A Life Worthy

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently  (Galatians 6:1).

You know how when a person has a dislocated shoulder on TV someone grabs their arm and practically rips it out of the socket to reset the joint?

It’s not like that.

Nor is it like old-school CPR, where you beat the snot out of the person’s chest to get their heart beating.  It’s not even like ripping the bandage off and taking half their arm hair with it.

No, it’s more like when the Lord appeared to Elijah–not in the tempest, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but in the gentle whisper.

You don’t have to scream to be heard.  You don’t have to beat them over the head with their sin to show them they’ve fallen.  You don’t have to chest-punch them to touch their heart.  The Holy Spirit can do just fine without your theatrics and need for vindication.

Remember, you’re on the rescue squad, not the demolitions squad.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently  (Galatians 6:1).

Why are you thinking about defusing that behavior bomb you see?

Is it because it really annoys you?

Don’t do it.

Is it because you feel righteous indignation over that person’s wanton immorality?

Don’t do it.

Is it because it’s your solemn duty as Captain Theology to confront heresy in all its forms?

Oh, please, no.

Beloved, before you go diving into another person’s life, you need to do a heart check.  Are you praying for this person?  Have you asked God to help you see them through His eyes?  Have you asked Him to show you the pain, the fear, the loss that might have led this soul to the place they are in?  Have you asked God if you are the right person, in the right place, at the right time, to speak?  Is your desire to snip the wire borne out of an aching need to see them whole?  Is confronting this person the last thing you want to do, but the one thing that they desperately need?

Well, then.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world   (Galatians 6:14).

The world has been crucified to me.

It no longer has power over me, no longer owns me

no longer is me.

The world is dead to me.

So why does it still call with such a loud voice?

I have been crucified to the world.

I no longer belong here, no longer invest here

I am in it, but not of it.

I am dead to the world.

So why do I still live like it matters so much?

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised.  The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:12).

They were called Judaizers.  These were Christians who feared the Jewish population, and tried to fly under the radar by following the outward signs of Judaism–like circumcision–while still proclaiming Christ.

Really hard to pull that off.

The worst of it was, they pushed new, immature, Gentile believers into following these same rules.  According to Paul, this was done not to help the new believers, but to protect the Judaizers.  And it was costly–if these baby Christians got caught up in following rules and regulations and outward signs, it was easy to forget that Jesus came to free them from following rules and regulations and outward signs.

Faith could get swallowed up by religion…again.

Beloved, the chances are slim that you will be asked to get circumcised today.  In fact, you can probably relax regarding the whole Jewish sacrificial system.  But there are still those who will expect you to look a certain way, act a certain way, be a certain way that does not come from a biblical understanding of Christ.

Run from them.

Your relationship with Jesus is just that–your relationship with Jesus.  Don’t let anyone but the Holy Spirit speaking through Scripture tell you what that has to look like.  

Don’t be conformed, but transformed.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.