“So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” —GALATIANS 2:16

The theology of the Apostle Paul was not formulated in his study but in his evangelistic exploits on the mission field. He did not sort out his doctrines to make them tidy or even give them systematic form, much less to stereotype the kindness and grace of God. He formulated them to address the crying needs of the people to whom he ministered.

Unlike professional theology, Paul’s doctrines are about life, behaviour, victorious living and enjoying the presence and activity of God in the real world. He did not set out to write handbooks of Christian doctrine, for his letters were provoked by the need to address particular situations and problems that had arisen in the churches to which he wrote.

We may never have known what Paul believed about the Lord’s Supper had some believers in Corinth not acted irresponsibly when they gathered to celebrate it. If it were not for the Judaizers who insisted on circumcising Gentiles, thus provoking the letter to the Galatians, we would know little about Paul’s view of the place of the law in Christian experience. An emerging heresy in Colosse provoked Paul’s letter to the church in that city, giving us insight into what he believed about the undermining of the pre-eminence and centrality of Christ. We would not know Paul’s stance on the gift of tongues, had not some Christians in Corinth gone overboard in the use of it, provoking Paul to rebuke and correct them. It is only Paul’s letter to the Romans that stands alone in not being instigated by a pastoral concern for the people to whom he was writing.

We must be cautious, however, of attempting to put Paul’s teaching into a watertight system of theology, which he does not do himself. At the same time, we must seek to understand the major concerns and thrust of his ministry. Interestingly, no matter what his starting point is, Paul always returns to the central issue of the Gospel. Sheer repetition alone would give us a good indication of what was central to his thoughts. Paul’s primary message is the righteousness of God; a righteousness imputed to us as an act of faith, and then imparted experientially as an ongoing process, also on the grounds of faith. 

Paul writes, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:17). At the heart of this experience of God’s righteousness is the believer’s union with Christ. In all his Epistles to the churches, Paul directs the people to Jesus.

Dear Lord, thank You for the remarkable teachings of Paul that directs us to You and your sufficiency in every problem and situation I face.

Am I bringing my problems, concerns and doubts to Christ?

“Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” —GALATIANS 3:3

The bigger problem Paul addresses in his Epistles lay not with those who were as yet unsaved, but with those who were already in Christ and trying to attain their goal of pleasing God by human effort rather than by the working of the Holy Spirit. 
 
It is this temptation that remains a real one today and one that must be resisted and spurned. Any addition to Christ is by definition a subtraction from Him for any needed addition can only be a reflection of a sense of His insufficiency. The problem is that when we attach any addition to faith in Christ as necessary for effective Christian living, the addition often becomes the means whereby our Christianity is defined.
 
Christ plus circumcision is a dead issue to most of us today, but Christ plus a certain mode of baptism is not; Christ plus speaking in tongues is not; Christ plus a right understanding of election is not; Christ plus a particular doctrine of the church is not. The problem is that whatever we add to Christ becomes our defining point. Although we claim to be “all in one in Christ”, our fellowship with one another is based on our common agreement about the ‘additions’ to faith in Christ that we see as necessary.
 
Some believers meet as ‘Baptists’, their name defining common ground regarding the essential nature of a certain mode of baptism. Some people meet as ‘Pentecostals’ defining their common ground relating to events on the Day of Pentecost, and some meet as ‘Congregationalists’ or ‘Presbyterians’, defining their common ground as a view of church government. It is not that any of these things are unimportant as each of them are very important, which is why they take on such significance for some Christians. Scripture does not address these issues and we have to know how to respond rightly to them.
 
The point is that the real problem arises when the issues that make us distinct from one another become our defining point and thus contain the latent inherent danger of taking priority in our identity. These issues then become more fought over than those that make us distinct from the world. Paul writes, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). And this needs to be our defining point – one Spirit and one body which is Christ Himself.

Lord, may I keep my focus on You alone as the all encompassing defining factor of my faith and my life.

In my effort to please God have I added to Christ in any way?

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” —REVELATIONS 2:4-5

What are the grounds on which we may please God? Is it what we do for God: our discipline, our obedience, our doctrine, evangelism, strategies and generosity? OR do the things that please God derive from what we allow Him to do for us: His strength in place of our weaknesses; His riches in place of our poverty, His victory in place of our failures and His wisdom in place of our folly?

When John penned the letter from Jesus to the church in Ephesus, Jesus was able to commend it for “your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2-3). We would commend any church with such a reputation, but there was just one problem that undermined and devalued everything else that was good in the church at Ephesus. They had forgotten and forsaken Jesus! “You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen.”

Every outward appearance may be good, impressive and commendable, but if the church is not primarily an expression of Jesus Himself, whose body is the church; if it is not fulfilling the desires of the head of that body, who is Christ; if it is not operating in the power of the life of the body, which is the Holy Spirit who inhabits the body, then says Jesus, “I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (2:5). In effect, Jesus is saying, “I will switch you off!” The need of this doctrinally pure and hardworking church in Ephesus was to “repent and return”; to get back to a love relationship with Jesus that would be expressed in dependency on Him alone. 

What pleases God is not human effort, strategy or wisdom. It is the “fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). This is not the fruit of the Christian, but of the Spirit as these things are impossible apart from the Spirit’s enabling, which represents nothing less than the expression of the character of Christ within us. There is, of course, a personal discipline that works out godliness. What we are to ‘work out’ is a result of what God ‘works in’ us.

What pleases God centers all on Jesus. It is living in a loving, committed relationship with Him in which we are dependent upon Him to produce in us the fruit of His Spirit.

Dear Lord Jesus, I pray for more discipline in working out what You have worked in me so that my life exhibits more of the fruit of the Spirit. 

Do I see my life more as an expression of what I do for Jesus or what Jesus does for me?

Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’. —MATTHEW 28:18

In the above verse, some translations use the word “power” in place of authority. The original Greek word is “exousia” which literally means power in the sense of authority. This is the power that belongs to a president or a king, and in this context, speaks of the position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 
 
In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” The word Jesus uses here is the Greek word “dunamis” from which the English words ‘dynamic’ and ‘dynamite’ are derived. This means power in the sense of sheer ability. ‘Exousia’ and ‘dunamis’ must be understood together. 
 
To illustrate, a number of years ago I travelled on an overnight bus from Glasgow to London. A few miles into the journey, it became quite clear one of the passengers was inebriated and being a nuisance to other passengers. After several complaints, the bus driver parked on the side of the road and asked the man to get off the bus. The man totally ignored him and simply stared out the window. The disturbance continued and after several more complaints which met with the same contempt, the bus driver turned off the main road, drove into a little town and parked outside a police station. The driver got out and came back with two big Scottish policemen who had to forcibly escort the man off the bus.

Though the bus driver had the authority to order the man to disembark the bus, he did not have the power to make it happen. Authority without power is somewhat pathetic and useless. On the other hand, power without authority is dangerous. We only need to look at acts of terrorism around the world. There is plenty of dynamism with the ability to carry acts out, but no legitimate authority to do so. 

In Jesus Christ we have both the authority and the power to make things happen. We must never detach the Lordship of Christ over our lives from the dynamism of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This comes together in the statement of Paul, “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). As God in Christ calls us to do something, so God the Spirit enables us to do it. In other words, there will never be any demand made upon us by the Lord Jesus that the Holy Spirit will not provide the empowerment to accomplish.

Dear Lord, help me to depend wholly on the working of your indwelling Spirit to accomplish what You have called me to do. Thank You, Lord.

Do I rest in both the authority and power of Jesus in what He has called me to do?

“He said, ‘Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet.”’ —EZEKIEL 43:7

Throughout the Old Testament, the ‘setting of feet’ signifies the occupation of land. It was to step into enemy territory and conquer it. The glory of God, as seen by Ezekiel in his vision, was the consequence of conquered and occupied territory.

 Paul writes of this same theme in the New Testament. Speaking of Jesus, he says, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For ‘he has put everything under his feet’” (1 Corinthians 15:25-27). To conquer an enemy is to put him underfoot. By the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the last enemy has been defeated, putting death itself under the feet of Christ. 

This has fantastic implications for us. Jesus has defeated the last enemy, which is to say that every other enemy has also been defeated. If we have ten enemies and finally defeat the last one, it means the other nine are not still running around uncontrolled. In defeating the last enemy, Jesus has defeated everything that threatens to defeat us. That is why Paul can mock death as the ultimate enemy. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting?” (15:54-55) Death will still stalk us and we will still die, but it will not defeat us. Sin will stalk us, but perfection in this life is not an option, yet we need not be defeated for in the cleansing of Jesus and the power of His indwelling Spirit we are justified and may know the power to live a holy life.

Into the heart of every Christian, the Lord Jesus comes not only to occupy the throne but to conquer and defeat the enemy. As the throne speaks of His position of Lord and His exercising authority, the “soles of His feet” speak of His activity, defeating the enemy and reigning as conqueror. 

These two aspects of His role must not be separated. They come together in two of the last statements Jesus makes in the interim between His resurrection and ascension to His Father. In Matthew 28:18, He said to His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” In Acts 1:8, He tells them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” It is the power and authority of Jesus Christ that puts us on the side of victory and ensures an everlasting life with Him.

Thank You, Lord, for your work on the cross in defeating death and reigning as conqueror in my life. 

Do I realize that in Jesus Christ I am already on the side of victory in anything that threatens to defeat me?

“He said: ‘Son of man, this is the place of my throne…’” —EZEKIEL 43:7

Following the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant where God had made His home was either stolen or destroyed, and has not been seen since. Fourteen years later, the prophet Ezekiel has a vision of a new temple that gives us significant information about God’s intention for His new home.

After Ezekiel goes through the outer courts and rooms, he says, “Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple” (Ezekiel 43:5). A voice explains to Ezekiel why the temple radiates the glory of God. “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet.” The display of the glory of God, which is His moral character, is a direct consequence of conditions that enable His glory to be seen.

God states, “This is the place of my throne.” In other words, “This is where I am in charge and exercise my sovereignty and rule.” There will be no demonstration of the glory of God without submission to the government of God. Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the heart of the Christian is the fundamental disposition from which everything else derives, for it is in the heart of the Christian God makes His home. Romans 14:9 says, “Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.” We must see Christ not only as Saviour and Redeemer, but as Lord and Master. These are His terms and they are non negotiable.

One of the simplest ways to trace the cause of spiritual breakdown is to go back to the breakdown in obedience. There is a danger in the church to look for psychological and emotional causes to spiritual barrenness rather than volitional ones. We sometimes see ourselves as victims rather than perpetrators. We are offended rather than guilty, and look for causes outside of ourselves instead of acknowledging personal responsibility. There may be factors we are not to blame for that have a direct bearing upon our attitudes and behaviours for which we may need help, but consistently in Scripture God holds people responsible for themselves.

We cannot bring legal counsel to the judgment seat of God. Our only mediator is Jesus Christ and He is totally capable of handling our lives and creating in us a godliness that has no other explanation than the miracle of His working. But it must begin in humble submission to His throne.

Lord Jesus, help me to live in submission to You and to be accountable for acts of disobedience, which I ask your forgiveness for. Thank You, Lord.

Does Christ occupy the throne of my life?

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” —ROMANS 1:22-23

The fingerprints of God are all around us, not only in creation but in our lives. God has revealed Himself in conscience. Inherent in all of us is a natural moral law, a sense of right and wrong that comes from God. A fool regards his own perspective as the only legitimate one, but in seeking God’s perspective, we are seeking wisdom that comes from the mind of God, which can only be revealed by the Spirit of God. 

We all need something to place our trust and belief in. Every city at any time in its history, whether primitive or sophisticated, has evidence of worship. Whether it is a temple, a shrine, mosque, synagogue, church or handmade images, there is always something people will worship. And if these are crushed for whatever reason, then we will create a celebrity culture where athletes, musicians, film stars and political leaders are idolized. This is very much the case in a secular society, because there is always a need to have someone bigger and better to admire and worship.

If what we worship is something other than the one true God, we will be led into a false sense of security. Paul’s charge in the opening verse is not that people do not know about God, but that they fail to acknowledge and follow through with what they do know. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).

G.K. Chesterton said, “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing; they believe in anything.” Those outside of Christ do not follow the clues that creation and conscience have implanted, so they have only a human perspective to fall back on. According to their human perspective, they are wise, when in actual fact they have become fools. Not only have they limited themselves to human capability, but when their backs are against the wall, the temptation to go against their conscience is all the greater, which will inevitably lead to moral bankruptcy. 

In the Bible, wisdom has little to do with intelligence, and foolishness has little to do with lack of intelligence. Both are a disposition, and our disposition or attitude to life has everything to do with what we believe about God. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” This is a gift of God and the only reliable source of life and security. While the fool spurns it, the wise will relish it.

Your wisdom is flawless, Lord, and I pray for everyone to recognize that and be drawn to You with open hearts and open minds. Amen. 

Is there something or someone I idolize other than God? 

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” —PSALM 37:4

Many people have a misunderstanding of the above verse. It is not if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us what we desire, but rather the desires themselves will be implanted in our hearts by God. As we delight ourselves in the Lord, His interests become our interests and His desires become our desires. The very desire, the will is God-given.

When we ask God to show us His will, we often want Him to give us a road map, but what He is more likely to give us is a compass. We do not need to know all the twists and turns along the way, but we need to know the direction. In Acts 26:19, Paul makes the statement to King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven”, which puts him in a long line of men and women who began with the end in mind. They had listened as God revealed His plan and purpose, and lived with this insight tucked away, pursuing the vision, but awaiting His timing for it to be fully brought to fruition.

Paul did not have any advanced knowledge of the details of his life, but only the compass bearing that was set by the Lord Jesus on the Damascus Road, which continued to be the governing principle of his vocation. He was not motivated by a desire to travel, or an ambition to establish a network of churches. His obligation derived from his vision, expressed in his sense of purpose and destiny. He was not a driven man so much as a drawn man, drawn by the power of a God-given desire for which he relentlessly gave his time and energy.

The journey had been long and lonely, the road steep and hard, but Paul had run the road Jesus Christ had set him on and he was satisfied. He writes to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

The clear vision of what Paul’s future would consist of is not unique in Scripture. Many leading characters – Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Mary and Joseph all started with the end in mind… a God-given desire will always be for the benefit of others and involves a much deeper significance to us than what is obvious to anyone else.

I ask, Lord, that You place your desires in my heart and that they become a force within me that accomplishes your purpose for me. Thank You, Lord. 

What is my most prevalent God- given desire?

“For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church.” —EPHESIANS 5:31-32

Marriage involves deeply knowing each other and that is a beautiful thing, but it takes time. Genesis 4:1 of the NIV says, “Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.” The King James Version says, “Adam knew Eve, his wife and she conceived and bore Cain.” The KJV points to an important idea in its translation. The Hebrew word for “knew” is ‘yada’, and the Hebrew definition of ‘yada’ is, “To know properly, to experience, to discover, to give, to have, to take, to be privy to and to be sure of.” This is the marriage Adam and Eve shared; a beautiful oneness of heart and soul. 

How do we come by this today? What is the mystery that lies behind a loving marriage that lasts until death do us part? Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). The key in these verses is that the activity of the Holy Spirit within us is the source that brings us into that beautiful oneness of heart and soul. 

Jesus Christ’s relationship with His church is the role model. That means “husbands give to your wives.” If we do not see this as the big picture, then the gender roles become distorted and stretched. When reading verses such as Ephesians 5:24 which says, “Wives should submit to their husbands in everything,” we will have a mistaken interpretation if it is not understood in its context. The umbrella statement under which Paul writes this is, “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Paul is not only talking about marriage, but about family and business in which there needs to be two-way submission in these relationships. 

The headship of Christ to His church and the headship of a husband to his wife is the source of life to her. The husband gives himself up to her and presents her radiant and blameless. This, says Paul, is the relationship Christ has to His church. The assumption of Paul’s writing about marriage is that the initiative lies with the husband to set a good environment in which his wife is responsive. 

There is no hierarchy in marriage. It is an equal partnership, built on the hard times as well as the good. Throughout it all, we give of ourselves, seeking the well-being of each other, and in the giving is the receiving.

Dear Lord, I pray for all married couples to share the common bond of your indwelling Spirit to enrich and deepen their lives together. Thank You, Lord. 

Am I setting my spouse’s needs ahead of mine?

“The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.” —1 CORINTHIANS 7:4 

Marriage brings us into a more intense proximity to another human being than any other relationship. There are layers upon layers that make us up, some of which we have not yet discovered, and it is often in marriage these layers become exposed.

One of the great myths about marriage is that it is a consumer relationship. In other words, it is about getting what I want and what I need. We marry for love, companionship, sexual satisfaction, children, a sense of identity and belonging. These are needs, desires and aspirations that are legitimate, but if our marriage is founded on “consumer” interest it will last only as long as our needs are met.

There are two conflicting ideas about marriage. One is that marriage is everything, but the idea that marriage is necessary to a fulfilled life is also a myth. Jesus was the most fulfilled man as God intended man to be; the most complete in Himself. The Apostle Paul was a single man and he extols the virtues of singleness. It is wonderful that someone loves us and wants to spend the rest of their life with us, but it is not necessary to a fulfilled life. 

The other extreme is those who say marriage is merely a piece of paper. Do I need a licence to be sexually intimate with my partner? How is that going to make a difference? The problem with this is that the sexual relationship cannot be detached from the real relationship where husband and wife not only belong to each other, but it is a union of heart and soul. Sex was not designed as an appetite to be satisfied, but to give expression to the deep intimacy of the soul. When that is broken, the sexual relationship may be functional, but it will simply be a mechanical process that will leave us empty. 

We cannot come into marriage expecting all our needs to be met. The best preparation for marriage is in learning to be complete as a single person. That is not to become coldly self-sufficient, but learning to be self-sufficient in a wholesome way in order that we may give to our marriage partners. Marriage is not a consumer relationship, but a covenant relationship. A consumer attitude says, “You are here for me,” but a covenant attitude says, “I am here for you.” This is a beautiful picture of the relationship Jesus has with His church, and is God’s intention of what marriage should be. It is sticking together, working through the hard times and reaping the wonderful reward of looking back over the years, enjoying a marriage that has been built on both the pain and the joys.

Dear Lord, help me to keep the same love and commitment in my marriage as You have for your church. Thank You, Lord.

Is my marriage more a covenant relationship or consumer relationship?

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” —ROMANS 12:6

After Paul’s sight was restored in Damascus, it cannot be said of him that he sat around, hoping for some kind of spiritual gifting from God to suddenly pop up and help him. He took immediate action and began preaching in the synagogues. In 1 Corinthians 14:1, he tells us to “eagerly desire spiritual gifts.” 

Spiritual gifts are those skills and abilities God gives to His people to enable His church to fulfill its task. And the task is the same as it was for Paul – to reach our world for Christ. We first accomplish that by bringing our lives under the authority of Jesus, allowing Him to take our weaknesses as well as strengths, and corporately, through the body of Christ, work towards fulfilling His will and purpose on earth.

When Paul says, “Eagerly desire spiritual gifts,” the underlying meaning is to eagerly desire to serve others. We are to actively seek our gifts by becoming busy and getting involved. Whether it is on the front lines or behind the scenes, it is being there and doing humbly and faithfully whatever it is God has given us to do. In the process, we will discover where God has gifted us because we will feel energized and motivated by what we are doing, as well as encouraged by discerning men and women of God who begin to recognize God’s enabling in us. We need not feel intimidated or reluctant because the Holy Spirit is our empowering and spiritual gifts are often discovered by taking risks.

The New Testament lists 22 spiritual gifts in all; among them healing, prophecy and teaching, but it is not a comprehensive list. There are other spiritual gifts in widespread use today such as music, writing, technology and counselling that are recognized as an important and valid gifting from God for His church. Many of us also have natural gifts which God may prosper to further His agenda. The best time to be developing spiritual gifts is early in our Christian faith otherwise we risk picking up bad habits and perhaps become complacent, especially concerning activities we think do not involve us. 

We mature in our faith as we engage and serve. God has uniquely gifted every Christian but we do not have the right to insist on any particular gift. God gives as He wills and every role is needed in order for the church to function well. Paul said to Timothy, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6). We do this by actively getting involved and God takes care of the rest.

Dear Lord, I am grateful for the spiritual gifting of many people and pray that your gifting of me will be used to its fullest potential in conjunction with others. 

How has God gifted me and am I using that to the benefit of others?

“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”—1 CORINTHIANS 12:21

The Apostle Paul describes the church as being the body of Christ. Christ is the Head and every true Christian is a member of His body. Paul makes two basic statements we need to appreciate about the body of Christ. Firstly, we are all different as we have varying abilities and separate functions. Secondly, we are interdependent on one another.

“There are different kinds of gifts,” Paul says, “but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Paul illustrates this by stating the foot should not say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body” and the ear should not say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body.” The body is made up of many different parts. God engineered it that way and made every part important for its own use. Similarly, Paul is stating that there are many different roles and gifts God has ordained within His body, the church, and every role is important. 

Though it is true that some roles may have a higher profile than others, it is not true to conclude they are more significant. Jesus Christ is not working only through individuals, but His church as a corporate body. Individuals make up the church, but it is the body of Christ we have been baptized into by the Holy Spirit, and it is as one body Christ works; each member interdependent on one another. There can be no such thing as a “lone ranger” in the work of God.

There are Christians who may think themselves to be inferior to other Christians, perhaps because they have the silent, nondescript roles, while others, filling a more prominent role, are inclined to think themselves more important. Neither is true. We cannot make the mistake of concluding that one work of God pays bigger rewards on the Day of Judgment than another. In fact, Paul writes, “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that are less honourable we treat with special honour” (1 Corinthians 12:22-23).

As Christians, we are the channels God uses for His work in this world. He is the One who initiates, carries out and completes the work. God is committed to His agenda, and when we are committed to Him, 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” Interdependence makes for a fruitful church!

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to become a more fruitful worker in your church, and show me where and how I would best contribute. Thank You, Lord. 

Am I working interdependently with others in the work of Christ?

“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” —ROMANS 7:18

Paul held little hope of any intrinsic improvement of the human heart. In the above verse, he laments to the Romans that nothing good lives in him; that is in his sinful nature. This is not a statement of what used to be before he came to know Christ, but of what he continues to be for the rest of his life.

The term ‘sinful nature’ is a translation of just one word in the original Greek – the word ‘flesh’. ‘Sinful nature’ is an Augustinian term, coined in the fifth century and has served as a useful description. The word ‘flesh’, however, when it occurs in this context, refers not to the body, but to all that a person is in themselves apart from the presence of God. To live ‘in the flesh’ is to live in a spirit of independence and self-reliance rather than a spirit of dependence on and obedience to God. It refers to the bankruptcy of human resources and capabilities when detached from the enabling grace, presence and power of God.

It is this sense of despair over any hope of the natural person being able to function as God intends on the basis of human capability that lies behind Paul’s view of humanity. This may at first seem a rather pessimistic view, but it is entirely realistic and accurate. Apart from revelation of this in Scripture and God’s provision of the Holy Spirit, we would not have the grounds nor the courage to face this truth about the human condition.

Jeremiah wrote long before Paul’s day, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Most disillusionment with the Christian life has its origin in an expectancy that given time, discipline and the grace of God, our hearts will somehow improve and our natural selves will grow in godliness. But that is not true to Scripture. The Christian life does not involve eradication or the suppression of sin, but involves counteraction of sin by the indwelling presence of the Spirit.

It is at the point of new birth when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell a person that there begins a civil war in the soul; that is an ongoing battle of flesh against the Spirit. Paul writes in Colossians 1:27, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Glory, being the moral character of God, can only be expressed by the indwelling life of Christ who is the exact radiance of God’s glory. In Him, we have our sole means of victory over the flesh for in the sight of God, we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and our sin done away with. 

I know how futile it would be to try living a godly life on my own. I ask that You reign powerfully in me so that my life becomes more and more a reflection of You. Thank You, Lord.

In what areas of my life do I need a deeper work of Christ in expressing His image?

“Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah…and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.” —JUDGES 4:4-5

We normally think of military leaders as men but the Bible gives us the story of a woman who ruled as a judge over Israel at a time when they were being cruelly oppressed. She was not only a great military leader, but a prophetess, a woman of God. Her name was Deborah.

During the 400 years judges ruled over Israel, there is a pattern of rebellion against God, leading to repression, then to restoration, and then to rest. This cycle is repeated seven times, and when the people cried out to God, He would raise up a judge to restore them, bring the nation back into rest again and into dependence on Him. Deborah is the restorer in the third of these seven cycles. She is beautifully described as “a mother of Israel”. 

For twenty years, the Israelites were ruthlessly exploited by a Canaanite king, named Jabin. The roads were so dangerous people took to winding paths through the woods and over mountains. Village life ceased and the national life of Israel was ground to a halt. Deborah sent for Barak, Israel’s commanding officer, and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ Barak replied, ‘If you go, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.’ ‘Very well’, Deborah said. ‘I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman’” (Judges 4:6-9).

Deborah was not deterred by the fact she was a woman, nor by going up against 900 iron chariots, many of which were stuck in the bog of the Kishon River. Deborah said to Barak, “Go, this is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has the LORD not gone ahead of you?” (4:14) And that is a key factor in our own struggles and conflicts. Deborah’s confidence was not in her ability, nor in military strength and strategy, but was entirely in God. She knew she was already battling from a position of victory, and under her reign, Israel enjoyed 40 years of peace. 

We all need the makings of a Deborah – the courage to step out in faith and trust God for who He is. As we act in obedience, He goes on ahead of us to prepare our way so that we may enter into the rest He promises.

Dear Lord, grant me the courage of Deborah, and a heart so in tune with yours that I will not fail to recognize your voice.

Am I willing to step out in faith, confident of God’s working in my own struggles?

“In those days, there was no king in Israel; everyone did as he saw fit.” —JUDGES 17:6

God did not establish Israel as a democracy or a monarchy, but as a theocracy. What this means is that God rules the nation by raising up men or women who were known as judges. They were primarily military leaders, but also spiritual leaders, and leaders of the judicial structure of the nation. God put His Holy Spirit on them, which people recognized and would follow their leading. This was the way God intended Israel be governed, but the people insisted on a monarchy. 

Several times throughout the book of Judges, it states “there was no king”, and this is not simply a statement of fact, but of frustration. All the surrounding nations had a king and the Israelites wanted to be able to predict their future and know who their next ruler would be. At their insistence, God gave them a king, but He warned them of consequences, such as tyrants and dictators reigning on the throne, heavy taxes for the king’s own use, subjects becoming slaves, and women becoming subservient, filling only domestic roles.

The history of this is of great relevance to the Church of Jesus Christ today, which is designed to be completely theocratic. Jesus Christ is the head and He raises up leaders, evangelists, pastors, teachers and elders. These are people recognized by the gifts God gives them, the work they do, and the evidence of the blessing and anointing of the Spirit of God on them. They do not act in either a dictatorial or democratic fashion, but are men and women who listen to God, discern His mind and direct the people in doing His will. This is what it means to be theocratic. 

It remains God’s purpose that we seek His mind, His will and His heart. Though a theocracy presents problems in being certain of God’s anointing on a person, we trust Him for His promise to guide us as we listen and obey Him. Henry Blackaby writes an excellent book on leadership, and he says, “Spiritual leaders do not try to satisfy the goals and ambitions of the people they lead, but those of the God they serve.” Later he says, “Jesus did not develop a plan, nor did He cast a vision; He sought His Father’s will.” The key to Jesus’ leadership was His relationship with His Father, and our relationship with Jesus Christ will be the key to good leadership. The church of Jesus Christ as always is a theocracy. Jesus Christ is its leader.

Dear Lord, help us to keep focused on your will and purpose in the church and to recognize the anointing of those in leadership roles. Thank You, Lord.

Do I recognize the Spirit of God in the leadership of the church I attend?

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” —PHILIPPIANS 1:20

The life of a Christian is one about really living our lives, not just existing in them. No one wants to go through life in an endlessly dull routine. In the above verse, Paul is telling us there is an underlying reason to his life; something that gives him profound meaning, and makes life satisfying and purposeful every day. His reason to live is Christ!

That is some reason for living! This is my ambition, says Paul, “that Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by my life or by my death.” Most of our conscious reasons for living are dependent on our staying alive. Paul’s reason, however, transcends both living and dying.

The King James Version translates the above verse as, “that Christ might be magnified in my body.” The purpose of a magnifying glass is to make something bigger or to bring something into focus. Christian living involves magnifying Christ on a day to day basis. We do not make Him bigger than He already is, of course, but we bring Him into focus in all that we do in our lives. Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians from prison, and he is saying my reason for living is that I exhibit a bigger Jesus so that the guards who chain me up every day see Jesus in me. As my soul magnifies Christ, Jesus is revealed to my cell mates, my visitors, anyone I connect with. And if I die, my ambition is this: that my death brings Jesus into focus again. 

Many centuries ago, when Francis of Assisi used to train his men in southern Italy and send them out to evangelize, he would say to them, “Wherever you go, whatever you do, make sure you preach Christ; if necessary use words.” 

We preach Christ with our mouths closed by the way we live, the way we behave, and the way we treat our families, friends and anyone we connect with. It is with our lives we bring Christ into focus, and if necessary, use words. But our words will simply be an explanation of what is visible in our lives. Our lives become an exhibition of Christ; a revelation of Christ in us and this gives deep meaning, purpose and fulfillment. Of course, we need routine, but we need reason more than routine. The Christian life is practical, because, says Paul, my life is about living! It is to live in such a way that the life of Christ is magnified in us and through us.

Dear God, thank You so much for creating me. I pray I am able to show your love and godliness by the way I live. Amen.

Do I find myself so caught up in my routines that I lose focus of what is most important in my life? Think of things I can do to help break routine and bring Christ in more.

“‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.” —MALACHI 3:7-8

God issued a challenge through the prophet Malachi to prove Him. To prove God is to have truth translated into genuine spiritual experience. One of the symptoms of having lost touch with spiritual reality is that we become absorbed in self-preservation. With today’s increasing demands and pressures, life feels fraught with burdens and worries, so we tend to think of ourselves as the ones in need, and our giving is little, if any.

Under the Old Covenant, the people of God were to pay a tithe, which was one tenth of their income to God. “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord: it is holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30). This also included one tenth of herds and flocks; all of which were paid into the temple treasury to support the priesthood and those in need. This was not a donation, but was mandatory, and to hold it back was to be guilty of robbing God.

The people, including priests, tried to get away with sacrificing crippled, blind and diseased animals. They surrendered as little as possible to God, and as a result, were reaping the consequences of spiritual barrenness, despite their token fulfillment of temple rituals. Throughout generations of depriving God of what was rightfully His, the Israelites claimed no knowledge, guilt or accountability.

God’s final challenge to them and His final challenge of the Old Testament was to bring the tithe into the storehouse and to acknowledge His demands by giving to Him what already belongs to Him. “‘Test me in this’, says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing you will not have room enough for it’” (Malachi 3:10). The challenge is straightforward as is the promise. Give God humbly and fully what belongs to Him and never again would the Israelites have less than enough.

God challenges us in the same way today. Perhaps we need to come to another altar where Paul says, “offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). We are not our own. We were purchased with a price, paid by the blood of Jesus Christ. What we would be giving to God is what already belongs to Him – ourselves, so that He may use us to bring benefit and blessing to others. “Return to me,” God says, and as we do so, He will open the floodgates of heaven upon us. This is still His challenge and invitation to us.

I pray, Lord, for a deeper work of your Spirit in areas of my life that I know I need to submit more fully to You. Thank You, Lord.

Has concern about not having enough kept me from giving? 

“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.” —JOHN 6:11

In the Christian life, there is a spiritual necessity and spiritual power that derives from giving thanks. Jesus demonstrates this in the feeding of the 5,000 men, plus their wives and children. They had gathered along the shores of Galilee to hear Jesus speak. As evening approached, it was evident they were not going anywhere and they were hungry. 

The disciples suggested they send the people to surrounding villages to buy food. But Jesus asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” This was only to test him as prior to this event, Jesus had told His disciples, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing…” (John 5:19). Philip answered, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages. Are we going to spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” Then Andrew comes along and says, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,” and then is apologetic, remarking, “But what are they among so many?” (John 6:9)

Were Jesus to have asked an atheist what could be done to feed these people, his response would have been the same as the disciples. “It can’t be done. There’s not enough money; not enough food.” What does that tell us about the disciples? They were professing disciples, but practising atheists. In our Christian faith, we can believe many things about Jesus, but live as though He were totally irrelevant. 

John 6:11 says that Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and had the food distributed, as much as they wanted. The secret to Jesus having adequately fed the crowd is what John points out when he writes, “Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks” (John 6:23). Most of us would have referred to it as the place where Jesus had performed a miracle, but it says where “the Lord had given thanks”. And that is the key; so simple, we can miss it. Jesus gave thanks in advance, transferring the responsibility to His Father.

When giving thanks to God, we are expressing two things: our complete dependency on God and His utter sufficiency in whatever situation we entrust to Him. Giving thanks is a key in activating God’s working in our lives, because it acknowledges His presence and His sovereignty in all things. We can be like the disciples, relating situations to our own capabilities and keep God as a sleeping partner, or we can be like the little boy with such little food that he entrusted to Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus, I am at a loss without You, and thank You for your presence and working in my life every single day. 

Am I thanking God for His presence, especially in situations where I don’t know what to do?

“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God… Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” —1 THESSALONIANS 4:1-2

We would be hard pressed to find a Christian who has experienced the personal will of God and not claimed it to be the pinnacle of their lives. What is more, it is ongoing. God has a plan, unique to each of us, but we must first appropriate God’s general will for all people into our lives. So the big question is: What is God’s will for all people?

There are four statements in Scripture that are explicitly God’s will for all people. Firstly, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Some translations use the word ‘holy’, and in this context, Paul refers to sexual immorality. We are to control our bodies in a way that is holy and honourable. We cannot engage in, much less justify, sexual immorality of any kind if we are to experience God’s personal will for us.

Secondly, “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (5:18). Giving thanks is not a matter of simply being polite, but of expressing dependency on God. “All circumstances” include hardships, however severe, in which we acknowledge Jesus is sufficient in them and give thanks for His presence. A genuine mark of people living in the will of God is that everything they do is in the name of Jesus, and in all circumstances, good and bad, they give thanks.

Thirdly, “Submit yourself for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men… for it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:13-15). The principle of authority is God ordained, and the will of God functions in submission to authority. There may be times we are called to obey God rather than men, but when we do, we must also be willing to take the consequences which governing authority imposes. Paul was an expert in this and never complained.

Fourthly, “Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19). Suffering is part of life and within the will of God for us. In fact, it is often in our suffering that God does His best work in our lives, and when we continue to do good in these times, the outcome is always for the advancement of God’s agenda and purpose.

Being holy, giving thanks in all circumstances, submitting to authority and in suffering continue to do good is God’s will for all of us. With this in place and being filled with the Spirit, doors will open for us and continue to open.

Dear Lord, I can’t imagine anything greater than experiencing your personal will in my life. Thank You for letting us know how that may become a reality. 

In which of the four areas do I have the most difficulty in keeping God’s will for all people?

“Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” —COLOSSIANS 4:12

Before we are likely to be confident of God’s specific plan for our lives, we have to be interested in God’s general will for all His people. There is probably about 95 percent of God’s will for our personal lives in revelation God gives us in Scripture of His general will for His people. 

Obedience to the general will of God is the only legitimate context for the discovery of the specific will of God. Paul passed on this concern of his friend, Epaphras – “that you stand firm in all the will of God.” This is a key ingredient if we are going to experience God’s personal will for us. What we are is far more important to God than what we do, and our being provides the root and reason for our doing. For example, God is more concerned with how we drive our cars than which car we drive, and how we live at home than which house we live in. These are secondary to God’s primary purpose of expressing the life of His Son in us.

Paul writes, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:17-18). The will of God begins with the fullness of the Spirit. The fullness of the Spirit is not the mountain peak of Christian experience, or the top rung of the ladder. It is, in fact, a bottom rung, the position from which a life lived in the will of God begins and develops. There will almost certainly be a mountain to climb, but the fullness of the Holy Spirit is an indispensable ingredient in climbing that mountain and in fulfilling the will of God.

The command to be “filled with the Spirit” may equally be read in the present continuous sense – “be being filled with the Spirit”; in other words, a perpetual condition of life to be enjoyed afresh every day. We cannot have more or less of the Spirit of God. We either have Him or we don’t, but the fullness of the Spirit will be expressed in our day to day living; our attitudes, behaviours and how we treat others. 

It is to the immense poverty of the church that we see the fullness of the Holy Spirit as an ‘extra’ to salvation rather than as the prime objective. We are reconciled to God so that He may fill our lives with Himself, and lay down the only legitimate foundation for a life of fulfillment and purpose. The ongoing fullness of the Spirit is not an option, but an essential ingredient for enjoying God’s personal will for us.

Dear Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit takes over my life so that I may experience your personal will for me. Thank You, Lord. 

Am I living in the fullness of the Spirit, bringing Christ into my everyday life?

“But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles…” —GALATIANS 1:15-16

The fact that God has a plan for our lives is one of the most reassuring aspects of the Christian life. The idea of our short lives on earth fulfilling an eternal purpose gives a deep sense of significance and security. On the other hand, it is also troubling, because it seems so notoriously difficult to find and enjoy God’s plan with confidence. 

The Apostle Paul certainly held the belief that his life and vocation were preordained. He was not set apart from the time of his dramatic encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road, nor his ensuing transformation in Damascus, but was set apart by God from birth. Paul’s life was not a haphazard affair, but one steered and directed in fulfillment of the will of God. He lived with a sense of divine coordination and purpose as a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle.

With the antiquity of history and the brevity of records available, we are in danger of compressing Paul’s lifetime into a few paragraphs with all the pieces of the jigsaw falling neatly into place, much as we would like our own lives to be. But this would be to read Paul with one eye closed. The personal will of God is always clearer in retrospect than in prospect. The pattern is always easier to discern and explain looking back over past events than in anticipation of prospective events.

Paul taught that what we see and discern is so unreliable that the Christian life is “lived by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Our confidence lies more in the hidden and unseen than in the seen and obvious. We may feel a handicap in the assumption that men of Paul’s stature probably enjoyed a more immediate sense of God’s divine will than we ever will. But this would not be a fair conclusion. We may have recently submitted our lives to Christ or are on the verge of doing so, but this does not come as a news flash to God. He knows the path we will choose and, as He did with Paul, already has His plans in place for us. 

We may learn broad principles of God’s will from Paul’s writings, but feel there is little of the down-to-earth practical calibre that helps us confidently find and do God’s will in the nitty-gritty of contemporary life. But Paul knew very well the struggles and uncertainties, yet was confident, as we must be, of a fundamental issue from which the personal will of God derives. And that is obedience to God’s general will for all people is what makes possible the discovery of His specific will for each of us.

Lord, help me to live by faith and not by sight, and to step fully into your specific will for my life. Thank You, Lord. 

Looking back on past events, do I see the hand of God at work in my life?

“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted….” —2 TIMOTHY 3:12

If someone wishes to attack God, what do they do? They cannot literally and physically attack God, because He is invisible. What they will do is attack His people.

If God has given us a position with a measure of influence, and we seek to honour Him and walk humbly with Him, then we should not be surprised if we come under attack. This is not because a godly life is taking on a “holier than thou” stance, but the reverse is true. As Christians, we recognize our sin and our inability to live the way God intended, and we have repented. So Christ has entered us, made His home in us, and our godliness, as revealed through us, is the tangible expression of God in us. If someone wants to hurt God, they must attack that which expresses God.

Unless we are foolishly provoking antagonism, we cannot take persecution too personally. The persecution of the church through its history has been the persecution of Christ. To Saul of Tarsus, the most adamant opponent of the Christian church, Jesus asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4) Saul, who was spending his time “breathing out murderous threats” against the Lord’s disciples and rounding them up, was stunned and flabbergasted. “Who are you, Lord?” he asked. How could he attack Christ and not even know who He is? Very simply – by attacking His church, which is His body comprised of every Christian. Hence, an attack on the body is not because there is a conflict with the church, but a conflict with Christ Himself.

In the Old Testament, God had to reassure Samuel when the people rebelled and demanded a king. Samuel was depressed and hurt over this, but God said to him, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (1 Samuel 8:7). When we take the brunt of people’s rebellion against God, it is simply because we are physical targets, something tangible they can rebel against. 

We should be mindful, however, not to negate legitimate criticism, and to take our critics seriously. They may be right, and if they are, we should listen to them, be thankful for them and take appropriate steps to correction. But Paul warns of persecution being inevitable for those who want to live a godly life in Christ. This is fundamentally rebellion against God, and we must treat it as such. We do not need to vindicate ourselves or God. He will do both in His own time.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who have not yet discovered that You are the light of men. May your Spirit draw them and their hearts be receptive. Thank You, Lord.

How would I counteract criticism for wanting to live my life in Christ?

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” —JOHN 1:41

Andrew is a man whose name most of us are familiar with yet about whom little is known. In fact, when he is first introduced in the Bible, it says, “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,” and Simon Peter was not even on the scene yet. We are aware that Peter wrote two books of the New Testament and is one of the most prominent of Jesus’ disciples. Andrew, however, is relegated to the shadows of his more robust, outspoken brother.

Originally, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, but he left John the day Jesus was passing by and he heard John say, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36) Andrew and another disciple of John immediately followed Jesus. There is no record of any engagement or conversation. They simply followed closely behind. “Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, ‘What do you want?’ They said, ‘Rabbi’ (which means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ ‘Come,’ he replied, ‘and you will see’’” (1:38-39). 

“Come and see,” was the invitation, and the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon Peter and tell him, “We have found the Messiah,” and he brought him to Jesus. This is one of the best verses on evangelism in the Bible. He found someone. He told him. Andrew did not try to persuade his brother but simply brought him to Jesus. When Jesus fed a crowd of more than 5,000 near Bethsaida, it was Andrew who said, “Here is a boy with five small loaves and two fish” (6:9). When some Greek people had asked Philip if they could see Jesus, Philip brought them to Andrew who took them to Jesus (12:21-22). 

Here we have a wonderful picture of a man who becomes a true disciple of Christ. Andrew took every opportunity to bring people to Jesus and leave them with Him. As Christians, that is our task – to direct people to Jesus and leave them with Him. We do not have to devise clever strategies or to persuade and convince, because it is Jesus Himself by His Holy Spirit who will draw them. In a multitude of ways He reveals the truth to the heart that is disposed towards seeking and finding Him. 

Though we do not have a physical Jesus to bring people to as Andrew did, the invitation is still to “Come and see”. As people meet Jesus, they come to know Him for themselves, not because we have persuaded them, but because we have introduced them to a living Christ who will do His own work in their lives.

Dear Lord, thank You for giving us examples of good evangelism. I ask that You lead me to others who will be receptive to knowing You. 

Am I alert to opportunities of introducing others to Christ?

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” —2 TIMOTHY 1:14

To Paul, truth was not a personal possession, but a revelation whose content must be guarded and distributed at all cost. Knowing his life was drawing to an end, he writes a second letter to Timothy and tells him, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching” (2 Timothy 1:13).

In Paul’s view, the Gospel was not a matter of opinion to be held above other opinions, but a matter of objective truth which is non-negotiable. By definition, truth is timeless and unchanging. It may be forgotten, neglected, ignored, perverted, opposed, rejected, counterfeited or displaced, but it never changes. The truth Paul proclaims was not merely an emphasis he stresses or an option to be agreed upon or disputed, but by its very nature, is an imperative to which there has to be a response.

Paul’s message centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ, making it much more than a series of theological propositions or articles of creed. These may be helpful to our understanding and necessary for our good, but they do not in themselves constitute the truth. They simply point to it. The truth is the person and activity of Jesus Christ who said, “I am the truth…” (John 14:6). All that is theologically true is truth about Jesus, and to embrace the truth is to allow that which is true of Jesus to become true of us. 

It is important to affirm that Scripture is true and without error in all it declares. It is God speaking to us and is to be completely trusted. However, the Scriptures themselves are not the truth. From Genesis to Revelation they bear witness to the truth, which is Jesus Himself. Paul, in his day, did not have a Bible to leave with his converts. He could only leave them Christ. In Philippians 1:4-6, he explains his follow up strategy. “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Who began the good work in them? Christ. Who will carry it on to completion? Christ. 

Jesus Christ was not the patron of Paul’s Christianity, but the very substance of his Gospel. As Christians, we are entrusted with “the good deposit”, the message of the Gospel, which at all cost, we are to guard with our hearts, minds and souls. Our understanding of truth is not dependent on intellectual capacity, but on the Holy Spirit’s active participation as He works in us so that our lives may bear witness to the Truth.

Precious Lord, thank You for being the Truth Scripture reveals, because it is your life lived in me that brings me joy, peace, purpose and fulfillment.

Am I guarding the truth of Scripture within me and passing it on?

“Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men’.” —MATTHEW 16:23

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Some said John the Baptist, others said Elijah and others said Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:15-17).

We can imagine how pleased Peter was to hear Jesus’ response, but seven verses later the tune drastically changes. Jesus rebukes Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me.” What happened? Why this sudden change? Verse 21 tells us, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

We are very familiar with this, but it was totally new and devastating news for the disciples. Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (16:22). If we think about it, Peter’s response is a contradiction in terms. To say “never” is to cancel out the fact that Jesus is Lord, and to say “Lord” is to cancel out the right to say “never.” And this is what epitomizes Peter’s problem as it does for many of us. Peter has his doctrine correct – “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, but his doctrine had not yet been translated into life and experience. 

When Jesus said, “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men,” He is referring to operating by human reasoning. Doctrine is absolutely vital, but cannot make us spiritual. What Peter knew in his mind had not yet worked out into spiritual life. Jesus was still among them, not in them, and verse 20 tells us that He warned His disciples not to tell anyone He was the Christ. It is not the affirmation of Christ being the Son of God that is the foundation of Christian living. Even the demons believe that and tremble. It is the actual life of the risen Christ indwelling us that is the foundation in which doctrine comes to life as we begin to know and experience Him.

Thank You, Lord, that You are the means by your Spirit that turns my doctrine into real life experiences of You.

Has Christian doctrine come alive for me?