Lessons in Philippians - Discernment

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

In the previous post love was discussed as a choice to do things as God would do them. We are able to love because God first loved us and because he has poured his Holy spirit into us. As our decision to love others grows we begin to experience more and more of God’s love. Through this love we desire to draw closer to God in prayer and Bible study. Which will lead us into more of God’s truth. This helps us understand how to treat people in a loving manner. But it also teaches us the difference between what pleases God and what does not please God.

Now may the God of peace, … equip you with everything

good for doing his will, and may he work in us what
is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV

It is God who teaches us to do what is pleasing to him. We are not able to understand what to do on our own. We must rely on God to work into us what is pleasing. This work of God, is given to us over time as we learn God’s ways through prayer and Bible study, Gradually, we become more aware of the things God wants and gradually with God’s help, we incorporate these things into our daily habits. We begin to see more clearly our behaviors that please God and our behaviors which do not please God.

A good Biblical example of what pleases God is the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal, 5:22-23 NIV). These are the behaviors the Holy Spirit instills in us. As we draw closer to him these behaviors become a common part of our life and we become more aware of when we are not exhibiting these behaviors.

In comparison, the work of the flesh is displeasing to God. These are behaviors God wants to remove from our lives. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like (Gal. 5:19-21 NIV).

An example is the contrast between fits of rage and self-control. Have you ever lost your temper in traffic? Becoming embarrassed at the words flowing out of your mount while yelling at the person who cut you off? This is a work of the flesh. A temper tantrum from not getting our way. Or perhaps being put in danger by the recklessness of another driver. Whatever the problem on the road was, we decided to trust our own ability to navigate safely rather than relying on God to clear a path in front of us. We yelled in an attempt to control the other person instead of allowing God to control us.

Rather than engaging in a fit of rage, we could pray quickly to God. A prayer as simple as an outburst of his name, like a child crying for papa to come help. This is a more disciplined and mature response to danger and anger rather than a temper tantrum.

Self-control in these situations is pleasing to God while fits of rage are not pleasing. But self-control must be developed before the traffic incidence happens. God will not suddenly give us self-control the instance a car veers into our lane. We must develop self-control over time in many simple situations before we are able to express self-control in emergencies.

If we recognize our problems with fits of rage and begin a habit of praying for God to help us develop self-control, then during the emergency we will find ourselves behaving differently. Then God may suddenly impart self-control to us when chaos happens.

God is pleased to transform us from exhibiting works of the flesh to exhibiting fruit of the Spirit. As we are transformed we learn the difference between what is good and what is bad. We begin to see the world though different eyes. We develop discernment to know what is pleasing to God. We become capable of distinguishing holiness from sinfulness. We grow in holy wisdom.

Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;

apply your heart to what I teach,
for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
Proverbs 22:17-18 NIV

A good place to learn good from evil is to read the book of Proverbs. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. If you commit to reading one chapter a day you will finish Proverbs in a month. In Proverbs 1:1-7, the author tells us that the book is intended to teach the ways of the wise, to give instruction in prudent behavior, and to learn what is right and just and fair. Proverbs 8 gives us the call of wisdom. It tells us to get wisdom and about the blessing of God’s wisdom in our lives. Proverbs 6 & 9 explain the difference between foolishness and wisdom. Chapter 31 tells us how to be a woman of noble character. In today’s culture of image and personality it is good to know God’s ways of judging a noble woman. Proverbs 10 through 29 contain the wise sayings of Solomon. These are short verses which are easy to learn and beneficial to remind yourself of ways to behave that will please God.

Solomon was considered the wisest man in the Bible. He was not given this great wisdom at birth. When King David died and Solomon became king of Israel, God asked Solomon what he wanted from God. Solomon was so overwhelmed with the responsibility of ruling Israel that he asked God to give him wisdom and understanding (2 Chronicles 1 &1 Kings 3).

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight,

and a breadth of understanding as measureless
as the sand on the seashore.
1 Kings 4:29 NIV

Solomon was able to distinguish good from evil. He had insight into why things happen and what response pleases God. He was able to distinguish between behaviors which pleased God and those that displeased God. The Queen of Sheba said of God, “he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” (1 Kings 10:9). The queen was stating that Solomon had not only wisdom but also Godly discernment.

The Bible often calls discernment insight and understanding. We need wisdom about God and his ways to fully embrace insight and understanding. These go together to allow us to separate what is good from what is bad. To know what pleases God and what displeases God.

Once we have chosen to treat people with Godly love, prayed to develop the fruits of the Spirit in our lives, and prayed for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and insight then Godly discernment becomes a normal part of our life. We no longer sit and wonder what is right or wrong, good or evil. We learned the ways of God so we can distinguish what is pleasing to him.

Godly love leads to godly discernment which leads to godly integrity. As Paul wrote integrity is to be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. In the next post we will explore the meaning of integrity as a pure and blameless life.

Did you enjoy this post? Did you learn something new? Please comment and let me know what you think?

Lessons in Philippians - Love

In Philippians Paul is writing a letter of affection and love to the church there. He visited Philippi on his second missionary journey, preaching at a women’s prayer meeting where Lydia was converted. She then offered her home to Paul while he was in Philippi. The church of Philippi later sent assistance to Paul while imprisoned in Rome. This letter was an expression of thanks, gratitude, and love towards the Philippians.

Paul’s love for the Philippians was rooted in their faithfulness to the gospel and their willingness to stand firm in one spirit. Paul considered them a partner in his work to spread the gospel of Christ. He was committed to this joint effort and strengthened the relationship through constant prayer. (Phil 1:7-10)

Paul expressed his concern for the Philippians to grow in Christ. He prayed with joy because of his confidence that they would continue to grow in Christ. (Phil. 1:4-6) Paul was always concerned that the people God sent him to minister to would grow as new born babies into a stronger more mature relationship with Christ. (1 Peter 2:2)

In verse 9 Paul tells the Philippians exactly what spiritual maturity he is praying for them. He prays for their love to grow. He prays for their knowledge and insight to grow giving them greater discernment to what is best so they may be pure and blameless. He prays for them to be filled with the righteousness of Christ to the praise and glory of God.

These things can be summarized into five strengths which are essential to a godly life.

LOVE

DISCERNMENT

INTEGRITY

GOOD WORKS

GLORY

In this post we will discuss LOVE. In future post we will discuss the remaining four essential strengths.

Paul prayed “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” When writing to the churches Paul frequently wrote about love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul explained what love is and what it is not.

Take time to go to 1 Corinthians and read what Paul wrote about love. The link is here.

Paul wrote of several good and wonderful things Christians can do, such as prophesizing, moving mountains, understanding mysteries of the faith, or giving to the poor. But if we do these without love than we have nothing and have gained nothing. We have worked hard and accomplished things the world can see but in God’s eyes it is nothing without love. We are merely a clanging symbol making noise but not providing music.

1 Corinthians 13 tells us many of the characteristics of love. Love is patient, and kind. When we wait patiently for our time in line we are showing Christian love. When we hold the door open for someone or help a stranger carry a heavy load we are displaying Christian love. In the small things of life, we can show others the love of God through our patient and kind attitudes and behaviors.

Love protects, trust, hopes and perseveres. If we protect other people’s children from harm such as bullying, or crossing the street, we are showing Christian love to the children and their parents.

When we are trust worthy towards people, we are showing Christian love towards others. A strong Christian’s word is his bond. When we give our word people do not doubt or question are trustworthiness.

When have hope that God will bring his work to completion in our lives and the lives of others we are displaying Christian love. Even the most wretched among us can be transformed by God. As Christian we hope to see the transformations in our churches and communities.

When we preserve in good works towards others we are showing Christian love. If you are praying for a difficult person even though the results are not what you want, it is Christian love that allows you to continue in prayer.

Christian love does not boast, is not envious, and is not proud. If we see our neighbor’s new car and feel envious enough to tell every one our car is really better, then we are not expressing Christian love. Christian love does not show envy at the good fortune of others. Instead we celebrate their success. Loving Christians are not so proud that we cannot celebrate other’s success and humbly keep quiet about our accomplishments.

Love does not delight in evil. When we see other’s misfortune or hardship, Christian love does not gloat and feel superior. Christian love offers a helping hand to reduce the suffering of others.

Christian love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. When we yell at others in traffic we are not showing Christian love. When our friends or family make us mad and we hold a grudge against them waiting for an opportunity to strike back, we are not showing Christian love. Instead of holding a grudge, Christian love forgives quickly and restores the relationship.

In a Christian’s life there is faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these if love. Christian love is not emotional, sentimental. It is not a physical attraction to another person. It is not a feeling about another person.

Christian love is a choice. It is a decision we make

to act a certain way towards other people.

The choice is always to love others as God first loved us. To show other’s compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. To help those in need. To comfort those struggling. This type of selfless love comes from God and God alone. God gives us the ability to love as he loves. God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 5:5) It is though God’s generosity that we have the ability to choose to love others.

Jesus commanded us to love one another. Through this love the world will know we belong to Jesus.

A new command I give you: Love one another. 
As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, 
if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

We know how to love because God first loved us. Because we love God and His truth we will grow in knowledge and insight into what is excellent.  We will be able to discern what is best.

In the next post we will learn how love leads to discernment and what is discernment.

Did you find this post insightful? Perhaps even loving! Do you have a new view of what it means to be a loving Christian? Please comment and let me know.

Wisdom and Knowledge

Wisdom and knowledge are important to all of us. But what is the difference in the two. Is it sufficient to have only one, or will our minds then be half full?

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness. Proverbs 15:2 

Wisdom and knowledge go hand in hand. They are not the same but they work together to our benefit. Wisdom shows us what to do with the facts. Knowledge is an accumulation of facts. To have experience or book learning takes time and is an honorable thing. But wisdom shows us how to use the knowledge we learned.

In the Bible wisdom and knowledge are gifts of the Spirit. 

to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, 

to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 

1 Corinthians 12:8 

True wisdom comes from God. It existed in him before he created the world or its people. Psalms 124 describes the greatness of God, the creator of all that exist. God used his wisdom to create this world. 

How countless are Your works, LORD! 

In wisdom You have made them all; 

the earth is full of Your creatures 

Psalms 104:24 

God shares his wisdom with his children through gifts. Wisdom is not earned or bought. It is a gift that God gives as he desires.

When Solomon became king, he realized the great responsibility of ruling Israel and he asked God to give him wisdom and knowledge.

Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, 

for who can judge this great people of Yours?” 

2 Chronicles 1:10 

Because Solomon did not ask for riches or glory God granted his request. Solomon was not only wise and knowledgeable in ruling Israel, he also taught on plants, animals, and many other things. Rulers from all over the world came to Solomon to learn from his wisdom.

From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, 

sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. 

1 Kings 4:34 

It is God’s pleasure to give us wisdom. We only need to pray and ask.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, 

who gives to all generously and without criticizing, 

and it will be given to him. 

James 1:5 

How does wisdom manifest itself? How will we know it when we see it? Let us begin by studying how Jesus used wisdom. When Jesus taught he did not use complicated descriptions, or convoluted philosophies. He taught with simple ideas and words such as oil, lamp, sheep, farming, love, hate, envy, and joy. He taught things a common person could understand. He taught with parables that drew from everyday life. His words described scenes that were happening daily. Nothing was complicated. Yet every word was profound. Even so, his teachings have stood for two thousand years. Millions of people still rely on his words to guide them in life.

Wisdom it not complicated. It applies to daily life in all situations. It provides you with what is needed to accomplish an immediate task.

In Luke 5:4-10, when Jesus called Peter to follow him, he began by telling Peter to put his net in the water and try to find fish again. Peter was fishing all night and had caught nothing. But Jesus told Peter to try one more time. Peter obeyed and when he pulled his net out of the water there were so many fish that two boats could not hold all of them.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down 

the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night 

and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets 

began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help 

them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 

Luke 5:4-7 

Jesus had wisdom from God to know where the fish were. Even though Peter could not see this Jesus could. This is God given wisdom. To see a situation in a way others cannot. To understand something that someone needs to know. Wisdom from God does more than give information. It also spiritually convicts people of God’s greatness and power.

Peter was convicted of his sinfulness compared to God’s greatness.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; 

I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish 

they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. 

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 

Luke 4:8-10 

Jesus used this wisdom from God to show Peter what he would do as he following Jesus.

Wisdom is a valuable gift from God, which we should ask to receive as Solomon did. In all situations God can help us by sharing his wisdom with us.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, 

preserve sound judgment and discretion; 

Proverbs 3:21 

Knowledge is also a gift from God. The knowledge which God gives is different from the book knowledge we acquire in school. God’s knowledge is all encompassing covering everything that exist in the past, present, and future. God’s chooses to impart his knowledge to his children as he desires.

As with wisdom we do not earn God’s knowledge. We may pray for knowledge but God decides when to give it to us. In Psalm 139, David declares the knowledge of God is more than he can understand. God knows everything we do. He knows what we will say before we say it. Nothing can be hidden form God. LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up;

You understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; 

You are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, LORD. 

You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. 

This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it. 

Psalm 139:1-6 

The beginning of knowledge is to fear the Lord. True knowledge is to understand more and more of God.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, 

and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 

Proverbs 9:10 

When we fear the Lord, we are not terrified of something horrible coming into our lives. Rather we know the greatness of God and we realize that we are mere ants compared to him. We know that our power and might are small in comparison to the creator of all that exist. We are humbled before his majesty. This is the place where we being to know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong, our weakness and great strength. These are the godly facts which lead to true knowledge.

The spirit of wisdom and knowledge was given to Jesus when he walked on this earth.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, 

a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 

Isaiah 11:2 

Jesus displayed this knowledge in the New Testament when he saw Nathaniel for the first time. Nathaniel did not believe the Messiah could come from Nazareth? He went to meet Jesus and was amazed by his knowledge.

Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, 

“Here is a true Israelite; no deceit is in him.” 

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. 

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you, ”Jesus answered. 

“Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

John 1:47-50 

Jesus’ knowledge convicted Nathaniel that Jesus was the Messiah. He could not imagine any other way a man would know his heart and see him under the fig tree. As with godly wisdom, godly knowledge will convict people with faith to believe in Jesus as their savior.

Godly knowledge may come to a person with godly wisdom. In Acts 9, after Paul was struck down on the Damascus road he was lead to a house where he stayed for three days. There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. God spoke to him, giving him a word of knowledge as to Paul’s exact location and what he was doing.

“Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, 

“to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, 

since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias 

coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.” 

Acts 9:11-12 

God followed this with a word of wisdom, which told Ananias what to do with the knowledge of Paul’s location and prayers.

But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument 

to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. 

I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!” 

Acts 9:15-16

 God could have given Paul his sight after Paul prayed. But God chose to have Ananias come to Paul with knowledge only God could provide. This was to convict Paul of what Jesus wanted from Paul and what Paul must do for Jesus.

Wisdom and knowledge work together. Sometime we are given wisdom to help ourselves or another person with knowledge that already have. Other times we are given knowledge to confirm or prepare us for an event. Sometime we are given both. Godly wisdom and knowledge always are used to convict us of the truth, the power, and the supremacy of God

Dear Lord, Lead us and guide us in all we do. You are a great and almighty God. Teach us to fear the Lord. Show us your great wisdom and knowledge. Do not leave us to our own understanding. Teach us to pray for godly wisdom and knowledge in our lives. Show us how to wait patiently for your perfect timing to impart wisdom and knowledge to us. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.

Fighting Depression

What is depression?

Life can be difficult in many ways. Sometimes we feel sad, discouraged, indecisive, or guilty. We may have loss interest in life, have no motivation, or suffer from insomnia. These are normal feelings which every person will experience at some time or another. But when these feeling last for more than two weeks and interfere with daily life, we may be suffering from depression. Depression is a feeling of loss because something bad has happened. Maybe you were rejected by someone or you failed at a task at work. Afterwards you began to believe something even worse was about to happen.

Anyone will feel sad when a friend dies, or relationship ends. But depression is a much deeper sadness that will last longer. When depressed you feel as though you might lay down and never get up again. Healthy sadness last for a shorter period of time and is not as overwhelming as depression.

Do you need professional help?

If you have been depressed for a long period of time or have considered suicide it is important that you seek professional help. There are therapists trained in understanding and helping depressed people. You do not have to fight this battle alone. Please pray for the courage to reach out for help.

Whether you are receiving professional help or simply talk things through with a friend there are Biblical ways to improve your emotions. The Bible is full of truths about God and about ourselves. When we are depressed our thinking has become twisted. We become consumed with unrealistic thoughts which haunt our happiness. When we align ourselves with God’s truth we are walking in the light and the darkness will lose power over us. So, lets dig into the Bible and realign our thinking.

Tell me the Bible verses!

There are many Bible verse to straighten our thinking. These six were specifically chosen to bring us out of emotional darkness and into the beautiful light of God.

1. Acknowledge there is a problem using Paul’s words.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not in despair.

 2 Corinthians 4:8

Dear Lord I am hard pressed on every side but I don’t have to be crushed. 

I am perplexed but I don’t have to be in despair.

Acknowledging our emotions before God helps us to look more clearly at the things we are thinking.When we get honest with God we can also get honest with ourselves. God wants us to lean on him when we are trouble. We do not need to fight depression alone, God is there to help and comfort us in our troubles. You may not know how to change your situation or your emotions but God does. He has been helping people for 6000 years.

2. Ask God to strengthen you and protect you using Isaiah's words.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Dear Lord help me not to fear for You are with me.

 I will not be dismayed for you are my God. 

You will strengthen me and help me. 

You will uphold me with your righteous right hand.

God is an awesome and powerful God. We do not need to be afraid because God is working on our behalf to improve our situation and emotions. God can do anything and will do anything for his dearly loved children. You are one of his dearly loved children. God makes it very clear that he wants to help us. He wants to protects us. He wants to give us his strength so we do not rely on our own weak strength. He knows we are too weak to make it through this world on our own. He will be with us to help us.

3. Know that our troubles will come to an end using the Isaiah's words.

The oppressor will come to an end,
and destruction will cease;
the aggressor will vanish from the land.
Isaiah 16:4

Dear Lord, thank you that the oppressor will come to an end,

  and destruction will cease. The aggressor will vanish from the land.

God will not let oppression and destruction continue forever. He will bring them to an end. Whatever you are enduring, God will bring it to an end. If you are mourning God will restore your joy. If you are in a difficult situation God will change your circumstances. If you are alone God will bring people into your life. Whatever is troubling you God will bring it to an end and give you joy to replace your suffering. Trust him. Obey him. Let him work things out in your life.

4. Believe that you will rise from the darkness using Micah's words.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.
Micah 7:8

Dear Lord, tell my enemies to not gloat over me. 

Though I have fallen I will rise. 

Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light.

God will slay your enemies for you. Whether it is a situation, a loss, or a person God will intervene on your behalf. God will bring you up out of the pit you believe yourself to be in. God will bring you into the light of his glorious love. Who ever is looking down on you or has given up on you, it is not God. God wants to lift you up and restore you.

5. Know that God will set you free from your pain using Isaiah's words.

to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’
and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’
“They will feed beside the roads
and find pasture on every barren hill.
Isaiah 49:9

Dear Lord, call me out of the darkness and set me free. 

                                     Good Shepard let me find pasture on every barren hill.

You can be free of your pain. There is a pain-free future in front of you. God wants you to live a life without endless sadness and despair. God himself will call you out of your emotional darkness. Even though the world around you seems barren and dry, God will help you find pasture and comfort. A place to nourish your soul and lift your emotions.

6. Remember you are a chosen child of God using Peter's words.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 

God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him 

who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9

Dear Lord, let me always remember I am a chosen person,

a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to you. 

God allow me to declare the praises of you who called me 

out of darkness into your wonderful Light.

Always remember you are a chosen child of the great King. You are set apart to belong to God’s family. You were made to praise God, to love God, to walk in God’s light. There is no human emotion which can deny you your rightful place in God’s kingdom. Whatever is happening in your life keep reminding your self of who you are in Christ.

God’s word is strong and powerful. If you kept repeating these verses, day by day you will begin to walk in greater light and leave the darkness behind you. Don’t stop. Keep reminding yourself what the Bible says about you. Do not let twisted thinking about who you are rob you of joy. What ever you are feeling today, God has better plans for you tomorrow. God plans to give you a hope and a future.

 

                                     For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

 “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans 

to give you hope and a future.
Jerimiah 29:11

Keep Walking

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;

though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Psalms 37:23-24

After forty years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites were preparing to cross the Jorden River. Moses was gone and Joshua was called by God to lead the people. The Israelites walked to the river and camped beside it for three days preparing themselves for the crossing. It was harvest season and the river was flooded making it very dangerous for over a million people to cross. Yet God told Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’” (Joshua 3:7-8). God did not say to go to the river’s edge and wait, pray, or sing. To paraphrase it, God said to go to the river’s edge and keep walking into the flooded river where you might easily be swept away and drowned.

The priest followed God’s command. When the priest’s feet touched the water in the Jordon, the water upstream stopped flowing and piled up in a heap. All the people crossed over on dry ground while the priest stood in the middle of the river on dry ground. (Joshua 3:14-17). God did an amazing thing that day. But he only amazed the people after the first foot touched the water. God did not stop the river from flowing and wait patiently for the people to calm down and feel comfortable. No! God acted after seeing that the priest would trust and obey him.

God still wants to show us amazing things and bless us, but first we must step into the water. We must walk forward into an uncertain future to watch God shape our lives for the better. We must be willing to step into a new relationship, job, or ministry to see the new and amazing things God will do for us. God wants children who trust and obey even when the odds seem impossible. Though we cannot imagine how things could work for our good, with God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27).

From ancient days God has told people to walk in obedience to the Lord and our days will be long and prosperous. (Deuteronomy 5:33). This verse is after God gave the 10 commandments to Moses. God wants us to walk and he tells us what to do while we are walking. Through out the Bible there are numerous commands on how to behave, how to treat people, what to avoid, and how to worship. God tells us so many things to do while we are walking through this life.

He gave the Israelites hundreds of laws under the Mosaic covenant. Laws which governed every aspect of family, social, and national life. God was concerned about every detail of their lives. Nothing is missed by God. There is no detail too trivial for God to notice. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. He knows every time a sparrow falls to the ground. He holds the universe in his hands and still watches every detail of every living plant, animal, and person. There are 7.5 million people in this world. God calls each one by name and is able to hear the prayers of each one simultaneously.  God is truly amazing.

God does not call us to walk then abandon us to wander alone. He is there with us every step of the way. From the day we are conceived until after our death, God knows what is happening in our lives. He knows every thought before we think it. He sees every tear and every chuckle. He understands our heartaches, our joys, our rebellions, and our obedience. (Psalms 139). He is always only a breath away. He will never abandon us. (John 14:18)

When the Israelites did not obey the Lord, Moses intervened to spare them the wrath of the Lord. Then Moses told the Israelite that God sent him to lead them on their way. What God expected was for them to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees. (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). Even when they sinned God still told them to keep walking and what he expected of them while they were walking. If we are struggling to trust and obey God, he will still not abandon us. As long as we continue to call to him in the midst of our struggle. God will continue to guide us.

Psalms 23 tells us that even when we walk in darkness we do not need to fear for God will be with us. His rod and his staff will comfort us.  A rod and staff are the tools of a shepherd to keep the sheep from wandering off onto the wrong pasture or into the dangerous woods. The staff is a long piece of wood with a crooked end which can be used to pick a sheep up by the neck and turn it in a different direction. A rod is a type of club which is thrown in front of the sheep to stop it and make it run in a different direction. Both the rod and staff are uncomfortable and scary experiences for the sheep. But the shepherd uses them to guide the sheep and to prevent the sheep from making dangerous decisions.

Sometimes when God walks with us we fail to give him our attention and wander in the wrong direction. God, being the good shepherd will use uncomfortable and scary situations to lead us back to the good path he wants us to walk. In Psalms 138, the psalmist declares that when he walks in troubling times God will save his life and save him. God is always with us, we are never alone. He protects us and blesses us when we are obedient to him. He also redirects us when we wander the wrong way.

When Jesus called the first disciples, he was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. (Matthew 4:18) Jesus amazed people by healing the lame. He forgave sinners and commanded them to “get up and walk.”  Jesus called men to follow him as disciples, and fishers of men. He did not tell them to come sit with me, or pray with me, or sing with me. He said follow me. Over twenty times in the gospels, Jesus told people they must follow him. Jesus wants us walking through this world with him as our guide, leader, shepherd, and Lord.

Walking is an important part of life. As Christian we are called to follow Jesus, to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8). As we go through our daily lives let us never forget that God is there with us.

Dear Lord, you are an amazing God. Your knowledge of us and our needs is overwhelming. Your ability to always be there in good times and bad times, reaches deep into my heart. Your love consumes me and leaves me weak. Thank you for being my God. Thank you for loving me so much and sharing your love with me. Let me never forget that you are as close as my breath.

Pointing Finger and Malicious Talk

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8.

It is easy to think of things which satisfy our flesh. Wanting to feel superior in our beliefs we point to other’s beliefs and explain how they are wrong, rather than examining ourselves for error. The Bible tells us all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 2:23) If we commit one sin we have committed them all. (James 2:10) But somehow, we are slow to remember those things and quick to point our finger.

In Isaiah 58 God says he will hear our call for help if only we will put away the pointing finger and malicious talk. Even in ancient Israel people were pointing their fingers at others. It is a product of our human flesh to distract ourselves by searching for other people’s faults. Or to blame other people for what is wrong in the world around us, when we don’t know how to fix a situation. It feels better to blame someone else rather than to admit our confusion and lack of ability. This originates from our flesh which includes acts of hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy. (Galatians 5:19-21) All of these are motivations to finger pointing.

God calls us to put away things of the flesh and to walk in the freedom of the God’s love. (Galatians 5:13-15) To love one another. If we continue to fight with each other we will be destroying ourselves. If we continue to talk about how others are the real problem, in the end we hurt ourselves and our walk with God. We are called to develop the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Controlling the tongue can be one of the most difficult fruits to develop in our lives.

Fruit growing on trees requires time to develop, sunshine and water, fertilizer and pruning.  In our lives the fruits of the spirit require time to develop, prayer and bible study, discipline and determination. When finding ourselves pointing a finger at someone or speaking from the flesh, we should stop and take a deep breath. Say a prayer to God for help. Then choose to speak differently. Chose to speak from the spirit not the flesh.

Keep your tongue from uttering malicious talk. If you want to live a life with good days you will learn to guard your tongue. (1 Peter 3:10) As Philippians 4:8 directs us, find something pure, lovely, or praiseworthy to say. Practice speaking well of others. If you can’t find anything good to say then offer a prayer for the person’s wellbeing. Praise God for the good things in your life. Ask God to guide you in the difficult areas of your life. Memorize and repeat scripture to remind yourself of God’s guidance.

Dear Lord, you are holy and worthy of all praise. From you we learn how to speak and how to love others. Teach us O lord to speak the words you want to hear. Show us how to change from malicious talk and pointing fingers to talk that is lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy. Call to our minds your words in the Bible. Lead us in all we say and do.

What is the Truth?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

One of the ways Jesus describes himself is “the Truth.” There is nothing false in him. He never lies or misleads people. Everything he says can be trusted. It is impossible for God to lie. (Hebrews 6:18) This should help us understand why the truth is so important. It is the very essence of what God is. When we stand in the truth we are standing with God himself. When we turn away from the truth we are turning away from God.

Our world is full of alternate truths, spins on the truth, misleading stories, and plain old lies. We need to be careful about what we see and hear. (Matthew 13:15-17) We need to commit ourselves to Godly discernment. (Psalms 119:125) When we allow ourselves to believe a lie we are walking closely with Satan. Jesus called Satan the father of lies, a murderer, and someone who does not stand in the truth. (John 8:44) Surely none of us wants Jesus to look at us and say we do not stand in the truth!

With social media, and 24-hour news how are we to know what is the truth? With so many stories, reports, and spins floating around in the cloud and into our homes, our eyes and ears, how do we discern truth from a lie? First and foremost, we turn to the source of all truth, that is God. We admit our inability to always know and humbly ask God to lead and guide us into His truth. We pray for God to help us see the world as He sees it. And we keep asking, keep praying, knowing that we are always subject to being misled by Satan and his lies. We are always dependent on God to guide us through each and every day.

Secondly, we study the Bible. Although the Bible is an ancient book with no references to our modern 24-hour, instantly available news, it still offers us a multitude of truths. When we read and study daily we begin to view situations the way God views situations. Over time we hone our ability to use Godly discernment to separate truth from falsehood.

For example, the parable of the sower tells us much about God’s view of things. (Matthew 13, Luke 8, and Mark 4) God knows that even when good seed is distributed not all seeds will produce a crop. The sower distributed the seed in four places, on the path, on a rocky place, among thorns, and on good soil. Of the four paces only one produced a good crop. The other three places produced nothing good. By considering the truth as a seed distributed by God, we quickly realize how easily that truth may not have Godly results.

A path is a place for people to walk past the field, perhaps not even noticing the field. The seed is used to feed the birds not for a crop. If your life is full of activities and busyness you may be walking the path constantly and not notice the seed or truth growing in the field. Your activities may be good and honorable things involving children, work, or church, but if you do not have time for prayer and Bible study you will become easily lead away from the truth.

A rocky place is often covered in shallow soil which prevents the roots from growing deep into the soil and nourishing the plant. The seed germinates but its roots will hit rock and have no nourishment. Some people live a shallow life. They chase after the trending news. They easily believe what satisfies their opinions and never take time to look deeper into the matter. The truth does not grow in their lives because they follow anything which provides emotional excitement. The deeper truths of God will pass by them.

Other seed fell among thorns which choked out the crop. Sometimes people have difficult lives. They can’t find a good job. There are health issues and medical bills. There could be addiction or abuse in their lives. These things can have an emotional effect on people and cause them to struggle with God and his guidance. A person abused as a child, may not be able to consider any father loving. A person with health issues may wonder, why the Bible talks about healing when God has not healed me. This can cause the truth to be choked out of a person’s life. It becomes a struggle to trust and obey when we feel God has disappointed us.

Then there is the seed which falls on good ground. This represents people who are willing to listen and willing to be taught. People willing to spend time studying a matter and comparing it to other truths. Someone who is not searching for an emotional high but rather is able to accept the truth even when it requires making changes. This is the seed that bears fruit and produces a hundredfold crop.

It may be depressing to know many people are not good ground for the truth. There are many who reject the truth as foolishness. Others are too busy or lazy to search for the truth and accept anything handed to them. Some cannot let go of what life has given then to fully take hold of the truth. But the parable tells us when God distributes his word or the truth enough seed will flourish to produce a hundredfold crop. God’s word does not come back to him empty. There is always a crop. God will always tell us the truth. God’s purpose is always accomplished. (Isaiah 55:11)

What must we do to fully search for and embrace the truth? First stay in a close relationship with Jesus. Let him guide you in all you do. Pray. Attend Bible studies. Let the truth of Jesus wash over you day after day. Jesus said that if we ask it will be given to us. If we search we will find. If we knock the door will be opened. Pray over Matthew 7:7 and ask Jesus to guide you in your search for truth.

There are also practical ways to find the truth. When studying the Bible use a commentary to help illuminate what you are reading. A wonderful resource for commentaries is this web page https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/. Which has 110 commentaries. I recommend you start with William Barclays Daily Study Bible https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb.html.

Books to read include The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies,  Parables: The Mystery of God's Kingdom Reveled through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur.

When you hear a person speaking on non-religious matters and wonder if it is true, there are a few internet sites which debunk popular opinions floating around in our culture.

https://www.factcheck.org/ a non-partisan site trying to search for the truth on both sides of the aisle.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/ Gives a more in-depth research of why political statements are true or false.

https://www.snopes.com/ Covers urban legends and viral stories.

I recommend being very careful when watching network news. FoxNews has a conservative bias while CNN is liberal leaning. If you watch only one channel you will hear only one side of the story. Be careful with reports that are all opinion with no facts to substantiate the story. If you truly want to know if a subject is reported truthfully rather than completely biased, then pray and ask God to help you hear the truth. Do some research at the library, bookstore, or internet sites. Pray for God to lead you to truthful material.

There is not always time to research everything we hear. But be careful of accepting anything handed to you. Do not let your emotions lead your opinions.

In Matthew 13:11-13 Jesus said, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹² Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”

Those that have and will be given more are the ones who study and search for the truth. In their search they find more truth than they had before. Those that do not have and what they have will be taken away are the ones who refuse to study, refuse to search for truth. The little knowledge that they have will evaporate from their minds and they will accept anything which comes their way.

Diligently work to become a person who sees and hears the truth.

 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. 

Jerimiah 5:1

Dear Lord, Thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for answering when I ask. Give me eyes that see your truth and ears which hear your truth. Guide me through the onslaught of information around me. Help me to navigate around the lies and towards the truth. As your son is the truth, I want to learn to fully embrace your truth in my life. Let the search for truth always be one of the desires of my heart.