2002-12-30
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Many of us need a “how-to” list to keep God’s plan clear in our minds and approach living in a way that will carry it out. In view of Satan’s continuing desire to throw us off that path, our very wise God inspired the writers of the Scriptures to give several to us, particularly from Paul. We’ve spent several days looking at the important list of ones that appear in EPH 4: 4-6. Now, let’s look at the “how-to” suggestions that led up to that list in EPH 4: 1-3, “I urge you, then-I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord: live a life that measures up to the standard God set when He called you. Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.” When we remember what we learn in GA 5: 17, it is necessary to take steps to remain focused on God’s will for our lives. “For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do.” In other words, the opposite of the commands in EPH 4: 1-3 is what comes natural to us, and that is because we inherited our sinful nature from Adam and Eve who were deceived into committing the original sin by the serpent (Satan). Paul was inspired to say in the context of the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit in RO 7: 24-25, “What an unhappy man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is taking me to death? Thanks be to God, Who does this through our Lord Jesus Christ!” Now, these are all things that we’ve been taught, but it certainly has more impact on us when we see it coming from the Scriptures themselves.
So, let’s take a deeper look into this list of “how-to’s.” The first directive is “live a life that measures up to the standard God set when He called you.” What was that standard? The new believer has at least this much: he had to have experienced dissatisfaction with his old life and been willing to repent of his sins. And he knew that he had to pledge his faith in Jesus Christ. None of us are so far from being new believers that we have forgotten how hot our new faith burned, how much emotion was behind it, and also how much we had to learn. The fact is that the more mature we become in our faith, the more we realize how much more God has to teach us. RO 12: 1-2, “So then, my brothers, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by the renewal of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God-what is Good and is pleasing to Him and is perfect.” And therein, is the answer to the question about standards. Since Jesus Christ is the second personality of God, then it is by His example (standards) that we should live. How do we know those standards? We get to know Jesus Christ from daily study of His word and through prayer. We watch for His interaction and influence on our lives and those lives around us. We strive to be Christlike in everything we think, say, and do. While this may sound trite, we remember often to ask this question: What would Jesus do?
We can see what this actually means to us through some practical examples from my own experience. When I was in grammar school, I was wrongfully accused of cheating on a paper I had turned in. When the teacher made her accusation, I erupted with a very unladylike reaction, threw down my pencil, said some very harsh, insulting things, and left the room with the intent of taking the city bus home. In view of the fact that I lived across town from where I went to school and was only in the third grade at the time, this made my tantrum all that much more ridiculous. However, now that I look back on it, I was reacting in the only why I knew how. I didn’t have Christ in my life, so I had no idea what His standard might be. I was acting in the same way that I had seen members of my family react when things weren’t going their way. Truthfully, this was not to be the only time in my childhood that I clashed with authority figures. The idea that God would adjudicate injustices done never entered my head. Imagine what might have happened had I asked myself, “What would Jesus do?” before reacting that way and becoming so arrogant. Imagine if I had realized that garnering this kind of attention isn’t the way to go about it. The principal of the school stopped me from getting on the bus to go home. Instead, she put me in a small classroom and told me to write the word “responsibility” five hundred times on the board. I was furious and will never forget the incident. That gave her enough time to call my mother at work and have her take me home for a three-day suspension. Justice came several months after my tantrum. Even with all this sinfulness, I can tell you that God still loved me enough to allow a set of circumstances occur which eventually brought the truth out that I had not cheated on that paper. I share this story as a reminder to us all that Christ is the Model we should follow, and that our lives will be much better off for doing this. We all find ourselves in situations where we are tempted to sin. EPH 4: 26-27 is very useful, “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Do not give the devil a chance.”
PRAYER: O Lord, our lives are not easy, and You know this. You have given us wonderful and clear direction on how to be worthy of Your blessings in the Scriptures. The standard that You call us to requires that we act against our natural selves. Anger, arrogance, jealousy, and other evil emotions come naturally to us when we are provoked. In the middle of a business meeting where there is heated disagreement over a controversial subject requiring important decisions, we must ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” Harried mothers with crying babies, barking dogs, a small child who just spilled a whole box of cereal on the floor, and the door bell ringing all at the same time must ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?” College students studying for final exams in a difficult subject and without much sleep must ask, “What would Jesus do?” Soldiers flying dangerous missions over the no-fly zone in Iraq at the moment they perceive incoming ordinance must ask, “What would Jesus do?” A person whose boss is in the process of telling his employee his job has been eliminated must ask, “What would Jesus do?” The answer to that question can be found in the Scriptures and through prayer. Dearest Abba, You sacrificed Your Son on the cross, so we could be saved [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25]. Then, You gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us understand Your word and make righteous choices [JN 14: 15-17]. You have told us in 1 PET 1: 16, “Be holy because I am holy.” Then You show us why in 1 PET 1: 18-21, “For you know that what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life handed down by your ancestors. It was not something that can be destroyed, such as silver or gold; it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, Who was like a lamb without defect or flaw. He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, Who raised Him from death and gave Him glory; and so your faith and hope are fixed on God.” We are Your servants pledged to emulate Christ and to set our hearts in Him. We offer You our humble confession and acknowledge You are deserving of our adoration, worship, loyalty, diligence, glory, honor, trust, obedience, utmost praise and thanksgiving. In His Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
I am led to continue writing about the list of “how-to’s” from EPH 4: 1-3 tomorrow. Our loving Abba gives us these things to do, so that we can make it possible for the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts and answer David’s plea in PS 51: 10-12, “Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence; do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me again the joy that comes from Your salvation and make me willing to obey You.” Our God Who makes this possible is loving, compassionate, patient, and utterly awesome! Peter and I send each of you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn