Spiritual Drift. Fight this with the Holy Spirit Characteristic of Steadfastness

Hello again.  It seems ages since I have had the opportunity to share my thoughts here.  But, I had to spend my writing time preparing other lessons of late.  In fact, as I return here, I would like to share a portion of this work this week.  I would like to discuss an issue we all have confronted, but didn't know what to call it.  So, get your coffee, settle in, and let's see where this goes.  The lesson started like this; 

 

There is a buzzword that I’ve heard recently. It’s “spiritual drift”. The meaning is self-evident in that the concept of a drift is an object that moves left or right due to an external force of some kind.  Of course this is a metaphor I speak of.  The object is that part of us that is of a more sensative nature, our ability to choose, comprehend, embrace and hold dear...or not!  It is our spiritual being.

 

Pertaining to “spiritual drift” the issue may be one or many; complacency, displacement of values, changes in behavior, a significant loss, changes in circumstances without a good Godly grounding. Sometimes drift may be from simply being tired.

 

The point is as we live our lives, any number of things may draw us away from God. Once recognized, many times a Christian has no real answers as to why they drifted in their lives happened; they just know that God is not prevalent or powerfully witnessed any longer. So, the question often asked is what now. 

 

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.  Philippians 1:27 

 

The Holy Spirit characteristic of steadfastness can help here.  Consider Jesus during His 40 day fast, one strength Christ had was He was in one mind with God His father. See, God wants us to be of "one mind". What's that mean really? Does it mean that all Christians need to be of the same denomination, or of the same "creed" so to speak? Does it mean that I must believe the same as my parents, or my pastor at church? Simply put, to be of one mind is to think as Christ thinks! We are told that he had the mind of God, so we should have the mind of Christ!

 

 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:8-9

 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:5

 

The second point is we must be willing to continue in God's will.  Again, notice how Christ communicates to His Father in the garden not far from the upper room He and his disciples had the last supper.  As life happens, we have the tendency to allow external forces push us, bend us, sway us from our point of center to near our breaking point.  But, notice how Christ communicates with God.

 

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. , And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  Luke 22:41-44 

 

Some of us actually do break and we find ourselves loose in the sea of life with no apparent safe harbor to seek shelter for repairs. It is at these times when our faith can be irrevocably damaged if it weren't for God's loving grace to send to us a help mate, and fill us with Steadfastness.  Steadfastness can be thought of as our mooring to God.  It keeps us!

 

Third;  study God's Word.  To have the mind of Christ is to know what He knew.  We covered this aspect in the Workmanship and Knowledge studies previously.  How far would a Soldier get if the Drill instructors just handed them a weapon and said, "go kill the bad guys"?  How would they know who the bad guys are, where they are, what tactics they use?  How would the new Soldier fight before he or she was trained in warfare, weapons and tactics?  To be successful in anything, we must first put our minds to it, be sold out, and focused.  We must learn, train, understand!
 

Our anchor is Christ! His Word should be our moorings, and His Spirit is; our strength, our hope, our faith, assurance, this will build resolve, and embolden Godly steadfastness. Strong's Concordance defines steadfastness as to set, to fix as in to place or keep from moving, to establish. The picture is that sense of firmness in what we stand for. Our countenance, our demeanor is established in a firm resolve to draw the line in the sand, to not be moved. It seems to me that the characteristic of steadfastness is the backbone of commitment. You can hear it in Joshua's tone, feel it as you read his words...

 

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  Joshua 24:15

 

You see, Spiritual Drift may seem to be a new term, but the concept is not new at all.  Even Joshua had to battle this issue.  Even after all that God had shown the Israelites from the time of captivity in Egypt to the occupation of the promised land, Joshua still had to draw the line in the sand for himself, and for those he led.  It is no small task, and not to be considered just another cliche. This is what the Christian talking heads are call being intentional in your walk with Christ.  

 

But Bob, that's the problem, I am in a spiritual drift situation!  I need help to make a course correction.  ABSOLUTELY correct!  The answer is much simpler that maybe we want to hear.  It's just getting back to basics; re-dedication, prayer and study.  That's it.  Spiritual drift is, in a nutshell, a motivational thing, a mental thing.  We made bad choices, we gave up, we forgot, we, we, we!  Stop focusing on the bad stuff and remember the good stuff!  Ask forgiveness, and get back to the basics!

Self Condemnation

My sleep is gone, my heart is full of sorrow
I cant believe how much I've let you down
I dread the pain that waits for me tomorrow
When the sun reveals my broken dreams scattered on the ground

Please forgive me
I need your grace to make it through
All I have is you, I'm at your mercy
Lord, I'll serve you
Until my dying day
I’ll help others find the way
I’m at your mercy, please forgive me

 Jason Crabb

I am breaking from my normal routine this week because I want to discuss an issue that is deeply troubling in my heart.  I don't know if you have ever experienced this issue, but I bet you have.  Let me ask you a question.  Have you ever felt discouraged by your own actions spurred into action by a perceived judgment against you?  I have. 

We deal with folks in a real way that hurt us, or cause physical or emotional distress far too often, I know.  But I am talking about how we feel about our own reaction to this treatment.  I may not have a lot of scriptural references this week if that's ok.  I feel the urge to just share my heart.  Indulge me as I discuss the problem of Self Condemnation this week.

The issue with Self Condemnation:

Anyone who knows me knows how sensitive I can be.  I have made small, insignificant scenarios into epic events all because of my perception of the situation.  Did you know that our perceptions cause a very high percentage of our problems?  It is true enough to be recorded in the Bible.  Consider the Psalmist words;

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked [for some] to take pity, but [there was] none; and for comforters, but I found none. Psalms 69:20

David had a heavy heart, due to the situation.   It appears he felt he was being treated unfairly, and found no comfort from others in his situation. He believed that everyone was against him.  He prayed that those that wait on the Lord be not negatively affected because of him.  I have intimate knowledge of this type of guilt.  Whether it is only assumed on my part, or honestly deserved, it is a struggle of mine for all my perceived life.  

As Jason Crabb sings the song listed above, it reminds me all too well that my shame for letting my loved ones down is sometimes unbearable.  It is hard to show Christ to another when pride and arrogance is present.  What causes this type of feeling that keeps us down?  We all know this feeling all too well.  

What happens when we get hurt?  More often than not we pound our chest and fight back.  We get that attitude of "how dare you treat me this way".  When this attitude is being developed we often respond in a very poor manner.  The cycle continues to spiral out of control disappointment of one's self. We may experience depression and then self condemnation.  We often come full circle at that point to ask "why did I act like that...why did I say those things?  I will never be able to fix this...I am too embarrassed to deal with it."  

There is even a worse scenario for me.  I often "perceive" that I had been slighted in some way.   More often than not the other person has no earthly idea what he or she had done.  In fact there may not have been anything they had done, just my perception that they did.  This is worse for me because I typically burn the bridge I just ran across to get away. Then I judge myself far more harshly because I have in fact caused an offense...and for what?  For nothing!

Colson Whitehead, author and commentator once wrote; “We never see other people anyway, only the monsters we make of them.”  It speaks of our perceptions of how people are in our minds.  If we view them outside of the view of Christ, we see a different person, don't we?  Conversely, Dr. Wayne Dyer, an inspirational speaker and author wrote; “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”   

These two writers are saying the same thing, but are coming at the issue with two distinct different viewpoints.  These are not new problems, yet they are very real.  As an old saying goes, "perception is reality".  The problem with perception is if we don't know better, we think the worst.

Paul, while discussing with Timothy some of the finer points of being a minister for Christ made a very astute observation. In his letter he suggests that one that becomes a victim of pride will ultimately fall into condemnation.

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1Timothy 3:6

For those of you that are very cautious of pulling scripture out of context as I am, you may be thinking "this doesn't fit the topic".  Well, yes it does.  Since we are all ministers of Christ, we are encouraged to follow the tenets of Christ as such.  The point that Paul was trying to make was to not get so full of ourselves that we condemn ourselves through foolish pride.  Pride is the common denominator here.  See, typically when we feel slighted, we set a judgment line. That judgment line is based on our perception of things.  This is a very old trick, packaged in a very clever way.

How about this one:  Do you have a particular sin that you have struggled with your entire life.  Maybe it's one that you've prayed over, cast out, shook your Christ-like fist at...and yet there it is still.  How the hell does it still work in our life?   I got a few of those, just like everyone else.  And, every time I commit one of those stinking sins, it kicks me in my spiritual teeth.  It's like I have no power over it.  It causes me to question my spiritual integrity...big time.  This is not a new issue either.   Paul wrote of his experience in this matter:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2Corinthians 12:7-9

The Importance of Forgiveness:

The end result is we feel guilt, depression, condemnation.  We often have had some break in relationships, and this has placed new strains in our daily lives.  And now, we feel despair, wondering how we can ever repair the damage in the wake of our embarrassing actions.  Often we feel the urge to run from the problem.  But that never works does it, because the problem is a real part of us isn't it?  We get to that point where the Holy Spirit becomes of no effect in our lives due to being choked out.  This is the point where we need to honestly re-evaluate our condition and seek the Lord for strength, guidance, mercy and most of all forgiveness.  

We need forgiveness, and only Christ can facilitate this for us as He is the giver of life.  We need to forgive ourselves first.  We need to recognize that we truly are just human, that mistakes are made.  The important thing is to learn what button was pushed to start us on this rollercoaster of feelings.  If we can identify the trigger that set us off, we will then be able to more readily stop the over reaction the next time that trigger is pulled.  

It seems that evil spirits work in patterns.  They understand that we are creatures of habit, that certain things get under our skin, and they make use of that knowledge about us.  The game changer is the Grace of God, and the Righteousness of Christ.  Jason Crabb continues the song his dad wrote in the 2nd stanza with these words;

"I cant believe the God of earth and glory

would take the time to care for one like me

but I read in the bible that old story

how He plead for my forgiveness while He was dying on a tree"

When we allow the devil to affect us as was described above, of the misconception, the over reaction, the hurt that followed and the guilt...all that allowed an evil spirit to work in us, quench the Holy Spirit and kept God from being able to be glorified in us.  We committed sin.  I bet I know what you are thinking.  Bob, we were the ones hurt, spurned, rejected.  Well, maybe, but how did we respond to the situation.  This is where ungodly thoughts arise.  This is the point where forgiveness is needed.  Not for God's best interest, but for ours.  This is where we can begin to heal.

Beloved, if you are still reading at this point, thank you.  It means alot to me.  I hope we can all become better at defeating evil wherever it is...within us or around us, no matter.   Some of the characteristics of God's Holy Spirit that will be active in us, to battle for us will be grace, assurance, mercy, and righteousness.  Discernment wisdom and understanding will be important to deal with future battles.  Love and long-suffering will always be needed.  This is what is called becoming perfected.  The more we know, the more we practice, the more mature and complete we become in Christ.

Paul continued to write about this infirmity of his.  He said;

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  2Corithians 12:10

Let's pray this week that each of us will be convicted of past hurts and self condemnation.  If we can begin to deal with our self guilt and the things that set us off, we then can begin to be a better minister for Christ.

Here are a few verses to consider for this week's personal devotion time.

Acts 26:15, 16                       Matthew 6:14, 15
Mark 11:25, 26                      2Corintheans 2:10
Romans 8:1                           2Corintheans 3:2
Titus 1:15-17

Workmanship

"For me, it's not the absence of knowledge; but failure to properly apply that which I already know. I guess I need the Spirit's help on that".

Robert S.

Robert is a close and valued friend of mine.  His comment on the study of Knowledge last week struck a chord with me.  This is in fact a big issue for most of us.  Imagine for a moment if we could all make use of all the Godly learning we have received in our lifetime.  We could literally change the world.  Well, God understands this as well.  In fact, the idea began with Him.  He calls this characteristic "Workmanship".  So, to Robert, and  the rest of us, let us scratch the surface of this wonderful asset God has made available to us.

The Importance of Workmanship:

Most folks when confronted with the word "workmanship" would immediately think of craftsmanship, skilled abilities, or someone that is a hard and efficient worker.  In fact the Bible reflects this exact idea as well.  

And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, [even they shall be with thee] for all the service of the house of God: and [there shall be] with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people [will be] wholly at thy commandment.  1Chronicles 28:21

God, speaking of Lucifer before the fall described him in this way;

Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.  Ezekiel 28:13 

  
God tells us that Lucifer was a creature of wondrous beauty, of immense talent and an amazing musician.  A cherub of the highest degree.  Yes, Lucifer was an amazing example of the Holy Spirit of Workmanship.  But workmanship doesn't start with the hands.  It starts with the heart.  It is a condition that is grown in one's self by the filling of God's Holy Spirit, as is described in Exodus;

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.  Exodus 31:3

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;  Exodus 35:31

The Old Testament gives us an awesome understanding of His wondrous works by physical examples.  Workmanship is but one example of this.  As with the craftsmen in Exodus, and Lucifer described in Ezekiel, God has created His most magnificent work in us through Christ.  Paul explains it this way;

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

See, here's the deal.  God fills us with His Holy Spirit of Workmanship to be useable for Him.  Of all the verses on workmanship, it is always connected to someone in service of Him.  When God inspires Paul to write those words in Ephesians, He is talking of the work He is doing in us by His Son, Jesus.  This is why our salvation is not of Our work, but of His work in us.  

The next point can't be overstated.  The reason we are a work by God in Christ is to give us what we need to be a participant of good works.  In other words we are a beautiful work by the hands of God and are expected to be Christ-like and continue in His good works as well.  We need to be that skilled workman, not of brass, gold and wood, but of love, joy, peace, forgiveness, patience, etc.  Isn't that cool.  We are called to be professional, skilled laborers for God!

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine [shewing] uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity  Titus 2:7

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;)   And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.  Hebrews 10:22-24

I must reiterate here that the works we do are not unto salvation, but because of salvation.  It is not of ourselves, but of Christ within us.  As Paul writes:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

The practical use of Workmanship:

So, we are a product of good works done by God.  How do we "provoke unto love and to good works"?  One way is to study God's Word as was mentioned last week!

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.   2Timothy 2:15

But Bob, I thought we were going to learn how workmanship was to help us become more knowledgeable?   Well we are.  As you learn of workmanship, and how God shows us the physical example in the Old Testament of skilled craftsmen compare to how God is crafting a good work in us by the skilled hands of Christ Jesus, we become more knowledgeable, and we become a product of good works!  You see, God's concept of becoming perfected is a little at a time, here a little, there a little;

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.  For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:  Isaiah 28:9-10

The idea that we can become like Christ in a matter of a minute of prayer isn't realistic.  We become perfected in time.  We are protected by the righteousness of Christ, received by faith through Grace.  And this by hearing, not just an audible act, but by active listening, and believing...thus learning.  When we learn, we then act on the information...good works!  See how this works?  As we "work" God's words within us, we then become more proficient with the knowledge He has given us. 

For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.   Hebrews 5:13-14

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  James 1:25

So, the beauty of workmanship doesn't stop with a spiritual aspect, it begins there.  It then permeates our entire being of becoming more proficient in our daily work, or relationships, in the activities we love to do, and the activities we do to get by.  You see, God loves us and wants us to be as good as we can be in all aspects of our life.  

Want to be more organized?  Pray for workmanship.  Want to be more efficient at work?  Pray for workmanship.  Want to be able to be better understood, to be more articulate, to be more precise?  Pray for workmanship.  Do you want to be a better minister for God?  Workmanship is the answer.

This is by no means the ultimate study on workmanship, but just a glimpse on how it can help.  Now the challenge.  To be a workman, and to show thyself approved, work that which God has given you.  Don't try to do all things at once...here a little, there a little.  Keep in mind that God wants you to succeed.  He will give you what you need.  That is what the comforter is for!

But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  John 14:26

May God fill you with the Holy Spirit characteristic of workmanship this week.  Now get out there and do good works!  Here's a few verses to consider for daily devotions.

James 1:26                        John 14:10

Galatians 3:5                     Psalm 40:5

Galatians 2:16                   Titus 3:5-8

Hebrews 9:14                    Romans 1:20

Knowledge is Power

"Many Christians remain in bondage to fears and anxieties simply because they do not avail themselves of the Discipline of study.  They may be faithful in church attendance and earnest in fulfilling their religious duties, and still they are not changed...They may sing with gusto, pray in the Spirit, live as obediently as they know, even receive divine visions and revelations, and yet the tenor of their lives remains unchanged.  Why?  Because they have never taken up one of the central ways God uses to change us:  study....Good feelings will not free us.  Ecstatic experiences will not free us.  Getting "high" on Jesus will not free us.  Without a knowledge of the truth, we will not be free".

Celebration of Discipline, Page 62-63,  Richard J. Foster

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  John 8:31-32.

Beloved, it can't be overstated that knowledge in the Word of God and the workings of the Holy Spirit is imperative to be a successful Christian today.  Throughout these lessons, I've emphasized the importance of each Characteristic of God's Holy Spirit as an integral part of becoming perfected in Christ.  The fact of the matter is, each one of these characteristics have an immense amount of importance.  The Holy Spirit of Knowledge is one of the biggies.

The Importance of Knowledge:

In the verse above, Christ was trying to express that those who believed in Him should learn of His words, live by His words and to be intimately knowledgeable of His teachings.  The word  "know" here is the Greek word "ginosko", which suggests to perceive, understand and to know in an intimate way as one might "know" their spouse.  This is much stronger than just an awareness of Christ.  He was telling them they need an intimate knowledge of Him, and this knowledge would "make them free".

This is the concept that Dr. Fosters is expressing in his 5th chapter on study.  He quotes Romans 12:1-2 as his emphasis on the fact that to "know" the scriptures is to be transformed within the mind.  This is a very common thread of teaching in the Bible.  The Israelites were commanded to write God's laws on the doorposts and on the lentils of their homes, and to bind them on their hands so as to have them always in the forefront of their minds as they went about their daily work.

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:  Deuteronomy 11:18-20

This particular passage was connected to a promise from God to His people.  If they would keep His commandments, He would drive out the other nations and give His people the land as their own.  We have the same promise.  Christ offers us the promise land as well, and it starts when we ask Him into our hearts, allow Him to be Lord.  But, as we continue to learn of Him and His word, he will drive out the ungodly thoughts from our minds and give us a "land of plenty" as well.  But we are to get to know Him as He stated in John 8 above.  

Let us not get confused here.  We are sealed with the promise of Heaven by His grace through faith at the time of salvation.  I am speaking of the fertile ground within our minds, as we live here on earth today(Luke 8:5-15 )(Matthew 13:22).  Christ wants to plant His word within us as a sower sows a field unto harvest.  Our minds, this fertile ground,will bring forth the fruit of His harvest within us by way of Love, Faith, Joy, Gentleness, Longsuffering, Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding, Peace, Mercy, and so on.  Thus becoming truly free!

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  James 3:17-18

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

James expresses it this way, that God "begat" us by His own will, through His word of Truth, we should put away from us our old man ways of thinking, and replace it with godly things.

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures...Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  James 1:18,21-22)

The message time and again is we should be knowledgeable of His Word and Spirit. When Christ came onto the scene, he raised the bar, the standard of things.  Instead of writing God's word on our doorposts, lentils and binding them to our hands, we are to "write" them in the fleshy tablets of our hearts, to "engraft" it into our minds, so as to make the Word of God a permanent part of our beings.  The Holy Spirit characteristic of Knowledge is a big one, and Christ was full of knowledge.

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;  Isaiah 11:2

The Practical Application of Knowledge:

Knowledge is key to fight deceiving spirits.  It will also help us organize our thoughts.  With these two benefits, we will be a formidable warrior during times of temptation.  We can also be ready to give an answer when we are asked.  Just as when the eunuch asked asked Phillip what the scriptures meant, and Phillip was able to give an answer, then share the gospel with him (Acts 8:29-35), so are we called to be able to give an answer when given the opportunity.

To be Christ like, we must have the Word of God en-grafted within us.  We can use this knowledge to guide our thoughts, our actions.  Knowledge works hand in hand with wisdom and understanding to complete the ability to choose the right decisions.  There's an old cliche' "knowledge is power".  This is definitely true with the Word of God.  As Christ used scripture to battle Satan in the desert, we too will achieve victory over the evil one as we use scripture to base our responses with during our day to day activities.

Let us keep this old cliche' in mind as well, "with great power comes great responsibility".  God expects us to be responsible with what He gives us.  Let us use His word and Spirit with fear and respect.  To do otherwise would be to work against all that God had intended.  I want to challenge each of us this week to go back through the previous posts. Pick one and really dig in deep.  

Use resources to check my references, pray over what was written, and discern what is being said.  Write in your journals as ideas come.  There are several ways to study and retain information.  It appears that repetition works best for me.  Use this time as a different time from your devotional time.  Devotion time is for ruminating or meditation on a thought or scripture! Study is for excavating the scriptures for specific truths! 

May God fill you with Knowledge this week!  Here are some verses to consider for your devotional time.

Isaiah 11:2                          Proverbs 17:27
James 1:22-25                    Galatians 4:3-7
Phillipians 4:8,9                 Ephesians 1:17,18
1John 2:3-5                        1John 5:20

Joyful Obedience? Really?

For the last three weeks I've given this issue of obedience much thought. And, I am going to do something a bit different, I am going to start this blog with my conclusion this week. One other disclaimer, this post may seem a bit negative, but hold on, because there is a happy ending. 

First, I have concluded that we as Christians today really, really suck at following Christ. We say the right words, we do some of the right things. We read some of the right material. But we are not following Christ! We don't spend time with Him, yet we expect Him to bless us daily. We expect Christ to come to us, yet we are unwilling to go to Him.

Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. (Psalm 86:3)

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. (Proverbs 8:33,34)

We think sin is just some sort of fairytale. We don't take seriously what it does to those around us. We have become so hard in our hearts on this very thought...I am forgiven, so what difference does it make for me to do this or think that! Our Relationship experience with God doesn't stop at the alter, it begins there. We are to continue in the walk with Jesus.  To continue in wanton sin as if we are fireproof...well it is denying any chance for God to work in us. TRAGIC!

We recognize that sin is a tough thing to kill and get rid of, so we don't try. This "defeatist" attitude is not of God. The biggest tragedy is we set a very poor example to those who don't know Christ. This very point may kill any chance for others to come to a saving knowledge of Christ!

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:1,2)

And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.(Luke 9:23)

We tend to use our faith to control others or the situation we find ourselves in. We use scripture to prove others wrong, to argue religion. We abuse the scripture to form our intended message instead of God's message. This can harm so many in so many ways. Where is the love? We are not to use the beloved Word of God as a stick, but as a sword...to discern, defend and protect!

For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 

Husbands are not to "rule" over their wives, they are to love them as Christ loves the church! And, how did He love the church? to the point of sacrifice! We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that we should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1Peter 2:9).

We need to stop "playing church" and start living out the kingdom of Heaven that God is building in us. We are commanded to love each other, to be patient with one another, to be kind to one another. We are commanded to know the Word of God, and to live the life each moment as He has described in His book.

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ ( Philippians 1:9-10)
 
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile (1Peter 3:10)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:17-18)

Many years ago a pastor named Charles Sheldon wrote a book and shared it with his members. His entire premise was simple. He wrote these words...

"The greatest question in all of human life is summed up when we ask, 'What would Jesus do?', if as we ask it, we also try to answer it  from a growth in knowledge of Jesus Himself.  We must know Jesus before we can imitate Him."   
In His Steps Page 146-147

This book was mandatory reading for me in College, and I'm glad I read it. I just read it through again this week. It reminded me that obedience to Christ is more than a feeling during an invitation to accept Christ as my savior. Obedience is more than grudgingly cleaning our house, or doing the dishes, or giving a family member a ride, or picking up groceries from the store on the way home. It is more than accepting to be a greeter at church, or work in the nursery, or teach a bible study. Obedience is more than doing what you need to at work to punch the clock, or to vote on election day, or throwing money at a social need.

Obedience is more than just doing what you know you need to do. Obedience is an active word, to hear, and to act with heart and conviction. To be the warrior following your Captain, trusting Him to lead you into the battle and back out with victory. We need knowledge to properly obey (2Corintheans 10:5). We need faith to properly obey (Romans 16:26). We need love to properly obey (Deuteronomy 30:20)(Hebrews 6:10). We need conviction to properly obey. And, when we have these things, obedience is in fact a joyful thing. As we practice obedience, we realize that Christ is Lord, the Beginning and the End. He is the one that is worthy of our honor and praise and all the glory we can muster!

To be obedient means we love Christ so much for all He has done for us that we are afraid of letting Him down, that we reverence Him to the point of sacrifice of comfort, momentary pleasures and we don't act out of some form of duty as much as we act out of a thankful heart and a joyful spirit. If we truly meant it when we prayed "Jesus, come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior" then why do we act as we do...or a better question, why don't we act as our Lord would expect us to?

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:1-3

Is this just a suggestion? Are we to believe that this is just some sort of "pie in the sky" idealism that really can't be obtained? While discussing Matthew 5:48 with one of my students a couple of weeks ago, he raised this question. I told him that if we think of the verse "Be ye holy as your Father which is in Heaven is holy" as just a suggestion, then we have failed as Christians. 

This type of mentality of considering this commandment of Jesus to be a "suggestion" isn't what God expects of us. He expects us to act as one of His children, to be faithful to Him, to trust Him to complete the work He has started in us.

There will be times when we just go through the motions due to a lack of interest, or motivation. But those are the times that Christ carries us through the battle. Even in those times, which is done simply out of discipline, and maybe nothing else, we can experience victory, which will strengthen our faith, our resolve. 

These are the valleys we experience during our travels. But, if you find yourself in this valley for a long time, maybe it's time to re-evaluate your walk with Christ, seek guidance, start afresh your daily devotions, get involved with Church. And join a Bible study group outside of Sunday morning.

The Practical Application of Obedience:

We must seek Christ's leading in the Scriptures and prayer. This can no longer be a suggestion! This has to happen daily if not constantly. We cannot expect God to continue to bless and protect us when we are not willing to get to know how He would have us defend ourselves with His word and Spirit. We no longer have the luxury of "everyone else does it this way" mentality. God has given us specific marching orders. We either obey them or we don't.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. Romans 6:12,13

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.   Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:14,15,37)

I'm going to make an open invitation. If any of you that read this blog don't know where to turn to get involved in a weekly Bible study, and you are interested in being a part of one, I can either help direct you to a Bible study, or we will start one ourselves.  There is no reason to not start to get to know our Lord and Savior right away.
 
There is so much more to this topic that I desire to share, but I must end it here for now. My prayer for you this week is to be full of God's loving Spirit. May God richly bless you this week. May you endure with joy, be obedient to Christ for He is very much faithful towards you.

Let's get Angry and get the Hell out!

The congregation parted like the Red Sea
When that old drunk stumbled in down the aisle 

And took a seat
Right in the middle of Amazing Grace
He could feel the judgment they were passing
Thought to himself "Ain't that just how some folks acting”
He'd rather be on the street than in this place
And with tears on his face
Well, he's got problems nobody wants a part of
When he got up and slipped out nobody stood up
They don't wanna make a scene
So they let him walk outta there without a prayer
You'd think somebody would put their arm around him
You'd think somebody would hit a knee
Pull him in, say a prayer
That's what I'm talking ‘bout right there
You'd think somebody would practice what they're preachin'
Well, I wonder who that somebody could be
Prob'ly somebody like me

 Somebody like me

 by Jason Crabb 

I was inspired by a Facebook post by a friend of mine today.  It brought to mind a lesson I don't think we hear enough.  We, as a society, have a tendency to judge an individual for the actions they do, and sometimes...many times...what we think they do.  But let's think about this for a minute.  If God responded to us whenever we did something wrong the way we do to each other, well, there would be no grace...no love...no forgiveness.  We need to point our anger towards the right target.  That target is Satan, and the sin he encourages us to commit, not the person or ourselves.  Let's break it down.

The Importance of Holy Anger:

As with anything spiritual, there are two types of anger; unholy anger  and God's holy anger.  Unholy anger is what we feel when we judge ourselves or another with condemnation.  I have extensive experience with this type of anger.  I get angry with stupidity, with politics, with idiots on the highway, with myself when I make mistakes...over and over again.  This type of anger has no mercy, no love, no forgiveness.  It is this type of anger that sets a judgement line that cannot be erased, that is without the grace of God.  Let's face it, each individual determines their course of action, and many times it includes thoughtless, careless and meaningless results.  Right?

Take the song above by Jason Crabb.  This is a story about a drunk that stumbles into a church while Amazing Grace is being sung, but instead of accepting him as a child of God, the congregation shuns him, causing even more hurt, resentment, and finally judgement.  We all do this in one way or another.  We see things we don't agree with and immediately judge it with the wrong spirit.

But holy anger comes at the problem from a different angle.  Holy anger sees the root of the problem and deals with it right there(John 3:36).  Now, don't miss this!  The Holy Spirit Characteristic of Anger fixes it's sights on the sin, not the person.  He has done everything to help us see Him and believe (Romans 1:20).  God hates the sin within us, not us.  You see, God's Holy Spirit, or that inner man that we've been learning about, sets a hedge of protection around our hearts like layers of an onion (1Thessalonians 4:8)(Romans 8:26-28).   

God's righteousness shows us what is sin and Anger gives us a healthy hatred of sin.  Faith gives us the opportunity to experience grace (Ephesians 2:8).  Love is the impetus for grace (Romans 5:8).  Love is the motivation for all God's actions towards us, which in turn gives us the ability to be experience joy.    Joy gives us the ability to experience patience and peace (James 1:3,4), which in turn gives us hope.  Hope gives us a future to look forward to sealed by promise.

But all of this has the potential to trip us up if we use our anger with the wrong spirit driving it.  That's when we get sideways (Matthew 5:21,22).  Holy anger recognizes that the soul is precious, that God is to judge, and God alone (Matthew 7:1-5).  But, we can be angry at the sin, and the evil spirit that encouraged it.  James tells us that sin begins with the thought.  Christ says the same thing, using adultery as an example (Matthew 5:27,28).  Christ goes on to explain that our minds are a temple of God, that Satan tries to sit in that temple to nudge God out.  

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  1Corintheans 3:16

Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  2Thessalonians 2:3,4

It is an old battle that Satan has been waging with God since before time began for us on earth.  Satan wants to be God so bad that he was cast out of Heaven for it.  Now, he is the ruler of this world.  His only move at this point is to be the god of our minds, to rule over our lives here.  But, God has devised a way for Satan to be cast out of this world as well, by sending His Son, Jesus, to be the propitiation for our sins (1John 4:10), and cast Satan out once and for all!  

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.  

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.   Romans 5:21-6:7  

The Practical application of Anger

We should be angry at sin as Christ is angry at sin, because it is sin that separates us from God.  But, once we accept Jesus into our hearts, sin holds no sway on us any longer.  This is why we should be angry when sin is able to work in us.  We may be the reason why another soul doesn't follow Christ.  We must hate sin enough to want to truly get rid of it, to keep it from working out of us, especially towards others.  

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with [his] hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:26-32

When we see sin working in others, our immediate response should be to pray for them (Matthew 5:44), and to pray for ourselves as well (Matthew 26:41)!  We should pray that we will not act out in contradiction to God's Holy Spirit and His Word.  We have to be the light on that hill.  As joint heirs with Christ, we are responsible for being an example of Christ and His word and Spirit...all of it.  Love, Mercy, Longsuffering, Grace, Peace, Patience, Faith, Joy, Wisdom, Counsel, Might, Kindness, and so on.  To practice all this, we must recognize sin for what it is, and stop it from working! 

This is the crux of being a Spiritual Warrior!  I hate judging, selfish, lazy, non-caring and abusive spirits.  They are all killers and need to be dealt with in a Godly way...and with persistence!  But, this is a key point, because God's love corrects a believer in Christ, it never condemns the believer (Hebrews 12:5-11).  But, God's holy anger will condemn sin, and without Christ's protective covering of righteousness, a person will certainly be condemned to death (John 3:23).  Since we are not God we must not condemn either.  

We do not know the spiritual condition of another person as God does.  It is His job, and His alone, to judge another person.  Having said that, we must then treat all persons as a child of God, with loving correction, not condemnation!  We can certainly hate the sin, and the spirit behind the sin, but we are called to love the soul.  

Here's our homework for the week.  Let's practice being loving towards others by using kind, non-judgmental words when speaking to others.  Also, if necessary, be firm in corrections with our children, but lovingly firm.  This is not a license to beat them over the head, but to lovingly correct them.  Correction is a way we can express what is important to God, without condemnation.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:11

Remember, God loves us, and will do whatever it takes to get our attention back on Him.  May you be angry with the sin in your life this week, and filled with wisdom, understanding and mercy, always acting in love when dealing with that ugly barrier called sin.  Here are a few scripture to consider for our personal quiet time this week.

Psalms 30:5                       Joel 2:13
Mark 3:1-6                        Ephesians 4:31
Colossians 3:8                   Colossians 3:16-21
1Thessalonians 3:12

Wise as Serpents, but harmless as doves!

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.    Matthew 10:16

What an interesting directive Christ gives His disciples as He sends them out to minister.  The second part of the verse, to be harmless as doves is to be expected, right?  We are all called to be loving, peaceable, patient, kind, blah blah blah.  

I know what you are thinking.  Blah blah blah isn't good writing...haha.  Sorry, I felt I had to catch your attention for a minute, because Christ never called any of us to be a bunch of wimps. But we are called to be consistent with His character.  So, let's break this down, and see what we see!

Wise in this verse connotes a sense of skill or expertise.  It comes from the Greek word sophos and is synominous with words like
"intelligent", or one who can put things together, who has insight and comprehension, and "prudent", or primarily one who has quick and correct perceptions, hence, "discreet or being circumspect.

But, Jesus felt it important to give them an example of the "wise" He was referring to.  Jesus said to be wise as "serpents".  But, He didn't use any word.  He used the greek word "ophis" a masculine noun that is also used in Genesis chapter 3, the serpent that beguiled Eve.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2Corintheans 11:3
 
This is also the same word Jesus used in Matthew against the Pharisees;

[Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Matthew 23:33

The Serpent:

So, here's a question.  Why were the disciples being told to be like serpents, like the pharisees, like the devil?  Jesus did not want the disciples to be "like" those unrighteous individuals, but to be "wise" or well thought out, cunning, careful, and mostly "deliberate" as the devil and the pharisees.  We can say alot of nasty things about both parties, and it would all be true.  But you can't say that they weren't tenacious, aggressive, relentless and used all their extensive knowledge to their advantage.

The Devil, Satan, that old dragon were all names given to him by the scriptures. But he was also named Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12), son of the morning, shining one, angel of light (2 Corintheans 11:14). Some would even argue that the devil was referred to as the King of Tyrus in Ezekial 28.

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.  Ezekiel 28:12-15

Lucifer was perfect, wise, and beautiful.  He knew God's laws and was an example for all other angels to follow.  That is, until he tried to make himself god and was cast off the Holy Mountain(Heaven).  Jesus is encouraging us to be well thought out, articulate, spiritually beautiful (Romans 10:15), perfect (Matthew 5:48), and wise (Proverbs 4:5,7)!  

The Devil was persistent.  He entered into the presence of the Lord  often.  If we read Job, it says he presented himself with the sons of God many times(Job 1).  Consider the temptation of  Christ (Matthew 4).  The Devil used wise words to twist the truth.  He quoted scripture.  But, Christ quoted scripture also, but in the proper context.  

What's this say to us?  We should approach the Lord often.  We should learn the Word, and learn it well.  We should pursue spiritual perfection, meaning becoming spiritually complete, mature .  In other words, we should seek wisdom, understanding, and all the other characteristics of the Holy Spirit!  Satan was perfect before he was cast out of Heaven.  I promise you, he knows God's word, and how to twist it, and he knows how to "look" kind, merciful, loving and all the rest.  We need to know the true God, so we can catch the counterfeit!  This is the meaning of being wise as a serpent!

The Dove

Yes, we are to be every bit as wise as a serpent...but harmless as doves as well. We are to not be a stumbling block.  We are not to live a sinful life.  We are to bring life to those that need it by sharing the gospel of Christ.


Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently: 1Peter 1:22

Let's consider the dove for a moment. of the 10 times that "dove" is mentioned in the New Testament, 5 of the times they were mentioned as a fowl of sacrifice, and 4 times it is mentioned as a form of the Holy Spirit.  This tells me one thing in a loud and clear way.  The dove pictures service to God Almighty, and one that pleases Him.  We are to be the same way, to have a servant's heart, and to be willing to sacrifice ourselves for God's sake.  Paul wrote:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 

Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;  With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free. Ephesians 6:5-8

Practical Application of being Wise:

We get tangled up in all sorts of  issues in our daily lives.  We are bombarded with stuff that knock us down, if we let it.  The purpose of the Holy Spirit characteristic of wisdom is to have the ability to make the right choices.  As we face spiritual battles, we will have Godly guidance. We can win these battles with some wisdom.  How do we respond when someone gets in our face?  What do we do when we are judged unfairly?  What is the appropriate response when our teen points a finger at us, and makes demands, or says hurtful things?  Do we take that new job?

There are so many scenarios we could consider, but the main point is Godly wisdom can help here.  Wisdom will tell us to be calm, stay firm, ask forgiveness, or seek counsel.  Wisdom will give us direction, help with what to say, and when to say it.  Sometimes the wisest thing to do is nothing at all.  But, be careful, lest we believe we came to these answers on our own, thinking we are all that!  

We always need to give God the credit when we make that Godly wise choice.  Also, remember, sometimes that Godly choice is not always the easy choice to make.  As a close friend of mine says, "always choose the hard right over the easy wrong"!  Let us pray for wisdom again this week.  Write in your journals those times you needed wisdom, and how you responded to the situation.  Here are some verses to consider for our personal quiet time this week.

Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work. 

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  James 3:13-18

Isaiah 11:2                    Romans 11:3
1Corinthians 1:30        1Corintians 2:6,7
1Corintians 2:12-16     Colossians 1:9
Colossians 3:16