Subtly Siding With Satan.

Mark 8

Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's. – Vs 33

Talk about harsh words! Jesus seems to body slam poor Peter in response to the impetuous disciple's reprimand of the Lord. Jesus has just finished telling His disciples that He was going to have to suffer and be rejected. Not only that, He would be killed and then raised to life three days later. This news didn't set well with the disciples, and especially Peter. So Peter did what Peter always did. He spoke up. Mark records, "And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him" (Vs 32). What Jesus had just shared was unthinkable to Peter. Why? Because it didn't fit into his plans for the Messiah. It didn't gel with his view of how this whole thing was supposed to work out. Peter, like the other disciples, was looking for a conquering Messiah, not some kind of suffering servant. They had each signed up to be involved in a victory, not to follow some guy who was going to end up being littlemore than a victim. So Peter rebuked Jesus. And then Jesus returns the favor.

Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.

Seems a bit harsh, doesn't it? After all, Peter meant well. Sure, he probably spoke a little too quickly and was a little bit out of line, but only because he cared. But Jesus knew what really motivated Peter's response. And it had more to do with Peter's own selfish interests than his concern for the kingdom or God's interests. Peter rebuked Jesus because he didn't like what he was hearing. He didn't want to hear talk of suffering and dying. Even if it did include being raised from the dead three days later. He wanted victory and he wanted it now. He also wanted to be a part of the celebration after the victory. It was what all the disciples were thinking. They were looking for power, prominence, and position. James and John would even ask Jesus for as much not long after this.

Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory. – Mark 10:37

Jesus knew their hearts. He was fully aware of what was motivating Peter's response. And it wasn't pretty. In fact, Jesus compares Peter to Satan himself. Why? Because, like Satan, Peter was being motivated by pride and self-interest. At the moment he rebuked Jesus, Peter was revealing his true heart. He was in it for himself. He was more concerned about his own personal interests than he was the interests of God. Peter had an earthly agenda, not a heavenly one. He had plans for Jesus, but they didn't match God's plans. And when Jesus announced what God's plans were, Peter responded in anger.

Setting Your Mind On God's Interests

So what are God's interests? Clearly, God had an interest that His Son complete the work for which He had come. He had to finish the task He had been given. Jesus had to follow through with the divine plan for mankind's salvation. It was the same plan that Satan had tried to thwart in the Garden of Eden and in the Judean wilderness as he tempted Christ to abandon God's plan for some twisted plan of his own. So Jesus rebukes Peter. He then goes on to teach His disciples a valuable lesson.

If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? – Mark 8:34-36

Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Follow Me. Lose your life. Give up your plan. Say goodbye to your agenda. Give up your lofty expectations. Die to self. Surrender to the Father's way of doing things. To not do so is to walk in harmony with the enemy. It is to side with Satan and his agenda. Because anything that is not in accordance with God's interests is in the enemy's interests. Jesus said, "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters" (Luke 11:23). So where do your interests lie? Do you know what God's interests are? Like Peter, have you confused them with your own? Do you tend to follow Jesus for what you can get out of it? Do you have some expectations that you want to get fulfilled? If Jesus told you they weren't going to happen, would you rebuke Him? Has He disappointed you at times by not doing things according to your plans? If so, then you're guilty of setting your mind on man's plan instead of God's. So why not deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him? He's never failed you yet.

Father, I want to set my mind on your plans and not my own. I don'twant to be guilty of the very same thing Satan was guilty of: Pridefully demanding that You follow my plan. My plans never work out. They never deliver what I think they are going to deliver. So help me deny myself, take up my cross and follow You. I want to live my life according to Your plan and not mine. Amen

Internals Vs Externals.

Mark 7

This chapter records yet another confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. And it reveals just what the real issue was behind their ongoing conflict. Jesus matter-of-factly states that it was a matter of externals versus internals. The outside versus the inside. Religion versus relationship. Behavior modification versus heart transformation.

The Pharisees confront Jesus about His disciples' failure to "walk according the the tradition of the elders" (Vs 5). It seems that, according to the Pharisees and Scribes, the disciples were eating their bread with "impure hands" Now, this wasn't about proper hygiene and the Pharisees' concern for the disciples' health and well-being. It was all about rules and conduct. It was about following a bunch of man-made regulations regarding ceremonial cleansing. This wasn't about keeping God's Law, it was about breaking the commandments of men. And Jesus would have nothing to do with it. So He slams the Pharisees and exposes them for what they were: hypocrites. In fact, He calls them "experts at setting aside the commandments of God in order to keep your tradition" (Vs 9). These guys had turned legalism into a professional sport, and they were the league's superstars.

It's What's Inside That Counts

Jesus makes it very clear. This is an internal issue, not an external one. It is not all about external rule-keeping and ceremonial cleansing. It is about the condition of the heart. He says, "the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man" (Vs 15). He even makes it more clear for the disciples when He says, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man" (Vs 21-22).

Jesus was confronting a pervasive mindset that taught that external change was the key. Keeping a well-defined set of rules was what righteousness was all about. But instead, Jesus focuses attention on the heart. He makes it clear that the heart is where true cleansing must take place. Obsessing about external behavior and striving to keep up the appearance of righteousness is nothing less than hypocrisy. Because no amount of good deeds done, rules kept, or commands followed can change the condition of the heart. Which is why He called the Pharisees white-washed tombs, pristine on the outside, but full of decay on the inside. You may look good to those around you, but God knows what's inside.

"Be opened!"

At the end of this chapter, there is the story of Jesus healing the deaf mute. There is a phrase within this story that really caught my attention for the first time. It is in verse 34. It says that after put His ears in the man's ears, and then putting his own saliva on the man's tongue, Jesus looked up into heaven, then with a deep sigh said, "Be opened" What struck me is that Jesus sighed. Why? I think it was because he longed for the ears of all His listeners to be opened. Because in reality, they were all as deaf as the man who He was about to heal. Secondly, Jesus said, "Be opened!" He spoke in reference to the man's sense of hearing. That seemed to be the main focus of Jesus' healing. Sure, the man was given back his capacity for speech, but the ability to hear seemed to take precedence. It reminds me of what Jesus said back in Mark 4:23: "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

Jesus longs for us to hear what He is saying. Not only when it comes to the gospel message, but in regards to heart change versus behavior modification. He wants us to hear that true change begins on the inside. He wants us to give up trying to change ourselves from the outside-in, and start allowing Him to work His process in reverse – from the inside-out. But how quickly we fall back into the trap of rule keeping, and with always the same results: disappointment and disillusionment.

So let's listen to what Jesus has to say. Not so we can go DO something about it, but so that we might focus on what He says is important: our hearts.

Father, forgive me for being fixated on the externals. Help me to see that your desire is for heart transformation. Open my ears to hear what you have to say regarding in internal dimension of my life. Continue your heart-transforming work in me. Amen

Hardened hearts. Dull Minds.

Mark 6

…and they were astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened. – Vs 52

They had not gained any insight. Basically, they had not put two and two together. They had witnessed an incredible miracle when Jesus fed the 5,000 with the loaves and fishes. But the disciples failed to make the connection between what they had seen and the one who had performed the miracle. Instead, Mark says "their heart was hardened." In the Greek the word translated "hardened" means "to cover with a thick skin, as a callous." Their hearts were unable to be penetrated by the significance of the events surrounding them. They could not see Him for who He was. Sure, they were astonished with the things they were seeing, but they could not connect the dots in their hearts, and realize the significance of the one they were following. Then they found themselves on a fishing boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, straining to get to the other side because of the winds. The next thing they know, Jesus is walking by on the water, intent on getting to the other side before they do. Rather than recognize Him, remember the events of the day, and marvel once again at the power of Jesus, they panic, jumping to the conclusion that they are seeing a ghost or some kind of sinister apparition. They were terrified.

Jesus gets in the boat with them, the wind stops, and they're astonished. They were blown away by what they had seen – Jesus walking on the water. But these are the same guys who had just watched Jesus feed thousands of people with just a handful of loaves and fishes. And they had each picked up a basket full of leftovers – 12 total! These are the same 12 that Jesus sent out and "gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases" (Luke 9:1). Mark says "they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them" (Mark 6:13). But when it came to Jesus walking on the water, they were astonished. Because they had not gained any insight from the incident with the loaves. Their hearts were calloused and their understanding was dull.

But what had they missed? What was the message of the loaves and fishes that failed to connect with them? I see a number of them. First, that Jesus has the power to provide. He can meet any need – no matter how large or small. Whether it is physical hunger or spiritual thirst. Secondly, Jesus cares. His action was motivated by compassion. Mark records, "He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd" (Mark 6:34). He cared about their spiritual as well as their physical hunger. Thirdly, Jesus has power that is greater than the elements. He could multiply loaves and fishes. He could take a little and accomplish a lot. His power was limitless.

Yet the disciples kept trying to limit Jesus. They kept trying to put Him back into the box they had created for Him. They were comfortable with a Messiah of their own making. They wanted a revolutionary. They wanted a savior, but one of their own definition. They wanted salvation from Roman tyranny, not deliverance from sin. They wanted a warrior Messiah, not a suffering servant. They wanted a kingdom of this earth, not of heaven. So as they struggled with the oars, pulling against the wind and the waves of life, Jesus appears walking on the water. Their minds were occupied with the cares and concerns of this life. Like many of us, they were straining at the oars, trying to keep ahead of the waves and wind pushing against them. But Jesus walks on the water, unaffected by the elements, intent on His mission.

So how about us? Are our hearts calloused over from years of use loving the wrong things? Are our minds dulled by a steady diet of wrong expectations and faulty conclusions about God and His role in our lives? Are we easily astonished when we get a glimpse of Jesus in our lives that does not fit our preconceived notions of who He is? If so, then we are missing the point. We're not putting two and two together. You see, Jesus outside of our boat walking on the water is a reminder to us that He is who He says He is: The Son of God. But we want Jesus in our boat. We want Him doing things our way. We want Him concerned with our problems and helping us out of our jams. But Jesus is a man on a mission. He has a goal and an objective – as much today as He did then. Yet we want to limit His work to our own little world. For Jesus, walking on the water was an expeditious way of getting where He needed to go, so He could do what He needed to do. It was not done for show or effect. Jesus fed the 5,000, not as some kind of mind-blowing miracle, but to give the disciples a glimpse into who He was. Everything Jesus did was for a reason. He had a purpose behind it. To teach, instruct, encourage, reveal, motivate, and prepare those whom He had called. The same is true today. But we run the risk of having hardened hearts and dulled minds. Look around you. Where is Jesus? Is He out of the boat or in it? Is He walking on the water, revealing His power and proving His deity? Do you see Him feeding the spiritually hungry by using "the least of these?" He is at work. He is still walking on the water. He is still making the most out of the least. He is still showing compassion on the many. He is still revealing who He is to those whom He has called.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son. But forgive me for having a hardened, callous heart sometimes that prevents me from seeing Him at work around me. Forgive me for failing to learn the lessons you are teaching me about Your Son. Soften my heart, open my eyes, help me to see who it is that I serve. Let me not be surprised by those walking-on-water moments that take place around me. May I grow in my understanding of who Jesus is and what He is doing in the world today. Amen

Demons, Disease, and Death.

Mark 5

Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.– Vs 19

In this one chapter, Jesus makes a significant impact on the lives of a number of people. He casts the demons out of man. He raises a synagogue official's daughter from the dead. His power heals a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years. The demon-possessed man had been living his life among the tombs, an outcast and hopeless of ever seeing anything change. The woman had been living with her disease for twelve long years, without hope because the physicians had unable to provide any relief. The little girl was completely without hope, having died while Jesus was on His way.

In what appears to be the span of a single day, Jesus encounters three different sources of pain and affliction that have been confronting mankind since the fall. Yet Jesus was more than a match for all three. He proved once again His power over the enemy, over sickness, and even death. Yet He did so with compassion. He showed love and concern for those whose lives He impacted. He showed them mercy. He showered them with grace. His actions towards them were an expression of His love for them. These were three unknown, unnamed individuals who He could have easily ignored and passed by on His mission to save the world. But instead He stopped and showed them love. He extended mercy. He expressed grace. And their lives would never be the same.

Report what great things the Lord has done for you!

The command Jesus gives in verse 19 to the man who now stood completely free of any demon possession is an unbelievable summary of what it means to share our testimony. It is not about what age we were when we walked the aisle, confessed our faith, prayed the sinner's prayer, or placed our faith in Christ. It is about what an encounter with Jesus Christ has done for us. How He has shown mercy on us. It is being able to say, "I once was held captive by the enemy, but now I am FREE!" It is being able to report, "I once was deathly sick, unable to find relief from the experts of this world, but now I am WHOLE!" It is being able to proclaim, "My child had been robbed of life, but now she is ALIVE!" And Jesus says, "Go tell someone!"

So what has Jesus done for you lately? How has He shown you mercy? Why not go tell someone?

Father, thank You that because of Your Son, I am alive, whole, and free! Forgive me for not telling others all that You have done for me. Thank You for your grace, compassion, and mercy. Thank You for sending Your Son as an expression of Your matchless love for me. Give me the boldness to tell others so that they might experience the same amazing love. Amen

In the Yoke.

Mark 4

He began to teach them again… – Vs 1

And He was teaching them many things… – Vs 2

And He was saying to them… – Vs 9, 21, 24

And He said to them… – Vs 13

And He was saying… – Vs 26

With many such parables He was speaking the word to them… – Vs 33

…but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples. – Vs 34

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of Jesus' disciples? To have followed Him and been able to listen to His teaching? But it's interesting to compare what and how we teach to what Jesus taught. Chapter 4 of Mark gives a glimpse into what His style and content looked like. Throughout the chapter we see Him teaching about the kingdom of God; speaking in parables about different kinds of soils, lamps, and mustard seeds; and explaining the meaning behind all His parables to His disciples.

This was not the didactic-style teaching we are used to as western Americans. Jesus rarely stood up in a lecture hall behind a podium and gave lengthy talks, complete with handouts and PowerPoint presentations. Sure, He did the occasional Sermon on the Mount, but most of His teaching seemed to be after the crowds had gone and He had gathered with the twelve around the campfire at night or while walking along the road. In fact, He told His disciples that "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables" (Vs 11). Jesus took the time to explain to His followers the meanings behind the parables. He revealed to them the truth that had been hidden for generations. He spoke about a different kind of a kingdom than they had all come to long for and expect.

But He did it all through relationship. He spoke casually, not professionally. He wasn't divulging information or details to be memorized and later regurgitated on a test. He was sharing truth in the context of friendship. It is a perfect picture of the yoke visual Jesus gave in Matthew 11:28-30. He invites His followers to enter into the yoke with Him. He wants each and every one of us to enter into an intimate relationship with Him in which we walk side-by-side with Him, learning from Him, working alongside Him, watching Him, listening to His instruction, and becoming more like Him with each passing day. Jesus doesn't give us a lecture on how to plow with a yoke, then expect us to get in one and get to work. No, instead He invites us into His yoke alongside Him and we learn through experience. That is exactly how the disciples were learning. They were walking and working with Jesus, and watching Him minister and share. They were apprentices to the Master Himself. And that is how we are to learn. Yet we seem to prefer the lecture approach. We want to have someone tell us what we are supposed to know, then we will memorize it and attempt to apply it to our lives. But we leave out the relationship part. It becomes all about us. Jesus could have invited the twelve to a 3-week crash course on ministry, then sent them on their way, but He chose to teach through relationship. He lived with them, walked with them, ate with them, spoke with them, modeled for them, and revealed to them who He was and what His kingdom was all about.

What is Jesus teaching you today? Better yet, HOW is Jesus teaching you today? Is it through an intimate, daily relationship as you walk with Him? Are you learning from Him as you experience the difficulties of life together? Are you in the yoke with Him, doing His work in His way? Christianity is not about religion, doctrine, creeds, concepts, Bible knowledge, Scripture memory, or the gathering of information. It is about relationship. It is about followers of Christ who willingly place themselves in the yoke with Christ, so that they can learn from the Master Himself as they go about their daily lives. It is an intimate, shoulder-to-shoulder experience with Jesus as He teaches us, reveals to us, speaks to us, and models for us who He is and how we are to live the life He has called us to.

Are you in the yoke?

Father, give me the courage to get in the yoke today. To choose to give up my rights and my agenda so that I might work and learn alongside the only One who can teach me what I need to know. Forgive me for thinking that more knowledge could make me more Christlike, all the while leaving out the very thing that will transform me into the likeness of Your Son: Relationship. Give me ears to hear, and let me be close enough to Jesus so that I can hear Him when He speaks! Amen

Crowds, Critics, Family and Followers.

Mark 3

Wherever Jesus went He seemed to attract a diverse group of people, and nowhere is that more clear than in Mark 3. Along with the growing crowds of people flocking to catch this miracle-working rabbi in action, there was a regular retinue of religious leaders intent on eliminating what they saw was a threat to their position and power. Jesus even seemed to find himself regularly surrounded by people possessed by demons. Every time He turned around, there was one of them screaming, "You are the Son of God!" just before Jesus cast them out sent them packing. He also had a growing number of disciples following in His wake. Out of that group, He selected the twelve who would spend the next three years under His instruction and tutelage. Then there was His family. At one point Mark records that Jesus' mother and brothers show up and attempt to take Him back home because they think He has lost his mind.

For every person that followed Jesus, there was a different opinion as to who He was and what He had to offer. For the sick, He was the healer. To the Pharisees and Scribes, He was a blasphemer and a thorn in the side. To His family, He was a lunatic and an embarrassment. To the twelve, He was a rabbi and teacher. To the crowds, He was a source of entertainment and a distraction from the boredom of everyday life. To the demons, He was an enemy and a threat to their domain. But to all, He was a formidable figure who demanded a reaction. Jesus could not be ignored. He was bigger than life. He was powerful. He was intriguing and, to some, frustrating. He was shaking things up and rocking the proverbial boat of His day. Everywhere He went He attracted a crowd. Every time He spoke, He solicited a response. Every time He healed, He caused a scene. Every time He taught, He rocked somebody's world. And He's still doing the same today.

So what's your response to Jesus? Are you following Him, ignoring Him, petrified of Him, attracted to Him, irritated by Him, or oblivious to Him? The sad thing about Mark 3 is that the only one who acknowledged Jesus for who He really was ended up being a demon! He saw the reality of Jesus' identity and he couldn't help but acknowledge it. No confusion. No cover up. Just confession. Here was a demon testifying to the reality of who Jesus was and is. Why can't we do the same?

Father, I want to confess Your Son loudly and regularly. I want my reaction to be one of worship and recognition of His power and position as the Son of God. I don't want to be part of the crowd, looking for a what I can get out of it. I want to be a faithful follower who recognizes Jesus as the Son of God and my Savior – every day of my life. Open my eyes and let me see Jesus for who He really is. Amen

Let the Battle Begin.

Mark 2

It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. – Vs 17

Chapter two records the beginning of Jesus' conflict with the religious leaders of His day. His ministry has just begun and the tension begins to build. Because of His "new" teaching with authority and His miracles, Jesus is attracting huge crowds and gaining in popularity, which is not sitting well with the religious leadership. Rather than listen to His message of hope and acknowledge the power behind His miracles, they accuse Him of blasphemy – charging Him with claiming to be God. Only God can forgive sins, yet here is Jesus telling the paralytic that his sins are forgiven (Vs 5-12). Jesus understands what they are thinking and so He heals the man to prove His authority and His divinity. But they refuse to see.

But they DO see Him eating with tax collectors and sinners. He not only ate with them, but He chose a tax collector as one of His followers. For the religious leaders, this was appalling. They could not fathom the idea of associating with people like this. In fact, they did everything they could to avoid contact with them. And here was Jesus sharing a meal with them. Do you see the conflict? Do you sense the tension? Jesus was a revolutionary. He came to rock the status quo of His day. He came to turn the religious world on its ear. He had a different message and a different methodology. Rather than separate Himself from sinners and sequester Himself in a protective religious cocoon, Jesus walked right into the middle of the mess that had become humanity. In doing so, Jesus gives us an example to follow.

Jesus came to save those who are in need. He came to heal the spiritually sick and to save sinners. The very people He was eating with were those who knew they could not keep the Law. They knew they were sinners. They were constantly reminded by the Pharisees of their failure to keep the Law. Not only were they unable to keep the commands of God, they couldn't keep the hundreds of rules and regulations the Pharisees had added to God's Law. They were overwhelmed by their own guilt and sinfulness, and they lacked hope.

The Great Invitation

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus makes a statement that has come to be known as "The Great Invitation." He says:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Jesus invites all those who are weary and heavy-laden. Those who are worn out from trying to keep the Law and obey the rules of men. Those who are weighed down by the constant reminder and realization that they can't live righteous lives on their own. They are carrying around a burden of guilt and shame that is too much to bear. They are sinners and they know it, but they can't do anything about it. So Jesus offers them rest. He offers them relationship. He offers to His yoke in place of their burden. He invites them to step into a discipleship relationship with Him. These people knew what a yoke was and what it was for. It was an instrument used for farming. It involved work and effort. But here is Jesus inviting them to leave one source of burden and take up another. But His comes with rest. His comes with companionship – the realization that you will be in that yoke with the Savior Himself. You will be working alongside Him doing His work. You will be walking alongside Him, learning from Him.

Jesus is still calling sinners into a relationship with Him. He is still offering rest for our souls. He is still inviting us to get into the yoke with Him. He offershelp while the self-righteous religious elite offer only condemnation. He offers rest while the "righteous" offer an endless list of rules and regulations to keep. He offers relationship while religion offers a daily diet of guilt and shame. Jesus came to heal the sick. He came to save sinners. He came to give rest to the weary. Are you in the yoke? Are you finding rest for your soul? Have you experienced the healing touch of the Great Physician? His offer still stands.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son for me. Thank You for providing healing for my spiritual disease. Thank You providing Me with rest from the burden of sin and the heavy weight of trying to save myself. I am in the yoke with Him. I don't always like it. Sometimes I try to get out of the yoke and go back to my old way of life, trying to make myself righteous through self effort. But it always fails and leaves me tired, worn out and burdened down. Keep me in the yoke with Your Son. Help me lean on Him and learning from Him. And give me a heart for the sinners who surround me. Let me see them with your eyes and point them to the yoke. Amen

Words With Weight.

Mark 1

What is this? A new teaching with authority! – Vs 27

Mark records the ministry of Jesus and, unlike the other gospel writers, he leaves out His birth and any reference to His genealogical record. Instead Mark starts off with the baptism of Jesus, briefly touches on His temptation in the wilderness, and moves right into His preaching ministry. He records that Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Vs 15). Jesus was teaching, preaching, and healing. He was going into the synagogues and teaching. But His was a different kind of teaching. It was like nothing these people had ever heard before. Mark says those who heard Jesus were "amazed at His teaching" (Vs 22). Why? Because He taught as one who had authority. He didn't teach like the scribes, who merely quoted the writings of former scribes. Their authority or power was based on the sayings of men. Jesus came with a different kind of authority. He spoke with power and confidence.

The word Mark uses that is translated "authority" here is atypical Greek word that carries a lot more weight than any English word can convey. It literally means, "the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege); the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed)." Jesus did not come rehashing the thoughts and principles of men, but the Word of God. What He said was viewed as a "new teaching" because these people had never heard anything like it before. It wasn't the same old thing they had heard for generations. It was a verbal wake-up call, announcing that the kingdom they had long been waiting for was close at hand. All the promises of their ancient writings were about to be fulfilled. That was the good news. The Messiah had arrived.

Jesus' words carried weight. They conveyed power. They demanded attention. They required action. When He said to Simon and Andrew, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men," they didn't delay, but immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He met James and John, He called them, and "they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him" (Vs 20). When Jesus commanded the demon to come out of the man in verse 25, it had to obey. When He spoke the words, "Be cleansed" to the lepor in verse 41, "immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed" (Vs 41).

Jesus taught with authority. He spoke with power. His words were to be listened to and obeyed. He was not just another teacher. He was the Son of God. He had authority over sickness and disease. He had power over demonic forces. He had the divine right to speak authoritatively, expecting His words to be listened to and His commands to be obeyed. But then as now, men were more interested in what Jesus could do for them, than in what He expected of them. The crowds were attracted by His miracles than His message. They came to be healed, not to hear what He had to say. The crowds began to grow. His reputation spread. But His words fell on deaf ears. They were more than willing to take advantage of His power, but refused to "repent and believe in the gospel" (Vs 15). The Jews would ultimately refuse Him as their Messiah. They would reject His message of hope and salvation. They would kill the Messenger, but not the message.

A new teaching with authority. How much weight do the words of Jesus carry in my life? How authoritative is His teaching for me? Am I more interested in what He does for me than what He expects of me? Do His words only carry weight with me if they fit into my agenda or plan for me? Do I listen only as long as they say what I want them to say? The Jews were right. His words did have authority. They were powerful. They were impactful. Because Jesus was and is the Son of God. He has the right to speak into my life and demand a response. He has the authority to command obedience. But am I willing to obey?

Father, help me to listen to the words of Your Son, then give me the ability to obey. I know His words have power and authority over my life, but I tend to want to pick and choose which words I will obey. I even want to choose which of His words I will hear. But You haven't given me that choice. You told the disciples at His transfiguration, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" (Matthew 17:5). Give me ears to hear and a heart to obey all that He says. Amen

A New Kind of Freedom.

Philemon

…that you would have him back forever. – Vs 15

At one time a slave, now a brother. Once a runaway deserving death, now a repentant believer deserving of forgiveness. This is an incredible story of God's sovereignty and love. It reveals the way in which God works in the lives of men, behind the scenes, orchestrating events in such a way that the results are truly amazing.

Here was a slave named Onesimus, who had run away from his Christian master, Philemon. In his travels, Onesimus ends up in Rome. As "fate" would have it, he somehow crosses paths with the imprisoned Paul. The result of this "chance" encounter is that Onesimus the slave of Philemon becomes Onesimus the bondslave of Jesus Christ. He is free in Christ. He is forgiven by God of all his sins. He even begins serving Paul in his imprisonment. But Paul encourages him to return home to his master in order to restore that relationship. The amazing thing is that Onesimus agrees, knowing full well that he faces possible death as a runaway slave. It is interesting that Paul does not write a stinging criticism against the evils of slavery, but appeals to Philemon's Christian sensibilities. He asks Philemon to view Onesimus not as a returned slave, but as a repentant brother. What he had once lost, he has now gained back, but with more value than ever before. Paul says Onesimus is "no longer a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother" (Vs 16).

Paul even asks Philemon to consider God's hand in all of this. That God was behind all of this in order to give back to Philemon something of greater value than he ever had before. Paul says, "for perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that ou would have him back forever" (Vs 15). In other words, that Philemon now had gotten back more than a slave, but a brother in Christ – a relationship that would last for eternity. Philemon used to own Onesimus as a slave, but had lost him. Any value he had once had went out the door when Onesimus left. Now he had walked back in the door, but his value had significantly increased. He was now a fellow believer – a Christ-follower.

God had transformed this runaway slave. He had redeemed him just as He had Philemon. They were equals in Christ. As Paul says in his letter to the Galatians:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28

God had worked a miracle in the life of a slave with a bounty on his head. Now Paul was asking his former master to accept him as a brother in Christ, to "accept him as you would me" (Vs 17). What a fantastic story of God's grace that extends to all men in every situation. What an unbelievable picture of God's love that reaches us wherever we are. Onesimus had run away from Philemon, but he could not run from the love of God. God found him in Rome and somehow placed him in the path of another man who was little more than a slave to the Roman government, chained and restrained, robbed of his freedom. But through Paul, Onesimus would discover true freedom in Christ. Slavery, chains, imprisonment, bondage – none of these things could prevent a man from experiencing the kind of freedom Christ offered. Onesimus learned that his ultimate freedom had nothing to do with an escape from the chains of slavery, but from his bondage to sin. So even if he had to return to his former life as a slave, he would be free in Christ. Free to serve his master with a new heart. Free to love his master with a selfless, sacrificial love that expects nothing in return. Free to express his newfound freedom in Christ in a thousand ways, in spite of any earthly shackles or limitations he may face.

We don't know what Philemon decided to do. Tradition says that he freed Onesimus and this former slave went on to become a minister and later bishop of the church at Ephesus. But whatever happened, we know that Onesimus was no longer the man he once was. He had been released from his slavery to sin and was now free to serve Christ in whatever circumstance he found himself.

Father, thank you for the freedom you have given me through Christ. That you for reminding me that it is not a freedom from circumstances, but from slavery to sin. I no longer have to allow my circumstances to control and manipulate me. Yet I do. If things do not go the way I think they should or if I find my circumstances less than appealing, I can easily become frustrated, angry, or even depressed. And when I do, I only reveal that I have become a slave to my circumstances, allowing them to control my responses. Father, help me to live like a free man no matter what is going on around me. If my job is not going like I would like, let me live above it, freely sharing my love and rejoicing in Your grace. Let me see myself as more than employee, but as Your servant. Let me see my circumstances as opportunities to trust You and serve You. Because I am free to do so in You. Amen

We Once Were…

Titus 3

We once were… …foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another…

What a list? Not exactly the kinds of qualities you would want to include on your resume. But Paul says they represent who we used to be. They are the things we despise in others, that we see as characteristics of the world around us, but Paul says we used to be the same way.

But…

Something happened. Notice that Paul speaks in the past tense. When referring to his list, he says we "once were" those things. But not any more. Those are no longer the characteristics of our life. They are no longer who we are. Because something incredible took place.

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us. – Vs 4

God saved us. He showed us love and kindness. How? Through sending His Son to die in our place. Jesus was the love of God manifested or made visible. God's love took on a tangible form and expressed itself in selfless, sacrificial service to man by becoming the sinless, spotless sacrifice that God's wrath required. God didn't have to do it, but He did. Out of love. Not because we deserved it or had earned it.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy. – Vs 5

Remember the list. That is how we used to be. That is how God viewed us when He saved us. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:5 that "even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)." God saved us according to His mercy and grace. When I was at my worst, God gave me His best. And the most exciting thing is that He no longer sees me the way I once was. Even though I may still struggle with some of the issues on the list in verse 3. I can still be foolish, disobedient, hateful, and find myself enslaved to various pleasures. But that is no longer me. That is my old self. But my old self was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). I am no longer a slave to sin (Romans 6:6). Yes, I still struggle and battle with my sinful flesh. It is alive and well. It tries to derail me and get me to fall back into my old way of life. But I no longer have to obey the flesh. I am a new creature. I am a new man. I stand before God as righteous. I am righteous. And I do not have to try and become righteous. I do not have to try and transform myself into something I am not. I just need to live as what I already am. I need to remind myself daily that I am a child of God, filled with the Spirit of God, and empowered to live the life of godliness. I am not a sinner attempting to become a saint. I am a saint who happens to sin. I am a saint doing battle with my sinful flesh. I am a saint living in a sinful world. It will be a battle. I will fail at times. I will fall. But I am no less a saint in God's eyes. We are "heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (vs 7). So the reality of who we are should impact the way we act. It should reveal itself in the good deeds that Paul talks about in verses 1 and 8. We don't have to act the way we used to act. We don't have to be controlled by our sinful flesh. We have the ability to say, "No" to sin and "Yes" to righteousness. We can do good deeds and Paul encourages us to do so. Why? Because they are "good and profitable for men" (Vs 8).

So let's remind ourselves daily of who we are in Christ. Let's remember who we once were, but never forget who we now are. We are saints. Saved by God through His love and mercy poured out on us in Jesus Christ. We have been redeemed, renewed, regenerated, and restored to a right relationship with God. Now let's live like it.

Father, thank You so much for the gift of Your grace. I did not deserve to be saved. I could not have saved myself. Yet You graciously gave Your own Son as a payment for my sins. He gave His life for mine. His sacrifice allowed me to become what I never could have become on my own: A saint. A child of the living God. Sin no longer represents who I am. I am not a sinner trying to become a saint. I am a saint who happens to sin. Help me see myself as who I really am. Don't let me undervalue what I have been given by underestimating its reality. When the enemy attempts to condemn me, remind me that there is "now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Roman 8:1). Amen

Grace From Start To Finish.

Titus 2

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age. – Vs 11-12

The grace of God has appeared in the form of Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate manifestation of God's grace – His undeserved, unmerited favor. God poured out His grace on mankind, instead of pouring out His well-deserved wrath. He offered salvation in place of condemnation and eternal separation. He provided a way out when we were down and out, dead in our trespasses and sins. What an incredible gift we have been given. But His grace doesn't stop at salvation. It includes our ongoing sanctification. God not only provided His grace in the form of His Son so that we might have life everlasting, but life more abundantly – here and now. This grace not only brings salvation, it provides instruction. It teaches us to deny ungodly ways. To "say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (NIV). But grace doesn't burden us with a list of do's and don'ts. It doesn't turn our sanctification into some kind of works-based, human-dependent attempt at godliness. No, grace shows us that it is not about us at all. It is ALL about God and His provision of everything we need to live the life He has called us to live.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. – 2 Peter 1:3

Yet many of us as Christians still struggle with living the Christian life. We just can't seem to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. We have a hard time living self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. We seem to say, "No" only to say, "Yes" the next time around. We attempt to practice self-control, only to lose control a few minutes later. So what's wrong with this picture? It is that we are failing to learn the lesson grace has to teach us. We can no more transform ourselves than we can save ourselves. Yet we try repeatedly and exhaustively to do just that. We freely accept the notion that God saved us in spite of us. He rescued and redeemed us out of sin and made us His own. But something happened. Listen to what the authors of the book, TrueFaced have to say about this situation:

But, something happened to many of us in the intervening years. We lost confidence that his delight of us and new life in us would be a strong enough impetus for a growth that would glorify God and fix our junk. So, we gradually bought the slick sales pitch that told us we would need to find something more, something others seemed to have that we could never quite get our hands around. Something magical and mystical that we would receive if we tried hard enough and proved good enough, often enough. And so we began learning to prop things up. We went back to trying to impress God and others -- back to posturing, positioning, manipulating, trying to appear better than who we were. Our two-faced life has severely stunted our growth. And broken our hearts. And left us gasping.

Wow! Isn't that where some of us find ourselves? Worn out and gasping for air. We have turned the walk of the Christian life into a laborious, energy-sapping, joy-robbing journey of disappointment. All because we have failed to learn the lessons grace has to offer. Verses 13-14 tell us that our journey toward godliness is not up to us, but it is up to the grace of God in the form of Jesus Christ.

…we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

It is Jesus who redeemed us from a life of wickedness and ungodliness. It is Jesus who purified us with His death on the cross. It is by His power that we are able to stand in the presence of God as righteous. It is because of His grace that we are able to be called children of God and fellow heirs with Him. We are a people of grace from start to finish. We are saved by grace, and able to live godly lives because of grace. In spite of an active sin nature, a powerful enemy, and a world that hates us and longs to see us fail.God's grace is sufficient. God's grace is all we need. Which takes the burden off of me.

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. – Romans 11:5-6

Father, thank You for Your grace. Without it I would still be dead in my sins. But I would also be unable to live the life You've called me to live. Thank You for making a life of godliness possible because Your grace is always available. Never let me forget that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Amen

The Heart of a Servant.

Titus 1

From Paul, a slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. – Vs 1 (NET)

Three things jump out of this first verse to me. They set the stage for what is to come in his letter to Titus.

Paul's role

He sees himself as a slave or bondservant of God. For Paul, this was obviously a privilege as he refers to himself repeatedly in this way throughout his letters. He starts off virtually every one of his letters with this description of himself. For Paul, it was a position of honor, not humiliation. And while it is difficult for us as modern Americans to understand this concept, it was not foreign to the average Jew. In fact, it was part of their heritage. According to the NET Bible study notes.:

Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were 'servants (or slaves) of the Lord.

Paul considered himself in good company when he referred to himself as God's slave or servant. He was serving the God of the universe. What greater privilege and position could one man hold? Do we see ourselves in that same light or have we reversed the roles, viewing God as our personal slave or servant? The truth is, I often see God as my personal valet, asking Him to do for me what I want to have done. I want Him to bless my decisions, fix my problems, clean up my messes, answer my requests, do my bidding, meet my needs, make my happy. Those are not the roles of the all-powerful God, but of a common, everyday servant. I have somehow gotten our roles reversed. Paul didn't suffer from that delusion.

Secondly, Paul refers to himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He was a "sent one," a messenger of Jesus Christ, with the responsibility of taking the good news of salvation through Christ to the Gentiles. He served God and represented Christ. Paul understood his role and responsibility and took it very seriously. He did not deviate from it or allow himself to be distracted from it. Yet how easily I can be detoured from my role as a messenger for Jesus Christ. I have the same message to share and the same role to play, yet I can easily forget the fact that I too have been sent into the world as Christ's ambassador. Instead of representing Him, I can fall into the delusion that I represent myself. God serves me and I represent myself. Two very common mistakes for as Christians today.

Paul's responsibilities

Grow in faith - Paul mentions his responsibilities as a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. First, he says that he is responsible to "further the faith of God's chosen ones" (NET Bible). He understood that he had a responsibility to encourage believers to grow in their faith. Not only was he to share the good news of faith in Christ, he was to see that those who received Christ, grew in Him. Their faith was to increase and grow stronger. And we see this happening from the day the church began. "So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day" (Acts 16:5). Paul praised the Thessalonian believers for their increasing faith: "We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. He told the Corinthians believers: "we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits (2 Corinthians 10:15). Seeing believers grow in their faith was a responsibility Paul took seriously.

Increase in the knowledge of the truth - Paul also knew he was responsible for helping believers grow in their knowledge of the truth. He was not content to simply share the gospel, but knew that believers would need to have a fuller understanding of God's truth to survive and thrive in a hostile environment where falsehood and the lies of the enemy would surround them. Later in chapter two of Titus, Paul says that God"desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." And God wants men to grow in their knowledge of the truth. That is the role of sanctification in the life of the believer. Paul was not content for any follower of Christ to remain as he was when saved, but expected them to grow. Peter felt the same way. "Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). In his letter to the Hebrews Paul says, "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity" (Hebrews 6:1). Increasing in knowledge of the truth, pressing on to spiritual maturity, growing in respect to salvation. This was Paul's charge and he took it seriously. Do we?

Focused on eternity - Paul's perspective was eternal, not temporal. He kept his eye on the goal: eternity and eternal life. He knew this life did not hold all there was to have. There was more and it was yet to come. Anything he did in this life was focused on the life to come. It was all motivated by a future hope. All that he did was "in hope of eternal life" (Vs 1). We increase in faith and grow in our knowledge of the truth – in hope of eternal life. That is our motivation. If we lose sight of eternity, we lose any reason for growing in our faith or increasing our knowledge of the truth. We begin to live in the here and now. We obsess about the present. The world becomes our focus instead of the world to come. Paul knew perspective was everything in the life of the believer. Without it, we flounder and fail. But how easy it is for us to take our eyes off the goal. So Paul reminds us that he had a responsibility to keep those under his care growing in faith, increasing in their knowledge of the truth and focused on the future. We have the same responsibilities to one another today.

Father, let me have the heart and mind of Paul. Give me the mind of a servant, and the understanding that my role is to help those around me increase in their faith daily, grow in their knowledge of the truth, and place their hope in the reality of eternity. Don't let me get distracted. Keep me focused on the goal and dedicated to the task at hand. Amen

Filled Up. Poured Out.

2 Timothy 4

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. – Vs 6-7

What an attitude! Here was Paul, imprisoned in Rome, facing trial and the final days of his life, yet he manages to give Timothy words of encouragement and make this incredible declaration regarding the confident completion of his life's task. Rather than whine about his circumstances or complain about his life being cut short, Paul sees his situation as an offering to God. He is being "poured out" as a sacrifice to God and pleased to do so. In fact, the offering to which he refers is the drink offering found in Leviticus 23:10-14. It was part of the First Fruits offering. The drink offering consisted of about two pints of unmixed wine, which was poured on the grain offering as a symbol of joy. Paul seems to be saying that he is joyful to have his life poured out in the service of God.

But Paul speaks not only with a sense of joy, but with a sense of accomplishment. He has accomplished the assignment given to him by the Lord on the road to Damascus. He has taken the gospel to the Gentiles. He has planted churches, encouraged believers, debated the Judaizers, established leaders, taught sound doctrine, unified Jewish and Gentile believers, and established a solid foundation for the future spread of the church. And he can say, "I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."

How about you and me? Can we say the same thing? Do we view our lives as a drink offering being poured out for God? If we knew these were our last days on earth, could we confidently say that we have fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith? Or would there still be things left undone? Would we feel regret for having set wrong priorities for our lives?

I am encouraged to follow Paul's example. To increasingly see my role here on this planet as one of unselfish service to God. I do not here to make money, seek comfort, enjoy pleasure, pursue my own agenda, or satisfy my own desires. I am a servant of the living God who He has chosen to use for His service, but too often I find myself distracted by the things of this world. I get wrapped in the affairs of everyday life. I get sidetracked by the cares and concerns that crowd in and push aside the agenda He has for me. But Paul encourages me to refocus. He reminds me that I am here for something far greater than my own self-satisfaction. God has given me a job to do. May He find me faithful to do it until Christ returns or until He calls me home.

Father, I want to finish the course well. I want to keep the faith. I want to be faithful to the task you have given me. Forgive me for getting distracted and off course. Forgive me for setting my own agenda for my life. Help me see my life as a drink offering, joyfully poured out each and every day for Your service. Show me how to die to myself and my own will, and live joyfully and faithfully within Yours. Help me to remember that "in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day." Amen

God’s Will Made Possible Through God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. – Vs 16-17

The Word of God is more than just a blueprint for living or some kind of religious self-help book. Yet that is how many of us treat it. We go to it to find helpful tips on everything from raising kids to personal finances. We pull verses out of context and twist the meaning of passages to get the answer we're looking for or a confirmation for whatever it is we've decided to do. We fail to recognize that is the revelation of God Himself. It is a multifaceted story of God's unfolding relationship with mankind. It is powerful and potentially life-changing. It is so much more than we give it credit for.

For teaching

There is no doubt that the Bible is a powerful teaching tool. But it is more than just an academic textbook or book of religious doctrines or dogma. It is a divinely inspired document that is filled with the teachings of God. It reveals who God is and His relationship with mankind. It teaches about holiness and sin, righteousness and immorality, condemnation and salvation. In its pages we are shown the truth about the meaning of life and the reality of eternity. And because it is divinely inspired, it is the only book that can miraculously teach us new insights and provide us with new wisdom each time we read it. The Holy Spirit can take a familiar passage and open our eyes to new applications that up until that moment had remained hidden from us. That is why it is an adventure to read and study it every day, because it never grows old and it's truths are never exhausted. It is the living Word of God.

For reproof

One of the reasons the Bible can be hard to read is that it can be hard on our sin. The Greek word translated in these verses as "reproof" carries the idea of exposing someone's sin in order to bring correction. And that's exactly what happens when we read the Word. It shines a light on the sin in our life in order that we see it. But it not only shows us our sin, it gives us proof of it and convicts us about it, which should lead us to confession regarding it. The light of God's Word shines into the darkest recesses of our lives to expose the hidden sins that we have grown far too comfortable with. But we can't confess what we can't see, and we can't be forgiven of what don't confess. Thank God for the exposing, convicting power of His Word.

For correction

With conviction should come correction. As we see our sin, we should want to change our relationship to that sin. Which is exactly what the Word of God helps us to do. It not only reveals our sinfulness, but shows us how to be restored to a right relationship with God. It gives us the steps we need to take in order to improve our conduct and character. God doesn't just leave us in a state of hopeless conviction and guilt, but provides a way out, a way of change and transformation. It is about all about restoration and reconciliation. Which should make us want to read it more and more.

For training in righteousness

The Greek word used here is a multifaceted one that carries the idea of training a child. It includes "the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body" (NET Bible Commentary). God's Word touches every area of our life and utilizes a range of techniques to accomplish its goal of righteousness in our lives. It encourages, commands, admonishes, corrects, rebukes, comforts, etc. It gives us just what we need right when we need it. It is personal, loving, and highly practical. And it always leads us to a life of increasing righteousness.

Adequate and equipped

God's Word has an objective: The equipping of His people for service. It is designed to prepare us and mold us into the kind of servants He can use for His work in this world. That is why the Word is so important in our lives. We can't live without it and we can't serve without it. We cannot become what He has called us to become without it. So making the Word of God a regular part of our lives should be a non-negotiable for every believer who is serious about his walk with God. It is as necessary to our faith as oxygen is to life. God speaks to us through His Word. He transforms us through His Word. He prepares us through His Word. So that we might be ready to do His will.

Father, thank You for Your Word. It is a light that shines into the dark corners of my life exposing hidden sin and allowing me to confess that sin to You so that You can forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Give me an increasing hunger for Your Word so that I might be a man of God, adequate and equipped to do Your will. Amen

Vessel For Honor.

2 Timothy 2

…he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. – Vs 21

That's my greatest desire. To be a vessel that God sets aside for His use. I want to be useful to the Master. But Paul says I must that for this to happen, I must cleanse myself of these things. What "things" is he talking about? Well, from a cursory look at the preceding verses it would appear that he has several things in mind.

No worldly entanglement

Back in verse 4, Paul warns Timothy not to entangle himself "in the affairs of everyday life." In other words, he must make following Christ his highest calling and commitment. Like a good soldier, he cannot let the normal cares of life distract him from his duty. He must remain dedicated to his task and his Commander. Yet how easy it is to allow the cares of this world to take us away from the more important task at hand. We are constantly tempted to abandon our post and become enmeshed in the seemingly more important matters of life. Paul says we are to purge or cleanse ourselves of this tendency.

Compete according to the rules

In verse 5, Paul warns Timothy to live his life according to the rules or the standards established by God. This is not about keeping the Law, but about living life by God's standards, not my own or the world's. I must make the Word and God's will my standard in all things. But the temptation for all of us is to bend the rules or to even ignore them altogether. We can think that we are somehow above God's standards or that they don't really apply to us. We cannot afford to play fast and loose with the requirements that God has placed on each of us as His servants. So we must cleanse ourselves of any desire to "play" according to our own rules.

Don't get into senseless debates over words

In verse 14, Paul warns his young disciple that it is worthless to get into meaningless debates over words. Instead, he is to accurately handle the word of truth. The phrase Paul uses, "to wrangle about words," is one word in the Greek. It is the word, logomacheo, and it means to wrangle about empty and trifling matters. How easy it is for us to get distracted from the Word of God by getting off on empty and meaningless debates, controversies, and arguments over issues that don't really matter. The enemy loves to see the people of God waste their time arguing over issues that don't really have that much to do with the Word of God. So he distracts us into debates over mindless points of obscure doctrine and dogma. In the meantime, we are failing to accurately handle the word of truth. So Paul says we are to cleanse ourselves from this kind of unprofitable activity.

Avoid worldly and empty chatter

Paul really hits a nerve in verse 16. This is an area in which most of us struggle, because we are surrounded by it. From the news to the entertainment media, we are bombarded with worldly talk. The Greek word Paul uses is bebelos and it means "profane, unhallowed, or common." It is the talk of this world. It is vain, empty, meaningless, and highly distracting because it fills our ears and keeps us from hearing what God wants us to hear. But the dangerous part is that it distracts us by entertaining us. It appears harmless and fun, but while subtly taking our minds off the things of God. Paul refers to it as "empty chatter." He uses the Greek word kenophonia which means "discussion of vain and useless matters." So instead of discussing those things that lead to godliness, we waste our time discussing everything from American Idol to the stock market. We talk about our bracket for March Madness and our favorite TV show. We discuss our vacation plans or our latest purchase. But the empty chatter Paul is referring to can also include "religious" talk that is not based on a sound Biblical foundation, but is the result of the vain speculation of men. Paul says we are to cleanse ourselves of this kind of talk.

Abstain from wickedness

Finally, Paul tells Timothy to literally "flee" or "run away from" wickedness. That word wickedness means "unrighteousness of heart and life." We are to make every effort to avoid and turn away from anything that would cause our hearts and lives to become unrighteousness. It doesn't mean to stop being wicked, but to distance yourself from those things that lead to a life and a lifestyle of unrighteousness. And what makes this one particularly hard is that we are literally surrounded by these kinds of things. They are all around us. They come into our homes through the TV, Internet, and magazines. Our children are exposed to them through their peers, movies, and music. But Paul says we are to cleanse ourselves of these kinds of things. Why?

Because when we do, we will be vessels for honor. The kind of vessels that God sets apart for His purposes. He will use us to accomplish His will in our world. He will pour Himself into us and out of us in order to impact this world with His message of hope and life transformation. He will make us useful, instead of useless. He will make us vessels for honor, instead of dishonor. He will set us apart, make us holy, so that we might be used in His eternal plan to redeem a lost world to Himself. Now that's the way I want to spend my life.

Father, show me what I need to do to cleanse myself from the impact and influence of the world. I want to be a vessel for honor. I want to be used by You. But I know that I have been influenced by this world and have allowed to become entangled by the things of this world. I spend too much time worrying about things that don't matter, discussing things that are unimportant, pursuing things that can't deliver. Cleanse me. Make me useful. Use me. Amen.

Limitless Power.

2 Timothy 1

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control – Vs 7 (ESV)

Here is the great apostle Paul writing to his son in the faith, Timothy. He refers to him as "my beloved child" (Vs 1). And in the first chapter of this letter Paul encourages his young disciple, telling him to "fan into flame the gift of God" (Vs 6 ) and to "not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord" (Vs 8). Paul is in prison in Rome, awaiting trial and anticipating his ultimate death. Yet in spite of his less-than-perfect circumstances, Paul is calling young Timothy to a life of perseverance for the gospel even in the face of suffering.

No Fear

Paul tells Timothy that fear is not an option for a faithful servant of God. The word he uses for fear is deilia in the Greek. It refers to one who flees from battle, who is a coward or deserter.  It's the picture of a soldier who abandons his post, letting his fear get the best of him. Not exactly how a follower of Christ should be characterized. But Paul knew that this would be a temptation for Timothy, just like it is for all of us. So he reminds Timothy that he has within him the Holy Spirit of God, and as a result, he has access to inexhaustable power, love, and self-control. Left to our own devices, we will always run in the face of trials and suffering. We will fear and flee. But God has equipped us with a new source of power. The Greek word for power is dumanis and it means "strength power, ability." It is where we get our word for dynamite. We have an incredible power available to us that is beyond anything we can produce. It is divine power. So there is no reason for us to fear and flee.

Love

But we also have love at our disposal. Not the kind of love the world obsesses with, but agape love. Selfless, sacrificial, lay-it-all-on-the-line love that doesn't expect anything in return. It's the kind of love we can't produce in our own strength, but that can only come from the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

Self-control

Finally, Paul tells Timothy that the Holy Spirit makes available a new source for self-control and self-discipline. The Greek word he uses is sophronismos and it means "an admonishing or calling to soundness of mind, to moderation and self-control." It is the ability to process your circumstances objectively, seeing them from God's perspective instead of your own limited point of view. And as a result, you do the right thing. Instead of fleeing, your practice self-control and remain right where you are, ready to watch God work in your, around you, and through you. Instead of panicking, you pause and reflect on just how great your God is. Instead of running, you rest in the knowledge that your God is bigger than your biggest problem.

Like Timothy, you and I have been given a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. So we can stand firm against the greatest of odds. We can show love even to those who hate us. We can practice self-control and moderation even when we feel tempted tosatisfy our own selfish desires. The Christian walk is not an easy one. And no one knew that better than Paul. He knew what Timothy was going to be facing in the days ahead. So he gently, but firmly reminded him to never forget the incredible resource that was within him. And that's a message we all need to hear.

Father, think You for placing Your Spirit within me. Thank you for providing everything I need to live the life You've called me to live. Help me to remember that I have within me an inexhaustable sourceof power,  love and self-control. So there is not reason for me to fear, flee, faint, or falter in my walk with You. Keep me dependent on You every day of my life. Amen

The Great Gain of Godliness.

1 Timothy 6

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. – Vs 6

Godliness and contentment. The two go hand in hand. They are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other. That seems to be Paul's message to Timothy in this chapter. There were those in the church in Ephesus where Timothy was ministering who "supposed that godliness is a means of gain" (Vs 5). These individuals were "men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth." They were pursuing godliness for what they could get out of it, and most likely it was financial gain they were seeking. They were "those who want to get rich" (Vs 9) and whose lives were characterized by a "love of money" (Vs 10). But Paul tells Timothy that they were missing something in their pursuit of godliness: CONTENTMENT.

They had their priorities out of whack. They were seeking from a life of godliness what it was never intended to deliver – financial gain. But Paul stresses that there really is great gain from a life of seeking God, but it is must be accompanied with contentment. It will involve faith, not financial gain. There will be a realization that the things of this world are of no value when put up against the value of having a relationship with God. This is a common theme for Paul and one he expresses quite well in his letter to the Philippian church:

I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. – Philippians 3:7-8 (NLT)

Paul was willing to give up everything and anything in order to make knowing Christ his highest priority. He was content with having food and covering, if he could have Christ. For him, it was better to run from the love of money and the things of this world than to risk having his faith compromised and his priorities skewed. He tells Timothy to do the same thing:

But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. – Vs 11

He tells Timothy, and us to:

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. – Vs 12

For Paul, this was serious business. Anything that distracts us from our pursuit of godliness – an intimate relationship of dependence on God – should be run away from like a dangerous predator. Anything that we seek other than God, in an effort to find contentment, should be seen as what it is – a dangerous diversion from the truth. And in our world today we are surrounded by all kinds of diversions. They distract and detour us off the path of godliness. They tempt us with offers of false contentment. They assure us that they can meet our needs and bring us fulfillment. These diversions take the form of financial gain, personal comfort, materialism, entertainment, power, prominence, and any other thing that we tend to fix our hope (Vs 17). Instead, we are to fix our hope on God, "who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy" (Vs 17).

Contentment. Do you have it? Are you enjoying it? It goes hand in hand with a life of godliness. They are inseparable. You can't have one without the other. Is it enough for you to have God? Are you willing to let go of everything else, even run from it, in order to gain Christ? There is nothing inherently evil in money and things, but they can be dangerous to a serious-minded believer. They can become distractions and diversions that keep us from finding our contentment in a life of godliness. So, "flee from these things, you man (or woman) of God" (Vs 11).

Father, give me the strength to run away from the love of money and the temptation to find my contentment in anything other than You. Open my eyes so that I can see the truth behind the lies that surround me and bombard me daily. Don't let me buy into their offers of satisfaction and fulfillment apart from You. Don't let me become distracted by the things of this world. Help me pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness" and to find my walk with you accompanied by contentment. Amen

Visible Godliness.

1 Timothy 5

…deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed – Vs 25

In this chapter, Paul starts dealing with some very specific issues and groups within the church. He talks about neglected widows and neglectful husbands. He discusses the compensation for worthy elders and even the medicinal use of wine for Timothy's ongoing stomach problems. But the verse that jumped out the most to me was the very last one in this chapter. He simple says, "…deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed." The Message puts it this way:

The same with good deeds. Some you see right off, but none are hidden forever.

Paul has been dealing with a lot of relationship issues. Remember, chapter three talked about our conduct in the household of God. Chapter four talked about exercising spiritual discipline. Now he is getting into specifics of what conduct or behavior in the household of God should look like. He gets very practical and specific. But the bottom line is that our good deeds, like our sins, are very visible. They are right out there for others to see. When we do what is right, when we exercise godliness, when we do good deeds, others can see them. They are hard to hide. But our "bad" deeds, while hidden for a while, will also come to light. They'll show up sooner or later. Just as our sins cannot stay hidden for long.

This is still all about conduct within the church. It is about relationships within the body. Paul is encouraging young Timothy and us to be discipline ourselves to live lives that exhibit good deeds. Not for any accolades or applause we may receive, but because they are profitable for us as individual believers and for the family of God. Do them and they will be readily visible to all around. Fail to do them or do deeds that are selfish and self-centered, and they will become evident as well. But they will not be profitable for anything.

As we discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness, our deeds will become evident. Our godliness will become visible through our actions. Our heart transformation will influence our behavior toward one another. And the world will see.

Father, help me to be a man whose good deeds come from my pursuit of godliness. Let them be the by-product of a disciplined pursuit of You and Your Word. I want my actions to be the reaction of a relationship with You, not based on some self-effort that I try to manufacture in a lame attempt to look spiritual. I want what I do to be an outcome of who I am becoming in You, of who I already am in You. A son of God, a righteous priest in the household of God. Amen

CROSS-Fit.

1 Timothy 4

…discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness… – Vs 7

We are a hard-working society. Most people put in more hours per week on their jobs than any other generation before them. We even work hard at our leisure and recreation. Not content to have one hobby or fitness passion, many of us pursue a wide assortment of exercise options, putting in countless hours at the gym or working out at home. We bike, run, lift weights, do aerobics, Pilates, Yoga, and a range of other popular fitness fads. None of which are bad. But how many of us put the same level of energy and effort we put into work and recreation into our spiritual development?

Paul had to have been an exercise nut, because he refers to the topic quite a bit in his letters. Or it could be that he was writing within the context of a culture heavily influenced by Greek thought, that was obsessed with the human body. Exercise was a huge deal in his day. A well-formed, fit human body was considered a thing of beauty. And it was worth working for. So Paul took that same mentality and applied it to his reader's pursuit of godliness. He says, "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (Vs 7). The word there for "discipline" is the Greek word gymnazo, which literally means, "to exercise vigorously, in any way, either the body or the mind." It's the same Greek word from which we get our words gym and gymnasium. It was a popular word with the apostle Paul.

Godliness is profitable for all things

Paul tells Timothy, and us, to discipline himself for godliness. He is to exercise vigorously both his body and his mind so that he might become increasingly more godly. Why? Because godliness is profitable. It is advantageous. Not just for the life to come (heaven), but for the present life. So it is worth laboring and striving for (Vs 10). It should become a high priority in our lives because it gives us an advantage in this life. Godliness is what allows us to navigate the rough seas and storms of this life. It is what gives us the stamina to take the next step, when we think we can't go on. It is what provides us with the energy we need when we are feeling tired and ready to give up. Godliness is not just about more Scripture knowledge and religious platitudes. It is the key to survival in a very inhospitable place.

So if it is so important, why don't more of us as believers spend more time disciplining ourselves in the pursuit of godliness? Because the world is screaming at us that it is NOT important. It is a waste of time. There are more pressing things to be concerned with. Like working more hours so you can make more money. Or increasing your weekly mileage so you can run a faster 5K. Or getting in better shape so you can look better in your bathing suit this summer. There's nothing inherently wrong with any of those things, but when they become more important than our own spiritual growth, we have lost perspective. We have gotten our priorities mixed up. Paul says bodily exercise is only of little profit. It may make you look better, allow you to live a little longer, give you a bit more stamina, and improve your self-esteem, but time spent pursuing godliness has both short- and long-term implications. It is profitable and advantageous. It has lasting results that won't diminish with age or time.

Father, forgive me for not spending more time exercising spiritually and for allowing myself to get out of spiritual shape. It leaves me spiritually lethargic and lacking in the energy I need to live the life you've called me to live. I get tired too easily. I run out of spiritual breath too quickly. I find myself lacking the stamina I need to run the race to win. Help me see spiritual exercise and the pursuit of godliness as a non-negotiable in my life. May I make it a priority each and every day of my life. Because it holds promise for this life and also for the life to come! Amen

Living Out What's Inside.

1 Timothy 3

…so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. – Vs 15

If you spend any time reading and studying the writings of Paul, you quickly discover that he was extremely passionate about the conduct or behavior of believers. It is a popular topic in all his letters. Partly because the church was young and the converts to this new faith called The Way were bringing a mixed bag of religious beliefs and pagan influences along with them. There was no written code of conduct. They didn't know how followers of Christ were supposed to act. You had Jewish converts attempting to bring the requirements of the Law and mix them with their new-found freedom in Christ. You had Gentile converts trying to blend their pagan practices with the teachings of Christ and the apostles. So it was a confusing and potentially dangerous time for this fledgling band of brothers and sisters known as Christians or Christ followers.

The household God

Paul went out of his way to emphasize to his readers that they were members of a new household. This was God's family. They had entered into a new relationship with God that was communal and not just individual. They were part of a family of faith that was going to rely on interaction and interpersonal relationships. It wasn't just "you and God" anymore, but it was going to be about you as a member of the family of God. Like any family, how all the members get along is what will determine the health of the family. If everyone simply looks out for their own self-interests, you will ultimately have conflict. So interpersonal relationships and behavior are critical in the family of God.

The church of the living God

This new family is the church of the living God. It is HIS church, not ours. We represent Him on this earth. He started the church and He placed it on the earth so that it might reflect who He is. In the earliest days of the church, recorded in the book of Acts, we see that there was a sense of oneness, openness, community, and care that made the church attractive and vibrant. The love they had for one another was contagious. The community they shared with one another was infectious. They were the church of the living God and as a result, they drew people to God in mass, and so the church grew rapidly.

The pillar and support of the truth

But along with being a place of community and a representation of God on this planet, the church is to be the "pillar and support of the truth." We are to hold fast to the truth of God as found in His Word. We are to teach it, preach it, believe it, and live it daily. When the church fails to do so, the foundations begin to quickly crumble. We can see this happening in our own nation as churches and denominations abandon their responsibility to uphold and support the truth of God. They bend the truth or simply manufacture their own version of the truth. The result is chaos and confusion. The community loses its moral compass. The nation begins to do what is right in its own eyes instead of what is right in the sight of God. The church is to stand as a beacon of light in a dark world. The church is to lift up God's Word and model the power of its truth through godly behavior and loving relationships. We are to prove that His truth is true and that His ways work.

Live like you believe it

The world needs to see the church living out what it says it believes. We need men and women of godly character modeling the Christ-life for all to see. We are not perfect, but we do have a power present within us that allows us to live lives that are truly transformed. As elders who lead with integrity. As deacons who serve with dignity. As men and women who exhibit purity. As families that model Christ-like unity. As parents who know how to lead patiently and lovingly. As members of the church of God who support the truth faithfully.

Father, may I see myself increasingly more clearly as a member of this magnificent organism called the church of God. Help me to die to my self-centeredness and selfishness and see myself as part of a living, breathing community of faith. Together may we be all that You have called us to be. May we support and hold up the truth of your word as we live it out daily in every area of our lives. Amen