Study the Body!

"Let us consider how we might spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Heb. 10:24)
Everyone who is a true believer in Jesus Christ has been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge (guarantee) of our inheritance (Eph. 1:14), and through the Spirit, a spiritual gift. "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them in everyone. To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Cor. 12:4-7) Now if each believer has been given a spiritual gift for the common good of the body, then wouldn't considering how we might spur one another on toward love and good deeds be thinking about or studying each of our friends (body-members) to see what their giftings are and how they are most edified. Since the Spirit has gifted us in various ways to serve the body, wouldn't it follow that we would each find incredible joy in utilizing or ministering our gift to the body. Wouldn't it also follow that to not use our gift in this way is, in fact, a limiting of our own joy and the joy of the body, whom the Spirit desires to minister to through our gift, He giving us gifts for this very purpose? So how do we encourage one another to use our gifts to the glory of God and to the edification of the body of Christ? Perhaps by studying our friends. By study I mean consider, think about or meditate upon. The edification of the body is an active process to be pursued by every member of the body. No one is exempt! So in studying one of my brothers I might discover that he has been given the gift of teaching. Therefore, knowing that he will find great joy in teaching, the best way to edify him will be in allowing him to teach me and not to try and out-teach him. Or consider one with the gift of service. The way not to edify servers is to try and out-serve them, but rather to allow them to serve you. How many times we try and out-lead leaders, out-give givers, out-exhort exhorters, or out-mercy-give mercy-givers, instead of encouraging them to use their gifts by allowing them to minister them to us? Though it is more blessed to give than to receive, we have been called not only to give to the body, but also to receive from them. Lord help us to study our brothers and sisters in Christ, to learn how they are encouraged, so that we might know how to best spur (provoke) them on toward love and good deeds.

Holiness (A Poem)

(Dedicated on 9/23/04 to John Piper)
To holiness we have been called, in life and love and language all,
Are Christ's our minds and bodies both, in faithfulness He has made His oath
That conformity to His likeness will be our never-ending reality
The Spirit our transforming Lord will sanctify us through His sword,
Refining us with fired blade, forever planned that we be made
To have our hearts satisfied in He, whose holy love gives life to we,
Who don't deserve a thing but wrath, for making all God's grace our path
To self-indulgent lusts, which rape our souls, who long to fly the freedom cape,
Of heavenly intimacy in marriage, to the One we'll see at the end of the age,
Yet now in holiness we wait, til we are called to approach the gate
Of ever-increasing happiness in God through Christ our righteousness.

Eliminate the Possibilities

How difficult it truly is to discern where one's love and joy are based. As Christians, we claim that our happiness is founded in the person of Jesus Christ. However, as the world looks on, they often find it hard to tell. We look the same, act the same, talk the same, and seem to be motivated by the same things. No true Christian would ever want a non-believer to think that there is any hope or joy outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, it would seem that it is the responsibliity of every Christian to try and make it clear to the lost where our joy is found, by eliminating the other possibilities. So what else could possibly be the source of our joy in the eyes of the world? This is a question for every person to think about personally and specifically. I only have time to elaborate on one of them, but the contemplation of others is worth hours and days and years of our time. One thing that might be mistaken as a joy-source are simply our possessions. It is easy to see why the world thinks our possessions are what make us happy. Because we live just like the world, and in many cases materialistically better. What are a few ways that I might make it clear to the world that my joy is in Christ and not things? Perhaps by not having as nice of things. Live like you would in a time of war, since we are in a time of war, both physically, and more importantly, spiritually. One specific technique that I have put into practice to this end, noting that it was not my original idea, is to limit myself to one or two outfits of clothing. So that when someone asks me why I wear the same thing every day, it becomes an open door to the gospel in sharing with them that I do it for them. I'm willing to sacrifice an elaborate wardrobe to help you see that Jesus is the only One that can bring true satisfaction. I would never want to deceive you into thinking my joy was based in something else. As a result, they will also be a lot less likely to say," That's stupid!" because the whole reason I did it was for them. Is this not a loving sacrifice? You mean you care about me that much? Or do we care more about our vain images, hoping to impress all on-lookers? Furthermore, the crazy thing I discovered in doing this is that some of my joy actually was based in clothing. At first I thought I was doing this for the lost, but it seems that it has been for my sanctification as well. This has helped me to see my own sin, confess it to God, and pray His help in fighting against such fleshly desires. Alot of times you never know that something is an idol until you get rid of it. Now, this is only one, but there are hundreds of other things that we need to try and eliminate as possible joy-bases, for the sake of the lost, for the sake of personal holiness, and most importantly, for the glory of God in whole-hearted worship! "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," (2 Cor. 10:5)

Walking by the Spirit

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Col. 2:6) As we have received Christ by faith, we are now to contiue to walking in Him by faith. Having faith in someone is believing that what they say is true. If Christ says, believe that I can give you eternal life, and we ask Him for it, this demonstrates faith. If Christ says, believe in and depend upon My Spirit to make the life I offer effectual through holiness, then our continued, obedient dependance upon His Spirit is also a demonstration of faith. Depending upon the Spirit of Christ to enable you to obey the commands of God in Scripture is what it means to walk in Him or walk in dependance upon Him. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25) “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16) Walking by the Spirit is the God-ordained prevention against carrying out the sinful desires of the flesh. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we be kept from sinning and earning more of God’s wrath. “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.” (Jude 24) Only He, and not we ourselves, is able to keep us from sin. Therefore, the Spirit is our only hope of holiness, perseverance and faith to believe the promises of God and act in accordance with His word.