November 7, 2024

Philippians 1.9, 10  (NIV)

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.

Our love and compassion grow along with our faith when we come before God on behalf of others.*

Can you imagine belonging to a small group or Bible fellowship class with Paul? At prayer request time, while we’re all praying for Uncle Joe’s surgery or someone’s nephew’s job search, Paul decides for himself just what his prayers on our behalf will be.

I have wondered about the sequence of events in Paul’s prayer. Is he implying that we gain knowledge and wisdom as we grow in love? Or is he telling us that if we are to grow in love, we must seek knowledge and insight? Or is it a step-by-step progression: from love to knowledge to insight? I’m sure there are experts who could break this down in the original language and clear up my questions. But I don’t need a degree in ancient languages to know that what Paul wants is for us to grow – more loving, more knowledgeable, and wiser.

 

In our Christian walk, our choices are not always between good and evil. Wrong is never right but at times it seems our choices are between bad and worse. Other times, we’re faced with more than one good choice. We need to be able to “discern what is best” so that we can make the best choice, not to be determined by how we feel or what we want. You see, it doesn’t really matter in what order the process comes about as long as we start in the right place. If we start by surrendering our will to his, the Holy Spirit will be in charge of getting us to the pure and blameless stage.

Merely stuffing Bible information into our brains does not make us wise.*

November 6, 2024

Ephesians 6.19 (NIV)

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

Typically, we try to fight spiritual battles more with song lyrics and Francis Chan quotes than with the truth and knowledge of Scripture.*

Some of the scariest words ever spoken to me are, “I remember what you said about _____.” I have the little-known gift of “speaking with authority.” I can sound like an expert on things that I know nothing about. In my mind’s ears, I sound like I’m merely speculating but to others’ ears, I must sound like someone worth quoting! That’s why Paul’s prayer request really speaks for me. If I’m going to sound like an expert, then perhaps I should become one.

If I were to pray this prayer, I believe God’s answer would be along the lines of, “These commandments that I give you . . . are to be upon your heart.” (Deuteronomy 6.6) He might tell me to impress them upon my children, to talk about them at home, when I travel, when I lie down and when I get up. He might suggest that I post them on my mirror and my refrigerator and the walls of my house. (Paraphrasing Deuteronomy 6.7–9) If God’s word is going to come out of my mouth, it has to be in my mind and my heart first.

Knowing the Word may enable us to speak with some degree of confidence but if Paul had to pray for fearlessness then surely we have the same need. God has already provided for this contingency as well:  “Be strong and courageous . . . for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31.6)

We need to be better equipped so that when someone asks about our faith, we can do more than merely refer the question to the church’s pastoral staff.*

November 5, 2024

Ephesians 5.2 (NIV)

Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

He exemplified the things that He taught.*

Paul never lets us off the hook. He could have stopped at “live a life of love” and we could think it is enough for us to just be nice people. Law-abiding citizens who don’t hurt anybody. But the love of Christ isn’t about feeling good about ourselves. It’s a lifestyle of offering and sacrifice.

 

“Offering” refers to an act of gratitude, without blood, while “sacrifice” requires the shedding of blood to atone for sin. By describing Christ’s death as both an offering and a sacrifice, Paul expresses the completeness of the act.* And we are expected to love just like that. 

Jesus taught us to love God, to love our neighbors, to love our enemies. Living like this requires us to serve and act in ways contrary to a life devoted to self, whether we feel like it or not. A life of love is not necessarily a life of suffering. We probably won’t be required to die for him but we must live a life surrendered to him. 

Sin stinks, and it offends God’s nostrils. But when we live the loving, sacrificial life as exemplified by our Savior, we smell sweet.

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him but to lay down my life for Him.*

November 4, 2024

Ephesians 4.32 (NIV)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

It is virtually impossible to represent a caring God if one does not have a caring life.*

Can you be kind and compassionate without also being forgiving? And isn’t it hard to be forgiving if you aren’t kind and compassionate? Paul knows the answer to these questions. Here he lists some of the components of God’s love, showing us what it looks like, and leading up to the big drum roll: God did it for us and we must do it for others.

How can a believer who has read these words be so unheeding of what is required of us? You probably know someone who got mad and left the church because of some supposedly heinous offense. Here are some cases that I am familiar with: 

    ·         when a bit of scandal came to light following the break-up of a teen-age romance, one of the families left for another church;

    ·         when one family was treated disrespectfully by another family who then failed to show up at meetings which the elders had arranged for the purpose of reconciling, both families left;

    ·         a family left the church because no one cared that the husband/father was out of work – never mind that they hadn’t bothered to tell anyone.

I am not discounting the validity of people’s feelings or denying that the forgiving process might require distance from the offender, but when Paul says that we should forgive one another just as God forgave us, he’s not talking about hurt feelings. God’s forgiveness covers every awful offense we have committed against him – and not just the ones we remember to apologize for!

We’ll be much more effective at loving our fellowman if we love our fellow believers.*

November 3, 2024

Ephesians 4.29 (NIV)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.

Ephesians 5.4 (NIV)

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which is out of place.

We must be careful of the words we speak . . . for they not only reveal the inner man, but they help to make him what he is.*

Over the years I am afraid that I have become so much a part of the world that very little sets me apart from it, including what amuses me.  Inappropriate talk; being the most amusing at the expense of others – these have often been part of my repertoire.

Humor itself is not a sin. God has a sense of humor; laughter is one of his finest gifts. But our wit should not be used to tear someone else down. As Paul warns us here, our words can be downright nasty.  Think of how your breath smells after vomiting. That’s what it’s like when unwholesome talk comes out of our mouths.

As usual, Paul doesn’t just tell us what not to do; he tells what to do instead. We should – we must – use our words to build others up – according to their needs. How can we do this if we are not aware of their needs? Paul is demanding more of us than just to watch our language. He expects us to say the right things in the right way to the right person.

May the Lord guard what we say and block our ill-chosen words before they have made it out of the gate. 

Words may be neither false, nor violent, nor defamatory, nor foul, nor senseless, nor profane, and yet be unwholesome.*

November 2, 2024

Ephesians 4.22, 23 (NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former life . . . to be made new in the attitude of your minds.

When people contact Jesus, they change.*

Each of us has attitudes and opinions which we think are imbedded in our DNA and so, therefore, they can’t be changed. How many times have you heard it said (or said yourself), “That’s just the way I am”?  And here is one I have used: “I’ve always been taught that (insert false doctrine here).”

Well, here’s some news for you: if it weren’t possible for us to change, Paul wouldn’t have reminded the Ephesians to do it. Oh, it’s not a one-time thing. We don’t renew the attitude of our minds today and think that we won’t have to do it again tomorrow. Nor can we say, “Well, today I failed to be made new in the attitude of my mind so that’s it.”

And here’s another point of fact: it will not be done for us. It is “a continuous process which is dependent at every point on the consent of our wills."* We can’t have a renewal without spiritual help, but the Spirit won’t help us if we don’t want him to.

So what happens to my mind when it is renewed? Will I become smarter? Perhaps not. But, in some ways, perhaps yes. When your mind is renewed, your spirit is changed as well. You can’t undergo that kind of transformation without developing improved judgment and learning to make better choices.

How, then, do we accomplish this renewal? As has already been pointed out, we first have to want it, and second, we have to allow it. Finally, just as our bodies are nourished and strengthened by eating the right food, we are “strengthened spiritually by feeding on His Word, enjoying communion with Him and fellowship with His . . . people.”*

And what is the ultimate goal of this daily renewal process? To have the mind of Christ. And that is why we do not give up.

As we do what we love to show others God’s love, we find spiritual fulfillment and renewal.*

November 1, 2024

Ephesians 4.15 (NIV)
Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head. 

If we lack love, we misuse truth.*

If we, as Christians, love truth, then why is it so hard for us to speak the truth in love? Indeed, dangers and temptations abound for those who dare.

    ·         We may be tempted to use this verse as an excuse to say things that, while they may be considered constructive, are not necessary to salvation – and not our place to say. Truth should not be used as a weapon.

   ·          There is the danger of hurting someone’s feelings. But how loving is it to allow a person to go to hell to avoid hurting his feelings?* We may avoid offending someone but to be less than truthful offends our Savior.*

    ·         There is the danger that we might be rejected. We take it as a personal affront when someone rejects our message. That’s a pretty self-centered attitude. Our job is to deliver the message. “Truth is truth, whether or not it is well received. If we speak the truth in love to those who need to hear it, we can leave the details – and the response of the hearer – in God’s hands.”*

In our quest for spiritual maturity, we hear the truth on a regular basis: daily Bible reading; weekly sermons and lessons. But Paul says that speaking the truth in love also leads to growth. As we learn how and when to apply this spiritual practice, we will experience the fulfillment of that promise.

You don’t always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it, too.*