While righteousness itself is not mentioned in the 9 qualities listed within the "fruits of the Spirit," it can be reached by one or a combination of some. Remember the "sum of the parts" theory?
In Romans 1: 17 we found, "The righteous will live by faith," and in Proverbs 21:21, "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Faith, gentleness and love are presented as things that can be obtained, again, by someone who pursues righteousness in 1 Timothy 6:11. To me, I can see a pattern forming in just the few verses we have covered in this chapter.
It seems prudent to me to share the definition of pursue, so let's go back to our trusty dictionary. Looking at two parts from the Oxford English Dictionary we find the following: 1) to follow or chase (someone or something), and 2) to continue or proceed along (a path or route.)
These two definitions, in combination once again, become extremely powerful when pursuing righteousness. Think of it like this; God wants us to chase him. Using the "fruits of the Spirit," independently and together in some cases, gives us the continuation; the process of "moving along," in our walk with God. Like anything else, we want to strive for perfection. All things aside, no one is perfect. There was only one blameless and perfect person who gracefully walked this earth. Jesus Christ. It is our pursuit, however, the process toward using the appropriate tools that He has equipped us with, and striving harder each day in those that do not necessarily come easy or natural to us, that God is interested in.
The great author Malcolm Gladwell said that it takes ten-thousand hours to become an expert in your craft. Be it playing the violin, designing buildings as an architect, or in my case, writing. I probably will not spend ten thousand hours penning this book, but it is the combination of my experience since becoming serious to my craft back in 2006, that accounts for the hours required to make me proficient. At least more experienced than some, who have spent one-thousand hours. To become a subject-matter-expert (SME) in any field requires time and hard work.
Back to our "fruits."
In speaking about the idea of the "pursuit of perfection," Paul writes in the second sentence of Galatians 2:2, "I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain." Paul constantly evaluated his purpose with a keen eye. He not only wanted to follow Jesus and His command to spread the Gospel story; he wanted to proceed, continually, until his mission was complete.
A good example is when he returned to Jerusalem after fourteen years. In the first sentence of verse two Paul says, "I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles." This verse precedes the second above, and is the entirety of Galatians 2:2.
While we will never reach the blameless and sinful walk that Jesus exemplified, the pursuit of perfection is what we wants to see. Are you reading the Bible each day? Are you building strong and uplifting relationships with those in your community? Are you learning from other Christians. And are you sharing your story with those that you can make a meaningful impact in their growth and development?
At the end of the Gospel of Matthew we find verses 16-20 which embody, succinctly, the command known as the "Great Commission." It can truly be summed up in verse 19. We read in Matthew 28:19, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
These verses follow Jesus's Judas betraying Jesus, the Last Supper, His arrest, Jesus's judgement before the Sanhedrin for supposed blasphemy, Peter denying Jesus 3 times, His crucifixion and death on a cross, His burial and His resurrection.
The point I am making is that pursuing Jesus, using the principles laid out in the "fruits of the Spirit," will draw us closer to Him. It is not about claiming Him, it is about having and developing a relationship. It is about growth. It is about community. And it is about evangelism.
We can find the tools in our proverbial "tool box." The proverbial arrows in our quiver." Some we will simply have to sharpen; while others we will have to study and put into action to develop. Our God is an on time God. He will submit to, and bring to us His presence at the exact moment, and at the exact time that we need him.
Start with reading the Bible. Move on to your "community of faith." Develop and hone your God-given skills and abilities. Define your mission. Go to the people; the masses.
Start small. As we "win" at the mile-markers in our race, He will grow and develop us to reach the next. Think of your "race" as stepping stones. Some will be smaller to climb, others larger. Having faith in the process, waiting on God's instruction and following through with evangelism will allow you to reach "higher highs." A great friend once told me that God will repeatedly show us the lessons that we need to learn until we learn them. We will be frustrated somewhat, as we learn. It is that faith in the process that will foster growth.
You may start by studying the "fruits of the Spirit." Each of these principles, independently, or in combination, will help you grow. Call on God first for guidance. He is our ultimate authority and our ultimate teacher.
He will make the roadblocks smaller and smaller as we learn until we can hurdle them and go onto the next in our race.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Righteousness: Part IV
Yesterday I mentioned that we would talk about the "fruits of the Spirit." Many of you have either heard this verse, read it, or both. It is also found in Galatians. Let's have a look.
Galatians 5:22-23 reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law."
There are plenty of verses that coincide and run parallel to this verse. Again, one of the most known is the following from John 15:5. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Look at Ephesians 5:8-13. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible - and everything that becomes illuminated becomes a light.
In this passage, in parentheses, Paul makes a reference to the qualities that one can embody from the "fruit of the light." That is, ones whose eyes have been opened. The transformation from "darkness to light" when accepting the Father and becoming a Christian. Goodness. Righteousness. Truth.
Just 2 verses further, we read, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Galatians 5:15-17
Before we can display the actions and attitude of righteousness, much is required. Not impossible, but a change in a former mindset, and strong working knowledge of the inner working parts in the Bible is a must.
It may seem that John 15:5 could be thought to be "all encompassing," but that would not be the case. Righteous behavior requires a heightened and thorough understanding. John 15:5 is an excellent place to start; however. It can be a foundational building-block. Christians must have a desire to dig deeper, delve in, gain knowledge and perspective toward the goal of becoming an evangelist. I pray that I am promoting and providing a text worthy to put "arrows in your quiver" for God.
Righteousness may be defined as being "morally justifiable" or "acting in accord with divine law," but again, I make the case that it is much more.
In the corporate world there is a saying. The whole is worth less than the sum of the parts. This reference can be easily explained by providing an example using the company General Electric. While in recent years they have sold some of their "business units," I can remember a time when the company had twelve separate and independently operating businesses. GE Finance. GE Avionics. GE Power. You get the idea.
In the finance world, it is a general practice for someone covering the company as an analyst to determine the worth of the company not solely based on the totality of corporation, but also by placing a value on the independent entities. In this way, adding the sum of each business, under the lens of what another company might acquire an individual "business unit;" more often than not (with respect to private valuation) becomes a figure larger than just the number of shares outstanding, multiplied by the cost per share on the open market. This figure is derived based on what each separate business would be worth in a private acquisition by another company; hence, the sum of the parts being worth more than the whole.
The "fruits of the Spirit" are not governed by law. They are each independent in their own right. Love. Joy. Peace. Forbearance. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. And finally self-control.
All are independently important. All can be independently displayed. It is their value, separately, that makes the sum of the parts worth more than the whole. Try one of them today. Be cognizant and aware of how small acts of say, kindness, are received by others.
As Christians, it is important for others to see God in us. Doing so, and having our display recognized by others as such, will not only help others, but just as important it will help ourselves. Be humble in the idea that you also will reap the benefits. It will increase the faith within you; continuing on your journey to effectiveness in your growth and walk with God.
We will continue to examine these individual parts in the next few subsections. That being said, start today by exhibiting just one, and be amazed by where it will take you in your relationship with others.
Most all of us have been to a wedding. We have heard 1 Corinthians 13:3. This is your reference point for the "fruits of the Spirit to become evident, properly displayed and received by others.
Be reminded, "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love I gain nothing."
Follow down to the first sentence in verse 8: "Love never fails."
Class dismissed.
Galatians 5:22-23 reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law."
There are plenty of verses that coincide and run parallel to this verse. Again, one of the most known is the following from John 15:5. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Look at Ephesians 5:8-13. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible - and everything that becomes illuminated becomes a light.
In this passage, in parentheses, Paul makes a reference to the qualities that one can embody from the "fruit of the light." That is, ones whose eyes have been opened. The transformation from "darkness to light" when accepting the Father and becoming a Christian. Goodness. Righteousness. Truth.
Just 2 verses further, we read, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Galatians 5:15-17
Before we can display the actions and attitude of righteousness, much is required. Not impossible, but a change in a former mindset, and strong working knowledge of the inner working parts in the Bible is a must.
It may seem that John 15:5 could be thought to be "all encompassing," but that would not be the case. Righteous behavior requires a heightened and thorough understanding. John 15:5 is an excellent place to start; however. It can be a foundational building-block. Christians must have a desire to dig deeper, delve in, gain knowledge and perspective toward the goal of becoming an evangelist. I pray that I am promoting and providing a text worthy to put "arrows in your quiver" for God.
Righteousness may be defined as being "morally justifiable" or "acting in accord with divine law," but again, I make the case that it is much more.
In the corporate world there is a saying. The whole is worth less than the sum of the parts. This reference can be easily explained by providing an example using the company General Electric. While in recent years they have sold some of their "business units," I can remember a time when the company had twelve separate and independently operating businesses. GE Finance. GE Avionics. GE Power. You get the idea.
In the finance world, it is a general practice for someone covering the company as an analyst to determine the worth of the company not solely based on the totality of corporation, but also by placing a value on the independent entities. In this way, adding the sum of each business, under the lens of what another company might acquire an individual "business unit;" more often than not (with respect to private valuation) becomes a figure larger than just the number of shares outstanding, multiplied by the cost per share on the open market. This figure is derived based on what each separate business would be worth in a private acquisition by another company; hence, the sum of the parts being worth more than the whole.
The "fruits of the Spirit" are not governed by law. They are each independent in their own right. Love. Joy. Peace. Forbearance. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. And finally self-control.
All are independently important. All can be independently displayed. It is their value, separately, that makes the sum of the parts worth more than the whole. Try one of them today. Be cognizant and aware of how small acts of say, kindness, are received by others.
As Christians, it is important for others to see God in us. Doing so, and having our display recognized by others as such, will not only help others, but just as important it will help ourselves. Be humble in the idea that you also will reap the benefits. It will increase the faith within you; continuing on your journey to effectiveness in your growth and walk with God.
We will continue to examine these individual parts in the next few subsections. That being said, start today by exhibiting just one, and be amazed by where it will take you in your relationship with others.
Most all of us have been to a wedding. We have heard 1 Corinthians 13:3. This is your reference point for the "fruits of the Spirit to become evident, properly displayed and received by others.
Be reminded, "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love I gain nothing."
Follow down to the first sentence in verse 8: "Love never fails."
Class dismissed.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Righteousness: Part III
This morning I wondered how many times the word righteousness appears in the Bible. With the friend of nearly all these days; Google, and an article written by J. Hampton Keathley III, I found my answer rather quickly.
The word righteousness alone appears thirty-four times. In it's different definitional forms; including righteous and the actions of being morally justifiable, the numbers swells to sixty-four. Paul must have found the word itself, and its instruction thereof, critically important.
In Part I, I pointed out that it was mentioned in his final charge to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Just a few verses later in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
And just before, in his final charge at the end of his first letter to Timothy, we see "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith," 1 Timothy 6:11-12.
What I gather from just these 3 verses, is that gaining righteousness requires persistence. It is not easily obtained. He charges Timothy to pursue and train. We also see that the crown of righteousness is an obtainable reward that we can someday lay at the feet of the righteous Judge, Jesus Christ.
Galatians is where to start if you want to study righteousness in depth. We also see many verses in Romans, highly regarded as his greatest work. Paul many times throughout his letters speaks about his heart for Rome.
Studying Galatians gives us a picture of two things: a combination of Jews and Gentiles confused about the process to come to Christianity, and a people to struggled with the conversion based on a long, running belief in the Mosaic Law. Legalists are a hard bunch to covert.
Three verses in Galatians seem to provide and foundation and preview by Paul which could, and eventually would, provide for radical change among the people of Galatia.
Galatians 2:15-16 says, "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."
Secondly, Galatians 3:10-14 recounts, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them."
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
And finally, in Galatians 5:13-18, we see a summary of our freedom from the law which can be directed to the Spirit, in light of what Christ did on the cross; and then live by faith, accessing the power of the Holy Spirit.
It says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
In these 3 verses, we see small steps required to be righteous, or displaying an air of righteousness in our acts and deeds among one another. A basic requirement - of course - is that we must believe in Christ Jesus, becoming Christians. We can then be redeemed by the Book of the Law, given to Abraham, accepting Jesus's death on the cross as substitution for our freedom. Finding life through faith in Christ allows us to harness that freedom, allowing us the opportunity to find righteousness with the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
We'll continue our study on righteousness by examining the "fruits of the Spirit," as a guide and guardrails for righteous works; not under the law, but gaining perspective for following the lead of Paul and Christ in our daily lives.
The word righteousness alone appears thirty-four times. In it's different definitional forms; including righteous and the actions of being morally justifiable, the numbers swells to sixty-four. Paul must have found the word itself, and its instruction thereof, critically important.
In Part I, I pointed out that it was mentioned in his final charge to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Just a few verses later in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
And just before, in his final charge at the end of his first letter to Timothy, we see "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith," 1 Timothy 6:11-12.
What I gather from just these 3 verses, is that gaining righteousness requires persistence. It is not easily obtained. He charges Timothy to pursue and train. We also see that the crown of righteousness is an obtainable reward that we can someday lay at the feet of the righteous Judge, Jesus Christ.
Galatians is where to start if you want to study righteousness in depth. We also see many verses in Romans, highly regarded as his greatest work. Paul many times throughout his letters speaks about his heart for Rome.
Studying Galatians gives us a picture of two things: a combination of Jews and Gentiles confused about the process to come to Christianity, and a people to struggled with the conversion based on a long, running belief in the Mosaic Law. Legalists are a hard bunch to covert.
Three verses in Galatians seem to provide and foundation and preview by Paul which could, and eventually would, provide for radical change among the people of Galatia.
Galatians 2:15-16 says, "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."
Secondly, Galatians 3:10-14 recounts, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them."
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
And finally, in Galatians 5:13-18, we see a summary of our freedom from the law which can be directed to the Spirit, in light of what Christ did on the cross; and then live by faith, accessing the power of the Holy Spirit.
It says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
In these 3 verses, we see small steps required to be righteous, or displaying an air of righteousness in our acts and deeds among one another. A basic requirement - of course - is that we must believe in Christ Jesus, becoming Christians. We can then be redeemed by the Book of the Law, given to Abraham, accepting Jesus's death on the cross as substitution for our freedom. Finding life through faith in Christ allows us to harness that freedom, allowing us the opportunity to find righteousness with the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
We'll continue our study on righteousness by examining the "fruits of the Spirit," as a guide and guardrails for righteous works; not under the law, but gaining perspective for following the lead of Paul and Christ in our daily lives.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Righteousness: Part II
Yesterday we began our study of the word righteousness. We started with some basic definitions from the Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries. We dug deeper in scripture and found connected words - words like faith, justifiable, morality and love. What I want to offer today is some examples of people and actions in the Bible that were credited by others as righteous.
So the question becomes, "Who in the Bible was righteous?"
In a similar period of prophetic ministry like Paul - just over twenty years- we find Ezekiel. He was tasked with providing perspective in the form of warnings, so that the people of Babylon might turn to obedience and worship in God.
He writes in chapter 14:12-14, concerning the coming destruction in Jerusalem, "The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men - Noah, Daniel and Job - were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord." "
These are some very strong words. And in this example, we find three men that were credited, by God, for being righteous.
In Genesis, God made a covenant with Noah. Those who believe in this passage of scripture can even see the resemblance, and believe, every time we see a rainbow in the sky.
Genesis 9:12-17 says, "And God said, "This is sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set a rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on earth."
So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on earth."
I find it highly improbable, without coincidence in particular, that the word everlasting is used in verse 16. The fact that God uses the word everlasting when speaking to Noah, is irrefutable truth that God reigns. The Lord promised; and He keeps his promises.
When thinking of Daniel, the story that resonates in the minds of most is his interpretation of the dream had by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He had dreams that troubled him greatly. He called on astrologers, enchanters, magicians and sorcerers. None of these were equipped to interpret his dream. But there was one, Daniel; who was able.
Unlike the king, Daniel called upon the Lord for wisdom and guidance.
Daniel 2:19-23 reflects his faith in God.
"During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised God and said, "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank you and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." "
Daniel did not summon astrologers, enchanters, magicians or sorcerers as his advisors. He instead, rather appropriately, called on Almighty God for guidance and direction. His request was specific. Directed toward one God, and God fulfilled his request.
Have you ever heard of the Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age? My first thought is a resounding, "Yes." You were most likely taught about these periods in your high school history class. A look in Daniel 2 provides a direct prophecy, fulfilled thousands of years later, of those periods in time. What we need to be reminded of, and remember, is that it was prophesied, and the prophesy in approximately 600 BC, was known by Daniel.
Daniel's interpretation of the dream of the king, is found in Daniel 2:27-45. He remained righteous in his faith, and in his actions, and would be rewarded by the Father.
Daniel 12:8-13 affirms the outcome.
"I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
"From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of 1,335 days.
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
How about Job?
Job is a unique example in the Bible. In the book of Job, the Lord allows the devil to test Job's faith. Job 1:8 says, "Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "
A messenger comes to Job to tell him that all of his oxen and donkeys have been stolen and his servants slaughtered. Another comes immediately after saying his sheep and servants were burned from a blaze of fire. Still another comes at the same time to report that his camels were taken and his servants, "put to the sword" in Job 1:17.
Finally, it is reported that, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you! ," in Job 1:18-19.
This was all done by Satan, whom the Lord allowed to test his righteousness, character and faith. But Job, even through suffering, pain, the loss of his livelihood and even his sons and daughters; may have cried out in misery and anger, but he did not waiver in his faith in the Lord.
In Job 29:14, he says, "I put on my righteousness as clothing; justice was my robe and my turban."
What we can learn through the examples in the book of Job, is that suffering will undoubtedly come. We may be tested, we will be disciplined; but it is our job to call on the Lord, remaining faithful.
So what can we learn from the examples of Biblical righteous men?
Rulers will rule, and perhaps even prosper, for a time. Power is not for those who will use it in unjust ways.
All of the advisors in the world will remain ineffective, if their guidance is not found in the principles of God.
Look no further than Daniel 12:3. "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
So the question becomes, "Who in the Bible was righteous?"
In a similar period of prophetic ministry like Paul - just over twenty years- we find Ezekiel. He was tasked with providing perspective in the form of warnings, so that the people of Babylon might turn to obedience and worship in God.
He writes in chapter 14:12-14, concerning the coming destruction in Jerusalem, "The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men - Noah, Daniel and Job - were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord." "
These are some very strong words. And in this example, we find three men that were credited, by God, for being righteous.
In Genesis, God made a covenant with Noah. Those who believe in this passage of scripture can even see the resemblance, and believe, every time we see a rainbow in the sky.
Genesis 9:12-17 says, "And God said, "This is sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set a rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on earth."
So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on earth."
I find it highly improbable, without coincidence in particular, that the word everlasting is used in verse 16. The fact that God uses the word everlasting when speaking to Noah, is irrefutable truth that God reigns. The Lord promised; and He keeps his promises.
When thinking of Daniel, the story that resonates in the minds of most is his interpretation of the dream had by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He had dreams that troubled him greatly. He called on astrologers, enchanters, magicians and sorcerers. None of these were equipped to interpret his dream. But there was one, Daniel; who was able.
Unlike the king, Daniel called upon the Lord for wisdom and guidance.
Daniel 2:19-23 reflects his faith in God.
"During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised God and said, "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank you and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." "
Daniel did not summon astrologers, enchanters, magicians or sorcerers as his advisors. He instead, rather appropriately, called on Almighty God for guidance and direction. His request was specific. Directed toward one God, and God fulfilled his request.
Have you ever heard of the Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age? My first thought is a resounding, "Yes." You were most likely taught about these periods in your high school history class. A look in Daniel 2 provides a direct prophecy, fulfilled thousands of years later, of those periods in time. What we need to be reminded of, and remember, is that it was prophesied, and the prophesy in approximately 600 BC, was known by Daniel.
Daniel's interpretation of the dream of the king, is found in Daniel 2:27-45. He remained righteous in his faith, and in his actions, and would be rewarded by the Father.
Daniel 12:8-13 affirms the outcome.
"I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
"From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of 1,335 days.
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
How about Job?
Job is a unique example in the Bible. In the book of Job, the Lord allows the devil to test Job's faith. Job 1:8 says, "Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "
A messenger comes to Job to tell him that all of his oxen and donkeys have been stolen and his servants slaughtered. Another comes immediately after saying his sheep and servants were burned from a blaze of fire. Still another comes at the same time to report that his camels were taken and his servants, "put to the sword" in Job 1:17.
Finally, it is reported that, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you! ," in Job 1:18-19.
This was all done by Satan, whom the Lord allowed to test his righteousness, character and faith. But Job, even through suffering, pain, the loss of his livelihood and even his sons and daughters; may have cried out in misery and anger, but he did not waiver in his faith in the Lord.
In Job 29:14, he says, "I put on my righteousness as clothing; justice was my robe and my turban."
What we can learn through the examples in the book of Job, is that suffering will undoubtedly come. We may be tested, we will be disciplined; but it is our job to call on the Lord, remaining faithful.
So what can we learn from the examples of Biblical righteous men?
Rulers will rule, and perhaps even prosper, for a time. Power is not for those who will use it in unjust ways.
All of the advisors in the world will remain ineffective, if their guidance is not found in the principles of God.
Look no further than Daniel 12:3. "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
Friday, April 28, 2017
Righteousness: Part I
This chapter will not be an easy chapter to pen.
Righteousness, even in the Christian circle, seems to me a word that can easily, and in many ways be misconstrued. Defined incorrectly. Used wrongly. Without perspective, and a concrete Biblical foundation and understanding; applied in a manner such as Jesus and the apostles actions would properly provide an example, we will miss our mark.
The Oxford dictionary defines righteousness as "the quality of being morally right or justifiable." Merriam Webster defines the word this way - "acting in accord with divine or moral law."
Immorality runs rampant around the world. However, every culture seems to have a different set of rules, and therefore structure, for what is to be called, immoral. Sadly, immorality is sensationalized on every form of media in the United States. It's "a breaking news" or "top story" when politicians are found to be, or caught in the act of having an extramarital affair. We then see this same behavior portrayed on television shows. The mantra seems to be, "it happens, so it must be apart of our show to make it real."
Why would we want to continually validate behaviors that are not righteous?
In the next six subsections, I hope to provide focus, Biblically; a foundation, proper definition and exemplary examples; justifiable, for applying behaviors of righteousness.
Let's start with a Biblical definition.
Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith" ," Romans 1:17.
In Proverbs 21:21 we find, "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."
And Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:11, "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."
I see a few words that appear twice in these 3 verses that will help us form a cornerstone: faith and love.
Paul's letters were written for his vast love in God's people, and to reach God's people. When his letters are read, we can also undoubtedly determine that Paul was a man of great faith. He had a life-altering change in his thinking toward why Jesus had come. He saw such an opposite belief by God's people, openly admitting that his original thinking was errant, that he took immediate action. He wasted not another second or another breath. And for the next twenty-plus years, he preached the gospel, unabashedly, "running his race" for Christ.
While I feel certain that we will find connected and supporting principles to add to faith and love over the next few days, let's start with faith and love, using them as a foundation.
I like to think of Proverbs as a book that provides "mini-principles." Short verses. We can easily find one each day that we can apply to our lives. Look back to Proverbs 21:21. "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."
I feel sure that David was writing this verse with a "vertical," or heavenly mindset. At the same time, I also believe that it directly applies to our daily lives on earth. We are promised life, prosperity and honor. To accomplish this, we are called to act in a righteous manner, with love. The equation could be read and understood, numerically, as 1+1 = 3.
In his view, love is an essential component to righteousness.
The following is recorded in John 13:34-35. Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Having love for Jesus, and God's people; and treating each of these relationship with love, will promote and provide to us, the ability to act and walk in a manner of righteousness.
Faith is also an essential component. Remember Romans 1:17. "The righteous will live by faith." Paul strongly encouraged Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith and love in his first letter to him, found in 1 Timothy 6:11.
We know that Paul had a strong faith, and that his love for Jesus was representative of his charge to reach the people for God by spreading the gospel story. He penned every letter with love; under the direction of his faith in Christ, and with a humble an righteous attitude; displayed by his actions on a daily basis. He was going to "run a good race."
Going back to our Oxford Dictionary definition, righteousness should be morally right, or justifiable. I would suggest that instead of "or," we must be both to be righteous in the eyes of God.
I'll leave you today with 3 verses; 2 from Psalms and 1 from Matthew:
"For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever." Psalms 37:28-29
"A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart." Proverbs 21:2
"Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever." Psalms 112:6
Begin with a "vertical" mindset. Have an understanding that faith and love will serve as guardrails in your search for righteous behavior. You will gain "life, prosperity and honor," Psalms 21:21. Try it today. Incorporate the following components to guide your steps, words and actions.
The promises for righteousness are vast and wide.
"You are loved, and you are sent;" credit fully given to Pastor Bruce Frank for those words.
Righteousness, even in the Christian circle, seems to me a word that can easily, and in many ways be misconstrued. Defined incorrectly. Used wrongly. Without perspective, and a concrete Biblical foundation and understanding; applied in a manner such as Jesus and the apostles actions would properly provide an example, we will miss our mark.
The Oxford dictionary defines righteousness as "the quality of being morally right or justifiable." Merriam Webster defines the word this way - "acting in accord with divine or moral law."
Immorality runs rampant around the world. However, every culture seems to have a different set of rules, and therefore structure, for what is to be called, immoral. Sadly, immorality is sensationalized on every form of media in the United States. It's "a breaking news" or "top story" when politicians are found to be, or caught in the act of having an extramarital affair. We then see this same behavior portrayed on television shows. The mantra seems to be, "it happens, so it must be apart of our show to make it real."
Why would we want to continually validate behaviors that are not righteous?
In the next six subsections, I hope to provide focus, Biblically; a foundation, proper definition and exemplary examples; justifiable, for applying behaviors of righteousness.
Let's start with a Biblical definition.
Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith" ," Romans 1:17.
In Proverbs 21:21 we find, "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."
And Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:11, "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."
I see a few words that appear twice in these 3 verses that will help us form a cornerstone: faith and love.
Paul's letters were written for his vast love in God's people, and to reach God's people. When his letters are read, we can also undoubtedly determine that Paul was a man of great faith. He had a life-altering change in his thinking toward why Jesus had come. He saw such an opposite belief by God's people, openly admitting that his original thinking was errant, that he took immediate action. He wasted not another second or another breath. And for the next twenty-plus years, he preached the gospel, unabashedly, "running his race" for Christ.
While I feel certain that we will find connected and supporting principles to add to faith and love over the next few days, let's start with faith and love, using them as a foundation.
I like to think of Proverbs as a book that provides "mini-principles." Short verses. We can easily find one each day that we can apply to our lives. Look back to Proverbs 21:21. "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."
I feel sure that David was writing this verse with a "vertical," or heavenly mindset. At the same time, I also believe that it directly applies to our daily lives on earth. We are promised life, prosperity and honor. To accomplish this, we are called to act in a righteous manner, with love. The equation could be read and understood, numerically, as 1+1 = 3.
In his view, love is an essential component to righteousness.
The following is recorded in John 13:34-35. Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Having love for Jesus, and God's people; and treating each of these relationship with love, will promote and provide to us, the ability to act and walk in a manner of righteousness.
Faith is also an essential component. Remember Romans 1:17. "The righteous will live by faith." Paul strongly encouraged Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith and love in his first letter to him, found in 1 Timothy 6:11.
We know that Paul had a strong faith, and that his love for Jesus was representative of his charge to reach the people for God by spreading the gospel story. He penned every letter with love; under the direction of his faith in Christ, and with a humble an righteous attitude; displayed by his actions on a daily basis. He was going to "run a good race."
Going back to our Oxford Dictionary definition, righteousness should be morally right, or justifiable. I would suggest that instead of "or," we must be both to be righteous in the eyes of God.
I'll leave you today with 3 verses; 2 from Psalms and 1 from Matthew:
"For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever." Psalms 37:28-29
"A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart." Proverbs 21:2
"Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever." Psalms 112:6
Begin with a "vertical" mindset. Have an understanding that faith and love will serve as guardrails in your search for righteous behavior. You will gain "life, prosperity and honor," Psalms 21:21. Try it today. Incorporate the following components to guide your steps, words and actions.
The promises for righteousness are vast and wide.
"You are loved, and you are sent;" credit fully given to Pastor Bruce Frank for those words.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Perseverance: Wrap-Up
We covered quite a bit of ground on this principle.
The equation laid out forms a basis and foundation for focus once we have a clear definition for how God will use us complete His mission, through us:
Faith + Belief + Opposition-resistance + No Doubt + an Unwavering Commitment
The equation laid out forms a basis and foundation for focus once we have a clear definition for how God will use us complete His mission, through us:
Faith + Belief + Opposition-resistance + No Doubt + an Unwavering Commitment
I challenged you and I to look at Paul's ministry as a strong representation of the principle of perseverance. And while the equation may seem easy enough to employ, the is an opposing force in the devil that with devise a plan and scheme meant to derail our deployment. Keep in mind, though, a strong and personal relationship with Jesus Christ is a requirement for any of the moving parts, and especially the sum of the parts, to work for you. Let's revisit the key points and verses so we can take the straight and narrow road.
In Part I we covered faith. We saw in Acts 18-9-11 how a connection to Christ is imperative. "One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city. So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God."
Even a quick study on Paul reveals how many times he was threatened with beatings, kidnapping, prison, stoning and death because of his faith in his mission, spreading the gospel and good news about Christ. Paul had faith in taking on the "mindset of Christ," Philippians 2:5-8. He paid strict attention to visions revealed to him, and this added clarity, strength and validation along his path.
Realizing that God's purpose is divine, following his instructions by taking a leadership position in His army requires humility and righteousness; allowing others to see Christ in us. Having faith in our mission is a critical component to our success.
In Part II, I covered belief. While the question of "the chicken or the egg" evolutionary theory may seem to apply, it is the combination of the two that make faith and belief incredibly powerful. In Acts 14:8-10 we see how God worked through Paul, allowing him to perform miracles. And people believed. It says, "In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way since birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk." This man saw that Paul had faith and belief in what he was speaking, and therefore God used His power, through Paul's words, to heal this man in Lystra.
The story of the gospel begins in Genesis; literally meaning, "the beginning." Abraham believed in God, as we see in Genesis and recounted in Romans 4:3. "What does scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him in righteousness." This stuff just doesn't happen. How was an impotent man at ninety, and a barren woman in Sarah father nations? Only by the belief, grace and will of God to be fulfilled.
If we have an unshakable faith and belief in God, anything is possible.
In Part III, I cover opposition-resistance. We will be met with this. It is like riders of motorcycles who will have an accident at some point in their "riding career." They can be careful, but the bike and the road will eventually conquer. It is not "if," it is "when."
Turn to Romans 8:31-32. "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Our mission was and is predestined. It is concrete. It will "be done." We can count on God's grace to "see us through," giving glory to God by pressing on against opposition. It is critical to employ the power of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16-18 reads, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
Opposing forces will always remain. It is our job to resist them, having faith and belief in God's direction and promises. His guidance is good and true. He will conquer.
Part IV: Have No Doubt! If we can resist opposition, we can be as bold as Paul was, as we preach the gospel story. A requirement, here, is "rooting" ourselves in our belief system. Like giant Redwood trees in the California forest, the roots are longer, stronger and wider than the gargantuan and massive structures that we see above ground. Being rooted below the surface, having the heart of Jesus, will allow the outside physical structure of our bodies to display God's love for others. These roots will become transparent in our outward representation of Christ for others.
Opposition will remain. Staying focused, and deploying a strong and effective resistance, calling on the Holy Spirit to intercede, will make the journey possible to conquer; undoubtedly.
Part V introduces the idea of having an Unwavering Commitment. This takes hard work! How can we make our charge strong? As the turtle "wins the race," a slow and steady approach is necessary along with having an emotional connection, being "attached at the hip," along our daily walk.
Jesus said in His last breath, "It is finished." Paul encourages us in Romans 12:1-2 to "offer our bodies as a living sacrifice," so that we may be "good, pleasing and perfect" while performing the will of God.
It is not humanly possible to gracefully deploy the will of God in the same way that Jesus did. We are sinners. And therefore scarred. Our approach, if we have an unwavering commitment will still conquer. We will be effective. We will "run the good race." And we will finish. It should be our desire to be able to lay the incontestable crowns at the foot of God. God will provide the skills and abilities necessary to do so, but an unwavering commitment in fulfilling His purpose is required.
Others will be introduced along the way to aid us. We can not do it alone, but in the communal body of Christians in your sphere of influence, it is possible. Many times I have heard that it is the "New Christians" that can be as prominent in their influence as our elders and more mature Christians are. As young believers, they are "Men on Fire."
Remember the "Omni's?" God is omnipotent. God is omnipresent. God is omniscient. All powerful. All present. All knowing. Having God as our partner on our parallel journey will allow us to prevail. Our commitment must not waiver, however, if we want to finish well.
"At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen." - 2 Timothy 4:16-18
It was Easter morning when I wrote Part V. God will ask us to continually define and refine our work. It will not be easy to have an attitude that puts on display an unwavering commitment. But as I noted in the work of "Footprints," mentioned in Part VI; it is God who will carry us when we are not strong enough to walk on our own.
In Part VI, I mention that our mission will be "all for not," as Paul said, if we do not gain Christ. I used three verses from two chapters in Matthew to illustrate my running theme of perspective. Having perspective does not mean applying your own interpretation of scripture. It is the "infallible Word of God," and must be taken with strict understanding in it's instruction. However, our perspective will change as we grow in our faith, belief and unwavering commitment to God's mission for us; resisting opposition that will certainly come.
I used a class I had in college as an example. We can put on the "glasses of Christ." As we come back to our instruction manual (the Bible), time and time again God will reveal something different that will be both evident and paramount in a different way each time, that will be exactly what we need; at that exact moment in time, providing us with the exact "arrow from our quiver" to hit our target. Every time!
Realize that God is carrying you when you can go no further. Have and develop faith. Develop a belief system that is rooted in Biblical principle; gaining knowledge. Find effective ways to resist opposition, as it will invariably come. Stay committed. As a captain is on a boat in the sea, make your commitment to the journey, reaching the "home of God," with an attitude that is unwavering.
We cannot "finish our race" with the same grace that Jesus was able to. That possibility ended in the Garden of Eden. But if we have faith, believe, resist opposition, commit to our mission in a manner worthy of being called, "unwavering," we will win! It is not our battle to win. It has already been predestined. It began to be fulfilled the day Jesus said, "It is finished." Winning is not an option, it is a certainty!
The foundation has already been laid for us to persevere Therefore, we should not be wary of the twists and turns along our road; rather we can be confident that we will "reach the finish line," for God.
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Perseverance: Part VI
Let's put our principle of perseverance in perspective.
Paul considered his mission as being, "all for not," if he did not gain Christ in the process. While he undoubtedly displays a model for perseverance, his mission was personal; but only successful if it had eternal value. Of course; the evidence speaks for itself. But his relationship with, and in Christ, is what caused it to be successful.
Because of his relationship with Christ, Paul was able to reach people. He had guidance in the form of visions. God allowed him to perform miracles so that others would believe. His attitude was righteous, his works, eternal and his mission was fulfilled. All in God's time, and with God's favor. We should remember that this was all done with Paul experiencing more hardship in twenty years than most of us will endure in a lifetime.
Matthew 17:20 provides a foundation going back to what I laid out in Parts I & II. "[Jesus] He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
We see in the verses just previous to this passage, where Matthew has recorded Jesus removing the spirit of the devil from a young boy who was demon-possessed. He was brought to the disciples by his father, but they were unable to drive the evil spirit from him.
There is unsurmountable power in faith. Having a belief and faith in Jesus brings to us a supernatural, eternally divine, place of power. You and I may never move a mountain by speaking to it, but is it possible? We see in Matthew 17:20 that it is.
Additional supporting evidence of faith, and having no doubt in the power that can be (provided we have a relationship with Christ and a belief in God the Father) bestowed on us by having an eternal mindset is found in Matthew 21:21. Jesus has cursed a fig tree along the road, and it will never again bear fruit. He reinforces what was recorded in Matthew 17:20.
Matthew 21:21-22 says, "Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
In these three verses in Matthew, we see three of the five parts of the equation that I have laid out for employing the principle of perseverance: faith, belief and no doubt.
The question becomes, "How can I have a clear eternal view so that I can be more successful in my mission for God?"
Once again, we see a complex question which requires a "deep dive;" biblically speaking. So let's start with the basics.
I can make the claim that most all have heard of the Trinity. God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The foundational requirement to having an eternal world view, begins with a belief in God. It then requires a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And finally, being able to acknowledge and learn to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity, the eternal 3-in-1 Godhead is where belief and faith must start.
Personally, I believe that being able to recognize the importance of, and resources available by way of the Holy Spirit is the toughest part of the Trinity to harness. More on that in another chapter.
Having perspective within the principles being shared in this book is critical. With respect to perseverance, the fulfillment of our mission will not be riddled with going to-and-fro, back-and-forth along our proverbial road, if we can achieve an eternal view.
In one of my favorite classes in college, we were tasked with taking on the view of others. We first studied Freud, so we were ask to put on our "Freudian Glasses." All semester, we did this with not only Freud, but many other prominent figures that molded and shaped the foundation for the practice of psychology.
So how do we put on the "glasses" of Christ?
Start with belief and faith. To acquire someone else's view, it requires a parallel belief. Then, look for opportunities to see the world in the way that Jesus might see it. I realize that we cannot walk and talk with Him. We were not placed on earth two-thousand years ago in Jerusalem. But we can have Him with us as we walk, and talk with Him all day long as we go about our day.
My challenge for you today is to walk and talk with Jesus. As I write this morning, I am reminded to challenge myself. So we are in this together. Talk with Him. Let Him walk where you walk.
And finally, remember "Footprints." For those of you who are not familiar, it is a poem about how God walks with us. The picture behind is that of "footprints" on a beach. And when there is only one set of "Footprints" in the sand, that is when God is carrying us.
Try having a "running" discussion with Jesus today. Then sit back (rhetorically speaking) and see what unfolds, as you don "the Glasses of Christ."
Paul considered his mission as being, "all for not," if he did not gain Christ in the process. While he undoubtedly displays a model for perseverance, his mission was personal; but only successful if it had eternal value. Of course; the evidence speaks for itself. But his relationship with, and in Christ, is what caused it to be successful.
Because of his relationship with Christ, Paul was able to reach people. He had guidance in the form of visions. God allowed him to perform miracles so that others would believe. His attitude was righteous, his works, eternal and his mission was fulfilled. All in God's time, and with God's favor. We should remember that this was all done with Paul experiencing more hardship in twenty years than most of us will endure in a lifetime.
Matthew 17:20 provides a foundation going back to what I laid out in Parts I & II. "[Jesus] He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
We see in the verses just previous to this passage, where Matthew has recorded Jesus removing the spirit of the devil from a young boy who was demon-possessed. He was brought to the disciples by his father, but they were unable to drive the evil spirit from him.
There is unsurmountable power in faith. Having a belief and faith in Jesus brings to us a supernatural, eternally divine, place of power. You and I may never move a mountain by speaking to it, but is it possible? We see in Matthew 17:20 that it is.
Additional supporting evidence of faith, and having no doubt in the power that can be (provided we have a relationship with Christ and a belief in God the Father) bestowed on us by having an eternal mindset is found in Matthew 21:21. Jesus has cursed a fig tree along the road, and it will never again bear fruit. He reinforces what was recorded in Matthew 17:20.
Matthew 21:21-22 says, "Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
In these three verses in Matthew, we see three of the five parts of the equation that I have laid out for employing the principle of perseverance: faith, belief and no doubt.
The question becomes, "How can I have a clear eternal view so that I can be more successful in my mission for God?"
Once again, we see a complex question which requires a "deep dive;" biblically speaking. So let's start with the basics.
I can make the claim that most all have heard of the Trinity. God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The foundational requirement to having an eternal world view, begins with a belief in God. It then requires a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And finally, being able to acknowledge and learn to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity, the eternal 3-in-1 Godhead is where belief and faith must start.
Personally, I believe that being able to recognize the importance of, and resources available by way of the Holy Spirit is the toughest part of the Trinity to harness. More on that in another chapter.
Having perspective within the principles being shared in this book is critical. With respect to perseverance, the fulfillment of our mission will not be riddled with going to-and-fro, back-and-forth along our proverbial road, if we can achieve an eternal view.
In one of my favorite classes in college, we were tasked with taking on the view of others. We first studied Freud, so we were ask to put on our "Freudian Glasses." All semester, we did this with not only Freud, but many other prominent figures that molded and shaped the foundation for the practice of psychology.
So how do we put on the "glasses" of Christ?
Start with belief and faith. To acquire someone else's view, it requires a parallel belief. Then, look for opportunities to see the world in the way that Jesus might see it. I realize that we cannot walk and talk with Him. We were not placed on earth two-thousand years ago in Jerusalem. But we can have Him with us as we walk, and talk with Him all day long as we go about our day.
My challenge for you today is to walk and talk with Jesus. As I write this morning, I am reminded to challenge myself. So we are in this together. Talk with Him. Let Him walk where you walk.
And finally, remember "Footprints." For those of you who are not familiar, it is a poem about how God walks with us. The picture behind is that of "footprints" on a beach. And when there is only one set of "Footprints" in the sand, that is when God is carrying us.
Try having a "running" discussion with Jesus today. Then sit back (rhetorically speaking) and see what unfolds, as you don "the Glasses of Christ."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)