Aim to Finish

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:24 NIV

I teach middle school and sometimes I need to remind some students why they are in school. They often act as if it's just a social gathering where they can hang out with their friends. I remind them that the real reason they go to school is to get an education.

If you notice I didn't write receive because that's passive. To truly learn students need to actively participate in the process. Isn't that like our Christian experience? To truly know Christ we need to be actively involved in knowing Christ. Like Paul we need to aim to finish the task the Lord Jesus has given us. Run the race today. Be godly at home. Be godly at work. Work hard and give the glory to God. If any opportunity opens up to share anything about Jesus, take it. You don't have to have an altar call, just share what is fitting. 

Three To Be in Christ

In your majesty ride forth victoriously
   in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness,
let your right hand display awesome deeds. 
Psalm 45:4

Most of the time, we are known for what we do. What we say matters only if we practice what we preach. Being a man or woman of truth, humility and righteousness is a fine legacy indeed. 

I could give a nice little exposition of theses verses and how they relate to marriage and to Christ. But as a devotional I just want to key in on the idea that Christ is the truth, he humbled himself and he is our righteousness. 

In John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.""

In Philippians 2 Paul reminds us that Christ "humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on the cross" and that attitude of humility is the same one we should have.

When speaking of boasting the apostle poignantly reminds the Corinthians, "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption."  

How does this apply to us today? It's pretty straight forward isn't it? I should be truthful, but with love. I should be humble which means to know who I am in Christ and serve others accordingly. I should also openly remember that Christ is my righteousness and act with his righteousness in all my encounters today. 

You Can't Follow From Ahead

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

2 John 1:9-11 (NIV)

Have you ever walked with someone who does not know where they are going but they walk ahead and you have to catch up to them and then get them back in the right direction? In a way that is what the Apostle John is talking about. 

Back in eighties one budding group of churches started to really explore the depths of the movement of the Holy Spirit. I think their intent (to know Christ in a deeper way) was good, but, they ended up doing a lot of questionable stuff. They went from "singing in the spirit" to "laughing in the spirit" to being "slain in the spirit". When people started to say things like, "If you read something in the Bible yet sense the Spirit telling you something different, go with the Spirit," then I knew for sure they had gone to far ahead. 

It is good to want to know Christ in a deeper way, but remember God is not the author of confusion so he won't give you conflicting directives. Paul said he wanted "to know Christ in the and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death," (Philippians 3:10).

Remember, you can't follow Christ if you try to run ahead of him. 

Father, help us to follow you and not get ahead and off track. Praise be to you in us today. 

Do You Have Hope?

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

1 John 3:1-3 (NIV)

OK, I admit it. I have, on occasion, paid a dollar for a lotto ticket, just for the dream or hope of having enough money to put my kids through college. (Yes, and buy a Porsche.) I also remember greeting people at church as they came in and seeing my wife for the first time . I hoped to see her again. After church a week or so later I saw her again. After the service I went to the church bookstore hoping she might go by there. She did. We met, we dated, we got married and have four great kids. That is a hope fulfilled. 

Knowing Christ and hoping in him is more than just a dream like winning the lotto. Knowing Christ and hoping in him is more powerful than even the strongest love we can have as humans. Our hope in Christ purifies us. Sin always corrupts and pollutes us, physically and spiritually (on the outside and the inside).

Knowing Christ and hoping in him is an eternal experience. Eternity is not a ray, starting at one point and then continuing on forever. Eternity is the  past, the present and the future connected. Salvation is not just that Christ forgives our past sins. Salvation is more than the removal of our past transgressions and even the sins of the present. Knowing Christ as Savior and Lord is knowing that he forgives us all our sins (past, present and future) so we can enjoy his purity. Remember, in a marriage purity is not abstinence, rather, purity is faithfulness to your spouse. 

Knowing Christ, hoping in him is not just refraining from sin. Our hope is in the love of God that he lavished on us by making us his children. My hope, as God's child, is knowing that the Sovereign Lord of the universe has unfailing love for me and in Christ I am his child. 

Father, help us to purify ourselves by our hope in Christ, to live in his love. Thank you for you love for us in Christ. Praise be to you in us today!

I KNOW WHO I BELIEVE: II Timothy 1:12

"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." II Timothy 1:12

That are a lot of things that are important but knowing God has got to be at the top of the list. To say that you are a Christian and yet not know Christ is a contradiction in terms. Knowing Christ is all about believing that what he said is true and acting like it. 

This is not about feeling warm fuzzies and spending your day in spiritual bliss. Knowing Christ is believing he is Sovereign Lord and has unfailing love for you when life is a blessing and life is a bummer. 

Knowing Christ as your Savior and Lord is more than a mere repetition of words. Knowing Christ is acting according to the truth in Christ. If Christ says to seek first his kingdom, I need to seek first his kingdom. My faith determines how I act with my wife and children. My faith determines how I go about my job and how I treat others at my job. My faith determines how a manage my son's baseball team and lead his Cub Scout Pack. My faith is to love as Christ loved me. 

To know Christ is to know his love. To live by faith is to share his love. 

Father, thank you for your love for us in Christ. Help us to walk by faith. Praise be to you in us today!