Peace Is Possible

“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.” (2Th 3:16 AV)

That little phrase intrigued me.  The first thought is peace is possible at all times.  That is what always means.  There should not be a time when the child of God is not at peace.  Peace is hard to come by.  Too many factors weigh on the mind and heart which challenge that state of peace.  Paul would not have used that word if it wasn’t possible.  The LORD of peace is able to give peace always.  The second is the means to which Paul might be referring.  Prefacing the means by the word ‘all’ implies there is more than one way in which to gain peace.  If there is only one way in which someone might have peace, then the word all would not have been used.  This suggests a very profound truth.  If we are not at peace, then there is a means of which we have not availed ourselves.  If we are discontented, fearful, frustrated, or otherwise not at peace, then there is a means to peace that has gone neglected.  We will not consider all the means which the LORD of peace Himself has provided.  This would take a book.  However, we will contemplate the nature of the peace which the LORD of peace gives and its availability.

This is such an encouraging verse.  In a world that is turned upside down, it is encouraging to know one can always have peace.  Now, it is important to remember peace does not mean the absence of trouble.  Trouble may still exist.  Peace is a state of the heart.  Peace can come regardless of circumstances.  But, peace is always possible.  Peace is the surrender of what makes us human to the care of the divine.  When we place our circumstances or experiences into the hand of God, then peace is possible.  It is when we come out of the hand of God that we react emotionally.  What are these means?  There are many.  How near are they?  They are only a prayer away.  A parent wants their child to live in relative peace and happiness.  We do not like to see their world torn apart.  When a baby wails in his crib, Mom is immediately there to comfort that child, rocking him to sleep.  When that baby is fraught with fever and he cannot understand what is happening, dad holds him tight and tells him everything is ok.  As they mature into their teen years when everything is bigger than life, Mom and Dad want their child to so desperately enjoy these years of adolescence.  They provide means to make the transition into adulthood as easy as it can be.  No parent likes to see their child unnecessarily distraught.  We want comfort and ease for our kids.  This is the heart of God.

Our world is cruel, wicked, unpredictable, and adversarial.  There are troubles around every corner.  Our lives are a tale twice told.  We go through that which has gone through before.  We want the problems to cease, but one simply replaces another.  Isaiah tells us that perfect peace comes when our minds are stayed on Him.  This implies perfect peace is possible.  It is a matter of shutting out all influences that battle against that perfect peace and staying focused on Christ.  I guess what I am trying to say this morning is no matter how much we think our lives are in turmoil and peace is not possible, Paul would disagree.  So, too, would Isaiah.  Further, there is no one single way to gain this peace.  There are means.  There are many means.  This gives the saint whose world is turned inside out hope for peace.  Peace is always available.  Peace is always possible.  Next time the adversary attempts to convince us there is no peace, remember what Paul prayed for the church at Thessalonica.  He prayed the LORD of all peace would always give them peace by all means.

Established By Grace

“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” (2Th 2:16-17 AV)

 

Much of our preaching offers practical advice and steps to take in order to be successful in life and live for the glory of God.  This is great.  We need pragmatic plans in order to be more like Christ.  However, what is often missing is the doctrine of God’s grace and empowerment in the process of living for Him.  Paul states,  “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Php 2:13 KJB).  The understanding is as the Spirit of God gives physical life and it is by the Spirit we move and have our being, the same is true of our spiritual walk.  No one, by a mere thought or attitude of self-will can make his or her heart beat, or lungs expand.  No one can, as an independent act of the will, force the brain to send impulses to control involuntary muscle movement that keeps us alive.  A force outside of our own will is what keeps us alive.  In the same sense, to live spiritually the same principle applies.  It is the work and ministry of God that enables us to live in the light of God’s word.  It is He that gives us the will to do that which is right.  We do not possess this on our own.  When we rely solely on our strength, we will fail every time.  I like the word ‘stablish’ above.  This means ‘to settle’.  To be a permanent part of who and what we are.  If we are failing, it is because we are not established by the good hope through grace.  This is where all battles for the LORD start and end.

Our whole lives revolve around what we attempt and what we can accomplish.  My wife and I are trying to diet.  We are finding that if we rely solely on our own willpower, we fail.  There are simply too many temptations out there for the human will to ignore.  There are many options out there.  There are Weight Watchers, Keto, Paleo, and Atkins all telling us how to eat.  We have gone to a nutritionist.  Our doctors get on us.  Lord willing, I may even try Noom.  But the bottom line is, unless I rely on the Holy Spirit first and foremost, no matter what I try, I will fail.  There must be help outside of myself for this to be successful.  The human interface of intervention is a great tool.  They attempt to do what the Holy Spirit also does.  They are a voice of rebuke and encouragement.  The will is not strong enough.  Mere willpower simply cannot overcome the temptations at hand.  Trying to succeed in our strength is like willing our hearts to beat or stop.  It is simply impossible.

Many believers give up on a separated and god-honoring life because of failure.  They have repented and rededicated their lives countless times.  The desire to do right is there.  But the willpower to succeed is not.  Again, Paul says,  “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Ro 7:18 KJB)  Paul knew his Bible.  He knew Moses could not lead his people to safety.  It took the mighty hand of God to part the Red Sea.  Joshua knew he could never take a defended city.  It was the hand of God that brought down the walls of Jericho.  David knew he could miss as much as he could hit the giant.  But it was the power of God that led that stone to the exact spot that killed the giant on impact.  Gideon, of all people, knew he didn’t have a prayer against an army 100 times larger than his.  So, the LORD sent a spirit of terror among Israel’s enemies that resulted in complete defeat.  Time and again the Old Testament saint learned he could do very little to affect the will of God in his life.  He was wholly and completely reliant on the miraculous hand of God. We are no less in the same predicament.  We may not have a sea to part, a giant to kill, a city to conquer, or an army to defeat, but our adversaries are no less overwhelming.  The world, the flesh, and the Devil all conspire to bring us to utter ruin, and only by the work of the Holy Spirit can we hope to get through each battle on victor’s ground.

Needed To Dwell With God

“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” (Ps 15:1-2 AV)

 

There is a positional consideration here and a practical consideration.  The positional consideration is all who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior will dwell with God in heaven.  This is called positional sanctification.  This has been accomplished by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness on the souls who have trusted in Him.  However, there is also practical sanctification, and by extension, access to God in the environment of His holiness.  Let us say right off the bat that if we are a child of God, there is nothing we can ever do that changes that status.  As a child of God, we walk with God.  We either walk with Him in obedience and faith, or we walk with Him in disobedience and fear.  Yet we walk with Him.  David is making a distinction between approaching God in the beauty of His holiness compared to walking contrary to His righteousness.  In other words, the question is not a matter of status.  Rather, it is a question of the nature of our relationship.  Who can approach God in the beauty of His holiness?  Who can dwell with God in perfect harmony?  Those that do those things listed above.  They that walk uprightly, work righteousness, and are honest in their own hearts are the ones who walk with God in perfect harmony as opposed to walking with God contrary to Him.

Our generation is quickly becoming satisfied with shallow relationships.  The very definition of intimacy is obscured.  Intimacy requires vulnerability, honesty, and emotional connection.  What is passed off as intimacy today is not intimacy.  The sad thing is, we are becoming ok with that.  Every social marker that indicates a culture that pursues intimacy has proven just the opposite.  Intimacy builds commitment.  Trust is the foundation of intimacy.  Therefore, the more one is intimate, the more trust grows.  Trust then build commitment.  Why take risks when security through trust is far more desirable?  Relationships are no longer permanent.  When one takes risks and it results in a secure relationship, there is no longer a need to seek another.  Faithfulness, which is the manifestation of mutual intimacy, is the proof two have indeed been truly intimate.  We don’t want this.  We are satisfied with shallow relationships.  We don’t want to feel vulnerable.  We do not want to get hurt.  We don’t want to let someone else deep inside where they might find things we would rather they not.  When it comes to God, this is utter foolishness.  We cannot hide anything from God.  He knows us better than we know ourselves.  He knows what is in the deepest parts of our minds and hearts.  The good news is, He loves us despite it.  If we are to be intimate with God, it requires honesty of heart and righteousness of the will.  The question then arises: how deep of a relationship with God do we want?

We do not make enough of righteousness and honesty in our spiritual walk with God.  We make too much presumption when it comes to our walk with God.  Grace is abused.  We believe God must put up with who and what we are with no consequences to our relationship.  A quick prayer for forgiveness, and all is right with God again.  Although God’s grace does indeed forgive all sin upon seeking it, this does not mean we can presume upon that forgiveness.  Those that dwell with God in the beauty of His holiness are those who are first willing to admit what God already knows.  Transparency with God means a lot.  Transparency is the opposite of presumption.  Transparency means we respect God enough to be honest with Him.  The next act of respect is to live in the righteousness of what He is asking.  To do otherwise is to disrespect His will and judgment that has our best interests at heart.  Who can dwell with God on His holy hill?  Those who walk uprightly and are honest with themselves.  That is who.

Always Living With God

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” (1Th 5:9-10 AV)

 

Verse nine is one of those verses used to prove the church will not go through the tribulation.  Wrath is reserved for the enemies of God.  Not His children.  Be that as it may, verse ten is our text this morning.  Whether we are awake in this world, or sleep (pass on to the next), we live together with Him.  This is the very purpose of salvation.  Jesus, in His prayer for His disciples, stated,  “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Joh 17:3 AV)  The whole purpose of creation was that God might have sweet fellowship with beings who would love Him and trust Him by faith.  When the blood of Christ is applied to our account, a relationship is established that cannot be broken.  When I read that verse above, comfort floods the soul.  To know that even though our relationship may be strained by my disobedience or lack of faith, it can never be dissolved, is security beyond words.  To know there is nothing that can separate me from the love of Christ.   “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro 8:38-39 AV)  This any other creature is us, as well.  There is nothing that can separate us from God’s love.  No matter what we do, He always lives with us, and we with Him.

There was a terrifying moment in my childhood that sticks with me even today.  I remember it because I had a horrible nightmare that I still remember.  My parents went through a tough patch.  Like most parents do.  There was a horrible fight and dad left the house.  He took his truck and went away.  We went away for several days and Mom mentioned she didn’t know if Dad was ever coming back.  I remember the night she said that, I had this horrible dream.  Our bedroom was under remodeling so our beds were out in our playroom.  This room was huge.  It had a ping pong table, a pool table, a shuffleboard court, and a train table.  Our beds looked out over the street where a large maple tree grew.  It was the fall.  I remember because the bright moonlight showed through the tree and the branches were clearly visible.  I must have been slipping in and out of sleep because I saw those branches and a monster that was moving and getting closer.  I imagine my mind put together a movement that took hours and made me think it was minutes.  The trauma of thinking my father had left led me to a sleepless night that I can never forget.  This is common today.  Many homes have only one parent, or, whose parent(s) have been so selfish as to abandon their child or children.  I cannot even imagine.

Praise the LORD we have a Father who will never leave nor forsake us.  Sin can, and does, cause issues.  We can strain our relationship with Him.  We can change the character of our relationship with Him.  Rather than have a relationship of joy and gladness, we have a relationship of correction and chastisement.  But there is always a relationship.  Lastly, this living together with Him is not something we control.  It is not something we can pick and choose.  Any more than I can pick and choose who my natural father is, I cannot divorce my heavenly Father because I choose to live in the world.  Once this relationship is established, it is God that keeps it that way.  The grace that saved me is the grace that keeps me.  He is our heavenly Father because He chooses to be and there is nothing we can do to force His choice otherwise.  We live with Him.  Oh, glorious thought.  We live with Him.  How truly wonderful.  We live with Him and there is nothing or no one who can pluck us out of His hand.  Praise be to God!

Of Pride and Prayer

“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Ro 3:11 AV)

 

We often use this verse and apply it to the lost.  There are whole systems of soteriology built around this one verse and concept.  Paul is quoting Psalm 10:4. The idea is that in our carnal and natural state, we do not seek God.  We desire our sin more than we do God and therefore, unless a work of the Holy Spirit ensues, we will not seek the face of God.  This tendency can continue even after Christ takes up residence in our hearts.  Psalm 10:4 shows us the root cause.   “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (Ps 10:4 AV) The wicked here; being the lost; are too proud to seek after God.  Self-sufficiency and self-dependency coupled with self-pleasure keep the wicked from naturally seeking the presence of God.  As I began to muse on these two verses, I wondered if an old nemesis could still be a problem for the child of God who does not seek God by prayer.  I wondered if our issue with a faithful and vibrant prayer life has pride as its root cause.  Survey after survey has been conducted to determine the prayer habits of God’s people and repeatedly, they are reported as dismal.  This problem is not constrained to the laity.  This problem of insufficient prayer time extends to all – including those who are called to minister.  So, is pride the cause?

Our problem is not our theology.  Our problem is not even our faith.  Our problem, as is the case with almost all our issues is the heart.  We have too many things that replace God.  Especially our affirmation and emotional needs.  We have a family.  We have a spouse.  We have friends.  We have a church family.  We even have ourselves.  We find affirmation in a lot of people and things.  For men, our affirmation comes from what we can produce.  For the ladies, our affirmation comes from relationships.  We have built around us that which we provide ourselves and then wonder where our prayer life is.  We do not seek after God because our pride has told us we do not need Him.  We do not need His approval or unconditional love because we have it from all those around us.  Or, like some, perhaps we are too scarred from experiences of the past to risk seeking affirmation from someone who may not give it.  Or, perhaps in our experience, we never did receive affirmation from the temporal sources of it, so we don’t know what it looks like.  We have compensated by telling ourselves we do not need it.  We have survived all our lives without being the most popular man on campus, so if God does not show us love beyond words, it is not any big deal.  We have adapted.  We have compensated.  We have sought after God for salvation.  The Holy Spirit convicted our hearts of sin and the need for a Savior.  We accepted that truth.  We believe that truth.  We hold to that truth.  But the relationship that comes with this salvation, we cannot see a desperate need to pursue it.  We are independent.  We are self-sufficient.  We treat our relationship with God the same way we treat most other relationships.  Self-serving and temporary.

The truth that people are too proud to seek God does not end at salvation.  Just because we were humble enough to seek God for salvation does not necessarily mean we will seek God for fellowship.  We do not bend the knee because we are too proud to bend the knee.  We don’t want to admit we need anyone.  We live alone and are quite content.  Our electronic world only compounds the problem.  We treat relationships as temporary and self-serving.  When they no longer meet a need, we simply ignore the texts, turn off the computer, or put our social media aside for a time.  We pick and choose our relationships based on what we can do for ‘self’ rather than what ‘self’ can do for others.   We do not seek God because we do not feel a need for Him.  When things need to be done, a problem needs to be fixed, a need must be met, or sin forgiven, we are all over prayer.  But to spend time with God for nothing else but to spend time with God is almost non-existent today.  Why?  Because we are too proud to admit we need God and His love more than anything else in the world.  We do not bend the knee nearly as much as we should because we are too proud to do so.  Pride has been, and always will be, the enemy.

Our Crown Of Rejoicing

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” (1Th 2:19-20 AV)

 

One of the deepest sources of joy for the saint is the lives he or she has touched with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The crown of rejoicing is often referred to as the soulwinner’s crown.  One of the five crowns associated with the faithful saint.  It is often spoken these five crowns are those which are cast at the feet of Jesus upon our arrival to glory and following the judgment seat of Christ.  Paul is referring to the people he and his team have won to the LORD.  Specifically, he is speaking of those who have been converted and are part of the church at Thessalonica.  These people are the product of Paul’s great sacrifice while preaching on the mission field.  These dear folks responded to his ministry and grew in the LORD.  When hard times came and joy was scarce, he could ponder the lives he was privileged to impact for the glory of God.  When persecutions arose, no matter what the torture, there was something his haters could not take.  That is the souls who would be in heaven because of his faithfulness to preach the gospel.

It is also important to let those with whom you have had a ministry to, just how important they are to you and how much of a source of joy they are.  Ministry is difficult.  Ministry exacts costs that cannot be foreseen and if known beforehand, probably would not have been paid.  There are highs and lows in ministry.  There are great meetings when the LORD really moves and many hearts are changed.  There are other times when it seems like the congregation is not very unified.  There are times the baptismal waters stir.  Other times it seems like the only thing that is stirring is opposition to your churches’ presence.  There are times of wonderful fellowship.  There are many more times of deep loneliness.  There is a multitude of times of self-doubt or relevance.  One asks self-abasing questions like:  does it really matter that I am here?  How many lives have I really impacted?  Someone else could do a better job than me.  Or, we can begin to be discouraged over one soul that falls away rather than the 99 that are still there.  We wonder if our effort is really worth it.  We ponder if ministry truly matters at all.  What impact do I really make?  If all of a sudden, I was missing, would I really be missed?  There are times of personal defeat.  Times that we fall into sin and wonder if God would ever use us again.  We become overly critical of our lack of faith and begin to doubt our future.  We hear gossip, read a FB post, or notice those who were with you are no longer.  We look at the negative of ministry and almost want to call it quits.  How do we get through it?

In part, we contemplate on those lives that have been changed.  As we sit in persecution with little to no opportunity, we rejoice that along life’s way, God used us to lead someone else to Christ and they are still standing strong.  Those who have no joy in life may be those who impact others the least.  Recently, a good friend of mine related how his entire Sunday School class he had a decade ago, was all in church on the same Sunday.  Now, there is a crown of rejoicing!  The world will continue to be a black and dark place.   But that doesn’t mean we lack anything in which to rejoice.  We can have joy unspeakable and full of glory as we mull over in the mind years of faithful service resulting in a changed life here and there.  It is a good thing to remember.  It is a good thing to look at those pictures of days gone by and recall how wonderful it was to teach a Sunday School class, lead and youth class, or win someone to Christ.

A Choice; Not A Reaction

“But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” (Ps 5:11 AV)

 

This verse is interesting in that two colons are separating three thoughts.  As we know, what follows a colon expounds on that came before it.  In the verse above, those that love the name of God and rejoice because of Him do so because God answered prayer.  Those that rejoice that God answered prayer do so because they sought God by faith.  The end of this verse teaches if we are to love God, we must first learn to trust Him.  There is another application here as well.  Note that joy is mentioned as a by-product of each step.  We rejoice when we learn to trust.  We rejoice when God answers our prayers.  We rejoice a third time because we appreciate God for who He is and what He has done.  Each step of spiritual growth brings with it a helping of joy.  Our joy is directly tied to our willingness to trust.  It starts there.  If we will not trust the LORD, then we will be disappointed with the outcome.  Disappointment is the exact opposite of joy.

Joy is sadly missing in today’s world and it is something almost all seek.  Happiness, which is a close relative to joy, usually ends up being the object of pursuit.  But happiness is temporary and fleeting.  Happiness only lasts as long as the circumstances allow it to exist.  Joy, on the other hand, is much deeper and long-lasting.  Happiness is a response.  Joy is a choice.  Notice David tells his readers to rejoice as they put their trust in God.  Just because we put our trust in God does not mean we will rejoice as a natural result.  Joy is a choice.  Faith naturally brings with it anxiety.  Think of Gideon.  He trusted the LORD, but he was quaking in his boots as he did.  On the other hand, there is Abraham.  When he offered Isaac upon the altar, there is no record of anxiety with him.  Impatience can also creep in as we trust the LORD.  We have no option but to trust Him.  We do, but we also struggle with it.  Choosing to rejoice as we trust means we have decided to see the answer before it comes and exercise patience until the answer does come.  Rejoicing comes when we leave all things in God’s hand and choose to expect the end from the beginning.  Faith means we see what God will do before He does it and this confidence is then our motivation to rejoice.

The challenge becomes the interim between seeing the end and waiting for the end to come.  This is where the choice to rejoice comes in.  As we walk by faith, there will be constant challenges to that walk.  The greatest of which is our Adversary.  He does not want to see the saint rejoice in something he has yet to realize.  To do so would be the greatest of all types of testimony.  One of the most effective witnesses to the reality of God is our faith in Him.  Going hand in hand is the joy that is supposed to accompany that faith.  If we say we trust Him, then we should appear as though we do.  If we believe He will deliver us from all evil, then a face that says so should be our demeanor.  Joy is nothing more than wearing on the outside what God has promised on the inside.  Of our faith tells us God will answer and we believe that with our whole hearts, then let that faith work its way to the spirit.  Choose to rest in Him.  Choose to rejoice in what God is going to do rather than obsess over what He is not doing.

Aloneness With God

“Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” (Ps 3:2-3 AV)

 

David writes this at a time in his life when almost all abandoned him.  The people who he is referencing in verse two are his son and the vast majority of Israel.  They have assumed since David is on the run from a son and nation who do not desire him and want him dead, that God is not helping him.  David knows better.  He was promised the throne by almighty God.  Man cannot take it from him.  What struck me this morning is the loneliness of David compared to his faith in God alone.  A normal person would be very discouraged if left alone and accused of having no God to help him.  Not David.  His life was full of these moments.  He stood alone against the lion and bear.  He stood alone against Goliath.  At times, he stood alone fleeing from Saul.  He stood alone when his own tribe rejected him.  He stood alone just before Saul’s death when even the 600 men with him gave up on him.  All these times of loneliness prepared him to be an effective leader.  This is one ability a leader must nurture.  He must learn that at times, there will be no one to stand with you but stand you must.  There will be times when a battle rages and you alone are the ones who face the enemy.  Bless God for His ever-abiding presence.  This is what David wishes to share.

We all face times of life when it is hard to include the help of others.  Times of struggle over sin seem to never go away.  Times of deep loss.  Times of self-doubt.  Times of quietness when meditation upon one’s walk with God becomes all-consuming.  In these times, others may be of help, but they are not the cure.  I think of Job who was asked of God to go through a deep and almost impossible time of testing and loss.  His three friends tried to solve the problem and give answers that would cure Job’s grief.  All to no avail.  All they did was manage to drive Job deeper into his state of despair.  The one voice he needed to hear from was slow in coming.  God allowed Job to process his situation before He answered his grief.  Job had no one.  Not even his wife was a comfort to him.  God was always there.  He had never left Job.  God may have been silent for a very brief moment, but He knows Job’s frame and would not allow him to suffer above that which he was able.  God knows our frame and even though there may be little human help can offer, to understand David’s faith here is a great help.  This means we have to be actively walking in obedience and faith with God before the trial comes.  We cannot wait until a deep need comes and then all of a sudden expect our relationship with God to be as intimate as if it was never estranged.

There is a difference between loneliness and aloneness.  The former is not a good thing.  The latter has benefits.  The former is an injury to the soul and heart.  Loneliness is a disease of the heart that needs constant attention.  Loneliness should never be an issue with the saint.  God has promised to never leave nor forsake.  There should never be a time when we feel lonely.  If we do, that is on us.  Aloneness can be a good thing.  In these times, God is with us as never before.  We learn that God is able and capable to carry us through even the hardest of times.  As we sit in a hospital chapel in a mind and heart of prayer for a loved one, words of consolation, although well-meaning, are not sufficient to meet the need.  It is the presence of God that makes the difference.  Being alone with God draws the heart much closer to the One we love.  The mind and heart begin to trust in ways they have never trusted before.  God become far more intimate.  David, in his aloneness, sought and leaned on God.  It was nice to have his 600 men with him.  But when push came to shove, it was God who got him through.  The above mockers meant their words like swords and spear piercing to the hope of David’s heart.  What they didn’t know is what David knew.  He may have been alone, but he wasn’t lonely.  He may have had very little human support, but he had God and that was all he needed.

Embracing the Inner Child

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:” (Col 2:6 AV)

 

I cannot help but be reminded of Jesus’ teaching as He placed a little one on His knee.  That little one became an object lesson in how one must come to Christ.  He must come in humility, honesty, dependency, and faith.  Any element of pride or self-sufficiency would disqualify the seeker from salvation in Christ.  We can get too grown-up for our own good.  We can become sophisticated to the point we become self-dependent and self-governing.  We can articulate the mysteries of the kingdom of God, yet when it comes to humbly walking with our God, this becomes a struggle.  We form prayers to impress a crowd or ‘explain’ things to God.  We read the word of God as a textbook rather than the very voice of God.  We become complicated in our theology and thinking and much too often, bring God down to our level.  In our worship, we actually believe we can conjure up the Holy Spirit and bring Him down to us that we might have a ‘spiritual experience’ which, of course, it is not.  We have ceased to walk with Christ as we received Him.

When professionals look at older people acting a bit more immaturely than is socially acceptable, they say he is getting in touch with his inner child.  When wives watch their husbands do things as they did twenty years ago, they say he is getting in touch with his inner child.  Most of the time, it is something they used to do with ease and are trying to do so again with the same vim and vigor.  They may play some touch football or plan to hike up a mountain.  They are just getting in touch with their inner child.  This phrase is often meant as a judgment, of sorts.  Not necessarily condemnation, but judgment.  It only becomes condemnation if the person in question is unsuccessful.  When it comes to walking in Christ, getting in touch with our inner child is not a bad thing.  This is exactly to what Paul is referring.  Paul is encouraging the Colossians to go backward, in a sense, to the condition of their spirit when they accepted Christ.  Remember the inner child who cried out for mercy when convicted of their sin.  Remember the inner child who was condemned with no hope in this life or the next.  Then cried out for mercy.  Remember the inner child who simply took God at His word and placed all faith and trust in the record of Christ’s offering.

I see this quite frequently with older saints.  They have spent several decades getting their theological houses in order and all of a sudden, find the practical things of their walk have gone neglected.  They have studied and learned about God in an academic sense, then came to realize the God they thought they knew well the barely knew at all.  This changes one’s walk with God.  No longer are we concerned with understanding God.  We simply want to know Him.  We are knocked to our knees by one trial after another and in the process, relearn the basics of the Christian faith.  We learn humility, dependency, faith, and gratitude.  We learn, once again, there is simplicity in Christ.  We learn the second, third, or fourth time God has not changed.  Jesus is still Jesus and the Jesus of today is the one we met decades ago in a state of hopelessness and fear.  To ‘get in touch with our inner child’ is nothing more than to be reminded no matter how much we have learned or think we know, we are still so far from who God is that we have barely grown at all.  Paul is talking to a very educated and sophisticated church in Colossae.  They have brains to spare.  Because they are very smart, they have forgotten how to walk as children.  It is time to get back to that inner child and walk with Christ as we once did.

Untapped Power

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;” (Col 1:10-11 AV)

 

Doesn’t that phrase just blow your mind?  Do you mean to tell us, Paul, that if we wish to walk worthy of the LORD so as to please Him in all things, that He will strengthen us with all might to accomplish that which He and We mutually desire?  This is exactly what Paul is saying.  All of the might is all of the might that an omnipotent God possesses and the amount of might we need in which to do as we should.  Paul’s prayer here for the saints of Colossae is that they might be strengthened by all the might necessary from a God who possesses all might that they might be what they should be and desire to be for their LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.  What a wonderful thought!  If we desire to live for God, no weakness can hinder it.  If we desire to serve God, there is no shortness of endurance that would stop us.  Whatever it is that God asks of us, He also provides for.  Praise the LORD!

Throughout the word of God, our Father has asked of many that which they could not accomplish on their own.  From Samson who slew thousands with the jawbone of an ass to David who faced down Goliath, God asks of those who profess faith in Him to rely upon Him to do the impossible.  As Paul took charge of a ship whose end was destruction, saving all souls aboard, God is waiting for those who will cease to rely on their own judgment and means and depend solely on Him.  As Daniel slept soundly surrounded by a pride of ferocious beasts, God is ready to meet us where we are and provide all might to overcome.  Like Joshua, faced with a formidable enemy and an illogical battle plan, God peers over the portals of heaven in search of those who will follow and do, not doubting or going back on His leadership.  Even Gideon, as frightened as he was, chose to trust the LORD and place the battle in His hands rather than his own.  Hebrews chapter eleven is filled with courageous saints who faced difficult circumstances choosing to rely on the strength of God’s might and prove Him faithful.  It was the strength of God’s might that brought forth a son for Abraham and Sarah when they could not produce one on their own.  It was the strength of God’s might that destroyed an advancing army at a sea once parted.  It was the strength of God and the power of His might that brought forth a son, born of a virgin, who died for our sins and which could not be kept in a grave!

Our enemies are only as strong as our doubt in God’s might, allows.  If we live a life of defeat, it is only because we have not prayed in faith for the strength of the power of all His might.  If we cannot conquer our flesh, the world, or the devil, it is the lack of God’s strength and the power of His might which we have neither sought nor asked for which brings defeat.  Imagine, a scrawny little boy who constantly is bullied is offered the protection of his elder brother, the bodybuilder.  Off they go to the playground and his elder brother sits under a shade tree taking a nap.  Along comes the neighborhood gang and begins to pick on this scrawny little guy.  Because of his pride, he tries to handle it on his own.  He fails miserably.  After the scrap is over, this little lad awakens his elder brother so they might go to the hospital.  This little guy needs stitches, a cast, and bandages galore.  His elder brother looks at him confused and disappointed.  Why wasn’t he awakened?  Why didn’t he ask for help?  This is what we do when faced with the challenges of life.  God is omnipotent.  There is nothing we will ever face which He cannot handle.  Yet, there He sits, completely unused as we complain about our life’s defeats.  How foolish.  Time to awaken our Big Brother and Champion of our faith.  He is the first, and not the last, source of strength upon which we should lean.

Prayer:  Father, You are so right.  I have been trying to fight this fight all on my own.  Please, forgive me.  It has to start with Philippians.  Please, Father, give me to will to fight back.  Give me the will to walk in disobedience.  Give me the will to walk worthy.  After that, by the way of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, enable me to live in victory.  It is the only way.

Excellent Spirit Equals Perfect Words

“He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.” (Pr 17:27 AV)

 

The word for excellent actually comes from two words.  The first meaning valuable, priceless, or pure.  The second meaning is cold or cool, calm, self-possessed.  The first meaning speaks to the quality of spirit and the later the nature of it.  There is a relationship between the quality and nature of the spirit, and the use of words.  The relationship between knowledge and spirit here is inseparable.  What stands out to this writer is the nature and quality of spirit which the wise speaker possesses.  He is of an excellent spirit.  His personality is under control.  The speaker with an excellent spirit is one who is cool, calm, and self-collected.  He is not a man of uncontrolled passions and emotions.  He holds them well in check.  The reason is, he knows what damage can be done will ill-spoken words.  He knows if he says something that does not need to be said, lives can be changed for the worse and not for the better.  He knows words are powerful things and should not be used without discipline and purpose.  The man with knowledge weighs his words before he uses them because once they are spoken, they cannot be retracted.

When we meet someone like the one described above, we are almost always impressed.  We stand amazed that he or she knows just what to say when to say it, and when to be quiet.  We admire their wisdom and the fact they never seem to offend a soul.  They may not have a ton of friends, but they have very few enemies.  Someone like this can meet a total stranger and by the end of their brief conversation, walk away having blessed someone’s day.  Someone like this is like that fella at a marathon who hands out water as the runners pass by.  Hardly noticed until water is needed, but everyone is so glad he is there to pass out the refreshments.  The person that knows less is better is not the first to be invited to a party, but he is never the last.  Unobtrusive in his presence, he mingles not necessarily looking for a conversation, but not rejecting one if someone speaks to him.  He is more attentive to his demeanor and facial expressions than he is trying to give his two cents.  He walks among the busy in a spirit that tells others that life is good and there is always something nice to say.  His silence is his wisdom.  Not always understood, they assume he is shy or unlearned.  Or, others may assume he simply does not care nor wishes to engage because others may come to expect something from him.  He is seen as a wallflower, and not someone of immediate profit to others.  He is not the life of the party.  But he is also not the end of one either.

If we have trouble with words, the problem is deeper than our tongues.  If we cannot seem to say the right thing at the right time, it isn’t because we are unlearned.  If the wrong things come out, it isn’t because our minds couldn’t think of something else to say.  If we are struggling to minister effectively with words, one must not search anywhere else but the spirit.  The spirit controls what comes forth from the tongue.  The spirit that is cool, calm, and self-controlled will think before he or she speaks.  They will think of the consequences of words and the goal of those words.  Here is the idea to consider today.  Perhaps before we use our tongues, we can ask ourselves if we have an excellent spirit.  This is an operation of the Holy Spirit.  This is not something we can accomplish in our own strength or by our own effort.  The Holy Spirit is the only one who can change us from the inside out.  What we need to ask ourselves is: do we want that excellent spirit? Do we want a spirit that is prized about all else because it is under control and exercised in a deliberate and God-honoring way?  It starts there.  If we can attain that excellent spirit, then effective ministry of words will be the result.

Shine On

“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Php 2:15 AV)

 

Hopefully, today marks a change in the style of my entries.  I have been reading one of my favorite authors from two centuries ago.  A few of his works, as far as I am concerned, were masterpieces.  He was a holiness author who also understood the true doctrine of sanctification and did not allow the spiritualism and mysticism of the day to taint his view of holiness.  His writings are an inspiration and transformative.  He was not a prolific writer.  He only wrote a few works.  Of those, three are exceptional.  What struck me as I read a brief work of his on prayer is my entries have mostly been about life experiences rather than written in a style of a sermonette.  This latter style I hope to incorporate more and more.  So, to that end, let us consider the above verse.  In particular, the very last phrase.

Philippians chapter two is one of my favorite chapters.  Particularly because of how it starts.  Paul instructs the saints to have the same mind that brought Jesus to earth and die in obedience to the will of the Father.  It is this mindset that sets up the result of the above verse.  We are lights in this world whether we realize it or not.  Some shine brighter than others.  But all shine.  The world has always been a dark place.  Since the sin of Adam and Eve, the world has known nothing but sorrow, pain, and death.  The human race has done this to itself.  Yet, our glorious God has not left us without hope.  He sent His willing and compassionate Son to offer His own life on a cruel cross that all who repent of their sin and trust Him would be instantly adopted into the family of God!  What a glorious thought!  What a wonderful truth!  This new identification goes to the very heart and soul of our existence.  In an instant, we are transformed.  The old man is crucified with Christ that it might be destroyed.  That we would henceforth not walk as we did in the past, but walk in the newness of life that is in Christ.  He bled and died that those who submit to His free gift of salvation would cease to be the children of the devil and become the sons of God.

When this happened, we became the children of light.  We began the process by which we are transformed into the image of His dear Son.  This creates a contrast.  Some try to hide it.  They cannot agree with Paul when he states in Romans chapter one and in verse sixteen that he is not embarrassed regarding the power of Christ and what He has done.  They hide in the background, hoping against all hope no one will ask why they are so different.  Others tolerate the shiny new person they have become, but don’t do anything with it.  Then there are those who understand the power of the shiny new them.  They realize they shine brightly in a sin-soaked world and do not hesitate to let others notice.  They pray in public.  They speak to others about Christ.  They smile when others frown.  They walk in faith while others cower.  They see the sunrise while others see the sunset.  They do not mind the reality of being a beacon that shines brightly when there seems to be no light around them.  This is what we are.  We cannot help it.  As we live our Christian lives, we are a light to a lost and dying world.  We are that ray of hope for which others may be looking.  What a privilege!  What a gift!  What an awesome opportunity.  To be created to be that voice of joy, hope, and love that is so sadly lacking in today’s world is something to cherish, not repel or hide.  So, let your light so shine before men that they might come to Christ also!

What He Starts, He Will Finish

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Php 1:6 AV)

 

What a verse!  This is a verse that all who struggle for victory in life cling to in times of failure!  A promise from the Apostle that Jesus we complete what He started is a promise that gets us out of the mire, cleaned off, and back on the road to righteousness.  This is a promise for those who are subject to a barrage of attacks of the flesh who simply cannot repel all temptations.  We falter.  We fail.  We disappoint our wonderful and loving Father because the flesh is simply too strong for us.  We go into depression and see no point in battling an enemy that seems unconquerable.  This only makes us go down the road of failure further and faster.  But this Paul gives us this word of encouragement.  Even though we may give up on ourselves, Jesus never does!

I know I have used this example before, but it is a good reminder of the principle above.  After my shoulder surgery, the physical therapist and I sat down and she conducted an interview.  She used huge protractors to measure my range of movement after surgery.  She used other measuring tools to get a baseline on my mobility and elasticity.  Then she conducted an extensive interview with many lifestyle questions and goals.  She asked me about my past level of physical exercise and what I might have used my shoulder to accomplish.  Bowhunting was one.  Golf was another.  She asked at what level of restoration I would be happy with.  She asked what my tolerance level was to pain, how dedicated I felt I might be to rehab, and the length of commitment I might feel I would be willing to make.  She stated it was possible to get full mobility and dexterity if I would be willing to put in the time and effort.  In other words, she promised as long as I followed their recommendations, did my exercises at home, and stayed with it, I would gain my shoulder back better than it ever was before.  So, I committed to therapy.  I did my exercises at home religiously.  I took the time necessary and did not reinjure the shoulder.  Over time, the therapist was right.  It took around a year but I had gained all my mobility and most of the strength lost to injury.  Today, my shoulder is as good as new.  The thing about physical therapists is they push you beyond what you think you are capable of accomplishing.  “Just one more time” or “A little bit further” or “Don’t give up, you can do it” are frequent words heard from these special people.  They know the pain we endure now will result in liberty down the road.

The same is true of Jesus.  He will not give up on us even though we give up on ourselves.  We condemn ourselves for our lack of discipline or lapse in judgment.  Oft times for the same thing over and again.  Like Paul in Romans chapter seven, we go down the same roads of failure time and again.  Our hope, however, is not in ourselves.  Our hope is in Jesus Christ.  Our hope is in a Savior who loves us and will see to it that we are turned into His likeness no matter what that might mean.  He starts the process in this life and finishes at our death.  Christlikeness is a promise found in Romans chapter eight.  We can count on it.  He will never give up!  There isn’t anything we could do that will discourage our Savior from continuing His work of sanctification.  He will wash us off by His word.  He will empower, convict us, teach us, and remind us by the ministry of His Spirit.  What He has begun, He will finish.  You can bank on it!