Attitudes

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.  (Jn 13:3-4, NASB)

This came about at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry.  He had said everything he needed to say, and done all He needed to do, except die.  We find Him here spending the last evening with His disciples and desiring a way to impart strength, understanding, and direction to them.

He didn’t cry out “Wash my feet for I am the Messiah.”  Nor did He say “Bow down to me, I am soon to be exalted.”  Nor did He say “Prepare Me to be an offering.“ No, He said nothing at this point.

He took off his outer garments, put a towel around his waist, filled a basin with water, and began to wash his disciples feet. When He got done He said:

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

(John 13:15, NIV)

Jesus knew who He was, where He had come from, and where He was going.  Jesus stayed true to His mission.  He came as a servant.  He left as a servant.  He neither demanded nor expected His “rights”. 

Paul encourages us in Philippians 2:5-7, NASB:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  (Php 2:5-7, NASB)

It is an attitude that says “it is not about me.”  It is an attitude that says “I am here to serve.”  It is an attitude that says “the mission will be accomplished.”

As we finish off here, let us ask ourselves, does the mission continue in me?  Am I continuing the example set forth by Jesus?  Do I have an attitude that enables me to serve others, or do I just have an attitude?

Words That Stick To Your Ribs

“ … and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”  (Proverbs 16:6)
 

I got off work one day and decided to visit a friend at his office before going home.  As I walked in, he looked at me intently and asked “Did you live in the fear of God today?”

Don’t you hate conversations that start out that way?  I mean like the conversation is not going to get better for you at this point, it is only going to get progressively worse!      I know...right?

I very wisely said nothing for a few minutes.  I thought about the question and about my activities and responses of the day.  I finally said, “Based upon some of my responses today, I would have to say no.”

My friend, who is still watching me, then says, “Proverbs 16:6 says the fear of the Lord will keep you from evil.”

Isn’t it funny how a simple conversation can stick with you over the years?  This was a profound truth for my life.  The Amplified Bible puts it like this:

“and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil.”

Living in the fear of God will help us get out of and even avoid becoming entangled in sin.  If we find ourselves responding in an ungodly manner, or drawn into a sin, then we can know that we are not living in the fear of God.  Living in the fear of God has to do with our view of God Himself and our relation to Him.  It has to do with obedience out of love, humility, submission, and believing that God’s way is always the best way.

I am not talking about the terror of the Lord.  That has to do with judgment.  I am talking about the fear of the Lord which has to do with love, respect, and the recognition of true wisdom.

When we truly believe that God wants what is best for us, then we will realize that His Word is what is really best for us also.

Levels of Obedience

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence … “  (Php 2:12, NIV)

Obedience is a heart issue. When I was a child, I obeyed my earthly father out of fear and concern of what would happen to me if I didn’t. As I got older, I realized obedience was for my own good. As I continued to mature, obeying was more a matter of not wanting to disappoint my parents. This is still not the level of obedience God has called us to.

God calls us to a higher level of obedience, a mature obedience. When I first came to Christ, I obeyed out of fear and concern of what would happen to me if I didn’t. As I got older, I realized obedience was for my own good. As I continued to mature, obeying was more a matter of not wanting to disappoint God. Eventually I came to a place where because of my love for God, I didn’t want to do anything to offend Him or hinder my relationship with Him. 

When I was a child and my father was around I would be obedient to his requirements.  f he went somewhere, maybe I would be obedient and maybe I wouldn’t. In our verse today, Paul is calling the believers to a higher level of obedience. He says “as you have been obedient in my presence, now be obedient in my absence.”

“Respond in my absence, just as you would if I was there among you.” The obedience Paul is talking about is the kind that is a “working out” of what God has “put in”. There are things that accompany salvation, and these things are to be evidenced in our lives. Not because Paul is there, or a preacher, or Sunday school teacher, or school teacher, or a policeman, or fireman, or Mom, or Dad, but because there has been a change wrought in our heart and we want to do what is right. And we want to do it not because of fear of punishment, but because of love, appreciation, and awe.

You see, God is doing something inside of us. He is giving us the desire to act in accordance with His Word. And as if that wasn’t enough, He is also giving us the ability to do the things He wants us to!  Php 2:12-13 from the NIV Bible says:

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Passing On

“ …I desire to depart …”  (Php 1:23, NIV)

Have you ever just wanted to die? I am not talking about being suicidal here, so don’t freak on me. I’m just talking about life getting tough enough that you are ready to go on. I have even had a one sided conversation with God about it.

“That’s it Lord! I’m outta here!  You might as well just take me on.”

Now I haven’t ever made plans about making it happen, or daydreamed about it, but I have been frustrated enough to just be ready to go on to heaven. I have also talked to enough people to know I am not alone. There are others who have arrived at this point a time or two in their lives. You may be one of those people, so I want to share my take on this with you.

First let’s look at Philippians 1:21-24 in the NIV Bible:

(21)For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (22)If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! (23)I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (24)but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Even Paul was torn between the desire to live and the desire to go. In verse 23 in the NLT Bible, Paul writes: “I'm torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ.” One of the difference between Paul and us is the reason for it.

Paul didn’t want to die to escape this life or hardships, he was so in love with Jesus that he just wanted to be with Him. Paul was also aware that to live on in this life would be beneficial to others, while to go would be beneficial to himself.

He wrote in the end of verse 23 , of dying, and in verse 24, of living,: “That would be far better for me, but it is better for you that I live.”

We need to remember in tough times that it is not about us. Also our lives have the potential to bring benefit to others. I have always thought it would be a sign of maturity to want to die because of love for and the desire to be with Christ instead of wanting to die to escape circumstances. The desire to escape is selfish, but it is ok to look forward to living in Christ’s presence forever.

What Were YouThinking...? Part 2

“ … there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes” (Ep 4:23, NLT)

If we are going to act correctly, then we have to think correctly. If self-gratification and self-preservation are at the center of our thinking, we will continue to make wrong decisions, take wrong actions, and say the wrong things. It is about far more than what we think - it goes to how we think, what is at the center of our thinking.  (From What Were You Thinking…? Part 1)

In Ephesians 4 we are told to put off the old man and put on the new man, but sandwiched in between is the admonition to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”  Without our minds being renewed (being made new again by a redefining of what we know as truth and what our set course of action is to be based upon that truth), our motivation will continue to be self-preservation and self-gratification. We will continue to act out of the old man instead of the new man who is constantly being renewed into the image of Christ.

If we want to act (respond) out of the new man and live a transformed life that brings glory to God, we will have to move in our thinking from self-preservation and self-gratification to self-sacrifice.  Romans 1:1-2 says “

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Emphasis mine)

Living a transformed life requires that we must think differently. What we know as truth must be in agreement with the Word of God. We can no longer be the center of our lives and thoughts with everything revolving around us, but God must be at the center. Our decisions must be based upon His will and not how it will affect us and our lives.

We must think His thoughts after Him, and desire that He receive glory in all that we think, say, and do. We must sacrifice our self-life, the old man/nature, for His glory and live out the sacrificed life, the new man/nature, which is constantly being transformed into the likeness of Christ.