You Must Read

I have come to the conclusion that no person can grow spiritually without reading. Frustration rises within me when others suggest we must find ways to make it easier to encourage spiritual growth, rather than investing in reading. (Like all men studies must be SHORT books in order to get participation!!) This is coming from someone who was not a passionate reader. I had to develop this desire. Reading the bible is obviously important and should be a daily discipline for all believers. Reading other books that have a message the Lord has burdened their heart to write is important as well. (Not that all books and authors have a message that would be glorifying to God or have proper understanding of His Word) As I prepare my reading plans and goals for next year I have reflected on some of the books I read last year. This list is compiled of the ones I would suggest anyone read. I definitely went on a trend of holiness and J. I. Packer books. Some of the others are leadership books. All individuals should develop some leadership skills and these were some helpful books. I hope you find these to be as enjoyable and challenging as I did! 

Suggested Readings

1. Onward by Russell Moore
2. Rediscovering Holiness By J. I. Packer
3. The Hole in Our Holiness By Kevin DeYoung 
4. Wooden on Leadership By John Wooden
5. Multipliers By Liz Wiseman
6. Holiness is the Way By J. I. Packer
7. Keep In Step with the Spirit By J. I. Packer
8. The Conviction to Lead By Albert Mohler 

Being Moved Through Prayer

The center of all relationships is communication. In order to maintain the health of a friendship, marriage, with coworkers, and of course with the Lord, you must communicate. Prayer is the mode of speaking to the Lord, and is vital for navigating the transformed life In Christ. You can make known, to the creator of all things, the desires and circumstances of your life. For the believer, pleasing God with your life is the top desire and priority. Approaching God in prayer allows one to have his thoughts directed by God. How does God respond to our prayers? By the power of the Holy Spirit, I believe your thoughts can be enlightened to what God wants you to do and believe. This is coupled with time spent studying the written Word (the bible) of God’s standards and truth. Comparing your desires with that of what is outlined in scripture is necessary for discerning the moving of the Holy Spirit from the influence of temptation. So without knowledge of the Word it is hard to understand what the Lord is trying to say to you in your prayer life. When seeking the Lord in prayer, with great dedication to studying the bible, you create a closeness with God that unites your actions and beliefs with Him. This unleashes the power of God. Enlightened by God and His will for your life, one can truly find contentment in not being passive. You are moved by God to serve in living out the transformed life of a saved follower of Christ. 

Passages To Consider:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” -2 Timothy 3:16-17

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” -Philippians 4:6-7

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” -John 14:26

Spiritual Consumption

The process of consuming things has been on my mind lately. (maybe the holiday feast at Thanksgiving and the upcoming feast at Christmas) After all, consuming is really necessary for life. To eat food and drink water is important for your body to receive the nourishment that it needs for strength, or even survival. For a believer it is important to desire and consume the things of God. This includes studying His Word, corporate worship (with a local Church body), discipleship relationships (mentors), and the list could go on and on with more specifics. This desire is the “want to” for spiritual growth and vitality. Vitality meaning to live a lifestyle grounded and established in the pursuit of God through your freedom in Christ. Since Jesus has provided all that is necessary for salvation, the battle with sin can be conquered now as it has been eternally won already. We are free to dwell in the presence of God and enjoy the things of God. Having this freedom allows us to have intimacy with God and all we need is to follow the desire of our changed heart. Eternal perspective takes over, when you are close to God, to drive your life purpose to be in the will of God. Consistency in this focus is to have a steady diet of consuming the Word of God. So those that are in Christ must crave and eat the divinely inspired Word, and all that is of God. 

Some Passages to Consider:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" -Matthew 5:6

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" -2 Timothy 2:22

“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
 come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food" -Isaiah 55:1-2

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" -Romans 8:1-2

Contentment

To truly be thankful one must learn to be content. A believer who has given to God what is rightfully His, finds all things in an intimate relationship with Him. All of life belongs in submission to God, as He is the giver of life. By submitting to God, you are pursuing His leadership of your life. With God as the leader of your life, one becomes more aware of His power and authority over creation. (Jude 24-25) The dwelling in or abiding in the presence of God to find contentment while living in this world, is the challenge for all who are in Christ. Finding a daily pursuit of God through spiritual disciplines such as prayer and bible study are essential, but still just the beginning. Heart engagement while practicing the spiritual disciplines is the key to truly finding closeness with God through Jesus. Being close to God constantly will provide satisfaction in the will of God alone, which is contentment. To be overflowing with thanksgiving is found in contentment with Christ alone, forsaking all of this world that is apart from the righteousness of God.

Passages to consider:

"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world"          -1 Timothy 6:6-7

"I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me"   -Philippians 4:10-13


"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving" -Colossians 2:6-7

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me"    -John 15:4 (Really verses 1-17)

The Relationship

At the heart of the Christian faith is the understanding of salvation through Jesus as the Savior for all mankind. As the Son of God, Jesus paid for the justification for those who believe and trust in His blood sacrifice. At the core of this belief and trust is a continual relationship with the Savior. Once the surrender to trust is there, one continues to pursue knowledge and wisdom from the source of salvation. This knowledge and wisdom is the revealing of the nature of God. Nature meaning who He is and what He desires for His creation. So our growth and life moving forward, from the moment of trust, is based on this relationship. Are we actively pursuing this knowledge and wisdom of God I now have access to? This is the question at the beginning of each day for the one who trusts in Jesus. Another is: Does my life’s actions reflect that I am growing in this knowledge? If the answer is yes to these questions, we are on the right path. What a powerful relationship this is, that we have with Jesus. We find purpose, motivation, strength, and endurance in Jesus, to name a few. But probably the most fascinating thing is how this relationship helps all other relationships. Because of the love found in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we can find a way to love all others. Yes, ALL others. Even those that make it hard to love and even when it is YOU that makes it hard to love. There is always a way to love someone with the love of Christ. The pursuit of the things of God through Jesus bring understanding of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. These are barrier or hinderance breakers to relationships. Redemption by the blood of Jesus is the cause of so many effects!

Passages to consider:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” -John 13:34-35

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” -Romans 5:1-2

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” -Colossians 3:12-13

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” -Romans 12:1-2

*Romans 12- The Whole Chapter!!

Building Up Others (Romans 15:1-2)

How do I effect others? When going about your life there are consequences to all words and deeds. This  question of self analysis seeks to understand the outcome of your relationships with others, whether it is positive or negative. A priority must be on love for the follower of Jesus, of course. (John 13:35) Are you providing any type of growth or encouragement for those that are in your life? All followers of Jesus are to find relationships that help them to grow spiritually and to can help the other person grow spiritually. This is made possible when we make it a emphasis to “bear with the failings” of those who might disappoint or even hurt you. Although relationships should be encouraging and provide some satisfaction in your life, the only relationship that doesn't disappoint is the one we have with our Savior and Lord. So to “bear with” others is to be expected and for them to do the same with us. Maturity in Christ, that has had growth into strength, intentionally looks for ways to continue growing and to bring others along for the ride. For those that are in the household of faith, (the family of God) taking care of each other brings glory to God. This is our distinct marker in comparison to the rest of the world. (John 13:35) By building up the body of Christ through ministering to one another, we are better prepared to lead others to the saving knowledge of Jesus and expand the Kingdom of God. When “building up” someone in Christ, this is to deepen their knowledge and trust in the Lord leading to more acts of obedience. So let us invest in others to the Glory of God and build His Kingdom!

Assurance of Righteousness

The first thing that comes to my mind, when trying to understand righteousness, is anything that is "of God." While that might be the most obvious and simple definition, I think it  goes well beyond that. Certainly God is the determiner of what is truly good and righteous. He is the giver of all good and perfect gifts. (James 1:17) We find righteousness when we draw close to God through Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:27) As our fellowship with God becomes close, we then desire His plan and design for our lives. Conforming to the Will of God is the perfect way of understanding the righteousness of God. This desire will seek all actions, decisions, thoughts, and words to be a part of the Will of God. Since it is God that determines righteousness, it is the approval of God that assures us that we have found righteousness in His Will. Yes, He is the source of all things good and the one who helps turn us all to the ways of righteousness. The path of righteousness, that is a lifestyle that is according to God’s desires, is one of resistance and opposition in this world.(Matthew 7:13-14) Though, assurance from God is all the approval a believer needs to resist the world and embrace the ways of righteousness. 

Veil Removal (2 Corinthians 4)

Being blindfolded is an interesting and frightening experience. Seeing is vital to our ability to move around effectively and safely, so if this ability is hindered or removed in any way there will be mistakes. To be blindfolded and not  even know it is the issue that humanity has without Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus is the one that enables salvation, which removes the blindfold or veil so that we see clearly. What impact does this have? A few things come to mind and the first is truth. Specifically in the areas of morality and worldview. In Christ those that believe are able to see the world as the creator intended the world to be viewed. As we love God and have access to Him through Jesus, seeing the world as it was created to be and identifying the ways it falls short is a game changer. This ability changes everything from your thoughts to lifestyle. The Christians worldview enabled by Christ motivates you to fulfill the desire to please and bless God. Resistance is inevitable when one has their worldview changed by an encounter with God. Every decision you make now, in every area of your life, is through this lens. And those that remain veiled (blindfolded) cannot understand. No separation, with a clear conscience, can be made when living your life according to a worldview founded in Christ from any current circumstance. Life in Christ penetrates every decision from Salvation on. Being in conflict with the rest of the world, who does not have a clear vision of truth and world view, is a necessary part of being a believer. This gives you an opportunity to share truth with words and example. In this passage those that remain blindfolded are perishing, giving urgency to the need for the veil to be removed by the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Being unveiled frees people from the bondage of spiritual blindness, which has an empowering effect for the service of the Lord. All who trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins must do all through their changed life,  especially speaking the truth of the Gospel! 

Hope for Humility

“I am the most humble person you will ever meet!” 

This is a funny statement to hear and one used as a joke in many instances. Humility is a great struggle for most of us. We are told in abundance that the most important thing for you to worry about is: you. Self centeredness is rampant all around us and maybe in our own life because the popular belief is to do all things for yourself.  Building up of yourself takes priority over building up others.  So what has the greatest value, to seek after anything that will build up yourself or is it humility and investing in others. Humility has great value in that it is essentially the removal of selfish ambition, which can leave the room necessary for doing something for others. To be caught up in the pursuit of selfish gain will build up your life in some ways, but will often come with great harm done in the life of someone else. Should I tear down others for a temporary personal satisfaction of my own selfish desires? The most memorable people are usually those that try to serve others without expecting anything in return. With humility in action, one is remembered because of the service they provided in building the other up. So it is the resistance of trying to be remembered that leads to being remembered. In order to be motivated for this type of attitude, and making it your lifestyle, you must draw from something that is above you and everything else. In Scripture, the book of Romans, we see a statement of the ultimate sacrifice that has lead to the possibility of salvation for all. “-but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) So it is love for the world that lead the Creator God to provide a way for the world to have eternal life through the ultimate sacrifice. (John 3:16) For those that believe in the sacrifice of Christ, sacrifice for others becomes much easier. This is because of the influence of Christ in all areas of life for a believer. Those that trust in Jesus as the sacrifice for theirs sins learn from His words and deeds. Selfish ambition becomes clear for what it is, an empty endeavor. Because of the certainty of hope, that is eternal life in the presence of God the Father through Jesus the Son, we are enabled with the desire for a humble, fulfilled life in Christ serving others. A lowly and humble life that serves the needs of others, with the love of Christ. That is a valuable life, a life with eternal value. A challenge perhaps, but a worthy endeavor.

Being Immovable

All believers seek to be firm in their faith and trust in Jesus. As we navigate through life circumstances and people it makes it more and more difficult to stay focused on our faith. To maintain trust, one asset is an orderly life. Being organized has great value in life and work, but also for faith. This is somewhat of a struggle personally but is a great aspiration. When routines and disciplines of faith are built into your life, you are able to be in a constant state of preparation to live out your faith.(Philippians 2:12) Its all about having perspective when challenged and being prepared through a disciplined life keeps it unwavering.  The right perspective is in light of eternity. We see life events and decisions and circumstances all with the thought of Christ. Thinking of Christ leads us to the knowledge of eternity with the Father as Christ has brought us to Him with a restored relationship. By being disciplined I pray we are motived by the love of Christ, because of the love He has for us, to be immovable!

Godly Intentions

This is the key to a life of bringing glory to the Lord. We must make every request and decision with godly intentions. In prayer, we present many needs before our Lord that we have full confidence He can answer. This is why we bring those requests to Him. But the answer is not guaranteed and certainly God is not bound by anything to answer our prayers. Prayers that are answered are prayed according to the Will of God and have His character in mind. God is able but He also has a plan for His creation. For Him to answer a request from His creation that contradicts His plan and standards would be absurd. To have godly intentions with our prayers and actions is to have a like desire for the plans of God to prevail over anything else. This brings glory to God. When our desires match up with the desires of the God of creation, we most certainly will find answers. These answers  may or may not be what we expected, but they will be the right answers. May all that we do and ask be in accordance with the Will and character of God.

Don’t Settle

When pondering the effectiveness of your walk with the Lord or your fulfillment of God’s Call in your life one must start with whether or not you are settling. As we seek the Lord we are trying to be obedient out of love and passion in response to the grace of God revealed in our lives. We want to respond to Him with love and be active in showing it. One must look at the extent of love to see how much or less they are settling in their service to God. It all comes down to your love driving and motivating your thoughts and actions to glorify the Lord most effectively. The attitude of “the best for God” must be prominent over just being “good enough.” I believe this is important because it reflects the level in intimacy with God that we should desire in Christ. So whatever we do we must do for the glory of the Lord! (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Thou has made us for Thyself

To find our purpose and identity in being the created by the great Creator is the key to life In Christ. As believers in life each day we are to promote and fulfill our purpose in Christ out of being motivated by love for our Savior. By knowing and understanding the reason for being created on can cherish and rejoice in the Creator. This is a true reason for celebration in the life of a believer.

Psalm 18:31-32- The Great Supplier

Trusting in the Lord as your supplier of all your needs is much easier said than done. The focus of this type of trust must not be completely on yourself and the present circumstance. Having the proper understanding of who God is will ultimately lead you to a type of trust that will supply you with strength and endurance in life. Strength during hardship may be an opportunity to draw close to the Lord in order to remain blameless in times like these. (James 4:8) In this passage the Psalmist is acknowledging the ability and authority of God to be the solution to all of life’s circumstance. God as a rock reminds us of the strength and stability that makes up the nature of God. In no other can we find the supplier of all our needs!

The Impact of “None is Righteous”

In the book of Romans chapter 3 verses 10 and 11, we see a clear statement on the depravity of man. The very fact that there is no man on the face of the Earth that can claim he is righteous apart from God has some implications. Let’s look at two that are automatic when thinking of this truth. First, this shows the starting point in which everyone views the world around them. Each person sees the issues of the world through the lens of lostness. This is to mean from the view point of separated from God. One cannot understand and glorify the Lord apart from the knowledge of who God is and what His standards are. Man in the beginning is apart from God with no ability to comprehend what is truly righteous. This leads to the burden of those that are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The second implication from this passage is the urgency and need to reveal the source of righteousness. Through our actions and verbal witness of the redeemer that shows true righteousness, the world will only then know the one true God. 

This passage penetrates to the heart the need for an effective life in showing the world the truth of salvation through Jesus. We must find urgency in proclaiming the cure for sin that we have found and others are still looking for. May we see this truth as a reminder of where we came from before we found the source of righteousness. There must be a word spoken that leads individuals to where we are now, we who are children of God! (Romans 10:14)