Category: Paul

Who was Saul

The Good We Need to Hear

A right-placed word for the moment.

Ephesians 4:29

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."  NASB

To the people near you  . . . “give grace”.

Although this writing was for a church assembling together, I encourage you to apply this attitude wherever you go.  Better yet — wherever you are; as God calls you to face an emptiness, longing, or sought-after confirmation within our living of this world.

I was extremely tempted to write about giving thanks but since a lot of people will be emphasizing thanksgiving I chose this.  (But do be thankful for what you have.  It always helps).

Be a giver of Grace.  Not to horn-in on a conversation or control it;  which is a great temptation.

Not to make sure you give the last word, having the last gotcha.

Only to bring a right-placed word, if needed.

In these “Covid times” a well-placed word might be wanted and needed.  And you might be the right person to speak that word.

Work towards the im-perishable

John 6:27

Jesus makes reference on how important it is to live your life the way God wants us to live.  In this instance some people followed Him after He journeyed overnight to another location.  Jesus perceived their wanting another meal, after all, who would not like a second meal if the first was pleasing and, quite frankly, a bit of a miracle?  He uses the situation as a springboard to highlight the importance of listening to God in our daily life.  Eating is important — we can’t live too well without it.  It’s just that living in the Kingdom is also necessary and healthy for us.

Paul correlates eating and the Kingdom of God in Romans 14:17. The Holy Spirit’s entanglement with righteousness, joy, and peace in his comparison means more than the eating of food.

Take time to truly nourish your soul: build some time with Jesus, set apart some time to pray, listen.  Chew the cud on God’s Word.  Consider Luke 16:13 (and surrounding verses).  You either serve God, or you are tied to the tethers of this world.

Covid Outbreak – We’re at War!

Philippians 2: 3-5

Can you see we are at war with the adversary tiny?  The “unseen enemy” is upon us.  Watch our flanks.  No, the enemy is directly ahead.  It’s within our ranks, one of us has succumbed.  What are we to do now.  Don’t let down your guard.

CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!  (Thank you, Professor Moody.)

But, maybe, the true fight is inside ourselves.

To be at peace with myself and God.

Continue reading “Covid Outbreak – We’re at War!”

Put Others First

But can you truly, always put others ahead of yourself?

Philippians 2:3

This passage reveals a mindset we are to nurture: place other people higher than yourself.

An intriguing principle, and a virtue residing in the arena of a “matured” Faith, carrying a high degree of difficulty because to achieve God’s standard, you attach reigns to yourself.

But can you truly, always rank others ahead of yourself?

 

Train New Leaders – Let Them Lead

Illation on Leaders 7, May 2019

Let someone else lead / train new leaders

Ephesians 4: 12  Leadership within the church:

  • shape and deepen theological understandings so leaders can act with Wisdom
  • listens to the voice of God within: the Holy Spirit
  • trains and encourages growth that will produce fruit
  • empowers individuals by creating leaders so they can accomplish “works of service”; either within or outside the church

In the modern North American church we ask leaders to make decisions and give us direction — that is our “marching orders” — defining what positions there will be (and how many) within the church, each of their descriptions, hours, and pay (if any).  Yet leading, within the context of Jesus’ teaching and Paul’s expressed views, means leaders are servants (Jesus to His disciples in Luke 22: 24-27 ) given the job of building up the Saints (Paul in Ephesians 4: 11-15).  Not seeking power or administrating through corporate structure as everyone’s boss.

∴∴∴∴∴∴∴∴∴∴∴∴

 Think of the Marriage Relationship as God’s example for inter-personal communication skills.  Plans are made but not always by one individual all the time.  Also, a marriage does not function well without God in a leadership role.  A triangular relationship.  Marriage is enriched by the influence of a knowledge of God’s ways, an attentiveness to prayer, in short the overview God gives to our position in life: He has created each of us uniquely to reflect and serve each other.

Train people to lead.  Let them do their God-given thing.

Obeying Leaders

[This post is meant to be juxtaposed with today’s other post, “Leaders’ Quad-fecta”.]

Hebrews 13:17

1st Corinthians 16:16

Because of the relationship a Christian Leader has with God (Jesus & the Spirit are right-in-there as well) those who are Shepherded are to submit, be submissive, and follow what Leaders say. Continue reading “Obeying Leaders”

Using Your Heart to make Music to Jesus

Ephesians 5:19

The true meaning behind this passage has eluded me, and thus, is one of many questions I have for Paul to give more detail on what he really meant.

Creating, making, yes, using your heart to sing to Jesus. . .  I get it.  Sorta.

So, as I am standing in a service singing a praise song and I kinda start my own little harmony, singing in the Spirit (as Paul brings up in 1 Corinthians 14:15) and it sounds pretty good.  (Even the idea of doing this sounds good).  Singing a personal melody for God.  Is this what Paul meant?

What if my lips and vocal cords do not move, thus, literally my heart is making the melody between the Lord and myself — an inaudible personal song.  Is this what Paul was talking about?

Or is it a group thing, like communion, we all participate together at the same time.  As a group we begin to Spiritually sing.  ?

Maybe in the writing process the Spirit would lead those writing the song.  As the theme modulates in weaving melody and words which will one day move worshipers during a service — those words and melody flowing from the heart.  Is this it?  This is the what I strive for as I write a song.

Maybe you have some more ideas?

I am fond of each of these ideas.  I believe in the Spirit leading us as a group or as individuals in ways that show God in His True Light; perpetuating His story, His interactions with human beings.  His way with ALL humans. His way with EACH human.  His way with __________(insert your name here).  His caring for each one of us.  Even if we are not all musicians.

I believe it’s amazing!  Could the answer be a pleasant mix of them all?  Sometimes one way, sometimes another way?

I do wish Paul could clarify a few things.

Maranatha

Christians as “One”

Jesus, at the close of ministry, chose to tell His Disciples to be “One”.

The Gospel of John chronicles this, starting with John 13:34, when telling the Disciples to love each other, and continuing to the end of Chapter 17.  Jesus builds His case for Believers to be “One”.  This is possibly the biggest care on Jesus’ mind and heart before his arrest.

In the prayer following teaching the Disciples to be “One”, He emphatically drove His point home (my own description), and petitioned God to undergird His followers to be “One”.

He could have stressed power or knowledge,
love or understanding,
but His chosen emphasis was unity:
That WE = ONE.

But do we give up our individual identities to the ideology of the community?  Do you give up God’s essence within you when you come to the community?  Do I? Continue reading “Christians as “One””

Comparison of Faith – Romans 1:17

Comparing Faith can be a good thing

There are different interpretations to the 17th Verse in the 1st Chapter of Romans.  Some expound that examining Faith from a point of beginning to where it concludes shows forth Righteousness.  I am not held to that interpretation.  I like another reading of this verse; one that balances any rendering of Faith to another. Continue reading “Comparison of Faith – Romans 1:17”

Illation on Leaders 4

Illation on Leaders 4, December 2017

Consider Paul’s Concepts of our Faith as presented in the Book of 1st Corinthians

I calibrate how the church should define itself by using scripture, prayer, meditation, and study.  In contemplating the roles of leadership in the church, I have been looking for verses in the New Testament Letters, searching for offices, duties, and topics; to gather information and, therefore patterns and inferences that can be gleaned.

Going book by book, 1st Corinthians, alone, amounted to more than 2,000-words. Continue reading “Illation on Leaders 4”