Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 94
August 15, 2017
Key Connections (August 16, 2017)
First, there’s a dreadful tendency for both “stayers” and “goers” (at least the young ones) to question motives of the other “side.” Second, missionary zeal and love for the local church should not be competing affections in our heart. If one seems to win out over the other, there is a problem, since the church is the body to whom our Lord has given the work of missions.
Preach the Gospel, and Since It’s Necessary, Use Words (Ed Stetzer, EdStetzer.com)
The gospel is not habit, but history. The gospel is the declaration of something that actually happened. And since the gospel is the saving work of Jesus, it isn’t something we can do, but it is something we must announce. We do live out its implications, but if we are to make the gospel known, we will do so through words.
3 Things to Pray to Deepen Your Understanding of the Gospel (Kevin Halloran, Anchored in Christ)
It’s important that we take note of the Spirit-inspired prayers of the Scriptures so our prayers can be shaped by Scripture and God’s priorities, not our own.
The Great Wall of Cotton (Greg Morse, Desiring God)
Yawning hearts that adore the pleasure of “ten more minutes” take our souls hostage behind linen sheets. Our blankets stand as prison bars preventing us from the Comforter of our souls. Each morning, life, gladness, and increased holiness pass us by as we stay imprisoned behind the Great Wall of Cotton.
Three Searching Questions to Ask Yourself About Social Media (Meghan Feir, Unlocking the Bible)
From political arguments with family and friends, time-sucking Facebook snooping, unhealthy comparisons, and TMI moments, most of us have witnessed the ugly side of social media. But what are the driving forces behind what we share, write, and comment on, and why do we feel the urge to compulsively check social networks several times a day? Whether we post frequently or rarely, strategically or not, now is a good time to assess our motivations for making our mark online.
The post Key Connections (August 16, 2017) appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 14, 2017
The Two Types of Rest You Need
She balanced spinning plates on the sticks in her hands, on her forehead, and in her mouth. The petite Chinese performer twisted her body like a rubber band, magically keeping everything in place. We watched with anticipation as the plates whirled—if one of them slowed down, even for an instant, it would come crashing to the ground and ruin her performance.
In more than one season of life, I’ve felt like this acrobat, balancing spinning plates on the ends of sticks. Make one more phone call, complete one more project, cross one more item off the list. If any one thing is ignored, everything might come crashing down and ruin my performance.
Are You Physically Tired?
When I ask young people, “How are you?” the most frequent answer I hear is, “Tired.” When I ask adults the same question, they respond, “Busy.” Both point to a lack of rest.
According to a national study, an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans report ongoing sleep problems: not enough sleep, sleep at the wrong time, or poor quality sleep. Sleep deficiency has been linked to heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression [1]. Sleepiness also leads to cloudy judgment and countless accidents, some of them tragic.
Jesus’ finished work not only gives us the gift of spiritual rest, but also the gift of endurance.
Click To Tweet
Our relationships also suffer without sleep. Too often I’ve snapped at my kids because I was tired. How many poor decisions could I have avoided if I’d just been more rested?
Maybe you try to rest, but a racing mind makes rest elusive. Or maybe the workload is exhausting and there’s no time for rest. The work may be ministry, home, or career-driven—all good work—yet rest is necessary for us all.
God gives us the example of physical rest when he rested from creation (Genesis 2:1-3). Jesus, too, slept when he was in need of physical rest (Matthew 8:24). So we would do well to follow God’s commandment to cease from our work and rest (Exodus 20:8-11), to alleviate the chronic weariness experienced by young and old alike.
Yet—
Are You Spiritually Tired?
I often wonder if my lack of physical rest is a symptom of a deeper problem: a lack of spiritual rest. For those who’ve not yet received the gift of salvation, the spiritual struggle to make ourselves right with God is exhausting and fruitless work. For believers who’ve trusted Christ with their salvation, spiritual pride may prompt us to work as though ministry depends on us rather than the Lord. We may forget that our growth in holiness is prompted and finished by his Spirit, not our mere moral efforts made through gritted teeth.
If the burden you’re carrying has worn you out, Jesus’ invitation is, “Come to me.” Just come. In him, you’ll find the ultimate rest your soul needs:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Salvation isn’t earned; it is received. Jesus paid our sin-debt in full when he died on the cross and resurrected to eternal life; therefore, we can quit trying to earn his approval or the approval of other people. Our souls can rest.
Run with Endurance
Does the need for rest mean we can quit the work ahead? Absolutely not. Jesus’ finished work on the cross not only gives us the gift of spiritual rest, but also the gift of endurance:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1, 3)
If you’ve never received Christ’s gift of salvation, you may be on life’s treadmill, working hard to please God and others. But working to earn God’s favor won’t bring rest; the heaviness of sin is too exhausting and impossible to overcome without Christ.
Believers may still fall into the trap of working to earn Jesus’ approval. If I make a mistake, I feel unworthy of his love. When I do well, I’m tempted to pat myself on the back and enjoy a moment of spiritual pride. But God’s Word teaches us that works never earn God’s approval. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone.
For all of us plate-spinners, his Sabbath rest is available. And because of this soul-rest, we find the endurance we need so we do not grow weary or fainthearted.
[1] http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/. This article is adapted from Enduring Faith: An 8-Week Devotional Study of the Book of Hebrews by Nivine Richie, published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, 2014. Used by permission.
RELATED POSTS:
Run Hard, Rest Well in the Gospel
A Prayer for a God-Honoring Work Life
Be Strengthened by Grace
The post The Two Types of Rest You Need appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 13, 2017
Three Searching Questions to Ask Yourself About Social Media
From political arguments with family and friends, time-sucking Facebook snooping, unhealthy comparisons, and TMI moments, most of us have witnessed the ugly side of social media. But what are the driving forces behind what we share, write, and comment on, and why do we feel the urge to compulsively check social networks several times a day? Whether we post frequently or rarely, strategically or not, now is a good time to assess our motivations for making our mark online.
Social media has become a modern-day idol for many, but the root of this addiction is nothing new. It’s an ancient sin delivered in a modern approach.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself About Social Media
Sin can be traced back to pride, and we know it’s rearing its ugly head when we’re thinking too highly or too lowly of others or ourselves. Unfortunately, social media is a great means of fueling the teeter-totter of self-worth. One moment, we’re overly confident, humble-bragging about ourselves, and the next, we’re beating ourselves up, feeling worthless.
Pride is a vicious cycle that never satisfies, and like all sin, it has the need to be fed regularly.
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:12-14)
So how can we discern our errors as we use social media? How can we use it so our words and thoughts are acceptable in God’s sight? Here are three searching questions we can ask ourselves about this modern medium:
1. Does my confidence depend on it?
At different points throughout the years, I’ve been drawn into the virtual world where it’s easy to create a persona of confidence. But it was all a charade. I didn’t actually like myself, but I temporarily received the attention and approval I felt was lacking.
This unhealthy approach to validation is all too common for people who fear never getting noticed or being forgotten among the “more valuable.” For the self-confident, it’s just as easy for the desire for praise to grow and consume at an alarming rate.
While it may seem normal for anyone to want approval, there’s a fine line between needing encouragement and desiring self-glorification. Whether we have too much confidence in ourselves or not enough, the problem remains: We’re not putting our full confidence in who God is, who he made us to be, and how he views us as his cherished children.
Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1)
The Bible calls us to be humble, give God the glory, and boast only in him. Sure, we can share thoughts, humor, experiences, and the like, but social media doesn’t give us a free pass to be self-glorifying.
In Philippians 4, Paul tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, which filters out many of the posts we see and create ourselves. Before posting, we should consider whether it will be encouraging to viewers and honoring to God, or if it’s feeding a desire for attention.
If it’s the latter, we should remind ourselves through God’s Word of the position we hold through Christ, one that should humble and astound us. We are sons and daughters of God and his servants, granting us both freedom and responsibility. So let’s take time to step away from the computer or phone and think before we seek attention.
2. Does it keep me from loving others?
I wish I could say I haven’t made snide remarks, wrong assumptions, and quick judgments about things people share, but I have. It’s ugly, it’s mean, and it’s sin. It’s something the Lord has been calling me out on over the years, and with his help, I’ve become slower to share unnecessary opinions with others offline about judgments I’ve made online.
The Bible talks a lot about the tongue and its power to curse or bless others. Proverbs 12:18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
The mind and heart transfer sin through our fingers as we type words of condescension, pretension, and disrespect. But as we’re told in Colossians 4, our conversations should always be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Kindness, respect, and wisdom should saturate every form of communication, especially because our words are a witness to unbelievers.
Lets put our full confidence in who God is and who he made us to be as his cherished children.
Click To Tweet
There are times when we should address concerns with the author of questionable posts in a gentle and loving way, but we should take a humble step back before we react in self-righteousness. Our sin has been graciously and miraculously washed clean by Jesus’ blood and righteousness, so let’s seek to show that same grace to others, listen before we respond, and love as Jesus loves through our patience.
What may seem witty or hilarious to us in the moment can cause permanent damage in the long-run. We may be able to delete some comments, but the memory of what we’ve said will remain. As David sang in Psalm 141, may we ask God to set a guard over our mouths and keep watch over the doors of our lips.
3. Am I holding myself accountable?
Social media is often a platform for pride, disappointment, jealousy, and anger. So we seek to act with self-control and hold ourselves accountable for what is said and done behind the false security of our screens.
Do our words, thoughts, and actions reflect God’s light and wholeness, and do they bring him honor?
Are we building others up or tearing them down?
Are we basing our worth on the opinions of man or God?
Will the things we’re tempted to brag about ultimately matter in the scheme of eternity?
Social Media in Perspective
We may feel alone, misunderstood, and trapped by our sin, but Jesus is the only way of escape and true freedom—from the opinions of others, ourselves, sin, and, ultimately, death. He purchased our freedom at the costliest price, his very life, and took on the unbearable, the unbelievable, and the impossible for us at the cross—
All so we might taste life without the shackles of sin, even within social media, and know eternity in his presence.
RELATED POSTS:
15 Questions to Help Christians Follow Jesus on Social Media
The Remedy for our Misplaced Identity
Five Resolutions Against Technological Distractions
The post Three Searching Questions to Ask Yourself About Social Media appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 10, 2017
Three Antidotes to Fear
“Fear is a liar,” my friend says to me with some regularity. And she’s right. Fear cleverly disguises itself as wisdom or maturity, even logic. Often as we try to problem solve through fear, we either convince ourselves that complete avoidance of the object of fear is achievable, or that we are doomed and powerless against it. Both tempt us to either covet God’s position as master and commander over our lives, or to doubt the very attributes that make him God.
Fear is as nasty as it is clever. It clings with surprising strength; pulling us down into sin, fooling us into thinking our God is nowhere to be found. This has been my experience more times than I’d like to admit. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, I’ve learned to ask the Lord to bring to my mind three things – his goodness, his bigness, and his beauty. They are the antidotes to fear.
God’s Goodness
Because we are finite, we tend to superimpose a finite nature onto our infinite God. We fear that, like us, his patience will wear thin and his mercy is exhaustible. We think his capacity for giving must be constrained by things like time and resources.
Thoughts like these take up more space in our hearts and minds than we know. Otherwise, why are we so quick to fear when trouble comes, and so slow to trust?
But the glorious truth is that our God is not like us in so many ways. Namely, his perfection makes his goodness limitless. When Scripture speaks of God’s goodness, over and over we see words like “abundant,” “good to all,” “endures forever,” “steadfast” (Psalm 31:19; 145:9; 107:1; Exodus 34:6). We can track God’s record of enduring goodness through Scripture as we see him care for a wayward people over centuries of rebellion, all culminating in the greatest gift of his goodness – Jesus Christ.
Fear will have no place in heaven, so we work to root out its stronghold in our earthly lives now.
Click To Tweet
So when fear comes, be humbled and comforted that God’s greatest goodness was granted to you when he gave life to your dead soul by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Read Romans 8 and be reminded of all you’ve been assured of in Christ. Remember that there’s no circumstance, no sin committed by or against you, that can separate you from God’s love. No matter the fear, whether a result of sin within your soul or in the world, God’s goodness remains.
God’s Bigness
“My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There’s nothing my God cannot do!” My preschoolers learn that song every year, and I’m always reminded afresh of the simple yet sound truth in its words. Our God is big. He cannot be contained. In fact, it is he who contains the world. He laid the foundations of the earth and set its measurements; he hems in the seas (Job 38:4-11).
Our God is both literally big, and figuratively in regard to his sovereignty – his command and control of all things. It is absolute. Yet, as with God’s goodness, we tend to place limits on how big his sovereign grasp is. We encounter big pain, big loss, big change, big temptation…and it feels too big for us. So we fear it must also be too big for our God. We forget that he’s already answered temptation with the cross, and that he is the wielder of pain and loss and change, which are tools in his almighty hand for our sanctification, his glory, and our ultimate good.
We know that none of God’s purposes can be thwarted (Job 42:2). Even things that seem to happen by chance are appointed through his inerrant will (Proverbs 16:33). Scripture brims with accounts of God’s bigness. He splits the seas in two. He levels cities with the sound of a trumpet. He defeats armies of 120,000 with 300 men. He feeds thousands with a couple loaves of bread and a few fish.
When we reorient our perspective with these truths, our fears fade. So we draw nearer to our big and mighty God when fearful, rather than push away in doubt.
God’s Beauty
I’ve started to fear the loss of things I find beautiful and sweet – people, relationships, memorable days. It can be difficult for me to enjoy good gifts for fear of losing them. But this pushes me to look deeper into the beauty of my God. I need to remember that every good and beautiful thing I encounter is only a shadow of the glory of its Creator.
When Moses asked the LORD to reveal his glory, God said he would allow Moses to see his goodness (Exodus 33:18-19). He protected Moses from the fullness of his glory by covering him with his hand (v. 22). Still, Moses’ face shone from merely standing in the presence of the LORD (Exodus 34:29-30).
Our God is beautiful in an awful, majestic, powerful way. He is beauty. Created things and precious moments are mere facets of that beauty.
It makes sense that we fear or dread the loss of beautiful things. Everything we know in this world is temporal, existing only for a time. But our God exists outside of time. His storehouse of goodness and beauty is inexhaustible, so we can be certain that we’ll continue to see the goodness of the Lord in this life—and that should give us courage in the face of fear (Psalm 27:13-14).
No More Fear
Even greater should be the knowledge that when our earthly lives end, we’ll be in the presence of the fullness of his glory. Our faces will shine like Moses’ did. Our bodies will be transformed. We’ll spend eternity in the city that has no need for the beauty of light as we know it because Christ, himself, will be its lamp (Revelation 21:23).
Fear will have no place in heaven, so we do the work of rooting out its stronghold in our earthly lives now. This doesn’t mean we throw caution to the wind and live fearlessly by the world’s definition; it means we fix our gaze, by faith, on what is unseen, rather than living by the sometimes-fearsome things we now see.
So we look to our God to be our courage – in all his goodness, bigness, and beauty – and find that he is the antidote to all our fear.
[Photo Credit: Lightstock]
The Beauty of the Cross
Bible Q&A: What Should I Do If I Am Doubting the Goodness of God?
How to Overcome Your Fears
The post Three Antidotes to Fear appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
Key Connections (August 10, 2017)
There are plenty of distractions and reasons why reading the Bible with my three young kids is hard. But I’m convinced that the best thing I can do for my children is expose them to the Word of God (and ask the Holy Spirit to change their lives). While I was convinced Bible reading would be beneficial for my children, I never imagined how God would also shape me through this. Here are three ways God is changing me.
The Case for Christianese (David Roark, The Village Church)
As the Church, we are called to walk and talk differently than the rest of the world because, well, we are different than the rest of the world. And maybe the term “Christianese” isn’t all that appealing, but the vast language that it represents is. Through it, we are set apart not for the sake of being set apart, but to be salt and light to this dark and dying world.
10 Verses for When You Can’t Sleep at Night (Courtney Joseph, Women Living Well)
Sometimes I fall asleep, but can’t stay asleep. I wake up and my mind starts working too soon and I want to desperately fall back asleep, but I just can’t. One thing that has worked – instead of counting sheep – is meditating on God’s Word and repeating certain verses over and over in my head to stop my mind from thinking too much.
Faithful with Little, Joyful in Much (Adam Cavalier, Desiring God)
Little areas of our life feel so minuscule and unimportant. It’s easy to dismiss these things as inconsequential, if not petty, in the grand scope of things. Undoubtedly, following God’s ways is certainly about obedience in bigger things, but it is also about choosing to submit to his will in the little details.
Three Ways Hospitality Pictures the Gospel (Angie Ryg, Unlocking the Bible)
True hospitality pictures the gospel as we open our home to others. For it was by the Master’s invitation – not by anything we did – that we were welcomed into his family and given a seat at his table. Biblical hospitality means I can extend my home, family, and gifts as an offering to the One who gave each of those gifts to me. I can look at time with others not as something I can gain from, but as a way to serve.
The post Key Connections (August 10, 2017) appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
“Readers and Writers” Episode 8 with Dave Radford
You enchant, defy, and resonate with the culture around you, and that’s a recipe that follows Jesus’ life and ministry. (Dave Radford)
http://unlockingthebible.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/DaveRadfordMixed.mp3
Unlocking the Bible continues to release weekly episodes of Readers and Writers with Colin Smith, a podcast recorded live at The Gospel Coalition’s 2017 National Conference.
Our next guest is singer/songwriter Dave Radford, who shares about his creative process, songwriting, and newest album from The Gray Havens, Ghost of a King.
Here’s a summary of the album’s content:
Their newest release, Ghost of a King, debuted at #3 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts, rewarding listeners with immersive soundscapes and lyrical imagination. From poetic – almost Shakespearean – imagery to grand epics fit for a darkened concert halls, to pop music infused with loops and infectious beats, the album possess a remarkable range. In the context of that refreshing variety, the album stays cohesive thanks to its exploration of the human condition of longing.
Listen to Pastor Colin’s interview with Dave! (You can also subscribe to the iTunes podcast.)
The post “Readers and Writers” Episode 8 with Dave Radford appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 8, 2017
Your Best Defense Against Sin
Video Notes:
Christian business person, what will keep you faithful, as you move from city to city, from hotel to hotel, anonymous and often lonely? Common sense? Will power? Enlightened self-interest? Your best defense against sin is to give your heart to the Lord.
Wounded Christian, what will keep you from sliding into bitterness, self-pity, and ultimately hardness of heart? What will keep you from that? Self-discipline? A sense of duty? Your best defense against these horrible, ugly sins is to give your heart to the Lord.
“My daughter, my son, give me your heart!” God is calling us to do something today that is going to make a difference to the trajectory of our lives this week. Giving your heart to the Lord is ultimately the only way to guard you from the reckless life that breaks the boundaries and leaves you with the miserable fruits of impurity and indulgence.
Giving your heart to the Lord is ultimately the only way to guard you from a shriveled life that lives within the boundaries, but leaves you miserable, because you only stayed there out of fear and caution. “My son, give me your heart!”
Where would your sinful heart lead you this week if you did not place it in the hands of Jesus Christ today? The only safe place for your heart is in the hands of the Savior. “My Son, my daughter, give me your heart.”
Taken from Pastor Colin’s sermon “The Heart Set Right.”
RELATED POSTS:
How to Avoid a Hardened Heart
Forsake Sin by Following the Good Shepherd
How to Mourn Over Your Sins
The post Your Best Defense Against Sin appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 7, 2017
How to Tell Your Friend the Hard Truth
One of my best friends is like a great French roast coffee: He’s super bold.
In love, he gives people the truth, confronts sin, and speaks the gospel with no reservations, even to people he’s just met. Like the Apostle Paul, he doesn’t shrink back from declaring anything that is profitable (Acts 20:17-21).
Then there’s me. I’m not exactly watered-down coffee, but I’m definitely a light roast.
Maybe my coffee is heavy on the creamer, but I find myself shrinking from saying hard truths because I want every conversation to be comfortable, non-threatening, and free from conflict and the possibility of disappointment.
My coffee smells of self-protection.
How do I break out of that? How do I stop shrinking back in fear and share the hard truth with someone I love?
1. Remember the gospel.
The gospel says those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit are hidden with Christ in God. Therefore, we confidently share the gospel and push back the darkness in ourselves, the world, and our friends. We do so in both demonstration and proclamation because we represent a King and kingdom far greater than anything we could ever comprehend.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)
Biblical counselor and author Paul David Tripp says,
Love doesn’t go passive and stay silent in the face of wrong. Love moves toward you because you are wrong and need to be rescued from you. In moving toward you, love is willing to make sacrifices and endure hardships so that you may be right again and be reconciled to God and others. God graces us with this kind of love so that we may be tools of this love in the lives of others.
Real Love didn’t shrink back. He moved forward all the way to death. Real love doesn’t shrink back. We follow Christ’s example and lay down our lives, comfort, and resources for others.
Are we speaking love-wrapped truth? Do we believe Solomon when he said, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5-6)?
Or as Oscar Wilde said, “True friends stab you in the front.”
2. Recognize the root of self-protection.
Self-protection is pride working in tandem with disbelief, fueled by a lie that says God is not as good as he promised and he won’t come through for us this time. When my light roast heart is brewed in this false belief, my obedience will be weak and my apprehension strong because I’m forgetting the gospel.
Hard words, if they be true, are better than soft words, if they be false. (Charles Spurgeon)
3. Remember your need for grace.
We are just as susceptible to whatever sin or struggle our friend is currently battling. Therefore any arrogance we may have must be swallowed up in the gospel.
So we intentionally clothe ourselves in humility, knowing the roles could be reversed at any moment. If not now, soon we will be the one who needs the hard truth. We’re just as desperate for grace and the sustaining power of the gospel.
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1, emphasis mine)
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him… (Luke 17:3, emphasis mine)
4. Find your security in Christ.
When my worth is based on what others think of me, I’m tempted to avoid speaking hard truths or rebuking in gentleness because my identity will be shaken if it’s not well received. But when our roots are anchored in the completed work of Christ, we will not be shaken or deterred by the hurricane-like winds of people’s opinions or the debilitating fear of rejection.
Because here’s the deal: Anxiety and fear lose their power in the shadow of God’s unshakable security.
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. (Psalm 16:8-9)
5. Love God’s glory more than anything else.
More than comfort, fear of rejection, the desire for approval, or the desire to be right or point out sin, we fear the Lord and desire him to be worshiped as he deserves. His fame, beauty, and love compel us to speak, rescue, and confront.
Perhaps we can make a slight addition to Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, [whether you speak or stay silent,] or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
6. Walk in the Spirit.
Whether we’re prone to self-protection or self-inflation, we are to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. In place of self-gratification, we are to be filled with selfless love, which cannot happen apart from the Spirit of Love, after whom we are to pattern our lives and speech.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
So how are we able to speak the hard, love-wrapped truth? We’re not motivated to speak by our desire to elevate ourselves or amplify our egos; we’re motivated by the rescuing love of God demonstrated in Christ.
Here’s to asking God to brew us a little stronger.
[Photo Credit: Lightstock]
RELATED POSTS:
When a Friend’s Joy Is Your Sorrow
The Truth Will Set You Free
12 Characteristics of Christian Friendship
The post How to Tell Your Friend the Hard Truth appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 6, 2017
What’s So Important About Studying the Bible?
Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
The Bible isn’t an easy book. It was written by God in an ancient time through people of different languages and cultures than our own, whose immediate audiences were different from us in many ways. It’s also a book written by God about God and the work he’s doing in the world.
A work by such a divine Author, on such an immense topic, should be difficult to fully comprehend. So we’ll need to study and wrestle with God’s words—but it’s worth it, and here are five reasons why:
1. Bible study illuminates our daily reading.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Bible study works together with our daily time in Scripture.
Daily Bible reading maintains our connection with God through his written Word. It reminds us of his character, promises, our dependence on him, and our future together. It familiarizes us with, and helps us grasp, the whole story of Scripture, and it keeps our souls energized.
But Bible study deepens and expands our understanding of specific Bible passages; it helps us sort through hard concepts and gives insight into the context of the Bible. Ideally, our times in deeper study will result in more fulfilling times of daily reading, as what we have gleaned through in-depth study informs our regular time in the Word.
2. Bible study protects us from twisting the truth.
Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:15b-16)
The Word of God is challenging, and because sin is a power at work against man, it’s inevitable that people will twist the words of God for their own purposes. This sort of manipulation will be confusing and distracting to those who do not regularly seek a fuller grasp of God’s Word through study.
The pursuit of Jesus is a lifelong pursuit, as should be our endeavors to grasp his Word.
Click To Tweet
Study of the Bible is important for the health of a believer. Someone who reads daily but never spends times in study is like a person who eats regular, nourishing meals but never bothers to discover why the meals are nourishing: You gain some benefit, but can’t appreciate the components of the meal, nor can you fully apply the concepts of nourishment to other facets of life.
For example, when reading through a verse or book of the Bible, we will get the benefit of its implications on our current experience, but we may miss the meaning of the context in which it was written. This expanded view of the insight of Scripture is only available through study.
3. Bible study amplifies our service.
[Apollos] had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:25-26)
Bible study expands our ability to minister God’s truth. The Bible, written by a living and active God, is a living and active book; anyone who claims to have mastered all its teachings is deluded.
Even those with a good grasp of Scripture, and who spread the gospel accurately and honestly, can enrich their testimony and comprehension through continued biblical study and instruction. The pursuit of Jesus is a lifelong pursuit, as should be our endeavors to grasp his Word.
4. Bible study opens our understanding.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
The Old Testament is rich with promises of Jesus and his work. The New Testament narrative stands on the testimony of the Old. A fuller study of both Testaments gives a greater knowledge of what Jesus fulfilled in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. It also gives hope and strength that Jesus will return to begin his eternal reign.
As the Holy Spirit does his work in us, we become more open to God’s wisdom. The men on the road to Emmaus were familiar with Scripture and had even known Jesus before his crucifixion. But it wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection and his opening the Scriptures to them that they gained a deeper comprehension of Jesus and his work.
There may be work the Spirit needs to do in us before parts of God’s Word open to us. A passage we’ve read multiple times, studied before, and thought we understood may suddenly take on new dimensions through the enlightening of the eyes of our hearts.
5. Bible study deepens our devotion to Christ.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11)
In some ways, Bible study is easier than daily reading. Since in-depth study occurs less often, it takes less self-discipline. Bible study also focuses on fewer verses or more refined topics, which may seem more palatable.
But Bible study has its challenges. The interaction with the text is more intense, making times of study seem more daunting than daily reading. Many people don’t feel qualified to delve into Scripture study, which seems like it should be reserved for pastors and theologians. But Bible study is for everyone; we just need a plan.
A simple way to get started on your own is to purchase a study Bible, which have sections before each book explaining the historical context, theme, author, audience, and other details. These Bibles also have commentary alongside the verses that note relations to other books of the Bible and explanations of confusing or difficult concepts.
However, one of the best ways to study the Bible is to sit under solid preaching and get involved in a group through your local church. Jesus meant for us to encourage each other in spiritual growth, and the study of his Word is one of the greatest ways we can grow to love him together.
[Photo Credit: Lightstock]
RELATED POSTS:
15 Questions to Apply Scripture to Your Life
Four Things That Happen When You Don’t Read Your Bible
Eight Recommended Bible Study Tools to Help You Learn and Grow
The post What’s So Important About Studying the Bible? appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
August 3, 2017
Are You Living the Dream?
Maybe you (or someone you know) is “livin’ the dream.” As the phrase has become more mainstream, I’ve quietly wondered, What on earth does it mean?
I may live a sheltered life in the suburbs of Chicago, but lately I’ve heard at least three versions of “livin’ the dream,” which tell us something important about the American Dream:
What the American Dream Says
1. The Optimist’s Dream
When the optimist says, “I’m livin’ the dream,” I think he means, “My wife/girlfriend thinks I’m a real catch, I’m dramatically under-qualified to be making this much money, and can you believe people like me this much? I’m living the American Dream!”
(If you identify with this, you’re probably under 30, you’ve been with your partner for less than three years, and you have really good friends!)
2. The Critic’s Dream
When the critic says, “I’m livin’ the dream,” it’s said with a twinge of sadness: “This is the life my parents wanted for me, and it’s what I always thought I wanted. I graduated from a great college. I have a great paying job and a great family. I don’t have anything to complain about…but honestly, my life isn’t that great. It feels like something is missing.”
(If you identify with this, you’re probably north of 40, and many of your friends and acquaintances wish they could trade places with you!)
3. The Cynic’s Dream
When the cynic, dripping with sarcasm and fueled by resentment, says, “I’m livin’ the dream,” he’s saying something like, “What dream? My dream is dead. It died with my difficult marriage, my ongoing stint as a single (or a single parent), my search for a job, my child’s death (or illness), my ______. Life isn’t fair.”
(If you identify with this, you might be in your 20’s or 70’s; you’ve seen some really dark times; things don’t seem to be getting any better; and it doesn’t feel like anyone, including you, would want the life you have.)
No Dream at All
Many of us have bought into the American Dream – in all its versions, with all its trappings – which is really no dream at all.
Think with me about 21st century life in the United States. Who dreams of living in a deeply-divided country? Who dreams of watching their parents (or kids, spouse, children, friends, or co-workers) die? Who dreams of cancer or hip-replacement surgery? Of school shootings, overdoses, or suicides? Of divorce and war? No one, that’s who.
Yet these are irreversibly woven into the fabric of our country and world. They’re stained, like blood, into the canvas of our lives. So what’s wrong with the world? With all the progress we’ve made, why do we still have such problems? And why do they plague the educated as well as the uneducated, the rich as well as the poor, the good as well as the bad?
The Bible says the answer is sin. Sin is the ultimate cause of problems in the world. It’s the ultimate cause of division and death, sickness and war. And it’s is the ultimate cause of the problems within each of us.
In a sinful world, there is no American Dream. It’s only a mirage. It’s something you chase after, like a rainbow, but you never find the pot of gold.
Dreaming of Another World
When I dream, I dream of another world.
The Bible says, “God has put eternity in our hearts.” If that’s true, then we’ll never be satisfied with this world. We can try, and succeed to a certain degree. But behind the pursuit, we have this sneaking suspicion that we’ll never actually get there.
One of my favorite writers, C. S. Lewis, says,
It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
Lewis is right. God offers us “a holiday at the sea,” one that never ends. We refuse him, and content ourselves with mass-producing mud pies, but God promises us something infinitely greater than the American Dream:
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)
What God promises is simple and wonderful: himself. To be in heaven is to be with God, who says he will “dwell with” or live with his people. And if God is with us in heaven, then that means no more tears, death, crying, or pain. So heaven must mean no more sin — no more sin in the world, and no more sin in us.
Eternity in Our Hearts
The American Dream likes to pretend there’s no sin. It calls out to you and me, “Just keep working! You’re almost there! Keep on keeping on!” But no matter how hard we work, it stands at a distance. It beckons us from beyond our reach. It mocks us and tells us to work harder. And it demands we sacrifice the ones we love in order to have it.
We must not pursue God like we pursue the American Dream — because faith is not simply a matter of working harder (or smarter). Seeking God is not achievement-based, but grace-based. Heaven is not a wage you earn for living a good life, but a gift you can receive because of the perfect life and death of Jesus.
To be in heaven is to be with God.
Click To Tweet
God doesn’t stand at a distance from us like the American Dream. No, he’s reaching out to each one of us in his Son, Jesus Christ. That’s why he sent Jesus into the world, and that’s what he was doing on the cross. He was reaching out to us, that we might lay down our sinful lives in order to receive his eternal one.
God has put eternity in our hearts, the dream of another world, so we can never be completely content with who we are in this broken world. But the American Dream? It’s like giving your son or daughter an ice cream cone at grandma’s funeral: Best case, it’s a distraction. Worst case, it’s a deception.
So don’t settle for “livin’ the dream.” Don’t settle for an ice cream cone at a funeral when God promises a holiday at the sea.
[Photo Credit: Lightstock]
RELATED POSTS:
Don’t Just Follow Your Dreams
Do You Have What It Takes To Live In This World
The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
The post Are You Living the Dream? appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
Colin S. Smith's Blog
- Colin S. Smith's profile
- 30 followers
