There are so many things in the Bible that can mess with the mind of a new reader. Now please don’t think I’m trying to say something negative about the Bible. It’s just that sometimes it requires help from the Holy Spirit and some due diligence to study it, understand it and apply it to our lives.
Consider Matthew 5:29-30
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. 30 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.
Now I’m thinking if Jesus meant for that to be taken literally, I’d have been blind along time before I could even learn to drive.. . .and there probably wouldn’t be much traffic on the roads either. Is that any more ludicrous than for me to say, “I’ll keep an out for you” and then have you expect me to be holding it in my hand the next time you see me?
Does Jesus really want you to gouge your eye out or cut your hand off? Of course not! So what did Jesus mean if it was figurative? Perhaps more scripture might help us understand this.
Colossians 3:5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
So how ’bout if we take these two passages and come up with this for a conclusion: what ever causes us to be tempted to sin, we need to cut ourselves off from it. In Matthew Jesus was talking specifically about adultery. He was saying that if you are going to lust and then commit adultery, it’s better not to look in the first place. Cut your vision off from the temptation.
I believe Paul expands the thought to include all types of sin in his letter to the Colossians. Put to death whatever connections you have with the trigger that causes you to go down the wrong path: whether it's what you see, hear or think. We can apply that to a lot of things in life.
· If I start to gossip, its best to cut the conversation off. I also need to steer clear of gossips.
· If I find myself flipping the channels on cable and there’s something free you that don’t have to pay for, that’s pornographic in nature, I need to turn it off
· If I am trying to quit smoking I need to stay in smoke free areas and not hang around people who smoke and will offer me a somke too.
· If I’m trying to quit using drugs I need to not be where drugs are used and/or sold
If I am trying to fight sugar addictions, I need to stay out of the candy isle.
· If I have issues with alcohol, I need to stay away from it and anyone who would not respect my desire to stay away from it.
· If am tempted to do anything that doesn’t honor God I need to cut it off.
· I’m sure you could help me make a rather lengthy list
What’s the best way cut all the sinful things in life? Get it at the roots.
Earlier this spring when I was prepping the flower gardens, my wife asked me to spread some stuff called Preem. It’s a special herbicide that kills weeds when they are pre-emergent: before they take root and break through the surface.
Paul says earlier in Colossians 3 that his "Preem" recommendation for spiritual weeds is this:
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
He also says in 2 Corinthians 105:b in the NCV says
We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.
In other words, before things get out of hand in our imagination or in our stinkin’ thinkin’, we ought to grab hold of that thought, acknowledge it, turn it over to Jesus and, with His help, replace the thought with something from God’s Word to drive it on out.
So keep an eye out for what you are thinking and for what you are exposing yourself to spiritually each day. It might increase your depth perception so you can see the world as Jesus sees it!
Stay close to Jesus!
REG
Friday, August 1, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Going to the Well
Yesterday I had kind of a neat reminder that God gave me regarding a model of discipleship.
One of the individuals I’ve been doing pastoral visits with is on a long road to recovery from many issues. With great joy, I realized a change had been taking place in this individual’s life.
When I first met them they were desperately in need of hearing the Truth. I listened with an attentive ear and brought them “living water” from the “well.” I spoke words of encouragement based on truths found in the Bible. I realized that as time was passing I was taking them “to the well” by showing them where the “water” was coming from: I would read directly from scripture to point out the truth. Eventually we progressed to where we both looked up scripture and now I could see we were drawing water from the well together. Well over the weekend the individual took the challenge to draw from the well on their own. They picked a shorter book from the New Testament and told me about the Truth they found . . . on their own!
There was a reaction of accomplishment and fear when I shared the well analogy with them. Accomplishment that they could see something they did on their own; fear that they thought I was indicating it was time for them to make a go of it alone.
Will I was quick to point out we all need to be in the word together and individually. Acts chapter 8 came to mind as I remember Phillip, lead by the Holy Spirit coming along side an Ethiopian who was reading scripture on his own. Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading and the Ethiopian relied, “How can I without someone to explain it to me.” (Acts 8:31).
We all need someone to help us understand scripture. The Holy Spirit is our most effective helper but it’s good to read scripture individually and together to share the gems of what we mine from them and to be able to talk about how they apply to us as “living water.”
There is still another stage in this person’s recovery to arrive at. I’m looking forward to the day when this individual is so excited about the change in their life they go running from the well to their friends and say, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4:9) I’m looking forward to them sharing their story of how Jesus came into their life. I’m looking forward to this person taking water from the well and giving it to someone who needs Jesus in their life.
2 Timothy 2 1-2 says: 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
Do you have someone in your life that is in need of living waters?
Do you have someone who you meet at the well regularly to share scripture with?
Lord,
Thank you for the many people who have taught me scripture and who have challenged me to read and teach. Thanks for those who have written commentaries who I have never met and thank you for those who I have spent time along the journey of life with.
May I help someone help someone else go to the Well. Amen
Stay close to Jesus.
REG
One of the individuals I’ve been doing pastoral visits with is on a long road to recovery from many issues. With great joy, I realized a change had been taking place in this individual’s life.
When I first met them they were desperately in need of hearing the Truth. I listened with an attentive ear and brought them “living water” from the “well.” I spoke words of encouragement based on truths found in the Bible. I realized that as time was passing I was taking them “to the well” by showing them where the “water” was coming from: I would read directly from scripture to point out the truth. Eventually we progressed to where we both looked up scripture and now I could see we were drawing water from the well together. Well over the weekend the individual took the challenge to draw from the well on their own. They picked a shorter book from the New Testament and told me about the Truth they found . . . on their own!
There was a reaction of accomplishment and fear when I shared the well analogy with them. Accomplishment that they could see something they did on their own; fear that they thought I was indicating it was time for them to make a go of it alone.
Will I was quick to point out we all need to be in the word together and individually. Acts chapter 8 came to mind as I remember Phillip, lead by the Holy Spirit coming along side an Ethiopian who was reading scripture on his own. Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading and the Ethiopian relied, “How can I without someone to explain it to me.” (Acts 8:31).
We all need someone to help us understand scripture. The Holy Spirit is our most effective helper but it’s good to read scripture individually and together to share the gems of what we mine from them and to be able to talk about how they apply to us as “living water.”
There is still another stage in this person’s recovery to arrive at. I’m looking forward to the day when this individual is so excited about the change in their life they go running from the well to their friends and say, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4:9) I’m looking forward to them sharing their story of how Jesus came into their life. I’m looking forward to this person taking water from the well and giving it to someone who needs Jesus in their life.
2 Timothy 2 1-2 says: 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
Do you have someone in your life that is in need of living waters?
Do you have someone who you meet at the well regularly to share scripture with?
Lord,
Thank you for the many people who have taught me scripture and who have challenged me to read and teach. Thanks for those who have written commentaries who I have never met and thank you for those who I have spent time along the journey of life with.
May I help someone help someone else go to the Well. Amen
Stay close to Jesus.
REG
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The God of Second Chances
2 Chronicles 7: 14 says, “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray; if the seek my face and call on my name, I will hear, I will forgive, and I will heal their land..”
Flash back: Garden of Eden; Adam and Eve sin. Pride first, then sin, after that they immediately feel shame, then they try to cover their sin, and along with that they hide from God. And they are about as “God’s people” as they come!
What would have happen if they had gone right to God with their mistake?
What would have happened if they humbled themselves and prayed?
What would have happened if they called on His Name??
IF you are looking for answers I don’t have one. But I do have some observations.
First of all , God knew! Second, He asked questions that he already knew the answers to! Third. I believe he did that so that Adam and Eve would have the opportunity to be reconciled to God.
Until today, I never gave it much thought but Adam and Eve are not recorded as having said, “I’m sorry to God.” What’s up with that? When confronted with the truth they bailed and played the blame game instead.
Excellent opportunity for a demanding self centered god to display his omnipotent powers and just end everything right then and there because he was as we say today “diss’ed” Just destroy the human race blow up the world and say, “next.”
But he didn’t.
Don’t miss this: right in Genesis we see evidence of a God who does not want to cast us aside but wants to be in a loving relationship with us. Yes, there were consequences to pay, a curse as a result of the sin. God none-the-less in his steadfast love did not destroy them but instead, in what could be a nearly overlooked act, initiated sacrifice to cover their sin. He killed animals to use their hides to cover them. He did something on their behalf. Right there in the opening pages of Genesis is the foreshadowing of the future coming of Christ.
So even today, we have the opportunity to do things a bit better than Adam and Eve when it comes to staying reconciled with God when we sin.
2 Chronicles will hold true for us if we humble ourselves, pray, ask forgiveness and seek his face. He will still hear and forgive and heal us.
Seek Him while He might still be sought.
Stay close to Jesus
REG
Flash back: Garden of Eden; Adam and Eve sin. Pride first, then sin, after that they immediately feel shame, then they try to cover their sin, and along with that they hide from God. And they are about as “God’s people” as they come!
What would have happen if they had gone right to God with their mistake?
What would have happened if they humbled themselves and prayed?
What would have happened if they called on His Name??
IF you are looking for answers I don’t have one. But I do have some observations.
First of all , God knew! Second, He asked questions that he already knew the answers to! Third. I believe he did that so that Adam and Eve would have the opportunity to be reconciled to God.
Until today, I never gave it much thought but Adam and Eve are not recorded as having said, “I’m sorry to God.” What’s up with that? When confronted with the truth they bailed and played the blame game instead.
Excellent opportunity for a demanding self centered god to display his omnipotent powers and just end everything right then and there because he was as we say today “diss’ed” Just destroy the human race blow up the world and say, “next.”
But he didn’t.
Don’t miss this: right in Genesis we see evidence of a God who does not want to cast us aside but wants to be in a loving relationship with us. Yes, there were consequences to pay, a curse as a result of the sin. God none-the-less in his steadfast love did not destroy them but instead, in what could be a nearly overlooked act, initiated sacrifice to cover their sin. He killed animals to use their hides to cover them. He did something on their behalf. Right there in the opening pages of Genesis is the foreshadowing of the future coming of Christ.
So even today, we have the opportunity to do things a bit better than Adam and Eve when it comes to staying reconciled with God when we sin.
2 Chronicles will hold true for us if we humble ourselves, pray, ask forgiveness and seek his face. He will still hear and forgive and heal us.
Seek Him while He might still be sought.
Stay close to Jesus
REG
Monday, July 28, 2008
It's not an option
Ever notice people do not want to die as a general rule of thumb?? They usually tell you. “I don’t want to die” or “I’m too young to die.” Or “I want to live forever!” Could it be because we were meant to live forever?
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has put eternity on all men’s hearts.
10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.
How does that work that we are going to die but we have this carrot (eternity) dangling in front of us? Let’s try this on for size: perhaps we are living life in the here and now so that we can know what life is so that we can understand this is not all there is to life.
If God has eternity on our hearts I’m thinking there isn’t an option. We will live forever! We know we are currently living in a world that is in a state of decay but there will be another place that will take its place someday. We have to break free from the mindset that life at is fullest (at least in our culture) is the toy grabbing, pleasure seeking, wealth accumulating, complete our kids resume before the age of 10, get ahead of the neighbors, stay healthy game we play . . . for what we think is “keeps.” The real “keeps” is eternity.
Rick Warren in Purpose Driven Life says something to the effect, “life here on earth is a dress rehearsal for eternity.” The confusion comes when we think the dress rehearsal is the reality of eternity. For those who think the dress rehearsal is “the event,” it is not. The stage is real, the props are real, the director is real, the actors are real, the emotions are real, but this is not where the full production will be presented Eternity is!
The Bible teaches us is that our earthly flesh bearing body is going to die but there is a reality of existence that we know some things about, but not everything about, that which is yet to come. So many people live like this is all there is and that might be because without understanding or hearing what God has spoken, we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. (For those of you old enough, remember the song “Is that all there is?” by Peggy Lee). But God has set eternity on our hearts!!!
So wouldn’t it be a refreshing approach to dive into a conversation with someone who says, “I don’t want to die.”
And you reply, “Well actually, that’s not an option.”
Now they are going to think you mean that it’s not an option: we all have to die. But then you could go on to explain, “Dying is not an option. Oh sure, your body is going to die but you, spiritually, are created for eternity. What really is not an option is whether you live or not. You will live forever. So the question begs, where do you plan on spending it?” talk about looking at things from a different perspective!
Now that all segues to what is an option: where we spend eternity. There are only two neighborhoods that we have to choose from: Choose wisely!
Reservations are now being taken for where you want to live forever.
Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6)
Stay in the Word and stay close to Jesus.
REG
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has put eternity on all men’s hearts.
10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.
How does that work that we are going to die but we have this carrot (eternity) dangling in front of us? Let’s try this on for size: perhaps we are living life in the here and now so that we can know what life is so that we can understand this is not all there is to life.
If God has eternity on our hearts I’m thinking there isn’t an option. We will live forever! We know we are currently living in a world that is in a state of decay but there will be another place that will take its place someday. We have to break free from the mindset that life at is fullest (at least in our culture) is the toy grabbing, pleasure seeking, wealth accumulating, complete our kids resume before the age of 10, get ahead of the neighbors, stay healthy game we play . . . for what we think is “keeps.” The real “keeps” is eternity.
Rick Warren in Purpose Driven Life says something to the effect, “life here on earth is a dress rehearsal for eternity.” The confusion comes when we think the dress rehearsal is the reality of eternity. For those who think the dress rehearsal is “the event,” it is not. The stage is real, the props are real, the director is real, the actors are real, the emotions are real, but this is not where the full production will be presented Eternity is!
The Bible teaches us is that our earthly flesh bearing body is going to die but there is a reality of existence that we know some things about, but not everything about, that which is yet to come. So many people live like this is all there is and that might be because without understanding or hearing what God has spoken, we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. (For those of you old enough, remember the song “Is that all there is?” by Peggy Lee). But God has set eternity on our hearts!!!
So wouldn’t it be a refreshing approach to dive into a conversation with someone who says, “I don’t want to die.”
And you reply, “Well actually, that’s not an option.”
Now they are going to think you mean that it’s not an option: we all have to die. But then you could go on to explain, “Dying is not an option. Oh sure, your body is going to die but you, spiritually, are created for eternity. What really is not an option is whether you live or not. You will live forever. So the question begs, where do you plan on spending it?” talk about looking at things from a different perspective!
Now that all segues to what is an option: where we spend eternity. There are only two neighborhoods that we have to choose from: Choose wisely!
Reservations are now being taken for where you want to live forever.
Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6)
Stay in the Word and stay close to Jesus.
REG
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