30. Why Humility?

     And thus, we come to the final chapter in the 30 week series of BELIEVE. Like many of the the elements included in BELIEVE and THE STORY, I have thought to myself, "I would not have included this story" or "I wonder why Randy Frazee and/or Zondervan did this."

     I wonder this morning "Why Humility?" "Hope" and "Humility" are two of the ten key virtues included in BELIEVE which are not found in the Galatians 5:22-23 listing of the fruit of the Spirit. Hope is a virtue similar to faith or belief and of course listed repeatedly in the New Testament, such as 1 Cor. 13, "faith, hope, love."

    But  again, I wonder why list humility compared to all of the other virtues of the Bible? Humility is listed as the polar opposite of "pride" found the seven deadly sins (lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, wrath, envy and pride), contrasted within the seven heavenly virtues (purity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness and humility).

     Humility in this day is a virtue sadly lacking in politics, in friendships, in families, marriages, and even in religion. The Greek word (tapeinophorsyne) is so hard to pronounce, it would probably cause you a great deal pride if you were to learn to say it! It literally means lowliness of mind, not in the sense of stupidity, but in one's estimation of one's own importance.

     Humility is not low self-esteem, but rather a way of lifting others up, edifying those around us. It is a prerequisite for God to come then and be the one of lifts us up, instead of us trying to lift ourselves up. Often pride comes at the expense of us pushing others down to raise our own importance.

     Jesus said that the virtue of humility actually allows God to come and lift us up (see Matt. 18:4, "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven," and Matt. 23:12, "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.") 

    We may question why humility but Christ certainly does not question it as a virtue. He requires it of us.

 The following devotional comes from Zondervan.

KEY QUESTION: 

What does it mean to value others before myself?

Humility is a driving virtue in the Christian life and community. Choosing to esteem others above oneself encourages harmony and love. The opposite of humility is pride. Prideful people typically believe they are better than others. They strive to get their way at the expense of others or boast as a way of boosting low self-esteem. When a person possesses Biblical humility they draw from internal “God-esteem.” They have received God’s unconditional love and embraced their inherent worth as God’s child. From this belief they are capable of lifting others up.

Jesus is our supreme example of humility. The God of the universe could have ridden into our world on a white horse with a serious entourage and fanfare. Instead he came to us as a baby born in a stable to poor parents.

As Jesus was coming to the end of his time on earth, he wanted to impress upon his disciples the importance of humility. He does so in an unforgettable way. (See John 13:1-17.)

What does God require from us? Micah, a prophet to Israel and Judah in the eighth century BC, answered this question with convicting succinctness. What God required then, he still requires of us today.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Read more in Micah 6:6–8.)

KEY VERSE: 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3–4)

KEY IDEA: 

I choose to esteem others above myself.

KEY APPLICATION: What difference does this make in the way I live?

The ultimate humility is found when we place our heart in the constant position of putting God’s glory first and seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness. The more we immerse ourselves into the ministry of Christ to others, the more we experience the abundant life he offers. Seeing him change lives through our obedience is humility at its finest hour.

For growing Christians, a strong sense of self-esteem flows from “God-esteem” on the inside, which frees us to focus on “others-esteem.” When they enter any conversation with a neighbor, the prayer is, Dear God, help me place this person above myself and draw them to you. As the world becomes increasingly self-absorbed, humility will not only be one of the most attractive and refreshing fruit of God’s Spirit to a searching and hurting world, but also a great blessing to our own lives in offering our hearts daily to the Lord, as we exalt him and him alone.

29. A Kinder, Gentler Nature

     As many of you may notice, we are getting our parking lot repaved. I was at first surprised and even incredulous that they painted stripes in a very obviously wrong and mistaken way, only to later find out that they did so based on the wrong and mistaken blueprints that I (yes me) had given them. 

    When I learned that the error was mine (mostly mine I might add) I was thankful that I was gentle rather than harsh when I told them of "their" error. It reminded me of the phrase I used a couple of weeks ago, "Lord, let me give the gentleness today that I will need to receive tomorrow." I was also reminded that anytime you point one finger at someone else's wrong, three are pointing back at you. 

    Do you believe that gentleness is a virtue that you really want to possess? Then why are we so quick to not practice it? The King James word for this is "meekness" which rhymes with "weakness" and we Americans, Christian or not, often do not truly value being gentle as a virtue. 

    Consider road rage. Is it really worth it to get so upset because some driver ahead of you is going to make you five seconds later? Or maybe not even that, as you pull up beside them at the light. 

    When George H.W. Bush coined the phrase, "a kinder, gentler nation," in his presidential acceptance speech, he probably did not realize how that phrase would be such a defining moment nearly 30 years ago. While ridiculed as idealistic, are there not many who wish our presidency, let alone our nation, were a little kinder, a little gentler? A nation becomes gentler when we collectively in our nature become gentler. 

     While there are a lot of things we may not be able to do, is it not true that all of us can be gentle? Gentleness may come more naturally to some than to others (and that is certainly true by the company we keep! Some people are harder to be gentle with than others). But all of us, especially those of us with the Holy Spirit's fruit living within us, ALL OF US can be gentler and kinder to one another. 

The following devotional comes from Zondervan. 

KEY QUESTION: 

How do I demonstrate thoughtfulness and consideration toward others?

Nothing kills a family, a friendship, a neighborhood or even a church like pride, arrogance, anger, closed ears and raised voices. Since God is all about community, he calls his followers to be gentle. Of course, he teaches us by modeling this virtue right in our midst. Jesus offered up powerful insights and encouragement in the Sermon on the Mount.

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1–5)

KEY VERSE: 

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5)

KEY IDEA: 

I am thoughtful, considerate and calm in my dealings with others.

KEY APPLICATION:

 What difference does this make in the way I live?

Think about this self-evaluation question regarding the virtue of gentleness: If you had plans with someone for Sunday evening, would they be dreading the time with you or excited about the visit? Would they be expecting you to be calm or abrasive? Would they anticipate you to be thoughtful and attentive or self-focused and distracted? Would they leave the time with you feeling encouraged or discouraged? Worn-out or refreshed?

The problem with this scenario, though, is that self-evaluation is deceptive. We cannot fully see and understand our lack of gentleness. If we want to know the true measure of our gentleness, we have to ask others.

Jesus extends the invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). I want to be able to say this to the people God has placed in my life. How about you? With Christ in us, we can be gentle!

28. Faithfulness is God's Gold Standard

     Faith seems to be what God values the most in His people. The "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 lists all who exemplified faith. We are people of faith, but are we faithful? In other words, are we people who can be trusted ourselves?

     It would seem obvious, right? People of faith being faithful. We who trust God, is it right for us to be anything less than trustworthy? We believe in Jesus, but do people believe in us to be genuine?

     There is a legacy of faithfulness found in Genesis. Not perfection, although Joseph is said to be someone in the Bible who did not demonstrate an identifiable sin. And consider his legacy of faith.

• Abraham the testimony of Faithfulness, showing obedience in leaving, offering, and trusting. His testimony demonstrates that faith in God should not be based on sight, but on what and Who is unseen. First he left all in Haran and Mesopotamia for a country he could not see. Then he believed God would grant him a child in his and Sarah's old age. Abraham promised that he and the lad Isaac would return, even though he had already purposed in his heart that Isaac would be sacrificed. God rewarded Abraham with Laughter.

• Isaac was the type of Faithfulness, demonstrating resurrection from the  sentence of death. Surely he could have overpowered aged Abraham from being on the altar. Yet, he was a type like Christ, willingly laying down his life in faith. It was through Isaac that the Seed of the Woman would come to crush the serpent's head and though he favored Esau, Isaac blessed Jacob though trembling. We see twice the God of Abraham, but the Terror of Isaac (Gen. 31:42, and again in verse 53), the fear of the Lord. Isaac's faith was not in the absence of fear but in the very presence of fear and trembling, he showed the genuineness of His faith. Through his lineage would come the Christ. God rewarded Isaac with a Legacy.

• Jacob/Israel was the testing of Faithfulness through his struggles with Esau, with Laban, even with the angel of the Lord. A deceiver from the beginning, Jacob would go through the trials and testing of faithfulness. Stealing Esau's birthright, then his blessings, Jacob never had the approval from his father that his brother had. His guile was repaid when Laban tricked the trickster and deceived the deceiver. His testing of love for Rachel was vindicated not only in his labor but in his fruitfulness. When he returned to face his family, he found himself face to face with God Himself, wrestling with the Angel of the Lord. Those who face the testing of faith are used mightily but often walk afterwards with a limp, a painful reward and reminder of the test...and how they prevailed. His new name would be a lasting reminder to his 12 sons and their tribes which followed that Israel, "God prevails."

• Joseph was a triumph of Faithfulness, overcoming hardships without waivering. His faith was founded by his father's love, and that enduring faithfulness elevated him from the persecution of his brothers, the pit of their jealousy, from the prison of false accusation, and from the peril of being forgotten by the cupbearer. His triumphant faithfulness was evidenced not in vindictiveness, but in his vindication; his steadfast conviction was that God was faithful. While man intended evil, God intended good, so much so that he used evil for God's ultimate good. Joseph's reward for His faith was his Love for God and Love by God. For we know that all things works together for good for those who love God and are called to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

The following devotional comes from Zondervan.

 

KEY QUESTION: 

Why is it important to be loyal and committed to others?

Faithfulness benefits the people in our lives. When we are faithful to them, they are blessed. And, over time, our faithfulness to others also has a reciprocal benefit. First, we win favor. As needs emerge in our life, people will be inclined to help us. Second, we establish a name. When our name is brought up, even when we are not present, it is spoken with high regard. A good name established through a life of faithfulness is a boundless gift to pass on to our children.

Throughout the Bible, God called believers to be faithful to his assignment for them, no matter how difficult. In fact, it was often amid the difficult seasons that they most discovered the trustworthiness of God. When they aligned their lives to God’s story, he was with them and accomplished great things through them. All believers have the opportunity to open their lives to God’s will and demonstrate their faithfulness. The results of such faithfulness can be both great and beautiful as God works through those who believe.

KEY VERSE

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3–4)

 

KEY IDEA

I have established a good name with God and others based on my loyalty to those relationships.

 

KEY APPLICATION: 

What difference does this make in the way I live?

Christians are not called to be successful as the world defines success. We are called to be faithful to God in what he calls us to do. We faithfully act in faith toward God and leave the results to him. If I die with five billion dollars in the bank but do not know and have not been faithful to God, then I have failed. If I end up broke but know God and have been faithful to his call on my life in the strength his Spirit provides, I have been truly successful.

YOUR TURN

Based on what Proverbs 3:1-6 says about faithfulness, who are some of the most faithful people you know? How have they found honor and a good name in your sight? In the sight of others?

God's gots more kindness than we gots and He is willing to share

    When I was a kid, my mother was a widow, raising three kids and many

times without a job. When my grandmother, also a widow, sold the family farm, she would often take all five of us out to dinner. I remember one time my mother and grandmother were “arguing” over who would pay the $10 bill for all five of us at Bill’s Restaurant at Parker Plaza in Weatherford (remember the days when five people could eat for $10 at a restaurant?).

    I don’t remember how old I was but my grammar wasn’t the greatest and I piped up and said, “Mama, let Nonna pay, she’s gots more money than we gots!”

      The word we are studying this week, kindness, reminded me of that story so let’s look at the word, but not in English but in the New Testament Greek.

      The word kindness in the Greek is crestotes and is sometimes translated as kindness or goodness and has the root of someone who loans someone else money or lets someone borrow something.

Kindness began with God.

      Eph. 2:7 tells us that one of these days, God is going to show us just how much he has to share with us in his free gift of his fabulous wealth and just how good and kind he has been to us in Jesus Christ.  That verse leads into how we are saved based on how good God is and not how good we are (quite frankly because we are not that good).

      Paul does the same thing when he was writing his young pastor protégé, Titus. God’s kindness and love combined with His mercy, Paul wrote in Titus 3:4-6, and again there is an abundance flowing from God.

      In Romans 2:4, again Paul uses the word crestotes twice in one verse, explaining that it is the riches of God’s goodness and kindness that leads us to change our ways. It is like we live next door to a guy who has all of the tools in the world and rather than us trying to go out and buy all those same tools ourselves, the neighbor comes over and gives us the keys to His tool shed and says, “Don’t go out and buy all these things yourself. Just use mine.”

      God doesn’t want us to use our own kindness because He knows on our own, we don’t have that much. Romans 3:12 says that “there are none who do goodness and kindness; no, not one.” He also says in that same verse that everyone has become unprofitable, worthless, useless.

      Our neighbor, God, has the tools including His kindness and goodness, that if we were to try to get the same amount of “tools” we would go broke, become unprofitable, and once we got home, they would appear worthless compared with what God has to share with us.

      But there is another variation of the word crestotes that is used in the New Testament that is surprising in how it is translated; no, it’s not rendered “good” or “kind” but it is translated “easy”.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For My yoke is easy (crestos) and my burden light.”

      Jesus used the word again in Luke 6:35, “Lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind (crestos) to the unthankful and evil.”

      When we study the word kindness, and see how it comes from borrowing from someone else, it’s not that we are being a moocher from God and taking advantage of His offer to use His tools of kindness and goodness.

      It’s that “He’s gots” more kindness than we do and He is giving us His keys to use the wealth of His toolshed of kindness anytime we need His storehouse of tools.

26. Passing the Patience Test...With Pleasure, not Pressure

Here it is, the one you have all be WAITING for; the virtue of Patience!

How many times have you ever heard someone say, "Don't pray for patience. If you do, God will send you things that will test your patience."

But is that really true? Perhaps. Or perhaps, you have never learned how to endure the trial in patience in the first place and God simply sends you again and again to remedial school until you learn it. It is better for you to learn how to "pass the test" of patience. 

From our reading we see how the Lord is slow to anger, He is patient. (See Numbers 14:17-19). But the Lord is also patient in allowing us to execute punishment for our stubbornness (see Numbers 14:30-33). If you read the passages from Numbers, you might think that it is God who needs to learn patience, but in reality, God is testing Moses in this area and sure enough Moses passes the test. 

Like Moses, I too struggle with patience. No, I have never murdered an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave and, no, I have never struck a rock when God told me to speak to it. But when tensions flare and tempers flash, I have been known to fail my patience test. As I prepared to teach this class, I felt like, "How do I teach something that I am still learning?" 

• First, I think I teach the lessons the best which I have had to learn the most. I have found that I pass the test when I first prepare for it with a Quiet Time in the morning. As I pray and read the Bible, I walk through my day, asking God to be with each step. For the areas that I don't know are coming, it seems that my devotional time in the morning helps me to "expect the unexpected" events that await for me each day.

• Second, I don't count to ten, instead I count my blessings. The children's lesson talks about how Jesus healing a man who waited 38 years to be healed. The Apostle Paul prayed for healing and after the third prayer, Paul found the grace to face the hardest answer from the Lord; that is, the answer of "no." How did Paul pass the patience test? He counted His blessings and God blessed Him with the grace of knowing when Paul was weak, God is strong.

• Third, I persevere with pleasure, not pressure. When my patience runs thin, I try to wait with pleasure, looking for ways to make lemonade out of lemons (or at least flavor my water with those lemons). I look for the good in the bad situation, remembering that God and only God can take the worst thing in the world, the death of His Son, and make it the best thing in the world, the resurrection of His Son. When God says wait, hang on, because things are about to become GREAT. Remember, no pressure, no diamonds! So don't just wait; wait with pleasure.

Understand, you can ask my family and my coworkers, I have not mastered this completely. I am writing this now, but I am soon to be reading it and like Randy Frazee said, "Lord, let me offer the patience today that I will need to receive tomorrow."

This virtue of Patience is the first of the final five that are "more outward and are felt by others when we are exhibiting them" (Believe, page 419). The other four are Kindness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Humility.

The devotional below comes from Zondervan 

KEY QUESTION: 

How does God provide the help I need to deal with stress?

One of the primary ideas behind the virtue of patience is taking a long time to overheat. The Greek word carries the idea of a thermometer. If a spiritual thermometer were placed in our mouths as we faced a difficult situation, how long would it take for our temperature to rise? As we mature, we learn to control our anger and practice patience in all circumstances.

Another aspect of patience is holding up under the pressures of life, waiting on the Lord for resolution.

Patience is a virtue that we develop through control of our anger, and we develop this virtue in the face of adversity. Our cultivation of patience pleases God, who is patient with us. Patience affects our relationships in a positive way and brings great joy to our lives and community. The writer of Hebrews tells us how God fosters this virtue in us over time.

KEY VERSE

Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. (Proverbs 14:29)

KEY IDEA

I am slow to anger and endure patiently under the unavoidable pressures of life.

KEY APPLICATION: 

What difference does this make in the way I live?

Enduring in patience and trusting Christ help us see that receiving something later is often a far better plan than receiving it now.

The faster we want a life event to occur, the more it usually means we aren’t ready to handle the responsibility of it. TV commercials and credit card invitations prey on this fact of human nature. “We just have to have...” is always a strong indicator that we should wait.

As we mature in Christ, we will see more clearly why his timing is perfect. He knows best when we need something; therefore, to trust his heart and hand to provide is far better than placing before him our selfish demands. Someone once wisely said, “God never moves hastily, but when he does move, he usually moves swiftly.”

YOUR TURN

In what ways is waiting patiently different from merely waiting? (You may find one idea in Proverbs 19:11.)

24: Self-Control -- What stone will you take or sacrifice will you make?

     Self Control, as found in the fruit of the Spirit, is a word that used to be translated as “temperance.”

     In my family McKeown Bible from the 1870s, there are pages filled with births, marriages and deaths. Strangely and I am sure purely accidental, the only page that is blank was the page entitled “Temperance Pledge,” which in the day meant a pledge against partaking of alcohol.

     As a result of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, our “self” is controlled by God’s presence and Holy Spirit, not as a result of will-power or simply by “thinking.” In BELIEVE, the first 10 weeks is on how to “think” like Jesus, but it is more than that. It is as the title states, we need to really believe that Jesus is with us always and at all times and then behave and become like Jesus.

     In the story of David and Goliath, all of David’s brothers and Saul’s army believed in God but only David put his faith into action. With Abraham, he believed but it was only evidenced and actually realized when he offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Hebrews says “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”

     David’s faith led him to go to battle with a sling and a stone. Abraham’s faith led him to pledge that both he and the lad would return from Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:5, Heb. 11:19). What action is your faith leading you to have “temperance.”

Today's devotional comes from Randy Frazee. as we finish out the week of preparation for BELIEVE. 

KEY QUESTION:

How does God free me from addictions and sinful habits?

God desires all of us to have self-control over things that can destroy us and others. The writer of Proverbs places options before us, clearly showing the virtue and benefit of self-control.

•          Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:32)

•          The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27)

In essence, self-control means having power over one’s own impulses, reactions and desires.

The Bible offers practical instruction on how to grow in the virtue of self-control. One of the primary applications is to “flee” — flee from the person, environment or situation that tempts us to lose control.

We can tame our tongues, reduce fights and quarrels amongst us, control our selfish desires and mitigate against the negative influences of the world and the devil. But ultimately complete self-control is unattainable. Our sin nature, or flesh, eventually wears us down and gets the best of us. The ultimate solution to gain self-control is “God-control.” The believer has the presence and power of God within them to live a life not undermined by our inner desires and the corruption of the world. As believers, we are to draw on this power to live productive and effective lives.

KEY VERSE

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11–13)

KEY IDEA

I have the power through Christ to control myself.

KEY APPLICATION: What difference does this make in the way I live?

As we develop the virtue of self-control, our sin will decrease and our character will increase.

Let me tell you a story. The late George Gallup Jr. was a good friend of mine who significantly helped me in the early journey of forming these thirty key ideas of the Christian life. In one of our several all-day sessions in Princeton, New Jersey, tucked away in the gunroom of the historic Nassau Club, we were discussing this virtue of self-control.

I was pontificating proudly on how Christians just need to get their act together and be self-controlled. In George’s always kind and gentle demeanor he stopped me and said, “Randy, you’re not an alcoholic, are you?” Startled by the question, I said, “No, I’m not.” He went on to say, “Well, I am. My father was also an alcoholic. When I took my first drink, something happened to me that likely didn’t happen to you or many others. I was hooked and couldn’t stop. Even as a Christian, I tried and tried and tried. I felt so defeated, and it was ruining my life. Then in a moment of quiet desperation, I heard Jesus whisper to me, ‘George, if you never lick this, that is okay. I died for this struggle in your life, and I still love you deeply.’” He paused for a moment, reflecting on that tender encounter with the Savior, and then said, “From that very moment I haven’t had a drink. It has been over thirty years.”

At that meeting, we added the phrase “through Christ” to the key idea of self-control: “I have the power, through Christ, to control myself.” Yielding to the love, grace, and presence of Christ in us is the only way we can be victorious. While not every Christian struggling with an addiction may experience the deliverance George did, the truth of Christ’s commitment and deep love applies to all of us.

YOUR TURN

Why is self-control important in living a Biblical lifestyle? How does self-control relate to other fruit of the Spirit? 

23 Peace -- Where do I find strength to battle anxiety and fear?

     On Sept. 3, Labor Day Weekend, I posted the devotional below, anticipating this week's study on PEACE. Six months later, we are at Week 23 in our BELIEVE study. How have you grown in this study? Did your grow in the virtue of JOY last week? Are you ready to grow in PEACE?

     For me, as I anticipated, this section of study on virtues has been the most convicting. Last week, I was actually embarrassed to admit I struggle with the virtue of Joy, or being content. This week will also be a week of conviction to be at peace, with Shalom.

     I was mentored in hospital visitation by a missionary who would visit, read a Scripture, and then pray with the person in recovery. (I will always remember our first visit was with a man who asked "Do you want to see my scar?" I don't know why he asked because he went ahead and showed us anyway!) My mentor always used the same verse, Philippians 4:6-7. Years later, I understand why. No other verse fits any better for hospitals than the one which speaks on having a "peace that passes all understanding" to guard and protect our hearts and our minds.

     Come to think about it, Philippians 4:6-7 fits just about any situation and struggle that we face in life that makes us prone to worry. Read it outloud, from the new New International Version:

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in every situation,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

     Labor Day weekend during presidential elections is typically the weekend that many people get serious in thinking about who to vote for. Today’s devotional speaks about peace and one of the readings in Week 23 will be passages that speak about praying for those who have authority over us, including the government, that we may “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence,” 1 Timothy 2:2.

     A common greeting in Jewish custom is “Shalom,” meaning peace. I like to think that when Jesus would greet the disciples such as in John 20:19, 21, 26 and other places that He would say, “Shalom.”

     I am finding the most conviction of the BELIEVE study in these virtues. I can intellectually and Biblically defend the theology aspects we have learned. But these lessons on “love”, “joy”, and “peace” will hopefully bring the most life change in me and in our church. After all, Jesus said that if we make peace, we will be most blessed (Matthew 5:9).

The following devotional comes from Zondervan. Be sure to check today’s Killeen Daily Herald about our church and BELIEVE.

Most of us think of peace as a feeling. We want to trade our anxiety, depression and fear for calming tranquility. There are many harmful and ineffective ways people attempt to achieve this feeling, most notably by using alcohol or drugs. Biblical peace, however, starts not with the feeling of peace but with the root cause of it, meaning a strong and healthy relationship with God and with others. Of course, peace with God is made possible only through the Prince of Peace. When Christ establishes his eternal kingdom, societal peace will be the norm.

Two-thirds of the use of the word “peace” (shalom) in the Old Testament involves the fulfillment that comes to humans when they experience God’s presence. Such peace can be experienced from God’s presence in our lives even in difficult circumstances.

Worry is the chief robber of peace in our lives. It prevents us from lying down and sleeping in peace at night. It keeps us on edge during the day. Our Prince of Peace, Jesus, emphasized the immense capacity of God the Father to love and care for his people individually before they let the worries of this life overtake them. He also stressed the important role of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Father, in supporting God’s people. [See Matthew 6:25-34.]

KEY VERSE

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

KEY IDEA

I am free from anxiety because I have found peace with God, peace with others and peace with myself.

KEY APPLICATION:

What difference does this make in the way I live?

When it comes to difficult situations you can’t immediately change or fix — broken, hurting relationships; illnesses or diseases; financial crises — go to God in prayer. Begin by rehearsing all the things you are thankful for — down to the smallest bit of beauty. Leave no stone unturned. Then lay your request before God. Just speak it out to him in complete honesty and clarity. Be specific. Offer to him the things beyond your control and ability to fix. 

As you engage in this spiritual practice of prayer, a peace beyond your comprehension will begin to bud on the end of your “branches.”

Let me tell you a story. In 1956, when Steve Saint was five years old, his father, Nate, flew with four other missionaries into the jungles of Ecuador to attempt to make contact with the most dangerous tribe known to man, the Waodani. After several months of exchanging gifts with the natives, the five men were speared repeatedly and hacked to death with machetes. Years later, Steve found out that a tribe member named Mincaye had delivered the blow that ultimately killed his father.

At the age of nine, Steve went to the Waodani territory for the first time to visit his aunt, who was a missionary there, and he visited every summer after that until her death. Her affection for the tribe was a major influence in Steve’s life.

When he was fourteen, Steve and his sister, Kathy, decided to be baptized by a couple of Waodani tribe members in the water next to the beach where their father had been killed. Steve says he has never forgotten the pain and heartache of losing his dad. “But I can’t imagine not loving Mincaye, a man who has adopted me as his own, and the other Waodani,” he says. “What the Waodani meant for evil, God used for good,” says Steve. “Given the chance to rewrite the story, I would not be willing to change it.”

This famous story of martyred missionaries and their families could have a much different ending — one filled with rage, bitterness, and hatred. But they pressed on despite horrible personal tragedy and saw God work miracles. Why? Because through forgiveness, the peace of Christ was chosen both as a response to the Waodani and as an eternal gift offered to the tribe. Once again, God used his people to bring peace and reach the unreachable.

22. The Surprising Joy/Test-Tribulation-Temptation Connection

     After writing on the sorrow/joy connection, I came across this:

The tree dug in,
 facing fiercest wind,
   will stand well past tomorrow;
It's the deepest roots
 which yield sweetest fruits,
   though grown by greatest sorrow.

    As I go through this week’s BELIEVE material on Joy, I am finding that this lesson is the one out of all 22 chapters so far which I need to learn the most. Of all of the lessons, this is the one I score the least for the test on page 171. Ironically, this is also the one Randy Frazee’s wife gives testimony that she too struggled with the most.

    Why? Here’s my theory: there is a love connection with joy and a sorrow connection with joy, but there is also a temptation / tribulation / testing connection with joy. I fail to enter into the joy because I falter at one or all of the “Triple T” connections.

    All three words, temptation, tribulation and testing are found in James chapter 1.

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face temptations (#1) of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing (#3) of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

¹² Blessed is the man who perseveres under temptations, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. ¹³When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

²⁷This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their tribulation (#2), and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

1.   Peirazo = Temptation with evil (James 1:2, 12-14)

    Satan is the Tempter. When we are tempted, we are not in sin, but we are in serious danger. Jesus was tempted every day of His existence, in every way (Heb. 2:18) that we are, yet He was without sin (Heb. 4:15). He is able to help us but temptation is a battle. There is an escape, 1 Cor. 10:13 say, but every temptation has the potential…

•         of being an opportunity to get us closer to God, resulting in joy and perseverance
•         of being an obstacle to get us closer to Satan, resulting in sorrow

     Stephen Charnock, a preacher from the 17th century, said, “A deep sense of the Divine Goodness of God would strike Satan’s temptation dead at a blow.” A way to victory is to remember God is good, divinely good and will deliver from evil (Matt. 6:13).

2.   Thlipsis = Tribulation; a pushing together, anguish, tribulation.

    John MacArthur says that "Thlipsis (tribulation) has the underlying meaning of being under pressure and was used of squeezing olives in a press in order to extract the oil and of squeezing grapes to extract the juice ... In Scripture the word thlipsis is perhaps most often used of outward difficulties, but it is also used of emotional stress."

     People may think they are being tested by God, when in reality they are experiencing the natural consequence of sinful humanity. Widows and orphans have tribulations (James 1:27) not because of Satan’s temptation or God’s testing, but because of the nature of a fallen world. Joy can be found when we help people in times of trouble.

     The word "tribulation" is from the image of separating the wheat from the chaff. We experience tribulation to rely on God’s grace to purify us from the chaff. It is used by Christ in Matt. 13:21 saying the trouble robs people of their initial joy of salvation. Again in John 16:20-24, Jesus said the joy of birthing a child helps overcome the “tribulation” of labor. Paul linked the two in 1 Thess. 1:6 with joy coming from the Holy Spirit and in 1 Thes. 3:3-7, with joy coming from other believers.

    We cannot avoid the storms of the sea, but we can rest assured God will give us joy when we make it safely to the harbor.

3.   Dokimion = Testings resulting in proven character (James 1:3, Rom. 5:4)

    The third link with joy comes from God’s testing. When God puts His people into the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how much we can take.

    The difference in testing and temptation is that God tests us to bring out the best, while Satan tempts us to bring out the worst.