Category: Uncategorized

A guide for Christians

Thousands of voices come at us every day with competing messages: Forget the law, you’re under grace. If you’re not following the law, you’re not following Jesus. Name it and claim it. Don’t trust the prosperity gospel. Vote Republican. Vote Democrat. Don’t vote at all. Yada yada.

Who’s telling the truth?

It’s easier than ever to be deceived, and to head off in a direction that God does not want us to take. Let me suggest four principles to guide us back to truth.

(1) Know your Bible
This is important, and it cannot be delegated to someone else. The Bible is God’s road map to truth. You need to know your Bible. That means reading it from cover to cover, not just once, but again and again throughout your life.

Here’s how I do it: I downloaded the Bible on audio to my phone. I play that audio all night. As I’m falling asleep, I’m listening to scripture. As I wake up and get ready for my day, I’m listening to the Bible. It’s not uncommon for me to listen to 10, 20, 30 or more chapters in a night. This gives me the big picture. When someone comes along claiming that a verse supports their crazy ideas, I’m better able to evaluate whether that passage in its context is really saying what that person claims it’s saying.

That’s one approach. There are many others. If you need help getting into the Bible, contact me. I have great resources for you.

(2) Ask God for wisdom
God is eager to give wisdom to His kids. All you need to do is ask. Hopefully, you’re developing a close relationship with Jesus where you’re able to discern His guidance in your life. How do you know if your wisdom is coming from God? Here’s a verse that might help: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 NIV

Keep in mind that wisdom comes from obedience. When we disobey what God has clearly revealed to us that He wants us to do, we block any further wisdom from Him. The house of wisdom cannot be built on a foundation of disobedience. This is one reason why some otherwise very intelligent people come up with outlandish ideas—they’re building on the wrong foundation.

(3) Pay attention to history
Biblical, church and secular history has much to teach us if we’re willing to pay attention. The new heresies are recycled versions of the old ones. There’s nothing new under the sun. Philosopher George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

(4) Examine the fruit
Jesus said that we can tell a tree by its fruit. If someone is walking in the truth, then their lives should be producing more and more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Read Galatians 5 or the Sermon on Mount in Matthew 5-7. A person who walks in the truth should be living a righteous life. If they aren’t, then it’s time to look elsewhere for guidance.

Dwight

Note: This post is an excerpt from Spiritual Self Defense: How to use the Christian faith to defend yourself against anxiety, anger, addiction and all kinds of bullies.

“Once I started reading I couldn’t put the book down.” Jennifer Thorn
“This book has been like “joints of supply” for me—truly a Godsend.” ~ Whitney Moore on Amazon
“…takes us into the heart of a seasoned spiritual leader and shares with us his secret to spiritual victory…a must read book…” Dr. Dwight A. Perry

Find out more here: http://ssdcourage.com/spiritual-self-defense/

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: 1 Corinthians 13 is called the “love chapter.”
New question: What action of Elijah is only mentioned in 2 Chronicles?

Sometimes God calls us into new territory. In fact, there is no growth without new territory. If we stay where we’ve been, back in our comfort zone, we don’t move forward.

Most people are waiting around for someone else to go first. But that’s not you. You are a son or daughter of the Most High God. You are a leader by definition. You open new territory with God. It’s built into your DNA.

Your bags are packed; you’re ready to deploy. Not literally necessarily, but spiritually. Like Isaiah, we say to the Lord, “Here I am. Send me.”

Where will God send you? “To a land I will show you,” God said to Abraham. The journey into discovering God will take you all kinds of places you don’t expect to go, but in the end you will find yourself safely home.

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter. (It’s a great chapter by the way—one of my favorites.)
New question: Which chapter of the Bible is called the “love chapter”?

Imagine if Jesus were living your life in your place. How stressed out would He be? How rattled would He get? How much power would those temptations have over Him?

The Jesus life is the birthright of every daughter and son of God. It’s not just “what would Jesus do,” but it’s “what would Jesus be?” God has for you His joy, His peace, His confidence, His empathy, His love. That’s the real you.

So much of life is just the real you coming out of hiding. The diamond that is you is already there. It’s just a matter of letting Jesus rinse off the mud so you and others can see.

Be blessed!

Dwight

---

Four things you need to know about God:
1. God likes you.
2. Jesus hurts when you hurt.
3. God is angry at the things that are trying to destroy you.
4. God fixes things; we get to help.

Three things God wants to do for you:
1. Heal all your hurts.
2. Renew your mind.
3. Transform your life.

Something new next time…

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: The way of love is the “more excellent way.”
New question: Which chapter of the Bible is called the “faith chapter”?

In short, God wants to give you His perspective.

One of the most powerful examples of this is found in the story of David and Goliath. Most people think that this story is about the slaying of a giant. Not really. Instead, it’s about the power of perspective.

For thirty days this super soldier (Goliath) walks out and challenges anyone from the Israeli army to take him on in single combat.

And every day the response is the same: terror. These Israeli soldiers were no dummies. They knew a losing deal when they saw one. No way could any of them prevail against this guy. Put their ten best soldiers against him, and they might have a chance. Maybe. One person against Goliath? Anybody dumb enough to take on Goliath would be squashed like a bug.

Along comes David. Is he stronger than the other Israeli soldiers? No. Is he bigger? No. Is he more experienced? No. Does he have better battle skills? No.

In fact, David only has one thing that the other Israeli soldiers lacked: God’s perspective.

David is like: “Who is this punk that he would defy the armies of the living God?”

I know there are Goliaths in your life. There are battles you can’t win, problems way too big for you to solve. From where you stand, it’s hopeless.

For you, God offers a priceless gift: His perspective. All you gotta do is ask.

---

Four things you need to know about God:
1. God likes you.
2. Jesus hurts when you hurt.
3. God is angry at the things that are trying to destroy you.
4. God fixes things; we get to help.

Three things God wants to do for you:
1. Heal all your hurts.
2. Renew your mind.
3.

More next time…

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: The people of Jabesh Gilead risked their lives to recover the body of King Saul because Saul had previously rescued them from the Ammonites.
New question: What, according to Paul, is the “more excellent way”?

God wants to heal all your hurts.

I didn’t always know that. Once upon a time I thought God was this aloof celestial Being who manned the heavenly switchboard taking incoming prayer requests and turning down the vast majority of them because they weren’t “His will.” I figured heaven must be a good place (better than the alternative), but God is and always would be remote.

Not so.

For me the journey started (as it does with so many people) with me coming out denial. Yeah, maybe I am hurt. Maybe I picked up some wounds along the way. I thought they were “dealt with,” but maybe they weren’t.

If I can get to the place where I can be honest with myself, maybe I can be honest with God. Maybe I can take some of those hurts to Him.

Wow. Was I surprised! Did you know that God is actually nice? Did you know that when God speaks into our hurts, everything changes?

I’ve walked away from some of those encounters with God feeling a thousand pounds lighter. The colors outside were brighter. The whole world had changed.

Anyway, God wants to heal all your hurts. Take those hurts to Jesus. I dare you.

---

Four things you need to know about God:
1. God likes you.
2. Jesus hurts when you hurt.
3. God is angry at the things that are trying to destroy you.
4. God fixes things; we get to help.

Three things God wants to do for you:
1. Heal all your hurts.
2.
3.

More next time…

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Jesus’ first recorded miracle was turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana.
New question: Why did the people of Jabesh Gilead risk their lives to recover the body of King Saul?

Our world is a mess. It’s not hard to figure that out. But God is at work putting the lonely in families, healing hurts, restoring relationships, rebuilding lives and communities. Much of this work happens below the radar, out of plain sight, quietly. God is mostly invisible most of the time. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t at work. The Bible and our life experience with God reveal a God who loves to fix things that are broken.

We read in this in Acts 10:38: “And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (NLT) If you think about the miracles of Jesus, from turning water into wine to raising widow’s only child from the dead, they were all about making life better. Wherever God goes, He makes things better for those who are willing to welcome Him in. God fixes things.

Not only does God fix things, but we get to help. We get to give food to the hungry. We get to give medicine to the sick. We get to comfort the grieving. We get to be part of God’s beautiful work of restoring, rebuilding, redeeming.

The Bible describes us His children as the body of Christ. Our hands are the hands of Jesus touching our world with healing and kindness. Our words are (or can be) the words of Jesus, soothing hurts, bringing life to those around us. Whether it’s saying a kind word to someone on the phone or flying around the world to rebuild a community devastated by an earthquake, we get to help. In everything we do, we are bringing the presence of Jesus into our world.

This post is an excerpt from Dwight’s book, Spiritual Self Defense. For more information about Spiritual Self Defense, visit http://ssdcourage.com/spiritual-self-defense/

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Through them, God raised someone(s) from the dead.
New question: What was the first recorded miracle of Jesus?

Wherever you are, look around. God’s eye is always on the most vulnerable person in the room.

When I read the Bible, I discover a God who is all about guarding the fragile, providing for the needy, advocating for the marginalized, elevating the forgotten. Embedded in the instructions God gives are provisions designed to protect the powerless.

Nazism was an example of the opposite sentiment. Only the strong have value. Mow over the weak. Blot out the undesirable.

All of us have been or will be vulnerable at some stage of our lives. I for one am glad that God notices, God cares, and God wants to come to our defense when we are.

Four things you need to know about God:
#1 God likes you
#2 God hurts when you hurt
#3 God is protective—he’s angry with the things that hurt us, and His eye on on the most vulnerable
#4 …next post

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Lazarus (The other two are unnamed.)
New question: What do Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, Peter and Paul all have in common? (This cannot be said about any other group of Biblical characters.)

The wrath of God is misunderstood, maligned, and used to justify all kinds of attitudes and behaviors that are, well—wrong.

So let’s start with a blank slate.

If you had a child who was being terrorized by a neighborhood bully, would you be upset? I would be. If your child was tricked into doing something that put him in danger, would that bother you? It would bother me. If your little child was molested by someone, would you be angry? I would be.

Emotionally healthy parents are protective of their children. And they should be.

God sees every element of our lives in sharp focus and perfect clarity. He knows what things are trying to hurt us, what things are trying to destroy us. And He hates those things.

So, yes. God is angry. But His anger is not directed at us, nor will it ever be directed at us—unless we want it to be.

If you’re scratching your head, let me suggest you reread Romans 1—the classic passage on the wrath of God. Notice where God’s anger is directed—not at people, but at the unrighteousness and injustice that ruins our lives.

By the way, I’m happy—please don’t quote me out of context on this—that God is angry. There’s a lot of crap that goes on in this world, and I’m glad God cares enough to be angry about it. Little children are abused, neglected and worse. Innocent people are kidnapped, tortured, denied their rights. People are victimized by racism and injustices of every kind. I hope and believe that Someone cares enough to be angry, and will put a stop to it.

God is good, and in my view His anger is an essential element of that goodness.

I want to explore another aspect of this next time, then we’ll wrap up with the four things we need to know about God.

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Cain, Abel, Seth
New question: Jesus raised at least three people from the dead in the New Testament. What is the name of one of them?

Our suffering makes no sense until we take into account the suffering of God.

In John 11, we read the story of Jesus visiting his friends Mary and Martha at a time of great sadness. Their brother Lazarus died of an illness, and Jesus failed to return on time to save him. Jesus arrives, visits the tomb, feels their grief, and weeps.

Why? Jesus knew full well He would be raising Lazarus from the dead in just a few minutes. Yet He weeps.

Let me suggest to you that God is not aloof. He is not distant, uncaring. He feels your pain. You cannot experience emotional or physical pain without God hurting along with you.

So let me ask you a question: How have you experienced God’s empathy in your life?

In these last few posts, we’ve been exploring the good news of the gospel—what it is and how to share it. I suggest we start with the question people are asking, and the big question right now is: Is God good? I believe He is, and this is the second of four things you need to know about God to begin to understand His goodness. After we talk about that, I want to come back to the three things God wants to do for you. Then we’ll look at how it all fits together.

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Elihu
New question: Three of Adam and Eve’s sons are named in the Bible. What are their names?

We live in a world where most people are clueless about God. I say “most people” because I mean it. Even Christians.

For years I claimed to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But in many ways I didn’t. I had a formal relationship with Him. I needed to pray a certain way and follow certain rituals to make Him happy. I needed to perform.

And then I learned something that I never imagined before: God likes me. I already knew that God loved me. That was part of His job description. He was stuck loving me whether He wanted to or not. God’s castor oil—loving Dwight Clough. But God likes me?! Wow! He likes hanging out with me? I don’t need to do anything; He just likes being with me?

I gotta say that changed my life. My favorite thing to do? Hang out with God. I don’t know how to pray. Compared to some people (you maybe), I’m not any good at praying. But I don’t need to be good at praying to hang out with God. All I need to do is open the door and invite Him in.

Is God good? The God I hang out with sure is. He’s the One I want to share with my world. More in a couple days.

Question: What’s it like for you when you hang out with God?

---

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Xerxes (or Ahasuerus)
New question: After Job’s three friends finished talking, one more man spoke to Job. What was his name?