Tips for Getting Spiritually Healthy

Confession time. I am overweight. I have diabetes and high blood pressure. It’s the bad health trifecta of the south. I gotta deal with this because I want to be here for Joy for the long haul. Recently, my health insurance offered a monitoring and support system for diabetics, and I signed up for it. They sent me a free glucose monitor, blood pressure monitor, and snazzy scale that automatically uploads the results to my cyber-file. They also offer consultants to help and encourage me. All this is great and I intend to utilize it. But they also want me to tell them what I’m eating. Um, that seems a little intrusive. I don’t want to have to admit to some of the stuff I consume. And I sure don’t want to give up my favorite snacks and treats. Sigh.
One of the most direct and practical books of the Bible is James. James (Jesus’ half-brother) was a no-nonsense kind of fellow. He did not believe His brother’s claims until His resurrection, and then he became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. His letter is filled with straightforward truth. He spoke of sin, bringing it right back to our own evil desires. He said, “Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent . . .” (1:21); “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (1:22); “Keep yourself from being polluted by the world” (1:27). Over and over James got to the point of relationships, judgment and love, faith and deeds, taming the tongue, wisdom, submission, humility, arrogance, grumbling (ouch), perseverance, and being trustworthy. He also talked a lot about suffering for the cause of Christ – which he understood well as persecution against Christians started there with the mother church.
And then he said, “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other . . .” (5:16). Here’s the honest truth – there are things about me I don’t want you to know. Not salacious things, but human things – sinner-saved-by-grace things. But you probably deal with them too. And what if we did humbly confess our sins to one another? What if you and a brother or sister committed to prayer over a mutual struggle? James said, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Beloved, I need you and you need me. We need to hold one another accountable and we need to hold each other up. Find someone you can trust to love you through the hard stuff. And love them back.

Sin and the Heart

This may surprise you, but I am a sinner. Yes, I belong to Jesus, He has saved me and redeemed me and continues every day to transform me into His image. He has done so much work in my life where sin is concerned. But like every other human being, I was born with a sinful nature and sinful desires. They may be different from the things that tug at you, but sin is a real and present danger for me.
How do we handle our bent toward sin? The Bible has some great advice for us. Here are a few suggestions:
Recognize sin for what it is and don’t make excuses or exceptions for it. (Psalm 51:3-4)
Keep God’s Word close – in your hands, in your mind, and in your heart. (Psalm 119:11)
Keep God closer. (James 4:7-8)
Keep sin-triggers at a distance. Don’t put yourself in positions you know will pull you into sin – whether places, events, movies, T.V. shows, websites, or even people. Take the way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Repent when you do sin. (Acts 3:19).
Pray.
Repeat as often as necessary.
The prayer I find myself returning to again and again is: “Lord, cause me to love you so much that sin has no appeal to me.” I came to that prayer while meditating on Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart.” I realized that if God is my delight, then I will desire only Him – and that is a desire He is more than willing to fulfill.
Because it is all a matter of the heart. When the Bible speaks of the heart it is not talking about emotions but of intention. The heart is “the seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, and endeavors.” The heart is under our control. It is affected by what we indulge in – whether sin or righteousness. If God is the delight and desire of my heart, I will take no delight in sin and will instead be repulsed by it.
Yes, I have a long way to go, but this is my heart’s desire. Will it be yours too, Beloved? if you love God with all your heart there is no room in your heart to love sin.

Grown-Up Faith

There are some things I know by heart, like how to get to work, how to make a pot of coffee, how to work the washing machine, and how to fall asleep in my recliner. Then there are things I need some help with. When I want to make cornbread, I pull out my mom’s cookbook and turn to the splattered pages. When I am having trouble cyphering numbers, I grab my calculator and hope I enter the figures correctly. And when I am going somewhere I’ve never been I plug in my Garmin and let her guide me. I am not too prideful to ask for help when I need it. Especially with my walk with the Lord.
I used to think the more mature I was in my faith the less I would have to ask for God’s help. Like a child growing less and less dependent on his parents, I thought the point of the Christian life was to be able to stand on my own two feet spiritually. But the more I learn about being in relationship with God the more I realize that the most mature believers are the ones who depend on Him for everything. Mind you, that is “wisdom” that I’ve gained the hard way, by doing what I think is best and suffering the consequences.
I’m struck by Jesus’ words: “By myself I can do nothing . . .” (Jn 5:30). Jesus depended on His Father for wisdom and direction and power that came to Him via the Holy Spirit. Why do we think we can manage life on our own? I am proof that it isn’t so. I need Him every day, every hour, every minute. I need Him because I am weak and He is strong (2 Cor 12:10). I need Him because my wisdom is foolish (1 Cor 3:19). He is the source of true, heavenly wisdom (Jas 3:17). I need Him because I have a bent to sin and only He can rescue me from my sin nature (Rom 7:24-25). I need Him because I can’t see past the moment or the next curve and He sees the end from the beginning (Is 46:10). I need Him because I am prone to wander and lose my way. He is the voice in my ear saying “This is the way, walk in it” (Is 30:21).
The sign of spiritual maturity is leaning on God. Beloved, you will never outgrow your need for your Heavenly Father – and that’s just fine with Him.

Church History: The End of the Apostolic Age

Much of the book of Acts focused on the missionary journeys of Peter and Paul who ministered the gospel throughout Asia Minor and parts of Europe. But that is not the only place where the Spirit of the Lord was at work. The first congregation of followers of Jesus was in Jerusalem, the home of the “Mother Church.” The church here was growing as well, to the consternation of the Jewish hierarchy, Jesus’ brother, James, led the Jerusalem church, keeping the strict Jewish orthodoxy as closely as possible while declaring the good news of grace. He would be martyred in A.D. 62, leaving the church bereft without their leader.
Bigger troubles were brewing for all the Jews in Jerusalem. Tensions between the Jews and the Romans who ruled them simmered to a boiling point. In A.D. 66, the Jews revolted against their oppression. A bloody battle ensued for four years until Emperor Vespasian’s forces, under the leadership of Titus, broke through the walls of the city in A.D. 70. They went for the heart of the Jews, looting and burning the Temple and carrying the surviving treasures to Rome.
The Christians in Jerusalem fled the city, an act that was considered treason by the Jews. As a result, Christians were barred from the Jewish synagogues in every city. This, combined with the gentile movement in the church caused the Jews and Christians to be completely severed. It was the darkest time for God’s people in Jerusalem – all of them. Yet Jesus had prophesied this very event before His death. When His disciples were glorifying the temple, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Matt 24:2).
By this time most of the original apostles were dead. A.D. 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem is considered the end of the apostolic age. A new age and a new generation of Christians would carry on what Jesus’ first followers started. The church would experience a spiritual explosion, fueled by the dynamis (power) of the Holy Spirit. This, too, was prophesied by the Lord: “You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The church was on the move.

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.

I Want a Faith Like That

“Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword.” Hebrews 11:36-37
Would you be willing to die for your faith?
Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) and James (Acts 12:2) were the first of many to die for the faith throughout Christian history. The martyrs of Christianity deeply move me. Believers like Perpetua, a young woman who, despite the pleas of her beloved father and the knowledge that she would leave behind a very young child, refused to recount her faith, but went courageously and gloriously into the Roman arena. Like the Apostles in Acts 5:41, she counted herself blessed to suffer for her Savior. Today in the West Christians typically deal with harassment and rejection, but I am convinced there is coming a day – very soon – when we will suffer like believers around the world who are martyred for refusing to deny Christ. I want a faith like that – one that stands the ultimate test.
But is the threat of death the only time my faith needs to endure? Every day, choice by choice, we either confirm or deny that we belong to Christ. Am I denying my Savior in the things I watch and listen to? Does your internet history prove or deny your faith in Jesus? What does my bank account say about where my treasure is? Do your conversations and language say you are Christ’s? What about the way I act toward others? When believers follow the world and our flesh, we are denying that Jesus is Lord of our lives. The consequences may not be death, but rather the slow demise of our faith. For if we deny Jesus in these lesser, daily decisions, how will we ever stand in the face of true persecution? In the face of death?
In the accounts of the Christian martyrs, many people came to faith in Christ by witnessing the strong convictions of these believers in the face of death. We have the same opportunity to be a witness in our everyday lives. The world is watching. They need to see believers who so firmly hold to the truth of the Gospel that they will not deny that Jesus Christ is Lord, in big and small things. They need to know that He is worthy of our undeniable devotion.
I want a faith like that because I have a Savior like that. What say you, Beloved?

Advent 2023: Joseph: A Man of Mercy

In the telling of the Christmas story, Joseph, the earthly “stepfather” of Jesus doesn’t get much attention. Little is recorded about him other than he was a carpenter by trade (Matthew 13:55) and a descendant of David (John 2:4). But I learned something recently about him that had previously escaped my attention in the rush to get to the birth story.

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:18-19).

In the eyes of the Jewish community, Mary had committed a grievous sin – conceiving a child as an unmarried woman with someone other than her betrothed. According to the religious law, the “righteous” thing to do was to “bring her to the door of her father’s house and there the men of the town shall stone her to death” (Deuteronomy 22:21). Instead, Joseph chose to handle the situation quietly to spare her from disgrace and punishment. And because he acted mercifully, God, through the pen of Matthew, declared Joseph “a righteous man.”

Jesus esteemed mercy; He said the merciful will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7) and declared that God “desires mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 12:8). His brother James proclaimed, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). I think, sometimes the church has it backward. Much like the Jewish religious leaders, we think that righteousness means always doing the right thing; Joseph shows us that righteousness is doing the Jesus thing – showing mercy. After all, that is the heart of the Christmas story: God’s love poured out in mercy to sinners like you and me through Jesus Christ.

This Christmas season, is there someone in your life who needs mercy – someone who needs love? I know this theme is playing itself out in my own family right now. It will be one of the hardest things you’ve ever done, but it is the Jesus thing. Let’s commit to being righteous people – let’s be people of mercy.

The Never-changing Love of God

During November I usually do “The ABCs of Thanksgiving,” reflecting each day on things for which I am grateful for each letter of the alphabet. A – I am thankful for atonement, the Andrews family, and air conditioning. B – I am thankful for the Bible, the Beegle family, and bacon. C – I am thankful for Christ, my church, and coffee. You get the picture. I didn’t do that this year, but I do realize I have so much for which to give thanks. A good man, a good job, a good school, good friends, food, transportation, a good home, and of course, Joy. I’ve seen many of you posting your own thanks-giving lists. ‘Tis the season.

I’m reading through Psalm 136 – the psalmist had the same idea we do. He gives thanks for the goodness of God, for His wonderful works, for rescuing Israel and leading them through the desert. He is thankful for God’s victory over the enemy kings and for God’s constant remembrance and provision. But he includes a “chorus” after every verse that sums up the entire Psalm: “His love endures forever.”  Twenty-six times he repeats the phrase: “His love endures forever.”

This morning as I got ready for work the Spirit brought to mind the immutability of God – that He is unchanging in His being, character, will, and covenant promises. In a world and culture that is “fluid” and constantly “evolving,” I’m so grateful that God – and His love remain steadfast. He declared, “I the Lord do not change” (Mal 3:6).  James wrote “[the Father] does not change like shifting shadows” (Jas 1:17). Even the wicked prophet Balaam said,” “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” (Nu 23:19).

This year has brought a lot of changes into my life – changes in my family, changes at work, changes in my finances – but the love of God does not change. Beloved, here is a truth you need to etch upon your heart: You cannot affect God’s love for you. You cannot be good enough to make Him love you more and you cannot be bad enough to make Him love you less. God loves you because that is who He is. It is His very nature and it is not dependent on you. The love God has for you will endure forever. As you’re counting your blessings this month, count on that.

Run!

I was studying late last night and got hungry. Suddenly an image popped up on my screen – a Mason jar full of cornbread and milk. I remembered the leftover corn muffins from supper the night before. I made a beeline to the kitchen.

This is exactly how satan works to draw us into temptation and sin. James described it perfectly – “ . . . each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (Jas. 1:14). Let’s reconsider my snack attack in light of this verse. I had a desire – I wanted something to eat while I studied. I saw an image that tapped into my love for cornbread and milk and aroused my desire. I knew where I could find what I wanted and I went after it. In less than five minutes I was enjoying my treat.

There’s nothing evil about cornbread and milk – except maybe the quantity I eat. But what if that deep desire has been for something else? What if I was craving alcohol or drugs or porn? What if I was addicted to gambling or – pick your own poison. What might satan parade before me then?  And how easily would I have fallen? Just as easily as I did for my favorite snack. Don’t be fooled – satan can read you and me like a book. He knows all about those secret desires we try to hide. He knows what to dangle in front of us to persuade us to follow right into a trap. Paul lamented this internal pull of sin in Romans 7 saying sinful desires still lived in him and waged war within him (vv. 14-23).

So what recourse do we have? We run. We flee from those evil desires (2 Tim 2:22). Paul said, “. . . when you are tempted, [God] will provide a way out” (1 Cor 10:13). Take it. Don’t stand there and try to talk yourself down. Run from the temptation. Get as far away from it as possible. Run to a trusted friend. Run around the block. Put down the phone. Shut off the T.V.  Go play with your kids. Do whatever it takes to distance yourself from the temptation.

Maybe you have even bigger temptations than cornbread and milk. Believe me, I do too. But God promised a way out. Look for it and run to it, Beloved. Freedom is on the other side of the door.

Life Lessons

They say you learn from your mistakes. I believe that is true. I also believe I am nearing my doctorate from the school of hard knocks. I have a long repertoire of hard-gained life lessons.  David obviously did too. He wrote, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Ps 119:67). The Scripture doesn’t go into detail about what David’s affliction was, but it was clearly valuable for him. In fact, he added, It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees” (v. 71), As a result of those lessons David said, “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold” (v. 72).

Like David, my “afflictions” or more accurately, my consequences, have been invaluable to me. The writer of Hebrews said, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). Trials that come as a consequence of our sinful and foolish behavior are meant to teach us valuable life lessons. I’ve rubbed my knees at the thought of taking another sinful fall. I’ve rubbed my backside at the thought of another “trip behind the woodshed” with God. I’ve looked at my clean hands, once stained with filth, and knew I didn’t want to soil them again.  And I’ve looked at the cross and decided that I didn’t want to betray God’s love and mercy.

Beloved, I don’t know what trial you are facing today, but I know that God has brought you to it for a good purpose. He is at work in your life, stretching your faith, moving you into His will, preparing you to minister to someone else, teaching you discipline, and making your life a display of His glory. Every trial is an opportunity for you and me to draw closer to our Father, to walk by faith, and to point others to Him. Yes, we can count it all Joy when trials come, because we know God has a purpose and a plan – and we will be the richer for it.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).