40 Days with Job – Day 2

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Day Two – Chapter 2

Key Verse – “In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (2:10b)

God allows the devil to afflict Job’s life to prove that Satan’s contention was false. Satan contended that once God took down his hedge of protection Job would become as pliable to Satan’s will and devices as the rest of creation. Satan now shows up again, uninvited, in the presence of the sons of God talking ‘junk’ about God’s creation, which provokes God to bring up Job again who remained faithful in spite of all Satan had done to him. It strikes me that it is worth mentioning the obvious here: Satan never stops his attacks. He is in this fight for the long haul and just because you were victorious today does not mean he will give up or give in. So Satan incites God again to allow him to attack Job’s body and God acquiesces with the proviso that his life is off limits.

The attack is so vicious that Job is in obvious excruciating pain. One only had to look at him and the boils that covered his body to realize the extent of the attack. Even his friends “raised their voices and wept” (v. 12) when they saw him because they did not recognize him. The most telling piece of this part of the story involves Job’s wife. Her reaction to Job’s plight is one mixed with anger as well as concern. She wonders how Job could possibly hold on to his integrity; how he could hold onto his trust in the state he now was in. I cannot imagine her not being angry about the loss of all their possessions, let alone their seven sons and three daughters. Inherent in her plea to her husband is her incredulity at how Job’s faithfulness would not be honored by the preservation of all he lost. Now on top of everything they have lost Job is so sick that he probably believed that he was going to die and yet still trusted in God. Listen to her plea, hear it in your spirit: “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (v. 9). Why continue to serve a God who would allow all of this?

The key verse in this chapter is verse 10b, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Friends, we need to be careful what we speak because death and life is in the power of the tongue. Trouble and tragedy is a part of life. Certainly Job’s situation is different from our own. He was living in the days before Jesus, but because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection the power of sin, Hell and the grave has been defeated. Still we must be careful that we do not allow the frustration over our situations or the counsel of others to distract us from faithfully serving God. Today, make a commitment to serve the Lord regardless of the challenges that come your way. Let the devil know that surrender is not an option. Let him know that come what may, you will continue to serve the Lord.

Dear Father, my life is often times so complicated. I find myself balancing so many different challenges all at the same time. I am often confused about what I endure and am tempted to grumble, complain, and even doubt your love, care and concern. Forgive me for listening to voices that would counsel me to give in and give up. Forgive me for placing time limits on your intervention and/or deliverance in my life. Help me to focus more on You than on my circumstances. Strengthen my resolve and my commitment. Enable me to walk and live more and more today by faith and not by sight, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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40 Days with Job – Day 1

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Day One – Chapter 1

Read the entirety of chapter one.

Theme Text: “Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God” (1:22).

The book of Job, a wealthy man who was so righteous that there was “no one like him on earth” (1:8), tells the story of a man who lost everything and still confessed his trust in God. I do not think any of us could have stood to lose all that he lost without having our faith stretched to the limit. Many of us are convenient Christians, believing when it is convenient for us or it is apparent that there is something to gain from it. Much of the time we trust in horses and chariots, in the might of the pen, or the power of the dollar. To our way of thinking losing everything for which we have labored long and hard is not reason to rejoice and give thanks but to question, doubt and perhaps, even outright give up on God.

Look at Job, who became a target for the enemy because of his faithfulness to God. The devil had been having his way with God’s creation and he was not impressed. He had seen Job but could not get to him because of the hedge of protection God had put around him. The devil’s contention was that Job would be easy pickings just like all the others he had so easily seduced if God would take his protection off of his life. So he lost his oxen and the servants who watched over them to the Sabeans. A fire thought to come from God (of we know differently) consumed the sheep and the servants that cared for them. The Chaldeans slew still more servants and absconded with all Job’s camels. Finally a tornado came and destroyed the house in which he children were socializing. In each instance one lone servant was left alive to run and tell the story.

Now here is the part that gets me, after all these horrific things have happened Job still does not sin or blame God. Can we have a few more Jobs? Doesn’t he appear to be a far better believer than we had been? Job almost shames us because far too many people lay down their faith because things did not go their way or turn out the way they would have wanted. Today let us focus on getting and keeping our emotions in check so that we will not lose our trust or misplace our faith.

Dear Lord, You know how difficult life is right now. You know full well the challenges that confront us and tempt us to play the blame game with You and others. Help us today to say only what needs to be said and avoid doing anything that would grieve Your Spirit. Through every trial and test, enable to be like Job who did not sin or blame you. Amen.

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Love Lifted Me!

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Romans 5:6-8

What more can be said that has not already been said about Easter? Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It commemorates not only the selfless sacrifice of the Father in the surrendering of His one and only Son, but also the triumph He won over sin, death, hell, and the grave when He got up. Anyone, including the annual Easter worshiper, knows the rudiments of the story of the resurrection. It is rehearsed annually, immortalized in television shows, movies, dramatic presentations and more. The casual believer knows the tenuous connection between Easter and bunnies, eggs and chocolate. The more sophisticated believer knows the strong connection between Easter and Passover. What more, then, can be said that has not already been said?

Perhaps what can be said is what Easter means personally and what it should mean to you and me. Perhaps a personal word that will propel the casual believer to a different, more committed place in Christ is what is left. Perhaps what this day calls for is a personal testimony from those who have tasted and have seen that the Lord is good. If you were called upon to give such a testimony, what words would you speak? How would you give an account of the hope of glory that you claim is in you? If I were to testify my words would be simple and my testimony uncomplicated: love lifted me. When nothing else could help, love lifted me.

It sounds good, but how can I say such a thing? How do I quantify such a claim? Our text today brings validation to my claim. In our text the Apostle Paul, writing to the Roman church, affirms that in dying for us Jesus demonstrated His love for us. His affirmation echoed the words of Jesus Himself when He declared, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” I can say it for the following reasons.

  1. He loved me when I didn’t love myself.
  1. He saw in me greatness, when all I saw was mediocrity.
  1. He was patient with me when I pursued my own path, and tried to credit it to him.
  1. He took me back after I had wandered astray.

What kind of love is this that God should love me so much that He would allow his only begotten Son to die for me? What kind of love is this, with all of my rebellion, all of my doubts and fears, that my Savior should love me still? What kind of love is this, when I didn’t love myself, that Jesus could see the potential in me? What kind of love is this, after all the miscues, all the misdirection, all of the sin, my Lord would still accept me and claim me as His own. What kind of love is this that I should be able to stand and declare that Jesus is the lover of my soul even when it wasn’t clear that I loved Him?

It is a different kind of love from that which characterizes so much of our life. It is a special kind of love not founded on my goodness, or my worthiness. It’s a special kind of love not predicated on what I can offer in return. It is a special kind of love not based upon any initiative on my part. It is love in spite of . . . Love in spite of my faults. Love in spite of my sin. Love in spite of my rebellion. Love in spite of my duplicity. Love in spite of . . .

I grieve when I rehear and reread the passion narrative. I grieve when I ponder all He endured for me. I grieve when I think about the whipping, the thorns, the spittle, the nails and the spear. I grieve when I survey the wondrous cross where my Savior suffered, bled and died for me. Why would Jesus die for me? Why would Jesus care? But He did because He loved me. So, it was love that lifted me. In 1912 James Rowe and Howard Smith wrote a hymn by the same name. It lyrics read:

“I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.

Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling. In His blessed presence live, ever His praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs.

Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.

Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!”

© All Rights Reserved 2014 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

 

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Extravagant Worship

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Matthew 26:6-13

Our text today records the anointing of Jesus at a town called Bethany about two miles from Jerusalem. In the week leading up to his crucifixion it would be his base of operations. While headquartering there he stayed at the home of Simon the Leper. Matthew tells us nothing more about Simon or of the relationship he had with Jesus. Suffice it to say that it must have been a comfortable place, perhaps even a familiar place for Jesus to retreat there. We also are not told what was happening at the home of Simon the Leper that day, but perhaps we can surmise that more than just the disciples of Jesus and the family of Simon were gathered there. It was common for people to gather whenever and wherever Jesus showed up. I imagine it was no different in this instance.

Into this gathering Matthew tells us there came a woman with an alabaster bottle of expensive perfume, which she poured on his head. Her action, which can be only described as extravagant, was met with indignant protests from his disciples. They protested that her action was a tremendous waste of expense that would have been better expended on the poor. Their protest might seem unreasonable but it was firmly in line with what they had learned from Jesus. One could argue that His teaching was one of simplicity, which would give legitimacy to their complaints.

“This is rooted, for instance, in the Sermon on the Mount, where we are told to live so simply and trustingly that we take no thought for tomorrow, for clothing or food or drink. [Her action] would be ruled out by the specific instructions given the disciples about their simplicity of life while journeying on their mission (Matthew 10:9-10: ‘Provide no gold, silver or copper to fill your purse, no pack for the road, no second coat, no shoes, no staff; the worker earns his keep’; see also Luke 10:4). Even more basically, the very pride that would ‘show off’ by extravagance is deflated by the instruction that the one who would be first in rank must be the servant of all (Matt. 19:30; Matt. 20:27; Mark 9:33-37), [and] that he who would be at the head of the table should plan to sit at the foot, that the Master can say ‘Come up’, and not risk the judgment of ‘Move down’ (Luke 14:7-11). And in accord with this sort of teaching, there is the whole example of the serious, purposeful life of Jesus, who cares for and teaches sharing with the poor and suffering. His example would seem to leave no room for extravagant gestures.” Yet Jesus tells His disciples to leave her alone because anointed Him to prepare Him for His burial. So do not suppose that what she did was extravagant because of the expense but because of her actions.

  1. She did an honorable thing. Oil was poured on the head of those who traveled long distances to visit in someone’s home, it was used to salve the wounds of those who suffered, but it was also poured on the heads of kings. Here is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
  1. She did an extravagant thing. She anointed Him not with some ordinary oil, but with expensive oil, the equivalent of a year’s wages.
  1. She did an unexpected thing. It is said by some commentators that the oil she used was used to anoint the dead, but Jesus was alive. Could she have known what the disciples did not? What she did caught everyone but Jesus by surprise. It was unexpected, unusual, and maybe even impractical. Why should we confine ourselves with what is expected of us in worship?
  1. She did a beautiful thing. Matthew and Mark do not tell us the identity of this woman, but John says that she is Mary, sister to Martha and Lazarus. What she did was a beautiful thing. The brought to her Lord the most precious thing she owned.

Consider the actions of the followers of Mohammed, the extent to which they have and will go to serve a false prophet. Many would rush into battle almost naked, cut their way through troops, and even expose themselves to death as suicide bombers. Consider the actions of other followers of false prophets and the extremes they have gone to serve and worship their supposed master. Then consider how weak and tepid the commitment and devotion of the followers of the only true and living God. When we consider what our Lord suffered for our redemption how could we offer him anything less than extravagant worship? Yes, we should care for the poor and the least among us. Yes, we should walk in humility not seeking for accolades and acclaim. What shall we do for the One who has sacrificed all for us? What can we do that is honorable, extravagant, unexpected and beautiful? What can we offer Him that demonstrates our gratitude for all He has done for us? This woman brought perfume so expensive that its value equaled a year’s wages. This woman braved the criticism and scorn of those who could not understand the depth of her devotion.

How deep is your love today? How deep is your devotion today? How much do you love Him today? How extravagant is your worship? Let us not be in a hurry to leave His presence, but let us seek to give Him more than our best because He deserves our worship. He deserves the best we can offer.

© All Rights Reserved 2014 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

 

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Clean This House!

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Matthew 21:12-17

After a long cold winter, spring has finally sprung with all of the pollen that accompanies it. When spring comes change is exemplified in more than just a change of clothing. On the outside the lawn mower is serviced and attention given to the lawn and flowerbeds. On the inside spring-cleaning begins as we systematically unclutter from the past year. The spring-cleaning must occur to make room for the inevitable additions that will be made in a new season. The spring-cleaning must occur to create space for what will come in a new season.

Having set his face to go to Jerusalem, Jesus finally arrives in majestic fashion. He rides into the city atop a colt of a donkey that had never before been ridden. His disciples, along with those who greeted his entry, spread their garments and palm branches on the ground in front of him. Much to the consternation of the Pharisees His entry was greeted by jubilant shouts of praise, though one can make the argument that the crowd did not really understand what it all meant.

The account of Jesus entering Jerusalem is very familiar to us. It is the text that is generally read on Palm Sunday, the Sunday immediately preceding Easter. What intrigued me today, however, was not the account of my Savior and your Savior into Jerusalem, but what occurs immediately afterward. Matthew records that Jesus makes His way to the Synagogue where he encounters something that so disturbs him that he becomes righteously indignant and turning over the tables of the moneychangers he drives them out.

What was it that was so disturbing to Jesus? Why did He become so exercised over what was a normal daily occurrence? Jesus tells us pointing out that the synagogue was built to be a House of Prayer for all people, but that these dishonest men had defiled it and made it a den of thieves. The act of turning over the tables and running the dishonest businessmen out served to cleanse and purify the temple. It was an event that was absolutely necessary if the new season Jesus brought to Jerusalem was to be realized. Note that after the temple is cleansed of that which defiled it “the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple and He healed them.” It might not seem like much, but I see strong implications for today in these verses: the house must first be cleansed, purified; the cleansing process is a radical process; and, miracles, signs and wonders come once cleansing has occurred.

  1. The house must first be cleansed, purified (vs. 12). Jesus quotes Old Testament prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, as He takes ownership of the temple.
  1. The cleansing process is a radical process (vs. 12). He overturned the tables and the seats of those selling.
  1. Miracles, signs and wonders will come once cleansing has occurred (vs. 14).
  1. The cleansing process will put a bigger target on your back for your enemies (vs. 15).
  1. Your faithfulness will be vindicated (vs. 16).

If you listen to gospel radio you will no doubt have heard Isaac Carree sing the song: Clean this House. Though the radio stations tend to play it until it begins to nauseate, the chorus resonates in my spirit. “Clean this house from the inside out. Restore me; take away my iniquity. Lord, I need You to clean this house from the inside out. Restore me; take away my iniquity.”

© All Rights Reserved 2014 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

 

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I Believe I’ll Testify!

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 107:1-3; 116:12-13

Everybody has a story. It is a story of how we came to be where we are, have what we have and do what we do. For the Christian it is all of that plus a story of how the Lord empowered us to be, to have and to do. When we see someone, anyone, we see the sum total of everything they have experienced in their life, but we will never know the intimate details of their story until and unless they tell it. In ages past the saints of old would participate in a testimony service. They would stand and tell the gathered crowd what they Lord had done for them, sometimes prefacing their testimony with their favorite hymn or gospel song, and generally ending by requesting those who knew the word of prayer to pray for them. Now while the testimony service is mostly a relic of the past, and for good reason, its absence means that the story, our story goes untold.

The psalmist writes extolling the goodness of the Lord having brought them out of exile and captivity. The Israelites went into exile as a result of their rebellion against their God. Their exile was long. Their captivity was hard. They were separated from their people and their land, but the Lord delivered them from their trouble. It is not uncommon for the people of God to experience trouble. Trouble is a part of our existence. It is also not uncommon for people to cry out to the Lord when they get into trouble. In fact, it is when experiencing trouble that many seem to suddenly find their faith. But such is not the concern of the psalmist here. His concern is rather focused in what happens after God hears and answers the cry of His people. Many people fail to thank God for what He has done or to share with others, particularly no-believers, what the Lord has done. In fact, many having been rescued from their trouble return to what they have been accustomed to doing and living how they have been living. In short, they forget God.

What shall we render or return to the Lord for all He has done for us? That is the question Psalm 116 asks and that is the question still being asked today. We serve a God who has done marvelous things for us and yet we remain silent. We may have scrapped the testimony service because of the propensity of the one testifying to lie, but how will a non-believing world know about a loving God if we fail to share our story? We need to change our modus operandi. Rather than holding our peace as if maintaining a deep dark secret, we need to share our story. The church of the living God needs to follow the counsel of the psalmist, “Let the redeemed of the Lord, ‘say so!’” What shall we say?

  1. We have been rescued from the hand of the enemy (107:2).
  1. We have been returned to that which we lost (107:3).
  1. We have been redeemed from a life of sin (116:12).
  1. We have a God upon whom we can call (116:13).

Out story is the story of deliverance out of darkness into the marvelous light. Our story is the story of healing from debilitating sickness and restoration to wholeness of health. Our story is the story of how the Lord saved us, how He raised us, how He gave us a brand new start. Our story is the story of a faithful God who has been with us through the generations. Our story is the story of a God who has never lied or gone back on His Word. Our story is the story of a God who heard our despairing cry and set himself do something about our trouble. Our story is the story of a God who makes ways out of no way, who puts food on our tables, roofs over our heads, and clothing on our backs. Our story is the story of a God who loves us so much that He sent us, down through forty and two generations, a Savior to redeem us by taking our place on a cross at Calvary.

When I consider the goodness of the Lord and all the marvelous things He has done for me, I believe I’ll testify. When I think about what I could have been and what I might have done had it not been for the Lord on my side, I believe I’ll testify. Remembering that I should have been the one who was crucified, that I should have been the one who hung on the cross in disgrace, that I should have been the one hanging my head and dying, I believe I’ll testify. I’ve got a story to tell. You have a story to tell. If you won’t tell it, let me tell it!

© All Rights Reserved 2014 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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Arrested Development

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Hebrews 6:1-12                                                                                  1 Peter 2:2-3

One of the great failing of human nature is our propensity to falling into routine. Many frequently find themselves devolving to a place where an initial intensity, expressed in doing things with specific intent, gives way to doing things habitually, doing things out of habit. Many people, without realizing it, become automatons who are busy doing things, but those things soon become the same things done repeatedly day after day. The consequences of such mindless repetition are great. Couples become bored with their relationship leading to either a physical dissolution or disinterest; employees become bored with their jobs which leads to less than excellent production; church members become bored with their churches which can lead to absenteeism or relocation; and the list goes on.

It is a matter of great concern if a child does not grow and mature in the manner that is considered normal. We call such a condition, arrested development. Parents will spend countless amounts of money and time addressing this issue in their children diagnosed with arrested development. However, equal concern is not given to the failure to grow and mature in our spiritual lives. One of the great tragedies of the American church is that many of her members are afflicted with the condition of arrested development.

God does not want us to labor in ignorance, nor does he want us to remain immature. Our heavenly Father wants us to grow, to mature; he wants us to crave, desire, or hunger after those things that are good and build us up. Arrested development is what turns churches into social clubs and gives rise to massive compromise with and accommodation to the dominant culture. Peter advises his readers to grow by craving pure spiritual milk and the writer of Hebrews advises leaving elementary teachings about Christ and going on to maturity. Immaturity is a scourge of the church. Though it is epidemic in the church we must have a determination to eradicate it. If we are to grow, if we are to mature in our walk with the Lord it becomes necessary for us to taste that the Lord is good, and after we have done that to crave pure spiritual milk, leave the elementary teaching about Christ, repudiate laziness, and emulate those who are mature.

  1. Taste and see that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:3). Psalm 34:8 reads, “O Taste and see that the Lord is good . . .” There is something about tasting a food that is good, it only makes you crave more.
  2. Crave pure spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2). To crave is to desire so deeply that it is like lusting or having a forbidden desire. Pure here means unmixed, unadulterated, undiluted.
  3. Leave the elementary teachings about Christ (Hebrews 6:1). The writer describes these elementary teachings by listing three couplets: repentance and faith; baptism and the laying on of hands; and, resurrection and eternal judgment. These were important truths, which Christians must understand but they were elementary. There was also nothing distinctive from Judaism about them.
  4. Repudiate laziness (Hebrews 6:12). Do not be sluggish, literally slow to learn. If believers do not stop their spiritual drifting they will never mature.
  5. Emulate those who are mature (Hebrews 6:12). Emerge from spiritual lethargy and imitate the heroes of the faith delineated in the 11th chapter.

The decision to grow is a personal one. What will we do to satisfy this spiritual appetite? What will we do to satiate this thirsting of our souls? Will we be satisfied to continue to do what we have always done while expecting miraculous results? Having grown weary of the ordinary the world is looking for the extraordinary. Having come to the realization of its limitations, this world is looking for that which lacks limits. This world is straining and striving for maturity. Believers content to labor with arrested development will never reach this dark world. If it is to drug into the light from the darkness of its daily existence it needs more from the people of God. It may not know it, but it deserves far better from those who count themselves among the blood bought, blood washed body of Christ.

We should not be content to continue to do what we have always done. We should crave to know more. We should hunger and thirst for the bread of heaven that will bring transformation and change to every aspect of our lives. We should want to graduate from remedial classes and go on to that which will catapult us into our destiny. We can do it by tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. We can do it by craving pure spiritual milk. We can do it by leaving the elementary teaching about Christ. We can do it by repudiating laziness. We can do it by imitating those heroes of the faith that left us a road map by their life, witness and writings, and by God’s grace we will!

© All Rights Reserved – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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Not A Hair of Your Head Will Perish!

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Luke 21:5-19

No one who is serious about his or her relationship with Jesus is happy about the current state of our world. The moral decay with its ‘in your face’ boldness combined with the rumor of wars is more than sufficient to echo the cry of the early church, ‘Maranatha’ (Come quickly, Lord Jesus!)! But the toll the personal attacks are exacting is cause for even greater concern. There is a sense that one can endure, perhaps even hide, when the attacks do not seem to touch the individual believer personally. One may hear of the struggles of other believers and feel indignant but still remain aloof because there is no personal investment. It is a far different story when one begins to feel and believes they are being persecuted because of his or her beliefs.

One is supposed to have the right to the free exercise of religion, but sometimes the definition of what is determined to be ‘free exercise’ is different for different religions, particularly for the Christian. Some may be aware of the heated debate that took place in a Senate committee this past week as senators questioned the Secretary of the Air Force and a couple generals about incidents that have been taking place on military installations, including the Air Force Academy. The reason such events are of interest at all is because the same things happen everyday without ever garnering any type of media attention. It is a great concern because the pressure to conform is only intensifying and the cause of the deception or the falling away of many.

Responding to the temple admiration of his disciples, Jesus begins to teach about the signs of the times. It would be interesting to know how many times in the more than two thousand plus years since Jesus walked this earth these words have been taken to reference specific events believers saw around them. Far too much energy has been expended trying to determine dates and times or interpreting events and disasters. The truth of the matter is that no one knows the date of our Lord’s appearing, not the Son or the angels, only the Father. What is also true is that the people of God will continue to suffer. Just as the disciples had an idealized view of the temple, so many believers today have an idealized view of the faith. They would like to believe that faith in Jesus comes without struggle, and perhaps that is what the disciples were thinking as they witnessed the miracles and experienced the teaching. In contrast to this idealized view Jesus offers a timely dose of reality. We would do well to note it today.

  1. Your faith will cause you to be persecuted (vs. 12).
  2. Your persecution will result in your being witnesses to your persecutors (vs. 13).
  3. You will have the words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict (vs. 15).
  4. Those closest to you will betray you, or even out you to death (vs. 16).
  5. All people will hate you because of your faith in Jesus (vs.17).
  6. Not a hair of your head will perish (vs. 18a).
  7. By standing firm, you will gain life (vs. 18b).

There is no need to shrink in fear of either what we hear about, see for ourselves, our experience. There is no need to fear what we might lose or how we might be marginalized. There is no need to fear bodily harm or imprisonment. The promise of Jesus is this, though we will be hated, though some of us will even die, though our friends and families will betray us, not a hair of our heads will perish. By standing firm we will gain life.

© All Rights Reserved – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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Resident Aliens

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

John 17:13-19; Romans 12:1, 2

The last couple of weeks we have addressed the question, “What is wrong with the church?” The world seems to be going to Hell in the proverbial hand basket and the church seems content to let it go, or in many instances to accompany it on the journey. It is not a pretty picture as we analyze the state of our society. Seeking to be faithful one hardly knows how to effectively respond. If one opts to follow the leading of many in the mainline church they are guilty of compromise and accommodation, but if they resist they are accused of being intolerant and unloving. One can hardly blame Christians for laboring in confusion when it seems that they are going against the grain of the majority of believers they know and perhaps, even their church.

While the church in the first century was not guilty of massive compromise, some were and are judged accordingly. We can learn much from their experience because while science and technology has progressed, human nature has not changed. The struggle for how to live as committed Christians in an unbelieving world is just as relevant today as it was in the first century. The key to understanding how to answer this question rests in properly interpreting scripture.

Many have, no doubt, heard it said that Christians are called to live in the world but are not to be part of it. There is no exact verse in scripture from which this phrase is quoted, but it can be extrapolated from multiple texts, two of which are referenced here. The key to understanding what Jesus meant lies in the translation. The word ‘world’ is the Greek word cosmos, which generally refers to the uninhabited earth and the people who live on it, which functions apart from God. Satan is the ruler of this ‘cosmos’, and so by simple definition the word ‘world’ refers to a system ruled by the devil. Christians, by virtue of their redemption through the blood of Jesus are no longer ruled by the sin or bound by the principles that characterize this world system. Yet they are still physically present in it. How do we reconcile the two? How do we live in this present darkness without becoming consumed by it?

1. Resist immersing ourselves in what the world values (vs. 16). We are not of the world. We can enjoy the things of the world without being consumed by them. This system not only hates God, it hates the people of God.

2. Resist chasing after worldly pleasures (vs. 17). Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God.

3. Resist conforming to the standards of this world system (Romans 12:2). Meaning do not mold or model yourselves after this world system.

4. Live as resident aliens (Romans 12:2). The patriarchs of old lived as aliens and strangers here on earth. They understood that they were no longer identified from where they had come but were looking for a better country.

Obviously, living with this dichotomy is no easy feat. Thankfully, Jesus prays for us just as He prayed for His disciples. He understands our weaknesses. He understands our temptations. He understands the pressures we endure to conform. He understands our natural proclivities to pursue those things that lead to acceptance. He is not caught off guard by our struggles. He knows the agenda of our enemy, the devil. He knows the weakness of our flesh, and understanding it He has given us the resources to overcome. He has already defeated out enemy and put him on notice that we are no longer victims but victors. Let’s make a decision today to love God more than we love the world, to love God more than we love the things this world system has to offer, to love God more than our very lives.

We cannot afford to endanger our testimony by compromise. Jesus, the Light of the world, shines in us so we can be a light in the midst of this present darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner, and know that there is something “different” about us. We have to make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even those who do not believe know that one knows a tree by the fruit it bears. If we want make a difference in our world we have no choice but to live as resident aliens.

 

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What Is Wrong With the Church? (Part 2)

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Genesis 10:8-12; 11:1-9                                                                                 Jeremiah 1:10

Overcoming A Spirit of Nimrod!

“There is a mysterious spirit at work in the world today. This mystery is subtle and camouflaged. It is not easily understandable or in full view, often going unnoticed. It is as if common sense and common decency are being turned upside down. It is an overshadowing, seducing spirit of evil that creeps among us. It is a blurring of right and wrong that prevails in every avenue of society, even invading the assemblies of churches that purport to proclaim the truth. It is a symptom of the Laodicean Church Age in which we live. The great sin of Laodicea was not so much that she was lukewarm, but that her eyes were blurred so that she could not see her lukewarmness.”

This mysterious spirit operates in and through the prince of this world assisted by legions of demons that were once angels in the heavens just as he once was. Their strategy mirrors that of their master. It is to steal, kill, and destroy. But there is another area in which this spirit operates. Spirit beings can only operate on the celestial plain. In order for them to operate in our dimension they need a physical body. They found that body in history with someone uninformed teachers and preachers of the Bible have at times called a super hero. His name was Nimrod.

Nimrod founded Babylon (Genesis 10). Babylon has its roots in the book Genesis. It was one of the earliest human societies. Its path continues through the centuries and is found in the book of Revelation at the demise of human societies. But Babylon is more than just a city in the Bible. It is a spirit. It is the spirit of Nimrod. It is a spirit of rebellion. It is a spirit of rebellion against all that is good. Ultimately it is a spirit of rebellion against God Himself. It is self-glory, a narcissistic elevation of one’s own worth. It is a spirit of enslavement. The spirit of Babylon is a desire to afflict others with the same corrupt practices and thoughts that have afflicted them. Not content to be corrupt alone, this spirit seeks to entice and enslave others who willingly submit to its seduction.

If any human in man’s early history epitomized Lucifer’s desire, it was Nimrod. Note Genesis 10:9, “He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: therefore it is said, Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” Why did the Lord take special notice of this mighty hunter? Was it because Nimrod hunted and killed many animals? No. The word, “mighty,” in Genesis 10:8-9, can be translated from Hebrew as “tyrant.” Nimrod was blatantly obstinate against God Himself. He waged battle against God for the loyalty of humans. He impudently stood in the face of God. He rebelliously stood before the Lord with the same lust for power that Lucifer had during his attempted Heavenly coup. Nimrod not only hunted animals, but he hunted also the very souls of men! He hunted them and enslaved their souls to follow his pernicious ways.

His rebellion is immortalized over the course of history for us in that Nimrod wanted to build a tower to reach to heaven. Genesis 11:4 says, “They said, Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose will reach unto heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Nimrod led a unified effort by the people of the world at that time for a single purpose. It is this purpose that is the problem. They desired to make a name for themselves and storm the gates of Heaven. Their intent was pushed by the same spirit Satan exhibited at devil’s expulsion from Heaven, and in the Garden of Eden with Eve. They desired to usurp the very authority of God. The city was named, Babel, which in Hebrew means, “to confuse.” The Babylonians preferred to use the meaning that was more acceptable to them, “gate of God.” “Babel,” is the Hebrew form, and “Babylon,” is the Greek form. Their plan, however, was thwarted when God, with apparent use of his angels, confounded their languages. But, Satan, through Nimrod, continued this insidious enslavement of humanity, to do battle against God. Just as Satan took angels, so Nimrod took men.

This spirit still cripples the church today because it pervades every aspect of our world. It has become so pervasive that every person that gives his or her life to the Lord is afflicted by it without even realizing it. We have become so thoroughly seduced by this spirit that we no longer attempt to be free of it but instead seek to find ways to live at one with it, rejoicing over our victories and rationalizing our defeats believing we cannot be completely free from it. But we can be free from it and we must be free from it. The problem with the church today is that it is captivated, entangled, ensnared by this spirit of Babylon, this spirit of Nimrod, this spirit of rebellion. We no longer care what God required as long as we can have our way. God is calling for His people to stand against this spirit and rise to our position ruling and reigning as we were created. The spirit of Nimrod can be defeated but it will take some effort on our part.

  1. Fall out of love with the world.
  2. Stop operating in shades of gray.
  3. Reject secular humanism and live a holy lifestyle of faith.
  4. Walk in our kingship and liberty in Christ.

The entire world is waiting for the manifestation of the children of God. This can’t happen until the children of God come out of their entanglement with the world’s mammon system of debt and leverage and walk in their God given liberty as free people. As children of God we are not slaves but ones set at liberty. God says to Jeremiah, “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck out, and to break down, and to destroy, and to overthrow, to build, and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). The world has changed. The Holy Ghost will help us see it. The Kingdom of God is not coming; it is already here. Only the sons, the children of God walking in the Spirit can manifest the Kingdom.

© All Rights Reserved – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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