| SURRENDERING OUR LIVES Written by John Wear Thinking and taking action to give up what we cannot keep, to gain what we cannot lose. (Even though Christ's closest followers and friends seemed to lack the spiritual and physical focus and energy to stay "in the moment" with him in his final hours on Earth, they did much to promote the cause of Christ. "Surrendering Our Lives" is written to bring to our awareness the importance of maintaining the spiritual focus and energy which Christ continually asks of us. He wants us to give all, as he gave all.) In his "Letter to the Romans," the apostle Paul wrote to Christians about the plan of salvation. He encourages Christians to be holy and is specific concerning the duties of Christians. The letter is a collection of practical admonition. Reading the 12th chapter of the Roman Letter, and considering the recommendations offered, helps one to understand more about living life surrendered to the life-pattern Christ presents and expects faithful Christians to live daily. In verse one of chapter 12, Paul pleads with the reader to: "...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God..." Paul says this is a reasonable service. In verse 21 of Chapter 12, Paul says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." All through the 12th chapter, Paul is encouraging Christians to be responsible. He writes of our sensible duties as followers of Christ. In Chapter 11 of the Roman letter, (Rom. 11:34), Paul asked; "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor?" Now to verse 36, "...through Him and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever." That's why Paul used the word "therefore," as we find it beginning the 12th chapter. It is not hard to understand the fact that the Lord is the Great Originator and Provider. It is reasonable that we present ourselves holy and acceptable to Him. Sensible Living What does it mean to consider our lives "living sacrifices?" What does it mean to become "holy, acceptable unto God?" The apostle Paul says sacrificial living is our "reasonable service." If we are to be faithful Christians, we have to know what it means to live sacrificially. We must know what it means to live lives that are holy and acceptable to God. Paul thinks sacrificial living makes sense. Having chosen to be faithful Christians this is clearly "our reasonable service." This is sensible living. Rebirth, whatever that means. If I am not reborn, am I safe? Must I change? We hear at sometime in our lives that we must be reborn. Christ was teaching Nicodemus concerning the necessity of a new beginning. The words in John Chapter 3, verse 3, "Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Christ is here making a strong expression of fact to a man who is searching for truth. Nicodemus had come to Christ at night, possibly indicating that he could wait no longer for the answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Nicodemus had encountered God's word and was convinced that there was something he had to do, some action he had to take in response to the eternal truth he was learning. Nicodemus made the eternally correct choice. The word of God points the way. We would know nothing about salvation without it. Someone introduces us to the Bible and tells us that it contains "the truth" from God. They say it "shows the way to eternal salvation." We either accept this as fact or we reject it. As we consider and think about what we are to do with the lives we are given, we continue to encounter God's Word. Statements telling us about obedience, saving grace, and sacrificial living are clearly put forward for our consideration and for our acceptance or rejection. So, we decide. Having chosen to give my attention to God's word, to Bible teaching and clear patterns of righteous behavior, it is clear to me that I have to continue making God-approved decisions. This important choice, and the related action, does not seem to come natural to human beings. Most of us seem to struggle with righteousness. We should continue to try. I dare not attempt to "plead ignorance" concerning what I must do to live a life which benefits from eternal values, and leads me to heaven! Why would I want to live life without such benefits? In our lives as human beings, living faithfully, we develop humanly incredible coping skills. Life is truly more tolerable when lived by the pattern we are given in God's word. Completing a God-approved life, we anticipate eternal salvation. Of course, we are still human beings. Sometimes we hurt! What is happening to us? Why is it happening? We suffer pain caused by the weight of sin. Our burdens can be quite heavy. Worry tears us apart. We are ashamed. We become tired of hopelessness. We become desperate. We become weary of life. We hunger for relief. What did we do to deserve this? What must we do to prevent the bad times, the confusion and overwhelming sense of loss? Where is help to relieve discomfort? What must we do to live lives above the pit of pain? Christ did it! He overcame sin and death! He prevailed! He did it for us. He tells us how. Jesus Christ experienced pain and loss. He felt it all. Christ on the cross is Jesus Christ, our Lord, suffering and rejected, (Luke 9:22). Jesus was betrayed by human friends and fellow workers. They had been close to him, and faithful in the development and performance of his mission. (We are thankful that Christ on the cross also leads to eternal triumph over sin and death, no matter how dangerous the surrounding conditions.) Christ's faithful followers knew it was a mission of eternal service to mankind, and they knew the events taking place were in God's plan. Even so, one of Jesus Christ's closest friends denied Him, (Mat. 26:21). Jesus had foretold such things: (Mat. 26:31) "All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." We are told that Jesus Christ, Son of God, Prince of Peace, was agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane, (Jn. 18:1). He was "...exceeding sorrowful, even unto death..." (Mt. 26:38). There in the garden, he fell on his face and prayed to God; (Mt. 26:39) "...O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Jesus witnessed the human weakness of his disciples, who fell asleep at a time when he had asked for their alertness and support. (Mt. 26:38) He let them know that he was distressed. "Then saith he unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here and watch with me." Jesus confronted Peter, having found them sleeping when he needed their support, (Mt. 26:40). "And he cometh unto the disciples, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" At a time when Christ needed their attention and support most, they kept falling asleep. (Mt. 26:43). Being drawn toward Jesus we remain alert. Alert focus on truth moves us away from evil. Making the decision to move toward the Savior, remaining alert, taking timely action, changing, obeying, we are in the presence of the victorious Christ! (Jn. 16:33) "These things I have spoken unto you that ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." This is certainly a reason that sinners have been drawn toward Jesus Christ, moving away from worldly attractions. Moving toward Christ our Lord can not distract us from any of life's truly important tasks, acceptable values, special needs, worthy positions, or sensible entertainments. Moving toward the Savior is exactly the direction we must be going if we expect to be truly successful in our lives today and through eternity. |
| Here's Hope! |
LEARNING FROM PAUL'S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS Brief thoughts on God's Grace and Our Obedience By John Wear Our baptism into Christ, for the remission of sins, is an ultimately important act. How do we know that? Previously dead in trespasses and sins, the Ephesians were made spiritually alive by acting upon their choice to be baptized into Christ. (Acts 19:1 - 7 tells of this...) The Ephesians had lived under evil influence. They had lived worldly lives. Lost in sin, they had no hope. Paul speaks of his own past sinfulness as he states, "...among whom we all had our conversation (manner of life) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." This is a description of sinful life. BUT...God is rich in mercy. The love of God, manifested toward Paul the apostle and the faithful Ephesian Christians, was great as is the love of God for all of us as we make the choice to be faithful. God loves sinners. He loves all of us. The fullness of God's love is for the people who please Him. We please God by being obediently faithful. Our choice must be: To obey the written word of God. (If God's word (his plan for us) had not been written and revealed to us, we would not know about it. God's perfect word, His plan, gives us a pattern which can help us rise above sin and death. The Ephesians had been dead in sin. Because of their obedience to God's word, they were made alive together with Christ. It was then possible for them to share the spiritual life with Christ. This blessing is available to us. The Ephesians were saved by the grace of God, and we are saved by the grace of God; but the blessing of salvation is for none but the obedient. The amazing fact of "God's grace" does not eliminate the necessity of obeying God. The Ephesians and the apostle Paul had been raised up together. They were made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Their obedience made it possible to share and benefit from the blessings of heaven, as Jesus Christ shared and benefited. As a result of making right choices, the Ephesians were blessed. This is the place, the position of all persons who please God by active obedience to the revealed word of God. We are buried with Christ in baptism, and raised with Christ. (Col. 2:12) The God-approved spiritual opportunities will continue. They are available to all of us. Think about this: Being thankful and wise, we obey. "... that in the age to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 2:1-7) |
What Is Religion By John Wear What is religion? I think we think we know. Do we know? How do we know? Here is an interesting exercise: Write a paragraph explaining what religion is. Can you do it. Is religion easy to define? Can you explain religion? I believe it would be impossible to define religion without repeating God's definition. Clearly, the only religion possible would have to be religion as He defines it. Mankind, we, would never have known there is such a thing as religion, without THE WORD OF GOD to tell us about it; to explain what it is. God's Word, the Bible, does not make much use of the word RELIGION. The Bible does not reveal much about religion. The Bible reveals a life pattern. The Bible, the Word of God, reveals much about how we are to live our lives. We are to be faithful to God, as God commands. To be saved, we must live according to the pattern for living that God has revealed in the Bible. That fact is clear. What does the Bible say about religion? Galations 1:13 and 14 Paul, the apostle wrote: "For ye have heard of my conversation in the time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it. And profited in the Jew's religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers." James 1:26 and 27 James, the apostle wrote: "If any man among you seem to be religious and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Acts 13:43 Luke wrote: "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God." As we study the Bible, the Word of God, we find that God does not love us because we are religious. God loves us because we are. God loves us because we are part of His creation. We are made in His image. He gave His Son, Jesus the Christ, to be the sacrifice for our sins. It is not particularly important that we devote much of our thinking to being and proving that we are religious. We may be rotten, sorry, evil, and God continues to love us. But, God has not established a plan which will save us in our willful sinfulness. (We must not frustrate the grace of God. We must behave ourselves within the pattern God has provided.) We are demonstrating pure religion, behaviors approved by God, as we constantly follow His plan for living. God's plan for us is clearly stated throughout the Bible. The Bible contains God's will for us. My life-pattern must conform to God's stated plan for living if I want God's approval. We do this conforming by choosing to live as God wants us to live. Christ demonstrated how God's stated plan is to be lived. We can not possibly be perfect as Christ is perfect, but we must learn the plan and continue to try living as the plan tells us to live. The plan is perfect, from Genesis to Revelation. God does not love me because of my religion. He loves me because I am. The Plan of God By John Wear 07 Sep. 2009 He loves me beyond understanding. He loves me and gave me a plan. The plan is my pattern for living. It fits every woman and man. No other plan brings salvation. No other pattern succeeds. No human scheme of redemption Can fulfill my spiritual needs. I study God's plan and I live it. Though imperfect, I try day by day. I learn and become His disciple, I thank God, for His word is the way. Yes, I accept God's plan, only. Yes, it is all I need. Yes, it's my pattern for living. Yes, I expect to succeed. God has not left me to wonder or wander. He wants me to know how to live. He sent His Son Jesus to show me, That I also have something to give. Jesus showed me by living and dying, and living again, so I'm sure. As I follow God's plan and obey Him, My dear Savior will keep me secure. ========================================================================== |
| SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE A JUNGLE OUT THERE... |
| How can we know the way home? |
FACTS I THINK ABOUT, OFTEN: (The Way Forward) The important difference between MAKING and BEGETTING C.S. Lewis explains the difference between making and begetting like this: "We don't use the words begetting or begotten much in modern English, but everyone still knows what they mean. To beget is to become the father of: to create is to make. And the difference is... When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. But when you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself. A bird makes a nest. A beaver builds a dam. A man makes a wireless set--or he may make something more like himself... perhaps the man makes a statue. If he is a clever enough carver he may make a statue which is very like a man... But, of course, it is not a real man; it only looks like one. It cannot breathe or think. It is not alive." What God begets is God. What man begets is man. What God creates is not God. What man creates is not man. Clive Lewis wants to remind us that men are not Sons of God in the sense that Christ is the Son of God. We, mankind, may be like God in certain ways, but we and God are not creatures of the same kind. We may be thought of as statues or pictures of God. If we are very good, obedient to God's will, we may see beautiful, even holy characteristics, Christ-likenesses in our behaviors. We may develop Godly similarities. Even through our spiritual growth, mankind, we, will not possess the same kind of life God has. Even though we do not possess the same kind of life God has, we are "wonderfully made." As well made as we are, in our natural condition, we do not have that higher and different sort of life that exists in God. God's life and our lives are lives of different types. There are important differences between Biological life and Spiritual life. Christianity is our way, the way God approves; our path from mere Biological life to Spiritual life. |