Worship the Habit?

I had read this statement by Oswald Chambers in his book My Utmost for His Highest many, many years ago, and it changed the way I thought about and attended to my quiet time in the scriptures. I came across it again recently and want to share it with you. Perhaps it may impact you as it did me.

Your god may be your little Christian habit―the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, 'I can't do that right now; this is my time alone with God.' No, this is your time alone with your habit.

I know that prayer and Bible reading are essential to faith building, and I don't think Chambers is downplaying a regular, routine time for it, but rather asking us to consider why we're doing it. I had a tendency to being tied to my routine instead of being tied to the Savior. I was easily annoyed and out of sorts when my schedule was upset or my attention was required someplace else, like caring for my children or answering the phone when someone needed to talk. I had God boxed in on my schedule, and when I missed "my quiet time with God," I felt undone. Not meaning to be irreverent, but I didn't get my fix that day.

God used Chambers' words to cause me to consider my ways and my thinking. I realized that my quiet time had been more about me than about God. My worship wasn't to be tied to my little quiet time corner. God is bigger than that, and my communion with him needed to enlarge as well, wherever and whenever that might be.

Painting ~ Reading in An Interior, Carl Holsoe 1863-1935

The Family of Eternal Significance

I'm continuing to read through the Bible chronologically and taking pause in Matthew 12:46-50, when Jesus' family came, wanting to speak with him. Jesus responds:

While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.  Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”  But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”  And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Sharing some thoughts with you.

At first glance, it appears that Jesus is intimating that 'biological family' is less compelling than 'church family,' and there are some who do put that spin on this passage. To his mother Mary (a believer), this comment could have been hurtful, but we must note here that Jesus' words were probably not directed at Mary and his brothers. The remark was made to the one who brought the message as they were waiting outside. I don't think Jesus was suggesting that one 'family' trumps another in earthly relationships.

I do think, however, that Jesus was taking the opportunity to point out that being a part of the family of God is what is of eternal significance. Recall that his brothers were not believers at that point. They had not yet come to saving faith in Jesus; they were not at the moment of this remark part of his spiritual, eternal family. There were those who would come to that after his resurrection. Perhaps the remark was intended for the messenger himself or those in the crowd. It is doubtful that all were Jesus' followers, which is why he gestured toward his disciples, ensuring that the hearers knew he was referring to those who had placed their faith in him.

Bottom line in my understanding of the passage:
Biological family relationships are significant, but they are not necessarily eternal. Jesus wants all to come to faith in him and be received into his spiritual, eternal family. He calls to faith his family, our family, his friends, our friends.

Painting ~ 1820 Country Wedding, John Lewis Krimmel 1786-1821

Sexual Purity: Moral Freedom

Continuing to work through my Bible study in the Seeking Him guide by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and sharing a thought with you today. The topic is 'Sexual Purity: The Joy of Moral Freedom'.  As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the Enemy of all things good is intent on destroying all that reflects the goodness of God. Sexual desire is one of those battlefronts.

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;  that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,  not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

If immorality is so desirable, one wonders why there's such increasing intensity as people degenerate along that path. They become enslaved to it, in bondage to it, just as one in bondage to drugs must have more and more. It never satisfies, but they keep relentlessly pursuing it. It haunts them and oppresses them (and those they use). The Enemy of all things good has caught them in his trap, and they don't even realize it. They find fulfillment nowhere.

"There is dullness, monotony, sheer boredom in all of life when virginity and purity are no longer protected and prized. By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere."     ~ Elisabeth Elliot

In today's study, Nancy offers a checklist of safeguards for those of us pursuing moral freedom. I hope they're an encouragement to you.

• Recognize your potential for moral failure
• Realize that you don't have to give in.
• Resolve to be pure.
• Remove all bitterness.
• Restrain our fleshly desires.
• Reject anything that could lead you back into bondage.
• Run from every form of evil.
• Renew your mind with the Word of God.
• Recruit help.
• Remember the consequences.
• Refuse to remain in defeat and depression.
• Rely on the Holy Spirit.

~ from Seeking Him, Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Tim Grissom

To Err is Human?

Continuing to read through the New Testament chronologically and sharing a thought today from my reading in Galatians 5. I'm meditating on the passage beginning with v.16 onward.

I've often heard it said that we err/fail/sin because we're human. I've said it myself. But I think that's not the accurate accounting of it. Jesus was fully God and fully human. Err? Fail? Sin? He didn't, not with all the humanness that He possessed. The more Christlike we are, the more fully human we could be. Being human in itself doesn't carry with it the bent to err/fail/sin. Having a sinful nature does that. This is how Jesus is able to be fully God and fully human. He does not have a sinful nature — He is God.

I'm thinking that maybe we're not "fully" human anymore; that is, after The Fall. The sinful nature has impaired us. So, I reflect on my walk with such a nature. How can I walk in a fully human way (at least somewhat more fully)? God, through the Apostle Paul, tells us in verse 16 to "walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh..... they are in opposition to one another." Jesus was led by the Spirit while here on earth, walking wholly in tandem, completely doing His Father's will. The more I walk by the Spirit and do the Father's will, the closer I nudge to being fully human (at least somewhat more fully).

 Do I lean more toward the spiritual or toward the fleshly? Paul gives two checklists in v. 19-23 to help me evaluate.

Deeds of the flesh (sinful nature of mankind):
"immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these..."

Fruit of the Spirit (new spiritual nature of believers): 
"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

When I look at the two lists, the choices I should make seem obvious. But my two natures are in opposition to one another, and the actual choosing becomes a battlefront. My own choice, yes, but I'm not alone in this. I have God's grace and the Holy Spirit abiding in me. He supplies all our need.

"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires; if we live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit."
(Galatians 5: 24-25)

.......Just some thoughts during my quiet time.

Painting ~ Lady in an Interior, Carl Vilhem Holsoe 1863-1935
Wiki Commons public domain 

Refreshing in His Presence

The Luncheon, Claude Monet

I’m continuing to read through the Bible chronologically, and today I paused at this verse:

Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). 

These words were spoken by the Apostle Peter when he explained to the Jewish people that they had disowned and put to death the Prince of Life, Jesus the Messiah; that He was the one the prophets had spoken of who would suffer for our sins, and that God had raised Him from the dead. Peter tells them that he knows they acted in ignorance and calls them to repent.

What struck me about this verse as I read it today was that in repenting and returning to God, we find refreshing in His presence. This is what most of us are trying to find—refreshing amid the struggles of life. Oh, to be able to convince those who think they have no need of God! How often we live our lives in ignorance of what is true and right. Oh, to be more aware of that myself when I struggle with my own ignorance!

Jesus the Christ is the very one who brings times of refreshing. His ways are not grievous. They are the very antithesis of that. His ways are the refreshing waters for our spiritual drought.

You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

(Psalm 16:11)

Painting ~ The Luncheon 1872, Claude Monet 1840-1926
Wiki Commons public domain