Start
If we are believers, Christ followers, the twice-born, then a major goal for all of us is that we love God with all we are. That is the first and foremost commandment. Mt. 22:37, Mk 12:30 refer to Dt. 6:4-5. They don’t use exactly the same words. Sometimes we are not very careful with these words, so we should start with an understanding of what it means to say love God with all we are.
Self
1 Thessalonians 5:23
“Sanctify you completely” implies that your spirit, soul and body are preserved blameless. Sounds like those are the parts. What is the difference between your spirit and your soul. Where does your mind fit in?
Body – what you see is what you get. It allows us to live and interact in this physical world. Soul – inside and invisible but not imaginary. Mind, will and emotions, which you can observe in the internal conflict resulting from tough decisions. Spirit – what is left? Where we communicate with God, and where our conscience appears. It overrules the soul.
Spirit
John 4:20-24
Jesus talked about interaction with God in terms of the spirit and truth. We have to be accurate, and our spirits must be engaged. The point in space-time is not the issue. The style of music is not the issue. We must interact with God at the deepest level, the level of our spirit. It is based on truth. It is personal and it is authentic. It is an honest relationship.
Soul
1 Corinthians 2
The wisdom Paul came in with was intentionally not the usual. He wanted faith to stand on God’s power, not human wisdom. Even so, there is a superhuman wisdom contained in it. We receive it from the Spirit of God. He communicates it to our minds through our spirits. The result is that we can know things that are beyond us, and even have the mind of Christ.
Then we should not live as other people live. There will be times when God steps in and shows us things we would otherwise not know. That should alter our course. Following His lead in this way is part of how we love God with our soul.
Shell
Romans 12:1-3
This follows up on what Paul said in Romans 6:12-14. Give God your body for His use. Serving with your body is part of worship, part of loving God with all you are. Don’t follow the trend of the world. Understand your place in the Body of Christ.
Steps
Where should I start then, to love God with all I am? What steps can I take to make that really be the way I live?
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Big Picture
Point of view
So much of the time, when we see the situation from someone else’s shoes, everything changes. What if that is true about how we live our lives? The things we consider to be of prime importance might not be as significant as we think.
Exertion
Philippians 3:1-7
Self
As this section of the book begins, Paul warns people not to fall for the story that we have to be good Jews before we can be saved. Paul lists things that would have given him standing if that were true, and says all those things were just in the way. They hurt instead of helping. They were all focused on self and personal effort. That is not what salvation comes from. How many people today would say that it does?
Exchange
Philippians 3:8-11
Surrender
Instead of salvation coming from personal effort, it comes from what Jesus did. We have to give up on our accomplishment, and surrender to His. Everything else is worth less than nothing, if it keeps us from the salvation that God has provided. Get rid of whatever stands in the way, because He is worth more.
Exercise
Philippians 3:12-16
Success
Paul does not claim to have reached perfection or all that God has for him. He makes it his goal to continue pressing toward all that, and invites us to do the same. Don’t let whatever is in your past keep you from moving into a great future. Pressing on is success.
Exit
Philippians 3:17-21
Subject
Here everything is put in the context of an eternal future. We are reminded that this is temporary and not where our focus should be. Those who continue to live for here and now might be saved, but still end up as enemies of the cross. Don’t let your life communicate that eternal things are less important that what is here. We are part of an eternal kingdom, subjects of the eternal King.
So much of the time, when we see the situation from someone else’s shoes, everything changes. What if that is true about how we live our lives? The things we consider to be of prime importance might not be as significant as we think.
Exertion
Philippians 3:1-7
Self
As this section of the book begins, Paul warns people not to fall for the story that we have to be good Jews before we can be saved. Paul lists things that would have given him standing if that were true, and says all those things were just in the way. They hurt instead of helping. They were all focused on self and personal effort. That is not what salvation comes from. How many people today would say that it does?
Exchange
Philippians 3:8-11
Surrender
Instead of salvation coming from personal effort, it comes from what Jesus did. We have to give up on our accomplishment, and surrender to His. Everything else is worth less than nothing, if it keeps us from the salvation that God has provided. Get rid of whatever stands in the way, because He is worth more.
Exercise
Philippians 3:12-16
Success
Paul does not claim to have reached perfection or all that God has for him. He makes it his goal to continue pressing toward all that, and invites us to do the same. Don’t let whatever is in your past keep you from moving into a great future. Pressing on is success.
Exit
Philippians 3:17-21
Subject
Here everything is put in the context of an eternal future. We are reminded that this is temporary and not where our focus should be. Those who continue to live for here and now might be saved, but still end up as enemies of the cross. Don’t let your life communicate that eternal things are less important that what is here. We are part of an eternal kingdom, subjects of the eternal King.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Living Purposefully
30 lives lost
Helicopter downed over Afghanistan. Lives cut short are tragic. Lives lived out but misdirected are also tragic.
Who am I?
Matthew 16:13-19
Identity
Some say these verses refer to a line of authority for the church, starting from Peter. What Peter had done was learn about Jesus via the revelation of God, and accept that as truth. That was the corner stone.
Peter did not come up with it himself or by human means. It came from God. That inerrant source is where we need to get our most important information.
Notice that not only did Peter identify Jesus, but Jesus also identified Peter. “You are Peter”. God knows who we are thoroughly, and can name us appropriately. If we are going to live the right purpose, we need to learn that from God, who made us.
Where am I going?
Matthew 16:20-23
Instruction
After praising Peter for listening to God, Jesus accuses him of listening to satan. Peter put a stumbling block in the way, by being humanly minded instead of godly minded. It does not make sense humanly for the living God to die. In God’s plan, it was a crucial thing, and had good in it. Sometimes our blessings come wrapped in some harsh circumstances. Even our death is such a thing. Don’t turn away from what God plans
What am I to do?
Matthew 16:24-28
Implications
Not only will Jesus go to the cross, but he says that if we are to follow him, we had better get ready to do the same. We need to lay down our version of life in favor of his.
Jesus puts all this in the context of future judgment. Imagine that you accomplished everything on your list according to your version of life, and then found out that there was another list made for you, and you missed everything on it. What good is your list at that point?
“Being successful and fulfilling your life’s purpose are not at all the same issue.” R. Warren
Helicopter downed over Afghanistan. Lives cut short are tragic. Lives lived out but misdirected are also tragic.
Who am I?
Matthew 16:13-19
Identity
Some say these verses refer to a line of authority for the church, starting from Peter. What Peter had done was learn about Jesus via the revelation of God, and accept that as truth. That was the corner stone.
Peter did not come up with it himself or by human means. It came from God. That inerrant source is where we need to get our most important information.
Notice that not only did Peter identify Jesus, but Jesus also identified Peter. “You are Peter”. God knows who we are thoroughly, and can name us appropriately. If we are going to live the right purpose, we need to learn that from God, who made us.
Where am I going?
Matthew 16:20-23
Instruction
After praising Peter for listening to God, Jesus accuses him of listening to satan. Peter put a stumbling block in the way, by being humanly minded instead of godly minded. It does not make sense humanly for the living God to die. In God’s plan, it was a crucial thing, and had good in it. Sometimes our blessings come wrapped in some harsh circumstances. Even our death is such a thing. Don’t turn away from what God plans
What am I to do?
Matthew 16:24-28
Implications
Not only will Jesus go to the cross, but he says that if we are to follow him, we had better get ready to do the same. We need to lay down our version of life in favor of his.
Jesus puts all this in the context of future judgment. Imagine that you accomplished everything on your list according to your version of life, and then found out that there was another list made for you, and you missed everything on it. What good is your list at that point?
“Being successful and fulfilling your life’s purpose are not at all the same issue.” R. Warren
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