Does Anybody Really Like House
Rules?
AMY CARROLL
We talk a lot about rights these days. Yet the attention given to human entitlements hasn't brought about corporate or personal freedom. Instead, most people are prisoners of jealousy (you have greater rights than I do!), greed (I deserve more!), or bitterness (my rights have been violated!).
Instead of focusing on the privileges due us, we should take the biblical perspective of loving enemies and forgiving persecutors (Matt. 5:44). Believers lay down their rights so they can take up the cause of a holy kingdom. That doesn't mean that we let people trample on us. Rather, we offer a proper response according to biblical principles. In short, believers should be more concerned about showing God's love to those who do wrong than about demanding their rights.
Maybe you're thinking, But he doesn't know how I've been mistreated. Indeed I do not. But what I do know is how Jesus Christ, our example, reacted to terrible abuse. He was betrayed by His friends, persecuted by His people, condemned by His peers, and crucified for our sins. Yet He said, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34).
Before assuming that Jesus' capacity for forgiveness and love is out of reach for mere human beings, remember: His Spirit dwells in believers. We can choose to give away our rights and let God's love work through us.
Luke 6:29 says to turn the other cheek and give up more than is asked because expressing love outweighs exerting our rights. You can't lose when you show others the boundless care of the Lord. You gain His blessing, and, hopefully, someone will be saved because of your example.
Impossible Love Made Possible
Galatians 5:22-23
When a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind," and "the second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:37, 39). What an overwhelming assignment!
In our own strength, none of us can live up to this obligation, but the Lord has provided a way for Christians to do the impossible. The indwelling Holy Spirit works to produce His fruit in us, and first on the list is love (Gal. 5:22). In fact, the other eight qualities are really just descriptions of its expression.
Whenever we demonstrate kindness, patience, or gentleness, we see the Lord's love at work through us, especially when the other person has been unkind and doesn't deserve such pleasant treatment. This fruit is not produced by trying harder to muster good will toward someone who is irritating or hard to get along with. Instead, think of the process more like sap running through a branch on a grape-vine. The branch doesn't make grapes; the sap does. In the same way, the Spirit flows through us, producing God's love in us, so that we can pass it on to Him and others.
Agapelove is the reason we are able to care for someone who mistreats us-it's God's doing, not ours. Even the adoration we offer the Lord is not something that we can produce in our own heart apart from His assistance. Though the command to love is enormous,God's grace makes it possible.
A Call to Godly Living
Romans 12:1
The apostle Paul lived in an age when sensuality, the pursuit of pleasure, and rebellion against the Lord were prevalent. In response, he wrote letters urging Christians not to follow in the ways of the world. Like those early believers, we are to pursue godliness by...
A life of godliness is characterized by a heart and mind bent toward the things of God. Although we will live imperfectly, our focus is to be on obeying His will and pleasing Him. Let's commit to becoming more like Jesus, the One who willingly gave Himself to God as a sacrifice for us.
A Faith Worth Passing Down
2 Timothy 1:3-5
The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith--the confident conviction that God is who He says and will do all He has promised. Timothy's strong relationship with Christ didn't materialize out of thin air; it grew as a result of his mother and grandmother's example.
Here are ways we, too, can hand down a rich legacy to the next generation:
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
-Romans 1:16
A woman went to a doctor with both ears severely burned. The doctor said, "In all of my years of practice, I have never seen anything quite like this. How did you burn your ears?"
"Well," she said, "I was ironing and watching television. Suddenly, the telephone rang. I answered the iron instead of the phone and burned my ear."
"That's horrible!" the doctor said. "But how did you burn your other ear?"
"Can you believe it?" she said. "The idiot called back!"
It seems to me that, like this woman, some people in the church today are preoccupied. In many ways, we have lost our focus and have missed what our priorities should be. For one, I think we have lost sight of who our real enemies are. Is it Hollywood? Is it the government? According to the Bible, our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
I think we also have forgotten what we are really for, as well as the real weapons of our warfare. Are our real weapons boycotts and protesting? No. Primarily, they are prayer and the Word of God.
Lastly, I think we have forgotten what our real message is. Is our primary message that we are against homosexuality or that we are against abortion? No, our primary message should not be negative, but positive: It is the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
My fear is that more people know what we as Christians are against than what we are for. Do they know what we believe? Do they know what we think about Jesus Christ?
A Soon Departure
"Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." (2 Peter 1:14)
Peter was writing to the scattered believers, persecuted from without and
badgered from within by false teachers. He wrote to "put [them] always in
remembrance of these things" which they had been taught, and so that they would
"be established in the present truth" (v. 12). As he wrote, he viewed his
impending "decease" (v. 15, literally "exodus") as merely putting off his
earthly tent and putting on another as one would change clothes (2 Corinthians
5:1-2). But this would, perhaps, be his last opportunity to strengthen the
lives of the believers.
Once before, Peter had faced the prospect of death. The church was under
attack (Acts 12:1). Of
the three who had been in Jesus' "inner circle," James had been killed (v. 2),
and Peter had been imprisoned and was under heavy guard (vv. 3-6). However, an
angel of the Lord (v. 7) escorted him out of prison and out of harm's way (vv.
8-10). We can only surmise the full impact this made on Peter and his ministry,
but we do know he was not afraid to die for his Lord.
Actually, as mentioned in our text, the resurrected Lord Himself had
predicted Peter's brutal death at the hands of the enemy (John
21:19). Tradition has it that Peter was crucified upside down during the
persecution of the church at the hands of Nero, no doubt glorifying God in and
through his death.
But his main concerns in this passage were the believers to whom he wrote. He
even revealed that he had a plan to "have these things always in remembrance"
(2 Peter 1:15).
This would be through his diligent teaching, through his letters, and evidently
also through the ministry of his own disciple, Mark (1 Peter
5:13), who would carry on after his death.
May God grant each of us a similarly fearless, fruitful, and lasting
ministry. JDM
AMY CARROLL
"As
the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep
my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's
commands and remain in his love." John 15:9-10 (NIV)
From
the day I drove off with my newly printed license, my parents made the house
rules clear: Any tickets or accidents would be my responsibility. All was well
until my friends and I took off for the beach my senior year, and I backed into
a parked car before I even caught a glimpse of the ocean.
I
cried knowing I'd have to work all summer at my minimum wage, fast-food job to
pay for the damage I'd done.
The
sting of that seemingly unfair rule smarted until I became a parent, and my son
scratched the side of a car on a mailbox last summer. Suddenly, from the view of
a mom, the same rule I'd resisted as a teenager taught my son responsibility and
care.
Yet
with God, the ultimate loving parent, we don't always understand that the same
principles apply. Sometimes God's directions seem arbitrary and unfair.
Especially in a culture lacking clear boundaries of right and wrong.
We
find ourselves thinking things like, Surely we should get to decide how much
of the truth we tell at work, when to forgive a critical friend or the limits of
our sexual behaviors. We're adults now, after all. Rules are for children,
right?
Yet,
God wants to give us a new perspective on the subject of commands and obedience.
His ways are often the opposite of our ways, and today's key verse, John
15:9-10, shows us that a life of obedience to God is a reward, not a
punishment:
"As
the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep
my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's
commands and remain in his love."
In
these verses, Jesus calls us to remain in His love, a very safe place to be, by
obeying His commands.
The
word "remain" in verse 9 can also be translated "dwell" or "reside." That helps
me picture God inviting us into a dwelling place with protective walls built
layer by layer with His commands.
All
caring parents have house rules. And God is the most loving parent of all. He
has established a beautiful place where we're invited to live with Him,
protected and cherished.
But
for a woman who struggles with feeling like she has to work to earn God's love,
the conditional statement "if you keep my commands" has been hard to
understand. I've had to dig deeper to understand how God's love and obedience
work beneficially hand-in-hand.
Undeniably,
God is love (1 John 4:16). The phrase describing God as "abounding in
love" is found in Exodus, Numbers, Nehemiah, Psalm, Joel and
Jonah. "His love endures forever" is repeated more than 20 times in
Psalm 136 and dozens more times throughout Scripture. If God says it in His Word
so many times, there's no doubt He means it! We can know for sure that God's
love is always available.
It
is unchanging and always there for us, but we have a choice. We choose through
the condition of obedience to remain in His love or through
disobedience to walk out of its protection.
Jesus'
declaration of love feels like a warm blanket wrapped around me in a cold world.
God, our heavenly Father, is drawing us into the beautiful life He created us
for where His commands are simply the walls of the residence. Let's choose to
move in and dwell in the presence of our Father's love.
Lord,
I choose to trust that Your rules are for my good and growth. I want to remain
in Your love, and live a life of obedience to You. When I want to push against
Your ways, help me to look around at the walls of Your dwelling of protection
and be thankful. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"And
we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive,
encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone." 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NIV)
The
first day of class, the exercise leader replaced the lighter weights I'd chosen
with heavier ones. I tried to hide my skepticism as he said, "You're stronger
than you think!"
I
shook my head in disbelief as he moved on to assess the next
participant. No, I thought. I'm weaker than you think!
It
had been a few years since I'd been in an exercise class, and my confidence
level was low. Never an athlete, I couldn't even do one push-up. And my legs
felt like rubber bands after the first set of "warm-ups."
I'd
signed up for the early morning class out of determination to do things
differently. It wasn't at all where I wanted to be at 5:30 a.m. two mornings a
week, but earlier in the year, God challenged me to break out of my comfort
zone.
As
I struggled to lift the heavier weights, I decided to glance at the women next
to me. Normally when exercising I keep my head down and just try to survive. But
that day I looked closer at my classmates. Some were older and spoke of
grandchildren. Some looked like they were struggling too. I overheard one say
she'd had a knee replacement.
Hmmm
... if they can do this, certainly I can, too. Maybe I could try another class
or two before quitting.
The
next class we all showed up, finding connection points over sore muscles. We
laughed as we struggled to get off the mat. One said how hard it had been to
walk up the stairs. I agreed.
Maybe
I wasn't the only one feeling weak. Somehow the idea encouraged me.
Each
morning, the thought of those other ladies showing up and rubbing sleep from
their eyes motivated me to lace on my tennis shoes and head to the gym. Little
by little, I felt more comfortable admitting my weakness, even laughing about
it.
In
one particularly hard class, as I was the last one struggling to finish sit-ups,
I heard a voice from my left, "You go, girl!" Something bold rose up in me at
those words, and I thought, I can do this! Determination surged through
me as I finished the last few sit-ups to the counts of my classmates.
My
positive attitude surprised me. Where did that come from? Although I
was getting stronger physically, that wasn't the only area gaining strength. The
encouragement from my classmates was making me stronger mentally, too.
The
first class, I wanted to keep to myself and hide my pain. But as the weeks
progressed, the more I shared my struggles, the more others could speak into
them. Their words encouraged me. Their presence reassured me I wasn't alone.
Once again, God was teaching me how good it is to let others know I'm not
perfect.
This
has been a problem for me all my life. I'd much rather be the one obeying our
key verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:14: "And we urge you, brothers and sisters,
warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the
weak, be patient with everyone."
I
like being the one who warns, encourages and helps. I'm not so good at being
patient, but otherwise I'm pretty good at obeying this verse. But for God's plan
to be fully realized in the church at Thessalonica and in our lives today, at
some point we need to be on the receiving end of this verse.
This
is the beauty of the body of Christ. God designed a loving check-and-balance
system to deepen our faith and relationships. But in order for it to work, we
have to accept being warned, encouraged and helped - allowing others to see our
frailties.
Unfortunately,
there's a fierce and faulty independent streak in my thinking that fights being
on the receiving end of help. My default approach is to hide my weaknesses,
fears and insecurities, which opens a crack for unhealthy pride to sneak in.
And
yet what freedom there is in simply admitting: I can be a mess at
times. When I acknowledge that, others can pray for me. They can encourage
me. It's a double blessing of God's strength and that of others.
God
needs me to learn this truth. Admitting I need help breaks down my pride. It
humbles me, which softens God's heart toward me. And it allows others to be
obedient in caring for me.
So,
am I stronger than I think I am? Apparently so. But the best way to discover my
strength is to admit my weakness.
Heavenly
Father, thank You for bringing friends into my life who help me grow stronger.
Forgive me for the sinful pride that has kept others from getting too close.
Help me to understand it doesn't make me weaker to admit my weaknesses. In fact,
it opens me to get stronger. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
From
Failure to Faithful FollowerDERWIN L. GRAY
"And
He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" Matthew 4:19
(NASB)
If
you've ever felt like a loser, I've got great news today! Jesus is looking for
you, because He still transforms people who feel like failures into faithful
disciples who change the course of history.
My
life is the perfect example. I come from a family brutalized by drugs, a lack of
education and criminal activity. My childhood friends laughed at my house
because it was a disaster. And I didn't go to church growing up. I was
spiritually lost!
I
didn't even own a Bible my first few years in the NFL, but when the team would
travel and stay in hotels, I noticed Gideon Bibles in the rooms. One weekend, I
decided to steal one. It wasn't until I became a Christ-follower that I realized
the Gideons intentionally place Bibles in hotel rooms so people can take them
for free!
Did
you know all of Jesus' disciples would have been considered losers by their
culture? No rabbi (or teacher) in the first-century Jewish world would have
chosen any of the 12 guys Jesus called to be His followers.
Let
me give you some historical context to grasp the significance of Jesus choosing
these men. For Jewish people, the education of their children was not only
important, it was the key means of survival as the people of God.
Beginning
at age 6, children would begin to learn and memorize the Jewish Scriptures.
Those who were particularly talented would move up the ranks and apply to become
followers of a particular rabbi. Those who didn't qualify would be encouraged to
learn the family trade.
Jesus
took the very opposite approach. Instead of waiting for the best of the best to
apply to be His students, He went after the dropouts and asked them to become
His apprentices.
Jesus
dumbfounded the world and transformed the course of history through 12
individual "failures."
When
Jesus called Peter to follow Him, Peter was shocked. The story of the day they
met is in Matthew's telling of Jesus' life:
Now
as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was
called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were
fishermen. And He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'
Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw
two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat
with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately
they left the boat and their father, and followed Him." (Matthew
4:18-22)
When
Jesus called Andrew and Peter, they immediately dropped their nets and followed
Him. Perhaps for the first time, Peter didn't see himself as a loser.
I
wonder if Peter remembered back to the days when he'd realized he wasn't smart
enough to be disciple-potential. Perhaps the day Peter met Jesus, Peter looked
into the eyes of his father, who had taught him to fish, and no word was spoken.
Perhaps the expression on his father's face conveyed pride and told Peter it was
okay to go with the rabbi.
Can
you imagine Peter and Andrew's daddy going home to their mother and saying,
"Sweetheart, you will never believe this! A rabbi called our sons to follow Him.
This rabbi believes in our sons. He believes they can be like Him!"
Andrew
and Peter dropped their nets. They left their daddy and followed Jesus. And as
they did, they left their former identity to find a new one, forged by the
limitless love Jesus had for them.
As
I look at my life and all the things God has done, I cry. How could I not drop
the nets of my pain, my insecurities, my doubts and fears and follow Jesus,
too?
Have
you dropped your nets to follow Him? Or have you held back because you think you
are unqualified?
The
truth is, you're not qualified to follow Him. And neither am I. But
Jesus is calling losers and failures - like us - to become faithful followers of
HIS!
Dear
Lord, thank You for removing the labels my past has given me. Thank You for
seeing my potential and for calling me to follow You. In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
Choosing
Love over Rights
Matthew 5:38-48We talk a lot about rights these days. Yet the attention given to human entitlements hasn't brought about corporate or personal freedom. Instead, most people are prisoners of jealousy (you have greater rights than I do!), greed (I deserve more!), or bitterness (my rights have been violated!).
Instead of focusing on the privileges due us, we should take the biblical perspective of loving enemies and forgiving persecutors (Matt. 5:44). Believers lay down their rights so they can take up the cause of a holy kingdom. That doesn't mean that we let people trample on us. Rather, we offer a proper response according to biblical principles. In short, believers should be more concerned about showing God's love to those who do wrong than about demanding their rights.
Maybe you're thinking, But he doesn't know how I've been mistreated. Indeed I do not. But what I do know is how Jesus Christ, our example, reacted to terrible abuse. He was betrayed by His friends, persecuted by His people, condemned by His peers, and crucified for our sins. Yet He said, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34).
Before assuming that Jesus' capacity for forgiveness and love is out of reach for mere human beings, remember: His Spirit dwells in believers. We can choose to give away our rights and let God's love work through us.
Luke 6:29 says to turn the other cheek and give up more than is asked because expressing love outweighs exerting our rights. You can't lose when you show others the boundless care of the Lord. You gain His blessing, and, hopefully, someone will be saved because of your example.
Impossible Love Made Possible
Galatians 5:22-23
When a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind," and "the second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:37, 39). What an overwhelming assignment!
In our own strength, none of us can live up to this obligation, but the Lord has provided a way for Christians to do the impossible. The indwelling Holy Spirit works to produce His fruit in us, and first on the list is love (Gal. 5:22). In fact, the other eight qualities are really just descriptions of its expression.
Whenever we demonstrate kindness, patience, or gentleness, we see the Lord's love at work through us, especially when the other person has been unkind and doesn't deserve such pleasant treatment. This fruit is not produced by trying harder to muster good will toward someone who is irritating or hard to get along with. Instead, think of the process more like sap running through a branch on a grape-vine. The branch doesn't make grapes; the sap does. In the same way, the Spirit flows through us, producing God's love in us, so that we can pass it on to Him and others.
Agapelove is the reason we are able to care for someone who mistreats us-it's God's doing, not ours. Even the adoration we offer the Lord is not something that we can produce in our own heart apart from His assistance. Though the command to love is enormous,God's grace makes it possible.
A Call to Godly Living
Romans 12:1
The apostle Paul lived in an age when sensuality, the pursuit of pleasure, and rebellion against the Lord were prevalent. In response, he wrote letters urging Christians not to follow in the ways of the world. Like those early believers, we are to pursue godliness by...
- Presenting our bodies to God. Our total being--mind, will,
emotions, personality, and physical body--are to be turned over to our heavenly
Father (James 4:7a). Submitting ourselves to the Lord requires a definite
decision to give Him control and a daily commitment to remain under His
authority. By surrendering to Him, we will position ourselves for godly
living.
- Becoming living sacrifices. The Christian life is built around the concept of sacrifice. Jesus left the perfection of heaven to dwell among a sinful people so He might reconcile us to God. He offered up His life to make payment for our sins (1 John 3:16) and brought us into His family. As believers, we are to follow His example. Paul called it a living sacrifice, because it is ongoing--one that is repeated daily.
A life of godliness is characterized by a heart and mind bent toward the things of God. Although we will live imperfectly, our focus is to be on obeying His will and pleasing Him. Let's commit to becoming more like Jesus, the One who willingly gave Himself to God as a sacrifice for us.
A Faith Worth Passing Down
2 Timothy 1:3-5
The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith--the confident conviction that God is who He says and will do all He has promised. Timothy's strong relationship with Christ didn't materialize out of thin air; it grew as a result of his mother and grandmother's example.
Here are ways we, too, can hand down a rich legacy to the next generation:
- Teach practical biblical principles. Kids need to know God's views on material wealth (Ps. 24:1), meeting needs (Phil. 4:19), and direction in life (Prov. 3:5-6).
- Model character through lifestyle. How we live--whether with transparency, peace, and perseverance, or with fear, anxiety, and self-reliance--loudly communicates what we believe about God.
- Serve God by serving others. Actions show that our faith is real (James 2:26). If we want kids not to develop a self-centered perspective, servanthood is key.
- Intercede for them. Children won't forget hearing us pray regularly for them.
- Communicate love. Young people need to know we love them the way God loves us--unconditionally rather than based on what they do or don't do. Spoken words of love breathe life into their hearts. And as we affirm them for trusting God, they see that we value their spiritual growth.
The Shield of Faith
The apostle Paul wrote about
spiritual warfare so we might know our enemy and how to fight him. He compared
the armor and weapons God has given us to the outfitting of a soldier:
a helmet to protect our minds, a
breastplate to cover our hearts, special
shoes to help us stand firm, a belt of God's
truth to encircle us, the mighty sword of the Spirit, and
the protective shield of faith.
Roman soldiers carried large rectangular shields, which
covered the entire body. When facing an attack of flaming arrows, the warriors
would stand shoulder to shoulder, with neighboring shields touching. Then, as
the enemy's arrows flew toward them, they would kneel in unison with their
shields held above them, still in contact with the ones on either side. Nothing
could pierce that defense.
This is a picture of how we are to fight when Satan sends
flaming darts our way. They enter our life in the form of temptations,
doubts, or anxieties-the devil's combatants shoot these silently and
swiftly towards us in the hopes of finding a vulnerable spot. When we maintain
our shield of faith in an upright position, the attack
fails. However, if we should lower it or fail to stand together as the body of
Christ, the missiles penetrate.
Our heavenly Father has provided
all we need for life on a battlefield. He has secured the victory through Jesus Christ , canceled sin's power over us, and given us armor
to wear. Our part is to walk by faith, believing God moment by moment. Remember
that your faith is your shield. Keep it in good order.
Forget Something? -
Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
-Romans 1:16
A woman went to a doctor with both ears severely burned. The doctor said, "In all of my years of practice, I have never seen anything quite like this. How did you burn your ears?"
"Well," she said, "I was ironing and watching television. Suddenly, the telephone rang. I answered the iron instead of the phone and burned my ear."
"That's horrible!" the doctor said. "But how did you burn your other ear?"
"Can you believe it?" she said. "The idiot called back!"
It seems to me that, like this woman, some people in the church today are preoccupied. In many ways, we have lost our focus and have missed what our priorities should be. For one, I think we have lost sight of who our real enemies are. Is it Hollywood? Is it the government? According to the Bible, our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
I think we also have forgotten what we are really for, as well as the real weapons of our warfare. Are our real weapons boycotts and protesting? No. Primarily, they are prayer and the Word of God.
Lastly, I think we have forgotten what our real message is. Is our primary message that we are against homosexuality or that we are against abortion? No, our primary message should not be negative, but positive: It is the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
My fear is that more people know what we as Christians are against than what we are for. Do they know what we believe? Do they know what we think about Jesus Christ?
A Soon Departure
"Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." (2 Peter 1:14)
Love
in Action
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." (1 Corinthians 13:4)
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." (1 Corinthians 13:4)
It is well known that "charity" in this famous "love chapter" is the Greek
agape, which is translated "love" three times as often as it is
translated "charity" even in the King James Version. Why then did the scholarly
translators prefer to use "charity" in this chapter, of all places?
Possibly it is because 1 Corinthians 13 emphasizes what love does
rather than what love is. Love is described in this chapter, not
with adjectives or adverbs, but with verbs! "Charity," in the Old English sense,
was not merely giving to feed the poor (note v. 3) but meant agape
love-an unselfish, enduring, and active concern on behalf of others.
In this passage (vv. 4-8, 13) are listed 17 actions which love, or charity,
does or does not engage in. Love acts with patience and
kindness; it does not envy others or seek to impress others, neither does it
exhibit arrogance or conceit. Love is never rude, does not seek its own way, is
slow to take offense, and bears no malice or resentment. Love does not gloat
over the sins of others and is delighted when truth prevails. Love will bear up
under any trial and will never lose faith; it is always hopeful and unlimited in
its endurance.
Finally, genuine love will be eternal. Even faith will cease when it is
replaced by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and
hope will finally be fulfilled (Romans 8:24), but love will
abide forever. Love, of course, is eternal because Christ is eternal, and Christ
is God, and God is love.
This classic passage, describing genuine Christian love, could in fact be
read as a beautiful description of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. That is,
"Christ suffereth long, and is kind," and so on, finally climaxing in the great
truth, "Christ never faileth." Jesus Christ is, indeed, love in action! HMM
Separate
and Sensual
"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." (Jude 1:17-19)
Jude had previous contact with the apostle Peter and was aware of
Peter's observation "that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking
after their own lusts" (2 Peter 3:3).
Peter describes the lusts of these scoffers by pointing out that their derision
is focused on the second coming of our Lord Jesus-they deny the very possibility
of the creation itself and, therefore, the omnipotent and omniscient authority
of God Himself (2 Peter 3:4-6).
Jude, however, focuses on the core character of these mockers,
noting that they "separate themselves" and are "sensual." They are "soulish"
(the Greek word is the adjective form of the noun for soul). That is, these
kinds of people are driven by their "natural man" and cannot receive "the things
of the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians
2:14). James is even more intense: These people are "earthly, sensual,
devilish" (James 3:15).
Furthermore, they consciously separate themselves from the godly.
The apostle John speaks to this phenomenon: "They went out from us, but they
were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued
with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not
all of us" (1 John 2:19).
Jesus simply notes that "every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved" (John
3:20).
It is therefore an absolute-these people do not have the Spirit of
God dwelling in them. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his" (Romans 8:9). HMM
III
"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." (Jude 1:17-19)
The
Way and the Glory
"Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people." (Exodus 33:13)
"Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people." (Exodus 33:13)
"Moses the man of God" (Deuteronomy
33:1) was surely one of the greatest men who ever lived. He was the leader
of a great nation, he received the tablets of the law from God, and he compiled
and wrote the Pentateuch. It was said that "there arose not a prophet since in
Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face" (Deuteronomy 34:10). Yet, "the man Moses was very meek, above all the
men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers
12:3).
It was such a man as this who made two remarkable requests of God. The
first was, as above: "Shew me now thy way." The second, just a moment later,
was: "Shew me thy glory" (Exodus
33:18).
These were not selfish requests. Moses desired the way of the Lord on
behalf of his people. God answered this request with the gracious promise: "My
presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest" (Exodus
33:14).
But then he also asked to see the glory of God. So God placed Moses "in a
clift of the rock," covering him with His hand as His glory passed by, allowing
him to see the remnants of His glory, as it were (Exodus
33:22-23), since he could not have endured any more. With such a vision of
God's glory, Moses was then able to lead the Israelite multitude for 40 years in
a terrible wilderness, transforming them from a mob of slaves into God's chosen
nation, ready to bring God's Word, and God's Son, into the world.
We also can see His way and His glory. Jesus said: "I am the way" (John 14:6). Then
He prayed: "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me
where I am; that they may behold my glory" (John 17:24). HMM
Running
to Christ
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10)
When one realizes that he is lost and that only Christ can save him,
he should not delay a moment but come immediately to Christ. There are, in fact,
several men in the New Testament who actually ran to Him.
There was the man possessed with a whole legion of demons. "But when
he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him" (Mark
5:6), and Jesus set him free.
Then there was a young man who wanted to learn of Christ. When he
found that Jesus was going away, he came "running, and kneeled to him, and asked
him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17).
Unfortunately, his sincerity failed when he realized the cost. Zeal without
sacrifice is dead, as is faith without works.
There was another wealthy man who was willing to pay the price. "And
[Zacchaeus] ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he
was to pass that way" (Luke 19:4). The
conversion of Zacchaeus was genuine, and he demonstrated it by a changed and
sacrificial life.
In Christ's suffering on the cross, He spoke of His awful thirst,
and an unknown observer "ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on
a reed, and gave him to drink" (Mark 15:36).
Christ will not forget this expression of concern and sympathy.
After His burial, Mary Magdalene came back to tell Peter and John
that the tomb was open. "So they ran both together: and the other disciple did
outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. . . . and he saw, and believed"
(John 20:4-8).
All who hasten wholeheartedly to Christ, sincerely seeking to know
and serve Him, will find salvation in His name, for "the name of the LORD is a
strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." HMM
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10)
The
Lord Our Maker
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." (Psalm 95:6)
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." (Psalm 95:6)
Psalms 95-100 seem to form a unit with several common themes running
through them, all involving praise to the Lord.
One of these major themes is the recognition of the Lord as Maker of heaven
and Earth. For example, consider Psalm 95:5: "The
sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land." Thus, God made
the earth, including both land and sea. But He also made the heavens! "For all
the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens" (Psalm
96:5).
Higher and far more complex than any planet of the solar system, or any
star in the heavens, are the living organisms found only on planet
Earth-especially human beings-and He made these too. "Know ye that the LORD he
is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture" (Psalm
100:3).
It is significant that these verses all emphasize the activities of God as
Maker, rather than as Creator. In the first chapter of Genesis, both
types of activity are stressed, the account finally concluding with the
summary: "All his work which God created and made" (Genesis
2:3).
The two types of work are almost synonymous when referring to the
divine activity, but not quite (otherwise "created and made" would be
redundant). Specifically, the three acts of true creation in Genesis are the
creation of the physical elements of the cosmos, the entity of biological life,
and the spiritual image of God in man (Genesis 1:1, 21,
27). These entities God simply called into being, ex nihilo, by His
omnipotent Word.
Everything else He made, or formed or let be, out of the three basic
entities that were specially created. He is both Creator and Maker of all
things, and we should worship Him as such. HMM
The
Promise
"And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2 Peter 3:4)
"And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2 Peter 3:4)
Has Christ forgotten His promise? After His resurrection, He returned to
heaven to wait "until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). Ever
since the primeval promise in Eden (Genesis 3:15),
God's inspired prophets have kept assuring His people that He would come as
Savior of the world and again as everlasting King, removing the curse of sin and
death and bringing in everlasting life and righteousness.
But the centuries have come and gone, age after age, and the world
continues to decay, growing worse and worse. With global pollution, disease
pandemics, ever-increasing crime, and countless other intractable problems,
there may be nothing left if He doesn't come soon!
Has He forgotten His promise? No! says Peter, in this very same chapter.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but
is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
He has not yet returned because there are not yet enough who have "come to
repentance"-that is, whose minds and hearts have turned away from the world
system and have been renewed through faith in Christ as Creator, Savior, and
Lord of all. We need not despair but simply "account that the longsuffering of
our Lord is salvation" (2 Peter 3:15),
seeking to lead people to Him until He comes.
His promise is sure, and one day He will return indeed! Therefore, Peter
concludes, "we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13).
HMM
Enjoying the Seasons of
Parenting
Tracie Miles
The Lord doesn't want the members of His body to live in isolation; believers are intended to function as a loving family who actively care for each other. One of our responsibilities as part of God's household is to come alongside a brother or sister who has stumbled. Paul specifies that those "who are spiritual" are to restore the fallen ones to fellowship with the Father and the family. "Spiritual" doesn't mean some elite group of pious leaders; it refers to any Christians who are living under the Spirit's control. A key element in this process is the attitude of the one who seeks to restore a fellow Christian.
A Spirit of Gentleness: This isn't a time for harshness, anger, judgment, or condemnation. Our goal is not to heap pain and guilt upon a hurting brother or sister but to show mercy and forgiveness (2 Cor. 2:5-8).
A Spirit of Humility: Those who have a superior attitude look down on a fallen brother and think, I would never make those mistakes. But the humble know their own vulnerability. Instead of judging others, they examine their own lives in order to recognize and deal with areas of weakness.
A Spirit of Love: When we love others, we'll willingly sharing their burden. This requires an unselfish investment of our time, energy, and prayer on their behalf.
How do you react when a fellow Christian has stumbled? One of the ugliest human traits is our tendency to feel better about ourselves when another person misses the mark. Instead of sharing the latest gossip about a fallen brother or sister, let your heart break, and come alongside to love and help.
Practical Ways to Bear Burdens
1 Thessalonians 5:14
There are hurting people everywhere, but at times we just don't know what to say or do to ease their pain. Here are six practical ways to bear someone else's burden.
Tracie Miles
"For
everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)
"Are
they going to laugh all night long?" my husband jokingly asked. "I don't know,"
I said, chuckling at his question. "But I hope so. It's a sound that makes my
heart happy."
My
teenage daughter had invited her entire cheerleading squad to sleep over at our
house after a basketball game. When they arrived, the house immediately filled
with laughter and conversations as they gobbled up pizza and chocolate chip
cookies.
Later
that night, sleep seemed to escape me. Not because of the cheerful noise
billowing down the stairs from a house full of girls, but because I wondered how
many more laughter-filled sleepovers I might have the blessing of hosting.
Knowing my children are growing up quickly, I couldn't help but face the reality
I was entering a new season of life.
I
began to ponder all I would miss with two daughters living away at college this
fall, instead of just one. Although my son still has a few years left at home, I
had to face the reality that this season of my parenting was coming to a close.
And my heart felt heavy.
I
remember feeling these same emotions when my babies outgrew their cribs and
moved to big-kid beds. When my daughters tucked away baby dolls and hair bows
and focused on nail polish and fashion. When my son grew too old for his teddy
bear. When they left elementary school behind and entered the scary world of
middle school. When they stopped riding their bikes and instead, got behind the
wheel of a car.
As
I lay in the dark pondering this changing season of my life, a warm tear
trickled down my face. Yet I felt God's sweet comfort and His reminder that
although life is ever-changing, He is constant. I started to pray and sensed God
was showing me the importance of treasuring the current season of parenting,
rather than mourning the ones already passed, because every moment with our
children is a blessing.
The
idea of seasons of life is found in the book of Ecclesiastes, authored by King
Solomon. After becoming king of Israel following his father King David's death,
God appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered him anything he wanted. Instead
of asking for riches or victories, Solomon asked God for wisdom and received the
blessing of understanding life (1 Kings 3:5, 10-13).
Although
Solomon doesn't directly speak about parenting in Ecclesiastes, his wise advice
certainly applies to this subject.
Today's
key verse reminds us life is a progression of seasons, with everything happening
in God's timing and under His control: "For everything there is a season, a
time for every activity under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
Then
Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 highlights many of life's experiences that we find in the
seasons of parenting, such as times to plant and uproot. Times to cry, laugh,
grieve and dance. Times to embrace and turn away. Times to search and quit
searching. Times to tear and to mend. Times to speak and to keep quiet. Times to
keep and to let go.
We
find pieces of our parenting experiences scattered between the lines of this
passage. As we accept there will be different seasons of parenting, we allow God
to whisper specific encouragement to our hearts, fill our spirits with
perseverance and understanding, and pierce our minds with the spiritual wisdom
needed not only to make it through the seasons, but to appreciate them as gifts
from God.
No
matter which season we find ourselves in, let's treasure it and bask in the
blessings it brings. Embracing each season as it comes brings peace because we
know we are right where God wants us to be and that He is preparing us for the
season to come.
My
house may not always be filled with laughter in the middle of the night, but if
I trust God is with me, I will always have joy in my heart.
Lord,
thank You for the privilege of being a parent, grandparent or caregiver to the
little ones You've entrusted into my care. Help me enjoy every day of every
season and lean on You when my heart aches for seasons gone by. In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
When
a Fellow Christian Stumbles
Galatians 6:1-5The Lord doesn't want the members of His body to live in isolation; believers are intended to function as a loving family who actively care for each other. One of our responsibilities as part of God's household is to come alongside a brother or sister who has stumbled. Paul specifies that those "who are spiritual" are to restore the fallen ones to fellowship with the Father and the family. "Spiritual" doesn't mean some elite group of pious leaders; it refers to any Christians who are living under the Spirit's control. A key element in this process is the attitude of the one who seeks to restore a fellow Christian.
A Spirit of Gentleness: This isn't a time for harshness, anger, judgment, or condemnation. Our goal is not to heap pain and guilt upon a hurting brother or sister but to show mercy and forgiveness (2 Cor. 2:5-8).
A Spirit of Humility: Those who have a superior attitude look down on a fallen brother and think, I would never make those mistakes. But the humble know their own vulnerability. Instead of judging others, they examine their own lives in order to recognize and deal with areas of weakness.
A Spirit of Love: When we love others, we'll willingly sharing their burden. This requires an unselfish investment of our time, energy, and prayer on their behalf.
How do you react when a fellow Christian has stumbled? One of the ugliest human traits is our tendency to feel better about ourselves when another person misses the mark. Instead of sharing the latest gossip about a fallen brother or sister, let your heart break, and come alongside to love and help.
Practical Ways to Bear Burdens
1 Thessalonians 5:14
There are hurting people everywhere, but at times we just don't know what to say or do to ease their pain. Here are six practical ways to bear someone else's burden.
- Be there. At times the best "method" of helping is simply to be present. During our darkest hours, we don't need someone who tries in vain to fix everything; we just need a friend.
- Listen. Don't attempt to give answers or tell people what to do next. Injured souls frequently want simply a listening ear so they can express what's on their mind.
- Share. Never parade yourself as someone who has all the answers. Instead, allow your own pain and failures to help others.
- Pray. There is power in speaking people's names before the Lord. When they hear someone talk to Jesus on their behalf, healing often starts taking place.
- Give. Sometimes helping others involves more than a handshake or warm hug. Maybe they need something financial or material. One of the best measures of sincerity is how much we're willing to give to others.
- Substitute.You may know an individual who bears the burden of caring for someone else. If you step in and take his or her place for a while, you are emulating your Savior--He, too, was a substitute.
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