The Power of Encouragement-

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing-1^st Thessalonians 5:11 NASB 

God loves encouraging words.  

 God considers encouragement to be so vitally important He straight-up commands Christians to encourage one another whenever and however they are able (Hebrews 3:13, 1^st Thessalonians 4:18, 1^st Thessalonians 5:10, 2^nd Corinthians 13:11).  The simple and often undervalued act of encouragement has the power to: 

Remind us to live for Jesus and prepare spiritually for His return – 1^st Thessalonians 5:1-11)

Embolden God’s people to fight battles against the worst kind of evil- Judges 2

Strengthen hearts in seasons of spiritual confusion- Acts 15

Deliver peace in the worst of storms- Acts 27

Boost spiritual endurance- Romans 15:5

Give hope in times of trouble and heartache- Romans 15:4

Promote unity in churches- 2^nd Corinthians 13:11

Bring about a more complete understanding of our faith- Colossians 2:2 

Bring joy and refreshment to the weary- Philemon 1:7

Keep Christians from being trapped and hardened by sin- Hebrews 3:13 

No wonder God is a fan. 

Encouragement does far more than just cheer up those who are having a bad day.  Encouragement is actually an indispensable component of the Christian discipleship process (1^st Thessalonians 5:14, Hebrews 3:13). Encouragement from the right person at the right time brings hope and clarity to the sometimes challenging and confusing life of faith.  Encouragement reminds the gloomy struggler God sees their situation. The right words of encouragement spoken at just the right moment can even lead a spiritual wanderer back to the narrow-path of faith. It is simply a fact that just right words of encouragement spoken at just the right moment have the power to literally change the trajectory of a person’s life. 

So. 

How do we encourage others in a manner that brings about all the above-mentioned benefits for the maximum number of people?

Genuine biblical encouragement is about more than simply saying nice things or even helping people. Biblical encouragers:

Do what Jesus did-

Jesus took the time to really see the people around Him (Matthew 9:36, Mark 6:34, Luke 13:11-13, John 1:47-50, John 6:26, John 9:1). He made a practice of being fully present in every situation. This one little habit allowed Him to see people’s pain, struggles, the longings of their heart and their deepest unspoken needs.  Because Jesus paid attention to people human needs did not go unnoticed or unmet when He was present. When we make a regular practice of noticing people our observations give us insight into the needs of the people around us. Encouragement comes much more naturally and is much more likely to hit the mark when we are fully present and tuned into the people God placed around us. 

Are willing to couple words of encouragement with action-

Words of encouragement are the biggest of deals. A positive uplifting word of encouragement spoken at just the moment is sometimes better than finding a sack of cash (Proverbs 25:11). Even more powerful is a word of encouragement combined with a generous or kind act. Taking a tired Mom, a meal, picking up groceries for a shut-in or handing out a baggie of treats and/or a gift card to homeless person reminds those on the receiving end of our kindness that they are seen and cared for in spite of their circumstances (Matthew 5:14-16). 

Listen carefully and prayerfully before speaking into an obviously tough situation-

It’s easy to encourage someone experiencing a tough day in the midst of an otherwise easy season of life. That said, tough situations necessitate more than glib, superficial sentimentality or simple pat answers. So, unless, you are a prophet with flawless track record, it is not encouraging or helpful to promise someone God will do a particular thing in that person’s situation. Humans have freewill and no one but God knows what God is going to do (Joshua 24:15, Isaiah 55:8-9). Therefore, it’s just good policy to avoid making promises you cannot keep. Nor is it encouraging to remind someone whose life has just blown up with unspeakable tragedy that “all things work together for the good” (Romans 8:28). It’s true, over the course of time, God does work all things out for good. However, it is better to let the hurting person reach that state of spiritual awareness on their own rather than forcing it on them before they have an opportunity to grieve their loss (Romans 12:15). The most powerful way to encourage the deeply hurting is to sit with them and just listen without judgment or even a whole lot of commentary (Job 38:2).  Encouraging those who are truly broken and disheartened demands we take the time to know exactly what kind of a situation we are speaking into before we speak. 

Back in the day.

When I was a young Christian Mom just kind of bumbling my way through life. I met a smart, gifted older woman who routinely sent me little notes encouraging me to seek the Lord and use the spiritual gifts she saw in me. To this day, anytime I need a reminder of God’s goodness I look up the Bible verse she wrote at the bottom of every single note she ever sent me: 

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing- Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

I don’t know if she remembers those notes, but I do. Thirty-plus years later, the echoes of her encouraging words still remind of God’s goodness and grace in every circumstance. 

That’s why God loves it when His kids encourage one another. 

What did Jesus Mean when He Called the Pharisees “White-Washed Tombs”?

When he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense- 2^nd Chronicles 26:16 NASB

I did not grow up in the church.

As a result, there were a bunch of churchy phrases tossed around I simply did not understand. Some I figured out pretty quickly. Others have taken me the better part of a lifetime to sort through and completely understand. 

One expression I found particularly perplexing was the phrase “religious spirit”.  I found it to be cryptic, creepy and more than a little unsettling. It’s a term not used anywhere in Scripture but it was a huge problem for several Old Testament leaders (2^nd Chronicles 26:16, 1^st Samuel 15:13-23, 2^nd Chronicles 20;12-20). It was also an issue Jesus addressed frequently and always condemned in the strongest possible terms (Matthew 23:1-39, Luke 11:39-53). 

Many define a religious spirit as legalism or using rules as a substitute for relationship with God. Legalism is often a component of a religious spirit. However, defining the problem simply as legalism is an oversimplification of a complex issue. Anytime one simplifies a complex issue they run the risk of missing it when it’s right in front of them or worse yet, right inside of them. 

Yikes. 

A “religious spirit” is better defined as an appearance or façade of righteousness and goodness Christians choose over authentic heart change.  The highest value for a person with a religious spirit is not to please the Lord, or have their insides match their outsides. They just want people to think well of them (Matthew 23:5-7, Mark 12:38-40). Therefore, there is always an element of pride, self-centeredness and self-promotion involved in a religious spirit (Philippians 2:3, Galatians 5:20, 2^nd Corinthians 12:20, James 3:14, Romans 2:8)

When a person has a religious spirit the goodness and righteousness on full display in their life is not a result of ruthlessly rooting out bad attitudes and wrong thinking. Nor, is it the result of inward goodness coming out of them in a healthy and life-giving way (Luke 6:44). Rather, it is the result of careful construction of a superficial image of piety and spirituality (Matthew 7:21-23). This piety gives every appearance of being very real. Nonetheless, it’s just a lovely veneer that effectively covers-up a multitude of spiritual, emotional and relational issues and problems.

Jesus called these folks “white washed tombs” because they look good on the outside but on the inside, they are just the messiest of messes (Matthew 23:27) 

A religious spirit creates a lot of confusion for those who know the person. People with a religious spirit present as Christians, and not just as any old garden variety Christian. These folks nearly always present as super Christians and frequently find themselves in positions of authority in the church. As a result, it is fair to say this one issue has been root of nearly every sin perpetrated by the Church. It is also the cause of many cases of church hurt.  The saddest thing about a religious spirit is what can ultimately do to the person.  A religious spirit can hi-jack a real and genuine relationship with God and replace it with a counterfeit Christianity that looks and even feels so much like the real thing that it can even fool the person in question (Matthew 7:22-23). 

It all starts when the approval of people becomes more important than the approval of God. The end result is that rules, outward obedience, success and looking good on the outside become more important than putting others first, heartfelt obedience, spiritual congruency and a vibrant relationship with Jesus. If a religious spirit is not dealt with decisively it always leads to spiritual ruin and relational callousness.

Anyone in the Church can have a religious spirit. 

The seeds that produce a religious spirit are pride, self-sufficiency and a reluctance to appear less-than-perfect. A religious spirit was the downfall of men who started out well, men like Saul, Hezekiah and Uzziah. It was the sin at the root of every sin the Pharisees committed. A religious spirit can and does sometimes affect church leaders, Christian influencers, little old ladies with big fat Bibles and run-of-the-mill Christians of all ages and walks of life. Truth-be-told, most Christians (myself included) have struggled (usually unbeknownst to them at the time) with a religious spirit at some point. Phoniness is probably the besetting sin of our time. It is for sure the primary reason the word Christian is so often linked with words like: fake, phony, fraud and untrustworthy. 

There is only one way to get free of a religious spirit. 

It is through an encounter with the living God. anytime we see God in all His glory and experience His presence the end result is that we are always undone by our own sinfulness (Isaiah 6:1-5). This knowledge opens us up to transformation. Therefore, it is critical we seek the presence of the Lord every chance we get. It’s why we should never ignore the still-small-voice telling us we have an attitude or behavior that needs to be dealt with (Matthew 5:29-30, Mark 9:43-47). 

When we make a regular practice of seeking the Lord and obeying His voice self dies. When we die to self we are free to truly experience the joy and freedom of the abundant life in Jesus (Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:20-24, John 10:10)

The Bible Story Everyone Loves to Hate-

“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?”  “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”- Job 38:4 and Job 40:2 NASB

Okay, so. 

There this incident in Scripture people (both Christian and non-Christian) love to question. Frequently, the questioning leads to accusing God of some pretty horrific things, including being a moral monster and a baby killer. Some even claim they just up and quit Christianity because they were so deeply offended by the details of the story.

Yikes. 

God does not need me to defend Him (as if). However. I would like to make a couple of points concerning this passage of Scripture. Then I will give some personal opinions I have developed concerning how modern-day Christians view their relationship with God. 

First the story.  

The incident in question is found in Genesis 22:1-19. It’s the one where God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice His son Isaac as an offering. This was a super big deal for a couple of key reasons. First, Abraham loved Isaac a lot, like a lot, a lot. Second, Isaac was a miracle child (his Mom was 90 when he was conceived). Isaac’s existence came about as a result of a promise God made to Abraham and his wife Sarah. And finally, if Isaac had died before having children all the promises God made to Abraham concerning Isaac would be null and void. 

Nevertheless. 

 Abraham obediently packed up a donkey, rounded up Isaac and a couple of trusty servants and headed to Mount Moriah with all the equipment necessary to make a human sacrifice. Just as Abraham gets to the point where he is about plunge the knife into Isaac, an angel of the Lord appears and firmly orders Abraham to abort mission. God then says something key: 

For now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.

Then a goat appears in a thicket near Isaac and Abraham. They sacrifice the goat, mete up with the servants and head to Beersheba where Abraham stays. 

The end. 

Well, okay not the end of the whole story but it was the end of the episode.

It’s critical to note Abraham was a really old guy at this point in the Genesis narrative. He was at least 115 and perhaps as old as 125, nor, was Isaac a baby or a toddler or even a little boy. Most scholars believe Isaac was somewhere between 15 and 25. This means Isaac could have jumped off the altar, kicked Abraham’s geriatric butt and put an end to the whole episode if he had been so inclined. 

Apparently, he wasn’t.

Furthermore, the text is clear. This was a test, only a test. No actual humans were sacrificed in the making of this story. God did not permit Abraham to “go there”. Therefore, it is manifestly unjust to accuse God of being a baby killer and a moral monster when there were no babies involved and the monstrous act never actually occurred.  

Also.

The whole notion of fearing God and loving God are inextricably linked in Old Testament times. To love God was to fear Him. No one who claimed to love God treated Him like a bro or a buddy. Nor, did those who claimed to love God question or challenge His authority or goodness. Those who loved God, feared, revered and above all else obeyed Him (Deuteronomy 10:12, Psalm 76:11, Psalm 128:1, Proverbs 1:28-30).  

Period.

Consequently, a reasonable translation of Genesis 22:12 could be: “now I know you really love me because you have not withheld your only son”. 

This matters because it is one of the Old Testament stories intended to point people to Jesus. An Old Testament story that points people to a New Testament truth or to Jesus is called a “typology” or a “foreshadowing”. Just as God knew Abraham really loved Him because He was willing to sacrifice His son for God. We know God really loves us because He sacrificed His son Jesus for us (Hebrews 10:10). When we read the story of Abraham and Isaac we aren’t supposed to scream and yell about what a despicable moral monster God is. Nor, are we supposed to call God a baby-killer on social media or renounce our faith in Jesus (Hebrews 6:4-5). 

That’s just stupid. 

We are supposed to put the puzzle pieces together and rejoice in the fact that our God loves us enough to give His only son for our salvation (John 3:16). 

Moreover. 

In recent years it has become common for Christians to treat God as if He were on the same level as an average Joe. People (even Christians) question God’s wisdom, virtuousness and integrity as if God were just “some guy” rather than the God of the Universe.  

Questions are not wrong. 

However, we ought to recognize our place, watch our tone and check our motives before we fly into drama mode. Are we asking because we genuinely want to increase our understanding of God? Is it our earnest desire to learn and grow?  Or, are we simply looking to find fault with God so we can write Him off as a moral monster and move on with our lives unencumbered by His moral directives?  

God is more than capable of withstanding our honest questions. 

Furthermore.

I believe with all my heart He has nothing but love and compassion for an honest seeker who just wants to know and understand. However, acting as if we know more than or are morally superior to God is just dumb. 

How Normal People Hear From God-

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears- Psalm 37:17 NASB 

Hearing from God.

It’s a bit of a controversial subject. 

Even amongst Christians.  Most non-Christians and some Christians believe only really weird people actually hear from God. Others (both Christian and non-Christian) believe they hear from God all the time concerning every imaginable subject. However, it could be argued some of those messages are questionable at best. 

Sigh. 

God does speak. 

God speaks most often, most directly and most clearly through His word (Hebrews 4:12, 2^nd Kings 22:8-11). God frequently speaks through His people (Acts 2:18, Psalm 37:30). Sometimes God speaks in a still small voice that pierces our heart and makes us aware of His leading in a particular area (1^st Kings 19:12). Occasionally, God still speaks through dreams (Daniel 2:1-3, Acts 2:17), and every once in a while, God speaks audibly (Luke 3:22, Genesis 16:13).   However, even in the Bible the audible voice of God seems to be more of an exception to how God speaks than the rule. Nonetheless, it does still happen. 

All that being said. 

For all sorts of reasons, most Christians would like to hear God’s voice a little more often.  Hearing from God is how we get direction. It’s how we know we are on the right path and doing the right thing. When we hear the voice of God we feel seen and loved by God. The Bible is unequivocal: God speaks to all His people, not just the weird ones. Sometimes, God even speaks to people who aren’t His people.

The question for those of us who want to hear Him is “what can I do to better hear His voice?”. 

Thankfully, God wants us to hear Him so He doesn’t overcomplicate the process. Following are four simple, basic things anyone can do to get in better tune with God so we hear His voice more often and more clearly. 

It all starts with:

Nurturing and growing our faith-

Believing in God is not requirement for hearing from God. God speaks to atheists, agnostics, heathens and pagans (Genesis 31:34, Jonah 3:3-5, Acts 2:36-38). If He didn’t no one would ever come to know God. That said, believing in God ups the odds of hearing from God substantially. The more faith we have in God the more likely we are to hear God when He does speak. A foundation of faith also helps us to understand what is directing us to do when He speaks. We grow our faith by becoming rooted in Christ (Colossians 2:7). Spiritual roots grow deep through the regular practice of hearing and reading the word of God (Romans 10:27) and through regular prayer. The more we know the Bible and spend time with God the better acquainted we become with Him. Once we are personally familiar with God and how He operates it is much easier to discern what He’s saying and what He wants us to do with His message.  

Wanting to- 

Okay, so, admittedly this one is bit of a given, however it’s worth stating anyway. God will only speak in an intimate, friendly way to those who sincerely want to hear from Him. If we want clear communication with God we have to keep our hearts open to God. It is possible for our heart to close God without our knowledge or awareness because humans are often self-deceived (Obadiah 1:3, Zechariah 7:12). The best way to keep self-deception at bay and our hearts open to God is to practice regular self-examination and deal with our sin decisively (2nd Corinthians 13:5, Matthew 5:29-31).

Fostering fear of God- 

In the ESV version of the Bible Psalm 25:14 says that “friendship with God is for those who fear Him. He makes His covenant (promises) known to them”. Other versions say God “confides in those who fear Him”, still others say “the secrets of God are for those who fear Him”. They all means the same thing: God speaks most clearly and most intimately to those fear Him. Fearing God doesn’t mean we cower in dread of Him. It does mean we believe what He says enough to do what He tells us to do.  Fearing God also means we understand and embrace the “otherness” of God. Much of today’s teaching concerning God makes Him out to be a slightly bigger, smarter human. This teaching makes God out to be a really nice guy who never gets worked-up about anything. It’s true, God is kind. Kindness is fundamental aspect of His character. However, God is more than just nice. He is also holy, just and righteous. People who fear God embrace all aspects of God’s character not just the ones that give us good feels.  

And finally:

We must obey what we do hear. 

The speediest most effective way to get God to stop talking is for us to ignore His instruction and choose to do our own thing for our own glory. When we quit obeying, the Bible no longer make sense and the still small voice of God goes from still and small to radio silence. Thankfully all we have to do to get God talking again is go back to the same obedience we practiced in the beginning of relationship with God (Revelation 2:4-5). The simple act of repentance brings immediate joy, reopens the channels of communication with God and reestablishes closeness with God (Acts 3:19). 

Making Life Count-

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God- Hebrews 6:1 NASB 

Humans are made in the image of God and God wrote eternity on the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11-13, Genesis 1:28). Consequently, all humans want make their life count by leaving some sort of legacy. This might mean leaving behind an organization so big and complex it alters the course of history. Or it might be as basic as being remembered as a decent human who treated others well.  

This ache is even more intense for those who follow of Jesus. 

Christians want to leave behind a legacy just like everyone else. However, those who truly know Jesus as Lord also want to leave behind a spiritual legacy that has lasting eternal value (1^st Timothy 1:9). This might be as big and complex as a huge Christian ministry, or it might mean a simple legacy of good Christian works and raising kids who love, obey and worship Jesus. 

Christians are saved by faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross (Ephesians 2:8, Hebrews 10:38-39, Romans 1:17, Romans 3:22-26, Philippians 3:8-10).

However.

Christians were saved for the express purpose of doing good in this world (Romans 2:6-11, Ephesians 2:10, James 2:14-26, Matthew 5:15-16). Works are a key way we glorify God (Matthew5:13-16). The works we do also become a part of the legacy we leave behind in this world. We will be judged for the quality of the works we do. This view isn’t “works theology”, “anti-grace” or “legalism”. It’s scripture (Revelation 20:12-13, Matthew 3:10, 1^st Corinthians 4:3-4, James 3:1, Hebrews 10:31-32). Good works would include (but are not limited to) preaching the word, leading the lost to Jesus, providing and caring for the less fortunate and loving the unlovable (Matthew 10:8, 2^nd Timothy 4:2, Matthew 25:31-46, 1^st Peter 4:8). 

 The Bible makes it clear the only legacies that have any real value are those that have eternal value. Therefore, it’s critical we avoid what the writer of Hebrews calls “dead works” (Hebrews 6:1, Hebrews 9:14). Paul describes in detail the end result of dead works:

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire– 1st Corinthians 3:10-14 NASB

Yikes. 

Dead works are works people do in the name of Jesus’ that ultimately help no one and have no eternal value. Even a good work can be a dead work. Dead works are good things done for the wrong reasons or with the wrong motivations.  A dead work is:

A work we do to impress people rather than God-

A work we do with the wrong heart attitude- 

A work we do with ourselves at the center-

There’s a lot of easily discernable bad news in this situation. 

Pretty much everyone has been guilty of the sin of people pleasing (Matthew 6:1, Colossians 3:23). We want people to think well of us. As a result, sometimes we do good things hoping to gain the esteem and favor of our peers. Or maybe we do good works because we hope (secretly) our good work will bring us something beneficial in return rather than just doing it to honor, obey and glorify God.  I, for one have been guilty (on more than one occasion) of doing the right things with a smile on my face and a crummy attitude in my heart (1st Samuel 16:7). Furthermore, most (all) of us have been guilty of doing good works secretly hoping people will think we are awesome (Isaiah 2:22, Proverbs 29:25). 

We all fall short of the glory of God.  Sigh.

Thankfully, what is impossible with man is possible with God. Mainly because He’s awesome and totally willing to work with us even in our fallen, messy, self- aggrandizing state. Because God is good, and good to us we can do good works that have eternal value. We can please God.  God is not a cruel taskmaster judging us for every wrong thing we do. God doesn’t want us to be stuck with a bunch of dead works without any eternal value. God really wants every single one of us to hear “well done my good and faithful servant. Come and share in your master’s happiness” when we see Jesus for the first time (Matthew 25:21)

But.

We must be willing to do our part. 

This means asking God to give us the right heart. It means examining our motives on a regular basis and confessing any self-aggrandizement or selfish-ambition we may be harboring (Philippians 2:3, Galatians 5:19-21).  Our part in the area of good works is to humbly ask God to help us do the right things with the right attitude, for the right reasons.  Then we just have to keep on keeping on until Jesus calls us home.

When we do those things God takes care of the rest and we can not help but bring Him glory (Philippians 2:13).

The Prerequisites to Spiritual Growth 101-

If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ- 2^nd Peter 1:10b-11 NIV

One of the fundamental spiritual misunderstandings of our time is centered around salvation. Many believe salvation is a one and done, an event where a person crosses a threshold and goes from hell-bound-heathen to saintly-and-saved to in the blink of an eye.

 Truth-be-told there is an “event” aspect to salvation (Romans 10:9-10). When a person places their faith and trust in Jesus to save them from the consequences of their sin they are very much saved from ALL the consequences of their sin, including eternal damnation (Luke 23:32:43). 

However. 

For those who do not die immediately following their confession of faith there is a process aspect to salvation. The fancy-pants-theological word for this process is “sanctification”. The Apostle Paul called it “working out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Whatever you choose to call it, it’s essentially just the act of being transformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 1:1-2, 2^nd Corinthians 3:18). There is no shortage of biblical teaching on the “how” of sanctification. All of Romans 12, 1^st Thessalonians 4:1-12, 2^nd Peter 1:3-9, Colossians 3 and Ephesians chapters 4, 5 and 6 all give detailed instructions concerning what a Christian should and shouldn’t do in order to work out their salvation. 

Nonetheless. 

Sanctification can be difficult to pull off. I suspect this is because there are beliefs and behaviors a person must embrace before the sanctification process can work. These are perquisites to holiness 101, if you will. In order for the sanctification process to work we must be willing to:

Think deeply about the things that matter-

In a recent sermon our pastor pointed out that our generation is literally besieged with an endless array of information on all sorts of different topics. We listen to podcasts, watch the news, scroll through endless social media feeds and read a lot of articles on a vast array of diverse subjects. There is nothing wrong or sinful about pursuing knowledge. However, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The net effect of this information overkill is that we tend to think superficially about whole bunch of different issues, but deeply about almost nothing. If we want to become holy we must train ourselves to think deeply about important issues. Profound things like the meaning of life, what it really means to be holy, our role in the universe, how we become righteous and how all that works itself out in our day-to-day lives. The only way we will ever have the bandwidth to think deeply about anything is to cull some of the information we are receiving. Once that’s done, we must set aside chunks of time to think through the information we are receiving and then seek the Lord for wisdom on how to implement what we’ve learned. Holiness requires godly wisdom. No one has ever attained wisdom apart from thinking deeply about life, God and eternity (2^nd Timothy 3:15, Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 1:1-3)

Adopt a right view of God-

God is not simply a bigger, wiser, smarter version of humanity. God is as different from human beings as teapots are from tacos. How we understand God matters. A lot. Our most critical task in this life is to acquire a right view of Him. We do this by developing a healthy fear of God (Deuteronomy 6:13, Exodus 1:17-21, Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 33:8-18). Fearing God isn’t being afraid of God. When we fear God, we believe deep in our heart-of-hearts God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do. In turn this gut-level conviction trickles down into every aspect of life. People who fear God understand God knows their most innermost thoughts and feelings (Hebrews 4:13). When a person fears God, they do what He says. Fearing God is THE key to closeness with God (James 2:23, Psalm 25:14, Psalm 147:11)

Embrace a proper view of the human heart-  

The world encourages people to “follow their heart”.  The Bible tells us the human heart is wicked and easily deceived (Jeremiah 17:9, Consequently, a heart not submitted to Jesus and firmly rooted in the truth of Scripture will lead a person to hell (literally and figuratively). Every. Single Time. Furthermore, unless a person is redeemed by Jesus their most authentic self is their sin nature. Even people who know and love Jesus are still capable of great foolishness and evil. Therefore, holiness requires we obey God not our hearts (Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 10:8, Ephesians 5:1). 

Align our internal motivations and intentions with God’s word- 

In his excellent book The Awe of God John Bevere says every person has three images. There is our “projected image” (the carefully crafted persona we want the world to see), our “perceived image” (how others see us) and our “actual image” (the us God sees). At the core of what God sees in us is the “why” of what we do. Do we serve out of a desire to please God or people? Do we love others so we will be loved by them or because we want to honor and please God? It is the intentions and motivations of our hearts that will be judged by God (1^st Corinthians 5:10, 1^st Corinthians 3:10-15, Revelation 20:11-13). This makes getting our internal motivations aligned with God’s will of critical importance. 

Sanctification (holiness) is the end-all be-all goal of the Christian faith (Romans 6:18-23, 1^st Corinthians 1:3, Ephesians 1:3-5, 1^st Peter 1”15-16, Hebrews 12:14). The end result of holiness is joy, peace of mind, spiritual usefulness and the knowledge that the Maker of All Things is pleased with our actions and attitudes. Those things are worth doing whatever it takes to get there.

The Two Kinds of Church Trouble-

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light-1^st Corinthians 11:13-14 NIV

Every once in a while, I will bump up against a key difference between the first century and the twenty-first century and it will take me by surprise. Such was the case this past week as I was reading through Philippians. In Philippians 3:2 (NASB) the Apostle Paul gives this warning:

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision- Philippians 3:2 NASB

Yikes.

Imagine, for just one moment the fallout that would occur if your pastor got up on a Sunday morning and referred to members of your congregation as “evil workers”, “dogs” and the “false circumcision”?  

He’d be out on his ear. For sure. 

 Paul doesn’t stop there. All of chapter three is a detailed explanation of how to go about identifying a “dog”, “evil worker” and the “false circumcision. 

I will not lie.

All this was more than a little unsettling to my twenty-first century sensibilities. We simply don’t talk about people in those terms.  However, because all scripture is “God breathed” (1^st Timothy 3:16-17). I was forced to move the past the temptation I felt to ignore a passage of Scripture that made me uncomfortable. So, I went back and reread the entire chapter and decided Paul’s declaration begs a couple of critical questions for every Christian no matter the century they live in.

Those questions include: 

Do these warnings still apply to the church today? 

What does a “dog” or “evil worker” look like?

And finally:

What exactly are we supposed to do with this passage of Scripture? 

Seriously.

 It’s probably safe to say Paul’s words were likely just as shocking to the original readers as they are to us. I suspect they were intended to shock because Paul understood a churches overall health is one-hundred-percent dependent on the spiritual state of the people in it (Matthew 7:16-18). A church filled primarily with spirit-filled, obedient followers of Jesus will be a church with an abundance of spiritual power. It will be a church that reaches the lost, leads baby Christians to maturity and impacts the culture around it in a positive, life-giving way. It is a church that will make a difference in the darkest of days. Conversely, a church filled with the kinds of people Paul is warning about will be a troubled, powerless church that will struggle to inspire transformation even in Christians. Such a church cannot help but have a net-negative impact on the community around it. 

Sigh. 

The world is every bit as dark today as was in the first century. People living in darkness still need the salvation and personal transformation only Jesus can bring. People need transformation every bit as much today as they did in Paul’s day (Ephesians 2:1-9, Acts 4:11-12, Romans 1:16-17). Therefore, Paul’s concern over how Christians live and treat others is every bit as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago. 

 According to Paul “dogs” “evil workers” and the “false circumcision” fall into two distinct categories. 

The first type is very proud of their own goodness. This group fails to understand Christians are only good because Jesus makes us good. Any “goodness” we possess is Jesus’s goodness working through us (Romans 3:22, Romans 4:23-25, Philippians 1:11, Philippians 3:9).  This type of “dog” or “evil worker” believes salvation is something to be earned—not received. This type of “Christian” encourages (sometimes even demands) other Christians follow rules not found in the Bible to be saved and accepted by God.  

Paul describes the other type of “dog” or “evil worker” in this way:

 They are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^[appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things- Philippians 3:18b-19 NASB

These folks were unwilling to tell themselves “no” to any earthly pleasure. They did what they wanted with no thought to how their behavior affected other people or their own spiritual walk (1^st Corinthians 8:9, Colossians 3). These Christians failed to understand we can only achieve maturity in Christ if we are willing to die to self (Matthew 10:38, Luke 9:23) and let go of the old way of doing things.  Death to self simply means we put Jesus first.  We do what He wants. His desires become our priority and we willingly let go of any behavior, attitude or desire that isn’t His will for our lives. Dying to self, sucks, because the death of anything is always difficult and painful, but in this case has beautiful results. Death to self is the first step in being transformed into the glorious image Jesus (2^nd Corinthians 5:17, Romans 12:1-2, 2^nd Corinthians 3:18). 

Christians must be cautious about judging others (Matthew 7:1-3).  We must look at our own actions and attitudes first. It is imperative we make sure we are not the “dogs” “evil doers” or “false circumcision” before we go around judging anyone else’s actions. When we do see a need to judge or confront another’s behavior it must be done in a spirit of helping that person to become a better, healthier version of themselves so that the church, and all the people in it, can become what our world needs to see right now. 

Navigating the Tension Between Spiritual Knowledge and Love-

 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge- Colossians 2:2-3 NLT

There has been a debate raging in the Church for two thousand years. It centers around the question: which is more important to the practice of Christianity: love or knowledge? 

Love is hands-down the popular favorite.  

Team love argues (quite persuasively, I might add) it is love, rather than knowledge at the heart of what Jesus taught were the two greatest commands (Matthew 22:37-40). Furthermore, team love contends, there are like, zero Bible verses instructing Christians to attain knowledge for the sake of knowledge. However, there are a surplus of verses commanding Christians to love others for the sake of love and to love even when it’s illogical (John 13:34-35, Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27-35, Romans 13:8-10, 1^st Peter 1:22, 1^st Peter 4:8, 1^st Corinthians 13). 

Team knowledge has a much tougher time of things, but, bless their sweet hearts, they do try. Team knowledge believes knowledge has a protective element to it. Therefore, knowledge protects Christians from embracing ideas and beliefs that lead even devoted believers away from right thinking and living (Galatians 5:7-10, 1^st Corinthians 9:24, Proverbs 18:15, Hosea 4:6, 1^st Timothy 2:4, Titus 1:1, Colossians 3:9-10, Psalm 119:66). 

The Apostle Paul would have sent everyone on both sides of this argument a firmly worded letter. In a message to the Philippian congregation Paul says this: 

This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight’ Philippians 1:9 NIV

The Apostle Paul understood some realities both teams tend to forget, namely that love and knowledge work in conjunction with one another. Love on its own often devolves into sloppy sentimentalism. Sloppy sentimentalism looks a lot like biblical love but the end of the day sloppy sentimentalism is really all about making people feel good about themselves no matter how messy, dysfunctional or in need of transformation they may be.  Love without knowledge feels good, but it lacks wisdom, it has no discernment, so it risks people missing heaven due to a lack of understanding about how to get there (Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 7:21-24). Conversely, knowledge without love is accurate, precise and truthful but it inevitably lacks empathy and kindness. Jesus’ issues with the Pharisees revolved almost entirely around their insistence on a hard adherence to biblical truth with zero grace, compassion or love (John 8:1-11, Matthew 12:1-14). Knowledge gives people the information necessary to get them to heaven but it lacks the compassion and kindness that leads people to fall in love with Jesus and repent of their sins (Romans 2:4).  The Apostle Paul wanted Jesus’ people to have knowledge of the following four areas:

Knowledge of Jesus-

Jesus is the author, perfecter and foundation of everything Christians believe about everything (Hebrews 12:2, John 1:1-5). Nonetheless, there is all sorts of weird teachings and beliefs floating around about Jesus. As a result, a lot of folks think they know a lot about Jesus and what He had to say about all kinds of issues and good many of those people are dead wrong. The only way to know what Jesus had to say about anything is to dig deep into the Scriptures and discover the biblical Jesus for ourselves. Knowledge of the biblical Jesus keep us from being swept away by false teachers that present Jesus as something He’s not (Matthew 24:4-5, Jude 1:4, 2^nd Peter 2:1-3, 2^ndTimothy 3:1-8). 

Knowledge of what to avoid-

The Bible tells us what to do.  The Bible also it gives us all kinds of valuable knowledge about what not to do. When a person knows the Bible, they know it’s spiritually dangerous to get overly involved with those who have proven themselves to have bad character (1^st Corinthians 15:33, 1^st Corinthians 5:11). They also understand the dangers of adopting worldly philosophies (Colossians 2:4), legalism (Colossians 2:16-19, Galatians 3), willful sin (Hebrews 6:4-6) sexual immorality (1^st Thessalonians 4:1-3, 1^st Corinthians 6:18), racism and sexism (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11), just to name a few. This kind of knowledge naturally leads to discernment and wisdom. Wisdom and discernment are the two most protective characteristics a person can have (Proverbs 4:5-6, Proverbs 19:8, Proverbs 15:14, Proverbs 17:24). 

Knowledge of what to do-

Christianity is not just about knowing doctrinal truth and being right (1^st Corinthians 13:2), nor is it simply about what we shouldn’t do. Christianity is mostly about doing (Matthew 25:31-45, Romans 12:4-21).  Christians are called to preach the gospel, care for the less fortunate, mourn with those who mourn and just generally act as the hands and feet of Jesus in every situation they find themselves (Romans 7:4, 1^st Corinthians 12:27). Knowing what we are to do and doing it keeps us from the pitfalls of legalism and the self-righteousness that can result from spiritual learning without an equal amount of spiritual action.  

Knowledge of the grace of God-  

The grace of God is the lynchpin of Christianity. Everything about the faith rests on this one issue. Unfortunately, teaching about grace has become one dimensional, focused entirely on forgiveness and the role it plays in salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). There is so much more to grace than forgiveness. God’s grace allows us to do things and endure hardship and difficulty normal humans simply cannot (2^nd Corinthians 2:9, James 4:6-7). Grace teaches us how live lives of self-control and godliness (Titus 2:11-13). Grace also empowers us to do the works of righteousness we were saved to do (Ephesians 2:10). Truly understanding the grace of God is gamechanger for Christians. 

When our love for Jesus and each other overflows with knowledge of God and His word we are truly unstoppable from a spiritual perspective. 

Six Blessings of Obedience-

 If you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation- Exodus 19:5-6a NIV 

Obedience is generally associated with things normal people despise. Icky, gross things like restrictions, correction and disapproval. Because people tend to view the whole concept of obedience negatively, there is also a tendency to view God (who requires obedience) as a giant cosmic meanie. It is not uncommon for people to believe God sits up in heaven looking for those who step out of line so He can send calamity and punishment on anyone who refuses to do what He says. 

However.

Obedience comes with blessings. Lots of them. Contrary to popular belief God is not a meanie and He’s not all about the negative.  God is good, gracious, compassionate and forgiving (Exodus 34:5-7, Jonah 4:2, Isaiah 43:25, John 3:16, Titus 3:3-5, 1^st John 1:9). Because God is good and because He knows goodness is hard for us, He has built blessing into obedience and every act of personal sacrifice. This does not mean we will be blessed with an endless stream of money and stuff simply because we choose to obey God rather than live in rebellion to Him.  Money and material possessions are not the best things in life. Following are just a few of the benefits and blessings we receive when we choose to obey God. 

More of our prayers are answered in the affirmative-

When we walk in obedience we are more in tune with God. As a result, we are much more likely to pray in accordance with God’s will. Anytime we pray God’s will for ourselves and others it always leads to more answered prayer (1^st John 5:14). Obedience also gives us favor with God. God’s favor causes Him to be more attentive to our prayers (Psalm 17:1-3, 1^st Peter 3:12, Nehemiah 1:11, Leviticus 26:1-13, Psalm 5:12, Proverbs 3:3-4). 

The Holy Spirit functions as He was intended to function in our lives-

The Holy Spirit has many functions in the life of a Christian. He comforts in times of trouble. He advocates on our behalf and He convicts us of sin and teaches us truth (1^st John 2:1, John 14:15-16). But perhaps the most critical function of Holy Spirit is to act as a guide (John 16:13, Galatians 6:15). When we are walking in the Spirit the Holy Spirit shows us what to do and how do it (John 14:26). He protects us from getting into situations that could cause us harm and He guides into deeper wisdom and discernment (1^st Corinthians 2:13). Habitual obedience creates an environment where the Holy Spirit can function in our lives at full capacity. This empowers us to know more and do more than we ever could on our own. 

We see around corners- 

Well, not literally. Obeying God will not give you superpowers or dramatically improve your eyesight. However, obedience leads to the blessing of wisdom (Proverbs 2:6-8). Wisdom is awesome. Wisdom empowers us to predict outcomes with astonishing accuracy, which is almost as good as seeing around a corner. Wisdom also helps us to live longer, keeps us out of harmful situations. Wisdom protects us from evil, allows us understand the times we live in and helps us to discern truth from error (Proverbs 2:12, Proverbs 3:13-17, Proverbs 9:11, Proverbs 8:12, Proverbs 24:14). All told, wisdom is almost as good as super powers. 

Our relationships are healthier-

When we walk in obedience to God we treat people with grace, dignity and kindness. Loving people well and treating them with consideration is a critical aspect of obedience (Matthew 7:12, Hebrews 13:16, Ephesians 4:32), because we reap what we sow this (usually) causes others to treat us better too. All this reciprocal goodness automatically leads to greater health in our closest relationships and greater personal satisfaction in those relationships.

God looks out for us- 

In one of my favorite movies of all time, The Count of Monte Cristo, there is a scene where the count finds himself in a situation that could easily have been the end of him. However, disaster is miraculously diverted at the last second. His servant says to him: “once again God has seen you out of the corner of His eye”. This perfectly describes what happens when we are walking in God’s favor. He sees us and most of the time He makes our path just a little bit smoother than it would have been (Proverbs 3:6). 

We want the right things- 

The human appetite leans towards all the wrong things in the natural as well as the spiritual. We want nutrition-less junk food to eat and horrible entertainment to feast our minds on. This natural inclination towards the unhealthy also makes us more prone to sin and shady choices. Sin and shady choices have never led to blessing of any kind.  However, when we walk in obedience our appetite for sin is decreased and our desire for God’s word is increased. This leads to more obedience and more obedience always leads to more blessing (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). 

Obedience is hard for humans, even redeemed humans, because at its core obedience is letting go of pride and self-will and submitting the will of another.  Fallen, sinful people universally want to be free agents and do their own thing. Because God is good and He gets us, God has graciously seen to it that consistent obedience has big rewards. Those rewards far outweigh the pain that comes with submitting our will to God.

Habits and Practices that Transform us-

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness. And rivers in the desert- Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV

 The book of Ecclesiastes teaches God has written eternity on every human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This is just a fancy-pants way of saying that all humans have a gut-level understanding our days numbered. As a result, most individuals have an almost instinctual longing to make the most of the time they have been given.  

In order to assist us in making the most of our time God has also designed rhythms to life.  Morning and evening, springtime and harvest, birth and death are repetitious patterns that remind us of the brevity of life and teach us to order our days in such a way they matter in the grand scheme of life and eternity (Genesis 8:22, Psalm 90:12, James 4:14). The first month of every year is another God-ordained rhythm of life. January is a yearly opportunity to reflect on the past and consider how we can make an impact on our world in the coming year. There is no end to the advice given on how to make each day count. Most advice is focused entirely on improving one’s eating habits, losing weight, making more money and improving one’s overall level of happiness. There is nothing inherently wrong or sinful with any of those things 

However.

Christians are commanded to live for more than their personal health, financial wellbeing and even their own personal happiness and pleasure. Christians are called to be transformed into the image of Jesus, to love God and people and to bring others into relationship with Jesus (Matthew 22: 34-40, Matthew 28:16-20, Romans 12:1-2, 2^nd Corinthians 3:18). The following seven attitudes and habits are a spiritual game changer that will empower you to fulfill that calling:

Commit each day to the Lord-

If you make a practice of committing each day to the Lord before you do anything else (drink coffee, get out of bed, think about or plan your day) it will be a game-changer (Psalm 37:5-6). I promise.

Know who you belong to and what that means- 

If you are a follower of Jesus in a very real sense your life is not your own. You are literally the legal property of Almighty God (1^st Corinthians 6:20, 1^st Corinthians 7:23, 2^nd Peter 2:1).  Christians are most content and make the biggest impact on others (and eternity) when understand and embrace this reality. Walking daily in the knowledge of who we belong to frees us up to fulfill our ultimate purpose of pleasing Jesus and bringing others into the kingdom (Matthew 10:6-8, Matthew 25:33-35, Luke 9:60, Ephesians 5:6). 

Surrender-

Every Christian—no matter how long they have been a Christian has a “thing” in their life. It might be a habit, a relationship, an attitude, a sexual proclivity, or maybe a love of money or some other worldly thing. Whatever, IT is, it will hold us back from our next big leap of growth and maturity.  One critical aspect of spiritual health and impacting our sphere of influence for Jesus is figuring out what our thing is and then letting go of it so God can work through us (Hebrews 12:1, Galatians 5:13-25)

Regular self-evaluation-

The key to spiritual growth is ultimately super boring. Our growth is determined by our spiritual habits and practices. The habits and practices we adopt around Bible reading, prayer, church attendance and self-examination determine our spiritual maturity and usefulness. Start with an inventory: What does your prayer life look like? Do you read the Bible routinely? Do you get anything out of your Bible reading?  How often do you attend church? If you pray less than a half hour a day, don’t read your Bible at least four days a week, attend church less than three times a month or aren’t getting anything out of your Bible reading, I guarantee you your spiritual habits and practices are holding you back (Hebrews 10:25, 1^st Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 26:14, Hebrews 4:12-13, 2^nd Corinthians 13:5). If you want to make a spiritual impact you will have to change them. 

Be open to the Holy Spirit- 

Being open to the Holy Spirit is not about being weird. It’s about spiritual awareness and being open to God’s leading at all times (Galatians 5:16). In Acts three Peter and John passed a crippled beggar as they entered the Temple mount. The beggar asked for money, instead of giving him money they healed him in the name of Jesus (Acts 3:1-10). Peter and John doubtless passed dozens of beggars before they engaged with that one. Why? Because they were open to, in tune with and willing to be led by God in everything. So, when God said “that one” they knew exactly who He meant and what to do. We become open to the leading of the Holy Spirit through a combination of prayer, obedience and knowledge of the Bible. 

Pray on the armor of God- 

Life is becoming increasingly complex and scary because we are living in a world at war (Ephesians 6:10-13, Daniel 10:7-14) and the war is heating up (2^nd Timothy 3:1-5, 2^nd Peter 3:3-4) Ephesians 6:14-18 gives us the tools we need to protect ourselves, pray effectively and impact our world for Jesus. For an example of how to pray through Ephesians 6:10-18 click this link:  https://lisamargretprice.com/2020/02/03/ephesians-6-prayer/

And finally, 

We must make spiritual community a reality. Church is not optional for Jesus followers. Without Christian relationships and the spiritual stability godly people bring to our lives everything else on the list becomes a challenge. When we have a healthy spiritual community, we have the support and help we need to make every one of our days count for eternity.