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. 

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.

7 and 7

We are nearing the end of Ephesians 4 (verses 25-32), where Paul lists 7 things that are central to living a Spirit-filled life ("the new self"), which he referenced in verses 20-24.

I'm going to use the New English Translation to present Ephesians 4:25-32, as well as Proverbs 6:16-19.  We are going to contrast these two passages today.  Let's start by looking at both of them.

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26“In your anger do not sin”^d : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

¹⁶ There are six things that the Lord hates,
even seven things that are an abomination to him:
¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that are swift to run to evil,
¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies,
and a person who spreads discord among family members.

In the Proverbs passage, we see 7 things that the LORD considers an "abomination".

By contrast....

In the Ephesians passage, the opposite of some of those 7 are presented by Paul as being attributes of a Christ-filled life. 

Let's look at them in lists, side by side.

           Proverbs                                                                  Ephesians

Lying (Prov. 6:17,19)                                           Speak Truth (Eph. 4:25)

False Witness (Prov. 6:19)                                   Get Rid of Slander (Eph. 4:31)

Murdering (6:17)                                                 Handle Anger Righteously (4:26-27)

Haughtiness (6:17)                                             Work Hard; Don't Steal; Be Generous (4:28)

Scheming and Craving Wickedness (6:18)         Speak Wholesome Words that Heal (4:29)

Spreading Disunity/Discord (6:19)                     Practice Kindness, Compassion, Forgiveness  (4:32) 

                                                                             Avoid grieving the Holy Spirit (4:30)

So, when you compare these two lists, what jumps out at you?  Here are some things that are obvious to me.

1.  Lying is a "biggie" with God.  You may recall that Jesus called Satan "the Father of Lies" (John 8:44).  Lying (or slander, which is "lying to destroy someone's reputation") is mentioned TWICE in the "God hates" list!  Because he is a deceiver, Satan wants to make us believe that "little, white lies" do not matter.  Oh....but they do!  By contrast, Christians are commanded to control our words and to speak only words that are wholesome, that benefit others and that heal wounds.

2.  Anger and Murder are merely matters of differing degree.  Murder is anger, taken to an extreme.  Anger always precedes murder.  Christians are told to keep their anger short-lived and to not let Satan get his "toe in the door" of our lives, through our anger.

3.  Haughtiness has to do with thinking you are superior to someone else, that you deserve more, that you are a better person because of your circumstances.  Haughty people have a disdain for those who have more than they do; so, they think it's okay to steal what others have.  Haughty people are hard-hearted, selfish people, who would not stoop to help someone less fortunate.

4.  Instead of fostering disunity and spreading discord, we are to exhibit kindness and compassion, forgiving others for the ways they have hurt us.   Almost always, disunity and discord get whipped up because someone has had their feelings hurt.

5.  When we plot evil towards others and/or go lusting after wickedness or sin, this most assuredly grieves the Holy Spirit.  It is one thing to sin unintentionally.  But, when Christians embrace favorite sins or go running after evil, the Holy Spirit is "grieved". (In a related verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, the word is "quenched".)  The Holy Spirit is a Person, one of the three Persons in the Godhead, the Holy Trinity.  Only a person can be made sorrowful or can be grieved.  The Holy Spirit is often represented by a dove, (at Jesus' baptism) or as a flame of fire, (at Pentecost), which is most likely why Paul used the "quenched" reference in 1 Thessalonians.  Regardless, we refuse to follow His leading when we "act out" in a sinful manner.  All those heinous sins mentioned in Proverbs 6, and, in deed all sin, grieve the Holy Spirit who lives in the heart of every Christ-follower.

As you review today's content, does anything on the lists above prick your heart?  Is the Holy Spirit nudging you about one of these?  If so, go to Him in prayer today, in order to confess, repent and "make it right".

Father, you know which of these on the list are trouble-spots for me.  I'm so sorry for how I have grieved the Holy Spirit in these areas, and pray for strength to allow His full leading in my life today.  In Jesus' name, amen.