Galatians 5:22-23–Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23–"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

This passage and its content present the fruits of the Spirit, which are held in contrast to the fruits of the flesh.  To be sure, the point here is that those who are in Christ and have submitted to the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives will exhibit certain personality and behavioral traits: the fruits of the Spirit. One of the struggles with this passage as it pertains to Christians is that some who would think themselves worthy of receiving these fruits yet have found them oddly absent in their lives have wrongly assumed that in order to possess them they need to somehow try harder–as if by trying to be more joyful we would receive the spiritual fruit of joy, etc.  But this attitude couldn't be further from the truth.  Rather, the fruits of the Spirit are simply a direct result of our adoring devotion to God through Jesus.  It is this and this alone that incurs the presence of the fruits at all.  For this reason, we should not focus too much on the fruits as if by possessing them we would enhance our devotion to the Lord.  Instead we should strive to love God with all our hearts, soul, and mind, and trust that God will bless us with spiritual fruits in our lives.

Matthew 15:10-11–Not What Goes In That Defiles; It Is What Comes Out

Matthew 15:10-11–"And He called the people to Him and said to them, 'Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes our of the mouth; this defiles a person.'"

Being a person that is prone to vocal verbosity I can speak with a certain amount of experience about the content of this passage.  Speech can be the greatest source of comfort or the greatest source of pain to those around us–depending, of course, upon what we say and how we say it.  This is why it is so important that we would strive to tame our tongues, for they possess a great power for destruction or healing.  The same source of venom is the same source of salve.  We would do well to remember this all the days of our lives.

Isaiah 40:28-31–The Lord Is the Everlasting God

Isaiah 40:28-31–"Have you not known? Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to Him who has might He increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

This passage is about Jesus, the Christ.  It is, at the very least, a declaration: have you not heard?  And while it truly is brimming with theological worth, the heart of the matter is relatively simple and direct: He is everlasting–and He provides strength and support for those who would wait on Him. Admittedly, when I am feeling weak or overwhelmed, I am not always looking to the Lord for my strength and assurance, to which I have found my self still anemic and tired.  That being said, I can say without fail that those when I have looked to God I have found refreshment, release, and strength.  This verse has proven true in my own life but I urge you to test its truth for yourself.  Jesus is the everlasting God and He is faithful to provide for those who would wait on Him.  Let us be those that would wait on Him.

Psalm 62:7–On God Rests My Salvation

Psalm 62:7–"On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God."

There is perhaps nothing more profoundly comforting and liberating than realizing that my salvation does not in anyway rest upon my own strength, my own guile, my own will, or even my own best intentions.  It is sweet serenity that salvation is dependent upon Christ and Christ alone.  There could be nothing more freeing than to recognize that salvation rests on God alone.  He is the Refuge, the mighty Rock of salvation, and the sole source of freedom, relief, and glory.  We should not forget this, not only that but we should let this ground our very lives.

Mark 10:43-45–Whoever Would Be Great Must Be A Servant

Mark 10:43-45–"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

This is one of the passages of Scripture in which Jesus Himself defines the radical nature of the Kingdom of God and how it is so very different from the kingdoms of the world.  While the world is built upon self-exaltations, prideful boastings, and delusions of grandeur, the greatest in the Kingdom of God are those who would be the least by serving others the most.

To be sure, this is lovely theology, a desirable sentiment.  However, actualizing this theology, making it a real and present part of our lives and identity is something else altogether.  But this is precisely the sort of life style and attitude that Jesus is asking of His people.  We should strive, then, to be servants truly in every role we can in our lives.  In so doing we will be faithful to the life that God has for us in His Son.

1 John 1:9–If We Confess God is Faithful

1 John 1:9–"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The proposition is invariably simple: confess sin and trust in God.  In reality, it is perhaps the simplicity that poses the the great difficulty for humans; we assume that something so profound must be complicated.  But God, while being eternally complex yet effortlessly simple, has made the forgiveness of sin a straightforward ordeal.

The difficulty, then, is not in the transaction of confession and forgiveness but, rather, in the will of the sinner.  Until we recognize the depravity within us we will render ourselves wholly unable to confess that depravity unto God for forgiveness and salvation.  It is not, as it were, an issue of intellect that prevents people from coming to God in faith; it is, and it has always been, a problem of will.

As we ponder the reality of this in our own lives, my prayer is that we would all take a heartfelt and sincere look into ourselves so as to come to God in authentic humility and penitent praise.

Romans 6:23–Dead in Sin, Alive in Christ

Romans 6:23–"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Sin is one of the most verifiable truths in life and yet its existence is still one of the most intellectually rejected.  Sin is so pervasive that it has rendered hearts hard, minds dull, and spirits empty.  But all of those consequences pale in comparison to the ultimate consequence of sin: eternal separation from God. There is no more severe repercussion reckoned to humanity than to be separated from God eternally.

Enter Jesus.  Christ Jesus has saved us from our sin and offered us life through faith in His name, faith in who He is as the Son of God, and faith in what He did on the cross.  This is the very essence of Christianity.  In fact, the whole of Christian theology hinges upon this truth: that God saves people from sin through Christ Jesus.

Let us never, ever forget this.

James 1:12–Remain Steadfast

James 1:12–"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him."

Perseverance is, by definition, a difficult thing. It asks us to withstand tension, sometimes to the point of breaking us because of the strain.  But, as James is writing here, perseverance is about staying steadfast in enduring the trials that test us, and in so doing we will be refined and rewarded.  The point is that we would remain steadfast whilst under the taxing struggles of this life.  So let us not grow tired of being perseverant for if we are we will receive blessing from God.

Ephesians 6:10-11–Be Strong in the Lord

Ephesians 6:10-11–"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."

The enemy of souls, Satan, is prowling.  He desires to devour the souls of men and women, to drive us away from the Truth, and reckon us separated from God for all eternity.  This is no fictional horror-film story; this is the reality of life.  We should never take spiritual warfare lightly nor should we ever neglect that Satan is scheming against us, crafting clever snares to pull us away from Christ.  This is why it is so vital that we are strong in the Lord and wear His armor for our protection.  The next several verses in Ephesians define the armor of God but, for now, all that needs to be said is seek after God and rest in His strength, His might, His wisdom, and His guidance.  In this way, we will remain aware of the schemes of the devil and we will have the power, who is the Holy Spirit, to protect us.

Jeremiah 17:7-8–Blessed are Those Who Trust in the Lord

Jeremiah 17:7-8–"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

The reality of this verse can be most keenly seen in its converse.  When people do not trust in the Lord they have no roots to secure them in times of trouble, no stability when the winds of life blow, and fail to produce lasting fruit of eternal value.  But this is precisely what trusting in the Lord means.  To trust in the Lord means that we will rely upon Him for our provision, our strength, and our guidance in life. There is no surer Rock than the Lord Himself.  What Jeremiah says is still as true as ever.  Let us never forget this as we strive to live a life based upon trusting in the Lord.

1 Peter 2:2-3–Long For Pure Spiritual Milk

1 Peter 2:2-3–"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation–if indeed you have tasted the Lord is good."

For those who have tasted the presence of the Lord a hungering sets in, a hunger for a deeper relationship with the Almighty God.  Many people assume that Christianity, if it is to be included in a person's life, should be done in a moderate manner.  This couldn't be more destructive to the Christian message.  God doesn't want merely a piece of a person's life; He intends to have the entirety of a person's life and devotion.

For this reason, among a vast litany of other reasons, Peter is right to exhort us to "long for the pure spiritual milk."  Reams of paper could be expired in defining pure spiritual milk, however, it is enough for now to say that pure spiritual milk is the nourishing knowledge of Christ Jesus received through faith.  It is found in prayer, study, fellowship, and worship.  And, as Peter commands, we should long for this milk as infants.  In this way we will be ensuring the stability of our salvation.

Romans 10:9–Confess & Believe

Romans 10:9–"if you confess with mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Without spending much time on the particulars of what salvation is–the topic of several other posts–I want to make a brief statement about the nature of conversion, which is what this passage is about.  In truth, the simplicity of conversion: confession with the mouth and believing with the heart that Jesus is who He claimed to be and that He raised from the dead, a well-attested historical event.  So simple.

Praise be to God for the simplicity of receiving salvation!

Colossians 1:28-Him We Proclaim

Colossians 1:28-Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ."

At the heart of Christianity, the center of everything distinctly Christian, is Christ crucified for our sin and resurrected as our Lord.  There is nothing more paramount to Christianity than Christ, and nothing more important to the Christian than striving for maturity and wisdom in His name.  It is, in a sense, our utmost passion and our singular goal: to glorify God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Because of this reality, we should develop a daily practice of seeking after His wisdom, praising His holy name, and confirming our faith with action.  All of this occurs under the tutelage of advisors, spiritual leaders who we trust to point us in the right directions and kep us accountable to the truth of the Gospel of Christ.  That is a good deal of what this verse is about and we should heed its place in our own lives as we press on to be a people of obedience and faith.

Psalm 23:1–The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:1–"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."

The reality of this verse is that it speaks so dimply about theology so profound.  So much of Scripture presents this very relationship, that of the shepherd and the sheep.  The point of defining the relationship that the Lord has with His people this way is that it sheds significant light into how well God knows us and the way that He cares for us.  It is a beautiful thing to remember that God so loves us as a shepherd loves his sheep; He protects us from predators as a shepherd; He leads us to green pastures and cool, still waters as a shepherd leads his sheep.  Because of all this, we should not forget who He is and who we are before Him.  And praise the Lord, the good Shepherd!

Proverbs 3:5-6–Trust in the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-6–"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."

Far be it for me to say something completely obvious but life is hard.  It is full of disappointment and a whole lot of, well, junk.  Amidst the vertiginous reality of this world, however, we have a sure and certain security: the Lord.  Only in Him and in His truth will our paths be made straight and our ways be secure.  It is for this very reason that we should not lean on our own understanding but should, in all our ways, acknowledge Him.

Acts 4:12–No One Else

Acts 4:12–"And there is no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

This verse says it all, everything that needs to be said at least.  To be sure, sermons upon sermons could be written about this passage but today it seems more appropriate to let the verse speak to itself.  In other words, I simply ask that you would read the passage again and consider the reality of what it says: Do I believe this?  Is it foundational for my life?

I urge you to spend some time considering the content of this verse today.  Think about what it means for you as a person.

2 Peter 1:5-8–Supplement Your Faith

2 Peter 1:5-8–"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This is a beautiful passage, full of practical theology applicable to every Christian.  While every Christian understands the reality of salvation (confession, repentance, belief), not every Christian understands that this does not end at conversion.  But salvation is a process of development, that we would grow in godliness.  That is what this passage is about: the maturation of our Christianity, from faith to brotherly affection.  The purpose of this process of growth is so that we would not be brandished ineffective or unfruitful because of immaturity, but that our faith would be supported by our life.  This is the very task for the Christian.  Let us make it our path and our intent to do so with eagerness and joy.

Romans 8:28–All Things Work For Good, For Those Who Are Called

Romans 8:28–"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."

This is a promise to all those who God is pleased to call His.  The promise is for those who love God and for those who are called.  It speaks of a knowledge, a specific knowledge that God will work everything together for the good of those who are His.  AMong many things, this means that for all the sufferings, the troubles, the good, the bad, the disappointments, and the achievements, we can have the confidence that God is working to use all of those things for our eternal good and for His purposes.

In all this, all I can say is: Amen!  Praise be to God!

Hebrews 7:25–Jesus Is Able To Save

Hebrews 7:25–"Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

The book of Hebrews is brimming with theology of the highest measure.  Much of the book deals with the concept of Jesus as High Priest who, having offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice, now sits at the right hand of the throne of God making intercession for those who draw to Him in faith.  That is the gist and girth of this verse, that Jesus does save those who draw near to God through Him.  Moreover, Jesus is able to do this by virtue of His identity as the Christ, the Savior of the world who died as a sacrificial atonement.  For this reason we should always praise Jesus' name for who He is and what He does!

Deuteronomy 7:9-10–God is Faithful to Keep Covenant

Deuteronomy 7:9-10–"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them.  He will not be slack with one who hates Him.  He will repay Him to His face."

This passage is so often chopped-up with the second half, the bit about God repaying to the face those who hate Him, so often left out.  But we should not be quick to ignore the heart of this passage: God keeps covenant.  This means that He is bound to bless those who keep His covenant in love and equally-bound to destroy those who hate Him.  God's faithfulness is about His commitment to keep His promises.  We should not be surprised that His faithfulness demands that He do all that He has promised.  So, while this passage may be a difficult pill to swallow, it speaks all the more to God's holiness, His majesty, and His great faithfulness.  Let us not be quick to forget this as we sing songs of His faithfulness.

1 Peter 3:14-16–Honor Christ

1 Peter 3:14-16–"But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.  Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."

I admit that this is a hefty passage, dense with theological weight.  There is more than one sermon in this passage alone.  That being said, the general theme of it seems to be pretty clear: stay true to the gospel of Christ and live our your faith with integrity.  Everyone who reads this blog knows that I could write more (yes, I wrote could), but truthfully this passage really speaks for itself.  Read it again. Meditate on what it says.  And have a blessed day!

Psalm 100:4–Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:4–"Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!  Give thanks to Him; bless His name!"

I love this verse.  It speaks of what God desires of us as well as what He requires for us to enter His courts.  Thanksgiving and praise, praise and thanksgiving; this is what God desires from us when we come into His presence.  This is all about ascribing to the Lord what is His due and coming to Him in humility and in faith, recognizing who He is and praising Him rightly!

Let us then strive to come to Him in this way, entering His gates with thanksgiving and praise!

1 John 4:2-3–Testing the Spirits

1 John 4:2-3–"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."

I feel it is no understatement to say that nearly every direction one may find a so-called spiritual expert, a man or woman who views themselves and portrays themselves as a spiritual guide or, at the very least, one of the few who know about spiritual matters.  It is this incessant inundation of self-promoting spiritualists that prompts me to deliver this essential passage.  The single test for any spirit, any guide, any guru, or self-proclaimed spiritist is this simple evaluation: do they confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God in the flesh?

Psalm 139:23-24–Search Me, O God!

Psalm 139:23-24–"Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way of understanding!

Like so many of the psalms, this one is a prayer.  It is a heartfelt, honest exclamation to the Lord.  How many of us have every felt confident enough to ask God to search our hearts, to know our thoughts? But this is the kind of vulnerability, the kind of openness that God desires from us.  The Lord wants us to give Him our depths, to open up the deepest parts of ourselves to Him.  That's what this psalm is all about.  We should strive to make this our prayer too as we seek to open our hearts and our minds to the Holy Lord in complete submission and devotion!

Hebrews 11:1-2–Long Ago, but Now His Son

Hebrews 1:1-2–"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom He also created the world."

The Sonship of Christ, that he is the only begotten Son of God, is one of the most stirring features of Christianity.  It is this fact that the Gospel relies so heavily upon, considering that Jesus' lineage and His ancestry needs be truly divine for His atoning death to be truly sufficient to pay the wage for sin.  We would do well to spend time considering the weight of this verse and those like it.  Jesus is more than a historical figure, more than Savior, He is God incarnate.  Let us not easily neglect this.

p.s. I apologize for the delay in posting this, last night was time for my wife, not for writing :)

Joshua 1:9–Don't You Belong to Me?

Joshua 1:9–"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Context: Moses has just died and the second generation of post-Exodus Israelites are looking across the Jordan at the soon-to-be-entered Promised Land.  From their camp across the river the Israelites can see that the land, the land promised to be theirs from God, is clearly inhabited.  Furthermore, they can see that the cities are well-fortified and the inhabitants are militarily-strong.  Add to this that their leader, the prophet who faithfully led them through the wilderness for forty years, has just passed away after delivering one of the most stirring theologically-convicting sermons in all of history (see Deuteronomy). Perhaps given the circumstance the Israelites were facing they might have just cause for fear, cowardice, and dismay.

But God, knowing the hearts of His children and hearing their cries, chooses a new leader, Joshua, and through Joshua sets His heart on comforting His people.

He turns to them and says this: "Have I not commanded you?"

In other words, God is saying, "Look guys, I know you're scared and terrified of what lies before you across the Jordan, but didn't I tell you that I will take care of you?  Didn't I say that I will not forsake you?  Didn't I say that the nations will be laid waste before you for I am fighting for you?  Didn't I pull you through the Red Sea and save you from the hand of the Egyptians?  Now trust me."

Every Christian and at many times in our lives has had a moment like this, when we're looking across the rivers in front of us and trembling in fear.  In these moments, when it appears that we are at our weakest state and terrified of the foes that stand before us that God simply asks: "Aren't you mine?"

This verse is about dependence.  The Israelites were at a crossroads.  As soon as they crossed the Jordan and began to claim the Promised Land, they had to accept the horrific truth: if God doesn't do what He promised we will be destroyed.  My prayer is that we would each recognize that this same thing is set before each one of us.  We want to be so recklessly-dependent upon the Lord that if He does not do what He promises we will be likewise destroyed.  But praise be to God!  For when we are in that state He turns to us and says: "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

The Fallacy of Self-Sufficiency

There is a subtle theological issue that plagues many Christians.  The issue is that some believe that God desires for us to handle our sin or that God desires for us to make ourselves more godly through praying more, studying better, and giving more generously.  The lie at the heart of this stream of Christianity is this: God wants you to handle your affairs and He'll help you fill in the gaps.  Another way to say this would be something like this: if you try harder you'll be a better Christian.  Again, another way to say this would be to say: God is most pleased with me when I am taking care of my business best.  For fear that I'm not expressing this well enough I will say it even again: what God wants most from me is my best effort.

Each of these is a variation of the same theme and each is an articulation of the same subtle lie. Girding this theology is the unspoken thought that Jesus saved us so that we could finally be self-sufficient enough to take care of the rest of our lives.  The little bits of sin that linger after salvation, well, they'll be taken care of through grit and strength of character or because we are so committed to disciplined morality in our lives.  The thought, often un-expressed, is that Jesus did what I couldn't with sin so that I would be able to do what I could in ridding the rest of my life through my own strength of will.

I'll call this The Fallacy of Self-Sufficiency. In this form of Christianity, the highest form of godliness is self-control, togetherness, composure, and internal fortitude of character.  Sin is thought to be something needing to be managed personally.  The valuation of a person's Christian experience is based upon whether the individual can articulate the right doctrines and project a life that is composed and generally sin-free (quack like a duck, waddle like a duck, then must be a duck).  Externally the Christian who lives under the fallacy of self-sufficiency will project an aura of togetherness, strength, knowledge, and ability.  But internally they will continually feel weak, embittered, and anemic as the limits of their sufficiency are continually brought to their senses in the accusations of the Enemy; sin will remain un-repented, and the greater traits of love will escape them.

I want to say this directly: this is a lie.

God wants a people who are whole-heartedly dependent upon Him for every single breath, every single thought, and every single action.  He wants a people that are so recklessly devoted to Him that they would be destroyed unless He shows up.  It is not about trying harder; it's about trusting Him more with the most hidden parts of ourselves, the grimy bits we never let anyone in to see.  God wants us to so rely upon Him for our strength and our salvation to the utmost, that if He is not who He claims to be then we are, as Paul asserts, deserving of the most pity.  (There is so much more to say but I will save that for another day)

It is not about becoming more self-sufficient in Christ.  It is about becoming more God-dependent in Christ.  Let us always keep this before us as we strive to live lives that bring Him the highest praise!

Proverbs 15:8–Pleasing the Lord in Prayer

Proverbs 15:8–"The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him."

This is one among many passages of Scripture that speak about what God is looking for in His children.  The point here is not that some pray while others offer sacrifices.  The reason the Lord detests the sacrifice of some but the prayer of others has nothing to do with the content of the prayer or the subject of the sacrifices; it's all about the heart of the person.  The wicked will not please God no matter how heartily they pray or even how much they give to charities; God is interested in the heart.  Let us then strive to be a people of honest goodness, made righteous by the atoning sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

Psalm 73:25-26–Whom Have I But You?

Psalm 73:25-26–"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and portion forever."

This passage is more than a statement about priority, and it is saying something other than hope. This passage is about honesty, about a sincere contemplation of who we are in light of God's greatness and His utter majesty.  Truly, we have no one save Him!  And there is no thing besides Him!  He is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever!  Let us make this the very cry of our hearts.