Gates Are Defensive
September 25, 2023
00:01:00
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
What are gates? They are defensive tools used to keep stuff out, to keep an advancing force at bay.
Too often the enemy is successful in putting Christians on defense, when the facts are the Lord established His church as an aggressive, offensive, territory-taking body.
The Lord never meant for us to sit on the sidelines of life or to cower in the corner as a result of the wickedness in our culture.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. The light of the world cannot be contained.
The Lord is building His church and the mamby-pamby gates of Hell shall not prevail against us.
Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers.
My name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
One word has proven to be debilitating in our society: the D-word. Discrimination.
What we fail to realize is discrimination is not automatically a dirty concept. We discriminate against thieves and murderers when we send them to prison. We discriminated against sexual predators by keeping them away from children. And yes, we rightly discriminated against men when we keep them out of women’s restrooms.
According to Psalm 1, we have to discriminate against the counsel of the wicked in order to be blessed. Good thing God isn’t debilitated by the D-word.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect” Romans 12:2 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Paul’s epistle to the Romans was written to believers. This verse highlights the fact that it’s possible for Christians to be conformed to the world’s ways.
The word “conformed” there means to be squeezed into the mold of another. Rather than to be squeezed into the world’s mold, the Lord requires us to be transformed by having our minds renewed by God’s Word.
Everything about us must be held up to the light of Scripture. And whenever there’s any discrepancy, we must be transformed.
But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22.
My name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
This Scripture underscores the harrowing reality that permeates the life of many who profess to be Christians. The blessing of being a Christ follower comes not only from hearing God’s Word, but obeying it.
James continues, “for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and perseveres, being not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Newly published information from Lifeway Research shows 77% of self-identified Christians in dozens of states think it’s a sin to lend money to someone who can’t afford to pay it back. Still, few say payday loans are immoral and one in six Christians have admitted to taking out a high-interest payday loan.
The federal government’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says the typical two-week payday loan charges the equivalent of a 400% interest rate.
These “sharks” prey on the poor, elderly, and most vulnerable in society.
Sound the alarm and make sure your family, church, and neighborhood steer clear of this vermin.
“And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” Esther 4:14.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute
Esther, a young girl became Queen of the Persian Empire when Israel was subject to Persian rule. A wicked man named Haman tried to get the King to exterminate all Jews. Esther, a Jew herself, was Queen when this genocidal conspiracy was brought to bear. But her uncle Mordecai put her royal position in perspective.
“Perhaps God made you Queen for this very moment, to intervene on behalf of the Jewish people.”
Like Esther, perhaps God gave you the platform, position and influence you have for this very moment, to stand against darkness. Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.
David, the son of Jesse, just an ordinary giant slayer.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
David’s battle with Goliath is an epic drama where the little boy stands in God’s power to conquer the Philistine giant.
David didn’t awaken that morning expecting to slay a giant. He didn’t stroll in with an entourage after a rugged mountain range training camp like Rocky in Rocky IV. He was just a regular kid bringing his brothers’ lunch. But fully confident in God’s immeasurable power, though he saw Goliath, David never acknowledged him as a giant, saying, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who dares defy the Lord of hosts?”
When regular people are fully persuaded, fully confident in God’s power, giant’s fall.
“Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you.”
Many who oppose Christianity target their hostility on our foundation, the Bible. They say it is unreliable because Genesis one and Genesis two are contradictory accounts of the creation story.
In actuality, the two chapters are complimentary and not contradictory.
When Jesus was asked about marriage, He quoted from both chapters one and two, saying that He made them both to be male and female in the beginning. "And for this cause shall a man leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife."
Genesis one is an overview of the creation story and Genesis two is an up close examination of day six. If Jesus relies on them both, so can we.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
My name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
What is the proper role of government?
Romans chapter 13 outlines government's function, and it is basically this: to restrain or punish wickedness and to reward righteousness.
Government was never intended to be our savior. Government is our servant.
As we focus on our civil occupations and our civic engagement responsibilities, let us never forget that government is not our God. We don't put our trust in it. We put our trust in our Christ.
As a result, what we want is a government that stays out of our way and leaves room for our church to do our business of fulfilling the great commission.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 (NASB95).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The Vanguard Secondary Charter School in Colorado Springs kicked a 12-year-old boy out of class for wearing a patch of the Gadsden flag on his backpack.
The reason, according the school administrator: the flag is associated with “slavery” and the “slave trade.”
The boy’s mom tried to educate the school administrator… wisdom chased after the administrator but she was much too fast.
After realizing the Gadsden flag has absolutely nothing to do with slavery, the school allowed the boy to return to class.
Mom knew more than the “professional” educators… let that sink in.
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13 (KJV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The Walker Art Center hosted a pagan ritual in Minneapolis, MN geared toward families in which children and parents were invited to encounter “Lilit the Empathic Demon.” The even description read, “Demons have a bad reputation, but maybe we’re just not very good at getting to know them.” Families were invited “to create a vessel to trap the demon that knows them best” and finish with a “playful demon summoning session.”
The time when society would rightly shun this type of wickedness collectively has passed.
Like it or not, we are engaged in spiritual warfare.
What is the source of America's greatness? Alexis de Tocqueville, a 19th century French political thinker and philosopher, had this exact same question.
This is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
On the heels of the French Revolution, he came to America in 1831 to investigate America's ascendency. In doing so, he found that America's greatness did not lie in her economic system. It did not lie in her banking system. Nor did it lie in her educational system.
He found that America's pulpits, aflamed with righteousness, was the source of America's greatness. He opined that America is great because she is good, but when America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.
Let us pray for restoration of the flame of righteousness in our pulpits.
What would it take for you to compromise your principles?
My name is Abraham Hamilton III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
Recently I heard a statement that went like this, “I don’t think principles matter if you can’t get elected.”
Principles form the core of who you are. Principles form the foundation of a civil society.
George Washington in his farewell address identified religion and morality as indispensable supports.
“In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness,” George Washington said.
It makes me think of a scripture. “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul?”
What would it profit a man to gain an election yet lose his principles?
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Our world that is changing quickly and dramatically. But we do not have to fret. Jesus, as He concluded the Sermon on the Mount, already told us how to prepare ourselves. Submitting ourselves to his Word with regularity and consistency is one part of the preparation strategy. The other part is doing what He’s said.
The coming rain, floods, and wind are inevitable. He didn’t say “if” they come. He said “when” they come. Having Christ’s Word, but failing to obey Him qualifies one for the hall of fools.
“And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 (NASB95).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
As comforting as it is to know that eternal life in the tangible, manifested presence the Messiah is our home, salvation is not intended to focus us exclusively on the eternal state. In fact, Jesus explicitly instructed His disciples that we are to be reproducing disciple-makers.
Central to following Christ as his disciple is denying ourselves daily. Living self-willed, self-absorbed, and self-centered lives is actually contrary to the call to follow Christ. Denying ourselves is a daily priority if we are to follow Him.
“You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.” 1 Samuel 12:21 (NASB95).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Samuel admonished the Israelites, “… do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.” v. 20(b). The inevitable consequence of “turning aside” from the LORD is that you will give yourself to futility, things that “can not profit or deliver.”
Do you want your life to mean something? Do you want it to count? You actually were created for life eternal. The only way forward is to give your life wholeheartedly to Christ.
Eternal life is the only way to live now.
“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.” 1 Samuel 12:23 (NASB95).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
When the Israelites finally grasped the gravity of what they’d done in demanding a “king to judge us like all the nations,” they asked Samuel to pray for them that they “may not die” (1 Samuel 8:5; 12:19). Samuel agreed to both pray and instruct them in righteousness.
Christ-followers shouldn’t allow people to manipulate us into co-signing wickedness by saying, “just pray for me.”
We will certainly pray AND speak the truth in love.
"Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.” Jeremiah 29:1 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most quoted verses in scripture, albeit usually out of context and misunderstood.
Something that is often missed is that it is one sentence from an entire letter God sent to exiled Jews in Babylon. What should be noted here is that even in the midst of judgment, God still provided guidance and instruction to His people ,anticipating their return to Him.
“So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.” 1 Samuel 1:18(b) (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
1 Samuel chapter 1 begins by introducing us to a woman named Hannah. She was tormented and grieved by barrenness. Hannah wept continually and was so disturbed that she wasn’t eating.
Yet, she makes her way to the LORD’s temple. Poured her heart out to Him, moving her lips but not uttering a sound.
Immediately, as she concluded her prayer, the matter was settled. Though she didn’t have tangible evidence of an answer to her heart’s cry at the moment. She had the intangible confidence in The One to whom she cried. The matter was settled in prayer.
“When we heard [it,] our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” Joshua 2:11 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
When Israel was poised to enter the promised land, Rahab, the Canaanite harlot, risked her very life to protect YHWH’s people. This woman, whose life was filled with immorality, with no knowledge of YHWH’s law yet she risked her life for His people after only hearing of His exploits.
How much more then, should we give our lives for Him. We have His word. We know His ways. She we be any less committed?
Rahab’s conviction is provoking.
