Blinding sin

Scripture:

June 19: 2 Kings 3-4, Psalm 138, 2 Peter 1-3

Observation:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, [8] and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities [9] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

I think these verses are incredibly interesting! 8 and 9, are real revelation about the effects of both righteousness and sin. Sins of omission in particular. But if these good qualities are ours and increasing–what a statement! God is love. We are loving. We don’t abide as good qualities (as God does), we seek to be more like God by growing in them. We don’t ever check ‘self-control’ or ‘steadfastness’ off the list, because we are not yet like Jesus. We are to be constantly growing in these things. If we’re just holding steady, we’re missing the point. The process of sanctification doesn’t stop until we see Him and are like Him. If God pursues us, draws us, trains us, leads us–then he will always be crafting us in his image. Which means, if we’re just holding steady, we must be running away.

But if we do grow and increase in those things, our vision will be clear, and we will protected from unfruitfulness and ineffectiveness–we will grow in knowledge, too. The flip-side is that without these qualities growing in us, we are blind. and not just any kind of blindedness–he specifically identifies it as nearsightedness–the inability to see out ahead. He’s talking about self-centered naval-gazing…he’s talking about shortsighted selfishness, not being able to see past our own noses, not looking forward–stumbling, therefore, on ever rock and barrier in front of us.

Then–and this may be the most telling info in the whole text–he points out that if we’re not growing in the qualities listed, it’s because we’ve forgotten the Gospel…we’ve forgotten who we were without Jesus.

When I lose sight of where I once was, when I fail to remember what the Son of God did for me, when I allow it to become just another story–I stumble into sin, i become selfish and shortsighted, I become blinded…not so much by my sins of commission, but rather by my failure to look to the light.

Application:

My application is to grow in the qualities Peter listed. Because in so doing, I will grow in fruitfulness and effectiveness, I will see clearly to do God’s will. I am to do that, first and foremost by remembering the Gospel–who I was, and who I now i am.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to live well for you! I want to represent you well! I want to be like you! I want to be fruitful and effective! I want to see clrearly to do your will! And, as it seems to be the case in all things, that goes back to the gospel. thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for rescuing me! I know who I am, and I know who I would be were it not for your intervention–Glory be to your name!

Amen.

Pictures of godliness

Scripture:

2 Samuel16-17, Psalms 119:161-168, 1Thessalonians 3-5

Observation:

164 Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
165 Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
and I do your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your testimonies;
I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and testimonies,
for all my ways are before you.

The psalmist is painting a picture of a godly life…hoping in the salvation of the Lord, keeping and loving the testimonies of hte Lord.  But it’s vss. 164-165 that caught my eye.  Seven times a day the Psalmist stopped what he was doing, and praised the Lord!  And then the next verse gives two great promises: those who love the law of the Lord will have peace, and nothing can make them stumble!

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

In writing the Thessalonians Paul paints pictures of godliness as well.  he says above that to increase and abound in love, is to be established as blameless and holy before the Lord.  Several times in scripture it seems that the commandment to love is given as the overarching principle of godliness, and here it seems to be saying that as well.

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, [18] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

This is an amazing list!  I think it’d be cool if every workplace had this hanging on the wall as company rules.  What a workplace that would be if these principles were followed!  This is a list of ways to maintain the spirit of the law, and live the Spirit of Christ.

What a high standard it is…but with obvious fruit, what joy this list would create if followed.  i want that!

Application:

Keep the list!  To treat others as Paul commands the Thessalonians to treat one another.  to pray without ceasing…to rejoice always…to be thankful in all circumstances because in all circumsance I am redeemed!

Prayer:

Lord, I love you deeply!  I want to live for you…and I want to walk in the joy and peace and victory that comes only from obedience.  I’ve seen glimpses of it, as I ahve, at times, walked well in your ways…but I long for it again and more deeply than ever.  I know the way to do that…you’ve made it clear.  help me in this, Lord.  And let it be for your glory!

I love you!  Amen!

the destructive nature of sin

Scripture:

2 Samuel 12-13, Psalm 119:145-152, Colossians 3-4

Observation:

From 2 Samuel:

13:1 Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. 2

…he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate [6] me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!” 16 But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” [7] But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18 Now she was wearing a long robe [8] with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

This story is absolutely horrifying.  Rape always is.  I think I’d blocked this story from my memory!   I don’t have any astute observations, here…just more questions (as per the norm).  What is the evil pathology that cause Amnon’s love to instantly become raging hatred and disdain, the moment he’d finished violating her?  Is that the norm?  It speaks to the corrosive nature of sin.  Perhaps it speaks to Amnon’s love being nothing more than incestuous infatuation.  Either way, it’s disgusting.

His sin has great ramifications…Tamar is devastated for the rest of her life–Amnon ends up dead, murdered by his brother because of his sin…their family divided.  All for one moment of selfish lust.

everyday, as I counsel others, read scripture, and simply observe humanity…it becomes increasingly clear just how destructive sin is.  Perhaps that’s why in Today’s reading, the psalmist says:

146 I call to you; save me,
that I may observe your testimonies.

Save me, so that I can obey you.  Save me from myself…from my own destructive, sinful tendencies!

And, perhaps that’s also why in today’s reading Paul writes:

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: [14] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. [15] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth

and, then, the alternative is given:

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

And there we see the strengthening and encouragement and edification of righteousness!

Application:

My application is to have the heart of the Psalmist in today’s reading:

151 But you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.

And from earlier in that same chapter:

156 Great is your mercy, O Lord;
give me life according to your rules.
….
160 The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

To love and embrace the righteous commands of God.  To seek purity…in order to glorify God, and also to walk in life and victory.

Prayer:

Lord, lead me in righteousness!  Give me the faithfulness to follow! Your ways are higher, wiser, and in every way, better.  I want to follow your ways and not my own.  Lead me, Lord…make your paths clear to me, and help me to be faithful in seeking that path and in following it.

I love you, Lord!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

if

Scripture:

2 Samuel 10-11, Psalm 119:137-144, Colossians 1-2

Observation:

Colossians is an amazing letter. There’s as much theology crammed in those opening two chapters as there is anywhere else in the Bible that I can think of. This time through, I’m caught by a text that speaks to a gray theological area for me:

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation [9] under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Verse 22 is beautiful..his death and resurrection, so that I might stand before him blameless and above reproach. How far reaching that statement really is! Blameless and above reproach! What an amazing gift the Gospel is to us! But verse 23 is what puts the spotlight on a gray area: the question of eternal security. Once saved always saved. Preservation of the saints. whatever you call it, it’s this widely held belief that we cannot lose our salvation under any circumstances. I love that teaching…it feels good…it sounds like really good news…and there’s tons of scriptures that seem to infer that very thing. But, I’m not convinced it’s accurate. There’s a lot of verses that speak to it…but in this text, it’s that nasty two-letter word: “if.” If, indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard. If. Apparently we have the choice not to continue in the faith…not to remain stable and steadfast…to shift away from Christ and to put our hope elsewhere. Nothing can separate me from God (romans 8), I’m as sure of that as I am of anything…but I can choose to step away from him. that doesn’t happen by stumbling along the way, or by reaching some invisible sin quota…it can only happen if we choose to reject Jesus. It doesn’t happen very often, I don’t believe. But it happens.

so here’s our response:

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits [10] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities [11] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. [12]

Application:

walk in him. rooted and build up in him. established in the faith. abounding in thanksgiving! that should be my m.o.–not to maintain my salvation, but as the only appropriate response to a God who canceled the record of sin against me and set it aside and nailed it to the Cross forever!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for your word!  Your salvation!  Help me, Lord, to walk in your ways…not as some sin management program, and not as a misguided way to try and maintain my salvation…but, as an expression of gratitude and faithfulness for a God who has saved me, and love me deeply, and fellowships with me!

I love you!

Amen.

from one degree of glory…

Scripture:

I Samuel 11-13, Psalm 119:25-32, 2 Corinthians 3-4

Observation:

From I Corinthians 3:

17 Now the Lord [19] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, [20] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

“We all…are being transformed.” I’ve had a pretty deep sense of dissatisfaction this week. Not the depressing kind…more so the nagging kind. The kind that comes when you can’t pinpoint it, but you just know that something is askew. The kind that, at least in my experience, comes not when you’ve sinned grossly or rebelled intentionally…but more so when you’re spirit feels a little neglected. It’s not the sign of a spiritual implosion…but, rather, it’s the sign of a slow atrophy due to a lack of feeding the Spirit within us. I am, however, being transformed…my soul and spirit longs for this transformation…my flesh wars against it. So, with that struggle, there comes a call to action…but with the abstract nature of the lacking…it’s call to a generic ‘action’ and not a specific one. Those are always harder! So, I trust that I”m being transformed…but I lack the patience for the journey…as today’s text says: 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, [20] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

“From one degree of glory to another.”

what a thought! So, I pray for patience…and I pray that this dissatisfaction is a holy dissatisfaction…and I trust that God is progressively crafting me in his image.

Application:

uhm…

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for a holy dissatisfaction…and help me, Lord to be obedient, to be patient…to be, by your spirit, progressing from glory to glory.

I love you, amen.

Do as I do…

Well, it’s ‘back on the saddle again’ for me. I’m straight up out of excuses. Bryce is sleeping through the night more often than not, and, as of this week, I have more help at the church…the end result is that when I’m free for a moment I can do more that just stare at the wall in a semi-catatonic state. They weren’t legit excuses before…and now even they are gone…so it’s back on the saddle again!

Scripture:

Ruth 2-4, Psalm 117, I Cor. 11

Observation:

11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Paul was gutsy. He knew and understood the implications of his role as an Apostle…and so he stood and declared to all: ‘imitate me!’ The Corinthian church lacked strong leadership and direction, and so Paul said, “I”ll carry that mantle…I”ll be an example. Follow my lead!”

What a huge responsibility! And it’s one that he held for all the churches. He embraced it. I hate this part of being a pastor. I don’t want this particular responsibility. I can’t get around it, though. I can stand in front of everybody on Sunday and announce: “Do as I say, not as I do.” But it wouldn’t work. If I’m a hypocrite, then I’m a hypocrite…and people will see, and people will be affected by it…maybe stumble themselves because of it.

But forget the Pastor part of it…it’s the same for everyone everywhere. We’re all called to be ambassadors for Christ, to be his representatives to the world. We are all being watched. Watched by those who don’t believe, and are wondering if perhaps this Christianity thing is legit. It’s a great responsibility.

Application:

My application is to represent Christ well. In one sense that would require perfection. Anything short of perfection would fall short of representing a perfect God. Uh-oh! If my application is to be perfect…then I’m in trouble! Or perhaps it wouldn’t require perfection…but rather just my best efforts and massive quantities of humility. The one’s that are watching aren’t looking for perfection as much as they’re looking for humility. If, in my humility, I admit that I’ve been striving to be like Christ but have fallen short, I’ve represented not only his perfection…but his grace as well.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to be be holy. I want to be just like you. And I long for the day when I see you face-to-face…because I know that the Bible says that when we see you we will be like you. In the meantime, Holy Father, hlep me to walk in purity…to represent you well, and pursue righteousness. And, Lord, please save me from foolish pride an dishonesty…so that when I do fall short, I don’t get caught up in trying to keep appearances…but instead plead for mercy, and declare your grace.

I love you, Lord. Thank you for being my teacher…help me to be a good student…and may it all be for the sake of your name alone.

In the name of Jesus, Amen

Thanksgiving…and selflessness

SCRIPTURE:

Leviticus 10-11, Psalm 50, Luke 14

OBSERVATION:

10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean

Once again, we are no longer under the letter of the law…but the spirit of the law remains for us to follow…and here a specific and direct commandment is given…God has given it to us to discern between the sacred and profane.  This is a great responsibility.   Scripture, of course, guides us in this process…but as anyone who’s tried to follow God knows, it’s not always clear how we are to act…but it is ours to decide, and God will lead us in that if we are submissive to him in it.

6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge! 

12 … for the world and its fullness are mine.

How great is our God!  The heavens declare the righteousness of God…all created things either do or one day will, recognize and declare the wonder and perfection of God!

23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!”

This is really interesting.  The Bible clearly commands us to glorify God in all that we do…everything everywhere is created for God’s glory…we exist in order to glorify God.  And here the scriptures say that an attitude of thanksgiving is at the heart of that. If we want to glorify God in our lives…we are to live lives of gratitude and thanksgiving…thanksgiving should permeate our thoughts and our actions.  I have so much to be thankful for…much more that I give God credit for…much more than I’ve ever even thought to thank him for.  How different might my life be, if I were constantly filled with gratitude?  If I were grounded in the eternal reality of my salvation, that brand of thanksgiving would be a natural overflow of my heart.   thanksgiving is at the heart of glorification…at the heart of worship…at the heart of who I’m supposed to be.

From Luke 14

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers [8] or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

I love this.  How can we go about doing something close to the heart of God?  Jesus makes a suggestion: he says, “Go and pour out blessings on people who will never ever pay you back.  And don’t do it for show or recognition…just do it because I’m your God, and you want to be like me and love like me.  I’ll bless the ones who do this.”  Jesus calls for absolute selflessness.

APPLICATION:

Well, my first application would be to carefully discern between good and evil.  God’s left it to us to know what scripture teaches about holiness, and to discern carefully what the Spirit inside is telling us.  I need more prayer to do this, more attentiveness to the Spirit.

My second application, is to be more thankful.  To recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from God, and to show him my gratitude at all times…to abide in a place of gratitude and thanksgiving.

My third application for today is to go and do something kind and selfless for someone who I know won’t ever pay me back in anyway…and to not try to make that kindness known to others…but rather to simply do what’s close to the heart of God because I want to be like my Father.

PRAYER: 

Lord,  I love and adore you!  You are good, you are mighty…the source of all things, and I worship you alone!

Lord, give me a discerning spirit…show me your ways, and give me strength to be obedient.

And Father…fill me daily with gratitude and thanksgiving…so that I can offer to you a lifestyle of thankfulness.  You are worth of all good things, of all praise.  You ahve done great things for me…beginning with the cross, and so much more.  You are more than a savior…you’re a Father, a provider, a friend, a guide, you’re everything!  Every breath I take should create worship in me that you’ve provided that breath…every moment is a gift from you.  I want to be more thankful…I want to glorify you!  thank you, Jesus, thank you!

And Lord, help me to be kind and generous with the wonderful things that you’ve blessed me with…show me opportunities to be generous and selfless, and to show your kindness, looking for nothing in return.

I love you, Lord!  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

rules that poison, and rules that free…

SCRIPTURE:

Exodus 6-7, Psalm 28, Mark 7

OBSERVATION:

5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’”

I love this text, because it shows us that God had chosen his people, before these people had ever done anything for the Lord. This was before the Ten commandments were given to Moses atop Mt. Sinai…he was their God and their Savior before he even gave them the rules!  This goes to show, once again, that our sonship is not predicated on rule keeping, but on trusting in God.  By faith we’re saved…just as Abraham was…as Moses was.  And out of that faith comes good works.

Mark 7:

14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” [8]17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” [9] (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

God’s never been interested in the appearance of godliness.  He’s never told us that if we just look the part, we’ll be fine.  That’s culture’s message, and in her lesser moments, that’s the church’s message…but that’s never been God’s message to us.  For Jesus to declare all foods to be clean was massively offensive…this must have ruffled the feathers of the established religious order.  Today, the same stuff is true, only in different forms.  As the legalists in Jesus’ day made up rules about what was OK to eat…the legalists today make up their own set of non-biblical rules…it’s a shame.  If we took half the effort that is often directed at enforcing made up rules in order to insulate us from the real rules, and it applied it to helping people find renewed hearts through Christ…we’d actually make a dent in all the obvious sin that plagues our society.

well, well, well, that was a full-fledged rant wasn’t it?

APPLICATION:

My first application is to see God rightly…to see and understand the kindness of God who comes after us, offers us life and salvation, when we have nothing ot offer him in return!  to see God rightly…as a God of real justice who looks at our hearts and not just outward expressions or appearances (that’s wonderful, but a bit spooky, because I’m quite sure that I appear to be a lot more holy than I actually am)…God will not be fooled! and, finally, as a leader, to be sure I’m not a legalist, who looks at outward appearances…who makes up rules, to insulate us from breaking the real ones…I don’t wnat to be a Pharisee.

PRAYER:

Lord, you are strong and mighty!  just and true!  You are holy and matchless and beyond all description!  I love you!

Father, teach me see you rightly.  Help me to see you in the Word, and in creation, and in all the wonderful ways you reveal yourself to me.  I love you…you are amazing, Father.

Lord, give me wisdom as a leader to avoid taking the foolish path of the Pharisees…and lead me, guide me, convict me, conform me, so that I may walk in holiness…not just in appearance, but in the ways it really matters: from within.

In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

the Body is thicker than blood…

SCRIPTURE:

Genesis 49-50, Psalm 24, Mark 3

OBSERVATION:

From Psalm 24:

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. [14] Selah

I’ve seen the same basic message in a couple Psalms already…I talked about it here. But once again, as I read this text, I’m captured by the same idea.  There is often a lot of struggle over a God that we often judge to be inaccessible…but he’s not, he sits atop the holy hill…and to interact with him, intimately…to commune with him, is not a magic formula.  As we pursue him, by living holy lives, having clean hands and a pure heart, we will ascend his holy hill.  And that’s not accomplished by super-spirituality or hyper-discipline, it’s simply the fruit of surrender.  Through surrender, his righteousness is imputed to us (vs. 5)…

From Mark 3:

31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers [16] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

At the moment I’m sitting in my office at church…and youth group is going on upstairs.  I’m nearly convinced that the game they’re playing has only one objective: tear the building down.  It’s hardly an ideal SOAP environment.  But what an awesome expression of the body of Christ it is.  A gathering of kids, just having a great time together…and in a few minutes, provided the building’s still standing, they’ll circle up and talk about Jesus, read from the word…pray together.   In Mark 3 Jesus makes a huge statement about the body of Christ!  he says, simply, that the Body of Christ, is a stronger bond than even blood relatives.  Some people find that offensive…but they shouldn’t.  All believers in Jesus have entered the eternal family of God…it will never go away.  Our earthly families, while unbelievably important, are actually secondary to the Body of Christ…our eternal family.

APPLICATION:

My application is two-fold…the first is to surrender fully to God in order to walk in greater holiness…and holiness that will cause a breech in my fellowship with God.

and my second application is simply to delight in the family of God.  I’m about to go risk life and limb and snap a few photos of the chaos upstairs…it’s one more opportunity to delight in the Body of Christ.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for your incredible love and faithfulness!  You are beautiful and wonderful, and I worship you with all that I am!  I am yours!

Lord, give me a hunger for holiness…

There’s a silent war that’s raging deep within me
My lower nature fights to dominate
My spirit man is poised and locked in battle
With the carnal side of me I’ve grown to hate.

The trumpet of my prayers plays toward Heaven
A voice of desperation in my cry
Lord, strengthen me that I might not yield myself to sin
But keep Your righteous banner lifted high.

CHORUS
Lord, I hunger for holiness
And I thirst for the righteousness that’s Yours
That my mind would be cleansed
And my spirit renewed
And this temple that You dwell in would be pure.

The tempter stalks about me as a lion
Searching for the slightest scent of blood
For when the skin of my resistance is broken
He moves in swiftly to deepen the cut.

Oh, Lord of all Creation, hear Your servant
You understand the weaknesses of man.
I’m counting myself crucified with Jesus
Alive to Christ and dead indeed to sin. 

Lord, also teach me to delight more and more in your Body…help me not to have my perspective skewed, but see clearly the gift that they are.

in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Sin hinders my fellowship with God.

SCRIPTURE:

Genesis 28-29, Psalm 15, Matthew 18

OBSERVATION:

15:1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

There’s much talk about drawing near to God…about intimacy and closeness. A lot of talk about being in his presence…not only even in Christian circles…but with anyone who believes that there is a God…there seems to be a desire to draw near to him. makes sense. There’s a lot of talk about ‘finding’ him, as if he were hiding from us.

It seems to be a common expectation that nearness to God can happen through an emotional religious experience…and so things like this are often said: “Just press into his presence”. What does that mean, anyway?

I’m not so sure that it’s as complicated as it’s often made out to be. Psalm 15 certainly seems to make it sound simple. Not easy…but simple. It says that the ones who will walk closely to God, who will dwell on his holy mountain, will be the ones who walk in holiness, and live uprightly.

My sin doesn’t sever my union with God, I don’t stop being saved when I sin…however, it does sever my fellowship with God, it does drive me from his presence, it does hinder my ability to know him intimately and deeply.  I’ll not dwell in the presence of God, if I walk in the pathways of the wicked!  It’s not rocket-science! However, when I’m not following Jesus well, when I’m not walking in holiness, I still think that if I hit my knees and cry out with a lot of emotion, then he’ll come and fellowship with me.  Not according to Psalm 15…the presence of God is available to us, intimacy with him is an option…but he points out that we dwell with him on his holy mountain…so we should expect to do some climbing to get there!

7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! [12] For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell [13] of fire.

 

 

APPLICATION:

My application is a broad one…it’s to seek holiness!  And particularly the brand of holiness taught in Psalm 15, which talks about selflessness, and placing others first, and having a holy fear of God.  and my second application, is to prepare myself for the truth that I’ll not just wake up godly in the morning…the Mountain of God has to be climbed!

PRAYER:

Lord, you are holy!  You are worth of all praise!

Father, there is nothing like being in your presence…nothing more wonderful than walking closely with you.  Lord, I know that you are offended by sin, and that it hinders our fellowship…please help me to walk in holiness, to not disrupt my pursuit of you with selfish pursuits, and to have the character and integrity, to diligently climb your holy mountain!

in the name of Jesus, amen.