Two Surprising Truths About Purity

 The gospel of Jesus Christ really is counter ... everything.

• Counter-intuitive
• Counter-cultural
• Counter-logical
• Counter-"religion"

That's why the kingdom of God has often been called the "upside down" kingdom. It turns all of our previously conceived notions, and long-held assumptions, on their head.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the area of purity.

Let me explain.

You see, many people have the mistaken notion that the essence of Christianity is being a good person. You know, following the rules. Being pure and holy.

Now, I'm all for following the rules (as opposed to breaking them). I am a big fan of goodness (and not badness). I deeply believe that we should all strive for purity and holiness (rather than depravity and wickedness).

But ... How? Why?

Yes, that's the rub. How do we pursue purity? Why do we pursue purity?

The gospel of Jesus provides two wonderful, surprising, and liberating truths:

Truth #1: 

The only way to be pure is to realize that you already are pure.

Truth #2: 

The only way to stay pure is to realize that you don't have to.

Don't believe me? Read what the apostle Paul wrote to Titus (in Titus 3. 4-8)...

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. Theses things are excellent and profitable for all people.

Did you notice the "so that" in verse 8? It's vital! Paul is communicating an amazing truth - once we understand what has been done to us in Christ, we are then equipped to live for Christ!

Another way to state it - a solid stand upon the doctrine of justification by faith (that is, that we are not saved by our good works, but only by the mercy of God and the perfect obedience of Christ) will, of necessity, lead to obedience.

That is why, at its core, the gospel of Jesus is NOT helpful advice BUT good news. It is about what God did for us in Christ, and not about what we do for God.

How does this lead to purity and holiness? Simple! The good news of salvation by grace through faith fuels the joy that empowers obedience. That's right! Understanding what God has done for us in Christ gives rise to a deepening love for God and a growing desire for holy living.

These affections, in turn, break the power of sin and energize us to (obedience) for the glory of God ... Transformed affections, in other words, lead to transformed morals and a life in which we abound in obedience. (Matt Perman, What's Best Next)

Understanding that, at this moment, you are perfectly and wholly accepted by God through Christ apart from (and despite) anything you have done should result in a radical desire for purity because of a renewed love for God and a joy in undeserved salvation.

Remember what Jesus said, "He who is forgiven little, loves little. But those who have been forgiven much, love much." (Luke 7. 47)

So ... how do you pursue purity?

First, understand that the way to be pure is to realize that you are already declared pure. You are washed clean in the sight of God. Though your sins were as scarlet, there are now white as snow. (Isaiah 1.18)

Second, understand that the way to stay pure is to realize you don't have to. You see, a true understanding of the gospel makes you excited for purity because you can pursue it freely, from the heart, rather than out of fear (of what might happen to you if you don't) or guilt (about what will happen to you when you don't).

The law drives us to the gospel, and the gospel frees us to obey the law. (The Gospel-Driven Life, World Harvest Mission)

Here's the wonder of amazing grace: gospel-driven Christians are enthusiastic Christians who are energetic to pursue purity not to gain acceptance with God but because they already have acceptance with God.

Now, since you have it, live it. With joyful freedom.

The Danger of Discontent

NOTE: This post was written by my daughter, Kathryn. A sophomore in college, Kathryn is an example of a young woman who is eagerly pursuing Christ, honestly wrestling with the process, and deeply impacting others for Jesus. Kathryn, God has been re-creating in you a heart of grace, beauty, and contentment. I love you!

We all face it.

Whether walking around campus, wandering on Facebook, or being around friends, our hearts are discontent. We long for attention, affirmation, and admiration. You know what I mean – that one relationship that will solve all problems, and meet every dream.

But here’s our problem - even when we get "it", it's never enough. The attention is never enough. The flirting doesn't satisfy. The looks don't quench the longing. Nothing is ever enough. Admit it - we all have discontented hearts.

Should we just accept our condition, or can God actually change us? Are there ways to change? Can the gospel of Jesus transform us?

Here are 3 steps to transforming hearts of discontent:

1) Focus on the ultimate beauty

If you are like me, I often replace the idol of a relationship with another idol. I tell myself that instead of focusing on my singleness, I am going to focus on grades or friendships. And I convince myself that life will be better - my grades will be amazing! My friends will love me!

Sadly, though, substituting one idol for another never works. In fact, the Bible has a word for it - sin!

What you and I need is not another idol on which to pin our hopes, but a God who can satisfy our longings. We need Jesus. Relationships, grades, even friends—all will fail. Jesus will never fail.

“Gaze on the beauty of the Lord. Seek him in his temple.

In the day of trouble, he will keep me safe. He will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high on upon a rock.”

Psalm 37:5

It is only when we see ultimate beauty that we realize how worthless everything else is in comparison. It takes seeing the original painting to realize all of the others are just cheap imitations.

2) Trust in the ultimate strategist

“No good thing does He (the Lord) withhold.”

Psalm 84:11

The Lord’s timing, in the moment, never quite seems … on time. Here’s the question you need to face - Do you trust the Lord? Or do you want things your way?

When you feel discontented, it is tempting to feel like God is withholding good things. You know the feeling - as look through Facebook, every person is in a relationship, and every couple looks happy. It’s easy to think - did God forget me? Romans 8:32 reminds us of a refreshing truth…

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,

how will he not also graciously give us all things.”

Romans 8. 32

God bankrupted heaven for you and me. Why would he be stingy now?

3) Rejoice in the ultimate freedom

If you’re anything like me, it is tempting to focus on what I don’t have rather than what I do have. Sadly, in my discontentment, I often look at things from the wrong angle. The key is not to focus on the “prison” of singleness, but on the freedom & opportunity of where God has me.

The apostle Paul has some insightful things to say about this…

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, 

and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. 

But do not use your freedom to indulge in flesh; rather serve one another humbly in love.”
Galatians 5:13

Think about these things…

* How can you use the freedom that your season of singleness gives you?

* How can you use the time you have now to be an influence for the gospel?

* Where is the Lord calling you to invest right now?

God calls stubborn sinners with discontented hearts to impact the world. It is a great fight, but one well worth it.

There is no easy fix for a discontented heart. It requires constant repentance and falling at the foot of the cross. But, it doesn’t mean that we are moved to inaction. God uses sinners! Use your time of singleness! 

And rejoice! This time of your life is a good gift from a great God. 

Killing Sin: 4 Tips for the Most Important Battle

According to God's Word, the most important battle you and I will face today (and everyday) is not the battle for a prime parking spot at the mall, the unresolved bill dispute with the cable company, or the lingering tension in a key relationship.

If only life were that ... easy!

The most important battle we face regularly and consistently is the battle with our sin. You know, the sins that easily entangles us - anger, lust, greed, pride, despair.

Consider, from God's Word, these 4 Tips on How to Kill Sin:

1. Kill the Enemy (and Resist Any Mercy)

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, 

but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 8. 13

The apostle Paul answers the question - what are we to do with the sin that remains in us - with a startlingly simple answer. Kill it.

In our struggle against sin, we are never to show mercy, we must never give ground.

There is to be no 'peace' with sin. We dare not baptize our sins with benedictions. It is imperative that sin be destroyed. Its life is not to be spared. Kill it, strangle it, starve it of oxygen until it cannot breathe again. There is no other way.

Derek Thomas, How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home

2. Starve the Pattern (and Feed the Soul)

There is one sure way to kill something - starve it. In many ways, this is the key to fighting sin.

If then you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is ... Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire ...

Colossians 3. 1, 5

Note Paul's exhortation - "keep seeking the things that are above." As we move throughout the day, you and I face a choice - will we feed sin or starve it? Will we feed righteousness, or leave it gasping for nourishment?

What does it mean to starve sin?

• Recognize the tipping points of temptation and agressively avoid them (whether it be cable TV, drinking at night, or Facebook wanderings);
• Ruthlessly determine to starve sin of even the slightest morsel of nutrition (whether it be a passing thought, a lingering glance, or a well-worn excuse)

  What does it mean to feed and nourish righteousness?

• Agressively fill your soul with the Word of God
• Actively pursue the means of grace (worship with God's people, sitting under the preaching of God's Word, prayer)

3. Embrace Redemption (and Resist Cynicism)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8. 1-2

Many of us are skeptical that we will make any real progress in our battle against sin. It's not that we lack the desire; rather, we have lost hope. We have tried in the past, but any "success" seemed short-lived.

The spirit of cynicism, whether it arises from laziness (as we view the law's demands) or resignation (as we view our past failures) must be resisted!

Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of your sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this, and you will die a conqueror; yes, you will, through the good providence of God, 

live to see your lust dead at your feet.

John Owen, The Mortification of the Flesh

Sadly, most of our "failures" come not from a lack of gospel power, but from half-hearted efforts on our part to destroy our mortal enemy. 

Embrace the work of Jesus on your behalf. The Spirit of sin-killing-power is now at work in you!

4. Remember Your Identity (and Don't Forget It!)

"What we need in order to engage in Biblical holiness 

is a right understanding of who we are." 

Thomas, How the Gospel...

If you are a Christian, you have a new identity. The New Testament in chock-full of words and phrases to remind us and encourage us of this truth - "new creation" (2 Cor. 5.17), "in Christ" (Romans 5. 12-21; 8.9). In fact, Paul's uses the phrase "in Christ" over 44 times in his writings to describe our new address!

The point? Sin is entirely inconsistent with our new identity. It no longer has mastery over you, you are not its slave.

Let me end with a great quote (its longer, but worth ever word) ...

The first great secret of holiness lies in the degree and decisiveness of our repentance. If besetting sins persistently plague us, it is because we have never truly repented, or because having repented, we have not maintained our repentance. It is as if, having nailed our old nature to the cross, we keep wistfully returning to the scene of the execution. We begin to fondle it, to caress it, to long for its release, even to try and take it down again from the cross. We need to learn to leave it there. When some jealous, or proud, or malicious, or impure thought invades our mind we must kick it out at once. It is fatal to begin to examine it and consider whether we are going to give in to it or not. We have declared war on it; we are not going to resume negotiations ... we have crucified the flesh; we are never going to withdraw the nails.

John Stott, The Message of Galatians

Tipping Points: 3 Key Things That Can Make a Big Difference

We've all faced them, haven't we? Those moments when ...

• Mild frustration grows into seething anger
• Subtle temptation transforms into aggressive lust
• Low-grade sadness catapults into high-grade depression

They can happen anytime, any place, often with little warning and no fanfare. And suddenly we find ourselves entrapped, enslaved, and wondering, "How did I get here?"

Yes, we've all faced them.

Tipping points.

Those moments when one drink becomes one too many, when one glance becomes a gnawing obsession, when one feeling becomes an interpretation of reality.

Just like a roller-coaster ride, when a tipping point is reached, it seems as if there is no recovery. No going back.

And what's left in its wake is guilt, regrets, shame, and the sting of broken promises.

Does the gospel of Jesus offer any real hope and help for people like us? Is it possible to prepare now for the tipping points ahead?

Absolutely!

Centuries ago, as the apostle Paul (lying in a prison cell) wrote to his dear "son" in the faith, Timothy, he warned him about the tipping points ahead. And, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he equipped Timothy (and us) to meet them head-on.

So, from 2 Timothy, here are 3 key things than can make a big difference - admit the battle, wield the weapon, cherish the victory.

1. Admit the Battle

Throughout Paul's letter there are clear warnings that difficult times are coming, and that the wise man (and woman) will prepare well for them.

• Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2.3)
• Understand this ... in the last days there will come times of difficulty. (3.1)
• As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering .... (4.5)

In fact, words such as "chains", "suffering", "difficulty", "endure", and "fight" occur 15 times in this one letter! The call to prepare now for the battle later is not a minor theme in Paul's exhortation! And neither should it be in your life.

Perhaps (unfortunately) you are like me. You think, "That will never happen again." Or, "That was just a fluke." Wrong!

One thing I have noticed in my own life (and it really didn't take any great powers of observation!) is this - times of temptation come regularly. That's right, tipping points are some of my most frequent companions.

You too?

So, let me ask you, what is your tipping point? 

* Is it late at night, when you feel alone and unloved and begin to conclude that no one really cares?

* Is it as you wander through Facebook, wondering why everyone else seems happy and fulfilled, and you don't?

* Is it on your walk through your day, as you see couples seemingly enjoying intimacy, and you feel so alone?
 
* Is it early in the morning, as you lie in bed wondering if you can endure the challenges of the day ahead? 

* Is it as you encounter media images - from athletic superstars to lingerie models to wealthy entrepreneurs - and despair of ever having a life that's meaningful?

One key thing to do now is this - understand the battle lines in your own life. Have the courage and humility to admit that tipping points abound in your life. Be ruthless in identifying them.

2. Wield the Weapon

I often think that, in the moment of battle, I need a brand-new weapon. That's right, something uniquely suited for the occasion. A weapon, a strategy, a device that will rescue me, dramatically and decisively, from the tipping point of temptation. And ... I often despair that God has left me alone in the battle, and that nothing will work.

Are you as foolish as I am?!

In the midst of the battles raging around him and within him, Paul points Timothy to his sure weapon ...

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed ... All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (3. 14, 16-17)

How simply ... simple. No brand-new weapon is needed. No dramatic rescue is called for. Just the tried-and-true provision of God that has been used well in battles past, and will endure for any future standoff.

The Bible.

Paul's counsel to Timothy, as he faces his tipping points - read the Bible. The Word of God, breathed out by the Creator of all things, has been given for such a time as this.

Can I ask you - when times of temptation hit, do you turn to God's Word immediately, confidently, decisively? 

As you think ahead to the battles before you, have you prepared now with key portions of God's Word that will equip you and strengthen you for the fight?

Is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, ready to be unsheathed and wielded with deadly accuracy when the battles looms large before you?

Paul's exhorts Timothy,

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2.15)

May I encourage you (and me) - prepare now for the tipping points ahead. Memorize key texts and passages that will nourish and equip you. Write out precious portions of God's Word, store them in an accessible place, so that they are ready to be unleashed when needed.

3. Cherish the Victory

Before a tipping point is reached, I often feel over-confident, blithely unaware, smugly naive. Nothing can shake me!

But after a tipping point, my emotions regularly experience a 180. From over-confident to despairing, from unaware to over-sensitive, from naive to condemned.

You too?

One of the key things Paul does for Timothy is to focus his eyes on the decisive victory of the gospel. He reminds him of a key truth - that though the battle rages, though everyday skirmishes may be won or lost, the ultimate battle has been won. 

Linger on these words from the pen of our brother ...

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him ... if we are faithless, He remains faithful - for He cannot deny Himself. (2. 8-13)

The ultimate tipping point in your life has been met, and defeated, in the gospel. That's right - the only battle that could ever really destroy you, that could tip you and sink you, was entered into on your behalf by Jesus. And won!

What confidence for the temptations we face each day!  Because of Jesus, they cannot destroy us, but are used by God to strengthen us. Because of the gospel, we are always "tipped" toward grace and redemption and forgiveness, even in our moments of utter failure.

Such is the power of the gospel!

When the battle rages, what do you cherish? Your bruised pride? Your shattered ego? Your dashed dreams? 

Or do you self-consciously cherish Jesus and His victory in your life?

So, as you face the coming temptations, as the sins that so easily entangle you loom large and foreboding, remember and believe - Jesus came for such a time as this, and such a person as you.

You are always sick enough to be healed.

You are always weak enough to be saved.

You are always lost enough to be found.

Life in the Trenches: Finding True Love

NOTE: Dan Trafford is a great friend, beloved brother, and godly young man. A senior at East Stroudsburg University, he is an influential leader for Christ on campus. His reflection, Life in the Trenches, is deep and stirring. It comes from the heart of a man who is painfully aware of the struggle in following hard after Christ, yet eager to grab hold of all that the gospel offers. It is a privilege that he is guest-posting on my blog. Enjoy!

Where there is love, there is life.

Mahatma Ghandi

Our hearts long for it. Often.

We write poems about it. We dream about it. We spend countless hours thinking about it, budgeting for it, and fantasizing over it.

For most of us, getting it is our deepest desire.

True love.

But for many - whether single, dating, or married - love often feels more like living in a trench than gaining a long-awaited prize. We often find desire turning into disappointment, and fantasies becoming follies.

Is there actually a love that will fill us the way we always dreamed it would? Join me as we look to find true love.

In World War II, "trench warfare" broke out on the Western front when the German army refused to lose any more ground. They decided to "dig in" and prevent the Allied forces from advancing. Both sides came to a stalemate on the front lines and spent long days & nights trying to avoid enemy bullets and artillery fire.

Life in the trenches was "hell": wearisome, grueling, and hopeless.

Many singles find themselves in trench warfare. Life often seems like a battlefield. They crawl into their beds at night ... alone. They walk through their days ... discouraged. Theoretically, singles are fine with being single - they are eager to trust God, and willing to rest in His timing. But ... life in the trenches is hard! The loneliness is real, the warfare intense. Single soften struggle with the lie - "Once I find the 'right' one, life will be good."

Life as a single can often seem like trench warfare - wearisome, grueling, and hopeless.

Many who are dating also find themselves in trench warfare. They are "committed" ... but not really. They are "united", but without the joy of "marital union." They lie in bed at night, wondering why they still feel alone. They feed on the dream that once they are married, life will be good.

Life while dating can often seem like trench warfare - wearisome, grueling, and hopeless.

Many who are married find themselves in trench warfare. The dream is achieved, the ring is sized and fitted, but ... "this is it?" Many lie in bed at night, married, yet alone. Marriage isn't all that they thought it would be - physical intimacy isn't the answer to loneliness, and servant-like love requires hard labor and selfless devotion.

Life being married can often seem like trench warfare - wearisome, grueling, and hopeless.

You're the Lord of all creation

And still you know my heart.

The Author of salvation,

You've loved us from the start.

"Waiting Here For You"

Life in the trenches can seem unbearable. Unbearable, that is, until you get a view from the high ground.

The gospel of Jesus gives us such a view.

The Scriptures remind us that true love is not essentially a fanciful dream, an unquenched long, or a bitter memory.

Rather, true love is a Person. A Person who came and met us at our worst, and loved us with His best. A Person who saw beyond our crass cravings to our deep desires, who looked beneath our selfish fears to our noble hopes. A Person who went into the trenches with us, fought the battle for us, took the bullet we deserved, and died a wearisome, grueling death in our place.

Yes, this True Love literally went to hell for His beloved, so that life in the trenches would never have the same sting again.

True love is Jesus.

So, when you feel the loneliness of the trench, when you sense the weight of the battle, remember - you already have what you deeply long for. A true love that will never fade, never abandon, never dismay.

Never will I leave you or forsake you.

Hebrews 13.5 

Fighting for Unity: Five Steps to Redeeming Conflict

We've all been in it, far too often.

Whether at school, church, the dinner table, the dorm room, or any number of situations and circumstances, it was highly unpleasant, somewhat unexpected, and instantly regrettable.

In fact some of you may, even now, be experiencing it (and wishing it would quickly end).

Conflict.

It's a fact of life. At least this side of glory!

Some of us will do anything to avoid it, while some of us love the challenge. But most of us feel sorely equipped to deal with it.

But consider these questions ...

Can God really redeem conflict, or do we just have to endure it? In other words, does the Bible gives us any hope and any tools to understand & deal with conflict? Is it possible, in the midst of a "fight", to honor God, and emerge from it with a deeper love & unity than before?

Yes! Absolutely, yes!

The apostle Paul's words in Philippians 4 gives us five steps to encourage and equip us in the fight for unity. 

The context is a brewing conflict between two co-laborers of Paul - Eudoia and Syntyche. As Paul closes his letter, he gives valuable instructions to the church on redeeming conflict.

² I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. ³ Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Five Steps to Redeeming Conflict

1. Rejoice in the Lord. Always. (vs. 4)

Now, I know what you're thinking. Rejoice IN conflict? Impossible. I mean, rejoice in lack of conflict - yes! Rejoice after conflict is settled - yes! But rejoice IN conflict?!

Yes! And in case we didn't understand the apostle the first time he writes this command, he repeats himself " ... again I will say, rejoice."

And note the other qualifier embedded in this command - always. "Rejoice in the Lord always..." And "always" means ... always!

• In every situation
• At all times
• No matter what your emotions might be

Just so we are clear, this is different than the command to be "happy". Joy is deeper, more foundational. You see, you CAN rejoice, even in the midst of bitter conflict that ...

• God is in control;
• All things are working together for good
• God's perfect plan is to use all things and all situations to make you and I more like Jesus.

If you don't believe me, read Romans 8. 28-31.

Yes, we CAN rejoice. As always, perspective is everything. So, cast your gaze beyond the situation, let it rest on the faithful, powerful plan and work of God and ... rejoice.


2. Let your reasonableness show. (vs. 5)

Reasonableness. Gentleness. Large-heartedness. Kindness. Generosity of spirit.

It's the opposite of rudeness, irritability, abrasiveness, impatience.

The command is clear. As your mind is renewed, as you consider God's gracious and sovereign plan, as you root your joy in His work and not your predicament:

• Believe the best about the other person.
• Treat the other person as you would want to be treated.
• As Jesus has treated you in your conflict with Him, so treat another.

Why? Because "the Lord is at hand."  In every conflict between two people, there is always a third party. The Lord Himself. The One who covered your sins and transgressions, the One who "did not treat us as our sins deserved" (Psalm 103. 10-14) is present.

And NOTE - its not just an inward, hidden attitude. Paul is clear - let it show! Let it be known to everyone. Move toward the other person. Speak kindly and gently. Be generous and patient.


3. Replace anxiety with prayer. (vs. 6-7)

The apostle knows us all too well! In the midst of conflict, we spend a great deal of time focused on unhelpful things - how much we have been hurt, what the other person said/did, what they deserve, etc.

Thus, his counsel is so wise - instead of stewing on the conflict, pray!

Isn't it funny? In the middle of a fight, its the one thing I most need to do, but its also the one thing I am most inclined to avoid!

And NOTE that our prayers should be filled with thanksgiving. As we pray, we should ...

• Thank God for the privilege of being entrusted with this situation.
• Thank God that He is in control, and that ALL things are working together for good.
• Thank God that we have the honor of imaging Jesus in a difficult time.

4. Tell yourself a different story. (v. 8)

When conflict comes, it often looms large in our eyes. It tends to dominate life, and colors the way we view things. We often focus on the negative, exaggerate the offense, make much of the hurt, and minimize points of actual agreement.

If you are like me at all, the more I focus on the conflict, the bigger it becomes (at least in my own mind)!

The apostle shifts our normal tendencies here. Paul says that when conflict arises, deliberately think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable about the person and the situation.

It will often be hard, but not impossible. Hence the repetition of "whatever...". Strenuously look for evidences of grace, search hard for things to commend.

He who seeks good finds good, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

Proverbs 11.27

As the conflict stirs the thoughts and passions, counterbalance your natural inclination to dwell on what is wrong and divisive, and instead force yourself to dwell on what is good and praiseworthy.


5. Practice what you've learned. (vs. 9)

Honoring the Lord through conflict is not a one-time event. And its never learned in a moment.

In any given conflict, I have had to practice, practice, practice. Sometimes multiple times in a day. Often multiple times in a conversation!

Paul models a man who has learned these things through the school of repetition ...

• As the conflict over his imprisonment, and the rumors about him, begin to swirl, Paul practices the fight for unity (read Phil. 1. 12-14).
• As the conflict over those who seem to be preaching Jesus out of wrong motives threatens the peace of the church, Paul practices the fight for unity (read Phil. 1. 15-18)
• As he faced conflict of those who. though within the church, were walking as enemies of the cross, Paul practices the fight for unity (read Phil. 3. 17-21).

And even now, as Paul languishes in prison, God is not done with him yet.

That is why we must not be surprised if we are in for a rough time ... God is forcing him on, or up, to a higher level: putting him into situations where he will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, than he ever dreamed of being before. It seems to us all unnecessary: but that is because we have not yet had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us.

CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

As God puts Paul in the school of conflict, the apostle (by the grace of God) passes the test. So can you.

Practice, practice, practice.

Real Hope in the Fight for Unity

The currency of forgiveness is nails and wood.

Martin Luther

Fighting for unity is hard. Persevering in the midst of conflict seems at times ... well, almost impossible. 

What can enable us to rejoice, to move toward the other person, to pray without worry, to keep practicing?

Only the gospel.

Do you know that God Himself engages in conflict? In fact, the storyline of the Bible is of God entering into conflict in order to save and redeem a people for Himself.

Hos goal? Gaining for Himself great glory by purchasing a people for His own, and transferring them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light SO THAT they would no longer be enemies, but friends.

How did He do it? Thru the person and work of Jesus. 

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.                                                      Ephesians 2. 13-16

On the cross of Jesus, the biggest, most dangerous conflict we ever had was met and solved. If you are a Christian, you NOW have peace with God (see Romans 5.1). Thus, as Christians, what unites us is infinitely greater than what could ever divide us.

Your greatest battle has been won for you. Therefore, no other battle can ever really sink you! If God is for you, then who can be against you? So ... engage in what God has put before you. Rejoice. Pray with thanksgiving. Display gentleness. Tell yourself a different story. 

And practice.

Game-Player or World-Changer? 4 Marks of a Transformed Man

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. 

Henry V, Shakespeare

 The choice for every man is clear - invest his life in what matters, or spend his days in what fades. Or, to use Shakespeare's image, to shed blood in a noble cause, or lie drowsily (and fearfully) "a-bed".

History is built upon the courageous shoulders (and redeemed hearts) of men who have resisted the siren song of trivial amusements, and heeded the bracing call of godly virtue.

The choice is clear - playing games for the moment, or producing fruit for eternity.

Sadly, its easy for men to find that their lives are nothing more than playing games. Intense games. Fun games. Athletic games. Electronic games. Games with relationships. Games with careers. Adult, approved-by-culture, winning-the-applause-of-many games. 

But games, nonetheless.

Years ago, the words of Jesus stopped me dead in my game-playing tracks ...

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Matthew 7. 21-23

Chilling, isn't it?  

To find out at the last day that your involvement with Christianity was less about allegiance, and more about activity. That it was more about "you" than it ever was about "Him". That you were more a "fan" than you ever were a "follower".

Want to know what is tragic? To find out that your life was a game, a game that you eventually lost. In fact, the word "tragic" does not even begin to describe that condition.

Thankfully, God's Word gives us key markers to avoid the alluring deception of game-playing, and press toward the reality of real transformation. 

It helps us answer the question - am I a game-player, or a world-changer?

For this we turn to the prophet Isaiah.

In the life of Isaiah, let's consider THE momentous event of his life, and how it radically shaped his understanding of himself, the Lord, and his mission in the world.

The setting is, well, dramatic. Isaiah goes to the Temple (as usual). But on this particular day, he meets the last person he really ever expected to meet in worship - God! The encounter was life-changing, and world-changing ...

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

⁴ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

⁸ And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

 Isaiah 6. 1-8

Four Marks of a Transformed Man

1. You have a more astonishing view of the Lord than you ever thought possible.

Why was Isaiah so radically impacted that day? Surely he "knew" God. In fact, he was a prophet of the Lord, representing the interests of God to a rebellious generation. If anyone shouldn't have been surprised by the Lord, surely it was Isaiah!

But in this passage, we see him ... overwhelmed! Every prior category in which the Lord had been contained in the mind & life of Isaiah was exploded.  As he lay trembling at the threshold of the temple, he saw a scene more astonishing that he ever thought possible.

As the holiness of the Lord was declared by the seraphim, as His glory over the whole earth was pronounced, every portion of the formidable Temple shook. For Isaiah, God was no longer the One who had merely called him, no longer the One to whom the nation owed its service. Rather, this was the holy-holy-holy God over all the universe.

Let me ask you - has the person and character of God astonished you recently? This is more than intellectual interest, or passive praise. This is astonishment! 

As you consider the Word of God and the works of God, do you sense you are a mere midget in the presence of colossal other-worldly greatness?


2. You have a deeper awareness of your own sin than you have ever admitted.

Only one thing in the Temple that day trembled more than the foundations of the thresholds. Isaiah!

As Isaiah encounters the absolute splendor and holiness of God his immediate reaction is one of despair. "Woe is me ... I am lost..." Consider the words of Charles Spurgeon:

“Then said I, woe is me!” All God’s saints do this when they get a view of him. There was never a boastful thought in any man’s mind in the presence of God. They that talk of their own purity have not known God, neither seen him. How could they! This is the cry of all the purified when they come into the presence of God.

Even the lips of Isaiah - those lips that were used to speak of the Lord to His people - were viewed in a new light. Unclean! All boasting was gone, all preening ceased, all self-adulation was arrested. Isaiah had seen the "King, the Lord of hosts", and it had "undone" him.

Brothers, have you been ever undone by the Lord?

Have you come to the point of admitting that all of your failures, as well as all of your successes, wither in comparison to the absolute standards of a holy God?

Are you eager to have your sin exposed, or do you still play the game of blaming, excusing, rationalizing, and avoiding? And, when it is exposed, do you rejoice (see Proverbs 9.8, 15.31).

Do you by faith embrace this admission - "I am worse than I could ever imagine?" If so, rejoice - the transformation has begun!


3. You have a richer view of forgiveness than you ever imagined.

The transition between Isaiah's guilt and the Lord's forgiveness is almost instantaneous.

Note the progress in verses 5 & 6. Isaiah confesses his sin, and immediately an angel flies to him, bringing the fire of God (note that even the angel uses tongs because he cannot touch the fire and live!).

The judgment of God touches Isaiah's lips and ... he is cleansed!

Atonement has been made. Guilt has been pardoned. Forgiveness has been extended. Justice has been met! The needed sacrifice has been made, and the sins of God's people are covered!

Amazing! At the instant of Isaiah's most humbling admission of utter guilt is his most astounding experience of utter forgiveness.

Brothers, do you know the reality of complete forgiveness? Are you resting in the knowledge that you are both deeply known (through and through) and deeply loved (over and beyond), at the same time?

Do you regularly struggle with guilt  and shame, or have you learned to sing the song of gospel freedom ...

My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought,

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It Is Well With My Soul

4. You have a fuller commitment to service than you ever dreamed.

Isaiah's response to his life-changing encounter with the holiness of God, the wretchedness of his own sin, and the astonishment of complete forgiveness is nothing short of amazing.

"Here am I. Send me!" 

He doesn't know the task before him. He has no idea of the scope or demands of the job. He hasn't run a cost-benefit analysis. In fact, Isaiah knows nothing more (and nothing less) than what is absolutely essential for any world-changer - God has forgiven him completely, and now God invites Him graciously to be part of the task of reaching the world. 

In that moment, the "needs" of Isaiah fade into the background. His interests lose their ... interest. And the agenda and glory of God emerge to dominate his life.

And, just so we are clear - if you were to read further in Isaiah 6 you would see that the task before Isaiah was formidable. No one would ever listen to him. No one would ever understand. Isaiah would be God's instrument of judgment to a rebellious nation.

Isaiah, that's the job. Still want it? "Here am I. Send me!"

Brothers, has the reality of the gospel transformed your life? Are you living in the claustrophobic world of self-protection and self-interest, or have you broken through to the world of selfless abandon and radical sacrifice?

As you think about the future, is your mind more dominated by issues of comfort, success, and security, or have you entrusted yourself to a God who calls the unlikely to do the unbelievable?

Have you put aside the games that so easily preoccupy our minds and sap our energies, and are you eagerly (and fanatically) embracing every opportunity to lose your life for the sake of the gospel?

A final (and much-needed) word about hope. 

The hope for the godly man is never found within. It is never attained through self-effort or self-discipline. No amount of sweat nor tears can achieve it.

At least not ours.

Isaiah's hope was found outside of him. As it is with us.

Centuries after Isaiah's time there was another earthquake. There was another disruption in the Temple. There was another man undone by sin and impending judgment.

Jesus, the perfectly righteous One, took upon Himself all the sin of His people. When He died upon the cross the earth shook, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two (see Matthew 26).

And the guilty were set free. Free to confess, free to embrace, free to serve.

Brothers, rest on Jesus as your only hope. Let Him free you from the tyranny of small games, and equip you for the freedom of changing the world, one life at a time.