All This Time

11.18.2009

2 Corinthians 12:19 19 All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved. New American Standard Bible

All this time they got the wrong idea or came to the wrong conclusions. The church in Corinth described in the Bible is a perfect picture of the church today and of one of the titanic struggles that takes place in many, many churches around the globe – the human struggle for power.

Power is such a strong intoxicant we all crave it. Yes, I do mean all; it is a universal fruit of sin. We want the power to control our destiny. We listen to God (or whoever); get just enough information to make us dangerous and leap into the fray (bloody and brutal) to see who comes out on top. Top dog is where we truly want to be. As I read the Corinthian letters again this season, I see the struggle for power and it-is-ugly!

That’s why Paul made the statement he made, “All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you.” He wasn’t defending himself to anyone – he was speaking in Christ and they couldn’t hear (understand) because they were too bothered about looking stupid to the power mongers rather than submitting in Christ. Yes, it is an ugly game and it happens all over, all-the-time.

And I am guilty as sin of committing the same ugly acts: Who is this guy!!? Where’d he come up with this stuff!? Well I’m not going to listen to that!!! I am called to submit and leave the results up to God. That means intentionally placing me in a position of vulnerability out of obedience to Christ rather than protecting my position by grabbing for more power. It’s really difficult, but that is what I get from this study today. My normal inclinations are something I must learn to unlearn.

Father in Heaven,

You could’ve had anyone go to Corinth and plant a church. No sweat. But You sent Paul and it appears that at least some there loved to hate him because they felt their power was threatened. God, I am humbled this day because of the memories of all the times I have done the same thing. Help me to kill the dragon of power and embrace the Spirit of Humility and Submission – I cry out in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Knowing My Limitations

11.17.2009

2 Corinthians 10:13 13 But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. New American Standard Bible

Paul knew his limitations and limits; the Corinthians did not. Knowing one’s limits means knowing one’s God and knowing what God has apportioned. God apportions all of His children and each of us is to be about the apportionment that God gives us. So where are you? God apportioned you there. What church are you a part of? God apportioned you there? Where do you work or go to school? God apportioned you there or there.

What gifts do you have? God apportioned those to you. Who are your neighbors? God apportioned that you live near them. What are your limits? Where do you draw the line and say, God stops me here?

Paul preached the gospel wherever he went but that never got in the way of his care for the churches. Paul was an evangelist but he never forgot he was a shepherd of the churches he planted. Paul knew his limits and limitations and was trying to teach the Corinthians to know the same for themselves.

There is only so much I can do and it appears in this stage of the journey that I am more limited than I used to be. But! That doesn’t let me off the hook for obedience or faithfulness. God expects them both from me. So I look at my apportionment today with encouraged and refreshed eyes that where I am, I am to be; and I am to be faithful and obedient right here – knowing my limitations.

Father in Heaven,

You’ve called me to be holy and to be wholly effective. Help me this day to bloom and grow where I am planted and to be effective right here where I am with what I have – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

The Light of the Gospel

11.16.2009

2 Corinthians 4:4 4“…in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” New American Standard Bible

This issue here is not just light, but the right light. On a brilliant sunny day in summer there is plenty of light to play baseball but it makes it hard to catch a fly-ball when you have to look up toward the sun to do it. One light dominates the other.

Blindness to the Gospel certainly is rooted in the darkness of the soul but is masked by the brilliance of earthly things: possessions, position, and performance; what one has, who one is, and how one does. Blindness to the Gospel is the buying into the lie that says whatever is here and now is of greater worth and meaning that whatever might be there and then. And sometimes what is here and now looks and feels pretty good…

The temptation for me is to look at my circumstances and pine away that my life would be better if only __________. (Fill in the blank.) That temptation usually shows up most vivid when I bump into financial or relational difficulties and don’t turn to God for the resolution. The resolution is faith and proclaiming the promises of God to myself over and over; forcing my soul to give up the blinders promising that my help will come from some other source other than the Lord. The Corinthians battled this – I battle this; and I think a lot of others do as well. Faith sometimes has to tell reason, “Sit and be quiet! God has promised!”

Father in Heaven,

To see Your light I must immovably believe in Your truth and the promises You have made. The world cannot reason through that – it smacks against human pride. Help me this day to avoid the temptation to look elsewhere for some other help rather than to stand in faith and trust in You, and what You’ve said. May I make my way this day by the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. In His glorious Name I pray, amen.

As the Lord Told Them

11.15.2009

Job 42:9 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job. New American Standard Bible

The people in Job’s story are not evangelicals; they’re not even Christians. They have no knowledge of Jesus, they have no knowledge of the Church and they seem to have no knowledge of the Jews. What they do have is knowledge of God. And just like today’s times, some are on and some are off…

Interestingly, Job is well known to God and is the recipient of God’s favor and blessing. Job is accepted by God and is a man of faith. What really blows me away is that God spoke to Job’s three friends and rebuked them for the idiotic notions they believed. What really flips my switches is that they heard God and obeyed! And God gave them a way out of His wrath…

I will remember that God is speaking to those around me and I will remember that He is offering them a way of escape because He is a God “…who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth...” (1 Tim 2:4 NASB); even those who say stupid things and leap to stupid conclusions.

And Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were obedient – they accepted the word of the Lord and they obeyed… smart move. I too will obey (or at least try to) – even when it’s inconvenient and uncomfortable – that can’t be nothin’ compared to God’s wrath…

Father in Heaven,

You offered Job’s friends a way of escape because You loved them even though they slandered You. Father, there are many around me today who are doing the same and You are offering them a way of escape as well. Help me to pray for them and to remember the grace You extend not just to Your people, but to Your enemies – for You are a loving, compassionate, and forgiving God. Amen.

Pep Talk

11.14.2009

1 Corinthians 15:58 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. New American Standard Bible

Personally, I would recommend reading 1 Corinthians 15 at least more than twice a year (that being according to the Bible Reading Plan I use). I would recommend reading this chapter of the Bible every time you feel down, threatened, frustrated, fearful, or disappointed. I would recommend reading this chapter carefully, thoughtfully and slowly; meditating on every phrase and the fact that it was written to people who had gotten off the tracks.

This chapter is one of the best pep-talks in the whole of Scripture. And even we believers need regular and powerful pep-talks. We need to be reminded of why we believe what we believe; and we believe a huge truth that God has made a way for us to be freed from death (never-ending separation) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we may live with Him forever! Everything in our world is opposed to that, and sometimes we get off-track.

I first learned (and memorized) 1 Corinthians 15.58 when I finally subjected my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in 1983; I realized today that it means a whole lot more than it already does when it is read as a summation of the rest of 1 Corinthians 15. It is a massive, encouraging truth and I will live remembering that no matter what the world throws at you and me, we are to be, “…steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that [our] toil is [never ever, ever] in vain in the Lord.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for Your love and goodness and God, thank You for Your favor for all Your children. I admit I get tired and crabby and sometimes lose sight of the mission; but thank You for the loving reminder today, and may I use it to encourage my fellow-believers in this truth: our faith in Christ is never ever, ever in vain – in His Name I pray, amen.

Man Up

11.13.2009

Job 40.7a 7“Now gird up your loins like a man; NASB

What does that mean, “like a man”? I’ve heard that all my life and I’m not sure I really know what’s being asked of me when someone demands, 'Be a man!' I figure somebody must be doing it because everybody is demanding it – but most of life I just haven’t known who the real man example is so that I may follow him and be like a man. I mean if Job wasn’t, who is?

Being a man isn't being physically superior; nor is being a man being superior intellect . Being a man isn’t being looks, wealth or skill or talent – being a man is acknowledging God and submission to Him – there's no greater measure of a man than the one who does that. Being a man means rightly and humbly relating to God; allowing Him to call all the shots.

Apparently Job was acting other than a man. He questioned God and talked smack about God as if God was somewhere else in the U not listening. Most of the men I know do that; they talk about God and act as if He is anywhere but on the throne of their heart. Friend, I challenge you, listen to the things men say and you’ll quickly see who is and who isn’t a man according to what comes out of their mouth; because what comes out of there comes from their heart; and if God is in their heart, they talk differently; they talk and behave as if He is.

I am learning to gird up my loins like a man. To me that has to mean summoning the courage to stand before God and acknowledge His sovereign lordship over my entire life – every part, all the time. I must speak as a man and act as a man and I can only do that as I acknowledge the presence of God within me and submit to His authority over me. Talent, looks, money, physicality need not apply – they aren’t the true measure of a man. Only the submitted may man up. Only those who acknowledge and accept God on HIS TERMS may man up.

Father in Heaven,

You created man as the pinnacle of Your creation and though for a time he is a little lower that the angels, You have proclaimed he will reign over Your creation as a full-fledged partner in Your Kingdom – something You haven’t promised to angels. So I am to man up and learn from You and stop being a rebel and a whiner and a coward and a liar. I am to listen to You and learn from You and submit to Your wisdom and righteousness. I am incapable of saving myself. Lord help me this day to walk as He walked and to honor You in all I do – I pray in His Name, amen.

Wait For One Another

11.11.2009

1 Corinthians 11:33 33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. New American Standard Bible

Paul’s letter(s) to the Corinthians could be letters written to most churches today. The very things he warned them of are the issues that pop up all over in the modern church. But as I read this morning and thought about all that may be out of adjustment in the modern church, I saw what appears to be a way to correct most of it without much effort: wait for one another.

There is so much emotion, heart, spirit, and consideration encapsulated in those words – wait for one another. We can wait for the slow to catch up. We can wait for the fast to slow down. We can wait while there are those grieving, hurting, recovering. We can wait for truth to prevail and righteousness to shine. We can wait in the church, in the home and in personal relationships. We can wait for the stressed to calm down and wait for the sinner to come to his senses. And by waiting we can cut each other some slack. If slack is to found anywhere it ought to be found in the church.

I am called up a bit short by Paul’s words today and I am reminded of the people I know that I am to wait for – loved ones, friends, and co-workers; neighbors and fellow citizens. I honor Christ by waiting for others. I exalt the Lord by waiting before I criticize or judge, or lose my patience and complain. I am to learn to leave the results to Him and let Him work in the lives of all of those people. So today, it’s off to school I go to learn, in Christ with Christ in me, to wait for one another…

Father in Heaven,

It’s not the difficult parts of Your word that I so struggle with, it’s the easy ones. May I find grace today to wait for others and to treat them with the courtesy and kindness of Christ. May I learn to be an example of love and grace and waiting while You accomplish Your purposes in them. Help me to be a overflowing fountain of Your mercy, and not just a leaky faucet – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.