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What is the greatest challenge you have been facing? Does that challenge provoke frustration or anticipation? Do you see it as your enemy or your friend? Our initial response to a serious provocation is to avoid or escape it. However, a far better response is to view it as an opportunity in which God can show Himself mighty. What has been your default response to your threatening challenges?

As with lightning, miracles occur when there is a massive voltage difference between need and supply. As long as we think we can figure out a way to overcome our problem, our need factor is low. Consequently, the probability of a supernatural intervention is low. Pride and self-sufficiency are enemies of God. A church mentioned in Revelation 3 said of themselves, I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Revelation 3:17 (NIV) This is the polar opposite attitude of those for whom God does miracles. Consequently, God  promised He would spit them out of His mouth.

It is not enough to be a follower of God. I must become a friend of God. I must move beyond the point of simply using God as an insurance policy or a life preserver. Friends do not exploit each other, and I must never use my relationship with God as a handy ticket to success or an easy means out of a messy situation. These words of Jesus to His disciples were very revealing and provocative. I no longer call you slaves…now you are my friends (John 15:15, NLT2). They were no longer robotic servants; they were part-owners of His plans and purpose. But He also made it clear this transition was not automatic. Not all believers seek to become His friends. Only those who love God enough to abandon their self-interest can be made a friend. It must be clear to all that God’s purpose, vision, plans, and passions are mine as well.

I certainly have not arrived at the level of friendship with Him for which I so desire. I am just humbled and grateful that it has been growing within my wife and me. I now can see that when that friendship is at the core of my relationship with God, my awe of Him increases along with my faith or trust in Him being more personal than it ever has been. My varied insecurities are being replaced with a deep felt-NEED for an even more intimate friendship relationship with Him. My identity leans less and less on my knowledge, wisdom, or ingenuity, and more and more on my close friendship with Him.

Connie and I are currently facing a very tall mountain of a challenge. At this point, the medical profession can only offer what their limited knowledge tells them, which is an imminent death sentence. We are not cringing or being frustrated by it because we know He is the only one who has our days numbered. He alone is our Hope. Instead of angst, there is a sense of anticipation of how our friend, our God, is going to deal with this mountain. We are good with whichever way that might be. We only want our Friend to be glorified. We believe this is the posture that releases Him to respond in such a way that will most benefit Him, His kingdom, and each of us.

It is in this context; our challenge is not our enemy. It is an opportunity for Him to show His majesty, wisdom, love, grace, and truth. A Bible verse that has been my favorite for decades is what Moses asked of God. If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. Exodus 33:13 (NLT2)

Each of us was born seeing our ‘self’ as king or queen. We didn’t care if mom or dad was exhausted after we kept them up most of the night or were sick or injured. When we were hungry or wanted our diapers changed, we demanded immediate action. As we mature, we hear far too much about ‘self’-fulfillment and ‘self’-promotion. We live life out sitting on the throne of the kingdom of ‘self’, also called the flesh.

When Peter pushed-back on Jesus’ words about Him having to suffer abuse and being killed, Jesus rebuked him. Jesus then took head-on the human kingdom of ‘self’-bias. Jesus told his disciples, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24, ESV). Taking on this perspective would be like trying to swim upstream on the raging Colorado River. Yet it is crystal clear. If a person is going to be a Christ-follower, he or she must deny ‘self’. It also needs to be clear that Jesus is not espousing the “death of self”, He is calling for “death to self’. These prepositional differences change everything. Jesus is not talking about considering ourselves worthless! He went through what He did in order to save us, not destroy us. He is saying that if you try to save your own life, you will lose your soul.

It needs to be understood, a life of death to ‘self’ CANNOT be done by self-discipline. When a person is challenged to die to ‘self’, they often first think, “I must control myself.” That is a prime illustration of how deceitful our ‘self’-centered heart is. (Jeremiah 17:9). Death-to-self’ is to stop living for self and with His empowerment live for Jesus Christ and His love for others.

Paul wrote a profound statement. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have (past tense) nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there (Galatians 5:24, NLT2). This is a violent word-picture of what goes on when a person surrenders their life to Christ. Your sinful ‘self’ nature (flesh) is totally hostile towards God. (Romans 7:23). The decision is not a ritualistic prayer, it involves a humbling crucifixion of the ‘self’ will with all its passions and desires. Death to ‘self’ is an exchange for the life of self-centeredness for Christ’s life. (2 Peter 1:4). When that occurs within the core of the person, it radically changes one’s desires for self-gratification to God-gratification. (Ezekiel 36:27).

The notion that accepting Jesus is enough for salvation can be misleading. The foundation of salvation is built on a godly sorrow for ‘self’, making a mess of our life and a radical submission to Christ taking control of our daily decisions (2 Corinthians 7:10). When the life of Christ replaces our self-centered desires, it’s like a spiritual Continental Divide. Life begins to flow in the opposite direction. Our self-centered desires are replaced by the life of Christ, which motivates us to follow God’s ways.

When our trust lies in our personality, abilities, knowledge, and others’ approval, we are not relying on God but on ourselves. (John 5:44). Remember, the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will (Romans 8:7, NLT2).  As long as self dominates, we cannot have the confidence that gives us His rest, peace, and joy.

Do you sense a need to return to this spiritual Continental Divide and once again totally surrender your whole ‘self’ to Almighty God so His desires are seen in your daily life?

My earlier blogs have mentioned Connie, my wife’s medical problems. Despite the remarkable knowledge science, doctors, or medicine offer, Connie and I have determined the medical field has no solutions for her symptoms of a unique version of MDS and the physical trauma from her systolic blood pressure randomly and abruptly dropping 40-50. Each physician expressed their perplexity. We can resonate with the bewilderment the people of Israel had when threatened by armies much greater than theirs.

For them, the natural choice would be to reach out for help from a stronger nation like Egypt, the former world ruler. God forbid them to do so, saying He would protect them. Overwhelmed by fear, they saw Egypt as their only tangible hope. When most of us encounter medical problems, we reach out to doctors and medicine as our last tangible hope. God has used physical things to bring recovery to his people (Isaiah 38:21). He even guided Jacob to use striped stakes to grow the size of his flock (Genesis 30:40). He can use anything, but more often insists His people trust Him and Him alone. The challenge is to know which method He will use on each occasion.

In Isaiah 40, God had allowed the Babylonians to defeat His people because of their insistence on serving idols instead of Him, but now they needed comforting. Their imagination had been starved by focusing on impotent idols; today we have more idols in our life than they had then! They are not just images made of tin, wood, or gold. Isaiah told them to look up instead of around themselves. He tried to get them to feed their imaginings on the greatness of God seen in the nature He had created. He challenged them to look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights (Isaiah 40:26-27, NLT2)? And He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:29-31, NLT2)

There is a stunning difference in our countenance, emotions, or mental attitude when we intentionally take our eyes off our circumstance and fix them upon the awe-inspiring greatness of our God. It makes me wonder if God has allowed Connie and me to explore all the possibilities of the medical world to find them desperately falling short, so that we will fix our eyes on Him alone and imagine His indescribable awesomeness. Without question, we have seen Him, His power, love, grace, and mercy. We have had Him work His power through us and provide for us multiple times. However, we also have known God is far more magnificent than we can imagine. This is how He can show us another dimension of who He is. That very thought humbles me! It is no wonder why David wrote when I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have put in their places; What is man, that you keep him in mind? the son of man, that you take him into account? (Psalm 8:3-4, BBE)

For those of you facing overwhelming obstacles, will you join Connie and me and look up instead of looking around at your circumstances? Paul wrote set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2, ESV).

One of the affectionate words I use when talking to my wife is ‘Babe’. I really don’t know where I came up with that word, but I frequently use it for her. However, ‘Babe’ can be used in a wide variety of ways. Love is another word loosely used in diverse ways. People love their car, cat, dog, job, harassing others, or having intimate relationships with their spouse.

The Greek language has separate words to describe love, each of which are gifts from God given for its proper purpose. Eros is the type of love that builds romantic relationships (think “erotic”). Phileo is the word used to convey a closeness and fondness that develops as two people choose to befriend each other. We know Philadelphia as the city of brotherly love. Storge is the word that refers to parental love for their children. This type of love is more enduring and deeper than phileo. It can often be a one-way love because parents will love their child after that child has abandoned them. Agape, the pure gold level of love. It’s selfless. It is God’s love for us.

This multi-concept of love is widely accepted. What is not widely considered is that agape does not include the flesh’s emotional component. Any aspect of self is at war with God’s self-less agape. Just as Jesus’ human self-nature had to die in Gethsemane before He could die for our sins and rise again, so it is for you and me.

Agape is not action; it is a source of action. Nor is it a feeling or an emotion or intention; although it inspires intentions, actions, and feelings. It is a condition out of which actions of a certain type emerge. The objective of agape is not to be a person who does loving things. Rather, it is to become the type of person who naturally, joyfully, and is easily compelled to love others, including those who hold immoral positions or abuse us. If we give attention to taking care of our heart condition, righteous actions will naturally follow. Loving with God’s love does not mean giving in to what others want. By its very nature, it seeks what is right before God and offers what will enable them to do what is right in His eyes. It is not something you choose to do, it is what you become, a loving person. The love Christ wants to give us is NOT a result of human effort. It simply is the radical reflection of God who gave us His agape love. It will inspire His compassion for others rather than just sympathy for them.

God gave us agape, not because He needed our love, but because He knew we needed to love Him and others in order to have the fullness of joy that He has. His gift of agape is not a divided, soiled, or lukewarm love. Rather, it is a whole-hearted love that gives as He gives to us.

How do we reach that quality of love? Please understand, we cannot receive it by increasing our head knowledge, although head knowledge is helpful. Complete trust in God and death to self, opens the floodgates for His agape love to flow unconsciously into us. Self-effort prevents it. Paul described God’s method this way. And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, AMP)

This revelation has relaxed my soul and given me a greater desire to be transformed into His image. I pray that sharing this will inspire you to have a similar desire for God and His agape.

I have lived long enough to see several fads or cultural changes. When Connie and I were in college, she had a page-boy fluff hair do and occasionally included a small wig in her hair. Interestingly, this hairstyle was common in that day. In recent years, the page-boy fluff never returned, but the occasional added hair piece has shown up. When hair or dress styles change, for guys or gals, like dominos falling, everyone changes with it. Remember when it was the in thing for guys to wear bellbottom leisure suits or knit slacks? Today it is tattoos, skinny or holey jeans. Fads are like cookie cutters that leave their mark on nearly everyone.

So, does God use a cookie cutter that leaves its mark on His followers? I would have to say, ‘yes’ and ‘no’. He doesn’t leave visible markings like some religious groups might (e.g. Amish). And He intends for each of His followers to have unique differences in their personalities, capacities, visions, and skill sets. However, He does leave the same marking on the inner part of each of His apprentices. Paul wrote, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29, ESV). He also described how that would happen. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ … (Ephesians 4:11-13, ESV). He has no other kind of a follower than the one shaped by a predetermined pattern, Jesus Christ.

The very last recorded command Jesus gave His apostles was wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time (Matthew 28:19-20, GW). Jesus set the pattern for all disciples when He said, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24, NLT2). Paul also took that pattern seriously and wrote Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV).

It is noteworthy that the apostles took that pattern so seriously that unbelievers said those early Christians turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). We must understand the Holy Spirit’s primary work is NOT to make us theologians or encyclopedias of Bible doctrine. Rather, to shape each of us into the very likeness of Jesus Christ, the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. He also decreed Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2, NLT2).

Why did Jesus, Paul, and the Bible teach this? So, the world would SEE and sense deep within that we have been with Jesus, living witnesses of a risen Jesus Christ.

We have naively reduced discipleship (spiritual transformation) down to indoctrination of some sort. We think it amounts to teaching a formula, behavior modification in a sermon, small group or classroom. If you look back on your recent history, is there evidence your presence has turned those in your sphere of influence upside down? If not, could it be that someone inadvertently usurped the Spirit’s work and indoctrinated you instead allowing His Spirit to transform you?

My personality type defaults to assessing and strategizing a solution to a perceived problem. I took a leadership test that defined me as a strategic leader. As with all attributes, that quality can be an asset or liability, depending on the situation. I have found it has shaped me to lean towards being a perfectionist, which can be unhealthy for various reasons. One reason is when it relates to my relationship with God. My default is to hold myself to a higher standard than God asks of me. This leads me to be too fussy about my relationship with Him. I sometimes fret because I don’t spend enough time in prayer, in Bible study, in loving or serving others, etc. It seems at times my spiritual life is more complicated than God intends it to be. This is problematic when the Bible calls me to be content in my relationship with Him.  I’m not saying this because I’m in any need. I’ve learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in (Philippians 4:11, GW).  A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have (1 Timothy 6:6, GW).  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6, ESV).

If we consider the relationship Jesus had with His Father, it was simple and unassuming, not complicated, and perfectionistic or fussy. There is no hint in scripture that Jesus was unsettled about anything. He was always calm, cool, and collected in every situation. Therefore, He could offer Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighed down with care, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, BBE). David’s words drill down to the core of the matter when he wrote I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me (Psalm 131:2, ESV). That word picture vividly describes the relationship Jesus had with His Father and He offers that same thing to me—to each of us, mentally and emotionally relaxed.

I’ve learned God is more concerned with my being, not my doing. I have realized that God is not as impressed with all my religious activities as I have been. I realize my activity of ministry is more of a mental or emotional addiction to my soul than a reflection of a weaned child with its mother. All the pumped-up striving and anxious grasping must be humbly surrendered to enjoy the comfortable rest God has planned for us.

The way that I can know if I am practicing the simple relationship with Christ is first by pausing to observe the effects of my faith on others. If I am fussy about my relationship with God, I will be fussy about my relationship with those around me. Whatever level of holiness I practice will become prickly or intimidating to others. This will result in people respecting and loving me, yet politely avoid getting too close to me. It would be a contrast to how people related to Moses when his face shone because of the tightness of his relationship with God. (Ex. 34:29). The second way I can discern I have not yet fully entered His rest is when I compare my mental and emotional as well as the condition of my spirit with the weaned child who is peacefully at rest with its mother. Such a word picture stirs up a deep longing for that full trust, restful and simple closeness to God. To be very candid, I only wish I had been exposed to this truth decades ago. My prayer is this considering the concept will inspire you to make whatever realignment may be necessary to quiet your soul so you can be like a weaned child with its mother. David wrote as a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God (Psalm 42:1, ESV). May that characterize the passion within you for our awe-inspiring God.

Connie, my wife, has had a life-threatening rare blood disease for two and a half years. I’m confident God has heard thousands of prayers for her over these years. We believe in divine healing. We have tried to follow the Spirit’s leading each step of the way. We have strong faith in Him and have seen great provisions and indicators that He is monitoring and walking with us through it all. Yet no divine healing of that malady. All this begs the question; why has there not been His healing touch? Just so you know, we haven’t given up!

Despite thousands of prayers, Connie and I have not yet received God’s entire healing touch. Some have experienced His complete healing by going to be with Christ—which Paul says is certainly far better. Others have experienced a miraculous divine healing touch. So, how are we to respond to God’s promise of healing when we have not yet experienced His healing for which we have petitioned? Millenniums of generations have wrestled with this same question.

Connie and I have been so grateful for the host of prayers offered on her behalf, along with meals and such encouraging words. We are humbled by the spiritual lessons we have been learning through this time. While it may sound strange to read, in spite of the hardships, we would willingly go through it again to receive the profound understanding of God and His ways that we have discovered. This reward of a spiritual nature has been extraordinary.

God’s sovereignty has again been confirmed. We don’t have the level of authority we like to think. Whatever authority vested in us is first, delegated (it is not ours to use according to our whim), and second, it must be authorized by His wisdom and foresight. Consider what Dallas Willard said about faith which releases His authority. If faith is something I can have and exercise all on my own, and if faith is as powerful as Jesus said it is, what do you think is likely to happen? The universe would probably be out of control quite rapidly. There would be mountains bouncing around, fig trees withering all over the place, and mulberry trees flying out of the ground and into the sea! God is more concerned with who you are becoming than in what you can accomplish with your faith.

If humans possessed God’s power, man would misuse that power by using it according to his or her every whim. Therefore, God must have the last word about miracles. Only He can see how the request we make to Him will play itself out in our lives or that of others. This relatedness and dependence upon Him leads us to trust Him when He says no (or not now) to our requests.

We must never forget, God says, My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT2) When God does something, His wisdom always trumps our nearsighted whims.

Our goal should be for our faith in Him to shift from subconscious dependency on physical or emotional signs, to total dependence upon the awesomeness, character, wisdom, and love of our God. All anxiety fades and His peace and joy come when your heart speaks as Job when he said, I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance. Job 42:5-6 (NLT2)

I enjoy watching sports, especially when the player or team is in their game. I use the phrase in their game to mean they are in their grove to play their best. To be honest, I don’t enjoy watching when a player or team is really off their game. Their timing is off, memory fails, easily distracted, or disrupted, which leads to making inadvertent mistakes. I feel sorry for them because I know the frustrations they are probably feeling. It reminds me of times when the right words don’t come to me, or my mind or emotions are working overtime when I’m trying to do something important. I don’t know why this happens to us from time to time, it just does.

Did the humanity of Jesus ever have that happen to Him? The Bible reports it did. His cousin John the Baptist had baptized him in water and plainly referred to Jesus as being the Messiah who would take away the sins of the world. Jesus loved him and tracked his ministry. He even said no human born was greater than John. Who might be such a hero to you?

John’s ministry landed him in prison where he was beheaded. Try to imagine how you might feel when you heard that your hero, John, was executed by beheading in prison. I highly suspect it would shake your tree!!! Matthew 14:13-14 records His response. It reports Jesus’ emotional response when someone told Him what happened to John. He felt a need to process this privately, so He got in a boat with His disciples and headed for a solitary place to grieve. If your hero was killed suddenly, you can relate to His response. But was this His Father’s plan for Him?

Rather than finding a solitary place to grieve, a large crowd who had followed His boat awaited Him on the shore. Can you picture how the humanity of Jesus might have initially reacted to this disruption to His plan? Don’t forget, He had just left active ministry to find a temporary, solitary place to grieve the loss of His hero. There’s a chance that he felt both positive and negative emotions, possibly even some frustration. Yet, when He faced the crowd, He intuitively knew He must bite the bullet, set aside His plan, and again pour Himself out in ministry amid His grief for John. What isn’t recorded is the possible wrestling in His human mind and emotions. Imagine if Jesus had been dogmatic about doing what He had justifiably started out to do. He would have deprived others and missed the joy of feeding 5000+ people with 5 loaves and two fishes.

His response to the Spirit’s disruption is a brilliant lesson for each of us, especially for me. I had a similar experience. While I immediately followed what the Spirit called me to do, I wrestled with owning His different plan. Here is the stunning part. While floundering to get my mind and emotions aligned with His plan, He was already unpacking the related details that led to multiple miracles involved in that assignment—just as in Jesus’ case. This makes the Father trumping Jesus’ plans without telling Jesus ahead of time is so intriguing and revealing to me. It teaches all of us that while our humanity may travel in a justifiable yet slightly different direction; the Spirit is already setting the wheels in motion for us to fulfill His assignment. We also see the Spirit’s faithfulness to keep us on the right path, regardless of our misguided human plans.

I have a strong desire to be flexible and adjust my plans quickly when the Spirit causes disruptions. The path to achieving that is identical to the path to becoming more intimate with Him. How have you reacted to the Spirit’s interruptions to your misguided plans? What preparations can you make to be ready for those disruptions?

What is the difference between speculation and conviction? Convictions tend to be more certain, while speculations are based on guesswork or theories. Doctors base their prognosis on scientific facts (which often change as they learn more) so their remedies or prescriptions would be on the upper end of speculations. A person hit by a person running a red light would base most of what they say happened on conviction rather than speculation.

John, one of Jesus’ primary disciples, wrote about a lower level of speculation.  The man who says (speculates), “I know him,” but does not do (fact) what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4, NIV). In another place he wrote, if anyone says (speculates), “I love God,” yet hates (fact) his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother (fact), whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20, NIV).

John is clearly saying some speculate about their salvation. Perhaps someone had told them they were saved. Others base their salvation on what they have experienced. Ezekiel 36:25-27 prophetically spells out one distinguishable sign of authentic salvation. The Spirit through Ezekiel identifies that sign when he wrote, I [God] will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezekiel 36:27, ESV). We are careful about whatever we highly value. Jesus verified this when He said, if you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15, ESV). John reinforced this when he wrote by this, we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments (1 John 2:3, ESV).  Just to be clear, these verses focus on the motives of the heart, not inadvertent sinful deeds. God has promised to forgive when we confess them. (1 John 1:9) If we carelessly practice what God’s Word teaches is wrong, we are mocking His grace.

When Jesus walked with His disciples, on one occasion He asked them, who do men say (speculate) that I am? They reported John the Baptist and Elijah. He then asked, who do you say that I am? Peter said You are the Christ. We find Peter’s answer was not based upon his speculation; it was based upon experiencing (conviction) a Spirit revelation. (Matthew 16:17) His naivety about what he had experienced was clear by him rebuking Jesus only a few verses later. This shows conviction doesn’t necessarily prevent wrong choices. However, it will lead to repentance.

Looking back on my life, I have had speculative thoughts that I’ve naively thought were what God wanted me to do. The truth was, God didn’t inspire the idea, my mind did. That has made life harder for me than God wanted it to be. Through those experiences, I have developed a conviction that I must take more time to seek what His Spirit is leading me to do rather than my stubbornness, mind or emotions. I’ve learned to better discern His whispers in my intuition or conscience from my well-intended yet deceptive ego fabricated ideas. I am so grateful to God that He focuses most on the intentions of my heart rather than my behavior.

Have you learned to discern the difference between speculations and conviction? I have found a conviction comes from deeper within my spirit—often springing from my chest or gut area. Jesus plainly said to those speculating, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers (Matthew 7:23, NIV)! I would rather you wrestle with this now than when standing before His throne.

When you call a person wicked, what exactly do you mean? Is she/he someone you can’t control or seems to have a Teflon persona? They are like the proverbial cat who always lands on their feet. Or do you mean the person is cruel and abusive? It has intrigued me how often the Bible refers to the wicked. I’ve wondered just what it might take to be classified as wicked in the Bible. At first, I imagined it referred to a sinner who is a personification of Satan himself. But then I remembered Paul wrote Satan disguises himself as an angel of light! (2 Co 11:14).

The fact is, while the wicked may be violent, criminal, guilty of doing wrong, the word has a far broader application. The Hebrews (God followers) who revolted against God in the desert were called wicked. (Numbers 16:26). The wicked are those who do not obey or serve God and His precepts. (Mal. 3:18). They include those who pick a fight against other God-followers. (Ex 2:13). Fundamentally, it refers to those who are in the wrong, whether it relates to violating the social rights of others, being oppressive, greedy, or doing whatever they can in civil court or otherwise to gain what they feel they are entitled to have.

At the root of the wicked is egotism or full-blown narcissism—everything is about them and their aspirations and comforts. It is not just about behavior, although it will result in ill behaviors. Although the wicked would not admit it, it is about having the heart attitude that thinks they are gods whose ways are higher than God’s ways. They will plot to get what they want, even if it abuses others.

In Psalm 1, David contrasts the fruit of the ways of the wicked and the righteous. The righteous person is as stable as a tree while the wicked is as unstable as worthless chaff that gets blown around with even the slightest wind. What might make as unstable us worthless chaff? Could it be they are given to whatever stimulates their selfish imaginations? A greedy person’s ears are tuned to whatever sounds like will make them money. A power-hungry person’s mind is attuned to whatever they believe would give them manipulative power over others. A foodaholic’s eye is attuned to whatever looks good to eat. Jesus told of those who were attracted to the attention and status that goes with healing the sick and casting out devils. They didn’t care about following God’s laws or ways. They only cared about gratifying their selfish lust for power and position. Jesus said to them I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws (Matthew 7:23, NLT2). Paul wrote that in the last days there will come into the church those who have a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with them (2 Timothy 3:5, NIV)! Again, wickedness is rebelling against God’s laws to follow their own rules. Knowing God’s authority yet carelessly and repeatedly and selfishly doing whatever they believe to be a better way is wickedness, whether it is found inside or outside the church. Rebellion (wickedness) is found in every human from time to time because each has a sin-nature that is rebellious against God. It is in the heart of an infant when they throw a temper tantrum and continues from time to time as long as they breathe. However, just as a sinner is one who practices sinning, so a wicked person is one who practices wickedness. It is easy to let my mind and emotions get carried away against authority figures when they are acting wicked or unrighteous. But as soon as I become aware of my attitude, I seek His help in realigning myself. God has always opposed the rebellious heart and always will. I urge you to never take wicked thoughts or behavior lightly. Never allow unrighteous (wicked) thoughts or behavior to take root in your life.