Living As People of Light

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.  He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.  Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.  Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you.  Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God.  For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.  Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.  Don’t participate in the things these people do.  For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord.  So live as people of light!  For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.  Ephesians 5:1-9

Apostle Paul begins this part of his letter to the believers at Ephesus with:

·       what to do (imitating God),

·       with the middle part telling us how to do it (thankfulness to God instead of self-centered obscenity),

·       and he ends it by pointing to:  what that will make of us (people of light, shining as good, right, and true.

Considering the culture in which we find ourselves in the 21^st Century, this passage would be a great one to memorize.  We live in a “coarse” society.  The word means rough, uneven, or raw.  That means we live in a hard place to navigate.  Waters like that produce sunken ships, and tragedy. 

The news (whether biased, or straight-up) screams loudly that Paul was talking about days like we now experience.  Prolonged times like this produce children who have little respect for authority.  And that is largely because they see very little worthy of admiration.  Sometimes it becomes obvious that children who are obnoxious and selfish are (at least) just acting out their natural inclination to rebel against what is not worthy of following. 

One of my friends was very fond of this saying about parenting techniques:  Your children’s learning will be more caught than taught.  You may be familiar with that if you have raised, or are raising kids; you can talk to them till you’re blue-in-the-face, but what they really learn is what they see in your actions. 

So the Apostle was getting at what we all need to learn…telling your children what to do isn’t the same as showing them how you do it.  It hardly needs saying, but do as I say…not as I do is the kind of hypocrisy children can sniff-out in a New York minute…and the smell of it ain’t pretty!  The year I turned 30 I was smoking 3 packs of cigarettes a day.  Public service announcements were just starting to ramp-up then, about how dangerous tobacco was for your health.  I quit that year because I noticed my five-year-old son walking around with a pencil in his hand, imitating Daddy’s habit.

Imitating God (as Paul states it) isn’t about playing God.  Rather, it’s about becoming like Jesus, unselfish, willing to sacrifice for the good of others.  This is the textbook definition of Agape’, God’s covenant love…doing the best for others unconditionally.  Without that we cannot live in the light, shining as goodness and truth; we remain in darkness.

For You Today 

So, whether this means you need to work on cleaning-up some habits, changing some attitudes, or whatever, remember that there are little eyes watching you, learning from you; lead them well.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library. 

Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Life Patterns

 

Friday, June 2, 2023

Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14

Patterns are useful.  They are used to identify species of animals, birds, fish, and plant-life.  Patterns help us understand the ways our universe does things, like environmental change; we can only predict what the weather will be like because patterns repeat according to needed reordering of previous conditions.  Hot and dry needs a cooling-off and watering.  Patterns drive ideas, such as how to hold things together more securely.  Wood pieces that have screws to hold the frame tightly last longer.  But the process of building the frame is useless without the screwdriver to make it work.

Since the dawn of time humans have wondered about the meaning of life – the purpose of our existence.  Genetics, only recently uncovered, reveals untold billions of possibilities in patterns, of hair that may be curly or straight, green eyes or brown, tall or short, strength, size and workings of the brain; the list is endless.

The discovery of patterns that exist is obviously hugely-interesting.  However, curiosity satisfaction about patterns is only a doorstep into the skyscraper of the building of why patterns exist at all.  The WHY is God’s gift.  Unlocking the patterns of our universe gave us atomic energy, art, scientific advances in medicine, conservation, evaluation of the mind, and (again) the list is endless.

Paul’s advice to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, was to hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching, shaped by the faith and love which Timothy had found in Jesus Christ. 

As with screws that hold wood together, and number patterns that build computer programming, the love and faith to which Paul pointed can be one of two things:  useful, or stockpiled.  To illustrate, let’s use the difference between a collector and a craftsman.  A collector collects whatever seems interesting to possess.  A craftsman puts to use what is available to produce something worth having.  In the metaphysical world of thoughts, philosophy, and theory, to be a collector is useful if you merely want to have a dusty library.  A craftsman goes farther than the collector, putting the screws he picks from the supply to join the wood pieces into a useful chair.

This, then is the back-story to Paul’s advice to Timothy…to be God’s craftsman.  In a follow-up letter, he told the young pastor to take God’s word off the shelf of the collectors, and build it into the lives of people.

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval.  Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.  2 Timothy 2:15

For You Today 

God gave us His word and marching orders…so…be a craftsman, not a collector; go build some people up today!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:   Wondering About the Big Stuff Series:  Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  and We Mortals

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

It Was By Faith

 

Friday, February 17, 2023

It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.  It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.  He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.  It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger.  He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.  It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.  

Hebrews 11:23-28

It's a whole lot easier to entertain faith from an easy chair, or from a pew in the sanctuary.  It is in those safe places faith seems workable.  It is in protected comfort we plan how living by faith will work, and we plot our course to build a life of fellowship with God…to be a good person.  We can see it all laid out in our minds; we even jot it down in a journal.  We can see a future that makes sense.

And that’s just the problem…we see it!  Seeing is not Faith!  Acting on a promise, without having the end, and how it will all work, is trusting…and trusting, without seeing, is the heart and soul of faith.  If you require knowing the beginning point, the end, and all the steps you will take in-between, perfectly laid-out, charted, with PowerPoint displays and checklists, you’re no closer to faith than an iceberg surviving in the fiery furnace! 

But what if you’re bent that way?  What if you’re an introverted thinker, one who makes to-do lists, and wants to plan-the-work and work-the-plan?  Are you irrevocably-doomed to the abyss?  (I am that sort of person; welcome to my world!)  According to Jesus, looking ahead to count the cost isn’t wrong; in fact, it’s an integral part of the process if you want to be His disciple![1]

So where does counting the cost end, and faith begin?  When do you stop contemplating God and His call on your life, and begin cooperating with Jesus in whatever He puts in front of you.  Or do you just totally put-aside thinking and just begin doing?  Those are some good questions, but looking for a timetable for thinking and doing, evades the trust issue of faith…and trust is the key.

Remember Moses.  He had plenty of time for thinking about God, and searching for God’s will.  Growing up in a palace, power at his fingertips, this Jewish boy, hiding in Egyptian clothing, had a heart that was on fire for God.  Every choice he made was pointed towards worshipping Almighty God.  He never rejected meditating on God, or making plans (just look at plans for the wilderness Tabernacle).  But he was always ready, without a moment’s notice, to step-out into the uncharted waters of change.  He did count the cost, and he found out early that he would make mistakes (he killed an Egyptian soldier, and had to spend the next forty years on the backside of nowhere).  But he also knew an unconditional heart’s commitment to God’s ways.  To the casual observer, every decision Moses made was towards the downward spiral.  Exile, hardship, poverty, and the anger of Pharaoh, instead of power, luxury, and fame was his counting the cost…and walking by faith in the God who called him was always the choice.

For You Today 

When you serve the King of Kings, walking by faith needs no other vision.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

God's Mountain - Moses' Faith  and  An Unusual Child  and  By Faith 

Images:  Title Pixabay.com   Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] See Luke 14:27-29

Where Will They Take YOUR Bones?

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt.  He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.   Hebrews 11:22

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers when he was very young.[1]  However, even as a slave in Egypt, this ancestor of Jesus kept his integrity and commitment to God on the faithful-front-burner.  He knew God was watching over him.  Throughout his time in Egypt Joseph never lost sight of God’s promises given to his ancestor, Abraham, that the land of Canaan would be their inheritance.  At the end of his days (on Earth) Joseph instructed his family to carry his bones back to that promised land when they left Egypt years later.  I’m not an historical mind-reader,  but it seems clear that Joseph’s intent was to stay true to God’s call and promises, even after he left this earthly realm.  Being buried (re-buried) in that place of promise was a significant gesture of his faithfulness – home at last!

Joseph’s clan did what he asked of them, burying him at Shechem, the first place his great-grandfather, Abraham had worshipped.  It was at that place God gave the promise of Canaan Land to the descendants of Abraham. 

Joseph’s intent all throughout his difficult early days, and glory later days, were aimed at going back to the altar where God first called.

For You Today  

You may have a lengthy line of Christians in your ancestry, or you may be the first of your family to profess Christ.  Either (or anywhere in-between) is a perfect place to adopt the kind of life-long holy determination that defined Joseph’s life.  If you had a rough start in life, like Joseph, or a relatively secure and happy start, like Opie in Mayberry, you will someday also have an end. 

For the time being, God is calling you to the kind of faithfulness Joseph lived…ready to serve and honor the One who gives the promise…Father, God, Lord of Heaven’s hosts.  By your thoughts, words, and deeds, leave no doubt in your clan’s minds where they should carry your bones when your time comes.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

Never Give Up   Big Faith

Images:  Title Pixabay.com   Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] Read the account of this rough start in life here:  Genesis 38

Pieces of the Parent

Monday, October 10, 2022

‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion.  But he does not excuse the guilty.  He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’  Numbers 14:18

DNA is hardly refutable.  From color of our hair, skin, and so many other physical characteristics, to mannerisms, voice, and aging, we pass-along who we are.  The other day I leaned over to my bride and said:  When did we become our parents?  During the time when our children were teens, I would make a call to the house to talk with Elizabeth.  If Jennifer (our oldest) would answer, for the better part of a ten minute conversation I’d have no clue that the voice belonged to our child, not her mother.  That is well-documented stuff, and palatable (on the positive side); it sometimes even makes us laugh. 

What’s not so clear (nor palatable) is the Scripture verse.  Having the children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren pay for the sins of the parent, seems more than a little unfair!  The picture of a child, constructed entirely of pieces of the parent is a chilling reminder of the responsibility we bear as parents, to instill the best of what God gives us in our children. 

And it’s not just what we do, but how it is done.  The old adage is just as chilling:  Children learn what they live with.  Our poor behavior can tip the scales in the opposite direction of what we intended.  Another old saying comes to mind here:  Do what I say, not what I do.  Truth be told, that threadbare dog will not hunt.  Your children are much more apt to do what you do, than what you tell them.

The suspicion that the Scripture is slanted towards being “unfair” is nonetheless true.  It is so with everything in the natural realm.  A stone tossed in a lake will make ripples that never end.  A tree falling in a forest makes a thud that vibrates.  All actions have corresponding and equal reactions.  And, if you jump out of an airplane at 10,000 feet without a parachute, the gravity of the situation will become clear (and painful). 

Just as clear, and much more palatable, is the other side of that coin.  If slipping into untoward behavior (sin), is damning to your children, grands, and more, then the opposite (repentance and obedience) can be just as healing.  And there is only one obstacle standing between the parent who has behaved poorly, and beginning the healing process for the offspring:  the parent’s pride.

The greatest example of this paradigm is King David.  David’s self-absorbed behavior with Bathsheba, including lust, adultery (bordering on rape), conspiracy, and the cover-up that took integrity apart in his soul, nearly destroyed not only his kingdom, but (more importantly) his relationship with God.  When the prophet, Nathan, finally unearthed what David had tried to bury, the king broke, and confessed openly.  The damage to David’s children was severe – they were following in his footsteps…pieces of the parent.  But his transparent confession became his legacy.

For You Today

Let’s let apostle Paul have the last word today about a life principle that will always be the higher ground for parenting and living a purposful, holy life:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Philippians 4:8

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

Mary's Confusion   and   How Was Your Weekend?

[1] Images:  via Reddit.com (copyright restrictions unknown)   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

A Firm Foundation

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Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.  Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.  Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.  And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.  In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders.  And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  Stay alert!  Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.  Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.  In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus.  So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.  All power to him forever! Amen.  1 Peter 5:2-11

Peter’s instructions are a legacy of leadership for those who would come behind as servants of Christ.  He builds a mighty case for the right attitude as an elder; it’s the kind of attitude filled with adjectives describing the character of Jesus, which builds a firm foundation for the household of faith.  And what a list it is:

     ·      Caring for God’s family willingly and eagerly

     ·      Choosing positive example over authoritarian demand

     ·      Accepting leadership of others with humility

     ·      Having humility in all relationships

     ·      Keeping a non-anxious presence as you lead, trusting in God.

     ·      Attentiveness that recognizes your own vulnerability in spiritual matters

     ·      Awareness of other believer’s suffering and need

For You Today

The servant of God must be clothed in this kind of attitude, otherwise whatever is built does not glorify God; it is merely a display of human talent and work.  Frankly, that falls far short of the glory God wants to do through you!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com    Unless noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©

The Pattern of a Life

[i]

Friday, March 15, 2019

Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.  For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.  They are headed for destruction.  Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.  And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.  Philippians 3:17-20(NLT)

Paul said two things here that make us sit up and take notice. 

1.     Follow me…pattern your life after the way I act in following Jesus.

2.     When it comes to Jesus, there are only two possibilities – you believe, or you don’t; the difference is that black and white!

In making this point Paul says that those who are not truly citizens of heaven are enemies of the cross.  Most of the people I’ve known who refuse to be identified as a follower of Christ don’t really consider themselves “enemies of Jesus” or His gospel…they just don’t believe or think all the “religious stuff” is silly. 

But Jesus made it that plain.  And when he said those words to his disciples it must have been a memorable statement, because both Matthew and Luke record it with precisely the same words Jesus gave to them:

Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.                             Matthew 12:30(NLT) & Luke 11:23(NLT)

So, if you refuse to be a disciple, you don’t have to set up a war room against the kingdom; just by not serving Christ and His Kingdom, you are still an enemy of the cross.  In or out…that’s not hard to understand!

The other statement Paul makes is to encourage the Philippian believers to follow his example in following Christ.  I have to say, as a pastor this one gives me the willies!  It’s one thing to personally-accept the responsibility to follow Christ and do your utmost to surrender your life to His leading; it’s quite another to put yourself out there as a pattern for other people.  It seems somehow either arrogant (do this like me…I’m your pattern) or it seems dangerous, like you are taking-on the responsibility of success or failure in someone else’s eternal spiritual life.  Paul was a million-times more a faithful disciple of Jesus than I am, but he wasn’t perfect.  He made mistakes.

Now if that’s the case, there must be something more here.  It’s my opinion that Paul was looking back over his life at how he’d tried with everything in him to do right, and to proclaim the name of Jesus.  In the process he’d learned how to follow Jesus (and how NOT to follow Jesus).  And in that he could say to his beloved Philippian clan:  do what I did…give it your all, right sometimes, blowing it at other times…but don’t just stand there waiting for holiness to fall into your lap…stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross.

For You Today

So, what pattern is your life taking-on? 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[i] Title Image:   Pixabay.com