What does it mean when we say, “I am a Christian?” We know we are supposed to be different, but that difference occasionally runs contrary to human reasoning. We have died yet live. We have been transformed, yet we remain the same. We are not of this world, yet here we are living and functioning with this world. What is involved – outside of merely making claims of being different – in being a Christian that truly does make us different.

Contradictory Ideas

Dead Yet Living. Romans 6:1-12 records Paul addressing our death to sin and the things of this world. He compares obedience to baptism with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. In Colossians 3:1, Paul calls upon us to seek things that are above, being raised up in Christ, and he refers to putting our earthly selves to death in verse 5. Galatians 2:20 calls us crucified with Christ. Self is put away, and Christ lives in us as we continue living.

Transformed Yet Unchanged. In Romans 12:1, in referring to us as living sacrifices, calls upon to be transformed, to be changed. II Corinthians 3:18 and Ephesians 4:23 both call on us to transform or renew ourselves. As we are raised from the grave of baptism, we undergo no physical changes, but Paul calls us transformed.

In, Not Of the World. John 17:16 records Jesus referring to His disciples as not of the world as He is not of the world. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above as opposed to the things of this life. In Philippians 3:19, Paul speaks of the shame in minding earthly things.

Reconciling the Confusion

How do we make sense of these paradoxes? How can we be so changed, yet appear unchanged? The death of Romans 6 is basically a separation from sin. Where physical death is a separation of life from our bodies. When we die to sin, we remove sinful attitudes and behaviors from our lives. We are still who we are, but we’ve put away those things and that former self that keeps us from God and His mercy. We become a living sacrifice according to Romans 12:1-2. Without physically dying, we cast off all that we formerly held valuable and give ourselves entirely over to God’s will.

When it comes to our transformation, Paul calls on us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We remake our mind in the likeness of Christ. We take on a new mindset. How I may have lived, how I may have treated others, or the things I may have prioritized – these things are now part of the past. I Peter 1:14-15 calls us to fashion ourselves after God’s holiness in all things. I Peter 2:10 speaks of us obtaining mercy to undergo this change. In our death to sin, in our transformation through the reforming of our minds, we separate our priorities from this world. While in the world, we are no longer part of the world.

Conclusion

Saying we are Christians is more than believing in Christ, but there is much more involved in becoming a follower of Christ. Romans 6:12-14 warns us against letting sin reign over our lives. The changes in our lives as Christians involve us no longer pursuing sin and pursuing spiritual interests instead. In I Corinthians 6, the Christians at Corinth think that what they do with their bodies has no impact on the soul, but Paul demonstrates that theory as flawed. Our conduct, according to Romans 6:16, demonstrates our true identity.

If the world cannot tell a difference between who I am now and who I was, can God see the difference? When God looks down upon us, do we reflect Him, or do we still reflect the world in His eyes? Until the truth of God’s word is reflected in our lives, we demonstrate them to be no more than platitudes. We cannot merely listen to His word. We must learn from it and live it.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: attitude, behaviors, character, priorities

Luke 10:38-42 records Jesus visiting the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is busy doing the work of a hospitable hostess with a large number of people in the house, and she asks Jesus to tell her sister to help with the workload. She receives an unexpected answer, however, when Jesus tells her that Mary is seeking after something more important. Jesus does not negate the importance of hospitality and looking after others’ needs, but he makes a distinction between things that are important and things that are essential.

Important Things in Our Lives

Think about the things on which we place emphasis in our lives? How do we spend our energy? What gets us worked up? In Genesis 6:5, God looks upon His Creation, and He sees a people entirely focused on wickedness. Our thoughts can be focused on how we can cheat others to our advantage – how we can forward ourselves at the expense of others. Amos 6 records God proclaiming woes upon those who take comfort in the luxuries, interested in nothing but their pleasures. He calls this worthless activity.

In contrast, others spend their lives in pursuit of important things. We might focus on taking care of our bodies, these vessels given to us by God. We may spend our time on intellectual pursuits, either in school or independently sought knowledge. Developing social graces is important to functioning in our society. Community service shows a sense of love and duty toward others. These are all things that are important. They are worthwhile in their own rights. These pursuits can produce good, respectable people. We cannot, however, pursue these at the expense of the essential things.

Recognizing the Essential

Are we as concerned about our inward man as our outward man? In Ecclesiastes 12, Solomon describes a time when our bodies will begin to wither, when we will have nothing to show for the work we have put into our bodies. He concludes that our bodies will return to dust, in verse 7, but our souls will return to God. I Timothy 4:8 reminds us that exercising our souls is more profitable than exercising our bodies.

Are we as concerned with developing our spirit as we are our minds. In Rome, linguistic eloquence and oratorical skills were given great respect. The intellect was king. In I Corinthians 1:18 records Paul describing how God’s plan can seem foolish to the intellectual. He goes on in chapter 2:5 where he describes his arguments as being absent of worldly wisdom or powerful speech to avoid their faith being in his words. In Colossians 1:9, Paul expresses his desire that Christians pursue spiritual wisdom and knowledge of God ‘s will.

Are we as concerned about seeking God’s approval as we are the approval of men. Acts 4 records the apostles being brought to trial for teaching, and verse 19 shows Peter answering his persecutors, saying that his interest is in serving God before man. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus warns us to be more concerned with God’s judgment than man’s. We need to be acceptable to our fellow man, but God’s acceptance supersedes all.

In terms of our service, do we prioritize saving the community as much as we do serving it? I Corinthians 2:2 records Paul stating that he assumes nothing of His listeners except their need for Christ. Romans 1:16 describes the gospel as God’s power to save. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He not only looked after the physical needs of those around Him, but He always cared for their souls. Their are many injustices around us, but we cannot put those before our mission to save the lost.

Conclusion

When we emphasize essentials over those things that are important to the world, we may not gain the respect of the world. We may be criticized, even by other Christians. In Haggai, the prophet’s message is to prioritize serving God and rebuilding His temple over the important details of the nation’s infrastructure and economy. We may receive criticism just as Martha criticized Mary. I Corinthians 4:3-5 reminds us that the standard by which we will ultimately be judges will be God’s – not man’s. The things we might see as essential may be important, but none of these things should ever be at the cost of the spiritual, the essential, the eternal.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: priorities

“We had people like you in mind when we designed this church,” reads a brochure our preacher has for a certain church. It speaks of a church that is built around the idea of appealing to a given market. You can even go to various websites to get feedback on what religion fits you best. The idea here is that what counts for a church is the programs. “What’s in it for me? What do I get out of this place?”

In the name of religion, many find clubs instead of spiritual food. The aim becomes about social support rather than salvation. Churches become inspected like restaurants. Whose menu do we like best? Instead of me fitting into religion, I try to make religion fit me. More than searching for the church of my choice, I should be interested in finding the church of God’s choice.

The Church God Designed

The New Testament church is not an afterthought. It is part of God’s eternal plan. It has purpose and design. Paul, in Ephesians 3:8 speaks of his mission to preach to the Gentiles and how, through the church, God’s wisdom is made known to all. In Matthew 16:18 and Acts 20:28, ownership is ascribed to Jesus. He died to purchase it for Himself. Ephesians 1:22-23 cites Christ’s authority over the church. It’s not a case of the church’s position on various topics. It’s Christ’s position that the church reflects.

I Corinthians 3:11 calls Christ the foundation, and I Timothy 3:15 described His church as the pillar of truth. Ours is not to see where the wind is blowing. Ours is not to market to public opinion. Paul described the church as something solid, standing firm in the tenets of its King.

Searching for Meaning

Everyone is in need of salvation (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23), and no one deserves to be belittled in their search for meaning or spiritual unification with God. Newsweek once wrote of those who are reexamining their lives and coming to the conclusion that they want their family to have some connection with God. One interviewee in the article simply says, “There’s gotta be something more. What is it?”

When searching for a church that will fit us as individuals, we find groups in which experts do the work, and the members are allowed to become uninvolved. The concepts of sin and responsibility gives way to self-help and motivational lectures. Spiritual development and growth opportunities become limited in congregations that emphasize instant gratification. Finally, Heaven and God’s will becomes an afterthought.

What does it meant to you to be a Christian? Is it to be a good person? Is it to be religious? Is it simply to love others? Is it to accept Christ as your personal savior? Scripturally speaking, not a lot of people know. Think about the importance of the church in the scriptures. In Acts 2:41-47, believers come together for the first time, building one another up, and the scriptures describe these people as those who are being saved. These individuals define the church. Ephesians 2:12-18 describes Christ’s church as the path of peace and reconciliation between ourselves and God. Ephesians 1:3-15 describes spiritual blessings found in Him, in His body. Galatians 3:27 describes baptism into Christ enters one into Christ, and (connecting back to Acts 2) to His church.

Conclusion

We live in a consumerist society, but the Bible emphasizes that the church is not ours to design as we see fit. We do not have the authority to restructure the church to cater to a specific group. Our responsibility is to mold ourselves into God’s pattern. True Christianity takes time and discipline. It takes effort. To reject His plan is to reject God, but that is what we do when we substitute our wisdom for His. He has given us a church through which we can sustain a relationship with Him. Our church should fit the desires of God if it is going to fit our true and eternal needs.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: church, priorities, purpose

It doesn’t catch any of us by surprise anymore to be confronted with dire circumstances. Over 250,000 Americans lost their jobs in October. Unemployment is at 6.5%, and this doesn’t count the number of people who have given up looking for work. Our politicians and media have gone from terming our economic situation as a recession to a depression. We might look around and ask ourselves, “Does God know? Does God care?”

Habakkuk was living in a period of terrible unrest for God’s people. In Habakkuk 1:2-4, the prophet asks, “How long shall I cry, oh Lord, and You do not hear?” He describes the terrible morality of the nation around him, the wicked prevailing at the cost of the righteous. Psalm 73:1-8 speaks of the goodness of God, but the psalmist acknowledges the challenges he himself has in keeping faith in that goodness. The psalmist sees righteousness suffering and wickedness prospering.

Changing Perspectives

This very problem afflicts Solomon in Ecclesiastes 8:9. He speaks of times when men have power over others to their hurt. He sees the wicked celebrated in their death, and justice remains undelivered. It does not add up in his or in our eyes. Returning to Habakkuk, God assures his prophet that He is in control. In Habakkuk 1:5-6, God tells Habakkuk he is rising up Babylon against Judah. In chapter 2:1, Habakkuk says he will wait for another answer.

Though it is hard, the righteous must accept God’s dealings. Returning to Psalm 73:11-14, the psalmist asks what good his godly behavior has done for him. Starting in verse 17, however, he takes a step back and looks at the bigger picture. He sees the end awaiting those wicked. Psalm 73:23 reassures his faith in God, his trust in Him despite those things he witnesses that tear at his faith. His conclusion, in verse 28, is to make God his refuge.

Stilling Our Souls

God has promised He will not forget the righteous. Psalm 94:12-14 states that God will not cast off His people. He is in control. While we may not necessarily understand or like all that is going on, we have to take comfort in the knowledge that God is still active. We have to still our souls in the knowledge of His presence. Psalm 37 calls on us to calm our souls and avoid fretting over others, to commit ourselves to Jehovah and wait patiently for Him.

Exodus 14:14, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 5:3, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 37:7, Psalm 119:166, Psalm 130:5, Lamentations 3:24, Isaiah 30:18 – these passages and more ask God’s followers to lay their concerns aside to wait on God. Perhaps this material world has come to mean to much. Hebrews 11:8-10 speaks of Abraham looking beyond this material world. He lived in hope of something better. I Peter 2:11 speaks of us as sojourners and pilgrims, not citizens of this world, but citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Habakkuk 3:16 closes with the prophet confessing his stress over the hopelessness of Judah’s situation. He goes on to say, however, that his strength and his hope is in the Lord. Regardless of the troubles of this world, our hope is in something higher. We may not know what our immediate future may hold, but we can have hope, for our God is as alive and as active as He was in the days of Habakkuk.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: contentment, priorities, examples

Jonah is a Biblical character who is familiar to most of us. Many of us, in fact, have known this individual from childhood, but there is one element of the story we seldom give much consideration. That is the vine or gourd the Lord grows to shade Jonah. The book is set around 775 B.C. in the kingdom of Assyria. This was a nation whose leaders were focused on conquest, and their military was reputed to be extremely cruel and efficient.

In Jonah 1, God tells His prophet to go and tell the Assyrians to repent, but Jonah is more concerned with his own ideology and agenda than God’s plan. He goes down to Joppa, down into a ship, and finally down into the sea. Jonah seems to have the concept that Jehovah is his God and his alone. God belongs to Israel and no one else. He thinks politically, carrying an us-versus-them mentality that prevents him from sharing God’s grace with the Assyrians.

Jonah’s Roundabout Journey

We know the story of the great storm that leads to Jonah being cast from the ship. We know of the great fish God raises up to transport Jonah to his destination. We know of Jonah’s prayers, recounting his near-death experience and God’s saving of his body. He prays while drowning. He prays loyalty once saved. However, God is not done with Jonah, who gets regurgitated onto the land where God commands Him once again to go to Assyria.

Jonah delivers God’s message in a way that seems reluctant, simply stating that they had forty days until God would destroy their nation. Despite Jonah, the people of Nineveh believe the message, and they demonstrate a complete understanding of the depth of their sins. They humble themselves before God from the least of them to the king. They repent, and God spares Assyria.

A Lesson in Mercy

Jonah 4:1 records that Jonah is displeased. He states his displeasure to God, telling Him he knew that God would spare them. He goes so far as praying for his own death in the face of Assyria’s repentance. In verse 4, God asks him if this is so worth being angry over. In response, Jonah prepares a shelter outside the city to wait for its destruction. God provides him with some shade that exceedingly pleased Jonah. However, the next day, God allows the plant to die and great heat to pound on Jonah. Again, Jonah prays for his own death in the face of his discomfort.

What are the gourds in our own lives? Are we, like Jonah, more concerned with our wants than in the spiritual needs in others? Are we more concerned with national policies or with individual persons? We may talk about politics at the expense of the gospel. Do we grow impatient or intolerant when others’ ideologies or methods differ from those we prefer? Do we dwell on hurt feelings and fail to see the positive in others because things don’t go our way? We look at Jonah, and we call him silly because of the trauma he experiences over his gourd. We are guilty of the same.

Facing Our Own Gourds

Times of service, order of service, the seating arrangement, personal politics, tax structure, etc. – what do any of these have to do with saving the lost? The world needs the gospel, and they will come despite niggling details. However, we might leave for those same insignificant issues. We need to quit worrying about the gourds and focus on the gospel. Our concern needs to be for others’ souls more than for our own conveniences or personal ideas.

As Jonah concludes, God asks his prophet about his priorities. God reminds Jonah and us that God cares for all creation, regardless of race or background. He is full of grace and mercy, and He is no respecter of persons. We need to get rid of the gourds in our lives, seeing how much grace and mercy He has provided us. In turn, we should want to share that grace with anyone and everyone we can.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: jonah, priorities, attitude, examples

If I asked you what time it is, how would you answer? Time is a great equalizer in our lives. We all have time to spend, and, at any given moment, we all have the exact same amount of time. As stated in the song by the Byrds, there is a time for all things, and the song is based in part on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. There are fourteen points of contrast in these verses, and the word time is used twenty-eight times to remind us of our personal accountability.

What we do not have time for is procrastination. What if Noah had done things in his own time rather than God’s? We must be redeeming our time rather than spending it. In II Kings 20, Hezekiah is terminally ill, but his prayers to God result in fifteen years added to his life. How might we behave if we knew exactly how long we have left?

Effectively Redeeming Our Time

Proverbs 25:28 talks about having walls of self-control. Do we use our time to build these walls, or do we let time wear this self-control down? Before we can make a difference in others, we first have to make a difference in ourselves. If we don’t discover the weaknesses in our own walls, the devil will find them for us. He will put things in front of us that will waste and squander our time when our encouragement of ourselves and other Christians should be a constant goal of our time.

Hebrews 3:13 encourages us to edify each other daily – as long as today is today. The author encourages us to hold our confidence in Him until the end. In this, we have to protect our environment when it comes to what we allow influence our spirituality. I Corinthians 14:26 reminds us that all things should be for the point of edification, and Acts 4:26 tells us about the man Barnabas – named so based on the encouragement he was to others.

Ecclesiastes 3:11-12 reminds us that all is done in God’s time and that eternity is placed in our hearts, resulting in us dedicating our time and energy into doing good. The uncertainties of life teach us to rely on and trust in God. Birth and death, peace and war, joy and mourning: we have little control over when these times come. John 13:1 shares some insight into Jesus’ time to die, and we see that He loved those He came for to the end.

Conclusion

This life will be insignificant, in terms of time, when compared to our afterlife. The things that bring us joy or anger in this life will pass away forever. As our futures unfold, doors will open and close. Joys and sorrows will come and fade (Romans 12:15). We cannot try to hold time in a bottle, leaving our greatest deeds undone. Through simple procrastination, we let days, weeks, months, and years pass. We can either live no with some pain of self-discipline, or we can live in immortal regret.

I Thessalonians 5:21 encourages to examine things carefully and hold unto what is good. Identify and abstain from those things that affect you negatively. Finally, II Corinthians 13:5-6 tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are allowing Christ to dwell in us. In our days to come, we will be presented with opportunities that we will use how we choose. Will we spend these opportunities making difference for our own agendas and worldly concerns, or will we redeem our time, investing in spiritual priorities?

By Mike Mahoney

Note: The links are my doing, not Mike’s! I was just sad I really couldn’t find an excuse to embed this one as well.-Robert.

Tags: priorities

Even for the apostles, Jesus’ teachings on the coming spiritual kingdom of His church and the Day of the Lord could be confusing at times. In Mark 8:31, Jesus is teaching that He must be killed and rise again, and, in verse 34, He calls the multitude and tells them they must crucify self to follow Him. He asks the people what it profits someone to gain the world yet lose his soul. Directly after these teaching, in chapter 9, Jesus tells His listeners many of them would live to see the kingdom come.

In Matthew 24:2, Jesus reveals that the temple will be destroyed soon, and His disciples ask Him for a timeline. They ask Him one question, but He gives two answers. His first answer speaks of the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, telling them to flee when these things come. Summing up in verse 34-36, Jesus turns His attention to the final judgment – a time of which only the Father knows. Likewise, in Luke 17:20, Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees the Day of the Lord is not something you can predict.

Days of the Lord

The term “Day of the Lord” is not always indicative of the Second Coming. Isaiah 13:6 describes the judgment against Babylon as a Day of the Lord. Ezekiel 29:6 begins a judgment against Egypt, and chapter 30:2 describes this judgment as the Day of the Lord. Amos 5:18-19 describes the destruction of Ephraim as the Day of the Lord. Finally, Joel 1:15 turns judgment against Judah and describes this as the Day of the Lord. None of these are the end of the world.

In Matthew 24, Jesus is addressing two different days. One is a Day of the Lord against Jerusalem, and Jesus says the people will be able to see this coming due to outside circumstances. However, a second day is spoken of in verse 36. This is the end of the world, and, like the coming of the Great Flood, no one will see it coming. He goes on to describe that some will be swept away in judgment in verses 37-44 while others are saved. He also uses the example of Noah in Luke 17:26, and He goes on to use Lot as another example. He concludes this with an admonition to remember Lot’s wife.

There will be no predicting or anticipating that final Day of the Lord. It will be as unexpected as the Flood, as unexpected as the destruction of Sodom. Jesus emphasizes that we cannot anticipate this day in Matthew 24:42 and 44. We cannot behave precipitously. We can only live prepared.

Remembering Lot’s Wife

Back in Genesis 13, Abram and Lot part ways due to the size of their flocks, and, in verse 10, Lot journeys east to the plains of Sodom. The decision Lot makes at that point determines the fate of his wife to an extent. He ignores the reputation of the nearby cities when he chooses where to settle. He pitches his tent near Sodom. Soon he is sitting at the gate, and later he has a house in the midst of the city. Genesis 18:16-23 then records God’s judgment upon Sodom, Abraham’s pleas for mercy, and God’s willingness to show mercy should He find ten righteous within Sodom’s borders.

When the time comes to flee, Lot’s wife’s heart stays behind. She looks back. Jesus uses the city of Sodom as an example of certain judgment, and He tells us that Lot’s wife should have willingly left such wickedness behind and fled. In this illustration, He is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem, and He is warning His listeners to flee without burden when that time comes. To save themselves, they must not look back.

Conclusion

II Peter 3:7-10 describes the sudden coming of the Lord and the inevitable destruction of our world. He encourages us to live right in God’s sight, knowing that this world is reserved for judgment. Like Lot’s wife and like those who would be fleeing Jerusalem, we can’t look back. Mark 8:34 records Jesus calling the people to Him, telling them to let go of the things of this life to gain the next. We have to be willing to walk away from the allures of this life to serve Jesus. The decisions we make now have long-term effects and being overly attached to the things of this world will draw us back. We must trust in our Lord and press forward unencumbered by the weights that tie us to this world.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: lot, examples, priorities, judgment

Have you ever told your kids to do some chore or another, but they get distracted along the way? Likewise, have you ever done this yourself, wondering what it was you meant to do before you got distracted? We sometimes joke that we may suffer from an attention deficit disorder, but, in our Christian lives, we might catch ourselves suffering from spiritual-ADHD. We may have the best of intentions, but the various cares, influences, and distractions of this world pull us away from our mission as Christians.

In Luke 2:49, Jesus asks His earthly parents if they are not aware of his focus – that He must be about His father’s business. His ministry is not something that is haphazard. It is one that is planned and purposeful. It is done with the help of others around Him, and His ministry is fulfilled with great inconvenience and pain to Jesus Himself.

Focused On Our Father’s Business

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus tells His disciples to go and make more disciples from other nations. This is not something that happens on accident, nor does it come easily. This is a mission that takes planning and purpose. Jesus says, in Luke 19:10, that His mission is to seek out and save the lost. This is in the context of Zacchaeus who needs to make corrections in his life, and Jesus is setting an example to those around Him who need to change their hearts. Nothing accidental or coincidental is involved here. Jesus is prepared to complete His mission, knowing where and how to look. I Timothy 2:2 encourages us to entrust the gospel with others who will continue the cycle. Passage after passage reminds us to be active in our ministry. We cannot be distracted.

God expects us to grow, both spiritually and in numbers. God’s mission to us, however, is not to recruit members from other congregations. It happens, but this is not true church growth. When we gain members in this way, our effort should be to let them feel at home and put them to work. Our main source of growth, though, should be converting the lost. For this to be accomplished, each Christian needs to be involved. We cannot remain inactive and expect those who need the gospel to accidentally appear in our midst. Jesus’ focus is on the lost, and we should be working to maintain the same focus, not being distracted by what we think we can’t do.

To keep our focus, we have to build one another up. Jude 20, Ephesians 4:12, I Thessalonians 5:11 and 14, and many other verses stress the importance of encouraging one another. God expects us to be evangelistic, but He also expects to build each other up. When we actively work to keep each other focused on our goal, then it becomes easier for each of us to stay on the road to Jesus.

Working With Purpose

Our work as Christians does not come easily, not will it happen on accident. I may meet with discouragement and frustration, but I should be putting planning and effort into my work to help me overcome these obstacles. Remember, Jesus faced discouragement. He wept over the lost. He wept over the sate of His people. Still, He pressed on because His focus was on the Lord and the work set before Him. He planned to work for the purpose set before Him.

He brought in others to help Him, reaching out to others for their cooperation and commitment. His followers came from various locations and backgrounds, but they all worked together with one focus set before them, each one inviting others to come and share in the Lord’s work. Acts 6 shows disciples pulling together to help needy widows. Acts 8 records Peter redirecting Simon as a stumbling new convert. Acts 15 has Christians meeting with the elders in Jerusalem to scripturally work out a doctrinal dispute. Growth can produce problems, but willing cooperation helps us through these.

The Christians of the first century brought services into their homes. They changed their personal budgets. Jesus said He had no home in which to lay His head. Countless examples gave up much or all to follow Christ, putting away worldly distractions to give themselves to the Lord. Our society spoils us with instant gratification, but we might be more satisfied if we nurture patience and persistence in our lives.

Conclusion

Our spiritual mission will have periods of success. It will have periods of difficulty. Jesus gives us an example of patience and focus, and we should be emulating that example. The world may be pulling at our attention, but our purpose should be centered on God, encouraging one another, and inviting others to join us.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: priorities, purpose, teaching

Confidence In the New Covenant

As the Hebrew author concludes his book, he calls upon his readers to “bear with the word,” that they will be prepared to accept what he has had to say and will be able to apply them. In the latter half of chapter 10, he speaks of the confidence they should have in Jesus, in His better hope, better priesthood, better sacrifice. He then calls them to action with three “let us” statements – let us draw near to God; let us hold fast to our faith; and let us consider one another and stir each other up to good works. Our Christianity is not an individual thing. It involves others and my involvement with others.

This brings us to verse 25, which we often remove from the context of the verses prior to it, he calls us to keep assembling together to build each other up in the Lord. The Hebrew author writes of those who have grown accustomed to forsaking the worship of the Lord and the encouragement of the brethren. He goes from verse 19, possessing joyful confidence, to warning us not to throw that away in verse 35. How do I throw away this earnest expectation? By sinning willfully.

Willful Sin and the Consequences

The idea of willful sin is one of deliberation, perhaps even repetition or habit. Beginning in Hebrews 10:26, the author begins listing consequences of this willful sin – a removal of sacrifice for sin, fearful expectation of punishment, and vengeance. If I throw away my confident faith through habitual, deliberate sin, the author says I am wiping my feet on my Lord. It causes us to treat His blood as something unclean or common, profaning the blood of our covenant. We spite the Holy Spirit in these sins.

Verse 30 speaks of vengeance as a result of this sinning. The author speaks of how fearful it is to fall into God’s hands in this state. Backing up to verse 26, we turn our back on the price paid for our sins. God gives us nothing more to cleanse ourselves with, and there is nothing left to which we turn once we abandon this sacrifice. My deep obligation is to memorialize, honor, and remember Him.

Application to Our Worship

Even if I am the only one in the world, I had better be there to worship Him. If others are worshipping Him, it’s is my obligation to come together with them. Again, your and my Christianity is not a lone exercise. It involves others, and I have to involve myself with others to complete that worship. Where will you or I be when saints come together to approach God, to build one another up, to worship and honor our Lord? You and I have a choice when the time comes to worship. In a recent lesson, we explored how our choices can distance ourself from God and limit His influence in our lives.

If we don’t have time for God, why should we expect Him to make time for us. When we choose other activities over time with God and His children, we count Him as ordinary in our lives. Prioritizing things above our obligation to memorialize and honor Him causes us to wipe our feet on all He has done for us. It reveals our true relationship with God.

Hebrews 8 quotes Jeremiah 31 in describing this new covenant we have, one whose laws are in our hearts and minds, one that is open to all and is characterized by forgiveness and mercy. I can say I know Him, but do my priorities reflect that He is in my heart and mind, that He comes first and all else is subsequent. When I know my God, I don’t have to wonder about my standing with God, with my past sins, with His place in my life. Only then can I approach Him confidently, holding tightly to my faith, and bringing others with me. Our assembling together as a group of Christians is our chance to come to His alter and partake in the joys of the New Covenant. There can be nothing better. There can be nothing more important.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: worship, priorities

I Samuel 17 retells the events of David facing Goliath, and, in this conflict, David exhibits four qualities we can emulate when we face giants in our own lives. These giants may not be as obvious or as aggressive, but they provide a threat to our spiritual survival, so let’s look at these qualities and how we can apply them in our own lives.

David Facing the Giant

David displays faith when encountering the threat of Goliath. The military had withdrawn from facing the giant. I Samuel 17:34-37 recounts David making his case to King Saul, and, in this, he expresses his faith in Jehovah. Along with this faith, he demonstrates trust. Instead of trusting in the king’s weapons and armor, David trust’s God to deliver victory. He shows the correct attitude before danger. He doesn’t try to take credit from God when facing Goliath. In his eyes, the victory belongs to God. Finally, David runs out to battle, doing exactly what he said he would do.

Our Giants

We face giants in our own lives. They are distractions. They prevent us from moving forward. They blind us to the goal we hold so dear. I John 2:15-17 introduces us to the giant of worldly interests, and, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds his audience that our priorities reflect the contents of our heart. Luke 12:15 begins the parable of a rich man who places his trust in his possessions. What he is not prepared for is meeting God.

I Peter 2:11 speaks of desires and lusts that battle with our souls. Immorality is always readily available to tear down our spiritual security. Additionally, discouragement can tear us down. Isaiah 35:3 makes a call to strengthen the weak, to comfort the afraid. Acts 11:21-23 and I Thessalonians 5:14 both speak to exhorting and encouraging among the brethren. Discouragement can lead to bitterness and self-justification.

Finally, a lack of direction can be a giant in our lives. Returning to I Samuel 17:25-27, David learns of Goliath and the rewards the king has prepared for the one who defeats him. Verses 28-30 records David reconfirming this goal, verifying the threat Goliath poses and the rewards involved. David sees a goal before him, and then he pursues that goal.

Emulating David

How do we avoid being consumed by these giants of desires, discouragement, worldliness, and lack of focus? Quite simply, we begin by setting a spiritual goal. I John 5:4 reminds us of the power in our faith. Through our faith in God, we can overcome anything, and it sustains us in difficult times. I John 4:4 and Galatians 2:20 both speak of the way we live our lives, trusting in the power of Christ within us. I have to rust God enough to put my faith into action. The first few verses of Philippians 2 reminds us of the attitude we should have, and James 2:17 reminds us that we have to take our faith into obedience and do the right thing.

If we have faith and trust in God, if our attitude is right, and if we are willing to take action, we can face those giants waging war with our souls. We can overcome, striving toward our goal of an eternity with our Father.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: priorities, hope, parallels, david

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus speaks of His followers in terms of light – light that is visible to others in the good works they demonstrate. Light guides us in the darkness. Lights line our streets at night. Lights help guide airplane pilots in landing. Light draws attention. Our light should draw attention and guide others to God. Our efforts are not to glorify ourselves, but our lights should shine regardless of where we are.

Specific Points of Light

What does our clothing say about who we are. Whether justified or not, we and others often make snap decisions about people and their morality by how they dress themselves. I Timothy 2:9-10 speaks specifically to women, warning them to avoid putting too much concern in their adornments. (See also I Peter 3:3-4.) However, the application applies to both sexes. Paul speaks of respectable apparel, using self control, not drawing improper attention to one’s physical appearance. Our dress can differentiate us from the world and show that we really are trying to be different. (On a related note, what does our dress reflect when we come to worship?) We should be more concerned with people noticing our godly behaviors than what we are wearing.

Our light is also evident in our language. What attitude do we demonstrate in how we speak and the words we choose? Depending on our work or living situations, we may be inundated with improper language to the point we might become numb. However, as Christians, our standard is supposed to be God’s rather than man’s. Exodus 20:7 sets forth a principle that His followers should not take God’s name in vain – a mild curse by society’s standards. Colossians 4:5-6 asks us to watch our conduct, reminding us to watch what we say and how we say it. Our choice of words and topics we engage in can cheapen the examples we set, and, if we are digesting unworthy topics and language, that’s what we will reflect. This is why, in Philippians 4:8, Paul asks that we focus on certain qualities over others, and Philippians 5:4 warns us of the tone in our speech. Our words are to build up. We should be thinking before we speak.

Our schedules and priorities can also stifle our lights. To an extent, some of our schedule is out of our hands. We can’t predict every event that will demand our attention. Work schedules can be unpredictable. However, when we do start cutting back, it’s often God’s work that gets cut first. Mark 16:16 speaks of teaching God’s word as our primary responsibility. If we claim to be Christians, but if we schedule God out of our lives, how can we follow Him? How can we bring others to Him? God comes before anything else in our lives, and our time use should reflect that priority. We dishonor Him when other worldly concerns come before Him.

Conclusion

Matthew 7:3-5 speaks to the problem of hypocrisy, the way it hinders our ability to reach out and help others. If what we teach does not agree with what we do, then we are allowing our light to fade. These items are just three small focuses that can help us be better examples and concentrate on putting God first in our lives, and there are many other applications we can make in letting our lights shine. Our appearance and our language reflect our inner selves. These qualities demonstrate to others the true quality of our hearts, and our time use is one reflection of how we prioritize God in our lives.

We should be concerned that we avoid blinding others with our light, demonstrating our own sense of righteousness. Rather our lights should be pointing others toward God. Whether or not it is considered popular, our lives should reflect godliness if we want to draw attention to our Father.

By Kris Casebolt

Tags: morality, our example, priorities

We sometimes take time to ourselves where we have experiences that give us enthusiasm, that give us energy. We might call it “recharging our batteries.” How do we maintain this kind of focus and enthusiasm in our spiritual lives – tuning out the noise and distractions of the physical world? Am I excited about being a Christian, or do I view my faith as a necessary evil? Am I enthusiastic about leading others to Christ?

Acts 8:35-39 describes the baptism of the Ethiopian, and the last we read of the individual is of his rejoicing after becoming a Christian. He has reason to be excited, and he demonstrates it. The Philippian jailer in Acts 16 actually comes close to physical death prior to his conversion. After his conversion, he invites Paul and Silas into his house and rejoices over his new life.

Maintaining Enthusiasm

We today should be excited about the forgiveness of our sins, about a potential life with God in Heaven, about being born again. Sometimes, however, we grow nearsighted and discouraged, losing focus of what is really important.

In Revelation 2:4 and 2:14-16, 2:19-20, 3:1-2, and 3:15, Jesus criticizes various congregations for different forms and symptoms of complacency in His service. It’s easier to grow lax in our service, but, in each of these messages, Jesus calls the congregations to work as a cure for complacency. Focusing on the good works we can accomplish can drive us forward while focusing on negatives or shortcomings can suck the energy from us.

Tuning out the crowding noise can be difficult, but Colossians 3:1 calls us to set our minds on what is above. Setting our mind on the bigger picture can help us maintain the enthusiasm and focus we need on this journey. Romans 12:2 reminds us to continue renewing our minds.

Engagement and action helps. Luke 22:31-32 records Jesus telling Peter that his faith would be tested, and Jesus encourages Peter to go to work encouraging others after regaining his focus. Here is a man who would fail the Lord and watch his companions also fail Him. Acts 1:12-13-15 records Peter doing exactly what Jesus asked. His faith is restored, and we see him transform into a force of encouragement in the New Testament. Hebrews 12:12-13 encourages us to help others in our work, lifting them up when weak. When we put our energy in encouraging others, we encourage ourselves in the process.

Conclusion

There is a great deal of noise to distract us from our goal, but we have to continue to work with and for our brethren to maintain the focus and enthusiasm we need on our Christian journey. We need Christ, and we need each other. Together, we can find our goal.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: attitude, hope, priorities

A Boy Without Legs

On January 2, 2008, one of my favorite bloggers posted this short anecdote to his weblog:

On the final day of a trip to Disney World with my family last month, I saw something remarkable: a boy, 4 or 5 years old, with two artificial legs, running around Mickey’s Toontown Fair in the Magic Kingdom. Running. If he had been wearing pants instead of shorts, you’d have simply thought he had a bit of a limp.

He was born without legs, but yet there he was, galloping across the playground on a warm, sunny December morning, every bit as happy, excited, and carefree as every little kid in the world ought to be.

His legs — sleek, lightweight, and impressively dextrous — were inspiring and beautiful. And they were made using technology that simply did not exist when I was his age, one generation ago. Focus solely on current events and it’s all too easy to despair at the state of the world. But science and progress march ever forward, and the world is a better place today than it used to be.

Happy New Year.

This post caught my attention for several reasons – not the least being a shaking of perspectives about this world we live in. On many levels, this world is not “getting worse by the day.” I really think that sometimes we have grown very fixated on the negative aspects of this physical life to the detriment of our spiritual life. In a sense, a hopeless and pessimistic attitude can impair our spiritual walking in a way this child’s disability fails to impede him.

Breaking Free of Obstacles

We often go to Ephesians 5 to discuss our Christian walk, and in verse 2, Paul instructs us to walk in love. If we skip to verse 8, he encourages us to walk as in the light, and the apostle concludes in verse 15 that we should walk with wisdom. Love, light, and wisdom should guide our lives. In other words, we should be able to clearly see what matters, should be able to make good choices based on what we see, and compassion for others and for God motivates every step we take.

Unfortunately, there is so much around us to tear us away from this walk. So much in the world could potentially cripple our Christian journey if we allow it to consume our energy and attention, leaving us sitting along the side rather than progressing toward our goal. We can grow discouraged at crime rate statistics, at political figures, at business decisions, at stock market trends, at individuals or groups who somehow offend our own special interests. We argue these issues over the dinner table. We complain about them around the water cooler. We blog about them. We yell at the TV about them, and, in so doing, we are sitting down and giving up. We are forgetting how to walk. We are failing Christ. We are failing our brothers and sisters. We are failing those toward whom we should be examples – over what? Over things that are temporary and insignificant in the bigger picture.

Matthew 6:19-21 reminds us that the things of this world are temporary and warns us about letting them take hold in our hearts. Also, I John 2:15-17 warns us against loving the things of this world, which are transient and will pass away. Often, we apply these passages to outward temptations and covetousness, but we fail to apply these at a deeper level. When I argue with and berate you because my politics don’t agree with yours, am I not putting worldly cares first? When I mope and complain about credit card bills (which I am good at doing), am I not allowing money to rule my life. Is not a thing of this world consuming me. In these cases, I have stopped walking that Christian walk of light, wisdom, and love, and I have allowed myself to become a helpless cripple along the side of the road. Back in Matthew 6:31-34, Jesus concludes that we should not be overly concerned with the petty details of this life, relying on God for what really matters, and Paul, in Philippians 4:8 reminds us to concentrate mainly on those things that are virtuous and encouraging.

Additionally, I can permit my own sense of helplessness disable my journey. After all, I am apparently powerless against sin (Romans 3:23). I cannot earn my salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). I deserve death (Romans 6:23), and every sin I commit reinforces the torture Christ went through millennia ago (Hebrews 6:6). I may feel myself a hopeless case. I am expected to walk the narrow path. I am expected to walk in light, love, and wisdom. I am expected to walk hand-in-hand with my Lord, yet I find I have no legs to stand on.

James 4:10 tells us that we should humble ourselves before God, and He will lift us up. I Peter 5:6 reiterates this sentiment, encouraging us to cast all worries and doubts upon Him who cares for us. In every passage that recounts our helplessness before God, his grace and mercy is described as negating those obstacles between us and Him. The imagery of God’s hand is replete throughout the Old Testament, and the prophet Isaiah encourages God’s people that His hand is able to save them from their helpless state in Isaiah 59:1 if they would but take it. We may be unable to walk on our own. We may be unable to make the Christian journey on our own legs, but remember Jesus in Mark 2 when He was helping a paralyzed man. He asks the scribes around Him which is more difficult, to make him walk or to forgive his sins. With this man, Jesus does both, and today He gives us the ability to walk with Him because of the forgiveness He offers.

Conclusion: Running Toward the Goal

The child at Disney World was not content to walk, though. Even on his artificial legs, he wanted to run, and he ran so well, he could have fooled those around him had it not been for the shorts he was wearing. Likewise, I Corinthians 9:24 encourages us to run to obtain the crown. Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to run with endurance toward Christ, but to do so we have to be willing to deal with and/or lay aside anything that burdens us or weighs us down. This does not imply carelessness in our journey. I’m sure the child who ran with artificial legs had a certain learned carefulness about him that was so automatic and natural it permitted him to run without fear.

I personally like the story in John 20, when Mary Magdalene tells Peter and John of the empty tomb, and both race to see it for themselves. John makes it first, but Peter runs right past him and into the tomb itself. For all intents and purposes, these two should have been strangers to each other by now – the disciple possibly closest to Christ and the one who verbally denied and denounced Him. Still, they had set aside their differences, and now, regardless of any other cares or concerns, they ran toward Christ. We can do likewise. Though we have no legs of our own, through Christ we can run.

By Robert Smelser

Tags: attitude, endurance, priorities, my thoughts

Pontius Pilate was responding to several pressures in his decision to crucify Jesus, and different people have different assessments in how he handles the situation of Christ. Early on, Pilate comes to the conclusion that Jesus is an innocent man, and that He was brought before Pilate for political reasons. However, he displays a lack of inner conviction when put against the pressures surrounding him. In Luke 23:4-7, Pilate is recorded as trying to wash his hands of the matter, and he also tries to release Jesus three or four times. Unfortunately, he finally bows to political and social influences. He allows self interest to take priority. He bowed to the crowd, and he allows an innocent Jesus be killed.

Pilate in Our Lives

In Matthew 21:25, Jesus turns the questioning of the religious leaders back on them, and they are caught in political consequences. They fail to make a stand, and they demonstrate a lack of inner conviction. Likewise, Pilate tries to make Jesus into Herod’s problem. There are many people who profess to believe in God or Jesus but will not submit to His will. We want to be told what to believe and that we are okay doing exactly what we are already doing. We can lack inner conviction when it comes to our service in God. Do we worship because social or family pressures dictate it, or do we do this because we believe it is the right thing to do? Do we know what we believe and why we believe it?

In John 19:12-13, Pilate realizes a veiled threat in the crowd’s response to his desire to release Jesus. He knows releasing Jesus could result in political suicide, and he put self interest before justice and truth. Likewise, we might find ourselves in similar situations with our jobs or our families, where we may not want to sacrifice what we have for the cause of Christ. We might feel that our ungodly personality traits are justified because, “That’s just who I am.”

Finally, in Matthew 27:17-21 and in Luke 23:23, Pilate allows himself to be swayed by the mobs. He gives in to popular opinion, and disregards what he knows to be the truth. Peer pressure can be a difficult thing to deal with, but, if our conviction is strong enough, we can make the right decisions despite what others might say. Doing what is popular is not always the correct thing to do, and we should be able to tell the difference when such moral dilemmas arise.

Conclusion

If we start with God’s will, His word, and His promises,we can begin to build the character lacking in Pilate. When tempted in the wilderness, Jesus always falls back onto God’s word, and the psalmist describes that same word as a light to guide our feet. When we are faced with decisions, we should know those principles that guide us, and, in His word, we can know God’s will. In I Samuel 15:22-23 Samuel asks Saul what is more pleasing to God – serving God on his own terms or on the Lord’s terms? Also, Psalm 51:10-17 reflects this idea that we should be directed by His will. Wrapping up, in I Corinthians 7:1 encourages to use God's promises as motivating factors for our godliness, and Hebrews 6, as the author warns of spiritual immaturity, we are reminded to remain diligent to obtain God’s promises in verses 11-12.

We do not have to succumb to the same pressures that swayed Pontius Pilate. There are many things that influence our lives, but we can gain aim. We can strengthen our resolve to place God before self interests and social pressures. We can be more than this ruler we read of in the trial of Jesus, and we can gain strength from God in this process.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: character, examples, priorities

In Religious Literacy, author Stephen Prothero cites the general lack of ignorance regarding religions in general, and our own experiences among our brothers and sisters can speak to a lack of knowledge of Christianity among those who claim to be Christians. We laugh at the ways children might mix up Biblical stories, but, after a time, such missteps are no longer humorous. They reveal an ignorance on our own part.

Prothero gave his university students a quiz regarding Christianity, Judaism, and other world religions, and they failed spectacularly. Likewise, the Gallup organization cites its own studies demonstrating a record low of Bible knowledge among the general United States population. Some of the results to questions may provoke laughter, but the fact is, by and large, our Bible knowledge does not improve from elementary school to college to adulthood.

Our Own Religious Illiteracy

How is our specific Bible knowledge growing? As people who claim to be followers of Christ who might even look down upon people who can’t name the four gospels, how do we ourselves really stack up? Can we defend our beliefs and practices using the Bible? Can we use the Bible to show the establishment and ownership of the church? Could we defend or moral positions through scripture? Even more telling, are we willing to honestly assess what we know and what we don’t know?

I need to be willing to do more than “just enough” when preparing for services and Bible classes. If teaching, I need to be thoroughly prepared not only to facilitate discussion but to teach trough and encourage spiritual growth. If a student, I need to be willing to put in the work to get something out of the lessons. In I Corinthians 1:17, Paul discourages us from relying on human wisdom in convincing others of Christ, and verse 20 continues this theme. Chapter 2:1-7 recounts Paul’s desire for those Christians’ faith to be rooted in spiritual wisdom, not man’s.

Stephen Prothero observes a decline in Bible study and how communities were once reputed for their scriptural knowledge, but an emphasis on emotion over intellect has led to apathy and skepticism. In Hebrews, the author is speaking of the dangers of apostasy, speaking specifically to the problem of ignorance. In chapter 5:11-14, he criticizes his audience for inability to understand topics they should be ready to deal with. They have not spiritually developed as they should have, and a lack of use is specifically cited as a reason for this problem. If we don’t exercise our Biblical knowledge, we lose it.

Back in Hosea 4:6, God says His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. They may have known the basics, but they were unable to apply what they knew. II TImothy 2:15 encourages us to give diligence to our knowledge, giving us the ability to handle God’s word properly, strengthening our own faith and the faith of others. Finally, I Peter 3:15 reminds us that we should always be able to answer questions presented to us.

Conclusion

Merely knowing the stories is not the same as understanding application, but it is a start. There is a growth process. It’s understandable for children to mix up Bible stories, and misapplication of Bible concepts is expected among spiritually young Christians. However, as we gain experience, we should be growing out of our illiteracy and developing a strong foundation for our faith.

By Tim Smelser

See also: I Know Whom I Have Believed

Tags: priorities, study

We are faced with decisions on a daily basis, and the example of Lot, beginning in Genesis 13, tells the story of a life fraught with difficult decisions. These decisions are not trivial or inconsequential. Rather, many of the decision with which he is faced that have deeply impacting ramifications on his life and that of his family members.

The Consequences of Lot’s Choices

In the beginning of Genesis 13, some tension was growing between Abram’s and Lot’s estates due to the size of their herds, and, in verse 9, Abram proposes that the separate. Here, Lot is faced with a major choice: where to go. His choice is between good lands or great lands, and he chose the lands that appear better to him rather than settling. Lot chooses to dwell in the plains, and his tent is near Sodom – a city defined as wicked before God.

As we move into the next few chapters, consequences of his decision begin to appear. In chapter 14:12, we discover that Lot is taken captive by individuals invading Sodom, and he is now living within the borders of Sodom. Then, in 19:1, Lot is recorded as one of the city elders who sits at the gates. He has progressed from living on the outskirts to being entrenched in city decisions and politics.

Consequences begin to accumulate as two angels come to stay with Lot and his family – when violent individuals come to attack and probably rape the guests. In desperation, Lot offers this mob his virgin daughters to protect his guests. (Fortunately, the mob does not take him up on this offer.) His entire moral structure is crumbling, and all is hinged on his decision on where to take his herds. He loses his wife. He loses his sons-in-law.

Our Application

We think about the jobs we choose and the activities we engage in or that our families engage in. We justify some of our choices based on secular reasons, and we ignore the danger we may be opening ourselves to. Lot surely knew the reputation Sodom had, and he chose to move in that direction despite the present risks.

We may choose to take a job in a location where worshipping faithfully may be difficult. We may choose to consistently associate with individuals who will test our spirituality. We may be willing to take a job that will keep us away from family and our congregation. In all of these, we justify our actions and ignore potential ramifications. Whether we are talking about sports, jobs, social circles, we want the best – like Lot.

When we put our secular desires first and God second (convincing ourselves we will be okay), it is usually a sign that we are rejecting contentment with what we have and where we are. Lot thought he could handle Sodom. Samson thought he could handle a woman as did David. Solomon thought he could handle ungodly influences. All of these failed these tests.

Our spiritual principles need to guide our life decisions. We should first consider our families, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our spiritual salvation, before we thank about what we have or how much we make. I John 2:15 warns us not to love the things of this world, not to let this world hold us back from God. (Remember the rich young ruler of the gospels.) In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus speaks to the temporary nature of our worldly possessions, and he redirects us to focus on those spiritual things that are permanent.

Conclusion

When coming to major decision, I have to ask: will this make me a better Christian? Is it in my family’s spiritual best interests? Am I honest enough with myself to see temptation in the details? There is a lot that might look good from a secular point of view that can actually impede our relationships with God. Heaven is our ultimate goal, and we need to make our important decisions based on that goal.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: contentment, priorities, growth, lot

The song Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw came out in 2004 shortly after the artist’s own father passed away from terminal cancer. It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Country charts, won AMC single and song of the year, CMA single and song of the year, and Tim McGraw netted an Grammy award for the song. He also performed the song in Rome for Bono’s Live 8 concert, and his song was the most played during news coverage of the event. With the possible exception of “Don’t Take the Girl,” it is easily the single most recognizable song by this artist.

The song tells the story of a man with a terminal illness having a conversation with the narrator, telling the narrator how he changed his life with the news, and, in doing so, he expresses his desire that the narrator make these changes himself. In this lesson, we’re going to take a look at three of the improvements this individual makes (and, no, riding a bull named Fu Man Shu is not included) because we really should be living like we are dying. After all, we are.

Living Like We’re Dying

“I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn’t.” I really am just going to focus on husbands here, but these words do apply both ways. Most of us could probably quote Ephesians 5:25, but I think this “giving” of one’s self here is deeper than we usually apply. Yes, we should be willing to give up our lives for our spouses, but what about giving up our time? How do we feel about giving up a hobby or a bad habit? How do we feel about giving up a preferred activity in favor of spending time with our wives, doing something they want to do? If any of us husbands were to pass away right now, could our wives say that we were the husbands that we should be? Wives, can your husbands say that of you?

I Corinthians 13 describes love as something optimistic, patient, kind, faithful, and tender. I think how we treat our spouses and how we behave towards and around our spouses can provide a very good mirror of our true character. Personally, I would like to say one day that I spent every moment I could being the husband my wife wants to have.

“I became a friend a friend would like to have.” What do we look for in our friends? We want someone who is trustworthy, reliable, helpful in a pinch. However, do we demonstrate the friendship toward others that we want in return? In Romans 15:1 we are instructed to bear the burdens of those who are struggling or feel weakened. Paul goes on in verse two, telling us to do good toward our neighbors, being an encouragement to all.

Galatians 6:9-10 encourages not lose faith in doing good and that our friendly attitude should be demonstrated to all. In our daily lives, we sometimes seem to confuse “friend” with “acquaintance.” We call each other friends – fellow Christians, people we work with, our physical neighbors – but how well do we really know each other? Are we willing to go out of our way to help our friends out? Can they rely on us, or do we make excuses to them and ourselves to avoid a true commitment in our friendships? If I’m going to be a good friend, then I need to be the friend I want to have.

“I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin.’” We hold grudges so easily. “Never forget. Never forgive,” is a phrase used in so many contexts it’s hard to think of just one example. Unfortunately, we can sometimes get caught up in this attitude over the smallest of offenses which seem so huge from our limited perspective. In Matthew 18:21-35, after the well-known “seventy-times seven” response to Peter’s question on forgiveness, Jesus tells the story of a master who forgives his servant a large debt. Unfortunately, this servant is unforgiving toward another indebted to him, inciting the master to punish him for his callousness. Jesus simply states that our Lord looks upon us this way when we refuse forgiveness.

Likewise, during Jesus’ model prayer in Matthew 6:12, God is asked to forgive us as we forgive others. Are we forgiving, or are we denying forgiveness? Regardless of the reasons we think we have for withholding forgiveness, all we do is hurt ourselves and others when we do so. We want our God to forgive us. We should be willing to forgive others in turn.

Conclusion

At the outset, I said we should all live like we are dying because, in reality, we actually are. Our bodies mature and grow for a given time. When that maturation process ceases, we begin to slowly break down. Every day brings us closer to death – expected or unexpected. Now is the time to make things right with others and with God. We don’t want to miss the chance we have because we waited until it was too late.

By Robert Smelser

Tags: my thoughts, behaviors, priorities, forgiveness, purpose

Over the last couple of morning lessons, we’ve been considering our ways as a congregation. We’ve looked at the Jerusalem church, the obstacles they faced, and the unity of spirit that existed there despite these challenges and differences. Acts 4 says they were of one mind and soul. Also, we looked at our purpose of good works – both individually and as a congregation. We examined teaching, benevolence, and edification, focusing on how we can emulate those New Testament Christians and better emulate the pattern set for us.

As individuals, we like being associated with something bigger. We feel comfort in identifying with a collective – a group. Those individuals in the first century were no different. They and we want to “fit in,” and that is the focus of our lesson today. How do I fit in to my congregation?

Fitting In

The problem we face is that we look for how we can socially fit in to a congregation. Which best supports my peer group? Which best fits my socioeconomic standing? The problem is, in any given congregation, you can break the membership down into several demographics, and, most of the time, no one peer group will be the majority.

This is also true of the twelve apostles. For example, one Zealot and one tax collector belonged to this group. Do you think these two ever felt any contentions toward each other? Luke 9:46 records an argument between the apostles over who is the most important? Who is the most valuable apostle? In Matthew 20:20-21, the mother of a couple of the apostles asked for importance to be granted to her sons. We do the same, referring to Peter, James, and John as the “inner circle,” three Jesus seemed to lean on more than the others.

Despite any physical differences, these apostles as well as the Jerusalem church accomplished great things when they focused on fitting in spiritually. We are capable of accomplishing the same things if we lay those physical differences and annoyances aside and concentrate on the greater bond we share as spiritual brothers and sisters. We can choose to dwell on negatives, or we can make the choice to stick together.

Our Application

How do you fit in to your congregation? Do you appreciate your fellow Christians? Do you look for ways you have been impacted positively by others. Do you look for ways to encourage others. We will always have room for improvements, and we will always need to work on relationships regardless of the congregation we decide to join. Ephesians 4:11-16 reminds us that we all have different ways we can contribute and that we should not act like children toward each other in those differences. Patience and love is necessary for this kind of growth, and it comes down to our focus. A spiritual focus and a positive outlook will help us fit in together and create a congregation capable of doing the work of our Lord.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: church, priorities, one another, attitude

Introduction
In a recent lesson, we looked at how we deal with a lack of satisfaction in our spiritual lives and how we can break that pattern and set a new direction. Another way of putting this is, “How do I start again?” We’re going to look at this as a congregation in this lesson. In being a local church, how can we return to square one?

Returning to Our Pattern
In Isaiah 2:2, the prophet speaks of the House of Jehovah towards which many nations will flow, an eternal kingdom built on peace and spirituality. This is how God’s church is to be typified, and, in Acts 2 we have the establishment of the church recorded. We see people in Jerusalem who are excited about God’s word and steadfastly continuing in His worship. This church can be considered our template.

The church at Jerusalem had some very distinguishing characteristics. We have zero to three thousand in one chapter. Imagine the strains this could create just in terms of facilitating these numbers. There were language differences in these numbers, and this could create additional barriers between the members. Coupled with the languages would have been cultural differences. Yet, in all of this, Acts 4:32 records that these many individuals were of one heart and soul. They were a pattern of unity.

A Pattern of Unity

• They had the same purpose. In Acts 2:42-46 (a passage we will return to often), we see them “in one accord.” They had the same heart, the same mind, and the same purpose – Christ and His return. In Acts 3:19-21, Peter speaks of this hope to people gathered as the result of him healing a man.
  
  
• They Prayed Together. In Acts 1:14, we read that the disciples continued in prayer together. Chapters 2:42, 4:24, and 12:12 all contain examples of Christians praying together.
  
  
• They Were of the Same Doctrine. John 14:26 records Jesus promising the Spirit to make sure the apostles know what to teach. Acts 4:12-20 is an example of how the disciples remain faithful to Christ’s word. They did not go beyond, and they did not omit anything.
  
  
• They Worshiped Together. Acts 2:42 and Acts 20:7 record the communing of Christians in worship. Worship is the best form of encouragement, and they made sure they participated together in honoring their God.
  
  
• They Spent TIme Together. Acts 2:44-46, Acts 5:42 record Christians spending time in each others homes, discussing spiritual matters, encouraging each other. They could have been separated in so many ways, but they chose to associate with each other.
  
  
• They Were Concerned for One Another. Acts 2:44-45 records Christians sharing possessions with each other, distributing wealth as needed. Acts 4:32 makes it clear that they were not self-centered in terms of material possessions.
  
  

Conclusion

This congregation was successful despite the obstacles around them. They remained enthusiastic and steadfast for God. They prayed for boldness in facing the trials before them. They were generous, and they shared with each other liberally. They immediately took care of internal problems and discipline issues. They demonstrated endurance in their commitment (Acts 8:4), and they continued to endure even when the problems came from internal struggles (Acts 6), addressing the situation with consideration and compassion.

We sing the song “Blest Be the Tie.” Do we consider that tie binding us together as our relationship with God. Our hearts are joined in Christian love. Do we take this relationship seriously, or do we take it for granted as casual acquaintances? We should be trying to emulate the unity and closeness shared by the Jerusalem church. If we do not have this, there are changes we need to make so we can be the church that God wants us to be.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples, church, unity, one another, doctrine, worship, priorities

In Jeremiah 49:7-8, while the prophet is speaking against the nations, some interesting words are brought up about Edom – that the “calamity of Esau” would befall them. This is likely a reference back to Genesis and the choices made by the father of their nations.

In Genesis 25:23, God tells Rachel that two nations are in her womb and that the younger will be stronger than the elder. One would be worldly minded and the other spiritually minded. We are familiar with the story of Jacob and Esau, how each parent favored one. Esau is also called Edom, meaning red or ruddy, and we know how Jacob convinces Esau to sell his birthright for food.

The Problems with Easau’s Actions

• He despised his birthright. Being the firstborn, certain rights and responsibilities were on Esau’s shoulders. He was next in line for the promises of Abraham. He disdained his honorable lineage.
  
  
• His priorities were wrong. He focused on his hunger first. His inheritance came second. He was most interested in instant gratification, and his choices were short-sighted.
  
  
• He repented too late (Hebrews 12:16-17). Esau realized his error eventually, but he came to the realization too late. There was no turning back from the course he set.

Our Application

Our Birthright. Many of us have members of our family who are fascinated with genealogy and history. Spiritually, do we value our spiritual heritage? In Hebrews 11:39-40, the author tells us that the promises to us complete the actions and lives of those that came before. Our spiritual birthright begins with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all those who came before us. Hebrews 12, then, encourages us to lay aside our worldly influences to continue the race these individuals began, and we should pass this heritage on to our own children. (See Joshua 24:31 vs. Judges 2:10 for a time when this did not take place.) III John 4 - “I have no greater joy than these things, to hear that my children walk in the truth.”

Our Priorities. In Colossians 3:1-2, we are told to seek things that are above rather than what is of this world. Matthew 6:19 reminds us to avoid placing our trust in earthly gain, putting anything secular in a higher priority than spiritual maters. In II Peter 1:3-10, Peter tells us what we should be concentrating on, and, if we lack the correct priorities, like Esau we become concerned with short-sighted needs, and we lose sight of those long-term promises we are given by God.

Correcting Too Late. In Luke 16:19, Jesus begins telling the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in which the rich man looks up from torment to Abraham. He asks for relief from Abraham and is denied. He asks that Lazarus be sent back to warn his family of this fate. However, Abraham denies this request – citing the cannon of scriptures they already had. In Acts 24:25 and Acts 26:27-28, Paul encounters two figures who put off repentance. Matthew 24:42 warns us that the Second Coming will be unexpected. He then tells a parable of prepared and unprepared maidens waiting for a wedding feast – it was too late for the unprepared to enter. FInally, in Luke 15, we know the story of the prodigal son. He took action when he realized the state he was in. This son did not wait until it was too late, and he humbly corrected his ways, being enthusiastically received by his father.

Conclusion

God viewed Easu’s poor choices as a tragedy. The question is if we are walking into the same fate ourselves. We should value the heritage we have as God’s children, making sure our priorities are focused on things above. We don’t know when we will have to give an account to our God, so now is time to repent if you need to.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples, priorities, judgment, esau

When we lose something, we usually recognize it is lost. Where are my car keys? Where is my wallet? (Where is my voice? I lost my voice!) When we lose these things, we try to retrace our steps and find the last place we left the object. How does this apply to our faith? Our faith is not something that we just suddenly misplace. Rather it is something that can slowly fade away, and we may not be able to pinpoint an exact moment when faith is lost.
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Strengthening Faith

Trying to avoid losing our faith, we’re going to look at three areas on which we can focus to keep our faith strong. Keeping our faith is important because losing our faith is the same as losing God in our lives.
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Prayer. In Acts 3, Peter and John heal a paralyzed individual, and they begin to preach Christ. The result is their arrest and trial before the Sanhedrin. Now these two apostles were witness to these people judging Jesus worthy of death, and the Sanhedrin threatens Peter and John. However, beginning in verse 23, they prayed together for strength to continue teaching Christ. Their faith may have been shaken, but they used prayer to solidify that faith.
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Furthermore, in Acts 16, Paul and Silas are arrested, beaten, and thrown into prison. Again, these are acts that could easily fracture one’s faith, but, in verse 25, the other prisoners hear these two praying and singing to God. Instead of losing sight of the Lord, they turn to and rely on Him.
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Remember I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” In our own personal lives, how long has it been since we took the time to talk to God – not just during worship service, not only before a meal. Hebrews 4:16 reminds us that prayer helps us find grace in times of need. We should make time in our lives to pray to God, even when our lives seem too busy. In this, we can keep the Lord in our sight.
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Study. Hosea, in Hosea 4:6, records that God’s people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. As James makes reference, we can be “hearers” of the word without truly respecting and applying that word.
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In Hebrews 5:11-14, the author criticizes his audience for being “dull of hearing.” He cites a lack of spiritual growth, even regression, in their spiritual knowledge. They were not using the word. They were lacking in experience (verse 14), and, as a result, they could not properly discern from the word. II Timothy 2:15 reinforces the idea that knowing and understanding the Bible takes effort.
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Priorities. In Matthew 6, Jesus addresses daily concerns – food and clothing – but verse 32 reminds us that God knows of our needs. The result? We should put God first. We should prioritize Him, and all else is brought into proper perspective. Matthew 16:24 tells us to “deny self.” We cannot be self-centered and expect our faith to be strong. A solid faith comes from putting Jesus first.
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When Jesus drops in terms of priorities, then faith begins to waver and fade. We let self and worldly concerns choke out the faith we have, and, next thing we know, we realize we have lost our faith.
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Conclusion

When you lose something, you find it in the last place you look. However you can’t find something you are not looking for. Have you lost your faith? Are you willing to look for it? The key is to look in the right place, and prayer, study, and priorities can help us regain faith we may have lost.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: faith, growth, prayer, priorities, study

How do you place value on something? Something of great value might be unique or rare, or it might have some great personal meaning or attachment even though few others might see the sentimental value of that object. What is truly valuable? The problem is that we know the cost of everything, but we understand little of value. As a result, we hold to wasteful things while throwing away those things that mean the most.

In Luke 12:13, a man comes to Jesus, demanding his brother split an inheritance with him. Jesus turns and warns this man of covetous and speaks the parable of the foolish rich man. In this parable, the soul is the focus – that which is of great value – but his emphasis was on his material possessions. He had much, but he lost what was most valuable.

The Value of a Soul

1. There Is Nothing Like It. In Genesis 2:7, God forms man into a living soul. God gave us a part of Himself that He gave no other part of Creation. He made us unique because of our souls, and Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God set eternity in our hearts. Matthew 16:24-26 reminds us of the parable of the rich fool, reminding us that nothing can be traded for one’s soul.
   
   
2. Time Invested. II Peter 2:5, Noah is referred to as a preacher. God gave Noah 120 years to tell others of their impending judgment. The time God allowed for Noah to teach others is great by our standards, and II Peter 3:8-9 reminds us that God counts time differently than we do and that He is patient. He is investing time to save souls, and we should do the same.
   
   
3. The Price of the Soul. Jesus died to pay for our souls. We are familiar with 3:16 – God gave His Son to die in order to save souls. Could we give up any of our children to save another – even one who despised us? The redemption from Christ did not come cheaply or easily. Our souls’ salvation comes at a price far above anything we could ever pay (Revelation 1:5).

How do we apply this to ourselves? We all put forth an effort to provide for our families, and we occasionally have to make sacrifices to meet those needs. However, how do we provide for our souls and the souls of our families? We need to study together, pray together, and worship together to strengthen and comfort our souls.

Conclusion

Luke 15 contains three parables that illustrate the value of just one soul. These parables are told in the context of Pharisees complaining against Jesus for associating with sinners and social pariahs – individuals the Pharisees may have considered as without value. We learn of a shepherd who seeks out one lost sheep of a hundred, a woman who searches for one piece of silver out of ten, and we read of one son who lives his life wastefully and is restored.

We have a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. In each of these cases, the ones seeking these had others. The shepherd had ninety-nine other sheep. The woman had nine other coins, and the father had one other son who was faithful. Yet each of these individuals rejoices at recovering what was lost. Remember Luke 15:10 – there is joy in Heaven for every individual soul that is recovered. God views our souls as valuable above all else, and we need to develop the same priorities.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: priorities, salvation, teaching

This lesson continues our study of the church at Corinth and the topics of unity, love, and spiritual gifts. The previous lesson provided a cultural backdrop the this church and how society shaped the attitudes and values of the Christians in Corinth, and Paul appeals to the knowledge these individuals think they have ten times in chapters twelve through fourteen of this epistle while encouraging them to become more spiritually minded and more united in their conduct.

Disunity & Worship

The attitudes of superiority and class consciousness affected their worship. Paul addresses their “coming together” five times in chapter eleven. He is addressing their problems during services, most notably the abuse of the Lord’s Supper. Furthermore, worshipping together is brought up several times in chapter fourteen. Their carnal minds were affecting their service to God.

Again, it seems that the Corinthians placed a great emphasis on the spiritual gift of tongues – that is, speaking a foreign language with no prior knowledge of that language. He reminds us in verses 4 and 5 that each gift is equally important and that they all come from the same source. The functions are different, but each gift is equal in power and importance. We cannot deny the usefulness of other Christians dependent on a sense of self-importance.

The More Excellent Way

Verse 25 reaffirms the fact that unity within the congregation is important, and he promises to reveal a more excellent way. What is the way? Is it a way to get spiritual gifts? Rather, it is a more excellent way to unity and spirituality: Love. Before looking at chapter 13, here are three immediate reasons love is a more excellent path to spirituality.

• Everyone can posses love. This is in direct contrast to spiritual gifts and various abilities.
  
  
• Love will never go away. Again, this contrasts spiritual gifts, and this contrasts basically everything else we can hold to in this world, for love will be what continues into Heaven. Even faith and hope will no longer be needed in Heaven.
  
  
• Love distinguishes true believers from pretenders. In John 13:34-35: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.”

The first three verses of chapter 13, emphasize the importance of love: praise, generosity, spiritual gifts – all of these are worthless without love. He then goes on to enumerate the qualities of love, and all of these descriptors of love are verbs in the Greek. Love is active, not conceptual, and we will look into these qualities in a subsequent lesson. Paul also speaks of partial gifts – like speaking in tongues – passing away like childhood when the perfect, or the complete/mature, is made known.

Realigning Priorities

In chapter 14, Paul returns his attention to misconceptions the Christians in Corinth had in regards to spiritual gifts. He tells them to pursue love. He goes on to contrast tongues and prophecy.

Paul reminds them that speaking in another language does not benefit the congregation as a whole if an interpreter was not present. (Remember, the person speaking the language did not necessarily understand the language they were speaking.) On the other hand, prophesying would, yet tongues were more highly valued by those in the church at Corinth.

Paul also points out that tongues are a sign to unbelievers (verse 22) while prophecy is most beneficial to believers. Take Acts 2 for example. By the crowd’s assessment, the apostles were ignorant individuals, meaning their knowledge of foreign languages would clearly be a miraculous event. Likewise, such a miracle would be useful in a city that had so many transients from other lands. Furthermore, in verses 23-25, Paul asks them what it would look like to a visitor to the congregation if everyone was speaking in diverse languages. In contrast, a prophecy may personally touch this individual. What is more valuable? Is it more important to look impressive, or is it more important to save souls?

Paul concludes this chapter by explaining the outcome to properly aligned worship: edification. Paul brings up edification multiple times in chapter 14, and he reminds us that God is the author of peace rather than confusion. This is in direct context of the love and unity spoken about in these verses, and the word translated as confusion comes from the Greek for discord or instability. God does not want his church to be split up and unstable. He wants it unified in love. He wants our worship to be orderly and decent (verse 40) in our attitudes toward one another, our behavior in the assembly, and our views of what it means to be spiritual.

Conclusion

A godly church works for love, edification, and unity. However, in order to work toward edification and unity in love, we need to understand what Christian love is, and we will be looking at the love of I Corinthians 13 in our next lesson.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: corinth series, priorities, one another, love