The "Separation of Church and State" Myth

I have decided that one more post regarding government is necessary. We did several posts a week ago on the subject; however, I believe “the separation of church and state” needs to be addressed. In last week’s teachings, we stressed that God honors the concept of government. More than simply believing in it, however, He tells us in Isaiah 33:22 that He IS government: Lawgiver, Judge, and King. Our government, with its three branches - Legislative, Judicial, and Executive - was formed after this pattern. He, as the Author of government, desires to funnel His wisdom, will, and ways into the earth’s realm through a righteous government.

I have often said, “Although God initiated, endorsed, and therefore blesses the concept of government, He despises the ‘political spirit.’” The political spirit is to government what a religious spirit is to relationship with God. Both are perversions of the truth. They are evil. These spirits partnered to crucify Jesus. In America, the political spirit has so defiled our government that deception, a lust for control and power, antichrist ideals/agendas, and greed control much of Washington, D.C. This rebellion and rejection of God eventually opens the door to depravity, such as killing babies up to a month old, which some are now trying to make legal.

One of the most important statements in America’s founding documents is found in the first sentence of the Bill of Rights, Amendment I: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

This Amendment was written to keep our nation from favoring any denomination or religious group, and from forming a state Church or religion, as had occurred in England. The king was the overseer of the Church of England and the combined power of church and state in that situation was very oppressive to many people. The First Amendment also ensured individuals could relate to God as they desired without the intrusion of government. It was meant to keep government control out of the church, not keep God or His influence out of government. Our founders wanted God’s influence in our government. The rotunda of the Capitol was actually used for church services every Sunday morning for decades. Presidents, including Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, and others regularly attended. Jefferson actually did so just two days after penning his now-famous letter to the Danbury Baptists, in which he used the phrase “wall of separation between church and state.”

This statement, “a wall of separation between church and state,” does not exist in the First Amendment - or any other place - in the Constitution. Jefferson stated it in a letter to answer a question posed to him by the Danbury Baptist Association of Danbury, CT, who were concerned about the government forming a state religion. Here is what Jefferson, one of the authors of the U. S. Constitution, actually said in this response dated October 17, 1801:

“Gentlemen - Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.” (1)

David Barton, considered an expert on the intent of our nation’s Founders, said this:

“Thomas Jefferson had no intention of allowing the government to limit, restrict, regulate, or interfere with public religious practices. He believed, along with the other Founders, that the First Amendment had been enacted only to prevent the federal establishment of a national denomination.” (2)

Over time, the overall effect of the false doctrine regarding “The Separation of Church and State” concluded that neither the church nor God should have any influence in the American government. The true meaning, government not controlling or favoring certain religious groups, has been largely ignored.

Consider the following examples:

• The Little Sisters of the Poor won a Supreme Court case on July 8, 2020, after a 10-year-long battle regarding the Obamacare mandate requiring them to provide contraceptive coverage to their employees. This is against their religious beliefs. While “churches” were exempt from the mandate, other religious organizations were not. President Trump’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” made all religious organizations exempt, as they should be. It took an Executive Order to finally get this basic First Amendment right granted to Little Sisters of the Poor.
• COVID-19 saw the shutdown of almost all businesses and places of worship. On re-opening, some states tried to keep churches and synagogues locked down while opening bars, casinos, malls, and the like. This made no sense and was obvious discrimination against Christians and Jews. Churches went on the offense. Some chose civil disobedience, opening anyway, while complying with the same laws similar businesses were following. They also sued their states and cities. Pastor Mike McClure and Apostle Che Ahn, both in California, were on the frontlines of that battle. Pastor McClure was fined millions of dollars for keeping his church open. He spearheaded a case representing the Christians of Santa Clara County against the state of California and the County. Che Ahn’s case for Harvest Rock Church was returned by SCOTUS back to the lower court decision, giving them a victory. On 2/6/21, the Supreme Court ruled in McClure’s favor. (Click here to read FRC’s report on the case.)

“Boston violated the free speech rights of a Christian group, Camp Constitution, by refusing to fly a flag bearing the image of a cross at City Hall as part of a program that let private groups use the flagpole while holding events in the plaza below, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Monday (voting 9-0)…The dispute arose over Boston's practice of allowing private groups to hold flag-raising events using one of three flagpoles on the plaza in front of City Hall. From 2005 to 2017, Boston approved all 284 applications it received before rebuffing Camp Constitution. The vast majority of flags were those of foreign countries, but also included one commemorating LGBT Pride in Boston…The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has taken an expansive view of religious rights and has been increasingly receptive to arguments that governments are acting with hostility toward religion.”(3) We give God thanks for this!

We currently have an administration that is anti-Christian. Therefore, we will continue to see boldness in trying to advance the restrictions of religious freedom during their tenure. We must stand strongly and bravely against those attempts. We will pray, we will act, and we will never allow any tyrannical government to restrict our freedom to worship as we believe is right. This is not only a political or philosophical battle; it is a spiritual battle. We will fight and we will win.

“For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!” (Deuteronomy 20:4 NLT)

Pray with me:

Lord, we exalt Your holy name and proclaim that YOU are God over America. This reality is something no government entity can ever take away from us. Some people in their foolishness, are trying to convince the world there is no God, or that You are irrelevant. Whether because they believe the Church is unimportant, or see us as a threat, they are actively trying to silence us. Our courts have been attempting to interpret our Constitution in progressive, humanistic ways for over 50 years.

We have sat back in compliance giving the enemy a foothold. Now we must reverse the damage. Help us to watch carefully and teach us to intercede with wisdom and understanding. Also, give us skill and sound ideas as we take action.

We appeal to You, Lord. We ask You to grace us with a holy boldness to push back against the darkness. We will not allow the government to say we can’t have a voice in governmental matters, nor will we comply with laws and judicial decisions that are contrary to Your word and ways. We want Your influence in every aspect of government, so that we and our offspring may live in peace and prosperity. Be glorified in us, Father, and may this nation glorify You. We welcome You into every area of our lives, including government. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Today’s decree:

We decree that God is restoring righteous, God-honoring government in America!

1 ,https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/danburybaptists

2 ,https://wallbuilders.com/separation-church-state/

3 ,https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/supreme-court-christians-flag-boston/2022/05/02/id/1068073/?ns_mail_uid=4cc2884a-8368-4c38-b7a3-88795ee7bbb7&ns_mail_job=DM329622_05022022&s=acs&dkt_nbr=010102sslrji

Copyright © 2022 Dutch Sheets Ministries, All rights reserved.

What the Bible Says About Christians and Politics, Part 2

I was disheartened one day when I heard Holy Spirit clearly tell me He was going to teach me about government. This was a time in my life that I still had a distaste for government and knew very little about it. I could not have cared less about the process. My first thought was, “How boring! What have I done to deserve this punishment?”

God’s next statement set me on my heels, “Because I AM government,” He said. He then quoted Isaiah 33:22 to me, “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us.” I was so glad I didn’t tell God what I was thinking - in my mind I had just called Him boring!!!

Though I’m about to share some theology and Hebrew words - it is a benefit to pastors and teachers who read the posts - don’t get bogged down in the theology and details. That part won’t take long. Here is where I’m headed with it: God IS government, He DELEGATES a portion of His government, and satan wants to USURP His government!

Notice, the verse Holy Spirit quoted to me (Isaiah 33:22) does not say God simply “endorses” laws, judges and kings (i.e. government); it says He IS these things. As I stated yesterday, the Bible uses the word “Lord” 7,946 times, most of them referring to Yahweh. My dictionary said “Lord” means “a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler.” In other words, it includes government. This means that almost 8,000 times the Bible refers to God as our governmental Head! The entirety of Scripture is about government!

Think about it: one of the primary themes of the Bible is, “Who will rule the earth?” In the first chapter God gets right to the point: “I want family, and My family will ‘rule’ the earth (their home) for Me (Genesis 1:26-28). They will be the extension and expression of My Kingdom’s government there. This is how I will release My influence, My righteous Kingdom ideals and ways, into the earth.” That is true, and it is profound.

The Hebrew word for “dominion” and “rule” in this Genesis passage makes clear that the Creator was delegating to Adam and Eve this responsibility. Radah means “to rule over, to govern.” Psalm 8:3, referring to this passage in Genesis, uses another word, mashal, which also means “rule or govern.” God would govern the earth through humans.

But satan wanted this dominion. He had attempted a coup in Heaven and failed. Banished to earth, his thinking now was, If I can’t rule over God’s entire Kingdom, I’ll at least govern earth. And by chapter 3, he had succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve, who rebelled from God’s authority and government. Satan took their authority. Yahweh lost His family and they lost their governmental authority over the earth. Satan now had it.

Christ was sent to earth as the second Adam to reclaim both the family AND their governing authority. The story of the Bible is the clash of two kingdoms! From cover to cover God’s Word is about family and government!

If I was satan, one of my most important strategies would be to alienate God’s family, His representatives and ambassadors from government. I’d tell them it’s bad, evil, unspiritual. Let ‘em love God, be His “sheep,” even His family. But 1) don’t let them know they’re His government here on earth (Christ’s Ekklesia), and 2) keep them from involving themselves in any and all government. If I could succeed in this, God’s conduit for releasing His authority on the earth would be rendered ineffective.

Throughout the Scriptures, we can see God’s plan of ruling the earth through people. Consider Abraham, of whom it was said: “Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:18-19). God determined to bless the entire earth through Abraham. To do so, however, He needed Abraham to command and teach His ways, releasing His justice and judgments into the earth.

God also released His authority, His government, through Moses, Joshua, then through prophets and Judges. He also did so through Kings. Yahweh’s determined plan to release His authority through humans on earth was so consequential that at times entire nations were judged or blessed based on the actions of their government leaders. Think about it: entire groups of people were either cursed or blessed based on the actions of a government leader.

More suffering on earth has taken place because of the actions of government leaders than for any other reason. Millions of people have been killed and persecuted because of government leaders. Poverty has overtaken nations because of government leaders. Cultures and people groups have actually been eradicated because of the actions of government leaders. Sixty million babies in America have been murdered since 1973 because of the actions of government leaders.

And yet, the church embraces a belief that we who represent God’s will and plans on earth should stay out of this arena! We avoid government. When we gather as the church we believe we shouldn’t talk about it. The church feels we should say and do nothing to place into positions of authority those who know and honor God. This is ludicrous, and the ramifications are staggering. The thief, who came to steal, kill and destroy, is left in charge.

We in America have been blessed with one of the greatest privileges in the history of nations: choosing our own government. Yet with this comes incredible responsibility. To forfeit this blessing is more than a waste; it is shirking our God-given responsibility of governing the earth for Him. When the right people are leading our nation, America becomes the greatest force for peace, safety and provision in all the world! We were one of the keys to saving the earth in its two world wars. We were the force that stopped communism around the world. We have become the leading force in health and medicine.

God, and the world, must have a strong America. In order for there to be a strong America, however, there must be a strong and righteous government. The church must be freed from the deception causing us to withdraw from this process, and become involved at every level of government. We must.

In tomorrow’s post we will talk about politics and the political spirit, part of the process satan has used to keep many in the church aloof from government. But it doesn’t have to. God is governmental, but He is NOT political.

Pray with me:

Father, our prayer today is that You teach us Your ways. We must understand Your plans and intentions for us, and for the earth. Ignorance causes us to forfeit so much. May the spirit of wisdom and revelation be taken to a higher level in the church. Teach us how to truly function as Christ’s Ekklesia. Teach we Americans, especially the American church, how to steward the incredible privilege of choosing our own government. Forgive us for relinquishing this right and thereby allowing evil to rule over us.

Continue to help us see our government transformed into a God-honoring, life-honoring, Bible-honoring government once again. We have allowed evil into our government, but in Your mercy give us a quick turnaround. May the elections in November remove many who oppose Your ways, and see them replaced with those who honor You. Thank You for the awakening that is occurring in our nation. Let this awakening be both spiritual and civil, we pray. And we ask these things in Christ’s name. Amen.

Our decree:

We decree that the greatest shift that has ever occurred in an American election will take place this November.

Copyright © 2022 Dutch Sheets Ministries, All rights reserved.

God's Words for Thursday, 2/27/2020

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:18 KJV

My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

1 John 3:18 MSG

God's Word for Tuesday, 5/7/19

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 MSG

God's Word for Sunday, 10/14/18

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.

Romans 12:2 KJV

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:2 MSG

God's Grace to Me: Chapter 1 - The Early Years

I literally grew up in church. Born in 1955 at Fort Riley, Kansas, my parents had me dedicated in small Baptist church in Junction City while my Dad was in the Army. I never knew a time between then and high school graduation when we were not in church every time the doors opened. Dad served as a deacon; Mom sang in the choir, helped cook and serve church dinners. In the late ‘50s, we helped build and open a new church in Illinois. I remember glazing windows, and even shoveled a small amount of gravel for the new parking lot. I was 4 years old.

In that church, I gave my life to Jesus Christ when I was six.

In 1966, Dad had reconnected with an Army buddy, and we moved to the small Missouri town where his family lived. And as always, one of the first things we did was to join a local church. I sang in the youth choir. 

One Sunday when I was 12 years old, our pastor spoke of his own calling. He had been sitting in a church service, he said, and saw a mother with a newborn baby. That arrested his attention, and he heard that still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12) saying, "You've been a Christian for years, yet you've contributed no more to My kingdom than that baby."

As he told that story, I began to cry. I didn't understand why but had the thought "That's just like me." Without any specific instruction, I just knew it was real. I had no thoughts about how or when it might happen, but I knew.

And of course, being the stubborn person that I am, I began to bargain with God. I told him that I'd be a music minister, but I certainly wouldn't preach. The thought of public speaking frightened me. And I'd NEVER be a pastor, I said. I just knew it wasn’t for me.

Yeah, right.

I told the pastor what I believed I’d heard but didn’t know what was supposed to happen next. As it turned out, nothing happened for a quite a while.

But a few years later, the county association of churches decided to form a group of young lay pastors. The idea was to take all those who showed signs of a true calling, provide them with some guidance and training, and make them available to fill in for vacationing pastors, when needed. So local pastors announced the formation of the group and asked if anyone wanted to be a part of it. Our church had recently hired a new pastor, and when he asked whether anyone wanted to a part of it, my hand went up without any conscious decision on my part. In all honesty, I looked up in amazement and wondered how it got there.

But even more surprising to me was neither my parents, the pastor or the deacons ever once questioned that fact that I volunteered. Prior to that moment, I still hadn't ever told anyone except my parents and the previous pastor what had happened to me.

The upshot was that roughly 12 young men wanted to take part. After the group had met a couple of times, we were invited to address the gathering of all the Baptist ministers in that county.

No pressure, right?

Some of the guys were more polished than others. I was decidedly not polished and had never done any public speaking to a group larger than a Sunday School class. My remarks were mercifully brief. Still, the comments made afterward to me were encouraging.

As part of that early training, we were encouraged to volunteer as camp counselors at the county’s Baptist Youth Camp. That summer, a revival broke out one evening while I was in attendance. Later I was asked to go along with one of the older guys – Jerry – who was to preach one Sunday at a small church as a fill-in for a vacationing pastor. Jerry asked me to come along and tell the congregation what had happened.

At the appropriate time, Jerry gave me the pulpit. I opened my mouth to speak, and that’s the last thing I remember about it. I have no idea what I said, but when I was done there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

It was my first experience with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and had no idea what had happened. But Jerry told me it was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.

During my senior year, I received a few invitations to fill in at various churches. But graduation was pending, and I’d already decided to enlist in the Navy. In a pattern which I’ve repeated over and over in life, I broke with the traditional path. 

God's Word for Saturday, 9/22/18

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Romans 15:5-7 KJV


May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it!

Romans 15:5-7 MSG

God's Word for Thursday, 8/2/18

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

James 1:22 KJV

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. 

James 1:22 MSG

I Doubt Your Doubt

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the LORD. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:5-8)

When doubt rears its ugly head and tries to make you stop – no matter what you’re doing – that’s the time you should double down on whatever is at hand. Doubt is your mind or emotions trying to tell you “You can’t do this.”

Oh, yeah? Well … I doubt that doubt, because my Bible says “I can do all through Christ, which strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Now, I always fussed inwardly about that verse (King James translation). “Christ isn’t a which; He’s a Who!” I told myself. But are we sure about that?

Let’s take the lingering Greek (and no, I’m not talking about Giorgos down the street) Christos and finish translating it.

Again: “I can do all things through the Anointed One and His anointing, which strengthens me.”

That changes things, doesn’t it? So whenever you talk about Jesus Christ, meaning Jesus the Anointed One, you eventually must deal with the question, “What is He anointed with?”

Acts 10:38 says “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

So Philippians 4:13 again: “I can do all things through Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the power of God.” Now we’re talking!

So why are you doubting yourself, exactly?

It takes a bit of practice to get into the habit of believing that you have the miracle-working power of God inside of you – but you do. It takes awhile to think of yourself as a highly-favored child of God – but you are. It takes practice to make yourself think that way.

We’d better get busy. 😊

God's Word for Tuesday, 2/27/18

Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds.

1 John 3:18 TPT

God's Word for Friday, 2/23/18

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Galatians 6:1-10 (MSG)

God's Word for Friday, 2/16/18

The beautiful message you’ve heard right from the start is that we should walk in self-sacrificing love toward one another.

1 John 3:11 (TPT)

God's Word for Monday, 2/12/18

Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.

Romans 13:8-10 MSG

God's Word for Sunday, 2/11/18

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

1 Corinthians 13:12-13 MSG

God's Word for Thursday, 2/8/18

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that."

Matthew 5:43-45 MSG

God's Word for Friday, 1/19/18

“In everything you do, be careful to treat others in the same way you’d want them to treat you, for that is the essence of all the teachings of the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12 TPT

God's Word for Wednesday, 1/17/18

Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.

Philippians 2:14-16 MSG

How To Hear From God

How to Hear From the Lord

In the years before he died, my father and I occasionally discussed why my faith-walk was so different from his. He was a staunchly denominational Southern Baptist, of the branch of that church with no charismatic leanings.

Dad expressed his curiosity about how, given the same passage of Scripture, he & I could have radically differing interpretations. His reading was informed by various commentaries, all expressing man’s ideas about what the passage meant. Those authors, no matter how devout or sincere, were simply scholarly interpretations of the words, followed by anecdotal examples.

But my time had not been spent gathering commentaries. As led by the Holy Spirit, those passages were interpreted by the Spirit, as He gave me understanding … enlightenment, if you will … of those verses.

The Lord, you see, as the Divine Author of the Word, will “cut to the chase” more quickly and more accurately than any theologian.

For example, let’s look at Matthew 9:13:

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (King James translation)

What does it mean? Let’s look at the circumstances in which this passage came up. During one morning’s Bible reading, I saw this passage and inquired of the Lord for its actual meaning.

He instructed me to research it. So I looked at the Greek-English Interlinear Bible and a well-known commentary, and began to write down what I’d found.

The Greek language, in which much of the New Testament was originally written, had various layers of meanings, depending on the context. So I pulled out my Strong’s Concordance and wrote out an expanded, amplified interpretation of the verse. When it had reached a half-page of single-spaced handwriting, I finally did the smart thing: I asked the Lord to tell me.

He said, “Acts of mercy and compassion do more to attract sinners than rituals which don’t appear to help anyone. And I want you, My children, to attract sinners to Me.”

If I had been content to deal with theological commentaries, I might – or might not – have ever understand what Jesus had been getting at, in the referenced verses.

So let’s look at the same passage again, from The Message translation:

“Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

That gets closer to what the Lord said to me. Now let’s see it from The Passion Translation:

“Now you should go and study the meaning of the verse: ‘I want you to show mercy, not just offer me a sacrifice.’ For I have come to invite the outcasts of society and sinners, not those who think they are already on the right path.”

Neither of the translations used here were available in the mid-1990s, when I had that conversation with the Lord. So you can see that asking Him to provide the understanding was infinitely better than reading books about what others thought it meant.

So I told my Dad the same thing I’ve just written, above. He looked at me and said, “Are you sure you’re hearing from God? He hasn’t ever spoken to me.”

“Are you sure, Dad? When you’ve prayed for an answer, what about circumstances coming about which make the choice obvious? Has anyone ever spontaneously said something to you which sparked a sudden understanding or interpretation of the thing you were praying about?”

Dad was silent for a few moments, and then admitted that answers had come through circumstances. Those things were so coincidental that he just never realized it was God answering his prayer.

One other personal story: as many of you know, I was a music minister for some 20 years (and may yet be, again, but that’s another story). One evening, after the praise & worship team had practiced, they asked me to conclude the session with prayer.

When the prayer was over, one of the associate pastors said to me, “I wish I could pray like you do.”

“What do you mean?”

“When you pray, it’s like you’re just talking to God. It’s so conversational.”

Up until that moment, I’d never given it much thought. So – speaking of others inspiring a thought – I realized that prayer is supposed to be a conversation.

When you speak with a friend, isn’t there an exchange, a give-and-take? After you’ve said something, the other person will usually have something to say in response. And so should your prayers be. When you’ve asked the Lord a question, or presented a petition, shouldn’t you listen for an answer?

After all, you’re talking to the most intelligent Person in the universe. Shouldn’t you let Him do most of the talking?

But how, you may ask, do you hear from Him?

It really isn’t complicated, except by experiences and cultural training. It may take a bit of practice, though.

You must quiet your mind, and still your emotions as best you can, and – after you’ve said your piece – listen for that still, small voice.

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper. (I Kings 19:11-12, The Message)

He’s a God of diversity, so the answer may not come the same way each time. In fact, it probably won’t. The point is that God doesn’t need huge, overt displays to speak to His children – or to anyone who earnestly seeks Him.

He just needs us to listen.

God's Word for Thursday, 1/4/18

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.

Micah 6:8 MSG

God's Word for Saturday, 8/12/17

There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 MSG