Some people are afraid of failure so they are passive. People with perfectionist issues often deal with this struggle. Unable to take charge of their decisions, they feel all bad, self-condemned, and a total failure when they make a mistake. Fearing failure again, they rarely take risks to try something new, or go deeper into relationships.
Different kinds of failure: There is a false guilt of failure because of a wrong view of success. Right from the beginning, Isaiah, after seeing the Lord high and lifted up, after confessing his own sin and that of his nation, and after saying, “Here am I, send me,” God sent him to preach to a people who would not listen and told him so beforehand (see Isaiah 6:8-10). In the eyes of people, he was a failure, but not in God’s eyes. There is another class of failure; those who mistakenly believe they are successes. These believers may earn an honest living and be fine supporters of the church. They unconsciously (or sometimes all too consciously) consider themselves examples for others to follow. Yet they do not realize that from God’s perspective they are failures (see Proverbs 16:5). One man put it this way: “I climbed the ladder of success only to discover that my ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.”
Failure is your friend: One of the first steps to overcoming the fear of failure is seeing failure as your friend. See failures as lessons for growth and change. Understand that failures remind us of the consequences of our decisions. Failures remind us of what can happen, they can make us careful, but they should not be allowed to paralyze us. Next, recognize that our failures show us what we should and should not do; they become lessons in where we went wrong and why It can help us avoid the same mistake twice if we will learn from history.
When you fail: Acknowledge your failures and refuse to hide behind any excuses. Confess any sin to God when sin is involved. Study or examine what happened so you can learn from failure. Put it behind you and move ahead (1 John 1:9; Philippians. 3:13). Being assured of God’s forgiveness, we are to put our failures behind us, count on and rest in His forgiveness, and refuse to use them as an excuse, self-pity, depression, and fear of moving on for the Lord. We can grow through failure and we can know and act on certain truths; we are accepted in the Lord on the basis of grace, not our performance. We are human and, as a result, we are not now perfect nor will we ever be. God still has a plan for our lives. God is not through with us yet, and we need to get on with His plan.
Purpose in failure: Whether caused by sin or by the many things that can happen beyond our control, all failure teaches us the important truth of just how desperately we need God and His mercy and grace in our lives. God is adequate for all kinds of failure. Sometimes our failures are mirrors of reproof, but they can become tools for growth and deeper levels of trust and commitment to God if we will respond to them as such rather than rebel and become hardened through the difficulty. Regardless, God has made more than adequate provision for us in Christ and His finished work on the cross, which is the sole basis of our relationship and forgiveness with God and our means of a meaningful and productive life with Him. How are you learning and growing from your failures?
May 30, 2012
May 24, 2012
The Problem with Passivity
Many people struggle with actively pursuing spiritual growth: they are passive and not active. Allowing life to just happen or, reacting to others rather than taking the initiative, they are taking a passive role. Passivity is described as submissive, powerless, not working or operating, unresisting and receptive. Passivity yields no interest or return. If a tree does not bear fruit, then passivity is a result or symptom to a root cause, or greater issue like fear or denial.
Passivity and dependency don’t mix: Passive people who also have dependency needs often have difficulty growing. They desire and value relationship and support, which is a good thing, but they seek it only for connectedness, comfort, or safety. They are less able to use relationships as the fuel to solve problems, take risks, or execute responsibilities. Some people with passive, dependent tendencies will initially come alive when they join a growth group, because they receive support for, and acceptance of, their struggles. They become attached in very good ways to the members of the group, however the closeness becomes an end to itself. They do not make significant progress in confronting problems, learning new ways of relating, repenting of old ways, and so on. They use the love they receive to protect themselves from life rather than to engage fully in life.
Passivity in the Bible: God addresses passivity as a problem, not a virtue. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the master gives money to three servants before leaving town. Two servants actively invest their money while the third passively buries his in the ground. Upon returning to town, the master rebukes the third, saying, “Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (Mathew 25:27-29). The master was hard on the third servant because he received no return on his investment. God gives us time, talent, and treasures in life to glorify Him in many ways, and He holds us responsible for them: “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him” (Hebrews 10:38).
Passivity is not faith: Some Bible teachers believe that doing your part is a danger to spirituality. They believe that when we are active, we are not trusting God and that it is far better to wait on Him often quoting “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). While we are to trust God and believe in His promises, we are also to exercise our faith: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead” (James 2:17) and also “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). The Bible does teach that there is a time to stop striving and to listen to His voice. While the Bible is full of stories of people who encountered God in numerous and miraculous ways, these same people were also very active, involved, and working. Their lives were full of effort and work. They were people who experienced the holiness and mysteries of God, had deep relational connections with others, and lived actively in the real world.
Relationship is the priority: Relationship is always more important than task. That was the message Jesus told Martha when she was too busy and complained about Mary (see Luke 10:38-42). Activity is not bad in itself: it is bad when it takes the place of relationship rather than serving the purpose of the relationship. How is passivity slowing growth in your important relationships?
Passivity and dependency don’t mix: Passive people who also have dependency needs often have difficulty growing. They desire and value relationship and support, which is a good thing, but they seek it only for connectedness, comfort, or safety. They are less able to use relationships as the fuel to solve problems, take risks, or execute responsibilities. Some people with passive, dependent tendencies will initially come alive when they join a growth group, because they receive support for, and acceptance of, their struggles. They become attached in very good ways to the members of the group, however the closeness becomes an end to itself. They do not make significant progress in confronting problems, learning new ways of relating, repenting of old ways, and so on. They use the love they receive to protect themselves from life rather than to engage fully in life.
Passivity in the Bible: God addresses passivity as a problem, not a virtue. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the master gives money to three servants before leaving town. Two servants actively invest their money while the third passively buries his in the ground. Upon returning to town, the master rebukes the third, saying, “Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (Mathew 25:27-29). The master was hard on the third servant because he received no return on his investment. God gives us time, talent, and treasures in life to glorify Him in many ways, and He holds us responsible for them: “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him” (Hebrews 10:38).
Passivity is not faith: Some Bible teachers believe that doing your part is a danger to spirituality. They believe that when we are active, we are not trusting God and that it is far better to wait on Him often quoting “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). While we are to trust God and believe in His promises, we are also to exercise our faith: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead” (James 2:17) and also “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). The Bible does teach that there is a time to stop striving and to listen to His voice. While the Bible is full of stories of people who encountered God in numerous and miraculous ways, these same people were also very active, involved, and working. Their lives were full of effort and work. They were people who experienced the holiness and mysteries of God, had deep relational connections with others, and lived actively in the real world.
Relationship is the priority: Relationship is always more important than task. That was the message Jesus told Martha when she was too busy and complained about Mary (see Luke 10:38-42). Activity is not bad in itself: it is bad when it takes the place of relationship rather than serving the purpose of the relationship. How is passivity slowing growth in your important relationships?
May 17, 2012
The Tasks of Growth
Growth is not passive. It requires much effort, but the results are always worth it. It is important to understand what is needed to promote and further develop your own spiritual growth. The following tasks are required as we actively seek out the heart of God:
Humble yourself: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). Humility is defined as, "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake." Humility helps you assume a position of need, dependency, and obedience, which allows God to best support your growth. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is knowing you yourself desperately require forgiveness as the greatest of all needs.
Seek reality and truth: Our tendency is to avoid pain and not rock the boat, yet the spiritual person stays on a quest for growth. Take the initiative to get information about your issues from God and others. You need to find where you are weak, broken, or immature. Ask God to search you (Psalm 139:23-24), using His presence, truth, circumstances, or other people. Be aware of the tendency to minimize the seriousness of your condition; wanting to appear like you, “have it all together”. Growth requires risk. Be vulnerable and ask for feedback from others. Do not wait for change to happen. Take the initiative to face what you have been afraid to know.
Bring your heart to relationship: Being emotionally present requires action. It takes work to keep your heart available and vulnerable. The tendency is to withhold or protect. Yet the fruit of growth comes from when you let others inside: “We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As fair exchange, I speak as to my children, open wide your hearts also” (2Corinthians 6:12-13). Face the hurt and pain. With the love and support of God and others, experience the realities of your past, your sins, and your hurts. Bring these into relationship so they can be grieved, accepted, repented of, and comforted.
Confession and repentance: Confession is simply "owning" our negative thoughts and emotions and acknowledging that what we have thought or done, either ignorantly or knowingly, has quenched God's Spirit in us. Because it's sin, we must confess "ownership" of it. Repenting is simply choosing to turn around from following what our negative thoughts and emotions are telling us and instead, choosing to follow whatever God has shown us. Repenting means we are to stop looking at and pointing to the other person and begin looking at and pointing to ourselves. This critical step of confession and repentance is our own responsibility. As 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is the step, however, that many of us have left out when we have given things over to the Lord. Certainly, we've given our hurts to God, but most of the time, we've forgotten to admit our own part in the problem. And this is why so many of the things we've surrendered to the Lord often do come back. If we don't do our part of confessing and repenting of our sin and self, God is hindered from doing His-taking our sins away "as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12)."
Humble yourself: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). Humility is defined as, "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake." Humility helps you assume a position of need, dependency, and obedience, which allows God to best support your growth. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is knowing you yourself desperately require forgiveness as the greatest of all needs.
Seek reality and truth: Our tendency is to avoid pain and not rock the boat, yet the spiritual person stays on a quest for growth. Take the initiative to get information about your issues from God and others. You need to find where you are weak, broken, or immature. Ask God to search you (Psalm 139:23-24), using His presence, truth, circumstances, or other people. Be aware of the tendency to minimize the seriousness of your condition; wanting to appear like you, “have it all together”. Growth requires risk. Be vulnerable and ask for feedback from others. Do not wait for change to happen. Take the initiative to face what you have been afraid to know.
Bring your heart to relationship: Being emotionally present requires action. It takes work to keep your heart available and vulnerable. The tendency is to withhold or protect. Yet the fruit of growth comes from when you let others inside: “We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As fair exchange, I speak as to my children, open wide your hearts also” (2Corinthians 6:12-13). Face the hurt and pain. With the love and support of God and others, experience the realities of your past, your sins, and your hurts. Bring these into relationship so they can be grieved, accepted, repented of, and comforted.
Confession and repentance: Confession is simply "owning" our negative thoughts and emotions and acknowledging that what we have thought or done, either ignorantly or knowingly, has quenched God's Spirit in us. Because it's sin, we must confess "ownership" of it. Repenting is simply choosing to turn around from following what our negative thoughts and emotions are telling us and instead, choosing to follow whatever God has shown us. Repenting means we are to stop looking at and pointing to the other person and begin looking at and pointing to ourselves. This critical step of confession and repentance is our own responsibility. As 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is the step, however, that many of us have left out when we have given things over to the Lord. Certainly, we've given our hurts to God, but most of the time, we've forgotten to admit our own part in the problem. And this is why so many of the things we've surrendered to the Lord often do come back. If we don't do our part of confessing and repenting of our sin and self, God is hindered from doing His-taking our sins away "as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12)."
May 9, 2012
Growth requires action
When we grow spiritually we perform many tasks. Exploring the depths of our souls and facing the truth about ourselves can be hard and sometimes very scary work. This work requires love and support from God and others. Love is a motivator. Love is the fuel for growth. Energized by those who care for us, we are able to carry out these tasks. The following areas are the stuff of growth that requires action, activity, partnership, or some initiative on your part:
Reconciliation verses fairness: An active stance towards growth requires we give more consideration and action to reconciliation than to fairness. Rather than waiting for the other person who has hurt us to come make repentance, we need to take the initiative to reconcile because some people are not even aware of their actions and attitudes, much less failing to take responsibility for it. If someone has something against us, we are to go to him (Matthew 5:23-24). If we have something against another, we are also to go to him (Matthew 18:15). God is always our role model: He searched us out and solved our problem of alienation from Him even though He would have been justified if He had not taken any action towards redeeming us. God gave up His demand for fairness for the sake of relationship. Grace interrupts the cycle of sowing and reaping, and the law of cause and effect.
Ownership and responsibility: Many people do not take responsibility for their own lives. They remain stuck because they want other people to change. They want other people to make it better but usually those people will not. As a result, they are in bondage to them. Freedom comes from taking responsibility. When we are active in our growth, we are more likely to take ownership and responsibility for our lives. The experience of being involved, learning, gaining understanding, taking risks, and opening up to others about our lives, increases the level of ownership we have in the process. When people are passive about their growth, they tend to let others control them and see forces outside of themselves as being the ones in charge of their lives. The more you own your life and take responsibility for your growth, the more things change for the better. When we fail to take responsibility, we are in bondage. Bondage comes from giving responsibility away to those who do not have our best interest such as an abuser or controller.
Learning from failure: Being active in your own growth requires some risk. We risk making mistakes and failure. When people seek to grow spiritually, they soon realize that they will be trying new ways of relating to God and others, ways based on grace and truth. These new ways offer more of the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10). Our old ways of life might have been more comfortable, but they were often based on fear or habit, rather than faith in God and His ways. Yet the fact that new ways are new can be unsettling. Like Abraham, who when he was “called to go to a place he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8), people discover new thoughts, feelings, and other parts of themselves. They don’t know much about them at first, so inevitably will make mistakes and errors. Growth requires risks and mistakes. God’s grace and the comfort of the body of believers will help you to hold up and bear the weight of those risks and failures so you may learn many things from them.
Reconciliation verses fairness: An active stance towards growth requires we give more consideration and action to reconciliation than to fairness. Rather than waiting for the other person who has hurt us to come make repentance, we need to take the initiative to reconcile because some people are not even aware of their actions and attitudes, much less failing to take responsibility for it. If someone has something against us, we are to go to him (Matthew 5:23-24). If we have something against another, we are also to go to him (Matthew 18:15). God is always our role model: He searched us out and solved our problem of alienation from Him even though He would have been justified if He had not taken any action towards redeeming us. God gave up His demand for fairness for the sake of relationship. Grace interrupts the cycle of sowing and reaping, and the law of cause and effect.
Ownership and responsibility: Many people do not take responsibility for their own lives. They remain stuck because they want other people to change. They want other people to make it better but usually those people will not. As a result, they are in bondage to them. Freedom comes from taking responsibility. When we are active in our growth, we are more likely to take ownership and responsibility for our lives. The experience of being involved, learning, gaining understanding, taking risks, and opening up to others about our lives, increases the level of ownership we have in the process. When people are passive about their growth, they tend to let others control them and see forces outside of themselves as being the ones in charge of their lives. The more you own your life and take responsibility for your growth, the more things change for the better. When we fail to take responsibility, we are in bondage. Bondage comes from giving responsibility away to those who do not have our best interest such as an abuser or controller.
Learning from failure: Being active in your own growth requires some risk. We risk making mistakes and failure. When people seek to grow spiritually, they soon realize that they will be trying new ways of relating to God and others, ways based on grace and truth. These new ways offer more of the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10). Our old ways of life might have been more comfortable, but they were often based on fear or habit, rather than faith in God and His ways. Yet the fact that new ways are new can be unsettling. Like Abraham, who when he was “called to go to a place he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8), people discover new thoughts, feelings, and other parts of themselves. They don’t know much about them at first, so inevitably will make mistakes and errors. Growth requires risks and mistakes. God’s grace and the comfort of the body of believers will help you to hold up and bear the weight of those risks and failures so you may learn many things from them.
May 5, 2012
The Bible: One Library of Living Truth
The Bible is more than just a collection of 66 independent books, sewn together into one big book. The Bible is more of a library, a unit of books that fits together into a perfectly harmonious system of thought revolving around a single theme: salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Like any library, it has certain divisions and distinct topics, but everything fits into the central theme.
The Name: The term “Bible” is used to represent the Holy Scriptures that were originally given by God, and copies of which have been preserved down through the centuries. The term “Bible” never actually appears in the pages of scripture. The name “Bible” derives from the Greek term biblion, or biblos, a name given to the fibrous coat or bark of the papyrus reed, a substance from which ancient scrolls were made. The plural form, biblia, came to mean “writings” or “rolls”, a destination for the rolled-up scrolls so common in ancient times. Biblion (used 34 times in the New Testament) is typically translated either “book(s)” or “scroll(s)”. In those days Scripture was written on scrolls and as they were read, they were rolled out of one hand and into the other. Scrolls measured up to thirty feet in length.
The Divisions: Although the Bible is one single unit, 66 book library, with one central theme, God has given us this Book in two divisions or “testaments”. The term “testament” means “covenant” or arrangement between two parties. God’s old covenant was made with Moses and His people, the Jews (Exodus 24:7-8), and His new covenant with His family, the church (Hebrews 10:8-17). The relationship between the two covenants is “the Old Testament revealed in the New, the New revealed in the Old, and in the Old contained, and the Old is the New explained.” While the Old gathers around Mount Sinai under the law, the New gathers around Calvary under grace. Another way to put it is this: The New is in the Old concealed and the Old is in the New revealed.
Central Theme: The central theme of the Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament looks forward to His birth, life and death as it prophetically pictures Him in shadows, types and pictures. The New Testament looks back and sets Him forth in reality, actuality, and truth. The Old Testament predicts His arrival and His death, while the New Testament portrays and explains Him in complete fulfillment. Luke recorded where Jesus made it clear that He was the Messiah, the One foretold in the whole Old Testament: “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all Scripture concerning Himself (Luke 24:26-27). Book by book, you will find Jesus is the person of Christ enfolded into each in one form or another. In Exodus, He is the Passover lamb (12:1-14). In Leviticus He is the atoning sacrifice (17:11). In Judges He is our deliverer. In Job He is our redeemer. In Matthew He is the King. In Mark the Servant, In Luke the Son of Man, in John the Son of God. It isn’t enough for us to understand with our minds that Jesus Christ is the central theme of Scripture. He longs to be the central theme of our lives and to live in our hearts.
The Name: The term “Bible” is used to represent the Holy Scriptures that were originally given by God, and copies of which have been preserved down through the centuries. The term “Bible” never actually appears in the pages of scripture. The name “Bible” derives from the Greek term biblion, or biblos, a name given to the fibrous coat or bark of the papyrus reed, a substance from which ancient scrolls were made. The plural form, biblia, came to mean “writings” or “rolls”, a destination for the rolled-up scrolls so common in ancient times. Biblion (used 34 times in the New Testament) is typically translated either “book(s)” or “scroll(s)”. In those days Scripture was written on scrolls and as they were read, they were rolled out of one hand and into the other. Scrolls measured up to thirty feet in length.
The Divisions: Although the Bible is one single unit, 66 book library, with one central theme, God has given us this Book in two divisions or “testaments”. The term “testament” means “covenant” or arrangement between two parties. God’s old covenant was made with Moses and His people, the Jews (Exodus 24:7-8), and His new covenant with His family, the church (Hebrews 10:8-17). The relationship between the two covenants is “the Old Testament revealed in the New, the New revealed in the Old, and in the Old contained, and the Old is the New explained.” While the Old gathers around Mount Sinai under the law, the New gathers around Calvary under grace. Another way to put it is this: The New is in the Old concealed and the Old is in the New revealed.
Central Theme: The central theme of the Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament looks forward to His birth, life and death as it prophetically pictures Him in shadows, types and pictures. The New Testament looks back and sets Him forth in reality, actuality, and truth. The Old Testament predicts His arrival and His death, while the New Testament portrays and explains Him in complete fulfillment. Luke recorded where Jesus made it clear that He was the Messiah, the One foretold in the whole Old Testament: “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all Scripture concerning Himself (Luke 24:26-27). Book by book, you will find Jesus is the person of Christ enfolded into each in one form or another. In Exodus, He is the Passover lamb (12:1-14). In Leviticus He is the atoning sacrifice (17:11). In Judges He is our deliverer. In Job He is our redeemer. In Matthew He is the King. In Mark the Servant, In Luke the Son of Man, in John the Son of God. It isn’t enough for us to understand with our minds that Jesus Christ is the central theme of Scripture. He longs to be the central theme of our lives and to live in our hearts.
May 2, 2012
Doing the Work
A passive person lets life happen to them instead of taking hold of life. Being active in your growth is essential to change, growth, and getting results.
God is active: Activity is being energetically involved in an endeavor is part of who God is. God is constantly working on His own agenda and tasks. As Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too, am working” (John 5:17). The Bible tells us God “rested” after He finished creation. The Hebrew word describing His rest is one that refers to completion, not weariness (Genesis 2:2). God never stops His active search to love and help those who want Him. “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9). God takes the initiative to find and help those who love Him. Activity has to do with the “doing” parts of life as opposed to the “relating” parts. God constructed life to break down basically into those two tasks: work and love.
People are active: Adam and Eve were designed to relate deeply to God and to each other as well as rule and subdue the earth He assigned them. A good life always reflects both work and loving relationships. They are deeply connected emotionally and have jobs, ministries, and hobbies that make life fuller. Spiritual, relational people have meaningful, active lives of purpose.
Activity and love are intertwined: Relationship is not at all passive. Loving God and others is the basic purpose of any good activity. Love motivates to do activity because you want to, not because you have to. Love is the fuel of activity. Love is also purpose and goal of doing things. Be connected emotionally to safe people, open up to them, confess who you are, and receive and give truth and reality to them. Our most important and precious relationships are those in which we have invested a lot of energy.
Spiritual growth requires action: To grow spiritually does not just “happen” to us; it requires a great deal of effort but as we put the time into the process, we will see the fruit and results. This doesn’t mean that we must do it all on our own or that God does it all. Our sanctification is a collaborative effort between both God and us. We have certain tasks, and He has certain tasks including preparing our hearts, setting up the circumstances, and bringing forth results from the growth work. The Bible teaches this partnership this way: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13). We work out our salvation, meaning we diligently execute our responsibilities in growth. All the while, in mysterious and often invisible ways, God works in us for His purpose.
Review your life and consider the times you were passive or fearful and missed opportunities God intended for you. Look at the reasons behind these and begin to work on them. What areas of your life may require additional focus and effort to get the results you desire?
God is active: Activity is being energetically involved in an endeavor is part of who God is. God is constantly working on His own agenda and tasks. As Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too, am working” (John 5:17). The Bible tells us God “rested” after He finished creation. The Hebrew word describing His rest is one that refers to completion, not weariness (Genesis 2:2). God never stops His active search to love and help those who want Him. “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9). God takes the initiative to find and help those who love Him. Activity has to do with the “doing” parts of life as opposed to the “relating” parts. God constructed life to break down basically into those two tasks: work and love.
People are active: Adam and Eve were designed to relate deeply to God and to each other as well as rule and subdue the earth He assigned them. A good life always reflects both work and loving relationships. They are deeply connected emotionally and have jobs, ministries, and hobbies that make life fuller. Spiritual, relational people have meaningful, active lives of purpose.
Activity and love are intertwined: Relationship is not at all passive. Loving God and others is the basic purpose of any good activity. Love motivates to do activity because you want to, not because you have to. Love is the fuel of activity. Love is also purpose and goal of doing things. Be connected emotionally to safe people, open up to them, confess who you are, and receive and give truth and reality to them. Our most important and precious relationships are those in which we have invested a lot of energy.
Spiritual growth requires action: To grow spiritually does not just “happen” to us; it requires a great deal of effort but as we put the time into the process, we will see the fruit and results. This doesn’t mean that we must do it all on our own or that God does it all. Our sanctification is a collaborative effort between both God and us. We have certain tasks, and He has certain tasks including preparing our hearts, setting up the circumstances, and bringing forth results from the growth work. The Bible teaches this partnership this way: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13). We work out our salvation, meaning we diligently execute our responsibilities in growth. All the while, in mysterious and often invisible ways, God works in us for His purpose.
Review your life and consider the times you were passive or fearful and missed opportunities God intended for you. Look at the reasons behind these and begin to work on them. What areas of your life may require additional focus and effort to get the results you desire?
April 24, 2012
Approaching Truth
Our attitude towards truth makes all the difference in the world in terms of its results in our lives. Here are some stances that can best maximize the healing, growing effects of truth:
Love truth: When people begin to see the value and understand that truth can improve, preserve, and save their lives, it is easy to love it. When you love something or someone, you pursue them because you want to be around them. There are two types of people who struggle in learning to love truth: those who have experienced harsh criticism, or those who have been hurt by inconsistent truth. These people are not sure that truth is to help them or to punish them. Truth is the self-expression of God, and God is full of grace (love and forgiveness) and truth. Loving truths from God and others helps those who have been hurt by harsh and inconsistent truth.
Endure the pain of truth: Truth is often hurtful and uncomfortable. Just like the surgeon’s knife, its healing power comes with pain. It is a most important and valuable task for all who seek to grow spiritually to learn to tolerate the discomfort of the truth, in light of its great power to help us. Here are a few of the painful experiences associated with the truth: facing the reality of our failings, living life God’s way instead of how we would like to live it, loving others when we are aware of their imperfections, having truthful conversations with people we love and care for, holding onto values and what is important to us when others judge us wrongly, and learning new ways that are not easy or natural for us in which to conduct or relationships.
Love helps the pain: The more we internalize love, the more truth we can take in. Love gives us the ability to tolerate difficult realities. Well-loved people can face their souls without becoming deeply discouraged. They have been rooted and grounded in love (see Ephesians 3:17). You will often find that over time the truths people work with are darker than those with which they started. For example, many people who start spiritual growth begin with an external crisis such as financial difficulties, health issues, divorce or other relational problems. It may look as if the person is innocent and is simply the unfortunate recipient of bad times or bad people. Yet, as they become connected, taught in God’s ways, and strengthened and do the work of growth, they take ownership of their part of the crisis and learn to solve it. The crisis goes away, but the growth doesn’t stop. We look inward, where there is more work to be done. Initially the truth that was too difficult to bear becomes the stuff of growth.
Be sensitive to truth and untruth: The more a person takes a stance towards truthfulness, the more discerning he or she becomes about truth or untruth. God designed for us to live in reality. As we immerse our lives in this, we see more and more clearly what is truth and what is not true. Darkness and light become more distinct from each other (see John 1:5). You do not have to be afraid of the truth, even when it hurts. Seek reality and become a person of the truth.
Be receptive to all styles of truth: People learn and grow in different ways. Some people understand logical truth more easily, while others do better with intuition. Truth is truth no matter where you find it. It is important to be receptive of all types of reality. This gives God and the process more freedom to work within us.
Love truth: When people begin to see the value and understand that truth can improve, preserve, and save their lives, it is easy to love it. When you love something or someone, you pursue them because you want to be around them. There are two types of people who struggle in learning to love truth: those who have experienced harsh criticism, or those who have been hurt by inconsistent truth. These people are not sure that truth is to help them or to punish them. Truth is the self-expression of God, and God is full of grace (love and forgiveness) and truth. Loving truths from God and others helps those who have been hurt by harsh and inconsistent truth.
Endure the pain of truth: Truth is often hurtful and uncomfortable. Just like the surgeon’s knife, its healing power comes with pain. It is a most important and valuable task for all who seek to grow spiritually to learn to tolerate the discomfort of the truth, in light of its great power to help us. Here are a few of the painful experiences associated with the truth: facing the reality of our failings, living life God’s way instead of how we would like to live it, loving others when we are aware of their imperfections, having truthful conversations with people we love and care for, holding onto values and what is important to us when others judge us wrongly, and learning new ways that are not easy or natural for us in which to conduct or relationships.
Love helps the pain: The more we internalize love, the more truth we can take in. Love gives us the ability to tolerate difficult realities. Well-loved people can face their souls without becoming deeply discouraged. They have been rooted and grounded in love (see Ephesians 3:17). You will often find that over time the truths people work with are darker than those with which they started. For example, many people who start spiritual growth begin with an external crisis such as financial difficulties, health issues, divorce or other relational problems. It may look as if the person is innocent and is simply the unfortunate recipient of bad times or bad people. Yet, as they become connected, taught in God’s ways, and strengthened and do the work of growth, they take ownership of their part of the crisis and learn to solve it. The crisis goes away, but the growth doesn’t stop. We look inward, where there is more work to be done. Initially the truth that was too difficult to bear becomes the stuff of growth.
Be sensitive to truth and untruth: The more a person takes a stance towards truthfulness, the more discerning he or she becomes about truth or untruth. God designed for us to live in reality. As we immerse our lives in this, we see more and more clearly what is truth and what is not true. Darkness and light become more distinct from each other (see John 1:5). You do not have to be afraid of the truth, even when it hurts. Seek reality and become a person of the truth.
Be receptive to all styles of truth: People learn and grow in different ways. Some people understand logical truth more easily, while others do better with intuition. Truth is truth no matter where you find it. It is important to be receptive of all types of reality. This gives God and the process more freedom to work within us.
April 18, 2012
Truth for Growth
Truth is a giver of life, is your friend, and helps you grow. There are different types of truth that we need to grow because people have different needs, issues, and struggles. Truth plays several roles in how it is applied to our lives in the following ways:
Clarification: Clarification of the source of issues helps us to understand which ones is our fault, which are the result of someone else’s sin, and which are the result of living in a broken world. If we have a pattern of going along with opinions and wishes of others instead of being truthful, then the struggle is our fault. On the other hand, the issue may be the result of the inability to stand up for the truth in relationships that developed in other significant setting, such as a family of origin (sin from others). Then there are things that happen like the loss of supportive friends due to relocating because of a job loss (sin in the world). Clarification shows us resolutions to particular growth issues.
Comfort: Comfort is the emotional supply we receive from God and others and then pass on to those who need it to bear the pains of life. Comforting words can bring us through many trials and help us grow. Comfort brings relief, consolation, and freedom from pain and anxiety. When someone understands our pain and struggle at a deep level and can communicate that understanding to us, we are comforted.
Correction: People need to be confronted with truth when they stray from God’s path of righteousness. Use caution when using correction; used improperly can seriously wound people. Some people do not possess enough love to handle the truth. For example, a person can easily become discouraged from his or her faith in God when they are corrected without kindness. This is truth without grace. The goal of correction is restore and build up someone up, and not tear them down. Loving correction is always having the other person’s best interest.
Guidance: Sometimes the truth gives us a direction to take in our growth and life. We often stumble through life, not knowing how to operate in relationships, in work, in faith, or even how to guard our hearts. Some guiding truths are general principles that apply universally to all, such as the law of empathy for others (Luke 6:31) or the principle of seeking God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). Many complicated life issues can be unraveled when we look to see how these principles apply. In other cases, God provides individual and specific guidance, such as the leading of the Holy Spirit, a passage from the Bible that applies to our situation, or the advice of a trusted friend. Guiding truths are very helpful when we faced with uncertainty and difficult decisions.
Illumination: We need insight and wisdom for our inner lives. God brings all sorts of truth to help us see how to best handle life. A dark part of our lives may need to be exposed and matured. Or we may be ignorant of an issue that needs to be looked at. At times, illumination is simply part of the learning process, such as found in a good Bible study. At other times, it is what is called an emotionally corrective experience, when a person has a flash of insight on what is driving a problem.
Are you open to the process of dealing with painful truths about yourself and to receive insights and perspectives from other safe people?
Clarification: Clarification of the source of issues helps us to understand which ones is our fault, which are the result of someone else’s sin, and which are the result of living in a broken world. If we have a pattern of going along with opinions and wishes of others instead of being truthful, then the struggle is our fault. On the other hand, the issue may be the result of the inability to stand up for the truth in relationships that developed in other significant setting, such as a family of origin (sin from others). Then there are things that happen like the loss of supportive friends due to relocating because of a job loss (sin in the world). Clarification shows us resolutions to particular growth issues.
Comfort: Comfort is the emotional supply we receive from God and others and then pass on to those who need it to bear the pains of life. Comforting words can bring us through many trials and help us grow. Comfort brings relief, consolation, and freedom from pain and anxiety. When someone understands our pain and struggle at a deep level and can communicate that understanding to us, we are comforted.
Correction: People need to be confronted with truth when they stray from God’s path of righteousness. Use caution when using correction; used improperly can seriously wound people. Some people do not possess enough love to handle the truth. For example, a person can easily become discouraged from his or her faith in God when they are corrected without kindness. This is truth without grace. The goal of correction is restore and build up someone up, and not tear them down. Loving correction is always having the other person’s best interest.
Guidance: Sometimes the truth gives us a direction to take in our growth and life. We often stumble through life, not knowing how to operate in relationships, in work, in faith, or even how to guard our hearts. Some guiding truths are general principles that apply universally to all, such as the law of empathy for others (Luke 6:31) or the principle of seeking God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). Many complicated life issues can be unraveled when we look to see how these principles apply. In other cases, God provides individual and specific guidance, such as the leading of the Holy Spirit, a passage from the Bible that applies to our situation, or the advice of a trusted friend. Guiding truths are very helpful when we faced with uncertainty and difficult decisions.
Illumination: We need insight and wisdom for our inner lives. God brings all sorts of truth to help us see how to best handle life. A dark part of our lives may need to be exposed and matured. Or we may be ignorant of an issue that needs to be looked at. At times, illumination is simply part of the learning process, such as found in a good Bible study. At other times, it is what is called an emotionally corrective experience, when a person has a flash of insight on what is driving a problem.
Are you open to the process of dealing with painful truths about yourself and to receive insights and perspectives from other safe people?
April 11, 2012
Grace and Truth
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Grace and truth together: Grace and truth are designed by God to work together. Relationship requires a structure. Grace provides us with mercy and forgiveness, taking us out of isolation and back into relationship with God and others. If we are “being transformed into His likeness” (see 2 Corinthians 3:18) then we are taking on the character and nature of God. Grace lays the foundation giving us the ability to give love and receive love. The truth of God’s Word sets us free through all knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Grace alone is license and truth by its self is legalism, and somewhere in the middle we can find freedom and liberty when the two are in balance, working together. By themselves, they are extremes. Together there is relationship and connection with knowledge and understanding.
Grace without truth: Sometimes we divide love from truth. This is a problem, as they were never intended to be split up. Our love must be honest, and our truth must be for the other person’s best. While grace provides love and acceptance, grace without truth is license. “You my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:13). Grace has no limit; however grace without truth prevents us from growing because without truth, we do not feel the effects or consequences of our wrongdoing. Grace without truth does not prevent us from falling into the same old traps or patterns, making the same mistakes over and over again. Grace alone does not provide us with the direction and structure for which to grow.
Truth without grace: Truth by its self, campaigns against injustice but condemns the sin and the sinner because truth without grace is judgment. When love is separated from truth, people cannot grow. Truth by its self has no relational aspects and lacks love, joy, compassion, patience, kindness, gentleness, and understanding. Where there is no grace, the law restricts us; “I will only love you if you do what I say”. It silences us, brings anger, puts us under a curse, and holds us prisoner. “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation (grace) through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thessalonians 5:9). The law is legalism. The law is a restriction that makes us fail: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). The law increases sin: “The law was added so that the trespass might increase” (Romans 5:20). The law brings death: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56). The law points us to Jesus because He offers us the plan of redemption, which is grace. But we are unable to live under the law; we need grace. Truth is the law, the commandments, and standards to live up to. No one can grow under the law without grace, because by itself, it alienates us from Christ: “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4).
Learn to receive truth and to give truth graciously and humbly. How have you felt the effect from truth without grace?
Grace and truth together: Grace and truth are designed by God to work together. Relationship requires a structure. Grace provides us with mercy and forgiveness, taking us out of isolation and back into relationship with God and others. If we are “being transformed into His likeness” (see 2 Corinthians 3:18) then we are taking on the character and nature of God. Grace lays the foundation giving us the ability to give love and receive love. The truth of God’s Word sets us free through all knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Grace alone is license and truth by its self is legalism, and somewhere in the middle we can find freedom and liberty when the two are in balance, working together. By themselves, they are extremes. Together there is relationship and connection with knowledge and understanding.
Grace without truth: Sometimes we divide love from truth. This is a problem, as they were never intended to be split up. Our love must be honest, and our truth must be for the other person’s best. While grace provides love and acceptance, grace without truth is license. “You my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:13). Grace has no limit; however grace without truth prevents us from growing because without truth, we do not feel the effects or consequences of our wrongdoing. Grace without truth does not prevent us from falling into the same old traps or patterns, making the same mistakes over and over again. Grace alone does not provide us with the direction and structure for which to grow.
Truth without grace: Truth by its self, campaigns against injustice but condemns the sin and the sinner because truth without grace is judgment. When love is separated from truth, people cannot grow. Truth by its self has no relational aspects and lacks love, joy, compassion, patience, kindness, gentleness, and understanding. Where there is no grace, the law restricts us; “I will only love you if you do what I say”. It silences us, brings anger, puts us under a curse, and holds us prisoner. “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation (grace) through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thessalonians 5:9). The law is legalism. The law is a restriction that makes us fail: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). The law increases sin: “The law was added so that the trespass might increase” (Romans 5:20). The law brings death: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56). The law points us to Jesus because He offers us the plan of redemption, which is grace. But we are unable to live under the law; we need grace. Truth is the law, the commandments, and standards to live up to. No one can grow under the law without grace, because by itself, it alienates us from Christ: “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4).
Learn to receive truth and to give truth graciously and humbly. How have you felt the effect from truth without grace?
April 2, 2012
Truth by Design
Truth is from God: The Bible uses the word truth to describe different aspects of reality as well as what is true in general. The most basic way to understand truth is that truth is what is. Truth is reality and what exists. If it does not exist, it is not true. Truth is the reality God has designed, created, and defined, and over which He rules. Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth lives and breathes in the very essence of God.
Truth is structure: Truth frames and shapes all of creation. In the beginning, God laid the foundation of the earth (Psalm 102:25, Hebrews 1:10). The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth (1Timothy 3:15). God’s solid foundation stands firm. Truth provides structure, direction, and integrity. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Truth is a framework and gives us guidance of how to live our lives. Truth is necessary for growing up in the image of God. As we passionately seek truth in our “inner being”, we learn to hate what He hates and loves what He loves.
Truth is relational: We are to not just know truth, we are to experience it. Believing or knowing the truth is a process of understanding who God is and how we relate to Him and others. God is called “the God of truth” (Psalm 31:5). Jesus calls himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit is also called the truth (1John 5:6). This illustrates the deeply personal and relational nature of truth. Since truth is part of God’s nature and because we are made in His image, truth is a deep part of the heart and who we are: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place” (Psalm 51:6). Truth is more than a set of facts and rules. Truth not only points out our wrong and corrects us; it brings relational healing as well, because truth is a person who lovingly cares for us. Our tendency is to hide the “unsafe” parts of us that are undeveloped. The heart is deceitful but truth reveals the motive behind the action, attitude, and feeling. Truth brings awareness. It exposes us for what we really are. The truth we believe leads to change and growth in our relationship with God.
Truth is the path of life: To change, grow, and mature, people need a guide, and a light to follow: “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me, let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (Psalm 43:3). Truth enables the grower to develop and complete the steps that cultivates maturity, discipline, responsibility and stability. Truth provides guidance of how to live our lives. Truth defines what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is not good. Truth is a necessary for growing up in the image of God. Truth leads us to God: “I am the way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is the path of life: “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws” (Psalm 119:30). Without Godly wisdom and understanding, our knowledge or what we think and feel is limited to our experience and that shapes our perceptions, opinions and attitudes.
Spiritual growth is the result of practicing the truth you receive from God. He wants you to give away what He gives you--that is, by loving and serving others and sharing the truth of the gospel. Examine your preconceptions about truth. Do you experience truth as critical and condemning? Renew your approach to truth as a design by God, path of life, and as your friend.
Truth is structure: Truth frames and shapes all of creation. In the beginning, God laid the foundation of the earth (Psalm 102:25, Hebrews 1:10). The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth (1Timothy 3:15). God’s solid foundation stands firm. Truth provides structure, direction, and integrity. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Truth is a framework and gives us guidance of how to live our lives. Truth is necessary for growing up in the image of God. As we passionately seek truth in our “inner being”, we learn to hate what He hates and loves what He loves.
Truth is relational: We are to not just know truth, we are to experience it. Believing or knowing the truth is a process of understanding who God is and how we relate to Him and others. God is called “the God of truth” (Psalm 31:5). Jesus calls himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit is also called the truth (1John 5:6). This illustrates the deeply personal and relational nature of truth. Since truth is part of God’s nature and because we are made in His image, truth is a deep part of the heart and who we are: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place” (Psalm 51:6). Truth is more than a set of facts and rules. Truth not only points out our wrong and corrects us; it brings relational healing as well, because truth is a person who lovingly cares for us. Our tendency is to hide the “unsafe” parts of us that are undeveloped. The heart is deceitful but truth reveals the motive behind the action, attitude, and feeling. Truth brings awareness. It exposes us for what we really are. The truth we believe leads to change and growth in our relationship with God.
Truth is the path of life: To change, grow, and mature, people need a guide, and a light to follow: “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me, let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (Psalm 43:3). Truth enables the grower to develop and complete the steps that cultivates maturity, discipline, responsibility and stability. Truth provides guidance of how to live our lives. Truth defines what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is not good. Truth is a necessary for growing up in the image of God. Truth leads us to God: “I am the way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is the path of life: “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws” (Psalm 119:30). Without Godly wisdom and understanding, our knowledge or what we think and feel is limited to our experience and that shapes our perceptions, opinions and attitudes.
Spiritual growth is the result of practicing the truth you receive from God. He wants you to give away what He gives you--that is, by loving and serving others and sharing the truth of the gospel. Examine your preconceptions about truth. Do you experience truth as critical and condemning? Renew your approach to truth as a design by God, path of life, and as your friend.
March 27, 2012
What is Truth?
Truth is theological: One of the most profound and eternally significant questions in the Bible was posed by an unbeliever: Pilate. Handing Jesus over to be crucified, Pilate turned to Jesus and asked, “What is truth?” It was a rhetorical question, a cynical response to what Jesus had just revealed: “I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.” Two thousand years later, the whole world breathes Pilate’s cynicism. To some, truth is subjective, the individual world of preference and opinion. Others believe truth is a collective judgment, the product of cultural consensus, and still others flatly deny the concept of truth altogether. So, what is truth? Here’s what the Bible teaches: Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Even more to the point: Truth is the self-expression of God. Because the definition of truth flows from God, truth is theological.
Truth is ontological: Truth is also the way things really are. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so. Therefore God is the author, source, determiner, governor, arbiter, ultimate standard, and final judge of all truth. The Old Testament refers to the Almighty as the “God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16). When Jesus said of Himself, “I am…the truth” (John 14:6, emphasis added), He was thereby making a profound claim about His own deity. He was also making it clear that all truth must ultimately be defined in terms of God and His eternal glory. After all, Jesus is “the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). He is truth incarnate—the perfect expression of God and therefore the absolute embodiment of all that is true.
The Word is truth: The Bible does not merely contain nuggets of truth; it is pure, unchangeable, and inviolable truth that “cannot be broken” (John 10:35). The Word of God is eternal truth “which lives and abides forever” (1Peter 1:23). Scripture is called “the word of Christ” (Colossians 3:16). It is His message, His self-expression. In other words, the truth of Christ and the truth of the Bible are of the very same character. They are in perfect agreement in every respect and equally true. God has revealed Himself to humanity through Scripture and through His Son. Both perfectly embody the essence of what truth is. Scripture also says God reveals basic truth about Himself in nature. The heavens declare His glory (Psalm 19:1). Knowledge of Him is inborn in the human heart (Romans 1:19), and a sense of the moral character and loftiness of His law is implicit in every human conscience (Romans 2:15). The only infallible interpreter of what we see in nature or know innately in our own consciences is the explicit revelation of Scripture and by which all other truth must finally be measured.
Truth means nothing apart from God: Truth cannot be adequately explained, recognized, understood, or defined without God as the source. Since He alone is eternal and self-existent and He alone is the Creator of all else, He is the fountain of all truth. Truth is not subjective, it is not a consensual cultural construct, and it is not an invalid, outdated, irrelevant concept. Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth is the reality God has created and defined, and over which He rules. Truth is therefore a moral issue for every human being. How each person responds to the truth God has revealed is an issue of eternal significance.
Truth is ontological: Truth is also the way things really are. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so. Therefore God is the author, source, determiner, governor, arbiter, ultimate standard, and final judge of all truth. The Old Testament refers to the Almighty as the “God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16). When Jesus said of Himself, “I am…the truth” (John 14:6, emphasis added), He was thereby making a profound claim about His own deity. He was also making it clear that all truth must ultimately be defined in terms of God and His eternal glory. After all, Jesus is “the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). He is truth incarnate—the perfect expression of God and therefore the absolute embodiment of all that is true.
The Word is truth: The Bible does not merely contain nuggets of truth; it is pure, unchangeable, and inviolable truth that “cannot be broken” (John 10:35). The Word of God is eternal truth “which lives and abides forever” (1Peter 1:23). Scripture is called “the word of Christ” (Colossians 3:16). It is His message, His self-expression. In other words, the truth of Christ and the truth of the Bible are of the very same character. They are in perfect agreement in every respect and equally true. God has revealed Himself to humanity through Scripture and through His Son. Both perfectly embody the essence of what truth is. Scripture also says God reveals basic truth about Himself in nature. The heavens declare His glory (Psalm 19:1). Knowledge of Him is inborn in the human heart (Romans 1:19), and a sense of the moral character and loftiness of His law is implicit in every human conscience (Romans 2:15). The only infallible interpreter of what we see in nature or know innately in our own consciences is the explicit revelation of Scripture and by which all other truth must finally be measured.
Truth means nothing apart from God: Truth cannot be adequately explained, recognized, understood, or defined without God as the source. Since He alone is eternal and self-existent and He alone is the Creator of all else, He is the fountain of all truth. Truth is not subjective, it is not a consensual cultural construct, and it is not an invalid, outdated, irrelevant concept. Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth is the reality God has created and defined, and over which He rules. Truth is therefore a moral issue for every human being. How each person responds to the truth God has revealed is an issue of eternal significance.
March 21, 2012
Understanding Truth through Revelation
The most basic way to understand truth is that truth is reality. Truth is what is. What does not exist cannot be true. An important aspect of truth is revelation. Revelation means unveiling. General Revelation refers to the general truths that can be known about God through creation. Special Revelation refers to the more specific truths that can be known about God through the spirit and the supernatural.
General Revelation: The Bible says “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4). God’s existence and power can be clearly seen through observing the universe. The order, intricacy, and wonder of creation speak to the existence of a powerful and glorious Creator. Paul also spoke of general revelation in Romans: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The revelation of God to all people, at all times, and in all places that proves that God exists, He is intelligent, powerful, and transcendent.
Special Revelation: Special Revelation is how God has chosen to reveal Himself through miraculous ways including physical appearances of God, dreams and visions, the written Word of God, and most importantly—Jesus Christ. The Bible records God appearing in physical form many times (Genesis 3:8; 18:1; Exodus 3:1-4; 34:5-7), and the Bible records God speaking to people through dreams (Genesis 28:12; 37:5; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 2) and visions (Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Daniel 7, 2 Corinthians 12:1-7). The revealing of God is the Word, the Bible, is a primary form of special revelation. God miraculously guided the authors of Scripture to correctly record His message to mankind, while still using their own styles and personalities. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is inspired, profitable, and sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God decided to reveal everything in the Bible that humanity needs to know about Him, what He has done for us, and what He expects.
The ultimate form of special revelation is Jesus Christ: God became a human being (John 1:1; 14). Hebrews 1:1-3 summarizes it best, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son … The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being.” God became a human being, in the Person of Jesus Christ, to identify with us, to set an example for us, to teach us, to reveal Himself to us, and, most importantly, to provide salvation for us by humbling Himself in death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus Christ is the ultimate “special revelation” from God.
General Revelation: The Bible says “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4). God’s existence and power can be clearly seen through observing the universe. The order, intricacy, and wonder of creation speak to the existence of a powerful and glorious Creator. Paul also spoke of general revelation in Romans: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The revelation of God to all people, at all times, and in all places that proves that God exists, He is intelligent, powerful, and transcendent.
Special Revelation: Special Revelation is how God has chosen to reveal Himself through miraculous ways including physical appearances of God, dreams and visions, the written Word of God, and most importantly—Jesus Christ. The Bible records God appearing in physical form many times (Genesis 3:8; 18:1; Exodus 3:1-4; 34:5-7), and the Bible records God speaking to people through dreams (Genesis 28:12; 37:5; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 2) and visions (Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Daniel 7, 2 Corinthians 12:1-7). The revealing of God is the Word, the Bible, is a primary form of special revelation. God miraculously guided the authors of Scripture to correctly record His message to mankind, while still using their own styles and personalities. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is inspired, profitable, and sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God decided to reveal everything in the Bible that humanity needs to know about Him, what He has done for us, and what He expects.
The ultimate form of special revelation is Jesus Christ: God became a human being (John 1:1; 14). Hebrews 1:1-3 summarizes it best, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son … The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being.” God became a human being, in the Person of Jesus Christ, to identify with us, to set an example for us, to teach us, to reveal Himself to us, and, most importantly, to provide salvation for us by humbling Himself in death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus Christ is the ultimate “special revelation” from God.
March 20, 2012
Regenerate for Spiritual Perfection
Sometimes we fall into the habit of doing the same things, expecting different results. To get what you never had, you must do what you have never done. Regenerate is saying yes to health and life through a process of change and growth. Through Regenerate, you can go on a journey of self inventory, practicing spiritual disciplines, resulting in a dynamic spiritual transformation: “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes” (Hosea 10:12). God wants us to get better, restores us back to health, and to grow us up to be more like Jesus. Put into action what God would have you do to Give up, Start up, Step up - becoming more like Him reflecting His character resulting in a transformation of body, soul, and spirit, becoming the best you can be.
By Design: God is the creator and designer. He has set up systems, rules, patterns, and principles of how things work. This is apparent in numbers. Numbers have meaning and we can learn a lot about God and the Bible when we look closely at the patterns of numbers. The number Three and Seven are whole numbers. They represent what is whole, complete, perfect, and divine.
Number Three: Thoughts, words, and deeds, complete the sum of human capability. The thing we must do to get what we never had begins with what we think, say, and do: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). As we pursue God, we are changing how we think: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4: 8). The goal is to become whole and complete person in Christ. We are changed through His love, righteousness, and holiness.
Number Seven: The number Seven has significant meaning in the Bible, mentioned 735 times. Seven represents spiritual perfection and completion in connection with that which it is used. God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. It was full and complete, good and perfect. There were Seven sayings on the cross – the Seventh is “It is finished.” Sin is falling short of God’s standard. In Proverbs, Solomon writes: “Though a righteous man falls Seven times, he rises again” (Proverbs 24:16). God uses numbers to tell a message that we will be perfected because of who and what Jesus did. It is grace and the goodness of God that gives you strength and success.
Love is multiplied: God’s grace will be multiplied in your life: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2Peter 1:2). Whatever challenges, or lack in any area of your life, the love of God protects, prospers, brings restoration, and transforms you complete, whole, and perfect. What are you believing and trusting God to change and grow in your life through Regenerate?
By Design: God is the creator and designer. He has set up systems, rules, patterns, and principles of how things work. This is apparent in numbers. Numbers have meaning and we can learn a lot about God and the Bible when we look closely at the patterns of numbers. The number Three and Seven are whole numbers. They represent what is whole, complete, perfect, and divine.
Number Three: Thoughts, words, and deeds, complete the sum of human capability. The thing we must do to get what we never had begins with what we think, say, and do: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). As we pursue God, we are changing how we think: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4: 8). The goal is to become whole and complete person in Christ. We are changed through His love, righteousness, and holiness.
Number Seven: The number Seven has significant meaning in the Bible, mentioned 735 times. Seven represents spiritual perfection and completion in connection with that which it is used. God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. It was full and complete, good and perfect. There were Seven sayings on the cross – the Seventh is “It is finished.” Sin is falling short of God’s standard. In Proverbs, Solomon writes: “Though a righteous man falls Seven times, he rises again” (Proverbs 24:16). God uses numbers to tell a message that we will be perfected because of who and what Jesus did. It is grace and the goodness of God that gives you strength and success.
Love is multiplied: God’s grace will be multiplied in your life: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2Peter 1:2). Whatever challenges, or lack in any area of your life, the love of God protects, prospers, brings restoration, and transforms you complete, whole, and perfect. What are you believing and trusting God to change and grow in your life through Regenerate?
March 16, 2012
The Power of Love
When it comes to sin, it is easier to get religious instead of spiritual. We often think if we know it is wrong then we should just stop doing it. But religion and rules does nothing to help us to overcome sin. Instead rules show us how we fail and further provoke sin. The Bible calls us to true spirituality in our fight against sin. The Bible teaches us that becoming more spiritual means becoming more loving. Therefore to overcome sin, we must become more loving. Becoming spiritual is all about love. There is no greater message. There is no greater power: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14).
The Two Greatest Commandments: Growing up in the Lord is to fully realize the two great commandments of loving God and loving others. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Mathew 22:37-40). The Law and the Prophets rest on the ultimate power of love.
Love for God: We love God because He first loved us. “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1John 5:3-5). To love God means that we begin to obey Him as well as do things His way. That goes a long way towards solving the problem of sin. “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us” (1John 4:11-12).
Loving others: This commandment goes a long way to resolve of how we treat other people. What we don’t often think about is that loving others is part of the cure of sin to self. The sins of laziness and gluttony are neglecting your health. Not getting healthy would not only be a sin of self, but also a sin that could also damage the quality of life of your children and their children. Neglecting a healthy lifestyle could result in a premature life span. For those left behind, fears of abandonment carry forward from generation to generation. No matter what someone is struggling with, often someone else is being hurt by the sin. Addictions hurt the family. Irresponsibility hurts everyone. There are no victimless crimes, and in helping people with sin, the Bible firmly declares a strong message: think of how your behavior is affecting other people. Understanding how your sin affects others will motivate you to stop sinning when religion won’t.
Love motivates us to do the things we want to, not because we ought to. Remember, we are powerless over sin, and poor in spirit. Give no excuse for your sin. Sin is not just external, but internal. The formula for dealing with sin of self is confession, forgiveness, and repentance. Very similar, the sin done to us by others requires confession, forgiveness, healing the wounds, and reconciliation. Both kinds of sin require receiving and granting grace, facing the truth, and reconciling as much as possible. Do you see the seriousness of your sin and its destructiveness?
The Two Greatest Commandments: Growing up in the Lord is to fully realize the two great commandments of loving God and loving others. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Mathew 22:37-40). The Law and the Prophets rest on the ultimate power of love.
Love for God: We love God because He first loved us. “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1John 5:3-5). To love God means that we begin to obey Him as well as do things His way. That goes a long way towards solving the problem of sin. “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us” (1John 4:11-12).
Loving others: This commandment goes a long way to resolve of how we treat other people. What we don’t often think about is that loving others is part of the cure of sin to self. The sins of laziness and gluttony are neglecting your health. Not getting healthy would not only be a sin of self, but also a sin that could also damage the quality of life of your children and their children. Neglecting a healthy lifestyle could result in a premature life span. For those left behind, fears of abandonment carry forward from generation to generation. No matter what someone is struggling with, often someone else is being hurt by the sin. Addictions hurt the family. Irresponsibility hurts everyone. There are no victimless crimes, and in helping people with sin, the Bible firmly declares a strong message: think of how your behavior is affecting other people. Understanding how your sin affects others will motivate you to stop sinning when religion won’t.
Love motivates us to do the things we want to, not because we ought to. Remember, we are powerless over sin, and poor in spirit. Give no excuse for your sin. Sin is not just external, but internal. The formula for dealing with sin of self is confession, forgiveness, and repentance. Very similar, the sin done to us by others requires confession, forgiveness, healing the wounds, and reconciliation. Both kinds of sin require receiving and granting grace, facing the truth, and reconciling as much as possible. Do you see the seriousness of your sin and its destructiveness?
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