2025-03-21
Good Morning Dear Ones,
The head, heart, hands connection we experience as God gradually transforms us into living according to His teaching means a lot to both him and us eternally. Our God created us in His image with the intent that we would become transformed from inherently sinful, selfish beings into ones that take on His qualities as modeled by Jesus Christ. Of course, we will never have God’s full power to be as perfect as Christ, but we will live loving our Creator and other people, like Christ—living in a way which pleases God. For a long time, access to God’s wisdom was kept secret [DT 29: 29]. But at some point, God realized that our sinfulness as human beings needed a remedy that would open the way to eternal forgiveness. What a great example of utter humility God showed us when He brought Jesus to earth to do the work of Creation, and later to be on the scene to break open the secrecy as described in COL 1: 26-28, and made the atoning sacrifice of His life on the cross. “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has made known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the One we all proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”
At the very end of Christ’s sermon on the mount, we are told only fools build their homes on sand but wise people who have heard Christ’s words, will build their homes on a Rock –they will survive the worst of storms. This metaphor is Christ’s way of reminding us that we must put His words into practice. This admonishment is designed to move us forward in our spiritual maturation and to propel us to do the tasks that God has already prepared for us to do with sensitivity, compassion, honesty, and perseverance [EPH 2: 10; HE 12: 1-3]. We must study the Scriptures and stand firm in our faith. We can’t remain as spiritual babies, still needing milk but instead, we must take the time to understand the beautiful and salient messages we study well enough to put them into practice [HE 5: 11-14].
The areas where God’s teaching must be practiced are: prayer; service; worship; evangelism; discipleship; missions; relationships with God Himself and other people; study; hospitality; almsgiving; and all other human pursuits. All of this must be done on a foundation of ethics which please God. RO 12: 1-2, 21, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” All these notions are brought together in the following: “We must remember that we are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief Cornerstone. In Him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit” [EPH 2: 19-22].
Hearing the Gospel message and other teaching of God is the beginning of faith leading to His “adoption” of us as His children [RO 10: 17; EPH 1: 5]. It is crucial that God’s teaching is given to us with accuracy, accuracy that comes out of careful study and active listening to effective preaching. It also involves setting a godly example of how we live and carefully selecting with whom we are friends. Certainly, God wants us to ask for these things. The hands part of the head-heart-hands connection is our active participation in serving others. If one is physically strong and able to work to benefit the needy in gardening, construction, cooking, sewing, fabricating useful items, etc., then he should do that. (Christ was trained as a carpenter, for example). If he finds administration, office work, working with numbers, doing honest business deals, he should work using those skills. If a person is talented in healing, working in the medical field might be a godly way of service. And if a person is a skilled teacher, writer, artist, etc., he should apply those skills to the benefit of those needing them. (While I used the masculine pronouns here, I intend these ways to serve God to apply to women and men alike).
PRAYER: O Lord, You said, in MT 25: 40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’” You want us to do what we can to set an example for others in every walk of our lives. We are told to love our enemies [MT 5: 44], so that even if we find ourselves surrounded by people who are toxic, we must not let their evil rub off on us. No matter what kind of workplace we are in, You want us to do what we can to work as if we are working for You. Your mercy and kindness drive You to let us bloom where we are planted, or else, You find ways to remove us from evil. We love, honor, praise, and offer You thanksgiving, for all that You are and all that You do for us. We pledge our loyalty to You. In Christ’s holy/mighty name we pray.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit commands me to write about service as a part of our doing tasks for Him. He admonishes us, in RO 12: 11-12, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor in serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” What a loving and extraordinary Lord we have! He helps us in times of trouble, guides us to be in an active, dynamic relationship with Him, and bestows precious blessings on us. Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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