Simplification Vs. Accumulation

Recently my Sunday School class has been taking an in-depth look at what Jesus has to say in the Gospels about money and possessions.  One of the passages we have looked at is Luke 12:31-34, where Jesus talks about selling your possessions, giving to the poor, and laying up treasure in heaven.

I have always understood the real focus of this passage to be not so much on possessions, but on our heart’s attitude toward our possessions.  Certainly, God is not saying that possessions in and of themselves are wrong, is He?  They are a gift from Him to be used for His glory, are they not?

However, if God is really my greatest treasure, then my desire will be to invest as much as I possibly can in the things that matter most to Him, and I will be eager to give away what I have to others.  Somehow, we seem to have this tendency to accumulate stuff… it just happens.  The more stuff we have the easier it can be to become distracted by our stuff from what is really most important.  So when Jesus talks about selling your possessions and giving to the poor, one way to understand this might be that we should make a choice to live with less, not more.  This is, of course, a highly counter-cultural idea that is no more popular today than it would have been when these verses were written.  I think the point, however, is that if God is truly what we treasure the most, then we will have no real problem parting with some things in order to have more opportunity to invest in eternal treasures. 

My pastor challenged us with the principle of simplification, encouraging us to think through practical ways of simplifying our lives with fewer possessions so that we have more resources to give to others.  Most of us would have to admit if we are honest that our houses are crowded with a lot of stuff that we either don’t use, don’t really need, or is not really important.  So how can we take that over-abundance with which we have been blessed and use it to bless others, and in so doing simplify our lives to allow for greater eternal investment?

I began to look around my apartment and almost immediately came across things here and there that have just been sitting in a closet or on a shelf and have not been touched for months.  Now, I am by nature not a junk-collector, and I like to purge as often as possible anyway, but yet stuff has a way of collecting nevertheless!  After a quick perusal around my house, I had a “Stuff, Etc.” bag full of things that I knew I was not using and could sell.  I have done this before and usually end up using the money to buy something else for myself.  But why not instead save that money and use it to help others as opportunities arise?

As I thought more about all of this, it occurred to me that the idea of simplifying can apply to more than just the “stuff” in our lives.  It can apply to how we spend our time, too.  If I can learn to simplify the activities that I have going on and try to keep the things I do as simple as possible, rather than too elaborate or time-consuming, I will have more time for the things that really should be most important, like developing my relationship with God and serving others with my time.  My use of both money/possessions and time reveal a lot about what I truly value the most!

“But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.  Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:31-34

The Time is Now!

“You don’t have to wait until you grow up to serve God with your life – He can use you right now to serve Him by _____________.”  This is something I have said to my 3^rd grade students as we talked about how God might use each one of them to do different things for Him in their lives.  Yet even as an adult, I tend to dream of the future and long for the unique opportunities to serve and minister that another phase of life might bring, all the while despising or failing to recognize the opportunities that God has given me to serve right now! 

Every phase of life has its own unique opportunities and challenges, yet God’s purpose for us is the same no matter where in life we find ourselves – to bring honor and glory to Him and to become more like His Son, so that we might point others to Him!  That means that we must keep our eyes on Him and, as Paul says, “press toward the goal” of knowing Him more (Phil. 3:8-14)!  If we can learn to view everything in life as a means toward that end, then we can freely and joyfully embrace the life and the opportunities that God has given us right now!  As the master Designer, He is weaving together the details of our lives in a way that might not make sense to us, but we can be sure that it is all working together for His good purpose of conforming us more and more to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ! (Rom. 8:28-29)

So what opportunities do I need to seize right now?  Is God waiting on me to be obedient in something that He has given me to do?  Whether it is a relationship that needs to be cultivated, a person who needs to hear the Gospel or be discipled, someone who needs to be encouraged, a class that needs to be prepared, or any other opportunity that I have been given… truly, the time is now, and there is no better time to invest faithfully in whatever God has placed before me!

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”

1 Pet. 4:10

1. 1 Peter 4:10 : Rom. 12:6, 7; 1 Cor. 4:7; [Matt. 25:15]
2. 1 Peter 4:10 : Luke 12:42; 1 Cor. 4:1, 2; Titus 1:7

“It is required of stewards that one be found faithful…” 1 Cor. 4:2

Truth We Can Cling To

Have you ever been placed in a situation that from a human standpoint really did not make sense?  Have you experienced a disappointment so great that it was hard to regain perspective and continue living life with a smile on your face and a song in your heart?  Have you found yourself asking, “Lord, what are you doing? I don’t understand!”  Sometimes there are no easy answers, and God is not obligated to give us an explanation for why He does what He does in our lives.  However, I know from my own experience that God has used times like these to teach me some of the most valuable lessons.  He has reminded me in these times that my contentment must not be in any set of circumstances, but in God Himself.  Perhaps through these situations, He is trying to keep me from becoming too comfortable, so that I continually cling to Him in dependence, as my constant, unchanging Rock!

No matter what the circumstances of my life, I cannot live by what I feel – my emotions are entirely unpredictable, subject to irrational changes, and completely unreliable!  No matter what is going on in and around me, what I must constantly look to and cling to are the unchangeable truths of God’s Word.  Then and only then can I experience perfect peace and abiding joy in Who He is, regardless of the circumstances of my life.  He has recently been reminding me of some of those timeless truths, through song and the written Word… truths like the following:

 “Sometimes all we have to hold onto is what we know is true of who You are; so when the heartache hits like a hurricane, that can never change who You are.”

Ps. 90:2b – “… even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

Ps. 7:13-14 - “Your way, o God, is holy; what god is great like our God?  You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.”

“When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest in His unchanging grace…”

2 Cor. 12:9 – “… My grace is sufficient for you…”

“Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise; when the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say: Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name.  You give and take away… my heart will choose to say: Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

Job 1:21 – “… The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord…You are the everlasting God…”

Is. 40:28-31 – “Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.  His understanding is inscrutable.  He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power… those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

 “Wonderful, so wonderful is Your unfailing love...”

Ps. 86:13 – “For Your lovingkindness toward me is great…”

“In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song; this cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.  What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!  My comforter, my all in all – here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Ps. 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God…”

Ps. 91:2 – “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!”

Rom. 8:35 – “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?”

“Complete in Thee – each want supplied, and no good thing to me denied; since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be, I ask no more, complete in Thee.”

Ps. 84:11 – “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Col. 2:10 – “ and in Him you have been made complete.”

 How wonderful to know that through the changes, disappointments, and trials of this life, there is one thing we can cling to and trust in that never changes – our faithful God and His faithful Word!  He wants to use the unsettling times in our lives as opportunities to strengthen our faith and increase our dependence on Him, as well as our thirst for Him, as the only One Who can truly satisfy our hearts!

Is My Attitude Like That of Christ? (Part 2)

When thinking about the topic of humility and self-denial, our minds naturally go to Philippians 2, where we find one of the clearest descriptions of Christ’s own humbling of Himself.  We are commanded in verse five to “have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”  A closer look at the context of this passage, however, is helpful in understanding more fully what God through the apostle Paul is teaching us here.  The verses immediately preceding this passage are about relationships within the Body of Christ and the unity and humility that are to exist there.  This is important, because putting self to death always takes place within the context of relationships.  It is in this context that our own selfishness becomes most evident, and it is this concern for self that all too often hinders or even destroys the relationships God has placed in our lives.

Romans 12:3 is a similar passage, in which we find an exhortation to Christ-like humility within the context of relationships in the Body of Christ.  The context immediately preceding this verse is the familiar call to present ourselves as living sacrifices.  Verse 1 begins with “Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God….”  This offering of ourselves, then, seems to be the natural response to what Paul has been talking about in the first 11 chapters of Romans – namely, the Gospel!  This takes place as we renew our minds through the Word of God so that our thinking is more like that of Christ and less like that of the world.  One of the primary means by which this offering of ourselves in service to God is worked out practically is through the relationships He has put within the Body of Christ, which Paul goes on to talk about in the rest of this chapter.  At the very beginning of this section, however, is the reminder that we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, which greatly impacts the way in which we view others with their unique gifts and personalities and the way that we serve others.  If I am thinking too highly of myself, I will be much less likely to honor others before myself (vs. 10), to give generously to others (vs. 13), to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (vs. 15), to associate with the lowly (vs. 16), or to return good for evil (vs. 17-21).  Having the mind of Christ and a proper view of myself is the only way that I will truly be able to exhibit these characteristics of a servant as I relate to others around me.

So once again, I must ask myself, “Is my attitude like that of Christ?”  I need to be renewing my mind daily by spending time with Him, so that my thinking is less conformed to the world and more like that of my Savior!

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…”  (Phil. 2:5)

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”  (Rom. 12:2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is My Attitude Like That of Christ?

If someone were to ask me, “Do you want to be like Jesus?” I would readily agree that, yes, I do want to be like Jesus!  In fact, God’s purpose for me is to conform me more and more to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).  Philippians 2:5 tells us that we are to “make [our] own attitude that of Christ Jesus…,” and the passage goes on to describe Christ’s selfless humbling of Himself to the point of death on a cross for us.  Mark 10:45 tells us that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  A true disciple of Christ, therefore, will share in Christ’s attitude of humility and selfless service for others.

I have found that a look at some of the “one another” passages in the New Testament, as well as a study of Christ’s own example of service, can help me to identify some key characteristics of a servant.

For example, a servant is someone who…

Serves others tangibly…

-          John 13:1-15 – Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, then told them to follow His example.

-          Gal. 5:13 - “Serve one another in love”

-          Gal. 6:2 -  “Bear one another’s burdens”

-          1 Pet. 4:9 – “Offer hospitality to one another “

Is focused on others…

-          John 19:25-27 – Even on the cross, Jesus is thinking of others!

-          John 13:34-35 – “Love one another “

-          Rom. 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another”

-          Rom. 15:17 – “Accept one another”

-          1 Cor. 11:33 – “Be considerate of one another”

-          1 Cor. 12:25 – “Have concern for one another”

-          1 Cor. 12:26 – “Sympathize with one another”

-          Eph. 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another”

Prays for others…

-          John 17:6-26 – Jesus prays for His disciples and all who will believe on Him in the hours immediately preceding His crucifixion.

-          James 5:16 – “Pray for one another”

Denies self and puts others first…

-          John 4 – Jesus puts the spiritual need of a Samaritan woman before His own physical needs.

-          John 18:11; 19:17 – Jesus endured the suffering of the cross for our sake!

-          Rom. 12:10 – “Honor one another above yourself”

-          1 Cor. 4:6 – “Don’t have pride toward one another”

-          Eph. 5:21 – “Submit to one another”

-          Phil. 2:3 – “Consider others more important than yourself”

-          Phil. 2:4 – “Look out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others”

-          James 4:11 – “Do not slander one another”

-          1 Pet. 5:5 – “Treat one another with humility”

Shares truth with others, even when it is costly or uncomfortable…

-          Matt. 10:21-25; John 6:60-66 – Jesus repeatedly taught truths to His disciples and the crowds that would have been very unpopular, but He loved them enough to be honest with them!

-          Rom. 15:14 – “Instruct one another”

-          Col. 3:16 – “Admonish one another”

-          1 Thess. 5:11 – “Encourage one another”

-          Heb. 10:24 – “Spur one another on towards love and good deeds”

This is just a sampling of the many passages that speak about the attitude we should have towards others, but it is clear that we ought to be growing in these things if we are truly becoming more like Christ! 

What does my attitude towards others and my service reveal about Christ to those around me?  When they see me, do they see Him?

Growing Pains

As a child growing up, like most children, I occasionally experienced those familiar aches that parents like to call “growing pains,” and I can remember my mom assuring me that there was nothing wrong with me – my aches were perfectly normal and simply meant that I was growing!  Although I am now done growing physically and no longer experience such aches and pains, there is another type of growth taking place that can also be painful at times.  Romans 8:28-29 tell us, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…”  This is God’s ultimate purpose for me – to make me increasingly more like Jesus Christ – and He knows exactly what is needed in my life for this to take place!  Most often, I have seen this growth happen as God strips away those things that have a tendency to be a source of pride.  As I was reflecting recently on some of the areas that have been the greatest struggle for me in the past few years, it hit me that many of those are things that at one time I considered to be strengths.  Looking back, I can identify numerous areas in which God stripped away the things in which I was most confident, and though painful at the time, I can identify each of those seasons of life as being times of great growth!  I am thankful for God’s faithfulness in my life, as He continues to teach me that nothing in life is about me, and everything I have comes from Him, as a gift to be used for His glory, not for my own self-promotion!

John 15:2 reminds us that God, as a skillful vineyard keeper, “prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it might bear more fruit.”  This pruning process can be very painful at times, but God knows what things need to be removed from our lives in order to promote greater growth in Christlikeness.  Sometimes it is sin that must be removed; other times, it’s things that are not bad in and of themselves, but that we tend to rely upon and treasure too much, thus keeping us from seeking after God and depending on Him like we should.  It could be any number of things – health, talents, family, friends, jobs, money… good things that come from God and are to be used for His glory, but if we begin to pride ourselves in them, as though any of it were because of our own merit or efforts, can become idols very easily. 

In spite of God’s faithful pruning, however, that same old pride creeps into my heart all too easily, and how quickly I forget what God has taught me and begin to put confidence in my flesh once again!  Yet He lovingly continues His work in my life, reminding me yet again that I am nothing apart from His grace.  Maybe the problem is that I need to spend more time meditating regularly on the truth of the cross of Christ, because, as someone has said, Jesus did not come to earth to pat me on the back and tell me what a good job I am doing, but to die for my sins!  There is nothing more effective in humbling our pride than to gaze long and often at the cross!  In its shadow, we are all equally undeserving and stand in need of His mercy every single day!  Oh that God would help us to live daily from that perspective, with a gospel-centered humility and gratitude! Only then can we be effective at all for His glory, as we stop comparing ourselves with others and instead recognize that it is all by His grace alone that we have the immense privilege of being coworkers together for Him!

“But God forbid that I should boast, except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  Gal. 6:14

 

Lord, Show Me Your Glory!

I have often wondered what it would have been like to be Moses and actually get to hear God’s voice audibly and clearly.  Exodus 33:11 tells us that “the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.”  That must have been an incredible experience, and certainly a special privilege that he had been given, as God’s spokesman to the people of Israel.  Yet what really amazes me about Moses is what we find in the following verses of Exodus 33. 

Moses is feeling understandably overwhelmed by the task of leading the whole nation of Israel to the promised land, and he reminds God of His promise to go before him and be with him throughout this journey.  He realizes that what he needs most is a deeper understanding of Who God is and a greater awe of His glory.  This is the man who regularly spoke with God face to face, but he was not satisfied with this!  Instead, he boldly asked God to show him His glory (Ex. 33:18).  Although God reminded Moses that no man could see the full display of His glory and live, He graciously granted Moses’ request by allowing him to directly witness a small portion of His glory.  Even this small display must have been spectacularly awesome and caused Moses’ face to shine brightly long after it was over (Ex. 34:29).

I think about how privileged I have been to know and experience so much of the glory of God through His complete Word and through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, Who is the fullest revelation of God, and whom Hebrews 1:3 describes as “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.”  Yet have I allowed myself to become satisfied with what I already know of Him, or do I desire, as Moses did, to know Him more and see more of His glory revealed?  Am I thirsting for Him daily, as David speaks of in Psalm 63, realizing that everything I know of Him and have experienced just scratches the surface of the infinite depths of Who He is?  May my continual prayer be, “Lord, show me Your glory, that I may know You more!”