Living A Life That Leads Others Away From Sin…

 

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.—Philippians 1:9-11

Lately, I have taken to reading Scripture on long car rides because it helps me keep my focus on things above.  As our car hurtles down the highways with thousands of other vehicles concentrating on the word of God helps me to remember that I am sheltered and safe in His sovereign and merciful arms. 

I read the above verses first in the NKJV and then after a few readings I switched over to the Amplified version. 

And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]; filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].—Philippians 1:9-11 AMPL. 

The second half of verse 10 drew my attention and spoke to my heart…

and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin];

Blameless -Without offense - living a life that leads others away from sin

Strong’s defines it this way:

having nothing to strike against, not causing to stumble of a smooth road metaph. of not leading others to sin by one's mode of life

I really liked that…

When we live a life that is blameless or without offense, we live a life that leads others away from sin. Logically speaking then, if we are leading them by our mode of living away from sin, we are pointing them to Jesus.  

That really hit home and made me think.  Beloved…Our sin doesn’t just defile us. It defiles those around us as well. How much more then would the light of Jesus shining in our hearts, give the knowledge of the glory of God to those around us. 

Oh, Father..by Your Spirit do this work in my own heart…may my words and actions not cause any to stumble in sin but would instead, lead them away from sin and into the waiting arms of their Savior.  

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.—2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.—1 Peter 2:11-12

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."—1 Peter 1:15-16

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.—Ephesians 5:1

And Whatever You Do…

 

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:17)

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, GIVING THANKS to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

GIVING THANKS to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (Colossians 1:12)

GIVING THANKS always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…(Ephesians 5:20)

We are to give thanks always FOR all things and IN all things. No loop holes. This is true not because we are supposed to be grateful for tragedy or pain or loss, but because no matter what is happening we are children of the Most High God.

Unbelief, doubt, and a complaining spirit are EASY, especially in the world we live in today so focused on self and secularism. It’s a piece of cake to be bitter or cynical. The challenge is to deny our natural inclinations and BE something different.

There are a billion reasons to worry and fret, and only one reason not to: God. And that one reason outweighs by far all the other billion combined. Being thankful is simply recognizing that fact.

Thankful that He is relentlessly loving.

Thankful that He sent His Son to die for our sins.

Thankful that this world is not our home and this life is only the barest sliver of the life to come.

Thankful that He has prepared a place for us to dwell with Him in peace and security and blessing forever.

It takes courage to believe and be thankful.

We can’t do this alone. We need His Spirit and each other, but it starts with a decision… a decision to live out our lives, not according to this world nor our flesh, but according to the Holy Spirit within us.

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:20).

By Bill…

Nothing but Good…

 

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;—Philippians 1:6

If you are a believer, then you can know that right now God is working a work of divine grace in your soul.  You can also be confident that He will continue to perfect and complete that work of grace He began in you until the day of Jesus Christ.  He has promised and He will do it. 

Beloved…He who delivered you from the power of darkness and conveyed you into the kingdom of the Son of His love will work nothing but good in the heart that has been surrendered into His care. NOTHING. BUT. GOOD. Think on that. Every moment of every day your God is working His good in your heart. THERE IS NOTHING THAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT.  

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.—Romans 8:28

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?—Romans 8:31-32

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.—1 Peter 1:3-5

Trust Him…revel in His sovereignty and rest in His love.  

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?

The goodness of God endures continually.—Psalm 52:1

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.—1 Corinthians 1:4-9

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.—Philippians 2:13

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.—Ephesians 2:4-10

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.—Hebrews 13 20-21

On Being Kindly Affectionate to One Another, in Honor Giving Preference to One Another…

 

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; --Romans 12:10

  

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

We are in Romans 12, verse 10.  This section of Scripture, as I have said before, is one of the most practical in the Bible.  It is very simple and very easy to understand.  Not much I can do as far as exposition is concerned that Paul has not done.  He has made his point very clear.  As I read Romans 12:9-21, (see below)  however, my eyes always seem to fill with tears.  I don't know about you but the world that I live in and most of the people I know are not this way.  Believers have the desire to live this way  but their execution like mine is far from perfect.   None of us, sadly, will get it right until we meet Him face to face....until we awaken in His image. I so want to be this way to those around me, though.  Paul says this in Philippians and truly it is the heart attitude that we need in this life to live for Christ.

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Romans 12:9-21call us to a supernatural type of living that can only be done by the Spirit of God living inside us. Outside of Christ this type of living is impossible. Do you remember the "therefore" at the beginning of this chapter and what it meant?  Because of all that was written in the previous 11 chapters...because of what He has done and the promises we have in Him, we are to respond by presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices. We are to put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  We are to look and act differently from the rest of the world.  Our conduct should be worthy of the Gospel of God. 

We already looked at loving genuinely, hating evil and gluing oneself to what is good. Verse 10 tells us to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. John MacArthur says that the words kindly affectionate in the Greek is made up of two words meaning love.  So it could say be lovingly loving.  Here is the meaning in the Strong's:  cherishing one’s kindred, especially parents or children); fond of natural relatives, that is, fraternal towards fellow Christians: - kindly affectioned.

I think on it this way...we are to cherish and treat those around us as gently and kindly as a Mom treats a nursing infant.  Do you see how unnatural that would be in our flesh.  I know how I felt about each one of my nursing infants...I do not feel that way naturally for those that God puts in my path...if I manifest that kind of love at all it is the Spirit of God inside me...not me.  It is also the love I feel toward other like-minded believers.  I could be in a room with a group of strangers, but if they are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ it does not take long at all to develop common ground and a unique sense of unity and love with them because of our fellowship in Him.  It is definitely supernatural...I have never encountered its likeness in the world.  Matthew 18 says this:

"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."

If you receive another believer, you are receiving the Lord Himself.  I have seen the kindness and love that Christ Jesus has for us manifested in my church family over and over again.  It has been demonstrated to my own family many times. They have lovingly loved us.  It is one of the precious benefits of being a child of God.  Beautiful,  like minded fellowship with other believers.  

Paul goes on to say with brotherly love. John MacArthur says that the verse could read then like this.  "Be lovingly loving with one another with loving love."  I really don't think we have much space in that sentence for argument or loophole. 

1 John 5 says this: "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him."  Pretty simple...a believer will love God and love those who belong to Him. We are to be tender-hearted toward one another and forgiving.  We are to love one another in truth and sometimes we have to say some hard things in loving them truthfully.  Listen to Paul in 1 Corinthians 4.

"I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.  For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.  Therefore I urge you, imitate me.  For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.  But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.  For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.  What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?"

Loving parents not only love their children fervently but warn, exhort, encourage, speak the truth, and make sure they keep the right company.  A loving parent sets an example that a child can imitate...and there should be no disparity between that parent's word and deed.  A loving parent will  speak gently and in love but at other times speak with a rod of discipline.  This is how we are to be in the family of God.  We are to love one another in truth.  Sometimes our love will be caring..sometimes concerned...sometimes confrontive, but it should always be led by the Spirit of God whose love is shed abroad in our hearts.

The second part of this verse takes our love even a step higher.  It says that in honor we are to prefer one another.  We are to put the other ahead of ourselves.  Still reading?...Good.  Love like this takes humility.  We are to jump at the chance to be first not in what we want, but in giving another what they desire.  We are to prefer them over ourselves. We are to love them sacrificially. Jesus is our ultimate example here.  

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." --Philippians 2:1-11 

We need the mind of Christ to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love and to prefer their needs to ours.  A mind of humility, submission, meekness and fervent love.  Christ is our example. He has done so much for us.  Our constant desire should be to please Him, to walk in obedience to Him and worthy of the grace and mercy He has shown us.   

Show others Christ by giving honor, giving preference, giving care, and meeting the needs of those He has placed in your life. Give yourself completely to Him and " "Be lovingly loving with one another with loving love."

Love

Mom

Romans 12:9-21 

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a]says the Lord. 20 Therefore

      “ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

      If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

      For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]

   

 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Light of My Eyes…

 

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

And a good report makes the bones healthy.—Proverbs 15:30

So many things in this world vie for our attention and our heart. There is only One, however, that we need give our attention. Only One that will see us through this life and into the next.  Only One whose lovingkindness is always before our eyes. Only One that can never be taken from us. Sound truth and wisdom are from our Father in heaven.  Any thought that brings Him, the Giver of all that is good to mind, will stir our heart, relieve our anxiety and produce a cheerful face. 

Purpose with me, right here and right now to make Him your all in all. He who is the same yesterday today and forever, will never leave you nor forsake you. His mercy reaches to the heavens and his faithfulness to the skies. With Him is the fountain of life. In His light we see light.  He who holds all things, holds us.  May He be the light of our eyes and the rejoicing of our heart. 

Beloved…Put your trust under the shadow of His wings. Drink from the river of His pleasures and be abundantly satisfied with the fullness of His house. Philippians 4:8 comes to mind here. May all the gifts and the graces of God point us forever and always to Him who loves us with an everlasting love. 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works

Which You have done;

And Your thoughts toward us

Cannot be recounted to You in order;

If I would declare and speak of them,

They are more than can be numbered.—Psalm 40:5

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men!—Psalm 107:15

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.—Psalm 103:1-5

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

naught be all else to me, save that thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Bearing Our Cross After Jesus…

 

Bearing Our Cross After Jesus…

Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.—Luke 23:26-27

Such a graphic, but beautiful picture Luke paints here of what each of us, as believers, are to do as  His “followers”; bear our cross and follow after Him. The cross is a symbol of shame, humiliation, forgiveness and victory.  It was an instrument of death that brought life to the world and eternal glory to Jesus, the Son of God. Mark 15:21 tells us that Simon was the father of Rufus and Alexander.  In Romans 16:13 we learn that Paul sent greetings to Rufus and Alexander. The fact that Paul included greetings to them most likely means that they were well-known Christians. The implication is that Simon got saved—perhaps, on the very day that the Romans compelled him to carry the cross of Christ.

As any true believer can attest, the cross is the point where we see God’s love the clearest.  (We love Him because He first loved us.) It is where we go to be forgiven and obtain peace.  It is where mercy and truth meet. It is where righteousness and peace kiss. It is there that Truth springs out of the earth and our Righteous Father looks down from heaven.  It is there at the cross as we make Jesus’ footsteps our pathway, that we get to know Him and share in the fellowship of His sufferings. It is at the cross where we learn to die to what we want and live for the will of our Father in Heaven.  It is at the cross where we find our true life.

What they meant for evil then, Jesus used for good not only to perhaps the saving of Simon, but also to the instructive illustration that Simon portrays in bearing the cross after Him.

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.—Luke 9:23-26

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.—Matthew 10:38-39

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.—John 12:24-26

Truly, we can say with Paul..

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.—Philippians 3:7-11