Category: Good Life Journal

Journal Heb 12 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline…Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees…

• Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
• See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble…that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau…

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet…but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God…

Therefore, let us be grateful for receivinga kingdom that cannot be shaken, and let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe—for our God is a consuming fire…” Excerpts from Heb 12:7-29

Observation: What emphasis does the Writer give here towards the end of the Letter to Hebrews? Remember this is the Triune God we are talking about and conduct yourself accordingly.

Analysis: How flippantly do I relate to Jesus?

I know that in my daily life the struggles I have are with battling my sin, working out and mortifying the inner man, so that my heart is soft and not stone, and my ears are capable of hearing the whispers of my Lord.

But struggles with Jesus? No, I am not aware of struggles with Jesus. He is my Lord, yes. My Savior, yes. My Friend, yes. My disciplinarian? Yes.

However, I can get sort of confused with Who it is I converse with, and I think that is the point of the Writer here in Chapter 12. He lays the cards on the table and suggests, “Let’s understand what He is. You have not come to what may be touched. You have come to a blazing and consuming fire. The Triune God is a Holy God, and should be, must be, considered that way, otherwise, nothing else makes sense…”

Take Isaiah as an example:

“And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of Him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

And I said: Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”(Is 6:4-7)

This example indicates the seriousness of how I should approach the Throne, but not in some fakery or production of religiosity for public eyes to see and approve.

I have a mental picture I have developed over the years to help discipline me in worship. For those old enough to remember the sit-com, “Get Smart”, you may also remember the “Cone of Silence”. That, and determining I worship for the Audience of One, I try to keep my focus on the God that is a consuming fire but has also become the Propitiation for my Sin and has Atoned for me that I can approach the Throne of Grace.

Prayer: Father, Lord, you have said to come as a child, but you have also indicated that, while my faith is simple, I should be yearning for maturity—off the sustenance of milk ALONE and headed for the meat.

It is difficult to pursue You, for I have much to unload before loading back up again. Help me worship vigorously. Help the elders to hear your voice.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Heb 11 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

For by it (faith) the people of old received their commendation. (Heb 11:1-2)

By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. (Heb 11:31)

Observation: Question: Is faith heroic?

Analysis: Turning the first part of Hebrews 11 around, I hope for things (like salvation) and faith is the assurance of that. No matter that I can’t see salvation, I have faith that Jesus died once for all time for my sin, bridged the separation of my ungodliness to His Holiness, and because of his unchangeable Word, I have conviction that my faith is not placed in vain.

Wow, mouthful: and I probably could have written more.

But that is the point of journaling: to write down those thoughts, examine them in the light of quiet time between you and the Holy Spirit, to see if I am getting any of this right, and hone (sharpen) my heart and mind—training myself for godliness and sharpening my powers of discernment (see Sat 092422 post).

How heroic do I imagine myself? Oh, my goodness, totally heroic. Angling and aspiring to be somebody cool in heaven.

How heroic do I practice? If I remember that if I in any way angle for any kind of praise in this life, that’s all I will probably get:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people IN ORDER to be seen by them—for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 6:1)

Therefore, commit to attempt to keep heroism secret? Yeah, I think that is what the Scriptures plainly say. If God wants heroism publicly revealed, His prerogative.

So, what is the point about Rahab? If I go through the Hall of Heroes, my goodness what a list. Cutting to the chase, though, Rahab was added to the list of heroes by…being friendly? (Holy Spirit’s word, not mine)

Therefore, can serious disciples of the Faith be practicing daily heroism by:

• Smiling?
• Being friendly at the Grocery Store? Fast food drive through?
• Waving appropriately at strangers?
• Asking a sincere “How are you doing?”
• Practicing hospitality (no matter how big or small)
• Giving of alms?

I used to sell cars for a living. I knew some brothers in the faith that reminded me of…me, a used car salesman by the way they practiced evangelism, trying to “close the deal”. Foundation of Evangelism One: Preach the Gospel, point to the Kingdom, leave the conversion to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thanks for pointing out Rahab today. Gives me faith and conviction to pursue intentional godliness.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Heb 10 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: But when Christ had offered (for all time) a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by a single offering, he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them (after those days), declares the Lord:

I will put my laws on their hearts, and

Write them on their minds,”… (and) then he adds,

I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”

 

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin (necessary, my note). Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus—by the new and living way that he opened for us the curtain (to the holy places), that is, through his flesh…let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith… (excerpts from Heb 10:12-22)

Observation: My hunch is that this section of Hebrews should be linked to the principle of being “born again”. How clear a definition in substance can there be?

Analysis: I have used the example of “rebooting my internal hard drive” as a description of what being “born again” is like. Sometimes a mental picture is necessary to imagine what the results should be like.

I note that the description of God’s Covenant is all His, and is internal change to us, nothing external:

I will put my laws on their hearts, and

        Write them on their minds,”… (Heb 10:16b)

I have personally titled this concept as “reflexive Christianity.” Yeah, I know, kind of corny, but if I don’t give it an objective title, I tend to not focus. Besides, I want to be reflexive in my following Christ—I want to move away from the trite question “What would Jesus do?” and do what the Word of God says by burrowing doctrines, precepts, and principles into my heart and mind. I remember that Paul says to Timothy:

“…you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed…train yourself for godliness…(for) godliness is of value in every way as it holds promise for the present life and the lift to come…Command and teach these things…Practice these things—Immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” (Excerpts from 1 Tim 4:8-15)

Why do I train myself in godliness? So, when I get on the field of play (the field of play being anytime I am out of bed, rousing from a time of sleep), I don’t have to think of fundamentals (remember in Heb 5:11-14 about taking milk all the time and not going forward into meat?) and I can go to “…solid food for the mature, having my senses (powers of discernment) trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb 5:14; Rick’s paraphrase)

Corollary: If I think that I might have arrived, it is a clear sign that I haven’t. So, if I think that I am out of the “milk” stage, maybe think again. I am told this is a “clue” in police work.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your covenant towards me. Thank you that you set the terms and that you are faithful to your promises.

Thank you that you have changed me, rebooted my operating system, caused me to be born again.

Empower me to walk and increase in godliness the rest of my days.

Amen.

Hebrews 9

 

Scripture

 

Vs 11 … when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come …

Vs 12 he entered once for all into the holy places by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

 

Vs 14 … how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Vs 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance

 

Vs 24 Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

 

Vs 26 … he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

Observation

 

The author is clearly hammering home the beautiful significance of the Temple.

But as beautiful as the Temple is, it is not of ultimate significance.

There is something greater … or Someone.

 

Of all the details the author writes of the temple, and there are many, he emphasizes that Christ is the greater, better, perfect version of each of the temple details.

 

The Holy Place … Christ is now the Holy Place.

The High Priest … Christ is now the High Priest.

The Blood … Christ is now the blood.

The presence of God … Christ is now the Presence of God.

 

Application

 

Fortunately, the author doesn’t just list all the “facts” of Christ being the actual better version of Temple elements.

The author also gives the reader the “effect” of Christ being Who he is!

 

Because of Christ actually living out all the acts of the temple, I now have …

A “secure eternal redemption”!

A “purified conscience”!

A “promised eternal inheritance”!

A “presence of God”!

And “sin put away”!

 

It doesn’t get better than this.

So the question becomes … Am I living like these things are a reality?

 

Do I worry about “doing enough” day to day? … or Am I secure in my eternal redemption?

Do I perform “religious habits” out of obligation? … or Is my conscience pure to serve the Lord?

Do I crave “more” of something today? … Or Can I rest in pleasant anticipation of an eternal inheritance?

Do I get either “bored” or “anxious” in the day to day monotony? … Or can I see ever growing beauty in “the presence of the Lord”?

Are there sins I continue to fight? … Or Do I live knowing that my “sin is put away”?

 

I have much to continually celebrate that Christ has come and what Christ has done!

 

Prayer

 

Thank You, God, for Your Word!

Help me see You in it every day

Help me live out the Truth that it is

Help me spirit be grateful for Christ always

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Journal Heb 8 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Behold, the days are coming”, declares the Lord, “when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me (from the least to the greatest). For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Heb 8:8b-12, cited from Jer 31:31-34

Observation: Part of the Gospel to remember is that God himself, the Triune God, is the confirming agent of the New Covenant. Man has exactly zero part to play in confirmation; Man accepts in faith God’s contract with Man.

If it weren’t stated clearly that God loves Man, it would be evident that He got the crummy part of the deal…

Analysis: If I were to create a study guide for new disciples, I think I would put the Book of Hebrews in the top 3 to 5 to commit to study deeply.

For sure, it is not a book to skim through.

Not only is Hebrews descriptive of the parallels between the Old and New Covenants, where Jesus is the High Priest for us, and the Lamb of Sacrifice (propitiation) solving the issue/atonement of sin, it also describes how God the Father is going to make Himself a people of his own choosing.

His choice; His Sovereignty. His election.

If the Triune God is going to put his laws in minds and hearts, by his own covenantal volition, how in His Name is he going to do that?

If I needed something to meditate on for—I don’t know, a month or so—could I come up with some answers or examples through the Word? And would I ever be quite finished with thinking/meditating/studying that?

Probably not. Scratch that: definitely not.

Another thing: take, “And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord’…”  If God is going to put his laws in my mind and heart, why would they need to be taught? Perhaps this is one of those epistle references that speak to “missions”—but then it isn’t just the neighbor but also the brothers (from the Greek: fellow believer). Why? Because of two constants:

• Like Israel, we forget. See Ps 78:

o    “…that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments and that they should not be like their fathers (a stubborn and rebellious generation), a generation whose heart was not steadfast and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Ps 78:6-8)

• Encourage/exhort one another. Look for evidence of Grace in others and tell them! See Heb 3 again:

o    “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the Living God. But exhort/encourage one another every day (as long as it is called today) that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb 3:12-13)

So, it is Human Responsibility that drives pursuing God. Man is responsible to make effort to know Him as He presents Himself sovereignly to be known.

Scariest verse (in my opinion) in the Bible: “…Begone! I never knew (from the Greek: am familiar with) you.” (Matt 7:23) I think about this: Jesus isn’t familiar with me, and why is that?

Because I am not pursuing him?

Prayer: Father, O Holy Spirit, please do not let me get comfortable in my life and ignore You; your Presence, your Ways, and your Works. Let your Word be sweetness to me and my meditation all my days.

Help me be patient with the calling you have called me to, O God. Let it be joy and peace to me.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Scripture –

Hebrews 7:22-25 – This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Observation-
God made an oath to guarantee the new covenant that Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is alive and lives everlasting at the right hand of God intervening for us.

Application-

Perfect, sinless Jesus, God in flesh, died once for the sin of all mankind! Jesus overcame sin and death and lives forever with the Father. When I place my faith in the name of Jesus, I can know with certainty that I have salvation in the finished work in the Cross. When I seek Him and draw near He is there with me.

Prayer-

Father,

Thank you for establishing the new covenant with your son Jesus so I can repent be reconciled to know you and make you known. Let the Spirit draw me near to you to extend your glory.

Journal Heb 5 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture:  About this (possibly about Jesus being the source of eternal salvation and a priest after the order of Melchizedek [Heb 5:8-10]) we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become hard of hearing.

For though by this time, you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic PRINCIPLES of the oracles of God. You need (are wanting, in need of? My best guess, fitting the tenor of the scripture…) milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is UNSKILLED in the word of righteousness (since he is a child). But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:11-14)

Observation: Learning the Word of God is not only about memorization of bumper sticker sayings/quotes, but the Principles, Precepts, Doctrines, etc., involved with understanding the Gospel from before time past the end of days…

Analysis: When it comes to applying effort to the Ways of God or the Works of God, what comes easier?

When I was a younger believer, I read this (the above reference) and saw a challenge in it. It was like the Holy Spirit saying, “You need to go through 1^st grade again; no, maybe kindergarten—because you are still unskilled.”

It wasn’t a slap in the face. It was more like coming up wanting before my Lord—he gave me all the tools I needed, but I either misused or flat didn’t use them.

Makes sense (looking back) because the past two generations are not studiers, not readers. Not many of the guys I grew up in Christ with (until about 2000) were interested in the principles, precepts, and doctrine of the Triune God; they were interested in finding a verse here or there to stock up on bullets—verses that would give them a charge to do stuff. I did too. I remember getting a charge out of the Jericho story and started to pray, condemning a local strip joint, to go out of business and turn into a church. Not a bad thing, but even that became a sense of “I am missing something here.”

My conclusion? I needed, wanted, was living on, milk. Repeatedly.

Does “doing stuff for the Kingdom” mean that I am finally out of milk and into meat? Maybe not, at least from my perspective, and I always must wonder.

If I start down that road of thinking “I have arrived…”, then maybe I haven’t and I don’t pursue God like I should.  He calls me to pursue Him, and I should arrange my determination to do just that.

What does having, “powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil”, mean? Please note that this is a rhetorical question, something to bring up in private study and meditation or for group discussion.

Am I looking for “evidences of Grace” in my brothers and sisters so that I can be of encouragement (or exhorting as necessary) and participating in keeping them from the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3:13)? Do I expend my energies looking outward (the harvest) or inward (church health)? What would the percentages look like? Am I training my senses in constant practice to discern good from evil?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Hebrews. Keeps me thinking and striving to hone my senses to a sharp edge.

Humbly, yours…

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

 

Journal Heb 4 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

…Let us then, with confidence, draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Excerpts from Heb 4:11-16

Observation: There are directives and there are descriptors. Descriptors support the directives with imagery so dodo’s (like me) can “get it.”

Analysis: If I am supposed to rest in Christ, why then, are there statements that quite obviously indicate that I am supposed to expend effort and energy?

When journaling, this is the kind of stuff that I am supposed to scratch my noggin about and bother all the elders for answers and direction—if I can’t or won’t avail myself of standing on the shoulders of the saints now and before (old, dead guys).

Here are two precepts that I hold tightly to: God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility. Life is bound within these two concepts: God is sovereign over all creation, and I am not.

Further, God sees (perceives, is aware of) ALL things, and as the scripture above plainly indicates nothing is hidden from Him. Therefore, trying to hide ANYTHING from God is not only impossible, but also dumb.

That is why being fiercely transparent is a goal to strive for. Warning: It is difficult (read: very hard, strenuous), because indwelling sin wants to hide from being transparent. (again, check out Gen 3). There is a desire to make excuses, make concessions, to sidestep what I did versus the light of Godly illumination on the situation.

Why does the Holy Spirit shine a light on my sin? To make it obvious that I fall short (Ro 3:23) and not make that verse just something I say (a wall hanging verse), but so that I am reminded day after day that I need mercy; I need a Savior.

Therefore, the two exertion snips: STRIVE, and DRAW NEAR TO THE THRONE OF GRACE. From the pair, God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, salvation is all of God’s sovereignty. Man cannot earn one whit of salvation and avoid the justified Wrath of God.

But Man is responsible to draw near to the throne of Grace EVERY DAY.

Prayer: O Lord, there is so much to do. There is the pursuit of personal godliness and growing in knowing You; there is familial godly health because I am head of household; there is the health of the local church (the Jewel, the Bride, the testimony to all creation (c. Eph 3:10-11), and then the harvest.

Please strengthen me.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Heb 3 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.

Therefore, I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

Take care, brothers, lest there be in you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the Living God. But exhort one another every day—as long as it is called ‘Today’—that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Heb 3:7-13)

Observation: The Writer compares Israel to the believers in the local church today—the works of God are seen and forgotten, and the ways of God are not pursued and known.

That sounds familiar…

Analysis: I think a main point in this passage is comprehending that unbelief is evil. If I start with that principle (with some others), then I begin to understand more on why I need a Savior.

But here is the issue with Man: there are two positions possibly taken by people:

1. Believe in something, anything, and that is good; it is sincere, and God will “honor” it, and/or,
2. I need proof. I don’t want to rubber stamp a “belief” publicly if I don’t believe it privately.

However, contrary to any publicly held convictions, according to the Scriptures, there is only God, the God of Abraham, the Father of the Trinity that is involved. Paul, to the Romans, explaining the facts:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who, by their unrighteousness, suppress the truth. For what can be known about God IS PLAIN TO THEM, because God has shown it to them.

For his invisible attributes (namely, his eternal power and divine nature) have been CLEARLY PERCEIVED, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So…they are without excuse.” (Rom 1:18-20; continue through 25a)

So, plainly, if I don’t align myself with what I clearly perceive about God, then I am dallying with functional unbelief, and that will be counted to me as being evil.

This even reads to me like it is over the top, but is it? Running all the way back to Genesis 3, “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. (and here comes the deception) For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:4-5)

Therefore, what? I am jumping through the logical steps but, in summary, I can have an evil, unbelieving heart because I am using my own desires and reasonings to have a proximity to Christianity that satisfies what I want but misses the mark.

And what is the failsafe provided by the Holy Spirit? Brothers and sisters caring for each other through identifying actions (or non-actions) of Grace in each other’s lives.

The concepts of “holding each other accountable” falls into this scripture, but let’s face it—the saying holds true: For every “aw, phooey” comment I give to another, I probably should have 9 other “you did good” comments stacked up.

If all I am seeing is the “need out there”, are there brothers and sisters being hardened by sin’s deception sitting right next to me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, most of the New Testament is assigned, not to the unsaved masses, but to the local church so they will be built up to a dwelling place for you. I have been shortsighted all my life for I majored in the Church and not the Harvest.

Help me, O God.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Heb 1 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: (Header: The Supremacy of God’s Son)

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, who he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

He is the radiance of the glory of God AND the exact imprint of his nature, AND he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High, having become as much superior to angels as the Name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Heb 1:1-4)

Observation: Reset: Remember who is due worship.

Analysis: Kel’s message on 9/11/22 about remembrance sparked this posting.

One of the great challenges of reading Scripture and especially the Epistles of the New Testament is to figure out or imagine what context the writers are coming from and to whom they are speaking.

There isn’t consensus of who wrote the Letter (Epistle) to the Hebrews (I lean toward Apollos because it doesn’t read like Paul, Peter, Jude, James, or John—but there isn’t any proof that I know of). As I go through Hebrews, it will be heavy with Old Testament references, therefore, the writer would have been well versed in OT scripture, practices, history, and traditions.

However, the preamble is special. It calls to remember and review.

The title to this section, added by the editors, says it accurately: The Supremacy of God’s Son—not what He has done for us, not any benefit that we have derived from His Grace (which is all about me)—but what He is.

Jesus is the:

• Voice of God
• Appointed Heir of all things.
• Creator of the world.
• Radiance of God’s Glory and
• The EXACT imprint of His nature and
• Upholds the Universe by the word of His power.

Paul writes to the church at Colossus, affirming this:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth…all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together…For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things…making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Excerpts from Col 1:15-20)

This is the hair split that I think where struggles happen. I am to worship “Who he is” AND “What he has done”, yet it is very easy to tend toward “What he has done” and neglect “Who he is.”

The Psalmist wrote this about me (actually it was Israel, but it applies to the church today as well),

“…that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they (the children and their children) should not be like their fathers—a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Ps 78:6-8)

This is the reminder to remember who He is and that His attributes not only deserve but demands praise for that.

Men, heads of households, young men and women of approaching age: pay attention and declare Him to your households and circles.

Prayer: Father, I remember the evening that I hold as my conversion date; to be a believer not of effervescence and happiness, but of sober, flint-faced, determination that You and only You are deserved of my surrender.

And then the working out of sin began—and continued for the next 50 years. I am still determined to be joyfully, soberly, yours O God.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Scripture-

Ephesians 6:10-12 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.

Observation-
Our strength can not be on our own, it has to come from the Lord. We are in Spiritual battle against the evil one and power of darkness. In order to be a combatant in the spiritual battle we must arm ourselves in the whole armor of God. We must walk by faith in the truth of the Word with prayer in the Spirit.

Application –

I have to realize I am powerless and can do nothing on my own. My strength and encouragement is from the power of the Spirit within me. Our battles that we are facing in our world today are played out on a cultural and political stage but they are spiritual battles at the core. The battle for life and the entire moral revolution targeting youth is 180 degrees from God’s natural created order and thereby spiritual. I
must remember God is sovereign and allowing this but I have to stand firm in faith putting on the whole armor of God to ward of the powerful of darkness. We have to be in the Word as our sword and be in vigilant prayer to fight the deception of the enemy.

Prayer-

Father,
Thank you for sending Jesus so I can repent be reconciled receive the Spirit to give me strength, prayer to engage in battles against the evil one. Through this let me draw near to you and all I do be to glorify you.

Journal Eph 4 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: (Paul speaking) I therefore…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…

And he gave [Gifts of Men] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God; to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, SO THAT we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine…

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him (who is the Head, into Christ)… Excerpted from Eph 4:1-16

Observation: Reading from the 1^st chapter of Ephesians until now, Paul has objectives to give:

1. Walk in a manner worthy of Christ and,
2. Grow up in every way into Jesus…

Everything following in these verses in Chapter 4 is the “how” to the “do”…

Analysis: For those reading that are not taking the occasion to write out these verses for your own journal, you are missing a boatload of opportunity learning about the testimonies of God through the Scriptures.

Take, for instance, these stated objectives for Christians. What are they? When I root out the sentence imperatives from the implications, there is a clear call to pursue godliness. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, points this out in other letters:

• …so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him…(Col 1:10)
• 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… (Col 2:6-7)
• If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above (where Christ is)…Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth…(Col 3:1-2)
• Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…(Phil 1:27)
• …present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God…(Ro 12:1)

Why is the Spirit’s emphasis on the believer conforming to Godliness in the Epistles? I think this may refer to the last chapter of Ephesians, “…so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known…” (Eph 3:10)

The Scriptures equate maturity with godliness; it is the “pursuit of growing through knowing leading to doing” in that order. Even the writer of Hebrews indicated,

“Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again (not having to repeatedly teach) a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” (Heb 6:1-2)

I am musing about high school. I had 6-7 classes per day, all different. Some I did well in, others just ok. There were none I could skip over—I had to learn and pass the grade in all of them to graduate.

It is a poor metaphor, but directionally accurate. If I wanted to excel in evangelism (for instance), I still needed to learn enough to be persuasive in discussions with others. I recall Paul being summoned by Felix and Drusilla (Acts 24:24-25),

After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla (who was Jewish), and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as (Paul) reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement, Felix was alarmed…”

Am I,

1. Growing in the ability to speak about faith in Christ Jesus?
2. Can I reason persuasively about Righteousness?
3. How about self-control in the light of the Gospel?
4. Am I able to accurately present the facts of the Coming Judgment in the light of the Gospel?

I must think about stuff like this…

Prayer: Father, thank you for speaking to me like this. Help me grow, embracing your passion and love for the church.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Eph 3 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: (Paul speaking) “Of this gospel I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s Grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

To me (though I am the very least of all the saints) this grace was given—to preach to the Gentiles

• the unsearchable riches of Christ, and
• to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God [who created all things], so that
• through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord…” Eph 3:7-11

Observation: What was Paul commissioned to do? Am I supposed to do the same? Do I even know how to accomplish the mission if my mission anywhere resembles Paul’s?

Analysis: Cutting up the Scriptures into bullet points helps the reading for me—keeps the paragraphs and verses from all running into each other and blurring. Studying the Scriptures is definitely antithetical to the KISS methodology. The calling of being a disciple is not to stop at Cliff Notes or Discipleship for Dummies.

Just paying attention to Ephesians Chapter 3, these are the things I wonder about for myself:

1. Can I articulate the “unsearchable riches of Christ?” If I think I have at least part of it, am I searching for any deeper understanding? If not, why not? Do I think it is too much? Too deep? Too divisive?
2. What would be the “plan of the mystery hidden in God?” What mystery would that be? Is it the mystery of Grace in redemption and reconciliation in Christ? If so, why? If I can imagine I understand Jesus saving my spouse, do I wonder (because I am attempting to be fiercely transparent with the face in the mirror) why He would save me?
3. “Through the church the manifold wisdom of God is shown…” Huh. This is different. Not exactly what most folks think or act in conviction about.

All these points are wrapped up in the statement: “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord…”

Prayer: Lord, make these thoughts the fruit of my lips, the song in my heart, my daily and moment by moment worship of you.

Help me talk about this in my Lazy Boy, at the table of fellowship, Journal group, text messages—all of that. Help me murmur this in the language of prayer, vacuuming, washing the car, folding clothes, cooking…

All to grow in You and your ways.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Eph 2 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: (Paul speaking) For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God—not a result of works so that no one may boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (which God prepared beforehand) that we should walk in them. Therefore,

Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh (called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision (the Jews)—which is made in the flesh by hands), remember that at you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the Blood of Christ. (Eph 2:8-13)

Observation: It appears that the Greek believers were discriminated against by the Jewish believers of Ephesus. What becomes of the common denominator of the Cross?

Analysis: “For by grace you have been saved…” What is the point of this statement?

Simply: Grace is the action observed and experienced of God’s Sovereignty. Why is this important to embrace? I am convinced that it defines the distance between Creator and Creation, Eternal and Temporal, and the separation (physically and mentally) between the All-Powerful (Omnipotent God) and the Powerless (Man).

The stumbling issue at Ephesus perhaps were the believing Jews, making a tiered distinction between themselves and the Gentiles (“Look, see here? We follow the traditional instructions and are circumcised; therefore, we are 1^stClass believers and not 2^nd Class like yourselves…).

That attitude is contradicted by the statement “For by grace you have been saved…” The Triune God unilaterally exercised grace for Mankind and Creation for salvation. For Man, this was done through the Son’s atoning death on the Cross (and the unimaginable agony elsewhere on the eternal plane that must have been).

That Atonement was for Creation: No distinction between Jews and Gentiles. As I, by a function of faith, embrace what the Trinity did and specifically what Jesus did, I can lay claim to the Hope of Salvation.

What should I remember, proclaim, and worship? That God did all of this. Even the faith that rises in my soul and my mind is all the Holy Spirit’s doing.

And I am grateful.

Amen.

Ricky Two Shoes

 

Scripture

Vs 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Vs 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Vs 5 In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Vs 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Vs 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Vs 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

Vs 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,

Vs 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—

to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Vs 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Vs 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Observation

Here Paul lays out as big a picture as possible of the goodness and grandeur and sovereignty of God.

This is a picture of the full timeline of everything past and of everything future.

From “before the foundations of the world” to “the fullness of time”

And it’s all about Him!

All of it! All of time!! Every second!

From before the first until after the last!

And, yet, He makes us part of it! He allows us to participate.

Bit it’s so much more than “allow”. God is happy to include us in His plan!

It pleases Him! … He unfolds His will in us “according to His good pleasure”!

Look at the string Paul mentions …

“He chose us …”

“He blessed us …”

“He predestined us …”

“He has given us …”

“He lavished on us …”

“He made known to us …”

WHY?

“In order that we … might be for the praise of His glory.”

Application

So I have “every spiritual blessing in Christ”. … Every spiritual blessing!

Do I still live and act like I want something more?

As if every spiritual blessing isn’t enough.

Every spiritual blessing is not enough, only if I’m not using them for their intended purposes: The Praise of His Glory!

I could have every tool a mechanic needs.

If I’m not using them for their purpose, it won’t be enough.

I could have every instrument a surgeon needs.

If I’m not using them for their intended purpose, it won’t be enough.

I could have every piece of equipment a farmer needs.

If I’m not using them for their intended purpose, it won’t be enough.

I have “every spiritual blessing”. So then … Is it enough?

When I feel it’s not, am I perhaps using the blessings of God to praise myself?

If that’s the case, it will never be enough.

I will never be content until I use the blessings God has graced me with for the praise of His glory.

This “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will”.

Prayer

Thank you, Father, for your incredible grace.

Everything thing I have or am is because of your grace.

May it be used for your glory.

In Jesus name.

Amen.