Suffering

Ps. 119: 71-72

It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Affliction and suffering are such hard issues, issues that most Christians don't want to embrace. Yet the Bible is clear. David said that affliction was good. It brought him to a place where he could learn the words of God.Why? Perhaps because suffering makes you vulnerable and dependent. Perhaps it tunes the ear to listen and seek comfort in the words that bring the greatest comfort. 

In verse75 it says, I know, O Lord, that Your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. It is His faithfulness that brings affliction. Since His faithfulness is part of His character, one of His attributes, it means that His very essence and nature brings affliction. It is not an after thought or whim. It is something that the essence of God dictates. 

Then I think of Rom. 8:16-17. The Spirit Himself bears witness with out spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided that we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Suffering is crucial to our future. It clears the way for our glorification in heaven. Peter says in 2:21, For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. It is our calling. How can we be less than Christ? We must follow Him if we claim to take His name. In 4:13, Peter says, But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. There it is again. Suffering leads the way to rejoicing at the revealing of His glory. The Christian must suffer. Without it, are we identifying with Christ?

Father,

These are hard verses. I do say my affliction is good. It has drawn me so much closer to You. Keep pulling me into Your arms.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Renewed in the Spirit of Your Minds

Eph. 4:22-24

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 

Paul admonished the Ephesians not to walk in the way of the Gentiles because the mind of an Gentile is consumed with futile thinking while the mind of a believer is renewed in spirit. Why would a believer want to hang on to the old way of thinking and behaving? No rational reason, but the flesh doesn't demand rationality. The flesh is foolishly persuaded that a hard heart and ignorance of God is the way to go, and its greediness for all things impure and sensual will eventually fulfill. So deceived! Instead the believer needs to put all this off like the filth that it is. Get rid of it!

Once put off, then the putting on begins. Truth in place of lies! Love instead of anger! Hard work instead of stealing! Good, edifying speech instead of corrupting talk! In place of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice is kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness! This is really an entirely new and revolutionary way to live. These are the evidences of a renewed mind and a life that has put on true righteousness and holiness. When we are willy-nilly in our resolve, we give room for the devil to re-energize our flesh and slog our minds through the mire. We need to live the way that we have learned Christ!

Father, 

Thank you for renewing my mind and my heart. I so want to cast off my old flesh and walk in my new life. Give me Your grace and strength. In myself I can't do it.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Speaking the Truth in Love

Eph. 4:15-16

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 

In the past and not recently, I have had several people use the beginning of verse 15 as a hatchet to come and point out something [rather unkindly] that they felt was unacceptable in my life. That is such a poor use of these wonderful verses and actually the first 16 verses of this chapter. But before the positive, I want to express the negative. I don't think Scripture should ever be used as a personal instrument of judgment. God has told us clearly not to judge unless the 'judger' would be judged himself. Beyond that, should a believer take a verse or even a part of a verse out of context and then use it for his or her own purposes. Often [not always] this person is usurping the ministry of the Holy Spirit. [always dangerous to do!] And incidentally, where is the love in this 'speaking the truth'? 

The 'rather' refers back to the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. [vs. 12-13] God has gifted his children with what they need so that the body of Christ flourishes. The saints are this body! His equipping produces unity among the members of the body. No divisions! The final outcome is mature manhood, to be fully grown in Christ so that we experience and know the fullness of Christ. Such maturity as this rises above the common pettiness of the world and the normal day-to-day striving for dominance over each other. Such maturity as this seeks the good of others over their own desires. In humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. 

By contrast Paul mentions the world's modus operandi. They are like children tossed about by each new wave of thought and each new fad. The world's children [in contrast to God's children] are carried about [as if they have no will of their own] by human cunning which they work on each other and by craftiness in deceitful schemes which they use to get their own way and to further their own agenda. Such children as these are not to be trusted, but if you are a child of the world, this is your life. This is as good as it gets! 

Now with this in mind, we have Rather, speaking the truth in love,. Paul is saying this 'rather' in contrast to the world who uses deceit and craftiness in their dealings with each other. Believers should speak the truth in love. What else can we speak it in since the love of Christ fills us through and through. And why? So we may grow up into Him in every way. This is the body of Christ. This growth into Him is where we get the final maturity, the fullness of Christ. When the body is growing itself, then love is controlling all. What a beautiful life God has given us and has equipped us to live. It is all of Him and His grace within us, yet, like Paul said, I work as hard as I can. 

Father,

Help me always to speak Your truth in love and not have my own agenda. Thank You for making me a part of the body of Christ and equipping me to grow into Christ, to maturity and the fullness of Him. Through Your grace, give me the strength I need and the presence of mind to make right decisions so that I might grow.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Past and the Present

Eph. 2:11-22

At one time you were:

• circumcision
• separated from Christ
• alienated from the commonwealth of Israel
• strangers to the covenants of promise
• Having no hope and without God in the world
• once far off
• dividing wall of hostility

But now, you are:

• uncircumsion
• in Christ Jesus
• no longer strangers and aliens
• now brought near
• He is our peace
• broke our wall of hostility
• made us one
• reconciled us to God in one body through the cross
• access in one Spirit to the Father
• fellow citizens with the saints and the members of the household of God
• In Him we are built into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit

What a change Christ makes! It is truly a new nature, a transformation, a new creation. I am eternally thankful for God's action on my behalf, for making me His child, and allowing me to be part of His family.

Father,

Thank You so much! Strengthen and help me to live like I am a member of Your household.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Gifts of Grace

Eph. 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship. created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

Because of grace, we are...

• made alive in Christ
• saved
• raised up with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus to see the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus
• His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works

We have a starting point [made alive], a new nature [saved], a future [heavenly places], and a mission [created for good works]. What more could I want? When God chooses a person, He has their entire being in mind. What glorious gifts of His grace!

Father,

My heart is full of thanks this morning. You have given me so much, and I fall so short on just obeying. Give me Your grace and strength to obey.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Every Spiritual Blessing

Eph. 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. 

In the first three sentences alone are so many spiritual blessings:

• He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
• that we should be holy and blameless before Him. 
• In love, He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ
• to the praise of His glorious grace with which He has blessed us in the beloved 
• In Him we have redemption through His blood
• the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace
• making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ. 
• to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth
• In Him we have obtained in inheritance
• we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory
• In Him you heard the word of truth and believed in Him
• were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of His glory. 

What a blessing it is to experience all of these blessing and so many more! How many more sentences are there in Ephesians? I am sure that by the time I have finished reading the book, I will have found many more blessings. Such richness is found in Christ and through Christ and because of Christ. He has made it all possible so that I, a sinful flawed human, can be to the praise of His glory. 

Father,

I can only say thank you. I know it is by far vastly insufficient. But thank you over and over. I am truly blessed.

In Him,

Amen

Boast only in the Cross

Gal. 6:14

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

Paul's exemplifies the life that all Christians should lead. He could say he truly only boasted in the cross because it had transformed and revolutionized his life. From salvation on, he lived only for one person and one purpose, Jesus Christ and the claims that He had placed on Paul's life. Paul understood the true significance of the cross and its life-changing claims. He wanted to be all in, and he was all in. I wonder how many Christians could say truthfully that this was their lifestyle and their priorities. How would this even look in our culture? I am pretty sure not how most of us are living it. This life is not one where we have little time with God each day and less time to pray. It is not when going to church is optional or fellowship with the saints is not longed for or looked forward to. It is where Jesus is all in concerning friends, focus, work, possessions, and fellowship. It is not seen in how loosely we grasp the world and its possessions but do we grasp the world at all?

He knew that one of the effects of buying into the cross was having the world crucified to himself. He no longer longed for, cared for, or sought after the world. It was dead to him, and he to it! He had understood completely that circumcision or circumcision meant nothing: law or freedom. Paul was all about grace, a new creation. He urged the Galatians to drop off these faulty thinking patterns and boast only in the cross, not in religious forms or worldly recognition, wealth, or possessions, but only in Christ. 

Father,

I love Jesus who died on the cross and brought me new life, made me a new creation. What a gift You have given me. Teach me how to live like Paul did with You as my focus and with the world unimportant. 

In Jesus name,

Amen

Walk by the Spirit

Gal. 5:16

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

Paul warned the Galatians about the abuse of their freedom. It seems ironic that a group of people so concerned with the law would at the same time be taken over by the abuses of their freedom. Regardless, they were attacking one another and neglecting to use their freedom as a means to serve one another through love. He reminded them that the entire law was summed up in one word: love your neighbor as yourself. Preoccupation with rules [law] breeds constant comparison in order for self-validation. The only way to be better than others is to tear others down. Sadly, this is a common phenomenon among Christians still today. 

To combat this behavior, Paul urged them [and us] to walk by the Spirit, and in walking this way, the believer will not gratify the flesh. The Spirit and the flesh are always in opposition. The flesh breeds such horrible behaviors as anger, rivalry, division, envy, drunkenness, orgies, impurity, idolatry, enmity, strife, jealousy, sexual immorality. Yuck! Even someone focused on the law would say these actions are despicable and should be avoided at all costs. Yet, allowing the flesh an open door even in keeping good rules, is an invitation for worse things to follow. But walking by the Spirit means that the fruit of the Spirit will grow in the believer's life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, None of these qualities break any laws! And all of these qualities should be growing in the life of the one who belongs to Jesus Christ and has crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Living by the Spirit means walking by the Spirit. What a contrast! 

Father,

Thank You for the gift of the Spirit. Without Him in the life there would be no hope of pleasing you. Help me to listen carefully to His leading and to follow completely.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Praises

Ps. 113:1-3

Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Who is like our God? The psalmist asked. No one. No other god. All pale in His presence. He is high above all the nations, all the rulers of nations, kings and presidents, dictators and tyrants. His glory is above the heavens. All nature is at His bidding. His voice triggers the lightning and the thunder, the earthquake and the tsunami. Such unbelievable power! He, in His sovereign plan and purpose, raises the poor and demotes the rich. He lifts the needy and the homeless and reverses the great financiers of the world. He can cause those of low estate to sit with royalty. He gives the barren woman a home and a purpose. He even makes her the joyous mother of children. He fills the heart with joy and purpose, saving the soul, redeeming, justifying, and glorifying. For all this and so much more. He is to be praised continually. Praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord!

Father,

I praise Your name this morning. I know you are worthy of all praise. Help me never to forget to praise constantly.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen

Christ in Me

Gal 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

Paul was defending his position on grace by establishing once again that dying with Christ brings new life in Christ not following the works of the law. Grace must not be nullified because of the law. It is Christ who saves by His death and resurrection. It is only and always through the pure grace of God that life in Christ is found. Nothing must ever change that! No amount of good works can ever make a person good enough in God's eyes.Thank God for His grace or else there would be no hope for me.

Father,

Thank You for this great and amazing grace. Grow me in living through Christ the One who lives in me.

In His name,

Amen 

Sovereign Plan

Gal. 1:15

But He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach to the Gentiles. 

What a wonderful declaration! We could all say something similar about our lives. God has set apart for Himself each one of us down through the ages of time, a process that happened before the world began. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Secondly we are called by His grace. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. And what a mighty grace it is. It makes it possible for us to come into the presence of God Himself. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Amazing grace has enthralled the minds and hearts of believers for centuries. Each one of us has had Jesus revealed to us. Certainly not in the same way as Paul nor was our calling the same as Paul's. But certainly the Spirit opened our eyes to see Jesus, to see Him as our Savior and Lord. We may not be preachers, but we certainly must share Jesus with those God has put in our lives. Yes, I praise God for His sovereign plan for my life, for setting me apart before I was born, for calling me by His grace, and for revealing His Son to me so that I might be saved eternally and be in His presence for the endless ages.

Father,

Thank You. I praise You for who you are!

In the name of the Son,

Amen

Examination and Effort

2 Cor. 13:5

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--Unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Examine yourselves, Test yourselves. This message seems to be a valid one. If Christ is in the life, then the life should reflect Jesus Christ. Peter says something similar in 1 Pet. 4:17, For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Living the Christian life is one that requires examination, a careful looking over what personal values and actions reveal. Then again in 2 Pet.1:5, Peter says, For this reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. These qualities should be evident in the life when Jesus Christ resides in the heart. They keep a person from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then Peter gives an even sterner warning in v. 9, for whoever lacks these qualities is so near-sighted that he is blind having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Yikes! How horrible it would be to deceive yourself to the degree that you were blind to the truth of the state of your own soul! Then in v. 10, Peter says, Therefore brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. The Christian life takes diligence, careful examination, and effort. Growth must be an integral part of the believer's life. 

Father,

Open my eyes to the truth of my own soul. Help me not to deceive myself. Lord, I so want to grow in You. Give me more grace to grow in these qualities so that I can be effective in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In His name,

Amen

For the Sake of Christ

2 Cor. 12:9-10

And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is make perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  

Paul had apprised the Corinthians of his pedigree and human achievements. On top of that he mentioned his journey with the Lord where he was caught up into Paradise to spend time with the Lord personally. Yet Paul could say with complete understanding that there was nothing to be gained by boasting, except for boasting in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. But on the off chance that he would wish to boast, he was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. It was a messenger of Satan to harass him much like Peter when he was sifted like wheat or Job when he ended up in the dump scraping his wounds with a piece of broken pottery. Paul asked for the thorn to be removed three times, but Jesus said no. His grace would and should be Paul's strength. For only in weakness is His power perfected. In reality Jesus was ensuring that Paul would not go forward relying on his own strength. 

The wonderful thing is that Christ's strength is there for all of us. Even if we have nothing really boast-worthy, but have only a mountain of weaknesses, His grace is there for us. His grace is my sufficiency. It is the power for my weakness. But still many times, I try and handle life on my own even when I know I have all His power at my disposal. It seems like I have an underlying failure-wish. But no, it really is me caving to my flesh and being deceived by Satan once again. He is the great deceiver who loves to harass all believers, to keep them from enjoying all that God has for them. I want to be able to say like Paul, For the sake of Christ then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  'For the sake of Christ' should be my motivation for all my thoughts, actions, and attitudes. 

Father,

I love these verses. Thank You for this great grace, for meeting my needs, and for giving me Jesus. You have blessed my life in so many ways.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

Our Warfare

2 Cor. 10:4-6

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy stronghold. We destroy arguments and ever lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. 

We are of the Spirit, and walk by the Spirit, so for that very reason, our weapons of warfare are not fleshly. Our weapons wage war in a different world, the world that really matters. We have divine power to destroy evil strongholds. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness...and we need to be able to fight evil to have a life that is godly. He has granted to us His precious and very great promises so that we may become partakers of the divine nature....This divine nature in us allows us to have the divine power to destroy strongholds. Evil is constantly warring against us. We must be on guard and ever vigilant, but fighting only in His strength and His divine power. 

We, through this same power, can destroy arguments and lofty opinions that seek to destroy the knowledge of God. Our culture is replete with so many of these arguments and opinions. But truly God is greater and stronger. Just because they say that God is dead doesn't mean He is. Their opinion is based on the flesh and on their faulty and flawed understanding of the world. Their theories which they tout as truth are so far removed from the truth. But we have the indwelling Spirit who leads us into the truth because He only speaks the truth.

We can and we must take every thought captive to obey Christ being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Sadly, we still live in this body of flesh, and for that reason we are bombarded with fleshly thoughts, emotions, and attitudes. All of these must not be allowed to flourish, but must be taken prisoners with a life-sentence, or better yet, placed on the short track to death row. All this takes self-control and resolve. When our obedience is complete, then all are thoughts will be what they should be. I am pretty sure that won't be until Christ calls me home and I meet Him in the air. Then I shall see Him as He is and be like Him!

Father,

Open my eyes to the inroads that worldly thoughts and philosophies have in my life. Help me defeat them with only Your power and strength. Give me the grace to take every thought captive so that my obedience is what it should be.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Giving

2 Cor. 9:6-8

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsoin, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 

Paul has continued his teaching on giving. He is confident that the Corinthians will respond as they should and help meet the need of the Christians in Jerusalem. He believed this so much that he has sent the brothers on ahead to collect their gift. Then he reiterated the point again. How you give is directly related to what you receive. Paul proceeded to give reasons why believers should give.

• God loves a cheerful giver.
• God is able to give them [and any believer] grace enough so that they would experience all sufficiency in all things
• He who supplies the seed for the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness. 
• They [and all believers] will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way
• This will produce thanksgivings to God
• When the receiver receives, they will glorify God because of your submission to God, your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution. 
• They will long for you and will pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you

For these reasons and for so many others, Paul concluded with, Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!  I think the spirit of generosity is so difficult for believers because it cuts across our basic selfishness and our instinct to survive. Both of these areas are not godly and actually run counter to the grace of God that abounds toward us. God wants to give us all that we need. He wants to be the supplier so that we don't have to be the hoarder. We can give freely and uninhibited!

Father,

The next time a wave of selfishness floods my inner spirit, give me Your strength to crush it. Help me to give as you would have me give, cheerfully and only to glorify You.

In Jesus name,

Amen