Tis The Season
The last month of the year is typically a very hectic one. The tranquility of Thanksgiving passes and the Christmas shopping season descends upon us with overflowing parking lots, busy cash registers, and lines to see Santa that stretch from one end of the mall to the other. Teachers, in an effort to “get in” all the material that is listed in the curriculum, sometimes assign additional work just before school lets out and of course there are always the exams. Minivans full of kids and gifts (with DVD players keeping the kids attention away from the gifts) crowd the interstates as visits are made to every grandparent, aunt and uncle within a 100 mile radius. We hurry around town trying to find time to meet the extra demands which the holidays place upon us all the while striving to fulfill our usual commitments. Yet in the midst of all the rush, we find ourselves reflecting over the last 11 months and evaluating the impact of the year’s events. TIME magazine unveils its “Person of the Year” while television and radio stations promote their picks for the top songs, books, and events. Personally, we think about successes, failures, and the road ahead. The road ahead then becomes our focus and we set goals/make resolutions for the year to come.
This time of year reminds us of at least two things: the hectic nature of life and the importance of slowing down long enough to cultivate important relationships. The most important relationship, of course, is the one that is found through Christ Jesus. When asked which command was the greatest, Jesus responded simply, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” He added, “And the second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In these two basic statements, Jesus summed up 613 different laws. As humans, we have a tendency to complicate things. If you found the above description of the Christmas holiday season even vaguely familiar, then you apparently realize this as well. As we anticipate this new year, let us pledge to be simple Christians who recognize these two simple commands and look for simple ways to carry them out.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Saturday, May 5, 2007
“For I Have No One Else”
Paul loved the Philippian church, just as he did all the congregations with which he labored. He had planted the gospel seed there and wanted to ensure its growth even though he had moved on to other mission fields. He wrote these Christians a letter explaining that in his absence, he would send Timothy. Timothy would not only help with their work, but would also report back about their progress. Why Timothy? Paul explains that he chose this young man because, “I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:20-21). Among Paul’s fellow workers, there was a great deal of selfishness. He knew that only Timothy would be able to serve the Philippians in the proper manner.
The key word there is serve. Jesus told the Pharisees that “the greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt. 23:11). Paul chose Timothy because, just like himself, Timothy possessed a servant’s heart. Perhaps Paul knew that the church at Philippi needed to see servant hood modeled for them. After all, there were two ladies in the congregation who were having trouble living “in harmony” (Phil. 4:2). The bottom line is that when Timothy arrived in Philippi, he was not interested in promoting himself, but was instead focused on glorifying God by strengthening the local church. Only God knows the wondrous extent of the work he was able to do there because, as Paul would put it, he did nothing from “selfishness or empty conceit,” but with humility of mind regarded others as more important than himself (Phil. 2:3).
God intended for Christians to help each other. He could have instructed us each to follow him individually, but He knew that we would not have much success on our own. Instead, he created an amazing institution by which we can share our joys, heart-aches, and struggles. He wanted us to walk the straight and narrow hand in hand so that it would not be easy to drift away to the broad way that leads to destruction. We have an obligation to serve one another in good times and bad, sometimes even forsaking our own interests.
The effect of this service is somewhat paradoxical. You may sacrifice in order to help your brother or sister, but you will ultimately be made better yourself. This principle is seen clearly in Christ’s words from John 15:13, “Greater love has no man than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” When we lay down our lives every day in service to our fellow Christians, we are exhibiting the highest level of what is described as the greatest of all spiritual gifts: love. Love equals service. Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to die one of the worst deaths that man has ever been able to conjure up. Simply put, sacrificial love is what God is all about. It has the power to transform our lives and the lives of others. This point is driven home in 1 John 4:12, “No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” What an amazing thought! By loving/ serving one another, we open the door for God’s love to be perfected in us, which ultimately means that our lives become more in tune with what God expects of us and that we are able to share a stronger faith with others.
The key word there is serve. Jesus told the Pharisees that “the greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt. 23:11). Paul chose Timothy because, just like himself, Timothy possessed a servant’s heart. Perhaps Paul knew that the church at Philippi needed to see servant hood modeled for them. After all, there were two ladies in the congregation who were having trouble living “in harmony” (Phil. 4:2). The bottom line is that when Timothy arrived in Philippi, he was not interested in promoting himself, but was instead focused on glorifying God by strengthening the local church. Only God knows the wondrous extent of the work he was able to do there because, as Paul would put it, he did nothing from “selfishness or empty conceit,” but with humility of mind regarded others as more important than himself (Phil. 2:3).
God intended for Christians to help each other. He could have instructed us each to follow him individually, but He knew that we would not have much success on our own. Instead, he created an amazing institution by which we can share our joys, heart-aches, and struggles. He wanted us to walk the straight and narrow hand in hand so that it would not be easy to drift away to the broad way that leads to destruction. We have an obligation to serve one another in good times and bad, sometimes even forsaking our own interests.
The effect of this service is somewhat paradoxical. You may sacrifice in order to help your brother or sister, but you will ultimately be made better yourself. This principle is seen clearly in Christ’s words from John 15:13, “Greater love has no man than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” When we lay down our lives every day in service to our fellow Christians, we are exhibiting the highest level of what is described as the greatest of all spiritual gifts: love. Love equals service. Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to die one of the worst deaths that man has ever been able to conjure up. Simply put, sacrificial love is what God is all about. It has the power to transform our lives and the lives of others. This point is driven home in 1 John 4:12, “No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” What an amazing thought! By loving/ serving one another, we open the door for God’s love to be perfected in us, which ultimately means that our lives become more in tune with what God expects of us and that we are able to share a stronger faith with others.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
Temptations can be difficult to overcome. While some temptations come only once or twice in a lifetime, we face others on a continual basis. Despite what I had hoped during high school, temptations only increase with each passing year. Paul gives us a warning, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man” (1 Cor. 10:12-13). This statement advises us not to think we are stronger than we are, but it also gives us hope. The temptations that we face are common to everyone.
That being said, everyone is tempted by different things. James tells us that it is not God who tempts us. Instead, “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (James 1:14). Certain things are not very enticing. If I hand you a butcher knife and ask you to cut off a finger, the temptation would probably not be that great. However, when we look at things that are pleasurable, because of our own desires, we want them whether they are pleasing God or not. Each person has different (though it may be only slightly different in some cases) desires and therefore are tempted with different things.
The bottom line is that whatever our temptations are, whatever we are currently facing, it is important to get through these tests without compromising ourselves as God’s children and ambassadors. James is very clear in verse 15: “Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Those are strong words. If we allow ourselves to be “enticed” and “dragged away” by our “desires,” the end result is spiritual death, eternal separation from God!
When we do face temptations (and make no mistake, they will come) we need to keep a few things in mind.
Don’t Rationalize or Toe the Line
Our minds are very tricky. With very little ease, we can delude ourselves into accepting sin. If there is something we want to do, we do it. Afterwards, we ask forgiveness and feel as though that prayer made everything better. We do it again, and ask forgiveness again. Sometimes we get to the point where we will commit sin knowing that it can all be corrected by a short prayer. While God is faithful to forgive us when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9), this mindset reflects a severe misunderstanding of grace. God’s grace is incredible. Nothing else can compare to it. However, grace is meant to motivate us to live Godly lives. If grace is not motivating us to resist temptations, then perhaps we actually do not possess or have fallen away from God’s grace. The truth of the matter is, we must recognize sin for what it is and what it will bring. Then we must get serious about removing it from our lives.
At other times we will tell ourselves, “I’m not going to cross the line. I’ll get close, but I won’t actually do anything sinful.” This can be dangerous. James says that we are “carried away” by our desires. It is a lot easier to carry someone over the line if they are standing right next to it. So instead of getting close to sin without the intention of actually sinning, we should probably follow the example of Joseph. When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he ran away. He did not stick around to see what would happen. He did not say, “Well maybe just one kiss.” He ran away; he got himself out of the situation.
Trust God
As I mentioned before, Paul tells us to keep a sharp eye open because temptations can sneak up on you. Before you know what has happened, you’ve fallen. But he also gives us a great reason to have courage. He says, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). As Christians, we have the assurance that we will never face a temptation that cannot be overcome. That does not mean we will like the way we must overcome it or that we will want to take God’s escape route. Sometimes escaping temptation means doing things that are painful. Jesus drives this point home when he says “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matt. 5:30). Whether it is relationships, habits, or circumstances, sometimes we must cut things out of our lives that are causing us to sin. This may not be easy to accept, but in some ways it is comforting. God has made sure that we have a way out, and we should always be thankful for that.
Lean on Your Brothers and Sisters
One of the great things about living the Christian life is that you do not do it alone. God has given us other people, fellow soldiers, to wage the war against our enemy. In Army Ranger school, they assign each person a “ranger buddy.” Each ranger is responsible for making sure his “ranger buddy” keeps up, performs well, and makes it back safely. This is a great principle, but the U.S. Army does not get credit for it. Paul told the Galatians to do the same thing: “Bear one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). When the enemy presses in hard and hits us with various temptations, we need people on the battle field to fight with us. We need people who know us and will hold us accountable. We need brothers and sisters standing beside us to make sure that we do not fall during the battle. Friends who help you stay on the right path are truly one of God’s greatest blessings.
Know That the Battle Has Already Been Won
One thing that I believe Christians seem for forget sometimes is that we are already victors. Yes, we fight Satan every day, but for us, the final outcome has already been decided. Paul explains this concept very eloquently:
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
We now walk according to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit sets us free to live the lives that God intended for us to live. Before we received the Spirit, we were trapped in sin, but through the Spirit we no have the ability to overcome the temptations that we face. It is incredibly empowering to know what the final result will be. We know that if we stay faithful we will prevail and receive a crown of life.
That being said, everyone is tempted by different things. James tells us that it is not God who tempts us. Instead, “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (James 1:14). Certain things are not very enticing. If I hand you a butcher knife and ask you to cut off a finger, the temptation would probably not be that great. However, when we look at things that are pleasurable, because of our own desires, we want them whether they are pleasing God or not. Each person has different (though it may be only slightly different in some cases) desires and therefore are tempted with different things.
The bottom line is that whatever our temptations are, whatever we are currently facing, it is important to get through these tests without compromising ourselves as God’s children and ambassadors. James is very clear in verse 15: “Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Those are strong words. If we allow ourselves to be “enticed” and “dragged away” by our “desires,” the end result is spiritual death, eternal separation from God!
When we do face temptations (and make no mistake, they will come) we need to keep a few things in mind.
Don’t Rationalize or Toe the Line
Our minds are very tricky. With very little ease, we can delude ourselves into accepting sin. If there is something we want to do, we do it. Afterwards, we ask forgiveness and feel as though that prayer made everything better. We do it again, and ask forgiveness again. Sometimes we get to the point where we will commit sin knowing that it can all be corrected by a short prayer. While God is faithful to forgive us when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9), this mindset reflects a severe misunderstanding of grace. God’s grace is incredible. Nothing else can compare to it. However, grace is meant to motivate us to live Godly lives. If grace is not motivating us to resist temptations, then perhaps we actually do not possess or have fallen away from God’s grace. The truth of the matter is, we must recognize sin for what it is and what it will bring. Then we must get serious about removing it from our lives.
At other times we will tell ourselves, “I’m not going to cross the line. I’ll get close, but I won’t actually do anything sinful.” This can be dangerous. James says that we are “carried away” by our desires. It is a lot easier to carry someone over the line if they are standing right next to it. So instead of getting close to sin without the intention of actually sinning, we should probably follow the example of Joseph. When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he ran away. He did not stick around to see what would happen. He did not say, “Well maybe just one kiss.” He ran away; he got himself out of the situation.
Trust God
As I mentioned before, Paul tells us to keep a sharp eye open because temptations can sneak up on you. Before you know what has happened, you’ve fallen. But he also gives us a great reason to have courage. He says, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). As Christians, we have the assurance that we will never face a temptation that cannot be overcome. That does not mean we will like the way we must overcome it or that we will want to take God’s escape route. Sometimes escaping temptation means doing things that are painful. Jesus drives this point home when he says “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matt. 5:30). Whether it is relationships, habits, or circumstances, sometimes we must cut things out of our lives that are causing us to sin. This may not be easy to accept, but in some ways it is comforting. God has made sure that we have a way out, and we should always be thankful for that.
Lean on Your Brothers and Sisters
One of the great things about living the Christian life is that you do not do it alone. God has given us other people, fellow soldiers, to wage the war against our enemy. In Army Ranger school, they assign each person a “ranger buddy.” Each ranger is responsible for making sure his “ranger buddy” keeps up, performs well, and makes it back safely. This is a great principle, but the U.S. Army does not get credit for it. Paul told the Galatians to do the same thing: “Bear one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). When the enemy presses in hard and hits us with various temptations, we need people on the battle field to fight with us. We need people who know us and will hold us accountable. We need brothers and sisters standing beside us to make sure that we do not fall during the battle. Friends who help you stay on the right path are truly one of God’s greatest blessings.
Know That the Battle Has Already Been Won
One thing that I believe Christians seem for forget sometimes is that we are already victors. Yes, we fight Satan every day, but for us, the final outcome has already been decided. Paul explains this concept very eloquently:
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
We now walk according to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit sets us free to live the lives that God intended for us to live. Before we received the Spirit, we were trapped in sin, but through the Spirit we no have the ability to overcome the temptations that we face. It is incredibly empowering to know what the final result will be. We know that if we stay faithful we will prevail and receive a crown of life.
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