Meekness needed for spiritual maturity . . .

 

God is teaching me that meekness (gentleness, kindness) is far more than the way I behave toward others. It is the attitude that produces that behavior, an attitude of realizing how deeply sin can control me if I do not choose to walk in the truth of God’s Word. Meekness flows out of deep humility.

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

The Word of God was implanted or set within me at salvation. I received it and regarded it as true that Jesus died for my sin, I am forgiven and belong to Him. Yet that is only the beginning. Being saved is a one-time experience that goes on for the rest of my life until I see Jesus face-to-face. I was saved (like a soldier enlisted) and am being saved (like an enlisted person learning how to act like the solder she already is).

Even though the Word is implanted in me, James tells me to receive it, regard it as true, all of it. The ‘I’m going to heaven’ part is only the beginning of salvation. Included in the package is God’s power to save me from continuing to sin. For that, I must meekly put away, reject, refuse sin and welcome what God says as true.

Meekness is gentleness and humility displayed with integrity during times of trial, and the opposite of any proud sinfulness that insists on my way or continually makes excuses for disobedience. God says that this meekness should beautify my life. In other words, it is the inner attitude of heart that works the outward beauty of Christ in a person’s life. Meekness is very precious to God. (1 Peter 3:4)

Meekness is all about walking in the Spirit, implanted at salvation. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13) and letting the Spirit be the source of who I am and how I live. “ . . . walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

Again, salvation begins with faith in Christ, and is also lived through faith in Christ. “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6) I cannot save myself and I cannot sanctify myself. Salvation is all of Christ and fully realizing this requires humility. As today’s devotional says, God’s Word was implanted within me by the Holy Spirit at the time of my salvation. His Word and the Holy Spirit are my source of ongoing power and growth for my life in Christ. I am responsible to receive the Word in purity and humility so it can do its sanctifying work.

MacArthur likes to translate meekness as “teachability” because a meek person sets aside resentment, anger, and pride to learn God’s truth and apply it. Meekness is realizing what Jesus has done for me, knowing how much He loves me, and having a desire to love Him by obeying His commands (John 14:15). For this, I must desire to know what He wants from me and for this, I must deeply desire to read what He says:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16–17)

PRAY: Lord Jesus, more and more You show me the importance of being in the Word. Reading, studying, thinking about it, even talking about it, and especially letting it direct all my affairs. Even as You satisfy me each day with truth and encouragement, I never want to be satisfied to the point where I think I know it all. How foolish that would be. Thank You for Your incredible saving grace!

READ: Nehemiah 8. Who read God’s Word to the people? How did the people respond? Compare their response to the Word with mine.

 

 

Exchanging the lie for The Truth . . .

In the beginning, God put the first human beings in a lovely garden and provided everything they needed. Along came a serpent and convinced them that God really didn’t want the best for them because He had forbidden the fruit of one tree. At that, as Romans 1:25 says, they exchanged the truth about God for a lie. Ever since we easily fall for that lie — God does not love us resulting in our worship of everything but our Creator, missing the blessing of knowing His love.

The book of Ephesians, another of Paul’s letters written from prison, begins with a long description that confronts that lie. The words seem to flow out of his pen like water bubbling up from a spring, like the warbling of a songbird. Each phrase is a profound message about the love of God:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3–14)

In this passage, God affirms that His love is demonstrated in Jesus Christ. He sent His Son to confront and destroy the lie and the liar and prove the truth — He loves us far more than our doubting hearts can ever imagine.

As I read and reread His words, my heart is overwhelmed. I feel unable to grasp the wonder of it and the implication of words like: every spiritual blessing, chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him, adopted to Himself, blessed in the Beloved, redeemed, forgiven, grace lavished!

Think of it; God opened my ears to hear the word of truth, to make known to me the mystery of His will. I have inherited all that is His in Christ. I am sealed, guaranteed that inheritance until I possess it. This is the love of God. How dare the devil try to tell me that God does not love me!

Yet he does feed me that lie and sometime succeeds in convincing me. He works hard to get me to use my eyes so what I see in the world becomes the criteria for evaluating God’s love — instead of reading and listening to His Word, instead of remembering one of the huge reasons why Jesus came:

 . . . The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

The work of Satan is to turn people from truth and believe his lies. Jesus defeated him on our behalf and through Him, I share that victory — yet I need to remember what I have in Him and live by it. I need to read, memorize, meditate on and live by the promises of God, promises like this one:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, I know that walking by the Spirit involves confessing known sin, asking You to fill me, being obedient as You lead me, and seeing with my ears without letting my eyes lead me away from the Word of God. I am so thankful for the truth You reveal and the joy You give as You teach me just how much You love me. Today, fill my heart with the reality of Your love and awareness of how You have shown that love to me and to Your people.

Today’s thankful list . . .

Deep joy in knowing I am eternally loved by God.

The beauty of creation — God, You did it well!

Safety on our long drive today.

Home, sweet home.

Crawling into our own bed.