We are often told to concentrate on and rely on the Bible. There are many ways to do this and many pictures that are used to describe God's desire for us to completely know and understand His testimony. However, two of God's prophets are said to have consumed the Word of the Lord literally. Ezekiel was instructed by God to take the scroll before him and eat it. Jeremiah simply found it so enticing he could not resist eating it. In both cases the picture of God's servant actually ingesting the Word of God is powerful.
I believe that the only picture that synthesizes two separate entities more is that of marriage. Eating something is not just ingesting it and riding oneself of what is left over (I'll leave the rest to your imagination). There is a plethora of activity that takes place once we have taken food in through our mouths. We begin by digesting the food with acids in the stomach. Then our body absorbs the nutrients that are derived from the specifics types of food. We are nourished, revived, replenished, and even added to as we grow from these elements. And my knowledge of biology can only take us so far, but the microbiology that takes place in the blood system, lymph system, and others is a whole other world! Imagine being able to unite the Word of God to our minds and bodies in such a way.
But we have only one directive in this process just as with eating food and with Ezekiel's task from God. Ezekiel was told (see ch 3) to eat the scroll and wait for God's timing in speaking the words to His people. He is actually allowed to be taken captive in order for God to perfect the audience and timing of the revelation. All Ezekiel had to do was eat and obey; God did the rest! God did the rest! God did the rest!
Eat his word today, wait for his timing in your life, and see if God won't do something awesome as you do!
Author
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Insightful Love
Philippians 1:9-11 "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
One of the greatest characteristics a Christian can allow God to produce in them is love. Christ's assessment of the law of God being boiled down to the two most important consisted really of one vital characteristic; love. One cannot have a life modeled after Jesus without it. One cannot expect to engage God without it. One cannot have make a difference in others without it.
We, however, too often make love about what we see in the movies; all sentiment, gushing emotion, and reckless abandon. Paul does not see the kind of love that represents the nature of God in Christ this way. Rather, he prays for the Philippians to have love that is full of knowledge and discernment. A love that distinguishes between righteous and unrighteous fruit.
Paul's prayer offers a "circle of life" perspective. As we are filled with insightful love, we are able to distinguish between righteous and unrighteous fruit. Then we can allow God to prune away the unrighteous leaving room for growth in insightful love which in turn produces more righteous fruit. The love of God is a love that requires action. "If you love me you will obey me." But, by loving God, the Holy Spirit produce the fruit that allows us to obey Him. He never asks us to obey without giving us the power to do so!
Love, in God's economy, is abandon; just not reckless. It is sentiment; just not sentiment only. It is gushing; just not without thought.
Father, let us grow more and more in love that is insightful and produces righteous fruit!
We, however, too often make love about what we see in the movies; all sentiment, gushing emotion, and reckless abandon. Paul does not see the kind of love that represents the nature of God in Christ this way. Rather, he prays for the Philippians to have love that is full of knowledge and discernment. A love that distinguishes between righteous and unrighteous fruit.
Paul's prayer offers a "circle of life" perspective. As we are filled with insightful love, we are able to distinguish between righteous and unrighteous fruit. Then we can allow God to prune away the unrighteous leaving room for growth in insightful love which in turn produces more righteous fruit. The love of God is a love that requires action. "If you love me you will obey me." But, by loving God, the Holy Spirit produce the fruit that allows us to obey Him. He never asks us to obey without giving us the power to do so!
Love, in God's economy, is abandon; just not reckless. It is sentiment; just not sentiment only. It is gushing; just not without thought.
Father, let us grow more and more in love that is insightful and produces righteous fruit!
Friday, September 2, 2011
A Validating Life
Philippians 1:7-8 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
One word jumps off the page to me as I read this passage; confirm. We often make it our business to "defend the gospel" as Paul puts it. But, what about confirming the gospel? Is that our obligation as Christians? I feel we should look at it from two directions: 1. We are obligated to confirm the message Jesus left with us. It is not enough to preach it, it needs to be validated as well. 2. As we live the life God has called us to, we will validate the gospel. How do we do this?
1. Confirming that Jesus is the Son of God as we see miracles and power in our lives through prayer to Him and prayer for others.
2. Confirming that Jesus died for this world by living a life that represents righteousness. This can only be done with the help of the holy Spirit as none of us are nor ever will be perfect! the Fruit of the Spirit gives life to our desire to confirm Jesus death.
3. Confirming that Jesus rose from the grave by living for the hope of heaven and its treasure and not the temptation of earth and her treasure.
Confirming Jesus gospel means living what we believe. True belief is shown in actions that align with our thoughts. The fruit of the Spirit is the gospel confirmed in our lives. Let us not simply defend the gospel but confirm it also by our lives lived for him.
One word jumps off the page to me as I read this passage; confirm. We often make it our business to "defend the gospel" as Paul puts it. But, what about confirming the gospel? Is that our obligation as Christians? I feel we should look at it from two directions: 1. We are obligated to confirm the message Jesus left with us. It is not enough to preach it, it needs to be validated as well. 2. As we live the life God has called us to, we will validate the gospel. How do we do this?
1. Confirming that Jesus is the Son of God as we see miracles and power in our lives through prayer to Him and prayer for others.
2. Confirming that Jesus died for this world by living a life that represents righteousness. This can only be done with the help of the holy Spirit as none of us are nor ever will be perfect! the Fruit of the Spirit gives life to our desire to confirm Jesus death.
3. Confirming that Jesus rose from the grave by living for the hope of heaven and its treasure and not the temptation of earth and her treasure.
Confirming Jesus gospel means living what we believe. True belief is shown in actions that align with our thoughts. The fruit of the Spirit is the gospel confirmed in our lives. Let us not simply defend the gospel but confirm it also by our lives lived for him.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Proper Instruction
1 Timothy 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
It is important to Paul that the teachers in his wake are pure doctrinally and spiritually. He give Timothy a specific template for dealing with those who are not. There teaching was likely disrupting the assemblies and causing some to loose faith. Paul then tells Timothy the real goal of our teaching.
First it is to be informed by love and faith. Paul often used these words in conjunction in the Pastoral Epistles. He wanted to make sure that those teaching in the churches he planted, and universally for that matter, were those who had a knowledge of the subject and lived according to their teaching. Taken separately, these two terms have great meaning in themselves. Especially when the adjective sincere is placed with faith. It is a faith that seeks only the truth and righteousness of God. Love can be seen to define the entirety of our goal for teaching; teach with love and all else will fall into place. We will not need to worry about our motive or lazy study if we act with love in our practices. Combined, these two words take on the meaning of St. Francis of Assisi's famous quote, "Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary use words." Paul intends for us to not just be "hearers." We must be the example of how the Word of God (and if we continue reading Timothy, the Law of God) is practical in our lives.
Second, our teaching/instruction (the NIV says command) is to be guided by a pure heart/good conscience. Again, the two phrases have great meaning apart from one another. Pure heart can mean sin cleansed or having a pure motive. To teach with a pure motive is quite important so we do not fall into the trap of being self-serving and out for personal gain alone. The "workman is deserving of his wages," but not at the expense of purity of content or growth of the student. Good conscience is used by Paul elsewhere to connote his own freedom from guilt over past sin. Together they have a greater meaning of one who has the cognitive grasp of his/her own salvation and subsequent freedom from sin and guilt. To be so, one must indeed have asked for that forgiveness and cleansing. Paul asserts then that a teacher must be one who is aware of his/her transition from sinner to saint. As one having a relationship with the giver of the Word and is the Word before attempting to instruct others in the meaning and application of said Word.
Paul's wish then is that instruction should come from a person who has been taught, seeks the truth always, endeavors to glorify God and see others grow while steering away from selfish motive, has asked for forgiveness and seeks to live according to his/her own teaching, does not fear the past in sin or guilt in rising to the challenge of a teacher, and is a continual learner themselves. See James 3:1
It is important to Paul that the teachers in his wake are pure doctrinally and spiritually. He give Timothy a specific template for dealing with those who are not. There teaching was likely disrupting the assemblies and causing some to loose faith. Paul then tells Timothy the real goal of our teaching.
First it is to be informed by love and faith. Paul often used these words in conjunction in the Pastoral Epistles. He wanted to make sure that those teaching in the churches he planted, and universally for that matter, were those who had a knowledge of the subject and lived according to their teaching. Taken separately, these two terms have great meaning in themselves. Especially when the adjective sincere is placed with faith. It is a faith that seeks only the truth and righteousness of God. Love can be seen to define the entirety of our goal for teaching; teach with love and all else will fall into place. We will not need to worry about our motive or lazy study if we act with love in our practices. Combined, these two words take on the meaning of St. Francis of Assisi's famous quote, "Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary use words." Paul intends for us to not just be "hearers." We must be the example of how the Word of God (and if we continue reading Timothy, the Law of God) is practical in our lives.
Second, our teaching/instruction (the NIV says command) is to be guided by a pure heart/good conscience. Again, the two phrases have great meaning apart from one another. Pure heart can mean sin cleansed or having a pure motive. To teach with a pure motive is quite important so we do not fall into the trap of being self-serving and out for personal gain alone. The "workman is deserving of his wages," but not at the expense of purity of content or growth of the student. Good conscience is used by Paul elsewhere to connote his own freedom from guilt over past sin. Together they have a greater meaning of one who has the cognitive grasp of his/her own salvation and subsequent freedom from sin and guilt. To be so, one must indeed have asked for that forgiveness and cleansing. Paul asserts then that a teacher must be one who is aware of his/her transition from sinner to saint. As one having a relationship with the giver of the Word and is the Word before attempting to instruct others in the meaning and application of said Word.
Paul's wish then is that instruction should come from a person who has been taught, seeks the truth always, endeavors to glorify God and see others grow while steering away from selfish motive, has asked for forgiveness and seeks to live according to his/her own teaching, does not fear the past in sin or guilt in rising to the challenge of a teacher, and is a continual learner themselves. See James 3:1
Monday, January 10, 2011
Anticipation
For the last couple of days we have been dog sitting for my wife's brother and sister-in-law. They have two Labrador retrievers. One is chocolate (Sage) and the other is blond (Eli). The chocolate is an older dog with hip pain who is slow moving and calm 99% of the time. He just wants you to pet him and sit with him. The blond is just barely a puppy still, but acts completely like one. He wants you to play with him 24/7. There is the tug-of-war game that he loves (and a 70 lb dog can pull pretty well!). Then there is the chase-him-around-the-room-with-the-stuffed-toy game. He always loves the pull-the-stuffing-out-of-the-toy game (that one he plays by himself when you won't play with him. You walk into the room after being gone for five minutes and the whole floor is covered with white fiber.). He really loves it when you go outside with him, put on gloves, and wrestle with him. He likes to bite the gloves as you try to keep them away from him. I have noticed that every time I open the door to let him out he has the expectation that I am going with him to play. I really just don't want him to use my floor for a toilet or, sometimes, I just want him to go run off some energy. But, he never seems to get past the prospect of more play time. When I let him out and close the door he consistently stops and looks at me as if to ask, "Aren’t you coming?" So far he hasn't changed his reaction.
Why do we change our reaction, our anticipation, of what God will do for us? He has given us a promise, given us his word, and told us to expect him to do as he said. But, unlike Eli, we stop looking for him after a while. Maybe we figure he didn't show up once, he won't show up this time. Perhaps we grow tired of "being disappointed." The truth is that God never left us. He walked out the door with us every time. God always shows up; rather, God is always here with us. It is we who do not see him, not God who is MIA.
Re-energizing your expectancy on God's trustworthiness may be the best way to find new strength to walk out the door. The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for expectation can also mean belief. Our belief or faith in Gad should produce expectation or anticipation on our behalf. What is God asking you to believe today? How can you act on that expectation that God is here with you in your walk?
The dogs will eventually go home, but I know that Eli will still expect me to play with him whenever he sees me. I have to expect that God will always be there for me the same way.
Why do we change our reaction, our anticipation, of what God will do for us? He has given us a promise, given us his word, and told us to expect him to do as he said. But, unlike Eli, we stop looking for him after a while. Maybe we figure he didn't show up once, he won't show up this time. Perhaps we grow tired of "being disappointed." The truth is that God never left us. He walked out the door with us every time. God always shows up; rather, God is always here with us. It is we who do not see him, not God who is MIA.
Re-energizing your expectancy on God's trustworthiness may be the best way to find new strength to walk out the door. The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for expectation can also mean belief. Our belief or faith in Gad should produce expectation or anticipation on our behalf. What is God asking you to believe today? How can you act on that expectation that God is here with you in your walk?
The dogs will eventually go home, but I know that Eli will still expect me to play with him whenever he sees me. I have to expect that God will always be there for me the same way.
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