August 19, 2014
There is diversity of spiritual gifting, but one Spirit. Many parts, one body. If the church is behaving in a crippled manner, isn’t it because certain parts of the body aren’t active? Not that they aren’t present, but that they aren’t obedient to the Head, which is Christ? When the members of the body of Christ fail to do their part, the body falls short of its calling. But when every member moves in unity according to gifting, the church fulfills its calling. What if the church isn’t being the church because you aren’t being the member of its body you were gifted to be?
August 18, 2014
The book of Esther is unique not in what it names, but in what it doesn’t. For the name of God is not mentioned. Yet clearly, God can be seen between the lines of every chapter. When God’s people find themselves under persecution, they often feel that God has abandoned them. They don’t see that He is at work behind the scenes. Esther, whose Hebrew name was Hadassah, became the queen of Persia, not by accident, but by God’s purpose in order to save the Jews from genocide. This little orphaned Jewish girl was adopted by her cousin Mordecai and chosen by King Xerxes to be Queen. She was the winner of the king’s Miss Universe contest. Her Persian name, Esther, means “star” (the word “aster” as in “asteroid,” is derived from the same root.). She was indeed a “star” in Persia and in the history of the Jews, as God used her to influence Xerxes decision to save them. Why has God given you your position of influence? Perhaps it’s for more than you think.
August 17, 2014
Nehemiah organized the Levite singers and musicians into two groups and had them march along the top of the newly restored wall, singing and playing as they went. After circling the entire city of Jerusalem, the two choirs converged onto the Temple courts still singing and playing loudly. The sound of their joyous celebration could be heard from far away. Can you imagine being among that happy throng as they filled the air with praise? When a work is finished, celebration is in order. For us, Christ has finished the work of salvation and our entire lives should be marked by worship and praise. Let our celebration of God’s Son be heard among the nations!
August 16, 2014
Paul addressed the tension between the believer’s freedom and the believer’s responsibility in this passage to the Corinthians. The church at Corinth had become almost antinomian in its celebration of freedom. They wanted no limitation on their behavior. Paul reminded them that their freedom in Christ was limited by its impact on others and on the glory of God. You may be allowed to do anything, but… 1) Is it good for you? 2) Is it beneficial or edifying to yourself and others? 3) Will it bring glory to God? or can you do it to the glory of God? 4) Will it help or hinder the gospel? It is true that we are no longer under law, but under grace. Yet this liberty is not the freedom to sin, but to live righteously for Christ. It is the freedom to live in love.. loving God and loving others as your self.
August 15, 2014
Some have referred to this as the Pauline Principle, the strategy being to adapt methods to the hearer while maintaining the integrity of the message. When Paul was in Athens he used their monument to the “unknown god” to help illustrate the gospel to them. When talking to a Jewish audience he quoted the Mosaic Law. When speaking to the Greeks he quoted their Greek philosophers. Paul shared the gospel in the language and culture of his hearer, rather than expecting the hearer to adapt to his culture and language. The Gospel MESSAGE is never-changing and must be guarded. But Gospel METHODS should be flexible to reach this ever-changing world.
August 14, 2014
This is how the people of God responded to the Word of God being opened after they had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. How we respond to the Book reveals much about our hearts. For some, the Bible is just a collection of myths and human sayings. For others, it is a good book, yet still not to be taken too literally. Yet, for others, it is the very Word of God, worthy of study, meditation, memorization and application to their lives. Does your heart stand up to hear the Word? Does your tongue utter, “Amen,” at its reading. Does your will bow down to follow its instruction?
August 13, 2014
What “strengthens” the church? Love. This does not discount the importance of knowledge, nor of good doctrine in the church. But it does clarify their priority. Love is superior. Let love guide and motivate the use of knowledge. As Paul said in Eph. 4:15, “Speak the truth in love.” An old cliché suggests, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Let others know that they are loved, then perhaps they’ll ask about the reason. Knowledge may win arguments, but love wins hearts.
August 12, 2014
Do not allow yourself to become “attached” to temporal, worldly things. Maintain a practice of use. Live the life of the open hand. One hand open to God to receive and one hand open to others to give. Learn to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. Why let things own you? Live simply and generously. And experience the joy of setting your heart on eternal things.
August 11, 2014
This proverbs speaks to the reality that sin is more than an action, but is preceded by an attitude and heart condition. Jesus addressed this reality in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5) when he connected the outward prohibitions of the Decalogue with the attitudes of the heart. Certainly the full understanding of this should drive us to our need for a Savior. For who else can rescue us from this body of death? And as parents, it should also instruct our care for our children, so that our discipline is not just for the action, but aimed at the attitude of the heart. Here again, the desire to shepherd your child’s heart should drive you to your need for Christ’s help.
August 10, 2014
When Paul wrote this to the Corinthians he was primarily addressing the problem of sexual sin that was so prevalent in their culture. Believers were to live differently than the culture around them. This was not a call to an outward asceticism, but a reminder of an identity change. They were no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to Christ. Their bodies were purchased by His blood and had become God’s holy temple where His Spirit dwelled. This word is as relevant today as it was then. We are no longer to be identified by our sexual orientation or sinful enslavement, for we have been bought out from under sin’s mastery. We have a new Master and a new identity in Christ.