What Color is Your Fruit?

I have this wonderful Bible program on my computer called e-Sword. (it’s free) There are several free translations and many helps. Among other things there is the ability to highlight passages or words in a very wide verity of colors. It’s very cool.

Today I stopped for a few minutes and looked at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 & 23. It occurred to me, “What color would I color each of the characteristics (fruits) mentioned there? What decorations might I add?”

I would ask each of you to consider the same question.

Would you decorate “Love” with pink hearts and flowers. Or with a cross. Maybe it would be some combination of all of the above.

How would you decorate “Joy”? Would it be multicolored fireworks or an empty tomb? Again, it might be a combination of both.

Peace surely should be represented by a comfortable room with a comfortable chair and a cozy fire, overlooking a beautiful wooded lake. Possibly, but I remember meeting a man who had been thrown in a prison ward with murderers and thieves in a Muslim country simply for being a Christ follower. When asked about the experience, he said, “I was happy there.” Now that is Peace.

As I go through each of the fruits of the Spirit individually, each one seems to have a warm fuzzy appearance which I prefer naturally. But as I consider them a little longer, I begin to see a colder, harder side that is often uncomfortable, sometimes even painful.

And I thought of the verse in 2 Corinthians 4:17; and then I read the context. 15-17.

For all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause, we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Sometimes following Jesus doesn’t lead us to green pastures and still waters. Sometimes He leads us through the valley of death and into the presence of our enemies. At those times I need to find grace to testify with confidence, “You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Think about it.

So When Would You Choose to Live?

How many times have you thought or heard someone say, “If only I could have lived back when…” People often long for the simpler times before automobiles and electricity everywhere. I think they may not be thinking about the full effect of how life really was back then. Hauling water from a well, building a fire to cook dinner and those cold dark trips to the outhouse in the middle of the night.

In religious circles people will be heard to say that they wish that they could have lived in Jesus day. Again, they may not be thinking things through. In Jesus day only a few thousand of the worlds entire population got to see and hear him. They got to see some miracles and hear some parables. The miracles would have been great, but many of those who saw them were among the ones, later shouting for his crucifixion. Also, there were only a few who were able to hear his specific instructions for living. These were the disciples. Consider Mark 4:10-12.

In or around 1450 AD a man named Gutenberg invented movable type and soon after that printed the first Bible that could be easily reproduced. Hooray! the Bible for the world. Well not exactly, it was in Latin, the language of “The Church”. How’s your Latin? But that was the beginning of a revolution. But that’s not what this is about.

When I was younger, Bibles were pretty easy for Americans to get a hold of. But you may have noticed that everyone is not American. A lot of people worked and many gave their lives to take the message of the Bible to people around the world. The printed Bible is a tremendous miracle and blessing.

I do not long for the old days! Yes, things are going way too fast for me. But today thanks to electronics people around the world who didn’t have access to the teaching and life of Jesus can read about and know Him. I realize that everyone doesn’t have a computer or a smart phone. But these things are much more accessible than they have ever been.

People around the world read this blog. People in places that 30 years ago could not hear a Gospel message. I am extremely thankful for this, but I am much more thankful to know that if they can get access to my blog they can also have access to the Bible and the ability to become disciples of Jesus.

I am extremely thankful to live in this time when The Bible and the life and teaching of Jesus is so accessible to people around the world. 

Am I a Disciple? Are You?

A few years ago, I created a discipleship course. I don’t know if it was any good but it was an expression of some of the things that have been a help and encouragement to me. I don’t think the things in it are too far off and I would be happy to share it with any who would request it in the form of a PDF file.

This morning as I was having what has come to be my prayer time the question arose for me. Am I really a disciple of Jesus? And I thought of the verse in Galatians 5:24;

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

The affections and lusts of the flesh. When Jesus had spoken of the suffering that he must suffer, Peter rebuked him and Jesus said that he did not have a taste for the things that are of God but for the things that are of men. (Mark 8:33)

After all this time I find that I still have a taste for the things of men much more than for the things of God.

As I thought about these things this morning another scripture verse lit up for me with more clarity than I remember it ever having for me before. These are very familiar word of Jesus in John 10:10

The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The lusts and affections are mine! Over the years of my life I have developed a taste for them, by the choices I have made. The thief, Satan, does not put them there. He only tickles them so they come to my attention, so I think about them. Then the process of sin goes into action.

But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them.  Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death.

The lusts and affections of my flesh only lead to death. The thief only comes to steal (the life that God desires for me) to kill (everything that God is doing in me) and destroy (all of the good that God desires to do in and through me).

Today I believe I see more clearly the death that the enemy brings and the wonderful glorious life that Jesus brings. My resolve to be attentive to the Spirit of God that dwells in me is greatly strengthened. I am only a poor disciple but I am a disciple of Jesus.

If you are interested in the discipleship course email me at beginningdisciples@gmail.com

The Electronic Church

Lately I have observed something that may be a good thing. I’m not sure.

In 1955 Robert Schuler started a church in a drive-in theater, so that people could come and have the church experience without getting out of their cars. That developed into the Chrystal Cathedral which was a mega church in the greater Los Angeles area. Their message was very positive but had little to do with Jesus, but the premise remained such that people could come sit in their cars and experience what is commonly called church. There was no community being built.

In recent years, most churches record the morning message and make it available on-line for those who are not able to attend. I am sure that in a lot of cases, this can hinder community.

When I speak of community, I am speaking of the body of Christ building up one another.

More recently I have seen mega churches broadcasting their messages live, with the stated intention of reaching people that may not even be in their area. Others make their messages available on their website or on YouTube. Also with the hope of reaching those who are not in their area with their message.

In recent years I am drawn pretty definitely to the message that we are to be followers of Jesus life and teaching with a view to becoming more and more like him. (Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 8:29)

As I find Christians round about, I rarely find those who are interested in discipleship that requires a change of lifestyle. Most of the churches that I visit just seem to promote good behavior and ascent to specific doctrines. Discipleship is not required.

If someone is interested, there are churches that do promote discipleship, however they may be in another state or country. Thanks to technology we can find teaching that encourages discipleship. 

Some of these churches also encourage the formation of small groups in your local area. These groups are for the church to function to encourage and build up one another. Also, they can be involved as a group in the community to do beneficial service for the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus.

The question is, can these electronic churches be a benefit to the Kingdom of God. I think there is potential if we who want to grow and have not been encouraged by the classical church, will take initiative and promote in our area what we have found.

What do you think?

Humility, what's that?

Humility, what does that mean?

I once heard a brother quoted as saying, “At one time, I thought humility was the most important thing, I was wrong, humility is everything.”

Humility: another of those religious words that seem to be pretty difficult to pin down with a definite meaning.

There was another brother who came from Northern Europe to preach to churches in the United States. I wondered if that wasn’t kind of arrogant and surely not humble.

How can someone who travels around the world to speak to thousands of people and tell them what they need to hear be humble? If the easy meaning of humility is correct, this is an impossibility. A humble person would sit in a room alone and quietly be repentant and fearful of almost everything. 

Isn’t that something like the popular view of humility?

There are many examples of humility in the Bible, but Jesus is the perfect example of humility, and they called him a drunken party animal (Luke 7:34). Jesus told people what they needed to be doing and how they needed to change. How is that humble? Jesus condemned the religious leaders. Is that humility.

Jesus is our perfect example. Hebrews 12:2 says; “fixing our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith…”. In everything he is my example. An example is something or someone you aspire to be like. How could Jesus be our perfect example of humility and speak the things he spoke.

In humility, Jesus said and did the things he saw and heard the father say and he did what he saw the father doing. Consider John 14:49

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

It seems then that a humble person might do outrageous things if he is instructed to do so. A humble person might travel around the world and give instruction to strangers, if he believes that is what is required of him. A humble person might be the lead pastor of a mega church if that is what he believes he is suppose to be doing. A proud person might be doing the same thing.

The difference is hidden from our view. There is no way for me to tell if the confidence of the other person is arrogance or humble obedience. I must not judge, no matter how things appear to me, but earnestly seek grace to be obedient.

I believe that confident obedience may be a most humble thing to do.

It’s something to think about. 

Consider Joseph

This week we began a study of the gospel of Matthew with my wife, her sister and her husband. We are simply taking 1 or 2 chapters and looking at them together to see what God will show us. This week we looked at Matthew 1 and 2, not a very popular passage, except at the end of December. However, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

There are many stories found in Matthews genealogy: an incestuous relationship, a prostitute, a foreigner, an adulterous and murderous king, all of whom God included in the genealogy of Jesus. For me this is encouraging. God is not ashamed of these people but includes them and doesn’t attempt to hide their flaws. There’s room for me in the family of God. That’s encouraging!

But, the thing that really gets my attention is Joseph. For several years the faithfulness of Joseph has been an encouragement to me. Imagine if you can, being a man who has worked to establish himself in a trade and kept himself from women. Now he establishes a marriage covenant with this young Hebrew woman and, all of a sudden, finds out she is pregnant! Would you feel betrayed, angry, looking for justice?

This is not just a precious moments fairy story. This is real people just like you and me.

It says Joseph was a righteous man, but the text goes on to point out that he understood to be merciful. So, he decided not to make a show of her but to divorce her quietly. There is a lot to say about this, but let’s just leave it at, this was an extreme kindness.

After this Joseph is visited 4 times by an angel in dreams and given instruction. Each time Joseph’s response is immediate obedience. (Matthew 1:24, 2:14, 2:21-22)

How do I respond to unfaithfulness and injustice, by those around me? How quickly do I obey when I see the will of God for my life? These are questions that arise for me. I hope they are helpful for you.

May we each one grow in mercy and obedience.

Can We Agree Here

Last night as my wife and I were in bed, after we had prayed, I lay thinking about the things I’ve heard lately and the thought came to me. There are a lot of things that are unclear in the Bible. There are a lot of questions that men find to argue about. Look at all the different denominations and even divisions within denominations. Think of what makes your church right and your neighbors church not so right; things like baptism, communion, what happens when we die. All of these things men have parted company about at different times and sometimes with very strong and not loving feelings and words.

These questions are often truly difficult if not impossible to prove empirically. But as I was thinking about these things, a verse came to my mind that a precious brother shared several times in small meetings.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue, through which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:2-4)

There are so many things that we could disagree about, but here I see something that I need to give very serious attention.

God has given us all things, think of that ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness. There is nothing lacking; Not in what God has provided. What is lacking is my accepting and taking what God has provided.

How do I do that?

Through the knowledge that I can have through the Bible and by the Spirit of God, about God and about Jesus. Simply follow Jesus.

God calls us to glory and virtue so we can become those who live by divine nature and overcome the corruption that is in the world because of lust.