DAD'S RAMBLINGS --- MORE, MUCH MORE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – MORE, MUCH MORE

"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ..." (Ephesians 3:8)

The message that the Apostle Paul preached was the unsearchable riches of Christ. The question arises, "What are the riches of Christ that we receive?

Of course, the riches of Christ to believers includes the blessings that Paul mentioned in Chapter 1 – being adopted and accepted into God's family through the redemption of Christ's sacrifice that gave us forgiveness "according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). But in chapter 3, Paul expands on these riches – the confidence we have to come boldly to God (vs. 12), and that "according to the riches of His glory," we have strength we have in the inner man (vs. 16), the indwelling presence of Christ (vs. 17), and knowing the love of God which surpasses our understanding (vs. 19).

There is more to being a Christian than just being saved from the penalty of sin. There is more, much more. This was Paul's prayer for the Believers in Ephesus – that they would be filled with the fullness of God (vs. 19). That is, that we would enjoy all of His riches.

After 70 years of being a Christian, I don't think I have reached the depth of all the riches of Christ. It is like a miner searching for the riches of gold. He sees a vein of gold in the walls of the mine shaft, and he begins to dig. The more he digs, the more gold he discovers until the lode peters out. Unlike that gold mine, there is no exhausting the riches of Christ. As Paul wrote in vs. 18 – that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height" of the knowledge of God (vs. 18). The riches of Christ are so wide and deep and high that we may never fully understand them. But we keep digging, because there is more, much more.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ACCESS TO GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ACCESS TO GOD

"And He (Jesus) came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." (Ephesians 2:17-18)

The message that Christ preached is that even though we have been separated from God by our sin, we can have relationship with God the Father through faith in Him. That is why He came. He came to seek and to save those who are lost – who are separated from the Father (Luke 19:10). He said He was the way, the truth and the life, and that no one could come to the Father except through faith in Him (John 14:6). God is not willing that anyone should perish and be eternally separated from God, but that all would come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).

He came first to the Jews because they were the people that had received the promises and covenant from God. His message was to those who were near – the Jews, but also to those were afar off – the Gentiles who did not have God's revelation.

In the early church, there was still this division between Jews and Gentiles. Paul said that Jesus Himself is the one who brings peace between these two factions. He has broken down the middle wall of separation (vs. 14). He made one new man from the two, reconciling them both to God through the cross (vs. 16). He is growing the church as a holy temple, and Jews and Gentiles are being built together as a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (vss. 21-22).

God is not a respecter of persons. Both Jews and Gentiles stand on level ground at the cross. In our focus verse, Paul stressed that we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

The word access is important. Access is the freedom to approach someone with authority and power. In the political realm, people pay huge sums of money to gain access to those who are in power. In the spiritual, Jesus secured the privilege of coming into the presence of the Great Sovereign, the Lord God. Through Christ, we have access to God. As Hebrews says, we can come boldly to the Throne of grace to find help in the time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

We cannot buy that access. Jesus provides the only way to come to the Father. I'm so glad I have access to Him by the Holy Spirit through prayer.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BLESSED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BLESSED

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)

We are blessed. God has blessed us with great spiritual blessings. In this chapter he lists a few of them. God has chosen us, adopted us, accepted us, redeemed us, forgiven us, and given us an inheritance. What a wonderful thing to be a part of God's family.

The word "blessed" is the translation of a Greek word eulogotos, which is a combination of two words, eu meaning good, and logos which means word. It is a good word. We hear this word at funerals when an "eulogy" is given. Hopefully there are some good things to say about the deceased. So when we bless someone, we say a good word to them.

Our focus verse begins by blessing God – saying good things about Him, which is another word for "praise." Praising God is saying what a great God we serve. He is great and greatly to be praised (Psalm 48:1; 96:4; 145:3). He is blessed (Psalm 28:6).

But then the Apostle flips the coin and says that we are blessed. Not that we are to be praised, but that God says good things about us. Part of the problem is the way we say blessed. Often, we put the emphasis on the wrong syllable. We say that we are blessed as if we are superspiritual, like the blessed Apostle Peter. For example, we often quote the Sermon on the Mount like this: Blessed are the pure in heart. Or blessed are those who mourn. This places the emphasis on us instead of on God. But if we say, "Blessed are the pure in heart or blessed are those who mourn," we are receiving the blessing. The emphasis is on God, the One who does the blessing. We are blessed because of God's blessing on us.

Weare truly blessed. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity" (Psalm 32:1-2). We are blessed, not because we are so good, but because God is so good.

So, blessed or praised is God because He is great and good, and we are blessed because God says good things about us.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BEARING THE LOAD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BEARING THE LOAD

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself let you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load." (Galatians 6:1-5)

It is so easy to see the faults in another person while ignoring the shortcomings in my own life. It is such a common adage, that it seems trite, but it is still true. When I point a finger at someone else when they fail, there are three pointing back at me. It is so easy to pinpoint another person's flaws and overlook my own. Paul is not advocating ignoring a brother's sin. He says we need to face it and identify it, but in a spirit of meekness, and not in pride.

God calls for me to come underneath and lift up – bear with a person who is struggling, while recognizing that I have my own struggles. I deceive myself if I claim to be above the possibility of being tempted to sin. In fact, I have my own issues to bear. If I examine my own life and am willing to admit my short-comings, then I can be intentional in gaining victory in that area. When I do overcome my own challenges, then I can truly rejoice.

As we often do, we remember what Jesus said about removing the log in our own eyes before trying to remove the speck in someone else (Matthew 7:3-5). When I am free in my own spirit, then I am in a position to help someone else gain victory over sin.

This is Paul's counsel: bear with other people in their weaknesses and failures. Love bears all things (I Corinthians 13:7). That is the law of Christ – loving one another enough to stand by them. But at the same time, I need to examine my own life so that I do not condemn the other person when he or she fails.

This is love in action.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE SEED

DAD'S RAMBLING – THE SEED

"Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made, He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as on one, 'And to your Seed,' who is Christ." (Galatians 3:16)

The Apostle Paul used Abraham as an illustration of the difference between the natural and the spiritual. The natural man thinks he can please God and do His will by his own actions or deeds. The spiritual man understands that God's great plan does not depend on what we as humans do.

Abraham had two sons. The first son, Ishmael, was a result of Abraham trying to accomplish God's plan through his own actions. This is the picture of the natural man. God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son. After waiting for many years, they decided to help God along by doing things their own way. So Sarah proposed the plan for Abraham to have a son – an heir. She offered her maid for Abraham to use to conceive an heir.

But as so often happens, when we try to help God out, it ends up in confusion. The son born to Hagar was named Ishmael. It seems that Abraham loved Ishmael, but God made it plain that this was not God's plan.

Isaac was born to Sarah, and he was the true heir to Abraham's legacy. It is interesting that when God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, God said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burn offering on one of the mountains which I shall tell you" (Genesis 22:2). Obviously, Isaac was not the only son of Abraham. There were two seeds, Ishmael and Isaac. But there was only one seed that was destined to be the lineage through which the Messiah would come, and that was Isaac. Christ is the seed of Abraham through Isaac.

God has one plan for salvation. There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved. We cannot be saved by man's idea of how to be saved. It cannot be a combination of Ishmael – man's way, and Isaac – God's way. Only as we follow God's plan of promise can we have eternal life. Jesus spoke truth when He said that no one could come to the Father except through Him. It is only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that confirms our salvation.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." (Galatians 2:21)

In verse 16, Paul declared that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ.

Justification is a judicial act that declares a person righteous. It is different than forgiveness or pardon. Forgiveness or pardon do not erase the crime. A president or a governor has the power to give executive pardon to a person convicted of a crime. That act does not exonerate the person or remove the fact of the crime. It only means that the person no longer is under the penalty of the law.

When we receive Christ as Savior, we are not only forgiven and pardoned, but we are declared righteous before our holy God. This is justification. This righteousness is imputed to us because of our faith in the meritorious death of Christ on the Cross. It is not earned. It is freely given by God.

When the reformers spoke of justification by faith, it was by faith alone in Christ alone. It was not based on any merit we could obtain by being good enough to deserve it. This is why our focus verse is so important. If there was any chance that we could be righteous enough to stand before a holy God based on our own works, then the death of Christ would not be necessary and Christ's sacrifice would be in vain – useless.

We dare not set aside the grace of God – trying to bypass it in order to be saved. He did not pay for a part of my justification and I have to pay the rest. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Grace says that Salvation is received by unmerited favor. That is the good news of the Gospel.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE TRUE GOSPEL

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE TRUE GOSPEL

"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6)

Paul had traveled throughout the area of Galatia in his missionary journeys preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel that he preached was salvation was a free gift from God received through faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. As he went throughout the region, he was continually dogged by Jews who insisted that the Gentile believers should observe the Old Testament Mosaic laws in addition to their faith in Christ.

Now it seems that the Judaizers had convinced these believers in Galatia that they should adhere to Jewish laws and customs. They had been turned away from the Gospel of Grace. Paul rebutted these teachings, saying that this was a different Gospel than what he preached. Indeed, he said that it was not a gospel at all. It is not good news if I have to earn my salvation.

Just suppose that I gave you a check for a million dollars as a gift. But then I added, "O yes, to get this gift, you also have to spell antidisestablishmentarianism backward." Then it would not be a free gift. It would be earned. The Gospel of Christ is one of grace. It cannot be bought or earned. If we have to buy our salvation by what we do, then it is not a Gospel of grace. Grace is free unmerited favor.

Even two centuries later, the same conflict is evident. There are those who teach that even though Christ died for our sins, that we need to add to His work of redemption on the Cross by our good works. This is not the Gospel of the Bible.

The Gospel is good news, but it is only good news if it is free. If we have to do something to buy our salvation with our works, then it is not grace.

As the hymn says, "Wonderful grace of our loving Lord. Freely bestowed on all who believe." I could never do enough or be good enough to earn or merit God's salvation. It's free.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- UNITY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE UNITY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

"Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you." (II Corinthians 13:11)

What a benediction! Listen to the Apostle Paul's closing words.

He urged them to be complete. Like a diamond, this word has several facets: It means to be solid and complete. It means to mend what has been broken or torn – as their relationship. Ethically, it means to strengthen, to make perfect, or to make one what he ought to be – to restore something to what it was intended to be. Paul had a vision for the Church at Corinth. It had been torn and divided, but now he urges them to be healed and repaired – to be united.

Be of good comfort (from parakaleo – the Greek word for comfort or consolation). His desire was that they would be strengthened and encouraged in their faith.

Be of one mind – not as clones, but having one focus and purpose; being unified in the faith, centered on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Live in Peace – especially since there was division and conflict between believers. Peace is the absence of conflict.

When these attributes are present, it provides a place for God to abide with His peace and love, and to accomplish what He intended for the body of Christ to be.

This is a paradigm for every church – every body of believers – to be unified in the purpose of spreading the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and to build believers in the faith.  These principles could also be applicable to any broken relationship, whether family, marriage, or friends.  May this be our purpose also.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ENDURING LOVE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ENDURING LOVE

"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved." (II Corinthians 12:15)

Listen to the NIV rendering of this verse: "I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me." This is the heart of the Apostle and his love for the church at Corinth. This is the essence of agape love – the sacrificing of one's self even though the other person does not return the love.

The Apostle's main goal is found in verse 19 – "But we do all things, beloved, for your edification." The driving force of his life was to build other people in the faith, even at great personal cost of expending himself.

I think this is an illustration of God's heart for us. Jesus was fully spent for people who do not love Him back. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus gave His life for us when we were His enemies – when we did not love Him.

I think Jesus' love was the foundations for Paul's love for the Corinthian Believers. He loved them deeply even though they did not always love him in return.

But it poses a great question: How much do I love those who do not love me back? How much am I willing to spend of my emotional energy on those who spit in my face?

Agape love does not quit just because it is not received. It keeps on loving even if there is no return of that love. Oh, what love!

Love sent the Savior to die in my stead, Why did He love me so?

Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led, Why did He love me so?

Why did He love me so? Why did He love me so?

Why did my Savior to Calvary go? Why did He love me so?

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BEING MYSELF

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BEING MYSELF

"For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (II Corinthians 10:12)

What is it among us humans that we must keep comparing ourselves with other people? Paul said that it is not wise to do this.

Comparing ourselves with others takes various forms, but there are two results that come from it. The first kind of comparison leads to pride. If we compare ourselves with others is to make ourselves look better than we are, we end up looking down on other people. If I can find someone who I think is inferior to myself, then it makes me feel better. We find this often when people think about sin and the need of salvation. People think they are okay because they are not as bad as someone else. I can justify my failures if I compare myself to someone who has failed worse than I have. I can always find someone who is not as good as I am.

The second kind of comparison leads to inferiority because I am comparing myself to someone who is better. Instead of being confident in who I am and God's work in my life, I feel that I am below standard because I am not as good as someone else.

Either way, it is not wise. The wise person has a good sense of who he is – not better and not worse than someone else – but a person who is growing in his own skin to be conformed to the image of Christ. Paul wrote to the Romans that they should not think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but to think soberly or honestly with proper judgment about one's self, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).

There is real freedom to be myself if I am not concerned about how I measure up to others. I am content to be what God is forming me to be, while being discontent with myself because I am not all that I should be. He knows best what He wants me to be and He will accomplish what He wants through me.

Love, Dad

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DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE JOY OF GIVING, PART 2

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE JOY OF GIVING, PART 2

"But this I say: He who sows sparing will also reap sparing, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God love a cheerful giver." (II Corinthians 9:6-7).

In Chapter 9, the Apostle continued his exhortation to the Corinthians to live up to the promise that they had made (vs. 5). He gives some additional principles of giving that are still applicable today.

First, the law of the harvest says that the reaping depends on how much is sown (vs. 6). What a farmer reaps in the time of harvest will be in proportion to how much he planted. If the farmer is stingy with his seed when he plants, he will have a smaller harvest than the farmer who sowed liberally. It depends on how much the farmer wants in his harvest.

Secondly, it is to be an intentional and personal thing between the giver and God (vs. 7a). Each person is to give "as he purposes in his heart" – not in comparison to what others give.  We purpose in our hearts as the Holy Spirit prompts us.

Thirdly, giving is to be from a joyful heart (vs. 7b). To be acceptable to God, it is not to be given grudgingly or out of duty or obligation but with a free spirit.

The Apostle ends this section of Scripture with the joyous exultation: Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!! Jesus gave all that He had to provide for our forgiveness and salvation. And He did it for the joy that was set before Him – the harvest of souls. Praise be to Jesus!

Love,  Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE JOY OF GIVING

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PRINCIPLES OF GIVING

"Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God." (II Corinthians 8:1-5)

The Believers in Jerusalem were going through a tough time and were suffering hardship. Paul urged the various churches in Galatia to send aid to those fellow-believers in Jerusalem (see I Corinthians 16:1-3). The churches in Macedonia were especially helpful and gave even beyond their ability to give. Now a year had passed as it says in verse 10 and apparently they Corinthians had not followed through on their commitment. So Paul urges them to finish what they had started (vss. 6, 10-11).

In this Scripture, we gain some principles of giving.

The first step in giving is to give ourselves to the Lord (vs. 5). Any giving is fruitless unless we have first given ourselves to Jesus. When that happens, we understand that everything we have belongs to Him. So it is no great sacrifice when we give out of that kind of passionate love for Him.

Secondly, giving is not how much we have but the attitude of our heart. The Macedonians with joy gave beyond their ability to give. In fact, they gave out of their poverty.

Thirdly, God is not as interested in how much we give as He is our spirit. As verse 12 says, "For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have" (vs. 12).

The Gospel of Mark records the time when Jesus saw people giving their money into the treasury. Some were rich and gave a lot. But there was a poor widow who gave two mites (about $1.00). Jesus said that she had given more than the others because she gave out of her poverty. She gave all that she had, even the meager amount she had for living (Mark 12:41-44).

God does not need our money. But when we give – whether much or little – out of wrong motive, we deprive ourselves of the joy of giving.

The Apostle gives the great illustration of giving – that the Lord Jesus, who was rich beyond our understanding, gave it all up to become poor, so that we might become rich through His poverty (vs. 9).

What a wonderful Savior, who would give up heaven, to come to this rotten world for you and me. He did it for the joy that was before Him (Hebrews 12:2). May that be the example for our giving.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GODLY SORROW

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GODLY SORROW

"Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death." (II Corinthians 7:9-10)

There are two kinds of sorrow. The sorrow of the world is caused when a guilty person gets caught. Godly sorrow is caused by understanding that I am guilty of violating God's standard of holiness.

When I was a child, I was sorry when Mom found out that I had raided the cookie jar when she told me to stay out of it. When the evidence was clear that I was guilty, I was sorry she caught me – not because I had disobeyed her, and even if I said I was sorry, there was no sincere repentance. The world's sorrow does not lead to repentance. Only godly sorrow produces the repentance that brings change.

In Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle identified some things that needed to be corrected – like pride that caused divisions in the church, permitting blatant sexual immorality in the fellowship, abuse of the Lord's Supper, disregard for other people's conscience and faith, and abuse of spiritual gifts. The Believers at Corinth responded to Paul's indictments with godly sorrow and repentance.

Confronting sin is difficult and the Apostle was sorry that he had to do it, but he rejoiced that they accepted his corrections and repented.

There is real joy when we see someone repent with godly sorrow. Jesus said that there is joy in heaven when one person comes to repentance (Luke 15:7). We also should have great rejoicing when someone comes to godly sorrow that leads to repentance and Salvation.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

"O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections." (II Corinthians 6:11-12)

What kept the Believers at Corinth from being all that they could be? Paul's corrections were not intended to restrict them but to help them grow spiritually. They were restricted or hindered by their own fleshly desires, and his admonitions only highlighted them. Their attitudes and actions kept them from being all that God intended. They were the problem. It is like Pogo in the comic strip: "We have met the enemy and he is us." It does not help us grow when we shift the blame – to find a scapegoat for our lack of spiritual maturity like our upbringing, our church, or our culture. Remember Harry Truman's motto: "The buck stops here."

The Bible is not just a bunch of restrictive rules to keep us from enjoying life. God's rules are not meant to make our lives miserable. They are given so that we can enjoy an abundant life and be all that God created us to be. Any boundaries He sets are not to close us in, but to give us greater freedom. If we live in His rules, our life will be better.

Boundaries are important for having an enjoyable life. In our retirement communities, we are governed by CC and Rs. They sometimes seem burdensome, but they are an important part of making our lives more enjoyable. I don't particularly like the rules that seem to be restrictive, but they keep my neighbor from painting his house purple or having junky cars in his driveway. I can grumble about the rules but they really do enhance my life.

In the spiritual realm, God's rules – "do this; don't do that" -- sometimes seem to be restrictions until I realize that they are for my benefit. The problem is not the rules, but my attitude toward them. I can struggle against the rules that seem to restrict my personal desires and affections, but they really do give me freedom when I choose to operate inside of those boundaries.

We do have freedom in Christ – freedom from sin and the consequences of sin. Sin brings us into bondage; Christ frees us from bondage and we walk in that freedom. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Praise His Name.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life." (II Corinthians 2:15-16)

Have you ever been in the presence of a woman who wears a fragrant perfume that lingers in the air after she has passed by? I worked in a country grocery store for a few years, and there was a woman who came in to shop. I could always tell when she was in the store by the fragrance that wafted through the air.

As we share the Gospel, there is a sweet smell that fills the air for those who have noses to smell – or as Scripture would put it, ears to hear and receive it. As Paul wrote in verse 14, as we share the knowledge of Christ, a fragrance is diffused. Not everyone appreciates the fragrance, but to those who breathe it in deeply, it is truly a sweet smell.

When Jesus was on this earth, people were attracted to Him because of His gracious words and His compassion (Luke 4:22). His presence wafted a fragrance that drew people to Him. Not everyone appreciated the smell, but many responded to Him and followed Him.

Oh, that that would be my desire – to diffuse His fragrance in the world around me that would attract people to Him. The aroma of life leading to life. The smell of death is all around us. It is a putrifying smell – like a garbage dump or the smell of a dead animal. In the midst of that obnoxious smell, the fragrance of Christ is a breath of fresh air.

In this dying and rotting world, we can be that fragrance – that beautiful aroma – that will draw people to Jesus. Oh, that God would fill my life with His aroma.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

"For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in this world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you." (II Corinthians 1:12

The thing that gave the Apostle Paul the greatest sense of accomplishment was that his conscience was clean because he lived in this world with simplicity and godly sincerity. This was not a proud boast, but a humble rejoicing that he had a clear conscience. There was no pretense, no duplicity or hypocrisy in his life, and he felt especially clear in his relationship with the Corinthians. As the old saying goes, "What you see is what you get." The Corinthians may not have always liked what Paul gave them, but there was no subterfuge or playing games with Paul. He was who he was, without any hidden agenda.

The same was true of Jesus. There was no hidden agenda. He came to tell the world of God's love and the way to get to the Father. He was not into self-promotion. He was willing to risk losing followers by telling them the truth even if they didn't want to hear it. And there were people who left him and stopped following Him. They became offended by His words, and many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more (John 6:66). In all of this, Jesus remained true to His integrity and calling.

As followers of the Lord Jesus, may we have His spirit that lives with simplicity and sincerity, without pretense, hypocrisy, or hidden agenda. That is the way to live with a clean conscience. When we have that clear conscience, we can rejoice.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FATHER KNOWS BEST

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FATHER KNOWS BEST

'"For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits......Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time, however, he will come when he has a convenient time." (I Corinthians 16:7, 12)

What is the relationship of our desires and plans to God's will? In this passage, we find that the Apostle Paul did not want to come to them at that present time, but wanted to delay his coming when he could stay with them awhile. He also expressed his desire that Apollos would go to Corinth, but Apollos didn't want to go at that time, but would come later. Those were Paul's desires.

Paul gives an answer to the question: "if the Lord permits." We make our plans and it can be frustrating when our desires are not immediately fulfilled. The only way to find peace is to commit it to the Lord's desire.

It can be especially frustrating when other people do not follow our desires. Apollos had a mind of his own, and he was not about to cow-tow to the Apostle Paul. Perhaps because of other obligations, it was not an opportune time for him to make the journey to Corinth. At any rate, it was not convenient.

Each person has to determine the Lord's will for his or her own self. We listen to other people's advice, and if we are under the authority of someone else, we need to submit to their counsel. But ultimately, we have to follow the Lord. If our spirits are sensitive, we can sense if the Lord is giving permission regarding something. There will be a sense of peace and God's guidance.

Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his ways, but the LORD directs his steps." If our desire is to please the Lord, our plans and desires will always be subject to "if the LORD permits it."

In our younger days, Mildred and I had a desire to serve the Lord as vocational missionaries to Spanish-speaking people. God never permitted that to happen. But we kept serve the Lord anyway. It was frustrating, but in retrospect, we can see that God's way was best, even though our desires were never fulfilled. To use a common quotation, "Father knows best."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OUR GLORIOUS FUTURE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – OUR GLORIOUS FUTURE

"But someone will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" (I Corinthians 15:35)

As Christ-followers, we have a hope for the future that unbelievers do not have. The question is raised, "What will our bodies be like after we are resurrected?" Paul gives some answers, but there still remain a lot of unanswered questions.

First, Paul says, "The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body" ( vss. 42-44a).

Our bodies on this earth are dying. They are weak and not very pretty. But our new bodies will not be subject to decay. They will never die. They will be honorable, glorious, and powerful bodies.  They will not be subject to the ravages of time and disease with the aches and pains that go with it.

Secondly, Paul says that "as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man" (vs. 49). In other words, we are now in the likeness of the first Adam – made of dirt. But when our bodies are resurrected, they will be like the second Adam, Jesus, with a spiritual body.

The Apostle John wrote, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).

From the Scriptures, we have a glimpse of what the Resurrected Jesus is like. He has a physical body that can eat and be touched. But it is also in a different dimension, not subject to physical laws. It is not hindered by physical limitations, so that can move through walls unhindered.

What a great body God has in store for us. As the song puts it, "We can only imagine." Eye has not seen nor ear heard the things that God has prepared for those who love Him (I Corinthians 2:9). We have only a dim view. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then we shall know, just as we also are known (I Corinthians 13:12).

Our future body will be glorious, far beyond what our limited minds can comprehend. You won't want to miss is.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ORDER IN THE CHURCH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ORDER IN THE CHURCH

"Let all things be done decently and in order." (I Corinthians 14:40)

When civil court proceeding get out of order, the judge says, "Order in the court!" It seems that things were getting out of control in the church in Corinth and the Apostle Paul might have said, "Order in the Church!"

There is a variety of order in the worship services in Christ's Church. Some churches are very structured, with the liturgy of the service set without any variance, even down to the minute of each segment of the service. And if the service lasts for more than 60 minutes, people get antsy. Other churches are very free in their structure. If one part of the service lasts longer than usual, it is not an issue. The service can last two or three hours and no one cares. Churches have personalities that reflect the personalities of the attendees. Some people like a structured worship service, and others like more casual.

In the church at Corinth, Paul does not address the length of the service, but he does call for an orderly service. It seems that some people were taking control of the worship service for their own purposes. There were several sermons in each service, and ecstatic ministries that were not in order. Paul gives some admonitions regarding this. He gives the freedom for people to share what was in their spirits. Some came with a psalm to share, some with prophetic word, some with a revelation, which might indicate that various congregants should be involved. But all things were to be done for the edification of the Church – not for personal exaltation (vs. 26). They were to share one by one without others rudely interrupting with their contributions. While one person was speaking, the others were to remain silent (vs. 30).

Paul does not give a detailed outline of the liturgy that a service should follow. There is freedom for a church to adopt its own liturgy. It does seem that there is a middle of the road approach. Some assemblies are so loose in their structure that there is chaos. Others are so rigid that there is no room for the Holy Spirit to minister as He desires. Whatever the approach, there needs to be an orderly service, while allowing God to minister as He desires. God is a God of order, and church services need to be orderly to reflect His character. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (vs. 33). So let there be order in the church.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LOVE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE GREATEST GIFT – LOVE

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal......Now abides faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." (I Corinthians 13:1, 13)

This rabbit trail by the Apostle Paul is strategically placed between chapters 12 and 14, which are both instruction on the use of spiritual gifts. The implication is clear: Unless the spiritual gifts are grounded in love, they are like noise.

This is one of the most beautiful literary writings on the subject of love. How do you define love? How do you know love when it is present?

The word love, whether used as a noun or a verb, is an active word. It is not just some passive feeling one has. It is only as good as its action. Paul defines love, not in some ethereal mystical sense, but in practical outworking in life.

Love doesn't just be --- love does. It suffers long, it is kind, it does not envy, is not proud and puffed up, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not easily provoked, does not think evil but rejoices in truth. It bears all things, and believes the best in other people.

Love never fails. Other things may come and go, but true love – God's kind of love – remains the constant.

A person can be very gifted and intelligent, and can be used in a lot of very good ways. But if love is not the motivation, then everything will end up in the trash heap. I believe that this is one of the criteria for separating the gold, silver, and precious stones from the wood, hay, and stubble in the Bema judgment of Believers. Anything that is not based in love will be burned up. Only the things done in love will remain.

I have a printed a copy of this chapter and framed it to hang on my wall above my computer, just to remind me of the importance of this truth. May this be our goal – that all of our actions would be grounded in love

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SPIRITUAL GIFTS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SPIRITUAL GIFTS

"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." (I Corinthians 12:11)

We have already discovered that the Church at Corinth was blessed abundantly and there was no lack of spiritual gifts (I Cor. 1:7). But even with all these gifts, they still needed instruction because they were not always using God's gifts properly.

Paul makes it clear that the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to each Believer as He chooses. Spiritual gifts cannot be a source of pride to the Believer because they are all received from God. They do not come from the Believer's great abilities or spirituality. They are given as the Holy Spirit desires.

In this chapter, Paul compares the church to a body. Each body has its individual parts – eyes, nose, mouth, heart, kidneys, hands. They all serve different functions, but they are all important to the healthy body, and without them, the body suffers. So it is with the Church. Each member individually has a ministry in the Church, and without that gift in operation, the Church is handicapped. Do we all have the same place to fill in the Body? What if we were all brain, or all mouth (God forbid) or all heart? The Body would be a Frankenstein.

Apparently, some in the Corinthian Church were using their gifts to bring glory to themselves rather than for the benefit of the Body. Their motivation was self-promotion rather than love. The purpose of the gifts is not for personal praise, but for the well-being of the Body.

For the Church to be whole and complete, we need all of the parts of the Body to be functioning as God has given the grace to minister the individual gifts. No one gift is more important than any other gift. Let each of us be faithful to use the gifts God has given to us to minister to others without pride or personal gain so that the Lord Jesus will be glorified and other Believers will be edified. That is the purpose of spiritual gifts.

Love, Dad