God’s Classroom

On June 19, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Philippians 2: 3 – 5

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.   Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

This is so counter-cultural that, frankly, it is difficult for us to incorporate it into our lifestyle. We are actually supposed to put the needs and desires of others before our own wants. For most of us this is beyond difficult. In truth, we rarely even recognize the opportunities which pass by us, opportunities to be a little less selfish. I received one of those opportunities recently and it gave me a chance to examine whether my theology was integrated into my lifestyle or just a collection of pretty thoughts and ideals.

I had to take my car in for routine maintenance. I took my book hoping that I could get a little of my class reading done while awaiting my car. Well, there is a television in the waiting room. I usually prefer not to have a television on so that I can read without distraction. But you know what – it’s not all about me. There were other people there waiting for their cars too. At first it appeared that no one was listening to the TV so I was going to ask them if they minded me turning the volume down. No sooner, however, did I think that thought than this scripture came to mind. Why did the situation need to revolve around my desires or even needs. “Well,” I thought, “if no one is listening to it, what does it bother for me to ask?” But God responded to me instantly. Have you ever noticed that when you really don’t want to hear God it is really easy to hear His voice? Well, anyway, God showed me that the other people there, though they did not appear to be paying attention to the TV, might be enjoying having it on in the background. If I had asked they likely would have consented even though it wasn’t what they wanted. My pursuit of my desires would have put them in an awkward position where they may feel compelled to consent. Why should the world bend and contort to meet my perceived needs?

All of this happened in a flash but I knew this was a point of personal growth. What was more important to me, reading my Christian book for my doctorate in Theology or living my theology? Was it better to put my need for silence at the forefront or to let Jesus lead me and teach me about his divine outlook? Happily Dad spoke in my ear before I could open my mouth. Would it have been a huge sin had I put my needs first? Well, I don’t know. A sin is a sin, isn’t it? I don’t think Dad would have been horribly mad at me but He would see that I just wasn’t ready to grow up. 

As it turns out, I learned more not getting to do my homework than had I imposed my will on the others. Look around you today. Are there ways you can be a blessing to others? Maybe it is just about not being so concerned about what you want or what you perceive you need. There is an opportunity out there for each of us. I hope you find yours.

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Great Expectation

On June 18, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Micah 7: 7

But as for me I will watch expectantly for the Lord.

I have a 3 X 5 index card on my desk which reads, “Expect to be blessed! Expect a miracle.” The reason for this is because I need to remind myself constantly of God’s great promises. In November of last year God gave me a word for myself as well as for the body of Christ. That word was “Expectation.” He said everyday we should look to Him with expectation. Each day should be a day of glory in the Lord but in order for us to live that lifestyle we must expect it. Now here we are half way through the year and it is time for us to be reminded that every day we should turn out eyes and hearts to God and expect Him to meet our needs and bless us super-abundantly above and beyond all we can ask or think (Ephesians 3: 20). This is God’s will for us. Don’t fall short of the glory the Lord wishes for you. Expect to receive today!

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Spiritual Requirements

On June 17, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Micah 6: 8

He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

It turns out that it really isn’t all that difficult to figure out how to be a good Christian. We have the words of Jesus. We listen to his words and do them. Even in the Old Testament days, before Jesus was manifested in the earth, God sent His word to guide us. Through the prophet Micah God revealed His will for us; walk humbly with our God, do justice and extend lovingkindness. Now what is difficult about that? 

Notice that God said to walk “with” Him. That is interesting. Many times I hear people say, “Walk humbly before your God,” but that is not what God said. His directive to us is to walk “with” Him. 

Secondly, be a just person. You can decide for yourself what that means but at a simple level it means to be fair to people. That is not really a difficult concept. I hear people say so often, “Well, life isn’t fair,” and they use that as justification to treat people unfairly. My response is, “Try to sell that land to God.” I don’t think He will buy that argument. He is a fair God and He requires us to treat people fairly as well. 

Last, be a kind person. Be kind to others. This one requirement is so broad, so vast in scope that it will cause us to reflect the essential nature of God in everything we do. Kindness is generated through love. In every single human interaction, be kind. That means be kind to your spouse, your children, your boss, your employees, the guy who cuts the grass, the woman who cleans the house, the clerk at the store, and on and on. Think of all of the people you come in contact with during a single day. Some of them you may not even particularly like but if you are a child of God you will show lovingkindness to every single one of them.

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Dig Deep

On June 16, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 6: 46 – 49

“And why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose, the torrent could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard, and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

The first sentence of this quote is arresting. The easiest way to read it is to pretend that Jesus is speaking to someone else. Otherwise it is just too painful to read. However, it is true that most of us have fallen right here at one time or another. It is enough of an indictment on its own but when taken with the rest of today’s passage we begin to understand that some of the stormy times when we were washed to and fro were because we failed to do what Jesus said.

The other side of the coin is for us today. The past is the past and thank God for that. Today we turn over a new leaf and decide to dig deep. That is what Jesus is calling us to do. He said that there is one whom the storms of life will not rattle. This person is the one who dug deep and built a solid foundation. So the question would seem to be, “How do we build a solid foundation?” We dig into the Word of God.

Jesus said it, the strong foundation is what allows us to weather the storms. The man with the strong foundation, Jesus said, is the one who “comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them.” So, there are three parts there. Hearken to Jesus, to his words and then do what he has said. This is the first of all things which he said. If you will obey him in what he said in today’s verses then all else will follow therefrom. You are going to be able to stand while others fall. The people around you will bow with every breeze but you will be a strong fortress in the Lord. 

I have a saying that I would like to share with you. There is an easy way and a hard way to do everything. Whenever possible do things the easy way. This advice from Jesus today is the epitome of doing things the easy way. You can fight and strain against the wind or you can just stand in the strength that is the Lord. The choice is yours. If you want to be able to withstand hurricane force storms, then you must dig deep.

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Called Out

On June 15, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 45: 3

And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

Did you know that you are called of the Lord? And that he has called you by name? Well, you are called. He has called you to himself. Who will answer his call? He is willing to pour out his blessing on you to confirm his call on your life. The secret to all of this is in the answering of his call. Run to him with all that you are. Withhold nothing from him. So many people pray to him for the things they need when the real answer is to turn your face to him. You do not have to call him. He is already present with you, calling your name. You have only to acknowledge him. In every way that you acknowledge him, he will be your Lord and bless you. If you let him be the Lord of your health, he will bless you in your body. If you acknowledge him in your finances, he will release his blessings in your financial life. Acknowledge him in all your ways and he will make your paths straight (Proverb 3: 6).

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Divinely Powerful

On June 12, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Corinthians 10: 3 – 4

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

How easy it is to forget that, although we are in this world, we are not to war according to the world. But wouldn’t we really rather have divinely appointed weapons anyway? Paul is reminding his readers that we are not to walk according to the flesh and we are not to fight our battles in the flesh or as we learned to do. We are to learn a new way to wage war. That is in the Spirit. We wage war in the Spirit through prayer and by speaking the Word of God. Every time we speak a verse of the Bible over a situation, we are waging Spiritual war.

If you have a mountainous challenge before you right now, set your heart and mind to use your most powerful arsenal, use the divinely appointed weapons of the Spirit. They are prayer, God’s word and love. We do not want to hear that last one but it is the nuclear bomb of spiritual weaponry. You are allowed to use this bomb. Whatever challenge or enemies you are facing today, remember to pull out the big guns. Don’t fight your battles in the flesh. Use the weapons that God Almighty has provided you.

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Sit Down with Mercy

On June 11, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 3: 25                 (God’s Word Translation)

God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.

 There is a new mercy seat and his name is Jesus. In the Old Testament we read about the mercy seat which was the top of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark held, among other things, the tablets of law which were given to Moses. God in His great love and compassion for His people covered the law with the Mercy Seat. Now He has done it a second time in the person and sacrifice of Jesus.

 We are seated in the heavens with Jesus (Ephesians 2: 6). That is what it means to abide in Christ. We are in Him and He is in us. We abide together. We are again covered by mercy. God has given us His approval because of our faith in the victory of Jesus’ shed blood. It does require our confidence in Jesus’ victory however, but once we have faith in the blood of the perfect lamb then we are seated with him in the mercy seat. No longer does our sin condemn us. God withheld judgment until He could get the perfect sacrifice into place. Now the blood of Jesus speaks for us and completely washes away our sin. God has covered us with His overflowing mercy.

Order your personal theology so that you do not perceive yourself as a sinner but rather as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5: 21). We are saved by grace. When we embrace the truth of our righteousness in Jesus we will not be drawn to sin. We are humbled by his magnanimity and though we may make mistakes we sure don’t seek out sin. Righteousness makes you righteous. Sit down in mercy and arise in His righteousness.

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