Are You Going Nowhere?

The other day I was reading a commentary by John MacArthur and came across a verse that I believe I will start calling my “life verse”. I’ve read the verse before, but have never been affected by it as I was when I read it over again and pondered the scope of its application. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

The microscope was invented just 400 years ago and its name comes from two words; "micro" which means "small" and  "scope" which means "to see." Prior to that anything smaller than what the naked eye could see was “invisible”. A few years later the telescope was invented and again, up until then anything that could not be seen by the naked eye was invisible”. Of course the invisible aspect of this verse also pertains to the unseen spiritual realm, but my first thought as I pondered this verse was the immensity of God’s creation. Microscopes now can see things by the forces between atoms and are called atomic force microscopes. They can see things as small as a strand of DNA! Going in the other direction scientists say; “time, not space, limits our view of the universe. Beyond a certain distance, light hasn’t had time to reach us yet since the beginning of the universe.”

Taken from a web page pertaining to the expanding universe: “To make a mental model: how big is the universe that we can see?”

“Imagine that our entire Milky Way galaxy were the size of a CD. On this scale, the nearest spiral galaxy, Andromeda, would be another CD about eight feet away. The furthest galaxies we have ever seen, pictured in the Hubble Deep Field above, would be CDs about nine miles away. The edge of the observable Universe, the furthest we can possibly see, is only another mile beyond that.”

In our inborn pride, mankind time after time, thinks they have found the answer to the deepest questions. For example, just a few short years ago we were certain we had found the edge of the universe, but now we are certain that the universe is expanding. Every time we turn around, science realizes that what we thought we knew to be true, may not be, and another theory is born. What is really happening is that God, in His wisdom is allowing us to see more of His invisible creation.

Its hard for me to comprehend how, at times in my inborn pride I think I can run my life better than the one who created me knowing full well that only living by His word can I accomplish anything. On my own, I come up with some theory on how I should handle any given situation in my family life, job, or even my relationship with Jesus. I was created by Him and for Him, not for ME……for HIM. Vertical focus, vertical focus, our Heavenly Father, Jesus our Savior, the Holy Spirit our Counselor. Not horizontal focus, me, me, me….that is nothing but theory, and it, goes nowhere.

God’s Glory=Our Hope

Romans 5:2b  says; And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. I read that last week and realized that if someone asked me what the “glory of God” meant, I would not be able to answer the question, so I started looking. Our dictionary has many different meanings: very great praise bestowed by common consent; an object of pride ; adoring praise or worshipful thanksgiving; resplendent beauty or magnificence; a state of great splendor; to exult with triumph; to boast. As followers of Christ, we would exalt all of these definitions as on to the Lords glory would we not? 

Throughout the bible, God’s glory is presented in many different ways. In the old testament it was a pillar of cloud, a pillar of fire, a burning bush, the law of Moses, the glow on Moses' face reflecting the fact that he had seen the face of the living God, and His glory was present in the temple.

In the new testament, coming to earth as a man through Jesus Christ, God’s glory was manifest as a servant/savior, God “dwelt among us”, dying for our sins, and rising back to life again to ascend into heaven to be with God the Father.  I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. John 17:4

Now His glory is shown through the Holy Spirit. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: John 15: 7,8. And as the reflection of the Glory of God was manifest in the old testament through the unveiled face of Moses, we through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit are to be the reflection of His glory to the world today. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. II Corinthians 3:18. So we must live by the spirit, not of the flesh so that the world will know who we are and who He is. The only way I can do that is to keep Him ever before my eyes. I must look to Him constantly, surrender to Him in everything, spend time with Him, allow His glory to fill me and His power to possess me. Vertical focus in everything I do, it must become part of me—habit (in my heart).

God’s glory in the future is where our hope is. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2b. Jesus is coming back to take us into the everlasting presence of God. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27

Amen—look up brothers and sisters.

Vertical Focus—Not Horizontal

Hmmmm…..nothing like a good piece of gossip to make us feel important or better (holier) than someone else. It builds us up (false hope), it helps take the focus off of our own sin and puts the focus on another or others (this can include sharing prayer requests for specific persons while sharing irrelevant detailed information). I’d guess there isn’t anything more damaging to a church body than gossip because it’s where division can start and give way to other sins.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19. With the exception of one on this list of sins, all are involved in gossip and as His word says; He hates and finds them detestable (disgustingly offensive).

As I see it, after we boil it all down, it comes back to the motive of the heart. Is our heart horizontally focused on us and the problems of life surrounding us? Or is it focused vertically on the things of God and His coming kingdom?

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

To be vertically focused, we are to be pleasing God by building up, not tearing down others. We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:1-7.

There we have it then……...back to the sole reason we are on earth, to bring praise and glory to God Almighty, not me. Let us lift up our eyes and pray then, that the Lord would give us endurance, encouragement and a spirit of unity at NWBC and the world around us in the new year.

Vertical focus—not horizontal!!

Who Are We Kidding?

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. II Corinthians 10:4-5

In this passage, Paul is responding to critics and false teachers who had thrown accusations at him, of which, that he lived and operated by worldly standards. The strongholds that he talks about (arguments and every pretension) are conclusions, or rationalizations (rational-lies?) that start in the mind and then are worked out in life as action directed at repelling the knowledge of God.

This sounds like something we today call denial. We believe the lies, they become part of us and we live them out, thinking we are not sinning! Can anyone relate? What areas of your life has the Holy Spirit been convicting you about that you have been resisting? Are you using the weapons of the world to combat the conviction of God almighty? Our culture is all about minimizing righteous thinking and lifting up the needs of the individual. It’s got to make us feel good! So, instead of responding to the prompting of our loving God (which might be painful, take some work, time, and dedication), we look horizontal for something easy, pleasurable, something to make us feel good.

How can we fight against these rationalizations that start in the mind and fool us into wrong thinking and sinful behaviors? How do we take captive (like a prisoner of war) every thought and make it obey Christ? Essentially, to be taken captive, we have to surrender do we not? We allow our minds to be controlled by Him and not ourselves. Surrender involves a heart that wants to please God and bring glory to Him in everything we think and do. It is not about bringing glory to ourselves by saying and doing the “right” things to look like we are living a life for Him, as this brings us back to the “rational-lies” syndrome or denial (sin). “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:7-10 [emphases mine]  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. Ephesians 6:10-12 [emphases mine]

We only fool ourselves in denial. God knows our every thought, and eventually, our actions that come from these strongholds bear fruit that is seen by others. If we were to obey the wisdom and precepts that God desires and has freely given us, we could save ourselves the embarrassment and shame that comes with that fruit. So walk forward in confidence knowing;

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Vertical focus—not horizontal!