This is humility: The dignity of humanity loved by God, precious to Him. 1 Peter 1

As the entirety of the Trinity was involved in the creation (Gen 1:27) and our making and forming (Gen 2:7), so the entirety of God is intimately involved in our saving and our being created - in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10)

• Genesis 1:1 in the beginning, God

• Genesis 1:2 the Spirit hovered 

• Genesis 1:26 ”Let us make them in our…” 

• Genesis 3:8 “God walked in the cool of the day”

God has reached out with all His force, with the entirety of His Triune Self to save us and purchase us to Himself...

Eph 1:3-8, 11-14

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he b predestined us for adoption to sonship c through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

11In him we were also chosen, e having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

John 3:16 “God so loved… that He sent His Son” (John 1:1-4)

John 14 “I must go so that I and the Father can send the Spirit the Spirit will teach you everything”

1Peter 1:1-2 God’s expressing His entire divine Self in His saving and keeping. (Ephesians 1)

1Peter 1:1-2

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

To God’s elect ...exiles scattered throughout…, ...who have been…

...chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, (Rom 8:29; Eph 1:3-14; Heb 1:2)

• "to select, choose," also used as a substantive/noun) – properly, selected (chosen from, out of), especially as a deeply personal choice – literally "chosen, out of a personal preference (intention).”  Describes people who choose to follow the Lord, i.e. become God's choice by freely receiving faith from Him.

• With forethought (Eph “before the creation of the world”)

• ...through the sanctifying work of the Spirit - set apart, created, now, in Christ Jesus, for good works, beautiful works, works prepared in advance for our doing (Ez 11:19-20; 18:31; 36:26; 37:14; Jer 24:7; 32:39)

Everything we see here is a matter of God’s speaking and our hearing, our hearing and doing...

...to be obedient to Jesus Christ - our, the redeemed of God, loving Jesus in return for having been loved, trusting His commands as much as we trust Him… and 

• Submission and compliance to the One who saves, better stated - purchased: bought for His own at a price

• Submission to what is heard - obedience as the response to one speaking - hearing the Lord’s voice (John 11:43 “Lazarus come out!”; John 5:25; 10 “my sheep know my voice and they follow”, John 14:15,21-23; 15:10  “if you love me, heed or obey my commands - my speaking”)

...sprinkled with his blood

Cleansed from all unrighteousness, forgiven of our sin - not only set apart but made ready to do what we have been created to do - truly vessels of noble purposes; right, just, fair things, good things (Lev 16 - God’s declaring of the value of life and life-blood, the foreshadowing of Jesus giving Himself as an atonement for sin and the lives of mankind to show life’s and mankind’s value by offering His own life; Ps 51:7; Heb 9:13,24;10:22;11:28;12:24)

• Purification - cleansed from the guilt of their sins by the blood of Christ 

It is not only God who sees, speaks, and saves, but it is Him who exerts Himself in the saving, keeping, and completing or making perfect (Eph 1:14; Phil 1:6; 2:13) in accordance with His will - He is acting upon us, with us, for us, to His glory!

• “...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

• “...it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose”

We might ask ourselves the following questions:

• What is the goal of our faith?  

• What is God’s purpose in saving us in the world and keeping us here?

• What is our role here on Earth?

An overview - 2Peter 1

What is it to be Effective in our Relationship with God? 2Peter 1

John 21:15-23

I can imagine Peter, writing a letter, reflecting on all that he heard and seen and experienced with Jesus - how profoundly impacted He must have been, so indelibly marked - His mind, heart, soul, spirit - could never be the same.

Reflecting on his own calling, Peter would write encouragements and instructions to the rest of us who would see and hear, turn and follow, leaving behind, one ask at a time, the stuff our security, our identity, those things we have set our affections on, lived on, lived off, lived for…

Jesus’ question for Peter is the same question He asks us today “do you love me more than… these?”  more than this, and this, and this, and, what about that, or them, or these?

What Peter wants for us is what he experienced with Jesus - all of it.  And through the years, I am sure, as Peter lived out the faith he’d received that first day, as he worked out his own salvation, he had a moment to stop and reflect, to consider what it has been to walk with Jesus and to do it effectively, and, ineffectively, to have growing assurance, and increased faith and hope.

So, he opens his letters with reminders; encouragements; exhortations.  In these brief statements, Peter reminds us who our Father is, who our Comforter is, who our Savior, and Lord, is.  Peter remembers what it was to hear Jesus’ voice, to watch Him sojourn in this world, praying, speaking, touching, embracing; rebuking, correcting, warning, and pleading. (Heb 5:7)

So Peter, in the introduction of His first letter, gives us a glimpse of what he ultimately wants for us - that we would know God and be effective in our knowledge of him - in our personal relationship with Him growing in hope and assurance, effectiveness in all things, Jesus.

1Peter 1:1-2

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

• To God’s elect,

•  ...exiles scattered throughout… 

• ...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, (Rom 8:29; Eph 1:3-14; Heb 1:2)

• ...through the sanctifying work of the Spirit - set apart, created, now, in Christ Jesus, for good works, beautiful works, works prepared in advance for our doing

• ...to be obedient to Jesus Christ - loving Jesus in return for having been loved, trusting His commands as much as we trust Him… and 

• ...sprinkled with his blood - cleansed from all unrighteousness, forgiven of our sin - not only set apart but made ready to do what we have been created to do - truly vessels of noble purposes; right, just, fair things, good things (Ps 51:7;Heb 9:13,24;10:22;11:28;12:24)

And as he encourages us to rejoice, to persevere through, even to cheerfully endure every trial and temptation… I am sure he pauses for a moment, pen in hand, a drop of ink forming on its end, and he goes back into the recesses of his mind, and when he arrives there, it was like yesterday, yesterday, and Peter is transported to the garden, the sleep, the ask - again and again.  He remembers being awaken from his sleep… the commotion, to betrayal, the sword, the rebuke… then on to the courtyard, the tension, to fear, and the denial, another one, and a third…  to the cocks crow.  And after days of grief and anxiety, wanting and wishing, begging forgiveness and hoping to be at least forgiven and loved - the restoration, his being restored.  

And with that, he writes some more!   1Peter 1:3-9

3Praise 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, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This was not the first, neither would be the last - temptation and trial, the test of faith… and each time, God is there.  And Peter wants us to know, to experience, to be assured - that we are loved and held and heirs with him with Jesus.

So, being reminded of these truths and having our faith, again and again, proven genuine - to us - it might behoove us, to profit us, to re-inform, protect, and enliven us, to dwell, again, on these truths - that we might be - effective in our knowledge, our relationship with, our hope in, Jesus.

Phill 2:1-5 with this in mind, let us live an effective life in Christ… 

if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

• If, If, If, If

• Then 

Being confident of this:

Phil 1:6 that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Phil 2:14 it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

And go on to Peter’s second introduction - one that reassures us of God’s faithfulness - and that we have been given everything we need to live this life in Christ in a way that bears, not just fruit, but much fruit.

This leads us to Peter’s second letter - which begins with Peter’s instructions to us to foster, cultivate, work on our relationship with God in a way that it, our being connected to God, would itself be effective, and that effectiveness might result in fruitfulness.

2Peter 1  so, what is it to be effective? 

• To be useful - to be about the master’s business (Matt 25; Luke 12) - in good works, stiving and taking hold, thought, and profit - to receive life and to bring life - to bring a return for the investment made - in you

• To be fruitful - that we would bear - much fruit (John 15; Gal 5:22-23); bring profit.  To give the Spirit permission to guide our thoughts and actions, to bring our faith to bear in and through us - and this according to God’s standard, not the world’s impression - yielding the ongoing, ever-increasing nature, character, and righteous goodness of Jesus (2Cor 5; Eph 2) the good works we were created in Jesus to do - the reflection, or fruit, of our creation - to marvel of all creation (Eph 2).

• To know - God - both about and personally by experience.

  • To walk with Him in trusting and loving obedience (Ps 119; John 14; Gal 5)

  • To keep one’s eyes fixed upon Him (Col 3; Heb 12)

  • While setting apart in our hearts Jesus as Lord (1Peter 3:15) 

  • We will be effective, we will bear fruit, we will do the good prepared in advance for us to do - the very things we were created in Jesus to do

To know Jesus, to live as Jesus, having been chosen by the Father, set apart and empowered by the Spirit, to and for our obedience to Jesus - in response to His merciful, gracious and kind love - that we would effectively bear much fruit - regardless of our circumstances… 

Psalm 1 - 1Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night. 3That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 - “7“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.”

“Since you can’t do this very little thing..."

“Since you can’t do this very little thing… add an hour to your life, why…” 

Last week we looked at 2 passages about life - Matt 8:1-4; Luke 12:25-26

• Matt 8:2-3 “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”

• Luke 12:25-26 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life b ? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

1. What is your life?  Life is more than… why you cannot even a single hour to your life - and if you can’t do this very little thing...

2. Jesus reached out and touched the man “I am willing”... are we in a position and posture to touch - to see, to discern, to know, to touch - and to discern what that “touch” should or shouldn’t be 

 The question is, am I in a position to

• Receive a touch from God -

• Extend a touch to another - 

• Posture ourselves in a way that if the opportunity presents itself - 

  • See and discern

  • Know and to touch

  • If the touch is to be extended, what should that touch be, and how should it be - what manner of touch

To do this I must be aligned, attuned, illumined, illuminated…  if I am to be effective, as a light and in and with my life.

So we add to this… God’s desire for us - that our understanding of this “life” and it’s touch is the expression of the light we are and have been created to be - that others would see our lives illuminated and that shining sheds light on God… 

1. “you are the light of the world…” Matt 5:14-15 (2Cor 4:4,6)

2. “...shine like stars in the universe…” Phil 2:15

If we cannot do that “very little thing”, let us then be sure to take advantage of the time we do have to live, to live the life God has in us and us in it.  

If we cannot add an hour to our life, let us then be present in the hour we do have.  And, not being able to add one hour to our life, maybe we ought to be striving to add life to the hour we do have.  

To live in this hour, to live life in this hour is being the light we have been made to be - shedding light.  

You are the light of the world!  No one lights a candle and puts it under a bed, but instead, they put it on a lampstand so that everyone in the room can see”  Matthew 5:14-15

To be more effective in life and as light

It is our choice: It would seem that we get to choose the degree of our life’s light’s glow, its shining, and luminescence; its radiance, its gleam, and brilliance.  And with this choice in our hands, we choose how we display our light’s life’s joy, vibrancy, effervescence - will it be on display for all to see, or will it be hidden under the bowl of our choosing. 

It is our choice to live this life in this hour, to shine our light in this hour. Living an effective life by being an effective light that shines like a star against the contrasting blackness around it… a light lit and placed on a lampstand for all to see.

What can we do to make the most of this hour?  The present?  In each and every opportunity?  What can we do to ensure our light is shining brightly, effectively, for all to see?  How can we be more effective?

Nothing new, but, new every day.  Phil 2:12-15

12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” c Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life.

Practice love - make a morally preferred choice to obey God’s word - His loving and wise, life-giving, commands and instruction - John 14:15,21,23

• If you love me, keep my commands.

• Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."

• If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Make every effort to “work out your salvation…” 

• Not work for or work to keep, but to work out - work down to its end-point, its exact definite conclusion, until it is fully expressed and realized in you.

  • Salvation is of God 

  • It is God who works in us the desire to be saved and work with Him in its being effectiveness

  • Even that continuation of the process is dependent on God and His empowering

• Once taken hold of by God, our working out is out cooperating with God’s doing to enable the truth of our salvation to affect my life, effectively, to make it effective

Lean into God by leaning away from your sense of adequacy “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”

• It is God’s work - His energy, His action, His effect, that is always effective, it never goes halfway - in so, it must be fully effective. 

• We must humbly recognize this and join Him in the work He is already doing

So, when we strive to be effective in our relationship with God, it is cooperating with His effectiveness for salvation in us

Cooperate with God as He empowers and enables “...for it is God who works in you to desire His will and act according to the pleasure of His good purposes and will”

Let go of your opinions about what is going on around you “Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you might become blameless and pure, children of God in a warped and crooked generation”

It is not that we can’t have an opinion, it is that we must submit our opinion to God as a petition of concern.

It is not that God does not want to hear our opinion, it is that He desires that we let go of our opinion.

It is not that God does not care about what we care about, it is that He wants us to see it through His lens

It is not that God our care and concerns don’t matter Him, but that we trust Him at His word - that He will work this out for His glory and our good

It is not that our prayers do not matter or have no effect (James 5:16)

• We must be careful here - as it is the attitude of the heart and the perspective of our mind that is at question.  That in seeing our circumstances with anger and doubt of God’s good intentions, we are calling into question God and His intentions - those plans to prosper us - with this attitude, we are on the precipice of rebellion - we think against the thing that concerns us, but in fact, it is against God. 

  • The language here is the same language used of the israelite’s complaining, murmuring, arguing, and rebelling against Moses - and it wasn’t Moses, but God and God’s intentions.  Ps 78; 95; Rev 2:5

    • Numbers 14:2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!

    • Numbers 14:11 And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them?

    • Hebrews 3:7-19 entering God’s rest - grace - peace

  • If this attitude is allowed to remain, it harms others and keeps them prisoner to their own biases and inward thoughts

    • “reasoning that is self-based and therefore confused – especially as it contributes to reinforcing others in discussion to remain in their initial prejudice. Judges with evil or perilous thoughts”

• There are things to be legitimately concerned about, grieved over, even angry with - and those things should matter to us.  In this context, it is a matter of how we let those concerns take hold of us, what they do in us and to us, and whether it interferes with our primary mission - which is not necessarily changing this world, but, by being rightly aligned with God and ready to be a light, the gospel, we administer that good news of hope in the sphere of influence He has given each of us. 
  

But the effect is according to righteousness and accomplishing His will 

• His

• Ours

• Our life’s effect in this world (Jesus, our righteousness, lived out in life)

• To accomplish His will according to His wise purposes

• Our coming to trust Him - once we have… 

  • ...cried out and called out 

  • ...been wrestled down from the high horse of our questioning, thinking, knowing, arguing, and, in essence, whether by attitude, word, or deed, or deed not done, telling God what we would do…

  • ...been laid waste, exhausted of our… 

    • Or emptied, contrite (deflated like a balloon - Ps 51)

 “A prayer - earnest and fervent - of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.” James 5:16

But then He desires that once we have exhausted our heart’s concerns, we would come…  1Tim 2:1,8

We can now hear God as He invites us to come to Him… 

• To petition Him...

  • Cast our concerns at or on Him, knowing, being reassured, that He does care for you

  • Reason with Him

• To pray

  • To exchange wishes with Him

  • Taste and see that He is good, truly good

  • To come to surrender to His will - seen and unseen

And to now…

• To Intercede, to join Him in prayer (Jesus and the Holy Spirit) according to His will, His righteousness, not my opinions, desires, wants, or perceived needs, but surrendered and subjected, now gladly, to His sovereign will and purposes

Remembering who God is, remembering whose you are and that He is good and all things for the good, remain “blameless and pure, children of God 

Do not be deceived, fooled, duped, or taken in by “this crooked and perverse generation”

Having been cleansed of our angst and anger, fear and anxiety, insistence and obstinance… 

That now with Grateful hearts, having worked out our salvation with Him, being brought low by His glorious might, healed by His gracious faithfulness, and restored to a right view of His will and purposes, we would reflect meaningfully His love expressed by mercy and grace…

We will shine, like stars, against the contrast of the black depth of the universe - on the lampstand of our trusting obedience to God’s life-giving-sustaining word, reflecting a hope buoyed by God’s faithfulness

Prov 4:18 “But the path of the righteous, the just, is as the shining light that shines, like the dawn,  more and more until the perfect day, or the day of its perfection” or “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

As we hold out the gift of life - the gospel - not by merely saying or reciting its truth, but as one whose life itself beautifully shines with the gospel of grace and grace’s glory, its joy, and its enduring hope - not only of eternal life, but life now, with God in Christ.  A life in which each of its hours of life can vibrate with bubbling life and the weight of eternal impact - a life with...

• Purpose fulfilled

• Significance declared

• Worth expressed

• Value determined

• Price paid

• Belonging 

• Destiny sure

Whose are we?  Who are we?  What are we?  What is this life we have been left here to live?

Is God, God?  

Is God, sovereign, Ruler, and King?

Is God all-powerful?

Is God all-knowing?

Is God ever-present - in all time and space?

Is God all good and wise and loving?  

Are we not, His? Is He not, God?  Will He not accomplish His will?

Let us now offer, thanks.

What Are We To Do?

This world is not our home.  Do we believe that this is true?  Do we live with this in mind?  Do we pray as ones who belong to another?  Do we approach each day remembering that this place is a place of mission, ambassadorship, that we are stationed here with and for a purpose?

It is why the work of the kingdom is to believe in the One who was sent.

John 17:13-21  “they are no more of this world than I am of this world”

I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by d the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.  20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me

Jeremiah 29 - how we are to live as aliens and strangers?  (1Peter) what do we do? How can I be useful, effective, in the hands of my Father? (John 15; 2Tim 2; 2Pet 1)

4This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5“Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”  8For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them. 9For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.”b

Setting the stage - seeking God’s face. (Col 1; Heb 1&2)

10For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivityc and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

So what do we do?  How do we navigate this world effectively?  In seeking God’s face... 

We “work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” Phil 2:12-14

12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,

The “fear and trembling” has to do with the battle that rages on between our flesh and its desires and the Spirit in me calling me to righteousness, holiness, goodness, and effectiveness

Paul asks who will you entertain?  Who will you “indulge”?  How will you follow, keep in step with, align yourself with? (Gal 5)

The “fear and trembling” has to do with our propensity to rely on our flesh, to believe that we can do this in our own strength, or even to desire what our flesh desires - in some regards, our temptation to “return to Egypt” (Ex 16:3; Nu 11:5; 14:2; 16:13; 20:3-4; 21:5; Ps 78:40; 106:25; Heb 3:9-10,16; Jude 1:5), the pleasures and ease of sin (at least) for a season. (Heb 11:24-28)

• Those who put their trust in the flesh are cursed (Jer 17:5-6; Phil 3:4)

• Those who put their trust in God (Jer 17:7-8; Ps 1:3)

• Because the heart is deceitful above all things (Jer 17:9)

• Our Father searches our heart (Jer 17:10; Rom 8:27; Ps 44:21; 139:23; Pr 17:3)

We remember that it is God who is working...

13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

• Hebrews 13:21 20Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

We believe God for His promises and engage with His equipping…

How do we engage with this equipping: Believing this to be true, we meet with God in word and prayer - we work the process - he’s told you what to do

• Ex 14:15 “and the Lord said to Moses. “Why are you crying out to me?  ...move on.”

What can short-circuit this process?  Our attitude. Our unwillingness to let go of our opinions and insist that God listen, that He must be wrong or mistaken, and eventually working from angry with to embittered toward - our circumstances, those around us, God Himself. Stubbornly holding onto what we want and don’t want. 

So, what are we supposed to do when we don’t understand what’s happening?

14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” c Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life.

We hold our tongue and go to the one in charge (remembering, that that is not us, or, “me”)

“Do everything without complaining or arguing…” 

Let’s go back for a moment, we are to have “the same attitude of Jesus” (Isa 53:7; Acts 8:32-33; Phil 2; 1Pe 2:20-25)

When we catch ourselves complaining, grumbling, having, holding, and giving God our opinion - with an expectation of being proven right by Him and justified, we can discern who it is we are entertaining and indulging, and depending on the fruit born, the answer is right in front of us (Gal 5)

With this, we must understand there is a place to register complaints and give opinions: to HIM, and if necessary a trusted and wise friend who will, yes, listen and commemorate, but also has the wisdom and moxie to tell us the truth, that enough is enough, to change our thinking and attitude, to move forward through that thing we are complaining about, and joyfully submit (to the shepherd of your soul) Who does work these things out, and otherwise, muzzle your mouth. 

We go to God in word and prayer… I know we know this, and is painfully obvious, but… are we doing this?

Psalm 39

There is a time to share your deepest concerns and questions with God and a way to go about it: 

1Timothy 2:1-6 

1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

When we pray - we admit to our feelings and work them out with God - we pray the way He said - seeking His will, and even more importantly, His face.

Breaking them out… 

• Petition - the most visceral, guttural, natural of prayers - heartfelt need, specific felt need, arising out of a deep personal need due to lack, or want.  This is where we bring the most raw and unfiltered feelings to God.- whether that be fear and anxiety, confusion and doubt, anger and disagreement, sadness and grief - even arguing, the giving of opinion, and even pouting…  (Jonah 4; Ps 37:7; Isa 43:26; Jer 12:1; Hab 1:!3; John 21:21)

• Prayer - an exchange of wishes - going from ration to reason - working with God to see His will, the working out and converting of our will to His, our thoughts to His, our desires to Him, our reasoning, purposes to His - we do this as we exchange wishes with one another - it is here that God prepares to see and pray His will.

  • Isa 1:18

This process is essential if we are to come to know God’s will, to trust God’s will, to want God’s will - especially in times that so overwhelming and seemingly without end, 

• Intercession is being able to agape love another person - that is - love them, for pray for them, solely for their sake, their good, their success - whatever that means in God’s economy - love them and pray according to God’s will for them, or pray for the circumstance in which we or they find ourselves.

• And that’s just it, this is about praying for another person or a circumstance according to God’s:

  • Will and purposes

  • Economy and plans

• Which means that one must come to an agreement with God, at least an understanding of His character,  that we trust that what He is doing IS good and right and just and fair

  • This comes through the transformation of the mind - no longer

    • Conforming to the patterns of this world (Romans 12)

    • Looking at anyone or anything from a worldly point of view (1Cor 10)

    • Indulging the flesh’s desire (Galatians 5)

  • This transformation begins when we see God for who He is - in reverent fear and awe

• This transformation of the mind allows one to test and approve God’s will - what is… (Romans 12)

  • Right and just and fair (Prov 1; 2)

  • Every good path (Prov 2) to recognize it as the path of righteousness on which God leads us (Ps 23)

• This transformation of the mind occurs when we 

• Expose our thinking, attitude, and perspective to God’s truth, submitting it to obedience to Christ (Romans 12; Eph; 2Cor 10)

• Work through the process of prayer - casting our cares on God - because He does care for us, He IS for us (1Peter 5; Romans 8)

  • Petitioning: Emoting with God - exhausting the heart and feelings of the heart (Heb Jesus’ prayers)

    • This may take some doing and several or many approaches (Heb Jesus

• Praying to God: reasoning with God, going back and forth in an exchange of wishes with a heart to (Isa 1; Prov 2; 8)

  • Gain insight and discernment 

  • Understanding and discretion 

  • Wisdom with prudence 

  • The way to go - the good and righteous path

    • Allowing myself to be led on that path by God’s 

      • Truth

      • Spirit of Truth

• Thanksgiving… this transformation of the mind enables, compels us to be grateful, as are we able to be thankful, even joyful - in all circumstances - is this true of me?

  • Only if we are seeing God and our circumstances - with God in them; with God and us in them; with God and us in them together, rightly… or better stated, righteously. 

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

We remember that this takes work!

All of this is a matter of perspective - understanding why we are here on this earth that is NOT our home.

There is a reason we are here: to be ambassadors here. What is an ambassador? What is their role? What responsibility do they have with/toward the citizens of the host country? 

Phil 2 - blameless and pure - 1Corinthians 10:10

• Not complaining 

• Not arguing and giving God your opinion

• Seeing rightly your circumstances in the hand of God as reveals… 

When we bow to this truth and submit ourselves to the shepherd of our souls, we will begin to see our world the same way God sees it and intends for it and find peace - when this happens… 

• We now shine like stars - unencumbered by our attitude

• We become more morally pure, deserving no censure, free from fault - or blame - above reproach

• We more and more often stand in contrast to the world

What does this shining mean, what does it do?

• To become evident, to be brought forth, come view, appear - resplendent 

  • Attractive, impressive, through being richly colorful or sumptuous - striking or stunning

• How we see and respond

  • No longer looking at things from a worldly, “me, my” point of view

    • 2Cor 5:16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

  • But now seeing God’s hand “clearly” 

    • Trusting His movements, His ability, His good intentions

  • Causes us to stand in utter contrast to the world around us

  • A lamp lit and put on a stand 

    • Stars - brilliant 

• Able to see Jesus - in our character, as the source of our hope

• We begin to see that It is not God who makes evil, it is not him who DOES these things necessarily, but He does permit it, He gives limitations (Job 

  • Not relative to comfort and convenience - keeping or getting back what has been lost

  • Relative your faith and its 

    • Ability to bear under it

    • Will increase because of it

This is the lesson of Job. God does not do or bring evil, but… 

• But, He does, promises to, redeem these things, to use these things 

• As we seek Him and wait on His redeeming - our mind is transformed and instead of fighting we begin working with Him

• To join God in this transforming, and as our mind is transformed, we will desire more transformation - this is where - our spiritual weapons - God’s words of truth - are most useful and necessary (2Cor 10)

• And we will see God’s hand moving

How Do We Shine? Acts 8:1-6; James 1:1; 1Pet 1:1-2; Jer 29:4-14; Phil 2:12

Isa 6:22; Acts 8:1-6; James 1:1; 1Pet 1:1-2; Jeremiah 29:4-14; Phil 2:12
“I have put you where I have you”, therefore, any time we are, we are where God has us, and we are there for a reason until God says otherwise. 

Some ways we end up where we find ourselves (this is not an exhaustive list), but through, or due to: 

• Tempting: though God does not tempt us, he allows us to be tempted (James 1:13; Prov 4).  Sometimes we are where we are to be tested: character, integrity (Joseph, Jesus) 

  • To be shown where we are strong, dependent, and properly inter-dependent (having victory over temptation - Gen 39:12; 1Sam 24:4-5)

  • To be shown where we are wise and discerning: that we flee strategically, proactively, avoiding peril and with it evil - seeing temptation coming and avoiding that road. (2Tim 2:22)

  • To be shown a weakness: we are not as strong, mature, wise, etc. as we thought we were (Prov 6)

  • To be shown area of youth, simpleness, underdevelopment, immaturity or an area of life, thinking, acting needing attention (Prov 1:1-6; Prov 2:1)

• Sin: sometimes we are where we are because we have sinned or fallen short- consequence of sin (Moses, Samson, David, Prodigal - Luke 15:11-24, Peter, Saul/Paul)

• Testing and Training: sometimes we are where we are to persevere, grow, be steeled, be tempered, matured, completed, developed (Abraham, Joseph, Job, David, Daniel, Nehemiah, Jesus; John Mark; Timothy, Apollos; Peter - Gal 2:11-21)

• Deployed: sent, scattered, ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven - on co-mission so that those seeking God might find him - Acts 17:24-28 (Noah, Rahab, Deborah, Gideon, Ruth, Philip, Priscilla and Aquila, Heb 11; Acts 8; James 1; 1Peter 1)

But, whatever the circumstance of our being somewhere, we are where we are for a reason, God is by no means unaware of where we are or what we are going through, and through it, God is always with us accomplishing His will in us and through us according to His will, purposes, and promises. 

What is our responsibility?  How are we to be?  How are we to view times such as this?

Jeremiah 29:4-14  How we are to live, what we are to do, by God’s commands, according to God’s will (vs. 5-6.  - or as Paul would say - or, build a house and remain single!  1Cor 7:8, 17-24, 27-35, 40)

4This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5“Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

8For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them. 9For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.”

10For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.” - Jeremiah 29:4-14

How should we approach such a time?

Philippians 2:5-18 The attitude with which we are to do what we are supposed to do -  

12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”  Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Warped or crooked - unfair and torturous; dried out - morally twisted because of lacking the oil of the Holy Spirit - hence they and their good works or offerings are unacceptable to God

• Wicked 

Crooked or perverted - thoroughly distorts, misinterpreted, corrupts, twists in two - opposes - what is (true/truth/right and righteous) opposite from the shape of form it should be - 

• Turn aside from right path - wicked 

• Morally wrong, unscrupulous

Generation - Whole multitude of men living at the same time

Among whom - we stand in stark contrast - like stars in the black abyss of the universe - as your life reflects a different and definite life and light (John 1:4-5; 8:12; Matt 5:14)

Hold on to - hold out

• On to - cling to, adhere to, live out gladly, joyfully, peaceably, faithfully - taking hold of that which has taken hold of you

• Out - to and for the sake of others, living out our faith, we hold out our faith, we wait to share our faith - being a light to the world (Matt 5:14) 

Gospel - the good news of God’s grace for them or message of life - having the right to become, believing, we have been made children of God

It is for this we have been left here, to be a testimony of God’s mercy and grace.  By our living in the confidence of God’s working in us - without complaining or arguing - recognizing His placing us right where He wants and working it for our good, we are kept “blameless (deserving no censure - having no fault because we have not faulted God) and pure (of mind - by not insisting that my opinion about this thing ought to be considered as much as God’s will and purposes - but instead, simply trusting God’s leading - we show ourselves as true...simply trusting, we are simply faithful) children of light” this refusal to argue with God, but coming to gladly submit to His placement of me becomes and IS - our contrasting the ills - the perversion and corruption - of this world. We walk as ones who are coming to believe, to be persuaded, that God is good, that He is for us, that we are loved and cared for, and recognize the privilege we have to be the light of His presence here in “this place”

1Peter 2:9-10 “...as we are God’s possession, dearly loved, being treated as a Father treats the child He loves”  (Hebrews 12)

Titus 2:11-15 live and act in a way

“...that you can be fully trusted, so that in every way you will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.  For the grace of God has appeared offering salvation to all people.  It teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.  These, then, are the things you should teach.`` 

1Cor 7:29-31

29What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Being, Doing, Going the Way of the Master, Humbly: Matt 6:1-17

When we, who are God’s people, called by His name… live out the righteousness that we have been created in Christ Jesus to be and do, when we do those good works God has prepared in advance for us to do, then as we do the things it should be our desire to do them as Jesus did and teaches us to do…

A reminder…  righteousness?

What is that righteousness we’re talking about? Paul explains it in Corinthians when he says that Jesus is our righteousness. That being said then, that righteousness is everything we are meant to be, and created to be, in Christ Jesus. In other words, our righteousness is our likeness to Jesus – what he said how he said it, what he did and how he did it, we are created in Christ Jesus to be like Christ Jesus and our righteousness is his righteousness and his righteousness is the incredible kindness goodness humility gentleness and grace with which he lived – and that by mercy.

2Corinthians 5:21. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

And that is how we are to be and act.

And this righteousness is nothing that we can be or do in and of ourselves

An act of righteousness then is an act of grace in response to grace - it is a humble recognition of having been made righteous through no act of my own - that righteousness is grace, the gift of grace, by grace

 

And this realization of this righteousness being a gift of grace should cause us to be and to act, humbly.

Before God, about self, and toward others - we should in turn, be so very careful observing our attitude, position, and posture as we go about this life and the opportunities set before us.

Jesus knew and knows the difficulty of “seeing others as better than yourself…” to “not look only to your own interests but also the interests of others”, to “...not think too highly of yourself, but to think of yourselves with sober judgment… and others as being better than yourself.” (Matt 5; Luke 6; Rom 12; Phil 2)

Having mercy, grace, and love extended to you, to extend mercy, grace, and love to others and that being first and foremost, to imitate God in the dignifying of others - treating Him with honor worthy a King and Savior while treating others with the value ascribed to them by God Himself.

Matthew 6:1-17 

1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2“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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread.  12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

When we act, how are we to act?  “Who” are we to act (like)? Like Jesus!  Being imitators of God as dearly loved children - because that is what we are! (Matt 5:48; Luke 6:36; John 1:12; Rom 8:16; Eph 1:5; 5:1; Phil 2:15; James 1:18; 1Pet 1:23; 1John 3:1-3)

And that includes giving like Jesus, praying with and like Jesus, sacrificing our pleasures like Jesus (Phil 2:6-7).

So...

What is an act of righteousness?  It is the living out of Jesus’ character and nature - His righteousness and goodness - that He has created us to be.  In other words, it is living out our newly born and created nature - the nature of Jesus in us by, in submission to, the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is our actual and real freedom in Christ!  (John 1:12-13; 3:3,5,16; 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:16; Eph 2:8-10; then: Rom 1:17; 3:21; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; Gal 5:1,5, 13-14, 16, 22-25; 2Peter 1:1-5)

• Realize Whose you are and for Whom you live - for it is “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) 

• Recognize in Whose name you go

• Humbling ourselves, living modestly

• That we would go to our Father, seeking His face

• Pray to Him - heartfelt and honest; simple and expectant

  • Petition - calling out, bringing our requests

  • Pray - engaging with Him in an exchange of wishes

  • Intercede - according to His will, affirmed by His word

  • Be grateful - genuinely thankful in and for all things

• Repentant: Turn from our own sinful ways, not only by stopping but returning to our Father turning toward Him and His way and ways

  • Open to hear

  • Ready to stop

  • Quick to take responsibility

  • Honest to confess

  • Willing to change

  • Raring to go 

• Fast: to deny oneself of something of value or pleasure for the purpose of seeking after God, concentrating on our relationship with God, finding our sustenance, our quenching, our pleasure in Him and our relationship with Him, and our discerning more clearly His will - “His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

And, God will hear and respond… (2Chron 7; Jer 29; Isa 58; Ps 51; Ps 1)

When?  When will God act?  When we act: approach Him with a humble heart, seeking His face, express to Him our hearts, and turn back toward Him - He will respond according to His will and we will be glad. 

And all of this is something we can do as we are led or prompted and do as we understand

How to Pray in Times of Concern | Matthew 6:5-15

Matthew 6:5-15 Times of turmoil and concern often compels us to pray. But how is it that we should pray?

Prayer… 

5“And when you pray..., 

CONTEXT: Matthew 6:1 

1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

More on this specific text soon - gracious seeing, generous giving - as I have been given, promoting and protecting dignity of others, truly being aligned with and attuned to God, while being others-centered

What is that righteousness? Paul explains it in Corinthians when he says that Jesus is our righteousness. That being said then, is that righteousness is everything we are meant to be, and created to be, in Christ Jesus. In other words, our righteousness, is our likeness to Jesus – what he said how he said it, what he did and how we did it, we are created in Christ Jesus to be like Christ Jesus and our righteousness is his righteousness and his righteousness is the incredible kindness goodness humility gentleness and grace with which he lived – and that by mercy.

And that is how we are to be and act.

An act of righteousness is an act of grace in response to grace - it is a humble recognition of having been made righteous through no act of my own - that righteousness is grace, the gift of grace, by grace

NOW THE REST:

Do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9“This, then, is how you should pray:

“ ‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11Give us today our daily bread.

12And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13And lead us not into temptation, a

but deliver us from the evil one. b ’

14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

And how did Jesus pray?

• Mark 1:35 very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, went off to a solitary place, where he prayed

• Mark 6:46-48 and when he had sent them away, he departed to the mountain to pray

• Matt 14:13, 23 Jesus withdrew… privately to a solitary place; He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  When evening came, He was there alone.

• Luke 4:42  At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place…

• Luke 5:16 ...He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray

• Hebrews 5:7-9 7During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

As for us… 

• Psalm 5:2-3  attend to my words, hear my cry, consider my/our suffering, Hear my cry for help, My King and my God, for to you I pray.  you will hear in the morning, Lord, in the morning I will look up and direct my prayers to you - I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. 

When we act, how are we to act?  “Who” are we to act (like)? Like Jesus!  Being imitators of God as dearly loved children - because that is what we are! (Matt 5:48; Luke 6:36; John 1:12; Rom 8:16; Eph 1:5; 5:1; Phil 2:15; James 1:18; 1Pet 1:23; 1John 3:1-3)

So...

What is an act of righteousness?  It is the living out of Jesus’ character - His righteousness and goodness - that He has made us to be.  In other words, it is living out our newly born and created nature - the nature of Jesus in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our actual and real freedom in Christ!  (John 1:12-13; 3:3,5,16; 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:16; Eph 2:8-10; then: Rom 1:17; 3:21; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; Gal 5:1,5, 13-14, 16, 22-25; 2Peter 1:1-5)

• Humbly and modestly: Humble ourselves

• Go to the Father: Seek God’s face

• Heartfelt and simple: Pray to Him

  • Petition

  • Pray

  • Intercede 

  • Be grateful 

• Repentant: Turn from our own sinful ways, not only by stopping but returning to our Father turning toward Him and His way and ways

  • Open to hear

  • Ready to stop

  • Quick to confess

  • Willing to change

  • Raring to go 

And, God will hear and respond… (2Chron 7; Jer 29; Isa 58; Ps 51; Ps 1)

When?  When will God act?  When we act: approach Him with a humble heart, seeking His face, express to Him our hearts, and turn back toward Him - He will respond according to His will and we will be glad. 

We are free! But… Galatians 5:13-25

Life by the Spirit

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh a ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” b 15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever c you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:13-25

So, here is where our dominion lies…  as a believer, a disciple of Jesus, I am free to choose, it is my choice.  With no consequence for my salvation.  With thath my being adopted, I have been set free, and with freedom, I have been given choice.  Here are some of the choices we get to make - to love or not love; to love AS Jesus loved me, or to love as I prefer; to love sincerely, or merely put up with and go through the motions, or, to not love at all. 

So, where’s the “but” lie? Though my salvation (eternal life, based on having placed my faith in Jesus’ person, life, and work - John 3:16) be secure in God’s love (Rom 8:31-39; 2Tim 2:13) everything else I am and do, and my effectiveness in being loved and loving, hinges on my not taking for granted this glorious truth, but in fact, by resting in it (Heb 4:9-16), by making every effort to strive with God’s Spirit, I can and will effectively bear the fruits of that Spirit that is in me (Gal 5:22-23), bringing Him honor and joy, while bringing the love of God effectively into the lives of those with whom our world intersects. 

The “but”?  That if I choose, with my choice to choose, to indulge the flesh, though my life not be lost, the purpose and the effectiveness of my life (here on earth) may very well be. 

So, what then shall I choose? Have I been, and am I not still, loved?  Then, perhaps, I might choose to love in return… John 14:15-23; 15:9-10; 1John 4:18-19; 5:3; 2John 1:6 and to love in return means to trust and obey.

Obedience: the mark of a trusting faith expressed in love by a humble heart grateful for being loved so well… fueled this fuels by a desire to please, to bring honor, joy, and blessing to the One who loves.

It is this love in response to being loved that governs my choices - that I might be effective in that love - receiving and giving

1John 4:7-21

God’s Love and Ours

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

The right and responsibility to choose, the enablement to choose, the power to choose, is ours.  Will we, will I tap into that power and walk in with that power, what will I choose?  

This is the freedom of choice, the freedom of the children of God to be righteous, holy, and good…

Some of those real-life , God granted choices being… yes, I am accepted, but will my choices be acceptable, pleasing, honoring, loving - of God, self, and others as self? (Rom 6:13; 12:1; 15:16; 1Cor 6:20; 1Peter 2:5)

• What I will eat and drink - only bread, as to fill my belly, or with my bread, that I might fill my mind and heart with The bread of life – the word of God - will I choose what I want or what God desires; will I choose what will honor God and what will bless and edify others - or - myself? 

  • “He humbled you, and in your hunger, He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”  (Luke 4:4 (Deut 8:3); Ephesians 5:26; Heb 6:7; Ex 17:6; Rom 14; 1Cor 10:3-4; 12:7,18,25; 13; 14:26; Eph 4:7,12; Phil 2:3-8)

• What I will wear - will I choose tattered and stained clothes (of sin) or a robe of righteousness and holiness? (Jude 1:23; Rev 3:4; Isa 61:10; Colossians 3; le 19:2; 1Pet 1:15-16)

  • “10I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isa 61:10

  • I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead… 2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God… But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.  4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.”  Rev 3:1-4

  • 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornments, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight… submitting themselves…”  ultimately to God’s will and purposes  1Peter 3:3-5

• How I will speak about and to others will I choose unwholesome and disparaging, empty and idle, or edifying and encouraging, loving and gracious (Eph 4; Col 4:6; Rom 14:9; 15:2)

  • “The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Matt 12:35-37

  • “29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29

  • “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Col 4:6

• How I will treat others - will I choose the way of the world “don’t do to anyone what you would not have them do to you or do unto others…” OR or the way of Jesus and the kingdom “Do to others AS…”?  Luke 6:31; Col 3; Jude 1:2 

27“But to you who are listening, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Luke 6:27-31

With what are we to clothe ourselves?

Colossians 3:12-17

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

This love not only loves its enemies but also, sincerely and carefully, takes into consideration the heart and soul of the “one another” (John 13:8,34; 1Pet 1:22)- yes, an enemy, but also a brother or sister - those we might take for granted.  This sincere love, chooses, out of a moral preference, to seek to please the one loved, not desiring to hurt or harm.  This takes wisdom - the seeking and development of knowledge, insight, discernment, discretion, understanding, and the kind of Godly wisdom that is governed by that consideration - that is prudence - and then lovingly enacted with wisdom, consideration, caring.  (Prov 1;2;8)  Sincere, love. 

Romans 15:2-3 “2Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3For even Christ did not please himself”

It is not enough to “not do bad” or even to “do good”. Even the secular/ pagan do this.  (Matt 5:43-48)
But, it is ours to “do the good work prepared in advance for me to do”, being created in Christ Jesus, filled with His Spirit of Love, I am to strive with Jesus in such a way that produces in and from me the fruit of righteousness - that Spirit - and live a life of Christ’s love - doing unto others - the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, for the right reason, with the right manner. 

Eph 5:1-2, 15-20

1Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God… 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

When we’re struggling, having to make such an effort to be and do what we know is right and good, there are three things we should ask ourselves - Galatians 6; Romans 5; James 1; 1Peter 1; 

1. Am I in sin and/or rebellion? 

2. Am I not abiding with Christ closely 

3. Is this a season that God is testing me? 

Greater Things | John 1:41-52

John 1:43-51 

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

He sees me… 

(Hagar: “13She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.”’ Genesis 16:13 

He knows me… (Pslam 139) 

He calls me…  

Romans 8:28-30

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

He made me. He makes me, He created and creates me… and calls me by my name.

We will see and do greater things…

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:11-13

So, what does this mean for me? What of these greater things? How can this be?

Jesus' work was to restore us to our Father’s gracious intentions - that through Jesus’ redemptive work we would be restored to working with Him for the care of His creation and making.  With that restoration, God has in essence, re-established in me, in us, our once God-given, dominion.   In Jesus, we have been granted dominion in one world, my world, that world in and for which I am responsible.  

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

• Good - that which originates from and is empowered by God - by him in their lives by or through faith

Dominion!! 

Getting to be righteous and good, that I might do what is righteous and good - and - it’s up to me!  Will I let my righteousness rule (by His Spirit and nature)?  That first act of true dominion - was the naming of the animals… God’s handing Adam the privilege of ruling, caring, familiarizing…

• Though God HImself would name Adam, all other creatures were named by mankind - including, children - each name having significance, meaning

Yes! 

In Jesus, we have been reconciled to our Father - and (to our renewed) responsibility in and for the kingdom! First, by having been made in the image and likeness of God, as God gave mankind the gift of overseer and caregiver of this world, His world, and with Him, our world - and that, under the umbrella of His sovereignty, mankind was to rule.  But sin tangled all of that up - until, Jesus. THIS IS SOOOO GOOD!!

STOP!!  

Wait a minute!  What do you mean by “given dominion”? What IS dominion and why would God “trust us” with it? - 

Love and privilege, delight in what He delights in, partnership of sorts - a Father with His children, following in His footsteps…  and now, by the Holy Spirit, He has done the same thing with His kingdom (see Matt 25:14-30 the responsibility of the kingdom given to the servants and the hearts of the servants who responded with eagerness, joy, enthusiasm, responsibility, respect, and honor - knowing the true nature of the Master and the Kingdom in contrast with the one servant who did not rightly see (see also Proverbs “fear (reverent awe) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge… but fools despise wisdom”.  Or, the following parable of the sheep and their astonishment in response to God’s praise of their having loved as they were loved “when did we see you and…?”  “when you did it for the least of these…”.  In other words, God knows His and has chosen to work in, through, and with us to accomplish His ends and it “will be done… on earth as it is in heaven”.  This is regeneration - being made in His image, born again by His Spirit, new creatures in Christ, having HIs righteousness, being created in Christ Jesus to do…, being guided on a path of righteousness for His names’ sake - as the people of the Spirit move in ways that cannot be seen by this world… - Romans 8&12; 1John

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15

But, there arose a problem - sin: expressed as a desire to go beyond dominion with God, but in fact, a rebellious attempt to usurp God, and replace His gracious sovereignty in and over our lives, with our own self-rule, or self-sovereignty - me, my, mine, in place of God - ruling oneself without God’s intervention…  after God had given them everything that was good and life-giving… 

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis 3:6

...even wanting sovereignty, to be able to rule one’s self, alone, the man and woman even wanted to rule over their own care and covering… their, our, inadequate attempt to try and save - self.  “I got this… no, really, I got this”

“ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Genesis 3:7

So, what’s changed?!  God, rebelled against, aching in the loss, did not extinguish His beloved, but instead granted mercy, clemency of sorts… and set a plan in motion to come and get us and restore us… 

So, second, being created… In Jesus, having received his offer of life in Him and surrendering to His sovereignty, His Lordship, I have, by His grace, been restored to dominion - which is accompanied by true and real free will.  So, now, in Christ, I have a true and actual choice: righteous or not righteous.  As this is the only choice that truly matters. (illustration)

As I have come to Jesus, freed by His mercy and grace, He has given me rule, or dominion, over my life, my choices, whether I will act on the love, the righteousness, the very goodness, He, and His Spirit in me has made me to be able to act on.

To whom will I give my affection, my allegiance, my attention…

And because I now have a choice, I must decide who and what I will entertain and indulge, who and what it is I will follow, emulate, align myself with, and give my allegiance and affection to.  This is what Paul is referring to when he admonishes us in regard to who and whose we are and instructs on the choosing of the course of our lives - here - in this world, with the dominion, I am granted (having had it restored in Jesus) in “my” part of it.

This dominion necessitates something for it to not become a repeat of the Garden’s sin of self-sovereignty -  and that is co-operation.  That is what God granted in the beginning, and now, restores to us in Jesus.  Our choice looks like this:

• Walk with God, the Spirit and eat from the tree of life - Jesus - bearing the fruit of that spirit (Gal 5:22-23)

• Walk in the way of the flesh according to the ways of this world, forgoing the Spirit, and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - the desires of the flesh, or, our humanity. (Gal 5:16-21)
  

It is in this world, the world given to me, and for which I am responsible, that in order for me to “love AS” and do so sincerely, I must co-operate with the Holy Spirit to govern me and my responses. This is not only true in how I act in and toward the world itself but even more importantly, how I act with and toward the “worlds” of others who intersect with mine - remembering that world that is mine, is not just mine, but God’s and mine - together.  To cooperate I must recognize these truths - As... 

• “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20
  ...and, 

• “...it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Phil 2:13  ...and,

• I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:13
  ...all...

• “...because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Rom 5:5

Now I can, and must, in order to “walk in the way of love”, walk with, or, entertain and indulge, or, co-operate with, the Holy Spirit

This co-operation, that enables me to love AS Jesus has loved me and to do this with a sincere love is a matter of the furthering and repeated surrendering of my life, my world, my dominion, to Jesus’ sovereignty as King, or, Lord. 

This choice is the choice, first and foremost, to love God with a humbled and astonished heart of gratefulness.  To not obey the commands of God, to not bow to his sovereignty, to choose to not sincerely love AS  is to undervalue or underappreciate His love - for me, and them.  It is to forget that we have been loved, and how.  It is to take for granted being loved and go on as if…  (Luke 7:36-50,  1John 2:53-11; 4:7-12,16-21)

In being granted dominion, I have been given choice, the freedom to choose to indulge my flesh or the Spirit.  This all has to do with… my love and love’s affection

Who or what I choose to love, to indulge - my flesh or the Holy Spirit and the righteous goodness I have been made to be

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ...Love your neighbor AS you yourself” (Galatians 5:13-14)

...or, will I walk with the Spirit and work under His power and guiding to take dominion over, as to dominate or subdue my flesh… not let it rule over me, to cause me to worship it - but rule over it - with privilege and responsibility, enjoyment

• Why these words are hard for us to see as positive or pleasing - because we are in constant rebellion.  We see these, first and foremost, as oppressive and negative, even potentially mean…

• When in fact, in God’s economy, these are the terms He uses to express His loving care and rule -  His responsibility to care for and govern righteously for its good (Job 38-42; Psalm 19; 139; Col 1) 

• So we must be careful how we interpret and apply such words - even the naming of the creatures, and in particular, “woman”, under our sin-stained condition, through the lens of contempt, with the curse still nursed at the breast of anger and resentment, we this act as being chauvinist or patronizing, when in fact it was an act of enthusiastic love and admiration, passion and excitement released in an exclamation of joy and ecstasy 

  • Whenever we recoil at a word or phrase God uses we must go back to our nature, or the nature of our flesh and examine our response relative to our fleshes’ struggle with truth and righteousness, its propensity to be (easily or quickly) offended and assume the worst - especially from God (as the flesh is always in conflict with and contrary to the Spirit) 

  • Given the choice, our flesh will always choose to rebel, to revolt against anything that would seek to subdue it, or make it subject (the reason for Romans 13; Eph 4; 1Peter 2) - which is why we’re given dominion with God over creation, but, it seems, Adam and Eve confused “subdue” and not being subdued by the earth, as a 

  • Satan is able to entice being subject to him, and mankind will gladly submit, by appealing the (rebellious) desires of the flesh - that impulse in us to not be subdued, but subdue, that aspect of the curse that causes us to doubt God’s love and accuse Him of being domineering, unfair, and unjust - even cruel as we rail against the effects of the curse, sin, and death - standing in defiance of God, mistrusting, even opposing.

  • This is why the proverbs speak of “the fear (reverent awe) of God is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge” seeing rightly for the first time the true nature and character of God - His love expressed in mercy and grace - His goodness expressed in kindness, marked by patience and tolerance (forbearance) (Rom 2)

With that, I am given the choice.  Here are some of the choices we get to make - to love or not love; to love AS Jesus loved me, or to love as I prefer; to love sincerely, or merely put up with and go through the motions, or, to not love at all.

Some of those real-life choices being… 

• What I will eat and drink - only bread or the word of God; what I want, or what will bless and edify others? 

  • “He humbled you, and in your hunger, He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”  (Luke 4:4 (Deut 8:3); Ephesians 5:26; Heb 6:7; Ex 17:6; Rom 14; 1Cor 10:3-4; 12:7,18,25; 13; 14:26; Eph 4:7,12; Phil 2:3-8)

• What I will wear - tattered and stained clothes or a robe of righteousness (Jude 1:23; Rev 3:4; Isa 61:10; Colossians 3)

  • “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isa 61:10

  • I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead… Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God… But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.  Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.”  Rev 3:1-4

  • Your beauty should not come from outward adornments, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight… submitting themselves…”  ultimately to God’s will and purposes  1Peter 3:3-5

• How I will speak about and to others - unwholesome and disparaging, empty and idle, or edifying and encouraging, loving and gracious (Eph 4; Col 4:6; Rom 14:9; 15:2)

  • “The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Matt 12:35-37

  • “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29

  • “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Col 4:6

• How I will treat others - don’t do to anyone what you would not have them do to you or do unto others… OR “Do to others AS…”  Luke 6:31; Col 3; Jude 1:2 Christianity is the only religion that calls us to the blessing. DO UNTO OTHERS as you would have them do. Many religions have a similar philosophy, but its charge is NOT TO do to others as you would not want them to do….

  • “But to you who are listening, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Luke 6:27-31

With what are we to clothe ourselves?

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:12-17

This love not only loves its enemies but also, sincerely and carefully, takes into consideration the heart and soul of the other - yes, an enemy, but also a brother or sister.  This sincere love, chooses, out of a moral preference, to seek to please the one loved, not desiring to hurt or harm.  This takes wisdom - the seeking and development of knowledge, insight, discernment, discretion, understanding, and the kind of Godly wisdom that is governed by that consideration - that is prudence - and then lovingly enacted with wisdom, consideration, caring.  (Prov 1;2;8)  Sincere, love. 

“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself” Romans 15:2-3

It is not enough to “not do bad” or even to “do good”. Even the secular/ pagan do this.
But, it is ours to “do the good work prepared in advance for me to do”, being created in Christ Jesus, filled with His Spirit of Love, I am to strive with Jesus in such a way that produces in and from me the fruit of righteousness - that Spirit - and live a life of Christ’s love - doing unto others - the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, for the right reason, with the right manner. Christ Jesus, may I have eyes to see and a heart to know the good works you have prepared for me to do!

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God… Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Eph 5:1-2, 15-20

When we’re struggling there are three things we need to ask ourselves

1.) Am I in sin?

2.)Am I not abiding with Christ closely

3.)Is this a season that God is testing me?

Loving as Jesus Loved: Cooperating with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love

“He turned to this woman and said… Do you see this woman? I cam into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little, loves little. Then Jesus said to her, ‘your sins are forgiven.”
- Luke 7:44-48

Having been loved, we love, and we love to the degree we recognize our need for forgiveness and the depth of the love that we have been loved with being forgiven.  And, having been loved and forgiven to that degree, we love to the same degree - the way we love will then not only be to the degree we recognize our need for forgiveness and having been loved that way, but our love for Jesus and others will also be as sincere as our gratitude is sincere for having been forgiven.  

With that, we are to not only love then, but express a sincere love, a love, that reflects that sincere gratitude, that recognition of having been forgiven, and forgiven much, that that love, that sincere love, would be much, and is as dedicated to the welfare of the one loved, as Jesus love was dedicated to me - our love now stemming from our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to God for His sincerely loving, me. (Rom 12:1-2; Heb 12:28)

”Love must be sincere…” Romans 12:9

How can we love in this way?  

By recognizing and tapping into the true source of our joy and life… that of being rooted and established in Jesus, His Person, the forgiveness of our sin - His saving work, by His sincere love - then fostering this relationship by walking in close communion with Him.  

As recipients of this gracious gift of life, we must work to remember that it is by Him, and through Him, and to Him, that we have been made citizens in the kingdom of God, and with that in mind, we need to guard our hearts, being careful to not merely focus on and enjoy the benefits of the kingdom - but to rejoice, first and foremost, in our being saved

”The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” -Luke 10:17-20

To whom will this message resonate? To anyone who has the Holy Spirit, a relationship with Jesus as they have recognized their poverty - their need; they mourn over their sin, and the sin of the world, and are therefore eternally and profoundly grateful for what it is they’ve received.

What might this deeper understanding do for me? It will cause me to reflect, to examine, to search again, for the treasure that I have and the treasure that I’m continually offered. To appreciate, even celebrate, this incredible gift of grace I’ve been given and is enriched each and every time He and I commune...

So, what does this mean for me?

Jesus' work was to restore us to our Father’s gracious intentions - that through Jesus’ redemptive work we would be restored to working with Him for the care of His creation and making.  With that restoration, God has in essence, re-established in me, in us, our once given, dominion.   In Jesus, we have been granted dominion in one world, my world, that world in and for which I am responsible. 

Dominion!

Yes! In Jesus, we have been reconciled to our Father - and (to our renewed) responsibility in and for the kingdom! First, by having been made in the image and likeness of God, as God gave mankind the gift of overseer and caregiver of this world, His world, and with Him, our world - and that, under the umbrella of His sovereignty, mankind was to rule. But sin tangled all of that up - until, Jesus. THIS IS SOOOO GOOD!!

STOP!! Wait a minute! What do you mean by “given dominion”? What IS dominion and why would God “trust us” with it?

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” - Genesis 1:28

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” - Genesis 2:15

But, there arose a problem - sin: expressed as a desire to go beyond dominion with God, but in fact, a rebellious attempt to usurp God, and replace His gracious sovereignty in and over our lives, with our own self-rule, or self-sovereignty - me, my, mine, in place of God - ruling oneself without God’s intervention… after God had given them everything that was good and life-giving…

 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” - Genesis 3:6

...even wanting sovereignty, to be able to rule one’s self, alone, the man and woman even wanted to rule over their own care and covering… their, our, inadequate attempt to try and save - self. “I got this… no, really, I got this”

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” - Genesis 3:7

So, what’s changed?!  God, rebelled against, aching in the loss, did not extinguish His beloved, but instead granted mercy, a clemency of sorts… and set a plan in motion to come and get us and restore us… 

So, second, being created… In Jesus, having received his offer of life in Him and surrendering to His sovereignty, His Lordship, I have, by His grace, been restored to dominion - which is accompanied by true and real free will. So, now, in Christ, I have a true and actual choice: righteous or not righteous. As this is the only choice that truly matters.

As I have come to Jesus, freed by His mercy and grace, He has given me rule, or dominion, over my life, my choices, whether I will act on the love, the righteousness, the very goodness, He, and His Spirit in me has made me to act on.

To whom will I give my affection, my allegiance, my attention…

And because I now have a choice, I must decide who and what I will entertain and indulge, who and what it is I will follow, emulate, align myself with, and give my allegiance and affection to.  This is what Paul is referring to when he admonishes us in regard to who and whose we are and instructs on the choosing of the course of our lives - here - in this world, with the dominion, I am granted (having had it restored in Jesus) in “my” part of it.

This dominion necessitates something for it to not become a repeat of the Garden’s sin of self-sovereignty -  and that is co-operation.  That is what God granted in the beginning, and now, restores to us in Jesus.  Our choice looks like this:

• Walk with God, the Spirit and eat from the tree of life - Jesus - bearing the fruit of that spirit (Gal 5:22-23)

• Walk in the way of the flesh according to the ways of this world, forgoing the Spirit, and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - the desires of the flesh, or, our humanity. (Gal 5:16-21)

It is in this world, the world given to me, and for which I am responsible, that in order for me to “love AS” and do so sincerely, I must co-operate with the Holy Spirit to govern me and my responses. This is not only true in how I act in and toward the world itself but even more importantly, how I act with and toward the “worlds” of others who intersect with mine - remembering that world that is mine, is not just mine, but God’s and mine - together.  To cooperate I must recognize these truths - As... 

• “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20
  ...and, 

• “...it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Phil 2:13  ...and,

• I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:13
  ...all...

• “...because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Rom 5:5

Now I can, and must, in order to “walk in the way of love”, walk with, or, entertain and indulge, or, co-operate with, the Holy Spirit

This co-operation, that enables me to love AS Jesus has loved me and to do this with a sincere love is a matter of the furthering and repeated surrendering of my life, my world, my dominion, to Jesus’ sovereignty as King, or, Lord. 

This choice is the choice, first and foremost, to love God with a humbled and astonished heart of gratefulness.  To not obey the commands of God, to not bow to his sovereignty, to choose to not sincerely love AS  is to undervalue or underappreciate His love - for me, and them.  It is to forget that we have been loved, and how.  It is to take for granted being loved and go on as if…  (Luke 7:36-50,  1John 2:53-11; 4:7-12,16-21)

In being granted dominion

I have been given choice, the freedom to choose to indulge my flesh or the Spirit.  This all has to do with… my love and love’s affection

Who or what I choose to love, to indulge - my flesh or the Holy Spirit and the righteous goodness I have been made to be

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ...Love your neighbor AS you yourself” -Galatians 5:13-14

Here are some of the choices we get to make - to love or not love; to love AS Jesus loved me, or to love as I prefer; to love sincerely, or merely put up with and go through the motions, or, to not love at all.

Some of those real-life choices being… 

• What I will eat and drink - only bread or the word of God; what I want, or what will bless and edify others? 

  • “He humbled you, and in your hunger, He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”  (Luke 4:4 (Deut 8:3); Ephesians 5:26; Heb 6:7; Ex 17:6; Rom 14; 1Cor 10:3-4; 12:7,18,25; 13; 14:26; Eph 4:7,12; Phil 2:3-8)

• What I will wear - tattered and stained clothes or a robe of righteousness (Jude 1:23; Rev 3:4; Isa 61:10; Colossians 3)

  • “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isa 61:10

  • I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead… Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God… But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.”  Rev 3:1-4

  • Your beauty should not come from outward adornments, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight… submitting themselves…”  ultimately to God’s will and purposes  1Peter 3:3-5

• How I will speak about and to others - unwholesome and disparaging, empty and idle, or edifying and encouraging, loving and gracious (Eph 4; Col 4:6; Rom 14:9; 15:2)

  • “The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Matt 12:35-37

  • “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29

  • “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Col 4:6

• How I will treat others - don’t do to anyone what you would not have them do to you or do unto others… OR “Do to others AS…”  Luke 6:31; Col 3; Jude 1:2 Christianity is the only religion that calls us to the blessing. DO UNTO OTHERS as you would have them do. Many religions have a similar philosophy, but its charge is NOT TO do to others as you would not want them to do….

  • “But to you who are listening, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  - Luke 6:27-31

With what are we to clothe ourselves?

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:12-17

This love not only loves its enemies but also, sincerely and carefully, takes into consideration the heart and soul of the other - yes, an enemy, but also a brother or sister.  This sincere love, chooses, out of a moral preference, to seek to please the one loved, not desiring to hurt or harm.  This takes wisdom - the seeking and development of knowledge, insight, discernment, discretion, understanding, and the kind of Godly wisdom that is governed by that consideration - that is prudence - and then lovingly enacted with wisdom, consideration, caring.  (Prov 1;2;8)  Sincere, love. 

“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself” - Romans 15:2-3

It is not enough to “not do bad” or even to “do good”. Even the secular/ pagan do this.
But, it is ours to “do the good work prepared in advance for me to do”, being created in Christ Jesus, filled with His Spirit of Love, I am to strive with Jesus in such a way that produces in and from me the fruit of righteousness - that Spirit - and live a life of Christ’s love - doing unto others - the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, for the right reason, with the right manner. Christ Jesus, may I have eyes to see and a heart to know the good works you have prepared for me to do!

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God… Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Eph 5:1-2, 15-20

When we’re struggling there are three things we need to ask ourselves
1.) Am I in sin?
2.) Am I not abiding with Christ closely
3.) Is this a season that God is testing me?