Weakness is my strong point?

 

Today’s reading begins with: “One of the laws of life is that all plants must yield fruit after their own kind. I must be content, therefore, to be the type of plant and bear the type of fruit the divine Husbandman pleases. We do not always like to be what God has made us to be.”

This speaks of spiritual gifts and the list in Romans 12 where Christians are told to act on who they are. The NT sometimes relates this to body parts too. Not everyone has the same gifts nor bears the same spiritual fruit, we are to recognize what God wants from us and realize that while all Christians can bear fruit using every gift, the dominant one or two shape our ministry and even our personality.

Years ago when teaching a class on spiritual gifts, one of the women in the class was obviously an encourager, sometimes called the mouth of the Body. This gift points to the positive and to possibilities to help others move forward in their faith and ministry. However, she decided she was a prophetic discerner, a gift that discerns the will of God, who sees things in black and white terms, and who prays much. This decision meant that she wound up being fruitless in both areas.

The reading for today warns against trying to be something we are not. While the Holy Spirit can enable a sympathetic ear at a funeral or in a hospital room, I know my main gift is not compassion. I do want folks to feel good, but am more focused on helping them think right, to have their minds renewed so their comfort and sense of well-being is rooted in faith and God’s Word rather than in sympathy and hugs.

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)

These and other verses about who God is and His grace and power to transform our thinking are a focus for me and fuel my desire to move other Christians into thinking God’s way instead of the world’s way. I know that when they do, the contentment they seek will be there and it will help them through great trials.

The thing about fruit-bearing and using spiritual gifts is knowing that divine strength will be made perfect in human weakness — but who likes to feel weak? Paul didn’t. He had a problem and wanted the Lord to fix it, but finally learned why he felt so needy…

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

The reading says that this law of spiritual life means our part is to supply the weakness, whereas God’s part is to supply the strength. He does this in an almost mysterious way so that I feel my weakness but others see His strength. If a berry bush could talk, it might tell how bearing fruit makes it feel tired — but all we see are the delicious berries!

PRAY: Jesus, I sometimes desire to take Your part and try to be strong. But I know that life in You does not work that way lest. I wind up being discouraged and fruitless. Human and worldly thinking assumes strength to be effective and that I must be confident and filled with courage, not weak and helpless. But the Word of God says that my weakness is my greatest strength. This is an important lesson. Keep me in Your classroom!

We divide, God unites and multiplies...

 

Moving dozens of times, going to Bible school and seminary, and visiting churches while on vacations adds up to exposure to many different denominations. All were Christian, yet the emphasis of each varies. Since then, I’ve learned that this is a complex issue. Early Christian beliefs even had branches too, such as Jewish Christianity, Pauline Christianity and Gnostic Christianity. These days, some might say Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodox, ’liberal’ vs. ‘evangelical’ or use other terms such as Calvinist or Arminians, never mind all the denominational titles.

Many theologians would divide Christians by how they interpret the way of salvation. For instance, Calvinists believe that God must produce in us the decisive desire for Christ. Arminians believe we must produce in ourselves the decisive desire for Christ. The Arminians say that God helps us and all people, but people provide the last, decisive impetus and desire for that belief.

For me, the Calvinist view seems the most biblical, not particularly because of Calvin’s five points but because it most glorifies God. Me being the master of my own fate seems to put me in the power seat rather than the Lord, and that glorifies me. Not biblical.

All that said, I also like how Watchman Nee defined the soul as being my intellect, emotions, and will. It is the part of me that runs my life without Christ. When Jesus saved me, He led me to understand that my mind, emotions, and volition needed to be turned over to Him, not abandoned but transformed. That is a process but also begun by Him when He made me a new creation:

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:16–17)

From this and other verses, walking in the flesh involves my mind, emotions, and choices. The new life is governed by the Holy Spirit in all three areas, yet the flesh stubbornly tries to maintain the primary voice in things. It wants life to be reasonable, comfortable, and done ‘my way’ so that it makes sense, feels good, and I have a sense of being in charge. However, trusting God often involves the opposites.

Not only that, I see these three fleshy elements having a focus in Christian denominations, in varying degrees and with much or little impact, but having an impact. The pentecostal denominations do focus on the Holy Spirit, but also emotions are important. The churches of God and its branches are more into human volition and making decisions (like “choose Christ”) and stress the importance of our will. The baptist-types stress right knowledge and having a sound mind. The devotional I’m using is a challenge because the focus is on the human will to the point that the author believes we can decide ourselves out of eternal life.

One pastor explains that if you focus on something with a magnifying glass, the things around it become fuzzy, even distorted. This seems to be the problem with all these denominations and various belief systems. We get too involved on what we think is a major issue and miss the importance of the entire Word of God, even the importance of glorifying God — instead of my thinking, my feelings, my will. Even Jesus said, “Not my will but thine be done” and He shows us to rely totally on our heavenly Father, not any part of me, myself, or I. While that is safe and takes time and faith to learn, it is also scary if I don’t know the love of God or trust Him to want the best for me and the glory that is due Him.

I come from a weekend that was so blessed by God that I’m almost numb with gratitude and joy. How can I say thanks? As the main organizer for this reunion, I could say “I did it” and that would not only not be true, it would ruin the blessing. God did it all and I feel like a bystander at a major display of His power and love. Others, even those not Christian, have expressed the wonder of what this event has done to their hearts. Only God. Only God.

PRAY: Jesus, how can I say thanks for the things You have done? I want the world to know that You love us, all of us, and that You can do anything. Your big blessing is coming here to die for us that we might live. After that, all is incredible, designed to transform us into Your image. Amazing grace! Again, I worship You, the God who is enough!

In what do I boast?

 
I know a man who often says that he must ‘do something’ and that his Christian life is based on that rule. He says that he feels right about himself if he is involved in meeting needs and without anything to do, he does not.

Today’s reading is about growing in grace. Grace is not about what I do but about what Christ has done and is doing. The author says that to walk in grace means opposing all growth in self-dependence or self-effort. It means to oppose every legality or rules to put our growing in the hands of our Savior, Jesus Christ, just as we put our eternal destiny in his hands.

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:28–30)

I also know a woman who says that even though she knows salvation is not based on her in any way, she never feels ‘good enough’ to be a Christian. As Jesus says, she is ‘anxious about her clothing’ or to put it in salvation terms, she worries about what covers her or adorns her and her growth.

In this woman’s mind, the conflict is between flesh and Spirit, even though she knows that both cannot be true. If God covers or clothes her, why does she need to add more? If God saves us by grace, why the compulsion to add to that works?
I’m trying to relate. What comes to mind is this: if God does it all, He gets all the credit, all the glory. Being saved by grace is a humble admission that I cannot save myself. This is all about the future after death.

But what about requiring grace to live the Christian life? The Bible says I cannot do anything of eternal value in my life apart from grace. That is humbling too. It goes against the world’s value system. Only little babies and severely handicapped people are unable to do things. This truth hits my pride.

Jesus says I’m like a lily? It grows by itself. A weed is also the same. This ‘walking by faith’ rather than by sight is one thing, but abiding in Christ because ‘apart from Him I can do nothing’ does not seem like good news, even though it explains why a person feels as if they ‘must do something’ or is ‘never good enough.’

To add to this hit to pride, God also says:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31)

God is not interested in my IQ, power, or any other credentials. No matter how high or strong I am in any category, compared to Him I am nothing. And I boast in myself? Silly me. All that is wise or good or of any value is because of Christ Jesus, and has nothing to do with how good I think I am. It is like swimming to Hawaii; some of us drown in no time and others cover a few miles, but no one can do it. We also all fall short of the glory of God.

PRAY: Jesus, those who whine about inability might hear, “Suck it up, princess” or something like that. I hear You say, “My strength is perfected in weakness” and “I’ve got you covered” — and that is far better than self-pity or any pride that focuses on me be ‘good enough’ or any compulsion that tells me I must work hard to be worthy. My boast must be in You. Also, I’m not to evaluate those who don’t see these things the way I do. You also say, “Do not quarrel over opinions” because “each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:1-12)

God has the answers . . .

 

Because the essence of sin is “going our own way” rather than living God’s way, and since all are sinners, we can fall into the idea that our problems can be solved by us or an ‘expert’ or advisor, and the Bible is not sufficient for many things.

Coming from a person who is learning to pray about everything, I’m finding that God is my sufficiency, and His Word tells me why and how. Relying on Him 100% is not easy though. I aced it through school, two degrees, and many problems so it is easy to trust myself, but God says:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5–8)

In this passage, relying on God instead of myself is even related to physical health. Other passages show that trusting the Lord can mean success and prosperity, and even if it doesn’t, that trust changes our lives in many ways. It brings joy in trials and gives us access to incredible wisdom.

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 5:22–24)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:2–5)

King David of Israel knew the reality that God’s ways are sufficient for every issue of life. This is what he said, and I believe it too:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:7–14)

David may not have prayed for parking places like I sometimes do but he knew the sufficiency of God’s Word and His ways. I can pray with confidence for His help because I know who He is by reading His book. I can also pray for others, like those suffering in current conflicts in far-away places, or for His workers on the other side of the world, even those I only know by their requests. I know this because the Bible tells me so.

I also know that God’s Word keeps my heart in peace, even when everything around me is chaos. I cannot do that my myself. I need Jesus and I need His Book.

PRAY: Jesus, for some people, money, a strong ethic, a high IQ or a winning personality might get them where they want to go, but there are no blessings like those You give when I live for You and do what You ask. Your Word is perfect and certain, helping me through every struggle or challenge of life. Help me always appreciate and rest fully in Your gracious provision.

PONDER: List the terms from Psalm 19:1–14 that describe God’s word and think about the way He uses it in my life. Be deeply thankful for all that the Bible does for me.

 

 

The Lord does the numbering . . .

 

READ 1 Chronicles 21–25

This reading gives me a big picture view of some spiritual principles.

First, God’s people are in a spiritual battle. I need to pray and fight this war with them, not stay home like David did when “Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah.” Even though Joab won the battle, his king was not with him. (1 Chronicles 20:1)

Second, not fighting the battle makes me open to the temptation of relying on my own strength:

Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.” But Joab said, “May the Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?” But the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem.

Joab found this command abhorrent and didn’t completely fulfill it. David’s numbering represented a trust in his own numbers. God certainly displeased. (21:1-6)

Third, the consequences of prayerlessness and trusting my own resources can have huge consequences. David repented and said, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” At this, the Lord offered him a choice of three consequences (something I rarely get for my disobedience), and David choose pestilence rather than famine or attacks from his enemies. Because of his sin, 70,000 men of Israel fell. (21:7–17)

Could it be that the human claim that we control the climate (and a host of other things) has resulted in God showing us that we cannot control anything? Could my prayerlessness be part of that enormous consequence?

Fourth, whatever I offer to God will cost me something. God told David to “raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” Ornan offered it freely, but David said, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” He built the altar “and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.” (21:24–27)

Sometimes I don’t pray because I have other things to do, but could it be that the cost of giving up my silly priorities keeps me from praying and that prayerlessness results in God not doing anything about those things that require prayer to be made right?

Fifth, Jesus gave His people all we need to do the work He wants us to do. This is pictured in David who realized Solomon’s restored place of worship would be “exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands” so he provided materials in great quantity before his death and with great sacrifice: 100,000 talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, timber and stone, and told his son to add an “abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you” and he commanded all the leaders of Israel to help with the worship: the priests, Levites, chiefs of service, musicians who prophesied and were “trained in singing to the Lord . . . small and great, teacher and pupil alike.”

Jesus provides the people and the resources, all that we need to accomplish what He desires. Our part is joyful obedience, beginning with prayer and total reliance on Him, wary of the awful consequences of not doing our part, and being willing to count the cost and make sacrifices, willing to drop what I think is important to do whatever He asks me to do.

It is easy to think my part is too small, or insignificant, or that God does not need me. It is easy to get busy with chores, fun stuff, or other things that take prayer out of my mind. When I do that, I’m not going to war with God’s army. Sometimes I slide into self-evaluation. Whether the result is high or low, it is a sin to turn from the resources I have in Christ and think that I can do it without Him, or that I can’t do much of anything anyway. This battle, this life, is not about me. It is about the Lord and serving Him in total trust.

Besides all that, prayer is demanding. It takes time and can be emotionally draining. If I am not willing to sacrifice to do it, have I considered the consequences? Not nearly enough . . .