it's worth it

Sometimes, you wonder if it's worth it... I'm talking about the extra work required to dig a little deeper into Scripture; to push yourself a little further than you think you can go. I remember reading that the fruit of God's word does not yield itself to the lazy.

I was reading in Philippians 4 and thinking about the word : "think." Chapter 4 of this book gives us a list of things to "think about" or to "dwell on."

Finally, brethren, whatever is true
whatever is honorable
whatever is right
whatever is pure
whatever is lovely
whatever is of good repute
if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,

dwell on these things.

What have you been dwelling on today ? money, whether or not she likes you, your grades, your homework, your savings account, your lack of motivation.... God's word tells us to dwell on what is right and pure. Here's a thought I found while researching this idea:

" The sharing of the logizesthai ( greek word for 'think about') through faith is not a case of merely holding something to be true but is also an inspiration and activity, as in the OT hasab. Philippians 4:8 and I Corinthians 13:5 are to be expounded in the light of Zechariah 8:17 and not of 2 Tim. 4:16. This kind of thinking is not solely an intellectual construction, but can arrive at factual conclusions which demand corresponding actions ( Romans 14:14), just as the word and the act are one with God. Hence, we should evaluate others and ourselves rightly, not by false standards, but as they and we stand in God's sight.

( Colin Brown Dict of NT Theo p 825 Vol 3)


I was impressed by the idea that "dwelling on these things" is not just sitting and thinking, but sitting, thinking and then acting on those thoughts. This is only meaningful when we draw conclusions from our thoughts and those ideas shape how we act. Here is an example:

When I go out in public, what do my eyes see in the mall, at blockbuster, standing in the check out line at Wal Mart ? The world says it is just fine to stare at women dressed immodestly. Philippians 4:8 tells me to dwell on those things that are pure. How can I read Philippians 4 and then stare at something impure ? I can't do it and keep a clear conscience. If I have to walk through the mall to get to a store that has what I'm looking for and I pass by a store that is advertising things that should remain private, what do I do ? I have to look in the other direction. This is not the only area; there are others. When I sense that a friend is about to go down the road of gossip, do I keep listening or stop them ? Will I rob God of tithes of offerings ? ( and think about how I could use the money differently ... for more noble purposes ? ) When I am alone in a hotel for 6 hours, how will I use that time ? When I am hungry, lonely and tired will I become a total jerk to get relief ? When the person I'm meeting is late, will I seethe with resentment ? When I wake up in the morning, will I start the to do list or humble myself before the Lord ?

Whatever is right .... dwell on these things. Whatever is right .... do these things.

the value of church history

I came across this recently:

" ...a knowlege of the history of doctrine ( teaching) supports the Bible's witness to the triumph of the church. Through times of duress and trial, the people of God have been preserved and have steadfastly proclaimed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The devil has employed every strategy to destroy the church; armies have marched against it; unbelieving scholarship has relentlessly assaulted it; internal bickering has torn it; and martyrdom has depleted its ranks from time to time. Yet the church marches forward in triumphal anticipation of the great consummation when the kingdoms of the world will be put under Christ's feet and when the bride, without spot or blemish, will be given to the Bridegroom. "

This thought encourages me especially through all the discussions of church models that I have read about.



Page 13 Our Legacy John Hannah

I am often outside during the summer and the heat in south Texas can be stifling. I came across this verse in Psalm 74 and it was reminder to me of how God is still in control of the weather.

Psalm 74:16-17 " Yours is the day, Yours also is the night... You have made summer and winter."


For some reason, this assurance helped me realize that God has made both heat and cold and it was a reminder to be thankful even when the humidity and the temperature are about the same.

the creativity of God

"What the church has been used to, is not a rule by which we are to judge; because there may be new and extraordinary works of God, and He has heretofore evidently wrought in an extraordinary manner. He has brought to pass new things, strange works; and has wrought in such a manner as to surprise both men and angels. And as God has done thus in times past, so we have no reason to think but that he will do so still. The prophecies of Scripture give us reason to think that God has things to accomplish which have never been seen."


Jonathan Edwards On Revival page 89

what we think about God

I once heard someone say that one of the most important things about you is what you think about God.

Today I realized something that I have been waiting for several months to understand. For some reason it just clicked today and it's related to 2 Samuel 7:18-19

" Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, ' Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far ? 19. And yet this was insignficant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future...'"

Most of us have time to think about the past, present and future and if we are not careful we can begin to say to ourselves: " Man, I'll never have it as good as I had it in ( fill in the blank). " We begin to compare our current situation to former situations and feel a certain way.

Today, for the first time in about 9 months, I realized that when I say those things I am basically saying that God has peaked in His ability to provide for me; which cannot be true and so I have to think biblical thoughts about the past and the future.

So, here it is again:

When we start to think: " I will never have life as good as I had it in _____________", we are essentially saying that God has peaked in His ability to provide for us. This idea is emphatically false and should therefore be rejected as unbiblical thinking.


Do you really believe that the grace God provided you in the past will be there for you in the future ?

The daily arrival of fresh supplies of grace

I started reading Matthew 8 this morning and came across the line that tells us that Jacob is in the kingdom of heaven. When I read about Jacob in the OT, I read about all the times he messed up and how he was labeled a deceiver. Yet, he walked with God and believed God. I am encouraged to read this and my belief that Christianity is true is confirmed by the idea that someone like Jacob was saved by faith. If you keep reading in Matthew 8-9 and other places you see phrases like this often :

“ … it shall be done for you as you have believed…” and “ Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘ take courage, son, your sins are forgiven’ “ and “ it shall be done to you according to your faith….”

In Matthew 9:22 you find the phrase: “ Daughter, take courage, your faith has made you well…”

In Luke 22:31 Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail. You notice Jesus, as intercessor, praying that the faith of His children would not fail.

When Jesus prays for you, what does He pray ? Answer: that your faith would not fail.


If all this is true, then what can we do to “increase our faith” ?


#1. Ask for faith. The disciples said: “ Lord, increase our faith…”

#2 Listen to God’s word. Romans 10:17 “ faith comes hearing and hearing by the word of Christ…”

#3 Take risks. I think of Jonathan and his armor bearer who went up against 20 Philistines. Jonathan said: “ The Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few.”

the body

But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as He desired.

I Corinthians 12:18


What I like about reading God's word is the ability that it has to sustain me over a lifetime. Chapters that I read years ago continue to unfold and teach me even though " I thought I knew it." So, when I read I Corinthians 12, it's good to be reminded that God has placed the members in the body...just as He desired.

I think in the immediate context this has to do with who is a foot and who is an eye, etc. However, it also tells us that God has placed you where He wants you according to His desire. I found this comforting and liberating.

When you start to read this whole chapter, it also speaks to our tendency to compare ourselves to each other. All of us can't be (fill in the blank) with your favorite teacher. If we tried to be, we would be miserable and everyone around us would be turned off. If all of us were the same... there would be no body. It is the different members that actually allow the body to carry out the diversity of functions. I can't type with my eyeballs, and I can't see with my hair. I think if we began to see ourselves like I Cor 12 tells us to see ourselves, we would be kinder to one another; for we are members of one another. In another passage, we are told not to lie to each other because we are members of one another. If I dropped a bowling ball on my toe and the nerve endings told my brain: " all is well," I would be in trouble. I need my body parts to tell the others that I'm hurt. If my body starts lying to itself, I will have major problems in a hurry. When I treat my family with respect and kindness... I am essentially doing these things to myself ( because they are a part of me.) When I am rude and irritable and difficult, the whole family suffers. " If one members suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

Multiple times in the NT we see the phrase " each one" with regard to spiritual gifts. Each one of us has been given abilties by the Holy Spirit for the common good. How are you using your spiritual gift in the church right now ?