Volume 8 Post/Email 3 – Divine Purpose
by brian
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I, send me!" (Isaiah 6:5-8)
Is this not a picture of grace? As Isaiah experiences God's holiness or otherness, he feels his personal unworthiness. Yet God, through one of his angels, provides atonement for his sin and removes the guilt!
Furthermore, the LORD's voice speaks in Isaiah's presence, questioning whom he shall send, providing Isaiah with the opportunity to go.
In this story we are reminded of the dual nature of God's calling for Christians. The divine purpose for us is two-fold. We are called to love God and love others. We are called to communion first - being together and seeing together with God. We are called to commission second - serving together and sacrificing together with God.
2 Timothy 2:21 reads, "If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."
Each day is an opportunity to be holy and useful to God. Because of his grace, we can be vessels or instruments for noble purposes. We can be ministers or servants who focus on doing good works.
We are all unclean and unworthy without the mercy of Christ. Through his mercy we are justified and set apart for divine purpose or holy living.
Everyday let God use you as a Christian neighbor, parent, spouse, friend and member in the Lord's church. Remember: Each day God has a divine purpose for your life! "Here am I LORD, use me!"
-Brian
Volume 8 Post/Email 1 – Clean or Unclean?
by brian
This is the title of my Easter lesson this year and my text is Matthew chapters 8 and 9. The book of Matthew is the most Jewish of the four gospels. Much of the book is about this title. In Matthew 15 there is a lengthy discourse about "Clean" versus "Unclean." However, the theme begins directly after the Sermon on the Mountainside (chs. 5-7). Several stories in the narrative of chapters 8 and 9 are about the harshly divided categories of clean and unclean (at least 4 in ch. 8 and another 4 in ch. 9 totaling 8). I will only reference 3 on elguy for painting the picture and providing some application.
In 8:1-4, Jesus allows a leper to approach him and Jesus even touches him. No doubt an orthodox Jew would have stayed away because of seeing him as being unclean.
In 8:5-13, Jesus cares for and heals a centurion's servant. Again, to an orthodox Jew, this Roman soldier would be considered unclean and unworthy of association as a Gentile. The most shocking statement is when Jesus claims that he has not found such great faith in all of Israel!
At the end of chapter 8, Jesus approaches two demon-possessed men living among the dead(!) as unclean men and drives out the evil spirits. The irony is that Jesus winds up trading positions and treated as one unclean because the entire town pleads with him to leave their region. One would think they would request Jesus to help heal uncles, cousins, and such from their demons. It seems they value possessions over people since so many swine rushed down the steep bank and died in the water.
So, what do we do with this? How do these stories challenge our orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right behavior)?
The traditional church mindset is to have someone agree with what we believe and do and then we accept them into our fellowship. Basically, acceptance can only happen when repentance happens first.
However, Jesus operated in a completely different scope. Acceptance came first. Repentance might follow, but not every person who came into contact with Jesus changed their life. Nevertheless, that didn't seem to change His acceptance of them.
Who are we seeing and treating as unclean? Who are we cold and exclusive toward?
After we identify these, are we willing to stop doing so and instead be Jesus to them?
Are we willing to evangelize to the stigmatized and marginalized?
Here's the kicker: we are ALL unclean! What did Jesus do? He became unclean on the cross so that we might be declared clean!
In each of the 8 stories in these 2 chapters, the faith of the individual(s) is highlighted. Each is "clean" and accepted in God's kingdom and family because of their faith!
Acts 15:8-9 reads, "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us (Hebrews) and them (Gentiles), for he purified their hearts by faith." We are not cleansed by our works, but by faith in Christ!
And finally, Acts 10:28 records Peter's statement about his vision and revelation - "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean."
-Brian
Volume 6 Post/Email 2 – Spiritual Healing
by brian
What I feel moved to mention today pertaining to a brief message of hope and application for elguy is on spiritual healing. Ultimately, this is what the church and Jesus is about. We all need the healing touch of Christ at our core. The spiritual darkness and inward struggle with sin we experience can always be healed by the Light! This week can be transformational if we will walk in the light (John 8:12 ; 1 John 1:7).
Wherever you are at on the path of spiritual recovery, accept my encouragement to pray privately and fervently this week about your life and sanctification. Be open while speaking (and listening) in your prayer closet to whatever change/repentance is needed and expected from Him.
When we seek, God responds. Whether through reading words in Scripture, words from a book or article based on Scripture, through prayer, people and conversations, etc. God is at work through the Holy Spirit opening eyes and restoring sight. When Jesus and the Comforter have our attention and cooperation they can do their work.
As we meditate upon our character, we should and must confess any identified struggles and sins. I John 1:9 promises that God will move to forgive AND CLEANSE US.
Will we join other saints across the globe this week in pursuing a closer walk with Christ?
-Brian
Volume 4 Post/Email 9 – Faith(#9)
by brian
In a discussion about Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ, Acts 15:9-11 reads, "He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
An amazing thing occurs when we choose to have faith in Christ - our heart is purified and our soul saved by the grace of Jesus.
Nothing else - including good works, spiritual acts or religious yokes - purifies our hearts and saves our soul.
If we attempt to quantify spirituality the way most do, the Pharisees win every time.
A good reflection question: Identify a few religious habits in your life that are currently losing (or have lost) their meaning and significance in helping you encounter/experience God and have a positive impact/impression upon your life. (After identifying any such religious habits, determine the reason(s) and solution(s). Understand, too, that this may not have happened suddenly, and therefore, it could take some time and thought to arrive at the reason(s) and solution(s).)
Faith in the atoning blood and grace of Christ is what saves us. There are many expressions of faith and options for deepening our faith and walk with God as a result of our standing with God in Christ.
The goal of the Christian should be "Christ formed in you" (Galatians 4:19). Religion and religious activity can help and hinder this pursuit. Sometimes we perceive ours and others spiritual walk and quantify such in ways that are putting on the necks of disciples of Jesus a yoke that is unnecessary.
May we all be men and women of faith who seek to honor Christ daily and grow spiritually through the many venues available and promoted in Scripture, but not in "yokeful contexts" placed on ourselves or others.
A second reflection question: What can/will I intentionally do this week to freely and sincerely worship God?
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 8 – Colossians 4:2
by brian
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
When my spiritual life is unfocused, I suffer. A lack of devotion to speaking with God is costly.
1. I am not prepared to deal with Satan and temptation when I am not devoted to prayer.
2. My attitude drifts from being grateful and positive when I am not devoted to prayer.
3. The Great Commission of Jesus Christ is less of a priority when I am not devoted to prayer.
Colossians 4:3 reads, "And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."
Colossians 4:5 reads, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
Am I watchful and thankful?
Without being devoted to prayer, being thankful is difficult, and being watchful even harder.
However, when my spiritual life is focused, God grants me wisdom and strength for any temptation.
When my spiritual life is focused, God cleanses my heart from ungrateful, unloving, and negative attitudes.
When my spiritual life is focused, God's will for my influence on others is my will, and so I am watchful for people to pray for and to have beneficial spiritual conversations with.
Colossians 4:6 - "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
A good measure for assessing my spiritual conversations is whether they are grace-oriented. Paul teaches us to be "full of grace" when talking with others about God.
Obviously, being "devoted" (vs. 2) implies an ongoing, continual, everyday practice.
Everyday Let God Use You to pray for others, speak with others, and be a Christian example for others.
Let's be devoted to prayer, being watchful and thankful!
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 4 – Hebrews 7:25
by brian
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Isn't this a tremendous truth? Jesus is able to save "completely"!
You and I are 1000% saved by the interceding blood of Jesus Christ!
We do not earn even a fraction of a percent of our salvation!
Anything good or religious that we do is a result of the merciful work of God. We do not worship and serve to be saved, nor to remain saved. We are always completely redeemed by Jesus. We worship and serve out of love and joy because we are redeemed!
Another way we can think about and apply this verse is with regard to religious differences.
I have Christian brothers and sisters who I consider to be considerably more liberal than I am on some of their religious views. Likewise, I have Christian brothers and sisters who I consider to be considerably more conservative than I am on their religious views. Who is in right standing with God? Am I for my more conservative views than some, or for my more progressive views than others?
As we all seek truth, wisdom and growth in Christ, we are still always saved completely by Jesus! For all of our misunderstandings and misapplications along the way, trust in the grace of Jesus is what continues to cleanse me of my sins.
God loves us, even in our moments of misunderstanding, mediocrity, incompetency, and inconsistency!
Praise God! Jesus always lives to intercede for us!
-Brian