Category Archives: God’s Word

Created With Specific Tasks

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Adam & Eve Created To Be A Team

After creating Adam & Eve, God gave them specific duties as male & female. The text says, “God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth” Genesis 1:28.  There were several things He outlined for them to do— be fruitful & multiply; and, fill the earth & subdue it; and, have dominion over all things! And, notice, it says that God blessed “THEM.” This was to be a “team” effort! God never intended for it to be a “MAN’S World.”

Complementary Roles

The woman complemented the man in fulfilling these duties! And, then we turn the page, of Scripture, to Genesis chapter 2, where we’re given the “details” of creation that had only been skimmed in chapter 1.  God gives them different “roles” or “duties” to fulfill— COMPLEMENTARY ROLES! They fit together by God’s creative design! He created man 1st to work the Garden— “The Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.   The Lord God planted a garden in Eden… The Lord God took the man & placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it” ch. 2:7-8, 15.

God’s Charge To Adam

Interestingly, God also created man 1st with a charge to obey: “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die” ch. 2:16-17.  So, God’s command NOT to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil was given to Adam, NOT Eve! Have you ever noticed that before?

Where’s Adam?

The text details Eve’s arrival starting with v.18.  That’s significant! Which begs the question, “where was Adam”, when Satan shows up in chapter 3 and tempts Eve with the condemned fruit? Adam had received the instruction not to eat from the tree & he should have been Eve’s support to obey the command he’d been given! So, God declares, in v.18, the key to understanding God’s design for the sexes:  “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.” Adam couldn’t carry out his duties without her!

Adam Couldn’t Do It Without Her

He couldn’t be fruitful & multiply without HER! He couldn’t fill the earth & subdue it without HER! In a very dramatic way God convinced Adam that it was impossible for him to make it on his own! By delaying His creation of Eve, Adam came to recognize how important she was! God created the sexes NOT for competition; but, for cooperation, to complement! It’s hopeless to make life work, on planet Earth, the one without the other! God designed us for interdependence— MEN, you can’t do what you were created to do without women; and, WOMEN, you can’t do what you were created to do without men! That’s not what the culture says! But, the culture is WRONG! The culture didn’t design men & women. Can you imagine how different, how perfect, this world would be if it still looked like it did in Genesis 1,2?

Honoring Jesus With Our Gender

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The Culture Doesn’t Get It

We honor Jesus in our hearts when we obey Him with our lifestyles. And by our obedient lifestyle, we create curiosity. The answer the culture is giving about our sexual identity isn’t working—and it never will. But when we live sexually in obedience to God’s Word, we earn the right to share it when the world gets curious—to share with them the Gospel and God’s purpose for gender. This is difficult subject matter! It’s layered with lots of abuse and painful injuries dating all the way back to the Garden of Eden, and it’s just not easy to jump into without laying a foundation of understanding, empathy, and love.

Say It With Empathy & Love

And that is what the world needs from us: understanding, empathy, and love. It’s simply not helpful when, instead, we offer them self-righteous judgment and vindictiveness. So, let me try to unpack some of the main points from the first two chapters of Genesis—especially as it relates to gender and sexual identity. We need to take note of some of the implications it has for our homes, our families, and how it plays into our child-rearing. Keep in mind, from an interpretive standpoint of the text, that Genesis chapter 1 presents the “big picture” of God’s creative act, and chapter 2 fills in the details. Chapter 1 is like the Super Bowl headlines the day after—“Patriots Win the Most Boring Super Bowl Ever”—and chapter 2 is like the story that fills in the details of how the Patriots pummeled the Rams into submission.

What Shapes Our Opinions?

Let’s also remember the most important detail as followers of Jesus Christ: when determining our roles as men and women, God’s Word must shape our opinions—not the culture! And perhaps the most significant point of the text is that God created humanity to reflect His image: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26). God created humanity to function as His living image over the creation. And I believe it’s correct to interpret “man” here as “mankind,” including both man and woman. I believe the next verse bears that out—God created humanity to bear His image as male and female.

God Created Maleness & Femaleness

The text says:  “So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female” (Genesis 1:27).  Our “maleness” and our “femaleness” are essential parts of being God’s image-bearers. Somehow—and I don’t want to get weird here—but somehow it seems that God is saying it was in the complementing or the completing of the man with the creation of woman that humanity was created in the image of God. That image wasn’t clear or evident until woman complemented God’s creation of man. So here’s my plea: Men and women—we need each other to correctly image God in His creation! When we grasp the significance of that, we’ll begin to glory in both manhood and womanhood. Together, we are God’s intentional design of human diversity!
 

Determining Gender Roles

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The Culture Is Broken

Our culture is broken! Have you noticed that? It’s broken because it’s made up of broken people who are born into this world totally depraved and separated from God because of their sin! Only the Gospel of Christ can adequately and accurately direct us to solutions that restore our homes and our communities! Our broken culture can’t help us! When determining our roles as men and women, God’s Word must shape our opinions, not the culture!

The Original Design

God’s original design, at Creation, can be found in Genesis, the book of beginnings! After creating Adam, “…the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.’” (Genesis 2:18) So, God designed the woman to “complement” the man— not “compliment” (as in, “Why, Adam, what a handsome, rugged man you are”)—but to “complement” or “complete” him. Yes! That means that the man was NOT complete by himself! Eve was his “completer”; and, by implication, she was also made complete by Adam! Adam and Eve, man and woman, were created and designed by God to “complement” and “complete” one another… NOT to compete!

Happiness & Fulfillment Realized

The way that men and women find genuine happiness and fulfillment is in owning the identity given to them by God, their designer! The culture is WRONG! Ladies: You will not find meaning in your life by becoming more manly and aggressive! And, men: You will not find meaning in your life by becoming more passive, effeminate, and unsure of yourself! And, for the same reason we needed to shed the ethnic jokes, we need to quit making fun of those who’ve become so twisted in their logic that they think the answer is in self-mutilation—removing the sexual organs they were created with and adding sexual prosthetic organs.

Anger With Their Creator

How sad! Their gripe is ultimately with their Creator! They’ve fallen into the same trap as Adam and Eve in the garden, when the tempter convinced them that life would be so much better if they could be their own god! Somehow, he convinced them that an all-wise God didn’t know what He was doing when He created them! So, how’s that working out? Not very well for the human race! We’ve never been more confused!

God, Help Us Love The Broken

The Apostle Paul asks, “But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” (Romans 9:20) And yet, that’s exactly what we do when we fight God on the way He designed us! If you’re a follower of Jesus, let me challenge you to love the broken world of people we’re surrounded by! Jesus wept over people! He saw them as sheep without a Shepherd! We won’t win the culture wars by arguing and shouting down those who disagree with us on this issue! We won’t win with our rants on Facebook or Twitter or the blogosphere! When we’re quoting 1 Peter 3:15, “…always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” don’t forget the rest of it: “…however, do so with gentleness and respect…”
 

desig

Designed To Complement

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Taking A Vacation: Next Post July 2nd

Is Gender Inequality Real?

Gender inequality is receiving a lot of attention these days. I’m referring to the claim that there is unequal treatment of individuals based on their gender. Some of this mistreatment is “perceived,” but much of it is very real! Some claim there is a gender pay gap, and in many cases, the facts support that claim. There’s also a resulting link to career advancement—that one’s gender impedes their progress up the company ladder.

There’s Perspective With Age

I’ve mentioned before—about growing older—that one of the few advantages I have over those younger than me is that I have a perspective they can’t possibly have. I have a kind of panoramic view of time, having grown up in the 1960s. More than just a historical perspective, I lived it! I remember when Bobby Riggs challenged Billie Jean King to a tennis match that became known as the “Battle of the Sexes.” It received international attention, and when King won, it became a kind of rallying cry for what has become the women’s movement.

Gender Resentment’s Not Cool

Now, let me be clear about something: I admit that from the beginning of time, men in general have been guilty of inflicting much harm and gender inequality against women—and I applaud many of the changes that have been made to correct that! At the same time—here is my “old man” perspective—I have noted in my lifetime a deep, pervasive gender resentment that has bubbled up and boiled over in our day. We’re at this zero-sum competition. As a society, we’re not looking for the win-win. There’s a lack of togetherness and teamwork between the sexes. It’s become “us against them,” and the only way one gender wins is if the opposite gender loses. It’s “either-or” when it ought to be “both-and.” Either men rule the world, or women do. The sexes are more divided than ever, and the sexual orientation and “sexual identity” issues are the natural fallout of this fighting between the genders. The world is lost and confused and needs to be rescued. The Church can help bring sanity to the struggle by embracing the counsel of God’s Word and living it out in our homes and in the public square. And let me add that we bring that discussion with love, patience, and gentleness!

The Way God Designed Us

God’s design for the man and the woman promotes beauty and harmony in the relationship between the sexes! God’s design for men and women is absolute equality in status, but a difference in roles. All the cultural debate over homosexuality, transgenderism, pornography, public policy concerning women being drafted for combat, church debates over women pastors, and marital conflicts over “who’s in charge” in the home—all of it is addressed directly or by implication in God’s Word. When determining our roles as men and women, God and His Word must shape our opinions, not the culture. To do otherwise is deadly! The culture is broken and doesn’t have the answers. It all begins with Genesis in my next post!

When Good Sex Goes Bad

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When It Happens Outside Of Marriage

According to God—who, by the way, created sex—healthy sex only happens within a marriage between a man and a woman. The Word of God warns us about the consequences of sexual conduct outside the safety of marriage. All other sexual activities are spiritually unhealthy because they involve disobedience to God and His Word. Additionally, they can also lead to physical and emotional harm. The effects often create a ripple effect, negatively impacting families and future generations.

Messing Up People’s Lives

When your sex life doesn’t align with Scripture, it can impact not just you but many others as well. Here’s something to consider, especially if you feel like you’ve already made too many mistakes—that you’re beyond hope. Maybe you grew up in a worldly environment and were never taught these biblical truths. Or perhaps you heard them but believed you were clever enough to outsmart ‘the system,’ so you experimented with sex and are now facing the consequences. The good news is that, thanks to Jesus’ work on the cross, you are not beyond redemption! 

Good News For Those Who Messed Up

The Gospel is good news for every sinner, regardless of the sin! We serve a God who brings beauty from ashes. Through the cross, there is forgiveness and restoration. So, don’t hide behind your sin any longer—confess it so you may be healed (James 5:16). From this day forward, stand firmly on the foundation of God’s Word when it comes to your sexual purity. God’s Word alone provides the flawless counsel needed to build healthy marriages. In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul shares several truths about sexuality as directed by God: “It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman. But because sexual immorality is so common, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband… I say the following as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift from God—one person in this way and another in that way. I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am.” (1 Corinthians 7:1, 6-8)

Is Celibacy A Gift?

What Paul is advocating here is celibacy. He appears to suggest that celibacy is a gift from God given to certain individuals. So, if the idea of living a celibate life seems impossible for you, it likely means that you do not have that particular gift. I intentionally use the word celibacy instead of singleness because celibacy more accurately describes what Paul is referring to—complete abstinence from all sexual relations. In contrast, our modern culture tends to favor the term singleness, often associating it with a lack of relational or sexual boundaries. It’s seen as a lifestyle of ‘Sex and the City’ or ‘friends with benefits,’ making it a poor reflection of what Paul is actually addressing. When Paul says, ‘It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman‘ (v.1), he is using it as a euphemism for sexual intercourse—which is confirmed by the context of verse 2. Therefore, celibacy is not only a legitimate option but a good and honorable gift from God.
 

What Are Your Attachments?

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*TAKING SOME VACATION TIME* *RETURNING JULY 31ST*

Raised With The Messiah

My sinful life was the OLD me! But, that’s no longer who I am. Sin has no power to rule over me anymore than it had power over Jesus. In His resurrection, Jesus left the tomb! And, so should we! We’re no longer “dead” if we’re “in Christ.” We’ve been made “new”; or, ALIVE in Him. We’re no longer a dweller among the tombs! Do you know who you are? Do you identify with Jesus? Is He your Lord & Master as well as your Savior? The Apostle Paul says, “…if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God” Colossians 3:1. 

It’s An Imperative

“Seek what is above,” he says! That’s an imperative! He’s commanding the Colossian believers to be seekers of something. That has everything to do with your “heart” or your “affections.”  We always seek after the things that our heart desires; what we’re attached to! Your ability to live in your identity in Christ; and your ability to defeat sin, has everything to do with the things that your heart is attached to! What are you ATTACHED to here? Where are you focused? If your heart & your affections & your attachments are in this world, you won’t be very effective in purging sin from your life.

Seek What Is Above

Your spiritual growth & sanctification will be stunted; and, the weeds, of SIN, will grow out of control in your life. Look at Paul’s words again:  “…if (or SINCE) you’ve been raised with the MESSIAH, SEEK WHAT is ABOVE, where the MESSIAH is…” Set your heart & your affections on Jesus! He’s the TREASURE our hearts ought to desire! None of the created stuff that so easily turns into idols will last. One day it’ll all burn up & pass away! Your spiritual growth has a direct correlation to how highly & how often you think of God; and, how little you think of yourself!

Set Your Minds

“Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth,” Paul says in the next verse (Col. 3:2). Your spiritual growth & sanctification depend on what you “…set your minds…” Your ability to be kill the weeds of sin in your life is dependent on your thought life— the things you dwell on; and, think about. To mature spiritually, you have to see everything against the backdrop of eternity; not, this mortal world. We can no longer think like we did when we were still “dead in sin”; when we lived like this world was the only thing that mattered! He specifically tells us not to set our minds on EARTH!

Where Is Your Citizenship?

It’s so easy to get swept up in the nationalism & the politics & the drama of our nation! It’s so easy to “set our mind” & our conversation on those things, isn’t it? But, that’s not who we are!  We can no longer self-identify as an “American Christian”— that moniker says we are an “American” 1st and a “Christian” 2nd.  NO! “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” Paul wrote the Church of Philippi. The Apostle Peter agreed! He called life, on planet Earth, a “temporary residence.” Don’t make country an IDOL! We belong to HEAVEN! We are heaven’s AMBASSADOR!  As such, our sole purpose for remaining on this planet is to “reconcile” the lost with the Father! That is the mission our Savior left us: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20)
 

What Does Spiritual Growth Look Like?

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Serious Gardening Looks Like This

My parents were not “hobby” gardeners! A lot of gardening today tends to be more “recreational” than essential to life, doesn’t it? That was not the way it was for me growing up! It really was “life or death” for us! If we didn’t grow our food, we wouldn’t have had anything to eat. We had 2 huge gardens & it seemed like we grew every kind of vegetable known to man. My mom canned everything; and, by the end of the harvest season, the cellar was stacked full of canned food.

The Battle Against Weeds

But, let me tell you the most vivid memory I have about my parent’s garden, growing up— it was the daily battle we waged against undesirable and troublesome plant life that grew profusely where it was not wanted…WEEDS! According to the dictionary, weeds are:  “a valueless plant growing wild, especially one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop.” Every summer my dad preached the same sermon to us—  “We have to kill the weeds; or, the weeds will kill our crops.” So, every morning— early, before it got too hot— my sisters & I made our way to the garden, with a garden hoe in hand, to kill the weeds before they killed our crops!

Our Sins Are Like Weeds

The parallels to our spiritual life are obvious, aren’t they? Our sins are like weeds in the gardens of our lives, and just like weeds harm & injure the desired garden crops we’re growing, so, the remaining sin in us will stunt our spiritual growth & development! Sin, like weeds, has to be rooted out of our lives and killed! The old Puritan, John Owen, warned that “We’ve got to be killing sin; or, sin will be killing us.” That is what Biblical, spiritual growth is all about! Paul taught the Church of Rome:  “If you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” Romans 8:13.  And, that’s what we call “SANCTIFICATION.”

Bible Knowledge Is Not Enough

It should resonate with you that SANCTIFICATION = SPIRITUAL GROWTH! Just adding more Bible knowledge is NOT sanctification or spiritual growth if we’re still entertaining sin in our lives! The goal of our salvation is NOT HEAVEN! The goal of our salvation is JESUS! By faith, in Him, we are remade in His image! According to Paul, that transformation work is done in our lives by God’s indwelling Holy Spirit—  “…IF by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body…” The work of rooting sin out of our lives is the Spirit’s work.

Here’s What Life Is All About


 It’s imperative that you understand what this life is all about! It’s NOT ultimately about your family, your job, or your retirement! It’s NOT about you or the “American Dream”!  It’s about your SANCTIFICATION! That’s why you’re still here! If you’re a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, a follower & disciple of His, then you were JUSTIFIED when you humbled yourself & accepted His payment, for your sin, on the cross! At the moment you believed, God JUSTIFIED you! He pardoned you; and, set you free from the penalty of your sin; which, is death! And, one day you will be GLORIFIED! You’ll be given a new GLORIFIED body like Jesus; and, you’ll be set free from the very presence of sin! Hallelujah!  “If there is an earthly body, there is also a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:44-58
 

How Do You Measure Spiritual Growth?

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1st Questions About A New Baby

Measuring “physical” growth is relatively easy, isn’t it? And, we begin measuring physical growth from birth, don’t we? How long is the baby, in terms of inches; and, how much does the baby weigh? Right? That’s always one of the first questions asked! And, the measuring continues as the baby grows into a toddler; and, then elementary age. Many homes have a measuring wall; or, a doorway, with all kinds of little pencil marks & words alongside it with a child’s name & age representing how tall they were at that specific age. Do you have such a place? Measuring physical growth is also a pretty exact science too, isn’t it? This is your “HEIGHT”; this is your “WEIGHT”! This is your “inseam”, your “waist”; and, your “neck size.”

What About Spiritual Measurements?

But, measuring “SPIRITUAL” growth isn’t as easy, is it? We tend to measure others “SPIRITUALLY”  by how much they know about the Bible, doctrine, and, theology. So, if someone’s level of Bible knowledge is how we judge their level of spirituality, then it follows that we think of “SPIRITUAL GROWTH” as adding more “KNOWLEDGE”— more Bible reading; more Bible studies; and, more Church activities! And, yet, it’s curious that the Apostle Paul taught the Church of Corinth that, “…knowledge puffs up…” (1 Cor. 8:1); or, it INFLATES us with PRIDE! Who hasn’t met the arrogant “know-it-all” who keeps reminding you how much they know about the Bible? They beam proudly when others brag about their Bible knowledge.

Knowledge Can Be An Idol

Paul is saying that— in their case— knowledge isn’t a measure of how spiritual they are; but, how CARNAL & FLESHLY they are! Knowledge is their IDOL! Now, please understand that I’m not ragging on anyone who has a growing knowledge of God’s Word! On the contrary, Scripture demands that we read it; memorize it; and, meditate on it! In fact, it’s impossible to grow spiritually apart from a steady diet of God’s Word. I’m simply saying that Bible knowledge is NOT an accurate measuring tool for spirituality! So, if it’s not more Bible knowledge, what is it that grows us spiritually? I like to say that spiritual growth happens as you become more like Jesus; & less like you! How does that happen? How do you become more like Jesus and less like you?

It’s Not By Osmosis

How do we become more like Jesus? Well, it doesn’t happen by some process of osmosis! Rather, it happens by our “SANCTIFICATION” Scripture says! At the moment of our salvation— when we exercise faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross— God “JUSTIFIES” us! That means He pardons us from sin’s penalty— death! Some people use the little phrase that “God looks at me just as if I’d never sinned” as a way of remembering what it means that God justifies us.  From that point forward, we are destined for “GLORIFICATION”— that day when we’ll finally be set free from the very presence of sin; and, we’ll be “like Jesus.” And, “SANCTIFICATION” is everything that God is doing in your life, in that time in between, your SANCTIFICATION & your GLORIFICATION! If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ve been set FREE from the “power” of sin! Your spirit longs to be rid of sin; while, your broken, totally depraved flesh continues to lust after it! It’s in that tension where God works in us and makes us more like His Son, Jesus Christ!
 

What Makes You Happy?

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The Things You Delight In

Your happiness is contingent on the things that you delight in! That’s what the writer of Psalm 1 tells us. In v.1 he says,  “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked…”; and he follows that with v.2,  “Instead (or, in contrast to the BAD ADVICE of the wicked in v.1) his delight is in the Lord’s instruction.” Don’t let the wicked, the sinner, or the scoffer (from v.1) influence the way you think, or you’ll begin to “delight” in their ways & you’ll lose your happiness! You begin to “delight” in the ways of the world when you look “at” and begin listening “to” all the stuff the world produces; until you think about it so much you begin to delight in it! Beware, the text says, you’ll find no happiness there!

Pressed Into A Mold

So, there is something the genuinely “HAPPY” person does NOT do; and there’s something the genuinely “HAPPY” person DOES do! The “HAPPY” person does NOT take advice from the wicked; and, DOES delight, instead, in Godly instruction; or, the “Law of the Lord”! The Apostle Paul warned the Church of Rome in this way:  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1,2). That word “conformed”, that he uses, carries the idea of being pressed into a mold—  “Don’t let the world ‘press you into its mold’ with its wicked advice and counsel.” Delight, instead, in God’s instruction so that you’re thinking is transformed or sanctified!

Align Your Thoughts With Scripture

Test the advice you receive, by placing it under the lens of God’s Word; so you can discern what God says about it.  You absolutely will not find happiness in the words or the way of the ungodly. Their advice will lead you away from God’s Word; and away from happiness! True happiness comes to those who delight; or, find PLEASURE in the Word of God & the ways of God! Let me quote John Piper on this psalm:  “Now the point of the psalm is to say that when you experience the Word of God like that – as so delightful and so satisfying that it captures your mind and heart day and night and weans you away from the counsel and path and seat of the world -when you experience the Word like that, you are blessed. You are happy.” Our minds need to be “renewed,” Paul says! Our sinful nature interrupts any natural ability we ought to have to delight in the things of God.  We were created to delight in Him; but sin has wrecked us & deceived us into thinking the ways & counsel of the world is wise. When we repent, however, and come to Christ, the Holy Spirit begins to reorient our thoughts & align them with Scripture.

Meditate On That


 Find your delight in the Word of God, and then meditate on it! That’s what the writer adds in v.2,  “…his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he MEDITATES on it day and night!” Your happiness is contingent on your delight “in” & your meditation “on” the instruction found in God’s Word! That has to be accepted by faith; because the world’s “advice” says happiness comes by pleasing yourself in whatever physical gratification trips your trigger! In the original language, that word “meditate” means to speak or to mutter. So, the writer is saying that meditating on God’s Word means that you speak to yourself; or, you mutter the Words of God to yourself all day—  “day and night” he says! I grew up on a farm where cows would chew their cud over & over. God changes or transforms our thinking as we consistently mull over His Word.
 

Christianity’s Image Problem

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The Tradeoff Seemed Worth It

It seemed to me that Christianity had an image problem back in the 1970s when I came to faith as a Junior High Boy. Here’s what I mean— if you decided to trust Jesus, as your Savior, you’d get heaven when your life ended HERE; but, the rest of your life HERE would be boring and blasé. But, for me, the “tradeoff” certainly seemed worth it; so, I asked Jesus to be my Savior. I’ll take the 80 years of blasé; but, eternity in heaven vs. 80 years of fun & happiness; but, eternity in hell at the end! But, that didn’t “sell” real well with my friends! I had a difficult time convincing them that the tradeoff was worth it.

Misconceptions About The Christian Life

I think many believers still suffer from some severe misconceptions about the “Christian life”, don’t you? It’s been my observation that many believers just ENDURE the Christian life! Secretly, they still pine for the pleasures & happiness they think the world enjoys. In their hearts, they’re earthly hedonists! Like the children of Israel, during the Exodus, still looking back with longing for the old life they left behind in Egypt. Somehow, we’ve come to this erroneous conclusion that life’s just not going to be fun or happy as a Christian; but, we put up with it because…. well, we get heaven at the END!

The Most Possible Happiness

But, there’s a great text of Scripture that debunks the notion that the life that follows Christ & adheres to the Scriptures is boring. What this Psalm says is quite the opposite. The writer sets the record straight— we don’t just ENDURE the Christian life; putting in our time here until we get to heaven & hang out with Jesus forever and ever! No! This Psalm tells us that it’s the life that submits to God & His Word that provides us with the greatest fulfillment & the most happiness possible! This is a message that the Church desperately needs!

The God-Centered Life

You need this message! I need this message! Happiness & prosperity, in this life & the next, only follows the God-centered life. Here’s how I’d summarize the Psalmist’s big idea: we overcome the pleasures of the world by taking greater pleasure in the Word of God! A significant part of your spiritual growth involves the things in which you find pleasure & happiness! Don’t be surprised that God is concerned with your happiness!  This is anything but a “health, wealth & prosperity” gospel; which is no gospel at all!  What the Psalmist is saying is it is the life of Christ; or walking obediently with Christ by faith that offers the greatest happiness we could ever enjoy! That’s what we were designed for!

Here’s A Happy Man

Listen to what He says:  “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.  He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.  The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous.  For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.” (Psalm 1) For some believers, it’s a debate over “JOY” & “HAPPINESS”! JOY is a fruit of the Spirit, they say; and, that’s what we should concern ourselves with! Not HAPPINESS! But, read that text again— it makes me HAPPY! We don’t have to choose one over the other! Walking with God makes one JOYFUL and HAPPY!