Of Doctrine and Demons and Truth

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Watch your life and doctrine closely” (1 Tim 4:16). Doctrine at its root is teaching – imparting information from one person to another. That’s my calling. But I’m not just teaching history or mythology or fantasy – it is truth. It is the Word of God. And it has the power to change lives. That is why I handle it with the utmost care. It is a huge responsibility.
There are a lot of teachers out there who will try to tell you what the Bible says. I’ve sat under some excellent teachers and some not-so-great teachers. Some teach from a classroom or a lectern, and some teach with their lives. Some teach by being godly examples and some teach us by being examples of what not to do or be.
Did you know that the devil has teachers too? Paul also told Timothy, “In later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (v. 1). You’d better believe demons are teachers too. But they don’t always teach in direct opposition to the Scriptures. They often teach in shades of truth. They will take just enough of the Scriptures to make it sound right, then twist it to get you off track.
For example, the culture’s favorite verse is “Do not judge” (Matt 7:1). But they do not understand the context. Jesus is speaking in the sense of condemning people – judging them unworthy of God’s grace. But He affirms “judgment” in terms of discernment. Like helping a brother remove the speck of dust in their eye (after clearing out our own). He says we do not throw sacred truth to dogs or pearls to pigs (v. 6). That is a judgment call. A few verses later, He said we are to be “fruit inspectors” (v. 15-120). He is calling us to wise discernment.
They also love verses about loving others. But they don’t understand that the most loving thing we can do is warn them about the coming wrath of God against those who do not believe in His Son. Humans want love, but the culture demands permissiveness in the guise of love. If my granddaughter wants to play in the busy road does love mean I let her go or I protect her from harm?
Do you see why I am such a stickler for careful Bible study and true doctrine? What you believe, what you think you know, affects how you live – and it affects your eternal security. Be wise, Beloved, only the truth will set you free.

When You are Hard-Pressed

I ran across a powerful statement a few days ago that set me on a search mission in the Scriptures. Oswald Chambers said, “The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine.” The Spirit brought Paul’s words to mind: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8-9). In the Greek “hard-pressed” is both pressing grapes to produce the juice and pressing a person with trouble, suffering, and affliction. No wonder the Spirit directed me here.
I studied the rest of the words and found some interesting things. Paul said we will also be perplexed – which means to be uncertain about what to do in a situation. Anybody? Persecuted means to be harassed and troubled. Yep. That comes from people, from our own minds, and from satan. To be struck down means to be thrown face-down to the ground. (A perfect position for prayer.) All of these Paul said will be a reality in the life of the believer. They have all been a reality in mine this past year.
But here is what we will not endure: we will not be crushed – the Greek means to be crushed in spirit. Satan can press us, but, praise Jesus, he cannot touch our spirits. We will not be in despair – utterly hopeless. We will not be forsaken – left behind in a helpless state. We will not be destroyed – this refers to losing our eternal salvation.
Maybe this has been a pressing season for you – it sure has been for me. What do we do when we feel like the grapes at the bottom of the barrel? Paul said, “. . . we do not lose heart” (2 Cor 4:1, 16), but “fix our eyes” on eternity (v. 18). Because these pressing seasons – these “light and momentary troubles” (v. 17 – God’s words, not mine) are all about glory and eternal life.
Beloved, hard seasons are guaranteed. You and I will be pressed and perplexed, maybe even persecuted and thrown down to the ground. But God will not let us be crushed or left in despair or destroyed. He will use every difficulty to prepare us for eternity. The question then is, will we trust Him? Will we bring forth wine or whine?

If the Truth Offends . . .

According to Scripture, my job as a Bible teacher is to make you mad. My brothers will tell you I’ve been practicing for this my whole life. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (10:24). The word “spur” means “to incite, irritate, or provoke” and it comes from a root word that suggests a sharp disagreement. “But wait a minute,” you say, “I thought we were supposed to always get along and be at peace with one another.” We are. But sometimes peace requires confrontation. The church suffers greatly because we are not willing to confront uncomfortable issues like what a Christian should look like. The writer pointed to two specific things: Love and good deeds.
Jesus said that love would be the distinguishing mark of His followers (John 13:35), and His Apostle John went a step further (on someone’s toes) and said if you don’t love fellow believers in Christ, that’s a good indication that you are not in Christ (1 John 2:9-11). Love is non-negotiable for the Christian.
We are also called to do good deeds. Paul said that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But James said that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Who’s right here? Both. Salvation comes by faith in the grace of God and is evidenced by good works. No, you don’t have to go to Calcutta and join Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity to prove that you are a Christian. Simple acts of love, kindness, gentleness, and compassion are good fruit in the believer’s life. Hate, harshness, rudeness, and indifference are evidence that one is not a Christ-follower. If there’s no good fruit there is no root in Christ.
Love and good deeds are the identifying marks of the Christian. If they are absent, then Christ is not present. If that makes you mad then take it up with God – He’s the one who said it first, not me. Also, you might need to re-examine your relationship with Him.
The writer of wisdom said, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov 27:17). Sharpening iron involves rubbing it with an abrasive stone to grind the edge. Sometimes we need kind words and other times we need a gritty whetstone. I’m called to give you both, Beloved. I love you too much to not tell you the whole truth – in love – even if it makes you mad.

Fruit Inspector

If Christianity isn’t about behavior, why does our behavior matter so much? Paul said, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious . . .” (Gal 5:19), and he listed several: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. But he also included some we might not expect, like hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions (vs. 19-21). What does that mean?
If you claim to be a Christian, but you indulge in porn, someone will likely question your claim. If you profess to be a Christian, but profanity spews out of your mouth, others are going to doubt you. If you tell your friends that you’re a Christian, but you’re always stirring up arguments, they are going to find it hard to believe you. If you can sing the old hymns or the latest Christian songs, but you lie and deceive, your songs also lie. If you are in church on Sunday morning and are yelling at everyone in your house by Sunday evening, your family will wonder why you bother to go to church at all. If money is your passion and you step on others to climb the ladder, your actions – not your claims – tell the truth about you.
But the converse is also true. If you claim to be a Christian and you are kind and patient with your elderly, grouchy neighbor, your neighbor will tend to believe you. If you say you are a Christian and you strive for peace, your co-workers are more apt to agree. If you go to church on Sunday morning and are still full of joy on Thursday, if moral goodness marks your life, if you’re gentle in word and action, if you bring peace instead of strife wherever you go, if you are loving and faithful to your spouse – your family members will trust you and they will trust what you say about this Jesus you claim to follow.
Paul said our actions reveal our true nature. You either confirm or refute your testimony by how you live. The proof – the fruit as he said in v. 22 – reveals the true condition of your soul. Mind you, I am not judging anyone – that’s not my place. But Jesus said we should be fruit inspectors. And yes, I see some bad apples in my own life. No, this is not about behavior modification, this is about your eternal destiny because Paul also said that “those who live like this [the first paragraph] will not inherit the kingdom of God” (v. 21). Check your fruit. What is true about your life Beloved? What is true about your soul?

Words of Wisdom

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, the wisest ruler that ever lived. His wisdom came to him directly from the Lord God when he took over his father’s throne as a very young man. He began his rule well, submitting to the Lord’s authority and Law. His decisions were righteous and just and his reputation for both understanding and wealth were known far and wide. Israel enjoyed peace and prosperity during his reign. But for all that God-given wisdom, Solomon acted very foolishly in his life. For starters, he got tangled up with multiple women – 700 wives and 300 concubines – most from foreign lands. “And his wives led him astray; [they] turned his heart after other gods” (1 Ki 11:3,4).

He also turned his heart toward himself. He “built houses for myself”, “owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem,” “amassed silver and gold for myself,” and  “denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” (Eccl 2:4-10). The result of all his pleasure-seeking and self-satisfaction? “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (v. 11). He discovered what God knew all along – a self-centered life is a miserable life. Everything he did, everything he built, everything he gained was all for himself.

It’s a lesson humanity still hasn’t mastered all these generations later. We live in the age of self – self-esteem, self-worth, self-care, self-determination, self-knowledge, and selfies. No other generation seems more self-focused than this one.  When life is all about self, life is meaningless. People who do not have a relationship with God have such a sad outlook. But when our lives are about the glory of God, we find real meaning and purpose and passion. A life lived for self is wasted. A life lived for God is full and rich.

Solomon divided his discoveries into things “under the sun” and things “under heaven.” Under the sun referred to anything that was temporal: buildings, pleasure, wealth, possessions, reputation, earthly wisdom, position and popularity. Under heaven was anything with eternal value: love, Joy, heavenly wisdom, people, salvation, humility, kindness, peace, hope, and the glory of God.

In the end he said, “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl 12:13). It was the wisest thing he ever said. Beloved, it is the wisest thing you will ever do.

Acts: Receive the Holy Spirit

It is a sad truth in our churches; not everyone who claims to be a Christian is a true believer and follower of Christ. Some put up a very good front, and we’ll see an example in a couple of weeks. But some who believe themselves to be Christians are sadly wrong. Case in point: read Acts 19:1-7.

Paul traveled to Ephesus where he encountered twelve disciples – but not disciples of Jesus. A disciple is not a solely Christian concept. Disciples are learners and followers and go back in Scripture to Moses and Joshua, Eli and Samuel, and Elijah and Elisha among many others. The secular version of disciples are apprentices, learning a trade or craft from a master.

When Paul questioned the disciples, he realized they did not know fully about Jesus and life in Him. That speaks volumes to the present state of the church. They had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit. They had received “John’s baptism” but John the Baptist baptized for repentance of sins, which is the first step to full conversion to Christ. Another point at which the modern church falls flat. John was beheaded before Jesus’ death and resurrection and before the filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Thus, John’s disciples taught what John taught, which was true, but incomplete. Paul brought them up to speed on Jesus and they believed and “were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.” They also received the baptism – or filling – of the Holy Spirit, who comes to every true believer.

Paul would later write to the churches in Rome saying, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Rom 8:9). How can we know if we have the Spirit of Christ? “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (v. 5). They produce the “fruit [or evidence] of the Spirit: love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). They “keep in step with the Spirit” (v. 25), and they live so as not to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Eph 4:29). The Spirit of Christ is the mark of a true Christian.

When I meet a fellow Christian for the first time, the Holy Spirit in them and the Holy Spirit in me confirms to each of us that we are family in Christ. Beloved, don’t settle for an incomplete faith that cannot save you. Know Jesus. Be all in. And be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ.

Friend of God

When I see that I have a Facebook friend request, I get kind of excited that someone would want to be my friend. I wasn’t one of the popular kids growing up, My first name was Dorcas so I became “dork” and my last name was Beegle so I got hit with barks and howls when I walked in the classroom. I was the target of the school bullies every day – I was informed at lunch who was going to harass me after school as I waited for my mom to pick me up. I tried to hide, but they always found me. If homeschooling had been a thing in those days, I would have begged my mom for it. I was not invited to parties or sleepovers – I guess I became so good at being invisible that nobody noticed me. I’m so grateful that we’ve all grown up and many of my classmates and peers are dear friends today.  

Maybe that is why John 15:14-16 means so much to me. Jesus said, “You are my friends . . .” (v. 14). “You did not choose me, but I chose you . . .” (v. 16).  Chosen. Friend. I don’t know about you, but that speaks to my heart with such sweet tones. The context of these verses is Jesus’ command to obedience, something He expected – and still expects – from His friends. He said He has brought His friends – remember that’s also you and me – into His Kingdom business to produce holy, eternal fruit. It’s like the CEO giving you the office next to his and letting you in on the company secrets. You are not just one of the minions, you are his right-hand man. And there is much work to be done.

But wait – there’s more. Your Creator has an even better position for you. He wants you to be more than a friend, He wants to be Your Father.  That is why He sent His one and only Son to live and die on earth so that you could be His child. Maybe you’ve noticed that I always call you “Beloved” in these devotionals. That’s because it’s who you are in Christ. If you have repented of your sins and received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are God’s beloved child, His son or daughter. Forever. Mind. Blown.

Acts: The Power of Mentoring

I am a huge proponent of Christian mentoring. Mentoring is when a more mature believer comes alongside someone to impart spiritual wisdom by private teaching, but especially by modeling the Christian life. It was essentially the way that Jesus trained His disciples to build his church.

Paul followed this pattern with his closest co-workers in the faith. I love the way he expressed it in his letter to the church in Thessalonica. “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thess 1:8). We live in a different culture and time but mentoring is still the best way to encourage and strengthen one another, especially new believers.

We see a great example of this in Acts 18:18-28 with Paul’s friends and co-workers in the faith, Priscilla and Aquila. While serving in Ephesus, they encountered a young man named Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew and “a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures” (v. 24). He had studied well the text we know as the Old Testament and he had “been instructed in the way of the Lord.” He had a passion for proclaiming Jesus. “He spoke with great fervor,” but he had limited knowledge.

Priscilla and Aquila saw the potential in Apollos to be a great speaker of the gospel, and they saw the lack of full understanding, so “they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately” (v. 26). This is spiritual mentoring at it best – a personal connection, a gracious invitation, and passing truth from a seasoned saint to a green believer. The impact of their ministry with Apollos was huge. Apollos traveled to Achaia where he “vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (v. 28). Paul had such confidence in him that he referred to him as a “brother” (1 Cor 16:12) and commended him to Titus as a worthy fellow worker,

Seasoned believer, you should be pouring your hard-won wisdom and knowledge of the truth into the next generation of the church. Young (in the faith) believer, you need to seek out one of the experienced saints and absorb all you can from them about life and faith. Mentoring has the power for a huge impact on the church. Make the connection, Beloved. It will be one of the richest relationships for both of you.

Weeds in the Church

In Numbers 5:1-4 the Lord God called for purity in the camp of the Israelites. He commanded that anyone with an infectious skin disease or discharge should be isolated outside the camp. An infection would spread rapidly through the community and could wipe out many people. To protect lives, it was necessary to separate the unhealthy people from the healthy.

But the Lord was concerned about more than their physical health. He also commanded that anyone who had touched a dead body should also be isolated because they were “ceremonially unclean” – that is impure. Just as was true for the physically diseased person, no spiritually impure person could remain among God’s people lest others “catch” the same spiritually malady. Sin is a sickness of the spirit and it is more infectious than any physical illness. You only have to look at many denominations that have abandoned the holy and righteous commands of God to see it.

Matthew 14:24-30 records Jesus’ parable equating the kingdom of heaven to a field of wheat. He said, an enemy came in the night and “sowed weeds among the wheat” which grew right along with the wheat. His intention was to overtake the field, push down the wheat, and destroy the harvest. Satan is that enemy and the church is the field. Over many years, he planted ungodly people here and there in the church who introduced destructive philosophies and twisted Scripture – albeit by small degrees. (Remember the frog in the pot?). The result is many weakened churches that have been overtaken by weeds. God’s people have been either won over to worldliness or pushed down and pushed out – in some denominations literally.

Look at the natural progression of this pattern: Jesus said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Mat 24:12). That is “agape” love – holy love – love for one another and love for God. This is the high price the church is paying now for allowing ungodliness to take root among God’s people.

Spiritual and moral purity in the Body of Christ must be a high priority lest the church becomes contaminated and lose her love for her Lord. Be mindful Beloved, you and I are the church. Are you letting weeds take root in your life? Perhaps it’s time to do some serious weeding (repentance) in your own garden before it spreads.  

Are You Paying Attention?

Two people sit through the same church service where the Scriptures are read and taught. One person is moved deeply and acts in obedience to the Word of God. Their life is radically changed. The other person walks away thinking only about lunch and couldn’t tell you what was said from the pulpit. They are unaffected and unchanged. How can this be? And why have I been both of those people at different times?

Paul wrote, “All over the world the gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth” (Colossians 1:6). He said that the believers “heard” the Gospel and “understood” God’s grace in all its truth. Those words intrigued me, and, as often happens, the Holy Spirit said, “What does that mean?” So, I did some digging.

The word “heard” doesn’t just mean that the sounds of the Gospel pronouncement vibrated their eardrums. And it doesn’t mean that they sat through the message and then went on their merry way. That word means “to attend to, to consider carefully what has been said.” It means that the Colossians regarded the message as a matter of importance and gave it their utmost attention. In other words, they were sharply focused on the Word of the Lord. The modern equivalent means they weren’t texting, scrolling Facebook, or checking out Instagram during the preaching.

 “Understood” is also deeper than our English language offers. This means to “become thoroughly acquainted with.” You won’t become thoroughly acquainted with something that you don’t consider worthy of your attention. The Colossians believed that grace was something of value, something worth understanding – “in all its truth.” Understanding the truth of something means investigating it and pondering it and meditating on it. And it means applying our lives to it.  Paul said their diligence bore fruit – “faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints . . . and hope” in the eternal promises of God (vs. 4,5).

Beloved, are you listening – really listening – to the message of the Gospel and the teachings of the Scriptures? The same could be asked when personally reading the Bible. (You are reading your Bible, right?) Are you making the effort to understand – really understand – what God’s Word says? It’s not a casual nod of agreement, it is investing your time and attention to dig deeply into the truth. It will not return void. The fruit of your focus – faith and love and hope – is worth it