Tag Archives: Knowing God

Spiritual Endurance

Spiritual Endurance: Faith to Persevere

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Perseverance and faith

To persevere requires one to continue despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement. This requires not only spiritual power but also faith.  Our friends and family try to reassure us by telling us to “hang in there” or “tough it out” but unfortunately, encouraging words do not always succeed in moving us forward.

That is where “persevering faith” comes in.  Not “saving faith” that we associate with our initial salvation, but the ability to see through difficulties and press forward for the prize (Philippians 3:14).  I’m talking about “the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith that perseveres looks to the future and visualizes the promises of God, in all their fullness.  It was this “forward looking faith” that helped the Faith Hall of Famers to persevere.

“Having seen the promises afar off.”

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  Hebrews 11:13  (NKJ)

The word “promises” is a metonymy—a figure of speech in which one word is substituted for another with which it is closely associated.  The word “promises” is a metonymy for the “things promised.”

Literally, the Faith Hall of Famers “had received” their individual promises—whether it be deliverance from destruction, children to a barren couple, or a future homeland (vv. 10, 14,16). The “things promised” were the spiritual blessings of the dispensation of grace and their future heavenly inheritance.

Each one died in the firm expectation of the promised Messiah and in believing views of the heavenly glory.  In their “mind’s eye”, they had an inner awareness of what the promises meant—in all their “fullness.”

“…were persuaded of them and embraced them.”

To be “persuaded” means to convince someone to believe something and to act on the basis of what is recommended. In this case, it is God who provided the promises.

The Hall of Famers confidently believed based on the veracity of God.  To “embrace” means to salute or greet.   Based on God’s assurance, they “eagerly welcomed” (versus acquiesced to) their destiny. They moved forward with full confidence.

“confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

To “confess” implies expressing openly one’s allegiance to a proposition or person. The Faith Hall of Famers desired more than this world had to offer, especially after seeing the promises afar off.

They fixed their eyes on those things which are above where Christ is seated (Colossians 3:1).  If they regarded themselves daily as earthlings, they would not have retained the vision of faith and may have been tempted to turn back.

Developing persevering faith

The order of the aforementioned verbs teaches us an important practical lesson on developing persevering faith.

First, we must envision the promises of God.  Then, based on the Giver of the promises, we confidently accept, believe, and rest on the reliability of God’s word. It is here that our faith becomes grounded.  Lastly, faith “sees” with understanding, is “persuaded” in the heart and “embraced” by the will.

In a society where instant gratification is the norm, faith that perseveres requires a daily commitment to “forward looking” faith.  This letter to the Hebrews was to press upon them and us, the critical need for a faith that would last, wear, overcome obstacles, and endure until the end.

Like the Faith Hall of Famers, the eyes of our heart must see the blessings God has promised and be persuaded that in due season, they will be ours.  We are to joyfully anticipate our future as opposed to present advantages.  Faith that perseveres single-mindedly looks to the future with an eye on the Provider who “according to His divine power has given us exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:3, 4).

Spiritual Endurance

Spiritual Endurance: The Power of Perseverance

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Spiritual endurance meets perseverance

If you were to ask me what character trait is critical for spiritual endurance, I would answer, “perseverance”.  And if you were to then ask me which character trait is the most difficult to master, I would answer again, “perseverance.”

Webster defines perseverance as the “act of continued, patient effort.” While many preachers and teachers typically stress the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as traits worth nurturing, I’d like to spend time exploring a spiritual trait of equal importance in meriting our attention. Perseverance.

Our world meets perseverance

The term perseverance communicates the idea of overcoming, energetic resistance, steadfastness under pressure, and endurance in the face of trial. To persevere means to be “constantly diligent and persistent”.

Perseverance requires us to push through our pain and fear even when the challenge is daunting and difficult. It is more than “stick-to-it-ness”.  It calls for believers to see past the current barrier, temptation, or persecution (1 Corinthians 4:17-18).

The world we live in today is marked by rapid change, growing uncertainty, deep divisions, and an urgent search for truth, hope, and stability. We live in a world of remarkable human progress but profound spiritual and moral challenges. While we have gained unprecedented access to knowledge, technology, and material resources, we continue to struggle with timeless issues of truth, love, justice, peace, and righteousness. How then are we to persevere in this environment?

Perseverance meets reality

Spiritual perseverance has its basis in two realities: (1) our hope and (2) the Holy Spirit.

Our hope is based on confidence in God’s goodness and care.  It relies on the fact that God loves us (Psalms 63:3) and that “He that began a good work in us can perform it (Philippians1:6).

Through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, we develop courage and boldness to overcome persecution and temptations (Acts 4:31). The Holy Spirit stands ready to empower us to meet the challenges we face (1 John 4:4). It is in His power that we can remain faithful   in the midst of temptation and persecution (Romans 14:4).

Stand firm and persevere

Where do we need more power to persevere?  Even the Apostle Paul had to learn to persevere.  It was during his time of trial and personal weakness that he learned how to place his hope firmly on God and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.”

Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].  2 Corinthians 12:7-9,  (Amplified)

Stand firm in our hope in God.  Energetically serve God. Resist and overcome sin. Call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to help live a life of personal holiness and service. Let us be diligent and steadfast in our walk of faith. We have access to all the power we need to persevere.

Our Faith Walk

A New View of Surrender, Part 1

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A New View of Surrender, Part 1

What does surrender look like?

To surrender means to give up power, control, or possession of a thing.  It is often used in military terms to express a point of “handing over” a town or a fortification to an enemy.  It is punitive, in nature, when viewed from this vantage point.

However, from a spiritual standpoint, surrendering offers greater benefit when viewed from our loving God.  Spiritual surrender (surrender to God) is based on His grace and love (Ephesians 2:4-8).  Through His Holy Spirit, we respond with trust and obedience.   We learn to surrender to God!

Sin and surrender

Sin and surrender have more in common than their first letter.  Sin has at its core the stubborn resistance to surrender oneself to the authority and rule of God.  Remember Adam and Eve?

Often, we fail to see the spiritual reality of these two conflicting influences in the world. Each day we, unknowingly or knowingly, choose one we will surrender to.  Who will rule, control, and influence our life?  This requires that we continually examine our position of surrender.  In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul makes clear this truth.

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?  (Romans 6:16)

God Expects Our Surrender

Surrendering to God allows the Holy Spirit to accomplish the plans and purpose that God has created for us (2 Timothy 1:9).  Through our surrender, we understand and live a life that reflects our prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

The perfect example of surrender is seen in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.  He often proclaimed that His life was focused only on the things of God.  God’s will versus His own (John 8:29).  Revisit Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and see how the Holy Spirit undergirded our Savior as He agonized between His fleshly will and the will of the Father (Matthew 26:38-42).  Strengthened by an angel, Jesus fulfilled the purpose for which He came to earth to save mankind.

Absolute Surrender

In his book, Absolute Surrender, Andrew Murray gives a key as to why we must surrender to God.

You know in daily life what absolute surrender is. You know that everything has to be given up to its special, definite object and service. I have a pen in my pocket, and that pen is absolutely surrendered to the one work of writing, and that pen must be absolutely surrendered to my hand if I am to write properly with it.  

If another holds it partly, I cannot write properly. And now, do you expect that in your immortal being, in the divine nature that you have received by regeneration, God can work his work every day and every hour unless you are entirely given up to him? God cannot.[1]

For God to accomplish His purpose in our life, we must be absolutely surrendered to Him.

[1] Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses, Andrew Murray

Victorious Living

Our Inheritance with Christ

Knowing who we are

Last week we focused on our spiritual lineage and the important role it plays in both our current and future lives in eternity.  Knowledge and appreciation of our spiritual lineage shape our personal identity and empowers us to accomplish the purpose God has for our life.

God is the source of our spiritual lineage.  We are His seed and the heirs of His promise.  However, we are not only heirs but also “joint heirs” with Christ (Romans 8:17).  What exactly does that mean and how is that part of our spiritual lineage.  Therein lies the basis for our topic today—our inheritance with Christ.

Knowing what we have

If we are to live victoriously and faithfully in this fallen world, we must believe and understand the basis for our success. The source of our victory is the work that was accomplished by Christ on the Cross.

Jesus Christ’s obedient sacrifice resulted in our adoption into the family of God, our reconciliation with God, and most importantly, the forgiveness of our sin (Ephesians 1:5-7).

God’s plan of salvation constitutes the only legitimate means by which we can access our spiritual inheritance.   In Ephesians 2:4-6, the Apostle Paul uses three verbs prefixed by syn- (with) to describe what God has done in and with Christ to obtain our inheritance.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Inheritance provided

First, God “made us alive” (synezoopoiesen) together with Christ Jesus. The King James Version renders “made alive” as “quickened.” We were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins, but God made us alive (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13).

Regenerated as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), we are now spiritually alive,  empowered by the Spirit that dwells within us (Romans 8:11).

Next, God “raised us up” (synegeiren) together with Christ Jesus. Just as the omnipotent power of God raised Christ from the dead “physically” on Easter morning (Ephesians 1:19-20), we too have been resurrected “spiritually” with Him.

Being raised from the dead, we now walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), seeking those things from above where Christ is (Colossians 3:1).

Finally, God “made us sit together in the heavenly places” (synekathisen) with Christ Jesus. “Heavenly places” refers to the realm of God’s complete, heavenly domain, from which all His blessings come. Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20-21) where He now physically resides. By faith, believers also sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, not physically, but positionally.

This means that as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, we have access to the same blessings or inheritance with Christ. This includes His righteousness, resources, privilege, position and power (Romans 8:16-17).

Inheritance present and future

In Christ Jesus we are not only assured of resurrection and glorification at the end of the age but also the present blessings provided in Christ in His ascended majesty. We thank God who has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son (Colossians 1:13).

We thank God for His plan of salvation that made us alive, raised us up, and made us sit together in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We thank God through Jesus Christ for the inheritance made available for us.

Victorious Living

Our Spiritual Lineage

Who are your people?

Observing the impact of the devolution of family and community, I have renewed appreciation for being privileged to be “shaped” in the 50’s and 60’s by a close-knit community in Kansas called Quindaro.

The thing that most influenced my development was in understanding the importance of family lineage. As we were introduced to the parents of friends and acquaintances in the neighborhood, the first question we were asked was, “Who are your people? Whose family do you belong to?” The inquiry continued until they were satisfied that we were “safe” to associate with their children. Our family lineage became an integral part of our inheritance.

Lineage means a line of descent or ancestry—the people, families, or groups from whom someone or something comes. Simple definition:  Lineage = ancestry or a line of descent.

Unfortunately, we have loss that sense of family lineage and “safety” because of the disruptions of 21st century living and loss of human connectivity.

Our Spiritual Lineage.

Knowledge and appreciation of our spiritual lineage is even more important than our earthly one.  It shapes our identity and empowers our ability to accomplish the purpose God has for our life.

It’s been said that “a person can never rise above who they think they are”.  If you think you are talented, you will perform brilliantly.  If you think you’re worthless, people will treat you insignificantly. Therefore, it is critical that we as believers in Christ understand our spiritual lineage.   According to Galatians 3:29, we are:

    • Abraham’s seed
    • Heirs of God
    • Joint heirs with Christ
    • Heirs of the promise

We were “predestined by God into adoption as children” because of the work accomplished by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5).

Heirs of God.

As heirs of God (Romans 8:17a), we can now experience an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. A joyful existence with God is ours because of His great love for us (1 John 4:9-10).  This includes divine access to God who is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present (Psalms 145:13).

Our purpose becomes the channel through which God’s purpose is fulfilled, and our destiny is inexplicably connected to heaven where Christ now resides (Ephesians 1:10). Our life has eternal value and consequences.

Heirs of Promise.

As heirs of promise, we have received God’s gift of salvation (Isaiah 55:1-7; Matthew 1:21). This salvation is “realized now” in the deliverance from the penalty and power of sin (Romans 8:1).

This salvation will also be “realized in the future” through eternal life in eternity future with Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:34).  It is here that we will be delivered from the presence of sin. This promise is secured through our faith in Christ–just like Father Abraham (Romans 4:16; Hebrew 11:8-9).

In addition, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we experience the power and presence of God.  This results in love, joy and peace regardless of the circumstances we might face (Philippians 4:6; Galatians 5:22-23).

Our spiritual lineage is a topic that can be explored without ending. While we cannot address all its many aspects and benefits, let us not negate its importance in our daily life.  No higher position or greater wealth can we acquire than becoming heirs of God through our faith in Christ.

The Holy Spirit

Myths, Lies, and Misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit

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Myths, Lies, and Misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit

Danger ahead…MLMs

As we discussed last week, myths, lies, and misunderstandings (MLMs) are dangerous to the spiritual welfare of both believers and nonbelievers.  The best strategy to guard against MLMs is God’s truth.

That truth is available through the Holy Spirit and the Bible.  Because Satan is continually exposed by both, it is not surprising that these two are frequently the subject of many MLMs.

Today, we will share MLMs most often repeated about the Holy Spirit.

Top MLMs about the Holy Spirit

Though not exhaustive, here are my top MLMs concerning the Holy Spirit.  The source of this list are frequent questions I have received concerning the third person of the Trinity.

Myth: “The Holy Spirit is for Super Christians.  He is not for everyone.”

Unfortunately, this myth has been around for quite some time due to religious and denominational differences.  The devastating result of this myth is that people question whether they are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.  In addition, this myth gives the perception that Christians receive the Holy Spirit based on their merit.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, Jesus gifts us with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:14).  While we can’t control the Holy Spirit, we can, however, hinder His work.  We can quench the Holy Spirit by refusing His guidance or grieve Him by continuing to do sinful acts.

As we surrender our will to God’s will, we will receive greater filling by the Spirit.  “Filling” means we empty ourselves of self and make room for MORE of HIM.  This results in the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and conforming to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

Lie: “The Holy Spirit is actually our inner spirit guiding us on the path to our true purpose and destiny.”   

It’s a path alright.  A path to nowhere. This is perhaps the most egregious lie designed by the devil.  It denies the reality of God.  Satan’s MO is to always have man look to himself as the primary source of power and control.  This is a “self-directed” belief (lie) that keeps people from coming to the “glorious gospel of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

This strategy of Satan is intended to keep us bound, broken, and discouraged.  We fail to reach God’s designed purpose for our lives.  Why?  Because we attempt to do what only God can do through His Holy Spirit in us (John 15:5; Ephesians 3:20).

Misunderstanding:  “The Holy Spirit is like an angel that God sends to help people.”

This belief reflects a lack of understanding of who God is and the work of the Trinity.  First and foremost, God is one God with three distinct, eternal, coexistent persons.  God is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1).  Jesus, who is God’s only begotten Son is also God.  And finally, the Holy Spirit, who is God’s Spirit is also God.

Regarding these three manifestations of our one, God, we must recognize their distinctions, but not separate them from one another. We will never understand all that God wants us to know about him without having full knowledge of each representation of him. [1]

Without a correct knowledge of God, we risk “being tossed to and fro by every wind of new teaching and influence, when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14, NLT).  The best approach to deal with MLMs is to know the truth.   Be alert to myths, lies, and misunderstandings that threaten our walk of faith.

Next week we will focus on MLMs pertaining to the Bible.

[1] Lead Me, Holy Spirit:  Longing to Hear the Voice of God, Stormie Omartian

Knowing God

Guarding Against Error: Myths, Lies, and Misunderstandings

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Myths, Lies, and Misunderstandings

Living in the 21st century requires that we be diligent and equip ourselves with correct information (Proverbs 4:7).  This guards us against error, especially, with regard to our spiritual beliefs.

Error often presents itself in the form of myths, lies, and misunderstandings (MLMs).  This includes what we know about the  God and and His purpose for our lives.  Today we will examine MLMs and how they can negatively impact our ability to have a correct view of God.

MLMs—the what and the why?

Myths, lies, and misunderstandings can be credited to many different things.

  • Myths are widely held but false beliefs or ideas. Myths are upheld to misrepresent the truth and to maintain certain beliefs.
  • Lies are statements that one knows are false, with the intent to deceive.
  • Misunderstandings stem from a failure to understand something correctly. A misunderstanding can be caused by an incorrect conception or a misinterpretation. It can also be mistakes of meaning or intent.

Myths and misunderstandings can be attributed to a general lack of knowledge.  Even within our churches, discussions on the Holy Trinity are limited.  Congregations need to be better informed on our relationship with each member of the God Head and how each of them impacts our lives.

Lies, of course, can be assigned to the father of lies, Satan.  Satan has done an excellent job in intentionally deceiving people about who God is.  We tend to make God smaller than He really is, to fit our human view.  We compare our limited abilities with God’s infinite power.  We do this to justify our decisions and behaviors (Jeremiah 17:9).

God is the true source for victorious living.  It is in Him that we live and breathe and have our meaning (Acts 17:28).  Our personal relationship with God provides us with courage and hope amid our struggles.    It strengthens our faith and points us to the One who will sustain us in the most difficult of times.  Therefore, we are able to persevere and do not “faint” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

How to deal with MLMs?

What is the best approach to deal with myths, lies, and misunderstandings?  Seek out and know the truth through spiritual discernment.  The primary source of that truth is the Bible.  The Holy Spirit leads us in all truth (John 16:13).

In this postmodern era, relativism offers the view that there is no absolute truth; truth is relative based on individual perceptions and considerations. Satan uses this thinking to continue his campaign to “blind our eyes” about God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 4:4).

We must seek truth in all we do and boldly denounce MLMs that keep others in darkness (Ephesians 5:11).  Myths, lies, and misunderstandings intent is always the same:  to deceive, mislead, and misrepresent.

For the next few weeks we will explore  other MLMs that  lead us to spiritual error and away from God’s truth.

Spiritual Renewal

Defending the Abundant Life

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Who stole our abundant life: Recap

In our early discussions on abundant living, we acknowledged the forces that vie for our attention and inevitably drain us of living the abundant life promised to us, by Jesus in John 10:10.  These forces are described as thieves that creep into our lives to “steal, kill, and destroy”:  to steal our peace, to kill our hope, and to demolish our lives.

 Abundant life, offered by Jesus, is a life vigorously devoted to and in personal relationship with God and with others (John 15:4-5)).   Abundant life offers spiritual freedom and eternity with God to those who put their trust in Christ (John 3:16).

We concluded that abundant life is only possible through the leading (filling) of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The result?  Life lived “in the presence of, under the authority of, to the honor and glory of God. (Coram Deo)

To close the study on abundant living, let’s detail three key threats to our abundant life.

The Thieves

God’s Word warns us of three “thieves” that have operated in the world since its creation and continue with extraordinary success today.  They are the areas that are responsible for the demise of not only individuals but also families and nations.

These thieves have mastered the art of seduction and deception.  They use not only our personal weaknesses against us (Hebrew 12:1) but also information gleaned from social media and digital platforms.  The three thieves attempt to stand between us and God.  Their intent? To damage our relationship.  To stop, block, and damage our source of abundance, which is God alone.    They create breaches in our spiritual wall that result in the lack of God’s abundance.  These thieves are the world, Satan, and our flesh.

The World and Satan

As followers of Christ, abundant life is not dependent on the world’s view of abundance.  While God blesses us with provision and favor in this life, we are not dependent on the things offered by the world for our needs.

The world attempts to dictate our identity based on computer algorithms and logic versus our identity in Christ. (Galatians 2:20) The world demands our attention and fosters the belief that our best life centers on wealth, power and influence.  The world draws us away from the true source of all our needs (John 15:5).

What can we say about Satan?  He does sin very well.  He is a master of deception and lies.  It is his intention to keep us as far away from God and the truth as possible.

One way He does that is by developing “counterfeits” to the real things that are possible only through our relationship with Jesus Christ.  (2 Corinthians 11:14-15; 1 John 4:1)

Satan rarely invents; he imitates and corrupts. God offers truth; Satan substitutes deception. God offers life; Satan promises life but produces death. God offers eternal joy; Satan offers fleeting pleasure with lasting consequences. The Holy Spirit gives discernment so we believers can recognize the difference.

Our Flesh

The quote “We have met the enemy and he is us.” is most famously attributed to Walt Kelly, creator of the comic strip Pogo, written for a 1971 Earth Day poster. Kelly’s quote pointed to the source of many of our problems—our actions, attitudes, and choices. Our flesh controls those actions, attitudes, and choices.

Awareness of our flesh’s weakness is offered in passages such as:

      • Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things…”
      • James 4:1 – “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”
      • Romans 7:18 – “I know that in me dwelleth no good thing.”

Our flesh’s desire to satisfy our needs (versus God’s will) result in disobedience and sin (1 John 2: 88).  We can’t blame everything of the world and Satan.  Sometimes the enemy is “in me.”

Defending God’s Gift of Abundant Life

How do we defend our abundant life?  Short list.

      1. Grow in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)
      2. Pursue and maintain an intentional, intimate walk with Jesus. (James 4:8)
      3. Be filled (obedient) with the Holy Spirit. (John 10:27)

Meditate on the scriptures cited on the short list.  Begin implementing the offered  solutions in your life.  Then watch God’s abundance flow freely into your life.

Spiritual Renewal

Seeking Abundant Living

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Seeking an abundant life?

What is abundant life? In Hebrew, abundance or abundant, range in meaning from “blessings” (the good things one is blessed with) to “plenty and much”.   Under the Mosaic covenant, God promised that obedience would bring rich material blessings to God’s people.  (Deuteronomy 30:9-10) It was there that man viewed abundance as material wealth, riches, and possessions.  This is also the world’s view of abundance.  Abundant living follows as a natural consequence of material possessions.

These “negative” aspects of the kingdom run counter to a heresy that is gaining ground around the world, the so-called “prosperity” gospel. A growing number of false teachers are gathering followers under the message “God wants you to be rich!” But that philosophy is not the counsel of the Bible—and it is certainly not the counsel of Matthew 6:33, which is not a formula for gaining wealth. It is a description of how God works. Jesus taught that our focus should be shifted away from this world—its status and its lying allurements—and placed upon the things of God’s kingdom.[1]

Seeking worldly success?

Why do we seek material abundance?  It is an indicator of our identity with personal success and standing.  While I’m not saying anything is wrong with material abundance, I only caution our pursuit and dependence on it to validate who we are.

Jesus cautioned in Luke 12:15 that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.  Using this warning as an introduction to the parable of the rich fool, Jesus concludes with this sad observation for those who seek physical abundance.

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many good things stored up, [enough] for many years; rest and relax, eat, drink and be merry (celebrate continually)”.   But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own all the things you have prepared?’  So it is for the one who continues to store up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relationship] toward God.”  (Luke 12:19-21, Amplified)

What hinders our abundant life?

How do we know if we’re truly seeking God’s kingdom first? There are questions we can ask ourselves. “Where do I primarily spend my energies? Is all my time and money spent on goods and activities that will certainly perish, or in the service of God—the results of which live on for eternity?” Believers who have learned to truly put God first may then rest in this holy dynamic: “…and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Finding abundant life.

Abundant living is only possible through the leading (filling) of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  Abundant living is everything we need to reclaim our lives—balance, energy, peace, simplicity, and happiness.

Abundant living differs from worldly success by focusing on spiritual fulfillment through love, joy, peace, and purpose rather than financial prosperity or personal gain. Biblical characteristics of abundant life include love, joy, peace, purpose, growth, freedom, and hope, all stemming from a relationship with God.

Like the rich fool, we will be disappointed if we place our focus on the world’s view of abundant living.  For life to truly be enjoyed, it will be through our personal relationship with God.  God is more than our sufficiency.  He is our Great Reward. (Genesis 15:1; Matthew 5:12)

[1] Got Questions, “What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God?”

Spiritual Maturity

Our Search for Truth

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Our Search for Truth

 

Truth by whose reality?

What is truth?  Truth is defined by Webster as that which agrees with reality. But whose reality do we, as believers, adhere to?   With all the political rhetoric, contentious debates, and social bantering, we need truth.  Behind the social messaging, news bytes and sound bits, is the world we live in redefining “what truth is and what it isn’t”.

What’s your truth source?

In decades past, people could depend on the media to communicate the “truth”.   Newspapers, magazine publications and newscasters were committed to operating at the highest ethical standards.  We could depend upon our local leaders—civic or religious—to offer us truth. But over time that has changed.

The sources of truth and information in the 21st century are growing exponentially and based on the “issue of the day”.  They represent many diverse voices and views. Decentralized digital platforms and social media offer opinions based on varying perspectives and preferences: personal, political, or popular.

Rapidly influencing our daily life is artificial intelligence (AI) and digital knowledge systems which people use to provide answers for their special situations and life, in general.  While AI provides access to vast amounts of information quickly, users may tend to over trust automated answers which could contain errors.   Could our dependency on AI have addictive consequences?

Why is Truth Important?

It is important because life has consequences for being wrong. Giving the wrong amount of a medication to someone can kill them.  Having an investment manager make the wrong monetary decisions can impoverish a family.  Boarding the wrong plane will take you where you didn’t want to go.

As Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias put it, “The fact is, the truth matters—especially when you’re on the receiving end of a lie.” And nowhere is this more important than in the areas of faith and religion. Eternity is a long time to be wrong.

The Apostle Paul warned the young minister Timothy of the dangers that awaited him as new converts would “turn away their ears from the truth and be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:4).  It is important that we have a real-time, reliable, and trustworthy source to help us ferret out truth in the world.

Connecting with Truth

Believers face a major challenge to walk in biblical truth while living in a postmodern world.   Especially when that truth is measured against the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Jesus Christ.

As believer’s are reality is grounded in God.  We no longer follow the worldview—its influence was negated by the Blood.  Our meaning and reality is now realigned with God (2 Corinthians 5:15).   While there are many proposed definitions of the truth,  there can only be one

 More than ever before it is critical that we connect with the only True Source of Truth, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior (John 14:6).  God’s Word and the Spirit of Truth stand ready to silence the lies, myths and fables we might hear (2 Timothy. 4:3-4).  It is God’s truth that will guide our behaviors and our responses in this fallen world. God is the only source of truth for our lives.  More next week as we search for truth.