Tailor Fit

“For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” (Heb 7:26 AV)

Hebrews chapter seven has entertained some pretty useless debates on the identity of the priest Melchizedek.  It is clear who he was.  Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate appearance of the LORD Jesus Christ.  We know this emphatically for three reasons.  First, he had no human lineage.  Second, three times he is said to be eternal.  Third, God the Son would not subject himself for an eternal priesthood on a temporal, man-centered one.  God can swear by no other.  For there is none greater than God Himself.  So, the priesthood of Melchizedek had to be a divine one.  Otherwise, the Son would not subject Himself to it.  Having said that, the verse above is precious, to say the least.  Our High Priest is Jesus Christ.  He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate, and greater than all of creation.  The most astounding word to me is ‘became’.  The word means “suitable, proper, seemingly fit”.  Jesus is everything we are not.  In His character, attributes, and sacrifice we see how utterly wicked that we are.  Even more glorious is that only God could save such wicked mankind as we are.

Treatment for certain diseases is becoming more tailerable to the individual patient.  CAR-T cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy for certain types of cancer.  The process requires the patient to supply the base of cells that fight disease.  Another patient’s cells will not work.  The T-cell is extracted, modified, and placed back into the patient.  The treatment is specific to the patient.  He or she must use what is unique to them and cannot use any other supply.  One could say that the treatment ‘became’ them.  Another way to look at this word is something that is so uniquely effective that it only works for that one individual.  Or something that is so custom fit that there is only one individual for whom it is made.  It becomes them because it is specific to them and is perfect in all that it does or needs to do.  For something to be becoming, it must check all the boxes perfectly with no possibility of any future needs being unmet.

Our Savior saved us completely and thoroughly.  There is nothing more that can be done or needs to be done.  Every sin is paid for.  Every fault will be repaired.  When He comes again and we are glorified into His image, we will be perfect in every way.  It will be impossible to fall again.  Those who know the LORD as their LORD and savior have been saved to the uttermost.  See the previous verse.  When the apostle tells us that our Savior becomes us, it is a word that has a hard time making a equal comparison to anything in the created world.  Jesus Christ is King.  He is God.  When the perfect God of all of creation comes to suffer and die for a fallen race, His sacrifice is absolutely flawless.  It becomes us because we are absolutely lost.  Praise God for His wonderful gift of grace to the humble and lowly.

Loving Words of Challenge and Affirmation

“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” (Heb 6:9 AV)

Some might see this as a remark of disappointment.  Some may think the writer is disappointed in the Hebrews for their rejection of their Messiah.  While that might have been a feeling our writer had, it was not the motive for the statement.  Rather, the motive was meant as an encouragement to excel at that which they were called to do.  The entire book is written to the Hebrews as proof of who Jesus is to them.  The writer relies heavily on the Jewish system of worship as well as the promises made to Abraham.  The statement above is a challenge.  In a loving sort of way, the apostle is challenging them to be all they can be based on what they have.  They have sufficient proof and knowledge of the scriptures.  They have evidence from the gospels and testimony of witnesses.  They have a Gentile legal record.  They have the accounts of historians.  They have all they need.  Now, the apostle tells the Hebrews that he is personally persuaded that the Hebrews are capable of better things.

My high school career was a profound one.  I don’t know why, but most teachers went above and beyond to help me succeed.  I had a few I remember distinctly as teachers who would challenge me to do better than I was attempting.  There was our ninth grade American history teacher.  Two of my English teachers also worked hard to better my grades.  I had a mechanical drafting teacher who poured his heart into my work.  Then, there was one of the teachers who I prized above all.  It was my Photography teacher.  He had a darkroom in the classroom, and I was the only one who knew how to run it.  It was by his mentoring that I learned far more than a hobby.  He taught me to think, to interact with my world, and also how to be a mentor for others.  These teachers had several things in common.  They had a love for their students.  But they also had a commitment to help those students who responded to their instruction to be all they could be.  It is that commitment, love, and hope that change a mediocre student into one that is highly successful.

Note something even more special regarding the above passage.  Note the plural pronoun.  The apostle uses the word ‘we’.  Who is the ‘we’?  The letter to the Hebrews does not mention any author or scribe by name.  Therefore, the only way this could be understood is the author and the LORD.  Now, this is even more encouraging.  It is such a comforting thought when our parents, teachers, pastors, etc. voice a confident affirmation of our ability to mature unto Christlikeness.  They know we can.  They are persuaded that we can.  But when God tells us this, it feels overwhelmingly secure.  When the LORD tells us that He is persuaded that we are capable of good things, then we are far more apt to attempt those good things.  Praise the LORD for His confidence in His wonderful works of grace upon the saints of God.

Take the Escape Hatch

“For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him];” (Heb 2:2-3 AV)

That “just recompence of reward” is the reason this writer is so grateful for the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ!  The writer of Hebrews is clear here.  The just recompense of reward for our sin is eternal damnation.  Our Creator created us to please Him.  We are to do that through obedience and faith.  When we fail, we fail the purpose for our existence.  What makes this failure worse than it could be is that the majority of our failure is founded in rebellion.  As disconcerting as the “just recompence of reward” is, the “escape” is its polar opposite.  As frightened as we should be at the possibility of our just recompense, we can rejoice even more at the escape that was provided.  One can only wonder how our lives would be had not the LORD provided the escape clause!  There may be consequences for our choices.  And there often are.  These consequences may be lived in this life and unavoidable until the next.  But there is an escape.  This escape is found in the person of the LORD Jesus Christ!

I can’t remember a time when I was ever in a life and death situation and needed an escape.  At least one that I caused myself.  This writer is rather cautious.  I am not a big risk-taker.  However, I do remember several situations that gained global attention.  Every now and again, we read of a pet or small child that falls down a hole.  Or we hear of a boater who suffers catastrophic failure and is afloat for several days to weeks before anyone finds them.  I remember the miners trapped in Chili.  It grabbed the attention of the entire world.  Thirty-three miners were trapped for sixty-nine days 2,500 feet down and three miles from the mine’s entrance.  The owners of the mine had repeatedly ignored safety warnings, and the mine collapsed.  Over the preceding dozen years, eight workers were killed.  A worldwide effort ensued to get these men up.  The rescuers had to drill another shaft down to where the miners were and build an elevator to bring them up.  As they were winched up one at a time, over five million people watched the rescue in real time.  The accident was caused by human neglect.  One might callously say that these men, who worked for a company that was known for safety violations took an unwise risk.  That might have been so, but I am sure they were grateful beyond words for the escape that finally came!

Our sin deserves the worst punishment that the Divine hand of God would decree.  Our punishment is well deserved.  We made those choices.  We ignored His law.  We went our own way.  Sometimes from ignorance of the law, but most of the time from the depths of our wicked and rebellious hearts.  We shook our fists in the face of God and told Him how we were going to live.  We flaunted our ability to make choices.  We dared Him to stop us.  We hated Him for confronting us in our evil ways and determined that He would never rule in our hearts and lives.  That is the nature of all mankind.  Yet God provided a way of escape.  He drilled the hole from heaven to earth.  He sent down His Son to be our payment.  Jesus died on a cross and bore the wrath of the Father.  He is our way of escape.  We are not trapped.  I am sure that after a few days, those miners realized just how trapped and helpless they were.  Even the manmade ladder that was supposed to be installed was missing.  There was no way out.  Not unless someone from above sent a way of deliverance.  That is exactly what Jesus did!  I shudder to think of what awaited me before Jesus saved my pitiful soul.  You, too, have the same way of escape.  The choice is yours.  You can get in the rescue pod with Jesus and come out of the pit, or you can stay there and suffer the consequences of your rejection.  Our recompense of reward for the sins accumulated over a lifetime is too much to fathom.  The way of escape is far better!

An Encouraging Rebuke

“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” (Tit 2:15 AV)

I am intrigued by what Paul means by “these things”.  We know that preaching, in general, follows the same rule.  We are to speak the entire oracles of God.  We are to exhort with the entire word of God.  We are to rebuke by the entire word of God.  That is Paul’s instruction to Timothy.  However, in this passage, it seems as though there might be particular things to which Paul is referring.  If Paul intended to refer to his entire letter to Titus, this verse would have appeared at the end of the letter.  Rather, it appears in a chapter with specific content.  The main idea is proper conduct of the saint within the status of their societal place.  The elder men and ladies are to teach the younger how to conduct themselves in both public and the home.  Servants, or employees, have responsibilities to which they should commit.  All the instruction is given in the context of the second return of Christ.  It is the hope of His return that Paul uses as the motivating factor to godly living.  When considering that rebuking in light of hope is the idea here, it brings significant considerations to the mind and heart of the saint.

Speak, exhort, and rebuke are three degrees of the same thing.  To speak here means to utter.  It is a casual conversation or a general call for mutual discussion.  To exhort means to call to one’s side.  In other words, if speaking is effective, the exhortation follows.  Two opposing sides have come together in a mutual agreement to discuss a matter.  Rebuking is to confute or admonish.  Once an agreement to discuss a matter is established, then the truth must be presented.  To confute means to prove to be wrong.  That comes first.  Admonish means to encourage to accept what is right.  Again, that follows a certain process.  We cannot encourage to accept what is right before we can establish what is wrong.  The point here is that Paul did not instruct Titus to use communication as the only goal.  It was the proper use of communication to encourage those in Crete to live Christlike in the hope of His return.

This is where I need to park for a bit.  The imminent return of Jesus Christ is not a popular topic of preaching.  Yet it occupies a significant portion of the entire word of God.  The promise that God will reign on earth is the hope of Israel.  They look forward to their Messiah.  The church looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ so that He alone is worshipped and glorified.  According to Paul, the imminent return of Jesus Christ is a motivation to deeper commitment to Christ.  Not the opposite.  If presented correctly, the church should double-down on living for Jesus.  Not the opposite.  It is a misunderstanding to think that preaching and teaching the return of Christ produces lacks saints in the pew.  This simply isn’t so.  The more we realize how close He is to His return, the less we will worry about the future.  The less we worry about the future, the greater the risks taken to fulfill the great commission.

Comforting Word

“Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?” (Ps 119:82 AV)

The writer equates the comfort that comes from God with His word.  And rightly so.  The LORD may speak is several ways, but it is His word that is our greatest source of comfort.  He may speak of His majesty and sovereignty through creation.  We see how the universe works is perfect synchronization, knowing that the hand of an infinite God planned it all and is running it all.  We can hear the comforting words sent by the hand of God through the words of those closest to us.  We can hear the Spirit’s prompting, feel His encouraging presence, and sense His Spirit bearing witness with our spirit.  We can have all these things by the gracious provision of God, but the word of God excels above them all.  His word is His greatest source of comfort.  That is why I love is so dearly!

Greeting cards are a special treat.  As I approach my later years, I appreciate them much more than in my younger years.  In my younger and more materialistic year's presents were better.  Now, whether it is a birthday, anniversary, a special day of recognition, or the holidays, greeting cards top my list.  Over the past twenty years or so, for different occasions, the children of the church write their own cards.  These are the best!  Some are humorous, but all are charming.  I get the delightful pleasure of seeing my ministry through their eyes.  What a precious gift!  October was pastor appreciation month.  Our church recognized the pastors of our work.  The cards we received still sit on my table as I read them over and again.  They bring a smile to my heart and face.  There is something about a written letter or card that is more valuable than spoken words.  They are the gifts that keep on giving.

The word of God is far more than a book of doctrine and nuggets of truth.  The word of God is His love letter to each of us.  Absent from His direct presence, He has given us His word that right from His heart that speaks to ours.  Only the foolish saint would refrain from reading it every day.  When we involve the Spirit in our reading, the pages come alive.  I was reminded of this very thing.  This past week has been a long one.  For those who love our LORD and want to see the foundation of our nation rise from the depths of secularism, things did not go so well.  But God never dies!  He is still on the throne!  He still reigns no matter how elections turn out.  Nothing new has happened.  Jesus is coming back.  No election can stop it!  Praise be to God.  It is His word that is eternal.  Not this world.  I, for one, am eternally grateful for His written word, which comforts my heart.

The Real Value of Doctrine

“Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;” (1Ti 1:9-10 AV)

Doctrine, as of late, has been treated like parts of a mystery puzzle that students of the Bible wish to put together.  They are divine facts that stir the mind.  What is seldom seen is Paul’s point to Timothy above.  If doctrine doesn’t change the life of the saint, then all it becomes is a bunch of mind candy.  If doctrine does not produce holy living, then it is nothing more than fascinating metaphysics that trips the mind.  What gives us a clue as to the value of doctrine are two words Paul uses above.  “Any other” tells us that doctrine is directly tied to how we live.  If doctrine is not applied to the choices we make, then we are being irresponsible with the doctrine God has given.  Note also that Paul does not differentiate the law and doctrine as separate.  Rather, he sees them as one and the same.  We tend to see the laws of God as different and apart from doctrine.  If they were a high school class, they would be two different classes.  Paul tells Timothy that the law was given for those without it, and the result is doctrine that leads to Christlike living.  The law cannot exist without doctrine, and doctrine cannot exist without law. 

The way we treat doctrine today is like an escape room type video game.  Many years ago, a game called Myst came out.  It was extremely popular.  It was a puzzle-solving escape game.  The player was the lone person on a secluded island, and the object was to escape.  There were hundreds of clues that had to be found.  These clues lead to a sequence of tasks that needed to be accomplished in sequence.  Failure to follow the clues and tasks in order could see the player confuse the board and he would have to backtrack.  There were a few of these that came out on Android systems just a few years ago.  The object was to solve whatever grand task had to be completed and it would take you to the next app.  They can be rather fun.  There is no timer.  There are no lives to lose.  One can take all the time he or she wants to solve the riddle.  In the end, solving the riddle became the point.

I am afraid that is what has become of our Bible colleges and Sunday school classes.  This is why the outlier subjects are so popular.  It doesn’t take much of an effort to find the newest YouTube poster who has come up with never before heard nuggets of the word of God.  The doctrines of the word of God are no longer the means to live for His glory.  Rather, the doctrines of the word of God are a source of curiosity and entertainment.  I have a book in my library that is an excellent book.  It is Old Testament law and Ethics.  My reason for buying are reading that book was to see how many of our nation’s laws are based on biblical precedent.  The result of reading that book was something different.  Until the serious saint takes the time to read, study, and internalize the word of God so that Christlike living will result is missing the point of studying!  We can wow the crowd with the newest theory of present-day giants, but unless we are surrendered to live a life that pleases God, this is useless.  We can write papers and books on topics that have challenged the church like election or predestination.  But unless these truths produce saints who reflect the character of God, they are pointless.  Paul tells Timothy that doctrine and righteousness go hand in hand.  Praise God!

Unreasonable Reason

“And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all [men] have not faith.” (2Th 3:2 AV)

This is quite interesting.  Often, we hear that reason and faith cannot coexist.  Yet Paul says that one who lacks faith is the one who is unreasonable.  It is often stated that people of faith lack reason.  In reality, it is just the opposite.  Those who lack faith have little reason.  As smart as the sceptic might think he or she is, the truth of the matter is that they are not as smart as they think that they are.  Some of the greatest thinkers of all of humanity concluded their reasoning with faith.  They came to the end of reason and learned that life cannot be lived totally within the confines of it.  They learned that reason, if honestly exercised, ends with faith, and those who refuse faith are unreasonable.  Whether we admit it or not, God created us to live in and by faith.  We do so without thinking about it.  We put our trust in things we cannot control, and although they may be predictable, they cannot be guaranteed.  Those who live by reason alone will come to the end of his or her natural life knowing that they don’t know.  They do not know what lies ahead once the heart stops beating.  No one or nothing has ever come back from the state of being dead to testify of what lies beyond except for one individual.  The physical evidence upon which reason rests is limited to our created universe.  It cannot go beyond.  So those with reason die in fear because they will not accept that faith is necessary.

The sun rises and sets every day.  It is so predictable and automatic we accept it as an absolute.  Yet faith is required to believe there is nothing in this universe that will ever disrupt it.  If I am a slave to my reason, I would have to assume that since the universe is so vast, and we have attained only an infinitesimal amount of knowledge from it, statistically speaking, there lies an object, force, etc that just might wipe out our sun.  Maybe even our galaxy.  Perhaps, there is an object beyond our ability to see which travels so fast that it would impact our sun before we had any warning.  The reasonable secularist takes by faith that the sun will rise tomorrow and has made plans thereto.  The secular atheist scientist goes into his or her lab and organizes experiments to find laws that do not change.  They base their research on a set of data that is predictable and quantifiable.  But who's to say it will always be that way and that the work the scientist does will not become obsolete as creation reorganizes itself in a moment in time?  If that moment in time is today, then why bother conducting any experiment?  The scientist takes by faith that the predictable and provable laws of creation will remain so that further research and learning can come of it.

The point is simple.  Since information is infinite and we are finite, reason can go only so far.  Therefore, it is a reasonable thing to accept some things by faith.  Some things cannot be proven.  An existence beyond death, outside of the scriptures, is one of them.  To think it an absolute that nothing remains after death takes a step of faith.  Why?  Because it is impossible for anyone to come back from nothing to tell you that nothing exists.  So, accepting no existence after death is, in itself, an act of faith.  Paul is absolutely right here.  Those who refuse to exercise faith in Jesus Christ are the unreasonable ones.  They think all things can be accepted merely by reason alone.  This is an error of the most fatal of all degrees.  Reason without faith will damn the soul to an eternity of hell.  Reason without faith is to deny one’s own life.  That is why Paul tells Timothy that those who refuse faith oppose themselves.  They live a life of contradiction.  They are confused.  They are arrogant.  They are without hope in this world.  May the Holy Spirit pierce their prideful hearts to be honest with what and who they are before reason condemn them to an eternity of pure destruction.

Protect Your Head

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” (1Th 5:8 AV)

Those last four words are precious to me.  In the dark days in which we live, hope is at a premium.  Last night, I preached out of Philippians chapter three.  In verses eighteen and nineteen, we read of one of the few times that Paul mentions a contrary emotion to the joy that is so prevalent in that letter.  He weeps for his captors because he knows what there live is and will be.  We have a hope which the world does not have.  Paul reminds the church in Thessalonica that the saints are not reserved unto wrath.  This is in the context of the second coming of Christ.  We will not suffer judgment that is coming upon a world that hates God.  Like Noah, those who love the LORD will be removed and judged separately from those who hate Him.  The wrath of God is reserved for those who despise Him and His word.  So, it we understand this correctly, our hope is in salvation.  It is not in our current condition.  The world will always hate God and His word.  Even those who claim to know God and turn against His word are truly not children of the most High.  Unless they repent, they too will suffer the wrath of God.  But we have this hope of salvation.  And this hope is worn on the head.  It is represented as a helmet!

In my childhood, we rode our bicycles without helmets.  Then came along a government that believed helmets were a good idea.  They were probably right.  In the infancy of American football, leather was used as the material for helmets.  This got replaced by impact-resistant plastic.  Innovation today is trying to mitigate the impact of a tackle even more by introducing impact-absorbing materials.  In the infancy of ice hockey, the players played without helmets.  Even the goalie. That was insane!  Having suffered three concussions, I think I would have been better off with a helmet.  The masters behind the push for helmets understand that the human head is the most valuable of all assets.  If the head is injured, it risks the entire body.  Several years ago, I had to get a scan of my brain.  We found the residual evidence of those concussions.  They will be with me for my entire life and may eventually lead to complications further down the road.  The head is the most important part of the body.  We cannot replace it.  We cannot live without it.  We can have an iron lung or a mechanical heart.  But there is no replacement for the head.

Perhaps this is why the hope of salvation is described as a helmet.  It is the most important piece for hope to reside within.  If we lose hope in salvation, we lose all reason to endure.  If we forget that we are saved and on our way to heaven, then this life becomes more disturbing.  If we forget that we are saved and nothing can remove us from the love of God, then the terrors of this world will overwhelm us.  There is a bright day coming.  We see it darkly.  But soon the glorious light of God’s appearance will be all that we see.  There is no reason to lose hope.  There is no reason to surrender our joy.  It doesn’t matter what the future holds.  It doesn’t matter if the world’s hatred for Jehovah God only grows.  We have the hope of salvation.  We may be sailing on a tumultuous sea.  But the shore of God’s kingdom is right ahead.  Don’t hang the head!  Wear the helmet of salvation with hope and joy!  Praise be to God!

Allowing Peace

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Col 3:15 AV)

This is an amazing verse because of one little word.  That word is ‘let’.  The most interesting thing about that word is that ‘let’ and ‘rule’ are complimentary in the sense that they mean similar things.  The word ‘let’ means “to be an umpire; to decide, determine; to direct, control, rule”.  The word ‘rule’ is the exact same Greek word.  It is one (let) yielding to the other (rule) so that peace resides within the heart.  This is a mutual agreement between the heart and the peace of God.  The heart is umpiring the call between anxiety and peace by deciding that peace will now rule and umpire anxiety.  Now, here is the profound thing.  Peace is not something that is manufactured and placed in the heart.  It already exists.  It is called the peace of God.  Not just peace.  It is the peace of God.  God is eternal, and so is His peace.  God is omnipresent, and so is His peace.  The reason we have no peace in our hearts is that we have umpired that peace to remain outside of our hearts.  We have controlled peace.  We have ruled that peace is not to be in the heart.  If I am reading this right and understanding it by the ministry of the Spirit, then peace reigning in the heart is a matter of allowing it.  Anxiety chases it away.  Fear closes the heart off from peace.  If we are to have peace, then peace must be allowed to enter and stay.

This time of year is challenging.  My wife loves the cold.  I hate the cold.  My wife hates the heat.  I breathe better with a bit of humidity and warmth.  Right now, our weather is between two extremes.  The heat of the summer is gone, but the cold of the winter has yet to come.  This means that the heat pops on during the night, but when the sun hits our windows, it is too warm in the house for my wife.  So we have this battle of wills.  She wants to throw open the windows at the first sign that the temperature is rising only to have me remind her that the heat lost has to be gained by a boiler firing all night long.  But I have to say, having the windows closed in both summer and winter, fresh air is something that cheers the heart.  We can sit in the uncomfortable heat of the house and become agitated, or we can open the windows and let a bit of fresh air that calms the spirit.  The fresh air is all around us.  But it stays outside unless a window is open.

This is a good example of the omnipresent peace of God waiting to be let in.  Our minds can only think on so much.  Our hearts are limited in the ability to feel emotions.  Our minds are preoccupied by earthly things, or they are comforted by spiritual things.  Our hearts have a difficult time entertaining opposite emotions.  Pride and humility have a hard time co-existing.  One rules while the other is subordinate.  Peace is a condition of the heart that has yielded to the hope in and the control of the LORD.  Peace is surrendering any strife that would rise against the perfect peace of God.  For there to be peace, arms must be rest silent.  A fight must end.  The conflict between worry and faith must have a winner.  Peace is often a matter of deciding who or what will rule in our minds and hearts.  Will Almighty God rule?  Or will our fears and anxieties?  Remember, for peace to rule in the heart of the saint it must be yielded to.  One must let the peace of God rule in the heart.

The 'Want To' Comes From Above

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.” (Php 2:13 AV)

There are many verses that have multiple entries over the span of a lifetime.  For me, this is one of them.  Every time I fail when I am trying my hardest, the truth above must come to mind.  It doesn’t matter if I am struggling with sin or failing to serve, the result is still the same.  There is too much reliance on self.  There is something even more profound here.  The sovereign hand of God not only enables us to please Him.  It is His sovereign hand that brings about the desire and/or will to do so.  This is an easy concept to accept but a very hard one to explain.  The will is free.  We can choose as we wish.  How God changes the will from a ‘don’t’ to a ‘do’ is something that borders on a mystery.  He may use several influences to accomplish that end.  Consequences, or the fear thereof, can often change our actions.  Promised blessings can modify the will.  We can point to several tools at His disposal that change our wills from dissidence or fear to obedience or faith.  The actual change itself is an operation of the Holy Spirit and a miracle above most.  The point is this: in our human sinful nature, we do not possess the ability to please God.  We simply do not want to.  If we do, the desire and/or will must come from Him.

There is another very important word for us this morning.  That word is ‘worketh’.  Strong’s number defines the word as meaning “to work for one, aid one; to effect”. This is very important to understand.  God does not exercise His sovereignty without regard to man’s ability to choose.  If all God wanted were creatures that pleased Him with no ability of independent or moral wills, He would have stopped with the animal kingdom.  The definition of the word ‘worketh’ is profound.  God does not force our wills or dictate them like a puppeteer pulling strings.  He works for us.  He aids us.  His motive is to affect us and our will to conform to His pleasure.  God does not force our wills to change.  He encourages our wills to change.  That encouragement comes from Him.  It cannot come from within our own wicked heart.

This is good news.  This means that the encouragement resulting in a desire and action to please God comes from God.  He is greater than that which He created.  There is nothing He cannot do.  Therefore, if my will is bent toward rebellion or self-pleasure, I need not look within to find the strength or ability to please my Creator.  All I need to do is yield to that which He sends my way.  I must yield my will to His effectual working, which is on my behalf!  That is great news.  Just when we think we cannot overcome the will to displease God, He gives us the answer.  We need to yield to His will-changing work.  This is passive on our part.  Active on His.  Living for the pleasure of our Creature begins by yielding our wicked hearts and wills to the influence and work of the Holy Spirit.  Yielding comes first.  Desires then change.  Praise be to God that He didn’t leave us without the means to please Him!

He Sees

“Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free.” (Eph 6:8 AV)

This is a very encouraging statement.  Paul doesn’t promise immediate reciprocation.  But there is reciprocation.  It is nice to have the reassurance that if we do good, the LORD will recognize it.  Not that affirmation should be our biggest motivator.  It shouldn’t.  Love for Christ and gratitude for what He has done should be motive enough.  But praise the LORD that He is gracious to affirm our efforts to serve Him and His kingdom.  Paul also makes the distinction that this affirmation is available to all.  Bond or free refers to the status someone in the Roman kingdom would hold.  Those who were bound were bound by service and taxation.  The free were those who were freeborn or who bought their freedom.  They were full citizens of the Roman empire and enjoyed freedom from some taxation and most service.  The Roman system divided people into classes, and the more menial the class, the less affirmation they would receive.  Having been under such a system for generations, this idea of affirmation based on class would have been natural.  Now that Christ has come and there is no difference, encouragement by affirmation regardless of status means even more.

Paul calls full surrender our reasonable service.  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.” (Ro 12:1 KJB)  Being in complete obedience and sacrifice is what the glory of God requires.  There is nothing we could do more than do it all.  That is what is owed to our Creator.  Yet Paul also tells us that the Creator, to whom all is owed, is more than happy to affirm our sacrifice and service.  He is not a tyrannical king who sits on a throne, demanding complete and absolute conformity, without acknowledging the effort and dedication of those who do.  He owes us nothing.  We own Him everything.  So when the God of the universe expresses His gratitude for our commitment, that is saying something.  Again, we shouldn’t need it.  He has done so much, and we have done so little.  Our existence is by the grace of His will.  Our salvation came from the love of His infinite heart.  He did not need to do this.  He could have simply judged mankind as a failed creation and started over.  From eternity past, He saw you and me as someone whom He wanted in His existence, whom He wanted to love, and whom He wanted to bless.  What a great and loving God who worship and serve.

Paul reminds us that the good we do is appreciated by God for whom we do it.  The LORD will not allow the good we do to go unrewarded.  Much of our reward is waiting on the other side of creation.  There await crowns, a robe, a new name, precious metals, gems, and praise for what He has done through us.  The LORD does not always wait for eternity to reward the good we do.  There are times when the good we do is rewarded in this life.  God will not allow us to serve and sacrifice without some extension of affirmation directly from His heart to ours.  What an encouragement this is!  We get the Mr. Holland syndrome (Mr. Holland’s Opus).  We think that our work and effort did not amount to anything.  We wonder if we have made any impact at all and if that impact would be appreciated.  I have a sneaking suspicion that heaven will be a surprise to most.  We will arrive expecting very little.  But the LORD has kept a record of it all.  Praise by to His wonderful name!

Don't Give In

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (Pr 1:10 AV)

Great advice.  I am particularly moved by the word ‘consent’.  To give consent is to allow something.  Either directly or indirectly.  We might use the word ‘yield’.  To give consent is to give permission.  It is to allow those who are bent on sinning the permission to entice the saint to join them.  This leads to an obvious but often forgotten truth when applied to temptation.  We give consent.  We are not forced into it.  We are not entrapped.  We give consent.  Especially when the temptation toward sin involves the actions and invitations of others.  We are not strong-armed.  We are not intimidated.  We are not coerced.  We are enticed, and we give consent.  This then suggests the very obvious.  If we give consent, we can also refuse to give consent.  If we give in, we can also refrain.  The act of giving consent is our choice.  Solomon is the wise king who is sharing with his children the nature of how sin works.  Sin is not forced upon us.  We are not hopeless victims of sin's enticements.  Rather, we yield.  We give consent.  Paul had something to say about this very thing in Romans chapter six.  Yielding is our failure.

The state fair was one of those places my wife and I enjoyed.  We enjoyed different things.  I enjoyed the conference center.  It was packed with salesmen of all different stripes.  Most of the stuff for sale was cheap stuff you could order from late-night infomercials.  But I also liked the outside venues with craftsmen selling their art or work.  It was all overpriced, so rarely did we pick something up.  But it was interesting and impressive.  The skill of some of those artisans was exemplary.  There was one place, however, I avoided.  Absolutely no interest.  I never went to the arcade section.  All the games are rigged.  There is no chance of winning anything of any value.  Unless you are addicted to risk versus small reward, the arcade isn’t for you.  However, my wife and her family would drag me through there just to see how hard the game-runners were pitching their offering.  It was relentless.  Sort of like those people in the middle of the mall who are trying to sell you an new phone contract or a massage.  They will not leave you alone no matter how much you say no.  The only answer is to walk away.  Do not consent.  Just turn and focus on something else.

This is the nature of sin.  Many times, we fall because we gave consent.  Solomon suggests a sort of powerful autonomy we are all endowed with.  We do not have to be somewhere or do something.  We have the power of self-determination.  If wickedness comes our way, we do not need to yield.  The world tries to tell us that we cannot live without their offerings.  After all, our life will never reach the fulness of pleasure in that which they have to offer.  Not true.  Just walk away!  As you drive down the road, you are hit with billboard after billboard selling you something you do not need.  Then there are the floppy inflatables doing their weird dances in front of car dealerships.  There are spotlights dancing in the sky.  There are commercials on radio, TV, and every minute or so as you use an app.  Wickedness entices.  We do not need to give consent.  The choice is ours.  We are free.  As Jesus says, we are free indeed.  Time to say no thank you.  Time to turn the other way.  It is time to claim our autonomy and walk with God rather than the wickedness of mankind!

Hope of Righteousness

“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (Ga 5:5 AV)

What a thought!  The hope of righteousness!  When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the debt for all the sins of mankind.  Those who have trusted in that gift have a clear and clean record before the Father in heaven.  Even those things which we have not done or those which we will fail to do are satisfied in the offering of Christ on Calvary’s cross.  There is a doctrine called imputation.  That is when, in a legal way, the sins of the sinner were place on dying Jesus, and His righteousness was placed on the sinner.  The righteousness of Christ is imputed to the sinner.  Legally speaking, the Father sees the saint in perfect righteousness.  There is nothing between the sinner and the Father as far as a status of relationship is concerned.  We are the righteousness of Christ insofar as our standing before a holy God.  However, we are still in a sinful state.  The old man of sin has to be crucified with Christ afresh.  Selfishness and rebellion are bad habits that need resolving.  In a doctrinal sense, we are perfectly righteous.  In a practical sense, we are still sinful.  This is why there is hope of righteousness.  We look forward to the day when God will glorify His children and take every atom of our sinful state from us, and we will become, in a practical sense, righteous and sinless.  This is the hope of everyone who knows and loves God.

I love a good orchestra.  My wife and I used to go all the time.  There was a time when one could do this rather inexpensively.  We would go to different places and hear different programs.  Some were open air venues.  Others were in classic opera houses.  We would go for all sorts of reasons and hear all sorts of composers.  I can only imagine the work that went into playing an instrument well enough to make the cut for a Philharmonic Orchestra or a Symphony Orchestra.  One motivation which I am sure all the musicians used was to follow a role model.  They may have learned of a master and listened to a performance.  They may have watched videos and emulated technique.  One thought goes through the mind of a student like that.  “If I work hard enough, I will play like the master.”  This makes mistakes all the more difficult to accept.  Hitting a wrong note, missing a cue, or playing in the wrong tempo would bother a musician.  He or she lives for perfection.  If only they could play like the master.

This is what the saint who loves and knows God faces every day.  As he or she learns more of Christlikeness through the life that Jesus lived, the more dissatisfied he or she is at failure.  The more guilt is part of the human experience, the more the child of God simply wishes to live perfectly.  The more he or she reads the word of God, the more he or she is well aware of how far short they truly are.  This is why the hope of righteousness is so important.  The desire of a sincere saint is to be free from sin.  He or she may have differing motives based on spiritual maturity, but ultimately, he or she wishes to love God with pure heart, knowing there is nothing that can be done to fail the God whom they love.  The saint who has repented of sin wishes to be forever free from it.  That is our hope of righteousness!  That is my hope of righteousness.  There is coming a day when perfection is the only way one can live.  Praise be to God!

Concluded But Not Hopeless

“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” (Ga 3:22 AV)

The first part of our passage is not comfortable.  But it is absolutely necessary.  The law is often frowned upon.  Without it, we would not know of our need of the promise of Jesus Christ.  When Adam and Eve fell, there was a promise given to mankind.  God would come in the flesh and lift the curse inherited from that fateful day.  The curse of sin was conquered by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.  In order for the gift of salvation to be efficacious, the sinner must see him or herself as needing it.  This is where the first part of the verse comes in.  In order to be saved, we must see ourselves as under sin.  That is, we must see ourselves as totally lost by sin through the freewill choices of our hearts.  We cannot be saved from something of which we do not want to be saved.  Salvation is all about sin.  Heaven is the result.  The law concludes, or condemns totally, the souls of all people everywhere and at all times.  Only the grace promised to Adam and Eve can save us from it.

Only by admitting where or what we are can change occur.  Everyone goes through this.  Everyone who has visited the doctor for any reason has to go through a series of minor tests before the specific reason for the visit can be addressed.  The first stop is the scale.  We are weighed.  Sometimes, the attendant will review or weigh compared to former data.  We are either gaining or losing.  If we are not headed in the right direction, it may become a point of discussion.  Once we are embarrassed at the scales, then we go to the examination room.  It is there our nurse measures temperature, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and pulse.  It doesn’t matter if we are there for the flu, pulled muscles, or some internal problems.  The reason for our visit is immaterial to the collection of the vitals.  Once we sit with the doctor, he goes over our labs.  He looks at several factors.  He or she mentions our A1Cs, our cholesterol levels, and our kidney function.  He or she may look at gender-specific hormones, endocrine labs, and liver function.  All this is done so that the physician can review our general state of health.  Bases on these data points, treatment, lifestyle changes, or prescriptions are recommended.  The thing is, if we are sick, admitting that we are based on unbiased data points is the start of a healthy life.  Without acknowledging our state, change will come.  Yet in the wrong direction.  It starts with internalizing the truth.

The law is unbiased and unbending.  It is hilarious to watch people as they are weighed at the scale.  They say all sorts of things.  Some of which is directed at the scale.  Somehow, the patient things that the scale is deliberately misleading when they are weighed but is totally accurate when weighing all others.  The law is out to get us.  But only because we are not obeying it.  So, it does the next best thing.  The law condemns us.  It condemns us yet still offers hope.  That hope is in the grace of our LORD, Jesus Christ.  He knew before Adam and Eve were ever formed that mankind would need an out.  The law will not bend to accommodate anyone.  God’s law is perfect.  His do’s and don’ts do not change.  They do not give any space for mercy or grace.  We are condemned in and by them.  Therefore, another way had to be provided.  That other way is Jesus.  In order to enjoy the gift of free grace, we must first come under the condemnation of the law.  That is not comfortable.  It is humbling.  But that is the way it must be.  There is no grace to those who do not want it nor think they need it.  Only by being condemned can we be saved.  And that is the beauty of the law!  Praise God I was once condemned.  For now and forever, by God’s grace, I am no longer condemned!

Every Parent's Wish

“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, [even] your perfection.” (2Co 13:8-9 AV)

It is that last phrase uttered by Paul that shows his heart for the people for whom he labored.  What makes this statement even more potent is that his closing remarks of this letter include encouragement toward continued sanctification.  Corinth had come a long way.  This letter was actually Paul’s third letter to the church at Corinth, which means the condition of the church may have been worse than it appears in his first letter.  One thing we do know is that this precious church made great strides to clean up their fellowship and walk in Christlikeness.  That brings us to Paul’s statement.  I think that is exactly where a pastor’s heart should be.  For all the ambition he could have, his first priority should be the Christlikeness of those whom he leads.  There may be a large congregation and invitations to speak.  There may be books published and titles to wear.  But if the people are not transforming into the image of Christ, then it is all in vain.  Paul’s heart is golden.  All he wants is for the saints in Corinth to enjoy the blessings from godliness.

Anyone who has ever been a parent knows the feeling when your child excels.  Part of the challenge is to find the child's interests and abilities that will result in excellence.  Whether the arts, athletics, academics, or management, when he or she finds that niche, they have the chance to become the best version of themselves that they could be.  It doesn’t matter what that talent or ability might be, Mom and Dad simply want their child to be the best version of what they can be.  Who hasn’t sat through grade school dramatic productions?  Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, brothers and sisters; they all gather to watch their child, grandchild, or sibling star in the school play as a tree.  When he or she comes on stage, there are whoops and hollers.  There are flashes from cameras.  There are claps and whistles.  Why?  Because for that shining moment, Junior was the best tree on stage.  From the grade school stage to being among the thousands who walk the stage to receive a diploma, it is all the same.  They are growing, learning, contributing, and succeeding.  Perhaps they serve in the military, or become a worker in the trades.  Or maybe they are working a service-type job, a government career, or in the medical field.  It doesn’t matter what road they take as long as they try their hardest and succeed in who and what God made them to be, that is all that matters.

This is the heart of Paul.  Their continued spiritual growth was precious.  That is all he wanted.  He knows they will never be completely sinless.  But being further down the road from one day to the next is what he wanted.  He didn’t expect perfection overnight.  There were many battles that need fighting.  There was doctrine still unlearned.  Self-discipline doesn’t come easy.  Paul is willing to pay the price for their perfection.  He mentions weakness.  In context, it was the harsh criticism of those still fighting revival.  They accused Paul of being overbearing.  Well, wouldn’t you be?  Given the circumstances of that church, wouldn’t you go in there with spit and vinegar?  I would.  Paul took the hit so that others would turn toward perfection.  He wasn’t concerned over the fallout that would come his way.  It didn’t matter.  All he wanted; all he ever wanted; was the perfection of the saints.  That is a man who has a pastor’s heart.

Not More Than We Are Able

“For if there be first a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to that a man hath, [and] not according to that he hath not.” (2Co 8:12 AV)

The context is giving.  More specifically, giving toward Paul’s need.  Accepting is done by the LORD.  Zeal according to ability is accepted by God.  Zeal without ability is not accepted.  For this little church with big problems, this was a good one to have.  In Paul’s first letter, he addressed many issues.  Some of them were very serious.  They had a common cause in carnal thinking and selfish living.  They competed with one another.  They abused one another.  They did what they could to wreak damage on the church they loved.  Above, that same energy was exhibited in self-sacrifice beyond their abilities.  Talk about a transformation.  It reminds me of Paul’s words in Romans chapter six.  In that chapter, he encourages the Romans to take vengeance on their sin to the same degree they pursued it.  Here is an example of a church that did a complete one-eighty.  When they were young and carnal, they pursued sin almost to their destruction.  Now, they are pursuing ministry with the same degree of commitment.  That is admirable.  However, if one does not have it, one cannot use it no matter how willing one might be. 

There comes a time when our bodies or minds tell us that we are over-committed.  We have it in our heads that what we did in our thirties can still be done in our sixties.  We have limitations.  We have restraints.  What was once possible is no longer doable.  And there is no shame in that.  In fact, if we are the younger and more able, we sometimes are inpatient with those who cause more damage than is necessary by trying to be someone they are not or do something that cannot do.  Ill-advised commitment on their part is often frowned upon.  Sometimes, it can get downright scary.  We see this all the time.  Especially with the elderly.  They try to do something that cannot be done.  Commitment is never in question.  Obviously by their actions, they are committed.  Having served as a hospital chaplain and pastor for decades, I have countless stories to tell.  And it is not limited to the elderly.  Many accidents happen because of overcommitment without ability.  One year, I got a chainsaw for Christmas.  The giver made me go through chainsaw training class before he would let me use it.  Even though I had used one as a kid, he still insisted a mutual friend of ours hold a class on the safe usage of such a tool.  That was a good thing.  I think the first time I used it, this trainer had to be present to be sure I was safe with it.

There is no doubt that the Corinthian church loved God and loved Paul.  They appreciated the blunt ministry of an Apostle who was willing to call them out for ungodly behavior.  They loved him and the LORD to the point that they were willing to do more than they could.  Paul reminded them that committing to more than is possible, even with the hand of God upon them, is not acceptable to the LORD.  It is not a matter of what God can or cannot do.  It is a matter of God’s will for you or a church.  Pragmatism is involved.  Not to the exclusion of God’s miracles or mighty hand, mind you.  But sometimes, common sense is part of our decision-making process.  If I committed to cycling from one end of our nation to the other, God will not make me forty years younger.  It is simply not in the cards.  To attempt such would be misguided and irresponsible.  The same is true with our commitment in all things.  Praying it through and getting the mind of God on the matter is the answer.  What is it that God wants us to do?  Sometimes, it takes just as much faith to let a mountain stand than to try to move it.  Wisdom, humility, and faith in God are the answers.

Resoluteness with Ability

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.” (2Co 4:16 AV)

The first statement Paul makes is telling.  After giving his testimony of resiliency and resolution, he makes the statement that he will not faint.  There are two factors that contribute to this statement.  The first consideration is what we have in Christ.  The hope and life of Christ indwell the believer as well as the Holy Spirit.  We move and have our being by the power of our God.  We have no strength by which we can promise the above without the resources provided by our Creator.  So when Paul states that he will not faint, he is relying on the strength of the divine that resides within.  But I also think his statement manifests a decision.  I think his statement is one of resolve.  Regardless of how hard life gets, he will not faint.  He will go down with every ounce of strength spent for the glory of God.  He will depart this life in as much service as God allows.  What I see is the very definition of the character of Paul and why God used him.  He was resolved not to faint.  He will not quit.  He decided as much in the statement above.

When we think of resiliency, we often think of an athlete who pushes themselves beyond their limits to finish a race.  We admire the resolve.  We admire the commitment.  Yet this is not the type of resolution to which Paul is speaking. Much of that is ego-driven.  Rather, note how Paul remains vital and relevant. He is renewed day by day.  To put the analogy of the runner in perspective, imagine that there are two runners.  The first is more concerned with time rather than distance.  If so, he or she will not take the time to hydrate along the way. The ego is further fed by adding adversity when adversity is not necessary. Running and finishing a race without hydrating is considered heroic.  He or she pushes through and ignores basic human needs just to prove it can be done. There is another type of runner who is more interested in distance than time.  He or she is well aware of the toll that distance running can take on the body and is conscientious and practical.  He or she will hydrate along the way.  He or she may slow down and then speed back up.  The runner will listen to what the body is saying and adjust to go the furthest he or she can with the time allotted.

When Paul speaks of being renewed day by day, he is not limiting himself to devotions, reading, preaching or other such necessary things.  He is speaking of the whole man.  Taking care of oneself is important.  This morning, I was reminded that praying specific prayers first thing in the morning is important. Anticipating what might come and praying for God’s power and guidance is important.   If there are tasks that need to be done, ministry that needs tending to, or battles that loom ahead, praying beforehand makes all the difference.  But I think the Spirit wants us to consider other venues of refreshment as well.  A walk in the park with your dog, sitting on the porch as the rain softly falls, or taking a drive for half a day may be just what the doctor ordered.  When Paul speaks of daily renewal, of course, he is speaking primarily of the spiritual.  But the body and soul need tending to as well.  A resolute spirit that faints not does not stand under its own power.  It needs help.  It needs refreshing.  Making a determinate commitment sounds all good and well, but unless there is provision to renew that spirit day in and day out, we will quit the race early, and we will not finish well.

A Better Glory

“For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.” (2Co 3:10-11 AV)

The book of Second Corinthians is a difficult one.  Paul’s style of writing is different than all his other letters.  In Second Corinthians, his thoughts don’t always carry naturally into succeeding entries.  They are grouped into smaller thoughts that are sometimes disconnected.  In the above entry, Paul is referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as far more glorious than the glory that came to God by His justice through the law.  He speaks of the glory of Moses as he came from the mount with the two tables of stone upon which the law was etched.  This law was given, in part, to condemn mankind as wicked.  The principles upon which the law rested are eternal.  These principles and laws were written on the heart of man since our inception.  The two tables of stone were the written record.  They were the legal entry in a court proceeding that condemned mankind and glorified the Creator.  This is why a condemnation is referred to as a glory.  But salvation in Jesus Christ and the sealing of the soul by the Holy Spirit of God is far more glorious.  Paul states the former had been done away.  Simply, the condemnation under the law.  Not the law.  It was done away by the grace of God in the ministry of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Let us follow Paul’s statement very closely.  The former, that is the letter of the law, had glory.  The glory, at least as Paul’s argument goes, is the glory of condemnation from a holy God.  The law served more than mere condemnation.  It declared the righteousness and holiness of God.  Even if man did not fall and obeyed the law, the law would still have a purpose.  But we want to reflect on the importance of the role of the law that condemns sin.  We want to understand and accept that a law that condemns is not a bad thing.  What we want to see is that the law, in that it is a standard to which all must comply, is a glorious thing.  That which violates that law must suffer for that violation.  Again, that is a beautiful thing.  Order, law, and absolutes govern our universe.  The universe itself forces conformity.  It could not function otherwise.  Things run as they should and must.  Life comes from order.  Disorder destroys.  A clock that never loses time is impressive.  An AI generated image that is indistinguishable from the real thing is astounding.  A bird that flies in the air because of the laws of aerodynamics is mind-boggling.  To see and study the order of things is fascinating.  If our universe did not function in an orderly manner, it would chaotic and unsettling.  Therefore, law and the consequences of law are glorious things.  Even if there are consequences we would rather not witness, one must admit that order is far better than chaos.  So as distasteful as it is to witness some hard things, one must admit that order is far better than disorder.

Yet there is a greater thought here.  Paul says that because mankind has failed and the order of law is upheld, there is no hope.  Man needs saving.  As glorious as it is for God to see His creation function by order and law, it is far more glorious to redeem from condemnation that which has failed.  It is like restoring a clock.  Over time, the gears of the clock wear out, and the clock ceases to keep perfect time.  The owner can be pleased that time is absolute, and the clock has ceased to function.  It is time to act.  What does he do?  Does he rejoice that regardless of the clock's ability to tell time, time does not change?  The law of time stands apart from the instrument that declares it.  Absolute time wins.  But in repairing the clock to ‘as new’ condition, time continues to be absolute.  However, there is greater joy in repairing the clock than there is that time does not change.  In this sense, the highest glory is the redemption of our souls.  Not the absolute nature of the law.  This is to what Paul is referring.  The law still stands.  It has not been replaced.  But the God of love and grace sees a greater glory than establishing and enforcing law.  He sees the redemption of those who have failed His perfect law as the greater glory!

Thank You

“For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.” (1Co 16:18 AV)

This is not foreign to Paul.  Many times he mentions people for whom he is grateful.  We know it is spoken of much, but seldom practiced.  When A famous person receives an award, he or she usually mentions those who made it possible.  They thank the supporting staff or players who did what they did, so the one who is honored could be recognized.  The thing is, we should do it far more than we do.  Paul mentions something interesting here.  He mentions several people who refreshed his spirit.  In so doing, they also refreshed the spirit of the church.  Those who are a blessing to the man of God will also, by extension, be a blessing to those who attend.  It is their nature to do so.

October is pastor appreciation month.  My church is no exception.  They are the best.  Each member and attender is special to this man of God.  Just tonight I was sitting in the song service and was grateful for the opportunity to minister the word of God to hungry souls.  I don’t have a large church.  Only a handful.  But to me it is the world.  They are awesome.  They bear this preacher up by prayers and encouragement.  They meet our needs and seek our welfare often.  They are blessed people.

We serve by the encouraging words of other people.  Sure, the Holy Spirit is our power behind our ministry.  But it is also the Holy Spirit working through the people who surround us that gets us through the hard times of ministry.  For them I am eternally grateful.  So, thank you dear saints, for who and what you are.  And thank you for what you do.  This preacher is so very blessed, and it is by your faithfulness that I am able to help you.  May God continue to use us all for His glory and our welfare!

Never On Empty

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1Co 10:12-14 AV)

Verse thirteen is often used as a standalone verse.  We usually apply it to any temptation that may come alone.  We use it for trials of faith.  We use it for temptations toward sin.  The promise is that regardless of what we face, with God’s help, we can and do overcome.  Keeping it the direct context of idol worship and self-reliance, it appears as though the temptation from which God can deliver us is the sin of self-sufficiency.  Our temptation is to max out our resources, and then when we are empty, we go to God.  Sometimes the LORD asks us to do just that.  But not always.  The better part of wisdom is to go to God first.  Let Him show us, guide us, teach us, and empower us to overcome the trials and temptations of self-sufficiency.  The idol of what we struggle is our own ego!  Having established the context, there is a piercing thought to consider.  God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able.  Think on that for a moment.  If the temptation to which He is referring is self-reliance, then the LORD will not allow us to get so empty that we cannot survive!

Imagine a hiker off on an adventure without doing his due diligence to plan for all contingencies.  He starts out just fine.  His goal is to reach the summit of a well-known peak.  He knows he will meet some adversity, so he packs a few things.  He has some cold weather gear.  He has a few food items.  He even has fresh water.  But not having traveled this path before, every possibility was impossible to forecast.  The weather was supposed to be favorable.  The way before him had been well trod by those preceding him.  Everything looked like it could go perfect.  However, as he ascended the slopes, he quickly found that not everything could be anticipated.  The further he climbed, the more committed he became and returning the same way became more of a challenge.  For hours he climbed.  The air was getting thinner.  The temperature was dropping quickly.  He was running out of water.  He was tired.  Thinking he could climb to the summit and return the same day, he brought no shelter.  If an emergency occurred, he had an ax and some fire-starting supplies.  However, because of the thinness of the air, his strength was almost gone.  If an emergency happened, he did not possess the strength to wield the ax, gather wood, or build a shelter.  Thinking he wasn’t going to make it, he slowly crawled around a corner and came upon a waystation.  It was the prettiest sight he had ever seen.  There was a cook cabin and six small heated cabins.  He had no idea that they would be there.  But there they were.  Why?  Because the provider knew hikers better than they knew themselves.  This man was not the first to arrive, nor would he be the last.  Before he started out, his benefactors knew he couldn’t make it.  So they made provision of which he could not foresee.

God works in much the same way.  We often rely solely on our own ability, resources, and resolve.  We are also brought to the end of ourselves far more than is necessary.  If we started our journey knowing there was a waystation that awaited, the journey would be much easier to bear.  That is what the LORD is giving us.  In verse thirteen, there is a promise of a waystation.  There is relief.  We just cannot see it.  Faith assumes it.  This is to what Paul is pointing us.  Corinth was a very carnal church.  It was overly humanistic.  All the troubles that church had could be pointed to one problem.  They elevated man above the God who saved them.  There is no reason to attempt anything without God.  It is actually downright foolish.  There is a waystation.  Look for it.  Expect it.  And when it appears, take advantage of it.  Without God we are stuck on the side of a mountain with no strength to continue.

More Than We Could Ever Do

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1Co 6:20 AV)

Not an easy task.  Considering we were born in iniquity.  Our nature is to do just the opposite.  Adam partook of the fruit of the tree the knowledge of good and evil.  He passed upon all men the nature to live in rebellion and self-pleasure.  It is only by the new birth that we have hope of overcoming the Adamic curse.  Jesus died to purchase our bodies, spirits, and souls.  The process of glorification takes time.  We must learn things that can only come by a lengthy process.  The discipline of self-denial cannot be learned in heaven.  Once we have the permanent and full image of Jesus Christ, sin will be impossible.  There will be no choice, per se.  Our only desire will be to exist for the glory of our Creator.  Which brings us to our verse.  The struggle for holiness is as much a privilege and opportunity as it is a frustration.  The motive is clearly stated.  Because we are bought with the precious price of another person’s life, we owe it to Him to glorify the Father in both body and spirit.

We live in a culture that tempts us in the opposite direction.  Most advertising is designed to entice us to please self.  It doesn’t matter if the ads on our viewing device or the ads in the middle of our apps are playing, the all are designed to do the same thing.  Most are an enticement for something we do not need and perhaps may even cause great harm.  There are the occasional ads promoting a better quality of life, but those are not the majority.  We are encouraged to follow our hearts.  That has led to a culture that expresses their emotions, feeling they are entitled to rather than filtering emotional expression through social responsibility and appropriate behavior.  All one has to do is view a real-time law enforcement show to see how out of control we really are.  Everything in the world encourages us contrary to the admonition above.  But the command still stands.

Paul’s words come after the rebuke of a improper physical relationship between a Stepmother and her Stepson.  The Corinthian church had boasted about this relationship as though it was normal and acceptable.  Even if the stepmother was widowed before this relationship blossomed, it was still against scripture.  A man is not allowed to take up with his father’s wife.  No exceptions.  There is a moral standard set for humanity.  Regardless of a person’s standing before God, the rules are the same.  If it is immoral for the believer, it is also immoral for the unbeliever.  There are not two sets of rules.  But Paul is giving us a greater motive than mere law.  He is giving us the motive of reciprocal love.  Not paying a debt, mind you.  We never can repay what Jesus has done for us.  Rather, there is an ethical and moral obligation the show our appreciation for what Jesus has done for us.  We owe Him more than we could ever repay.  It only stands to reason we should do what we can.  If Jesus bought us with His blood, the least would can do is to say thank you by living a holy life.  The least we could do is to strive against sin and toward Christlikeness.  His love would demand no less.

No Other Foundation

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1Co 3:11 AV)

Paul is competing with those who believed that Jesus Christ was insufficient.  Either insufficient for the saving of the soul, or insufficient once the soul was saved.  The Corinthian church struggled with the doctrine of the resurrection and the discipline of holiness.  They put way too much stock in earthly things and carnal thinking.  They valued that which could be easily seen and devalued spiritual treasures that could not be seen.  Hence, you have the Paul, led of the Holy Spirit, comparing Jesus to the foundation of a building.  Although Paul is primarily speaking to Christians here, the truth above applies to all.  How our lives rise or fall is totally dependent on the foundation upon which they are built.  And there is no other foundation for a life that works other than the LORD Jesus Christ. The important truth for us this morning is the foundation is not open to individual preference or taste.  There are no other foundations that can be laid.  There is only one!

If you look at most buildings today, they share a common component.  They share the cinder block foundation.  This material is rather new to the building industry.  The machine that forms them was invented in 1900.  At that time, cement was used as the sole material for binding and form.  Then in 1917, another man came along and added the byproduct of coal mining called cinders to the mix, and cinders became the binding agent in building blocks.  Since that time, cinder blocks became the go-to for building foundations.  They are solid, strong, and do not decay.  Once sealed against moister, they need little maintenance.  Shifting ground is about the only threat to the integrity of a cinderblock foundation.  They are so common that cinderblock foundations have gone well beyond the industry standard.  Outside of very special situations, cinderblock foundations are the only foundations builders will or can use.  When looking at a home, rarely does one see the importance or beauty of the cinderblock foundation.  It is the house that rises above that people notice.  But without that foundation, the house has nothing upon which to rest.  If a different type of foundation is used, collapse becomes a real possibility.  If one does not have the right foundation, the security of the building above is in jeopardy.  It may not be flashy.  It may not be the selling point.  But without it, the house collapses.

My heart breaks for the human race.  Far too many have lives absent of the only foundation upon which one can be built.  Freedom from foundation seems to be the pursuit.  Yet ruin lies at the end of a life like that.  Jesus Christ is the very definition of life.  There would be no reason to exist outside of our relationship with the One who made us.  What other purpose would there be?  We were created to know the Creator.  We were created to please the Creator.  This purpose can only be met if He is our foundation.  If He is the one who gives the floor plan, then He is the one for whom the house is built.  If He is the one who bears the weight of the house above, then He is the source of strength to stand.  There is no other foundation upon which a life can be built.  At least not a fulfilling one.  There is no other foundation upon which a life can be built if the life is going to live with purpose and joy.  He is the only foundation.  He is not one among others.  He is the only one!

Sweet As Incense

“«A Psalm of David.» LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.” (Ps 141:1-2 AV)

As a retired altar boy (I got saved, praise God) I know a bit of what incense smells like.  It is a fragrance you never forget.  Your nose tells you that you shouldn’t like it.  Your nose tells your brain that this is a fragrance that should be avoided.  You cannot help it.  The odor is so captivating.  It lingers forever.  The only thing that got it out of the hair, skin, and clothes was a good washing.  Incense was very serious to the Old Testament tabernacle and temple.  God provided the recipe for the incense, and it was not to be duplicated nor improved.  When two priests offered their own concoction, God killed them.  This recipe was not to be sold in the market.  The priests made up the batches, and they were reserved solely for temple worship.  If the incense of the altar was commercialized, God would kill those responsible and bring judgment on the nation.  This incense was unique.  There was nothing else like it.  For the writer to ask that his prayers be like the incense of the temple, that was no small thing.

Remember that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.  One would think this odd.  After all, prayer is a conversation with God.  Why would grown men need to learn how to have a conversation.  That is for another time, but suffice it to say, they didn’t know how to have one with God.  So, Jesus gave us the LORD’s prayer as a pattern to follow.  Not a prayer to be repeated.  It is an outline.  It contains the main ideas of what daily prayer should contain.  This shows us that prayer that God appreciates does not come naturally.  It must come from God to man then return to God again.  Incense that has gone bad does not smell very well.  Only a master could concoct a perfect recipe for a memorable fragrance.  Jesus showed us how to pray.  This brings us to our main thought.  How much of our prayer is filled with things that do not please God?  Not that He would refuse all prayer unless it were perfect.  He listens to us all the time.  If we have confessed our sin, then He hears us. What the writer is driving at is purposely offering pray to God which would smell sweet and pure.  Free from the contaminates of our own mind or selfishness, these prayers would be offered to honor God first and foremost.

The older I get, the more self-conscience I am becoming when offering prayer to the LORD.  It is a battle.  No wonder Paul tells us the Holy Spirit must help us pray because we rarely know how to.  He assists us in checking our heart and choosing proper words.  I don’t know about you, but I want my prayers to be that sweet-smelling incense.  May the Holy Spirit help me to empty self from the words that are offered and only give my LORD the best!  Pure prayer, free from any self-interest, has to be the sweetest thing God can hear.

How Would You Like that Love?

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (Joh 14:21 AV)

This verse has the potential of being contradictory and confusing when compared to other truths.  We know the Bible tells us that we love God because He first loved us.  If we forget this point, we may be led to believe that God only loves when He is loved first.  That love, as stated above is proven by obedience.  However, it would be good to also remember there are different types of love and different levels to those different types.  God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  He did this even while the world hated Him.  God loves with an everlasting love.  Paul tells us that we cannot be separated from the love of God.  Nothing can come between the love of the Father toward His children.  So, what is the meaning to Christ’s words?  There is obviously some type of love that is withheld from the child of God if he or she does not love God by obedience to His commandments.  The type of love spoken above is agape love.  Agape love is the highest form of love.  It is faithfulness and sacrifice toward an object or person without expectation of reciprocation.  Just when we thought we had it figured out!  But this type of love can only work this way.  From the saint to the Father, agape love is the purest form of love by which we obey Him without the demand for love to be shown in return.  So, how does that figure into the seemingly conditional love above?  Perhaps we are not seeing it quite right.

A child can obey his father for several reasons.  The motive is not limited to one.  Perhaps the father made a promise that if he picked up his room, then would go fishing.  He is motivated by the reward that comes from obedience.  Perhaps the child straightens his room because if he doesn’t, he will bear the consequences of disobedience.  That motive is fear.  If the child picks up his room because he wants his father to acknowledge and affirm him, then the motive is for the emotional benefits of obedience.  Maybe he sees that picking up his room is a good idea because he would know where everything is, his room would be safe and clean, and he could entertain others in his room.  There is the motive of risk and reward.  It benefits the child in a practical way.  Regardless of any motive stated above, his father loves him no less or more for his obedience.  His love for his son does not diminish if he disobeys.  His love is manifested by rebuke rather than gratitude for his disobedience.  But Dad still loves his son still the same.  However, what if the child knew his father was going to tell him to straighten his room, and before his father told him to, he did it?  The only motive was to show his father how much he was appreciated.  He obeyed his father before being told because he knew the look on his face that was forthcoming.  What would be the father’s ethical obligation to a son who lived to please him?  Would in not be to love him in a different and deeper way?  Dad loves his son.  Nothing would change that.  Now that the son had pleased dad without being asked, dad is moved to show his love toward his son in newer and deeper ways.

This is the understanding Jesus is conveying.  As a child of God, we are loved with an everlasting love.  Nothing will change that.  However, if we live in obedience to His word and seek to please Him with our whole life, the moral nature of God dictates a more intimate relationship will be the result.  God will not love us any less if we live in disobedience.  He will love us still the same.  However, there is a level of intimacy that can be had by the child of God as he or she learns to love God with the whole mind, heart, soul, and body.  As we learn and strive toward pleasing the Father for no other reason that it pleases Him, there awaits a relationship we cannot comprehend.  It is beyond words.  The question is: how do we want to be loved and how much do we want to be loved?