DAILY PURPOSEFUL LIVING

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT IS NO MYSTERY

Walk in the Spirit,

and you will not fulfill the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5.16

Living by the leadership and power of God the Holy Spirit and not behaving in sinful, destructive ways in our relationships is not a mystery, not difficult.

We simply say and do good things and not bad things to and about one another (Luke 6.27-28). Good things that encourage, strengthen, and comfort one another is how we use our gifts from the Holy Spirit daily (1 Corinthains 14.3). We deny our selfish, bad motives, thoughts, behaviors, and words; instead, we say and do good things to, for, and about others--simple.

We always know when we refuse to do/say something that would be good and helpful to others that we are responding to a need/oportunity, in our sinful selfishness. We immediately feel some negative justification for ourselves and some demeaning devaluation of the other person. In failing God, others, and ourselves ("falling short--Romans 3.23) in this way, we quench and deny the Spirit. Indulging in selfishness, we set up further internal war and conflict within ourselves and harden our hearts/consciences (Ephesians 4.17-19; Jeremiah 17.10; Galatians 5.17-21; James 3.13-4.8).

We need lots of Scripture time with Christ and the Holy Spirit (John 15.1-17; Psalm 139.23-24; Hebrews 5.12).

We can lead people no further/higher in the ways of Jesus than we are walking ourselves. If we are not doing these things, with/ by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5.18), we have no wisdom to lead and help the lost, confused people all around us who need good shepherds appointed by God the Holy Spirit (Mattthew 7.24-27).

Evidence that the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 1.24, 30) impacts our lives and the lives of others around us for Christ is in the good things we say and do in the intense purposeful relationships of daily living. (Epesians 5.232-6.4; Colossians 3.18-4.1).

Prayer and Scripture are foundational to accomplish these things in specific, daily details (Colossians 1.9-12; 4.2-6; Matthew 6.9-13; Luke 6.27-28).

AN APPEAL FOR DISCIPLINE

THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCIPLINE

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 1.7

Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples and teach them to obey His commands. This great commission has not changed. The teacher/disciple Paul taught the disciple/learner Timothy who was to teach faithful men who would teach others (2 Timothy 2.1-3). This has not changed.

You and I are to be disciplined disciples of Christ and teach others the necessary disciplines of discipleship.

The Gospel, according to Paul, is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1.27).

Paul worked to help others "have complete understanding of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col. 2.2) He says, "...that we may present everyone perfect in Christ...I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me." (1.29)

We can do no less!

The book of Proverbs gives us great instruction and motivation to pursue the knowldge, understanding and wisdom necessary for us to live the life for which Jesus came and died for and now lives for.

It is essential that we understand that what we call "salvation" is only the doorway, the "gate," into the life Christ seeks us to live. The "way" of Christ is the way of discipleship.

"Salvation" is only the beginning of the Gospel of eternal life. The life of this salvation is learning disciplined obedience to the daily commands of Christ. Jesus says, "If you continue in My word, you are my disciple." (John 8.31) He further says, "If any man will come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me." ( Luke 9.23)

No word, no self-denial, no daily cross--no Gospel.

Proverbs 1.1-7 uses twenty-seven words to emphasize the importance of disciplined discipleship, stating that "fools despise discipline." v. 7.

My appeal is that you immediately dedicate yourself to serious discipleship.

If you need help getting started, contact me. I will give you practical, workable help.

Proverbs says tha way of the fool is hard. Jesus says His way is easy. It is easy. It is simple. But it is urgent and essential that you dedicate yourself to serious discipleship toward Jesus Christ.

Christ demands it. The world depends on us.

We are fools to fail.

FAITH FOR DEEP, DARK VALLEYS

Sing to the Lord!

Give praise to the Lord!

He rescues the life of the needy...

Jeremiah 20.13

Jeremiah 20. 7-18 has an amazing "drama of three acts" about faith in the midst of intense pain and suffering.

Verses 7-10 lists the pain of abuse at the hands of others. This is primarily verbal persecution.

Verses 14-18 describe the hopelessness and dispair of seemingly endless suffering, for which is there is no relief. This suffering is so intense that Jeremiah's expresses death wishes. He wishes he had not been born, that he had been killed at birth--aborted, by his father.

In between these two passages there is an incredible statement of faith!

Verses 11-13--The Lord is with me...O Lord Almighty..to YOu I have committed my cause...He rescues the life of the needy...

This "dramatic pattern" is repeated endlessly throughout the Psalms.

Psalm 5 is the first clear series of interactions between suffering and celebration:

1-3: Faith while waiting

4-6: The "enemies"

7-8: Faith

9-10: The enemy

11-12: Faith

Psalms 42-45 are a connected series of Psalms that show us how God supports then rewards those who trust Him through the experience of being deeply "downcast." Psalm 45 is totally devoted to praise and celebration after the extended suffering of Psalm 44.

The Prophets portray this same "Valley-mountain" experioence of this life. Psalm 40 presents it as from the "pit" to the strength, stablility, and security of a rock foundation.

This view of God through the dark dispair of this life is the reason James can say so positively, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

Consider, then: Romans 8.28-39, 5.1-5, 15.1-6, 13; 2 Corinthians 1.3-11; 2 Corinthians 12.7-10; James 1.2-5; Philippians 3.7-11; 1 Peter 1.6-7, 4.12-13; 2 Peter 1.3-11. There are many more like these. And we have examples throughout the Old Testament, as noted in Hebrews 11.35-40.

But, especially concentrate on the patterns and promises of the Psalms.

(I apologize for the "cramped" format. I have no idea of how to format these thoughts so they are more visually helpful to your readings.)

"MY" GENERATION

What can I get......away with!?

Indeed! What can I get away with?

Greed. Lying. Stealing. Injustice. Slander. Cheating.

Adultery. Sex. Drunkenness.

Total selfish, sensual indulgence.

Self destruction at any price.

What do I get?

Self. Lonliness. Guilt. Shame. Bitterness. Remorse.

Headaches. Migraines. Stomach ulcers. Colon cancer.

Disgrace. Broken Family. Addictions.

Consequences.

Of what I do and don't do.

Of what others do and don't do.

We are in this "together," even when we hate one another.

We reap, not benefits, but consequences.

One person's greed steals from all of us.

It's not hard to see the "downward spiral" of the "decline of nations" that history has so relentlessly shown us.

Can we do anything about this?

Can heads of state?

Not very often. Not very likely today.

Can one person make a difference?

One person is the only person who can make a difference!

Can one person change much?

Not often.

But lots of "ones" can make a significant difference for lots of others.

So---

Jesus can make a difference in my life.

I will become different.

I will make a difference in the lives of all I am a part of.

I will do my part.

I will spend time with Jesus--

not just saying prayers, pleading with God to do what I want Him to do.

not just reading devotional books.

not just attending study groups and church.

not just serving on church ommmittees.

I will spend time with Jesus.

That's what He asks me to do.

He will send His Spirit to let me know He is present with me.

His Spirit will tell me what He is saying to me

and what He wants me to do and say.

Jesus will make a difference in my life.

I will be different--daily--

denying my own selfishness and indulgences.

taking up a cross of self-sacrifice for others well-being.

I can and I will make a difference for the sake of others.

WHY AM I REJECTED!?

PSALM 43

Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;

rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

You are God my stronghold.

Why have rejected me? Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?

Send forth Your light and Your truth,

let them guide me....

The reality is that we live in an ungodly generation. Dishonesty, injustice, greed, fraud, doctoring books, misrepresentations, lying, stealing, betrayal, set-ups.....and we are too often victims of power plays of other people.

When we are victimized by such "enemies," then we we are attacked from within with confusion, anger, distress, fear, and much more. Doubts about where God is and whether He has abandoned us torment us. We wonder, "Am I being punished for something?" "If so, what?" Why didn't God protect me? Why doesn't He punished the bad people who did this to me?

These questions of the Psalmist represent many more questions that we most naturally fall prey to.

However, the questions of the Psalmist and our own questions are guides to the answers God has for us!

Look at the next verses:

Send forth Your light and your truth, let them guide me;

let them bring me to Your holy mountain,

to the place where You dwell.

Then will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise You with the harp, O God, my God.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Vv. 3-5

When this world, our jobs, our associates, even friends or family, betrays, victimizes, abandons......us, the Psalmist proclaims and insists that God remains faithful, trustworthy, strong, and compassionate.

Our God stands ready to intervene with Grace to restore, rebuild, and renew our lives on solid ground that will not crumble and fail us for the coming ages of eternity.

The Psalm says that God will send light and truth to guide us and bring us to His holy mountain. So, the psalmist determines to go to the altar of God to receive such grace, wisdom, and strength. Then, he urges us to put

our hope in God and join him in praise as our Savior and God.

And, yes, this will mean a change of approach and of outlook. We will have to "renew our minds," meaning our attidues and ways of thinking, our value systems, our "time management." We will have to do a serious "spiritual inventory," and face our poverty and bankruptcy in the values of God. We will have to learn "spiritual a, b, c's" like a child.

But, if we faithfully seek and follow Jesus as Lord and the Holy Spirit as Counselor, believing and trusting God as our Father, we will soon discover and experience that the will of God is good, satisfying, and sufficient for all things.