Self-examination: Pride (Striking the Rock)

I'm reading a book right now that has me re-examining my life as a Christian quite a bit. It is full of little Truths that when I truly look at my life, I'm realizing that I've not been living my life as much for the Lord as I might have once imagined. I'm beginning to look deeply within myself at my motives, my priorities, my focus and I'm not always very happy with what I see. But the good news is I know as the Lord reveals these things to me I can take them to Him and He will heal me.

So, here is the most recent self-examination:

Numbers 20:1 - 13 tells about how the Israelites arrived at the Desert of Zin which is where Miriam died and was buried. Once again as had happened several times during their wanderings, there was no water and the Israelites began to complain. Moses and Aaron went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and the Lord spoke to them. He was very clear in His directions.

"Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock from the community so they and their livestock can drink." (emphasis added - Numbers 20:8)

Moses gathered the Israelites, but instead of just speaking to the rock, he took the staff and struck the rock. Not once, but twice. The Lord cause water to pour forth as He had promised, but Moses actions had consequences.

"Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." (Numbers 20:12)

In the past I've read this and just not gotten it. I guess I've been under the assumption that Moses struck the rock out of anger because he was so sick and tired of the Israelites complaining. But the Lord's response leads me to wonder if that was not the true reason for Moses actions. That to root of that action was something much deeper. Regardless, I can only imagine the despair that must have filled Moses when he learned his actions were going to keep him from the Promised Land.

The book I'm reading speaks of this incident and relates it to our lives as Christians in today's world.

"The body of Christ today is encouraged to search the Scriptures for desired promises, hold those Scriptures up to God and demand fulfillment. This could be the ultimate demonstration of the pride of man. This uses God's authority and principles for self-promotion! The Lord wants us to learn to use the rod - but for His purposes. When pride (self-centeredness) enters into spiritual authority, we are in grave danger. He is seeking those who "tremble at His word" to be His habitation
(Isaiah 66:1-2). We must treat Him as holy or we, like Moses, may find ourselves banned from the promised land."
(There Were Two Trees in the Garden by Rick Joyner)

When I read this the first time I was struck with a holy fear. Have I been doing this in my life? Moses was described as the most humble man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). If this humblest man on the earth can fall victim to pride and self-centeredness, someone who has basked in the glory of the Lord to the extent that he had to wear a veil on his face, what makes me think that I won't fall in the same way?

This is why it is so extremely important for me to continue to ask the Lord to show me areas of my life where pride is taking root (or already has) and to ask Him to pull out these things from my life. It is only through Him and by His power that this can be done. The process of pulling these "weeds" out of my life may be painful at times, but being told by the Lord that I won't see the promised land because I've not honored Him as holy is far worse.

Answers in Colossians

I'm part of a Christian email distribution group at work which I've found to be very interesting. This group has Christians from all walks of life and the discussions get very 'animated' at times. Recently a post by one member led to discussions regarding how we are to stand for God's Truth, among other Believers and to the rest of the world. I've share before how I constantly wrestle with what it looks like in my life to stand for God's Truth in Grace.

I want to stand for God and His Truth and I know at times that means I will offend others. But I don't want to offend someone needlessly, offend them just to offend them. In fact, I don't want to offend anyone at all. If something I do or say offends someone I want it to be God and His Word that offends them, his Truth piercing their conscience, not my way of presenting that Truth.

Last night as I was reading through Colossians I wrote the following verses in my journal under two headings. I've decide these verses are definitely worth studying closer and asking the Lord to help me properly apply them in my life.

Under the heading "picture of how we are to live and interact as a Body of Christ"

~ Colossians 3:12 - 17
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Under the heading "How to deal with those who are not Believers"

~ Colossians 4:5-6
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Trading our Birthright?

I'm reading a book right now called "There Were Two Trees in the Garden" by Rick Joyner. Tonight I was reading a chapter that begins talking about Jacob and Esau. It speaks of how we will read this story and wonder how in the world could Esau give up his birthright for a bowl of stew, no matter how hungry he is. But are we really any different when we look at our lives honestly.

The Lord Jesus purchased with His precious blood the opportunity to dwell before the very throne of God. How easily we trade this privilege! Many Christians will spend more time each before worthless television programs than they do in the Word of God or in prayer.
(There Were Two Trees in the Garden)

Ouch! How many times have I done this? How often do I still? No just television, but also on the computer or a number of other ways. I need to re-examine my time.

But more importantly I need to change my perspective - I need to realize that time spent in prayer and God's Word is the same as sitting at the foot of God's Throne, being in communion with Him. Not only that, but also that it is not a thing to take for granted, something to do when I feel like it. It is a privilege, one that I should cherish, one that was purchased by another for me by the shedding of His precious blood.

Looking at it in that way sure changes your perspective and your priorities.

What Is My Mind Set Upon?

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.
~Romans 8:5-6

Read this last night and it made me stop and consider what I live by and what controls my life. I say I’m a Christian and the Spirit of God lives within me, but I must look deep and examine the fruits. Do they testify to that? Questions to ask myself:

1. Does the fruit of my life attest me being focused on the desires of God or on my own selfish desires? I need to look deep because sometimes my selfish desire may be disguised as desires of God. Have I justified them to myself in such a way?

2. Does the fruit of my mind produce life and peace? Or does it produce death, discord and discontent?

Righteous Live By Faith (another lesson from Romans)

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
~ Romans 1:17

I’ve always thought of this last line as saying that if someone is righteous, they have faith. In other words, without faith in our Creator God & Savior, you can’t truly be righteous. I still believe this to be true, but today as I read these words another meaning came to mind.

What if these words are not just describing a characteristic of a righteous person? What if these words are a “heads up”, a warning if you will, to those who are pursuing righteousness? It is not worded to say, to be righteous you must have faith – it says the righteous live by faith.

I think this very well may fly in the face of many of the “prosperity” messages we often hear in Christian circles today. Why? Because when everything is going good in your life and everyone likes you and agrees with you – what need do you have for living by faith?

Maybe living by faith means that even when in the world’s eyes things are falling apart around you (finances, relationships, health, etc) you still have hope, peace and love because you know the Lord is directing your path. He is holding you up in your weakness and you are trusting in the future He has for you, no matter what it may look like to others.

This is not to say that if you are righteous your life will be falling apart around you, or that if things are going well in your life, you are not righteous. But I do have to wonder if Paul is referring to the fact that when you are truly living for God, you will be required to live by faith because things are not always going to be rosy. Just look at Paul’s life. By the world’s standards once he started following Jesus, his life took a total nose-dive. But by heaven’s standards a different story is told.

The righteous live by faith – am I ready to be righteous?

Obedience Through Faith

Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
~Romans 1:5

We always talk about people "coming to faith" and we speak of how salvation is through faith, not by works. However, true faith and salvation will change us. While we can't do anything to earn salvation, once we have it, it should change us and that change should be evidenced in our lives, it should bear fruit.

We don't change into a perfect person overnight, but we are being transformed from the inside by the Spirit that now lives within us. The change or fruit of our lives that I believe leads to all others is obedience. Obedience to our Lord and Savior, which means totally surrendering and submitting our lives to Him, making Him our sole focus. This does not happen overnight either, but I believe it is the key to true transformation and evidence of true faith.

Paul opens his letter to the Roman church with the above verse. What caught my eye was the end of the sentence - "the obedience that come from faith."

If I am truly a Child of God, a Child of Faith - shouldn't my life be evidence of my obedience to my Lord?

To Judge or Not to Judge

I've been reading 2 Corinthians and something that has been a bit confusing to me in the past has come to the surface again. It is about judging. God had revealed to me recently just how judgmental I can be and has been working on this in my life (among other things). While that is something I need to work on, I often wonder, are we truly not to judge in any way at all?

I'm part of a Christian email distribution group at work, and this very often comes up. Someone will make a comment which in effect judges the actions of someone in the media. What always follows is a debate (sometimes very heated unfortuately) about whether or not we are to judge others and if so, how exactly do we do that? What exactly are we to judge? Some will say that we can't judge a person's heart but we can judge their actions/fruit. Others say we should not judge at all.

Many on the list and elsewhere in the world will fall back on verses that say we are not to judge others, that only God can judge. I do believe that only God can judge a person's heart - however, is that the end of it? Is it accurate to say that as Christians we are not to judge others in any way, shape or form?

If the answer is yes, isn't Paul in the wrong then? If you read 2 Corinthians he is judging the actions of the Corinthian church and those he labels as "super apostles". He makes it clear, in my opinion, that he is making his observations because he cares deeply for the church. But some of his words are pretty harsh when you read them.

The more I think about this the more I realize this is one of those things that goes round and round and round. By noting that Paul is judging in 2 Corinthians, aren't I judging him and his words? On the email distribution list, those pointing out that others should not judge are actually judging as well, arent' they?

Oh my, I think my brain is going to explode! Seems like every time God reveals something to be addressed in my life, I end up with more questions than answers. But then I guess that is a good thing. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

What Fragrance Are You? - Part 2

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

~ 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

Since my last post I've been thinking about this verse quite a bit. What does it mean exactly to be the smell of death to those who are perishing?

In the past I was very exuberant about my relationship with the Lord. To be honest, I was a bit pushy and annoying. Not at all Christ-like. At that time though I probably would have told you that if my beliefs annoyed you, it was because you did not have a relationship with God. I've learned the hard way though that being obnoxious is not what God has called us to, nor does it draw others to Him. Only His Love will do that and we can't show that Love to others when we are being annoying. We are only promoting ourselves and our own self-righteousness.

Looking back to the years before I came to know the Lord, I realize He was pursuing me the entire time. I think I experienced that smell of death during those years. I could talk the talk with many "religious" people and actually enjoyed doing so. But when I found myself in the company of true Christ-followers things changed. Those whose focus was on Jesus and letting His Glory and Love shine through them, rather than trying to prove their own righteousness put me on edge. It was nothing they did themselves, as they always treated me with nothing but love and respect, but I always felt like I was on the hot seat. Like they could see right through me to who I really was, to the person I did not even want to see.

I know now that they did not really have this "power", but the Holy Spirit who lived within them does have that power. It was His voice calling to me that made me so uncomfortable. His voice was the smell of death to me because I was not yet ready or willing to hear Him.

So, is that what this verse is speaking of? The fragrance that we give off is the Holy Spirit living within us who speaks to those we come in contact with?

I think those who are perishing are not necessarily those who don't know the Lord, but those who don't know Him and are not seeking Him. I believe the Spirit living within us is Life to those who have the same Spirit in them and Life to those who are truly seeking the Lord, though they may not yet know Him. He is only death to those who are still convinced that they are not in need of His Grace and Love.

What Fragrance Are You?

I'm reading through 2 Corinthians right now and came across this verse the other day. Made me start to think - what kind of fragrance am I to others?

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
~ 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

I had never really thought of it in this way before. Something to meditate on - am I truly a fragrance of life to those who know God and the smell of death to those who don't know Him? If I can't say "Yes" I may need to re-examine how I am living my life. Am I truly letting the fragrance of Jesus, my Savior, flow through me to the world?

Nick Vujicic - Life Without Limbs

Sunday morning I had the privilege to hear Nick Vujicic speak at a local church. Amazing and inspiring! Intense and convicting!

Nick is a man who was born 26 years ago with no arms or legs and no explanation from the doctors as to why he was born that way. His parents were just told that he would not be able to do anything for himself and would be a burden to them and others for the rest of his life.
At a young age Nick prayed for the Lord to provide him with a miracle, to give him arms and legs. He promised God that if He gave him this miracle, he would travel the world telling others of how great our Creator is and of the miracle that the Lord did in his life. But as Nick said on Sunday, God chose not to give him his miracle, instead He chose to make Nick a miracle for thousands of others.

Nick now travels the world sharing the Love and Hope that are in Jesus Christ with others, but still without arms or legs. He tells others of how even when God does not change your circumstances, He is still with you and still loves you. He has other plans for you that are greater than anything you can imagine because many times those same circumstances you are trying to avoid, are the very best way for Him to show His Glory, Mercy, Grace, Love and Hope through you.

Nick shared on Sunday about the Peace he has in God, even when things are not going well. He shared about the love of Christ and how it can heal anyone if we just accept it. He talked of how even if we have it all together on the outside, it is all for nothing if we don’t have the Peace that comes with knowing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is the inside that matters, not the outside.

When you see God using someone like Nick, who has no arms and legs, in such a might way, our excuses start to sound pretty lame. God can and will use us if we just choose to submit to Him and allow Him to lead our lives. Nick also made another good point. He said we often compare our circumstances to that of others so we can feel better. You know, things are bad for us but at least we have it better than so-and-so. But as Nick pointed out, that is just temporary peace – just us trying to mask the pain and hurt. The only true way to heal ourselves of whatever we are going through or will be going through is to have a relationship with God and allow Him to heal us from the inside out.

I highly encourage you to check out Nick’s ministry – Life Without Limbs. He has quite a few videos on the site which are very inspiring and are worth taking some time to view.