Teach with Your Life

1 Timothy 4

Teach with Your Life

 ^1-5The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they've lost their capacity for truth. They will tell you not to get married. They'll tell you not to eat this or that food—perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by believers who know better! Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God's Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy.  ^6-10You've been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.
 ^11-14Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.
 ^15-16Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don't be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation. (The Message)

Dear Lord,  Help us to apply all diligence to our pursuit of godliness!  Let our lives teach others of Your love, Your faithfulness, Your forgiveness, Your Word.  Let us make Your word our guide...

A Fight to the Finish

 Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

The Armor of God


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Ephesians 6:10-18 (The Message)

A Fight to the Finish

"And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.  Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."

I couldn't decide which translation to use so I thought you'd appreciate both!  Everyday we should make a conscious effort to put of the full armor of God.   We are to be prepared and as believers, we should be aware that attacks from our enemy will come.  We should use what God has given us for the battle eveyday!

Dear Lord,  Thank you for all of the pieces of armor which You have given us: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, the Word of God, and Prayer.  Please help us to remember  to put them on and use them daily! 

Artwork courtesy of Photobucket.com

How did I get this Way?

Thinking of a clever, catchy title for my testimony isn't easy.  "Testimony" sounds boring so I thought I'd try to explain how I got this way.  "What way?" you may ask.  Well, when I first accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, I was told that I shouldn't become a fanatic!  People asked me, "What do you want to do, be a minister or something?"  To them, anyone who was as committed to something as I was had to want to go into full time ministry.  But I had been saved from the law of sin and death and to me that was worthy of devoting everything I was (and am) to...

It was October of 1978 (the 28th, to be exact) and a friend and I had gone down to San Diego to look at San Diego State University.  We were both considering going to college there and were checking it out.  I had a childhood friend, Terri, who lived down there in El Cajon, CA with her husband.  My mother was (and is) dear friends with Terri's mother and although we had attended the same church as children my mother informed me that Terri and her husband, Ronn, had something "new".  At the time, I thought I was going down to San Diego to check out the college but God had another plan in mind.

We visited Terri and Ronn and almost upon arrival I had asked them about their "new" thing.  I knew it was somehow religious and I had always been curious and seeking answers to my deepest questions.  What is this life all about?  Why does time pass so quickly?  What is my purpose?  Is there an answer to the  heartaches and tragedies that I see every where I turn?  Does God really love me?  Can Jesus change my life?

Ronn began telling us about heaven and hell, the rapture, the millennial period, (these topics were extremely popular in the 1970's even to the general public due to a number of "End Times" books that were released), judgment day, and how Jesus Christ had come to set us free from the law of sin and death.  He told us about heaven and how its streets were paved with the purest of gold.  He told us about Jesus dieing on the cross so that we could have eternal life. He told us about the marriage supper of the Lamb.  Now both my friend, Tina, and I had been raised knowing about Jesus, but I had never had it made personal before.  Suddenly, Jesus was someone who cared about me so much that He had suffered greatly for my sake. 

I had been seeking answers for several years prior to this moment but I still hadn't understood how personal this was.  I had been reading the gospels.  I had been searching and asking and talking but no one had been there to give me the information I needed.  The truth of the gospels just seemed to make me feel guiltier and I didn't know how to get out from underneath the weight of that guilt.  I knew how selfish I was.  I knew who I was on the inside, and I didn't necessarily like what I saw.  I knew I needed a way to be different.  I knew that I couldn't do it on my own.  I now realized that Jesus wasn't just God way out there;  I now saw Him as a real person as well as God, the God who lived here on earth for a time but lived a different, sinless way of life as our example.  I saw Jesus as someone who could show me the way, the truth, and the life that I so desperately wanted to live.

I found myself jumping out of my seat shouting, "I'll go!  That's for me!  That's what I have been looking for!"  And from that moment on, I never looked back.  Oh, I had a lot to learn and am still learning how to do things His Way, but my insides felt different immediately.  I had hope for myself.  I had hope for this life.  And no matter how quickly time passed, I knew that now my life would count for something, no matter how brief it was, no matter how ordinary it was, I now had in my possession the Extraordinary Love of God.

Thirty-two years have nearly passed, and I am still following Jesus, I am still wholly devoted to Him, to His truth, to His love.  It has been a long road so far and hopefully it will stretch out into the future and I will continue to be transformed into His image.  There are many bumps and potholes along the road of this life but for me then and now, "To live is Christ." Philippians 1:21  And that's how I got this way...

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

"Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!"  Romans 5:10 (The Message)

"It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life."  Ephesians 1:13-14 (The Message)  

"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day."  2 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB)

Dear Lord,  Thank you for Your indescribable gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

He Lifts Me Up

"The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."  Psalm 37:23-25 (NASB)

"But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head."  Psalm 3:3 (ESV)

"The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places."  Habakkuk 3:19 (NASB)

"The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."  Psalm 145:19 (NIV)

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10 (NIV)

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."  Matthew 23:12 (NIV)

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted..."  James 1:9  (KJV)

"I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:9-10 (NIV)

Please pray for my daughter, Stacie, who is currently ill with H1N1 while serving the Lord in a foreign country.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we can rest in the knowledge that you will not allow us to be hurled headlong;  we will be upheld by Your righteous right hand.

Enter the Mystery

"I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God."  Psalm 40:1  (The Message)

I posted this verse yesterday but something stayed with me and I thought I would look at it more today.  "...they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God."

"Do you think you can explain the mystery of God? Do you think you can diagram God Almighty? God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend, Stretching farther than earth's horizons, far wider than the endless ocean. If he happens along, throws you in jail then hauls you into court, can you do anything about it? He sees through vain pretensions, spots evil a long way off— no one pulls the wool over his eyes! Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up about the same time mules learn to talk." Job 11:7 (The Message)

"Just as you'll never understand the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman, So you'll never understand the mystery at work in all that God does."  Ecclesiates 11:5  (The Message)

"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen."  Romans 16:25-27  (NASB)

"Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written,
         'THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
         AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
         ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.'
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God." 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (NASB)

 There are mysteries having to do with God that no one can explain.  That is where faith comes in. That is where we learn to trust.  Why one man has a certain number of days in this life and another a different number is something we must leave to God because until we are face to face with Him,  that is only one of a myriad of questions that we would love to have answered.  We do not see the "Big" picture.  We only catch "glimpses" of God's eternal plan and oh, what an amazing thing catching a glimpse can be.  We can live for days, or weeks, or months, or even years on a single glimpse into eternity.  If you want more of God's glimpses, then you must enter the mystery of God Himself.  If we enter the mystery, our "glimpse" awareness becomes heightened, we see more of God in daily life, we understand more of who He is and how He works, and  we have more faith and trust in Him.  When we enter the mystery, the Spirit reveals God to us and we abandon ourselves to Him.

Dear Lord,  Thank you for the hidden wisdom which You reveal to us through your Holy Spirit.  Thank you that we can enter the mystery (of God) and abandon ourselves to You who alone are worthy...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Photograph courtesy of Sean Zellmer.

Romans 5

Peace and Joy

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the free gift of salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Thank you that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Help us to rejoice in our sufferings that produce perseverance, character, and hope. Thank you that our hope in You never disappoints.

Please Pray For My Daughter, Stacie...

My daughter, Stacie, left today on the adventure of a lifetime. Now it's my turn to put my money where my mouth is, to practice what I preach... Surely a Holy God is able to care for her and keep her safe even in dangerous places... Surely the Creator of the Universe can keep her in His loving care until we meet again... But I have information that I wish I didn't have. I know that everything doesn't always work out the way I think it should. I know that God's ways are not my ways nor are His thoughts my thoughts. "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB) And not only are God's thoughts higher than mine, they are also very different than mine. God is an eternal God not constrained by time or place. He is infinite and infinitely wise. Whereas I think I know a lot, I have barely nicked the surface with my finite mind of what God knows and can and will do. He sees the puzzle of our lives in its finished state while we are struggling just to find the spot where each piece might fit. I am thankful that He knows the big picture, but I am also thankful that He gives us small glimpses of His eternal plan.

"He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth— the LORD God Almighty is his name." Amos 4:13 (NIV)

I will now trust Him with my precious daughter and although I would do anything for her and would love to make her life easier, she is wiser than I and knows that real growth comes when you don't shelter yourself from difficult and scary things. Real growth often comes with a price. The question is are we willing to take ourselves out of our safe harbors and get into the fray of life, into the storm of tragedy where so much of humanity abides?

In this country we have been sheltered from the reality of the lives the rest of the world lives. We have only become more aware in recent years, partially due to increased communications through the internet, partially due to the fact that we can no longer feign ignorance. I am proud of the next generation who is rising up and taking action all over the world to fight injustice and indecency. We should learn a lesson from them and follow them into the fray where we can be changed and who knows but that our own ordinary lives might make the world a better place.

We often think, "What could I possibly do? What difference could I possibly make? I cannot go to a foreign country. I cannot make people love instead of hate. I cannot stop people from taking advantage of each other or hurting each other. I cannot solve world hunger or bring world peace." When I feel overwhelmed by what I cannot change in this world, I remember what I can change. I can change my small place in this world with a kind word, a gentle smile, a look of understanding, an offered hand, a silent prayer. I can bring a small measure of peace to my part of the world...today. No matter that I may never know of the effect. No matter that no thanks will be given. No matter that I cannot stop the violence or the pain or the heartache or the suffering. I can bring friendship to a lonely heart, food to an empty stomach, knowledge to a hungry mind, and truth to a thirsty soul.

We can no longer sit back in our easy chairs watching silly TV shows and lamenting about taxes or oil spills or politics. We must take action and not allow the wicked to oppress the helpless whether half way around the world or half way around the block. "God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalm 82:1-4 (NASB)

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." James 4:17 (ESV)

Dear Lord, Please let us follow You into the world to bring light and life to the darkness. Let us be willing to leave our comfort and venture out into the unknown and uncomfortable world, where ever that might be, to bring glory to Your name.

There are no Magic Wands here...

I would love to be able to wave a magic wand and make everything better for everyone...But it doesn't work that way. The Christian life doesn't include any magic wands for us. There are no guarantees that this life will be easy or that we won't have difficult things to deal with. Quite the opposite, we are told that in this world we will have tribulation. What we are promised is that Jesus will be with us every step of the way. He will lead us and guide us. He will teach us and comfort us. Our goal is to have faith, to serve Him, to lift up His name, and to learn from this short journey. We must open ourselves up to His truth so that we can learn from Him. He offers us peace in the midst of the storms of life. He offers us hope in the midst of the trials. You see, if there is one thing that we need to learn, it is this: this life is not all about us. It's all about Him. This seems to be the most difficult lesson for us to learn because in our own books, it is all about us. But in the Book of Life, where our names are hopefully written (if we have confessed our sin and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!), the story is His.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29 (KJV)

"One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, 'Let us go across to the other side of the lake.' So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!' And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, 'Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?'" Luke 8:22-25 (ESV)

If Jesus asks, "Where is your faith?" what would you answer Him? Do you have faith that even when life is difficult or dangerous, He will still get you through it? Do you trust Him with your life? Or do you blame Him and abandon ship when things don't go the way you think they should? You need to come to the place where you know that without a doubt He is trustworthy. Jesus' question implies action on our parts. We must have faith. The truth is that we frequently have very little. "He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'" Matthew 17:20 (NIV) You know how small a mustard seed is, don't you? If you have the tiniest bit of faith, you can move mountains through His power. Nothing will be impossible for you.

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." John 14:11-13 (NIV) We need to keep in mind that whatever we ask should bring glory to the Father...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) We can know what faith is and even think that we may have it but unless we walk in it, is it real? "For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB) And, "Your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.'" Isaiah 30:21 (NASB) There are three components to faith: 1) We must have the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 2)We must accept that it is true, and 3)We must trust in Him for our salvation. Do you trust Him?

The definition of trust is reliance on and confidence in the truth, worth, reliability, etc., of a person or thing; faith. Likewise, it is a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship. Faith and Trust are inextricably linked. I think the reason that we may not trust Him is that we are afraid of the end of this life and the uncertainty of how that will happen. We ask, "How will it end? When will it end? Why will it end?" Billy Graham said, "We cannot truly face life until we face the fact that it will be taken away from us." And once we face the fact that this life is temporary and very brief, we can be free to live a life of faith in Him. As it says in Psalm 39:5, "Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah." (NIV) We can walk a true walk of faith because we have let go of the "what if's" of this life. This requires practical thinking. It requires the release of our own control (of which we have none anyway!) and the acquisition of true faith. As George MacDonald said, "We can walk without fear, full of hope and courage and strength... waiting for the endless good which God is always giving as fast as He can get us to take it in."

Dear Lord, Please help us to know how brief this life is and that the only way to live it in peace is through faith in You. Give us true faith and help us to place all our trust in You. Teach us to take in Your endless good and walk in faith without fear...

The Process of Losing Myself...

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25 (NIV)

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:7-14 (NASB)

The process of losing yourself for Christ's sake can be a long and arduous process. I have been going through the process for more than thirty years and I am not finished yet. I guess we are never really finished until we are at home with the Lord. The point is that we must press on forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. We need to continue in the process of losing ourselves that we may gain Him.

When we come into this world we are extremely egocentric. We are focused on ourselves and our needs. As babies, that is okay because that is how babies get their basic needs met for food, sleep, cleanliness, and comfort. But at some point we are supposed to grow up, we are supposed to become less egocentric. We are supposed to learn how to share, empathize, and care about those around us. We are supposed to regard others as more important than ourselves even. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;" Philippians 2:3 (NASB) This is where we fall down, where we get stuck. So many of us have never moved beyond the egocentricities of childhood.

Jim Eliot said, "He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." If we give up who we were to become who the Lord wants us to be, we are rich indeed. We gain more than we could ever lose. We gain the knowledge of Christ which means more than to know about Him. We come to the place where we know Him, we have a personal relationship with Him, and we live our lives for Him. We know Him in a personal way and He gives us salvation.

We also gain His righteousness. We go through life trying to be good, trying to be righteous and we always fall short. Many times our attempts at righteousness turn into self-righteousness. Until we admit the truth that we, by ourselves, are spiritually bankrupt, we can never understand that the righteousness we can have in Jesus is the only righteousness that is incorruptible. The sins that were to be put to our own accounts are instead put to Christ's account and it is reckoned to us as righteousness! Romans 4:22-25 says, "Therefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written, that 'It was reckoned to him,' but for our sakes also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification." And we discover that our sins have been put on Christ's account on the cross. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

Finally, we gain the fellowship of Christ. When we become Christians, it is not the end but only the beginning. We begin to be transformed into His image which is, again, incorruptible. We need to let the resurrection power go to work in our lives to change us, to help us lose ourselves and become like Him. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galations 2:20 (NASB)

Dear Lord, Thank you that in the process of losing myself I gain more than I could possibly imagine. Help me to give up who I was to become who You want me to be. Teach me to count it all loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing You...

Who is Your Neighbor?

This is the first and greatest commandment, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. That seems pretty self explanatory, doesn't it? Even if it is extremely difficult, we do seem to understand what is being asked of us. And the second commandment is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. Why is this one so much more difficult to "get"? Who is our neighbor anyway and how are we supposed to love them?

Well, we are supposed to love them as we love ourselves! How much do we love ourselves? We love ourselves more than almost anything, especially if we are still living in our natural, selfish state. If we are walking a walk of faith in Jesus Christ, we might be a little less selfish, but this is a lifelong struggle for most of us. We want what we want when we want it! We want to be liked/loved, served, made to feel special, showered with gifts, needed, cherished, respected, admired, taken care of, deferred to, thought well of, and we take extra care everyday to be sure that we have that place in people's lives, the lives of our families and friends. This goes back to the post a few days ago when we ask ourselves, "What is my motivation for the things I do?" But if we want to be treated this way, (and I think most of us do!), now we are being asked to treat our neighbors the same way! But who is our Neighbor?

Our Neighbor is anyone we come into contact with. This could mean our actual neighbors, the people who live next door to us or across the street, or it could mean the person who delivers our mail, or bags our groceries. It could be the people who work at the dry cleaners or the store we frequent most often. It could also be the person standing on the street corner asking for help... It isn't just the people we love and those who love us! It isn't just our friends and families! I would venture to say that we all need major, serious work in this area. I know I do.

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." Galations 5:13-15

"But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" 1 John 3:17 (NIV)

"If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20 (NASB)

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." 1 John 3:14 (NIV)

"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:3 (ESV)

"By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 (NASB)

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6 (NIV)

Go out and show your love today! Do something kind and loving for your neighbor today and then do it tomorrow and the next day... I hear if you do something for 15 days, it becomes a habit! Let's get into the habit of love.

Dear Lord, Make me to see my neighbor's need and to actually do something to help. Let all of my good intentions become reality today so that You may be glorified in my life. Teach me to love my neighbor as myself.