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“Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm . . . (Acts 2:2, ISV)

For the past 7 posts I have been discussing the Beatitudes (See “Humble Pie and Crow,” from 4/29/22, and following posts.) Of the 8 Beatitudes, the first 7 describe the life that God calls us to pursue. The 8^th describes the outcome of this “Beatitude” life. The Lord tells us we will be persecuted by the world, but you will have great reward in heaven, and receive God’s blessing.

The evidence confirms the presence of hate for Christians in the world. According to ACN (Aid to the Church in Need) research, almost 340 million Christians around the world live under some kind of persecution such as violence, murder, arrest, and human rights violations. Open Doors research in 196 countries indicates in 2018 at least 4000 Christians were murdered, and in the 50 nations most hostile to Christians 11 believers are killed every day. In these same 50 nations, over 300 Christians are unjustly imprisoned every month. Open Doors released its annual World Watch List 2023 confirming that 1 out of every 7 Christians in the world suffers high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith” (Vatican News, 18 January 2023.),           

I’ve not seen this level of persecution in the United States. There have been an increasing number of deadly incidents at churches in America in the last two decades, but the motives may not always be anti-Christian. In the modern era, the first mass shooting in a church occurred in 1980 at the First Baptist Church in Daingerfield, Texas. Five were killed and ten others injured, and the shooter intended to get revenge for a domestic issue.

From 1966 to 2000, religious hate was a factor in 1 percent of mass shootings (defined as 4 or more victims by the Congressional Research Service.) From 2000 to 2014, religious hate fueled 9 percent of shootings, and jumped to 17% between 2018 and February, 2020. Since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, 23 fatal church shootings have occurred, the worst in 2017, at First Baptist Sutherland Springs in Texas, with 26 people murdered.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12, NASB, my emphasis.)

So, you might ask, in what ways did “they persecute the prophets before you?”

The writer of Hebrews gives us an expanded idea: ^“Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mocking and flogging, and further, chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented” (Hebrews 11:35-37, NASB.)

Quite a horrible list. If I get to choose, don’t put me down for “sawn in two.” I honestly don’t know how I would respond to severe persecution of those I love. I have no doubt persecution against Christians will increase. To quote Jerry Bridges, “I suspect our own court system will eventually fail us, as more and more judges are appointed who have been trained in law schools that at best are indifferent to biblical righteousness and at worst openly hostile to it” (The Blessings of Humility, © 2016, p. 77.)

But how are we to respond to any kind of persecution?

First, there are few rules in the Bible about whether to submit yourself to persecution or not, that is, whether to “stay or go.” John Bunyan (1628-1688), who was an English writer and preacher who knew something about persecution for his faith, described the strength test and the heart test. Basically, assess whether you physically have the strength to face the trial, and ask what your heart is telling you. Is the Spirit telling you to face the persecution or to walk away and stand another day?

Our Lord Jesus tells us, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you” (Luke 6:27-28, NASB.)

These are not suggestions. Jesus told us to do these things.

He also told us, ^“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19, ESV.)

There’s an illustration of the Lordship of Jesus in our lives. One day you are driving a car along the road of your life, and you pull over and ask Jesus to come along for the ride. He sits in the passenger seat, and after a while He tells you, “I want to drive.” So, you change seats and Jesus is now the driver of your life and you acknowledge His Lordship over your life.  

Jerry Bridges said in his book, The Blessings of Humility (© 2016, pp. 60-61), “In recent years I have concluded that this driving illustration is insufficient to picture the Lordship of Christ. Closer to the truth is that the Lord does not say, ‘I want to drive’ but rather, ‘I own this car.’ Paul puts it this way, ‘You are not your own; you were bought with a price.’ (I Corinthians 6:19-20).”

We need to prepare for how we will respond to persecution. Personally, I know how I want to respond, but if persecution becomes more severe in our beloved country, will I truly believe that God is sovereign over all the affairs of life? I trust His Spirit to help me when that time comes, and if I fail, I will get up and He will greet me like the prodigal son’s father, who was overjoyed and raced to greet his returning son.

God is still building His church. I don’t know what His plans are for the next year, or the next century, nor do I know when Jesus will return. I do see signs of His Spirit moving in America, and not just in the recent Asbury College event.

My wife, Candace, and I have made a commitment to pray every day for God to send His Spirit out upon our country and breathe the fire of His Word into every corner, and I invite you to do the same. Let us lift our prayers to Him Who hears and cares. Just think how glorious for our Father to hear, if every stadium at every college and university in the nation filled with people praising God, committed to spreading His Gospel and making disciples. Hallelujah!

Whatever comes, persecution, a great awakening, or something else, we serve a God Who sees all and nothing surprises Him. His plans will take place according to His will. We serve a God Who is full of mercy and compassion for those who love Him, and call upon His name.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV.)

Selah

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Can you answer the title question? So, how do you swim through a swamp? In a word: out. Before I talk more about swamps, let me relate a helpful story.

The Christian writer and speaker, Corrie ten Boom, once related an experience from her life. (This story can be found in, Guideposts, Classics: Corrie ten Boom on Forgiveness, from November 1972.) She was a survivor from the Nazi concentration camp at Ravensbrück, where her sister, Betsie, had died. In 1947, Corrie was giving a talk at a church in Munich, to spread the message about God’s forgiveness. After the talk a man approached her, and to her shock, she recognized him as one of the cruel guards at Ravensbrück.

The man didn’t remember her, but he told her he’d been a guard at the camp she had mentioned in her talk. He said he was glad to hear that God forgives and admitted he had become a Christian since the war. He extended his hand and asked Corrie to forgive him. She thought about Betsie, who had died in that cruel place, and thought she could not take his hand, and forgive him. Then she thought about Jesus words, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt 6:15, NIV.) She had no choice. She must forgive.

Corrie related, “I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war, I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.”

Corrie did take the man’s hand, and told him that she forgave him with all her heart. She made peace with this man who had been so cruel before. Still, she said afterwards, she encountered other situations she found hard to forgive, despite this experience.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9, NASB.)

Peacemaking begins with forgiveness. Sometimes we need to swim through a swamp of feelings to realize, as Christians, our forgiveness of someone who has hurt us deeply does not depend upon our feelings: forgiveness is an act of the will. We cannot take away God’s authority, but must leave judgement to God’s wisdom.

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19, NIV.)

In regard to swimming through swamps, it would be great to have a good map. Better still, a map and an expert guide. Now we’re getting somewhere!

We have both: the Word for a map, and God as our loving Guide. How does God give me the ability to forgive someone who has wronged me deeply? He changes my heart. The humility requisite to forgiving and making peace must come from a sincere heart, not just an outward expression. I must remember that I don’t deserve the forgiveness God has offered me through His Son, Jesus.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NASB.)

To hold a grudge against someone produces bitterness. Forgiveness releases us from the control of someone who has hurt us. When we hold on to a grudge, we give someone we don’t like power to affect our emotions, and just the thought of them can make our blood boil. Not good. Bitterness is like a weed that spreads into the heart and mind. There’s an anonymous saying, “Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping the other guy will die.”

I believe it helps to understand what forgiveness is not. It’s not a feeling. God can change your feelings if you submit them to Him. Forgiveness is not trusting the person who wronged you. The offender must demonstrate genuine change and repentance, and may never earn our trust.

Forgiveness is not reconciliation; that requires two people, and some people don’t care that they’ve hurt you. God gave Christians a ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18), but to try to reconcile may, in some cases, be unsafe.

There are steps one can take, to help you move towards peacemaking, if that’s possible. Colin S. Smith, in his wonderful book, Momentum: Pursuing God’s Blessing Through the Beatitudes (c. 2016), lists seven tactics for peacemakers: (1) recognize there is a problem; (2) deal with conflict early; (3) practice restraint, especially with the tongue; (4) prepare for a long journey; (5) take a step toward peace; (6) aim at humility, not humiliation (a triumph of love, not power); (7) entrust the injustice you have suffered to God. (I Peter 2:19).

Forgiveness does not instantly heal. That takes time. Forgiveness is necessary to healing. But forgiveness does not mean we do not want justice, or forget, or excuse, or tolerate the offense. It is simply an act of the will in obedience to God, entrusting the consequences to Him. Maybe to approach the offender is not advisable. Tell God you forgive the offender and surrender the rest to Him. God will deal with the offender in His perfect will and timing.

He knows the deepest places of our hearts. To humble ourselves, and give up the feelings of hate, bitterness, and revenge, enables us to embrace peace, growth and abundant life, which God wants for those who love Him.

            “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3, NIV.)

            Selah

You made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless till they rest in you. Augustine

The trees are bare now, but soon they will burst forth with leaves in a glorious green majesty. Here’s a little miracle for you: a single large tree can release enough oxygen to meet the needs of four people for two days. This is great for people because we breathe air, which is composed of 80% nitrogen, but it is the oxygen in air we need to live.

We exhale another gas, carbon dioxide (about 0.04% of the air around us) and the trees take this gas into their leaves, and through a process called photosynthesis, utilize the carbon dioxide and water, and the energy of sunlight, to convert these chemicals into sugar, the food of trees.

Our wonderful God has created this continual air-cleansing miracle in nature for our benefit, and His good pleasure. It’s there for us to observe if we will only make the effort to see it, that is, see how God has provided for us in His kindness and mercy.

This reminds me of a hymn, titled “Open Our Eyes, Lord,” written by Robert Cull, and published in 1976. One line reads, “we want to see Jesus.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see Jesus?

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8, NKJV.)

The requirement to see God is to be “pure in heart.” Jesus was speaking to His disciples when he said this, and of course, a large crowd of people were listening in, as this was part of the Sermon on the Mount.

I know I do not have a pure heart, and the scriptures confirm this.

The Old Testament reads, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV.) The New Testament reads, ^“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT.)

So, what did Jesus mean when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8, NKJV.)

I like to break down a verse to better understand it. “Blessed” refers to the steadfast joy of one who has received God’s favor. This is happiness that is not brief or transitory. As for purity of heart, Jesus was the only man to ever live without sin, so purity of heart doesn’t mean we’ve met Christ’s perfect standard, but the scriptures give us understanding.

“He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5, AMP.)

God has saved us because of His own compassion and mercy and put the Holy Spirit in us to continually change us into the likeness of Christ, renewing us day by day. Yes, I will joy in the God of my salvation!

As I discussed above, God placed the trees upon the earth to cleanse the air. The air is not “perfect,” but continually cleansed for us by the trees.

So how does Titus 3:5, quoted above and (if I may say so) God’s example in the trees show us what our Lord meant by “pure in heart?” It is something we continually pursue with a whole heart. Through the Gospel, we are united with the only One Who ever had a pure heart, our Lord Jesus Christ. This brings me back to the first Beatitude: to be poor in spirit, realizing how far short we fall from God’s perfect standard. Yet, He motivates us to work for that which we can never attain in this life: purity of heart.

^“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8, NIV.)

This is purity of heart: pursing Christ in obedience with an undivided, whole heart. This is where the joy is. This is, in this life, purity of heart.

Pastor Colin S. Smith defines purity of heart this way: “Some people have the idea that purity is something that you have when you are young, and you lose it if you mess up. That is the way the word “purity” is often used. But in the Bible purity is not something that you lose; it’s something that you gain as you grow in the Christian life. It’s not something behind you that was lost, but something ahead of you to be pursued and to be gained.” (Momentum, Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes, © 2016, Colin S. Smith, p. 153.)

Purity of heart, for one who is in Christ, is something to be gained. Jesus has already won the victory, by paying the ultimate price for us. Though I’m imperfect in this life, I can pursue purity through the power of the Spirit. And when I fall, I can get up, and He will be there still, so that I can single-mindedly pursue a closer walk with Christ.

I offer these posts as one who knows I fall well short of Christ’s example. Nonetheless, I pursue a deeper understanding of the scriptures and my Lord, and welcome those who follow me on my journey. I’m thankful for your comments, as well.

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me” (Micah 6:8, NKJV.)

Selah

The Gospel is good news of mercy to the undeserving. The symbol of the religion of Jesus is the cross, not the scales. -John Stott

I started this blog as an experiment in non-fiction Christian inspirational writing, but it’s also a chronicle of my journey for a deeper understanding of God’s Word. I lean on the Spirit to guide me as I study the scriptures, and invite my readers to walk with me, and share what I discovered.

I think of this fall time of year as the “mercy season.” It’s my favorite time of year as I observe many changes happening in nature.

The trees exhibit beautiful colors. The yellows, oranges, and reds painting the leaves were there all along, but the green pigments, called chlorophyll, overshadow them, until the diminishing light of fall causes the trees to make less green. But not to worry, the sugars produced by the chlorophyll remain safety stored in the roots of the tree for food when the branches turn bare.

Also, the ants go underground as a shield against the cold, where they have gathered food for the winter. Where is the instruction manual for that? Birds fly south in search of food, and somehow, they know where to go, sometimes to places thousands of miles away!

All these things are examples of God’s mercy and provision for their needs. He owes His creation nothing, but He faithfully cares for it through every season. He remains sovereign over all.

“You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it” (Psalm 65:9, NIV.)

I see many blessing for which I need to thank God, in this time when we celebrate thanksgiving.

I recently witnessed a couple of examples of mercy, or rather, the lack of it. My wife, Candace, and I were walking out of a store, and a young man asked us if we’d be willing to sign a petition. During our conversation, he told me he was from the east coast. I asked him about the recent hurricane, and he described “million-dollar homes” destroyed on the barrier islands off the Florida coast, and he offered “they got what they deserved because they are rich.”

This young man’s opinion did not offer mercy. I didn’t take the opportunity to share a Biblical perspective about who deserves mercy, and so perhaps, I was not merciful to him. I took a pass on his spiritual needs, rather than pity him.

The late Jerry Bridges, who was an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and staff member of the Navigators, related a story about mercy. He wrote, “Remember my reaction to the homeless men in the library. I was prideful. How dare these men invade our nice, middle-class space? Humility would have genuinely said, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ Humility would have thought, Is there anything I can do to help these men? Humility would have recognized that it is the Lord Who makes some poor and some rich, (or, in our case, middle-class.) It is the Lord Who brings low and Who exalts (I Samuel 2:7). If I am any better off financially or socially than these homeless men, it is all due to the grace of God” (The Blessings of Humility, p. 57, c. 2016.)

“He makes some people poor and others rich; He humbles some and makes others great” (I Samuel 2:7, GNT.)

No one deserves mercy. Timothy Keller said, “Mercy and forgiveness must be free and unmerited to the wrongdoer. If the wrongdoer has to do something to merit it, then it isn’t mercy.”

Jesus said, “Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!” (Matthew 5:7, GNT.)

I believe the concept of mercy is rooted in the first Beatitude that preceded Matthew 5:7: Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3.) When I realize my sinful emptiness before God and yearn to be filled with His righteousness through Jesus Christ, His forgiveness is His mercy to me. So, every happiness, joy, ability, virtue, and event good or bad, comes from His mercy to me. The mercy I show to others is born out of the mercy shown to me by a Holy God.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (I Peter 1:3, NASB.)

The Pharisees complained when Matthew, the tax collector, invited Jesus to eat with him. They asked why He ate with such despised scum. Jesus told them He came for sinners.

Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. ’For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Matthew 9:13, NLT.)

The Pharisees had reduced their interaction with God to an empty practice of rituals and rules. This isn’t what God wants from those who worship Him. He wants a real relationship in our hearts.

“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters] and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]!” (Matthew 23:23-24, AMP.)

Mercy required forgiveness, and acts as the doorway to forgiveness. But notice in the scripture above, Jesus lumps justice, mercy and faithfulness together. At first glance, mercy seems the opposite of justice: justice equals an offender gets the punishment he deserves, while mercy means he receives undeserved release from punishment.

But when I remember God has forgiven me, as a gift, I also recall the way He did so: by the sacrifice of His Son on the cross, to pay the price, and satisfy His justice against my sins, and all who call on the name of Jesus to save them. His offers mercy and grace not despite His justice, but because of it, and showed us that His justice was satisfied and not violated through His Son.

“and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (I Thessalonians 1:10, ESV.)

God has given us His template to follow.

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12, ESV.)

I need to feel compassion for others. Compassion opens the way to act mercifully, and mercy opens the way to forgive. These heart changes for me don’t happen easily, but over time, and by the work of the Spirit in my heart.

               “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV.)

Jerry Bridges puts it this way, “But the real expression of humility in action comes in forgiving others when they have sinned against us in some way . . . It means we extend mercy when we have received mercy from God (see Matthew 18:33.) Again, we see that merciful people are those who are poor in spirit, recognizing that we are not better (and perhaps even worse) than those who sin against us” (The Blessing of Humility, p. 57, c. 2016.)

Matthew 18:21-35, recounts Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant, who was forgiven much by his master, but then refused to forgive a smaller debt of another and had him put in prison. When the master found out about this, he put the unmerciful servant in prison.

“And Jesus concluded, ‘That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart’” (Matthew 18:35, GNT.)

This tells me forgiveness and mercy are not options. God’s mercy to me came at a price: the precious blood of my Savior. Mercy and forgiveness of those who have hurt me, can be difficult, if not impossible, in my own strength, but they are basic to living in Christ, and the Spirit helps me.

               Selah

“For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope”

Have you ever deeply longed for something?

I have. For instance, as a young man I like to backpack. On one hike, after enduring five days on a diet of trail mix and freeze-dried meals, I walked twenty miles to get a hamburger. Oh, it tasted so good! Afterwards, my shrunken stomach rebelled, and I almost upchucked. i can smile at this memory now.

Of course, there are more serious examples of longing. Some people hope for something their whole lives. In 2014, after thirty years on death row, Henry McCollum walked out of Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina, and thanked God for his release. DNA evidence had proven him innocent. How he must have yearned for freedom every day. He hugged his mother, and she thanked God and said, “My boy free!” It’s amazing to me that Henry McCollum spent as much time in prison as I did in my nursing career.

The Bible says all creation is longing for something. The whole of creation, “groans” for release from the curse of our sin and freedom from death and decay. As Christians, we know from the Word this earth is not our home, and we are promised a heavenly reward with God, a complete and eternal redemption.

^“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:22-25, NIV.)

The promise will be worth the wait. So, we wait, and hope. Jesus spoke of longing as “hunger and thirst.”

He said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6, NASB.)

The Amplified version translates this verse, “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied” (Matthew 5:6, AMP.)

To help me understand Matthew 5:6 better, I decided to break it into parts. First, as the verse above says, “blessed means “joyful, nourished by God’s goodness. Put me down for that kind of contentment any day! It sounds a lot better than a hamburger!

The next part of Matthew 5:6 refers to “hunger and thirst.” This phrase reminds me of David’s prayer to God when King Saul sought to kill him in the desert. David prayed, “O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you” (Psalm 63:1, GNT.) This “hunger and thirst” represents an intense longing, and David’s deep need for God to touch his soul.      

With this in mind, how may the “righteousness” Jesus referred to in Matthew 5:6 be described? Jerry Bridges, in his book, The Blessings of Humility, defines righteousness: “Basically, it is obedience to the moral commands of the Bible, as the Holy Spirit brings them to our attention” (Jerry Bridges, The Blessings of Humility, p.46, © 2016.)

Matthew 5:6 tells us we have a hope, a guaranteed expectation: “for they will be satisfied.” This Hope is mentioned in the both the Old and New Testaments.

The Old Testament says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5, KJV, my emphasis.)

The New Testament says, ^“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace He made us right in His sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7, NLT.)

Jerry Bridges comments about this “new life” in his book: “We are absolutely dependent on the Holy Spirit to work in us Himself and to enable us to work. We cannot make one inch of progress toward experiential righteousness without His divine enablement” (Jerry Bridges, The Blessings of Humility, p.47, © 2016.) Our Hope rests in Christ Himself.

When we long for Christ’s perfect righteousness, we are blessed, and we will be (completely) satisfied when He comes again to gather His church.

When I came to know he Lord as Savior, I received the Holy Spirit as my Helper and Comforter. He freed me from the power of sin, but I know I’m still under the curse of sin, because I struggle in this life, and my efforts fall far short perfect righteousness of Christ. But I want to move forward in my relationship with the Savior. I want to know more of Him, to live closer to Him, to talk to Him daily in prayer, and to love and please Him more. I know that Christ has changed my heart, because He blessed me with these longings.

As I stated above, I fall far short of the perfect righteousness of Christ in this life, and that’s why Jesus said I’m blessed when I’m “poor in spirit,” knowing how much I’ve been forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice.

Believers can rejoice in His mercy and goodness, and those who hunger to live in obedience to God, “will be satisfied.” The Apostle John described this satisfaction when he wrote, “My dear friends, we are now God’s children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He really is” (I John 3:2, GNT.)

Pastor Colin Smith, of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, in Chicago, puts this truth very eloquently, “The holiness begun in you in this life, will be complete in you in the presence of Jesus, and you will sin no more. When you see Christ, you will be like Him (1 John 3). Sin will no longer be in you, or in the people around you. There will be a new heaven and a new earth; it will be the home of righteousness, and all who hungered and thirsted for righteousness will be there.” (Colin Smith, openthebible.org, “Blessed Are Those Who Hunger for Righteousness,” 10/28/2012.)

A prayer from A. W. Tozer (“The Pursuit of God,” p. 15, Christian publications, 1982) reads:

O God, I have tasted Your goodness,
and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.
I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace.
I am ashamed of my lack of desire.

O God, the Triune God, I want to want you.
I long to be filled with longing;
I thirst to be made more thirsty still.

Show me Your glory, I pray that I may know You indeed.
Begin in mercy a new work of love within me.
Say to my soul ‘Rise up my love and come away.’

Then give me the grace to rise and follow You,
up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Selah

“in humility think more of each other than you do of yourselves”

As written in Matthew 5:5, Jesus told His disciples, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” (ASV.)

How can this be? In our modern society, people don’t value meekness, and consider people with this characteristic as unassertive, easily dominated, bound to a doormat life, and the only way to escape this fate is self-determination.

Was Jesus telling His followers to be good doormats?

You hear the phrases all the time. “If you can dream it, you can do it” (Walt Disney.) “Decide what you want. Believe you can have it. Believe you deserve it, and believe it’s possible for you” (Jack Canfield, American motivational speaker and author; co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series.) Steve Jobs, an American business entrepreneur (e.g., Apple) said, “Don’t be afraid. You can do it.” If someone took this advice to heart, jumped off a cliff, and decided to grow wings because he “deserves” them, he’s headed for a sudden change of mind.

When Jesus spoke of the meek, He was not speaking of personality, but a work of the Holy Spirit cultivated in our lives. The word in Greek is praus, meaning “gentle.” The meekness Jesus spoke of doesn’t come from weakness, but our submission to the power of the Spirit.

“Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity, but in humility think more of each other than you do of yourselves” (Philippians 2:3, PHILLIPS.)

There’s two ways God commands meekness from us: submission to His will and bearing of injuries from others. There’s a true story that illustrates this.

On January 8, 1956, five young missionary men were murdered while attempting to bring the gospel to a violent, indigenous tribe in Ecuador named the Huaorani. The missionaries all had wives, and among them four young children. They knew the effort could take their lives, but after much preparation, believed God was leading them to this task. This submission to God’s leading may well be described as “meekness.” All of these men could have led successful lives in the States, but they answered God’s call.

Did this outcome surprise God? The simple answer is no, but the total picture remains difficult for us to understand. Was God “wasting their lives?” No. God’s understanding of events and His ways are far above us. To accept this truth may be called meekness.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither 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, ESV.)

After their deaths, a sister of one of the men, and the wife of another, along with her daughter, returned to the Huaorani, to offer the tribesmen forgiveness. Many in the tribe accepted Christ as Savior, including at least one of the murderers. Ultimately, the New Testament was translated into the Wao language.

These women also exhibited meekness. They obeyed Christ in their return to the tribe to finish the work of the missionary men, and showed forgiveness to those who had wrong them, and returned good for evil.

“It is not the level of our spirituality that we can depend on. It is God and nothing less than God, for the work is God’s and the call is God’s and everything is summoned by Him and to His purposes, the whole scene, the whole mess, the whole package—our bravery and our cowardice, our love and our selfishness, our strengths and our weaknesses . . . I reminded Jim of what we both knew it might mean if he went. ‘Well, if that’s the way God wants it to be,’ was his calm reply. ‘I’m ready to die for the salvation of the Aucas.’ While still a student in college Jim had written: ‘He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.’” (Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor)

When we are faced with trying circumstances, perhaps, we can hold on to the truth that nothing happens to us apart from the watchful, loving eye of God. Still, we may ask Him, “Why?” His reply may be, “Trust Me without knowing why.”

“They won’t be frightened at bad news. Their hearts are steady, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:7

I’ve read Jesus described as the “ultimate doormat.” Now, I’m not a Biblical scholar, and I do not criticize those who hold this view. I try to understand these things through scripture.

“For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18, ESV.)

Our Savior had authority from the Father to choose whether to go to the cross. He modeled meekness: obedience to the Father, and He forgave those who crucified Him, all to pay the price for our salvation. Jesus chose to die for us. He chose. He died with power and authority. He gave His life willingly to save us.

There were times I felt in my heart that I was somehow better than another, because I’m a Christian, and the other person is an unbeliever, or perhaps, they were rude, or selfish and inconsiderate, or a liar, or an addict, or a drunkard, unfaithful in marriage, a thief, or violent, or an ex-con.

I’m no better. I’ve never been arrested, fined, or jailed. I haven’t lied since I was a kid, and I’ve never been unfaithful.

I’m no better. I sin in many ways a Christian should not: indifference, selfishness, anger, unforgiveness, and other ways, and it is only the blood of Christ that separates me from the wrath of God. But I can take joy knowing that Jesus chose to die for me on the cross, and this joy spurs me to tell others about Him, because I’m a sinner like them, but forgiven through Christ.

^“The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:38, NASB.)

In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells His disciples, and us, we are blessed if we are poor in spirit; we are blessed if we mourn for our sins; we are blessed if we are meek, that is, put humility into action.

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18, ESV.)

            Selah

When we pause, and seek God in simple things, He blesses us with boundless hope.

Why is it so easy to talk around a campfire?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave radio addresses to the nation that came to be known as “fireside chats.” CBS reporter, Harry Butcher, came up with the name in a press release on May 7, 1933, just prior to one of FDR’s radio addresses to the people. The name stuck, and it’s easy to understand why.

Who doesn’t love conversation by a campfire? The flickering light and radiating heat on a chilly evening invite people to relax and engage in small talk. Add something to snack on, like smores, popcorn, or a warm beverage, and those gathered are “in the moment.”

In my experience, people sometimes open up, one-on-one, and the conversation can wander to the heartaches plaguing them. Once, by a campfire, someone opened up to me that she felt crushed by the betrayal and infidelity of her spouse, and the experience caused her to believe men had no feelings of true love and loyalty, even though she longed to have a family of her own.

She revealed to me that something I had said to her, a year before, changed her thoughts about men and marriage relationships, showed her that men have hurt feelings too, and sometimes men suffer heartbreak. Since, she had grown to believe a sound marriage relationship was possible. All the glory belongs to God.

I’ve learned I don’t want to hide anything in prayer with the Lord, not that it’s possible to do so.  His Word doesn’t mince terms on this truth.

 “Are five sparrows not sold for two assaria? And yet not one of them has gone unnoticed in the sight of God” (Luke 12:6, (NASB.)

In my last post (see 5-26-2022), I discussed Matthew 5:3, where Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” and I’m continuing here with Matthew 5:4, where Jesus tells his disciples, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (NASB.) Jesus not only wants His follower to freely and humbly acknowledge our sins to the Father, but we must feel them, have them pierce our hearts so that we want God to change us, help us, to be more obedient.

My reading tells me, the “blessing” meant here is “an enviable state of happiness to be desired.” How can mourning lead to happiness? This seems counterintuitive. I have discovered that an open, honest recognition of my failures, sins, guilt, unworthiness and total helplessness before my Heavenly Father, naming my failures specifically, creates a wonderful bridge to His mercy, grace and love. But “mourn” my sins? Jesus intends that this characteristic grow in all His followers. I believe “mourning” our sin relates to the nature of our prayers with God.

A few weeks ago, my pastor, John, gave a sermon on I Thessalonians 5:16-18, which reads, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

Pastor John suggested five everyday opportunities to pray: (1) when all’s well; (2) when troubled times come, we can find something to be thankful for; (3) while waiting, use the time to pray; (4) make a habit to pray during daily chores; (5) when we worry, we can catch ourselves, and instead thank God for His presence in our lives. Wow! What a useful list.

My wife, Candace, and I were talking about prayer. She said something that gave me pause: we often just bring the “big stuff” before God, and neglect to talk to Him about the everyday things in our lives because we think they’re not important enough to bring before our Creator. I know I’ve been guilty of this.

He wants to hear it all, for us to have an awareness of His presence in every detail of our days. Small things make up most of our lives, but scripture tells us not to look down on small things.

For instance, John 6:9 reads, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (ESV) Yet, Jesus fed thousands of people with one boy’s lunch. There’s an old hymn by Kittie Suffield, titled, “Little is much when God is in it.” There’s so much wisdom in this simple, old song.

I read a devotional concerning the 66 books of the Bible, encouraging memorization of scripture. The Holy Spirit brings these scriptures to mind, and guide and grow us, no matter what we’re facing. Makes sense, as the Spirit inspired the writing of the scriptures, so He will use them to speak to us. The scripture refers to our Savior as the “Word.”

This led me to a new scripture project: select a portion of scripture to memorize from each book of the Bible. This is a doable, fun project, that will take me through the entire Bible.

So, what does a fireside chat, and unceasing prayers in everyday things, and memorization of scripture have to do with “mourning?” There are times when I regret or feel very sad about my failures before God, but I can’t say I always “mourn,” or experience a deep and piercing grief.

Still, I’ve experienced deep mourning in my life. The first time I lost someone very close to me, my dad, I thought my heart had been ripped in two. The pain was paralyzing. I was lost. This is the kind of mourning Jesus was speaking about in Matthew 5:4: deep, intense grieving like the loss of a dear loved one. Our Lord said this kind of mourning will characterize all those who follow Him, not perfectly in this life, but growing.

God promises He will provide for this.

^“I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart” (Ezekiel 36:26, GNT.)

And also in Hebrews:

^“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need” (Hebrews 4:15-16, NASB.)

I have learned to lean on the Spirit to guide me, and give me strength over sin. The Spirit inspired the Word, so I believe when I commit scripture to memory, the Spirit will use it to guide me and change my heart. The Bible describes the Word as a “sword.”

^“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17, NASB.)

The word for “sword” used in this verse is a machaira, which is a short saber for close fighting. The term for “word” used is rhema, “a brief writing,” which is like a verse of scripture, rather than the entire Bible. The idea I get is believers are meant to arm themselves with verses to help in times of close in-fighting when faced with temptations and sin.

I want to get to true blessedness (happiness) as Jesus meant it: the spiritual prosperity that only comes through a transparent, right relationship with God. I want to yield to the Spirit, and grow in my willingness to become “poor in spirit” and “mourn,” over the ways I fall short, to have an honest and humble relationship with God.

I’m a simple man, so I distill “mourning” to a simple picture: when I humbly admit my failures to God, He sits across the campfire and listens intently; when I weep over my sins, He sits beside me, reaches His loving arm around my shoulder, and weeps with me, offering His mercy and grace.

^“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NLT.)

Selah

When we pause, and seek God in simple things, He blesses us with boundless hope.

The mourning doves are back and making nests again on several of the capitals of the pillars around our house, and they’ll be at it through July. You’ll hear their mournful call and find the mess below the nest: pieces of twigs, grass, and the ever-present “little eyeballs” scattered among the nesting debris as the parents clean the nest. Like most babies, the hatchlings are cute, and prolific poop-machines.

I’ve referred to them before in my blog, dated 5-26-2018, “The dove who rested.”

Both the male and female feed their young on “crop milk,” which is a yogurt-like secretion produced by the walls of their crop. Both parents are needed to provide enough food for the growing nestlings during their first seven days in order to survive.

The female Mourning dove sits on her eggs from late afternoon until midmorning, and then the male takes his turn.

Not to belabor facts about doves (a lot more could be said) the scientific name for mourning doves is Zenaida Macroura, for the honor of princess Zenaida Charlotte Julie Bonaparte, the wife of famed zoologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte. The word “Macroura”, which means “long-tailed” in Greek, for the doves’ long tail.

The Mourning dove often symbolizes sorrow, in some cultures, the mourning dove is connected to love, peace, and harmony. One company uses the word to describe the gentleness of their products. Either a message of love from God, or an aid in a time of crisis, it often represents a blessing from God.

Certainly, God has equipped mourning doves to live as He designed them. He has blessed them; that’s what a beatitude is, a blessing, or favor from God. Doves don’t make, or need, a plan to act like doves. They just do it, because they are doves. Not so much with us. As Christians, we have a sin nature at war with our new nature in Christ.

I have been reading about the Beatitudes, a part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus spoke first about the blessing of the “poor in spirit.”

            “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (5:3, NASB.)

            So how does this relate to mourning doves and their nesting practices?

At times when I’ve swept nesting debris, I thought about the debris in my own life, past and present, in the light of God’s holiness. I can’t “sweep it up” by my own efforts, except to push it out of my mind and my heart; not an easy thing to do when I want to draw closer to the Lord Jesus.  And the closer I draw to Him the more I am aware of the sin in my heart. I struggle every day with pride, selfishness, bitterness, and jealousy.

Isaiah, though a righteous man, recognized his lack of merit when he had a vision of God. He was poor in spirit.

“‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty’” (Isaiah 6:5, NASB.)

Yet, Christ died for me, and you. Those who accept Him as Savior receive the Holy Spirit, and are made new. I’m no longer a slave to my sin nature, but it’s still present, and at war with me to turn me towards sin. By the power of the Spirit within me, He enables me to resist and overcome sin.

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

I see more clearly now than I did as a young Christian just how much He has forgiven me, and while I don’t want to lose that understanding and awareness, I also know He has compassion on me, and has forgiven me. Psalm 103 is worth reading.

We live in a time when people put a high value on self-esteem, and we’re often encouraged to see ourselves as better than we are, and these same sources proclaim, “You deserve it!” I see ads on TV proclaiming “what the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” This is a quote from Napoleon Hill, who wrote a self-help book, Think and Grow Rich. He died in 1970. When I hear this said, I think, “Don’t jump off any high buildings and expect to grow wings—your dream may end abruptly.”

Charles Stanley wrote, “Godly dependence is not a sign of weakness but one of immeasurable strength and confidence. There are problems in life that only God can solve, tasks only He can perform, and solutions that can only be discovered through the wisdom He gives” (Stanley, Pathways to His Presence, June 1.)

Jesus told his disciples to realize their spiritual poverty before a Holy God, to think less of themselves than others, and it would be a blessing to them. This is counter-cultural in Jesus’ time, and in our present day. I believe when I realize my spiritual poverty, the more I’ll trust issues of my life to Him each day.

“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will glorify the lowly with salvation” (Psalms 149:4, NASB.)

Real happiness and usefulness is found in sovereign grace, and not in the pursuit of self-esteem. God’s grace is the cure to low self-esteem. I’m blessed when I feel my guilt, helplessness, unworthiness and emptiness, and am honest about these things, and seek God’s grace. I know He’s waiting to give it.

Yes, I want to be poor in spirit. I want to draw near to God’s sovereign grace.

Selah.

Faith makes all things possible . . . love makes all things easy.”—D. L. Moody

Another Easter has come and gone, and for a few weeks I’ll feel the desire for Jesus’ return a little more intensely. I want to see Him, to hear his voice, and feel the strength in His arms. I know from scripture He demonstrated humility throughout His earthly life.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29, NASB.)

There’s an interesting story about President Harry Truman. When he was elected in 1948, the Washington Post hung a sign outside of their offices that read, “Welcome home from the crow eaters.” They had endorsed the Republican ticket. The Post also telegrammed President Truman to suggest a gala dinner where everyone who had predicted his election loss would eat crow and wear sack cloth, and the President would be served turkey and wear a white tie. Truman declined and pursued a policy of working with all parties to solve the country’s issues. He offered grace.

To “eat crow” means to become submissive and apologetic, when admitting an error, or when an apology is enforced after one commits a wrong, as in the case of the Washington Post editors wrongfully predicting the election loss of President Truman.

The phrase “to eat humble pie” means the same thing. The phrase comes from the United Kingdom. In the 14^th century, a meal consisting of the heart, liver, and entrails of an animal was known as numbles, and later, umbles. The master ate the best cuts of meat, while the servants made do with “umbles.”

One of my favorite Bible passages about Jesus’ humility is recorded in John 13:1-11, the Last Supper. He washes the disciples’ feet, full knowing He is God’s eternal Son (see v. 3.)

I have participated in foot-washing services. If you ever have a bone to pick with a brother, just wash his feet and it will disappear! It is a humbling experience, and it reminds me of how much God has forgiven me, and continues to forgive me, not because of my efforts, but because Jesus paid my price on the Cross. The more I mature as a Christian the more I realize how much I fall short, the more I am “poor in spirit.”

I’ve been reading the Sermon on the Mount, especially the Beatitudes. These counter-cultural blessings (the word Beatitudes comes from the Latin word for “happiness” or “blessing”) paint a picture of Jesus, and the humility He demonstrated throughout His earthly ministry, and I plan to study this portion of scripture more closely. These character traits described by our Lord tell me where my heart needs to head, but only by the power of the Spirit. I want to become more like Jesus, and though I won’t meet His perfection in this life, His Spirit works in me to guide me in that direction.

The Beatitudes also tell me how the Spirit is changing me, in attitude and action. Jesus commanded those who follow Him to walk in humility. The culture of the Greco-Roman world despised this trait, but Jesus taught a different way: in God’s eyes, humility has great value.

^“And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So, whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2-4, NASB.)

Paul urged us to live humility out in our everyday lives. I don’t have an option.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;” (Philippians 2:3, NASB.)

 When I go to the grocery store, as I drive down the road, as I take a walk in my neighborhood, I’m to practice humility in everything. This does not mean to live “doormat Christianity,” and let people walk on you, but choosing forgiveness is strength.

But this is contrary to my sin nature. I don’t always get this right. I try. The wonderful thing is, I don’t have to do this in my own strength. God gives His grace, that is, His power. The Holy Spirit enables me at the point of need to act in a manner pleasing to God.

“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NASB.)

Do I offer this same grace to others, to the broken, the hurting, the doubting, the marginalized, the skeptical, and the searchers? I don’t pray enough for God to bring them into my life or to church. When I see a new person in church, I don’t always make a point of greeting them. Humility is not an option.

When I suffer trials, sometimes I complain, “Why me?” But why not me? Everything in my life happens under the loving, watchful eye of God. Humility is vertical as well as horizontal.

“Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him? Who has appointed Him His way, and who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?” (Job 36:22-23, NASB.)

God’s love doesn’t stop when we are broken or suffering.

^“I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither messenger of Heaven nor monarch of earth, neither what happens today nor what may happen tomorrow, neither a power from on high nor a power from below, nor anything else in God’s whole world has any power to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 8:38-39, PHILLIPS.)

When the Spirit-empowered Word is preached, it has the power to awaken unbelievers to Christ and His Gospel. My pastor preaches Biblical, insightful messages every Sunday worship. My heart is often stirred, and I take notes and re-read them, sometimes leading to “scripture trails” through the Bible during the week. I must be faithful to pray for him regularly. He’s a man of flesh and bone, and suffers frustrations, struggles, illnesses, disappointments like we all do, and he needs to know he’s appreciated.

On Easter Sunday, Pastor John challenged us with the story of Mary outside the tomb on the morning Jesus arose (John 20:11-18.) She was distracted and didn’t recognize the Lord until He spoke to her. Pastor reminded us that “Easter invites us to not only see Him for who He is, but to rightly see ourselves in the light of Him.”

I’m going to go deeper into my study of the Beatitudes. There’s more for me to learn.

Selah.

“Blessed are the merciful”

The time has come again when my orange tree hangs heavy with fruit. Soon I’ll cook up this year’s batch of marmalades. It’s a lot of work, but yummy. I inspected my tree recently, and the whole tree needs a thorough pruning, but after I harvest my oranges. As I considered the tree, I was reminded of Jesus words.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NASB.)

Christians are like my orange tree. Some oranges ripen a little sooner than others, but all receive their life from the same roots and trunk. Believers are bound together in Jesus and His indwelling Spirit. Pull an orange off a tree and it begins to die. Christians are the same; apart from Jesus we can do nothing,

It wasn’t long ago when, like many Christians during the pandemic, Candace, and I would participate in worship online, including communion. We felt the Spirit connecting us with our church family, and we can appreciate what a blessing this technology is for those who cannot attend worship. We would improvise our communion elements with a cracker and water, or even a cookie and tea.

It occurred to me this last month, we could have used orange juice and gingerbread. Plenty available! We observe communion to remember our Savior, Christ Jesus, and in so doing, we acknowledge we are not alone, but a family in Christ.

The past nine weeks my posts have dealt with the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23.) From the moment a person is born again, the Spirit cultivates this fruit in their heart so they become more like Christ, desire to follow Him and live in obedience to His Word.

^“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5, NASB.)

This regeneration and renewing belong to the Spirit. It is perfect, because this process belongs to God, and we can do nothing to change our inner being to become more Christlike. There are many in the evangelical church who propose extra-biblical efforts to change ourselves, in the hope we can improve on the Spirit’s work within us, which only serve to draw us away from total dependence upon God.

Charles Stanley puts it this way, “Our zeal, apart from divine knowledge, can send us racing into the unknown, when it’s best for us to wait upon Him for guidance. However, learning to walk by faith teaches us to stand firm while awaiting God’s direction. Our mentality that places a disproportionate amount of emphasis on works can incite us to go forward. We forget that some of our greatest personal growth as believers, and the preparation necessary for God’s next step in our lives, takes place in the stillness of our hearts . . . for we understand that a deep faith in Him trusts that, with Him alone, we will succeed in walking victoriously by faith” (Stanley, ­Pathways to His Presence, June 2.)

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalms 46:10, ESV.)

A few weeks ago, someone told me young people can see hypocrisy in the church, and so, many are leaving. I’ve heard this before, and it breaks my heart. I believe this statement belies a fundamental misunderstanding of life in Christ.

“To us, the greatest demonstration of God’s love for us has been His sending His only Son into the world to give us life through Him. We see real love, not in that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to make personal atonement for our sins. If God loved us as much as that, surely, we in our turn, should love each other!” (I John 4:9-11, PHILLIPS.)

So, I could advise this young person to look in the mirror to find the closest hypocrite, but that wouldn’t help. And here’s the reality check: there is hypocrisy in the church: we are broken vessels. Fortunately, the Scripture has something to say about this.

Jesus said, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36, NIV.)

In James we read, “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; but [to the one who has shown mercy] mercy triumphs [victoriously] over judgment” (James 2:13, AMP.)

So, how might we behave towards our broken fellow Christians? Paul described this to the Colossians, “So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive” (Colossians 3:12-13, AMP.)

As a beloved sister recently said in church, we are all “broken vessels.” We don’t have forgiveness because we’ve done anything to deserve it. There is a Japanese artform called Kintsugi, or golden joinery, whereby broken pottery is repaired using lacquer mixed with powdered gold. In this artform, breakage and repair become highlighted as part of the history of a vase or bowl, rather than something to camouflage. God does the same for us.

Dr. Charles Stanley says, “Before we can trust God fully, we must come to a point of helpless dependence. It is here that we realize we simply cannot do it all, be all that is needed, and have all the answers . . . Godly dependence is not a sign of weakness but one of immeasurable confidence. There are problems in life that only God can solve, tasks only He can perform, and solutions that can only be discovered through the wisdom He gives” (Stanley, ­Pathways to His Presence, June 4.)

Many good reasons exist for attending church regularly, and not just attending, but participating with a family of believers in the work of the Lord. Here’s a few.

By hearing Biblical truths, sound doctrine from the Word, God speaks to His church and leads us in the path we should go. Discerning TV preachers can be wonderful, but to me it’s the difference between watching a screen to see a pie come out of an oven and immersing your senses in the kitchen aroma. I believe true worship emanates from humble gratitude for the love God has shown us. I don’t want my worship to act as a self-serving emotional experience, to simply feel like I’ve been with God.

I learn from my church family how to be a better Christian, and sometimes they bear my burdens, and I have the blessing of uplifting them in times of hardship and need. There are those in my church family who I look to as mentors. Through outreach in our community, we can offer hope and God’s light to others who need to know Him.

Finally, God tells us to gather for worship. “Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer” (Hebrews 10:25, GNT.)

I believe hearing, reading, studying and meditating upon the Word, spending time in prayer and expecting God to speak, and worship with a church family, all serve to open our hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit to cultivate His fruit in our lives, which we receive directly from Him, rasping away our rough edges, to transform us more into the likeness of the Savior.

“So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (II Corinthians 3:18, NLT.)

John Stott prayed a prayer at the beginning of each day, a practice I’ve adopted:

“Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please You more and more. Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow You. Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause Your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Blessed are the merciful. “Blessed” generally means “joyful” or “happy,” coming from a right relationship with God.

I am blessed, and I pray you are too.

Selah