Emotional Maturity

Today’s reading is about emotional stability and maturity. It made me think more about the results of our Sabbath rest this week. For a long time I’ve felt tense, concerned with a lack of routine and so many days that were not ‘normal’ in that something new confronted me, not always negative but making me tense just the same.

Then we rested. We escaped the usual, spent time with God, each other, and doing some ordinary things that settled our thoughts. The past two days I’ve felt calmer than usual, and all that tension is gone. I attribute this to God's grace and am thankful, but today reminded how emotional maturity is about walking in the Spirit not the flesh. Considering this:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:19–24)

Which of the fleshy works involve emotions? Certainly immoral activity, but all sorts of impurity, idolatry, etc. and more commonly, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, rivalry, dissensions, divisions, and envy. While most of these vary in degree, they still affect emotions. Last week, I noticed the tension in my body while watching an Agatha Christie movie. I cannot define the emotion but something adverse to rest was happening and this kind of entertainment should not produce tension or negative emotions.

This week is different. No tension. I have company coming today and was tense about that for weeks, but it vanished yesterday. This alone is a God-thing.

Today’s reading makes me think about what emotions are involved by walking in the Spirit. Certainly joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control, all positive.

Emotional maturity does not come with trying harder or with shutting down feelings. I’ve known those who ‘control’ their anger and lose their ability to feel positive emotions. It is only through the power of God's Spirit that emotions are as they should be. The NT even says: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26–27) This indicates anger might not be sinful (Jesus became angry). The key is to deal with it properly, as God would.

As for the other negatives, confessing them as self-centered sin is important. I’d been annoyed by the behavior of others. Confessing that as unloving disobedience made a huge difference to the tensions that were bothering me. While it seems obvious to recognize what gets blamed for negativity, a proper analysis is important. Too many times people say, “You make me so mad” putting the onus unfairly on the other person instead of taking responsibility for our own reactions.

PRAY: Jesus, when I admit my old nature has usurped Your Spirit and opened the door to all sorts of ‘stinkin’ thinkin’, You forgive and cleanse me, but You are also become free to produce Your fruit in me. You want the Spirit in control, not my negativity and sin. And that is the reason that You saved me, as Jesus said. . . .  

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:16–17)

The reward is far more than the ability to be a conduit for Your positive emotions because walking in the Spirit means You will also answer my prayers and enable me to love others as I ought!

Purpose of Life. . .

Several pages in Stephen Charnock’s book, “The Existence and Attributes of God” put me in tears this morning. He describes all the ways that even God’s people not only doubt the power of God, but also deny it. He gives examples from the OT then points to the opposite in many passages from both OT and NT. His point is that the Lord is omnipotent and totally worthy of being called Almighty God, yet so many live as if God is powerless.

Charnock also says that the fact that God is able to do whatever His will desires to do cannot  absolve me from obedience. As He showed me yesterday, He serves us and enables us to live godly lives. Some will say they are serving God as if God requires help, but that is a denial of His power; Almighty God does not need anyone or anything. He simply uses us and the power of the Holy Spirit enables us. One analogy is that He is the hand and we are the glove. As Jesus said:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)

Jesus also said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16–17) So what is the fruit?

From His words, I get the impression that fruit is related to what God puts on my heart and in my prayer list. This begs the question: what motivates me? It must be God, but before I can have godly motivation, I must drop all worldly motivation. . . .  

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)

This covers all personal desires and anything that makes me look good, feel good, and gain glory. Remember the way Jesus criticized the Pharisees for praying and parading to look good before others? Worldliness is about personal I-wants, not the will of God. I’m noticing that many cannot discern the difference. However, God gives a remedy. . . .  

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

The NT tells me to put on the new self and that old self is dead (separated from God) and useless. This is a faith issue for it does not seem dead in the sense of no longer a problem, but very much alive and trying to run things ‘my way’ rather than the way of Jesus.

So the fruit of the Spirit is not about me, my wants, what makes me feel good, etc. apart from what the Spirit gives — which usually feels good, but as soon as the fruit is my goal, I’ve turned my heart from glorifying Jesus to doing what I want — so I will feel good. Obeying Jesus isn’t about glorying in what He gives, but about glorifying Him.

For this, a very mature apostle wrote that he was not there yet, “But Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” (Philippians 3:13–15)

PRAY: Lord, my enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil with all three wanting to keep me involved in sinful living rather than being like You and glorifying You. Salvation is freedom from that sin-filled stuff to obey You in whatever You tell me to do. This is why I’m here — to bear that fruit. It’s not about me. You must increase, but I must decrease.

The “words” of truth

My hubby will testify that the use of the right word is important to me. If he or anyone else uses words that mean something other than they are trying to say, I am usually confused and sometimes  annoyed.  
Today’s reading uses one word in a definition of the Christian life that misses what that word means in English dictionaries and in NT Greek. It alerted me to how an assumption about a word meaning can justify an unbiblical doctrine.

The word is “acceptable” used as an adjective and then the author says its opposite is “rejected” but that is another error. For “acceptable” the English dictionary gives antonyms like “inadequate, insufficient, lacking, unsuitable, wrong” but not everyone rejects (a verb) whatever they find unacceptable. They might correct it, or rebuke it, or fix what is wrong. This applies to God also.

Saying that God rejects whatever is unacceptable is not part of the gospel. All of us fall short so if it means that, all of us would be rejected. Instead, it is correct to say that without grace, all people reject Him (see Romans 3:10-18). Even though God finds our sinful attitudes and actions unacceptable, according to His plan of redemption, He does not condemn everyone to hell nor toss His children who sin out of His family. Instead, He works to correct our sinful attitudes and actions and transform us into the image of His Son. He always seeks the lost and redemption and changed lives are His plan…

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:16–17)

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20)

As the book of James brings out, bearing fruit is evidence that I AM SAVED, not the means by which I please God, but the result of His saving work. In other words, to be saved is to be fruitful, and to be fruitful shows I am saved, no matter the size of the crop! My lifestyle and my new nature in Christ is evidence of His plan being fulfilled.

So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Romans 14:16–19)

If I “walk in the flesh” this means I’ve disobeyed Him. My behavior became unacceptable but this does not mean He rejects me. He keeps working, desiring that I confess, repent, and experience His grace:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Further, it is even folly to think that I can please God or make Him sad. He is complete in Himself and needs nothing from me. I’m the one in need of change and care and His love. He desires the best for me, and works in my life to that end. When I disobey, I am hurting myself and that is unacceptable because it does not do the good He desires. That is to say, my sins do not change God — He is the same yesterday, today and forever, but my sins hurt me and others. He does not need me to be joyful. He is that in Himself.

Today’s reading says, “No matter how good our outward appearance, how clear our doctrines, or how great our activities, unless we bear fruit we cannot be acceptable to God.” Yet the Bible is clear; He will never forsake His children. I am His forever and all my sins are covered. My life is hid in Christ and He is my righteousness. If salvations depended on me, it would not happen.

Those who do not believe cannot bear spiritual fruit for the Holy Spirit is not in them and they are lost. God desires all to be saved and bear fruit — but without the Holy Spirit, I cannot do it. Yet because He lives in me, He will produce fruit acceptable to His plan.

PRAY: Jesus, I’m not enjoying the challenges of the current devotional book, but realize that clarifying what ALL the Bible teaches is good for me. Keep my heart right as I try to clear the fog from many statements that contradict Your Word and that confuse me and threaten others into the error of trying to be perfected by the flesh after becoming Your children through the saving grace of Your Spirit. I trust You to save me and to keep me for I know I cannot do either one myself.   

Key to not being anxious

Exodus 36; Proverbs 12; John 15; Ephesians 5

Yesterday I started feeling anxious about this virus thing, not for myself but for the thousands of people who are dying, and for their families and the losses that accompany loss of life. The stress was not from the latest statistics, as bad as they are, but the projections for the future weeks and months. Two things came this morning that helped me.

The first was a gracious letter from my sister’s pastor. He wrote from the heart and included Scripture that reminds me of God’s goodness. He said he was blessed to know her and will always remember her and later added that death is not the end, that Christ has defeated the enemy and we will be reunited with those who have gone on before.

Then I read this: “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Proverbs 12:25) How true! That letter untied some of the knots and helped me move eagerly to John 15 and Ephesians 5. Both passages are filled with those ‘good words’ that make the heart glad.

I love the imagery in John 15 where Jesus illustrates the importance of abiding in Him. “Abide” simply means “to continue” or “to remain in the same place” or “to stay put” — telling me that I’ve enjoyed the promises of God and believing in Jesus — don’t move away from trusting Him because if I do, there are consequences. One of them is that I cannot bear fruit.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4–5)

While He could mean more, the first ‘fruit’ I think of is the fruit of the Spirit. It is described clearly as attitudes. Also, not each one is a fruit alone but all of them together are the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit. That is, if I abide in Christ, all will be present.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23)

If one of them is missing, such as peace being replaced by anxiety, then all of them are missing. In other words, I cannot love others, experience joy, be kind and patient and so on if I am worried about anything! He also says: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:10–11)

Another good word is that when I am abiding, I have this amazing experience of answered prayer!

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:7–8)

In the past few weeks, my answered prayer list has been amazing. Some are personal (like solutions to problems) and others are huge (like changed attitudes in those who need Jesus, and changes in social situations). Prayer is more complex than abiding in Christ yet not abiding is a sure way to miss out on seeing God answer prayer.

God chose me so I would bear this fruit and thus ask and receive answers. He also commands abiding because I cannot love others without resting in Him. This is vital to obedience and to living as a Christian.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16–17)

APPLY: The words of Ephesians 5 spell it out. I’m to be an “imitator of God” and “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” This means being careful how I walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Don’t be foolish or anxious but understand God’s will and be filled with the Spirit, giving thanks always for everything, caring for others because I worship and obey Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-2; 15-18; 20–21)

Not yet a perfect peach . . .

We went to the market this week and bought fruit; huge peaches, nectarines, raspberries, and grapes that crunch. Others might make pies and desserts, but we eat them as they are, fresh, ripe and incredibly delicious. Yesterday, with that perfect fruit on my mind and in my belly, I made a poster listing spiritual fruit, a reminder of my God-given purpose:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16–17)

This verse is also key in having prayer answered. God wants first a fruitful life, then to answer my prayers, even ‘whatever I ask in Jesus’ name.’

The Bible describes fruitfulness so we can know what our lives should display. Just as Jesus put in the above ‘purpose statement’ — the main evidence of fruitfulness is love, however there is more . . .

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22–25)

I’ve learned that only the Holy Spirit produces this fruit. If I am filled with Him, walking in obedience with Him, abiding in Christ as He commands, then my life will bear fruit. If not, then I’m filled with myself. However, being filled does not guarantee my life will be without trials or stress. Jesus also said that being fruitful means pruning will happen:

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)

I once had a large crabapple tree in my yard. It didn’t have many apples, but there were enough to make the tree valuable. After a little research, I realize it was overgrown and needed pruning. The idea was to take out old growth and shape the tree so ‘a bird could fly through it.’ I used the proper tools and tackled the job. When it was finished, it seemed there were more branches on the ground than on the tree. The next spring, no apples. I feared that I’d ruined the tree, but the year after that brought an incredible harvest.

Having God do the pruning isn’t much fun at the time. It means being open to the Holy Spirit who tackles my sin with an axe, or a knife, or a scalpel, depending on what must be cut away and how much it interferes with loving others, being joyful and at peace, showing patience, kindness and goodness, being faithful and gentle, and having that self-control that can say no to whatever is not good for me or for others. At times, I know what those impurities are and invite the pruning. At other times, He goes after something and I am slow to figure out what is happening. Nevertheless, if I cooperate in His work of making me more like Jesus, He promises there will be a harvest!

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1–3)

^^^^^^^

Jesus, I know that Your goal for me is that I “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing You and bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10) I also know that if any of that fruit is missing, then I have something to confess, something that needs pruning. Thank You for being so diligent to keep working and cutting away everything that does not look like You.

To Live is Christ — knowing what will last

Perhaps it’s my age, but frequently I’m thinking about things that will last beyond my life. I know that the stuff in my house will last longer than I do, but not by much. For instance, quilts have been known to last a hundred years more or less, but I don’t know if the quilts I make will last that long. My computer may not make it even a year or two from now. Wood, plaster, most of it eventually turns to dust.

However, people last. Jesus said everyone has eternal life. This could be a surprise to some, but He was clear that not everyone goes to heaven. Everlasting life is not about how long we live, but where we are after we die. 

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John 5:25–29)

An important note is that when Jesus talks about “good” and “evil,” His definition is different from what most people think. In His mind, “there is none good but God.” Jesus made this plain to those seeking eternal life. To be “good” our only chance is to have His goodness. This is the wonder of faith — it puts those who believe “in Christ” and changes them from the inside out, giving them something they did not possess without Jesus.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new . . . For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21)

I’ve called that the big trade. God took my sin and gave me His goodness. Because of that, Christians have the goodness of God and can do good.

So, people last. Some will experience eternal life separated from God. Others have eternal life with God. Those others are able to bear “fruit” that will also last forever. 

You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other. (John 15:16–17)

I know some of what that “fruit” is. It’s described in the Bible as both attitudes and the actions done with those attitudes motivating them.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . . (Galatians 5:22–23)

This fruit cannot be produced apart from faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Some try to imitate this fruit, but the difference is the source of it, the motivation behind it, and the results. The fruit that God wants will glorify Him, not promote me.

So with all that in my head and heart, the challenge is to live as this kind of person, someone whose life is chock-full of those things which will last forever — in eternity — with God. Since I can take only everlasting things with me into eternity, this choice is a no-brainer.

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