"Counterfeit Christians"

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God".  John 3:3

The word counterfeit means:  a fraudulent imitation of something else; a forgery, fake; copy.  Our churches are full of "counterfeit Christians".  They sit in the pews, sing in the choir, serve on the board, are part of the leadership and stand in the pulpits.  They appear to be the real thing when you see them in this setting but put them out into "society" and the truth of who they are comes out.  

One main difference between what is counterfeit and what is real is their "origin".  These counterfeit Christians are trying to make themselves into the "real thing" through their good deeds, good works, giving, moral standards, belief system, and appearance.  They think that if they "look the part"-- go to church, are friends with the pastor, bring their Bible to church, sing in the choir, teach a Sunday School class, and so on-- that makes them the real thing.  But they are still a fake/counterfeit.  A fake is never the real thing.

In order to be a "real Christian" your "origin" has to be real.  What do I mean by that?  Just because you do religious things, just because you were brought up in church, just because you believe that God is real and Jesus is God, are all exterior works that we perform in order to make us something that we aren't.  The only thing that can make us the "real deal" is to be born again.  You have to be "made" into a Christian by Jesus-- not by your works, deeds, wishes or knowledge.  You have to be born again of the Spirit.  You have to have a transformation that changes you from the inside out.  You have to be changed from a sinner into a saved person, and only Jesus can do that.  Only He can make you into a "True Christian"-- you can't do it yourself.

Have a great day.  The difference between a "counterfeit Christian" and a "true Christian" is that a counterfeit tries to make himself into the real thing through his own efforts.  A "real Christian" becomes one through a born-again experience in Christ Jesus.  

"Where To Find Him?"

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth".  Psalm 121:1,2

The Psalmist said he would look to the hills to find the Lord when he needed His help.  The disciples saw Him in all His splendor and glory on the mountain.  We can do the same-- look to the hills and the mountain top to find Him.  But while we are trying to find Him in the grand and glorious times on the mountain, and in high places far above all our problems and troubles, more often than not, we won't find Him there. 

The places we find God most often are in the places of difficulty and trial.  The disciples found Him in the boat with them during the storm.  Daniel found Him in the lion's den that he was thrown into.  The three Hebrews found Him in the furnace.  The Apostle Paul found Him in a ship during a storm.  We can find Him in the valley.

Whatever place of difficulty you are in, whatever storm, whatever trial, if you will look you will find Him there.  He stays in the places of our adversity, our pain, our struggles, our suffering and our heartache so that we can find Him anytime we need Him.

Have a great day.  You may be looking for the Lord in all the glorious and easy places-- and you will find Him there.  But you will find Him mostly in the hard and difficult places of life.      

"Was I Really Following?"

"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness".  Luke 4:1

The verse said Jesus was "led by the Spirit into the wilderness".  It didn't say He was "pushed by the Spirit".  It didn't say He was "drug by the Spirit".  He was "led".  Being led by something or someone means that it is out in front of you and you are following.  Jesus followed the Spirit and wound up in the wilderness.

Often, we get confused and anxious when we are following the leading of the Lord and we wind up in the wilderness, in a place of temptation, difficulty, hardship, heartache and pain.  Immediately we want to think that we must have "missed" God.  We must have done something wrong.  We must have assumed it was God when it wasn't.  We must have imagined it was God.  We must have been walking in the flesh.  We must not have really been following Him.  Why?  Because we reason that if we had truly been following the leading of the Spirit, we would not be in this place.  We think that when we follow the Spirit, He is always going to lead us into perfect, peaceful places of bliss.  Not always so. 

The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested.  Jesus told His disciples to get into the boat which put them in the middle of a storm.  Why would He lead us into those kinds of places?  There are many reasons why-- far too many to talk about here.  But His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts-- they are so much higher, and, in His wisdom, He understands it completely and has a plan for you through it.

So, don't let the enemy tell you the lie that you weren't following the Lord.  Don't let Him tell you that this would not have happened if you had been.  Don't let him condemn you and make you think that you missed God's leading.  Don't get perplexed if His leading takes you into a difficult place. 

The most important part of following is not about the place you are being taken, but about the One you are following.  It is not about the destination; it is about trust in the One who is leading.

Have a great day.  If you are following the Lord and you wind up in a "wilderness", don't misjudge yourself thinking that you must not have been following-- He does lead us into hard places at times.  

"I Can Rejoice"

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice."  Psalm 63:7

One of the reasons why I believe we live depressed, defeated and discouraged lives is because we have forgotten how to rejoice.  The Bible says that we walk and live by faith and not by sight.  Most of us are walking by sight and because we stay focused on what we see we allow it to rob us of our joy and keep us from rejoicing.  Faith steps out and rejoices even when there is seemly nothing to rejoice about--even in tribulation.

The situation I am in may be difficult.  Things may be going wrong.  I may be hurting.  I may have problems.  Life may be hard.  But I still have plenty to rejoice about.  I can rejoice in the fact that the Lord is my helper in difficulty.  I can rejoice because He is with me always and will never leave me-- even in the valley of the shadow of death.  I can rejoice because He causes all things to work together for my good.  I can rejoice because there is no good thing that the Lord will withhold from me.  I can rejoice because He will make a way for me even when there seems to be none.  I can rejoice because if He is for me who can be against me.  I can rejoice because He promised to supply all my need.  I can rejoice because nothing shall separate me from His love.  I can rejoice because He goes before me making crooked ways straight.  I can rejoice because no weapon formed against me shall prosper.  I can rejoice because when I cry out to Him and call upon Him, He will answer me.  I can rejoice because He holds my life in His hands.

When I begin to rejoice and not withhold my rejoicing/shouts of praise because it looks like I don't have a reason to rejoice, my head is lifted, my knees are strengthened, my hope is renewed, my faith is increased, my trust in God becomes reaffirmed and the weight of defeat, depression and discouragement is lightened.

Have a great day.  Don't stop rejoicing because of what you see in the natural world around you.  Rejoice anyway!  "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again, I say, Rejoice". (Philippians 4:4)  

"Tunnel Vision"

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory".  2 Corinthians 4:17

When it comes to trials, most people have "tunnel vision".  The dictionary defines tunnel vision as: the tendency to focus exclusively on a single or limited goal or point of view. We tend to see our trials with limited vision.  We see them as strictly an attack of the enemy, or we see them as just how life is, or we see them as something to be delivered from. 

Weeks ago, we talked about seeing things from God's perspective.  Our trials should be viewed from HIs perspective, not through tunnel vision.  Yes, much of what we go through is an attack of our enemy-- he comes to steal, kill and destroy.  Yes, also, some things that happen are a natural part of life.  And, yes, again, who doesn't want deliverance-- after all we want easy comfortable lives.  But there is another perspective, a broader field of vision we should have when going through trials.  We should see them as a time of transformation in us.  After all, the Lord works all things together for our good.

When a lump of clay is thrown onto the potter's wheel, spun around and pounded, the end result is a beautiful vessel fit for service.  When a piece of metal is placed in the silversmith's crucible and heated and reheated, it is purified and out of it comes a precious metal that is of great value.  When a fruit tree is pruned and the dead parts cut away, it is then able to produce more and better fruit.  When an oyster gets a grain of sand in its shell, this irritant causes a beautiful pearl to be formed. 

Whatever you are going through, don't look at it through tunnel vision.  Look at it through a broader lens.  What you are going through is not just a trial, it is also producing in you an eternal glory, the Fruit of the Spirit, and a transformation that causes the image of Christ to be stamped in you.  

Have a great day.  Trials are to be viewed through more than tunnel vision.