In John 15:15, Jesus told the Apostles "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."
How do you become Jesus' friend? In the previous verse, Jesus explained "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." Several times, in Jesus' talk with the Apostles after the Last Supper, He stressed that those who truly love Him will obey His commands. And in John 14:21, He gives the promise "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
Jesus manifests Himself to Christians who obey Him. Disobedient saints rely on their own wisdom as to what to do; Jesus teaches those who obey Him what to do.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Knowing God's Will Through Friendship
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Being a servant is one of the great accomplishments of the Christian life. More than once, Jesus told us that servants, not rulers, are the greatest Christians. Jesus said that wherever He is, His servants will be there also. In that case, His servants are going to be learning a lot from Him, and they are going to be close to him.
But a servant isn't entitled to an explanation. If God tells you to do something, you are to do it, without questioning God. As a servant grows in the Lord, however, God wants him to grow spiritually and to understand His ways.
How do you grow from a servant of God into a friend of God?
Being a servant is one of the great accomplishments of the Christian life. More than once, Jesus told us that servants, not rulers, are the greatest Christians. Jesus said that wherever He is, His servants will be there also. In that case, His servants are going to be learning a lot from Him, and they are going to be close to him.
But a servant isn't entitled to an explanation. If God tells you to do something, you are to do it, without questioning God. As a servant grows in the Lord, however, God wants him to grow spiritually and to understand His ways.
How do you grow from a servant of God into a friend of God?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Knowing God's Will Through Trust Part 2
James 4:6-7 tells us: But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Submitting to God includes obeying the Bible. But it also includes yielding your will to God's call for your life. I have often run across Christians who insist that God has called them to teach, but who refuse to teach children's classes. It might be possible, but I have never seen one of them teach a good adult class.
We decide that we want to serve God, but then Satan motivates us to seek prestigious positions. So many Christians feel "called" to be leaders that churches have to hold elections, while the same churches beg for people to provide transportation, work in the nursery, give money to poor families, etc.
If you'll submit to God and accept whatever He tells you to do, He'll tell you what to do with your life.
Submitting to God includes obeying the Bible. But it also includes yielding your will to God's call for your life. I have often run across Christians who insist that God has called them to teach, but who refuse to teach children's classes. It might be possible, but I have never seen one of them teach a good adult class.
We decide that we want to serve God, but then Satan motivates us to seek prestigious positions. So many Christians feel "called" to be leaders that churches have to hold elections, while the same churches beg for people to provide transportation, work in the nursery, give money to poor families, etc.
If you'll submit to God and accept whatever He tells you to do, He'll tell you what to do with your life.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Knowing God's Will RIGHT NOW Through Trust Part 1
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
In our 5 1/2 years in Mexico, we have seen several missionary families come and go, often with little or no fruit. Meanwhile, we had 19 kids on the church van last Sunday.
Common sense says that a missionary should have nothing to do with our church's children's ministry. It will never become self-supporting, and it will never grow into a successful church. So it makes sense that over the years, as I have often asked missionaries to help, they do not. Common sense tells them that it is a bad idea. And then they go away empty-handed, while the children's ministry continues to thrive.
You have to learn to trust GOD, not your own understanding. God's ways are past finding out, and if He is doing something, then that's where you want to be.
In our 5 1/2 years in Mexico, we have seen several missionary families come and go, often with little or no fruit. Meanwhile, we had 19 kids on the church van last Sunday.
Common sense says that a missionary should have nothing to do with our church's children's ministry. It will never become self-supporting, and it will never grow into a successful church. So it makes sense that over the years, as I have often asked missionaries to help, they do not. Common sense tells them that it is a bad idea. And then they go away empty-handed, while the children's ministry continues to thrive.
You have to learn to trust GOD, not your own understanding. God's ways are past finding out, and if He is doing something, then that's where you want to be.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Knowing God's Will RIGHT NOW Through Separation Part 3
Immediately after promising to be a Father to those who separate, God continues:
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1
If you want to know God's will for your life RIGHT NOW, you have to cleanse yourself both inwardly and outwardly of filth. We have already seen that true separation does not mean obeying man-made rules while tolerating sin. True separation means getting rid of ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit.
Okay, but what specific things is God talking about? God lists "the works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19-21, telling us that "...the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like;"
If you want the guidance that God gives to separated Christians, God has given you a list to start off with.
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1
If you want to know God's will for your life RIGHT NOW, you have to cleanse yourself both inwardly and outwardly of filth. We have already seen that true separation does not mean obeying man-made rules while tolerating sin. True separation means getting rid of ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit.
Okay, but what specific things is God talking about? God lists "the works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19-21, telling us that "...the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like;"
If you want the guidance that God gives to separated Christians, God has given you a list to start off with.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Knowing God's Will RIGHT NOW,Through Separation Part 2
After the Southern Baptist Convention became a large and successful religion, modernists crept in who sought to turn them away from God and His Word. When the Convention refused to take serious action, many Baptists obeyed the Biblical command to separate, and they became independent.
Blessed by God, independent Baptists experienced great success in the 1960's and 1970's. But when they made the decision as a group, that sin in the leadership would be quietly smoothed over, things went wrong. They regarded themselves as "separated" because they still followed the man-made rules that hadn't worked, even while they disobeyed the Biblical command "Those that sin, rebuke before all." Losing the guidance of God because they didn't separate, many turned to Ruckmanism, regarding themselves as superior to Godly saints because they would only use the King James translation of the Bible.
Others, regarding Peter Ruckman as a wife-stealing enemy of Godly men, obeyed the Biblical command to separate. You'll find that independent, fundamentalist Baptists churches (often without the word "Baptist" is their name, though) still dominate the list of America's 100 largest churches. And despite their pride, Ruckmanites do not.
"Separation" does not refer to following man-made rules while tolerating sin. And Christians who tolerate sin don't get the guidance that God promises to those who separate.
Blessed by God, independent Baptists experienced great success in the 1960's and 1970's. But when they made the decision as a group, that sin in the leadership would be quietly smoothed over, things went wrong. They regarded themselves as "separated" because they still followed the man-made rules that hadn't worked, even while they disobeyed the Biblical command "Those that sin, rebuke before all." Losing the guidance of God because they didn't separate, many turned to Ruckmanism, regarding themselves as superior to Godly saints because they would only use the King James translation of the Bible.
Others, regarding Peter Ruckman as a wife-stealing enemy of Godly men, obeyed the Biblical command to separate. You'll find that independent, fundamentalist Baptists churches (often without the word "Baptist" is their name, though) still dominate the list of America's 100 largest churches. And despite their pride, Ruckmanites do not.
"Separation" does not refer to following man-made rules while tolerating sin. And Christians who tolerate sin don't get the guidance that God promises to those who separate.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Knowing God's Will RIGHT NOW Through Separation
PART 1
2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore " Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
18 " I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
When God's people have fellowship with the wicked, it influences them. A person can only learn so much, and that Christian is learning from the wrong source. But there really are good things you can learn from the world: how to read, how to drive, etc. However, the context of this verse shows that Paul is talking about pagan religions, and we are to have nothing to do with them or their wisdom.
When you lose the wisdom of the wicked, God gives you His own wisdom in its place. He promises that if we will separate, He will be a Father to us, instructing us in right and wrong.
To be continued...
2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore " Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
18 " I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
When God's people have fellowship with the wicked, it influences them. A person can only learn so much, and that Christian is learning from the wrong source. But there really are good things you can learn from the world: how to read, how to drive, etc. However, the context of this verse shows that Paul is talking about pagan religions, and we are to have nothing to do with them or their wisdom.
When you lose the wisdom of the wicked, God gives you His own wisdom in its place. He promises that if we will separate, He will be a Father to us, instructing us in right and wrong.
To be continued...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)