A Twisted Mind

Perusing Proverbs 12 this morning a verse reminded me of the current kerfuffle with Harvey Weinstein.

Honestly, I did not know who he was until the dust started kicking up.  Maybe you don't know who he is either.  If that is the case, in a nutshell, he was a Hollywood power mogul.  Apparently, he had a lot of money and wielded a lot of power.  If you were on his good side, your movies got made or you got plum roles in potential blockbusters.

This was particularly true if you are a woman.

Apparently, Mr. Weinstein applied tremendous pressure to aspiring A-list actresses to trade him their sexual favors for prominent roles or other advancement in the film industry.

Proverbs 12:8 (NET) - - -

A person is praised in accordance with his wisdom, but the one who has a twisted mind is despised. 

The collective response to Mr. Weinstein's behavior was, at first, muted.  Those "in the know" overlooked it because of his power over them, or because of his contributions to their political campaigns or, ... etc.

Then, as more and more victims came forward to speak out, it became more expedient to condemn his behavior.  And, so, more prominent "former allies" began to speak out against what he had done.

Don't miss this point:  he was not castigated for what he had done.  He became despised because he had become more of a liability than an asset.

That is sad.  And, it is a perfect illustration of what people do who have a "sliding scale" of morality, a view of morality that shifts and turns, based on circumstances.

Before you start tsk-tsking and cluck-clucking, let me ask you this: are we ever guilty of the same?

As Christians, we ought to always, without equivocation, stand against sexual perversion in all of its forms.  One of the reasons Weinstein was thrown down from his pinnacle of success is that his behavior was heterosexual, albeit predatory.  Hollywood is rife with pedophiles, as is Washington, according to some.  Yet, do we hear that behavior called out?  And, what about homosexuality?  Few dare to speak out against the current "pet" perversion of this age.

Yet, the Bible is clear that God established sexuality, and that He intended sexual behavior to be solely between one man and one woman, within the confines of marriage.  (I won't delve into a dissertation here to defend that statement because most of you know it is true, and defense of that is not the point of this post.)

The bigger question, and the point of this post, is whether we will have the faith and the courage to stand up and speak out against "twisted minds".  To do so is not unloving.  To do so is extremely loving, because speaking the truth in love is what Jesus did.  He did not speak specifically to deviant sexual behavior beyond adultery because, in his day, deviant sexual behavior in the Jewish community was in no way allowed.  He did, however, tell both the woman at the well (John 4:1-42) and the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:3-11) that their sin separated them from God and that they should turn their backs on their sinful pasts (repent).  He also made it abundantly clear to the men standing with stones in their hands that their own sins needed confronting as much as did the woman's.

Erick Erickson did a podcast on this topic yesterday1, and his point is the same as mine here.  If we are indeed possessing both faith and God's wisdom, we will not let evil run unchecked.  Instead, we will call it out, in all its various forms, no matter the cost.  Some will say that this is "judging", which Christ spoke against.  But, again, this is a twisting of scripture, a taking out of context to serve nefarious purposes.  When we, as believers, stand strong for the truth of God, even at the risk of disunity in the Body, we are doing what Jesus himself would do.  And, in the context of Matthew 7, Jesus is speaking to a closely-defined group of people, the Jews.  In other words, it was a "family of God" sermon.  The intent was not to avoid judging sin when sin is encountered, but rather to not falsely or sanctimoniously judge the motives of a fellow believer.

An excellent resource to help us engage our culture with both love and truth is Citizen magazine2, published by Focus on the Family.  The lead article in the most recent issue addresses treating with love those plagued by gender-dysphoria.  Celebrating 30 years of ministry next month, Citizen has long been an outstanding partner in assisting the everyday Christian in navigating through cultural minefields with integrity, perseverance, truth and love. I highly recommend a subscription!

It all boils down to the gospel, really.  How much are we willing to sacrifice to proclaim to an unbelieving world that our holiness and our love are genuine, and that they are authentic by-products of a faith-powered relationship with the One and Only?  Will we sacrifice to affirm that hope and freedom from sin's curse are only found in Jesus?


Sources:

1    https://www.spreaker.com/user/ewerickson/dragon-slayers

2    https://www.focusonthefamily.com/socialissues

God's First Creation

Proverbs 8 is somewhat of an enigma.  In this chapter an alternative is given to Vice, well-described in chapter 7, and that alternative is Wisdom (Truth).  That in itself is not surprising.  What IS fascinating is that Solomon personifies Wisdom, using pronouns which identify Wisdom as feminine, and beyond that, a created being.  In fact, Wisdom is described as The Creator's (Jesus') first creation.

Now, do I believe that there was (or is) an actual created being named Wisdom?  No.  I believe Solomon was using the poetic device of personification to prove a point and to make a feminine contrast of Wisdom with the Harlot (Vice) of chapter 7.  Personification is useful to help a reader see a truth concept more clearly.  In this case the device and contrast are very effective.

I also believe that the attributes Wisdom is given by Solomon are true.  So, in fact, I accept from this chapter that, when beginning the creative process, Jesus Christ (John 1:1-4) created from His own nature the Truth/Wisdom which He then established as the first created element, and this godly body of Truth undergirds all of our created world.

We do not find the establishment of Wisdom explicitly mentioned in Genesis 1.  Creation there begins with the Spirit of God moving over the face of the deep waters (Gen.1:2).  Obviously, those waters were created prior, and then Wisdom established/created prior to that.  The Wisdom/Truth of God was present in every aspect of the creation of the heavens and the earth.

What a marvel!

In Luke 11:49, the writer calls Jesus "the Wisdom of God".  Some have wrongly equated the Wisdom spoken of here in Proverbs 8 as being Christ Jesus Himself.  But, verse 22 makes plain that Wisdom was created as the first of the Creator's (Jesus') mighty works of old, BEFORE "the watery depths" (Proverbs 8:24).  Truly, Jesus was and is the fully human embodiment of the fullness of God the Father and God the Spirit.  No doubt.  And, it is from Himself that He created and established the Wisdom mentioned in Proverbs 8, the Wisdom that frames our existence.

Proverbs 7 and 8 are contrasts in desire.  Chapter 7 is all about the lure of deception, falsehood, vice and temporal pleasures taken in secret.  Chapter 8 is all about desiring "a woman eternal and invaluable", worth more than any amount of riches (Prov. 8:22).

This is her invitation, which she shouts loudly and openly to all who would hear:

32“Now then, my children, listen to me;

blessed are those who keep my ways.

33Listen to my instruction and be wise;

do not disregard it.

34Blessed are those who listen to me,

watching daily at my doors,

waiting at my doorway.

35For those who find me find life

and receive favor from the Lord.

May we ever and always pursue her by adoring and following the One from whom she sprang!

Milk Drinkers

I love milk.  Actually, I love all dairy products.  They do not "love me", however.  Unfortunately, the lactose in dairy reacts badly with my digestive processes and produces vile odors, better left unmentioned.  As a result, I generally avoid consuming it.

Breast milk, however, is to a baby "perfect food".  In God's amazing design, the milk from the mother is designed especially for her baby.  And, get this - - - the milk changes as the baby grows and changes!  It does not remain constant over time.  Isn't that miraculous? The mother's body reacts to the baby's needs and without any conscious thought on the mother's part, adapts its "formula", if you'll pardon the pun, to the baby's needs.  Amazing!

The Holy Spirit longs to work in believers the same way, and godly preachers/Bible teachers do the same with their flocks.
We are, today, in Hebrews 5.  There are two main themes which deserve our meditation.

The first to consider comes in the latter part of the chapter.  The author of Hebrews is doing what I just described above.  In the first part of the chapter, he has been expounding upon Jesus' role as our high priest in Heaven today, as well as how He got to that position.  Then, after a bit, the author stops and declares that he needs to stop with that line of teaching because of the spiritual immaturity of the hearers.  (I sort of wonder what he would have said if he had gone on....)

11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:11-14 ESV

What characterizes the Christian who feeds him or herself solely or mostly on milk?  The writer states that such a person, although certainly "saved" (having a relationship with Jesus Christ) cannot consistently distinguish good from evil.  Once a person receives Jesus as Savior, Satan immediately begins to hinder the Holy Spirit's attempts to train him or her in righteousness. In other words, Satan begins to frustrate the sanctification process.  Part of that involves misleading, deluding, confusing and deceiving the young Christian about what is right and what is wrong, good or evil.

Studying the Bible on one's own and under the teaching of godly teachers is foundational to moving from "milk to solid food".  The world, under Satan's control, presents a whole lot of error disguised as "truth", when it is nothing of the kind.  The Bible is the standard, God's Word.  Anything presented in conflict with the Bible is error and must be rejected.

The author of Hebrews makes it plain here that it is each believer's responsibility to "feed on truth", in order to "train" in the Christian faith under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  The elementary, foundational truths must be embraced first, because they underlie and support the more "meaty" truths.  Christians who fail to do this will become weak and ineffective, susceptible to all kinds of distracting and dangerous error.

Make healthy (spiritual) food choices.  Don't be a Christian who requires swaddling and coddling. God can only use you in ministry to the extent that you let him.  That requires "growing up" in the faith!

Heavenly Father, at this season of thanksgiving, I am thankful for your Holy Word, your revelation to us, the Bible.  For by it, we learn about You.  May we feed on it regularly, "eating a healthy diet".  In Jesus' name, amen.

A Payment Dear

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all....

Romans 8:32 (KJV)

When I awoke this morning, after morning prayers, one of the first things I did was to check my iPad to see if there were any huge news stories or (as I like to call them) "flaming arrows".  This morning's article, If I Die Before You Wake, by @ewerickson (Erick W. Erickson) riveted me.  (See link under Sources: below.)  I've followed Erick's career for the past few years and love that boy like a son.

I knew that Erick's wife, Kristi, had had some health problems over the years, sometimes serious ones.  I knew of his recent crisis with blood clots in his lungs.  I did not, however, realize the drastic turn both of their healths had taken in recent weeks.  I learned from the article that his wife has been diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer that only affects non-smoking women.  And, Erick continues to suffer with serious cardiovascular issues.  In the article, Erick was also extremely transparent about the emotional collateral his family has suffered, due to his political stances on this presidential election. This godly, Christ-honoring family has been buffeted and battered by both health crises and our toxic American culture, in general.

Some of you have felt that, in your own life.  I was reading a post by Paige on Facebook a couple days ago.  She drolly said that she was not going to discuss politics anymore before the election because no matter whom she announced she was voting for, it would be wrong.  Others chimed in that over-zealous friends had made Facebook an unpleasant venue, due to hateful stances and comments.  It can certainly be that.

Currently, I am studying Hebrews with you, as you know, because you came here expecting another Hebrews post this morning.  But, what you may not know is that I am concurrently studying the new Beth Moore study, Entrusted.  I highly recommend it to anyone who is experiencing loss, due to his or her stalwart faith in Jesus Christ today.  Let me close today's post by sharing some thoughts from that study of 2 Timothy.

In this letter Paul drives home the point that Christians fellowship with each other in many things: worship, fellowship, marriages, meals, laughter, Bible study - - - but that we must also be willing to suffer together the EVIL launched against us for carrying the name and testimony of Jesus, and for standing for truth and righteousness.

Standing true to the Word of God will not only open us up to attack, it will make our hearts vulnerable.  Beth's words:

"The raw vulnerability of untempered love...of that handful of people who hold your heart - - - 

skinned alive - - - and could slay you with their absence.  Untempered love is terrifying.  

But what's life if we never love others past the rational sensibilities of our self-protection? 

Divine love does not spare itself.  And, a life that risks no loss is no life at all." 

Erick's words from this morning:

"My faith and politics are more and more irreconcilable. What matters more to me now is to do what I think is right, not to do what is popular. It is not to lead others, but to speak for those who cannot speak and do for others what they cannot do. I am no leader. I am just blessed with a platform where I say what I think is right and true and make sure those who agree know they are not alone.

The world wants believers to be alone and if my wife and I die before my children wake, they will feel alone and helpless in the world. So they must know Truth on the cross. That truth can guide them when I cannot and sustain them when I cannot and comfort them when I cannot."

Beth, in her study, emphasizes the "gospel" and the "gifting".  What Erick is saying here mirrors that because both of these contemporary giants of the faith are speaking Truth, based on the Word of God, the Bible.  Erick, like Beth, is using his Holy Spirit-given spiritual gifts to spread the gospel.  It permeates his life, and he is paying dearly for it.  The man is under severe spiritual attack.  I ask all you who read my words here to please, please pray for him and his family.

I also challenge you to examine your own heart, if you claim the Name of Christ, if you say you are His.   Two questions:
1.  Are you using the unique set of spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gave you to spread the gospel?
2.  Do you have the courage to stand for what is right and true?  To stand even when it costs you dear?

Oh, Christian....as the days roll on and our world descends more and more into chaos and ungodliness, the choices we are called on to make are going to become increasingly costly!  For myself, I want to draw close to Jesus Christ and cling to him now, so that as more and more tests come I will be found standing firm alongside Him whose Name is Faithful and True, to Him who was and is our Pathfinder, our Trailblazer, our Pioneer....to Him who endured the cross and despised the shame (Heb. 12:2) .... to Him who tasted not only suffering but death, so that we, His brothers and sisters, could lay hold on eternal life.

9But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2:9-10 (ESV)

Dear Father,
While I certainly don't seek or crave suffering, I know that it will again touch me, as it comes to every Christian at one time or another - - not the general category of suffering common to every human at some point, but the specific kind of targeted suffering which results from bearing the name of Jesus Christ.  When those times come, may we follow in the footsteps of our Perfect Savior, allowing suffering to increase our faith, to purify our dross and to cause us to walk ... resplendent!  In Jesus' name, amen.

Sources:

1.  http://theresurgent.com/if-i-die-before-you-wake/

2.  Moore, Beth, Melissa Moore, and Kristi Smith. Entrusted: A Study of 2 Timothy. Nashville, TN: Lifeway Press, 2016. Print. 

Of The Secret and Wild-Geese

Well, school is back in session here in my local municipality, and mothers are rejoicing.  :)
Young, impressionable minds are being sent of to be filled with .... what?  Do you know?  It is impossible to impart basic knowledge outside the context of faith...faith in something....  Well, maybe math is an exception. But, otherwise, values imbue all the knowledge that your children will be taught in school.  Whose values?  Whose "truth"?

If you look up the word "gnosis" in Google, you'll find this definition:  "the knowledge of spiritual mysteries".  We've already examined the Gnostic philosophy to some extent. As a reminder, these heretics taught salvation was only possible through a complex series of initiations and steps, rules and traditions, which would lead to "secret knowledge".  In other words, they took the simple truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and enveloped it in layer after layer of heretical complexities.

Do you believe that Gnosticism is dead, some moldy-oldy philosophy that only existed in the first century A.D.?  I assure you that it is alive and well.  Satan both disguises and imitates truth.  As the eons roll on, he adapts his falsehoods to fit the current trends.  For example:

Some religions manifest elements of Gnosticism today.  There is mystic underwear.  There are secret names for spouses. There are secret rituals and secret vaults of documents which cannot be allowed to see the light of day.  Some religions....Satanism, for one....meet entirely in secret.  Who are the Satanists?  They walk among us, masquerading as everyday people.  But, that's another blog post for another day.

So, Paul addresses this matter of "secret knowledge" in today's passage, Colossians 2:2-4, which I'm reproducing here from The Message version.

2-4 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.”

There is no Secret.  There is only the Truth, which is found in Jesus Christ and His one-and-only, transparent salvation.  And, there is error.  Basically, any "faith", that wants to talk to you about these mystic "add-ons' to your belief in Jesus Christ, is false.

Then, there is the religion of secularism.  Yes, secularism is a religion.  Anything that sets itself up in opposition to the Word of God, manifested in the person and supreme deity of Jesus Christ is a religion.  Nabeel Qureshi, who wrote Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, has a new book out at the end of this month. It deconstructs the Muslim faith in which he was steeped from birth, well into his 20's. The Muslims recognize Jesus Christ, although only as one of several enlightened, human prophets.

But, back to secularism, the religion of our public schools and other public institutions.  Here are some examples of this most insidious religion, whose basic tenet is that there is no god but man himself.  "Man is his own god", in other words.  This belief infuses much of the world in which we live today.  One of the most recent manifestations of this was seen at the Republican National Convention last month, when the nominee stood at the podium to announce that he alone can fix what is wrong with the United States.  Ok.  Right.

That was a rather egregious overstatement.  Most of the time, Satan is much more subtle, beguiling our youth with garbage such as evolution, revisionist history, the right to abortion, a broadened definition of marriage and other such philosophies which are contrary to the Truth found in the Word of God, namely in Jesus Christ.  Dr. Peterson, who translated Paul's words in The Message's contemporary language calls these "wild-goose chases".

Our young people are led to believe that faith-based Truth is an evidence of a weak mind, of someone who is not truly intelligent or intellectual.  They take off after a "secret" which does not exist, which does not satisfy, even if it is attained.

As responsible parents, it is our responsibility to guard our youth from these deceptive, erroneous philosophies which will wreck their lives.  As a former public school educator for 35 years, I can say with a great deal of knowledge that if I had it to do over again, I would not educate my children today in the public schools.  The humanistic influences are simply too great for a Christian parent to overcome in their time with their children at home and church.

We are our children's first and best teachers.  In that God-ordained role, we must teach them the Truth, including that which Paul expresses here: only through Jesus Christ can the mind and spirit have confidence and rest.  In Jesus, we can learn as much of God as we can manage, for a lifetime and beyond.  As far as the other mysteries of the universe?  Some of the greatest minds that ever lived, those who made the greatest discoveries of all time, were Christ-worshippers:  Bacon, Copernicus, Kepler, Descartes, Pascal, Newton, Mendel, to name a few.1

Father, Your Son is All, and all Truth resides in, is embodied in Him.  We need seek no other Source, no other Secret.  By accepting Him as Savior and following Him throughout our lives, our minds can have confidence and rest.  A restful, centered mind is then freed to learn more of You, all the mysteries which it is Your will for us to discover.  May we teach this Truth to our children, in accordance with Your scriptural command.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

1   http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/the-rich-historic-roll-call-of-great-christian-thinkers-and-scientists/

What Are You Chasing?

I always have difficulty in this blog when I am "between books".  First starting out, I just sort of blogged on important topics, at least, those I believed to be important.  Then, I began to flounder for daily inspiration, and so began the discipline of working through a book of the Bible at a time.  That has worked well for me, and I hope it has for you too.  Always, though, between books, I sort of get into this funk that is akin to eating a beautiful plate of food.  I am a one-at-a-time eater, by and large.  That is, I don't like to mix my food up on the plate, and I eat one food before moving on to another.   So, it applying that habit to Bible study, when I finish one delicious food, I am confronted with choosing another!

I am supposed to move on to Colossians, but just don't have the "appetite" for it yet. There is a theme, a biblical truth, that is resonating with me right now.  So, I am going to "go there" and satisfy that hunger.

But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  

Matthew 6:33 

The key question Jesus is asking in these verses is: what are you seeking?  

That is...what are you pursuing?  What drives you?  What are you chasing?

How does one pursue the kingdom of God anyway; and, if one is a believer, how does one pursue His righteousness?  Don't we have His righteousness already, if we are His?

Lots of questions....

First, yes, those who believe in and trust Jesus Christ as Savior have His perfect righteousness "credited to their eternal account".  (The fancy, theological word for that is "imputed".)  Romans 4:22 is the reference here, where Abraham is used as an example of eternally-saving faith.

If you are reading this and you have not made that personal decision to accept and follow Jesus, your quest for righteousness begins there.  Without Him, you can go no further.  He is both the Source and the End-Point of "saving grace, through faith".

Once that is settled, then, Believers:

....what does it mean to "chase righteousness", to pursue it, if we already possess it?

Proverbs 15:9 says this:

"The Lord detests the ways of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness."

Second, Believers, this is not going to be a popular thing to say.  You have been warned.

It is not possible to seek, pursue or chase after the kingdom of God apart from seeking, pursuing or chasing His righteousness in this world.  Truth and righteousness are the foundations on which His kingdom are built.

Pursing righteousness is not popular these days.  It is often mis-labeled as "legalism".  

Admittedly, there is a fine line.

But, I would like to make the case to you that our country, our families and our churches are in the messes they are in because we Christians have "laid down" in the battle; as a whole, we no longer pursue righteousness.

What we do instead is to pursue "love" or some namby-pamby, sissy form of love that is weak.

True love is not weak.  It is supremely strong, because it is grounded in truth and righteousness.

Or, we pursue "unity", which is great, if it is grounded in truth and righteousness.  More often, however, it is a deceptive, false unity, driven by weakness of purpose, lack of courage, and the succumbing to a "go along to get along" attitude.  By allowing the enemy small (seemingly insignificant) victories, we may have "lost the war" in America, in our churches, in our homes.

Here is an example:

Shopping at Target

I don't have to say any more, do I?  Most of you who read this blog are aware of the stance this store has taken against righteousness and decency.  Now, stories are emerging of cross-dressing men going into Target restrooms and making videos of women during their private moments. 

https://www.afa.net/action-alerts/we-warned-target-this-would-happenand-it-did/

I ask you to consider your response to this situation.  Are you still shopping at Target?

Oh, you can think of many reasons why it is okay to shop at this store, even if there are other alternatives.  Spare me.

The only real question is: are you going to take a stand, or not?

This is just one example, which you may think is a ridiculous one.  I submit to you that it is not; rather, it is highly illustrative.

Christians have, in most cases, lost their will to battle for truth and righteousness.  Instead, we seek after "all these things", regardless of what they are, and most of them are "good things"!  Be assured of this, Believer, what you chase is what you will catch.

We have "got it backwards", according to God's Word!  Notice how our verse begins:

"Above all"...

Father, I need, we need some honest, self-examination in light of Your Word today.  In response, may we have Your truth and Your righteousness, the foundations of Your kingdom, in the forefront of our minds at all times, even when it is "unpopular", even when we find ourselves standing in the minority, as Christians will increasingly be in this seductive, modern culture.  May Your righteousness be what we seek after, as we desire to further Your kingdom.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Joy and Crown

What is your conflict style?  It is impossible for us to live without encountering some kind of conflict. How do you handle it?  If you are a Christian, does your faith affect how you deal with it?  Or, do you set your faith aside, to get your way?

Are you an owl?  A turtle?  A fox?  A shark?

This morning's passage is Philippians 4:1-7 (NET)

1So then, my brothers and sisters, dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!

2I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3Yes, I say also to you, true companion, help them. They have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me and Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.4Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! 5Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! 6Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 7And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Conflict will arise in the best of situations: in that loving marriage, in that loving family, in that loving church, in that job situation, in any relationship into which you pour yourself ("joy and crown").  In the early verses of Philippians 4, we see that conflict has arisen between two godly women of the Philippian church.  And, although we are not told what it was, it was obviously no minor point of contention because it had come to Paul's attention.  In other words, someone had written him about it, and he felt compelled to intervene.  How did he do that?

1.  He reminds them all of their supreme worth to Him, to Paul and to each other.  He calls the believers whom he had won to the Lord "my joy and my crown".  He calls them his "dear friends", his "brothers and sisters".  When we have disagreements, our tendency is to alienate ourselves from each other, but Paul here is admonishing his dear ones to draw closer together in conflict.  Why?

2.  The goal is to find agreement.  Doing so is impossible if one of the parties runs away in avoidance. Doing so is impossible if one of the parties will do anything it takes to "win".   In verse 2, Paul begs the two women to "agree in the Lord".  What does that mean?   It means that each of their competing opinions must be held up to the standard of the Word of God, and that the Lord must govern their agreement.  Godly agreement is based on selflessness and on truthfulness.  Selfishness, lies and deception are tools of the Devil; they never lead to godly resolutions of conflict.

3.  Sometimes, outside wisdom is needed.  There are times when dear ones are so entrenched in their own positions that they prevent themselves from seeing a solution.  In verse 3, Paul appeals to a fellow brother to help these two ladies find a way through the conflict.  These types of situations often arise because the two sides have already ignored others' wants, needs, viewpoints.  This continues into a full-blown conflict, with the two sides becoming more and more blind to the opposing side's perspective and/or resolutions to the conflict.  An intermediary is needed to help one or both sides say, "Oh, I see it (a possible solution) now!"

4.  The importance of reasonableness is mentioned in verse 5.  The word "gentleness" is translated as "graciousness", "reasonableness" in other translations.  Agreement does not mean that one side "gives up" (turtle response) or that the other side "burns it down in order to be right" (shark response).

5.  The centrality of earnest prayer to counteract anxiety and to lead to peaceful resolutions.  I'm not talking about the type of prayer that is prayed to sway opinions.  You have, like me, heard people pray in public in order to lecture people through the praying.  I believe the admonition in verse 6 is for, first, personal, private prayer, and then for one-on-one or small group prayer, in order to draw closer to God, to align our requests more closely with His will, and to thereby hear more clearly the hearts of our brothers or sisters.

6.  The importance of rejoicing in all things.  This is a separate post in and of itself, but rejoicing in conflict is not my idea of a good time.  Not.at.all.  However, when we realize that God uses all things to conform us more and more into the image of His Son, we can even embrace conflict.  Rejoicing in all things brings peace, that supernatural peace which will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

So, we must not run from conflict in our most precious relationships.

I discovered a little tool this morning you might find interesting.  It is not a perfect tool for a Christian, because it doesn't take into consideration the Word of God or the moving of the Holy Spirit in the resolving of our conflicts.  But, it is instructive to show each of us how we tend to handle conflict.  Take it for a spin and see if it describes your natural tendencies well:

http://academic.engr.arizona.edu/vjohnson/ConflictManagementQuestionnaire/ConflictManagementQuestionnaire.asp

The website makes this point, and I agree with it:  no one style is appropriate at all times. Depending on the source of disagreement each can prove to be valuable.  "Is it a mountain worth dying on?" is an appropriate question here.  Note these examples from parenting:
1.  Your child gets dressed for school and did not put the clothes together in a way you would have chosen.  The entire look is modern, but not immodest.  You resolve the conflict more in the line of the "teddy bear" response, because it is not "a mountain worth dying on".
2.  Your child gets into the car with you and does not buckle his seatbelt.  You refuse to move the car until he "buckles up": shark response.  His safety in the car IS "a mountain worth dying on".

Again, love grounded in truth is the standard.

So, there are times when it is appropriate to use one conflict resolution strategy over another.  If, though, we treat each other as our "joy and crown", our relationships can survive our conflicts and become stronger for having made it through them.

Father,  please forgive me for when I have chosen the wrong approach to resolving conflicts in my life, and give me the wisdom to choose the right approach in the inevitable conflicts which arise, so that love and truth will reign.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Evangelists, Activists and Paper Tigers

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday weekend is on the horizon, and mentioning him here today fits with a verse I want to hone in on this morning (Galatians 4:16).  Growing up in the South, I remember not so much of when Dr. King was evangelizing and actively campaigning for social change.  (I was in the single digits of years...) But, I do remember the controversy surrounding making his birthday a national holiday. And, back then in the South, especially, there was a lo-o-o-ot of controversy.

The main reason for this was that Dr. King advocated for social change, and in so doing, made many enemies (including the one who assassinated him).  As he lay dying, he could have mouthed Galatians 4:16 - - -

16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Now, not all versions of "social change" are good.  You can argue with me about whether Dr. King's version of the truth was the whole truth or not. That would be a distraction, and not at all the point of my illustration.  The point is that the truth changes people and often makes the truth-teller a target.

This is what was happening in Galatia, concerning Paul.  Paul had started the Galatian church, but found himself (and the truth) being marginalized and fiercely criticized after he moved on to deliver the gospel elsewhere.

I admire Paul and others like them, whose hearts burn with the message they've been given to share. No shrinking violets are they!  Even if I disagree with the content of the message, I admire those who are willing to take a stand and "put it out there".  Paul says a couple of verses later ... (Galatians 4:18 KJV)

It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing!

Or, as The Message puts it:

It is a good thing to be ardent in doing good.

As far as the gospel is concerned, it is not a good thing to keep quiet about it.  We were commanded by the Master to be bold in sharing it, with everyone (Matthew 28:19-20).  What we often fail to anticipate, though, is the opposition we will face when we do.  Jesus saw that coming, and told us so in John 15:18-19...

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

No surprise, right?  The message of the gospel is antithetical to the ruling philosophies of this world.

The false teachers of Galatians wanted to shut the baby Christians out of the freedom that is God's grace, so that they would always be dependent upon the Judaizers for approval and direction (4:17).
The Galatians were unprepared for the battle, apparently, because look at their response to the law-bringers, the rule-peddlers, the enemies of the truth.  Paul says in 4:8-11 (The Message) ...

Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those paper tigers? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!

Not an effective battle strategy, I'm afraid, this bowing down to paper tigers, this returning to enslavement.  Yet, it is one that the redeemed of the Lord, Christ-followers, sometimes devolve to, losing ground in the process.  Our spiritual progress is sometimes "two steps forward, and one step back".  We willingly enslave ourselves to forces which have no power over us.  I know I've been guilty.  Old habits die hard.  Often the truth dies on the altar of the comfortable.

In response to the Galatians' veering far off the path, Paul was fearless in proclaiming to them (again) the liberating truth of the gospel.  The character trait of truth-bearers: fearlessness in the face of opposition, courage in delivering an unpopular message.

The same God who told us to "Love one another" (John 13:34) also told us repeatedly to "Fear not" (Luke 12:32, e.g.)  So, I'm not talking about those who just love to be disagreeable.  I'm talking about being fearless in telling the truth, but doing so with love in our hearts.  Soon, we'll be examining the fruits of the Spirit, in the next chapter, in fact.  They are indispensable for all Christ-followers, all of whom are, like it or not, truth-bearers.

Lo! the hosts of evil ’round us,
Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways.
From the fears that long have bound us,
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.1
     God of Grace and God of Glory, Henry E. Fosdick, 1930.

Lord, give us wisdom, courage and opportunity to share the gospel.  Empower us with your Sprit and deliver us from our backsliding into the more familiar, unrighteous ways of living.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/godgrace.htm

Since We Have This Ministry

Good morning,

I'm just now sitting down to have devotions and blog, here at 10:00 a.m., because I had an early morning "rise and shine" (5:30).  Our church had the privilege of ministering to a wonderful group of middle school teachers today.  They are having a teacher workday; so, some of our members brought them breakfast.  What a privilege to love on those who give so much to our community.

Today's text is 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (NET):

Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged. 2 But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.

Last night, Hubster and I had the privilege of hosting some college-age students from church in our home for Bible study.  We were talking about, in part, how God will often give us a task to do that seems impossible to us.  Our pastor has said before that, "if the task is not God-sized, if it doesn't force you to depend on Him to do it, then it probably is not from God."  Yet, even so, it is easy for us to get discouraged in our ministries, isn't it?

First of all, things "rarely go according to plan"....our plan, that is.  When that happens, we question whether or not we are really doing what God called to do, or even if He called us to it at all!  Sure, there are times when we can have "misheard" the Lord, that is, Satan has deceived us.  Usually though, it is simply that Satan is opposing our efforts because God is using us and wanting to use us even more for the advancement of His kingdom.  Setbacks should not surprise us or dissuade us.

Paul also said here that it is the mercy of God that motivated him in ministry.  Because God showed mercy to him, he got past his temporary discouragement to go on and show God's mercy to others. He did this by proclaiming the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He stated that he was a  "slave" to this ministry, this life-calling of shining the light of Jesus Christ into a dark, fallen world.  Jesus shined brilliant light into Paul's life on the road to Damascus.  Because of this Paul gained the glorious truth about God, the truth embodied in Jesus.

In the college Bible study, we just began a book study of David Platt's book, Radical.  It has already been such a blessing, and we are just into the first chapters!  You can't truly encounter Jesus Christ, as Paul did, as I have, as many others have, and come away unchanged.  Those who claim to have done so have never really met Him.  Instead they have met some pale imitation or some distortion.  The gospel of Jesus Christ changes hearts, changes lives.  It is the ONLY solution to man's many problems.  David Platt asks us, "So, how do we respond to this gospel?"1  How can we keep this to ourselves?  Paul couldn't; and neither should we.

It is this knowledge, this treasure we possess, which lifts us out of our periodic discouragements. Because we have been utterly transformed, we cannot be silent.  Although our message is often ridiculed as "nonsense", "foolishness", and even the sign of a low IQ, we have experienced the power of The One and Only.  We have tasted of Jesus Christ.  We have drunk from the well of salvation to become His Beloved.  We know that nothing is greater, or higher, or better or more satisfying.  And, that radicalizes us to share this incomparable Light, which shines out of the darkness of mistakes, willful sin, self-centeredness, pride - - - the slime pit of the world in which people find themselves mired.  We extend the hand of faith to them and say, "Brother, let me lead you to the Savior, because He is sufficient for every need, the source of all good things.  All else is, ultimately, unsatisfying."

So, Christian, don't be discouraged.  Every day presents a new opportunity to share the life-changing truth of Jesus with someone in desperate need.  Take those opportunities God puts before you.  Don't let the enemy "talk you down".  None of us is immune, as this is one of Satan's most potent weapons. Don't play right into his hand.  He's defeated before he even starts, and it's okay to remind him of that.  Shine your light today, for the glory of The Incomparable One.

Father, you are a good, good Father, in spite of "circumstances".  Help us to center our thoughts on You, to keep our eyes on our Savior, in order to fight off discouragement.  You have given each one of us a special skill-set, to use in the advancement of Your kingdom.  Empower us to do what You have called each of us to do, for Your praise and for Your glory alone.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

1  Platt, David. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. Colorado Springs, Colo.: Multnomah, 2010. p. 36. Print.