Prayer as a Means of Grace
August 28, 2023 at 2:23 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, Ephesians, Means of Grace | 8 CommentsTags: Biblical prayer, Ephesians 3, James 5, lessons on prayer, Matthew 6, Means of Grace, prayer, Psalm 86, public prayer, Romans 8
It is often assumed that prayer is lacking in the life of even otherwise faithful Christians. Of course, we don’t really know if this is true of not. However, it is often listed in surveys as the spiritual discipline that Christians struggle with most. Even Jesus’s closest disciples seemed to have some difficulty in comprehending it or in confidently practicing it, since Scripture records them asking Jesus, “Teach us to pray.”
The main point of the lesson on Bible study as a means of grace was a reminder that, when we read the Bible we are HEARING FROM GOD HIMSELF. We need to recover a sense of reverence and awe in order to grasp the importance of taking it seriously. Similarly, in prayer, we need to remember that we are not merely uttering words as a form of discipling ourselves. We are actually TALKING TO GOD. The awesome God who speaks to us in His Word is the same awesome God who hears us when we speak our heartfelt words to Him.
Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
Psalm 86:1
The psalmist asked God to “recline” or “decline” or “condescend” to our level. This is a prayer asking God to hear our prayers, not because God is reluctant to do so, nor because He is too busy or too transcendent, but as a reminder to us not to take this for granted. Prayer is a privilege, not a right. It comes from us, in a sense, but, admitting that we are “poor and needy,” we recognize that the ability to do it is first and foremost a gift from Him.
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
Psalm 86:2-3
We need prayer, and we need it every day. We “cry” to God; prayer should not be dispassionate. Here are some principles to keep in mind as God uses prayer as a means of grace in our lives:
1. Humbly pray that God would make you humble.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:5
Public prayer is good, assuming it is true prayer to the true God and not a make-believe show or a form of crass self-promotion. Keeping in mind that public prayer is good, though, also keep in mind that private prayer is better.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:6
I don’t believe that you must literally go into a closest to pray, but finding a place where we won’t be distracted, and where we won’t be too self-conscious, seems necessary.
2. Simply pray that God would keep your prayers simple.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Matthew 6:7
Public prayer requires a certain formality, but not an excessive formality.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matthew 6:8
God never needs things “explained” to Him. You can safely assume that you and God are on the same page when it comes to what’s on your heart. God is not like a lawyer scouring your petitions for legal loopholes.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26
If the efficacy of our prayers depended on us impressing God with our eloquence or even the precision of our language, we would have no hope of seeing them answered favorably.
3. Biblically pray for God to help you to pray Biblically.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:16-18
This is one of the many ways that Bible study goes hand in hand with prayer. We need to bring up to God specific examples of Scriptural promises or Bible stories in our prayers. God recorded these for us so we can know His character, and so that we can be encouraged, and so that we can learn from past examples of men and women who prayed the right way for the rights things with the right heart attitude.
4. Confidently pray that God would give you confidence in Him.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Ephesians 3:20
We need to pray, truly believing that God is sovereign over all. He is not limited by what we are able to comprehend or even imagine. We need to pray in faith, but not faith in our prayers. We need to pray with faith in the One Who hears our prayers, and we need to believe that He will glorify Himself in us for the sake of Jesus. Christian prayers are special prayers. We have special access to God, and He has a vested interest in us.
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3:21
5. Joyfully pray that God would help you find your joy in Him.
Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
Psalm 86:4
We should find joy in praying. However, we may not limit our prayers only to times when are joyful. Therefore, we need to pray for joy and pray that God would making praying a time of rejoicing for us. God will do a better job of giving us joy than introverted pep talks, self-help techniques, chemical substances (or food), or even mood-enhancing music. We must lift up our soul to God Himself – whatever emotional state it’s in – and say, “Here, Lord, transform it; make it happy about the right things. Make it grateful. Make it satisfied. Make it peaceful. Make it excited and vibrant. Make it compassionate but not fatalistic.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Philippians 1:3-5
Two practical things that will help your to pray joyfully:
a. Pray in fellowship with others, or at least a partner.
b. Start your prayers with gratitude and praise – thanksgiving and worship. Think of prayer itself as a place of unburdening and relief
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Joseph Scriven, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
6. Pray with focus that God would cause you to focus on prayer.
Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Psalm 86:11
Distraction is the enemy of focused and fervent prayer. God can help us to focus. Having a united heart is very important. The opposite of a united heart and a united mind is a divided heart and a divided mind (which sounds not coincidentally like idolatry).
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8
The topic here is asking God for wisdom, but it would apply to any prayer. We are asking God to unite our hearts and makes us single-minded TO FEAR HIM – to recognize that all our prayers need to be focused on glorifying His name and seeing His will done. Whether the topic of the prayer is finances, health, relationships, even spiritual growth and maturity, we are to be directed by and for His purposes. We are not good shepherds of our own minds. They tend to wander all over the place. This can be helpful when when we want to be imaginative and creative, but not so great when we are seriously bringing our petitions and requests before the Lord. He will help you focus and have integrity (be whole).
7. Persist in praying for God to make you persistent in prayer.
The Correlation between What You Believe and How You Live
August 21, 2023 at 3:54 pm | Posted in Ephesians | 3 CommentsTags: Christian callings, Christian duty, Christian unity, commentary on Ephesians, doctrine, Ephesians 4, orthodoxy, orthopraxy, Sunday School lessons on Ephesians
In the Christian life duty is never divorced from doctrine. Most, if not all, of the New Testament epistles have a certain structure or pattern whereby the Author spends time discussing and explaining theology: truths about the attributes of God and the person and work of Christ. A general topic will be addressed so that we know more about God and what He has done and is doing. It could be salvation, sin, election, human responsibility, unity and love, freedom, joy, the Atonement, and all sorts of other things that are vital to know. But the lesson will never stop with the imparting or revelation of mere knowledge. There will always be an application: a “therefore” or “wherefore,” where the Holy Spirit tells us something like, “Considering all that God has done for you in Christ, how shall you now respond or how shall you now live?”
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Ephesians 4:1
This is the same label that Paul gave himself at the beginning of Chapter 3, and we can see the “therefore” and the “beseech.” Considering all that Paul had just told them about God’s love for them, and what He has done for them, and the great blessings of election, spiritual riches, reconciliation, love, and unity in the Church, what comes next should be their (and our) response, and this response is a “vocation” – a calling.
We normally limited the term “calling” to religious or spiritual callings and apply them to pastors or evangelists or missionaries, but the Bible does not make that limitation. If you are a Christian you should think of your job, your marriage, your household, your church ministry, and anything you do (that is not sinful) as a holy calling – something that God has given you (even if you were not aware of some inner conviction) through His providence – and as a sacred opportunity. Do not try to compartmentalize the secular from the sacred. That is very Roman Catholic idea which has, sadly, influenced many. As Christians we should live all of lives “coram Deo.”
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3
As members of the Church, it is our responsibility to keep peace in the Body of Christ, and note the order: It is not first addressing others’ problems or perceived problems with their own personalities; it is first addressing ourselves. It is being lowly and meek, putting up with offenses and wrongdoing for extended periods, and forbearing (“putting up with”) each other for the sake of love. The idea is that this is an “endeavour” – an organized and thoughtful venture – setting out to reach the goal of being on the same page so that we may serve and glorify Jesus in His mission to reach the world and sanctify His people.
So, while unity is of extreme importance, true unity must be unified around Truth.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:4-6
Beware of two false views:
1. It doesn’t matter how you live, as long as you believe right.
2. It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you live right.
Once we think correctly about the correlation between believing and acting, then we must recognize that we are not called to do either of these things in isolation. The Body of Christ is both an organism and an organization. It is both diverse and unified.
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Ephesians 4:7
Christ has given every true Christian the Holy Spirit, but He has given different specific spiritual gifts in different measures to different individuals. Note that these are double-reinforced grace-gifts. They are not earned or merited, although they may be cultivated and utilized with more excellence through practice, prayer, and purity.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Ephesians 4:8 (see Psalm 68:18)
This is the imagery of a triumphal parade after a victorious battle or military campaign. The Ascension of Christ was instrumental in His demonstration of victory and in the securing and dispensing of the gifts which He would give to His Church so that we might carry on – and win – the battle in this world.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Ephesians 4:9-10
Here are some of the gifts:
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Ephesians 4:11-12
One of the responsibilities of the Church is preaching the Gospel, but the primary purpose seems to be building up and equipping those who are saved.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Ephesians 4:13
Negative and Positive Charges for a Walk in the Light
August 17, 2023 at 1:28 pm | Posted in Ephesians | 2 CommentsTags: Biblical chiasms, Biblical light, Biblical walking, chiastic structure, commentary on Ephesians, Ephesians 4, Ephesians 5, Sunday School lessons on Ephesians
There is a chiastic structure that carries over from the end of Ephesians Chapter 4 into Chapter 5. The chiasm looks like this:
negative
positive
positive
negative
The first negative is an expression of what NOT to do: Stop being bitter, sinfully angry, evil in your communications.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Ephesians 4:31
The first positive tells us what TO do: Be kind and forgiving.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32
The second positive is a command to walk in Christ, imitating God, the way little children imitate their fathers or parents.
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Ephesians 5:1-2
Jesus not only gave a perfect offering on the Cross – He WAS the offering. He was both Priest and spotless Lamb. He offered HIMSELF. What “smells good” to God is the kind of sacrifice that comes from the heart and is sacrificial and loving toward others.
The second negative prohibits us from fooling around with sexual sin in deed or word or desire.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Ephesians 5:3
Fornication includes any species of sexual immorality. Covetousness is also highlighted, reminding us that it was not an attempt to be technically exhaustive which caused the Holy Spirit to list coveting your neighbor’s wife in Commandment No. 10.
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Ephesians 5:4
So-called “locker room talk” which involves crass sexual innuendo or jocular vulgarity, profanity, or cursing has no place in Christian conversation.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Ephesians 5:5
This is a description of the types of behavior we would expect to see in someone who has not been regenerated/transformed into a new creature: people whose activities are still their primary identities.
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Ephesians 5:8
Light is necessary for fruit to grow. Also, light versus darkness is symbolic of good versus evil. The ancient connection of white and black to good and evil does not come from skin color. It comes from the Bible. Light exposes reality (what’s really there).
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Ephesians 5:10
Living in the light will demonstrate the authenticity (or the hypocrisy) of your profession of faith. The having of light invites the nullification of darkness.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Ephesians 5:11
We must do our part to make sure the contrast between God’s Kingdom and the world is stark and clear – sharply delineated. Light keeps people out of trouble.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Ephesians 5:12
Spiritual light is a reflected light, not a self-generated light; it is a gift from Christ. Ephesians 5:1-15 brings us back “full-circle” to the concept of “walking.”
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Ephesians 5:15
Asking God to Keep His Word
August 14, 2023 at 1:24 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, I Chronicles | 5 CommentsTags: 1 Chronicles 17, Biblical marriage, Biblical prayers, boldness in prayer, humility in prayer, King David, Solomon's Temple
Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord remaineth under curtains.
I Chronicles 17:1
David recognized the danger in ease and comfort. He also recognized what the difference in appearance between “his” home and the place where the Ark was housed could say (or mean) about his reverence or lack of reverence for the Lord.
Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
I Chronicles 17:2
This was not necessarily bad advice, but it is important to note the difference between sound advice and Divine revelation.
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
I Chronicles 17:3
Nathan spoke for himself before, but now he was clearly speaking for God in the first-person voice.
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?
I Chronicles 17:4-6
God reminded David that even a sincere desire to please the Lord is no substitute for actually adhering to the Lord’s specific instructions. With all that David had been through in uniting the nation of Israel and in preparing a central location for the people to worship at Jerusalem, he probably needed a strong reminder that all his accomplishments were really God’s accomplishments. We all need that reminder every day! Look at all the first-person language in 17:7-14. Praise the Lord for anything and everything that has happened in your life. His hand was at work whether we perceived them as “good times” or “bad times” while they were going on.
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:
I Chronicles 17:7
The Lord wanted to make it clear that He is the one Who must initiate even those ideas which demonstrate His own glory. By way of illustration, which would please you more as a wife?
Option one (from Husband): “Here is a bouquet of flowers and a diamond pendant and a lobster dinner and a 14-stanza love poem that I wrote for you because I was thinking about you and I loved you and I hoped that you would enjoy these things.”
OR
Option two (from husband): “Here is the bouquet of flowers and the diamond pendant that you told me to get for you, and the lobster dinner that you demanded, and this Hallmark card which mentions all the things that you always remind me that you do for me.”
In other words, do you appreciate spontaneous, self-generated, self-willed demonstrations of love and affection and devotion? Or do you appreciate your husband’s willingness to do what he’s told and show that he pays attention and knows how to follow orders? In your sentimentality, I am guessing that you are choosing option one, but I wonder if you might be secretly admiring option two. Regardless, I would argue that, God, being God and not being like us in this way, actually very openly prefers option two. It is not wrong at all for God to be the initiator of grace and covenant blessings.
And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
I Chronicles 17:8
It’s not wrong to have a highly-respected name, IF we remember to qualify our fame or influence with attributing it to God.
Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,
I Chronicles 17:9
These are things that David would play a key role in, but could only be truly accomplished by the power of God.
And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house.
I Chronicles 17:10
David thought he would build God a house, but he thought too small. Instead, God would build David a house that would bring glory to God.
And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
I Chronicles 17:11
Note the promise of being reunited with ancestors in Heaven. The “seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons” appears to refer to Solomon, who WOULD build the Temple, but, in a deeper sense, it is a reference to Jesus.
12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. 13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: 14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
I Chronicles 17:12-15
God had chosen David when he was a mere shepherd boy taking care of literal sheep, and ordained that he would one day be the shepherd-king over God’s own people. What a privilege! David must have felt pretty special and really proud of himself for having merited God’s favor in this way. Not so fast. Look at David’s reaction to the grace that God bestowed on him: David did not dance at this news. He did not sing and celebrate. He did not find smug satisfaction in thinking that he – rather than someone else – had been chosen by God. God’s grace makes us humble, not proud.
And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
I Chronicles 17:16
David “the king” sat humbly before the King of Kings.
17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant. 19 O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
I Chronicles 17:17-20
This is a real understanding of the holiness of God, and it is something easy for us to forget since we have no way of comparing Him to anyone or anything else.
21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt? 22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, Lord, becamest their God. 23 Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
I Chronicles 17:21-23
David prayed that God would do what He already said He was going to do. Ever since Pelagius objected to Augustine making a similar petition, this has been a controversial way to pray, but it is a very Biblical way to pray.
Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.
I Chronicles 17:24
Only with this type of humility do we dare ask God to exalt us in any way.
25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee. 26 And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever.
I Chronicles 17:25-27
I Chronicles 18-20 document David’s successes in war, especially in light of the covenant just described in Chapter 17. David’s enemies were subdued/defeated:
Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.
I Chronicles 18:1 (emphasis added)
David did a lot of smiting at this time.
Christian Service as a Means of Grace (Part 3)
August 11, 2023 at 4:04 pm | Posted in Means of Grace, Philippians | 1 CommentTags: 1 Corinthians 4, Christian servants, Deuteronomy 28, Galatians 5, Means of Grace, Philippians 2, Psalm 101, serving Christ, serving the Lord
Christian servants are unprofitable when it comes to increasing the worth or merit of our Lord and Master, but we must not be unproductive, for we shall be held accountable. Having a right view of our responsibility and privilege to serve, and of the blessings and the duties of service, let’s think about our attitudes in service.
1. Serve with joy
The first part of Deuteronomy 28 sets forth some of the blessings for KEEPING the Deuteronomic Covenant, and the second part sets forth some of the curses for BREAKING it.
47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
Deuteronomy 28:47-48
We see that service itself is not an option. Having a loving and kind master to serve is an amazing blessing, but serving under the yoke of a cruel and harsh taskmaster is a horrible situation.
a. Remembering that God’s blessings allow us to serve the right Master motivates us to serve with joy.
b. The more the Lord gives us, the more joyfully we serve.
The reward for faithful service is more service, but the reward is also more with which to serve and more-pleasant service.
c. Failing to serve joyfully could result in harsh service to unkind masters so that we may learn and know the difference.
Some children can be overly dramatic and put on a big show of fake crying when they don’t get their way. In response, some parents warn, “If you don’t stop crying, I’ll give you something to cry about!” God is not a petulant parent, but neither is He fooled by our murmurings, and He is never overly hesitant to chasten in love.
d. Serving with joy gives others the right idea about the kindness of God.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Philippians 2:14
We don’t want to be guilty of a “fake it ’til you make it” mentality, but, even when we feel like murmuring and complaining, we must make the best of what we perceive to be a bad situation.
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Philippians 2:15
You will look very different from the rest of an ungrateful world if you do hard service with a pleasant attitude.
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Philippians 2:16
The fruit of your labor will eventually be seen, and your service is not wasted service, no matter how mundane or laborious it feels or seems in the present.
Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
Philippians 2:17
e. Joy is meant to be shared with other believers.
For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Philippians 2:18
2. Serve faithfully
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
Psalm 101:6
Having God’s eyes on you in a favorable way is a tremendous blessing. God is monitoring our service. He is looking out for – and LOOKING AFTER – faithful men and women who are walking in complete devotion to Him and in holiness. Furthermore, He is not only monitoring our actions, but He is also empowering us and helping us to serve. Have you ever looked at an opportunity to serve God and thought, “How am I going to do this?” The answer is: You’re not – God is going to do it through you. And if anybody thinks it was you, you should try to make sure they know it was really God.
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
I Corinthians 4:1-2
Faithful service entails not only faithfulness with earthly things/possessions, but with Heavenly, spiritual things – chiefly the Gospel treasure. Our service is to protect the Gospel treasure, but also to sow it as seed, and to be investing it in lives continually. Faithfulness in service is not merely a talking point in a job interview. Especially with Christ, Who called us to this job before we even sought it, it is something which must be maintained and exercised over the course of the “job” (our service).
3. Serve in love
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Galatians 5:13-15
Serve cooperatively, not competitively.
Mercy and Charlie
August 9, 2023 at 2:36 pm | Posted in Ephesians | 5 CommentsTags: Biblical marriage, Christian marriage, Christian wedding, Ephesians 5, Genesis 2, Gospel marriage, marriage ceremony, marriage vows, wedding vows
Remarks from my oldest daughter’s wedding on July 15, 2023:
We are gathered here today in the presence of God and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord to witness and to celebrate this marriage. We thank God for the gift of marriage, and on behalf of the bride and groom and their families, we thank you for coming.
Only very recently in my life have I begun officiating weddings. I honestly don’t feel very qualified. But I must be getting pretty good at them – they brought me all the way to Alaska for this one. Weddings are one of the most joyous occasions we can experience in this life. If you were making a movie or writing a book, and you wanted to guarantee that you would have what is called a “feel-good” ending, one of the most tried and true methods is to make the movie or the book end with a wedding.
Maybe that’s more sentimental than accurate, though, because one of the best things about getting married is that – in real life – it’s not an ending at all. It’s a wonderful beginning.
When my other daughters got married – because they live closer to us than Mercy does – we had an opportunity to get know their fiancés well enough that, when I wanted to say some complimentary things about them, I could talk to their friends and family and do a little research, and make sure what I was going to say was accurate. I’m at a little bit of a disadvantage here, because most of you know Charlie much better than I do. Last summer when we came here we got to know him better, though, and I’m looking forward to many years of having him as a son-in-law, but here are some things we knew about him even before we met him in person:
It says on his Wikipedia page that he can kill a “bear” with his “bare” hands – but he doesn’t want to! He actually wants to avoid all bear-related violence unless he is guiding on a hunting trip. Other than that, if he happens to meet a bear, he wants the bear to go in peace and live a happy and fulfilling life. Another thing we knew about Charlie: If you turn your back on him for more than a few seconds, he will quickly assemble a log cabin all by himself. Another fact: He’s the star of the wildly popular reality television series “The Last Alaskans,” but he doesn’t actually like being in the spotlight.
Those are things we knew about him already, but here are some things we only found out about him after getting to know him: He’s honest, hardworking, trustworthy, kind, patient, and very intelligent (also, he loves Junie B. Jones books).
Seriously, though, we do not think that God could have arranged a better husband for Mercy, and we are very thankful to his parents for raising him, and we know he loves and appreciates them and his sister and the rest of his family and friends, too.
It is strange for me to be doing all this talking while Mercy is standing there silent. That is the opposite of our normal roles. Growing up, the only time I talked this much while she stayed quiet was when she was in trouble. (Mercy, you are not in trouble.)
Charlie, you could not have possibly found a better match or a more wonderful bride. Mercy is funny, adventurous, persuasive, kind-hearted, beautiful, loyal, and trustworthy. She has never been afraid of a challenge. Wherever your lives take you, I can promise that Mercy is the young lady for the job.
I’m very happy for both of you, and I am very happy you are getting married, because, while what I said earlier about marriage being an occasion of great joy is true, it is also more meaningful than just a reason to have a ceremony and a celebration. The same God Who created the mountains of Alaska, and made the salmon swim upstream, and made giant herds of reindeer all migrate at just the right time to just the right places – the same God who did and does all that – is the One Who created and designed marriage. And since He created and designed it, He has the authority to set forth its rules and benefits and blessings, and He has designed it with indicatives and imperatives.
You might think it’s weird for a redneck from Louisiana – who can’t seem to stop pronouncing the “l” in salmon – to come all the way up here and give a grammar lesson, but let’s look at what God has proclaimed in His Word about marriage.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Ephesians 5:23
The husband is the head of the wife. That’s an indicative. It’s a statement of fact. It’s objectively true – that’s just how God designed things. But it’s an indicative that comes with an imperative: a command from God, a responsibility, not something that “is,” but something that “ought.”
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians 5:25
Charlie, you will be the head – like it or not. That means leadership. You can lead the right way or you can lead the wrong way, but you will still be leading. I am thankful that you are a young man who is not afraid of responsibility, because the imperative is to love your wife like Jesus loves His bride, the Church.
Jesus loves sacrificially. He provides. He protects. He listens. He responds. He serves. He gives His life for her. That is what you are promising to do. With God’s help you will not only be able to do it, but you will thrive at it, and you will enjoy it, and it will bring both of you tremendous joy, peace, and fulfillment.
Here is the indicative for wives:
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:7-8
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:18
That was the first wife, and so we see that God designed wives to be helpers, but not just any old helper; not a gofer or a flunky or a slave or an employee, but a perfectly suited helper; a complementary helper specifically designed to partner with her husband. Because without her he could not be complete. This is a great honor – and a great privilege – one of the great blessings of life – but it, too, is an indicative that is followed by an imperative.
[Let]… the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:33
You will be a helper whether you help the right way or the wrong way. A wife may help her husband to be strong and to be successful and to be what God has called him to be – or she may help him into the poorhouse, or help to drive him nuts.
I am so excited today because I can see a little of what God must have been thinking when He brought you together. I don’t know what the future holds for you in its specifics, but I do know Who holds that future. I am sure there will be tough times and difficult days, but I am also sure there will be wonderful, inspiring, and exciting days – days of laughter and days of love.
In a moment we are going to hear the bride’s and the groom’s vows, but I want to extend an invitation to anyone who may not really know Jesus. What we all have in common – in addition to our love for Mercy and Charlie – is our sin. God loves you, but He is also holy and just. His Son paid the price for your sins on the Cross, and He rose from the grave. Therefore, He can give you eternal life, bring you into His family through a new birth, and give you a home in Heaven when you leave this world, if you will repent and place your trust in Him alone.
To the groom: Do you take this woman to be your wife in the holy covenant of Christian marriage, promising to love her, honor her, protect her, provide for her, be faithful to her, and to give yourself for her as Christ gave himself for His Church?
Groom: I do.
Do you promise with God’s help to honor these vows to her in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in poverty, for better and for worse, in times of joy and in times of grief, forsaking all others and continuing to abide with her as long as you both shall live?
Groom: I do.
To the bride: Do you take this man to be your husband, promising to love, reverence, honor, help him, be faithful to him, and to lovingly submit to him as he honors Christ in your marriage?
Bride: I do.
Do you promise with God’s help to honor these vows to him in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in poverty, for better and for worse, in times of joy and in times of grief, forsaking all others and continuing to abide with him as long as you both shall live?
Groom to bride: I take you to be my wife, and I promise and commit in the presence of God and these witnesses to love and serve you as long as we both shall live.
Bride to groom: I take you to be my husband, and I promise and commit in the presence of God and these witnesses to love and serve you as long as we both shall live.
Groom to bride: I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.
Bride to groom: I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.
Prayer: Lord God, we ask you to bless this covenant of marriage between Joey and Juliette. Please help them to honor the vows that they have made today, and give them a joyful, fruitful, loving, Gospel-centered, Christ-honoring, and grace-fueled marriage, so that their love for You and for each other grows greater, deeper, and richer each day. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
Considering the vows you have made today and in view of what the Bible says about the glorious gift of marriage, I am pleased to pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.
Keeping in mind that there are paparazzi hiding in the bushes with telephotos lenses, you may now give each other an appropriate kiss.
Comfort One Another
August 7, 2023 at 1:23 pm | Posted in Biblical comfort, Uncategorized | 3 CommentsTags: 1 Thessalonians 4, Biblical comfort, Christian funerals, commentary on 1 Thessalonians, commentary on Psalms, funeral sermons, grieving, Psalm 116, Sunday School lessons on Psalms
The only thing in this world that holds any real hope for people who are grieving the death of someone they loved is the Word of God.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Psalm 116:15
What is precious about the death of a loved one? Not his absence, for he will be missed. Not the hope of a replacement, because the people we love can’t be replaced. Not a eulogy, because no matter how good or bad the words spoken, they will be forgotten. No, the death of someone we love is precious because it brings about two things:
First, it brings the people left here to carry on an important encouragement: the encouragement to turn to one another.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 (emphasis added)
“Comfort one another.” True comfort is not found in ourselves. It is not found in drugs. It is not found in songs or music. It is not found in lashing out in anger. It is not found in alienating the people around us who don’t understand us or who annoy us. The Bible doesn’t even make this a suggestion – it makes it a command: Comfort ONE ANOTHER.
The first precious thing – the first valuable thing – the first redemptive thing – about the death of a loved one is that it can bring people together. It can prompt you to be patient, to bear one another’s burdens, to forgive one another, to put aside the past, and lean on each other, and start over.
The deceased person may not have left behind a treasure chest full of gold or a huge portfolio of business investments to fight over. There may not be some great ceremonial reading of a will. But, more often than not, what the deceased person leaves behind is common bond among people who loved him. And his death will be precious – and it will be MEANINGFUL – if you can love and support and care for and comfort ONE ANOTHER.
I said before that the death of a loved one is precious in two ways. The second way is that God uses death as a warning, as an illustration, and as a proof that every single one of us, because the common experience of death, are going to see Him – much, much sooner than we think.
God is made you and God loves you, but God is also just and righteous. You and I have sinned against Him, and justice requires punishment for sin. How can a just God also love and forgive those who have taken his precious gift of life and used it against Him? Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ answers this question, and the death of someone you love forces us to at least consider the answer.
Marginalized Demons
August 1, 2023 at 3:29 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 4 CommentsTags: Augustine, homosexuality, Lucifer, marginalized groups, pride, pride month, Satan, victimhood, virtue signaling, woke ideology
At the risk of exposing myself as what some younger people online call a “boomer,” I’m going to make a confession: Occasionally, I will post a picture that contains a quote by a theologian. I believe these pictures are called “memes,” but I’m not sure about that (I’m not even sure how to pronounce “meme” – is it “meem?”) Here’s the most recent one that I posted:
And here is one of the responses it received: “Wow what a way to take a dig at a marginalized group.” This anemic and unimaginative rebuke was accompanied by one of those little emojis with a tear dropping down from one eye, turning the traditional yellow smiley face into what my Cajun friends call a bouder (pronounced boo-day) face.
One thing I’ve learned is that, when someone has an issue with such a clear and Biblically-accurate statement from a theologian widely-acknowledged as orthodox (at least in the topic on which he is being quoted), it’s probably best to ignore it. Alas, though, failing to learn from past online dust-ups, I find myself sufficiently interested to respond.
My first concern is what is meant by “marginalized.” Obviously, this is one of those “woke” terms, so popular in so-called “critical theory” and “social justice” virtue-signaling, that the commenter probably picked up from the ultra-liberal mainstream media. A “marginalized” group is supposed to be a group that is treated unfairly by those whole hold all the power in society. They are discriminated against because they are somehow underprivileged. And, when I think about it, I suppose that Lucifer and all the former angels in Heaven WERE marginalized after they rebelled against God. I mean, He did condemn them for all eternity, and cast them out of the most privileged and glorified place in the universe: the beatific presence of God. I guess that’s a type of marginalization, although it was 100% their own fault, and, as the meme states, it was caused by the grievous sin of pride.
However, let’s assume for a moment that the “marginalized group” at whom I am supposedly guilty of taking “a dig” are the sexual perverts and deviants who like to openly celebrate their sinful pride by using a rainbow flag to symbolize their own sins. Now I must ponder the question of just how “marginalized” these folks are. They are so “marginalized” that they hold some of the highest positions of political and governmental power in the land:
Now, admittedly, I may be new to “woke” ideology, but this to me does not seem to meet the definition of “marginalized.” Nor does parading the streets to cheering throngs of fellow perverts, nor does reading books to preschoolers at public libraries while dressed as prostitutes, nor does getting millions of dollars to appear in the advertising campaigns of some of the most popular beverage and sportswear companies in the world. I mean, if that makes you part of a “marginalized group,” then I wish that preborn babies could be so marginalized – at least to the point of leaving the womb alive, despite their parents and the abortion doctors wishing to “oppress” them to death – literally.
So, while I certainly wouldn’t agree with Augustine on every point of theology, we can be thankful that we can quote his example of lovingly warning those who love their sin more than God, and that the illogical and anti-Gospel idea that a person’s own wickedness qualifies him for victimhood status can be countered with the hope of repentance and salvation and victory over sin found in Christ and Christ alone for all people, no matter how marginalized they may want to believe they are.
The Deep End 
The Household Code: Masters and Servants
August 25, 2023 at 12:13 pm | Posted in Ephesians | 3 CommentsTags: Biblical principles for employees, Biblical principles for employers, commentary on Ephesians, Ephesians 6, household code, slavery in the Bible, Sunday School lessons on Ephesians
Following the same pattern used in the sections on husbands and wives, and on parents and children, the subservient party is addressed first:
Ephesians 6:5
Submission in the form of obedience is commanded. The command is simple, similar to the command to children: obey your earthly (“according to the flesh”) masters. Note that the slaves/servants, like the children addressed in Verse 1, were in the church service with the free adults.
However, the addition of “with fear and trembling” is a different level – a more fearful level – of submission than the reverence given by wives to husbands. Both words for fear are translations of phobos, but the trembling is added for servants, not for wives. The Apostle Paul recognized the reality that slaves who refused to obey were in real danger, even outside of the Church, but the motivation is the same for all three submissive groups: wives, children, slaves. When you are in subjection to human authority, remember that you are actually serving Christ, not just the human authority appointed over you by Him, and don’t spoil the benefit of your sanctification or lose your reward by faking it.
Ephesians 6:6
When you serve the authority God has placed over you, do it for the Lord, and doing it LIKE you are doing it for the Lord.
Ephesians 6:7
The Lord is the one keeping score. Wives, children, and slaves who rebelled against authority weren’t helping the ones placed in authority over them, obviously, but they were actually hurting themselves, too.
Ephesians 6:8
Masters are addressed second in this section of the household code.
Ephesians 6:9
Masters were commanded not to abuse their authority, not to resort to bullying. Masters must remember they themselves had a greater Master. This is true of anyone who would exercise authority.
In America our initial reaction to the idea of slavery is almost always the concept of what went on before the Civil War. This is what is known as chattel slavery: the kidnapping of human beings and forcing them into bondage and labor, treating them strictly as property. People sometimes will find a verse in the Bible, such as Ephesians 6:5 or Old Testament verses that regulate the indentured servitude/slavery which was common in Bible times, and will accuse Christians or the Bible or even God of condoning chattel slavery. However, kidnapping and slavery based on skin-color, or slavery that denies human beings their God-given humanity, are clearly condemned by I Timothy 1:10 and other verses.
When we see slavery addressed in the New Testament we need to keep in mind some fundamental differences between pre-Civil War American slavery (and even worse types of chattel slavery) and slavery as it was practiced in the Roman Empire. First, slavery in Rome had nothing to do with skin color. It was sometimes the only way for a person in serious debt to survive. Many slaves were cooks, jewelers, accountants, teachers, and doctors. Second, it is not condoned in Scripture, but it is recognized as a reality in a sinful world. Third, none of us were born free; we were all slaves to sin, and true freedom is found only in Christ. Fourth, Christianity was never a political movement or a social revolution. Salvation changes people’s hearts, and this transformation transforms society, as evidenced by the fact that Christians were the first ones in the history of the world to come up with the idea of abolishing slavery. Fifth, if you think the pre-war South was barbaric and benighted in its attitudes about black people, you might be shocked to visit an inner city Planned Parenthood clinic or abortuary. Sin is the real problem, and bigotry and prejudice and even slavery are only symptoms of the greater disease.
However, lest this start to sound like a denial that there are some angular texts in the Bible concerning slavery, let’s look at a couple from the Old Testament.
Exodus 21:2-6
Leviticus 25:39-41
Deuteronomy 15:12-14