Renewing Your Mind

Recently I read a book entitled “The Soul Winner” by Spurgeon. It was written in the 1800’s and I was struck by how little things have changed in over 150 plus years; spiritually speaking anyway. To me it was a very encouraging and insightful book and I highly recommend it.

There is a line in the book that really has me thinking this morning. Spurgeon says; "I believe that one reason why the Church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the Church."

That is our challenge of the times (just as it was Spurgeon’s). We are to reach out to dark places, we are to be in the world, yet we must in the most humble and loving of ways ensure that we somehow, someway remain set apart (holy). We must be able to relate and communicate with those in need, but we must always be on guard. Temptation and worldly influence abound.

Spurgeon encourages by saying, "At Jesus' feet we must learn the art and mystery of soul-winning: to live with Christ is the best education for usefulness." We must always remain at Jesus’ feet, always learning, always growing; always remembering his sacrifice for us, putting on the full armor of God as we strive to show others “the way”. To do this we must learn to never just conform to enticing worldly ways. I am reminded of Romans 12:1-3;

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

We must go out into the world, but we must resist the desire to conform and truly work to renew our minds each and every day at Jesus’ feet. My prayer for each of us is that we be transformed by the renewing or our minds. Transformed; isn’t that just the icing on the cake!

Grace and Peace

These Hands of Mine

I have this good friend and we get together to study, talk, discuss and work through the Bible. Recently we have been in Acts and we came across a passage that just keeps surfacing in my thoughts. At the same time another friend comes around and we begin to discuss the phrase, God helps those who help themselves. Many people think that phrase is biblical, but a quick Google determines that it is a quote from Benjamin Franklin. However, the topic became whether this quote has a biblical foundation. It is an interesting topic. When I think of my struggles with faith and my salvation I know and realize I was helpless. So, I really think that from the scriptures we can prove that God helps the helpless.

We see it in Isaiah 25:4
“You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall.”

From Psalm 62:7
7 "My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge."

Also in Romans 5:6
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

So for arguments sake (and to keep this short) let’s agree that God really helps the helpless, but then what about after we have been “helped”? Might God help those who help themselves, might that be the Christian model? I was recently reading in Mathew 9 and came across this passage;

“35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”

And now, we get back to the passage in Acts which keeps coming back to me from Chapter 20.

32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

So is this our model? With these hands of ours, are we to help ourselves and help others?

Through Christ these hands of mine have been helped beyond description!

Grace and Peace

Just One

Recently, my good friend Ted told me of a story that his pastor recently shared. In this story, the pastor was traveling a great distance for a particular ministry. He got there a little tired and worn. He walks into the room and only one person has shown up. His spirits sunk and he excused himself to use the restroom. In the restroom he thinks; “why just one, I have traveled all this way and just one?”

Suddenly a feeling overcomes him and another thought comes to him; “Christ died for me; just one”. Feeling a little refocused he marched back into the room and proceeded to serve the needs of the “just one” until slowly and surely others joined them.

This story just touched me (convicted me as well) as I do tend to get a little disappointed when after much effort very few show up. I now know that it is so important to ensure that my motives are not merely numbers, but to serve a kind, gracious and loving savior; that died for me; just one. The atoning sacrifice of one has made so much difference for many – even if it is one at a time. As we see in Romans 5:

18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

This brought to mind the story of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts.

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a]eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."[b] 34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"[c] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

What a reminder that wherever we are in life, we can make a difference even if it is for “just one”. That one will go and rejoice! We are told in Proverbs 11: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

By the power of the Holy Spirit let’s all go and be wise!

Grace and Peace