Good Times
When we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principals of the world. But now that you know God - or rather are known by God - how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principals? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! Galatians 4:3, 9 & 10 NIV
As children we needed the rule of our parents and guardians. We needed their tutelage if there was any hope of a productive and joyous adulthood. And following God works sort of the same way. We need God's law to instruct us. The law shows us what a good life looks like. When we were kids, the guidance of parents held us safe until we became of age. And as God's children, the law held us until we learned to live by faith, which is found only in Christ.
Now that we believe in Christ, we have been set free (John 8:36). But far too often we trade in our liberty for legalism. And I too am guilty of turning back to what I know (legalism) instead of moving forward with the one that made me free. Sometimes I think that people get accustomed to the vice-like grip of rules and religion. I think it is far easier to live life in slavery to religion because you know what to expect. It is a very different thing to face the unpredictability that freedom sometimes presents to us. On the other hand, I also think that some people fail to live in freedom because they go too far. You may be able to do anything, but not everything is profitable (1 Corinthians 6:12). With freedom we always have to strike a balance between rights and responsibility to God our Father.
The people in this verse were keeping the legalistic festivals and Mitzvot (law) of the Jews. This is a type of slavery, but we live in better times. We live in a good time, a time of freedom in Christ. We live in good times because we live in a greater revelation of Christ. I think that our times are unique because we now have the right to call God, “our Father”. And this is a privilege many are called to but only a fair few accept. We live in a time of grace. Not that we shun the law of God, but because of the Holy Spirit, we are living the law to the letter (Romans 2:28-29).
Friday, May 31, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Is there any love left in the world?
Is there any love left in the world?
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4 NIV
Whenever my coworkers discuss the news, I get the feeling that the world is full of evil. I once heard one person say that there is no evil, just an absence of good, to which I said, "Yeah, its called evil." The things that people do to each other can range from rude or mildly annoying to treacherous and down right absent of any good (or plain old evil). I sometimes get the feeling that this world is overrun with evil. I even read a Bible verse that said these last days are evil (Ephesians 5:16), or a different way of saying it is that God is absent from peoples minds and actions. I sometimes wonder if the world is at a complete loss for godly love?
Not long after getting the idea that the world was running empty on love, I went to a farmer’s market with my wife and a few friends. As I watched all the people I was overwhelmed with a single thought… “God loves all of these people!” There is more love in this world than you might think. All of these people, the good and the bad, have the love of God, at least in some capacity. Many people do not know or feel God’s love, but that does not mean it does not exist. When you think about it, this world is overflowing with the love of Christ!
Consider this; God loves you so intensely, that He sent His son to die in your stead. Now multiply that by the population of the planet, which at the time of this writing is roughly 6,975,376,589. That is a lot of love!
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4 NIV
Whenever my coworkers discuss the news, I get the feeling that the world is full of evil. I once heard one person say that there is no evil, just an absence of good, to which I said, "Yeah, its called evil." The things that people do to each other can range from rude or mildly annoying to treacherous and down right absent of any good (or plain old evil). I sometimes get the feeling that this world is overrun with evil. I even read a Bible verse that said these last days are evil (Ephesians 5:16), or a different way of saying it is that God is absent from peoples minds and actions. I sometimes wonder if the world is at a complete loss for godly love?
Not long after getting the idea that the world was running empty on love, I went to a farmer’s market with my wife and a few friends. As I watched all the people I was overwhelmed with a single thought… “God loves all of these people!” There is more love in this world than you might think. All of these people, the good and the bad, have the love of God, at least in some capacity. Many people do not know or feel God’s love, but that does not mean it does not exist. When you think about it, this world is overflowing with the love of Christ!
Consider this; God loves you so intensely, that He sent His son to die in your stead. Now multiply that by the population of the planet, which at the time of this writing is roughly 6,975,376,589. That is a lot of love!
Friday, May 17, 2013
You would do it if you loved me
You would do it if you loved me
If anyone loves me [Jesus], he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23 NIV
What do we do when our way of life disagrees with the scripture? I'll tell you... we look for a way around the word of God. We start looking for loopholes in the scripture. We search for and find some type of homemade justification for our sin proclivities. You and I have heard and used these excuses before, but I will only mention a few: "God understands my heart." - "God would never ask me to change because he is a God of love." - And my personal favorite is, "I am good in my own eyes, and that is good enough." But the Bible tells us not to be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil (Proverbs 3:7).
Jesus said that, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings." Ironically, love really is the determining factor as some so often say, but not exactly in the way they mean it. Our obedience to God is in direct proportion to how much love we have for him. Or in other words, "Only the believers obey, and only the obedient believe" - Bonhoeffer.
When God's word gives testimony against us, know and realize that this is normal. We are people filled with sin. The Word of God is supposed to speak against our ways. The Lords ways are not the same as ours (Isaiah 55:8). But the wise man or woman not only hears God's words, but obeys them in spite of their own preferences. God has never desired our religion or platitudes, but has always wanted our obedience and love.
Obedience is inexorably linked to love. I don't think you can lay claim to one without the other.
If anyone loves me [Jesus], he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23 NIV
What do we do when our way of life disagrees with the scripture? I'll tell you... we look for a way around the word of God. We start looking for loopholes in the scripture. We search for and find some type of homemade justification for our sin proclivities. You and I have heard and used these excuses before, but I will only mention a few: "God understands my heart." - "God would never ask me to change because he is a God of love." - And my personal favorite is, "I am good in my own eyes, and that is good enough." But the Bible tells us not to be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil (Proverbs 3:7).
Jesus said that, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings." Ironically, love really is the determining factor as some so often say, but not exactly in the way they mean it. Our obedience to God is in direct proportion to how much love we have for him. Or in other words, "Only the believers obey, and only the obedient believe" - Bonhoeffer.
When God's word gives testimony against us, know and realize that this is normal. We are people filled with sin. The Word of God is supposed to speak against our ways. The Lords ways are not the same as ours (Isaiah 55:8). But the wise man or woman not only hears God's words, but obeys them in spite of their own preferences. God has never desired our religion or platitudes, but has always wanted our obedience and love.
Obedience is inexorably linked to love. I don't think you can lay claim to one without the other.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Spirit Work
Spirit Work
... our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:5b & 6 NIV
The funny thing for me about being a Christian is that while I know that one must be born of the Spirit (John 3:5), I seem to try and live by the letter of the law... This is wrong. One that has been born of the Spirit must live by the Spirit. But there is this split where as I can't forget the law either, it has its purpose. The law reveals the heart, mind and character of God. The law gives me a glimpse of God our Father. But the law also acts like a mirror for humans. It reflects our depravity, our sin, our differentness from God.
So the law is good. It reveals God's reality to me and it reveals man's reality to himself. But the law has a sort of limited glory. It governs man only until the Spirit of Christ takes up residence in His people. Yes, the law is good, but how much better is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:7-8). The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (v17) and life.
The work of the law is to make plain our sin condition. But the Spirit work is all about freedom from sin and reconciliation to God. The law tells me about God from afar. But the Spirit allows me the privilege and the right to be up close and intimate with Him. With the Spirit, I am no longer at war with God, but I am at peace and indeed, a part of His family. When the Spirit is at work in us, we gain an understanding (or a view) that is held secure in Christ. It is a view of God that only sons and daughters share with their Holy Father. I think I see His smile...
... our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:5b & 6 NIV
The funny thing for me about being a Christian is that while I know that one must be born of the Spirit (John 3:5), I seem to try and live by the letter of the law... This is wrong. One that has been born of the Spirit must live by the Spirit. But there is this split where as I can't forget the law either, it has its purpose. The law reveals the heart, mind and character of God. The law gives me a glimpse of God our Father. But the law also acts like a mirror for humans. It reflects our depravity, our sin, our differentness from God.
So the law is good. It reveals God's reality to me and it reveals man's reality to himself. But the law has a sort of limited glory. It governs man only until the Spirit of Christ takes up residence in His people. Yes, the law is good, but how much better is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:7-8). The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (v17) and life.
The work of the law is to make plain our sin condition. But the Spirit work is all about freedom from sin and reconciliation to God. The law tells me about God from afar. But the Spirit allows me the privilege and the right to be up close and intimate with Him. With the Spirit, I am no longer at war with God, but I am at peace and indeed, a part of His family. When the Spirit is at work in us, we gain an understanding (or a view) that is held secure in Christ. It is a view of God that only sons and daughters share with their Holy Father. I think I see His smile...
Friday, May 3, 2013
You are my favorite
You are my favorite
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age. Genesis 37:3 NIV
I read an article in Time Magazine titled, "Playing Favorites". After several years of research from multiple doctors, the conclusion was that parents aren't telling the truth when they say that they "love us equally". The author said, "Never mind what your parents told you. They had a favorite child. And if you have children, so do you." In an ironic twist, only one paragraph was dedicated to the least loved children. The rest of the article talked about how hard it is for the favorite child and why parents are hardwired to love one, more than the other.
If you feel your parents did not love or understand you, the effects can be devastating. I think the less loved ones are at greater risk for social anxiety, depression and self esteem issues. And even if you struggle with these types of issues, I ask you to seriously consider this; God loves you. Okay, I know what you're thinking. "God has to love me because that is His job. It is what he does." But that isn't entirely true. God chooses to love us not because we are the best genetic choice or because we are smart, witty or attractive. He chooses us because of who He is, not who we are.
I can't stop the hurt you feel if you were neglected or unloved. But I would ask you to let that hurt drive you to Christ. You are safe and fully loved in His hands. He will never push anyone away that comes to Him. Jesus says that, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). In God's eyes, you are His favorite. You are the apple of His eye.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age. Genesis 37:3 NIV
I read an article in Time Magazine titled, "Playing Favorites". After several years of research from multiple doctors, the conclusion was that parents aren't telling the truth when they say that they "love us equally". The author said, "Never mind what your parents told you. They had a favorite child. And if you have children, so do you." In an ironic twist, only one paragraph was dedicated to the least loved children. The rest of the article talked about how hard it is for the favorite child and why parents are hardwired to love one, more than the other.
If you feel your parents did not love or understand you, the effects can be devastating. I think the less loved ones are at greater risk for social anxiety, depression and self esteem issues. And even if you struggle with these types of issues, I ask you to seriously consider this; God loves you. Okay, I know what you're thinking. "God has to love me because that is His job. It is what he does." But that isn't entirely true. God chooses to love us not because we are the best genetic choice or because we are smart, witty or attractive. He chooses us because of who He is, not who we are.
I can't stop the hurt you feel if you were neglected or unloved. But I would ask you to let that hurt drive you to Christ. You are safe and fully loved in His hands. He will never push anyone away that comes to Him. Jesus says that, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). In God's eyes, you are His favorite. You are the apple of His eye.
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