Love Your Neighbor (Luke 10:25-37) What Does That Mean?
I was studying in the book of Luke this past week, chapter 10 to be exact, about the Good Samaritan. After Jesus gave this parable, a lawyer asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" And he asked this because Jesus was instructing that he should love God And HIS NEIGHBOR as Himself. Jesus' answer is quite interesting. If I simply took Jesus' words without giving them much thought, I might conclude that I indeed have loved my neighbor as myself as He instructed. I have generously helped them financially, with meals, volunteered to take on chores, I've even taught the Word. But if you look more closely at the words of Jesus, you realize He is not referring to your neighbor living in the house next to you per se, but His definition and meaning of the word "neighbor" go beyond one we've come to assume. WHO IS YOUR "NEIGHBOR?" Let's break it down.
This parable, only found in Luke's gospel, reveals God’s provision for a crime victim through the compassion of a foreign traveler. The traveler (the Good Samaritan) evidently has enough wealth to pay for a stranger’s medical care, and it follows immediately after Luke’s account of the Great Commandment. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus said the greatest commandment in all of scripture is to “love God” and “love your neighbor.” In Luke 10:25-37, the discussion of the greatest commandment continues directly into the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In Luke’s account, the lawyer begins by asking Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks the lawyer to summarize himself what is written in the law, and the lawyer returns with the Great Commandment “Love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus replies that this is indeed the key to life. The lawyer then asks Jesus a follow-up question, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds by telling a story which has been called “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” This story is so compelling that it has permeated into popular knowledge far beyond Christian circles. People who have never picked up a Bible will still recognize the meaning of the term “Good Samaritan” as someone who takes care of a stranger in need.
Given the cultural idea of a “Good Samaritan” as someone with an extraordinary talent for compassion, we might be tempted to overlook the actual Samaritan in Jesus’ story. And yet it is important to our understanding of our own work to examine why the Samaritan Jesus describes was a successful businessman. The Samaritan in Jesus’ story comes upon the Jew injured by robbers along a well-known trading route. The Samaritan likely traveled that trade route often, as evidence by the fact that he was known at a nearby inn and deemed trustworthy enough by the innkeeper to demand an extension of services on credit. Whatever the nature of his business, the Samaritan was successful enough to be able to afford oil and wine for medicinal purposes and lodging at an inn for a complete stranger. He is willing to spend his money on the stranger, and his time too. The Samaritan puts his other business on hold to see to the needs of the injured stranger. The Parable of the Good Samaritan can thus be interpreted as a story about using our material success to benefit others.
Consider this:
1. The hero of the parable spends his money on a stranger without any direct obligation to do so.
2. They are not related by kinship or even by faith.
In Biblical accounts, Samaritans and Jews were often antagonistic toward one another. And yet in Jesus’ mind, to love God is to make anyone who needs our help into our “neighbor.” Certainly not what I was taught growing up. Jesus emphasizes this point by reversing the thrust of the lawyer’s original question. The lawyer asks, “Who is my neighbor?” a question that begins with the self and then asks who the self is obligated to aid. Jesus in His wisdom, reverses the question, “Which of the three was a neighbor to the man?” a question that centers on the man in need, and asks who is obligated to help him. If we begin by thinking of the person in need, rather than ourselves, does that give us a different perspective on whether God calls us to help?
Mind you, this doesn’t mean we are called to absolute, infinite availability. No one is called to meet all the needs of the world. It is beyond our capability. The Samaritan doesn’t quit his job to go searching for every injured traveler in the Roman Empire. But when he crosses paths—literally—with someone who needs the help he can give, he takes action. “A neighbor,” is someone whose needs you have the ability to meet! And isn't that love?
The Samaritan doesn’t just help the injured man by throwing a few coins his way. Rather, he makes sure all the man’s needs are cared for, both his immediate medical needs and his need for a space to recuperate. The Samaritan thus cares for the man as he might care for his own self ("love your neighbor as yourself" Leviticus 19:18). Also, be mindful that this Samaritan took on an extraordinary degree of risk to help this stranger. He risks getting jumped by the same bandits when he stoops to see what has happened to the man. He risks being cheated by the Innkeeper. He risks being saddled by the expense and emotional weight of caring for someone who has become chronically ill. But he takes on these risks because he acts as if his own life were the one in question. This is Jesus’ best example of what it might mean to be a neighbor to “love your neighbor as yourself. This world needs more of this love.
I love that I lose my breath every time I hear your voice. I want to breathe you again. You are the only person in the whole world who can delight me with love in every manner. The secret of your beauty lies in how you rapture me. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you. I can't for a moment, even contemplate being without you. When we are apart, my passion incinerates my whole body like a fire. Only in your arms can this fire be quenched.
As you read the paragraph above, what came to mind? A Harlequin romance novel? A description of the first time you fell madly in love? A poem you wish you could have written in your last Valentine's day card? Are you thinking I have completely lost my mind because the words have no place in a Sunday Blog? Whatever those 94 words invoked, most of you probably assumed they were words associated with someone passionately in love. And if you did, you would be 100% correct. What some of you may not know or perhaps completely missed altogether is that I slipped part of a biblical scripture right in the middle of my made-up "poem." That's right. Surprised? Psalms 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." But you couldn't tell I placed that scripture in there, could you? Why did I do it? Let's discuss it.
How much do you love God? How desperate are you for Him? Do you thirst for Him as a deer for streams of water? Are you glad to hear His voice when He speaks through His Word? Do you delight in knowing Him? Is He beautiful to you? Do you need Him like the air you breathe? This is where this Sunday Blog begins.
We tell people we love God. We profess our faith as Christians. We say Jesus Christ is our Savior. We even carry the title Christian and are willing to defend God's principles when challenged by each other. But what about when we are pressed by the world? There are some of us whose love and loyalty resemble the Apostle Peter's. When in a crowd of your peers and asked if you know Him, do you deny Him or at the very least, stand silent not wanting to be labeled as "one of those crazy Christians"? You might not be that extreme, but I challenge you to ask yourself some honest questions:
Do I love God as much as I love my girlfriend or boyfriend?
As much as my husband or wife?
My own children?
Do I have a desire to be with Him like the longing I had to be near to my husband or wife before I married them?
Am I hungry for conversation, prayer, or communion with God?
Do I thirst and pant after His Word to quench my thirst for knowledge?
Those are hard questions. Many of which we are willing to ignore. When I worked in the mental health field I knew of male patients who killed themselves because they learned their wives no longer loved them. Often they confessed (as expressed in chart notes) they could accept the fact their wife fell out of love, but they could not accept the rejection of not ever wanting to be seen again, or that they were now completely cut off and not allowed some sort of communication. To accept this abrupt conclusion was not psychologically doable for them. The feeling and realization they never existed or ever had a part of their wife's life were overwhelming. The wives could hate them but the men were desperate that it be acknowledged they still existed. More often than not, those men who were completely forgotten were part of the suicide statistics. I witnessed the same pain in women who attempted suicide by slitting their wrist because they experienced a cheating husband or a bad breakup. And still, other's who had withdrawn and gone into isolation and deep depression over such betrayal and loss of attention. There were some so affected, that to even maintain partial ability to cope from day to day, had to be heavily medicated!
People need love. We need connection and communication from those who mean most to us. God is no different. If we were made in His image and we need love, then God desires our attention, devotion, and love as well. Haven't you personally read of or know someone whose passion was so high that when they lost their spouse to someone else, murder resulted? Do you know of anyone who has that same driving passion (toward Jesus) of ... 'I can't live without you'? I'm talking about loving God so deeply that the pain and loneliness of having lost that relationship, or even losing the joy found in serving Him, drove them to sleeplessness as many of us have experienced when breaking up with someone we were crazy about? I admit that even today, 30 years later, I still feel the loss of falling in love with a man, then finding his desire was toward someone else and not me.
When I view the news on TV and see large sums of people gather by the thousands for a rock concert where they are jumping, screaming and reaching out just to touch the artist I often ask in a sarcastic tone to anyone in the same room, "Do you think anyone would come in crowds like that to see or hear Jesus?" Yet, how easily we scream and literally faint sometimes over those who glorify drugs, lives a wayward lifestyle, and couldn't give two shakes about us. It's amazing how much time we give to things that in the end will not matter! Can you honestly say you love God more than your spouse? Are you thinking...' what a ridiculous question? it's not only impossible to love God like I love my spouse or even to that degree, but God would never expect such a thing!'
Scripture: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:37) Have you forgotten that scripture? Does that scripture offend you? Confuse you? Is it one you reject or ignore? I think the message Jesus was relaying is this: In order to have a real, unadulterated love for God, all things of this world must be forsaken if their priority is of greater importance. 1 John 2:15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the father is not in him." The material things we hold dear to our hearts are the most dangerous. They are the ones that take us away from Christ. Jesus does not mean that loving our families, spouse, children, or even the family dog is an evil thing. That would be a ridiculous conclusion since God is love. I've been guilty of loving things more than my desire for God and I think that's what He's saying. I don't write anything in these blogs I have not had experience with, struggled with, or been guilty of. SEEKING ADVENTURE use to be my vice. Yes, adventure! I couldn't count the number of times my priority was to spend an entire Sunday discovering new hiking trails with my dogs, or taking off spontaneously for a random day trip just to explore a quaint little town overflowing with antiques, or even how insane my insatiable desire for fishing and being around any body of water was. The keyword here is PRIORITY. These things were always greater than my desire to spend even 30 short minutes with God. I would shoot out of the house on Sundays and choose an adventure over the church, bible study, or praying to God. My priorities were me first! Let me ask wives this question. Do you put yourself above your husband or do you sacrifice things because your love for him is greater than self-love? Of course, you do! Or men, what about wives or girlfriends? I know to please them you will sacrifice things, placing yourself second. And why? One word. You know what it is... love. And by this, you know where your heart is with them. Where is your heart with God?
Here was the Creator of all things, the one who gave me everything to enjoy in the first place...being alive, the ability to walk or hike, the outdoors, lakes, streams, prosperity, time, freedom. Yet I was worshipping things more than the Giver Himself. I even used many excuses: I can't go to church, I can't fellowship with other believer's, I can't spend time in the Word because I need time to spend with the dogs who are in all day because I work outside the home. How fair would that be to them? etc.What a lame excuse! Those were convenient lies I told myself to mask my own laziness and suppress my own guilt! What about God's time? I was literally putting my dogs above God? How embarrassing to admit that even now! Looking back, I can truly see where my priorities were and what I loved more. I desired adventure and fun. I panted for things the world could satisfy me with. I am in no way implying these things are wrong. You can do them each day if you like. The point is, are you giving God any of your time? If you answered: I'm not, maybe very little, or it's always the last thing on my agenda, then the next question is: doesn't that say something about your degree of love for the Creator of the Universe? Because the truth is, if you love someone, you want time with them! I'd be willing to bet the first thing you do in the morning is kiss your spouse or at the very least say hello and acknowledge their presence.
Do you acknowledge God when you wake up? Don't some of you call your wife or husband from work just to say I love you? Do you call on God during the day just to say you love Him and thank Him for the things you have? Do any of you think of a sweetheart at some point during the day? Is your mind preoccupied with something you cannot wait to accomplish so that there is no time to even reflect on God? Can we say we really love Him when we don't even take a minute to say hello or talk to Him? You know, I can picture that deer described in Psalms 42:1 as he pants for a drink of cool water! Any hunter can tell you what a thirsty deer looks like after running from the predator who has been chasing him with a rifle! Near to the point of exhaustion and collapse, the deer is desperate for water! How desperate are you to fill yourself with the Living Waters of the Word? Your carnal nature has been chasing and hunting all kinds of gadgets, new technologies, ideas, hobbies, feelings, etc. to preoccupy every moment of your life. God opened my eyes many years ago to see this truth: Depend on HIM, not on any other thing, human or substance. We are to love Him with all my mind, soul, heart, and strength (Luke 10:27.) "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
In closing, when you love something, be it person, animal, sport, or something else, the first thing you give is your time. You must have time with it. You ache to be there. Once you've secured the time, the second thing you give is attention. You do the best you can to give it all your heart and passion. After attention comes devotion. You stick with it vowing to never quit. Does this describe your love for God? My blog today is to get you to think. Think about your relationship with God. Has it grown cold? Have you lost your desire for Him? My prayer today is that He be the very air you breathe! Today, give Him 6 minutes and 6 seconds of your time by listening in reverence to the song above. Call it your worship time for this Sunday. 6 minutes, 6 seconds. That's all I ask. (make sure your speakers are on and turned up!)
"This is the air I Breathe" a beautiful song written by Michael W Smith and sung by Darlene Sczech.
So often we hear or even say the phrase "Praise the Lord!" Does the term 'Praise the Lord' when said actually praise the Lord? WHAT praises the Lord? Look closely at Psalm 69:30-31.
“I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God." According to David, the author of Psalms, SONGS and THANKSGIVING are what praise God, but not only praise Him, they also please Him! I have met Christians who believe paying tithes is sufficient enough in pleasing God. It seems as if they believe doing it will take the place of becoming intimate or having any real relationship with God. It's almost as if they seem to be buying their salvation which we all know cannot be done. Let me ask you this. If a person were to pray/beg you to give him/her $10,000, what is the first thing you would consider? A relationship! Is there any kind of relationship between you and the person? You're not going to bless and hand over $10,000 to a stranger you do not know. The same principle applies to Jesus. When you go to Jesus praying, fasting, asking, the first thing Jesus looks at is if He and you have a relationship. Because receiving anything from heaven does not depend on our prayers, fasting, tithing, offerings, sacrifices, or our works. But it does depend on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
According to "religion" the thinking is, receiving from God depends on their prayers, good works, and efforts to please God, but to us in Jesus Christ, receiving anything from heaven depends on His Grace and His finished work on the Cross. Thus, it is our personal relationship with Him not our works towards Him. This is the reason Jesus said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt 6:33). It's not by praying, fasting, sacrificing, offerings, tithing, or benevolent works toward God but rather by seeking Jesus Christ first. Notice the verse above does not say to pray, fast, or offer tithes, etc, but it says to seek Jesus Christ. It’s not a mistake. A man can do all these works but not be seeking Jesus Christ. Hear that! You have seen people in your own life who want things from you but not you. They are not interested in having a relationship with you, they want what they can get from you. Most of the people who do these works; fasting tithing, offerings, sacrifices, charitable deeds, etc, want things of Jesus but not Jesus Himself! They want His healing miracles, wonders, blessings, salvation, etc. but they do not want a relationship with Him. Remember, the Pharisees could do all these things but they had no personal relationship with Jesus. And so the world and religious people do all these things without a personal individual relationship with Jesus. A person without a relationship with you only comes to you when in need but a person with a relationship with you is with you whether in need or not, in happy times in sad times, in-season out of season, mourning, or rejoicing, etc.
What about you? Check yourself. Do you only go to Jesus when in need or in troubling times? Most of the world prays, so do religious folks (represented as Pharisees in the scriptures), but what is the difference between them and the true followers of Jesus Christ known and referred to as the Bride of Christ? The Bride of Christ has an intimate, personal individual relationship with Jesus Christ, whereas the world and religious people do not. If you are of Jesus Christ and truly have an intimate, personal relationship with Him, God knows your needs even before you ask (Matt 6:8). And He begins working out things for your good. When in a perfect personal relationship with Jesus, He takes care of all our needs automatically for it is His promise as our Father! Are you pursuing a relationship with Jesus or you are pursuing His things? Praise and thanksgiving should be the lifestyle of every believer. Every praiseful Christian is a joyful Christian and every joyful Christian will always carry the presence of God around. The Bible tells us that "in the presence of God there is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11). When we praise God, we command His attention. When we praise God, He steps into our situations. When we praise God, we let Him know that we trust Him even in the midst of our trials.
To praise God means to magnify God and to magnify God means to make God bigger than our situations and circumstances. We need to learn to praise God because of who He is, not because of what he will do in our lives. In 2 Chronicles 20:20-24, we can see the Israelites praising God in the midst of their battles. In Acts 16:25, we can see Paul and Silas praising God while in chains. Praise should be our lifestyle irrespective of the situations or circumstances we see ourselves in. Every time we praise God through song and thanksgiving, we let Him know that we still recognize His supremacy over our challenges. We let Him know that we trust and believe He is still in control of our lives. There are just too many things to praise God for if we would just take a moment to stop and count our blessings. Have you given thanksgiving to Him today? No? Then sing to Him. Don't be shy. He likes it! Sings praises, sing of things you're thankful for, sing His Word to Him, etc.
I was reading Matthew 7:24-27 about a couple of builders who built houses on two different types of foundations. Most, if not all who are reading, know where this blog might be going. We know that Jesus taught the foundation upon which we build our spiritual house is of the utmost importance. It never hurts to be reminded of certain passages, so today I want to point out some elements of Matthew's passage that show us why the foundation of your life matters. I'll begin with this. Jesus is speaking: "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it didn't fall: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and doesn't do them, will be like a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
There are some interesting things to note regarding this particular verse. Observe the characteristics of the two builders:
A) BOTH HEARD THE WORDS OF CHRIST- The two people in this parable both heard Jesus share His message of faith and repentance (verse 24, 26). Therefore, both people in this parable knew the way of salvation. They both heard the gospel and each one had a reaction to it.
B) BOTH BUILT HOUSES- Each person built a house based on their understanding of what Jesus said. The house in this parable represents a picture of our spiritual life. Depending on how each builder heard/interpreted Jesus' words, each one then applied Jesus' words as they saw fit.
C) BOTH BUILT IN THE SAME LOCATION- How do we know that? Verse 27 describes a very severe storm. This same storm affected both houses, so they must have been built in close proximity to one another.
D) BOTH BUILT SIMILAR HOUSES- Nothing is said about their houses being different. They used similar materials and most likely a similar design. Have you ever lived in a neighborhood where all the houses look exactly the same? The only difference is the color of the siding, shutters, or shingles, yet they have the same shape, design, floor plan, and square footage?
The only difference Jesus mentions in these verses is the FOUNDATION each man built upon. If you look closely, the parable is a picture of people and how they respond differently to the Gospel message. People hear that same message and they react to it in different ways. Regardless of how a person may react to it, people build all their lives based on what "they think" Jesus is saying. These two builders constructed their houses in the same location. That is, apparently they weathered the same storm. However, from the 'outside' you can't tell much difference between the two 'hearers!' Obviously, the people pictured here are religious, orthodox in their beliefs, serving in and supporting the church. They have a lot in common, at least on the outside.
Are there contrasts? There are some major differences between these two types of people and I believe it's worth noting.
*ONE MAN BUILT HIS HOUSE ON SAND- This man built with little preparation (or he would not have chosen sand as a foundation). Sand is unstable, ever-changing, ever-moving, without any stability. It can never provide a firm foundation. Building your spiritual house on sand speaks of people who hear the gospel, but instead of believing it and coming to faith in Jesus, they believe they can build their lives on the shifting sands of human philosophy, wisdom, opinion, and religious achievement. They are driven by outward, religious appearances and faith in themselves, rather than faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are people who hear the gospel and decide they can save themselves by being good. They might even believe the general message of the gospel but choose to follow God on their own terms. To them, His Word is open to interpretation and worse yet, change when it needs to align with their convictions! If God commands them to do something, they will obey if and only when they choose to do so If they don't like it, they won't do it. This is where self-interpretation and change come in. Sadly, their houses are built on self-will, self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and self-righteousness! 2 Timothy 3:5 says it best, "(they) having a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof: from such turn away." Their works are based on religion that has the appearance of being right, but lacks the power to save the soul! Too, think of it. Building on sand is easier. It requires little effort. They choose this foundation because just a little change here, maybe slightly there, but not too much or it becomes an inconvenience. They don't want inconvenience. They fool themselves and everyone else around them into thinking they are in good standing with the Lord. The bottom line is, a spiritual life built on sand requires no commitment, no sacrifice, and no faith whatsoever. Sand builders like instant results without commitment. They love the heights but hate the depths, are hot then cold, up then down. They constantly shift. Sand foundations are built by those who believe they can say a prayer, sign a card, join a church, and all will be well.
*THE OTHER MAN BUILT IS HOUSE ON A ROCK- This man digs deep, deep enough until he reached the bedrock. Rock doesn't move. It is unchanging, stable, and sure. Building on rock speaks of people who hear the gospel and believe it to the point that they build their lives on it! Consider the following. The word "rock' in these verses is identified as "These words of mine." The "rock" IS the gospel...the very words of Jesus. It's the same rock mentioned in Matthew 16: 16-18 (you might want to look that up). Rock builders understand that Jesus alone has the power to save their souls. They hear the Word and conform their lives to it. They believe it, embrace it, yield to it and the message(s) change their lives because their foundation is sure. You know you've built your spiritual life upon The Rock when you do what God asks in His Word. What God warns you not to do, you avoid. You will pay any price, walk any path, or do anything the Lord tells you to do. You love Him, honor Him, and obey Him (John 14:15, 1 John 2:3-6).
So, in conclusion, there are two types of builders who construct very different lives based on how they hear and respond to the gospel. Of a truth, YOU are building one of those houses right now. You can join a church and still go to hell. You can be a good person in the eyes of others and still go to hell. You can build your house on religion and still go to hell. You can build your house on human wisdom, human philosophies, and anything else you can name, and you can still die and go to hell. But if you build your life on faith in Jesus Christ, The Rock, your house will stand through the storms of life be it spiritual or natural and you will be saved. You realize that the person who built his house on the sand never intended for his house to fall. He THOUGHT he was doing the right thing as so many others do today. He thought he was building a house that would stand against anything that came. He was wrong. His confidence was not in the Lord; it was in himself and in his own perceived goodness. His confidence was misplaced. The problem with his house is the foundation! So if you are building your spiritual house on anything but Jesus Christ and His gospel, it will fall. When it falls, you will be lost forever. In a spiritual sense, every day you attach boards, drive nails, add on rooms, and try to improve your house. Regardless of what you do to the house you are building, what matters the most is the foundation. Be absolutely sure you are building on Jesus Christ and His Gospel. If you have realized today, or know of someone in your family or circle of friends that has been building on the wrong foundation, you or they can change that by turning to Jesus Christ today. There is a storm coming that's going to shake foundations everywhere and your spiritual house is right in its path. When that storm comes, the only houses that will stand are those built on the solid foundation of the Word of God.
Recently I was asked, "Why are there so many churches? Doesn't 1 Corinthians 1:13 pose the question, 'Is Christ divided?' And if Christ is not divided as suggested in 1 Corinthians 1:13, then why are there so many different denominations?"
Has anyone else wondered that? These questions have been pondered by many people including me at one time.
Christ prayed for his disciples in John 17:20-23. He said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; (that would include you and me) That they all may be one; as You, Father, art in me, and I in You, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that You have sent me. And the glory which You gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and You in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You hast sent me, and have loved them, as You have loved me." Jesus prayed for the unity and oneness of those who believe on Him. If this was His great concern and plea, then why do we have so many “churches?” Let me touch on a few points.
The first reason we have so many “churches” is because of something that John wrote. He said in 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” Indeed there are many false prophets that have gone out into the world and some of these false prophets have created “churches” of their own. This is part of Satan’s plan to divide the followers of Christ. The Bible teaches that if it is to his benefit Satan can and will transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The next verse reads, “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness.” In other words, there are people in the world today who appear to be "ministers of righteousness" but who are actually working for Satan even if they are unaware of it. How do you know the difference between the two? John gave us the answer: “Try (test) the spirits whether they are of God.” Therefore, this the only available avenue to know whether one is teaching truth or falsehood–to test the teaching of the false teacher! But how does one do this? Compare what they are saying to what the Bible says and then ONLY believe what the Bible ACTUALLY teaches. However, you must read the Bible to have this discernment. If the Bible does not actually teach it, then reject it. Many false prophets mean many false “churches.” This is one reason why there are so many churches.
Another reason we have so many “churches” is because there are many who are not content to be just Christians. Many want to be “Christians” of a particular sort. This was the problem with the church at Corinth. Paul had to rebuke them because they were calling themselves after something other than Christ. We read in 1 Corinthians 1:11- 12 “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now, this I say, that every one of you says, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.” Just like today, many want to say that they are Baptist-Christians, Methodist-Christians, Presbyterian-Christians, Pentecostal-Christians, Lutheran-Christians, etc. What was Paul’s response to this type of thinking? Exactly what was asked of me! He said, “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” Instead of being content to be followers of the one who was crucified for them, instead of being content to be followers of the one in whose name they were baptized, they wanted to be known as Paul-Christians or Peter-Christians, or Apollos-Christians. They were not content with just being mere Christians. Todayou will hear many Christians say, "I follow Kenneth Copeland; I follow Joyce Meyer; I follow Joel Olsteen, etc. but they never pick up a Bible to see if what they are being spoon-fed is true. JESUS WAS THE WORD (made flesh). To follow Jesus today, you must read and rely on the truth of the Word itself. In Paul's day, they wanted their own personalized, monogrammed “Christian club.” This lack of wanting to be merely Christians causes many “churches” to come into existence today. Are you a part of a "Christian club" or do you actually read and learn from the Bible on your own? And if not, how are you able to discern what you are hearing and believing has any truth to it? Is it because your preacher is on TV? Because they look truthful? Because they have hundreds of thousands of followers? Because they prompt you to believe me.
One final point of why we have so many “churches” is because there are many who simply want their own way. And they want it enough that they are willing to allow a church to be divided over their own opinions. So they break out and away from their base to form the "revised" church of ____. As some examples, some Baptists have reformed to Freewill Baptists; some United Methodists to Wesleyan Methodists; some American Presbyterian to Orthodox Presbyterian, on and on. They confuse their opinion with what the scriptures teach and when a segment of parishioners disagree, they leave to form a new denomination. To avoid such division within Christianity requires that we study and know what the Bible teaches so that we do not pawn off our own opinions as Biblical teaching and so that we do not pawn off Biblical teaching as our own opinions! Either mistake is disastrous when it comes to the unity of the church. The Christians in Acts 17:11 practiced this as we read, “These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They did not merely accept the preacher’s opinion regarding what the Bible taught. They checked things out; they made absolutely sure that what Paul was saying was the truth. They were not content to accept Paul’s opinion. Accepting the opinions of men as “gospel truth” causes division and is a large part of the reason there are so many “churches” today. How often will individuals themselves leave a Bible teaching "church" that disavows the individual's personal opinion? I can give you one of my own examples. I had a Christian lady with a gay son complain to me she was going to, "dump my church because they preach against homosexuality!"
What is your desire? Do you long for the kind of unity for which Jesus prayed? Do you desire to test the things that you believe against what the scriptures say? Do you want more than anything to be “just a Christian?” Then I offer you this challenge: Find a “church.” Question them regarding what they believe and practice. If the scriptures do not teach it, then reject it. If they are doing what the scriptures teach and ONLY what the scriptures teach, then accept it and become part of that church. Christ is not divided. Read the Bible and learn how to discern truth from lies.
One morning during prayer my thoughts drifted to a few scriptures pointing to the joy all Christians will experience the day after we are snatched from this dark world. What came to mind was THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB. Supper? What is supper? I mean, we all know physically what supper is, but what does it mean spiritually? Those were my thoughts. It might seem odd that I would question what the word supper means but I'm always curious about the meaning of God's Word beyond what we've heard or been taught through religious sources. Will we literally be eating food? Will our "glorified" bodies require food? My curiosity took me into further study regarding the wedding supper. I found some things I'd like to share I think you'll find interesting. According to everything believers know, all Christians should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom the Lord Jesus (2 Timothy 4:8). The Marriage Supper is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ Jesus. In Revelation 19:7-10, John saw and heard the multitudes in heaven praising the Lord God at the wedding feast of the Lamb. The wedding feast of the Lamb is the marriage supper which was about to begin. To understand what the marriage supper of the Lamb is, you need to consider the three significant wedding customs in the time of Christ. This is what I learned:
In biblical times there were three major parts of a wedding feast. Keep these in mind and remember your relationship with Christ!
1. A Marriage Contract: Wedding customs in the time of Christ were signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom. Additionally, this contract was signed by the parents of the bridegroom, and the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry (down payment) to the bride or her parents. Such a process began the betrothal period, which today would be called the engagement. One example of this was the one Joseph and Mary were in when Mary was found to be with baby Jesus in the womb (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).
2. A Torchlight Parade Through the Streets: The bridegroom accompanied by his male friends went to the house of the bride at midnight, creating a torchlight parade through the streets. Such a parade would not be a surprise to the bride as she knew well in advance such an event was taking place so she would be ready with her maidens. They would then all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom's home. *Such a custom is the basis of the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.
3. The Marriage Supper Itself: During the time of Jesus, the marriage supper itself would go on for days as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1-2. The events described by Jesus in Revelation 19:7-10 describe the third phase of the wedding feast the marriage supper of the Lamb. John isn’t meaning to skip the first two phases of the wedding feast customs but is communicating they already have happened. NOTE! The first phase was completed on earth when each individual Christian placed his or her faith in Jesus Christ. The dowry, in this case, was paid by the bridegroom's parent (God the Father) by of the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf.
The Church is betrothed to Christ much the same way as the wise virgin in the parable. Why? Because all Christians should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom the Lord Jesus (2 Timothy 4:8). The second phase is when Christ comes to claim His bride and take the Church to the Father’s house in heaven. The Marriage Supper follows as the third and final step and is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ Jesus. Isn't that interesting? Can you see the correlation between a wedding feast at the time of Christ as compared to the wedding feast we will partake of in heaven? Will we actually eat food in heaven? Yes. Will we have bodies? Yes. Remember, before Adam and Eve sinned they had bodies MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD (uncorrupted, pure, without sin). Though they had not yet been corrupted God gave them of every tree to eat (except one) and stated in Genesis 1:29, "And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food." When we are once again "restored," when we are changed from corruptible to incorruptible, (for this corruptible must put on incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality) as written, "BEHOLD, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible shall have put on incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
Clearly, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptible, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory" (verse 54). THIS is eternal life! We will live forever, never to die again, with Christ and enjoy life in bodies like Adam and Eve BEFORE they knew no sin! There will be only perfection and holiness. No lust of our eyes, no lust of the flesh, no pride whatsoever. When Eve was taken from Adam, he said, "This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of the man." Adam had bone! Adam had flesh - before the fall. We will have "flesh" but unlike what we know of now. When Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples could literally see Him. Jesus had a body. "God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead" (Acts 10:40-41). Also, eat with him (Acts 1:4) and they drank as well (Acts 10:41). His risen body ate, drank, walked, communed, etc.
Finally, as Christians will one day find our ultimate delight at the time when Jesus consummates all things (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). Revelation 19 describes the day where we will become like Jesus (changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump). On that day, we will wear the most beautiful wedding gown made up of our righteous deeds (Revelation 19:6-8). As glorified Christians, the people of God will finally fulfill the purpose for which we’ve been created, which is a complete, unbroken fellowship with God. Such joy we will experience on that day is beyond description as we will see Christ face-to-face (Revelation 19:9). Every born again Christian will experience this day because they have been declared righteous in the Lord’s courtroom. And we will celebrate this union with Him with an unforgettable heavenly banquet!
I have a question. If, according to scripture, God works all things together for my good, then why hasn't everything seemed that great? That's a question people can end up asking after someone quotes Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." I appreciate the encouragement, but I wonder if something is lost in translation. I mean, has everything always gone right for you? Is it really good that your parents got divorced? Is it good that my childhood friend was sexually abused or that my best friend lost her job? Is it good that my neighbor's girlfriend died in a car wreck? Is it really good that all this bad stuff has happened, and still happening? Do things always turn out good for you? Then what's happening?
Too often we pray for God to take away our suffering. We beg for difficult situations to be resolved. Most of us even believe God's promise is a trouble-free life. May I say, that path leads to disappointment in an unbiblical God! God isn't passionately orchestrating a pain-free life. He isn't rooting out problems so you can float through life. God is going after the sin in your life! His good purpose is to shape who you are. A good life isn't a trouble-free experience. It's a resolute character in a shaky world. Romans 8:29 continues this message from 8:28 when Paul reminds us of the original destiny for human beings: conformity to the image of God's son. We are to embody His faithfulness in a faithless world. Christ-followers persevere when others shrink under pressure. We return evil with love. We give while other people just demand. We reenact the way of Jesus. At least, that is what is required of us as we conform day by day to become more Christ-like.
We need to stop trying to escape from problems in life. Trying times have the power to break us down, however, in the same breath, we can be built back up like Christ. All things eventually do work together for our good though we may not see it at the time. Let's stop asking for tough times to end quickly when perseverance is what God wants. The easy life won't give us the good God is working toward. The good character God is forming in us takes shape in difficult circumstances. Learn from what's gone wrong. Consider disappointments and failures as life lessons in order to learn from them and make things better next time. Instead of losing control, learn, learn, and learn some more. BE PATIENT. Everything will eventually be okay. Sometimes it happens right then, but other times you may not understand for many years but when you do, you'll realize what you went through, regardless of how bad it was at the time, was actually a good thing that it took place.
Paul, who was beaten several times and imprisoned more than once said, “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:11-12). But Finding contentment in difficult circumstances is difficult for even the most stouthearted believer. When times are tough and things aren’t going the way we plan, this is a fertile ground for frustration, despair, and discouragement to take root. That is why we need Christ's strength to teach us to be content in every condition. As believers, we have been given the specific ability to find contentment whatever the circumstance, which Paul argues can only come from Christ who gives him strength.
So the next time you quote Romans 8:28 (or any other verse for that matter), make sure you start with a statement about the context. Then you won't be giving people false hope that God is working to solve all their problems and prevent future tragedies. You'll give them the truth. God is working to form people in the middle of a broken world with all its problems and unresolved pain. That's good.
In the 3rd chapter of the book of James, he describes the amazing power of our words—our tongues. This chapter of James is loaded with symbols and metaphorical language. He takes advantage of symbolic language to convey the importance of self-discipline in what we say. Like bits in the mouths of horses to control their direction (James 3:3), or rudders which control ships, or sparks which start a forest-leveling fire, our tiny tongues—through the words we say with them—can do huge things, many of them greatly destructive. Has anyone ever flown off the handle at you and said things in the heat of the moment that hurt you so deeply you have never forgotten how it made you feel? Twenty to thirty years may have passed but you can still recall what and how it was said. What about as a child? Were you ever called "stupid," fatso," "chicken," or "weirdo?" How did it make you feel? You didn’t want to let them know how deeply it hurt. I would bet some of my readers still carry emotional scars from the names you were called as children, or you mentally replay tapes of derogatory comments that were made about you in your youth.
Instead of instructing us to “be careful of what you say,” in just a few short verses, James compares the tongue to eight different things: a bit in a horse’s mouth, a helm of a ship, a fire, a world of iniquity, an evil, a fountain, a fig tree, and a vine. The result is a host of doctrines, principles, and practices that can touch our hearts because of the symbolic language used. The tongue "sets on fire the course of nature." What? Don't you find that intriguing? We all have tongues (language, voice) so to think the tongue is a world of iniquity that can actually defile the entire body, don't you want to know more? James describes the tongue itself as a fire, meaning it can burn whatever we touch with our words. This is a good perspective to keep in mind before we use our words on or against another person. The meaning is, that a great collection of iniquity proceeds from the tongue. Indeed “there is no iniquity which an unbridled tongue is not capable of producing; either by itself, when it curses, rails, teaches false doctrine, and speaks evil of God and man; or by means of others, whom it entices, commands, terrifies, and persuades, to commit murders, adulteries, and every evil work.” James is admonishing Jewish Christians and warns that "it (the tongue) defiles the whole body — The whole man, all our members, senses, and faculties."
James also describes the tongue as "a world of unrighteousness." In our natural, sinful state, our words don't just occasionally go bad. They come from a place that is completely bad in every way. The tongue isn't merely the one bad apple in the barrel. It is the member which corrupts all of the other parts of our bodies! Our tongue has power for both good and evil. An uncontrolled tongue is responsible for setting the course of our lives on fire, for burning down everything along the way. But our tongues don't burn with their own fire. That fire of reckless destruction didn't originate with us. Our tongues, James writes, are themselves set on fire by hell. The word "hell" here if you look it up in the original Greek is derived from the name of the Valley of Hinnom. Many of you might know what this is but for those that don't, the Valley of Hinnom was a well-known known place just outside of Jerusalem. Hinnom Valley had been used in the past for human sacrifice. At the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, it was a perpetually-blazing trash heap. Because it was associated with garbage, rejection, evil, destruction, and fire. The Valley of Hinnom was often held up as a picture of God's eternal judgment on sin: hell.
So what does all of this mean? Our tongues—the words we say with them in our lack of self-control—are powerfully evil and destructive. It's not a small problem. It's rooted in the fundamental spiritual problems all people have which sets on fire the course of nature (or the natural man): pride, envy, anger, jealousy, revenge, and lack of self-control. James makes it clear that the way we use our tongues reveals our true nature. As fallen people, our nature is now sinful and destructive. We must be changed. James is clear. If we’re going to behave as Christians ought to behave, then we have to learn to control our speech. We need to use our tongues for the positive things it can do: encourage, build-up, instruct, teach, guide, comfort, praise, etc. “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). In other words, the expression of what you are down inside is what’s overflowing across your tongue. You can measure and judge yourself by what flows from your tongue. Basically, the mouth is the billboard of the heart.
One of the best things you can do with the tongue is to speak words of encouragement to other people. And everybody needs encouragement. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy, just a simple word of thanks or a boost. No wonder Solomon wrote in Proverbs 25:11, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” To control our tongues, I think we need to ask for the help of God’s Holy Spirit. James says, "no man can tame the tongue.” You can’t do it on your own. You need to pray regularly, “Lord, help me today. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may control my speech with your help.” David also prayed, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." You have more control than you realize! If it were not so, how do people control their language when they’re around people where it becomes important for them to do it? It can be done with your own restaints combined with the Holy Spirit's power within you. Let your conversation be full of grace. Let it be seasoned with salt so that when anyone hears you talk it makes them thirsty for the things of God. God will bless you and you’ll know how to answer them. And when you’re full of that which is positive, your tongue will have the power of life. I guess it shouldn’t surprise us that when we give our lives to Christ it includes the use of our tongue.
The Word of God tells us, "Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh." There are two points we must understand first before we can obey what God asks of us.
1. What does it mean to WALK in the Spirit?
2. Really, what is lust?
I'll start with the latter using a dictionary to keep it plain and simple.
Lust: sexual desire, sexual appetite, sexual longing, sexual passion. There is not a human being who has not lusted in his or her flesh. It comes with our fallen nature. I know Christians at this very moment who struggle with forbidden sexual desires. If we are honest with ourselves, the only acceptable sexual desire, passion, libido, ardor, zeal is only acceptable within the context of marriage between a man and a woman regardless of what the world says it is! Anything outside of that is immoral in God's eyes. It is a sexual sin. Period. There is no getting around it. If you are lusting with your eyes or thoughts it is still sin. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:27-28, "Whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart." So you see, this covers even thinking about it. John told us, "All that is in the world, THE LUST OF THE FLESH, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1 John 2:16). Jesus told us, "Love not the world, neither the things in the world, for if any man loves the world the love of the Father is not in him." What a tall order!! How are we supposed to keep ourselves from passion, lust, desire, longing to bed with someone outside of God's perimeter? We've all been guilty whether as a hormonal teenager, the easily aroused young adult, or a mature person without any self-control.
This is why I am writing this blog today. Specifically, for four Christians (however, anyone can learn from God's Word today). #1: To the one who has been living in fornication for years outside of the confines of marriage. #2: To the one who has asked for my help. You are tormented and driven to continue to fulfill your sexual appetite for a man you find attractive even though you admit it's wrong. #3: To the one whom I know struggling with her feelings for another woman. And finally #4: For the man I know that is currently cheating on his wife.
Even if any reader has no weakness in this area you may know someone that does. If you feel led, pass this blog onto them.
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THE LUST OF THE FLESH? Jesus said by walking in the Spirit. So now let's tackle how we walk in the Spirit. Believers have the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Comforter who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:27). He also leads the believer into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18) and produces His fruit in those yielded to Him (Galatians 5:22–23). Believers are to submit to the will of God and walk in the Spirit. A “walk” in the Bible is often a metaphor for practical daily living. The Christian life is a journey, and we are to walk it—we are to make consistent forward progress. The biblical norm for all believers is that they walk in the Spirit: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, KJV; Romans 8:14). In other words, the Spirit gave us life in the new birth (John 3:6), and we must continue to live, day by day, in the Spirit. To walk in the Spirit means that we yield to His control (not what out flesh lusts), we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us. To walk in the Spirit is the opposite of resisting Him or grieving Him (Ephesians 4:30). When we ignore His commands, we make ourselves gods because we dictate and rule, excluding Almighty God from our thoughts, wants, desires, and choices. If you are truly a Christian, you desire HIS WILL, not your own.
Galatians 5 examines the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. Those who walk in the Spirit “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (verse 16). The flesh—our fallen nature under the power of sin—is in direct conflict with the Spirit (verse 17). When the flesh is in charge, the results are obvious (verses 19–21). But when the Spirit is in control, He produces godly qualities within us, apart from the strictures of the Law (verses 22–23). Believers “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (verse 24), and now we walk in the Spirit (verse 25). What does it mean to crucify the flesh? Obviously not to hang from a tree, but rather to denounce, condemn, censure, revile, and vilify what it wants. Then the Spirit will step in to help. You will be able to overcome the temptation to commit the very sin that torments you to fulfill. "When lust has conceived (as a thought in your mind), it brings forth sin (the action, the fulfilling), and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death" (James 1:15).
Those who walk in the Spirit are united with Him and the bearers of the fruit the Spirit produces. Thus, those who walk in the Spirit walk in love—they live in love for God and for their fellow man. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in joy—they exhibit gladness in what God has done, is doing and will do. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in peace—they live worry-free and refuse anxiety (Philippians 4:6). Those who walk in the Spirit walk in patience—they are known for having a “long fuse” and do not lose their temper. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in kindness—they show tender concern for the needs of others. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in goodness—their actions reflect virtue and holiness. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in faithfulness—they are steadfast in their trust of God and His Word. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in gentleness—their lives are characterized by humility, grace, and thankfulness to God. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in self-control—they display moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to the flesh.
Those who walk in the Spirit rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them in thought, word, and deed (Romans 6:11–14). They show forth daily, moment-by-moment holiness, just as Jesus did when, “full of the Holy Spirit, [He] left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” to be tempted (Luke 4:1). To walk in the Spirit is to be filled with the Spirit, and some results of the Spirit’s filling are thankfulness, singing, and joy (Ephesians 5:18–20; Colossians 3:16). Those who walk in the Spirit follow the Spirit’s lead. They “let the word of Christ dwell in [them] richly” (Colossians 3:16, ESV), and the Spirit uses the Word of God “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Their whole way of life is lived according to the rule of the gospel, as the Spirit moves them toward obedience. When we walk in the Spirit, we find that the sinful appetites of the flesh have no more dominion over us. Our whole way of life is lived according to the rule of the gospel, as the Spirit moves us toward obedience. When we walk in the Spirit, we find that the sinful appetites of the flesh have no more dominion over us. This is the Word of God. Walk in the Spirit daily (read and pray) and you will have power over your flesh to resist temptation and carry out sin. None of this is possible unless you are truly serious about changing and not resisting God. Because when you give in to your flesh, you are defiantly resisting the Holy Spirit.
