility, and I will look at my heart and determine the truth. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin to actively and vigorously rekindle that glorious spiritual fire that You intended to burn inside me. Help me, Holy Spirit, to do this not just once, but to continually put spiritual fuel into my heart and stoke the embers.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that my heart is a hearth for the fire of the Holy Spirit. It is God’s will for my heart to be spiritually ablaze, and today I will begin to do what I must do to rekindle the flame to burn as it once did and to blaze even brighter. I will not allow distractions — whether they come from my own busy schedule, from others, or even from myself — to take my attention off my spiritual condition ever again. I recognize my failure to tend to the fire has affected me, and I declare that from this moment onward, I will dutifully stoke the fire and the gifts of God that have been placed inside me. I will find fuel for the fire and I will take responsibility to make certain it is placed on the hearth of my heart regularly so that the fire burns bright continuously.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you remember a time when your heart was literally “ablaze” with the things of God? What happened along the way to affect that fire? Have you ever stopped to ponder what you could have done differently to keep it burning regardless of the events that occurred around you?
2. What is your source of spiritual fuel? What feeds you? What keeps your heart on track and ablaze? It would be good for you to take a few minutes to write down the sources that regularly feed your heart and keep you stirred up as you serve Jesus.
3. How long has it been since you paused long enough to really look inside the door of your heart to see how much fuel is still there? Do you spend time with God daily and allow the Holy Spirit to do an inventory of your spiritual condition? If not, why not? This is important enough that you should start doing it every day.

Relax From the Stresses of Life

And to you who are troubled rest with us….
— 2 Thessalonians 1:7

If you have been under a lot of stress, pressure, and anxiety lately, I think Paul’s words in Second Thessalonians 1:7 are meant just for you! Read carefully, because you’re going to find real encouragement and instruction today that will help you find peace in the midst of trouble.

When Paul wrote the book of Second Thessalonians, the believers in the city of Thessalonica were undergoing horrifying persecution. The persecution in this city was worse than it was in other places because Christians were being hunted both by pagan idol worshipers and by unbelieving Jews who detested the Gospel message. As a result of these threatening conditions, members of the Thessalonian church were suffering, and some even paid the price of dying for the Gospel. However, in spite of these afflictions and pressures from outside forces, this congregation refused to surrender to defeat.

When Paul addressed these believers in Second Thessalonians, they had already been under this stress and pressure for a long period of time. The assaults against them had been like a stream of unrelenting poundings from which they had no pause. Naturally, they were exhausted — extremely tired, worn out, and fatigued. It had been a very long time since they had put up their feet and taken a break! The idea of unwinding or lightening up almost seemed like a fantasy. But everyone needs to rest at some point!

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If you’ve been going through a prolonged period of hardship due to persecution, your business, your family, your relationships, your finances, or your children, you still must learn how to rest in the Lord, even in the middle of that difficult situation you are facing. If you don’t, the battle will wear you out!

That’s why Paul told the Thessalonians, “And to you who are troubled rest with us.…” The word “troubled” tells us the extent of their hardships. It is the Greek word thlipsis, a word Paul often employs when he describes difficult events that he and his team have encountered. This word is so strong that it is impossible to misunderstand the intensity of these persecutions. It conveys the idea of a heavy-pressure situation. In fact, one scholar commented that the word thlipsis was first used to describe the specific act of tying a victim with a rope, laying him on his back, and then placing a huge boulder on top of him until his body was crushed. As time progressed, this word came to describe any situation that was crushing or debilitating.

One example of this can be found in Second Corinthians 1:8, where Paul writes, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia.…” The word “trouble” in this verse is also from the word thlipsis. It could be translated, “We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of the horribly tight, life-threatening squeeze that came to us in Asia.…” By using this word, Paul lets us know that his time in Asia was one of the most grueling nightmares he had ever undergone. In fact, when he was in the midst of the situation, he didn’t even know if he would survive it!

Now this is exactly the word Paul uses when he writes to the Thessalonian believers and says, “To those of you who are troubled.…” The word “troubled” alerts us to the fact that they were not just mildly suffering; they were horrifically suffering — and as noted earlier, this suffering had gone on for a very long time. But because Paul had been in these types of adverse circumstances himself on different occasions and had victoriously survived, he knew that for the Thessalonians to outlast these difficulties, they needed to take a break from the pressure! That is why he told them, “…Rest with us.”

The word “rest” come from the Greek word anesis, which means to let up, to relax, to stop being stressed, or to find relief. One scholar comments that the word anesis was used in the secular Greek world to denote the release of a bowstring that has been under great pressure. It was also used figuratively to mean relaxation from the stresses of life and freedom to have a little recreation. By using this word, Paul urges the believers in the city of Thessalonica to find relief from the constant stress they are undergoing as a result of opposition to their faith. Paul exhorts them to let it go, shake it off, and learn how to relax, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

An interpretive translation of this verse could be:

“To you who are still going through difficulties right now, it’s time for you to let up, take a breather, and relax. We know what it’s like to be under pressure, but no one can stay under that kind of stress continuously. So join us in learning how to loosen up a bit. Shake off your troubles, and allow yourself a little relaxation and time for recreation….”

I realize that when you’re dealing with problems, a vacation is the last thing on your mind! You just want to survive the challenge and make a transition into the next phase of your life — and to do it as soon as possible! You may even feel that it’s irresponsible for you to put up your feet and relax for a while. But even God rested on the seventh day!

Take Paul’s counsel to heart, and allow yourself a little relaxation and time for recreation — time away from your problems. When it’s time to come back and face those problems again, you’ll be refreshed and recharged with renewed vision. You’ll see that challenge with new eyes, and you’ll face it with new strength. Yes, I know it’s hard to allow yourself the time to do what I’m suggesting. But, friend, your survival depends on it. If you don’t take a break from that constant stress, it will keep wearing you down until you become easy prey for the devil.

So say goodbye to your problems today. Take a break, and allow yourself a little time to rest, relax, and recuperate!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I admit that I’ve been carrying the worries, stresses, and pressures of life for too long. Before I do anything else, I want to cast these burdens over onto You today. I am tempted to worry that the problems I’m facing won’t work out, but taking them into my own hands and worrying about them isn’t going to make the situation any better. So I repent for letting myself become consumed with worry about things I cannot change, and I turn them all over to You today. Please help me stay free of anxiety as I learn to relax and enjoy life a little more than I’ve been enjoying it lately!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I need to set aside time for relaxation and recreation. Starting today, I’m going to take a break from my problems. I am casting my burdens on the Lord; as a result, I know I will be refreshed, recharged, and given a renewed vision. After a little rest, I will see my challenge with new eyes, and I’ll face it with new strength. I know my survival depends on this, so today I choose to take a break from the constant stress I’ve been dealing with before I get worn down and become easy prey for the devil. God will give me the strength and energy I need to get up and get going so I can complete the work He has entrusted into my hands.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When was the last time you took some time to rest and relax from the pressures in your life?

2. What are some signs in your life that you need to take time to rest and gain a fresh perspective about the situations you’re facing right now?

3. What are some of the best ways you’ve discovered that help you rest and recuperate during a stressful time in your life?

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Revelation 2:6

So hast thou also them that hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Revelation 2:15

I personally think the word “hate” should rarely be used. But in Revelation 2:6 and 15, Jesus used the word “hate” twice when He referred to the teachings and deeds of a group of erring spiritual leaders that were finding some success in the churches at Ephesus and Pergamum. He referred to these erring leaders as Nicolaitans. (I suggest you read pages 631-635 in Sparkling Gems 1, to learn more about the Nicolaitans and their origins.)

The word “hate” in these verses is from the Greek word miseo, which means to hate, to abhor, or to find utterly repulsive. It describes a deep-seated animosity to something that one finds to be completely objectionable. A person experiencing this level of miseo not only loathes the object of his animosity, but he rejects it entirely. This is not just a dislike; it is a case of actual hatred.

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Christ didn’t hate these individuals whom He called Nicolaitans, but He certainly hated what they were teaching — which was a doctrine of inclusiveness and compromise to the Church. Unfortunately, this doctrine has reemerged in recent years. In the Christian world today, there are some spiritual leaders who, like the Nicolaitans of the past, seek a dangerous truce with the world under the guise of inclusiveness and compromise. Many of these emerging spiritual leaders once held strong doctrinal positions, upholding the Bible as true and absolute — but over time, they have shaped their beliefs to meld with the changing moral climate of society, and in the process, they have produced a Gospel very different from the one presented in the Bible.

Although the world may change, Hebrews 13:8 teaches that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever — and truth does not change based on societal trends. Truth is truth, regardless of the particular brand of immorality society has labeled “acceptable.” Today, just as before, whenever believers take a firm stand on absolute truth, they are viewed by the world as intolerant. But when it comes to the eternal truth of God’s Word, there is no room to mitigate or adapt one’s beliefs.

Those who practice spiritual compromise generally believe that Christ is just one of many acceptable types of faith. The big issue to them is not truth, but respect. As such, truth takes a second seat to equally honoring the beliefs of other people, even if those beliefs are diametrically opposed to the doctrines of the Bible. Ultimately, Christ is demoted in their minds, viewed as just one option among many. According to this inclusive mindset, everyone is right and no one is wrong. This modern belief system harbors dangerous similarities with both the pagan mindset of the Roman Empire and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans that Christ “hated.”

As the problem of worldly compromise continues to spread in the Church and to be promoted by some of today’s most visible Christian leaders, it is vital for believers to be able to recognize the modern signs that point to a rise of Nicolaitanism in the Church today. The following list doesn’t necessarily represent every indicator of modern Nicolaitanism. However, it provides sufficient evidence to prove a direct parallel in modern times to the spiritual error that was developing in congregations in the latter years of the First Century.

No emphasis on living holy and separated from the world.

Modern Nicolaitanism dresses itself in the guise of inclusivity. Rather than living separately from the world, those who espouse this view reason, “Since everyone is right and no one wrong both spiritually and morally, why should there be a need for separation?” Leading denominational churches have taken the position that the time has come to help lesbians and homosexuals blend into the church community and lead “holy” lives along with other church members. This sentiment mirrors the teaching of the Nicolaitans of the First Century, for these modern-day church leaders promote a message that will make them more acceptable with the multitude instead of one that will put them in opposition with the expectations of modern society.

No emphasis on the doctrinal teaching of the Bible.

Modern Nicolaitanism dresses itself in the guise of progressiveness, dismissing much of the Bible as being too restrictive or exclusive of other people’s beliefs. Instead of being a guide to absolute truth, the Bible is used merely as a reference for illustrations, motivational sermons, inspirational ideas, principles to build a marriage or business, and so on.

Today this trend is so rampant in the Church that the basic tenets of the Christian faith are largely not known by most churchgoers, especially by those who are younger. Basic Bible doctrines such as the virgin birth, the sinlessness of Christ, sin, salvation, holiness, and eternal judgment are often unknown, inadequately taught, or considered optional. Where modern Nicolaitanism prevails, sound doctrine is replaced with social action, social justice, and an attempt to appeal to mass audiences by making people feel better about themselves. Thus, true doctrinal teaching of the Bible is diminished, replaced by different variants of watered-down, “politically correct” instruction.

No emphasis on absolute truth or absolute biblical morality.

Modern Nicolaitanism dresses itself in the guise of being open-minded. It cries that it is unfair and unjust to assert that beliefs alone are the absolute foundation for truth. Even if we believe what we believe, it makes allowances that we may be wrong or that others are equally right but with a different approach. To demonstrate how deeply this damaging influence has already permeated the Church, it is a statistical fact that more than half of evangelical Christians do not believe in absolute truth. These statistics — which reflect a general change in society and in the Church — are growing at such an alarming rate that they will no doubt be out of date by the time the first issue of this book is published. To understand where this trend is headed, just hold an honest conversation with young people under the age of 25, and you will learn firsthand that many young people, even young Christian men and women, hold a negative view of people who adhere to absolute truth or absolute morality.

No exclusionary belief that Christ alone is the Way to Heaven.

Modern Nicolaitanism dresses itself in the guise of tolerance, asserting that everyone has a piece of the truth. It ultimately levels the playing field and makes Christianity simply “a truth” among other truths. If the doctrine of Nicolaitanism is followed to its logical conclusion, it eventually leads to universalism, which is the belief that everyone and everything — even Satan and hell — will ultimately be reconciled to God. In fact, it is a pagan premise that there are many roads leading to the same eventual destination in the afterlife and that every person should therefore be able to find his own way.

According to this mindset, to categorically declare that Christ alone is the way to Heaven is to be nonsensical and intolerant. Christians who adhere to some Nicolaitan principles have not usually followed this teaching to its ultimate conclusion and would be shocked if they did. Yet the doctrine of universalism is the inevitable destination at which this doctrine must eventually arrive. A recent survey conducted among one of the most Bible-based groups reveals that more than one-third of young Christians in America believe that adherence to the teachings of Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, and other religious leaders all lead to Heaven. We are often reminded that young people are the leaders of the next generation. If this is so, what then are the implications of these statistics for the next generation of the Church?

There are many other indicators of modern Nicolaitanism, but these are the primary signs. These faulty beliefs reveal doctrinal ignorance and result in a powerless, weakened version of Christianity where sin is tolerated, separation is ignored, and the need for ongoing repentance is disregarded.

Jesus was repulsed by the teachings of the Nicolaitans and loathed their presence in the churches at Ephesus and Pergamum. While He loved them as individuals, He found their teachings to be utterly objectionable.

Although the Bible instructs us to love everyone, we must think like Jesus thinks when it comes to any teachings that result in a diluted, powerless, compromised version of Christianity. If we are to be like Jesus, we must think like Jesus — and what Jesus hates, we also must hate. Now, that’s something for you to think about today.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I know that we are living in the last times, and during these days, false teachers will arise that will lure many people into compromise with the world. I ask You to heighten my spiritual discernment, make me sensitive to what I see and hear, and keep my spirit alert so that I will not consume strange doctrines that can only produce powerlessness and weaken my spiritual life. Help me love what You love and loathe what You loathe. As You do, I choose to have a loving attitude toward every person, and I draw on Your love in me to love people even if I loathe what they represent and teach.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I have nothing to do with teachings that will lure people into a powerless, weakened version of Christianity where sin is tolerated, separation is ignored, and the need for ongoing repentance is disregarded. I love everyone, but like Jesus, I do not appreciate or tolerate teachings that suggest there is no need for repentance or that we never need to change or be transformed. Holy Spirit, I know that You are calling us to be different from the world, and I declare my intention to You to cooperate with Your sanctifying work of holiness inside me. My deepest desire is to be like Jesus and not to tolerate the things of the world in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Based on what you have read in today’s Sparkling Gem, do you recognize anyone who is teaching and leading others in the error of the Nicolaitanism?
2. How will you pray for those you think may be teaching or following this error?
3. Think of those whom you allow to influence you. Do they encourage you to live a life of holiness, separation from worldly attitudes and actions, and repentance? Or do they suggest that these qualities are unnecessary? Your answer to this question is very important, so think deeply about it.

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.
— Hebrews 10:24,25

When I was growing up, every time the door was open for a church event, the Renner clan was there. But my all-time favorite event of the week involved eating Bobbie Jo’s biscuits. I’m talking about the large, fluffy, butter-covered biscuits that were baked and then served by the church cook each week at our church’s Wednesday night supper before the midweek service.

To a young Rick Renner, there was just nothing in the world to compare to Bobbie Jo’s golden, fluffy biscuits. Although it’s been many decades since I’ve eaten one of them, I can still hear her yelling, “RICKY RENNER — get out of this kitchen and keep your hands off the biscuits!” I was always trying to sneak an extra biscuit before or after dinner was served!

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The Wednesday night church meal included regular servings of ketchup-covered meatloaf, creamy mashed potatoes with heavy brown gravy, and cherry or apple pie. But for me, Bobbie Jo’s biscuits were the “grand slam” of everything on the menu. However, what really indelibly marked my life, more than those biscuits, was the rich fellowship that transpired around those tables each Wednesday night among the people who ate together at our church supper. Those people were pillars in our church — people we knew would always be there; those on whom we could depend; people we knew really loved us. They were such consistent examples to me as a young boy. Around those tables of fellowship, these men and women spoke strength into each other’s lives. Much of what I believe about church fellowship was formed in those Wednesday night suppers. Fellowship — what a gift from God it is to you and me and to our local churches!

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25, “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.”

Apparently there were already some believers in the First Century who were skipping church. People tend to stay away from church and other believers when they get discouraged. Perhaps these Christians are embarrassed that their faith isn’t working as well as they think it should. Perhaps they’re ashamed that they’re still struggling with problems that they believe should have been conquered long ago. They don’t want anyone to know they’re still wrestling with the same old issues, so they disappear from sight.

The writer of Hebrews used a Greek word that tells us why most Christians start “forsaking” the assembling of themselves together. In Greek, the word “forsaking” is egkataleipontes, which is a compound of three different Greek words: ek, kata, and leipo. The word ek means out; the down kata means down; and the word leipo means behind or to be lacking. When these three words are compounded, the new word pictures a person who feels out, down, and behind. In other words, he feels like he’s outside the circle of his group; he feels discouraged or depressed; and he feels like everyone else has surpassed him. This word describes someone who feels extremely left out and defeated. He feels like he’s trailing far behind everyone else in his spiritual life or in his life in general. To him, it seems like everyone is succeeding but him. Yet rather than go to church to be encouraged and strengthened, this person allows his emotions to control him and he starts missing church meetings. In other words, he “forsakes” the assembly of believers.

Have you noticed that when Christians need encouragement the most, it’s often the time they start running from church? They decide to skip church, stay home, and do something else instead. They isolate themselves when they’re in their greatest need of encouragement!

Hebrews 10:25 says it’s important that we meet because we need “exhorting” from one another. The word “exhorting” in Greek is parakaleo, a compound of the words para and kaleo. Para means alongside, and kaleo means to call, to beckon, or to speak to someone. When these two words are compounded, the new word depicts someone who comes right alongside a person, urging him, beseeching him, and begging him to make some kind of correct decision.

In the ancient Greek world, the word parakaleo was often used by military leaders before they sent their troops into battle. Rather than hide from the painful reality of war, the leaders would summon their troops together and speak straightforwardly with them about the potential dangers of the battlefield. The leaders would also tell their troops about the glories of winning a major victory.

Instead of ignoring these clear-cut dangers of battle, these officers came right alongside their troops and urged, exhorted, beseeched, begged, and pleaded with them to stand tall, throwback their shoulders, look the enemy straight on, eyeball to eyeball, and face their battles bravely. All these ideas are contained in the word “exhort” in Hebrews 10:25.

If you know someone who is discouraged because his fight isn’t won yet, speak to that person truthfully and forthrightly, the way a commanding officer would speak to his troops. Remind that person of others who have stood the test of time and won their battles. Be sure to remind him of the sweetness of victory when the battle is over. He needs to hear a passionate, heartfelt word of exhortation from you!

I think that this is the real reason I loved Wednesday night suppers at our church when I was growing up. Sure, Bobbie Jo’s biscuits were terrific. But even those big fluffy, buttery biscuits could not compare to the fellowship, encouragement, and love that was exchanged across those tables as people ate together. It was truly a weekly love feast.

Although decades have passed and people have moved away to various places, most of these church members still stay in touch and deeply love one another. They were real troops who encouraged each other — and if someone disappeared, we looked until we found them! We weren’t going to let them fall out of fellowship simply because they were discouraged! That’s when they needed us the most!

Maybe you know someone who has forsaken the assembling of himself with other believers in church. Maybe you’ve even done it. I want to encourage you today: Stay in fellowship, and don’t forsake the assembling of yourself together with other believers. If you’re feeling “out, down, and behind,” confess that to someone you trust spiritually and let that person pray with you. And if you notice that someone has recently been missing from church, realize that the devil may be assaulting his mind. Or perhaps his faith feels a little tired, and that person needs some strengthening from someone like you. So make it your aim today to find that individual and speak words of encouragement to him to get him back to the table of rich fellowship with the brethren!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for my church family and for the encouragement I receive from other church members. You have called us to be a body. I don’t want to allow myself to be disconnected when discouragement tries to wage war against my mind and emotions. Help me run to fellowship in times like that instead of letting the devil talk me into staying away. The devil knows that fellowship will strengthen me and others. That is why he tries to keep us apart from each other during the times when we need each other the most. So today I take a firm stand against this diabolical strategy and declare that I will stay connected to my church family and other believers — and I will do all I can to keep others connected as well because we are stronger together!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the enemy’s plan to separate me from others will not work! God’s Word plainly says that I am not to forsake the assembling of myself with other believers, and I will obey what the Word tells me to do. Even if I am under assault emotionally, assembling to fellowship with others is one thing I simply will not negotiate. Nothing will keep me from gathering with other believers to receive and to give supernatural strength. Furthermore, I choose to be a voice that speaks encouragement to others who are feeling outside, let down, or left behind. Rather than focus on myself and my own needs, I will focus on how to become a source of strength to others who are around me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have there been moments in your life when you ran from Christian fellowship because you were discouraged? What happened in your thinking to convince you that you should stay away from other believers in such a moment?
2. Do you know anyone right now who has disappeared from church? Have you wondered where that person is? Do you know if anyone has checked on him or her? Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you today, encouraging you to seek out that person?
3. Most churches don’t have Wednesday night suppers anymore. What other avenues of fellowship — Sunday school, small-group studies, etc. — does your church offer that you can take advantage of? Have you looked to see what is available for you to attend in order to receive and give strength to others?

A Guaranteed Way To Infuriate the Holy Spirit

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
— James 4:5

I know you want to please the Spirit of God with your life, so today I want to tell you about something that is guaranteed not to please Him. By knowing this, you can avoid grieving Him and can concentrate your attention on doing those things that are sure to bring Him pleasure.

James 4:5 says, “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” I want to draw your attention to the word “envy” in this verse. But first I want to back up and speak to you about the “lust” that the Holy Spirit feels for you and me.

I noted in the February 14 Sparkling Gem that the word “lust” is the Greek word epipotheo, a word that portrays an intense desire; a craving; a hunger; an ache; a yearning for something; a longing or pining for something. Usually this word is used to indicate an intense yearning for something that is morally wrong and sinful. But in James 4:5, this Greek word describes the intense yearning that the Holy Spirit possesses to have us entirely for Himself. Because the word epipotheo is used to depict the Spirit’s longing to have us, it expresses the deep love and affection that the Spirit of God has for every believer.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

However, James goes on to tell us that in addition to this intense yearning for us, the Holy Spirit also experiences “envy” regarding you and me. The word “envy” in James 4:5 is the Greek word phthnos, a word that describes a person who is jealous about something; a person who feels rivalry or envy; or a person who holds a grudge because of someone else’s behavior. It also carries the idea of ill will and malice.

This word phthnos is the very word that would have been used to illustrate the emotions a young man experiences when he discovers his spouse is being romantically pursued by someone else. Because James uses this word to depict the Holy Spirit, we need to stop and think about what it means for a few moments.

Anger, resentment, rage, envy, jealousy — these are the emotions a man feels in such a situation. He takes this threat to his marital relationship very personally and holds a grudge against the pursuer. Every time the husband thinks about what that romantic bandit is trying to do, feelings of malice and ill will toward the violator rise up in his soul.

Even more significantly, a man who really loves his wife is not going to sit by and watch his wife be stolen! The envy and jealousy he feels will move him to action — to do everything in his power to win back his wife and permanently eliminate his competitor.

Because the husband is envious, he does all he can to see his relationship with his wife restored. All of these ideas are conveyed by the Greek word phthnos used in James 4:5 when the Bible tells us about the “envy” of the Holy Spirit.

One scholar says the picture contained in the Greek word phthnos could be understood this way:

“The Spirit takes it very personally when we share our lives with the world. He wants us so entirely for Himself that if the world tries to take us away, it infuriates Him. You need to know that in these cases, the Holy Spirit will not idly sit by and watch it happen. He’ll do something to change the situation!”

Not only does it infuriate the Holy Spirit when believers turn their devotion to the world, but it drives Him to intense jealousy. At this point, He will release His full rage against that unholy relationship, moving on the scene like a Divine Lover who has come to defend and rescue the relationship He holds so dear. This is something you can be sure of: If you commit more of your heart, soul, and attention to worldly things than you give to the Spirit of God, He will not take it lightly.

Never forget that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Lover. He is preoccupied with you. He wants to possess you totally, and He desires that your affection be set wholly on Him. That’s why the Holy Spirit feels like a lover who has been robbed if you walk and talk like an unbeliever or give your life to the things of this world. He jealously desires His relationship with you to be restored. He has divine malice toward the worldliness that has usurped His role in your life.

The Holy Spirit is not a passive Partner. He aggressively and actively pursues you. He fiercely wants more of you. When you give part of yourself to something or someone else’s control, the Holy Spirit wants to seize that part of your life and bring it back under His divine control. He even has malice toward your preoccupation with things in this natural realm.

So make your relationship with the Holy Spirit your top priority. Don’t give Him a reason to feel betrayed by or envious of other things in your life that have taken His place. Get to know the Holy Spirit’s voice in your spirit so He can help you set your life in order. Make sure every area of your life is under His loving control!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, if I ever turn my devotion to the world, please move on the scene like a Divine Lover who has come to defend and rescue that relationship You hold so dear. Help me never to forget that You are preoccupied with me and want to possess me totally. I know that You want my desires and affection to be set on You, so if I begin to walk and talk like an unbeliever and give my life to the things of this world, please nudge me and bring conviction to my heart to change. And if I refuse to listen, I ask You to please move with divine malice toward those things that have usurped Your role in my life. 

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I respect the Holy Spirit’s Presence in my life; therefore, I am careful in the way I think, the way I speak, and the way I connect with the world around me. I do not grieve the Spirit of God by allowing worldliness to become a part of my life. He fiercely wants more of me, and I want more of Him. The Holy Spirit is the top priority in my life, and I never do anything that would make Him feel wounded, grieved, or envious. I live a life that pleases Him!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Is your relationship with the Holy Spirit the top priority in your life?

2. Have you allowed anything in your life to usurp the position that only the Holy Spirit should have?

3. Why not take inventory of your “love life” today, asking the Holy Spirit to show you areas in your life where you have allowed your affection to be diverted from Him to other things?

It’s Time for You To Start Acting Like God

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.
— Ephesians 5:1

Have you ever been in a situation that made you so uncomfortable, you wished you could turn and run, but you knew you had to stay? Did you throw a fit and cry in front of everyone, alerting them to the fact that you were upset? Or did you speak to yourself, telling your emotions to get a grip and to be controlled? Did you make the choice to grit your teeth, put a smile on your face, and act like you were happy to be there, although truthfully that wasn’t what you felt at all?

Let me give you two more common scenarios to consider. Have you ever been depressed, but because you were with other people, you had no choice but to smile, laugh, and act as if everything was fine? Or can you remember a moment when you were having a very upsetting or emotional talk with someone in your household — and suddenly the phone rang? Did you notice how your voice changed from sounding gloomy to sounding like a cheerful welcoming committee when you answered the telephone? “Hello! I’m so glad to hear from you. How are you?”

To disguise what you really were feeling in these different situations, you were required to act. All of us have found ourselves in similar situations.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

Acting is an ability that every human being possesses. Children know how to act; teenagers know how to act; husbands and wives know how to act; and employees know how to act. If needed, every person on the planet knows how to switch into an acting mode! Acting is something that everyone can do.

In Ephesians 5:1, the apostle Paul wrote these words: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” The word “followers” is the Greek word mimetes. The word mimetes means to imitate someone or to mimic what you see someone else doing. It was also used to describe actors or performing arts artists who acted on the stage for their profession. In addition, mimetes frequently depicted the modeling of a parent, teacher, champion, or hero. When a person was known for his high moral character, others were encouraged to emulate or copy that person.

The word mimetes is frequently used in the New Testament. For instance, Paul used the word mimetes when he told the Corinthians, “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.” (1 Corinthians 4:16). This verse could be translated, “I’m urging you to act like me! Watch what I do, and duplicate in your own life everything you see in me.…”

In Second Thessalonians 3:7, Paul used the word mimetes when he told the Thessalonians, “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us.…” This could be translated, “It would behoove you to follow our example — to imitate and mimic us with the goal of replicating the things you observe in our lives.”

Hebrews 13:7 also uses the word mimetes. It says, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” The last section of that verse could be translated, “…You need to carefully model your faith after theirs — doing what they do, saying what they say, acting like they act — considering the great maturity and fruit produced by their lives.”

Because Paul uses this word in Ephesians 5:1, he is telling us to model our lives after God. Just as a professional actor is committed to capturing the emotions, looks, voice, character, and even the appearance of the person he is portraying, we are to put our whole heart and soul into imitating God in every sphere of our lives. This means we must make a decision to act like God!

But let’s go back a little to see how Paul begins this verse. He says, “Be ye therefore.…” The Greek word used here is the word ginomai; however, here it appears as the word ginesthe and would be better translated: “Be constantly in the process of becoming.…” It expresses the idea of someone who has started some action in his life and is now continuing to work on it. He hasn’t arrived at his goal yet, but he is committed to keep working on it and to stay in the process of becoming.

Successfully acting like God is not something you will attain the first time you try. For you to capture the emotions, looks, voice, and character of God — in other words, to successfully replicate Him in your life — will require commitment and time. Don’t expect to arrive at this high level of duplication overnight. Instead, resolve to start where you are today; then do more tomorrow. Keep it up until you finally begin to think like God, talk like God, sound like God, and carry yourself in the confidence of God!

When all of this is put together in Ephesians 5:1, it could be interpreted:

“Be constantly in the process of becoming more like God — making it your aim to act like Him, to duplicate Him, and to exactly copy Him in every area of your life….”

I noted already that children, parents, husbands, wives, students, and employees have the ability to act. Very early in life, people learn that they must act a certain way in order to get what they want. If their behavior is wrong, they know that they must act differently. Changing behavior requires a decision to do things differently — to speak differently, to think differently, and to act differently. It all starts with a decision.

Why don’t you make a decision to put your unsanctified emotions, thoughts, feelings, and behavior aside, and start acting like God? What would happen to your life, your family, your church, your community, your nation, and the world if you did that? What would happen if you approached every problem acting as God does when He approaches problems? What difference would it make in your life if you acted like God every time you have to deal with an unloving person?

In all these cases, your world would be dramatically affected if you acted like God. Problems would appear very small, and you’d believe you could overcome every one of them. You’d have sufficient love, patience, and forgiveness for every unloving person.

So why don’t you make the decision to take up acting? Resolve today that in every situation, you’re going to imitate your Heavenly Father, the greatest Role Model of all. And remember, when you face a challenge, you don’t have to sit around wondering what God would say or do. His “script” — His anointed Word — is always available to help you learn how to act like Him!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me make the decision to put my unsanctified emotions, thoughts, feelings, and behavior aside and to start acting like You. I know that if I approached every problem “acting” like You, it would make a huge difference in my life. You see everything from a viewpoint of power and victory, so please help me to see like You, think like You, and act like You. Help me make the decision to change my way of thinking — to learn how to respond as You do to every situation I am confronted with in life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that I am going to take up acting! In every situation I face, I am going to imitate the character of my Heavenly Father, successfully replicating Him in every sphere of my life. I know it will require a great deal of time and commitment for me to arrive at this high level of duplication, but I resolve to start where I am today and then do more each day from this moment forward. And I’ll keep up my efforts to act like God until I finally begin to think like Him, talk like Him, sound like Him, and carry myself in His confidence!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What would happen if you approached every problem acting as God does when He approaches problems?

2. What difference would it make in your life if you acted like God every time you dealt with an unloving person?

3. When you are faced with a difficult situation, do you ask yourself what God would say or do?

He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.
— Romans 4:20

When we first began our TV ministry in the former USSR, I traveled long distances to reach cities where I could become personally acquainted with the directors of massive TV stations and begin a relationship with them that would enable me to negotiate for time on their stations. I always traveled with my associate — and in the early days, I often took my eldest son Paul along with me so he could see and experience the miracles God performed to open doors for our TV ministry.

On one such trip, late at night, faith erupted in my heart for the expansion of our TV ministry across all the former USSR. I’ll never forget that moment! Prior to that revelation, we had begun to broadcast the message of the Gospel through our TV program, but I never realized until that night how vast our TV outreach was destined to become.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

After a full day of exhausting travel and meetings with TV station managers — just when I thought I was about to go to bed for the night — a “spark” of faith suddenly ignited in my heart. It was like dynamite had been detonated in my spirit, and I knew that something massive had been moved in the spirit realm. My spiritual eyes were opened in an instant, and I supernaturally knew that this TV outreach was to be far larger than I had ever dreamed.

I asked my associate for a large folded map of the USSR that we carried with us, and I found myself unfolding it and laying it out on the floor of my hotel room. I asked for a magic marker. As if a divine hand was guiding me, I took that magic marker and begin to circle huge geographic areas where the Holy Spirit drew my attention. I knew the Spirit of God was instructing me to take the teaching of the Bible to these vast territories through our television ministry.

There had never been Christian TV in the Soviet Union, so we were breaking brand-new ground. Hence, I knew that all the areas where the Spirit led me to circle were virgin territory for the broadcasting of the Word of God. It wasn’t long before the entire divine strategy was laid out on the map before me.

My associate and son watched as the Holy Spirit guided my hand and the magic marker. I circled one region, then another, and another, until a massive chain of connecting circles covered one side of the map all the way to the other far extreme. It reached all the way from Riga in the west, across the cities nestled in the Ural Mountains, all the way to Siberia, and over to Vladivostok in the Far East. Also circled were Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and all the southern Muslim Republics. To top it off, I even sensed the Holy Spirit leading me to circle vast territories in Russia’s northwest lands.

When I finished, I looked at my associate and Paul, and they were astonished. They had witnessed an entire vision supernaturally manifested right before their eyes as I moved that magic marker! That night we laid our hands all over those circled areas and claimed them for the Kingdom of God. I even laid my whole body across that circled map and prayed for the anointing of God to open doors we didn’t know how to open. There was no doubt that a major event had been supernaturally birthed by the Spirit of God at that late hour in that hotel room. By midnight, it was conceived, put on paper, and already committed to the hands of God in prayer.

When we returned to our office, which was at that time in Jelgava, Latvia (where we also lived in those early years), I took that large map, framed it, and hung it in the hallway of our offices. It became a reminder of the vision God had supernaturally given us — a reminder of where we were to go and what areas we were to tackle to get our programs on the air. At the time I didn’t realize that to broadcast in all those areas would make our TV ministry the largest Christian broadcast in that part of the world — over a network of stations that would reach millions upon millions of TV viewers.

But that was just the beginning. Once the vision was conceived and put to pen and paper so others could see it, the work had to begin. That meant I would have to travel intensively to all those regions. But first, God would have to open the doors for me to meet with the top TV directors of the largest stations in all those areas. Since most of them were Communists and atheists who were opposed to the Gospel, this would take a miracle.

Step by step, God gave us appointments with powerful TV directors — and we watched as those huge, circled areas were seized by the Spirit of God for the broadcasting of our programs. In a relatively brief period of time, doors began to open; agreements were signed; and our TV programs were broadcasted all over the former USSR. It was a first for Christian broadcasting in the former Soviet Union.

Naturally speaking, this all seemed impossible. But exactly at that time, God quickened my heart to the story of Abraham and Sarah. Although they were too old to produce children, God made a promise to them — a promise and vision that seemed too fantastic to believe: that they would give birth to a child in their old ages. Romans 4:20 tells us that in spite of the overwhelming odds that seemed to be stacked against them, Abraham believed what God had told him. It says, “He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.”

Abraham could have doubted the possibility of having a child, or he could have easily convinced himself that this dream was impossible. But the Bible says that Abraham “…staggered not at the promise of God…” (Romans 4:20).

That is exactly how I felt about the vision God had put before me. I knew that God had spoken to me, and as impossible as that vision seemed in the natural, a faith was ignited in my heart that pushed me into the realm of supernatural possibilities. Just as Abraham “staggered not” at the promise of God, I found myself standing in faith, confidently assured, that I had heard from God. Although this vision seemed bigger than anything I could ever accomplish, it was one that had been birthed by the Spirit of God — and I knew in my heart that I could not “stagger” at what God had shown me.

Abraham was a man who made many mistakes along his walk of faith, but Romans 4:20 says one thing he did right is that he did not “stagger” at what God had promised him. Regardless of his humanity and blemishes in his character, Abraham knew that God had spoken to him, and he held tightly to what God had promised.

The word “stagger” in Romans 4:20 is derived from the Greek word diakrino, which means to waver. It pictures one who is doubtful, constantly changing his mind about what he believes, wobbling in his faith, and vacillating back and forth. In other words, this person is unstable in what he believes.

James 1:7 declares that a man who wavers cannot receive what God has promised: “For let not that man [a wavering man] think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” And then in verse 8, James likens a wavering man to a “double-minded” man. In Greek, the word “double-minded” is dipsychos, and it pictures a man with two minds. One mind directs one way, and the other mind directs another way. As a result, he is pulled in two directions, constantly fluctuating in what he believes. One day he believes; the next day he doesn’t believe. Thus, even if God has made a promise to such an individual, this constant vacillation will keep him from receiving it. Being “double-minded” is serious business — so don’t be double-minded!

Those who do not stagger are single-minded about what God has told them. They stand in a solid, convinced position, and they hold tightly to what God has told them. Heart, soul, and mouth — all are in agreement with that which God has promised. Although they may have imperfections that seem glaring to them personally, this one quality of being single-minded and unwavering is enough to bring the manifestation of what God has promised them, regardless of their other flaws.

Abraham took such a position of faith. He was single-minded about what God had promised, and he did not move, budge, or waver. The vision he saw went directly into his heart, and he did not vacillate on believing God would fulfill His promise. That confident foundation of faith carried Abraham through many years of waiting — and because of this non-negotiable stance, he and Sarah received the son God had promised.

That is what happened to me in the early days of our ministry in the former USSR. God spoke. I believed. And a sure confidence came into my heart that carried Denise and me through numerous battles and challenges until, finally, we began to see our TV program spread far and wide across the former Soviet Union. Because we did not stagger at the vision God had revealed, the Gospel ended up being broadcasted into millions of homes across the 11 time zones of the former USSR. It may have seemed far-fetched when God first revealed His plan, but God delights in making the “impossible” possible for those who do not waver in their faith!

What are you believing for in your life right now?

Has God shown you a vision for your life that you know you are supposed to accomplish? God wants to do the far-fetched for you! But like Abraham and others who have seen the impossible come to pass, you must be steadfast and stable in your stance of faith — not moving, not budging, and not wavering. You must resolve to stand in faith and give glory to God that what is impossible with men is possible with God.

Today I encourage you to pray the prayer below and speak out from your heart the following confession. Ask God to ignite faith in your heart that will cause you to become immovable in your stance of faith regarding what God has promised you. Never let the devil convince you that your dream is too far-fetched, because with God, all things are possible!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for revealing Your plan for my life. When I first understood the greatness of what You wanted to do through me, it boggled my mind. But now I understand that all things are possible to those who believe. Like Abraham and others who have seen You do the impossible in their lives, I believe that I will see my seemingly impossible dream come to pass in my life. You will always do exactly what You have promised to do. Ignite faith in my heart to believe, and help me stand firm, stable, and unwavering in my faith. Help me stay focused until I receive the manifestation of what You have revealed to me about my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly confess that I will see the manifestation of what God has revealed to me about my life. Naturally speaking, it seems grandiose and far-fetched, but God delights in doing what seems impossible for those who believe, and I am among those who believe. I declare that my faith is confident and solid — that I do not waver or wobble in my faith! And I do not doubt the vision that God has shown me concerning my life. It’s not a question of “if ” it will happen, but merely a question of “when” it will come to pass. Until then, I will remain spiritually strong and stable, not staggering at the promise of God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of other men and women of God in the Bible who received a grand vision and stood in faith until they saw it manifested? Why not make a list and encourage yourself by the examples of others who believed and received the manifestation of their promise from the Lord?
2. How would you describe the vision that God has shown you for your life? Do you understand in detail what God wants to do through you and for you? Have you really meditated on it to the point where it has percolated deep in your spirit and you know that you have it by faith? Are you ready to take action through preparation for that vision to come to pass?
3. What impossible things have you already seen God do in your life? It would be very healthy for you to meditate on those things and strengthen your faith by remembering them.

Ye are the salt of the earth….
— Matthew 5:13

In the verse above, Jesus taught that we are to be the salt of the earth. Considering the various uses of salt in the ancient world and how important salt was in that time, this statement carried great weight. When He likened His listeners to salt, all kinds of images flashed through their minds, and they understood the many connotations that salt carried with it. By using this illustration of salt, Jesus was teaching about the influence that we are supposed to have upon the world in which we live.

The word “salt” in Greek is the word halas, and it describes salt exactly like the salt we use in our homes and kitchens today. Today salt is so common that it can easily be purchased in any grocery store. But in New Testament times, salt was an expensive and treasured commodity that was crucial and needed in many spheres of life, as you will see in today’s Sparkling Gem.

High-quality salt could only be found in a few places in Israel. One location was the Hill of Salt, a seven-mile stretch located on the southwest coast of the Dead Sea. Salt could also be collected from the marshes situated along the embankment of the Dead Sea, or it could be gathered from salt pits near the Dead Sea. In each of these locations, the gathering of salt was an expensive process, which made the salt very costly. It was a commodity so rare that it was seldom wasted, sparingly used, and highly valued.

Salt was used as a preservative.

Especially in the warm temperatures of Israel, meat would quickly rot, spoil, and decay. But when salt was added, it acted as a preservative. Therefore, salt was very important in the preservation of meats and other kinds of perishable foods.

Those who heard Jesus’ teaching that we are to be “the salt of the earth” therefore understood that He meant that through our influence, we should be a preserving force in a world that is filled with rot, spoil, and decay. God’s Word working in our lives causes us to be like salt, and our very presence helps abate the corruption that is eating away at the world.

Salt was used as a flavor enhancer.

Salt is one of the most profound enhancers of taste that exists in the culinary world. An eater quickly becomes aware of how powerful this flavor enhancer is when he eats food that contains no salt. Unsalted food is often monotonous, bland, and uninteresting, but when salt is added, the flavor is ignited. Just like today, salt was used in the ancient world to give food a stronger and richer flavor. It was considered essential for the long-term preservation of food and for the enhancement of taste. Therefore, it was vital in every kitchen.

This tells us that not only should our presence abate the evil in the world, but our presence should also change the flavor of society as we bring the savor of Christ to our surroundings wherever we go.

In light of this, let me ask you: In what ways does your personal presence make a difference in your world? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

Salt was used as an antiseptic.

In the ancient world where dirt and disease were common enemies to health, salt was used as an antiseptic. Especially in areas considered unclean, tainted, or contaminated — areas so filthy that it could potentially become hazardous to one’s health — it was believed that salt would work like a disinfectant. If properly applied in heavy doses, salt sanitized, hygienically cleansed, and made a location relatively germ-free. The application of salt in such circumstances was considered to be enormously advantageous because people believed such an application of salt sterilized non-sterile environments.

If a rapidly spreading disease was known to exist in a village, the sick people were cleared out and relocated, and salt was immediately spread to disinfect the contaminated area and to prevent the further spread of disease. Salt was such a powerful cleansing force that the ancient world believed it would assist in freeing the environment of infection.

As an antiseptic, salt was used in the fodder of barns and barnyards — places where sickness and disease could swiftly spread among animals. A small dose of salt scattered on the fodder of a barn or barnyard served as a deterrent to the proliferation of sickness and disease among animals.

Therefore, when Jesus said we are to be “the salt of the earth,” those who heard Him understood that through our influence, we are called to be a kind of spiritual antiseptic to a world that is diseased with sin. Even a small dose of the spiritual salt we carry within ourselves is such a powerful disinfecting agent that if scattered in society, it will help deter the spread of sin and moral decay.

You see, if you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth,” your very presence can hinder the proliferation of sin and its effects. So when you look at your life and the things that surround you, do you see any evidence that your personal presence is making a difference and that you are helping to promote a more spiritually sanitized environment? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

Salt was used as a medicinal and healing agent.

Salt was also a very important ingredient for physicians and those employed in the field of medicine, for they used salt as a healing agent. For instance, if a person was severely wounded, salt was poured into the wound to sanitize the wound from germs, to stop the spread of infection, to stop the bleeding, and to speed up the healing of the wound. It is a fact that salt has healing properties that cause wounds to heal more readily.

In the ancient world where medications were rare, salt was an indispensable product in every doctor’s medical bag, and it was especially valuable in cases where there was an open wound. In every home, business, and public place, salt was kept close at hand in case it was needed for the treatment of an open wound or sore. It was always kept nearby for emergency treatments.

When Jesus said that His people were to be “the salt of the earth,” those who heard Him understood that through our influence, we should be carriers of physical healing to a world that is suffering with all manner of sickness and ailments. Through the preaching of God’s Word and personal ministry to those who are physically ill, we are supposed to be “the salt of the earth” that brings healing those who are physically suffering. The fact is, the power of the Holy Spirit that we carry within ourselves is fully sufficient to administer physical healing to those afflicted with sickness and disease — always, of course, in the authority given to us in the Name of Jesus!

As “the salt of the earth,” you are a vehicle God has chosen to carry healing power to those who are struggling physically. When you look around you, is there evidence to show that you are carrying this power to those who are physically infirm or challenged in some way, just as Jesus has asked you to do? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

Salt was used to give protection from and to drive away evil spirits.

In the ancient world, salt was also a very important ingredient used in pagan religious rituals to give protection from and to drive away evil spirits. At the time Jesus said we are to be “the salt of the earth,” Israel was subject to Rome, and because of this, they regularly witnessed the pagan practices of Roman religions. One practice of the Romans and other pagan religions of the time was rubbing salt over a newborn baby in order to protect that child from evil spirits or to drive evil spirits away from that child. It was commonly believed in many pagan nations that salt had magical powers to protect one from evil and to drive away evil spirits.

The Romans and other pagans believed so wholeheartedly in the magical, protective powers of salt that they regularly administered heavy quantities of salt to the thresholds of their homes and businesses, believing it would create a strong barrier that evil spirits could not cross. They also spread salt on their windowsills, believing that salt could keep evil spirits from entering their homes or places of business through the windows.

So those who heard Jesus say that Christians were to be “the salt of the earth” understood that through our influence, we are to be a source of spiritual protection, deliverance, safety, and freedom to people who have been assaulted by demonic powers. By using Jesus’ name and spreading God’s Word, we can create spiritual barriers so strong that Satan is unable to successfully attack those standing on God’s promises. We are to be carriers of protection, safety, and deliverance!

When you look around at the people who are near you, do you see that they are spiritually protected, experiencing deliverance, safety, and freedom from the attacks of the enemy? Are their lives different, safer, and better because of you?

Salt was used as a fertilizer.

Salt was also a very important ingredient used by farmers to enrich and fertilize their soil in order to produce larger crops of a higher quality. Even a small amount of salt scattered sparingly on the ground could improve the quality of the soil and result in bigger harvests and healthier crops. Therefore, it was viewed as an essential ingredient in the farming industry. The best salt nourished and stimulated the earth to produce better crops.

When Jesus said we were to be “the salt of the earth,” it could actually be translated “the salt of the soil.” The implication is that through our influence, we should affect the world in which we live. In other words, our very presence should enhance life and make this world a better place to live. The world we touch should become productive and our godly presence should positively impact the quality of life for those around us. That is how much power we have as believers!

So as the “salt of the earth,” we are to enrich the atmosphere wherever we go through our influence, simply because we carry the life of God within us. As carriers of His presence, we make life better for those around us. When we walk into a situation, the environment surrounding us is filled with more peace, joy, and hope than it was before we arrived! As the salt of the earth, we have the power to make a difference everywhere we are scattered.

Are you making a difference in every place where you find yourself?

In Colossians 4:6, the apostle Paul also used the word “salt” to tell us that our conversation should be “seasoned with salt.” In light of what you have read today, this means that instead of speaking complaining, critical, negative words with the rest of the world, you can exert a spiritually positive influence on your environment. When you’re seasoned with salt, you will speak:

• Words that bring preservation.
• Words that flavor life and make it “taste” better.
• Words that bring healing to the sick.
• Words that “disinfect” and free those who were once were contaminated.
• Word that are filled with protection, safety, and deliverance.
• Words that are so faith-filled, they create a blessed environment around us.

Jesus plainly taught that we are supposed to be the salt of the earth! Considering the various ways salt was used in the ancient world, can you see how powerful Jesus’ point is?

If you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth,” there should be fruit all around you to show that God’s “salt” in you is doing its job. As you take a look around your life, can you see visible proofs of your “salty” influence?

Before you do anything else today, why don’t you take a few minutes to reflect on your life to see if you are having the kind of influence on your world that Jesus wants you to have. The Holy Spirit will help you honestly assess your fruit so you can see if you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth” the way God has called and equipped you to do!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I am so thankful that You called me to be “the salt of the earth.” Today I want to step forward and surrender to be the salt of the earth that You intended me to be. Help me guard my mouth so that I speak words that bring preservation; words that make life better; words that bring healing to the sick; words that disinfect and free people who once were contaminated by evil; words that are filled with protection, safety, and deliverance; and words so faith-filled they create a blessed environment everywhere I go. Jesus has called me to be the salt of the earth, and that is exactly what I am going to be!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am what God’s Word says I am — and Jesus called me the salt of the earth, so that is exactly what I am. Because of who He is in me, I am a preserving, healing, delivering, life-enhancing force that positively affects every person every place I go. It isn’t me, but it’s the Greater One who lives in me that makes such a powerful difference in my environment. Because He lives in me, I am able to positively influence everyone my life touches. I am the salt of the earth!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What did you learn new from today’s Sparkling Gem? What made the greatest impact on you about what it means to be the salt of the earth?
2. Can you think of ways you are acting like salt in the lives of other people in the lives of others in your family, church, community, or workplace? How have others changed in those environments because of your presence?
3. When you listen to the words that come out of your mouth, can you honestly say that your words are “seasoned with salt”? Is your mouth regularly filled with words of preservation, healing, freedom, cleansing, protection, safety, deliverance, and faith? Do your words create a changed, positive environment, or do your words have a contrary effect?

Does Jesus Find You To Be Therapeutic, Refreshing, or Disgusting

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
— Revelation 3:16

In Russia, it is a tradition for people to visit the sauna. People especially love to do this in the middle of the winter. This tradition is hundreds of years old, dating back to the time when people didn’t have running water in their villages or homes. People would join all their friends at the local sauna once a week not only to get clean but to spend an evening of fellowship.

Today everyone has running water in their homes in Russia; nevertheless, people still go to the sauna, for it remains a very important part of Russian culture. And because I live in Russia, I frequently go to the local sauna with brothers from the church for an evening of fellowship and prayer.

After we have all sat in sweltering hot temperatures, I watch in shock as the Russian men leap into huge tubs of bitterly cold water. Or sometimes while we’re on a ministry trip, we’ll stay at a farm and I’ll take a sauna with the brothers from the local church. These brothers will run out of the building; dive head first into the snow; roll around in it for a few minutes, screaming and shouting; and then dash back into the sauna where it’s nice and warm. They tell me that the purpose for this practice is to get their blood moving!

I enjoy going to the sauna with my fellow brothers in the Lord, but I refuse to leap into subzero cold water or dive into snow when it’s already forty degrees below zero outside! I don’t care if it is good for the circulation; I will not do it! I find it much more enjoyable to rest in a tub of lukewarm water that is relaxing. Going from sweltering “hot” to freezing “cold” is just too much for me!

When I refuse to go from one extreme temperature to the other and even ask for lukewarm water to be poured into a tub especially for me, the men sometimes joke with me, reminding me about Jesus’ words to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:16: “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

The city of Laodicea was built in a region that was full of seismic activity and had experienced many earthquakes. As often happens in a seismic area, vents came up from the depths of the earth, allowing boiling hot water to reach the surface. In the nearby city of Hierapolis, these hot springs were famous. People came from great distances to bathe in those waters, believing they had medicinal powers. An experience in those waters was viewed to be therapeutic and effective in improving one’s health.

Another city named Colosse was not too far away. As Hierapolis was known for its hot springs, Colosse was known for its cold waters. Just as people journeyed to Hierapolis to bathe in the hot springs for health purposes, people would travel great distances to vacation in Colosse, where they could invigorate themselves by taking frequent dips into the famous, refreshing, cool-to-freezing waters of that city.

Laodicea may have been the biggest and richest city in the area, but it had neither hot nor cold water. Therefore, the people of Laodicea had to leave their luxurious homes and travel to Colosse if they wanted to enjoy fresh, cool water. On the other hand, those who desired to soak in the hot springs had to travel six miles to Hierapolis.

Once in an attempt to bring the hot water from Hierapolis to Laodicea, a huge construction project was commenced. The goal of those who initiated the project was to build pipes that would channel the hot water six miles from Hierapolis to the city of Laodicea. The pipes effectively delivered the water — a real feat of construction at that time. Sadly, however, the water lost its heat along the way. By the time the water reached Laodicea, it was not only lukewarm, but it had developed a sickening, nauseating taste. The taste was so revolting that no one wanted to drink it!

So when Jesus told the Laodiceans, “…Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth,” this was a message that carried a strong punch. He was telling them, “Because you have become so dead, dull, sickening and nauseating — because no spiritually refreshing waters flow from you and you have no healing properties left — I will spue thee out of My mouth!”

The word “spue” is the Greek word emeo, and it means to vomit, to spit out, to regurgitate. This picture of Jesus threatening to “spue” the Laodiceans out of His mouth doesn’t mean He was rejecting them or disinheriting them. It just reveals how utterly distasteful a spiritually lukewarm condition is to Jesus. The fact that these believers were lukewarm means they weren’t good for anything; they were neither cool and refreshing, nor were they hot and healing. They were just stuck in the middle, like something that has lost both its flavor and its heat along the way.

These words in Revelation 3:16 could be interpreted:

“Because you’ve lost your temperature and become lukewarm — because no refreshing waters flow out of you and you have no healing properties left — I find your taste in My mouth to be disgusting! I can’t bear it anymore, and I have no choice but to spit you out!”

That’s how God feels about a lukewarm spiritual walk. You see, with God there is no middle ground. But if you have allowed your walk with God to become lukewarm, you can reverse that abominable condition! God has tossed the ball in your court, and now it’s up to you. He is calling you to repent of your lukewarm attitude. Go after the things of God with all your heart, soul, and strength!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I never want to be lukewarm so that You find me to be an unpleasant taste in Your mouth. Instead, I ask You to help me be a fountain from which healing waters flow to the sick and a source of refreshment to anyone who needs strength and encouragement. Help me to never allow a lukewarm attitude to take hold in my life! If there is any area of my life where I’ve already slipped into a lukewarm state, please reveal it to me so I can repent and get back to where I ought to be!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am a fountain of healing and a source of refreshment to everyone who comes into my life. When people come near me, they receive exactly what they need. Healing flows from me to everyone who needs a healing touch. Those who are spiritually tired become refreshed when they spend time with me. I allow no middle ground in my life — no neutrality, no lukewarm attitude — and I am therefore continually filled with everything needed to meet the needs of people who come across my path.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What are some signs of a lukewarm spiritual condition in your life?

2. Can you recall a time when you were “hot” for the Lord? What were you doing at that time that caused you to be so on fire for Jesus?

3. If you have slipped away from that wonderful time in your walk with the Lord, can you recall what changed the condition of your heart? What can you do to get back there again? Write down your answers so you can see them and pray about them.

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what has thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
— 1 Corinthians 4:7

In the January 17 Sparkling Gem, I wrote about the feeling of inferiority that once tried to rule my life. If you are struggling with inferiority, I encourage you to go back and read that teaching again. However, today I want to address an issue at the opposite end of the spectrum — a spirit of superiority. When a person has this attitude, he feels he is spiritually superior to other people because of giftings, experience, social or economic status, or position in the church. But regardless of the reason a person feels superior to others, make no mistake — this attitude is absolutely unacceptable for a Christian.

In First Corinthians 4:7, we find that an attitude of spiritual snobbery was beginning to surface in the church of Corinth. This spirit of superiority was so prevalent that it had begun to permeate the entire Corinthian congregation. Paul responded with a sharp rebuke, saying, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what has thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

From its very beginnings, the church at Corinth had experienced an amazing amount of supernatural grace, which had manifested in a variety of ways. However, one way it had especially manifested was in the gifts of the Spirit that operated in their congregation. In fact, Paul even told them, “So that ye come behind in no spiritual gift…” (1 Corinthians 1:7), implying that the Corinthians had a greater measure of spiritual gifts operating in their midst than any other New Testament church. The phrase “come behind” is a translation of the Greek word hustereo, which means to be behind, to fall short of, or to be inferior. Thus, this verse could be translated, “You fall behind no one else in respect to spiritual gifts…” or “You are not inferior to anyone when it comes to spiritual gifts.…” In modern language, it could read, “When it comes to the gifts of the Spirit, you are second to none!”

The Corinthian believers were aware of their unique status as a congregation, and they allowed it to go to their heads. Essentially, they developed a superiority complex and a snobbish attitude concerning their spirituality as compared to other churches. That is why Paul reminded them in First Corinthians 4:7, “…What hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

When Paul wrote “…why dost thou glory…,” he was referring to believers in Corinth who were boasting of themselves and putting others down who didn’t share their same spiritual experiences. In Greek, this word “glory” is kauchaomai, which means to boast of oneself, to uplift yourself, to imply that you are better than others, or to speak so highly of yourself that you derogatorily imply others are less than you. It can simply be translated to vaunt, and it conveys a pride that says, “I am better than you.” It is the very word that Paul used in First Corinthians 13:4 when he said, “Charity [that is, agape love] vaunteth not itself…” (see September 11 in Sparkling Gems 1). In other words, people who are motivated by love do not go around boasting about themselves in a way that leaves others feeling inferior!

It is important to note that the problem in the church of Corinth did not stem from the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit don’t foster pride. The problem was the character of the Corinthian believers, which needed to be dealt with by God!

Paul’s rebuke to the Corinthian believers tells us that we have no right to be prideful about our spiritual experiences. When you and I have been blessed by God with an extraordinary supernatural experience or knowledge of spiritual matters that exceeds that of many others, we should strive to demonstrate humility. We must not carry ourselves with an air of superiority, thinking we are better than others because they haven’t had our experience or attained to our level of knowledge. We must remember that everything we have, we received from God. We did nothing on our own, so we really have no reason to gloat about it as though we did! If we’ve really received something special from God, we need to show only humble gratitude for His gift.

Have you ever known a person who was snobbish toward other believers because of his great spiritual experiences or spiritual knowledge? To me personally, it’s a huge turn-off. The root of that superior attitude isn’t what the Holy Spirit has done in him; rather, it’s just a sign that He needs to do more in him!

So don’t get offended if you know someone like this. Just pray for that person — and pray for yourself, too, so that you never fall into the trap of acting like you’re better than others!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

 

Father, spiritual snobbery is a big turn-off. I ask You to help me look inward to discern if I have even the smallest hint of this in me. Lord, if anything like that exists in me, please show me, and begin the process to remove it from me! You resist the proud but give grace to the humble. Right now I humble my heart before You and I thank You for doing a work in my heart to remove any thought or attitude that does not please You or reflect Your holy ways.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am thankful for every spiritual experience I’ve had with the Lord. I am grateful for the knowledge God has blessed me to attain. But I realize that I have so much further to go and so much more to learn. I don’t think I’ve arrived, and I know there is so much more to reach for in God. Therefore, I choose to put my eyes on the adjustments I need to make, and I embrace God’s grace to change me. And if I’ve carried bad attitudes about spiritually snobbish people, today I release those attitudes and those people from my judgment. They belong the Lord, and they are not mine to judge!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a person who was spiritually snobbish toward you? How did it affect you and others?
2. Have you ever been guilty of thinking of yourself as better than people who haven’t had your same experience? When you talk to others, do you make them desire your experience, or do you put them off because they feel put down by the way you talk to them?
3. As a thought exercise, why don’t you take a moment to think about the people you’ve thought were spiritually snooty and try to figure out what it is they do that makes you feel uncomfortable in their presence? Once you think it through, ask yourself if there is anyone to whom you’ve acted in a similar manner, and if so, ascertain what you need to correct so that people never feel that way in your presence again.