TO LIVE IS CHRIST - "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again."
As Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" once said, "There's no place like home." However, what and where we call home can be a complicated question to answer. Depending on how we choose to look at it, home can be defined differently. The residence in which we primary live can be called home, just as our city, state, providence, region or country of origin can as well. Home can also be examined in the spiritual sense to describe both our present and future state of existence. In any case, "home" is truly where our heart's devotion lies. The challenge for those of us who profess ourselves as Christians is maintaining proper perspective between our temporary and eternal homes. The beauty of Philippians 1:19-26 is that Paul provides a transparent glimpse into the struggle between his own flesh and spirit as he wrestled with the majesty of heaven compared to this fallen world. Knowing he was born-again, Paul longed to spend eternity with Jesus. Yet despite the glory heaven promised, Paul understood that obedience to God's Word and His will took precedent over personal desire. Therefore, waiting on God's timing rather than his own was more important because the calling God placed upon Paul's life had not been fulfilled yet, and it was to the benefit of others that Paul remain on this earth to preach to the lost and disciple new believers despite the personal trials and affliction he would endure as a result.
To understand Philippians 1:19-26 better, we must also examine the words Paul wrote to the Corinthian church which were inspired by the words of the prophet Hosea. "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:54–58). No matter the circumstance we find ourselves in, God is ALWAYS at work. Undoubtedly, this truth was extremely personal to Paul and echoed in his heart as he sat in prison counting the cost of following Jesus and proclaiming His Gospel. Nonetheless, Paul remained steadfast in his mission because the words of Hosea 13:14 provided the perspective he desperately needed to live another day. It would have been easy for Paul to throw in the towel and willingly accept his fate as a martyr. Truthfully, execution could have been a blessing rather than a curse because Paul would have immediately been in the presence of Jesus in heaven when he died. However, one would presume one single teaching of Jesus reminded Paul that his labor was not in vain, but rather MORE IMPORTANT than even his own life.
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18–20). The most compelling part of the Great Commission is that it forces us who are born again to prioritize the eternal salvation of others above our own, just as Jesus exemplified by sacrificing Himself on our behalf. Our heart's devotion is paramount to God, which is why He pursues us with an everlasting love, but it IS conditional. The Bible teaches, "For you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:14). God will not share our heart's allegiance with anyone or anything, which is why He is described as Jealous in the pages of Scripture. Many today profess themselves as Christians, but their hearts serve a multitude of taskmasters who dilute and confuse the Gospel message with ever-changing, relative truth. Therefore, let us be clear: We either accept the absolute truth of God's Word and embrace Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives because He is our Savior, or we reject that truth and play Russian roulette with our lives by placing eternal hope in secular religions and ideologies. Paul understood this magnitude of the Great Commission because its core message is the foundation of Philippians 1:21: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." We may wrestle with Paul's perspective in our flesh, but our spirit in Christ attests to its truth for all eternity.
Satan would lead us to believe that preaching the Gospel to others (not to mention, ourselves) is futile, because rarely do we see the ultimate fruit of our labor. Selfishly, many of us long to be a "closer" for Christ by being the one to pray the prayer of salvation with others upon their conversion. However, Satan knows this and uses that knowledge to distract our attention from fulfilling the Great Commission by tactically minimizing the importance of sowing seeds. We live in a culture that passionately seeks immediate satisfaction, but the labor of Christ is most often a slow and arduous process. Make no mistake, though! Just because we do not always have the opportunity to witness another's moment of salvation, the work God does through each one of us when we preach the Good News of Jesus Christ by word and more importantly, attest to its truth by our application of the the Bible's teachings in our own lives, is not minimized but maximized! Consequently, "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:6–9). Satan cannot quench our joy if we hold fast to this truth and not allow ourselves to be consumed by the need for immediate satisfaction. Sometimes, our love for others and their eternal need for salvation simply falls on deaf ears or brings us persecution as a result. Ultimately though, if we are being persecuted for fulfilling the Great Commission, we are growing in our understanding of what it means to be a Christian despite the spiritual warfare that tempts us to give up sharing our faith altogether.
How then should we live in a world hostile toward Christ's message of salvation? Graciously, Paul answered this question for us. "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16–18). The calling God places on our lives is unique to each one of us, but its foundation is the same. Let us never forget that we have been given a gift by Jesus, the ultimate gift, that can never be taken away from us no matter what opposition we face in this world. That is why the Bible teaches us to reject the pleasures and ideologies of this world because they pervert the Gospel message by shifting our attention away from God and onto our love of self. John writes, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15–17). No one said it would be easy, but that is nonetheless our calling because it testifies to the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which is our ultimate witnessing tool.
Therefore, when we find ourselves being tempted to abandon our calling by God to fulfill the Great Commission, let us remind ourselves that this life is temporary and the question of eternity hangs in the balance for every human being. In other words, we could easily throw up our hands, declare our evangelistic efforts as futile, and simply punch our ticket to heaven. We have that option in theory. However, Paul would challenge us to allow the Spirit to work in and through us to accomplish the fruitful labor of sacrificing selfish gain and comforts so that others might come to faith in Jesus by our obedience to His Word. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:13–14). By doing so, we testify to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts by relinquishing control over our lives to be used by God as instruments of His righteousness in whatever way He chooses for His glory. That is why Paul wrote to his followers it was for their benefit that he remain on this earth rather than accept his fate as a martyr as quickly as possible, and we are challenged to emulate the same sentiment by not wasting a moment of our lives as well. For in the end, we must live each day with wisdom, discernment and perspective that one day we will depart from this earth and be in the presence of God for eternity. But more importantly, how we utilize the time, spiritual gifts, and resources God has graciously given us this side of heaven will perhaps determine whether those we love (and even our enemies) will join us in heaven if they repent of their sins and accept Christ as Savior. Therefore, may we too declare one day as Paul did, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6–8).
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Philippians 1:12-18 (Devotion)
THE ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL - "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice."
As Christians living in a world that is watching our every move, how we respond to adversity can be the greatest witnessing tool we have at our disposal. What makes things difficult and/or counter-productive though is that we're human and our flaws, imperfections and insecurities cause us to shrink back when troubles come, rather than embrace the moment with a positive frame of mind. Paul begins this section of Philippians by flipping the script on our psyche and declaring victory in the midst of what would appear to be defeat. Incarceration itself would be enough to damper one's attitude and spirit, but not so for Paul. He knew that God not only could work in any circumstance for His glory, but indeed was working in and through his life despite what appeared on the surface to be insurmountable opposition. In other words, circumstance was not a deterrent at all. Rather, it became an evangelistic platform with which Paul could speak truth and influence others to consider the Gospel message. Granted, it was not an easy task for Paul to endure persecution joyfully, but he knew that his response in the midst of opposition would either cripple his ministry or provide amply opportunity for lost souls to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
In order for us to grasp what compelled Paul to respond how he did, we needn't look any further than John's Gospel for perspective. "Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest" (John 4:31–35). Jesus' focus was not on the temporal satisfaction of his own physical replenishment, but rather the eternal ramifications of the spiritual harvest before Him who desperately needed salvation. In other words, Jesus understood that timing was critical and disregarded his momentary, physical needs in order to satisfy the eternal, spiritual needs of lost souls all around him. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Paul's strategy paid incredible dividends because he saw what Jesus did but others could not—a ripe and bountiful harvest of lost souls waiting to be redeemed from the vantage point of a prisoner in chains with unquenchable love in his heart for those who kept guard over him. It begs the question whether we truly grasp the enormity of our salvation as compared to Paul, we who live comfortably surrounded by worldly riches.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35–39). Often times, we lose focus of our true identity in Christ. We cower at the thought of trials, much less persecution, and shift our attention inward toward removing the suffering at hand as quickly as possible. What Paul would challenge us to consider is not simply what God would teach us in the moment, but whether we would open our hearts to His sovereign perspective which sees what we do not and acts accordingly. Scripture exhorts, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2–3). However, are we willing to surrender ourselves to various trials and allow ourselves to be tested unconditionally? More pointedly, is steadfastness even on our radar screen as something we aspire to acquiring as reward for enduring trials?
Paul never forgot his identity, and we are expected as born-again followers of Christ to not forget ours as well. Paul boldly proclaimed, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Keep in mind that prior to conversion, Paul was zealous for Judaism and violently persecuted Christians in order to destroy the church (Galatians 1:13). However, once Jesus confronted Paul on the Damascus road and revealed His identity as God's Son, Paul's previous identity as a religious persecutor of Christianity forever changed. The religious zealot became a slave unto righteousness by faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8), destined to be mocked, ridiculed and threatened for that which he himself once persecuted, because his identity had been changed. We too share in Paul's story. Regardless of the circumstance or details, our lives mirror the transforming power of salvation Paul experienced. Therefore, we need not fear our adversaries because we have been chosen for a greater purpose in life—to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, which we intimately know because of what He did on the cross to purchase our salvation. "For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men" (1 Corinthians 7:22–23).
What is most amazing is how the righteousness of one man could inspire countless others throughout the generations to emulate his example for roughly 2,000 years. Today, Christians all around the world are subjected to various forms of trials, persecution and even martyrdom, but what is incredibly compelling is that EVERY follower of Christ shares the same persecuted residency as a citizen of this fallen world. Make no mistake, prison bars are just as much figurative as literal, and we are naive to consider ourselves exempt from Paul's similar plight because we sit in the comfort of our homes. Make no mistake, we too are surrounded by a bounty of unrighteousness ripe for the harvest. The real question is whether we will allow our perspective to be limited by our capacity to look past our selfish, personal needs for the spiritual needs and interests of others. Granted, that sacrifice might cost us far more than we bargained for, but is that even worth the time it takes to consider? Are we truly so shallow in our faith to count the costs as if what we may be asked to sacrifice even remotely compares to the blood of Jesus Christ shed on our behalf? My brethren, let us collectively WAKE UP and embrace our identity in Christ! "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Let us also be clear that selfish ambition will be judged severely by our Lord to those who are compelled by envy or rivalry. Paul's adversaries were countless outside his prison walls, but even within the church, Paul faced wolves disguised as sheep. However, rather than be distracted by those who perverted his message by questioning and drawing attention to his popularity, Paul took the moment to give thanks and rejoice that Christ was being proclaimed no matter the negative impact on his personal reputation. What is so amazing is that Paul was not consumed or jaded by opposition. Rather, he looked for the silver lining and allowed God to maintain ultimate control in spite of the circumstance. Paul knew God could restore what the swarming locusts had eaten (Joel 2:25), therefore there was no point in worrying about his personal interest because God could turn water into wine and sift out the selfish ambition of sinful men to accomplish His purpose. In other words, as Joseph once proclaimed, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Genesis 50:20). Therefore, let us be encouraged to boldly speak the Word of God in love, compassion and understanding toward those who may not share our beliefs but are ripe for the harvest, that one day they may come to faith by not only hearing the Gospel preached, but seeing it lived out in our lives for the glory of God.
As Christians living in a world that is watching our every move, how we respond to adversity can be the greatest witnessing tool we have at our disposal. What makes things difficult and/or counter-productive though is that we're human and our flaws, imperfections and insecurities cause us to shrink back when troubles come, rather than embrace the moment with a positive frame of mind. Paul begins this section of Philippians by flipping the script on our psyche and declaring victory in the midst of what would appear to be defeat. Incarceration itself would be enough to damper one's attitude and spirit, but not so for Paul. He knew that God not only could work in any circumstance for His glory, but indeed was working in and through his life despite what appeared on the surface to be insurmountable opposition. In other words, circumstance was not a deterrent at all. Rather, it became an evangelistic platform with which Paul could speak truth and influence others to consider the Gospel message. Granted, it was not an easy task for Paul to endure persecution joyfully, but he knew that his response in the midst of opposition would either cripple his ministry or provide amply opportunity for lost souls to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
In order for us to grasp what compelled Paul to respond how he did, we needn't look any further than John's Gospel for perspective. "Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest" (John 4:31–35). Jesus' focus was not on the temporal satisfaction of his own physical replenishment, but rather the eternal ramifications of the spiritual harvest before Him who desperately needed salvation. In other words, Jesus understood that timing was critical and disregarded his momentary, physical needs in order to satisfy the eternal, spiritual needs of lost souls all around him. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Paul's strategy paid incredible dividends because he saw what Jesus did but others could not—a ripe and bountiful harvest of lost souls waiting to be redeemed from the vantage point of a prisoner in chains with unquenchable love in his heart for those who kept guard over him. It begs the question whether we truly grasp the enormity of our salvation as compared to Paul, we who live comfortably surrounded by worldly riches.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35–39). Often times, we lose focus of our true identity in Christ. We cower at the thought of trials, much less persecution, and shift our attention inward toward removing the suffering at hand as quickly as possible. What Paul would challenge us to consider is not simply what God would teach us in the moment, but whether we would open our hearts to His sovereign perspective which sees what we do not and acts accordingly. Scripture exhorts, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2–3). However, are we willing to surrender ourselves to various trials and allow ourselves to be tested unconditionally? More pointedly, is steadfastness even on our radar screen as something we aspire to acquiring as reward for enduring trials?
Paul never forgot his identity, and we are expected as born-again followers of Christ to not forget ours as well. Paul boldly proclaimed, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Keep in mind that prior to conversion, Paul was zealous for Judaism and violently persecuted Christians in order to destroy the church (Galatians 1:13). However, once Jesus confronted Paul on the Damascus road and revealed His identity as God's Son, Paul's previous identity as a religious persecutor of Christianity forever changed. The religious zealot became a slave unto righteousness by faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8), destined to be mocked, ridiculed and threatened for that which he himself once persecuted, because his identity had been changed. We too share in Paul's story. Regardless of the circumstance or details, our lives mirror the transforming power of salvation Paul experienced. Therefore, we need not fear our adversaries because we have been chosen for a greater purpose in life—to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, which we intimately know because of what He did on the cross to purchase our salvation. "For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men" (1 Corinthians 7:22–23).
What is most amazing is how the righteousness of one man could inspire countless others throughout the generations to emulate his example for roughly 2,000 years. Today, Christians all around the world are subjected to various forms of trials, persecution and even martyrdom, but what is incredibly compelling is that EVERY follower of Christ shares the same persecuted residency as a citizen of this fallen world. Make no mistake, prison bars are just as much figurative as literal, and we are naive to consider ourselves exempt from Paul's similar plight because we sit in the comfort of our homes. Make no mistake, we too are surrounded by a bounty of unrighteousness ripe for the harvest. The real question is whether we will allow our perspective to be limited by our capacity to look past our selfish, personal needs for the spiritual needs and interests of others. Granted, that sacrifice might cost us far more than we bargained for, but is that even worth the time it takes to consider? Are we truly so shallow in our faith to count the costs as if what we may be asked to sacrifice even remotely compares to the blood of Jesus Christ shed on our behalf? My brethren, let us collectively WAKE UP and embrace our identity in Christ! "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Let us also be clear that selfish ambition will be judged severely by our Lord to those who are compelled by envy or rivalry. Paul's adversaries were countless outside his prison walls, but even within the church, Paul faced wolves disguised as sheep. However, rather than be distracted by those who perverted his message by questioning and drawing attention to his popularity, Paul took the moment to give thanks and rejoice that Christ was being proclaimed no matter the negative impact on his personal reputation. What is so amazing is that Paul was not consumed or jaded by opposition. Rather, he looked for the silver lining and allowed God to maintain ultimate control in spite of the circumstance. Paul knew God could restore what the swarming locusts had eaten (Joel 2:25), therefore there was no point in worrying about his personal interest because God could turn water into wine and sift out the selfish ambition of sinful men to accomplish His purpose. In other words, as Joseph once proclaimed, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Genesis 50:20). Therefore, let us be encouraged to boldly speak the Word of God in love, compassion and understanding toward those who may not share our beliefs but are ripe for the harvest, that one day they may come to faith by not only hearing the Gospel preached, but seeing it lived out in our lives for the glory of God.
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Philippians 1:1-11 (Devotion)
THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER - "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
It has been said that people are the greatest blessing and curse of ministry. It has also been said that more pastors resign on Monday than any other day of the week due to the highs and lows they succumb to emotionally, physically, and mentally as a result of their jobs. Why? In large part, the assumptions, expectations and demands people place on pastors are collectively too burdensome to bear. Certainly there are research studies, statistical polls, and percentages available which delve into specifics further, but we can be confidant that the pressure pastors feel due to the influence of others' unrealistic expectations takes a toll on the psyche over time and can lead to complete abandonment of ministry altogether. Thankfully, Paul foresaw this impending epidemic within the church and prioritized prayer and thanksgiving at the beginning of his letters to not only express personal gratitude on his behalf because of his own circumstance, but to refocus his partners in ministry to keep their hearts centralized upon the Gospel despite the storms surrounding them. In other words, Paul exhorted his followers to focus their attention vertically toward heaven rather than horizontally at the world surrounding them to solidify confidence in their mission and assurance in their plight despite the persecution facing them. "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1–2).
It is quite amazing to reflect upon Paul's state of mind as he wrote his letter to the Philippians under house arrest in Rome, facing possible execution for his faith. For it was Paul who said, "See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:15–18). Determining the mind to be thankful in the face of adversity is an intentional effort to not be swayed or influenced by negative circumstances which wreak havoc on our emotions and psyche. "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12–13). It takes practice and incredible spiritual maturity to do so because our selfish nature will always default toward self-preservation rather than selfless giving. It is an indelible character trait of a Christ-follower, to distinguish oneself from the world by not catering to fleshly propensities which are "ME" focused. Paul could have easily wallowed in the uncertainty of his future and life altogether. Rather, he chose to use the opportunity to set an example for his ministry supporters by encouraging them not to be overcome by fear, but empowered to spread the Gospel boldly. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).
Paul also took time to acknowledge those who never abandoned, disassociated, or renounced him altogether despite the trials and storms of his ministry, because he knew the consequences his supporters would endure being associated with him and his cause. If we're honest with ourselves, many of us would probably shrink back from affiliating ourselves with anyone imprisoned because of the social stigma or cultural embarrassment incarceration might have on our personal reputation. We would likely separate ourselves from the aforementioned in order to eliminate any correlation with them, because our motivation would be to avoid being unfairly judged or persecuted. In other words, self-protection tends to trump selfless love when imprisonment draws a line in the sand and we must choose which side we're affiliating ourselves with, based on how strong a conviction and loyalty we hold to those who are serving time, whether justly or unjustly. For those who are persecuted because of the Gospel and imprisoned for their unwillingness to reject personal faith in Jesus Christ, Scripture exhorts, "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Hebrews 13:3). We are reminded that because individually we're all parts of one faith body, we experience the trials and tribulations our brothers and sisters endure on behalf of the Gospel as well—which is why ministries who highlight the persecution of Christians world-wide are so critical. For truthfully, we need a hard reality check at times regarding how interconnected we are to the suffering of our church family both domestic and abroad, because the majority of us have no recognition or experiential knowledge whatsoever concerning the affliction, persecution and torture members of our faith family endure for their faith in Christ, even unto death (martyrdom).
Jesus said, "And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9). Just as it was for Paul's followers, it is critical we acknowledge our personal faith and that our actions provide testimony in conjunction with what we believe and proclaim publicly. Paul acknowledged the fortitude his followers held onto for the sake of the Gospel in partnering with him, and in turn, the church in Philippi held a special place in his heart and ministered to him personally. That is the beauty of being one in Christ—the summation of millions of broken souls surrendered to the cross of Calvary unto salvation and held together by a scarlet thread of Jesus' blood under a banner of absolute truth, faith and love. For ministry works best when we are both pouring into others and being poured into by others as well, but spiritual perspective must be elevated because at times, we feel our tank is empty with no replenishment in sight. Again, that is the common plight of many pastors who unfortunately burnout from their calling. The physical and emotional well runs dry, and exhaustion, frustration, and hopelessness begin to fill the heart and overwhelm the psyche. Therefore, we as the body of Christ must be keenly aware and sensitive to the overwhelming responsibility we have to exhort, encourage and admonish one another in love and according to the truth of God's Word, which proclaims as Jesus did to the woman at the well, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13–14).
In the end, the difference between being on fire for the Gospel and burning out hinges upon global, spiritual perspective. In other words, the more we stand back and view our lives from God's vantage point rather than our own, the more we will understand why seasons of our lives seem so dry and desolate while others flourish and grow. It is in seasons of BOTH feast and famine where our reliance upon God is tested. Yes, we praise Him when the harvest is bountiful, but do we praise Him when the well runs dry? Yes, we pray to Him for deliverance when personal need and necessity overwhelm us, but do we pray just as fervently when we're happy, content and comfortable? For Solomon reminds us, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8). Therefore, we are wise to discipline ourselves to not pray and praise based on circumstance because seasons change. Rather, we must pray and praise based on identity, for God is worthy of our worship no matter what season of life we're in because He does not change, and His love, grace, forgiveness and mercy endure forever despite our ever-changing needs and circumstances.
It has been said that people are the greatest blessing and curse of ministry. It has also been said that more pastors resign on Monday than any other day of the week due to the highs and lows they succumb to emotionally, physically, and mentally as a result of their jobs. Why? In large part, the assumptions, expectations and demands people place on pastors are collectively too burdensome to bear. Certainly there are research studies, statistical polls, and percentages available which delve into specifics further, but we can be confidant that the pressure pastors feel due to the influence of others' unrealistic expectations takes a toll on the psyche over time and can lead to complete abandonment of ministry altogether. Thankfully, Paul foresaw this impending epidemic within the church and prioritized prayer and thanksgiving at the beginning of his letters to not only express personal gratitude on his behalf because of his own circumstance, but to refocus his partners in ministry to keep their hearts centralized upon the Gospel despite the storms surrounding them. In other words, Paul exhorted his followers to focus their attention vertically toward heaven rather than horizontally at the world surrounding them to solidify confidence in their mission and assurance in their plight despite the persecution facing them. "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1–2).
It is quite amazing to reflect upon Paul's state of mind as he wrote his letter to the Philippians under house arrest in Rome, facing possible execution for his faith. For it was Paul who said, "See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:15–18). Determining the mind to be thankful in the face of adversity is an intentional effort to not be swayed or influenced by negative circumstances which wreak havoc on our emotions and psyche. "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12–13). It takes practice and incredible spiritual maturity to do so because our selfish nature will always default toward self-preservation rather than selfless giving. It is an indelible character trait of a Christ-follower, to distinguish oneself from the world by not catering to fleshly propensities which are "ME" focused. Paul could have easily wallowed in the uncertainty of his future and life altogether. Rather, he chose to use the opportunity to set an example for his ministry supporters by encouraging them not to be overcome by fear, but empowered to spread the Gospel boldly. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).
Paul also took time to acknowledge those who never abandoned, disassociated, or renounced him altogether despite the trials and storms of his ministry, because he knew the consequences his supporters would endure being associated with him and his cause. If we're honest with ourselves, many of us would probably shrink back from affiliating ourselves with anyone imprisoned because of the social stigma or cultural embarrassment incarceration might have on our personal reputation. We would likely separate ourselves from the aforementioned in order to eliminate any correlation with them, because our motivation would be to avoid being unfairly judged or persecuted. In other words, self-protection tends to trump selfless love when imprisonment draws a line in the sand and we must choose which side we're affiliating ourselves with, based on how strong a conviction and loyalty we hold to those who are serving time, whether justly or unjustly. For those who are persecuted because of the Gospel and imprisoned for their unwillingness to reject personal faith in Jesus Christ, Scripture exhorts, "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Hebrews 13:3). We are reminded that because individually we're all parts of one faith body, we experience the trials and tribulations our brothers and sisters endure on behalf of the Gospel as well—which is why ministries who highlight the persecution of Christians world-wide are so critical. For truthfully, we need a hard reality check at times regarding how interconnected we are to the suffering of our church family both domestic and abroad, because the majority of us have no recognition or experiential knowledge whatsoever concerning the affliction, persecution and torture members of our faith family endure for their faith in Christ, even unto death (martyrdom).
Jesus said, "And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9). Just as it was for Paul's followers, it is critical we acknowledge our personal faith and that our actions provide testimony in conjunction with what we believe and proclaim publicly. Paul acknowledged the fortitude his followers held onto for the sake of the Gospel in partnering with him, and in turn, the church in Philippi held a special place in his heart and ministered to him personally. That is the beauty of being one in Christ—the summation of millions of broken souls surrendered to the cross of Calvary unto salvation and held together by a scarlet thread of Jesus' blood under a banner of absolute truth, faith and love. For ministry works best when we are both pouring into others and being poured into by others as well, but spiritual perspective must be elevated because at times, we feel our tank is empty with no replenishment in sight. Again, that is the common plight of many pastors who unfortunately burnout from their calling. The physical and emotional well runs dry, and exhaustion, frustration, and hopelessness begin to fill the heart and overwhelm the psyche. Therefore, we as the body of Christ must be keenly aware and sensitive to the overwhelming responsibility we have to exhort, encourage and admonish one another in love and according to the truth of God's Word, which proclaims as Jesus did to the woman at the well, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13–14).
In the end, the difference between being on fire for the Gospel and burning out hinges upon global, spiritual perspective. In other words, the more we stand back and view our lives from God's vantage point rather than our own, the more we will understand why seasons of our lives seem so dry and desolate while others flourish and grow. It is in seasons of BOTH feast and famine where our reliance upon God is tested. Yes, we praise Him when the harvest is bountiful, but do we praise Him when the well runs dry? Yes, we pray to Him for deliverance when personal need and necessity overwhelm us, but do we pray just as fervently when we're happy, content and comfortable? For Solomon reminds us, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8). Therefore, we are wise to discipline ourselves to not pray and praise based on circumstance because seasons change. Rather, we must pray and praise based on identity, for God is worthy of our worship no matter what season of life we're in because He does not change, and His love, grace, forgiveness and mercy endure forever despite our ever-changing needs and circumstances.
Friday, February 2, 2018
Luke 10:38-42 (Devotion)
MARTHA AND MARY - "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'"
Every day of our lives we manage priorities. Whether personal or professional, we shift the bulk of our time, energy and resources toward what (we perceive) needs to be done rather than what we would like to get done. However, there are times when opportunity presents itself and we choose to cater to our wants at the expense of our needs. The challenge is that wants and needs become cloudy and difficult to discern in the moment, and we typically exhaust ourselves into that which nets little to no return on our investment rather than choosing wisely. The famous story of Mary and Martha encapsulates this premise. Both women made a choice based on self-perceived need, but Martha misunderstood Mary's choice as a selfish want rather than a selfless need. As a result, a root of bitterness developed in Martha's heart toward her sister. In contrast, Mary understood that the treasure of sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His teachings far surpassed any administrative duty or cultural obligation which needed to be completed at that moment. There was no telling what limited amount of precious minutes they had to spend with Jesus in their home, but Martha was determined to ensure hospitality took precedence over all else. Thus when her expectations were not met, she complained without just cause and boldly accused Jesus of not even caring about her feelings. Granted, there was nothing wrong with Martha's desire to serve in that moment. But when she chose to judge her sister's decision, Jesus gently rebuked her for her lack of spiritual perspective.
The plight of Martha's decision echoes another famous story from Scripture. "And he (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, 'The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God'" (Luke 12:16–21). When we take time for granted, it is easy to see how far off track we can get. In the case of the rich man, he assumed he could relax and live off the bounty God blessed him with because life longevity was expected. In the case of Martha, she assumed there would be ample time to spend with Jesus, so she prioritized work over quality time with the Lord in her home. Again, neither decision in itself was necessarily sinful, but their choices had consequences when EXPECTATIONS and ASSUMPTIONS entered the equation. In the end, both missed out on incredible blessing because they focused more on what was temporary rather than eternal. The rich man could have shared the bounty of his wealth rather than hoarding it, and Martha could have set aside her bitterness toward Mary and joined her to listen to the Lord's teaching (or simply served joyfully). Sadly, both made the wrong choice in their respective decisions because spiritual perspective was not utilized.
It is difficult to discern what the right decision is at times because so many are important and carry grave consequences if we do not choose wisely. For example, a man may feel compelled to work late hours under the compulsion of job security, but is that truly the case? Is his decision grounded in a desire to move up the corporate ladder, or are the extra hours required to simply make ends meet and provide the bare essentials for his family? Those are 2 completely different motivations. Couple that decision with the need to spend quality time with the family. Is his absence at home negatively impacting his wife and children? For there is a distinct difference in perspective from a child whose father is absent in the home due to simply providing vs. a father who is consumed by money, power and status. While not ideal, a child can grow to understand and respect a parent who is working themselves to the bone to simply put food on the table and a roof overhead. However, many young adults have grown up with seeds of bitterness and dissension ingrained in their hearts toward parents who wanted them to "have it all" at the expense of quality time with them. Granted, there is nothing sinful about wanting to provide the best for our families, but we must take a step back and weigh the consequences of all our actions before choosing how we invest the time we have here on this earth to discern what is truly most important. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23–24).
Martha's example should also convict us if we allow ourselves to dwell negatively upon our circumstances. Make no mistake, Martha filtered her attitude through a colander of self-perceived fairness and determined she was justified in her complaint to Jesus. She was focused on the superficial task at hand, but Jesus flipped the script on her by revealing how self-righteous her heart had become when she judged her sister and falsely accused Him as well. She had lost sight of the fact that "the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7b). Similarly, knowing how easily our hearts can be influenced when the scales of justice appear to be tipped against us should cause us to examine our faith, for there are countless opportunities to test this theory every day of our lives. "Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all" (Ecclesiastes 9:11). How we respond in the face of trial and adversity has always been God's primary method to help us gauge our spiritual maturity. It reveals to what depth we trust in God's provision and more importantly, His Word. Scripture reminds us, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2–4). Responding joyfully in trials might not be our first reaction, but learning to see our trials through the lens of God's perspective teaches us to shift our faith and trust on Him rather than our ourselves.
It is also easy to gloss over how easily we can relate to precisely what Jesus said to Martha. We live in a fast-paced, technologically-driven culture that demands our attention. There is no shortage of opportunities where we can invest our waking hours exhausting ourselves under the compulsion of accomplishment or distraction. But if we stop and take stock of how enthralled we have become in the "business of busyness," we will hear the echo of Jesus' words to Martha that we too are anxious and troubled about many things at the expense of what is necessary. As Christians, we would never want to be identified by God as hypocritical toward the faith we profess, but our lack of quality time with Him and His Word reveals how easily we have conformed to the pattern of busyness and futile thinking in our lives. "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8–9). Therefore, we must filter our thoughts and feelings through the absolute truth of God's Word because that is what is necessary to not only survive our tenure here on earth, but thrive in our efforts to live in freedom from anxiety as the Lord taught us. For the world teaches us to be agitated and worrisome in order to combat or self-medicate whatever fears we cater to in our flesh. However, Scripture exhorts us to walk in faith trusting the Lord's provision in every moment as a testament that we will not be distracted or enslaved by the things of this world. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:31–34).
In the end, whether we personally relate/identify ourselves as a Mary or Martha is dependent more upon our big picture, spiritual perspective than our momentary blocking and tackling of unending tasks. It is probable that Martha was a devout woman of faith who strove to live for righteousness, but when push came to shove she made the wrong choice. Therefore, we should be both encouraged and convicted that God has given us a real-life example through Martha in order to guide and warn us to choose more wisely when we are faced with similar decisions. That is the beauty of Scripture to provide us such an example. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). God loves us enough to repeatedly intervene in our lives in order to keep us from veering out of our driving lane (per say) and into oncoming traffic. Therefore, why would we not listen to His wisdom and more importantly, apply it unto righteousness? For if we confess Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, then we are no longer bound by our flesh but set free according to the power of His blood to choose wisely. "So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:7). Keep in mind, Martha is not a poster-child of sin for us to avoid at all costs, but her testimony lives on as a warning and reminder of how easily we can become distracted by the things of this world at the expense of quality time with the Lord if we allow it. It was likely not her intention to vent frustration and bitterness toward her sister nor falsely accuse the Lord in that moment, but the fact remains that a seed of resentment took root in her heart despite her identity as a Godly woman and she reacted sinfully. Therefore, we are wise to discern those moments in our lives where we have emulated Martha's behavior in order to guard our hearts from falling victim once again to the same plight. "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned" (Romans 12:3).
Every day of our lives we manage priorities. Whether personal or professional, we shift the bulk of our time, energy and resources toward what (we perceive) needs to be done rather than what we would like to get done. However, there are times when opportunity presents itself and we choose to cater to our wants at the expense of our needs. The challenge is that wants and needs become cloudy and difficult to discern in the moment, and we typically exhaust ourselves into that which nets little to no return on our investment rather than choosing wisely. The famous story of Mary and Martha encapsulates this premise. Both women made a choice based on self-perceived need, but Martha misunderstood Mary's choice as a selfish want rather than a selfless need. As a result, a root of bitterness developed in Martha's heart toward her sister. In contrast, Mary understood that the treasure of sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His teachings far surpassed any administrative duty or cultural obligation which needed to be completed at that moment. There was no telling what limited amount of precious minutes they had to spend with Jesus in their home, but Martha was determined to ensure hospitality took precedence over all else. Thus when her expectations were not met, she complained without just cause and boldly accused Jesus of not even caring about her feelings. Granted, there was nothing wrong with Martha's desire to serve in that moment. But when she chose to judge her sister's decision, Jesus gently rebuked her for her lack of spiritual perspective.
The plight of Martha's decision echoes another famous story from Scripture. "And he (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, 'The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God'" (Luke 12:16–21). When we take time for granted, it is easy to see how far off track we can get. In the case of the rich man, he assumed he could relax and live off the bounty God blessed him with because life longevity was expected. In the case of Martha, she assumed there would be ample time to spend with Jesus, so she prioritized work over quality time with the Lord in her home. Again, neither decision in itself was necessarily sinful, but their choices had consequences when EXPECTATIONS and ASSUMPTIONS entered the equation. In the end, both missed out on incredible blessing because they focused more on what was temporary rather than eternal. The rich man could have shared the bounty of his wealth rather than hoarding it, and Martha could have set aside her bitterness toward Mary and joined her to listen to the Lord's teaching (or simply served joyfully). Sadly, both made the wrong choice in their respective decisions because spiritual perspective was not utilized.
It is difficult to discern what the right decision is at times because so many are important and carry grave consequences if we do not choose wisely. For example, a man may feel compelled to work late hours under the compulsion of job security, but is that truly the case? Is his decision grounded in a desire to move up the corporate ladder, or are the extra hours required to simply make ends meet and provide the bare essentials for his family? Those are 2 completely different motivations. Couple that decision with the need to spend quality time with the family. Is his absence at home negatively impacting his wife and children? For there is a distinct difference in perspective from a child whose father is absent in the home due to simply providing vs. a father who is consumed by money, power and status. While not ideal, a child can grow to understand and respect a parent who is working themselves to the bone to simply put food on the table and a roof overhead. However, many young adults have grown up with seeds of bitterness and dissension ingrained in their hearts toward parents who wanted them to "have it all" at the expense of quality time with them. Granted, there is nothing sinful about wanting to provide the best for our families, but we must take a step back and weigh the consequences of all our actions before choosing how we invest the time we have here on this earth to discern what is truly most important. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23–24).
Martha's example should also convict us if we allow ourselves to dwell negatively upon our circumstances. Make no mistake, Martha filtered her attitude through a colander of self-perceived fairness and determined she was justified in her complaint to Jesus. She was focused on the superficial task at hand, but Jesus flipped the script on her by revealing how self-righteous her heart had become when she judged her sister and falsely accused Him as well. She had lost sight of the fact that "the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7b). Similarly, knowing how easily our hearts can be influenced when the scales of justice appear to be tipped against us should cause us to examine our faith, for there are countless opportunities to test this theory every day of our lives. "Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all" (Ecclesiastes 9:11). How we respond in the face of trial and adversity has always been God's primary method to help us gauge our spiritual maturity. It reveals to what depth we trust in God's provision and more importantly, His Word. Scripture reminds us, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2–4). Responding joyfully in trials might not be our first reaction, but learning to see our trials through the lens of God's perspective teaches us to shift our faith and trust on Him rather than our ourselves.
It is also easy to gloss over how easily we can relate to precisely what Jesus said to Martha. We live in a fast-paced, technologically-driven culture that demands our attention. There is no shortage of opportunities where we can invest our waking hours exhausting ourselves under the compulsion of accomplishment or distraction. But if we stop and take stock of how enthralled we have become in the "business of busyness," we will hear the echo of Jesus' words to Martha that we too are anxious and troubled about many things at the expense of what is necessary. As Christians, we would never want to be identified by God as hypocritical toward the faith we profess, but our lack of quality time with Him and His Word reveals how easily we have conformed to the pattern of busyness and futile thinking in our lives. "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8–9). Therefore, we must filter our thoughts and feelings through the absolute truth of God's Word because that is what is necessary to not only survive our tenure here on earth, but thrive in our efforts to live in freedom from anxiety as the Lord taught us. For the world teaches us to be agitated and worrisome in order to combat or self-medicate whatever fears we cater to in our flesh. However, Scripture exhorts us to walk in faith trusting the Lord's provision in every moment as a testament that we will not be distracted or enslaved by the things of this world. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:31–34).
In the end, whether we personally relate/identify ourselves as a Mary or Martha is dependent more upon our big picture, spiritual perspective than our momentary blocking and tackling of unending tasks. It is probable that Martha was a devout woman of faith who strove to live for righteousness, but when push came to shove she made the wrong choice. Therefore, we should be both encouraged and convicted that God has given us a real-life example through Martha in order to guide and warn us to choose more wisely when we are faced with similar decisions. That is the beauty of Scripture to provide us such an example. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). God loves us enough to repeatedly intervene in our lives in order to keep us from veering out of our driving lane (per say) and into oncoming traffic. Therefore, why would we not listen to His wisdom and more importantly, apply it unto righteousness? For if we confess Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, then we are no longer bound by our flesh but set free according to the power of His blood to choose wisely. "So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:7). Keep in mind, Martha is not a poster-child of sin for us to avoid at all costs, but her testimony lives on as a warning and reminder of how easily we can become distracted by the things of this world at the expense of quality time with the Lord if we allow it. It was likely not her intention to vent frustration and bitterness toward her sister nor falsely accuse the Lord in that moment, but the fact remains that a seed of resentment took root in her heart despite her identity as a Godly woman and she reacted sinfully. Therefore, we are wise to discern those moments in our lives where we have emulated Martha's behavior in order to guard our hearts from falling victim once again to the same plight. "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned" (Romans 12:3).
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Luke 16:19-31 (Devotion)
THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS - "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’"
It has been said, "What we do in life echoes in eternity," and no greater example is found in the Bible than the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a sobering reminder of how dangerous selfishness can be in the heart of someone who is monetarily rich, yet spiritually bankrupt. In certain ways, it convicts our desire to acquire fortune because the consequences of selfish behavior are magnified by our wealth management. In other words, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required" (Luke 12:48b). God provides an allotment of resources spanning varying degrees of accumulation (or lack thereof) to test how responsible we are, how deep selfishness resides in our hearts, and whether we manipulate life in our favor at the expense of His glory. Make no mistake, the further we delve into the mind of the rich man, the more convicted we should become to heed the warning Jesus gives to help gauge our spiritual tempterature. For Scripture reminds us, "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds" (Jeremiah 17:10). Therefore, identifying with Lazarus should not consume our attention because very few of us have or will ever experience extreme poverty like he did. Rather, what we must discern is simply whether we love our neighbor enough to sacrifice ourselves and our resources for his/her betterment at the expense of our own. And that is why (for example) military, law enforcement, firemen, first responders, etc., deserve our utmost respect and admiration, because they risk their lives every day to preserve and protect the freedoms and privileges we claim as citizens. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
In contrast, the rich man had no desire to protect those less fortunate than himself because God provided countless opportunities for him to help Lazarus and he declined. Day after day, Lazarus laid at the gate of his mansion needing no more than the absolute minimum to survive, and remained there disheveled, stricken, malnourished, and assaulted by wild dogs until the day he died. In contrast, the rich man lived in lavish splendor with elaborate material possessions and countless resources. He feasted sumptuously, which conveys that the most luxurious and expansive smorgasbord of food and beverage awaited his consuming pleasure each day. He lacked nothing whatsoever except the desire to help those less fortunate than himself, and eventually God repaid him for his hardheartedness when his day of reckoning arrived. What we must ask ourselves as we consider the rich man's plight is this: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). Let us first clarify that wisdom is vital to discern how to help someone in need. For example, it would not be wise to blindly give money to those who are begging for help without first taking time to understand exactly what they need. It is a matter of discernment, not avoidance, because accountability is required if for no reason but to protect others from further hurting themselves or others if they struggle with addiction. That is why providing specific resources according to genuine need always trumps monetary handouts to avoid being inconvenienced or convicted. In other words, see a need—meet a need! And if we're worried about giving money to those who are panhandling, let us instead attempt to discern and wisely meet their need without enabling potential destructive behavior. "Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother" (Romans 14:13).
Scripture exhorts, "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). As self-proclaimed Christians, we are tasked by the authority of Almighty God to cast off fear and passivity, and embrace opportunities which stretch our comfort levels. The ultimate goal is expanding our capacity to love others by humbling ourselves. Jesus set the stage for us at the last supper when He washed His disciples' feet. "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:15–17). The minute we think more highly of ourselves than we ought, the more we fall victim to the rich man's pride. Though "religious" enough to affiliate himself with father Abraham, the rich man felt no compulsion to share a fraction of his wealth, even as a sacrificial testimony to his faith. He was blinded by love of self and status, and could not fathom himself having any interaction with Lazarus whatsoever. However, what is most convicting is that he purposely ignored Lazarus' needs. This was not a case of not knowing Lazarus was in need because he beckoned Abraham for Lazarus to help quench his thirst while he anguished in hell. This is a powerful revelation we cannot miss! The rich man knew Lazarus by name. The problem is he assumed he knew who Lazarus was according to his appearance and labeled him a filthy beggar, undeserving of grace and mercy. He judged Lazarus according to his own personal bias and preconceived notion, and thus ruled in favor of enabling his starvation unto death by remaining idle and indifferent toward his needs without the slightest remorse.
In order to grasp the true magnitude of Jesus' parable, we must take inventory of all we have been given. Salvation alone should drive us to live each day with gratitude words cannot express, but faith is not measured by empty words. Faith must produce application, otherwise it is void and meaningless. That is why Scripture affirms, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Yet in many cases, we allow ourselves to be deceived. We assume others are more capable and/or equipped to help others, so we profess our innocence and justify passivity in an attempt to appease our conscience. The truth of the matter is that a man's deeds are on full display for the Lord's judgment. Any man naive enough to think he can exploit a loophole in God's Word, whereby he can avoid accountability, is foolish enough to assume he is guaranteed eternity regardless of his actions. Jesus taught, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Keep in mind, God allots each one of us provisions which have the ability to either draw us closer to Him or provide opportunity for the flesh. That is the essence of free will. God does not force our hand but loves us enough to let us choose our own path. However, His Word warns, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:13–14). Therefore, yes we are free indeed, but our freedom comes at an immeasurable cost and an expectation that we live our faith out in application, not simply by the might of our words.
The Bible teaches, "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways" (Proverbs 28:6). Righteousness in God's economy has absolutely nothing to do with economic fortune or status. If anything, favorable wealth presents greater temptation for failure than simply not having any to begin with. The rich man learned this lesson the hard way without the ability to repent for his actions or warn those he loved from committing the same mistakes. In desperation, he attempted to convince Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his former household, but Abraham responded with the same rationale we are faced with today. We live in a day and age where we have immeasurable access to God's Word. Truthfully, many of us have multiple copies of the Bible at our disposal in our homes which far more resemble a paper weight or dust catcher than a worn and tattered treasure map. Think about it. If we believed there was a treasure to be discovered and we had THE map to lead us to its whereabouts, we would exhaust all time, energy and resources necessary studying it till we memorized every detail. Yet what many of us fail to realize is that God has freely given us the greatest treasure map known to man, which inevitably leads to eternal life. All we have to do is read it, study it, and apply its knowledge unto righteousness, and the treasure is ours! Therefore, how different would our outlook on life be if our attitude and perspective toward God's Word reflected the heart of the psalmist? "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7–11).
In the end, it makes no difference what we say we believe if our actions do not testify to heart change. Make no mistake, the rich man was presumably a "religious" man, but his heart did not bear witness to the faith he likely proclaimed. Rather, he allowed his heart and mind to be consumed with selfishness and suffered the ultimate price, eternity in Hades (Hell), because saving faith never took root in his heart to begin with. That is the danger with "religion" because it provides false security that eternity in heaven is guaranteed when specific man-made rules are followed. What religion lacks is a relationship by grace through faith with God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our salvation, and the Holy Spirit who illuminates the application of our faith unto righteousness. Therefore, what our response to this parable must entail begins with ensuring we are not misled by religion, but grounded in personal relationship and intimate communion by faith with God. Only then can we begin taking inventory of our attitudes toward those in need and assess how willing we are to get our hands dirty, meeting their needs as the Spirit prompts. For Scripture is clear that ignoring the needs we see all around us, knowing full well we have the ability to make a difference, is as powerful a litmus test we could ever find to gauge how "Christian" we truly are. "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14–17). Therefore, how will we respond to the treasure we've been given? Will the sacrificial love Jesus has shown inspire us to love our neighbor unconditionally? Perhaps if we examine our heart just as the attached testimonial below does, conviction will produce not only a desire to meet the needs of those around us, but the courage to step out in faith and literally be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world desperately in need of salvation.
It has been said, "What we do in life echoes in eternity," and no greater example is found in the Bible than the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a sobering reminder of how dangerous selfishness can be in the heart of someone who is monetarily rich, yet spiritually bankrupt. In certain ways, it convicts our desire to acquire fortune because the consequences of selfish behavior are magnified by our wealth management. In other words, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required" (Luke 12:48b). God provides an allotment of resources spanning varying degrees of accumulation (or lack thereof) to test how responsible we are, how deep selfishness resides in our hearts, and whether we manipulate life in our favor at the expense of His glory. Make no mistake, the further we delve into the mind of the rich man, the more convicted we should become to heed the warning Jesus gives to help gauge our spiritual tempterature. For Scripture reminds us, "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds" (Jeremiah 17:10). Therefore, identifying with Lazarus should not consume our attention because very few of us have or will ever experience extreme poverty like he did. Rather, what we must discern is simply whether we love our neighbor enough to sacrifice ourselves and our resources for his/her betterment at the expense of our own. And that is why (for example) military, law enforcement, firemen, first responders, etc., deserve our utmost respect and admiration, because they risk their lives every day to preserve and protect the freedoms and privileges we claim as citizens. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
In contrast, the rich man had no desire to protect those less fortunate than himself because God provided countless opportunities for him to help Lazarus and he declined. Day after day, Lazarus laid at the gate of his mansion needing no more than the absolute minimum to survive, and remained there disheveled, stricken, malnourished, and assaulted by wild dogs until the day he died. In contrast, the rich man lived in lavish splendor with elaborate material possessions and countless resources. He feasted sumptuously, which conveys that the most luxurious and expansive smorgasbord of food and beverage awaited his consuming pleasure each day. He lacked nothing whatsoever except the desire to help those less fortunate than himself, and eventually God repaid him for his hardheartedness when his day of reckoning arrived. What we must ask ourselves as we consider the rich man's plight is this: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). Let us first clarify that wisdom is vital to discern how to help someone in need. For example, it would not be wise to blindly give money to those who are begging for help without first taking time to understand exactly what they need. It is a matter of discernment, not avoidance, because accountability is required if for no reason but to protect others from further hurting themselves or others if they struggle with addiction. That is why providing specific resources according to genuine need always trumps monetary handouts to avoid being inconvenienced or convicted. In other words, see a need—meet a need! And if we're worried about giving money to those who are panhandling, let us instead attempt to discern and wisely meet their need without enabling potential destructive behavior. "Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother" (Romans 14:13).
Scripture exhorts, "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). As self-proclaimed Christians, we are tasked by the authority of Almighty God to cast off fear and passivity, and embrace opportunities which stretch our comfort levels. The ultimate goal is expanding our capacity to love others by humbling ourselves. Jesus set the stage for us at the last supper when He washed His disciples' feet. "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:15–17). The minute we think more highly of ourselves than we ought, the more we fall victim to the rich man's pride. Though "religious" enough to affiliate himself with father Abraham, the rich man felt no compulsion to share a fraction of his wealth, even as a sacrificial testimony to his faith. He was blinded by love of self and status, and could not fathom himself having any interaction with Lazarus whatsoever. However, what is most convicting is that he purposely ignored Lazarus' needs. This was not a case of not knowing Lazarus was in need because he beckoned Abraham for Lazarus to help quench his thirst while he anguished in hell. This is a powerful revelation we cannot miss! The rich man knew Lazarus by name. The problem is he assumed he knew who Lazarus was according to his appearance and labeled him a filthy beggar, undeserving of grace and mercy. He judged Lazarus according to his own personal bias and preconceived notion, and thus ruled in favor of enabling his starvation unto death by remaining idle and indifferent toward his needs without the slightest remorse.
In order to grasp the true magnitude of Jesus' parable, we must take inventory of all we have been given. Salvation alone should drive us to live each day with gratitude words cannot express, but faith is not measured by empty words. Faith must produce application, otherwise it is void and meaningless. That is why Scripture affirms, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Yet in many cases, we allow ourselves to be deceived. We assume others are more capable and/or equipped to help others, so we profess our innocence and justify passivity in an attempt to appease our conscience. The truth of the matter is that a man's deeds are on full display for the Lord's judgment. Any man naive enough to think he can exploit a loophole in God's Word, whereby he can avoid accountability, is foolish enough to assume he is guaranteed eternity regardless of his actions. Jesus taught, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Keep in mind, God allots each one of us provisions which have the ability to either draw us closer to Him or provide opportunity for the flesh. That is the essence of free will. God does not force our hand but loves us enough to let us choose our own path. However, His Word warns, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:13–14). Therefore, yes we are free indeed, but our freedom comes at an immeasurable cost and an expectation that we live our faith out in application, not simply by the might of our words.
The Bible teaches, "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways" (Proverbs 28:6). Righteousness in God's economy has absolutely nothing to do with economic fortune or status. If anything, favorable wealth presents greater temptation for failure than simply not having any to begin with. The rich man learned this lesson the hard way without the ability to repent for his actions or warn those he loved from committing the same mistakes. In desperation, he attempted to convince Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his former household, but Abraham responded with the same rationale we are faced with today. We live in a day and age where we have immeasurable access to God's Word. Truthfully, many of us have multiple copies of the Bible at our disposal in our homes which far more resemble a paper weight or dust catcher than a worn and tattered treasure map. Think about it. If we believed there was a treasure to be discovered and we had THE map to lead us to its whereabouts, we would exhaust all time, energy and resources necessary studying it till we memorized every detail. Yet what many of us fail to realize is that God has freely given us the greatest treasure map known to man, which inevitably leads to eternal life. All we have to do is read it, study it, and apply its knowledge unto righteousness, and the treasure is ours! Therefore, how different would our outlook on life be if our attitude and perspective toward God's Word reflected the heart of the psalmist? "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7–11).
In the end, it makes no difference what we say we believe if our actions do not testify to heart change. Make no mistake, the rich man was presumably a "religious" man, but his heart did not bear witness to the faith he likely proclaimed. Rather, he allowed his heart and mind to be consumed with selfishness and suffered the ultimate price, eternity in Hades (Hell), because saving faith never took root in his heart to begin with. That is the danger with "religion" because it provides false security that eternity in heaven is guaranteed when specific man-made rules are followed. What religion lacks is a relationship by grace through faith with God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our salvation, and the Holy Spirit who illuminates the application of our faith unto righteousness. Therefore, what our response to this parable must entail begins with ensuring we are not misled by religion, but grounded in personal relationship and intimate communion by faith with God. Only then can we begin taking inventory of our attitudes toward those in need and assess how willing we are to get our hands dirty, meeting their needs as the Spirit prompts. For Scripture is clear that ignoring the needs we see all around us, knowing full well we have the ability to make a difference, is as powerful a litmus test we could ever find to gauge how "Christian" we truly are. "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14–17). Therefore, how will we respond to the treasure we've been given? Will the sacrificial love Jesus has shown inspire us to love our neighbor unconditionally? Perhaps if we examine our heart just as the attached testimonial below does, conviction will produce not only a desire to meet the needs of those around us, but the courage to step out in faith and literally be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world desperately in need of salvation.
"Apathy" by Trip Lee
Sometimes I'm hurtin' and I'm burdened when I'm gazin' inside—
Cause I ain't concerned with other persons, the foundation in pride—
Feel like a fake and a lie—
It's the comforts of my Lord cause I be raisin' Him high—
Until the day that I die, I surely struggle with this apathy invading—
I try to front, like I'm Mr. Compassionate and my ratings are high—
And meanwhile these folks is hurtin everyplace, I should cry—
But I lose sight like bullets grazin' my eyes, what should I do now?—
When I drive through my city, and I see these folks' hurtin'—
Yea, I'm certain that I care till' I'm home and close the curtain—
It's like they ain't even there, man my heart is so disturbin'—
I should be prayin for em, findin' ways that I can serve em—
The bottom line, Lord I'm praying that I'll be on the grind—
Pursuing service, never out of sight, out of mind—
Preaching truth and trying to model my Lord
till He's back and them knees hit the floor—
I'm waitin!
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Luke 9:57-62 (Devotion)
THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS - "As they were going along the road, someone said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.' To another he said, 'Follow me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' And Jesus said to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Yet another said, 'I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'"
Excuses. We all have them—some good, some bad. They represent the choices we make by justifying the reasons behind our actions. More often than not, we view excuses in a negative light, but they can be positive as well. Here in Luke 9:57-62, we are faced with the dilemma of how reasonable excuses are challenged by Jesus for their superficial nature because they mask true heart desire. In each of the three examples provided, we see potential Christ-followers blinded by fear, insecurity, and lack of understanding. The Bible does not disclose their final outcome. It only focuses on their initial gut reaction because what comes to mind first typically exposes the heart. Scripture reminds us, "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man" (Proverbs 27:19). Therefore, we are wise to quickly discern what our true heart reflects in order to discern whether we fall victim to rationalizing our lack of Biblical application, or whether we have learned to die to excuses and obey the teachings of our Lord and Savior. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?'" (Matthew 16:24-26). Make no mistake, the path of righteousness is a hard and narrow road. But to the one who is willing to trust in God's sovereignty, heart-transformation is both possible and probable to ensure we answer, "Yes, Lord," by faith rather than default to excuses which bind our hearts and reveal our lack of trust in Jesus.
The challenge many have with Luke 9:57-62 is that it feels abrasive, cold and unloving. On the surface, all three excuses are relatively reasonable and provide just enough temptation to quickly brush past them without the slightest consideration. Yet when we dig deeper into Jesus' response to each potential follower, we realize we are similarly guilty of rationalizing our own behaviors in order to sidestep personal responsibility and sacrifice. In no way were the superficial desires of these followers' hearts disingenuous. It would appear they sincerely desired to follow Jesus. However, their superficiality became front and center when Jesus abruptly confronted them with not so much ultimatums, but accountability. Keep in mind, "The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out" (Proverbs 20:5). Jesus is that man of understanding in the lives of those who call upon His name for salvation. However, we must also recognize that "many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?" (Proverbs 20:6). Push comes to shove when our excuses are confronted with truth. The real question is to what extent are we willing to embrace truth enough to lay down our pride, selfishness, fears and insecurities, and subsequently deny our flesh, take up our cross, and follow Jesus no matter the cost? The true mark of a disciple is found in our willingness to die to self for the sake of the Gospel. Paul reminds us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). Our minds will never be renewed if they are cut off from hearing the truth of God's Word, because excuses flourish in an environment where accountability is absent.
Perhaps some of us have spoken the same words, "I will follow you wherever you go" (Luke 9:57), that the first potential Christ-follower did. It sounds like the right answer—proclaiming our ending love and willingness to fulfill Matthew 16:23-26. But is that completely true? The rebuke Jesus gives paints quite the picture of what true discipleship entails, which is a willingness to embrace poverty, hardship and persecution (just as He did) if that is what God wills. In other words, comfort is no guarantee—quite the contrary! Passages like this are certainly not popular in churches where prosperity doctrine is falsely taught, because Jesus is essentially challenging how we view health and wealth. That is not to say those of us who have wealth should feel guilty for the blessings God has given. But when push comes to shove, are we willing to relinquish control of our personal resources if the Lord asks us to? In other words, how tight a grip do we hold on our bank accounts? How comfortable is our standard of living? Do we seek opportunities each day to give and serve others, or do we discreetly funnel life circumstances for our benefit at the expense of others? "Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD'" (Jeremiah 17:5). It is sobering to realize how self-protecting we truly are when faced with adversity and/or held accountable to God's Word, but accountability is a blessing if we embrace it unto application. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14). Therefore, before we proclaim our willingness to follow Jesus wherever He would go, we are wise to count the cost of what it means to be a disciple of Christ and then compare that to the price Jesus paid on the cross for our sins. Perhaps then we will realize how priceless a gift we have been given for no other reason except love. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
Concerning the second potential Christ-follower, we are faced with the dilemma of loyalty and allegiance. Again, the excuse provided is not unreasonable: "Lord, let me first go and bury my father" (Luke 9:59). In fact, many would argue this is indeed a Biblical responsibility reserved for the eldest son. How then could Jesus rebuke a man who prioritizes family obligations? Are we not called to love, protect, serve and provide for our families? Yes, of course, but we are challenged to sift through the reactionary layers of our hearts in order to uncover the true message Jesus is driving at. In no way is Jesus contradicting Biblical obligations regarding the family unit. But if our family becomes an idol in our hearts drawing us away from loving God first and foremost, we must address our priorities. God must always come before our spouses, and our spouses before our children (because they are the offspring of marriage). That is why when Jesus was confronted with the question of where heart allegiance must be prioritized, He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). In no way is Jesus being insensitive to this potential follower's desire to bury his father, but there is also no timetable given regarding this man's reasoning either (not that it ultimately matters). Prolonging or putting off a decision to follow Christ assumes we will have life and breath in the future to make such a decision. In many ways it exposes our arrogance to presume we can predict the future, but also reveals who comes first in our hearts, eternally-speaking. Make no mistake, priorities become easily complicated because many of us assume our family comes first, but we must realize that placing anything or anyone BEFORE God will always become a divisive wedge in our faith walk if we allow it.
The final would-be follower presents a completely different angle regarding excuses, which is perhaps most pervasive within our hearts. This justification centers around whose voice takes precedence in our decision-making. Again, the superficial request seems more than reasonable: "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home" (Luke 9:61). This man's commitment seems firm that He would follow Jesus. He merely needed a few minutes to say goodbye to his family first. In some ways we could argue that Jesus is confronting this man's hesitation in prioritizing His command. What seems even more apparent is Jesus knows that the more time this man has to essentially "reconsider" his decision, the more likely he will abandon his decision altogether due to the influence of those around him who do not share his beliefs, understand his rationale, nor approve of his decision. If we think of it logically, the likelihood this man's wife, father, mother or children talk him out of leaving, or at least challenge his decision in order to force him to reconsider, are extremely high. That is why Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). It is virtually impossible to plow a straight row while looking backward because the plow must be aligned with a target in focus to remain on track. Therefore, the likelihood we are tempted to compromise our commitment to Jesus if those we love do not approve or support our decision is probable. Let us be clear though: Jesus is not condemning our family commitments. Rather, He is challenging our priorities IF we allow anyone or anything to come before our commitment to love and serve Him unconditionally. It is a matter of trust, and we must decide whose voice we prioritize most to fulfill our needs.
The people of Israel struggled similarly. After spies returned from scouting the promised land, only Joshua and Caleb felt the inhabitants of Canaan could be conquered just as Lord had promised. However, the remaining spies spread fear and unbelief throughout the camp to the point where people considered returning to enslavement in Egypt rather than trusting the Lord, despite the countless miracles God performed on their behalf for continued survival. "And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, 'Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?' And they said to one another, 'Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt'" (Numbers 14:2-4). In a time where faith was needed most, Israel shuddered under the weight of uncertainty and fear rather than embrace the present freedom God provides to those who trust in His name. The real question we must ask ourselves is how tight a grip do we hold to our past which blinds us from looking forward? Are we struggling to forgive ourselves of past sins we have already repented for and sought reconciliation with God and those we sinned against? Has the death of a loved one crippled our desire to move on with our lives? Have we experienced pain or abuse we've never truly forgiven or received counseling for? Whatever the case may be, if we do not embrace the true freedom in Christ we have been given by grace, we will never experience the power of the Holy Spirit inspiring positive change and/or healing in our lives by breaking the chains of our past which bind and enslave us. For Scripture promises, "The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you" (Psalm 9:9-10).
Collectively, all three examples we are given in Luke 9:57-62 relate to the personal comforts of our homes and/or the responsibilities we have to our families. What we cannot miss in this passage is that Jesus is not condemning either. In other words, Jesus is not commanding us as men to walk out and abandon our families for the sake of the Gospel. That would not be consistent with Scripture which states, "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). Rather, Jesus is testing to what extent our true allegiance lies just as He did with Abraham. "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said, 'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you'" (Genesis 22:1–2). In the end, God did not allow Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and neither would He expect us to do the same. However, it can be easy to misinterpret Luke 9:57-62 due to the stern rebuke Jesus gives His potential followers, but He does us an incredible favor in the process by not painting a misleading picture of what true Christianity looks like. The Christian faith requires dying to self, serving and forgiving others, enduring ridicule, suffering persecution, etc., all because the eternal benefits of following Jesus outweigh the temporary fears, risks, and personal sacrifices we assuredly endure on His behalf. The key is remembering the big picture of the Gospel, which keeps our eyes focused on the plow and our personal will submissive to the Lord's. Because if we allow idols to capture our hearts, we will never fully give God the glory He is due because we are preoccupied by our flesh. Therefore, we must be mindful "whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 John 4:15-16).
Excuses. We all have them—some good, some bad. They represent the choices we make by justifying the reasons behind our actions. More often than not, we view excuses in a negative light, but they can be positive as well. Here in Luke 9:57-62, we are faced with the dilemma of how reasonable excuses are challenged by Jesus for their superficial nature because they mask true heart desire. In each of the three examples provided, we see potential Christ-followers blinded by fear, insecurity, and lack of understanding. The Bible does not disclose their final outcome. It only focuses on their initial gut reaction because what comes to mind first typically exposes the heart. Scripture reminds us, "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man" (Proverbs 27:19). Therefore, we are wise to quickly discern what our true heart reflects in order to discern whether we fall victim to rationalizing our lack of Biblical application, or whether we have learned to die to excuses and obey the teachings of our Lord and Savior. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?'" (Matthew 16:24-26). Make no mistake, the path of righteousness is a hard and narrow road. But to the one who is willing to trust in God's sovereignty, heart-transformation is both possible and probable to ensure we answer, "Yes, Lord," by faith rather than default to excuses which bind our hearts and reveal our lack of trust in Jesus.
The challenge many have with Luke 9:57-62 is that it feels abrasive, cold and unloving. On the surface, all three excuses are relatively reasonable and provide just enough temptation to quickly brush past them without the slightest consideration. Yet when we dig deeper into Jesus' response to each potential follower, we realize we are similarly guilty of rationalizing our own behaviors in order to sidestep personal responsibility and sacrifice. In no way were the superficial desires of these followers' hearts disingenuous. It would appear they sincerely desired to follow Jesus. However, their superficiality became front and center when Jesus abruptly confronted them with not so much ultimatums, but accountability. Keep in mind, "The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out" (Proverbs 20:5). Jesus is that man of understanding in the lives of those who call upon His name for salvation. However, we must also recognize that "many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?" (Proverbs 20:6). Push comes to shove when our excuses are confronted with truth. The real question is to what extent are we willing to embrace truth enough to lay down our pride, selfishness, fears and insecurities, and subsequently deny our flesh, take up our cross, and follow Jesus no matter the cost? The true mark of a disciple is found in our willingness to die to self for the sake of the Gospel. Paul reminds us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). Our minds will never be renewed if they are cut off from hearing the truth of God's Word, because excuses flourish in an environment where accountability is absent.
Perhaps some of us have spoken the same words, "I will follow you wherever you go" (Luke 9:57), that the first potential Christ-follower did. It sounds like the right answer—proclaiming our ending love and willingness to fulfill Matthew 16:23-26. But is that completely true? The rebuke Jesus gives paints quite the picture of what true discipleship entails, which is a willingness to embrace poverty, hardship and persecution (just as He did) if that is what God wills. In other words, comfort is no guarantee—quite the contrary! Passages like this are certainly not popular in churches where prosperity doctrine is falsely taught, because Jesus is essentially challenging how we view health and wealth. That is not to say those of us who have wealth should feel guilty for the blessings God has given. But when push comes to shove, are we willing to relinquish control of our personal resources if the Lord asks us to? In other words, how tight a grip do we hold on our bank accounts? How comfortable is our standard of living? Do we seek opportunities each day to give and serve others, or do we discreetly funnel life circumstances for our benefit at the expense of others? "Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD'" (Jeremiah 17:5). It is sobering to realize how self-protecting we truly are when faced with adversity and/or held accountable to God's Word, but accountability is a blessing if we embrace it unto application. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14). Therefore, before we proclaim our willingness to follow Jesus wherever He would go, we are wise to count the cost of what it means to be a disciple of Christ and then compare that to the price Jesus paid on the cross for our sins. Perhaps then we will realize how priceless a gift we have been given for no other reason except love. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
Concerning the second potential Christ-follower, we are faced with the dilemma of loyalty and allegiance. Again, the excuse provided is not unreasonable: "Lord, let me first go and bury my father" (Luke 9:59). In fact, many would argue this is indeed a Biblical responsibility reserved for the eldest son. How then could Jesus rebuke a man who prioritizes family obligations? Are we not called to love, protect, serve and provide for our families? Yes, of course, but we are challenged to sift through the reactionary layers of our hearts in order to uncover the true message Jesus is driving at. In no way is Jesus contradicting Biblical obligations regarding the family unit. But if our family becomes an idol in our hearts drawing us away from loving God first and foremost, we must address our priorities. God must always come before our spouses, and our spouses before our children (because they are the offspring of marriage). That is why when Jesus was confronted with the question of where heart allegiance must be prioritized, He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). In no way is Jesus being insensitive to this potential follower's desire to bury his father, but there is also no timetable given regarding this man's reasoning either (not that it ultimately matters). Prolonging or putting off a decision to follow Christ assumes we will have life and breath in the future to make such a decision. In many ways it exposes our arrogance to presume we can predict the future, but also reveals who comes first in our hearts, eternally-speaking. Make no mistake, priorities become easily complicated because many of us assume our family comes first, but we must realize that placing anything or anyone BEFORE God will always become a divisive wedge in our faith walk if we allow it.
The final would-be follower presents a completely different angle regarding excuses, which is perhaps most pervasive within our hearts. This justification centers around whose voice takes precedence in our decision-making. Again, the superficial request seems more than reasonable: "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home" (Luke 9:61). This man's commitment seems firm that He would follow Jesus. He merely needed a few minutes to say goodbye to his family first. In some ways we could argue that Jesus is confronting this man's hesitation in prioritizing His command. What seems even more apparent is Jesus knows that the more time this man has to essentially "reconsider" his decision, the more likely he will abandon his decision altogether due to the influence of those around him who do not share his beliefs, understand his rationale, nor approve of his decision. If we think of it logically, the likelihood this man's wife, father, mother or children talk him out of leaving, or at least challenge his decision in order to force him to reconsider, are extremely high. That is why Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). It is virtually impossible to plow a straight row while looking backward because the plow must be aligned with a target in focus to remain on track. Therefore, the likelihood we are tempted to compromise our commitment to Jesus if those we love do not approve or support our decision is probable. Let us be clear though: Jesus is not condemning our family commitments. Rather, He is challenging our priorities IF we allow anyone or anything to come before our commitment to love and serve Him unconditionally. It is a matter of trust, and we must decide whose voice we prioritize most to fulfill our needs.
The people of Israel struggled similarly. After spies returned from scouting the promised land, only Joshua and Caleb felt the inhabitants of Canaan could be conquered just as Lord had promised. However, the remaining spies spread fear and unbelief throughout the camp to the point where people considered returning to enslavement in Egypt rather than trusting the Lord, despite the countless miracles God performed on their behalf for continued survival. "And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, 'Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?' And they said to one another, 'Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt'" (Numbers 14:2-4). In a time where faith was needed most, Israel shuddered under the weight of uncertainty and fear rather than embrace the present freedom God provides to those who trust in His name. The real question we must ask ourselves is how tight a grip do we hold to our past which blinds us from looking forward? Are we struggling to forgive ourselves of past sins we have already repented for and sought reconciliation with God and those we sinned against? Has the death of a loved one crippled our desire to move on with our lives? Have we experienced pain or abuse we've never truly forgiven or received counseling for? Whatever the case may be, if we do not embrace the true freedom in Christ we have been given by grace, we will never experience the power of the Holy Spirit inspiring positive change and/or healing in our lives by breaking the chains of our past which bind and enslave us. For Scripture promises, "The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you" (Psalm 9:9-10).
Collectively, all three examples we are given in Luke 9:57-62 relate to the personal comforts of our homes and/or the responsibilities we have to our families. What we cannot miss in this passage is that Jesus is not condemning either. In other words, Jesus is not commanding us as men to walk out and abandon our families for the sake of the Gospel. That would not be consistent with Scripture which states, "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). Rather, Jesus is testing to what extent our true allegiance lies just as He did with Abraham. "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said, 'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you'" (Genesis 22:1–2). In the end, God did not allow Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and neither would He expect us to do the same. However, it can be easy to misinterpret Luke 9:57-62 due to the stern rebuke Jesus gives His potential followers, but He does us an incredible favor in the process by not painting a misleading picture of what true Christianity looks like. The Christian faith requires dying to self, serving and forgiving others, enduring ridicule, suffering persecution, etc., all because the eternal benefits of following Jesus outweigh the temporary fears, risks, and personal sacrifices we assuredly endure on His behalf. The key is remembering the big picture of the Gospel, which keeps our eyes focused on the plow and our personal will submissive to the Lord's. Because if we allow idols to capture our hearts, we will never fully give God the glory He is due because we are preoccupied by our flesh. Therefore, we must be mindful "whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 John 4:15-16).
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Luke 11:14-23 (Devotion)
JESUS AND BEELZEBUL - "Now he (Jesus) was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.'"
Spiritual warfare is real. Anyone who has ever felt the pull of temptation can attest to it, yet how often are we fully aware of all that is going on around us in the spiritual realm? Can we see it? Hear it? Feel it? Taste it? The Bible reminds us that we must "be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, it is imperative we understand how Satan perverts absolute truth with confusion in order to twist our minds into believing false truth. Here in Luke 11:14-23, we see the heart of man confused by Satan's influence to contradict and downplay a miracle Jesus performed. In the minds of some people, the authority by which Jesus healed a man is questioned. Was it Divine or Satanic? The amazing thing about Jesus is that He embodies the loving character of God the Father while maintaining His righteous judgment of unbelief. He could have chosen to ignore His naysayers. However, He took time to not only set straight their twisted logic, but sternly warned of the dangers unbelief has on man's eternal resting place. These people had the luxury of witnessing Jesus' miracles firsthand, yet still struggled with believing He was the Messiah. According to their logic, they simply wanted more proof, but inevitably their skepticism revealed the hardness of their hearts which resisted the testimony right before their eyes. "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him" (John 1:10-11).
Keep in mind, this was not the first nor last time Jesus was questioned, challenged and doubted regarding His identity and purpose. "The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, 'Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation'" (Mark 8:11-12). Even Jesus labored at how hardhearted people were to doubt His divinity despite the countless miracles He performed, which is why He grievously wept before entering Jerusalem prior to His death. "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation'" (Luke 19:41-44). The sad truth is that despite Jerusalem suffering the wrath of God's fury for it's unbelief and subsequent destruction as Jesus prophesied, to this day the heart of man still resists yielding to the undeniable truth of the Gospel. In other words, people are CHOOSING doubt and skepticism over Biblical proof. What they fail to realize is that God's patience has an expiration date, and that hour is reserved for when we pass from this life to the next—from temporary to eternal. "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed" (Romans 2:5).
Now certainly there is justifiable cause for concern when we hear relative truth packaged as absolute. In those instances, we are wise to question and test the authority of both the message and messenger. "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22). But when God chooses to reveal Himself in our lives, we must be properly equipped to discern whether the voices we hear are good or evil because Satan uses whatever means necessary to lead us astray from submission and obedience to Scripture. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already" (1 John 4:1-3). They key is understanding Satan's tactics and strategies which seek to ISOLATE our minds, MINIMIZE consequences, MAXIMIZE hypocrisy, and JUSTIFY sin, because the intoxicating perfume of temptation has a pleasing aroma which preys upon our weaknesses and provides opportunity for failure and compromise if we allow it. Satan knows if he can single us out from the herd like a young or wounded animal, we are much more susceptible to being overcome and killed by powers much stronger than we can bear. Therefore, we must remain close to the body of Christ in fellowship and accountability to ensure we have the necessary support and protection of those who love us unconditionally. "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Isolation is a tactic we must be on guard about at all times, especially as men, because pride and arrogance are common tools Satan uses to feed our insecurities when we should be asking for help. It began in the garden of Eden when Satan tempted Eve by isolating her from God and continues to this day through the myriad of escapism tactics readily available to us through the technological advancements of our day and age. For instance, prior to the birth of the Internet in 1991, if a man was overcome by lust and sought an outlet to feed his desires, he had to venture outside his home to appease his cravings. Today, Internet and social media provide all the ammunition a man needs to severely enslave his heart in the privacy of his own home without anyone knowing about it to intervene and hold him accountable. The Bible teaches, "Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy" (Proverbs 27:5-6), but a friend is limited in his ability to help when we isolate ourselves to such an extent that no one is aware of our struggles. Once we are isolated, Satan then begins to wear down our psyche by minimizing the consequences we know will come as a result of our disobedience to God's righteous standard. In other words, minimizing consequences paves the wave for habitual addiction. Let us be clear: The minute we allow ourselves to minimize consequences, we maximize hypocrisy by our actions and do far more damage than good to ourselves, our friends and family, the church, and the world at large by inevitably justifying our sin rather than enacting heart change. "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries" (Hebrews 10:26-27).
When Eve bit into the forbidden fruit God specifically instructed her to avoid, she unlocked a knowledge that haunts us to this day. The ability to discern good and evil is powerful because it places us in a judgment seat every day of our lives. What we do with that responsibility is dependent upon the time we spend not only reading God's Word, but applying its teachings throughout every facet of our lives. Eve chose to justify her sin when God confronted her in the garden, which sealed her fate and invoked a chain reaction we all struggle with to this day. By justifying our sin, we are essentially attempting to minimize or altogether eliminate guilt, shame and regret, as is the case with blame-shifting. "The man said, 'The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.' Then the LORD God said to the woman, 'What is this that you have done?' The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate'" (Genesis 3:12-13). The problem is that the more we justify sin, the more calloused we become toward the consequences of sin, and our spiral of degradation entrenches us deeper and deeper into a stronghold we have no power to overcome without Christ. Therefore, we must embrace honesty, humility, transparency, vulnerability and brokenness if we truly desire righteousness through accountability. It all begins with surrendering our selfish will for God's will and accepting His sovereignty despite our limited knowledge and wisdom. "And he (Jesus) withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done'" (Luke 22:41-42).
What Jesus leaves us with at the end of Luke 11:14-23 is a key element to understanding the over-arching tactic Satan uses to break our will and hold us captive. Keep in mind, Satan spends very little time tormenting unbelievers because they have already succumbed to his power and chose to reject Christ. Therefore, he has already won those souls for the time being. Where Satan invests the bulk of his time, energy and resources is targeting those of us who have accepted Christ by undermining the areas which we feel we're the strongest in. Logic would tell us that if a man struggles with lust, Satan will target that weakness and prey upon it tirelessly by creating environments where that fleshly desire can flourish. What we fail to realize is that planting seeds of lustful opportunity is simply a distraction to indirectly to lure our attention, so that he can target our strengths in order to break us down from within. Think of it practically. A married man feels he is spiritually grounded but spends little to no time reading his Bible. He knows he is saved but struggles with lust, so he safeguards himself by not befriending or having personal conversations with other women, bouncing his eyes, and avoiding sexually graphic images on television or the Internet. All are good and wise choices. Unfortunately, where he is doomed to fail is not safeguarding the true root of pride which undermines his efforts. That is why Jesus said, "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation" (Matthew 12:43-45).
It is no different that the tactic Joshua used to capture the city of Ai (Joshua 8). By luring his enemies away from their stronghold, Joshua successfully ambushed his enemies by using their pride against them. Ai was a powerful city and their inhabitants knew it. But when their greatest strength was manipulated for the benefit of the Israelites, the people of Ai were quickly destroyed and their city plundered all because they assumed their strengths were unbreakable. Fast-forward to Luke 11:14-23 and we can see the power of Jesus' message that our perceived strengths can become our greatest weakness when spiritual warfare is ratcheted up. What we must realize is that the more time we invest trimming weeds without pulling them up from their root, the more their seeds will spread across our entire lives (just like they do in our lawns). We simply cannot become comfortable and complacent, assuming we can ignore our strengths to focus on shoring up our weaknesses. Satan is too smart for that and he will find opportunity to break through and tear our walls down if we are not cognoscente of his tactics and strategically ensuring we are guarded appropriately on all sides of our character. Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned" (John 15:4-6). May we heed this warning and align our hearts with His, so that when Satan attempts to overcome us with guilt, shame and despair, we will hold fast to God's Word which assures our salvation and provides us the tools we need to overcome the forces of darkness by the power of the blood of the Lamb.
Spiritual warfare is real. Anyone who has ever felt the pull of temptation can attest to it, yet how often are we fully aware of all that is going on around us in the spiritual realm? Can we see it? Hear it? Feel it? Taste it? The Bible reminds us that we must "be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, it is imperative we understand how Satan perverts absolute truth with confusion in order to twist our minds into believing false truth. Here in Luke 11:14-23, we see the heart of man confused by Satan's influence to contradict and downplay a miracle Jesus performed. In the minds of some people, the authority by which Jesus healed a man is questioned. Was it Divine or Satanic? The amazing thing about Jesus is that He embodies the loving character of God the Father while maintaining His righteous judgment of unbelief. He could have chosen to ignore His naysayers. However, He took time to not only set straight their twisted logic, but sternly warned of the dangers unbelief has on man's eternal resting place. These people had the luxury of witnessing Jesus' miracles firsthand, yet still struggled with believing He was the Messiah. According to their logic, they simply wanted more proof, but inevitably their skepticism revealed the hardness of their hearts which resisted the testimony right before their eyes. "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him" (John 1:10-11).
Keep in mind, this was not the first nor last time Jesus was questioned, challenged and doubted regarding His identity and purpose. "The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, 'Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation'" (Mark 8:11-12). Even Jesus labored at how hardhearted people were to doubt His divinity despite the countless miracles He performed, which is why He grievously wept before entering Jerusalem prior to His death. "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation'" (Luke 19:41-44). The sad truth is that despite Jerusalem suffering the wrath of God's fury for it's unbelief and subsequent destruction as Jesus prophesied, to this day the heart of man still resists yielding to the undeniable truth of the Gospel. In other words, people are CHOOSING doubt and skepticism over Biblical proof. What they fail to realize is that God's patience has an expiration date, and that hour is reserved for when we pass from this life to the next—from temporary to eternal. "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed" (Romans 2:5).
Now certainly there is justifiable cause for concern when we hear relative truth packaged as absolute. In those instances, we are wise to question and test the authority of both the message and messenger. "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22). But when God chooses to reveal Himself in our lives, we must be properly equipped to discern whether the voices we hear are good or evil because Satan uses whatever means necessary to lead us astray from submission and obedience to Scripture. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already" (1 John 4:1-3). They key is understanding Satan's tactics and strategies which seek to ISOLATE our minds, MINIMIZE consequences, MAXIMIZE hypocrisy, and JUSTIFY sin, because the intoxicating perfume of temptation has a pleasing aroma which preys upon our weaknesses and provides opportunity for failure and compromise if we allow it. Satan knows if he can single us out from the herd like a young or wounded animal, we are much more susceptible to being overcome and killed by powers much stronger than we can bear. Therefore, we must remain close to the body of Christ in fellowship and accountability to ensure we have the necessary support and protection of those who love us unconditionally. "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Isolation is a tactic we must be on guard about at all times, especially as men, because pride and arrogance are common tools Satan uses to feed our insecurities when we should be asking for help. It began in the garden of Eden when Satan tempted Eve by isolating her from God and continues to this day through the myriad of escapism tactics readily available to us through the technological advancements of our day and age. For instance, prior to the birth of the Internet in 1991, if a man was overcome by lust and sought an outlet to feed his desires, he had to venture outside his home to appease his cravings. Today, Internet and social media provide all the ammunition a man needs to severely enslave his heart in the privacy of his own home without anyone knowing about it to intervene and hold him accountable. The Bible teaches, "Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy" (Proverbs 27:5-6), but a friend is limited in his ability to help when we isolate ourselves to such an extent that no one is aware of our struggles. Once we are isolated, Satan then begins to wear down our psyche by minimizing the consequences we know will come as a result of our disobedience to God's righteous standard. In other words, minimizing consequences paves the wave for habitual addiction. Let us be clear: The minute we allow ourselves to minimize consequences, we maximize hypocrisy by our actions and do far more damage than good to ourselves, our friends and family, the church, and the world at large by inevitably justifying our sin rather than enacting heart change. "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries" (Hebrews 10:26-27).
When Eve bit into the forbidden fruit God specifically instructed her to avoid, she unlocked a knowledge that haunts us to this day. The ability to discern good and evil is powerful because it places us in a judgment seat every day of our lives. What we do with that responsibility is dependent upon the time we spend not only reading God's Word, but applying its teachings throughout every facet of our lives. Eve chose to justify her sin when God confronted her in the garden, which sealed her fate and invoked a chain reaction we all struggle with to this day. By justifying our sin, we are essentially attempting to minimize or altogether eliminate guilt, shame and regret, as is the case with blame-shifting. "The man said, 'The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.' Then the LORD God said to the woman, 'What is this that you have done?' The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate'" (Genesis 3:12-13). The problem is that the more we justify sin, the more calloused we become toward the consequences of sin, and our spiral of degradation entrenches us deeper and deeper into a stronghold we have no power to overcome without Christ. Therefore, we must embrace honesty, humility, transparency, vulnerability and brokenness if we truly desire righteousness through accountability. It all begins with surrendering our selfish will for God's will and accepting His sovereignty despite our limited knowledge and wisdom. "And he (Jesus) withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done'" (Luke 22:41-42).
What Jesus leaves us with at the end of Luke 11:14-23 is a key element to understanding the over-arching tactic Satan uses to break our will and hold us captive. Keep in mind, Satan spends very little time tormenting unbelievers because they have already succumbed to his power and chose to reject Christ. Therefore, he has already won those souls for the time being. Where Satan invests the bulk of his time, energy and resources is targeting those of us who have accepted Christ by undermining the areas which we feel we're the strongest in. Logic would tell us that if a man struggles with lust, Satan will target that weakness and prey upon it tirelessly by creating environments where that fleshly desire can flourish. What we fail to realize is that planting seeds of lustful opportunity is simply a distraction to indirectly to lure our attention, so that he can target our strengths in order to break us down from within. Think of it practically. A married man feels he is spiritually grounded but spends little to no time reading his Bible. He knows he is saved but struggles with lust, so he safeguards himself by not befriending or having personal conversations with other women, bouncing his eyes, and avoiding sexually graphic images on television or the Internet. All are good and wise choices. Unfortunately, where he is doomed to fail is not safeguarding the true root of pride which undermines his efforts. That is why Jesus said, "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation" (Matthew 12:43-45).
It is no different that the tactic Joshua used to capture the city of Ai (Joshua 8). By luring his enemies away from their stronghold, Joshua successfully ambushed his enemies by using their pride against them. Ai was a powerful city and their inhabitants knew it. But when their greatest strength was manipulated for the benefit of the Israelites, the people of Ai were quickly destroyed and their city plundered all because they assumed their strengths were unbreakable. Fast-forward to Luke 11:14-23 and we can see the power of Jesus' message that our perceived strengths can become our greatest weakness when spiritual warfare is ratcheted up. What we must realize is that the more time we invest trimming weeds without pulling them up from their root, the more their seeds will spread across our entire lives (just like they do in our lawns). We simply cannot become comfortable and complacent, assuming we can ignore our strengths to focus on shoring up our weaknesses. Satan is too smart for that and he will find opportunity to break through and tear our walls down if we are not cognoscente of his tactics and strategically ensuring we are guarded appropriately on all sides of our character. Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned" (John 15:4-6). May we heed this warning and align our hearts with His, so that when Satan attempts to overcome us with guilt, shame and despair, we will hold fast to God's Word which assures our salvation and provides us the tools we need to overcome the forces of darkness by the power of the blood of the Lamb.
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