Relationship

Remaining Glory – VOTD.08.02.16

To the faithful you (God) show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure
but to the unfaithful you show yourself a wrestler. 2 Sam 22:26,27

In some ways today’s verse divides us as Christians into two categories: those who bask in God’s presence and those who wrestle in it.

Last time we saw how tempting it is to think that people who seem to have a greater degree of the presence of God in their lives are just particularly pure, but that’s not the case. Not one of us is particularly pure, but some are more aware of God’s presence than others.

God shows Himself to those who fix their eyes on Him. His glory (presence) is on them. The picture they see of Him is of a faithful, righteous and pure God. This God of ours comforts us with words like “I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will never drop you.” God is Loyalty itself. (more…)

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Remaining Glory – VOTD.08.01.16

For if what is fading was came with Glory, what remains is even more glorious!
2 Corinthians 3:11

Last week we talked about the temporary experience of God’s presence that happens to Christians from time to time. Although this temporary experience of the overwhelming presence of Jesus is wonderful, Paul declares that even greater than this is the glorious presence of God that can be with us always.

Part of the New Covenant that Jesus provides for us is the indwelling Holy Spirit. All Christians have the Holy Spirit, but the Spirit has greater affect in some of us than in others of us. The reason might have less to do with how “spiritual” we are as much as how much we know and understand we are useless without God’s presence. Only those who know they can do nothing seek the Spirit of God earnestly. (more…)

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The Holiness Measure: Maturity (pt 1) – VOTD.07.18.16

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!… But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:15-18

There’s an internet meme that says: I’m not a human being having a spiritual experience. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience. I’m not sure the origin of that was entirely Christian but it speaks to a truth that less mature Christians often miss.

In fact, less mature Christians nearly always get the matter of holiness wrong because (as I mentioned earlier in this series) we usually see maturity as something we do, rather than something that we are. So we can fake a lot of Christian behavior and often Christian teachers encourage this “behavior modification” approach to “Christian” living on young believers rather than the transformation from the inside that God wants for each of us. (more…)

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The Love Measure: Maturity (pt 1) – VOTD.07.13.16

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Summarizing Jesus words in today’s verses, Augustine said, “Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.”

Great words. True words. Something inside me resonates with these often-quoted words…and saddens me a little, too. And I think, if only we could pull it off better. We seem to do a lot better at the “do as you please” part of Augustine’s famous quote, than the “love God” part. And this is compounded because the pandemicly shallow grasp of loving God among His people.

It seems like the phrase is more often used to justify what we want to do than to describe the life of a passionate lover of God. (more…)

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The ‘Real-Deal’ Measure: Maturity – VOTD.06.27.16

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things.  Philippians 3:15

In today’s verse, Paul is summarizing his previous statements and setting the stage for what he’s about to say…and it’s all about maturity. The entire context is hard to describe in a short meditation. You’ll have to read the chapter for yourself.  But I want to emphasize one thing that keeps reappearing in this passage in various forms: Realness.

Mature Christians are real. They aren’t playing the game. They’re genuinely, 24/7 into their relationship with Jesus.

“Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.” (vv. 19,20)

Many Christians are into fake. They’re far too busy obsessing over fake people, winning fake championships, and conquering fake territory, to be intimate with a very real Jesus and find themselves in Him. Having shunned what is real, their minds are set on earthly things…silly things…irrelevant things. (more…)

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VOTD.06.27.16 The Commonplace Measure: Maturity

For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  Philippians 4:11,12

Most growing Christians do pretty well when things are progressing along—or even when things are falling apart. During the wonderful times we’re overwhelmed with God’s goodness; in the crisis we cry out to Him, expecting His rescue. It’s often the “in-between” that challenges us to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Paul probably knew plenty of Christians who were devoted when he was having meetings in their town. But many of his letters are addressed to these very Christians, urging them to not fall into stagnation after he’d left. Similarly, his writings often consider the trials Christians were facing. (more…)

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The Respect Measure: Maturity – VOTD.06.14.16

Be devoted to one another in love. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

Spiritual maturity is not the display of our gift, but the way we love. You don’t have to look hard to find people who are profoundly gifted but lack love; even common curtesy seems to elude them. Maturity isn’t about impressive positions in ministry/ politics/ business or power or influence or any of those things that people look up to.

Respect is simply how we treat the people around us—figuring out what makes them feel valued or cared for and treating them that way. Which brings us to relationships. (more…)

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VOTD 05.24.16 Childlikeness: Maturity

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.  Matthew 18:1-5

Mature Christians have a childlike nature. Let’s get a few things straight from the beginning; Being childlike doesn’t mean we’re immature…And being mature doesn’t mean we accept the joyless, bored life that is often associated with adulthood. (more…)

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VOTD.04.25.16 Pure in Heart: Magdalene

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

When Jesus told the woman caught in sin in John 8, “Go and stop sinning,” it was more than a clever way to end an awkward conversation. He meant it. God always supplies what He demands, particularly in the area of temptation (1 Cor 10:13).

We see in our verse for today, that the pure in heart are the ones who “see God”. Put another way, God reveals Himself to Christians who hearts are pure… and He is in the business of making our hearts pure. That is the Gospel in a nutshell.

Magdalene was the first one that Jesus revealed Himself to after His resurrection. I think it’s right to say that she had already been made pure in heart.

But this raises a more deep-seated question: Do we really even want to see God? The Israelites at Mt Sinai didn’t. They sent Moses to do their bidding, instead. Shepherd-boy turned king, David certainly did want to see God and even wrote about seeing Him (Ps 27:4). One glimpse of Jesus certainly turned the Apostle Paul’s life around. And the Apostle John…what more can be said? (more…)

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VOTD.04.19.16 Fanatic: Magdalene

But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been. John 20:11,12

A couple of angels. Maybe they were sent to comfort her? How do you comfort grief-stricken people? You point them to Jesus.

And when she turned around, she saw Jesus standing there, and He spoke to her. “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Supposing He was the gardener, Mary pleaded with Him to tell her what had happened to her Lord. “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” (vv.13-15)

Once again it was loud and clear: Magdalene just wanted to be where He was.
Then it happened. Jesus spoke to her: “Mary.” (v.16) (more…)

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