THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: PEACE!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: PEACE!

Gal 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 2:12-15

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

          We must remember that the context of Galatians chapter 5 is a contrast between the counterfeit qualities produced by human effort and the natural fruit that is born by the indwelling Holy Spirit. You can no more stifle spiritual fruit than you can prevent weeds from growing in the cracks of concrete. From deep inside these godly qualities push themselves to the top effortlessly.

          Peace is derived from the Greek word eireenee. Adam Clarke, in his commentary, says: “ ‎Peace is the calm, quiet, and order, which take place in the justified soul, instead of the doubts fears, alarms, and dreadful forebodings that reside in the unbeliever.” Ladies, if your name is Irene, then your name means peace.

          Peace is the first thing that the newly converted heart experiences. Paul said: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1) I have heard many say as they rise from the altar that they felt a huge load had been lifted from them. That is the feeling of peace. In fact it was not until Pilgrim came to the foot of the cross that his great burden fell from his back. Listen to the quote from John Bunyan’s classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.”

Thus far did I come laden with my sin;

Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in,

Till I came hither; what a place is this!

Must here be the beginning of my bliss?

Must here the burden fall from off my back?

Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?

Blest cross! Blest sepulcher! Blest rather be

The man that was there put to shame for me!

          If you are thinking that this peace is hard to come by then you are right. If you are having a hard time understanding it then you are not alone. But if you think that you could never attain it then you are wrong!

Phil 4:6-7

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Heb 13:20-21

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Dear Lord, let me be a peacemaker today and, in doing so, let me experience your peace which passes understanding. AMEN

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: JOY!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: JOY!

Gal 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

          The Greek word for “joy” is chara and means: “gladness, cheerfulness and calm delight.” It is the calm delight that seems to be missing from our hearts these days. Most of us are happy with happiness which is the result of happenings or circumstances of life. Joy transcends happiness and exists often without the support of favorable circumstances.

          As with the other individual fruit human effort tries to duplicate or counterfeit joy. We said that a machine in a factory works, and builds a product, but it can never manufacture fruit! Fruit is born of life. A tin or plastic form of joy might be produced by the machinery of human effort but joy rises from deep within. The difference is like the water from the well at Samaria.

John 4:13-15

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

          The joy that this world offers must be always refreshed and it evaporates in the heat of adversity. The joy of the spirit bubbles up from a heart that has been reconciled to God. I can think of nothing better than to know that my sins are forgiven and that, whether my life is full of pleasure or pain, the end of it all is heaven.

Dear Lord, deep down in a brightly lit secret place I have overflowing joy. Thank you for this sweet fruit of your spirit. AMEN

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: LOVE!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: LOVE!

Gal 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

1 Cor 13:4-8

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth:

1 Cor 13:8

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

          Yesterday we considered the fruit of the Spirit as a cluster. Today we will begin to examine the various “grapes” individually. We begin where Paul begins in Galatians with love. Every time I think of the topic of “love” as it is generally presented in church, I imagine ladies in Victorian dresses seated beside bored and burly husbands in camouflage. However, all we have to do is catch a glimpse of Jesus hanging on the cross to understand that love is not for the faint of heart. Real men love Jesus!

          Paul begins with love because the other eight are really an extension of love. The Greeks had no less than five words to define our English word love. The love referred to here is agape  and Adam Clarke says that it is “an intense desire to please God and do good to others.”  But divine love defies a crisp definition because God’s love is alive. It is dynamic and not static. God’s love is what it needs to be at the moment of need.

          We go astray when we forget that the context of Galatians 5 is a comparison between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit. Yesterday we said that a machine in a factory works, and builds a product, but it can never manufacture fruit! Fruit is born of life and fruit always presents itself after its kind. I see many who are trying to please God by a meticulous, even obsessive, adherence to a list of rules. We must resist the urge to mimic the qualities of spiritual fruit by human labor.

          The goal of the Holy Spirit is to reproduce Jesus in the life of the believer. We are to be like him in the way that we love. This love is self-sacrificing. It considers the comfort and condition of others instead of ourselves. Divine love is personally engaged! The word in the King James Version is “charity” and we know that charitable contributions can be as impersonal as a payroll deduction benefiting the United Way. In that kind of charity we simply throw money at human suffering without getting our hands dirty. Jesus illustrates true charity with the story of the good Samaritan who saw a need and interrupted his life in order to make a difference.

          The love that Christ commands is not easy, even for people who are blessed with great natural warmth of heart. And it is not impossible, even for those of us who tend to be crabby and short-tempered. For Christian love is not a vague feeling of affection for someone. It is rather a condition of the heart and will that causes us to seek the welfare of others-including people we don't particularly like, and even people who have done us wrong.

   Louis Cassels (1922-1974)

Dear Lord, let me love today in the same ways that you have loved me. AMEN

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

Gal 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:8-10

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Luke 6:43-44

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

          A machine in a factory works, and builds a product, but it can never manufacture fruit! Fruit is born of life and fruit always presents itself after its kind. I see many who are trying to please God by a meticulous, even obsessive, adherence to a list of rules. They watch the lives of other Christians and observe that there are certain things that most Christians do and so they carefully add those practices to their lives. They also observe that there are certain things that Christians do not do and so they carefully begin to remove certain practices and habits from their lives. The result is a manufactured product that closely resembles fruit. The Bible calls this product “dead works” (Hebrews 9:14).

          The Holy Spirit living inside every believer exerts life energy which results in fruit. Fruit always pleases God because God is the life cause! Instead of maintaining a well oiled machine which cranks out a product through effort, strain, toil and sweat, fruit is produced in quietness as a natural process of indwelling life. Jesus, in Luke 6, explains that fruit identifies the tree as to its kind. Without the presentation of fruit an apple tree may look very similar to a peach tree or a plum. That’s why Jesus said that every tree is known by his fruit.

          Those who produce a product through religious machinery know deep inside that there is no life in their dead works. Latching onto Jesus’ words, they have learned how to deflect their own guilt and emptiness by becoming judges of others. They have their demanding lists and they are quick to point out the failures of others. They are constantly spotlighting the failures of others so that they are not reminded of their own. When they feel themselves to be fruitless, their response is not to bend their knees in prayer but they simply oil their machinery. They return to and review their demanding lists of do’s and don’ts to be certain of their compliance.

          Are you desiring a life full of godly fruit? Don’t oil the machinery of self effort. Instead, become so intimately associated with Jesus that His life flows through you!

John 15:4-5

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Dear Lord, work quietly within me today so that I may bear your fruit and not to manufacture a cheap counterfeit by my own human efforts. AMEN

A GOOD THING!

A GOOD THING!

Prov 18:22

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

Gen 2:18

18 And the Lord  God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

          Solomon, who wrote these proverbs, had 700 wives and 300 concubines! In spite of his evident difficulty, he certainly was right when he said “whoso findeth a [true] wife findeth a good thing.” It is hard to imagine the home life of this man!

          Several things come to mind as I think of what is meant by finding this “good thing.” I think we must begin with a good woman with chaste morals, incorruptible virtues and a tender heart. A good woman, however, would not necessarily be a good wife to all men. In Genesis the word “meet” means “a part opposite; a counterpart!” This speaks of a perfect fit. The idea is compatible temperaments, tastes, habits, culture and goals. This lady is hard to find and so Solomon gets it right when he says that the man who finally finds her has obtained favor from the Lord.

          I have found her! She said yes! Forty-four years ago today a beautiful and talented young lady became my wife. My first sight of her literally caused me to tremble. I had found a treasure. I knew immediately that my search was over but I was sure that God would have to cloud her vision against my ugliness and darken her mind to my faults. Oh, dear God, could it be? She said yes!

          This morning we will watch another sunrise on the back porch while the humming birds play in the water sprinkler. We won’t say much but just enjoy being close and enjoying the only cool portion of a Texas day. Later we will have lunch at Sweet Boys Diner and I will gaze again into her sparkling eyes.

Prov 19:14

14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Dear Lord, thank you for the rich treasure you have given me in my wife. AMEN

FRIENDSHIP MAINTENANCE!

FRIENDSHIP MAINTENANCE!

John 6:66-68

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Zech 13:6

6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

Prov 18:24

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

John 15:14-15

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

          I woke up this morning thinking about a close friend whom I haven’t heard from in a long time. I wondered if it was my fault because the phone lines travel both ways and I haven’t called. I value my friends because they are a special treasure on the rough path of life.

          Our many verses this morning shows Jesus’ great desire to become friendly with His followers. Merriam-Webster defines “friend” as: “One who is attached to another by respect or affection; one who is not hostile.” In John chapter 6 Jesus tried to present a very difficult truth. It was not understood and not well received and so many of the disciples “walked no more with him.” We can hear the pain and disappointment in Jesus’ voice when he asks in verse 67, “will ye also go away?”

          Sometimes a friend will walk away because we have offended them. Maybe we are aware of the reason for the rift but often we are made to guess. Our friend simply walks away. Sometimes our career moves us from one part of the country to another and we simply lose touch. There is no problem except we are no longer nearby. Nevertheless, there is a lonesome hole in our heart that our friend once occupied. We feel incomplete and wonder if they feel the same way.

          Jesus is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Friends like that are hard to come by and when we find one they become precious to us. Yet many of us do not treat this special friend in a friendly manner. We do not walk with Him or follow His ways. We do not talk with Him in prayer. We become detached by questioning His principles and our respect and affection for Him is weakened.

          Devotionals, such as this, are really methods of friendship maintenance. We renew our friendship when we review the main points of our agreement. We rehearse those things we mutually love. We stare deeply into one another’s face so that, even when parted, we can recall the image. How is your relationship with Jesus? Are you on friendly terms? Why not reconnect with this old friend today?

Dear Lord, lonely are the moments when I can’t perceive your presence in my life. There is a sort of pain deep within until once again we are reunited. Do not let me stray too far from you today. Stick close to me like a brother. AMEN

LIFE AS AN OFFERING!

LIFE AS AN OFFERING!

Rom 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Col 3:1-3

3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Rom 6:11-12

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

          Dead men have no preferences. They can’t be tempted by any enticement. They are unresponsive to any suggestion. Paul asks us to consider ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to Jesus Christ. A living sacrifice is an unusual concept for a sacrifice is slain and his blood poured out as an offering. It is useful for nothing afterward.

          The verb “present” in Romans 12:1 means “to present once and for all.” Is there a finality to your submission to Christ? Are you continually giving yourself to God and then taking it back again. Are you constantly frustrated because you are not really “dead” to self? You are not alone. Many believers live this kind of life. There must be a presentation.

          Give Him your body. This may be a radical concept but think about it a minute. Why not give to God a body that is pure from sexual sin, strong, well rested and alert? Paul said it is our reasonable service. I can’t be as useful to God if I am slothful, tired and foggy headed. I want to give him my body as a continual sacrifice.

          Give Him your mind. The word “transform” is the same word as “transfigured” in Matthew 17:2. It has entered the English language as “metamorphosis” and it describes a change that springs from within. The world wants to control your mind but we should allow our mind to be changed and brought into alignment with the thinking of God.

          Give Him your will. In Luke 22:42 Jesus surrendered His will to the Father. We must do the same. The will plans and pursues our desires and goals. If we are “dead” we have none. My will then can be controlled by His will. He can then make my plans and pursue proper goals and fulfill noble dreams.

Dear Lord, I know that being a sacrifice means death to my preferences. I know that I no longer own myself. I no longer control myself. Nevertheless, I come to you again as a living sacrifice. AMEN

HE TRIES THE HEART!

HE TRIES THE HEART!

Ps 7:9

9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Prov 17:3

3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord  trieth the hearts.

          God understands our character and our nature. He created us and then watched us fall. What does it mean that God tries the hearts and reins? Well, God is aware of all our thoughts, plans and emotions. He knows that even while sitting in church we may be planning some sinful activity at a later date. He also knows our weaknesses. He knows those things that trip us up!

                God does not test us so that He may be enlightened but that we might better know ourselves. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” It would be a benefit to know our weaknesses for then we could avoid the pitfalls that defeat us.

          It is encouraging also to know that there is coming a day when God will ultimately clear those who are falsely accused. It is a horrible thing to be the object of slander and innuendo because the more you try to defend yourself the more guilty you appear to be. God will vindicate the truly righteous and will ultimately condemn and punish the wicked.

          As you go on your way today deliver your thoughts and your plans to God. Beg Him to filter them through His superior knowledge and then to confirm the best of them. Surrender yourself to God and do right. He tries the thoughts and motives of man.

Ps 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

May the guiding and guarding hand of God be upon you today. AMEN

GUILTY OF POOR SELF-MANAGEMENT?

GUILTY OF POOR SELF-MANAGEMENT?

          I see it all the time and I am often guilty of it myself. It is poor self-management. It is the harsh and critical management of “self” that robs us of God’s blessings. You may recognize these four mistakes in managing yourself.

1. Self criticism!

          This is the familiar “I should have” or “why didn’t I” comments that rattle around in our mind. We set high standards for our self and then criticize our self for our perceived failure.

1 Cor 4:3-5

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

2. Self condemnation!

Having criticized our self we go on to pass harsh sentences. Our heart condemns us.

1 John 3:20-22

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Rom 8:1

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

3. Failure to accept God’s love unconditionally!

          So many of us do not feel worthy of His love and the result is a timid faith and a questioning security. We just can’t believe He loves us like He says.

Jer 31:3

3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Rom 5:8

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

4. Pushing away His Graciousness!

Isa 30:18-19

18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

Dear Lord, help us to stop struggling against your attempts to love us. AMEN

CHRISTIAN OR HUMANIST?

CHRISTIAN OR HUMANIST?

Rom 1:28

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

2 Cor 6:14-15

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

          Have you ever wondered why a “good Christian girl or boy;” raised in church and seemingly dedicated to the beliefs of their church can so easily abandon those beliefs and disciplines so that they can be married to an unbeliever? Suddenly, like lightning and without any qualm, they abandon their faith for what they think is love.

          Jewish talk show host, Dennis Prager said: “Jews don't marry Christians.  Non Jewish Jews marry non-Christian Christians.  Jews for nothing marry Christians for nothing.  They get along great because they both affirm nothing.  They have everything in common--nothing.”

          Most of our church members would be horribly offended if they were accused of being secular humanists! First of all, most of our church members would not understand just what a secular humanist is! Secular humanism is a non-theistic world view based on the belief that humanity is of utmost importance. Secular humanists typically have emphasized the values of human freedom, especially freedom from restrictive or irrational religious traditions. To quote Paul in Romans chapter 1, “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” In other words, they want God to simply leave them alone!

          Now, I’m going to jump off the precipice and say that many modern, progressive preachers and their congregants are really secular humanists. Rather than allowing the truth of the Word of God and the disciplines of their faith transform their behavior, they have transformed their religion to allow for their behavior. When they speak of freedom and liberty they are not speaking of liberty from law or freedom from sin, they speak of freedom from restrictive religious rules that restrain questionable behavior.

          Submission to the Lordship of Jesus is the key to genuine biblical faith. If I am unwilling to allow God to invade and control my values and my behavior then I am not truly Christian.

Dear Lord, come and challenge my every thought. Question my every motive. Discipline my every action. Be the Lord of my life today. AMEN

NEVER OFF DUTY!

NEVER OFF DUTY!

Matt 5:16

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

          Someone is always watching our lives and evaluating the nature and strength of our Christian testimony. Some are watching us for a reason to believe. Others are watching us to discover a reason to mock. Both will be successful in time.

          Forty years ago it was said of our college president that he would mow his grass in a suit and tie! Someone might be watching and he did not want to appear sloppily dressed. He always drove a new car but that car was a Nash Rambler. We smile at this but his reasoning has its foundation in our scripture today. Someone is always watching. We are never off duty.

          Christians can’t live like “normal” people without a care or concern for the opinions of others because the consequences of a failed witness are too horrible to consider. We are being evaluated by two important things; everything we say and everything we do! What if some soul should observe us in our inconsistency and turn away from God. That soul will face condemnation but we will be liable for our failure. This is a pretty heavy weight to carry because no one can live in perfection in this life. The goal of our thoughts, words and actions should be “to glorify our Father which is in heaven.”

Dear Lord, today I will be observed by someone who is hoping to glimpse a bit of heaven in me. Let me not fail to glorify you. AMEN

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!

Ezek 22:26

26 Her [Israel’s] priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Ezek 44:23

23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

          Along with the cultural upheaval which so marks our time, we see a confusion between right and wrong! In questioning the sacrosanct we have committed sacrilege. In abandoning the vestments and instruments of worship, religion has become common. We gasp at nothing! We have lost both sophistication and deportment in approaching a holy God. In abandoning traditions, we have gone too far and have blurred the lines between the holy and the profane.

          In the Old Testament, whenever God wanted to do something with a man, he revealed himself in both majesty and holiness. In Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah saw God high and lifted up. God revealed himself in grandeur that was awe inspiring. The contrast was so keen that Isaiah was immediately reminded of his sins. Shame, repentance and worship was the result. In Genesis 28:16, Jacob saw a vision of a great staircase upon which angels ascended and descended from heaven to earth. He concluded that God was in that place and that he had been ignorant of it.

          It is the duty of the priest to teach the people that there is a difference between the holy and the profane. Only when we grasp this will our relationship with God be what it should be.

Open My Eyes, That I May See

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Refrain

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Dear Lord, make crisp the lines of right and wrong in my life. Be thou holy unto me. AMEN

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES!

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES!

Rom 1:18-21

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

          Satan is a master at deception. When he plays his shell game, it is hard to focus on the things that are of real value. Convinced that we have kept our eye on the “pea,” we most often select the wrong shell. We lose the game and Satan ups the ante and urges us to play again. Life seems like one game after the other.

          One of Satan’s deceptions is to convince us that, while we acknowledge our disobedience and sin, there are extenuating circumstances that made us do what we did. Sure, we are guilty, but there are reasons why we did what we did and therefore, we reason, we should be excused. Those of a certain vintage will remember entertainer, Flip Wilson who coined the phrase: “The Devil made me do it.” We reason that, no matter how vile the thought or action, we have someone else to blame.

          Personal responsibility is on life support and may have actually died since last we checked on him. We think that our poverty is the result of the rich who have stolen all our opportunities. We want to take a portion of his wealth and level the playing field. Our ignorance is due to our environment or our family dynamics. We wait with our mouth open like little birds for someone else to fill our lives. When someone points out that we are lazy and lack motivation we squeal and point fingers. It is never our fault.

          We stop reading our Bible and claim that the Bible is too hard to understand. We stop praying and claim that we are too busy when the real reason is our broken relationship with God. We stop serving God and claim that we are too old, too sick or too busy. We stop giving offerings claiming that the economy is poor and certainly God will understand. We quit church claiming that someone hurt our feelings or that some sermon seemed to target our sins specifically. Perhaps someone forgot a birthday or failed to list my prayer request in the prayer bulletin. The excuses are endless.

          The word “extenuate” means: “to lessen the seriousness of.” Extenuating circumstances! We hope God will understand when we explain but the Bible gives no evidence to support that slim hope.  No, our hope is in acknowledging our sins and appealing to God for grace and mercy like David did.

Ps 51:3-4

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

According to thy loving-kindness, Father, blot out my sin. Oh, cleanse and make me whole. AMEN

GRACE THAT WORKS!

GRACE THAT WORKS!

Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

This is another of my favorite portions of scripture. It makes you think. It stretches your mind. It begins with grace and ends with works! Maybe that’s the way it should be! In the English New Testament grace is always a translation of (charis), a word that occurs in the Greek text over 170 times and in both Biblical and secular Greek it is used with far more meanings than can be represented by any one term in English. But the word has abundant use in secular Greek in the sense of unmerited favor, and Paul seized on this meaning of the word to express a fundamental characteristic of Christianity. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.)

For the Apostle Paul, GRACE was defined by experience.

Acts 9:1-5

9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. The Amplified New Testament puts it this way: “It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad; to offer vain and perilous resistance”.

Paul’s spiritual and emotional condition remained vile and violent. He travelled with evil authority; letters from the high priest. He was obsessed with the wicked intent to bring believers into captivity. SUDDENLY, and without any initiation of goodness on his part, the resurrected and glorified Jesus met Paul and CHANGED him forever. That is grace! But our original portion ends with the words… a peculiar people, zealous of good works. What about that? How do we reconcile the seemingly opposite aspects of grace and works? Well, one is the prod and the other is the product!

Simply put – Jesus purchased us away from a cruel and abusive master, cleaned us up, healed our wounds of abuse and gave us honorable assignments. What servant would not joyfully engage in labor for such a kind Master as Jesus? So, beginning with GRACE we engage in WORKS.

Dear Lord, thank you for purchasing me away from a cruel task master and giving me duties that are a joy to perform! AMEN

LIBERATING TRUTH!

LIBERATING TRUTH!

John 8:31-32

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

          The most difficult thing to do and to teach in ministry is personal Bible Study and prayer. Those two things, above all else, sets apart those who are stable souls or those who are tossed by every wind of doctrine. Some haven’t settled the issue of their own salvation! They have no calm confidence that Jesus has saved them. They spend their days worried that they will fail in some small point of obedience and thus lose forever the salvation which the cross has purchased for them. What is the problem? They don’t know the truth. They are therefore not free.

          Others are constantly being tripped up over length of hair, length of skirts, colors and fabrics, music styles and other social issues that pass with the generations. They become fearful of their own compliance to some unwritten code of conduct only hinted at in the Word. The result is that they are insecure in themselves and condemning of others. They are unsure of both! Why? They don’t know the truth. They don’t know how to live their lives without an approved list of behaviors.

          Others are so dependent upon the counsel of their pastors and teachers that they can hardly make a move without constant consultation. They have not grasped the truth of the indwelling Holy Spirit. They have not understood that they, themselves, are believer-priests. Unscrupulous leaders hold these in bondage to their own preferences. We like to have an expert always at our side; a consultant. If the consequences of the counsel are unpleasant then we dispose of that pastor and find another but we never search out the truth for ourselves. We have become migratory creatures because of ignorance.

          The Bible is the truth and tells us the truth about God, about others and about ourselves. It is the truth about ourselves that is the hardest to deal with. Not many men can handle truthful knowledge about themselves. The Bible makes us “disciples” or “practitioners” of the Christian lifestyle. Those who know the truth are constantly making adjustments in their thinking and in their doing. We are constantly ironing the wrinkles from our robes of righteousness.

Dear Lord, I know that when you see me you see the blood and therefore you see me as perfect. I also know that I am on a journey and today’s spiritual attainments will be superseded by tomorrows. Keep me in your Word that I may know the truth and be set free. AMEN

OPPORTUNITY!

OPPORTUNITY!

Gal 6:10

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Phil 4:10

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

Acts 24:25

25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

In a recent sermon, Dr. Charles Stanley said: “An opportunity is defined as a favorable occasion when we have the option of making a decision that could have a positive impact.” Merriam – Webster defines opportunity as “a favorable set of circumstances or a chance for advancement.” As we live our lives routinely, we are occasionally presented with wonderful opportunities. Most of these opportunities are disguised as problems.

In Galatians, Paul urges us to make good use of the opportunities we have to “do good to all men.” Often we think that we should phone a shut-in or perhaps take a plate of cookies to someone who is lonely but soon we become busy and we let the moment slip by without action. We have seen the death of opportunity. This good thought lies in a heap with other good intentions that died for lack of action.

In Philippians, Paul excuses their failure in financial contributions by saying that they “lacked opportunity.” Their bank account was not as strong as their desire to help. Poverty had limited their opportunities.

The most tragic illustration is that of Felix the ruler who heard the Apostle Paul speak of sin, righteousness and judgment to come. So convincing was Paul’s arguments that Felix trembled. He knew that he was a sinner and estranged from God. He knew that he had failed in living righteously and stood condemned by the invisible God. He was terrified at the thought of one day giving account of his motives and actions before such a holy being but he claimed that this was not an opportune time. He claimed that one day, soon, he would hear Paul again. In this simple manner Felix’s eternal destiny was determined.

Today God presents you with yet another favorable set of circumstances. Once again He pleads: “Come, let us reason together; let’s talk this over. Even though your sins are as red as blood, I can make them clean and white as snow.” Today is Sunday. You have yet another opportunity to attend church, to deal with your sin and to respond to God’s invitation. What will you do with this great opportunity? Judas kissed the face of God yet went “to his own place.”

Dear Lord, help me to clearly see the opportunities laid before me. AMEN