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.   

Accepting His answers . . .

Genesis 22; Nehemiah 11; Matthew 21; Acts 21

Yesterday was difficult. My sister is no longer here. Heaven is good, but I cannot see it. Walking by faith and not by sight is hard. Yet my sister made it clear that she was ready to die and be with Jesus. I wanted her to stay with us yet am glad she is with Jesus.

Sunday’s sermon helped these emotions. The pastor offered four questions to ask in difficult situations:

1. Do I believe God can do anything?

2. Am I willing to leave the ‘anything’ up to Him?

3. Am I willing to stop worrying or striving over the issue?

4. Will I accept His answers?

The hardest question is the last one because there is no other option. My sister will not be healed. I had stopped striving about that and let go. Now I’m praying that God will honor her desire for her memorial service — that Jesus will be lifted up and that God will be glorified. She didn’t want the funeral to be about her. But what if it is? Or what if it is blah, flesh-delivered? Or the music is awful? Yikes. Can I leave this up to Him?

Today’s reading in Genesis is about God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son, the son God promised him. Most of us know the story. It was a test of faith and Abraham passed it. Just before the knife fell, God stopped Abraham:

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” (Genesis 22:13–14)

Abraham had to trust God’s promises before he saw the ram. I feel like He is asking me to do the same, to trust Him without seeing. My sister wanted Jesus exalted at her memorial service. Will He do it?

I was thinking of that when I read the above verses, then saw the footnote in my Bible. It says the last part could be translated: “The LORD will see” and “On the mount of the LORD He will be seen.” This hit me as one of those ‘rhema’ words from God to my heart. He sees what is needed and in providing that need, He will be seen.

Surely the great need is redemption and forgiveness of sin. God provided Jesus to make that possible. Not only do I want the Gospel message central as my sister wanted, but people who attend will see that God has provided Jesus for their greatest need.

Matthew reminds me that God’s work is often done in ways that at first do not make sense. This goes back to before my sister died. She wanted spiritual revival in her hometown. Will God answer that desire of her heart by her death? He does grant answers to prayers made in faith. (Matthew 21:21–22)

I feel glad that God’s ways are often mysterious. One example is the way Paul was warned about his plan to go to Jerusalem . . .

A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:10–14)

Again, I connect this with my sister’s deep desire for revival and for Christ to be exalted. She also wanted no special effort made as her health deteriorated. She was ready for the will of God to be done. He could have healed her, yet He put her in a situation where it was obvious this was her time to go and she was ready, even excited to see Him. Will her memorial be part of His answers to her prayer and mine?

It is easy to say, “Thy will be done” yet harder to accept if His will does not fit with my hopes. On the other hand, He could do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”  (Ephesians 3:20) and bring glory to Himself in a mighty way.

Again, He can do anything. I need Him to enable me to leave that ‘anything’ to His grace and wisdom, quit being anxious about it, and prepare to accept whatever happens, still convinced that He knows best.

Seeds die before flowers grow!

This spring we bought tomato plants for the sunshine side of our home. We had two planting pots left over and my husband had two seed packets stowed in the back of his desk drawer. He forgot where they came from or how long they were there, perhaps 2-3 years. We had nothing to lose so sprinkled the contents in each of the planters and kept them moist. One was ‘wildflowers’ and the other ‘Shasta Daisy’ — a perennial.

The wildflowers came up thick and have been blooming for several weeks. The daisies came up thick too, even had to be thinned. They will bloom next year if we replant them in a good spot. Both came from tiny seeds, useless until they were planted, and useless unless their shells decayed and released the life hidden in them. I smile every time I look at them.

Jesus said to His disciples: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:23–26)

Jesus was talking about Himself and what His death would accomplish, but He was also talking about His followers. For us, this death is like His but different. He died on the Cross and rose from that death to give us eternal life. For Christians, we must die to our old ways, to self-rule as He did when He said, “Not My will but Thine be done” to His Father. When we yield all to Him like that, His eternal life is released from us, blessing others with that quality of life that cannot die.

Today’s devotional reading lists some ‘fruit’ that the death of Christ produced. The first one is that His death satisfied the justice of God. Because He died in our place, we do not pay the penalty for sin. (See Romans 3:25–26) I cannot produce that atoning ‘fruit’ by putting to death my old nature and living in the fullness of the new life Christ has given me, yet that new life is His life, a life of power and grace. What will He grow?

Actually, I cannot guess what He will do through me. When we planted those wildflowers, the seed packet did not list the contents. We did not know what the ‘fruit’ would look like, nor that it would be so prolific. Planted in faith? Maybe, but the seeds were definitely planted in hope. They surprised us by growing and their blooms give great pleasure. I’d like my life to be like that — growing and giving joy to others.

The second ‘fruit’ listed in the devotional is that Christ’s death “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13).

The Law of God can no longer condemn us because Jesus took that condemnation on Himself. His death paid the price so I could escape the damnation of sin. I cannot do that for others either, but can God use the ‘death of me’ to help others better understand that Jesus Christ’s death has the power to change lives.

The third fruit is removal of guilt by forgiveness: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

I’ve never thought of comparing forgiveness with flowers before now. Knowing that God (or anyone else) is not angry with me for any wrong-doing is like being in a garden of roses, like enjoying the perfume of sweet peas, like looking across a sea of tulips or red poppies. All because He died. If I could give the world a great gift, it would have to be the gift of redemption, the freedom of knowing all is forgiven, the beauty of guilt lifted, then replaced with incredible beauty and delight.

Fourth, Satan is defeated. “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) No brainer. Each time I say NO to self and YES to God, the enemy must flee. He cannot stay in the presence of a surrendered heart.

Fifth is sanctification. It is first declared and bestowed, then made a reality by the One “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14) This is what happens to those who ‘eat’ the fruit of His life (See John 6:35-58). The saying, “You are what you eat” is never truer or more amazing than this!

Sixth is the certainty of eternal life. Unlike a flower seed that produces a flower, that produces more seed, the ‘fruit’ from Christ, and the ‘fruit’ from dying to self lives forever: “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8)

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, oh Jesus, You are awesome. Those flowers gave us beauty and joy through seeds that ‘died’ but came out of a tomb to give us far more than we expected. Through Your death, You gave us Your life. Your Spirit fills us with His amazing fruit. Your life makes us a blessing to others, a sweet perfume of Your wonderful grace. Today, my intention is to live for You, not concerned about me (for You will take care of that) but letting the fruit of Your death and resurrection define all that I think and do. 

Spiritual Warfare

I cannot relate to Chambers’ devotional today because I do not spend much time with ‘amiable’ religious people who do not understand why Jesus died. Our church family is well aware of the vital importance of the Cross and how much we need it.

However, the context of the verse this author chose speaks to my current thoughts. God asked Jesus to die and in His death, He and the name of God are glorified; the ruler of this world is cast out; and Jesus is lifted up to draw all people to Himself. This is wonderful, yet in the midst of those truths, Jesus says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also” (verse 26).

Here is the larger context of what Jesus said . . .

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. (John 12:23–33)

Jesus is glorified but He must first die. When I read this, I knew right away how this must be applied because as He spoke of this reality He also described another reality; to bear eternal fruit, I must also die to all my plans, desires, and human hopes and follow Him in His death.

This is not literal (although it could be) since death is often simply a great separation. In this case, Jesus talks about my priorities. His words and His life show me that what matters the most means being willing to give up everything else.

In the death of Jesus, the world is judged; the ‘ruler of this world’ who is Satan is cast out; and all people are drawn to Jesus. I get the implication. In my ‘death to self’ I am passing judgment on this world and all it offers by putting it aside to follow Him. I am also casting out the Liar and refusing his temptations because I only want Jesus who is the Truth. By yielding all to Him, I am lifting Jesus up and somehow others will be drawn to Him.

This is true about my salvation experience, but this time it is true about a deeper walk, about sanctification, about realizing there is more of me that must be given over to His loving rule. It is about dying to selfishness, to doing some things my own way and in my own strength.

I consider the alternative and it is not pretty. If I hang on to my way, then I am embracing the ways of the world, listening to the lies of the devil, and exalting myself instead of Jesus. The problems are obvious and that last one is particularly of note. When I try to lift up me instead of Jesus, no one is drawn to Him or to me either. None of this works.

Why should there be any difficulty with this death to self? Such is the spiritual battle against sin. Paul describes it in Romans 7 and also in the following verses:

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:4–6)

Every bit of determination in my arsenal is useless. Instead, I need the “divine power” of God. He is the Savior. He saved me, He is saving me, and one day I will stand completely saved in His presence. This is a certain outcome, but for now the war continues.