So foolish?

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?                          Gal. 3.3

Paul appears to be quite angry with the Galatians. He well knows that they received salvation through his ministry, by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit. But it seems “legalists” have come in and caused confusion and disarray, and great concern to Paul with their preaching that the rituals of the law must be observed in order to assure salvation.

Paul shows his great annoyance with the Galatians for allowing themselves to be influenced by these, possibly genuine but ill-advised, people. God Himself makes clear to us what He wants:

To obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Sam. 15.22)

But how are we to show our obedience? Not in circumcision and the restrictive ways of legalism, but in loving the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.  And to love your neighbour as yourself. (Luke 10.27) This is what God would have and, I rigorously believe, this will only happen through the power of God’s Holy Spirit working in us. Compliance with rules and regulations will not bring love, grace and peace into our living. These things are the fruit of the Spirit.

Do we then ignore the law? By no means! Certainly there are parts of the law (sacrifices etc.) which no longer apply. The requirement for such was fulfilled by Jesus in His life and death. Other legal requirements were placed on the Israelites in their role as God’s chosen people living in His promised land. These do not apply in Gentile society.

But the fundamental “Ten commandments” surely underlie and undergird the whole endeavour of we believers to love God with every fibre of our beings and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

I cannot, then, ignore all of the law. But I must be careful to maintain only those parts that I need to, and not allow myself to become a narrow, legalistically law-abiding, religionist. My ally in this in none other than God’s Holy Spirit! I believe that, as I release myself into the care and guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will lead me into the fullness of life and truth.

I will not attain the goal by purely personal effort, but I cannot abdicate all action to the Holy Spirit. I have a responsibility, nay an obligation, to keep myself open to Him. I will fix my eyes on Jesus. I will do my utmost to observe and maintain those laws that enable me to love God to the fullest and my neighbour as myself. And I will surrender myself to God praying that He will have His full and perfect way in me.

Lord God,

I thank You for this time. I thank You for speaking with me as You have today. I thank You for the reminder that I will achieve nothing if I act like a legalistic prig. I thank You for giving further indication, and assurance that the way to You, the true way through Christ, I will find in Your Holy Spirit.

You have led me through several years of extended study. I thank You for this, for the revelation You have given me, the secrets You have shared, and the mysteries You have opened up. I thank You for all of this and I pray You will put this study to good use in the rest of my life. But I know it is nothing without the presence and leading of Your Holy Spirit in me.

I surrender myself totally and willingly to You. I pray the Your Holy Spirit will saturate me with divine presence. love and power. I yearn to be greatly effective in ministry for You. Yet I am so aware that I can do nothing in my own strength, I will not attain my goal by human effort.

Holy Father, the plan is Yours. You know the purposes You have for me. I give myself freely to You for the achievement of whatever You will of me. I ask You to nudge me if I am ever at risk of making the wrong move. I ask You to deal appropriately with me in any and every situation. If I put myself in the way of what You will for me then, please, bring correction.

I want to be totally, absolutely, sold out to You. Take me and make me Yours. May we begin right now. I ask You to lead me into, and through, this day. Let me be obedient to Your will. May I honour You in all that I do. I ask these things in Jesus’ name.                     Amen.

Zealous for good purpose

It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.                       Gal. 4.18

Paul is berating the Galatians for maybe being zealous over the wrong things. He has mentioned their observation of special days, months and seasons. But salvation does not come from such. God alone is the means of salvation. The combined work of Father, Son and Spirit is what saves us out of sin and leads us into eternal life.

God is my focus, and it is fine for me to be zealous for Him – at all times. I do not need to impress mortals as perhaps Paul hints that some Galatians might have sought to do. They were zealous in his presence but likely not showing any such enthusiasm when he is not with them.

I may remind myself that God is always present with me. I have His word for this. The knowledge of such gets me excited just thinking about it. Oh, may I always know zeal for God, may I be ever exuberant for Him.

He is real. I know His reality in my life. Let me live it and show it forth right now, today and every day.

Lord God,

I pray that I will never blow “hot and cold” for You. I love You and want that love to shine forth at all times. I wish for zeal for You to consume me.

But may this not be some separating or segregating experience. Let me demonstrate my zeal for You in the love I share with Your creation. May I reach out to those I meet as Jesus would. He looked upon people with compassion. I seek to do likewise.

I ask for wisdom. May I know Godly wisdom in my dealings with folk. If I minister, let me do so in complete harmony with You.

Yes, Lord, I want to be zealous for You, but I pray for a right balance between enthusiasm, energy, wisdom and love. I ask for these things in Jesus’ name.                      Amen.

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Genuine

I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.                Phil. 2.20, 21

Paul hopes to send Timothy to the Philippians. He sees in Timothy a genuine interest in the well-being of others. Paul then makes a general statement about how people look to their own interests. Sadly, this is too often true.

The reminder that I should look to the interests of Jesus rather than my own brings to my mind a question that has been used recently as something of a catch cry in Christian circles, “What would Jesus do?” The intent, I think, is to use the question as a means of directing the individual to the right action, be it thought, word or deed. This is a useful tool, but I would add another to it, and again in the form of a question: “What would Jesus have me do?”

In imagining what Jesus would do, I might not always be able to see myself in His place. But the second question clearly positions me. I would still ask myself both questions. The first question elicits an answer that, indeed, opens me up to see and embrace the “attitude of Christ Jesus”. I desire to grow more Christlike, therefore it is important for me to understand how Jesus would react. Following this, the second question brings me firmly into whatever situation presents itself, and further connects me in deeper relationship with Jesus. I may never do exactly what Jesus would do. Yet if I ask the second question, and commit to implementing the answer to the best of my ability, then I may “prove myself”, as Paul is satisfied that Timothy has done.

Will I ever be all that it’s possible to be for God? I will not realise the sinless perfection of Jesus, but this should not deter me. If I give to the best I can, and allow God plenty of scope to work in and with me then I may be at ease with myself (that is, free of guilt or striving). The key is to give of my best, and I don’t always do this. A useful aid, surely, is to remind myself always with the question, “What would Jesus have me do?”

Lord Jesus,

I want to follow You. I want to be Your disciple, and learn from You. I want to know You, truly know You in deep, penetrating and intimate relationship as someone who not only follows You, but one who follows very close to You.

I want to follow You in being and doing like You. I marvel when I read of how You saw the crowds, and looked on them with compassion. I want to follow You in this. As I look upon people may I see them as You see them? Would You show me the miracle that You have placed in each human soul? When You looked on people, You were not content simply to see them with compassion. The pull of their predicament often moved You to minister to them in healing, deliverance, release or equipping. Dear Lord, may I follow You in this? I give myself to You. Work in me and with me by the power of Your Holy Spirit. I ask this in Your precious name.                                                                                                                              Amen.

Ephphatha

... Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “be opened!”) At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.                               Mark 7.33b - 35

With the single word “Ephphatha!” Jesus wrought healing. As He spoke out the words “Be opened!” the man’s ears were openend. Furthermore, his tongue was loosened and he started to speak clearly and plainly.

As I read of this physical healing, I am mindful of a spiritual parallel. I believe many “spiritual” ears are closed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many are shut off from hearing the story of the good news. They may hear something, but they are unable to respond: ... ever hearing but never understanding. (Mark 4.12)

Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6.44)

Here I see the dilemma, and the response. The Father draws to Himself, to His Son and to the Spirit. The work is His. He alone can open the eyes to see and the ears to hear. He can loosen the tongue to speak forth acceptance of Christ as Saviour and Lord.

This spiritual miracle has not yet been granted to everyone. Yet God’s Word reminds us that He does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3.9)

This is God’s desire. Dare I encourage it?

Holy Father,

Eyes and ears need to be opened so that non-believers can see, hear and respond to You.

I cannot effect this but I know You can. I intercede and ask You to intervene with the miracle of Ephphatha. I cry out on behalf of all who do not yet walk with You. Some I know, many are unknown to me. For them all, I pray You will speak the words “Be opened” and lead them into sweet and lasting relationship with You.                                                         Amen.

Advance the gospel

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.                           Phil. 1.12

In whatever situation he finds himself it is clear that Paul lives the Christian gospel. His present context is from prison and here the message has been presented and received.

... it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. (v13)

I am mindeful of reminders from the book of Acts of how Paul witnessed in situations as diverse as a difficult sea voyage (Acts 27.22-25) and with the family of a high official on a strange island (Acts 28.8,9). Paul was not deterred by circumstances that came upon him. Indeed, to the contrary, he utilised every opportunity to share his amazing faith (cf Acts 17.16-34).

Paul was a Christian. This means that he lived every moment of his life in his faith. He encourages us to do likewise: Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Phil. 1.27)

Again the question is: What of me? Am I responding to Paul’s plea, and conducting myself in a worthy manner, whatever happens? I want to. And I try to. But it doesn’t always work out. So what do I do? I keep going; I keep applying myself; I keep hoping; and I keep praying for His help.

Lord God,

I am a sinner and You and I both know this too well. I humbly ask Your forgiveness for my straying. Please restore me and lead me in the right paths. I want to conduct myself always in a manner worthy of You. Let me start afresh today. Show me Your way and lead me in it. May I sense Your constant presence with me, guiding and directing me in the way I should go. Strengthen me in Your Word, lead me into more opportunities to share it, and grow me in boldness to proclaim the gospel, in Jesus’ name I ask.                                             Amen.