"Star of Love"

     How can we know that we have progressed from spiritual infancy into maturity?  In simple terms, love provides the primary answer.  Are we God and others-centered?  Or do the realities of our personal lives, needs, and desires constantly occupy our thoughts and attention?

    "Charity (love) seeketh not her own" (I Corinthians 13:4; 5).

    Of course, even the most mature Christian faces frequent temptation to self-centeredness.  While never inevitable, excusable, or necessary, they sometimes falter because believers will be susceptible to temptation throughout our earthly lifetime.  "If we  say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8).  The mature Christian nevertheless consistently and increasingly realizes that life constitutes not a black hole of self absorption, but rather a shining star of radiating light that illuminates, warms, and blesses others through the indwelling Spirit of the God who "is love" (I John 4:8).  Indeed, those who long walk with the Lord in sincerity and truth find their hearts turned inside out in the realization that blessedness sought for others fulfills the heart of those who, like the Lord Jesus, seek "not to be ministered unto, but to minister" (Matthew 20:28).

   The spiritual babe, regardless of how long he or she may have known the Lord, processes life in terms of the unholy trinity of "I, Me, and My."  Just as earthly babies respond to conditions, circumstances, and situations in self-centeredness, the spiritual infant smiles and laughs or mourns and moans in response to pleasing or disturbing realities.  He does not know God and Truth well enough in heart to overcome the challenges foisted by the world, the flesh, and the devil, challenges that tempt us to walk in the darkness of "I, Me, and My" rather than the light of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

    The book of Hebrews was written to spiritual babies who should have been mature adults (Hebrews 5:12).  Its primary message calls us to "look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross", and to "consider Him, who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself" (Hebrews 12:2-3).  Such a gaze consistently directed Christward changes our hearts, minds, hands, and feet, delivering us from existing as a black hole to vibrantly shining as a bright and glorious star of love.  This is God's purpose for each of us, that we grow, develop, and mature in the unselfish character of Christ revealed to us, in us, and ultimately through us for the glory of God.

"Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor."

(Ephesians 5:2)

Weekly Memory Verse

   I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.  So shall I be saved from my enemies.

(II Samuel 22:4)

"Realized Reality"

    When considering the subject of fear in Biblical terms, we begin by transitioning our thinking from the emotional and the physical to the realm of knowledge and understanding.  Who is God, who are we in relationship to Him, and what does He promise to be and do for us?  Overcoming fear first requires our answering these questions in a depth that enables us to respond to fearful temptations in the realized presence and power of Christ.  

    "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings.  His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  His heart is established, he shall not be afraid" (Psalm 112:7-8).

    Of course, we do not discount or ignore the emotional and physical realities of fear.  Our Lord made us to react to challenges and dangers.   Feelings and physical sensations play a role in protecting us from unnecessary harm.  We wouldn't want to lose these necessary capacities to respond, nor does overcoming fear in terms of Scripture mean that we must do so.  However, the recognition of danger, along with accompanying feelings and sensations of concern, is meant to be productive and beneficial to us, as opposed to torturing us within or leading to unwise and harmful actions.  Consider this account from the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me. And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done" (Matthew 26:36-42).

    In Luke's account of Gethsemane, he adds that the Savior's sweat was mixed with blood (Luke 22:44).  Physiologists tell us that such a condition only happens when a person is under the most extreme emotional and physical distress imaginable.  Thus, our Savior Himself was not beyond the possibility of troubled concern that threatened to overwhelm Him in the hour of His greatest challenge.  Thankfully, the Lord Jesus overcame the temptation through the power of the Holy Spirit, and by the knowledge He possessed of His Father's presence, truth and will.  We see this preparation for the stresses of temptation in the garden by numerous statements He made during His lifetime and ministry.

   "The living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father" (John 6:57).

   "There came a voice from Heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son" (Mark 1:11).

   "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30).

    "He that sent Me is with Me.  The Father hath not left Me alone" (John 8:29).

    "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand" (John 3:35).

    The Lord's convictions concerning His Father's presence and care played a major role in His overcoming the challenge of Gethsemane.  In similar manner, our growing knowledge and understanding of Scripture prepares and strengthens us to realize reality in times of temptation to fear.  "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17).  Problems with fear are actions problems with Truth.  Whatever my particular emotional constitution and tendencies to react, do I adequately understand that concern actually offers opportunity to act in a positive, proactive manner?   This may simply involve the removal of our hand from the hot stove as pain makes us aware of harm at hand.  Or it may lead us to act inwardly in times when no outward action presents itself - "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee" (Psalm 56:3).  In both cases, the issue involves Truth and our proper reaction to realized reality.

    Challenges regarding fear offer blessed opportunities to remember and relate to our Lord in the light of His promises.  Thus, we thank Him for making us with the capacity for concern and its protective nature.  We determine to respond to feelings of fear by walking in Truth, that is, by either confronting manageable matters that lie just before us, or by looking to our Father in the light of His promised presence, care, and working on our behalf.  We choose to realize reality in the light of God and His Truth - "I will trust in Thee."   For the trusting son or daughter of God in Christ, threats and feelings of trepidation provide opportunity to do that which by definition believers do - to believe.

"Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."

(Isaiah 2:5)

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him will I trust."

(Psalm 91:2)

Weekly Memory Verse

   I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.  So shall I be saved from my enemies.

(II Samuel 22:4)

“Straight Ahead”

     "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).

     "Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven?  This same Jesus, which is taken from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven" (Acts 1:11).

    While we set our affections on things above, God intends born again believers to direct our gaze straight ahead in order to deal with the present realities of our lives.  The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ leads Christians to impact this present world before it escorts us to our future Heavenly home.  We might say that Heaven comes to us before we go to it.  "I will come to you" promised the Lord Jesus to His disciples, referencing the advent of the indwelling Holy Spirit given to all who trust in Christ (John 14:18).   

   Such Presence empowers a life of fulfilling personal responsibility as our Lord enables us to live our present lives in "the powers of the world to come" (Hebrews 6:5).  We can live no more practical life than the Christian life.  In fact, any other life cannot be viewed as truly reasonable or utilitarian.  God made human beings to "walk in the light of the Lord" (Isaiah 2:5).  Only believers see life and the world as it really is.  Thus, only believers deal with life in accordance with reality.  Through Christ, our Heavenly Father grants the grace to deal with the matter right in front of us.  However, Like sheep, distraction easily leads us away from our Shepherd's pointed and present command: "This is the way.  Walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21).  We must therefore determine that "affection on things above" will lead us to look straight ahead at life as it is, rather than than stand with starry spiritual eyes, "gazing up into Heaven."

    The present will of God may involve that which seems very ordinary, mundane, and earthly.  Recall that the Lord Jesus lived more than 90% of His life not as a preacher, teacher, and miracle worker, but as a seemingly ordinary man and carpenter.  He did so in perfect faithfulness, thus preparing Him for the three years of obvious ministry that led to the cross, the resurrection,  the ascension, and eternal glory.  In similar manner, most of our Christian life will involve faith and faithfulness in the countless small matters of the day that actually loom very large in their significance and effect for the glory of God.  We live with our hearts in Heaven, but with our feet planted firmly on the ground of earth.  Thereby we honor our Lord and thereby we display His presence in our hearts by looking straight ahead and dealing with the matter at hand through the presence, wisdom, and enabling of Christ.

"His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.  Thou hast been faithful over a few things.  I will make thee ruler over many things.  Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

(Matthew 25:21)

Weekly Memory Verse

    All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.

(John 1:3)