His school of higher learning…

A childhood illness kept me out of public school and away from other children for most of grades one to seven. Later, I realized how much I did not learn from being with my peers, particularly the people skills that are learned by experience. I didn’t know what to say or do in many normal situations. I felt the awkwardness of having a blank mind or no opinion rather than knowing what my peers learned from growing up in a social setting. 

When I became a Christian in my late twenties, this lack became an acute reality. However, it was not totally negative. Instead, God used it to His advantage. I did not have many worldly ideas to unlearn. I also felt like a servant coming to Him eager to learn how to live.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. (Psalm 123:2)

Many other verses became a comfort to me and an encouragement when I felt stupid or not like other people, verses like these:

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8)
I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! (Psalm 119:125)
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! (Psalm 119:29)

The image of having an empty platter for Him to fill became particularly strong. Many times I’ve felt like that, particularly after seeing other Christians who seemed to know very easily what to do and say, even in awkward situations. 

Struggling to be more like that, I realized two things: one is that this is not about learning it in school but about relying on the Holy Spirit. And secondly, even when feeling blank about many things, I have a great deal of pride and can be stubborn about having ‘my way’ instead of obeying God. Doing and saying the ‘right’ thing involves being humble and lowly, teachable and willing to listen to and obey the Spirit. This is not learned in grade school either.

My part involves spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading, study, and prayer, being alone with God, asking for His wisdom and trusting what He says. It helps to pray His Word, and learn of Him. Obedience is an intentional choice, but it can be stalled by unforgiveness, failure to confess my sins, and failure to be accountable to others. 

While I might have learned many things from my peers in class and on the playground, I would not have learned obedience from a changed heart. That involves lessons that come only from the Lord because He is the only one who can make the changes. This is certainly why this verse has always part of my learning experience:

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)

PRAY: Lord, would being in school as a child made learning about You easier? I don’t think so. It might have given me more worldly notions that require ‘mind renewal’ (Romans 12:2) and deepened my stubborn pride, but I can’t know that. I just know that You governed my life from birth to this day, and You know what still needs to be done to transform me into the image of Your Son (Romans 8:28-29). For all that You do as my Savior and Teacher, I am deeply thankful even though I realize how far I am from that goal.

God knows what a stubborn heart needs

Recent OT reading reminded me of the laws protecting those who accidentally killed someone. For them, God provided cities of refuge where such a person could flee and be safe until given a fair trial. They knew their ‘crime’ was a sinful thing, but instead of dying for it, God had mercy. He knows that some sins are not willfully committed. 

Also some sins are not realized to be sins because of a lack of knowledge of God's will. This happens to those who are don’t have a salvation experience as well as to those who do. The Christian who fails to read the Bible may not realize the sin in some of their actions.

Piper quotes questions that seem rhetorical to those of us who know these truths, yet did his original readers have that knowledge? Is he rebuking them or informing them? Either way, he is saying that knowing truth changes behavior…

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:15–20)

While this points specifically to a sinful relationship with a prostitute, it can refer to any form of sexually immorality, and applies to other sins. God is asking, “Do you not know…” and if the reader knows these truths, then they should be fleeing such sin. 

As I read it, I thought of a familiar quote: “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” The origin is unknown but it merits the question concerning Bible knowledge. Most Christians could say, “I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway” about some sin or other. The desire to run our own lives and go for what we think we need can be stronger than mere knowledge. 

This was in my mind yesterday too. To live out what I know is deeper than knowledge and deeper than will power, for we also have this stubborn fleshy ‘won’t power’ when temptation comes. Even though I know this …

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

… does not mean I will choose that way of escape. Nor does it mean the right choice will be made by others who know truth. Christians fall into the trap of sin because the desires of the old nature bombard them — not always out of ignorance or failure to remember that the temptation is offering a no-no. Either way, unintentional or a deliberate resistance to God, when the truth hits, all believers are offered a ‘city of refuge’ in the loving and forgiving arms of Jesus Christ.

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)

I read this verse, knowing how vital it is, knowing how important this truth is to spiritual growth, and am incredible thankful that the Spirit of God enables me to obey it. I’ve not always been willing. Choosing my way over God’s way brings consequences. From those, God shows me that His will is for my good. He is not a God with a big stick but with a big heart. Falling on my face by wanting my way, has taught me to drop my way, to say with Jesus, “not my will but thine be done.” Hard lessons. Just knowing the truth about Jesus and being set free from sin works the best in a heart that also knows the truth about itself.

PRAY: You are love and truth and all I need, Jesus. I know that in my mind, in my experience, in my heart. Hard lessons for this stubborn soul. Thank You for being so patient and so persistent.

Truth is more about morals than knowledge

Even though Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32) truth is far more than knowing facts, or even believing something is true. Truth gives freedom only when it is known and lived out. 

Jesus words were questioned by those who heard them. They claimed to be free from any sort of slavery, assuming Jesus meant physical bondage, but Jesus said:

Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father. (John 8:34–38)

This is such a loaded answer. First truth: all who sin are slaves to sin. Because sin is defined as doing our own thing instead of obeying God (see Isaiah 53:6), sin is not mere immoral acts. It includes all of life that is apart from faith in the Lord and doing His will. 

Second truth: a slave need not remain a slave. By faith in Christ, sinners can become members of God’s family, sons and daughters. And those who believe live in the ‘house’ of God forever. 

Third truth: salvation through faith in Christ sets sinners free from the penalty and power of sin. Doing my own thing is no longer my task-master. I am able to put aside my ideas, weaknesses, even strengths, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to direct all that I do. I’m free from cravings, indecision, human effort, and the driving force of ‘I want what I want when I want it’ so that I can love God. 

Fourth truth: no matter my heritage or the fact that I read the Bible, truth is about my attitude toward Jesus. I am not a Jew, yet I could know the words of God’s book. However, if those words go in one ear and out the other, it shows a heart in slavery. True freedom is being transformed in not only how I think but how I talk and live.

Fifth truth: involves listening to God and not the lies of Satan. The Bible says that those who are set free are aware of his devices. That means I recognize and am set free from the bondage of lies, even though that involves a choice to believe what God says and not listen to the Liar. 
Piper says that to love God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is to love the truth. I cannot separate God from truth. This is who He is and what defines Him. He is not like humans. He is the source of a truth-driven life.

Piper also says that to not love truth is eternally suicidal — based on this:

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9–12)

Indifference to the truth is a mark of spiritual death. It involves taking pleasure in sin, revealing that the alternative of truth is immorality and wickedness, not merely falsehood. Again, loving and believing the truth with my whole heart is a matter of eternal life rather mere knowledge.

PRAY: Jesus, the world seems filled with those who have abandoned truth (You) for the lies of Satan and the folly of sin. If I focus on this, heaviness threatens. But another reality drives away darkness and hopelessness, the reality that You are the way, the truth, and the life. And You have come into my life to set me free, from sin but also from doubt and all fear. I can still choose to do my own thing, but that cannot compare to the wonder of living in truth. Your grace is humbling and not at all deserved — yet fills my heart and life with great joy and thanksgiving.

What is truth?

 

These days I dislike several television items: the news, and various pundits who discuss what they think will happen. The dictionary describes them as: “an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public.” Expert or not, they are still offering an opinion. No one knows the future.

Google says that, “When their personal opinion outweighs considered judgment, people who give opinions, whether on current events, public affairs, sports, media or art are often referred to as "pundits" instead of critics. Critics are themselves subject to competing critics, since the final critical judgment always entails subjectivity.”

While pundits may not call their opinions lies, they cannot claim them to be true. I’ve had a aversion to lies, partly because of the insult I feel when someone lies to me, but even more when I experience the harm that a lie does, whether it is presented as news, or whispered as gossip. If someone lies to me and I catch it, trusting them in the future is almost impossible.

Today’s devotional gives reasons for being more interested in truth. Piper writes that God is truth. This makes lies a total affront to who He is, the triune God. Nothing can nullify His faithfulness and reliability:

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” (Romans 3:3–4)

This Almighty God became flesh and His Son, who is the image of the Father, is glorified as truth: 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. (Matthew 22:16)

Jesus Himself declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). The Apostle John saw Jesus glorified as faithful and true. He said, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war” (Revelation 19:11).

God also lives out the life of the Father and the Son to me in His Spirit, the Spirit of truth. As Jesus said, “When the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness of me.… When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 15:26; 16:13a).

Before Jesus came into my life, every person that I trusted as friends lied to me . Was God allowing that so I would be eager to know Him, the reliable One who would never lie? Perhaps. I once wrote a long poem on how much truth matters. It is an important part of trust. If God makes a promise, believing it depends on being totally convinced that He speaks truth. He will do whatever He says He will do because He is truth. 

PRAY: I see how important truth is and why You have given me a great sensitivity to lies. One more reason is that the devil is a liar. You told those who refused to trust You, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) My heart craves truth in defiance of this enemy who wants to destroy my faith with his schemes. Thank You for being the truth and being my Savior from sin — and from lies.

Summer selections?

 

Summer brings with it many more options. In our country, winter is easier because cold, snow, icy roads, and so on keep us from doing many things. But today the sun is shining and my to-do list has more possibilities than can be done in the hours ahead. How do I choose?

Piper says “Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer” and that He is preeminent in all things because He is my head, the One who runs my life as a member of His body: 

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (Colossians 1:18)

That means He governs my life, not just church activities but vacations, picnics, softball, long walks, and cookouts and all other options. Yet I must remember His words: 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

He does not intend to govern me with burdens that make me exhausted. His burdens are light, even in the summer, meaning I need to seek Him and select what is from Him so that I am not worn out from trying to do it all.

In our many moves, even this latest one, new options appear. Add them to the load? Not possible. Some things must be dropped and I am certain it should not be devotional time, prayer, concern for others, and family needs. Priorities cannot be set aside so there is more time for the new choices, yet some of them are important too. I need the wisdom and energy God gives. 

Piper asks, “Do we want it? Christ gives himself to us in proportion to how much we want his refreshment. He quotes, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) That includes seeking Him for answers about what I do with each day. Even this very ordinary Tuesday has more responsibilities than I think will fit and I slept an hour longer than normal besides. I need to seek the Lord’s leading.

Piper offers another thought: “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. . . .”  (Acts 3:19–20)
Sin is simply wanting to run my own life. Repentance is not just turning away from that sin; it is also turning toward the Lord with hearts open, expectant, and submissive. Am I willing to drop the I-wants in favor of His will? And therefore be refreshed?

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1–2)

Yesterday I started a massive project that invites me today to advance progress on it. But there are household chores, garden chores, a shopping list (this is 15% off day at the grocery), and at least one person to talk with, plus that project. Can it all be done in 14 hours? Not likely.

PRAY: Jesus, my prayer today will again be much longer that is written here. Guide me in the praying but also in the choosing. May Your will be clarified and accomplished. Like most days, there will be interruptions and unexpected demands. May my mind be on You and my heart listening for Your voice — sincerely and whole-heartedly — and may You be glorified in all of it. Amen.

Mind on Jesus

Our church picnic was yesterday. The weather was cool and windy. The races were fun to watch, as were the children racing around trying to catch the “candyman” with a pail of goodies and chocolate bars stuck to his coveralls. The food was cold and the bathroom a good five-minute walk from our site. Today’s Scripture was a chuckle:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1–2)

It was not difficult to set my mind on things above yesterday. I wanted to go home and read my Bible — or was that setting my mind on getting warmed up? Piper’s devotional says this about summer: “flight from (Jesus) into Christ-less leisure makes the soul parched. At first it may feel like freedom and fun to skimp on prayer and neglect the Word, but then we pay: shallowness, powerlessness, vulnerability to sin, preoccupation with trifles, superficial relationships, and a frightening loss of interest in worship and the things of the Spirit.”

I didn’t want to flee Jesus and enjoy summer yesterday but a warning is good. Summer holds much that we miss in the dead of winter. I planted garden seeds last week and bedding plants, visited my next-door neighbor for two hours, and loafed more than usual. However, God has a way of reminding me of important things. One of our friends is having serious surgery today. His wife is worried sick. I’d prayed a bit, but when opening a search engine this morning, the photo on it was a place where these two had lived most of their early lives. God reminded me to pray fervently because our friend is in surgery right now.

Not only that, Piper reminds me that seeking things above means equating the delights of summer with the age to come. While God says, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9) He wants me to focus on what I do know. We have perfections here, some days, yet not one “sun-soaked, tree-green, flower-blooming, lake-glistening” day of summer can compare with being with Jesus in a perfect environment with: 

“. . . .  the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1–5)

The short descriptions of that eternal place describe no more sorrow or tears. If our friend survives this surgery, he will be glad, yet if Jesus takes him home, his joy and delight cannot be described — only that one day we will be together in that indescribable place. In the meantime, we are to focus on the One who is there, and who takes care of all things here. Summer is a small glimpse, no doubt totally inadequate to show us our future hope. 

Even so, the tall trees, the thick undergrowth, blue sky and especially the camaraderie of our Christian family make it easier to think of the perfection that is promised. 

PRAY: Thank You Jesus for reminding me to pray for our friend and for many things that cry for Your attention in this world. It is not heaven here, nor heaven yet, but You do hear and answer prayer. You make thoughts of things above easier and far more important than taking a ‘time out’ from eternal matters. For that, I am grateful.  

Evil will not win…

Yesterday, God brought to my attention that the evil beings in this world, meaning the fallen angels, will not prevail forever.

I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (Psalm 82:6–7)

One cult uses this verse as ‘proof’ that Jesus is only ‘a god’ because it calls other people gods. They do not read it carefully or understand that the terms used to describe gods refer to fallen angels, including Satan and all demons. More than one verse clarifies that the ‘sons of God” is not a term for people. For example: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6)

The Bible calls those who are saved “children” of God and being in the family of God, and Christ is our ‘brother’ but this term from Psalm 82, by its context, is not about people but about those creatures who darken the minds of people. Nevertheless, like people. They will die.

That they will also “fall like any prince” is a good reminder that the human leaders of this world will eventually die too. Over the centuries, and even in the OT, evil leaders ruled for a time and made life miserable for many of their subjects, but they do not live forever. In other words, focus on the facts. Evil people are also terminal. As someone once said, “We may choose what we want in the supermarket of life, but eventually we have to go through the checkout.”

Not only that, today’s devotional points to the last verse of Psalm 82:

Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! (Psalm 82:8)

We are experiencing cosmic conflict, yet God repeats many times that the world is His, even though the gods are permitted for a season to wreak havoc. The Lord wants His people to see beyond their schemes of sin and realize this activity is suicidal and will end. One day, “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14) He even says, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” (Psalm 2:8) Evil will not win it; we will!

I’ve sometimes said that because I’ve read His book, I know the ending — Jesus wins! I don’t fully understand why God allows this war filled with its horror stories and deeds done by blinded people who seem to have no regard for their own lives, never mind the lives of others, but trusting God means faith in what He says, not in what I can see or figure out. And He says, “Jesus wins.” And He also says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) I don’t win because I experience the victory over evil in this world but because of the peace in my heart that God will do what He says. 

PRAY: God, again I am thankful that the so-called ‘ruler of this world’ is on a short leash. He answers to You and one day will be tossed in the lake of fire created just for him and his demons. In the meantime, You remain sovereign and all he desires must pass Your scrutiny. Only what You can use for good and to demonstrate Your glory is allowed. Thank You for letting me know who wins this war for human souls — and I pray You will make known to many the reality of Your Holy power and grace.