Disputable Matters: Romans 14:1-8

              I'd like to introduce you to a chapter in scripture that has provided me a lot of direction in theological disputes between Christians. However, I would also like to preface this talk with the warning that I do not claim to have all the answers to the questions presented by this passage nor do I yet know how to fully apply this message, but I know enough that this does not discourage me from sharing it with you or allowing you to meditate upon it with me. Let us dive into Romans 14:1-8:

1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

           This is certainly a long passage, so let me attempt to break it down for you. First of all, it is apparent that Paul wishes to reduce conflict in the church, especially conflict between people who's faith is weak and those who are more mature. Right off the bat, Paul serves us the example of vegetarianism; there are Christians who are very divided over this issue despite clear Biblical passages (such as Acts 11:9 and Matthew 15:11) that tell us that all food is free for our consumption without guilt. Although you can know for a Biblical fact that this position is correct, it does not mean that other Christians will agree with you. What are you then to do? You are clearly in the right, but the other Christian won't change his mind. How are you to respond? Paul clearly tells us not to judge him. We are told here that the vegetarian refuses to eat meat because he wants to please God and that we should respect that. He says that each person is individually set before God to be judged and that we have no part in that judgement. In the middle of his argument, Paul also extends this idea of acceptance of theological differences to what day you worship on. To me, this looks like it means we should accept Christians who treat Saturday as a special day instead of Sunday without forcing them to change their mind. Also, even if we were able to force them to act against this conviction, Paul tells us that this is sin for them at the end of this chapter (v. 23):

23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

           Do you see what happened there? Even though eating meat is not a sin, if you convince that vegetarian Christian to eat meat (when they think it is a sin), you cause them to sin even though you, yourself, would not sin if you performed the same action! That means that there is a little bit of a difference of what constitutes sin from person to person.
            Now, of course, I need to offer some major disclaimers about how to apply this passage practically. First of all, one should limit one's freedoms based on three things: Word of God, Prayer, and Considerations of what is Beneficial/Constructive for others (1 Timothy 4:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 10:23-24). If any of these tell you that you cannot do something, don't do it or it is sin for you. However, a second observation I must make is that Paul tells us to respect people who have MORE restrictions than us, not less. Therefore, Paul calls me to respect the boundaries of people who think there are MORE ways to sin (i.e. vegetarianism), but does not call me to respect people who think there are LESS ways to sin (i.e. homosexuality). In fact, in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, Paul tells us to push people who are in unrepentant sin out of the church and to do this with gentleness and love:

9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

           This passage tells us there are three criteria for kicking someone out of a church. These are if someone is a 1) Christian, 2) has been involved in a regular sin and, 3) is not repentant of that sin. If they meet all three of these criteria, you are to exclude them from your community and, as tough as it is to say, avoid fellowship with that person. We see the motivation behind this in verses 4-5:

4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

           So now you see that we cannot allow people in our community to actively engage in what we consider sin in our midst. Now, if you are the meat eater, and the veggie eater is in your midst, this means abstaining from eating meat in his presence and not pushing the debate with him. Paul tells us this in Romans 14:20-22:

 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

           One last disclaimer that I would like to put on this passage is that Paul seems to be focusing on issues that are very small like what food you eat and what day of the week you worship on. Paul is not advocating a pluralistic faith where we all can believe whatever we wish in spite of the Bible and our Christian community. Nor are we told to simply ignore what we believe in. We see this in 1 Timothy 4:16:

 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

          Therefore, we are called to be certain of what we believe in and to share those beliefs with others. However, this is tempered by what we have been studying in Romans 14 because Paul tells us that there are some beliefs that are meant to be kept between us and God. This is where the unanswered questions come in. Which beliefs are important enough to debate? Which should be left undiscussed? Which doctrines can I talk about just for fun and when? I think Paul helps us work toward some of the answers when he says that we are not to destroy the work of God for the sake of food. Therefore, if we know an issue will cause division, we should be more cautious about discussing it, even for fun. However, if a specific issue is bothering you in a Christian community, I would suggest that you go to your pastor or community leader for the answers to your questions. The pastor is there for your spiritual direction and provides an environment where you can discuss all your theological questions and concerns.
          Since this material can be a bit touchy, please do not be offended or take me to be unable to change my opinion or take advice on both what I say and how I say it. Therefore, don't feel shy about letting me know that you disagree or if you want to add any thoughts or comments to my discussion. You can put those comments below this post or to my facebook or twitter accounts. This is a topic that I broach with many people, including guys I disciple, so if you improve me or my position, your effect will be multiplied out to whatever ministry I do in the future.
 Peace,
Simeon Snow

God's Will: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

               For this post, I wish to tackle a difficult phrase that has caused a lot of trouble in Christian circles and frame this phrase, God's will, in positive ways that we can act on without being paralyzed in fear. There is a good desire in most of us to do God's will for our lives. However, when we use this phrase, we often get caught up with the idea that there is a secret book of answers floating in the sky, just like the answers to the math problems in the back of a teacher's textbook. If only God would let us look at his answer book, the argument goes, then we would really find satisfaction. What if I said that we have the answers right before our eyes? What if God's will for our lives isn't as mysterious or distant as we feel so often? To start this discussion, let's take a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

             Do you notice the phrase, "God's will" in this passage? Does it seem too easy to label this passage as God's will? The response I know most people would give is that this doesn't answer the question they are trying to ask God. For instance, if I want direction on who I should date or am trying to make a major career decision, how could this passage possibly help? Perhaps it helps by making us ask more questions. It is not that your question is illegitimate. God is intimately aware of the desires that are bubbling inside of you. You can see it in Psalm 38:9:

9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.

           Therefore, the wise thing to do is to bring these desires before God in prayer and continue seeking direction on our decision. But, here's the clincher, we usually don't feel satisfied or at peace after making these petitions to God, right? We do have good moments, but usually our prayers and petitions to God seem to echo void and useless. This is because God wants us to pursue his will past this prayer. However, this pursuit might not mean what you think it means. This pursuit is to find what God wants us to find. In the above verse from 1 Thessalonians, we see that  God's will is for us to be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Therefore, we get to see that, although we have successfully come before God in prayer, he still wants more of us. The phrase "God's will" comes up in a variety of places in the Bible, like two chapters back in 1 Thessalonians 4:3:

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

           Thus, the question, "What is God's will for me?", goes way beyond whatever you are hoping to get from your future spouse or job. God wants us to continue to ask that question, but to let him guide us to what that means. Already, we have seen that it is God's will for us to be joyful always, give thanks in all circumstances, be sanctified, and avoid sexual immorality. Therefore, asking God about your future spouse or job is an incomplete question. You don't just approach God about one topic and then walk away. Instead, you keep engaging him about what your whole life should look like. God answers the question about what his will is over and over again in scripture and it all pertains to your original question. When you ask, "Who is God's will for me to marry?", you find the answer to that question in all of God's will. This means finding joy in God today, being content with what he has given you, and purifying yourself sexually. God guides you to your destination through every day obedience to his will and, by will, I don't mean this mysterious answer floating in the sky. I mean taking the step that God has shown you to take today. That is part of the answer to your question. If you dedicate yourself to following ALL of God's will, he will take you to that spouse (or lack of spouse) or job (or lack of job) in his own timing and in his own way. To clarify, it is not wrong to seek a specific answer to questions about jobs and spouses (that is God's will for you), but you need to add on to what you are doing. You seek Him in the everyday, mundane things, and he will bring you to the destination that you are seeking. Not only will you arrive there in the future,  but you will arrive at where you truly desire here and now in seeking God's presence. This is the key behind Psalm 37:4:

4 Delight yourself in the Lord
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

           As I said earlier, God knows the desires of our hearts. In fact, he knows them better than we do. Since he loves us, we sell ourselves short when we seek satisfaction by forcing our ways into God's answer book. Did you know that finding the answer to your question can be an idol? Have you thought of God's will as becoming an idol with more importance than God himself? He will lead you to your answer, either directly or indirectly, but finding the answer to God's unknown will is not the point of your life. The point of your life is to follow and obey God's known will, which means pursuing and delighting yourself in God here and now. Seeking God's unknown will is a small part of all of God's will for you and should be kept that way; it is a piece of the puzzle, not the whole thing. Therefore, you seek the piece by seeking the whole.
            In closing, meditate on Ephesians 5:17-20:

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peace,
Simeon Snow

Appearances: 2 Corinthians 12:6

                Today, we are looking at two seemingly opposite ideas in scripture that actually complement each other. The first is to avoid managing our appearances and the second is to manage our appearances. The first piece of scripture I want to show you is 2 Corinthians 12:6:

6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

           In this scripture, we see that Paul is holding himself back from the temptation to make people believe about him what he wants them to believe. In other words, not telling people that you are good and trustworthy. Instead, Paul asks us to let our actions speak for themselves. We, as Christians, should not have to beg people to trust us and make good opinions of us. Rather, our words and actions should be so above reproach that people know that they can trust us without much thought. In this sense, we are not supposed to carefully manage our image before other people. This is the message behind James 5:12, which says:

12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

            In addition to this, it does not seem to matter very much what people think of us in the first place because  we receive value from God's opinion of us rather than man's opinion. This can be seen in 1 Corinthians 2:15:

15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment

         So far, we have two verses that explain how and why we do not manage our appearances: we should let our words/actions speak for themselves and we are only to get our value from God in the first place. However, these verses are balanced by other thoughts in scripture that show that it is very important what other people think, but this importance comes from a different set of reasons than the world has for valuing the opinions of people. First, look at 2 Corinthians 8:20-21:

 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

           Also, look at 1 Peter 3:15b-16:

15b Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

          Therefore, we see that we are to place a very high value on the opinions of others and should change our words and actions so that they will look good in the eyes of other people. This managing of one's appearance is not done out of insincerity. One verse that discounts this idea is James 3:17, which tells us that:

 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is... sincere.

            We recognize that we need to be a great example for other people and we do so out of a sincere heart. Therefore, what I am trying to say is that we need to take pains to do and say what is right in the eyes of others without staking our personal value in the eyes of others. We see Jesus having to deal with this tension himself. In John 5:41-44, he says:

41 “I do not accept praise from men, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

         But in Matthew 17:27, he tells Peter:

 27 “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

         It may seem shocking, but Jesus tells Peter to give the tax for the sake of appearances. You would never think the Supreme Ruler of the universe would have cared about what anyone thought. However, in this case, we see that Jesus recognizes the need to maintain good appearances, even if the action itself didn't have much value. To Jesus, it didn't matter whether or not they gave the tax, but he didn't want to ruin the image of his ministry by getting it caught up in a scandal over taxes. This is not to say that Jesus was a people pleaser; throughout the gospels, it is very clear that Jesus values righteousness over appearances. However, this allows us to draw a very practical lesson from this verse. When the righteousness of an action is neutral, we are to choose the path that looks best in the eyes of others. This will keep us from pushing people away from the faith and will allow us to pick and choose the battles that do matter without causing a big ruckus over every decision that we make.
          In a church, this means that the leaders need to be clear and accountable to others, even if there is no risk of mismanagement! In a romantic relationship, it means not putting yourself in sexually compromising situations, even if you both have great self control! Around other Christians, it means avoiding what other people think is sin, even if we know it is not sin!
         In conclusion, there is a very healthy place in the back of our minds for what other people think of us. However, instead of letting these thoughts determine our value or bog us down in worry and regret, we should leave the end result up to God and view the management of righteous appearances as a ministry and opportunity all on it's own; this is not a hypocritical act, but a radical righteous that not only obeys God's word, but goes above and beyond obedience to make sure people see our words and behavior as God glorifying rather than leaving them in doubt.
        In closing, this concept is best illustrated by Paul's talk on food sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8:7b-13:

7b Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Peace,
Simeon Snow

The Ministry of Conversation: Ephesians 4:29

          I'll admit that this verse has some hard things to swallow in it, especially when you'll see it compared with another piece of scripture, but I think it will do us both good to meditate on it today. Here is the first piece of scripture, Ephesians 4:29:

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

          First of all, nothing unwholesome is supposed to come out of our mouths. For a clearer vision of what this means, let's flip forward a few verses into Ephesians 5:4

4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

         I love a good joke more than anyone else, but, I must admit, there are times when it is hard to keep the jokes clean. One would seem to counteract the filth of a joke by the community that is built by it; I make people laugh and draw closer together. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? However, although unity is an ideal of scripture, it is definitely balanced by the concern that we are unifying around what is good and wholesome. That is why we have church discipline and correct doctrine: if we let anyone say or believe anything in a church, it will quickly collapse. How does this apply to the words that come out of our mouths? If we refer back to Ephesians 4:29 from above, we can see that we are trying to build other people up with the words that are coming out of our mouths. Not only so, but we are trying to take special concern for the specific needs of each of the people who are listening to us. I think there are several needs of our friends and acquaintances that we are not aware of. If one of my female friends is battling lust issues, any kind of sexual innuendo is going to hurt her. However, you wouldn't know that about anyone unless they are very close to you. Therefore, we are to forgo all obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking, in all circumstances, to prevent ourselves from hurting our family in Christ.
         Instead, we are called to use our words to encourage those around us. I would propose that this is to be deeper and more thought out than simply saying nice and pleasant words all the time. Ex: "Good job, Billy! You always bring a smile to my face!" Instead, I would ask you to turn your eyes to Deuteronomy 6:6-7:

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

         This verse talks about using our daily conversations as ministries to reach out to the people that we run into every day. We see that we are to talk about our faith and scripture in almost every context from walking down the road to being around the house. Almost every context can be leveraged for the kingdom of God. All it takes is a little creativity and attentiveness on your part. If you take any kind of evangelism training, you will be told that there are great conversation starters to get you started with sharing your faith such as asking if someone's life would be better or worse with God in it or asking them if they need any prayer. This prevents the awkward situation of running up to someone and diving right into the gospel. There might be appropriate times for such an approach, but generally the subtle and relational style is much more effective. We are not called upon to use our faith as a verbal brick to beat someone's head in. Look at 1 Peter 3:15b-16:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

          It is the same with encouraging your brothers and sister in Christ! We aren't supposed to drop big spiritual bombs on people's heads in most situations. Instead, we keep a look out for anything meaningful in the conversation that you can relate to. For instance, I was recently watching television with a friend and we saw a commercial of a girl who won tons of money and was crying and drooling with excitement. Not to sound too cold, but I wondered out loud, "I wonder if we should be that excited about winning a hundred thousand dollars. I know that it's not wrong to be excited about that kind of thing, but, at a certain point, I would hope that we didn't place that much trust in what wealth can gain for us." From there, it's possible to go in all kinds of directions with the conversation. I am aware, however, of something called the "Jesus Juke". This is when you completely change the direction of a conversation to some deeply serious spiritual matter. For instance: "The Cardinals are doing so great this year. Their players are putting record numbers up and my fantasy team is doing so well!" "Yeah, but I wish people would focus more on Jesus. Football is flushing our country down the moral drain." Not only is this kind of language embarrassing, it also usually invokes an element of shame. To avoid this, try to bring up a topic that is very relevant to the subject matter and pull on positive thoughts that you are sincerely interested in. Remember, every day is full of ministry, you just need to keep your eyes open.
Peace,
Simeon

The Big Secret: Philippians 4:11-13

           Today's post circulates around a text that has been often misused by the glib Christian world of quick fixes for personal problems instead of a focus that brings glory to God and encourages us to live rightly. The text that I am speaking of is Philippians 4:13, as follows:

13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

           This, of course, can be applied to any and every part of life with moderate success. I do believe that God wants the best for us and will always want to give us what we need for life, whether that be in finances, goals, or relationships as shown in Romans 8:28:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose

          and Matthew 7:9-11:

 9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

          However, I think the application of this verse to every situation has been somewhat harmful because it has taken the teeth away from this verse. Not only so, but we have also instructed Christians with the exact opposite application from this verse than is given in the passage. In order to see this, one needs to look at this verse with the two verses behind it: Philippians 4:11-13. Paul has just talked to them about his thankfulness for their financial support.

 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

          Paul is telling us that we need to learn the secret of being content. That's what verse 13 is all about: we can be content in any and every life situation because we can do all things through Christ. Instead, we get the impression from modern Christianity that this verse is helping us to "escape mediocrity" (Nod if you recognize this phrase and who uses it, lol). Instead, Paul is telling us that we need to (wait for it) ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY when God has called us to it. This is reinforced in 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, which might say a few things that will shock you:

17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

          We do not accept it in our own power, but accept it because Christ gives us the power to accept it. Now, this verse doesn't always mean mediocrity, as is shown by Paul's statement that Christ helps him to be content in situations where he was well fed and living in plenty. These situations also require us to be thankful for what we do have. Getting things is one of the quickest ways to build up desire for more things, ironically. So, in a sense, being rich and successful makes it tougher to be content than if one were not well to do.
          Don't take me to be saying that you can't have dreams or goals, but, to be absolutely realistic, you probably won't accomplish all the goals that you set out to achieve; there are disappointments and failures ahead. Therefore, while you can use Philippians 4:13 to encourage you to win a competition or complete a hard assignment for work or school, the much more appropriate application for this verse is when you fail to accomplish that assignment or win that competition. These situations are difficult to be content with and we have a hard time dealing with them. This is why Paul refers to his reliance on Christ's power as a secret; it is not altogether obvious that Christ gives us the power to fail. Unlike what the health and wealth gospel preachers will tell you, it requires a lot more trust in God to accept failure and mediocrity than it does to trust Him to escape it.
          Therefore, look to God and thank him for the many blessings that you have. If you are reading this in the United States, you are probably in the 1 percent, as in the 1 percent of the world that will get to accomplish the things that you want to and live at the quality of life that comes with almost no effort at all. I think it's amusing that we want Philippians 4:13 to give us so many things, but fail to realize that Paul could not even imagine getting the things we have today when he wrote this verse. He didn't have dreams of living the "good" life, as in getting a raise at work so he could buy the houses, cars, and comfortableness that we already have before we try to use Philippians 4:13 to get even more.
In closing, meditate on Proverbs 30: 7-9:

7 “Two things I ask of you, O Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.

Peace,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Self-Control- Part 9 of 9

          Self-control is the final gift listed with the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Self-control is very important in the Bible. Look at 1 Peter 5:8:

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

           The verse before talks about casting you anxiety on God, so you can look at this passage as talking about not allowing Satan to use your unresolved anxieties as weapons to attack you, but there are also other ways of looking at it. When we become angry and we do not control that anger by being self-controlled and alert, we give Satan the tools that he needs to hurt the people in our lives, hurt our testimony as Christians, and do some damage to ourselves. However, Anger is an emotion that is welcomed in the Bible. We know of Jesus flipping tables in the temple because of his anger over the desecration of the temple by the money changers. There are also verses in the Old Testament that speak of God's righteous anger. Look at Nahum 1:2-3:

2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and maintains his wrath against his enemies.
3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
    and clouds are the dust of his feet.

          We know that God is a good and loving God, but that does not mean that he does not get angry or take vengeance. Of course, when it comes to vengeance, we are supposed to give that over solely to God. Look at Romans 12:18-20:

 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

            Even when people blatantly insult us and irritate us, we are to treat them with patience and calm. Look at Proverbs 12:16:

16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
    but a prudent man overlooks an insult. 

             and Proverbs 15:1:

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger. 

           Being patient does not mean overlooking justice, however. Micah 6:8 says:

8 He has showed you, O man, 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. 

            and Psalm 68:5:

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
    is God in his holy dwelling. 

          Therefore, we need to let the emotion of anger expose evil that is occurring and respond to that emotion with thought, rather than suppressing it. Christianity is not an anti-emotion faith; we apply our faith to our lives with not just our mind, but with our hearts as well. However, the proper use of these requires thought and practice to perfect. For more on this topic, revisit my very first blog entry on this site, "Heart and Mind: 1 Corinthians 14:13-17".
           That's all for the Fruit of the Spirit series. Check back next week and see what comes next!
Peace,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Gentleness- Part 8 of 9

            Gentleness is one of the keys to a great Christian life. Have you ever heard of the saying "You can be right and speak loud and still be wrong"? It is possible to confront someone with truth and still be in the wrong because of the way that truth is expressed. Look at 1 Peter 3:15-16:

15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

         Here, we see that, as Christians, we are responsible for not only choosing to follow Christ within our own hearts, but are also responsible for explaining that internal hope to those around us. We are always to be prepared for a conversation about the Lord of our lives. However, the passage strongly warns that we are not to do this with disrespect, but with gentleness, so that our character won't be called into question. The Christians who use loudspeakers to confront the sinners of this world with ugly comments about their condition are doing an unbiblical disservice to our faith. Our witness is not very effective when it calls attention to our lack of empathy instead of to the real issues of the gospel.
          Gentleness is also very important when dealing with the shortcoming of other Christians. Look at Galatians 6:1:

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.

           It is our responsibility to show gentleness in even the harshest confrontations. Although we are to confront unrepentant sin and hard hearts with firmness, as shown in 1 Corinthians 5:9-12:

9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

          , we are to consider the emotional needs of people that are repentant and reassure them that they are still loved and accepted by the community, as in 2 Corinthians 2:5-8:

 5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

       Not only are we to show gentleness to those who are struggling with sin in one way or another, we are also called to be gentle and forgiving with the everyday quirks and irritations that come with our family in Christ, as shown in Colossians 3:12-14:

 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 Peace,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Faithfulness- Part 7 of 9

                 Why can faithfulness be such a hard virtue to practice? It seems that we can only stay faithful to someone or something whenever we are emotionally attached to it. We know how to be faithful to our friends on a good day, but what about when we don't feel like it and it hurts? When I hear of faithfulness, I think of God's command against divorce in Malachi 2:15-16:

15 Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 16 “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the Lord Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

          Divorce is an endemic disease among our people. You can't turn around without bumping into someone who has had their life changed by it. I also see it in our relationship with God, as in Psalm 106:11-13 when the Psalmist speaks of Israel after the parting of the Red Sea:

 11 The waters covered their adversaries;
    not one of them survived.
12 Then they believed his promises
    and sang his praise.
13 But they soon forgot what he had done
    and did not wait for his counsel.

          The prescription for faithlessness in the Bible is remembrance. As soon as you start forgetting who the Lord is and what he has done for you, the more you start to slip away from faithfulness. Listen to Psalm 78: 4-8:

4 We will not hide them from their children;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
    to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their forefathers—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.

         You can also describe this remembrance as the spiritual discipline of Thanksgiving. Considering that the Thanksgiving holiday is coming up very soon, I think this would be a great time for you to practice this very easy discipline: simply write a list of or discuss with others what you're thankful for. Once you are done with this list, spend a few minutes meditating on what you are thankful for and how that shapes your view of God. Reflect on Psalm 77: 9-12:

 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works
    and consider all your mighty deeds.

          Job, in the midst of his trial, is able to refuse his wife's demand that he throw off his faithfulness to the Lord because he remembers the good God has done for him. In Job 2:10, he responds,

 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

          In 2 Peter 3:8-9, we are told,

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

         We are told to remember God's eternal character, so that we do not understand a delay in God's action as his lack of desire or ability to take action in our lives.
         What about being faithful to humans, such as to our spouse? The verses we have looked at so far have talked about faithfulness to God because we remember his character. What does that have to do with divorce and other faithlessness issues? Consider this: Since faithfulness is a Fruit of the Spirit, it is developed through a deepening relationship with God. There is a primacy of loving God over loving others. This is the same with faithfulness: faithfulness to God will precipitate faithfulness to others. This happens because, as we stay faithful to God in a growing relationship with him, he will transform our hearts to be faithful hearts. Look at Hosea 14:4:

4 “I will heal their waywardness
    and love them freely,
    for my anger has turned away from them.

          God is able to heal our waywardness and faithlessness if we turn our hearts more and more to him. Of course, we are all human and will find ourselves failing in our faithfulness from time to time. All sin is an act of faithlessness, really. So, I am not trying to set some unattainable standard if you were only "Christian" enough to achieve it. Rather, God is faithful and, by spending time with him, we are able to mimic his character just like a child mimics his parents. Not only do we do this by mimicry, but, like I said earlier, we open ourselves to the work of the Spirit in our lives rather than resisting it. This is done, not just through the discipline of thankfulness, but through all the spiritual disciplines, such as Bible reading or prayer. Finally, all people are different and this post is not meant to prescribe a single solution to all cases of faithlessness. However, my assertion is that we can all become a little more faithful by remembering what God has done in our lives as we spend time with him.
Meditate on Psalm 86:11-13 this week:

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Peace,
Simeon

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Goodness- Part 6 of 9

         For this post, when I speak of Goodness, I mean our desire to pursue God and grow close to him. I would say that Godliness is the fulfillment of this desire and pursuit, but Goodness is the continual drive to get there. It is very hard to draw near to God if you don't want to. If you've kept up with my blog, you would have read me mention Goodness briefly in the post called "A Pattern of Growth: 2 Peter 1:5-7". There, the passage outlines a pattern of growth, beginning with (v.5):

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness...

           The phrase "For this very reason" refers to the previous statement that we can become more godly through God's power in our lives. Thus, in a very real sense, God places in our hearts a desire to obey his laws that was not there when we were unbelievers. Refer to Hosea 14:4:

 4 “I will heal their waywardness
    and love them freely,
    for my anger has turned away from them.

           and Ezekiel 11:19-20:

 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

          However, just because God places this new desire in our hearts does not mean that the battle is yet over. For we find Paul telling us in Romans 7: 18-20:

 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

         Thus, there is a battle between your new Goodness and your old, sinful nature. There is a constant back and forth process between the two that will continue for the rest of your life. How do you fight the battle? Here is the interesting part: In order to grow my desire to pursue God (Godliness), I need to do things that I don't completely want to do. This is otherwise known as discipline, specifically spiritual discipline. While it is important to choose spiritual disciplines that you find at least somewhat rewarding, the immediate concern is not that you enjoy the discipline. As I just said, that desire grows over time as that little seed of desire for God is fed and nurtured. Support for these statements actually come from the passage leading into the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: 16-18:

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

          The way that we oppose our sinful nature is to live in the Spirit, meaning to be actively involved in a daily relationship with God. If we do this, otherwise known as "living in the Spirit", we will feed and grow our desire to do good things. A similar passage comes from a continuation of the passage I quoted earlier about the battle between our two natures with Romans 8:5-8:

5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

         A sublime analogy for this idea of doing actions that don't come easily in order to grow our love comes from marriage. If you've listened to some ideas coming from marriage counseling, you may have heard someone respond to a case of lost love by telling the person to do loving acts and that the emotions of love will follow. Consider Paul's admonition to husbands in Ephesians 5:33:

 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

          Have you considered why Paul had to command husbands to love their wives? Some would say that if the love isn't there, the relationship shouldn't be continuing at all and that the lost lover should find a new soul mate to initiate the "falling in love" process with from scratch. In that case, Paul would be giving horrible advice here. If the "falling in love" theory was right, all discontent couples (otherwise known as ALL couples) would need to break up at the first sign of lost love. However, if we accept Paul's advice for what it is, we see that love is a choice that can build into an emotion over time, just as Paul's admonition for wives to respect their husbands. They might not feel respect, but that does not lessen the need for the woman to meet the man's need for respect from his lover. Similarly, a relationship with God is tough. Just because you have made the commitment of faith to God doesn't mean that you want to spend time with him every time that he asks you. So, in a sense, yes, Goodness is present from the moment you accept Christ and the Holy Spirit invades your heart. However, this seed is like the mustard seed in Matthew 13:31-32:

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.

         I think this parable has been neglected by Christians who think that the mustard seed placed in their hearts at salvation will simply grow, even if they don't water it and nurture it. I would like to remark that there is a tension in scripture between our need to grow ourselves and that God will independently bring about his own growth in our lives, even when we aren't working with him. For instance, Philippians 1:6 says:

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

          and Mark 4: 26-29 says:

 26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

         So, yes, there is reason to hope that growth will happen in our lives, even against our wills (by grace), but there is an equally opposing narrative in the Bible that contains passages like 2 Peter 1:8-9, which follows the process of maturing in one's faith:

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

          If we don't nurture our relationship with God, we will be ineffective and unproductive in our faith. Also, look to John 15:5:

 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

         In conclusion, take my admonition to grow your Goodness seriously. You will have a much more difficult and fruitless life if you don't take this seriously. However, also know that God loves you and knows how hard it is to pursue Him. Taking off the sinful nature can be just as difficult as sawing off an arm; it's a part of who you are and always will be. However, don't consider God to be a mean schoolmaster who paddles you every time you don't love him. Instead, picture God as a lover who is trying to woo you. In the back and forth between boys and girls, there is the part where they guy initiates and sends nonverbal messages of his interest. However, as most guys could attest to, the relationship develops a lot slower and is much less exciting when the girl doesn't respond to his call. When she looks at his antics with passivity, she cools a flame that was meant to burn bright and consume her heart. It was designed for such emotions and the desire is there. However, it is but a small flame that must be nurtured and fanned into its proper glory. This is where the mustard seed analogy comes into play. It is so, so small to begin with, but if you spend time with it and help it along, it will grow into the biggest tree in your life.
In Christ,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Kindness- Part 5 of 9

          For this topic, lets take a look at Colossians 3:12-14:

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

           I think this verse does a great job in dealing with Kindness as a virtue. It recognizes that everyone we will ever come into contact with will probably disappoint us in one way or another and that we will do the same for others. Instead of dealing with this by trying to push ourselves and others toward perfection, this verse promotes kindness and forgiveness as a better response. We should "clothe" ourselves in kindness. What this means is that we need to have that mindset in place from the moment we wake up (maybe this is why it is called a 'mind-set'). It is all a part of grace. We are all equal in God's sight and nothing today will increase or decrease that value. In fact, you may have noticed that the passage I quoted starts with 'therefore', indicating that this verse is a result of what was just said. Here is the previous verse (v.11):

11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

          We are all equally loved in God's sight and we should, therefore, seek to represent that equality by being kind and forgiving to each other. Verse 13 tells us to 'bear' with each other's shortcomings. The word 'bear' seems to indicate that this will be a long process, perhaps even life long. Of course, if there is unrepentant sin in someone's life, we are called to address and confront that sin head-on; also, we want to help our brothers and sisters grow over time. However, this does not mean that we are supposed to point out each and every imperfection. Verse 14 tells us that love is a key virtue for keeping compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience all tied together. This is because all these virtues keep love as a common goal. In the case of kindness, we are seeking to create a safe place for those around us to be themselves. This world is full of enough places of judgement and criticism without the church adding an extra burden. We pursue our goals of maturation in a fail-free zone. This means that we bear with each other's growing pains as we seek to imitate Christ. Only Satan uses guilt and shame as tools for motivation. If you find yourself using shame or guilt to persuade others or vice-versa, you need to escape this cycle of death. Even if the desired changes take place, the guilt and shame will still float around and attach themselves to some other part of your life. Kindness dispels that; it admits that we are all broken and that we accept that fact without wallowing in self-pity. Even an unkind joke can leave behind ripples that will play out in someone's life for several years. Consider Ephesians 4:29:

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

          Use every word as an opportunity to encourage and lift up those around you. The Pharisees in Jesus' time took an exact opposite approach. In Matthew 23:4-7, Jesus says,

4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’

         They tied up heavy loads of guilt and condemnation for the common person to carry and didn't offer them any assistance in carrying those burdens. We don't help other people by placing extra burdens and doubts upon their shoulders. You will notice that Jesus points out the heart behind the Pharisees' actions: everything they do is for men to see. In other words, the reason why they were unkind to people and judgmental of their sin was to make themselves look more holy. Just the same, if we, as Christians, do not show kindness and forgiveness to those who fall, it is probably because we want to look holier than our fallen brethren. What better way to prove that one doesn't need as much grace than to point out someone who does need that grace?
        Listen! I really want you to meditate on this last verse, Luke 15:2:

2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

         Chew this one over. We are all sinners, right? The Pharisees were sinners. The people that Jesus met with were especially known for their open sin. However, let us, for a moment, take this statement by itself and think about it. Every person I COULD welcome is a sinner, even those who will not admit their sin. So what does it mean to welcome a sinner? It means to welcome someone as they truly are and to "eat with them", otherwise known as "doing life together". Not to place expectations on people they can't live up to. We welcome them to be themselves in a world of insecurity and fear. We become a safe harbor for people to dock and unload their cargo every single day.
          If you struggle with kindness, it might be because you have not addressed the guilt that you have towards your own sin. If that is the case, find a group of people that will welcome you and your baggage without judgment. It is hard for us to mimic what we have never experienced. Give them an opportunity to be kind to you so that you, in turn, may be kind to others.
In Christ,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Patience- Part 4 of 9

           Patience is one of those virtues that is widely recognized in the world, not just in Christian circles. This can be seen in old adages like "Good things come to those who wait." However, this is also one of those truths that is usually countered by people who have seen the good results of ambition and initiative and, thus, we have the counter-adage: "Better things come to those who act." I have seen this attitude in churches, which are more often businesses these days, who are pushing for growth and results while doing very little to examine the quality of such growth. There is something to having a deeper community than one that is necessarily large (Although, there is nothing inherently wrong with large churches). Let us consider Proverbs 16:32:

32 Better a patient man than a warrior,    a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

          Would it be too much for me to say that God cares more about character than about results? The idea of a patient person outdoing someone who conquered a city seems in blatant contradiction with much of Western culture. I mean, who cares if you're patient if the job gets done? Isn't patience just a means to an end anyways? From what I remember, especially from the world's adages, the point of being patient is so that I can get what I want. However, I think we should take this verse to mean that God actually does care about our character, no matter how many people we are able to convert and disciple. Of course, those things are important to God, but I think we make too little of the personal qualities of ministers and instead judge them on numbers. There are a variety of megachurches with watered-down doctrine, especially health and wealth doctrine, that attracts a large following, but leaves those who come with an unquenched thirst for something more real.
          I talked recently with a disciple of mine about the three keys to ministry: prayer, faithfulness, and patience. (By the way, if you think this discussion about ministry only applies to pastors, you'd be wrong. When I say ministry, I mean what you did today and, in fact, what you are engaged in every day of your life. Your life abounds with opportunities and blessings that others are waiting to receive.) First, we approach God with prayer before we engage in today's ministries as well as whatever prayer happens throughout the day. Second, we are inwardly faithful in our spiritual disciplines and time with God as well as outwardly faithful in obeying God's commands, especially those that call us to love others. (These two forms of faithfulness can be seen as the two greatest commandments, Love God and Love Others.) Third, we wait patiently on God to take what we have given him and turn it into something big. Yet again, you can see that the Fruit of the Spirit, in this case Patience and Faithfulness, are intimately intertwined. You can see this theme of patience in ministry in 1 Corinthians 3: 6-9 and Mark 4:26-29:

 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

 26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

         Here, we can see that ministry is not done in a fearful way where we are constantly putting the pressure to gain results on our own heads. Instead, we pray to God, do what he has called us to do, and patiently wait on God to use our faithfulness to fulfill his goals and desires.
        In closing, consider James 4:13-16:

 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

       I have heard of pastors who said that if they were given an hour on national TV, they would be able to win several thousand souls to Christ. In response, I refer to John 15:5

 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Thank you for your time.
In Christ,
Simeon Snow 

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Peace- Part 3 of 9

            One of the best verses on peace in the Bible is John 14:27:

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

            Here, we can see very explicitly that there is a difference between the peace that the world gives and the peace that the Lord gives. I think it is pretty easy to see that the peace that comes from God has more to do with a firm confidence in the Lord and his purposes rather than necessarily being relaxed. This is the peace of God that stays around when we enter seasons of trials and sufferings, just like I mentioned with the fruit of Joy in the last post. In fact, there seems to be a strong connection between the fruits of joy and peace in the Bible. Take a look at Romans 15:13:

 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

              Here, we see that peace being present in our hearts is a working of the Holy Spirit in our lives that grows as we trust in him, and, combined with joy, leads the the overflowing of hope in our lives. This means that as we grow in our relationship with God over time, we learn to have both joy and peace in situations that look bleak because we know the one who is in control. No matter how things look, there is a hope that God  will deliver us from our situation with a knowledge that things will work out for the best, even if that result means suffering. Romans 8:28 tells us:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

        When I say this, I do not mean that God does not have grace on our weakness and deliver us in the way that we hope he will. He is intimately connected with our hearts and can hear their cries. The Psalmist says in Psalm 38:9:

 9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.

        Therefore, I am not asking you to suppress your emotions in an attempt to be "spiritual". God welcomes our doubts and actually wants us to express those doubts. For instance, many people know about how Job showed peace and patience when the trials came into his life. However, many people do not meditate on the fact that Job called out to the Lord to relieve him of his sufferings and questioned God about his justice in the face of such a daunting situation. After Job was answered by God, he was commended for what he had said while his accusers, who were unwilling to ask God tough questions, were condemned for their treatment of Job and for not having spoken rightly of God. Job 42:7 shows this:

7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.

         Therefore, peace is a state of trust in God that also trusts that God is tough enough to handle our difficult questions. Peace is a fruit that is grown over time, just like all the other fruit of the Spirit. This means that there are times to seek peace in everyday life at work, on the road, and at home. In these situations, whether they are incompetent customers, angry friends or family members, or irresponsible drivers, peace is not cultivated through the suppression of emotion, but by seeking out God's face and placing trust in him.
         Another word on peace: Many people view peace as a solitary fruit that is meant to be feasted on alone. However, peace is not meant to be kept to oneself; it is to be spread and cultivated into the lives of those around us. When we face trials and dark times, these experiences prepare us to comfort others who will go through similar times and we are responsible for using these dark experiences as gifts to those around us. Look at 2 Corinthians 1:3-7:

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

          There are two parts to this process: Firstly, we receive comfort from our God, who comforts us in all troubles. Secondly, we comfort others with the comfort that we received from God. This is done best in community, where several people can offer similar experiences and let the suffering friend know that they are not alone. This theme is echoed in 1 Peter 5:9 when it talks about resisting the devil:

 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

          Our knowledge of the suffering of our brethren is supposed to encourage and strengthen us as we face the battles of life. Not only the Christians who speak into your life, but Christians throughout world, and throughout history, have faced, are facing, and will face the same kind of trial that you now face. Take comfort in this because we know that God has shown himself faithful again and again in various manners and does not overlook any of his children who are in mourning. God will comfort you. In closing, meditate on Matthew 5:4:

4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

         Know that God will bless you and mend the tears in your heart, even the ones that are hidden from the rest of the world.
In Christ,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Joy- Part 2 of 9

          To start out with, many people have a hard time knowing the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is enjoying the current moment, is mostly an emotion, and tends to come and go very quickly. Joy, however is enjoying what God is doing in your life in the big picture, is more of a mindset than an emotion, and normally sticks around despite changing circumstances. As people pursuing the character of God, we do not ignore happiness, but we learn to focus more on joy than happiness. A word that helps understand joy is contentedness. Philippians 4:11-13 says:

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

           We learn over time that God means more to us than any temporary stage of life we are in. There is plenty in the Bible about enjoying the moment and beauty of life, but, more often, we are reminded that there is a God and a gospel that will carry us through any and every circumstance. We do not say that we are content because we have suppressed our natural desires. Instead, we learn that our truest desires are fulfilled through a passionate pursuit of God, as advised in Psalm 37:4:

4 Delight yourself in the Lord
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

           Also, please know that joy, along with the other fruit of the spirit, is not some sort of fake emotion that you are supposed to force on yourself in hard circumstances. The fruit of joy comes from spending time in intimacy with God. Also, as might be surprising, many times of great joy in our lives actually come in times of great sorrow. This is because we recognize that God is there for us, even in the harshest of times. This is a big release because God doesn't expect us to try to bottle up and hide our emotions from him. Check out Psalm 38:9:

9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.

              God wants us to lay all of our sighing before him. Pretending not to feel emotion in a trial is not strength; it is foolishness. In contrast, joy is cultivated by offering every day up to God and being determined that only he can bring fulfillment and direction to that day. Following this guideline, James 4:7-8 tells us:

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

          We learn over time that God really just wants us. He doesn't want to use us like some sort of a hammer, as if the only reason he wanted to grow in intimacy with us was so that he could save people or change the world. While those things are important to God, he really wants you. God is love and is motivated by it to draw you closer to himself. While the world will tell you to interpret today based on how you are feeling, God wants you to interpret today based on how he feels about you. This is the source of joy; this is the reason that joy tends to stay from day to day while other emotions fade. God's emotions do not fade away. God doesn't love you more because of some spiritual accomplishment; he doesn't love you less because you fell into sin. That's the way of the gospel: we come to God with nothing and he gives us everything, everyday. Think of 1 John 4:10:

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[a] our sins.

          To close, I want to point out that a verse says that both today's fruit, joy, and the next fruit, peace, come from trusting in God and letting him move in you. Romans 15:13 says:

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

See you next time!
In Christ,
Simeon Snow

Fruit of the Spirit Series: Love- Part 1 of 9

         These 9 parts will seek to show the character of a godly believer in ways that should be sought through spiritual disciplines. However, the main focus of this series is not on spiritual disciplines, but on the kind of character that is part of our goal in such pursuits. Identifying the goal of our maturity will help us to clarify what we are pursuing and what we are not pursuing. Far from being a legalistic list, this is a vision of who you could be in Christ if we draw close to him. The first of these 9 qualities is love. Most people are very familiar with the passage in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

         The most obvious, consistent theme here is that love centers on other people. You can see this in Jesus' proclomation of the two greatest commandments in Matthew 22:36-39:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[b] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

          Here, we see that all of God's commandments in the Bible revolve around loving God and other people. These include not just the people who are easy to love either. Matthew 5:43-47 tells us:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

          Now, love does not mean that you need to be best friends with every person you come into contact with; that is a completely unrealistic expectation. You can tell that this previous passage disagrees with such a notion because he still uses the word "enemies" to describe your relationship with the other person. Love is not about developing two way street relationships with all mankind. It is an attitude of the heart that seeks the best for the other person. The most loving thing you can do for someone else is to draw them closer to Christ  . Don't let this idea get watered down, either. Sometimes, the most loving word of affirmation is one of constructive criticism and confrontation. When you avoid confrontation, you are not acting out of love, but out of fear. A spirit of love is not timid. This is shown in 2 Timothy 1:7:

7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

         You may have heard this scripture before, but have you ever noticed that this one spirit given to us by God contains both power and self-discipline as well as love? Power and Self-Discipline are needed to confront evil in the world and in the people we show love towards. Love is not afraid of retribution for love's actions; love dares to do the loving, right thing, no matter the cost. This does not mean that one is to forgoe all personal interests while looking out for the good of others, though. A good place to develop this idea comes from Philippians 2:3-4:

 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

         Again, this verse reinforces the idea that we should not be looking out for ourselves alone. However, if  you take a close look at verse 4, the first part says that we should still be looking out for own interests and not abandon those interests completely. It just says to consider the needs of others in addition to your own needs. This counters the idea of being a doormat. Letting someone else use you for whatever minor thing they wish you to do is not love. That is manipulation and deceit and, additionally, is not actually showing love to the manipulator. Manipulation should be confronted with love and gentleness. This means addressing the problem without using it as an opportunity to lash out and take revenge on the person who has wronged you. The idea of being a doormat might seem to be pushed by Matthew 5:38-42:

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[g] 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

          These actions are isolated, minor injuries that are not part of a pattern of abuse, but come from the enemy being far from the love of God. In these singular, isolated moments of insult, we are encouraged to overlook the offense and respond in love. This idea is highlited further by Proverbs 12:16:

16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
    but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

           Here, we see the prudent man overlook this insult where the fool lashes out in anger. However, also consider Proverbs 22:3:

3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,    but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

          This verse advocates that we do not submit ourselves to cycles of abuse, but rather take refuge from danger in our own interest. This self-interest is not selfish, but is taking care of the heart, mind, body, and spirit that God has given us. This is reflected in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 

         Another aspect of righteousness, justice, begs us not to understand love as being a doormat. Dueteronomy 16:19 tells us:

19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

          We are not to understand love as opposed to justice. The reason that we ourselves are not punished for our sins is not because God "lovingly" overlooked our offenses, but let them fall on the head of Christ instead and that only becomes effective once we accept Christ's lordship. This tells us two things: Firstly, true love does not mean turning a blind eye to evil and injustice. Secondly, the goal of love is not to escape punishment for donig wrong deeds, but is to draw us closer to God. The reason that we overlook an insult is not to thwart justice; if they die without Christ, that sin will be one of the many that is punished by banishment to hell. However, love overlooks these small instances because they communicate to the offender that you are living for more than this world and points them towards Christ. Your action is meant to pull them closer to Christ. Here, we see that love is satisfied by pulling our enemy closer to Christ while justice is still satisfied by Jesus' sacrifice. If we misunderstand this idea of "overlooking an offense", we will think that submitting to abuse is good because love means keeping the ugly "justice" monster from attacking our enemy. Do not misunderstand. Justice will have its way. Bowing under abuse will not save the other person from justice and is definitely not how God meant for us to express love. Here, you show love differently. Your actions are representative of God. Since God seeks justice, you show the offender the righteousness of God when you hold them accountable for their actions; this draws them closer to Christ; drawing others to Christ is the goal of love.
         In conclusion, in order to become more loving, we need to be clear about what love is and what love is not. Love is not a fire where we burn up and destroy ourselves to accomplish good for other people. Paul tells us that this mindless self sacrifice does not equal love in 1 Corinthians 13:3:

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

         Love, instead, is seeking to draw other people closer in their relationship with God while also obeying the other parts of the Bible that seek justice and good stewardship of one's own mind, body, and soul in addition to, but not in contradiction with, love.