These Things

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy -meditate on these things. 9 the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:8-9

Paul is writing to the believers at Philippi. They have had false teachers come in and try to lead them astray. They had taken a collection for Paul, and were sending it to him in Rome, where he was in prison. Paul is trying to encourage them, and to remind them that it isn't the keeping of the rules, regulations, and rituals that makes us Christ's. It is being born again, and putting away the former things, the old ways, and putting on the new man, and allowing Christ to work in us and through us. So he comes to the end of this little book, and speaks of the peace of God that goes far beyond human wisdom and understanding. And now, he is reminding us of the kinds of things with which we need to fill our minds and hearts, to exemplify godly character.

We as believers, even in the year in which we live, with all its technological advances and "intellectual prowess," are to think, to meditate, to reason on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. If there is anything of virtue, or if anything is worthy of praise, those are the things we are to think upon, to meditate upon. The world's tendency, and even in the church, our tendency is to think about what is lowly, the latest gossip, getting even, how to cut corners and not get caught, things not so lovely, believing and taking part in character assassination, and it is no wonder we are not making a difference out there. As believers, we need to be different than the world. So much so that there is a marked difference, not just a difference on the inside. The way we act needs to be different. The way we speak needs to be different. We need not be gossiping, because the world does that (not to mention that the Bible warns against it). We need not be conniving and sneaking behind peoples backs. We need not be letting words come out of our mouths that are not seasoned with peace. And we all have been guilty of this. But it is time for Christians to be Christians in more than in name only. It is time to realize that the church is not for us, but that we are the church, and that we exist for God.

So my encouragement this morning, beloved, is to make it a point in our lives as believers, to ignore the tendency to believe the worst about someone, and look for the positive. Look for the higher purpose, the thread or glimpse of God's truth in a situation, how we can keep our hands out of and off of a situation and allow God to work His justice. Let us make it a point to focus our gaze on the purity of God, not the impurities of men, and let us allow the goodness of God to reach into our hearts as we go through the darkness, and allow Him to touch us in the deepness and softness of our hearts. Let us concentrate on perpetuating the goodness of fellow believers, instead of looking for the bad to make ourselves feel better. Let us look for the virtue in people, not their faults, and then let us give praise to God for that.

Here is the thing. When we meditate on these things which Paul lists here: what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, having any virtue, anything praiseworthy, the focus moves from human beings, to the Creator of human beings. Our focus shifts from "Look what he did to me" to "Wow, God! You are so awesome!" And that is the better thing anyway. Is it hard work? Sometimes. Will it take effort on my part? You bet. Will I get burned in the process? Perhaps. But as Paul writes to these Phlippians from his jail cell, he can rejoice in the Lord, because his circumstances are not his focus; people are not his focus. He is focused on Jesus Christ. And when we do that, beloved, all the pettiness that this world and the devil wants us to get caught up in, just fades away, because when it is all about Christ, then it is for sure not about us. Amen? Amen.

Peace

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:4-7

The world in which we live is in turmoil. There is a constant cry for peace. Peace in the Middle East seems to be the focus these days. But there will not ever be peace in that region, until the Lord Himself comes to set up His kingdom on earth. Russia aligning itself with Iran, setting the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy (see Ezekiel 38 and 39). Nations threatening to wipe Israel off the map. Oil, the currency of our age, being used to set up the one world economy. The revived Roman Empire being established and gaining prominence. Israel getting ready to strike out at someone, be it Syria or Iran, no one knows for sure. The United States diminishing on the world stage as a super-power, and Russia beginning to fly tactical missions in the Bering Straights. All of this upheaval in the world today. Where is the peace?

Beloved, I know this is not the most comforting way to start a day, a daily devotional, but I do this to illustrate that we can never find our peace in this world, or in the things of this world. Our peace comes from knowing the gentle one, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is encouraging us here to, in spite of everything that goes on around us, to rejoice in the Lord. He says it twice for emphasis. And as we rejoice in the Lord, our focus is on the Lord, and His gentleness can be seen in our lives. Sometimes, we have to make a conscious decision to be gentle, when our flesh, and the world around us is telling us to lash out, to not be gentle, to show just how aggressive and war-like we can be. But beloved, the Gentle One is coming soon. The Lord is at hand.

So when the world around us is going crazy, and the events of the world seem out of control, and the circumstances of our individual lives seem to be following the same pattern, and our daily schedule seems to be ruling us, instead of us in control of it, take heart beloved, and be anxious for nothing. Let me say that word again: nothing. It is all inclusive and means everything with none left out. Cut backs on the job? Be anxious for nothing. Daycare closed its doors without warning? Be anxious for nothing. How can you say this? you ask. Because we commit these things to prayer and supplication to God, and turn it over to Him, and let Him take the load, the burden. Our "job" is not to carry the burden. Our "job" is to bring it to the Lord in prayer and supplication, and let Him carry the burden. He will work it out. And if we let our requests be made known to God, the One who created the universe and all the worlds and the stars and the planets and atoms and molecules and cells; if we do that, turn it over to Him, then beloved, we can have peace, because we know that He is in control and we are not, and that is the best thing that could be for our lives. And the peace we experience will be far beyond anything that the world can manufacture, give, or even understand. It is the peace of God in our lives.

Beloved, walk today in the peace of God, because we have taken our requests and burdens to the Lord, and we have left them there. Shalom.

Citizenship

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. 4:1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved."
Philippians 3:20-4:1

There is a lot of talk about citizenship now, most of it related to the immigration issues in this country. And while I am a citizen of the United States of America, and do not take that lightly, more importantly, I am also a citizen of another place: heaven. While the responsibilities and privileges of being a U.S. citizen are important to me, the eternal consequences, as well as the responsibilities and privileges of being a citizen of heaven are so much more important to the believer. Jesus was a citizen of the state of Israel, as was Paul, And yet, they didn't get caught up in all of the surrounding "particulars" of being a citizen of this world, because our heavenly citizenship takes precedent. The responsibilities and privileges surrounding being a citizen of heaven, are the ones outlined in the Word of God. Jesus teaches on them, Paul teaches on them, and they are exemplified in the early church in the book of Acts. Love, unity, the things of the kingdom.

Therefore, Paul goes on to tell us, that in the context of having a heavenly citizenship, that our lowly body of flesh and bones that we now carry around with us will not due in heaven. We will be "conformed" to His glorious body. Because we are justified and sanctified, we will be glorified. We will be given a new body for our new home. And it is through the working, the same energy, if you will, the same operation, the same effectual working by which He subdues all things unto Himself. Now that is power. And that is another thing. As believers, we have so much power available to us, through the Holy Spirit. Did you know that the power that raised Jesus from the dead, resides in us, through the Holy Spirit? He does. We will talk about that another day. But know this: as a believer in Jesus Christ, we can rest in Him, and know that He is our rest, He is our strength, and He is our sustenance. I guess what I am saying to all of you, my beloved, is what Paul is saying to the church at Philippi: stand fast in the Lord. Don't lose heart by what the devil throws in your path, or before your eyes. Just stand fast in Him.

The church at Philippi was undergoing false teachers that had come in behind Paul, and was telling them that Jesus was good, but they needed Jesus AND the law. In our own lives, we have so many things, and so many schedule demands pulling at us from all directions and competing for our time. Beloved, don't let all of that get in the way of our standing strong in the Lord. It is easy to do, to get our focus out of whack, and the devil knows it. So he throws all kinds of stuff in front of you to trip you up and to get you out of focused. But as the brand of apparel tells us, we need to be cross-eyed. Look to the cross. Lay your life down, there at the cross. Leave your burdens there at the cross. Bring all your hurts of heart there, to the cross. Rest in Him, be strong in Him, stand in Him. Relax in Him. He is our Savior and our Lord. Amen.

Press On

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but i press on, that i may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:12-14

Have you ever wanted to quit? To give up? To just throw in the towel and call it quits? We all have. We all have been falsely accused of saying or doing things that wear on us and just want us to stop, to leave, to quit. I guess if anyone had a "right" to do that, it would be Paul. Five times he received the 39 lashes. Three times he was beaten with rods. Once he was stoned (with rocks) and left for dead, and three times he was shipwrecked. The man went through hell on earth, because of the gospel he preached. And he doesn't tell us these things arrogantly. He tells us these things as an encouragement.

Paul is telling us, that the most important thing is not that his body had gone through physical torment, but that pressing on toward the "upward call of God in Christ Jesus" is what is primary. I recently have been lied to and lied about, by people whom I thought were my friends, and that can hurt. But their pettiness and lying are not what is important. What is important is the call, for which I must press on.

As a pastor, I have found that people can do some pretty incredible things, both for and against the kingdom of God. And Paul here, is telling us, that even he has not attained perfection, that he still makes mistakes, still hasn't "arrived." What he does is press on, even through all of the "stuff" that he has had to go through. Why? Because of his focus on Christ Jesus our Lord. He is the reason we do what we do. He is the focus of our life. Sometimes I have forgotten that, and have gotten my eyes on people, instead of Jesus. And that is when I have started sinking, just as Peter did that day out on the water with Jesus.

But I repent of that, and continue to press on..."forgetting those things which are behind." You know, we as humans can dwell on the past to the point which we begin living there. That is not good. We need to forget the past. Focus only on what is ahead. God has called us to some marvelous things. We must fix our eyes on Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith."

Paul says, "I haven't arrived yet." Neither have you or me. None of us have. Sometimes we are held to a standard by people, who cannot keep the very standard to which they hold you. In the words of a friend from New York City, "Fuhgetaboutit!" Press on, my beloved brothers and sisters. Fix your eyes on Jesus, focus on Him, and let the rest of the dross and garbage fall away from your life. When those people who come to your church simply for the social aspect try to pull you in, press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Be encouraged! God really and truly loves you, and wants the best for your life. So reach forward to attain that. Forget what is behind. Don't keep bringing it up to rehash it. Leave it back there alongside the road. And press on. Amen? Amen.

Flesh

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death, 11 if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."
Philippians 3:7-11

You see it everywhere. On billboards, in magazines, even right there in your living room. What is it? Advertising. The world of corporate America has researched you to find out what appeals to you, and what kind of advertising gets you to buy certain products, and then they use that information against you. Ever find yourself thinking, "I have just got to get me one of those"? It is probably due to the subconscious seed that has been planted in your brain by advertising. Slick ad campaigns wage war against your logic and intellect, to pull you into walking in your flesh. We find ourselves working harder and harder, to have nicer and nicer things, and then having to work harder and harder to keep them, but never having the time to really enjoy them. So what's the point? The devil knows the pull of certain things on your flesh, and so he orchestrates behind the scenes certain situations to pull your flesh in certain ways, so that your eyes will not be upon Christ.

Position, power, prestige, and paycheck keep pushing us to exhaustion, filling up our time to work, work, work, buy, buy, buy. And we wonder why so many Americans are depressed, and on anti-depressants. We strive for that new position, that will give us the corner office, or make us foreman of the crew, or whatever, to give us the power our ego needs to feed on, so that we will have prestige in the eyes of our neighbors and acquaintances, and hopefully will bring about a better looking paycheck. And so the cycle continues, as we seek to store up for ourselves treasures on earth, motivated by the desires of the flesh.

Paul here, is telling us he had it all: position - he was a Pharisee; power - he was a member of the Sanhedrin; prestige - trained by Gamaliel, one of the best in the land; paycheck - the persecutor of Christians. And yet, he counted all the things that he gained for the flesh and by the flesh, he counted them all as loss, for the sake of knowing Jesus Christ. In fact, he calls these things "rubbish," which is better translated "dung," or in other words, a load of crap (I apologize for the crass-ness). What he is saying, and I too believe it to be true, is that the things that we can earn and accomplish in the flesh, are just a load of crap compared to the privilege of knowing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And not just knowing about Him, but actually knowing Him.

It means, beloved, that we have such a close relationship with Him, that we know and experience the power of the resurrection in our lives, That is, that we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, and appropriate that power in our lives, the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead. And not only that (and here is where some fall away), is in the knowing the fellowship of His sufferings. Ever had a friend betray you? Jesus knows all about that. Ever been called names? Jesus knows all about that. Ever been labelled as something you're not? Jesus knows all about that. Ever been mocked for what you believe in? Jesus knows all about that. We are comforted in His death, because when you are dead, nothing more can get to you, or hurt, or anything. It is hard for a dead man to be somebody. Matthew 6:20 tells us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to store up treasures in our garage. Beloved, what is more important, the kingdom of earth, or the kingdom of heaven? We say the kingdom of heaven, but then act like the most important is the kingdom of earth. Let us go out there, and begin to store up treasures in heaven, and forget about this world. It isn't our home. We are just passing through. Shalom.

Bread

"And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst'."
John 6:35

Lately, the Lord has been impressing upon my heart, the image of just sitting at the feet of Jesus, and feeding on His Word that comes from His hand. Just as a shepherd provides the loving nourishment for the sheep, so too, Jesus provides nourishment for our souls from His Word. It is my prayer that we are in the Word often enough (every day is good) that we begin to recognize the voice of Him as He calls to us, and speaks to us through His Word. A lot of times, He speaks to us, but we just don't recognize His voice. Let us be in the Word, beloved, so that we can recognize the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts.

In this day of diets and a focus on what we eat, I read this verse and think about what it would be like to never physically hunger again. In America, and perhaps around the world, I'm not sure, but we have made eating not a necessity, but an entertainment event. Never having to worry about being hungry again, physically, would mean a lot of time and energy normally spent on thinking and planning eating events, now could be spent focused on other things. In the same way, spiritually, Jesus is telling us here, that He is our sustenance, and that we need not look anywhere else but to Him for our fulfillment. He is our provider. He Himself is the provision. He is our sustenance. He nourishes us physically, and quenches that thirst of our souls.

Jesus is what it is all about. Not our church, not our personal comfort. Not what our church can do for us. It is about who Jesus is, and our relationship with Him. So beloved, concentrate on your relationship with Jesus, and let church, and people, and all the rest fade into the background. Sometimes we concentrate on what we are supposed to be doing that we lose sight of being. Am I saying that church and people are not important? No, I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is that when we concentrate on Jesus, and just sitting at His feet, and being fed by Him, then we don't have to worry so much if our pastor is feeding us, because Jesus is the source, not the pastor. The pastor is just a conduit anyway. It all comes from Jesus. If we focus on Jesus, then our church life will be better, and our love for people will grow.

Jesus is the bread of life. Think about that. Never having to hunger, spiritually, again. He is the living water. Never having to thirst for those things that we think we are thirsty for, those things that we believe will quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. Allow the Holy Spirit to take His Word, and make it alive in our lives. Let our hearts be sensitive to hear Him speak, and give us the courage to be obedient. Jesus is our life. Get into His Word, and let His Word get into you. Amen.

Beware Of Dogs

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Philippians 3:1-3

The church at Philippi had been established by Paul, and after he had left, some false teachers had come in behind him, and began teaching these young believers, that Jesus was good, but you needed Jesus and something else for salvation. In this case, it was circumcision, or, the Law of Moses. These people would come into the fellowship, begin attending on a regular basis, get involved in the ministry, make friends, and then slowly lead them astray. Oh, it may not have been something really blatant. It may have been that they just called people on the phone, and said, "Can you believe that he really teaches that? What we really need is to do this...." They didn't really call people on the phone back then. But that is what happens now. Gossip is rampant within the church, which I am sure breaks the heart of Jesus. Nothing can kill a church more than gossip. And the Lord does not like gossipers, and they will have no place in the kingdom. And it promotes negativity and is the breeding ground of all kinds of things that are of the devil. And here at Philippi, the false teachers have come along behind Paul, and said that they need something more than Jesus. Just remember beloved, Jesus is all you need.

There are all kinds of winds that are blowing through the church these days. There is one sure way to keep from getting blown around, to and fro, by the winds of fads and false ideas that come through the church. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, and as Paul says here, to rejoice in Him, and stay focused on Him, then we won't be blown off course. The trouble comes when we take our eyes off of Jesus and His Word, and start focusing on why we are this, or why we aren't that. It doesn't matter, as long as we are doing what we have been called to do.

Beloved, we are called to worship God in the Spirit. We are believers first, as were the apostles, and then we are baptized in the Spirit, so that we walk according to the Spirit, and not walk according to the flesh. Paul says here to have no confidence in the flesh. Let us walk according to the Spirit. Let us worship Him in the Spirit. Let us rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, and walk worthy of the calling that each believer has on his or her life.

Beloved, we are the sons (and daughters) of God. Let us beware of the dogs, the evil workers, and everyone who says we need something more than Jesus. Amen.

A Glimpse

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."
Philippians 2:1-4

I once had someone bring these verses to me "to receive," because they thought that I needed someone in my life to point out all my flaws and short-comings. By the very act of what they did and with the attitude it was done, they were, in fact, negating their own "counsel." You can be sure, I do not need anyone but God to point out my short-comings, and he makes me fully aware of those. No one is more acutely aware of how and where I fall short in my life than me. So, to take this passage and come to someone like a Pharisee, and to use Scripture to boost ones ego, is not how the Holy Spirit intended, first of all, this passage, and secondly, Scripture itself, to be used and applied.

The word "if" in this passage, is really translated "since." Since there is consolation in Christ. Since there is comfort in love. Since there is fellowship in love. Since there is affection and mercy. Then the instruction is to be like-minded, having the same love, one accord, and of one mind. This is the instruction of the Holy Spirit to you and me today. Our brothers and sisters in the church all have faults, lots of them. And so do we. But the instruction is to love one another. The Holy Spirit teaches us this all throughout the New Testament. Love one another. Jesus said that is how the world will know that we belong to Him: by our love for one another. These days where people have the consumer mentality even about church, think that love is a feeling. "I need to feel good about church." Beloved, church is not a place where you go. Church is who you are, if you belong to Christ. The church is not a building, the church is people, who are born again. The problem with believing that the church exists for me, is that when there is a problem with someone in the fellowship, or when you get mad at the pastor, and don't "feel good" anymore, you just leave, instead of scripturally working it out.

Love isn't something you feel, love is something you do. It is staying power when you want to leave. People tell me that they love me, then leave the church. And I just say, "Oh really?" And continue on, because I am doing what Christ has called me to do: to preach the Word. Beloved, to take this passage of Scripture out of context and wield it as a weapon against someone is very wrong, and it grieves the Holy Spirit.

Today, as you walk through this world, let the world around you see the love of Christ in your life, not the petty, selfish belief of "what's in it for me." Yes, when you love people, you will be hurt. It is certain, because people are people, and not perfect. If you are looking for a place to worship where everyone smiles and everything is perfect, keep looking, because that place is called heaven, and we aren't there yet. So while we are here on earth, let us show the people around us the love of Christ, and esteem others better than ourselves. That is how the world will know that we belong to Him. And let us, beloved, not be too hard on our brothers and sisters in the church (even the pastor), because we are all human, and all make mistakes, and all fail at some point. Let us forgive one another, cherish one another, help one another, love one another. Amen? Amen.

Unfinished

"...Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ...."
Philippians 1:6

When I was a boy growing up in Indiana, we lived on a couple acres of land, nestled between soy been fields and corn fields. My dad wanted to put a sidewalk all the way to the back of the property, so he hand dug the sidewalk, formed it, and poured about a third of it with concrete. I'm not sure why he stopped, whether for lack of money, lack of time, or lack of want to, but I remember that sidewalk remaining in that unfinished state for a long time.

Sometimes, I believe we look at our lives as if they were like that unfinished sidewalk of my childhood. Yes, God started the work alright, and it started out well, but here we are, and it seems so unfinished, with so much more ahead of us, and we wonder. Perhaps we even think that what was begun is ugly and deformed because of its unfinished state.

Well, take heart, beloved, because a rendering of the old phrase, "God isn't finished with you yet!" And more than that, regardless of what you think your life may look like to you and others, to God it is a beautiful creation! Beloved, we have His promise, that what He has begun to do in your life and with your life, He will complete it. Paul says that he is confident of this very thing. As we grow in our walk with God, we learn more about Him. We learn that His Word is true, and truth, and what He says, He will do. So take heart, my brothers and sisters. What God has begun in your life, He will finish in your life. He will complete it.

Beloved, I encourage you today, to just take a moment, or a few moments throughout your day, and just sit at the feet of Jesus, and worship Him, and let Him feed you from His hand. Spend some time today reading His Word, for He says He exalts His Word above His name (Psalm 138:2). Let our Lord love you like no other. I leave you with this thought: He who knows you best (all the foibles and quirks and imperfections), loves you best, with an agape love that never stops loving, no matter who you are, what you've done, or where you've been. Just come to Him today, and spend some time at the Master's feet. You may feel unfinished, because you are. But He has promised to bring the work to completion, in you and me. Shalom.

Battledress

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...."
Ephesians 6:12-18

Paul was chained, every day, to a Roman guard. And every day, he would look at the armor that the Roman soldier would wear, and as the Lord worked in Paul's heart, and the Holy Spirit inspired his pen to move, he wrote for us an amazing description of what we as believers need as battledress for the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.

You and I know that it is a spiritual battle, but when a person comes against us in anger, or when someone wrongs us, sometimes we forget it, and want to lash out or strike back at the person, instead of taking the battle to the spiritual realm, where it is the reality.

Paul outlines for us here, our enemy, and the things used for out protection and our defense. First of all, he tells us that our enemy is not of this world, the physical world. Our enemy isn't people. Our enemy is in the spiritual realm, and there are rankings of demons, just like there are rankings of angels. There is a hierarchy in the spiritual ranks, just like in armies here on earth. That is the biggest thing, I think, of which I need to be reminded. When my wife or my kids or my neighbor or even that stranger comes against me, it isn't them, it is our enemy, fighting us in the spiritual realm. Lord help me to learn this.

And then Paul gives us the armor to put on: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. The belt, the breastplate, the shoes, the shield, the helmet, the sword - all pieces of the armor that are put on and picked up for battle. Much has been said and written about these things, more than time or space here allows. But there are a couple things I want you to notice before we end our time together today.

First, the armor does not belong to us. It is the armor of God (v. 11). On the breastplate are the initials "JC,"not our own. It is the armor of God and not ours to own, and we put it on each day. It is an armor that is forged in the spiritual realm, if put on correctly, can protect us and aid us in the spiritual battle that you and I face each day, and every moment of every day. But here is the key: You have to put it on. It doesn't do you any good to have the helmet of salvation, but leave the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God sitting on the shelf gathering dust. Beloved, you have to put it on. Put on the armor, take up the shield of faith, take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Beloved, we have to put it on...each day.

Secondly, the call is after we have put on the armor, to stand. To remain in the battle, immovable. To stand, and not waiver. Then, when she smoke clears and the dust settles after the battle, there we are, standing, with our feet firmly planted on the Rock. Beloved, get up, put on the armor of God, and enter the fray. Don't retreat, and don't run away. Stand. Stand. That is the battle cry. That is the call. That is what we are to do. Amen.

Of Battles And A War

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
Ephesians 6:10-11

To just comment on the first part of this passage would be enough. It is an encouragement and an instruction at the same time. "Do not try to be strong in your own strength, the strength of your own flesh," Paul is saying, "but be strong in the Lord. Be strong in the power of His might, not your own." How many times have I rushed out the door to face the battles of the day in my own strength? How many times have I rushed off in my own strength, without spending the time to prepare for battle?

That is what this is. It is a battle cry, for us to prepare for battle. But it isn't a grand once-and-for-all battle. Every day we live, we are to get up, and prepare for battle. We have an enemy out there, and he wants to take you and I out of action. He is kind of like, and I apologize for the analogy, one of those suicide bombers in the Middle East. They don't care who they take out, they just want to do as much damage as possible. Satan is like that. He doesn't care if he takes out your family and friends in the process of getting you to fall. In fact, that would delight him. So be sober about this my beloved brothers and sisters. We are in a war. It is serious, and it is deadly.

Now, in saying all of that, don't go away thinking that your daily walk is serious all the time and there is no place for joy and laughter. I didn't say that. But when the shooting starts, you can be sure that our soldiers defending our country aren't laughing and telling jokes. We are in a spiritual war, and it is deadly and serious. The winner gets your soul. So we are preparing for battle everyday, making sure that we walk in the strength of the Lord and the power of His might, not our own strength.

But then, the instruction is to put on the whole armor of God. Again, this in preparation for battle. As a soldier makes sure all of his gear is on and in working order, so too, you and I, each day, get up, and prepare for battle. Failure to prepare for battle means certain defeat. It isn't an option. We sometimes are too cavalier about our attitude towards the battle and the war. We get up, we spend time in the Word and in prayer, and listen to God, to what He is whispering in our ears and writing on our hearts. That is when we are equipped to head out into the day. And once we have put on the armor of God, which we will probably speak about tomorrow, then we will be able to "stand against the wiles of the devil."

To stand, means to be ready, to be attentive to what is before us. It is a position of strength, in a battle. It is a position of accountability, and we are instructed many times throughout the New Testament, to stand. And here, too, we are to instructed to put on the armor of God, and then, to stand, to oppose, to come against, "the wiles of the devil." What are the "wiles" of the devil? you ask. Glad you did.

The wiles of the devil are the schemes the devil uses to entrap and entice us. The original language uses a word from which we get our word "methods." The wiles of the devil are the methods the devil employs against us to take us down, and wipe us out. And we can stand, in strength and power, against him, if we stand in the strength and power of the Lord's might, not our own. We are in a battle; we are in a war. Let us make sure that each day we are prepared for battle. Amen.

Drunk Or Filled

"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God."
Ephesians 5:18-21

There are a lot of implications in these verses, and a lot of application. Prior to coming to the Lord, I was a drinker, so I can tell you with a certain measure of certainty, that it takes quite a bit of wine to get one drunk. I think what Paul is saying here about this many faceted. On the surface, for a Christian to be drunk is not a good testimony to the world in which we live. But to get drunk on wine, not that he is condoning drunkenness by any other means, is to take time, which could be better spent, other than drinking. Now, that may to some seem to be a stretch. But what does the word "dissipation" mean? It means "using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly."* And that is what is done with the wine; that is what is done with the time; that is what is done with the person - when instead we could be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

Then Paul instructs us to speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In the Psalms, I see the writer being transparent and open before God, about good times and bad times. When we are filled with the Spirit, we will not put on a facade with our brothers and sisters, but will be transparent and real with them. Hymns usually speak of the glorious nature of God, and for the most part are uplifting and encouraging to our hearts. Spiritual songs lift up and praise the name of the Lord. So, if I read this instruction correctly, then, being filled with the Spirit, I am to be real to my brothers and sisters, transparent in speech and deed, encouraging them by reminding them of the glorious nature of our God, and lifting up the name of Jesus, because He is worthy to be praised. And with all of this we are to sing and make melody in our hearts to Jesus, because He is worthy, and is coming again! Maranatha!

Beloved, let us also have a heart of thanksgiving for all that we have in the Lord; a heart of thanksgiving to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in this heart of praise and worship and encouragement and thanksgiving, we submit ourselves one to another. That is a difficult thing for some of us. Some of us recoil at the mere word "submit," because of the abuses over the years. Nevertheless, the Word of God is the Word of God. Beloved, don't let past abuses harden your heart to the Word that God would have for you this day. As an act of obedience to God, we are to submit ourselves to one another. "Well, you don't know what he did." "You don't know what she is like." You are right, I don't. But God does. And still, His word is submit to one another. This is what is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord: obedience. The results are to be left up to Him. Beloved, sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord, and submit as an act of obedience unto Him. He will be glorified as He works in your life!

Are we to be drunk with wine, wasting time and destroying our testimony, which is exactly what refusing to submit to one another does. It wastes our time and energy in all of the protesting we do to it, internally or externally. And disobedience to the Word of God destroys our testimony. But if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, then our will becomes in line with His will, and it is His will that we submit to one another, as an act of obedience to Him. So what are we going to do? The choice is still in our hands. Which is it, drunk or filled? Shalom.

Imitators of God

"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."
Ephesians 5:1-2

When I was little, the guy that I most wanted to be like was my dad. He had a sense of humor, he was strong, and he liked sports. He had a certain wisdom about life that he would share once in a while. It made me want to imitate him. Until the day he walked out on our family. Unlike human fathers, our heavenly Father will never leave us, never hurt us, and never forsake us. He loves us. Yes, He disciplines us, but it is because He loves us that He does so.

Some of you out there may be thinking, "How can I be an imitator of God? I mean, He's God, and I am not! He is perfect. He is God!" Well, that is a good question. To imitate God, is to empty yourself of your self, and to be "others-centered," meaning to think of others before yourself. It means to be righteously angry at what makes God angry, the sin and wickedness that the devil promotes. It means that we put on love, and we walk in love, just as Christ has loved us. How did He love us? He sacrificed His life for us. So we too are to love others. His love for us, His giving His life for us, was a sacrifice to God. So, when we show love to those dirty, stinking, ugly people out there, with whom we walk through this world, when we sacrifice and love the ones whom we don't think deserve our love, we must remember, that was at one time, us. We were dirty, and He loved us anyway. We were stinky, and He loved us anyway. We were ugly (and many of us still are), and He loved us anyway. Love is so powerful, and God is so powerful, because God is love (1 John 4:8). So how do we be imitators of God? We love. We love when it is a sacrifice for us. We love when it isn't a sacrifice for us. We continuously love our fellow man, and show the love of Christ. That is how we light the world with His love.

When we show love to this world in which we live, we will stand out. So many out there are only looking out for them- selves, that when someone comes along, showing the sacrificial love of Christ, you will be different, and will be a breath of fresh air in the life of those with whom you come in contact. That person at the grocery store, that man on the street, that woman with the small children. Our goal is to show them the love of Christ. And we can do that, by being humble, by being gentle, by being kind, by being joyful with them, by being patient with them. Being patient with someone can, alone, show the love of Christ, as there is hardly any patience left in this world.

Let us, then, dear children, be imitators of God, and walk in love. That is what Christ did for us. He sacrificed Himself for us. Let us then, go out there, and sacrifice ourselves for others, and show the love of Christ, and be imitators of God. Amen.

Renewed

"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:17-24

After I finish mowing the lawn and doing the edging at our house, I am usually all hot and sweaty, not to mention dirty and dusty. But there is this rejuvenating, refreshing, and renewing invention called the shower, and when I use it, the dirt washes away, and I come away feeling like a totally new man. This is not what spiritual renewal is. It is not just the washing away of the dirt. It isn't just the washing away of the "old man." When we come to Christ, when we are "born again," the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, that we are a new creation, not something just wash and cleaned up, but we are newly formed. We are something totally new.

When we walked "as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind," we were following after this world and the spirit of this world. Our hearts were blinded, and they needed to be be made anew. Not just washed up, cleaned up, and covered over. We are a new creation. We are newly "created according to God." There is a concept out there, that to be a Christ follower it is merely a behavior modification. "If I just keep all the rules, I'm all set." Being a Christ follower, beloved, is not about keeping any "rules," it is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ the Son of God. And when we come to Jesus, and accept Him as our Lord and the Savior of our life, He creates a "new man" in us. And our spirit is renewed - made new- and created "in true righteousness and holiness."

Here is the thing: once we walked in darkness, and in the ignorance that separation from God brings, when the devil puts that dark cloud of blindness and illogical thought over our minds, so that we cannot think straight, or even "see" the blindness with which we walk. And so, because we walk in the darkness of our mind, our minds must be renewed as we walk with Christ. The "new man" is formed in us. Created. And we are renewed in our mind (see Romans 12:1-2). Christian, we are called to walk through this world, to be in this world, but we are not to put our roots in this world, and not be tied to this world. Do not let the world system and the thought patterns of this world be found in us. We are called to be in the world, to walk through this world, but not be of this world. Be in the world, but don't let the world be in us. This world is not our home. We are just passing through. Our citizenship is in heaven. And in order for us to walk through the world and not let it get in us, we must be renewed in the spirit of our mind. We "...have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10).

So go out there today, beloved, and let the Word of God wash your mind in the Truth of His love, and let Him renew your mind, and let us live for Him, because He died for us. Amen.

Work

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness or deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - 16 from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which ever part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."
Ephesians 4:11-16

As a pastor, this passage speaks to my heart on several levels. The first thing that comes to mind, is the consumer mentality that people in the church have adapted to their own lives from the world system. Some people "hop" from church to church, vacating the previous one when it doesn't meet their needs. But they are overlooking one very important fact. The church doesn't exist to meet peoples needs. The church doesn't exist for them. Beloved, as believers, WE are the church. There is no church on the face of this planet which is going to meet all of our needs. In every church, if we looked hard enough, we could find something about it that doesn't meet our needs. It is too easy to just, when we get mad, to "take our ball and go home," meaning, to just leave and go to another church and start over. It takes work to stay put, to stick it out, and to work through differences with people of like faith.

The second thing that resonates with me from this passage, is that Paul is not telling us that the pastor must do all the work at the church on the local level. I can hear you all now. "But he gets paid to do it. He's the professional." I understand that, but the work is too large for just the pastor to be doing it. That is why it is the job of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. Did you catch that? In v. 11 and 12, Paul gives us the job description of those who lead us. They are to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. That is their job. That is my job. Because when the saints are doing the work of the ministry, the body of Christ is edified.

Thirdly, the work of the ministry, done by the saints, leads to unity. It leads to unity of faith, unity of the knowledge of the Son of God, and to the stature of the fullness of Christ. As believers, the saints, are feeding well on the Scripture, God's Word, and they are getting healthy, then the saints in turn, do the work of the ministry which leads to unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus, which produces growth and maturity in the saints. Because this maturity produces in us a steadfastness, so that, fourthly, we are not immature believers and fall for every fad and wind of (false) doctrine that blows through the church, such as being Driven by Purpose instead of being led of the Spirit, or being experience-based and senses-based, as opposed to being based on the Word of God.

Finally, the whole body is joined together in unity by every part (that's us believers) doing its share. This causes growth in the body, and edification in the body, and love in the body. Beloved, the work of the ministry is just that, work. We must all join hands and hearts and do the work of the ministry together. This promotes an environment, where we can grow in love and unity of faith, and the knowledge of the fullness of Christ. This leads to maturity in the faith so that we are not seduced by fads, fables, and false doctrines, that blow through the church. This edifying to the body, as each one of us does our part. But beloved, it all takes work. Amen.

One

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
Ephesians 4:4-6


When I was in high school, and this is going to date me, but a song that was a hit for a time on the radio, was a song called "One." Part of the lyrics were "one is the loneliest number." Well, in romance, one is not the most ideal situation. But in general, one is not the loneliest number. Sometimes I enjoy being by myself, alone, only to get away from the busy-ness of our society and culture. But that is not what is being talked about here. In the church at large, there are many denominations and non-denominations. And within those are individual churches. In Ephesus, there was one Christian church, for everybody who believed in Jesus Christ. Amazing don't you think. There may have been some minor issues, which Paul addresses in his letters, but they were more concerned, and Paul was more concerned, at making sure they kept the main thing, the main thing. And that main thing is the concept of "one." Not in the Zen Buddhist sense. But in the sense that there are not several bodies of Christ, there is one. There are not several holy spirits, there is one Holy Spirit. There are not several hopes for the believer, there is only one, Jesus Christ. There are not several christs (messiahs), there is only one Christ. His name is Jesus. There is only one Lord. There is only one faith. There is only one baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is only one God, one Father of all. And Jesus says there is only one way; no one comes to the Father but by Him, Jesus.


But today, we have people running around out there, within the church, mind you, and they are saying that in the name of tolerance, that they can concede that there are many religions, and their many paths all lead to God. You have got to be kidding me! Do we ignore John 14:6 for the sake of tolerance, and just "getting along?" This is the biggest lie from hell, the biggest dupe that the devil has done to God's people. There is a movement within the Protestant Christian church, to begin accepting the rituals of the Catholic Church, to begin to practice things that have their root in Eastern mysticism. This is happening today, within the Church, the Body of Christ! And it is dangerous.


I don't mind sounding narrow. Jesus did, and I follow Him. Not some "new Christianity for the 21st century" that is blowing through the church. Jesus is the way to the Father. There is no other way. I don't apologize for standing on the Bible and teaching the Word of God. There are too many out there who would just teach about some positive life aspect, some "feel good" principles, in order to keep a crowd. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn't change. There is still only one way to the Father, and that is by Jesus Christ His Son. There are not all of a sudden many ways to Him. There is still only one way.

Beloved, when you hear terms out there, like "contemplative prayer," or "contextual theology," or "ancient-future faith," or "prayer mazes," or "drum circles," beware, because there is a lie from the pit of hell that the devil is trying to purport upon the church. It is a lie that will bridge the gap, or at least narrow it, between the evangelical church of Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church, and other world religions, such as Buddhism, New Age, and Eastern mysticism. Beware, beloved, beware. There is only One: His name is Jesus. Amen.

How To Walk

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Ephesians 4:1-3

At first glance, you might be saying to yourself, "I know how to walk. Who does this joker think he is?" I will reserve answering your question for another time, but I do want you to know, that Paul was writing to a bunch of Christians in the city of Ephesus. Yes, they already knew how to walk, physically. They had learned, just as we have, how to walk within the first few years of their lives. So indeed, he must be talking about something else here, agreed?

First of all, I think it is interesting to note, that Paul is writing this from his prison in Rome, and yet, he doesn't say he is the prisoner of Rome. He says he is the prisoner of the Lord. Even though externally, there are chains on him, and guards nearby (who were also chained to him), he is bound by the love of Jesus Christ. He belongs to the Lord, and no matter what happens externally, it doesn't change the fact that his life is not his own, but the Lord's. And then, secondly, Paul is inviting us, reminding us, encouraging us, nearly begging us, to "walk worthy of the calling with which we were called."

You know, as believers all of us are called. We have the calling of Christ upon our lives to come walk with Him. But how do we do that? you may ask. What does that look like in my life? I am so glad you asked, because right here, Paul tells us how to walk. Here he gives us the ingredients, if you will, of how to walk. Lowliness is the first one, and it does not mean to scrunch down as low as we can and try to walk. You can't walk that way; you will fall. Lowliness means humility, a humbleness of the mind. It means not thinking more of yourself than you ought. It is very much quite the opposite of conceit and arrogance. Lowliness. The next one is gentleness. It is the brother of lowliness. It is the quality of being meek. Knowing you could, but you choose not to. Those two "ingredients" alone will get you noticed in this world, because it is in the opposite direction of where most of the world out there is going. And while I could use this whole space on just those two, I move on to the next, which is instruction, to bear with one another in love. This is something I believe that the church at large needs to revisit. It is so easy, and I see it in our fellowship, and know that it happens all across this land: Christians are the only army that shoots its own wounded. I have found, that in the body of believers, that we need to show the same love and grace that we show the rest of the world. In short, we need to give everybody a break, and let everybody off the hook. We don't do that too much in the body of Christ, unfortunately. We tend to write them off, to say "forget it" and then move to another church. Beloved, we are a family. And in my family, when difficulties arise, we don't move to another family and start over. We have to work through the tough times. It makes us stronger as individuals, and closer as a family. Let us bear with one another in love. Paul is instructing us to "stick to it" with our family.

Our final instruction about how to walk, is that we are to make an effort, to be earnest, to be diligent in keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are to guard (keep) the unity, the oneness we have in the Spirit, and do that in the bond of peace. We are to guard our unity in the Spirit, the One who binds us all to one another, and do it by making things right, "to set at oneness," with our brothers and sisters. If you know that a brother or sister has something against you, don't wait for them to come to you. You go to them, and talk it out, and work through it, and set it at one again. It is our instruction on how to walk. If you haven't learned these things yet, maybe you aren't walking. Perhaps you are limping along instead. Don't limp. Learn how to walk. Amen.

The Mystery

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:13

The context here from which Paul is writing is the separation between the Jew and the Gentile, speaking to the Gentiles at the church at Ephesus located in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). There was a church planted there, and Paul is writing this letter, Ephesians, to them from his prison in Rome.

While that is the context, for me, when I read this verse, the Holy Spirit uses it to minister to me in a setting other than the Jew-Gentile context. Yes, I am a Gentile as far as that goes, but there is something else that is marvelous and glorious and mysterious all at the same time. You see, in Christ Jesus, there is no Jew. There is no Gentile. There is what I call a third entity. There is the Christian. Yes, I know that the term "Christian" is thrown around and abused a lot in these last days. Some people say they are "Christian" when what they really mean is they are American. Some people say they are "Christian" because they are not Catholic. Some people say they are "Christian" because they are not Jewish, or Muslim. But the meaning of the word is "Christ follower."

The fact that I, a Gentile believer, who was once far off, now can come near to God through the blood of Jesus Christ is a wonderful and marvelous and glorious thing. There is no mystery anymore. God, through His Son Jesus Christ,
has brought us near to God, by His blood. Eternal life through Jesus Christ is not just for the Jew, not just for Israel, but it is also for me, too. What an amazing grace! We who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Beloved, as you go through this day, know that God loves you so incredibly much, that He made a way for all men and women to come to Him, through His Son Jesus Christ. That in Christ Jesus we live and move and have our being. It is all about Jesus Christ in our life today. So don't go out there in the world and try to fight the battle on your own strength. We have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is no longer a mystery.

Poem

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:8-10

Being somewhat of a writer myself, I know what it is to labor over a piece you are writing, and to pour yourself into it, until the finished piece is created. That is what God has done for us. He has poured Himself into us...He has created us and we are His workmanship. The word in the original language there is the word from which we get our word "poem." I don't know about you, but when I was in school, and had to write some kind of poem for English class, I put a lot of time and work to make sure it fit the iambic pentameter and all words rhymed, according to the A-B pattern. What was created was, well, beautiful (to me, at least). A poem. And of course I wanted to show everyone I could. "Look what I wrote!" was what I would say as I eagerly showed it off. Beloved, as believers, God says to the world, in essence, "Look what I made!" as He shows us off to the world. And we, being His workmanship, do good works in the world, we walk according to the call to which we were called: to be children of the light. His light.

But being God's workmanship, something that He labors over and shows off to the world, has this as the foundation: that we were saved by grace. Grace is when we get something we don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve, and grace is getting what we don't deserve. We deserve death, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and all of us are sinners (Romans 3:23), but we don't get what we deserve. That is God's mercy. Instead, because of the love of God, and what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us by paying the price that we owe, we get eternal life. And that is grace. Getting what we don't deserve. Paul tells us here in Ephesians, that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.

One more thing: this grace by which we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ is a gift. It is the gift of God. As little children, we try to be good so that we will get good presents at Christmas time. I remember that I was told that if I were not a good little boy, that I would get a lump of coal in my stocking (for some reason I am still told this, even to this day). But a gift cannot be earned. Ever buy something for a spouse or friend, just because? Well, "just because" God loved us, He gave us the gift of salvation. It cannot be earned by us or bought by us. Our salvation was blood bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. There is nothing you or I can do to earn it. We can never be good enough. When Jesus cried out on the cross, "It is finished!" Indeed it was. Nothing more was needed. We are saved by grace, and it is the gift of God. And now, we are His workmanship, His poem, to show off to the world by our walking in the light as He is in the light. We are a poem. Amen.

Some Kind of Zombie

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."
Ephesians 2:1-3

I borrowed the title to this devotional from the Christian rock band Audio Adrenaline. It was the title of one of their cd's. I have always like the title. We who are believers are just a bunch of dead men (and women) walking around. We were dead in our trespasses and sin. We were in bondage to our sins, and we were headed for hell. And now the dead have come alive, through Jesus Christ.

But these verses tell us something else as well. They verifiy for us, that there is, in fact, an enemy out there, who influences behavior, by telling us to fulfill the desires of the flesh, and to fulfill the desires of the mind. He is called here the prince of the power of the air. Other places in Scripture, he is called the dragon, the god of this age, and the devil. His name is Satan, and he wants to destroy your soul. Many of us as believers, just brush that off and go on with our lives. But for the Bible to bring it up and talk about him means that he is real, and his purposes are real, and we believers shouldn't be too casual.

There is an influence in this world that is motivated by the devil. It shackles people to sins and behavior that lead to bondage and destruction. And as believers, we once walked according to this influence. We were dead. We thought nothing about walking after the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. The mantra in the 1970's when I was young(er) was "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll." That epitomizes pursuing the lusts of the flesh and eyes. But as my generation got older, it easily transformed into pursuing the pride of life: position, power, prestige, and prosperity (money). The right job, with the right company, driving the right car, marrying the right spouse, living in the right neighborhood. Pretty soon we wake up and wonder how in the world we got where we are, a slave to our own life. But there is a way out of that bondage. Satan wants us to think, that when we come to the end of ourselves, there is nothing more than despair and despondency and depression. That is a lie from the pit of hell. When we come to the end of ourselves, God is there, waiting for us. The next couple verses in Ephesians tell us:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7

We who were dead are now alive. We who were once children of wrath and sons of disobedience, are now made alive in Christ Jesus. We have been made alive through the gift of the grace of God. We are saved. Thanks Audio A, we truly are Some Kind of Zombie. Shalom.

True Power

"...That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."
Ephesians 1:17-21

Have you ever noticed, that there are people in this world, who think they know what power really is? Perhaps you work for one, or have worked for someone like that in the past. They believe that they have a handle on what power really is. It might be position, or prestige, or prosperity (money), to them. People like this do not have their eyes opened to what goes on in the spiritual realm, and to what power truly is.

As followers of Jesus Christ, you and I can pray for wisdom and revelation; that the eyes of our hearts would be opened so that we could see and understand more about Christ, and He will reveal Himself to us. I don't believe that we put Him "on the spot" enough, and ask Him to reveal Himself to us in our lives. Perhaps it is because, for whatever reason, we don't really believe He will show Himself to us. But as we read through His Word, we pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. This is essential for us to increase in our knowledge of Him. We can never come to the end of Him, but our knowledge of Him can increase every day.

But also, we pray for the eyes of our understanding to be enlightened. When we don't understand, it is because our understanding is still darkened. Or, as we go through our day, and spend more time in this world, the "stuff" of this world gets on us, and darkens our understanding, so that we need to continually come to the Lord, every morning, and evening, and start our day clean, washed in His Word, and then end the day with a washing of His Word. And as we pray for the eyes of our understanding to be enlightened, He does just that. He pulls the curtain away. The wind of His Spirit blows the dark cloud away, and once again we can "see," and know what is the hope of His calling, the riches and inheritance that we have in Him.

Finally, because He has given us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, and the eyes of our understanding are enlightened, not only can we know the hope of His calling and the riches and inheritance we have in Him, but we can also know the "exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe." Beloved, I know the devil, our enemy, wants to keep us "in the dark" about the power we possess; the power of God resident in us through His Holy Spirit. But that is why we pray these things, for wisdom and revelation, and eyes of understanding enlightened. It is so that we can know, know, the greatness of the power of Christ in us who believe. It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. Just stop for a moment and wrap your mind around that. The same power that raised Christ from the dead, resides in us as believers. We become convinced by our enemy, that we are weak, that we amount to nothing, and what we do doesn't matter to anyone, most of all God. That is the way the devil can keep us ineffective as Christians. But beloved, know this: we have true power, the power of God. It is not the so-called power of this world, bound up in pride of position, prestige, or prosperity. Let us go out there today, not in pride, but in confidence, that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Let us go out today, walking in true power. Amen.

The Guarantee

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 1:13-14

Have you ever had a guarantee of anything in this world? It is very difficult to get a business to guarantee even their own products these days. That is because they have come to learn what believers in Christ for centuries have known: this world is temporary and is on the decline. Just as our bodies get older and begin to deteriorate (not knocking anyone over 50), so too this world in which we live is wearing out. It is winding down. Time is getting short.

In these days, there are so many winds that seem to be blowing through the Church. The latest fad takes over by storm, and many, many believers jump on board, thinking that if everyone is doing it, it must be okay. But Paul is reminding us, that it is in Him whom we have trusted for our salvation. It is in Him whom we have believed for our salvation. Not the works of men. Not in the "power" of positive thinking. Not in the "speaking it into existance." None of these things. It is in Christ alone. Sola Christos. And since we have trusted and believed in Him for our salvation, He has given us the Holy Spirit. He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise. He has given us the Holy Spirit to be with us always (John 14:16), and to teach us all things (John 14:26). We don't have to rely on what the man on the television tells us, or what the article in the latest Christian magazine is telling us. It is the Holy Spirit of God, who teaches us all things. It is He who illuminates the Scriptures for us, and opens the "eyes of our heart" to see the truth that God wants to reveal to us, even for this day.

The thing that Christians sometimes forget, is that this world is not our home. Our citizenship is in heaven. Now, I realize that it is possible, as someone once said, to be "too heavenly minded to be any earthly good," I know it is also possible, and more like probable, that if we get caught up in this world, and the things of this world, it has a hold on us, and can tie us down to this world. But beloved, we have an inheritance in another world, and a guarantee of that inheritance. And these are not the words of some used car salesman (not knocking that line of work), but these are the words of the Creator God, the Father who loves us. He has given us the Holy Spirit. He has sealed us by the Holy Spirit, as a guarantee of our inheritance in heaven. Let us not get too attached to the temporal (this world), that we miss the eternal (heaven). This world is not our home. We are just passing through. And one day very soon, we are going to be redeemed, "to the praise of His glory." Come, Lord Jesus. Come.

Sowing, Reaping, And Giving Up

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Beloved, Paul is telling us, that the things we "sow," our actions, our attitudes, and our affections, all have future consequences. If we look at this in the negative, it means that if we continually sin, that will have a negative impact on us and others in the future. Now, he can do all the wishful thinking and hoping he wants about wheat, but if he sows beans, guess what is growing in his field? Beans. Because that is what was sown. If we sow sin in our lives, we will reap the consequences or "wages" of sin, which is death; eternal death (Romans 6:23). Paul tells us, that if we continue to sow after the flesh of our lives: selfish desires, lusts of the flesh, lust of the eye, sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry (which is putting anything in our lives that come before our relationship with God), then there are consequences that will grow in the field of our life.

But on the other hand, if we are living our lives after the Spirit, we will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Earlier in this book, Paul lays out some sins of the flesh, in chapter 5, and tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love. Joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control are all by-products of love. If we are walking, "sowing," in the Spirit, then we will reap the wonderful benefits that come as a result of our sowing. We will see our love grow, and because our love is increasing, both for God and for His people, all of these by-products will also grow in our life.

And then, Paul tells us, don't grow weary of sowing love. When a farmer sows, he sometimes has to go through a time of inclimate weather, when it looks like his sowing is in vain, and the crop will never come up. The farmer could say, "I'm tired of this sowing. I'm out of here. Someone else can do it. I'm tired." Does that sound familiar? "I keep loving this person, and all I get is rejection. I'm tired of it." Or you might say to yourself, "I'm the only one who is doing this. I am tired of it." Or maybe you have said, "I never get to enjoy the service. I am always here in Children's Ministry. I'm tired. Someone else can do it."

Beloved, do not lose heart. As is born out in the book of Esther, maybe God has raised you up to do what you are doing "for such a time as this." God is working through your life, through your sowing in the Spirit. We can't always see it right away, but He is. And if we will just keep on sowing, and ministering in the place where God has placed you, whether that be in the marketplace or in retirement, His Word tells us, that in due season, we shall reap "if we do not lose heart." So I encourage you dear one, that this day, you do not lose heart, but draw upon the strength and might of the Lord and the power of His Holy Spirit. Keep on sowing, you will reap what you sow, and don't give up. Amen.