His work, His way

Our church has a Bible study for women. I prayed about it and signed up. At the first session I was wondering why God wanted me there. It was good material, basic and foundational. At the end of the session, I was still wondering if my foundations needed a boost. However, when I went out, the woman at the reception desk wanted to talk. Then God showed me why I was there for that day — she asked me to teach her how to quilt.

Many people think of quilts as granny taking apart old clothes and producing blankets from them. While that still happens, quilting has become a huge industry and an art form. For me, it has become a God-given ministry. Quilts are a huge comfort to those in need, from children to dying elderly people, widows, wounded soldiers, needy families, and more.

In this ministry, I am often tempted to go beyond the leading of the Lord and try to make things happen, but this never works. Even if my ideas seem viable, whatever I push eventually fails. I’ve also realized the importance of keeping short accounts with God. He stops all progress in any project if I have unconfessed sin in my life. Not only that, sin will weigh me down, making hearing His direction impossible, and producing a great deal of negativity and discouragement.

Paul wrote the same thing about his ministry. He was not making quilts for others, but sharing the truth about redemption with others . . .

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:1–2)

God’s mercy calls His people to build His kingdom and do His work His way. It is tough. Many Christian workers are shunned, ridiculed, persecuted, and even killed for their efforts. Yet because of His grace toward us, we carry on.

Doing what we do is for God and for others. Staying within His will in my own life is vital. I must never do anything that is shameful, or even that which seems okay but is self-promoting. I am to forsake all hidden sins that I think no one but God knows about. These affect my behavior and cloud my relationships. They deter God’s blessing on the kingdom work I’m involved in, and even though my activities might look successful on the surface, they lose their eternal value.

I cannot mess with the Word of God either. Some do — to their own downfall. Instead, God wants me to be so transparent that my entire life, including my thoughts, could be projected on a screen and I would not be ashamed, and He would not need to mercifully hide any of it.

This standard of purity is a lofty yet worthy goal. Pursuing it usually means suffering in some way. Jesus was totally transparent and pure in all He did yet His enemies eventually killed Him.

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1–2)

The Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. This shows that being fully human means integrity and transparency, a purity of heart and life that I cannot achieve without yielding my entire life to Him. He will live out His goodness in me as I obey Him.

For Jesus, abandoning His will to the will of the Father also meant giving humanity the ultimate ministry; He died so we could live forever. While I need not do that, God wants from me that same obedience and commitment to His will, no matter what He asks me to do. 

To Live is Christ — Being Pure in Heart

The devotional guide that I am using this year is not dated. However, my software program allows me to set a reading plan for the year. With this guide, the reading plan has me looking at the same section for 3-4 days. In other words, if God is convicting me about something, I’m not as apt to “skip” it, but must consider what He is saying to me.

Today, I am still reading this passage:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. (Matthew 5:6–8)

The guide makes pointed statements and asks pointed questions. It says things like, “Purity improves your vision so you can see God” and “Without purity your view of God will be limited.”

Today I am asked this: “If your vision of God is dim, what does that say about your purity?”

My first thought regarding purity is having a clean mind. This is not a current problem. However, purity is a broader term. It can also mean being free from the use of anything that is forbidden, from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt, from every admixture of what is false, blameless, innocent, unstained with the guilt of anything.

Another possible meaning is “not mixed” and this one fits with my focus this year: “for me, to live is Christ.” If I have conflicting goals for living, then I have a purity problem.

These are convicting thoughts. I have been called an ambitious person. I do many things and make many plans. My to-do list is long and I enjoy writing, making quilts, graphic arts, being involved with several groups, and teaching. Are all of these for God? Am I living for Christ with these activities? Or do I do them for me? Are my motives free from selfishness? Is my heart pure?

I cannot be sure that my heart is “for Christ” regarding all my goals. I’m asking the Lord to show me, and to help me with whatever needs to change. This is a test and discomforting, but I am determined.

We are on holidays. This we will be attending a church that we have never been to before. I’m asking the Lord to use His Word and this experience to help me see and confess whatever has the slightest stain. I deeply want to have a clearer vision of Him.

His Goal = my goal

When looking for a house to rent in the San Fernando Valley, we were directed to a bungalow that was advertised as “spacious and clean.” We had moved many times so the “clean” part was particularly appealing.

When we got there, the outside looked wonderful. It was a big, sprawling house with a nice yard and lots of trees. Inside was another story. I will only describe the oven. It had at least 1/4" of guck everywhere. The rest of the house matched that stove. I remarked that I’d not make a herd of cattle live in that house.

Yet when I battle my internal sinful attitudes, I think of that house. I can look good on the outside too, but God knows the heart. He is really picky about clean, much pickier than I am. Yet as tough as it is to keep everything pure and right in my heart and mind, I’d not have it any other way. Imagine serving a God that didn’t care about our yucky stuff!

I know that some Christians would think that no one knows or can tell what goes on inside another person’s head, so why work so hard? Can’t I nurture a grudge for a little while? Or be angry with someone who disagrees with me? As long as it doesn’t come out, isn’t that okay?

Those are only two examples. Every person, including believers, can come up with dozens more. My mind is a battlefield. God wants clear thinking and purity, and my enemy wants mud and guck — in multiplied layers.

This morning I read a couple of beloved verses and am again encouraged to keep fighting negative and ungodly notions, and to keep my eyes on Jesus so I can win over what a friend calls “stinkin’ thinkin’.”

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)

My hope and goal in life is to be like Jesus. That ties totally with God’s goal for me. It fits all the criteria for a good goal in that it is measurable and achievable. I know that I am not there yet, but God promises that one day I will be, so that promise encourages me to win all battles for godly living, even those that no one can see. Purify myself, no matter what others see.

Paul knew about these problems. Maybe he fought the same battles. He addressed them in several ways. One passage says:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:6-8)

I used to think that the “anxious for nothing” part was about the human tendency to worry about things that are not in our control, but after a battle within my thoughts, I can see that God is asking me not to be anxious about that either. Instead, I am to bring these problems to Him as well as my worries. When I tell Him my struggles, He not only forgives any sin, but cleanses my heart and gives me peace, a peace that does not make sense. Shouldn’t I still feel guilty or something? Shouldn’t I still be fighting and struggling?

No, the peace of God is a guard against all that, including the worry that I will never win (He says I will) and the guilt over the times that I have gone under. He tells me to focus my thoughts on good things, to meditate on things for which I can offer praise.

There are huge practical applications to this. A few months ago God showed me that He desires a simplicity of mind, not a simple mind in the sense we would think, but a mind that is free of clutter. With a generous smattering of ADHD, I’m amazed at what a clutter-free mind feels like. I’m able to solve problems, tackle chores, get more done, and be totally relaxed about interruptions. The more of my inner life that I bring to God for a good scrub, the more peace and energy I enjoy.

God is amazing. Following Jesus Christ is rewarding. Being totally like Him is still beyond my imagination, yet God says it will happen one day — and I can hardly wait.

The power of power

English historian Lord Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” He also said, “Be not content with the best book; seek sidelights from the others; have no favorites.”

It seems to me that Lord Acton didn’t know what the best book says. For instance, Mark 16:19-10 says, “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”

No one on earth has the absolute power of Jesus Christ. He sits not only in the ultimate place of honor, but also the ultimate place of power at the right hand of the Father. Through Him, His disciples turned the world upside down. Through Him, lives are changed, human events are governed. Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, yet no one is more pure, more holy. There is no trace of corruption in Him.

Further, His Word is the best book, not merely because it is an annual best seller, but because through it, He speaks. God uses His Book to soften hearts, judge sin, and change lives. If I could have no other book, I would be content with this one, the best book.

Other points of importance come out of this passage in Mark. One is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and my blessed Lord sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high in the same human body which He wore upon earth. While glorified beyond my imagination, He reigns in heaven “with the same pure, spotless, holy, and immortal humanity which He assumed in the womb of the Virgin, and which He offered as a sacrifice upon the cross” (from today’s Ears from Harvested Sheaves).

There Jesus is at the right hand of God as mediator between God and me. This man Jesus is fully God yet fully human and as both He serves as my advocate with the Father. He is for me a brother, counselor, leader, guide and friend. He is enthroned in glory and His power is absolute, yet He holds all this in purity, not corruption.

What a contrast to today’s leaders. World news is filled with the violence of powerful people who use their strength to overthrow, maim, and murder even the innocents who stand or happen to be in their way. The leaders in my own country are threatened by those who oppose them, not for the greater good, but so they can be in power instead.

Lord Acton’s quote is well known and most think it means that when a person has power, then that power corrupts him or her. I think it is power itself that corrupts. Everyone who wants it loses sight of all things fair and good. Everyone who thinks they must have it forgets the needs of others. Everyone who grabs for power loses all sense of right and wrong, that is, everyone but Jesus Christ.