Wisdom From the Word

In His final teaching on the way to Gethsemane and then the cross Jesus said something very significant in John 15:15 (see the verse in context at the end of this post). Jesus said, “I no longer call you servants but friends.” While we earn trust, do we earn friendship or is it something that grows over time through the sharing of hearts? I don’t know how often we think about friendship and how it develops but Jesus called these men His friends after He had spent around three years with them, eating together, sleeping outdoors together and sharing ministry. All this time Jesus was modeling His Father’s heart and hearing their hearts.

Over time they had become friends of Jesus now pointed that out to them in John 15. Given that our friends are the people we enjoy spending time with can Jesus be our Friend without enjoying our company? It is easy to say in Christian circles that Jesus died for us because He loved us and intellectually believe it. Yet what if we shift it a bit to say, “Jesus died for us because He cares about us.” We can also make it more personal, “Jesus, I know You died for me, You laid down Your life and suffered incredible torment because You really care about me and want to spend eternity with me.” Does that evoke a different heart response? After all, Paul wrote, “¹⁰  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10 (NKJV) While the context of this verse is salvation is the principle not true in the other areas of our walk with Jesus?

We need to see Jesus high and lifted up, the King and Creator of the universe. Yet we also need to see Jesus stepping off His throne and walking into our lives and hearts, concerned about every aspect and detail of our lives because He is also our friend. We can sing ‘Jesus Friend of sinners’ but what about Jesus friend of Christians? What are the implications of thinking and believing that way?

¹²  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ¹⁴  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:12-15 (NKJV)

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love the outdoors, particularly being in the mountains. When I am outdoors I generally find it easier to connect with Jesus and easier for my heart to come to a place of rest. Yet with all their beauty and the many natural resources on and hidden within them, what are mountains really worth? While we may try to calculate this from a monetary perspective, how do we compare all the natural resources in the world with the value of one eternal being created to be conformed to the image of Jesus? (See Rom. 8:28-30)

This is a question that seems to not occupy most of us but is a very significant and real question. We live in a world generally dominated by economic concerns in western civilization. Yet, while economics needs to be part of our life we need to view finances and economies as a means to an end, not the end in and of themselves. After all, what did Jesus say?

³⁶  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark 8:36 (NKJV) 

It is very important that Jesus in essence said there is nothing we should be willing to trade for an eternity with Him. This statement is the true value proposition and is the real measuring stick for how we are to weigh things both temporal and eternal. How do we view our lives and the lives of others in light of this truth? How is it reflected in our lifestyles?

More to come…

We no longer reference sin very much in our culture and even when we do, in some church circles it has become popular to say that ‘sin is sin’ and one sin is no worse than another. I don’t know who started the expression but the intent seems to be the justification or minimizing of sin. However, does ‘sin is sin’ square with scripture?

Squaring something is an interesting term. It can be used to refer to fighting with two opponents ‘squaring off’ with one another. However, I think the better reference comes from carpentry where things need to be squared if they are to function properly. A few years ago I installed some laminate in my basement and discovered that whoever had finished that part of my basement had not squared the walls and my runs of laminate were off when I reached the wall. Squaring something up in building may not seem that important but it is like the idea of heading off on a long journey and being slightly off. It may not affect things much at the start but 1,000 km into the journey you are far from your destination even if you were only off a couple of degrees at the start. In building the larger the structure the more important it is to square things when you begin to build on the foundation.

In a similar manner with the choices we make in our lives we are building something of far more significance than an earthly structure, as Paul noted.

¹  For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV)

¹⁹  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, ²¹  in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²  in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 (NKJV)

⁹  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 1 Corinthians 3:9-10 (NKJV)

There are more NT references. My point is that we in the church have both an individual and corporate responsibility regarding how we build on the foundation of Jesus in our lives. Jesus is not the carpenter, we are. The foundation is set and squared. Sins have consequences and contrary to some current thinking some sins are worse than others. While our goal should be to never sin, we need to recognize that if we do the effects of some are worse than others and they affect not only us individually but the church corporately because we are all part of the same building. Look at the reference below.

¹⁸  Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV)

This is one verse on the matter that is very clear, not all sins have the same consequences. Every judicial system I am aware of uses the same approach and does not respond to a parking infraction in the same manner as it does to murder. We would all recognize the inherent injustice in that approach and Yahweh is the same. Exodus to Deuteronomy makes hundreds of distinctions regarding various sins.

The qualifier is that if we don’t know Jesus we end up eternally in the wrong place. If we do know Jesus our degree of reward or loss is determined by how we build on the foundation in our lives, which includes helping others. So rather than saying ‘sin is sin’ why not better serve ourselves and the rest of the body by promoting the idea that sin is wrong, plain and simple? We can then focus on building an eternal structure that we can look forward to and help to shape the rest of the building material in this corporate structure to which we belong.

¹  Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: ²  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:1-4 (NKJV)

Peter provides us with some wisdom here. The focus of 2 Peter is a warning against false teachers. In the first chapter Peter seeks to inoculate his readers from false teaching by getting them to focus on drawing on the grace of Jesus.

So what do we learn here? The closer we draw to Jesus in intimacy the more we can receive of His grace and peace. The catch is we need to believe and draw on His promises. Peter says that drawing on these promises is the way to partake of the Godhead and the way to escape the corruption that is in the world as a result of lust (here Peter points us back to what happened in the garden in Genesis 3).

The natural state of the world is downward toward corruption. Observation and scripture teach us this. I am dealing with a medical issue with one of my feet and as part of the process had an x-ray on my foot. In going over the x-ray results with the Dr. she read a part that referenced signs of ‘degenerative osteoarthritis’ in one of my toes. While it sounds terrible that is not the part of my foot I am rehabilitating and in fact is simply fancy language for the process of life and aging, the corruption that Peter referenced.

While I pray for and believe in healing and restoration, no matter how long I live I, like everyone else, will eventually die unless Jesus returns first. This body will wear out. So how does this square with what Peter said about partaking of the divine nature to escape this corruption and degeneration? If we are believers, we are in the world but not of the world. Though our bodies may wear out our spirits never will. If we know Jesus at some point we will step from time into eternity and receive a new glorified body.

During our time here on earth we are called to grow in our relationship with Jesus and have our spirits grow and be strengthened. While we may lament the effects of aging and cannot control them, we can rejoice in and grow stronger in our spirits. It is not automatic, it requires believing and partaking but it is available. We can experience what Jesus and John the Baptist walked in.

⁴⁰  And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40 (NKJV)

⁸⁰  So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. Luke 1:80 (NKJV)

The other day I was driving in my car and bring something before the Lord. What I heard in my spirit in answer to my question was, “If your eye is single your whole body will be full of light.” This is from Jesus teaching in Matthew 6:22. The word ‘single’ comes from the old KJV. The NKJV translates it below as ‘good.’

²¹  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²²  The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:21-22 (NKJV)

Over the years I have spent a good deal of time reflecting on verse 21 as I see our heart as the capacity to treasure things, more particularly either the things of the spirit or the things of the soul. At the same time I had spent little time on verse 22. I have casually thought of it as needing to pay attention to what we look at. This time what the Holy Spirit brought to me over and over again was the role of our thinking/imagination in relation to our looking. How and what we see is greatly determined by how we look.

To bring this point home let me share a story I read. This fellow described being on the subway and seeing a father and two young children get on. The children were bothering the other passengers and the father was doing nothing to intervene. The author made some judgments and decided to intervene and get the fellow to be a responsible father. He said, “Excuse me, I don’t know if you noticed but your children are bothering the other passengers.” The ‘neglectful’ father sort of came out of a fog and responded, “I’m sorry, we just came from the hospital where their mother died.” What do you think happened to the first man’s view? What changed in the situation? One thing only. How he thought about this father.

This took me back to Philippians 4:8. If we want our eyes to be single we need to be intentional about our thinking.

⁸  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

If we train our minds to meditate, to think deeply on things that are noble, just, pure, lovely and good that is the filter through which we will see the world around us. How are things looking?

We have just celebrated Jesus death and resurrection. Obviously neither would have been possible without His birth. Let’s reflect a bit on what happened.

We know from the scriptures that Yahweh’s nature is revealed in creation.

²⁰  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, Romans 1:20 (NKJV)

¹  The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)

Yet in addition to creation we needed a fuller revelation of the Godhead which came about through Jesus becoming flesh.

¹⁴  And 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 (NKJV)

⁸  Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰  and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:8-10 (NKJV)

God’s glory is his character (see Ex. 33:18-19, 34:5-8). Jesus coming into the world was also a further unveiling of the Father’s heart and Jesus told Thomas, and by extension us, that to see Him was to see the Father (Jn. 14:9). So to both understand and experience the glory of God we need to simply meditate on how Jesus interacted with people, for in those interactions we also have the Father and Spirit revealed.

What is Jesus like? He displayed no tolerance for religion and deception when, for example, He cleansed the temple and exposed false motives. At the same time He was infinitely patience and compassionate with the sincere and broken hearted and revealed a deep love for all who sought truth. So, let us reflect on His character (glory) as revealed in the gospels and sit with Him and experience His love and tender heart and in return pour out our love for Him and seek His face.

What a Beautiful Name by Hillsong unveils this somewhat.

Have you ever had a bad experience camping? You picked what seemed like a good spot and then due to bad weather, bad camping neighbours or a variety of other things it turned out to not be as good as it looked?

What does camping have to do with our spiritual walk? At times where we want to camp is the wrong place. Look at the passages below.

¹  Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ²  and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” ⁶  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. ⁷  But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Matthew 17:1-8 (NKJV)

²  Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. ³  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. ⁴  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”- ⁶  because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. ⁷  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Mark 9:2-7 (NKJV) 

²⁸  Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. ³⁰  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, ³¹  who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³²  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. ³³  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”-not knowing what he said. ³⁴  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. ³⁵  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Luke 9:28-35 (NKJV)

In the three parallel passages above we see some different aspects of the story. We know from all three that while speaking with Moses and Elijah Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John. We also know from all three that Peter suggested they build three tabernacles (small temporary shelters). Putting the three together we know that Peter spoke out of fear and a desire to ‘do’ something and that they were sleepy and awoke seeing His glory. At the same time the desire to build the three tabernacles points to Peter’s desire to ‘camp’ at this experience. It was good and Peter wanted to prolong it. Yet when the Father spoke His it was clear that Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, were there to point to Jesus. They were prophets, Jesus is the Son, the eternal preexistent One.

Have we ever had experiences with Jesus that we seek to replicate or camp at? A good meeting or worship experience? A key experience during a prayer time? These experiences are a byproduct of being with Jesus so if our focus is on them rather than Jesus we can miss our purpose and calling. This glorious experience of the transfiguration was part of preparation for the horror of Gethsemane and the Cross. They both led to something much greater, the resurrection, yet had they “camped” with Jesus on the mountaintop they would have never come back to the valley to the most important event in human history. Jesus sacrificial death and resurrection.

At times we need to stop ‘camping’ at the good to get to the best. In referring to Jesus Paul said, “²⁵  who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” Romans 4:25 (NKJV) They both needed to happen and neither would have without leaving behind the transfiguration. So the only place we can ‘camp’ is in our relationship with Jesus and then going where He leads. Our lives are to be reshaped and transformed through the power of the resurrection. That is the ultimate experience – being found in Him.

After all, if our faith does not affect how we live, then pray tell what does it affect?

I have one more intimacy opportunity to share. The power of reading and meditating on the word of God. I believe that while we easily acknowledge the value of the scriptures I am not sure how much we actually understand their value in practice. As a side note, a key way we can value the scriptures is by embracing what Isaiah spoke and wrote.

²⁰  To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20 (NKJV)

Whatever experiences we may have need to be filtered through and weighed against the truth of scripture. Yet the scriptures are also designed to lead us to experiencing Jesus.

¹⁸  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

¹²  For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

As we sit with and interact with His word He changes us. We encounter Jesus and begin to differentiate between the desires of our soul and the leading of His Spirit. At times we may feel the change and at other times we may only know it because others observe it.

As we read ( I recommend reading aloud, there is a different dynamic) and meditate on Jesus word we encounter life. In fact Jesus is very explicit about what His words contain, we simply need to habitually eat this food for our spirits.  

⁶³  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 (NKJV)

As a further example, below is something I have written for myself and though I am not 100% successful I desire to do it every day and recognize that some days are better than none. My goal is to meditate on these verses and encounter Jesus in the process, which I regularly do. Join me if you like. 

• Sit in the light of Your presence and be renewed and restored. See You healing every part of me. Practice Is. 40:31 and Rom. 8:11 each day. Carry this throughout the day. Remember, Jesus is never in a hurry, He walks in His Father, I walk in Him. Spirit, soul and body are designed to live in and from a state of repose.

³¹  But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

¹¹  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

How does humility make intimacy accessible? Humility is generally understood to be holding a modest or low view of ourselves. Scripturally many of us would be drawn to the passage below.

¹  Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ²  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Philippians 2:1-3 (NKJV)

In the passage above the phrase in verse 3, ‘lowliness of mind’ refers to humility and is described below.

The term is found seven times in the New Testament, and there only in Acts and the Epistles. True “humbleness” (tapeinophrosunē) is encouraged for the believer (Acts 20:19; Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 5:5). This “humility,” however, has nothing to do with “groveling” or “weakness.” It describes a humility that naturally evolves out of a heart of love for the exalted Lord. It is the attitude of the Christian servant, first exemplified by Jesus. In fact, it is only in an attitude of humility, a contrite heart, that the spiritual life can prosper. Humility should characterize relationships among the children of God (Philippians 2:3). Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary

This is a great description of both humility and the benefits yet I think we at times miss them because we stop too soon in Philippian’s 2. Look at the next verse.

⁴  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 (NKJV)

Humility is neither being arrogant nor an ascetic. It is having a proper assessment based on scripture and recognizing the need to look after our interests as well as others. We need to know what the scriptures say about us. At the same time, I have had a recurring experience the last couple of weeks. I often listen to satellite radio in my car and one of the popular feel good television and radio preachers has an ad on my regular station. I want to like him but I find the message ‘smarmy’ (I don’t know the Greek for that!) though he professes to be teaching what the scriptures teach. My recent recurring experience is wondering if Paul listened to one of his sermons whether Paul would try to convert him to Christ? I think Paul would try to convert him because he would not be able to reconcile this preacher’s message with the gospel.

I said that to highlight that I am not advocating a hyped up message or perspective. Yet if I do an honest assessment of who I am based on His word I find myself experiencing intimacy with Jesus. What is an honest assessment? Here are some examples.

¹⁷  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) ¹³  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) ¹⁰  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:10-11 (NKJV)

When I sit with Jesus and meditate on verses like these the door to intimacy swings open and I experience His presence resting upon my heart and moving within me because I am feeding my spirit on His Word and presence. However a balancing factor and important aspect of humility is also meditating on the verse below.

⁵  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (NKJV)

What this verse tells me is that to be effective in His kingdom (His not mine) I need to humbly depend on Jesus. It also frees me because I recognize my responsibility is obedience and Jesus responsibilities is results! So, if you are not already doing so I invite you to spend a couple of weeks making friends with these few verses and monitoring how it affects your friendship with Jesus.

In my last post I referenced Paul’s perspective and how it kept him from a relationship with Jesus and intimacy with Him. So what actually was his perspective? As Saul, prior to his conversion he tells us that he was a Pharisee.

⁵  circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; Philippians 3:5 (NKJV)

The basic meaning of the word Pharisee is a ‘separated one.’ The sect of the Pharisees arose after the Jews returned to Babylon under Nehemiah and Ezra. They were people who sought holiness through separating themselves from things that did not accord with Godliness.

After his conversion Paul seems to use a play on words to still describe himself as a Pharisee but a Pharisee of a different sort.

¹  Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God Romans 1:1 (NKJV)

A Pharisee in Jesus day identified himself by what he was separated from. After his conversion Paul identified himself by what he was separated to – a very critical distinction.

What does this mean for us? As Christians we are not called to define ourselves by what we are not (Jesus said we would be known by our love). Think of a marriage. Would it make sense if I provided a long list of women and said to my wife I am a good husband because I don’t love all of these other women? No! While some odd people may believe me, I know that what my wife wants to know is that I love her, not that I don’t love others.

If you want to make this spiritual shift with Jesus make the prayer below your own.

²⁵  O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶  And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:25-26 (NKJV)

This comes at the end of what is referred to as Jesus High Priestly Prayer before He goes to Gethsemane and the cross. A way to make it our own is to pray something like, “Jesus You said You would reveal the Father’s name to us, that You would unveil His character. Jesus I ask that by the touch of Your Spirit upon my heart You would enable me to love You the way Your Father, and my Father loves You.”

In my next post I will look at what humility means and how it opens the door for His love to flood and transform our hearts.