The Spirit of God

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  - 1 Corinthians 2:12

The spirit of the world vs the spirit of God. I can’t think of a greater contrast. The spirit of the world is a history of warfare and greed and violence towards our fellow man. It is a spirit of ‘me first’ and ‘look out for #1.’ Of course there are flashed where man does good and we come across decent acts of kindness and compassion, but look at the world as a whole. The spirit of this world is a spirit that never ceases to amaze with it’s violence and corruption.

Here we are told that we have the spirit of God and that that allows us to know the things freely given by God. We see the world from a whole different perspective. I want to look at that more in a couple of days, but for today I want us to focus on the term ‘spirit of God.’

Not only does the spirit of God allow us to know the things of God, but the spirit of God should set us apart from those who have the spirit of the world. Our spirit should set us apart. What kind of spirit do people see in me in response to bad news and opposition and criticism. Do I act like the spirit of the world is leading me or is the spirit of God seen in me?

I have the spirit of God – do other see it?

We can't imagine

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. – 1 Corinthians 2.9-10

Jim Hill once wrote ‘what a day that will be when my Jesus I will see.’ Another Christian song talks about ‘I can only imagine’ what it will be like when we see Jesus. Fanny Crosby wrote the words ‘I long to see my Saviour first of all’ after her years of blindness. In a lesser known hymn she wrote a song about these verses:

They tell me of a land so fair,
Unseen by mortal eyes,
Where spring in fadeless beauty blooms,
Beneath unclouded skies.

Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard,
Neither hath it entered into the heart of man,
The things which God hath prepared for them,
Prepared for them that love Him.

All of these songs have the same notion. We can’t even begin to imagine what God has in store for those who love Him.

The problem is that we see everything with human eyes and our eyes are only capable of so much imagination. We have human limitations that God does not have. His ways our highest than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His plans for us are higher than we can grasp.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us.

So God is revealing a glimpse by His spirit through His word. Our minds still can’t fully grasp what it will be when we finally see Him – but is prepared by the God of love for people who love Him.

I can hardly wait.

In weakness and fear

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2.3-5

I see Paul as a man of strength and confidence and great ability. It is hard to imagine someone like him feeling weak and afraid. Paul was, however, a regular person like you and me. He had fears like we do.

I think though that he had a bit more understanding that we do. As a preacher he was one who fully realised the immensity of his task. He never took the proclamation of the gospel lightly. He never attempted to any of it in his own strength.

When I read this I hope I am reminded of these seriousness of our calling as we preach or teach or share the gospel. That task should never be taken lightly or with a carefree and lithesome spirit. It is the most important message ever preached. Paul says that he did it with a full acknowledgement of how weak he was. He was fearful, so fearful in fact that he trembled with the weight of the message.  He knew he wasn’t wise enough to do it.

But he did it.

When we are ‘afraid’ to share the gospel we aren’t alone. Anyone who takes on the task should do so totally reliant on God. Yes, we should study and pray and always be ready to give an answer of the hope that is in us, but we need to see how vital the words are.

Why? Because when we depend on us we are going to fail. Only when we rely on God can we hope that our words are going to have eternal effect.

Jesus, only Jesus

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. – 1 Corinthians 2.2

We live in a world with plenty of things that draw our attention. We have screens around every corner. We have 24 hour access to all the details of all the news everywhere. We have computers in our pockets We have texting and messaging and tweets and Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest and who knows what else. We are all experts at sports and news and politics and the law. And everything draws us.

It is easy to get our eyes off the important things. It is easy to focus on earthly things when our minds should be on heavenly. Our way should be ‘if you are indeed in Christ set you affection on things above, not on things beneath’ We are also told to not look at the visible, because those things are passing away. Instead we ought to look at the things we cannot see because they are eternal.

Paul had a clear focus – think about Jesus in every situation. As we run the race we are in we are to set our eyes on Jesus. It really ought to be Jesus, only Jesus.

Sure, we have to live in this world. We have to deal with our everyday life. We have to be responsible citizens in our nations. We have to pay our bills and go to work and all that.

But no matter what we do our focus must be Jesus. Our obsession ought to be only Him.

Not many mighty

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 1.26-31

This is one of the most encouraging passages to me personally in all of the word of God. I think I like it because it always reminds me that God can and does use people like me.

I would that God would use the smartest guys or the most athletic or talented or the richest and highest class people to have an impact on the world. Surely those people could do a better job that people like you and me.

Sometimes God does use those folks – but most of the time He uses the foolish and weak and based and despised, and yes, even the nobodies like us to do His work. God doesn’t need to use the highly skill or super educated or best trained or most knowledgeable to get His work done.

How does that make sense? Why not use the superstars?

Paul answers that – if God used the wise and rich and upper crust and the talented and the ‘somebodies’ they might be more inclined to claim the credit and take the glory to themselves. We see ministries like that all the time where the leaders is the one lifted up instead of the Saviour.

Here we are reminded that no one can glory in the flesh. We can only glory in the truth Jesus has been made our wisdom our righteousness our sanctification and our redemption.

Paul and this section is quoting Jeremiah – let him that glories glory only in the Lord.

Weakness and strength

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. – 1 Corinthians 1.23-25

Those who oppose ‘religion’ seem to be in the ascendancy. More and more people are listing themselves as ‘no religion’ in polls and census forms. There are a lot of reasons for this. One of the the things I see or hear most often is that we don’t need God any more. ‘Religion’ is for weak and ignorant people or those cannot deal with life. Trusting God is a sign of weakness.

In Paul’s day people there were those who felt the same way. This new group must be weak because they were trusting a God who was so weak that He could be executed on a cross like a common criminal.

So the debate raged. What is weakness and what is strength? The debate continues today. Are we weak and foolish for preaching the cross? Does true strength come in trusting ourselves and the rest of humanity?

If we were only talking about the here and now and this present life you might be able to make a point. But there is more to it than just the here and now. After all, things aren't really so great in the here and now are they? Wars and violence and wickedness and hate seem to rule the world. Man tries all he can do to achieve peace, but it must be peace on his terms. We’ve never been able to do it. Is that really where I want to find my strength? Is the world really all that wise?

True strength comes in the ability to trust God and put faith in Him. Our faith can be tried by circumstances sometimes. It can be a severe trial sometimes we can be too weak to have the kind of faith we need.

We can trust however trust that God at His weakest is stronger than man at his strongest. He can do what man never can – if we have the wisdom and the strength to trust Him.

The power of God

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. – 1 Corinthians 1.17-19

Paul had one purpose in mind which he repeats over and over again – to preach the gospel. He didn’t claim to be wise. He didn’t claim to be special. If it was reliant on him and his ability it was make the cross ‘of none effect.’

The preaching of the cross seems like foolishness. It does seem a bit crazy when you think about it. How can it be a good thing for your leader to die on a cross?

We know that it is not foolishness. The power of God is seen in the power of the cross.  The cross is the power of God because the Son of God became sin for us.

This is the power of the cross. Christ became sin for us. Took the blame, bore the wrath – we stand forgiven at the cross.

The preaching of the cross is not crazy – it is not foolish. The cross defeated death. The preaching of the cross is our hope for eternity. It is wiser than anything the world has to offer. The cross brings peace in this  age and eternity.

Thank you for the cross Lord, and for the hope and security it provides. Help me be faithful in preaching the cross to those around me.

No division

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? – 1 Corinthians 1.10-13

Early in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians Paul begs for unity in their church. Division must be something that people come by naturally because Paul addresses it over and over again.

I beg you, in the name of Jesus, not to be divided.

Already the church was dividing into following men. Some said they followed Paul. Some said they followed Apollos. Some said they followed Cephas. Some of the more ‘spiritual’ said they followed Christ - but these we all divisions. Christ is not divided. Paul and Apollos and Cephas did not die for anyone. No one was baptised in their names.

I wish the church had outgrown that. I understand that not everyone is going to the same church. Within the word of God there is room for styles or worship and music and types of ministry – but there must still be a basic unity.

The problem is those who cling on to a man. Sadly, there are and have been men who have encouraged that kind of following.

We are to be one church, one body, with one mind and one spirit rallying, not around men, but around the cross.

If we are divided we will fall. United we stand.

God is faithful

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. – 1 Corinthians 1.9

We don’t normally see a whole lot of real, true faithfulness. We are all human and all of us struggle with it. Our flesh gets in the way. Life just has to be lived. Sometimes we let other things get in the way of things that we should be faithful to.

Our family and friends as much as they love us, can also fail to be faithful in every situation.

But One is always faithful. Simply put – God is faithful. Because He is faithful we can have absolute trust in Him.

It is the context of these words that is special. God is faithful and it is by Him that we are called into the fellowship of Christ. That means that my fellowship is not based on me and my flawed faitfulness but of God and His faithfulness. I fail Him in our relationship but I can be assured that He will never fail me.

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not. As Thou hast been Thou forever will be.

He Arose

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. – Matthew 28.5-7

I miss a lot of resurrection hymns. Admittedly it is my own fault because I haven’t taught them to our church. I never think about them till the week before.

One of the songs I really miss is the classic ‘He Arose’ written by the Robert Lowry in the mid 19^th century. It is the combination of words and music that really makes it special. Here is what he wrote:

Low in the grave He lay—

  Jesus my Saviour!

Waiting the coming day—

  Jesus my Lord!

         

Up from the grave He arose,

With a mighty triumph o’er His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose! He arose!

  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed—

  Jesus, my Saviour!

Vainly they seal the dead—

  Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,

With a mighty triumph o’er His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose! He arose!

  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep his prey—

  Jesus, my Saviour!

He tore the bars away—

  Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,

With a mighty triumph o’er His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose! He arose!

  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Low in the grace He lay, waiting the coming day

Vainly they watch His bed, vainly they seal the dead

Death cannot keep Him there, He tore the bars away

He arose

He defeated death

He lives with His saints today!

That’s what we celebrate this Resurrection Day – the defeat of death and victory over sin and the grave.

By the way, I am teaching this hymn in church this morning! 

Enriched

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;   That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;-  1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Paul had a wonderful relationship with the churches he has started. His greetings to them are always a blessing. He says so much in words that it can almost be missed because we just skip over them because they are part of a greeting. We do that at peril of missing some great blessings.

I always thank God on your behalf for the grace He has shown you
I everything you do you are enriched by God, in all your words and in all you knowledge.

Enriched by God – what a wonderful description for what God does for His people. While we are busily seeking enrichment is all kinds of ways God has already provided us with His enrichment in all that really matters.

We need not fear all the world’s wisdom and all the world’s words. We have the wisdom and words that will carry us through to eternity. We are never going to be seen as wise by the world. Our message is foolishness to them, but it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

Finished

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. – John 19.30

There are certain sets of words that really stand out in scripture. There is not a whole lot more profound than the three words ‘it is finished.’

We might take this to mean only that Jesus’ work on earth was done and that His life was over, but it says so much more. All that needed to be done for us was complete. There was nothing anyone could ever do to add more to the work of salvation.

There are a lot of hymns and Christian songs built around these words. As I read the passage this year though one song came to mind. It is sung by the Gaithersburg Vocal Band and in a very dynamic way it describes the power of ‘it is finished.’

There's a line that is drawn through the ages
On that line stands an old rugged cross
On that cross, a battle is raging
To gain a man's soul or it's loss

On one side, march the forces of evil
All the demons, all the devils of hell
On the other, the angels of glory
And they meet on Golgotha's hill

The earth shakes with the force of the conflict
And the sun refuses to shine
For there hangs God's son, in the balance
And then through the darkness he cries

It is finished, the battle is over
It is finished, there'll be no more war
It is finished, the end of the conflict
It is finished and Jesus is Lord

Yet in my heart, the battle was still raging
Not all prisoners of war had come home
These were battlefields of my own making
I didn't know that the war had been won
Oh, but then I heard the king of the ages

Had fought all the battles for me
And that victory was mine for the claiming
And now praise his name, I am free

The cross was the ultimate battle. Satan fought till the end to cause Jesus to fail. If Jesus had backed down at anytime man would be doomed. But when Jesus said ‘it is finished’ he gave up the ghost and paid the price for our sin. We were redeemed and sanctified and made holy and my eternity was secure. The payment for sin was paid. Nothing else could be done.

The author of death may have thought that he had won. Little did he know that not only was the battle one, but the ultimate victory was about to be secured.

To God be the glory

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. – Romans 16.25-27

We come to the end of Romans. Paul wrote it to help establish the beleivers in Rome with truths of God’s word before he could get there. He closes it with a reminder of who God is and the purpose of all we do.

The very conclusion of the whole book is this – to God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever.

We humans can give glory to so many things. We can glorify our familes. We can glorify our nations. We can glorify ourselves. We can glorify our churches or our jobs or our sports teams or any number of things. All of those are fine, but none of them are really worth giving our glory to.

I think we tend to separate God and secular. I think we tend to put God in a Sunday box and pull Him out then and when we need Him. We glorify Him – but only in the God things.

That’s not the way it though. All of our lives, every aspect, is to glorify Him. Whatever we eat or drink or whatever we do should all be done to the glory of God. To God, the only wise God, be the glory, great things He hath. So loved He the world that He gave us His Son.

Serving their own bellies

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. – Romans 16.17-18

One of the great general practices of the church is an attitude of goodness and kindness and well speaking and  thinking the best and avoiding harsh criticism of each other.

But there are times when we have to draw a line in the sand and stand for truth. Sometimes standing for truth means that we must reveal error and speak of it and even address those who promote error.

Here Paul warns against false teachers who cause divisions and error, those who claim to serve Christ but really only serve their own bellies with their good words and fair speeches.

I wish those guys were only there is Paul’s day. I wish we could say ‘well, that was then and this is now.’ Sadly though they are at least as prevalent today as they were then.

It is not loving or caring or kind to allow erring brother to continue in error. It is not fair to them and it is not fair to those affected by their error. Their error must be exposed and the seriousness of their error can require tough language.

We can’t afford to let error go unchecked. Differences of non-essentials are one thing, Paul talked about that earlier.

But error must be revealed and false teachers must be exposed for their sake and for the church’s sake and for the glory of God’s sake.

Greetings

Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. – Romans 16.16

Salute, or greet, one another with a holy kiss. A lot of our different cultures have stopped using a kiss as a normal greeting, but that doesn’t change the importance of the point of this passage.

This seems like such a simple little thing, doesn’t it? What is the big deal about a simple greeting? Why does Paul have to say something like this?

A simple greeting is an act of kindness. Whether it is a holy kiss or a handshake or a kind word or a hug or even a punch in the arm greetings are part of most cultures around the world. A greeting makes a day special. I don’t like airports, but when I am waiting in someone I do like to watch the greetings. I always feel kind of sad for those who arrive and there is no one there even to say hello. Some shops hire greeters whose job is to just say hi. When I walk most people at least lift their eyes for a nod or a silent greeting. I almost find it rude when people fix their eyes straight and refuse to greet you.

Church ought to be place where that never happens. It our to be our goal to greet everyone as they come in. Members, regular attenders, and visitors alike all are looking for a kind hello. A nice ‘salute’ can make one’s day.

So greet each other. Greet others. Make someone’s day.

Who laid down their necks

Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. – Romans 16.3-4

I love Priscilla and Aquila. We don’t see much about them, but when we do they always seem to be helping and supporting and doing what needs to be done where they are.

They were not ‘full time’ Christian workers. Their support did not come from the church but from their own work as tentmakers. Persecution sent them from Judea to Corinth were the met Paul. They ended up in Ephesus where they taught a man named who Apollos who though fervent and righteous needed some Bible teaching. As a result of their teaching he became mighty in the scriptures and a powerful tool for God’s work.

This amazing couple ae not amongst the superstars of scripture. They just always seemed to be there when and where they were needed. That’s the kind of helpers God is looking for today. Those who will be there and ready to give all and even risk their lives if need be.

Paul thanked them for their works and all the Gentile believers were grateful for them
May God grant us to be the kind of helpers in the ministry that are willing to lay our lives on the line for the cause of the gospel.

Striving in prayer

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. – Romans 15.30-33

Whoops, I jumped ahead there into the next chapter. Anyway, back to this passage in Romans 15 about striving together in prayer. The second aspect of this is what Paul wants the church in Rome to pray for.

Paul didn’t live like most of us live. He lived and preached and served with constant opposition. He was attacked and persecuted and thrown into jail and had his life threatened.

When he calls on us to combat in prayer it is so that he might be delivered from the opposition. Though most of us in the west know nothing about real opposition we have brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world who do. We ought to strive to pray for them that they might be delivered. In another place we are called to to pray for them as though we were in chains with them.

It is easy enough to pray something like ‘Lord, I pray for all the persecuted Chrisitans,’ but that is hardly ‘striving together in prayer.’ The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

I want that kind of striving in prayer to be in my life.

Phoebe

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. – Romans 16.1-2

I somehow jumped ahead here is scheduling my devotions so I apologise for being out of sequence here.

Romans 16 is all about people. Some are good and some are bad, but I like it because we meet real people like you and me.

The first person we meet is a woman named Phebe. It is inteesting how often we find women in this list. Both men and women were and are vital to the church. Among the first people mentioned are Phoebe, Priscilla, and Mary.

It looks like Paul is introducing and commending Phoebe here. She served in the church in Cenchea. She helped Paul and many others and Paul asks the church at Rome to support her and help her in her ministry in the church there.

The church is a place which should be full of servants. How many of us could be called a ‘helper of many?’

Striving in prayer

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. – Romans 15.30-33

I want to look at this passage from a couple of angles. The first one, today, is Paul’s request that the church in Rome strive together in prayer for him.

I am not sure that I know a lot about this notion of ‘striving together in prayer.’ Only on a couple of occassions have I ever been involved in ‘striving in prayer.’ From my own experience it always seems to be times of last resort before we ‘strive together’ in prayer for something.

Jesus does talk about the importance of going into your prayer closet for quiet prayer between you and God, but we also see plenty of times when the church is gathered together for corporate prayer.

The word in this verse to describe prayer is ‘striving.’ The Greek word was used to describe combatants in a fight. It involves fighting with intensity. It was used of contestant in the Roman games.

How often have I fought in prayer for something? I can think of a handful, of times when I have gathered with others beleivers to fight a spiritual fight in prayer, but for the most part it is just take a few requests and pray for things that are soon forgotten.

When needs are there it is time to come together and fight the good fight in prayer. I recently gathered with a few other men for a James 5 ‘prayer of faith’ for healing. God did not heal immediately, but there was that sense of figthing together in our prayer.

How much do we really fight in prayer for others?

Of the scriptures

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:14

Everybody wants to have hope. We have no idea what the future holds. We don’t know what next week or next month or next year olds. We don’t even know what this afternoon holds, but we all want to hope for the best.

Where do we find that hope?

In the last devotion we found that we find peace and hope by believing. Here we find the focus on belief.

The things that are written were written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.

We aren’t going to find much cause for hope in the world around us today. The whole world seems to be one shaky ground and we wake up every morning what happened overnight or what could possibly be coming next. I certainly am not hoping to the stability of our governments or having the right leaders in place or the world economy to carry me through. That could all change in an instant.

What won’t change is the word of God. It stands unshaken and it is the only place we can find hope for now and the future and eternity. It is our hope so it is what deserves our attention.

Let me find hope in the one place I can really trust.

By believing

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. – Romans 15.13

I have a long running faith issue that troubles me, sadly, every single day. I hate with with a passion because at this stage of the game I should be able to walk in complete and total faith that I can trust God. There are still moments in my ife where there is little if any joy and peace because of my doubts and fears.

I am challanged because I read things like ‘abounding in hope.’ Where is that hope then.

There are two things that stick out in this verse. It tells us that we have hope in believing. But that isn’t always easy is it? So it goes on to say that we have hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

That reminds me that my believing on my own is not possible. I can only believe the way I need to believe through the power of the Holy Spirit. The kind of believing that will bring peace and hope is Holy Spirit empowered belief. My Roger-based belief will never be enough to get me the kind of hope and peace I desire. It still depends on me and me is never going to be enough. I can’t just muster it up – I must rely on Him.

As we all deal with the daily issues of life and the struggles we face and uncertainty about the future may we seek the Holy Spirit’s help and believe what God has already told us.

With one mind and one mouth

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15.6

Every time I come across this verse it is a time of great memories. The verse was written to encourage Christians to be unified in their efforts to glorify God as one. That has been the theme for a long time here as we enter the conclusion of the book of Romans.

Back toward the end of 1977 Mary and I were planning for our very small and inauspicious wedding. We wanted a theme verse for our future home. We wanted a goal that we could ever keep before us.

That we might with one mind and one mouth, with true unity of heart and word, seek to glorify God in our marriage.

I am sure that we have had plenty of times in our lives when we have fallen short of that goal – but it still is our desire and something we ought to strive for.

In a much bigger scope, the way that Paul intends this, we as the church our to have the same purpose in mind. The church ought to be reaching out and striving to glorify God in our heart and with our lips. As I interact with the world and with other beleivers do I do so with a desire to glorify God, or is my desire to win the argument or prove myself right or defend my side of the debate?

Is it our desire to do ALL we do to glorify God in unity?

Pleasing others

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. – Romans 15.1-3

We who are strong in the faith need to learn be patient with the weaker brethren. Nothing we do should be to please ourselves, but others because that is what Christ did for us.

That’s a pretty profound challenge. Christ took the reproaches of all mankind on Himself. He did that for our sake. He took my sins and my reproaches on Himself. He didn’t consider Himself, He thought about us.

To put it simply that is our pattern on the relationship to us and others. It really is not about us.

Don’t seek to please yourself, we read, seek to please others because that is what Jesus did. Pleasing me sadly is normally pretty high on my priority list. I like me and I like to make me happy. Sometimes making me happy gets in the way of pleasing others or caring for them.

That’s simply not right. I don’t need to win the fights. I don’t have to prove that I am right. I don’t have to look good at the expense of others. My goal ought to be to make my family and friends and neighbours and co-workers and brothers and sisters in Christ to ‘look good.’ My desire daily ought to be to do things which please them and not me.

Sacrificial?  Maybe, but how does that compare to the sacrifice that Jesus made for me?

Pursue peace

Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. – Acts 14.15-20

This whole chapter has been talking about liberty and freedom of conscience We are told that we have freedom. Here though we read a telling point. If I offend by brother by what I eat, or any other issue, than I am not longer walking in love. I can’t use my freedom to destroy the one that Christ died for. Instead, I ought to be doing all I can do for the cause of peace.

My liberty is not worth it if it is going to cause offence or hurt my brother’s faith or walk with God. Me getting my way just isn’t what matters here. I have liberty, yes, but my liberty is not to serve the flesh but to love others.

Pursue peace in my relationships with others. Chase after peace. Yes, we have to stand for right and that may by necessity cause conflict, but our pursuit ought to be to find a way to work things out peacefully.

The social media culture, as much as I may personally like it, seems to do the opposite. It seems to have developed an attitude of fighting at the drop of a hat.
I wonder how our social media activity would be if we actively chased after peace?

Pursue peace with all men.

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.- Romans 14.12-13

Each one of us will give an account of himself to God?

Did you see that? We must give an account of ourselves. It says nothing about giving an account for this brother or that sister. The passage says that we need to take account of ourselves. While we are admonished to confront others with open sin and to must do so in love, our first responsibility in holiness is always us.

So here are a few simple guidelines to help us help others. Don’t be so quick to judge. Don’t be a stumbling block. Don’t cause your brother to fall.

We really do need to watch out for each other. There seems to be a tendancy for us to make full use of our liberty to do whatever and to not really worry too much about how it impacts others.

We are told elsewhere that the purpose of our liberty is not to please us, but to love others along their way. We do need to be careful about our how actions are going to affect those around. Are we going to turn them off the to the gospel because we have to have our freedom?

That’s not love. We need to watch out for each other. That’s how we use our freedom.

And we see here that we are going to account to God for how we do it.

No provision

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. Romans 13:13-14

The very last part of this verse tells us to make no provision for the flesh. That might sound kind of strange at first. Taken out of context it might mean that we don’t worry about food or drink or daily provision. It can’t be that though because we are told to care for our bodies as temples of the Holy Ghost.

We need the very end to get it – to fulfil its lusts.

If we are going to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh we need to me sure that we don’t provide a way for our flesh to be fed. We need to avoid situations that we know will give us a way to fulfil our flesh. There are certains things we should not read, programmes we should not watch, website we should not visit, and places we should not go. We know the things that excite our flesh and we must avoid them. We must not provide for the flesh in those situations.

Deep down we all know where we can provide for the lusts of our flesh. We can deny it or make excuses, but we know.

So avoid those places. Don’t go down that road or to the Facebook page or website. Avoid that film or TV programme. Stay away from that siutation that will flame the fires of our fleshly desires.

Make no provision.

Put on Jesus

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. Romans 13:13-14

When I get up in the morning I do what all of us do normally – I get dressed for the day. My physical getting dressed is not a big deal for me. I am properly the world’s most boring dresser. Most of the time it is jeans and varying tops depending on the weather.

I hope I take more time and dedication and though to my spiritual dress for the day. Sadly, as little time as I give to putting on my clothes I am afraid there re days when I give even less thought to being spiritually prepared.

‘Put on Jesus is’ we are told here. That seems like a prefect summary of being told to put on the whole armour of God.

What does it mean to put on Jesus? I think it just means that when people see me they ought to see more of Jesus and less of Roger. If I am putting on Jesus people will see Him in the way I walk and talk and respond and how I meet needs and care for others. They will see Him when I am in crisis. They will see Him in the face of bad news and and illness and financial troubles and need.

Every day remind me Lord to ‘put on Jesus.’

Walk properly

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. Romans 13:13-14

Walk properly – that couple of words really summarises a lot that the Bible says about walking. There are probably dozens of ways that we are told to walk – in love, in peace, in the Spirit, in the light, in Christ, and so many more.

Here we are given a few negatives. Our walk is to be proper, not in:

Revelry
Drunkenness
Lewdness
Lust
Strive
Envy

Our daily walk is so vital. Our walk says a lot about us. Many of us have a distinctive walk and people far away can tell us by our walk. The same should be true about my proper walk with Christ. When I walk in the things above I belie my walk with Christ. If I walk in revelry and drunkenness and lewdness and lust and strive and envy I give the impression to all that see me that I am not of Christ, but of the world. If my walk does not agree with my words they are meaningless.

Walk properly – its not that hard of a concept. Just do what is right.

WAKE UP!!

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:11-12

Now – knowing all that we have covered over the last couple of weeks, knowing how we are to treat each other, knowing how we are to love, knowing how we are to give preference to to others, knowing how we are to respond to the authority. Now, knowing all that, what are we to do?

Wake up!!!!!

Though I am a morning person I don’t think a whole lot of people look forward to the whole waking up routine. I find  that finally waking up and getting going is something I put off longer and longer these days. I lie there in the bed and struggle to throw of the duvet and put my feet on the floor and get moving.

When I think at about I can do the same thing spiritually. I can see the things that needs to be done and know I need to get going and that they are important but it is though to throw off that duvet and doing it. It is time to get off the bed, get rid of the clothes we wear to bed, put on our daytime clothes, get busy, and redeem the time for the days are certainly evil and the day is coming when no man can work.

A fool

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. – 1 Corinthians 3.18

April Fools Day is one of those days I generally ignore. I have a few of those but this is one I don’t like. I have never enjoyed practical jokes. I think they can be painful and hurt people. The goal is to make people look like fools, and I don’t like that notion.

Spoil sport.

Okay, anyway, off my soapbox. Despite my desire to ignore the day I came across this passage and thought what a perfect day it would be to talk about it.

If anyone wants to be wise let him be a fool.

That’s another one of those inside out upside down aspects of the word of God. To become strong we must be weak. To be great we must be small. To be first we must be last.

And to be wise we must be fools.

Paul was adressing the conflict between the wisdom of the Greeks the preaching of the cross. The preaching of the cross is never going to make sense to the wisdom of the world. They are two opposite world views. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit the cross will never make sense.

So Paul makes it clear that we should be happy to be fools for Christ. It makes no sense to most today, but one day every eye will see the true wisdom of the cross.

With God’s help may I use ‘April Fools Day’ to remind me of the wisdom of being a fool for Christ.