Another Secret Place

“And when you fast..”

MATTHEW 6:16

As believers, we participate in and practice a lifestyle of fasting, collectively within our churches and individually. My thoughts today address the specifics of personal and private fasting.  Just like prayer done in secret and before the Father, Jesus taught that fasting was to be the same.  We have a promise of reward, but we do not do this for the reward.

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  Matthew 6: 16-18

Fasting is a tool we use to ensure that our relationship with our heavenly Father is the most essential thing in our lives. When Jesus begins his next thought in verse 19 about the laying up of treasures in heaven, we learn that our prayers and our fasting are eternal treasures. Praying and fasting connect our hearts to all things spiritual and Godly.

Our natural man holds earthly appetites with eyes that are never satisfied.  The Apostle John warns us in the second chapter of his first epistle that the allure of all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life appeal to our natural man and rob our love for God.  ‘Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes’  is the Living Bible translation of James 1:14.  James warns us that sin enters through our appetites.

While living in this world, we must pay attention to the appetites we feed.  There was something about that ‘apple’ that drew Eve’s attention. She considered it long enough to determine it was good for food.  She found it pleasing to her eyes and desirable to make one wise.

Fasting checks our desires and provides us with the right alignment of spirit, soul, and body. Since the time and attention we give to anything has the power to influence our hearts, minds, and bodies, this fasted-checking recalibrates our appetites, ever edging them back to a hunger for the Lord.

The Apostle Paul also understood the pull of the flesh and wrote 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we have an imperishable one.  Therefore, I run in such a way as not without aim: I box in such a way as not beating the air, but I discipline my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Paul also warned against practicing only body exercises and leaving the disciplines of renewing the mind and spiritual growth to conform to Christ. While bodily exercise profits a little, godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of life that now is and that which is to come, 1 Timothy 4:8.

Fasting is a spiritual discipline.  Attentive to the Holy Spirit and desiring only to please our Father, we live by His Yes and No.  There is a time for everything in our lives.  Depending upon the needs we face, fasting might require some length of days, or we may choose to live a fasted lifestyle for the sake of spiritual discipline.

While we place no trust in the natural discipline of denying our flesh (for we are warned in Colossians of turning that into will worship, which strengthens our flesh), we fast for the purposes of strengthening our spirit man as we attend to His word.

We DO NOT fast and sit around all day feeding on social media or entertainment of any kind.  Fasting is to be a separation unto the Father and in secret.  That means you don’t ideally fast when you have obligations or activities that require your attention, i.e., job and family matters.  Some private and quiet space is needed for the best result.

Wherever we find a natural desire that tends to greed and indulgence, we note that these are the antithesis of doing all things in moderation (Phil 4:5).  Paul tells us everything God has created is good and is to be received with thanksgiving.

One of the benefits of fasting is returning to a place of appreciation and thankfulness for what we have just given up. After all, we are to be content with food and clothing.

The Secret Place

Matthew 6:5 ~ 

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

• Helps Word Study on Hypocrites ~ 5273 hypokritḗs (a masculine noun derived from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 2919 /krínō, "judge") – properly, a judging under, like a performer acting under a mask (i.e. a theater-actor); (figuratively) a two-faced person; a "hypocrite," whose profession does not match their practice – i.e. someone who "says one thing but does another. (hypokritḗs) was commonly used of actors on the Greek stage. When applied in the NT, it refers to a hypocrite.

Matthew 6:6 ~ 

6 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Who does not know the instructions from Jesus on  ‘when you pray’?   We see from these verses this week that it wasn’t a matter of not praying but rather why they prayed.   We can never stray from the reality of heart matters before God.  God looks at the heart.  God examines hearts.  A right heart can be corrected and steered.  Jesus first addresses the hypocrite in his act of prayer.  They hold wrong motivations; their form looks good, but their hearts are far removed. They want to be seen by others. 

Jesus comes to set in order so the pray.er and his prayers can be both seen and heard and rewarded by the Father.  

Matthew 6:7 ~ 

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

They ‘think’ many words move God. Jesus said they heap up empty phrases. Prayer is not to be meaningless repetitions, words without heart attachment. It isn’t the many words but their emptiness that is fruitless.  

There is so much here that could be said about the multitude of words, but let us remind ourselves that 'in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking.’   The tongue unrestrained is trouble for you and me, but the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  What is right before our Father produces rewards. 

Prayer is always to the Father, ‘our Father in Heaven’ and asked ‘in the name of Jesus.’ 

‘In the name of Jesus’ is not the signature on a blank check, but the words that are spoken just as if Jesus was speaking them.  As the apostle and high priest of our confession, the one who ever lives to make intercession should there not be proper alignment with the one who is always right in His prayer.  

… Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” ~ John 16:23-24

Divine alignment is always the first place of prayer.  Finding ourselves one with his heart and mind sets us in order and gives us the confidence that He hears us when we pray, and because he hears us, we know He will provide us with what we have asked for, 1 John 5:14-15. 

One more thought: just as Moses was called up to the mountain, instructed by God to go alone, ‘bring no man with you,’ bring the ‘stone tablets’ and ‘present yourself.’  Exodus 34:1, our secret place must be separate from others, the door shut from all distractions with hearts prepared to be written on as we present ourselves to Him.  

There is something about the secret place that holds the Father’s eye and ear with the promise of open rewards. 

Examining Commitment

Philippians 2:...

‘So then my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.'

• “Work hard to show the results of your salvation - obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” NLT 

In an hour when much of the North American church is having its leadership purged, a purity within is arising that presses for God's holiness to be manifested in and through His body.  

We see from the Apostle Paul's writing to the church at Philippi the heart he carries in his personal commitment to the cause of Christ and one he desires for those He stewards to also hold. 

Paul does not have the luxury of living within the community of believers in Philippi, but this does not diminish his heart or his sense of oversight for them. He carries them in the place of prayer and through his writing, exhorts and instructs.  

We, in the North American church, have the privilege (right now, anyway) of gathering as a Christian community without restrictions.  Pastors are given oversight to herald and preach the word of God, to be instant in season and out of season whether it is convent or not.  Called to instruct, correct, admonish, and encourage, we are “to show people in what way their lives are wrong. And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.” The Amplified Bible (2 Ti 4:2).

We hold the same understanding and urgency we find from Paul’s warning as he continues in 2 Timothy 4: from the Amplified Bible…

3 For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, 

4 And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions. 5 As for you, be calm and cool and steady, accept and suffer unflinchingly every hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully perform all the duties of your ministry. While we might not all be graced to be evangelists, we are all called to make disciples. Are we faithful stewards over the things that have been entrusted to us?  Are we diligently working while it is light, knowing the night comes when no man can work?  

Paul writes that in the absence of his presence, he desires for this obedience (not to him but to the gospel He preaches) to be held to and worked out for the Philippians' ongoing salvation.  

The early church lived in a time of ongoing persecution and suffering to name the name of Jesus Christ.  Culturally, life would have been hard for those without position or power and community provided a source of strength and encouragement.  

Commitment works out character that is tried and tested in life.  It is in this place of community our character is tested and proven.  Our character is only revealed as it is pressed. 

It is in community that we find encouragement and accountability, that we are provoked to love and good works, and that we find communion around a common cause.  The Book of Hebrews exhorted the believers not to forsake the assembling of themselves together. the purposes of our Lord.  This community, these intimate relationships, served to strengthen and support the believers through a time of persecution. 

Who we would be individually if we lost the right of community?  In my years as a Christian, I've experienced two distinct revival seasons within the church. As I consider where and what the church is giving itself to now in the prayer and worship movement, I trust that it is truly igniting hearts that are able to remain steadfast and immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord.  Individuals who find their union with God extending into a deepening union with others.  
 

“For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him and then helping you do what he wants.”  Living Bible, Philippians 2:13

Who Do You Want People to See?

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.’

Matthew 6:1

Through these first verses of Matthew six, Jesus reflects on the righteous works of giving, prayer, and fasting, showing us how to do these things rightly, in His sight, i.e., righteously.

Jesus’ beginning word today, BEWARE, exhorts us to guard against the evil desire of wanting to be seen by others. Being seen by others will never fully satisfy the validation our hearts crave. Our personal motivations are huge. We must consider the reasons why ‘we do what we do.  Is our desire to be pleasing to Him through our obedience, or is it to just be seen?

Jesus’ submission to John’s baptism of water was to fulfill all righteousness (that which was right before God).  His submitted obedience rewarded him with the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the Father’s validation that he was a ‘beloved son in whom God was well pleased.’

We are called to be examples of believers, so our faith is inevitably seen by others. Whether we want to be seen for our own validation (idolatry) or to be seen through our obedience that points to the Lord (Icons, pointing past ourselves) can only be revealed through the searching of our hearts.   

Only God can know what lies in the heart of man. Man himself can be deceived from a lifestyle of practicing the right way of doing without personal and private fellowship with the Father.  This is how the bad connotation of religion is built.  A form of Godliness.  A white-washed tomb.  Something that looks right in appearance yet is filled with 'dead man bones.’

Jesus told his disciples to watch out for two things ~ the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.  These are practices held by others (religious and political leadership) that can appear right to the sight of man but, from God’s perspective, come from or lead to, unrighteousness.

Jesus' eight woes to the Pharisees in chapter 23 of Matthew highlight works done from an unrighteous desire to be seen. Note verses 25 through 28.

[25] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. [26] You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

[27] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. [28] So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Jesus sought no glory from man. His purpose was to reveal the Father. “He who has seen me has seen the Father”, John 14:9. Every word, every deed pointed to His Father.   

Our question today would be, “Who do we want people to see?”

But I say ~ Love Your Enemies

[43] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [47] And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

There can only be one cure for the human bias and racism in the heart of man and that is the Love of God.  I write the love of God because no human love can endure long and never fail.   

It is only and always by the power of the Holy Spirit working His love within our hearts that enables us to love the good and the evil in personalities. 

Jesus gives us two very simple instructions here. 

• Love our enemies 

• Pray for our persecutors  

And then we come to this “even as” standard once again, where Jesus tells us this habitual response reveals we are the children of God.  

Jude reminds us to keep ourselves in the love of God praying in the Holy Spirit. There is no other way or resource that will enable us to remain steadfast in the face of evil and persecution except the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.  

I personally believe a lifestyle of prayer is foundational for a person to display the love of God and the fruit of the spirit. If prayer is, and it is, a position of fellowship with the father that is first and foremost a union with his heart and mind, how can we become anything less than Him in that union?  Again, Jude reminds us that it is our responsibility to keep ourselves in the love of God.  We must go to the throne of Grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. What greater need do we have than to remain in the love of God in the face of evil and persecution. 

As I write this, David highlights from this scripture, Hebrews 4:16, the literal Greek does not say we find Grace to help ‘ourselves’.   It could also mean that we find Grace that enables us to help someone else or Grace that will help someone else through our intercession on their behalf. Praying for another who has or is persecuting us, can become an open door for God to move into their life and change a heart.

Our issue is never loving the lovely, well, sometimes it is, but mostly it is carrying the heart and mind of God when it comes to those who represent evil and persecution.

From the beatitudes Jesus told us when we were persecuted we were to rejoice and be glad for our reward would be great in heaven. Our right response is vital to being perfect as our father is perfect.  

Let’s examine this Greek word for perfect - teleios:  meaning having reached its end,complete, by ext  perfect, (a) complete in all its parts, (b) full grown, of full age, (c) specially of the completeness of Christian character. 

Helps word studies:

Cognate: 5046 téleios (an adjective, derived from 5506 /télos, "consummated goal") – mature(consummated) from going through the necessary stages to reach the end-goal, i.e. developed into a consummating completion by fulfilling the necessary process (spiritual journey).

[This root (tel-) means "reaching the end (aim)." It is well-illustrated with the old pirate's telescope, unfolding (extending out) one stage at a time to function at full-strength (capacity effectiveness.  

When the perfect comes the incomplete, the imperfect, the partial is done away with. Until that time we strive for the mark of the high calling found in Christ Jesus. From the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul wrote he was not and had not achieved perfection but he pressed on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed him.   This reminds us we have not attained that standard but we do press towards it. Desiring to be perfect and complete in all the will of God, we continue to  grow up into Him in all things. 

But I say to you... Give

“But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Matthew 5:39-42

Helps Word Studies ~

Resist - [436 (anthístēmi) was a military term in classical Greek (used by Thucydides, etc.) meaning "to strongly resist an opponent" ("take a firm stand against").]

Evil - 4190 ponērós (an adjective which is also used substantively, derived from 4192 /pónos, "pain, laborious trouble") – properly, pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies (misery) that always go with evil.

Go the extra mile.   

Our English idiom came directly from this verse.  In all of Jesus’ teachings, we must remember that He came to show us our Heavenly Father.  As we watch Jesus’ works and listen to his words, we learn the very heart and mind of our Father.

The Scriptures reveal to us the generous nature of God as a Father and yet, the word ‘generous’ is simply not large enough to express His giving nature.  Exceeding, lavish, rich, abounding, much more, above all, are just some of the words and phrases we find used to describe His giving nature.

Our Father makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust.  He loved us while we were yet sinners and manifested that love by giving his highest and his best to us ~ Jesus.

This Generous Spiritedness is the foundation for all of our relationships with humanity, especially with those intent on taking our dignity and right of determination from us. To survive this, we must be willing to accept that no matter what another does to us or takes from us, God is never out of the scene and stands right alongside us for help.  It’s in this spirit that he calls us to rise up in the face of oppression and hostility and pour our lives out in even greater ways.  In this passage, he reveals that pouring our lives out to the unthankful and the unworthy, giving of ourselves, is the right response to express his character.

Who sets our boundaries when it comes to giving?  The dichotomies in following Jesus require much, much realignment of the soul.  We only see how much when we examine what, where, and who sets the mindsets we hold within our relationships. The

question we must consider is what Jesus would have us do.  The church of the Lord Jesus Christ and his members individually must be found perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect.  That’s a high bar to reach, much less successfully hurdle.

• Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,

        but the righteous is generous and gives;

• Proverbs 21:26 All day long he craves and craves,

        but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

Luke’s gospel is the companion scripture to Matthews from chapter 6, verses 34-36 ~

• [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. [35] But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. [36] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

The easy part is knowing what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to be—it’s actually in the doing that we see how much we need God's grace and mercy to manifest His name to others.

Yes is yes, No is no.

Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old,’ You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, or it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair, white, or black. Let what you say be simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’; anything more than this comes from evil (or the evil one). 

Matthew 5.33-37

Continuing with Jesus’s teaching from his sermon on the Mount, in this portion of scripture, Jesus addresses our ‘words.'  Words matter.  Jesus tells us that our yes and our no are to be sufficient.  Jesus is specifically talking about making oaths. A definition of our English word ‘oath’ is: “a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.”

You’ve no doubt heard the adage don’t make promises you can’t keep.  I think Jesus is saying the same thing.  There are many plans in the mind of a man, but the Lord directs our steps.  In other words, we are not in control of every event that involves us.  We can plan, but plans can fold when we begin to incorporate others.  

Ellicott’s Commentary on this portion of scripture highlights two thoughts I’d like to consider with you,

 “….the context shows that the sin which our Lord condemned was the light use of oaths in common speech, and with no real thought as to their meaning. Such oaths practically involved irreverence and were therefore inconsistent with the fear of God. The real purpose of an oath is to intensify that fear by bringing the thought of God’s presence home to men at the very time they take them, and they are therefore rightly used when they attain that end. Practically, it must be admitted that the needless multiplication of oaths, both evidential and promissory, on trivial occasions, has tended, and still tends, to weaken awe and impair men’s reverence for truth, and we may rejoice when their number is diminished. In an ideal Christian society no oaths would be needed, for every word would be spoken as by those who knew that the Eternal Judge was hearing them.”

 There is this scripture from Ecclesiastes 5:6 that Solomon in all his wisdom offers to us, 

“Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

Hebrews 6:13 tells us that when God made a promise to Abraham because there was no one greater than him, he swore by himself. This reminds me of God’s purity. His word is truth, his word is pure, and there is nothing duplicitous about his words. It is impossible for God to lie. 

Our biblical standard and overall admonition is to be like our Father with our words. James reminds us the tongue is a fire. James calls it a world of unrighteousness, able to stain the whole body and sets on fire the entire course of life.  Only the Holy Spirit can tame our tongues.  Psalm 139:4: “Even before there is a word on my tongue you know it…”. And the Holy Spirit works to check every word that proceeds out of our mouth. 

The book of Proverbs gives us a list of the things God hates, and we find lying on that list.  As his children, we are to hate lying.  There is a duplicity in our speech when we lie.  Jesus, from the gospels, tells us if the light that is in us is dark, how great is the darkness. Lies are darkness, and they can flow from pride and fear.  One desires to appear grander than they are, so they manipulate the truth; the other is driven by fear of exposure.  Perhaps pride holds fear as well.  We live in a culture that minimizes lies.  White lies, little lies, etc., all have one common factor: they are still lies.  The danger of lying is that, ultimately, we could become a ‘liar.’ 

Let us never lose the awareness that Satan is the Father of lies, and there is no truth in Him.  Casual speech offers fulfillment of the proverb, “in the multitude of words sin is not lacking.”  Awareness of what we say, when we say it, and to whom we are speaking holds us accountable to the one who ultimately judges every idle word. 

We are created like no other species of being.  We are speaking spirits with the same power, with the same creative ability our Father holds through speaking… and God said.. and it was. Jesus holds his audience captive with His words of authority and power.  What he said came to pass because He is the one who changes not.   He is the same today as He was in the beginning and will be when he appears again.  His mouth holds a two-edged sword. It divides light from dark and truth a lie. He is the truth. 

The standard for every child of God is to grow up and become as He is.  Yes is yes, and no is no.   We don’t offer them without careful contemplation of all that a yes or no would hold.  We hold watch over our mouths. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and charged them to speak the truth in love and not to allow any corrupt communication to come out of their mouths. We are to love truth with the same passion our Father has.  

Let our yes be yes, and our no be no.  Anything more than that comes from the evil one. 

But I say to you… cont’d.

‘“You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in her heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”’ 
NIV Matthew 5:27-30.

What a scripture to wrestle with.  Adultery is birthed through desire. Desire is created by what we give our attention to.  When we put our hand to fulfilling desire, sin is birthed according to James 1:14-15 ~  

‘Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.’ 

We CANNOT conform to current cultural rationale when it comes to acceptable sexual practices.  The body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body, 1 Cor. 6:13. We cannot allow our bodies to be the master and serve their appetites in any area.  Paul wrote every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we exercise self-control so that we might receive an eternal one. Paul went on to say, ‘I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after preaching to others I should be disqualified.’  This isn’t just willpower, which Colossians 2:23 tells us holds an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body. Still, they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.  Paul’s solution to the problem is to set our mind on the things above, Colossians 3:1-2, and change what has captured our attention.   

HELPS Word-studies ‘to lust after’

1937 epithyméō (from 1909 /epí, "focused on" intensifying 2372 /thymós, "passionate desire") – properly, to show focused passion as it aptly builds on (Gk epi, "upon") what a person truly yearns for; to "greatly desire to do or have something – 'to long for, to desire very much

We get the first part of Jesus’ standard, but what are we going to do with the violence that follows?  The KJV states,  “If your right eye offend you.. pluck it out..” The following Word Studies from Vincent give us some understanding.

Vincent's Word Studies.  Offend (σκανδαλίξει)

The word offend carries to the English reader the sense of giving offense, provoking. Hence the Rev., by restoring the picture in the word, restores its true meaning, causeth to stumble. The kindred noun is σκάνδαλον, a later form of σκανδάληθρον, the stick in a trap on which the bait is placed, and which springs up and shuts the trap at the touch of an animal. Hence, generally, a snare, a stumbling block. Christ's meaning here is: "If your eye or your hand serve as an obstacle or trap to ensnare or make you fall in your moral walk." How the eye might do this may be seen in the previous verse. Bengel observes: "He who, when his eye proves a stumbling block, takes care not to see, does in reality blind himself.”

Jesus deals with man's heart through continual searching and revealing of what lies therein. If we look to lust, the heart has already engaged with the snare.  

It is always through works of darkness that we are blinded and find a way to eat the forbidden fruit.  

We are responsible for controlling our behaviour. It’s one of the benefits of being created by God with free will. We are to offer ourselves up to him in sacrificial service, for we are not our own. As Christians, we are to “present our bodies before the Lord as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is our spiritual act of worship.”  Romans 12:1.

We have these scriptures that help deliver us from temptations ~ 

    The record of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, “And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" [Genesis 39: 11–12].

    The Apostle Paul, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.”  [1 Cor. 6:18]

    The Lord’s prayer …. “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (the evil one)..” Matthew 6: 13

With all the admonitions throughout Holy Scripture to keep our eyes on the word, on Jesus, and listen to what His Spirit is saying, we can rest knowing these safeguards will always lead us in paths of righteousness and keep us free from all evil.  

Love fulfills the law

In the midst of all of Jesus teaching I want to segway my thoughts and once again highlight the biblical truth from Romans chapter 13:10  ~

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

HELPS Word-studies

2556 kakós (an adjective, and the root of 2549 /kakía, "inner malice") – properly, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned); (figuratively) inner malice flowing out of a morally-rotten character (= the "rot is already in the wood").

[2556/kakós is often a pronominal adjective (i.e. used as a substantive) meaning, "wickedness, inner evil."]

You can see the literal meaning of ‘wrong’  is a much stronger idea.

As New Testament believers, rooted, and grounded in Christ Jesus, the bedrock of our lives must be the love of God. Could it be the reality of the ‘fulness’ of the spirit is the manifestation of his love.  This love IS shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

It’s not only just about the power He imparts or is it?  Is the power the love?  I think we could agree, yes.  I remember one time when I was intently seeking the power of God in my life for ministry and felt the spirit of God check me about my prayer. 1 first Corinthians 12 teaches us how to properly navigate spiritual activity in the church and concludes with showing us a ‘better way’.   1Corinthians 13 sets and defines this better way; His standard for love. 1 Corinthians 14:1 tells us yes, desire the spirituals, but let your pursuit be knowing, receiving, giving, His love.

The primary motivation of everything we do and say, again as New Testament believers, rooted, and grounded in Christ Jesus, is to be done with a motivation of love for every human being.  Watch out for the words we declare over people.  They either show honor and value or disdain.  We can never loose sight of the value God has placed upon his creation. 

The love of God is not given based on performance…Romans 5:8. God shows his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners.   Can we say the same? Freely we have received. Freely, we are to give in the same manner we have been given, for with the measure we meet, it is measured back to us again. This is the standard Jesus has set for us and it was motivated and manifested as the love of God.

As we come into all the teachings of Jesus from the sermon on the mount, holding this truth, enables us to welcome the work of God to increase our capacities to love in unlovely situations, laying down our lives and will for the well-being of another.

We can see as we review the words from his sermon, the failure to measure up to his standard would flow from the wilfulness in our own heart and a desire to care for self.

How can we ever overcome the propensity to always guard and defend our soul without  growing in the love of God? Something must die at the cross. If, and he is, God, at work in us who provides both the will and the energy that enables us to do what pleases him, then it becomes a matter of my willingness to engage with that enabling.

I have a houseplant I’m considering this morning. This plant has some type of disease. Looking at it, the new growth is showing signs of being infected.  It’s the same way with our growth. Every opportunity gives us the ability to work on the diseased areas that get manifested through our relationships.  This is not meant to discourage us or rob of us hope, but rather the reality of growing up. We just have work to do while we continue our pursuit to walk in the way that pleases him by loving righteously until ultimately all the dis.ease is eradicated. 

It is my prayer that as we continue to look at His sermon that our heart cry will always be a hunger to know and believe the love that God has for us in order to allow that great mercy, and kindness to flow to others.

PS – let us not misinterpret the love of God when it comes to the discipline He will bring into our lives. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Our Father corrects/ disciplines every child he loves.  If we are without discipline, Hebrews 12:8 tells us we are illegitimate and not his.  Shall we not rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?

But I say to you …..

For if you forgive others their trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  

Matthew 6:14-15

As I continue my thoughts on the need to forgive, I would like to highlight this scripture passage, dealing with a “paraptoma,” a trespass.  What actually constitutes this trespass? 

Strongs Expository Dictionary on trespass ~  

paraptoma (παράπτωμα, 3900), primarily “a false step, a blunder” (para, “aside,” pipto, “to fall”), then “a lapse from uprightness, a sin, a moral trespass, misdeed,” is translated “fall” in Rom. 11:11–12, of the sin and “downfall” of Israel in their refusal to acknowledge God’s claims and His Christ; by reason of this the offer of salvation was made to Gentiles; cf. ptaio, “to stumble,” in v. 11. See fault, offense, sin, trespass. 

Our expectations can be a slippery slope. We must be able to divide our expectations righteously. What we require of others may not be what God requires of them. We must always bring events back to the word of God and examine them in light of the word and by His Spirit.     

From the definition above, there are two steps involved.  First, a false step, a blunder THEN, a lapse from uprightness, a sin, a moral trespass.  Our English definition of trespass reads - to commit an offense against a person or a set of rules.  

While we can determine the effects of someone’s actions, we do not have the ability to judge the intent of one’s heart.  That’s God’s business, not ours.  When we are met with the statement, “that was not my intention,” our job is to believe the best.  Love will believe the best, and it will cover a multitude of sins. 

I guess my real concern is the place where Christianity meets the psychology of a self-care philosophy and ends up developing a new doctrine validating and strengthening our will instead of His will and His standard.  Jesus set the standard for his disciples with “take up your cross and follow me.”

God’s better and higher way, if we choose, is to come to the throne of grace.  We are invited to abide with The Shepherd and overseer of our souls until our hearts are adjusted.  Peace flows as we commit to the one who judges righteously, and we leave empowered. Victory is won and sustained at the throne of Grace.

    ‘Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be known unto God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’’ Philippians 4: 6-7

Matthew 5:21-26; Matthew 6:12; Matthew 18:15-20; these scriptures set the largest teaching from Jesus on the subject of forgiveness, and yet I seldom see this fully practiced. Most of the counseling we have done in our nearly 45 years of pastoral work dealt with people’s relational offenses and their unwillingness to follow the instructions Jesus gave.  

Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth, warns against the body being devoured through strife and contention.  There is a spirit of offense continually working to sow division.  I’ve never seen an individual leave offended who first did not deposit their offense into another, and so the cycle continues.   Jesus’ instructions about the works of Satan sowing division into the Kingdom is highlighted by the reality that a divided Kingdom cannot stand, Matthew 12:25.  

You’ve probably heard this idiom, ‘We are only as strong as our weakest link,’ meaning our enemy looks for weaknesses to work in.  We, His church, must, must, must hold one another accountable to these scriptural precedents for the health and well-being of His body, and it must begin with us, individually.  Committed to upholding his standards, in that spirit of meekness and humility, we work at maintaining the unity of the body.  

Jesus reminds us how much we have been forgiven that we did not earn with the admonition that since we have freely received, we are to freely give.  While we’ve all had lessons in boundaries, I’m not sure the boundaries we’ve allowed ourselves to set have always generated the unity our Father is looking for.  We tell ourselves we hold no ought, but when we come face to face with the individual, our heart reveals what it truly holds.  

As much as lies within us, we must be at peace with all men.  Jesus, accused, betrayed, rejected, and killed by the people he came to deliver, never withdrew his love or purpose from or for them.  There is a tangible and powerful love that is birthed in us by His Holy Spirit that does enable us in our weakness.  As a child of God, a disciple of our Lord Jesus, It is never that I can’t forgive; it is that I won’t.  

You’ve heard it said…

“You have heard it said….But I say to you everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment…”
Matthew 5:22

 HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 3710 orgízō – be angry, as expressing a "fixed anger" (settled opposition). 3710 /orgízō ("to show settled-opposition") is positive when inspired by God – and always negative when arising from the flesh. "Sinful (unnecessary) anger" focuses on punishing the offender rather than the moral content of the offense. See 3709 (orgē).

Part one......

We have just one great commandment before the Lord, love him with our all and others even as we have been loved, my paraphrase. Our lives revolve around these two primary relationships: God and others.  Romans 13:10 reminds us ~ 

Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Jesus comes to instruct and realign understandings about our relationships.  His sermon on the mount provides us with a standard for our time here and now.   If we followed His instructions, how different would our relationships be?  As we follow them, we experience the fullness God has intended about being one.  It is in walking out of the relationships that we find exposed hearts and opportunities to choose life.  If we indeed are believers, then trusting His word leads us into life and well-being; it stands to reason we do what He commands. 

The scriptures validate righteous anger toward sin, but Jesus, as we see from the Helps Word Study, is speaking about a settled opposition that focuses on punishment. 

In context, Matthew 5:21-26  Jesus noted anger harboured in the heart produces unrighteous fruit; angry words.  Angry words are subject to judgment. 

21. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 21. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

From Ellicott’s commentary~ let us consider these thoughts …..

“Angry . . . without a cause.—The last three words are wanting in many of the best MSS. They may have been inserted to soften down the apparent harshness of the teaching; but if so, it must have been at an early date—before the fourth century. They may, on the other hand, have been in the text originally and struck out as giving too wide a margin to vain and vague excuses. Ethically, the teaching is not that the emotion of anger, with or without a cause, stands on the same level of guilt with murder but that the former so soon expands and explodes into the latter that it will be brought to trial and sentenced according to the merits of each case, the occasion of the anger, the degree in which it has been checked or cherished, and the like. As no earthly tribunal can take cognizance of emotions as such, the “judgment” here is clearly that of the Unseen Judge dealing with offenses which, in His eyes, are of the same character as those which come before the human judges. “Hates any man the thing he would not kill?”

Raca.—“…like words of kindred meaning among ourselves, was in common use as expressing not anger only but insolent contempt. The temper condemned is that in which anger has so far gained the mastery that we no longer recognize a “brother” in the man who has offended us but look on him with malignant scorn.”

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Can we recognize this place of harboring anger, leaving room for our adversary to stand in the very courts of heaven and accuse us of unforgiveness?  A righteous judge, examining the charge without our repentance, would find us guilty. We should consider what this potentially allows in our world. The lesson presents the punishment of captivity until the debt owed is fully paid.  What is the debt owed?  Our love for our brother, Romans 13:8-10.  The height of deception would be thinking we were right with God yet out of step with our brother.

……To be continued 

Part 2 ~ Sermon on the Mount

Now when he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them, saying….”

Matthew. 5:1-2

We continue with Jesus’ sermon from Matthew’s gospel, considering something I believe to be foundational to the rest of his sermon.  The disciples are learning life in the Kingdom of God. Simply put, the Kingdom of God is about a King, his rule, and his territory. Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world,’ establishing for all time that the Kingdom he rules over is the heart and soul of His disciples. 

The teachings of Jesus had to be believed then as they must now. Jesus sets before them a new identity. Have you noticed, from verse sixteen, that Jesus tells them God is their “Father in heaven”?  

Just for further thought and consideration, ChatGPT, 2024 notes, “When Jesus referred to God as his Father, he was implying a unique, intimate relationship that went beyond the general notion of God as the Father of Israel.  Jesus' claim was more personal and direct, suggesting a unique and unparalleled relationship.  While the Old Testament referred to God and the Father of Israel in a metaphorical and communal sense, Jesus’ claim to divine sonship was understood as unique, literal, and equal relationship with God, which was considered blasphemous by the Jewish leaders of His time,  This profound theological claim and its implications for Jewish monotheism and the established religious order were key reasons for their anger and accusations against Him.” 

Can you imagine how this would have had to be heard, received, and believed by those culturally raised with the Old Testament understanding?  Jesus’ life was spent displaying the expressed image, the fullness, of the Father’s heart and mind.  We learn this consistently conflicted with what the religious teachers were showing and teaching.  

Jesus brings them into this new identity as children, salt and light, who are now to reflect this nature before others. Salt must season and preserve.  Light mustshine.  All must be done to glorify our Father in heaven.  So much can be said here for the born-again believer to understand the identity given in Christ, which is sonship, salt, and light.  We can only reflect His nature to the degree of our revelation. Every disciple continues to grow in this revelation.  Jesus’ prayer from John 17 is for his disciples to know the Father and His son to experience eternal life (both quality and quantity). In this prayer, he highlights the words that he has been faithful in giving them and the work he has done to keep and guard them.  On a side note, there is much we can learn about discipling others from Jesus’ prayer in this portion of John’s gospel.  

The place of guarding and keeping that Jesus does comes about not only through his prayers for them but also through the words he has given them. We see now, in these next verses, 17-20, that Jesus must be addressing the questions that they are holding within their own thinking. “Don’t suppose.” His teaching conflicts with everything they have ever learned.   

I have personally heard things that challenged my understanding at the time, and I am thankful for my teachers’ patience, who allowed me the freedom to ask questions, enabling me to process the truth.  Earlier, we find Jesus as a child, in the midst of the religious teachers of his day, both listening and asking questions, Luke 2: 26.  The word righteously applied consistently always leads one to life.  Jesus said that we might have life and have it more abundantly, and it is through the entrance of His word, with the breath of the Holy One, that we are illuminated. 

Thus, Jesus continues to set things in order. Lifelong teachings and mindsets, strongholds, must first be brought down through the teaching and preaching of truths his disciples must know and hold. 

“Think not; I have come to destroy the law of the prophets; I did not come to destroy them; I came to fulfill them!” 

N.T. Wright, A Contemporary Translation of The Kingdom New Testament uses the phrase  “covenant behaviour” in the place of  “righteousness” in this portion of scripture.  The life of a disciple must be far superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The teaching and practice of the commandments are to be upheld.  As born-again, spirit-filled believers, we understand, from Romans 13:he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law, for love does no wrong to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

We will continue next week to see how this law of love is the backbone, the foundation, of all of Jesus’ teaching as we consider Jesus’ words, “You’ve heard it said,… but I say to you…”

Sermon on the Mount

“Now when he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them, saying….”

Matthew. 5:1-2

I’ve been studying Jesus’ sermon on the mount again and I am struck by the simplicity of the Gospel Jesus preached. We have this great commandment before the Lord to love him with all our hearts and others even as we have been loved, my paraphrase. Our lives revolve around these two primary relationships, God (fully Father, son, Holy Spirit) and people.

Jesus comes to instruct and realign understandings about these relationships.  His sermon on the mount provides us with a standard for our own time.  If we followed His instructions, how different many of our relationships would be.  As we follow them, we experience the fullness God has intended about being one; one with Him and one with each other.  It is in the walking out that we find hearts exposed and opportunities to choose life.

Before we begin at the sermon, I would like to make note of Matthew. 4:17 as Jesus begins his ministry, “from that time Jesus began to preach, ‘repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Following the death of John the Baptist, Jesus continues with Johns’ message.  The word ‘preach’ is Kerussein from the Greek and is a word for a heralds proclaimation from a king.  Keris in the Greek is herald and the herald was the man who brought the message from the King.  Jesus as the herald, herald the message‘’repent’, turn from your own ways, and turn to God.  It was this man and his message which drew the first disciples to Jesus.

This then is the beginning of that sermon, as Jesus takes his place to teach his disciples.

Within this very word ‘disciple’, we find our word discipline.  Every disciple must discipline himself in the study and practice of his masters words.  The crowds were hearers who ultimately separated at words which were to hard to hear, John 6:66.  Israel at the mount of Sinai, experienced the same dynamic as recorded in Exodus 20:20.

Our Fathers plan is for us individually as well as corporately is to be discipled and disciplined by the Father of Spirit’s unto life.  It is left up to us whether we will eat what he feeds us.

Jesus begins with ‘blessings’ that are found within this Kingdom He has come to demonstrate and establish.  William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible on Matthew highlights some great thoughts on the word Blessed.  First he notes,”the common expression from the Aramaic and Hebrew would read O the blessedness of…making them exclamations!!!  The word itself “makarios” describes a joy which has its secret within itself. A joy that is serene and untouchable and self contained, independent of all the chances and changes of life.’

It is the joy Jesus proclaims in John 16:22 which no man can take from us.  We could liken it to that state of joy unspeakable and full of glory which Peter wrote about in his first epistle.

Elliott's commentary notes —‘The word (blessed) differs from that used in Matthew 23:39; Matthew 25:34, as expressing a permanent state of felicity, rather than the passive reception of a blessing bestowed by another.’

Jesus tells us this blessed state where joy is to be found is never in the externals, but only in His kingdom, which is rather a mystical concept to those who are looking for a earthly King to save them from the oppression and tyranny of the now Roman Government.

We know now, from Paul’s writings Romans 14:17-18…..

“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men”…..

….but then, they were first learning new and different thoughts that had to be embraced as a disciple.

While our natural man looks for happenings to make us happy, Jesus defines nine conditions of this blessed state which imply a spiritual condition in a natural state; a synopsis of what our spiritual endeavours will produce.  A defined pursuit of this character enables one to find the blessedness of life in His Kingdom in relationship with Him.

Jesus sets in order first. At the beginning of his discipleship training he deals with first things first.  Disciples must hold a heart and pursuit for Him and His kingdom.

It is within this foundation laid Jesus now begins to address our relationships with one another.

To be continued…

Anxiety

“So never worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries of its own.  Each day has evil enough of its own.”

Williams Translation.

Matthew 6:34

NT WRIGHT rendered this verse; “….tomorrow can worry about itself.  One day’s trouble at a time is quite enough.”

Why are we always surprised at the trouble that come to us when we live in a troubled world.  Jesus assures us, in the world we WILL have troubles BUT we are to be of good cheer for HE has overcome the world and HE shows us how to overcome too.

I find great encouragement in this because as the way, and the truth, and the life, he  knows the path I need to walk on,   And, he knows the way I need to walk it out that will produce HIS life in and through me.

So, we must learn to live in the now moments of time and take life one day at a time.  At the end of each day we want to be confident we have walked thorough it in the way that glorified our Father and caused us to grow.

There is only grace for the moments we are in, now.  Grace is a now commodity.  It doesn’t get stored up.  Faith is a now commodity.  It doesn’t get stored up.  As is every other spiritual dynamic that God has given us in this world to empower.  This is our need for God.  We must come to Him for our daily provision and receive the grace that is sufficient for the moment.

I find it interesting that Jesus said in todays verse, from the ESV, “tomorrow* will be anxious for itself”.

HELPS Word-studies……”anxious”

3309 merimnáō (from 3308 /mérimna, "a part, as opposed to the whole") – properly, drawn in opposite directions; "divided into parts" (A. T. Robertson); (figuratively) "to go to pieces" because pulled apart (in different directions), like the force exerted by sinful anxiety (worry). Positively, 3309 (merimnáō) is used of effectively distributing concern, in proper relation to the whole picture (cf. 1 Cor 12:25; Phil 2:20).

3809 (merimnaō ) is "an old verb for worry and anxiety – literally, to be divided, distracted" (WP, 2, 156). It is more commonly used in this negative sense in the NT.

Ellicott’s Commentary on “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof:”

—The word rendered “evil” occurs in the Gospels only in this passage, and in the Epistles has commonly the sense of “wickedness.” That meaning would be too strong here; but it reminds us that our Lord is speaking not of what we call the simple accidents or misfortunes of life, but of the troubling element which each day brings with it, and against which we have to contend, lest it should lead us into sin. That conflict is more than enough for the day, without anticipating a further mischief.”

Peter’s epistle reminds us not to think it strange when we are tested but rather knowing that our faith is keeping us connected to the one who shows us how to overcome and overcome well!  We are told in James to count it all joy.   We are admonished to rejoice always.  In everything give thanks.  Pray without ceasing.  To be strong in the Lord and the power of His might- not ours.  All of which have the ability to be lost when we find ourselves in ‘trouble.’

I’m always taken back, when less than my sterling self is displayed in the midst of trouble.  When murmuring and complaining, or even unbelief, begin to show itself, I realize I’m disconnecting from my life source.  I’m unplugging, as it were, operating apart from Jesus with the promise that nothing I do will produce the right fruit He desires. I will ‘exalt Jeanne’ never yields what I really need or truly want.  I am so thankful for the mercies of the Lord that are new each day.  His faithfulness is great and His grace abounds.  That’s why I love early mornings with the opportunities it gives to start each day new!

No matter what we face each day, His grace is sufficient.  Rest assured, tomorrow will bring its own stuff…. BUT we are not to be anxious in, or through, any of it because of the union we keep with Him.  He is the Prince of peace.

Crowns

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12 ESV

When we study the scriptures on receiving the crown of life, they are always in context of overcoming.   Jesus asks a poignant question, from Luke 18:7-8, “when the son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”  From Matthew 24:13 Jesus said it is the one who endures (perseveres) through the difficulties to the end that shall be saved.

We live in a troubled word and should not think it strange when we meet trouble.  First Peter reminds us to rejoice as we participate in the sufferings of Christ because the end of the matter is a revelation of His glory.   Paul reminds us these momentary light afflictions work a far greater weight of glory for us.  We don’t always believe the circumstances are working good when we are in the midst of them but anything that reveals the condition of our hearts and aligns us with and to our Father is good.   

The epistle of James, chapter 1 addresses testing.  We are told to consider testing as something that works for our good because it produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work to produce a mature and complete (entire, sound, perfect, complete in every part) individual who lacks nothing.  This is the work of God and it is good in His sight.

Learning how to view the events transpiring in our lives must be done with a view of eternity, in order to to endure.  If our hope is only in this life, we are of men most miserable. But we are to hold a hope of heaven that frees us from the love of this world, knowing that everything we endure and overcome yields this promised crown of life.

This crown is mentioned twice in the New Testament and is also found noted in

Revelation 2:9-11 -

[9] “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. [10] Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. [11] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

You can see the crown is associated with overcoming some kind of trouble.  It reads to me, the overcoming is about our ability to stay faithful and  believing in Jesus as our Lord, not denying him in the middle of adversity.

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him, if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-14

Let’s think about denying in a different context than denying our eternal salvation and consider; if Deny is defined as ‘refusing to admit the truth of’ and Jesus is the ‘Word of truth’, if we reject His word, are we then denying Jesus?  We are exhorted in Philippians  to hold fast to the word of life.  If we deny his word, we can not persevere.  Wavering and doubting make us unstable in all our ways.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7-

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

and again in 1 Corinthians 9:25 he says ~

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

By having endured, our hearts and minds-our lives-are disciplined. With our understanding of the Lord’s ways increased, we labour on knowing God works all things together for our good.   Finally, in that great day, we are crowned with the Crown of Life.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Worship

As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace; whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength, God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever amen.  

1 Peter 4:10 ESV 

Service is worship.  Worship is service.  Everything in the OT temple service revolved around the ‘worship’ they performed.  The first time worship is used in the Bible is when Abraham is to offer Issac, Gen. 22:5.   While we have the psalms/hymns and are instructed to sing spiritual songs, our current mode of worship was not practiced in the early church.  At the last supper, the Gospel of Matthew and Mark records “they sang a hymn”.  

Don’t misunderstand this, I’m not trying to discount the worship experience that the North American church is currently experiencing.  There is no denying the presence of God as He inhabits the praises of His people, the times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord, but unto what purpose?

In every new move, every fresh wind of God, there must be fruit that remains.   These times of encounter are - so impacting spiritually they leave one marked and changed.  From glory to glory we are transformed through the beholding.  It is always relational and transformative, purifying the vessel.  

From the beginning we see man created for a purpose.  He was given dominion. Instructed to be fruitful and multiply and placed in the garden to work.  We are even now to continue this purpose as we increase with the increase of God through our yielded service.  

Please remember our service is ‘worship’ unto the Lord, which is why it is so important to do this willingly, cheerfully, not grudgingly or under compulsion.  God loves a cheerful giver. It was Abel’s offering of the first and the best God consumed.  If our service is worship, it should be a praise unto Him, with the very best we can give.

Peter’s exhortation above is that we serve by the strength the Lord supplies in order that in everything God alone is glorified through Jesus Christ. 

Deuteronomy 28:47 holds me in check with a strong exhortation for the one who does  not serve with joyfulness and gladness for the abundance of all things serves his enemies. If (and we are) to do all things without murmuring and complaining, the fussing would be a good indication right hearted service is lacking.  Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength looks like whole hearted worship.

We have two admonitions from the New Testament about the way we are to serve and if we note the terminology used here we are reminded in these verses from Gods perspective we are his ‘slaves’, ‘bondservants’.  

Helps Word Study ~ defines this term bondservant from the Greek doúlos #1401 as  ~ properly, someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own. 

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.  

Ephesians 6:6-8

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3: 22-24

Whatever our act of worship might be, it is to be whole hearted with the ultimate goal of all the glory going to God.

To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.  

Wait

Why are you in despair my soul, and why are you restless within me?  Wait for God, for I will again praise Him for the help of His presence, my God.   

NASB Psalm 43:5

Time can be such a challenge.  Our world is defined by time.  God is.  Present.  Now.  Our times are in His hands.  In His hands, we meet the reality of His decreed fullness of time or His now moment.  As His created beings, subject to His purposes, we must learn to wait for the fullness of our time.  We have a birthing time, a growing time, a preparation time, all working until the now moment of our time.  Then our time comes to an end and we move to heaven. 

It’s in the moments of waiting that we can find, as expressed in todays Psalm, despair of soul and restlessness within.  Moments or seasons that demand the discipline to wait and to wait patiently birth character and strength. 

Wait patiently for the Lord, be strong and courageous (take heart) and wait for the lord.  Psalm 27:14

I wait for the Lord,  my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.  

Psalm 130:5

When you study the concept of waiting, you will note how interchangeably translations utilize hope or wait to infer the same concept. Waiting in hope, waiting with expectation are inclusive.  It isn’t waiting if there is neither hope or expectation of fulfillment. I’ve written about the book “The Patient Fermenting of the Early Church”.  The expression of theses first disciples faith, hope and love as they waited and longed for the return of the Lord should be significantly visible in our lives today.  

Alec J. Motyer writes in his commentary on the book of Exodus; “ Knowing the will of God for every every day things, as well as for the big life changing decisions is a huge topic, but the example of Israel in the wilderness lays down a great fundamental principle. Israel did not seek guidance, they waited for it, because the directive will of God was expressed to them by the movement of the cloud, Exodus 40: 36-38. For them, guidance was a matter of waiting and watching. So also for Jesus: as for Isaiah 50:4- 5, the will of God was made known to him in the daily disciplined and privilege of meeting with the Lord and waiting upon him ‘morning by morning’ for his word.

It is in this position of waiting that we meet our (and others) pressure (temptations) to act.  Psalm 106:13 reminds us Israel “ so forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold, NIV.  The NLT reads, “yet how quickly they forgot what he had done, they wouldn’t wait for his council”. We have several Proverbs, 19:2, 21:5, that speak to todays well known proverb, “act in haste, repent in leisure”.  

We also know from proverbs that man holds many of his own plans, but it is only the counsel of the Lord that stands. God watches over his word to perform. It’s vain to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so he (God) gives his beloved sleep (rest).  In others words you can make it happen!  God is the creator, the performer.  Jesus said our works were to believe.  This frees us from all anxiety and stress to perform.  Our job is to wait upon Him and continue to hope in His promises.

We are familiar with the words from Isaiah 40:28-31…”but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”.

Where there is despair and restlessness there is a need for renewing.  Acts tells us times are refreshing are in the presence of the Lord.  Repentance may be required, but He is faithful to strengthen, his mercies are new every day, so….

Why are you in despair my soul, and why are you restless within me? 

Wait for God, for I will again praise Him for the help of His presence, my God.   

In Spite of this …..

Yet in spite of this Word, you did not believe the Lord your God. 

Deuteronomy 1:32 ESV

I’m not a Hebrew or Greek scholar, but I love word studies.  I find it helpful when studying the Old Testament to take advantage of various Jewish resources.

Imagine my surprise when I learned Deuteronomy was not a Hebrew word but Ancient Greek. The Jews call this book in the Torah, ‘Devarim’ which literally means words.    Here’s what chabad.org had to say ~ 

Moses recaps the major events and laws that are recorded in the Torah’s other four books. Thus the book of Devarim is also called Mishneh Torah, “Repetition of the Torah” (and hence its Anglicized-Greek name, Deuteronomy, or “Second Law”).
 

Deuteronomy rehearses the history of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their journey thus far in the wilderness. Moses once again emphasizes God’s words, Israel’s response, and the consequences of their choices. It is the reflection of forty years of leading a nation. 

I hold mixed emotions as I read this book of ‘words, which causes me to reflect on my personal history with God.  Deuteronomy 8:2 reminds me that life with God is constantly being tested.  

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about Israel’s history. These testimonies have been written for our examples that ‘we might not desire evil as they did.’  Paul calls their idolatry, sexual immorality, and murmuring evil.  He notes how they put God to the test with their practices, and the Destroyer ultimately destroyed some.  

 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

 Because we experience nothing in this life that is not common to all, God’s word always prepares us and offers us the way of escape. There is nothing new under the sun.  

It is how we respond to the words God speaks that reveals the matters of heart.  

Hebrews chapter three tells us Israel did not enter into the rest of God (his promised land) because of their evil heart of unbelief. It is never about our ability but always about our trust In God.

Joshua and Caleb’s words are recorded in Numbers 14 as they spoke to the congregation affirming the exceedingly good land, saying, “If the Lord is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us….only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey.  Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”

When giants in the land are more significant than God and we are as grasshoppers in our own sight, human reasoning rules, hearts get hard, and hearing becomes dull.  Yet God’s word to them then continues to us; ‘Today if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts’.  We are to guard against the evil of an unbelieving heart. 

God gave the nation ten times to come to terms with the promise of His words before He judged their unbelief.   I’m so thankful that our covenant with God through the blood of Jesus enables us to receive forgiveness every time we confess our sins.  

Jesus sets a human standard for us that reflects the vastness of God’s heart when he tells his disciples, ‘forgiveness must be given seven times seventy’  when dealing with others, Matthew 18:22.  Under our new covenant established upon better promises, we are met by our Father who is rich in mercies that are new every day.  Great is His faithfulness to a people who are willing to live before him in a posture of submission and humility.  Moses' life of intercession on behalf of the nation kept them alive in their times of rebellion. This wasn’t about their ability.  It was about their trust in God.  

This week, I am watching my life and reflecting on any words God has spoken to me that deserve this rebuke…..

Yet in Spite of this Word, you did not believe the Lord your God. 

It is a suitable pause for reflection and, if necessary, repentance. Realignment keeps us moving forward into His promised word.

Wisdom and understanding

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding….

Proverbs 3:5

The Bible tells us Jesus had the ‘spirit without measure’.  Isaiah chapter eleven illustrates the seven Spirits of God as the fulness of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.   As we process our verses today I want to highlight the help we have been given as Spirit filled believers so we will not lean to our own understanding.

Helps Word Study defines lean from the Greek (SN 8172) shāʿan as properly, to lean on, be supported; choosing the means of support (rely on).

  From the book of Acts we learn the first disciples to experience the promised outpouring of the Spirit, were ‘all filled with the Spirit’.  From Paul’s writings to the church at Corinth we learn the gifts of the Spirit were given to profit and edify the body of Christ.

From 1 Corinthians 14 we learn the manifestations of these Seven Spirits, or the fulness of the Holy Spirit, operate to exhort, comfort and edify the church.  Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to be in us and with us, is to be our help.

1 Corinthians 2:6–16 (ESV):

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord

of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.  For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him?  So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

So when we come back to Proverbs 3 and it tells us ‘to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding’, we find through the help and direction of the Holy Spirit, wisdom from God that gives us the God perspective needed.

In the acknowledging of Him, in all our ways, we find direction.  His reproofs and corrections (3:11-12)  are proofs of His love and when heeded, set us back on the road to life that verses 16-18 refer to.

The admonition to not be wise in our own eyes, verse 7, is the call to humility.  Fear the Lord is our command to submit and obey. The evil we are to turn from is the leaning on  of our own understanding.  Finding wisdom and gaining understanding (verse 13) is the blessing that comes from acknowledging Him.

I find in my own world, there is always a word God has decreed that can sustain me, if I will trust it.  When we continually acknowledge him, his word, his ways, above our understanding, choosing to trust and lean upon Him, he will direct and make straight our paths.  I will find His wisdom and hold His understanding.

Resurrection Sunday

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of his salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now, for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief and all kinds of trials.”

1 Peter 1:1-6 NIV

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which has given every believer  ‘new birth into a living hope’.

To the early disciples, this “living hope” Peter writes about, meant the assurance of a future eternal life with an inheritance kept in heaven.  Truly in all this, we too can greatly rejoice.  While we are not able to always control our external circumstances, Peter noted in his letter we may suffer adversity, but when we do, we do so knowing and believing that in this world facing trouble we are still of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world through his death and resurrection. 

As children of God, even in our inability to control external events, we can control our internal realm.  Righteousness, peace and joy are ours to freely choose at all times. God has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power, love and a well ordered, disciplined mind.  Choice is always ours.  The resurrection is our proof and guarantee of life to the one who chooses to believe. 

Jesus himself declared in John 10:10 the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.  The obvious tactic of the evil one is to remove every hope about the life Jesus’ resurrection gives, both now and eternally.

Jesus’ own testimony from John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

According to Hebrew 2:14, Jesus came to destroy the one who had the power of death and deliver mankind from the fear of death.

From Romans 1 we learn concerning Jesus, he was declared to be the son of God by this resurrected life. The amplified translation renders verse four ….

    4and [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated to be the Son of God with power [in a triumphant and miraculous way] by His resurrection from the dead:

This life that Jesus displayed as the son of man and the life that is assured to every believer by his resurrection from the dead was seen when he presented himself alive to his disciples by many proofs, Acts 1:3.  This gives the one who believes great hope not only in this life but the one we expectantly look for and wait on.

Romans 8:29 tell us because Jesus is the first born he has made the way for many brethren to share in this resurrected life.  

And as Paul wrote to the church of God in Corinth from 1 Corinthians 15 …… 

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. . 

This living hope that we hold fast to, is a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls in the good and the troubling times of life.  

So what does resurrection mean for us?  A living hope for life now, and forever more.  The confidence we place upon His resurrected life enables us to boldly declare “Death where is your sting?  Grave where is your victory?’ 

Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ, and we confess He is Risen.  

He is risen indeed.