10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
10 "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care." Paul is saying that because God has chosen to use him in this way, Paul was able to build a spiritual foundation for the people in Corinth. But now someone else is building on that original foundation -- Apollos. This is true in our day, too, isn't it? We originally accepted Christ as our Savior and decided to follow Him when someone shared that news with us, and since that time, many people have added to that foundation -- preachers, teachers, parents, friends, etc. But here Paul is warning all of those people, and us when we play those roles, that we should make sure what we're adding to others' foundations is sound preaching and teaching. This is not something about which we can be flippant. WE need to check our own doctrines and teachings.
11 "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." We don't have be afraid about what that former verse tells us, because here, Paul promises that no one can lay a foundation other than Jesus. In other words, you can't ruin someone else's foundation if they have Christ. He will always remain the foundation in their lives -- we simply don't have that much power as human beings! So, you don't have to worry about making someone lose their salvation because of something about which you used to think incorrectly. Jesus will remain. A building is only as solid as its foundation, so we must be building our lives upon Him.
12 "If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work." The Corinthian church was filled with those whose work and ideologies were "wood, hay, and straw," items that would be quickly burnt up by God's judgement. The church members there were immature, selfish, and not Christ-centered. Instead, we must be building upon our foundation with high-quality materials that meet God's standards. We must first be build solely on Christ; we must be sincere in our love and work for Christ; we must be obedient to what He says; and we must serve Him faithfully. Only God can determine if we've done these things, and He will reward us accordingly. This is not meant to manipulate us into action, but rather to encourage us to see where it is that God might want to use us for His Church around the world (remember yesterday's point). I don't know about you, but I desire to do quality work for Christ -- and that can even mean in my daily interactions with the people around me. We don't all have to move to Africa! (That was my fear in 7th grade.)
14 "If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward." When God tests our motives and our hearts, will He find that our desire to please Him and to do work for Him is pure, or are we using our "work for Christ" as a way to be put in places where we receive power and praise? Are we serving in our church because we want to serve Christ or so that people will know who we are and recognize our name? If our hearts are pure, we will receive a reward. I sure hope I continue to grow in this area. I know my heart is not always pure -- in fact, if you could read my heart, you would find that it is quite the opposite of pure most days -- but I desire nothing more than to continue to serve the Lord better and come to know and emulate Him more. I pray that that is what God sees when He looks at me, because I know that my God looks at The Heart.
15 "If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." If what has been built up is not pure, such as wealth, security, success, or fame, we will suffer loss, but we will be saved by the skin of our teeth. Here is God's grace in action again -- don't you see His love and grace for you? He doesn't desire to put you in your place and be vengeful to you. Even if you don't have much to show for it, He will welcome His followers into eternity with Him. Of course, that's not a reason to go on serving yourself, but to know that as long as you have Christ as your foundation, you are safe. Now doesn't that let you put your shoulders down a bit?
Take some time to think about yourself today. Are you serving the Lord or yourself when you look at how you spend your time and your money? Those two things have always been good indicators for me, because they show me what I truly value. I may say I love Christ, but some weeks my calendar says I love coffee dates with friends and TV shows more! May I just ask us: Do we want God to be the center of our lifves?
Pray that He will change your heart to break over the things that break His heart and give you eyes to see what He sees in other people. Then watch as He slowly changes your priorities. But first, we must ask. You can't do it on your own. Remember, it's a partnership.
Coffee with Jesus
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (Your Job)
We pick back up with Paul, who is trying to stop the quarreling regarding who is better -- Paul or Apollos, both "preachers" who profess Christ.
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
5 "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul?" It's interesting how Paul doesn't say "who" regarding he and Apollos. He is focusing on their job, as servants. It can be so easy for me to get distracted by who I am rather than what I am. But God is meant to be the focus -- always. He is the "Who" in my story, and I am just His servant. I don't have to be ho-hum about this, because He doesn't look at me that way. I have worth because I am His child and His servant. When we can keep ourselves and God in the correct perspective, much of life's toughest questions can be answered. In a culture where our occupations are a large part of our identity, it's helpful to have the reminder that I am not my job; instead, I am a servant of the Most High. No matter what my occupation is, what I do matters because I am doing it for Him.
"Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task." Paul is trying to tell them that they are thinking more highly than even Paul thinks of himself. He knows that he is just God's servant. That's it. He doesn't encourage the people to think any higher of him than that. He was simply doing what God has assigned him to do. Don't you want that perspective -- that I'm just doing what God has assigned me to do? Perhaps you think, but I don't think the Lord has assigned me to do anything. That's not true! This verse reminds us that "the Lord has assigned to each his task." If you are a follower of Christ, you have a job to do. We will see the two specific jobs Paul is referencing in the next verse.
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow." Paul acted as the missionary or evangelist to this young church at Corinth. He did his task of planting a seed, or telling people about God's love for them and what Jesus did for them, and then he moved on. Then, Apollos rose up a leader within the people who would build upon the foundation Paul had set. Apollos was more like their pastor, if you will, nurturing, encouraging and continuing to challenge the new believers there in Corinth. But Paul says that though they had different jobs to do, and they did obey and do those jobs, it was God who has made that seed grow. God (the trinity) is the one who allows His Word to be understood and acted upon.
For over a year now, I have been actively involved in a ministry at my church called Stephen Ministry. We are a group of caregivers in our church for people who are going through normal life crises, and we meet one-on-one with our Care Receiver once a week. This verse has really begun to stick out to me as a part of this ministry. We are interacting with people who are greatly hurting because of grief, divorce, anxiety, relational difficulties, illness, and even their own impending deaths. It is in these moments that I must remember that I cannot fix anything in these situations -- I can only listen and walk beside them. I give the care, but only God can give the cure. The care is very, very important to the people who are suffering, so that is what I can focus on. But any work done in their hearts and bodies is God's job. There is relief in that! It takes off the unnecessary expectations I put on myself. But this doesn't have to be true in just Stephen Ministry -- it is true in all of our lives! Whatever you are wanting God to do in your life or the life of someone you love, must be done by Him. We can plant seeds and water them in our words and actions, and we absolutely should, but God is the only one who can make it grow or change. Period.
"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." Because God is the Grower, this takes away my false pride. If my friend no longer has anxiety because of something I did or said, or if another friend is no longer getting a divorce because of my care for her, that is God's doing. Not mine. I am nothing when it comes to changing hearts. Again, it is all God, lest we think that we have the power to change people. Only God. Only God. I think Paul really wants us to understand those two word: Only God.
"The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." Now, I can hear what you might be thinking, if God is the only one who matters in this situation, why don't we just let Him do it all? But here Paul reminds us that we DO have purpose! God doesn't want to do it alone; He desires to partner with us! He could do it all alone, there's no doubt about that, but He chooses not to -- for His glory and our good. When we understand that God could do it without us, but chooses to use fallible people anyway, He gets some major glory, and we reap the benefits of learning to be better Christ followers! If God is using us to work in someone else's life, there's no doubt in my mind that He will also work in our lives in the process as we care for and love on others. Two for the price of one! And, not only that, but we will be rewarded according to what we've done. Our salvation is not based on what we do, but our rewards in Heaven one day will be! Working for the Lord reaps major benefits now and in the future! Keep doing it! Don't give up now!
"For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." And we are reminded again that God is using all of us if we allow Him. So we are co-workers -- not in a school building or an office building, but co-workers in the world. God's work involves many different gifts and abilities. No one, not even Paul or Apollos, are the superstars here. We are co-workers, equally valuable, but with different tasks, if we allow God to use us. And He wants to! So, I don't need to look at the people around me and wish I could be doing what they are doing. God has me doing something equally important, and from my experience, it is usually where your passions are. So, continue developing those passions! That's quite possibly where God wants to use you!
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
5 "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul?" It's interesting how Paul doesn't say "who" regarding he and Apollos. He is focusing on their job, as servants. It can be so easy for me to get distracted by who I am rather than what I am. But God is meant to be the focus -- always. He is the "Who" in my story, and I am just His servant. I don't have to be ho-hum about this, because He doesn't look at me that way. I have worth because I am His child and His servant. When we can keep ourselves and God in the correct perspective, much of life's toughest questions can be answered. In a culture where our occupations are a large part of our identity, it's helpful to have the reminder that I am not my job; instead, I am a servant of the Most High. No matter what my occupation is, what I do matters because I am doing it for Him.
"Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task." Paul is trying to tell them that they are thinking more highly than even Paul thinks of himself. He knows that he is just God's servant. That's it. He doesn't encourage the people to think any higher of him than that. He was simply doing what God has assigned him to do. Don't you want that perspective -- that I'm just doing what God has assigned me to do? Perhaps you think, but I don't think the Lord has assigned me to do anything. That's not true! This verse reminds us that "the Lord has assigned to each his task." If you are a follower of Christ, you have a job to do. We will see the two specific jobs Paul is referencing in the next verse.
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow." Paul acted as the missionary or evangelist to this young church at Corinth. He did his task of planting a seed, or telling people about God's love for them and what Jesus did for them, and then he moved on. Then, Apollos rose up a leader within the people who would build upon the foundation Paul had set. Apollos was more like their pastor, if you will, nurturing, encouraging and continuing to challenge the new believers there in Corinth. But Paul says that though they had different jobs to do, and they did obey and do those jobs, it was God who has made that seed grow. God (the trinity) is the one who allows His Word to be understood and acted upon.
For over a year now, I have been actively involved in a ministry at my church called Stephen Ministry. We are a group of caregivers in our church for people who are going through normal life crises, and we meet one-on-one with our Care Receiver once a week. This verse has really begun to stick out to me as a part of this ministry. We are interacting with people who are greatly hurting because of grief, divorce, anxiety, relational difficulties, illness, and even their own impending deaths. It is in these moments that I must remember that I cannot fix anything in these situations -- I can only listen and walk beside them. I give the care, but only God can give the cure. The care is very, very important to the people who are suffering, so that is what I can focus on. But any work done in their hearts and bodies is God's job. There is relief in that! It takes off the unnecessary expectations I put on myself. But this doesn't have to be true in just Stephen Ministry -- it is true in all of our lives! Whatever you are wanting God to do in your life or the life of someone you love, must be done by Him. We can plant seeds and water them in our words and actions, and we absolutely should, but God is the only one who can make it grow or change. Period.
"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." Because God is the Grower, this takes away my false pride. If my friend no longer has anxiety because of something I did or said, or if another friend is no longer getting a divorce because of my care for her, that is God's doing. Not mine. I am nothing when it comes to changing hearts. Again, it is all God, lest we think that we have the power to change people. Only God. Only God. I think Paul really wants us to understand those two word: Only God.
"The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." Now, I can hear what you might be thinking, if God is the only one who matters in this situation, why don't we just let Him do it all? But here Paul reminds us that we DO have purpose! God doesn't want to do it alone; He desires to partner with us! He could do it all alone, there's no doubt about that, but He chooses not to -- for His glory and our good. When we understand that God could do it without us, but chooses to use fallible people anyway, He gets some major glory, and we reap the benefits of learning to be better Christ followers! If God is using us to work in someone else's life, there's no doubt in my mind that He will also work in our lives in the process as we care for and love on others. Two for the price of one! And, not only that, but we will be rewarded according to what we've done. Our salvation is not based on what we do, but our rewards in Heaven one day will be! Working for the Lord reaps major benefits now and in the future! Keep doing it! Don't give up now!
"For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." And we are reminded again that God is using all of us if we allow Him. So we are co-workers -- not in a school building or an office building, but co-workers in the world. God's work involves many different gifts and abilities. No one, not even Paul or Apollos, are the superstars here. We are co-workers, equally valuable, but with different tasks, if we allow God to use us. And He wants to! So, I don't need to look at the people around me and wish I could be doing what they are doing. God has me doing something equally important, and from my experience, it is usually where your passions are. So, continue developing those passions! That's quite possibly where God wants to use you!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (Food and Four-Year-Olds)
1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
Recently, I have really begun to have an appreciation for GOOD food. Not just Applebee's or Don Pablos, but really good food. Food that takes lots of time to prepare and requires words like lyonnaise, bourguignon, and pappardelle (and lest you think too highly of me, I do not make this kind of food, but I like to purchase it at nice restaurants on occasion). My tastes and appreciations are changing, and it is so exciting! I love seafood now with a passion that would have make myself sick ten years ago. And that's just it...I'm a grown-up now, and I like grown-up foods, not the bland, frozen varieties that can be heated in seconds.
Keep this picture in mind as you think about what Paul is saying this morning. I can hear the love in his voice as he addresses them as 'brothers and sisters', but there must be some undertones of frustration as well. He is frustrated with their spiritual dealings with one another. He calls them mere infants in their relation to Christ! He says that because of this, when he last saw them, he gave them spiritual milk, not solid "adult" food because they weren't ready for it yet.
Isn't that the case with us? Four-year-olds don't like fish unless it's battered and deep fried, and they certainly wouldn't be ready to deal with the spicy horseradish in shrimp cocktail. They need bland, easy to swallow food. The same goes with the Corinthians level of spiritual maturity. They still need the basics. How does Paul know this?
He says, "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?" Why do we quarrel and get jealous? It's because we're not getting OUR way! I don't know who that reminds you of, but it sure reminds me of....four-year-olds. Young children think of themselves and what would make them feel good at any given moment. I'm sometimes shocked when I do see behavior like this in the adults at my work place or when I'm running errands around town, but I'm even more shocked and saddened when it's happening where Paul sees it -- the Church. Greater still, I am most saddened when I see this behavior in myself. There is nothing that makes me hang my head more than when I realize I have been like a four-year-old thinking only of "Me! Me! Me!"
In Paul's situation, people were arguing over who they were following: Paul (who originally came and preached to them when they had never heard preaching before), or Apollos (the "pastor" figure who stayed with them after Paul left who taught and encouraged them as new Believers). The people have begun to put Paul and Apollos on the pedestals instead of Jesus Christ. Don't we do this sometimes? We place certain Christian leaders as the be-all and end-all, following whatever they say we should do rather than looking at Christ Himself. Often, we find security or pride in the fact that people know "who we follow" in politics, theology, or entertainment. We have aligned ourselves with someone.
So what do these verses this tell us about what mature Christians would do? First of all, they are not concerned with themselves. They don't have to get their way all the time because they are not seeking their own plans but what the Lord desires; therefore, they do not find themselves in many quarrels and fights. Really think about that: how often are you seeking YOUR desires in a day rather than what God desires?
Secondly, we don't feel the need to align ourselves with certain people for our identity or status. This could be in the form of politicians, pastors, celebrities, or friends we know. It's not that we can't have opinions about people, but our identity and focus should be on Christ. He is the One we follow. He is the One we want to emulate. Question: Do people associate you as being a big fan of the Kardashians or a big fan of Christ? Do they associate you as Democratic or Republican, or do they associate you as Christian?
These are steps in the right direction to maturity...and isn't that what we want?
Recently, I have really begun to have an appreciation for GOOD food. Not just Applebee's or Don Pablos, but really good food. Food that takes lots of time to prepare and requires words like lyonnaise, bourguignon, and pappardelle (and lest you think too highly of me, I do not make this kind of food, but I like to purchase it at nice restaurants on occasion). My tastes and appreciations are changing, and it is so exciting! I love seafood now with a passion that would have make myself sick ten years ago. And that's just it...I'm a grown-up now, and I like grown-up foods, not the bland, frozen varieties that can be heated in seconds.
Keep this picture in mind as you think about what Paul is saying this morning. I can hear the love in his voice as he addresses them as 'brothers and sisters', but there must be some undertones of frustration as well. He is frustrated with their spiritual dealings with one another. He calls them mere infants in their relation to Christ! He says that because of this, when he last saw them, he gave them spiritual milk, not solid "adult" food because they weren't ready for it yet.
Isn't that the case with us? Four-year-olds don't like fish unless it's battered and deep fried, and they certainly wouldn't be ready to deal with the spicy horseradish in shrimp cocktail. They need bland, easy to swallow food. The same goes with the Corinthians level of spiritual maturity. They still need the basics. How does Paul know this?
He says, "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?" Why do we quarrel and get jealous? It's because we're not getting OUR way! I don't know who that reminds you of, but it sure reminds me of....four-year-olds. Young children think of themselves and what would make them feel good at any given moment. I'm sometimes shocked when I do see behavior like this in the adults at my work place or when I'm running errands around town, but I'm even more shocked and saddened when it's happening where Paul sees it -- the Church. Greater still, I am most saddened when I see this behavior in myself. There is nothing that makes me hang my head more than when I realize I have been like a four-year-old thinking only of "Me! Me! Me!"
In Paul's situation, people were arguing over who they were following: Paul (who originally came and preached to them when they had never heard preaching before), or Apollos (the "pastor" figure who stayed with them after Paul left who taught and encouraged them as new Believers). The people have begun to put Paul and Apollos on the pedestals instead of Jesus Christ. Don't we do this sometimes? We place certain Christian leaders as the be-all and end-all, following whatever they say we should do rather than looking at Christ Himself. Often, we find security or pride in the fact that people know "who we follow" in politics, theology, or entertainment. We have aligned ourselves with someone.
So what do these verses this tell us about what mature Christians would do? First of all, they are not concerned with themselves. They don't have to get their way all the time because they are not seeking their own plans but what the Lord desires; therefore, they do not find themselves in many quarrels and fights. Really think about that: how often are you seeking YOUR desires in a day rather than what God desires?
Secondly, we don't feel the need to align ourselves with certain people for our identity or status. This could be in the form of politicians, pastors, celebrities, or friends we know. It's not that we can't have opinions about people, but our identity and focus should be on Christ. He is the One we follow. He is the One we want to emulate. Question: Do people associate you as being a big fan of the Kardashians or a big fan of Christ? Do they associate you as Democratic or Republican, or do they associate you as Christian?
These are steps in the right direction to maturity...and isn't that what we want?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
1 Corinthians 2 (Our Source of Wisdom)
Alright friends, today's section of Scripture is not for the weak! I encourage you to stay with me and give it a try -- nothing is too hard for us to understand with God. Ask Him to open your mind before we get started, and He will fill it! This is written for US to know, not just Biblical scholars, so get ready for a powerful subject. I hope you will stick with me to the end!
1 "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power." Once again, we see Paul's humility as he reminds the church in Corinth of his first visit to them when he did not speak eloquently or with much wisdom in and of himself. He decided in advance that he would not speak of anything but Jesus Christ. He admits that he, even Paul, felt weak and fearful as he faced what God had called him to do -- he is human! He goes on to say that he did not speak persuasively out of his own doing like the Jewish rabbis and Greek orators might do, but he spoke as a vessel of the Holy Spirit who gave power to his words and opened people's hearts that they might understand and be moved and know it was God and not Paul's doing. Doesn't that take the pressure off? It sure does for me! This is a reminder that I don't need to know everything when I'm answering someone's question about Christianity, and I don't have to use special, "put together" words. The Holy Spirit gives the power to my simple speech, and I don't have to worry about that. It's up to Him!
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
Do you ever wonder why people just don't "get it" sometimes? When Christianity makes SO much sense to you, and God has worked in your life in major ways, you FEEL that. And then you have someone who seems to have blinders on, and you wonder how he/she is not as excited about something in the Bible as you are? Or perhaps you are the one who wonders why everyone is so excited, and you just don't get what all the hype is about? Look at verse 10: this knowledge and understanding is all revealed by the Holy Spirit. We can't learn it ourselves or teach it ourselves. He must do that. The wisdom and knowledge in the Bible are wisdom among the mature (Christians) but not wisdom to those who are perishing (non-Christians). Paul warns us here that without the Holy Spirit, we CANNOT understand the Bible! I know people who have come to know Christ late in life and have said that all their life they would open a Bible and be so confused. Then, once they had accepted Christ into their lives (and also received the Holy Spirit at that time), the Bible made sense to them! Isn't that incredible?! Once again, that proves to me that the Holy Spirit is the one granting us the ability to understand. It is a secret wisdom, this knowledge of God's love for us and of Christ dying for us, that God Himself reveals to each of us personally. How intimate that is between God and us! The Old Testament declares, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Paul reminds us of that passage, and then says this, "but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." He says, but not anymore, folks! Now we have Christ! And God is revealing His plan to us. We are no longer waiting for a Messiah, and now we have seen Him! We may not know all of God's full plan yet, but we are coming to know it even now. Our eyes are beginning to see, our ears are beginning to hear and our minds are just beginning to conceive what God has prepared for us who love Him! And this knowledge is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit only -- no one or no where else.
"The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." That Spirit understands the deepest parts of us, the deepest parts of what's going on in our world, and even the deepest parts of God! Then Paul gives us this word picture: no one knows my thoughts better than I do because they are in MY mind. In the same way, the Holy Spirit knows God's thoughts because He is God. (Yes, this is confusing. It's hard for me to wrap my head around completely. Takes me back to yesterday: God is a LOT wiser and stronger than me. So as long as He knows what He's doing, and He does, I can trust even the parts I don't understand.) So...the Holy Spirit knows God's mind, thoughts, and wisdom. Ya with me on that? Okay...here comes the awesome part...WE have received that exact same Spirit! The one that knows God's thoughts lives in us! We don't just have the wisdom of the world anymore, but with His spirit, now we are meant to understand all that God has freely given us with wisdom that comes from God!
13 "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." As Christians, we speak using words taught to us by the Holy Spirit, who is the same Spirit that knows God's mind, thoughts and wisdom. He IS that God, because God is three parts: The Father, the Son, AND the Holy Spirit. We use that wisdom from the Spirit even today -- we can speak spiritual truths to each other. Just last week, I was having a really tough time with a particular current struggle in my life that is too raw to share at this moment, but I'm sure I will someday. I met with a friend after work and shared my struggles with her. She and I talk often of spiritual things and challenge each other in our relationships and walks with Christ. She spoke words to me that day that were far beyond human wisdom, and when we left, I can say that I felt I had been with Jesus. I know we were not the only two people in our conversation that afternoon, but God's Spirit was there with us, guiding her to counsel and encourage me. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever been with someone and left them thinking, "that was more than just a cup of coffee" or "that was more than just a sermon today." That is this Holy Spirit -- giving the speaker words of His wisdom to say and the listener the ability to understand it.
14 "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." So in case you were still wondering...there is it plain and simple. Non-Christians think Christian ideals are foolish. Let that be no surprise to us when people poke fun at Christians, call us foolish, ignorant, narrow-minded, etc. Paul's telling us. They WILL think you foolish. The things of God or spiritually discerned, so if you don't have the spirit, you can't discern them. On the contrary, we as Christians, are called to do the opposite...discern what the Spirit is telling us.
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing and should be playing an active part in what God's spirit is nudging us to do. However, we can't be judged by unspiritual critics -- it means nothing once we have God's spirit. So we don't need to worry about the judgements the world puts on us...let them go. Isaiah's question from long ago, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has now been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit.
If you're still with me, friend, I applaud you! This was a tough section, maybe a little deeper theologically than we are used to going in the morning, huh? It took me two days to trudge through this part because I was only halfway done yesterday when I had to leave for work! I am proud of you if you made it all the way, and I know God is glad to see your resolve to understand His Word. We are honoring Him with our minds when we don't give up even when our brains are starting to hurt. If this passage is still a little foggy for you, that's okay! To steal a reference from tomorrow's section, this is no "spiritual milk" you just ingested! But wherever you are spiritually, I hope you were able to grasp something new today -- and if you have never given your life to Jesus Christ, then you don't have this Spirit in you, my friend. I urge you to surrender your life to Him!
As you go about your way today, remember that you have the same Spirit who knows God's heart, mind, and thoughts IN YOU. He is the one guiding you today, so just call on Him whenever you need to as you go about your day. He gives wisdom generously whenever we ask! (see James 1:5) This same spirit in you is the one who raised Jesus from the DEAD! Think of the kind of power that is! Now if that doesn't allow you walk a little taller into your day today, I don't know what will!
Go confidently, my friend...
1 "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power." Once again, we see Paul's humility as he reminds the church in Corinth of his first visit to them when he did not speak eloquently or with much wisdom in and of himself. He decided in advance that he would not speak of anything but Jesus Christ. He admits that he, even Paul, felt weak and fearful as he faced what God had called him to do -- he is human! He goes on to say that he did not speak persuasively out of his own doing like the Jewish rabbis and Greek orators might do, but he spoke as a vessel of the Holy Spirit who gave power to his words and opened people's hearts that they might understand and be moved and know it was God and not Paul's doing. Doesn't that take the pressure off? It sure does for me! This is a reminder that I don't need to know everything when I'm answering someone's question about Christianity, and I don't have to use special, "put together" words. The Holy Spirit gives the power to my simple speech, and I don't have to worry about that. It's up to Him!
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
Do you ever wonder why people just don't "get it" sometimes? When Christianity makes SO much sense to you, and God has worked in your life in major ways, you FEEL that. And then you have someone who seems to have blinders on, and you wonder how he/she is not as excited about something in the Bible as you are? Or perhaps you are the one who wonders why everyone is so excited, and you just don't get what all the hype is about? Look at verse 10: this knowledge and understanding is all revealed by the Holy Spirit. We can't learn it ourselves or teach it ourselves. He must do that. The wisdom and knowledge in the Bible are wisdom among the mature (Christians) but not wisdom to those who are perishing (non-Christians). Paul warns us here that without the Holy Spirit, we CANNOT understand the Bible! I know people who have come to know Christ late in life and have said that all their life they would open a Bible and be so confused. Then, once they had accepted Christ into their lives (and also received the Holy Spirit at that time), the Bible made sense to them! Isn't that incredible?! Once again, that proves to me that the Holy Spirit is the one granting us the ability to understand. It is a secret wisdom, this knowledge of God's love for us and of Christ dying for us, that God Himself reveals to each of us personally. How intimate that is between God and us! The Old Testament declares, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Paul reminds us of that passage, and then says this, "but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." He says, but not anymore, folks! Now we have Christ! And God is revealing His plan to us. We are no longer waiting for a Messiah, and now we have seen Him! We may not know all of God's full plan yet, but we are coming to know it even now. Our eyes are beginning to see, our ears are beginning to hear and our minds are just beginning to conceive what God has prepared for us who love Him! And this knowledge is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit only -- no one or no where else.
"The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." That Spirit understands the deepest parts of us, the deepest parts of what's going on in our world, and even the deepest parts of God! Then Paul gives us this word picture: no one knows my thoughts better than I do because they are in MY mind. In the same way, the Holy Spirit knows God's thoughts because He is God. (Yes, this is confusing. It's hard for me to wrap my head around completely. Takes me back to yesterday: God is a LOT wiser and stronger than me. So as long as He knows what He's doing, and He does, I can trust even the parts I don't understand.) So...the Holy Spirit knows God's mind, thoughts, and wisdom. Ya with me on that? Okay...here comes the awesome part...WE have received that exact same Spirit! The one that knows God's thoughts lives in us! We don't just have the wisdom of the world anymore, but with His spirit, now we are meant to understand all that God has freely given us with wisdom that comes from God!
13 "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." As Christians, we speak using words taught to us by the Holy Spirit, who is the same Spirit that knows God's mind, thoughts and wisdom. He IS that God, because God is three parts: The Father, the Son, AND the Holy Spirit. We use that wisdom from the Spirit even today -- we can speak spiritual truths to each other. Just last week, I was having a really tough time with a particular current struggle in my life that is too raw to share at this moment, but I'm sure I will someday. I met with a friend after work and shared my struggles with her. She and I talk often of spiritual things and challenge each other in our relationships and walks with Christ. She spoke words to me that day that were far beyond human wisdom, and when we left, I can say that I felt I had been with Jesus. I know we were not the only two people in our conversation that afternoon, but God's Spirit was there with us, guiding her to counsel and encourage me. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever been with someone and left them thinking, "that was more than just a cup of coffee" or "that was more than just a sermon today." That is this Holy Spirit -- giving the speaker words of His wisdom to say and the listener the ability to understand it.
14 "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." So in case you were still wondering...there is it plain and simple. Non-Christians think Christian ideals are foolish. Let that be no surprise to us when people poke fun at Christians, call us foolish, ignorant, narrow-minded, etc. Paul's telling us. They WILL think you foolish. The things of God or spiritually discerned, so if you don't have the spirit, you can't discern them. On the contrary, we as Christians, are called to do the opposite...discern what the Spirit is telling us.
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing and should be playing an active part in what God's spirit is nudging us to do. However, we can't be judged by unspiritual critics -- it means nothing once we have God's spirit. So we don't need to worry about the judgements the world puts on us...let them go. Isaiah's question from long ago, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has now been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit.
If you're still with me, friend, I applaud you! This was a tough section, maybe a little deeper theologically than we are used to going in the morning, huh? It took me two days to trudge through this part because I was only halfway done yesterday when I had to leave for work! I am proud of you if you made it all the way, and I know God is glad to see your resolve to understand His Word. We are honoring Him with our minds when we don't give up even when our brains are starting to hurt. If this passage is still a little foggy for you, that's okay! To steal a reference from tomorrow's section, this is no "spiritual milk" you just ingested! But wherever you are spiritually, I hope you were able to grasp something new today -- and if you have never given your life to Jesus Christ, then you don't have this Spirit in you, my friend. I urge you to surrender your life to Him!
As you go about your way today, remember that you have the same Spirit who knows God's heart, mind, and thoughts IN YOU. He is the one guiding you today, so just call on Him whenever you need to as you go about your day. He gives wisdom generously whenever we ask! (see James 1:5) This same spirit in you is the one who raised Jesus from the DEAD! Think of the kind of power that is! Now if that doesn't allow you walk a little taller into your day today, I don't know what will!
Go confidently, my friend...
Monday, January 23, 2012
1 Corinthians 1:17-25 (Wisdom and Weakness)
17 "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." Here Paul is not minimizing baptism; rather, he is proclaiming that the mission God gave him was to preach, not baptize. (If you look in the previous verse, remember he was trying to convince the people that they were not baptized into the name of Paul but into the name of Jesus -- Jesus is the one they, and Paul, are following). So, Paul's calling is just to proclaim Christ. And he says that he does not preach with wisdom and eloquence, or the persuasive techniques the Jewish rabbis and Greek philosophers had developed. In our human-ness, we like to be entertained, and we appreciate good orators...not so in Paul. There's nothing fancy about how he speaks of Christ, so that all the power can be given to Christ and His cross.
18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Paul wants his audience to focus on the message and not on him! His message is the cross, which seems absolutely ridiculous to non-Christians. Just look at how Christians are portrayed in the media -- we're dumb, right? And remember a few years ago when the man went into the Amish schoolhouse and murdered a bunch of children, and then the Amish families went and consoled and forgave the family of the murderer -- the media had NO idea what to do with that! They thought the Amish people were being naive! Christianity is foolishness to them! And in Paul's day, people couldn't believe the idea that their Savior had supposedly just died via the equivalent of today's electric chair! I think I can understand why they'd think it foolishness.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Here Paul reminds them what they already know because it is in their Scripture already. These words would be familiar to them, but Paul speaks them in a new context -- Jesus. In His wisdom, God didn't want the idea of Jesus, the Messiah to be flippant. His Kingdom runs a different way than our current kingdoms, remember? The weak are the strongest. The humble and meek are raised in honor. The poor are considered rich. But today's "intellectual people" don't understand this at all -- it doesn't seem to make sense in their logic. It seems foolish and frustrating that people would follow such beliefs. And that's where God gets all the glory. He set it up that way on purpose!
20-21 "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." The questions posed here are rhetorical, because Paul's hoping they're starting to get his point by now. The cross, which seems so foolish to the world, is actually where wisdom and salvation are found! (Imagine all the jaws dropping to the floor at this point.) Then, Paul goes on to say that as hard as we have tried all throughout humanity and even throughout the Old Testament, the world could not understand Him in their own "wisdom" and that worldly wisdom would not be the means by which we would come to know Him. It does take humility to allow ourselves to trust in this story of redemption that God died on a cross (the worst pain and most humiliating death) for me. I can't buy my salvation (which wealthy people don't understand), and I can't debate my way to earn salvation (which the intelligent people don't understand), and I can't manipulate or excuse my way to earn salvation (which criminals and prideful people don't understand). This is the way God designed it, and it rather knocks us off our feet when we really begin to grasp this plan and design!
22-24 "Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Paul knows his audience. The Jews were looking for all these signs of the Messiah that they were told about -- a literal Prince of Peace. But Jesus was not a prince and ruler as we know the terms. And the Greeks, in all their study and philosophies, could not imagine that no reputable person, especially their Savior, would allow Himself to die a criminal's death or be a criminal by their nation's standards. Yet it is these very people, the Jews and the Greeks, whom God has called Paul tells them.
I wonder what our stumbling block as Americans would be. I think I know: image. As in all our presidents in the past few decades, as an overall society, we want a leader who looks good, who looks put together, and who knows and is seen with all the right people. We want a "pretty" person. I wonder how put together and pretty Jesus looked since He spent most of His days wandering around outside in the heat and dust while loving the unlovable. We don't know a lot of how He looked, but the Bible does say, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2). I'm not sure we would've held Him in high esteem if He were here today.
25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (I don't think God had ANY weaknesses. I think that line is an example of hyperbole to make a point). This is the good news...God's wisdom is not our wisdom. God knows our silly human desires, but goes ahead with His plan, His better plan anyway. He knows that His kingdom looks silly to some, but once we are part of it, it doesn't look so silly anymore does it? It's as if blinders have been removed! I can see, oh yes, this is much better! I am so thankful that the God I serve is THIS much greater than me, and not only that, He loves me. His wisdom is the best, and can I surrender my life and my desires to Him? Where I am weak, He is wise. His wisdom is what I desire. I may not understand it, but I trust it.
Can you say that this morning?
18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Paul wants his audience to focus on the message and not on him! His message is the cross, which seems absolutely ridiculous to non-Christians. Just look at how Christians are portrayed in the media -- we're dumb, right? And remember a few years ago when the man went into the Amish schoolhouse and murdered a bunch of children, and then the Amish families went and consoled and forgave the family of the murderer -- the media had NO idea what to do with that! They thought the Amish people were being naive! Christianity is foolishness to them! And in Paul's day, people couldn't believe the idea that their Savior had supposedly just died via the equivalent of today's electric chair! I think I can understand why they'd think it foolishness.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Here Paul reminds them what they already know because it is in their Scripture already. These words would be familiar to them, but Paul speaks them in a new context -- Jesus. In His wisdom, God didn't want the idea of Jesus, the Messiah to be flippant. His Kingdom runs a different way than our current kingdoms, remember? The weak are the strongest. The humble and meek are raised in honor. The poor are considered rich. But today's "intellectual people" don't understand this at all -- it doesn't seem to make sense in their logic. It seems foolish and frustrating that people would follow such beliefs. And that's where God gets all the glory. He set it up that way on purpose!
20-21 "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." The questions posed here are rhetorical, because Paul's hoping they're starting to get his point by now. The cross, which seems so foolish to the world, is actually where wisdom and salvation are found! (Imagine all the jaws dropping to the floor at this point.) Then, Paul goes on to say that as hard as we have tried all throughout humanity and even throughout the Old Testament, the world could not understand Him in their own "wisdom" and that worldly wisdom would not be the means by which we would come to know Him. It does take humility to allow ourselves to trust in this story of redemption that God died on a cross (the worst pain and most humiliating death) for me. I can't buy my salvation (which wealthy people don't understand), and I can't debate my way to earn salvation (which the intelligent people don't understand), and I can't manipulate or excuse my way to earn salvation (which criminals and prideful people don't understand). This is the way God designed it, and it rather knocks us off our feet when we really begin to grasp this plan and design!
22-24 "Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Paul knows his audience. The Jews were looking for all these signs of the Messiah that they were told about -- a literal Prince of Peace. But Jesus was not a prince and ruler as we know the terms. And the Greeks, in all their study and philosophies, could not imagine that no reputable person, especially their Savior, would allow Himself to die a criminal's death or be a criminal by their nation's standards. Yet it is these very people, the Jews and the Greeks, whom God has called Paul tells them.
I wonder what our stumbling block as Americans would be. I think I know: image. As in all our presidents in the past few decades, as an overall society, we want a leader who looks good, who looks put together, and who knows and is seen with all the right people. We want a "pretty" person. I wonder how put together and pretty Jesus looked since He spent most of His days wandering around outside in the heat and dust while loving the unlovable. We don't know a lot of how He looked, but the Bible does say, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2). I'm not sure we would've held Him in high esteem if He were here today.
25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (I don't think God had ANY weaknesses. I think that line is an example of hyperbole to make a point). This is the good news...God's wisdom is not our wisdom. God knows our silly human desires, but goes ahead with His plan, His better plan anyway. He knows that His kingdom looks silly to some, but once we are part of it, it doesn't look so silly anymore does it? It's as if blinders have been removed! I can see, oh yes, this is much better! I am so thankful that the God I serve is THIS much greater than me, and not only that, He loves me. His wisdom is the best, and can I surrender my life and my desires to Him? Where I am weak, He is wise. His wisdom is what I desire. I may not understand it, but I trust it.
Can you say that this morning?
Friday, January 20, 2012
1 Corinthians 1:11-16 (Conflict Resolution Part 2)
Yesterday, we began our study of 1 Corinthians. We are currently in a place where Paul is demonstrating for us how to deal with conflict (I highly recommend that you read part 1 before you continue reading this).
As a review, here are the three things we should do BEFORE we bring up the point of conflict:
1. Start with who they are and who you are (Amy, you are such a great friend to me, and I hope you know how much I love you.)
2. Remind them of your common cause (I know that both of us are trying to live like Christ, just like millions of other people around the world. I appreciate that we can do this journey together.)
3. Give thanks for them and for God (I am so thankful for your heart and the kind of person you want to be. That is what I love most about you. And I am so thankful that God is still working in both of us to make us more like Himself, and I know that He will accomplish this.)
After those things, we can begin the discussion of the conflict, but I pointed out yesterday, "I love how he uses the word appeal. He's asking them. He's not TELLING them! He saying, "I wonder if I could ask you to think about..." There are no fingers in anyone's face, I'm assuming by the use of that word that Paul is not yelling, rather he is gently speaking out of concern for the other person."
Today, let's take a look at some of the other things to remember as we talk about the conflict.
1. Appeal. Don't accuse. We automatically shut the door and close their ears and hearts when we start with accusations. Start with something like, "I wonder if I could ask you to think about...." There's no need to raise our voice; instead, have a conversation.
2. Desire good for them. Paul says, "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." Paul is doing this out of a desire that they could all be united together. The reason we approach someone else must be for THEIR good. It must! No where does the Bible tell US to get revenge -- that's God's job -- so out of brotherly love for one another, we must be in a place where our concern is about them. This is not what the word tells you. The world says, "if someone has wronged you, don't let them step on your pride like that! How dare they?! Go get 'em and tell them what they did to you!" But here you see that Paul never talks about himself or his own crushed pride because of their behavior. He never says, "You hurt my feelings." That fascinates me!! Read the rest of this book with the perspective that Paul has never spoken of himself, because this letter is not about him, it's about his concern and love for them. Read it with that perspective, and I think we will find it to mean so much more! Gosh, I want to approach all of my confrontations that way!
3. It's okay to say where you got your information. I was surprised that Paul "throws Chloe under the bus" so to speak. "My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you." At first I was thinking, poor Chloe, leave her out of it. But the more I thought about WHY Paul would mention her name, the more I thought about how important that might be. Some possible reasons could be:
a. Chloe is concerned.
If the people in the wrong can see that Chloe (and Paul) both care for them deeply, they can choose to see the truth that this confrontation is because so many people LOVE them! A girl friend of mine and I were driving together and catching up on life, and she referred back to a time that she was making some poor choices. She said, "Molly, I knew that you (and all of our close friends) were talking about me when I wasn't around, but I was okay with that because I knew it was out of love for me." I was elated that she could look at it with that perspective, because that was the truth! We were so concerned for her, that we had to put our brains together to come up with a loving and appropriate plan. I really think it's silly when we say that as Christians we should NEVER talk about each other. When we live in community with one another, we do talk out of concern. Just like my friend, I HOPE and pray that my friends will talk about me behind my back when I'm doing something wrong, so that they can come up with a way to lovingly confront me together. Please friends, don't allow me to stay in my sin! Come get me before I fall off a cliff -- that's your job! Chloe and her family are obviously concerned for their dear brothers and sisters, so they talked to Paul about it. And that's a good thing! It's okay that Paul wants the Church to know that he is not the only one who is concerned.
b. Their choices are impacting others.
We don't know the details of what Chloe said to Paul, but perhaps Paul wanted the other Believers to know that they choices do not stay with them only. It's true! Our choices (the good and the bad) can impact many people around us, even in ways we may never see. Sometimes, in our stubborn, self-centered ways, we need to be reminded that it's not all about us! We do not live on an island -- our choice affect people!
c. Chloe has given Paul permission to use her name so that they may live truthfully with one another.
Sometimes I'm surprised at how quickly we will say something, but then we want to stay anonymous from here on out. We're okay to let one person know the truth, but we don't want anyone else to know it. Why?? I think we're afraid of what people will think and say. But in this case, if Chloe knows that what the Church is doing is wrong, she can live confidently in that knowledge. If one of them gets mad at her for saying something to Paul and chooses to come talk to her about it, then she gets the opportunity to explain her love and concern to that person, too, which is even better! If her motives are right (and not for tattling purposes), she can live at peace with her decision to get Paul's help. If there are no lies, why WOULD we hide? That seems like a weak position, and not one of power from the Holy Spirit. If our motives are pure, we don't need to be anonymous! Be bold and confident in your obedience to Christ, and He does call us to sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron. Don't believe the world's stance that everything is okay as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else...I don't know of any decision I could make that wouldn't impact someone else. Think about it...
4. Ask Questions. Again, as we're talking, let's not point fingers. Instead let's ask questions to try to understand the other AND to point to Christ. "What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?" He made his point: You all are divided. But why???
And there, he has made his point: There is no need for division; we are all united in Christ. The rest of the book is further detail and instruction around this point.
So...again, I ask all of us. Who do you need to confront? Are you at a place where you can do it out of LOVE for them and not to revenge your own crushed pride and hurt feelings? The Lord can change your heart on this...He has done it for me many times! Ask him to give you a spirit of humility and love toward the other person, and wait until you can approach them in that way. This what we are called to do. This is how we can be different in our culture -- a light in a dark world.
Whew-ee! I can't wait to see what else the Lord wants to reveal to us in this book! I am over-joyed as I think about you who are on this journey with me to get into the Word more and more regularly. I absolutely love you, and I thank God for your desire to know Him better! That brings me such joy. Keep doing what you're doing, my brothers and sisters! We are in this together!
Have a great weekend everyone! See you Monday morning to continue our study of 1 Corinthians!
As a review, here are the three things we should do BEFORE we bring up the point of conflict:
1. Start with who they are and who you are (Amy, you are such a great friend to me, and I hope you know how much I love you.)
2. Remind them of your common cause (I know that both of us are trying to live like Christ, just like millions of other people around the world. I appreciate that we can do this journey together.)
3. Give thanks for them and for God (I am so thankful for your heart and the kind of person you want to be. That is what I love most about you. And I am so thankful that God is still working in both of us to make us more like Himself, and I know that He will accomplish this.)
After those things, we can begin the discussion of the conflict, but I pointed out yesterday, "I love how he uses the word appeal. He's asking them. He's not TELLING them! He saying, "I wonder if I could ask you to think about..." There are no fingers in anyone's face, I'm assuming by the use of that word that Paul is not yelling, rather he is gently speaking out of concern for the other person."
Today, let's take a look at some of the other things to remember as we talk about the conflict.
1. Appeal. Don't accuse. We automatically shut the door and close their ears and hearts when we start with accusations. Start with something like, "I wonder if I could ask you to think about...." There's no need to raise our voice; instead, have a conversation.
2. Desire good for them. Paul says, "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." Paul is doing this out of a desire that they could all be united together. The reason we approach someone else must be for THEIR good. It must! No where does the Bible tell US to get revenge -- that's God's job -- so out of brotherly love for one another, we must be in a place where our concern is about them. This is not what the word tells you. The world says, "if someone has wronged you, don't let them step on your pride like that! How dare they?! Go get 'em and tell them what they did to you!" But here you see that Paul never talks about himself or his own crushed pride because of their behavior. He never says, "You hurt my feelings." That fascinates me!! Read the rest of this book with the perspective that Paul has never spoken of himself, because this letter is not about him, it's about his concern and love for them. Read it with that perspective, and I think we will find it to mean so much more! Gosh, I want to approach all of my confrontations that way!
3. It's okay to say where you got your information. I was surprised that Paul "throws Chloe under the bus" so to speak. "My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you." At first I was thinking, poor Chloe, leave her out of it. But the more I thought about WHY Paul would mention her name, the more I thought about how important that might be. Some possible reasons could be:
a. Chloe is concerned.
If the people in the wrong can see that Chloe (and Paul) both care for them deeply, they can choose to see the truth that this confrontation is because so many people LOVE them! A girl friend of mine and I were driving together and catching up on life, and she referred back to a time that she was making some poor choices. She said, "Molly, I knew that you (and all of our close friends) were talking about me when I wasn't around, but I was okay with that because I knew it was out of love for me." I was elated that she could look at it with that perspective, because that was the truth! We were so concerned for her, that we had to put our brains together to come up with a loving and appropriate plan. I really think it's silly when we say that as Christians we should NEVER talk about each other. When we live in community with one another, we do talk out of concern. Just like my friend, I HOPE and pray that my friends will talk about me behind my back when I'm doing something wrong, so that they can come up with a way to lovingly confront me together. Please friends, don't allow me to stay in my sin! Come get me before I fall off a cliff -- that's your job! Chloe and her family are obviously concerned for their dear brothers and sisters, so they talked to Paul about it. And that's a good thing! It's okay that Paul wants the Church to know that he is not the only one who is concerned.
b. Their choices are impacting others.
We don't know the details of what Chloe said to Paul, but perhaps Paul wanted the other Believers to know that they choices do not stay with them only. It's true! Our choices (the good and the bad) can impact many people around us, even in ways we may never see. Sometimes, in our stubborn, self-centered ways, we need to be reminded that it's not all about us! We do not live on an island -- our choice affect people!
c. Chloe has given Paul permission to use her name so that they may live truthfully with one another.
Sometimes I'm surprised at how quickly we will say something, but then we want to stay anonymous from here on out. We're okay to let one person know the truth, but we don't want anyone else to know it. Why?? I think we're afraid of what people will think and say. But in this case, if Chloe knows that what the Church is doing is wrong, she can live confidently in that knowledge. If one of them gets mad at her for saying something to Paul and chooses to come talk to her about it, then she gets the opportunity to explain her love and concern to that person, too, which is even better! If her motives are right (and not for tattling purposes), she can live at peace with her decision to get Paul's help. If there are no lies, why WOULD we hide? That seems like a weak position, and not one of power from the Holy Spirit. If our motives are pure, we don't need to be anonymous! Be bold and confident in your obedience to Christ, and He does call us to sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron. Don't believe the world's stance that everything is okay as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else...I don't know of any decision I could make that wouldn't impact someone else. Think about it...
4. Ask Questions. Again, as we're talking, let's not point fingers. Instead let's ask questions to try to understand the other AND to point to Christ. "What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?" He made his point: You all are divided. But why???
And there, he has made his point: There is no need for division; we are all united in Christ. The rest of the book is further detail and instruction around this point.
So...again, I ask all of us. Who do you need to confront? Are you at a place where you can do it out of LOVE for them and not to revenge your own crushed pride and hurt feelings? The Lord can change your heart on this...He has done it for me many times! Ask him to give you a spirit of humility and love toward the other person, and wait until you can approach them in that way. This what we are called to do. This is how we can be different in our culture -- a light in a dark world.
Whew-ee! I can't wait to see what else the Lord wants to reveal to us in this book! I am over-joyed as I think about you who are on this journey with me to get into the Word more and more regularly. I absolutely love you, and I thank God for your desire to know Him better! That brings me such joy. Keep doing what you're doing, my brothers and sisters! We are in this together!
Have a great weekend everyone! See you Monday morning to continue our study of 1 Corinthians!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
1 Corinthians 1:1-10 (Conflict Resolution Part 1)
I love Paul's heart. He was a man who had been drastically changed by God, and he is greatly someone I want to emulate. Before, he was a brutal, Christian-hater, and now he is a tender follower of Christ. Incredible!
The book of 1 Corinthians is a letter to the church in Corinth. Corinth is a big city, and it has two sea ports, so there is a lot of other-culture influence as well as travelers and big business. The city is very sexualized, and the temple of Aphrodite down the street had, at one time, 1,000 prositutues used for "worship." Imagine living in a city like that!? Sadly, I think we almost do -- we prostitute our bodies all over the media. (I just saw the new line of "lingerie" for young girls you may have heard about on the news recently, and it almost made me sick.) We, too, are a very over-sexualized society.
Paul has received word that there is a lot of the culture creeping into the church and causing divisions and quarrels among the people. They are a body of new Christians, so they need direction. Paul, often referred to as the first pastor, is writing his church that they might be redirected toward a life that reflects Christ.
So, we start with the greeting of his letter:
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I love how his greeting reminds himself, before he does anything else, that he is an apostle and he is striving to do the will of God. I wonder if he wants to let the church see his heart on this before he jumps into the "big" stuff? He wants them to know that he's trying to live as an apostle of Christ.
Then, he says who this letter is addressed to, and he reminds the Corinthians that if they are sanctified in Jesus Christ, they are called to be holy. Sometimes, we just need that reminder, don't we? We know we have Christ, but we want to do what we want to do anyway. He is reminding them that there's not a choice -- holiness is what we are called to -- making every effort to living pure and blameless lives. Then, he reminds them that they are not the only ones who are called to live this way, but rather "together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ -- their Lord and ours." He's saying, "It's not all about you! Stop focusing on yourselves, but remember that you are part of a bigger picture. You're not doing this alone, but all of us who call on Jesus are in this together."
I don't know about you, but I need these reminders sometimes. I'm so thankful for the occasional opportunities where I get to go be with a group of Christians from all different denominations -- we all believe the same basic truths, we often all know the same songs in worship, and we are all people who smile and like to talk to one another. I am over-whelmed by the enormity and diversity of the Body of Christ (the Church) all over the world! Well, the Corinthians did not have this benefit -- they were far away from other Christians -- and I'm sure at times they felt very alone and insignificant.
4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Let's recap:
So, first he reminded them who they are and who he is and where he gets to authority to address them. Then, he brings them together for a common cause (being holy for Christ).
Now, before he jumps into the reason he's writing and/or any written rebuking, he gives thanks for them and encourages them.
I really desire to do these three things now before I EVER start in on a conflict-resolution conversation with someone. This looks like the much more loving, wise and tactful approach. I've been on the opposite side (haven't you?), when someone comes at you, guns-a-blazing, perhaps even with a finger in your face, and just starts in on what you did and why it was wrong. Yep, been there, too, and it does not feel nice. In fact, I can feel my eyes start to blaze, my heart starts to race, and my hands get a little clammy. Not good. But THIS way, Paul's way, would dispel all that, and if we really care about one another, that's what we should do.
These three things:
1. Start with who they are and who you are (Amy, you are such a great friend to me, and I hope you know how much I love you.)
2. Remind them of your common cause (I know that both of us are trying to live like Christ, just like millions of other people around the world. I appreciate that we can do this journey together.)
3. Give thanks for them and for God (I am so thankful for your heart and the kind of person you want to be. That is what I love most about you. And I am so thankful that God is still working in both of us to make us more like Himself, and I know that He will accomplish this.)
AND THEN...after those three things (and they must be said from the heart because you'll be read like a Dr. Seuss book if you don't mean what you say!) After those things, Paul begins with his concern:
10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
I love how he uses the word appeal. He's asking them. He's not TELLING them! He saying, "I wonder if I could ask you to think about..." There are no fingers in anyone's face, I'm assuming by the use of that word that Paul is not yelling, rather he is gently speaking out of concern for the other person.
What if we approached conflict in this way? I can only imagine that the other party would hear us more, and they would understand our hearts and our love for them! Of course, in order to respond in this way to someone, we probably need to think about and pray about our attitudes first -- I don't recommend this approach when you are still so burnin' mad, because the finger will come out!
In our quest to be more like Christ, this is the way to approach conflict. Let's learn from Paul's example and do likewise! Who do you need to lovingly confront today?
The book of 1 Corinthians is a letter to the church in Corinth. Corinth is a big city, and it has two sea ports, so there is a lot of other-culture influence as well as travelers and big business. The city is very sexualized, and the temple of Aphrodite down the street had, at one time, 1,000 prositutues used for "worship." Imagine living in a city like that!? Sadly, I think we almost do -- we prostitute our bodies all over the media. (I just saw the new line of "lingerie" for young girls you may have heard about on the news recently, and it almost made me sick.) We, too, are a very over-sexualized society.
Paul has received word that there is a lot of the culture creeping into the church and causing divisions and quarrels among the people. They are a body of new Christians, so they need direction. Paul, often referred to as the first pastor, is writing his church that they might be redirected toward a life that reflects Christ.
So, we start with the greeting of his letter:
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I love how his greeting reminds himself, before he does anything else, that he is an apostle and he is striving to do the will of God. I wonder if he wants to let the church see his heart on this before he jumps into the "big" stuff? He wants them to know that he's trying to live as an apostle of Christ.
Then, he says who this letter is addressed to, and he reminds the Corinthians that if they are sanctified in Jesus Christ, they are called to be holy. Sometimes, we just need that reminder, don't we? We know we have Christ, but we want to do what we want to do anyway. He is reminding them that there's not a choice -- holiness is what we are called to -- making every effort to living pure and blameless lives. Then, he reminds them that they are not the only ones who are called to live this way, but rather "together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ -- their Lord and ours." He's saying, "It's not all about you! Stop focusing on yourselves, but remember that you are part of a bigger picture. You're not doing this alone, but all of us who call on Jesus are in this together."
I don't know about you, but I need these reminders sometimes. I'm so thankful for the occasional opportunities where I get to go be with a group of Christians from all different denominations -- we all believe the same basic truths, we often all know the same songs in worship, and we are all people who smile and like to talk to one another. I am over-whelmed by the enormity and diversity of the Body of Christ (the Church) all over the world! Well, the Corinthians did not have this benefit -- they were far away from other Christians -- and I'm sure at times they felt very alone and insignificant.
4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Let's recap:
So, first he reminded them who they are and who he is and where he gets to authority to address them. Then, he brings them together for a common cause (being holy for Christ).
Now, before he jumps into the reason he's writing and/or any written rebuking, he gives thanks for them and encourages them.
I really desire to do these three things now before I EVER start in on a conflict-resolution conversation with someone. This looks like the much more loving, wise and tactful approach. I've been on the opposite side (haven't you?), when someone comes at you, guns-a-blazing, perhaps even with a finger in your face, and just starts in on what you did and why it was wrong. Yep, been there, too, and it does not feel nice. In fact, I can feel my eyes start to blaze, my heart starts to race, and my hands get a little clammy. Not good. But THIS way, Paul's way, would dispel all that, and if we really care about one another, that's what we should do.
These three things:
1. Start with who they are and who you are (Amy, you are such a great friend to me, and I hope you know how much I love you.)
2. Remind them of your common cause (I know that both of us are trying to live like Christ, just like millions of other people around the world. I appreciate that we can do this journey together.)
3. Give thanks for them and for God (I am so thankful for your heart and the kind of person you want to be. That is what I love most about you. And I am so thankful that God is still working in both of us to make us more like Himself, and I know that He will accomplish this.)
AND THEN...after those three things (and they must be said from the heart because you'll be read like a Dr. Seuss book if you don't mean what you say!) After those things, Paul begins with his concern:
10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
I love how he uses the word appeal. He's asking them. He's not TELLING them! He saying, "I wonder if I could ask you to think about..." There are no fingers in anyone's face, I'm assuming by the use of that word that Paul is not yelling, rather he is gently speaking out of concern for the other person.
What if we approached conflict in this way? I can only imagine that the other party would hear us more, and they would understand our hearts and our love for them! Of course, in order to respond in this way to someone, we probably need to think about and pray about our attitudes first -- I don't recommend this approach when you are still so burnin' mad, because the finger will come out!
In our quest to be more like Christ, this is the way to approach conflict. Let's learn from Paul's example and do likewise! Who do you need to lovingly confront today?
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
2 Peter 3 (Be Ready!)
Some of our dear friends went into labor yesterday with their first child. I had thrown her a shower, and they knew it was going to be a girl, so all of the decor said, "Welcome Clara Kate!" She just recently finished decorating the baby's room with gorgeous pink curtains, a chandelier, and beautiful pink bedding. The closet was stocked with precious little girl clothes. They were ready! Well, last night, we get the e-mail that says, "It's a boy!" Sure enough, the technician had been wrong, and there is no Clara Kate, at least not this time! Of course, they are both over-joyed regardless. But here they were planning for what they thought would be, only to be completely surprised when the day actually came!
And so it is in 2 Peter 3 which talks about the day of the Lord coming like a thief -- Christ will return when we least expect it. Are we ready for that? Let's dive in!
1 "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."
It is difficult for us to remember some days that Christ really is coming, isn't it? The world certainly doesn't take this to heart. Peter says that it should be no surprise to us when people mock that Jesus will ever return. To them, they only see what is in front of them now, so if its been thousands of years since Jesus left, shouldn't He have returned by now? And in their doubt, they continue to do whatever it is that pleases them at the moment, forgetting that once Christ is here, it will be too late. People may think that God is a hands-off God and what they choose to do doesn't really matter to Him, but here Peter reminds them that no, the world was formed by God out of water and by water. We are His creation! Then by those same waters, God did destroy the world in the flood. At God's command, this happened, and at His command, there will be a fiery destruction one day for those who do not follow Christ.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
So when will this happen then, if it hasn't happened yet? Here, Peter reminds us that God doesn't operate on "time" the way our finite minds do. But he reminds us that God is not slow in this promise the way we understand slowness. My dear old dad, for instance, plans to make something happen, but it usually takes him much longer to accomplish the project than he anticipated...this has become a running source of humor in my family (I love you, Dad.) But our God is not like us in that -- He has not forgotten parts at the store, gotten distracted by other things, nor feels the need to wait for better weather to make it happen. He is patient in this process SO THAT everyone might have the full opportunity to come to know Him. That's why He's waiting! He's waiting for you to come to Him, and He's waiting for your co-worker, your sibling, your friend to come to Him because He doesn't want us to perish!
But make no mistake, Peter says, the day WILL come, when we least expect it and when we aren't "prepared" for it -- we can't know the day it will happen and be sure that God finds us at church or serving at the homeless shelter when He returns. By the time the earth is destroyed by fire, Christ-followers will already be gone, and God's wrath will be poured out on the earth...so we don't want to wait to make this decision!
11 "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."
Since all the physical materials of this earth will be gone, what kind of people should we be now -- concerned about money, possessions and superficial power that we cannot take with us? No, instead, we should strive to live holy (pure and blameless) lives. Those pure and selfless actions and the lives we impact, that is what we will take with us! And I love this part -- after everything is destroyed and burned up, we can be looking forward to the new heaven and the new earth that God will restore for us where we will live forever!
14 "So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
So since we are looking forward to this time when we will live with Him forever in the most incredible place you have ever seen or could imagine, we need to be preparing for that day now because the Bible is full of talk about the rewards that await us in Heaven! We aren't living holy lives for nothing -- there are rewards to come based on how we've lived our lives on earth. Jesus is our ticket in, but there is even more than just "getting in" once we get there.
And what I really like about this part of this letter is that Peter says that Paul speaks of some of these same things in his letters, and "some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." Thank you, Peter, for assuring me that no, I'm not dumb, but some of these things ARE hard to fully understand! It's okay if I don't get all of it. Yes, Romans...don't even get me started...sometimes I get headaches reading that book and trying to think deeply. It's OKAY. Keep studying it anyway!
17 "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."
Peter says, because people will distort the tricky parts of Scripture, it is very important in these last days to be on our guard so that we do not get swept away by their false thinking and ways. Instead, we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus...grow in knowledge so that you yourself can know what is right and wrong. This is so important! May we not passively soak in what others say, but may we use our MINDS to honor and glorify God as we increase in our personal knowledge of Him.
Christ could come today, or He could come in a thousand years...we cannot know. Even Christ doesn't know, only the Father does. But regardless, are we ready to stand before God? What will He say to you on that day?
Lord, help me to continually become more like Christ. That is my heart's greatest desire. I long to please You only and do Your will. Keep working in me, Lord, and give me the desire to continue on this daily journey toward You. I cannot wait to be in your presence someday. Thank you for waiting for me all these years.
And so it is in 2 Peter 3 which talks about the day of the Lord coming like a thief -- Christ will return when we least expect it. Are we ready for that? Let's dive in!
1 "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."
It is difficult for us to remember some days that Christ really is coming, isn't it? The world certainly doesn't take this to heart. Peter says that it should be no surprise to us when people mock that Jesus will ever return. To them, they only see what is in front of them now, so if its been thousands of years since Jesus left, shouldn't He have returned by now? And in their doubt, they continue to do whatever it is that pleases them at the moment, forgetting that once Christ is here, it will be too late. People may think that God is a hands-off God and what they choose to do doesn't really matter to Him, but here Peter reminds them that no, the world was formed by God out of water and by water. We are His creation! Then by those same waters, God did destroy the world in the flood. At God's command, this happened, and at His command, there will be a fiery destruction one day for those who do not follow Christ.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
So when will this happen then, if it hasn't happened yet? Here, Peter reminds us that God doesn't operate on "time" the way our finite minds do. But he reminds us that God is not slow in this promise the way we understand slowness. My dear old dad, for instance, plans to make something happen, but it usually takes him much longer to accomplish the project than he anticipated...this has become a running source of humor in my family (I love you, Dad.) But our God is not like us in that -- He has not forgotten parts at the store, gotten distracted by other things, nor feels the need to wait for better weather to make it happen. He is patient in this process SO THAT everyone might have the full opportunity to come to know Him. That's why He's waiting! He's waiting for you to come to Him, and He's waiting for your co-worker, your sibling, your friend to come to Him because He doesn't want us to perish!
But make no mistake, Peter says, the day WILL come, when we least expect it and when we aren't "prepared" for it -- we can't know the day it will happen and be sure that God finds us at church or serving at the homeless shelter when He returns. By the time the earth is destroyed by fire, Christ-followers will already be gone, and God's wrath will be poured out on the earth...so we don't want to wait to make this decision!
11 "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."
Since all the physical materials of this earth will be gone, what kind of people should we be now -- concerned about money, possessions and superficial power that we cannot take with us? No, instead, we should strive to live holy (pure and blameless) lives. Those pure and selfless actions and the lives we impact, that is what we will take with us! And I love this part -- after everything is destroyed and burned up, we can be looking forward to the new heaven and the new earth that God will restore for us where we will live forever!
14 "So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
So since we are looking forward to this time when we will live with Him forever in the most incredible place you have ever seen or could imagine, we need to be preparing for that day now because the Bible is full of talk about the rewards that await us in Heaven! We aren't living holy lives for nothing -- there are rewards to come based on how we've lived our lives on earth. Jesus is our ticket in, but there is even more than just "getting in" once we get there.
And what I really like about this part of this letter is that Peter says that Paul speaks of some of these same things in his letters, and "some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." Thank you, Peter, for assuring me that no, I'm not dumb, but some of these things ARE hard to fully understand! It's okay if I don't get all of it. Yes, Romans...don't even get me started...sometimes I get headaches reading that book and trying to think deeply. It's OKAY. Keep studying it anyway!
17 "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."
Peter says, because people will distort the tricky parts of Scripture, it is very important in these last days to be on our guard so that we do not get swept away by their false thinking and ways. Instead, we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus...grow in knowledge so that you yourself can know what is right and wrong. This is so important! May we not passively soak in what others say, but may we use our MINDS to honor and glorify God as we increase in our personal knowledge of Him.
Christ could come today, or He could come in a thousand years...we cannot know. Even Christ doesn't know, only the Father does. But regardless, are we ready to stand before God? What will He say to you on that day?
Lord, help me to continually become more like Christ. That is my heart's greatest desire. I long to please You only and do Your will. Keep working in me, Lord, and give me the desire to continue on this daily journey toward You. I cannot wait to be in your presence someday. Thank you for waiting for me all these years.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
2 Peter 2 (False Teaching)
One of the most over-looked parts of God is His judgement. No one wants to picture a God who willingly sends people to hell. But that's just it...He doesn't do it willingly. In fact, in chapter 3, we will find that the Lord is patient in His returning for a reason. "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). He gives people many chances to turn to Him. Yet, He is also a just God. That is why Jesus' last words on earth were about going and making disciples and teaching them how to obey Christ. But, I have come to understand that everything is in the Bible for a reason. To only read the nice, smiley parts about God diminishes His character...and in fact, we do want a just God, don't we, so that all the evil we see in the world will someday be made right?
To read this chapter in the Message version, click here http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%202%20&version=MSG
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping." Peter knows that we won't have prophets in our day, but we do have many teachers -- Christian teachers and non-Christian teachers -- who deny Jesus as Lord. Many people do follow false teachings even today, and what is found in the Bible gets mixed up so that Truth gets a bad name. I see that in our society so often! Our pop culture saddens me so much at times, and VH1 now has commercials that give teenagers a website to go to so they can "take control of (their) own sex life." What?! Who is putting that out there? The good news regarding the corruption and falsehood we see, is that as verse 3 reminds us that God has not shut His eyes to what's going on here. He is watching the whole thing, and He will come to our rescue.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment." This part saddens me greatly, for the people who are lost. It leaves no doubt in my mind that God won't make amends -- it's very clear here that He will. And its very clear to me here that our society is not the first corrupted generation. We, as human kind, have been corrupt since the beginning because we are born with a SINFUL nature. No, we are not born with good hearts. Any love that comes out of us is from God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). In fact, our hearts are born evil. Jeremiah 17:9 says that "The heart is deceitful above all things. Who can understand it?" Above all things, we are deceitful. That is our natural position apart from God.
Here is what these people are like:
"This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." This is a corrupt people. I love that last line: for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. What has mastered you recently? What is controlling you? It's a slippery slope, this sin problem. I'm sure all of these corrupted people didn't envision a life of sin for themselves...it was just one "yes" after another until they found themselves where they never thought they'd be. But by that time, the money and pleasure were too controlling, and they were enslaved. Another way to ask this question is: What do you think about most in the day? Are you thinking of God, or something else? That is your master. What do you spend your money on? What do you do in your free time? I'm not saying that if you're not thinking of God 100% of the day, you are corrupt, but is there something under whose power and influence you constantly find yourself other than God, you are enslaved.
Here's the end of the chapter:
20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” May we not go back to where we once were, but constantly be cleaned by the One who is our Master. Oh, that He might have complete control in my life!
Once again, Lord, I give you this day...make me a vessel of your love in this dark world, and give me the discernment to notice True teaching from its counterfeit.
To read this chapter in the Message version, click here http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%202%20&version=MSG
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping." Peter knows that we won't have prophets in our day, but we do have many teachers -- Christian teachers and non-Christian teachers -- who deny Jesus as Lord. Many people do follow false teachings even today, and what is found in the Bible gets mixed up so that Truth gets a bad name. I see that in our society so often! Our pop culture saddens me so much at times, and VH1 now has commercials that give teenagers a website to go to so they can "take control of (their) own sex life." What?! Who is putting that out there? The good news regarding the corruption and falsehood we see, is that as verse 3 reminds us that God has not shut His eyes to what's going on here. He is watching the whole thing, and He will come to our rescue.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment." This part saddens me greatly, for the people who are lost. It leaves no doubt in my mind that God won't make amends -- it's very clear here that He will. And its very clear to me here that our society is not the first corrupted generation. We, as human kind, have been corrupt since the beginning because we are born with a SINFUL nature. No, we are not born with good hearts. Any love that comes out of us is from God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). In fact, our hearts are born evil. Jeremiah 17:9 says that "The heart is deceitful above all things. Who can understand it?" Above all things, we are deceitful. That is our natural position apart from God.
Here is what these people are like:
"This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." This is a corrupt people. I love that last line: for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. What has mastered you recently? What is controlling you? It's a slippery slope, this sin problem. I'm sure all of these corrupted people didn't envision a life of sin for themselves...it was just one "yes" after another until they found themselves where they never thought they'd be. But by that time, the money and pleasure were too controlling, and they were enslaved. Another way to ask this question is: What do you think about most in the day? Are you thinking of God, or something else? That is your master. What do you spend your money on? What do you do in your free time? I'm not saying that if you're not thinking of God 100% of the day, you are corrupt, but is there something under whose power and influence you constantly find yourself other than God, you are enslaved.
Here's the end of the chapter:
20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” May we not go back to where we once were, but constantly be cleaned by the One who is our Master. Oh, that He might have complete control in my life!
Once again, Lord, I give you this day...make me a vessel of your love in this dark world, and give me the discernment to notice True teaching from its counterfeit.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
1 Peter 1:12-21 (Are We Sure?)
12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
"So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have." Whenever I see the word "so" or "therefore" in Scripture, I know to look just before it. (It's a cause and effect format of writing, and it happens to be what I'm teaching my fifth graders right now.) Peter says "so" here after reminding us to continue to live like Christ because if we do these things, we will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom -- there will be rewards if we do this! It's certainly not wrong to think about the rewards ahead, because they are written about multiple times in the Bible and Jesus wants us to be aware of them. Because of these rewards and what's to come, Peter wants to remind us of these things he's about to say.
"I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." I appreciate that Peter says he will keep reminding the people, even though they are now practicing the truth he is teaching. It is right to refresh our memories of even the most basic principles of Christianity. I can get so swept away in the daily-ness of my life, and sometimes I just need to remember even the foundation: Christ came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and then died for me. I need to be reminded of that! I may be practicing the truth well today, but give me a few hours and see how I'm doing tomorrow. I sure do hope that, as my Aunt Kathy said to me yesterday, "the more time I spend in the delightful presence of the God who loves me so joyously, the less desire I will have to sin, to drift away," and that "it is a relief, a freedom, not to have to work so hard, except to keep moving closer to the Source of Life." So true! I love that! I pray that that is the general direction of my life every day. And on the days that it is not, Peter knows we will need reminding. He is concerned here because he knows he will be dying soon (perhaps from persecution or failing health?), and he wants to make sure these principals are rooted in the hearts of these people he's loved. I so want to have that love and concern for the people in my life, don't you? Are we helping those around to really be rooted in this stuff in case we're not here tomorrow?
"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain." In an effort to give them some proof perhaps when they face times of doubt, knowing that the road ahead will not necessarily be easy for them, he assures them that these are not just "cleverly invented stories." Have you ever wondered that? Are these just stories -- people being raised from the dead, the miraculous appearance of enough fish to feed thousands, and blind people being able to see? They can certainly sound impossible, but here Peter assures us that he himself was an eyewitness to all of this. Not only did he see Jesus perform miracles, but he also heard God the Father affirm that Jesus is His Son! And so he spurs us on to continue, saying, this is true! You are not being fooled!
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." What about the prophecies -- they are certainly just coincidences, right? He knows we all would ask that. Peter is saying that the prophecies are, first of all, important, and we should pay attention to them because they will build up our faith rather than cause doubts. Study them and you will see! The prophecies from thousands of years ago are continuing to come true -- and many of them were about the life of Jesus Christ! Peter has seen the prophecies be fulfilled in his life with Jesus. He also reminds us that prophecy is not just merely the words of a man, but rather that God has used men as a tool to interpret His words so that we might have them. The Holy Spirit was with them in that process, and for you thinkers, there is proof of this even in the numbers. Think about these things:
Christ is the most powerful king who ever existed, and He will reign completely over this earth one day, and you, dear one, are His child. He came and did all of this, this life on earth, for you because of His unfailing love for you. You are not being fooled.
Now, if all that doesn't make you walk a little taller today, I don't know what will!
This IS the way. Let's walk in it.
16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
"So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have." Whenever I see the word "so" or "therefore" in Scripture, I know to look just before it. (It's a cause and effect format of writing, and it happens to be what I'm teaching my fifth graders right now.) Peter says "so" here after reminding us to continue to live like Christ because if we do these things, we will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom -- there will be rewards if we do this! It's certainly not wrong to think about the rewards ahead, because they are written about multiple times in the Bible and Jesus wants us to be aware of them. Because of these rewards and what's to come, Peter wants to remind us of these things he's about to say.
"I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." I appreciate that Peter says he will keep reminding the people, even though they are now practicing the truth he is teaching. It is right to refresh our memories of even the most basic principles of Christianity. I can get so swept away in the daily-ness of my life, and sometimes I just need to remember even the foundation: Christ came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and then died for me. I need to be reminded of that! I may be practicing the truth well today, but give me a few hours and see how I'm doing tomorrow. I sure do hope that, as my Aunt Kathy said to me yesterday, "the more time I spend in the delightful presence of the God who loves me so joyously, the less desire I will have to sin, to drift away," and that "it is a relief, a freedom, not to have to work so hard, except to keep moving closer to the Source of Life." So true! I love that! I pray that that is the general direction of my life every day. And on the days that it is not, Peter knows we will need reminding. He is concerned here because he knows he will be dying soon (perhaps from persecution or failing health?), and he wants to make sure these principals are rooted in the hearts of these people he's loved. I so want to have that love and concern for the people in my life, don't you? Are we helping those around to really be rooted in this stuff in case we're not here tomorrow?
"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain." In an effort to give them some proof perhaps when they face times of doubt, knowing that the road ahead will not necessarily be easy for them, he assures them that these are not just "cleverly invented stories." Have you ever wondered that? Are these just stories -- people being raised from the dead, the miraculous appearance of enough fish to feed thousands, and blind people being able to see? They can certainly sound impossible, but here Peter assures us that he himself was an eyewitness to all of this. Not only did he see Jesus perform miracles, but he also heard God the Father affirm that Jesus is His Son! And so he spurs us on to continue, saying, this is true! You are not being fooled!
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." What about the prophecies -- they are certainly just coincidences, right? He knows we all would ask that. Peter is saying that the prophecies are, first of all, important, and we should pay attention to them because they will build up our faith rather than cause doubts. Study them and you will see! The prophecies from thousands of years ago are continuing to come true -- and many of them were about the life of Jesus Christ! Peter has seen the prophecies be fulfilled in his life with Jesus. He also reminds us that prophecy is not just merely the words of a man, but rather that God has used men as a tool to interpret His words so that we might have them. The Holy Spirit was with them in that process, and for you thinkers, there is proof of this even in the numbers. Think about these things:
- There are 2,000 prophecies, including some 300 prophecies and implications about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
- There are no prophetic failures.
- While there are both obvious and subtle prophecies, most are very detailed and specific.
- No other religion has specific, repeated, and unfailing fulfillment of predictions many years in advance of contingent events over which the predictor had no control.
- Studies of psychics show only around 8% of other religions' predictions come true and virtually all of these can be attributed to chance and a general knowledge of circumstances.
- Mathematicians have calculated the odds of Jesus fulfilling only 8 of the Messianic prophecies as 1 out of 1017 (a 1 followed by 17 zeros). This is equivalent to covering the entire state of Texas with silver dollars 2 feet deep, marking one of them, mixing them all up and having a blind-folded person select the marked one at random the first time. For more on this, see What Are The Odds?
- Fulfilled prophecy is powerful evidence that the Bible is divine rather than human in origin.
Christ is the most powerful king who ever existed, and He will reign completely over this earth one day, and you, dear one, are His child. He came and did all of this, this life on earth, for you because of His unfailing love for you. You are not being fooled.
Now, if all that doesn't make you walk a little taller today, I don't know what will!
This IS the way. Let's walk in it.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
2 Peter 1:5-11 (Is God Pleased with You?)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Do you ever wonder, Lord, am I pleasing you? That has been an increasing desire in my heart the past few months. I'm the oldest child and also a self-proclaimed people-pleaser (I really wish this was not my natural bent sometimes). Recently, I've really wondered if I'm pleasing God. I so greatly desire that He might come sit in my living room and let me know how I'm doing and how I could please Him more. I just do better face to face. But, though I believe He could do that if He wanted, history leads me to believe that I probably won't see Him face to face until Heaven...so how do I know if I'm really pleasing Him? It's simple. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says," (James 1:22). Okay, not so simple. There are a lot of commands in the Bible, and we won't get them all perfectly...but are we at least giving every effort to obey and honor what God asks us to do?
We left off yesterday concluding that Jesus has given us everything we need for life and godliness through His Word as we study and emulate Christ. He has given us these great promises in His Word so that we can be more like Christ and escape the corruption of the world caused by evil desires. Whose evil desires? Mine! When we look at the sin around us, we need not be pointing fingers, right? The sin in the world exists because of me! Because of mankind. In order for me to escape it, I need to be following Jesus' promises found in His Word. His plan, written for us as the Bible, is THE WAY to live this life.
"For this very reason,..." Because of this great sin problem we have and all the evil in and around us, here is what we should strive to do as Christ-followers:
"...make every effort" There is a fine balance between the Holy Spirit changing the desires and attitudes within me AND me making the choice to follow those new desires and attitudes. By no means did I mean to let us off the hook yesterday in saying that ALL the power comes from the Holy Spirit. In my example, I told how first I had to desire to have Him change my heart, then He helped to calm my heart, and even today, I still have to go back and recommit to that peace, knowing God will take care of it, lest I get all fired up again over that issue! It's a partnership. We need to make every effort on our part, and that effort includes asking that He would change us, and then He will do the work when we ask. I know, it's a bit complicated.
Now, here comes a list! I love lists! This is a list of virtues that will produce a well-rounded, Christian life. Don't get over-whelmed, it's not a checklist. Think of it more as a list of examples:
"...to add to your faith goodness" Faith is the root of the Christian faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). So start there!
"and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." As I look at this list, I'm sure the order has a purpose to it, though I can't claim to know what each connection would be. However, I do notice that knowledge comes before self-control in this list. Wouldn't you say that our society has more "knowledge" than it has ever had, and yet we seem to have less "self-control" than we have ever had? Something is flipped! According to this list, knowledge should lead to self-control, not to a justification of what I want to do. Ugh, self-control. Interesting that perseverance follows self-control. Anyone trying to make new habits in this new year? Persevere! (I'm saying this to myself.) Don't give up just as it starts to get difficult! Keep going! I also find it interesting that brotherly kindness comes before love. Brotherly kindness refers to how we treat our fellow believers, our "brothers". Being kind to our fellow believers comes before love...reminding me that sometimes the actions need to happen before the feeling comes!
Okay, but here's my favorite part, because I tend to think that I need to work on these things as a check list. Not so! "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." There is no order mentioned here, but rather, that we would continue to INCREASE in these qualities as a whole. That is how we can be effective as a disciple of Christ! Do you sense that you are MORE of these things than you were last year, or has it pretty much stayed the same? I know that I have had years where I have stayed the same -- they are usually the years that I was most me-focused. But if we see that we are growing in these things, we are growing in our relationship with Christ. That's the proof! And that's what pleases God -- an increase in our godliness (our genuine reverence toward God that governs every aspect of our lives) -- not our good deeds, but our heart's attitude and reverence toward Him, which leads to obedience. According to this verse, these qualities are what keep us effective and productive in our work for Him! They are of utmost importance if we want to make a difference in this world for Christ because they are what set us apart as "different". Actions speak louder than words, right?
"But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." If we don't possess these virtues, we have forgotten who we are and what Christ has done for us. It's never too late to turn back to Him or to make different choices today than we did yesterday!
"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." By cultivating these qualities, you bear the fruit of Who lives in you and whom you follow. When we become children of God, we are called to obedience, and these virtues prove their divine source. By continuing to live for Christ, you will never fall.
Go back to that list. Is there one or two that could use a little tweaking? Now is the time to ask God to help us in those areas of our weakness. I know what mine are! Perhaps we could be mindful of those today and intentional in our pursuit of them out of obedience to God. I'm sure He will give you plenty of opportunities to practice them today. Don't just be satisfied with where you are today! I want to be constantly growing, don't you? This list of qualities is what allows us to be a light in a dark world -- these are what make us different! They are so important.
A pastor I listen to said that the Christian life is a long journey in the direction of obedience. If we are striving to be more like Christ today than we were yesterday and working to grow in our love for Him and for others, then I think it's safe to say...God is pleased with you.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Do you ever wonder, Lord, am I pleasing you? That has been an increasing desire in my heart the past few months. I'm the oldest child and also a self-proclaimed people-pleaser (I really wish this was not my natural bent sometimes). Recently, I've really wondered if I'm pleasing God. I so greatly desire that He might come sit in my living room and let me know how I'm doing and how I could please Him more. I just do better face to face. But, though I believe He could do that if He wanted, history leads me to believe that I probably won't see Him face to face until Heaven...so how do I know if I'm really pleasing Him? It's simple. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says," (James 1:22). Okay, not so simple. There are a lot of commands in the Bible, and we won't get them all perfectly...but are we at least giving every effort to obey and honor what God asks us to do?
We left off yesterday concluding that Jesus has given us everything we need for life and godliness through His Word as we study and emulate Christ. He has given us these great promises in His Word so that we can be more like Christ and escape the corruption of the world caused by evil desires. Whose evil desires? Mine! When we look at the sin around us, we need not be pointing fingers, right? The sin in the world exists because of me! Because of mankind. In order for me to escape it, I need to be following Jesus' promises found in His Word. His plan, written for us as the Bible, is THE WAY to live this life.
"For this very reason,..." Because of this great sin problem we have and all the evil in and around us, here is what we should strive to do as Christ-followers:
"...make every effort" There is a fine balance between the Holy Spirit changing the desires and attitudes within me AND me making the choice to follow those new desires and attitudes. By no means did I mean to let us off the hook yesterday in saying that ALL the power comes from the Holy Spirit. In my example, I told how first I had to desire to have Him change my heart, then He helped to calm my heart, and even today, I still have to go back and recommit to that peace, knowing God will take care of it, lest I get all fired up again over that issue! It's a partnership. We need to make every effort on our part, and that effort includes asking that He would change us, and then He will do the work when we ask. I know, it's a bit complicated.
Now, here comes a list! I love lists! This is a list of virtues that will produce a well-rounded, Christian life. Don't get over-whelmed, it's not a checklist. Think of it more as a list of examples:
"...to add to your faith goodness" Faith is the root of the Christian faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). So start there!
"and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." As I look at this list, I'm sure the order has a purpose to it, though I can't claim to know what each connection would be. However, I do notice that knowledge comes before self-control in this list. Wouldn't you say that our society has more "knowledge" than it has ever had, and yet we seem to have less "self-control" than we have ever had? Something is flipped! According to this list, knowledge should lead to self-control, not to a justification of what I want to do. Ugh, self-control. Interesting that perseverance follows self-control. Anyone trying to make new habits in this new year? Persevere! (I'm saying this to myself.) Don't give up just as it starts to get difficult! Keep going! I also find it interesting that brotherly kindness comes before love. Brotherly kindness refers to how we treat our fellow believers, our "brothers". Being kind to our fellow believers comes before love...reminding me that sometimes the actions need to happen before the feeling comes!
Okay, but here's my favorite part, because I tend to think that I need to work on these things as a check list. Not so! "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." There is no order mentioned here, but rather, that we would continue to INCREASE in these qualities as a whole. That is how we can be effective as a disciple of Christ! Do you sense that you are MORE of these things than you were last year, or has it pretty much stayed the same? I know that I have had years where I have stayed the same -- they are usually the years that I was most me-focused. But if we see that we are growing in these things, we are growing in our relationship with Christ. That's the proof! And that's what pleases God -- an increase in our godliness (our genuine reverence toward God that governs every aspect of our lives) -- not our good deeds, but our heart's attitude and reverence toward Him, which leads to obedience. According to this verse, these qualities are what keep us effective and productive in our work for Him! They are of utmost importance if we want to make a difference in this world for Christ because they are what set us apart as "different". Actions speak louder than words, right?
"But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." If we don't possess these virtues, we have forgotten who we are and what Christ has done for us. It's never too late to turn back to Him or to make different choices today than we did yesterday!
"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." By cultivating these qualities, you bear the fruit of Who lives in you and whom you follow. When we become children of God, we are called to obedience, and these virtues prove their divine source. By continuing to live for Christ, you will never fall.
Go back to that list. Is there one or two that could use a little tweaking? Now is the time to ask God to help us in those areas of our weakness. I know what mine are! Perhaps we could be mindful of those today and intentional in our pursuit of them out of obedience to God. I'm sure He will give you plenty of opportunities to practice them today. Don't just be satisfied with where you are today! I want to be constantly growing, don't you? This list of qualities is what allows us to be a light in a dark world -- these are what make us different! They are so important.
A pastor I listen to said that the Christian life is a long journey in the direction of obedience. If we are striving to be more like Christ today than we were yesterday and working to grow in our love for Him and for others, then I think it's safe to say...God is pleased with you.
Monday, January 9, 2012
2 Peter 1:1-4 Grace and Peace in Abundance in 2012!
Hello everyone!
I pray you had a relaxing, refreshing and renewing holiday season -- I sure did. Rest is definitely a good thing, as is getting out of the normal grind and routine. But I cannot tell you enough how excited I am about getting back in the Word with you in the mornings again! How I have missed it! My days truly are not the same without a few minutes with Him first thing. I can honestly say that now since starting this journey back in April.
I look forward to all that we learn as we read the Bible in 2012 -- I know without a doubt that God has things He wants to teach us in His Word. I can't wait! So let's dig in. We are starting the year in 2 Peter. We studied 1 Peter over the summer, but then I was just so excited to get into Matthew, that I didn't do 2 Peter at that time. So now, we're coming back to it!
Second Peter is a letter from Peter to The Church (which now includes us) and includes a whole bunch of great teaching for us. In case you are like I was, when you see the first three phrases in verses 1-2, notice that they "signed" their letters first, so you will see right off the bat, "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,"
then who the letter is addressed to, "To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:" well, by that definition, that would include us, wouldn't it?
Now comes the salutation: "Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." Wouldn't you just love someone to say that in their next hand written note to you? I think I might start signing my letters with that! I love that he is wishing us grace and peace in abundance, but he's sure to remind us where those come from: through the knowledge of God and Jesus. That, my friends, is the only place from where pure grace and peace come. Do you want some grace toward others and a peace in your heart in 2012? Well, you've come to the right place, because we are going to keep studying He who is the only source of both!
Okay, read this, and then we'll break it down. I just love this!!
3 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. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
I don't know what your goals are for the new year, but I know that my greatest desires is to come to know the Lord even more. As Josh and I were talking about areas that we want to be our "focus" for the new year, I came up with six (perhaps a lofty goal, but nevertheless, here they are):
1. Please God.
2. Serve Josh.
3. Love others.
4. Slow down.
5. Be healthy.
6. Write more.
I could go into all of these, but we aren't here to talk about me. But I show you this because, as I looked at this list, I wasn't sure if I could really do all these things -- they are all the most major areas of my life. How am I supposed to focus on all of these things?! Yet, I know that all of these, with the exception of specifically #6, God would have the same desires for me, too, according to His word.
That's where 2 Peter 3-4 comes in! Just as I wrote a list, there are so many stinkin' lists in Scripture about all the things we should and shouldn't do, that it becomes over-whelming when I think that I have to do all of them myself!
"His divine power..." Let us be sure that any power we are talking about comes from God. Let me take one of the things from my list...Love Josh...if I want to do this better, I cannot do it on my own even if I wanted to! I can give it a try for sure, but if I really want to love Josh in a godly way, it's going to have to come from God! This is the best news we have heard in a long time! I don't have to think that it is all on my shoulders because the power to do anything for Christ comes from Him! I just have to obey.
Not only does Jesus want to save us, but He also wants to change us. Sure, we may have our "ticket" into Heaven, but He wants to do so much more in and through our lives on this earth. He wants to make you more like Himself, and it really is possible...but only though Him.
"...has given us everything we need for life and godliness..." The word that sticks out to me is everything. He gives us everything we could possibly need in life -- all knowledge, all ideas, all answers to our questions -- that we could possibly need in order to live and to do it in a godly way! Looking at my list, I can be assured that I can have all that I need to do those things and to do them well -- not in my own power, but His.
Do you notice that the verb here is past tense -- "has given"?! It's already been given? What? Yes! As soon as we asked Jesus to be the Lord of our life, we were given the Holy Spirit, which is a one time gift. Once we have Him, we have ALL of Him. We can't get any more of the Holy Spirit, but we can certainly always "tap into Him more," for lack of a better phrase.
And godliness? What does that mean? According to my Bible, godliness is "a genuine reverence toward God that governs one's attitude toward every aspect of life." Godliness does not mean perfection! It has to do with my attitude -- a genuine reverence toward God that governs every part of my life. That is what we're striving for, isn't it? And it is already ours if we can use what He's already given us...here's where:
..."through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." We become more godly through a greater understanding of Jesus, and the only way to really come to know and understand Jesus more is through scripture! The Bible is our major source for that! Let me say it the opposite way: if we are not using the Bible as our main guide for life, we will not become any more godly than we already are, and we will not become any more like Christ. Scripture is key! The study of Jesus is key!
Look what it says about Jesus: who called us by his own glory and goodness. It is Jesus Himself who has called you, called all of us, to come follow Him by His own glory (excellence in His attributes and essence) and How own goodness (excellence expressed in His deeds and actions). Because of who He is inwardly and outwardly, we can have everything we need spiritually, no other secret knowledge is necessary (helpful? possibly...but not necessary) -- no theology, no psychiatry, no self-help book, no rituals -- we have everything we need through Him. Just learn Jesus!
"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,..." Through these, his glory and his goodness, He has given us incredible and valuable promises so that we can live a life of godliness! In other words, out of His great love for you, He has given you the plan and the map for success in this world. Not necessarily success as the world would define it, but success in our ever-increasing godliness. Tomorrow, Paul will go into what these precious promises are, but for now, soak in the idea that Jesus loves you, and He didn't leave you alone to figure all of this out. He told us how we can be godly and gives us the power to be so!
"...so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." There is a purpose in all of this. He told us what to do and how to live SO THAT in knowing those things we can be different! We do not have to experience life on this earth the way that so many people do -- we can experience more, the more that comes from having God, the Holy Spirit, living and active inside you and in your life. I know this to be true! Yesterday, at church mind you, I was having a really hard time focusing because I was becoming so bitter about how I had been hurt by someone. In that moment, I prayed that Jesus would give me peace about it, knowing I had spoken truthfully and gently, and the results and any revenge I may want to take were completely up to Him. As I prayed, the Lord calmed my heart -- in that moment! This is the power that we have as followers of Christ -- not by our own power, but by a power that comes from the Lord.
I love the verse in Ephesians 1 that talks about how the power that is in us as Christians, is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead! That same Holy Spirit lives in us! Jesus was dead and decaying in a tomb until the Holy Spirit breathed life back into His body and He came walking out of a tomb -- that's a LOT of power, dear ones! And that is the same power that lives in us. Oh, how I wish we could come to know this!
That is my prayer for you and for me in the year 2012...to repeat Paul's words:
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms..." Ephesians 1:17-20
So what are your goals and/or your focus for this new year? I used to never make goals because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to attain them. But now I do, because I know that I am in a partnership with Christ. When I fall off the wagon, I get back on and keep relying on His power, not mine.
Whatever your goals or your focus may be for 2012, I sure hope they include getting to know Jesus more and learning how to live for Him and serve Him better! And whatever the other goals are, you have power to do them through Jesus Christ -- just keep asking Him for more of Him and less of you.
It's going to be a good year...
I look forward to walking through the Word with you more as we continue on this journey for more knowledge of Him!
I pray you had a relaxing, refreshing and renewing holiday season -- I sure did. Rest is definitely a good thing, as is getting out of the normal grind and routine. But I cannot tell you enough how excited I am about getting back in the Word with you in the mornings again! How I have missed it! My days truly are not the same without a few minutes with Him first thing. I can honestly say that now since starting this journey back in April.
I look forward to all that we learn as we read the Bible in 2012 -- I know without a doubt that God has things He wants to teach us in His Word. I can't wait! So let's dig in. We are starting the year in 2 Peter. We studied 1 Peter over the summer, but then I was just so excited to get into Matthew, that I didn't do 2 Peter at that time. So now, we're coming back to it!
Second Peter is a letter from Peter to The Church (which now includes us) and includes a whole bunch of great teaching for us. In case you are like I was, when you see the first three phrases in verses 1-2, notice that they "signed" their letters first, so you will see right off the bat, "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,"
then who the letter is addressed to, "To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:" well, by that definition, that would include us, wouldn't it?
Now comes the salutation: "Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." Wouldn't you just love someone to say that in their next hand written note to you? I think I might start signing my letters with that! I love that he is wishing us grace and peace in abundance, but he's sure to remind us where those come from: through the knowledge of God and Jesus. That, my friends, is the only place from where pure grace and peace come. Do you want some grace toward others and a peace in your heart in 2012? Well, you've come to the right place, because we are going to keep studying He who is the only source of both!
Okay, read this, and then we'll break it down. I just love this!!
3 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. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
I don't know what your goals are for the new year, but I know that my greatest desires is to come to know the Lord even more. As Josh and I were talking about areas that we want to be our "focus" for the new year, I came up with six (perhaps a lofty goal, but nevertheless, here they are):
1. Please God.
2. Serve Josh.
3. Love others.
4. Slow down.
5. Be healthy.
6. Write more.
I could go into all of these, but we aren't here to talk about me. But I show you this because, as I looked at this list, I wasn't sure if I could really do all these things -- they are all the most major areas of my life. How am I supposed to focus on all of these things?! Yet, I know that all of these, with the exception of specifically #6, God would have the same desires for me, too, according to His word.
That's where 2 Peter 3-4 comes in! Just as I wrote a list, there are so many stinkin' lists in Scripture about all the things we should and shouldn't do, that it becomes over-whelming when I think that I have to do all of them myself!
"His divine power..." Let us be sure that any power we are talking about comes from God. Let me take one of the things from my list...Love Josh...if I want to do this better, I cannot do it on my own even if I wanted to! I can give it a try for sure, but if I really want to love Josh in a godly way, it's going to have to come from God! This is the best news we have heard in a long time! I don't have to think that it is all on my shoulders because the power to do anything for Christ comes from Him! I just have to obey.
Not only does Jesus want to save us, but He also wants to change us. Sure, we may have our "ticket" into Heaven, but He wants to do so much more in and through our lives on this earth. He wants to make you more like Himself, and it really is possible...but only though Him.
"...has given us everything we need for life and godliness..." The word that sticks out to me is everything. He gives us everything we could possibly need in life -- all knowledge, all ideas, all answers to our questions -- that we could possibly need in order to live and to do it in a godly way! Looking at my list, I can be assured that I can have all that I need to do those things and to do them well -- not in my own power, but His.
Do you notice that the verb here is past tense -- "has given"?! It's already been given? What? Yes! As soon as we asked Jesus to be the Lord of our life, we were given the Holy Spirit, which is a one time gift. Once we have Him, we have ALL of Him. We can't get any more of the Holy Spirit, but we can certainly always "tap into Him more," for lack of a better phrase.
And godliness? What does that mean? According to my Bible, godliness is "a genuine reverence toward God that governs one's attitude toward every aspect of life." Godliness does not mean perfection! It has to do with my attitude -- a genuine reverence toward God that governs every part of my life. That is what we're striving for, isn't it? And it is already ours if we can use what He's already given us...here's where:
..."through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." We become more godly through a greater understanding of Jesus, and the only way to really come to know and understand Jesus more is through scripture! The Bible is our major source for that! Let me say it the opposite way: if we are not using the Bible as our main guide for life, we will not become any more godly than we already are, and we will not become any more like Christ. Scripture is key! The study of Jesus is key!
Look what it says about Jesus: who called us by his own glory and goodness. It is Jesus Himself who has called you, called all of us, to come follow Him by His own glory (excellence in His attributes and essence) and How own goodness (excellence expressed in His deeds and actions). Because of who He is inwardly and outwardly, we can have everything we need spiritually, no other secret knowledge is necessary (helpful? possibly...but not necessary) -- no theology, no psychiatry, no self-help book, no rituals -- we have everything we need through Him. Just learn Jesus!
"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,..." Through these, his glory and his goodness, He has given us incredible and valuable promises so that we can live a life of godliness! In other words, out of His great love for you, He has given you the plan and the map for success in this world. Not necessarily success as the world would define it, but success in our ever-increasing godliness. Tomorrow, Paul will go into what these precious promises are, but for now, soak in the idea that Jesus loves you, and He didn't leave you alone to figure all of this out. He told us how we can be godly and gives us the power to be so!
"...so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." There is a purpose in all of this. He told us what to do and how to live SO THAT in knowing those things we can be different! We do not have to experience life on this earth the way that so many people do -- we can experience more, the more that comes from having God, the Holy Spirit, living and active inside you and in your life. I know this to be true! Yesterday, at church mind you, I was having a really hard time focusing because I was becoming so bitter about how I had been hurt by someone. In that moment, I prayed that Jesus would give me peace about it, knowing I had spoken truthfully and gently, and the results and any revenge I may want to take were completely up to Him. As I prayed, the Lord calmed my heart -- in that moment! This is the power that we have as followers of Christ -- not by our own power, but by a power that comes from the Lord.
I love the verse in Ephesians 1 that talks about how the power that is in us as Christians, is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead! That same Holy Spirit lives in us! Jesus was dead and decaying in a tomb until the Holy Spirit breathed life back into His body and He came walking out of a tomb -- that's a LOT of power, dear ones! And that is the same power that lives in us. Oh, how I wish we could come to know this!
That is my prayer for you and for me in the year 2012...to repeat Paul's words:
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms..." Ephesians 1:17-20
So what are your goals and/or your focus for this new year? I used to never make goals because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to attain them. But now I do, because I know that I am in a partnership with Christ. When I fall off the wagon, I get back on and keep relying on His power, not mine.
Whatever your goals or your focus may be for 2012, I sure hope they include getting to know Jesus more and learning how to live for Him and serve Him better! And whatever the other goals are, you have power to do them through Jesus Christ -- just keep asking Him for more of Him and less of you.
It's going to be a good year...
I look forward to walking through the Word with you more as we continue on this journey for more knowledge of Him!
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