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Avoiding Commands We Don’t Want to Obey

We Christians spend a lot of time figuring out the meaningof Scripture verses which are not very clear on the surface. What are we goingto do with these verses after they are understood?

a)         Believethem?

b)         Obey them?

c)         Teach themeaning to someone else?

d)         Debate themeaning with someone else?

Normally the vote goes to c) and d).

What about the verses which are very clear? Options c) andd) then are not part of the multiple choice; everyone understands them. Thatmeans we are stuck with a) or b) or both. Here is a possible evasivealternative—read them fast and don’t meditate on them.

Here is a better sequence:

            Are theverses true?

            Are theyauthoritative?

            Thank Godfor them!

            Meditate onthem!

            Obey them!

Please practice on the following passage:

“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon ordinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your richneighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. Butwhen you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid atthe resurrection of the righteous’” (Luke 14:12-14).

You may ask, “Do I have to do this all of the time?” I amnot sure there is anyone with authority to answer your question. Of course, ifit is a rhetorical question, then you already have the answer.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

·      Have I ever obeyed these commands ofJesus?

·      How many times?

·      Do I want to obey?

·      Do I intend to obey?

·      If so, when?

·      If so, how many banquets am I willing to providefor how many people?

·      Or would I rather give money to a skid rowmission so they can obey this command for me?

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Helping Others & Staying Out of Sin

“Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, you who arespiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may betempted” (Gal. 6:1).

“If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven– if there was anything to forgive – I have forgiven in the sight of Christ foryour sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware ofhis schemes” (2 Cor. 2:10-11).

The connection between these two verses of Scripture may notbe obvious. There are, I think, two connections:

1. “You who are spiritual” and “I have forgiven in the sightof Christ for your sake.” A spiritual person must be forgiven and forgiving.

2. “But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” and “inorder that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”There is a parallel between watching yourself and being aware of Satan’sschemes.

Here are a few other Scriptures with similar warnings:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Puton the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’sschemes” (Eph. 6:10-11).

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, thatHe may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He caresfor you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around likea roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:6-9).

The first part of each of the verses above are a few reasonswe cannot help others: we are not spiritual, gentle, forgiving, strong in theLord, or humble.

The second part of each is why we fall: we do not watchourselves; we are outwitted, we are unaware; we are not alert.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Who Will You Imitate?

People are followers; people are imitators. They copy otherpeople in language, manners, dress, and conduct. This characteristic describes100% of the population—in other words, all of us. Initially, we do not get to choose whom we copy. We are borninto a certain family, in a certain culture. We imitate those who are olderthan we are and those we are next to. We have their language, accent, diet,clothing, and profession.

There is something common to all the cultures of the world.In the Scripture, it is called several things. One of them is “human tradition,”and the other is “the basic principles of this world.”

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow anddeceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principlesof this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of thisworld, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?” (Colossians2:20).

“So also, when we were children, we were in slavery underthe basic principles of the world” (Galatians 4:3).

(But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how isit that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do youwish to be enslaved by them all over again?” (Galatians 4:9).

Another description is “the law of sin and death.”

“But I see another law at work in the members of my body,waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law ofsin at work within my members” (Romans 7:23).

“Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of lifeset me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves tosin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted”(Romans 6:17).

“And that they will come to their senses and escape from thetrap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26).

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared intheir humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power ofdeath—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews2:14-15).

It is human nature to imitate downward and not upward.

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that youmust no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. Theyare darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God becauseof the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Havinglost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as toindulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more” (Ephesians4:17-19).

“They will be paid back with harm for the harm they havedone. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blotsand blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyesfull of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they areexperts in greed—an accursed brood!” (2 Peter 2:13-14).

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit thekingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolatersnor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves northe greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdomof God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

It does not have to be this way.

“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some whoare ignorant of God—I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33-34).

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in theLord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in allgoodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord” (Eph.5:8-10).

These two passages both have to do with Christians living inthe presence of unbelievers. The first has to do with being influenced by theevil companions, the darkness. The second has to do with your life affectingthe darkness.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Differences in the Discovery of His Grace

Excerpted from The Narrative of Surprising Conversionsby Jonathan Edwards

These gracious discoveries given, whence the first specialcomforts are derived, are in many respects very various. More frequently,Christ is distinctly made the object of the mind in His all-sufficiency andwillingness to save sinners; but some have their thoughts more especially fixedon God, in some of His sweet and glorious attributes manifested in the Gospel,and shining forth in the face of Christ. Some view the all-sufficiency of themercy and grace of God; some, chiefly the infinite power of God, and Hisability to save them, and to do all things for them; and some look most at thetruth and faithfulness of God. In some, the truth and certainty of the Gospelin general is the first joyful discovery they have; in others, the certaintruth of some particular promises; in some the grace and sincerity of God inHis invitations, very commonly in some particular invitation in the mind, andit now appears real to them that God does indeed invite them. Some are struckwith the glory and wonderfulness of the dying love of Christ; and some with thesufficiency and preciousness of His blood, as offered to make an atonement forsin; and others, with the value and glory of His obedience and righteousness.In some, the excellency and loveliness of Christ chiefly engages theirthoughts; in some, His divinity, that He is indeed the Son of the living God;and in others, the excellency of the way of salvation by Christ, and thesuitableness of it to their necessities.

What glorious contemplations these seeking sinners had ofGod’s glorious way of redemption! In Psalm 85:10, we read, “Mercy and truth aremet together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Here the harmonyof the divine attributes meet together at Calvary, manifesting the glory of Godin the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Christ Will Do

Excerpted from The Narrative of Surprising Conversionsby Jonathan Edwards

Horatius Bonar tells of an awakened soul in Scotland who, inthe bitterness of his spirit, set himself to work and pray, in order to getpeace. He doubled the amount of his devotions, saying to himself, “Surely Godwill give me peace,” but the peace came not. He set up family worship, saying, “SurelyGod will give me peace.” But the peace came not.

At last he bethought himself of having a prayer-meeting inhis house, as a certain remedy; he fixed the night, called his neighbors, andprepared himself for conducting the meeting by writing a prayer and learning itby heart. As he finished the operation of learning it, preparatory to themeeting, he threw it down on the table saying, “Surely that will do; Godwill give me peace now.”

In that moment a still small voice seemed to speak in hisear, saying, “No, that will not do; but Christ will do.”

Straightway the scales fell from his eyes and the burdenfrom his shoulders. Peace poured in like a river. “Christ will do,” washis watchword ever after.

How many dear sinners today, under the burden of the wrathof God, think that by committing good deeds, they can atone for their sins. Howmany miss the way of salvation because they refuse to humble themselves andacknowledge that they can do absolutely nothing to merit the favor of God bytheir own acts of goodness. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckonedof grace, but of debt, but to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him thatjustifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:4-5).

 

I will not work my soul to save

For that the Lord has done

But I will work like any slave

From love to God’s dear Son.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Come to the Father

“At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you havehidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to littlechildren. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleasedto do. All things have been committed to me by myFather. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Fatherexcept the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give yourest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I amgentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’” (Matt. 11:25-30).

Isn’t that wonderful? Come to Him and find restfor your souls. I can’t think of a better thing to come to Him for. His yoke iseasy, and His burden is light. He will carry our burdens.

This is Jesus’ object: to bring us to theFather. We can come to the Father through the Son and find rest for our souls.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Do Not Worry

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘Whatshall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all thesethings, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matt. 6:31-32).

There are two reasons not to worry. First, that is what thepagans do. Do you want to be like the unbelievers? Second, your Father knowsthat you need all these things.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and allthese things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33).

I remember 4 January 1958. We lived just off Piney BranchRoad on Aspen Street in Washington, D.C. It was a Saturday morning. We had alittle food in the house, but it was not the kind that our three preschoolchildren liked: no peanut butter, milk, bread, eggs, or orange juice. We had nomoney to buy food. Standing in the dining room, Bessie and I read this passagefrom Matthew to God. We told Him that we were not anxious and that we wereseeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.

The morning mail arrived. It included an envelope postmarkedLancaster, PA. Inside the envelope was $3 and a tract on hell by Bishop J.C.Ryle. It had no return address. We thanked God and bought the food.

By Tuesday evening, we were still out of money and again outof food. We explained the problem to the children and asked Douglas to pray. Hewas 4½ years old. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Douglas thanked God formilk and bread.

On Wednesday morning, I made pancakes with no milk and noeggs. After breakfast, there was a knock at the door. Bessie went to answer it.It was the milkman. He said that he had four quarts of milk for us. Bessie toldhim that we had not ordered it and he must have the wrong address. He answeredthat he had the correct address. Someone else had ordered it for us. We put themilk in the entryway and held a praise meeting around it. We thanked God forthe milk and reminded Him that we had also asked for bread.

I went back to my room for study. A few minutes later,Bessie came running up the stairs with a $5 bill in her hand. She had found itunder a lamp while dusting the end table. (It had been left there as a gift bysomeone we had been counseling.) In the next four hours, there were two moreanswered prayers for us and another answered prayer for a friend.

In the years before 1958, I had been anxious several times.That was the last time I was tempted to be anxious. God is and has beenfaithful.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Born Again Every Day

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faithas you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7).

Years ago, a friend of mine told me that he was not intoevangelism because the more converts he had, the more backsliders he had. Ofcourse, that is not a reason to hold back on evangelism, but it makes youwonder why it sometimes seems to be so.

Here is a major reason. The new Christian often is nottaught to live the Christian life the same as he was taught to receiveChrist. He is taught a different way of living than he was taught of receiving.That is why he falls.

The new Christian received Christ by grace through faith. Hedid not receive Christ by trying or by effort. He is not to live by trying orby effort. He is to live by grace through faith. In other words, the Christianlife should be like being born again every day.

Please pray for the new Christians you know, that they willbe rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith and overflowing withthankfulness.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Know & Trust

“So we know and believe the love God has for us” (1 John4:16 RSV).

What struck me when this passage was brought to my attentionwere the two verbs know and believe. We know the love of God. Webelieve the love of God.

The New International Version says, “We know and rely on thelove of God.” Let me say it this way: We know and trust the love of God.

The verse starts out with the word “so,” which means thisconclusion is based on the previous verse: “If anyone acknowledges that Jesusis the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely onthe love God has for us” (1 John 4:15-16), That is how we know, and thatis how we believe.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Breakfast with the Risen Lord

 

“But that night they caught nothing.”

“Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals therewith fish on it, and some bread.”

“Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

“Come and have breakfast.”

“Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did thesame with the fish.”

(Selections from John 21)

Jesus had been fishing.

Jesus had made or purchased bread.

Jesus started a fire and cleaned the fish.

Jesus cooked the bread and the fish.

Jesus invited the men to breakfast.

Jesus served them their breakfast.

This was the risen Christ. “None of the disciples dared askhim, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.”

Isn’t this a wonderful picture of the risen Lord? He isstill a servant. We are to be like Him.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the SamePage Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily readingplan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading withus.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships