A Community of Believers

The New Testament church has always been organism, and was never meant to be an organization. It did not grow because of Alter calls, but through altered lives. Peter did not call them to say the 'sinners' prayer, instead they asked, what do I need to do to become part of Jesus. The people had a thirst to join something living, powerful and transformational. This thirst came from the preaching and teaching of the gospel. The church is a community of believers who are alive by the calling of Jesus Christ.

Church communities are grown, not built. They are grown by the transforming power of God’s word not powerful feelings. The community of the believers is far more than a club, because being part of a community of faith has deep value to the individual.

Belonging is the fabric of people’s lives instead of the fruit of their fun. The hardest part in growing an authentic community of believers is building a sharing culture, where people realize that Jesus is constantly doing significant work in each one of our lives. The acts of sharing and serving are the life blood of a community of believers, and everyone has a vital role to play. People will often exhibit different levels of engagement at different times:

(1) Bystander: The bystander appears to only take. Maybe where they are now in their lives they do not have enough time, or feel that they have no valuable knowledge to contribute. Maybe they do not feel welcome or do not understand the community culture.

(2) Someone who gives Feedback: these people add to the community, the danger is that people who are not seeking spiritual transformation may use open sharing, or such community opportunities as a forum for malice or grievances. But even this challenge allows everyone to respond in a Christ like manner, and to model appropriate response to difficult situations. When people do give feedback some people will just correct or complain and some people will add richly, but all are necessary whether they are people who feel safe and jump in, or need some encouragement.

(3) Some people join the community: Here people want what the community has and are willing to pay the price of engagement to become part of something significant, these people want to taste and see what is good. They may join formally, or informally. Where people put their attention, time and money is an indication of where their heart is. Some people may have a light level of engagement in terms of attending Life Group meetings or other social gatherings. Some people will join existing ministries, some may be willing to shape ministries and others start them from scratch.

In this context of community there needs to be community leadership, such as pastors/shepherds. These leaders need to control and define the environment, but never the people. The environment should be a dynamic place, a place of spiritual power where people have the opportunity for spiritual growth. It is important for the pastors to model what they teach, and not teach something they do not do.

Members of a community of faith, are disciples of Christ, with the Holy Spirit as the glue. Our yardstick is simple lives transformed by the good news of the Gospel, and the Christ of the living God glorified!

Being A Leader!

Being a leader or an example is not an easy burden. If it was, more people would be doing it. To be in a position, in which people are looking to you, carries joy as well as pain. As a pastor, you see and hear things about people, that can be very disappointing. People in whom you place trust, sometimes, misuse that trust and betray it. I find myself wondering how people would feel if I were to treat them like they treat me. It is sad when other believers do not realize that the "golden rule" is a biblically based life principle that must be followed in order to be faithful to God's word.

"Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you" is a scripture found in the bible(Luke 6:31). In addition, "love thy neighbor as thyself" and "love one another, as I have loved you" are commandments from Christ Jesus. Hence, it would be true to say that the "golden rule" IS a good rule to live by.

As a leader, it is necessary, and required that we put up with the failings of others. Paul made this clear in Romans 15:1-3 when he wrote, "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."

God is glorified in all Christian leaders who demonstrate patience and grace when people fall short of Godly character. We must remember that we are who we are by God's grace, and we do what we do by God's grace.

Where did the time go?

I can't believe its been over a month since my last entry. Time is slipping past us very quickly. I don't think we value time as we should. Many people complain about not having enough time. I think we have more than we think, we just don't use is wisely in many cases. God help to make the most of our time.

I am convinced that one of the tools that the enemy of our souls has as a weapon is the busyness of life. We are always doing something, listening or watching something, or going someplace. We rarely have time to sit and meditate on God's goodness and mercy. I believe this is a spiritual discipline that is just as important as prayer and fasting. I think we need to "be still and know the He is God." Be still and know that He is faithful. Consider all the wonders of His hands. We need to stand in amazement that God has called us into a relationship with Himself.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

We often question why tragedy befalls people we know. We really find ourselves wondering why bad things happen to good people, especially when they profess a love for Christ.

I believe the following is a perspective that is biblically sound.

God, in his infinite wisdom, knows what it takes to bring each of His own into a right kind of mindset. Often times when cancer strikes, an unexpected death, or other life changing events, we find ourselves remembering those things in life that are truly important. If you are honest with yourself, it will always involve people.

I spoke at the funeral of a dear friend, family member and pastor, William Kaber. I shared in the message a scripture which reads as follows:

“It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:2 (NIV)

This was a sobering truth that reminds us that life is short and precious. When we fail to see what is important on our own, God has a way of refocusing us to what is important.

Remember the four lepers of Samaria? The city was being starved to death under siege from Syria, and these four were stuck outside the gate between the city and the Syrian army.

They deliberated, If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die. (2 Kings 7:4)

The question wasn’t whether or not they'd die. That was the obvious that their leprosy helped them recognize. The issue, then, was simply when and where: Next week in the city? Tomorrow at the gate? Or today at the hands of our enemies?

They concluded that their enemies could do nothing more to them than what nature had already assigned. And, unlike their city and their skin, their enemies might even show them mercy. For them, the most frightful prospect was actually the wisest, most fruitful way to go.

In this case Leprosy made life a lot simpler. Being terminally ill, facing the death of a loved one, or other life changing events, often cultivates the clarity of mind that enables people to approach things that are good for them.

I believe that this is one reason why bad things happen to good people? Remember, all good things come from God. What we say is a bad thing, God sees as good.

A Superficial Gospel

Is it possible that modern popular Christianity is preaching a superficial Gospel in the 21st Century? If you look carefully at the history of the people of Israel many times the “popular” majority of priests and prophets turned from preaching the truth before the people and became profane in their speech and their own lives. In Jeremiah’s time, we see this recorded in the scriptures: “For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.”

What dismay to see almost all of the spiritual leaders of Israel speaking lies in the name of the Lord. Is this happening again? Is it possible that in our modern day evangelical circles there are many that are not preaching a true Biblical Gospel? True Christianity is never popular Christianity! True Christianity is accepted by few and rejected by many. True Christianity is abhorrence to the flesh, the devil and the world. True Christianity is a Cross! Death to self! Crucifixion to the world! What many are wanting to hear is an easy salvation and Gospel that does not hurt us or crucifies us. We want a Gospel that is catered to man and his interests.

Jeremiah wrote this when a entire nation was embracing a false gospel: “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their own means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” What shock should we experience if we realize that a false Gospel abounds and overflows in our evangelical Churches.

Could it be possible that just as in the days of Amos the prophet, today it is the same as was prophesied: “Behold, the days come with the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.”

Are people seeking out Churches were true biblical doctrine is preached? Are they seeking churches in which the conviction of the Spirit of God, the burden of lost sinners, the judgment of God is being preached? How rare it is to find such a Church where there is not just a feel-good message that warms the backslidden soul. How rare it is to find a church that is truly preparing the people for their reunion with Christ whether it is by the grave or when we are gathered together on the day of Christ’s return.

Division Hinders Our Commission

The greatest challenge for a pastor is, people. It is amazing to me how people can so quickly turn on one another. People who gossip and complain often times do not realize that they are being used by the enemy to bring division to the fellowship of believers. Often times, this kind of destructive behavior starts with people who lose their connection with the fellowship for whatever reason. Unity is broken when we yield to our carnal nature and let our emotions get the best of us.

My prayer is that people will learn the power of unity. Unity is necessary for any group of people trying to accomplish a particular task.

The power of unity can be seen in Eccl 4:12 which says, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

No matter how much a local church has going for it, division can negate it’s vision.

The word division is constructed of the word vision with the prefix "di", which means, "double".

Double vision can be dangerous. If you are seeing two of everything you need to make a trip to the eye doctor. If there is disharmony in the local church you need some spiritual doctoring.

One of the conditions for unity: "Speak the same thing." (1 Corinthians 1:10)

There must be unity in speech if a local church is to make an effective impact for God.

The Bible is not saying there isn’t room for disagreement among good Christians. Rather, we are encouraged, even when we do disagree, and we will, to speak in such a way as to promote harmony.

Your motive for speaking and how you deliver your words are just as important as what you say. Be careful of a critical spirit. If you find your self hyper-critical of everything done in your church and others in your church, there are two options:

1.) The church may need your positive contributions to turn in the right direction, or,

2.) You may need to change your attitude. Ask yourself, "Is there something else going on in my life right now that has me angry or discouraged? Am I taking my frustration out on others in my church?

There must be unity of thought if a local church is to have an effective impact for God.

Once again, unity and uniformity are not the same thing. God has given all of us different perspectives to bring to the table.

Proverbs 11:14 "Where no counsel [is], the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors [there is] safety."

A church may look beautiful and have the latest technology, latest innovative programs and sharpest presentations, but without unity it will come apart at the seams.

How can we accomplish this objective? How can we be "perfectly joined together in the same mind?"

We can all spend a lot of time in the Bible and by reading the same thing we will have a greater chance of unity.

We can worship together consistently, serve together regularly, pray together faithfully, and fellowship together constantly.

God’s purposes are greater than our minor differences in the local church. What will really matter in the end is whether or not we accomplished God’s purpose for the church.

God Could Not Be Glorified If We Chose Him

The Bible teaches that we are dead in trespasses and sins since the Fall (Ephesians 2:5). It says that the mind of the flesh does not submit to God's law—indeed it cannot—and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you (Romans 8:7-9).

Paul divides the world into two groups: those who are in the flesh and those who have the Spirit. He says that those who are in the flesh (that is, everybody apart from the new birth) cannot please God (Romans 8:7-8). And in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 he says that the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit because they are foolishness to him.

The only question left after a group of scriptures like that is whether or not that inability, that "cannot," is blameworthy or not, In other words, does it release us from the penalty of sin, or does it insure that we cannot escape it by our choice.

The Bible is pretty clear that the corruption of our own hearts is so profound, that it renders us incapable of doing or desiring anything good. It indeed intensifies our guilt rather than relieves us of it.

My inability to do good apart from the Holy Spirit does not free me from the penalty of my sin. It is an inability that is rooted in my rebellion. My rebellion is so great and so strong that I cannot see Christ or hear the gospel as beautiful. Rather, it is a stumbling block or foolishness; and until I'm called, awakened, born again, I cannot see it as beautiful.

So what I believe about free will is that I am free to do whatever I please, and what I please is to sin. Therefore I'm going to be damned by my free will. I must be rescued from the bondage of my free will in order to see and hear God for who he is.

Paul says in Galatians 5:1, "For freedom Christ has set you free. Do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." True freedom is being set free from a bondage which only results in death. This is why we must be born again.

The evidence of a born again person is that, after the new birth, we want to do God's will. It is that freedom we act rationally according to what really exists. Thus, God gets all the glory for the liberation that he performed on our behalf and for the praises that we now bring him, not as people who are enslaved to sin, but as free people who are seeing the world for what it really is.

So I don't believe in free will if you define it as man's ultimate self-determination. I believe free will as, "you can do whatever you please." Before you're born again what you please, is self destructive and sinful. After you're born again, what you please is the will of God. So in both cases you have free will in that definition.

I realize that many others do not see free will as I do. They believe in a freewill defined as "man's ultimate self-determination." I don't think there is any such thing, especially since the fall of Adam when his self-determination forever bound mankind to sin and death.
Thank God, He chose us.

Writing My Personal Meditations

To this point in my blog writing experience, I have merely added portions of messages that I have preached or taught or articles from other sources that I have found insightful. I have decided to begin the practice of writing my thoughts as I am working through the process of knowing God and making Him known.

Tonight will be a nice beginning. I have been reading a book by John Piper titled "The Pleasures of God." A wonderfully deep and life changing read. In my reading time, my mind began to wonder why people don't or can't see God the way he really is. Most people have a view of God that comes from their heritage and tradition rather than from true revelation of the scripture. For example, I have met many people who do not give God credit for their "salvation" which is really no salvation at all. How can anyone, with half spiritual eyesight not understand that they had nothing to do with God calling them to be saved.

I think its very important that we begin realizing that God is God, and that he is perfect and complete in himself, and that he is exceedingly happy in the fellowship of the Godhead. He does not need us to complete his fullness and is not deficient without us.

I know that this thinking goes against the grain of much of the church, but never the less, if we can see it as true, then we would better understand his sovereign grace and love. Unless we see God in this way, when we hear the gospel, we will fall for the trick of thinking that we are the center of the gospel. We will feel that our value is the driving force of the gospel, rather than God's value being the driving force for the gospel. In other words, we will see the gospel as God's need for us, rather than the gospel and God's sovereign grace being exactly what we sinners need in order to be rescued from death.

What makes the gospel good news for us is that God is all that we need. He does not need us, and as a matter of fact, he is estranged from us because of our sin. But as Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, "but God, because of His great love," made a way for sinners to be reconciled to Him. This is done by the Spirit, to whom he chooses, it is a gift of God.

God is the center of the gospel, he was not motivated by our value, he was not coerced or obliged to offer this powerful gift. The gospel is truly a gospel of grace!

The Word of God Pierces!

Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

The term "word of God" may mean a word spoken by God without a human mouthpiece. But in the New Testament it regularly means a word or a message that a human speaks on God's behalf.

Hebrews 13:7 says, "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith." So the "word of God" in Hebrews 4:12 most likely refers to the truth of God revealed in Scripture that people speak to each other with reliance on God's help to understand it and apply it.

The word of God is not a dead word but a powerful word. It has life in it. And because it has life in it, it produces effects. There is something about the Truth, as God has revealed it that connects it to God as a source of all life and power. He upholds this universe with His mighty word of power. God loves his word. He is partial to his word. He honors his word with his presence and power. If you want your teaching or witness to have power and produce effects, stay close to the revealed word of God.

What does this living and effective word accomplish? It pierces for what purpose? The answer is, to divide soul and spirit.

The writer gives an analogy: it's like dividing joints and marrow. Joints are the thick, hard, outer part of the bone. Marrow is the soft, tender, living, inner part of the bone. That is an analogy of "soul and spirit." The word of God is like a sword that is sharp enough to cut right through the outer, hard, tough part of a bone to the inner, soft, living part of the bone. Some swords, less sharp, may strike a bone and glance off and not penetrate. Some swords may penetrate part way through the tough, thick joint of a bone. But a very sharp, powerful double-edged sword will penetrate the joint all the way to the marrow.

"Soul and spirit" are like "bone joint and bone marrow." "Soul" is that unseen dimension of our life that we are by nature. "Spirit" is what we are by supernatural rebirth. Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). Without the awakening, regenerating work of the Spirit of God in us we are merely "natural" rather than "spiritual" (1 Corinthians 2:14-15). So the "spirit" is that unseen dimension of our life that we are by the regenerating work of the Spirit.

What is the point in saying that the "word of God" pierces to the "division of soul and spirit"? The point is that it's the word of God that reveals to us our true selves. Are we spiritual or are we natural? Are we born of God and spiritually alive, or are we deceiving ourselves and spiritually dead? Are the "thoughts and intentions of our heart" spiritual thoughts and intentions or only natural thoughts and intentions. Only the "word of God" can "judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" as Hebrews 4:12 says.

The word of God pierces deep enough to show us the truth of our thoughts and our motives. Give yourselves to the word of God in the scriptures. It is through God’s word that we confirm not only our regeneration, but also our justification and glorification.

"Yes" Prayer

I am thankful that God sees the end from the beginning, and that he knows all things. I am thankful that he is the author and finisher of our faith. If our Christian walk was left up to our own doing, we would certainly make a mess of it. I am thankful that God knows our needs even before we ask. I am also thankful that he doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

Can you imagine the mess we would be in if we were given everything we ask for? How many times have you asked for something out of frustration? For example, have you ever been so hurt or mad at someone that you prayed silently or out loud that God would just wipe them from the face of the earth? I have. Then some time later I would find myself repenting for such a foolish prayer. I have been like James and John and wanted to call fire down from heaven, only later to realize that I was not walking in the spirit. I know we have all been there.

God does not always say “yes”, thankfully. However, there is one prayer I believe that will always get a “yes” answer. That is the prayer of forgiveness. The bible says in 1 John 1:9-10, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Life is full of things that are not easy. For many, asking for forgiveness is not easy. We have the hardest time admitting fault. However, forgiveness will always be there if we recognize our need for it. When we recognize our need for forgiveness, the answer to the request for it, will always be “yes”.

Fellowship

Why did God create us? I wonder how many times has this question been asked. This is a deep question and theologians have been discussing decades. I guess I will put in my two cents' worth.

I believe a single answer covers the entire spectrum of why we were created. His glory. But, there is another one that I want to focus on: Fellowship.

1 Cor. 1:9, "God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (NASB). In Greek, the word "fellowship," is "koinonia." It is also translated as "communion." God wants to have an intimate communion, a close fellowship with us.

Do you remember in the garden when Adam and Eve sinned? Who hid themselves? That’s right Adam and Eve. Who went looking for who? Right again! It was God looking for them. After the expulsion from the garden, after the flood, and at the time of the Exodus, God says to the people, "And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them." Again, who is seeking to dwell with who? It is God seeking man.

Take a look at John 1:1,14 which says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." The word "dwelt" is the Greek "skano-o" and it also means to tabernacle, to tent, to dwell among. Again, it is the Lord who is seeking us, who is dwelling among us. Of course, we see that we are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16), and this signifies that the Lord is in us and with us.

This simply tells us that God is a God of fellowship, and that He desires to have people to be with and to love. God is love (1 John 4:8), and the nature of love is to give (John 3:16). God desires that we have an intimate relationship with us through His Son, Jesus.

Do you have that intimacy with Jesus? Do you seek the relationship and fellowship with God that He desires and has manifested throughout history -- especially in the cross?

Ask. Seek. Knock.

Relevant Preaching and Teaching

Many churches make it a point to advertise the fact that they preach and teach a gospel this is relevant. I know that what many are trying to say is that they are not boring like many believe that church can be. As a preacher, I think a lot about relevance. In other words, why should anyone listen to what I have to say? Why should anybody care? Relevance is an interesting word. It could mean more than one thing. It might mean that a sermon is relevant if it feels to the listeners that it will make a significant difference in their lives. Or it might mean that a sermon is relevant if it will make a significant difference in their lives whether they feel it or not.

That second kind of relevance is my goal in preaching the sermons that I share. In other words, I want to say things that are really significant for your life whether you know they are or not. I want to share the words of God that paint a true picture of His glory, character, and sovereignty. My way of doing that is to share the truth of the gospel that has as little of the traditional and religious ways of thinking as possible. In other words, speak a truth that can withstand the scrutiny of those that are traditional or religious in their view of the Gospel.

On any given Sunday you may have people who believe that racism, global warming, abortion, limited health care for children, homelessness, poverty, the war in Iraq, white-collar crime, the global AIDS crisis, rampant teenage pregnancy, the subprime mortgage crisis, and so on and so on, is relevant. These things have nothing to do with the real problem that this world is facing.

I believe that there the most relevant issue in one’s life is whether or not they are “born again”. Jesus says in John 3:3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Not to see the kingdom of God is to be excluded from the kingdom of God. Jesus said in Matthew 8:11-12 that outside the kingdom is “outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” He called it “eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46). The alternative to that is to be in the kingdom of God and spend eternity in everlasting joy with the greatest person in the universe (John 18:24).

It would be wrong to think that these other issues are the most important issues in life. They aren’t. They are life-and-death issues. But they are not the most important, because they deal with the relief of suffering during this brief earthly life, not the relief of suffering during the eternity that follows. They only deal with how to maximize well-being now for eighty years or so, but not with how to maximize well-being in the presence of God for eternity. Eternity is much longer than eighty years.

My job as a spokesman for God week after week is to deal in what matters most, and to stay close to the revealed will of God in the Bible (so you can see it for yourselves), and to pray that, by God’s grace, all people will see and feel the magnitude that what God says, is important.

Seeing is Becoming!

It is my belief that what should happen through act of preaching and teaching, is that the lives of the hearers experience change. The life transforming power of God’s word is the means by which all people, no matter what level of faith they have attained, will continue to be changed into Christ likeness. Every message preached should be pointing people toward Christ. It is because of several biblical texts that I believe this to be true. For example, 2 Corinthians 3:18 reads,

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.’

I believe this text teaches us that one of the ways we are changed progressively into the likeness of Christ is by looking at his glory. "We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness." The way to become more and more like the Lord is to fix your gaze on his glory and hold him in view.

It has been said that people are the product of their environment. We are also a product of our habits and desires. We hum the music we listen to. We speak with the accent of our region. We become like our parents even though we sometimes refuse to believe it. We naturally tend to imitate the people we admire most. So it is with God. If we fix our attention on him and hold his glory in our view, we will be changed from one degree of glory to another into his likeness.

In order for us to become Christ like, Christians must set their affections on the God they admire. In this spiritual transaction, seeing is not only believing, seeing is becoming.

Sources to Help You Speak Against Abortion

It is my understanding that January is "Sanctity of Life" month. For that reason, as well as the fact that all Christians need to be better informed on the issue of abortion, I have posted the following information. This article is from John Piper's resource library at www.desiringgod.org written on January 19th 2007.

Dear friends of life created in God's image,

This is mainly for pastors and teachers who want to say something in connection with the January sanctity of life effort. Don't think you don't know enough. One of the young men in our church just told me that this past week he spoke with a junior higher who did not know what abortion was! Never heard of it! If you know anything about abortion, you know enough to be helpful. Here are a few suggested resources:

1. Pictures of the beautiful preborn.
2. The S.L.E.D acronym is a very helpful summary of arguments against abortion.
3. Warning! Stomach-turning graphic. A horrific video of an actual abortion.
4. Abort73.com is a very compelling overall site with everything you need.
5. Corrine and Brian Cords have put together displays that are visually provocative and educational for churches and schools to use.
6. The Live Education And Resource Network have a web site highlighting the implications of abortion for the black community.

5 Things to Commit Too For 2008

The beginning of each year is usually when people resolve to do something different, better or not as much, during the coming year. Below are 5 things we all would benefit from doing well in 2008.

1. Give something away regularly. (Acts 20:35)

Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." No one practiced than precept more than Jesus. You may give something material or you may give someone a compliment, a "thank you", a card, a phone call; but when you give, Jesus said you receive a blessing.

You are blessed because, among other reasons, your spiritual muscles grow. If we’re not careful we can become greedy. That’s why the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:10)

But our greed can be not only with our material possessions but also with our time and our abilities. It has also been said, "Measure wealth not by the riches you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money." (Anonymous)

2. Live more for others, less for yourself.

In Philippians chapter one, the Bible lays out the great quality of selflessness exemplified by Jesus. He is our benchmark.

You might think you don’t have anything to give in comparison to Christ. But you can help someone excel in their work. You can look out for the advancement of others. You can guard against the sin of envy by praising others for their achievements.

You can think less of yourself at home. You don’t always have to prove you are right. You can say, "I’m sorry." You can forgive.

3. Invest more in heaven than in retirement.

Jesus said, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (Matthew 6:20)

Jesus said, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:34)

Jesus is not telling us not to plan. He’s telling us not to worry about our future. Plan for the future state of your financial affairs, but don’t worry about them. Concern yourself more with the treasures you are storing in heaven.

4. Watch less TV, read more Scripture.

Psalm 1 - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

5. Make Sunday a day of Worship and Rest.

Don’t try to out think God. He rested and He told you and me to rest. We are not smarter or stronger than God. Don’t try to play Spiritual Superman or Superwoman by doing everything on Sunday. How ironic is it that churches often take away the opportunity for Sunday to be a day of rest by a long list of meetings to attend on the Lord’s Day. Make Sunday evening’s family night, stay in, have devotion and play games. This is also a good time to practice Christian Fellowship by spending time with your church family.

Salvation is at Work in You!

The following passage of scripture should cause us to be encouraged, but also to reflect on our spiritual growth.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” Philippians 1:2-6

What a promise we have in verse 6. For each one of us who have accepted the call of Christ, we can be sure that He will finish in us, what he has started. We all need the confidence of knowing that the Lord is working in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He has not left us alone, which is what he promised his disciples.

Sometimes we experience a season that we might consider stale and dry where we seem to have reached a brick wall in our spiritual development. One cause for this that must be considered is sin or rebellion. Once you are clear that there are no unresolved issues relating to sin or rebellion, there still can be times that you feel you are in a holding pattern. If this is the case, this word is for you. Simply continue to seek God and desire to experience Him more and more. As you do so, remember the following.

First, the work that was begun in you was regeneration. When you trusted in Christ and were born again, you were changed. This is the beginning of the work of God in your hearts. God saves us as we are, but He does not leave us as we are. He changes us. Initially, when we are saved, we are justified; that is, we are declared righteous in God's eyes. This is the free gift that is all given by the Lord.

The part that we struggle with is change. It is called sanctification, and this is the process God puts us through to conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus. This process of sanctification is hidden in verse 6. When Paul writes "...will complete it..." he is referring to the Holy Spirit in us. In other words, the Lord is "performing" or "perfecting" us. This perfecting will proceed until "...the day of Jesus Christ." This is a reference to the return of Christ.

This work will continue in all Christians until the return of Jesus. Once He has been revealed, we will all be with Him (1 Thess. 4:16-5:2) and we will no longer as a church or as individuals need to be perfected since the full manifestation of our salvation or adoption will be complete when we put on immortality. Remember, we will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

Philippians 1:6 carries with it the past, present, and future work of God in us and for us because of what Jesus has done on the cross. Remember, it is because of Jesus, and only because of Jesus that the Lord will and is working in us.

Do you doubt your salvation, or, are you unsure about your spiritual growth? Let the Lord speak to your heart by spending time in prayer and reading His word. He uses these things to "perfect" the work that He has begun in you. Remember that the Lord will never leave you or forsake you.