Whatever Gift: 1 Peter 4:10

          Today, I would like to expand on a small piece of scripture that has always captured my heart and help you understand how it applies to your life and how you can use it to revolutionize the way you think. In 1 Peter 4:10, it says,

10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

         This verse can be essentially split into two parts: the first part tells us that we should use any gift we have to serve other people. The second part tells us that, by doing so, we will spread God's grace to other people. You may not have thought of this before, but everything that you own and every facet of your personality and life is a gift from God. Consider 1 Corinthians 4:7b, which says

7b  What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

          All of these gifts were meant to bless everyone around us. For instance, if I see a stranger who is lonely or a new person at my church's Sunday school, I can use the small portion of social ability that I have to serve the other person. This kind of service is validated by passages like Matthew 25:34-35

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For... I was a stranger and you invited me in,

          Every friend, boss, and coworker is a relationship that God has given you as a gift and each is its own unique ministry. You have chances every day to live out your Christian walk in every conversation that you have. In fact, we are instructed to process our conversations and remember to say things that will encourage and grow those who are around us. In Ephesians 4:29, it says

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.

         Another verse, Colossians, 3:17, says

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

         Additionally, 1 Peter 4:11 continues:

 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

         We should be careful to survey the needs of the people in our lives and craft our words to uplift them and to encourage them in a unique way. Even our daily work should be a ministry that is used to encourage and uplift those around us. As boring and forced as your job may be, we see Paul give instructions to even slaves to use their position to bless their masters. 1 Timothy 6:1-2 says

1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on them.

        The second half of the 1 Peter 4:10 passage tells us that we are actually administering God's grace in its various forms. It is exciting to see that the passage says "various forms" because it means that we have freedom to come up with all sorts of ways to bless other people rather than be forced to keep to a static list of good deeds. This doesn't even have to be all for believers, either. In previous posts, I've mentioned common grace, where God gives good things even to evil people and unbelievers that they get to enjoy during this lifetime. You can be a part of that process as well. They may even turn to the Lord because of your influence, like in 1 Peter 2:12:

12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

           My last example is the money that you own. Most people know that we are supposed to serve the poor and the helpless with our money and resources, but did you know that we should use it to gain influence in our social circles and to make new friends? In Luke 16:9, Jesus commands,

9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 

           So, I encourage you to look at your entire life as an exciting new adventure. Every day is brimming with possibilities to go out and change the world, one life at a time. I'm very frustrated with believers that have their eyes so locked on to their distant future that they forget that ministry is here and now. Every thought, word, and passing moment has untapped potential for the kingdom. Don't leave ministry to the people who do official ministry positions, either. In fact, their jobs mostly consist of convincing and empowering you to do your ministry. Otherwise, the Church would have very little impact on the world. No one else is uniquely equipped to change the world in they way that you will. Finally, thank God for all the gifts that he has given you and make the best use you can with every drop of God's blessings. I close with the words of Jesus to the faithful man who used the five talents to his fullest ability in Matthew 25:21:

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

In Christ,
Simeon Snow

Man's Rules: Colossians 2:20-23

Today's passage has been included in many of my pasts posts, but I feel like it needs its own separate treatment so that you can enjoy what it really says and how it applies to your life. In Colossians 2:20-23, it says,

20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

            This passage is really essential to keep in mind as you are growing closer to God. In a pursuit of righteousness, Christians sometimes try to come up with rules to protect rules. An obvious example would be if a guy were never to look at or make eye contact with girls EVER, to prevent sinful thoughts. In his mind, the sin of lust becomes impossible because of the creation of a man-made rule. This attitude can be spread to every sin imaginable, like saying something self critical to counter praise (for pride) or taking a vow of silence to prevent distasteful jokes, lies, and attacking language.
            Some of these are more extreme examples, so let me give one that is more common: drinking. This issue has been slightly covered in my Heavenly Wisdom series, but I'll shed more light on it here. I think abstaining from alcohol to prevent sin is silly in most cases, but I myself will probably never drink. My reasons include the following: I come from a long heritage of alcoholics and I wish to break that family curse; I will eventually be serving as a pastor and don't wish to burden members of my church who have dealt with alcoholism or unnecessarily upset ones who are opposed to alcohol consumption; Lastly, alcohol, in many instances, is connected with unhealthy friends and environments. Now, you may notice, that preventing sin is not one of the reasons on my list. If I were an alcoholic, this would be different, but that is not the case. I arrived at these conclusions after considering James 3:17-18, 1 Timothy 4:4-5, and 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (for more on this, refer to my Heavenly Wisdom series). However, the forbiddance of alcohol consumption is not good and will never protect most people from sin.
             Colossians 2:20-23 counters this kind of rule making. It tells us that these rules LACK ANY VALUE IN RESTRAINING SENSUAL INDULGENCE, meaning that they can't stop you from sinning. In my last post, A Pattern of Growth, I discussed how legalistic believers are stunted in their growth because of this rule making. Only God's commands and guidance can grow you. Notice that Colossians 2:20-23 tells us that these rules will look very appeasing; it tells us that the self-imposed worship (extra "goodness" without the heart), false humility, and harsh treatment of the body will look like the right path for good Christians. Thus, as in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, we need to

21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

 Please consider what you are doing to draw closer to God. Even spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible reading can be negative if they are done more to obey your personal rules rather than to draw close to God. Consider Isaiah 29:13-14:

13 The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
    is made up only of rules taught by men.[a]
14 Therefore once more I will astound these people
    with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
    the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. ”

This verse tells us that God will find a way to confuse us, and our system of rules, if we stick to a course of rule-following while keeping a heart that is far from God. The difference here is not that you are following a rule; it is following your own rules in addition to God's rules. This is really important to keep in mind. The secret, again, lies in Colossians 2:20-23. In verse 22, it says,

22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.

         You can read 30 chapters of the Bible a day as a personal rule and get less out of it than one who reads 1 chapter of the Bible a day in obedience to God's rules. The answer here isn't to stop reading the Bible, but to change your heart and attitude as you do it. 
          Verse 22 also gives me one last thought to discuss. Do not use Christian authors, self-help books, and advice to ENTIRELY REPLACE reading your Bible. These are great resources, and should be used, but they will "perish with use" if they don't derive their authority from God's Word instead of from "human commands and teachings". To illustrate this concept with friends, I use the phrases "little 't' truth" and "Big 'T' Truth". There is truth in psychology, science, and from the experience of your friends. This is "little 't' truth". These "little 't' truths" can change your life, make it better, and improve you over time, despite being wrong from time to time.  The "Big 'T' Truth" of the Bible can never be wrong (unless misinterpreted), but is better than "little 't' truth" because of its authority over our lives. Many people wrongly think that the Bible is only better than our pop psychology and human rules because one is always true and the other is sometimes true. However, I want to show you that the Bible trumps our knowledge because it has POWER. Not just truth, but POWER. Look at Hebrews 4:12-13:

12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

You have probably read this scripture before, but pause and ask yourself this question: "Did this passage tell me that God's Word is true?" It didn't. It told you that the God's Word has POWER. It changes your heart, exposes your sin issues, and cuts through all your self-deception. These are all action words. Also, look at Isaiah 55:10-11:

10 As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God will use Scripture to change your heart, whether you like it or not. (From a Pattern of Growth, this is why Knowledge leads to Self Control and why "Batman Christians" will never do more than follow personal rules). Again, "Did this passage tell me that God's Word is true?" It didn't. It told you that God's Word has POWER. Lastly, Joshua 1:8 says:

8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

and Psalm 119:9-11 says:

 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
    do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.

These verses say that if you spend time in God's Word and meditate on it, you will be careful to do everything written in it, will become prosperous and successful, keep your way pure, and will not sin against God (different from human rules, which LACK ANY VALUE IN RESTRAINING SENSUAL INDULGENCE). Again, these are all action words. Ask the question again: "Did these passages tell me that God's Word is true?" They didn't. They told you that God's Word has POWER. Therefore, you can spend as much time as you like reading Christian and self-help books, but they will never have the POWER that God's Word has. I am not speaking against Christian and self-help books. These have changed my life and I had even changed my major to Christian Writing for a few months in college. However, I've seen way too many Christians staying as babies in their faith because they did not add the Bible to what they were reading. (Also, make sure that your Christian books are based on Scripture.) The Bible is so much more than true. Remember that.
In Christ,
Simeon Snow

A Pattern of Growth: 2 Peter 1:5-7

I've seen many models of growth and discipleship, but I would like to introduce you to one that comes from Scripture. It is a list of stages in Christian growth in 2 Peter. I will do my best to describe these different stages and give an application that will help you in your own walk. 2 Peter 1:5-7 says,

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

          First, I wish to note the introductory phrase, "for this very reason". In the previous passage, Peter told us that God has given us everything that we need for life and godliness. For this very reason, we can hope to grow in our faith. We will never be able to grow deeper in our walk with God by pushing ourselves to follow disciplines without reliance on God's strength and providence.  However, paradoxically, we don't stop where we are in our faith because of God's grace. I have seen many believers act as though they didn't need to spend any effort growing closer to God because God would do all the work for them.
          We must stay between these two extremes. On the one hand, we can't rely on ourselves to do all the work of maturing; on the other, God's providence for our maturity motivates us to put in the work necessary for our sanctification. A close friend of mine has a great analogy that compares these two kind of believers to Superman and Batman. Superman believers think they can just wake up in the morning, take on all of the enemy's attacks, and serve others without any kind of real work or preparation. He doesn't have to be careful around guns since he is impervious to damage. He can do extraordinary things without thought or effort. Christians who follow the Superman line of thought fall quickly to temptations that can, in fact, harm them and get frustrated when they don't live godly lives because they expect their love for God to be enough to change their sin issues and motivate them to serve others. Batman believers understand the need to train and plan in their efforts to live out the Christian faith. Batman uses his resources wisely and can do extraordinary things without the help of others or supernatural power. Believers that follow the Batman line are usually well acquainted with their Bibles, responsible, and are realistic about what they can achieve. However, they can tend to be legalistic, prideful, add their own personal rules to the Bible, and have an inability to trust God and other believers.
           2 Peter 1:5-7 helps me stay between these two extremes. The phrase "for this reason" helps me to avoid the Batman mistake of self reliance, pride, and human rules. To strengthen this point, I'll quote the passage "for this reason" refers to: 2 Peter 1:3-4:

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

This concept is further reinforced by  two more passages of scripture, 1 Corinthians 4:6b-7:

“Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

and Colossians 2:20-23:

20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

        Now that 2 Peter 1:5-7 has gotten me past legalism and making extra rules, it gives me a plan to follow to grow in my maturity. Now, before you Superman believers tune out this list and make it a thing for "superchristians" only, heed the warning of what Paul says about this list when he's finished in 2 Peter 1:8-9:

 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.

         That's right. If you take the Superman approach and go about your life without pursuing Christ and hope to make a difference with your life without thought or preparation, the Bible says that you will be ineffective, unproductive, blind, and nearsighted in your knowledge of Jesus. Take heed.
         Now, on to the list: Faith, Goodness, Knowledge, Self Control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love. As I said earlier, I am giving my interpretation of this list and can say that personal experience has verified its effectiveness. 
           Faith in Christ is the necessary first step in growing toward Christ. We need his power and salvation as well as Christ himself walking with us in every step of our faith journey. When we come to faith, we find ourselves wanting to increase in our Goodness.
          Goodness means generally doing loving and kind things toward other people. This will be a general goodness that will usually be guided by our own culture's understanding of Good behavior. This is also where Superman Christians get lost and left behind. As long as they follow their culture's ques on right and wrong, they will be limited and ineffective in their faith. 
            The next step they need to take is Knowledge. The only source of inerrant knowledge is the Bible. I've known many believers that only want to read the latest Christian author, but have their growth stunted from not having spent time in the Bible. I'm not ridiculing Christians authors, but am saying that their work needs to be supplemented by Scripture.
            The next step is Self Control. At this point, we have spent so much time in Scripture that we start to notice differences between our lives and the life that God tells us to live. We have moments of Self Control where we remember what the Bible told us to do. Before this point, I don't think it wise to push Christians to give up ALL of their sin habits. They need to develop naturally and give up sin as a result of God's work in their lives rather than as a result of Christian peer pressure.
             As we spend time growing in our Knowledge and have increasing moments of Self Control, we develop new habits and start a new lifestyle in Perseverance. Where Self Control involved godly behavior in small decisions, Perseverance sees these moments multiply and conquer one's life.
           Over time, one's life is so conquered by God that God's fruit is born in our life without effort at the stage of Godliness. Godliness is beyond the grasp of Batman believers because they rushed passed building the foundation of Faith in God's power at the beginning as well as try to develop a Self Control that adds their own personal rules to the Knowledge stage. For me, Godliness is best described by the Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control (Galatians 5:22-23). Where these behaviors start happening without pushing oneself, it becomes very easy for outsiders to spot God's hand in the lives of Christians. They notice that Godliness is not rule following, but something that flows naturally. This is the kind of ease that Superman Christians long to live in, but make the mistake of not spending time with God to make it happen.
          From Godliness, we move on to Brotherly Kindness. Here, we see Christians take an extra effort to reach out to their brothers and sisters in Christ. They help their Christian family to mature and walk them through the same maturity stages that they have just passed through and use their Spiritual Gifts to speed up this process in their own unique way. For instance, believers with the gift of Mercy or Encouragement will build up believers who are experiencing lapses in Self Control or Perseverance. Believers with gifts in Service and Administration or a passion for Missions will help other believers find outlets for the Self Control, Perseverance, and Godliness that is conquering their lives. Evangelists guide new sheep into the flock and Teachers guide believers through their Knowledge stage. All of us have a part to play in the Body and we need all hands on deck in the Church. This is not the place for pastors to amuse idle believers; it is the landing site for God's invasion of Earth.
         Finally, we reach the stage of Love where Believers are actively involved in each others lives and the lives of Non-Christians, both locally and globally.
          We are never finished growing in maturity. One can say that we are actively involved in all of these stages as we pass them up. I don't think that this list should be followed legalistically, but I think it is definitely God's plan for helping us live out our potential. Thank you so much for your time and please give me any helpful feedback. I don't claim to understand these passages completely and if you differ on points of today's blog, I'm open to healthy dialogue. In closing, let me quote the end of this section in 2 Peter 1:9-10:

10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In Christ,
Simeon Snow

Heavenly Wisdom - Part 2: 1 Timothy 4:4-5

         This is the second half of my Heavenly Wisdom series. Although I pull the phrase "Heavenly Wisdom" from my last post's passage, James 3:17-18, I would apply that label to 1 Timothy 4:4-5 as well because it is very useful in making almost any kind of decision and has been a guiding verse in my life for the past year or so. It says,

4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

          The first half of this passage asserts that every created thing is good and should not be rejected, but this assertion is based on a condition: thanksgiving that arises from the word of God and prayer. The assertion that everything is good is important because it gives us the freedom to embrace and enjoy all that is not forbidden. It is analogous to the situation of Adam and Eve in the garden in Genesis 2:15-17:

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” 

          Everything is up for grabs! All that is required is obedience to God's commands. This is essential to the Christian experience because it keeps us from creating man-made laws to improve our spirituality. When we forbid what God has not forbidden, we submit ourselves to a human system that only serves to frustrate without drawing us any closer to God. Paul talks about this in Colossians 2:20-23:

 20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

         The freedom that we, as Christians, have from the legalism of the world is refreshing, but, there is more to be said. Everything God created is indeed good, but we learn something new from Ecclesiastes 7:29:

 29 This only have I found:
    God made mankind upright,
    but men have gone in search of many schemes.”

         In spite of the original nature of good in mankind and the rest of creation, several things that are good in nature have been misused by man for his own evil goals. This means that, despite our freedom to embrace all that God has given us, there is evil in the world that will misuse the good. One can think of this situation as a booby trapped candy shop. All the drawers are full of amazing candy that God has created for us to enjoy, but several of the drawers have been rigged by an evil man to hurt us. God did not originally intend for the candy to hurt us. However, Satan and other evil forces have and will use our desires to lure us away from God and into harm's way. Who would be willing to open a single shelf in the candy store?!? Some of the more daring would step out and try a few shelves, but would soon give up after being harmed the first couple of times. This is where 1 Timothy 4:4-5 comes in handy. It helps us to mark which shelves are safe or dangerous. Again, 1 Timothy 4:4-5 says,

4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

          We can access the whole candy store if we approach it with the word of God and prayer. Carefully study the Bible and consider how it applies to your situation. Avoid what it tells you to avoid. Obey it. This is the simple (but still difficult) part. Next, pray about what God would have you do. Just because the Bible does not forbid something does not mean that it should be done. In 1 Corinthians 10:23-24, it says,

23 “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

           Your freedom in Christ does not give you the right to act without thought. We are called to consider other people when we do anything. Take the topic of joking for instance. You might find several topics funny to joke about. As we have learned so far, joking is good. God created it; you should enjoy it. However, 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.

          Only joke if it will uplift other people. Consider their needs when you joke. Don't make racy jokes around a brother who deals with lust or  jokes that will discourage or weaken the faith of those who are hurting in your midst.
          In situations where it is not clear that you should exercise your Christian freedom, pray. I want you to consider a story from the book of Joshua. They were in the middle of conquering the land of Canaan and removing all of its peoples when they were approached by strangers. These strangers told Joshua that they were from a far away land. They claimed to have traveled a long way and had worn out clothes and moldy food to prove it. Pause for a moment. This is you out on the town with friends. They've invited you to their favorite restaurant/bar and you've stopped to consider their offer. In Christ, you have freedom to do whatever is not forbidden. Joshua, here, can accept or reject the stranger's offer without fear of breaking the law. Does your freedom give you the right to move forward without thought? Joshua thought so and, in this case, moved on without prayer. Joshua 9: 14-18 says,

14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

          Their exercise of freedom actually took away their freedom to enjoy what God had originally given them. Similarly, your night out with friends at a bar might be within your Christian freedom, but it might not be as good a decision as you think. One of your friends may be dealing with an addiction to alcohol or other weaknesses that shouldn't be provoked. Temptations that God wanted you to avoid might cross your path. The idea here is not that you shouldn't go to bars, but that you should pray before entering a context where the consequences of your actions are unclear. I would claim very readily that the consequences of going to a bar are unclear. However, I wouldn't pray about entering a Burger King; there isn't normally a spiritual battle associated with burgers and fries. However, the culture of bars and the effects of alcohol have and can hurt many people.
          In conclusion, embrace your freedoms in Christ. I've found great joy in expanding my horizons and trying new experiences. However, temper these freedoms with the word of God and prayer. As I said in  my first blog post, combine your emotions with your mind. Give yourself the ability to choose something new, but don't assume that there aren't mines out there. Satan has been practicing deception for thousands of years. Instead of holing up in legalism or running out in naive freedom, practice scripture reading and prayer and allow them to transform, saturate, and guide you into all the goodness that God has created for you. As you go about your week, reflect on Psalm 37:4:

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

Heavenly Wisdom - Part 1: James 3:17-18

         One of the hardest times in a Christian's life is finding wisdom and discernment when it comes to those decisions where the Bible doesn't give a cut and dry answer. When those times come, we look to our friends for advice, especially those with the gift of discernment. My own best friend is very discerning and gives me incredible feedback when I'm sailing across dark waters.

          In addition to these amazing sources of wisdom and discernment, I would like to add two verses to your toolbox: James 3:17-18 and 1 Timothy 4:4-5. I'll cover them in separate blog entries and give some advice on how to handle each one.

          First up: James 3:17-18:

 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

          This list of adjectives has guided me through very perilous times and can correct what might seem to be the right answer for you. First of all, purity is more than just being free from lust, although it must certainly include that criteria. Purity, I've found, is better thought of as having a pure and undistracted focus on God. Think of this: While it might be your freedom to work on Sunday, will it take away from your walk with God? This answer will be different for each person. As in 1 Corinthians 10: 23-24, where it says,

23 “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

we can see that there are several things that we are free to do as Christians, but will not benefit or build us or others up.
         Second, peace-loving is that which seeks to build peace between people. As much as healthy conflict is needed in the church, this kind of healthy interaction is done with much thought and preparation. A verse that helps me with this concept is James 1:19-20,

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

Anger is not a sin, but it should be approached slowly and controlled. If you saw my last blog entry, you can see how the emotion of anger can lead to good things in your life, but it should be done after the fire has died down and you have taken time to consider why those emotions flared up in the first place.
           Thirdly, being considerate involves empathizing with others. We need to do this even with our enemies. Every evil person in history, from Hitler to Bin Laden, has experienced God's common grace. They had functioning bodies, enjoyed good food and relationships, and had freedom to use their gifts of leadership for good or evil. Check out Proverbs 29:13:

13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
   The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

God loved them enough to let them enjoy these things. He knows the desires of our hearts intimately, like in Psalm 38:9:

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

This may be hard to swallow, but we need to consider the needs and desires of those whom we hate. This is part of loving others. We shouldn't deprive people of needs or wants without a reason.
            Fourthly, submissiveness is disdained in American culture, but it has its place in the body of Christ. Now, submissiveness between husbands and wives isn't in the scope of this blog post. I'm talking about the submissiveness between Christians. Note Ephesians 5:21:

 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

We, as Christians, need to humbly submit to each other as we seek God's will for our lives. If you aren't feeling led by God to take a path and have Christian brothers and sisters getting a prayer-led direction from God, submit to their discretion if you haven't found scripture or conviction that contradicts it (more on this from 1 Timothy 4:4-5 in my next post). I've found that we Christians have little trust for the relationship that other Christians have with God. Don't get me wrong: dialogue about the issue and be sincere about your misgivings, but let other Christians take the lead if they win out. Don't pull them out of God's will without reason.
            Fifthly, full of mercy is the unending well of mercy that we can tap into through the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Peter that we are to forgive people seventy times seven times. If this is a struggle in your life, find a Christian friend who is better at this and observe them in action. From personal experience, I can tell you that people will open up their hearts more freely to that person of mercy. Face it sooner or later, mercy doesn't make sense, and it never truly will. God affirms this in Isaiah 55:7-8:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way
   and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
   and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways,”
            declares the LORD.

              Sixth, good fruit is seeking out what is good in someone's life. This may not be what they want (which, as mentioned earlier, is still to be considered) or easy, but is what is beneficial for someone else in the long run. We follow God's example in Hebrews 12:10-11:

10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

              Seventh, we are to be impartial in our decision making. Do not let emotions or relationships be the deciding factor in your decision making. As I mentioned in my last article, there is a place for emotions in the life of the believer. We need to include them in our decision making process and they are often a place of enlightenment among believers. To use this resource, though, we need to thread it together with our mind. Emotions alone will ruin and consume you. Jeremiah 17:9 says,

9 The heart is deceitful above all things
   and beyond cure.
   Who can understand it?

Contrast this verse with Ezekiel 11:19-20, which says,

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.

God can redeem our naturally broken emotions, but we still have a sinful nature. We can still be easily mistaken about what is right or wrong. Being impartial is the middle ground. It allows emotions to shed light on a situation, but tempers and evaluates these revelations with prayer, scripture, and sound council.
              Finally, sincerity is one of the hardest qualities to find and display. There is a big difference between wearing one's emotions on one's shoulder and being open about your thoughts and feelings. Flattery and understating issues to maintain relationships is not peacemaking; it is peacekeeping. Peacemakers are open and responsible about issues and confronts them in a peaceful and loving manner. Peacekeepers cower from the possibility of conflict and will hide emotions and internalize concerns for that end. The first is healthy; the other is destructive. Consider Proverbs 27:5-6:

5 Better is open rebuke
   than hidden love.
 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
   but an enemy multiplies kisses.

These guidelines have helped me past several obstacles in my life so far and I wish for you to receive the same blessings that I have. If you are concerned with a particular issue, take this list to a friend and work through these criteria as a team. I've found that friends with different personalities will handle this list differently, but will generally come to the same conclusion. When you apply this list, it is my hope that you will sow in peace and raise a harvest of righteousness. Thank you so much for your time.

In Christ,
Simeon Snow