Are You a Scholar?

I once heard a pastor make this statement: “I’ve heard people say, 'Well, I’m no bible scholar'.  My question back to them is:  why not??”

A scholar is defined as “a person who has done advanced study in a special field.”  Ponder this for a moment. When did we get the idea that being a bible “scholar” was only for those in full-time ministry? Or for those who have been to seminary? Do we really believe God would save us, give us His Word, and then make it all too hard for us to understand? Do we really believe God’s design is to give us this huge puzzle to figure out, which includes His will for our lives and the meaning of His Word? Really?

My grandfather used to tell me that anything worth having is worth working for. Is knowing and understanding God’s Word and God’s Will worth having? Is it worth working for? I think so. This knowledge, this understanding DOES require time and effort and desire (i.e., “study”)…but I don’t believe it’s some mystical puzzle that only a select few will be privileged to solve. God desires each and every one of us to know Him (which we can only do through his word).

And consider this: since all knowledge comes FROM God, is he not then able to give us that knowledge and understanding in spite of what man calls our “intellect”? Whether a Harvard graduate with multiple degrees or the simplest laborer with only a grade-school education, God’s Holy Spirit is able to enlighten our understanding – to believe otherwise is to deny the infallibility of God’s Holy Word, and therefore God himself.

Every one of us ought to be a bible “scholar”.   Don’t make “studying God’s Word” just another New Year’s Resolution – make it a daily choice.  No more excuses – what’s keeping you from it??

Walking in the Spirit...what does that MEAN??

It sounds so good, so righteous, so "spiritual" to say to one another, "Walk in the Spirit!" or "Walk in the ways of the Lord!" or "Walk honestly!" or "Put on Jesus!"...

But what does that look like in real life?  on a typical day for me? for you?

Let's try this...

The alarm goes off.  You stumble, bleary-eyed to the restroom.  Find your robe; go wake up the kids - who, by the way, are old enough to get up by themselves to their own alarms, but don't - you head to the kitchen.  Maybe you make breakfast or coffee; maybe you make lunches or find lunch money and set it out for each child.  Maybe you just get your own coffee and everyone else is on their own...

If your hubby has an office job, he may breeze past you on his way out the door with a peck on the cheek - to which you respond with a bleary-eyed grunt.  Or maybe he works an early morning shift and is already gone, (as evidenced by the dregs of coffee in the bottom of the cup on counter) or maybe he's just coming home from the night shift and ignores you completely as he heads directly for the shower and bed...

The kids have yet to appear and its time to go.  You holler for them to get moving, and in a flurry of activity, they fly past you shouting, "Bye, Mom!" as they sprint out the door to catch the bus, or their ride, or to catch up with their friends on the walk to school.

At some point, you realize the tv was turned on and the voices you now hear are coming from that box in the other room, not your head.  You decide it's probably time to get a move on yourself - maybe you need to get ready for work or at least ready for the day, so you head to the shower...

An hour later, you're in the car, muttering under your breath about the lil' old man who just pulled out in front of you, effectively boxing you in at 10 miles below the speed limit.  The lady in the car next to you is talking on the phone, applying mascara, AND smoking a cigarette - you keep a leery eye on her while wondering why the guy on the other side of you feels compelled to "share" his mind-jarring rap music with the entire world at 7:30 in the morning...

By the time you get to work, you wonder if they've changed the driver's licensing requirements in your state to say you MUST have absolutely NO knowledge of common sense road rules, to say nothing of common courtesy or knowledge of what decibel levels cause brain damage.  You find a message on your desk from a high-maintenance client who has already called this morning and you're beginning to wish you could contract the flu so you'd have a legitimate reason to go back home and pull the covers over your head...

Uh - so, where was the Spirit in THAT scenario?  Let's re-wind...

Your alarm goes off.  You stumble, bleary-eyed, to the restroom, grab your robe, and head to the kitchen.  "Lord, help me wake up!  I'm soooo not ready for morning!"  You start the coffee and grab your bible.  You find a quiet spot - shouldn't be hard because you're up before everyone else.  You've been reading the book of Ephesians.  You find where you left off, read a few more verses; think about what God is telling you through his Word; what he wants you to learn.

Your prayer time is filled with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.  You petition the Lord for wisdom, discernment, godliness; you pray for the kids, your husband, the ladies in your church, your pastor and pastor's wife...

Now it's time for the rest of the household to rise.  You still have to get the kids up - but you realize this routine really needs to change and you make a mental note to discuss this with their dad. 

As they leave, you give each one a hug & a kiss.  Tell them you're praying for them today.  Turn the tv off and put on some godly music as you get ready for work, dressing with care.  Drive to work, praying for the idiots - er, lost people - all around you as you drive.  You pray for the high-maintenance client before you return their phone call, and pray that God will give you a sweet spirit, so that HE will shine through to that person, even over the phone.

See, the circumstances didn't change - but YOU did.  Because of God's grace.  Because you took the time to put on the armour of God, to bathe yourself in God's Word, to surrender to the Spirit.  To see others as God sees them.  You have "walked in the Spirit".

It's not really all about us.  It's about the Lord.  Get your eyes off yourself - it's not, "How can I do this?", but "Am I letting God do this?"

~Tammy

Are you Dressed??

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?  How much time do you spend putting on your makeup, fixing your hair, choosing your clothes, coordinating your jewelry?  Some of you take an hour or more...some of you could take just a few more minutes!  But, in general, we take care with how we look before we venture out of the house.  I have one friend who was taught that you NEVER leave your house without makeup on and being completely dressed - in other words, no running to the mailbox in your pj's!  Or to the store in your painting clothes!  And I do believe we ought to take care not to be immodest or a poor testimony for the Lord when we're going out.  (But, I confess, I do give my skin a break on Saturdays if I'm just running to Walmart!)

But God sees our hearts.  God is more concerned with what we "look like" on the inside.  So - how much time do you spend "cleaning" your heart - confessing sin?  How much time do you spend "fixing your mind" - reading God's Word?  How carefully do you pull out the "armour of truth"?  How much time do you spend "grooming" a right attitude?  a sweet spirit?  a gracious tongue?  How much time do you spend asking God to prepare you for the day to come?  For grace and mercy to deal with whatever comes your way today?

Your body and face can be perfectly attired, but it will be your spirit, your attitude, your behavior that will leave an impression on those around you today - and on your heavenly Father.

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." - 1 Peter 3:3-4

How well "adorned" are YOU today?

Ladies Bible Study - 9/22/11

When I read something, my mind creates an image of what I'm reading.  In Matthew 7, Jesus talks about the "narrow" way and the "wide" way.  Few are on the narrow way; many are on the wide way.  In my mind, I have always pictured a narrow dirt path, winding through a field as the "narrow" way.  On that path are just a few people, some side by side, some alone, walking in a long line.  The "wide" way, in my mind, has looked more like a 5-lane highway that has been closed off to traffic, and instead is a throng of people, shoulder-to-shoulder, all surging forward, but without any idea where they are going.  Like the teaming masses gather in Times Square for New Year's Eve, but moving instead of standing.

Last night's bible study changed my picture of the "narrow" way.

The narrow way leads to heaven; the wide way to destruction, or hell.  Few will find their way to heaven, choosing instead to take a more "popular" route; an easy route; a wide and comfortable route.  The way to heaven is narrow because the only way is through Jesus.  In fact, the "strait gate", as scripture calls it, is only wide enough for ONE person at a time.  Why?  Because when we realize our own sinfulness and God's holiness; when we realize Jesus died for our sins; when we humbly bow before Him - we do it alone.  We cannot gain salvation riding piggy-back on someone else's salvation; we cannot carry with us our baggage and our excuses and our rationalizations; we cannot bring our friends or loved ones - we come alone and we come in humility.  The narrow gate is only big enough for one - nothing and no one else fits through the gate with us.

In fact, my mental image of the narrow way now has the gate built into the base of the cross.  

I am on the narrow way.  I gave my life to Jesus on March 1, 1981.  He died for me, taking on a punishment that was meant for me.  I have opened my life to him - it is His to do with as He pleases.  An easy exchange to make for the reward of being allowed to spend all eternity with Him in heaven.  In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize what a win-win situation it is.  There is no "down" side for me...Jesus took the punishment for MY sin; I didn't have to suffer that.  All I have to do is let Him control my life - a God who is loving and merciful and righteous and just and holy and who plans only for my "good" - and then I get to spend eternity in heaven with Him.  Why would I not want to live for Him??  Do I really think I am better suited to control my own life?  Me, a sinful, prideful, woman, who cannot see the future nor know the hearts and thoughts of others?  Me, whose vision is limited and imperfect and flawed by my own misconceptions?  I think God knows best, and I trust him.

Are you on the narrow way?  Or are you searching?  Find the cross.  The gate to the narrow way is there...

Living the Christian Life

How many times have you heard the phrase, "Let go and Let God"?  It has become a mantra, a chant, a catchy saying to tickle our ears...but is one of Satan's most destructive lies whispered in the ear of the believer.


Living the Christian life requires diligent, intentional, purposeful exercise.  Just as your marriage will fail if you fail to participate in it, your life in Christ will flounder if you sit back and passively wait for God to orchestrate life around you in your recliner.  


First of all, the Christian life begins not with us, but with Christ.  It is in HIM we find all power and strength and might.  It is in HIM we find our hope, our comfort, our worth.  Once we understand this, then Jesus tells us in His Word, "If you love me, you will obey my commandments."  Really?  How do you love God from your chair?  How do you "do good to them that despitefully use you" from your chair? How do you "assemble yourselves together" from your chair?  Oh, and by the way, Jesus gives us FAR more than "10" commandments!


Diligent, intentional, purposeful exercise.  Reading God's Word.  Praying.  Searching the scriptures (not just "reading").  Seeking spiritual food through hearing God's Word preached.  Exhorting one another - not just you being encouraged by someone else, but YOU encouraging others!  


You don't train for a marathon by running only when God's blows the $5 bill out of your pocket and you have to chase it across the parking lot - you train by running, walking, stretching, climbing, jogging, lifting...you have a PLAN.  It's not accidental.  


Your Christian life should not be accidental (or incidental) either.


"Study to show yourself approved unto God; a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  2 Timothy 2:15  Think about what this verse really means; don't gloss over it because it's familiar.  ASK God to give you a hunger for His Word...He will give it to you!


Don't float through life today - live unto God intentionally.


~Tammy~

5 Truths for Dark Days

Whether you're grieving the loss of a loved one, bemoaning the economy, discouraged by the evening news, or mired in overwhelming personal issues, we all understand that we have "dark days".  In a bible study on Wednesday night, my husband, Michael, encouraged us to cling to these "5 Truths for Dark Days"...


1.  God is still on the throne.
"Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath; there is none else." - Deuteronomy 4:39


"And he (Solomon) said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath..." 1 Kings 8:23


"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them."  - Deuteronomy 33:27


"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."  - Hebrews 13:6 & 8


2. The Church will survive.
"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." - Psalm 125:1


"And I (Jesus speaking here) say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock (God) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  - Matthew 16:18


Acts 8:3-4  Even though Saul persecuted the church, and the believers scattered to avoid this persecution, God used the scattered believers to spread the Gospel to people who had not yet heard it.  The church was not destroyed, but rather strengthened!


3. Our Mission is still clear.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20  We are to glorify God.
Matthew 28:19-20  We are to go and teach.
Romans 15:5-7 We are to be unified as believers.
1 Thess. 4 We are to walk pleasing to the Lord.
John 15 We are to bear fruit and love one another.  By the way, "loving" one another is not a mushy-gushy kind of thing; "loving" one another means giving of myself for someone else.
1 Peter 1:16 We are to be holy.  "Holy" means "set apart"; we are to be different from the world in a way that lets others know there is something unique about us because Jesus dwells within.  This does not mean to be "weird"!!
Romans 12:1-2 We are to be a living sacrifice.


4. Our Focus is still "up", not "down".
On eternity - Matthew 16:24-26
On today - Matthew 6:33-34
On Christ's return - Titus 2:11-13
On our hope laid up in heaven - Col. 1
On our hope in our calling - Ephesians
On Christ's resurrection - 1 Cor. 15


5. Our Victory is guaranteed!
Nothing can separate us from God. - Romans 8:35-38
We have victory through Jesus. - 1 Cor. 15:57-58
Greater is He that is in ME than he that is in the world. - 1 John 4:4-5
No more tears. - Revelation 7 & 21


Yes, we'll all have dark days.  But if you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you know who the winner will be in the end - and YOU will be on the winning side!


~Tammy~

Reflections...

Saturday mornings are a great time to reflect on the week just over and to re-assess where the Lord wants me to go in the week to come.  It's quite, it's peaceful, and I am not distracted by the need to get ready for work...


Of late, I have found my devotions meandering a bit.  I realize when this happens I frequently turn back to the book of James.  Both yesterday and today, I was struck by two very familiar verses - but God, in His wisdom, makes his word "new every morning"!  (along with his mercies!)


James 1:8 - "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."  I've always interpreted this verse to be similar to verse 6, in that "double-minded" meant that he could not decide - that he was easily swayed.  But my Scofield reference bible cf. Proverbs 3:5, which says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding."


This would seem to indicate then, that "double-minded" refers to a practice of trusting God one minute, but then trusting my own wisdom, my own wicked heart, the next minute!  Jumping from the solid, firm foundation of God's Word to the squishy, slippery loam of my own understanding of things, which is inevitably shaped by persuasive speech, Satan's lies, and under the influence of feelings or emotions.


But in order to stand  on the firm ground, I have to know where the firm ground is and what it is!  How can I stand on something I am unsure of?  I need to KNOW God's Word.


Today's thought-provoking verse is James 1:22 - "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  We so often stop at "only", leaving off the last phrase, "deceiving your own selves."  But there is nothing superfluous in God's Word - so there is great importance to that last phrase.


We deceive ourselves if we think that just because we go to church we are being "obedient" to the Lord.  Yes, we may be hearing his word, but we're not doing His Word, and we're not being completely obedient!


For example, am I being "kind one to another?" (Eph. 4:32).
Am I going to the brother who has "ought against" me? (Mt.5:23-24)
Am I "exhorting" one another?  (Heb.3:13)
Am I "praying" to the Lord?  "Seeking" His counsel?  (Prov.8:17)
Do I "esteem others" more highly than myself?  (Phil.2:3)


Again, it all comes back to our knowledge and understanding of God's Word.  We cannot have firm footing on something we can't even find and we can't do something of which we have no knowledge!


I am convinced more and more that the Bible is the key to godly, growing, joyous, abundant Christian living - and we, as born again believers - woefully ignore and under utilize the very tool God has given us for success!


Naaman was told that in order to be cleansed from leperosy, he had to go wash in the Jordan river 7 times, and he become upset at this.  But his servants said to him, "...if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?  How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash and be clean?"  (2 Kings 5:13)


Indeed.  God hasn't asked us to accomplish some strenuous physical feat.  Nor has He asked us to solve an inexplicable riddle.  All that He asks is that we read.  That we think.  That we apply.  Whether you are of Herculean strength or bedridden with the strength of a newborn kitten, it makes no difference.  Either can still accomplish God's will.


So what's your excuse?  Deceive not yourselves....


~Tammy~