The Moth in the Closet

Paul pleads with us to remember that there is a war of conformity going on in this world. The world is constantly trying to convince us that worshiping God, surrendering our bodies to be used to serve Him (self-control), is a waste of time--pointless; a misguided sacrifice. Their point of attack is our mind--our thinking. They know if they can just change our assumptions about what is good, what is acceptable, what pleases or displeases God, what is sin, that our actions will soon demonstrate that change of mind. They do not tell us to do certain things; they just convince us that doing certain things are not evil, not displeasing to God. Once we believe that the darkness is light, we surrender our bodies to the things the world loves that God hates--the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, the pride of life--the pride that boasts of its freedom to do as it pleases. Those, of course, are the things our Savior died to free us from being enslaved to. The mercies of God that He has lavished on His children enable them to be free to worship Him with their bodies--to be that living sacrifice acceptable and pleasing in His sight. We must be constantly on guard. We must feast on the Word so that the Spirit can remind us of what the truth is--still is, no matter the arguments of the world. Conforming to the world's way of thinking is not instantaneous--it is subtle, gradual. The illustrations the Word uses are that it is like a moth in a closet slowing, imperceptibly, destroying the garments; or the hair on a person gradually turning gray one strand at a time. That is why Paul pleads with us to daily offer ourselves up to Him as a sacrifice of love for His redeeming, freeing mercies. That is why Paul pleads with us to be continually renewing our mind by constant immersion in the Word. That is why Paul says that repeating the old truths is a necessary thing, a safeguard--an act of renewal. When we tire of hearing of God's great love toward us, we set aside the urgency to love Him sacrificially, and our minds drift away from obedience, become susceptible to the conforming power of the world's lies. Is there anything more dangerous then, then a day without reading and meditating on the Word?

"Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee."

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

"How does a young man cleanse His ways? By taking heed to the Word of God."

The righteous man--the flourishing, prospering tree whose leaves do not wither--delights in the law of God, mediates on it day and night.

I plead with you brothers, because of God's mercies, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God ... do not be conformed to this world, but live lives that reflect that you know and embrace what is pleasing and acceptable to Him--and to Him alone.

A Gentle Spirit

Jesus calls His people to a life of gentleness--to a life of meekness and humility. He desires for us to be like Him, one to whom the weary and burdened can come in order to find encouragement, a soft word to their anger, a quiet strength, rest for their soul.

Listen:
"Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth."
"A gentle (soft) answer turns away wrath."
I "urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ."
"Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness.
The "hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."
"The fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness.

To be like Him, we must be gentle.
Remember His description as He entered Jerusalem on the way to the cross: "Behold, your King is coming, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." The King of Glory arrays Himself in gentleness.
He describes Himself: "Come to Me, all you are weary and burdened. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul." Jesus, a sharer of our weariness and heavy burdens, the Savior whose gentle presence gives strength and rest to our souls.

Do you long for, pray, that He might transform you into such a presence. Is it your heart's strong desire to be one to whom the weary turn knowing that in your presence they will find a quiet strength, an encouraging word, a soft answer for their angry hearts, a sense of rest for their troubled soul? I will only be walking worthy of His calling for my life if I allow His Spirit to fill me with His gentleness. Do I live such a life in my calling? Do my students know that in my classroom they will find encouragement, soft and gentle answers to all their struggles, a quiet strength that puts their souls and hearts at rest no matter how weary their day? I pray that He enables me to be such a presence. Daily.
Whatever your calling, whatever your gender, a "gentle, quiet spirit is precious in the sight of God." May the Spirit so control us that we can be such a rock of gentleness in the lives of all those He sends into our lives. "Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness." May those who come into our presence sense His presence and find rest for their souls.

Faithfulness

God is faithful.

As David testifies, "For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness (loyal love) is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations."

"The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice; righteous and upright is He!"

As the writer of Hebrews tells us, when we are faithless, "He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."

Simply put, our God always--now and forever, keeps His promises. Sometimes in times of difficulty, I question His faithfulness, but that's usually because I've lost sight of the cross, of my unworthiness, and that He has promised to discipline me so that I will quit relying on my own strength and live by faith in who He is--the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. And His rewards are eternal. God's faithfulness does not mean that we will live a life free of difficulty and storms; in fact, it means just the opposite. But in the storms, He will never leave me or forsake me. He in faithfulness disciplines every son and daughter because His love is pure, righteous, just, and loyal. In the earthquakes of life He is The Rock, our Rock--steadfast, immovable.
And we, too, must exhibit faithfulness at all times. "The fruit of the Spirit is . . . faithfulness." We must be people who keep our promises--faithful even when others are faithless. We must consistently live lives of obedience, lives that say to those that are watching, "we believe in the promises of our God." We must be people of loyal love, justice, righteous and upright. Jesus condemned the Pharisees because they ignored the "weightier provisions of the law--justice and mercy and faithfulness."
In total reliance on the Spirit, faithfulness prays, like Habakkuk, "though all is lost, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation." Faithfulness prays, like Paul, "I will do those things that reflect--"imitate"--His heart in such a way that you can imitate me." Faithfulness prays, like the wise disciple, "in the difficult storms of life, I will live a life of obedience, standing firmly on the promises of the Rock of my Salvation." Faithfulness prays, like James, "I will care for the widows and orphans; I will not use my tongue to destroy others; I will be a man or woman of my word--my 'yes" will mean 'yes,' my 'no' will mean 'no'; I will live a life that affirms through my obedience that I am a useful, genuine member of the people of God."
Faithfulness proclaims in all circumstances, "I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth."
There are some lines in that little chorus we used to sing that perhaps sums up faithfulness best: "Though none go with me, still I must follow; though none go with me, still I must follow; though none go with me, still I must follow; no turning back, no turning back."--even if the "none" are those we love with all our hearts.
One of the greatest testimonies that we are trusting in the faithfulness of the one God who always keeps His promises is our life of faithfulness to Him--lives of obedience, integrity, justice, righteousness, loyal love, and praise.

"Lord Jesus, keep me faithful--no matter what."

Be Good!

"God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me."
Often, I will tell one of my students as he or she leaves the classroom, "Be good!" And as I pass them in the hallways, "Be good!" I, often, tell those who are no longer my students--either on facebook, or in an email--or even in a real letter (you still remember what those are right?)--"Be good!"
We know that our God is good. As our Father He promises to only give us good gifts--those that will meet our needs and do us no harm. David tells us that "His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives." And he exclaims, "How great is Thy goodness that Thou hast stored up for those that fear Thee!" Our God is good, and He has a storehouse filled with the good gifts He has for His children.
We, then, as reflectors of His character must be good--demonstrate a life of goodness, manifest the fruit of the Spirit: goodness. "For the fruit of the light consists of all goodness and righteousness, by faith trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord." What is goodness? Using what's in my storehouse for the benefit of others in need. Using my calling from God as an opportunity to act on behalf of those around me--to be a giver of good gifts.
Think of the two great illustrations we find in the Gospels--illustrations of goodness: The Good Shepherd. The Good Samaritan. What defined Jesus as our Good Shepherd? "The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep." Setting aside the glories of Heaven, He emptied Himself--poured Himself out--and took on the form of servant, and willing sacrificed Himself for His sheep--for us. Goodness--acting on behalf of those in need no matter the cost. And how desperate was our need of a Savior--of a Good Shepherd!
And the Good Samaritan--why do we call him "good"? He couldn't pass by someone in need. Couldn't do it. Didn't matter what his plans were for that day. Didn't matter if he put himself at risk. Didn't matter if he had to use his resources, Didn't matter if the man would have called him an enemy, and if their situations were reversed, he probably would have walked on by. Didn't matter if the man ever knew who he was, could ever say "thank you." Goodness: the inability to walk by someone in need, no matter what it does to my plans, no matter who knows, no matter how it impacts my storehouse, no matter how that person will respond or even if he or she will respond at all. Will I lay down my "life" for others in need? Will I use the good gifts God has given me and pass them on so that others will know that He is indeed the Good Father? "As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those of the household of God." And if you can't find an "opportunity," you're not searching very hard.

Be good!

Being Kind

"Love is kind." "The fruit of the Spirit is . . . "kindness."
We are called to be a kindhearted people. But what does that look like in the life of one of God's children. If you "trace" the use of the word "kindness" throughout the New Testament, you will find that it is always used in context with another Christian imperative: forgiveness. To be kind, I must be committed to being forgiving. 
"Put on a heart of kindness . . . bearing with one another, forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ Jesus also has forgiven you."
"Putting aside all malice, and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander . . . if you have tasted that the Lord is kind?"
Our forgiveness rests on the kindness of God. We, sinful and at enmity with God, received forgiveness because of His kindness. How complete was His forgiveness? How freely was it given? What could we do to earn it? We must freely give such tenderhearted, kind forgiveness to others if we are to be a reflection of God's character. To not forgive freely and completely is to blaspheme His character. "Or do you take lightly the richness of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads to repentance?"
"But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us . . ." And His kindness is eternal, endless, "in order that in the ages to come, He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
When I reflect on His kindness leading me to repentance, when I reflect on His kindness in saving me not on the basis of my character or actions, but solely out of the abundance of His tenderhearted kindness and grace, how can I not respond to others but by forgiving them freely and fully? To not do so flows from a prideful heart that believes that I deserved His forgiveness, but those who have hurt me do not. Is there any more arrogant lust of the flesh than the pride that believes that I am worthy of His kindhearted forgiveness while others are not? I, totally undeserving of it, have by the kindness of God been led to repentance, fully and completely forgiven, and He commands me to be kind and forgive others just as God in Christ has forgiven me.
"To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for this purpose that you might inherit a blessing."
Is your heart's desire that He make you a blessing? Then, lovingly, freely, kindly, and completely forgive in the same way that He has--because He is kind--forgiven you and blessed you with His eternal kindness.

His Perfect Work

When Paul is defending the authenticity of his ministry to the church at Corinth, he lists a variety of "proofs." He "lists" such things as "in tribulation," "in being mobbed," "in beatings," "in hunger," "in imprisonment," And then he adds "in patience," "in kindness," "in genuine love." I can never read through that passage without being caught off-guard by those last "proofs." But then, I reflect." Prior to his conversion would anyone have said that Paul's life was characterized by patience, kindness, and genuine love? No, those attributes were evidence that Paul had been transformed by the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. Patience, kindness, and genuine love are the fruit of the Spirit being produced in the life and ministry of Paul. They are indeed proofs that he was doing God's work God's way.
In fact, Paul on several occasions, emphasizes that it was the patience of God at work in his life that led to his conversion. God patiently waited for the right time and the right place to confront Paul and bring him unto Himself. Paul states that his conversion is the evidence that the God of patience can--and is willing--to save anyone regardless of the life he or she is living in rebellion toward Him. Even if that person's life has been dedicated to the destruction of the church, dedicated to the shaking of one's fist in the face of God and a denial of His Son. Did not God's patience transform Paul from an enemy of God to one of His most dynamic messengers to the world of the love of God and the redeeming work of Christ? Is there, then, anyone with whom we should not be patient (and kind, and genuinely loving) and allow God to work in his or her life?
And patience is such a dynamic manifestation, fruit, of the Spirit. We are told to exhort others with great patience--patience to the max. The Spirit's work in the lives of those we teach--and we are all teachers--is the Lord's work, to be accomplished in His timing. Peter tells us--and he may know a little about the impact of impatience on one's faithfulness--that the Lord's work in someone's life is never tardy, never slow, but always perfectly "on time." We must not be impatient with His work in the lives of those we encourage to accept Him and follow Him. He is patiently working. 
In addition, our patience in the face of persecution gains favor from God. Our patience in the times of tribulation forms the bedrock of our endurance, joyful endurance in all circumstances. "Love is patient." To be impatient with others, with God's work in the lives of others and thus, with God Himself, is to lack love for Him and for our neighbors--the essence of the two great calls to obedience.
Patience is compared in Scripture to the work of the farmer. He plants the seeds and then can only wait for God to send the rains and to produce an abundant harvest of mature fruit. So, too, we, having been brought to redemption by the patience of God and called to our ministry--whatever that may be--must plant the seeds of His Word, and patiently, expectantly, wait for Him to send the rains and mature the harvest. Doing the work He has called us to "in patience" will be "proof" that we are doing His work His way. He is not slow. He will not be tardy. His patience is His perfect work.

Sweet Peace

The chorus went something like this: "Cheer up ye saints of God there's nothing to worry about; nothing to make you feel afraid, nothing to make you doubt. Remember Jesus never fails, so why not trust Him and shout? You'll be sorry you worried at all tomorrow morning."
Jesus put it this way:
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
"These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage--be of good cheer--I have overcome the world."
In a troubled world, a world of tribulation, He gives us His peace--the peace beyond human comprehension. A peace that allows us to focus our minds on the things that are worthy of praise. A peace that enables us to love as fully as He loved. "Father, forgive them because they know not what they do." A peace that rests in the unimaginable truth that He died for us, rose again, and is returning for us that where He is we might be also for all eternity. He is our Overcomer--that we, too, might be overcomers in a troubled world. "And who is he who overcomes the world, but He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

"There comes to my heart one sweet strain, a glad and a joyous refrain; I sing it again and again, sweet peace, the gift of God's love."

Strength

When Nehemiah and the people had finished the work of rebuilding Jerusalem (I always find it interesting--no, I always find it instructive--that they did the work in family groups), he and Ezra gathered the people together and read and explained to them the Scriptures. It was a time of celebration and feasting. And Nehemiah reminded them of a simple but empowering truth, "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
How often do we reflect on the truth that the strength I need to do what God has called me to do--whatever that may be--is no more powerful than the depth of my joy in my relationship with God. God's faithful workers are empowered by His joy permeating all that they do--all.
"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it" is not a promise of a struggle free, carefree, battleless day, but the promise that whatever the day brings, rejoicing in the assurance that He is with me throughout the day will provide all the strength I need for that day. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice" is the introduction--the foundation--of Paul's word to us that we need not be anxious in any situation, that we can go expectantly in prayer into the throne room of God, that His peace will guard our hearts in the midst of the spiritual battle, that we can learn to be content in every situation, and that we can do all things through Christ who is our strength.
As our Savior's joy strengthened Him to endure the suffering of the cross and to finish the redemptive work the Father had sent Him to do, so His joy--that same joy, the fruit of the Spirit--is promised to those abiding in Him. The indwelling Spirit will strengthen us to finish the work He has called us to do, empower us to daily bear the cross of discipleship. And the promise to finish the work is will--will--not might. "He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." The question is, will you find His joy in the work? The joy the Spirit desires to lavish on the child of God does not remove the sorrows of life, does not mend the broken heart, but empowers us at the worst possible moments in our lives to rest in the joy that empowered the love of Christ to endure the cross that He might become our Savior. Then, as we rejoice in our God and in His sacrificially joyous work on our behalf, that same joy, His joy, give us the victory, enables us to bear our cross as we obediently follow Him in love. Show me a joyless Christian, and I'll show you a Christian resisting God's will and work in His life, resisting submission to the control of the Holy Spirit, and refusing to demonstrate a heart of gratitude for the love of the Son in dying and suffering willingly for someone totally unworthy of such a sacrifice of love. Yes, His joy in being able to redeem you from your sins empowered His love to endure the immeasurable physical and spiritual suffering He experienced on the cross in your place. And your suffering cannot begin to compare to the suffering that He endured for you.
The Christian man or woman who touches the hearts of others with the love of God is empowered by a joy that stands at the foot of the cross and daily testifies, "I will rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say, I will rejoice in the Lord."

Evidence

There's a chorus I used to sing as a child that went something like this: "Wide, wide, as the ocean, high as the heavens above, deep, deep as the deepest sea is my Savior's love. Oh, though so unworthy, still I'm a child of His care; for His Word teaches me that His love reaches me anywhere."
Amazing theology and encouragement in some of those simple choruses we used to sing as children.
Paul prayed this beautiful prayer for the Ephesians--and thus, for you and me today: "For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that, you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." I pray this prayer often for my children and granddaughters and for all my adopted children who wander into my classroom every year. Such infinite, inescapable love is at work in the world today--a work that God is doing day by day. I pray that those I know and love will know the truth and power of such love.
But how you ask is such love evident in our world--where should it be seen working? Paul told the Colossian Christians, "And beyond all these things put on love which is the unifying bond of perfectness"--of the mature Christian's daily walk. Love is the fruit of the Spirit. Every believer should wear the robe of love all day long. What does it look like--what are the "all these things" that are the pattern of love's robe? Putting aside anger, using words that build up not abuse, truth-telling, integrity, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, ready forgiveness--a forgiveness as broad, far-reaching, high, and deep as His full love for me. Such is the robe of love He asks me to "put on."
Why is such a love so important? Why is such a love--"the unifying bond of perfectness"--so vital? Jesus prayed, hours before the cross, that the disciples would demonstrate such love for one another so "that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. . .that they (His disciples--you and me) may be perfected in unity, that the world may continually know that Thou didst send Me, and did love them, even as Thou didst love Me." Do you understand that the most dynamic, effective witness to the world that Jesus--our loving Savior--is exactly who He claims to be is how high and long and deep and wide is our love as Christians for one another? The evidence of the breadth and length and height and depth of God's love--the undeniable proof of His claim to be man's loving Redeemer--is the breadth and length and height and depth of love demonstrated by His disciples, His children, to His other children. Are you and I wearing the robe of love in our interactions with each other? Do we love one another continually as fully as He loved--and loves--us? Only then will a lost world believe that His love is genuine and true. The Spirit lives within us to make it so--to so adorn our lives with the robe of God's love. The lost in our lives need to so undeniably see such love continually evident between God's children. Desperately.
"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father . . . that you, being rooted and grounded in love . . . may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

"Little children, let us love one another for love is of God"

The Real Issue

Paul tells us that the children of God that were delivered from Egypt and led toward the Promised Land of restful warfare with the enemy are examples for us to learn from. Not good examples--we are to take note of their choices and attitudes and refuse to let them become part of who we are as His children.
The wilderness was not the issue. All of God's children spend time in the wilderness. All. It's their responses to the challenges of the wilderness that we are to learn from.
They had been delivered from slavery; and yet, many of them at times thought the slavery was better than being set free. Easier. They all had their daily needs met; yet, many of them complained about how God met those needs, and what He used to meet them. They had all seen the enemy destroyed without their having to do anything. God did it all. They had all danced and sang praises for His deliverance. But many of them still feared the enemy and doubted God's power to defeat them the next time. They thought the enemy was bigger than their Deliverer. They would withhold their praises until after the victory had been won. They would not worship Him in the face of the enemy. Many wanted a God they could touch and see, even if the god was powerless and dead. Even if it was a god of their own manufacture. Some wanted God's blessing but didn't want to obey the commandments that were the source of those blessings. They didn't want a God who would be first in their lives. Then, they couldn't be first, their wants and desires. They didn't want of follow a God who would provide what they needed, but not allow them to pursue the lusts of their hearts, "I want more" eyes, and arrogant self-glorying--even if all those things would lead them to destruction.
No, the issue was not the wilderness. The issue was faith in the goodness of God in the midst of the wilderness, faith in His ability to empower them to face and defeat any enemy, submission to the truth that spiritual rest can only be experienced in the midst of the spiritual battle. They had no joy--just a complaining spirit. They had no contentment--even though all their needs were met abundantly. They were blessing despisers. They never experienced rest, contentment, victory, His love for them. They died joyless, faithless, defeated.
But the generation that followed them, a generation that went through the wilderness experience with them--the exact same wilderness experience--lived lives of victory, rest, peace, and joy in the midst of the battles with the enemy.
Joshua calls to us as he called out to them: "Choose you this day whom you will serve." Trust in His goodness, serve Him with confidence, rejoice in His daily provision, put no other gods before Him, find rest in your soul as you bask in His love and sure promises. Again, the issue is not the wilderness. The issue is your faith in who He says He is.

Reflections for May 2018

Reflections for May 2018

To spend a day and not find joy in the beauty of His creation is to resist a sense of His presence and majesty.
__________

Work is a gift from God.
__________

In order to be a healthy Christian, one must spend time alone with Him.  Must.
__________

Your impatience will not hurry up God.  Or delay Him.

Patience--restfully waiting on Him:  the wings of faith.
__________

Things change.
People change.
Times change.
Nations change.

The faithful love of God--His loyal and unconditional love for His children--is changeless and inescapable.
__________

If God had a better place for you to serve others, He would have put you there.  The reason you are not in that "better place"?  It's not better.
__________

The proof of genuine discipleship:  being faithful in the little things, the "dusty road" of everyday life things.  Nothing is "bigger"--more important--than doing the day by day things with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength exactly where He has you right now.
__________

Praise Him today with your life!
Praise Him today with your lips!
Praise Him today in your thoughts!

"Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord!

The Continual Work of Grace

The grace that saved you is the grace you must rely on in order to live a victorious life of discipleship. Boot-strap Christianity leads to futility and frustration. Trying to impress others with your spirituality is just as defeating. We must abide in Him--do all things through the dependence on the Spirit's indwelling. The Word--the Spirit's Sword--is the cleansing agent in our relationship with Him. Not just reading it--though we must saturate ourselves with its teachings and beauty--but obeying it. Obedience is always the "loving thing to do." He abides in us that He might live through us. He lives through us by transforming us into His likeness as we like Him desire to always do what pleases the Father. And when we find ourselves living like Him no one is more surprised than we are. We have a sense of His presence as He speaks through us, loves through us, encourages through us, and knowing ourselves the way we do, we are amazed at His transformative grace. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken unto you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."