Tag: Jesus

28.z. “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small”

Colossians 1:11  being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 Isaiah 45:24   “Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.

 Ephesians 3:16    that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

 Philippians 4:13     I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

 2 Corinthians 4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

 Proverbs 24:10     If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

 2 Corinthians 6:4-6   but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities  beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;  by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;

 Hebrews 12:1-2   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

His strength is there to help us meet all of life’s challenges and to endure and overcome problems with circumstances (patience) and people (long-suffering) with joy. We find it easy to be patient and long-suffering when everything in our lives is free from trials and troubles. In other words, we think we will be patient and long-suffering when they invade our lives. We think we will be strong, steadfast, face it with courage, and will honor and glorify Jesus Christ through it, and then, Bam!! life happens and just the opposite happens.  Our greatest failure is trying to or thinking that we are facing the trial or trouble alone and in our own strength. When we do, subconsciously we may know it is beyond our ability, but still, we plod on trying to overcome it in our self-reliant way. We may even consciously concede to the fact that is beyond our ability, but we still try to rely on ourselves.  Why is that?  Sometimes it is because of our spiritual growth or lack thereof, living in sin, not having a desire to surrender it into God’s hands, shallow faith in God’s power, thinking that we are not worthy of God’s help, or a host of other reasons.  It is hard to yield to God’s power, strength, purpose, and plans.  It is hard to wait on the Lord.  Should it be?  All throughout our lives, we must continually grow in faith, hope, trust, reliance, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. Learning to do this takes continual practice, surrender, and yielding.  It is with an intentional choice and desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do that we find learning applicable.  God’s Word becomes more than food for our souls.  It satisfies, fills, empowers, and we learn to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How do we begin to apply this in our lives?  Commit and Discipline yourselves to be in His Word and then practice surrender, yielding, seeking, and waiting on the Lord.  Will we fail at times? Yes. However with continual practice, we will become more and more steadfast and resolute in our daily lives, and when trials and troubles fall upon us our natural reaction will be to place it in God’s control, power, purpose, and plans.

28.y. “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.”

 

Colossians 1:9  And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light

 Psalms 119:99   I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

 James 3:17    But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

 Psalms 143:10    Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

 Romans 12:2     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.

 Ephesians 5:17    Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

 1 Peter 4:2    so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Spiritual ignorance is the constant source of error, instability, and sorrow. (Spurgeon)  Our Christian walk is based on our knowledge of God and our understanding of His will.  How are we to “bear fruit in every good work”, if we do not have knowledge and understanding in what is honoring, pleasing, and glorifying Jesus Christ? Neglect and complacency fill us with Ignorance and ignorance of knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding voids our lives of purpose, meaning, joy, power, courage, happiness, generosity, hope, and satisfaction. We think the spiritual things of God are for Pastors to understand and know and try to educate us in God’s will and purpose. Don’t misunderstand me.  Pastors can and do dive deep into spiritual things of God as they are led, fed, and grow in this understanding given to them by God. The problem is with us.  We leave the diving deep into God’s Word to them and expect our lives to have growth, meaning, purpose and bear the fruit of good works by nibbling on the breads crumbs of their prayerful study. We leave church with a crumb worth of knowledge and even less understanding, Sunday after Sunday, convincing ourselves we are good and pleasing to God. There is a feast before us in God’s Word.  Why would we choose to eat left over crumbs and lead spiritually starved lives? We seem to think being in spiritual starvation is natural.  If we had two mirrors, one worldly and one spiritually, would we see an overweight obese worldly person in the worldly mirror and a malnutrition, underweight, and starved reflection in the spiritual mirror?

How we choose to spend out time reflects our spiritual growth, maturity, knowledge, and understanding. We get to choose to eat and drink from the bountiful spiritual feast found in God’s Word.  When we seek and desire to eat from it, grow from it, get fulfilled from it, and be satisfied from it, we will begin to grow in spiritual knowledge and understanding, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, bearing fruit in good works, and honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ. 

28.s. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”

 

Philippians 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Psalms 29:11   May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!

 Isaiah 26:3   You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you

 Psalms 85:8   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.

 Isaiah 48:18    Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;

 Luke 1:79   to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 John 14:27   Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

 Romans 5:1   Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Romans 8:6     For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

 2 Thessalonians 3:16    Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Peace of mind. How people are able to rise above fear, worry, anxiousness, confusion, hatred, and anger?  Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with fear, worry, anger, confusion by mainstream media news outlets and various social media outlets.  They tell us what we should be fearful of.  They tell us who to hate. They tell us we should be angry.  They tell us we should be anxious.  They tell us we should worry and what to worry about. These are all from the voice of those in darkness, without hope, and under the influence of Satan’s lies and deceitful deceptions.  This is what this world has to offer. It truly is a shame when Christians are influenced by these worldly thoughts. Paul is saying our lives will have trials and troubles and when we are blindsided our practiced response should be in humble prayer to God. Why? Because we trust, rely on, and have faith in God, the Creator, All-Powerful, All-knowing, and All-capable, Holy, Loving, Merciful and full of Grace… God.  There is a peace that passes all understanding. It can be found nowhere else but in God. And yet, Christians buy into the fear, worry, anxiousness, confusion, anger, and hate seemingly without one thought of God.  Have we drifted so far from Him that we have lost the ability to have peace in our lives? It is shameful to hear some of the thoughts and witness some of the actions Christians are doing. Is God ever limited? Is anything beyond the control of God? Do we even believe in the power of God? This world will offer many things to convince us where we can find peace.  It will tell us to listen and to follow them down paths with the promise of peace. When we allow ourselves to be influenced more by the world than by trust, reliance, and faith in God we are walking in darkness on a slippery slope of false hope that will lead to great grief, worry, fear, anxiousness, and certainly no peace.  We replace what God is able to do in our lives with false hope in what the world has to offer.  Does this make any sense? Will we ever find peace for our hearts, minds, and souls apart from God? Will God give peace to those who trust in and make peace with what the world has to offer. Oh that our eyes were more on the heavenly, holy, and eternal rather than on lies and deceptions the world proclaims. God is not limited in anything.  He is more than able to carry us through this life and into eternity with peace of mind no matter what occurs in this life. It is by intentional faith, trust, reliance, and obedience in Jesus Christ there is the hope of salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. This is the beginning and completion of where we find and experience true peace.

28.k. “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”

Philippians 3:13  But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 Luke 9:62   Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 Hebrews 12:1-2    Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

“Just as a little child is a perfect human being, but still is far from perfect in all his development as man, so the true child of God is also perfect in all parts, although not yet perfect in all the stages of his development in faith.” (Muller)

When Spain led the world (in the 15th century), her coins reflected her national arrogance and were inscribed Ne Plus Ultra which meant “Nothing Further” – meaning that Spain was the ultimate in all the world. After the discovery of the New World, she realized that she was not the end of the world, so Spain changed the inscription on her coinage to Plus Ultra meaning “More Beyond.” In the same pattern, some Christian lives say, “Nothing Further” and others say “More Beyond.” Herein is the dilemma in the Christian’s life – “Nothing further” or “More beyond”.  Some will live as though there is no need for further growth.  They have obtained a level of satisfaction and comfort in their lives and see no need to actively pursue growth/maturity.  It is very shallow thinking that comes to the conclusion that “I am saved and going to heaven end of story”.  Too often this is where Christians land.  They take off with a thunderous thrust only to land softly and never take flight again.  It is in flight where we draw closer to Jesus Christ, and where we start to gain more understanding and knowledge of the mighty grace, mercy and love He showered on us.  In-flight is where we allow the Holy Spirit to control the speed and direction.  It is where we are a willing passenger as it were, trusting in the pilot.  While there might be the temptation to take control of the flight, it is by faith, trust, reliance, and obedience that we relinquish any thought of taking control.  If I look back let it be to remember the saving grace that brought me to redemption and salvation and all of the mighty works God has performed.

28.j. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Philippians 3:7  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith

 Proverbs 13:8   The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.

  Matthew 16:26  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

 Luke 14:33  So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

 Romans 8:18   For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

We are continuously tempted to put our trust in ourselves, money, health, possessions, savings, etc… It is as if we are trusting in these things to give us peace of mind, hope for the future, and worry-free lives.  There are always going to be temptations to want to rely on, trust in, and cling to what we have, what we want, what we acquire, and other things of this world more than Jesus Christ.  It is in Him we find a peace that passes all understanding.  Peace the world has to offer is temporal, foundationally weak, and robs us of true peace.  Chasing after these false promises of peace keeps the busyness of life very active in our lives.  Every day a new current of false promises blows in promising just one more rung on the ladder to climb.  To what end? Are we any closer to Christ? Do our possessions and bank accounts bring us to a deeper relationship with Christ? Are we happier? Are we deeply satisfied? Are we content? At the end of the day are have we found purpose, satisfaction, contentment, and meaning for our lives?  Prosperity and ease of life offer peace but over and over again it leads people away from Christ and they neglect God’s Word and become complacent in their desire to know more and more of God’s grace, mercy, and love.  Their spiritual growth does not exist.  It is a very slippery slope away from God when we give in to the temptations of this world to put our trust in ourselves, money, health, possessions, savings, etc…

28.i. “Shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life”

Philippians 2:14   Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life

 Numbers 14:27   “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me.

 Psalms 106:25    They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD.

 James 5:9  Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

 Jude 1:16    These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires;

 Hebrews 12:14    Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

 James 3:18   But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Do all things without complaining and disputing: without criticizing, speaking out against, find fault with, opposing, and objecting to. Without argument, quarreling, conflict, deny, question, doubt, protest against. I have to think Do all things without complaining and disputing, refers to both personal conflicts between us and others, as well as us with God.  It seems no matter how far we go back in time, complaining and disputing between us and other Christians and us with God is a constant.  It can be displayed in both passive and aggressive means, direct confrontation or covert acts, and willfully leading dissension or allowing to be ourselves to be influenced into ungodly thoughts, words, and actions. What amazes me is the skill at which some are able to do this.  They seem to be either speaking out of love but in truth, it is nothing of the kind or they come out throwing hand grenades or a combination of both.

We are to be different, shining lights, rejoicing in Christ.  We should be able to discern both direct and covert, passive and aggressive willful ungodly attitudes, words, thoughts, and actions.  The problem is the world around us is so full of this that it seems to be the way of life.  Far too many Christians are neglectful and complacent in their walk with God.  They are more influenced by the world than they are by the Holy Spirit. This is how and why such things are brought into the church and between brothers and sisters of Christ.  Paul is basically saying you ought to know better than to think, act, and speak this way.  There needs to be an intentional choice made deep in each heart, soul, and mind, that desires and seeks to be ever-present under the influence of the Holy Spirit for the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ.

28.g. “Have this mind among yourselves”

 

Philippians 2:1  So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

If there is any, consolation in Christ, comfort of love, the fellowship of the Spirit, affection, and mercy how should we act.  In Christ, we find encouragement, reassurance, help, hope, and relief. The comfort of love. Think about when you have had a less than a loving day at work.  Everyone seems to be against everyone, you included.  At lunch, you witnessed rude and inconsiderate people. On your way home to witness angry and rude drivers.  You can not only see but you also feel the division, anger, and lack of love.  You pull into the drive, get out of your car wondering what is going on.  Has the world and everyone in it lost their minds?  Is this what life is to be like? Then you walk through the door to your home and one of your children comes running up to you, jumps into your arms, and says, “I love you”.  You turn to your spouse and they say, “Hi honey, I am so glad you’re home, I love you, How was your day?” At that moment everything is right in your life.  There is a comfort of being loved. Fellowship of the Spirit is something that should yield fruit as we yield to the guiding, power, and precious leading of the Holy Spirit.  The affection and mercy of God are something we should never lose sight of.  It should always be in the front of our minds.  We were lost and without hope, doomed to eternal hell, and then God showered us with grace, mercy, and love through Jesus Christ.  

Paul is laying out why our lives ought to be different.  Why they ought to be victorious. Why they ought to be in unity with other believers. How we should be thinking and the effect of that thought process should form how we act, what we say, what we think.  Be mindful of how much you allow the world to rob you of living for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.

28.e. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless”

Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

 Romans 13:14    But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

 Romans 13:12    The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

 1 Thessalonians 5:8    But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

 1 Corinthians 10:13   No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

 Jude 1:24    Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

 2 Corinthians 2:11   so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

 1 Peter 5:8    Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

“The tactics of intimidation and insinuation alternate in Satan’s plan of campaign. He plays both the bully and the beguiler. Force and fraud form his chief offensive against the camp of the saints.” (Simpson) Equipped with God’s armor we are more than conquerors. (Guzik) How aware are we of spiritual battles, attacks from Satan, lies from Satan, deception from Satan, and temptations from Satan?  If we are not aware how will we arm ourselves against the battle for our soul?  Too often we lack discernment.  Too often we lack Godly wisdom and understanding.  Too often we are blind and deaf to the battle for our soul.  Too often we even try to battle in our own strength and power.  We don’t stand a chance. How many times have we asked our children, What were you thinking??????  99 times out of 100 we hear, I don’t know.  

God tells us of His power and might and strength.  There is none like Him, He is the creator.  He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. In Him is all truth. He knows all about Satan’s lies, deceptions, and influences.  God warns us about Satan. God empowers us, if we avail ourselves to it, for the battle(s) we will face.  He says “Arm yourselves”, “Put on the whole armor”, “I will be your rock, refuge, strength, power, might, and shield against the fiery attacks of Satan”, “I will never leave you or forsake you”, “I will not let you be tempted beyond what you can overcome”, “I am with you always”.  And yet, we don’t acknowledge Him or avail ourselves to Him or rely on, trust in, or cling to Him.  We go about our days without giving thought to spiritual battles.  Is it possible that Satan doesn’t even need to bother attacking us because there is little to no spiritual activity in our lives?  Can we not see the times we are living in?  Can we not see and understand the influence Satan is having on people across our nation?  Oh, that God would open our eyes to see and our ears to hear all that is false, cunning, and deceiving in our country.  Oh, that God would awaken our soul to the battle before us and cause us to bow before Him as willing servants for this battle.

28.a. “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you”

 

Ephesians 5:15   Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

 1 Corinthians 14:20    Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

 Hebrews 12:25   See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

 Philippians 1:27   Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

 Proverbs 14:8    The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.

 John 12:35     So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

While walking in the dark we are always exposed to some danger we did not see.  We learn this very early in life and will always choose to walk in lighted areas rather than darkened ones.  We understand there is a risk associated with walking in the dark.  

When we choose to walk in the dark (apart from Jesus Christ and the light of His Word) we foolishly tell ourselves there is no danger. We think we can see the dangers but we can’t and don’t.  We blindly walk about without a care.  We actually can be accustomed to the dark and shun the light.  This shunning takes on many forms; neglect of God’s Word, little to no generosity, kindness, patience, hope…., little to no commitment to attending church yet alone becoming active in serving in some area, thinking, speaking, and doing fleshly/worldly things, having no outward testimony that you are even a follower of Jesus Christ, the busyness of life, worry, fear, confusion, unthankfulness, division, gossip, hopeless, faithless, anger, hate, lusts of the flesh, ………….. and the list continues to whatever it is in the dark that draws you and keeps you from desiring and seeking to walk in the light.  Paul said to walk carefully, wisely, and make good use of your time.  Any time we spend serving anything other than honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ is not a good use of our time.  It is reckless and unwise.  Desiring and seeking to honor and glorify Jesus Christ will always be a guiding light for your path in all you think, say, and do.

27.u. “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life”

 

Ephesians 4:20  But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 Romans 6:6   We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

 Titus 3:3   For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

You have been outside in the hot sun working all day, sweating, and getting dirty.  You have been invited to a friend’s house for a bbq with others.  After working all day you need a shower and good washing.  When you dry off you put on the same old sweaty, stinky, dirty clothes you have been in all day and head out the door to meet up with your friends.  This makes no sense, does it? It would be foolish to think that just because you have had a shower your clothes would be clean and appropriate to wear.  

Numerous scriptures tell us; “Put off your old self”, “Our old self was crucified”, “Put on the new self”.  Why would we put on the same dirty, foul, disobedient, passions, and pleasures after we have been washed clean from all of these? Why would we think these are ok to “wear”?  Jesus Christ died to cleanse us from all of this.  Paul is saying, “why would you take the cleansing and go back to doing the very things that needed cleansing?”  This makes no sense. 

Once we are cleansed we do well to honor and glorify our “Cleanser” Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit has been given to every believer so that they can continue to grow in understanding and knowledge of the grace, mercy, and love that Jesus Christ poured out on us. When we desire this growth and seek it, we will not become complacent and neglectful in His Word, nor will we keep trying to put on our “Old Self”