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Colossians 4 We Need One Another; Christian Life is a Community

2/23/2016

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And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47
Colossians 4
We, the body of Christ are a community of people who love one another in real and tangible ways. Without the fellowship of the church, it is very difficult for a Christian to be comforted through sufferings, mature in Christ, or walk in the Spirit. The final chapter of Paul’s letter to the Colossians begin with a continuation of the picture of how maturing Christians should behave. Verses 1-6 read,
“Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
Verses 18-25 of chapter 3 talk about the maturing Christians’ relational behavior and verse 1 of this chapter carries that thought on. Paul directed: Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, love your Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.  Fathers, do not provoke your children. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
Our behavior, the way the new-self lives as the image of Christ, continues from how we relate to one another to how we relate to The Lord. How we relate to the Lord enhances how we relate to one another. We are told to pray steadfastly being watchful and thankful. Steadfastly means persistently consistently, unwaveringly, with conviction, and faithfully. We pray not only for ourselves, being aware of our deficits and being thankful for all things in our lives but we pray for one another. We pray for our ministries, for the spreading of the Gospel, and our sufferings.
Mature behavior, that is behavior that exemplifies Christ also impacts how we relate to the world. We walk in wisdom toward non-Christians. The Greek word for wisdom sofia means higher spiritual understanding, clarity, insight, skill (human or divine), and intelligence. The time we have with non-Christians may be limited, they may only cross our paths once. We are called not to waste that time foolishly but to make the best use of it. The best use of that time is to embody The Lord, The Word of God and His Spirit to His glory. We therefore act in graciousness which is defined in Strong’s as kindness through the Lord’s influence on our hearts, expressed as accepting, benefice, favor, giving, mercy joy, liberality, pleasure, and being worthy of thanks. We are to speak seasoned with salt, the saving power of Jesus Christ so that we can answer each person.
Every meeting we have is an opportunity to share Jesus. It may not be an obvious recitation of the Gospel. It could be a few sentences of testimony, an act of love, or a show of kindness in Jesus’ name but it should always be to God’s glory. Peter said,
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.  For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:14-17).
Paul lived out what he wrote to the churches. He wrote this letter and so many of his others from prison. He never let an opportunity to glorify Jesus pass him by. He loved the body of Christ. His letters show his deep feeling for his brothers and sisters, his spiritual children, and his co-workers for Christ. They show his deep devotion and ardor for The Lord. They show his willingness to tell every person he came across about Jesus.
Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, called after Jesus ascended to Heaven, who is responsible for carrying God’s will of salvation to the gentile world did not live his Christian life alone. He lived it with his brothers and sisters in Christ. Verses 7-18 show us that very clearly.
“Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”
Tychius, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, and Nympha are all mentioned by name as being his beloved brothers and sister, co-workers, and co-servants giving him comfort and praying for the church.
Tychius and Onesimus most likely delivered this letter to the church at Colossae and they would also tell the church all that had happened during their visit to Paul in prison. We joyfully share the work of our ministries with each other so as to encourage, embolden, and instruct one another.
Onesimus was a slave to Philemon but had run away, met Paul and become a believer. Because of Paul’s intervention Philemon did not punish Onesimus as he could have (Philemon). It appears that Philemon may have released Onesimus from his servitude and or at least let him serve Paul. Either way, Philemon and Onesimus were master and bondservant in one life and brothers in their lives in Christ. We may have employers, mothers, and fathers in the world but when we are Christians they are our brothers and sisters. Our position in the world is not the same as our position in Christ. In Christ there is no Greek or Jew and no slave or master; we are one in Christ, equals with each other (Galatians 3:28).
Mark had at one time deeply disappointed Paul and for some time Paul did not let Mark work with him (Acts 15:36-41). But Mark learned, he matured and the two reconciled. Paul directed the church to welcome him and no longer hold his past against him. We too cannot hold pasts, present immaturity, or sins against one another. Mark and Justus had been the only comfort from the Jewish Christians that Paul had. We have to ignore denominational lines and remember we are one church, one body with one Spirit. Ephesians 4:1-7 reads,
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.”
Paul pointed out the sincerity and intensity of Epaphras’ prayers for the church and their maturation. We too should care that deeply for one another’s walks as much as our own to pray for one another with the grace of Epaphras.
Nympha hosted a church in her home. She opened her home so that people could meet together, fellowship, learn and mature. Her hospitality made the church in Colossae possible. We have to care enough to meet together. It is in gathering together that we are able to mature in Christ and walk steadfastly in The Spirit. Hebrews 10:24-25 reads,
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Believer, you cannot walk in Christ without His body. You cannot mature and so become the image of Christ without the example of who He is around you teaching you to love as He loves. You cannot be comforted and honed by the Spirit if you are the not around those who share His Spirit with you. You need the church and the church needs you.
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Colossians 1 Our Hope is the Image of Christ

2/20/2016

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​Colossians 1
Today we begin reading Paul and Timothy’s letter to the church at Colossae. As with most of Paul’s letters, he begins by telling the church how much he loves them. Verses 1-8 read,
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”
Because Paul loved the church so much, he wanted them to grow into who they were meant to be. Who we are meant to be is the pinnacle of who we are created to be, that is the image of Christ. Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). But the fall brought sin and death into the world and keeps humanity from living that image. When we come to Christ, The Holy Spirit comes in and begins working on us, changing us back to who we are supposed to be, the image of Christ. The more mature we are, the more we look and behave like Jesus. Maturity or looking like Jesus is the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love and love shows in walking like Jesus.
Paul encouraged the Colossians that he saw the fruit of maturity in them, he saw the love they had for all the saints. They didn’t love because they were good people. They loved because of the hope laid up in heaven. What hope is the hope laid up in Heaven? It is our ultimate glorification when we will be perfected in the image of Christ. Every bit of sin and flesh we hold onto now will be gone and we will finally be exactly who we are meant to be seamlessly united with Jesus Christ in New Jerusalem for eternity. 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 says,
“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

And the author of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 12:22-25,
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
When we read about hope in the Bible, it is not talking about wishing or yearning it is talking about confidence in God’s promise as already fulfilled, faith. Hope gives us the courage to keep going through all the muck and mire of life because we know what and who awaits us. Theses promises such as eternal life and perfection are so sure, that we can consider them already done. Hebrews 10:14 reads,
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
Jesus perfected us, past tense! It is already done even though we are going through the process still. He perfected or completed us who are being sanctified or purified and made holy. Our love for Jesus causes us to love one another. Our love for one another causes us to want each other to become mature, to grow in the Spirit and be more like Jesus. Jesus’ image is the fruit we bear and Jesus’ image or His glory is what increases our faith and the church. Because of our love for one another we pray for each other to constantly and consistently grow. Verses 8-14 read,
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Paul’s prayer for the church in Colossae encourages us that we should be filled with knowing God’s will along with discernment and understanding. We do not just say, God’s will is that all people come to know Him (1 Timothy 2:4) or God’s will is all people glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7). We are filled with it, we act on it, we walk and we bear fruit in every good work. And doing so, increases our knowledge of God which is also God’s will (Hosea 6:6). It is not an easy walk. It takes strength, endurance and patience. But we have our hope and so we can walk that walk with persistence, fortitude, and joy! What is our hope? We are delivered, saved from the kingdom of darkness, ignorance and slavery to the prince of the world and now we are in the Kingdom of God. We belong to the King of kings, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Knowing God is His will for us. Knowing God results in obedience, faith, and maturity. Knowing God brings us into unity with Him and so conforms us to the Image of Jesus Christ. To know God we must know Jesus. Who is Jesus? Verses 15-20 tell us,
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Hebrews 1:3-4 reads,
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
The fullness of God, everything God is dwelled in Jesus. If we want to know who God is, we need to know Jesus. Jesus made it possible to know or unite with The Father because He, the perfect image of God paid the price of death on the cross for us. He resurrected to give us eternal life (John 11:25). He ascended to give us The Holy Spirit and so fully unite us with God (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit is the nature of God and He chooses to indwell us. He chooses to transform us into Jesus’ image. We can know God because we have His own Spirit in us. Verses 21-23 describe it this way,
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
If we love God, if Jesus is our King, if The Holy Spirit indwells us we will know Him and we will mature and want to know Him more. We want this for ourselves, for one another, and for the sake of the lost. But the transformation does not happen automatically. We walk with endurance, patience and joy through the suffering. It is suffering that teaches us obedience and it is suffering that develops the character of Jesus in us. Romans 5:2-5 reads,
“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Remember what that hope is, it is us perfected to the image of Christ and living absolutely united with him eternally. That is how we go through the trials with endurance, patience and joy. Are we crazy to rejoice in suffering? No, we are wise to rejoice in suffering. We can take joy in suffering because we recognize God’s mercy through it. Verses 25-29 read,
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
What Paul is saying when he says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body” is that suffering is what is making him more like Jesus. As he became more mature and knew God more, he was responsible to teach others what he knew. As we grow to be more like Jesus, we have a responsibility to live it out and tell others who Jesus is and how wonderful He is. Unity with Jesus and His Body requires we all become the image of Christ. The more we know God, the more we become like Him, the more we want to know Him. It is a lovely cycle but not a circle an infinite spiral which brings us closer and closer to perfect Jesus. The more mature we are the more we love Jesus and one another. The more we love one another the more mature we want all of us to be. It is another infinite spiral which brings us closer to Jesus and more united with the body. Love and knowing God which leads to maturity form the double helix of the kingdom of God.
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1 Timothy 3 Our Goal as Christians is Maturity

11/2/2015

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
1 Timothy 3
Maturing or growing to be more like Jesus is an expected quality for every believer. As we mature, we should be serving in our local churches in addition to serving The Lord in our lives. Ephesians 4:11-16 says,
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
Serving The Lord in an “official” church capacity is a big responsibility which requires the maturity to live life in a godly manner (Looking and behaving like Jesus). Our lives are testimonies to the people around us, the lost, the less mature, and every person we come in contact with during each day. In 1 Timothy chapter 3 Paul gives us qualifications for some of the official church jobs, these are also goals for each of us which mark maturity. Verses 1-7 read,
“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”
Let’s break it down.
First it is a good thing and a noble task to want to be a pastor of a church. Noble means: having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people admire (such as honesty, generosity, courage, and virtue)
: of, relating to, or belonging to the highest social class : of, relating to, or belonging to the nobility
He must be above reproach. People should not be able to criticize him for being dishonest or otherwise unprincipled.
He has to have only one wife, which includes not being an adulterer.
He must be sober-minded- Rational and sensible.
Self-controlled
Respectable- can people respect him? Is he worthy of deference?
Hospitable- Welcoming, friendly, and kind.
Able to teach- even if teaching is not his gift, it has to be an ability to explain the Gospel and the Bible to people.
Not a drunkard- The pastor can’t be getting drunk or high all the time. If he feels the need to get drunk, then he has not dealt with issues in his life.
Not violent but gentle
Not quarrelsome- He can’t feel the need to argue all the time. Asserting his own will and opinions with many people is a sign that his mind and confidence is weak (2 Timothy 3:1-9) and leads to the congregation’s deterioration. 2 Timothy 2:14 reads,
“Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.”
Not a lover of money and able to manage his own household.
And not a recent convert- a new believer might meet these qualifications but in his newness having such an important role will cause him to be prideful and he will end up living a very ungodly selfish life.
Moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders- If those outside the church think unkindly about him, if he has earned a bad reputation, then how can he lead anyone to Christ? Where is the tangible love?
Verses 8-13 list qualifications for deacons, also an important job in the church the people who are responsible for carrying out the ministrations and good works of the church. (Acts 6:1-7). Verses 8-13 read,
“Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
Most of us are not pastors, church leaders, or deacons, but still people ought to be able to say these things about us. And we ought to be moving toward these traits regardless. Maturity, the ability to understand the profound Gospel truth and the ability to teach it are our goals. Hebrews 5:11-Hebrews 6:3 reads,
“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.”
We can’t just keep getting saved repeatedly. We have to move beyond the first steps of our journey and continue to deep knowledge (relationship) with God. Our maturity shows in our lives, our actions, and our attitudes. Maturity, resembling Christ is our goal. Verses 14-16 read,
“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated by the Spirit,
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
        taken up in glory.”

​
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Psalm 39 Be Mindful of Your Short Life

6/29/2015

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Psalm 39

Recently my pastor encouraged the church to be mindful, to be aware and present during all activities during the day whatever it is we do, be it driving, washing dishes, or drinking and eating so that we could worship The Lord in everything and through everything. So as I drink my tea I think about the tea, the satisfaction of it, and the source of it. I reflect about how thankful I am to have this tea and the time to enjoy it. And I praise God for my morning, my tea, and my life. This is one way to making one’s life a life of worship.

This mindfulness or awareness not only leads believers to a life of worship it also helps us to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh. Attentiveness to our deeds helps us to choose right over wrong, good over bad, virtue over sin. This Psalm of David encourages us to be alert to our actions and walk. Verses 1-3 read,

“I said, “I will guard my ways,
    that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
    so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute and silent;
    I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
3     My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:”


The tongue is one of the most powerful tools we possess. With that tongue we can praise the Lord, we can bless, testify, and encourage, or we can curse, hate, and destroy. James 3:5-12 says,

“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”

Most of my sins occur via my mouth. David was aware of that same problem, so his wise choice and good advice was to not speak when he was in the midst of his enemies. He wanted to stay silent in his ire rather than let loose, sin, and give those witnesses pleasure over his iniquity.

It wasn’t easy. He burned with a desire to answer them, to defend himself, and to pay them back with the kind of pain they inflicted on him. He knew what was right and he wanted to tell them, even though he knew they wouldn’t hear it. He wanted to shame them the way they shamed him. But he knew that would lead to sin. It would lead to destroying his testimony to the goodness, greatness, and awesomeness of The Lord.

But he was human and he let go and satisfied the burning desire of the flesh and sinned. He wasn’t patient enough to wait on The Lord for his justice. In his repentance God reminded him how short our time in this earth is. We live only 120 years at the longest, most never get close to that age. That is nothing compared to eternity. A year or a decade may seem eons to us, but they are specks compared to forever. God is bigger than time. He made time. He has already been to the future. He has already conquered the enemy. When we choose not to give in to temptation we are trusting God to be God for us. Verses 4-6 read,

“O Lord, make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6  Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
    man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!”


When we look at our lives in comparison to eternity it becomes easier to let God be God. Vengeance belongs to Him. (Deuteronomy 32:35). He vindicates us. (Psalm 17:2). He is our Salvation, our Refuge, and our Strength. We are free to rest in Him. It is in leaning on Him, waiting on Him that our lives testify to Him, our Peace and our Joy, even through the worst of suffering. Verses 7-11 read,

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
    My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
    Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
    for it is you who have done it.
10 Remove your stroke from me;
    I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man
    with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
    surely all mankind is a mere breath!  Selah”


David’s failures, his sin ate at him. He became physically ill because of the turmoil his sin caused him. The Lord’s conviction and discipline caused him deep sorrow. He didn’t wallow in the conviction, though. He let the discipline teach him. He knew The Lord was still his Hope and Deliverer. He praised God for forgiving him, instead of cursing God for chastising him. He recognized that the correction he got was not the punishment he deserved. He allowed discipline to lead him to repentance. Verses 12-13 say,

“Hear my prayer, O Lord,
    and give ear to my cry;
    hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
    a guest, like all my fathers.
13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,
    before I depart and am no more!”


Discipline is not fun. It causes sorrow in us. But we don’t stay stuck in the muck of misery. We let God convict us and we repent. We make amends and we learn. And the next time we are faced with that temptation, we are stronger for it, we can use God’s strength and we can choose to trust God rather than sin.  And though discipline is not fun we can rejoice in it, because we know The Holy Spirit is growing us to be more Christ-like. We know it is for our good. We know Discipline means our Father loves us. We know that discipline results in a richer life, treasures for this life and treasures in Heaven. Proverbs 3:11-14 says,

“My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights.


13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.”


My precious loved brothers and sisters I encourage you today to let God be your Defender, keep silent rather than open your mouth and sin. I encourage you to pay attention to your life and live a life worship. I encourage you to be aware of your walk to avoid sinning. I encourage you to take note and appreciate God’s chastisement and grow.

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Titus Chapter 2 People Are Watching You. Who Do They See?

4/20/2015

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Titus Chapter 2

In the second chapter of Paul’s letter to Titus he exhorts us to behave in a manner worthy of the name we’ve been given. We are Christians and our actions should reflect our state of grace, the great name of Jesus, and His Spirit who indwells us. Verse 1 reads,

“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”

This is a continuance from the previous chapter when Paul warned Titus to not allow false teachings to get mixed up in the truth. When we teach, it is our responsibility to ensure the doctrine, instructions, and principals are sound. Sound means healthy, whole, comprehensive, good, and intact. Whether receiving or giving instruction make sure it is supported by the Bible, does not contradict the Gospel, and that the voice of God is recognized in it. If you are not yet able to discern The Lord’s voice because you are a young Christian, then continue to seek Him and He will make Himself known to you.

The mature Christian walks in a manner that reflects Jesus to the world and to other believers. In faith we endeavor to live a life that is pleasing to God and brings Him an aroma of worship, praise, and knowledge.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 reads,

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?”

We teach one another with lives lived well for God. We demonstrate to the world the goodness of God by our lives. We are not responsible for their response, we are responsible for our actions and words which will either present Jesus as Awesome Loving Savior or present us as no different than the world. Verse 2-6 read,

“Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

Verses 9-10 say,

“Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

We are being transformed day by day to the image of Christ. As we learn more about God, as we exercise our gifts, and express the character of Jesus, we become examples for one another. Glorifying God is reflecting His image, it is the exhibition of the Spirit in us.

Why should we strive to be the way Paul describes? So that we are training the less mature and so the word of God will not be reviled. Our actions will make people say, “Where does love like that come from” or it will make them say, “Their god doesn’t exist and if he does he is powerless.” Much of the world hates Christians and that is okay, but much of that hate is because we acted in the flesh and gave them reason to hate us, and that is not okay. We are supposed to be a light in the darkness leading people to Jesus, not giving them reason to hate Him. Verses 7-8 say it this way,

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

Regardless of where we are, who we are dealing with, or playing or working, we are to walk in a manner worthy of the name of Jesus Christ. We are His ambassadors. People get to know who Jesus is by their interactions with us. So in every aspect of our lives we have to remember people are watching us to see who this Jesus is. Verses 11-14 read,

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

More so than our words it is our lives that lead people to Jesus. He wants everyone to come to Him. He wants salvation for the world. He saved us and He transforms us so that the world will know Him. He is our hope. We know He is coming back, and we will be resurrected and rise with Him to eternity. That same hope for us, is a terrible day for the lost. On that day they will know Jesus is The LORD. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could let them know before it is too late? When He comes and they see Him with their eyes and hear the trumpet sound, it will be too late for faith.

The way we live matters. We do not follow the law, but we do follow Jesus. Jesus acted in love and in submission to God. Jesus asked us to love one another as He loves us. His grace is revealed best when we who used to be of the world, walk like the new creations we are.

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Philippians 2:12-18 Intentionally Choose Goodness

4/14/2015

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Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 12-18

Do you behave differently in front of your pastor than you do when you’re with friends? Do you act another way when you are with Christians than when you are with outsiders? Who is it you are trying to impress with your character? Is it your church, your friends, your pastor, or the world? Or does it depend on who you are with? We shouldn’t be trying to impress anyone. Yet, it is natural to want to please people and to want people to like us. So maybe when we’re in church we use Christianese, speak in fortune cookie scripture or bite sized encouragements. Maybe when we’re with the lost we cuss and drink like a sailor. We should be glorifying and exalting Jesus with our genuine walk. Our everyday conduct should reflect our maturation in Christ and show the results of the Holy Spirit in us.

It doesn’t happen automatically. We do not naturally choose the Spirit over the flesh. We have to deliberately exercise the traits He is building in us. Verses 12-13 read,

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

We opt to obey, we opt to be patient, kind, and humble. We decide to speak goodness, blessings, and love. With maturity and regular exercise it becomes easier to be faithful rather than anxious, to think of others instead of focusing on ourselves, and to be thankful rather complain.  God is doing a great work in us, but He doesn’t do it against our will. Most of us are not suddenly mirror images of Jesus when we’re saved. We have to let the Holy Spirit do His work.

If we’re going to act the fool, it is better to do it in front of our fellow believers instead of the world. Let’s strive for sincere godliness in front of the lost. Our lives are a testimony to Jesus. We must purposefully choose the fruit of the spirit over the desires of the flesh. Verses 14-16 read,

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”

The Lord hates grumbling and complaining, not only does it reveal how very ungrateful we are, it shows our lack of faith in God’s sovereignty. He also dislikes disparity among the believers. How can we expect the world to believe the awesomeness of God if they watch us arguing over ridiculous points and see discord among us? How can we say we share the same wonderful Spirit and be in conflict with one another? We are supposed to strive for godliness, seek the Kingdom of God, and pursue righteousness. We are expected to be lights in the dark, beacons of hope leading people to Jesus. We are not supposed to be people who claim to be Christians but act like the world or worse.

Paul pursued righteousness with passion. When he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he didn’t go out the next day as the man we think of who wrote so much of the New Testament, spread the gospel to places far and wide, and eventually glorified Jesus in his death as much as he had in his life. Saul was changed immediately in many ways, but it took time for Paul to mature. He gave up being a Pharisee to become a tent maker, he studied under the apostles, and he studied under the Holy Spirit for fourteen years before beginning his missionary journeys.

Paul wanted the believers to know the spiritual maturity, he knew. He urged them to earnestly pursue godliness. He knew he might very well be killed for living for Jesus and he was willing. He encouraged the church to rejoice in that just as he did. He was in a dank dark underground prison and he could still rejoice, because he understood the great benefits of suffering for Christ. Verses 17-18 say,

“Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”

Celebrate with your fellow believers the work God is doing in them and in you. Salvation takes a moment, living out salvation takes effort, and maturity takes time.

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Philippians 1:1-11 When One Suffers, We All Suffer. Pursue Godliness Together.

4/11/2015

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Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 1-11

Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi begins with an affectionate note. Verses 3-5 reads,

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Paul not only thinks about the church but whenever he does, he prays for them and thanks God for them. Do we do that for one another? Regardless if we know the intimate details of a brother’s life, we can and should pray for him. We are one with our fellow brothers and sisters united in Christ and partners in our mission to make disciples.

We know too that our brothers and sisters are suffering. We know that because they are on the same path we are, and it is filled with suffering, trials, hardships, and other tribulations meant to transform us, strengthen us, and glorify Jesus. The encouragement we can give to one another is priceless. It is such a good thing to know we are not alone in our struggles and someone is praying for us.

Those struggles have a purpose. They mature us and strengthen us in Christ, they bring us closer to the Lord and they transform us to His image. Verse 6 reads,

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

It is a good work that the Spirit is doing in us. That work ought to be evident. One day that work will be completed. We will be completely transformed in an instant, but for now we praise God, we rejoice that we are being transformed. Each day we are more mature, steadfast, patient, kind, joyful, and loving. Each day we look a little more like Jesus.

That is part of the grace we received from God. He forgave us. Jesus covered us in His righteousness. And the Spirit conforms us to Jesus. When one of our fellowship suffers, we suffer with him. When another rejoices we rejoice with her. We are one, united and sharing the same Spirit, God’s Awesome Holy Spirit.

Paul was in prison. Prison was a horrible place to be, yet he understood the reason he was there and he was acutely aware of all the good coming from it. He also knew that his beloved children in the churches he had planted loved him and were praying with him. The church at Philippi was not in prison but they like Paul used the situation to grow closer to God and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Verses 7-8 say,

“It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

The church was one with Paul and because of that he knew that they suffered with him over his imprisonment and they understood the good coming from it. He also knew that they were not letting his punishment stop them from defending and confirming the gospel, in fact they used Paul’s incarceration to uphold and prove the Gospel.

Paul encouraged the church to actively and deliberately pursue godliness. Verses 9-11 read,

 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

As the Spirit transforms us, we show more and more of the characteristics of Jesus that we call the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of righteousness. But we have to exercise those traits to show them. We have be patient, we have to have faith, and we have to be kind. These are intentional choices made possible because we have the Holy Spirit and we have God’s grace, and Jesus’ righteousness. Paul encouraged the church to abound or overflow, proliferate and thrive in love more and more.

He also included that that love should be accompanied by knowledge and discernment. Knowledge of God and His word is key to being able to love like He does. Discernment is vital to our maturity and to remaining steadfast and on the right path. It keeps us following the truth and revealing the truth instead of falling victim to heresies.

We, the church are united. We, in our local church are knit together tightly. We are responsible for one another. We are not all at the same place on the road to maturity. Some of us have more discernment, some have studied the Bible much more, and some know God on a much deeper level than others. Since we flourish in love for one another, we aren’t going to allow the weaker to follow the wrong path because their wisdom or discernment isn’t as developed as ours. We are going to trust the elder when he exhorts us, teaches us, and guides us.

Remember, we are in this together. If one of us is suffering, we all are. We all face trials of various kinds. We have one another. We pray for one another, we cry with one another, we rejoice with one another. We grow together increasing ever more in love, knowledge and discernment. We are not alone. We have one another. We have our Lord.

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Spiritually Fat or Spiritually Strong

2/6/2015

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Recently a great friend and I were talking and she said that we as a society were spiritually fat. We have easy access to the Bible, to biblical resources and teaching. We can go to church as often as we please. We have Christian music, movies, cruises, retreats, and even dating sites. We really can be immersed completely in the Cristian culture as deeply as we desire.

But the thing about all that easy access is it has led to an indolent Christianity. All though there is a surplus of resources for studying the Word, many Christians rarely open their Bible. The Bible in conjunction with the Holy Spirit should be our primary source of study. Rather than take in the healthy pure meat of the Bible, too many of us get the processed food of second hand teaching. We follow this preacher or that author, when we are supposed to follow Christ. We are supposed to keep the Gospel of Christ pure not sully it with our personal views. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 reads,

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?”

Many believers only read or hear the word when they are at a church service, hearing the pastor’s sermon. Or rather than read the Bible for ourselves they choose to read a book about the Bible or a book about living well that resources the Bible. Even many of our Bible Studies are actually studies of other books.  The rest of the time, if they get any word at all, it is in bite-sized cookies covered in sugar and removed from the whole, sweet little encouraging Bible verses posted on social networks or given in a greeting card. Often time they are not even Bible verses but poplar phrases that many people come to believe as doctrine.

When God gave the law to the people of Israel He said in Deuteronomy 4:1-2

“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.”

Proverbs 30:5-6 say,

“Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”


We are not supposed to add or take away anything from the Word of God. Doing either has dire consequences for the person taking only the parts she likes, the person adding what she thinks should be there as well as the person who hears and believes the lies.

The processed food of books about the Bible, and books that resource the Bible are okay once in a while if one is regularly in the Bible herself. If she knows the word, she can discern the additives and remain spiritually healthy. But if she doesn’t know the word for herself then she takes in all the additives and poisons along with the truth. Those poisons can twist the truth.

A spiritual diet made up only sugary nuggets leads a person to worship a false god, a god who would never give you more than you can handle, a god who will let you into heaven if your intentions are good, and a god who has doesn’t care if people follow his laws.

Our spiritual intake has to be made up primarily of the 100% pure whole Word of God with the Holy Spirit there to help us digest it and turn it to energy.

James 1:22-25 reads,

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 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. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Being people of action who actually execute and act on scripture is another thing we do not seem to see a great deal of in our spiritual fatness. In order to be doers of the word and not hearers only, we have to hear first. And to carry out what it says, we have to know what it says. There is someone else doing it, why should we? We’ll support this ministry or that by posting a picture to our Facebook page for an hour. We’ll proclaim Christ by clicking like on the latest Christian meme. But doing those things is not doing the word.

We live where most people, even the poorest eat and live better than the majority of the world, so we blind ourselves to the needs around us. We keep living in the bubble of Christian culture and think going to see all the Christian movies, listening to Christian music and spending time doing Christian activities with Christian friends is somehow being Christian. The Bible doesn’t tell us to be Christian, it says to live and walk like Jesus. It says to do what Jesus did. It says to keep the commandments, which means obeying them, which means acting. It says love one another as Jesus loved us. All those things take action.

1 John 2:3-6 reads,

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

We cannot become the mature strong Christians we were born to be without exercising our gifts or active walking and living of the Word. Hebrews 5:11-14 says it like this,

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

Maturity and Strength in Christ comes from Jesus giving His life for us allowing us to live for Him. That means we actually have to live for Him.

Romans 5:1-5 says,

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

We are truly blessed to have the rich offerings of so much spiritual nourishment around us. But we have to partake of the good stuff, the pure no sugar-added Word of God on a regular and frequent basis. We have to do what the Bible says, not just read about it, think about it and support the ones who do. In other words we have to eat right and exercise.

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Ephesians 6:1-4 Obey and Honor Your Mother and Father

11/4/2014

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As children of God and Followers of Christ filled with the Holy Spirit, we are expected to conduct ourselves in a certain way. We've discussed that over the last several days. Our relationship with God should also be reflected in our relationships with people. If we say we love God but that love doesn't manifest in our earthly relationships, then we are kidding ourselves. John put it like this in 1 John 4:19-21

“We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

He calls us liars! He says we can’t love God if we can’t love our brothers. In fact loving our brothers is how we prove our love for God. Loving others is the command that Jesus gave us that encompasses all the law of the new covenant. In John 13:3-35 Jesus said,

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We can see the importance of our earthly relationships to Jesus. It is clear that they have meaning. In Ephesians chapter 5 Paul taught that the marriage relationship was a mirror of our relationship with Christ. Now He talks about a couple of other types of relationships. He begins chapter 6 of his letter talking about the parent-child relationship. Verses 1-4 read,

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Since other relationships and earthly things echo heavenly things, I believe this relationship teaches us about our relationship with the Father. The difference being that our human fathers and mothers are not perfect. God’s love is complete perfect and flawless. Our dads are only human. We cannot expect our mortal dads to be our Abba Father. But we still strive to live this relationship the way God meant for us to.

The first thing Paul says is, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” Obedience to one’s parents is not always easy. When we are young we are still learning and we have to obey blindly. Daddy says a stern “No” when we reach for the interesting electrical outlet and if we ignore him and try to touch it anyway, we get a quick punishment. We have no idea why we are not allowed to touch the outlet. We don’t know why Mommy won’t let us touch the pretty candle and its flickering flame but she won’t. But one day we learn one of the reasons behind the bizarre rules. One day when Mommy doesn't notice we reach up to the high shelf for that beautiful thing she is always saying “do not touch.” And as we get our excited and curious little fingers on it, it falls off the shelf, and hits us on the head before falling to the floor and breaking. Mommy doesn't have to say “no” this time. Our head hurts, our foot is bleeding where we stepped on a piece of the broken figurine. The consequences told us the what we didn't know before. We should have listened and trusted.

As we grow up, obeying remains difficult because now although we often understand the reasons behind the rules. We want to break out from the rules and discover ourselves. Too often as adolescents we think our parents do not understand us. But the truth is our parents know us better than we know ourselves. They understand because they were once our age. They no longer have the raging hormones wreaking havoc on their minds or emotions, but even if they don’t remember how difficult it was, they know it is happening. Now they teach us by giving us the rules and letting the consequences of breaking or keeping them teach us. They try to talk to us and guide us through this very difficult time and sometimes we let them in and sometimes we don’t.

When we are finally mature we can look back and see our parent’s wisdom and love in their methods. We can establish a new deeper relationship with them as adults.

Can you see your relationship and path with God exhibited in the relationship with your parents? Learning to trust your parents taught you to easier trust your Heavenly Father. He teaches us and guides us to help us to mature in Him and become like Him. How many times have you surprised yourself to see your mother or father displayed in your actions and dealings? I've spoken and realized the words I spoke were my father’s words. I've looked in the mirror and seen my mother’s face.

God knows best. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows you better than your parents know you. He made you. He brought you into this world. He made you. Psalm 139:13-14 reads,

“For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.”

He has known you and chosen you from the moment He created you. Psalm 71:5-6 reads,

“For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.”

Paul next tells us to Honor our mother and father. He also says, this command comes with a promise. If you honor your parents “it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” It doesn’t say you will live a long life. It says you may live long in the land. You will know God sooner and you will live in the Kingdom of God longer than a person who rebelled, refused to honor his earthly parents and had to come to the promise of grace and rest from further away. Lost is lost. It doesn’t matter if you are ½ mile off course or 100 miles off course, you are still lost. But the person who is not as far away from the target he is seeking will probably find it sooner than the person out in the wilderness searching.

If you honor your parents, you are that much closer to understanding how to honor God. Do you honor your parents? Do you say, “But my parents are not worth honoring?” God still wants you to honor them. Find it in you to see this, God chose them to be your parents. He picked them. They had exactly the right qualities to create exactly the right you. He chose them because the life they gave you shaped your personality just as much as the DNA they gave you. God honored them by electing them to give you life. And they did. You may not like the life they provided, but God chose them. He was with you through every step of your life from conception to now. Psalm 22:9-11 reads,

“Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.”

Whether you had a good childhood or not, God has asked you to honor your parents. It is the 5th commandment of “the big 10.” The first after the commandments that direct how we are to interact with God. The first of the commandments that tell us how to interact with the world. It comes before telling us not to murder, lie, steal, commit adultery, or covet. That is a big deal.

So how do we honor our parents? What does that mean? To honor means to value, respect, or esteem. It means to understand and acknowledge their worth. We honor God by obeying Him. We honor God by loving Him and praising His name. We honor Him by living and walking in the manner He has asked us to, a manner that reflects or imitates who He is. We honor our parents then by recognizing the value they have to God and to us. Remember they gave us life. Obey them. Make them proud by living a good life. We honor our parents by loving them. God loves them. God chose them for you. You honor God, by honoring your parents.

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Ephesians 4:7-16 Why do you have spiritual gifts?

10/30/2014

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Ephesians 4:7-16

Believer, you have at least one spiritual gift, and you were given it for a reason.  Verses 7-10 read,

“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

When Jesus ascended to Heaven after His earthly life and resurrection, He gave believers the gift of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:4-7 Jesus told the disciples about Him.

“But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

 “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

Earlier Jesus spoke to the disciples about The Holy Spirit as well. John 14:15-20 reads,

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”

Because of Jesus’ grace, He gave you the Comforter. But only followers of Jesus can receive Him. Jesus told His followers that they knew Him. How could they know Him, if He wasn’t there yet? Because He, Jesus was with them and they knew Him. Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit are all One. They are God, the same perfectly unified God.

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit descended to fill Christians. He brought gifts as well. He not only filled us with His inexhaustible power, His magnificent glory, and His vast wisdom, but He also brought with Him spiritual gifts and gave each of us at least one.

Verse 11 reads,

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,”

There are lists of gifts found in several passages of Scripture including here, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Romans 12:5-8, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. These are not the only places they are mentioned but they give us a list of about 16 gifts (what I gleaned and I know I missed some. I highly recommend you find out what your gift is and that you use it.

Finding out what your gift is gives you more confidence in using it and makes you want to use it more. We were given these gifts for a reason. Several, in fact. We are not meant to sit and waste them. 1 Peter 4:10 says we are to be good stewards of the gifts, meaning we are to use them. 1 Corinthians 12:7 calls the spiritual gifts manifestations of the Spirit. They are the demonstration of God in us.

Why are we given these great gifts? What are we supposed to do with them? Ephesians 4 verses 12-14 tell us,

“to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

God equips us, He prepares us for the work of ministry. Yes, you are expected to and are capable to do the work of ministry. He also gives us the tools for building up the body of Christ. That means using our gifts for the benefit of our fellow believers as we all grow closer to God. We continue maturing together, becoming more faithful, more discerning and more loving, in other words, more like Christ until we are completely like Him. When will we have reached the measure of the fullness of Christ? Does it usually take two weeks, two years, or twenty years? We will reach fullness or completion on the Day when we reach New Jerusalem and enjoy eternity with Christ. We will be transformed in a moment and finally we will be perfected.

But we strive for it now. We don’t want to live life like the world chasing every new idea and taking up this doctrine or that creed, and then dropping it for the next wise sounding guru. We are founded on Christ. He never changes. He has stayed the same forever.

Our gifts help us to mature and become more Christ like because they are the expression and materialization of God in us. The Holy Spirit is not a good feeling. He is God. He is not a powerful high. He is God. He dwells within us. He works in us and changes us, and He makes it possible for us to join Him in the ministry of reconciliation and bring the lost to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21).

If we are all more like Christ and we have common goals then we are joined together in our work and in our mindset. Verses 15-16 read,

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

We are joined or fused together. We are integrated. We are armed with our spiritual gifts and with The Spirit Himself. So that we will continue to grow closer, more mature, more loving, and even more united.

The Spirit allows us to speak to each other the truth in love. We can be transparent, completely honest with each other because of the love in us and for each other. We don’t have to be defensive because there is no condemnation in Christ. (Romans 8:1). We don’t have to be prideful because His is a spirit of humility and gentleness. (Matthew 11:29). That allows us to work together, not with one trying to be more important than another or one trying to get more glory than another, but together as one body. The only thing we are supposed to outdo each other in is loving and honoring each other. (Romans 12:10).

 

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    October 21st 2015
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