The ancient cliff dwellers of Arizona had a peculiar way of cleaning house. The smoke of their fires filled their odd stone dwellings and covered their walls with a black layer of soot and when this became intolerable, they did not wash it off but calmly went to work plastering over it with a fresh coat of white mortar. Investigators have found no less than eleven such coats of soot and mortar, one above the other, which suggests that the dwellers had eleven housecleaning days spread out over a period of many years.
We smile and think how peculiar, but most people live their lives in the same manner. Many houses have 3 or 4 layers of paint or wall paper, one over the other. But what is even more troubling is the way people keep their inner house. Instead of doing a thorough soul cleaning, rubbing, scraping, digging, washing until every fault and sin is removed and hauled to the dump, they whitewash themselves to look good on the outside, leaving the crud of their past life to fester. Their whitewash is a temporary fix. On the outside they seem to look clean and fresh, but if they are scratched anywhere the dirt beneath the surface is exposed. This definitely explains how a person can go for years as a successful businessman then suddenly be found out to be a debauch offender who shocks the world. People ask, “How could he commit such a heinous crime? He was such a respectable example in our community!” Well, what was covered up finally came to the surface. The whitewash made him look good for a time, but the real person eventually bled through. Hundreds of programs are started every year to help people cover-up their dirt. But deep down inside of them they are fighting the demons that rage to manifest. I have discovered that many of the talk-it-out therapy groups are doing nothing but covering up the soot. The only power strong enough to cleanse a person from the things that plague him is the blood of Jesus Christ. It has unlimited power to break the chains that bind, remove the old life, and make us brand new. Many people are trying to get rid of bad habits the way some destroy the spider’s web without destroying the spider. Common sense tells us that we have to go to the source to get rid of the problem. What would you think of a doctor who, on discovering you had a tumor buried deep in your body, responded, “Take two aspirin, talk about it to others, you’ll be just fine?” Or a fireman who responds to a three-alarm fire by saying, “Ah, it’ll be alright. It will burn itself out.” In each case the response is inappropriate to the situation. We would demand more serious action. The radical action that Jesus Christ took on Calvary was just for this purpose: to cleanse us, transform us, make us brand new sons of God. And if we will only believe in His action then receive personally what He did, we will be truly changed and made brand new. For more info you can visit us online at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com. Joel Barker tells about a man who was driving up into the mountains in his souped-up Porsche, headed for his vacation cabin for the weekend, when screaming around the curve ahead, bearing straight for him on his side of the road, careened a convertible driven by a woman with her hair streaming in the wind. She jerked the wheel and barely missed him as she sped by. Just as she got even with his car, she leaned toward him and shouted at the top of her voice, “PIG!” How dare her! He angrily thought. I’m on my side of the road; she has veered into my lane, almost out of control. How dare her shout pig at me! So not to be outdone, he turned and yelled after her at the top of his lungs as she continued down the mountain road, “SOW!” He regained control of his car, speeded up as he rounded the curve and promptly ran head-on into a pig.
There are times that we misunderstand what someone is trying to convey. We take their words as an offense when they should be received as a warning. Being a pastor for many years, I have done my share of warning people about the wipeout that was just ahead. If only they had listened. They would not be in the tangle they’re in today. I realize that many people are sick, miserable, and empty because they got offended at honest warnings. It appears that pride is so deeply rooted within people that even after a serious warning they continue as though they are smarter than their counselor. Or could it be that many have just misunderstood the warning. Maybe they thought they were being called a pig when the fact is they were just being warned about the pig in the road. The Word of God is the “in your face” truth. The purpose is to keep us from being stressed out, unproductive, and getting into a wreck. Jesus came to give everyone abundant life yet there are many who get offended at His word. Especially when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man can come to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). His words are meant to provoke us to live right. They are true. If people will receive them they will live a cut above. Jesus spoke pointedly about our invisible enemy and that his objective is to steal, kill, and destroy. He warns us about evil deception, still many are speeding on with no concern. Not long ago I heard Oprah Winfrey say to her fan base that there are a million ways to God and that everyone just chooses the one they want. So who is telling us the truth: Jesus or her? Which one really loves us? I would rather put my trust in the one that the angel said, “For behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Jesus Christ proved His love for us; therefore, I will trust Him. Don’t be like the man in the Porsche who got offended at the warning. It is the costly way to go. Visit us online at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com for more info. President Roosevelt said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Jesus declared, “But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear; Fear Him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yes, I say unto you, Fear Him” (Luke 12:5). To blend these two together let me put it to you this way: Fear God and you won’t fear anyone or anything. You may ask, “How does this work?” Good question! We know that many people are suffering from anxiety attacks, stress, hopelessness, and fear. And the majority of them are being told they will just have to deal with it or take medication. But listen, that’s just not true. There is a solution that not only makes us strong but shatters the very presence of fear. How do I know? Because, I am a living testimony!
Believe it or not, fear is a real spirit from hell sent to torment, control, and destroy every person who will listen to his ominous voice. And yes he talks convincingly. If we are not careful we will find ourselves talking back in agreement to that spirit. And in doing so we give him power. But know this: there is a Power greater than the spirit of fear which when we call Him by name, believe in the power of His name, stand strong in the authority of His name, the spirit of fear high-tails it. I want to share three points to gutting the spirit of fear. First, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). When we fear God He opens our understanding to what we are facing then gives us courage to rebuke the spirit of fear in the name of Jesus. To fear God means to put Him first and to love Him with all of our heart. God loves us so much that He gives us perfect love to cast out tormenting fears. Yes, fear has torments, but God’s love in us dispels fear and gives perfect peace. Second, we must “Trust in the Lord with all of our heart; and lean not to our own understanding. In all of our ways we must acknowledge God and He will direct our paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). We must know that God wants us to be free from fears. It is comforting to know that God cares for us so much that He leads us in the path of victories. The very reason that God came to earth in the form of a man called Jesus was to destroy the devil and his works. For greater insight you must read Hebrews 2:14-15; I John 3:8. God hates the spirit of fear but loves us. Last of all, we have to discipline ourselves to talk to God daily (pray), read the Word of God (Bible) daily, and go to God’s house (church) when the doors are open. These three life-lines build our relationship with God, strengthen our faith in God, and equip us for battle. The spirit of fear is a predator. Peter said, “Our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith…” (I Peter 5:8). If we want to have the victory over that bestial spirit we must use the license that Christ paid for and gave to everyone who believes, receives, & obeys His Word. You can find more info at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com. |
Pastor J.C. Myers, III
Pastor J.C. founded Joy Christian Ministries in 1992. He was Sr. Pastor at Joy Christian Ministries in West Sacramento, California from 1992-2016. He was succeeded by his 2nd son, Pastor Brandon Myers who had been under his father's ministry and teaching for 39 years. Archives
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