Jim Wilson's Blog, page 48

Giving in Love

Love has first priority in the Bible. It is the most important and most comprehensive fruit of the Spirit. It is the first commandment, and it is the second commandment. All the other teachings of the Bible fit into it. God is the source of all love, and He expresses His love to the world by giving.

Giving is preached much more than it is practiced. Perhaps this is because the preaching is prompted by the desire to receive rather than the desire to give. Many churches and radio and television programs teach giving by encouraging people to give to their ministry. The emphasis is, “You are to give so that I can receive.” It is a veneer to hide covetousness.

Another reason giving is taught more than practiced is that we are not taught how to give lovingly by example. If godliness were widespread, it would not be necessary to teach giving. People would give themselves and their money, rather than giving their money instead of themselves. They would also give their money to the right places, in the right amounts, instead of giving where people tell them to.

We should give ourselves first to the Lord, then to others. 2 Corinthians 8 has two examples of this.

"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity" (2 Corinthians 8:1-2).

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

The people giving in the first example were intolerably poor, and in the second the person was wealthy beyond all measure. Giving should not be based on how much we have, but on how much we love. With this as a prerequisite, we can look at the places and the people to whom we should give.

God is our example for giving food and clothing to widows, orphans, and aliens:

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing" (Deuteronomy 10:17-19).

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27).

True and pure religion takes care of orphans and widows. Over the centuries, Christians have done a moderate job of taking care of orphans. We have not done as well with widows, and we have not done well at all in keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world.

We are also to give to the starving and naked:

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:14-17).

We are to give to the poor near by and far away. Paul spent parts of five chapters (1 Corinthians 16, 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Galatians 2, and Romans 15) raising money from Galatia, Macedonia, and Achaia for the poor people in Judea.

We should supply the needs of God’s people and everyone else:

"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28).

We should give to those who teach the Word to us:

"In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:14).

"Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor" (Galatians 6:6).

The Philippians are a good example for us in this. Paul says they were the only church who supported him when he set out from Macedonia and while he was in Thessalonica (Philippians 4:15-16).

Giving should not be legalistic (e.g., tithing only). Nor should it be anti-legalistic (anti-tithing). Jesus spoke to both of these when He said in Luke 11:42, "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."

Do not neglect tithing. Tithe lovingly, ungrudgingly, and not legalistically. Consider the tenth a minimum, not even thinking of it as your own money. Take it off the top of your income and give it to one or more of the areas mentioned above.

It could be seen as “better stewardship” to give to a corporation which has an IRS-approved, non-profit, tax-deductible status. However, if you are giving in order to get, the blessing of the Lord will not be in your giving. Another difficulty with restricting your giving this way is that the widows, orphans, and aliens may not be approved by the IRS. The Bible teachers and missionaries may not be approved, either.

Western Christians have automated giving to make it efficient. Although there is the legitimate issue of giving anonymously, giving impersonally can mean giving without love. If giving is a source of pride or seeking merit, remember Matthew 6:1-4:

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Most people give to the places that express needs and that ask them to give a certain amount. If everyone limited their giving to the call for money, the missions who believe that they have no biblical basis to raise money for themselves that way would never receive support.

There is a teaching that applies the “storehouse” of Malachi 3:10 to the local church, i.e. your “whole tithe” must go to the church you attend. This contradicts the Bible’s teaching on other places for giving tithes to:

"Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own. At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands" (Deuteronomy 14:22-29).

Give lovingly, give personally, give prayerfully.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us. We would love to have you reading with us.How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Our Weapon: The Blood of Christ

 

As Scripture describes it, another great weapon in our arsenal is the blood of Jesus Christ.

“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death’” (Rev. 12:9–11).

“They” are “our brothers” (v. 10). The “him” they triumphed over is “Satan” (v. 9). Their weapon was the blood of the Lamb, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The blood of Christ works in our salvation, our redemption, and for our continual cleansing:

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father—to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen” (Rev. 1:5–6).

“God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished” (Rom. 3:25).

“Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!” (Rom. 5:9).

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet. 1:18–19).

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7).

“He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12b).

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! . . . In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:14, 22).

So the blood of Christ is clearly a weapon. By the shedding of His blood, Christ saved the believers, and through His blood they overcame Satan. “The blood of the Lamb” is not

just a phrase to say. It is not a mantra. It is the bloody death of the Lord Jesus Christ that overcomes, not the phraseology. Hebrews 2:14 says it this way:

“Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

Focus on the second phrase: “so that by His death,” that is, by the blood of the Lamb, “He might destroy him who holds the power of death.” We use this truth by believing it. When we believe this, we pray and preach the death of Christ, and we are not just saying words. When we believe it, we are wielding it.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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

Our Weapon: The Mercy of God

God has not only been gracious to us, but also merciful.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (Eph. 2:4–5a).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3).

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Tit. 3:5).

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (Jas. 3:17).

Mercy is the work of God. It also comes in quantities, just like grace does. The Bible describes God’s mercy as rich, great, and full.

We are to show mercy to the people we are preaching to: doubters, those in the fire, those who are caught up in sin. It must be genuine mercy, not feigned.

“Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 22–23).

There is a basic difference between grace and mercy. Grace is receiving something wonderful which we do not deserve (forgiveness of sins and everlasting life). Mercy is not receiving what we dodeserve (the lake of fire).

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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

When Politeness Is the Wrong Way to Go

 

Politeness, political correctness, and relational communication have something positive in common. They are attempts to use words to be friendly, to not cause offense, and to avoid confrontation. Aren’t these good things? Yes, they are. They are also surface attempts at kindness. They are mechanics. Teaching a little boy to say “Thank you” certainly makes things more pleasant, but it is not the same as teaching him thankfulness.

I was taught politeness as a boy. Then I was really taught it when I was a midshipman at the Naval Academy. I was trained to be an officer and a gentleman. I found out that politeness worked (standing when ladies came into the room, opening doors for them, etc). I discovered that these positive mechanics were not the outward expressions of the heart. They did not express kindness, love, or patience. In many cases they actually covered up unkindness, unlove, and impatience.

Isn’t covering up unkindness better than expressing it? I am tempted to say yes, but that is a temptation from the Enemy. Why should I choose the lesser of two evils when I have a clear command?

 "

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

Many years ago, after teaching an eight-week course of practical Christianity, I suspected that one of the students had not learned much. She came from a Christian home, had grown up in good churches and received a Christian education, including a degree from a famous Christian college.

For years I have listened to people’s awful stories in order to give them counsel. One day I realized that I was giving the same solution regardless of what the story was. All of the stories had two common causes:

It had been a long time since they had read all of the New Testament.They had an awful, distorted, or truncated view of God. They had Satan’s caricature of Him.

I started asking people for their gut views of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I have gotten many awful answers.

I asked this young woman these questions. She had never read the New Testament through. She gave a surprisingly good answer about God the Father, but when I asked about Jesus, her answer was something like this: “Jesus was supposed to have died for our sins, but I don’t think He was very polite.”

Her answer shook me, and I did not know why. I already knew that Jesus was not very polite. Why did it bother me? This girl considered politeness the highest virtue. It was more important to her than anything else. If Jesus was not polite, that meant to her that He was not sinless and could not have died for our sins.

Since that time, I have sensed this same belief in many Christians. It colors their communication. They try to clean up the gospel so that there is no chance of anyone taking offense. And they think it is a virtue to do this! In reality, it is the enemy of truth.

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:15)

We are to speak the truth in love. The Bible does not say to “speak the truth in politeness.” Politeness is not a synonym for truth. Politeness almost always leaves out the truth. Sometimes it inserts a lie.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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

Stopping Your Ears and Humming Loudly

One of the freedoms that man has received from the Lord is the ability to refuse to listen to Him. Man has exercised that freedom many times. Here is an account of one of those times:

“But they refused to hearken, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts like adamant lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets” (Zechariah 7:11-12).

But God has the same kind of freedom that He has given man. Here is His response: “As I called and they would not hear, so they called and I would not hear” (Zechariah 7:13). This is a dreadful statement. He had also said, “I will not listen” 200 years earlier and 100 years earlier in Isaiah 1:15 and Jeremiah 11:11.

There is something that God will listen to, though. He will listen to a prayer of repentance. But repentance is more than the words, “I’m sorry.” Repentance is a change of heart, mind, and action. Look at the conditions for repentance in Isaiah 1:16-18:

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they will be as wool.”


This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us. We would love to have you reading with us.How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Our Weapon: The Grace of God

Our first weapon in the spiritual war is the gospel. What moved God to offer the gospel to us? The answer is the grace of God, which we in turn wield as weapons in this warfare.

“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:16–17).

“So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Rom. 11:5–6).

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col. 4:6).

“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Rom. 5:20).

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Grace is a gift from God that provides what man cannot provide for himself—righteousness, forgiveness, and power. God is not stingy with His grace. He gives it in great quantities.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph. 1:7–8a).

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:4–9).

The apostle Paul received grace from God in order to preach the grace of God. We also need grace in order to preach grace.

“Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake” (Rom. 1:5).

“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:3–5).

*Excerpted from Principles of War. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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

Our Weapon: The Gospel

 

In order to understand the weapons of our spiritual warfare, we must begin with the gospel.

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, that He appeared to Peter, then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born” (1 Cor. 15:1–8).

“Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high’” (Lk. 24:45–49).

“‘Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him… Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did His body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day” (Acts 2:22–24, 29–41).

“‘You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. We are witnesses of everything He did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed Him by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.’ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message” (Acts 10:36–44).

These Scripture selections were chosen to highlight the truth which forms the essential part of the gospel. This minimum of truth that we must maintain and proclaim is the deity of Jesus Christ, His death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection. Whenever the gospel is preached, this should be in the message.

Man’s proper response to this gospel is to repent and believe. The result is forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.

*Excerpted from Principles of War. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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

Filled with Praise: Psalm 71

 

"My mouth is filled with praise, declaring your splendor all day long" (Psalm 71:8).

Nearly all churches sing hymns of praise at their worship services, but Christians are not in the habit of singing praise all day long.

I remember clearly the text that was preached the Saturday night in October 1947 when I received Christ. It was Psalm 40:2: "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."

This was the result of my cry to God that night: "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD" (Psalm 40:3).

Truly He put a new song into my mouth. Because of His song, many have put their trust in the Lord.

"I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly" (Psalm 40:10).

If you have a new song in your mouth, make a habit of singing hymns daily. Here are two great hymns of praise:

All Hail the Power

 

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!

Let angels prostrate fall,

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all,

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all.

 

Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race,

Ye ransomed from the fall,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all.

 

Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe,

On this terrestrial ball,

To Him all majesty ascribe,

And crown Him Lord of all,

To Him all majesty ascribe,

And crown Him Lord of all.

 

O that with yonder sacred throng

We at His feet may fall!

We’ll join the everlasting song,

And crown Him Lord of all,

We’ll join the everlasting song,

And crown Him Lord of all.

 

I Will Praise Him

 

When I saw the cleansing fountain,

Open wide for all my sin,

I obeyed the Spirit’s wooing

When He said, “Wilt thou be clean?”

 

Though the way seems straight and narrow,

All I claimed was swept away;

My ambitions, plans and wishes

At my feet in ashes lay.

 

Then God’s fire upon the altar

Of my heart was set aflame;

I shall never cease to praise Him¾

Glory, glory to His name!

 

Blessed be the name of Jesus!

I’m so glad He took me in;

He’s forgiven my transgressions,

He has cleansed my heart from sin.

 

Glory, glory to the Father!

Glory, glory to the Son!

Glory, glory to the Spirit!

Glory to the Three in One!

 

(Chorus)

I will praise Him! I will praise Him!

Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;

Give Him glory, all ye people,

For His blood can wash away each stain.

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

Edward Perronet. “All Hail the Power” (No. 42) in Great Hymns of the Faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration Music, 1983.

Margaret J. Harris. “I Will Praise Him” (No. 464) in Great Hymns of the Faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration Music, 1983.

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

The Weapons of Our Warfare

If this is a war, then there must be weapons. What are those weapons?

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3–5).

The world wages war with weapons that kill and destroy, whether they be clubs, arrows, swords, rifles, bombs, missiles, starvation, or chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. The history of warfare is filled with pillaging, looting, rape, torture, murder, and prostitution. Secular warfare is motivated by envy, covetousness, pride, glory, fear, vengeance, patriotism, anger, hatred, and defense of home. There are legitimate reasons for war (there was, after all, war in heaven), but most of the warfare in this world is simply carnal.

But the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. These are our weapons: the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1–5), the grace of God, the mercy of God, the blood of Christ (Rev. 12:11), the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12), the Holy Spirit (in divine power, 2 Peter 1:3; in conviction, John 16:7–11; in prayer, Ephesians 6:18; in preaching, Acts 8:4), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23), humility (Eph. 4:2), the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17), terror (Lk. 21:26–27), and our testimony (Rev. 12:11). I will discuss each of these in a separate post in the upcoming weeks (alternating with posts on other subjects).

Our weapons are not carnal weapons. Our motives for taking up these weapons should be love for God and love for man (our neighbors, brothers, and enemies).

*Excerpted from Principles of War. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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

Where Morning Dawns and Evening Fades

This morning my attention has been drawn to every phrase of the 65th Psalm. Here are a few of those phrases:

Verse 3: “When we were overwhelmed by sins you atoned for our transgressions.”

Verse 8: “Where morning dawns and evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.”

Verses 9-13: “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.”


This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us. We would love to have you reading with us.How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships