"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness."
Romans 6:13
One morning recently, I was praying. It occurred to me that our God of resurrection. He brings us from death to life. We are so conditioned to view our lives as ones that are passing from life to death that we forget this important truth. While the world is passing from life to death and our bodies are doing the same, God is doing a miracle in our behalf. He is leading us the other direction into eternal life. So I wondered, why can't I apply God's way of death to life in every area of my own life?
I already know that I have passed from death to life. I was dead in sin and now I am alive in Christ. This is the foundation of the Christian life. But the reality is this: Where I live, in a world that is sinful, and in a body that is slowly dying, death seems to be in control. So I asked God how it works. How do I apply his way of death to life to every situation? The answer is found in the instructions of Jesus. When he taught us to pray, he told us to say this: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Through this I know that I am to pray the kingdom of heaven into every area of my life. I am even supposed to pray the kingdom into the world around me.
God's kingdom is all about life, not death. I saw part of a movie recently. In one scene, the characters found themselves in a place where everything was backwards. Gravity drew things up instead of down. Plants grew down from the top of a cave, instead of up from the ground. The only things that were still under our laws of nature were the people themselves. They were in awe of this magical place. The same is true of my life. I am subject to the laws of the natural world. My body is dying and death is imminent for every living thing. But I also live in a kingdom where all the laws of the natural world are reversed. His kingdom is full of opposites to the world I live in. There is life there, not death. There is health there, not sickness. There is prosperity there, not poverty. There is the presence of God there, not the curses of the enemy. His kingdom is like the magical place in the movie. Everything is opposite.
So the way for me to apply God's way of death to life is to pray his kingdom into those areas of my life where I am literally dying. If I need life in my finances, I find it in the kingdom of God. If I need life to my body, I find it by praying his kingdom into my health. You see, I understand that I have everything in Christ...in the Spirit. But now I must take what is mine spiritually and apply it to the physical. This physical reality in which I live must be turned upside down by the power of the kingdom of God. As I do it, as you do it, our lives are transformed and everything about us is passing from death to life just as God has planned. Death no longer reigns, but life! And that, even more abundantly!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Words of Life
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."
1 Corinthians 1:17
"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
1 Corinthians 2:13
There is a misguided philosophy that is alive and well in Christianity today. Some believe that the church must teach 'life management.' These would be things such as coping skills, self-help, etc. Unfortunately most of those who teach in our churches are not experienced enough or educated enough to teach such things. It should be left to the psychologists and experts. What we are called to teach is the same message that Paul preached. It is an intensely spiritual message that cannot be discerned with human wisdom.
Human wisdom has little eternal value. It is a bold statement that the apostle made. He declared that if he were to speak the gospel with human wisdom, the cross would be emptied of its power. In other words, there are no words of life found in human wisdom. Men have sought eternal life in many different ways for thousands of years. They have taught about ways to better one's self in hopes that we would be good enough to please God. But all of these philosophies, spoken apart from the power of the cross, leave us as we have always been; hopeless and dead in our transgressions. But in the church, we are to teach a gospel of life, a gospel that honors the cross and helps us to understand the incredible, history-changing things that happened there.
The gospel is not one of human wisdom. We cannot teach the power of God through words that have been learned through human ideas. In an attempt to remain relevant, some have attempted to make the gospel an appeasing, self help idea. But the mandate to us is to express spiritual truth with spiritual words. When we do this, the Holy Spirit is able to take those words and revolutionize lives. When the words are grasped by the hearers, everything in their lives becomes new. They are absolutely new creations. There is a saying that goes like this: "He (or she) is too spiritually minded to be any earthly good." This is usually said about those who are perceived as pseudo-spiritual. But spiritual things are taught in spiritual words. It is not our responsibility to water them down to be palatable. A true message of life is a spiritual thing, and the only way to communicate it is through spiritual words.
We must allow ourselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit. In the course of this teaching, many things taught by human wisdom will fall away. The light of God exposes lies that we have believed. I would much rather live my life as a spiritual being who is taught by the Holy Spirit. I've had enough of human wisdom. I've tried to live that way and it didn't work. The only way to true life is living in the Spirit. I'm not going to live by words of death anymore. I choose to live and speak words of life.
1 Corinthians 1:17
"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
1 Corinthians 2:13
There is a misguided philosophy that is alive and well in Christianity today. Some believe that the church must teach 'life management.' These would be things such as coping skills, self-help, etc. Unfortunately most of those who teach in our churches are not experienced enough or educated enough to teach such things. It should be left to the psychologists and experts. What we are called to teach is the same message that Paul preached. It is an intensely spiritual message that cannot be discerned with human wisdom.
Human wisdom has little eternal value. It is a bold statement that the apostle made. He declared that if he were to speak the gospel with human wisdom, the cross would be emptied of its power. In other words, there are no words of life found in human wisdom. Men have sought eternal life in many different ways for thousands of years. They have taught about ways to better one's self in hopes that we would be good enough to please God. But all of these philosophies, spoken apart from the power of the cross, leave us as we have always been; hopeless and dead in our transgressions. But in the church, we are to teach a gospel of life, a gospel that honors the cross and helps us to understand the incredible, history-changing things that happened there.
The gospel is not one of human wisdom. We cannot teach the power of God through words that have been learned through human ideas. In an attempt to remain relevant, some have attempted to make the gospel an appeasing, self help idea. But the mandate to us is to express spiritual truth with spiritual words. When we do this, the Holy Spirit is able to take those words and revolutionize lives. When the words are grasped by the hearers, everything in their lives becomes new. They are absolutely new creations. There is a saying that goes like this: "He (or she) is too spiritually minded to be any earthly good." This is usually said about those who are perceived as pseudo-spiritual. But spiritual things are taught in spiritual words. It is not our responsibility to water them down to be palatable. A true message of life is a spiritual thing, and the only way to communicate it is through spiritual words.
We must allow ourselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit. In the course of this teaching, many things taught by human wisdom will fall away. The light of God exposes lies that we have believed. I would much rather live my life as a spiritual being who is taught by the Holy Spirit. I've had enough of human wisdom. I've tried to live that way and it didn't work. The only way to true life is living in the Spirit. I'm not going to live by words of death anymore. I choose to live and speak words of life.
Friday, November 9, 2012
O My Soul!
"But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."
Psalm 131:2
" Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name."
Psalm 103:1
The Psalmists often talked about the soul. If you read carefully, you will see that they were always talking to their souls, commanding them to do certain things: Be still, be quiet, praise the Lord, don't be downcast. This is because we have control over our souls. The soul is our mind, will, and emotions. We have authority to tell our souls to act appropriately to the situation. In other words, we make choices to guide our souls into relationship with God.
I am learning to quiet my soul in the presence of the Lord. When I pray, I have the mentality that I should be speaking. I think, "If I am not talking, I'm not praying." But this could not be further from the truth. Prayer is fellowship, communion, and conversation with God. I find myself more and more, being quiet and allowing God to simply minister to me through his love, peace and blessing. Some may call this meditation. Whatever it is called, the benefit of quieting one's soul before God is beyond measure. For me, I would much rather hear from God and be touched by him than to speak a thousand words of requests. I know it's important to lay my requests before him, but then I must be quiet and receive from God.
I am also learning that I must command my soul to praise the Lord. There is nothing more valuable than this. As I praise him, I am strengthened and encouraged. Not only is God exalted through my praise, but my soul is built up. I find myself saying, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" I say it often, even in the midst of a busy day. It is a simple way that I have found to praise God and encourage my soul at the same time. It's a simple thing, but when words fail me, it is more than enough to express my praise to God.
It's interesting to me that the further I grow in relationship with God, and the older I get, things get much more simple. I have always thought it was complex, but I am as a child and He is my Father. I don't need to know much on my own, just receive what he gives me. I continue to be amazed that God's kingdom works completely opposite of the world. The world tells me I must know more to grow. God tells me I must know little and he will bring the spiritual growth. How refreshing, how stress-relieving is the thought. "Bless the Lord O my soul! Be quiet and receive his blessing."
Psalm 131:2
" Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name."
Psalm 103:1
The Psalmists often talked about the soul. If you read carefully, you will see that they were always talking to their souls, commanding them to do certain things: Be still, be quiet, praise the Lord, don't be downcast. This is because we have control over our souls. The soul is our mind, will, and emotions. We have authority to tell our souls to act appropriately to the situation. In other words, we make choices to guide our souls into relationship with God.
I am learning to quiet my soul in the presence of the Lord. When I pray, I have the mentality that I should be speaking. I think, "If I am not talking, I'm not praying." But this could not be further from the truth. Prayer is fellowship, communion, and conversation with God. I find myself more and more, being quiet and allowing God to simply minister to me through his love, peace and blessing. Some may call this meditation. Whatever it is called, the benefit of quieting one's soul before God is beyond measure. For me, I would much rather hear from God and be touched by him than to speak a thousand words of requests. I know it's important to lay my requests before him, but then I must be quiet and receive from God.
I am also learning that I must command my soul to praise the Lord. There is nothing more valuable than this. As I praise him, I am strengthened and encouraged. Not only is God exalted through my praise, but my soul is built up. I find myself saying, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" I say it often, even in the midst of a busy day. It is a simple way that I have found to praise God and encourage my soul at the same time. It's a simple thing, but when words fail me, it is more than enough to express my praise to God.
It's interesting to me that the further I grow in relationship with God, and the older I get, things get much more simple. I have always thought it was complex, but I am as a child and He is my Father. I don't need to know much on my own, just receive what he gives me. I continue to be amazed that God's kingdom works completely opposite of the world. The world tells me I must know more to grow. God tells me I must know little and he will bring the spiritual growth. How refreshing, how stress-relieving is the thought. "Bless the Lord O my soul! Be quiet and receive his blessing."
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Wake Up!
"And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."
Romans 13:11&12
Clearly it is time for the church of Christ to wake up. I am not one to discredit the church or call it out as apostate, but I do believe that you and I must awaken our spirits to the things that God is doing today. The scripture above begins by saying, "And do this..." What the apostle Paul is talking about here is love. He had just finished saying that love is the fulfillment of the law. So we are to wake up to the fact that love is the greatest thing we have as Christians.
The church has been accused of being asleep to the things that God wants to do. Maybe we have been, and maybe some still are. But for those of us who are living our lives to grow in knowledge and relationship with Jesus, the idea of waking up is somewhat different. It is a call for us to intensify our seeking of God and his kingdom. It is a call for us to love more than we ever have before. As we approach the day of his return, everything becomes more intense. Every move we make, every word we say takes on more significance. It's as if time is compressing. Paul uses the analogy of darkness and light. The night is almost over, it is time to get up and get the day started. This is true because the return of Christ and the establishing of his earthly kingdom is nearer now than ever before.
Sometimes I wake up before it is time to actually rise. Often it is within an hour of the time appointed for me to get up and get ready for the day. When this happens, it is very difficult, even impossible to go back to sleep. Why? Because the day is almost here. The same is true of the times in which we live. All the things we hope for as Christians, all the things we anticipate are closer now. The church is strengthening. The enemy is flailing. The kingdom of God is being established. How can we sleep through all this? We are being awakened by God himself. He is calling to us to wake up and get ready for his coming.
A bride prepares all day for her wedding ceremony and feast. We are the bride of Christ and the wedding supper of the Lamb is coming. It is preparation time and there is no time for sleep. Let's make a decision to love God's people and those who are yet to be saved. Let's make it our goal to seek God and his kingdom more than we ever have. We must devote time to this. Spending time with God is a blessing, let's make it a priority. Being told to wake up is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it is a great and hopeful thing. It means a new day is dawning. The night is nearly over.
Romans 13:11&12
Clearly it is time for the church of Christ to wake up. I am not one to discredit the church or call it out as apostate, but I do believe that you and I must awaken our spirits to the things that God is doing today. The scripture above begins by saying, "And do this..." What the apostle Paul is talking about here is love. He had just finished saying that love is the fulfillment of the law. So we are to wake up to the fact that love is the greatest thing we have as Christians.
The church has been accused of being asleep to the things that God wants to do. Maybe we have been, and maybe some still are. But for those of us who are living our lives to grow in knowledge and relationship with Jesus, the idea of waking up is somewhat different. It is a call for us to intensify our seeking of God and his kingdom. It is a call for us to love more than we ever have before. As we approach the day of his return, everything becomes more intense. Every move we make, every word we say takes on more significance. It's as if time is compressing. Paul uses the analogy of darkness and light. The night is almost over, it is time to get up and get the day started. This is true because the return of Christ and the establishing of his earthly kingdom is nearer now than ever before.
Sometimes I wake up before it is time to actually rise. Often it is within an hour of the time appointed for me to get up and get ready for the day. When this happens, it is very difficult, even impossible to go back to sleep. Why? Because the day is almost here. The same is true of the times in which we live. All the things we hope for as Christians, all the things we anticipate are closer now. The church is strengthening. The enemy is flailing. The kingdom of God is being established. How can we sleep through all this? We are being awakened by God himself. He is calling to us to wake up and get ready for his coming.
A bride prepares all day for her wedding ceremony and feast. We are the bride of Christ and the wedding supper of the Lamb is coming. It is preparation time and there is no time for sleep. Let's make a decision to love God's people and those who are yet to be saved. Let's make it our goal to seek God and his kingdom more than we ever have. We must devote time to this. Spending time with God is a blessing, let's make it a priority. Being told to wake up is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it is a great and hopeful thing. It means a new day is dawning. The night is nearly over.
Monday, November 5, 2012
The Devil Made Me Do It!
"We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him."
1 John 5:18
From the beginning of time, people have been blaming the devil for their conduct. Adam and Eve were the first. After being tempted by the serpent, they succumbed to his lies and ate the forbidden fruit. Today, people continue to blame him for sin. Although he certainly is the author of sin and lies, we have been brought from death to life through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. We are born of God and we no longer can blame the devil for sin.
I am learning that the cross of Christ is more than enough. After being a Christian for thirty five years, I am just now beginning to understand that I don't have to live with sin any longer. It has all been paid for at the cross. Although I may do sinful things, sin no longer reigns in me. Every sin I have committed and will commit, has already been forgiven. As I count myself dead to sin every day, I am participating in the cross of Christ. Anything short of this empties the cross of its power. I refuse to give the devil any credit or blame. Sin is no longer an issue. It is a non-event. I have been set free and my goal is holiness which is brought about because of the righteousness I already have in Christ. I will no longer say, "The devil made me do it."
I hear Christians say that the devil is harming them. They say that he is taking advantage of them, causing them to be depressed, causing them to be physically ill, destroying relationships, and generally messing up their lives. Unless I am misreading this scripture, it tells us that we cannot be harmed by the evil one. Why? Because we have been born of God, and the One who was born of God first, Jesus keeps us safe from the onslaught of the enemy. It is time to stop saying, "The devil made me do it." It's time to stop declaring that the enemy is destroying us. It is now time to declare with all the authority of Christ, that we are without sin and we are kept safe in the arms of Christ. Sin doesn't master us and the devil does not own us. We are set free and in full authority over sin and the devil.
I urge you to rethink your position on the devil. He isn't in authority over you and he cannot harm you. Are you born of God? If so, your sins are gone and the devil is positioned under your feet. It is a mistake to give the devil too much credit or too much blame. We live in a world that is controlled by sin and is under the influence of the enemy. But we are not! This is what separates us from the world. If we make choices to accept the position we have in Christ, we will live in victory over the enemy. I am not suggesting that the devil doesn't exist or that he isn't trying to harm us. He is. But the reality is this: He can try all he wants, but those who are born of God are untouchable. All we must do is agree with who we already are.
1 John 5:18
From the beginning of time, people have been blaming the devil for their conduct. Adam and Eve were the first. After being tempted by the serpent, they succumbed to his lies and ate the forbidden fruit. Today, people continue to blame him for sin. Although he certainly is the author of sin and lies, we have been brought from death to life through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. We are born of God and we no longer can blame the devil for sin.
I am learning that the cross of Christ is more than enough. After being a Christian for thirty five years, I am just now beginning to understand that I don't have to live with sin any longer. It has all been paid for at the cross. Although I may do sinful things, sin no longer reigns in me. Every sin I have committed and will commit, has already been forgiven. As I count myself dead to sin every day, I am participating in the cross of Christ. Anything short of this empties the cross of its power. I refuse to give the devil any credit or blame. Sin is no longer an issue. It is a non-event. I have been set free and my goal is holiness which is brought about because of the righteousness I already have in Christ. I will no longer say, "The devil made me do it."
I hear Christians say that the devil is harming them. They say that he is taking advantage of them, causing them to be depressed, causing them to be physically ill, destroying relationships, and generally messing up their lives. Unless I am misreading this scripture, it tells us that we cannot be harmed by the evil one. Why? Because we have been born of God, and the One who was born of God first, Jesus keeps us safe from the onslaught of the enemy. It is time to stop saying, "The devil made me do it." It's time to stop declaring that the enemy is destroying us. It is now time to declare with all the authority of Christ, that we are without sin and we are kept safe in the arms of Christ. Sin doesn't master us and the devil does not own us. We are set free and in full authority over sin and the devil.
I urge you to rethink your position on the devil. He isn't in authority over you and he cannot harm you. Are you born of God? If so, your sins are gone and the devil is positioned under your feet. It is a mistake to give the devil too much credit or too much blame. We live in a world that is controlled by sin and is under the influence of the enemy. But we are not! This is what separates us from the world. If we make choices to accept the position we have in Christ, we will live in victory over the enemy. I am not suggesting that the devil doesn't exist or that he isn't trying to harm us. He is. But the reality is this: He can try all he wants, but those who are born of God are untouchable. All we must do is agree with who we already are.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Understanding for the Simple
"Your statutes are wonderful;
therefore I obey them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
longing for your commands.
Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.
Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of men,
that I may obey your precepts.
Make your face shine upon your servant
and teach me your decrees.
Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
for your law is not obeyed."
Psalm 119:129-136
The writer of the Psalm 119 understood the value of God's word. Everything that had been written previously was valuable to him. He understood that without the word of God, he was directionless. With them, he had a clear path set before him. We should understand what the Psalmist knew. If we will continue, faithfully in God's word, we will have the direction and peace that all of us desire.
I love this statement: "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." In reality, all of us are the simple ones. We do not understand the ways of God, his thoughts are too lofty for us. We struggle with the reasons bad things happen. We live in bliss when everything goes our way, often forgetting to thank Him who has given such great blessings. Yet for the simple, there is great understanding available. It is found in the unfolding of God's words. To me this is more than just reading two chapters and then walking away with no memory of what was just read. To unfold God's word takes effort. It is the act of uncovering what is inside. This is not a quest for knowledge, it is a deep desire to apply the words of life to ourselves..
There are those who study the Bible with great zeal. There are others who are faithful readers, but the idea of studying seems too difficult for them. There are also those who read very little or not at all. How do all of us receive God's understanding? I think it is found in the meditation of God's word. We can study, and that is good if it leads to new revelation for our lives. We can read and this is also good, for it plants seeds in our spirits that the Holy Spirit can cultivate to bring change. But when we meditate on God's word, we are agreeing and partnering with the Holy Spirit. We are in effect saying, "my mind is engaged with my spirit." In this way, the word of God can touch and change our spirits, souls, and bodies.
You don't have to be a student to meditate on God's word. If while reading, a particular verse or phrase jumps off the page, memorize it. Think about it when you pray or when you are lying on your bed at night. Ask God to open up his Word to you. The words of God are for our good. They are designed for us to apply to our daily lives. The Bible is the greatest book ever written to teach us how to live. It is God's words, spoken directly to us. Everyone wants to hear God's voice. Even those who are far away from God would say that they would love to hear God actually speak. He has already spoken to all mankind through the words of the Bible and he continues to speak to those of us who are willing to meditate on his words and allow them to become life to our spirits. He will bring new revelation, he will direct our paths, he will deliver promises for our future. But we must listen. We must make ourselves available for the Holy Spirit to quicken God's word to us. We are the simple. We need understanding...and God is waiting for us to pay attention.
therefore I obey them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
longing for your commands.
Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.
Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of men,
that I may obey your precepts.
Make your face shine upon your servant
and teach me your decrees.
Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
for your law is not obeyed."
Psalm 119:129-136
The writer of the Psalm 119 understood the value of God's word. Everything that had been written previously was valuable to him. He understood that without the word of God, he was directionless. With them, he had a clear path set before him. We should understand what the Psalmist knew. If we will continue, faithfully in God's word, we will have the direction and peace that all of us desire.
I love this statement: "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." In reality, all of us are the simple ones. We do not understand the ways of God, his thoughts are too lofty for us. We struggle with the reasons bad things happen. We live in bliss when everything goes our way, often forgetting to thank Him who has given such great blessings. Yet for the simple, there is great understanding available. It is found in the unfolding of God's words. To me this is more than just reading two chapters and then walking away with no memory of what was just read. To unfold God's word takes effort. It is the act of uncovering what is inside. This is not a quest for knowledge, it is a deep desire to apply the words of life to ourselves..
There are those who study the Bible with great zeal. There are others who are faithful readers, but the idea of studying seems too difficult for them. There are also those who read very little or not at all. How do all of us receive God's understanding? I think it is found in the meditation of God's word. We can study, and that is good if it leads to new revelation for our lives. We can read and this is also good, for it plants seeds in our spirits that the Holy Spirit can cultivate to bring change. But when we meditate on God's word, we are agreeing and partnering with the Holy Spirit. We are in effect saying, "my mind is engaged with my spirit." In this way, the word of God can touch and change our spirits, souls, and bodies.
You don't have to be a student to meditate on God's word. If while reading, a particular verse or phrase jumps off the page, memorize it. Think about it when you pray or when you are lying on your bed at night. Ask God to open up his Word to you. The words of God are for our good. They are designed for us to apply to our daily lives. The Bible is the greatest book ever written to teach us how to live. It is God's words, spoken directly to us. Everyone wants to hear God's voice. Even those who are far away from God would say that they would love to hear God actually speak. He has already spoken to all mankind through the words of the Bible and he continues to speak to those of us who are willing to meditate on his words and allow them to become life to our spirits. He will bring new revelation, he will direct our paths, he will deliver promises for our future. But we must listen. We must make ourselves available for the Holy Spirit to quicken God's word to us. We are the simple. We need understanding...and God is waiting for us to pay attention.
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