Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

July 29, 2011

Friends with Benefits
by Stephen Sanders, Salem A/V Editor

"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. -1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NIV)

Anyone who has been a Christian for an amount of time has probably experienced an unfriendly encounter with another believer. It's just inevitable. People have bad days, become influenced by the wrong things and make the wrong decision sometimes. Christians, in our culture specifically, also have a tendency to be very judgmental...and that is probably a bigger problem than most of us realize.

In recent months, I've seen really strong arguments online about a variety of issues. Here are a few:

-Can someone watch Harry Potter movies and still be a Christian?

-Can someone drink an alcoholic beverage from time to time and still be a Christian?

-Is it God's will for all Christians to be rich?

-Should Christians take medicine for illness or trust God for healing?

-Why did God create people that He knew would go to hell?

As you read some of these, you probably immediately formed an opinion based on what you have found to be "true" in the Bible or in your Christian walk. Maybe you have spent countless hours stewing over and standing for one of the sides to these arguments because you feel so strongly about them. You could be one of the few people who don't get caught up in such arguments and, for that, I salute you. But, regardless of who you are, there is a very important lesson to learn from all of this.

God has made it perfectly clear in the Bible that it is His will for Christians to be a light to this world. He has called us to be a people who draw the lost to Him, who share the Good News with those around us in order for them to be reconciled to Him. Those who are not Christians should look at us and see a group of people who love one another. This we know.

However, there are some things that we do not know for sure. We have not been given the ability to look into the hearts of other Christians and know what motivates them. It is absolutely impossible for any of us to walk in the same shoes as those around us come to the same conclusions about the issues of life. But isn't it funny how sometimes we still try?

Is Harry Potter something that Satan could use to pull a believer closer to him? Perhaps, but I think that he would be far more likely to use something or somebody far more unlikely to do it...like another believer. Could a Christian become addicted to alcohol and do damage to himself and others around him? Yes, but could a Christian also practice moderation and shame the devil? Definitely. Did God create people that He knew would go to hell? If so, does that really change the way we have been called to behave and minister to those around us? Absolutely not.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Everyone has their own perspective on what is beneficial or what should be permissible. This week, step outside of your regular circle of Christian friends and create some bonds with some Christians that you may not see eye to eye with on all the issues. You might be surprised at just how much God will use that to grow you. You might just find that you receive something far more valuable than the satisfaction you get when you've proven your point: a friend.

Further Reading:

1 John 3:11-24

James 4:1-12

[Judy Harder]

 Crosswalk.com - The Devotional
     
Aug. 1, 2011

Free Radicals
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

"Woe to you when all men speak well of you..."
Luke 6:26

How deep does my arrogance run? Put it this way: you didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway. You see, the biggest reason I've not yet written the book I've got jangling around in my brain is that deep down I still actually believe a complete impossibility: that hidden between my mind and my keyboard are the magic, just-right words that will get everyone to agree. On everything. Or at least, on everything as I have interpreted it. The words that will get Christians to start treating sinners as they treat themselves, and sinners to stop sinning. Phrases that will be so beautifully turned that neither liberal nor conservative will have aught to say about them. A book that will bring everyone together, and that, most importantly, will not cause anyone to write me nasty letters, claim I am deluded, or call me an idiot.

The irony, of course, is that my goal is already shot. The ideal itself is delusional, and pure idiocy. And as the saying goes, if you want everyone to like you, nobody will.

So what should be the goal? Well, truth, sure. And being obedient to simply be the vehicle through which God wants to impart a particular take on His Truth.

But why is that so hard?

I think it's because we continually re-invent Jesus, who is paradoxically uncomplicated and difficult to parse. Who already lived here before me, whose words are already recorded for anyone to read. The Lord called Himself 'the Truth' while giving us a version of how to walk on this planet that is so contrary, so impractical, so frustratingly (if I hope to be honest about it) radical.

Beginning with what I already admitted at the top of this devotional, bear with me as I turn Christ's Great Sermon from Luke 6 into something of a dialogue...

Jesus (vs. 26): Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets.

Me: Ew. Cut to the chase about what I'm going through, why don't you? So I've set myself on the path of the false prophet, have I? Swell; I knew I couldn't trust myself. But Lord, anything else I say or write or do is going to lead to having enemies, people who are upset with me. What do I do about that?

Jesus (vs. 27-28): Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Me: Oh... so it's an action thing instead of an avoidance thing. Pretty mind-boggling concepts. I can't help but notice you didn't say, "bash those jerks' heads in with rightness." Because that feels more natural, Lord. But assuming you're on to something, what does that look like in practice?

Jesus (vs. 29-30): Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

Me: Ooh, yeah, ya see, the thing is, Lord... there's a lot of people who might take advantage of that. And what in the world are you saying: there might be people who want to hit me in the face?! Is that what I signed up for in following you? I gotta be honest, it doesn't sound like a very comfortable, or practical, way of living in this day and age, this country, this world. Can't you simplify it for me?

Jesus (vs. 31-33): Just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way. And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

Me: Wow, that just blows my mind, Lord. Of course you're right... what is there to separate me at all from anyone else, even the most vile of unrepentant sinners, except how I react to situations and treat people? But don't you know how hard this would be? What am I saying... of course you do..., but... please forgive me for saying so, it just feels like giving some bully my coat, shirt, or other cheek is somehow crazier, tougher, more insane in 21st-century America than first-century Jerusalem. I hate asking, but if I'm gonna commit to this, I gotta know... what's in it for me?

Jesus (vs. 35, 37-38): Love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men... Do not judge and you will not be judged... pardon, and you will be pardoned... Give, and it will be given to you.

Me: Man... and here I was thinking that I was the one who needed to come up with the words that helped us treat sinners as ourselves, and to what ends. You truly have covered all things and lived all things, Lord. Now, I just wonder if I can really do this, Lord, even for the rewards you promise.

Jesus (vs. 46): Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and do not do what I say?

Me: Because it's so contrary, upside-down, and radical that it's seriously hard to trust... even to trust you, Lord. Although, if it were easy I guess it wouldn't be called 'trust.' It just seems like there's so much to lose. Help me to be free. Help me to take this risk, to think not of myself, my safety, my comfort first, to love people as you love them. If I may be so bold, it's almost like you were... blessed to be unattached and to have no place to lay your head? Still, despite my handicaps, I want to try, Lord... I want to try.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Now here's a challenge -- but it's straight from the mouth of Christ: the next time you are wronged, hurt, or had something taken from you... can you give the person responsible even more of what they took? And believe you'll somehow be blessed for it? And if not, why not?

Further Reading

John 12:25
Radical Graditude: Grateful in Tough Times
Someone Worth Losing Everything For
Are You a Radical?

[Judy Harder]

August 2, 2011


What Is True Spirituality?
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate."
Genesis 3:6 NASB

It seems clear to me that the root of all human sin is unbelief. Doubt. I've heard people argue that the most basic sin is pride, and well, I suppose that's somewhere lurking on the other side of the coin. But if we start at the beginning of the Bible, the Genesis 3 account shows that Eve first doubted God. That was her sin. After her unbelief came the outward act of disobedience.

Francis Schaeffer, commenting on this, said: "By her doubting she called God a liar. Eve doubted... mankind in revolt doubts God" (chapter seven, True Spirituality).

On the contrary, the person who is at peace with God does not doubt Him. Rather, he/she trusts God. Schaeffer says this is the simplest way to describe true spirituality: it is believing God.

But it is more than just believing God at one isolated point in life. It is believing God and having ongoing belief in Him. There must be moment-by-moment personal communion with Him.

God created us to be relational, not mechanical. Healthy relationships depend on good communication. But communication is an always-in-flux, moment-by-moment kind of thing. That is why all our mechanical efforts at the Christian life fail. It's not about reading a set number of chapters of the Bible each day. It's not about praying for so long.

No. What is needed first, and what inspires trust is, throughout the day, seeing before us the most basic teachings of the Bible:

God exists and He is personal.

God is holy and sin will be judged, but Christ's atonement removes the guilt of sinners.

We are saved from condemnation by the finished work of Christ, and we are brought into a proper relationship with God in a personal way.

We are joined to Christ spiritually.

We can enjoy communication with the Creator on the basis of what Christ has done. (1 John 1:5-9)

These truths don't change, regardless of how I feel at any given moment.

The rediscovery of believing God and these truths moment-by-moment is what lifted Francis Schaeffer out of a long, dark season and re-energized his life.

In our lives, what generally causes us to distrust Christ and run elsewhere is that we often think that we have a better way. We think that, somehow, God really doesn't have our best interests at heart. Like Eve, we think that God is withholding something good from us.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
The rediscovery of believing God and these truths moment-by-moment is what lifted Francis Schaeffer out of a long, dark season and re-energized his life. If you've come to see that God doesn't deserve our suspicion, seek His aid to maintain this moment-by-moment walk of faith with Him. 

For Further Study:
Isaiah 30:15 "Thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 'In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.'"

For further study, read Romans 6-8 and 1 John 1:5-9

[Judy Harder]

Aug. 3, 2011

Man Up
By Ryan Duncan

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. – 1 Corinthians 16:12

My senior year of college, I applied to be part of a short term mission trip to Russia where my classmates and I interacted with children at the local orphanage. During my time there, I saw and experienced Christ in ways I never expected, and though I hated to leave, I couldn't wait to get back home to tell everyone about it. That trip literally changed my life, so I was furious when I discovered that out of next year's two-hundred applicants, only twenty of them were guys.

One of my growing concerns for the Church today is the decline of leadership among male Christians. Trust me, I'm no exception. I'd much rather hang out with a group of guys then try to manage some complicated project or get involved in something that will cost me time and effort. Still, it's gotten to the point where God is trying to put us in the game but many of us are choosing to stay benched. It's a familiar story, one the Bible tells in the book of Judges.       

"Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.' " Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh," – Judges 4: 4-10

I can sympathize with Barak. Sisera had been cruelly oppressing the Israelites for twenty years, and he commanded 900 iron chariots which where the equivalent to army tanks in the ancient world. Barak had good reason to feel uneasy about this battle. At the same time though, Barak was commanded by God, through a judge no less, to rescue his people and his overall response is, "Meh, I don't know."

God needs men of faith to stand up and act. You don't have to fight 900 iron chariots, but maybe it's time we started looking around for things we could do. Consider starting a small group for younger guys, participate in a mission trip or attend your Church's prayer brunch! You don't have to do everything, just do something. God has given us opportunities to impact the world for good; let's not miss out just so we can sleep in and watch reruns.

Intersecting Faith and Life

Guys, look around and find ways to actively live out your faith. Ladies, encourage reluctant guys to get involved at Church. 

Further Reading 

Micah 6:8

[Judy Harder]

August 4, 2011

Want vs. Need
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19, NIV

Leave it to God to give me some food for thought from a relationship advice book/memoir written by someone who is not exactly purporting to have a biblical worldview.

In Lori Gottlieb's Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough, she writes: "What you want isn't necessarily good for you. And in going after the person you think you want, you ignore what you really need."

How true, Ms. Gottlieb, how true. After I thought about that, I expanded the notion to everything in my life—not just relationships or finding a mate. And that made me think about people in the Bible who wanted what they wanted but who got what God determined they needed.

Jacob ...In Genesis 29, we read how Jacob didn't want to marry Leah who had "weak eyes." He wanted to marry Rachel who "was lovely in form and beautiful." But Laban gave his other daughter Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel on their wedding night.But Jacob wanted what he wanted. So he promised to work for Laban for seven more years in order to have Rachel. Because of that "delay," Jacob grew spiritually and his character was refined. His sons would become the nation of Israel, and through Israel God blessed mankind.

Jesus ..."My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me," Jesus said in Matthew 26. "Yet not as I will, but as you will." Jesus did not want to be separated from the Father by the sin that he was about to die for when he was crucified in our place on the cross. But to save the world, a perfect, spotless lamb was needed to take away our sin (Jn. 1:29). God, in his great love and mercy, purposed that his only begotten son would die to pay the price for you and me.

Paul ...He was a zealous persecutor of the church who later became a passionate missionary. When he was Saul, he didn't want the gospel to spread. But in Acts 9, God intervened, blinded him temporarily and then gave him a new vision for the rest of his life. Once renamed Paul, he was armed with the story of his amazing conversion experience, as he made three missionary journeys to represent Christ, mentored young ministers including Timothy and wrote many of the Epistles in the New Testament.

What God needed to happen in each of these lives was all part of his perfect plan. We can see it now, but I'm sure that while Jacob, Jesus and Paul were in their midst of their painful struggles, God's plans might have been more difficult to accept as what they needed in their lives.

As you personalize this today, what is it in your own life that you want? And what is it that God is telling you that you need? Make peace with what you want versus what God says you need, as you rest in him and his perfect plan for your life.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

I have always loved CeCe Winans' song, "Rest in Me," from the Coram Deo II: People of Praise project. Ponder the words from the chorus today as you contemplate letting go of what you want and receiving with open hands what God says you need:

Rest in me, rest in me
I'm the rock of your salvation
Can't you see?
Rest in me, rest in me
Perfect peace belongs to you
If you believe

Further Reading:

Matthew 11:28-30, NIV

Romans 8:28, NIV

[Judy Harder]

August 5, 2011

The Aligned Heart
by Katherine Britton, BibleStudyTools.com Editor

"Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?" - 1 Corinthians 5:6

I wish I could say I hurt my back while jumping from a runaway horse or belaying down a mountain. But I don't have a good story – or any story at all – accompanying my recent injury. All I know is I had the audacity to wake up and couldn't get out of bed properly, nor could I stand up straight. At best, I managed a lopsided shuffle from bed to couch, with much grunting and groaning. Moving up and down stairs took an eternity. And most of all, it hurt like crazy.

After a couple days of doing the zombie shuffle, I got desperate. I couldn't cook dinner, I couldn't clean, I couldn't comfortably drive anywhere, I couldn't even watch TV without wincing at the smallest movements. I popped ibuprofen like candy. I promised God that I would never, ever, EVER make fun of my father again when he complained about back trouble.  I began to imagine the rest of my life with chronic back pain, always careening to one side and never being able to stand up and look friends in the eye. That's when I broke down and went to the chiropractor.

Wow.

A few cracks and pops later, and I knew how the lame beggar must have felt when Peter pulled him to his feet. A few disks and joints back in proper alignment and I was almost back to normal. I felt like belting out an Hallelujah Chorus or two. I felt whole again.

God created the human spine to support the rest of the body. So when even one of our 26 vertebra slip out of alignment, the whole body suffers. The pain doesn't stay isolated; as I discovered, it affects every moment of my day. That's bad. Really bad.

Paul makes a similar point to the Corinthian church, as they had accepted various and apparently insignificant problems into their lives. But Paul knocks them over the head and says, "Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?" (1 Cor. 5:6). His point was quite simple – living with sin will affect every part of you. A full life depends on a heart fully aligned to Christ's desires, because there is no such thing as a little sin.

Intersecting Faith & Life: In Romans, Paul warns believers not to think grace gives them the freedom to continue in their old ways. "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2) Rooting out sin is about more than condemning a behavior or an attitude. It's about aligning our hearts to live life more abundantly.

Further Reading:

1 John 1:8-10

[Judy Harder]

August 8, 2011

Living the Consistent Life
Sarah Phillips, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3: 30, NIV

Teaching high school religious education can be an educational experience - not just for the kids but us teachers, too. High school students have so many questions, and their questions often reveal their struggles to live out their faith.

In the years I've taught religious education to teens, I've noticed that many of the questions our students ask reveal inconsistent thinking. When teaching on the sanctity of life, the class agreed with the beautiful Christian ethic that calls upon each one of us to respect human life from conception until natural death and protect those vulnerable among us.

As the conversation digs deeper, however, it's not uncommon for some students to cook up every scenario they can imagine where they think it would be "okay" to terminate an innocent life. They try to push the limits with us, try to get us to bend on truth. They also wanted assurance from us that if they felt strongly enough about something, they too could bend the truth.

Of course, my co-teacher and I could not give them that reassurance. As painful as some situations can be, we're called to conform to God's truth, not the other way around.

As tempting as it may be to blame the teens' questions on their ages, don't we all play this game? We embrace the Christian faith with conviction... until it becomes uncomfortable. Then we start asking the same questions these teens asked, but perhaps a bit more artfully.

Surely, God would understand if I go against his Word this time... I mean, this situation is different, isn't it? Then we start rationalizing, like teenagers trying to get our of our parents' well-designed rules.

It's a struggle to live consistently with God's truth, isn't it? I'd say it's a lifelong struggle. Thankfully, God gives us the grace to conform to His will if we're open to it. He increases in us as our former selves decrease. Little by little, our inconsistencies become clearer to us and less appealing.

If you're struggling with an inconsistent life, remember that where sin is present grace abounds. (Ro 5: 20)

Intersecting Faith & Life: Examine your life this week. Are there areas that are not consistent with God's Word? Are there areas you've compromised? Seek out God's grace to bring your life in conformity with his will.

Further Reading

Romans 12: 2

[Judy Harder]

Aug. 9, 2011

"Whatever": Simultaneously the Worst and Best Word We Have
by Shawn McEvoy, Managing Editor, Crosswalk.com

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute... dwell on these things (Phil. 4:.

On the one hand, it's always good to get scientific affirmation for something you believe or suspect.

On the other, it's never fun when you've been planning to write about that same belief or suspicion for over a year and someone goes out and steals your thunder.

But that's okay - this Fox News report about a survey by Marist College on the most annoying words in American conversation just gives me the excuse to get around to it now.

The article states,

47 percent of Americans surveyed in a Marist College poll released Wednesday [found "Whatever" to be the most annoying word we use].

"Whatever" easily beat out "you know," which especially grated a quarter of respondents. The other annoying contenders were "anyway" (at 7 percent), "it is what it is" (11 percent) and "at the end of the day" (2 percent).

"Whatever" — pronounced "WHAT'-ehv-errr" when exasperated — is an expression with staying power. Immortalized in song by Nirvana ("oh well, whatever, nevermind") in 1991, popularized by the Valley girls in "Clueless" later that decade, it is still commonly used, often by younger people.

It can be an all-purpose argument-ender or a signal of apathy. And it can really be annoying. The poll found "whatever" to be consistently disliked by Americans regardless of their race, gender, age, income or where they live.

Exactly! I've felt that way for years. When someone uses "whatever" on me in a conversation or email, it's a kick to the groin of non-importance. Beyond annoying, it's rude and dismissive. It's also ignorant, especially when delivered at the end of what was supposed to be a friendly debate or argument, because it illustrates that the person had no better retort and is now summarily ending the conversation with a parting shot connoting that nothing you just said mattered anyway. "Whatever!"

In a country sorely lacking in civility, manners, and conversation skills... and ripe with apathy and self-importance, "Whatever" is the motto du jour.

Then again... what a powerful word it can be for our walk with Christ.

It's kind of like when you are reading a play, or preparing to act in one. You have the script before you. There are minimal clues for how any word in the text should be read. What inflection, what level of voice, what tone shall I use? What does the context and the setting and the personality of the character tell me in regards to how this word or line is going to sound? Ultimately, you and the Director decide.

And I've decided that "Whatever" can be, if we so choose, the defining word of the Christian life. Because while few other words carry the same potential for dismissive rudeness, no other word holds the same potential for all-out surrender and steadfast faith.

I find you guilty in your sins.
Whatever you say, Lord, I repent and accept the sacrifice of your Son who atoned for them.

This situation you're in is going to hurt.
Whatever. I know my faith will be made strong through trials, and that I can do all things through your strength.

You don't know what the future holds; only I do.
Whatever it is, you deserve glory and honor and praise. Bring it on!

I want you to [go to Africa / give to this homeless person / quit this job / plant this church / preach my Word]
Whatever!

I know you think this is unfair compared to that person's situation, but do not let comparison steal my joy from you.
Whatever, God. Whatever.

The Apostle Paul was the master of "whatever." To wit:

Phil. 4:11: I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

1 Cor. 10:31: Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Gal. 6:7: Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Eph. 6:8: Whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Phil. 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Whatever!

[Judy Harder]

Aug. 10, 2011

Romans 8:28 Does Not Mean Giving Thanks with a Plastic Smile
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

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

Catastrophes like recent earthquakes, hurricanes, and even terrorist attacks remind us that, indeed, we live in a sin-cursed world. Not only do tragedies like these cause many to lose their lives, they often leave countless others in their wake---roiling in doubt and disbelief. The horrors of human suffering can stain our minds and souls and often obscure our vision of the God who is there. How are we supposed to respond?

Closer to home, we experience the curse of sin in personal ways through losses or disappointments that grieve the heart. We may wonder in all honesty at such times what verses like Romans 8:28 mean. Does Christ ask His followers to simply put on a plastic smile and somehow grin and bear it?

Hardly.

Francis Schaeffer offers a helpful explanation to this dilemma in the first chapter of his classic book, True Spirituality. In fact, he says that a proper grasp of Romans 8:28 is crucial to understanding the world.

First of all, he takes care to point out that the Bible's view of life in the world is clear-eyed and realistic: At the Fall of man, everything became abnormal. The whole world is not what God made it to be. Therefore, Scripture verses like Romans 8:28 cannot be calling us to think...


"...that in some magical way everything is really fine when it isn't. Rather, we are to say "thank You Lord" knowing that God will somehow bring good ultimately, though we may not know how all the pieces fit together.



            "It is not that Christians are to give thanks with a plastic smile, saying things are wonderful when they are hard.

             It is knowing that the hard things are really hard things, a result of the abnormality of the Fall, yet not revolting

            against God when the hard things come."



"We do honor to God and the finished work of Christ as we throw the words 'all things' in Romans 8:28 like a circle around all things..."



"...we are contented before God... not complacent about the suffering of the world."



In other words, Christ neither calls us to be indifferent nor to put on a plastic smile. Rather, we are to face the facts of hard reality and then sink our roots more deeply in who He is.

What a privilege that we who are naturally God's enemies can have a relationship of trusting Him—the faithful, sovereign, covenant keeping God who is incapable of failure. He makes and keeps great promises not only for His glory but for the ultimate good of those who are His.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

In what situations are you tempted to be shaken from trusting God?

Clearly, this is a sin-cursed world.  Still, do you sometimes catch yourself expecting a rosy path? Why? What do we really deserve? (Read Romans 3:10-20)

Further Reading

Jonathan Edwards' sermon: "Men Are Naturally God's Enemies" 

[Judy Harder]

August 11, 2011

Setting a Christian Example
Sarah Piper, Crosswalk.com Editorial Assistant

Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4: 12

Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like you had nothing to offer or that your contributions didn't matter? Ever had to prove yourself to others in order to gain their respect? Think back to your childhood—maybe you experienced this in a classroom or on a sports team. It's easy to be intimidated or overshadowed by those who are older, smarter, more talented or more experienced than we are. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul is writing to Timothy, a young believer. He encourages him not to give anyone an excuse to write him off as immature or undeserving of their attention, but instead to confidently set an excellent example of the Christian life.

Of course, Paul's message here doesn't apply only to Timothy, but to us as well. Even if we sometimes feel useless, God has a plan to use us for His glory in every situation. He enables us to live in a way that exalts Him and to bless others with our example.

In this verse, Paul names five specific areas in our lives that should be representative of a changed heart, the first of which is speech. This is probably one of the most difficult aspects of our character to keep in check; as James 3:6 says, "the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness." Although there's no denying that it's challenging, it's vital that we learn to control what we say since it often has a huge effect on others. Thoughtful and loving words can establish relationships, but just a few angry or careless words can destroy years of friendship.

Next, Paul emphasizes our conduct. In his letter to the Philippians, he encourages them to "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." As believers, we have a responsibility to represent Christ to the world through our actions. If we wear the label of "Christian," we must be willing to live our lives to that standard.

Perhaps the most essential aspect, love must also be characteristic of our lives. As Jesus says in John 13:35, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." More than anything else, our love distinguishes us from unbelievers. Christians are called to exhibit a kind of love that others would see as crazy, the same kind that Jesus showed us: unconditional, undeserved, and often unrequited—the type of love that makes people do a double take.

Next, Paul addresses our faith. As believers, "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). We trust that the Bible is true, that Jesus was who He said He was, and that God has the ability to keep the promises He has made to us. This faith should give us courage to live boldly for Christ because we know God will love, protect, and provide for us no matter what.

Finally, we are called to be an example of purity. In the Beatitudes in Matthew 5: 8, Jesus says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Because of our fallen nature, we can't reach perfection in this life, but nevertheless, we are to strive to keep God's commands as a demonstration of our love for Him and gratefulness for the saving work He's done in our lives. As we grow in our walk with Him, He promises to purify us and make us more like Himself.

The characteristics outlined in this verse aren't easy to perfect by any stretch of the imagination. That doesn't give us a free pass not to work towards that goal, though. Paul challenges us to reach for a higher standard, not only to set an example for other believers, but also to make unbelievers wonder what we have that is so special that it changes everything about our lives.