1Sa 15:7 And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
1Sa 15:8 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
1Sa 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
1Sa 15:7 And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
1Sa 15:8 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
1Sa 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
1Sa 15:13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD."
1Sa 15:14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
1Sa 15:15 And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed."
There is a story I have heard of a mother who was trying to teach her kids discernment. They were complaining that some things were ok to take part in or watch because they only were a little offensive or they had some redeeming value.
To illustrate the compromise in their thinking, the mom baked a pan of brownies and offered them to her children. As they were eagerly eyeing this surprise treat she dropped an off-handed comment:
"They are great brownies, I only put a little dog poo in them."
The children were shocked and betrayed! They screamed in repulsion and dropped the brownies back on their plates. "What? Why did you put poo in the brownies?"
The mom calmly explained that she was short of some ingredients and the poo seemed like the right consistency. "It's only a tiny bit--it won't hurt you. In fact, it could be good for your immune system to be exposed to it. Don't you think?"
The children continued to complain their horror--"Mom, it is NOT good for you. And even a little bit makes it GROSS!"
"But it's only a little bit!" the mom protested. "Isn't that what you said to me about what you are watching?--it's only a little bit violent, only a little bit blaspheming God, only a little bit suggestive. Does a little bit matter?
The kids were silent as mom took out her Bible and read, " Ga 5:7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
Ga 5:8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.
Ga 5:9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. The kids walked away with a good object lesson on how a little bit of compromise can ruin a good walk with the Lord.
Saul could have benefited from such an illustration. He was clearly commanded to obliterate the Amalekites, but his human reasoning and the popular opinion of his men got the better of him. He saved only one Amalekite, the king, as a trophy perhaps of his power. And he saved the best of the livestock perhaps because it seemed too extreme not to take any spoils of such a successful battle. Often the question, "What could it hurt?" when asked in contrast to God's command results in tragedy.
Saul was either so blinded by his own reasoning or boldly lying to Samuel when he later claimed that
he completely obeyed God. We can fall into the same blindness or brazenness when we allow compromise to infiltrate our lives.
Like finding poo in a brownie, it is hard to separate the good intentions from the disobedience.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Monday, November 30, 2015
Winning VS Obeying
1Sa 14:24 ¶ And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
1Sa 14:29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
1Sa 14:30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
1Sa 14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
1Sa 14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
The study of Saul's life is a slow descent into darkness. His life illustrates the contrast of a life of obedience, vs a life seeking to win at all costs. When he was called to be king by Samuel, he was humble, even embarrassed by his lack of ability. Had he brought this lack to God, as David did, he would have had peace and victory.
Saul instead focused on making himself look good. He cared what people thought. In this verse he says, "I will be avenged of MY enemies". Later he builds a monument to himself. He disobeys God's instructions in killing the Amalekites but claims that he did obey, and asks Samuel to back him up to make him look good to the people. He loved the image of success. He liked to surround himself with the right people.
In all his image-making, Saul lost the heart of God. He was trying to win by extreme vows--radical effort that proved to himself he was worth it. The vow above shows the lengths to which he would go to prove he was ruthlessly dedicated. But his dedication was to the wrong thing--it was to building an image of himself that he could admire.
Sadly, all his image making never worked. Inside he was still the young man hiding in the baggage. He could impress everyone but himself. And in the process he lost his ability to connect with God who would have filled that void forever.
David, who started with humble beginnings never left them. He did not run from them as Saul did.
David stayed humble before his God and gave Him all fame that Saul was trying to get for himself. David, even in his biggest mistakes, oriented his life around obeying and serving God.
Obedience made David a true winner!
1Sa 14:29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
1Sa 14:30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
1Sa 14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
1Sa 14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
The study of Saul's life is a slow descent into darkness. His life illustrates the contrast of a life of obedience, vs a life seeking to win at all costs. When he was called to be king by Samuel, he was humble, even embarrassed by his lack of ability. Had he brought this lack to God, as David did, he would have had peace and victory.
Saul instead focused on making himself look good. He cared what people thought. In this verse he says, "I will be avenged of MY enemies". Later he builds a monument to himself. He disobeys God's instructions in killing the Amalekites but claims that he did obey, and asks Samuel to back him up to make him look good to the people. He loved the image of success. He liked to surround himself with the right people.
In all his image-making, Saul lost the heart of God. He was trying to win by extreme vows--radical effort that proved to himself he was worth it. The vow above shows the lengths to which he would go to prove he was ruthlessly dedicated. But his dedication was to the wrong thing--it was to building an image of himself that he could admire.
Sadly, all his image making never worked. Inside he was still the young man hiding in the baggage. He could impress everyone but himself. And in the process he lost his ability to connect with God who would have filled that void forever.
David, who started with humble beginnings never left them. He did not run from them as Saul did.
David stayed humble before his God and gave Him all fame that Saul was trying to get for himself. David, even in his biggest mistakes, oriented his life around obeying and serving God.
Obedience made David a true winner!
Friday, September 18, 2015
Romans 10: Give Him a Call
Ro 10:11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
Ro 10:12 ¶ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
Ro 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
Today I just have a short message--Call on God. So many times people complicate their relationship with God and feel they have to fix things up in their lives to be a Christian, or to be more like Christ.
God isn't impressed by our efforts to fix ourselves--they get in His way.
God isn't offended by our cry for help--He LOVES to hear us call for Him and He LOVES, truly LOVES to help us.
God is RICH to all who call on Him.
Call Him today!
Ro 10:12 ¶ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
Ro 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
Today I just have a short message--Call on God. So many times people complicate their relationship with God and feel they have to fix things up in their lives to be a Christian, or to be more like Christ.
God isn't impressed by our efforts to fix ourselves--they get in His way.
God isn't offended by our cry for help--He LOVES to hear us call for Him and He LOVES, truly LOVES to help us.
God is RICH to all who call on Him.
Call Him today!
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Romans 9: What trips up people about God.
Ro 9:32 Why? Because they did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
Ro 9:33 as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame."
If you only read the 9th chapter of Romans, you would conclude that God just picks out everyone who is going to be saved and lets the rest just get ready for hell. In fact, some of that type of thinking was involved in the way I grew up--God was in control, there was nothing you could do about it except make sure your kids were raised in the faith.
But the last two verses concludes with the real issue at hand--pursuing God with faith verses pursuing God with works. Simply put, we can come to God with nothing but the assurance that He is Good and God and worthy of our worship, that He does what He says and He cares about us.
Or we can approach Him with the idea that we can offer Him a dedicated, sacrificial life, doing extremely good things (however our personal code describes them) and making an impression on God to the point where He overlooks any short comings we may have.
The first approach is the way of faith--focusing on God and what He is doing and has done through Christ. This is the only approach that works in the end.
The second approach is trusting in our own good works. Its fault lies in two things: 1. we can never in ourselves be absolutely perfect--the requirement for dwelling with a perfectly Holy God 2. this approach that focuses on all the good we are doing is a subtle form of idol worship--the idol being ourselves and the good we are doing. The result then, is not true worship of God, but pride, which is of course, the original sin.
It is the great stumbling block of faith and total trust in God that offends many people who are busy trying to please Him with their morals and activities. Works do have their place in faith, but they do not add anything to convince God to save us or have a relationship with us.
Even people of faith, Christians can get tripped up by this, engaging in good activities and evaluating others by their performance and losing sight of how all of us on our own don't stack up to anything compared to God.
God is good--He is powerful, amazing and un"tame"able. He does not fit into our view of Him and He is great. He chooses to love us and that is the only reason we have hope.
Ro 9:33 as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame."
If you only read the 9th chapter of Romans, you would conclude that God just picks out everyone who is going to be saved and lets the rest just get ready for hell. In fact, some of that type of thinking was involved in the way I grew up--God was in control, there was nothing you could do about it except make sure your kids were raised in the faith.
But the last two verses concludes with the real issue at hand--pursuing God with faith verses pursuing God with works. Simply put, we can come to God with nothing but the assurance that He is Good and God and worthy of our worship, that He does what He says and He cares about us.
Or we can approach Him with the idea that we can offer Him a dedicated, sacrificial life, doing extremely good things (however our personal code describes them) and making an impression on God to the point where He overlooks any short comings we may have.
The first approach is the way of faith--focusing on God and what He is doing and has done through Christ. This is the only approach that works in the end.
The second approach is trusting in our own good works. Its fault lies in two things: 1. we can never in ourselves be absolutely perfect--the requirement for dwelling with a perfectly Holy God 2. this approach that focuses on all the good we are doing is a subtle form of idol worship--the idol being ourselves and the good we are doing. The result then, is not true worship of God, but pride, which is of course, the original sin.
It is the great stumbling block of faith and total trust in God that offends many people who are busy trying to please Him with their morals and activities. Works do have their place in faith, but they do not add anything to convince God to save us or have a relationship with us.
Even people of faith, Christians can get tripped up by this, engaging in good activities and evaluating others by their performance and losing sight of how all of us on our own don't stack up to anything compared to God.
God is good--He is powerful, amazing and un"tame"able. He does not fit into our view of Him and He is great. He chooses to love us and that is the only reason we have hope.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Romans 8: The Birthday of the World or Why do Evolutionists get upset about extinction?
Ro 8:19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God;
Ro 8:20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
Ro 8:21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Ro 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
Ro 8:23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Tonight begins the Jewish Festival of Roshasana or Jewish New Year. It is during this time that Jewish people around the world celebrate the birth of creation.
Romans 8 holds a mini story about creation, sin and redemption. It is a new Testament passage that supports creation. This passage explains that the reason the earth is so messed up is because of the choice of Adam to allow sin to rule in it. The hope of all the creatures on the planet is the final redemption of all things in Christ.
Which brings me to an interesting question, If evolution is the source of all life, and is based on survival of the fittest, how is that people who believe in evolution become upset about extinction? Isn't that that logical conclusion for evolution--some species are not fit to survive.
Yet many people who are evolutionists also are concerned that man is ruining the environment for other species. Isn't it best if we make the earth more fit for our species, even if it means others are no longer fit?
Yet you and I would agree that this is false logic, as would most evolutionists. This very feeling that we are somehow more responsible than other species, that we owe it to the earth to care for it and tend it supports the idea that we were designed for this purpose by God. We are made in his image and given responsibility not only to tend to the earth, but to respond to HIm.
Happy Birthday to the Earth---and Come Lord Jesus.
Ro 8:20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
Ro 8:21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Ro 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
Ro 8:23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Tonight begins the Jewish Festival of Roshasana or Jewish New Year. It is during this time that Jewish people around the world celebrate the birth of creation.
Romans 8 holds a mini story about creation, sin and redemption. It is a new Testament passage that supports creation. This passage explains that the reason the earth is so messed up is because of the choice of Adam to allow sin to rule in it. The hope of all the creatures on the planet is the final redemption of all things in Christ.
Which brings me to an interesting question, If evolution is the source of all life, and is based on survival of the fittest, how is that people who believe in evolution become upset about extinction? Isn't that that logical conclusion for evolution--some species are not fit to survive.
Yet many people who are evolutionists also are concerned that man is ruining the environment for other species. Isn't it best if we make the earth more fit for our species, even if it means others are no longer fit?
Yet you and I would agree that this is false logic, as would most evolutionists. This very feeling that we are somehow more responsible than other species, that we owe it to the earth to care for it and tend it supports the idea that we were designed for this purpose by God. We are made in his image and given responsibility not only to tend to the earth, but to respond to HIm.
Happy Birthday to the Earth---and Come Lord Jesus.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Romans 8: The Little Garmin in Your Soul
My husband was an over-the-road truck driver for many years. When he was driving to so many strange places, he became very dependent on his Garmin--the GPS device that gave him driving directions and traffic information. He so needed this vital tool that he purchased several back up units to have in case the one he was using broke down. Now that he is not driving over-the-road, I have inherited one of his units and I am learning to use it to get me around to unfamiliar places.
To use the Garmin device, you first attach it to the windshield of the car where it can be seen. Then when you turn it on, you can input a location by address or description, tap "Go" and it speaks out turn by turn directions while showing your route on a road map. It's rather ingenious because no matter where you are or where you are wanting to go, it can give you directions to get there.
Another interesting feature is if you decide for some reason to ignore the suggested route, the Garmin will say, "Recalculating" and find a way to your destination using the alternate turn you made. This is handy when you miss a turn or find a detour in the road.
Romans 8 describes a function of the Holy Spirit that is much like the Garmin in my car. The key words in the passage that outline this work of the Holy Spirit are the words,"Walk", or "Led by".
Ro 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
That word for "Walk" means "to tread all around, walk at large, live, deport oneself, follow, go and be occupied with." It sounds like a word that means to travel with the Holy Spirit. In these verses, if we travel in harmony with the inner commands of the Holy Spirit, we will not be condemned (lost) but the righteousness of God's law will be fulfilled in us--we will make it to our destination.
Following that inner witness is what keeps us on track. When we miss it, and go against that inner witness, the Holy Spirit immediately seeks to guide us back to His destination. He will "recalculate" us, nudging us over and over till we take the turn towards obedience. We live by His touch in our lives to get to our destination.--Holiness and the Presence of God.
To use the Garmin device, you first attach it to the windshield of the car where it can be seen. Then when you turn it on, you can input a location by address or description, tap "Go" and it speaks out turn by turn directions while showing your route on a road map. It's rather ingenious because no matter where you are or where you are wanting to go, it can give you directions to get there.
Another interesting feature is if you decide for some reason to ignore the suggested route, the Garmin will say, "Recalculating" and find a way to your destination using the alternate turn you made. This is handy when you miss a turn or find a detour in the road.
Romans 8 describes a function of the Holy Spirit that is much like the Garmin in my car. The key words in the passage that outline this work of the Holy Spirit are the words,"Walk", or "Led by".
Ro 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
That word for "Walk" means "to tread all around, walk at large, live, deport oneself, follow, go and be occupied with." It sounds like a word that means to travel with the Holy Spirit. In these verses, if we travel in harmony with the inner commands of the Holy Spirit, we will not be condemned (lost) but the righteousness of God's law will be fulfilled in us--we will make it to our destination.
Following that inner witness is what keeps us on track. When we miss it, and go against that inner witness, the Holy Spirit immediately seeks to guide us back to His destination. He will "recalculate" us, nudging us over and over till we take the turn towards obedience. We live by His touch in our lives to get to our destination.--Holiness and the Presence of God.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Romans 8: The Man With Two Brains
Back in the Eighties, Steve Martin starred in "The Man With Two Brains", a story about a famous doctor and his attempt to preserve the brain of the woman he came to love while getting rid of the woman he had recently married. The woman he recently married did not love him and was only after his money. She is killed by a mysterious serial killer. The doctor is able through a series of events to transplant the brain of the woman he loves into the dead body of the gold-digger wife.
Strange as this implausible story may seem, there is a ring of truth in it found in Romans. The Lord, through the Holy Spirit is seeking a Bride--a body of people that He can eternally fellowship with in perfection. But human kind, tainted and destroyed by sin is really dead to Him. No one can hear or understand his ways, and everyone is compelled to obey their sinful ways and reject Him. The consequence of this is certain death. This is why God intervened.
Ro 8:3 For what the law was not able to do because it was feeble through the flesh, God, sending his Son in the image of the evil flesh, and as an offering for sin, gave his decision against sin in the flesh:
Ro 8:4 So that what was ordered by the law might be done in us, who are living, not in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit.
Paul has been laying a foundation in all of Romans to get to this chapter--We are new people because we have the Spirit of God in us. The Spirit of God makes all the difference and makes us totally new and different from what we were originally. I am going to do a couple of posts on what that means but lets start with what Romans 8 says about our minds.
Ro 8:5 For those who are living in the way of the flesh give their minds to the things of the flesh, but those who go in the way of the Spirit, to the things of the Spirit.
Ro 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:
Ro 8:7 Because the mind of the flesh is opposite to God; it is not under the law of God, and is not able to be:
Ro 8:8 So that those who are in the flesh are not able to give pleasure to God.
We are like a man with two brains, but instead of being in jars, they are in our own mind. We were born with a mind that makes decisions and evaluations based on what it can see and know by observation and experience, subject to our own unbridled physical desires and emotions. Everyone has this mind, it is called the mind of the flesh.
This mind is incapable of understanding, obeying or enjoying God. It is focused on pleasing itself.
When we become born again, we get God's spirit inside us. Because God's Spirit knows God's mind, we have a new mind too, one that knows his life and peace, his whole nature. The Spirit actually knows everything about God and lives inside us to guide us. We have a new "brain" that keeps us close to God and walking with Him the way He intended.
The only difficulty is that we retain the choice to use either mind. We can slip back and forth, from misery and defeat to glory and peace. And the mind that we feed is the mind that grows stronger.
More on Roman's 8 later, but remember--if you are a Christian---you have two brains!
Strange as this implausible story may seem, there is a ring of truth in it found in Romans. The Lord, through the Holy Spirit is seeking a Bride--a body of people that He can eternally fellowship with in perfection. But human kind, tainted and destroyed by sin is really dead to Him. No one can hear or understand his ways, and everyone is compelled to obey their sinful ways and reject Him. The consequence of this is certain death. This is why God intervened.
Ro 8:3 For what the law was not able to do because it was feeble through the flesh, God, sending his Son in the image of the evil flesh, and as an offering for sin, gave his decision against sin in the flesh:
Ro 8:4 So that what was ordered by the law might be done in us, who are living, not in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit.
Paul has been laying a foundation in all of Romans to get to this chapter--We are new people because we have the Spirit of God in us. The Spirit of God makes all the difference and makes us totally new and different from what we were originally. I am going to do a couple of posts on what that means but lets start with what Romans 8 says about our minds.
Ro 8:5 For those who are living in the way of the flesh give their minds to the things of the flesh, but those who go in the way of the Spirit, to the things of the Spirit.
Ro 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:
Ro 8:7 Because the mind of the flesh is opposite to God; it is not under the law of God, and is not able to be:
Ro 8:8 So that those who are in the flesh are not able to give pleasure to God.
We are like a man with two brains, but instead of being in jars, they are in our own mind. We were born with a mind that makes decisions and evaluations based on what it can see and know by observation and experience, subject to our own unbridled physical desires and emotions. Everyone has this mind, it is called the mind of the flesh.
This mind is incapable of understanding, obeying or enjoying God. It is focused on pleasing itself.
When we become born again, we get God's spirit inside us. Because God's Spirit knows God's mind, we have a new mind too, one that knows his life and peace, his whole nature. The Spirit actually knows everything about God and lives inside us to guide us. We have a new "brain" that keeps us close to God and walking with Him the way He intended.
The only difficulty is that we retain the choice to use either mind. We can slip back and forth, from misery and defeat to glory and peace. And the mind that we feed is the mind that grows stronger.
More on Roman's 8 later, but remember--if you are a Christian---you have two brains!
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Romans 7: Think of yourself as a seed.
I personally have always been confused by Romans 6 and 7. Paul talks about the new life, but then talks about how the law shows our nature to be dead and how frustrated he is about wrestling between the two natures?
Ro 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
What gets confusing about this is that Paul is talking about the dual nature of a Christian. Let me illustrate using the idea of a seed because that helped me understand. It's not a perfect analogy but it may help.
In a seed you have three basic parts--the outer shell, the inner mini plant that will grow, and enough food for the little plant to help it grow. As the tiny plant puts out a root and then a stem, it uses the food inside. The outer shell falls off--it will not be part of the little plant at all once it is growing.
Now, lets look at the believer: the believer has his human nature, the one he and everyone else is born with. It is like the outer shell--it will die. It is contaminated with sin because of Adam, and it will be cast off and destroyed.
The believer also has a renewed spirit--he is born again, a new creature. This the the part of the believer that will live forever and will be like Christ. This is like the little plant inside.
The believer also has the Holy Spirit living inside him. The Holy Spirit (and to get technical, Jesus said, I and my Father will make our home in you. (Jn 14:23) God is inside that person to help their new self grow and become like Him. This is like the food that is in the seed. Just as the food becomes part of the plant, the Spirit of God comes into our being to make us like Him.
Going back to Romans 6 and 7, we can see that Paul is basically saying, Hey my outside shell is condemned! The Law points that out! I have to choose to focus on the inward man --to focus on what God is developing in me through His Spirit, rather than trying to make my outward shell fancier, or richer, or prettier, or more popular.
Paul sums it up at the end of chapter 7:
Ro 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Ro 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Ro 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Ro 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Ro 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
So I ask myself, as I ask you--is your focus on the shell? or is it on what God is doing inside?
Monday, August 31, 2015
Romans 6: I'm not perfect, but I'm not "just forgiven"
Romans 6 builds on the idea Paul presented in Romans 5--there is an old nature man created by Adam's sin, and a new nature Man created by Christ's death on the cross. Roman's 6 explains how we are included in Christ's death to destroy the Adam man by our faith in Him. We are not required to live out of the Adam-man at all but out of the Christ-man.
How does this work out exactly? It can appear that Paul is playing with semantics, talking about a positional state that we enjoy as believers some day in heaven as we struggle with our sin down hear on earth. In fact, we hear that familiar statement, " I'm not perfect, just forgiven" as a sort of summary of how impossible it is to live like Jesus. And it would be ok to accept this hopelessness, except that in several verses of Roman's 6, Paul gives us a direct command. And when God gives a direct command in scripture, He both empowers and expects obedience.
Ro 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The word, "reckon" is logizomai, and means "take an inventory, estimate, conclude, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, suppose, and think on" So we see that the beginning of living like Jesus takes place in our minds. It is a consideration of who we are in light of what Christ makes us to be.
When I got married, I was no longer Karen Stuit, I had become Karen Cook and I needed to think of myself as a married woman. I had to "reckon" myself as Mrs. Karen Cook. All the changes that marriage caused in my life did not happen on my wedding day, but I did have a new way of thinking of myself that began and continues to change me to this day.
In verse 12, the words "Let not" and "Reign" both mean "to rule". We choose our ruler, just like we do with elections. We have a choice who rules us. The word, "Obey" means "to hear under, to listen attentively, to heed, to conform to a command or authority, hearken to, be obedient to or obey."
We obey that to which we are listening. What am I listening to today? Am I caught up in the news? In politics? Am I listening to the cravings of my body for more food or more sleep? Am I listening to my emotions that come from rehearsing failure, loss and pain in my life? Am I listening to my fears? If I am , those are the lusts, the longings of the old sin nature that I am reinforcing with my mental activity. It would be the same as visiting all my old boyfriends after I am married.
However, if I am meditating on truth, if I have scriptures in my mind to combat the thoughts of the enemy, if I am grateful and thankful and choosing to think about good things, If I am training my mind to look for the good in others and to meet their needs, I am automatically going to live like Jesus.
It is clear in verse 13 that godly deeds are the fruits of godly thoughts. Paul progresses from thinking and listening to our actions--Neither yield your members--your body parts as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield them to God.
So I am not just imperfect and forgiven. I am engaged in a progressive recreation of who I am based on the power of Christ and what I choose to focus on. Yes, my sin is all forgiven. But it is also destroyed--and I am rising out of that nature through Christ's power into the person I truly want to be.
How does this work out exactly? It can appear that Paul is playing with semantics, talking about a positional state that we enjoy as believers some day in heaven as we struggle with our sin down hear on earth. In fact, we hear that familiar statement, " I'm not perfect, just forgiven" as a sort of summary of how impossible it is to live like Jesus. And it would be ok to accept this hopelessness, except that in several verses of Roman's 6, Paul gives us a direct command. And when God gives a direct command in scripture, He both empowers and expects obedience.
Ro 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The word, "reckon" is logizomai, and means "take an inventory, estimate, conclude, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, suppose, and think on" So we see that the beginning of living like Jesus takes place in our minds. It is a consideration of who we are in light of what Christ makes us to be.
When I got married, I was no longer Karen Stuit, I had become Karen Cook and I needed to think of myself as a married woman. I had to "reckon" myself as Mrs. Karen Cook. All the changes that marriage caused in my life did not happen on my wedding day, but I did have a new way of thinking of myself that began and continues to change me to this day.
In verse 12, the words "Let not" and "Reign" both mean "to rule". We choose our ruler, just like we do with elections. We have a choice who rules us. The word, "Obey" means "to hear under, to listen attentively, to heed, to conform to a command or authority, hearken to, be obedient to or obey."
We obey that to which we are listening. What am I listening to today? Am I caught up in the news? In politics? Am I listening to the cravings of my body for more food or more sleep? Am I listening to my emotions that come from rehearsing failure, loss and pain in my life? Am I listening to my fears? If I am , those are the lusts, the longings of the old sin nature that I am reinforcing with my mental activity. It would be the same as visiting all my old boyfriends after I am married.
However, if I am meditating on truth, if I have scriptures in my mind to combat the thoughts of the enemy, if I am grateful and thankful and choosing to think about good things, If I am training my mind to look for the good in others and to meet their needs, I am automatically going to live like Jesus.
It is clear in verse 13 that godly deeds are the fruits of godly thoughts. Paul progresses from thinking and listening to our actions--Neither yield your members--your body parts as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield them to God.
So I am not just imperfect and forgiven. I am engaged in a progressive recreation of who I am based on the power of Christ and what I choose to focus on. Yes, my sin is all forgiven. But it is also destroyed--and I am rising out of that nature through Christ's power into the person I truly want to be.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Romans 5: Loving the Imperfect--the two-sided lens
Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
This can be a hard thing to swallow--God loved us when we had nothing to offer Him. Jesus gave His life for people who deep down neither wanted Him or saw the depth of their need for Him.
The issue was, for the most part, the great sacrifice Jesus made was for the most part, misunderstood.
Even those who did have some understanding were helpless to give anything back. That is the definition of Agape love.
So--Now we have this wonderful gift of love from God--salvation through Christ.
Ro 5:10 For if, when we were haters of God, the death of his Son made us at peace with him, much more, now that we are his friends, will we have salvation through his life;
Ro 5:11 And not only so, but we have joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are now at peace with God.
Every believer has the experience of having God love them while they are imperfect. Yet why do we have such a hard time doing the same for those around us?
Every human relationship we have is with someone who is marred and scarred by sin. Every person we encounter is imperfect. Yet we get so surprised when they let us down, hurt us or disappoint us. We hold them in contempt and reject them, sometimes so deeply in our hearts that we are not aware of our own feelings.
We even get surprised and disappointed when our own imperfections are exposed. Instead of being grateful for God's love that has covered our weakness, we hide, justify, deny or morbidly ponder our imperfections.
What God expects from us, is that we love imperfect people as well. We always have to view people through a two-sided lens: In one sense, we see that sin has ravaged every soul--even if they are a believer. In the other sense, we need to see that despite that imperfection, God sees value in and desires a relationship with every person.
If we know this, and know that we ourselves have God's Spirit of love inside us we can choose to release the idea that everyone should be perfect or should behave as we expect. We can release expectations and forgive every time.
Because we are still dealing with our own scarred souls, this takes work, practice and intimacy with God. So this is a process and a struggle, but we can get better at loving imperfect people. Even ourselves.
1Jo 3:16 In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.
This can be a hard thing to swallow--God loved us when we had nothing to offer Him. Jesus gave His life for people who deep down neither wanted Him or saw the depth of their need for Him.
The issue was, for the most part, the great sacrifice Jesus made was for the most part, misunderstood.
Even those who did have some understanding were helpless to give anything back. That is the definition of Agape love.
So--Now we have this wonderful gift of love from God--salvation through Christ.
Ro 5:10 For if, when we were haters of God, the death of his Son made us at peace with him, much more, now that we are his friends, will we have salvation through his life;
Ro 5:11 And not only so, but we have joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are now at peace with God.
Every believer has the experience of having God love them while they are imperfect. Yet why do we have such a hard time doing the same for those around us?
Every human relationship we have is with someone who is marred and scarred by sin. Every person we encounter is imperfect. Yet we get so surprised when they let us down, hurt us or disappoint us. We hold them in contempt and reject them, sometimes so deeply in our hearts that we are not aware of our own feelings.
We even get surprised and disappointed when our own imperfections are exposed. Instead of being grateful for God's love that has covered our weakness, we hide, justify, deny or morbidly ponder our imperfections.
What God expects from us, is that we love imperfect people as well. We always have to view people through a two-sided lens: In one sense, we see that sin has ravaged every soul--even if they are a believer. In the other sense, we need to see that despite that imperfection, God sees value in and desires a relationship with every person.
If we know this, and know that we ourselves have God's Spirit of love inside us we can choose to release the idea that everyone should be perfect or should behave as we expect. We can release expectations and forgive every time.
Because we are still dealing with our own scarred souls, this takes work, practice and intimacy with God. So this is a process and a struggle, but we can get better at loving imperfect people. Even ourselves.
1Jo 3:16 In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Romans 4 : Why I hate getting gifts
Ro 4:2 For if Abraham got righteousness by works, he has reason for pride; but not before God.
Ro 4:3 But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.
Ro 4:4 Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt.
This chapter of Romans explains how Abraham became the Father of the Jewish and Christian faith by simply believing God. True believers--Jew or Gentile copy his example--trusting in God's gift rather than their own efforts to be made holy.
Getting gifts can be hard for me. It is much easier for me to give a favor, or money, or some effort than it is to have a gift given to me. When I think about why that is, I don't think it is entirely that I have a giving personality--although I truly like to give things. Getting gifts are hard because I did not earn them. When I do my job, or give a gift and someone complements me or thanks me, part of my pride feels good. When I am given an all out gift, beyond what I needed or expected--I have to admit to my pride that someone else deserves my attention. The focus goes on the giver--and it's hard when that's not me.
I think that is the same reason why it is hard for people to come to faith in Christ--it requires a focus from self to Christ. I also think, and I have seen this in my own life, that once someone becomes a believer--the focus switches from looking at God's great gifts back to what little things I can do to serve Him. I secretly want God to owe me something for serving Him.
I don't see myself believing God for big things, like salvation for my whole family, or massive revival simply because those are things that are WAY beyond me. My prayers seem tethered to what I think is reasonably assured to happen anyway. Abraham was NOT that kind of person.
Ro 4:18 Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.
Ro 4:20 Still, he did not give up faith in the undertaking of God, but was made strong by faith, giving glory to God,
Ro 4:21 And being certain that God was able to keep his word.
Ro 4:22 For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.
Abraham was able to have and maintain great faith because he kept his focus on God. He spent his time waiting by considering the Greatness of God and the faithfulness of God. Even though he did some things for God, he grew strong by thinking about, worshipping, and giving glory to God.
In short, he kept his focus on the Giver. and that gave him joy and strength to make it to the end and receive great things from God.
So how will I know where my focus is? Lets go back a few verses:
Ro 4:7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.
Ro 4:8 Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.
The word, "Happy" there is the word "Blessed" or "Makarios" meaning supremely blessed, fortunate, well off. When I am focused on God and aware of His great gift to me, I am happy and blessed and aware of the magnitude of His great eternal favor for me. When I am focused on what I am giving and doing--I will be cranky, prideful, critical of others who don't seem to be like me, and depressed.
So, maybe the gift isn't the problem, maybe it's a need to refocus on the Giver.
Ro 4:3 But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.
Ro 4:4 Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt.
This chapter of Romans explains how Abraham became the Father of the Jewish and Christian faith by simply believing God. True believers--Jew or Gentile copy his example--trusting in God's gift rather than their own efforts to be made holy.
Getting gifts can be hard for me. It is much easier for me to give a favor, or money, or some effort than it is to have a gift given to me. When I think about why that is, I don't think it is entirely that I have a giving personality--although I truly like to give things. Getting gifts are hard because I did not earn them. When I do my job, or give a gift and someone complements me or thanks me, part of my pride feels good. When I am given an all out gift, beyond what I needed or expected--I have to admit to my pride that someone else deserves my attention. The focus goes on the giver--and it's hard when that's not me.
I think that is the same reason why it is hard for people to come to faith in Christ--it requires a focus from self to Christ. I also think, and I have seen this in my own life, that once someone becomes a believer--the focus switches from looking at God's great gifts back to what little things I can do to serve Him. I secretly want God to owe me something for serving Him.
I don't see myself believing God for big things, like salvation for my whole family, or massive revival simply because those are things that are WAY beyond me. My prayers seem tethered to what I think is reasonably assured to happen anyway. Abraham was NOT that kind of person.
Ro 4:18 Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.
Ro 4:20 Still, he did not give up faith in the undertaking of God, but was made strong by faith, giving glory to God,
Ro 4:21 And being certain that God was able to keep his word.
Ro 4:22 For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.
Abraham was able to have and maintain great faith because he kept his focus on God. He spent his time waiting by considering the Greatness of God and the faithfulness of God. Even though he did some things for God, he grew strong by thinking about, worshipping, and giving glory to God.
In short, he kept his focus on the Giver. and that gave him joy and strength to make it to the end and receive great things from God.
So how will I know where my focus is? Lets go back a few verses:
Ro 4:7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.
Ro 4:8 Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.
The word, "Happy" there is the word "Blessed" or "Makarios" meaning supremely blessed, fortunate, well off. When I am focused on God and aware of His great gift to me, I am happy and blessed and aware of the magnitude of His great eternal favor for me. When I am focused on what I am giving and doing--I will be cranky, prideful, critical of others who don't seem to be like me, and depressed.
So, maybe the gift isn't the problem, maybe it's a need to refocus on the Giver.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Romans 3 --What we must believe before we believe in God
Today I'm reading Romans 3. It is a very humbling chapter. The previous chapter exposes hypocrisy-the belief that knowledge is the same as experience in terms of knowing God. Knowledge about God is not the same as KNOWING who He is.
Chapter 3 goes even deeper to pull the veneer off our thoughts about ourselves. I'll let the verses speak for themselves:
Ro 3:10 As it is said in the holy Writings, There is not one who does righteousness;
Ro 3:11 Not one who has the knowledge of what is right, not one who is a searcher after God;
Ro 3:12 They have all gone out of the way, there is no profit in any of them; there is not one who does good, not so much as one:
Ro 3:13 Their throat is like an open place of death; with their tongues they have said what is not true: the poison of snakes is under their lips:
Ro 3:14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:
Ro 3:15 Their feet are quick in running after blood;
Ro 3:16 Destruction and trouble are in their ways;
Ro 3:17 And of the way of peace they have no knowledge:
Ro 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
The harsh truth of the matter is this--no matter what we think of ourselves, all of us start our lives as complete enemies of God! We can't come to real lasting faith until we know this to be true.
I grew up in a Christian home. When I was eight or nine, I accepted Jesus in my heart and I had a genuine love for God. But that faith failed me when hard times came shortly after. I regressed into rebellion and destruction. Why did that happen? I think a large part of it was that I felt that I was a good girl and deserved better from God. I was angry at Him for letting my life fall apart in Jr. High and felt I had a right to a better life. It wasn't til years later--after another deep stretch of rebellion that I came to grips with who I really am without Christ. I was in a mental hospital, wearing a paper dress and screaming. I believed that I was in Hell. That is who I am without Christ--raving, rebellious, and revolting.
God in his mercy took me from that place and brought me to a place of humility and peace. He has wonderfully restored my life and given me a beautiful family and church family. I couldn't imagine life as great as it is now. But the foundation of my faith is in the knowledge that without Him I am just that girl in a paper dress. I am not GOOD ENOUGH to be saved. GOD IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAVE ME.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
Ro 3:24 And they may have righteousness put to their credit, freely, by his grace, through the salvation which is in Christ Jesus:
Ro 3:26 And to make clear his righteousness now, so that he might himself be upright, and give righteousness to him who has faith in Jesus.
Ro 3:27 What reason, then, is there for pride? It is shut out. By what sort of law? of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Ro 3:28 For this reason, then, a man may get righteousness by faith without the works of the law.
Chapter 3 goes even deeper to pull the veneer off our thoughts about ourselves. I'll let the verses speak for themselves:
Ro 3:10 As it is said in the holy Writings, There is not one who does righteousness;
Ro 3:11 Not one who has the knowledge of what is right, not one who is a searcher after God;
Ro 3:12 They have all gone out of the way, there is no profit in any of them; there is not one who does good, not so much as one:
Ro 3:13 Their throat is like an open place of death; with their tongues they have said what is not true: the poison of snakes is under their lips:
Ro 3:14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:
Ro 3:15 Their feet are quick in running after blood;
Ro 3:16 Destruction and trouble are in their ways;
Ro 3:17 And of the way of peace they have no knowledge:
Ro 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
The harsh truth of the matter is this--no matter what we think of ourselves, all of us start our lives as complete enemies of God! We can't come to real lasting faith until we know this to be true.
I grew up in a Christian home. When I was eight or nine, I accepted Jesus in my heart and I had a genuine love for God. But that faith failed me when hard times came shortly after. I regressed into rebellion and destruction. Why did that happen? I think a large part of it was that I felt that I was a good girl and deserved better from God. I was angry at Him for letting my life fall apart in Jr. High and felt I had a right to a better life. It wasn't til years later--after another deep stretch of rebellion that I came to grips with who I really am without Christ. I was in a mental hospital, wearing a paper dress and screaming. I believed that I was in Hell. That is who I am without Christ--raving, rebellious, and revolting.
God in his mercy took me from that place and brought me to a place of humility and peace. He has wonderfully restored my life and given me a beautiful family and church family. I couldn't imagine life as great as it is now. But the foundation of my faith is in the knowledge that without Him I am just that girl in a paper dress. I am not GOOD ENOUGH to be saved. GOD IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAVE ME.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
Ro 3:24 And they may have righteousness put to their credit, freely, by his grace, through the salvation which is in Christ Jesus:
Ro 3:26 And to make clear his righteousness now, so that he might himself be upright, and give righteousness to him who has faith in Jesus.
Ro 3:27 What reason, then, is there for pride? It is shut out. By what sort of law? of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Ro 3:28 For this reason, then, a man may get righteousness by faith without the works of the law.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Romans 2--or Don't rely on what you know
I am reading Romans along with my church, River of Life. I am on Romans 2 today. Romans 1 deals with people who don't have a religion or are not part of the Jewish or Christian religion. Paul was so clever in this, because as a person who goes to church or has a relationship with God reads Roman's 1, he/she might think "aha! I am not like that! I am much better because I have faith!"
In Roman's 2, Paul applies the other side of the "sword" of the Word and deals with root of those thoughts--Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy according to My Dictionary is:
In Roman's 2, Paul applies the other side of the "sword" of the Word and deals with root of those thoughts--Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy according to My Dictionary is:
a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.
2.
Ro 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who will be judged as having righteousness before God, but only the doers:
Ro 2:23 You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew who is a secret one, whose circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.
Hypocrisy is basically knowing what is good and right and taking pride in that knowledge rather than letting it change you. Hypocrisy mixed with pride tends to make people feel invulnerable to sin, and blind and hardhearted. A Hypocritical person also uses that knowledge that they have of God to evaluate others and include or exclude people based on how they measure up.
Every believer in some way is a hypocrite ie has some knowledge of God's word that has yet to be worked into their experience. The challenge is not to let what we KNOW about God make us proud, but instead to make us Humble and desperate for His Spirit to change us.
Ro 2:3 But you who are judging another for doing what you do yourself, are you hoping that God's decision will not take effect against you?
Ro 2:4 Or is it nothing to you that God had pity on you, waiting and putting up with you for so long, not seeing that in his pity God's desire is to give you a change of heart?
Ro 2:4 Or is it nothing to you that God had pity on you, waiting and putting up with you for so long, not seeing that in his pity God's desire is to give you a change of heart?
Ro 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who will be judged as having righteousness before God, but only the doers:
Ro 2:23 You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew who is a secret one, whose circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
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