ABANDONMENT

John 6:66-67 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

2 Tim 4:9-11 Timothy, be diligent to come see me soon 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and Only Luke has stayed and supported me.

   A close observation may shock you. In the end of the greatest Apostle and pastor in the New Testament was forsaken by everyone except Timothy and Luke.  Demas has forsaken me. We have always interpreted Demas forsaking God when we read this verse. However, Demas actually forsook Paul.

   Shocking is that the church members of Crete left the church of Crete pastored by Titus and moved over to Galatia church. Look at a scary verse: Titus left to Dalmatia: his home. Titus, the great pastor and spiritual son of Paul quit pastoring and went home because the saints of Create left and went to Galatia. We read this and interpret it as the first church Abandonment.

   During Jesus ministry, the real 666 “Mark of the Beast” was Abandonment: “many of his disciples went back and walked no more with Jesus” (John 6:66). To make matters worse, Jesus knew in his heart that the twelve disciples were even thinking of leaving also.

   The Post World War II generation of fathers and husbands spent 8 years overseas away from their wives and children. They lived 8 years with the “guys.” They came home to spend every evening with the guys at the bars. This produced a generation of father and husband Abandonment.

   Abandonment escalated in the 60’s. Children were abandoning their parents, their schools and their laws. The law no longer was important. No longer were loyalties important. The 60’s youth were no longer loyal to their school, traditions, church or their faith.

   The 60’s produced the Baby Boom generation who became parents that abandoned their children, their marriages, their jobs and their morality. Fatherless children are now out numbering the two parent children. Over 50% of children born today are born to single parent homes without a father. US Correctional institute numbers reveal that 87% of all American prisoners grew up without a father.  We are living in a Generation that is Lost because of Abandonment.

   What if Abraham Lincoln left America because of the division among our own people?  Would there be an America today?  Was it right that young men abandoned America during the Viet Nam War just because they didn’t believe in the politics?  Was it morally right for a soldier to abandon his fellow soldiers in their bunker just because they didn’t want to fight anymore?  Any soldier who leaves his country, his platoon, his fellow soldiers in war or peace time is considered AWOL – Absent With Out Leave. 

   Abandonment is not the answer to a nation just because you disagree with some politicians.  Abandonment is not the answer for a man who just had a child simply because he doesn’t want to take responsibility.  Abandonment is not the answer to a husband who doesn’t feel romantically attracted to his wife anymore.  Jesus is asking believers all across America, “Will ye also go away?” 

Ó 2012 Dr Tim McClure

ONE PRAYER

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after (Ps 27:4). 

 

“If you had only ONE PRAYER that could be answered, what would it be?”

   I understand that we could over spiritualize this and say; “My one prayer would be that the whole would be saved.”  Now that would also be my SINGLE most important prayer. Let us all agree that seeing Asia, Africa, Europe, or the Americas saved would be the ultimate answer to our One Prayer.

    But apart from such a monstrosity of a prayer, on a more PERSONAL intimate note, what would be your ONE PRAYER you would pray if you could get the answer to it.  If you knew you would get your ONE PRAYER answered, what would that One Prayer be?

   For some, it would be that “My husband or wife be saved. To another it would be that my son or daughter come to Christ. While others, it would be that my brother, friend, or family member be delivered from addiction, bondage, or depression.  Some would pray that they be healed from a horrible disease or sickness. Others would pray for finances to allow them to take care of their babies, family or be free from the debt pressure that is sucking the life out of them. What ONE PRAYER would you pray?

   Stop for 30 seconds and think about that right now.  What One Prayer would you  pray – if you knew you would get the answer? 

   Bartimaeus was the son of Timaeus, a successful, wealthy family. Truth is, Bartimaeus had a very known, affluent family tree. Bartimaeus had everything he could dream of in way of family, prestige, money, connections and admiration. However, there was one thing Bartimaeus did not have – his eye sight. One day, Jesus asked Bartimaeus, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And Bartimaeus said, That I might see” (Mark 10:51).

   There was a man who had a home, job, family and means to meet every need, except one thing, his son was mentally ill- he was a lunatic.  When Jesus asked what One Prayer he could answer, the man said, “that my son be healed” (Mark 9:22).  When Jesus asked the man full of leprosy what One Thing he could do for him, the leper said, “Will you make me clean?” 

   I could site a dozen more scriptures like these. Even a few more shady ones: John and James asked an egotistic request; “Grant that we may sit one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory” (Mark 10:37).  Andrew and John asked Jesus, “Where do you live?” (John 1:38).

   Listen, yes, it is possible to get your ONE PRAYER answered.  Some don’t get their one answer because they DO NOT ASK (James 4:2).  While Others don’t get answers because they pray WRONG” (James 4:3). WHY? Because they “pray to consume it upon their own lust” (James 4:3).

   KEY: To Pray the ONE PRAYER and get your answer you must pray beyond you self.  The only way to get saved is to SAVE OTHERS (Matt 27:42).  The only way to get healed is to HEAL OTHERS (Matt 10:8). And the only way to receive is to Give (Luke 6:38).  In just about every case in Scripture, those who received their One Prayer answered, prayed beyond self indulgence alone (to be continued).

© 2012 by Dr Tim McClure

DISCIPLINE –TOOLS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS

     Life is a series of problems.  Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life’s problems.  Without disciplines we can solve nothing, with discipline we can solve all types of problems.

     Life is difficult, this is true. Many have complained that “Life isn’t fair.”  I simply reply, who said the life was supposed to be fair?  What makes life difficult is solving problems is very painful.  Problems evoke in us a great deal of emotional pain, such as sorrow, fear, anger, anxiety, sadness, etc.  These are uncomfortable emotions.  It is in meeting and solving problems that life takes on a greater meaning.  Since life invokes a series of problems, life also unleashes a series of pain.

     Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes success and failure.  Problems are what cause us to grow mentally and spiritually.  Without growth, we’re doomed to stay as we have always been.  Wise people learn not to dread problems, but to welcome and expect problems.  Fearing the pain involved from problems causes most people to avoid problems.  Most people do anything to attempt to avoid confronting problems.  They avoid problems because they wish to avoid pain.

     Avoiding problems is the root to all psychological, emotional and mental illness.

Most who avoid problems build elaborate fantasies to hide behind or live within the false sense of protection.  Those who create such fantasies also escape reality.  Psychoneurosis is a substitute to legitimate suffering.  But the substitute becomes more of a suffering than the pain one seeks to avoid.

     Then people will build another layer upon layer of fantasy to avoid the emotional instabilities, pretending everything is alright.  In avoiding the problem, we stop growth which we learn from the problems that life brings.  Therefore, we avoid real life for the replaced fantasy.  When we stop the growth, we also stop the healing we could have attained if we faced our problems and pain with proper responses.  When we stop growing, we also stop the very meaning and purpose that problems can bring to us.

     Problems are a part of real life.  Avoiding problems is our attempt to avoid true life’s learning opportunities. True emotional and spiritual health comes from acknowledging that life is full of problems.  And with this truth, we discover the tools to dealing with these problems.  The tools we must discover is found inside discipline.  When we develop discipline within every area of our life, we also develop the tools we shall need to successfully confront and overcome all problems.

© 2012 by Dr Tim McClure

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

            "Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life:  and they (scriptures) are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).  Search the scriptures yea, the deep things of God (I Cor. 2:10).  Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15). 

            We are to inquire, research, meditate the Word of God (I Tim. 4:15).  We are called to read the Bible (I Tim 4:13).  The three main ways of studying the Word is SEARCH as if we are looking for treasure, STUDY, that is run reference, comparing scripture with scripture and READ; just simply reading the Bible with no intended purpose in mind.

USE THE "5 INSPECTOR W" METHOD

1.      Who is the author writing to?  Who is he talking about?

2.      What is the author writing about?  What is the subject or his main thought.  What is he trying to get across to his readers?

3.      When was it written?  Was it in time of freedom, oppression?  Was it before Jesus Christ or after.  Was it under the Law or under Grace?  Was it during the church age or after the rapture?

4.      Where were the people at?  Were they in heaven or in earth?  Where was the author at and where was the subject at that he was writing about?  Was he writing to someone there present or future.

5.      Why did the author write the letter?  Why is he saying what he is? Is he commanding them or reprimanding them.  Was he prophesying or instructing?

 

For example, let me show you how to use the "5 Inspector W's" method:  "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9).  Many today try to use this passage of scripture in dealing with sinners, trying to bring them to salvation.  Using the "5 Inspector W's" method you ask:

 

a.  WHO is the author of Romans?  Paul (Rom. 1:1).  Who is Paul writing to?  Christians in Rome - Rom. 1:7; 6:4; 8:9, not sinners.

b.  WHAT is Paul saying?  That if "thou" (believers) shalt confess with your mouth, (it must be public, voiced, said, exposed, can't just be in the heart or mind only (Rom. 10:6) the Lord Jesus (no one can say that Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Ghost (I Cor. 12:3). 

c.  WHEN was it written?  After Pentecost, therefore after the church was established.  No longer were they under Old Testament jurisdiction but under grace.

d.  WHERE?  The church at Rome (Rom. 1:7).

e.  WHY was it written?  There were Jewish people telling these gentile saints that they had to be physically circumcised in order to be saved (Rom. 4:1-10).  These Roman believers were being confused in thinking that their salvation was dependant on a Jewish ordinance instead of the "GOSPEL" - Death, Burial and Resurrection (Rom. 6:1-6, 8:1-11, 21-23, 10:16)

© 1996 by Dr Tim McClure

FOCUS

Prov 4:25-27 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil

            Everything God does in your life he will do to increase your concentration and focus on your assignment – single most purpose in life. Everything Satan does will seek to clutter and fragment your focus.

            The only reason men fail is because of broken focus. Every time God speaks to you, writes you or appears to you, it is to support your focus so that your focus will facilitate your assignment in life (Prov 4:25-27). As hard as it is for me to accept, God will move things I love out of my life to keep me Focused on my single most definite purpose in life.

            Satan cannot destroy you, he can only distract you. Anything Satan says to you, reveals to you or attracts to you will be to break your focus. Just as the devil showed up in the Garden to get Adam to break his focus by looking at the fruit God said to stay away from, so will the devil come at you for the purpose to break your focus: Get you to look at something that will cause you to be disobedient.

            Focus is the absolute Criteria of all relationships in your life.  All and any relationships in your life that enhance, support, add, grow and promote the Focus in your life are the relationships that are permitted.  All relationships that break, subtract or diminish your focus away from your purpose or assignment are the relationships that you need to reject. Anybody that breaks your focus on God is being used of the devil. Anybody that increases your focus on your assignment is being used of God.

            Those who are attracted to you that subtract, weaken or hinder your focus, they are the people you should restrict your relationship with. Those who enhance, add, inspire and encourage your focus, they are the people you are to have a relationship with. If they’re rebellious, leave them. If they’re sinful, shun them. If they’re negative, upsetting, hate or against what you are for, disconnect from them. You can be respectful but not submissive.

            Focused light turns into energy. Focused attention turns into talent. Focused faith turns into a miracle. Focused work turns into prosperity. Focused prayer turns into availing much. And focused planning turns into accomplishment. Turn away from distraction and FOCUS. You can DO what God has placed inside your heart to do.

© 2012 by Dr Tim McClure

IF I WERE 35 AGAIN- Part 2

   One morning in my devotions I do every morning, God asked me the question: “What would you do if you were 35 years of age again?”  Wow, what a great question to get you thinking and reevaluating!  I wrote in my first BLOG that such a short blog would not allow me to share the list that I created over the following months. However, with many emailing me and requesting me to share with them some of my thoughts, I offer you a few things on my list in this blog that I pray you can use.

   KNOWLEDGE- I would place the greatest value upon WHAT information I would obtain and place inside my soul (mind). Jesus said, “The truth you know shall make you free” (John 8:32). The Bible reveals that we are saved by knowledge and knowledge is the first principle to life (Prov 1). The principle is this; the measurement of knowledge we have equals the measurement of life we shall enjoy.  Ignorance is the key to sin and being lost. If you do not know God, you are lost. If you do not know how to communicate, you will be alone. If you do not know business or economics, you will always exchange a lot of your time for a little bit of someone’s money. 

   Ignorance and deception are the core of every destruction known to man.  Ignorance is the key to poverty, sickness and psychosis. The right kind of knowledge is power. The right kind of knowledge is essential to freedom.  One can know all there is to being a drug dealer, but that will not lead one to a secure freedom.  People possess a lot of wrong or bad knowledge that leads to false beliefs and this has lead many of us to live a strained, hurtful and difficult life. 

   As I look back over the past 20 years and think of the many things I never was able to have or had lost, it almost all had to do with the wrong kind of knowledge which created wrong set of beliefs.  If I were 35 again, I would be very studious and scrupulous about what I allowed into my soul (mind).

   1.) I would take careful time to research and discover my single most definite purpose in life and give myself to study the right kind of information / knowledge that would facilitate my success in that purpose.  I would study to know the right kind of information that would move me towards the ultimate purpose that I was placed on this planet. I would give myself to know the best information for the use of my purpose for the betterment of myself and everyone else I came in contact with. I would not waste my time learning to know information that mattered little to nothing to me nor those around me. 

   2.) I would read the top ten books on any one given subject of my passion and purpose.  We will all have the same life, same conditions and same results of life if we do not increase the quality of information and knowledge.  It has been said, “If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we shall get what we’ve always gotten.” If I were 35 again, I would pick very carefully the time and energy I would invest in growing myself, my mind and my soul in order to become exactly what God had intended on me to become. If I were 35 again, I would not just allow every fly by night junk that the world, television, Hollywood, so-called news, neighbors, associates and friends said I should allow into my mind and soul. (to be continued…)

© 2012 Dr Tim McClure

IF I WERE 35 AGAIN

   I found myself some time ago sitting down by the river doing my morning devotions pondering my evaluating stages I often go through.  I was reminiscing the many opportunities that I had found myself being offered but because of my upbringing, background and training, I either didn’t see it, understand or outright rejected what now I know was God giving me favor.

   Ignorance comes to many of us at a cost that we will never be reimbursed for.  However, if we are so blessed and gifted by grace we can use our failures, mishaps, misunderstandings or ignorance to our future advantage.  I found that on this one morning I had one of those enlighten moments:

   That morning in my devotions I hear the Lord say; “What would you do if you were 35 again?”  Wow, will something like that get your attention or what?  I found myself instantly pulling out things and ideas that I would do and or not do. My mind raced for several minutes before I stopped long enough to start writing down a list of things I would do – if I were 35 again. (I can just hear many of you reading thinking of the questions, “well, what are some of the things would you do?”)

   This short BLOG will not suffice such a list, however, I found myself working with my son, Tim Jr that particular week of which he was going to be having his 35^th birthday in just a few weeks away and I said, “Son sit down, we need to have a talk.”  As we sat there, I told him what I had been hearing God ask me and about my list. Then I pulled it out of my pocket and said, “I want to give it to you.”

   I will never be 35 again, but you’re about to turn 35 and you can use this far greater than I could.  As we sat there talking about ministry, family, finances and the future, I tried in a short simple way to suggest the viability of such a thought and the list.  Yes, Tim Jr started the process of the list and is still working it (to my prayer in a far greater success than I could ever make of it).

   With that thought in mind, let me ask you; “What would you do if you were 35 again?  Perhaps you are 35, 40 or 25.  Can I challenge your emotion today and suggest that you can take this simple devotion and start to jot down a few things and make your own list of what you would love to redo, change or start afresh. 

   What would you do different? What decisions would you have made or not have made? What so called friends would you have avoided or gone out of your way to make? What book would you have read or not read? How would you have spent your time more productive and what wasted stuff would you avoid?  Whatever you would do or not do is merely a thought you may wish to ponder for your future and for your success.

© 2012 by Dr Tim McClure