Thoughts From Ephesians 1 - Part 1

  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus the faithful in Christ Jesus:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, Eph. 1:1-8

         If this passage was all the scripture we owned, what would we know? First of all, there is a God who knows everything - past, present, and future. That means He knew me before the beginning of time.

         Second, He does what He wants for His own pleasure, will, and glory. He isn't subject to anyone - He calls all the shots.

         Third, His character is one of justice and righteousness tempered by grace and love. Love causes Him, who needs no one to create the inferior human beings to shower love on. However, his justice and righteousness cause Him to cast them from His presence due to sin. But His grace, spurred once again by His love, causes Him to send His Son to take the penalty for our sins so He sees us as righteous. His love then adopts us into His family as sons and daughters if by faith we receive this gift of forgiveness.

         Fourth, He does this with all wisdom and understanding. He knew that by making us, He would have to redeem us through the death of His Son (there was no other way), yet He still did it because to get us as His Children was worth it to Him for some unfathomable reason.

         The amazing thing is even though so many people have been told all of this, they still choose to reject Him or say that He hasn't done enough. Not me! I can't believe He did all this for me and I will serve Him the rest of my days and for all eternity.

Thoughts From Galatians 6 - Part 4

 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

             Paul concludes this letter with a note on boasting, pride, image. We all want to be something in our own eyes and in others' eyes. For me, I want people to think I'm a good doctor, Dad, Grandpa, Husband, and most of all Christian. I've given up on athlete, appearance, fisherman - certain things are beyond our reach, but I'm hanging onto the others in my reach. Paul starts out his conclusion with a humbling admission- "I, the great apostle Paul have to have others write my letters because I'm practically blind. When I write my letters are huge otherwise, I can't see them." Obviously, I'm putting words in his mouth he didn't say, but when you combine his eye disease that brought him to the church and they nursed him, along with the "thorn in the flesh" passage in 2 Corinthians, this appears to be what's going on. I'm sure he was sensitive about the subject. When people point out my hands shaking, a trait I got from my dad and my kids have it to a lesser degree, I'm very self-conscious and my grandkids point it out constantly. Yet even though his eyes were debilitating, embarrassing, and humbling, he is not ashamed to bring it up because he wants to be nothing so that Christ can be everything.

             Paul doesn't want to be worshipped as a super-apostle and when he is he tells them that he is the chief of sinners. He doesn't want to be lifted up for his brilliance or education under the best rabbis in the best divinical schools, so he comes to people with simple teaching for the uneducated. He wants people to stop looking at him and look at Jesus on the cross who strips away all our accomplishments and makes us a child of His, one of many. It reminds me of Medical School. I came from college top of my class, one of the smartest in the school, into medical school which was filled with all the smartest people from other schools. Suddenly I was average. Suddenly I was no one, yet my value lied in the fact that the school chose me and thought I was someone and was committed to making me into a good doctor which would glorify them.

             Paul is concluding by saying that if you are trying to be admired and have a high opinion of yourself, you are going to be sucked into following the flesh rather than the Spirit. When you finally admit you are no one special but God thought you were and has chosen to turn you into someone who will bring Him glory, not yourself glory, then you are on the right track. This is difficult in a time of branding yourself, getting likes, noticed and a following and where image is everything but when we can just say without the cross, I'm nothing and He must increase and I must decrease - then we will get "likes" in Heaven and that's what I'm after!

Thoughts From Galatians 6 - Part 3

 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Gal. 6:7-10

           Yesterday it came out that Phillip Yancey, a well-known Christian author and philosopher has confessed to an ongoing 8-year adulterous affair. I read his "The problem of Pain" many years ago and thought it had some helpful thoughts but struggled to get through any of his books after that. In my book, he was a one-hit wonder, but many considered him to be wonderful. He fulfilled this verse. He sowed to please the flesh and has reaped destruction. I'm not saying that he is going to hell, but on this earth, everything has been destroyed. I actually much preferred Ravi Zacharias' books, and no one buys his books anymore, how much less Yancey's. I saw where Ravi's family is trying to restore some of his good legacy by forming an online library of his works, but like in the case of Amy Grant, Christians generally shoot their wounded. Yancey's 55 years of marriage has been betrayed, and although the wife said she is forgiving him, she does say how it's going to require supernatural grace. Imagine being his kid. Will everyone come home for Christmas next year? What will that be like? Forget getting any kind of inheritance. He will be using up any savings and living on Social Security. And what about generational sins. I believe in those. I think he has let down the umbrella of protection against sexual sins and they will land on members of his family down through the grandchildren.

          Then there is Michael Tait of DCTalk and Newsboys who this past year it has come out that he practices homosexuality and has drugged people to do sexual acts. I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up in prison. I remember taking my kids to at least 5 DCTalk concerts. They were as big in the 90's as Forrest Frank is today. Now, I can't even listen to their music. I think about the effect on TobyMac because he gets a part of every stream of their songs. (Not that he needs money or that people are still streaming old school CCM to any significance) I think of the Newsboys. Their music isn't played by stations anymore and they aren't doing Christian festivals anymore. Last year they were the headliners at Lifefest in Oshkosh and were replaced by Josiah Queen. If I were Tait, I would take whatever savings I have, shave my head, and find a non-extradition Island to live on - his life as we know it has been destroyed.

           It's easy to point at other people but Paul's point here is to make sure that doesn't happen to us. What can we do to "flesh-proof" our life. How do we follow the Spirit instead of the flesh. One thing is to learn from other's mistakes. My surgical mentor said, "good judgement comes from making bad mistakes but those mistakes don't have to be your own." Second is don't sow in that field. Run away. Delete Apps. Avoid that street. I had a friend that would stop at a store that had pornographic magazines on his way home from work until he decided to never go down that street again. Third, remember time is short. Judgement is coming. You are almost home. Don't quit the marathon at mile 25, make it to the end. Lastly, don't be selfish, think of your family. Don't quit on them - do it for them. God has given you His Spirit and the strength to win the battle against the flesh. You can win, so let's start winning.

Thoughts From Galatians 6 - Part 2

  Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. Gal. 6:6

          I'm sure this verse has multiple meanings and layers, but to me it only means one thing; encourage the ones who teach you the Bible. Let me give you an assignment today; do one or all of the following.

         1) Text or call your pastor, Sunday School teacher or maybe even leave a message to your favorite online minister and tell them how much you appreciate their ministry and how much you have learned from them.

         2) Write a letter or email one of your spiritual mentors through the years, someone without whom you would not have achieved the level of spiritual growth that you are at now. Having taught Sunday School, youth groups and wondering if anything you taught sunk in, getting a note from someone even years later is a treasure.

        3) Send a gift card to one of your Bible teachers thanking them for their input on your life. They will be thrilled no matter how small the gift.

        That's it; short verse short blog but if you do it, that may give someone all the encouragement they need not to give up.

Thoughts From Galatians 6 - Part 1

 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. Gal. 6:1-5

        Believers will have to give an account for their actions someday at the Bema seat judgement. Bible Questions website says this about it;

Believers are judged at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10–12). We believe that this judgment will probably occur in heaven during the seven-year tribulation on earth. Every believer will give an account of himself before the Lord. This judgment does not determine salvation, which is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8–9); rather, it determines the rewards believers will receive.

First Corinthians 3:11 pictures Christ as our “foundation,” and the surrounding verses liken the Christian life to building on that foundation. We can build with “gold, silver, costly stones,” or we can build with “wood, hay or straw” (verse 12). What we construct will be tested, as it were, by fire. Our worthless, shallow activity will not survive God’s refining fire; only what is done for God’s glory will last. The judgment seat of Christ will reveal this.

Believers will be rewarded based on their good works in Christ’s service and their faithfulness to the Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24–27). We will give an account of our actions, inactions, words, thoughts, and motives. Were they truly indicative of our position in Christ? “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:12).

        I picture this as one by one being called up before the judge in front of everyone and having God tell all our failures before the throngs yet also tell all our times of faithfulness and somehow, because it's Heaven, I feel like the good will be emphasized more. I watched Survivor Season 49 last night and at the final judgement by those voted off, they got on Sage's case for one-by-one voting them off when they had the majority had she not turned on them. After the winner was announced, and it wasn't her, she had a meltdown because she felt like everyone was mad at her and she had betrayed everyone. The contestants were genuinely sad for her and hugged her and told her all was forgiven, and Jeff Probst, an ordained false believer, gave her some words of encouragement and humanistic platitudes. I suppose that will be a little bit of how it goes for us. The Bible says that He will wipe away all tears from our eyes so I suppose there will be some weeping when our sins, failures, in general how much we forgot that Heaven was our home, not Earth, but then He will comfort us maybe along with fellow saints and we will be restored? I don't know, I'm only guessing.

         Paul says that in light of this we should first of all watch our behavior closely. I want to hear him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant" rather than, "You sure did waste your time on Earth.", don't you? My secret sins that I think no one knows about - News Flash - everyone will. Does that frighten you? It should. Is that enough of a warning to curb your behavior starting today? It should be.

        Secondly Paul says that before you start examining everyone else's behavior, make sure your own is in check. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't examine others' behavior because we need to first of all make sure that they aren't abandoning the faith or so close to the edge they could fall off, but secondly make sure that they will receive words of praise at the judgement Seat of Christ. We are to come along side of them and bear their burdens. I can only think that's what Promise Keepers tried to do with men years ago when they formed accountability groups to call each other frequently and check on each other to make sure no sin is taking them down and help them through it.

        I tend to forget that my sins will someday be displayed for the world to see and it scares me. Maybe if starting today I live for Him 100%, He will remember my sins no more. It's worth a try.

Thoughts From Galatians 5 - Part 4

 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Gal. 5:19-23

            I once confronted a kid in the youth group about his sexual immorality. This was a boy who, as the youth group leader, I had taken a special interest in because he had an absent dad, so he'd come over and play basketball quite often and I even took him on a couple of medical mission trips to Mexico and Dominican Republic. He had prayed to receive Christ but now was drawn to premarital sex with his girlfriend. I remember telling him that based on this passage and others that if he really was a Christian he wouldn't behave like this, and I was doubting his salvation. Well, this somehow got back to his mother who wrote me a lengthy letter blasting me for telling him he was going to hell." How dare you question his salvation. Don't you remember when he went forward and prayed to receive Christ? Don't you remember his baptism? The Bible teaches once saved always saved..." and so on. The boy left the youth group, and I've seen him sparingly although when we reconnect, we still have a good relationship. He has since married, is a very successful businessman, isn't in church has a daughter who I delivered that recently got engaged to a woman. His mom goes to my church and has never mentioned the letter, and we get along OK.

           Maybe I could have done things differently. I don't know. There are just so many passages that say that people who live a lifestyle like this aren't members of the Kingdom of God. Sure, we all occasionally will lust, be jealous, road rage, be envious, etc., but if someone were to describe your life would it be one following the flesh or the Spirit. Hopefully the course of our life and the projection of our life is toward the Spirit rather than debauchery. Hopefully when the Spirit convicts us of behavior that is fleshly, we will grieve, stop it, and make efforts and place guardrails to prevent a relapse, not just excuse it, permit it, and claim "once saved always saved." If God is inside of us we can't help but to start to look like Him. Just like an apple tree will begin to get apple blossoms and then grow apples, a Jesus tree will not grow evil but rather righteousness.

         What kind of fruit are you bearing? If you are convicted about your behavior being fleshly, repent. Maybe you never truly let Christ in to take control. He has nothing but good planned for you so don't be scared - just surrender.

Thoughts From Galatians 5 - Part 3

 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Gal 5:13-18, 24-25

        The flesh wants to consider ourselves and our wants more important than other peoples' and the Spirit wants us to consider others' wants and needs and well-being more important than our own. No wonder they are in conflict, they are complete opposites. I wish I had the answer to making the Spirit come out on top but if I did, I would have mastered sinless perfection and I certainly haven't.

        I guess the first hurdle would be wanting the Spirit to win. Don't you somedays just want to be self-centered and do what you want to do instead of what others want. I remember early in marriage our biggest fights would be on Saturdays. After working long hard hours daily as a resident and my wife as a physical therapist, we would finally have a day off and each of us would have our own ideas of what that day should look like, and we would have a battle of the wills. Marriage was exposing that sin nature I didn't realize I had. I didn't drink, cuss, look at pornography, have premarital sex so I thought I was pretty much sinless. Little did I know that I was rotten to the core. So, 44 years later do I still fight with my wife on Saturdays? Nope. Why not? I guess because after being together so long, our interests have aligned? We want to see the other one be happy? The fights are worse than giving in? We realize we will have plenty of other time to do what we want to do? I suppose all of these are factors.

         What does this have to do with the flesh vs. the Spirit? Paul says to walk in step with the Spirit and just like walking in step with my wife, our interests after years of being saved should start aligning. We will learn that the joy of making Jesus happy is more rewarding than making ourselves happy. We will learn that the discipline of the Lord or even the distance when we are following the flesh is more pain than it is worth. Also, we learn that we have all of eternity at our disposal and although I don't see it as a time of fulfilling delayed gratification on Earth, I do know that it is going to be spectacular and more enjoyable than self-gratification here on Earth. But you see, it's all about relationship. Grow in your knowledge and love of Jesus and you will more and more want to please Him rather than chase after the flesh.