Author: Lauren (Heiligenthal) Demuth

The Path

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish.” ~ Deuteronomy 30:15-18 (NASB) (emphasis added)

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” ~ Matthew 7:13-14

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” ~ Ephesians 4:1-6

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.” ~ Philippians 1:27-28

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 3:13-14

~~~

There are a number of paths we think about on a daily basis. What do I need to get done for today? Is my family provided for? How can I climb the career ladder? How much money should we save? How much weight do I want to lose?

Goals are not bad in and of themselves, but do they add to our ultimate goal of following Christ or do they become a hindrance? It is much easier to let worry and pain guide us instead of faith. Faith requires that we have hope in what we cannot see, which can be difficult. But that is why we have His Word, a testament to His faithfulness, a guide to life instead of death.

The message of the Scriptures is a simple one: Obey God. Walk in His ways. Conduct ourselves in a way that pleases God and represents Christ in world which has no hope in itself. God is our hope. Christ is our salvation. This is the only path, the narrow one, leading to eternal life. This is our path.

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

 

 

 

Dolly Sods Sunrise

A gorgeous picture photographed by Donald Reese 🙂 Check out his page for more beautiful images.

reesephoto's avatarDonald Reese Photography

dolly-sods-autumn3

This is one of several images I captured on my two-day trip to Dolly Sods in West Virginia. This spot may look very remote and you might think I was all alone when I shot this. The fact is there was four photographers within four feet of me and about forty plus more photographers scattered along the ridge.It was among the most frustrating experiences I have had shooting, but it was Columbus day weekend and everyone was on vacation it seemed. The small puddle on the rock captured the reflecting sky color and added a bit of a nice touch in the foreground. The sunrise was a real beauty but having to deal with a million other shooters kept me from enjoying the moment a bit. We stayed at a cabin about 45 minutes away so we had to rise plenty early to get there before sunrise but many poor souls slept in…

View original post 43 more words

A Message for the Bride (Updated)

Over ten years ago, I wrote a poem called “Bride of Christ.” The same call that the LORD cried out to ancient Israel who was unfaithful to Him also rings out to the church, the bride of Christ. Will we be friends with the world or become strong disciples of Christ, knowing and living truth faithfully until He returns? Below is the original poem, followed by a link to a song version written with the help of AI. I hope you are both challenged and encouraged as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bride of Christ

Where have you gone, My bride?

Whose foreign arms have you sought?

Have I not been faithful?

Did I not incline My ear towards you?

~

Before you were ready to be called Mine

I knew you.

I knew the trials you would face

And the temptations of the world.

~

Therefore, I gave you My Word.

Even My Spirit I placed within you

To lead you back to Me,

Your King, your Savior.

~

Yet with all of My blessings

You have forsaken Me for another;

For one who is not worthy,

Who leads you down the wide path of destruction.

~

Wake up from your slumber!

See where you are and choose.

Call upon Me, and I will restore you.

Tarry, and you will be lost.

~

Trim your wicks.

Get the oil ready.

Return to Me as a spotless bride

And remain faithful until I come.

~

Song Version: Bride of Christ

© Lauren Demuth

Interpreting Scripture Through a Tainted Lens

No one is without bias when reading and interpreting Scripture. We all come from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations. Some of us have learned certain biblical teachings since childhood and have held onto them with deep conviction. But what if some of these teachings are wrong? Have we dared to ask this question? Conversely, what if some of these teachings are right, and they have now been compromised? As an American, I have seen my culture drastically change over the last two decades, and the Western church has often sailed along with it. It is possible that we do not even realize it, but that is the ultimate problem. In many ways, it has become more important to be politically correct than to uphold truth. Social justice has taken the place of meeting the needs within the church. Feminism has caused dissension within the home and the church. Homosexuality has become acceptable within certain denominations, and even practiced by some leaders. Why are these changes occurring? Is it because we are reading Scripture through the tainted lens of our culture, seeing what we want to see? Do we place the constant change of culture above the Word of God? It is necessary to consider that what may seem controversial to us may be clear in Scripture, and what may seem foreign and supposedly sinful may be acceptable in Scripture.

While many controversial topics have been heavily studied in light of Scripture, polygamy has received little scholarly attention. If you read a commentary on passages involving polygamy, you will often discover that the verdict is clear from the start: polygamy was never God’s intention. It’s stated as a fact and rarely debated. But what about polygamous men and women in the Bible who are described as being righteous? It’s as if their spiritual quality is overlooked or written off as less important compared to their foreign (or barbaric) marriage practice. However, I ask you to consider if God calls just anyone righteous? In reading the Old Testament it is obvious that God’s chosen people did not act righteously most of the time, and they were judged and punished many times over. There’s no gray area for God when it comes to sin. He is merciful and gracious, yes, but when people live a lifestyle of disobedience they are severely disciplined and eventually cut off if no change occurs. So why not David? He had many wives but was blessed and protected by God. He is not judged harshly by God until he decides to commit adultery with Bathsheba and murder her husband to keep it quiet. (Adultery and murder, not polygamy.) As a result of his sin, his first child with Bathsheba dies and his household is filled with strife from that day forward. But David repents as soon as he is confronted with his sin and is described as a man after God’s own heart. He is a man concerned about his spiritual condition and that of his household. Is that not something worth considering when searching for biblical truth?

Consider a different cultural example. According to the law of Moses, Jews were not supposed to eat certain kinds of meat because of the impurity of the animal:

“Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you. Likewise, the shaphan, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; the rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.” ~ Leviticus 11:4-8 NASB

This may seem preposterous to us because, really, what would we do without bacon? But the Jews were to follow these instructions to the letter. These animals (plus many more, keep reading in Lev. 11) must not be eaten. These instructions became so ingrained in Jewish culture that God uses them to teach Peter a life-changing lesson in Acts 10:

“On the next day, as they (people from Cornelius’ household) were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. A voice came to him, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.’ Again a voice came to him a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.” ~ Acts 10:9-16 NASB

The Lord knew what Peter considered to be unclean because He Himself gave the Jews their law. But not only is the Lord declaring food to no longer be unclean, but more importantly, He’s declaring that the Gentiles are no longer to be considered unclean because He has cleansed them. At the moment Peter receives his revelation, members of Cornelius’ household (who is a centurion) are on their way to speak with him. They had received a message from the Lord, and Peter was the one that God called to teach them. Peter even says to Cornelius and his household, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me” (Acts 10:28-29). God had provided guidelines and cleansing rituals in the law to prevent the Jews from getting sick and spreading disease. However, such guidelines became a point of contention with Gentiles who practiced and ate “unclean” things, and in truth, the Gentiles were viewed the same way as unclean food. But God declared otherwise. Were the Jews wrong for following lawful instructions? No. But it became so ingrained in their culture that even when God told Peter to do something different, his first instinct was to say “no.” Peter was appalled by God’s command to kill and eat what he saw in his vision. Yet, does God ever command people to sin? Surely not! Peter witnessed firsthand that what he thought was unclean (the Gentiles) could also receive the Holy Spirit, the seal of God.

In Mark 7 Jesus was also confronted with this same issue by the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples were supposedly eating food with unclean (or unwashed) hands, and the Pharisees took the opportunity to question Jesus about it. Rather, they wanted to discredit their ministry because they weren’t following the teachings of the elders. But Jesus, knowing their intentions, declared that they have neglected the command of God in order to follow teachings of men (vv. 8-13). He further explained to the crowd that “there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man” (v. 15). Of course, Jesus’ disciples had a difficult time understanding this teaching so He graciously provided an explanation:

“‘Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’ (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.'” ~ Mark 7:18-23

Jesus’ words were quite controversial. Why? Because they were all still under the law. The law says “unclean” but Jesus says “clean.” How can this be? Is Jesus violating the law? As Paul would say, may it never be! Rather, the Jews became so obsessed with following the outward instructions that they neglected their inward spiritual condition. They appeared holy on the outside but inside they were unclean. And what’s worse is that they didn’t even recognize it.

So what does a discussion about unclean food have to do with biblical polygamy? More than polygamy, it’s about seeking biblical truth. Cultural teachings have become so embedded in the church that we have called rotten fruit good and good fruit rotten. Why? Because we have lost the ability to tell the difference. We are no different than the Pharisees who pointed out unclean hands and couldn’t see that they neglected the command of God for teachings of men. The church cries out for God’s justice to be done in the world without realizing that we have sealed our own judgment because of our own lack of understanding. Why was David a man after God’s own heart? Because he obeyed when God commanded. He yielded his spirit to follow God’s will. He did what most of us would not be willing to do. And when he failed he poured out his soul to God in anguish and grief and did not shake his fist at God when he experienced judgment. He understood that God was just in giving him what he deserved.

So what about the church? At this moment are we worthy to be called the body of Christ? To be an extension of our Savior who gave up everything for us? How can His body stay intact when its members fight each other and run in opposite directions following their own understanding of truth? The church is full of gaping wounds but we fail to see it. We claim to follow Christ but serve our culture, and we interpret God’s Word accordingly. What’s more is we teach newcomers who seek truth to do the same thing.

Each one of us is accountable because we have access to the Word of God, and we have the ability to understand it if we have His Spirit and ask for the Lord’s guidance and wisdom. Don’t rely on other people’s interpretations. Ask God yourself. He is ready to share it with those who have ears to hear. But what will we do when we are given instructions like He gave Peter? What if He asks us to do something so countercultural that it seems wrong? How many of us have dismissed instructions because they were exactly that: countercultural? The church cannot be effective in the world if the body is dying from the inside out. Why is it dying? Because the cancer of the world has metastasized throughout its members except the head which is Christ. The head is sending messages to the members of the body but very few receive them.

How will we respond? We still have the opportunity to act like David and pour out our souls in anguish for our own failure. We have ignored our spiritual condition for the sake of cultural relativism, and we will destroy ourselves if the church does not repent. This is the moment where the church determines if she will face a spiritual exile. God has been patient, but He is also just. His interaction with ancient Israel is a testament to these things.

The world is rapidly changing, but truth remains the same. Which one will we choose?

© Lauren Heiligenthal

E-book Sale!

From October 10th through the 17th the Kindle version of Evaluating Western Christianity’s Interpretation of Biblical Polygamy will be available for just .99 cents! It’s also available for free with Kindle Unlimited.

I would love to receive your thoughts, questions and comments on this controversial topic, or if you feel so inclined, to leave a review on Amazon.

Thank you for your support!

Battle Ready

Today marks the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It’s hard to believe that it’s been so long. What I remember about that day was sitting in my 7th grade science class and hearing about it over the intercom. Later that day we watched the news on a TV wheeled into another class (at least I think this is what happened since I have no journal entry from this time). After school, I went down to the lobby and grabbed a newspaper which displayed the Twin Towers in smoke. Once my family and I returned home, we watched more of what happened on the news.

It was all so shocking. “This happened here, in America?” Such a thought was not intended to be arrogant but just sheer disbelief since I had never witnessed anything like this. Then the nation found out that such acts were intentional. Terrorism. A word that the government no longer desires to mention, but it’s still here and around the world. And it’s growing.

It can be overwhelming to read about all that’s going on in the world. It’s beyond disturbing what humans will do to other humans. So much innocence has been destroyed. Will all of this end? I daresay, no. There may be lulls of peace, but there will be no end until Christ’s return because we live in a fallen world. God does not cause evil things to happen; rather, sin does. We are not born into goodness, but into sin:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” ~ Romans 5:12-14 (NASB)

Paul continues his discussion by talking about God’s grace, but the key point in the verses above is that sin came into the world through Adam. We are then born inherently evil, not inherently good. We all have to make a conscious effort to act righteously. We can act sinfully without trying. This is the war the enemy wages with us. Our flesh against our spirit. Will we continue to walk with God, or will we be deserters by giving in to the world, and essentially, to the enemy?

I have very little military knowledge, but I know that soldiers train for battle. To be sent out too soon would be a mistake that could cost lives. Military leaders also don’t send their soldiers out into the battlefield without a plan of attack. The only way to make such a plan is to study the enemy, to know how he acts and thinks. But at the same time, the enemy is doing the same thing.

Our enemy is quite clever. He is not to be underestimated especially since he has been with God, and he has also departed from God. We are to constantly be in spiritual training so that we know the truth we hold onto and not fall into temptation. While we train and do our best to act out the knowledge we have, the enemy looks to exploits our weaknesses. And we all have them. But instead of being overcome by the enemy, the Lord has given us a way to be victorious in our weaknesses:

”And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NASB)

We can be overcomers in our weaknesses! We cannot work through weakness on our own; rather, we must rely on Jesus. When we can do nothing on our own accord, it is God who is magnified, not us. And when God is magnified, the enemy does not stand a chance. For the enemy’s weakness is arrogance. When we put our complete trust in God and place Him first in our lives, there is nothing for the enemy to exploit. Also, when we encourage one another and build each other up, the enemy is faced with the body of Christ and not just one member. He is thwarted easily when we work as a unit.

He also will not succeed if we know truth. Part of the training process is testing everything we have been taught against the Word of God. If something does not add up, it must be examined further. It is important to distinguish between man’s teaching and God’s teaching because the two are not always the same. In a time when political correctness tries to keep us from challenging anything, this is exactly what we must do. Challenge everything! If we don’t, we can easily fall into the enemy’s snare. This is especially important for leaders in the church because if you send soldiers into battle unprepared and ill-informed, there will be casualties. I’m not talking about a shortage in church attendance, but a shortage in the kingdom of God.

We are in a constant battle, and the world keeps pressing in. Are we prepared? Do we have a solid foundation? Are we ready to have our faith tested with fire?

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” ~ 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NASB)

What’s wonderful about having Christ as our Savior is knowing that He has already won this war. If we continue to hold onto this hope of our salvation, we will have no issue thwarting the enemy because our eyes will constantly be on Christ. Is it hard at times? Absolutely! But that’s why we are the body of Christ. When one member starts to fall, the others are there to pick him or her up. The overall victory has already been won, but the smaller victories leading to the end are up to us (with God’s help, of course). Whom will we follow? How will we act? Will we listen to God’s voice? Will we obey His will? Will we be instruments for His glory so that more people may come to Christ?

Soldiers, put on your armor and let’s go!

 

© Lauren Heiligenthal

Creation’s Testimony

 

There’s something about being in nature that makes me feel closer to God. With that being said, I’m not the typical outdoors person, and I believe it’s safe to diagnose myself with a case of arachnophobia. Because of my fears I tend to forget the effect of creation’s beauty, but when I finally take the time to relax and get out there I’m reminded again of how immense God is. Rather than that being a scary thought as it might be for some, I find it comforting.

This recent reminder began at the Creation Museum. I live close to it, but I made my first visit there a few weeks ago. It was marvelous! As you can probably guess, it’s not the typical museum. Rather than glorifying evolution as most museums do, it adheres to the Word of God and explains how events could have happened based on the testimony of Scripture. What’s ironic is that the explanations from Scripture are a lot less far-fetched than evolutionary ideas. But even more importantly, everything in the Creation Museum points to Christ, as all things should.

One of the most powerful scenes to me was that after the Fall, God had to sacrifice an animal to clothe Adam and Eve in their shame. This may not seem significant on the surface since we are used to eating meat or seeing leather goods, but before the Fall there was no death. Death did not exist until sin entered the world; therefore, God offered the first of many sacrifices to temporarily cover human sin. This continued until Christ became the ultimate sacrifice.

Even though we live in a sinful world because of mankind’s disobedience, God’s creation still testifies about Him. Every person is uniquely designed and created. Even identical twins can be so different (I know from being around a pair of identical twins all the time). Each one of us has the potential to offer something important in the kingdom of God. Our gifts and talents are a testimony of God’s design in us.

In addition to humanity, the rest of God’s creation is breathtaking. I love butterflies, and to think of the different stages they have to go through to become a butterfly is quite mindboggling. Everything has to be just perfect in order to work. Then there are so many different colors, shapes, and sizes that “beautiful” doesn’t seem to be the right word to describe it.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m scared of spiders, and when I see one in the house, I want it gone…permanently. But I can’t deny how special they are too. Just seeing how strong and intricate their webs are is a testimony of a divine Creator. They also eat mosquitoes so that’s a fair trade-off for letting some stick around.

We could travel the world and not even see a fraction of God’s creation, but by paying attention to what’s around us, we should be able to understand God’s love for us. This is what I mean: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? … And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow, they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (Matt. 6:26, 28-30 NASB). This passage talks about trusting the Lord in all things, including basic provisions, but it also testifies to how much He loves us. He takes care of His creation. The cycle of nature runs as it does because of God despite its sinful aspects. If we can witness the provisions from God to His creation, should we not also recognize how much He loves us and will provide if we trust in Him and follow His will? Jesus makes it clear in v. 33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God’s creation testifies that we are deeply loved if only we would take the time to see it.

Paul also writes about creation in Romans:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”  ~ Romans 1:18-25 NASB

Paul writes that the wrath of God is against men who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” A person cannot suppress the truth unless he or she already understands it. And how does a person understand it? God made it evident through His creation. But what was supposed to point people to God–creation–became the object of worship. Paul is writing about when all of this first started, not long after the Fall. “For even though they knew God” they decided to make images of gods or idols to be worshipped. What is also important to understand is that God let them make these choices. Why? The uniqueness of humanity compared to the rest of creation is having free will. People rejected His truth that was already evident to them. They willingly chose to disobey God. Instead of seeing God in His creation, they twisted creation for their own purposes, and led themselves down a path of sin leading to death.

Continuing from the previous passage:

“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” ~ Romans 1:26-32

People’s disobedience and worship of God’s creation led them to sin which they willingly gave into. But it doesn’t stop there. Notice the shift between the past and present beginning with “and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them” (v. 32). Paul isn’t just talking about people long ago. He shares this truth with the church in Rome for a reason:

“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to His deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” ~ Romans 2:1-11 (NASB)

Paul teaches everything in Romans 1 because the church in Rome (yes, the church) is practicing the same things. They have knowledge of God. They know the truth even to the point that understanding the consequence of the aforementioned sins is death. Yet they are practicing the same things and encouraging others to do the same. There is no sense in writing everything in Romans 1 if it doesn’t relate to the recipients. That would be costly and a waste of time. Rather, there are people in the church of Rome who are behaving like those who turned from worshipping God and worshipped the creation instead. The consequences of such defiance has led to a laundry list of sinful behavior, including everything from homosexuality to gossiping, which are all judged the same before God. If you continue to read through Romans, you’ll find that Paul spends much time explaining sin but not to that end. He discusses sin to such an extent not only to lead people to repentance but so that the church may grasp the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice.

As a result of accepting such an undeserving sacrifice, we also have been given the Spirit of God:

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh–for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” ~ Romans 8:11-25 (NASB)

Mankind’s desire to worship creation and reject God demonstrates the truth about human nature. We are not born righteous but sinful. Our desire is to follow the lusts of the flesh, and without the Spirit, we would do just that. But anyone who has accepted Christ wholeheartedly has the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit and the desires of the flesh wage war until we receive the redemption of our body. The rest of creation groans with us; however, it does not have the Spirit. Rather, it testifies about God even for our benefit. May we appreciate it for how it can bring us closer to the Creator. May we also not fall into the same behavior as the church in Rome. As Christians, we know the truth. If we practice things that are against the truth, we act against God. If we suppress the truth, we act against God. It’s that simple. The evidence of God is in us and all around us. We are without excuse.

But thanks be to God who is rich in kindness and mercy and willing to forgive when we ask. Thanks be to God who demonstrates His miracles and power through His creation so that everyone can be a witness of His magnificence. He is worthy to be praised above all things!

Psalm 19

1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

© Lauren Heiligenthal

 

When Hurt Feelings Lead To Repentance!

This is an excellent message written by Mary M. Hall-Rayford. Sometimes we shy away from sharing the truth because we’re afraid of hurting people, but if such truth leads people to repentance what is there to fear? Fear God above man.

maryhallrayford's avatarmaryhallrayford

“Even If I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it–I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while–yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NIV)

For all the blog posts, articles, and scripture references that have been used to encourage obedience, ignite repentance, and inspire desire to please God–we should all be thankful.

Why should we be thankful when people hurt our feelings–according to The Word? Because sometimes, we are so caught up in doing what we want to do–those things that please flesh–we forget that the desire…

View original post 563 more words

835. There’s a place in you where you have never been wounded, where there’s a seamlessness in you, and where there is confidence and tranquility in you. ~John O’Donohue

These quotes posted by Sacred Touches (Natalie Scarberry) are simply beautiful and encouraging. How I long to discover this place within myself where I’m no longer held back by fear. It starts with trusting in God in all things…

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

In out-of-the-way places in your heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
A beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.
Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening…

Screen shot 2015-08-08 at 3.16.48 PM

May your heart never be haunted by ghost-structures of old damage.
May you come to accept your longing as divine urgency.
And waste your heart on fear no more.
~Both passages are excerpts
from John O’Donohue

For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory. ~Psalm 149:4  ✝

**Edited image via Pinterest

View original post

Pressing On

“[Sanballat] spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, ‘What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore [the Jerusalem wall] for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?’ Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, ‘Even what they are building – if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!’” ~ Nehemiah 4:2-3 (NASB) (Words in brackets added for context)

The exiled Jews have returned to a desolate Jerusalem, a devastating and seemingly hopeless situation. When Nehemiah finds out about it, he seeks the Lord and beseeches King Artaxerxes to let him go back to Jerusalem to help his people rebuild the wall. As soon as Nehemiah arrives, he inspects the city, telling no one of God’s plans. When he reveals what God has instructed them to do, the people get to work. What appeared hopeless at first now seems possible. One step at a time, the wall will be made new again.

But not everyone is pleased. The foreign officials do not support this plan as reflected in their words above. They insult the Jews by calling them feeble. They criticize their ability to build something substantial. They plant seeds of doubt. Sound familiar?

How many times has God directed us to do something but others criticized it? “Did God really tell you that?” “Why would you go there?” “God wouldn’t call someone to do that.” “How will you support your family?” Fill in seeds of doubt here.

In the book of Nehemiah, the Jews have the opportunity to reclaim their land and turn back to the God whom they rebelled against numerous times. Now they are being tested again. Will they trust God to get them through, or will they listen to spiteful men? Nehemiah’s prayer is quite severe towards his enemies, “Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders” (4:4-5). And they continue to build.

When the Jews’ enemies realize that their criticism isn’t stopping the construction, they devise plans to destroy them. But Nehemiah tells his people, “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses” (v. 14). There are two important points here. First, the Jews should not fear men but God alone. Second, they should be prepared for the enemy to attack. If they are prepared they will not be caught off guard, and they will save their families and homes.

We can also learn from this situation. Whenever God calls us to do something, the enemy will do everything in his power to crush it before it even starts, just like Sanballat and Tobiah tried to do. If the work is crushed before any spiritual fruit is produced, the enemy has a lot less work to do. If we decide to press on and trust God, the enemy will continue to push forward as well. Therefore, we must be prepared and not give into fear (I’m preaching to myself as I write this). If God has called us, the task is possible through Him.

The Jerusalem wall could not have been built in a day as Sanballat sarcastically remarked, but the Jews made progress when every person performed his or her designated tasks each day. It took all of them. It took diligence. It took faith. It took constant attacks from the enemy. But they prevailed. “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” (6:15-16).

What a great testimony! Even their enemies knew that God made all of this possible. How much more should we understand the same truth?

We are blessed already because God has confidence in us to carry out His tasks. May we have the same confidence in ourselves because He lives in us. We will always be tested in our faith, but we should respond like Nehemiah who brought everything to God first.

May we trust Him, prepare ourselves for battle, and keep pressing on toward the goal.

 

© Lauren Heiligenthal