Category: Good Life Journal

Scripture:  

“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you—because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…And you became imitators of us and of the Lord for you received the Word in much affliction (and) with the joy of the Holy Spirit SO THAT you became an example to all the believers… (1 Thes 1:4-7a)

Observation:  

There is a message here.  It is the same kind of message that we have received when we needed a boost, a reminder of vision—not of what can be done but what HAS been done and what will be done…

Application:  

I wonder what prompted Paul to write this preamble to the Church. 

What did he hear along the road?  What messages about Thessalonica’s health were brought to him?  I think for sure that Paul had that “Wise Master Builder” cap firmly on his head as this was being written.

I read this and I am buoyed emotionally.  This creates some firmness in my backbone.  My eyes are brighter and my faith is strengthening.  I remember He chose me, gospel coming in power in the Spirit and with conviction.  

And…I remember my feet of clay; how I am frightened and faithless for the day to come.  Affliction is not only knocking on my door it is hammering (at least I imagine that hammering is coming).

Joy?  Hah!  Being an example to all the believers?  Really?  Moi?  Not hardly.

Yet…this is where the Normal Christian Life lives—between the two extremes.  While my Inner Man is being renewed, my Outer Man is decaying, sloughing off (wasting away) (2 Cor 4:16).   So I have successes and not so successes.

What do I do then?  How do I respond?  In either swing of the pendulum I remember the Gospel AND speak it to myself.

I am encouraged.  This is because of the Gospel, not only of the salvation aspects (which is defined under God’s Sovereignty) but of the Sanctification piece (defined under Human Responsibility).  The Triune God leads the way with me in tow…because He wants me. 

I am discouraged.  This is because of the Gospel, not only because I am eaten up with indwelling Sin but also I am tempted to forget the Grace and Mercy of the Triune God in my life and how He views me.  I am not lovable, but loved despite—all because He chose to love.  I fight temptation in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t seem to avoid the highs and lows of life.  I am probably not alone.  Scripturally I know I am not alone.  That is why that God designed the Gospel the way it is from before time began so that I know that I must not only lean on but continually surrender to Him.  After all, His stated intention is to make me in the Image of the Son (Ro 8:29).   Pretty cool. 

Prayer:   Father, I am reminded that this is part of the community of Believers that you intend the Local Church to be, specifically how we are to interact with one another.  The writer of Hebrews gave us a concrete device to help each other along the Way: “But exhort (or encourage) one another (every day, as long as it is called “today”) that none of (us) may be hardened by the deceitfulness of Sin (Heb 3:13).

Help me to avoid that “evil, unbelieving heart”, O God.  AMEN.

Scripture:

[8]  Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.

Observation:

After speaking boldly and confidently TO God, the Psalmist also wants to hear FROM God, just as any good conversation would be.
He is expectant – that God will speak peace to his people..
Believing in God’s peace, even after his judgement, the Psalmist reminds God’s people of their sin nature and tells them to beware of it and repent.

Application:

The application here is a series of questions fo consider.

Even while thanking God for his grace and mercy, how often do we then ask something and not wait for answers?  How often do we speak TO God and not get our minds and hearts set on hearing FROM God?  Are we having a conversation WITH God, asking and then listening?

We pray and ask God for healed relationships, we ask for healing of physical ailments, we ask generally for God’s favor and protection, and we ask for peace only the Lord can provide.  But do we ask for guidance before we make decisions based on worldly input?  Do we ask and then listen?  Have we repented of our known sin and then cleared our thoughts of worldly concerns, expectantly waiting for God to speak peace?  Are we still and silent so we can hear the Lord through the Holy Spirit?

Prayer:

Lord we love you.  Help us to be still and listen expectantly, yet patiently, for your guidance through your Word and Spirit.  In Jesus’ mighty name we pray this. Amen.

Scripture:  

“Fill their faces with shame that they may seek your name, O Lord.  Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.”  Ps 83:16-18

“How lovely is your dwelling place O Lord of Hosts!  My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the Living God.”  Ps 84:1-2 

Observation:  

A study in contrasts: How can the Scriptures like these be reconciled in the light of Redemption?

Application:  

The Psalmist in 83 is full of, you know, and vinegar.  What he writes, sings, and prays is pretty nasty I think.  It is hard to read love and mercy in it.

The Psalmist in 84 is more like it.  He is writing things that I can get behind and stuff that I hear just about every day. 

Both are the Word of the Lord; Holy Scripture.

So what do I do?  What is “redeeming” about 83 AND 84?

Here’s the key: Both represent facets of the Jewel that is the Gospel.

The Gospel is “Good News.”  It is indeed (Praise His Name forever for this unilateral Gift of Grace!!).  But the Good News has a significant component of bad news as well.  Actually for there to be “Good News” it must start from the Actual news: Everyone from Adam is unavoidably on track to suffer God’s just Condemnation and His subsequent Holy Wrath against sin.  No way around it.  It is that “no way around it” that defines “We need an Intercessor, an Advocate, a substitutionary Sacrifice.”

Ok…and the point is?

I have swings of emotion.  Yep, anyone who knows me for any length of time can attest to that.  Some of it is biological, chemical stuff that I have but I have to face it: It all springs from Sin warring in my body and mind. 

Channeling the basis of Psalms 84 is a matter of work; of intentional training my members for righteousness—including my mind.  I can have that so-called “godly righteousness”—but I have to realize that is oh so tainted with Sin through and through. 

The Believers call is to testify of Him who has saved; that my heart and flesh sing for joy to the Living God!  We are His people, the sheep of His hand.  We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation—a people for his own possession that we may proclaim the Excellencies of Him who called you… (1 Peter 2:9)

Pressing in, I yearn for Him.  At least that is my objective. 

Prayer:  

Lord Jesus, help me to write better.  I want the words to be what is springing out of my heart and the words hammering in my heart.  Last thing I want to be is superficial.  All my hope is in You, all of my hope.  AMEN.

Scripture:

Psalm 80:19 – Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!  Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Observation:

This is the third time within this Psalm that Asaph cries out to God with this same request.  Asaph recalls what God has done to rescue Israel in the past. Now he is praying for God to intervene so they can see His hand at work and save His people.

Application:

God is in the restoration business.  We are able to see what God has done in the past and have hope for the future but sometimes can’t understand why we are in the current situation we find ourselves.  God teaches us, corrects us and rescues us in His time so we can see our dependence on Him.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for your salvation through Jesus.  Let me seek you always to see your hand at work and face shining to draw my near to you no matter what I am facing.

Scripture:

Psalm 79:8-9

8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities;  let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!

Observations:

The writer of this Psalm is pleading for the Lord to no longer count their sins against them but to provide compassion and mercy in a time  of need. The plea for their help is argued from the standpoint of it benefiting God’s name among the nations. In other words to “let the name of the Lord be known”

Applications:

We can confidently pray for the Lord to meet us with his mercies each and everyday because it gives Him glory to help us. God is delighted in saving us, he doesn’t have to, he wants to. Let that be our prayer daily.

Prayer:

Help us, O God of our salvation. Show compassion on us today. Thank you for pursuing us out of the freedom you have to do so. Deliver us from temptation today so your name can be known to those around us.

Scripture:

Vs 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Vs 7 But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test …
Vs 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.
Vs 10 … my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
Vs 11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Observation:

The Corinthian church was questioning Paul’s authority as an Apostle. They were “testing” him.
Paul says that they are to “test yourselves”. Do they have faith in Christ?
Paul says, in fact, he is glad when he is weak (not exerting authority), because that indicates that they are strong (passing the test of faith).
What’s more, Paul’s use of authority is counter to the historic and cultural use of authority.
Paul says his authority is given from the Lord to “build them up”, not “tear them down”.
Paul’s greatest concern is not his own authority, or his own personal reputation.
Paul’s greatest concern … in fact, his prayer, … is “you may do no wrong” and “your restoration” and “Jesus Christ in you”.
Paul concludes by encouraging them in how they are to treat “one another” (rejoice/restore/comfort/agree/live in peace).
Why? Because the “God of love and peace will be with you”.

Application:

Who am I most likely to pray for?
Who am I most likely to question, or test?
It’s no mystery that human nature (sin nature/my nature) is to pray for myself, my needs, my wants.
And what goes right along with that is questioning and testing others.
Paul flips this upside down.
Paul tells the church to test themselves.
And he goes on to tell them all the ways he is praying for them and their sake and their wellbeing and their faith.
While this is a counterintuitive way of relating to others, it is by no means a “weak” exercise.
To tell someone to “test themselves” entails not just a certain amount of boldness, but accountability and confidence.
How could I ask someone else to test themselves, if I am not willing to do the same?
Paul is certain he has passed the test. He is “in the faith” and “Jesus is in him”.
This is how he can live and lead boldly and confidently. His confidence in not in himself.
His confidence is in the Truth that he lives out.
When I am at peace with Christ in me and the truth that I am living out, then I can most confidently encourage others the same way.
My concern will not be others questioning me, but my own testing of myself.
And then my concern can become for “one another” … rejoicing, comfort, agreement, peace, and God with you!

Prayer:

Thank you again God for you word.
Thank you for the example of Paul
Test me in my faith
Encourage me to pray for others faith
In Jesus name
Amen

Scripture:

[7] So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

Observation:

Paul says he was given a thorn in his flesh.  Not that he was somehow inflicted with a thorn in his flesh.  He welcomed it.  God gave it, Satan used it, God allowed it, and through that, Paul welcomed it.

Why?  To keep him humble.  Even Paul, in his humility, could have become conceited from knowing what he knew, from seeing what he saw in his vision.

Application:

In this life we may be blessed in some ways seemingly far beyond others.  Blessed with things, blessed with intelligence, blessed through family and job, blessed in so many different ways.  When God then gives us that thorn in our flesh – that nagging health problem, that job loss, that addiction in the family, that tyrant boss – and allows Satan to smack us around a little so that we don’t become conceited in our blessings, let us welcome it.  Welcome it knowing that God gave it to us,

Prayer:

Lord thank you for for sending Your Spirit to live within us.  Thank you for giving us the joy of walking with You through this life.  Help us to be grateful in our blessings and not compare our blessings to others.  Lord we welcome any thorn in our flesh that will help keep us humble.  In Jesus mighty name we pray, amen.

Scripture:  

“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed OR if you receive a different spirit from the one you received OR if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted—you put up with it readily enough.”  2 Cor 11:3-4  

Observation:  

My goodness—what a denunciation; a shot across the bow; a punch in the chops: “…you put up with it readily enough.”  Where are the noble brothers of Berea when you need them?

Application:  

This snuck up on me today. 

I am looking in 2 Cor 11 for something to write on and this popped out.  I continued to look through Chapter 11 and this phrase keeps pounding in my noggin, echoing between my ears.

Paul concerning the Corinth’s church’s discernment: “…you put up with it readily enough.” 

That is not a complement.  

What a slap to the Corinth church!  I think that basically Paul is saying that the Corinth church welcomes all thought in the Name of Jesus; doesn’t matter who is speaking, doesn’t matter what credentials they bring…”Welcome, dear sir.  What message have you from Christ today?”  And then the Corinthians file it as one more learning not realizing that the little errors here and there presented are leading folks away from “a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

I admit that I have a conflict.  What about receiving the Word with Joy verses going home and studying to see if the Word given was true (remember the noble Bereans).  I don’t want to cause dissention and division but I also want the unstained Word of God. 

What I am left with is “Who am I, O Lord?”

Paul writes to Timothy: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”  (2 Tim 2:15) 

Therefore: Nose to the grindstone, surrender to the Holy Spirit, pray for myself and for others to be enlightened through the Word of God and study (especially myself so that the Log comes out first), learn to be gracious, practice mercy to those that I believe I need to speak to, trust God in all things because no matter what happens, He is totally Sovereign, Omniscient, and Eternal.

Prayer:  

O God, I don’t know where I fit past the doors of my home; maybe nowhere.   Please, please, please make me calm in the storm of my own pride and refine Your Word within me.  AMEN

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 10:17-18 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Observation:

Paul is defending his ministry against false teachers who are self-promoting.  Paul concludes by telling the Corinthians that all the credit belongs to Jesus and our speech should glorify the Lord.  The approval we should seek is that of the Lord, not our own or someone else of the world.

Application:

Where is my mindset when I am serving as an individual, representing the Church or a mission organization?  My mind need to be focused on Jesus, acting as a humble servant.  My speech needs to direct people to Jesus and the saving power of the gospel.  If I live where I put myself out in front of Christ or have to create a persona that lifts me up, I am missing the gospel message.  My identity is to be found in Christ, to love serve and honor Him.  When I love, serve and give the glory to God not self, I will be in Christ.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for your love, grace and mercy.  Let me live a life to love and serve you seeking your approval.  May my actions and speech lift you up and point others to you.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9: 7 & 15

7 – Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
15 – Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Observations:

– Paul is more concerned on HOW the church at Corinth gives than WHAT the church gives.
– This was important to Paul because it is important to God, how so? God loves people who give with a cheerful heart.
– How do we become a cheerful giver? We look to the cross. Why? Because “For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life”

Application:
– the cross is the greatest example of what true giving looks like. We need to be reminded that God looks at the motive of why we’re giving. Are we giving so that we can check it off our religious list? Are we giving so that we can make sure we’re right with God? Or are we giving from a heart that screams for joy knowing we have been given the greatest gift, Jesus. If you are struggling to give, whether it’s your time or resources, look to the cross, remind your heart to rejoice in the gift of Jesus, and through that we become cheerful givers.

Prayer:

Thank you Father for giving us your son. Thank you for showing us what true giving looks like. That you gave Him to us with joy. Help us to give with a cheerful heart as we continue looking to the cross.

Scripture: 

“…and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”  (2 Cor 8:5)

Observation:

Again, perspective.  This perspective is describing Vision.  What is my Vision concerning the Kingdom of God?

Application:  

I wonder what Paul was really expecting?

I think what I read is that he expected the Corinth church to respond—he just didn’t expect the breadth and depth of the response.

What were the differences between an “expected” response and an “unexpected but celebrated” response?  The difference is found right here: “…but they gave themselves first to the Lord…”

I have found that “giving myself first to the Lord” isn’t a perspective I can call up on demand.  Back in my youth there was a Saturday morning cartoon called “Super Friends” or something like that.  On it was depicted a Brother/Sister twin act and when they wanted their super powers to manifest, they bumped fists and declared “Wonder Twin Powers, Activate.”

There have been times where I have assumed the same sort of mantle—I could shift into “BELIEVER-MAN” mode and do all sorts of things in Jesus’ Name.

It doesn’t work that way.

Being a Believer is cultivating the character of a disciple.  That takes focus and work; it takes cultivating Vision; it takes intentional surrender every day.  It takes giving myself first to the Lord every moment of the day.

Surprise!  A one-time decision isn’t adequate.  Why?  Because when I want to do good, evil lies close at hand.  (See Romans 6 and 7)  While the penalty of sin has been answered by the Blood of Christ, sin in my members has to be fought (in cooperation and with the power of the Holy Spirit)—and especially the sin that lies in the thoughts of my noggin.  Among other things, it is my Noggin that needs renewal.  A renewed Noggin gets me what?  A renewed Perspective and Vision of the Kingdom.

I don’t respond in every situation by giving myself first to the Lord.  But, examining myself daily, the Holy Spirit is faithful to point out those flaws, those rust spots, those places where I make myself the Idol of the Day and allows me to confess my sin and repent. 

Prayer:  

Father: Bold words.  Please make them active in my life, nudge me (kick me) more to do them and pay attention to Your whisper.  I want to be found in You at the End of Days…AMEN.

Scripture:

Vs 2 … Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Vs 4 … by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; … ; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Vs 16 … For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them …”

Observation:

Paul emphasizes to the Corinthians that because they are living in the time of Christ, it is a blessing and privileged time.
Paul says, “now is the favorable time”.
It is favorable because now is the time of “salvation”.
Paul then goes on to list a steady flow of descriptions that sound very unfavorable … in fact, miserable!
“afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger”!
How can all of these things be a “favorable time”?
Because He has something that is much greater and beyond his circumstances …
He has “the Holy Spirit” and “the power of God”!
This gives Paul “great endurance”.
These allow him to experience unfavorable circumstances with “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, and genuine love”.
Paul has all these traits because God “dwells” with him and “walks” with him.
For Paul there is nothing more favorable than the presence of God!

Application:

What do I genuinely and routinely care more about? My circumstantial experience or my spiritual experience?
Do I consider a day “favorable” or “unfavorable” based on the same standards of the world?
What do I consider a “favorable” day at work? A day where I got a lot of new clients? Or a day when I experienced the “genuine love” of the One True God?
I happen to live in the greatest region of the greatest country in the greatest era in history.
And I do consider this a grace and blessing of God.
But what makes my days “favorable” is that it is the “day of salvation” and I have the presence of God regardless of my situation or circumstances!
I am “true” because I know the Truth.
I am “well known” because God dwells in me.
I “live” because He is the Life.
I can “always rejoice” because He restores the joy of salvation.
I can “have nothing, yet possess everything” because I have Christ!
The world looks for the tangible to determine what is favorable.
I must look to the “power of God”. He dwells with me! I am part of His temple!
The world, even many Christians, look for things “from God”, rather than God, Himself.
I must desire His presence more than His presents!

Prayer:

Thank you, God for your presence,
Thank you for your salvation
Thank you that I can have great endurance
Because of your great power
Help me Holy Spirit to have genuine love
In Jesus name,
Amen

Scripture:

[5] He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Observation:

God prepares and shapes us through the weight of this world.  He prepares us for leaving this earthly body (tent) behind for our heavenly dwelling.  He prepares us by allowing us to go through trials and affliction so that we might become stronger.  He prepares us by guiding us to be strong in Christ.  He prepares us so that we will fit in well in heaven.

God sent the Holy Spirit to live within us as a guarantee.  A guarantee that our time in our earthly body is limited and our real destiny is living with Him in heaven.

Application:

We are called to rejoice always and give thanks in all things – (1 Thes 5) “[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  While it is sometimes difficult to rejoice through worldly trials, knowing that God is preparing us for our final destination in heaven, and that he has given the Holy Spirit to guide us and as a down payment for our eternal destiny, makes it much easier.

Prayer:

Lord thank you for the grace you give us daily.  Thank you for your promise of spending eternity with you.  Thank you for the trials you allow us to go through in order to shape us and prepare us for that final destination.  Help us to persevere when we want to give up and to always remember your promise.  Amen.