Contentment and Stewardship (part 1)

I am putting together a series that diverges a bit from the doctrine.  I don't know about you, but I could always stand to learn a little something about Contentment.  Hope you enjoy.

Go ahead and list the top five most time consuming things in the waking hours of your week. 

                Whether you realize it or not, these are your top five priorities.  This may be a little embarrassing for you to go back and look at your list of priorities.  Is entertainment high?  Do you spend a lot of time watching TV and movies, or playing video games?  Maybe you are not organized and spend way too much time managing your paperwork and other clutter around your house.  Or maybe you are feeling pretty good because you spend more time than you realized with your family or at church.  Where did you rank your “Me” time?  This is time that is exclusively for you, maybe it is working out, reading a book, taking a bubble bath or doing something else for your own relaxation and pleasure.  I have put the time I spend in these five categories.

1.  God – church, Bible Study, alone time, family devotions…

2.  Family – children, husband, parents, sisters, nieces, nephews… 

3.  Entertainment – movies, TV, vacations, camping, video games…

4.  Myself – diet, exercise, reading, haircuts…

5.  Work – boss, salary, success, recognition, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping…

6.  Finances – managing possessions, worry about debt, checkbook…

Maybe you could add more or make this list fit your life.  Of course there is some cross-over most vacations include family; and reading could be considered entertainment. 

The world tells you that your life should be arranged like a wheel and the hub or center of all these things should be yourself and everything else should rotate around it.  I am sure if you have watched any TV you hear this over and over again.  These are a few quotes I got after watching very little daytime TV:  “After all, isn’t it all about you,”  “You deserve some Me time,” “If you don’t put yourself first, you won’t be able to take care of anything else,” "Let's celebrate You!"  you could probably add to this list.  In fact, if we are not careful we will buy into this because it makes some sense.  If we don't care about ourselves how can we care about anyone else...  There is a story in the Bible about a man who bought into this very self-centered way of thinking. 

Luke 12:

 ¹⁶And He (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive.    ¹⁷"And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'   ¹⁸"Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.    ¹⁹'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'   

In many ways I can relate to this guy.  He is being responsible, he is making time for himself, he is using his resources wisely.  What is wrong with that?  Here is Jesus’ response to this man:  ²⁰"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'

This man is not seeing the big picture, he has his priorities out of order, he had bought into this world view that tells us to put ourselves in the center.  God wants to be placed at the center of the wheel with the other priorities orbiting around God.  Imagine how that would change everything that you do!  Would that mean you could no longer enjoy entertainment or enjoy watching your finances grow?  Not necessarily, but the way you look at these things will be different. 

For instance, instead of saying once my savings gets to be this big then I can finally buy a boat and spend every weekend relaxing on the lake.  You may say, once my savings gets this big I am going to help the church buy those new Bibles they needed, or help this missionary, or buy a boat that can be used at this camp or this youth group.  We need to see beyond the end of our nose. 

This is where a discussion about world views will pick up next week.

What to do with Peter, James and John?

So you are probably wondering what do I do with books that are not Paul’s writings.  I have addressed the Old Testament and the gospels, however, how should we handle the smaller New Testament epistles?  This is a great question.  One I hope I can answer in a consolidated manner. 

First, I hope you know now when you go to these other portions of Scripture to look at the audience.  James and 1 Peter are fairly clear in the first verses of the book that they are written to the dispersed nation of Israel.  This dispersion happened in Acts 8 when believing Jews were being threatened after the stoning of Stephen. 

So what about 2 Peter, and 1-3 John?  Well I believe an answer comes from Galatians 2:9, “And recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Peter and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me (Paul) and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised.”  So Paul and Barnabas were to go to the Gentiles and Peter, James and John were to go to the Circumcised or the Jewish people.  Now after they agreed to this it probably would not have been the right thing for Peter, James and John to start writing letters to the Gentiles. 

So it is clear that the audience for these letters is not Gentile believers.  Does this mean that we throw these things away, cut them out of our Bible?  Of course not, for one, we can always learn things from these letters.  Just make sure if you are applying something it is backed up in Paul’s writings. 

Look at 1 John 2:2, “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”  Compare this to Romans 3:25, “whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.  This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.”  So we can know that Jesus was the propitiation for our sins. 

Look at I Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for God’s own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  Paul does not call us current followers of Christ priests.  He calls us God’s sons (Romans 8), but look at Isaiah 61:6, “but you will be called the priests of the Lord; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God…”  This was a promise to Israel, so why is it found in the New Testament?

I believe these epistles are written for people remaining after the rapture of the church (I Thess. 4:13-17).  Israel will have all the promises of God fulfilled after this time of the mystery is fulfilled.  They will need instruction and encouragement and that is what is so great about the Bible, it seamlessly rolls out God’s plan, His past, present and future plan. 

It would be crazy for me to get the map of some future construction project and start to begin to follow it even though it will not be complete for many years.  I am sure I would be off in a ditch somewhere and I definitely would not get where I was trying to go.  This is what it is like to take James, John and Peter and try to apply them to us now.  If we are not careful, we can end up frustrated, in a ditch and not getting to the Spiritual goals God has in mind for us.

I have seen many Christians become frustrated by this passage, James 5:14-16, “Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” 

Many people have done this over someone they cared very much about and there was no healing, no nothing.  I tell you what, this verse and that result would be enough for me to walk away from the faith.  However, if we know that this book is not written to us, but will be very useful to Jewish believers during the tribulation, can you see how that fits?  Can you see how God will go back to operating with Israel through signs and miracles like He has done all along (I Cor. 1:22). 

I hope this has been an encouragement to you and cleared up some very difficult portions of Scripture.  If you have questions please ask.      

A little side track!

Hello, I am back from vacation again, but not ready to write quite yet.  I am going to give the Holy Spirit a little time to speak and me a little time to listen.  So I thought I would put a link up to a great site about creation.  I am putting the link to the testimony page because I am sure you are going to want to check out testimony #36....

http://www.cecwisc.org/about/testimonials/

It is crazy how the Holy Spirit kept prompting me to write to Jay Seegert and thank him for coming to our church.  I kept putting it off, but finally got around to it and the Holy Spirit used what I wrote to go onto his newsletter and website.  I need to learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit right away, it always goes so much better than when I try to "force" something.  Hope you enjoy the Creation Education Center as much as I did!

Mission of the Mystery

Do you understand what I am talking about yet?  Do you find the Bible less difficult to understand?  When you open the Bible to Colossians, Luke, Jeremiah, do you take comfort knowing the audience and the time it was written?  Do you understand the unique ministry and writings of Paul?  If you answered yes to these questions then you have a secret mission.

Don’t you love a good mystery adventure?  Didn’t you always want to be the star in an action thriller?  Well here is your chance, this mission requires the greatest of caution and sensitivity as you share the secrets of….THE MYSTERY…dun, dun, dun.

I am being a little silly, but I am very serious.  This teaching of the mystery that I have been going over for several months now is an excellent and superior message.  Many people who you go to church and Sunday School with don’t get it.  They are frustrated, confused or just don’t care about understanding the Bible anymore.  It is your job to gently show them the truth from God’s word.  However, I have several warnings as you take on this mission, I have seen other agents lose their cool in a tough situation, but if you have the correct tools at your disposal you will hear:  MISSION COMPLETED.

Look at 2 Corinthians for your mission if you choose to accept it.  5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.   5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died.  5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

Go ahead and please read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, here are a few points I want to make.

1.  Who are we persuading?  Those who don’t yet know the riches of the mystery of Christ.  However, this is not an opportunity for you to prove you are right and they are wrong.  This is not an opportunity for you to be exalted for your brilliance or debate skills.  Our arguments should be filled with humility and our speech should be seasoned with grace.  In your Bible studies or at church, gently begin pointing out things that differ, don’t argue just bring these things to their attention and let the Holy Spirit show them.  Explaining the inclusive nature of the gospel of Christ by acting like you are superior will only turn people away.  Remember you are humble, your message is superior.

2.  What should control us?  Christ’s love.  Christ spoke and acted out love.  If you find yourself talking more than doing people will stop listening.  Be an example out of love to those around you.  Search out those who need to see God through you and then be love to them, once you have built trust through love then begin sharing this truth.  Be careful that you do both, love and share, no one will mysteriously understand the reason behind your action unless you tell them. 

3.  You are ambassadors and what is your mission?  “Be reconciled to God…or else…?” “Believe as I believe or I can no longer be your friend?”  Of course not.  I don’t believe that is the kind of ambassador that Christ would want representing Him.  The key here is unity.  Paul’s writings say more about unity within the body than it does about the mystery. 

Maintain unity and a spirit of humility and you are on the right track to show those around you the excellent message of the mystery.  This message was hidden from generations, but now we know that at the cross God made a way for people who were enemies of Him to become righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.  God revealed this message through His apostle Paul who took this message directly to the Gentile after Israel’s rejection.  Now, Jew and Gentile are co-heirs with Christ patiently awaiting glory.

On a personal note I wanted to thank all of those that are reading; it is amazing and encouraging to me.  I get private notes from many people, these notes are helping me to keep plugging along.  I just got word from my publisher that my book is on track to come out in November.  It is a Bible Study book that takes you through Acts and explains the mystery to anyone.  Think about a group that would benefit from a study like this, it could be another tool you use on your mission! 

I will be on vacation next week so don’t expect a post, take a week off!