In every generation Christians are pressured to be relevant. In other words, a spirit comes upon the church and seduces it to change the message and make it less confrontational. The lie, of course, is that changing the message will win more souls to Jesus Christ. In practice, however, the very opposite is true. Sadly, many Christians fall for this lie. God is relevant in every generation and so is his gospel. He never changes, his word never changes, and his principles never change. Nothing in the universe is more relevant than God. This was made clear to me in the following scripture:

For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction—because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty. Malachi 2:7

Many years ago this little section of scripture made a profound impact on me. I spent many days meditating on it and the fear of the Lord came upon me.

This passage is the essence of what being a Christian is all about. In every generation, Christians are priests of the most high God and serve in his presence. As we serve him we learn his word and we begin to know his heart. As we increase in wisdom it becomes our duty to speak as those who have heard from the creator of the universe and understand his intent and purpose. It is our duty to preserve his words exactly as he meant them and to speak them clearly. We are not to add to or take away from them.

God has given us his mind and we are to speak as if he himself we're speaking. This is the essence of being his prophetic ambassadors in the earth. As we faithfully proclaim his word and preserve it (keep it in its original state) the Holy Spirit will move men to seek instruction from us. Over time, we become true ambassadors of the Lord Almighty; we represent him in all matters of life. Over time, our opinions or selfish ambitions are burned out of us, and we become men and women of God.

To become a true servant and ambassador of God means death to relationships with the things of the flesh and this world. Jesus clearly said that we were to deny the flesh and to resist friendship with the world. We are not to care what others think of us or be moved by their opinions of us. We are not to be friends with those who deny that Jesus is God in the flesh but we are to love them as God loves them. We are to be living testimonies to the love and goodness of God and display him in such a way that others are drawn to him through us.

Resist the temptation to be culturally relevant. Nothing is more relevant than God, his word and his spirit.

Over the years I've been trained by the Holy Spirit not to worry about things. I'm human, of course, and I have my moments, but I have been trained and disciplined not to worry.

One of those moments was a few weeks ago when I missed my flight out of Mongolia. I had moments where I worried I wouldn't get home to take my mother-in-law to a very important doctor appointment. Normally my wife would take her but she was in Florida so it was up to me to get there on time. I was telling a friend about this and she was astonished that I had actually worried. Let me explain.

My friend is a seasoned person in ministry, but I never realized how my life had impacted hers and how she was both intimidated and inspired by my lack of worry in my daily life. In fact, she sounded relieved when she heard that I was actually able to worry a little. This really amused me. She knows me well and has watched me endure some very difficult things, but apparently she assumed that I was superhuman or more spiritual than her. I am neither. I am just trained.

In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us many times not to worry. In Philippians Paul says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Over the years, the Holy Spirit, through some very difficult circumstances, has trained me not to worry. I don't have the space here to recount all the situations He's used but He's taken advantage of every one of them. Here's how he can train you to be a person who is not ruled by worry.

First, you cannot learn not to worry. Read that again. You cannot learn not to worry. The human brain is not designed to work in a vacuum. For example, you can't not hate. If you want to stop hating you must start loving. You replace hate with love.

In the same way, if you want to stop worrying you must start trusting. It isn't that I never worry; it's just that I trust far more than I ever worry.

There are times when people think I don't care or that I don't understand how serious a situation is because I'm not worried. No where does Jesus teach me that my level of worry is a direct reflection of my level of caring or that it means I'm uninformed or oblivious. The truth is, it's all about trust and who you put your trust in. I've been trained to trust my Father. He has never failed me and He never will.

I've also been reduced to a childlike faith in my Father. This has been a long, painful process, but I wouldn't trade it for anything on earth. My childlike faith knows that my Father loves me and would never hurt me, leave me or forsake me. My childlike faith has cast out fear. I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death and my Father has never left me. And, of course, He's restored me as well.

Let me encourage you. The Bible is clear about how all this works, it's just that many don't want to endure the process of being trained by the Holy Spirit. Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered. We, too, will we have to suffer in order to learn how to die and let Him live through us. There is nothing superhuman about any of this. It's not I who live but He who lives through me.

Whenever I live the flesh is seen. When He lives He is seen.

And, He's not worried about anything.

Jesus said:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31,32

Jesus did not teach that anyone hearing the truth would be set free. He said that for those who hold to his teachings (his disciples), the truth would set them free. His disciples are promised freedom.

There are millions of people, saved and not saved, who listen to Jesus Christ and are still in bondage. The key is to become a disciple, one who holds to his teachings and walks in them.

In various versions the word hold is translated:

• abide
• continue
• hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them
• If ye continue in my word
• If you continue to obey my teaching

Jesus made it clear that simply hearing his words didn't save anyone or set anyone free any more than hearing your friends tell jokes means that you believe the jokes or that you will repeat the jokes.

Jesus said that we become free when we:

• listen to his words
• believe his words
• believe him
• repent from our former way of life
• live according to his words
• continue to live according to his words

This is how we destroy strongholds in our minds and life: we listen to Jesus, believe him, turn away from what we were doing that was in conflict with the truth of God's word, and walk out the truth in the power of the Spirit.

Christianity is not for wimps. Christianity is for the courageous. It takes courage to do what Jesus told us (and is telling us) to do because the world, the workplace, our family, even our own churches may stand against the truth found in God's word. We have to know what we believe and why we believe it. Then we will be like a man who builds his house upon a rock and will not be shaken.

Then we will truly be his disciples. Then we will certainly be free.

One of the most powerful and influential things you can do as a Christian is to give thanks.

Think about it. A simple, "Thank you!" has a powerful effect on any relationship, from the clerk at the store to those closest to you. In the workplace, most of the time a simple "Thank you!" is all employees are looking for and it encourages them to work even harder. I've seen a discouraged person suddenly come alive when someone simply thanked them.

Giving thanks is all about recognition. Giving thanks to others demonstrates you're paying attention, that you're aware of who they are and what they're doing, and that you see the contribution they're making to the betterment of others.

Giving thanks to God displays a proper understanding of where blessings come in the first place. This is a powerful thing and allows God to bless you even further. When the Israelites forgot to give thanks it demonstrated that they had forgotten who was blessing them. They began to take God for granted, or, even worse, they took personal credit for the blessings. This moved God to remove the blessings (i.e. to curse) to remind them to never forget that the blessings come from him.

Having an attitude of thanksgiving is an outward display of a powerful inward work. First, it means your eyes are getting off of yourself and you're aware of the contributions of others. Second, it reveals an inner humility that allows you to give others credit for their hard work, ideas, or whatever. Third, it becomes a discipline that eventually becomes a way of life. It's the way God is.

Developing an attitude of thanksgiving is a powerful weapon in the spiritual battles we face. God teaches us to enter into his presence with thanksgiving and praise. Giving thanks builds your faith and encourages your soul. And, when the devil sees your eyes are on God and his protection and provision he knows he's already lost the war.

The devil works hard to get your eyes on yourself and your circumstances. Giving thanks keeps your eyes on God. Right now, when so many things around us seem to be falling apart, this is the time to give God even more thanks for his presence, protection and provision. He will never fail us!

Giving thanks prepares us to rejoice in all circumstances, to persevere and to never give up. Giving thanks eventually builds our character and an unshakable hope that becomes the anchor for our souls.

Thank you, Father, for Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for our families and friends. Thank you for the body of Christ. Thank you for every good and precious gift that flows from your throne. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your love, forgiveness, mercy and grace. Thank you for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the shelter you provide. Thank you for your discipline. Thank you for your servanthood towards us.

Once you begin to thank God it's hard to stop so don't ever stop!

Our nation has lost its way due to two things:

• We've forgotten the words of the Founding Fathers, and
• We've forgotten the words of our heavenly Father

The foundation of our nation was laid by men who understood the dangers of tyranny, excessive taxation, loss of personal freedom and forgetting God's principles for life. They risked everything (and most of them lost everything) to attempt this experiment called the united States. Their greatest concern was whether we could hold on to it.

Above all, our Founding Fathers held to the principles of God found in His Word, the Bible. These men had the fear of God and thus were blessed with great wisdom and courage. They endeavored to put on paper their most fundamental beliefs and fashioned a law that was based on doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. Somewhere in their lives these men learned important lessons they never forgot.

According to a best selling book, the lessons you need for life are learned in kindergarten. Where did you learn life's greatest lessons? Have you forgotten them?

How about the lessons you need to do your job or have a family? What about the lessons you need to walk with God and bless your fellow man? What about the lessons you need to be a responsible citizen and provide for your family? What about the lessons you need to defend your nation and fight to retain the freedoms we all take for granted?

Have you learned these lessons?

What is the foundation of your life; your beliefs and your faith? Do you believe so strongly in your foundational beliefs that you would be willing to die for them? Would you be willing to die for your family, your nation or the body of Christ?

Just what is it that you believe in? Why?

This nation needs to ask itself what it believes in and why. If we don't we'll end up on the ash heap of all other great nations and empires who began well and forgot why.