Friends, I'm afraid I'm running out of ideas on this "Goodness" week. I hate to keep driving things into the ground... So, I wanted to take today to share with you a study method that I learned awhile back. It's called the REAP method, and is a very effective method for personal devotions and journaling time:
Read
Examine
Apply
Pray
Obviously the very first step would be to pray that God would speak to you, through His Word. Something along the lines of, "God, I pray and ask that you would speak to me, through Your Word, this morning, Lord. Please meet with me, and show me what You would have me to learn today. Amen." You know something along those lines, but make it personal... use your own wording and let it come from your heart. Sometimes my prayer has been, "God, I don't know what I'm doing right now... but I ask that you would show me, through Your Word, Your will for my life."
Then... you Read... read a chapter or two or whatever your reading plan looks like. When you get to a verse that sticks out to you underline it. Don't stop and ponder it too deeply at this point. Finish reading your chapter, underlining things that jump out at you.
When you're done reading, find one of the verses that stuck out to you the most and... Examine what the author is saying, or what the verse is saying. Remember, we're not trying to apply the verse yet, we're just looking at what is being said in the verse that you underlined. I'll use my own devotions from this morning as an example:
I read Galatians 2 and underlined about 3 different places in the chapter. Then I looked over what I had underlined, a.k.a. what stood out to me, and then picked one to focus on for today. I chose Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
So, here we would ask ourselves, "What is Paul saying?" That's all we want to know...
He says that he has been crucified with Christ, which means that, just as Christ died, he too has died to this world. "and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me..." He has given up his own life, and exchanged it for the work of the Gospel. He continues on to say that He lives by faith in the Son of God, and he recognizes the sacrifice of love made by Christ on his behalf. So, there you have it! Paul says that he no longer lives for himself, but for Christ. He has taken up his cross, to follow Christ, and he lives by faith alone.
Now that we somewhat understand what Paul is saying here, we know better how to Apply it.
Here is where you would write your resolve as to what changes you might need to make in your life. Mine for this verse would be:
"Just as Paul died to himself (his old sin nature) I too must die to my own desires and follow Christ. I must learn to live as though Christ is living through me. The life of a believer must be governed by the Holy Spirit communicating with our spirits and I must be willing, by faith, to obey what the Spirit tells me... 'and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God...' I must learn to have a complete and trusting faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ.
"Also there is the reminder of Christ's love, which I must not be quick to forget! The love of Christ is the key to my salvation, and the constant reminder of His love will keep me going, even when things are tough."
Now that we've applied the verse, here is where we would write down a prayer about what we've read, examined and applied...
"Lord, thank You for Your Son's sacrifice on my behalf. God, I know that, without Your merciful sacrifice and love, I would have no chance of a relationship with You. Father, I thank You for the undeserved gift of Your love. I want to live for You, Jesus. I pray and ask that You would help me to die to myself, and to live for You. Lord, I ask that You would help me to have that 'crucified with Christ' mentality. That I would not hold to my rights, which come only from You anyways, but that I would consider myself as Your slave... that I would understand that my goal in life is to glorify You and serve You. I thank You, Lord, for Your Word this morning... in Jesus' name, Amen."
And there you have it! A simple, yet very efficient, study method for reading the Scriptures on your own! Let's go over it one more time:
Read a chapter (or whatever amount that you read) and underline things that jump out at you
Examine one of the point that you underlined and ask yourself "what is this verse saying?".
Apply the principles seen in the verse and write out what you need to do
Pray and ask God to help you with the changes that need to be made in your life to become more like Christ.
I hope that this method of study will be as helpful to you as it has been to me. If you aren't quite clear on any of the points, please, send me an e-mail and I'll try to clarify. I can be quite confusing sometimes!
I hope you have a great weekend and I look forward to starting back up next week!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Goodness: Moral Excellence
"And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another." -Romans 15:14
"...For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)..." -Ephesians 5:8-9
Goodness is one of those things that we must apply to every aspect of our lives. Goodness is an integral part of most of the other fruits that we have looked at and are going to look at.
Let's take a look at goodness from the perspective of "moral excellence." Make decisions based on your morals, what you believe and know to be right, and sticking to those decisions. Again, excellence is attained with much practice, with time... but it is crucial that we build up our moral standards to be above reproach. This is not a holier-than-thou mentality, but quite simply it is a striving after the heartbeat of God.
"But," you might ask, "What about those things that we aren't sure about whether or not they are okay for us to do?"
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." -2 Timothy 3:16-17
So that we may be equipped for every good work... also look above that where he says that the Scripture is useful for training in righteousness. If we truly desire God then we will desire His righteousness, and from this verse we see that Scripture is our guide for right living. We are told that, through Scripture, we will become adequately trained for every good work! Isn't that amazing? When you go to college they give you a list of books you will need, plus other resources, in order to study and learn about a specific field of work. We have been given one Book, the holy and inspired Word of God, and it is adequate for all training in righteousness for all people.
Back to the issue of moral excellence... through reading the Scriptures we are made aware of the things which we must not tolerate in our lives, and also of the things which we must integrate into our lives. "Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth." -Colossians 3:5-8
Moral excellence may also mean reviving an unconscious conscience... you know... that little voice that used to tell you that what you were doing was wrong, but you have silenced it over the years. We have become calloused to the Holy Spirit's calling us to repentance, and instead we ignore what we know is right. This must stop, now! Where has the morality of the church gone?
Friends, we are in a serious decline, as a nation, as far as our morality goes... Who is going to show the world what goodness looks like, if the church fails to do so?
The ones who claim the name of Christ need to arise from their sleepy stupor and once again exemplify morality in our society. We live in a world of tolerance and taboo... but as Christians we are called to a black and white, night and day contrast of good and evil. We are not supposed to linger near the line where sin will tempt us from the other side. No, run from the temptations. Scripture says to "resist the devil and he will flee from you..." -James 4:7b
All of that to ask this simple question... Where is your morality? By what standard do you measure yourself? And do you know that God measures with the staff of holiness? Is your standard equal to or above the holiness of God? We must press on and not be found guilty of lingering over sin and temptations... we must hold to a higher standard!
Friends, this is the point of goodness... don't get caught up in mediocrity. Stand for the excellence of God, and model His character! There is nothing in this world that is too great to give up for the sake of moral excellence... goodness that glorifies God. Please consider these things... and then examine your life for areas in which you must perfect goodness, in order to be more like Christ. I too will be examining myself, and I am somewhat afraid of what I might be called to give up. But for me... "to live is Christ and to die is gain." Dying to the things of this world in order to live in Christ, it's worth it!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
"...For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)..." -Ephesians 5:8-9
Goodness is one of those things that we must apply to every aspect of our lives. Goodness is an integral part of most of the other fruits that we have looked at and are going to look at.
Let's take a look at goodness from the perspective of "moral excellence." Make decisions based on your morals, what you believe and know to be right, and sticking to those decisions. Again, excellence is attained with much practice, with time... but it is crucial that we build up our moral standards to be above reproach. This is not a holier-than-thou mentality, but quite simply it is a striving after the heartbeat of God.
"But," you might ask, "What about those things that we aren't sure about whether or not they are okay for us to do?"
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." -2 Timothy 3:16-17
So that we may be equipped for every good work... also look above that where he says that the Scripture is useful for training in righteousness. If we truly desire God then we will desire His righteousness, and from this verse we see that Scripture is our guide for right living. We are told that, through Scripture, we will become adequately trained for every good work! Isn't that amazing? When you go to college they give you a list of books you will need, plus other resources, in order to study and learn about a specific field of work. We have been given one Book, the holy and inspired Word of God, and it is adequate for all training in righteousness for all people.
Back to the issue of moral excellence... through reading the Scriptures we are made aware of the things which we must not tolerate in our lives, and also of the things which we must integrate into our lives. "Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth." -Colossians 3:5-8
Moral excellence may also mean reviving an unconscious conscience... you know... that little voice that used to tell you that what you were doing was wrong, but you have silenced it over the years. We have become calloused to the Holy Spirit's calling us to repentance, and instead we ignore what we know is right. This must stop, now! Where has the morality of the church gone?
Friends, we are in a serious decline, as a nation, as far as our morality goes... Who is going to show the world what goodness looks like, if the church fails to do so?
The ones who claim the name of Christ need to arise from their sleepy stupor and once again exemplify morality in our society. We live in a world of tolerance and taboo... but as Christians we are called to a black and white, night and day contrast of good and evil. We are not supposed to linger near the line where sin will tempt us from the other side. No, run from the temptations. Scripture says to "resist the devil and he will flee from you..." -James 4:7b
All of that to ask this simple question... Where is your morality? By what standard do you measure yourself? And do you know that God measures with the staff of holiness? Is your standard equal to or above the holiness of God? We must press on and not be found guilty of lingering over sin and temptations... we must hold to a higher standard!
Friends, this is the point of goodness... don't get caught up in mediocrity. Stand for the excellence of God, and model His character! There is nothing in this world that is too great to give up for the sake of moral excellence... goodness that glorifies God. Please consider these things... and then examine your life for areas in which you must perfect goodness, in order to be more like Christ. I too will be examining myself, and I am somewhat afraid of what I might be called to give up. But for me... "to live is Christ and to die is gain." Dying to the things of this world in order to live in Christ, it's worth it!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Goodness: Spiritual Excellence
"How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men!" -Psalm 31:19
Spiritual excellence... for a true example we must turn to Christ Jesus, the only perfect human, God incarnate. A life that is devoted to God, and does not allow other things to overcome that devotion... It's hard to imagine taking on such an arduous task in today's overly-distracted society, but I believe that it is something that can be accomplished by the faithful follower. However, it is not our own efforts that would ever accomplish this... it must be done through great reliance on God and through His strength.
I have tried many times to accomplish the things that are of God, without falling at His feet and begging His mercies upon my efforts, but they always fail in my own strength. The same is true of goodness, in the form of spiritual excellence, being developed in our lives... The things of the Spirit must be accomplished through the work of the Spirit in our lives. I cannot stress this point often enough. Friends, I've already tried to do these things in my own strength and I'm here to tell you that it doesn't work!
Spiritual excellence will only be found in time spent in prayer, meditation upon God's Word, reading the Scriptures, hearing the Word of God preached, or basically in time that is spent with God as the focus... You cannot expect it to grow like a plant... you water it every so often, but mostly you just let it do its own thing. That's not how to become excellent in anything! Professionals, in any given field, are not the ones who sit back and are very neutral about their occupations... No, the professionals are the ones who dissect and rethink their occupations from every angle, becoming more proficient from every aspect of what they do. They strive for excellence!
Don't misread what I'm writing, I'm not telling you to become a "Professional Christian" but rather a professional student of the Word of God. Be eager to learn, eager to understand more and more about this God that we serve!
Back to the issue of spiritual excellence... what does it look like in our lives? Goodness from a spiritual standpoint would look like the development of fruit of the Spirit which are not necessarily outwardly displayed... like peace, patience, even love to some degree... Cultivating these fruits in our lives will inevitably cause us to be more like our heavenly Father. This is the ultimate goal of spiritual excellence, is being more like Christ in our relationship with God. Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer and spent time alone with His Father... this is an example for us to follow.
Basically, spiritual excellence is the inward sign of our relationship with Christ and is a testimony to the difference that should be evident in our lives. I probably could have just written that and left everything else out for today, but I tend to expand on a point to the extent that I begin to see it bursting at the seams!
So, tomorrow we will look at how goodness is developed as moral excellence in our lives.
Friends, I would encourage you to strive for spiritual excellence first and foremost in your lives... become the Child of God that you were created to be!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Spiritual excellence... for a true example we must turn to Christ Jesus, the only perfect human, God incarnate. A life that is devoted to God, and does not allow other things to overcome that devotion... It's hard to imagine taking on such an arduous task in today's overly-distracted society, but I believe that it is something that can be accomplished by the faithful follower. However, it is not our own efforts that would ever accomplish this... it must be done through great reliance on God and through His strength.
I have tried many times to accomplish the things that are of God, without falling at His feet and begging His mercies upon my efforts, but they always fail in my own strength. The same is true of goodness, in the form of spiritual excellence, being developed in our lives... The things of the Spirit must be accomplished through the work of the Spirit in our lives. I cannot stress this point often enough. Friends, I've already tried to do these things in my own strength and I'm here to tell you that it doesn't work!
Spiritual excellence will only be found in time spent in prayer, meditation upon God's Word, reading the Scriptures, hearing the Word of God preached, or basically in time that is spent with God as the focus... You cannot expect it to grow like a plant... you water it every so often, but mostly you just let it do its own thing. That's not how to become excellent in anything! Professionals, in any given field, are not the ones who sit back and are very neutral about their occupations... No, the professionals are the ones who dissect and rethink their occupations from every angle, becoming more proficient from every aspect of what they do. They strive for excellence!
Don't misread what I'm writing, I'm not telling you to become a "Professional Christian" but rather a professional student of the Word of God. Be eager to learn, eager to understand more and more about this God that we serve!
Back to the issue of spiritual excellence... what does it look like in our lives? Goodness from a spiritual standpoint would look like the development of fruit of the Spirit which are not necessarily outwardly displayed... like peace, patience, even love to some degree... Cultivating these fruits in our lives will inevitably cause us to be more like our heavenly Father. This is the ultimate goal of spiritual excellence, is being more like Christ in our relationship with God. Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer and spent time alone with His Father... this is an example for us to follow.
Basically, spiritual excellence is the inward sign of our relationship with Christ and is a testimony to the difference that should be evident in our lives. I probably could have just written that and left everything else out for today, but I tend to expand on a point to the extent that I begin to see it bursting at the seams!
So, tomorrow we will look at how goodness is developed as moral excellence in our lives.
Friends, I would encourage you to strive for spiritual excellence first and foremost in your lives... become the Child of God that you were created to be!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
My Adventures With "Heavy Sleeper Syndrom!"
Dear Friends,
I am, unfortunately, somewhat of a heavy sleeper... which means that this morning my alarm went off an hour ago and I didn't wake up to it! Today is going to be somewhat of a hectic day and I won't be home until who-knows-when tonight.
So.... I would enjoy any insight that any of you may have in the areas of moral or spiritual excellence. What do these things mean to you? Consider this a homework assignment! I would love to hear what your thoughts are on this subject and what goodness might look like, being displayed in your life.
Again, I apologize for being so short on time...
Grace and Peace!
Send me your thoughts at afflquestions@yahoo.com . Thanks!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Goodness: An Introductory Charge!
"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter." -Proverbs 25:2
"Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely." -Proverbs 25:14
"Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit." -Proverbs 25:28
Goodness! What does this word make you think of? I'm not quite sure that I knew what to think when I first looked at this word. Are we simply being commanded to be obedient? According to John MacArthur goodness is: "Moral and spiritual excellence manifested in active kindness (Ro 5:7). Believers are commanded to exemplify goodness (Gal 6:10; 2Th 1:11)." [The MacArthur Study Bible, notes on Galatians 5:22 "goodness"].
Let's take a look at the verses listed in his notes: Galatians 6:9-10 - "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 - "To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you , and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
We see here that the origins of our "goodness" comes from our Father who is in heaven. Paul says that God is the one who can "fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power..." in our lives. What stands out to me in this verse, though, is that he says that God will fulfill our desire for goodness... which means that we must first have a desire for goodness. We must first seek God with all of our hearts. Remember the promise of Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Desiring God and the things of God is the first step in attaining the fruits of the Spirit. Without desire, there is no motivation, no conviction, no reason to go on when things get hard... we must desire God to the point of desperation, when we understand the urgency that knowing Him is far more important than anything else in this life.
Before we move into our study of goodness I would like to invite you to join me in taking this day to prepare our hearts... to pray and ask that the desire for the things of God would be birthed in your life. This is my prayer, that God would be magnified in me, and that the desire for things that are of Him would receive the highest level of importance and the greatest amount of energy in my life.
Friends, I look forward to studying goodness, but it will be in vain if we do not desire the things of God above everything else in life. If we are too distracted by earthly pleasures, what good is it to even bother with goodness or kindness towards others? We must first have the desire for growth, otherwise we strive in vain...
I pray that you will join me in preparing our hearts for what God has said He will fulfill in the hearts of those who desire Him. God bless each one of you as you seek His will above your own!
Grace and Peace to you, my brothers and sisters...
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Friday, August 22, 2008
Kindness: Some Finishing Thoughts
"But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." -2 Corinthians 8:7-12
I just wanted to clarify a point or two about showing kindness. We are not expected to just wake up one day and be the most kind person that anyone has ever met. No, it will take much time and practice to become others-focused enough to show kindness on such a level. Now, you might have a good day, when you are constantly watching for and being mindful of opportunities to show kindness, but in general it is not expected that this is something you will catch on to right away.
Just like any other fruit of the Spirit, kindness has to grow in our lives. Kindness has to be cultivated and nurtured as it ripens, until it is fully grown. It is the same with loving others, loving God, being patient, having joy, having peace... understand that these things will take time.
Now, looking at what Paul has said in 2 Corinthians... "But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." Begin with the desire for change! When desire is born in your heart, which may take some time and will probably take a lot of prayer, you must take that next step in "finishing it." Work towards the goal and standard that has been set, but do not lose hope if you stumble... look at the second part of what he says. "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have."
Christ does not demand more of us than we are able to give, but He is patient and will give us the strength to persevere. He will meet us where we are at, but we must be willing to move forward. That is the readiness that Paul speaks of... the desire for change. The Holy Spirit will begin to move inside of us and will shift our focus, if we will only call out to God and honestly seek His will for our lives. In God alone do we find the ability to learn true love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... it is by Him alone that these things will ever be grown in our lives.
Do you desire change in your life? Are you as tired as I am of being unloving, or just being a jerk, without really knowing why we do so? I believe that it is simply that we try to be loving or kind by our own strength... when we know for a fact that we need the Holy Spirit. You are an acceptable offering according to what you have, not according to what you do not have! Come just as you are, but desire to be cleansed! Now is the time to get on our faces and ask God to make us new, to work on our lives in the ways that only He can!
Friends, do not be discouraged if you can't show kindness or generosity in a grandiose way, as you might wish to. But rather give of what you do have, possibly time, and know that it is acceptable to God as a pleasing sacrifice. Is your gift baking? You might bless someone more than you know by simply baking something and stopping by to check in on them! Showing that you care about someone... this is a great way to show kindness, and also the love of Christ. Are you skilled in repairing things? Perhaps there is a neighbor or a friend who needs a little help on a Saturday afternoon... acts of service are very effective ways to show kindness, and again they might supply an opportunity for sharing Christ with that person. Friends, these are just a couple of ideas out of a million as to how you can show kindness...
I hope this weeks study has spurred you on towards love and good deeds. That you might desire to show kindness, especially towards your own families! It must start at home! Otherwise we are kidding ourselves... if we think we are such kind people, but cannot be kind to our own family. Do not be found a hypocrite!
Friends, may the kindness of our Lord and Savior be with you! May you continue to grow in Him and may the fruit of the Spirit be manifested in your life! I look forward to starting "goodness" next week! Until then...
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
I just wanted to clarify a point or two about showing kindness. We are not expected to just wake up one day and be the most kind person that anyone has ever met. No, it will take much time and practice to become others-focused enough to show kindness on such a level. Now, you might have a good day, when you are constantly watching for and being mindful of opportunities to show kindness, but in general it is not expected that this is something you will catch on to right away.
Just like any other fruit of the Spirit, kindness has to grow in our lives. Kindness has to be cultivated and nurtured as it ripens, until it is fully grown. It is the same with loving others, loving God, being patient, having joy, having peace... understand that these things will take time.
Now, looking at what Paul has said in 2 Corinthians... "But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." Begin with the desire for change! When desire is born in your heart, which may take some time and will probably take a lot of prayer, you must take that next step in "finishing it." Work towards the goal and standard that has been set, but do not lose hope if you stumble... look at the second part of what he says. "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have."
Christ does not demand more of us than we are able to give, but He is patient and will give us the strength to persevere. He will meet us where we are at, but we must be willing to move forward. That is the readiness that Paul speaks of... the desire for change. The Holy Spirit will begin to move inside of us and will shift our focus, if we will only call out to God and honestly seek His will for our lives. In God alone do we find the ability to learn true love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... it is by Him alone that these things will ever be grown in our lives.
Do you desire change in your life? Are you as tired as I am of being unloving, or just being a jerk, without really knowing why we do so? I believe that it is simply that we try to be loving or kind by our own strength... when we know for a fact that we need the Holy Spirit. You are an acceptable offering according to what you have, not according to what you do not have! Come just as you are, but desire to be cleansed! Now is the time to get on our faces and ask God to make us new, to work on our lives in the ways that only He can!
Friends, do not be discouraged if you can't show kindness or generosity in a grandiose way, as you might wish to. But rather give of what you do have, possibly time, and know that it is acceptable to God as a pleasing sacrifice. Is your gift baking? You might bless someone more than you know by simply baking something and stopping by to check in on them! Showing that you care about someone... this is a great way to show kindness, and also the love of Christ. Are you skilled in repairing things? Perhaps there is a neighbor or a friend who needs a little help on a Saturday afternoon... acts of service are very effective ways to show kindness, and again they might supply an opportunity for sharing Christ with that person. Friends, these are just a couple of ideas out of a million as to how you can show kindness...
I hope this weeks study has spurred you on towards love and good deeds. That you might desire to show kindness, especially towards your own families! It must start at home! Otherwise we are kidding ourselves... if we think we are such kind people, but cannot be kind to our own family. Do not be found a hypocrite!
Friends, may the kindness of our Lord and Savior be with you! May you continue to grow in Him and may the fruit of the Spirit be manifested in your life! I look forward to starting "goodness" next week! Until then...
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Kindness: Thoughts and Ramblings
"Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart." -Proverbs 3:3
"The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds" -Psalm 145:17
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." -Luke 6:35
"But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY." -1 Peter 2:9-10
"So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..." We have been called out of darkness... We have been adopted as sons and daughters by the Lord of Creation. He has given us hope and a future with Him!
What does this have to do with kindness? It has everything to do with kindness! We are told to "...proclaim the excellencies..." of our God. As I have stated before, this need not even be with words, but can be displayed through our interaction with others. Jesus said, "So then, you will know them [His followers] by their fruits." (Matt. 7:20) What are our fruits? They are exactly what we have been studying and will be studying in the next few weeks.
This is why kindness is so crucial in our lives... because it is one of the most tangible evidences of love in our lives. An act of kindness is easily recognized in today's busy world. If you stop to help someone who is struggling you are now the exception, rather than the rule. We have lost kindness in our schedule-controlled lifestyle and are amazed when someone makes an effort to help someone else out of sheer kindness... with no expectations of gaining anything in return. This is nearly unheard of in today's society.
We must be the movers, the shakers, the standard breakers! As Christians it is our job to "...appear as lights in the world." (Phil. 2:15). Kindness is one of our most effective tools as an opportunity for sharing the Gospel with others. Sometimes you don't have to say a word about Christ, though I think it best to use every opportunity to do so, but people will ask you if you are a Christian simply because of a marked difference in your character. This is when it is crucial that we not hold ourselves aloft, filled with pride, and "admit" to our status of "Christ follower." God forbid that our kindness ever be a tool of pride! Do not fall into the slippery pits of the hypocrites, for their reward has been received in full. They got the attention that they so desired. But rather, with humility, serve others with the same kindness that you would want to be treated with.
This may all seem elementary to you... try applying it then! How elementary is it, really? It may be fundamental, but laying aside pride and recognition, taking the attitude of a slave, denying our own wants and desires... these are not elementary things... Our sinful nature swells up within us, in indignation, when we are not praised for our good deeds. Swallow your pride! Does that sound elementary to you?
I do not say these things to be harsh... but because I so desire to accomplish these very things in my own life. It is not easy to serve when you know that you will, most likely, not receive anything in return... especially if you know that nobody else will probably even notice your deeds. But this is when we are most blessed by our Father in Heaven, who sees all things, whether done in secret or in the open. Our joy should come from the joy that we see in others when we show them the kindness of Christ.
Friends, this is what has been weighing heavily on my heart, this morning. Humility... kindness is not kindness without humility. It is an attempt at personal gain, otherwise.... or it is done with an unwilling spirit. To simply do the right thing because it's the right thing to do... that is no reason at all, but to do what is right because it's what Christ would do and because we desire to be more like Him... this is what being a Christian is all about! We must truly begin to understand what it means to "take up our cross" and follow Christ.
I hope that you have learned and been encouraged from what has been covered in this study of kindness... I too am learning these things as I share them with you. That being said, I hope that I have not been too repetitious in what I have covered. However, I feel that this is one of those concepts that has been so lost by our churches and our people today that there cannot be enough emphasis put on it's role in our lives. The kindness that you show, Friends, is simply an outward sign of the inward change that has been brought about by the kindness that Christ has shown in saving you!
Go, therefore, and be changers, movers, breakers, and Christ followers who shine as lights in the universe, casting light on this darkened world. Show the light of Christ as you go about your day!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
"The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds" -Psalm 145:17
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." -Luke 6:35
"But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY." -1 Peter 2:9-10
"So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..." We have been called out of darkness... We have been adopted as sons and daughters by the Lord of Creation. He has given us hope and a future with Him!
What does this have to do with kindness? It has everything to do with kindness! We are told to "...proclaim the excellencies..." of our God. As I have stated before, this need not even be with words, but can be displayed through our interaction with others. Jesus said, "So then, you will know them [His followers] by their fruits." (Matt. 7:20) What are our fruits? They are exactly what we have been studying and will be studying in the next few weeks.
This is why kindness is so crucial in our lives... because it is one of the most tangible evidences of love in our lives. An act of kindness is easily recognized in today's busy world. If you stop to help someone who is struggling you are now the exception, rather than the rule. We have lost kindness in our schedule-controlled lifestyle and are amazed when someone makes an effort to help someone else out of sheer kindness... with no expectations of gaining anything in return. This is nearly unheard of in today's society.
We must be the movers, the shakers, the standard breakers! As Christians it is our job to "...appear as lights in the world." (Phil. 2:15). Kindness is one of our most effective tools as an opportunity for sharing the Gospel with others. Sometimes you don't have to say a word about Christ, though I think it best to use every opportunity to do so, but people will ask you if you are a Christian simply because of a marked difference in your character. This is when it is crucial that we not hold ourselves aloft, filled with pride, and "admit" to our status of "Christ follower." God forbid that our kindness ever be a tool of pride! Do not fall into the slippery pits of the hypocrites, for their reward has been received in full. They got the attention that they so desired. But rather, with humility, serve others with the same kindness that you would want to be treated with.
This may all seem elementary to you... try applying it then! How elementary is it, really? It may be fundamental, but laying aside pride and recognition, taking the attitude of a slave, denying our own wants and desires... these are not elementary things... Our sinful nature swells up within us, in indignation, when we are not praised for our good deeds. Swallow your pride! Does that sound elementary to you?
I do not say these things to be harsh... but because I so desire to accomplish these very things in my own life. It is not easy to serve when you know that you will, most likely, not receive anything in return... especially if you know that nobody else will probably even notice your deeds. But this is when we are most blessed by our Father in Heaven, who sees all things, whether done in secret or in the open. Our joy should come from the joy that we see in others when we show them the kindness of Christ.
Friends, this is what has been weighing heavily on my heart, this morning. Humility... kindness is not kindness without humility. It is an attempt at personal gain, otherwise.... or it is done with an unwilling spirit. To simply do the right thing because it's the right thing to do... that is no reason at all, but to do what is right because it's what Christ would do and because we desire to be more like Him... this is what being a Christian is all about! We must truly begin to understand what it means to "take up our cross" and follow Christ.
I hope that you have learned and been encouraged from what has been covered in this study of kindness... I too am learning these things as I share them with you. That being said, I hope that I have not been too repetitious in what I have covered. However, I feel that this is one of those concepts that has been so lost by our churches and our people today that there cannot be enough emphasis put on it's role in our lives. The kindness that you show, Friends, is simply an outward sign of the inward change that has been brought about by the kindness that Christ has shown in saving you!
Go, therefore, and be changers, movers, breakers, and Christ followers who shine as lights in the universe, casting light on this darkened world. Show the light of Christ as you go about your day!
Grace and Peace!
Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
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