The FEAR of the LORD – The KEY to Everything (Part 2)

Praise the LORD!  I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,  In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.  The works of the LORD are great, Studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious, And His righteousness endures forever.  He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant.  He has declared to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.  The works of His hands are verity and justice; All His precepts are sure.  They stand fast forever and ever,  And are done in truth and uprightness.  He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever:  Holy and awesome is His name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111:1-10

The psalmist had good reasons to say that the FEAR of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. He begins by writing about the “works” of the LORD – “Studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious.” What are the “works” of the LORD that would be studied? CREATION!

“Bless the LORD, O my soul!  O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.” Psalm 104:1-2

Psalm 104 is a praise to the LORD for Creation. It is detailed in praise for specific aspects of the LORD’s “work” in creating the earth, sea, and sky and everything in it. That leads the Psalmist to write – “O LORD, how manifold are Your works!  In wisdom You have made them all.  The earth is full of Your possessions.” (Psalm 104:24) God “made them all” in Wisdom.

Millions of people around the world are studying the “works” of the LORD right now – scientists, professors, students, people of all types – interested in learning more about how this world works. Students of science who fear the LORD have a deep appreciation for what He created. Those who do not fear the LORD see many of the same things as those who do, but they cannot appreciate what they see, hear, touch, and smell. Their ability to understand is greatly hindered by their unbelief.

What does it mean to “fear” the Lord? Does God want us to be “afraid” of Him? What kind of relationship does God want us to have with Him? The Hebrew language has many words that are translated by the English words “fear” and “afraid.” The first time we see one of the words in the Bible is Genesis 3:10 when Adam spoke to God after disobeying Him. God asked Adam, “Where are you?” Adam replied, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” The Hebrew word for “afraid” here is yare, which can have the meaning of “fear, terrified, intimidated, dreaded, apprehensive, stand in awe of, revere, respect.” It’s obvious from the context of what happened that Adam was terrified by what he had done. He knew the penalty for his disobedience and was very afraid. That’s why he hid himself from God.

We see the word yare used again in Deuteronomy 10:12. This is one of the most important statements in the Mosaic Law.

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.” Deuteronomy 10:12-14

Fearing the Lord was a “requirement” for the people of Israel; and not just to fear Him, but to also walk in all His ways, love Him, and serve Him with all their heart and soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes were commanded for their good. Moses reminded Israel that a good reason to fear God was that everything in Heaven and on earth belong to Him.

The Hebrew word for “fear” in Psalm 111:10 is yir’ah and comes from yare. It means “to fear from an apprehension of danger and a sense of our own weakness joined with trembling.” It is a real fear that leads to reverence and awe and worship. That kind of fear is the beginning of “wisdom.”

In the next part of our study we will look at the many reasons Psalm 111 gives us to fear the LORD.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

January 24, 2012 – 8:01 pm Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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Grace in the Workplace (Pt 2)

I’ve learned that a HUGE part of experiencing grace in the workplace is understanding how God’s Grace impacts me. It begins with “who” we are in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God chose His Children of Grace before the creation of the world. He knew you and chose you before He said His first “Let there be.” Before God said, “Let there be light,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind,” He had already chosen you. Before God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” He had already chosen you. Now that’s special! We were not a mistake or an afterthought. God chose us in Christ “before the creation of the world.”

God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world “that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” “Holy and without blame” is a fascinating concept. We are “holy and without blame” in Christ because of His Holy Sacrifice. Paul told the Ephesian believers they were fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household – “in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (2:21) Paul wrote that Jesus Christ “also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (5:25-27) Paul called the Colossian believers “saints” and “faithful in Christ Jesus.” (1:2) He wrote the Colossians that they once were alienated from God and were enemies in their minds because of their evil behavior – “yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—” (1:22) Paul told them they were God’s chosen people, “holy and beloved.” (3:12)

That is our position in Jesus Christ. We are “holy and beloved.” The combination of being holy and beloved means we have everything we need to do the work God has prepared for us. We have no “marks” against us. We have no reason to “feel” guilty about anything since we aren’t guilty for anything. Jesus made us “holy” through His death on the Cross. God forgave all our sins: past, present and future. Paul told the Roman believers they had “died to sin” and that “he who has died has been freed from sin.” (6:2,7) That is our position in Christ: “dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (6:11) Christians have been set free from sin and become “slaves of righteousness.” (6:18)

Does our position in Christ mean we never sin again? Hardly. We are still human. Paul told the Romans he put the issue of dealing with sin in human terms “because of the weakness of your flesh.” (6:19) We live with our flesh every minute of every day we’re on earth. Christians have a capacity to sin. In fact, we can experience a strong physical pull toward sin. Christians are “holy and without blame” in God’s sight, but they can and do sin. That’s a dilemma we all face. We are spiritual and physical at the same time. The spiritual wants what God wants. The physical wants what the flesh wants.

Paul used his own life as an example of the battle with sin.

“I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:21-25

Every Christian has to deal with sin from a very personal position. Something that causes me to sin won’t necessarily cause you to sin. Things you struggle with in your life may not be the same things I struggle with. We have to grow in Christ, depend on His Strength and learn how to control the cravings of our sinful nature through dependence on Him. That’s what will unleash the Power God has stored in each of us through His Holy Spirit. The Spirit understands our individual battles with sin and is prepared and equipped to help us through each one.

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:11-14

Consider for a moment what happens when Christians offer themselves to God and parts of their bodies to Him as instruments of righteousness? That means God can do whatever He deems best with our brains, mouths, eyes, ears, hands, arms, feet, legs, and hearts. Think about how much Power results when God’s Grace is our Master. It leads to Holiness in every aspect of a Christian’s life.

“I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:19-23

In the next part of our study we’ll look at where our “workplace ministry” begins.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

January 19, 2012 – 7:03 am Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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The FEAR of the LORD – The KEY to Everything (Part 1)

When someone says that something is the “key” to everything, it usually is not. We tend to think too much about what we think. However … I do want to share something with you that I truly believe “is” the KEY to everything.

Two of the most successful men who ever ruled a nation were a father and son. Both of them had the KEY to everything.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111:10

We’ll go into more depth about what was behind that amazing claim in the next part of our study, but I want to introduce you to what King David believed was the KEY to everything – the FEAR of the Lord. David feared God from an early age and it gave him great wisdom that prepared the way for him to become a wise and powerful king.

“So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants … And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him … Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.” 1 Samuel 18:5, 14, 30

King David’s son, Solomon, also wanted to be a wise king and asked God to give him an understanding heart to judge the people of Israel, to discern between good and evil.

“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’ And Solomon said: ‘You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?’ The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: ‘Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.” 1 Kings 3:1-12

Discerning between good and evil is what everything is about in our life. Go back to the beginning. What did God say to Adam in the Garden? “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) What did Adam do? “She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6) What happened? “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” (Genesis 3:7) What did God do and why? Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.” (Genesis 3:22-23)

Wisdom is discerning between good and evil and choosing to do good rather than evil. The KEY that opens the door to that wisdom is “the fear of the Lord.” Was Solomon a wise king? “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.” (1 Kings 3:28) Solomon was a wise king, at least during the early years of his reign. Here are some of his thoughts about what he knew about fearing God.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.” Proverbs 15:33

As wise as David and Solomon were during their generations, they were not first. Here are the wise words of Job about the KEY to wisdom.

“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’” Job 28:28

As wise as Job was, and as David and Solomon were, there is another Who was and is so much wiser. His Name is Jesus.

“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. ” Isaiah 11:1-5

Notice that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, “delighted” in the FEAR of the Lord. Do you find that interesting? The Spirit of the Lord that rested on Jesus 2,000 years ago and will rest on Him again when He returns to earth is called three things in Isaiah 11:

  1. Spirit of wisdom and understanding
  2. Spirit of counsel and might
  3. Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord

The FEAR of the Lord is the KEY to everything.

We’ll see why and where it takes us in the next part of our study.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

January 15, 2012 – 8:49 am Categories: Grace Thoughts | Comments (1)

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Grace in the Workplace (Pt 1)

An Understanding of Grace

The Grace of God works! It works in the lives of people who have experienced it through faith in Jesus Christ. Christians are “Children of Grace.” They know what it’s like to be dead in trespasses and sins. They know what it’s like to have no choice but to follow the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air. They know what it’s like to conduct themselves in the lusts of their flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. They know what it’s like to be by nature children of God’s wrath. They also know what it’s like to have God love them, have mercy on them, forgive them and make them alive spiritually in Christ. They know what it’s like for God to raise them up with Christ and seat them in the heavenly places in Christ. They know what it’s like to be saved by grace through faith–and that not of themselves. They know “it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Christians also know they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that they should walk in them. They know that the “work” prepared for them to do is important and is be done in His Grace.

The Grace of God “works.” It works in every area of a Christian’s personal relationships, including marriage, family, church, school and the “workplace.” I’ve spent almost 50 years in various “workplaces.” I was unsaved during the early years of my career as a journalist and oblivious of God’s Grace. I’ve spent the last 40 years working as a saved person. What a difference it has been. I’ve talked to hundreds of other Christians who have had similar experiences. The differences are real. They are powerful and important to understand.

Christians who work outside their home spend from 20 to 40 to 60 or more hours a week “on the job.” Many of us spend more waking hours at a workplace with co-workers than we do at home with our family. How should we spend that time? What is our responsibility to God? To our boss? To our co-workers? Our employees?

The Apostle Paul does not make unique distinctions about the way Christians should behave in different settings. He doesn’t say we should be one way at home, another way at school, another way at church, and another way at work. The “number one” complaint I’ve heard about Christians, before and since I was saved, is that they are a bunch of hypocrites. Unsaved people love to throw that in the faces of God’s People (I did before I was saved). They claim Christians act one way at church and another way at home, work and play. God won’t accept that excuse from unsaved people who try to use it as a reason why they didn’t believe in Christ, but it does give witnessing Christians a more difficult time sharing the need to receive Christ as Savior.

Paul taught Christians to live a life of grace in all situations and settings. Living a GraceLife begins with an understanding of God’s Grace and who we are in His Grace.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1:3-4

If you are a Christian, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. There are no spiritual blessings we do not not have. Paul enumerates some of those blessings to us.

“… having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:5-14

Spiritual blessings are ours for eternity. Physical blessings last only a short time. Anything that has long-term importance is already ours. That fact should swell our hearts with gratitude and awe. We can’t hope or wish for any spiritual blessing we don’t have because we already have it. That should give every Christian great personal satisfaction and confidence. We don’t lack for anything important.

In the next part of our study we’ll look at the importance of knowing ”who” we are in Christ Jesus our Lord and how it impacts our ministry in the workplace.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

January 7, 2012 – 7:18 pm Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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How To Use Your Power and Authority in 2012

It’s a New Year!

That means new opportunities for serving God in new ways. There’s an old saying that you will find out what a person is made of when you give them power. That’s because power has the potential of corrupting people. Each of us has some power in life – some of us more than others. How did we use that power last year? Was it for the good of others? Was it pleasing to God? Did you use your power to “better” people or help people be better? Whatever your answer, the new year gives us new opportunities to use the power we have to bless people and improve their lives. Let’s look at one example from the life of the Apostle Paul.

“Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Philemon 1:8-9

Paul had tremendous power and authority in the Church. He was the lead Apostle of the Gospel of the Grace of God. But Paul was also humble and wise. He knew from where the power came and why he had it. We learn a very important lesson about the use of power in this short letter to Philemon.

Paul was in prison for the Christian faith. Onesimus, a runaway slave, received Christ through Paul’s prison ministry. Onesimus became a big help to Paul. Paul would have loved for Onesimus to stay with him longer but believed it was right to send Onesimus back to Philemon. The reason was that Onesimus was one of Philemon’s slaves. Paul did not approve of slavery but it was a part of the Greek culture and a reality with which Paul had to deal.

Paul could have easily swelled with pride and commanded Philemon to free Onesimus from slavery instantly. Paul could have chewed out Philemon about what an awful thing slavery was to do to another human being. Paul could have demanded that Philemon welcome back Onesimus, forgive him and give Onesimus his freedom. “… though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting …” However, Paul did not swell with pride. He was humble about the power and authority God had given him. Paul was careful and wise in his use of that power. Instead of demanding, Paul appealed to Philemon “for love’s sake …”

Love is more powerful than any order or command one person can give another. Paul had led Philemon to Christ years earlier (Philemon 1:19). They had a special bond of love. Philemon had come to the love of Christ through the love of Paul. Philemon had learned about God’s love and the love of brothers for each other through Paul’s ministry. Paul had been a great example of God’s love to Philemon. Paul’s words, “yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you,” had a special meaning to Philemon. He got the message. He understood what Paul was asking.

Paul wanted Philemon to do the right thing on the basis of love. Paul knew what Philemon should do: forgive Onesimus, receive him as a brother in Christ and give him freedom from slavery. That was within Philemon’s power as a slave owner.

“For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,  no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” Philemon 1:15-16

Paul stressed the basic respect for humanity and the power of Christian love in that last statement: “… no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother …” See how gentle Paul was in his argument? Paul tempered raw power with divine love.

Paul also expressed confidence in Philemon’s ability to do the right thing.

“Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.” Philemon 1:21

Paul was respectful of Philemon and Onesimus. Paul was gentle and careful in his counsel to Philemon. Paul was bold in his stand for what was right and wise in his use of Apostolic power.

Each of us has some power in life. We may be a pastor, teacher, elder, deacon, board member, choir leader, youth leader, husband, wife, father, mother, grandparent, older brother or sister, employer, or supervisor. We may even hold governmental power as a mayor, governor, president, judge, legislator, or police officer. As Christians, we look to God as the Author of all our power. We seek His Face about the use of that power. We have a responsibility, just as Paul did, to use our power for truth and right. We have an obligation to respect all people. We have a duty to be wise and gentle in the use of our heavenly and earthly power.

Paul is an excellent example of one who used power and authority well, but he wasn’t the best example. Jesus Christ is THE EXAMPLE of using power and authority to perfection. Jesus was strong and gentle. He was wise and careful. He was demanding and merciful. Jesus Christ is The Power of all life. He is God! He thinks it and it is done. He desires it and it happens. He wants it and all creation does His bidding. Yet, even with all that power, Christ does everything “on the basis of love.”

Jesus told people to come to Him and He would give them rest. He told them that His yoke was easy. The secret to our peace in Christ is that Christ is “in” you and you are “in Christ. Christ in you is the hope of glory. Christ in you is the power for living the GraceLife.

“Heavenly Father, thank you for your love. Thank you for giving Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. Thank you that He used His Power and Authority “on the basis of love” and paid the penalty for sin. Father, thank you for giving us power and authority on earth. Help us use it wisely, gently, correctly. Help us make decisions and direct others “for love’s sake.” Keep us from being filled with pride. Keep us from abusing our power and authority. Help us use it for good. Help us be a blessing to all people for Your sake. In Jesus Name we ask this, Amen.”

In our next study we’ll look at how we can use power and authority in the workplace to impact co-workers’ lives for eternity.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

January 2, 2012 – 9:07 am Categories: Grace Thoughts | Comments (1)

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Holy Resolutions For A New Year – 2012

Let’s count down to the new year together! The last week of every year is a great opportunity to reflect on what we’ve done the past year and plan for what we want to do in the new year. So, how do we as Christians phrase that question? I suggest this: “What does God want us to do for Him in 2012?

Jesus made the issue of what God wants from us every year very clear in what He told His followers just before He ascended back into Heaven after His resurrection.

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20)

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:46-49)

“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:6-9)

Jesus told His disciples what God wanted them to do each year of their lives:

1. go into all the world, preach the Gospel (repentance and remission of sins) in the name of Jesus to every creature and make disciples of all nations

2. be witnesses for Christ to the ends of the earth

3. baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

4. teach the disciples to obey everything Jesus had commanded them

The apostles did what Jesus told them to do. They waited in Jerusalem to receive power from the Holy Spirit, then began to witness to everyone around them. They started in Jerusalem, then into all Judea and Samaria. They preached repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul, saved many years later, took the Gospel of God’s love beyond Israel into the Gentile world. He taught the Gentiles to preach the Gospel of God’s Grace in their ministry of reconciliation and to represent Christ as ambassadors to the world.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

As we count down to the New Year, let’s look at four specific areas of our life that God wants us to use for Him. We call it Holy Resolutions For A New Year.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

December 26, 2011 – 7:25 pm Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth (Part 12)

Congratulations! You’ve done a great job interpreting Scripture. You are well on your way to “rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” So, what’s next? Evaluate the value of your interpretation, Apply it to your life, and Correlate it properly with other portions of the Word of Truth.

Evaluation

To evaluate is to determine the worth of something. We know that the Bible has inestimable value in part and as a whole, but how do we determine the value of our interpretation of God’s Word? We know that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work,” but is all Scripture addressed to us today?

God told Abraham to circumcise every male child as a sign of the covenant between them. Any male child who was not circumcised would be cut off from his people because he broke the covenant with God. (Genesis 17:9-14) How do we reconcile that direct and clear command with the Apostle Paul’s declaration to Gentile believers that if they became circumcised “Christ will profit you nothing.” (Galatians 5:2) Paul added that every man who became circumcised was a “debtor to keep the whole law” and had become estranged from Christ - “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6) Even though you can correctly interpret each portion of Scripture (Genesis 17 and Galatians 5) correctly, you won’t understand its worth to your life until you evaluate it for application. Which will it be? Circumcision or uncircumcision?

Look at the Scriptures you’ve interpreted and ask yourself this important question – “does this have any value for people today?” If you don’t find value in what you’ve interpreted, then you need to ask why to make sure there are no holes in your interpretation. If what you’ve interpreted truly has no value for today, then you don’t need to proceed to the application phase of Bible study. However, 40 years of studying God’s Word have taught me that every part of the Bible has value for my life. As Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” All Scripture – not just some of it – all of it.

Since the Bible does have great value for our lives today, I need to seek God’s help to understand its worth to my life and people in my life. Even though circumcision is not something Christians should do today for spiritual purposes, there is great value in circumcision from the time of Abraham to the time of Christ. Knowing that value and the deep spiritual purpose behind it will help us understand God at new depths and increase our appreciation for His wonderful plan for Israel.

Application

The process of application is to take the proper evaluation of correctly interpreted portions of God’s Word and apply them to our life. It is never enough to just “know” the Truth. We must “do” the Truth. As Jesus asked the crowds of people that followed Him – “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46) Application is the process of obedience to God. That obedience must follow proper context and right division of the Word of Truth, but it must follow! Bible study without application is a great waste of the breath God has given us. The Church has wasted much breath through the centuries.

Application is the great purpose of Bible study. God inspired the Writing of the Bible so that people would live according to His Truth. As Jesus told Satan –  “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” (Luke 4:4)

Correlation

Correlating Scripture is what we are able to do well after finishing the process of observing, interpreting, evaluating, and applying God’s Truth to our lives. Correlation is the process of establishing relationships and connections between and among various portions of Scripture. We learn how to do it properly by seeing how Jesus, Paul, Peter, John and other apostolic writers made correlations from Old Testament passages. It is from the process of correlating Scriptures that “topical” studies form. It is from correlation that we are able to develop character and theological studies. Knowing that we understand how to “rightly divide the Word of Truth” so that we are using every passage properly during correlation gives us great comfort in knowing we are handling the Truth as God would have us do – “a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Rightly dividing the Word of Truth is not easy. It takes time, effort, prayer, and a spiritual ear to hear what the Spirit says about why He inspired what we read in the Bible. That’s why Paul told Timothy he would be “a worker.” Rightly dividing the Word of Truth takes work, and yields a great harvest of Truth that will change your life and the lives of all who listen to you. Our prayers are with you as you study God’s Word methodically and inductively!

Also, we invite you to read the companion apologetics study – Can I Trust the Bible?

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

December 22, 2011 – 6:55 am Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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It’s Christmas, 2011

Christmas is this coming Sunday. It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by since the last celebration of our Lord’s Birth. Here is the first chapter in a study we shared last year. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter One – Whereʼs The Joy?

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is this week! Where has this year gone? It’s interesting as I drive around town to see so many people who are unhappy and stressed. Drivers are becoming more aggressive and less patient. Shoppers are moving faster and with less satisfaction. We see lighting displays all around the area that include the word “joy” in the message, but where is the joy? Where’s the peace and joy we believe comes with the Christmas season?

Here’s some insight from the Bible:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It may seem too simple to be true, but I believe it is. Joy comes with being inside God’s will for our lives. One of the most-asked questions I’ve heard from Christians since I was saved is “How can I know God’s will for my life?” God’s answer is simple, direct and powerful!

1. First, always be joyful. Remember who you are in Christ. Remember your eternal hope in Christ. Christians have THE REASON to be joyful. Enjoy every day God gives you and each new opportunity to enjoy Him. God gives us Joy rather than happiness. Happiness comes and goes with circumstances and moods. Joy lasts forever. Joys outlives circumstances and moods. We have the Joy of the Lord in our hearts because Christ is in us and we are in Christ. No circumstance or mood can change that.

2. Second, pray continually. That’s possible because Christ is in us and we are in Christ. God is always with us. We don’t have to wait until a certain time of the day to pray. He’s always in us. We don’t have to wait until we’re in a certain place. He’s always in us. We don’t have to wait for others to pray. He’s always in us. Christians can live a life of prayer because we are in Christ and Christ is in us. That’s a permanent prayerful relationship. Always be in an attitude of prayer and dependence on God. Trust Him for everything. He’s your Father. He loves to give good things to His children. And He does!

3. Third, give thanks in all circumstances. Be glad for what God’s given you. See the good in what God does for you. Know that God cares for you with all His Heart and watches out for you every moment of your life. He gives you so much and wants you to be thankful. Understanding Christ in you and you in Christ is to be thankful forever!

When we live our lives in this way, God can easily and clearly point us to other areas of His will for our lives. The difficult decisions about what to do, where to go, who to marry, etc., will become clear as we understand what it means for Christ to be “in” us and us to be “in” Christ. The Will of God lives in us and guides us. Ours is to listen, obey and enjoy.

What does this have to do with Christmas? Jesus came from Heaven to earth to bring us joy! Remember what the angels sang when they announced the birth of Jesus Christ –

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ’Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-14

The angels of Heaven brought the people of earth “good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Notice the angel used the words “great joy.” Most of us have experienced joy in our lives, but what the Jesus brings us a message of great joy.

Where’s the joy? It’s in Jesus! If Jesus is your Savior and you are in His will for your life, you will experience great joy.

Please read the entire study, It’s Christmas, and enjoy this special time of year when we remember God’s Great Gift to the world!

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

December 19, 2011 – 7:08 am Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth (Part 11)

In our last study we saw that some of the subjective methods of Bible study include spiritual sense, common sense, and human experience. This is where many Christians stop in their study of God’s Word and one of the reasons we find so many different interpretations of the same verses within the Church. Subjective study methods are those that are based on or influenced by an individual’s personal feelings and opinions. Objective Bible study methods, on the other hand, are not based on personal feelings or opinions in considering the facts before them. Rightly dividing the Word of Truth combines both subjective and objective study methods to be sure our feelings and opinions are based on the Truth. Objective study methods are honestly more time consuming and more difficult than subjective methods – but the results are definitely worth it.

We’ve looked at the importance of defining terms, so let me add a couple of thoughts about that aspect of interpreting Scripture. The Holy Spirit inspired the human authors of the Bible to use specific Hebrew and Greek words to communicate meaning. In order to understand that meaning, we need to understand the meaning of the individual words and their usage in Scripture. Words have a root meaning and it’s helpful to understand the root meaning and how it was used and understood by ancient people. Good Bible dictionaries and lexicons are helpful in understanding the roots of words used in the Bible.

I’ve often heard that English is a difficult second language for many people around the world to learn because the same word can mean different things depending on usage. For instance, the word cool. “It is a cool day.” “He is such a cool guy.” “What you did was not cool, dude.” “Cool it, man! That’s not cool.” Someone who’s mother tongue is a language other than English might find it strange that we use the word “cool” in so many different ways. In order for them to understand the meaning of the word cool, they have to learn about usage in the English language.

Hebrew and Greek are more exact languages than English in many ways. For instance, the word  love. Hebrew and Greek each have several words that are translated by the English word “love”. The love may be that of a parent for a child, child for a parent, husband for a wife, person for a pet, brother for a brother, friend for a friend, God for people, people for God. Knowing which Hebrew or Greek word the human author of Scripture used in a verse helps us understand the true meaning and purpose.

Integrating and Summarizing Answers

Once you’ve answered your questions, you need to integrate the answers to arrive at the main message of the Scripture you’re studying. That main message is the meaning the Holy Spirit purposed when He inspired the writing of what you are reading. If you’ve done a good job of rightly dividing the Word of Truth, you’re ready to prepare your interpretation for the next step. Even as you’ve written your observations, questions, and answers, I suggest you write a summary statement about what you conclude from integrating your answers. A good way to do that is present it as a research paper you might give to a professor for a grade. Include a title and simple outline. You might also include a premise and conclusion to the outline. Remember, this is just for you – for now. The purpose of integrating and summarizing your hard work of rightly dividing the Word of Truth is to see what you discovered and prepare you for the next step. Other ways to integrate and summarize your interpretation are paraphrase and essay. Those might even fit your thought process better than a research paper. Your essay could include the process you followed to get to the interpretation.

Be careful when integrating and summarizing answers not to fall into common traps that some interpreters fall into. Every denominational group has a different way of interpreting some portions of the Bible. Remember, Jesus prayed to His Father for unity among His disciples. The Holy Spirit speaks what He hears from Christ. God’s Message to His children is not many messages – it’s one message – if it’s “rightly divided”. That means some of the different denominational interpretations are not correct. We want our interpretation to be right, so we work hard to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

In the next part of our study, we’ll look at evaluation and application.

Also, we invite you to read our companion apologetics study – Can I Trust the Bible?

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

December 10, 2011 – 11:53 am Categories: Grace Thoughts | Comments (1)

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Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth (Part 10)

The first course I studied in Bible college was hermeneutics (Methodical Bible Study). It was a mandatory course that lasted two semesters and had to be completed before students could proceed to other study areas – a wise decision by the college. It prepared students for everything else that would come during their education. I was a relatively young Christian, having recently come out of atheism, so I needed to understand the hard work that would be necessary to spend the rest of my life rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Methodical-inductive Bible study takes a tremendous amount of time and discipline, but the results are beyond explanation. It’s so important that we know why we believe something and be able to explain that to someone else so they can understand it and apply the Truth of God’s Word to their life.

The Second Step of Interpretation

The second step of interpretation is finding answers and reasons for the questions we’ve asked. You’ve chosen a portion of Scripture to study, preferably at the beginning of a Book of the Bible (e.g. Mark 1:1; Romans 1:1). You’ve carefully looked at everything in the verse(s) and written all of your observations. You’ve looked at all your observations and asked every question you can think of that needs to be answered.

Questions to Ask

Terms – the definition of each word … the significance of the grammatical structure

Form – the literary form used by the writer (e.g. history, poetry, parable, psalm, proverb)

Tone – the atmospheric tone used by the writer (e.g. joyful, sad, serious, urgent)

Rationale – the why questions

Answering Questions

It’s important to remember the spiritual aspect of Bible study -

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-16

We need to remember that the writing of the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. He searches all things, including the deep things of God. Isn’t that what we want to know from studying the Bible – the “deep things” of God? Paul taught and wrote those things the Holy Spirit taught him, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. The work of rightly dividing the Word of Truth is not a natural thing to do and it is something the natural man cannot do. Only spiritual can interpret spiritual.

When we study spiritually – attuned to the leading of the Holy Spirit – we will find that Truth is often obvious. God is not trying to trick or fool people. God Speaks openly and clearly. The correct interpretation of a passage of Scripture is usually the obvious interpretation. You might call it “spiritual common sense.”

Because we are human beings and the people who the Holy Spirit inspired to write the Bible were human beings, we can understand the meaning of Scripture from a human as well as Divine perspective. Writers like Mark, Luke, Peter and Paul gave readers their human perspective of Truth even as they shared God’s View. We learn so much through their human experiences. We understand what it’s like to be human and filled with joy or overcome by grief. It is more difficult to understand what it’s like to be God, so God sent His Only Son Who became both human and Divine to die for our sins and help us bridge the gap in understanding the “deep things of God.” As John reminds us – “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Jesus Christ is the Word of God – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”(John 1:1-4)

These methods of interpretation are subjective. In the next part of our study we will look at those methods that are objective.

Also, read our companion study about trusting God’s Word.

In Christ’s Love and Grace,

Mark McGee

GraceLife Ministries

“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

December 3, 2011 – 6:19 pm Categories: Grace Thoughts | Post a comment

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