WhatEVER You Do...

Good morning,

This evening and all weekend, I'll be in a play, one that I've rehearsed since January of this year.  It is the first production I've been in, in a long time....about 30 years, to be exact.  I know that they call it "acting", but I play such a reprehensible character.  I literally come on stage for the first time screaming, and I'm screaming when I leave the stage for the last time.  It's a very exhausting role.

Anyway, why did I decide to pursue this?  Well, I did it for several reasons.
First of all, I enjoy acting.  It is a way to use my God-given verbal gifts, and my natural dramatic flair, for God's purposes.
Second, I wanted to do it so that people might come to know Jesus Christ as Savior, through attending the play.  The message of my character, and others, is quite powerful.  It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will use it to work in the hearts of many.
Third, it is the first production of a new ministry at our church; and, I wanted to help it get started.

Someone began telling me this week about other acting opportunities; but, I said I wasn't interested unless those opportunities would be in a Christian ministry context.  At my age, I really have to be thoughtful about allocating my time.  I'm increasingly conscious that I don't have all that much left, most likely.  So, I want to spend it well.

What does that mean, to a Christian?  To spend it well?

I think about those two news employees who were gunned down in cold blood this week.  I doubt that either of those young people woke up on their last morning alive and thought, "This might be the last day I have on earth."  Most of us don't think about that.  But, it's true.  Today could be the last day for any of us.  As Francis Schaeffer asked Christians, "How Should We Then Live?"

In 1 Cor. 10:31-33, Paul gives us the answer:

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

At one point in the play, my character, Viola James, is talking about her spiritual gifts.  She says, "I believe I'll keep this one.   I didn't like the last spiritual gift I had; so, I sent it back."  The line is funny to Christians, because we know that it is so blatantly false!  We don't get to choose our spiritual gifts, or to "send them back".  The Holy Spirit confers them on us when we are converted, when we accept Jesus as Savior. Then, He urges us to use them! What we DO get to choose is how we use them.

"Whatever you do..."  My beloved friends, whatever we do, let us all resolve to do it for the glory of God.  And, if it does not bring Him glory, let's not do it.  Let's not be offensive.  Let's not seek our own glory.  Let's seek men and women, boys and girls, to bring to Jesus.  Let's disciple each other after we come to Christ.  Let's use our God-given gifts for His glory, only for Him!

I love to share songs with you, here in the blog.  The one I have in mind today is an old one, but one that inspired me as a teenager.  (So, you know it's a "moldy-oldie"!)  The title is "Let Me Burn Out for Thee, Dear Lord", by Bessie Hatcher.  The chorus goes like this:

Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord,
Burn and wear out for Thee.
Don't let me rust, or my life
Be a failure, my God to Thee.
Use me and all I have, dear Lord,
And get me so close to Thee
That I feel the throb of the great heart of God,
Until I burn out for Thee.

Father, use me up, until I am utterly lost in You.  Whatever I do, let it be only for Your glory.  In Jesus' name, amen.

While the Cat's Away...

Good morning,

I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating...have you ever wondered how differently the gospel message would have been spread had Jesus come in this day of modern communications?  We tend to think that the gospel would have spread faster; but, I doubt it.  I'm sure that God sent Jesus at exactly the right time, under the perfect conditions, for the Gospel to be spread exactly how He wanted it done.

Nonetheless, since Paul did not have The Cherokee Tribune, email or social media, he is in this letter expressing his frustration with the Corinthians over their being swayed from the Truth (which Paul taught) by false teachers.  The text is 1 Corinthians 4, which I'm not going to reproduce here.  I would suggest you open up a new tab in your browser, go to Biblegateway.com and read it before proceeding with this post.

He begins by warning the Corinthian believers that it is impossible to judge another person's motivations (vs. 5).  This goes along with Jesus' admonition to "Judge not..." in Matthew 7:1-3. Some have twisted this to interpret it as a warning against "calling sin sin".  This interpretation conflicts violently with Jesus' other teachings, such as the one later in that same chapter, about the tree and its fruit:

15-20 “Be on your guard against false religious teachers, who come to you dressed up as sheep but are really greedy wolves. You can tell them by their fruit. Do you pick a bunch of grapes from a thorn-bush or figs from a clump of thistles? Every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree is incapable of producing bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. The tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and burnt. So you may know men by their fruit.”

Obviously, these verses describe looking at someone's actions and determining whether or not they are sinful, using as a measuring stick the Truth revealed in the Scriptures.  Jesus was cautioning us about two things: 1) not to be hypocritical (Matt. 7:3-5) and 2) not to presuppose that we understand another person's motivations.  Paul echoes the latter in 1 Cor. 4:3-5 (NET) - -

 So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord. 5 So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.

Paul is hesitating to judge the motives of the false teachers, because we can never really know what is going on in another person's heart.  We can look at their actions (and ours) and determine by the Scriptures if they (or we) are sinning.  But, only God "reveals the motives of the heart". (See also Jeremiah 17:10)

At any rate, that is not supposed to be my main focus today, haha!

Paul goes on to say, basically, that "while the cat's away, the mice will play".  Look at verses 14-21: (NET)

14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children.15 For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power. 20 For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

All this reminds me of that billboard that you may have seen here or there.
"Don't make me come down there!"  Signed, God.
Paul basically is telling them that he will be making another visit to their congregation, and that in the interim he is sending Timothy to diagnose, and then, correct.  They could either return to the truth...or else (vs. 21).

It is one of Satan's main goals to distort the Truth and divide (render useless) the Church.  We still fight against this today.  We all need to walk in humility and make sure that our own relationships with the Lord are secure.  It is so easy to be led astray or wander unwittingly into some false teaching, or to destroy another person with our self-righteous "spiritual wrecking-ball".  I am grateful for strong "stewards", leaders in our churches, who walk humbly, are faithful to their callings, who do their best to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in their ministries. They are truly "examples to the believer" (vs. 16). (Tomorrow, we are going to meditate further on verse 4.)

Good morning, Lord.  I don't think that this is my best post, but I pray You will use it for Your honor and glory.  More importantly, teach us how to "judge" according to your Scriptures, first in our own lives and then with humility/meekness in the actions of others.  Help us to adorn ourselves with love and gentleness, with our goal to be restoration, not demolition, of our brothers and sisters. May we remember that only You know another person's heart-of-hearts.  In Jesus' name, amen.