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It is a great privilege to be the citizen of the U.S. and be part of this amazing nation. 4th of July commemorates the independence of this nation as a separate entity from British Empire. This nation was formed by brave people who had a vision to migrate to this nation and gain the opportunity to worship their God freely apart from systematic and governmental regulation of what they left behind. In addition, the Bill of Rights gave every American Constitutional protection from unnecessary governmental intrusion. This allows every American to be free from within and without.

When we read the historical documents of individuals such as George Washington, our first president, and Alexis de Tocqueville, a French historian, one gains a better understanding of the genius of American government. Christianity was the foundation of this amazing system.

George Washington in his Farewell Address, admonished people to not call themselves patriots if they are not willing to uphold religion and morality as the firm props for their government. Washington cautioned people to avoid thinking that morality can be upheld without religion. At the time, the religion would have been Christianity which was comprised of various sects. He understood that Christianity is the foundation to our Constitutional and democratic system and it cannot survive without it.

Alexis de Tocqueville, came for an assignment to examine the prison systems in the U.S. in 1831. During that time, he began to take notice of the amazing governmental system that the Americans enjoyed. His book Democracy in America is a description of his observations and his analysis of what he found. He was intrigued by the unity in the U.S. under the umbrella of Christianity while people still enjoyed their own sects. All Americans were united because they followed the Bible as the basis for morality. He also found that religion did not impose itself in public square out of tradition. On the contrary, the faith that he detected was  a living and breathing entity that fueled Americans’ souls. He understood that freedom in this nation was possible because people had a restraint on their behavior and were submitted to God rather than man.

While de Tocqueville astutely observed the inseparability of religion and politics in American government in 19th century, in our current culture, we seem to question it greatly. In the last few decades, in the name of “separation of church and state”, Christianity has lost much ground in political arena. When the Founding Fathers penned the First Amendment, they never meant for the church to stay out of the business of government, but for government to stay out of the business of regulating Christianity.

Some will argue why can’t we just legislate good moral laws without talking about religion? The reality is that morality is not a stand alone unit, but it is established on a set of beliefs. Our beliefs and worldview will shape our morality. If I am a Christian, I will derive my morality from what God states in the Bible. However, if I am not a Christian then my morality is either based on other set of beliefs, or it is based on my subjective evaluation of what is in my best interest at the moment. 

What are the basic principles that make this nation great and where did they come from? I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47

In the last few devotionals, I have been sharing about authentic faith which leads to authentic relationships. Another important element of authentic faith is established on worshipping God and keeping Him at the center of our attention. While this may be a simple concept, it is a very important one. Many get distracted from devotion to Christ by allowing people, ministries, or leadership roles to take the place that only belongs to the Lord. It is difficult not to get distracted with all the actions and activities that try to pretend to be urgent or important, that’s why worship is so important. It is through our time of worship that God rearranges our priorities and shows us what is really important to Him!

As the early church continued steadfastly in teaching, authentic fellowship, and worship, the Lord continued to send people to this church. God entrusted them with more people because they were doing it right. The new people were being saved and were added to the church on daily basis! This is the pattern of the New Testament church. There was no marketing formula or clever advertisement to draw people. Because the people were authentic in their faith and fellowship, it attracted those who were hungry for authenticity. All those who had been laboring in the desert of religious rules and burdensome obligations were drawn to the oasis of life, freedom, and healing.

If we are to draw people to our fellowship, we need authentic faith that is established on the word of God. We also need to develop healthy and authentic fellowships that are free from worldly ranking, and we need to worship the Lord and allow Him to prioritize our activities. Can the Lord entrust your community of believers with new people? While new members is not necessarily a Litmus test for a healthy church, it is a factor that should be considered. 

Let’s pray and ask the Lord to show us on how we can live our lives authentically to impact our church and our community for His glory!

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47

In my last devotional, I shared about how the early church developed authentic faith by developing authentic relationships based on the above scripture. Another important aspect of authentic relationship, is to have simplicity of heart according to the above scripture. The early believers were individuals who were touched by God in such a profound way, that they had become childlike in faith. They were at awe of this new-found relationship with God which also impacted their earthly relationships. They no longer had to be looked down upon by their religious leaders or feel condemned that they were not good enough. They had found freedom, and they had found gladness to share the joy with each other.

A  critical aspect of authentic fellowship is to let go of ranking in relationships. Sometimes hierarchy is outward because of certain roles in society, but sometimes it is just an attitude because one may feel superior to others because of their education, wealth, experience, or title. While hierarchy has a purpose in every organization, one must be careful not to hide behind it as a source of security or identity. The Pharisees enjoyed both the inward and the outward ranking which made them feel more important than others, but it kept them at a distance from the average person. When Jesus entered the world, He completely reversed this. He came with a lowly spirit willing to serve people.

who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-7

Jesus lowered himself and took on our humanity. He chose to identify with humanity to the point that most did not recognize him as someone special. While He was the most anointed person walking on the face of the earth, many saw Him just as a carpenter’s son. He was not concerned about His reputation before man because His relationship with God was intact. He chose to serve humanity rather than rule them. Furthermore, his disciples were continually focused on who was the greatest among them, but Jesus never fed their carnal cravings. He taught them that the way to greatness was through humility and serving others.

Are we simple in the way we relate to others? Can we put our crowns down and make ourselves of no reputation before others? Are we comfortable to relate to others as our brothers and sisters in Christ and serve them? Do we think of ourselves better than others?Are people willing to make themselves vulnerable to you?

These worldly barriers masquerade as a mask of importance but keep us at distance from each other. If we desire authentic relationships, we need to be willing to relate to others as Jesus did. Simplicity of heart and humility open the door for authentic and life giving relationships. 

 photo taken from iosh.co.uk

An important element of an authentic faith is to have authentic relationships. We live in an age that relationships center around common activities and can remain shallow. Generally, once the activity stops, the majority of our interactions with the individuals ceases as well. It is as if we do relationships for the sake of the activity rather than doing the activity for the sake of the relationships. This makes for convenient relationships rather than committed ones.  

What does the Bible say about Godly relationships?

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47

Definition of Fellowship (According to Strong’s Concordance comes from the Greek word Koinoia): association, community, communion, joint participation.

The above scriptures give us insight into Godly and successful fellowships:

First of all,  a Godly fellowship is based on the scripture and what Jesus did on the cross for us. When the church was being formed following the Pentecost,  people gathered around Apostle’s doctrine. This is where our common union begins. It is the foundation and the root from which relationships can develop and blossom.

Those of us who are believers are considered brothers and sisters in the Lord! The blood of Jesus has washed us all, and God has chosen to adopt every one of us into His kingdom. We will be spending eternity with each other. This truth challenges me because I must admit that I just tolerate some people. The thought of spending eternity with them, makes me realize that there must be a better way to handle Godly relationships.

Secondly, the fellowship should include partaking bread together and enjoying each other’s company as the church in Jerusalem did. Interestingly, we have forgotten the art of hospitality and entertaining people at our homes. We have bigger homes and fewer people in them. We tend to meet people at coffee shops, parks, trails, etc. While there is nothing wrong with that, it keeps us to some degree at a comfortable distance from each other. In addition, some people come to church to just be fed but have no desire to get connected to other believers and break bread with them. They are missing a big piece of being a community of believers.  

Thirdly, the people in the early church were in one accord which meant they had one mind and one passion. Nowadays, we have many passions and Christ happens to just be one of them. We also have many opinions which could cause disagreements on certain topics. This causes us to keep our distance from those who don’t see things our way. If the most important thing in our lives is our relationship with Christ and His work on the cross for us, then we should be able to put our differences or preferences aside, so we can remain as one accord. 

How are you doing with your Godly relationships? 

I will continue with the remainder of this scripture and share a principle that sets our relationships apart from the world. 

In the landscape of current American culture, anyone can claim to be a Christian but it doesn’t mean that they all believe the same doctrine or apply it similarly to their personal lives. There are many who call themselves Christians but don’t have visible qualities of a life surrendered to Christ. Many denominations have produced a smorgasbord of Christianity that people can pick and choose what they agree or disagree with. 

What is authentic faith and how does it look different from being religious?

One of the key areas that one must examine a true faith, is our relationship to the word of God. There are those who do not believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. This is is a major differentiator between an authentic faith versus a lesser version of Christianity. When one deems the Bible to be in error, it causes the believer to be the master of their faith. The believer is in charge of the decision of whether a scripture should be adhered to or unnecessary to be followed!

If the Bible has errors, then we do not have a doctrine that our faith can depend on. There is no stability to believe in God or to place our hope in the finished work of Christ. Any portion that we may deem to be true, another could refute it. Additionally, our own experiences would affirm that following certain scriptures seem impossible.

True faith has to have stability that is based on truth.  If the Bible has errors, then it becomes a shifting sand rather than an anchor for the soul. How can one rely on it in the midst of storms of life and the turmoil in the world!? If faith cannot wholly rely on the promises of God, then the person can settle to use the Bible as a book of poetry or riddles. This causes the Bible to be a good philosophy book but not one that one is willing to submit to.

Having a form of godliness but denying its power. 2Timothy 2:5

The above scripture applies to those who believe the Bible to have errors. Paul is instructing Timothy that these type of individuals have a resemblance of faith, but they deny the power of God. Our main understanding of God and His nature should come from the Bible. How can one believe in the nature of God if they are questioning the authenticity of the Bible? If the Bible is not accurate then what it describes about God may not be accurate. 

Authentic faith believes that the word of God is inerrant and that it is meant to be followed not just intellectualized. A true faith engages the body, soul, and spirit to transform the entire person.

As our nation was hit with yet another act of terrorism taking 49 lives and leaving many injured, the church has some reflecting to do.  This time the tragedy hit a people group that has been on the opposite side of morality and politics to Evangelicals. In the past two decades, Christians in various spheres have been standing against legalization of gay marriage and acceptance of that lifestyle. At times, it seemed as if we were fighting against homosexuals. 

It is interesting how tragedy brings people together and flushes out so many issues that can cause barriers between people. Those issues melt away in the face of such a nonsensical massacre. This is the opportunity to show the heart of Jesus in the midst of such a pain. This is the time the body of Christ including the church leaders need to reach out to the families who are hurting and grieving such a deep loss. This is the time to suspend distaste of lifestyle for a moment and look at the fact that every victim was created in God’s image. Every one of those individuals was created by God and for God whether they ever realized it or not.

The scripture gives us instruction on how to interact with each other:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15

The Lord calls us to keep our hearts pure, so when something goes wrong with those who have persecuted us, we are capable of showing compassion towards them and are willing to mourn with them.  In our case, these are individuals that we have disagreed with on many important issues of life, but the tragedy has hit their lives.  What are we going to do about it?

The tragedy in this situation is two fold. The first tragedy is the fact that people’s lives were suddenly taken away, but the second one is that they did not get a chance to repent and get their lives right with the Lord. What if they had Christian family members who had been praying for their loved ones to come to repentance and salvation? They need our prayer and support during this difficult time.

Some wonder if choosing to love and mourning wth homosexuals, would give the wrong impression of condoning their behavior. I don’t believe that’s the case. The Evangelical churches have firmly stood against homosexual behavior for years. This is an opportunity for us to show that we have never been against gay people. We love them as we love any other human being on this earth. If we are speaking out against a particular sin or lifestyle, it has nothing to do with the rejection of the person but it has do with rejecting the lie that the individual has believed. We want to see them find the Truth that sets them free! We never wished their demise, and we are saddened by this tragedy.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Others are wondering, “is this tragedy a judgment from the Lord?”. In my reading of the Bible, the scripture tells us that God has no desire to see anyone perish but to have an everlasting life. The New Testament era is the age of redemption. God desires for every person to come to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ and see their lives and hearts completely transformed. This is the message of the gospel that every believer is called to carry and share the Good News with others.

There will be the Day of Judgment when Jesus returns for His bride, but He has not given the responsibility of judgment to man to impose it on others. He has given us the Great Commission to go tell others about Him. This is what differentiates us from a religion like Islam because they feel that they are responsible for dispensing God’s judgment on the earth. Obviously, sin has its own built-in consequence, and every one of us is subject to it as we are to the law of gravity.

Christians believe that Jesus sacrificially gave Himself for us, so that those who believe in Him, they become a new creation. All their sins will be washed away and the judgment of God will pass over them. Now they can live a life with a renewed spirit, a sober mind, a changed heart, and a submitted will towards God!

Let’s pray and ask the Lord to give us opportunities to share the heart of God with those who are hurting.

God’s purpose for Jesus began with a process that did not look anything like the promise! 

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

The circumstances of Mary & Joseph’s life were certainly no indication to the special baby that Mary was carrying. In fact, when Mary was ready to give birth to the baby, there was no room for them at the inn, and they had to be placed in a stable! It would seem that the Prince of Peace entering the world would have a grander welcome by those who had been waiting for Him! In fact, no one recognized this event except a few shepherds and wise men.

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. Luke 2:46-47

As a twelve year old, when Jesus discussed the word at the temple with the religious leaders, no one stopped Him or His parents to tell them that this young man was made for ministry. Nowadays, we are quick to spot a talented kid in academics or in the sports. These special kids can get much attention from teachers and mentors to coach them to get better at what they do. This was not the case with Jesus. While some were astonished with the young boy’s knowledge of God, no one took it further and offered to be His mentor.

When Jesus was baptized with water, heaven opened and the Spirit of the Lord spoke about His son being well pleasing to Him. However, the subsequent stories and encounters of Jesus with those who should have noticed His uniqueness, did not demonstrate that anything had changed in the public view of Him. In fact, after beheading of John the Baptist some wondered if Jesus was John who had risen from the dead.

Additionally, Jesus’ disciples did not fully comprehend who He was and what He intended to do, but He was secure about it.  In all the stages of Jesus’ life and ministry, most people did not fully understand who Jesus was. However, Jesus knew who He was and what His mission was on the earth. Whether people believed Him or not, it did not deter Him or discourage Him from His mission.

The reality is that most people will not understand or appreciate where God is taking us. Furthermore, the circumstances could be the opposite of what God has spoken over our lives. In order to stand strong in the midst of the process, we need to continue to do what God is asking us to do without any specific goal except to please Him.  If we place limitations to our obedience or wait for others to be convinced of God’s call in our lives, we are guaranteed to find ourselves in the position of giving up or being completely disillusioned with our faith.

Where are you in God’s process? How are you handling the process? People may not understand God’s call on your life. Are you ok with it? Do you need others to be convinced of God’s call in your life before you are convinced of it?

If you have ever received a prophetic word either through your time with the Lord or through a prophetic message, you have found how exhilarating it is to have a word from the Lord! His specific word brings encouragement, significance, and a new level of motivation to remain focused and run after God’s purpose in life!

The challenge with the word of God is that it only comes in seed form, and it is not meant to be fulfilled right away. Some of us naively have sat around waiting and watching His word to see when it will come to fruition. We eventually found ourselves tired, discouraged, and doubtful that the word will ever come to pass. This is where we need to look at the Biblical pattern and see what happens after a word is being proclaimed over someone.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. 1 Samuel 16:13

David was a given a prophetic word by Samuel to the surprise of his father and his brothers, and his life became harder than ever! As God was lifting him up, Saul was trying to tear him down and kill him. He had to flee continually from the hands of Saul just to save his life. Taking the throne seemed the least of his problems for a long time since his survival was the most urgent issue at the time (For complete story start at 1Samuel 16)!

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. Genesis 37:5

Joseph had a couple of powerful dreams when he was young that offended his father and brothers. Those dreams spoke of God’s purpose, but they were not meant to be fulfilled right away. They were just announcing a season of processing in Joseph’s life before he could be ready to be placed in that position (For complete story start at Genesis 37).

God’s purpose is tied to the process! Without the process, one cannot reach God’s promise. As a result, patience and obedience are much needed in the tough processing season! 

The Lord has given us insight and instructions in His Word on how to be joyful in a world system that wants to rob it from us.

It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. Proverbs 21:15

Unfortunately, some individuals in the church like to get close to those in power for personal gain through flattery, perceived loyalty, or showy performance in the hope of getting in the “right” positions. If we are in leadership positions, we need to be very discerning of people’s motives. Flattery or perceived loyalty can feed the ego of a leader and cause him/her to show favor to some unfairly. This becomes the beginning of a road to partiality if we are not careful.

God hates partiality and differing scales, and He tells us to avoid them (See Proverbs 24:23 & Proverbs 20:10). We need to be aware of “Hamans” in our lives who may look good and loyal to us, but they are unkind and rude to others (Esther 3:1-6). God is a God of justice, and He expects His children to represent Him well on the earth. When make the effort to be impartial and just, it brings great joy to us because we know God is pleased and our conscience is clear of any offense. Others are also blessed because they can feel safe with our leadership and know that we are not blinded by flattery or loyalty!

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Luke 15:1-12

Ultimately, the fullness of joy will come from opening our hearts to love. When we love God and love others, it increases our capacity for joyfulness! When we can let go of an offense that has tightened our hearts for so long, our hearts open up to love again. We cannot hold on to bitterness and love at the same time. If we don’t love, we will begin to lose our joy. Love & joy are interconnected because they are both the evidence of fruit of the Spirit. It seems that love is the catalyst to all the other fruit of the Spirit!

The Lord has given us keys in His word that provide an insight on how we can be joyful and remain joyful.

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. Proverbs 12:20

When God teaches us to do something, it is not only pleasing to Him, but it is also life-giving to us! In the above scripture, He calls us to be peacemakers and to walk in ministry of reconciliation. Sometimes people can resort to gossip, backbiting, and manipulation when they are upset with an individual. This approach may bring temporary relief to an anguished heart, but it is soulish and will not produce good fruit! Strife will alway steal our joy. On the other hand, when we live out our calling as peacemakers, it calms our hearts and brings us joy because we have lived life according to his design and purpose!

 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! Proverbs 15:23

Our words can get us into trouble faster than other areas of our lives. The book of James tells us how difficult it is to tame the tongue because it can be so unruly. The more we exercise self-control on our words and carefully deliver them, the more joyful we will be.

The enemy looks for opportunities to accuse us of what we have said or done. When our words are inappropriate, he can a have field day making us feel ashamed and guilty. On the other hand, when we speak in faith and share life-giving words, it brings life and joy into our hearts as well as those around us!

We can see the impact of our words on children very easily. What we say and how we say it, can either cause them to shrivel or blossom! Discerning what motivates each person can help us in choosing words that are edifying and life-giving to them. We cannot overcome a negative situation with more negativity. When we choose to be life-giving, it dissipates negativity and produces joy in everyone’s life. 

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.