As I stated in my previous post, one of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 2:12-13. You might remember that I referenced two questions that could and should be asked about this text when considering the surrounding context. They are, "What does it mean to work out your salvation?" and "What is the purpose of working out your salvation?" It is this second question to which I would like to speak.
So, "What IS the purpose?"
To answer this I want to look at the three concepts listed in the title of this post: Christ Goals, Our purpose, and God's Glory. I will probably break these up into three posts with a fourth post that will hopefully reconcile them all under an emphasis on God's enabling grace. This is in order to flesh them out appropriately and still strive to keep the length that I have committed to aim for.
Purpose in Christ's Ministry
We'll start with what Christ's goal in ministry were. When Jesus began his ministry, it is recorded in Luke 4:18-19, that he opened the scrolls and read from Isaiah 61 which states, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good new to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." This scripture is, in essence, Christ's purpose statement for His whole ministry. However, it does not sum up the purpose of His death and resurrection.
Purpose in Christ's Death and Resurrection(Our Redemption)
One obvious purpose of Jesus's death and resurrection was to pay the price for the sins of the world and remove the guilt of that sin by becoming the object of God's wrath toward that sin(Romans 3:25, Romans 5:9-11, Isaiah 53:4-6) so that we might have eternal life through Him(John 3:16, 1 John 4:9). In this God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us(Romans 5:8)
Purpose in Christ's Death and Resurrection(God's Glory)
The other purpose for Christ death and resurrection was to return back to God, the Glory of His name that had been defamed by the disobedience of generations past, in addition to Jesus himself being glorified(John 12:27-28, 17:1-5). This is right because Christ and the Father are one(John 10:30).
The most blatant expression of God foreshadowing our salvation through Christ, for the primary purpose of defending the glory of His own name, is Ezekiel 36:16-32. One of the central passages of the expression of God's purpose for redemption, that is found in the previous reference, is Ezekiel 36:22-23. In it God declares, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes."
In Summary
So, Christ's goals and purposes in life were, disciple making and gospel proclamation and demonstration of the truth of His gospel. Christ's goals and purposes in death are eternal life made available as an expression of God's love via the price Jesus paid for our sins and; the satisfaction of God's wrath toward those sins by Christ on the Cross. The other purpose, of equal importance, for of Christ's death and resurrection is the vindication of the holy name of the one and only true, living, and holy, God.
I pray you will really meditate on these facts, study the scripture references provided, and perhaps gain a new, if not fresh revelation of what Christ did for you on the cross and just how important it is for you to glorify God the Father and Christ the Son in all that you say and do.
In Jesus name,
Josh
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Humble Service, Christ as our Example (Part 1)
So I started last week with a post introducing a series on sexual sin and then the week became consumed with my lovely wife's birthday, planning for the church Christmas program and several busy shifts at the hospital. By the way, thank you to all whom took the time to read the post regarding Angie's birthday. That is the most hits I've ever had on the visits counter to the actual blog page. It says a lot about how loved and honored my sweet, beautiful wife is. The Lord impressed something upon my heart in the interim this week that I would like to share. In fact, I think it will actually compliment the topic of sexual sin as it relates to God's glory very nicely. I will present it over at least two posts and get back to the series on sexual sin next week, Lord willing. So here goes.
One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 2:12-13. You might even say it is a life verse for me. In it the Apostle Paul states, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."
This verse stands alone as a wonderful reminder that we are to work hard at growing in our faith and obedience to Jesus, all the while being enabled by the grace of God in order to have faith and obey in the first place. This passage of scripture can stand alone and present a profound message outside of the surrounding context. However, a couple of deeper question could and should be asked regarding this passage. For example, "What does it mean to work out your salvation?" and "What is the purpose of working out our salvation?" We must look at the surrounding text to get the answer to that question as it relates to the context of the chapter. So I would like to do that. I am not claiming by any stretch to be presenting the full exposition of the text. It would be truly difficult to do that here and I am sure I would miss something. But I think we can get a healthy gist of what Paul is getting at.
So, "What DOES it mean to work out your salvation with fear and trembling?" In truth, Philippians 2:1-15 presents the greater contextual picture. For the answer to this question I will strive to hone in on the primary focus which is Philippians 2:5-8. I will not quote it here for brevity's sake, but I hope you will read it. It emphasizes Christ as our example. Specifically, the humility of Christ. Christ humbled himself, taking the form of a servant. He made himself nothing. He was the Son of God, yet he did not set himself on an equal plane with God.
Have you ever truly processed that the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, God's Son, who is in fact equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, died for you? He came down as God in the humiliation of sinful human flesh. He perfectly, sinlessly, and faithfully served His Father and humanity in order that we might have the opportunity for eternal life and; to restore the glory of the Father in the eyes of those who believe, confess and serve Him as Lord.
While we are incapable of living a sinless, perfect life, we are commanded by these scriptures to imitate Christ's humility and to serve others as He served us....by dying to ourselves(Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23, John 15:13). We must lay down our lives just as Christ did by proclaiming the truth of the gospel, putting others before ourselves, and ultimately desiring to see God glorified in all that we say and do. Scripture all through the New Testament makes it clear that this God-glorifying, selfless serving is the purpose for which we are created, the purpose for which we are saved, and the purpose for which we are intended to live until we meet Jesus in Heaven. This purpose IS, to live a life that is worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ(Philippians 1:27).
May it be so in the life of every believer,
In Jesus name,
Josh
One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 2:12-13. You might even say it is a life verse for me. In it the Apostle Paul states, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."
This verse stands alone as a wonderful reminder that we are to work hard at growing in our faith and obedience to Jesus, all the while being enabled by the grace of God in order to have faith and obey in the first place. This passage of scripture can stand alone and present a profound message outside of the surrounding context. However, a couple of deeper question could and should be asked regarding this passage. For example, "What does it mean to work out your salvation?" and "What is the purpose of working out our salvation?" We must look at the surrounding text to get the answer to that question as it relates to the context of the chapter. So I would like to do that. I am not claiming by any stretch to be presenting the full exposition of the text. It would be truly difficult to do that here and I am sure I would miss something. But I think we can get a healthy gist of what Paul is getting at.
So, "What DOES it mean to work out your salvation with fear and trembling?" In truth, Philippians 2:1-15 presents the greater contextual picture. For the answer to this question I will strive to hone in on the primary focus which is Philippians 2:5-8. I will not quote it here for brevity's sake, but I hope you will read it. It emphasizes Christ as our example. Specifically, the humility of Christ. Christ humbled himself, taking the form of a servant. He made himself nothing. He was the Son of God, yet he did not set himself on an equal plane with God.
Have you ever truly processed that the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, God's Son, who is in fact equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, died for you? He came down as God in the humiliation of sinful human flesh. He perfectly, sinlessly, and faithfully served His Father and humanity in order that we might have the opportunity for eternal life and; to restore the glory of the Father in the eyes of those who believe, confess and serve Him as Lord.
While we are incapable of living a sinless, perfect life, we are commanded by these scriptures to imitate Christ's humility and to serve others as He served us....by dying to ourselves(Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23, John 15:13). We must lay down our lives just as Christ did by proclaiming the truth of the gospel, putting others before ourselves, and ultimately desiring to see God glorified in all that we say and do. Scripture all through the New Testament makes it clear that this God-glorifying, selfless serving is the purpose for which we are created, the purpose for which we are saved, and the purpose for which we are intended to live until we meet Jesus in Heaven. This purpose IS, to live a life that is worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ(Philippians 1:27).
May it be so in the life of every believer,
In Jesus name,
Josh
Monday, August 5, 2013
Happy Birthday Baby! Confessions of a proud husband and daddy
Today is August 6th. Forty years ago today, God enabled the birth of my beautiful wife Angela. Almost twenty years ago, He introduced us and allowed us to fall in love. Twelve years ago this past May 26th I was blessed to marry that beautiful, sweet woman and commit to a LOOOONG life together :-) Of course, we still have our ups and down as any marriage does, but I am blessed with an innovative, smart, crazy wife who is also a super-loving, giving, crazy mom.
She has no idea how valuable her many traits and talents are or just how valued she is by everyone in her life. Everyone I know that meets Angie is blessed by her presence. Her big caring heart. Her sweet spirit and big smile. Her massive, extremely loud, ridiculously piercing soprano voice. Oh, I digress. Anyway, I have never heard anyone say they did not like her. Her opinion of herself is much lower than the opinion that others have of her. She is a beautiful person through and through and it is evident to anyone who meets her.
Her contributions to our family and household are invaluable to me and I don't know how I would do it without her.
Through the years I have had the privilege of seeing beautiful relationships and witnessing heartbreaking divisions. We have had plenty of opportunities to find an excuse to quit, but we haven't. I certainly provide my share of challenges and yet through it all she is there by my side loving me, forgiving me, and encouraging me. I praise God for a helpmate that has blessed me by remaining faithful and committed to our marriage covenant through the beautiful times and the heartbreaking times.
Through the years, via various circumstances personally and professionally, my wife and I have observed broken homes. We have seen children who were missing the privilege of having two parents with a stable marriage. Children who's parents were not invested in their emotional, spiritual, or educational development. And, children who did not know where their next meal was coming from, right here in our own city.
I am blessed and I praise God for giving me a wife who gave me two handsome, sweet, brilliant little boys whom I am so proud to call my own. She loves them wholeheartedly and works very hard and self-sacrificially to provide for all of their needs. I give her most of the credit for their good looks and ALL the credit for their moments of insanity :-)
I could not imagine life without her when I married her and I don't ever want to imagine life without her...EVER! She is my best friend, my helpmate, and the mother of my children and I am proud to call her my own.
I LOVE YOU, BABY GIRL!
HAPPY 40TH OVER THE HILL BIRTHDAY!
:-)
Your adoring hubby,
Josh
She has no idea how valuable her many traits and talents are or just how valued she is by everyone in her life. Everyone I know that meets Angie is blessed by her presence. Her big caring heart. Her sweet spirit and big smile. Her massive, extremely loud, ridiculously piercing soprano voice. Oh, I digress. Anyway, I have never heard anyone say they did not like her. Her opinion of herself is much lower than the opinion that others have of her. She is a beautiful person through and through and it is evident to anyone who meets her.
Her contributions to our family and household are invaluable to me and I don't know how I would do it without her.
Through the years I have had the privilege of seeing beautiful relationships and witnessing heartbreaking divisions. We have had plenty of opportunities to find an excuse to quit, but we haven't. I certainly provide my share of challenges and yet through it all she is there by my side loving me, forgiving me, and encouraging me. I praise God for a helpmate that has blessed me by remaining faithful and committed to our marriage covenant through the beautiful times and the heartbreaking times.
Through the years, via various circumstances personally and professionally, my wife and I have observed broken homes. We have seen children who were missing the privilege of having two parents with a stable marriage. Children who's parents were not invested in their emotional, spiritual, or educational development. And, children who did not know where their next meal was coming from, right here in our own city.
I am blessed and I praise God for giving me a wife who gave me two handsome, sweet, brilliant little boys whom I am so proud to call my own. She loves them wholeheartedly and works very hard and self-sacrificially to provide for all of their needs. I give her most of the credit for their good looks and ALL the credit for their moments of insanity :-)
I could not imagine life without her when I married her and I don't ever want to imagine life without her...EVER! She is my best friend, my helpmate, and the mother of my children and I am proud to call her my own.
I LOVE YOU, BABY GIRL!
HAPPY 40TH OVER THE HILL BIRTHDAY!
:-)
Your adoring hubby,
Josh
Saturday, August 3, 2013
So what IS a believer?
While many "believers" don't realize it, they don't really have any idea what the answer to that question is. Many "professing Christians" believe that to be a Christian, means that they are ok with God or perhaps that God is ok with them. They have no idea why they need Jesus or the extent of what he did for them. Many have no idea that what God expects, we cannot do on our own. They don't know that they need what Jesus did for them. They don't know that they need what he is still doing for them.
They don't know what the Gospel is! I know this because I was one of these clueless souls myself not so long ago. I was a preacher's kid and have been in church all my life. I knew a lot of lingo and I could do church with the best of them. But inside I struggled to obey. In fact, there were many areas of my life that I lacked the desire to even try. I definitely do not believe that I was born again at the age of eight, when I prayed the prayer and was baptized, as I once thought. I may have become a Christian somewhere along the way, but I was a baby at best. I had a lot of religious toys and I knew I wanted to play with them, but I had no idea how to or what it would require of me.
I can tell you. I understand what it is to be a believer now! I understand what the Gospel is now! I am much better equipped to play with the theological and religious toys my Heavenly Father had already provided and...I have new ones :-) At this point, they are much better referred to as "tools for Kingdom building rather than "toys".
The best part is, I understand that it is all of him and none of me in a sense. I put in a lot of work studying and meditating on what the Gospel is and what it means for me and the rest of the world. However, the ability to do this work, is all of God's glorious grace.
It is true of me as it was of the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."
I do not know for sure, exactly when I was saved. What I do know is this, I came alive to the word of God and it came alive to me for the first time about 11/2-2yrs ago and it changed my life. I have not been the same and I will never go back. That is the way many describe being born again. Perhaps that is when it happened.
What I can tell you for sure is, if you do not feel this way about God and His word; and if you do not desire to serve him and please him with all that you do; and if your love for him is not continually competing with your love for everything else including those you love most in this world; then you should be examining your heart.
Don't misunderstand. I am not saying that you are not a Christian if you are not bubbling over with a dominating love for God and an overwhelming desire to see others know this same love. We are saved by grace alone, not of anything that we do(Ephesians 2:8-9). I am saying that something is off and you are missing out. There should be evidence of your salvation in the way of righteous works. Works that show the fruit of a desire to grow in holiness and obedience to God(James 2:14-26). I can tell you that much prayer and begging God to change my heart preceded my current state and that much prayer maintains it. Yet I know that an even greater prayer life is needed than what I currently have and I am continually asking God to set that on fire as well and looking for opportunities to practice it.
Don't miss out on an eternal lifetime of "joy unspeakable and full of glory"(1 Peter 1:8). The whole passage leading up to that statement is wonderful. If you desire to know God more fully and serve him more faithfully. I promise you, He will answer that prayer! As you read the scriptures for yourself you will become more and more aware of the depth of the Gospel and what it means for your life.
We will discuss in more detail what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and what it means, in upcoming posts. Meanwhile, if you are not a believer, I will be praying that God draws your heart and takes you for his own in an irresistible, incomparable, undeniable way. If you are, I will be praying that He sets your heart ablaze for His glory in a fresh new way that leads you into deeper relationship with Him.
In Jesus name,
Amen!
They don't know what the Gospel is! I know this because I was one of these clueless souls myself not so long ago. I was a preacher's kid and have been in church all my life. I knew a lot of lingo and I could do church with the best of them. But inside I struggled to obey. In fact, there were many areas of my life that I lacked the desire to even try. I definitely do not believe that I was born again at the age of eight, when I prayed the prayer and was baptized, as I once thought. I may have become a Christian somewhere along the way, but I was a baby at best. I had a lot of religious toys and I knew I wanted to play with them, but I had no idea how to or what it would require of me.
I can tell you. I understand what it is to be a believer now! I understand what the Gospel is now! I am much better equipped to play with the theological and religious toys my Heavenly Father had already provided and...I have new ones :-) At this point, they are much better referred to as "tools for Kingdom building rather than "toys".
The best part is, I understand that it is all of him and none of me in a sense. I put in a lot of work studying and meditating on what the Gospel is and what it means for me and the rest of the world. However, the ability to do this work, is all of God's glorious grace.
It is true of me as it was of the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."
I do not know for sure, exactly when I was saved. What I do know is this, I came alive to the word of God and it came alive to me for the first time about 11/2-2yrs ago and it changed my life. I have not been the same and I will never go back. That is the way many describe being born again. Perhaps that is when it happened.
What I can tell you for sure is, if you do not feel this way about God and His word; and if you do not desire to serve him and please him with all that you do; and if your love for him is not continually competing with your love for everything else including those you love most in this world; then you should be examining your heart.
Don't misunderstand. I am not saying that you are not a Christian if you are not bubbling over with a dominating love for God and an overwhelming desire to see others know this same love. We are saved by grace alone, not of anything that we do(Ephesians 2:8-9). I am saying that something is off and you are missing out. There should be evidence of your salvation in the way of righteous works. Works that show the fruit of a desire to grow in holiness and obedience to God(James 2:14-26). I can tell you that much prayer and begging God to change my heart preceded my current state and that much prayer maintains it. Yet I know that an even greater prayer life is needed than what I currently have and I am continually asking God to set that on fire as well and looking for opportunities to practice it.
Don't miss out on an eternal lifetime of "joy unspeakable and full of glory"(1 Peter 1:8). The whole passage leading up to that statement is wonderful. If you desire to know God more fully and serve him more faithfully. I promise you, He will answer that prayer! As you read the scriptures for yourself you will become more and more aware of the depth of the Gospel and what it means for your life.
We will discuss in more detail what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and what it means, in upcoming posts. Meanwhile, if you are not a believer, I will be praying that God draws your heart and takes you for his own in an irresistible, incomparable, undeniable way. If you are, I will be praying that He sets your heart ablaze for His glory in a fresh new way that leads you into deeper relationship with Him.
In Jesus name,
Amen!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Why will God judge me? Why do I need Jesus anyway?
The best answer to the first question, "Why will God judge me"? is found in Romans 1:18-32. Here, the Apostle Paul spells out the total depravity of the human race.
Romans 1:18-23
-All of mankind from creation forward has suppressed the truth of who God is.
-They have rejected God.
-God has clearly revealed what can be known about himself to us so that we are without excuse and we have rejected it.
-Man did not honor what they knew of God and instead fashioned idols for worshiping in the form of creation rather than worshiping the creator.
-Consequently, God's wrath must be, has been, and will continue to be poured out against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness that is represented in the life of mankind.
Romans 1:24-27
-Man exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
-Because of man's continual rejection of God the creator and all of His majesty, glory, and awesome attributes, man was given over to their sins.
-Among these many sins are specifically mentioned the dishonorable passions of sexual sin to include homosexuality.
Romans 1:28-32
-Again, because man did not acknowledge God he gave them over to a debased mind inclined toward sin.
-Man is filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, and malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
-Man knew the decree of God, that all these things lead to death, and not only did they do them, but they approved of those who do them.
Any of this sound familiar? Romans 3:10 states that "None is righteous, not one". Paul sums it up in Romans 3:23 when he states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
So again, why do we all face judgement?
We will all face judgement. All of mankind from beginning to end. We do not face judgement because we never heard of Jesus, nor because we denied Jesus. The denial of Jesus simply perpetuates the fact that we are condemned to a judgement that will lead to eternal damnation because we rejected the truth about God and disobeyed his commands.
Why do we need Jesus?
That will not be fleshed out here entirely, but the basic truth is this:
-God must pour out his wrath in order to avenge his holiness and be true to his own justice.
-Someone must be the object of that wrath.
-Someone must bear the guilt and pay the penalty for the crime of defaming God's holy name and disobeying his commands.
-If not mankind then who?
I will go into further detail in future posts however, John 3:16-18 pretty much sums it up.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe, is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God".
Please understand, none of us is innocent. We are all sinners. The only difference is that by God's grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone(Ephesians 2), those of us who are truly converted believers have been born again (John 3). Now, because of the work of the Holy Spirit within us, we no longer live for ourselves. We live for the glory of God to be made manifest in all areas of our lives through holy living and Gospel proclamation.
If this is not a reality in your life, I pray it will become so.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Romans 1:18-23
-All of mankind from creation forward has suppressed the truth of who God is.
-They have rejected God.
-God has clearly revealed what can be known about himself to us so that we are without excuse and we have rejected it.
-Man did not honor what they knew of God and instead fashioned idols for worshiping in the form of creation rather than worshiping the creator.
-Consequently, God's wrath must be, has been, and will continue to be poured out against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness that is represented in the life of mankind.
Romans 1:24-27
-Man exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
-Because of man's continual rejection of God the creator and all of His majesty, glory, and awesome attributes, man was given over to their sins.
-Among these many sins are specifically mentioned the dishonorable passions of sexual sin to include homosexuality.
Romans 1:28-32
-Again, because man did not acknowledge God he gave them over to a debased mind inclined toward sin.
-Man is filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, and malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
-Man knew the decree of God, that all these things lead to death, and not only did they do them, but they approved of those who do them.
Any of this sound familiar? Romans 3:10 states that "None is righteous, not one". Paul sums it up in Romans 3:23 when he states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
So again, why do we all face judgement?
We will all face judgement. All of mankind from beginning to end. We do not face judgement because we never heard of Jesus, nor because we denied Jesus. The denial of Jesus simply perpetuates the fact that we are condemned to a judgement that will lead to eternal damnation because we rejected the truth about God and disobeyed his commands.
Why do we need Jesus?
That will not be fleshed out here entirely, but the basic truth is this:
-God must pour out his wrath in order to avenge his holiness and be true to his own justice.
-Someone must be the object of that wrath.
-Someone must bear the guilt and pay the penalty for the crime of defaming God's holy name and disobeying his commands.
-If not mankind then who?
I will go into further detail in future posts however, John 3:16-18 pretty much sums it up.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe, is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God".
Please understand, none of us is innocent. We are all sinners. The only difference is that by God's grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone(Ephesians 2), those of us who are truly converted believers have been born again (John 3). Now, because of the work of the Holy Spirit within us, we no longer live for ourselves. We live for the glory of God to be made manifest in all areas of our lives through holy living and Gospel proclamation.
If this is not a reality in your life, I pray it will become so.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Judgement vs. Accountability
The other reason that the statement "Only God Can Judge Me!" concerns me is that I observe a gross misunderstanding in the difference between judgement and accountability by Christians and non-Christians alike. Non-Christians use the above phrase to blow off all accountability for their sin. Christians do the same.
The difference is that Christians have acknowledged Jesus Christ as Savior and also should have accepted Him as Lord. Therefore, they are held to a higher standard and are supposed to help each other keep that standard by holding each other accountable(2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
More than once I have heard a Christian use profanity and then use one of those typical paraphrases of a judgement scripture to satisfy their guilt and keep others of us that this person knew from saying anything about it. What's worse is that another Christian joined in on that process. This not only undercuts the accountability process but if non-believers hear this from believers, it may justify their thought processes.
Judgement can mean something as simple as judging in making a decision about the rightness of an action or it can mean handing down a verdict.
Granted, we cannot hand down a guilty verdict regarding someone's eternal destiny because we are not to judge that destiny as no one knows perfectly the condition of a man's heart toward God. However, as believers we are called to warn each other regarding the observed fruit of perpetual sin in the life of another "believer" and the way it steal's glory from God. Not to mention that this perpetual sin, if committed in an unrepentant manner, is perhaps an indication of the state of one's heart.
Enter accountability. To be accountable, according to Websters, means that you have an obligation or willingness to take responsibility for your actions. As a Christian we are both obligated to be accountable for our actions and should be willing to be held accountable for our actions. If you are not then you should "examine your heart to see if you are in the faith"(2 Corinthians 13:5) as mentioned in the introductory post of this series. The only escape from eternal destruction is a proper fear of the Lord courtesy of a relationship with the only Savior Jesus Christ that manifests itself through the fruit of righteous works.
If you have been following the last few posts, this challenge to "examine yourself" has already been expressed. I pray that you have been practicing this self-examination and have found that you ARE a believer whom, no matter what sin is present in your life, is most interested, by God's grace alone, in repenting from it and moving in hot pursuit toward a holy life that will bring glory to the Father.
If you find that you have doubts about your salvation or that you are absolutely not a believer and you are not really bothered by that; yet you find that you keep reading my posts for some reason. That is also God's providence. Keep reading and we will continue to flesh out the "Good News" of the Gospel and why it is important to your eternity.
Much love in Christ,
Josh
The difference is that Christians have acknowledged Jesus Christ as Savior and also should have accepted Him as Lord. Therefore, they are held to a higher standard and are supposed to help each other keep that standard by holding each other accountable(2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
More than once I have heard a Christian use profanity and then use one of those typical paraphrases of a judgement scripture to satisfy their guilt and keep others of us that this person knew from saying anything about it. What's worse is that another Christian joined in on that process. This not only undercuts the accountability process but if non-believers hear this from believers, it may justify their thought processes.
Judgement can mean something as simple as judging in making a decision about the rightness of an action or it can mean handing down a verdict.
Granted, we cannot hand down a guilty verdict regarding someone's eternal destiny because we are not to judge that destiny as no one knows perfectly the condition of a man's heart toward God. However, as believers we are called to warn each other regarding the observed fruit of perpetual sin in the life of another "believer" and the way it steal's glory from God. Not to mention that this perpetual sin, if committed in an unrepentant manner, is perhaps an indication of the state of one's heart.
Enter accountability. To be accountable, according to Websters, means that you have an obligation or willingness to take responsibility for your actions. As a Christian we are both obligated to be accountable for our actions and should be willing to be held accountable for our actions. If you are not then you should "examine your heart to see if you are in the faith"(2 Corinthians 13:5) as mentioned in the introductory post of this series. The only escape from eternal destruction is a proper fear of the Lord courtesy of a relationship with the only Savior Jesus Christ that manifests itself through the fruit of righteous works.
If you have been following the last few posts, this challenge to "examine yourself" has already been expressed. I pray that you have been practicing this self-examination and have found that you ARE a believer whom, no matter what sin is present in your life, is most interested, by God's grace alone, in repenting from it and moving in hot pursuit toward a holy life that will bring glory to the Father.
If you find that you have doubts about your salvation or that you are absolutely not a believer and you are not really bothered by that; yet you find that you keep reading my posts for some reason. That is also God's providence. Keep reading and we will continue to flesh out the "Good News" of the Gospel and why it is important to your eternity.
Much love in Christ,
Josh
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Only God Can Judge Me!
Another popular response to challenges of visible unrepentant sin in someone's life or expressions of concern over someone's
salvation is this,
"Only God can judge me!"
This is one of the most frightening statements that I hear people make today. I have actually seen t-shirts with the statement printed on them. I have also seen tattooed on people's bodies.
Here is the reality. If you wait for God to judge you, you have waited to long.
The bible says that the day will come when God will judge the living and the dead(1Peter 4:5, 2 Timothy 4:1). Hebrews 9:27 says, "it is appointed to man once to die, after that the judgement." In Matthew 10:28 Jesus states, "and do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Well, in relation to that last scripture you might ask, if I will be destroyed, what difference does it make? I won't suffer once I am gone. On the contrary, Titus 1:8-9 says this, "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might".
Certainly, we are not to judge hypocritically according to Matthew 7. This means that I should not look down upon sin in the life of someone else if I myself am regularly committing that same sin without a repentant heart. If one has a repentant heart regarding a certain sin, they will not blatantly continue in it. If they do, with no regard for it's offense against God's holiness, that is evidence that they likely do not have a heart surrendered to Jesus. If this is true and they die in that state, they will most certainly face eternal destruction.
Make no mistake. You will face judgement. We all will. The only defense we will have is the blood bought atonement that is ours if Jesus was Lord of our lives. If this has been the case, your name is in the book of life and you are eternally safe. If not, you are eternally damned(Revelation 20:11-15).
Wouldn't you rather that someone in this life challenged you and held you accountable, and possibly created this concern now, rather than later. It may be that you have not understood with your heart as your mind thought you did.(2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
I plead with you not to harden your heart to anyone who brings concerns about sin in your life. Humbly and gratefully receive their thoughts and bring them before the Lord in prayer. Don't reject them without at least asking the Lord to reveal to you any way in which you may be blind to this sin. Ask him to open your heart and enable change in a given area if you become aware that sin exists there.
Pride can certainly cause an initial negative response in your flesh to the challenge. However, if you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit will soften your heart and lead you to repentance. Repentance leads to holiness which is what God is calling us to as believers. There is no greater goal than Christ-likeness.
Rather than righteous judgement that leads to eternal destruction, the fruit of repentance is ultimately an eternity spent in the presence of Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Love in Christ,
Josh
"Only God can judge me!"
This is one of the most frightening statements that I hear people make today. I have actually seen t-shirts with the statement printed on them. I have also seen tattooed on people's bodies.
Here is the reality. If you wait for God to judge you, you have waited to long.
The bible says that the day will come when God will judge the living and the dead(1Peter 4:5, 2 Timothy 4:1). Hebrews 9:27 says, "it is appointed to man once to die, after that the judgement." In Matthew 10:28 Jesus states, "and do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Well, in relation to that last scripture you might ask, if I will be destroyed, what difference does it make? I won't suffer once I am gone. On the contrary, Titus 1:8-9 says this, "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might".
Certainly, we are not to judge hypocritically according to Matthew 7. This means that I should not look down upon sin in the life of someone else if I myself am regularly committing that same sin without a repentant heart. If one has a repentant heart regarding a certain sin, they will not blatantly continue in it. If they do, with no regard for it's offense against God's holiness, that is evidence that they likely do not have a heart surrendered to Jesus. If this is true and they die in that state, they will most certainly face eternal destruction.
Make no mistake. You will face judgement. We all will. The only defense we will have is the blood bought atonement that is ours if Jesus was Lord of our lives. If this has been the case, your name is in the book of life and you are eternally safe. If not, you are eternally damned(Revelation 20:11-15).
Wouldn't you rather that someone in this life challenged you and held you accountable, and possibly created this concern now, rather than later. It may be that you have not understood with your heart as your mind thought you did.(2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
I plead with you not to harden your heart to anyone who brings concerns about sin in your life. Humbly and gratefully receive their thoughts and bring them before the Lord in prayer. Don't reject them without at least asking the Lord to reveal to you any way in which you may be blind to this sin. Ask him to open your heart and enable change in a given area if you become aware that sin exists there.
Pride can certainly cause an initial negative response in your flesh to the challenge. However, if you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit will soften your heart and lead you to repentance. Repentance leads to holiness which is what God is calling us to as believers. There is no greater goal than Christ-likeness.
Rather than righteous judgement that leads to eternal destruction, the fruit of repentance is ultimately an eternity spent in the presence of Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Love in Christ,
Josh
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
WHO ARE YOU TO QUESTION MY SALVATION?!
Now here is a question that many ask, if not out loud, then certainly in their head. Most of the time with an air of offense. I know this because it has been confessed later. That question being, "Who are you to question my salvation?"
Well, the bible actually encourages us to do this. Since I presented that challenge in the previous post I thought I had better back it up. The Apostle Paul, who wrote the better part of the New Testament wrote these words in 2 Corinthians 13:5. "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.
test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless you fail to meet the test."
This scripture is written in context as part of a thought process that has involved concerns expressed about unrepentant sin(1 Corinthians 13:20-21).
If you have not turned from your sin and surrendered your heart to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, then you have reason to be concerned. If there is very little to no evidence of the fruit of obedience to the commands of scripture in your life you had better hope that someone questions it. Worse yet, if you don't possess a truly heart-felt desire to repent and pursue holiness before God then there is a problem.
You don't want to find out when it is too late. There is no chance of repentance once you are in hell.
Stay with me as we discuss further attitudes surrounding a lack of repentance. Also, we will discuss what it means to be a believer and follower of the one true and living God; a believer who is truly living a life of repentance and obedience that is indicative of change. A change that works itself from the inside out, not the outside in. It IS a heart issue, NOT simply a behavioral issue. There is no greater truth to get right in this life than a proper understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you are wondering how these things apply to your heart and the way you live out your life as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we will get there. Application is important but we need to get the basics first.
Love in Christ,
Josh
Well, the bible actually encourages us to do this. Since I presented that challenge in the previous post I thought I had better back it up. The Apostle Paul, who wrote the better part of the New Testament wrote these words in 2 Corinthians 13:5. "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.
test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless you fail to meet the test."
This scripture is written in context as part of a thought process that has involved concerns expressed about unrepentant sin(1 Corinthians 13:20-21).
If you have not turned from your sin and surrendered your heart to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, then you have reason to be concerned. If there is very little to no evidence of the fruit of obedience to the commands of scripture in your life you had better hope that someone questions it. Worse yet, if you don't possess a truly heart-felt desire to repent and pursue holiness before God then there is a problem.
You don't want to find out when it is too late. There is no chance of repentance once you are in hell.
Stay with me as we discuss further attitudes surrounding a lack of repentance. Also, we will discuss what it means to be a believer and follower of the one true and living God; a believer who is truly living a life of repentance and obedience that is indicative of change. A change that works itself from the inside out, not the outside in. It IS a heart issue, NOT simply a behavioral issue. There is no greater truth to get right in this life than a proper understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you are wondering how these things apply to your heart and the way you live out your life as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we will get there. Application is important but we need to get the basics first.
Love in Christ,
Josh
Monday, July 29, 2013
Are YOU a believer?
Are YOU a believer? You might say, "Well yes, of course I am." Are you sure. Consider this.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says these words to the crowd he is speaking to. "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me you workers of lawlessness."
Some of the people Jesus is speaking to are religious people. Maybe even religious leaders. They believe they are right with God because of their works. Because they said the right words and practiced the right rituals. However, Jesus suggests in the previous verses that the path is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter it are many(Matthew 7:13-14). He suggests that some of those "many will be people who thought that they were going to heaven only to find that their actions were worthless because they were not motivated by love for God, but love for their own goodness. They were self-righteous acts.
You might even ask what right I have to ask such a question and risk causing someone to doubt.
In time, we will discuss that, as well as what truly makes you right before God and how you can be assured of your salvation.
There are many who are unsure of their spiritual state before God and there are many who are dreadfully self-deceived about their Christianity. My goal is not to create unnecessary doubt. However, if there is any question in your spirit as to your standing before God at this time, I would suggest that you pray a lot about it and dig in the word to see what it says. Follow along as I flesh out various responses to this question and provide tools to help us better understand the wonderful Gospel that saves us, sanctifies us, and assures us that we are in right standing before God.
Even if you think you are fine, isn't it worth a little contemplation to examine the status of your heart in relation to what the word teaches.
This is not a question you can afford to get wrong.
More tomorrow.
Love,
Josh
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says these words to the crowd he is speaking to. "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me you workers of lawlessness."
Some of the people Jesus is speaking to are religious people. Maybe even religious leaders. They believe they are right with God because of their works. Because they said the right words and practiced the right rituals. However, Jesus suggests in the previous verses that the path is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter it are many(Matthew 7:13-14). He suggests that some of those "many will be people who thought that they were going to heaven only to find that their actions were worthless because they were not motivated by love for God, but love for their own goodness. They were self-righteous acts.
You might even ask what right I have to ask such a question and risk causing someone to doubt.
In time, we will discuss that, as well as what truly makes you right before God and how you can be assured of your salvation.
There are many who are unsure of their spiritual state before God and there are many who are dreadfully self-deceived about their Christianity. My goal is not to create unnecessary doubt. However, if there is any question in your spirit as to your standing before God at this time, I would suggest that you pray a lot about it and dig in the word to see what it says. Follow along as I flesh out various responses to this question and provide tools to help us better understand the wonderful Gospel that saves us, sanctifies us, and assures us that we are in right standing before God.
Even if you think you are fine, isn't it worth a little contemplation to examine the status of your heart in relation to what the word teaches.
This is not a question you can afford to get wrong.
More tomorrow.
Love,
Josh
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Change is in the air!
Hello Blog Family!
I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and prayers as I have been exploring the blog-o-sphere and experimenting for the glory of God. Many have been blessed by what I have done, have given me positive feedback, and have sometimes thanked me personally. Others, while only intending to provide constructive criticism, have made suggestions that it could be shorter and more succinct. I would like to emphasize that any criticism has been welcomed and, in fact, requested.
I have been striving to heed these thoughts by splitting posts into two or three parts. Some have enjoyed that. Though, I admit I have had concerns that they are still to long for what most are looking for in a blog. I recently received requested feedback from a fellow ministry style blogger with more experience writing than myself that has prompted further consideration. It was constructive and useful.
Because I know the Lord continues to do a work in me and I want to be mold-able clay for the Potters use, you will notice changes coming soon. Changes that I hope will be for the better regarding peoples interest in reading and willingness to share the posts that they receive either by Facebook or email. I have very limited reach as one person, even on a platform such as Blogger and with the use of Facebook. If I truly want to reach the world for Christ and the glory of the Father's name virtually, then I need people to share my stuff. I want people to share my stuff. Because my stuff, as it were, is Gospel driven and prayerfully, will lead others to beginning a relationship with Jesus, if not moving deeper in their already established relationship with Jesus. I do not want to be seeker-sensitive in content, but if simplifying or at least shortening the amount of material per post will make it more readable, and thus more desirable, then so be it.
So here is what you will notice. More posting. I am going to begin striving for a daily post. It may not be daily every week however, Lord willing, you will notice multiple posts per week. Because of this it will definitely be shorter, more often than not. What you will probably often find however, is a continuity of the message of the post. A stream of thought over a period of days as pastors do in sermon series. So if you or others are shocked or offended by a particular post. Maybe you even feel like you are tired of hearing about a particular concept. Hang with me. As you have seen I am determined to complete a thought and back it up with scripture. I also want to be well rounded in subject matter. It will simply happen over a longer period of time. You may even find you have more time to think about what is being said since it will come sprint style vs. marathon style. I admit I have some thoughts that I would prefer to put into one solid post for continuity's sake so you will still probably see a lengthier post on occasion. I am not sure how often yet. Hopefully, you will enjoy the sprints enough to endure the marathon's :-) I am sure that they will not all be linked in subject matter, but many probably will.
So, daily posts. Less material per post. Less time consuming. More easily read. Maybe even a change in design, at some point, as I contemplate a change of address or platform. Blogger has been great but, their are other blog sites that are still free or involve an inexpensive initial investment that will allow for more creativity on the blog page as well as in the content of the post. Please pray for me as I explore, think through, and pray myself, about this process.
I am excited about these challenges of thought and creativity. I know some enjoy things just the way they are however, if I can reach more hearts with the Gospel by adjusting then I welcome the change. The daily posts will begin very soon. As always, go to the word. Look at the scripture references that I give and look up more info on the topic. Don't agree or disagree with the posts without having investigated why you feel that way. My goal if for you to grow in the Lord and studying God's word is the only way for that to happen. I am happy to discuss these topics further privately with anyone who is interested. Nothing is more important to me in regards to this blog than that God be glorified in and through your life. Please feel free to provide feedback via FB or email. Many of you see these posts via FB anyway and can simply reply to the post. Also, my email is at the top of the True To The Word blog page.
Looking forward to this new adventure. May the glory and renown of God's Great Name be reflected in my work and in your hearts as a result. Stay tuned. You will not regret it.
Blessings,
Josh
I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and prayers as I have been exploring the blog-o-sphere and experimenting for the glory of God. Many have been blessed by what I have done, have given me positive feedback, and have sometimes thanked me personally. Others, while only intending to provide constructive criticism, have made suggestions that it could be shorter and more succinct. I would like to emphasize that any criticism has been welcomed and, in fact, requested.
I have been striving to heed these thoughts by splitting posts into two or three parts. Some have enjoyed that. Though, I admit I have had concerns that they are still to long for what most are looking for in a blog. I recently received requested feedback from a fellow ministry style blogger with more experience writing than myself that has prompted further consideration. It was constructive and useful.
Because I know the Lord continues to do a work in me and I want to be mold-able clay for the Potters use, you will notice changes coming soon. Changes that I hope will be for the better regarding peoples interest in reading and willingness to share the posts that they receive either by Facebook or email. I have very limited reach as one person, even on a platform such as Blogger and with the use of Facebook. If I truly want to reach the world for Christ and the glory of the Father's name virtually, then I need people to share my stuff. I want people to share my stuff. Because my stuff, as it were, is Gospel driven and prayerfully, will lead others to beginning a relationship with Jesus, if not moving deeper in their already established relationship with Jesus. I do not want to be seeker-sensitive in content, but if simplifying or at least shortening the amount of material per post will make it more readable, and thus more desirable, then so be it.
So here is what you will notice. More posting. I am going to begin striving for a daily post. It may not be daily every week however, Lord willing, you will notice multiple posts per week. Because of this it will definitely be shorter, more often than not. What you will probably often find however, is a continuity of the message of the post. A stream of thought over a period of days as pastors do in sermon series. So if you or others are shocked or offended by a particular post. Maybe you even feel like you are tired of hearing about a particular concept. Hang with me. As you have seen I am determined to complete a thought and back it up with scripture. I also want to be well rounded in subject matter. It will simply happen over a longer period of time. You may even find you have more time to think about what is being said since it will come sprint style vs. marathon style. I admit I have some thoughts that I would prefer to put into one solid post for continuity's sake so you will still probably see a lengthier post on occasion. I am not sure how often yet. Hopefully, you will enjoy the sprints enough to endure the marathon's :-) I am sure that they will not all be linked in subject matter, but many probably will.
So, daily posts. Less material per post. Less time consuming. More easily read. Maybe even a change in design, at some point, as I contemplate a change of address or platform. Blogger has been great but, their are other blog sites that are still free or involve an inexpensive initial investment that will allow for more creativity on the blog page as well as in the content of the post. Please pray for me as I explore, think through, and pray myself, about this process.
I am excited about these challenges of thought and creativity. I know some enjoy things just the way they are however, if I can reach more hearts with the Gospel by adjusting then I welcome the change. The daily posts will begin very soon. As always, go to the word. Look at the scripture references that I give and look up more info on the topic. Don't agree or disagree with the posts without having investigated why you feel that way. My goal if for you to grow in the Lord and studying God's word is the only way for that to happen. I am happy to discuss these topics further privately with anyone who is interested. Nothing is more important to me in regards to this blog than that God be glorified in and through your life. Please feel free to provide feedback via FB or email. Many of you see these posts via FB anyway and can simply reply to the post. Also, my email is at the top of the True To The Word blog page.
Looking forward to this new adventure. May the glory and renown of God's Great Name be reflected in my work and in your hearts as a result. Stay tuned. You will not regret it.
Blessings,
Josh
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Tongues on Fire
I realize that this will be hitting Facebook and the emails of those subscribing on Independence Day and that someone might actually take the time to read this on Independence day. So before I get started, out of respect for the holiday, and appreciation for all those who gave their lives or are currently serving to provide and protect my freedom of speech on this blog as well as all other freedoms, let me say,
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
Now with that said, let's get started. :-)
Since, as referenced in the previous blog post Vertical or Horizontal Repentance, one of the primary sinful acts that gets apologized for around me is profanity and gratefully that is one that, by God's grace, I do not struggle with as a rule, I want to provide a few thoughts and scriptural evidences regarding why WE as Christians ought to be considerably more concerned than many seem to be about the state of their tongue.
Now, many have addressed the tongue in regards to speaking positively or not criticizing in a nonconstructive manner and certainly these things are important. We need to represent the love of Christ in all that we say and do. Unfortunately, I sometimes hear people who do these other two pretty well while telling dirty jokes or using profanity still seems to be a relatively nonchalant practice for them. This may seem nit picky to some but the fact is, from a scriptural perspective, there is no wiggle room for casual cursing or casual telling of dirty jokes. It is absolutely not glorifying to God.
I will grant you that loosing your temper or a sudden significant pain may not be your best moment. That scenario gets my goat at times as well. Though not often because, I practice not allowing profanity to be a part of my vocabulary. What concerns me is casual and seemingly unrepentant use of profanity or coarse joking.
I see this not only from the general public of professing Christians but sometimes even from people of influence in ministry related roles or minsters themselves. I have heard testimony from others of actually observing pastors doing or saying things outside of church that make them virtually indistinguishable from the world. This same kind of behavior has been recognized at church functions and in staff meetings as well. Now mind you, I have grown up in and have been around ministry all my life so these examples are not from any one place. Regardless, this kind of behavior is outrageous. No one should act this way but, there is an even higher level of accountability for those in ministry. I would strongly warn anyone in such positions to guard themselves carefully and those whom work under them. "No body is perfect" is not an excuse for any of us. It must be clear that we are striving for perfection and we must make apology and clear effort toward repentance when we fail. We must hold each other accountable and be willing to be held accountable ourselves.
With that said, what scriptures speak to this? The number one verse that speaks to this sinful behavior is Ephesians 5:4. I am going to put it into the context of Eph. 5:1-5, "be imitators of God therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, jut as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity of, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
I placed this in context so that we can get the whole picture that obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking are ranked right in with sexual immorality, impurity, or greed. It states that anyone who is practicing this behavior in an unrepentant (unwilling to change) manner will not go to heaven. That's an eternally big deal.
James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." In James 3:6 he says, "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."
I could list scripture after scripture regarding this and I would encourage you to read up on this. Instead, I will reference briefly two other commands for holy living. God said, Be holy even as I am holy(Leviticus 20:26). The Apostle Peter thought that same scripture worthy of quoting in 1 Peter 1:16. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, challenges the Church to "live a life worthy of the Gospel" (Philippians 1:20)
This can be done. Let me encourage us all that 1 Corinthians 10:13 states this: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
God will enable you. The question is how. Well, if you are a believer, Jesus said that he would send us a helper in the person of the Holy Spirit(John 14:15-17) However, how does the Holy Spirit help us? Certainly, he brings conviction in the way of a lack of peace. He can be much more effective though if we give Him something to work with. For example, Psalm 119:9-11 says this, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you, let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Scripture planted into our hearts and minds through memorization is then available for the Holy Spirit to utilize as a means of teaching and correction.
As a side note, if you think you cannot memorize scripture let me posit this for you. First, I'll bet that if I promised you a thousand dollars for every verse you memorized you would figure out how to get it done. Psalm 19:7-11 makes it clear that the statutes, commands, law, and fear of the Lord are more precious than gold, sweeter than honey, and that in keeping them is great reward. Second, God will not give you a command that he will not enable you to follow. 2 Peter 1:3 states, "His divine Power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." As believers, we can obey God.
The Apostle Paul provides another insight into success over sin. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally brothers, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
You see, if you are only allowing these types of things, all of which are glorifying to God, to be what your brain and soul feeds and meditates on, then that will impact what comes out of your heart and mouth. What comes out of our mouths is generally associated with our hearts.(Luke 6:45, Matt. 15:10-11, Matt 12:36-37) As Christians we should want what comes out of our mouths and what is meditated on by our hearts to be pleasing to God.(Psalm 19:14)
While we are required to make much effort in living holy lives, we are not expected to do it on our own. Philippians 2:12-13 is one of my favorite verses. It states, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to work according to his good purpose."
We must work hard to properly represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. I cannot put it any better than the Apostle Paul does in Romans 12:1-2 in which he states, "Therefore , I urge you brother in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God for this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any long to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will."
I am striving every day to live this out. I do not want to misrepresent the God who gave everything for me so that I could have eternal life with him. I don't want to spit in his face by daring to think that I have the right to say or do whatever feels good. We must strive to represent the perfection and holiness that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son commanded us to. We will stumble, but we MUST repent vertically for God's benefit and horizontally for the benefit of those listening. We must never become complacent or apathetic about sin in our life. We must tremble in reverent fear of a Holy God.
Therefore, guard your heart, your eyes and your tongue. Never take for granted what Christ did for us on that tree. LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL!
In Jesus name,
Josh
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
Now with that said, let's get started. :-)
Since, as referenced in the previous blog post Vertical or Horizontal Repentance, one of the primary sinful acts that gets apologized for around me is profanity and gratefully that is one that, by God's grace, I do not struggle with as a rule, I want to provide a few thoughts and scriptural evidences regarding why WE as Christians ought to be considerably more concerned than many seem to be about the state of their tongue.
Now, many have addressed the tongue in regards to speaking positively or not criticizing in a nonconstructive manner and certainly these things are important. We need to represent the love of Christ in all that we say and do. Unfortunately, I sometimes hear people who do these other two pretty well while telling dirty jokes or using profanity still seems to be a relatively nonchalant practice for them. This may seem nit picky to some but the fact is, from a scriptural perspective, there is no wiggle room for casual cursing or casual telling of dirty jokes. It is absolutely not glorifying to God.
I will grant you that loosing your temper or a sudden significant pain may not be your best moment. That scenario gets my goat at times as well. Though not often because, I practice not allowing profanity to be a part of my vocabulary. What concerns me is casual and seemingly unrepentant use of profanity or coarse joking.
I see this not only from the general public of professing Christians but sometimes even from people of influence in ministry related roles or minsters themselves. I have heard testimony from others of actually observing pastors doing or saying things outside of church that make them virtually indistinguishable from the world. This same kind of behavior has been recognized at church functions and in staff meetings as well. Now mind you, I have grown up in and have been around ministry all my life so these examples are not from any one place. Regardless, this kind of behavior is outrageous. No one should act this way but, there is an even higher level of accountability for those in ministry. I would strongly warn anyone in such positions to guard themselves carefully and those whom work under them. "No body is perfect" is not an excuse for any of us. It must be clear that we are striving for perfection and we must make apology and clear effort toward repentance when we fail. We must hold each other accountable and be willing to be held accountable ourselves.
With that said, what scriptures speak to this? The number one verse that speaks to this sinful behavior is Ephesians 5:4. I am going to put it into the context of Eph. 5:1-5, "be imitators of God therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, jut as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity of, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
I placed this in context so that we can get the whole picture that obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking are ranked right in with sexual immorality, impurity, or greed. It states that anyone who is practicing this behavior in an unrepentant (unwilling to change) manner will not go to heaven. That's an eternally big deal.
James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." In James 3:6 he says, "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."
I could list scripture after scripture regarding this and I would encourage you to read up on this. Instead, I will reference briefly two other commands for holy living. God said, Be holy even as I am holy(Leviticus 20:26). The Apostle Peter thought that same scripture worthy of quoting in 1 Peter 1:16. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, challenges the Church to "live a life worthy of the Gospel" (Philippians 1:20)
This can be done. Let me encourage us all that 1 Corinthians 10:13 states this: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
God will enable you. The question is how. Well, if you are a believer, Jesus said that he would send us a helper in the person of the Holy Spirit(John 14:15-17) However, how does the Holy Spirit help us? Certainly, he brings conviction in the way of a lack of peace. He can be much more effective though if we give Him something to work with. For example, Psalm 119:9-11 says this, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you, let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Scripture planted into our hearts and minds through memorization is then available for the Holy Spirit to utilize as a means of teaching and correction.
As a side note, if you think you cannot memorize scripture let me posit this for you. First, I'll bet that if I promised you a thousand dollars for every verse you memorized you would figure out how to get it done. Psalm 19:7-11 makes it clear that the statutes, commands, law, and fear of the Lord are more precious than gold, sweeter than honey, and that in keeping them is great reward. Second, God will not give you a command that he will not enable you to follow. 2 Peter 1:3 states, "His divine Power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." As believers, we can obey God.
The Apostle Paul provides another insight into success over sin. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally brothers, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
You see, if you are only allowing these types of things, all of which are glorifying to God, to be what your brain and soul feeds and meditates on, then that will impact what comes out of your heart and mouth. What comes out of our mouths is generally associated with our hearts.(Luke 6:45, Matt. 15:10-11, Matt 12:36-37) As Christians we should want what comes out of our mouths and what is meditated on by our hearts to be pleasing to God.(Psalm 19:14)
While we are required to make much effort in living holy lives, we are not expected to do it on our own. Philippians 2:12-13 is one of my favorite verses. It states, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to work according to his good purpose."
We must work hard to properly represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. I cannot put it any better than the Apostle Paul does in Romans 12:1-2 in which he states, "Therefore , I urge you brother in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God for this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any long to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will."
I am striving every day to live this out. I do not want to misrepresent the God who gave everything for me so that I could have eternal life with him. I don't want to spit in his face by daring to think that I have the right to say or do whatever feels good. We must strive to represent the perfection and holiness that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son commanded us to. We will stumble, but we MUST repent vertically for God's benefit and horizontally for the benefit of those listening. We must never become complacent or apathetic about sin in our life. We must tremble in reverent fear of a Holy God.
Therefore, guard your heart, your eyes and your tongue. Never take for granted what Christ did for us on that tree. LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL!
In Jesus name,
Josh
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Horizontal or Vertical Repentance, which do you practice?
I have noticed as of late that some people, who are aware of my convictions, are apologizing to me when they realize they have used profanity around me. This has happened in the past as well, but for some reason I have noticed it a lot lately. It's not that I mind that my presence and the knowledge of my convictions causes people to adjust their habits. I am glad for that. My thought is that, I am not the one they should apologize or repent toward. Now, before I go any further let me clarify that if I know a person not to be a professing Christian then I fully appreciate their consideration. However, some who adjust their behavior or apologize in my presence are professing Christians. Even more concerning is that there are those who use profanity rather casually at times who don't even seem to mind who is around when they do it. Anyhow, that's another post.
So here is my question, and one we should all consistently remain aware of. Do you practice vertical repentance or horizontal repentance?
In 2 Samuel 12:13, after having stolen the wife of one of his best men, getting her pregnant, and having him killed, David has been confronted by Nathan the prophet. David's response, "I have sinned against the Lord". Not, gee Nathan, I'm sorry that upsets you or I hope I didn't offend you Nathan.
Repentance means to turn from your sin and run toward God. In today's society, even professing Christians often have a tendency to have more sorrow for their sins toward those humans they have offended with their sin(horizontal) rather than sorrow toward Jesus for the same sin's that also were committed against God(Vertical). It's ok to apologize to people you have sinned against but repentance must be vertical.
If your sorrow and repentance is directed at God it will be much more likely to stick than if you direct it horizontally toward those whom you have offended. You may feel the temptation to debate or even blow off those who strive to hold you accountable if they are the primary ones who are recognizing your sin and making mention of it. However, if God is the primary target of your repentance then there is no valid argument to be made. You cannot argue with the word of God if you are interested in growing in your relationship with God. Jesus prayed that God the Father would sanctify us in the truth for God's word is truth(John 17:17).
In Luke 6:45 Jesus says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". Changed hearts bring changed actions. Those who are in Christ are a new creation The old has passed away behold all things have been made new.(2 Corinthians 5:17)
IF you are in Christ, that should be your hearts desire.
So, do you practice horizontal or vertical repentance? And, is it sincere? If you have placed your trust in Jesus and confessed Him as Lord of your life then remember the price he paid for your sins and let that be your primary accountability.
If you have never accepted Christ as Lord and Savior then there is no time like the present. It is not a get out of jail free card for hell. It is a be redeemed and live for the eternal goal that God intended at creation, to glorify God and enjoy him forever, for free card.
Except, it is not free. God in His perfect holiness cannot tolerate sin. In fact Psalms 5:4-6 says that God hates evildoers. He hates sin and because sin is a part of sinners he hates sinners and he must destroy them. That is the way in which God's justice and wrath must manifest themselves in order to defend His holiness.
And yet God also wants to defend the glory that He created us to enjoy and appreciate to begin with. All through the Old Testament God is showing his love for his people by giving them second chance after second chance. The ultimate second chance came in His son Jesus Christ whom HE sent. Jesus came to become the object of God's wrath so that we as God's creation could have eternal life through HIM. He paid the price by becoming the punishment for our sins and erasing the guilt of our sins. Selfless love from a glorious creator. We all deserve to be destroyed because of our sin. Christ lived the perfectly sinless life that we could not live and died the death that we deserved to die.
You can have this eternal relationship with the loving heavenly Father and Creator of the Universe. All you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved(Romans 10:9-13) That's it. Believe and, as discussed before, repent from your sins.
Repentance is a continual process that will last the rest of your earthly life. However, if your belief is not merely intellectual ascent but it is true submission to His Lordship, then it will fuel genuine VERTICAL repentance and you will be grateful for the desire to do it.
SO PRACTICE VERTICAL REPENTANCE TODAY!
Love in Christ,
Josh
So here is my question, and one we should all consistently remain aware of. Do you practice vertical repentance or horizontal repentance?
In 2 Samuel 12:13, after having stolen the wife of one of his best men, getting her pregnant, and having him killed, David has been confronted by Nathan the prophet. David's response, "I have sinned against the Lord". Not, gee Nathan, I'm sorry that upsets you or I hope I didn't offend you Nathan.
Repentance means to turn from your sin and run toward God. In today's society, even professing Christians often have a tendency to have more sorrow for their sins toward those humans they have offended with their sin(horizontal) rather than sorrow toward Jesus for the same sin's that also were committed against God(Vertical). It's ok to apologize to people you have sinned against but repentance must be vertical.
If your sorrow and repentance is directed at God it will be much more likely to stick than if you direct it horizontally toward those whom you have offended. You may feel the temptation to debate or even blow off those who strive to hold you accountable if they are the primary ones who are recognizing your sin and making mention of it. However, if God is the primary target of your repentance then there is no valid argument to be made. You cannot argue with the word of God if you are interested in growing in your relationship with God. Jesus prayed that God the Father would sanctify us in the truth for God's word is truth(John 17:17).
In Luke 6:45 Jesus says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". Changed hearts bring changed actions. Those who are in Christ are a new creation The old has passed away behold all things have been made new.(2 Corinthians 5:17)
IF you are in Christ, that should be your hearts desire.
So, do you practice horizontal or vertical repentance? And, is it sincere? If you have placed your trust in Jesus and confessed Him as Lord of your life then remember the price he paid for your sins and let that be your primary accountability.
If you have never accepted Christ as Lord and Savior then there is no time like the present. It is not a get out of jail free card for hell. It is a be redeemed and live for the eternal goal that God intended at creation, to glorify God and enjoy him forever, for free card.
Except, it is not free. God in His perfect holiness cannot tolerate sin. In fact Psalms 5:4-6 says that God hates evildoers. He hates sin and because sin is a part of sinners he hates sinners and he must destroy them. That is the way in which God's justice and wrath must manifest themselves in order to defend His holiness.
And yet God also wants to defend the glory that He created us to enjoy and appreciate to begin with. All through the Old Testament God is showing his love for his people by giving them second chance after second chance. The ultimate second chance came in His son Jesus Christ whom HE sent. Jesus came to become the object of God's wrath so that we as God's creation could have eternal life through HIM. He paid the price by becoming the punishment for our sins and erasing the guilt of our sins. Selfless love from a glorious creator. We all deserve to be destroyed because of our sin. Christ lived the perfectly sinless life that we could not live and died the death that we deserved to die.
You can have this eternal relationship with the loving heavenly Father and Creator of the Universe. All you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved(Romans 10:9-13) That's it. Believe and, as discussed before, repent from your sins.
Repentance is a continual process that will last the rest of your earthly life. However, if your belief is not merely intellectual ascent but it is true submission to His Lordship, then it will fuel genuine VERTICAL repentance and you will be grateful for the desire to do it.
SO PRACTICE VERTICAL REPENTANCE TODAY!
Love in Christ,
Josh
Monday, June 10, 2013
A message of hope and encouragement
In this world of uncertainty it is so easy to loose sight of Jesus. It is so easy to begin to look at our circumstances and begin worrying about job stability, health care, etc. I have to confess that lately things have been shaking me up at work. Financial struggles for the company, a new boss, lot's of changes happening quickly are all things that have been causing turmoil and worry among myself and my coworkers. Sadly I and other brothers and sisters in the faith have found ourselves shaken, allowing ourselves to get caught up in gossip and negativity, and loosing sight of who it is that we serve, what is commanded of us, and what is promised to us. I say this not to criticize but simply to be transparent because I know many Christians are facing trials and need to be encouraged.
One coworker had a little package of mustard seeds that she is keeping with her as a reminder that we only need a little faith to effect great change. It is also a reminder that we, as Christians, are to be a light in the world. We are supposed to rise above in our attitudes and behavior. Sometimes we apply the idea of mustard seed faith to ideas that seem to require big faith and forget that, this same mustard seed faith is often required for our day to day faith walk. Her package of seeds was a good reminder to me and a confirmation of what the Holy Spirit had already been convicting me about.
So who do we serve? We serve the Living God! The one who spoke creation into existence. There is nothing He cannot do. If we are faithful He will see us through. If we lack faith we need but pray and He will increase our faith. He is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End. And while He is God and we are not, He does not allow for that to be an excuse for worry, lack of faith, or disobedience. No, God's word commands us to be Holy and strive for perfection(1 Peter 1:14-16, Matthew 5:48). Scripture states that we have been given the tools by which to accomplish this task(2 Peter 1:3-8).
What are some commands from our King regarding our concerns and challenges in life?
Philippians 4:4-7 says this, "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul goes on to say, "Finally, brothers, whatever is pure, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
You see Paul is telling us that we are to rejoice in every circumstance, always representing gentleness which is a fruit of the Spirit(Galatians 5:22-23). We are not to be anxious but to simply bring our requests and concerns before God and trust Him with them. Then what? Then we can have peace. What else brings the presence of the God of peace. Right thinking and obedience to biblical teaching. These are actions we must take but that we are not alone in undertaking. You see in Philippians 2:12-13 scripture states that we are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to work according to His good purpose." His grace under-girds our actions.
I'm sorry. I must go a little further because this really all ties together. God's word is so good and Philippians speaks so much to growing in righteousness and walking it out. We love to quote Philippians 4:13 which says that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Unfortunately we often miss the context in which it is quoted. The context is the previous vs. 12 and the end of vs. 11, which states, "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
1 Timothy 6:6-8 says that, "Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that.
So much of our approach to life and the way we handle our circumstances comes from the way we approach our circumstances and the way in which we wrongly prioritize what is really important. Then we sit and worry about what is going to happen instead of trusting God when He gives us promises like this:
Matthew 6:25-33, which states, and I paraphrase, that we should not worry about tomorrow because each day has enough worry of it's own. That if God is concerned about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and takes care of them, He will most certainly take care of us. What are we to do? "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be given to you as well."
Hebrews 13:5 says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you nor forsake you". The last part of this scripture is actually a NT quote of the OT scripture from Deuteronomy 3:16. See, even the NT authors thought scripture reference was important to make their point :-)
Last but not least in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." I don't think it gets much clearer than that. Yokes were used to connect two oxen or horses together so that they shared the load. When you yoke up with Jesus, He will carry the weight with you. Often times carrying more of it than you could possibly bear thus making your load easier and lighter.
Now, I have quoted a lot of scripture here because it is authoritative, God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work(2 Timothy 3:16) God's word is truth. Jesus said in John 8:31, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
So let the truth of these scriptures set you free. Meditate on them. Memorize them. Hold to their teachings. Apply them to your life that through your obedience you may find peace, rest, and joy. One preacher I heard recently said that, in order to really experience joy, you have to always have at least one eye on heaven. We must always remember that as believers we are not of this world. We live for a world to come. So no matter what may come in this life, if we are living for the next one, it has a tendency to help us scale back the dramatic ride that our emotions like to take us on. If you are living this way then Joy, not happiness, but Joy can be found in the worst of circumstances. Happiness is a surface level event. Joy comes from the well of living water that is available when you have Christ abiding in you and you abide in Him.
This blog post is for me as well and I will be going back and reading it and allowing the word of God to minister to me as well. We are in this thing together. Please pray for me as I pray for you and let's trust and obey our Heavenly Father and Savior King together in Jesus Name.
Amen
Love in Christ,
Josh
One coworker had a little package of mustard seeds that she is keeping with her as a reminder that we only need a little faith to effect great change. It is also a reminder that we, as Christians, are to be a light in the world. We are supposed to rise above in our attitudes and behavior. Sometimes we apply the idea of mustard seed faith to ideas that seem to require big faith and forget that, this same mustard seed faith is often required for our day to day faith walk. Her package of seeds was a good reminder to me and a confirmation of what the Holy Spirit had already been convicting me about.
So who do we serve? We serve the Living God! The one who spoke creation into existence. There is nothing He cannot do. If we are faithful He will see us through. If we lack faith we need but pray and He will increase our faith. He is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End. And while He is God and we are not, He does not allow for that to be an excuse for worry, lack of faith, or disobedience. No, God's word commands us to be Holy and strive for perfection(1 Peter 1:14-16, Matthew 5:48). Scripture states that we have been given the tools by which to accomplish this task(2 Peter 1:3-8).
What are some commands from our King regarding our concerns and challenges in life?
Philippians 4:4-7 says this, "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul goes on to say, "Finally, brothers, whatever is pure, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
You see Paul is telling us that we are to rejoice in every circumstance, always representing gentleness which is a fruit of the Spirit(Galatians 5:22-23). We are not to be anxious but to simply bring our requests and concerns before God and trust Him with them. Then what? Then we can have peace. What else brings the presence of the God of peace. Right thinking and obedience to biblical teaching. These are actions we must take but that we are not alone in undertaking. You see in Philippians 2:12-13 scripture states that we are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to work according to His good purpose." His grace under-girds our actions.
I'm sorry. I must go a little further because this really all ties together. God's word is so good and Philippians speaks so much to growing in righteousness and walking it out. We love to quote Philippians 4:13 which says that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Unfortunately we often miss the context in which it is quoted. The context is the previous vs. 12 and the end of vs. 11, which states, "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
1 Timothy 6:6-8 says that, "Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that.
So much of our approach to life and the way we handle our circumstances comes from the way we approach our circumstances and the way in which we wrongly prioritize what is really important. Then we sit and worry about what is going to happen instead of trusting God when He gives us promises like this:
Matthew 6:25-33, which states, and I paraphrase, that we should not worry about tomorrow because each day has enough worry of it's own. That if God is concerned about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and takes care of them, He will most certainly take care of us. What are we to do? "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be given to you as well."
Hebrews 13:5 says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you nor forsake you". The last part of this scripture is actually a NT quote of the OT scripture from Deuteronomy 3:16. See, even the NT authors thought scripture reference was important to make their point :-)
Last but not least in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." I don't think it gets much clearer than that. Yokes were used to connect two oxen or horses together so that they shared the load. When you yoke up with Jesus, He will carry the weight with you. Often times carrying more of it than you could possibly bear thus making your load easier and lighter.
Now, I have quoted a lot of scripture here because it is authoritative, God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work(2 Timothy 3:16) God's word is truth. Jesus said in John 8:31, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
So let the truth of these scriptures set you free. Meditate on them. Memorize them. Hold to their teachings. Apply them to your life that through your obedience you may find peace, rest, and joy. One preacher I heard recently said that, in order to really experience joy, you have to always have at least one eye on heaven. We must always remember that as believers we are not of this world. We live for a world to come. So no matter what may come in this life, if we are living for the next one, it has a tendency to help us scale back the dramatic ride that our emotions like to take us on. If you are living this way then Joy, not happiness, but Joy can be found in the worst of circumstances. Happiness is a surface level event. Joy comes from the well of living water that is available when you have Christ abiding in you and you abide in Him.
This blog post is for me as well and I will be going back and reading it and allowing the word of God to minister to me as well. We are in this thing together. Please pray for me as I pray for you and let's trust and obey our Heavenly Father and Savior King together in Jesus Name.
Amen
Love in Christ,
Josh
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)