To Deny?

What is it about denying that is so hard and often confusing to us?  We think of denying as giving up something that we really desire, like our favorite food or entertainment.  By the world’s standards that is true.  But if I really want to follow Jesus and not just watch from the sidelines, then let’s go to the foundation of denying and learn what will help us deny ourselves and follow Jesus.

Jesus asked the disciples a question in Luke 9:20, saying, “But who do you say that I am?”  To follow Jesus I must have a correct understanding of who He is.  People really struggle with their Christian life because they have a false idea of who Jesus is and a false idea about the character of God.  Lies have been built up over time because of bad experiences and even false teaching.  They may look at God as a demanding father who is ready to judge us.  Or they may look at Jesus as this wonderful teacher who loved people and will accept everyone when we die.  False beliefs about God and not understanding who Jesus is will greatly hinder us from following Him.

So when Jesus says, “deny yourself,” (Luke 9:23) how does a correct understanding of who Jesus is help me?  If I know and believe that there is a deep love for me and Jesus is very passionate for my life, then I will want to deny myself and follow Him.  You see, His love is life-changing.  When I embrace His love and have a correct understanding of the person and nature of God, then I will follow Jesus and really deny myself.  My life will change!  To deny then is to turn from your selfish ways, your selfish ambition.  His love is so deep and so satisfing to me and that really fuels me to follow Him even more.

The foundation of denying is not to remove myself from the “things of the world.” The foundation of denying is embracing the love of Jesus and then I will want to remove the “things of the world.”  When I really love Jesus and all that He is, then I will experience a changed life and I will deny myself.

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

Forever Friend

We live and a cruel and unfriendly world.  If you live in this world long enough you will experience its harshness and pain.   People will take advantage of you and hurt you in the process.  Yet through all the cruelness and evil in the world there is someone who dearly loves you.  This someone is passionate about you and desires the best for you.  Even when others turn their back on you he will be there for you.  This special someone sacrificed all to meet your needs and to see you free.  As you know we are talking about Jesus.

I believe the most important passages in the Bible are found in John 14-16.  These three chapters were spoken just before Jesus died.  He was pouring out his heart to his disciples about loving the Father, unity, loving others, fruitfulness, friendship and the Holy Spirit.  But the most important was what he said in John 15 about abiding with him.  Look at what he said, “Abide in Me, and I in you…I am the vine you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit…” (v. 4a-5)  “If you abide in Me, and My works abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (v.7)  “…I have loved you; abide in My love.” (v.9)  “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love…” (v.10)  Abiding is to remain, make a home, and live with.  Jesus wants to live with us.  It is His passion to dwell with us daily.  That is the sacrifice he made—to be with us and live in us.

When you and I learn to abide by obeying God’s commands and desiring his presence then something special happen, a friendship is created.  If I ask you what is takes to have a friendship that last and endures you would say words like trust and love.  But what about time and effort, friendships take time and effort to last.  My wife is my best friend.  We have been married now for tweenty years and we have built a friendship of trust and love.  By us spending time of sharing our hearts and dreams and enduring hardship together we have built a friendship that is strong.  Jesus wants a friendship that is strong.  He tells us to abide and when we remain in him he will build that friendship with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Even though my wife Tiffani is my best friend she can’t meet all my needs of love, acceptance and belonging.  Only Jesus can meet those needs and when I abide and build a friendship with him those deep personal needs that we all have will be met.

Jesus is the best friend anyone can have because he proved it by giving his life for us on the cross.  “This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us”  (I John 3:16) I know Jesus is my friend because He chose you and me.

It is hard at times to make friends in the world.  People are mean and cruel and you may have been hurt in the past.  Your heart may have been broken by someone special and close to you,  but let me encourage what you have today—a God who loves you passionately and has called you his friend.  This is the most important relationship you can ever have by abiding in him and developing a friendship with him.  Jesus is our forever friend even when we are at our worst and our lowest he will still love us dearly.  And that is a strong love that will endure to the end.

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

The Inspection

Last fall I had a new heating and air unit installed in my house.  It was time.  The one I had was eighteen years old, a large monster that sat in the back of my house.  Everytime it came on we were unable to carry on a conversation on our back deck because of how loud it was.  Plus, I kept wondering, “how much longer will this unit survive?”  So we began the process of installing a new unit.  But first the “inspection” had to occur.  An individual came into our house to inspect our attic and our craw space to see if we had enough insulation.  I knew we did not have enough insulation because out house did not heat up and cool down enough.  I was right, we had poor insullation.  The insulation was only half of what was needed.  Then, we had two men come to install our new unit and that is where we found the real problem.

As the men were installing the new unit they found where the old pipes and duck work had been pulled a part below the house and we had been losing air.  No wonder our old unit was not cooling properly.  Still, we needed a new unit and now our house is feels like a warm home with new insulation and a new unit.

Let’s go back 2,000 years to another inspection, when Jesus walked into the Temple in Mark 11:15-17.  This was the last week of Jesus’ life and he walked into the Temple and did an inspection.  What did he find?  He found people buying and selling, cheating and stealing from others.  He found people misusing and abusing the Temple.  The Temple was to be a place where people could come and meet with God, to worship and pray.  Instead, He found no worship, no praying and no teaching of the Word.  The Temple may have looking beautiful on the outside, but inside it was spiritually weak and not meeting the spiritual needs of people.

I think you know where I am going with this. Just as Jesus came and did an inspection of the Temple, He also comes and does an inspection to our temple.  As believers we called a temple (see 1 Cor. 6:19 and Eph. 1:1).  We house the very presence and life of Christ in us!  But if Jesus came to do an inspection in you, what would He find?

It would be nice if inspections were only to take place on Sunday mornings when we are in church, worshipping and smiling. It would be nice if inspections took place on our terms, when we are ready.  But God does not work to our schedule and our feelings.  God knows and sees everything.  He knows how we talk to our children, our spouses, and how we treat others at work.  He sees how we spend our money and what we watch on TV.  He comes into our temple and He looks around.

But that is just the inspection.  Understand that the Holy Spirit may not say a word to you when he inspects, but He has a plan and He will act when the time is right.  What is the result of that inspection?  That is for next time.

Spend time reflecting on your temple, your heart, and begin to ask the Holy Spirit what He sees.

Mark Keyes
Vice-President of Infusion Ministries

A Wasted Life?

Happy New Year!  Today I came across this story of a doctor.  I hope this story encourages you as you enter 2012.  This story comes from The Ruler Who Serves, by Ray Stedman.

Julius Hickerson was a brillant young doctor.  He was poised for a very successful career and a wealthly life as a physician here in the United States.  But something happened.  God called Julius to South America to the country of Colombia.  When he told his family and friends his plans to move and serve in Colombia they all thought he was crazy.  “Why are you leaving a very successful career and moving?  You are wasting your life.  Look at all the money you will lose.”

For a long time it looked as if his family and friends were right.  Dr. Hickerson worked long hours in remove villages helping and treating patients and sharing the gospel.  The people, however, were resistant to the Good News of salvation.  At the end of two years of serving and helping and sharing the gospel, not a single person accepted Christ.

One day Dr. Hickerson was on a small plane flying supplies to a remote village, but he never arrived.  The plane crashed and the doctor was killed.  His friends were right—a wasted life.  Dr. Hickerson had died for nothing.

A couple of years had passed, and the missionary organization that had sent Dr. Hickerson to Colombia, the Southern Baptist, decided to send another missionary to Colombia.  The plan was for this misssionary to resume the work that Dr. Hickerson had started.  Once the missionary had arrived in the region where the doctor had died, he found out something amazing.  All the tribesmen were Christians.

As the new missionary explored, the more Christians he found.  Churches were built and the whole area had been Christianized.  The missionary asked, “How did this happen?  Where did you learn about Jesus Christ?”  The villagers replied, “From this book.”  After the plane crashed, the villagers found a Bible that had been translated into their language.  They began to read the Bible and passed it around for everyone to read it.  As they read, one by one, they gave their life to Christ and then they began to build churches.

After hearing this amazing story, the missionary opened the Bible and saw a name written on the inside:  Julius Hickerson.

A wasted life? No life is ever wasted when that life is committed to following Jesus Christ.  As you begin a new year submit your life to what God wants for you this year.  You will find total fulfillment in 2012.

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

Facing Generational Sin

Why do many believers continue in the sins of their fathers and why are these sins passed down to the children?  Can sins be passed down from family genetics, from the environment and spiritually as well?  The answer is yes; all three are involved.

Our genetics
We all have genetic traits that are passed down through the family.  Some we like and some we dislike.  Athletic ability is a good trait to have from a father or mother, but alcoholism is not.  Children are more prone to drink if the grandparents and parents were alcoholics.  They can become more easily addictive to drugs and alcohol if the parents struggle in this area.  The cycle of abuse is another trait that is widely seen today.  I encounter so many people who were abused by family members and the abuse continues.  Health issues such as heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and weight problems are just a few examples of genetics that can be passed down to the children.

Our environment
Our environment plays a major role in our past and present.  Our environment teaches us about God, church and relationships.  I came from a Christian home with loving parents who took care of me and provided for my physical and spiritual needs.  Many other believers come from a childhood of negative attitudes about marriage, church and those in authority.  Children who are raised in a home where anything can be watched on TV, including pornography, or violent video games will often struggle with lust, anger and submission to authority.  I often talk with women who saw abuse at home as a child between their parents and they now are dealing with the same problem in their marriage.  Values and attitudes that are seen are taken to the heart of a child.

Our environment we grew up in is a big factor in how we view God and others. 

Our spiritual heritage
Spiritual problems occur when we open the door to the enemy.  An example of this is the occult.   Families who are involved in occultic activity will often struggle with fear, anxiety and other health problems.  Just after arriving in Mississippi, I met a family who was concerned with their son and wanted me to help them.  Come to find out the mother had been involved in playing “Dungeons and Dragons” an occult video game, since she was a child.  Her son was now involved, and they were dealing with spiritual problems.  The son confessed to being a Christian, but struggled with his salvation.  I encouraged them to remove the game and renounce their involvement, but they were not willing to give the game up.  Any occult activity will open the door to spiritual problems.

Believers who were raised around a false religion or a church that did not believe Jesus is the Son of God may struggle with faith and assurance of salvation.  Just recently, I met with a young lady whose mother attends a church that teaches Jesus is not the Son of God.  Now she is struggling with assurance and faith in Christ.  Spiritual problems occur when we open ourselves up to lies and demonic activity.

Remember the enemy will enter into any open door that we open or our family opens. 

Mark Keyes
Vice-President of Infusion Ministries

How Do We Receive the Word of God

I don’t like to leave you hanging so let’s press on today with how do we receive the Word.  It is the Christmas season and what a perfect time to really begin receiving and understand more of the Word of God.  Yesterday we said that…

Receiving the Word of God involves opening our hearts and believing what he has for us.  Receiving then takes place as I obey His Word.

As I was reading Mark 4 one morning recently, God spoke into my heart about how to receive the Word.  Look with me at Mark 4:1-25 as Jesus talks about the Seed and the Sower.  Jesus talks about four kinds of seeds, but I want us to focus on the last seed in verse 8.  The last seed fell on “good ground” and produce a good crop.  What do you think “good ground” means to you?

Spiritually, we too must have a “good ground” to produce a spiritual crop.
Our hearts must be ready to receive.

I plant a garden each spring.  The key to having a good garden begins with breaking up the ground.  The ground must be broken for seed to grow.  Also, you must prepare your ground with fertilizer to help the seeds to grow.  Spiritually, we too must have a “good ground” to produce a spiritual crop.  Our hearts must be ready to receive.

What does it take for our hearts to be ready to receive?

• Listen to instruction (wisdom) (4:3)  The beginning of hearing and obeying begins with listening.  Jesus pointed this out and voiced this to the people standing by Him.
• Be open to God’s Word.  If we are closed minded to truth and will not be open to the Spirit of God then we will miss out on God’s blessing and our receiving.
• Repentance and brokenness.  If you remember the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 you recall the story of a young man who took his inheritance and left home.  His life was filled with spending and wild living.  Verse 17 says, “He came to his senses,” and when he returned home he repented before his father.(v.18)

Do you think repentance and brokenness is necessary for us to receive the Word.  Why so?  Repentance involved:  Turning from your sin and your attitudes.  Before repentance there is brokenness.

God has freely given us His grace, His robe, His ring,
His shoes and His Son.

The Prodigal son experienced brokenness because he was at the end of the rope.  He had exhausted all his efforts at trying to make life work and to enjoy a life apart from his father.  All of us become broken at some point.

When did God break you last and how did this change your life?

Brokenness hurts.  The very word describes something that is lost or hurt or damaged.  Brokenness brings pain and suffering.  Even humiliation may occur.  What God wants to do with your brokenness is to gently mend your heart of the pain and suffering.  As we listen and open ourselves to God, then our hearts can receive what we need from God’s Word.

For us to receive God’s Word freely, we must remove the objects that are a hindrance to us.  Only by removing obstacles can we then receive God’s Word without any conflict.  Satan’s’ job is to place any obstacles in our path to hinder our walk and growth in Christ.

The reason your heart is not able to receive the Word
is because you have obstacles in your life.

What about you. Are you struggling with obstacles in your life?  What “stones, thorns” or “distractions” are keeping you from receiving the Word effectively?

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

Receiving the Word of God

Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square…and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses…So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding…Then he read from it from morning until midday,…and all of the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.  Nehemiah 8:1-3

How do we go deeper into receiving the Word of God?   In Nehemiah, once the walls were completed and the doors hung, people began to return to Jerusalem. (see Nehemiah 7)  Ezra was one of the priests and scribes who returned and he helped rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (see the book of Ezra)  He was very respected among his people and upon his return he was asked to read the Book of the Law.  He read for hours and the people heard and received the Word.

A healthy spiritual and physical life continues when we read and receive the Word.  I was intrigued to hear that the people listened for hours and acted upon what they heard by confessing their sins in chapter nine.  A healthy spiritual life is only maintained as we read, listen and receive the Word of God.  I believe all three of these things must take place for a healthy life to continue.  So many believers I have encountered read the Word, but something is not connecting.  They still struggle with the same conflicts and issues.  I believe the problems lies in receiving God’s Word.

What do you think it means to receive the Word of God?

A healthy spiritual and physical life continues when we read and receive the Word. A healthy spiritual life is only maintained as we read, listen and receive the Word of God.  I believe all three of these things must take place for a healthy life to continue.

We hear a lot about receiving in the church today.  Phrases like “receiving the love of God, receiving the Holy Spirit, receive Jesus as Savor.”  Receiving has to do with accepting what is given to you.  It involves a gift or some kind of possession to be accepted.  I believe many Christians have a hard time receiving today because they do not think they are worthy.  They believe they must “do something” or pay back for what was given to them.  I settled the matter a long time ago—I am not worthy to receive anything from God.  I am not worthy to receive salvation, the Holy Spirit, His gifts, His blessings or even His identity for me.  But, God has made us all worthy to receive all that He has for us.

Receiving the Word of God involves opening our hearts and believing what he has for us.  Receiving then takes place as I obey His Word. 

Tomorrow, we look into how do we receive the Word of God.

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

Stand Your Ground

What ground are we defending?  Looking back at Nehemiah we see that he was rebuilding the wall to defend Jerusalem.  He was protecting and defending the city from their enemies.  We too have a ground to defend—our hearts.  The ground of our heart is made up of our spirit and soul.  Satan wants access to our hearts.  Why?  So he can control us and use us for his purpose.  Sanballat modeled this strategy.  He wanted to keep the Israelites under his control so he could do as he pleased.  If you are born again, your spirit is in union with God and you are His child (John 1:12-13).  You are God’s and nothing can take you away from Him.  But you and I can still grieve the Holy Spirit that is in us.  We can make wrong choices and sin and give Satan a foothold in our lives(Eph.4:25-30).  If we continue to live in sin and turn away from God then we open the door to Satan to work in us.  We give him “ground” to use.  We surrender parts of our heart over to the enemies of God.  Our soul then becomes wounded and hurt.  Our emotions turn to fear and anger.  Our mind becomes confused about the nature and character of God.  The choices we make do not honor God.  This is why we need to rebuild the walls of our heart so we can protect ourselves from Satan and his demons.

If we continue to live in sin and turn away from God then we open the door
to Satan to work in us.  We give him “ground” to use.

We are told to stand as we encounter attacks from the enemies of God.  Paul makes this very clear that if we are to overcome, we must stand our ground so we can resist the devil.  Unfortunately, many believers are not standing and holding their ground.  Because of sin and other events in their lives, the enemies of God have taken ground, and as a result many believers are struggling in their Christian life.

With all the struggles and failures these people had experienced, how could they possible have the faith and strength to fight a well skilled army?  Look below and see if your list matches mine.

• First, they had a purpose.  Nehemiah had come and instilled a vision and purpose in his people.  They were renewed and strengthened by this vision.  They had a purpose to fight for their families and their houses. (v.14)
• Second, Nehemiah gave them weapons to use. (v.13)  The children of God could stand because they had weapons to defend themselves.
• Third, Nehemiah called them to “remember the Lord!”(v.14)  Nehemiah motivated them with a rally cry to “remember the Lord, great and awesome.”  The Israelites had a past that included the great and awesome power of God.  When you have God in your past as a testimony of victory, nothing will overcome you.

Having a purpose will give you the strength to fight and to remember the Lord and all He has done for you!

Many believers that I have seen and talked with are just the opposite.  They do not have a purpose because of defeat and failure of the past.  Their hope is gone because of experiences they have encountered.  They no longer dream of victory and moving forward.  As a result they have nothing to fight for.   No family support or no home to defend like the Israelites did.

Satan wants to destroy our purpose for rebuilding.  He wants to extinguish all our hopes and dreams of victory.  If he can remove our hope then we will never have a purpose to rebuild.

Do you have purpose for your life?  Do you have a purpose for rebuilding?  Your purpose may be your family or just yourself.  What is your purpose for standing and defending your ground?

Finally, Nehemiah called the people to “remember the Lord.”  What great and awesome work has God done in you for you to remember Him?

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

Expose Our Fears

To remove our fears we must expose them.  A believer is not suppose to walk in fear.  Therefore you need to determine how fear has prevented you from walking in faith, from rebuilding your life and kept you from living in victory.  Below are some common fears.  Check off the one(s) that the Holy Spirit is bringing to your attention.

Fear of Satan                                                                        Fear of never getting married

Fear of parents getting a divorce                                      Fear of being victimized

Fear of death                                                                        Fear of becoming homosexual

Fear of being a hopeless case                                            Fear of marriage

Fear of losing my salvation                                               Fear of the death of a loved one

Fear of failure                                                                      Fear of divorce

Fear of committing the unpardonable sin                      Fear of going crazy

Fear of rejection by people                                               Fear of pain

Fear of disapproval                                                            Fear of never being able to love
or be loved by someone

Fear of not being loved by God                                        Other fears that come to mind:

Fear of financial problems                                                Fear of embarrassment

Now that you have determined the fears that have hindered you from living in victory and have kept you from rebuilding, it is important to expose the lies behind your fear(s).  Two big questions you need to answer in exposing your fears is…

1.    When did you first experience your fear(s).

2.    What are the lies behind your fear(s).

It is one thing to acknowledge your fears on paper, but quite another to work out a responsible plan to overcome your fears.  For example, I had a fear of failure early on in my ministry.  So many believers struggle with this fear and it is very real and crippling.  I remember facing this fear as I tried new things and I realized I had to overcome this fear if I was to be successful in my ministry and calling.  As I began to understand who I was in Christ and that I was not a failure in God’s eyes and that “I could do all things through Christ who gave me strength,” (Phil 4:13) the lie of being a failure was exposed to me.  The more I pushed forward in faith and gained small victories in my ministry and work, I slowly overcame this fear.  Today I am not afraid of failure even when I do fail at something.  In God’s eyes, I am his child and I have all I need for life and godliness.(2 Peter 1:3)

When we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the lies behind our fears, He will show us.  When we seek godly counsel on our fears and look at God’s Word, then the power and presence of fear is broken.  When the lies are revealed, the power and presence of fear is weakened!  I encourage you to work through these questions by yourself or with a trusted friend who can listen and help.  Write your fears on a sheet of paper and answer the questions, then destroy the paper as a testimony of victory over your fears.

Once you have worked through your fears pray the following prayer for each of the controlling fears that has been revealed to you above:

Dear Lord, I now confess and repent of the fear of ____________________
I have believed (state the lie).  I renounce that lie, and choose to believe the
truth (state the truth).  I also confess any and all ways this fear has resulted
in my living irresponsibly or compromising my witness for Christ, including
_________________________. I now choose to live by faith in You, Lord,
believing Your promise that You will protect me and meet all my needs.  In
Jesus’ trustworthy name I pray, amen.

Mark Keyes
Vice President of Infusion Ministries

Real Fear

What is Real Fear?                                                                                                                      Today we live in a world of fear.  We see school shootings.  Our children are not always safe.  Our world is in fear of disease from food even in the United States.  We are at war with terrorists who want to change our way of living.  They want to terrorize people and keep them in fear.  There are wars and rumors of wars all around us daily.   Also today we are seeing our children abused physically and sexually.  They become intimidated and angry at society because of what has happened to them.

Fear and anxiety have surpassed depression and alcoholism as the
number-one mental-health problem in America.

To remedy this problem, our society prescribes more medication to “help” those dealing with depression or anxiety.  This only leads to further depression and frustration.  As our ministry conducts conferences and personal counseling we encounter people in bondage to fear all the time.  I recently took a lady through the Lord’s Prayer Journey (Steps to Freedom) who was dealing with anxiety and fear since she was a child.  After identifying the fear objects and renouncing them, she could then begin to have victory and walk in faith.

Fear will keep us from moving forward and rebuilding our lives.
This was Sanballat’s strategy and this is Satan’s strategy for us today.

For fear to be real, it must have two characteristics.  It must be powerful and it must be present.  Remove any one of these two objects and fear is gone.  For example, I grew up in the outdoors hunting and fishing in Louisiana, and one animal I respected was a snake.  I killed many snakes as I hunted and fished and they always got my attention.  When I came across a snake, I encountered something powerful and present, and only when I killed it was the fear gone.  Now, as I discuss my snake background with you, there is little to be alarmed over.  But if a snake is thrown into your room as you study, your whole demeanor will change. Why? Because a snake is in your presence and it is powerful.  The same is true with fear.  We become fearful and intimidated because we see the object before us as more powerful and stronger that we are.  The Jews were afraid of Sanballat because he had ruled over them and told them they were weak and helpless.  The Jews were also living in fear because of their past failures and they did not want to experience that again.  Fear kept them from moving forward and rebuilding, and fear will keep us from moving forward and rebuilding too, unless we expose our fears and walk in faith.

The reason fear is often so overwhelming to us is because we look at our fears apart from God.  We need to place our fears next to God and then see who is bigger.

Mark Keyes
Infusion Ministries