PLUS

I Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Whenever someone thinks of the name Neville Chamberlain, they often think of the word appeasement. Whenever someone thinks of the word appeasement, they often think of the name Neville Chamberlain. They are linked together in a way that is permanently inseparable and that conjures up images of international affairs and national security failure.

As the British Prime Minister in 1938, Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement that gave large portions of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany and its leader Adolf Hitler. Chamberlain was convinced that such concessions would harmlessly satisfy the Germans and end their desires for future conquest. He saw it as the pathway to “peace for our time.” In the end, the British Prime Minister’s actions likely only enticed Hitler who saw the agreement as a sign of weakness. His appeasement was a steppingstone for future aggression and a gateway for malignancy.

Christians often cling to the strategy of appeasement. We believe that small activities that are misaligned with God’s will and His word are harmless. We are convinced that such concessions will harmlessly satisfy the flesh while ending the devil’s desires for future conquest. In the end, our actions likely only entice the devil who sees our agreeability with the ways of the world as a sign of weakness. Our appeasement is a steppingstone for future aggression and a gateway for malignancy.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO STEADFASTLY RESIST EVEN THE SMALL ENTREATIES OF OUR ADVERSARY. By putting on the whole armour of God, we can avoid the entrapments of appeasement that lead to spiritual failure.

Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

I Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

Psalm 51:1-4 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

Eugene Patterson was a well-regarded journalist and journalistic leader. He eventually rose to be the managing editor of The Washington Post and the president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. He was also awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1967.

During his time as the editor of the St. Petersburg Times, he and the newspaper owner were determined to promote hard-hitting journalism that was fearless in its coverage. They especially sought to expose the shortcomings of those whose privilege typically allowed them to escape scrutiny.

On the way home from a dinner party, Eugene got into a small accident and was nabbed for a DUI. Ashamed and embarrassed of his decision to drive while intoxicated, he did something that was remarkable. He insisted that the newspaper run the story on the front page. Even though his staff resisted, he was determined to ensure that their culture of courageous journalism allowed no one to escape public visibility into their ethical and legal lapses. He refused to be a hypocrite.

Christians are often tagged by secular society as hypocrites. And while I do not suggest that we print our ethical and legal lapses on the front page of the local newspaper, we must passionately strive to align our words, our beliefs, our thoughts, and our actions. And we should follow the wonderful example of Paul who acknowledged his state as a sinner while pointing those who were well aware of his shortcomings to the surreal sacrifice of our sin-scrubbing Saviour.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH CHRIST WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING OUR DESPERATE NEED FOR A SAVIOUR. Doing so won’t land us on the front page, but it will instead give Christ the headlines He deserves.

ADMIN: I won’t be publishing a PLUS blog next weekend, but please keep praying faithfully for widespread revival in the United States of America!

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Psalm 51:1-4 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

Chuck Colson was a Marine, a lawyer, and special counsel to President Richard Nixon. His life provided a roadmap for rapid advancement and temporal success. Yet as things were peaking in his career, he found himself caught up in the Watergate scandal. It was at this time that he was exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, repented of his sins, and accepted the free gift of salvation.

While he was innocent of the Watergate-related crime of which he was indicted, there was something that continued to nag at his conscience and stir his soul. There was another crime for which he was guilty that was not on the court docket. In order to honor the Lord, though against the strident advice of his lawyer, he felt compelled to admit to this transgression and plead guilty to something that had not yet surfaced.

It was a bold step that publicly acknowledged his sin, though the price was seven months in prison and the diversion of a promising career from its rocketing upward trajectory. He knew that it was the right thing to do to honor his Lord and to seek first the kingdom of God. It was also a necessary step to ultimately open doors for service to God that would have been otherwise closed

We are all sinners, and while we may not face the type of situation that Colson did at the pinnacle of his career, we must always focus on staying right and getting right. It is a necessary step to ultimately open doors in service to God that would otherwise be closed.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO GET RIGHT AND STAY RIGHT TO MAXIMIZE OUR USEFULNESS TO OUR MATCHLESS LORD. Though it forced him to spend time behind bars, Chuck Colson’s willingness to honor God ultimately opened doors to serve Him.

I Peter 5:8-11 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

As a young fighter pilot at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, in addition to being an F-15E Strike Eagle combat pilot I was the squadron’s Chief Snacko. It sounds like a glorious position for a new officer until you realize that Chief Snacko meant that I was the snack bar officer. Yes, I was responsible for ensuring that the squadron was well-stocked with coffee, snacks, and SWAG – stickers, t-shirts, hats, posters, and lithographs. I was also responsible for selling our goods at local airshows to raise money for our morale fund.

A neighboring base had a big airshow during that time, and we were excited to sell our wares. A local contractor who made the majority of our SWAG offered to help set up on the Thursday before the weekend-long event. Our assigned table was in a large hangar, but towards the back and we were worried about the lack of foot traffic that would hinder our sales.

Unbeknownst to anyone in the squadron, the contractor hatched a plan on his own. At the end of the setup day, he hid in the hangar and was locked inside for the night. During that time, he moved our table to a prime location at the front of the venue. When the hangar was opened the next morning, we discovered our new prime position, and we made a mint that weekend because of his unseen jockeying for advantage.

There is ongoing, unseen spiritual jockeying all around us. As a result, we must be sober, vigilant, and resistant in the faith. We must put on the whole armour of God while clinging to His grace and aligned with His providential positioning. It is the only way to avoid being devoured by our adversary.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO ASTUTELY UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE RAGING ALL AROUND US WHILE WISELY EMBRACING GOD’S WEAPONRY. In the midst of spiritual jockeying, we can either prevail or be consumed depending on our alignment with God’s positioning.

II Kings 12:1-2 “In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

II Kings 12:3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.”

II Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Jehoash was one of the righteous kings who did that which was right in the sight of the LORD. Yet, there remains an asterisk in his life, in his leadership, and in his legacy. It is described in II Kings 12:3. He was faithful, But …

There is a leadership axiom related to such things: You endorse what you tolerate. Thus, while he was a model of righteousness in many ways, Jehoash’s unwillingness to confront sin in this area yielded an endorsement of a deviation from God’s word and God’s will. It is a monument of stain to an otherwise commendable life.

All Christians must consider this cautionary tale. Though our lives may be mostly characterized by righteousness, what are the areas that would warrant an asterick? In the story of our lives, our leadership, and our legacy, where would it be written: He was faithful, But …

Never forget that important leadership axiom: You endorse what you tolerate. Where is our toleration yielding endorsement of a deviation from God’s word and God’s will? May we root out those areas that would create a monument of stain to an otherwise commendable life.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO REFUSE TO TOLERATE ANYTHING IN OUR LIVES THAT DEVIATES FROM GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S WILL. May we eliminate the possibly of any asterisks in our lives.

ADMIN: I won’t be publishing a PLUS blog next weekend, but please keep praying faithfully for widespread revival in the United States of America!