Therefore…walk worthy

In my current Busy Mamas Bible Study I had to go through the book of Ephesians.  In chapters 1-3 I highlighted everything that God has done for me.  This was very eye-opening to see so clearly what God has done for me.  Sometimes, a girl who was raised in a Christian home, and never committed any “major” sins, I take for granted exactly what God did when He reached out and saved my soul.  Ephesians 4:1 opens with the words, “Therefore…walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”  The next three chapters list command after command – each of which we are to do because of what God has done for us (chapters 1-3).  It is a “reasonable” service to do these things in response to everything that Christ did for us in salvation!

• 1. 3 – Blessed us with all spiritual blessings
• 1. 4 chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world
• 1.5 predestinated us to the adoption of children
• 1.6 made us accepted in the beloved
• 1.7 redeemed us through His blood
• 1.7 forgiven our sins
• 1.8 abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence
• 1.9 revealed the mystery of His will
• 1.11 given us an inheritance
• 1.13 sealed us with the Spirit of promise
• 2:1 quickened me, when I was dead in sin
• 2:4 loved me with a great love
• 2:5 quickened me together with Christ
• 2:6 raised us up together to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
• 2:10 created me in Christ Jesus unto good works
• 2:10 ordained that I should walk in good works
• 2:13 brought me near by the blood of Christ
• 2:14 broken down the wall of partition
• 2:16 reconciled both Jew and Gentile to God through the cross
• 2:16 slain the enmity

Our responsibility in response to these things…

• 4.1 Walk worthy
• 4.2 Keep the unity
• 4.14 Be no more children [but be mature]
• 4.15 Speak the truth in love
• 4.15 Grow up into Christ
• 4.17 Walk not as other Gentiles
• 4.22 Put off the old man
• 4.23 Renew your mind
• 4.24 Put on the new man
• 4.25 Put away lying and speak truth
• 4.26 Let not the sun go down upon your wrath
• 4.27 Do not give place to the devil
• 4.28 Do not steal, but work with your hands
• 4.29 Do not have corrupt communication
• 4.29 Speak edifying words
• 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit
• 4.31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking, and malice be put away
• 4.32 Be kind
• 4.32 Forgive as Christ forgave
• 5.1 Be followers of God
• 5.2 Walk in love
• 5.3 Let uncleanness, fornication, and covetousness not be named among you even once
• 5.7 Be not partakers with the children of disobedience
• 5.8 Walk as children of light
• 5.10 Prove what is acceptable unto the Lord
• 5.11 Have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness
• 5.11 Reprove the works of darkness
• 5.15 Walk circumspectly
• 5.16 Redeem the time
• 5.17 Be not unwise
• 5.17 Understand God’s Will
• 5.18 Be not drunk with wine
• 5.18 Be filled with the Spirit
• 5.19 Speak psalms and hymns to yourselves
• 5.20 Give thanks always for all things
• 5.21 Submit yourselves to one another
• 5.22 Wives submit to your husbands
• 5.25 Husbands love your wives
• 5.28 Husbands love your wives as your own body
• 5.33 Husbands love your wives as yourself
• 5.33 Wives reverence your husbands
• 6.1 Children obey your parents
• 6.2 Children honor your father and mother
• 6.4 Fathers provoke not your children to wrath
• 6.4 Bring up your children in the admonition of the Lord
• 6.5 Servants obey your masters
• 6.7 Do your service as to the Lord and not to men
• 6.10 Be strong in the Lord
• 6.11 Put on the whole armor of God
• 6.13 Take the whole armor of God
• 6.14 Stand therefore [against the devil]
• 6.18 Pray always
• 6.18 Watch with perseverance

So, go – and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called!

Forgetting that I Am Purged from My Sin

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This is something that the Lord has been working in my heart for a while now.  I didn’t really know how to express it, and I’m still not sure that my words are adequate.  It first came to light when my husband pointed out my impatience with my children.  It was the end of a long day, and they had disobeyed yet again.  In disciplining them I was able to recount every little thing that they had done wrong that day.  My husband said that he didn’t think I had truly forgiven them, even though they had asked for forgiveness after each discipline session that day.  Love keeps no record of wrongs.  So why had I failed to truly forgive them?  Perhaps because it had been a while since I had mediated upon the forgiveness offered to me by the Lord.  Every day.  Many times a day.  My own sin is overwhelming sometimes.  How can I fall into that same sin, yet again?  Why can’t I just obey the Lord?  That forgiveness which He willingly and lovingly bestows each time I ask it cost Him a great price – His life.  He willingly paid it in full at Calvary.  When I lose sight of how much I have been forgiven, it is easy to get frustrated and impatience at the failings of others, especially my children.

Right now, I am to show them Christ.  I am a picture of Him that they can see each day.  How am I portraying Him?  Am I showing my kids that our God is a loving, patient God who forgives us even when we have failed yet again? 

Several scripture passages from my devotions over the last couple of months have solidified this truth in my heart.  Today’s seemed to be the icing on the cake.

According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor un fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

2 Peter 1:3-9

In the first verses I am assured that I can be a partaker of the Divine Nature.  That is exactly what I want – the essence of Christ living through me on a daily basis.  In fact, everything I need for life and godliness is already provided through His power.  Then verses 5-7 tell me what I must diligently do – growing my faith step by step.  It takes work – it won’t happen overnight.  But I think it will be worth the effort.  Look at the list – faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. 

Each of those things would help me as I interact with my children.  Sometimes I stop and listen to my voice and realize there wasn’t a lick of kindness in it, even as I reprimand my kids for not being kind to each other.  Patience – oh how I need that!  Sometimes I just can’t process all of the needs of my kids, which seem to come all at the same time.  Sometimes I just don’t want to wait while my two year old does it himself.  Sometimes I grow frustrated with my three year old’s disobedience.  I need more patience.  And love.  That would go a long way in making discipline effective.  It must be done with love if it is to get their heart, and not just their compliance.

But it is verse 9 that really seals it all together.  If these character qualities of the life of Christ are not present in my life, then I am blind and forgetful.  In fact, I have forgotten the most important event in my life – that I was purged from my old sins.  How did I get saved?  By Christ lovingly and freely offering me forgiveness, for all of my sins, past, present, and future.  He knew I would sin again and offend His law.  He knew I would fail.  Yet He promised in 1 John 1:9 that when I come and confess, He will forgive me yet again.  How can I not offer forgiveness to my own children for their petty offences, when Christ has so amazingly forgiven my sin?

It’s been a while since I read it, but Amy Carmichael has a book called If and it is full of simple yet profound statements that show how little I understand Calvary love. 

If I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient unloving word, then I know
nothing of Calvary love.

If I can easily discuss the shortcomings of any; if I can speak in a casual way of
a child’s misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

I want to know more of Calvary’s love.  I want to realize more fully all that I have been forgiven.  And I want to offer that forgiveness to others, so that I may point them to Christ who can completely forgive all their sin and give them all things for life and godliness, making them partakers of the Divine Nature.

Change Your Garment

68 months ago, I married my best friend.  That translates into five years and eight months.  It seems like forever.  And two states, four apartments, three jobs, four kids, and two home businesses later we are still in love!

My devotion book this morning shared the story of a beggar who was invitied to dine with, and then lvie with the king.  He was provided new clothing and sat at the king’s table, yet he carried his old raggedy clothing with him everywhere because he never knew when he would need them.

Of course the spiritual parallel of the story is that we have been given a change of clothing by the King of Kings at salvation.  We have been invited to dine at His table, to live in His palace, and to enjoy all of the benefits of His royalty.  He offers it all to us through Christ.  Yet we cling to our rags of the flesh, carrying around old habits and besetting sins “just in case we ever need them.”  We do not fully realize the change and transformation that has been offered to us.  I fall into this trap too many times – just not quite willing to let completely go of who I was and to fully become who I am in Christ.

As I thought on this fictional tale and its spiritual lesson, I thought of the fact that today is one of our “anniversaries” as a married couple.  My husband and I have a game to see who can remember that it is the 26th of the month, and tell the other person first.  I usually lose, but today I won.  In fact, Ben texted me to say it is a score of about 65 to 3!

Five years and eight months ago I was getting ready to say “I do” and change my life forever.  I was going to change my name, where I lived, and who I lived with.  In preparation for that important, life-changing ceremony, I changed my clothes.  I put on my best dress – a new white garment picked especially for that day. 

When I accepted Christ at salvation, my life changed spiritually – forever.  My home was changed from earth to heaven, and I was seated in heaven with Christ.  I was offered a new “dress” of purity and holiness.  Why is it that spiritually I so often refuse the new garment which has been hand-picked for me by God?  Today I want to live in my new clothes, and leave my rags behind.

Isaiah 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Zechariah 3:3-4  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.  4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

A Godly Father

Though we are a few days past Father’s Day, I wanted to share a few thoughts that have been running through my mind.  Each Sunday our Pastor reads a passage of Scripture during the beginning of the service, before he gets to the message.  On Sunday, he read from Colossians 3.  Though it wasn’t the text of his sermon, the verses were applicable to fathers. 

Colossians 3:12-24  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.  23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

As I have watched my husband interacting with our four children recently, I have felt overwhelmingly blessed that he is striving to be a Biblical father and husband.

A Biblical Father:

• Seeks the things that are above – (verse 1-3).  Realizing that he is seated with Christ, he lives and enjoys all of the benefits of the Christ life while walking here on earth.
• Lives the attributes of Christ in his daily life – holiness, mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.  My husband is far more patient with our children than I am, showing them mercy while being consistent in discipline.
• Lets peace rule his heart – not at strife or quarrel with others; at peace knowing that whatever God has allowed is God’s will for his life right now.  Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed and I say “I can’t handle this.”  Ben always responds by reminding me that I can handle it because God has allowed it.  “In acceptance lieth peace”, and when we accept this as God’s will for us for now, His peace rules in the heart.
• Dwells in the Word of God – makes that quiet time a priority.  With four little children in the house, its hard to find a consistent time of peace and quiet.  But the Biblical father will always find it, knowing that if he is to lead his family in spiritual things, he must walk in God’s Word.
• Takes care of his wife – sometimes the best thing my husband can do for our children to take care of me.  Many times when I am overwhelmed, stressed, sick, or just tired and have had a rough day, he sends me out of the house for a while to have some quiet time just to myself.  He takes care of things at home so I can come back re-charged to fulfill my duties in the home.  Though I know he loves me all the time, at these times when he shows extra care for me, I feel especially loved.
• Lovingly disciplines, without provoking to anger – with consistency and in the Biblical manner, the Godly father will discipline his children as he molds their character according to God’s Word.  Our children are learning from their Daddy to be polite, use manners, exhibit kindness and sharing, and obey.  Sometimes its hard to discipline them over and over again for the same thing, but the Biblical Father does it because he takes his responsibility seriously.  He also recognizes that it will serve them well in the future.
• Leads the home in spiritual things – it’s exciting to me to see my husband teach our children about the things of God.  Elaine was wearing a shirt that said “Praise the Lord.”  Daddy took the opportunity to teach her what praise means, and then he reinforced it several times throughout the day.  Both of my older children are starting to pray on their own, without promptings, and to understand some things in family devotions. 
  
  Ben also tries to make sure I get some moments for quiet time with the Lord even when things seem to be spinning out of control at home.  And many times I get a call or a text at random points through the day to tell me he is praying for me…especially when my day is difficult.  He may not be here to assist me with an extra set of hands as I care for the kiddos, but he has done something far more helpful in bringing me before the Heavenly Father in prayer.

I’m thankful for the husband God gave me, and the father that he is to our children.  They have a special Daddy, for sure, and one day they will realize just how blessed they are!

Too Comfortable in the Graveclothes

In my devotional book today, author Joanna Weaver points out how we are often bound in the graveclothes of our flesh, just like Lazarus was in John 11.  Even though we have been set free from the power of sin, we often choose to remain in its bondage, rendering our service to God ineffective. 

“In a sense, the graveclothes that hindered Lazarus describe well the graveclothes that hinder us as Christians:

• His feet were bound, affecting his walk with God.
• His hands were bound, limiting his work for God.
• His face was covered, clouding his watchfulness.
• His mouth was covered, muffling his witness.”

Weaver points out also that sometimes we are so comfortable in our familiar graveclothes, that it seems to radical to allow the Lord to help us unwind them so we can be set free.  I hope that living in my graveclothes does not characterize my life.  Yet I know that so many times, I become all too comfortable even with what I rationalize as “little” sins.  And so I find excuses to just continue on, not willing to let the Lord strip off the binding sin so I can reach my full potential for Him.

I miss a day here, then a couple days there, in my Bible reading and quiet time with God.  Soon it seems natural to start my day running without pausing to spend time with Him.  Without listening to His voice and seeking His will for my daily activities.  The longer I continue in this pattern, the easier it is for me to ignore Him each day.

I find excuses not to talk to that person about the Lord or to turn the conversation toward spiritual things.  Much easier to just slip a tract and hope they might read it.  But then I stop giving the tracts, and soon I do not even see the people around me as hell-bound sinners for whom Christ died.  I have become comfortable in not sharing the Gospel.

These are just a couple of areas where I have noticed that I too often prefer my graveclothes to the raiment of walking in the Spirit.  The Lord offers us the solution to this apathy.

Revelation 3:17-22  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Don’t Be Content

A recent post on another “Christian” blog has had me thinking for a few days.  The author was making the point that Jesus found her where she was – a single mom, trying to finish college, hoping her skinny jeans would still fit, and trying not to have hurt feelings when all of her friends are dating and she isn’t.

I don’t want to disagree with the fact that Jesus came to her where she was.  That’s what He does – He meets us where we are, in all of our sin and rags, and He offers us an exchange.  His riches and life for our sin and shame.  The beauty of the Gospel is that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.  It doesn’t matter if you’re 5 or 60.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve been raised in a Christian home, or if you’ve been an alcoholic.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve lived a clean life, or messed up over and over again – Jesus offers the same free gift of salvation by grace through faith to each one of us.

However, we must not be content to stay in that spot where Jesus found us.  He never intended to leave us there.  He saved us to give us something better.  To move us on.  To make us like Him.

Psalm 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

He comes to us in our pit of sin & despair, our lack of faith, and stubborn rebellion. But He moves us out of the dirt and puts our feet on the solid Rock.

Ephesians 2:1-5  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. {desires: Gr. wills}  4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Jesus finds us in our trespasses and sins, but by His love He offers us mercy and grace.  He makes us alive and saves us, so that He can complete His work in our life (vs.10).

I don’t want to be content with the level of spirituality I have now.  I don’t want to just be happy that Jesus came and met me where I am.  I don’t want to “waste” His grace by not allowing it to complete the work of transforming into the likeness of Christ.  I want to keep on the ascending plane. 

Jesus doesn’t want to leave me or you in the same wrong choices and pathway that may have led to a life of single parenting in the first place.  Jesus doesn’t want us to stay in our skinny jeans. He wants to make us into modest ladies who are adorned by their inner spirit and not the clothes that they choose. He doesn’t want me to long for something that He has chosen to give to someone else.  He wants me to find His will for my life and “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

What I Am

In my devotional book I read this excerpt from Having A Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver:

If Satan can’t make me fall away from God’s grace, he will do everything he can to keep me from fully embracing God’s grace. Satan wants me—and he wants you!—to be so constantly preoccupied with what we’re not that we never get around to realizing all that God is.  Our enemy wants to keep us so consumed with our inadequacies that we never get around to appropriating the love and transforming power God has made available to us through His Son. {emphasis mine}

I had one of those days yesterday.  When I seemed to be able to only see the problems, the negatives.  Satan had me so focused on what was wrong that I failed to remember my escape, my Advocate, and the grace He has promised.

So what it is that we are in Christ?  Here is a short list:

• Justified – not condemned.  God doesn’t look at me and see the sinner anymore.  He looks at me and sees His Son Jesus Christ.
  Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
• Armed – not defenseless.  I can put on the armor of Christ and defend myself—and defeat the enemy. 
  Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
• Seated with Christ. Victorious.
  Ephesians 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
  Romans 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
• Able to Enter the Throne Room.  I don’t have to give in to Satan’s temptations or doubts.  I can march into the throne room of heaven and gain the ear of God, finding grace to help in my moment of need.
  Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 
• Adopted – a son/child of God Himself.  A part of the family of God…with all of the rights and benefits that go with it.
  Romans 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
  John 1:12   But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
• Loved.  Accepted. Without condition. Forever.
  1 John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.
  Jeremiah 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
  Romans 8:38 - 9:1  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

You in Christ and Christ in You

I think that if I condensed my spiritual year down to one lesson, it is that I have been learning to walk in the Spirit.  I grew up in church and I have heard preaching on this subject all my life, but I don’t think I ever really understood it.  The preacher always made it seem unattainable, hard to understand, maybe even “mystical”.  Like it was just this concept out there that no one could explain.

It is evident to me that my pastor here in Brooklyn walks in the Spirit on a daily basis.  He has been preaching on this topic, and victory, and union in Christ {they are all woven together} a lot.  I feel like things are clicking – making sense.  I am still learning, but I have seen the difference in my life when I walk in the Spirit.  And I have understood what I was doing, and when I was not doing it.

Yesterday in our Bible Study Pastor gave two Old Testament illustrations of “You in Christ” and “Christ in You.”  They helped to clarify the picture for me even further.

In Exodus 15:22-26 the children of Israel come to the bitter waters of Marah, after marching in the wilderness for three days and being in desperate need of water.  This pictures for us salvation – how we come to be in Christ. The waters were not drinkable and held only the prospect of certain death.  Everyone was thirsty.  Everyone would die without water.  Sin in a universal problem – just as the lack of water affected all of the Israelites.  But then the Lord showed Moses a tree which made the water sweet.  This is  picture of salvation.

The first tree was in the Garden of Eden, and when Adam chose to eat of it it brought sin and death. The second tree was called Calvary.  It is the tree of a second choice, and it brings life as salvation places us in Christ.

2 Kings 2:19-22 illustrates the Christ in You principle.  Shortly after Elijah’s translation to heaven, Elisha was brought to a city which appeared to be pleasant.  It looked good from the outside, but poor, stagnant, polluted water prevented the land from bringing a crop to harvest.  It was barren.  This city is a picture of the carnal Christian.  Everything looks fine.  They put on a great show at church. But inwardly they are living for self & sin, not walking in the victory provided by the Spirit.  There is nothing that says to others, “Christ lives in me.”

The burden of this city became so intolerable that they confessed their barren situation to the prophet.  They were moved to action.  Elisha threw salt in at the source of the water, and it was healed so that the city could be fruitful.  This is a picture of the life of Christ in me & you. 

Every believer has spiritual water in him.  But sometimes through self & sin our water becomes polluted.  We need to go to the Source of our water to be healed, so that we are restored to life-giving water.  The life of the Risen Christ within us heals the barrenness of the saint.  If we get “salt” in our “water” then the rivers of living water will flow to all of our other relationships.  When we have problems with “horizontal” relationships it is because we have not been pouring into our “vertical” or spiritual relationship. In reality, the only thing which can heal all other relationships is Christ in us.

In the first picture, the Tree heals the bitterness of sin. 

In the second picture, the life of the Risen Christ heals the barrenness of the saint.

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…”  {John 7:38-39}

How are your waters today?

Whose Story Are You Telling?

I wrote this as part of the Gypsy Mama’s Five Minute Friday meme.  I shared it on my personal blog, but I thought it would be appropriate here too.

The prompt is:

Story…

Every day our lives are telling a story.  The story of self, or the story of Christ. 

Just when I think I have this “Christian life” thing down pat, I find myself going back to the basics.  Learning again to depend on Christ.  Learning again to soak up His Words and make them my guide for living.  Learning again His Will for me.

Some days I really depend on Him.  I can hear Him speaking His words through me.  I can see His patience with my children.  I can feel His strength when mine is all gone.  Those days I am telling the story of Christ.  The story of becoming like Christ.  The story of sanctification.

Other days my self rears its ugly head and my day is filled with strife, wrong thinking, and selfish mothering.  I get annoyed with my children and frustrated when my plans go awry.  Those days tell the story of self, as if I were unredeemed.

I am often amazed at the things my kids pick up.  Soak in.  Learn.  I see them do something and I wonder, “Who taught you to do that?”  They learn so much, so quickly, so easily.  And they learn much from watching me.  From living with me.

And so each day I want to tell them the story of Christ.  I want them to see Him in me.  To hear Him in the words I speak, and the tone I use.  To sense His patience and grace in discipline for wrong-doing. 

Because in the end, if my words tell them the Gospel, but my life doesn’t live it, I have been telling them the wrong story.  And they will sense the hypocrisy.

I really enjoyed the book Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney.  In it she describes how our femininity and roles as a wife and mother can adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thoughts on Thorns

Here are some highlights from a sermon preached by Evangelist Jim VanGelderen at our church’s Family Revival Meetings this week.  This sermon really touched me, and many in our church.  It is from 2 Corinthians 12.

Many Christians want Christ’s strength {the end result} but they despise the ticket to getting that strength {the means}.  The ticket is weakness.

The Apostle Paul was given a thorn in the flesh.  Brother VanGelderen pointed out that this “thorn” may very well have been a person.  His argument comes from the Greek word for messenger in verse 7.  This particular word is never used of an inanimate object, but always of a being – whether human or angelic.

So Satan can use “thorny people” in our lives to provoke us, to cause problems, to tempt us to sin.  But God wants us to take that thorny situation and depend on Him for strength.

We cry out, “Lord change ___________”, but God responds
with “I want to change you.”

Thorns reveal our weakness.  They are our ticket to God’s strength.  But we avoid the thorns because we don’t like to be reminded that we are weak.

We tend to think of strength and weakness only in physical terms.  We think, “Lord I can do this maybe 25%, but I need you to give me the strength for the other 75%.”  However, the word for weakness is really just the word for strength, negated.  It means zero strength.  Not little strength, but absolutely no strength.  It is speaking of spiritual strength.  Jesus said, “for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5). 

This really resonated with me because that is exactly how I think.  I think that I can sorta do it, but not well, or not completely.  Then when He helps me do it I get proud and think that I did it myself.  Then I stop depending on Him.

So I don’t just need help to do it.  I need God to do it for me.  Through me. 

Our weaknesses need to scream so that we realize it is God doing it.  When I allow the weakness to make me a channel for His strength, then my weakness can scream so much that others are blown away with the power. They may see my weakness, but they will see what God can do with weakness.  They will want to be used by God too.

Every weakness I have is a potential channel for His strength.  He keeps thorns in my life so that we never forget that we are weak.  I  can realize my weakness, and live expecting His Divine power to work in me and through me.  Human strength is powerless to stop the enemy, but inside of me is He Who is Strength.

I will choose joy…

No matter what happens…today I CAN choose joy.  I CAN rejoice in the Lord.

The Law of Kindness

I have been mulling over something for a while.  Chewing on it – trying to really let the Lord teach me what it means.  I don’t have it completely figured out yet, but He is making me aware of it’s truth in my daily circumstances.

Of all the virtues of the Proverbs 31 woman, I think I struggle with this one the most.  Proverbs 31:26 says, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”  More and more I have been becoming aware of the fact that my tongue does not always speak kindness.  Whether it is my actual words, my tone of voice, or the attitude and thrust behind what I say, I need to have more kindness to those whom I am addressing.

As I was meditating on this I started to think about that word law.  What is a law?  The first thing that came to my mind was the speed limit law.  It is easily, and frequently, broken by many.  Is a law really something that can be so easily disregarded?  Next I thought about laws of physics, science, and mathematics.  We call it the law of gravity.  It is something that is always true – consistent, dependable. You can’t just decide to disregard the law of gravity.  Because it is always in effect.

I looked up the word law in the dictionary.  Here are some of the facets of this word:

• A binding custom or practice
• A rule of conduct or action
• A statement of an order or relation of phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions

The Hebrew word for law is hr'To and it comes from the root word which means to throw.  According to TWOT {Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament}, “The word tora means basically ‘teaching’ whether it is the wise man instructing his son or God instructing Israel.” (Volume 1, page 404, word 910d).

So what does all of this have to do with my tongue?  If, as a virtuous woman, I am to have the law of kindness in the words I speak, then it must be something that is invariably true.  Kindness must be the major characteristic that others can expect every time I open my mouth to share something.  It must be a law – binding, rule of conduct, invariable under the given conditions.

I find that my tongue varies from kindness most easily in stressful situations.  I get frazzled, frustrated, or overwhelmed, and I lash out with my words.  Maybe I just speak too hurried and rudely.  Maybe I tell my little girl to be quiet and leave me alone.  Sometimes I vary from kindness when I myself have been hurt.  I want to make someone else feel the pain that I am experiencing, so I make unkind and untrue, or even exaggerated accusations.  An exaggeration is something that is not completely true, and that is not kind. Even under these conditions, my words must be invariably kind.  The circumstances don’t change the law.  It is consistent.

And if I am always speaking that which is kind, it will have an effect on others.  It will teach them how to be kind themselves.  Just like the word tora – I can be a wise woman instructing others.  That goes back to the beginning of our verse: she openeth her mouth with wisdom.  I want my children to learn the law of kindness.  And they will catch it best by watching me live it out.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” {Ephesians 4:32}

Thinking Differently

I guess I might be described as a pessimist.  I tend to think negatively rather than positively.  But I am trying to change the way that I think.  If I am walking in the Spirit, then I will be thinking with the mind of Christ.  I am reading in Ephesians, and chapter 6 describes the Christian’s armour.  Verse 17 tells us that we have the helmet of salvation.  The helmet protects the head {obviously}.  A wound to the head would almost surely be fatal.  But we have the salvation of Christ to protect us. 

Salvation has a daily, present, practical outworking {not just the future home in heaven} called sanctification – the process of becoming like Christ.  If I am walking in sanctification today, then it will protect my head – my thinking.  So many times I know that Satan attacks me by getting me to think wrong thoughts, which lead to wrong attitudes, and wrong actions, and cause hurt and remorse.  I want my thinking to change – to be saved!

Here is how that looks to me:

• I think I can’t handle this but God’s Word says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)
• I think this isn’t fair but God says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
• I think there is so much noise and chaos in my house right now but God says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
• I think this situation is terrible but God says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
• I think I have too much to do but God says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• I think my kids are so much work – why did I want to be a mom? but God says, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” (Psalm 127:3)
• I think I can’t love/forgive that person but God says, “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”  (Romans 5:5).  It is His love in me that I can offer to that person.
• I think I can’t get victory – it’s just my besetting sin but God says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57) and “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The Will of God

When I was in college I had a professor who used to point out any verse that told us what the will of God is.  He would tell us to mark down those “will of God verses.”  You know, the Will of God isn’t hard to find – He spells it out pretty clearly in His Word!  God has a general will for all of His children, and He has a specific will for each of us individually.  I think we would all agree that God’s will is for us to live holy lives, and for us not to live in sin.  That’s His general will.  Deciding where my family should live, what job to accept, or what ministry to serve in would be God’s specific will for my life.  He can reveal that through His Scripture too, just not spelled out as clearly in black and white letters.

Today I was reading Ephesians and I came across a “will of God” verse.  In Ephesians 5:15-21 it says,

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

There in verse 17 the Apostle Paul challenges us to be wise and understand what the Will of God is.  So what is it?  Right there in verse 18 – be filled with the Spirit.  God’s will is that every one of His children would walk in the Spirit.  And if you take the context, I think we could say that all of these things are God’s Will for us today:

• Walk circumspectly {careful to consider all circumstances; prudent}
• Be wise
• Redeem the time
• Be filled with {controlled by} the Spirit
• Singing spiritual songs
• Giving thanks for everything
• Submitting ourselves to each other

Walk in God’s Will Today!

“But God…”

Ephesians 2 illustrates the great difference between our position as dead in sins before salvation (vs.1-2), and the amazing position we share now, sitting together with Christ in heavenly places (vs.6).  How did this transformation take place?  All because of God.  “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us;” (vs.4).  His love and mercy made all the difference!

Before salvation:

• Dead in sins (vs.1)
• Walked according to the world (vs.2)
• Lived in Satan’s realm (vs.2)
• Disobedient (vs.2)
• Lusts of the flesh (vs.3)
• Fulfilling the desires of the flesh (vs.3)
• Children of wrath (vs.3)
• Gentiles in the flesh (vs.11)
• Aliens from God (vs.12)
• Strangers from the covenant of promise (vs.12)
• No hope (vs.12)
• Without God (vs.12)
• Far off (vs. 13)
• Separated from God (vs.14)
• Afar off (vs.17)
• Strangers and foreigners (vs.19)

“But God” gave us this new life and totally transformed us, so that we can walk in Him and not fulfill the lust of the flesh:

• Quickened – made alive (vs.1)
• Loved (vs.4)
• Saved by grace (vs.5)
• Raised (vs.6)
• Seated with Christ in heavenly places (vs.6)
• Rich through the grace of Christ (vs.7)
• Saved by grace through faith (vs.8)
• Given salvation as a free gift (vs.8)
• His workmanship (vs.10)
• Living unto good works (vs. 10)
• Made nigh (vs.13)
• We have peace through Christ (vs.14)
• Reconciled (vs.16)
• One body through the cross (vs.17)
• The punishment (enmity) against us is slain, abolished (vs.15-16)
• Access to the Father through the Spirit (vs.18)
• Fellowcitizens with the saints (vs.19)
• Household of God (vs.19)
• Build on the foundation and Corner Stone (vs.2010
• Growing (vs.21)
• The habitation of the Spirit (vs.22)

Now that’s a reason to smile and have a “happy heart” today!

Grieve Not the Spirit

Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”  I have mentioned before that I am reading a book on the Spirit-filled life called Rivers of Living Water by Ruth Paxson.  In this book she describes grieving as a love word, because you cannot grieve someone who does not love you.  Ms. Paxson goes on to describe the ways we can grieve the Spirit who indwells us.  Each point has to do with a name for the Spirit in the Word of God.  These are direct quotes from the book:

• He is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), so anything false, deceitful, hypocritical, grieves Him.
• He is the Spirit of faith (2 Cor. 4:13), so doubt, unbelief, distrust, worry, anxiety, grieve Him.
• He is the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29), so that which is hard, bitter, ungracious, unthankful, malicious, unforgiving, grieves Him.
• He is the Spirit of wisdom (Eph. 1:17), so ignorance, conceit, arrogance, and folly grieve Him.
• He is the Spirit of power, love and discipline (2 Tim. 1:7), so our weakness, fruitlessness, disorderliness, and lack of control grieve Him.
• He is the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2), so anything that savors of indifference, lukewarmness, dullness or deadness grieves Him.
• He is the Spirit of glory (1 Pet. 4:14), so that which is wordly, earthly, or fleshly grieves Him.

I thought that was a very good way of explaining it and looking at the things in our lives which grieve the Holy Spirit.  He cannot fill us and control us if we are grieving Him by allowing these characteristics in our lives.

“None of self, and all of Thee”

I am reading a book called Rivers of Living Water by Ruth Paxson.  She was a missionary in China, and spoke at many conferences.  The book is a compilation of many messages she spoke on the Spirit-filled life.  The chapter I just finished deals with choosing Christ or choosing self – the two natures which dwell in the Christian.  Miss Paxson closes the chapter with this poem.  No author is specified, so I am assuming she wrote it.  It touched me as I seek to live the Spirit-filled life, and I wanted to share it here.

Oh! the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered--
“All of self and none of Thee.”

Yet He found me: I beheld Him
Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, “Forgive them, Father,”
And my wistful heart said faintly--
“Some of self and some of Thee.”

Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and oh! so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered--
“Less of self and more of Thee.”

Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea;
Lord, thy love at last has conquered:
Grant me now my soul’s petition--
“None of self and all of Thee.”

Tired of the Carnality?

The Armour of Light

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
Romans 13:12

It truly is a spiritual warfare we are living in.  If we are not actively fighting, then  we are passively giving the enemy the victory.  We cannot (and should not!) be neutral.  “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57).  He has already provided the victory and won the battle – we must just claim it!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

He has also given us the spiritual armour (the armour of light) to fight the enemy.  It is found in Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:11-17   Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Today I want to cast of the dark works of my old man, and I want to walk in the light of fellowship with Christ.  “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”( 1 John 1:7).  I want to put on the armour of light and win the victory!

To Be Spiritually Minded

Romans 8:5-7: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

How do we become spiritually minded?  At salvation, I was made one with Christ – joined with Him in union like a husband and wife.  Since I am one with Him, I now have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

But I must access this mind of Christ by walking in the Spirit.  I do not naturally think with my Christ-mind, for my flesh-mind (my old man and sin nature) are still present and at work in me.  I have to access the mind of Christ by faith.

• The mind of Christ thinks on pure and lovely thoughts:

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

• The mind of Christ esteems other as better than myself:

Philippians 2:4-8  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

• The meditations of the mind of Christ are acceptable to God:

Psalm 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 19:14  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

• The thoughts of the mind of Christ are in captivity to obey Christ:

2 Corinthians 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

• The mind of Christ is stayed upon Jehovah, in perfect peace:

Isaiah 26:3-4  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

I want to be spiritually minded, not carnally minded!