The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Purposeful Exile - My Journey

Sometimes a statement will really grab me, like the one I recently sent out on Twitter.  The saying seemed to provide context for the last 10 years of my life – what I call “My Decade in the Desert”. 

The statement goes like this… “Every Saint has a past, and every Sinner has a future”.   I must confess… and take responsibility for the fact that…. I have a past.  I have a past that is marked by frailty, failure, and fallout.  You see, as a pastor of 15 years, I succumbed to isolation, insulation, and insecurity – leading to a moral indiscretion that ultimately cost me my marriage, ministry, and good standing with my children and community.  Yup, sure enough… I have a past.

God saw my need for brokenness and complete consecration, and graciously invited me into the desert – to walk with him alone until I was reformed into a fit vessel for His service.  Hosea 2:14, 15 reads, “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. 15 There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor [trouble] a door of hope. There she will respond [sing] as in the days of her youth…”  So, in 2003, the decade in the dessert began – a decade of intimacy and wrestling with God while being in purposeful exile – a time where God would show me I have a future.  In the sovereign wisdom and grace of God, this extended time was needed to reshape a poorly functioning clay pot into a vessel of divine pleasure and purpose.  Jeremiah 18:4 says, “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

 

Now, I’m rejoicing that I have a future.  Having been released from exile and the desert – I am in a season of new beginnings.  With a new dependency on God, I am back in church work and relationship.  I am grateful for the work He has done in me, and blessed to experience grace upon grace with a new season in front of me.  Truly, God has provided beauty instead of ashes, joy instead of mourning, and praise instead of a spirit of despair [Isaiah 61:3].  “Every Saint has a past, and every Sinner has a future”.  

Winning Teams

10 Tips for Effective Teams

Building a strong ministry team takes intentional planning. Use these ten tips to create an effective team that is committed to their mission and purpose.
1. Help each other be right rather than wrong.
2. Look for ways to make new ideas work rather than for reasons they won’t.
3. If in doubt, check it out rather than make negative assumptions.
4. Help each other win and take pride in each other’s victories.
5. Speak positively about each other and about your organization.
6. Maintain a positive mental attitude no matter what the circumstance.
7. Act with initiative and courage as if it all depends on you.
8. Do everything with enthusiasm––it’s contagious.
9. Believe in what you’re doing. Always persist.
10. Have fun!

Burn the Ships - No Turning Back...

Commitment is the foundation of all Success

This phrase “Burn The Ships” comes from a historic conquest of history when, in 1519, Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez landed in Mexico on the shores of the Yucatan, with only one objective…seize the great treasures known to be there, hoarded by the Aztecs. Cortez was committed to his mission and his quest for riches is legendary. Cortez was an excellent motivator, he convinced more than 500 soldiers and 100 sailors to set sail from Spain to Mexico, commanding 11 ships, to take the world’s riches treasure. The historic question is “how a small band of Spanish soldiers arrived in a strange country and swiftly brought about the overthrow of a large and powerful empire that was in power for over six centuries?”

For Cortez, the answer was easy. It was all or nothing! A Complete and Total Commitment. Here’s how Cortez got the “buy in” from the rest of his men. He took away the option of failure. It was conquer and be hero’s and enjoy the spoils of victory…or DIE! When Cortez and his men arrived on the shores of the Yucatan he rallied the men for one final pep talk before leading his men into battle, and utters these three words that changed the course of history. “Burn the Ships”.

He met with resistance from his men. "Burn the ships," he repeated. He then uttered these words "if we are going home, we are going home in their ships". With that, Cortez and his men burned their own ships, and by burning their own ships, the commitment level of the men was raised to a whole new level. A level much higher than any of the men, including Cortez, could have ever imagined.

Amazingly, the men conquered the Aztecs and had succeeded in something where others had been unsuccessful for six centuries. With the victory Cortez and his men took the treasure. Why did they win? They had no escape. No fall back position. They had no choice! It was "succeed or die". Their ships were burned. They had no way to get back. Their backs were to the wall.

To “really succeed” you must have an attitude much like that of Cortez and his men. Cortez and his men did not have a “crutch” or “fall back position”. They frankly didn’t have any options. It was simply “succeed or DIE”. Pretty strong position, isn’t it? How would you like to be engaged in fighting someone with that level of motivation and commitment?

This is the level of motivation and commitment you must have. The “BURN YOUR SHIP” level of motivation and commitment. Take away your crutches and excuses and burn the ships that are keeping you from achieving your goals. Identity the ships in your life that are keeping you from accomplishing dreams. I have a saying and it’s “Dream Big”. I have a new saying and it’s “Burn your Ship”. You see, whatever prevents you from achieving your goals and dreams are ships that must be burned. Not dismantled, or run ashore…but burned and destroyed.

If we know that our ships are still out there, when things get tough we instinctively head for our ships so we can escape. It's just human nature. The path of least resistance. This level of thinking and commitment sees sacrifice as a positive thing, not something weird or impossible, but something to be cherished and fought for. Cortez didn’t allow himself or his men to have the option of going back to Spain. By removing this option, Cortez and his men were forced to focus on how they could make the mission successful. And so it is with you. How can you make the missions in your life successful?

This is really a story about commitment. Commitment is the foundation of success. Not a single accomplishment is ever achieved without it. By focusing on commitment, we seal our future.

God's Work

This week, I will consciously give my work to God.

Excellence is a godly virtue, not just an old saying. If you try to do ministry "on the cheap," you'll forfeit ministry opportunities.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

~ Colossians 3:22-24

How fancy? How plain? Should my ministry look like a Broadway production? Or a humble storefront outpost?

The slaves of Colosse — a declining Turkish city in the days of Paul the apostle — could have been excused for doing shoddy work for their masters, who were by and large corrupt pagans or carnal Christians. Paul nevertheless admonished them to strive for excellence. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,” he said in Colossians 3:23, “as working for the Lord, not for men.”

A carpenter-slave, then, should assemble a chair the way he would assemble it if Christ himself might walk through the door for a spot-check at any moment.

A chef-slave should cook a meal — even for the crankiest customer — as if Jesus were sitting at the table.

Likewise for those of us in ministry. (Sometimes we feel like slaves, don’t we!) If Jesus were at the planning table ... if Jesus were in the congregation ... if Jesus were going to check my work later ... how would I do it right now?

So then, how should my ministry “look,” or “feel”? There’s no correct answer to the “plain or fancy” question. One person is led by the Spirit of God to present a modest, simple product, sensing keenly that this will please the Lord. The next person is led by the same Spirit to present a fabulous marvel — with the same confidence that this is exactly what Jesus will delight in.

The common denominator is hearing from God ... and pursuing that God-given vision with fervor, insisting on excellence within the parameters of God’s dream for my ministry.

People have different tastes, and they tend to gravitate toward ministries with tastes similar to their own. But regardless of taste, people respond to excellence — to the sensation that someone cared enough to give an effort their best. The excellent program you produced for radio or television, the excellent church service you prepared for Sunday morning, the excellent spreadsheet you presented at the ministry marketing meeting ... each one makes the unspoken statement: “I did this for my Lord.” And that level of quality — the passion for God that generated it — draws people. It’s uncommon in our world. People notice. And the one they notice isn’t me ... it’s Jesus.

My Prayer for the Next Seven Days...  God, I give you my work. I give you my ministry. Help me to see the face of Jesus in those I’m serving. Inspire me to give you my best; strengthen me for the sake of offering you something excellent, something worthy of you. I thank you, my Father. I pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.

A Taste of Spiritual Beauty - Ch. 15

• Being Satisfied with God means we embrace and delight in the beauty of God diffused in all his works and words.
• Jonathan Edwards [1746] was deeply concerned that people understand saving faith, lest they be deceived by their own experiences and have "presumptuous peace"
• Fruit does not come alongside a tree and make it good, but is produced by the healthy tree.
• A mere claim to faith [James] is to assent to the truth without delighting in it.
• Faith arises from a spiritual apprehension of the truth, or from the testimony of the Spirit with and by the truth in our hearts.
• We must have both understanding and embracing through the illumination of the Holy Spirit - and thus taste Christ as compellingly attractive.
• Apprehension includes spiritual delight.
• We must perceive, embrace, and approve, from the heart, the spiritual fitness of God's threatening... leading to a revulsion of sin and a withdrawal from the danger of sinning - pressing toward God and holiness.
• A strong call for decisions for Christ may bring people to crisis without contemplation - beware the parable of the soils and the words "I never knew you"
• In saving faith, we both affirm factual truth, but also embrace spiritual beauty.

When Life Gets Tough!

When Life Gets Tough!  James 1

Perspective – v. 2-11

Be careful not to think incorrectly…

Perseverance – v. 3,4, 12

            Be careful not to give up or give in…

Personal Responsibility – v. 13-15

            Be careful not to blame…

Trials and Temptations – James 1:2-15

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

⁹ Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. ¹⁰ But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. ¹¹ For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

¹³ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

7 Last Words of Jesus on the Cross

7 Last Words

Embracing People, Embracing God, Embracing Purpose

Introductory Foundation:

A. In His Steps… 1 John 2:6 (NIV84)

⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

B. Self Denial and My Cross… Matthew 16:24, 25 (NIV84)

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

C. Like Him in His Death… Philippians 3:10 (NIV84)

¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Seven Recorded Sayings of Jesus on the Cross...

·        Embracing People

1. Luke 23:34 (NIV84)

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

2. Luke 23:43 (NIV84)

⁴³ Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

3. John 19:26, 27 (NIV84)

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

·        Embracing God

4. Matthew 27:46 (NIV84)

⁴⁶ About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

7. Luke 23:46 (NIV84)

⁴⁶ Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

·        Embracing Purpose

5. John 19:28 (NIV84)

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled [Ps 69:21], Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

6. John 19:30 (NIV84)

³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

10 Tips for Single Dads

1. Honor and respect their mother:
   Kids know what’s going on. They can read between the lines. They observe and they tend not to forget. Be kind to their mother, be cooperative, be positive, and never talk bad about her in their presence.
   
2. Step up and parent:
   Base the relationship on the fact of parenthood and reinforce the built-in expectation that comes with the role. Don’t act like you’re trying to win your kids’ friendship. You are the dad, end of story. Be one.
   
3. Refrain from competition with their mother:
   Our children don’t need you to be their friend, the “fun” parent, or the amusement park away from home. Your children need – and want – a home-away-from-home that feels like home. Kids connect to real life and being with dad needs to feel normal above anything else.
   
4. Maintain a lifestyle the kids can easily interface with:
   Part of being a parent is having a life the children can enter comfortably. Is your house or apartment child friendly? Do you maintain a clean and hospitable environment? Is your place a safe place for the kids? Being a divorced dad cannot be a return to your “bachelor pad” days.
   
5. Game night:
   Make being with dad special – but not in an extravagant way. Set up a regular “game night” routine and be consistent. Interaction by design leads to more natural interaction across the board.
   
6. Read books “together:”
   So you miss them when they’re with their mom. Fair enough. How about getting two copies of the same book, reading at the same pace, and then talking about it when you are together?
   
7. Keep in the education loop:
   Patent-teacher conferences, field trips, class parties, school plays. Be there. Make sure your children know that they are your priority. Not “fairly high on the list” but THE number one priority for dad.
   
8. Be conspicuously accessible:
   Conspicuously accessible means you answer their calls, return emails promptly, ask them about their important stuff and listen with attentiveness. Learn about and practice “active listening” skills.
   
9. Be their friend on Facebook:
   Be a consistent part of your children’s online community if they are on one. Don’t embarrass them, don’t comment on everything they ever post, and don’t try to “friend” all their contacts. But do maintain a visible presence. This is part of being in their neighborhood.
   
10. Consistency:
    We’ve mentioned this in more than one of these 10 suggestions. But it deserves a category all of its own. Kids are creatures of routine. Routine is how they learn security and where they belong. Make sure you are part of that definition of security. Make sure you are where they belong. You can’t do this any other way than one step at a time, predictably, and over the long haul.
    

Understanding Yourself...

Questions for Self Discovery: based on reflections of A. W. Tozer


1. What do you want most?

2. What do you think about most?

3. How do you use your money?

4. What do you do with your leisure time?

5. What company of people do you enjoy?

6. Who and what do you admire?

7. What do you laugh at?

Sexual Sin in the Shadows

The following article was the 2nd most popular blog post of 2012 on the Desiring God site [John Piper].

I first read Dr. Schaumburg's book False Intimacy in the late 90's, and then again in 2003.  I spent 10 days with him in 2004, and find myself wanting to commend his writing to you - for your good, and God's glory...

 Sexual Sin in the Ministry

by Harry Schaumburg | March 6, 2012

For the last twenty years thousands of men from across America struggling with sexual sin have come to our intensive counseling workshop. Over half were pastors and missionaries.
I wish our experience was unique.
Several years ago a seminary professor told me: “We no longer ask our entering students if they are struggling with pornography, we assume every student is struggling. The question we ask: ‘How serious is the struggle?’”
One missions agency told me that 80% of their applicants voluntarily indicate a struggle with pornography, resulting in staff shortages on the field.
Pornography is just one level of sin, a form of visual sex, or heart adultery. Physical adultery includes an affair, multiple affairs, prostitution, and homosexuality. Other sexual behaviors within the ministry are such heinous “unfruitful works of darkness . . . it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (Ephesians 5:11–12). To face the crisis we must correctly understand the nature of the problem, ask God to search our own hearts, and be committed to restore each one caught in sexual sin “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1).
I have pondered long and hard two questions: Why do people repeatedly return to sexual sin and why do people turn away from sexual sin?

Lured Toward Sin

First, I would say that after two decades of helping set free those held captive by sexual sin, I’m convinced that the concept of sexual addiction as a disease does not fully identify the seriousness of the problem. If we are going to get serious about the problem in the church we can ill afford to be misled in our thinking. The real problem is hidden deep within. The least bit of lust is an indication of vast corruption in the human heart. It is an enslavement that cannot be broken through any form of behavior management, recovery program, or counseling. The inside is so ravaged by sin that we can do nothing to change it.
When one is held in the grip of sexual sin, there is no hope of self-reform or self-efforts, for those living according to the “passions of their flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and mind” (Ephesians 2:3). To put it bluntly, those living in habitual sexual sin are “dead in their trespasses and sin” (verse 1). Dead, in a loss of spiritual life. Dead to finding satisfaction with God. Dead to living for his purpose. Holiness is dead. Wisdom is dead. Purity is dead. Love is dead. Like David, the sexual sinner has sinned “against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13), and in so doing has “utterly scorned the Lord” (verse 14). The horrible fact is they are “by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).
I believe addictionology plays down the seriousness of sin and the necessity of the work of God when it encourages the sexual addict to accept the theory that recovery will only be successful when they begin to believe that they are a good person at the core and just have a disease.
Diagnoses always determine the method of treatment. So ‘good’ people only need to get serious, follow the steps of recovery, and remain in recovery. The opposite is true. When dealing with sexual sin we must hold fast to the teaching of Jesus Christ, “For from within, out of the heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, . . . adultery” (Mark 7:21).
By nature and by choice we satisfy ourselves, rebel against God, and have no accurate understanding of the depth of our problem. The heart is deceptive, and without supernatural change it will grow worse. The only hope is “the grace of God . . . training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11–12).
Look closely and you will see that the sexual sinner is disappointed with pleasure in their pursuit of what is essentially false intimacy. As one pastor, who was living in two adulterous relationships, put it: “This was the insanity; I no sooner finished the sexual act and immediately broke into tears, devastated by what I had done, but I only returned again and again to the same sinful relationship.”
As sinners we are created with desires for intimacy and for delight. Therefore, “The way to fight lust is to feed faith with the precious and magnificent promise that the pure in heart will see, face to face, the all-satisfying God of glory” (Future Grace, 338).
Yet the sexual sinner, finding no pleasure in real intimacy with God, ultimately finds no pleasure in false intimacy. Real intimacy has both pain and pleasure; false intimacy offers the illusion of no pain, but in the end there is no real pleasure! A part of exchanging the “truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25) is that you end up with pleasure now, pain forever!

Descending Deception

Deception runs deeper than we think. Deception is inherent to the problem of sexual sin on two levels.
First, there is the double life with clandestine liaisons, endless hidden hours on a computer, or the misuse of unaccounted time away from the office or home. The behavior is carefully hidden from view, but there are lies, then more lies to cover the lies. Face the facts: the motive for secrecy is to keep doing it. But secrecy of sexual sin also indicates a person’s commitment to flee from the light. “And people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19).
The second level of deception is self-deception. If the heart is deceitful, it impacts the way we want to see the secret things in our lives, particularly secret sexual sins. The missionary can justify going to nude beaches; a pastor sees the value of an affair because it makes him happy; going to a prostitute on Monday is just a reward for hard work on Sunday.
When you say, “I will keep this part of my life a secret,” what are you hiding?
Hidden from view is a scandalous behavior that would certainly horrify any congregation or spouse. It is also a calculated contradiction of one’s public image that if revealed would bring ruin. It also may be a relationship that you believe is so fulfilling you can’t imagine ending it.
Everyone thinks they are hiding their acts of sin: lust, cheating, porn, and adultery. Such thinking makes it easier to justify the secrecy for the greater good of one’s marriage, family, ministry, job, and future. Such rationalization is universal to all secret sexual sin. “After all, a lot of people would be hurt if they knew what I was doing.” As one pastor put it, “I was in a six month affair, at the same time preaching and counseling against adultery, and telling myself that God didn’t care because the church was growing.”
In reality, it is not the behavior alone that is hidden.
Secret sexual sin is an invasive poison to the soul, mind and the body. It is a poison deep within the recesses of the soul that keeps one from finding satisfaction in God and meaningful intimacy with others. This is a poison that will kill not only in this life, but also life eternal! “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure . . . has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). Sexual behavior that is indistinguishable from the unbelieving world may indicate a person is not truly a child of God.

The Turn From Sin

Why do people turn away from sexual sin?
In thousands of cases that I have counseled, only about one-percent of the men have come to us voluntarily and preemptively. Ninety-nine percent of the men were caught.
Getting caught in sexual sin doesn’t change the heart.
I can’t prove it, but I believe that God will providentially expose the secret sexual sin of his children.
It staggers our finite imagination that God will allow his chosen ones to go deep into brazen sexual sin, live in it for many years, and have so many people badly hurt. And no matter how difficult it is for spouses and church members to see it in the moment, God is at work when a pastor’s sin is exposed. Exposure is a sovereign act of God. God’s ways are not our ways! In all the vileness and rebellion against God that is a big part of sexual sin, exposure is showing us the perfect patience of Christ.
Many times I’ve been asked, “How can you keep dealing with such sinful men?” There are two reasons: First, I have seen over and over again the power of God to change the darkest sinner. Second, restoration with God is more important than anything. It is more important than career or marriage. God cares more for you, your soul, and your wife than he does your gifts and calling. You are his child before you are a pastor or a husband.

Conviction

After secret sexual sin is exposed we can make the mistake of focusing on the actions and attempt to eliminate behavior. We may be inadvertently feeding a false conviction rather than aiding true conviction.
False conviction is a reflex reaction caused by self-disgust, a sorrow over the consequences of sin. True conviction is an abiding sorrow over the offence against God, and while not the natural response, it does demonstrate that God has begun a good work that he will complete. True conviction is followed by true repentance. False conviction is followed by counterfeit repentance that only sees the consequences of sexual sin and the pain it caused others. Often this leads to a temporary change in behavior without a heart change.
Heart change is critical, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexual immoral (Gk. porneia) or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). There is no room for error when it comes to dealing with sexual sin. There is a demand to either repent or perish (Luke 13:3, 5). So there must be inner transformation of the heart because it is “deceitful above all things and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9).
Christians must take severe measures in killing this sin. This is the real danger: “Every unclean thought would be adultery if it could” (John Owen). “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality . . .” (Colossians 3:5).
The cross isn’t a recovery program, the place to improve on what good is already there. It is a place to die. It is not a question of giving up sexual sin, but of giving up one’s rights!
“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17–18). As dead sinners we lived “in the passion of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). Deceived, we foolishly think we can use our bodies as we choose when we are in love, when it brings us pleasure, when it makes us a whole person or feeds our spiritual well being. The truly repentant sexual sinner begins to grasp, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).
True repentance is radical change from the inside out. “The basic meaning of repent is to experience a change of the mind’s perceptions and dispositions and purposes” (What Jesus Demands, 41). Repentance is not just becoming sexually pure, but an inward change, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Inward change leads to sexual purity. Repentance happens on the inside where heart change includes the development of an ingrained attitude to flee sexual immorality.

Don't Wait To Get Caught

Some time ago I met a pastor who told me that he had two or three affairs in each of the several churches he had pastored. He said, “My reputation in my denomination is to take a small struggling church and see it grow, only to again take another small church and see it grow. I’ve made that move three times, but in fact, I was only moving to a new church before I got caught in those affairs.” That man has no reason to expose his sexual sin or leave the ministry. Why should anyone know?
Why should anyone turn from sexual sin before being caught?
First, don’t let yourself be deceived. “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil . . . No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:8, 9). While not completely free from sin, the heart of the true believer has been transformed, and they cannot live in a pattern of continual sexual sin.
Second, the exhortation is to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).
Third, fear is not a virtue. Yes, exposure will be costly, but right now you are dying on the inside. It may not feel like dying right now, but you are, you are slowly killing yourself, your spouse, your family, and your congregation.
Fourth, if secret sexual sin has severe consequences, it is worth dealing with before the devastation occurs. Obvious examples come to mind to get help before: your Internet browsing history is discovered and shared; the prostitute turns into an uncover police women and you are arrested for soliciting; you contract an STD; or you are publicly exposed, humiliating yourself, your spouse, your family, and your congregation.
Fifth, it will come out. God is never mocked. “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness” (Romans 11:22).
Sixth, getting caught shatters trust and honesty in marriage, embarrasses your spouse, and makes reconciliation more difficult.
Seventh, there is hope. It begins with facing the truth. It is never just a struggle with your thought life; like all sexual sin, it is evil. If there is an old self to put off, there must be a new self to put on; that is the gospel.

Hear the Better Word

Christ bears the wrath that will come for all sexual sin. If you are a true believer and real change has occurred, you are called to put off the old and put on the new. Killing sexual sin starts with exposure; it ends with no longer being enslaved (Romans 6:6). Exposure is painful, but it is better to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” than to hear, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
If you are a pastor stuck in sexual sin, no matter how well you have attempted to cover those sins with layers and layers of lies, I plead with you, step out from the darkness of those sins. Step into the light. Get help. You will never find life in the shadows.

What Guards the Glory - ch. 14

1 Cor 15:10 "I labored... yet not I, but the grace of God with me"

By grace, through faith.  A correlation exists.

Faith is yielded affection.  And this faith calls all attention to grace and magnifies it.

Heart Longings: Attention, Power, Excitement, Esteem [Love and Calling - see Romans 1:7; 8:28]

Grace continues.... Isaiah 41:10 "...I am with you... I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you"

Abraham's Faith was confidence in the wisdom and power and trustworthiness of God to do what he had promised.

Faith is for justification and sanctification - not only for eternal salvation, but also for provision of daily needs and guidance.

Hodge: Justification is an ACT of God, and Sanctification is a WORK of God.

When God's grace flows, we get the joy and He gets the glory.

Spurgeon - "We shall bring our Lord most glory if we get from Him much grace" (through faith).

Different Strokes for Different Folks

My son engaged me in a discussion about a seminar / assessment he took part in -- This information is taken from the book Grooming the Next Generation for Success by Dani Johnson.  We had a good discussion about understanding ourselves, and one another - so as to live in harmony, unity, and love.  Which GEM are you?

Sapphires: 
Sapphires tend to be very verbal and loud.  They are fun and wild.  They love loud music and they love to talk.  These "gems" are not usually orderly or on time, but  are very visionary.  They tend to be encouraging and natural motivators. They love to laugh and everything they do has to be fun.  They thrive on encouragement.  They love fun colors and clothes and lots of accessories.  Sapphires are major risk takers and multitakers.  They love teamwork, popularity, and people. They usually have the most friends and are the most popular and possess strong leadership skills.  They love to help and love to be rewarded.
Weaknesses of a sapphire: They have a hard time focusing (Society would say they have ADD or ADHD) are disorganized, disorderly, late,  and have over-active brains.  Sapphires are over reactors and get their feelings hurt easily.  They comonly struggle with distrust, blame, hatred, malice, resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness.  They tend to wear their emotions on their sleeves and experience extreme highs and lows.  They want to be recognized by you and don't want to dissapoint you.

Spiritual gifts:  To motivate and encourage


Pearls:

 Obey the first time.  They have a heart to fulfill the needs of people.  Listen well and love to help and serve. They are warm, sensitive, calm, even-keeled, compliant, honest, loyal, mellow, quiet.  Pearls don't like confrontation and are major peace keepers.  They're most comfortable alone or in small groups.  Tend to be musical and creative.  They usually wear comfortable clothes and earthy colors, or something special that was given to them.  They like the outdoors.  Pearls tend to be touchy-feely.
Spiritual gifts - to show mercy, heal,  intercede, and serve.

Weaknesses:  people-pleasers and can get themselves into co-dependent relationships.  Their feelings get hurt very easlily and they are sad when things don't go right with people.  Pearls can be easily taken advantage of and need to have boundaries.

grooming - need to establish boundaries and boldness.


Emerald:

 Pays attention to details, facts, and figures.  Simplify complicated things and solve a lot of problems all at once. They often see solutions other people cannot see and like lists and making plans.  They love puzzles and problem solving.  Emeralds are extreme thinkers, predictable, quiet,  and compliant. Not people-pleasers and very comfortable being themselves.  They areconfident and have no problem pointing out what is wrong with a situation.  They can be very direct.  Emeralds like to look nice and naturally keep things clean.  They like schedules and routines and are never late.  Prefer to be alone and like to entertain themselves.  They will do homework by themselves and will rarely ask for help.

Spriritual gifts - teaching, discernment, and wisdom.  have a heart for righteousness with a clear sense of right and wrong. 

weakness - perfectionests.  Usually take longer to finish or start something.  They are not spontaneous risk-takers. Tend to beauthoritative and to put people on the defense.  If an Emearald agrues with you it must be because they are right.  They are always right and will tell you so.  Usually judged as being cold hearted and insensitive.  Not naturally humble.

Grooming- weak people skills. Teach them that "it is not about perfection; its about getting the job done with results."  This helps them start things and get them done in a timely manner.


Ruby:

Always have to be the head of everything and the best.  They don't surround themselves with other people who are better than they are.  Leaders and have to dominate. They have to win. They are warriours, strong, passionate driven, and have strong desires.  They like to be in authority and take charge.  They are determined, confident, and bold.  Rubies are goal setters.  They have an "It's my way or the highway!" mentality.   They show initiative and take charge.  Rubies are big thinkers and fast.  They have a world shaking and history making mindset.   They want all the best clothes, shoes, and stuff.  They care about name brands and what is popular. They want to be the best in everything they do.  If they can't win, they simply won't play, and they may just say the game is stupid.

spiritual gift - leadership and governing. 

weakness - They are bossy and dominating, and get angry when things don't go right.  They can be manipulative and pushy and perceived as arrogant and cocky.  They can suffer from severe depression.  They are often unteachable and self-reliant.  Often have ego problems. 

grooming - They can become amazing leaders; but you must must reach their heart and teach them how to be teachable.  Groom them to be humble, to serve,, and to be honorable.  Teach them to pull the best out of others instead of competing with them all the time.  Character has to be develped in them.

Spiritual gifts:  to motivate and to encourage


Once again, Which Gem are you? 

The Bible shows us that we should handle different people differently - Different Strokes for Different Folks so to speak.   1 Thess. 5:14 - "And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone."  I trust you will love well, living in harmony and unity.