Influence the World!
Today is a full day, followed by a full week, Father. May I keep it all together in a way that would please You and impact others for Your Kingdom. Amen.
1 Corinthians 7:1-11 (<<click here to read the passage)
Today’s text is most definitely a thorny one! It deals with our sexual relationships. Already, some of you are probably squirming in your seats. Some talk about sex with great freedom and way too much detail for many around them. While to others, it is a taboo subject that is difficult even in private marital relationships.
Regardless of how we feel about it, we are all touched by it. Our world is replete with sex in all of its many forms, both pure and perverted. We live in a hyper-sex-driven world, and it is nigh impossible not to be impacted by it. TV, the internet, magazines, email, music, Facebook, movies, our attire – most things, if not everything, are laden with sex in all of its many facets! Innuendo and winks of suggestion are all around us.
How in the world can we avoid being impacted in a negative way? We can’t very well curl ourselves up into a ball and avoid it all and still have an impact for You, Lord Jesus, in the world we live in daily.
The battle and determined goal, then, is to be holy as You are holy. Being holy means to be set apart. Being “like You” means being “different from the world.” (biblehub.com) Your Word clearly calls us to sexual purity. I am called to love You with all of my heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love others as I love myself (Luke 10:27). To be very clear here, this is to be Your definition of love, not the world’s. So, if I am to fulfill the command to love, I will not do anything that would make me hurt someone else from a sexual perspective. Not taking physical action sexually is probably the easy part for most of us, but even thinking sexual thoughts is harmful outside the context of marital relationships. It is detrimental to us, and if it became known to our spouses or any other party to whom we are having sexual thoughts, it would be detrimental to them as well. Those kinds of thoughts and actions do not bring about love.
We must protect ourselves and, as we are well aware, this is impossible without the Holy Spirit in our lives. We need to get ourselves into the habit of praying without ceasing to seek the Lord’s protection in this area of our lives. It’s not that He won’t protect us if we neglect to pray, but a big part of it is by praying about it, it keeps our hearts and minds focused in the right direction – toward God and not the world.
Lord Jesus, help us set ourselves apart from the world’s ways. May we influence the world, and stand firm in not letting the world influence us!
Oct 30th, 2023, Mon, 12:55 pm
A Mirror of The Word
Book with Mirror by Sean Kernan
It has been a good day of worship and family fellowship, Father, now, may I be about the work at hand. Amen.
********
If we are honest with ourselves, there are a lot of things about our faith as believers that we struggle with. On that point, we haven’t been alone for a long, long time.
One person was able to write down his thoughts in what would become the familiar Gospel hymn I Know Whom I Have Believed. It was written by a gentleman named Daniel Whittle in 1883. He wrote five stanzas speaking of things he did not know, but the hymn’s refrain proclaims what he does know!
I discovered an article* that delved into what Whittle did to communicate this.
Each stanza discusses a faith issue with which Christians struggle. The first stanza addresses how we cannot understand God’s saving grace; the second stanza addresses how we cannot explain our faith in the Word; the third stanza addresses how we cannot comprehend the work of the Holy Spirit; …the fourth stanza references how we cannot know the end of our life; and the [fifth] stanza addresses how we cannot clearly perceive the future of our earthly lives. The refrain contrasts with these stanzas by beginning with the world, “But…” It reminds us that even if we cannot fully know the mysteries of our faith, we are fully known by God, and we do know by faith that God is true to his word.
I shared with one of my congregation last Sunday why hymns are so important in the life of followers of Christ. Hymns are not on equal ground as God’s Word, but they sure mirror His Word, proclaiming its innumerable truths in song. The refrain of this song comes word for word from 2 Timothy 1:12, part of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to his young protégé, Timothy.
… I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. v12b KJV
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while imprisoned, yet he feels empowered in his suffering because it mirrors the suffering of Jesus Christ. Paul uses his plight to encourage…Timothy to remain strong in his faith, no matter the difficulties he is facing. Paul would argue that even though he feels that he may not be able, he is made able through the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. Like in the first stanza, while we are unworthy, “Christ in love” has “redeemed me for his own.”
Today, find encouragement in the words of I Know Whom I Have Believed. May God’s work, reflected in the words of Daniel Whittle, bring you hope in all the trials of life!
Follow along with this very nice, simple arrangement played by Kaleb Brasee.
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
…Refrain
…But I know whom I have believed,
…And am persuaded that He is able
…To keep that which I’ve committed
…Unto Him against that day.
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.
…Refrain
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
…Refrain
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.
…Refrain
I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.
…Refrain
*This was posted in August 2019 on the Discipleship Ministries’ (an agency of the United Methodist Church) website under the History of Hymns section.
It was compiled by Logan Herod, a Master of Sacred Music student at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
Oct 29th, 2023, Sun, 6:47 pm
The Time for Harvesting Is Wrapping Up
Thank You, Father, for enabling me to accomplish so much today, both home and church responsibilities. It all adds up!
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Today, I was near a park that is a part of our school property and came upon a growth of wildflowers. And let me tell you, they were abuzz with life! Bumblebees, flies, and a few honeybees as well. The above picture is just a small slice of the action.
Time is short, and they are all doing what they can before the soon-approaching winter is upon us. (We’ve been in the 70s the last few days, but they are calling for highs in the 40s next week with lows below freezing! It is Ohio, after all!) These critters know that time is of the essence, and everything they can store away will put them (or their queens, at least) that much further ahead. They instinctively realize that the time for harvesting is wrapping up…and soon!
I haven’t spoken about it recently, but time is of the essence for us as well. It seems that the “end-times” mentality is also touching many followers of Christ. Jesus’ eminent return appears to be on the tip of every tongue. Be that the case or not, we really have no idea when that event will transpire. (Though many spend hours upon hours trying to figure it out – trying to put all the pieces together to find the answer.)
Jesus is recorded in Matthew 24:36 as saying,
“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” NLT
So, yes, time is of the essence, but it is not to have everything figured out…reread the above verse.
So, if that is the case, why do I hold that time is of the essence? From the day Jesus stepped back into the heavenly realms, we have been called to be about the harvest! Time is short! It is far too soon for many; the end will soon be upon them. I cannot count the number of people who, over the past couple of weeks, have crossed over into eternity. No more breaths to be taken upon God’s green earth. All decisions made on their part have been taken and cannot be altered. What is, is…
We must be about the harvest! People all around us are searching for answers in all kinds of places, and here we sit, knowing the Answer to…well, to everything! Peace, love, understanding, forgiveness, wholeness…whatever our questions may be, Jesus is the answer to them all!
Bees may work for the queen, but we, my friends, are working for the King! May we not waste time attempting to find answers to questions we are not supposed to know, but instead, may we diligently strive to provide answers to questions that are literally a matter of life or death! Lord help us!
Oct 26th, 2023, Thurs, 7:10 pm
Permissible, but Not Beneficial
What a day! It has been pretty much non-stop from start to finish, and my body is feeling every minute of it! Father, please enable my brain to focus on the word that needs to be spread. Amen.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (<<click here to read the passage)
One movie that I look back fondly upon is the 1971 movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. For whatever reason, I have never read the 1964 book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, upon which the movie is based, and I don’t care for the 2005 movie rendering by the same name. The story is of a poor child named Charlie Bucket who, upon finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, wins the chance to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory along with four other children from around the world.
During the tour, each child’s character flaws cause them to give in to temptation, resulting in their unusual elimination. Augustus Gloop, a gluttonous German boy, gets sucked up a pipe after falling into the chocolate river; American Violet Beauregarde, who chews gum constantly, swells up, becoming a giant blueberry; Veruca Salt, the spoiled daughter of a wealthy English father, falls down a garbage chute; and American Mike Teevee, who is obsessed with television, is shrunk to the size of a chocolate bar. The Oompa Loompas, Wonka’s small in stature workforce, sing a song of morality after each disposal.
Charlie is not innocent either but redeems himself after being disqualified by not seeking revenge against Wonka when he returns an Everlasting Gobstopper instead of giving it to one of Wonka’s (supposed) competitors.
When reading today’s passage from the Amplified Bible, verse 12 caught my attention.
Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].
The aforementioned fictional characters were solidly affixed to a variety of things. In and of themselves, there was nothing wrong with these “things” – food, material things, television…even gum. But their over-the-top fixation on those things led to their downfall.
Normal inclinations are fine, but overindulgence of almost anything can be detrimental. Sex, alcohol, gambling, eating, and sleeping…all can lead to debilitating and destructive problems when they enslave us. It goes from us controlling them to they very much so controlling us.
Giving ourselves – our bodies – over to God balances it all out. We can enjoy whatever the Lord gives us, but allowing Him to control our intake of them keeps Him in control and not them.
Verse 20 reads,
You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body. AMP
(Oh, and thank You, Father! The focus came!)
Oct 25th, 2023, Wed, 7:49 pm
Picking and Choosing
It has been another beautiful day of sun and the changing color of the leaves as Autumn is upon us! Thank You, Father, for the beauty from Your bounteous hand!
1 Corinthians 6:1-11 (<<click here to read the passage)
Something that is off about our practice of living out our Christianity is that we do a lot of picking and choosing when it comes to Scripture. Today’s passage is an excellent example.
When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers [God’s holy people]! v1 NLT
I’m sure there are Christians who practice this directive of the Apostle Paul, but I have no idea where they might be. In my 60+ years, I’ve not experienced or seen such a thing occur in the Church.
Paul follows up with,
I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? v5 NLT
Personally, I’ve come to hold that we don’t take people to court. I know that some things that happen in life demand justice, but why don’t we, those who claim Christ as our Savior, why don’t we have some means wholly honored by the Church, of deciding disputes amongst the Body of believers? Sure, it would be involved, and sure, all parties would have to agree regarding the decisions rendered, but as my Life Application Study Bible states,
As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ, so why should we turn to those who lack God’s wisdom?
But then Paul throws out an even heftier punch of shame!
Why, the very fact that you have lawsuits with one another is already a defeat. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, it is you who wrong and defraud, and you do this even to your brothers and sisters. v7-8 AMP
The mind of Christ should prevail in every one of us, but unfortunately, our humanity too often rears its ugly head, claiming the victory.
For a point of transparency, I know there are things I battle against regularly that I shouldn’t think, much less say. I lost count a long time ago of the number of times that the word “fool” comes to mind and tongue, especially while driving – the things people do!
Jesus said in Matthew 5:22,
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ [an Aramaic term of contempt – idiot] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. NIV
We may struggle. We may fall. But may we go beyond – far beyond – what our human nature yields so quickly to. We should always strive to abide by what God has set before us. Onward and upward, my friends!
Oct 24th, 2023, Tues, 12:50 pm