Costly Grace.

Ephesians 2

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Gd's household. - Vs 19

Earlier in this chapter, Paul describes the believer's condition prior to coming to Christ. He uses some pretty strong language: Separate. Excluded. Strangers. Having no hope. Without God in the world. Far off. He says we used to live "in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of our mind, and were by nature children of wrath" (Vs 3). We were "dead in our transgressions" (Vs 5). We "walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air" (Vs 2). He uses some pretty bleak language, and for a reason. Because unless we understand the bad news, we will never fully understand or appreciate the Good News.

Sometimes it's hard for us to embrace the truth about who we were without Christ. But the point is, because we were without Christ, we were without God. Paul refers to us as "children of wrath." That's a semitic idiom that means we were destined for wrath. One translation renders it this way: "…the punishment of God was waiting for us even as for the rest" (BBE). In other words, we were deserving of God's judgment and wrath. Our Godless condition doomed us to a Godless eternity. And we could do nothing about it. No amount of good works, righteous efforts, rule-keeping, law-abiding, or self-effort could alter our standing before God.

But then something happened. God made us alive together with Christ! (Vs 5). Even when we were as good as dead, incapable of doing anything to save ourselves, God stepped in. Why? Because He was rich in mercy. He was literally abounding, overflowing in love toward us. Mercy is "kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted." Mercy isn't just some kind of sympathy that looks on in sadness at the state of another, but it takes action. It does something. And that's exactly what happened. God did something about our condition. He "raised us up" and "seated us" in the "heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Vs 6). He saved us. And He did it out of His grace. Charles Ryrie defines grace this way:

First, grace is unmerited favor. As a concise definition of grace, this serves well. More elaborate definitions have their place; but simply stated, grace is unmerited favor. It is undeserved on the part of the recipient. It is unearned and unearnable.

God showed me unmerited favor or kindness. The important word here is unmerited. What God did for me was totally unearned and undeserved. Paul stresses this when he says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, is the gift of God" (Vs 8). Even our faith, our ability to believe, was a gift from God. Why is this so important? Because if not, we would have reason to boast. We could say we somehow earned or deserved what we received. And that would devalue the price that Jesus Christ paid on the cross. If we could have saved ourselves, there would have been no reason for Jesus to die on our behalf. Charles Ryrie continues his definition of grace:

Second, grace is not cheap. Grace is expensive. It is free to the recipient but costly to the donor. The only way one may say that grace is not very costly is if the particular benefit costs the donor very little. But to use the word cheap in the same breath with the grace of God in salvation seems almost blasphemous. It cost our Lord Jesus His life. Some may insult grace, reject it, trample on it, or disgrace it, but that does not lower its infinite value."

God has shown me grace! And it cost Him dearly. Because of His grace, I have been "brought near by the blood of Christ" (Vs 13). I am no longer an alien or a stranger, but a fellow citizen with the saints, and am of God's household. Now that's amazing grace!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

freely bestowed on all who believe!

You who are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace receive'

Grace Greater Than Our Sin, by Julia H. Johnston and Daniel B. Towner, 1910, 1938

Father, than You for Your amazing grace. I don't fully understand it. I will probably never fully comprehend it. But I stand in it. Thank You for not leaving it up to me. Because I would still be without hope and without You. But because of Your mercy and grace, I am Your child. Thank You. Amen

Getting To Know God.

Ephesians 1

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. - Vs 16-17

I love the prayers of Paul. He didn't pray like I pray. He never seemed to pray for circumstantial change in the lives of those for whom he prayed. In other words, he didn't pray that the contract would go through on that new house, or that Eutycus would get relief from his lower back pain, or that Aristarchus would get the raise he was hoping for. Now I'm sure Paul did pray for these kinds of things, but we don't seem to have them recorded in any of his letters. His prayers were different. They have a certain intensity about them. They were deeply spiritual, yet highly practical. Paul seemed to pray "power prayers." He went to the core issues. He didn't waste time on circumstantial issues, but went right to the heart of the problem. Take a look at this prayer again:

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

He is asking God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding so that their knowledge of Himself might increase. He wants them to grow in their knowledge and understanding of God. Why? Because the more we understand God, the more we understand His power, His love, His mercy, His grace, His plan, and the unbelievable privilege it is to be considered His child.

Paul explains in his prayer just how we might come to this knowledge and understanding. By having the eyes of our hearts enlightened (Vs 18). Deep inside, we need to have certain things clarified and brought to light. We need to know the hope of His calling. We need to understand the unshakable, future reality of our eternal salvation. It is real. It is the reason for which we have been called. We need to understand the riches of His inheritance. Here, Paul seems to be praying that we would understand that WE, as saints or set-apart ones, are the riches of His inheritance. It is the people of God who make up the inheritance of God. The kingdom of God is not a place, it is a people. We are His possession.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

We are His. We are part of His incredibly vast, rich inheritance of saints through the ages. And we need to understand that. We are not alone. We are not individual saints, but are part of a massive kingdom, a holy nation, a people chosen by God Himself!

Finally, Paul prays that we would "begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him" (Vs 19). The more we come to know and understand God, the more we will comprehend just how powerful He is. His power raised Jesus from the dead. That same power is available to us as believers. Not to get what we want or to have God do our bidding. But that power is available to transform us into the likeness of His Son. That power is available to us so that we might live the life He has called us to live.

So how well do you know God today? I have to confess that my knowledge of God is probably far too academic. It is book knowledge. I know what the Bible says about God, but Paul is praying that I would know God – personally and experientially. There's a big difference. So what if we prayed this way for one another? What if we prayed for spiritual wisdom and understanding so that we might each grow in our knowledge of God? It was pretty important to Paul. Maybe we should give it a try.

Father, I ask that you would help every one of us as your children to grow in our knowledge of You by increasing our spiritual wisdom and understanding. I know You can accomplish that through Your Word and Your indwelling Holy Spirit. Give us an increasing hunger for Your Word and a willingness to obey Your Spirit. So that our knowledge of You might increase daily. Open our eyes so that we will truly understand that Your inheritance is made up of all the saints, past, present, and future. Help us to see their value just like You do. Help us to comprehend the immensity of Your power that is available to us every day of our lives – and to live like we believe it. Amen

 

Truly Wise.

Colossians 4

Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone. - Vs 5-6

In chapter 3, Paul urged us to "keep seeking the things above" and to "set your mind on the things above." Now as further proof that Paul is not encouraging some kind of heavenly-minded disengagement from the world, he tells us to watch our walk and our talk among the unbelievers with whom we live. So we are to keep seeking the things above, but to conduct ourselves wisely when it comes to our interaction with the lost here on earth. The kind of wisdom Paul is talking about is a heavenly wisdom. It comes from above. And we discover it by seeking the things above. Solomon said it this way:

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. – Proverbs 2:6

So the kind of wisdom we need to live our lives alongside an unbelieving generation comes from God Himself. Earlier in chapter 2 of Colossians, Paul had told them that he wanted them to "have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God’s secret plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:2-3). So the more we know Christ, the more access we have to the treasures of wisdom and knowledge we need.

Over in the book of James, we read about earthly wisdom versus heavenly wisdom. James flatly states that earthly wisdom is demonic. It's characterized by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. But heavenly wisdom looks differently. James says, "If you are wise and understand God’s ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise!" (James 3:13). According to James, the wisdom that comes from above is "first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere" (James 3:17).

So how are we to conduct ourselves among the lost? With wisdom. And what is the source of that wisdom? Jesus Christ Himself. How do we access it? By seeking the things above. By spending time in the Word. By getting to know more of Christ, so we can respond like Christ. Why is this so important? So that, as the New American Standard Bible translates verse 5 of Colossians 4, we will be able to make the most of the opportunity. So we will know how to respond to each person. To be able to give them the right answer, seasoned with grace. Grace is "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm; loveliness: grace of speech; good will, loving-kindness, favour." That kind of response is NOT of this world. It is not natural. It is not normal. It is from above. And it only comes when we make the things above our highest priority.

Jesus told us that the world would hate us just as it hated Him. We are aliens and strangers here. This is not our home anymore. We are citizens of a new kingdom. But we still have to live here and God expects us to live as ambassadors of His kingdom. We are to be His representatives here on earth, extending His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness to all those we meet. We are to love the unlovely, share the good news of the gospel with the condemned, share the forgiveness of God with sinners, and exhibit the wisdom of God among a people who desperately need a word from God.

Father, I want to live my life here on earth with wisdom. Your wisdom. I know I can only find that wisdom in Your Son and I get to know Him better through Your Word. Help me to keep my attention focused on Him. Help me to remember that He sits at Your right hand in heaven. That is where my focus and attention needs to be. So that I can respond to each person I meet here on earth with a right answer, seasoned with grace and filled with love. Amen

 

Things Above.

Colossians 3

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth. - Vs 2

You've probably heard the phrase, "He's so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good." It is commonly used when referring to someone who talks a lot about spiritual things, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference in the way they live their lives. That's NOT what Paul is recommending here when he says, "Set your mind on the things above." I think he's talking about perspective and motivation. Because the rest of this chapter don't paint a picture of someone who's so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good. In fact, Paul goes on to tell the Colossians (and us) a whole list of earth-oriented actions to engage in. He tells them to…

…put aside (strip off) the old self with its evil practices (Vs 10)

…put on the new self (Vs 10)

…separate yourself from the deeds of the old nature (Vs 5)

…get rid of anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, lying (Vs 8-9)

…put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience (Vs 12)

…bear with one another and forgive one another (Vs 13)

…put on love (Vs 14)

…let the peace of God rule in your hearts (Vs 15)

…let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise (Vs 16)

…do all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Vs 17)

Now that sounds like someone who is living a life that is doing some earthly good. But it begins with that change in perspective and motivation Paul mentioned in verse 2. I love how The Message interprets that verse.

Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ--that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Because we live on the earth, we can become obsessed with the things of this earth. If anything, we can become so earthly-oriented that we lose our heavenly perspective. As believers, the "chosen of God " (Vs 12), we are what Paul refers to as holy. We are separated from all that is unclean and set apart to God. We belong to Him. We are citizens of a new kingdom – His. So we are to think like citizens of that kingdom. We are to be heavenly-minded. We are to see things from God's perspective and to not forget that we live by a new set of standards and answer to a new King. Paul reminds us that we "have been raised up with Christ," so we should "keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (Vs 1). Again, I think The Message gives us some good insight into what this verse means:

So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, [act] like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides.

Another translation puts it this way, "If then you have a new life with Christ, give your attention to the things of heaven" (BBE). This is all about our new life in Christ. That's why Paul spends so much time talking about putting on and taking off. We are to remember that we are new creatures with a new nature. But because we live in a fallen world and still have our old sin nature to deal with, we have to go through the daily practice of putting on the new characteristics of who we are in Christ and remove the old habits and characteristics of our old nature. Charles Ryrie puts it this way, "become in experience what you already are by God's grace. The Christian is risen in with Christ; let him exhibit that new life."

This is practical stuff. This is here-and-now stuff. It will impact the way we live our lives. It will filter into our homes and relationships. It will change our attitudes toward work. It will change our speech and our conduct. In fact, Paul says, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Vs 17). When we set our mind on the things above, it will change how we live here below. Keeping our thoughts on heaven just means we are thinking about our real home. It means we are reminding ourselves of where the real authority in our lives is. When we hear all the bad news on the evening news, we are to think about Christ sitting on His throne. He's in control. When we feel tempted to get angry and act out of frustration because of something done to us, we are to think about heaven, and remember that we are children of God who have been offered forgiveness for our sin. Which should make us want to extend the same grace to others here on earth.

Bottom line: we are to live like who we are – the chosen of God. Citizens of heaven. But to do that, we have to let heaven be our motivation. We have to change our perspective from an earthly one to a heavenly one. We have to set our minds on the things above.

Father, give me a heavenly perspective. Let me see this world from Your vantage point. Give me heavenly eyes that see myself as who I am in Christ. Help me to see the world with new eyes, a new perspective – Yours. May my motivation for all that I do come from heaven, not this earth. Amen

Growing In Knowledge.

Colossians 2

I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God’s secret plan, which is Christ himself. - Vs 2

Knowing Christ is more than just a saving knowledge. It is more than just a belief that gets us forgiveness of sins and entrance into the Father's kingdom. Knowing Christ offers us so much more. Here, Paul says that it can bring us a sense of confidence. It is "the full wealth of the certain knowledge of the secret of God, even Christ" (BBE). That "full wealth" includes "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Vs 3). We are to aspire to a "complete understanding" of God's secret plan – Jesus Christ Himself. We are not to settle for a partial understanding, a mere passing acquaintance. We are to grow in our knowledge of Christ.

Paul supports this when he refers to the Colossians as being "firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith" (Vs 7). They were firmly rooted. That word means "to strengthen with roots, to render firm, to fix, establish, cause a person or a thing to be thoroughly grounded." They had a good foundation. But they didn't stop there. They were being built up in Him. This is a construction term. It means they were building on the foundation which had been laid. They had sunk roots and were now growing and prospering in their knowledge of Christ. Finally, Paul says they were being established in their faith. They were gaining stability in their faith. The word translated "established" means "to make firm, establish, confirm, make sure."

Knowing Christ is not a one-time event, but a lifelong process. We are to grow in our knowledge of Him. We are to grow in our intimacy with Him. We are to grow in our dependence on Him. We are to grow in our commitment to Him. Why? Paul tells us in a few short, but very important phrases:

…in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Vs 9)

…in Him you have been made complete (Vs 10)

…in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision without hands (Vs 11)

…you have been buried with Him in baptism (Vs 12)

…you were also raised with Him through faith (Vs 12)

…He made you alive together with Him having forgiven us all our transgressions (Vs 13)

These are just a few of the things we are to know about Christ. He is our Savior, but do we know just how much He has done for us. He is the God of the universe, yet He took on human flesh just so He could pay a debt I could not pay. He took that debt and nailed it to the cross (Vs 14). He has forgiven all my sins – past, present, and future. He has removed the body of flesh from me so that I don't have to obey it anymore. He has done so much for me. And there is more that I still don't know yet, but He is waiting to reveal to me. Do you know Him? Are your firmly rooted in Him? Are you being built up in Him? And are you being established in your faith because of Him?

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. (Vs 6).

Father, thank You for Your Son. Help me to grow in my knowledge of Him. That my roots may grow deeper, and I might be built up and established in my faith because I am increasing in my knowledge of and intimacy with Him.  Amen

Hope Of Glory.

Colossians 1

Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Vs 27

This is the gospel in a nutshell. Christ in me! Living in me. Transforming me. Empowering me. Redeeming me. Sanctifying me. And ultimately, glorifying me. In the New Living Translation verse 27 reads this way, "For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory." Because Christ lives in me, I can rest assured that I will live with Him for eternity. But His presence in me is more than just a ticket to heaven, my hope of an eternity free from hell. It is my hope for a life of radical transformation here and now. Christ in me is the secret to God transforming me. Paul says that "although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach" (Vs 21-22). His death has put us back in a right relationship with God the Father. He has restored our fellowship with God, which had been shattered because of our sin. But now God sees us as holy and blameless and beyond reproach, because He sees us through the blood of Christ. We have been washed clean. We are what the theologians call positionally holy. But Christ in me also makes it possible for me to be made progressively holy. That is why Paul told the Colossians that he and Timothy had "continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need" (Vs 9-11).

Paul prayed for and expected life change in the Colossians because Christ was in them. He expected to see their lives characterized by moral discernment, an increasing Christ-likeness, fruitfulness, and power. Ultimately, Paul knew the secret to their changed behavior was the change that had already taken place within them: Christ was in them. He had taken up residence in them. Any change that was going to take place would be by His power, not theirs. That is why Paul so fervently proclaimed Christ, because he knew that Christ in us is the secret to changing us. So Paul exclaims, "We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ" (Vs 28). To be mature in Christ is to be like Christ. It is to allow the Christ in us to come out of us. It is to increasingly allow His character to become our character. Paul's goal was to "bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less" (The Message).

Father, I want to be like Christ. No more, no less. I want the Christ in me to flow out of me. I want others to see Christ in me. May my old self continue to die and my new self in Christ become increasingly more visible to all those around me. And may I increasingly understand that Christ in me is truly my hope of glory now and in the future. Amen

All, Not Some.

Philippians 4

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. - Vs 13

That's the secret. Paul has learned the mystery to contentment and he shares is with us right here. He has discovered the hidden key to a life of contentment, regardless of the circumstance he finds himself in. And he is writing this while sitting in a prison cell!

In verse 12, Paul shares what this life of contentment looks like: "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." (NLT). He lists three sets of polar opposite circumstances: Poverty vs abundance. Hunger vs fullness. Plenty vs want.  These are extreme opposites that reveal what Paul means when he says he has learned to be content. The word translated "content" means sufficient for one's self, strong enough; independent of external circumstances. Paul has learned to be self-sufficient, independent of external circumstances. In other words, he has learned not to have to depend on circumstances to bring him joy, peace, and true contentment. But while he has learned to live independent of his circumstances, he has also learned live dependent on God. That's the secret. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." The Message says it this way: "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."

Paul's secret was God's strength. It was his dependent relationship on a dependable God. That's why Paul could sit in a prison cell and write about contentment and really mean it. His joy was not based on his freedom or lack of it. His contentment was not based on things turning out the way he wanted them to. He was willing to trust God and "be anxious for nothing" (Vs 5). He was willing to prayerfully trust God with his circumstances and enjoy "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension" (Vs 7). He was willing to keep his mind focused on those things that were "true and honorable and right," "pure and lovely and admirable," and"excellent and worthy of praise" (Vs 8). Poverty is no more true and honorable and right than plenty. Instead of focusing on our circumstances, we should focus on those things that really matter for eternity. The faithfulness of God, the promises of Scripture, the reality of Christ's resurrection and coming return, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, the power available to us because of His presence, the unfailing, unchanging love of God. That's what we should learn to think about. Not our circumstances. Because as we all are seeing happen all around us today, circumstances can change. One day we can be on top of the world, and the next, at the bottom. We can go from plenty to poverty in a flash. We can lose our popularity, our health, our wealth, our position,our power, but we never run low on the enabling power of God. Now that's something to think about.

Father, help me to truly believe that I can do ALL things because You provide the strength I need. I don't have to live according to my circumstances. But the truth is, I do allow my circumstances to control me. I pray for my circumstances to change, instead of asking You to change me in the midst of my circumstances. I view my circumstances as obstacles rather than opportunities to see You work in me. Give me a new perspective. Help me to learn the secret that Paul learned. That I might learn to be content in whatever circumstance I am. Amen

An Unpleasant, Destructive End.

Philippians 3

…they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is their destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. - Vs 18-19

Paul has just invited his readers to "join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us" (Vs 17). Now he warns them about a pattern or example NOT to follow. The example being set by those who are enemies of the cross of Christ. In other words, they refuse to accept the cross of Christ and the gift of salvation that it makes available. Instead, they have chosen to "walk" or live their lives pursuing a different agenda. They have chosen to worship another god. The NET Bible describes them this way:

Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.

We live in a world that hates the cross of Christ. Because the cross requires us to admit our sin and acknowledge our shame. It demands that we confess our open rebellion against God and admit our need for a Savior. We must give up our independence and come to God in complete dependence. For many, that's just too much to ask. So they reject the cross of Christ and remain His enemies. And their lives are marked by the worship of their own appetites – physical, sensual, emotional, and psychological. The NIV says, "their god is their stomach." They are driven by sensual desires. They live to meet those desires and are completely controlled by them. Whether it's the desire for food, drink, satisfaction, success, or sex. These people actually glory in their own shame. They exult in their own shame. They find worth in what should embarrass them. They brag about what should humiliate them. They find their sense of self-worth in the very things that should bring them shame. Their world is turned upside down.

These people set their minds on earthly things. The New Living Translation says it this way: "all they think about is this life here on earth." These people are dominated by what Paul Tripp calls "earth-bound treasures." They were obsessed with the things of this world, instead of the next. Because this world is all they have. Paul reminds us that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Vs 20). We are not of this world. He told the Colossian believers, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2). Jesus said that, as believers, we were to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). But the people Paul is warning the Philippians believers about are seeking their own selfish kingdom of one and their own warped brand of righteousness. God is nowhere in the picture. And their future is one of destruction, not blessing.

So what's the point? Why does Paul take the time to even discuss these people? Because even as believers, it is easy for us to fall into their way of living and thinking. We can allow our appetites to control us to the point that we virtually worship them. One definition of worship is "adoring reverence or regard." So when we give our physical desires and cravings adoring reverence or regard by giving into their every wish, we are worshiping our appetites. We are allowing them to control us. It's the I've-got-to-have-it-and-I've-got-to-have-it-NOW syndrom. We begin to believe that fulfilling our desires is what will bring us true satisfaction. One more bite, one more purchase, one more indiscretion, one more flirtatious look, one more look at that image on the Internet. We begin to expect our sensual desires and appetites to meet our needs rather than God. That is misplaced worship and Paul warns us to stay away from it.

We can easily end up finding glory or value in the very things that should shame us. We find our sense of worth in our abundance and live selfishly while those around us suffer in want. We become prideful and even obsessed about the kind of physical shape we're in, while neglecting the health ofour spiritual lives. We laugh and joke about movies and TV programs that once would have been considered shameful. And slowly, we begin to set our minds on the things of this earth. We begin to forget that we are citizens of heaven. We neglect to remember, as the old hymn says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." We stop eagerly waiting for the return of Christ and remembering that He is in the process of transforming us into His likeness. A job He will finish one day.

Father, I don't want to live like those whose end is destruction. I don't want to spend my life following their example. But it is so easy to do because they are all around me. Keep me focused on You and Your kingdom. Don't allow me to give in to my sensual appetites, the desires of the flesh. But let me learn to listen to You. Let me find my glory or sense of worth in serving You, not in doing things that should embarrass me. And help me set my sights on things above, not on the things of this earth. I want to live like a citizen of heaven, with my hopes and desires focused on the reality of Your Son's return. Amen

Have This Mind.

Philippians 2

Do nothing from selfishness of empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. - Vs 3-4

Maybe it's an ego problem, but I keep wanting to read Paul's letters as if they were written to me alone. Like he was my best friend writing to encourage me while I was away at camp. So I tend to read them from a self-centered perspective and forget the fact that he was writing to a group of people who were probably hearing his letter read out loud to them as they met together for fellowship. If I read chapter two with that group context in mind, it changes the message for me. It reminds me of Paul's obsession with living out the power of the gospel in the context of community.

In verse 2 he tells them to make his joy complete by "being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." Listen to that same verse from the New Living Translation: "Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose." Paul's joy was focused on the believers in Philippi having a unity of heart and purpose motivated by a genuine love for one another. Paul wasn't interested in raising up individual believers with their own personal agendas and spiritual growth plans. He wanted to see a local body of believers who were living out their faith in loving community. It is as if Paul was saying, "You want to make me happy? Then get along!" It's the same thing I say to my kids whenever they ask me what I want for Christmas or my birthday. I always say the same thing. "I just want me kids to love one another." They always roll their eyes and say, "Come on Dad, be serious. What do you really want?" But what they don't understand is that is exactly what I want. Their love for one another is my greatest desire. Paul felt the same way. And he knew what was the greatest roadblock to this kind of community. He names it in verses 3-4.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

Selfishness. Self-centeredness. Individualism. Pride. Wanting things your own way. Having your own personal agenda and demanding that everyone else follow it. Thinking of yourself as more important than anyone else around you. Paul knew all it would take is one person with this kind of attitude to destroy any sense of community in the body of believers at Philippi. There was no room for selfishness or self-centeredness. No one had the right to consider himself or herself better or more important than anyone else. In fact, they weren't to consider themselves at all. Instead, they were to have an attitude of humility. Some say that humility is thinking less of yourself. No, humility is not thinking of yourself at all. It is not a belittling of yourself or lowering your estimation of your own self worth. To do those things you would have to spend precious time thinking about yourself. Paul seems to be saying, stop thinking about yourself so much and start thinking about others. The truth is, we think way too much about ourselves and of ourselves. It's a "the-world-revolves-around-me" mentality that is a cancer that will destroy and sense of community, whether in a family, a small group, a Bible study, or a local body of believers.

So Paul says, "have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." In other words, he is saying they should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had. And so should we. An attitude of humility, selflessness, sacrifice, servanthood, and love that puts self so far in the background that it is willing to see self die in order to put the needs of others first.

Paul goes on to say, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Vs 12-13). Paul is talking to the "beloved" – the body. He seems to be addressing the group, not the individual. God is at work among them. He wants them to individually and corporately to be extra careful to put into action God’s saving work in their lives. Why? So that they will be "blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach" (Vs 15). Their unity and love will make them stand out like bright shining lights in the midst of a "crooked and perverse generation."

Isn't that what our world is dying to see? Our lives shining like a bright light in the darkness? But they won't see it if we are all living for ourselves, selfishly focusing on our own individual needs and concerns. When we live like that, we are no different than the world. God has called us to imitate His Son. To live lives of humility and self-sacrifice. To love others more than we love ourselves. To be willing to give rather than get. To serve rather than be served. To die to self and live for the sake of others. To be willing to be "poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service" of one another's faith (Vs 17). What a difference that kind of attitude would make in our churches, our homes, and in our community.

Father, you have called us to live in a way that is so foreign to our natural inclinations. My flesh doesn't want to die. I want to be the center of my own little world. But You are calling me to die daily. I know I don't have the power to do that in and of myself, but with the help of Your Holy Spirit, I can put that selfish, self-centered part of me to death and live for the sake of others. Show me how to do that even today. Amen

The Concept Of Community.

Philippians 1

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. - Vs 27

I don't think I ever really noticed how many of Paul's admonitions in his letters were not for the individual believers, but for the body – the community of believers. Somehow, in Western Christianity, we have turned all of this into a solo-sport. It is all about my walk, my relationship with Christ, my quiet time, my sanctification. And while there is not doubt that there is an individualized aspect to spiritual growth, God intended it to take place in the context of community. I cannot and should not to grow alone or in isolation. I should not attempt to live my life in Christ alone.

In fact, my disconnectedness and individualism can actually harm or prevent the kind of community God intended and Paul encourages. Listen to what Paul says. "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." This is a team endeavor. It is our living out our lives together, in community, that truly reveals the power of the gospel among us and the to the world around us. The fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fruitfulness, gentleness, and self control. Every one of these is meant to be lived out in community. How else will we know if we have them? I can't exhibit love if there is no one to love. I can't show kindness without having someone to receive it. I can't practice self-control if there is no one to put it to the test. All of these fruits are for the benefit of others, not me.

Paul is concerned about their mutual or shared conduct. It is the body of Christ for which he is concerned. He wants them to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. He knows that our ability to love one another in the power of the Spirit is what will attract a lost and dying world to the gospel. It is the unity we exhibit, in spite of all our differences and flaws, that marks us as Children of God. "Spirit formation is a very public, corporate exercise. Unlike diet or and exercise program, God's program for getting us into spiritual shape requires our working out alongside others" (Darrell Bock, New Testament Community and Spiritual Formation). Community. It's an over-used, misunderstood word today. I live in a "community," but I barely know my neighbors. I can join a "community" group, (small group) and never really get to know the other members beyond a shallow, surface lever. I can become part of a "community" of believers and live out my life in isolation and hiddenness, refusing to open up, reach out, join in, lift up, and grow up together. Instead, we tend to cover up, and attempt to live out our faith refusing to let anyone really get to know the real us. But that's NOT biblical community. What Paul describes is so much more and so much more fulfilling. It is doing life together with other believers – sharing, caring, failing, falling, loving, lifting, rejoicing, crying, and growing more like Christ together.

Father, may I really learn to love true, blblical community. Forgive me for my stubborn isolation and independence. For wanting to live my Christian life on my own and for me alone. Thank You for the body – Your body. May I learn to love it and see myself as an integral part of it. Amen

Steady and Srong to the End.

2 Thessalonians 3

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. - Vs 5

Once again, we get a glimpse into Paul's heart through his prayers. This verse could be viewed as little more than a blessing, but based on what we know of Paul's prayer life, there can be little doubt that he not only expressed this desire to the Thessalonians in words, he lifted it up to God in the form of an ongoing request on their behalf.

What was he asking? That God would continue to open their eyes to His unmerited, unlimited, unfailing love for them, so that it could become the motivating force in their lives – the impetus behind all that they did. This is the love of God that "has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was give to us" (Romans 5:5). It is "the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" from which nothing "will be able to separate us" – including our own actions (Romans 8:39). It is "His great love with which He has loved us" (Ephesians 2:4). Paul is asking God to keep their hearts focused on, centered around, and motivated by God's love for them. Think about it. God loves you! The all-powerful, all-knowing, creator and sustainer of the universe loves you. And He loves me! Ann Lamott wrote, "The secret is that God loves us exactly the way we are and that He loves us too much to let us stay like this, and I'm just trying to trust that."

Julian of Norwich hits a nerve when she writes, "Some of us believe that God is almighty and can do everything; and that he is all-wise and may do everything; but that he is all-love and will do everything – there we draw back. As I see it, this ignorance is the greatest of all hindrances to God's lovers."

Do you really understand and feel loved by God? Regardless of how you measure up? You see, most of us believe His love is conditional, based somehow on our performance. He falls in and out of love with us to the degree that we fail to obey or live up to His standards. That is anything but biblical. It is a lie of the enemy that goes all the way back to Eden. If we could ever grasp the reality of God's love for us, it would change the way we love Him and others. We would want to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as much as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37). We would want to love one another to the same degree and in the same manner we ourselves have been loved and are being loved by God – selflessly, sacrificially, non-judgmentally, completely, constantly – just out of gratitude for the way in which we have been loved (John 13:34-35).

The more we focus on and understand the love of God for us – and realize He has placed the same capacity to love within our hearts in the form of the Holy Spirit, the more love will flow from our own hearts towards others – including the unlovely people in our lives. But Paul expressed one more desire: That God would also direct our hearts into the steadfastness of Christ. Paul is speaking about endurance – the "grace to bear up under" – no matter what the cost. The steadfastness or endurance Paul wants God to focus our hearts on is the kind Jesus had. It's a "bravery of perseverance" in faith and in all good words even when everything seems to be against us. It's an endurance in the midst of tribulation (Romans 5:3-4), in the midst of suffering (2 Corinthians 1:6), in the midst of reproach (Romans 15:4-5), in the midst of persecution and distress (2 Corinthians 12:12), and in the midst of affliction (2 Corinthians 6:4). Jesus persevered. He didn't quit. He finished what he began. And so should we. So we should be motivated by the love of God and marked by the steadfastness of Christ. both are our models for life on this earth as God's children. They are the two things we need so that "we do not grow weary of doing good" (2 Thessalonians 3:13).

Father, direct my heart into Your love, so that I may understand it more and more, and be motivated by it more and more. So that I will love like I am loved. Show me the steadfastness of Christ. Let it be my example. He endured the cross. He despised the shame. All so that I might have eternal life. He did the will of His Father, against all odds. He was able to say, "it is finished." May I be able to do the same thing one day. Amen

The Process and the Presence.

2 Thessalonians 2

God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Vs 13-14

Paul reveals another one of his constant prayers for the church – his gratitude to God for His having chosen them for salvation. It is God who rescued them from the guilt, power, and punishment of sin and provided them with a new heart, a new inheritance, and a future free from sin and its affects. The salvation they received is the same one we have received. It is a gift from God – undeserved and unearned. And it becomes our possession through the work of the Holy Spirit through sanctification.

Paul gives a glimpse into this process called sanctification. It begins at the point at which God chooses us. He chose us even while we were still in our sins (Romans 5:8). but because of what Christ has done on the cross, God sees us as righteous. When He looks at us, He sees us covered and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. We are positionally holy. But we still have a sin nature and live in a world filled with sinful people. The enemy is out to destroy us and to tempt us to live according to our old nature and not in keeping with the new nature we have in Christ. So God begins this process of internal transformation – called sanctification – through which the Holy spirit makes our external behavior and internal motivation (heart) take on the character of who we are in Christ. We become increasingly more like Christ in our character and conduct – living out our new identity as sons and daughters of God. This sanctification process is a life-long one and it is what the Holy Spirit is doing inside each of us as believers. But Paul says we have a role to play as well. It involves our "faith in the truth." This is our active consent to the truth about Jesus and His redemptive work as revealed in the Scriptures. In other words, we must believe that what the Bible says about who we are in Christ and about what He is doing in our lives through the Spirit. Our salvation is through the sanctification process and accompanied by an active, vibrant faith that believes in and obeys God's Word concerning our new life in Christ.

Paul says it was for this He called us…that we might gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that Paul doesn't say that God chose us for salvation and then stop there. He clearly states that it is a salvation that is marked by the process of sanctification and the presence of faith. That is God's plan. His salvation is NOT just a ticket to heaven, a get-out-of-jail-free card that keeps us out of hell and guarantees us a place in heaven. No, God expects our salvation to be accompanied by change, here and now. He has called us so that He might progressively change us into the likeness of His Son – NOW! That's why He gave us His Spirit. That's why He gave us His Word. That's why he left us and didn't take us to with Him at the moment He called us. We are being transformed into the same image (Christ's) from one degree of His glory to another (1 Corinthians 3:18). We are works in process. We are being conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). And one day we will be like Him (Philippians 3:20-21).

Father, thank Youfor choosing me. I am blown away by the fact that You chose me in spite of me. I didn't deserve it. Yet You sent Your Son to die for me. You had Your Spirit open my eyes so that I could understand the value of the gift being offered to me. And based on my minimal faith exhibited in my acceptance of that gift, you placed me in Your family and called me Your son! Now You are transforming me into the very likeness of Your Son Jesus Christ. You have given me His nature and are now allowing it to become who I am in everyday life. Thank You. Amen

Living Worthy Of Our Calling.

2 Thessalonians 1

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." - Vs 11-12

f you ever want to know how you should pray for the body of Christ and for other believers, just take note of the prayers of Paul. His prayers for the believers under his care are a window into his heart and an indication of his clear understanding of what it is we need to survive and thrive in this world. Here he does not ask God to remove the "persecutions and afflictions" (Vs 4) the Thessalonians were enduring. In fact, he tells them their relief will come "when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire" (Vs 7). No, Paul doesn't try to pray their pain and suffering away – he prays that God will "fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power (Vs 11).

Paul prays that God will count them worthy of their calling. This has nothing to do with earning their way into heaven, but it has everything to do with the effort they put into living lives that reflect their calling. Paul is praying that they may live and act as ones who have been called by God. In fact, Paul commends them for doing so when he says that their perseverance and faith in the midst of suffering and persecution is a clear indication of God's righteous judgment. The very fact that God rewards His children with the strength to endure is proof positive of their calling and His righteousness. They are living worthy of His calling of them because He has given them the strength to do so.

Paul goes on to describe what a life lived worthy of its calling will look like. It will "fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power" (Vs 11). Paul seems to be saying that every desire or determination prompted by goodness (a fruit of the Spirit) and every faith-inspired work will not be left unfulfilled or unfinished. He is praying that God will accomplish this by His power – the power of His grace working in them. He is praying for their continuing and increasing sanctification.

So why does Paul pray in this way? So that the name of the Lord Jesus might be glorified through their lives. Jesus' work in their hearts reflects glory on Him. When we live worthy of our calling, the name of Jesus is glorified because it is proof that He is who He said He was and accomplished what He said He would do. Our lives can and should bring glory to Jesus. They should be exhibitions of His life-changing, grace-filled power to redeem, renew, and reclaim that which was lost. Paul is praying that we, as believers, should see our every resolve, motivated by the goodness within us, be completely fulfilled or come to fruition. He prays that every deed that is done in faith be completed. Because those two things are worthy of our calling as children of God. They glorify the name of Jesus on this earth and we see His name glorified in our own lives! We see His power exhibited in our daily lives and we grow even stronger in faith and righteousness.

Father, may my life more increasingly reflect the worthiness of Your having called me. May my desires, motivated by goodness, be fulfilled. May my deeds, motivated by faith, be accomplished. So that Your Son might be glorified in my life on this earth. Amen

Faith. Hope. Love.

1 Thessalonians 5

Those three words are our antidote for surviving in the midst of a sin-filled culture where the darkness of moral depravity surrounds us. We are sons of light and sons of the day, yet the world we live in loves the darkness. Jesus Himself was "the Light of men" (John 1:4) and He came to shine in the midst of the darkness, but "the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:5). Jesus would later tell His disciples, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life" (John 8:12). Jesus also warned His disciples that, "for a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light; so that the darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light" (John 12:35-36).

Paul reminds us that we are sons of Light. So we are to be alert, awake, sober, and diligent – living our lives in the light as sons of Light. And how do we do that? Faith, love, and hope. Paul says that we are to equip ourselves with a breastplate made up of faith and love. Those two qualities are like iron and ore that when heated in the furnace of life produces an alloy of incredible strength and durability. You cannot have one without the other. Love that is not based on and mixed with a faith in the grace-filled love of God is merely human sentimentality that will prove insufficient when put to the test. Faith that is not accompanied by and expressed in love for God and others is nothing more than a mental assent to the reality of God, but without any real expression in our lives. Paul warned that " if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:2). My faith must be expressed in love. My love must be grounded in faith.

But if I want to truly survive as a son of Light in a dark world, I must have hope. But not just any hope. It must be the hope of salvation – that what God began at my conversion, He will complete. Paul says, "for God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (Vs 9). Salvation is out destiny. It isn't a past event, but a future reality. Yes, I was saved, but I am being saved every day. And I will one day be saved when God calls me home or His Son returns. My hope is in the certainty of my future salvation – when I will obtain or gain possession of my salvation in its final form. Hope is what protects my mind from despair, disappointment, thoughts of defeat, or the temptation to give up. That is why Paul refers to it as a helmet. It is what surrounds my mind and protects it from the blows of the enemy that attempt to destroy and incapacitate us.

Faith, love, and hope. They are essential for life in this world. They are the qualities of the sons of Light. They prepare us for the battle in which we find ourselves. Paul describes them as military armor. We wear them because we know we are at war and cannot survive without them. They protect us and preserve us. So we should never leave home without them.

Father, may my life be increasingly more characterized by faith, love and hope. All centered and based on the cross of Christ – the greatest expression of all three. Amen

Progressive, Aggressive Sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 4

…that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. – Vs 1

The NET Bible translates the last part of this verse as "that you do so more and more." Paul uses this phrase twice in this chapter. Here in association with the manner in which they walk or live their faith out on a daily basis. They are to excel still more -- they are to live lives that please God and to do so more and more. The commands of Christ and their obeying of them are to be increasingly more a part of their lives. Why? Because God's will - His desire or purpose for their lives - is holiness that is becoming increasingly deeper, greater, more pervasive, and influential over their day-to-day lives.

And Paul is speaking to us as well. He gives us practical, everyday examples of what this progressive, aggressive sanctification or growth in holiness should look like. He says it should impact the morality of our lives, especially sexual morality. As we increase in holiness, our desire to live sexually immoral lives should decrease. My holiness should impact how I use my body, including my eyes, hands, and mind. Because God did not call me to lives a life of impurity, but holiness.

Paul says that as we excel still more we will love more. Both our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who are outside the family of God – our lost neighbors, friends, coworkers, and all those with whom we share this planet. Paul gets really practical when he says, "we urge you … to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and tow work with your hands" (Vs 11). It seems according to 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12, that there were some who were not doing this. Paul says this kind of practical, progressive holiness will show those outside of Christ what it means to live a decent, quiet, godly life. One that is characterized by diligence, faithfulness, and responsibility. As we increase in holiness we don't become "other worldly" but instead we show what kind of life mankind was meant to live prior to the introduction of sinn and the effects of the fall.

Excel still more! Do so more and more. So how are we doing? Is our holiness increasing? Paul is not saying we need to get more holiness. Because in Christ, we have been made holy. We were set apart by God as holy at salvation. But we are to increasingly live out who we already are in our daily lives. It is to become increasingly more apparent that we are indeed holy by the way we act, react, think, talk, walk, live, and relate to others. Not in our own strength, but through the Word of God and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. I can live an increasingly more holy life because I am a holy person possessing the presence and power of God. Holiness is in my new DNA. It is my nature. It is who I am!

Father, I want to excel still more in my holiness. I want to live out of who I am – according to my new identity in Christ – not my old sinful nature. I am not just a "new and improved" me, but a whole new creation in Christ with a brand new nature – the nature of Christ Himself living in me. My heart is new because Christ is there. I live under new management with a new power available to me I didn't have before. I live by faith in the Son of God. According to His power, not mine. Living His life, not mine. Help me to live a life of personal integrity, grace, and courage – more and more everyday of my life.  Amen

Faith In Action.

1 Thessalonians 3

We were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. – Vs 7-8

Paul is obsessed about the condition of their faith. In fact, he mentions it five different times in this chapter. He says he Timothy "to strengthen and encourage" them in their faith. He was anxious to "find out about" their faith, because he feared that Satan might have tempted them to fall away. He rejoiced over the "good news" of their faith and love brought to him by Timothy. Even in his trials and sufferings Paul found comfort through the news of the ongoing faith. They had stood firm. But Paul continued to pray "night and day" that he could see them again and "complete what is lacking" in their faith. Their faith was more than simply a belief in Jesus and His death, burial and resurrection. It was a living, active faith that continued to express itself in the face of persecution, trials, the attacks of the enemy, and sufferings of all kinds. Faith is dynamic, not static. Their faith was being tested and Paul acknowledges that it had deficiencies. It was not complete or finished. It never is this side of heaven. Paul even expresses his desire that their faith "increase" in verse 12. In verse 10, he says that their faith was lacking, but then he says, "may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people." The increase refers to their faith. Paul is asking that the Lord Himself cause this to happen so that their faith would grow and be accompanied by a tangible love for one another.

Our faith should be increasing daily. And one of the ways God causes this to happen is through the "heat" of everyday life. People, circumstances, and situations all test our faith. Paul knew that their faith, if weak, would let them down and cause them to give in to the temptation to respond in their flesh instead of faith. They could be tempted to get angry, give up, grow weary, take matters into their own hands, doubt God, and start believing the enemy. But Paul says that they stood firm (Vs 8). They didn't cave in. They grew up in their faith. They grew stronger. Faith tested results in a stronger faith, because it proves the reliability and trustworthiness of God.

It is less a revealing to God of the quality of our faith than it is a revelation to us of the dependability and power of our God. It is the object of our faith that gets proven, not the quality or quantity of our faith. But as we learn to trust Him (faith in action), our faith grows. So let's thank Him for the opportunities masquerading as trials that will show us just how great a God we serve!

Father, thank You for increasing my faith daily by bringing into my life situations, circumstances, and people that test just how much I am leaning on You, how much I trust You, and how dependent I am in Your strength versus mine. Thank You that You regularly prove your faithfulness to me. You have never given me a reason to doubt You.  Amen

Where's Your Joy and Glory?

1 Thessalonians 2

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy. – Vs 19-20

Over in 2 Corinthians 10:17, Paul said, "But, let him who boasts boast in the Lord." In 2 Corinthians 11:30 he said, If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." In 1 Corinthians 1:31, he said, Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." But now, as he writes to the Thessalonians believers, he talks about receiving a "crown of boasting." Sounds like a disconnect, doesn't it? Paul seems to be saying that he is going to be able to boast about the people he has led to the Lord at His second coming. He refers to the Thessalonians believers as his crown of boasting or exultation. In the NET Bible study notes it says, "Paul uses boasting or exultation to describe the Christian’s delight in being commended for faithful service by the Lord at his return." Paul specifically refers to the role he has been able to play in their coming to faith in Christ. Being able to stand before the Lord and see those whom Paul has helped introduce to Christ was what was bringing him joy and giving him hope right now! He had his eyes on the future and decided any hardship or suffering he had to go through in order to take the gospel to the Gentiles was well worth it because one day he was going to get to stand before the Lord and see all those who came to Christ because of his faithful service.

What about me? What drives me to teach the Word of God day after day? What motivates me to tell others about Jesus and potentially face rejection or even ridicule? Is it the hope I have in that future day? Is it the joy I feel in knowing that I am playing a small part in their spiritual new birth and growth? Even in the face of Satanic opposition, Paul wanted to see the Thessalonians again, so that he could be a part of their lives. He was willing to suffer so that they could grow in their faith. It brought him joy. In fact, Paul tells them, "you are our glory and joy." They make him proud, like a father watching his child walk across the stage at graduation. They bring him joy, like the joy of a parent at their child's wedding day. For Paul, playing a role in the spiritual lives of others was everything. It was why he existed. It was what he lived for. It was his purpose for life. And when he was in the middle of doing it, he was in his sweet spot.

Shouldn't that be true of you and me? Isn't that why we are here? Yet we spend so much time finding our glory and joy in other things. But God has given us the same job as He had given Paul. Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:18: "And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him." That is our job. That is our commission as believers. To bring others back into favor with God. To help them restore the relationship that has been lost because of sin. We do that by introducing them to Christ. And when we do, like Paul, we will discover it to be our greatest joy and delight. And nothing will motivate us more than thinking about standing before Jesus some day and seeing the faces of those who have come to know Christ through our efforts standing there with us! Now that's motivation.

Father, forgive me for letting other things, the things of this earth, to become my joy and glory. They are worthless and valueless. They will not even be around when I stand before Your Son. But people will be. They are the only thing that lasts. So help me see that doing my part in the ministry of reconciliation is the reason for my existence. It is why I am here. May I daily discover the joy of helping others come to Christ and grow in Him. Amen

Where's Your Hope?

1 Thessalonians 1

For they themselves report … how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. – Vs 9

What's the report on me? What would people who know me have to say about me if they were asked about my faith in Christ? I'm talking about the people I work with, live with, rub shoulders with in everyday life. Would they be able to report that there has been a change? Would they testify that they had seen a marked change in my behavior, my words, my lifestyle?

As Paul begins his letter to the believers in Thessalonica, he commends them for their faith. He tells them that he is constantly praying for them and thinking about their "work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (Vs 3). He says they became "imitators of us and of the Lord" (Vs 6) and "an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia" (Vs 7). These people had undergone a dramatic change. These were converts from pagan religions. They were Gentiles who had walked away from their faith in false gods and turned to the one true God. They exchanged lifeless gods for a living God. And it had made a dramatic change in the way they lived their lives.

So what are the dead idols in my life? They tend to be those things I worship or find worth in that can't deliver what I want from them. Things like success, money, material things, recognition, popularity, and entertainment. All the things this world offers up on an everyday basis. All I have to do to find the idols in my life is see where I spend my money and my time. They are the things in my life that I wake up worrying about or that I find myself thinking about. They occupy my time and invade my thoughts. I fear losing them or dream of attaining them. I desire them and pursue them. I expect of them what only God can deliver.

And that is what makes them false gods. They can't deliver. They're not real, so they can't bring real satisfaction. They are lousy replacements for the one true God. So the Thessalonians "turned to God." They literally turned around and changed their direction from pursuing false gods to God Himself. And the people around them could see it. So what if we began to turn from all those things we still worship in our lives? What if we began to turn to God and away from our obsession with material things? What if we looked to Him for our satisfaction and sense of identity instead of in our career, the size of our home, the make and model of our automobile, or the size of our bank account? What if we began to find time in the Word more entertaining and satisfying than the mindless trash on TV? What if we began to turn from all those things that we hold so near and dear and can't seem to live without and began to understand that our hope is in Jesus and Him alone?

I think the world would sit up and take notice. They would report that there has been a change in us. They would see it in our actions and in our affections. We would truly be imitators of the Lord (Vs 6) making it our highest priority to pursue the things of His kingdom first and making the attainment of His righteousness more important than anything else in our lives (Matthew 6:33). And that kind of living is hard to ignore. So let's do it. Let's turn from the lifeless, little gods of this world and turn to the living, true God and make Him our sole object of adoration and attention. When we're down, let's turn to Him instead of some temporary form of entertainment. When we're feeling unloved or under appreciated, instead of trying to boost our self-esteem with another purchase, let's remember that we are loved by the God of the universe. When we're worried about our finances, let's turn to God before we turn to the bank or some other lending source. They may help with your fiscal situation, but only God can help with your spiritual one.

They themselves report…. What will they report about us?

Father, I want the report about me to be a good one. I want those around me to see You in me. I want them to report that I daily turn from the gods of this world to the one true God. That I am not looking for the false gods of money, materialism, popularity, and prosperity to satisfy my needs and desires. Instead I am turning away from those things and turning to You. I want You to be my greatest desire and the object of my time and attention. Amen

The Law of Christ.

Galatians 6

Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ. – Vs 2

We are an individualized society. Every man for himself. Pull yourself by your own bootstraps. Maintain your independence. And this attitude has infiltrated the church. Even when it comes to our spiritual walk, we take an individualized approach. It's all about MY walk with Christ. We ask each other, "So, how's YOUR quiet time." You can hear it the kinds of phrases we use, such as, "I have a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus." If Christianity was a sport, spirituality would be a singles event. Now, there's a certain degree of truth to all of this. We DO have a personal relationship with Christ. But God never intended for us to live out our faith in isolation. He placed in the context of community. He created the family and the body of Christ. He left us in this world. We are surrounded by people and He expects us to grow alongside them and with them. The testing ground of our spiritual maturity is community.

Paul seems to share this view, when he tells us to "bear one another's burdens." Paul paints a picture of someone who is weighed down by an oppressive load. The Greek word means "a heaviness, weight, or burden." This individual is staggering under the weight of a load that they don't have the strength to carry. This isn't talking about a physical burden, but it could be an emotional one, or financial, relational, or spiritual. The inference seems to be that we all have some load that we are carrying that is too much for us. No one is immune. And the answer is not to suffer in silence, to go it alone. No, Paul says we are to step into one another's lives and help. But that also means we have to let someone else help us. We have to let them assist us. And most of us find that hard to do.

Paul tells each of us bear the burdens of the one next to us. We are to literally "take up with the hands, take up in order to carry or bear, put upon one's self, or bear what is burdensome." We are to step into their lives and give them a helping hand with whatever it is that they are struggling. That means we have to be close enough to the other person to see their problem. We have to be sensitive so that we can be alert to their need. If we are self-absorbed and self-consumed, we will never notice the needs all around us. But if we will look up and take our eyes off our own little world. we will see that their are brothers and sisters staggering around with all kinds of loads and who, if not helped, will fall under its weight. Listen to what Paul says in Romans:

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. – Romans 1:1-2

There it is again. We are to bear the weaknesses of those without strength. Instead of always pleasing ourselves, we are to please others. The New Living Translation says it this way, "We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord." We are to accommodate ourselves to their needs, and not our own. Paul gives further insight into the mindset in his letter to the Thessalonians:

Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Fulfill the law of Christ

Paul says when we bear one another's burdens we are fulfilling the law of Christ. We are doing what He commanded us to do. In John 13:34, Jesus said, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." We are to love as Christ loved. Bearing one another's burdens is one of the greatest examples of the love of Christ lived out on this earth. It is not normal or natural for us to do this. We'd rather get than give. But Jesus says to give to, share with, care for, encourage, and love one another. That takes community. Seeing the burdens of others takes proximity. But it also requires sensitivity. You can't bear if you don't care. You'll walk right past those in need if you don't care about their hurts, sorrows, and sufferings. This will take time. It will require sacrifice. It may get messy. You may find yourself tired from the effort of helping someone else carry their burden. But you'll also find yourself blessed. And you'll discover that as you're helping someone else carry their load, your own load has become a little bit lighter. Why? Because there is someone walking behind you with their hands holding up the burden on your own back. That's the way the body of Christ is supposed to work.

Father, give me a burden to help others carry their burden. Make me a load-bearer, a burden lifter. Help me get my eyes off my own little problems, and begin to see the needs of those around me. May we become a people of grace, who extend the love of God to all those around us as we step into their lives and help them bear the burdens of life. May we love in just the same way that we have been loved. Amen

The Spirit-Filled Life.

Galatians 5

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. – Vs 25

The Spirit-filled life. We talk a lot about it, but how much do any of us ever really experience it? Sure, I believe in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit as much as the next guy, but when Paul says things like, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry the desire of the flesh" (Vs 16), I have to ask myself the question, "Am I really experiencing that on a daily and regular basis?" Am I seeing the fruit of the Spirit listed in verses 22-23 manifest itself in my life on an ever-increasing basis? Am I being "led by the Spirit" (Vs 18)?

These are all legitimate questions that each of us as Christians need to ask ourselves. Because the role of the Spirit in our lives is critical to our ongoing sanctification or growth in holiness. Having Christ formed in me is impossible without the Holy Spirit. So Paul tells us to "walk by the Spirit" and to "live by the Spirit." In verse 16 Paul uses a Greek word that literally means to live your life or conduct your life. The Message paraphrases verse 16 this way: "Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit." We are to "take each step of the Christian life in dependence on the Spirit to have victory over the flesh and its works" (Ryrie Study Bible notes). So when Paul says, "walk by the Spirit," he seems to be talking about our conduct or actions being motivated and directed by the indwelling Spirit of God.

In verse 25, Paul uses a different Greek word when he says, "live by the Spirit." It has to do with life and less with conduct. Paul seems to be saying that we have our new life in Christ because of the Spirit, so we should conduct or live out that life in the power of the Spirit and not our human flesh. It all goes back to the issue of salvation by faith and sanctification by faith. I can't save myself and I can't perfect myself. Both are a work of the Holy Spirit. So all those fruits Paul mentions are only available through, by, and from the Holy Spirit. As I live or conduct my life in dependence upon Him, I will see His fruit produced in my life. In verse 18 Paul says we are to be "led by the Spirit." The picture is of an owner leading its livestock in order to get it to go where he wants it to go. It means "to lead by laying hold of, and this way to bring to the point of destination." The Holy Spirit is literally taking me by the hand and guiding and encouraging me to reach the final destination He has for me: Christ-likeness.

If you look at the list in verses 22-23, they are all other-oriented. This fruit is not for me, but for others. The presence of the Holy Spirit in my life and my submission to Him will reveal itself in the way I live with and treat others. In verse 14, Paul reminds his readers of the fact that the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And as we live out our lives in the power and under the direction of the Holy Spirit, we will show our neighbors love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fruitfulness, gentleness and self-control. They will not only see these things in our lives, but experience and enjoy them in their own lives.

We wouldn't be here if it weren't for the Holy Spirit. And we won't ever reach our final destination (Christ-likeness) without the Holy Spirit. No amount of human effort or energy will accomplish what only He can do in us. So let's let Him live out of us, not just in us. Let's rely on His power, not ours. Let's follow His leadership, not our own. Let's follow His path to our final destination instead of our own.

Father, Thank You for placing Your Holy Spirit within me. Forgive me for not allowing Him to lead me. I tend to lean on my own strength to make it through life and handle the challenges that come my way. I know where you want me to go in terms of spiritual maturity. But I try to get their own my own strength and according to my own directions. But it never works. Help me to lean on Your Holy Spirit and follow His plan, not mine. Only You can make me increasingly more like Your Son, and that is my desire. I want the fruit of the Holy Spirit's presence in my life to become evident in my life, so that I might love those around me as Christ did. Amen