Category Archives: Spiritual Growth

I Am Not The Church! We Are!

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Church Is Not A Building; But A People

Jesus uses His Church as a significant means to produce His intended changes in our lives.  Now, for many professed believers, in America, that is dissident because the Western Church has been such a huge disappointment & embarrassment. The problem has never been with Jesus’ Church; but,  with the human operation of His Church! We’ve “institutionalized” it when Jesus created it to be “communal.” The Apostle Paul sets up what the Church should look like in his letter to the Church of Ephesus— I think it’s easy to forget that this is written to a specific, local Church! He writes to “…the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus…”; and, 9 times in 6 short chapters he refers to them as the “Church”— “ekklesia” is the original Greek word; and, it literally means a “called out assembly.”

The Corporate Calling Of The Church

God calls out His Church of Jesus-followers from the people of the world; and, the point of their being “called out” is to “assemble” in “community”; or, “communally” like a family; and, to meet each other’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Just take the time to read through ch. 4 of Ephesians; and, don’t read it through the glasses of your “American Church culture.” The “you’s” are NOT to be read as individual “you’s.” In context, that is clearly not what the Apostle Paul intended. It’s  “YOU”, the CHURCH, the community of believers doing life together! “I urge YOU (the Church of Ephesus),” Paul says, “to walk worthy of the calling YOU (the Church of Ephesus) have received…” It’s a corporate calling— YOU, the Church of Ephesus, have this calling TOGETHER!

God’s Grace To Build Up The Church

Paul says they ought to be so entrenched in their calling, TOGETHER, that the fruit of the Spirit is evident in the way they do ministry as a BODY— v.2 “with…humility…gentleness…patience & love…” These are the fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians,5). In v.3 there should be unity in their community that’s Holy Spirit driven “…with a peace that binds US.” Read it in context— the “US” is the Church of Ephesus! And, the Church of Ephesus is ONE BODY (v.4); and, Paul doesn’t break the body down to its “individual” parts until we get to v.7, “…now grace was given to each one of us…” And, this “grace” came to each individual, in the Church of Ephesus, in the form of a GIFT (v.8) from Jesus, our Messiah & Savior, to build up their local Church in Ephesus! Do you see it? This is a beautiful picture that the apostle has drawn for us. But we can only see it as we detach ourselves from our current culture and time period.

Jesus’ Goal For His Church

In ch.4, v.13, of Paul’s letter to the Church of Ephesus he writes, “…that we (the Church of Ephesus) reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of Jesus growing in maturity…” Because of our “American Church Culture” we read into that, our “individual” walk with Christ; but, that’s NOT the context of Paul’s words! Their spiritual maturity was not to be a “solo” act! Paul is saying that the goal was a spiritually mature “Church community”— a Church no longer resembling a bunch of immature little brats (v.14). But, a church community made up of spiritually mature believers speaking the truth to each other in love (v.15).  In the next verse, Paul tells them it’s the “whole body” (the Church of Ephesus) that ministers to their “whole body.” So, here’s the application:  Jesus intends to use our local churches to sanctify us as individuals! We grow spiritually in the BODY! That is Jesus’ design for our spiritual growth— in a community of faith!

God’s Law Of Sowing & Reaping

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God Is Not Mocked

I grew up convinced that my parents had eyes in the back of their heads! You too? Or, they had a spy reporting back to them every time I disobeyed; because I never got away with anything! The Apostle Paul sets the record straight:  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” Galatians 6:7-8.  So, it wasn’t my parents! It was an all-knowing, omnipresent God who knew everything about me; and in His Providence, made sure that my sins were exposed. 

The Time Lapse Between Sowing & Harvest

And Paul says that God will NOT be mocked!  The word “mocked” literally means “to turn up one’s nose.” We can’t turn up our noses at God and live a life contrary to His Word without facing the consequences. We won’t get away with it! There’s always a time lapse between the time of sowing & the time of reaping. In the spring, the farmer is out sowing seed in the fields; but, harvest can be 6 months away! Don’t be deceived! You may have sown a seed. You may have acted sinfully. You may think you got away with it; but, the harvest is still coming in! Or, perhaps you’re a follower of Jesus who is troubled by the godless individuals around you who seem to get away with their sins. Remember the time lapse between planting & harvest!

God Will Right All Wrongs

In time, God will right all wrongs:  “…vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord” Romans 12:19.  The “Law of Sowing & Reaping” assures a harvest of corruption for the one who sows everything to the flesh; for the one who is consumed with this present temporal life; and, has little to no regard for the eternal! They’re placing time deposits in all the stuff that will one day pass away. They have no treasure being stored up in heaven because everything they’ve sown will only produce a harvest here in this life! And what is produced is a harvest of corruption, However, for the one who sows to the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul says that the “Law of Sowing & Reaping” produces a harvest of everlasting life. We sow to the Spirit as we plant a new affection for God. It’s an intentional pursuit of Him! It’s overriding the desires of our flesh with the desires of a new heart He gives us at salvation! It’s fleeing those lusts, of the flesh, as the Holy Spirit directs & empowers us! We only experience genuine happiness in our holiness; as we obey God’s Word! His commands are meant to protect us from sins harmful harvest!

Sowing To The Spirit

We sow to the Spirit when we say “YES”, on purpose, to everything that will strengthen Holy Spirit-inspired desires in us! We repent of sin quickly as the Spirit points it out to us! Sowing to the Spirit means turning our back on the lies about God— changing our minds by intentionally filling them with the truth about God! Sowing to the Spirit means we submit to those things that God uses to strengthen His Work, of Grace, in our hearts! God uses the Scriptures to prepare the soil, of our hearts, to sow to the Spirit! God uses prayer to prepare our hearts for sowing seed to His Spirit! He also uses worship to convince us God is better than anything our flesh offers & He uses the local church to keep us accountable for spiritual decisions we’ve made. When all is said and done, God gets the glory for the changes, in our life, because it was by His Spirit that they happened! Sins harvest always includes guilt & shame. Sowing to the Spirit produces joy!

God Is Great! God Is Good!

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Asking God To Bless The Food

I still remember our prayer, before meals, growing up— “God is great! God is good! Let us thank Him for our food! Amen!” Nothing wrong with that prayer! It acknowledges God. That He was the One who blessed us with the food we’re about to eat; and therefore worthy of our thanksgiving! If we were to offer anything negative about that prayer, it’s just that it’s repetitious and not very “personal.” And, God is personal! The Psalmist wrote these words:  “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard:  that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done” Psalm 62:11-12. 

God Reveals Himself In Scripture

God uses the Scriptures to reveal Himself to us; and, Jesus— God’s “Word” incarnate— revealed, to us, what God looked like in the flesh. He loves us! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.  He’s actively involved in our justification, our sanctification; and, ultimately, our glorification! We are “…His workmanship…” Ephesians 2:10. He continues to image us into the likeness of His Son. So, what is the biggest hindrance to His work in us? We are!

When We Get In The Way

We get in the way of our own spiritual growth. But, God is great; and, God is good! He is strong enough to change us when we quit being controlling! The Psalmist said He is “strong”— in fact, He is “omnipotent”; or,  ALL POWERFUL! You can’t manipulate Him! So, why would you try? Why would you want to? He is a benevolent God! All of His intentions, toward us, are kind & good! He is also strong enough to change us when we quit fearing man! One major reason, for our sinful behavior, is our craving for man’s approval! We fear the rejection of some person; but, “The fear of man lays a snare. Whoever trusts in the LORD, however, is safe” Prov 29:25. 

Seeking Man’s Approval

When you live for the approval & acceptance of others you succumb to a form of “idolatry.” You’ve placed created beings on the throne of your life instead of your Creator! God is great; and, God is good! And, He loves us enough to change us when we quit looking for love in all the wrong places! It’s the goodness of God, Scripture says, that leads us to repentance. He calls us to find, in Him, the only thing that truly satisfies us! Whatever the stuff of this world offers you, God offers you more! He isn’t just better than that stuff; He’s the BEST!

Quit Trying To Prove Yourself

That’s the heart of the Gospel message— because God is love, He will change us when we quit trying to prove we can do it ourselves! Salvation is not about what we do for God; rather, it’s about what God has already done for us! Like the Father, in the story of the Prodigal Son, God always welcomes us! He will rescue us from ourselves when we confess we’ve messed it all up! If you’ve had the tendency, as I have, to think God’s going to rub your nose in your sin for a little while before He forgives you, you’re mistaken! That’s not God! The Psalmist said: “…you, O LORD, are LOVING…” He comes running when we confess our sin to Him! He embraces us & changes us when we stop trying to prove, to Him, our worthiness! True life & happiness comes to us only as we obey Him. His commands are not grievous! They are loving boundaries to protect us from the harm that sin does to us & our relationships!

Jesus: The Glory Of The Father

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Going To Church For The Wrong Reasons

For much of my life, as a Disciple of Jesus, I went to church for all the wrong reasons. I went to be seen— so everyone would know that I was a faithful, born-again believer! I went to see people— my friends at church! I also went out of duty or obligation— fearing punishment, from God, if I didn’t go! But, all those things left my faith experience empty. There had to be more to church than impressing people & fearing punishment! It’s been a spiritual work in progress for me— I had to move away from “checklist Christianity” or “cultural Christianity” where I did things, like church, so I could check them off my spiritual “to-do list” & be accepted in the church culture!

Pursuing God

Instead, I needed to move toward God and do those things out of love and respect for Him! I had to pursue Him! For me, church became a whole new experience when I began to pursue God— when I began to come to meet HIM; to worship HIM; to experience the glory of His work in HIS church! Here’s what I’m saying:  “Church Is About God!” It’s not about US! Oh, we have to show up; but, we come to make much of HIM! We worship Him together as a community of faith; to praise Him & bring Him glory! And, if HE doesn’t show up, there’s something wrong with our worship! It’s misplaced; or, it’s misguided, isn’t it?

God’s Glory In The Son

And, God reveals His glory through His Son, Jesus. The Apostle John said that when they looked upon Jesus, they “…beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father…” John 1:14. They beheld God’s glory IN JESUS! And, the Father calls for His Son’s praise:  “The Father,…has given all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father.  Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” John 5:22-23.  The Father is offended when we fail to make much of Jesus! He is glorified when Jesus is worshipped & praised:  “So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2:10-11.

Making Much Of Jesus

If the Father makes much of Jesus, the Son, then certainly so should we! God honors the church that makes much of Jesus— the church that worships Him; praises Him & glorifies Him. In the same way, God refuses to honor any church that fails to worship Jesus! God, the Father, is outraged by any worship gatherings that fail to honor the Son in the same way they honor the Father.

Jesus: The Exact Expression

In Hebrews 1:3, the writer says that Jesus was “…the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature…” In other words, to “see Jesus is to see the Father.” He said that, by the way, when they asked him to show them the Father! In Colossians 1:15, the Apostle Paul said Jesus “…is the image of the invisible God.” You wanna see what God is like? Look at Jesus! Do you want God to speak to you? Listen to Jesus! He is the radiance of God’s glory! Like the radiance of the sun is inseparable from the sun, you can’t have the Father without the Son! The glory of the Trinity! Don’t ask me to explain it! I cannot! But, we are not commanded to explain all the intricate details about God! How could we? He’s infinite! We will spend all eternity plumbing the depths of God’s holiness, perfection, love, mercy, grace, omniscience, and omnipotence. We will study to know Him deeper for all eternity, and that study will never be exhausted.

Growing Up Spiritually In Community

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The Greatest Commandment?

We’ve often pointed out that the world generally obsesses over the “self.” But, God, in the Scriptures, directs us to be “God-focused” and “others-focused”! When Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Love God supremely; and love others in the same way that you love yourself! That means looking out for their best interests in the same way we look out for our best interests.

“Self-Centeredness” In Our Churches

Unfortunately, this “self-centeredness” has trickled down into our churches; so, even our spiritual growth is seen as something accomplished as an “individual.” For many modern believers, here in the West, being part of a church or a “community of faith” is seen as “supplemental”, and not “essential”, to our spiritual growth. We believe the Scriptures debunk that individualistic mindset.  God uses our local church— our faith community— to grow us at a deeper & more intimate level than can be accomplished alone.

Build Up The Body

Paul often reminded the local churches (as he did the Church of Ephesus in ch.4:11-16) that they were to function as a “body” functions; not as a group of self-centered, self-absorbed individuals! The “work of the ministry” is to “build up the BODY”, he said. The spiritual growth God intends to accomplish in us individually happens in the context of the local church body. It’s NOT that we don’t grow as “individuals”; we do! But that growth comes, in part, through our interaction with others! God uses our fellowship & even our fights to sanctify us! He teaches us humility, forgiveness, and how to resolve conflicts. When we live an isolated life outside of the church we live as though we are autonomous!

Only God Is Autonomous

Only God, however, is truly autonomous! He alone answers to no one! We must give an account of our lives to God; and, He has devised the church body to keep us accountable! It’s His plan that by holding ourselves accountable to other believers we will be stretched & matured so that we might hear a “well done good & faithful servant” when we stand before Him! We are called to “bear one another’s burdens”; and, those burdens come in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes we are burdened by sin. At other times, our burden is physical or emotional; and, God intends to use our brothers & sisters, in Christ, to help mature us!

Why Are We Here?

“Since making disciples is the main reason why a church exists, everything in the corporate body of the local church needs to be aligned in a way that funnels people toward these discipleship environments, the most notable of which is the relational small group”—from the chapter titled “Rethinking Our Practices” p.171 in Jim Putnam’s excellent book,  DiscipleShift.  Depending on the English translation of the Scriptures that you use, there are between 60-65 “each other” or “one another” admonitions in the New Testament. All of them relate to the interaction of believers in the body of a local church! I would conclude that it’s not even possible to obey those “each other” or “one another” commands unless we are part of a local community of faith! God uses even our “bad experiences” in the church to sanctify & grow each member!

No Sexually Immoral–Part II

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-To Judge “Sexual Sin” Rightly

In last week’s post, we noted that God has no “hierarchy” of sin when it comes to sexual sin. To judge “sexual sin” rightly is to agree with God that “Sexual Sin Is Sexual Sin Is Sexual Sin.” So, don’t make homosexual sin a bigger sin than God does! God’s holiness is repulsed by all sexual sin! We concluded that from the text of Paul’s letter to the Church of Corinth:  “Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.  And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

-The Evidence Is In The Lifestyle

If you study the context, of Paul’s letter, you’ll see that he’s drawing a distinction between the “unrighteous” & the “righteous”; or, the “unbeliever” & the “believer”; or, the “unsaved” & the “saved.” And, he uses an individuals “lifestyle” or “manner of life” as evidence. One of his ongoing themes— in both letters to the Corinthians— is that true belief always produces a changed life! In his 2nd letter, Paul writes: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (5:17) The verb tense there speaks of continuing action. Some translations say, “...old things are passing away, and all things are becoming new…” This speaks of the Holy Spirit’s work in us; that it’s one of progressive sanctification; or progressive spiritual growth!

-True Believers Are Not Who They Used To Be

A genuine believer is NOT who they used to be— and, that includes their “human sexuality”! In v.11— in considering those who fail the test in v.9-10— he says to the Corinthian believers, “And some of you USED TO BE LIKE THIS…” Some of you USED to be caught up in the deadly lifestyles mentioned! There’s always a “before” and “after” for the believer—  “before Christ” a life of habitual sin; and, “after Christ” there’s repentance and change. There is not one passage of Scripture anywhere that indicates that God has changed His mind about homosexual behavior! God has the right— as GOD— to declare “sin” to be whatever He determines it to be. He alone is the Divine Lawgiver. If He declared it a sin to drive a pink car or to be a football fan then sin it would be! Are we clear on that? Genuine faith comes to agree with God about the former lifestyle— including our sexuality!

-Examine Yourselves

That’s NOT to say that overcoming the former sins will be easy! These sins may have become “addictive behaviors”; and, they require the support & encouragement of mature believers who “disciple” them in their faith! But, God’s indwelling Spirit can give them victory! Interestingly, this is how Scripture always teaches us to judge whether faith is genuine. Genuine faith; or conversion, is not proven by saying a prayer; being baptized; or living a life filled with good deeds. Rather, the Word of God reflects back to us a changed life! Like a mirror, we view our life according to God’s Word. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test” (2 Cor. 13:5). Is Jesus Christ in you? Are you looking more like Him every day? That’s the test! The person who loves God will give up their sin; including their sexual sin!

The Spirit Of Truth!

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-He Came Alongside Him!

Many of you are aware that I’m a big baseball fan; and, one of my favorite baseball stories is about the friendship between the Dodgers Hall-of-Fame shortstop, Pee Wee Reese, and his teammate, the great Jackie Robinson. In 1947 Robinson bravely broke the color barrier, that should never have existed, when he became the 1st African American to play Major League baseball. Facing incredible racism, that continues to be a blight on our nation’s history & shamefully still persists today, he experienced jeering crowds in every stadium he played. One day, while playing at his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error and the fans began to ridicule him loudly. As Jackie stood, humiliated at 2nd base as the fans continued to boo him, Pee Wee Reese walked over to him, stood next to him, and put his arm around him; turning to face the crowd until they quit their booing! Later, Jackie Robinsons said, “That arm around my shoulder saved my career.”

-Helper! Comforter! Advocate!

What Reese did that day was very much the kind of ministry the Holy Spirit does for us.  In John’s Gospel, chapter 14, as Jesus’ disciples struggle with His announcement that He would be leaving them soon, He encourages them with these words: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth” (vs.16-17). And, that word translated “Counselor”— some of your translations render it “helper” or “comforter” or “advocate”— is “parakletos” in the original Greek language. The word is used in reference to someone who is “called to one’s aid.” “Para” means to “come alongside.” If you’re a Paramedic you “come alongside” someone to provide medical assistance. Pee Wee Reese came alongside Jackie Robinson. He came to Jackie Robinson’s aid.

-He Sent The Holy Spirit To Aid Them!

Jesus told His disciples not to fear; because, when He left them, He would send the Holy Spirit— ”parakletos”— to their aid. It is only by God’s Holy Spirit that we are able to break free from Satan’s grasp to do Jesus’ work by God’s power! It has been my experience that the Holy Spirit, the 3rd member of the Triune Godhead, is either the most ignored or the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. What Jesus says about the Spirit, in John’s Gospel, is absolutely vital to your spiritual health. If you’re trying to live the Christian life without a proper Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work, you’ll suffer from spiritual malnutrition and you’ll be ineffective for the Lord! Listen to what Jesus says: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (vs. 16-18)

-Don’t Leave Home Without Him!

And, Jesus continues speaking to His disciples about the Holy Spirit: “I have spoken these things to you,” Jesus continues, “while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things & remind you of everything I’ve told you” (vs.25-26). Don’t leave home without the Holy Spirit. The Capital One card may ask, “What’s in your wallet?”; but, God is asking, “Who’s your parakletos?” Who’s coming alongside you to give you the aid you need to live a life that counts for eternity? Jesus says that the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us. He says, “I will ask the Father, and He will GIVE you another Counselor…” (v.16). I’m going to ask the Father, Jesus says, to give you someone! The indwelling Holy Spirit is the Father’s gift! We are a favored people to live in the age of the Spirit! We should be incredibly thankful that we live in a day when the fullness of the Godhead has been revealed.

The Good News Of The Gospel!

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-The Beginning Of Jesus’ Gospel!

At Jesus’ baptism, John the Baptizer said:  “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I told you about” (John 1:29-30).  The Biblical writer, Mark, opens his account of Jesus’ life like this:  “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The word “gospel”; or, “euangelion” in the original Greek language, means “good news”; and, it’s found more than 100 times in the New Testament Scriptures. It’s used in the context of “justification”; or, becoming a born again believer; and, “sanctification”; or, spiritual growth as a follower of Jesus; and, even “glorification”; or, the completion of our salvation when we get a resurrected body like Jesus’ body.

-The Gospel In Everyday Life!

So, we need to ask by the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been limited, in many churches, to Easter Sunday sermons; and, to altar calls, as though it only applies to our getting saved; and, not to our growth or sanctification in Christ? If you ask most Christians, “How do you apply the Gospel to the everyday stuff of life?” they wouldn’t know how to answer! I submit to you that the Gospel has everything to do with every single thing you go through in your life. Here’s how we need to unpack the Gospel of Jesus Christ:  “Whatever the question, Jesus is the answer! Whatever the problem, Jesus is the solution!” That’s not original with me; but, I have no recollection where I first heard it! But, I can’t think of a more complete; but, simple way to define the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

-We Never Graduate From Jesus!

What Jesus accomplished on the cross, for you, has everything to do with your family, your work; and, even the painful struggles of life. You need to grab hold of that truth if you’re a follower of Jesus; or, you will flounder greatly in your faith. The Gospel, of Jesus Christ, isn’t just for salvation; or, your justification! We never graduate from Jesus and His Gospel. Whatever you’re questioning in life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer; and, whatever the problem you’re facing, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the solution! One of the biggest flaws in the way that we have made disciples is we’ve taught them how to successfully navigate the Christian life; or, to grow in their sanctification, without Jesus! One of the biggest flaws, in our prayer life, is that we pray that God will change the circumstances! Rarely will God answer that prayer!

-The Prayer God Wants Us To Pray!

He wants us to pray, NOT for a change of circumstances; but, for a change of heart; and, that only happens as we apply the truth of the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is activated as you prepare the way for Him to enter your life. As Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptizer prepared the world for His arrival. We have to prepare the way, in our own private world, for Jesus to enter. I mean, by that, that we must give proper place to Him. We must denounce all other competing loves!

-Not Worthy Of Me!

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (10:37-39). To prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah to enter your heart, you must see Him as the ultimate value! He is of greater value than all of our other loves! His worth is infinitely greater than even the great worth we attach to our mothers & our fathers & our children; and, to our own lives also! Jesus is the ultimate value of the universe; and, the good news of His Gospel tells us that as much meaning & enjoyment as we may experience in the pleasure of God’s created things around us, none of these will do for us what the Gospel of Jesus Christ will! And, so, we must prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts & lives.

Our Blindness To Spiritual Drift!

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-Drifting Away!

Every so often I see a story, in the news, about someone who had inadvertently drifted out to sea; or, someone wasn’t paying attention as their canoe just drifted downriver toward a falls; and, they barely escaped, with their lives, once they realized that the current was rapidly putting them toward the falls. I remember getting on a blowup raft, on a camping trip, when I was probably in about 5th grade; and, just basking in the warm sun. I was not even aware that I was drifting farther away from the campsite until I came to my senses; and, realized I had drifted too far from shore! I hadn’t yet learned to swim; so, I remember being scared, for my life, as I quickly paddled back to shore.

-How Spiritual Drift Occurs!

By definition, to drift means: “A continuous slow movement from one place to another.” Spiritual drift occurs similarly in our lives! It happens when we slowly move from a place where we’re walking with God; on fire for him; passionate about prayer & reading His word; faithful to the church gatherings & Small Group, to slowly checking out; and, pulling away from the godly influences, of the faith community; and, losing our heart for worship & prayer & God’s word! We become a casualty of spiritual drift!  It never happens overnight! You won’t just wake up one morning; and, suddenly decide to forsake your faith Jesus; or, say, “Hey! I think today would be a great day to start a meth addiction”; or, “Ya know what? I think I’m going to commit adultery with someone today.”

-Where Sin Will Take You!

Big sins are always the sum of many tiny little bad choices! Someone said it like this:  “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay; and, cost you more than you want to pay.” That pretty much says it all. In Scripture, God’s people— the children of Israel— provide a consistent visual of what spiritual drift looks like. In Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, we find the Israelites returning from their Babylonian exile with great enthusiasm & praise for the Lord God. Jerusalem was rebuilt; and, the temple was restored. But, despite the fact they started well, a spiritual drift began to set in. The world’s thinking began to determine their behavior.

-Motives Underlying Religious Activity!

So, God delivers a message, through the Prophet Malachi, to take a fresh approach to the way they were thinking about God; and, to consider the motives underlying their religious activities. And, there’s an application here for us, as well. Our sinful brokenness will always keep us in desperate need of God’s word to confront our spiritual drift. And, it’s God’s word that is our spiritual lifeline. We simply cannot do the spiritual life without it. So, as we consider Israel’s spiritual failure, in the book of Malachi, over the next few posts, we’ll discover that our tendencies are no different! But, there’s hope here; for Israel & us.

-The Hope Of A New Covenant!

The hope that Malachi speaks of is a “new covenant” with God. A covenant that points to God’s great mercy & grace. There is always “good news” with God! Even if you’ve drifted spiritually, He is quick to forgive & restore you to fellowship, with Him, if you humble yourself & confess your sin to Him. But, make no mistake, if you’re a child of His; and, you’ve guilty of spiritual drift, He will confront you over it, as He did Israel, through the Prophet Malachi. God confronts us when we’re skeptical of His love. Israel had become skeptical of God’s love. They had allowed life’s circumstances to jade their thoughts about God’s love for them. How could God love them; and, allow them to be exiled from the land of promise? How could God love them; and, allow Jerusalem to be destroyed; and, the temple to be leveled? They had allowed their circumstances to blind them to God’s faithful love. We’ll look at God’s answer in our next post.

Hope In Suffering!

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-We’re Permitted To Grieve!

We opened our Bible to the O.T. book of Lamentations, in our last post; and, discovered that the Prophet Jeremiah & the nation of Israel were in a world of hurt! Jeremiah feels it personally; and, for his people! And, God’s word tells us that there is a place for that. The N.T. book of Romans tells us to, “weep with those who weep.” We’re permitted to grieve! But, we’re also told not to grieve in the same way that unbelievers do; like, those with no hope! Lamenting is appropriate in times of pain & struggle. But, we’re also instructed that the pain & struggle should give way to repentance & hope!

-God’s Faithful Love Offers Hope!

Because of God’s faithful love, there is hope in suffering! “I call this to mind,” Jeremiah writes, “and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:21-24). And, let me remind you that “hope” in Scripture is completely different than the cross-your-fingers kind of “hope” that the word means in today’s culture. The “hope” in God’s Word is a “confident expectation.”

-A Confident Expectation!

Jeremiah— inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to write this— has “hope”; or, a confident expectation despite his suffering and pain; because, of God’s faithful love. He chooses to focus on God’s character rather than the circumstances of his pain & suffering. “I call this to mind,” he says; that, “God’s love is faithful.” He refuses to live under the circumstances! To neither dwell on the past or the current suffering; but, to be forward in his thinking; that, God’s love is faithful! Whatever our current state of life, God’s love is not negated! The ESV translation says, “…the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases…” The MESSAGE paraphrases it, “God’s loyal love.” God is loyal to us!

-Don’t Doubt God’s Loyalty!

Don’t let the undesirable events in your life give you any cause to doubt God’s loyalty! If you’ve believed in Jesus you’ve been adopted into God’s family. And, while the enemy hopes to crush you under the struggles of life, God is acting like a loving Father & He’s acting on the junk in your life, intending to grow your faith & give you “HOPE”—a “confident expectation” that He will continue to come through for you! The Apostle Paul wrote the Church of Rome that “hope” is produced through our suffering:  “…we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit…” Romans 5:2-5.

-Rejoice In Afflictions!

God is showing us His faithful love toward us by choreographing the painful struggles into our lives, Paul says; because they are for our good! He uses them to help us grow spiritually; so, rejoice in the “affliction” because it produces “endurance” which produces “character” which produces “hope”—that “confident expectation” in God’s ability to use the struggles to strengthen our faith! So, don’t fight Him! Enduring the struggles will always eventually produce hope if we’re submitted to God’s Spirit because that’s what the Spirit produces in us; and, He uses the painful stuff in life to generate it. But, then, Jeremiah says that there is hope; or, a confident expectation, even in suffering, because God’s mercy never ends (v.22). Some translations say, “…through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not…” This is what Jeremiah called to mind! We need God’s help to call these same truths to mind.