A difficult thing for Christians to balance is the necessity of hard work. I have heard it preached (myself included!) that spiritual growth is a natural product of abiding in Christ. The life of a Christian will produce spiritual fruit due to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This is completely true. At the same time, we have been called and empowered by God to labour for Him. These are not a conflicting statements, but are intended to compliment one another. We have a responsibility to choose to follow Christ, submit to the leading of the Spirit, and work hard motivated by the love of Jesus Christ.
In our modern society, we seem to grasp at anything to make life easier or find ways to eliminate work or effort to obtain the results we want. Some body-builders and athletes resort to supplements to achieve faster results from workouts. We buy all sorts of kitchen appliances and gizmos to make meal preparation and household chores easier. We want the results now! Even Hollywood enforces the desire to skip over hard work. The famous "Rocky" movies starring Sylvester Stallone all chronicle a fighter's rise from a nobody to a world champion. Every movie I've seen includes a short training montage of about three minutes in length with inspirational music and slow motion. We see Rocky jogging, doing push-ups, punching sides of beef, running on the beach, or working on the speed bag. Months and months of hard work and total commitment are condensed into a short scene. Tons of movies do this exact same thing: the hard work, determination, sweat, pain, and persistence are glossed over so we can quickly get to the part where the underdog wins again.
The Christian walk is hard work. We can fall into the trap of emphasizing God's part to a degree that we ignore completely our responsibility to labour for God's glory. Recently I started working out with a barbell and kettlebell because my overall fitness has suffered from five years of office work. It would be ridiculous for me to suppose my muscles will automatically grow stronger and my fitness level will naturally increase through sedentary habits. If I desire stronger, toned muscles, I must work to obtain that result through lifting weights, riding a bike, jogging, eating good food, and not eating too much! Spiritually speaking, our sanctification works in similar fashion. By working I cannot be any more justified than I am before God by His grace. Yet I am called to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling! There are things I must work to cultivate in my life: prayer, fellowship with God, reading of the Word, and feeding on God's faithfulness. There are also area I must show discernment and restraint: what I watch on TV and the internet, my attitudes, habits, and thoughts.
Galatians 2:20-21 reads, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." My salvation is God's finished work, as is my sanctification. It is God who works in me both to will and do of His good pleasure. Though this is true, it does not permit me to live life as a sedentary Christian, duped to think that God will do a work within me despite unconfessed disobedience, selfishness, and pride. God has designed an amazing partnership with His people, that it is no longer we who live but Christ in us. The work I must commit myself to is to allow God to do whatever work He desires through me: it is a work of repentance, humility, and submission - a work only He can accomplish!
Jesus says in John 5:17, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." May we follow Christ example in labouring for the glory of God! It would be foolish for us to substitute methods when God has provided the means through the Holy Spirit. There is no set spiritual workout for Christians to do, no pill or tablet to take to quicken the process of sanctification, no book to read outside of the Bible which will unlock the path to spiritual growth. The Bible teaches we must be led by the Spirit and empowered by Him to embrace a life of hard toil for God's glory. A runner does not start with marathons, nor does a man begin his workout routine by squatting 300 kilos. Start small, but start working! Don't give up! There are no shortcuts in the race God has set before you. Look unto Jesus and be strong in the LORD and power of His might. We are all in this together, and God has provided Himself as the means of strength and victory.
I close with Philippians 1:3-6: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..." Our triumph is not in ourselves, but in Jesus Christ who has overcome and put all under His feet. As He works in us, may we work for Him!
08 August 2011
07 August 2011
Good Habits
After our family eats breakfast every day, we read a daily devotional called "Keys for Kids." Today's story was about a group of boys who made the habit of cutting the corner of a block by walking across a lawn. At first there was no evidence of their path on the turf, but toward the end of summer there was a clear trail of damaged grass. This brought to mind my own lawn. Mail carriers in Australia are called "posties," and instead of delivering mail on foot they ride small motorbikes. Because there is no fence around my lawn, the postie has made a habit of cutting the corner of our property. As I mow the lawn I cannot help but notice the deep ruts his tires have cut when he traverses the lawn in wet weather. The more he cuts the corner the deeper the track goes.
Our habits, whether good or bad, have repercussions. If a man habitually uses tobacco, his body inside and out will present evidence of that fact. In the same way, if someone is a weight-lifting enthusiast his muscle tone and strength will not be easily hidden. When I think about the postie cutting through my lawn, I am struck by the fact his habits affects me and my ability to have a nice lawn. It is a wise thing to consider that the habits we form and perpetuate can have long-lasting affects not just on ourselves, but on our spouses, children, and friends. Our habits can encourage and inspire or weaken and tear down.
Instead of looking at "habits" as being generally bad, we ought to work to cultivate and maintain good habits. Scripture affirms this with the exhortation found in 1 Corinthians 15:33: "Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." Habits can be good, and we must be mindful that our good habits are not corrupted. The word "corrupts" here means "to wither or shrivel." The slow process of atrophy hides the reality from our casual glance. We can be deceived to think that our associations and choices will not affect our good habits. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough, and a little compromise can endanger the survival of good habits!
Titus 3:8 reads, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." May we take this to heart and choose our habits carefully!
Our habits, whether good or bad, have repercussions. If a man habitually uses tobacco, his body inside and out will present evidence of that fact. In the same way, if someone is a weight-lifting enthusiast his muscle tone and strength will not be easily hidden. When I think about the postie cutting through my lawn, I am struck by the fact his habits affects me and my ability to have a nice lawn. It is a wise thing to consider that the habits we form and perpetuate can have long-lasting affects not just on ourselves, but on our spouses, children, and friends. Our habits can encourage and inspire or weaken and tear down.
Instead of looking at "habits" as being generally bad, we ought to work to cultivate and maintain good habits. Scripture affirms this with the exhortation found in 1 Corinthians 15:33: "Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." Habits can be good, and we must be mindful that our good habits are not corrupted. The word "corrupts" here means "to wither or shrivel." The slow process of atrophy hides the reality from our casual glance. We can be deceived to think that our associations and choices will not affect our good habits. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough, and a little compromise can endanger the survival of good habits!
Titus 3:8 reads, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." May we take this to heart and choose our habits carefully!
The LORD is Able
It's wonderful to witness the power and provision of God at work in another person. It's even more incredible when you have firsthand experience yourself of God speaking through His simple yet miraculous ways. Sometimes a simple impression on my heart through reading the Word or a coordination of events undeniably confirms just what I've been thinking or feeling. This week I had a lovely reminder of how God will provide for me and my family.
It began with God challenging me to trust Him in the area of finances. We all know that God "owns the cattle on a thousand hills" in our brains, but we can falter when it means giving by faith. As I sought the LORD's direction through prayer concerning giving, I came across an appropriate passage in 2 Chronicles 25. King Amaziah had hired men from the tribe of Ephraim as mercenaries and paid them 100 talents of gold, a kingly sum. A prophet of God visited Amaziah and told him not to allow the men of Ephraim to fight alongside the warriors of Judah, because God was not with them. 2 Chronicles 25:9 reads, "Then Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this." Amaziah asks the prophet, "But what about my money? What about the loss of my investment?" The prophet shot back, "God can give you much more than this."
Upon reading this passage, in my heart it was confirmed what I must do in the area of giving. I took confidence in God and His Word and made a decision to follow through. Money will come and go, but the Word of the LORD will endure forever. I would have been happy with only this passage, but God gave me two more reminders of His faithfulness to provide. Later in the day I opened my bank account and saw that we had received a financial gift from friends. The words used to describe the transaction which grabbed my attention in all caps: "GIFT FROM GOD." How cool is that? Immediately after logging onto the site, I called my bank and spoke to one of the representatives. At the very end of the conversation in a very offhand way she said, "Oh, I see your savings account is at 4.75% How about I raise that for you to 5.75% for three months?" I hadn't asked for gifts, I hadn't asked for a better interest rate. But in His natural, supernatural way, to me God said this: "See? I haven't forgotten about you, and I will provide for your needs. Trust me!"
How awesome is our God! He doesn't promise us earthly riches, for all of this worldly system will someday pass away. But God uses it to show us how much more we need to trust and rely upon Him to supply those needs. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven, and we ought to spend the remainder of our days on earth obeying and glorifying Him. Our God is one who lives, sees, provides, and speaks. Our God is able! I close with the benediction of Ephesians 3:20-21: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
It began with God challenging me to trust Him in the area of finances. We all know that God "owns the cattle on a thousand hills" in our brains, but we can falter when it means giving by faith. As I sought the LORD's direction through prayer concerning giving, I came across an appropriate passage in 2 Chronicles 25. King Amaziah had hired men from the tribe of Ephraim as mercenaries and paid them 100 talents of gold, a kingly sum. A prophet of God visited Amaziah and told him not to allow the men of Ephraim to fight alongside the warriors of Judah, because God was not with them. 2 Chronicles 25:9 reads, "Then Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this." Amaziah asks the prophet, "But what about my money? What about the loss of my investment?" The prophet shot back, "God can give you much more than this."
Upon reading this passage, in my heart it was confirmed what I must do in the area of giving. I took confidence in God and His Word and made a decision to follow through. Money will come and go, but the Word of the LORD will endure forever. I would have been happy with only this passage, but God gave me two more reminders of His faithfulness to provide. Later in the day I opened my bank account and saw that we had received a financial gift from friends. The words used to describe the transaction which grabbed my attention in all caps: "GIFT FROM GOD." How cool is that? Immediately after logging onto the site, I called my bank and spoke to one of the representatives. At the very end of the conversation in a very offhand way she said, "Oh, I see your savings account is at 4.75% How about I raise that for you to 5.75% for three months?" I hadn't asked for gifts, I hadn't asked for a better interest rate. But in His natural, supernatural way, to me God said this: "See? I haven't forgotten about you, and I will provide for your needs. Trust me!"
How awesome is our God! He doesn't promise us earthly riches, for all of this worldly system will someday pass away. But God uses it to show us how much more we need to trust and rely upon Him to supply those needs. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven, and we ought to spend the remainder of our days on earth obeying and glorifying Him. Our God is one who lives, sees, provides, and speaks. Our God is able! I close with the benediction of Ephesians 3:20-21: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
03 August 2011
Forget Not!
"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Psalm 103:1-5
It is God's will that sin would not reign in our mortal bodies. Because of this fact it is reasonable to conclude it is God's will that sickness, a product of original sin, would not reign in our mortal bodies either. While we agree to the first statement our faith can waver with the second. How can this be? What happens when God's Word seems to contradict our experience? Should we trust what we see with our eyes or the naked Word of God?
Our God is a God who forgives all our iniquities, heals all our diseases, and redeems our lives from destruction. Perhaps we falter at believing God's Words because the answer does not take the form we think it should. We think of healing as being the freedom of pain and limitation. I need not look further than Jesus Christ to know that He was limited in a body of flesh and experienced much sorrow and pain. Yet He was a partaker of the benefits of the same God who offers them freely to all who repent and believe.
I do not believe this scripture means that we will ultimately be forgiven from our iniquities or eventually be healed of our diseases. This is a promise to be entered into today! Our sins can be forgiven today, and today can be a day of healing and deliverance. Romans 6:8-14 reads, "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Christians have been freed by the dominion of sin through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
I have an insightful book called Indwelling Sin in Believers by Puritan John Owen. He explains well the internal conflict of a Christian Paul discusses in Romans 7. When we are born again through grace and faith in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, we are justified before God. Our sins are forgiven and we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. But does that mean we are perfect? No! Because our souls reside in a body of flesh, we will undoubtedly sin. The good we do is because we are dead and Christ lives through us. Romans 7:17 reveals a remarkable truth when we sin after justification: "But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me." In the way that sin should no longer govern our lives, sickness is no longer to have dominion over us! Our God forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases!
Does this mean that God-fearing people are guaranteed bodies that will never experience physical illness or pain? No. It is God's will that none should perish, yet there are many who do. There are many who are sick, but God has the power and desire to heal every one. Do you let your circumstances, emotions, or physical condition reign over you? Sickness can plague our bodies, but you are not to be governed by your sickness: we are now governed by Jesus Christ, the Healer of both body and soul! Choose to place your faith in Christ and believe the truth of the Bible!
Let us not forget the benefits of Jesus Christ freely bestowed upon those who rely upon Him. Does sin, sickness, or despair have dominion over you today? Our strength is not derived from the food we eat, but from the Saviour Jesus Christ who IS our life! Ephesians 6:10 says, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." Look to Jesus as LORD and King, for there is healing in His wings.
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