Are you keeping secrets?

BQ: One of the worst places we can get as a Christian is where we're doing nasty stuff and trying to keep it on the down-low; making sure that it stays secret. Eph 5:11-12 says, 

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."

If we're keeping our nasty habits a secret, we can't get the help that we need to overcome them. If you have a tough personal issue, find a brother or sister who is willing to help you and reach out to them.  Alcoholics Anonymous figured this out, but often we have too much pride! 

BQ: Sometimes Christians will do stuff that isn't becoming and say that it's not that bad, but...at the same time, they won't tell anyone at assembly/church about it. 2 Timothy 2:15 says,  

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed."

When we're hiding stuff from people, it's often because we're ashamed. A good rule of thumb is, "if you wouldn't want everyone at assembly knowing about it, it's probably best not to do it."

BQ: Sometimes we are able to push our consciences to the side while we are ourselves doing rotten things. Something I also ask myself to wake myself up is, "Is what I'm doing now something I'd want my son or daughter to do? Is it something that I'd condone them doing?" 

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."  

If you swear a lot, your child has a large chance of doing the same. If you hang out at the bars, you'd better imagine your daughter doing the same, and taking the same risks, especially with driving, being unable to reach others spiritually, and messing up sexually.  Better than that, though, is having a love for your children, and the children of those around you, and instead acting like Christ. PS-I don't have kids, but I love them, so it still works for me. One day!

Do we have the Holy Spirit, or just the spirit of man?

BQ: Some people will say that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is simply "the spirit," meaning that of man, and not the Spirit of God. Is there any evidence that this is false?

Well yep, there's a lot of evidence. In the Greek, the word "pneuma" can mean both breath and spirit. Often the translators made it "Holy Spirit" based on context. However, some places explicitly modify the phraseology to specifically mean the spirit of deity.  For example, 2 Tim 1:14 says, "Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you." This isn't a generic penuma/breath/spirit, but it is modified by "hagios," meaning, "sacred, holy." 

A good question is, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" (1 Cor 6:19)






BQ: Yesterday we saw some evidence that a "holy spirit" inhabits Christians, but what if it just means, "sacred spirit," and it's just man's spirit that we need to consider sacred? Is there any other evidence that it's more than just the spirit of man?

You know that the answer is yes, huh? : P Two references we see are in the original texts as 'pneuma theos' and 'pneuma christos,' which translated mean, "Spirit of God" and "Spirit of Christ." Observe Romans 8:9-11

"However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

Essential elements of perfection

BQ: We know that God is perfect, but what are some aspects of perfection? What does it mean? This is a very minor overview of the essential elements of perfection. God gives us the goal, and like any assignment, we're to aim for the 100%! "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48) The gauntlet has been cast down, so it's up to us to start figuring out what made Christ perfect, so that we can model ourselves after Him.

For today, we'll look at Mt 19:21, which says, "Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” This was a very specific statement in a very specific circumstance, but part of perfection is putting aside self and rendering sacrificial service. That's why God says, "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27)

Want to walk as Christ walked? It'll take some self sacrifice to make that dream complete!

BQ: Looking at the essential elements of perfection, and thus the things which God directs us to strive toward, we've seen that self-sacrifice goes a long way, and is essential in making a person more like Jesus and less like the world. Today we'll look at a simple verse, Col 3:14:

"Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity."

I've blown by this a billion times, but it only recently truly struck me that being united comes PERFECTLY, COMPLETELY through love. Love is active,  and so being united must be both a decision and a desire. 

BQ: More on the essential elements of perfection. Today we'll examine faith and works, from James 2:22. 

"You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected."

We know that our faith must be placed correctly, and that faith is indeed a matter of salvation. However, to have perfection of faith requires it to go hand-in-hand with what it naturally produces: loving, sacrificial work. See how it's all tying together? Want perfect faith? Without works, perfect faith doesn't exist, because, " For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26)

BQ: We know we want to be Christ-like. It's the perfect goal, and that picture has to be in our minds for us to soar upward. Today we'll look at another verse on perfection. From James 3:2,

"For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well."

Perhaps the hardest thing to control is the tongue. It's so easy to speak a harsh word, or, even more, to simply be careless with our words, and thus hurt people. However, in order to resemble Christ, we need to make what we say a priority, and not just in avoiding harsh words, but in being active in doing good. Remember the verse on faith being perfected by works? About faith without works being dead? We cannot simply choose to be lazy and say nothing, but instead we must excel in our speech, encouraging, exhorting, and lifting up. (And even at times rebuking—but in love, and with gentleness.)

BQ:  Ultimately, how was Jesus perfect? In the following manner:  "but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him." (1 John 2:5)

The truest love comes by loving God's word, and striving to be like His Son. Not only does it do that, but it allows us to see that we're truly in Christ. It comes when we're striving to be like Christ. It's like pulling hard and, by doing so, opening a floodgate of love. :) There's much more that could be said on all this, but I want to keep it pretty short! 

A fool's lips!

BQ:  Often I've said things without thinking of the results, and the results have been discord and unhappiness. What does God say about that sort of behavior? 
 

"A fool’s lips bring strife,

And his mouth calls for blows.

Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man,

But any fool will quarrel." (Pro 18:6; 20:3)

Before we speak, we should consider whether or not it will cause strife. If it will, it's better to remain silent or think of another, wiser approach. :)

Gossip isn't great.

BQ: People sometimes thrive on gossip, but what does God say about it? 

"At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention." (1 Tim 5:13)

"For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies." (2 Thess 3:11)

The term busybody comes from the Greek, "periergazomai," which literally means to "be working round about, instead of at one's own business."  Gossip is really nothing more than talking behind someone's back, and it surely isn't productive.

Forgetting the past.

BQ: I have often had a bad habit of dredging up the past when I'm upset with my loved ones. Have you ever done that? God makes a point of reminding us that holding someone's past against them isn't loving when he tells us love, " keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Cor 3:5) 

Don't keep those old, nasty records of what your loved ones have done wrong, and remind them that they don't need to think of themselves like that, either! :)




BQ: This goes along with yesterday's devotional. When we're young, we tend to make a lot of mistakes. I love David's prayer which said,

"Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

According to Your lovingkindness remember me,

For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord."

Do the same with everyone you know, because often people think very little of themselves based on their pasts. :) "A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression." (Proverbs 19:1) 

Gracious in speech.

BQ: One of my friends is often a butthead, but I'm often a lot worse by being a total, callous scalawag in how I speak with him. Although it's easy to chock that up to just being a part of my "charming personality," the truth is that God expects more of me. Below are two passages that really sum up how I need to be:

"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Col 4:6)

"To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit." (1 Pet 3:8)

Are you always gracious in speech? Harmonious? Humble? For me, this is a real struggle, but with the help of others, I'm getting better every day! :) (I'm kind of dense and need reminders.)
 

So tired you want to die?

BQ: Have you ever experienced the misery of being awake for too long? More than a few times, I've worked over 120 hours/week, and on a few occasions, I've been awake over 72 hours straight. God uses the concept of this sort of sleepless misery to communicate and important point, saying,  

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. (Psa 127:1)

Sometimes, as Christians, we want to try and "fix" our lives by making up our own rules and own solutions, often because they're "easier" or more pleasant than God's own plan for us. When we do that, we're like a person working 20-hour days every day, staying awake all night, yet accomplishing nothing. If you're trying to fix your life, don't try to freelance it—there's already a perfect plan! :)