The Pre-Dawn Theological Society has been meeting every Monday morning (well… almost every Monday morning) for over a year now.  Throughout these fifty-odd early morning meetings, we have been thoroughly combing through the Gospel of John.  (We are currently at chapter 14.  We’re in no rush.)  So, naturally, yesterday we discussed Romans 12:2.

Now, you may well ask, “What on earth has Romans 12:2 got to do with John’s gospel?”  Directly, not a lot.  But, if you take a holistic approach to studying Scripture (and I do because, despite having 40 or so writers, the Bible has One Author with a remarkably diverse yet cohesive message for His people), then it has everything to do with it.  You see, Romans 12:2 really expresses what our approach to life should / should not be.  If you truly are seeking God’s will for your life (and I do mean truly – not using the Magic 8-Ball method of trying to find what to do, but wanting wholeheartedly to be changed in your very innermost being to who God wants you to be), here it is.  Sit down.  Read this.  Memorize this.  Be like Madge with her bottle of dish soap: soak in this. 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Now… some of you may well be thinking, “I thought Chris was an ESV man.”  And you’d be right.  However, despite my preference for The ESV Study Bible, we in the Pre-Dawn Theological Society do not practice translational snobbery.  We have guys who, like me, appreciate the closer accuracy of the ESV, while others are more comfortable with the NIV or the NKJV, or even the tried, true and trusted KJV.  (And, personally, I also hold a deep fondness for The NIV Archaeological Study Bible.)

And, in the case of Romans 12:2, the NIV rendering holds a small idiosyncrasy that I believe makes it just a bit more accurate.  It is the omission of the word “be” from the beginning of the verse.  Read the ESV version:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Such a subtle yet sizeable difference that little two-letter word “be” makes.  The ESV / KJV / NKJV versions all seem to suggest that there is some force outside ourselves that is causing us to “be conformed to this world.”  And they are correct.  That force is called sin and, thanks to Adam and Eve, it is practically part of our DNA.  As Paul points out,

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” – Romans 7:18-20 (ESV)

What Paul is pointing out in Romans 7 is the simple fact that the law won’t save you.  The law shows us wrong from right.  It defines what is evil, and what is good.  And Paul teaches us, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9, NIV).  So, clearly, we have a choice to make.

This is where no longer conforming (as opposed to being conformed) comes in to play.  What saves us?  Well… faith in Jesus Christ.  Salvation is a gift of God’s grace provided through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross to cover the sin of the world.  Not merely our individual sins, but sin as an entity.  Once we are saved – the process of sanctification having begun within us – we no longer desire the junk that once littered our lives.  We want to live rightly – to abhor evil and crave what the Lord says is good. 

But, as we read, we can’t pull it off.  Do not set a goal of making yourself perfect.  Nobody transforms themselves.  We are saved by grace, and it is the power of God that is transformational.  And, while we cannot save ourselves, that does not mean we should go on living as we did pre-salvation.  We must make a choice: conform, or let God transform us.  And Joshua makes clear that this is a choice we must make:

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV).

Yes, what we do is important.  If we choose to follow God, we will stumble along the way.  Sin can slip in and slip us up.  Okay… repent, seek forgiveness, and move on in Christ.  If we choose to conform to the world’s ways – to continue in the sin we were once neck-deep in – then we need to consider the honesty of our alleged salvation.  For salvation brings about transformation – a change of heart, a soul turned toward Christ and His will. 

The point is this: don’t let your “salvation” be an excuse to willfully continue in sin.  Like it or not, you are either a slave to sin or a slave to Christ.  Sin brings death – it is bondage of the worst sort.  However, being a slave to Christ brings great freedom and joy!  You cannot serve two masters.  You must choose to no longer conform to the ways of the world and commit to Christ, allowing Him to strengthen and guide you through the lifelong process of sanctification.

Let’s let Paul have the last word on the subject today:

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,^[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin — ⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” – Romans 6:1-14 (ESV)

I’ve noticed that, the older I get, the more I give second thought to aspects of life that I once upon some time ago accepted as fact.  I think about some of the “truths” I have accepted over the years and think, “Wow… I didn’t even feel the hook set in my mouth!”  Maybe it’s because I am gaining the sage wisdom of middle age (or just the simple fact that I am finally starting to grow up).  But I am beginning to truly realize just how little control I have over my life.

It can be a little nerve-wracking for a control freak like myself to realize just how little control I truly have.  I can choose how I react.  I can choose how I perceive life (to an extent – but even perception has it’s influences).  But, ultimately, I cannot force my will on every area of my life.  I have to accept that I am not master of my own domain, nor can I be anyone I want to be in life.  Despite what we were taught in school, that simply isn’t the case.

Don’t believe me?  Ask someone who has been sidelined by a tragedy.  Talk to someone whose dreams have inexplicably vaporized before their very eyes.  Watch someone who keeps trying to shove open a locked door. 

Do not misunderstand me.  I am not saying we should not dream.  I am not saying we should not strive.  I am not saying to roll over and let life roll all over you.  Before anyone picks up on that particular negative vibe, I’d best get to the point. 

The point: we put our hope in so many things – so many desires and wishes and hopes for a bright future brimming with meaning and joy and promise.  But we tend to skew our priorities.  As I’ve been going over Malachi 1 the past couple of days, I understand that the cause of most misery is the flip-flop of our life goals toward self (self-achievement, self-worth, self-gratification, self-this, self-that…) and away from God.  I see it in myself and feel, quite frankly, like a hypocrite writing about it.  (I hope people understand that, when I am writing about a particular topic, I have most likely faced it at some point or am still dealing with it.  Either way, God is speaking to me as much as anyone else.)

There is nothing of deep profundity here.  The message I’m being so wordy at sharing really boils down to this: if you want to be filled with joy, follow God,  What you do is not nearly as important as why.  If Jesus is at the center of your life, circumstances will matter far less.  Life is going to have it’s pains and disappointments and hardships and trials, right along with it’s joys and happiness and good times. 

But don’t bank on your abilities in life.  Don’t expect what God doesn’t promise.  Because the only surety we have in life is God and Him alone.  And that’s good news!  Sure takes away a lot of the burden of trying to run everything.

Today’s reading: Malachi 1

I have begun doing a bit of early morning Bible hopping.  This is not the suggested method of Bible study for most folks, but I’m doing it just to mix things up a bit.  So… the window is open, the sun is rising, the birds are singing, the world is revolving…

If I were a betting man (I am not), I’d be willing to wager up to a nickel – even a dime if I really got out of control – that when you mention Malachi to your average, Sunday morning church going Christian, one word comes to mind: tithe.  And, if that is your perception of the last book of the Christian Old Testament canon, you are missing so much.  In many ways, Malachi really sets the scene for the New Testament.  Chapter one alone gives us a feel for why (perhaps) God was silent for four hundred years before the arrival Jesus. 

Read Malachi 1 and you will see that the LORD is not talking in legalistic terms.  His people are technically – technically – fulfilling what they see as their legal obligation.  They are bringing animals for sacrifice.  But, the animals being offered are of low quality.  They are the worst of the fields, the meat they themselves wouldn’t eat or offer to any other person.  This meat makes those hamburger patties with the pink goo in them seem like grade A beef.

What we are seeing is the same old cyclical behavioral pattern that keeps playing out, time and again, throughout the OT and throughout humanity’s history: 

1. God’s children are faithful.

2. Their focus begins to move away from the LORD.

3. Pretty soon the sin hits the fan and they find themselves facing unpleasant consequences.

4. God, Who is faithful throughout, corrects and ultimately rescues his children.

5. Back to step one, where the cycle begins anew.

Sound familiar?  Bear in mind that, within that cycle, every “they” is “we.”  We do the same things – individually and corporately.  We get distracted – work, spouse, kids, ball games, this thing and that… We get to a point where we go to church on Sunday.  But, really, it’s just another obligation.  Now, do not misunderstand me.  I am not saying, “Don’t let your kids play hockey.”  Enjoy life!  But, whatever you do, do it with the right priorities.

In other words, put God first.  Not in a legalistic manner.  But, rather, in your heart.  Don’t give God the scraps of your life.  He is our Father.  He is GOD.  He deserves better.  Do what you do with Godly purpose.  If what you do hinders your walk with Christ, cut back or stop.  Make sure God is not just on your list.  If Jesus is truly Lord of your life – which means you willingly let Him call the shots.  As Jesus said, seek first the kingdom of God – His will, His ways, His Word.

Scripture: Isaiah 30.  Yes, the whole chapter.  Take a few minutes and read it.

We all know the feeling.  The weariness.  The dread.  The anxiety.  The niggling doubt.  We cling to Scriptures and prayer, looking for God to move in our situations.  Yet, He seems stone silent, unmoving. We cry out, “Why?  Why me?  Why this?  Why now?”  We question what we have done to turn God against us.  We wonder if the Lord is unhappy with us, or does He love us, or does He even hear our cries and prayers.  We look for direction, for answers, for relief.  And it simply does not materialize.

So, what do we do?

We take matters into our own hands.  God isn’t working fast enough.  He isn’t responding to our prayers.  This pain has to stop.  This trouble has to go away.  This situation needs resolving now.  We begin seeking answers on our own.  We start wandering away from God.  We reach a fork in the road and, without reading the signs, we turn toward Egypt.

Now, I have no doubt that Egypt is a fascinating place to visit.  All that history.  Besides, I like fish, leeks, melons, onions and cucumbers as much as the next guy.  But – and here is where we get ourselves into trouble – if God says, “Don’t go back to Egypt,” then don’t go back to Egypt!  You’ve been there before.  God has rescued you from that prison of hopelessness.  Why do you want to go back?

The words used in the NIV rendering of Isaiah 30:1 are “obstinate children.”  We are stubborn.  We think know what we need.  Moreover, we think we know what we want., when we want it, where we want it, and how we want it served.   And we get restless when life doesn’t go our way.  But, as Christians, Paul points out the reality of our (assumed) independence:

¹⁷ Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. ¹⁹ For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. ²¹ Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) ²² For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. ²³ You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. ²⁴ So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. – 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (ESV)

“I thought we had freedom in Christ…”  We do.  Freedom from sin.  Freedom from hell.  Freedom from worry and doubt and fear.  Freedom to do what God has called us to do (which is really not as complicated as we often make it, but that’s another article).  Freedom to be claim every promise of God and cling to every word of Jesus Christ with great confidence.  Freedom to know that, whatever our current circumstances, they are not our permanent circumstances, because we are now God’s children, we are saved and cleansed by the work of Jesus Christ, completed on the cross for all of us.  So, do not confuse “freedom” from “independence.” While we are free, we are not independent.

So… what do we do?  What is the answer to our dilemma?  How do we find rest from our trials, relief from our burdens?  “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…’” (Isaiah 30:15a, NIV).  The answer is faith.  With God, everything has purpose.  Even our circumstances.  There is no situation so lousy, no pain so intense, no trouble so uncomfortable, that the Lord cannot use it to bring Him glory.  Maybe God has you at that lousy job because of the positive influence you have on a co-worker.  Maybe you haven’t been healed because someone else has the same disease and needs you to inspire them through Christ.  Maybe you were meant to meet the tow truck driver who is hooking up the car you just wrecked.  Who knows what God’s purposes are?  Often we figure it out later, so have faith.

Whatever you are facing today, have faith in Jesus.  Let God be your hope.  Your situation is not hopeless.  You are not hopeless.  If in debt, don’t go to the casino.  If in doubt, don’t go to another “god.”  If in pain, don’t go to the bar or the dealer or the medicine cabinet.  If afraid, don’t run to the comforts of your past.  "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.  For the LORD is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18, NIV).

Whatever you do, don’t go back to Egypt.  The momentary “relief” isn’t worth the eternal price.  When feeling weary or tired or unsure or confused or tempted or hurting, don’t run for the nearest pleasure to narcotize the pain.  Run to your prayer closet.  Run to the Word of God.  Run to Jesus.  KNOW that He hears you.  KNOW He has a plan for you.  You may not feel it, but don’t rely on fickle feelings.  You may not hear Him, but don’t rely on faulty self.  KNOW that God is with you, and you are eternally safe and secure in His capable and willing arms.  And, in Christ, find your peace, your direction, your equipping, your comfort, your joy.

It is a danger that can snare a person in an instant, when they least expect it.  One moment you’re swimming along just fine.  The next, you find yourself flailing and drowning.  Ask anyone who’s ever been caught unexpectedly in a rip current – they are no fun.  Makes “Jaws” look like a picnic (which, in the eyes of the shark, I guess it was a picnic…)

Rip currents form when the tide erodes a portion of sand bar near the shore.  Water pours through the gap at speeds of up to eight feet per second, swiftly pulling the swimmer out to sea and far away from the safety of the shoreline.  It all happens so fast that the swimmer often panics and, in a vain attempt to save himself, turns and begins swimming back the way they came – against the swirling rip tide.  The swimmer becomes the victim when he exhausts himself of his strength, fighting the losing battle alone, and drowns. 

Many beaches post signs warning people to stay out of the water due to dangerous rip currents.  But not everybody heeds the warnings.  Some folks jump in anyway, and end up paying the ultimate price for their folly.

Sadly, those who drown do not understand that salvation from the rip current is fairly simple.  Just turn away from it.  Do not swim against it or into it.  Turn and swim out of the speeding current’s stream.  Once you are free of the rip tide’s pull, you will find the waters are calmer.  You can then swim back to the safety of the shoreline, avoiding the rip current so as not to get pulled back in.

Sin works in much the same way as a rip current.  It can snare you in an instant, and hurriedly hurl you into the depths before you know what hit you.  Try to swim against in on your own power and you will drown.

Consider Judas Iscariot.  He is the poster child for rip current sin.  Think about it: John goes to great lengths to make sure we know exactly which Judas this guy was: “During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him…” (John 13:2, ESV).  Just as Christ was not Jesus’ last name, nor was Iscariot Judas’ last name.  It probably means simply that he is from Kerioth.  In other words, John is telling us that it was Judas, the one from Kerioth, the one who was Simon’s son.  “Oh… that Judas!”  Truly that is one case of mistaken identity one would not wish to be the victim thereof.

Judas had a weakness for money, and that weakness got the best of him.  Satan used it to tempt him into doing the unthinkable (betraying Jesus, whom he had followed closely for three years).  This is how the devil “put it into the heart of Judas” to do such a heinous thing.  All for a bag of silver coins.  The bait is taken.  Jesus even gives Judas one last out in offering up the morsel of wine-soaked bread to be eaten by the one who would betray Christ.  Note that John once more carefully identifies the betrayer: “So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him.  Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly” (John 13:26b-27, ESV).

Bait swallowed.  Hook set.  Reel him in. 

Judas did not learn the lesson Peter had when walking on the water.  Take your eyes off Christ, and you will drown.  Judas had let Satan tempt him to a horrible fate.  Before he knew it, he was in the rip current, violently pulled away from the safety of the shoreline, unable to fight against the current and never quite turning away and swimming out to the safety of salvation in Christ.

He fell for the enemy’s lie.

He did not heed the warnings.  He jumped in anyway.  And he paid the ultimate price.

He was chum.

My five-year-old loves to sing a song he learned at Sunday School: “Be careful little eyes what you see… be careful little ears what you hear…”  I think that, for we adults, that might be a good song to sing as well.  All are tempted.  Jesus endured for 40 days and nights.  Likewise, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV).  None of us has hit the mark.  And God knows it.  That’s why He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins, that we may be saved.  However, we need to make sure we are focused on Jesus.  Perhaps these words of wisdom from Proverbs will help us set our gaze where it ought to be:

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸ It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones. – Proverbs 3:1-8 (ESV).

God’s ways are always perfect and right.  Seek first His kingdom.  Follow the LORD, pursue peace and wisdom and love.  Do not take your eyes off Him.  The temptations of life of many.  Just remember this: it’s the second look that sets the hook. 

The next time you want to go for a swim, if you see a sign warning against rip currents, do yourself a favor: heed the warning.  Don’t be tempted to swim out in dangerous waters.  And, if ever you find yourself being swept away by the rip tide, remember that you can get out by crying out to Jesus, repenting of your sin and swimming out of the current and into the calm safety of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Got up this morning, grabbed my trusty old NIV Study Bible (which I have studied infrequently since becoming an ESV convert) and found my bookmark pressed between the pages of 2 Corinthians 3 and 4.  So, I read chapter 4.  If you ever feel the need to consider your purpose for ministry – or just need some encouragement to carry on in the Lord’s work – this is the place to go.

What did I glean from 2 Cor 4?  In a nutshell:

– Ministry is not a job.  It is not a chore.  It is a gift, given only through “God’s mercy.”  The work of the Lord should be a joy, even when it is arduous or difficult or doesn’t make sense. (v.1)

– For the sake of integrity in ministry – an uprightness the world does not provide, but only comes through God, the author of morality – we are to speak the Truth, and let the Truth do the speaking.  We do not “distort” the Word to fit our ministry ideals.  We let the Lord do the forming.  The Truth will prevail, for it is the Word of God Who “hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” [1 Cor 1:27, KJV].  It is God Who illuminates.  While light can extinguish the dark, dark cannot snuff of the light.  As ministers of the gospel, we are to set aside all darkness and let the light of Christ shine through us. (v.2-6)

– We humans are frail and flawed.  Anything great that we do comes not from us, but the “all-surpassing power” of God working through us.  We are but vessels of the Lord.  And, since is within us and working through us, we are alive in Christ.  There is no suffering on this earth that will overcome us.  There is no trouble too great for God to bear.  It is for us to continue to run the race the Lord has set before us, firm in our faith, knowing that ultimately the victory is ours through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Maintain a servant’s heart – toward God and toward others.  Keep your eyes on the prize. (v.7-15)

– “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  It is a process, a lifelong series of daily changes, that brings forth our sanctification. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”  Serving God wholeheartedly is worth the price.  Count the cost, but be sure to consider the return on investment in the Kingdom of God. (v.16-17).

We are jars of clay, pottery that easily chips, cracks, crumbles and breaks into shards. If we do not live this life with eternal purpose, we do no more than waste time.  If we invest in the eternal, the dividends are incalculable.  So, in the end, what really matters?  Not the troubles we face.  Not the promotion at work or the shiny new car or the amazing vacation.  What matters is Christ – and Him alone.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (v.18).

Hallelujiah!!!

–

Blessed Sunday morning to you all!  Seeing as how it is Sunday morning, I want to give your worship and sense of joyous gratitude a bit of a boost. 

As you probably know, I have started my journey through the entire Bible.  So… my reading for this weekend has been Genesis 1 – the first creation account.  As I read through this passage, I am awestruck at God and His might and ability and infinity.  He spoke, and it was.  He did not toil or sweat.  He did not worry that He might have missed something or could have improved upon His work. 

Now… consider this.  What did God use to create everything?  Where was the plan book?  Where was the building material?  The simple fact is that God created everything ex nihilo – “out of nothing.”  He simply spoke everything into existence.  It is the pondering of this that leads me to God’s eternity.  Before anything existed, there was God.  He has always been, He always will be.  Father, Son, Holy Spirit – all ever-present in relationship throughout eternity, three personages, one God, unbound by time, space and material.  The Great “I AM,” the One Who does not exist, but is existence itself.  Who does not love but is love itself.  The source of all, as we will see more clearly in just a few minutes.

Genesis 1 provides us with a very detailed account of God’s creative work.  It isn’t a scientific text, but it gives us the facts we need.  Light and dark, water and dry land, birds, fish and animals – “everything that moves.”  God said, it became, and He proclaimed it good. 

But the verses that caught my attention as I read through this were 1:11-12.  Here we are, day three, and God is creating plant-life.  But… he isn’t just plopping down trees and sprouting up plants and shrubbery.  The fact that this wide variety of vegetation produces seed is mentioned four times in these two verses.  What is God showing us?  He not only created life.  He made sure that life continued on.  It was fruitful (literally) and multiplied. 

Fruit is important in Scripture.  Consider this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20, ESV).

In the garden, there was no death.  There was no disease.  No trees suffered plight.  No crops were destroyed.  It was just fruitfulness.  Everything changed after the fall.  Thanks to the introduction of sin we have to discern the source before we consume of the fruit. 

But we need not concern ourselves with that until chapter 3.  For now, ponder God’s perfection and goodness.  Praise Him for His abilities!  Do you think the God Who created everything – everything – out of nothing, Who positioned the stars and moon and Earth in perfect position, Who centuries later overcame sin and death on a hill outside Jerusalem… do you think He can see you through your circumstances?  Remember, God is not only our Creator.  He is our Sustainer.  The idea of seed points that out.

Think about this the next time you bite into a piece of fruit: you are eating something that is rooted in the garden of Eden.  Everything comes from creation.  Every plant can be traced back to it’s first seed, just like every human can be traced back to Adam and Eve.  Let that thought marinate for awhile and see how it affects your worldview!

God is great, and greatly to be praised!  He is that He is.  Worship God with all your heart this morning – today and every day!

No, I’m not referring to listening to a quirky ‘80s band every morning. I mean “devo” as in devotional – time spent on God’s Word and prayer, time to focus on the LORD, time invested alone with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I treasure this predawn time with God.  There is no daily experience sweeter than communing one-to-one with the Creator, worshiping Jesus and soaking in His goodness, grace, mercy and love.

I must admit that this has always been a struggle for me. “Entering into His presence” can be tough for one with a brain like a runaway train, always rattling recklessly down the tracks. 

Clickity-clackity-clack…

One of my Achilles heels has always been that I am better at starting great projects than seeing them through to fruition.  I have stacks of half-filled notebooks brimming with half-baked ideas, half-written stories, half-hashed plots and plans, that stand as a testimony to my unfocused, disorganized, scattershot thought processes.  Collectively they represent a vast array of incompleteness – everything I have ever not done.  (Well, everything I bothered to write down…)

Here’s an example of my runaway train of thought as I study a passage of Scripture:

“Wow… I wonder what Paul means by that.  I oughta do a quick word study to get some depth of meaning here.  Where’s my Strong’s Dictionary…”

“Hmmm… it sure is quiet in this office.  A little Caedmon’s Call in the background would be nice this morning…”

“Jesus and His disciples walked everywhere, and did so either barefoot or in sandals.  How’d they do that?  Too bad they didn’t have sneakers back then.  You know, when your feet hurt, your whole body…”

“What a beautiful sunrise!  I need to get a photo of that for today’s Facebook post…”

“I can’t remember.  Do I prefer Anjou or Bosc pears?”

“Hope Mamaw’s getting settled in her new surroundings.  Lord, please bless her with great joy in her circumstances…”

“Bet it’s steamy over in Guangzhou today.  Man, I’d love to go back there!”

“Focus, focus, focus… Austin will be up soon.  I hope Jennie’s hairdryer doesn’t wake the boy up…”

“Which one is the red pear?  I think it’s the Anjou…”

“I gotta remember to email people tonight about small groups…”

“The weatherman said we might get some snow tonight.  Wonder if it will miss us.  The snow always goes around us…”

“Oh man!  The van is due for an oil change.”

“I wonder if there is some psychological reason why I prefer red pears over the normal tan ones.  The Boscs are the tan ones, right?”

“Boy, do I have a stack of paper waiting for me when I get to work today.  Lord, please help me through the day…”

“I haven’t talked to mom or dad in a few days.  Better call them tonight.  Oh, and remember the emailing that needs done…”

“I wonder if it ever snows in Guangzhou.  Surely not.  I doubt it ever gets cold enough, seeing as how it practically sits on the Tropic of Cancer…”

“Bosc, Anjou… Bosc, Anjou… If I have one of each pear, I could taste them, compare, and know which one I prefer.  I’m sure it’s the red one…”

I think you get the idea.  It takes a lot of concentration some mornings.

Clickity-clackity-clack.

However… if I have a clear-cut destination and directions for my journey, my mind follows along the tracks much easier. With that in mind, and all I have been listening to lately about the Christological approach to theology (Christ-centered Bible teaching that recognized Scripture as a cohesive whole as opposed to a series of parts and pieces, all with Jesus Christ at the center), I have decided to read the Bible.

The whole Bible.

Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21.

Creation to re-creation.

Every word.

Even the genealogies and begats.

I am not placing any time constraints on this project, because I do not want to miss anything.  The Bible is not a book to be read quickly.  There is not one wasted word in all of Scripture.  No filler, no fluff.  It is the most economical collection of written works ever scribed and complied.  Speed reading Scripture sorely nullifies the benefits and effectiveness of thorough Bible study.

And, yes, study is the key word here.  I want to know God deeper, understand His will and ways deeper.  This isn’t a race or attempt to impress anybody.  It is just the fulfillment of a desire to read God’s Word in it’s entirety, in succession, as the Protestant canon of Scripture lays it all out. 

Being a theology student for so many years, I have read the entire Bible.  But not necessarily as a whole.  This I what I want to experience: the progressive revelation of God in His Word, in the order it is presented.  I may even throw in some Apocrypha when I finish Malachi, just to get a historical flavor for the 400-year intertestimental period leading up to the appearance of John the Baptist.

How long will this take?  Who knows?  Our Monday morning men’s Bible study group started the Gospel of John last May/June.  We’re just now in John 9.  It may take a year to read the whole Bible.  At the rate I’m going, it may take a decade.  Frankly, I’m ok with that.  I want to absorb it.  So, I’m studying my way through the Bible, not just reading it. 

I want to know the LORD better.  I want a better walk with Thee.  I want to be a workman worth His wage (not that I can earn anything with God, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try).  I want to be a better Christian – a better husband, better dad, better son and grandson and nephew and uncle.  A better friend and brother in Christ.  A better teacher, better writer, better leader… And I know I cannot do these things on my own.  I cannot change me.

Clickety-clackety-clack.

Only God can truly change the heart and mind of a person.  Only God truly knows what I need.  Only God can keep the train from derailing, or put the locomotive back on the right tracks.  So, it behooves all of us to spend time with Him – in Him, through His Word and prayer.

So today I begin this trek through His Word.  I ask for your prayers as I head out on this journey, that I do not get distracted or derailed.  That I grow through this undertaking – not merely knowing His Word but knowing Him – the Great I AM – better, closer, deeper.  That I stay the course in life that He has plotted for me.  That He makes me a more effective minister of the Gospel.  That God uses me in a great and mighty way.  That it not be about me, but about the LORD.

Clickety-clackety-clack… I hear that train a-comin’.

Definitely Anjou pears…

1. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.” – Psalms 14:1 (ESV)

Clever.  Very clever.  A group of Minnesota atheists raised $3000 to buy a couple of billboards – one in Minneapolis, the other in St. Paul.  They are designed to look just like the billboards a Christian anti-abortion group puts up, bearing a photo of a happy baby and a pro-life message.  It appears the atheists even used the same font style (or one very similar) for the lettering.

And what is the message these atheists want to get across?  The St. Paul billboard states, “We are all born without belief in gods.  Learn how to be a born again atheist.”   The Minneapolis sign reads, “Please don’t indoctrinate me with religion.  Teach me to think for myself.”

Hmmm…

To my mind, the essential problem with atheism is rooted in a skewed view of reason.  After all, a national atheist group is holding their “Reason Rally,” followed by their national convention in Bethesda MD. (Ironically – or perhaps reasonably – enough, the city is named after Bethesda (or Bethsaida) in Israel – the place where invalids seeking healing gathered at the Sheep Pool, and where Jesus gave sight to the blind man.)

Perhaps we should best define the meaning of the noun “reason.”  So that I’m not accused of dogmatic bias on this, I will use a secular source: the Random House dictionary:

1. “a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.: the reason for declaring war.

2. a statement presented in justification or explanation of a belief or action.

3. the mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences.

4. sound judgment; good sense.

5. normal or sound powers of mind; sanity.

6. Logic . a premise of an argument.

7. Philosophy .

a. the faculty or power of acquiring intellectual knowledge, either by direct understanding of first principles or by argument.

b. the power of intelligent and dispassionate thought, or of conduct influenced by such thought.

c. Kantianism . the faculty by which the ideas of pure reason are created (1).”

To an atheist, there is no God – no Deity, no Creator, no Savior.  What is reasonable to them is that mankind is the be-all and end-all of life.  Humanity lives to please ourselves.  People love one another, but not God.  Human beings define truth.

The problem is that these ideas are not reasonable.  Look around you: you see evidence of a Creator all around you!  Blue skies by day, a brightly lit universe at night.  Trees.  Rivers.  Animals.  People.

People – humans – beings who can think and feel and see and taste and hear and comprehend and write and draw and do. 

And reason. 

But as humans, we are not as smart as we think we are.  Hence, our abilities to reason alone are hampered.  This is why some simply can’t see the forest for the trees when it comes to God.  They reason that if they cannot the Lord, He must not exist.  They will accept such nonsense as Darwinism and not entertain the reasonable view that all of creation must have been created, and thus there must be a creator, and that Creator must be higher than we are.  Some claim it is all “intelligent design,” which basically means there is a God but, to save face, we can’t admit He is God.  How reasonable is that?

What sense is there in living for one’s self?  How can we reconcile that with loving the people around us?  By definition, love is putting the interests of others above self.  How can we prefer ourselves over others and prefer others over ourselves at the same time?  How reasonable is that?

And what is truth?  Truth must be absolute, otherwise it is merely opinion.  Without truth, we have no morals.  Without truth, we have no basis for reason.  So, to be reasonable we must have absolute truth.  And, since humanity is so flawed, we simply are not intelligent enough to fully outline – let alone fully comprehend – what truth really is.  How can man, who does not know everything, possibly be the definer of ultimate truth?  How reasonable is that?

The simple truth is that there is a God – a loving Creator and Sustainer of all.  And that God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of the Bible.  He Created all this world and the universe around it.  He sustains life on this earth.  (Think about it: your heart beats, your brain functions, your lungs inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, all without you having to think about it.)  And reality – concrete reality – exists, therefore truth must exist.  And that truth comes from the One Who is Truth Himself: God.

2 “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. 4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord?” – Psalms 14:2-4 (ESV)

The Hebrew word translated here as “understand” is śākal, which basically means to intelligently consider – or, thus, to reason.  If you think about it, it is only reasonable to figure out that God exists, that He is in control of all, and that we had all better be seeking Him. 

Look at verse 4 above.  “Have they no knowledge?” can be translated as “Are they blind?”  (Again, atheists, Bethesda – irony or God?  I know what I believe…)   To truly believe in no belief at all is the epitomy of blind ignorance.  Atheists cling to a faith in no faith.  How sad.  How unreasonable.

5 “There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. 6 You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge. 7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.” – Psalms 14:5-7 (ESV)

Living a life that is true and reasonable requires faith in the God Who is Creator and Sustainer of all, who is Truth Himself (and, therefore, Existence Himself), who is Love Himself (for only Love in its purest could bear sinful humanity and, considering all the horrible things man does to his fellow man, we cannot – as a whole – bear one another and, therefore, do not possess the ability in an of ourselves to truly love anyone). 

There is no reason for atheists to claim they believe in liberty of belief yet want to deprive Christians of their rights in the process.  If, as an atheist, one chooses not to believe in God, that is their choice.  I wish it were not, but it is.  However, such a choice does not entitle them to try to take away the rights of Christians (which some have been systematically and legally trying to do since 1959).  And, Christians, don’t despair.  God will have the ultimate victory.  So will those who follow Him.

The simple truth is that our battle is not against atheists, “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV).  We know all too well where the root of such non-belief in unbelief lies.  As Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, ESV).  Robbing people of faith – the ultimate endgame of atheism – is spiritual larceny on a grand scale. 

Still, it is far better to be stronger in standing up for our faith in Christ, as opposed to standing against atheists.  We need to let God’s love shine through us, being merciful and kind – being salt and light.  Remember that dark cannot put out light, but light can certainly illuminate the life out of darkness, exposing the lie that it is. Now that is reasonable!

Source: (1) "reason." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 28 Jan. 2012. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/reason>.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV).

This is for my Mamaw Day.  Praying you are up and around and feeling better soon.

Pills.  When I was a kid, I hated them.  When I was sick, I was all for the “bubble gum medicine” – that thick, pink liquid that looked like Pepto-Bismol but tasted like Bazooka Joe gum.  But pills… no thanks.  If one of them got caught in my esophagus or, worse yet, went down the wrong pipe and dropped straight into a lung… I shuddered to think of the medical consequences that could befall me at such a young age. 

Pills!  How could my doctor be so irresponsible?  The cure was certainly more dangerous than the disease!  Never mind that our cousin and I had seen my little brother swallow a marble without the least bit of gagging (even when our mom lifted him up by his feet and shook him – although his face was a little red from all the upside-down bobbing).  In fact, he passed the marble the next day without incident.  (Ask Mom.  She’s the one who had the unpleasant task of insuring the little glass orb successfully completed it’s digestive voyage.  Ah, the joys of parenting…)

(Mom, if you’re reading this… he acted of his own volition and was goaded in no way at all into performing such a dangerous act.  We were in no way accomplices in the whole episode.  In fact, we begged him not to do it!)

(Matt, my dear brother, if you are reading this… sorry to throw you under the bus like that.  I love you.  It’s all in fun!  And I didn’t even mention Mamaw’s candy dish, which I will now take my fair 10% share of the blame for breaking.  [Just kidding!])

If not for my grandmother, I might never have taken a pill in all my life.  My throat would perhaps, to this day, pucker up and seal off any foreign intruders at the merest mention of the word “aspirin.”  But, my Mamaw Day came up with the solution (and a simple one at that): jelly.

Grape jelly.

One spoonful of the delightful breakfast condiment with said pill tucked in its midst.  The jelly would act as a protective vehicle to fool my throat and carry the offending medicine safely and swiftly to my stomach.  It was a trick she had employed with her kids.  Now I got to be the grateful beneficiary of such wonderful grandmotherly wisdom.

There is something about gratitude that can make even the bitterest pill easier to swallow.  Gratitude – thankfulness – changes our perspective considerably.  We need to realize that we are who we are, where we are when we are, and our circumstances are what they are because of the Lord’s perfect will and plan for our lives.  When we see our lives are safely and securely in God’s hands and realize we have nothing – nothing – to fear or dread (after all, “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” [Romans 8:28, ESV), then we can begin to live a life filled with gratitude for all God has done, is doing, and will do. 

True gratitude fixes our gaze off ourselves and onto our Creator and Savior.  It places Jesus squarely at the center of our lives.  Gratitude is the reflection of a heart that realizes, accepts and believes the forgiveness and peace offered by Christ.

And it makes even the worst, most painful, least pleasant events in (and aspects of) life far easier to take.

As an adult, I still immensely dislike taking pills.  But, knowing I am protected makes them far easier to swallow.  “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1, ESV).