23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But
if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do
not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake
of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
There are so many "rules" in the Bible, but what I love about the verses today is the focus on freedom! Yes, there may be many boundaries God has established for our protection, and yet, sometimes as Christians, we can get so hung up on being good little rule-followers, that we overlook all the freedom and fun that God intended for us, even this side of Heaven. When we come to know the heart of God, we find that He is not only a protector, disciplinarian, and teacher (and all these things in love), but by looking at His creation all this week, I saw that He likes us to laugh (listened to a baby chuckle), He likes us to play (watched two bunnies in my neighborhood take turns chasing each other), and He likes to have fun (observed two squirrels play peek-a-boo in the tree in my backyard). God whispers to us in everything we see, and when we aren't always looking for the serious stuff, we just might remember that beauty, love, creativity and humor were all invented by God Himself.
In all of our decisions, our actions must be motivated by God's love for us and in us, so that all we do will be for His glory. We ask ourselves, "Is this bringing glory and honor to God?" or "How can I honor God through this action?" And sometimes we can also honor Him by relaxing, having some fun, or enjoying one of the many gifts He has given us on this earth. We can say that because of His immense generosity and grace to us, we don't have to scrutinize every miniscule action to see if it will pass the test -- make wise decisions, absolutely, but scrutinize, no. I want to live well and live for the Lord and other people.
It is with this context that we look at verse 23. “ 'I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive." Are we not in a culture where our rights are everything? I am so thankful for the rights and freedoms that we have in this country, and yes, we do have so many. But, we must examine whether any right or freedom we have is beneficial and constructive at any particular time. In everything, "No one should seek their own good, but the good of others" (verse 24). Sure, we have the right to free speech and to speak our opinions. But when our speech (or Facebook posting) is always with an agenda, no matter what our position, we push others away. Yes, we have the legal ability to drink when we are 21, but if we find that we cannot stop ourselves once we begin, we are not pursuing beneficial and constructive actions. In all things, how do your actions affect others? Think about who these choices affect and how they will affect them. We must not be so concerned with ourselves.
I have been very concerned with myself lately. I think, "Well how will this affect me? Look how this is making me feel? Well, I need to do this for me." I don't want to be that way. Just this weekend, the result of my self-focus was a self-consciousness that didn't allow me to enjoy my time with some dear friends as much as I could have, and the entire time my shoulders remained constantly up by my ears! This is such a good reminder to be others-focused. I need to put my rights, my feelings, and my desires aside, and be more concerned about His.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But
if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do
not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake
of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
Look at the freedom here. Let's make this a current day example. If an unbeliever invites you to have a drink with them in a bar after work and you want to go, you can go and have a drink without a bad conscience. For the earth is God's and everything in it! Everything belongs to him, even your glass of wine. But let's say another co-worker is coming with the two of you, and he has a problem with you having a drink, then do not have a drink for the sake of his conscience. Be okay to set your right aside so that he may have a clear conscience. But, if no one opposes, and if everything belongs to God, why not thank Him for it and enjoy it? (Let me be clear, however, that this is for matters not blatently objected in the Bible. For no reason may we "enjoy" someone who is not our spouse, etc.)
I love how The Message paraphrases the rest of this chapter:
29-30But, except for
these special cases (when food has been sacrificed to another god or if the Bible speaks elsewhere about it), I'm not going to walk around on eggshells worrying
about what small-minded people might say; I'm going to stride free and
easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat
what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I
worry about what someone will say? I thanked God for it and he blessed
it!
31-33So eat
your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you're
eating to God's glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of
fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God's glory. At the
same time, don't be callous in your exercise of freedom, thoughtlessly
stepping on the toes of those who aren't as free as you are. I try my
best to be considerate of everyone's feelings in all these matters, so that they might be saved; I
hope you will be, too.
I don't think I could have said it any better myself, Paul. I said it last week, but I will remind us again that God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment! (1 Tim. 6:17). He doesn't desire us to be uptight, check-list Christians. We do desire to have hearts that are holy, but with that, we should be full of joy, laughter, enjoyment and smiles (most days anyway). But all the while, we don't want our desires and freedoms to be as a stumbling block to those around us.
Because, at the end of the day, I don't want it to have been about me.
Coffee with Jesus
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
1 Corinthians 10:14-22 (Credit and Glory)
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is
not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in
the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
This section of Scripture refers to the Idol Feasts and Sacrifices that were common in Paul's day...multi-day celebrations to the pagan gods. I'm quite sure none of us have ever seen one of these, let alone been tempted to whole-heartedly participate in one, so what's the big deal?
The deal is who gets the credit.
When you do well at work, who gets the glory? When your kids turn out well, who gets the glory? When you have an ability or talent that is considered to be above the rest, who gets the glory? When you learn lots of things and have increased in knowledge, who gets the glory?
In our culture, we celebrate ourselves and our own good doings when things happen. We think that we are the ones who made everything fall into place. The temptation is to take all the glory for ourselves...forgetting that it is God who blesses His people. Look at these:
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt. 7:11)." And tell them to "...put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Tim. 6:17). Don't you see? We know where the good things in life come from! We serve a God who doesn't just discipline; He loves to bless us. Let's not rob God of the glory that is solely His! Yes, we must get off the couch and choose to go to work to make a living, but if work is going well, thank God! Literally!
We must flee from the idol of glory.
All the glory belongs to God. That is what this section of Scripture is about.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. If you are a Christian, you and the rest of us are one with Christ. We don't just merely say, "I follow Jesus." It is so much more than that. He works in and through us with much more power than any of these other gods of our lives ever could. And He deserves all the glory. He is the reason your deepest longings are answered, your kids succeed, your boss promotes you, and that this crazy day that you thought could never succeed was successful.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? In Old Testament days, when a Jew offered a sacrifice, he ate part of it as a way of restoring his unity with God, against whom he had sinned. Christians do this when we take communion. But, we also have multiple daily opportunities to unify ourselves with this world.
So, with what are we trying to unify ourselves -- Christ or satan and this world? Do you see the difference -- are we leading two lives, following Christ and the world? For we should only serve One. Paul reminds that we should not offer sacrifices to demons -- our time, our money, our thoughts that help to advance the cause of Godlessness. As verse 21 says, we cannot serve both God and the gods of this world. Any sacrifices we make should be for God's Kingdom, not this current culture.
Christ deserves our total allegiance. And then He gets the glory, because He deserves the glory. What makes us think that we are strong enough to do anything without Him?
May everything you do and everything you receive today remind you of Christ's presence and power in your life. Point to Him in everything, because He always deserves ALL of the credit.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
This section of Scripture refers to the Idol Feasts and Sacrifices that were common in Paul's day...multi-day celebrations to the pagan gods. I'm quite sure none of us have ever seen one of these, let alone been tempted to whole-heartedly participate in one, so what's the big deal?
The deal is who gets the credit.
When you do well at work, who gets the glory? When your kids turn out well, who gets the glory? When you have an ability or talent that is considered to be above the rest, who gets the glory? When you learn lots of things and have increased in knowledge, who gets the glory?
In our culture, we celebrate ourselves and our own good doings when things happen. We think that we are the ones who made everything fall into place. The temptation is to take all the glory for ourselves...forgetting that it is God who blesses His people. Look at these:
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt. 7:11)." And tell them to "...put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Tim. 6:17). Don't you see? We know where the good things in life come from! We serve a God who doesn't just discipline; He loves to bless us. Let's not rob God of the glory that is solely His! Yes, we must get off the couch and choose to go to work to make a living, but if work is going well, thank God! Literally!
We must flee from the idol of glory.
All the glory belongs to God. That is what this section of Scripture is about.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. If you are a Christian, you and the rest of us are one with Christ. We don't just merely say, "I follow Jesus." It is so much more than that. He works in and through us with much more power than any of these other gods of our lives ever could. And He deserves all the glory. He is the reason your deepest longings are answered, your kids succeed, your boss promotes you, and that this crazy day that you thought could never succeed was successful.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? In Old Testament days, when a Jew offered a sacrifice, he ate part of it as a way of restoring his unity with God, against whom he had sinned. Christians do this when we take communion. But, we also have multiple daily opportunities to unify ourselves with this world.
So, with what are we trying to unify ourselves -- Christ or satan and this world? Do you see the difference -- are we leading two lives, following Christ and the world? For we should only serve One. Paul reminds that we should not offer sacrifices to demons -- our time, our money, our thoughts that help to advance the cause of Godlessness. As verse 21 says, we cannot serve both God and the gods of this world. Any sacrifices we make should be for God's Kingdom, not this current culture.
Christ deserves our total allegiance. And then He gets the glory, because He deserves the glory. What makes us think that we are strong enough to do anything without Him?
May everything you do and everything you receive today remind you of Christ's presence and power in your life. Point to Him in everything, because He always deserves ALL of the credit.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
1 Corinthians 10:14 (Flee)
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
I ain't much of a Bible scholar, but one of the small tricks I do know is that when you see the word "therefore" that means make sure you look at what you just read because that was the cause and now here comes the effect.
If you didn't read yesterday's post, I highly encourage you to do so because they all build on one another. But the gist of yesterday was this:
-even the Israelites who witnessed God's miracles for them fell into temptation;
-they thought they could control everything and that God would serve them;
-the result was that thousands of them were left dead in the desert (God's doing);
-but God is not out to slay us -- in fact, the last verse reminds us that He ALWAYS gives us a way out of our temptation, but we must run to it!
That word run is exactly what I want to focus on today. There is just one command there in verse 14: flee from idolatry. I can't imagine that the Israelites ever verbally said, "well, God should serve us!" No! I'm quite certain, because I know myself, that it was all an attitude of their hearts and in their thoughts. And that's where idols live -- in our hearts.
When people reduce God to something they can use or control, it's an idol, including if their "god" is the control and use of money, power, prestige, beauty, or another human being. It's a sneaky, slippery slope.
It's no secret, if you know me well, that Josh and I have had a series of financial surprises in our first four years of marriage: lost jobs, no housing, major car repairs, debt collectors calling, and the like. I know many people who have had these experiences in recent years. But needless to say, we were not really in control of our finances for a long time, and just when we thought we finally had it all under control, one of us would find that our contract wasn't being renewed, or the car stopped working, etc. We tried so hard to be in control of our money, and it seemed as if it would never happen. We thought, well, once we have money in the bank and two steady jobs, we'll be fine. It became a god to us.
We thought about it all the time. We cried over it when it was taken from us. We were brutal with each other some nights when the pressure to make ends meet literally "got the best of us" all day, and then nothing was left for each other. It didn't help that I teach in the wealthiest elementary school boundaries in the state...I felt like a pauper compared to these people! We were consumed, and because money had most of our attention and thoughts, it had become a god to us. Our individual relationships with God and then with each other began to suffer -- no one can serve two masters.
Then, we finally got some money. Things began to pan out and fall into place, but unlike we thought, everything wasn't automatically better, and the temptation to allow money to control us was still there. It IS still here. Money and I do battle every day...he wants to control me and I want to be controlled only by God. So, many times, I must flee.
Flee means 'to run away from dangers or pursuers, to move swiftly.' There is a danger with our idols. They take us down a steep slope to no where, promising they will fulfill us but never doing it. So we go deeper, thinking the pot of gold is still just around the corner -- but its a mirage. And pursuer? Oh yes, there is a pursuer. His name is satan, and he uses our idols to direct as much of our attention and affection away from Jesus as he can.
We must flee from that! Sometimes we must flee physically, if it's a physical temptation (sex, drugs, stealing), and other times it's fleeing from a thought (that if I could just have ____, it would all be better). Both are equally important, and the only safe place to run during pursuit, is to Jesus and to His Word. If the Israelites had done that, their spiritual lives with God would have been renewed, and perhaps they wouldn't have lost their physical lives, too. Idols will do that to us -- they kill the very parts that God is working to grow in us.
Find some Scripture that applies to your temptations, and place them wherever you are during the day: work, home, in the car. Say these verses to yourself until they sink in, and ask Jesus to give you the Truth you need in that moment, because the temptations are all lies.
Above all, we must flee. We must make the choice in the moment of weakness. But He will ALWAYS provide a way out! God never leaves us alone in our temptations. But we must choose it.
For if we don't, we die.
I ain't much of a Bible scholar, but one of the small tricks I do know is that when you see the word "therefore" that means make sure you look at what you just read because that was the cause and now here comes the effect.
If you didn't read yesterday's post, I highly encourage you to do so because they all build on one another. But the gist of yesterday was this:
-even the Israelites who witnessed God's miracles for them fell into temptation;
-they thought they could control everything and that God would serve them;
-the result was that thousands of them were left dead in the desert (God's doing);
-but God is not out to slay us -- in fact, the last verse reminds us that He ALWAYS gives us a way out of our temptation, but we must run to it!
That word run is exactly what I want to focus on today. There is just one command there in verse 14: flee from idolatry. I can't imagine that the Israelites ever verbally said, "well, God should serve us!" No! I'm quite certain, because I know myself, that it was all an attitude of their hearts and in their thoughts. And that's where idols live -- in our hearts.
When people reduce God to something they can use or control, it's an idol, including if their "god" is the control and use of money, power, prestige, beauty, or another human being. It's a sneaky, slippery slope.
It's no secret, if you know me well, that Josh and I have had a series of financial surprises in our first four years of marriage: lost jobs, no housing, major car repairs, debt collectors calling, and the like. I know many people who have had these experiences in recent years. But needless to say, we were not really in control of our finances for a long time, and just when we thought we finally had it all under control, one of us would find that our contract wasn't being renewed, or the car stopped working, etc. We tried so hard to be in control of our money, and it seemed as if it would never happen. We thought, well, once we have money in the bank and two steady jobs, we'll be fine. It became a god to us.
We thought about it all the time. We cried over it when it was taken from us. We were brutal with each other some nights when the pressure to make ends meet literally "got the best of us" all day, and then nothing was left for each other. It didn't help that I teach in the wealthiest elementary school boundaries in the state...I felt like a pauper compared to these people! We were consumed, and because money had most of our attention and thoughts, it had become a god to us. Our individual relationships with God and then with each other began to suffer -- no one can serve two masters.
Then, we finally got some money. Things began to pan out and fall into place, but unlike we thought, everything wasn't automatically better, and the temptation to allow money to control us was still there. It IS still here. Money and I do battle every day...he wants to control me and I want to be controlled only by God. So, many times, I must flee.
Flee means 'to run away from dangers or pursuers, to move swiftly.' There is a danger with our idols. They take us down a steep slope to no where, promising they will fulfill us but never doing it. So we go deeper, thinking the pot of gold is still just around the corner -- but its a mirage. And pursuer? Oh yes, there is a pursuer. His name is satan, and he uses our idols to direct as much of our attention and affection away from Jesus as he can.
We must flee from that! Sometimes we must flee physically, if it's a physical temptation (sex, drugs, stealing), and other times it's fleeing from a thought (that if I could just have ____, it would all be better). Both are equally important, and the only safe place to run during pursuit, is to Jesus and to His Word. If the Israelites had done that, their spiritual lives with God would have been renewed, and perhaps they wouldn't have lost their physical lives, too. Idols will do that to us -- they kill the very parts that God is working to grow in us.
Find some Scripture that applies to your temptations, and place them wherever you are during the day: work, home, in the car. Say these verses to yourself until they sink in, and ask Jesus to give you the Truth you need in that moment, because the temptations are all lies.
Above all, we must flee. We must make the choice in the moment of weakness. But He will ALWAYS provide a way out! God never leaves us alone in our temptations. But we must choose it.
For if we don't, we die.
Monday, April 30, 2012
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (Temptation)
Temptation sounds like such a strong word. Temptation makes me think of really bad things, blatant things. I figure I must only deal with temptation once a week, or something like that. But in reality, temptation comes knocking on me daily -- the temptation to be proud, the temptation to talk about others, the temptation for more stuff, the temptation to lose my patience when I think I have to deal with things myself rather than asking God for help. Temptation is a daily battle for me, as I imagine it is for all of us when we stop and think about it.
For the next few days, we will be studying temptation. Let's start with the introduction:
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Here's where I ask myself, "What happened?!" These people, the Israelites, saw miracles! Incredible miracles! God parted the sea for them to escape their enemies, He provided food that literally fell from the sky so they would not starve, and He provided water for them to drink...from a rock! How could people who got to witness first-hand the obvious miracles of God end up denying Him in the end? One word: temptation. They fell prey to their own desires during the hard times in the desert, and it cost them their lives. Let's not be quick to point fingers (I can say this because I'm always pointing fingers at the Israelites, and forgetting that they are me sometimes because I act like them!). They fell prey to their own desires, it cost them their very lives, and without Christ and my surrendering to Him, there go I!
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did —and were killed by the destroying angel. Notice that this is recorded as an example to us. Isn't that what the Bible is? It's hundreds of powerful examples of what to do and what not to do, among other things, but here is one very powerful example for us! Notice it says that some of them were idolaters, not all, so it is possible to be set apart even when everyone around you is falling. But of the ones who were idolaters, their fate was not idyllic.
Now, let's get one thing straight here before we go on. Idols. No, we do not bow down to golden figures or dance in front of a wooden post when we want something. But, as I've mentioned before, one of my favorite books on idols of today is written by Timothy Keller entitled Counterfeit Gods, and perhaps he can help us with this foreign word. What is an idol? "It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give." It could be a person, a relationship, an activity, a position, our beauty, our brains, our families, a political or social cause, peer approval. An idol has such control in your heart that you can spend most of your passion, energy, emotional and financial resources on it without a second thought! And you know it has become a counterfeit god when is has become "so central and essential to your life that, should you lost it, your life would feel hardly worth living."
Some of the Israelites' idols, according to these verses, were wanting their own way, turning religion into just another party (our relationship with Christ is so much more meaningful than that), sexual promiscuity, and thinking that God should serve us! I'm sure power, greed, and an attitude of self-serving were all in there as well, because that is our human condition.
So, the Israelites had idols. We have idols. Let's not think that we don't. Our idols are constantly vying for our attention, and unless we begin to give them the type of attention and work that they require to put them in their correct place, they will consume us, as they did many of the Israelites. God told us that above all things we should have no other gods before Him, and He takes that command very seriously. There is truly nothing else that will satisfy us the way He does and can. We will just be running the rat race, seeking to find fulfillment until we turn to Him...and He knows that. He created us that way, but He won't force us to turn to Him.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! Wow, Paul said it again. These are examples for us. Another warning that we could become like them. But we do have the choice, do we not? Our positions in God's story are parallel: they were at the beginning of the age, and we are at the end. And we are just as capable of messing up as they were, so we must not be so self-confident to think that we would never behave as they did. I'm sure if you read my daily thoughts on a ticker-tape, it would be quite obvious that I am just like them! Instead of self-confidence, let me rely on my confidence in God -- without Him, I am nothing, and only He will give me the desires that my heart should desire.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Here is one of my favorite verses in all of the Bible. First of all, the temptations we face are not subtle...they overtake us at times. I have been in situations where I really think someone has suddenly taken the wheel of my desires and actions. I have felt completely overtaken before! And none of these feelings and situations are new -- they are common to mankind. Common. They are not some fluke. The temptations you are currently facing have been around for ages. In Ezekiel 14:3 (thousands of years ago, during the time of pagan idol worship, God saw that it was not the statues that were a problem), "These men have set up their idols in their hearts." Idols are a universal, human problem.
But even amidst that, here's the good news... God is faithful. He is faithful even when we are not! And the promise is that He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, because He will always provide a way out! I have found this to be 100% true in my own life. Sometimes I see the way out and I run to it, and sadly, other times, I have seen the way out and chosen to linger for a while in my feelings of the moment and been overtaken. Severe consequences always follow.
But the promise is that He will provide a way out. Every time. Watch for it, and then choose to RUN to it...don't delay, or you will be overtaken.
As we begin to acknowledge the idols of our hearts, I urge you to be mindful of what is taking up most of your thought-life today, your energy, and your time? Ask God if it has become an idol in your life, and if it has, confess it to someone! It takes effort on our part to remove what has been seated on the throne of our lives and put it back in its proper place, but I assure you you will find freedom in doing so. I'm working on this with you, my friend. I want the LORD to be the one and only God in my life! Help us, Lord. We just want You. Help us.
For the next few days, we will be studying temptation. Let's start with the introduction:
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Here's where I ask myself, "What happened?!" These people, the Israelites, saw miracles! Incredible miracles! God parted the sea for them to escape their enemies, He provided food that literally fell from the sky so they would not starve, and He provided water for them to drink...from a rock! How could people who got to witness first-hand the obvious miracles of God end up denying Him in the end? One word: temptation. They fell prey to their own desires during the hard times in the desert, and it cost them their lives. Let's not be quick to point fingers (I can say this because I'm always pointing fingers at the Israelites, and forgetting that they are me sometimes because I act like them!). They fell prey to their own desires, it cost them their very lives, and without Christ and my surrendering to Him, there go I!
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did —and were killed by the destroying angel. Notice that this is recorded as an example to us. Isn't that what the Bible is? It's hundreds of powerful examples of what to do and what not to do, among other things, but here is one very powerful example for us! Notice it says that some of them were idolaters, not all, so it is possible to be set apart even when everyone around you is falling. But of the ones who were idolaters, their fate was not idyllic.
Now, let's get one thing straight here before we go on. Idols. No, we do not bow down to golden figures or dance in front of a wooden post when we want something. But, as I've mentioned before, one of my favorite books on idols of today is written by Timothy Keller entitled Counterfeit Gods, and perhaps he can help us with this foreign word. What is an idol? "It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give." It could be a person, a relationship, an activity, a position, our beauty, our brains, our families, a political or social cause, peer approval. An idol has such control in your heart that you can spend most of your passion, energy, emotional and financial resources on it without a second thought! And you know it has become a counterfeit god when is has become "so central and essential to your life that, should you lost it, your life would feel hardly worth living."
Some of the Israelites' idols, according to these verses, were wanting their own way, turning religion into just another party (our relationship with Christ is so much more meaningful than that), sexual promiscuity, and thinking that God should serve us! I'm sure power, greed, and an attitude of self-serving were all in there as well, because that is our human condition.
So, the Israelites had idols. We have idols. Let's not think that we don't. Our idols are constantly vying for our attention, and unless we begin to give them the type of attention and work that they require to put them in their correct place, they will consume us, as they did many of the Israelites. God told us that above all things we should have no other gods before Him, and He takes that command very seriously. There is truly nothing else that will satisfy us the way He does and can. We will just be running the rat race, seeking to find fulfillment until we turn to Him...and He knows that. He created us that way, but He won't force us to turn to Him.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! Wow, Paul said it again. These are examples for us. Another warning that we could become like them. But we do have the choice, do we not? Our positions in God's story are parallel: they were at the beginning of the age, and we are at the end. And we are just as capable of messing up as they were, so we must not be so self-confident to think that we would never behave as they did. I'm sure if you read my daily thoughts on a ticker-tape, it would be quite obvious that I am just like them! Instead of self-confidence, let me rely on my confidence in God -- without Him, I am nothing, and only He will give me the desires that my heart should desire.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Here is one of my favorite verses in all of the Bible. First of all, the temptations we face are not subtle...they overtake us at times. I have been in situations where I really think someone has suddenly taken the wheel of my desires and actions. I have felt completely overtaken before! And none of these feelings and situations are new -- they are common to mankind. Common. They are not some fluke. The temptations you are currently facing have been around for ages. In Ezekiel 14:3 (thousands of years ago, during the time of pagan idol worship, God saw that it was not the statues that were a problem), "These men have set up their idols in their hearts." Idols are a universal, human problem.
But even amidst that, here's the good news... God is faithful. He is faithful even when we are not! And the promise is that He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, because He will always provide a way out! I have found this to be 100% true in my own life. Sometimes I see the way out and I run to it, and sadly, other times, I have seen the way out and chosen to linger for a while in my feelings of the moment and been overtaken. Severe consequences always follow.
But the promise is that He will provide a way out. Every time. Watch for it, and then choose to RUN to it...don't delay, or you will be overtaken.
As we begin to acknowledge the idols of our hearts, I urge you to be mindful of what is taking up most of your thought-life today, your energy, and your time? Ask God if it has become an idol in your life, and if it has, confess it to someone! It takes effort on our part to remove what has been seated on the throne of our lives and put it back in its proper place, but I assure you you will find freedom in doing so. I'm working on this with you, my friend. I want the LORD to be the one and only God in my life! Help us, Lord. We just want You. Help us.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Isaiah 6:1-3 (Seated)
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy , holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
My world has been turned upside down ever since my mom died. It was three years ago today.
There is something about mothers, the way they hold a family together, the way they listen, the way they bandages scraped knees, the way they give the tightest hugs that seem to sink into your skin all the way to your heart. Moms are the best (as are dads, but we'll get to them another day). Today, moms are the best, and today I really miss mine.
I've missed her all month. People who haven't yet lost someone may think it strange, but as soon as my calendar read April 1, I started thinking about her, this is the month that Mom died. So, it's been a month full of memories, laughter, and tears. It seems like I should be further along by now, but then when I talk to other people who have lost someone, like my 82-year-old step grandma, even she still misses her mama. There is just something about moms.
When my mom died, my world slowly began to "fall apart" and falling apart is not always a bad thing, because if something unhealthy is being held together, it's best that it does fall apart. But being someone who doesn't like change, a little change in my life feels like "falling apart" and a lot of change (like what has happened over the past three years) feels like a death sentence at times. I used to turn to my mom in seasons like this, but she's not here.
That's when the anxiety begins to build. I don't have control, I don't know what's happening next, I don't know if I can take much more right now, and I don't even have Mom here to talk through all of this with me. Do you see what is missing in that list? How about God? How about this God who loves me, who cares for me individually and for the world as a whole, who is in control of all things, and who has all the power and knowledge of everything, everywhere. Why do I not turn to Him faster?
I think the Lord must have known I was forgetting this because three times in the last month, I have heard someone speak about the passage above. This is a very powerful piece of scripture, and I wish I had more time today to study it with you, but here is what I have been reminded this week:
"I saw the Lord, high and exalted,...and the train of his robe filled the temple." These words give us an image of how powerful our God is! God in human form is Jesus, and so here we see Jesus on this throne! He is seated high, above everything. He sees it all. As a king might look down over his kingdom, so our God looks down over the entire world. And He is also exalted -- He's in the place of honor. I forget that sometimes when I remember that Jesus is my friend while I forget that He is the King of Kings. He is above all the kings, leaders, and powerful people who have ever lived. In fact, he is so above them that the train of his robe (a distinguished symbol of honor and nobility) fills the entire temple!
Here He is with all this power. He is in charge of the world; He sees all that is happening. And with all this responsibility, how is he on His throne? He is seated. He's not pacing back and forth, wringing His hands about how to take care of this matter or that one. There are no surprises to Him -- He's not thinking, Well, I didn't see that one coming...what now? No, He is seated. He's not worried, because He is in control even as He sits.
Well, doesn't God see what I'm going through, and does He not care? How can He sit while He sees what is happening all over the world? He is seated, even at this moment, because He knows how it all ends. I cannot possibly claim to know all that Jesus thinks, but I do know from what I've read in Scripture that His heart does break for us and over us. He loves us so much, and sickness, disease, divorce, and death are all an invasion into how God created it to be. But He knows how it all ends...
He is in control of it all, and He is seated. So today, I can trust that God is working His plans through me and in me as well. Let us remain faithful, dear friends. There is pain on this side of Heaven, but it will not last forever. We have a great and glorious hope -- Christ is returning to crush satan and conquer death! And if we know Him, we will reign with Him one day soon!
...And I don't have to worry about my mom, because she is having a GREAT day today!
1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! 2. Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia! 3. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
(Back to 1 Corinthians on Monday...)
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Just Crack It! (Looking Back at Year 1)
Well my friends, we've hit a monumental week. It has been over a
year now since I began writing this blog! Quite frankly, I am as
shocked, if not more shocked, than you are by this...seeing as how I
have never been one to stick with a morning quiet time for more an a
week.
I wanted to share with you, and with myself, how it all began (because, like you, I am just a regular human being who would often rather push snooze), and I'm hoping, more than anything, that you will realize that you can do this, too! So here is what I wrote on Day #1, April 16, 2012:
***
"For a few years now, I have been listening to James MacDonald's sermons on my iPod while I run. Can I just tell you that this has absolutely changed my life?! For a long time, I thought that in order to get the most out of the Bible I always had to read it myself; but let me attest that listening to James has made me a better Bible reader (and doing it while running allows me to work on my physical and spiritual health at the same time). James has taught me how to break verses apart and look at them deeply. He also has been one of a handful influences in my life who has shown me what it is to DELIGHT in the Word.
In a recent podcast, he challenged us to READ the Bible (novel concept, eh?). But I realized that I had grown to the place where I now needed to not just be spoon-fed by James, but jump into the Bible myself and allow God to have an intimate relationship with me. Such was James' challenge..."it's time that you got serious about reading the Bible before you do anything else in your day." I knew this had to be true for me -- the fact is, I had tried to make time with God after work everyday, but how quickly I was distracted. Doing it in the morning would take discipline, he said. Haven't I heard that before? Yes. But for some reason, that day, I was ready to take the jump. Will it be "easy"? Well, I sure wish it was, but I think that is part of the blessing of discipline. It's not easy. It hurts sometimes. But it is ALWAYS worth the sacrifice. So, I decided it was time to try the plan. I was going to set my alarm just 30 minutes earlier, which, let me tell you, is a huge sacrifice for me. This girl loves her sleep!
After 30 days of this, he said I would be DISCIPLINED.
After 30 more days, I would DESIRE to get up and be with God.
After 30 more days, getting up early to read the Word would become my DELIGHT.
Oh, how I want to DELIGHT in reading the word and doing what God wants me to do!
So, I have done it now for two days in a row. The hard part hasn't really come yet; I know this. But the first day (yesterday) was amazing! My entire day was different because I had a different perspective, and I had gotten to drink my coffee with Jesus that morning. How incredibly special and intimate it was! That was the best coffee date I've ever had, and I make sure to have coffee with friends regularly.
So why the title, PSALM 1 WALK? Well, I didn't know where else to start reading but in Psalm 1 (and I decided to read through Philippians, too). And here is what I read first:
"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. They leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper. (And later in verse 6) For the LORD watches over the path of the godly."
This is my desire, Lord. I desire to absolutely delight in doing everything you want because I know that your ways do not lead to destruction. I want to be planted along Your riverbed, drawing up your Truth as I walk through this life and not the lies of the culture and of satan. Help me to find my strength in you, so that I do not wither in this life, Lord. I want to prosper in whatever plans You have for me to do. Thank you for watching over me now and tomorrow. I give You my life."
***
Now back to today. Much of this hasn't changed. I still do desire to delight in His Word and to do what He wants me to do...that is the complete desire of my heart. Also, more than anything, I am always aware that my days that start with Jesus are the better ones. And, some days when the alarm goes off, it is still a little more of a discipline than a delight, at least until I can start reading, and then the delight oozes back into my soul. So, in order to get up at 5:00 every morning, I have had to move my bedtime up a bit, which means I can't stay up as late as I'd like, but it's really been worth it!
There are only a couple things that have changed, one being the length of time I've done it now (more than two days), so I've gotten past the blissful, emotional part of starting something new to where I'm slowly heading down the road to making this a lifestyle. Yes, please! And, the other big thing is that though I try to do this most weekday mornings, I have not done it every weekday morning. Normally, I would immediately feel like a failure for not having the inner drive to get up every single day, but that's part of the beauty in what I'm learning -- God's not keeping score. Realizing this is what has made all the difference this time around. Now, I do always regret when I don't get to spend time in the Word first thing in the morning, but I'm not taking an all-or-nothing approach anymore in this. I really think that is where satan has derailed me in the past, and rather than walking away with my hands in the air when I miss a day, I just plan to give it a try the next morning, and I find that God is always waiting for me in the office, a smile on His face, and He whispers to me I'm glad you're back for more today.
And you can do this, too. It will change your life, I promise. And you absolutely don't have to get up at 5:00 a.m.! Just start with 15 minutes (and maybe a cup of coffee): ask God to open your eyes to His Word, read a few verses, and allow His Spirit to speak into your life. If you're like me, after a while, you just may find that 15 minutes is not enough time anymore.
Yes, there is a sacrifice involved (your sleep) -- it's not a true sacrifice if it doesn't cost you something. But I know that God will bless our time and our sacrifices when we are seeking to know Him more! Satan, meanwhile, will do whatever he can to prevent you from knowing God more, so ignore your e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and the News for second. Grab your Bible, and just crack it open, and let the learning and wisdom flow! You NEED this!
It has been a joy to journey through The Word with you this past year! I love to know what God is doing in your life as we study together. I look forward to what the next year will bring us as we continue to "thrill in Scripture, to chew on it day and night" (The Message).
I wanted to share with you, and with myself, how it all began (because, like you, I am just a regular human being who would often rather push snooze), and I'm hoping, more than anything, that you will realize that you can do this, too! So here is what I wrote on Day #1, April 16, 2012:
***
"For a few years now, I have been listening to James MacDonald's sermons on my iPod while I run. Can I just tell you that this has absolutely changed my life?! For a long time, I thought that in order to get the most out of the Bible I always had to read it myself; but let me attest that listening to James has made me a better Bible reader (and doing it while running allows me to work on my physical and spiritual health at the same time). James has taught me how to break verses apart and look at them deeply. He also has been one of a handful influences in my life who has shown me what it is to DELIGHT in the Word.
In a recent podcast, he challenged us to READ the Bible (novel concept, eh?). But I realized that I had grown to the place where I now needed to not just be spoon-fed by James, but jump into the Bible myself and allow God to have an intimate relationship with me. Such was James' challenge..."it's time that you got serious about reading the Bible before you do anything else in your day." I knew this had to be true for me -- the fact is, I had tried to make time with God after work everyday, but how quickly I was distracted. Doing it in the morning would take discipline, he said. Haven't I heard that before? Yes. But for some reason, that day, I was ready to take the jump. Will it be "easy"? Well, I sure wish it was, but I think that is part of the blessing of discipline. It's not easy. It hurts sometimes. But it is ALWAYS worth the sacrifice. So, I decided it was time to try the plan. I was going to set my alarm just 30 minutes earlier, which, let me tell you, is a huge sacrifice for me. This girl loves her sleep!
After 30 days of this, he said I would be DISCIPLINED.
After 30 more days, I would DESIRE to get up and be with God.
After 30 more days, getting up early to read the Word would become my DELIGHT.
Oh, how I want to DELIGHT in reading the word and doing what God wants me to do!
So, I have done it now for two days in a row. The hard part hasn't really come yet; I know this. But the first day (yesterday) was amazing! My entire day was different because I had a different perspective, and I had gotten to drink my coffee with Jesus that morning. How incredibly special and intimate it was! That was the best coffee date I've ever had, and I make sure to have coffee with friends regularly.
So why the title, PSALM 1 WALK? Well, I didn't know where else to start reading but in Psalm 1 (and I decided to read through Philippians, too). And here is what I read first:
"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. They leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper. (And later in verse 6) For the LORD watches over the path of the godly."
This is my desire, Lord. I desire to absolutely delight in doing everything you want because I know that your ways do not lead to destruction. I want to be planted along Your riverbed, drawing up your Truth as I walk through this life and not the lies of the culture and of satan. Help me to find my strength in you, so that I do not wither in this life, Lord. I want to prosper in whatever plans You have for me to do. Thank you for watching over me now and tomorrow. I give You my life."
***
Now back to today. Much of this hasn't changed. I still do desire to delight in His Word and to do what He wants me to do...that is the complete desire of my heart. Also, more than anything, I am always aware that my days that start with Jesus are the better ones. And, some days when the alarm goes off, it is still a little more of a discipline than a delight, at least until I can start reading, and then the delight oozes back into my soul. So, in order to get up at 5:00 every morning, I have had to move my bedtime up a bit, which means I can't stay up as late as I'd like, but it's really been worth it!
There are only a couple things that have changed, one being the length of time I've done it now (more than two days), so I've gotten past the blissful, emotional part of starting something new to where I'm slowly heading down the road to making this a lifestyle. Yes, please! And, the other big thing is that though I try to do this most weekday mornings, I have not done it every weekday morning. Normally, I would immediately feel like a failure for not having the inner drive to get up every single day, but that's part of the beauty in what I'm learning -- God's not keeping score. Realizing this is what has made all the difference this time around. Now, I do always regret when I don't get to spend time in the Word first thing in the morning, but I'm not taking an all-or-nothing approach anymore in this. I really think that is where satan has derailed me in the past, and rather than walking away with my hands in the air when I miss a day, I just plan to give it a try the next morning, and I find that God is always waiting for me in the office, a smile on His face, and He whispers to me I'm glad you're back for more today.
And you can do this, too. It will change your life, I promise. And you absolutely don't have to get up at 5:00 a.m.! Just start with 15 minutes (and maybe a cup of coffee): ask God to open your eyes to His Word, read a few verses, and allow His Spirit to speak into your life. If you're like me, after a while, you just may find that 15 minutes is not enough time anymore.
Yes, there is a sacrifice involved (your sleep) -- it's not a true sacrifice if it doesn't cost you something. But I know that God will bless our time and our sacrifices when we are seeking to know Him more! Satan, meanwhile, will do whatever he can to prevent you from knowing God more, so ignore your e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and the News for second. Grab your Bible, and just crack it open, and let the learning and wisdom flow! You NEED this!
It has been a joy to journey through The Word with you this past year! I love to know what God is doing in your life as we study together. I look forward to what the next year will bring us as we continue to "thrill in Scripture, to chew on it day and night" (The Message).
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (The Athlete)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do
it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that
will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27
No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I
have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the
prize.
These past two chapters we've been talking about the freedom that comes in knowing Christ, as well as the rights and desires we must willingly give up. Paul knows that these proclamations are difficult -- they are not what the rest of the world might tell us to do -- so right here, in the middle of this letter to the Corinthians, Paul adds some encouragement and exhortation to help us keep the fire going! After all the commands of what rights we are to give up, I could use a little encouragement. Good thinking, Paul!
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Perhaps you just ran in the Race of the Cure this weekend, or you might be training for the mini-marathon as I am. We all are out there running, but only one person can win. We know what that looks like don't we? Everyone runs; one wins. The prize is worth your strongest effort, so we can't be running this race of the Christian life halfheartedly. Run to win. Here's how...
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Strict training. Strict training (as I'm discovering myself) requires very strict self-control. I must control myself to get up early, dress for running, and then go do it. I must control what I put into my body so that I can perform well. All of these running metaphors have a parallel.
In my Christian life I must get up. Just say yes! I have to choose to ignore all the other things I could do, and say yes to spending time with the Lord.
Not only must I get up, but I must get up early. There is a severe sacrifice involved here, because anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE sleeping. As much as you really love to sleep, that's me. I hear ya. I tried the afternoon quiet times for years, and they would always get pushed aside by other things that "must get done." But strict self-control is required of us, and I've found that when I start my day in the Word, my whole day, my whole week, my whole life is better for it. Trust me, it's worth it.
I dress for running a race. In my Christian life, that means I put on the full armor of God so that I am prepared to run this race and fight the devil's schemes against me. I would love to study this together some day! But for now, here is the armor: (Ephesians 6)
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Then, I must go do it. Sometimes, it's not a matter of self-control to NOT do something, but controlling myself TO do it. To go to church when I would rather sleep in. To go help my neighbor when I would rather relax. To listen to a co-worker when there are so many papers to grade. To speak about what Christ has done in my life when I would rather be silent. The Holy Spirit will help you in all of this. We are not alone in this race! But I assure you that nothing will be done for the kingdom if we are constantly on the couch, or...Facebook. Ouch, that's hard for me to say.
Also, I must control what I put into my body. The food I eat greatly affects my runs. Likewise, the music, images, books, conversations, movies and TV shows that fill my brain will eventually fill my heart. It is vitally important what I am putting in. I can pick media outlets that will fill my heart and soul or I can pick those that destroy what God desires to create in me. Media fasts are a great thing. This Lenten season, I was reminded as I fasted from Facebook, just how much comparisons happens in my mind as I peruse the pages of the media. But God desires that I get my value from what He says about me, not how I compare to people I rarely or never see in real life. That is not life-giving for me.
And remind my WHY I'm doing this??...They (athletes) do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Oh, yes. What we do on this side of Heaven WILL go with us into eternity. It matters. I don't understand how that works completely, but I trust it. There are rewards on the other side according to what we have done here. Our works do not "buy" us salvation, but they are rewarded! God sees what we do, and of my life, I desire that He might say, "I saw you, Molly. Well done, good and faithful servant."
26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave... And that is why we don't just jog a couple laps here and there. We do not just give this a lazy effort. We must do the hard work, the grueling preparation, the painful self-denial. We train diligently, because our spiritual progress, growth, and success depends on it! We make our bodies our slave rather than being a slave to our bodies. We do not make decisions based on mere feelings, but instead, we base our decisions on Christ. Our bodies will tell us how we feel about many things, but do not trust your feelings! They don't tell you the Truth. Instead, we must make our bodies our slave, Christ's slave.
And why is that again?..."...so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." We do not want to miss out on this! It's gonna be too good! Yes, I know it seems like Heaven is so far away, but it will be here before you know it, just ask my grandma and my mom who are there now. They are having a great day today! They are in the presence of Jesus Christ, and they no longer are looking through a fogged glass -- they see the whole picture!
It is a long road, my friend. I wish so often that I could just be there now with them. But our race is not done yet. Train hard for the long haul. Keep fighting the good fight, finish the race, and keep your faith. You are not alone, and it is gonna be so good once you reach that finish line...
These past two chapters we've been talking about the freedom that comes in knowing Christ, as well as the rights and desires we must willingly give up. Paul knows that these proclamations are difficult -- they are not what the rest of the world might tell us to do -- so right here, in the middle of this letter to the Corinthians, Paul adds some encouragement and exhortation to help us keep the fire going! After all the commands of what rights we are to give up, I could use a little encouragement. Good thinking, Paul!
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Perhaps you just ran in the Race of the Cure this weekend, or you might be training for the mini-marathon as I am. We all are out there running, but only one person can win. We know what that looks like don't we? Everyone runs; one wins. The prize is worth your strongest effort, so we can't be running this race of the Christian life halfheartedly. Run to win. Here's how...
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Strict training. Strict training (as I'm discovering myself) requires very strict self-control. I must control myself to get up early, dress for running, and then go do it. I must control what I put into my body so that I can perform well. All of these running metaphors have a parallel.
In my Christian life I must get up. Just say yes! I have to choose to ignore all the other things I could do, and say yes to spending time with the Lord.
Not only must I get up, but I must get up early. There is a severe sacrifice involved here, because anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE sleeping. As much as you really love to sleep, that's me. I hear ya. I tried the afternoon quiet times for years, and they would always get pushed aside by other things that "must get done." But strict self-control is required of us, and I've found that when I start my day in the Word, my whole day, my whole week, my whole life is better for it. Trust me, it's worth it.
I dress for running a race. In my Christian life, that means I put on the full armor of God so that I am prepared to run this race and fight the devil's schemes against me. I would love to study this together some day! But for now, here is the armor: (Ephesians 6)
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Then, I must go do it. Sometimes, it's not a matter of self-control to NOT do something, but controlling myself TO do it. To go to church when I would rather sleep in. To go help my neighbor when I would rather relax. To listen to a co-worker when there are so many papers to grade. To speak about what Christ has done in my life when I would rather be silent. The Holy Spirit will help you in all of this. We are not alone in this race! But I assure you that nothing will be done for the kingdom if we are constantly on the couch, or...Facebook. Ouch, that's hard for me to say.
Also, I must control what I put into my body. The food I eat greatly affects my runs. Likewise, the music, images, books, conversations, movies and TV shows that fill my brain will eventually fill my heart. It is vitally important what I am putting in. I can pick media outlets that will fill my heart and soul or I can pick those that destroy what God desires to create in me. Media fasts are a great thing. This Lenten season, I was reminded as I fasted from Facebook, just how much comparisons happens in my mind as I peruse the pages of the media. But God desires that I get my value from what He says about me, not how I compare to people I rarely or never see in real life. That is not life-giving for me.
And remind my WHY I'm doing this??...They (athletes) do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Oh, yes. What we do on this side of Heaven WILL go with us into eternity. It matters. I don't understand how that works completely, but I trust it. There are rewards on the other side according to what we have done here. Our works do not "buy" us salvation, but they are rewarded! God sees what we do, and of my life, I desire that He might say, "I saw you, Molly. Well done, good and faithful servant."
26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave... And that is why we don't just jog a couple laps here and there. We do not just give this a lazy effort. We must do the hard work, the grueling preparation, the painful self-denial. We train diligently, because our spiritual progress, growth, and success depends on it! We make our bodies our slave rather than being a slave to our bodies. We do not make decisions based on mere feelings, but instead, we base our decisions on Christ. Our bodies will tell us how we feel about many things, but do not trust your feelings! They don't tell you the Truth. Instead, we must make our bodies our slave, Christ's slave.
And why is that again?..."...so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." We do not want to miss out on this! It's gonna be too good! Yes, I know it seems like Heaven is so far away, but it will be here before you know it, just ask my grandma and my mom who are there now. They are having a great day today! They are in the presence of Jesus Christ, and they no longer are looking through a fogged glass -- they see the whole picture!
It is a long road, my friend. I wish so often that I could just be there now with them. But our race is not done yet. Train hard for the long haul. Keep fighting the good fight, finish the race, and keep your faith. You are not alone, and it is gonna be so good once you reach that finish line...
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