Beyond Frustrated

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 28, 2019

There are two things about Hell that I am absolutely certain about.  First, as any good Southerner will tell you, the official drink of Hell will be unsweetened tea.  Second, I am left knowing, without a doubt in my mind, that Hell is the official address for a “certain and popular cable company”, as I am well convinced that Satan stands as that company’s major stock holder!  

For the past two months, I have been struggling in my dealings with that “cable company”.  We have had a problem with receiving a clear picture from our cable, and we have now had technicians of the company scheduled for repairs seven times.  And during these seven visits, I have also had numerous representatives of the company give me endless excuses as to why the picture on our televisions so often pixelate.  I have watched as they have changed every line in our house, changed out each of the cable boxes four different times, changed the modem(we also have internet with this company) in the hope that would help in the signal the modem sends to the cable boxes, and even change out the incoming splitter in our attic where the cable comes into the house.  And during this time, I have also watched as they have had to send a refresh signal more times than I could even begin to count.

It was with all this in mind, that I prepared for another technician, to pay us yet another scheduled visit.  And prepared I was, as I was loaded for bear! I was more than ready to unload every frustrating question on this technician the moment he arrived.  Having gone over in my head several times all the details of the problems we were having. And determined, this technician was not going to leave until I got answers, or they got the problem resolved.

As the technician arrived, what all my frustration had prepared me for, soon turned to something I was surprised by, as the frustration of my questions, soon required me to turn to my faith for answers.  As soon as the technician arrived, and began to look at one of our cable boxes, he noticed several of Christian study guides that I had on a bookshelf in the room. With one single question, he melted my frustration away.  As with that question he asked me, “Are you a Christian?” With that one question, came several others. Questions that led to me to talk to him about my life in the ministry. Questions that led him to tell me about his family, about his wife's desire to get their family into a good church. Questions that led me to the chance to share with him my faith, and to tell him about the difference that Christ had made in my life. And questions, that opened the door for me to be able to help direct him to a good, local church in his area. One that I have learned in the week since, that he and his whole family attended this past Sunday.

With one question, the Lord took the whole situation out of my frustrated hands, and placed them in the assurance of His hands.  With one question, the Lord showed me that all the pixeling in the world matters little compared to the opportunity to share Him with another.  And with one question, with a single asking statement, the Lord reminded me that my plans are trivial when they come in contact with His plans.

The Lord used that moment of frustration to reminded me of a very important lesson.  No matter the situation I face, no matter how frustrated I might become, I cannot allow myself to compartmentalize God.  His love and grace demand that He be the God of all my life. If not, I must accept the fact, He is not my God at all. Ephesians 2:19 tells me, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  The Lord created me to be a reflection of the good works only He is capable of doing through me. A reflection that calls on me to give it my undivided attention. For me to not just be there in the moments that I want to give to Him, but in every moment. So the opportunity might always be there for Him to work through me.

My logic can only lead me to more moments of frustration.  But His wisdom is capable of taking me to continuous moments of hope that my frustration can never know.  His Word tells me, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”(John 15:5).  The reality of my logic looks to frustratingly blind me to the simple wisdom He looks to remind me. A simple wisdom that finds the Holy Spirit constantly keeping my ego in check by always whispering the reminder in my ear, I am nothing without Him.  I owe Him everything. Every moment He might need me. Every chance He might seek to work through me. Every opportunity He might present before me to share all He has done in me with another.

We often find ourselves saying, there is no situation to big for our God. And that statement could not be more true. But in my moment of frustration, the Lord also reminded me, there is no situation too small for our Lord either.  No situation so small that He does not see it, no situation too small for His hands to guide us through it. No opportunity too small for the Lord to work through us to reach another.  No situation He places me in that is too small to still be greater than my petty frustration.
As He pushed my frustrations to the side that day, He reminded me of how mighty a Lord we serve.  A God, that is always lovingly looking to remind us of just what is important. Painting for us an eternal picture that even the pixeling on my television could make unclear.  A picture that even brings clarity through the clouds of my frustration. A picture that left me more with an image of what He sought to show me, than what my television had waiting for me.
Will I be frustrated again before the “cable company” gets my television fixed?  History shows me that will probably be the case! But despite what history shows me, He now reminds me that my frustration can never guide me, and that frustration can never stand in the way of the amazement of His plans, and His ability to work through me. Standing now as a constant reminder, grace will always offer a greater hope for tomorrow than my frustration ever can.  His plans always look to take me to a place beyond my frustration.

Praying your frustrations never stand in the way of His plans to work through you!

The Hunting Season(Part Two)

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 9, 2019

Sir Isaac Newton once said, “About the time of the end, in all probability, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation in the midst of much clamour and oppositions.”  We watch today as men and women boldly proclaim what this world, and way too often this Church, do not wish to hear.  They profess a reality that can only be found in God’s Word, and a truth that can only be found in His reality.  His Word tells us that He will bless those who bless His people and He will curse those who curse His people(Genesis 12:1-3).  History shows us the truth of that statement, and as we discussed in the part one, His coming judgment shows us the reality of just how true those words will one day ring.

The second coming of Christ has, is, and will always be connected to the nation of Israel.  That is not just a truthful and realistic statement, but one as literal as Sir Isaac Newton said would once be proclaimed.  As the Lord looks at this world, He does so with a watch in both hands.  And if we were to look closely, we would see the time on both of those watches are set on Israeli time. His first watch stopped the very second the Messiah was cut off(Daniel 9:26). His second watch, He keeps close to His vest, and it is only for His eyes to see. It is made up of the souls of those who have called on the name of Christ, and been washed by His blood.  It is a watch that ticks away, counting down the seconds until the glorious moment He shall appear in the clouds to call home those that believe.  As the countdown on that watch ends, the ticking of the first watch will again begin.  For seven years that watch will again tick away, until the Lord himself will place His foot squarely on this earth, saving His people, and judging the actions of every nation.  But through it all, one thing remains consistent, both watches are on Israeli time.

We now live in a day when that second watch is ticking fervently.  And as we look to the clouds, and anticipate the approaching season, we fail to see that the hunters are already gathering.  The anticipation of the hunt is beginning to overwhelm them, and they now look to begin this hunt before the season officially begins.  The truth shows us, the hunters are not willing to wait for the start of the season.  And the reality of the day tells us, the nations of this world are already calling out the hunters.  

All around this world today, we can see that the hunters are gathering their stride, increasing in number.  Most do not realize, but the most persecuted people in this world today are now Christians.  Each year, over two hundred million Christians face persecution. In the vast majority of the nations of this world today, Christians are persecuted daily for their faith.  Eighty percent of all persecution in the world today is directed at Christians.  The numbers show us that the hunters are not just looking to target His people, but also those who call on His name.  The trophy rooms of the hunters are quickly being filled with both, and by all signs, their ammo is far from running short.  And with this we must remember, the hunting season has not officially started, the worst and most deadly of days is still to come.

So if the Lord has both watches in hand, and the hunters are already out because they see the hunting season rapidly approaching, when will this season officially begin?  To answer this we need look no farther than the words of the prophets and the words of Christ.

In Genesis 1:14, the Lord proclaimed, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years”.  The Hebrew word we see used in this verse for the word “sign”, is the word “oth”, and it means “a remembrance, a warning, a token of proof”.  We see from this that the Lord gave us the seasons for more than just the days, but as a remembrance of all He has told us.  As a warning of all He has shown us would one day come.  And as a token of proof, helping us to show those around us that His Word will be fulfilled.  In Psalm 2, David writes the words God gave him of such a season.  He speaks of a time when the nations of this world will rise up against the Lord, and His Anointed One.  A day when Christ will overturn the evil that has rose from these nations, and shall rule this world from His throne in Zion(Israel).  

With each word of the prophets, and with all that Christ told us. Israel is the sign that will help us to remember, to warn us, and as a token of proof that this season is quickly approaching.  Many in the Church today look at Israel, and look at His chosen people, and tell us they are an issue for a day that has already passed.  They will tell you that His focus today has shifted to the Church, no longer on Israel.  But God’s Word tells us something completely different.  It tells us that Israel has never left His thought, and will never be forgotten(Romans 11:15-24).  The season that we see approaching reminds us of the promises that God gave us about Israel, warns us of what Israel and this world will soon face And as Israel stands before us as a nation again today, offers us a token of proof that every word He gave us will be fulfilled.  Israel is not a sign, Israel is the sign! And it is just as strong of a sign today as it was at the very moment He created the watches He holds in each of His hands!

When Christ spoke of this coming season, He gave us an incredible passage about that day.  ”Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.  Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”(Matthew 24:32-35).  Christ told us that to recognize the coming of that day we needed to look to the trees!

Throughout the Word of God, Israel is referred to as the fig tree, the same as Christ did in the words quoted above.  Hosea 9:10 tells us, "When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree."  From Joel(Joel 1:7, 2:21-25) to Jeremiah(Jeremiah 24:3), the fig tree is representative of Israel and the chosen people, and was taught as so to every Jewish boy and girl at the time Christ walked this earth.  When speaking of the Last Days, and of the coming season, it was by no surprise that Christ would use the fig tree as an example in His parable.  It was quickly recognized of what Christ was speaking when He used the words, and those same words should be just as recognizable to each of us today.

The fig tree was not only the symbol of Israel, it was at the very heart of Israel.  The fig tree was as much a part of Israel as Israel was the fig tree.  And if we look closely, I believe the fig tree has always been at the heart of God’s Word and His plan.  Remember back to the garden of Eden, and remember the actions of Adam and Eve as they realized they had sinned.  When their eyes were opened to their shame, they sewed together fig leaves to cover themselves(Genesis 3:7).  Years later, from the fig tree(Israel) would come another covering of their sins.  Would come One who would offer a permanent covering of their sins, and who would make their sins no more 

When we look at the fig tree, we soon recognize that it is different from all other trees.  The foliage and the fruit of the tree act differently from all the other trees we see in a garden.  The fruit of a fig tree will generally begin to appear before its’ leaves do, and because the fruit of the fig tree is green, it blends in with the leaves until the time it is almost ripe.  The fig tree is one of the last trees to bear its’ leaves each spring.  When you see the leaf of the fig tree, it is a tale-tell sign that summer is ready to begin.  

The presence of a fruitful fig tree was seen as a symbol of prosperity, and a symbol of blessing throughout the land of Israel.  A fig tree that was decaying, or not putting forth fruit, was also seen as a symbol, one of coming judgment and of rejection.  It is for this reason that we saw Christ curse the fig tree(Matthew 11:12-25).  As Christ cursed the fig tree, we would soon watch the nation of Israel disappear from this earth for almost two thousand years.  But although the fig tree was cursed because it was not producing fruit, the roots of that tree did not die.  We have watched, in this generation, that fig tree bloom again.  Israel is again a thriving nation in our presence, just as the words of Christ told us it would be so many years ago.  As we look at that fig tree today, we see it’s fruit blooming, and we see it bearing its’ leaves.  And if we look closely at the fig tree, it becomes obvious to see, that summer is near.  The season is upon us.

This is a season that will be like no other, one unlike any this world has ever seen. A day when Esau will look to take back his birthright, and will hunt down Jacob as he never has before.  A day when the hunters will smear their faces in a blood that will cause the Heavens to weep, but a blood that will bring a smirky smile to the faces of Satan and his demons.  A day the world will no longer wish to just ignore or just send away those that are called His chosen people, and those that call on His name.  It will be a day when they will look to replace our suitcases with our coffins.  A day this world may long for, but a day they will long after regret.  A day this world may bring in with screams, but a day that will end with a glorious shout.  A day this world may see as the beginning of the end, but will actually be the end of the beginning.

As I stand here today, I think back on the words the Lord once spoke to Rebekah, and to the struggle she felt in her womb so many years ago.  A struggle that has not yet finished.  A struggle that her oldest child is just not ready to give up.  A struggle that the hunters are right now preparing their weapons for.

May the Lord keep you from the midst of that struggle.

The Hunting Season

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 8, 2019

“How could they be twins?”, she thought.  “So different, no one would ever believe they were even brothers.”  Each moment she had carried them she felt their differences, and she felt their struggle.  A struggle so strong that it had brought her to her knees in front of the Lord.  The answer the Lord gave her was not one she was prepared for, far from the answer she had expected.  An answer almost as unexpected as the twins she now carried.  She had come to think she would never have a child.  She had come to accept the disappoint she saw in her husband’s eyes, and the anguishing pleads to the Lord that often filled his nights. The realization that she was pregnant was a blessing beyond any she thought the Lord was capable of, but one that filled her with joy that His hand had moved beyond her wildest expectations.  A gift from the Lord that filled her husband’s eyes again with the delight that she had once known in him.  But as she sat there that day, feeling the struggle that felt like a war in her belly, she again remembered the words that the Lord had told her.

The words the Lord told her she could not even imagine, could not see how they could be fulfilled.  But just as she had seen His hand move inside of her, she knew that His words would one day be fulfilled.  Two nations were both inside of her.  Two nations that would feel this same struggle.  Two nations that would be at odds, as the older of her sons would one day serve her younger.

As the twins grew up, they continued their struggle, growing up as if children from two different families.  Her youngest was a quiet child who loved to spend his time around their home, content with the everyday life that was found in their tents.  Her oldest, was a completely different boy.  A hunter, who loved the open and wild land.  Who was rarely seen in the presence of their home.  

As she looked again on these same boys, who had so struggled in her womb, she again remembered the words the Lord had spoken to her.  She knew in her heart that the words He told her would be made true, but for the life of her, she could not see how this dominant and wild older son would ever find himself at the knee of her younger one.

We have all grown up being told the story of Jacob and Esau.  We know how Esau sold his birthright, and how Rebekah helped Jacob to deceive his father, Isaac, into placing his blessing upon Jacob.  We know of the anger that came to Esau, and how he threatened to kill Jacob and to hunt him down.  We know how this anger drove Esau to flee from the presence and the love of his father and his mother.  We know how this event drove the lives of both brothers. And we also know how the two brothers would come together again in hope of reconciling their past.

God would change the name of Jacob to Israel, and he became the father of the twelve tribes that would make up the nation we know as Israel.  From his name the world would one day be forever blessed.  And from his name the promises and the future of this world could be seen.  Esau would also see his name changed, to one we know as Edom. From him would also come a nation, a nation that would always plague Israel and seek its’ destruction.  In the name of one brother is found the hope, the promises, and the future the Lord has made to this world.  In the other brother is found the desires that drive this world, physical pleasure taking its’ place over spiritual blessings(Hebrews 12:15-17).  In two brothers, we can see our past.  And in two brothers, we can see our future. 

If  we look closely today, we can again see the struggle that Rebekah once felt.  We can watch as the two brothers again take center stage.  We can watch as the focus of this world is again finding its’ way to the younger brother. And if we listen closely to the sounds around us, we can hear the traits and the stirring of the older brother again.  We can hear the weapons being sharpened, and we can hear the hunter growing restless in anticipation of the hunt that lies before him.

The Lord once spoke to Jeremiah and told him, “Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,’ declares the Lord, ‘and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks”(Jeremiah 16:16).  For years we have watched as the fishermen found their way into this world.  Men who heard the call of God, like the words He once spoke to Peter and Andrew(Matthew 4:18-19).  Men who were taught in the ways of the Master Fisherman.  Men who knew well the waters in which they were called to fish, and knew the nature of the fish they sought.  Men who were lead to cast their nets in the stillness and gentleness of the seas, and knew how to recognize the coming signs, when the waves would crash into their boat, and the waters that surround them would soon become rough.  

As we watch today, we see the storm approaching.  We see the peaks of the waves rising, and see the lightning streak across an ever nearing sky.  In a distant, we begin to hear the thunder, and we feel the wind increasing as it blows across the sea.  As we make our way off the waters, we see the hunters gathering.  Sharpening their weapons, painting the camouflage on their faces, and preparing for the approach of the hunting season.

So what prey do these hunters seek?  And how do we know that the hunting season is soon to begin?  To answer what prey the hunters will pursue, we need to look no farther than the words the Lord spoke to Joel.  And to know when this hunting season will begin, we need to look no farther than the trees.

To best understand the prey, and who these hunters will stalk, we need only to look at the landscape on which these hunters will be hunting. Centuries ago, the Lord showed Joel what this landscape would be.  In three simple chapters, the Lord laid out for Joel details that should be held tight in our mind today, details that a not so distant tomorrow will one day see.  In chapter three, the Lord gives a wake up call to the nation of Israel, and to the Church today. He tells us details about a coming “Day of the Lord”, a time when Christ will return to this earth, and judge the nations for the actions they have taken.  A time when the fortunes of Israel will be restored, a time when the remnant of Israel will be saved(Romans 11:26).   A day His promises will all be fulfilled, a day when the sins of Israel will all be forgiven and His chosen people will be restored to the land that He once promised to Abraham(Isaiah 10:27, Jeremiah 30:19-40). A day when the arrogance of man will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted(Isaiah 2:17).

As the Lord paints for Joel a picture of that day, He also tells him of the conditions that will bring man to judgment, and of the arrogance that will bring this world to its' knees. In Joel 3:1-2, the Lord tells us, “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat.  Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land.”  In these two verses we see three actions that the Lord will judge this world for. Three arrogant atrocities that will drive mankind during these days.

First, His judgment will come because of the action this world has taken against His chosen people.  Second, because of what they have done to His inheritance.  And finally, because they have sought to divide His land.  In these three warnings, we see the role these approaching hunters will play, and we see the prey that the hunters will so arrogantly seek.

As we look at the world today, we see the ugly hatred of anti-Semitism again raising it’s head.  We hear the words, and we see the actions, as this world focuses its’ hatred on God’s chosen people.  In Europe today, over half of all racist actions are taken against the Jewish people.  We are watching a hatred form in Europe that is on a level that was found in the days that led up to the Third Reich, and the atrocities it brought to this world.  But unlike the days of the past, we are watching as this hatred is spreading beyond the boundaries of Europe, spreading rapidly like a plague throughout this world.  We now see incidents of this hatred in Asia, in South America, in Australia, and yes, even in this country of America, as we watch political leaders in this country use names of hatred against the Jewish people without consequences.  We watch as a whole religion uses words that refer to them as pigs and apes.  Who calls for their annihilation, and who cheers in the streets as they are massacred.  We find ourselves in a world that is starting to find it easier to despise and ignore His people, than to honor and to respect them. We watch as the world is pointing out to the hunters their prey, and placing a bounty on each of their heads.

As the world growingly hates His people, they seek ways to take the land He promised His people(Genesis 15:18).  We watch as the world gathers, offering resolutions to appease those that hate Israel, those who look to destroy Israel. We watch as His land, and as His city Jerusalem, is felt as an anchor around the neck of this world, a greater burden than they now wish to bear(Zechariah 12:3).  The world finds it increasingly easier to ignore the wisdom in the Lord’s promises, and to seek the failed logic found in their own solutions. The world now finds it easier to accept the lie, then to seek out the truth.  They find it easier to take the land and divide it, than to read the details in the deed of the One who owns the land.  They prepare to send out the hunters, ordering them to clear the land of the obstacles that stand in their way.  Obstacles of spiritual blessings, that they now wish to replace with their own physical desires.

And as the hunters clear the land, and as they seek their prey, they look to destroy any trace of His inheritance.  Of the promise this land holds on a future day.  Of the One who will reign over this world from that land, and of those who serve for and with Him in that land.  A land filled with people that have been grafted together, those who are called His people and those who have been blessed and saved through His glorious name.  The day is quickly coming when the hunter will seek both, both seen as obstacles that stand in this world’s way.  A day this Church should be aware of and preparing this world for, but a day the Church has turned a deaf ear to.  Choosing not to hear what they do not wish to face. But the day is coming when the Church will have no choice but to open it’s ears and again hear.  They will hear the yells of the hunters who have snuck up on them, readying their weapons as they seek to plunge them in deep.  

The world today is calling forward the hunters.  And the world today sees a season of open hunting that is soon approaching.  A season that will seek the blood of those who call themselves His people, and of those who call on His name.  In part two, we will look at when that hunting season will begin.  And will will look at what that hunting season will look like for those that will be seen as the prey.

Praying the season will not come and find you as prey.

Casual Christianity

Dr. Mike Murphy
February 27, 2019

I am a people watcher!  Let me sit down in a restaurant or a public setting, and I will quickly begin to notice the actions of those around me.  With the cancer, I do not get as many opportunities to find myself watching people in public these days.  But the other day, I got one of these opportunities as I had a bite of lunch at one of my favorite fast food places(one where cows tell us to eat mor chikin!)  As I was enjoying my sandwich with a relative of mine, I heard two women at the table behind me starting to speak.  Knowing it would be way too obvious to turn my head and stare at them, I began to listen to their conversation as they were speaking loudly(yes, I know, I was being nosy!).  One of the women began to tell the other about the discussion her class had in Sunday School.  She told her how the subject of homosexuality had come up.  She then proceeded to tell the other woman how her class had come to the agreement that God had told us that homosexuality was a sin and immoral, but to teach that to their children would just be wrong.  Why you might ask?  Because her Sunday School class had come to the conclusion that society would see that as hateful.

After checking my ears for wax, making sure I was hearing them clearly, I listened to the two women continue.  The two women came to the conclusion that there was parts of the Bible that we were best to just ignore, to just never discuss or teach.  That to teach from certain verses of the Bible would just be seen as hateful by this world, and would put their children at a disadvantage in this world if they believed what these verses said.  This Church just could not expect to survive in this world if it spoke words the world did not like. Concluding, we are better off to have this world love us than we are to speak the truth of God’s Word. Hearing all this, I had lost my appetite, and felt more like I needed a shower than I now needed lunch.

We live in a day where this “so-called” Church is far more fearful of this world than it is of God.  More willing and bound to please this world, than we are to be obedient to our Lord.  This Church can best be described by the word “antinomianism”.  A long, fancy term that is best described as, “the belief that there is no moral laws God expects Christians to obey”.  Taking biblical teachings that God has given us and turning them into the unbiblical conclusion that Christians have no moral law they are expected to follow.  I know of no other word that could better describe today's Church.

When Paul dealt with the issue of antinomianism in his day, he gave us wise words that this Church needs to also take to heart.  Romans 6:1-2 tells us, “What shall we say, then?  Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”.   Paul realized that this line of thinking was not the result of a true conversion in Christ, because to truly know and accept Christ creates in us a greater desire to obey and follow the Word of God.  But these words by Paul do leave us today having to ask the questions, do many who claim their place in this Church, really know Christ at all?

If we truly know Christ, we realize that there is a moral law God expects us to obey, a moral law from God that we desire to obey.  1 John 5:3 tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.”   If we obey His laws because our love for Him places a desire in us to do so, then we will love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength.  And if we faithfully follow His laws, then we will love our neighbor as we do ourselves(Mark 12:30-31).  We so easily forget, God’s law is not one of codes, it is a law of love.  A love that has us reaching out to our neighbor with all the compassion Christ has shown to each of us, but requiring us to also reach with all the truth that each of God’s laws have taught us.  To not reach with both, is to not show true love.

And this is where this Church finds itself today, trying to reach with what we think is compassion, while avoiding the truth we know this world does not want to hear, and will not like.  And in our blind ambition to look like we are reaching, we do not realize that without the truth, Satan is actually tying both our hands behind our back.

We so often forget, this world is what we leave when we come to Christ. Christ did not bring us out of this world to drop us back in so we could wallow in this world’s mud.  He calls each of us to reach out to those around us with both compassion and truth, so we can pull them out of the mud, and help them to leave this world with us.  

This is a world that has a lovefest with sin.  We watch as Hollywood encourages sin, and foolishly tells us to envy every sinner.  We watch as advertisers prey on the sin of this world, with lust in their eyes.  We watch as politicians make laws that embrace sin, looking to justify sin through the ranks of our society.  And sadly, we watch as many pastors and Church leaders excuse sin, finding it easier to overlook than to tell the truth about.  And with each watch of our eyes, we can see the smile forming on Satan’s face.

When we become a part of the family of God through our faith in Christ, God creates for us an off ramp, so we can exit from the madness and foolishness of this world(2 Corinthians 5:17).  With our exit, we become citizens of another kingdom, God’s kingdom. And we quickly realize just how righteous, truthful, perfect, and moral the laws of His kingdom are compared to the laws of this world we exited from.  We soon realize, we do not want dual citizenship, trying to live in both His kingdom and this world.  And with each minute we spend in His kingdom, we realize that we cannot and do not desire to serve two masters(Matthew 6:24), knowing we cannot be devoted to both Him and this world.  And knowing, we cannot live by the moral laws of both.

If we continue to try to love this world the way the unbeliever does, we will find ourselves without one ounce of spiritual growth, and will become nothing more than a fruitless tree in His kingdom.  We can never find ourselves loving anything more than God, because in doing so, we make ourselves unworthy of Him(Matthew 10:37-38).  And sadly, this is exactly where much of this Church finds itself today.  Many claiming to be a part of a Church, who often shows it loves this world more than it loves our Lord.

We, the Church, must again realize, we are nothing more than simply in this world, only here physically.  We are not of this world, not a part of what this world values(John 17:14-15).  As followers of Christ, we are set apart from this world, not engaging, accepting, excusing, or endorsing the sinfulness this world cherishes and promotes.  To do so leaves us with the corrupt, foolish mindset that this world creates.  We are of Christ, and belong to Him.  Our mind, our body, our words, and our actions are to be like Christ, not to be reflective of this world. Favorite statements of this world, like “to thine own self be true”, and “I will let my conscience be my guide”, are words that Christ would have us forget.  Words that we must help others see the foolishness of, showing them that it is by these words that the world has gotten itself tangled in the mess it is now in.

This Church must remember again, we are to be the light to this world’s spiritual darkness.  And right now, this Church is trying to light a match in the middle of a wind storm, not making of ourselves the raging fire that all the world can see. It is time this Church again feared the Lord, not because we are scared of Him, but because we know what this world is like without Him.  And that is a fear we must make contagious, spreading throughout this world like an epidemic every chance we get.  Always realizing, our faith encompasses every aspect of our lives.  It is the opportunity that consumes every hour of our days, and the dreams that fill each hour of our nights.  Our faith must be the conforming influence of this world, not shaped by fears of this world.  Our faith must be more than just something casual that we think this world would not be offended to hear or see.

Praying you never take a casual walk for Christ, but are always found running into His arms!

The Voice Of One Crying In The American Wilderness!

Dr. Mike Murphy

February 22, 2019

A young pastor made his way to a small town to preach a sermon he had been asked to deliver.  Not knowing the town well, he asked a young boy if he could tell him where the post office was so he could mail a letter he needed to send.  After the boy gave him directions, the pastor thanked him and said, “If you come to church tonight, I can tell you how to get to Heaven.”  The young boy thought for a minute and then answered the pastor.  “No, thank you, sir.  I do not think I will be there.  How are you going to tell me how to get to Heaven when you do not even know how to get to the post office?”

The young boy never realized that day, but the young pastor he was talking to would show many throughout the world ‘how to get to Heaven’. The young pastor that day knew his directions well, and would lead countless numbers to the foot of the Cross.  Who was the young pastor you may ask?  Billy Graham!

Throughout the Bible, we have seen God use faithful men and women to lead His people.  Moses led them out of the Wilderness, and Joshua led them back into the Promised Land.  David led his people in victory, and developed Israel into a powerful nation.  Solomon led with wisdom, and built a Temple for the Lord.  Esther led her people from certain destruction, and by following the call of God saved them from a terrible fate.  And in the days before and of Christ, we read as John the Baptist, prepared his people for the Coming and Promised Messiah.  His words would lead many to follow the Son of God.

John was a man unlike most others.  As his name indicated, he did baptize.  But his life and his ministry were so much more.  John was the perfect example of what anyone who serves in ministry should be.  He served the Lord with an unquestioned devotion and he was willing to sacrifice and surrender all to Christ.  John shouted for the needing world to hear that the Promised One was coming,  and he publicly and unabashedly proclaimed the Good News of Christ.

John had been foretold by Isaiah over 700 years before his ministry began.  Isaiah 40:3-5, “A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.  Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley.  Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."  John had been the first prophet the people had seen called by God since Malachi, over 400 years before his birth.

Little is known about the early life of John.  We know that he was the son of a Temple priest(Luke 1:5), and was related to Jesus(Luke 1:36).  We know that John lived a simple life.  He dressed in simple clothes, and ate simple food(Matthew 3:4).  John used his life to follow the calling the Lord placed on him, focusing not on what he had, but on the work the Lord had called him to do. Matthew tells us that John’s ministry was very popular among the people. Matthew 3:5-6,  “Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.“  Even with his popularity, John was quick to let people know he was just the messenger, telling the world of the Messiah who would soon follow, and what the purpose and role of the Messiah would be. Matthew 3:11-12, “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

In life, ministry, and death, John was steadfast in his faith.  He trusted God, and the call on his life above all.  Jesus said of John, “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John”, Luke 7:28.  What sweeter words could we possibly hear from our Savior?

John was not Elijah, but came in the ‘spirit of Elijah.  Just like Elijah, he called all who would hear to repentance, and preached to them a message of obedience before God.  He came to prepare a way for the Lord, calling all with a message of reconciliation(2 Corinthians 5:18).  In the words of Paul, we hear the echo of John.  John’s life was the epitome of Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.“  John showed us that when testing and persecution comes our way, we will turn in one of two directions.  We will either hesitate and waver in our faith, or we will be like John, standing steadfast for Christ until the very end.

Throughout the Bible, we have seen example after example of men who stood steadfast in their faith.  Unfaltering and unfazed by all this world may throw their way.  Examples of men who put God’s purpose and needs before self.  In my lifetime, I have seen the Lord send another such man into all of our lives.

As I have grown up watching Billy Graham, I have seen that same ‘spirit of Elijah’ the world saw in John the Baptist.  Billy Graham called all who would hear to repentance, and he told anyone that would listen of the Lord’s plan of salvation that can only be found through Christ.  He preached to millions the world over, reaching as many as he could for Christ, and preparing the world for His return. He worked at a tireless pace to fulfill the purpose the Lord called him to. Reverend Graham once said, “My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe comes through knowing Christ.”  He brought that message to over 185 countries around the world, and it is estimated that he led some 3.2 million people to a faith in Christ.

In 1947, Billy Graham started holding revivals he would later refer to as crusades.  His first was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where an estimated six thousand attended.  At the end of each crusade, the song “Just As I Am” would play, and an altar call would be given.  Reverend Graham made sure everyone who came forward was prayed with and counseled, and a Bible or the Gospel of John was given to each so they could continue to grow as they read the Word of God.  

Reverend Graham not only called people to God, but preached that all should live the Word of God.  He spoke and taught that the Church had a responsibility to speak out against Communism and Segregation.  In 1953, he took what was a strong stance for his day, he refused to speak to segregated audiences.  He told event organizers and ushers at the time, if they did not tear down the barriers that separated the audience by race, then they would have to hold the revival without him.  Billy Graham practiced what he preached, leading a generation to see that Christ is our hope for today and our promise for tomorrow. Reverend Graham has lived those words, and has been unfaltering in the teachings that prove those words.

In an interview he gave in the fall of 2013l, Reverend Graham continued to emphasize those words in his message to this nation.  When asked about the spiritual dangers America was and still is facing, Reverend Graham warned that America had turned to a “trendy faith”, a little Christianity mixed with all the other religions of the world “Many people do not want to face the truth of the Gospel. They water it down to a myth, causing young and old to doubt the authority of the Bible. We as a nation have turned our back on God who blessed our country because its fundamental principles were grounded in the Word of God.”   He went on to say, “Our early fathers led our nation according to Biblical principles. Hope and change has become a cliché in our nation and it is daunting to think that any American could hope for change from what God has blessed.”  

In the article, Reverend Graham was asked if he thought the return of Christ was near.  He said, “God keeps His promises and this is why we can be sure that the return of Christ is near. Scripture tells us that there will be signs pointing toward the return of the Lord. I believe all of these signs are evident today. What a time to take the news of the day in one hand and the Bible in the other and watch the unfolding of the great drama of the ages come together. I would not want to live in any other time.”  “Regardless of what society says, we cannot go on much longer in the sea of immorality without judgment coming. We are at a crossroads, and there are profound moral issues at stake. It is time to return to biblical truth.”

Reverend Graham concluded the interview by saying, “Hope is certain only through His Son Jesus Christ — not in the change agents of the world, and when the end of the world as we know it takes place at Christ's return, no government can prevent it and no individual can escape it. Those who hope for it will welcome it; those who refuse to embrace its reality will never change its certainty.”. All I could add to his words would be, AMEN!

Just like John the Baptist, Billy Graham called a world to repentance and reconciliation with God.  Both were steadfast in the faith.  One called all who would hear to prepare for the coming Messiah, the other called all who would hear to prepare for the Messiah’s soon return.  Both spoke with the “spirit of Elijah”, words the world did not always like, but words the Lord needed the world to hear.

I never had the chance to meet Billy Graham, but I cannot tell you how much I look forward to an eternity with him.  Thank you Reverend Graham, for being the example to so many as to what one who works in the ministry should be.  Thank you for your steadfast faith, telling all who would listen the Lord’s plan of salvation. The Lord called you to the ministry at a time this nation and the world needed you most, and you faithfully served and went wherever He led you.  Your faithful message brought countless numbers to the foot of the Cross, and prepared people the world over for the soon return of Christ.  You lived your life as a willing servant, and we praise the Lord He sent you to us as “the voice of one crying in the American wilderness”.

Praying each who read this take heed in the words of Reverend Graham, and are prepared for the soon return of Christ!

Love Redefined

Dr. Mike Murphy
February 6, 2019

“I know homosexuality is a sin, but I refuse to accept it as sin.  To accept it as sin would mean that I had forgotten the words Jesus said, love thy neighbor.”

From many these words would no longer surprise me.  In this world today, normal has been turned so far upside down that it is hard to understand what this world sees as “normal” anymore.  But these words did not come from what we would call a “normal” man. They came from the mouth of a pastor as he stood at the pulpit.  A friend of mine sat in the church as the words were said, and messaged me the following morning to get my opinion of what he had heard. After I had him repeat the words to me so I could make sure I heard the words right, I gave him my answer.  I told him it was time to find another church.  And as he left, he needed to take this “so-called” pastor with him.  This pastor needed to give up his title, sit himself down in a pew where he could hear what a real pastor was called by God to say.  This pastor needed to blow the dust off his Bible that had been so obviously unopened for a long time, and begin reading the actual Word of God again.  And that he needed to be wise enough to listen carefully as he found his way again to his knees, because he had been foolish enough to stand at the pulpit and speak words that the Lord had never placed in his mouth.

I wish the response I had to give my friend was one that was not needed to be given.  I also pray that it is a question I never hear again.  But in the reality of the world today, this is a question I get asked way too often.  We listen today as many of our pastors and religious leaders try to “straddle the fence”.  They create their own response to God’s answers, trying to appeal to both sides, not realizing that all they are doing is leading both sides of that “fence” astray.

No issue causes more to straddle the fence than the issue of homosexuality.  Many are so scared of the issue, they simply refuse to speak about it.  Others try to compromise on the issue, seeking a middle ground that tells us little about what the Lord has to say about the issue.  And others embrace the issue, telling us that God is love, and we have no right to judge anyone, and to tell anyone their lifestyle is wrong.  They tell us that God made many as homosexual, and loves each of them just the way they are.

So just what does the Lord tells us about homosexuality?  Is homosexuality a sin? Can a homosexual be a Christian?  Does God accept homosexuality?  Does the Lord love the homosexual?  Exactly what does the Lord say to us about love?  What did Christ mean when he told us to “Love thy Neighbor”?  What does it mean for God to love us unconditionally?  And what is the Lord’s definition of true love?

From Genesis to Revelation, it is very obvious the Bible tells us that homosexuality is immoral and a sin(Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9).  As a result of the Fall of Man, sin has infected all of humanity. Sin looks to contort, pervert, and corrupt each of our lives, not allowing us to be all that the Lord created us to be. Homosexuality perverts the natural and creative order the Lord designed for our lives.  And if we look at it closely, it denies the omniscience and perfection of our Lord.  Homosexuality implies that God did not create the person the way they were meant to be created, thus He made a mistake when creating them.  It also implies that God did not have the foresight to see who that person would be, thus God is not all knowing.  The Bible clearly tells us that God is omniscient(Isaiah 46:9-10, Hebrews 4:13), and it makes it clear of His perfection(2 Samuel 22:31, Luke 18:19).  To deny each is to deny God.

It does not take us long to see that homosexuality is a sin, a sin that denies the very nature and order of God.  Homosexuality is sexual immorality, and holds it place on a list of other sins the Scripture makes clear to us. But at the end of the day, it is sin, nothing more, nothing less.  While the consequences of some sin may be greater than others, all sin equally keeps us from experiencing the love that God has for us.

So if homosexuality is a sin, can those who practice homosexuality be a Christian?  If a homosexual receives and accepts Christ as their Savior, the answer is resoundingly yes.  But this answer must come with a clear definition. When we receive Christ, we accept His ways, and put behind us our old ways. Our hope is found in Him, not in the ways of this world.  We cannot fully accept him, and all He desires for our life, if we continue to live our lives for this world. 

No better example of this can be found than in the words of Christ Himself.  We all know the story of the adulterous woman who was brought to Christ, as the crowd prepared to stone her(John 8:1-11).  As Jesus silenced the crowd that called for her death, Christ turned to the woman, telling her that He did not condemn her.  He offered her forgiveness from her sins at the moment.  Then with His next words, He taught the woman what is meant to live in Christ.  He told her, “Go, from now on sin no more.”

Christ taught her repentance, a word that is used powerfully throughout the Bible, but a word that has been forgotten in our society today.  Most will try today to describe repentance as “turning from sin”.  But actually, the word means so much more.  It means, “to change one’s mind”.  When we change our mind, we change our actions, and we change Who we live for.  This is what Christ offered the adulterous woman.  He not only offered her forgiveness from her sin, but a “change of mind” about her sin.  The ability to put her adulterous ways behind her, and to live her life for Him.

We so easily forget, only two words separate the sinner from the Christian. Those two words?  Jesus Christ!  Those who follow Him, seek His forgiveness of our sins.  And we recognize where our sin leads us.  With Him at the center of our life, we have the power to not only turn away from that sin, but to not to be driven by our sin.  If we continue to live for that sin, then we deny what Christ did for us on the Cross.  Hebrews 10:26 tells us, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins”.  The truth is, sin separates us from God, and keeps us from the arms of God.  When we choose to follow sin, we choose to keep ourselves from a love that can only be found in His arms.

The homosexual who truly accepts Christ no longer lives for that sin.  Sometimes that “change of mind” is instantaneous, other times they may continue to struggle with the sin of homosexuality for years to come.  We all struggle with some form of sin.  Although we may struggle with sin,  when we accept Christ we are no longer enslaved to that sin.  Sin may tempt us, but sin will not dominate us.  It will not control us.  It will not be the driving force in us. Christ is!  And the love He has brought each of us is what drives us each day!

There is no better definition of that love, than for us to look at what Christ showed the adulterous woman that day.  His love is not just offered to us today, but longs to have us with Him tomorrow.  His love knows we are not perfect, but He shares that love with each of us in the most perfect of ways.  His love desires to draw us close, and to protect us from all this world would throw at us.  That is not only a love He has for us, but a love He wants us to share with the world around us.  A love that not only cares about where someone’s life is today, but a love that continues to care about them tomorrow.

God’s love is infinite, but a very finite example of this love can be seen in the love a parent has for their child.  A parent loves their child no matter where that child may find themselves, or what situation that child may find themselves in.  The parent loves that child because they are a part of them, and they cannot imagine their live without that child.  When the child is young, and does something wrong, the parent will do everything they can to keep the child out of harm’s way.  They know for the child to repeat the same mistake again could bring damage and destruction to that child’s life.  The parent will go to the end of the earth to protect their child, and to show them the truth of the situation they find themselves in.  The same is with God!  And if we, as Christians, are to reflect the love that Christ shows us, then we have to give our all to let the world know the truth of that love.  To show them the truth of where sin will lead them.  And to share with them the love that Christ has for them.

When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”(Matthew 22:37-40).  Here Jesus tells us what true love is.  You cannot know love if you do not first know the love of the Lord.  And you cannot love those around you, if you are not first willing to show them the whole truth of that love.  We must be willing to show our neighbors the joy and love that can only be found in Christ.  That love requires us to share with each of those neighbors the truth that can only be found in that love.  A truth that is written in each verse of His Word.  And each of those verses show us that true love must be grounded in His Truth.

God’s love is proactive, it is never reactive. His arms are always open, waiting for someone to reach out and take ahold of His hand   We have been blessed to have found those hands, to have been pulled into the love of His arms. Each moment we spend in those arms calls us to share that love with those around us.  To tell them of that love, and to help them to see that love cannot be seen without His Truth.  We must never forget, true love can never be shown part way.  The love of Christ can never be shown without truth.

As we look at the world today, sin now stands like a mountain towering over this world.  A mountain that we cannot walk around, and do not dare try to climb over.  But many today stand and admire that mountain.  They stand in awe of that mountain, finding it easier to honor the mountain than to tell the world the horrors of that mountain.  The truth of the destruction that awaits them on that mountain.  Never forget, our strength does not come from that mountain, but from the only One who holds the power to destroy that mountain. One word of His love can bring that mountain to rubble, and can pave the way to the glory that awaits beyond that mountain.  We must be willing to help Him crumble that mountain! Willing to reach out and surround the homosexual, and all who are slaves of sin, with open arms.  Showing them the life-changing love He has shown us.  And as we share with them that love, we must also share with them a truth that is grounded in His love.  A truth that leads them away from the sin that would destroy them.  A truth that leads to a perfect love.

The eternal fires of hell will be fueled with the regrets of so many.  So many we could reach, so many we could save, if we only followed the love that Christ taught us.  But so many today look to redefine that love, to make excuses for a truth only found in His love.  A truth than cannot be found outside of His love.  A love that never needs redefining.  A love that we can truthfully say, is perfect in every way.

Praying you see the truth in God’s perfect love.