Glorious Might

With the first Bible study in this series on Colossians titled Background of Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae, we learned of the background of the Colossians. Several cultures, belief systems, and philosophical thoughts influenced them. The second Bible study in this series, Identification, taught us about Paul’s greeting and introduction of himself and Timothy to the Christians in Colossae. In this greeting, Paul identified himself with Jesus and with the believers in Colossae, as he did Timothy. In Thanksgiving in Colossians, Paul prayed, offering thanks to God for the growth of the Christians in the church of Colossae as shown by their love for God and the saints. He continued to thank God because these Christians constantly bore fruit and matured. Paul identified Epaphras, the founding pastor of this church, as a “beloved fellow bond-servant,” one who willingly submitted to Christ as Paul taught him.

This fourth Bible study in the series covers Colossians 1:9-12. These four verses told the Colossian believers how Paul prayed for them daily. This prayer sets the standard, according to Paul, for a maturing, devoted Christian. It incorporates four main points with it and states definitively the Father qualifies each believer. Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers about how they should grow to maturity in Christ is the goal to which each believer in Jesus should strive. Paul’s letter to them is a letter to us today. Let’s consider every verse of Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, and what each should be because of his or her relationship with God.

The Prayer

Pleasing God

“For this reason, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work…” (Col. 1:9-10a [NASB])

Paul’s request to God for the Colossian Christians occurred because of their faith, hope, love, fruitfulness, and maturity. (Col. 1:3-8) Because these Christians believed and were being sanctified, Paul said he had not ceased to pray for them. He interacted with the Lord, seeking His will as he prayed for the Colossians, so what he prayed was God’s good and perfect will. Prayer occurs when you exchange your human desires for God’s desires because of the faith He gives you, which you live out. This kind of prayer connects you intimately with God. Because of Paul’s close relationship with the Lord, he recognized the Colossian believers’ sincerity in wanting to be closer to and more like Jesus. He asked God to fill each Colossian believer from His person with what is necessary for life as a Christian. Paul’s very long sentence with multiple dependent clauses specifically stresses how a Christian can live a life that is “well-pleasing” to God. Paul spoke about the knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom, understanding, and walking in “a manner worthy of the Lord” in these two verses.

Knowledge

Paul taught to live a life well-pleasing to God requires being “filled with the knowledge of His will.” The Gnostics would have been interested in this letter because Paul spoke of knowledge. Remember, for the Gnostics, knowledge led to freedom. Yet, nowhere did Paul say the Gnostic idea of knowledge was what he spoke about. Instead, he contrasted the Gnostic philosophical knowledge with the “knowledge of His will.” Paul spoke of a specific knowledge that comes from the fount of all being and knowledge. No other knowledge is greater or is absolute. This knowledge is precise because it comes from God’s knowledge. The word “will” Paul uses comes from the Greek word thelema, meaning God’s will, His best offer to people which they can accept or reject. This “will” speaks of God’s purpose to bless and offer grace to humanity through Jesus. A fruitful and maturing Christian will seek the knowledge of God’s will.

Wisdom

More than that, a Christian will seek spiritual wisdom. The word “spiritual” comes from the Greek word pneumatikos, meaning that which comes from the Holy Spirit of God and exhibits the effects and character of the Spirit. Paul did not pray the Colossian believers would have any wisdom. He specifically prayed they would have wisdom coming from the Holy Spirit of God. Since God knows all things (omniscient) and is the author of all things (the Creator), He and the Spirit would have all spiritual wisdom. Paul prayed the Colossians would have this spiritual wisdom as they grew in the Lord and bore fruit.

Understanding

Paul grouped the knowledge of His will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding together. Without knowledge and wisdom, understanding a situation is difficult. It would rely on what you have experienced and could surmise; a human-based understanding. That understanding is limited. Paul did not pray for a worldly wisdom. He prayed for wisdom that came from God’s knowledge gained through prayer and the study of His word and the wisdom to know the ramifications of a situation, so that a godly understanding and assessment of it would lead to a godly resolution of it. With only worldly knowledge and wisdom, people do not consider the power and grace of God. With godly knowledge and wisdom, a complete understanding, including God’s power and what He did through Jesus, guides a believer to a godly understanding and solution. Who wants a resolution based on worldly knowledge and wisdom? Don’t all people want to know the best way to approach things and people, so they consider everything and find an absolutely correct solution? Growing in the knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding leads Christians to the best solutions. God is well-pleased when these occur 

Godly Walk

To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord requires knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding. Knowledge without application is useless. Wisdom without all-knowledge (knowledge that comes from God, omniscience) isn’t true wisdom. Understanding without knowing the full picture, having God’s knowledge and wisdom, is worthless. These, applied to each other and then to life, lead to living a life well-pleasing to the Lord. The worthiness of which Paul wrote in his prayer, “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” means getting worth from Jesus that matches the actual value. When people see the way you walk and equate it to the way Jesus lived while on earth, you walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. The worth of anything must be compared to something else to show its value. For Christian, people compare us to Christ. When Christians live like Christ in actions, words, attitudes, and thoughts that reflect His ethics, grace, and love because of their personal relationship with and worship of Him, they live in a manner worthy of the Lord. They please Him.

Followers of Christ please Him wholly by seeking to be like Him, seeking His will, His wisdom, and His understanding, and walking in His ways. When they are this closely connected to God, that is “in all respects,” they bear fruit. This fruit speaks of a quality of life within a person, of the Spirit’s remolding them into Jesus’ image. Paul prayed the Corinthian Christians would know God very well and be connected intimately to Him. This intimacy with God would show their knowledge and faith in Jesus, which included His wisdom and understanding. It would lead to living the fruit-born life from the super-abounding overflowing of the Spirit in them. When you see a child of God overflowing with the Spirit and abounding in “every good work,” nothing else can explain the life this person lives. These works, these actions, occur because of the Spirit living within the believer. When questioning how and why, the only answer is because of God’s miraculous work in the person’s life. Fruits, a change in a person’s life - character, attitudes, and being - come from the quality of a life hidden with God in Christ Jesus. (Col. 3:3) Christians die to their old lives and the Spirit gives them a new nature, Christ’s nature. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Paul prayed this for the Colossian church. We continue to pray this prayer for every Christian today as they profess Christ as their Savior, begin and continue their walk with Him, and walk through life and its trials. This prayer teaches how each Christian should strive to live. Believers should seek to have an intimacy with Jesus that re-makes them and then overflows in super-abounding fruit of good work, God’s work.

Increasing in the Knowledge of God

“…and increasing in the knowledge of God…” (Col. 1:10c [NASB])

Paul prayed the Colossian church would live a life well-pleasing to the Lord. He asked God to increase their knowledge of Him, too. As noted above, this knowledge that comes from God is absolute and perfect. It lacks nothing, but the knowledge people of the world gain from philosophical conversation and studying is incomplete.

Paul prayed these Christians would increase. This increase would come from knowing God more, a growing in maturity in relationship with Him. Knowing about God differs from being in a relationship with Him. Paul said in Romans 1, people can know of God from what is visible in creation. People can know of Him through listening to preachers and teachers, from reading the Bible, and from praying to Him. No one has an excuse for not knowing about God. Even the demons believed Jesus was the Son of God, but they didn’t and couldn’t believe in Him for salvation. (Matthew 8:28-34) A Christian should want to know more of God than just the basics. He/she should want to know Him in a deeper way, be related intimately to Him through a daily relationship with Him, so he or she can be like Him. When a person falls in love and marries, he/she wants to know all about his or her spouse. That person wants to know what happens in his/her spouse’s day, what causes him or her to act the way he or she does, what he or she believes, and why he or she espouses certain beliefs. That creates intimacy in a relationship. Each believer should want this depth of relationship with God, and more, so he/she becomes more aligned with and more like Jesus. Increasing in the knowledge of God happens because of first-hand experience of a life lived with Him.

Knowing God in this way is seeking God and living in faith according to His will. This intimacy leads Christians to act because of their love of God, not just because of obedience. Paul meant this when he prayed the Colossian Christians would increase in the knowledge of God. A relationship with God is not static; it should always increase/grow. Christians should have this desire in their hearts, to be intimately close to God so that every action, word, or thought occurs because of their love for God, not just because of disciplined obedience. When a person knows his/her spouse well, he/she knows when the spouse wants a drink or needs to talk. That person is in tune with him/her. Christians should be that in tune with God, too. That is the level of intimacy with God Paul prayed for the Colossian Christians.

Strengthened with all Power

“…strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for attaining of all steadfastness and patience…” (Col. 1:11 [NASB])

Paul continued with his prayer for the Colossian believers. He asked God to strengthen them with His might.  Just as Paul prayed for the Colossians to have the knowledge, wisdom, understanding, walk, and good works that come from knowing God intimately, he prayed the believers would have the strength “with all power” that comes from His might. Paul asked for the ultimate in verses nine and ten. He continued asking for the ultimate by asking for the power of God to strengthen them.

Like God’s knowledge is complete and the knowledge of people never can be, so His strength is almighty because it comes from the source of all strength, Himself. God’s power is ultimate. What is this “power” Paul prayed? It comes from the Greek word dunamis. This word is from where the English word dynamite originates. God’s power gives the power and strength in each sphere of believers’ lives to grow in sanctification daily. It prepares them for the time when they will receive their future reward and He makes them holy, the time of their glorification in heaven. Christ saves each Christian at a point in time, but believers should not stay the same as from that moment. They should grow in intimacy with God by being reshaped by His Spirit, seeking His knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. This will cause believers to live in the world bearing fruit and increasing in maturity in Him. Living in the world being led by our love for Jesus is sanctification. Jesus’ salvation of people who seek Him as part of their close relationship with Him causes them to grow toward perfection. Without God’s dunamis power, Christians stagnate. They strive in their own power to do what they think God wants them to do and be what they think He wants them to be, but they don’t recognize what that is for sure because they have mixed their limited human knowledge into what they understand of God. That isn’t dunamis power. Dunamis power comes down from a higher plane, from God, to a lower plane, humanity. God gives it to His people who intimately relate to Him, seek Him, and walk in His ways to help them live, be, and grow to be more like Jesus.

This “glorious might” shows God’s excellence, not the person’s excellence, aptitude, or abilities. It brings glory to God, not the person. People cannot explain the source of this power in any way other than from God, so it has intrinsic worth. No person could create it or cause it to be used for God’s glory. God gives this power from His glorious might to those who seek Him, to know Him, and to live a life well-pleasing to Him. Knowledge and wisdom are not enough, as the Gnostics put espoused. Knowing what is right and doing right not enough. (Doing the right thing does not pay for admittance into heaven. By accepting the grace of God offered through Jesus Christ, a person can receive salvation from his or her sins and have the hope of eternal life in heaven.) Each person will face trials and the way a person journeys through them will determine how he or she comes out of them. If a person goes through them in his or her own strength, he/she will finish the journey battered, torn, worn out, and possibly angry and discouraged. For a Christian in a close relationship with God who seeks His knowledge and wisdom, seeks to grow in His relationship with Him, and who God strengthens with all power from His glorious might, that believer will end his/her journey possibly battered and torn, but with a glow because he/she recognized God went through the trial with him/her, learned something from it, and gave God glory because His hand was with him/her. God’s power came down to that Christian and how he/she lived through and finished that journey caused him/her to glorify God. That believer sees and saw where God’s hand was with and on us him/her through that hard period. It makes him/her fall to his/her knees and thank Him for sustaining and never leaving him/her.

Having God’s might causes each Christian to have all steadfastness and patience. Without God’s might, their strength would fail. Believers would grow tired and give up or collapse under the weight of the trial. With God’s might, they can endure the challenges God allows and grow from it. The “steadfastness” Paul wrote of here is patience upon which a person acted. This person lived out the characteristic that did not deviate from the path set before him/her to act like the unbelieving person he/she was before the Spirit changed him/her. This steadfast/enduring person puts patience into action and remains loyal to his/her faith in God and grows in faith because of it. Opposition and sacrifice does not make him/her fall away from his/her faith in God.

The “patience” Paul wrote of is an inner stability or not reacting rashly. It allows time to pass before saying or doing something when reacting to an occurrence. This patience comes from God’s might, just as does the steadfastness about which Paul wrote. This patience is an internal constancy. When Christians apply this patience to actions, it becomes endurance/steadfastness.

Giving Thanks

“…joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” (Col. 1:11b-12 [NASB])

For these things - God’s knowledge, all His spiritual wisdom and understanding, a daily relationship and walk with Him, His strength with all power, all His endurance and patience - Paul wrote he gave joyous thanks for the Colossian believers. As we each understand, these attributes come from God and often work themselves in us as lessons when we go through trials. Paul gave thanks for trials. He gave thanks for the grace God gave the Colossian Christians, though they did not deserve it. James wrote in James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (NASB) Like James, Paul thanked God for His grace that led the Colossian Christians through trials of the past, in the present, and in the future because it led them to grow stronger with God’s attributes helping to mold them.

Like in verse three, this thanks in verse twelve comes from the Greek word eucharisteo and means remembering and giving thanks to God for the grace He gave you, which you did not deserve. God’s grace gave and would give the Colossian Christians power and strength, endurance and patience, knowledge and wisdom, and fruit and good works if they chose to seek Him daily in prayer, Bible reading and studying, listening to godly preaching and teaching, and fellowshipping with other believers. When Christians seek to follow God, to be in a close, personal relationship with Him, He gives grace. Paul joyously gave thanks for that grace He would give the Colossian Christians, even if they learned it from trials.

Paul joyously thanked the Father because He qualified the believers in Colossae to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. God makes each believer sufficient by the sufficiency of the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. He gives each person enough power to live on earth in a way pleasing to Him because of His grace. The sufficiency and power come from God alone. Nothing anyone could ever do or think would make him or her sufficient to be called saints or to be able to live as His child. People are inadequate, but God offers us the adequate grace to save and enable us to live in this world as His child whose actions and words give glory to Him. God’s grace through Jesus’ death and resurrection makes believers righteous so we can share in the inheritance in Light, the hope of eternal life. This light is the true Light of God. He completes the sanctification of each believer, making them free from every imperfection so they can enter heaven. Jesus will glorify true followers of Jesus into the kingdom of light. That hope is to what each believer looks forward and for what Paul gives joyous thanks. God makes each believer fit to share in His kingdom. Jesus’ resurrection gives Christians the hope of eternal life - defeat over death - and eternity with God in His kingdom.

Thoughts to Consider

Paul’s joyous thanks occurred because of what God had done in the lives of the Colossian Christians and what He would do in their lives because of His grace. Because of His grace, God enables His children to have the knowledge of His will, have all spiritual wisdom and understanding, walk in a manner worthy of Him, please Him in all respects, bear fruit in every good work, increase in the knowledge of Him, receive strength with all power from His glorious might, and gain steadfastness and patience. Each of these characteristics have their source in God. Four times Paul used the word “all.” God gives from His whole being to grow believers in sanctification toward glorification, to be more like Him.

Full and true strength, power, might, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, fruit, good works, steadfastness, and patience originate in God and come from Him to those who seek Him. God gives these to people who believe in and have a close, personal relationship with Him. No person can create these attributes from within him/herself. What we Christians create from within themselves is not enough to combat the trials God allows and the tribulations Satan throws against us. Instead of seeking for something that seems good or good enough, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (NASB) Seek God and His attributes and you will have the best at hand for what you face. 

Questions to Consider:

•  Have you believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, confessed your sins, and asked Him to save you?
• Are you developing a close relationship with God?
• Do you seek God’s will each day through prayer, Bible reading and study, sermons, and teachings?
• Do you know you are a Christian but realize you have done nothing with God since that point you asked Jesus to save you?
• Do you find that whenever you face a particular trial, you can never seem to win?
• Do you get angry, frustrated, and fed-up with people and situations then want to do something drastic?
• Now that you have considered your own relationship with God, what do you need to tell God and for what do you need to ask Him to forgive you?

Each person who has a close personal relationship with God, should grow continually, bear fruit, and mature in their Christian walk with Him daily. If  a day comes when you say you have finished growing, then you will know you still have more growing to do. Our goal is for God to be well-pleased with us. Paul outlined in his prayer in Colossians 1:9-12 how that would be well-pleased with us.

“He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son, in who we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14 [NASB])

Rocks, Wrecks, and Relationship

“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.” Galatians 2:20 [NASB]

This last week in our Bible readings, we learned Jesus taught His disciples and followers in Matthew 6:33 not to worry about what they would eat, drink, or wear. Trust God. He is in control. If God provides food, drink, and beauty for his birds and flowers, how much more will He care for His greatest creation-humankind? God takes care of His people. We can trust Him so don’t be anxious.

After the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 8:20 Jesus told a scribe who wanted to be His follower that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. In this chapter, Jesus did not revoke what He’d said in 6:33. He expanded on it. Jesus made a bold statement with implication. He meant even the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head; do not expect you will have more than Me. The cost of being a disciple requires giving your whole life. Did Jesus mean God would not or could not give Him and His followers a place to lay under shelter? No, He meant, trust God’s heart even when He doesn’t give you a place to lay your head. He has a plan and for now it doesn’t include a bed under shelter. Have hope. Keep God’s peace which He gives through Jesus. Do you have peace and contentment even when God doesn’t provide what you need right now knowing His plan is best? This provides peace and contentment; anxiety does not.

With Galatians 2:20, Paul explained to the church in Galatia how he could continue to be a disciple of Jesus even when he had little or no food to eat. He said in this verse, “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.” [NASB] What does this have to do with trusting God, believing He will provide all my needs, keeping hope and peace, and being content knowing His plan is greater than what I can see? Paul said, he does not live in his own strength or for his own purposes. As a believer in Jesus Christ, he had been saved from his sins and was being sanctified daily by the Spirit. Because of this, Paul did not live out his will or life from his old natural self, but with the new life Christ gave him. He identified with and was crucified with Christ. Jesus lived in Paul’s body. Paul had given his whole being to God-heart, soul, mind, and strength. When he did this, he was crucified from his old sinful, self-willed person and was made into a new man by Christ through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Paul lived by the faith he had in Jesus to accept when he had enough and when he didn’t, and when he didn’t have anything. He was at peace because he trusted God to give Him what he needed in His timing for His purposes. This trust because of our hope and faith in God gives us peace and contentment. This shows a life in whom Christ lives because of His love for the person. It shows because of a person’s love for God through a close relationship with Him and evidence in obeying Him.

When Paul was saved from his sins, by faith (the faith God gives a person and the faith that person activates/uses to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God), he was saved from his sins, his shame, and the power of death. This means he was also saved from himself. Jesus in us as the Holy Spirit gives us the power to withstand temptation and sin. In our old nature, we do not have that power. By faith, Paul was saved from his sins and Christ came to live in him. Each day after his conversion, Paul, by his decision, chose to be more like Christ so he acted, spoke, and thought more like Christ and people saw Jesus living in him. That is faith in action, a daily giving our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength to Him in love. It requires trust and faith in God and His plan for our lives and the world. It requires recognizing we can do nothing to make this world a better place of our own will and design. God’s plan from the foundation of the world is to bring all people to a saving knowledge of Him. Paul’s faith grew. His trust in God grew. Paul trusted God to take care of all his needs. He had hope for his salvation in the future when Jesus returns. Paul had hope in Jesus each day to carry him through pitfalls and to give him what he needed. Even on days when Paul’s physical needs went unmet, Paul still had faith in God. He trusted in Him and God’s plans because he knew Him and loved Him with his whole being. This absolute trust came from peace and brought peace. It brought contentment with it as Paul trusted God.

Consider when Paul was on the ship going toward Rome and the winter storms tossed the ship and crashed upon the rocks. Remember when a viper bit him while they started a fire trying to get warm after swimming to shore. Next remember, Paul did not die from the snake bite, but ended up healing many people on that small island. We do not read that Paul was upset about not having food, dry clothes, a bed, or fresh water to drink. He trusted God’s plan to get him to Rome. Paul knew God had a purpose for their ship crashing on the rocks at that island. He had faith in God. Paul trusted Him. His hope in God sustained him because he knew God’s plan was greater than what he himself could discern. Paul was at peace and was content with where God put him for that time. He was daily and moment-by-moment being sanctified. This growing in Christ, the being sanctified, caused Christ to live in Paul’s body so Paul wasn’t seen, but Jesus was. By this, Jesus received the glory and praise. John said something similar when asked by his disciples what he would do now that the Messiah had come. John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 [NASB])

When we allow God to have our whole being, when we love Him with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, then our relationship with Him becomes closer. We begin to become Christlike. When people look at us, watch us, and hear us, they no longer see who we were before we became Christians, but instead they see Jesus and are amazed and glorify God. All this takes faith in action and leads us to become Christians, seeking a deeper relationship with Him, growing in faith, hope, and love, gaining more peace, and having contentment. None of these is a once-off occurrence. As you daily walk with the Lord and seek His will, you grow, and your life becomes less about you and more about Jesus. You will decrease, and He will increase so that people see Jesus more and more in you.

Do you live by faith in your flesh or faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself up for you? This is what Paul asked Peter in Galatians 2:20.

What keeps you from giving God everything and letting Him become your everything?

Is your faith growing? Are you activating it by seeking God, seeking His truth, and seeking to live in obedience to Him?

Are you living with the hope Jesus gives you and the peace and contentment that come from knowing God will provide all your needs?

Remember what Paul said to the Romans,

“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.” (Romans 8:28 [NASB])

God has a plan. He has a purpose. You are part of the plan. He will take care of you.

Trust Him. Have Hope in Him.

Receive Peace from Him. Be Content.

Lord, I am weak. There is nothing in me that can save me from my sins. I realize I need you to save me from my sins, shame, and death. Lord, I need you to save me from my plans so that I seek You and Your best plans. Help me remember when I fear You don’t care that Your plan is okay, and I can trust You because of Your great love for me. Forgive me for when I run off and do my own thing. Forgive me for not seeking and obeying You. Forgive me for not activating my faith in You and then doubting Your love and care for me. Help me to trust you and to have all my hope in You. Give me Your perfect peace and contentment. Lord, live in me so that I decrease and You increase. Let the world see You in me as I walk in this body. You are God and I am not.

Foxes, Birds, and Peace

“Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’” Matthew 8:20 [NASB]

Most of us have heard of and/or read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. In Matthew 6, Jesus taught about the cure for anxiety concerning what a person will wear, and what he will eat and drink. He taught the Father knows what each person needs and just like He clothes, feeds, and provides drink for birds and flowers, you, who are His greatest creation, will have all your needs met. Instead of having anxiety about these things, Jesus said, “Seek first His (God’s) kingdom and His (God’s) righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Once we get our minds to understand, believe, and rely on this statement so we do not worry about our daily needs and instead grow in our relationship with God through Christ, we come to the point where we realize Jesus taught a furtherance of this lesson. In Matthew 8, a Jewish scribe approached Him after Jesus healed a leper and Peter’s mother-in-law. This scribe told Jesus he would follow Him wherever He went. Jesus’ remark takes us back to what He said in Matthew 6:33, but it tells us more. It teaches us more. Jesus told the scribe, though foxes and birds have places to lay their heads and call home, the Son of Man does not. (Matthew 8:20)

We may think after reading this statement by Jesus to the scribe, “Okay, yeah, sure, I understand. Jesus just told us God would provide all our needs so here Jesus is telling him not to worry about it.” His statement is more than that. Before, Jesus said not to worry because God will provide, so instead of worrying, seek God, His kingdom, and His righteousness. With this statement from Matthew 8:20, Jesus meant He Himself does Matthew 6:33 already, but there is more. He trusted God to provide all His needs and He was in a close and personal relationship with the Father, having His righteousness and His kingdom. What Matthew 8:20 then meant for Jesus is He was okay that He did not have a place to lay His head. He trusted the Father enough that even if He didn’t have a place to lay His head, it was okay. Jesus’ emotions at not having a place to lay His head was not panic and worry, but instead contentment and peace. He did not have a place to call home or even know where He would sleep that night.

Jesus did not ask the Father for a place to lay His head. His relationship with the Father went beyond material things and needs. Jesus’ relationship with the Father went beyond His emotions to His spiritual relationship and reliance and trust in the Father and His will. His focus was on the Father and the purpose for His life on earth.  Did you catch that? Jesus knew the Father would take care of all His needs and those of His followers. He also trusted that even if He didn’t have a place to lay His head, it was okay. It was all part of God’s will and plan. Jesus trusted the Father with His whole being. He taught His followers they could trust God completely, too. That explains why we can love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength…because we trust Him to take care of all these areas of our lives. We can have peace and contentment knowing God will take care of us whether we have a place to lay our head tonight, a chicken or only rice on the table, or know if we will wake to see the sun tomorrow. God’s plan is the best plan. His will and His kingdom bring peace and well-being.

What are the questions for us today?

•  Have we come to the point where we do not fret about our corporeal needs like food, drink, clothes, and a roof over our heads? 
• Are our needs for God’s contentment and peace more important to us than our need to know His plans for our days and nights?
•  Are we in such a close relationship with God that our physical earthly needs are secondary to the priority of seeking and being with God, seeking His kingdom (His will) and doing His will? Everything else pales in comparison to our relationship with God and His will on earth.

What gets in your way of seeking God and His kingdom?

Lord, I get so busy trying to make sure I have enough money to pay for food, rent, car loan, kids school fees, and other things that I let those cares take priority in my mind and heart over You. Please forgive me for placing things over You. Lord, help me always to seek You and Your will. In the rush of my day, remind me to look up to You. In the quiet of my night, call my spirit to return to You. In the fear of uncertainty, whisper, “Come to Me.” Lord, I am a willful person who is trying to do what’s best, but sometimes I forget You and your will are the absolute best. Help me to remember and to desire You with my whole being. Give me Your perfect peace that comes from an active trusting reliance in You. I love You, Lord. Thank you for calling to me every day. Amen.

Beware and Seek

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Jesus taught His Sermon on the Mount to a multitude of people. Some were Jews, others were seekers, and some were His disciples. Jesus began this part of His sermon the way He ended it, with a command. He began the first command on a negative note. Jesus ending command was positive.

Jesus said in verse one, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them.” He put people on notice not to do something in verse one. Jesus taught the people not to do things to “be noticed,” to receive honor, prestige, and glory. If you aim to do good things, those good deeds are ideas from God and He should receive the glory, not you. When you give to the poor, no one besides the person who you helped, God, and yourself should know. Jesus said the same thing about praying. You should not pray so people will notice you, but instead pray to God for Him to notice you, and to develop your relationship with Him. Prayer is about building your relationship with God and staying in a close relationship with Him. If you pray so others will see you and give you honor and praise, that will be your only reward. You get what you wanted-honor and glory. Your intention for prayer would not be for God to hear you, for you to hear from Him, and to have a deeper relationship with Him, but for people to recognize how “devout” you are. This desire for honor and glory is not righteous. Taking the honor and glory steals from God and makes you unrighteous.

What happens, though, when you pray so people will see or hear you or when you do good works so people see you doing them, the deeds God initiated in your heart? When you do these things to receive honor for yourself, the focus of your heart has changed from God to yourself. Instead of living a “top-down” life, that is acknowledging God and His will as primary in your life, you live an upside-down life with your will being primary in your thoughts, words, and actions. This leaves God to be secondary or non-existent in your life. The latter is of what Jesus told His hearers to “beware.” If you live an upside-down life, then your honor and glory, and your desires are primary motivators in your life. But, as Jesus pointed out in this chapter, you will end up worried and concerned about daily life things such as clothing, food, and drink. You might receive honor for yourself, but you end up worrying how you will provide for yourself and your family, basic things of life. You will have excluded God from your life and trust in Him that He will provide all your needs is nonexistent.

Why does this happen? It happens because God is not primary; He is not Lord of your life. When God is primary in your life, you can pray as Jesus taught in verses nine through thirteen. You reverence God and acknowledge He is the true God, and He is holy, not you. You seek His kingdom, His reign and wisdom, to come rule over earth just as it is in heaven. You desire God’s reign in your own life, too. For this to occur, you recognize only God is righteous and makes people righteous. In being made righteous by God, you want and sometimes must apply discipline to seek a growing relationship with Him. Your growing relationship with God teaches you that God will always take care of your needs. Just as He beautifully clothes relatively small, inconsequential creations like birds and the lilies of the field, He will clothe you, a human made in His image. As long as you stay in a relationship with God, Jesus said, you need not worry about what your body needs.

Jesus basically said to stay in a “top-down” relationship with God as primary in your life. With God at the head of your life, you recognize Him as God and King over you. You receive your righteousness from Him and acknowledge He is Lord. Your main goal in your connection with God who gives you righteousness is to stay in a growing relationship with Him. When you choose as the main thing in your life to have a growing relationship with God, then all other things fall into place. God remains King of your life, you give Him honor and glory, He provides everything you need, and your love for Him deepens so you obey Him.

 This is what Jesus meant in verse thirty-three when He told His followers, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Jesus emphasized this point for a second time in this chapter. At the beginning of the chapter, He spoke about it in a negative format using the command “beware.” At the end of this chapter, Jesus used the positive command “seek.” “Beware” of doing this (seeking your own glory) and, instead, “seek” for God is what He told His hearers. What did Jesus mean when He told the people to seek God’s kingdom?

Our primary task as Christians is to stay in relationship with the God of our salvation and righteousness. That should remain our focus. Being in a close relationship with Him means we will obey Him when He tells us to do good, pray, fast, visit the sick, teach, preach, or any other thing He commands us to do. Our obedience shows our love for God. When we seek a growing relationship with God so that our will is to obey Him, that is “seeking first His kingdom.” Because we seek God, He will provide for all our needs. We will not put our glory or honor first and seek to provide for ourselves what we think we need. Instead, we seek God first. Instead we give God the glory. Instead we let God take care of us.

As Jesus said, we cannot serve two masters-God and our own self. We will end up hating one and loving the other. Instead of trying to make yourself master of your life and ending up worrying how you will give all your family needs, pay your bills, or bring your prodigal home, let God be Master of your life. Let Him provide for you. Let Him bring your prodigal home. Let Him be your Lord and Savior, your King. Anything you give yourself and family will be destroyed, rust, or rot. God gives what you need, and it will last forever. Instead, do as Jesus taught and don’t worry.

“Seek first His [God’s] kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” [NASB]

Lord, please forgive me for trying to rule my own life. You’ve been patient and watched me as I tried and fumbled. Lord, I recognize You as my Savior and King. Please forgive me and take control of my life. Help me grow in my relationship with You each day. Give me the burning desire to seek You daily. Use me for whatever you want. Lead me in your ways. May You receive all the honor and glory. Provide everything I need. Help me not to worry but give all my cares to You. I am taking my hands off the steering wheel of my life, Lord. I give its control to You. Thank you for being King and ruling with unconditional love and wisdom. Amen.

For What Do You Discipline Yourself?

 “But have nothing to do with worldly fables fir only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8. NASB)

Paul taught Timothy in this passage when Timothy was experiencing opposition to his teaching of God’s way and the Gospel. He told him to have nothing to do with worldly fables – stories and inventions of the human mind – but to discipline himself for the purpose of godliness. Paul said bodily discipline of little use; it can only be used on earth. Still better godliness is profitable for all things since it gives us promise here on earth and for our future life in God’s heaven.

Timothy faced ungodly people. These people sought to have followers and would say whatever it took to gain them. They tickled the ears of the people. These want-to be leaders seduced them to follow ungodly ways disguising it as godly doctrine, though it was what demons teach. Besides this, they told them not to marry and to abstain from eating certain foods. These self-important people were ungodly. They wanted followers for themselves more than anything and they had to be different from Jesus’ followers. These people even declared as unholy and unusable things God made for people to eat and use.

Are there people in our sphere who try to make themselves more important to gain followers and prestige? Are there people who try to make themselves more important than God by spouting what people want to hear? Do they declare things as good or bad contrary to God’s Word? This is why Paul exhorted Timothy to discipline himself for the purpose of godliness.

We may discipline ourselves for today and tomorrow while we live on earth, but what good will bodily discipline do for us in heaven when God gives us new bodies? If you are not a Christian, what good will bodily discipline do for you in hell when you will burn in unquenchable fire for eternity, but remain unconsumed? Godliness, Paul said, holds promise for the present life and the life to come. It is profitable now and for eternity.

This godliness Paul spoke of is reverence and respect for God lived out in our lives as obedience to Him because of our love for Him. Godliness comes from being in a relationship with God through prayer, study of the Bible, listening and heeding His teaching, and responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It comes from a close relationship with God that makes us more Christ-like each day. As Paul said, as a Christian living in this world, earthly life is a toiling, striving, and even suffering reproach because we have fixed our hope on the living God who is the Savior, Preserver, Maintainer, and Deliverer of all men, especially of those who believe in Him.

When we seek the godliness of God, we put Him first. We have hope of our future with Him in heaven. As people who put their trust in Jesus Christ and who are growing toward holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit and our love for the Father, we will be able to stand strong.

Is there someone you look up to that seeks followers, but does not walk in God’s ways? Do not follow him or her. Instead, discipline yourself for godliness. Seek God’s will in His Word, stand strong for Him, grow in your faith, and look toward your hope. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NASB) Seek God. Grow in godly discipline. Then He will add these things – food, shelter, clothes - to you.

Godliness –

Is your discipline growing you toward godliness?

Creating Our Own Stumbling Blocks (or The Seeking Shepherd and Unending Mercy)

Matthew 18

Matthew 18 caught my attention when I read verses 7-9. This is a hard saying. Would we want to cut off our hand or foot or pluck out our eye? What was Jesus saying? People often write this teaching off because they think it impossible. People consider it one of the “hard sayings” of Jesus. When we look at it closer in context, we see the overall lesson,  verse 11, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” What occurs when Christ saves people? They accept that He is the Son of God who died to take away their sins and they ask for forgiveness of their sins. In Matthew 18, Jesus gave us several types of people as well as the temptations that cause people to sin, from which they need saving.

            The occasion that began Jesus’ teaching was when the disciples questioned Him about who is greatest in heaven. Jesus called a child to himself and said, “Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (vs. 3). That appears easy and straightforward. Each person who wishes to enter heaven must be humble, recognize God’s supremacy, recognize Jesus as the Savior, and with a sincere heart ask for forgiveness. People who are converted and humble are children of God and will be great in God’s kingdom because they are His children and co-heirs with Christ. Jesus went further when He said, “Whoever receives such a child (a believer in Jesus) receives Me, but whoever causes one of these little ones (a child of God) to stumble, it would be better if he or she was drowned in the sea” (vs.5-6). Wow, what a statement! Causing a person, a believer, to stumble by tempting them (to sin) is such a great sin on the tempters part. Jesus had set the stage for what He next taught the disciples. Children of God receive the kingdom of heaven and are “great” because they are children of God. Great sin occurs when a person causes a believer to fall into sin by deliberate tempting or wrong teaching. Jesus said it would be better for that person to tie a millstone around their neck and drown. That is extreme, too. Jesus wanted the attention of the disciples so exaggerated the statement.

            In verses 7-10, Jesus spoke of the person who creates the stumbling blocks. Because we live in a fallen world, stumbling blocks come. Jesus said, “Woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes!” Jesus was serious when He said this. He became even more serious in the next two verses. He said,

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. (vs. 8-9 [NASB])

Jesus changed the recipient of the stumbling block in these verses. He now spoke of the person providing the stumbling block as being the one who stumbles. He spoke of the person’s own inclinations creating temptations for him or herself. Jesus recognized that two people stumble from one temptation, the one providing the temptation or stumbling block and the one who stumbled. These two people could be the same and we know this to be a proper diagnosis of sin. Often our desires cause us to act upon temptation and sin. Jesus added a further note to the one creating the stumbling block. He said, “Do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (vs. 10). Sometimes we create stumbling blocks for God’s children because we are jealous of their piety or favored-ness of God. We need to be aware that whatever we do to make them stumble, their guardian angels in heaven are aware of and bring before the Father so He can give the child strength of spirit to stand against the temptation. We can have this, too, so do not despise them, but seek the Father.

            The first two sections of chapter 18 (Jesus spoke of who a child of God is) warns those who make stumbling blocks for God’s children, made the disciples aware that these people create stumbling blocks for the child and for themselves, and angels go before God intervening for the child of God to stand strong during the times of trial. The children of God, because of Jesus dying for them, have strength available from God to withstand temptations to sin, whether the sin to create the temptation or succumb to the temptation. In the next three stories, Jesus gave further details about what He came to give us.

Verses 12-14 speak of a shepherd, who, upon noticing one sheep of the hundred has gone astray, chose to find the lost one. Jesus does not give up on any of us. He came to save us all. In verses 15-20, Jesus told us how to correct a sinning brother or sister first gently then with much greater effort. He reminded us that we can go to the Father in prayer to help lead the person, the sheep, back to the fold of God. Jesus said, “If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (vs. 19-20). We need to confront the sinning believer as to his or her sin. If this does not work then Jesus provided two other steps to approach the person about their sin. These should be done while at the same time praying to the Father. The believers pray for the confronted person and for themselves - that they will not fall to temptation while confronting the person, for the ability to love the confronted person, and for the return of the person, the lost sheep, to the fold.

The final story in the lesson is on forgiveness. Jesus told Peter that His disciples must forgive a brother or sister his sin up to seventy times seven. Since the number seven is a complete number in the Bible, Jesus could have said seven times seven, but He wanted to be emphatic and said ten times that. Jesus said His disciples are to forgive people an infinite number of times, unending forgiveness, just as He forgives us repeatedly. Jesus gave an example of this great forgiveness. He said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents (A talent was worth more than 15 years wages of a laborer.) came before him. Since he did not have the means to repay, the lord commanded him to be sold along with his wife and children and everything he owned, and repayment be made. The slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ The lord of the slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt” (vs. 23-26). Upon receiving the lord’s mercy and having his debt cleared from his name, the servant went to collect debts owed to him. One slave begged for mercy to have more time to repay. The forgiven slave threw the fellow slave into prison until he could pay back what he owed. When the lord heard this, he summoned the forgiven slave, gave him an account of his own mercy to him, and told him he should have learned from the lord his master. The lord in anger handed the slave over to the torturers until the slave could repay the debt that he forgave him . This slave met the lord, but did not give all of himself to him; he had not learned from the lord. By his actions, the servant/slave showed he was not a part of the lord’s true household because he did not extend mercy and forgiveness as his master did.

Each of these stories speaks of forgiveness. The stories give us glimpses into God’s character and the characters of humankind. The first story of the lost sheep shows us God’s determination to save humankind. He goes to great lengths to save each of us, which includes unconditional forgiveness and mercy. The second story shows us that God is determined to find and confront us with His love, mercy and forgiveness because He wants each person to come to have a personal and saving relationship with Him. God is persistent in seeking us. It also shows us, believers in Jesus Christ, how we are to approach a sinning brother or sister in love and with the grace and power of God. The third story tells us we are to forgive infinitely. No matter how often we have to forgive a person for causing harm against us, we are to forgive them. Jesus forgave our past sins and will forgive future sins when we come to him confessing and asking His forgiveness.

There is another part to these stories; Jesus tells us who we are to be, to love, and to forgive. The small child in verses 1-6 represents each believer in Jesus Christ. We must remember children of God who are younger in the faith than we and to whom we are more accountable to teach and not cause to stumble. In verses 7-10, the person causing the stumbling block is of whom Jesus spoke. We need God’s strength and forgiveness, too. Verses 12-14 speak of sheep, those who are in the fold of God (current disciples) and the one Jesus is determined (the person not yet a disciple) to follow and bring to safety. Jesus forgave them of their sins and went to great lengths to bring them to His fold. We used to be that lost sheep. As sheep in His fold we can still stray and Jesus will still seek for us to take us home. Jesus spoke of disciples leading other disciples in His name in verse 15-20. He also spoke about following His way and calling upon Him to help the sinning brother or sister return to God’s way. The final story speaks of a lord, symbolic for God, and a servant who supposedly is a devoted follower of the master’s ways. This servant received great mercy and forgiveness, but then showed his true beliefs by exacting from a fellow servant vengeance when he could not repay him. This servant proved his lack of devotion to the master by his lack of following the master’s example and teaching.

In each of these stories, Jesus showed the Father’s forgiveness. To the humble child, He gave forgiveness upon confession and acknowledgement of Him as Lord and Master. To the one who causes stumbling blocks, Jesus gave advice to remove from them that that causes temptation for them and creates temptation for others. Jesus loves so much as to teach His disciples to beware of their own sinful selves and remove from themselves whatever causes temptation. In the third story, Jesus purposely sought for the lost one because the Father’s will is that no one should live an existence separate from Him. Jesus went out of His way to find and forgive. In the fourth story, Jesus taught that He forgives every time a person asks and His disciples should forgive infinitely, too. Finally, Jesus taught that the Father wants everyone to come to Him so much that He will forgive them no matter what they have done. Yet, when that person, such as the first servant, turns out not to be a true son of God, God’s righteousness and justice prevail, especially when it causes one of His children harm or makes them stumble in their own faith. Because the second servant borrowed from the first, I assume the first servant had seniority over the second. The first should have been one to teach, as the master/lord taught him; but, he had not learned well and caused harm to the second servant. By putting the second servant into prison, mercy would not be taught and the servant and his family would be harmed.

This last story brings us back to verses 6-9. Jesus told the disciples not to create stumbling blocks for His children, themselves or other believers. He forgives infinitely a person who confesses his or her sin with a sincere heart. Jesus forgives each of God’s children and goes out of His way to seek the lost so that no one is lost for eternity. There are people, though, who intentionally create stumbling blocks and temptations for God’s people or who allow themselves to live in such a way that they distract themselves from the proper devotion due to God.

What came most to my attention while studying is the hard saying Jesus taught in verses 7-9. What is it that causes you to remove you devotion from God? Is your drive for climbing the ladder at work keeping you from reading the Bible daily? Is your desire for the newest edition of a car or a bigger house keeping you from seeking God’s face and worshipping Him? Is your desire for just a little wine keeping you from praying to God? Is your mental occupation of food keeping you from thinking about God? Possibly the eye, foot, or hand that is causing you to sin are these or a myriad of other things you allow to take priority in your life. Could you live with a smaller or older house or car so that you did not have to work so much and could go to church or Bible study? Could you move to another location so you are not as close to the bar or pub? Could you use the money God gives you to buy less for yourself and buy food for another family who does not have enough? Instead of allowing your eye, hand or foot (things close and dear to you) to guide you, allow your concentration on God and His will for your life to guide you. Do not let your desires drive you away from God as the non-believers do. It is better not to have these reminders of desires that distract your devotion to God than keep them and have to fight the temptation each day. Remove yourself physically from these temptations. Do as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

What is your millstone? What is it that occupies your mind and drives you?

Is it God or

your next meal,

your next house,

your next car, or

your next drink?

Many things can become stumbling blocks. Do not let Satan deceive you into believing you want and need them.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Are you lost?

Seek the kingdom of God and He will give you His righteousness and all you need.