The Death of Progress - By Greg Laurie -
But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. -1 Corinthians 11:31
It has been said that self-satisfaction is the death of progress. Any Christian who really knows what it is to follow Jesus always will realize there is a long way to go. We want to keep moving forward spiritually. We have to keep growing and learning.
And if we want to see a revival, then we need to humble ourselves and pray. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God says, "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land" (NLT).
Of the twelve Hebrew words employed in the Scriptures to express the verb pray-the one used here in 2 Chronicles 7:14-means "to judge self habitually." We are so quick to judge and criticize others habitually when the Bible says we actually should be judging ourselves.
Simply put, to judge ourselves means that we recognize we have a long way to go. Are you satisfied with where you are spiritually? After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said this:
I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT)
If we were to spend less time criticizing others and spend more time examining ourselves, then maybe we would experience a revival.
God Honors Our Commitment to Him
Daniel and his friends faced the same dilemma we do--how to live a holy life in a godless culture. At one time, our society readily accepted Christian values and standards, but that era is quickly passing. Our challenge today is to live under God's authority while remaining in submission to the law of the land. At times we are forced to choose between the two, but if we'll seek the Lord's guidance before marching defiantly forward, He may open an alternative approach for us.
Had Daniel bluntly declared, "I won't eat this food!" he wouldn't have lasted long, and we wouldn't have the book of Daniel in the Bible. But the Lord gave him the wisdom to humbly seek permission from the person who was in a position of authority over him. God honored his commitment and provided a way for him to live righteously in a pagan world.
We tend to hold up Daniel and his three friends as extraordinary people who lived amazing lives. But have you ever wondered what the Lord could do in the life of an ordinary person like you? The determining factor is not the greatness of the individual but, rather, his commitment to a God who can do remarkable things in a life fully devoted to Him. That's the kind of people our Lord is looking for.
Although we don't know all that God could do in our lives if we'd radically commit ourselves to Him, the thought of missing out on His plans should be enough to motivate us to obey. You don't want to arrive in heaven and discover you forfeited blessings because you weren't fully devoted to Him.
Our Needs
Philippians 4:19 Jim saved for a long time to take an Alaskan cruise. At last he was on board with two carefully packed suitcases. The first evening, when he heard "Dinner is served" announced over the loudspeaker, he took peanut butter crackers from his suitcase and sat at the table in his small cabin. Every day at mealtime, he repeated the ritual. It wasn't that Jim didn't like the ship's tasty banquets. He simply didn't know that his meals were included in the price of the ticket. For two weeks he enjoyed beautiful scenery off the decks but ate dry, stale food in his cabin.
This sad story is a metaphor for how some believers live the Christian life. God has promised to meet every need of His children—His riches are included in the price Christ paid for their salvation (Eph. 1:18). Yet many folks are trying to live out of their own resources. They don't know that the wealth of God's love, power, and provision is on their menu.
A believer's relationship with the Lord is one of complete unity. Jesus is our life. His Spirit lives through us. Therefore, everything that is available to Him is also available to the brothers and sisters in Christ—all power, strength, and endurance, as well as whatever is required to fulfill physical and emotional needs.
Jim didn't know he had the right to satisfy his hunger in an extravagant way. Learn from this exaggerated example. Read your Bible to learn what riches you are entitled to through faith. God offers believers everything required for living well and wisely. Trust Him for all your needs.
Focused Leadership
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)
Those whom God calls into spiritual leadership are required to keep their spiritual eyes on eternity because “the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Godly leaders must know and use the Scriptures. The Word of God is eternal (Matthew 24:35) and more powerful than any other tool God has provided for us (Hebrews 4:12). If God’s leaders are to prosper in their work, they must build a cache of the Word to keep their “way” clean (Psalm 119:9-10).
Godly leaders must absorb the Scriptures. Those who lead others may not “walk,” “stand,” or “sit” in the lifestyle of wickedness (Psalm 1:1). To the contrary, they must delight and meditate in God’s Word “day and night” (Psalm 1:2). The psalmist once said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).
Godly leaders focus on obedience to the Scriptures. Another psalmist sought for such leaders when he asked, “Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times” (Psalm 106:2-3). Jesus insisted His disciples seek the Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) if they would know the blessings of worry-free living. Peter simply said, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). HMM III
A Response to Threat
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor the arrow that flieth by day.” (Psalm 91:4-5)
Today we remember the unprovoked attack on America by Muslim terrorists. Despite attempts to make the country more secure, the threat remains scarcely abated. What should the Christian’s response be? In our text above, we see we have no cause for fear. The physical danger may be real, but our Lord promises protection in tender words likened to a mother bird’s care for her young. Our ultimate deliverance is guaranteed by His sure promises. Trust in His power and truth sustains us as surely as a shield and buckler.
Our hope cannot rest in military might. God does not promise temporal safety to all, for millions have succumbed to undeserved violence. Our last hope is of a different order, firmly grounded in “the LORD, which is my refuge” (v. 9). He responds to our trust and worship with the promise “with long [better translated as ‘eternal’] life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (v. 16). Much more interested in our response to troubles than in our deliverance, He desires us to believe and serve Him, trusting Him even in perilous times.
A New Testament application of this principle is in 1 Peter 3:14: “If ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.” The remedy? “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
Jesus Christ is our example and inspiration. “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). Fixing our eyes upon Him, we have no cause for fear. JDM
Formidable Leadership
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)
“All [leaders] that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Those who disciple others must be able to live among “many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9).
Godly leaders must not be afraid to confront evil. Embracing a lifestyle of rightness often brings open hostility from others. But “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). “Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) does not negate the responsibility to demand that “God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
Godly leaders cannot be dismayed by resistance. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1-2). Our Creator is on the throne of eternity. He is the Alpha and Omega. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).
Godly leaders need not fear man’s words or looks. Children used to say “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” The Bible is more accurate: “Be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:6). HMM III
Ruling Leadership
“Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.” (Joshua 1:10-11)
God’s leaders are expected to exercise authority, but they must be careful to do it in God’s name and be mindful of the examples they set.
Leadership requires command. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
Leadership must command in God’s name. “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).
Leadership serves as examples to those being led. “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1-3). HMM III
Fearless Leadership
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law . . . turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:7)
God expects His appointed leaders to cultivate both inner and outer strength.
God’s leaders must have both physical strength and spiritual courage. These comparative terms are cited together in 18 different passages of the Old Testament—always to emphasize the need for both. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD” (Psalm 31:24). Although bodily exercise is of little profit (1 Timothy 4:8), our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be kept strong for God’s work (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Spiritual courage tends to be weakened when the physical body is weakened.
God’s leaders need both strength and courage to obey God’s call and be successful in the ministry. The apostle Paul was shaken by such physical torment that “we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: . . . but God . . . delivered us from so great a death” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10). Human weariness can rob us of the “well doing” that would otherwise reap success (Galatians 6:9). God is certainly the source of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17)—including our physical strength. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). HMM III
Reminding Leadership
�Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.� (Joshua 1:13)
Repetition undergirds the purpose of action. King David exhorted God�s people to �remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth� that they �might observe his statutes, and keep his laws� (Psalm 105:5, 45). Paul told young Timothy that he was to �put the brethren in remembrance of these things� because they would be �nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine� (1 Timothy 4:6). Both Old and New Testament leaders insisted that they would �not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things,� since those reminders would establish them �in the present truth� (2 Peter 1:12).
Repetition will encourage everyone. The early church leaders returned to the churches they had started, �confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith� (Acts 14:22). Peter insisted that he wanted to �stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour� (2 Peter 3:1-2).
Repetition solidifies the message. The psalmist Asaph promised the Lord, �I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD : surely I will remember thy wonders of old� (Psalm 77:10-11). God assured us that the Scriptures were �breathed out� by God and therefore are �profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works� (2 Timothy 3:16-17). HMM III
The Pragmatic Life
�And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.� (Luke 19:13)
This �parable of the pounds� indicated to His disciples that they should not wait idly for the second coming of Christ, thinking �that the kingdom of God should immediately appear� (Luke 19:11), but that they should stay busy, using whatever abilities and opportunities they had in the Lord�s service until His return. The word �occupy� is an unusual word, the Greek pragmatenomai, from which we derive our modern word �pragmatic,� meaning �practical,� and it only occurs this one time in the New Testament.
There is another related word, however, also occurring only one time, in 2 Timothy 2:4: �No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.� Here the word �affairs� is the Greek pragmateia, and Paul is cautioning those who would be �good soldiers of Jesus Christ� against becoming involved in the pragmatic affairs of civilian or business life, if they would really be pleasing to their commanding officer.
At first, there seems to be a contradiction. Jesus says to stay busy with the practical affairs of life until He returns. Paul says not to get involved with pragmatic things.
There is no real contradiction, of course, if motivation is considered. Whatever may be our vocation in life, as led by the Lord, we are to perform that job and all the other daily responsibilities of life diligently and faithfully, for His sake.
If we allow these things to become an end in themselves, however, or use them for other purposes than for His glory, then we have, indeed, become tangled up in the affairs of this life, and this displeases Him. He desires that we be diligent in whatever He has called us to do until He comes, but to be sure it is for Him, not for ourselves. HMM
The Judge
Philippians 4:19 Jim saved for a long time to take an Alaskan cruise. At last he was on board with two carefully packed suitcases. The first evening, when he heard "Dinner is served" announced over the loudspeaker, he took peanut butter crackers from his suitcase and sat at the table in his small cabin. Every day at mealtime, he repeated the ritual. It wasn't that Jim didn't like the ship's tasty banquets. He simply didn't know that his meals were included in the price of the ticket. For two weeks he enjoyed beautiful scenery off the decks but ate dry, stale food in his cabin.
This sad story is a metaphor for how some believers live the Christian life. God has promised to meet every need of His children—His riches are included in the price Christ paid for their salvation (Eph. 1:18). Yet many folks are trying to live out of their own resources. They don't know that the wealth of God's love, power, and provision is on their menu.
Jim didn't know he had the right to satisfy his hunger in an extravagant way. Learn from this exaggerated example. Read your Bible to learn what riches you are entitled to through faith. God offers believers everything required for living well and wisely. Trust Him for all your needs.
Focused Leadership
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)
Those whom God calls into spiritual leadership are required to keep their spiritual eyes on eternity because “the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Godly leaders must know and use the Scriptures. The Word of God is eternal (Matthew 24:35) and more powerful than any other tool God has provided for us (Hebrews 4:12). If God’s leaders are to prosper in their work, they must build a cache of the Word to keep their “way” clean (Psalm 119:9-10).
Godly leaders must absorb the Scriptures. Those who lead others may not “walk,” “stand,” or “sit” in the lifestyle of wickedness (Psalm 1:1). To the contrary, they must delight and meditate in God’s Word “day and night” (Psalm 1:2). The psalmist once said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).
Godly leaders focus on obedience to the Scriptures. Another psalmist sought for such leaders when he asked, “Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times” (Psalm 106:2-3). Jesus insisted His disciples seek the Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) if they would know the blessings of worry-free living. Peter simply said, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). HMM III
A Response to Threat
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor the arrow that flieth by day.” (Psalm 91:4-5)
Today we remember the unprovoked attack on America by Muslim terrorists. Despite attempts to make the country more secure, the threat remains scarcely abated. What should the Christian’s response be? In our text above, we see we have no cause for fear. The physical danger may be real, but our Lord promises protection in tender words likened to a mother bird’s care for her young. Our ultimate deliverance is guaranteed by His sure promises. Trust in His power and truth sustains us as surely as a shield and buckler.
Our hope cannot rest in military might. God does not promise temporal safety to all, for millions have succumbed to undeserved violence. Our last hope is of a different order, firmly grounded in “the LORD, which is my refuge” (v. 9). He responds to our trust and worship with the promise “with long [better translated as ‘eternal’] life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (v. 16). Much more interested in our response to troubles than in our deliverance, He desires us to believe and serve Him, trusting Him even in perilous times.
A New Testament application of this principle is in 1 Peter 3:14: “If ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.” The remedy? “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
Jesus Christ is our example and inspiration. “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). Fixing our eyes upon Him, we have no cause for fear. JDM
Formidable Leadership
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)
“All [leaders] that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Those who disciple others must be able to live among “many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9).
Godly leaders must not be afraid to confront evil. Embracing a lifestyle of rightness often brings open hostility from others. But “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). “Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) does not negate the responsibility to demand that “God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
Godly leaders cannot be dismayed by resistance. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1-2). Our Creator is on the throne of eternity. He is the Alpha and Omega. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).
Godly leaders need not fear man’s words or looks. Children used to say “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” The Bible is more accurate: “Be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:6). HMM III
Ruling Leadership
“Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.” (Joshua 1:10-11)
God’s leaders are expected to exercise authority, but they must be careful to do it in God’s name and be mindful of the examples they set.
Leadership requires command. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
Leadership must command in God’s name. “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).
Leadership serves as examples to those being led. “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1-3). HMM III
Fearless Leadership
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law . . . turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:7)
God expects His appointed leaders to cultivate both inner and outer strength.
God’s leaders must have both physical strength and spiritual courage. These comparative terms are cited together in 18 different passages of the Old Testament—always to emphasize the need for both. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD” (Psalm 31:24). Although bodily exercise is of little profit (1 Timothy 4:8), our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be kept strong for God’s work (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Spiritual courage tends to be weakened when the physical body is weakened.
God’s leaders need both strength and courage to obey God’s call and be successful in the ministry. The apostle Paul was shaken by such physical torment that “we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: . . . but God . . . delivered us from so great a death” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10). Human weariness can rob us of the “well doing” that would otherwise reap success (Galatians 6:9). God is certainly the source of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17)—including our physical strength. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). HMM III
Reminding Leadership
�Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.� (Joshua 1:13)
Repetition undergirds the purpose of action. King David exhorted God�s people to �remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth� that they �might observe his statutes, and keep his laws� (Psalm 105:5, 45). Paul told young Timothy that he was to �put the brethren in remembrance of these things� because they would be �nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine� (1 Timothy 4:6). Both Old and New Testament leaders insisted that they would �not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things,� since those reminders would establish them �in the present truth� (2 Peter 1:12).
Repetition will encourage everyone. The early church leaders returned to the churches they had started, �confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith� (Acts 14:22). Peter insisted that he wanted to �stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour� (2 Peter 3:1-2).
Repetition solidifies the message. The psalmist Asaph promised the Lord, �I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD : surely I will remember thy wonders of old� (Psalm 77:10-11). God assured us that the Scriptures were �breathed out� by God and therefore are �profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works� (2 Timothy 3:16-17). HMM III
The Pragmatic Life
�And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.� (Luke 19:13)
This �parable of the pounds� indicated to His disciples that they should not wait idly for the second coming of Christ, thinking �that the kingdom of God should immediately appear� (Luke 19:11), but that they should stay busy, using whatever abilities and opportunities they had in the Lord�s service until His return. The word �occupy� is an unusual word, the Greek pragmatenomai, from which we derive our modern word �pragmatic,� meaning �practical,� and it only occurs this one time in the New Testament.
There is another related word, however, also occurring only one time, in 2 Timothy 2:4: �No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.� Here the word �affairs� is the Greek pragmateia, and Paul is cautioning those who would be �good soldiers of Jesus Christ� against becoming involved in the pragmatic affairs of civilian or business life, if they would really be pleasing to their commanding officer.
At first, there seems to be a contradiction. Jesus says to stay busy with the practical affairs of life until He returns. Paul says not to get involved with pragmatic things.
There is no real contradiction, of course, if motivation is considered. Whatever may be our vocation in life, as led by the Lord, we are to perform that job and all the other daily responsibilities of life diligently and faithfully, for His sake.
If we allow these things to become an end in themselves, however, or use them for other purposes than for His glory, then we have, indeed, become tangled up in the affairs of this life, and this displeases Him. He desires that we be diligent in whatever He has called us to do until He comes, but to be sure it is for Him, not for ourselves. HMM
The Judge
During our life on earth, Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. However, as our days here draw to a close, and especially at the end of time, He takes His seat as Judge and prepares to reward believers for the good things they did in His name.
I think there is a widespread misconception that God the Father will be our judge. But it is Christ who gave us, His followers, the charge to go into the world and make disciples (Matt. 28:19). Therefore, He has been given the right to determine which of our actions and thoughts furthered His goal (John 5:22).
Christ is an impartial judge. He is not influenced by what others think or say, but rather, He determines what is right and good based on His honorable, just standard. We'll be stripped of our worthless works--in other words, the actions and words we used for selfish ambition or vain conceit. All that will remain are the worthwhile things we thought, said, and did to honor God. These are the valuable parts of our lives for which we will be rewarded.
Reward is the whole point of placing believers before the judgment seat of Christ. Shame and guilt over past sin and mistaken motivation have no place there (Rom. 8:1). Our loving Savior is eager to show us our heavenly treasure.
Christ will expose the real you at the judgment seat by casting away the worthless things you've done. What remains will be the man or woman who endeavored to please the Lord. Let us determine to be powerful reflections of our Savior, both on earth and in heaven.
Trust and Obey
One of my favorite songs is "Trust and Obey" because it sums up God's purpose for our lives. When we practice these two commands, a beautiful cycle begins. Trusting the Lord makes obedience easier, and obedience produces ever-increasing trust. Can you recall facing a challenge that was difficult or perplexing? If so, you know how important these two commands are.
When the Lord calls you to a task that seems unreasonable, you have two options. You can obey Him even though you don't understand what will happen, or you can become fearful and attempt to find a way out. Joshua chose the first option. Because he trusted the Lord, he disregarded all his military experience and adopted God's bizarre battle plan. Over the years, he had learned that the Lord is trustworthy.
The way we respond to God's challenging assignments reveals our level of commitment. We may feel as if we're right in step with Him--until He proposes a change of direction. That's when our resistance kicks in, and with it, the realization we aren't as close to Him as we thought. At that point, our decision determines whether the Lord will be able to use us as He desires. Because Joshua never lost his commitment, he continued to serve the Lord for the remainder of his life.
At times obedience is a struggle, as your mind runs through all the reasons God's path is illogical. Fear dominates and your will battles to comply when everything within is screaming to run the other way. But obedience is always the best choice, because the Lord is trustworthy and wise.
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