The Bible calls God’s people to live out their faith by taking care of widows and orphans. We are charged to feed and clothe the needy, yet sadly, this is not putting a dent in those statistics. Part of the problem is that authorities in needy countries exploit the poor by confiscating any aid sent and use it for themselves. But a bigger problem is that many of God’s people are children themselves, infants in the faith and without the maturity that pays heed to what God asks of us. Instead, we are too busy with our own wants and desires, like spoiled children.
As I read the following passage this morning, I thought of the various ways God provides growing experiences so that I can be mature and not tossed about by false teaching or my own selfishness.
And (Christ) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16)
First, Christ gives gifted leadership to equip His people. Leadership is important to growth. Without mature examples, help, teaching and guidance, God’s people remain children in their faith. This has implications. How many who profess to be Christians are not attending church, not availing themselves of good instruction, or are not willing to listen to correction or anything that brings them into greater obedience? Without submission to this provision from God, the children starve.
What about those who are in church? Jesus gives leadership to equip them for ministry but in many churches, His people sit every Sunday hearing truth intended to equip them. They have what they need to go out and do something for others and for the glory of God. But they don’t go. They are “too busy” or have other excuses. Without us using our “equipping” to serve others, the children starve.
Another way God’s people grow up in Christ is by speaking the truth in love. I teach a ladies class using discussion methods. I tell the women that if they cannot speak up and say what they know about God in the safety of a class like this, how can they ever speak the truth to those who have never heard it? How can we be faithful witnesses to the power of God if we cannot open our mouths and tell people of His greatness? Not only that, as this verse says, speaking up makes us grow up. Just saying what we believe produces maturity in us! Without that, we remain babes — sometimes starving babes.
The last part of the passage in Ephesians is about unity. Speaking truth and growing to maturity produces unity. This means that the Body of Christ is working as it should, loving one another and loving others, taking care of needs and obeying God. Unity is vital to the work of ministering to others. Without it, the children perish.
Sometimes the pictures of starving children make me feel so totally helpless that I just weep. What can one person do for millions? God offers opportunities for generosity, and it is important that I obey Him when He does. I need also to mature and keep growing myself, so that I am ready and willing to do as the Lord asks. He can take even five loaves and two fishes to feed a multitude. Whatever I can offer, He can multiply.
However, He also gives me opportunities to equip the saints, the sleeping saints, the immature saints, the children tossed to and fro. Each child of God alone cannot do very much for the woes of this world, but collectively we are a mighty army. When we are joined and held together with each joint working properly, we are a Body of love and no longer children tossed about — or too busy with our toys to think about the needs of others.
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Lord, the people of God are Your answer to much of the world’s need. While we cannot “fix” it apart from Your power and Your direction, Your Word gives us clear instruction. It seems that the Body of Christ could do far more than it is. I am part of that Body. Speak and help me listen. Give me direction and help me to grow up and do what You want done.
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Much earlier in my Christian life I’d read several books by well-known Christian authors. In my mind, they were giants of the faith and I was excited when given the opportunity to go to a woman’s conference near Chicago and meet some of them. I learned far more about spirituality that weekend than I expected.
One of those writers arrived on the front steps of the lecture hall the same time I did. I don’t know what I expected, but was surprised at her ordinary appearance. She could easily have been the mother next door, hair uncombed, stirring cookie batter, wearing an apron and talking about petunias.
The plenary speaker told of locking herself in the bathroom the night before and sleeping on the cold tiles in her nightgown until she realized the door opened the other way. Another speaker told of being followed in a store by someone she thought was a shy fan, until the other woman told her she had her skirt on inside-out.
God used that weekend to show me that I should never put the saints of God on a pedestal. The are like me, and I know that I don’t belong up there either. Elevating others in this way demonstrates that I am living according to the flesh, which is my old sin nature and opposed to true spirituality.
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? (1 Corinthians 3:1–4)
In these verses, only two fleshy attitudes are identified. Both are things that small children do, so Paul calls these activities of infants in Christ. The first is jealousy. Every time I see what others have and want it for myself, I am behaving in a childish human way. The Spirit of Christ is not like this. Romans 12:15 says I should, “Rejoice with those who rejoice,” not want whatever they have that makes them happy.
This might be about material things, but it can also be spiritual achievements. I could be jealous of someone’s ministry, a writer’s success at selling books, a teacher’s ability to get a point across. I could want the spiritual gifts others have or the places of honor they have been given. All this is fleshy, infant behavior.
The second fleshy attitude is strife. The people at Corinth were fighting over who had the best leader. I’ve heard similar strife over who listens to the best preacher, or who attends the best or biggest church. Strife can also cover almost every area of life. Babes and little children will fight over anything, from whose dad is the strongest to who has the best toys, to who has the best method for getting cookies out of the cookie jar.
Both jealousy and strife come out of people who are trying to be the best and defend their position. Christianity is not about this. Those who are mature in their faith know where they stand with God. They are content with His care and trust His wisdom in what He has chosen for their lives. They don’t need to enter the pecking order or try to be what they are not. They don’t fight over trivia or anything else that will divide them.
Whether I put others on a pedestal or try to climb up there myself, I am acting like a child, a human yes, but spiritual no. If I am motivated by jealousy or insecurity over who I am, then I don’t know nor am I living by the realities of who I am in Jesus Christ.
Since that experience at the women’s conference, I have met many famous writers and preachers. Seeing them as fellow members of the Body of Christ makes a huge difference in the encounter. Instead of putting them in the awkward position of what to do with idol-expectations, they can talk to me as a spiritual person, recognizing that I am interested in them. When I have no envy and am not using them to feed my ego or prove my own worth by being in their company, not only am I set free from fleshy behavior, but so are they.
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Father, this is an important and ongoing lesson. I still run into people who are smarter, or more spiritual, or in some way outstanding, and I am tempted by fleshy responses. I want to prove myself, or brag that I know them, or do some silly thing that is not of Your Spirit but from my immaturity. Thank You for the lessons of the past and for Your present and future care to help me grow up and more consistently have the right attitude.
For a long time, I never touched a paintbrush, even gave my supplies to someone else. However, the oddest emotions gripped me every time I was in a store that featured art supplies. I’m still not able to describe it, but it seemed as if deep was calling to deep and I was saying NO to a part of who I am. Was this God? Or my selfish desires?
In today’s devotional from My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers writes of missionary motivation. He refers to this fragment of a verse: “For His name’s sake they went forth” from 3 John 7.
In his comments, he describes how we should show our love for Jesus by being interested in people and their needs just as He is interested in them. He points to Peter’s experience when the Lord asked him, “Do you love me?” After Peter replied that he did, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” The Lord affirms that loving Him means taking care of others, and as Paul wrote later, this love is about attitude as much as it is about actions.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. . . . (1 Corinthians 13:4–8)
Love is also practical and active, focused on relationships. It is also the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who sheds abroad the love of God in my heart. His love can pour through me to others. I need to build relationships so that can happen, and I remain loyal to His name’s sake when I love others in this way. Chambers says anything else is sentimental jargon.
Here is the rub: the key to devotion to Christ has nothing to do with being detached from external things. Jesus wasn’t, at least in the sense that I gave up painting. He was involved in life, eating and drinking with sinners, walking in the fields with His disciples. He had a mission but He was also a carpenter. While the Bible gives little space to His vocation, it is clear on one important thing: His detachment was not about shunning externals but was on the inside in utter devotion toward God.
Chambers says this, “External detachment is often an indication of a secret vital attachment to the things we keep away from externally.” This statement hits me and explains my emotions in the art supply stores. He goes on to say that the loyalty of those in Christian service is about keeping our souls open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. God sends out ordinary humans with a dominating devotion to Himself. It is not about giving up who we are, but about doing as He says and caring about people.
God has directed and redirected my artistic bent, using it to bring me in contact with people. While I’ve mistakenly resisted paints and brushes, He worked out other ways to use creative endeavor (either mine or mutual interest) to bring me closer to others and often giving opportunity to share His love with them. It has taken me a long time to realize that it wasn’t creative ability that God wanted me to drop, but the selfishness involved. Instead, He wants to use those abilities as a channel for His blessing.
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Lord, You have shown me again and again that You can use any interest or occupation as an arena for demonstrating Your love. Even human hobbies and other interests can be wonderful connecting points with people, particularly those who are not yet interested in loving or serving You. Rather than letting my varied interests become an obsession, they are tools in Your hand (much like Moses’ staff became a tool in his hand and Yours). Forgive me for taking so long to see that it is okay to use the tools, not throw them away and think that being empty-handed makes me more useful. At the same time, help me to keep my focus on bringing glory to Your name and using whatever You put in my hands to that end.
One day I went for my usual prayer walk. My to-do list for the day was long and looming over my head. I felt a bit resentful that prayer was going to take some valuable time and expressed this to God along with my need to get my work done. He clearly said to me, “Prayer is your work.”
Since that rebuke, I’ve not grumbled about the time it takes to pray. However, I’d never connected prayer to John 14:12, a verse that has always puzzled me, until this morning while reading it in its context.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:12–14)
Oswald Chambers says that “prayer does not fit us for greater work; prayer is the greater work.” I once thought that prayer would prepare me for the day, give me strength and wisdom to do the Lord’s work, and keep me focused on Him. However, after God rebuked me, I’ve learned to agree with Chambers. Prayer is the greater ministry. It is the most important work, perhaps the only work that He asks of me that is truly effective.
As Chambers says, prayer is God working the miracle of Redemption in me that produces the miracle of Redemption in others by His power. This isn’t about me agonizing and wrestling in prayer though. It is based on “the agony of Redemption” and on what Jesus has done. It has taken me a long time to realize that wise words and “proper” praying are not what God answers. He wants prayer from the redeemed which means my fleshy ideas of prayer are not important. Instead, He hears and responds to childlike helplessness and the realization that this is not about me.
Prayer is also the battle of Christian living. I fight sin and indifference. I wrestle with false teaching and the devil’s lies, but none of these are nearly as challenging as taking the needs of the world to the throne of grace in the name of Jesus. Prayer, as Jesus defines it, is hard work.
I can easily pray in my own name and with my list of I-wants. I can easily tell God what I think He should be doing (such impertinence), but praying in the name of Christ because He asks me to do it requires the Spirit of God and the power of God. I cannot do this on my own and I don’t even want to.
Of course, the flesh likes the answers even if it recoils at the work. I love it when God answers prayer in ways that I can see. This thrill tends to become a motivation, but what about praying without ever seeing the answers? This adds to the difficulty of the work. A small comparison is the tedium of a factory assembly line where the workers do their small part and never see the finished product. The only way to avoid this is remembering that I am talking to the Creator of the Universe and that He promised to listen and respond. I cannot see into His realm unless He opens that to me. Instead, He asks that I walk by faith, not sight, and that I work hard in prayer.
Answered prayer can also be a glory for me. I love to stand and tell others that God answered my prayers, as if the “my” side had something to do with the answer. But Jesus said that the glory is not for me, but for the Father to be glorified in the Son. This makes prayer a totally unselfish task, one that is difficult to sustain without wanting something in it for me.
Clearly, prayer is my work. Is there a reward involved? When a servant does his duty, can he expect anything, even a “well done” when finished? Do I fall into thinking that answers are my reward rather than simply the privilege of being in the throne room with the King of kings?
Chambers surprises me with the last lines of his reading for today. He says, “You labor at prayer and results happen all the time from God’s standpoint. What an astonishment it will be to find, when the veil is lifted, the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you had been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.”
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Jesus, I am ashamed that I often feel neglected when the answers to my prayers do not come as quickly as I’d hoped or in the same manner as I expected. I know that talking to You is an incredible privilege. It is also my God-given task. You are the Lord, so I do not choose my work hours or the places where I am to be working. Nor can I dictate the rewards or the results of my labor.
Not only that, You are in charge and You have given Your commands. I am to ask in Your name, seek Your glory, and trust that praying is a great work because You say it is — whether or not I can see what comes of it. Forgive me for the slack times, the times that I either am late or do not show up at all. I know that in spite of my failures, You will never kick me off the job. Instead, You keep calling me to work, to pray without ceasing.
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This unity and enjoyment are largely because of the Holy Spirit whom we share. He makes possible a deeper common interest than hobbies, family life or work. Because of Him we have agreement on eternal matters. We even laugh at the same foibles because these are our common quirks and struggle with the same sins for these also are common to our human experience.
Yet even with the transparency and intimacy of such good friendships, I know that no one and nothing can take the place of my relationship with Jesus. If that should happen, I would find myself with a barrenness that no human help or counsel could fill. As Spurgeon says in today’s reading, anything becomes an idol when it keeps us away from God, and He does not want me to fall into idolatry.
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. (Psalm 36:9)
Jesus is the fountain. Sometimes He manifests Himself through His people and that open fellowship is sweet. Yet even this is not sufficient for our thirst if we abandon communion with Him and try relying solely on His people.
Is there a balance to strive for, a formula that can keep me from replacing Jesus with others? Not that I know of. This is a matter of the heart. If I pay attention to my own motivations, then I know when I’ve begun to crave human fellowship over time with Him, and when I need to withdraw and drink from the Living water that He offers.
Why would this straying happen anyway? For me, it happens because I have that human desire to walk by sight instead of faith, to see God “with skin on” for this satisfies my human senses, at least for a little while. However, walking by faith is much more difficult and depends on a deeper knowledge of God than my soul can forge. He calls me to a spiritual union, a spiritual intimacy that is found only in helplessness, humility, contriteness of heart and a deep sense of barrenness and need. For the most part, those are not “feel good” conditions.
Yet Jesus is the fountain of life, not a tap for the merely thirsty, but life itself for those who would otherwise be overwhelmed by death. I can enjoy that shared life to some degree with my friends, but it actually can be drawn only from Jesus.
The verse from Psalm 36 also speaks of His light and this is a parallel principle. My friends enlighten me at times, but for them and for me, Jesus is the Light, our source of truth. If I seek illumination from others, they may or may not have it. What they have can be clouded, misunderstood, or simply for them and not for me. Only Jesus can speak “rhema” — that special word from Him that is directly to my need.
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God, I am so thankful for good friends and wonderful times of fellowship with them. You bless us in our relationships as no one else can. I am also so thankful that You are my best friend and I can have deeply intimate fellowship with You that goes beyond friendship. You give light into all the dark places and perplexities of life that no one else can; You fully understand my heart and my needs. Even more, You are my source of life itself, the very fountain that quenches every thirst and satisfies all my needs. Praise Your name!
Old Testament prophecies speak of future events, but usually do not give the order in which those events will happen. The prophets may not have even realized those several events were separated by layers of time. Often a suffering Savior and a conquering king were predicted in the same verses. Readers could easily assume that both descriptions were of one appearance, not two events, like looking at two mountains painted the same color. This understanding caused confusion when Jesus came the first time. The Jews thought He came to conquer their enemies and free them from Roman rule. Instead, He came to seek and to save sinners, suffering and dying for us.
Now that we have seen the closest mountain, His first appearing, it is easier to discern the events described for that mountain that is farther away — His second coming which the prophets also announced. Yet even with this perspective on these two events, some of those prophecies still seem to be about both.
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. (Malachi 3:2)
Spurgeon points out that the first coming of Jesus Christ had no external “pomp or show of power” yet there were few who stood the test of that appearance. He came to wash our sin away and refine our hearts. Even though Herod and all Jerusalem were stirred at the news of His birth, those who supposedly waited for Him wound up rejecting and crucifying Him. They didn’t want to be washed, refined, or even informed that they needed it.
In that way, His first appearance (like the second will do to a greater degree) separated the sheep from the goats, the repentant from the self-righteous. At that time, the world became divided concerning His identity and right to rule over them. It still is divided about Jesus. This makes me wonder what will it be like when He returns to judge the world. If sinners could not abide His presence the first time, what will happen to them at the second?
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. (Revelation 19:15)
People talk of Jesus being the full revelation of God, meek and mild and One who would never do those things that the God of the Old Testament did. Yet they forget that God is not finished revealing Himself in Jesus Christ. The first time we saw His grace and mercy that we might be drawn to Him for salvation. While we deserve wrath and judgment, yet by the sacrifice and salvation offered in Christ, God does not deal with us as our sins warrant.
Not so with the second appearance. That meek Lamb of God will come again, this time as the Lion of Judah. The same Jesus who said to the soldiers in the garden of Gethsemane, “I am He” and they fell backward will fully reveal Himself as the “I am” — the Judge of the whole earth. This Jesus is also “the radiance of His glory and the exact image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3)
At His first coming, gentle Jesus would not break a bruised reed, yet at His second, He will break his enemies with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. At the first appearing, His death shook the earth and darkened heaven. At His second, He will summon those who are both alive and dead and call for judgment. The Bible says that for fear some will forsake their sins and “kiss the Son lest he be angry” yet no foe will withstand His wrath, or be able to hide themselves from His judgment.
Yet the wonder is that with all its terror, those who love Jesus are looking forward to this second appearing with joy, and hope. To us, He is a refiner even now, but we do not resist the fire of His Holy Spirit. We know that as He tests and tries us, we will come forth as gold, gold that cannot be destroyed in the fire. We are saved from His wrath because of the blood He shed when He came the first time. His second coming is not a threat because the wrath that we deserve has been placed on Him. We are no longer condemned.
The Bible warns all those who name the name of Jesus to make our calling and election sure. It warns all who are still in their sin to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. The second coming should cause no fear or dread in our hearts, only eager anticipation.
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God, I’m so thankful for Your grace. There is nothing in me that can earn or deserve the mercy You have shown. Without Your goodness, I would never have turned from sin to follow Your Son. Without grace and the gift of faith, I deserve judgment. Forgive me for taking Your love for granted. Forgive also those who mistakenly think that meek and mild is the final revelation. One day the Lion of Judah will fully reveal Your holiness and Your anger against the sin You are teaching me to hate. At the same time, I’m grateful that Your grace has covered me. Because of the blood of the Lamb shed for sin, Your wrath will pass over me and all those who trust in Your appearing — both the first time and for that promised second appearance.
In making decisions and seeking the will of God, my husband often says, “He doesn’t leave a note on the night table.”
He is right. Even though entire books have been written on how to know the will of God, Christians are often puzzled in trying to find out what God wants from us. Some verses in the Bible clearly say, “This is the will of God. . . . ” then go on to describe some aspect of what He desires, yet many of these are general, not specific. We have questions like: Where do we live? What school should I go to? Which job offer do I accept?
The biggest problem I have with seeking the will of God is my own I-wants and the opinions of others so easily interfere. I cannot hear God because these other voices drown Him out. Yet in all of that, one verse gives me a great deal of instruction. For a long time I’ve read it in a general way, but this morning I see how to use it specifically.
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)
If I cannot figure out the will of God for specific questions or issues, perhaps it is because I am thinking like the world thinks. That is, I measure the pros and cons by what will make me the most comfortable, give me the most control, use my skills to best advantage, and reward me with the best return. By doing this mental hoop-jumping, my focus makes the choices all about me.
The will of God is not all about me. It is about overcoming sin and loving others. Romans 12 begins by telling me to present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is my spiritual worship. After the next verse on mind renewal and its importance in knowing God’s will, it says to watch my attitude toward myself (no pride) and to use the gifts God has given me. Then it says . . .
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:9–18)
Most of these verses are about dealing with sin, loving others and serving the Lord God with a godly attitude. Clearly God’s will is general in the sense that He wants me to do everything in a Christlike way. That I understand. But the specifics of the to-do list can be confusing. What order? What is least important? Should some things be scratched off? Others added?
As I read Romans 12:2, the Holy Spirit poked me with this thought: What is on your list because of a worldly attitude, because of your need for a renewed mind? Are you trying to make choices because you are thinking like those who do not know me?
This gets my attention. For example, I have taken on ministry projects because the role became vacant and they were not being very well done. I thought I could do the job in a more effective way. My prideful attitude resulted in many hard lessons about serving others before I finally realized that my motivation was not God’s will.
God says His choices are not based on our wisdom and skills. Instead, He looks for those who will obey Him. Knowing His will is not about measuring myself according to what I can do, or what I think I can do, or even what others think I can do. It is about doing what He asks.
This is something like walking a dark path with a flashlight. The only clearly defined steps are the ones right in front of me. As I move into that well-lit part of the path, the flashlight moves to the next step and the next. If I stop and refuse to go farther, then I cannot see farther.
When author and missionary Elizabeth Elliot was asked how she managed her time. She said, “I do the next thing. I almost always know what that is.”
She is right. While the next thing could be difficult, or seem not very important, or even be an interruption or unexpected issue, I always know what needs to be done. My problem is never that, but with wanting to see farther than the flashlight shines. I want to make a life-plan, or at least a week-plan or sometimes just a plan for the day. So I make out my list, but at the same time am so very aware that I do not control what happens next.
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
The world’s way is being able to see what is ahead and prepare for it. The Lord’s will is that I walk by faith, not by sight, trusting Him for the next step. The world’s way is order and confidence, making plans with goals and clearly outlined procedures to reach those goals. While God is not the author of confusion, His way is not about an orderly and prioritized to-do list, but to keep my eyes on Jesus and my ears tuned to His voice. I’m to do what He says, regardless whether or not it fits my desires, or any structure or visible procedure.
From this reading today, I’m aware that I need to be cautious about making plans and decisions according to the world’s methods. Christian living is not about “what’s in it for me” or even about what makes sense to me. It is about glorifying God and obeying His commands. Examining my motives is often painful, but it is also a big part of taking that next step that will bring further light to my path.
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Lord, right now I know what You want me to do next. You invite me to prayer. After that, I know that I must do three things from my list that have deadlines and have other people depending on their completion. After that, I have lots of ideas, but Your will could be different from any of them. Give me ears to hear You and a heart to walk ahead, always moving in the light that You give me. Thank You for Your guidance and for nudging me in the direction of Your good, acceptable and perfect will.
