Tag: priorities

Spiritual Growth (2 Peter 3:14-18)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year B1 Comment

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this [a new heaven and a new earth] make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (New International Version)

When it comes to Christianity – the Christian life and church ministry – the value and necessity of spiritual growth within individual believers and local churches is of vital importance. 

We were created by God, who made us in the divine image and likeness. That is, we were formed as spiritual people. Every one of us carries within ourselves a God-given spirit; it is a vital part of who we are.

Therefore, we must recognize that the area of our greatest value, potential, fruitfulness, and life fulfillment will be in the realm of the spiritual. 

If we deny our inherent spirituality, whether in thought or in practice, we will inevitably become confused. This then, sets us up for failure, because our basic nature is one of being spiritual persons.

Nothing is more valuable for us than spiritual growth, and the provision God has made for us to experience this growth.

There is a verse tucked away at the end of Peter’s second epistle that states for us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and knowledge are important words that both point to Jesus. 

“Grace” refers to all the benefits of redemption for us through the person and work of Christ.

“Knowledge” denotes all the benefits of God’s revelation to us in Jesus Christ.

Here is a simple, yet profound, observation of the text: The word “grow” is a command; it is not optional. It’s not something to maybe think about doing when we get around to it. God insists that we spiritually grow.

God has made every provision for our spiritual growth. What’s more, we have been given the ability as a redeemed believer, and as a redeemed community, to grow spiritually. 

So then, each and every believer in Jesus Christ, as well as every local church, must face their own personal responsibility to obey this scriptural exhortation. To do otherwise is to live outside of God’s will.

Sticking with the Apostle Peter’s words, here is another verse of importance which relates to our spiritual growth: 

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. (1 Peter 2:2, NIV) 

We are to seek the Word of God with the same kind of intensity that a newly born baby will seek for food. As babies, my kids were barracudas when it came to feeding time; they took their eating seriously, and with a lot of gusto. That same desire for feeding must be present with us as Christians and churches. When the command of Peter is obeyed, and made a priority in our life, then we will grow.

Like any good thing in our lives, there are potential problems, along with the benefits. A significant downside, when pursuing spiritual growth, is that we all have a disease-like force in our lives. There exists within us a destructive tendency of lethargy and passivity toward spiritual things.

It’s rather ironic that people who confess Jesus as Lord, and are convinced about their Christianity, can be so doggone nit-picky about trivial matters which don’t really contribute much of anything to their spiritual growth.

And the trivial things only distract us from feeding upon the Word of God, and consuming the Bread of Life. We cannot – we must not – go on living like this and expect to be successful in the Christian life.

If we are going to grow spiritually, we must be about the business of speaking the truth in love – which results in us growing up into people who embody the words and ways of Jesus. (Ephesians 4:15) 

We are to have an aggressive application of the truth in our speech and our actions, which then impacts our daily faith walk with Jesus. 

The way we grow up spiritually, whether personally or corporately, is through practicing the truth of Holy Scripture – which requires reading it, learning it, and knowing it better than we know our own back door.

Our priorities, goals, and values need to reflect a solid commitment to fulfill scriptural truth in daily life. In that vein, let us ask ourselves some penetrating questions:

  • Have we humbled ourselves before God and confessed the things we have done, and the things we have left undone, when it comes to God’s revealed will?
  • Have we humbled ourselves before one another as believers, and in the church, asking for prayer?
  • Have we read the Bible on the subject of spiritual growth, and followed its teachings, so that we can know the joy and love God has for us?
  • Would we be lethargic and passive about treating a physical cancer in our lives?

God the Father and God the Son have conspired together to give believers God the Holy Spirit for our spiritual growth. The blessed Holy Trinity – the God whom Christians serve – has gifted us the Spirit, so that we might come into close fellowship with the Lord Jesus. 

Once we begin to obey the Scripture in this area of practicing biblical truth, we will experience spiritual growth and the joy of the Lord. 

However, if we allow ourselves to remain lethargic and apathetic concerning spirituality, we will not become our true selves. We must choose to make a biblical response to God, to one another, and to ourself. 

Spiritual growth is not a matter of personal willpower that can be achieved by our own efforts. Instead, we must face our spiritual condition, and seek help within the community of the redeemed, the church. Then, spiritual growth will become a reality.

Gracious heavenly Father, the God of all mercy, thank you for adding another day to my life. I dedicate both my soul and my body to serving you with a right spirit and a holy life. Strengthen me in this life, so that I may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit are one God, now and forever. Amen.

Make Good Choices (1 Kings 14:1-8)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.” So Jeroboam’s wife did what he said and went to Ahijah’s house in Shiloh.

Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else.”

So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news. Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me.

“‘Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone. Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country. The Lord has spoken!’

“As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the Lord, the God of Israel, has found anything good.

“The Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam. Even now this is beginning to happen. And the Lord will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they aroused the Lord’s anger by making Asherah poles. And he will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”

Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the Lord had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah. (New International Version)

The prophet Ahijah and the wife of Jeroboam, 1853

It’s a sad reality that whenever we make choices to live against the grain of who are meant to be as humans, we not only harm ourselves, but other people also end up as collateral damage. Our own individual decisions may be independent, but the ramifications of those choices are always interdependent in scope and complexity.

The very same prophet who prophesied the rise of Jeroboam and his reign also prophesied his calamitous ending. Along with the establishment of a monarchy in Israel, there was also an ascension of divine prophets to the royal kings whenever things were going awry.

The prophet Ahijah had let King Jeroboam know, at the outset of his reign, that his longevity would depend upon his own faithfulness and attentiveness to God’s law (1 Kings 11:38). But Jeroboam failed to do this, and it doomed him and his family. The immediate death of Jeroboam’s young son was the confirmation of the divine judgment that would eventually come.

It behooves us all to consider the Apostle Paul’s words concerning fidelity toward God and our decisions as persons:

Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant. Those who plant only for their own benefit will harvest devastation from their selfishness, but those who plant for the benefit of the Spirit will harvest eternal life from the Spirit. Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. So then, let’s work for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity, and especially for those in the household of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10, CEB)

Jeroboam turned his back on God, in favor of going with his own ingenuity and pragmatic actions to secure his rule and reign in Israel. No matter who we are – whether king or commoner, rich or poor – it is our personal and collective responsibility to ensure that sound, wise, and good decisions are being made with an eye toward the benefit of all persons.

This then, begs the question: What are our priorities and practices?

Prophetic utterances in Holy Scripture typically center in human arrogance and mistreatment of other people. And this is why following the commands of God are to be supremely important to the believer – because the instructions given to humanity from the Lord are meant for humility and justice toward others.

I believe that if we seek to live into the spirit of God’s law, we will continually labor to make good choices for the common good of everyone. Important social, economic, and political policies and practices won’t just spring up from nowhere to benefit humanity; they must be intentionally cultivated by people who make it a priority to pay attention to such matters and follow through with the right, the just, and the good.

Let’s persevere in doing good; and not succumb to the pragmatic, just to get something done that we want.

Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and in the earth: Deliver us in our various occupations from the service of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

One Thing (Psalm 27)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
And We Shall Dwell in the House of the Lord, by Dale Terbush

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.

One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted
    above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;
    you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
    God my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
Teach me your way, Lord;
    lead me in a straight path
    because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord. (New International Version)

Just recently, I was reflecting on my vocational life with a friend. I realized that, for the majority of my adult life, I have worked at least two jobs at once. On top of that, for several years, I was also going to school. Even now that I have gotten older and (finally) pared my work life down to just one job, I still work in two different places, complete with different offices and staff.

For us Americans, this is like a badge of honor – that we can demonstrate what hard workers we are. Yet, there is also something quite unhealthy about all this work that leaves room for little else in life. Typically, our relationships suffer. And the relationship which suffers the most is with God.

The psalmist had a singular desire – one thing – that he wanted above all else.

It’s the same thing that the Apostle Paul wanted more than anything else in the world (Philippians 31-14); and the one thing Jesus said to the rich young ruler that he lacked (Mark 10:17-31). It’s the thing that Mary pursued, and the thing Martha neglected (Luke 10:38-42). The blind man discovered the one thing in his healing encounter with Jesus (John 9:1-34).

Perhaps we, especially in the United States, need a miraculous healing, not only from our compulsions toward work, but also from our collective spiritual attention-deficit-disorder. We need to be able to focus on the one thing that is needed above all other things – without any sort of multitasking.

Rather than adding another thing to our calendar, and just trying to work harder, let’s step back and reconnect with what is most important to us. What is your highest priority in life? That question isn’t only for me as an American; it’s for all of us everywhere.

It’s instructive that the one thing the psalmist doesn’t ask for is revenge, or judgment, or, at the least, some comeuppance and protection. Instead, he simply asks this: To dwell in the house of the Lord. That is, the psalmist, David, wants more than anything else to live fully in God’s presence – because when that happens, everything else falls into place.

The inherent nature of God is goodness and beauty. So, to be with God is to be surrounding by what is lovely and good. To be in God’s presence is to relax and know real security.

In this state, we are then able to get our bearings and remember the good deeds of deliverance the Lord has done in the past; the mighty acts of power God will show in the future; and are blanketed in the present with the reality that the world doesn’t cease spinning on it’s axis because I have only one job, or take a break, or turn off my cellphone for a day. I can do it without fear or anxiety because God is with me.

With renewed focus, I can center my schedule, my calendar, my plans, and all my decisions around the surety that God is with me; and that I can enjoy the Lord forever. After all, this is what the Christian season of Advent teaches us – that Jesus, our Immanuel, is God with us, come in the flesh for us and for our salvation. That is the one thing we need to know today.

Ever-present and ever-loving God, we plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We cannot do everything; and so help us have a sense of liberation in realizing this, so that we are enabled to do one thing very well; to take joy in being part of the process; to see that taking some steps, and then rest, is enough. We see in part, yet you, O Lord, see all things in their entirety. We are open to being, not just doing, no matter that circumstances, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

What’s On Your Wish List? (Acts 26:24-29)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Exploring Church Ministry Blog, Year CLeave a comment

Before Paul finished defending himself, Festus shouted, “Paul, you’re crazy! Too much learning has driven you out of your mind.”

But Paul replied, “Honorable Festus, I am not crazy. What I am saying is true, and it makes sense. None of these things happened off in a corner somewhere. I am sure that King Agrippa knows what I am talking about. That’s why I can speak so plainly to him.”

Then Paul said to Agrippa, “Do you believe what the prophets said? I know you do.”

Agrippa asked Paul, “In such a short time do you think you can talk me into being a Christian?”

Paul answered, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish you and everyone else who hears me today would become just like me! Except, of course, for these chains.” (Contemporary English Version)

The Apostle Paul was quite the guy – a zealous, indefatigable, intense, Type-A dude. Yet it wasn’t those characteristics that Paul wanted others to see in him. He simply desired others to see Christ in him. 

Having been arrested for preaching the good news of forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ, Paul found himself before King Agrippa, engaging in a DTR (define the relationship) talk; and making a strong apologetic for the Christian faith. 

Agrippa asked Paul, “In such a short time do you think you can talk me into being a Christian?” Paul answered with confidence and conviction, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish you and everyone else who hears me today would become just like me!” 

“Trial of the Apostle Paul” by Nikolai Bodarevsky, 1875

I wonder how many of us could boldly say the same thing as Paul. 

Are we the sort of Christians that others could emulate? 

Has our faith journey led us to the place of being a solid model of what a follower of Christ should look like? 

Do we expect others to change while avoiding change ourselves? 

Do we deeply desire and work toward others coming to know Jesus? 

So, what is on your wish list?

  • I wish each Christian everywhere would spend their relational and emotional energy making this world a better place by living into the words and ways of Jesus Christ.
  • I wish every person I encounter would have the privilege of knowing Christ as I have.
  • I wish all my parishioners and patients would become what I am, except, of course, for my self-made chains.

Perhaps we all must look in the mirror and examine our true desires. It’s easy to put our energy into good yet lesser wishes in life. Yet, if Christians are to become like their ancient forefather in the faith, the Apostle Paul, we will begin focusing our energies into things such as the following:

  • Making outreach a priority. We do what is most important to us. That’s probably self-evident. But churches and believers that do not make outreach a primary priority are really making it no priority, at all.

Paul said, “Do the work of telling the Good News. Do all the duties of a servant of God.” (2 Timothy 4:5, ERV)

  • Mentoring others into the words and ways of Jesus. Many church laypersons believe that training other Christians is what we pay the clergy to do.But this is really the responsibility of every believer.

Paul said, “You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others.” (2 Timothy 2:2, CEV)

  • Taking responsibility for spreading the good news. Blaming and shaming gets us nowhere. Pastors complain about churches. Churches bellyache about Pastors. And both attack the culture, the denomination, or some other external scapegoat. It’s time for all of us to own what needs to be said and done.

Paul said, “Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.” (2 Timothy 4:2, GW)

  • Connecting prayer with telling the message of Christ. It doesn’t take a lot of energy to pray for Aunt Mable’s bunions to go away. It’s altogether another thing to pray sustained, focused, and passionate prayers for the people in my life to know Christ and him crucified, risen, ascended, and coming again.

Paul said, “Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ… Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.” (Colossians 4:3-4, MSG)

  • Being compassionate and kind, like Christ, to others. There not only needs to be a clear articulation of the gospel, but also a clear demonstration of basic human kindness. Many Christians never get the opportunity to share the gospel because they’re just downright obnoxious.

Set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience. (1 Peter 3:15-16, NET)

  • Establishing every Christian ministry as an opportunity to share the gospel. Intentional effort and energy toward proclaiming the gospel in both word and deed needs to go into everything we do.

Paul said, “So take special care how you conduct yourselves. Don’t be unwise but be wise. Make use of any opportunity you have because these are wicked times we live in.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, NTE)

  • Caring, not at all, that new Christians will change our lives or our church too much. I’m serious. I’ve heard the line many times by church folk in my years of pastoral ministry that new believers come in and change things we like. Come on, man. Get over it. Change is built into the Christian experience. God said:

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19, NRSV)

You don’t need a personality like the Apostle Paul to live into your calling as a Christian. You and I only need to put our will and energy into things that matter most to God.

Risen and ascended Lord, you are the king of all creation. May your rule and reign take over my life to such a degree that everything that comes out of my mouth, and every action I take would be worthy of emulation in your way of love. Amen.