January 29, 2016

II Corinthians 9:6-8, 11

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

For the fourth installment on Reaping Bountifully, we will continue looking at                     II Corinthians 9:6 through 8 and 11:

      …He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows
      bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he pur-
      poses in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a
      cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
      that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abun-
      dance for every good work…while you are enriched in everything for
      all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

We are on the second half of verse 8, the first half emphasizing God’s grace – His undeserved favor toward us.  But to get the context, I’ll reproduce the whole verse.

•      II Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

We learned from verses 6 and 7 that material blessings flowing out of God’s unmerited favor is in part dependent upon our faithfulness in giving back abundantly to Him out of grateful hearts for what He has done for us.  He gave us eternal and abundant life through Jesus Christ (see John 10:10).  Why does the Lord want to bless us by His grace?  Two reasons, according to verse 8:

      *     …that we might “…have…all sufficiency in all things….”  One of His precious promises in found in Philippians 4:19:  “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  He is interested in our physical and material needs! (See Psalm 23:1, 2; Matthew 6:25-34).  He does not promise to supply our wants!  But He does promise to supply what we need!

Often, though, God delights in giving us our wants also (see Psalm 37:4).  In comparing the two passages just mentioned – II Corinthians 9:8 and Philippians 4:19 – both emphasize the word all !  He gives all sufficiency to supply all your need!  What a wonderful God we have!  No wonder Jesus told us in Matthew 6:31-33:

      Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall
      we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”  For after all these things the
      Gentiles [unbelievers] seek.  For your heavenly Father knows that you
      need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His right-
      eousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

      *     …that we “…may have an abundance for every good work….”  This is why God blesses us materially – so that we may have an abundance for every good work!  This leads to two more questions:

            ➔      What constitutes a good work in God’s mind?  I think Jesus helps answer that question in Matthew 19:17.  The rich young ruler came to Jesus addressing Him as “Good Master…” (Matthew 19:16).  The Lord challenged him:  “Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.”  Jesus was saying to him, “If you are going to call Me good, then call Me God!”  Since only God is good, a good work has to be that which is according to His will!  Search the Scriptures to find out the mind and will of God, and to discern what is truly a good work!

            ➔      The abundance of material wealth with which God entrusts us is so that we can engage in every good work He would have us to do!

So thank God for His blessings of abundance in your life, and use that material abundance which He puts in your care to accomplish good works for His glory!

January 27, 2016

II Corinthians 9:6-8, 11

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

Reaping Bountifully – The Scripture we are examining is II Corinthians 9:6 through 8 and 11:

      …He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows
      bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he pur-
      poses in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a
      cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
      that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abun-
      dance for every good work…while you are enriched in everything for
      all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

We have covered verses 6 and 7 in the last blog. In these two verses, Paul gives us a natural truth concerning planting and reaping:  in order to have an abundant crop, put in an abundant amount of good seed.  The opposite is also true.  He then applies the same principle spiritually to giving.  But giving must be accomplished from a joyous heart first given to God through Jesus Christ! (See II Corinthians 8:5).

•      II Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you….”  What is grace?  It is undeserved favor.  Have you ever heard anyone say “I just want to get what I deserve!”

I knew a young man who had a factory job.  He also had a high opinion of himself, and the habit of complaining when things did not come up to his expectations.  One day he was given the task of grinding down metal parts on an emery wheel – a monotonous job to be repeated about a thousand times!  As he worked, he also complained to no one in particular:  “I’m better than this!  I would think they would realize that!  I wish they would pay me what I’m worth!”  He did not know his boss was standing behind him and listening to every word!  Finally, the man reached over and tapped the grumbler on the shoulder.  “Bob,” he said, “we would pay you what you are worth, but there are minimum wage laws!”

God forbid that we would get what we deserve! And what do we deserve?

      *     God’s judgement and punishment in this life!

      *     His banishment into eternal hell in the next!

We are sinners, by nature in rebellion against God!  As it says in Ephesians 2:12 & 13 , and Colossians 1:21 (Contemporary English Version):

      …you were without Christ….You had no hope, and you did not know God….
      you were far away from God….separated from God.  You were His enemies
      in your minds, because the evil you did was against Him.

And the Lord said it twice, in Ezekiel 18:4 and 20:  “The soul who sins shall die.”  Death, both spiritual (separation from God) and physical (there was no death before sin entered into creation).

But because of God’s love and grace, He has given us what we do not deserve!   Jesus said in John 10:10:

      *     “I have come that they may have life…” – eternal life starting the moment we receive Him as Savior, and going on forever with Him in heaven!

      *     “I have come that they may have life…more abundantly.”  I believe this refers to our earthly life here and now.  This is not an abundance of things – wealth, power, and material possessions.  But it applies to an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 and 23 (International Standard Version):  “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  If these nine evidences of the fruit of the Spirit are in abundance in your life and mine, we will be living the abundant life!

It says in our featured Scripture, “…God is able to make all grace abound toward you….”  He is able to do it!  But are we willing to receive what He is able to give?  The giving of His grace is described here in the context of the giving of our material possessions for the work of His kingdom.  Are we cutting ourselves short concerning His grace by not being willing to give abundantly unto Him?

Think about it!

January 25, 2016

II Corinthians 9:6-8, 11

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

Our Scripture is II Corinthians 9:6 through 8 and 11 – which we will dissect to learn more about Reaping Bountifully:

      …He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows
      bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he pur-
      poses in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a
      cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
      that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abun-
      dance for every good work…while you are enriched in everything for
      all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

•      II Corinthians 9:6 – “…He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”  I learned a Bible study principle some time ago that has helped me understand some difficult passages.  It is First the natural, then the spiritual. (See, for instance, the Matthew 13 parables; John 3:3-8).  First, the natural example is presented.  Once understood, it is applied to the spiritual truth.

Here Paul is speaking about something every farmer and gardener would comprehend – an abundant crop yield starts with planting abundant seed!  The opposite is also true – a scant yield may be because of a sparse planting.  There are certainly other factors involved – soil conditions (see Matthew 13:3-8 and 18-23), water and sunlight availability (see II Kings 19:26), vermin and disease (see Jonah 4:6, 7), etc.  But it starts with the amount of seed planted!

The context of our Scripture is Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthian Christians to give generously to help meet the needs of fellow believers in Jerusalem and Judea (see I Corinthians 16:1-3; II Corinthians 8:4; 9:1).  These brothers and sisters were experiencing hardship, including persecution (see John 9:22; Acts 8:1; 12:2-4, James 1:1, 2), and famine (see Acts 11:28).  Paul was trying to stimulate support for these needy Judean brethren with these principles for the Corinthian Christians – and all believers – to apply:

      *     II Corinthians 8:1-3 – “…we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:  that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.  For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing [to give]….”

If God so leads to generously give, the present circumstances of the giver should not be the determining factor!  As the apostle wrote in II Corinthians 5:7, “…we walk by faith, not by sight.”  And, as it says in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Paul reminds us to “Set…our mind on things above, not on things of the earth….[For] we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.” (Colossians 3:2; II Corinthians 4:18).  Giving should be based on faith!

      *     But the first point is modified by 8:12 – “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.”  I take this to mean, you can only give what God has given you to pass on to others!

      *     II Corinthians 8:1, 5 – “The churches of Macedonia…first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”  All true Christian giving must start here – with giving ourselves to the Lord first!

A boy of ten who came from a poor family was attending a missionary service at the big church in town.  The offering to help the missionary work was announced, and the boy sadly realized he had nothing in his pockets to give.  As the usher was approaching his pew in the back of the sanctuary, the lad suddenly had an idea.  He stepped out into the isle in front of the usher and demanded, “Put the offering plate on the floor!”  The man, befuddled by the boy’s request, just stood there.  Again the lad loudly demanded, “Put the plate on the floor!”  Finally the usher set the plate down, and the boy stepped into it.  “I give me!” he announced.

•      II Corinthians 9:7 – “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”  Jesus said in Matthew 15:18 and19, “…those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart….For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”  Not just words, but all actions go through the heart first!  The heart is the Hebrew concept of the mind, the inner person.

God wants Christian giving to flow out of a grateful and joyous heart!  The other two ways in which a gift can be given are:

      *     grudgingly – meaning sadness, and translated in the New Testament also as grief, grievous, heaviness and sorrow. (Strong’s Dictionary of the Greek Testament).

      *     of necessity – meaning by constraint or in distress.  It carries the idea that such giving must needs be done even if one does not want to give. (Strong’s).

That kind of giving does not please God – “…for God loves a cheerful giver.”  Cheerful means propitious or merry (hilarious), that is, prompt or willing. (Strong’s).  So give hilariously!

More in our next blog.

January 22, 2016

II Corinthians 9:6-8, 11

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

Why is it that the subject of giving – especially the giving of money to the Lord’s work – causes many people to retreat from the discussion?  It is probably because of the common thought, “Money earned is money mine!”  And for a lot of people (as someone once said), “There is too much month left at the end of my money!”  So, in their thinking, they do not have enough to give liberally!  But they are missing the positive results God plainly tells us about giving! (See Proverbs 3:9, 10; Malachi 3:10; Luke 6:38 and Philippians 4:18, 19 for starters).  Here is a powerful Scripture concerning giving from II Corinthians 9:6 through 8 and 11:

      …He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows
      bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he pur-
      poses in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a
      cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
      that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abun-
      dance for every good work…while you are enriched in everything for
      all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

I mentioned tithing a couple of blogs ago.  Tithing is giving back to God 10% of your income (see Leviticus 27:30, 32).  I said this in Toddlers In Christ on January 13th:

      …in the New Testament, God does not command believers to tithe.  But con-
      servative Christian thinking gives the argument, “If the tithe was commanded
      under the law, we – in the age of grace – should certainly give a tithe of our
      income, and more!”

Tithing is a good place to start in Christian giving!  A week into our marriage, my dear wife and I sat on our bed, and she, with tears – because this was so important to her Christian life – extracted four promises from me:

•      “Will you go to church with me?”

•      “Will you read the Bible with me?”

•      “Will you pray with me?”

•      “Will you tithe with me?”

I said “Yes!” to all four, and we have been practicing these four basic Christian things for over 47 years – all our married life together!  By the way, she should have asked me those four questions before we got married!  But at least she asked – and I agreed.

It was not always easy.  Back in 1976, I left my first church after four years, thinking that I did not want to be a pastor for the rest of my life.  I started a product fund-raising business – contracting with schools, scouts, and other organizations that wanted to raise money selling products from the companies I represented.  I was told by a man already in the business, “If you are not making $500 a week after only one month, then something is wrong!”  But it was six weeks before I got my first check – $67!  It seemed to go downhill from there!  But I still believed in the business, and trudged on.

By mid-winter we were in desperate need of $700 to pay bills, some of which were overdue.  I had been reading Oral Roberts’ book, A Daily Guide To Miracles, in which he promoted Seed Faith – giving in advance a tithe of what you need, and expecting God to meet that need.  We were certainly in need!  And so I scraped together $70 – even taking my wife’s grocery money!  She was not happy!!!  I sent it off to the Lord’s work, and within six weeks – I still don’t know where much of it came from – $700 came in!  But isn’t this to be expected in light of our featured Scripture?  Read it again (above)!

It does not seem to make sense – you don’t have enough, so you give away a goodly portion of what you do have.  But God does not often make sense to our way of thinking in what He tells us to do!  He says this in Isaiah 55:8-11:

      “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,”
      says the LORD.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
      My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. 
      For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not
      return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud,
      that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, So shall My
      word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void,
      but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
      for which I sent it.”

If, as it says in Hebrews 1:2 and 3, God spoke through Jesus Christ to create and sustain the world (see Genesis 1:3-27), I believe Him to be powerful enough to “…supply all…[my] need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).  Show your trust in His promises of provision by giving God a tithe and more of your income!

In our next blogs, we will examine our featured Scripture from II Corinthians 9:6 through 8 and 11, looking at it phrase by phrase.

January 20, 2016

Romans 8:26, 27

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

We are exploring the ministry of the Holy Spirit as an intercessor.  The Scripture is Romans 8:26 and 27:

      Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses.  For we do not
      know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself
      makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 
      Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit
      is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will
      of God.

Looking at each part of the verse, we just completed in the last blog, “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought….”  Often, in light of what seems to be overpowering situations, we just don’t know what to say concerning ourselves, family, friends, nation, and world…

•      Romans 8:26 – “…but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”  The Holy Spirit intercedes for us!  But in Hebrews 7:25 we are told:  “Therefore He [Jesus] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.”  So who is it that makes intercession for us?  Is it Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

In John 14:16 and 17 the Lord told His disciples, “…I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He will abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth….”  The word another in the Greek is ‘allon,’ and means “Another of like kind” (Robertson’s Word Pictures). The Sermon Bible Commentary explains it this way:

      The Holy Spirit is promised as another Comforter.  This surely indicates, not
      a new office to be discharged, but an old one, or one already subsisting, to be
      discharged by a new person….The ministry is the same though another minis-
      ter is to be employed in it.  The work is the same, though a new and different
      workman is to be engaged about it.

The Holy Spirit is called “…the Spirit of truth….”  And Jesus is “…the way, the truth, and the life….”  Both are fully God!  So much are Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit like one another that, when it is the Spirit who dwells in us as Christians, Paul can say, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27).  So when the Spirit is making intercession for us, there is no discrepancy that it is Jesus who is also interceding!

As far as Jesus being on earth, He was self-restricted to a human body.  He could only be at one place at one time!  And while He could minister to thousands (see Matthew 16:9, 10), there were/are multiple millions who need His presence!  The Holy Spirit, being spirit, does not have the physical limitations of a body (see Luke 24:39).  So He can be “…the fulness of the Godhead bodily…” (Colossians 2:9) in all believers at the same time!

•      Romans 8:26 – “…with groanings which cannot be uttered.”  Here is the phrase that I often hear to be misunderstood, especially among Pentecostals and Charismatics.  They say, “When I don’t know how to pray, I just pray in tongues, with groanings which cannot be uttered!”  But it is the Spirit who so prays, not us!  How can any human being utter groans which cannot be uttered?

•      Romans 8:27 – “Now He who searches the hearts….”  In Jeremiah 17:10 God declares, “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”  And in Hebrews 4:13 He tells us, “…there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  You cannot hide anything from God! (See Psalm 139:1-16).

•      Romans 8:27 – “…He…knows what the mind of the Spirit is….”  Since the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all perfectly attuned to one another, of course the Father and the Son will know exactly what the intercedings of the Spirit would be!

•      Romans 8:27 – “…because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”  This is why it is so encouraging to me to know the Holy Spirit is interceding on my behalf.  Too often I ask for the wrong thing!  If God gave me that for which I asked, it might be a detriment to my Christian life!

I remember the summer of 1976. My wife and I had found a place to live – 16 acres north of Scranton, Pennsylvania, on which to homestead.  The towering spruce trees, the run-down mobile home which I could fix up, the hand-dug well, the shed we could use for goats (yes, we were a back-to-the-land family common 40 years ago!) – it was perfect – at least to my mind!  And I remember telling the Lord in effect, “I don’t care what you want!  I want this!”  And I could later just imagine God answering, “You want it?  You got it!”  So many things went wrong – the well went dry, the roof leaked like a sieve, underground springs made the driveway impassable and the lawn unnavigable, income from my new sales career didn’t come in as expected, and a dozen other things – by Spring I was pleading with the Lord to take it all away!  In His graciousness, He did! And I was called to pastor my second church!

I would much rather have God answer the intercession of the Holy Spirit which is according to His own will!  Let the Holy Spirit do His ministry, and just follow His leading!

January 15, 2016

John 21:1-6

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

According to John 21:1, seven disciples were at the Sea of Tiberias.  They were “…Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, [James and John] and two others of His Disciples….” (John 21:2).  This was after the crucifixion and resurrection, and what happened next is recorded in verses 3 through 6:

      Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”  They said to him, “We are
      going with you also.”  They went out and immediately got into the boat, and
      that night they caught nothing.  But when morning had now come, Jesus
      stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Then
      Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”  They answered Him,
      “No.”  And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and
      you will find some.”  So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in
      because of the multitude of fish.

Why were they there in the first place?  The Lord, in Matthew 28:10 had told Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (Matthew 28:1):  “Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”  In Matthew 28:16 it says, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.”  The mountain was right next to the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.  They probably had to wait for awhile, because Jesus had set no exact time when He would meet them in Galilee.  And so impetuous Peter had the bright idea, “I am going fishing.”  And six others joined him.  At least Peter, James and John had made their living by fishing before Jesus called them (see Matthew 4:18-22).  While there was excitement among them that the Lord had risen from the dead – and they had encountered Him more than once (see Luke 24:13-43; John 20:19-29) – it is recorded in Matthew 28:17, that, when they saw Him in Galilee, “…they worshiped Him; but some [still] doubted.”  In that doubt, I think Peter and the others were taking comfort in what was familiar to them – fishing!

Why did they go fishing at night?  They fished with a large net, and in the light of day fish could see the net being cast, and it would scare them away.  But “…that night they caught nothing.”  It must have been extra-discouraging, especially for the ones who had been professional fishermen before they were called as Jesus’ disciples.  They might have said to one another (or at least thought), “We lost our Leader who was giving our lives new meaning.  He told us ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Matthew 4:19).  And now we can’t even catch fish anymore!”

But they were fishing on the wrong side of the boat!  The opposite of the right side is the left side, where they had been fishing all night.  But there is another opposite – the wrong side!  If we follow our own leading – our own wisdom – we too often find ourselves on the wrong side!  Oh, sometimes it works out.  And we tend to look at others who seem to make good decisions the majority of the time, and we say, “Why not me?”

It is because we are made to be connected to and guided by God!  In Isaiah 46:9 and 10 the Lord tells us:

      …I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
      declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that
      are not yet done, saying, “My purpose shall stand, and I will do all My
      pleasure….”

God is omniscient!  He knows everything!  And since He declares the end from the beginning, ought we not to listen to Him and make our decisions according to His leading?  Jesus directed His ‘fishless’ disciples to “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”  The right side, in this case, was opposed to the left side from which they had apparently been fishing all night.  Maybe it was a moonlit night, and the moon-shadow of the boat – perhaps the left side – was helping to hide the shadow of the net being cast.  It was logical fishing wisdom they were applying because Peter and at least two others had years of experience on proper fishing methods.  And Jesus’ instructions just didn’t make sense by traditional fishing wisdom.  But the Lord’s mind is not always logical and wise by our thinking!  It says in I Corinthians 1:25 and 3:19:  “…the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men….For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”  Our job as Christians is not to evaluate whether His directions make logical and wise sense to us!  Our job is just to obey His clear leading!

By the way, Jesus had established a precedent for His direction where to cast the net.  In Luke 5:1 through 7 is the incident where the Lord taught the crowd from Peter’s boat.  After the teaching, He told Peter in verse 4, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  This was about mid-day, and it was not the time to catch fish!  But Peter obeyed, and in verse 6 it says, “And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish…” – a net-breaking and boat-sinking number of fish, according to verses 6 and 7!  So while Jesus might tell us to do something that seems illogical, it often does make sense if we think about it!

What happened this second time when the disciples obeyed?  John 21:6 – “So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.”  There were 153 large fish in that net according to John 21:11, “…and although there were so many, the net was not broken.”  There is fruitfulness in obeying the Lord!

I have learned it is better to follow the Lord Jesus’ instructions than my own mind!  As it is written in Proverbs 3:5 and 6:  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”  In the long run, it will bless us and bring Him glory!  Fish on The Right Side!

January 13, 2016

Ephesians 4:13-15

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

Paul sounds like the parent of an immature teenager who disgustedly tells the youth, “Grow up!”  But the apostle is not disgusted with his Ephesian brothers.  He is challenging them to grow into mature believers – to “…to grow up in all things into…Christ….”  Here is the whole challenge from Ephesians 4:13 through 15:

      …till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
      of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of
      Christ, that we should be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried
      about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning
      craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in
      love, may grow up in all things into Him, who is the head — Christ….

Too many Christians are Toddlers In Christ – and tend to remain stuck in that early developmental stage!  I am thinking of two major characteristics of toddlers – and immature Christians!…

•      “No!”  This seems like the first word a toddler learns!  And it is perhaps the first verbal manifestation of the sin nature of every mother’s child – rebellion against authority!

Peter – impulsive Peter – manifested this characteristic.  It is especially seen in Acts 10:14.  But we will look at the context to get the proper perspective.  The Lord was preparing Peter to minister the gospel directly to the Gentiles for the first time – decidedly against what the Jewish Rabbis taught! (See Acts 10:28).  As Peter was praying, Jesus showed him a vision:

      …and an object like a great sheet…[was] descending to him and let down
      to the earth.  In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild
      beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.  And a voice came to him,
      “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.”  But Peter said, “Not so, Lord!  For I have
      never eaten anything common or unclean.” (Acts 10:11 through 14).

“Not so, Lord!” is like a toddler saying “No! ” to his mommy!  But in this case Peter’s “Not so…” is even more bold, because he follows it by “…Lord!”  If Jesus is Lord, then He is to be obeyed!  We are not to argue with God and try to impose our own rebellious toddler will!  But God is patient, kind and compassionate with us, His sons and daughters (see Psalm 103:13, 14).  As we love our rebellious and immature toddlers, so God loves us and puts up with a lot of our insubordination!

•      “Mine!”  We have several young grandboys (and a great grandson) – one infant, one toddler, two four-year-olds, and three from seven to nine.  And we often have them at Gramma and Grampa’s house to give our daughter and her husband respite from the hectic life of being parents to all those kids!  Our formal living room has been turned into a playroom – very chaotic at times!  The toy box overflows with cars, trucks, trains, and bunches of other entertaining gizmos!  But when we have two or three of our grandboys over, we often hear screams or shouts, accompanied by the word, “Mine!”

Of course, we adult Christians have outgrown that!  Right?  …until it comes time for the offering, and we are called to open our wallets or purses and give God His tithe or more!  It is then that we too often silently shout, “Mine!”  According to Leviticus 27:30, “…the tithe…is the LORD’s.”  And verse 32 of the same chapter defines the tithe as “…the tenth…shall be holy to the LORD.”  Now, in the New Testament, God does not command believers to tithe.  But conservative Christian thinking gives the argument, “If the tithe was commanded under the law, we – in the age of grace – should certainly give a tithe of our income, and more!”  Besides, my dear wife and I have learned early on in our 47 years of marriage the truth of Luke 6:38:  “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over….For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  You can never outgive God!  As someone once said, “I shovel out, and God shovels in! But God uses the bigger shovel!”

But it is not just concerning money that we shout “Mine!”   What about our time?  What about our talents?  What about our home, our hobbies, our cars, our………….!  I think you get the picture!  Paul gives us the summation of it all in I Corinthians 6:19 and 20:

      …do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is
      in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you
      were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your
      spirit, which are God’s.

The price God paid for us is Jesus Christ, His own Son, dying on the cross to purchase our salvation!  Act like He really did it!  Act like He really bought you, and owns you!  “…grow up in all things into Him, who is the head — Christ….”  Don’t stay as Toddlers In Christ!

January 11, 2016

Ephesians 4:1-3 (International Standard Version)

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

Orthopraxy is “Right belief combined with right practice, with the emphasis being on the latter….”  As I said in the last blog, right practice must be based on right belief, because all of what you do will be based in some way on what you believe – your world view!

Paul addressed Orthopraxy in Ephesians 4:1 through 3 (International Standard Version):

      I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to live in a way that is
      worthy of the calling to which you have been called, demonstrating
      all expressions of humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one
      another in love.  Do your best to maintain the unity of the Spirit by
      means of the bond of peace.

We looked at the first three of seven characteristics of Orthopraxy – humility, gentleness, and patience.  Let’s go on to the last four:

•      Accepting one another – Accepting one another does not mean we have to be best friends with all other believers with whom we come in contact.  Paul and Barnabas – Paul’s companion on the first missionary journey – began planning a second journey to Asia Minor to “…visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” (Acts 15:36).  But in Acts 15:37 through 41…

     …Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.  But
      Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had de-
      parted from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 
      Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. 
      And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas
      and departed…through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Yes, Paul and Barnabas had contention.  But there is strong evidence that these two Christian brothers worked out their differences and still loved and accepted one another! (See I Corinthians 9:6; Colossians 4:10).  And we must do the same even if we have disagreements with other brothers and sisters in Christ!

•      Love – Jesus told us in John 13:34 and 35:

      A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have
      loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you
      are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Peter says in I Peter 4:8 (quoting Proverbs 10:12):  “…above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ ”  Love will cover all contentions and help us to be accepting one another!  What a witness this will be to unbelievers!

By the way, you cannot know what real love is unless you know God through Jesus Christ – “…for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God…for God is love” (I John 4:7 and 8).

•      Unity of the Spirit – Acceptance and love is from the Holy Spirit, and will produce unity of the Spirit in the churches!  Paul talks about this in Ephesians 4:1 through 6 – the first part being our featured Scripture on Orthopraxy.  Here are verses 4 through 6:

      There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of
      your calling; one Lord, one faith one baptism; one God and Father of all,
      who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Do you see that by the Spirit we are bonded together in unity?  Now, our job is to recognize this truth and in our fellowship with one another to live out the unity of the Spirit!

•      Peace – Jesus told His followers in John 16:33, “…that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  But the secret to such divine peace is plainly revealed 17 times in the New Testament – in the 13 opening greetings of all of Paul’s letters, and once each in I and II Peter, II John, and Revelation.  The secret? – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:7).  Grace comes first, then peace!  And grace is the unmerited favor of God given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross!  Through Him our sins are washed away and we stand in the righteousness of God Himself!

So God’s grace, through which we have access to His love – and all the rest of the seven characteristics of Orthopraxy – must be lived out in our lives together with other Christians.  But remember, you have to have your belief right to live right!

January 8, 2016

Ephesians 4:1-3 (International Standard Version)

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

What is Orthopraxy?  It does not have to do with dentistry!  But it certainly is not a word commonly used.  I looked in five dictionaries that I have in my library, and I could not find the word in any of them!  I had to go online to find it!  According to Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/orthopraxy), it is “Right belief combined with right practice, with the emphasis being on the latter….”

But – as defined above – right practice must be based on right belief, because all of what you do will be based in some way on what you believe – your world view!

Right practice or conduct – Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and boldly encouraged Orthopraxy in Ephesians 4:1 through 3:

      I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to live in a way that is
      worthy of the calling to which you have been called, demonstrating
      all expressions of humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one
      another in love.  Do your best to maintain the unity of the Spirit by
      means of the bond of peace.

What are the practices the apostle advocates here?  These seven:

•      Humility – What have we accomplished in which to be proud, standing on our own?  Nothing!  Jesus said in John 15:5, “…without Me you can do nothing…” – Nothing that counts as acceptable before God!  Nothing that will last for eternity!  In Isaiah 64:6 (Good News Bible) it is written, “All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through.”

That’s what we do! What we are, standing on our own, is also shocking!  In Isaiah 40:15 and 17 this is the description of nations (societies, tribes, peoples, tongues – as well as individuals) without God:

      Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small
      dust on the balance….All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are
      counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

However, even in our sin and rebellion, God loved us so much “…that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 – see also Romans 5:8; Hebrews 12:3).  And, while we cannot do anything of value before God on our own, Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

•      Gentleness – If we are to become more and more like Jesus, and we are (see Romans 8:29; II Corinthians 3:18), consider what is prophesied of the Messiah in Isaiah 40:11:  “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.”  We are His sheep, His flock! (See also Psalm 100:3; John 10:1-18; 27-31).

•      Patience – How patient God has been with me – and with you!  Have you ever tried as a child to train and ant?  Let’s say you want that ant to go in a straight line from point A to point B.  Ninety Nine percent of the time the ant will go off on its own route, totally unaware which way you want that insect to go!  After a few minutes of frustration, I would probably crush that ant into oblivion!

Are we not like the ant-in-training?  Or maybe we are like sheep in Isaiah 53:6:  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way….”  I am glad I am not God!  I would have gone the way of that wayward ant under my training long ago!  But Paul tells us in Romans 15:5 that God is “…the God of patience….”

God is patient!  And we are called to be patient also…

*      …with each other.  In I Thessalonians 5:14 (Modern King James Version) we are told, “Now we exhort you, brothers, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.”

*      …under trials. Patience is seen in several Scriptures as one of the steps toward godliness. (See Romans 5:3-5; 12:12; James 1:2-4; I Peter 2:20; II Peter 1:6-8).

We will continue looking at Orthopraxy in Monday’s blog.