Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. –Philippians 2:3-11, NLT

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8, NIV

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17, NIV

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Now we learn that believers can “fall from the gift of grace” offered to us by God through Jesus Christ when we turn inward and serve only our own self interests.  We learn that we are continually “in production” of the characteristics of Christ who demonstrated how to love God back and how to love each other.  We have not arrived.  Production is not complete.  No one is perfect.  However, we are perfectly forgiven by Jesus who came to serve the world in ways the world had never seen or heard.  We have no excuse.  Jesus demonstrated how to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God”.

Galatians 5, The Message

The Life of Freedom

Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.

^2-3 I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ’s hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning: The person who accepts the ways of circumcision trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the obligations of the slave life of the law.

^4-6 I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.

^7-10 You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn’t come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don’t toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.

^11-12 As for the rumor that I continue to preach the ways of circumcision (as I did in those pre-Damascus Road days), that is absurd. Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn’t matter one way or the other. Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves!

^13-15 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

^16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are contrary to each other, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

* * *

^19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

^22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

^23-24 Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

^25-26 Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Like most of us in trying times; the Galatians had fallen back into production of the old ways of thought and action—the inferior by-products of evil.  Paul points out the difference so they will know and understand how the old ways were destroying what they had gained in Christ—real freedom!  Paul gives an list of the “same old” sins to avoid while telling of the “fruits of God’s characteristics to imitate and obtain as we walk in freedom from sin with God’s Holy Spirit helping us! He outlines the obvious differences between living a life that produces the fruits of God’s character in us, as demonstrated in Christ who set us free, versus the life of bondage of the sin evil produces in us when we turn to satisfying self.

“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” (v.22-23)

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:25, NLT

As we relate to people and circumstances in our daily walk, let’s use Paul’s “list” of fruit bearing as a filter for our behavior before responding. As we strive to develop the “mind of Christ,” rely on the gift of God’s Holy Spirit who lives in us ready to help us! We cannot do this by ourselves.  That’s why we humble ourselves before God as we walk humbly with God.  He produces in us what we cannot—holiness.    

“That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.” (v. 26)

God, through Jesus, surrounds us with His grace. As believers “in production” to be more like Jesus, we also become the distribution depot of God’s gifts to those we relate to daily. God wants no one to leave our presence empty-handed. Some people find the gift of salvation through what we say about Jesus. For others the gifts might be merely a kind word, a good deed, delivered with selfless graciousness. But all the gifts are from God. 

While we are still “in production” our task is to stand firmly in faith, secured in God’s grace, surrounded by His goodness with gratitude, while freely giving to all who come our way with what has so freely been given to us—love, mercy, and grace with redemption.  This is true freedom!

Lord,

Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole. I have not arrived but I’m not where I was when you found me and began your salvation work in me.  May your Kingdom come, your will be done.  To You be the all the glory, honor, and praise!

In Jesus Name, Amen

As children growing up in the fifties, we heard this threat after misbehaving and receiving the mom version of punishment until dad came home.  The “mom version” was enough for me!  In fact, I was “that child” who knew the minute I had done wrong and sidelined myself as a child as my own punishment.  If that wasn’t enough, the “mom look” was well enough to stop my sarcastic words and obnoxious deeds.  But for my much younger brother, it was different.  He pushed the limits of mom’s patience and crossed the line of arrogance without guilt.  Seven years older than my brother, I tried to warn him to “slow his roll” as Mom resorted to, “you just wait ‘til your father comes home.” 

As children we learn how to behave well in the presence of adults.  But as soon as their attention is drawn away or they left the room, previous questionable behavior resumed.  “Out of sight, out of mind” was our childish thinking.  What parents don’t see is not really happening—a child’s theology.

Paul reminds the Galatian church that God, the Father does know their hearts and sees their behaviors even if they do not acknowledge Him.  They are going back to their old ways since Paul is no longer physically with them to teach and convict them of their worship of other gods.  They are leaning into the old superstitions; getting their advice from the world instead of God. “What Paul (or God) doesn’t see isn’t really happening” seems to be their own childish way of thinking which is now making them slaves to evil once again. 

Galatians 4, The Message

^1-3 Let me show you the implications of this. As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave. Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors and administrators until whatever date the father has set for emancipation. That is the way it is with us: When we were minors, we were just like slaves ordered around by simple instructions (the tutors and administrators of this world), with no say in the conduct of our own lives.

^4-7 But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.

^8-11 Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those tin gods? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!

^12-13 My dear friends, what I would really like you to do is try to put yourselves in my shoes to the same extent that I, when I was with you, put myself in yours. You were very sensitive and kind then. You did not come down on me personally. You were well aware that the reason I ended up preaching to you was that I was physically broken, and so, prevented from continuing my journey, I was forced to stop with you. That is how I came to preach to you.

^14-16 And don’t you remember that even though taking in a sick guest was most troublesome for you, you chose to treat me as well as you would have treated an angel of God—as well as you would have treated Jesus himself if he had visited you? What has happened to the satisfaction you felt at that time? There were some of you then who, if possible, would have given your very eyes to me—that is how deeply you cared! And now have I suddenly become your enemy simply by telling you the truth? I can’t believe it.

¹⁷ Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God’s grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important.

* * *

^18-20 It is a good thing to be passionate in doing good, but not just when I am in your presence. Can’t you continue the same concern for both my person and my message when I am away from you that you had when I was with you? Do you know how I feel right now, and will feel until Christ’s life becomes visible in your lives? Like a mother in the pain of childbirth. Oh, I keep wishing that I was with you. Then I wouldn’t be reduced to this blunt, letter-writing language out of sheer frustration.

^21-31 Tell me now, you who have become so enamored with the law: Have you paid close attention to that law? Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human plotting; the son of the free woman was born by God’s promise. This illustrates the very thing we are dealing with now. The two births represent two ways of being in relationship with God. One is from Mount Sinai in Arabia. It corresponds with what is now going on in Jerusalem—a slave life, producing slaves as offspring. This is the way of Hagar. In contrast to that, there is an invisible Jerusalem, a free Jerusalem, and she is our mother—this is the way of Sarah. Remember what Isaiah wrote:

Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children,
    shout and cry out, woman who has no birth pangs,
Because the children of the barren woman
    now surpass the children of the chosen woman.

Isn’t it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise? In the days of Hagar and Sarah, the child who came from faithless plotting (Ishmael) harassed the child who came—empowered by the Spirit—from the faithful promise (Isaac). Isn’t it clear that the harassment you are now experiencing from the Jerusalem heretics follows that old pattern? There is a Scripture that tells us what to do: “Expel the slave mother with her son, for the slave son will not inherit with the free son.” Isn’t that conclusive? We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Pau’s heart is broken for them knowing that their behavior is breaking the heart of God who gave His Son to set them free from the enslavement and bondage of sin.

“Just wait ‘til your Father comes home to take us home with Him” …  But why wait, when we as children of God, heirs with Christ, can have it all right now because of His love, mercy, and grace?!  We are children of Promise! 

We are redeemed and set free by Jesus Christ, son of God, Messiah come to save us from the sins that bind us.

May we LIVE as redeemed and set free people right now as our response to our loving Father!

Hold nothing back from the Father! 

Stop trying to hide foolish behaviors.  Hiding is enslaving ourselves once more by wrapping the old ropes of bondage around our being, choking our hearts, destroying our minds, and crushing our souls!

Remember how much God, the Father loves us!  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Lord,

Thank you for saving our souls, setting us free, with your power and help to live for you every day.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Many think, and will tell you, that to put our whole trust in Someone we cannot see is crazy and will call you crazy!  But, crazy has two different definitions:  Crazy can be the mentally deranged, especially as manifested in a wild or aggressive way. OR crazy can mean you are extremely, over the top enthusiastic. Mm.

So, we must decide just how crazy we are and who are we crazy for!  “Ain’t it great to be crazy” the song tells us.  Okay, we’re all crazy—but seriously, for who and for what reason?  Are we crazy—extremely, over the top, enthusiastic for the One and Only who was so crazy with love for us that He gave His life for ours?  Or are we crazed mentally by what the wild world of evil thinks is sane? Are we aggressively drawn into all that is dark? Ah, we are so easily distracted even as believers!  Where is our focus?

It has been said that if Paul was alive today, we’d be getting a letter!

Galatians 3, The Message

Trust in Christ, Not the Law

You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a spell on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it’s obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough.

^2-4 Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

^5-6 Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don’t these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God.

^7-8 Is it not obvious to you that persons who put their trust in Christ (not persons who put their trust in the law!) are like Abraham: children of faith? It was all laid out beforehand in Scripture that God would set things right with non-Jews by faith. Scripture anticipated this in the promise to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed in you.”

^9-10 So those now who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who lived by faith—this is no new doctrine! And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure. Scripture backs this up: “Utterly cursed is every person who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the law.”

^11-12 The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: “The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that’s the real life.” Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: “The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them.”

^13-14 Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham’s blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God’s life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it.

* * *

^15-18 Friends, let me give you an example from everyday affairs of the free life I am talking about. Once a person’s will has been signed, no one else can annul it or add to it. Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. You will observe that Scripture, in the careful language of a legal document, does not say “to descendants,” referring to everybody in general, but “to your descendant” (the noun, note, is singular), referring to Christ. This is the way I interpret this: A will, earlier signed by God, is not annulled by an addendum attached 430 years later, thereby negating the promise of the will. No, this addendum, with its instructions and regulations, has nothing to do with the promised inheritance in the will.

^18-20 What is the point, then, of the law, the attached addendum? It was a thoughtful addition to the original covenant promises made to Abraham. The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until Christ (the descendant) came, inheriting the promises and distributing them to us. Obviously this law was not a firsthand encounter with God. It was arranged by angelic messengers through a middleman, Moses. But if there is a middleman as there was at Sinai, then the people are not dealing directly with God, are they? But the original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith.

^21-22 If such is the case, is the law, then, an anti-promise, a negation of God’s will for us? Not at all. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time.

^23-24 Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for.

^25-27 But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise.

In Christ’s Family

^28-29 In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It’s all about Jesus!

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” –Jesus, Matthew 5:17-20, NIV

The Law was given by God to protect us and convict us of our sins. 

Jesus was given as a demonstration of God’s love to saves us from the punishment for our sins.

The Law shows us our unrighteousness. Jesus fulfilled the law by making us right with God by His sacrifice for our unrighteousness.  “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Crazy, right?  What we deserve is punishment.  What we receive is God’s gift of mercy and grace—and Grace wins every time over rule keeping and self-improvement plans we humans devise as our way to get right with God.  We are crazy to think we can do life without Jesus who is Life eternal!

Only by believing in Jesus are we made right with God.  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”—Jesus, John 14:6

This crazy love is enthusiastically given by God’s gift of grace. 

We respond with crazy love for Jesus and enthusiastic trust and faith in God

Lord,

Thank for the letters of Paul, inspired by your Holy Spirit, that teach us how to love you back with all our hearts, minds, and souls!  What the world thinks is crazy is abundant life forever!  I choose you.  I choose Life.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Cause and effect.  We humans rely on this ingrained thinking most often.  We either wear ourselves out overthinking and analyzing our circumstances and others situations to explain them as we spin the wheels of foolishness, thinking that we are in control of life here.  We think, even as believers, we can explain why everything happens when only God has the final answer. Our first thought when someone is ill is to figure out why they became so sick.  If they had done this, that would not have happened.  When someone has an accident, we search all the possibilities of why it happened and come to judgement—if they would have done this; this would not have happened.  When a marriage is falling apart, we can come up with a thousand reasons why the marriage is in trouble.  We are a judgy bunch because we think we can explain life—on our terms with our rules of cause and effect.

Paul brings limited human points of view back into focus with the Galatian church who are trying to sort out life based on rule keeping versus pure faith in the One who saved us by God’s grace alone.  His words are personal.  Jesus is personal.  Jesus who lives in all believers of Him is very personal.  We either believe Him or not, put all our faith and trust in Jesus who lives in us or not.  We must decide and fully commit—or not.  But one thing is for sure—Grace wins every time!

Controversies can be defused and eliminated when our central focus is “Christ in us.”

Galatians 2, The Message

What Is Central?

^1-5 Fourteen years after that first visit, Barnabas and I went up to Jerusalem and took Titus with us. I went to clarify with them what had been revealed to me. At that time I placed before them exactly what I was preaching to the non-Jews. I did this in private with the leaders, those held in esteem by the church, so that our concern would not become a controversial public issue, marred by ethnic tensions, exposing my years of work to denigration and endangering my present ministry. Significantly, Titus, non-Jewish though he was, was not required to be circumcised. While we were in conference we were infiltrated by spies pretending to be Christians, who slipped in to find out just how free true Christians are. Their ulterior motive was to reduce us to their brand of servitude. We didn’t give them the time of day. We were determined to preserve the truth of the Message for you.

^6-10 As for those who were considered important in the church, their reputation doesn’t concern me. God isn’t impressed with mere appearances, and neither am I. And of course these leaders were able to add nothing to the message I had been preaching. It was soon evident that God had entrusted me with the same message to the non-Jews as Peter had been preaching to the Jews. Recognizing that my calling had been given by God, James, Peter, and John—the pillars of the church—shook hands with me and Barnabas, assigning us to a ministry to the non-Jews, while they continued to be responsible for reaching out to the Jews. The only additional thing they asked was that we remember the poor, and I was already eager to do that.

^11-13 Later, when Peter came to Antioch, I had a face-to-face confrontation with him because he was clearly out of line. Here’s the situation. Earlier, before certain persons had come from James, Peter regularly ate with the non-Jews. But when that conservative group came from Jerusalem, he cautiously pulled back and put as much distance as he could manage between himself and his non-Jewish friends. That’s how fearful he was of the conservative Jewish clique that’s been pushing the old system of circumcision. Unfortunately, the rest of the Jews in the Antioch church joined in that hypocrisy so that even Barnabas was swept along in the charade.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the Message, I spoke up to Peter in front of them all: “If you, a Jew, live like a non-Jew when you’re not being observed by the watchdogs from Jerusalem, what right do you have to require non-Jews to conform to Jewish customs just to make a favorable impression on your old Jerusalem buddies?”

^15-16 We Jews know that we have no advantage of birth over “non-Jewish sinners.” We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it—and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good.

^17-18 Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren’t perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous. If I was “trying to be good,” I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a pretender.

^19-21 What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.

²¹ Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It is easy to fall into a destructive pattern of pleasing people instead of God.  We naturally want the applause of others as we grow in our faith with God. No sure of our new life in Christ, we do what other believers do, saying what they say and even falling prey to saying what we know they want to hear so they will be pleased with us.  We think that by following all their traditions and rules, both written and unwritten for the church we are attending, all will go well with us.  Paul tells us plainly that this way of life is not what God wants for us nor does it please Him. Knowing that Christ lives in us, guiding us to be like Him, is central to being fully alive in Christ!

It is also very easy to fall into old habits of judging each other, especially those who we think do not say the “right words”, dress, or act just like you as they grow in their faith.  It is easy to judge those who say no to you.  I was once called by a relative of mine in my early adult years to tell me she had a message from God about me.  She told me in detail what I should be doing with my life for God based on her revelation from God.  Her “revelation” was mostly about a task at church that needed a volunteer to get it done. 

The more she talked, the more manipulated and intimidated I felt rather than feeling spiritually mentored and uplifted.  I listened out of respect for her while praying to God for help.  He reminded me that He the One who calls me.  It is God who will tell me His will with His timing.  It is God who guides and provides, equips, and prepares us.  It is God who I must please rather than someone who wants me to please them.  It is God who we need to listen to first and always.  God will certainly send others to mentor us as we obey HIS call.  But others are not the ones who do the calling.  This incident taught me early on as a future leader of young adults to avoid tactics of manipulation in mentoring believers who are seeking God’s will and purpose for their lives. God’s will is personal and comes from Christ in us!

Paul finishes with deep Truth that requires meditation and evaluation for each one of us today: “Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.”

WHO are we wanting to please most?  Be honest.

Please God in all we think, say, and do.  May our first thought be to ask what Jesus would say or do in our circumstances and relationships.  How would He respond to others as He walked the earth?  First, He got alone to talk with God. Their relationship was deep and everlasting for they were One in Three—God, Jesus, Holy Spirit.  Jesus did everything on earth to please His Father, God in heaven.  Jesus did what His Father was already doing—seeking a personal, intimate, growing, loving relationship with all who would believe in Him.  Then He responded with the words God gave Him with power from God’s Holy Spirit within Him.  This same Holy Spirit power resurrected Jesus from death.  This same power is God’s gift to us to help us do His will!

“Seek God first,” says Jesus, and you will find Him because we are known to Him!  God will tell us exactly what pleases Him and be His best for us. God’s Holy Spirit will guide us to Truth.  God never fails, never gives up on us, and will always love us.  Yes, it’s personal.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” –Jesus, Matthew 7:7-8  It is interesting to note that Matthew 7 begins with; “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” –Jesus, Matthew 7:1-2

“I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.” –Paul, Galatians 2

Lord,

Just like Paul said, “Christ lives in me” and I’m not going back on that”, I too believe in you.  I’m not out to impress you but to please and honor you with my life.  I can only do that with you leading and guiding me.  Forgive me when I fall to pleasing others so I can feel better about myself.  Cleanse my heart, renew my mind, refresh my soul, and restore the joy and peace of your salvation work within me.  The best is yet to come!

In Jesus Name, Amen

“I was one way, now I’m different.” From God’s Word, this is the epitome of Paul’s testimony of God’s plan to rescue him through Jesus’ sacrifice. This is the simple testimony of all who truly believe, repent, trust, and follow the One who changes everything about us after the rescue as we daily give our lives to Him as an offering of praise and submission to His will and holiness. 

Before Jesus’s rescue of Paul, who was formally known as Saul, Paul was a “holy terror” in every way.  Saul stormed into towns and villages with an angry vengeance based on a false religious philosophy.  This self-proclaimed Superman of the Jewish religious drove him to pull believers in Jesus out to the town squares for all to see his power over them.  Saul and his militia would then harass, humiliate, and beat the innocent before throwing them in to jail.  By persecuting believers, Saul thought he could stop God’s Plan of rescue for all people!  But Saul was wrong—so wrong!  We know now that these persecutions only caused the church Jesus established to grow in even greater numbers!

Saul, a proud Jew of heritage and tradition, was met on the road to Damacus by Jesus, Himself, who revealed Truth to Saul.  Jesus called Saul out into the Light of His Presence, blinding him to the world and himself for a few days, while asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”  (See Acts)  Jesus taught earlier that what we do to others we are doing to Him and this proves His words to be true!  Meeting Jesus on the road that day changed everything for Saul who become known as Paul, the Apostle of Jesus!  It is God’s Plan through Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins that the world may know and be rescued, too.   

Paul sees legalism more readily than most because that was the life he lived before knowing Jesus who rescued him from the bondage of laws and traditions that were manmade and imposed.  The Galatians are becoming tied to the law code so he sends a letter to this church to proclaim freedom in Christ!  He preaches, I used to be this way but now I am different! 

Galatians 1, The Message

^1-5 I, Paul, and my companions in faith here, send greetings to the Galatian churches. My authority for writing to you does not come from any popular vote of the people, nor does it come through the appointment of some human higher-up. It comes directly from Jesus the Messiah and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. I’m God-commissioned. So I greet you with the great words, grace and peace!We know the meaning of those words because Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!

The Message

^6-9 I can’t believe how you waver—how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing an alternative message! It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God. Those who are provoking this agitation among you are turning the Message of Christ on its head. Let me be blunt: If one of us—even if an angel from heaven!—were to preach something other than what we preached originally, let him be cursed. I said it once; I’ll say it again: If anyone, regardless of reputation or credentials, preaches something other than what you received originally, let him be cursed.

^10-12 Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or court favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn’t bother being Christ’s slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn’t receive it through the traditions, and I wasn’t taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ.

^13-16 I’m sure that you’ve heard the story of my earlier life when I lived in the Jewish way. In those days I went all out in persecuting God’s church. I was systematically destroying it. I was so enthusiastic about the traditions of my ancestors that I advanced head and shoulders above my peers in my career. Even then God had his eye on me. Why, when I was still in my mother’s womb he chose and called me out of sheer generosity! Now he has intervened and revealed his Son to me so that I might joyfully tell non-Jews about him.

^16-20 Immediately after my calling—without consulting anyone around me and without going up to Jerusalem to confer with those who were apostles long before I was—I got away to Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus, but it was three years before I went up to Jerusalem to compare stories with Peter. I was there only fifteen days—but what days they were! Except for our Master’s brother James, I saw no other apostles. (I’m telling you the absolute truth in this.)

^21-24 Then I began my ministry in the regions of Syria and Cilicia. After all that time and activity I was still unknown by face among the Christian churches in Judea. There was only this report: “That man who once persecuted us is now preaching the very message he used to try to destroy.” Their response was to recognize and worship God because of me!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We learned from our study of Corinthians that we are all called by God to be rescued by Jesus’ blood of sacrifice for our sins.  We are called to speak His Truth so others will know and  be reconnected to God through Jesus, His Son.  We, as the called, are changing moment by moment as we give ourselves to Jesus who transforms us daily to be more and more like Him.

The book of Galatians was written by the confident hand of one who had known slavery to a law code of behaviors.  Paul, set free by Jesus’ salvation, now declares, and defines true freedom in Christ. It is by the grace of Jesus that we are saved—not by following all the laws.  Paul wrote these words to leaders in the church who were insisting that it was necessary to follow a law or code in order to be saved.  It is by God’s grace alone that we are saved, Paul will proclaim.

Many of the early Christians were Jewish Christians who were accustomed to following a law. They were used to being told what to do with when and how to do it.  Though they had accepted the gift of grace offered by Christ on the cross, some were falling away—substituting man’s works for God’s gift. Paul recognized this for what it was—legalism.

Legalism is not unique to the Galatians. Any time the gospel has been preached, there have been those who contend it is too good to be true. It’s not enough to be saved by faith, argues the legalist, we must earn God’s approval. Some teach that we earn God’s favor by what we know (intellectualism). Others insist we are saved by what we do (moralism). Still others claim that salvation is determined by what we feel (emotionalism).

Max Lucado writes;

“However you package it, Paul contests, legalism is heresy. Any gospel other than the pure gospel is anathema (abomination). Salvation comes only through the cross—no additions, no alterations.

We are free in Christ. “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Galatians is a document of freedom. As you read, note the confidence of the writer. His hand doesn’t shake, his conviction doesn’t waver, his belief doesn’t falter.”

But wait, there’s more! Paul will open the door to learning more about our freedom in Christ:

• Salvation comes by grace, not works.
• We should bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
• We will reap in life what we have sown in life.

If our salvation was judged by what we do, how high we jumped, or what score we attained on the tests of life; then we fail miserably by man’s standards or certainly be boastful and arrogant.  Jesus’ resurrection would not mean a thing.  Instead, we are saved by His grace alone! This truth sets us free with a desire to be like the One who rescued us!

How do I know?  I was one way and now I’m different—all because of Jesus who rescued me and set me free.  This becomes a daily difference making transformation as I give myself to Him! I will meditate on this freedom all day today and be grateful.

Lord,

Thank you for daily cleansing my soul, renewing my mind, refreshing my soul, and restoring the joy and peace of knowing that your salvation is at work transforming me to be who you have called out and set free!

In Jesus Name, Amen

I remember time Randy and I were doing some quick grocery shopping when we looked up to see a younger couple we had known before but had lost touch with for a while.  We hardly recognized them at first.  They had attended church with relatives that Randy pastored at the time.  When they came, they looked down not wanting to engage in conversation.  But now, they came over to us, looked into our eyes with joy on their faces!  Their first words were, “We’re different now!  Jesus has changed our lives and set us free!”  We could tell—it showed from head to toe!  We celebrated with them!

This couple had fought drug addiction over the years that made them look older than they were. They had been battled and scarred from the effects of the drugs.  They were ashamed over the loss of control.  Disheveled they tried coming to church because of relatives who wanted to help them find Jesus.  But then, they disappeared. They needed counseling to face why they needed the drugs to numb their emotions and they found they right place and the right Person to lead them out and save them—Jesus!  Everything changed.  Randy and I praised God for their redemption and transformtion! 

We thanked them for telling us and showing us how Jesus changed their lives.  They came to church the next Sunday with smiling faces as the beauty of Jesus was seen by all who knew them before and now after.  “The old has gone and the new has come” are not just words in our Bibles.  These powerful words describe life transformation—all because of Jesus!

When we totally give our hearts, minds, and souls to Jesus, everything about us changes!  It shows on our faces!  Our demeanor is different when we relate to others. Redemption brough about by the mercy and grace of God, delivered by Jesus, and powered by His Holy Spirit living in us transforms us from dead living to coming alive in Christ!  We become physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthier with each day given to Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 13, The Message

He’s Alive Now!

^1-4 Well, this is my third visit coming up. Remember the Scripture that says, “A matter becomes clear after two or three witnesses give evidence”? On my second visit I warned that bunch that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways that when I came back I wouldn’t go easy on them. Now, preparing for the third, I’m saying it again from a distance. If you haven’t changed your ways by the time I get there, look out. You who have been demanding proof that Christ speaks through me will get more than you bargained for. You’ll get the full force of Christ, don’t think you won’t. He was sheer weakness and humiliation when he was killed on the cross, but oh, he’s alive now—in the mighty power of God! We weren’t much to look at, either, when we were humiliated among you, but when we deal with you this next time, we’ll be alive in Christ, strengthened by God.

^5-9 Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn’t possibly do otherwise.

We don’t just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.

¹⁰ I’m writing this to you now so that when I come I won’t have to say another word on the subject. The authority the Master gave me is for putting people together, not taking them apart. I want to get on with it, and not have to spend time on reprimands.

* * *

^11-13 And that’s about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. All the brothers and sisters here say hello.

¹⁴ The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Examine and test yourselves,” writes Paul to the church.  “If the test fails, then do something about it!”  Seek God first.  Seek all who know Jesus and will help us find our way back to Him. 

If we test negative to all that God wants to be and do in our lives; then stop, drop to our knees and pray.  Offer all we are to all God is and wants to be and do in our lives.  He will answer and transform us from the inside out.  Then the beauty of our alive Christ will be seen in us!

Help each other!  Celebrate God’s strength in our weaknesses and limitations.  Think “in harmony” as we work together to point the way to being alive in Christ!

Lord,

I give you my life again this morning.  I look up instead of down to see your glory at work in my life.  I rejoice because of your love and compassion that saved my soul.  I ask for wisdom and invite you into all the details of this day that lies before me.  Show me the right path to take and I will follow.

In Jesus Name, Amen

I’m remembering a favorite song written by Amy Grant written decades ago that describes the look on our faces when transformed by His grace—  “Her Father’s Eyes”

I may not be every mother’s dream for her little girl,
And my face may not grace the mind of everyone in the world.
But that’s all right, as long as I can have one wish I pray:
When people look inside my life, I want to hear them say,

She’s got her Father’s eyes,
Her father’s eyes;
Eyes that find the good in things,
When good is not around;
Eyes that find the source of help,
When help just can’t be found;
Eyes full of compassion,
Seeing every pain;
Knowing what you’re going through
And feeling it the same.
Just like my father’s eyes,
My father’s eyes,
My father’s eyes,
Just like my father’s eyes.

And on that day when we will pay for all the deeds we have done,
Good and bad they’ll all be had to see by everyone.
And when you’re called to stand and tell just what you saw in me,
More than anything I know, I want your words to be,

She had her father’s eyes,
Her Father’s eyes…

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11

As a parent and a former public school first grade teacher, we make allowances for young children who are still learning how to relate to each other and work alongside each other.  We invest ourselves in the their growing up because it is worth our time and energy to do so.  We call on God when we don’t know what to say or do and He provides help and wisdom. We discover later in life that those we invested in the most we will always remember with great love. 

We also know and remember all the Christ filled people who invested their time in us—and still do!

Paul was called by God to invest his time in Corinth, a city of unimaginable horrid sins of idol worship, sexual promiscuities, even offering their babies as sacrifices to various gods, among other acts of violence and hostility.  He writes honestly and opening of how it distresses him to know they are not only turning to their old ways of life but now turning on him who taught them about Jesus’ way of life anew. 

Paul speaks openly and honestly about his own weaknesses so they will realize that his confidence, which they interpret as conceited boldness, comes only from Christ who gives him strength to overcome His weakness!  Jesus is his strength in weakness!  And Jesus is our strength and confidence, too!

2 Corinthians 12, The Message

Strength from Weakness

^1-5 You’ve forced me to talk this way, and I do it against my better judgment. But now that we’re at it, I may as well bring up the matter of visions and revelations that God gave me. For instance, I know a man who, fourteen years ago, was seized by Christ and swept in ecstasy to the heights of heaven. I really don’t know if this took place in the body or out of it; only God knows. I also know that this man was hijacked into paradise—again, whether in or out of the body, I don’t know; God knows. There he heard the unspeakable spoken, but was forbidden to tell what he heard. This is the man I want to talk about. But about myself, I’m not saying another word apart from the humiliations.

⁶ If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I’d still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I’ll spare you. I don’t want anyone imagining me as anything other than the fool you’d encounter if you saw me on the street or heard me talk.

^7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

* * *

^11-13 Well, now I’ve done it! I’ve made a complete fool of myself by going on like this. But it’s not all my fault; you put me up to it. You should have been doing this for me, sticking up for me and commending me instead of making me do it for myself. You know from personal experience that even if I’m a nobody, a nothing, I wasn’t second-rate compared to those big-shot apostles you’re so taken with. All the signs that mark a true apostle were in evidence while I was with you through both good times and bad: signs of portent, signs of wonder, signs of power. Did you get less of me or of God than any of the other churches? The only thing you got less of was less responsibility for my upkeep. Well, I’m sorry. Forgive me for depriving you.

^14-15 Everything is in readiness now for this, my third visit to you. But don’t worry about it; you won’t have to put yourselves out. I’ll be no more of a bother to you this time than on the other visits. I have no interest in what you have—only in you. Children shouldn’t have to look out for their parents; parents look out for the children. I’d be most happy to empty my pockets, even mortgage my life, for your good. So how does it happen that the more I love you, the less I’m loved?

^16-18 And why is it that I keep coming across these whiffs of gossip about how my self-support was a front behind which I worked an elaborate scam? Where’s the evidence? Did I cheat or trick you through anyone I sent? I asked Titus to visit, and sent some brothers along. Did they swindle you out of anything? And haven’t we always been just as aboveboard, just as honest?

¹⁹ I hope you don’t think that all along we’ve been making our defense before you, the jury. You’re not the jury; God is the jury—God revealed in Christ—and we make our case before him. And we’ve gone to all the trouble of supporting ourselves so that we won’t be in the way or get in the way of your growing up.

^20-21 I do admit that I have fears that when I come you’ll disappoint me and I’ll disappoint you, and in frustration with each other everything will fall to pieces—quarrels, jealousy, flaring tempers, taking sides, angry words, vicious rumors, swelled heads, and general bedlam. I don’t look forward to a second humiliation by God among you, compounded by hot tears over that crowd that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways, who refuse to turn away from the pigsty of evil, sexual disorder, and indecency in which they wallow.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Pray for strength and wisdom more that the removal of our weaknesses.  Our weaknesses drives us to depend on God.  We are not supermen and superwomen of perfection!  We all have something that we must carry.  But that does not compare to what Jesus carried for us—all the sins of the world on his shoulders! 

I pray our weaknesses will drive us to the wonders God has instore for us.  I pray our weaknesses keep us humble before God who is God alone.  Without our weaknesses showing up daily, we would probably be tempted to think we are God.  Worship of ourselves would follow, leaving the protection and provision of God.  God does not spare us trials, but he helps us overcome them. God works in our weakness, because when we are weak his strength accomplishes the task. 

Only our Lord knows how to balance our lives. If we have only blessings, we may become proud; so He permits us to have burdens as well. Paul’s great experience in heaven could have ruined his ministry on earth; so, God, in His goodness, permitted Satan to buffet Paul in order to keep him from becoming proud.

We must not take advantage or underappreciate those who invest their very lives into our growing spiritual maturity in Christ!  Paul admonished the Corinthians for their lack of appreciation. One of the dangers of the Christian life is that of getting accustomed to our blessings. A godly pastor or Sunday school teacher can do so much for us that we begin to take the ministry for granted. Paul had taken no support from the church, but rather had given sacrificially for the church; yet they were unwilling to show their appreciation by sharing with others. It seemed that the more Paul loved them, the less they loved Paul!

Think of all the people who have mentored us.  Let us stop and thank God for sending them into our lives at just the right time to help us.  Thank God for His Holy Spirit living in us as the supreme Helper in our growing process to be more and more like Jesus! 

And finally, let us thank God for our weakness instead of being bitter about this thing that causes pain.  Give it all to God, weaknesses, warts and all, and watch how God turns weakness in wonderful blessings of His glory.  Thank God for turning pain into power as He pours on His strength in and through it all!

Lord,

We learn much about ourselves as we read about Paul’s life and ministry. Thank you for your Word that give wisdom and your power that gives strength beyond our own abilities.

In Jesus Name, Amen

 

When we first believe in Jesus, repent of all our sins to Jesus, we are grateful and even giddy.  Our burdens of anxiety, self-loathing, distrust, overthinking, and fear are lifted from our shoulders.  We walk more easily and talk more freely.  God’s Love overwhelms us and lifts us to higher thinking.  God’s Holy Spirit comes and takes up residence in our being.  We have a New Counselor who guides us.  Our new life has a new perspective that is super positive and full of hope.  We have and hold the hope of eternal life!  What more could we ask for in this life and the bonus promise of what comes next?

The new cry of a new believers’ hearts boldly declare, “I want to be like Jesus.”  But the new believer does not yet realize what that means until life turns from rosy to really hard.  Troubles still come that exasperate us.  People you thought were your friends for life betray you.  You excitedly tell people who Jesus is with how He worked in your life to save you and people not only laugh at you they work hard to tear down your reputation for being this new person living and working among them. 

Maybe that’s why the command from God through Jesus, telling us to “go and make disciples, baptizing them” also includes “teaching them”.  We must tell the whole story of what it means to be like Jesus.  “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

To be like Jesus includes suffering in this world—like Jesus did to save us.  But we are overcomers with Jesus!

Paul is weary.  His prose is full of pain.  But we also feel the love of Christ in Paul as he writes openly to those he cares for deeply.  He cares us so much, in fact, that he is compelled to passionately warn them about falling for “pseudo-servants” who are not trying to be like Jesus but instead doing things for their own self-serving interests.  They are fakes.  Paul is honest before God and with His people. 

2 Corinthians 11, The Message

Pseudo-Servants of God

^1-3 Will you put up with a little foolish aside from me? Please, just for a moment. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much—this is the passion of God burning inside me! I promised your hand in marriage to Christ, presented you as a pure virgin to her husband. And now I’m afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eve with his smooth tongue, you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ.

^4-6 It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot “apostles,” why can’t you put up with simple me? I’m as good as they are. It’s true that I don’t have their voice, haven’t mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I’m talking about. We haven’t kept anything back. We let you in on everything.

^7-12 I wonder, did I make a bad mistake in proclaiming God’s Message to you without asking for something in return, serving you free of charge so that you wouldn’t be inconvenienced by me? It turns out that the other churches paid my way so that you could have a free ride. Not once during the time I lived among you did anyone have to lift a finger to help me out. My needs were always supplied by the believers from Macedonia province. I was careful never to be a burden to you, and I never will be, you can count on it. With Christ as my witness, it’s a point of honor with me, and I’m not going to keep it quiet just to protect you from what the neighbors will think. It’s not that I don’t love you; God knows I do. I’m just trying to keep things open and honest between us.

^12-15 And I’m not changing my position on this. I’d die before taking your money. I’m giving nobody grounds for lumping me in with those money-grubbing “preachers,” vaunting themselves as something special. They’re a sorry bunch—pseudo-apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers—posing as Christ’s agents but sham to the core. And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. So it shouldn’t surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God. But they’re not getting by with anything. They’ll pay for it in the end.

Many a Long and Lonely Night

^16-21 Let me come back to where I started—and don’t hold it against me if I continue to sound a little foolish. Or if you’d rather, just accept that I am a fool and let me rant on a little. I didn’t learn this kind of talk from Christ. Oh, no, it’s a bad habit I picked up from the three-ring preachers that are so popular these days. Since you sit there in the judgment seat observing all these shenanigans, you can afford to humor an occasional fool who happens along. You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn’t admit it to you, but our stomachs aren’t strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff.

^21-23 Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I’m their match. Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can’t believe I’m saying these things. It’s crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I’m going to finish.)

^23-27 I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door time after time. I’ve been flogged five times with the Jews’ thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I’ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I’ve known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.

^28-29 And that’s not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut.

^30-33 If I have to “brag” about myself, I’ll brag about the humiliations that make me like Jesus. The eternal and blessed God and Father of our Master Jesus knows I’m not lying. Remember the time I was in Damascus and the governor of King Aretas posted guards at the city gates to arrest me? I crawled through a window in the wall, was let down in a basket, and had to run for my life.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

When we are “at the end of our rope”, bone weary and desperate, angry when the devil takes those we love away from knowing and following Jesus, reach out for the hand of God who knows our every pain and cares for us.  He knows the heartache when our beloved fall for the fakes for they are HIS beloved as well. 

Don’t get hung up on the honesty of Paul.  We all suffer in different ways on this earth. The crazy Corinthians needed to hear what Paul had to say.  Stuff was happening that would chill our bones! 

Today, there are many who are still persecuted on this earth for believing and following Jesus.  In our part of the country, we might be mocked and betrayed but we are rarely beaten and jailed for knowing and following Jesus.  That being said, we must realize that suffering, tests, and trials are a part of life for all people.  Like Paul, I would rather know Jesus, strive to be like Jesus, and grow in my love for Jesus through the sufferings of earth even if that means I am humiliated for following Him.  He is my hope of eternal life!  I know it will be worth it all when I see Christ!

We must read to the very end of Paul’s message to get to the good stuff what he truly believes.  “If I have to “brag” about myself, I’ll brag about the humiliations that make me like Jesus. 

Paul will also teach the Philippians the Truth of what it means to follow Jesus AND share in His sufferings to be more and more like Jesus:

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11

Paul knows he is consistently growing to be more and more like Jesus but he has not “arrived” at perfection—only Jesus is perfection. Even though bone weary, he will not give up telling people what he does know so others will not fall away from Christ.  “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14

Be honest, press on, in Jesus Name.  I have discovered in my own life, that when I am bone weary from suffering loss or watching others I love be duped and fall away from believing in Jesus; coming before God with honest humility becomes the right posture for God to do His best work in me!

Lord,

Thank you for saving our souls and making us whole be sending people into our lives at various seasons and stages of our growth, at just the right time, to “teach” us the right way to go in the ways that please you and give you glory. Thank you for hearing our cries for help in suffering and shouts of praise in good times and bad.  I will trust in you for life because you are Life!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

Friendly Fire defined:  During a war, being wounded or killed by those from your own side—not from the enemy. 

The church who love Jesus attracts other imperfect people seeking a love that is real. As in Paul’s time and in ours, the world around us is unprincipled with dark manipulating ways of living life that cause pain, hurting more than it helping people.  The church is and was called out of this world to be different. 

The church was built on Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world—all of them.  Acknowledging our sins and repenting them to Jesus is the only way to begin a relationship with God.  Jesus also defeated death by rising from death to not only demonstrate the power of God but to provide all who believe the Hope of eternal life with God.  These gatherings of people, called church with Jesus as the Head, the One we believe in and trust, were formed to make disciples of Jesus.  It all began with the authoritative command given by God through Jesus His Son to His followers before Jesus returned to heaven:

“…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” 

The battles that exist while living in this imperfect world begin with the Enemy of God.  The enemy works diligently to take back who Jesus saved and reconciled to God.  He is in our churches stirring hearts, distracting minds, while clutching at our very souls with his fingers of deception, division, envy, and pride while thinking the worst not the best in all people as we compare and compete with others. 

Paul is called, like all of us, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of God, Jesus and His Holy Spirit and he spends a great deal of time TEACHING all to obey God and His ways of living life to the full.  This is yet another time to teach how to build each other up as we strive to “a life shaped by Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10, The Message

Tearing Down Barriers

^1-2 And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I’m being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I’m with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters. Please don’t force me to take a hard line when I’m present with you. Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words.

^3-6 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

^7-8 You stare and stare at the obvious, but you can’t see the forest for the trees. If you’re looking for a clear example of someone on Christ’s side, why do you so quickly cut me out? Believe me, I am quite sure of my standing with Christ. You may think I overstate the authority he gave me, but I’m not backing off. Every bit of my commitment is for the purpose of building you up, after all, not tearing you down.

^9-11 And what’s this talk about me bullying you with my letters? “His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he’s a weakling and mumbles when he talks.” Such talk won’t survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We’re the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.

¹² We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.

^13-14 We aren’t making outrageous claims here. We’re sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We’re not moving into someone else’s “territory.” We were already there with you, weren’t we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you?

^15-18 We’re not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we’re hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you’ll play a part within our expanding work. And we’ll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it. “If you want to claim credit, claim it for God.” What you say about yourself means nothing in God’s work. It’s what God says about you that makes the difference.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Paul talks about those who manipulate versus those who speak the truth with the love of God.  There is a difference between manipulation and persuasion.  It all depends with what is in the heart.  Those who use words to change minds to suit their needs and advance personal agendas—manipulate. They are looking for people who will support them.

Those who are called to speak Truth in the Name of Jesus without thought of themselves or what how it will benefit them personally—persuade.  They are looking for people that need a Savior like they did, and eagerly seek to point The Way to God through Jesus. 

Led by God’s Holy Spirit, Paul points out this difference in his teaching.  He is warning people to avoid manipulators looking for personal gain who attack others in the faith.  He adds that this way of life is what we today call spiritual “bullying” of people. Their words and accusations are meant to tear people down.  Truth is, this behavior does not belong in the “family” Jesus is building with people who are not perfect but are perfectly forgiven and who strive to live a life shaped daily by Christ!

Manipulators miss the point!

Those who are self-serving are sarcastic, negative, tell people only what they want to hear, make promises that cannot or have no intention to keep, and do things for people expecting more in return.  Paul nailed it when he described manipulators as those who rank people with caddy comparisons while tireless competition (even in “doing good”) becomes the theme of a manipulator’s life.  All have sinned and “fall short” of the glory of God in this so we must ask, where is the love of Jesus in all this way of thinking? 

Dear friends, why do we “shoot our own” in the battle for lost souls?  Oh, how it grieves the heart of God!

Jesus reiterated God’s original command to “Love God with all your hearts, minds, and souls. And to love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love God.  Love Others.  Jesus showed us this love with a compassion never before seen by the world.  Jesus loved the world to whom He was sent.  He moved into the neighborhood of humanity and loved each one without criticism or condemnation, only caring compassion. 

God demonstrated His Love personally through His Son.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

To imitate Jesus, we must first receive God’s gift of Love by truly believing Jesus and what He did to save us.  To know God is to know Love,” John teaches. The more we know God, the more deeply we love like God. (1 John 4-7-8) God loves us—completely and unconditionally.  God so love the world—all people of all nations.  We are called to do the same—love with the Love of God in us.  When there is a need to confront each other so our dear brother of sister can avoid a dangerous pitfall, we are commanded to speak privately to them, in a spirit of Truth because we love them so dearly.  Our words, led by God’s Holy Spirit, and delivered with the love of God in us, are meant to help, not to hinder a growing soul.  

Paul learned that certain rival preachers had succeeded in their attempt to discredit him before a few Corinthian Christians. God gives spiritual leaders to provide order and direction. We need to uphold and respect these leaders until there is evidence they are no longer speaking Truth and begin to manipulate to satisfy their own self interests.  However, as Paul writes, God is still in control.  “…God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” –Paul, Romans 8:28 

The reassuring lesson is clear. God used (and uses!) all kinds of people to change the world. People! Not saints or superhumans or geniuses, but people. Crooks, creeps, lovers, and liars—he uses them all. And what they may lack in perfection, God makes up for in love.  There is no one who God does not love.

Our response?  Participate in conversations that encourage and build up each other rather than criticize or demean them. And if we have a legitimate concern, go directly to the leader before you complain to others.  Lead with the Love of God is us.

Lord,

There is great wisdom in how Paul responded to criticism of his leadership along with condemnation of his personal ministry to others.  We remember well that Jesus also received complaints and harassment from the religious who were blind to who He was and deaf to what He said—Truth.  We seek to remain in Truth.

When we tear people down with gossip, accusations, comparing one to another while competing with other leaders for attention—we must repent.  I repent.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your mercies that are new each day and restore the joy and peace of you in us and us in you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

A need arises right in front of us, what do we do?  What is our first thought? Do we lend a hand to help them up or do we first look around and see if others can help?  Is giving aid to those in need a group effort or a personal response?  Do we give from obedience to rules or because of our intimate relationship with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit who gives because He loves us—and we want to be like Him?

Do we give because the speaker was gifted in story telling which led us to help or did God guide us to give from what He has given to us?  What prompts our enthusiasm to live a life that helps, serves, loves, and gives as a first response?  Paul is helpful as he counsels the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 9, The Message

^1-2 If I wrote any more on this relief offering for the poor Christians, I’d be repeating myself. I know you’re on board and ready to go. I’ve been bragging about you all through Macedonia province, telling them, “Achaia province has been ready to go on this since last year.” Your enthusiasm by now has spread to most of them.

^3-5 Now I’m sending the brothers to make sure you’re ready, as I said you would be, so my bragging won’t turn out to be just so much hot air. If some Macedonians and I happened to drop in on you and found you weren’t prepared, we’d all be pretty red-faced—you and us—for acting so sure of ourselves. So to make sure there will be no slipup, I’ve recruited these brothers as an advance team to get you and your promised offering all ready before I get there. I want you to have all the time you need to make this offering in your own way. I don’t want anything forced or hurried at the last minute.

^6-7 Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

^8-11 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,

He throws caution to the winds,
    giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways
    never run out, never wear out.

This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

^12-15 Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they’ll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

While believers in Jesus must not compete with each other in their service for Christ, we are taught to “stir the pot” of the enthusiastic service to God so to speak.  Hebrews 10:23-24 is often used to remind people to go the church but it is more about our growing an infectious enthusiasm for glorifying God by helping each other!  “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Many people serve Jesus by helping others find Jesus weekly in today’s churches.  Authentic servants of Jesus enthusiastically work to establish an environment of loving acceptance with caring compassion that is seen, heard, and felt by all who come to worship and learn more about God—all for God who saves and redeems us through His Son, Jesus! 

Henry Blackaby, Pastor, Author of “Experiencing God,” encourages believers to seek God first, see where He is already at work.  Ask God what He wants from us.  Then listen for the invitation from God.  Our response is to JOIN HIM in His work.  All we are and all we do is orchestrated by God.  Our lives will need never be the same as we realign our desires and lifestyle to match God’s desires for His best in and through us.

Our first response to God when He asks to help or give to others should be an enthusiastic but humbled YES just for being invited to HIS work!  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” –Paul writes to the Colossians.  (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)

Paul is a cheerleader of enthusiasm!  “Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people,” he writes to the church at Ephesus!  (Ephesians 6:7, NLT)

When we see what God is doing in and through the lives of others, we ought to strive to serve Him better ourselves. This comes with a warning label:  There is a fine line between fleshly imitation and spiritual emulation. We must be careful to serve God with grateful hearts, not wanting to be like someone else but to be like Christ who gave His all to us! 

An enthusiastic believer in Jesus can be a positive influencer in stirring up a church to listen to God’s invitation while motivating people to pray more, work with enthusiasm, witness with integrity, and give from what God has given us.  Where God guides, He provides.  He always has and always will.  Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Lord,

We are learning much from Paul’s giving of himself to You first and then to those who are believing and growing in your love and service.  Cleanse our hearts and pour into us all you created us to be.  Renew our minds and transform our behavioral responses.  I’m listening!  I’m yours!  Yes!

In Jesus Name, Amen