Saturday, August 29, 2015

Philipians 2:3-8

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Paul is exhorting the church at Philippi to love one another through humility.  We are to abandon our own selfishness, which is still within our fallen bodies, and submit to the will of others out of love for the body of Christ.  The warning to not follow our own selfish ambition and avoid conceit is seen often in scripture, Paul warns the Galatians in 5:26, “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”  Likewise, we see the exhortation to humility elsewhere in scripture, particularly in Paul's letters to the churches. Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.” Or in Ephesians 5:21, “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Here again, we see the reason for our submission, out of reverence for Christ.  I am supposed to love my brothers and sisters in Christ in the same way that He first loved us, because it is my hearts desire to do so, not just because it was commanded.  I think the world would see this as a burden, something that I am being forced to do against my will, and indeed I am a bond-servant to Christ in that my life was purchased out of death by His blood, but like a bond-servant chooses to be a slave even after his indenture is complete, I gladly and wholeheartedly submit to the will of God out of love for the Master who saved me.  So how will I practically apply this wonderful truth to my life?  Through prayer and meditation on the Word of God, that is the only way I can adjust my heart to willingly submit to God's will and abandon my selfishness and conceit.  So this week I will meditate on and memorize Proverbs 15:33, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”

~Jeremy

Philippians 2:3 reads, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourself.” Lending a hand to others feels good. How many of us have volunteered to do a service project or help out someone in our church and left feeling slightly powerful from how nice it feels to be thanked or felt appreciated? I find that often when I feel like I made a difference, when God was able to use me, that I leave with feelings of pride and self-satisfaction. Galatians 5:25-26 says to not become boastful, but instead to live by the Spirit and to walk by the Spirit. I can not counter this issue of pride all on my own, but instead with the power of Christ through his Spirit, by walking in the ways of Christ. Christ is the true and perfect example of humility. Philippians seems to say that in order to have a humble mind to regard one another as more important as myself. The solution to my problem of pride is not to stop helping others or trying to lend a hand to others in need, but instead change my mind, making it a humble mind. When I have prideful feelings after being able to help I need to see the person I was able to help as more important as myself. If I am reminded that God does not need me, but instead chose to use me, I can then start to realize that the person I am lending a hand to does not need me, but instead God chose to cross our paths and give me the ability to reach out. The sentence in On Being a Servant of God that I have become well aquainted with does not read, Ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God and the glory of self. God wants to use the humble as His loving channels, not selfish channels. My application to this verse is to imagine others as more important than myself, and remember that as I serve, God is only choosing to use me, not needing to use me.

~Kristin

Philippians 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Counting others more significant than yourself is a matter of the heart, an inward change that needs to happen in response to the Lord's great loving sacrifice for us.  From Mark 12:30-31 “...and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” and “...you shall love your neighbor as yourself...”  These are the two greatest commandments, and they represent what should be in the heart of all who believe.  Looking out for the interests of others, however, is a change in practice, as a response to counting others more significant than yourself.  Paul tells the Roman church (Romans 15:2) “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”  This is a command to look out for the good of your neighbor for his exhortation.  Again in (1 Cor 10:24) “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”  It's this change in practice that proclaims to the world that there has been a change in our hearts; the love of Christ caused this change and the love of Christ is seen through it.  Therefore it is simply not enough for me to feel love for others, but I must also show love by looking out for the interests of others.  How can I accomplish this on a daily basis?  This week I will actively look for opportunities to look out for the best interests of my team over myself, so feel free to ask me how I served someone else today.

~Jeremy


Philippians 2:4 reads, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” This verse gives me the mental picture of a team, a team that has to look out for others in order to keep the whole team motivated for practice, pushing themselves to the fullest, and being willing to let someone else have the winning point. At times a team member will have to sacrifice their interests in order to serve another on their team and eventually the betterment of the team as a whole. Colossians 3:13 has a great phrase when describing unity. It says to “bear with one another,” while forgiving one another. Often when you look out for the interests of others you are left bearing something with them, be it a trial they are going through or something you are having to warn them of. Either way, often ‘looking out for others’ means giving more than advice, or being a metaphorical lighthouse or traffic cone; it means more than just looking or pointing out. Looking out for the interest of others means we bear their burdens and weaknesses (Romans 15:1). 1 Thessalonians 5:14 paints a picture of what it may look like to look out for the interests of others. It says, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Looking out for others will require patience of me. I will need to be patient with myself when I am my natural self-centered state, failing to live out this verse and especially patience when helping someone and bearing their burdens. Helping does not always involve advice or physically help, but also encouragement and motivation. Just like a team does not only survive solely off of practice and advice, but also support and motivation. 1 Thessalonians also says to admonish the unruly. Often, looking out for the good of others involves warning or rebuking them, drawing them closer to God, who cares about them more than I could ever. Humility is the key when putting others above yourself and it is an ongoing challenge for me. My needs are always my first thought and first care, yet God calls me to care for the interests of others and love my neighbor more that myself. I am going to put the acronym JOY on my door as a reminder that Jesus comes first, then others, them yourself, hopefully this will be a reminder to put the needs of others first.

~Kristin

Philippians 2:5-6  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,”

Paul exhorts us to have one mind among the body of believers, which is ours in Christ.  This is a mind towards humility, both towards other believers and also in the world.  Our model for this behavior is Jesus who, though sitting at the right hand of the Father and in all things equal with God, humbled Himself into a human existence to do the will of the Father.  Jesus himself proclaimed this to be the case, and in return, (John 5:18) “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”  (John 14:28) “You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”  So if Jesus, the Christ, the incarnate Lord of all creation, would humble himself so greatly, how much more willing should we, a bunch of sinners saved by grace, be to humble ourselves to the will of the Father?  I think as the day draws near when I will find out where I am going to spend the next six months, I have a wonderful opportunity to practically apply this message of submission to the will of God.  I will pray for a spirit of obedience and humility, to be joyful in whatever calling the Lord has for my life.

~Jeremy

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus who although existed in the form of God did regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. Jesus was the epitome of humility, there has been no one of earth who has succumbed to the humility that Christ lived every day on earth. Christ came from the most highly of position to the most lowly of position. Philippians 2:7 says he “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Colossians 1:19 says that all of God’s fullness dwelled in him, and John 5:18 says that Christ was calling God his own Father, making Himself equal with God. Christ was fully God, yet he came to earth born in a stable to a carpenter, and end the end went to the cross, a guiltless man, for the sins of the world, the world in which many hated and despised him. There are too many examples of Christ’s humility to count because every breath of his was of humility and meekness. An example that always stands out to me is when he washes the feet of the disciples in John 13. Jesus kneels down to the lowest spot of those who follow him, to the dirtiest part of the bodies and actually cleans their dirty feet with part of his garment, making himself dirty while their feet are left spotless. Jesus came to this earth to serve others not to be served. Despite being fully God, Jesus says in John 15:28 “the Father is greater than I.” He does not even regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, saying that the father has a different position than him. When Jesus tells the disciples to follow him in Luke 9, he even says “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." How many times do I pridefully take on positions, or hold myself above others when the King of Kings was the most humble of all. My application of this verse is to picture John 13 and Jesus kneeling to wash the disciples’ feet when deciding if I am being humble or prideful in situations, to use Christ as my example and gauge of true humility.

~Kristin

Philippians 2:7  “but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Just as we were created in the image of God, when the incarnate Lord came to earth He was born in the likeness of men.  He could have come in radiant glory, righting the wrongs of society and casting down the evil of humanity with His perfect justice, but lucky for us His glory was veiled and the judgment due to us was withheld in exchange for mercy (Matt 12:7).  He could have been born in a palace, for indeed He was not only the king of Israel, but the king of the world.  Instead He was born in a stable and laid in a manger, where lowly shepherds worshiped Him rather than the local aristocracy (Luke 2:7).  When God came to earth in the likeness of men he indeed emptied Himself of all that would, at first glance, appear to be Godly.  But all would soon see that this man was so much more than a mere carpenter's son, for He lived His life as a servant of the will of the Most High and exchanged His glory for meekness, His majesty for humility, and His wrath for gentleness.  In doing so He conquered the hardness of my heart, along with many others.  Without a great army He conquered death itself.  This is my example in life.  Not to live under the law of death but rather the law of life, which is to love God and love my fellow man (Mark 12:30-31).  Not to work towards my own exaltation, but to humble myself to service in building the Kingdom of God.  As a practical application, I will make it a point to go to the Lord in prayer on my knees, as a reminder of the humility I should have before Him.

~Jeremy


But emptied Himself taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. The very familiar phrase, a bond- servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle set apart for the gospel of God. Paul begins his letter’s this way, there is no mistaking it, and when reading on the life of Paul there is no denying that Paul did live like a bond-servant to Christ. Even the demon possessed girl in Acts 16 calls Paul a bond-servant of the Most High God. The idea of the bond-servant has always stood out to me as a celebrity for Christ, being a part of Christ’s posse, as cheesy as it sounds. Living a life that honors Christ, living with Christ as the gauge for humility and love, living radically for Christ are all things I picture when I imagine Paul and other true bond-servants for Christ. Living with one purpose, as if actually bound in servant hood with nothing but devotion. The part of the picture that is a challenge to piece together is the fact that as a bond-servant of Christ, we do receive wages. As children of Christ we have a powerful and gracious father, and we have treasures stored up for us in heaven. Christ emptied himself, become a bond-servant so that those who serve him and his Father can enjoy all the glory of God one day. When I look at my life I don’t see a bond-servant. More often than not, fear, doubt, pride, and selfishness are instead what I am bound to. This verse spoke to me and reminded me of all the ways I still do not die to self, all the things that hold me back from a life that is of a bond-servant. My application of this verse is to try and be more aware of what hold me back each day in servant hood, looking at these things that bind me and then comparing the sacrifice to that of Christ as he poured himself out as a bond-servant for me.

~Kristin

Philippians 2:8  “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Here we finally see the result of the humility of Jesus, His purpose for His incarnation here on earth.  Death, sacrificed as a lamb for the payment of my sin.  His sacrifice, though willing, grieved Him greatly, as we see in (Matt 26:39) “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  It was profound humility that is shown through profound obedience to the will of the Father, Jesus says, (John 10:17-18) “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.  This charge I have received from my Father.”  It was through His death, and then His resurrection, that we receive salvation.(Rom 5:19) “For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.”  This is our righteous example of obedience in life, Christ on the cross, and because He rose again we can follow his example of obedience, even to the point of death.

~Jeremy

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. While working through my IBS, I discovered that team Guatemala would in actuality not be teaching for a few months out of the six. For many, this may have come as good news, but none the least normal to most. For me, that moment was such a letdown that It sent me into a break down. How possibly could I go more than half of a year without even stepping into the classroom? In my break down I felt as if I was wrestling with God. I thought I had given teaching to the Lord saying, you have my all and that includes my passions, I serve You, not the flesh, but as I prayed and wrestled I came to realize how this was actually not true at all. It was not a simple prayer of releasing my wants to God either, I had to realize how tightly I held onto the hope of teaching soon. God had to show me how wrong it was to care this much. Dead men have no rights, and I certainly felt like I had a right. Christ was obedient to the point of death. I am reminded in Matthew 26:39 how this obedience did not come easy to Jesus, he still had the body of man and still suffered the fullness of his crucifixion. Matthew 26:39 reads, “And He went a little beyond them and fell on His face and prayed saying, “My father if it is possible let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will but as You will.” I still am not able to completely let go of teaching, I know God forgives me but I still need to be able to say, “not as I will but as You will.” Obedience in this matter is not really hard, we are of course going to continue through the program, but the issue of obedience in my heart. Do I chose to make an argument in my head saying it’s okay I’ll eventually get to teach, or it won’t seem like that long, or do I choose to pick up my cross and follow Him? I need to continue to pray for constant releasing of rights, that I would not just have a good attitude and use logic around the situation I don’t find ideal, but that I would just release all that I am holding too tightly to.

~Kristin

Monday, August 24, 2015

John 14:15-19

John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

With these 9 words Jesus tells us that true love will result in a willing obedience to Him. It is a shocking statement for those of us who often do not keep His commandments (which is all of us), since we could possibly surmise that in not doing so we do not love Him. This is not the only place where God promises to love those who keep His commandments, and it is particularly seen throughout Deuteronomy, 10:12-13 for example, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?” Now that last part is interesting; these commandments are for our own good. These are not just a bunch of frivolous orders given by an ego-maniacal god to satisfy a sense of self-importance, but rather more like the loving teachings of a concerned parent, who is sorely grieved by our disobedience. If we truly love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (which Jesus tells us is the greatest commandment), then it will be our hearts desire to keep His commandments. Love your neighbor as yourself, this is the other great commandment that should regulate all of our interactions with other people in this world. The only way to keep this commandment is to keep the first and truly love God, without His love it is not possible to love others as we have been called to do. I have taken a cue from others and wrote Mark 12:29-31 on my hand as a reminder to love my God and love others.

~Jeremy

John 14:15 reads, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Such a simple statement, yet it has the power to change lives. The ramifications of this statement are huge though. It is saying that If I truly love Christ, if I truly am a servant and child of God then it should show. It also says that if I don’t keep His commandments then I am not showing love towards the one who outpoured all His love for me, a sinner. Christ adds on to this in verse 21 by saying he will disclose himself to those who keeps His commandments. He is saying that he will show us his glory and reveal himself. 1 John 5:3 says that His commandments are not even burdensome, that I should just simply walk in them. His commandments go against the world and the desires of my flesh, and I daily struggle with the ones that Christ said are the greatest. Love God with ALL my heart, and love my neighbor as MYSELF. Yet it says they are not burdensome. I need a change of heart. Realizing that if Christ loved me to the point of death, then I can daily try to walk in a way that loves God with ALL my heart, ALL my soul, ALL my mind, and ALL my strength. That I can put others before myself. This short verse really calls for a dying to self. I can’t do these things without God’s strength. They are still a burden to me and a daily struggle, but the first four words are my motivation. IF you love me. I need to pray every morning to be filled with the Spirit, to have God’s discernment and to reflect on what His love looks like so that I have it more on the forefront of my mind. I want Romans 8:39 to go along with this reflection too though, that nothing can separate me from the Love of God.

~Kristin

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

What an amazing truth, Jesus our intercessor petitioned the Father to send us the Holy Spirit, who will remain with us forever. Later in verse 26 Jesus tells us, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” This really identifies for us the purpose of sending the Holy Spirit, He is the method by which we learn all things and remember that which Christ has already taught us. Since Jesus ascended to the Father we have needed the Holy Spirit to speak to us on His behalf, just as Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf. I think of trying times where a comforting verse will come to mind, either for myself or for someone else, and I feel that it has been brought to mind by the Holy Spirit. This is one of the reasons why He is called our “Helper”. Back in verse 12, Jesus tells us, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” With the help of the Holy Spirit, and really through His power entirely, we are to be able to do great works here on earth. So my prayer is really that I submit to the power of the Holy Spirit within me, so that He can work through me to do the will of the Father. I want to empty myself and be filled with Him.

~Jeremy

I John 14:16 reads, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever.” God chose not to leave use here on earth alone, from the beginning of time He knew we needed the Spirit to stay within us to guide us towards the truth. John 16 talks about how the Spirit will disclose the truth to believers and that He will glorify God as he guides us. When reflecting on gifts God has given me I often focus on my salvation, talents, or my circumstances. I never think about the gift of the Spirit and how it was God’s love poured out into my heart. The Spirit is constantly doing work in me, helping me, convicting me, and comforting me. Since reading Be Filled Now by Roy Hession, I have found myself asking God for a fill of Himself, that I would be less of me and more of Him. I would previously be frustrated with myself and ask God for a change of circumstances, but now my prayers are rather different. “God, would you fill me with your Spirit, give me your discernment and walk with me in this challenging time, I feel like I can’t do this, but I know you’re with me every step of the way.” It is amazing to me that God would simply give His Spirit to live within us, as a promise as what is to come and a helper right now. I Thessalonians 5:19 talks about not quenching the Spirit, but instead giving thanks and rejoicing in every circumstance. An ungrateful or pessimistic heart sounds like it smothers the Spirit within me. Asking God for a filling of His Spirit has now become a regular part of my morning prayer to God because it’s when I feel my most empty. I want to continue this and be more thankful for the gift of the Spirit, seeing it as the love of God poured out for me, living in me.

~Kristin

John 14:17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

How tragic are the words, “whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him”? If that is not motivation for our missionary mandate then I don't know what is. Our strength and our Helper, the Spirit of truth, that speaks deeply within our hearts conviction of sin and words of encouragement, constantly leading us back to Calvary where our victory is already won. I want to share this truth, and it is my hearts desire that all other hearts would be filled with the Spirit, that everyone I meet would see Him and know Him. As Jesus said in the sermon on the mount, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Christ is our light and it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we shine for all the world to see. For too much of my life I have been a light under a basket, rather than a lamp on a stand, and I cannot imagine how much it grieves the Lord to hide that which He has so graciously given me.

~Jeremy

John 14:17 reads, “That is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because he abides with you and will be in you.” Having the Spirit within me is evidence that I am a child of God, and is a glimpse and promise of what is to come in eternity. Because I have the Spirit abiding in me I need to walk in accordance to the Spirit not according to my fleshly wants. Romans 8:13 words it as “if you are living according to the flesh you must die but if by the spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body you will live.” The better life, and eternal life is with the walk of Christ, putting to death the flesh. I have been going through Colossians during On the Mount Time and chapter 3 has been very convicting. I have the Spirit within me, I am a child of God, called to put on a new self, and a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I am to bear with one another and forgive one another. I can continue to do these things having the Spirit of truth within me, guiding me, and convicting me daily when I fail to live this out. My practical application is to walk according to the Spirit. A simple reminder of the word walk near my mirror will remind me to walk in a way that is less of my flesh and more like Christ. If my seal is that I am a child of God, then my words and actions should be a display of this to the world.

~Kristin

John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Praise the Lord for your wonderful truth, that you will one day return for us. As you have told us elsewhere in scripture, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” (Matt 24:42) and “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thess 5:2) So we should always be ready for your return. That means seeking first the Kingdom of God, and worshiping You with prayer and fasting. Our goal is to strive to build your kingdom through the spreading of your gospel, the good news of your death and resurrection, your glorious sacrifice to save sinners like me. I must see the urgency of this calling, since the hourglass has been turned and I have no idea when it will run out. For this reason my motto should be Semper Paratus, always prepared. Always prepared to share the gospel when the opportunity presents itself, always prepared to show the love the love of Christ whenever possible, always prepared to die to myself in humble adoration of my Lord. I will remember that I am not an orphan, because my Father is in Heaven. For my application I am going to pray before I go out into town and before kids club and really any time I might encounter someone who does not know the Lord that He would give me an opportunity to share His love through the gospel. Perhaps by doing so I can see others join the body of Christ before He comes to us again.

~Jeremy

In Mark 10 we see Jesus teaching crowds that gathered around him. People were bringing children to Jesus so that he would touch them. Immediately the disciples start scolding the crowd. Jesus had more important things to do than touch and be with children. Jesus was indignant that his disciples would act this way towards the children and begins to explain that in order for one to receive the kingdom of God they must be like a child. Children are under the rule of the father. They are to look to their father as an example of how to live. When problems arise, a child goes to their father for good advice. When needing food and clothing, the father cares for the child and gives it what it needs. A child does not make decisions as wise as its father and therefore will make many mistakes. When a child disobeys it receives fair discipline and love from the father. A child is not in charge of its life, but instead is under the council of its father. I love how John 14:18 reads that we are orphans without Christ and that Christ will come to us. I am reminded that we are children. Christ refers to us as fatherless without him. He could have said I will not leave you widows, or I will not leave you by-yourself but He sees us as his children, children that cannot live without him. It does not say I will not leave you orphans, come to me. It says that Christ will come to us. Like a father makes a promise to a child, saying I am here for you, I will always be here for you. He will return. He even comes to the disciples after his death to show them that he has not completely left them as he promised. He tells us that we will have his Spirit here with us as a comforter and as a guide through life and that he will return to earth one day and is waiting for us when we go to have eternal life with him. Hebrews 13:5 says that he will never desert us or forsake us. He knows we need him, but do I always acknowledge that I need him. Am I the rebellious teenager that looks to the father saying,” You’ve taught me enough, just let me be, I have been doing fine on my own so far, I’ll just come running back to you when I mess up and need someone to fix my mistakes.” So often I see myself doing this. Saying to God that I’ve got things under control instead of seeking His face. My application of this verse is to pray for friends, family, and loved ones who truly are orphans in this life because they do not yet know Christ as their father.
  
~Kristin

John 14:19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.


I am not sure if, in this passage, Jesus was speaking directly regarding His appearances to the disciples after the resurrection, or if He was referring to the time following His ascension, or possibly both. However, I do see an interesting correlation to the world today. After Jesus's death, the world definitely did not see Him any more. He appeared only to His disciples, and even today He seems to only be seen by those who follow Him. I don't know if this is necessarily due to a supernatural blindness to the way God moves in this world, or just the world's refusal to acknowledge His work. Regardless, the world does not know Jesus, and those in the world cannot see Him, but we who are of the Lord can see Him. In fact, Jesus once scolded the apostles saying, “Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?” They should not have been questioning Jesus because they had seen, and they were with Him. So often I have found myself forgetting what Jesus looks like, when all I can see is the world. When I am deep in the embrace of the world I am clinging to death, attempting to resurrect my old self. In doing so I am forgetting the cross, and forgetting that Christ lives, but He does live, and because He lives I also will live. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor 5:17) Because He lives, I live, and I see Him.  

~Jeremy

John 14:19 reminds me of John 6 when Christ calls himself the bread of life (John 6:35); that whoever eats him will also live (John 6:57). Colossians 2 says that I was circumcised with Christ, with the removal of the body of the flesh. That I was buried with Him in baptism, and that I was raised up with Him through faith. When I was dead in my flesh and sins, Christ made me alive. All things were forgiven and all my decrees against me were nailed to the cross. This passage makes the sacrifice of Christ so personal. Because he lives, I also will live. Christ rescued me by submitting to the nails, the nails that killed my flesh as His flesh was killed. Jesus seemed to be giving exhortation to me and to the disciples, saying get up and live. Do not be burdened by sins that have been forgiven before they were even your thoughts. Be a free man. Get up, be a follower for Me with zeal in your heart while remembering that because I live, you will also live. I want to memorize Acts 20:24, as a motivator when I feel the weight of this world. “But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with Joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. The first part of John 14:19 is just as personal as thinking about the latter part and the sacrifice of Christ. I do see Christ, I have never felt so close with Him, and yet the world no longer sees Him. They do not know the joy I feel daily, the burden that is lifted from me when I contemplate over not counting my life dear to myself. What other motivator do I really need to share the truth with the world then this verse? 1) The world does not see Him, and 2) I live because of Christ.

~Kristin

1 Timothy 6:9

1 Tim 6:9 “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”


The rich young ruler fell into ruin and destruction due to his love for his wealth. (Matt 19:21) He understood that he needed whatever it was that Jesus was teaching, but when he was asked to “sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” he left Jesus sorrowful, because he had a lot of earthly wealth that he was not willing to let go of. I think we all have things we tend to hold on to, and I must admit that material wealth has a certain allure to me. Not that I've ever cared about nice clothes or big fancy houses, I have just always wanted a Ferrari. Now I have owned 70 different vehicles that cost me $1000 or less, so as you might imagine, it wouldn't have to be the newest and best Ferrari. In fact, I could go buy a nice 348 right now, but that is not really the big expense. You need a garage to keep it in, expensive tools and the knowledge to work on it, or about $5 per mile to pay a shop to maintain it. All of these costs add up to a very expensive hobby, which requires a good job, a lot of hours, and results in just another weight holding me back from serving the Lord. (Matt 6:33) “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Not to say that if I seek the kingdom and righteousness of God He will reward me with a Ferrari here on earth, but rather I will find my reward in the riches of heaven, which is far greater than anything I can imagine. As a practical application I am going to pray that the Lord shows me an opportunity to give to the poor this week.

~Jeremy

I Timothy reads 6:9 reads “but those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.” I can’t help but be reminded of the story of Ananias and Sapphira and their outcome when they were dishonest and selfish with their money. This is a great warning to keep my focus on and “take hold of that which is life indeed” [I Tim 6:17]. Proverbs has many great warnings of the trap that riches can become. Proverbs 23:4 warns to not even consider gaining wealth, but to make it far from my thoughts. Proverbs 28:20 contrasts a person who makes haste to get rich fast with a faithful man. It says that the man who desires to get rich fast will not go unpunished but that a faithful man will abound with blessings.
Riches are always uncertain, but God is constant and is the supplier of all things. If I overwhelm my thoughts of what I do not have and devote my time to attaining it then there is little room for Christ in my life. I have always been a selfish person with my belongings, and having unbelieving roommates in college who were overly generous and ready to share helped me to begin to break me of this selfishness. When getting rid of most of my worldly possessions I promised myself and God that I would begin to process of being more generous and less concerned with money by being willing to give my things away or share with the possibility of never having it back. I told God that if someone had a need for something I had that I would give it to them, no question asked. My heart in the giving is what God really cares about, but this is of course going to be an inward process as well. This is a big promise to make to God because it’s an easy one to break so I would like some accountability in that, and that I would give with a grateful heart.
 
~Kristin

Saturday, August 15, 2015

I Timothy 6:8

1 Tim 6:8 “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”


I cannot think of a better interpretation to expound on this verse than Jesus's own words in Matt 6:25-33 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Our Father loves and provides for us just as He loves and provides for all of His creation. If we need food and it is His will for us to remain on the earth, He will provide us food. If we need clothing and it is His will that we don't freeze to death, He will provide us clothing. The sun still shines on the righteous and the wicked alike because of how faithfully God cares for His creation. My only goal in life is to glorify God, and I will be content with what He has provided. For a practical application, Noah gave me the great idea that I should find an opportunity to give away some clothing. This may open the door to share the gospel in love.

~Jeremy

I Timothy 6:8 reminds me that there is a difference between appreciation of the things I have and thankfulness to God for the things He has clearly give me. I Timothy 6:7 made me realize that I really grasp too tightly to the things of this world, showing God that I would rather serve God’s creations rather than the creator. I can believing the lie that it’s okay to ‘appreciate’ the gift, talents, and things God has given when really I have feelings above gratitude. And most of this gratitude is not directed to God where all things come from. I love Psalm 28:6-7, “Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication, the LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped, Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” These verse sounds like David is saying to the Lord, Blessed are you because you heard my requests. How great that David was thankful because God heard him, not just because He helped him. In that Psalm David also says his heart trusts in God and that he is helped, resulting in rejoicing and thanksgiving. If I am not content and thankful about the food and covering God has repeatedly provided beyond need then I am saying I do not trust Him and that I would rather put my trust in the things of this world.
Getting rid of 90% of my belongings as we came down to IGNITE was hard, but I know it was less hard knowing that God had so clearly made an intricate and exciting way for us. I am really thankful that God gave me that peace needed to get rid of many of our things so that I can look back to that time throughout the rest of my life and say “God blessed are you because you heard our requests.” I want to begin every run with a quick thank you to God for all things He has given me so that I can learn to be content with even less that I have now.

~Kristin

I Timothy 6:7

1 Tim 6:7 “for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”


How great a truth is this, that we are born with no earthly possessions and we die with the same? Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 5:15 “As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.” And this is coming from one who is, perhaps, the richest man to have ever lived. I can think of few statements that are more freeing than this. How ridiculous does this make the world seem, when we are constantly bombarded with advertisements to buy random things we don't need, Hollywood endorsements of a useless way of life, and then the internet making it easier than ever for us to brag about what we bought. God will provide, even after He has provided His Lamb to free us from this world, He still provides everything we need in the world. Job says in 1:21 “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” That is truth, and a testimony of what a godly perspective of the world should look like. It gives me so much joy to know that everything in this world is temporary; just distractions with which I no longer have to waste my time. “'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, therefore I will trust in Him.” I have chosen this verse (Lam 3:24) to memorize to remind me that my inheritance is in the Lord. I hope this will also remind me to shed any weights that I may acquire from time to time.

~Jeremy

I Timothy 6:7
I Timothy 6:7 reads “for we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” Ecclesiastes 5:15 puts it another way saying as we came naked from the womb, so we will also return, despite any fruit from our labor, we are leaving with nothing. All work, possessions, belongings are counted worthless and left behind when I go to be with God. It’s very clear to me that I still don’t live this concept out in my life because I am still working on being content with what I have in this life, but verse 7 reminds me that none of it really matters in the end. Contentment should not even be an issue if I truly life out the fact that I’m leaving with nothing. In the end, it’s just me in front of God.

Romans 1:22-23 is a verse that will always give me chills, it’s a place I want to more regularly travel to when I am convicted of sin. It reads, “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man.” Every time I find myself coveting, or grasping tightly to the fleeting things of this world I am saying to God, “I would like to serve Your creations rather than You,” I would like to focus on my desires, my interests, my belongings, my wants rather than the greatest gift you have given me and the truth that you will always provide me with what I need. I exchange the truth for a lie. Focusing on the tangible of this world really does cloud my time with the Lord. I find that I spend more time worrying about the things of this world rather than devoting my thoughts to all the ways God has provided for me in this world. I take it so lightly that I care about clothes, and my work,--believing the lie that it’s okay to ‘appreciate’ the gift, talents, and things God has given when really I have feelings above gratitude. Romans really puts I Timothy into perspective for me. I want to meditate of Romans 1 and how severe and foolish it really is to be so consumed with other things when my time is so short.

~Kristin

I Timothy 6:6

1 Tim 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain,”


Godliness with contentment is great gain. As opposed to the message of the world which is often telling me that I should never be content with my current economic position, social status, or even my monogamous relationship. The wisdom of this world is that I should always be looking for the better deal for myself, no matter the cost to anyone else, but the wisdom of God is that I should seek first the Kingdom, and be content with what the Lord has provided. I can always trust in the Lord to provide for my basic needs, He has never failed me, even when I fail Him. Psalm 37:16 tells us that, “Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.” What it comes down to for me is that I cannot seek after God and seek after the things of this world. The Lord jealously and righteously demands my full attention, and as a slave to Christ, bought with His precious blood, I have no choice but to seek after Him. Anything else would be perilous to say the least. Paul tells us in Phil 4:12-13 “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” It is through strength in Christ that we walk in this world, not through our own abilities. As a practical application I want to memorize a verse that will be useful in reminding me to be content in what the Lord has provided. I chose Proverbs 15:16 “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.”

~Jeremy

It is easy to say I am content with the money I have when I have food to eat. It is easy to say I am content with work when I am healthy and things are going easy, but what about when trials arise? When there seems absolutely nothing to be content with? 2 Corinthians 12:10 reads, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” In Philippians 4:11, Paul again writes on what it looks like to be content, both when “having abundance and when suffering need.” The verses preceding shed a lot of light on how I can go about changing my mindset from wanting, feeling insufficiently provided for, discontented, and selfish. Verse 8 reads, “finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” When I feel discontented it is because I am dwelling on the lack, on what I think is missing, what I used to have or see others with. It is an attitude issue, looking to God thinking He has not given me enough or in the way I would like it, when in reality He gives and gave abundantly on the cross. My mindset needs to change from dwelling on the things of God because He is always honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise. Inside of trials and inside of plenty. I Timothy actually says contentment is of great gain, meaning it is good in the present and future, for me and for others and as a testimony of my faith. I can offer up thanksgiving to God today and tomorrow, in abundance and in suffering, because there is always God’s promise of life to come and an eternity with Him. When I am content, especially when things are looking bleak to the outside world, it provides a great testimony. The American life managed to do away with contentment and trade it for consumerism. Being able to dwell on Christ instead of circumstances is a light that will remind the world that there is more to what we have on earth.
The one thing I can find myself longing for these days is teaching, I am not yet discontent with not teaching, but if I begin to dwell on or wish for the things God is telling me to wait for I can be reminded of I Timothy. I am going to memorize I Timothy 4:17 “…do not to be conceited … do not fix [my] hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies [me] with all things to enjoy.” I have all reasons to be joyful and to give thanksgiving to God, but memorizing this verse will help me redirect my thoughts on all God has given me and how He has provided.

~Kristin