"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 4:1 Now i say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is a master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, werein bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!' 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Galatians 3:26-4:7
Beloved, the most wonderful, incredible thing has happened! Did you know that? You and I as believers in Jesus Christ have entered into something that I don't believe we even realize. Do you want to know what it is? I thought you would never ask. Are you sitting down? Of course you are! You are reading this on your computer! Okay. Are you ready? Here it is. You and I were once slaves to sin. We were in bondage to it. Maybe we didn't even know we were. We were slaves to the sinful nature in us, doing things just because we didn't know anything else. And then the law comes into our lives, and we realize right from wrong, but we just cannot default to the right, because there is something in our lives that is so strong, compelling us to do wrong things. But then the light and love of Jesus Christ comes into our lives. The chains of sin fall off, the bondage to sin is broken, and it is at that time that we realize just how bound we were, because now we have been set free. One who is born into slavery knows nothing but slavery, until they have been set free. Then, how great is that freedom! That was me. That was you. We have been born into slavery, but now are set free by the grace and mercy of God through His Son Jesus Christ. And when the Son sets you free you are free indeed.
In Bible times, sometimes slaves were welcomed in to families, and treated like part of the family. But they were still slaves. They had no rights, no privileges, because they were slaves. But if they were adopted by that family, they are no longer slaves, and have all the rights and privileges of a son (or daughter). Beloved, you and I as believers in Jesus Christ, when we became born again, entered into the family of God as sons (and daughters). That makes us a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Did you get that? We have all the rights and privileges of sons and daughters. Just wrap your mind around that for a minute. Just pause right now, and let that sink in. You are an heir of God through Jesus Christ. Wow. That's huge! And God has put His Spirit within us, that is crying out to God, "Abba" which means "Daddy," and "Father." We get to call the God who created the universe and everything in it, "Daddy, Father!" That is so cool. That is so incredible. That is so humbling to me. I never had a very good relationship with my earthly father, because he left when I was twelve. So, for me, to be able to have a relationship with the Creator God, and to be His son, and to call Him "Daddy," well, that to me is so unbelievable.
So, beloved, don't go around living like a slave. Allow Him to lift up your hands that are hanging down. Allow Him to strengthen knees that are weak. He is the lifter of my head. Allow Him to do that for you today. Do not fear, for the Lord your God is with you, today, and every day. Amen? Amen.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Bargain: The Best I Ever Had
"Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confirmed all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith, which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
Galatians 3:21-24
When I travel down the highway, I see these rectangular white signs with black letters and numbers on them. They are speed limit signs, telling me of what the law says is the fastest I can go on that road. When I am going faster than the sign says, the speed limit sign serves as a reminder of the law. Why do you think our automatic reaction when we see a police car is to slow down? Because the law reminds us of our guilt of not keeping it. The Ten Commandments are God's law. You can read them for yourself in the book of Exodus, chapter 20. When I read through them, I am reminded that, man, I certainly do fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Beloved, today when you are out there on the streets of your city, or the highways and byways of your community, think about the law. "No one is perfect," you might say to yourself, "even the pastor admitted to speeding and breaking the law." When the policeman pulls you over for speeding, that excuse won't hold up. We are all guilty under the law. So what then, is the purpose of the law? I am so glad you asked.
The apostle Paul is telling us here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that the law is perfect, and if godliness and life, righteousness before God, could be given by the law, it certainly would have. But get this: the law (the Ten Commandments) was given so that we would know that we were sinners, and in dire need of a Savior. If we could keep the law all by ourselves, we would. But we can't. We need a Savior. The law shows us that we are sinners and in need of a Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. "Yes, but I have never killed anyone." Oh really? Jesus says that if you are angry with a person in your heart, it is the same as committing murder. Lusting after someone is the same as committing adultery with them. And this day and age, covetousness, wanting what someone else has and not being content with what you have yourself, is idolatry. Ouch!
But there is good news, beloved. We are justified by faith. We are justified, made right before God, through faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we are told this amazing and wonderful verse: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast." In other words, we are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. What does that mean? It means that grace (getting what we don't deserve), and mercy (not getting what we deserve), both of which come from God, are key to our right standing before God. It isn't the Cosmic Scale theory that so many today have, where they think, "If I do more good than bad while here on earth, God has to let me into heaven." That is false. We are all sinners under the law. And the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We deserve to die. But through God's mercy (not getting what we deserve) we don't get death. Instead, through God's grace (getting what we don't deserve) we get eternal life with Him, through our faith in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sin, and took our judgment upon Himself, as a substitution, so that we might live. What an incredible deal, right? Who wouldn't want that?
Beloved, God is madly in love with you. He isn't mad at you. He doesn't turn His back on you. He hasn't gone away from you. He loves you so incredibly deep, with a perfect love. Rest in that love today, and know that there isn't anything we can do that will make Him love us less. The One who knows us best (whew!) loves us most. Now THAT is a bargain. Shalom.
Galatians 3:21-24
When I travel down the highway, I see these rectangular white signs with black letters and numbers on them. They are speed limit signs, telling me of what the law says is the fastest I can go on that road. When I am going faster than the sign says, the speed limit sign serves as a reminder of the law. Why do you think our automatic reaction when we see a police car is to slow down? Because the law reminds us of our guilt of not keeping it. The Ten Commandments are God's law. You can read them for yourself in the book of Exodus, chapter 20. When I read through them, I am reminded that, man, I certainly do fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Beloved, today when you are out there on the streets of your city, or the highways and byways of your community, think about the law. "No one is perfect," you might say to yourself, "even the pastor admitted to speeding and breaking the law." When the policeman pulls you over for speeding, that excuse won't hold up. We are all guilty under the law. So what then, is the purpose of the law? I am so glad you asked.
The apostle Paul is telling us here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that the law is perfect, and if godliness and life, righteousness before God, could be given by the law, it certainly would have. But get this: the law (the Ten Commandments) was given so that we would know that we were sinners, and in dire need of a Savior. If we could keep the law all by ourselves, we would. But we can't. We need a Savior. The law shows us that we are sinners and in need of a Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. "Yes, but I have never killed anyone." Oh really? Jesus says that if you are angry with a person in your heart, it is the same as committing murder. Lusting after someone is the same as committing adultery with them. And this day and age, covetousness, wanting what someone else has and not being content with what you have yourself, is idolatry. Ouch!
But there is good news, beloved. We are justified by faith. We are justified, made right before God, through faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we are told this amazing and wonderful verse: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast." In other words, we are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. What does that mean? It means that grace (getting what we don't deserve), and mercy (not getting what we deserve), both of which come from God, are key to our right standing before God. It isn't the Cosmic Scale theory that so many today have, where they think, "If I do more good than bad while here on earth, God has to let me into heaven." That is false. We are all sinners under the law. And the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We deserve to die. But through God's mercy (not getting what we deserve) we don't get death. Instead, through God's grace (getting what we don't deserve) we get eternal life with Him, through our faith in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sin, and took our judgment upon Himself, as a substitution, so that we might live. What an incredible deal, right? Who wouldn't want that?
Beloved, God is madly in love with you. He isn't mad at you. He doesn't turn His back on you. He hasn't gone away from you. He loves you so incredibly deep, with a perfect love. Rest in that love today, and know that there isn't anything we can do that will make Him love us less. The One who knows us best (whew!) loves us most. Now THAT is a bargain. Shalom.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Foolish Galatians
"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing for faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain - if indeed it was in vain?"
Galatians 3:1-4
One of the greatest dangers that we Christians face, is that after a tremendous move of God, we try to put our hands on it and tweak it and make it "better." Pastor Chuck Smith says it this way: "Every genuine revival and move of God, it seems, ends up with man trying to perfect it by the flesh." It seems that the tendency is that for us to start out well, beginning to walk in the Spirit, and by the Spirit, but then, for some reason, we want to take hold of our walk ourselves, and continue to "tweak" it, laying hold of it in the flesh, and walking, not according to the Spirit, not according to the Scriptures, but according to what makes us "feel good" and then we call that our Christian walk. I know some "believers" that are deceived and are calling themselves believers when they are acting worse than any pagan I know. They are "foolish Galatians." They had begun in the Spirit, but are now walking according to the flesh, and then calling what they do and how they act Christian. It truly amazes me. It is definitely a sign of the times, the end times, in which we live. Even some of the elect are deceived.
Beloved, continue to stay in the Word. Continue to go to church, where you can worship and fellowship with other true believers. Be kind to your pastor. Pray for him, because he is under attack from the enemy constantly. And sometimes the enemy uses other "Christians" to hurt him. But know this beloved, that the enemy wants to take out your pastor more than he wants to take out you. Why? Because "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter." If the enemy can take out a pastor, it hurts the fellowship of believers, and the cause of Christ takes a hit. Don't let Satan use you or that seemingly innocent thing that you are doing, to hurt your pastor.
We begin our walk in the Spirit. Let us be careful then, to continue to walk according to the Spirit, and not of the flesh. As we began our walk, so let us continue to trust the Lord, and His Word, to lead and guide us in everything we do. We don't need anyone else's opinion, or input into our lives save the Spirit of the Living God. If we are faithful to Him, and focus on Him, then we will walk according to the Spirit. Be careful not to listen to the message of the world, that tells us that we don't need anyone but ourselves and our own strength, to make it through the day. Be careful not to get so comfortable in where we are, that we lose that utter dependence upon the sufficiency of Christ for our daily bread. Be careful not to become self-sufficient. Beloved, don't become a foolish Galatian, who began in the Spirit, but then, got off track and began walking according to their own strength. Let us not lose our dependence upon Christ. It is He who sustains us. Amen.
Galatians 3:1-4
One of the greatest dangers that we Christians face, is that after a tremendous move of God, we try to put our hands on it and tweak it and make it "better." Pastor Chuck Smith says it this way: "Every genuine revival and move of God, it seems, ends up with man trying to perfect it by the flesh." It seems that the tendency is that for us to start out well, beginning to walk in the Spirit, and by the Spirit, but then, for some reason, we want to take hold of our walk ourselves, and continue to "tweak" it, laying hold of it in the flesh, and walking, not according to the Spirit, not according to the Scriptures, but according to what makes us "feel good" and then we call that our Christian walk. I know some "believers" that are deceived and are calling themselves believers when they are acting worse than any pagan I know. They are "foolish Galatians." They had begun in the Spirit, but are now walking according to the flesh, and then calling what they do and how they act Christian. It truly amazes me. It is definitely a sign of the times, the end times, in which we live. Even some of the elect are deceived.
Beloved, continue to stay in the Word. Continue to go to church, where you can worship and fellowship with other true believers. Be kind to your pastor. Pray for him, because he is under attack from the enemy constantly. And sometimes the enemy uses other "Christians" to hurt him. But know this beloved, that the enemy wants to take out your pastor more than he wants to take out you. Why? Because "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter." If the enemy can take out a pastor, it hurts the fellowship of believers, and the cause of Christ takes a hit. Don't let Satan use you or that seemingly innocent thing that you are doing, to hurt your pastor.
We begin our walk in the Spirit. Let us be careful then, to continue to walk according to the Spirit, and not of the flesh. As we began our walk, so let us continue to trust the Lord, and His Word, to lead and guide us in everything we do. We don't need anyone else's opinion, or input into our lives save the Spirit of the Living God. If we are faithful to Him, and focus on Him, then we will walk according to the Spirit. Be careful not to listen to the message of the world, that tells us that we don't need anyone but ourselves and our own strength, to make it through the day. Be careful not to get so comfortable in where we are, that we lose that utter dependence upon the sufficiency of Christ for our daily bread. Be careful not to become self-sufficient. Beloved, don't become a foolish Galatian, who began in the Spirit, but then, got off track and began walking according to their own strength. Let us not lose our dependence upon Christ. It is He who sustains us. Amen.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Killing My Old Man
"For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."
Galatians 2:16-21
As we have been reading through these early verses here in the book of Galatians, Paul is talking to us about the difference between living under the law and under grace. The law is a set of rules that, having left the bondage of sin, we put ourselves under the bondage of trying to keep. So we go from bondage to bondage, because we were under the bondage of sin, and now we are under the bondage of the guilt that comes from trying to keep the rules and failing. We have been freed from the bondage of sin, and we have been freed from the bondage of the law. Paul says that if we are saved by grace, and then place ourselves under bondage to the law again, then we sin. The law, the Ten Commandments for example, make it very clear that I cannot keep them. They make me very aware that if I am going to make it, I need a Savior, that I need Jesus. So through that law, I die to that law - not to the requirement contained therein, but to the guilt and the bondage associated to my awareness of failure to comply - because now I live my life to God, Jesus living through me. I do not live under the law anymore, but under grace. In Christ, the law requirements are fulfilled. This is what was happening to the Galatians. They were saved, and then listening to false teachers telling them that they needed Jesus, but they better be keeping all of those rules too. Paul is saying a loud and resounding "No."
We must take our "old man," the person we were before coming to Christ, the person who we were, living in bondage to the sin in our lives, often times unaware that we are even IN bondage, we take that old man, and we kill him. Before you stop reading, let me explain. When we come to Christ ("saved," "born again," "come to faith"), we become a new person. The Bible says that we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). When Christ died on the cross, He took all of the sin of every person in the world upon Himself. Every person who has ever lived, is living now, and who will live in the future. He took all of that sin upon Himself when He was crucified on the cross. That is where that "old man" went, when we became a follower of Jesus Christ. We are not the same person anymore. Do we still live in the fleshly body that is ours from birth? Yes. But our "old man" is not our physical flesh and bones. Our "old man" is our sin nature, the natural inclination (our "default" if you will) to sin. Our old man was nailed to the cross with Christ, so that we live, not defaulting to sin, but to Christ's example. We must do this, kill our old man, every day, because he wants to come down from the cross and take over again. Paul says that he must die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31). So too, must we make sure that old man is dead, every day.
When we kill our old man, then Christ can live through us, as we walk by faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God every day. Jesus Christ gave Himself on the cross as the substitution for our death, because the wages of sin is death, the Bible tells us, so someone has to die. We deserve to die for our sins, but God loves us so much, that He gave His one and only Son, to die in our place, so that we don't have to. That is God's mercy. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. We deserve death, but we don't get it. We get life, because of what Jesus did on the cross: He died in our place. And because Christ died for us, we get to experience eternal life with Him, if we turn to Him and repent of our sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. That is God's grace. Grace is getting what we don't deserve. We deserve death, and we get life. What a deal! No one in their right mind would turn that down. We exchange our death for life eternal. Beloved, I pray I have not muddied the waters for you on this issue. If you have any questions or comments, you can reach me by posting a comment to this blog. We must walk with our heads held high, not in arrogance, but in the confidence that we live in Christ, and He lives through us. True righteousness comes through Christ, not through the keeping of the rules. If it came through the law, or the keeping of the rules, then, as Paul says, Christ died in vain. Beloved, know that God loves you, with a perfect love, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die as the substitution for us, to die on the cross in our place, so that we might live. That makes my heart swell in thanksgiving and love for Him. I pray it does your heart too. Incidently, I got the title for today's devotional from an old song by the group Petra of the same name, about the same subject. Beloved, walk well. Have faith. Pray. Enjoy your walk with Him. Amen.
Galatians 2:16-21
As we have been reading through these early verses here in the book of Galatians, Paul is talking to us about the difference between living under the law and under grace. The law is a set of rules that, having left the bondage of sin, we put ourselves under the bondage of trying to keep. So we go from bondage to bondage, because we were under the bondage of sin, and now we are under the bondage of the guilt that comes from trying to keep the rules and failing. We have been freed from the bondage of sin, and we have been freed from the bondage of the law. Paul says that if we are saved by grace, and then place ourselves under bondage to the law again, then we sin. The law, the Ten Commandments for example, make it very clear that I cannot keep them. They make me very aware that if I am going to make it, I need a Savior, that I need Jesus. So through that law, I die to that law - not to the requirement contained therein, but to the guilt and the bondage associated to my awareness of failure to comply - because now I live my life to God, Jesus living through me. I do not live under the law anymore, but under grace. In Christ, the law requirements are fulfilled. This is what was happening to the Galatians. They were saved, and then listening to false teachers telling them that they needed Jesus, but they better be keeping all of those rules too. Paul is saying a loud and resounding "No."
We must take our "old man," the person we were before coming to Christ, the person who we were, living in bondage to the sin in our lives, often times unaware that we are even IN bondage, we take that old man, and we kill him. Before you stop reading, let me explain. When we come to Christ ("saved," "born again," "come to faith"), we become a new person. The Bible says that we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). When Christ died on the cross, He took all of the sin of every person in the world upon Himself. Every person who has ever lived, is living now, and who will live in the future. He took all of that sin upon Himself when He was crucified on the cross. That is where that "old man" went, when we became a follower of Jesus Christ. We are not the same person anymore. Do we still live in the fleshly body that is ours from birth? Yes. But our "old man" is not our physical flesh and bones. Our "old man" is our sin nature, the natural inclination (our "default" if you will) to sin. Our old man was nailed to the cross with Christ, so that we live, not defaulting to sin, but to Christ's example. We must do this, kill our old man, every day, because he wants to come down from the cross and take over again. Paul says that he must die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31). So too, must we make sure that old man is dead, every day.
When we kill our old man, then Christ can live through us, as we walk by faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God every day. Jesus Christ gave Himself on the cross as the substitution for our death, because the wages of sin is death, the Bible tells us, so someone has to die. We deserve to die for our sins, but God loves us so much, that He gave His one and only Son, to die in our place, so that we don't have to. That is God's mercy. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. We deserve death, but we don't get it. We get life, because of what Jesus did on the cross: He died in our place. And because Christ died for us, we get to experience eternal life with Him, if we turn to Him and repent of our sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. That is God's grace. Grace is getting what we don't deserve. We deserve death, and we get life. What a deal! No one in their right mind would turn that down. We exchange our death for life eternal. Beloved, I pray I have not muddied the waters for you on this issue. If you have any questions or comments, you can reach me by posting a comment to this blog. We must walk with our heads held high, not in arrogance, but in the confidence that we live in Christ, and He lives through us. True righteousness comes through Christ, not through the keeping of the rules. If it came through the law, or the keeping of the rules, then, as Paul says, Christ died in vain. Beloved, know that God loves you, with a perfect love, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die as the substitution for us, to die on the cross in our place, so that we might live. That makes my heart swell in thanksgiving and love for Him. I pray it does your heart too. Incidently, I got the title for today's devotional from an old song by the group Petra of the same name, about the same subject. Beloved, walk well. Have faith. Pray. Enjoy your walk with Him. Amen.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Important Thing To Know
"We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified."
Galatians 2:15-16
This is kind of a strange selection of Scripture for a daily devotional, I will admit. But you need to read Galatians 1:19 through the end of the chapter, and the first fourteen verses of chapter 2 to really set it in context. If you haven't done that already, go ahead and do it now. I will wait.
Finished? Okay. So you see, there were some issues at hand. First, Paul had to present himself eventually to the "mother church" in Jerusalem, so that they could examine him to make sure he wasn't preaching some kind of heresy. I understand that. When I became a pastor, I had to undergo a similar testing, and did so willingly, because I understand the need for orthodoxy in the pastorate. You can't have "just anybody" running around out there and hanging out their shingle and starting a church. Yes, I know this has happened. But it is much to the shame of the individual. Where is the accountability? Where is the making sure that the interpretation being taught is actually contextually correct? Now, don't get me started. This is, perhaps, a topic for another day. So Paul went to Jerusalem.
Secondly, there was the issue of legalism. Some legalistic brothers, and I use the term loosely, had sneaked into the church meeting, to make sure that Paul was following the rules. They were very persuasive, and even convinced Titus, who was young and impressionable, and travelling with Paul, to become circumcised. Titus was a Gentile, and consequently, uncircumcised. But he had become a believer under Paul's ministry, and now was travelling around with him. And some legalists convinced young Titus that he was bound by Christ AND the law. There is the same kind of thing going on in the Church today. Jesus says, "Come unto me ALL you who are weary and heavy laden...." (emphasis mine) But there are some who would have you believe that only a select portion of people are going to heaven. Don't be swayed by the legalism. These people are under a law, not under the grace of God. Jesus says, "...Whosoever...shall have everlasting life." This means whoever. Not any select individuals. Anyone can come to Christ. Anyone.
Thirdly, there was the hypocrisy of Peter, of which Paul had to confront, and did so face-to-face with Peter. He didn't start spreading rumors about Paul. He didn't go to this one or that one, and say, "Did you hear what Peter is doing?" No. He went to Peter, and met with him face-to-face, and pointed out the blind spot in Peter's life. Oh this is much needed in the Church today. Too many times we start wagging our tongues to everyone, instead of going to the brother or the sister and sitting down with them face-to-face, and pointing out the blindspot, and then praying together, so that the relationship is still intact. Not so with us. We would much rather spread lies and rumors and gossip, which is so much easier, than to go to the person with our concerns. My Bible tells me that gossipers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Beloved, the point of today's Scripture is very important. There is no "list" of things you need to do, to check off if you will, to be saved. We are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, not of ourselves, because it is the gift of God. It is not by the works we do, because if it were, we would surely boast about it, and become all puffed up with pride. It has nothing to do with us. It is all about Jesus Christ, and the work that He did for us on the cross. When He said from the cross, "It is finished," it means that the work has been done, and there is nothing more that needs to be done. So don't let anyone tell you that you have to "keep the rules" to be saved. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Not by what version of the Bible that you read. Not by how much time you spend in prayer. Not by how many chapters of Scripture you read. Not by your appearance, nor the songs you sing or listen to. Not even by your attendance at a certain church, or brand of church. None of that. Yes, Bible reading is extremely vital to the believer. Yes, prayer is of the utmost importance. But man, those are "get to's" not "got to's." We get to do those things out of our love for Jesus. We want to do those things because of our love for Him. It isn't because if we don't we won't belong to Him. It is because we belong to Him, and we want to become closer and closer and walk with Him on a daily basis. That is why we do it. Not because a "law" says we have to. And so beloved, at the end of this lengthy writing, here is the important thing to know: you are under grace, not the law. Don't worry so much about keeping the "rules." Just live under the grace of God. Let the Holy Spirit guide you today. Pray. Let the Word of God speak to you. Have faith. And enjoy your walk with Jesus. Shalom.
Galatians 2:15-16
This is kind of a strange selection of Scripture for a daily devotional, I will admit. But you need to read Galatians 1:19 through the end of the chapter, and the first fourteen verses of chapter 2 to really set it in context. If you haven't done that already, go ahead and do it now. I will wait.
Finished? Okay. So you see, there were some issues at hand. First, Paul had to present himself eventually to the "mother church" in Jerusalem, so that they could examine him to make sure he wasn't preaching some kind of heresy. I understand that. When I became a pastor, I had to undergo a similar testing, and did so willingly, because I understand the need for orthodoxy in the pastorate. You can't have "just anybody" running around out there and hanging out their shingle and starting a church. Yes, I know this has happened. But it is much to the shame of the individual. Where is the accountability? Where is the making sure that the interpretation being taught is actually contextually correct? Now, don't get me started. This is, perhaps, a topic for another day. So Paul went to Jerusalem.
Secondly, there was the issue of legalism. Some legalistic brothers, and I use the term loosely, had sneaked into the church meeting, to make sure that Paul was following the rules. They were very persuasive, and even convinced Titus, who was young and impressionable, and travelling with Paul, to become circumcised. Titus was a Gentile, and consequently, uncircumcised. But he had become a believer under Paul's ministry, and now was travelling around with him. And some legalists convinced young Titus that he was bound by Christ AND the law. There is the same kind of thing going on in the Church today. Jesus says, "Come unto me ALL you who are weary and heavy laden...." (emphasis mine) But there are some who would have you believe that only a select portion of people are going to heaven. Don't be swayed by the legalism. These people are under a law, not under the grace of God. Jesus says, "...Whosoever...shall have everlasting life." This means whoever. Not any select individuals. Anyone can come to Christ. Anyone.
Thirdly, there was the hypocrisy of Peter, of which Paul had to confront, and did so face-to-face with Peter. He didn't start spreading rumors about Paul. He didn't go to this one or that one, and say, "Did you hear what Peter is doing?" No. He went to Peter, and met with him face-to-face, and pointed out the blind spot in Peter's life. Oh this is much needed in the Church today. Too many times we start wagging our tongues to everyone, instead of going to the brother or the sister and sitting down with them face-to-face, and pointing out the blindspot, and then praying together, so that the relationship is still intact. Not so with us. We would much rather spread lies and rumors and gossip, which is so much easier, than to go to the person with our concerns. My Bible tells me that gossipers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Beloved, the point of today's Scripture is very important. There is no "list" of things you need to do, to check off if you will, to be saved. We are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, not of ourselves, because it is the gift of God. It is not by the works we do, because if it were, we would surely boast about it, and become all puffed up with pride. It has nothing to do with us. It is all about Jesus Christ, and the work that He did for us on the cross. When He said from the cross, "It is finished," it means that the work has been done, and there is nothing more that needs to be done. So don't let anyone tell you that you have to "keep the rules" to be saved. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Not by what version of the Bible that you read. Not by how much time you spend in prayer. Not by how many chapters of Scripture you read. Not by your appearance, nor the songs you sing or listen to. Not even by your attendance at a certain church, or brand of church. None of that. Yes, Bible reading is extremely vital to the believer. Yes, prayer is of the utmost importance. But man, those are "get to's" not "got to's." We get to do those things out of our love for Jesus. We want to do those things because of our love for Him. It isn't because if we don't we won't belong to Him. It is because we belong to Him, and we want to become closer and closer and walk with Him on a daily basis. That is why we do it. Not because a "law" says we have to. And so beloved, at the end of this lengthy writing, here is the important thing to know: you are under grace, not the law. Don't worry so much about keeping the "rules." Just live under the grace of God. Let the Holy Spirit guide you today. Pray. Let the Word of God speak to you. Have faith. And enjoy your walk with Jesus. Shalom.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Called and Equiped
"For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how i persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days."
Galatians 1:13-18
As most believers know, but need to be reminded of from time-to-time, every believer has a calling on their life from God. Oh, it may not be a call to be a pastor/teacher, or any "up front" ministry. But we all have a call from God upon our lives. It should not be a scary or fearful thing for the believer. To realize that God has called us to be more than what we are, is a very exciting and yet humbling prospect. The question though, for most of us, is not that He has called us, but to what? That is where being in the Word of God.spending time in prayer, and just as important, listening to Him speak to us, on a daily basis, is vital to the life of a believer. Along with that, a sober look at our lives, to see God's hand moving, and how He has moved in the past, is also a help. What kinds of situations has God led me into on a consistent basis? Where does He seem to be leading me now? What gives me His peace in my heart when I am doing it? These are indicators, that perhaps are pointing the way. But for me, yes, those things were indicators, but not the sole determining factor. In my life, God spoke to me in a way in which I knew it was Him without a doubt, I could not ignore it, and it resonated in my life so loudly, that others knew God was calling me in this direction as well.
Perhaps you know that God has called you, but you feel ill-prepared and inadequate. There is an adage that is so true. It says, "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called." I don't know who said that, but it is so true. I think first of Gideon, who was from the least important family in his tribe, and he was the least person in his family. He was the least, and yet God called him to do some mighty things. Gideon was called to lead an army of three hundred men, against an army of Midianites which were as numerous as locusts. Now, I don't know about you, but just going into battle would be nerve-wracking enough, but to go to battle with such insurmountable odds would be enough to turn your knees to rubber, save for the fact that the Lord our God is with us. But you know what beloved? We go into those battles with those odds in different situations in our lives every day. God has called us. Yes we feel inadequate. Yes we feel ill-prepared. But, yes, the Lord our God is with us. He has called us.
But not only does He calls us, but He prepares us. He equips us. God called Gideon, and prepared him for the battle and for victory. God called Paul, and sent him to the back side of the Arabian desert, to prepare and equip him for the ministry to which he was called. Beloved, the same is with you. God will equip you, because He called you. Your calling does not come from man, and your equipping does not come from man either. Your equipping comes from the Lord. He called you. He knows to what He has called you. He will equip you. So have faith, my beloved. Our God is a mighty God, and He has called you into His marvelous light. And because He has called you, He will equip you for what He has called you to do. Trust in Him. Lean on Him. Believe in Him. Amen.
Galatians 1:13-18
As most believers know, but need to be reminded of from time-to-time, every believer has a calling on their life from God. Oh, it may not be a call to be a pastor/teacher, or any "up front" ministry. But we all have a call from God upon our lives. It should not be a scary or fearful thing for the believer. To realize that God has called us to be more than what we are, is a very exciting and yet humbling prospect. The question though, for most of us, is not that He has called us, but to what? That is where being in the Word of God.spending time in prayer, and just as important, listening to Him speak to us, on a daily basis, is vital to the life of a believer. Along with that, a sober look at our lives, to see God's hand moving, and how He has moved in the past, is also a help. What kinds of situations has God led me into on a consistent basis? Where does He seem to be leading me now? What gives me His peace in my heart when I am doing it? These are indicators, that perhaps are pointing the way. But for me, yes, those things were indicators, but not the sole determining factor. In my life, God spoke to me in a way in which I knew it was Him without a doubt, I could not ignore it, and it resonated in my life so loudly, that others knew God was calling me in this direction as well.
Perhaps you know that God has called you, but you feel ill-prepared and inadequate. There is an adage that is so true. It says, "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called." I don't know who said that, but it is so true. I think first of Gideon, who was from the least important family in his tribe, and he was the least person in his family. He was the least, and yet God called him to do some mighty things. Gideon was called to lead an army of three hundred men, against an army of Midianites which were as numerous as locusts. Now, I don't know about you, but just going into battle would be nerve-wracking enough, but to go to battle with such insurmountable odds would be enough to turn your knees to rubber, save for the fact that the Lord our God is with us. But you know what beloved? We go into those battles with those odds in different situations in our lives every day. God has called us. Yes we feel inadequate. Yes we feel ill-prepared. But, yes, the Lord our God is with us. He has called us.
But not only does He calls us, but He prepares us. He equips us. God called Gideon, and prepared him for the battle and for victory. God called Paul, and sent him to the back side of the Arabian desert, to prepare and equip him for the ministry to which he was called. Beloved, the same is with you. God will equip you, because He called you. Your calling does not come from man, and your equipping does not come from man either. Your equipping comes from the Lord. He called you. He knows to what He has called you. He will equip you. So have faith, my beloved. Our God is a mighty God, and He has called you into His marvelous light. And because He has called you, He will equip you for what He has called you to do. Trust in Him. Lean on Him. Believe in Him. Amen.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
It Is Not Synthetic
"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, now was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Galatians 1:10-12
I used to live in Indiana. Not that that is bad, in and of itself. There are a lot of good people in Indiana. None of that is the point. But we used to drive from Indiana to Tennessee with my maternal grandmother to see our "relatives." All of us children looked forward to making that trip, because it got us out of....you guessed it...Indiana. There are lots of corn fields and soy bean fields around where I grew up, so a change of scenery was always a welcomed thing. On our trip to Tennessee from Indiana, once you got passed the fields of the northern part, just south of Indianapolis, the land started to have rolling hills. I do so love Indiana in the fall, when the leaves on the maple trees began to turn all shades of orange and yellow and even an occasional red. But as I got older, and we made that trip more often, I began to notice something: someone was putting up these billboards and cluttering up the view of the rolling hills. There seemed to be more "See Rock City" billboards than ever before. Man was intruding upon what God had created so pure. It wasn't right. It wasn't natural. And it was ugly.
The gospel that Paul was preaching to the churches in Galatia did not come from himself, nor was it taught to him in some seminary, by some men who learned from other men. The gospel which Paul preached came directly and purely from Jesus Christ Himself. That is so radical! What if that were to happen today? First of all, I'm not sure anyone would believe the person who said they received direct revelation from Jesus Christ Himself, and secondly, perhaps, the tabloid magazines would be knocking on your door. There is one thing, beloved, of which we can be certain, when it comes to the Word which we hold in our hand: Paul, who wrote the majority of our New Testament, did not care about pleasing man, about being a man pleaser, because the gospel which he preached came directly from Jesus Christ Himself. Have you ever doubted the Word of God? Have you ever said to yourself, "How do I know that this is true?" The answer to those questions? The gospel which Paul based his life upon was not something that was man-made, or synthetic. It was from Jesus Christ Himself, whom I believe came and walked and talked with Paul, while he was on the back side of the Arabian desert.
Beloved, you can count on the Word of God to be true in your life. When it says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," you can depend on that Word. Cling to it for dear life, my beloved. When it says, "All things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose," then beloved, let go and trust that Word. Know that even those hard circumstances in your life are working together with God to bring about something that is so incredibly beyond anything that we, man, can contrive in our finite minds. Our God, the God of the Universe, who created the stars, and the planets, and time itself, knows about you, and cares for you with such a love that is so far beyond our comprehension. We are blown away at the love our Creator has for us. He cares for you, beloved. He cares for me. His love is a perfect love. So don't be fearful, for the Lord our God is with you and me. Lift up your head that is bowed. Raise your feeble arms that are hanging down, and praise the God who is above all other gods, and who loves you with a perfect love that will not let you go. Amen? Amen.
Galatians 1:10-12
I used to live in Indiana. Not that that is bad, in and of itself. There are a lot of good people in Indiana. None of that is the point. But we used to drive from Indiana to Tennessee with my maternal grandmother to see our "relatives." All of us children looked forward to making that trip, because it got us out of....you guessed it...Indiana. There are lots of corn fields and soy bean fields around where I grew up, so a change of scenery was always a welcomed thing. On our trip to Tennessee from Indiana, once you got passed the fields of the northern part, just south of Indianapolis, the land started to have rolling hills. I do so love Indiana in the fall, when the leaves on the maple trees began to turn all shades of orange and yellow and even an occasional red. But as I got older, and we made that trip more often, I began to notice something: someone was putting up these billboards and cluttering up the view of the rolling hills. There seemed to be more "See Rock City" billboards than ever before. Man was intruding upon what God had created so pure. It wasn't right. It wasn't natural. And it was ugly.
The gospel that Paul was preaching to the churches in Galatia did not come from himself, nor was it taught to him in some seminary, by some men who learned from other men. The gospel which Paul preached came directly and purely from Jesus Christ Himself. That is so radical! What if that were to happen today? First of all, I'm not sure anyone would believe the person who said they received direct revelation from Jesus Christ Himself, and secondly, perhaps, the tabloid magazines would be knocking on your door. There is one thing, beloved, of which we can be certain, when it comes to the Word which we hold in our hand: Paul, who wrote the majority of our New Testament, did not care about pleasing man, about being a man pleaser, because the gospel which he preached came directly from Jesus Christ Himself. Have you ever doubted the Word of God? Have you ever said to yourself, "How do I know that this is true?" The answer to those questions? The gospel which Paul based his life upon was not something that was man-made, or synthetic. It was from Jesus Christ Himself, whom I believe came and walked and talked with Paul, while he was on the back side of the Arabian desert.
Beloved, you can count on the Word of God to be true in your life. When it says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," you can depend on that Word. Cling to it for dear life, my beloved. When it says, "All things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose," then beloved, let go and trust that Word. Know that even those hard circumstances in your life are working together with God to bring about something that is so incredibly beyond anything that we, man, can contrive in our finite minds. Our God, the God of the Universe, who created the stars, and the planets, and time itself, knows about you, and cares for you with such a love that is so far beyond our comprehension. We are blown away at the love our Creator has for us. He cares for you, beloved. He cares for me. His love is a perfect love. So don't be fearful, for the Lord our God is with you and me. Lift up your head that is bowed. Raise your feeble arms that are hanging down, and praise the God who is above all other gods, and who loves you with a perfect love that will not let you go. Amen? Amen.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Any Other Gospel
"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you then what you have received, let him be accursed."
Galatians 1:6-9
Beloved, there are many out there today, who, for their own foolish gain, preach another gospel. There are a lot of them on television. There is a handful of them being investigated by a United States Senator. If God had wanted us to be healthy, wealthy, and prosperous, then Jesus would have set that example for us. The early church would have been brimming in it, and Paul would have talked incessantly about it in his writings. But the gospel is not about the creature comforts of this world. The gospel is about Jesus Christ, and His dying on the cross for our sins, His body placed in a borrowed tomb, and then raising from the dead on the third day. And the reason He came? Because we are sinners and could not bridge the chasm between us and God because of that sin. Jesus came to reconcile sinners unto God. And that is what He preached/taught while He was here. It is what the early church in the book of Acts was founded upon, and it is what Paul talks incessantly about in his writings. Beloved, any other gospel is not the gospel at all. It is a perversion. And there are good, misguided men preaching this perverted gospel all over our world.
The Galatians were allowing men to come in and teach a gospel that was different than what Paul had taught them. Of course it sounded good to them, and perhaps had elements of what Paul had taught them, but then, that is what makes the lie so believable: an element of truth in the mix. If they had just kept their focus on Jesus, and had been like the Bereans were, who searched the Scriptures to make sure even what Paul told them was true, then the Galatians would not have started to be swayed.
There is a movement in the Church today, that is as dangerous as it is popular. It is the "emerging" or "Emergent" movement. It has its roots in Eastern mysticism and Roman Catholicism. It is "any other gospel." Yes, it has an element of truth in the mix. Yes it is being propelled by some of the "big names" of the Church. But beloved, it is poison. Beware. Beware. Beware. It is the next "wind" or fad that is blowing through the Church, and it is deceiving millions. It involves a push for unity with other world religions. It involves using techniques from Eastern religions. Don't be deceived, and don't fall prey, beloved. Stay in the Word. Read the words of our Christ. Read the foundations of the early church in the book of Acts. Read what Paul writes about over and over again. It isn't about social gospel, or the kingdom of heaven on earth right now. It is all about Jesus Christ. So be a Berean, beloved. Check it out for yourselves. Be sober. Be vigilant. Be a Berean. Amen.
Galatians 1:6-9
Beloved, there are many out there today, who, for their own foolish gain, preach another gospel. There are a lot of them on television. There is a handful of them being investigated by a United States Senator. If God had wanted us to be healthy, wealthy, and prosperous, then Jesus would have set that example for us. The early church would have been brimming in it, and Paul would have talked incessantly about it in his writings. But the gospel is not about the creature comforts of this world. The gospel is about Jesus Christ, and His dying on the cross for our sins, His body placed in a borrowed tomb, and then raising from the dead on the third day. And the reason He came? Because we are sinners and could not bridge the chasm between us and God because of that sin. Jesus came to reconcile sinners unto God. And that is what He preached/taught while He was here. It is what the early church in the book of Acts was founded upon, and it is what Paul talks incessantly about in his writings. Beloved, any other gospel is not the gospel at all. It is a perversion. And there are good, misguided men preaching this perverted gospel all over our world.
The Galatians were allowing men to come in and teach a gospel that was different than what Paul had taught them. Of course it sounded good to them, and perhaps had elements of what Paul had taught them, but then, that is what makes the lie so believable: an element of truth in the mix. If they had just kept their focus on Jesus, and had been like the Bereans were, who searched the Scriptures to make sure even what Paul told them was true, then the Galatians would not have started to be swayed.
There is a movement in the Church today, that is as dangerous as it is popular. It is the "emerging" or "Emergent" movement. It has its roots in Eastern mysticism and Roman Catholicism. It is "any other gospel." Yes, it has an element of truth in the mix. Yes it is being propelled by some of the "big names" of the Church. But beloved, it is poison. Beware. Beware. Beware. It is the next "wind" or fad that is blowing through the Church, and it is deceiving millions. It involves a push for unity with other world religions. It involves using techniques from Eastern religions. Don't be deceived, and don't fall prey, beloved. Stay in the Word. Read the words of our Christ. Read the foundations of the early church in the book of Acts. Read what Paul writes about over and over again. It isn't about social gospel, or the kingdom of heaven on earth right now. It is all about Jesus Christ. So be a Berean, beloved. Check it out for yourselves. Be sober. Be vigilant. Be a Berean. Amen.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A Little Good News
"Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
The is the greeting, the introduction, or the salutation to Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia. In those days, you didn't put from whom the letter was received at the end, such as we do today. Instead, you put it right up front, at the beginning, and then stated any credentials that would permit you or qualify you to write such a letter. And that is exactly what Paul does. He states right up front, that he is an apostle. An apostle, as some of you know, is one of the sent-out ones, one that had seen Jesus with his own two eyes, which Paul had on the Damascus road, and I personally believe was taught by the Lord himself when he was in the Arabian desert. Paul states this right away, to give his credentials, because this letter was going to be passed around to many churches which were established in the province in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) called Galatia. Then, Paul states to us who gave him the office of apostle. It was not from men. It did not come from any man, nor any position among men, but came to him through Jesus Christ Himself, and God His Father, who was the one whom raised Jesus from the dead. Beloved, there is enough information right there to start praising God and shouting to the heavens in thanksgiving! You and I are not apostles. We have not physically seen Jesus Christ with our own two eyes. But we are saints. We are joint heirs with Jesus. Because God has called us not friends, but sons (and daughters)! That is such news to bless our hearts. We need to wrap our minds around that for a minute. A lot of us out there have not had a good family growing up to understand the love of a father, so sometimes it is hard to make the jump from lousy earthly father to loving heavenly Father. But nevertheless, He loves us so much He has equated us with His Son Jesus. Hallelujah!
Then Paul, in his way that is so common to him, greets us in the grace and peace of Jesus Christ. It is always in that order and can be no other way. For if you do not know the grace of God, the grace that extends love and mercy and forgiveness towards us, then you will never know the peace of God, which goes way beyond our human understanding. Peace that comes to our hearts in the midst of terrible adversity and pain. Peace in our hearts when it seems everything else is gone. Without knowing the grace of God, then you will not know the peace of God in spite of what the world out there is telling you.
These few verses at the beginning of this little letter from Paul to the churches in Galatia contain such a wealth of things to bless our hearts, beloved. Let us this day go out into the world with the knowledge that Jesus Christ "gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." Amen.
The is the greeting, the introduction, or the salutation to Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia. In those days, you didn't put from whom the letter was received at the end, such as we do today. Instead, you put it right up front, at the beginning, and then stated any credentials that would permit you or qualify you to write such a letter. And that is exactly what Paul does. He states right up front, that he is an apostle. An apostle, as some of you know, is one of the sent-out ones, one that had seen Jesus with his own two eyes, which Paul had on the Damascus road, and I personally believe was taught by the Lord himself when he was in the Arabian desert. Paul states this right away, to give his credentials, because this letter was going to be passed around to many churches which were established in the province in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) called Galatia. Then, Paul states to us who gave him the office of apostle. It was not from men. It did not come from any man, nor any position among men, but came to him through Jesus Christ Himself, and God His Father, who was the one whom raised Jesus from the dead. Beloved, there is enough information right there to start praising God and shouting to the heavens in thanksgiving! You and I are not apostles. We have not physically seen Jesus Christ with our own two eyes. But we are saints. We are joint heirs with Jesus. Because God has called us not friends, but sons (and daughters)! That is such news to bless our hearts. We need to wrap our minds around that for a minute. A lot of us out there have not had a good family growing up to understand the love of a father, so sometimes it is hard to make the jump from lousy earthly father to loving heavenly Father. But nevertheless, He loves us so much He has equated us with His Son Jesus. Hallelujah!
Then Paul, in his way that is so common to him, greets us in the grace and peace of Jesus Christ. It is always in that order and can be no other way. For if you do not know the grace of God, the grace that extends love and mercy and forgiveness towards us, then you will never know the peace of God, which goes way beyond our human understanding. Peace that comes to our hearts in the midst of terrible adversity and pain. Peace in our hearts when it seems everything else is gone. Without knowing the grace of God, then you will not know the peace of God in spite of what the world out there is telling you.
These few verses at the beginning of this little letter from Paul to the churches in Galatia contain such a wealth of things to bless our hearts, beloved. Let us this day go out into the world with the knowledge that Jesus Christ "gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." Amen.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A Hard Habit To Break
"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."
2 Thessalonians 3:10-15
There Word is telling us here, through Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that work is good, and that everyone should work and not be what we use to call a "mooch": one who takes advantage of other peoples resources so that they don't have to use their own, and not necessarily to the liking of the people whose resources are being taken advantage of. Paul says, "If he won't work, he won't eat." Now, it doesn't say if he cannot work, if he is disabled and physically unable to work...." No. He says if he won't work. It implies that it is someone who can work, but simply will not. He is talking about willingness here, not ability. Speaking through these verses, several military terms are used. The word for "commanded," and "command" is a military command for an order that comes down from a superior and is expected to be obeyed. The word for "disorderly" there in v. 11 means "to break ranks." Paul says, "We hear that there are some among you who will not work, and have broken ranks and won't work, and now have become busybodies." The word "busybodies" means "gossips." I know a few of those, and sadly, most of them are in the church. We Christians need to get a handle on our tongues. It is destroying works and churches that have begun by the work of the Holy Spirit. I sure don't want to be the one to stand before God on judgment day and give an account of why I let my words be used to destroy a work of the Holy Spirit. God have mercy on us.
However, this whole passage, while focused on working or not, has the undercurrent of fraternizing with people who gossip. In v. 12, Paul tells us that we should work quietly and eat our own bread. This means we should mind our own business, and not sit around the table with gossipers, who will talk about anything and anybody, and are not honoring to the Lord and to the kingdom. Eat your own food, not the gossip monger's. Then comes the encouragement, beloved. Paul tells us to not grow weary in doing good. I know there are times when it seems like you are beating your head against the wall, or the field you are trying to plow is made of rock, and you aren't even scratching the surface. Do not grow weary in doing good, beloved, for someday we will receive our reward. And our reward is not for results. It is for our faithfulness to what God has called us to do.
Finally, beloved, we are told to take note of the gossipers, and do not keep company with them. I had to do this recently with someone whom I have known for years, and talked to him several times about his gossiping, and he would not relent, and so finally, in obedience to the Word of God, I had to take note of him, and not keep company with him. I had to back away from him. This move has been misunderstood by some, and I have suffered criticism, sometimes severe, because of it. But sometimes, there is a price for being obedient (to the Word), instead of being expedient. Beloved, if you have to choose man's way or God's way, always go with God, because even though man may not understand and criticize, it is temporary and of this world. God's way is eternally rewarding, and will always be the better way. We are to take note of this person, and do not keep company with him. We are not to put him out of the fellowship. We still count him as a brother, not an enemy. If his heart is tender, he will repent and be restored. If his heart is hard, he will eventually leave.
Beloved, sometimes this seems like a hard teaching, to have to disassociate yourself with a friend. But remember, God is sovereign, not man. Man's opinion means nothing to God. God's opinion means everything. Trust in the Lord, and keep your chin up, and your tongue in check. Shalom.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-15
There Word is telling us here, through Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that work is good, and that everyone should work and not be what we use to call a "mooch": one who takes advantage of other peoples resources so that they don't have to use their own, and not necessarily to the liking of the people whose resources are being taken advantage of. Paul says, "If he won't work, he won't eat." Now, it doesn't say if he cannot work, if he is disabled and physically unable to work...." No. He says if he won't work. It implies that it is someone who can work, but simply will not. He is talking about willingness here, not ability. Speaking through these verses, several military terms are used. The word for "commanded," and "command" is a military command for an order that comes down from a superior and is expected to be obeyed. The word for "disorderly" there in v. 11 means "to break ranks." Paul says, "We hear that there are some among you who will not work, and have broken ranks and won't work, and now have become busybodies." The word "busybodies" means "gossips." I know a few of those, and sadly, most of them are in the church. We Christians need to get a handle on our tongues. It is destroying works and churches that have begun by the work of the Holy Spirit. I sure don't want to be the one to stand before God on judgment day and give an account of why I let my words be used to destroy a work of the Holy Spirit. God have mercy on us.
However, this whole passage, while focused on working or not, has the undercurrent of fraternizing with people who gossip. In v. 12, Paul tells us that we should work quietly and eat our own bread. This means we should mind our own business, and not sit around the table with gossipers, who will talk about anything and anybody, and are not honoring to the Lord and to the kingdom. Eat your own food, not the gossip monger's. Then comes the encouragement, beloved. Paul tells us to not grow weary in doing good. I know there are times when it seems like you are beating your head against the wall, or the field you are trying to plow is made of rock, and you aren't even scratching the surface. Do not grow weary in doing good, beloved, for someday we will receive our reward. And our reward is not for results. It is for our faithfulness to what God has called us to do.
Finally, beloved, we are told to take note of the gossipers, and do not keep company with them. I had to do this recently with someone whom I have known for years, and talked to him several times about his gossiping, and he would not relent, and so finally, in obedience to the Word of God, I had to take note of him, and not keep company with him. I had to back away from him. This move has been misunderstood by some, and I have suffered criticism, sometimes severe, because of it. But sometimes, there is a price for being obedient (to the Word), instead of being expedient. Beloved, if you have to choose man's way or God's way, always go with God, because even though man may not understand and criticize, it is temporary and of this world. God's way is eternally rewarding, and will always be the better way. We are to take note of this person, and do not keep company with him. We are not to put him out of the fellowship. We still count him as a brother, not an enemy. If his heart is tender, he will repent and be restored. If his heart is hard, he will eventually leave.
Beloved, sometimes this seems like a hard teaching, to have to disassociate yourself with a friend. But remember, God is sovereign, not man. Man's opinion means nothing to God. God's opinion means everything. Trust in the Lord, and keep your chin up, and your tongue in check. Shalom.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Directions Of The Heart
NOTE: Due to illness and other assorted maladies, I have been unable to write this devotional until now. Lord willing, we are now back on track to keep up the daily devotionals. Pastor Rod
"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ."
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Let me ask you something. For whom are you praying? I mean really praying. Not just saying that you will pray, not just thinking about praying. But for whom are you actually speaking their name before God? I look at the apostle Paul as one of the key role models for any believer, Jesus being the first, of course. And if HE needs prayer, and asks for it here, so do the rest of us. But that is not necessarily the focus here. The focus is for what he asks others to pray. He asks that prayer be made on behalf of the Word of God, that it may go out, and have free course in individual hearts. Paul is always thinking for the kingdom, and the furtherance of the kingdom. I wonder if I am. But again, I think it goes back to the prayer, not for what it does FOR us, but what it does IN us. It gets our hearts in line with God's, not the other way around.
There are two kinds of obstacles to the Word; two kinds of people: the unreasonable (absurd), and the wicked. And oddly enough, these can both be found in the church. Not everybody who attends our fellowships believe the way we believe, nor embrace what we believe to be true. This is a hindrance to the gospel of Christ, and Paul is asking for prayer to be delivered from this, so the Word of God goes out unhindered. The antichrist is coming, but the Lord is faithful.
And finally, Paul has the confidence in the Lord, that we do the things we read and understand, the Word that God is putting in and on our hearts, that we do those things, and then, beloved, that we will do those things, that we will continue to do those things as we read His Word, and pray, and allow Him to speak to us today. And beloved, I too, have this very confidence in the Lord, that you too, do and will do these things. The word "command" there is a military term, for an order from a superior officer. We may or may not be in the military here on earth, but we are in the Lord's Army. And this command comes from the top! That we read, hear, and obey the Word of the Lord in our life. This will keep us close to God, and our feet walking on the narrow road.
Lastly, it is the Lord who will direct your hearts. Not only will He direct them, but in so doing, He will remove the obstacles. Once we were outside of the love of God, and here the Word tells us that the Lord will direct our hearts into it. We may not fully understand it, but the Lord will bring us into it. He will help us to realize it in our lives. He will direct our hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. I don't know about you, but I want patience in my life. I'm just afraid to pray for it, because someone once said that patience is developed in adversity, and I am not sure I can handle any more in my life presently. That being said, it is the Lord who directs our hearts into the patience of Christ. He teaches us to wait on Him. He teaches us to trust in Him. Beloved, allow the Lord to direct your hearts into the love of God, and the patience of Christ. Don't be afraid. He is all good, all the time. Amen.
"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ."
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Let me ask you something. For whom are you praying? I mean really praying. Not just saying that you will pray, not just thinking about praying. But for whom are you actually speaking their name before God? I look at the apostle Paul as one of the key role models for any believer, Jesus being the first, of course. And if HE needs prayer, and asks for it here, so do the rest of us. But that is not necessarily the focus here. The focus is for what he asks others to pray. He asks that prayer be made on behalf of the Word of God, that it may go out, and have free course in individual hearts. Paul is always thinking for the kingdom, and the furtherance of the kingdom. I wonder if I am. But again, I think it goes back to the prayer, not for what it does FOR us, but what it does IN us. It gets our hearts in line with God's, not the other way around.
There are two kinds of obstacles to the Word; two kinds of people: the unreasonable (absurd), and the wicked. And oddly enough, these can both be found in the church. Not everybody who attends our fellowships believe the way we believe, nor embrace what we believe to be true. This is a hindrance to the gospel of Christ, and Paul is asking for prayer to be delivered from this, so the Word of God goes out unhindered. The antichrist is coming, but the Lord is faithful.
And finally, Paul has the confidence in the Lord, that we do the things we read and understand, the Word that God is putting in and on our hearts, that we do those things, and then, beloved, that we will do those things, that we will continue to do those things as we read His Word, and pray, and allow Him to speak to us today. And beloved, I too, have this very confidence in the Lord, that you too, do and will do these things. The word "command" there is a military term, for an order from a superior officer. We may or may not be in the military here on earth, but we are in the Lord's Army. And this command comes from the top! That we read, hear, and obey the Word of the Lord in our life. This will keep us close to God, and our feet walking on the narrow road.
Lastly, it is the Lord who will direct your hearts. Not only will He direct them, but in so doing, He will remove the obstacles. Once we were outside of the love of God, and here the Word tells us that the Lord will direct our hearts into it. We may not fully understand it, but the Lord will bring us into it. He will help us to realize it in our lives. He will direct our hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. I don't know about you, but I want patience in my life. I'm just afraid to pray for it, because someone once said that patience is developed in adversity, and I am not sure I can handle any more in my life presently. That being said, it is the Lord who directs our hearts into the patience of Christ. He teaches us to wait on Him. He teaches us to trust in Him. Beloved, allow the Lord to direct your hearts into the love of God, and the patience of Christ. Don't be afraid. He is all good, all the time. Amen.
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