What?

That is the question I always ask when I hear a story like this. What could they have done differently? What could they have wanted or desired so much to strip them away from the love of God?

Last night we received a phone call from a friend we have never really met(sounds funny doesn't it-we have many of those). The gist of it was her husband has walked away from the Lord, attempting suicide in the process, reducing his body to a pitiful state where physical movement is painful and choreful.

I know this man. I have seen him used mightily by the Lord. I have seen salvation come to the lost through this man. The only thing I have never seen on a regular basis was submission to the Lord and to those He has entrusted with his care.

His mental state has slipped and yet I am living testimony that God can heal emotional and mental disorder. That He can heal the times of abuse and destruction. A prophet once said of me, "you have known turbulent times and God will use that".

I worked with this man. I saw the potential of God through him. And yet as I read the book of Timothy and Titus and see what God expects of those in leadership, I see that there are many areas that kept him from full time ministry.

When he was with me he was sold out for the Lord, but he always allowed the lure of the world to reel him in. Why? He didn't trust anyone. He had been so battered and abused as a child that he could not resolve to trust. And when you can not trust you will not seek counsel or disdain that which you are given.

I sat here yesterday pondering what Timothy and Titus had to say. If you are considering ministry it would be good for you to read the qualifications for leadership. And when my wife explained last night's phone call to me, I realized that there are many who are called but few chosen(Matthew 22).

Some of you have made similar bad choices to the ones my friend made. With God there is always a second chance aslong as you are breathing. Some of you are facing temptation of pornography and sex, some are considering marriage with unbelievers(please don't-this man's woman is now homeless as a result of bad choices!), some of you think smoking, drinking and drugs aren't going to get in the way of God. Many of you aren't in a church or a situation where you can receive counsel. Some of you have resorted to the computer to satisfy loneliness. Many seek to avoid confrontation in a church by going to the world(remember Saul and the witch?!?!) or going to people that do not know you. Sometimes the latter may be necessary but usually the truth comes out at home anyhow.

WHAT? He had a choice, this man did. And he chose the way of the world and its demonic counsel. It would be only sad if this was an isolated incident, but unfortunately this happens all the time. Backsliding can and will kill you. And often that condition begins by offense. The simplest little word and a person runs screaming from wise counsel, running from a church, and the enemy steps in with all types of worldly panaceas. And a short while later a church gets a call from a spouse or a victim.

If you are not in submission to the Lord and what He is telling you to do or you are playing on the edges, perhaps you need to know it is a dangerous place and it does not work. I have men and women in my church who will tell you that they tried to play on the fringe, only to lose. The Bible says that sin has pleasure only for a season.

Maybe its you who are considering doing something because you think it is the only way out. I am telling you that God loves you and that His hand is not too short to reach you in the situation you are in. 1Corinthians 10:13, says "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." and 2Peter 2:9 "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished:" and that is GOOD NEWS.

If you feel that you have no way out or that rebellion has been your life or you simply need prayer and encouragement, please write us. We pray and your concerns are important to us and to God.