Month: March 2014

One Flesh

Mark 10:8
“And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.”

There is much to be learned about marriage in Mark 10:6-9. Jesus had been asked if it was lawful for a couple to get divorced. To answer their question, Jesus went back to the very beginning to explain marriage and what will destroy a marriage. Let me point out several tips from this passage on helping a couple to stay married.

First, you must understand God’s order in the home. Verse 6 shows us that God created man and woman. You will notice that man was created first, then the woman was created second for the man. Though this goes against modern philosophy, we must understand that the husband must be the head of the home. It does not mean the wife is a second-rate being, but she was created for the man. In other words, the man cannot be what God wants him to be without his wife helping him. That means the wife has extreme influence in the marriage, but she must yield to her husband’s leadership to make the marriage work.

Second, married couples must leave their parents and cleave to each other. Verse 7 shows us this importance. I find this is one of the major problems in homes today. We have couples who still do everything with their parents and this is to the detriment of their marriage. You should honor your parents, but you must cleave to your spouse. You cannot allow your parents to interfere in your home. For instance, I believe it’s not good to have a vacation with your parents every year. Every once in awhile is not bad, but not every year. You must leave your parents and cleave to your spouse. Your family needs to spend the vacation together so that it can create its own memories.

Third, you must become one in all that you do. This will only happen if you spend time with each other. You cannot have one process of thinking if you don’t know each other. May I encourage you to make time to be with each other. Don’t get so wrapped up in hobbies, career, ministry, making money and other activities that you are never home to spend time with each other. If your marriage is going to make it, then you and your spouse need to spend time together to be one in all that you do.

Fourth, don’t let any person divide your marriage. God warns that people will divide your marriage. This subject alone could take up many pages, but let me try to simplify it by saying that no person should come between you and your spouse. Your children or parents should not come between you and your spouse. Definitely, no person of the opposite gender should come between you. Also, be careful that other authorities don’t come between you. Always be aware that these will destroy a marriage.

Finally, hardened hearts are the greatest destroyer of marriages. You will notice that Jesus said, “For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.” Be careful that you don’t have a heart that nobody can change. When you get the type of spirit in your marriage that your spouse is not going to change you, then you have started down a destructive path. Couples who stay together must be tender towards each other. Hard hearts cause strife and divisions in the marriage. Don’t always have to have things your way. Be agreeable with each other and don’t let anything harden your heart towards your spouse.

If you will take these precepts and apply them to your marriage, you will find your marriage will become stronger. Though I could not go in depth into these precepts, you must see the importance of these things in your marriage. Marriage is a work in progress, and each of these areas must be worked on continually if you want to stay happily married.

Shining Your Light

Mark 4:21
“And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?”

When the power goes out in your house, immediately the scramble starts to find the closet or drawers where you’ve stored your candles. You light the candles and strategically place them in positions that will give the most light to the house. The purpose for lighting and placing the candles where they are is so that everyone in the house can see in the darkness.

Imagine the power going down, and you go to the drawer to get a candle to light. Once you light the candle, you find a bushel basket and place the candle under that basket. Some in the house would wonder why you are hiding the light, for that light could be used to help everyone in the house to see. Your response to those who are clamoring for the light is that it’s not your gift to let the candle light burn so all can have light. Maybe your response is that you are too afraid for people to see the light you’ve lighted. Maybe you are embarrassed to let others see your light because your candle isn’t what they expected. All of these excuses would be foolish because you have the light that those in the house need.

God says in Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world.” Inside of every Christian is the light of God that the world needs to get out of the darkness of sin. God reminds us how foolish it would be not to share our light by saying, “Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?” The light inside of you was not placed there for you to hide, but it is placed there for you to shine to the world.

Christian, you must realize that the world is in darkness. Just like you are seeking a candle to light in your house when the power goes out, the world is seeking for a light to help them see in their dark world. You must not let the Devil trick you into believing that the world does not want to see the light. They do! They are in darkness, and many are seeking for someone like you to shine the light.

Moreover, it doesn’t matter how old the candle is, or how fancy the candle may be, the world simply needs the light. Friend, you may think you are not the best candle to shine the light, but you must realize that the light is needed, and you have the light shining inside of you. You may not be the best deliverer of the light, but as long as the light is lit inside of you, the light will shine by itself. All you need to do is tell people about Jesus, and He will make sure the light shines.

Furthermore, don’t let your foolish excuses keep you from letting your light shine. Hiding your light under the bushel of fear is only keeping people from having the answer to their darkness. You must do what you can to make sure your light brightly shines. Sin, selfishness and carelessness will dim the light that needs to shine. Make sure you remove these things from your life so that your light can brightly shine.

The world is living in darkness. They were born in a power failure, and one glimpse of the light can certainly help them to see what they are missing. I encourage you to let your light shine. Shine your light to every person whose path you come across for all they need is for someone to show them the light. Yes, some will reject the light, but move on and find those who are searching for a light. In your pathway today will be someone seeking for a light. Be sure that you shine your light by telling them about the Light of the word, Jesus Christ. Someone is waiting for you to tell them how to get out of the darkness of sin. Don’t hide your light, but let it brightly shine and ask God to lead you to that one who is seeking the Light.

Please Pray for this Assistant Pastor

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAEzequiel Rivera is an assistant pastor at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Huntington, WV.  On Wednesday afternoon he will be undergoing surgery on the section of spine in his neck. This procedure is called an “Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.” The doctors will remove the C-5 through C-7 vertebrae and replace them with a prosthesis. His C-4 disc is also damaged, but they are hoping not to have to also remove it so that Ezequiel can keep at least some of his mobility. We ask you to please pray for this servant of God and his wife Rebecca during this time.

This IS Jesus

Matthew 27:37
“And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

When Jesus was crucified, they nailed a sign over his head that said, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” This sign was not written to honor Him. It was written in a derogatory manner. These people hated Jesus. They wanted to shame Him in His final moments of life. He had hurt their power over the people with His teachings. Now, they wanted to put what they thought was the final nail in His ministry so that all who saw it would never attempt it again. Though they tried to stop His ministry, we know that they failed and the ministry of Jesus Christ still goes on today.

Though this writing was meant in a derogatory manner, they were right in what they wrote. You will notice that I put emphasis on the word “is.” They wanted to make a statement that Jesus was a mere man who made the mistake in challenging their authority, but this Jesus is far more than a mere man. Think with me for a moment as I try to remind you who this Jesus is.

One may ask, “Who is this Jesus?” This Jesus is the Creator of the Universe. Though these people thought they had the power to destroy Him, they didn’t understand that He was not just a mere human, but He is the One Who gave them life.

Who is this Jesus? This Jesus is the Son of God. He didn’t just become the Son of God as some would like us to believe, but He is the Son of God and has always been the Son of God. He was not the son of Joseph, but He is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin, and not just a young lady. He was virgin born because the Holy Spirit placed the seed inside the womb of Mary. Yes, she was a sinful human, but Jesus Christ is the virgin born, sinless Son of God.

Who is this Jesus? He is the sacrifice for sin. These people thought they killed Jesus, but that is the furthest from the truth. Jesus laid down His life so that their sins could be paid. Yes, He is the sacrificial lamb whose blood is applied upon the mercy seat in Heaven so that we have a way to have our sins atoned. It is only through the blood of this Jesus that anyone’s sins can be paid.

Who is this Jesus? He is the first begotten of the dead. He is the first One Who conquered death in His own power. Others before Him who were raised from the dead did not overcome death in their power, but they overcame death through His power. This Jesus is the only One Who has the power over death so that those who trust Him can be part of the resurrection at His coming.

Who is this Jesus? He is the King of the Jews. He is the coming King Who will one day rule the world. He is the King that will come riding on a white horse to conquer the world and the world system. When He reigns there will be peace on Earth for He is the Prince of Peace Who will conquer Satan once and for all.

Who is this Jesus? He is the Saviour of the world. Don’t ever forget this! Nobody else or nothing else can save anyone from their sins. Only this Jesus can save people from their sins. Not the priest, Pope, Rabbi, pastor, or religious leader, only this Jesus can save people from their sins.

Friend, if you are saved, this Jesus is your Saviour. Don’t ever take for granted Who lives within your soul. You have this Jesus living in your heart. I challenge you to boldly tell everyone who this Jesus is. Don’t let the heathen shame you into silence. Around you are people who need this Jesus as their Saviour, tell them Who He is so they can also have the opportunity to make Him their Saviour.

Have You Been Brainwashed

Have-You-Been-Brainwashedby: David Owens

“…perilous times shall come.” “…men of corrupt minds.” 1 Timothy 3:1, 8

Have you been brainwashed? Why not? Perhaps we are afraid of the term “brainwashed” because it is often used in a negative setting. Maybe we ourselves have been accused of being brainwashed only because we put God first. The truth is, everyone has been brainwashed and will continue to be. Don’t miss this, the question is really not, have you been brainwashed, the question should be, by whom have you been brainwashed? We, as God’s people, are to be constantly washing our brain.

It is advisable to use an anti-virus program on a computer not only to stop a virus before it infects the computer, but one that can find and clean any viruses that have previously infected it. All computer users should also know not to open email attachments unless you know and trust the sender. Is your computer and it’s hard drive more valuable than you are? We want to keep our computers clean of infections so that they function properly for us, but we are not concerned enough to keep our brains clean so that we can function properly for God.

In the Garden of Eden, God’s plan was for man to know only good, to have a clean brain, a clean mind, a clean heart. Satan came along and introduced a virus. Adam and Eve allowed Satan to wash the life right out of them by infecting them with the virus of sin. “… Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, …” 1 Corinthians 5:6-7.

We were all born with a mind infected by sin. “…from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” Psalm 58:3. As he did with Adam and Eve, Satan will work hard to infect all of God’s people not only with sin, but also with viruses of false doctrine. We are warned to beware of false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing. You will probably not be fooled by the Jehovah’s Witness or the Mormons. False doctrine is most dangerous when it is set forth by those we trust; therefore, no human being is the final authority of right or wrong.

Christianity-365-Banner-ADMany people who were saved later in life struggle with past sins and even false doctrine because they were infected years ago. Brainwashing ought to be a never ending process. We need to be sure that we use God’s anti-virus, anti-sin, anti-false doctrine program and keep it updated and running. We need to allow God to keep the wash cycle running in our mind.

The Christian’s life and mind are not self-cleaning at salvation. I believe the biggest struggle in a Christian’s growth is not cleaning up the outside, that is fairly easy because our outside is what others see. It is the inside of us, it is our mind that is not as obvious to others that is hard to clean and keep clean. Yet Scripture teaches us that our inside is who we really are. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:..” Proverbs 23:7. Look at Christ’s rebuke to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-28 as it says, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Some reasons that we all need constant brainwashing.

1. You need to be brainwashed because we are commanded to wash our brains. “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:8. “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;” Ephesians 4:23. The Psalmist asked, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” Psalm 119:9, because we need constant washing. David begged God in Psalm 19:12 “…cleanse thou me from secret faults.” and in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart.”

2. We need to be brainwashed because our past has left us already infected with sin, wrong thinking and false doctrine. “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind…not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.” 1 Peter 1:13-14. The unsaved mind is defiled. “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving (You believe in your mind.) is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Titus 1:15. At salvation we received eternal life as a gift and are sealed with the Holy Spirit, but our minds were not magically cleansed of sin and false doctrine. Our minds will stay defiled after salvation if we don’t clean the iniquity and false doctrine out of them.

3. You need to be constantly brainwashing because the virus grows if neglected. 1 Corinthians 5:6 says, “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” Give a computer virus a little time and it will control the whole computer. Give a dirty mind some time and it will control your whole being. A spiritual Christian will constantly be judging who and what is influencing them, as well as what has already influenced them. That statement may sound critical or negative, but it is actually scriptural for 1 Corinthians 2:15 says, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things…” Many have responded, “I don’t want to be critical.” Let me say, the Bible is a book of judgement. There is a difference between critical and judgement. Scriptural judgement has a solution but criticism is finding fault without a scriptural remedy.

4. You need to be constantly brainwashing because viruses can come from many unsuspecting sources even after salvation. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8. Churches, ministries and even “good Christians” can be guilty of injecting human traditions. If you don’t want your mind, direction and service to God spoiled, then never put yourself under the influence of any church, ministry, book, program or man who is not following Christ. Beware, as Eve trusted the serpent in the Garden, good men become corrupt because they trust some man, ministry or church that may appear legitimate in some areas because perhaps we have trusted them in the past. We falsely believe that we are strong enough to accept the good while rejecting the bad, but that never happens. A virus normally comes in with the good and gradually takes over.

5. You need to be brainwashed because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19. How dare us force the Holy Spirit, whom God has so graciously given to indwell and seal us, to have to live so close to the sin or false doctrine within us.

6. We need to be brainwashed because we are double minded. James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” Be careful of compromise! Compromise happens when we know better but weaken our stand for the sake of convenience, security or association. We compromise because it is easier or to “protect” ourselves or so we don’t offend someone else. In being double minded one of the minds has to be cleaned out.

7. We need to be brainwashed because our understanding is fuzzy or darkened. We are warned that our understanding can be similar to a lost person, yes, even a Christian can have a blinded heart. We are commanded not to be like the lost. Ephesians 4:17-18 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.”

8. We need to be brainwashed because we all have secret faults. Psalm 19:12 says, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.” We will not dwell on this point because these faults are secret, but nothing is secret from God!

9. You need to be brainwashed because it is easy to have a bad attitude. David asked God to “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit (attitude) within me.” Psalm 51:10. As Cain’s sin affected his countenance, our inward wrongs affect our attitude. A bad attitude is a funny thing because we most often cannot discern a bad attitude in ourselves. A bad attitude will hinder us from understanding that we are infected with sin or wrong doctrine. A person with a bad attitude denies that they have a problem. A Christian with a good attitude is open to judgement and can be helped.

So HOW do we get Biblically brainwashed?

1. Stay away from any more of the world’s (Satan’s) influence. This includes sin as well as any possible influence of false doctrine. Why bother cleaning yourself while in the hog pen hugging the hogs? Get out first! Why clean a computer of viruses while at the same time opening corrupted files and browsing sinful sites?

Ephesians 4:22-23 says, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;”

Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

2. Put Christ’s mind in you. You can’t clean yourself. Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Being sinners, we are unable to clean our own minds. This is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:16, “…we have the mind of Christ.” He understood that his own human mind was not qualified to discern between the natural and the spiritual. He was not the judge between false doctrine and Bible doctrine, God is.

3. The Word of God is a must. Psalm 119:9 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Notice that God did not tell us to allow any man to clean us but the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Jesus explained to his disciples in John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

4. Check for cleanliness by comparing any advice or counsel to the Word, even from those you trust or who appear good. A good spiritual brainwashing is just the beginning, now we must fill our minds with godliness, making no room for filth to enter back in. A washing is not just to get rid of the dirt, it is to replace the dirt with cleanliness. God’s cleanliness (or godliness) repels dirt. Guard against viruses which are introduced to us by someone we trust.

What happens if we fail to keep our brain washed?

The Apostle Paul warned us of perilous times and described men of “corrupt minds” in 2 Timothy 3:1-8. Read some of the other traits of an unwashed brain:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”

Who has brainwashed you? That is the question!

Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way (Christian life) everlasting.”

David Owens
Pastor
Westside Baptist Church
Pacifica, CA

Impacting Interactions

Matthew 21:28
“But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.”

Jesus told a parable about a man who had two sons. One day this man called his two sons and told them to go work in the vineyard. One son told his dad he was not going to work in the vineyard, but later he repented of his response and went and worked in the vineyard. The other son seemed to respond correctly to his father’s command. He told his father that he would go, but we find that this son did not go. In this parable we find there are three interactions that will impact your life on a daily basis.

Attitude is the first impacting interaction. When you look at both of these sons, they both had two different attitudes. The first son had an attitude of rebellion and stubbornness, while the other son had an attitude of pleasing his father. We could spend pages on talking about different attitudes which we will not do, but I want you to understand that your attitude will impact your life.

You attitude to commands in imperative to how God uses you. I have found many Christians have the attitude that nobody is going to tell them what to do. This is the wrong attitude to have. I have heard some pride themselves in having a “little” rebelliousness inside. Having a rebellious attitude is nothing to be proud about, for rebellion is compared to witchcraft and idolatry in the Scriptures. You need to make sure you always have a right attitude when someone asks you to do something.

Answers are the second impacting interaction. There were two answers from these sons; one responded in a negative manner while the other responded in a right manner. Sometimes you can give the right answer, but give it in the wrong tone. I have often told people that you need to listen to yourself when you answer people. I know there have been times when my answer was not wrong, but the tone in my answer was wrong. People don’t always know your heart, the only thing they can do is respond to your answer and the tone of it. Always make sure that you not only answer properly, but that you answer in the proper tone.

Actions are the third impacting interaction. It’s interesting how the one son who had the right attitude and answer ended up having the wrong action, while the one who had the wrong attitude and answer had the right action. Following through on what you say you will do is a very important part of your credibility. If you say you are going to do something, then you better make sure you do it. Many people have great intentions of doing something, but their follow through is anemic. Your actions always speak louder than your words. If you don’t follow through on what you say you will do, you will find people will lose confidence in you and will become frustrated to the point that they will stop depending on you.

All three of these interaction will impact your life. Each interaction can make or break your influence on someone’s life. As a Christian you need to be sure that all three of these interactions are performed in a right manner. Both of these sons were right at one point, but they were wrong in another. The purpose of God teaching this parable was so that we could get all three of these areas right in our lives so that we can have the greatest impact on those whom we lead and on those who depend on us.

And Jesus Went About

Matthew 9:35
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”

In the previous verse the Pharisees said about Jesus, “He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.” This was a bold statement that they made about Him. They were saying that He was possessed with devils. I know what my natural response would be if someone said that about me, but Jesus didn’t let their attacks and criticisms stop Him from doing what He was supposed to do. Instead, the verse above says that “Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…” Instead of stopping to defend Himself or to get in a tit for tat squabble with the Pharisees, Jesus kept on doing what He was supposed to do.

You will find as you serve the LORD that the Devil will use many tactics to get you off track. One of the main tactics he uses to sidetrack you is to have people throw criticisms and attacks your direction. He knows that our natural reaction is to defend ourselves. Nobody likes it when they are falsely accused, but you must not let their criticisms and attacks sidetrack you from what you are supposed to do.

When criticisms and attacks come your direction, you must realize that you are making an impact. The enemy is not concerned with those who are not making an impact. They are concerned with those who are harming their sinful ways. If you were not making an impact, the Devil would leave you alone. Always remind yourself when criticisms and attacks come your way that apparently you are making a difference because the Devil would not be concerned with you if your work had no influence. Knowing you’re making a difference can certainly comfort you during times of criticisms and attacks.

Moreover, when criticisms and attacks come your direction, let your works defend you. The one thing the enemy would love for you to do is to stand up and defend yourself. If you are doing what you are supposed to do, your character will defend you. This is why it’s so important to make sure you are improving your character on a daily basis because you never know when you will need it in times of criticisms and attacks.

Furthermore, stay focused on what brought the criticisms and attacks. If what you were doing caused the enemy to feel that you are making an impact, then the best thing you can do is to stay on course and don’t stop what’s making the impact. The whole reason they throw criticisms and attacks your way is to sidetrack you from what you are doing. It’s so tempting to stop and fight the enemy when you are being criticized and attacked, but you cannot get off focus from the LORD’s work.

Finally, always remember that time will reveal that you were right if you’re doing right. We know today that Jesus was right, but time had to reveal it. Time is a great vindicator. If you will keep doing what you are supposed to do, then time will show who was right and who was wrong. As hard as it is to wait for time to vindicate, you must keep doing right realizing you will eventually get vindicated.

Christian, the Devil is going to level attacks and criticisms your direction. Don’t let them sidetrack you from helping people, soul winning, standing for truth and doing right. Keep doing what you are supposed to do and you will find that the LORD will reveal to all that you were right.

Presenting Gifts to God

Matthew 2:11
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

The birth of Jesus Christ is no doubt the best known story around the world. It would be hard to go to a place and find someone who has not heard of the birth of Jesus Christ. One of the events of His birth were the gifts the wise men presented to Christ. Many look at these wise men as men of wealth, but the Scriptures don’t tell us if this is true.

One thing we know about these wise men is they came to Jesus and presented Him with three gifts. These same three gifts should be presented to Christ by every Christian. No, I’m not saying go down to the store or bank and purchase these things, but each of these gifts represent something far more valuable to God.

The first gift presented to Christ was gold. Gold is representative of our substance and material wealth. Every Christian needs to come to a point in their life where there is nothing that God cannot have. Everyone struggles in this area. There are many things we tell Christ He can have, but there are certain areas that seem to be off limits. For instance, every week Christians give their tithes and offerings to God and this is good, but if God laid on their heart to give something else of value to Him they would struggle. Let me ask you, what is it that you hold back from God? What is it that if God asked you to give it to Him you would hold back? It’s not that God would ask you to give it to Him, but it’s the fact that you are not willing to give it to Him. Everything we have, including our children, should be available to God if He were to ask.

The second gift these men presented was frankincense. Frankincense is representative of our service to God. Frankincense was often used in religious worship in the temple. Every Christian should offer their life as a tool for God to use in His service. There should never be a restriction of what God cannot ask you to do. You should be willing to serve God in any ministry in your church. Furthermore, you should be willing to serve God in full-time service either in your homeland or abroad as a missionary. It does not matter what your age may be, you should be willing to serve Him if He were to ask. Too often we put age restrictions on surrendering to serve God, but that is not found in the Scriptures, in whatever area God asks you to serve Him, you should be willing.

Myrrh was the third gift given to Jesus. Myrrh was an ointment used as a perfume. It represented the innermost thoughts and feelings of a Christian. Every Christian should open their heart to God. When God has your heart, He has you. I’m amazed how we are willing to open up anything to God, but not our heart. When is the last time you spent with God and poured out your whole heart to Him? He can be trusted with your heart. Very few people should ever have access to your whole heart, but God is certainly One Who should have access to it.

Have you given these three gifts to God? I find the whole being of a person is found in these gifts. I challenge you today to give these things to God. Tell God that He can have any of these areas, and when He asks you for one don’t hold it back.