In his first letter to the dispersed Jewish believers in the then Asia Minor, the apostle Peter instructed them, "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16, KJV). Theologians refer to this call as the effectual call, the work of God's spirit appropriated on the human heart and which is essentially the influencing of the mind to turn to God, or to enter into His kingdom. Though initially written to that constituency of believers, the admonishment is as true for us today as it was for them then.
It is a wonderful thing to be called of God, however, being called of God into His kingdom carries its responsibilities. We see Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, admonishing believers to "be holy in all manner of conversation." The original Greek word translated "conversation" also means "behavior" and so that portion of the text could be read, "be holy in all manner of behavior." We also notice the given reason why they (and us) should be that way was because the One who has called them (and us) is holy, but what does that mean? Bible Scholar Albert Barnes, in his notes on the text, writes, "The meaning here is, the model or example in accordance with which they were to frame their lives, should be the character of that God who had called them into His kingdom. They were to be like Him."
Because what was true for them is also true for us, we are also called to model our lives after The One who has called us. Most of us, if not all, can testify to being greatly challenged in this area, yet the Word of God shows no compromise; we are to be holy [set aside for sacred purposes, devoted, consecrated and pure.] It is not a badge of pride but an emptying of our selfish desires and the taking on of the spiritual desires and values of God's word. Embracing these values enables us to have holy thoughts that leads to holy behaviors, and because God is holy, as we do His will and follow His ways, we become holy also.
Being separated unto God is not a one shot deal but is a daily and continuous process. Some days we experience victory, other days failure. But the challenge remains the same - model our lives after Him who has called us. We should be mindful that as we follow Him, He uses our lives to call others. Jesus said, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14, 16).
As you go about living your life, which model are you using?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Being Persistent
There he was, sitting by the side of the road begging for alms. The chatter of voices and the sound of shuffled feet as people went about their business were all familiar to him, the occasional coin dropping into his outstretched hand. It seemed like just another day in his life. Then he heard more voices coming in his direction, voices that got louder with each step. There was a buzz, an excitement in the crowd that he had not sensed or heard before. It could only mean one thing - someone of note was passing through Jericho. Luke tells us, "And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by" (Luke 18:36,27). Suddenly, nothing else mattered. He had heard about Jesus and the many things He had done. What must have seemed like a million thought raced through his mind. If Jesus was who He said He was, this day could be life-changing. If He could get His attention and plead for His mercy, his blindness could be a thing of the past.
By this time the crowd was much closer. He shuffled himself and despite the noise he cried out, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (v.38). Being a blind beggar did not earn him any sympathy from the crowd. To them he was just wretched and miserable, probably blind as a result of his sins or that of his parents (see John 9:1-2). They rebuked him that he should hold his peace but "he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (v.39). This time not only was his cry more earnest and filled with greater intensity, but he reaffirmed his recognition of who Jesus was. "Thou son of David" was the acknowledgment that Jesus was the Messiah, and so he was not calling out to Jesus out of ignorance but with a conviction that based on the teachings of the Torah and the rabbis, the Messiah could bring him deliverance. The crowd could say all it wanted, the only thing he knew was that he had a need that nobody but Jesus could satisfy and he was going to do whatever it took to get His attention.
How many times have we allowed "the crowd" and our lack of faith to silence us? If we are convinced of who Jesus is, then in our moments of greatest need we should be persistent in our prayers. Calling out to Jesus is not a problem for Him. Yes, there are millions of people calling Him at any given time but it is important to note that amidst the noise and the objections of the crowd, He heard the cry of the beggar. Not only did He hear him but He "stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" Right there and then, he got Jesus' undivided attention. Luke continues, "And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God" (vv. 41b-43).
The keys to his breakthrough were his persistence and his faith in Jesus as the Messiah who could do all the things that were written of Him in the Scriptures. Do you know Him like that? If so, keep on calling until you get your answer. What He did for that beggar, He is still doing today.
By this time the crowd was much closer. He shuffled himself and despite the noise he cried out, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (v.38). Being a blind beggar did not earn him any sympathy from the crowd. To them he was just wretched and miserable, probably blind as a result of his sins or that of his parents (see John 9:1-2). They rebuked him that he should hold his peace but "he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (v.39). This time not only was his cry more earnest and filled with greater intensity, but he reaffirmed his recognition of who Jesus was. "Thou son of David" was the acknowledgment that Jesus was the Messiah, and so he was not calling out to Jesus out of ignorance but with a conviction that based on the teachings of the Torah and the rabbis, the Messiah could bring him deliverance. The crowd could say all it wanted, the only thing he knew was that he had a need that nobody but Jesus could satisfy and he was going to do whatever it took to get His attention.
How many times have we allowed "the crowd" and our lack of faith to silence us? If we are convinced of who Jesus is, then in our moments of greatest need we should be persistent in our prayers. Calling out to Jesus is not a problem for Him. Yes, there are millions of people calling Him at any given time but it is important to note that amidst the noise and the objections of the crowd, He heard the cry of the beggar. Not only did He hear him but He "stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" Right there and then, he got Jesus' undivided attention. Luke continues, "And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God" (vv. 41b-43).
The keys to his breakthrough were his persistence and his faith in Jesus as the Messiah who could do all the things that were written of Him in the Scriptures. Do you know Him like that? If so, keep on calling until you get your answer. What He did for that beggar, He is still doing today.
Friday, August 27, 2010
A Matter of Choice
There is undoubtedly a lot of evil in the world. News reports from places all over the world tell stories of violence and mayhem of all kind. In the information age we are living in, the up-to-the-minute onslaught of news can desensitize us to the loss of lives and destruction. If we are not careful we give in to feelings of helplessness and discouragement. For some of us, it is too much. We no longer listen to the news; we don't want to know.
A lot of what we are witnessing is the result of human choices. Guns, landmines, bombs, knives, and other similar things, are deadly when humans decide to use them for such purposes. Indeed, it seems we are discovering new and more deadly ways to destroy each other. Regardless of the cause we indentify with or the belief systems we embrace, individuals - when confronted with a particular situation - bear the responsibility of choosing how we will act. For sure there are any number of factors that will influence those choices, but we are ultimately responsible for the choices we make.
I thought of choices and personal responsibility as I read God's charge to the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 11:26-28; "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known." In verse 19 of Chapter 28 we read, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." In both instances the choices are clear; we as individuals get to choose.
It is worth noting that regardless of where we are in life, we are given the same options. Our actions reflect the choices we make and so do the subsequent results. While we are not able to "solve" the evil in the world, the choices we make send life or death in our spheres of influence. Every God honoring choice breathes life and blessings; every God dishonoring choice breathes death and curses.
God didn't leave His people guessing as to what they should do. He told them, "Choose life, that thou and they seed may live." As you look at your actions, what choices do they reflect? Have you considered the consequences of those actions?
A lot of what we are witnessing is the result of human choices. Guns, landmines, bombs, knives, and other similar things, are deadly when humans decide to use them for such purposes. Indeed, it seems we are discovering new and more deadly ways to destroy each other. Regardless of the cause we indentify with or the belief systems we embrace, individuals - when confronted with a particular situation - bear the responsibility of choosing how we will act. For sure there are any number of factors that will influence those choices, but we are ultimately responsible for the choices we make.
I thought of choices and personal responsibility as I read God's charge to the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 11:26-28; "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known." In verse 19 of Chapter 28 we read, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." In both instances the choices are clear; we as individuals get to choose.
It is worth noting that regardless of where we are in life, we are given the same options. Our actions reflect the choices we make and so do the subsequent results. While we are not able to "solve" the evil in the world, the choices we make send life or death in our spheres of influence. Every God honoring choice breathes life and blessings; every God dishonoring choice breathes death and curses.
God didn't leave His people guessing as to what they should do. He told them, "Choose life, that thou and they seed may live." As you look at your actions, what choices do they reflect? Have you considered the consequences of those actions?
"Eating Habits"
Science and nutrition together have tried to find the ways of eating that is best for us. One way to accomplish this goal is to eat routinely rather than only when you want to eat. Eating balanced meals at regular intervals is one key to long term good health and given rising health risks and costs, financially and otherwise, good health is an excellent goal we should all aim for.
In the same way we have to eat nourishing food to grow healthily, getting into the Scriptures on a daily basis is a good discipline to encourage ongoing spiritual growth. The secret of our future spiritual maturity lies in our daily routine of Bible study. Just as there are times to eat to satisfy the physical man, so we need to ensure we set aside times daily to feed and satisfy the spiritual man. While we can make it through the day by listening to worship music and reading a devotional, it is important that just as we are told to chew our food slowly to facilitate proper digestion, that we read and meditate on (turn over in our minds slowly and methodologically) the Word of God. This we can do several times per day - during our commute, at lunch, as we do housework, wherever we may be.
On the occasion of Him being tempted to turn stones into bread, Jesus affirmed the importance of satisfying the spiritual man when He reminded Satan, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, KJV). We can get by for a while without food but we cannot get far without the Word of God. It is the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). What are some of the benefits of regularly "eating" the Word? Not only do we grow spiritually and experience the blessings of obedience, but we also discover our purpose and principles for victory, power, and guidance in our lives. The food experts encourage us to not miss a meal; how much more can we not afford to miss times of spiritual nourishing.
As we go through the day taking time to satisfy the physical man's desire for food, let us not ignore the spirit man's need to be nourished. As the Psalmist spent time in the Word he was led to say of the laws, statues, and fear of the Lord, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:7-10). What has been your experience?
In the same way we have to eat nourishing food to grow healthily, getting into the Scriptures on a daily basis is a good discipline to encourage ongoing spiritual growth. The secret of our future spiritual maturity lies in our daily routine of Bible study. Just as there are times to eat to satisfy the physical man, so we need to ensure we set aside times daily to feed and satisfy the spiritual man. While we can make it through the day by listening to worship music and reading a devotional, it is important that just as we are told to chew our food slowly to facilitate proper digestion, that we read and meditate on (turn over in our minds slowly and methodologically) the Word of God. This we can do several times per day - during our commute, at lunch, as we do housework, wherever we may be.
On the occasion of Him being tempted to turn stones into bread, Jesus affirmed the importance of satisfying the spiritual man when He reminded Satan, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, KJV). We can get by for a while without food but we cannot get far without the Word of God. It is the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). What are some of the benefits of regularly "eating" the Word? Not only do we grow spiritually and experience the blessings of obedience, but we also discover our purpose and principles for victory, power, and guidance in our lives. The food experts encourage us to not miss a meal; how much more can we not afford to miss times of spiritual nourishing.
As we go through the day taking time to satisfy the physical man's desire for food, let us not ignore the spirit man's need to be nourished. As the Psalmist spent time in the Word he was led to say of the laws, statues, and fear of the Lord, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:7-10). What has been your experience?
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