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Wrestling

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

My son wrestled in junior high and high school. After his first meet, we came away with a new appreciation for Ephesians 6:12. In the verse, Paul reminds us who the actual opponents are, but the verb wrestle reminds us the nature of the struggle we are in.

It is intense. Wrestling can’t be accomplished from the sidelines. All of the boys, from the 6-year-olds on up, were locked in mini battles of strength and strategy. Every match was personal and very hands-on. They gritted their teeth, their muscles strained, their faces reddened and they came away sweaty. All after 3 one-minute rounds. If a boy let up, even for a split second, his opponent sensed it immediately and usually seized that opportunity to pin him.

If we decide to root out the sin in our lives, or engage the evils of society, don’t be surprised if things quickly intensify, requiring our full effort. Those battles can’t be waged by proxy, either. We have to engage. In competitive wrestling, points are deducted for failing to engage the opponent. If we don’t step up, we lose more than points.

It is exhausting. Even though the actual matches were just a few minutes out of the day, nobody had to tell my son when it was bedtime. On match days, he had his lights out before 9 p.m. It was more than just the physical exertion. There was mental preparation, there was a tremendous emotional investment and there plenty of nerves to deal with. I saw my share of tears from competitors of all sizes, more often from frustration and disappointment than physical pain.

We see the same thing. Every time we try to do the right thing, it becomes a battle. We mentally prepare for each situation (sometimes, that’s called worry). We pour our hearts out. Sometimes we get thrashed. It’s no wonder we often feel wiped out spiritually, emotionally and mentally. But yet, we rarely take the time to rest and regather. That’s asking for burnout or real damage to our faith.

The boys who listened to their coaches were more successful. Some boys entered their matches convinced they knew what they were doing and didn’t need any help. Other boys soaked in every word the coaches told them before the match and during. Even when they lost, they had a better match and gave their opponents a tougher time.

The Scriptures are full of instructions on how to deal with evil in and around us. We can toss them aside and forge ahead the best way we know how and face quick, humiliating, painful defeat. Or we can take those words to heart, imitate Jesus and follow His ways.

The boys found extra energy when the crowd got behind them. We scanned the mats to see if there were any of Alan’s teammates to cheer for.

We are no different. If we have the prayer and moral support of others, it’s easier to keep battling. We need to commit to supporting each other as well. One of my favorite moments of the day was when one of the 8-year-olds asked Alan how his first match went. Alan said he got pinned. The other boy put a hand on Alan’s shoulder, “Get ’em next time.” You can be sure, there will be a next time. Don’t shy away from offering a word of encouragement, dropping a note or breathing a prayer.

f course, in competitive wrestling, the kids are on their own. The coach has instructed them, practiced with them and prepped them, but once they step on the mat, it’s all on the individual boy’s shoulders. Jesus doesn’t leave us to fight our battles alone. He equips us, and then He promises to wrestle with us, even through us. More than that, the final victory has been secured.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33

The Spirit Helps in Our Prayers

By Paula Wiseman

The Holy Spirit plays an active role in the lives of believers from salvation to glorification. Sometimes, it’s not always evident or clear what that role is. We’re in the middle of our closer look at what He does, learning how He helps us and why Jesus said it was to our advantage that He go away and the Holy Spirit comes (John 15:7). Paul tells us the Spirit helps in our prayers.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26

This verse (like much of Paul’s writing) is dense. So let’s look at the pieces and grasp what Paul is telling about our prayers and the Spirit’s work in them..

We are weak – This is not news, but it is important to keep that squarely in mind when we pray. We should not presume to stride into God’s presence with a to-do list and a deadline for Him. We need the Spirit’s help to pray. Here’s an analogy. Have you ever asked for advice or help writing a paper or a resume or even a letter? Sometimes getting feedback helps with our tone and clarity. An editor can help you trim the unnecessary parts and find more effective words to communicate.

On a much deeper level, the Spirit helps our prayers by taking our muddled, scattershot ramblings and transforming them into something the Father not only receives but gets glory from. Isn’t that our ultimate goal?

We don’t know what to pray for – We think we do. We see needs around us and we pray. But we don’t have the infinite knowledge God does. Let me give you an example. Let’s say your brother Scott’s company has announced a round of layoffs. It would be reasonable for us to pray that Scott not be one of those who loses his job. However, what we don’t know is that God has provided another opportunity for Scott which will not only be a better job, but a chance for Scott to use his gifts for God’s kingdom. So, is would actually be better for Scott get laid off from his present position. There’s not way we can know that though. That’s why we need the Spirit’s help in our prayers.

The Spirit sees your heart’s desire for Scott to be able to provide for his family. He also sees the Father’s greater purposes. So when the Spirit delivers that prayer, it is exactly what it needs to be. Unfortunately, when Scott gets laid off, our typical reaction is frustration that God didn’t answer our prayer.

In that case, we can lean on the Spirit once again, who helps with our understanding.

We don’t know how to pray – We like to simplify and strip prayer down to just talking to God, and in some sense it is. But it is very easy to turn prayer time into a gripe session or time to unload our demands. The Spirit convicts us of the sin in our hearts and prompts us to confess. The Spirit fills us with praise that spills out in our prayers. The Spirit helps us be still and listen. The Spirit disciplines us to the holy habit of prayer. The Spirit strengthens our faith in the Father we pray to. The intimacy with God that we need for effective prayer develops through the work of the Spirit in our lives.

If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit, like Paul, we don’t know what we are doing when we pray. It is an inscrutable wonder that we in our profound lowliness have access to the infinite, holy Creator King. When it comes to prayer, we need the Spirit to do the heavy lifting. He intercedes for us. He is the go-between taking our immature, limited, self-centered prayers and delivering to the Father the petitions that honor Him.

Next time, we’ll finish up with how the Spirit helps in our worship.

Into the Wilderness: Instruction

By Paula

Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

We continue our study of the wilderness in Scripture. We’ve seen it is a place of wandering. But it is also a place of transition. Last week through Jacob’s story we saw that the restoration of relationships can happen in the wilderness. This week we’ll consider the apostle Paul and his time in the wilderness, a time of personal instruction.

Paul was a rising young star among the Pharisees. He had studied with the most respected rabbi of his day, Gamaliel. He was born a Roman citizen, affording him all the political advantages in his society. Of course all of that changed when he met Jesus. We can read about this encounter in Acts chapter 9 (and Paul retells the story in chapters 22 an 26).

From Acts and Galatians 1, we can piece together what happened next. After preaching the gospel for a short time in Damascus, Paul left for the Arabian desert for three years before he returned to Damascus then headed to Jerusalem. Because neither Luke nor Paul gives us details, that opens the door for a lot of speculation. Some have parsed the original words translated “Arabian desert” and determined that they actually referred to the area of Sinai. That leads them to conclude Paul spent the time in prayer, study and meditation reevaluating his understanding of the Law in light of the gospel. From Paul’s writing in Romans and Galatians, it is clear he had a good handle on that, so that’s a possibility.

Others believe Paul spent the time in the same three-year training program the other apostles got, receiving personal instruction from Jesus Christ Himself. In Galatians 1:16, Paul says he did not consult or confer with any man, any “flesh and blood.” They point to 1 Corinthians 15:8 as corroborating evidence. This is also a possibility.

No matter how exactly that wilderness instruction time came together or worked itself out, Paul benefited from it and we are still benefiting from it. Besides the deep theological truths Paul explained for us, we can learn from his example.

We need instruction – If the great apostle needed to learn and grow, how much more do we need it? For Paul, it was urgent and compelling enough that he set everything else aside while he learned. We need to be humble enough to receive instruction

Further instruction equips us for our calling – In Acts 9:15, Jesus tells us that Paul was called specially to carry the gospel to Gentiles and kings. But he didn’t embark on that mission until after his time in the wilderness.

The Holy Spirit makes the best teacher – This is not to say that we can’t learn from brothers and sisters who are farther along in their walk than we are. I mean, there wouldn’t be much point in these posts if that were the case. But the very best teacher is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised He would explain things, guide us into all the truth (John 16:13). Sometimes, we need to get rid of the distractions in our lives and get away to the wilderness where we can listen.

If Jesus personally instructed Paul in Arabia, it wasn’t His first time in the wilderness. Next week, we’ll look at Jesus’s own wilderness experience.

A Study in Contrasts: Zerubbabel

By Paula

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

We are continuing our look at contrasts in Scripture marked by the conjunction “but.” Last week we looked at the stand taken by Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael while they were in Babylonian captivity. That captivity lasted seventy years. After the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Persians, King Cyrus issued a decree allowing any Jews to return home to Israel and restore the cities and the land. You can read about that return in Nehemiah and Ezra. The restoration happened in fits and starts marked by opposition, distraction and discouragement.

Eventually a guy named Zerubbabel was named the governor and Joshua served as high priest. God raised up the prophet Zechariah, who prophesied a lot about the Messiah who would come, but he also gave messages of encouragement to the governor and the high priest. Chapter 4 is the fifth message Zechariah records and it is especially for the governor, Zerubbabel. It is one of the most powerfully encouraging messages in Scripture. Here are some of the encouragements in this message.

God has a mighty work for us to participate in. You can argue that Zerubbabel was the governor, of course HE had an important work. Not everyone is a leader. We’ll come back to that in just a second. The reality of this undertaking was that governor was not going to lay every block in the Temple himself, nor was he going to personally rebuild the wall. These words to the leader apply to the people who will follow.

Now about leaders. We are “in-between” in our relationships. There are those we follow and then, there are those we lead. We follow ministry leaders and supervisors at our place of employment. We follow laws and ordinances. We also have the opportunity to lead our children, to be oversee to new hires, to be examples in society or even on social media. In all of those circumstances, let’s embrace the work God has for us.

God knows the work is a big one. After all, He sent the prophet. Zerubbabel wouldn’t have needed a message from Zechariah if the work was easy or ordinary. Rebuilding a temple and a city wall with a bunch of people with little or no experience, who had their own homes and safety to worry about, with limited materials and funds, not to mention the marauding bands of vandals who terrorized the people.

What God has called us to, what God has called you to, is an important work for the kingdom. In a general sense, it’s carrying the gospel out to a world that doesn’t want to hear, a world that has established itself as God’s enemies. More specifically, the work that God has called you to is nothing to sneeze at. You may have hard-hearted family members. You may have hostile co-workers. You may struggle with temptation and hardship. Jesus said we would have trouble and suffering, but He also promised that He had overcome it. (John 16:33)

God promises to accomplish the work. The message to the governor is NOT by power or by might, not by your strength, your talent, your resources BUT BY MY SPIRIT says the Lord of hosts. Now some of the modern translations give you a better idea what that name for God means. Hosts make me think of dinner parties and making sure everyone has enough to eat and drink. It’s not that kind of host. It’s an army, a heavenly army. So God makes this promise and then reassures Zerubbabel (and us) that He can bring it to pass. No one can stand in opposition to God accomplishing His purposes.

When we try to accomplish God’s purposes in our own strength and energy we get discouraged and even burned out. Think about your work right now. Which best describes your gut reaction? Energy or exhaustion? I don’t think God calls us to frustration. That could be a signal to evaluate whose work we’re doing and whose strength doing it in.

The Apostle Paul brought intellect, theological rigor and a strong work ethic to his ministry. But he knew that wasn’t what let people see the grace of God. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Take hold of that message today.

Underappreciated Virtues: Contentment

By Paula

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

We’re continuing our look at some underrated traits that are no less necessary in the body of Christ than some of these other fruits. We’ve covered encouragement, maturity, and equity. We finish up this week with contentment. (Which is particularly appropriate as we look forward to Thanksgiving in the U.S.)

What is contentment?

The dictionary defines it as having our desires limited to what we have. The second definition is not disposed to complain or grumble.

Contentment is a sign of maturity. It is evidence that we trust God and His care for us. We have faith in His goodness and His provision for us. We understand that what we have is exactly what we need. We don’t have to be validated by our possessions, by our position, by who we know or even by our circumstances.

Since it’s a sign of maturity, contentment is something we learn. Consider what Paul says:
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

Catch that? Paul, the great apostle, learned to be content. Paul had been through enough, had seen God’s hand at work and was at peace no matter what state he was in.

Contentment is a sign of having an eternal, Christ-focused perspective.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Paul faced more hardships than most of us, especially in our cushy, modern culture. But in each one, he saw the greater purpose – getting the gospel to as many people as possible. Because that was his ultimate goal and not his own comfort, he accepted each circumstance.

Contentment keeps our possessions in their proper place.
But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

Our things aren’t supposed to control us … but they often do. We have to store them, repair them, clean them, and then dispose of them when we grow tired of them. And to be honest, in many cases, we are still making payments on them when the boredom hits. Then there’s the bigger house, the better neighborhood. Additionally, we are constantly pressed to get ahead, to be more, to do more, to experience more.

It’s no wonder we are stressed, exhausted and constantly feel inadequate. Contentment removes that pressure.

Let’s stop right here and make some important clarifications. Contentment is NOT:

Laziness – No one should be “content” with a dead-end job while his or her family struggles to meet their basics needs.

Disobedience – No one should be “content” with filling a pew when God is clearly calling them to deeper commitment or ministry.

Asceticism – No one should disavow everything just to prove a point.

How does discontent show up among God’s people?

Envy/ jealousy/ covetousness – At their root, each of these feelings reveals our belief that God is NOT fair, just, or good. If that weren’t sinful and presumptuous enough, over time, they lead to…

Bitterness – Bitterness will eat up and individual and infect the whole body. The writer of Hebrews admonishes, Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

Grumbling – And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, (Exodus 16:2). The Israelites wandering in the desert displayed the opposite of contentment at every turn. Not only did it result in a failure to embrace the promises God had made, it cost their leaders as well. Moses, Aaron and Miriam died in the desert with them. Each of the leaders’ sins — anger, idolatry, jealousy — can be directly traced to discontent, either their own or the pressures from a grumbling people.

How do we achieve contentment?

Realize you are cared for by a good God. We are all familiar with Psalm 23, but take some time to consider the tender care God has for us. For a new Testament perspective, ponder Paul’s words in Romans 8:31-32:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Focus on what is more important. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5). Money, position, and stuff are all temporal. Christ is eternal and His promise to never leave us or forsake is greater than anything we could have in this life. As you do this, it may prompt you to…

Reorder your priorities. Follow Paul’s lead.

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Becoming more like Christ is our singular goal as believers. Hopefully these last few weeks we’ve been challenged to work toward that as we strive to be encouraging, to be mature, to treat others with equity and to be content.

No post next week. See you in December as we look toward the celebration of Christ’s birth!

For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, (1 Thessalonians 3:9).

Read all of the Underappreciated Virtues series

Underappreciated Virtues: Maturity

By Paula

We’re continuing our look at some underrated traits that are no less necessary in the body of Christ than some of these other fruits. Last week we looked at encouragement. This week we’ll think about maturity.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Hebrews 5:12

What does spiritual maturity look like?

Hebrews 5:14 tells us the mature are those have “trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” They have taken the time and put in the effort. And implicit in distinguishing good from evil is choosing good consistently.

In 1 Timothy 3:6, among the qualifications for pastor, Paul says that the candidate “must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.” So, in contrast, humility is a mark of the mature. So is resisting temptation.

Perhaps the most straightforward lists are in Titus 2. Paul describes how older men and women should conduct themselves within the body of Christ. There is an underlying assumption that the physically mature are also spiritually mature. You can read the lists for yourself but I want to highlight a couple of broad characteristics.

The mature are reverent. They hold God and His Word in high esteem and show the respect due.

The mature are even-tempered. They aren’t given to angry outbursts. They think before they speak.

The mature mentor. They lead by example. They welcome the opportunity to help others grow and benefit from their wisdom and experience. (They aren’t bossy, know-it-alls, or demand that things be dome their way. Remember humility is a key characteristic of the mature.)

How do we become mature?

The short answer – the hard way. The slightly longer answer is that maturity happens as we commit ourselves to learn what it means to be Christlike. More practically, we let Christ stretch our faith. That means going through challenging circumstances. There is no shortcut or instant formula for maturity. Granted some mature more quickly than others. I think this may be because some are more surrendered to the Holy Spirit working in us. Some are more willing to renounce the things the Spirit asks us to change. Some are more willing to walk through the doors the Spirit opens.

Peter gives us an outline of the process. “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. (2 Peter 1:5-7). I won’t take the time to walk through each of those virtues, but I will point out the instruction to “make every effort.” It must be a high priority, worthy of our sustained efforts.

Why does the church need mature believers?

For the answer to that, let’s go back to the verse at the top of the post. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, Hebrews 5:12. The church’s ability to function, to carry out its mission is hampered by immaturity. How can we disciple others if we haven’t moved past the very basics of our faith? How can we live by biblical principles if we don’t know what those are? We will be governed more by our emotions than by the Holy Spirit. We will be influenced more by the culture around us than the example of Christ. Paul and James both warn of the dangers of not detecting false doctrine because we are immature and easily swayed. Once false doctrine takes over, the church is in real spiritual danger as the letters in Revelation attest.

Maturity is necessary for the church to carry out the Commission. We have to make sure we are doing all we can to reach it, as well as not fighting God when He works in our lives to bring it about.

Next week in the Underappreciated Virtues series: Equity

Wrestling

The Spirit Helps in Our Prayers

Into the Wilderness: Instruction

A Study in Contrasts: Zerubbabel

Underappreciated Virtues: Contentment

What is contentment?

How does discontent show up among God’s people?

How do we achieve contentment?

Underappreciated Virtues: Maturity

What does spiritual maturity look like?

How do we become mature?

Why does the church need mature believers?

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series