Who Gets The Benefit?

"Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
Indeed I have all and abound.  I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
Philippians 4:17-18 (NKJV)

When I was a child, like most children, I did not always want to brush my teeth or go to bed when I was supposed to.  To me, it seemed terrible that my parents would ask me to do such things.  But, was it really the case that my parents were horrible people who were only asking me to do these things for their benefit, or were they asking me to do things that would be for my benefit?  The obvious answer was that the things they were asking me to do were things that would be a benefit to me.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul thanked them for their support of the work he was doing.  Paul shared that he was not simply trying to get something from them, but he was interested in the fruit they would have to their account because they helped him with the ministry he had.  Because the Philippians had supported Paul, they were also going to reap the spiritual fruit of the work that Paul did.  What we do ourselves in serving God, and what we do to help others serve God, will produce fruit and be a benefit to us.

When we hear of a need somewhere or an opportunity to be involved in our church, we sometimes look at it as though we are being inconvenienced or only being asked to do something that will help someone else.  But being involved in our church, helping others, financially supporting our church, and even missionaries, is really as much for our benefit as it is for those we help. When we use our time, abilities, or finances to help others, it not only does them good, but just like Paul explained to the Philippians, it is for our benefit as well.

Working On It

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."
Colossians 1:28-29 (NKJV)

Have you ever had a project that you were working on that you could not complete in just a day?  Maybe you were learning a new language, or it might be that you were doing some long-term home remodeling, or maybe you were in a physical fitness routine with the goal of losing weight or just being in a better physical condition.  Whatever your long-term project was, you would need to keep working on it on a regular basis and you would need to make it a priority, so that you did not lose sight of the project and fail to complete it.

In Colossians 1, Paul talked about his working to present everyone perfect in Christ Jesus, meaning he was helping people become mature believers in Christ.  We can see here, and with other things that Paul wrote about spiritual development, that this was a main objective that Paul had.  Helping people become mature believers was a goal that Paul had, it was something he was always working on.  Paul knew this was something that was not done in one day, and we can see from his life and writings that this was a priority in his life.

The Apostle Paul did many things, but he was always working on developing spiritually mature believers.  Paul traveled a lot, and he was also a tent maker, but his main goal was to help people understand their relationship with God through Jesus and to help people develop into mature believers.  Paul knew that unless someone grows up spiritually that they will not be in the position to do everything that God has called them to do.  Developing spiritually mature believers is something that Paul was always working on, and we should too, for ourselves and for others.

A Ripple Effect

"Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."
1 Timothy 4:16 (NKJV)

The term "ripple effect" is used to describe how one thing can have an influence on several other things.  For example, when you buy something in a store, you can then use what you bought.  Once you have made your purchase, the store needs to order something to replace what was sold, the company that made the product now needs to make a replacement for the item that you bought, and so on.  We do not always realize it, but one thing we do can have an effect on many other things.

Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16 that Timothy should pay attention to himself and his doctrine (teaching).  The reason Paul gave for this was that if Timothy would be sure to take care of himself, and if he would be sure to have correct doctrine, Timothy would save both himself and those who heard him.  The things Timothy did would affect his own life and the lives of those around him.  This same thing is true for all of us, what we do can make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Most of the time, we think about our lives and what God is directing us to do in relation to how these things will affect us.  As Paul told Timothy, what we do for ourselves and the things we teach, the things we believe, will have an impact on others.  We think about the plan and purpose God has for our lives and how it will effect us, but God sees the ripple effect of how our obedience to His plan and purpose will benefit others.  We all need to realize that what we do, and what we believe, can be a major influence for good in the lives of others.

Who You Are And What You Do

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

When you meet someone for the first time, you usually want to know who they are.  Some people will tell you about themselves and where they come from, while other people will talk about their job and the work that they do.  Both responses are good and will help you get to know someone, but there can be a problem if someone is so wrapped up in the work that they do that it is the primary way that they identify themselves.  Who you are is just as significant as what you do.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that when we are born again, we become a new creation in Christ.  The Bible also tells us that we are a part of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27) and that we are children of God (1 John 3:1-2).  As a new creation in Christ, because we are a part of the Body of Christ, and as the children of God, there are things we will do for, and with God, but the most important part of our life is our relationship with God, not the things that we do for God.

There are many Christians who base their identity on what they do for God, rather than on their relationship with God as a member of His family.  While we are God's workmanship and we are created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10), the fact of being the workmanship of God itself is more important for us than the work we are called to do is.  It is not what we do for God that identifies us or gives us value, it is who we are in our relationship with God that matters.  We all need to realize that who we are in Christ is more important that what we do for God.

Do It Yourself

"Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters.  But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."
1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV)

Some people know about things like cars, lawn care, and home repairs, to the extent that they are skilled in those various areas, and they can do many things for themselves with those different things.  But then there are other people who are not very skilled in some of these things, and those people need to call someone else to do their work for them.  It is wonderful to know someone else who can do something for you, but it is even better if you can do it yourself.

In 1 Samuel 30, David was in a difficult situation.  While David and his men were away, an enemy attacked the city where David and his follower's families lived, burned the city, and carried away the women and children.  In this terrible situation it says that everyone was grieved, and the people even talked about killing David.  David could have given in to the feelings of distress that everyone else felt, but that would not have helped.  No, when things looked bad, David strengthened himself, he encouraged himself, in the Lord.

David could have waited until someone else did something to change the mood of the group, but that may have been too late.  Instead, David took the initiative and strengthened himself in the Lord.  David put himself in the position to hear from God, and God gave David direction about what to do.  The next time you have a problem, don't just passively wait for someone else to do something or just hope things will change, get your focus on God, strengthen yourself in the Lord, and take the steps that God will give you to bring you the victory you need!

Keep An Eye On That

"And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it:"
Colossians 4:17 (NKJV)

Have you ever had someone tell you to keep an eye on something, or have you ever told someone that?  The reason for saying this is that you or another person wants to make sure that a certain thing stays where it is, or because there is something that has to be monitored for some reason.  No one would tell you to keep an eye on something that is unchangeable, but rather the thing in question needs someone to pay attention to it so that everything is the way that it should be.

In Colossians 4:17 Paul tells Archippus to, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it".  The words "take heed" mean to "keep an eye on", or "to look at".  This shows us that it is also possible to not keep an eye on or look at something.  The reason Paul gives for this attention is so that Archippus could fulfill the ministry he received from the Lord.  An interesting question here would be that if Archippus had not kept an eye on the ministry he received from God, would he have fulfilled it?

Paul says that Archippus received something from God, but that Archippus had to keep an eye on it for it to be fulfilled.  Is it possible that without some attention given by Archippus, God's plan and purpose for his life would not have been fulfilled or completed, and is that same thing possible in our lives?  Even though God has a wonderful plan for us, if we are not keeping an eye on things, we may not receive or do everything that God intended.  We need to be sure to properly pay attention to everything that God has given us in our lives.

What And How You Hear

"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.
For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."
Mark 4:23-25 (NKJV)

One thing that I notice, on almost every flight I take, is that when the safety instructions are given, most people don't pay attention.  Normally, I will pay attention to the flight attendants during this time, if for no other reason than to be respectful and polite while they do their job.  The flight safety instructions are for the benefit of those of us on the airplane, and it is important information that is being given, which could actually mean the difference between life or death in some situations, so it is good to pay attention to what is being said.

When we read about Jesus and His ministry in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we see that Jesus did a lot of teaching.  There were a lot of people who heard what Jesus said, but not everyone benefited from His teaching, a prime example of this would be the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  Because these people heard, but were not really listening to what was said, they did not get what they should have from Jesus' teaching.  What they heard was right, but how they heard was not so good.

What we hear and how we hear is important.  We need to pay attention to God's Word when we hear it, and be careful that we don't make the mistake of looking at the Word like it is trivial, because we have heard it before, we think we already know it, or we think that what we are hearing does not really apply to us.  When we have the opportunity to hear God's Word, whether we are reading it for ourselves or we are in church or some other meeting, we need to have open, and receptive, ears to hear the Word and receive the Word.

When The Rooster Crowed

"Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"
A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept."
Mark 14:71-72 (NKJV)

For most people, when they do something wrong, whether it is intentional, or even unintentional, it is when they recognize what is wrong that they regret what they did and wish they had not done it.  But the thing is, while everyone makes mistakes and does things wrong, the real difference is what people do next.  To do something wrong and regret it is one thing, but to turn away from that wrong and not just stay in the place of regret is another thing all together.

Peter was someone who walked with Jesus, heard Jesus teach, saw the miracles and healings that were done through Jesus, and Peter still denied Jesus.  We can sit back and read about Peter's denial and say we would never do such a thing, but the truth is that we have all done things we should not have done.  This is when we need to understand that God still loves us, although He does not approve of what we have done, but God wants us to turn from our mistakes and come back into right fellowship with Him.

Just like when Peter heard the rooster crow, where he realized and regretted his mistake, we too will find ourselves in situations where we realize a mistake was made and we feel terrible about it.  In the same way that the angel at the tomb specifically mentioned that Peter needed to be where Jesus would be, we need to realize that God is calling us to return to the relationship we once had with Him.  Next time you make a mistake, don't just regret it and condemn yourself, turn from the problem and realize that God's love never changes, and the best place for us to be is in a close relationship with Him.

Seasonal Work

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:"
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

Even though I grew up in Wisconsin, I never shoveled snow in July.  During the months of November, December, and January I usually did some snow shoveling, but I never cut the grass during that time.  Unless there are some strange weather patterns taking place, snow shoveling is done in the winter and people cut grass in the summertime.  Each season of the year has some different things that are usually associated with it, and that is fine, because we understand that there are different seasons.

Just like there are different seasons during the year, there are different seasons in our life, naturally and spiritually, and the things we do and how we do them will differ.  If we do not understand the different seasons we go through, naturally and spiritually, we may have some problems.  In the same way that we grow and develop naturally from childhood to being an adult, where what we do and how we do those things change, the same is true spiritually as we grow from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.

As the Bible tells us, there is a time and season for everything, but we are not always in the same season.  And while there should be development and improvement with what we do in our life and our relationship with God, and how we do those things, just because there is a change does not mean we are missing something.  Even though things in our relationship with God and what we do to serve Him changes, it does not mean that something is wrong, we may just be in a different season than we were before.

And You ...

"In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,"
Colossians 2:5-7 (NKJV)

The word "and", is used as a conjunction, which means it is a way to connect two words.  A person could say that they did something, but by adding the word "and", along with another person, there is then the indication that both people were involved in that thing.  For example, someone could say, "I had a great day today", or they could say "I had a great day today, and so did Jim".  This second sentence shows that both of the people shared in the same experience and it was not something limited to the one person.

Christians know that Jesus died on the cross and that He rose from the dead, this is something that is a basic part of Christianity.  But what Christians don't always seem to understand is that how everything Jesus did, He did for us.  Jesus did not need to go to the cross for His own sin, Jesus bore the sin of the world.  Yes, Jesus conquered sin, rose from the dead, and defeated the devil, but as the Bible clearly shows us, we were included in everything Jesus did.

As Colossians 2:6 tells us, Jesus was raised from the dead, and you were too!  Jesus defeated the devil and sin, and you did too!  Everything Jesus did was credited to us, because Jesus suffered and died in our place, and by our faith in what Jesus did, we too partake of those benefits.  This is in no way trying to diminish Jesus and what He did, but this is to help us understand that we too were raised to a new life in Christ.  So, when you read about all of the great things that Jesus did, remember it is credited to you too!

Ready, Set, ... Wait

"Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Acts 13:1-2 (NKJV)

When I was involved in running sports in high school, normally, before the race began, we knew about the course we were to run and we did everything that we could to prepare ourselves.  But even after we got ready and lined up at the starting point, we still had to wait for the race to officially begin.  Usually there was some official who would signal the beginning of the race, but until they let us know it was time to start, we were not allowed to begin the race, and if we did, it was called a false start and we had to line up again.

In Acts 13, we see the beginning of the ministry of Barnabas and Paul, who was then known as Saul.  In Acts 13:2, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  We can learn several things from this.  We see that there was something that Barnabas and Paul were already called to do, by God, but it was not until this point that the Holy Spirit gave them the go ahead to be separated to the work they were called to.

Barnabas and Paul were already called to do something, but it was not until the Holy Spirit gave them the signal to start that they began.  Sometimes with what God has called us to do, it is a case of, ready, set, ... wait.  Spending time with God, through His Word and in prayer, we learn what to do, when to do it, and how it needs to be done, we don't just decide for ourselves.  Even if we know what to do, without God's timing and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will not have the success we should, and we may not even accomplish what God is calling us to do.

Trash Or Treasure?

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."
James 1:21 (NKJV)

To determine what something is worth, there has to be some way to evaluate it.  It has been said that one person's trash is another person's treasure, in the sense while one person may not consider something to be valuable, another person sees a value in that thing.  But this idea is very subjective and based on personal opinion.  The only way to really know if something should be considered trash or treasure is if there is some objective way to evaluate it, by taking personal opinion and preference out of the situation.

There are many standards that could be used to evaluate something, but those standards are often just based on current trends or popular opinion.  The only way to know what is truly valuable, what is good or bad, and what is right or wrong is if there is some objective standard to look at.  Fortunately, there is such a standard, we have the Bible to show us what is true and false, what is good or bad, and what really is trash or treasure.  God's Word has stood the test of time as an accurate standard that can be used to determine what is right and wrong.

So many times, people, even Christians, try to use something other than the Bible as their standard for evaluation, but this is a dangerous thing to do.  As James says, we need to "lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word".  Without the standard of God's Word, how will we know what is filthy and wicked, or clean and good?  The Bible, God's Word, is the standard for Christians, or it at least should be, and God's Word will show us what is good or bad, trash or treasure.

Are You Really Ready?

"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?  And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?"
Jeremiah 12:5 (NKJV)

The phrase, "I can do that myself" is something that children will sometimes say when an adult tries to help them with something that the child thinks they are able to do on their own.  But what often happens is that when the child tries to do the thing they were so confident about doing, the child is not really ready to actually do that thing successfully.  While children do grow up and take on responsibilities of their own, they first have to learn and develop in how to do those things by themselves.

Spiritual growth and development are something that should be normal for a Christian; if that is not taking place, then something is wrong.  But what can happen with natural children can also happen with spiritual children.  Sometimes a Christian senses God leading them into some type of ministry work, and that Christian does everything that they can to take a step into doing that thing right away, only to find out that they are not yet at the necessary point of spiritual development actually needed to do that thing.

We all need spiritual growth and development, and what God is giving us to do today will actually prepare us for the tomorrow that He has planned.  If we are not faithfully and successfully doing what we have at hand to do today, how will we do the "bigger" things that God has planned for us in the future? Our biggest question should not be about what bright future does God have planned for me, but what opportunities has God given me now that I can be faithful in, because these things will prepare us for our bright future with God.

Waking In Love - Love Is Not Envious

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up."
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV)

Envy is defined as an awareness of an advantage of some kind that someone else has, and the desire to possess it.  This "advantage" could be some material thing, or it could be a position that another person has, or some favor that was shown towards someone else.  Often, envy and jealousy are seen as the same thing, although not everyone might agree with that.  The point is that when someone has, or is doing, something that you are not, and you wish you had what they had, that is envy.

In Galatians 5:21, we are told that envy is a work of the flesh, 1 Corinthians 13:4 tells us that love does not envy, and Romans 5:5 says that the love of God is in our hearts.  From these verses we can see that if we have envy over something that someone else has, it is something coming from the flesh, from our natural desires, and not from the love of God that is in us.  If we are envious about something, it shows us that we are being motivated by the wrong desires and looking to the natural rather than the spiritual side of life.

If we are envious, then we are focusing on the wrong thing, and instead of trusting in God and what He can do for us, we are comparing ourselves to others and giving in to the idea that somehow someone has some advantage over us.  God loves us and if we put our faith in Him then He will supply whatever we may need, just as much as He has done for anyone else, so there is no reason for us to envy or covet what someone else has.  We need to walk in love and be glad for the good things we see in the lives of others.

Who Identified You?

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,"
Hebrews 11:24-25 (NKJV)

Everyone has a way that they are identified, and usually that identification is done using your name.  Normally your name is something you are given by your parents.  Sometimes, a person may use a different name or get a nickname from someone, but it is your actual, legal name, that you have to use to be correctly identified.  No matter what other people may call you, or how someone may refer to you, you have to use your actual name to identify yourself and to do business.

While our natural identity is important, our spiritual identity in Christ is more important.  Hebrews 11 gives us an example of this as it tells us that Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.  Naturally, in his situation of being raised by Pharaoh's daughter, many people probably referred to Moses in that way, but that is not how Moses identified himself.  Moses identified with the people of Israel, God's people, although it would have been easier in some ways to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

Our identification as a child of God is vital to living in the reality of what Jesus has done for us, and in fulfilling the will of God.  It does not matter how other people may have identified us, or what they have called us, we need to find out how God has identified us and focus on that.  For example, God has identified us as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), and more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).  Don't let others define you or just accept what others have said about you, and believe that is the way it has to be.  No matter what others may say about you, identify with who you are in Christ.