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Clothe Yourself With Jesus? 10/4/98 Clothe Yourself With Jesus? 10/4/98 Every once in a while a subject comes up in our Bible study that triggers a thought or something I want to look at further. So, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts with you. What does it mean to clothe yourself with Jesus? Rom 13:12-14 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. There are a couple of things that pop into mind as I look at these verses. The first is the concept of putting off the deeds of darkness. Is it possible for anyone to put on Jesus if they haven't put away the deeds of darkness? Is it possible to put on Jesus if we have not repented? In this verse Paul gives a short list of things that are indecent. Some like lists as it gives them something to focus on, but then, they have to accumulate lists from all over the Bible. Others hate lists because they lead to legalistic living. In these verses, the list certainly doesn't look exhaustive because of the alternative. "Rather" clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather than trying to form and obey lists of dos and don'ts, Paul is showing the better way. Putting on the nature of Jesus himself. This of course is predicated on our repentance and placing our faith in Jesus for salvation. To put on Jesus I'll only speak of a couple of things. The first is found in Rom 12:1. "Therefore, 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 act of worship." Until we willingly offer ourselves to Jesus we can't put him on. We are still in rebellion because we are unwilling to submit to his way of life and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The second is found in Rom 12:2. "Do 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." We need to recognize what makes us tick. Before we became Christians, we had learned the lessons of the world very well. We ingrained them and followed them. After we become Christians, we need to re-learn what it is to think like Jesus, to have the mind of Christ and then to work out our new belief system in how we act. We also need to recognize how the world wants us to continue to think. We are constantly bombarded by TV, magazines, newspapers, neighbors, co-workers and even other Christians who would make us think in another way than the way Jesus thinks. When we put on Jesus, we need to know who he is (God himself). We need to know what he has said and what he expects of us if we have put him on. In a word, we need to be his disciples. One of my pet harps is asking in the question, "How can you know what he expects of us or who he is, if we don't read his word?" As has become very clear to me lately, if you doubt that the Bible is the word of God (Jesus), or if you ignore it or don't read (listen to, somehow ingest to make it part of your life) it, then there is no way you can be his disciple. Without knowing his word (the entire Bible) you will not know Jesus. If you don't know him, you can't put him on. If you have put him on, then he is living in you and the daily walk with him will be sweet. May Jesus live in you this week, Ray Ruppert More thoughts on clothing ourselves with Jesus. 10/10/98 Whenever I see the verses that talk about putting on Jesus or clothing ourselves with Jesus, I get a mental image. I imagine sitting down and putting on something like a pair of long johns, or better, something like a wet suit make out of latex, like surgical gloves. As I start, I pull on the feet, tug on the legs and squirm a lot as I struggle to get my hands and arms down through the clingy material. I zip up the front then reach over the back of my head and pull the hood and mask into place. Finally, I have put on Jesus. At first I thought this was really ridiculous, then thought it might not be such a bad image. After all, isn't it our goal for people to see Jesus when they see us? Of course, what I have described is only external. If the internal doesn't have Jesus, the external will only be hypocrisy, for first we must be His. (2 Cor 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.) If I have Jesus in my heart, then the exterior can reflect Him. It doesn't work the other way around. If I had the feet of Jesus, I would I be bringing the good news. (Isa 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!") If I had the legs of Jesus, I would not grow wear, but would be able to endure. (Isa 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.) If I had the body of Jesus, I would not be walking in my old way, for they would have died. I would be fruitful. (Rom 7:4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.) Indeed, we are part of the body of Jesus. (1 Cor 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.) Since we are all part of the body of Christ, I would be working to build up others in the body, promote unity and serve others. (Eph 4:12-13 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.) If I had the arms of Jesus, I would do all that I could to raise children to know Him and look out for their well being. (Mark 9:36 - 37 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.") If I had the hands of Jesus, I would be concerned for the needs of people, especially their spiritual needs. (Luke 4:40 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.) There are many verses where Jesus had compassion on the people and layed His hands on them to heal them and to feed them. Ultimately, He let the Roman soldiers pierce His hands and nail Him to the cross so that He could save us from our sins. If I had the eyes of Jesus, I would be seeking what is right and just in the world. (1 Pet 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.") I would have more compassion for people, again, not only for their physical problems but also for their spiritual problems. (Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.) If I had the ears of Jesus, I would be blessed by the faith of others. (Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.") I would try to listen to find out what is at the root of a person's problems. (Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.") If I had the mouth of Jesus, I would try to make it clear to all what the truth is, even if I had to use different means than many expect. (Matt 13:35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.") For those who were more willing to listen to His word, I would use the Bible to clarify who He is. (Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.) May Jesus live in you and shine through you this week. May all you meet know the touch of Jesus. May you discover many more ways to show that you have put on Jesus. In Jesus, Ray Ruppert
Clothe Yourselves With The Lord Jesus Christ. 10/23/98 Some more thoughts and how to " Clothe Yourselves With The Lord Jesus Christ." Rom 13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. I think that one of the most important things that we can "put on" is the mind of Christ. Paul spoke in Romans 7 how he waged a war, knowing what was good and how he should live (in his mind), but his sinful nature (flesh) was always coming against it. He went on to say "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." (Rom 8:6 - 7). I conclude from this, that to have the mind of Christ is to let our mind be controlled by the Holy Spirit. So how can we let the Holy Spirit control our minds? The first hint is from the above verses. If the mind of a sinful person is hostile to God, then we'd better get rid of sin in our lives. I think the above verses are contrasting a person who has not repented of his sins and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and one who has. But the analogy fits for us also. If as a Christian, we are still harboring some sin in our lives, we will have a hard time letting the Holy Spirit control our minds. We need to ask the Lord to search us and show us the sin in our lives so that we can get rid of it. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Ps 139:23-24) Many times, we don't let the Holy Spirit control our minds because they are filled with things that have been left over from what we learned before we became Christians. There are also things that have been programmed into our minds by well meaning, but errant people. There are things that are stuffed into us through various means; newspapers, books, TV, movies and the list can go on. If we aren't discerning in what we let into our minds, these things shape our thoughts and finally our actions. Paul again tells us the battle is in the mind. "Do 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." (Rom 12:2) We need to renew our minds. Put simply, that means we need to take out the stuff that we have in our mind and put new things in it. All the things that molded us and shaped us before we became Christians need to be re-thought out. We need to run these things through a filter to make sure the stuff the world (that which is opposed to God) is taken out, and the stuff of the Holy Spirit is let in so that we can know God's will i.e. let the Holy Spirit control our mind. The only reliable filter we have is the filter of God's Word. It isn't always easy to tell if the stuff we learned as children (or adults) lines up with God's Word or not. It takes practice, it takes knowing God's Word. "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Heb 5:14) Check it out, it says constant use. Neglect God's Word and you won't know the difference from good or evil when you hear it, even if you are a Christian. Another thing that keeps us from yielding our minds to the Holy Spirit is what we dwell on. My mind usually has something grinding around in it. Paul provided a good test for these thoughts. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things." (Phil 4:8) When I think about something, whether it is a daydream, the moral of a story or a relationship with another person; then I need to apply these test to it. You'd be surprised at the thoughts that can be stopped when you realize they aren't fitting for a Christian. Next, it has to be put into practice. "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Phil 4:9) We can talk all we want to about putting on Jesus. However, it won't make a difference until we start doing it. It's interesting that letting the Holy Spirit take control of our minds takes work on our part. May Jesus richly dwell in your hearts and the Holy Spirit control your minds, Ray Ruppert
10/31/98 The Book of Titus is one of my favorite books in the Bible. There are many things that can be found there, from the theological to the practical with lots of good doctrine. For instance, I can find the trinity. As I was reading Titus, I discovered the following: In Titus 1:3, 2:10, and 3:4, the same phrase is used, "God our Savior". In verses 1:4 a similar phrase is used, "Jesus our Savior" and 3:6 contains "Christ our Savior". By using the same phrase in reference to God and Jesus, Paul ascribed equality to God and Jesus. Paul knew that God is the only Savior, because Isa 43:11 states "I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior." However, it is clear that he had no problem equating God and Jesus. Also, in verse 2:13 he clearly calls Jesus God. "... the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ". The book of Titus doesn't relate the Holy Spirit as clearly to the Trinity, but Paul did include all the persons of the Trinity in the book. "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7) Here the reference to the Holy Spirit is book-ended with the Father and the Son. It is easy to overlook this reference to the Trinity because of the joy and wonder in knowing that we are heirs of eternal life and that it is not dependant upon our good works, but on His mercy. Praise the Lord! Some other remarkable truths occur in the book of Titus. In verses 1:1-3, Paul speaks of what happens when we gain knowledge of God's truth. It leads to godliness. This faith and knowledge rests in our hope of eternal life, which was promised to us by God. God doesn't lie to us and he has promised eternal life to us before the beginning of time. Eternal life and godliness are again expanded on in 2:11, 12. It is God's grace that brings salvation. That grace and salvation teaches us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives. If our lives are not improving with regard to godliness; if we are indulging ourselves in worldly passions; we better be asking ourselves why. It sure doesn't line up with what Paul told Titus. Oh, and if you have some questions about what a godly life is like, then all you need to do is look at the book as a whole. Paul explains to Titus what a good church leader should be like. He also instructs Titus on things that need to be taught, family, governmental and work relationships, not just doctrinal issues. We can strive to apply the qualities of a leader to our own lives as well as apply all that Paul told Titus to teach. Being godly isn't wishy-washy either. Look at verses 1:9 - 11. We need to hold firmly to the message and encourage with sound doctrine. We need to refute those who oppose it. The rebellious are to be silenced. "They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach-- and that for the sake of dishonest gain." (1:11) These are people who claim to be Christians but give all believers a bad name in addition to ruining households. We need to tell people like this to "knock it off". In 3:10, he tells us to only warn divisive people a couple of times then not to have anything to do with them. He calls them warped and sinful. Sounds to me like Paul should have taken one of our modern classes on diversity and tolerance. He also gives us insight into the ungodly mind. "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." (Titus 1:15-16) Have you ever known someone who seemed to always see bad or evil in other people or organizations? These are the ones that are sure that churches are only out for your money. They think that even the most godly people are crooks. Perhaps it is because they really know their own souls and see themselves as Paul described in verse 3:11b. "He is self-condemned." Paul was concerned with the spiritual well being of the people under Titus' care. "And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." (Titus 3:8b) These are the things we also need to be concerned with. If we follow the teachings in Titus, we will be devoted to doing good. This will be profitable not only for others, but also for us, as we will be storing up treasures in heaven. May Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, bless you richly this week, Ray Ruppert
11/7/98 When someone says that Jesus is their Lord, what do you think they mean? Do you think that they have considered Jesus' own words? "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt 7:21) It is very evident from this verse that it takes more than calling Jesus my Lord before He considers that we both agree that He is my Lord. Jesus wanted to do the will of His Father. He expressed it in the following verses. "'My food,' said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." (John 4:34) "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." (John 6:38,39) The first thing that I see is that Jesus had motivation. He said that His food was to do the Father's will. The Father's will was even ahead of His basic needs for sustenance. The next thing is that Jesus subjected His own will to that of the Father. The last thing was that He knew specifically what God wanted Him to do. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) Jesus came with the express purpose to die on the cross to ransom us from the effects of sin. He did not let anything else take precedence over His mission. "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51) Then of course, He completed the work on the cross by paying the price for our sins. Applying this to our own lives, we need to be motivated to do His will. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Pet 5:8-9) We may not express our motivation in the same way that Jesus did, but we can consider many of our brothers and sisters around the world who are undergoing persecution. When they have to face persecution, what is their primary concern? If they were not motivated, they would simply deny Jesus and then be able to regain the status in their society that they had before they announced their allegiance to Jesus. They could rescue themselves from death. We also need to be motivated so that we are prepared to put even life itself at a lower priority than our relationship to Jesus. Once we do this, maybe it will be easier to make Him Lord when we face what seems to be less critical choices, but in the long run may cost us more. Paul knew what God wanted him to do. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:" (Eph 1:1) He was called to be an apostle. We may not know what His will is for us as clearly as Paul did, however there are some things that God has made universally known to us that we need to do. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20) One of the most basic commands of Jesus is to make disciples, starting with baptism, then teaching them to obey. It seems to me that the requirement of baptism is the first step in teaching them to obey. Once a person has heard the command to be baptized, he has two choices. To say yes and do it, or to disobey Jesus and say no. How does this relate to Jesus' question? "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) It must be a rhetorical question, because you can't know His will and say "NO, Lord". This is only one example, but one that comes up many times. The problem is not knowing Jesus' will, but not subjecting our own will to His. I have heard almost all the excuses for refusal to be baptized that there are. One is "I don't know enough yet to make that decision." Well, how much more is needed? As Jesus' last command indicates, and as the examples in Acts 2:41, 8:12, 10:48, 16:15, 19:5 demonstrate, people were baptized when they believed, not after they became educated in their faith. If you want to look at Acts 8:13, you will see that a man named Simon was baptized. Read on and you will find out that he had a lot of growing to do. Baptism isn't a sign of spiritual maturity, but a first step of obedience. If you skip the obedience, spiritual maturity will be stunted. Another point of obedience is church membership. There is no direct command in the Bible to be a member of a church, but I believe there is one very pointed scripture that helps us see the need to be obedient in this area. "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Heb 13:17) The first part of this verse certainly looks like a clear command, unless you don't consider this verse accurately translated, or that it is wrong and not part of God's word. Maybe I took it out of context? Before you can obey your leaders, you need to know who they are. If you are jumping from church to church and not settling into regular attendance at any one, then you have no leaders. Once a church has been found, then you need to find out what the leaders say about membership. Some churches have a set membership policy, other don't. If the church has a membership policy, then to obey the leaders, you will have to join or find a church that doesn't have one. If your church doesn't have a membership policy, you still have to let your leaders know that you consider yourself a "member" and under their authority. The leaders need to know who you are so that the second part of Heb 13:17 can be obeyed. The leaders must watch over us and they are held accountable by God to do that. How can they accomplish their task if we don't obey this verse? This is all predicated on the principle that you have found a Biblical church with Biblical leaders. I picked these two basics points of Lordship because our church recently had a series on spiritual maturity. It included baptism and membership and I had the opportunity to think these things through again. Most of us know people who are struggling with these issues. We also know people who aren't growing in their walk with the Lord. I have met many people who started growing after they were baptized. The reason I think this occurs is that Jesus sets things before us as matters of obedience. Just as the Lord tested the obedience of Abraham when He asked him to sacrifice Isaac, so he tests us with obedience. I am sure that He doesn't usually reveal more of Himself to us as long as we are disobedient in areas where He is clear about His will. You may have already been baptized and are the member of a good fundamental church. However, each of us may have a part of our life that we haven't surrendered to Jesus. I have disobeyed and simply said, "NO, Lord." I also have had times when I put off doing what He wanted. Each time He reminded me that I had something to do, His voice got quieter and quieter. Finally, He said, "I won't tell you again" It really scared me to think I would lose that contact with my Lord so I took care of the matter immediately. My prayer is that each of us will be able to walk into the presence of our Lord and hear him say "'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" (Matt 25:21) Let's read the word of God and pay careful attention to His commands. An example is Eph 5:18 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." There are two commands in this verse, two opportunities to say, "Yes, Lord." Then let's pray for Him to reveal what He wants us to change or do. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Ps 139:23-24)
May the Lord Jesus bless you all,
Ray Ruppert
11/14/98 "Do 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." (Rom 12:2) As I was driving to work, I was pondering the ways we conform to the pattern of this world. I was reminded of the time a car came up behind me and started tailgating me. I normally try to obey the defensive driving rules by leaving 2 car lengths for every 10 miles per hour. The guy behind me, who usually left six inches for every 10 miles per hour, must have thought that there should have been at least 11 more cars between me and the car ahead of me. To convince me of this, he cut his usual safe margin down to three inches. This left a whole 18 inches between us. According to good defensive driving, I needed to slow down to make sure I could stop in an emergency without having my rear bumper under my steering wheel. Having failed to force me to go faster, he pulled into the car pool lane as soon as a space appeared; the right lane was too crowded. By this time I was ticked and as he accelerated, so did I. I wanted to make sure he couldn't get back in front of me. I was saved from doing something very foolish and dangerous by driving a very gutless car. I watched him roar ahead to his customary 36 inches behind the next car. I fully expected to see him in a pile up very soon, and hoped it would teach him a lesson. The world tells us that we have rights, and when those rights are violated, we need to get even with those who violate them. I may have the right to not be put into a dangerous situation by another motorist, but my reaction to the violation demonstrates whether or not I am conforming to the pattern of this world. My first failure was not looking out for the other person's interests. "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phil 2:4) I could have tried to move to the right, even though I was moving faster than the right lane and traffic was heavy. It certainly would have been wiser than making the guy more irritated by slowing down. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Gal 6:9-10) Sometimes it seems hard to do good to another person, especially when we think he is a jerk. That is probably a subject for another email. My next failure was my desire to repay evil with evil, which was a clear and knowing violation of another command in scripture. "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Pet 3:9) A few months earlier, in this same area, a motorist had been shot after a traffic altercation. This was near Mill Creek, an affluent suburb, not an inner city ghetto. Not only does this attitude grieve the Holy Spirit, but it can lead to even more evil. Have you been wronged and had these desires to make sure the other person got their due? It might have been an unkind comment or it could have been when you were cheated in a business deal. "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." (Rom 12:19) The next problem was my desire to see him get his. I've often heard people quote Rom 12:19 then say "and God can do a better job than you can." The next couple of verses should clear up the fact that our position shouldn't be the desire for God to "get" him. "On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom 12:20-21) When people traveled in ancient times, they took coals with them so they could easily start a fire and have warm food in the evenings. They carried them in clay pots on their heads. It was a common courteous to give travelers coals from your fire when they needed it. When we "put on Christ" we need to have His attitude about people. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Pet 3:9) If we can be patient with others as Jesus is, perhaps they will come to repentance and join us as brothers and sisters in Christ. How much better this is than wishing evil for the person. I also became angry and was trying to express it in a worldly manner. Haven't you heard that we are supposed to vent our anger? Its ok to get angry, Jesus did! However, according to Prov 29:11, "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." The world is absolutely the worst place to go to find out about anger management. We CAN control our anger and God holds us responsible for how well we do. "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." (James 1:19-20) This verse doesn't say only those with a mild disposition should be slow to become angry. It says everyone should be slow to become angry. If we get hot under the collar, there are reasons. We need to dig in and find out what is making us angry. I felt that I was put into a dangerous situation and that my rights and good sense had been violated. I was not considering the other person, his thoughts or his value to God. I was thinking only of myself. I was not considering my witness to him or how God wanted me to react. By the way, being violated is always a good reason to become angry, isn't it? The word violated just conjures up disgust and horror. The ads for home security systems play on this when they tell how violated a person feels when they come home and find their home ransacked. When a person is violated, especially when someone does unspeakable things to a woman, it is horrible and disgusting. I don't want to minimize that. But remember how angry Jesus got when He was violated? Remember when He was on trial and was spit on, beaten and crucified for our sins? Talk about being violated! But Jesus was silent for most of His trial. When He was being nailed to the cross he said "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) We need to learn how to conform our thoughts and our reactions, even to violence, not to the world's "wisdom", but to God's wisdom. May Jesus dwell richly in your hearts this week,
Ray Ruppert Why Didn't Universe Die At Birth? I read this headline in the Seattle Times, November 20, 1998. "Why didn't universe die at birth?" Three points summed up the crux of the article. (1) The Big Bang - When the rapidly expanding universe was the size of a grapefruit, it contained equal amounts of matter and its evil twin antimatter, the same as matter, but endowed with an opposite charge. (2) Annihilation - When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate each other. Under this scenario, the universe should have been stillborn ... leaving only a glimmer of radiation. (3) Triumphant Matter - The universe survived because nature apparently favors matter slightly over antimatter. This is the so called CP violation. CP is a technical reference to the parity between matter and antimatter. Violation refers to the breakdown of that parity, which allowed matter to proliferate and create the universe. The article pointed out that scientists really don't like quandaries like this. "Physicists love symmetry because it is a sign that all is right with the universe, or at least with their explanation of it." So it appears they came up with this CP violation thing to explain why matter sometimes stays around while the antimatter disappears. Unfortunately, according to the article, "it still doesn't explain why there is as much matter in the universe as there is." Physicists are now using accelerators to ram particles of matter and antimatter into each other so they can explain the origin of the universe. I am bringing this up because it is good description of how many people think today and conform to the pattern of this world. They form a postulation and then attempt to make everything in their world fit it. Regarding creation, many if not most scientist have postulated that there is no God. Therefore there must be a natural explanation for the origin of the universe. Even when their own measurements and observations contradict their theory, they continue to spend great amounts of energy, time and money to prove that there is an explanation for the universe other than creation. I "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good." (Ps 14:1) It seems rather harsh to call these learned men and women fools, corrupt and vile, but God's word has stated this, not me. Over and over again in the Bible, God has declared that He is the creator of the universe. He started in the very beginning of the Bible, which almost everyone has read. They don't even consider many other verses where the Bible states that God is the creator. Just a few of these verses are Ps 89:12; Isa 42:5, 45:18, 54:16, Mrk 13:19 Heb 1:2, 11:3, Rev 10:6. They reject these and many other verses for one fundamental reason, which will become clear later. Beginning in John 1:1 - 14 we are told that Jesus is God and that He is the creator so that we would know that Jesus is God in the flesh. Now this really rankles people because they want to have Jesus as a good moral teacher, a guide, a holy man or even a "christ."(Small "c" because they would say that there are many christs.) Jesus said, "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58) The Greek word for "am" that Jesus used is eimi meaning "to be, to exist, to happen, to be present" (Thayer's Greek Lexicon). When Jesus said this, the religious leaders wanted to stone Him because He was telling them He is God. He did this by using the same words to describe Himself ("I am") that God had used when Moses asked God what His name was. "God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exod 3:14) The Hebrew word for "I am" that God used is hayah (haw-yaw); "a primitive root; to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)" according to Strong's Greek Hebrew Dictionary. Note that the definition of both words means "to exist". The phrase "I AM WHO I AM." has been translated in other versions as "The Self Existent One". Scientists want you to believe that at some time in the past, a great amount of concentrated energy, far more than we can comprehend or calculate, decided on its own volition to become matter, thus the Big Bang theory. The scientists that don't believe in God have not even attempted to explain where this energy came from or how it got concentrated. (Some do talk about an eternity of big bangs, collapses and repeated big bangs, however this still doesn't answer the fundamental question about the very first bang.) Only the existence of God can explain the universe. You may ask where did God come from? The only explanation that we have is that God is self existent. That may sound weak to a scientist, but it certainly makes more sense than inanimate energy suddenly becoming matter. Something that has always puzzled me is how an atom can exist. The matter - antimatter problem above is similar, however, consider an atom. At its center are several protons (elements that repel each other) circled by electrons (more elements that repel each other) that are attracted to those protons. It seems to me that the protons should go shooting out into space, and meet the electrons, which would cancel out the charges becoming neutrons or something like that. I know that scientist have wondered about it also and came up with the idea (if I remember correctly) of "weak forces" that keep the protons in the center along with neutrons. The Bible is clear about what keeps them from flying out and the whole universe turning into nothing but a bunch of neutrons. "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Col 1:16-17) It also explains that He created all things out of things that are invisible. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Heb 11:3) Not only does Jesus hold all things together, but also there will be a time when He will let it all fly apart. "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." (2 Pet 3:3-7) "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." (2 Pet 3:10) Why do you suppose everything will disappear this way? Because Jesus will let it fly apart. What would be the outcome of our scientific thought if we acknowledged the existence of God, that He came to the earth in the person of Jesus and that He is the creator? I don't think it would change the fundamentals of true science. People would still be challenged to discover how things work because they would know that an intelligent being created all things. The big difference is that acknowledging God as creator means that we are accountable to Him as part of His creation. This, I believe is the real problem most scientists don't believe in God. Most people don't want to be accountable to God. They want to do their own thing and they know that all of these things are not in accordance with God's desire. If they acknowledged Jesus, they would have to repent of their sins and surrender their lives to Jesus as their Lord and Savior. That would interfere with their desires. Isn't it better to live in conformity with the One who made you? Interestingly, when we do surrender to Jesus, He becomes our friend, lives in us, guides us and gives us His peace. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Not only do we receive eternal life with God forever, but also our lives are much richer here and now. (I'm not saying it is easy, ok, but peace with God is worth all the trouble the world gives us because we are following Him.) My your faith in Jesus grow this week,
Ray Ruppert
The other day, as Terri and I were doing our daily Bible studies, we came across this verse. "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." (1 Pet 4:7) There are two clear conditions for prayer in this verse. The first is to be clear minded. In context with the previous sentence and some of the hysteria that may be developing about the end of the century, not to mention Jesus' eminent return, we need to stay clear minded. When we are praying about the circumstances that face others or us, we need to be doing so with our minds in gear and not based on what our emotions are telling us. Has anyone ever asked you to pray for them, then hear a request that is obviously outside of God's will because the request would require a result that God has already declared He hates, like a divorce? It isn't always as obvious as this example so we need to be well grounded in God's word so that we can have a clear mind when we pray. There are times when our emotions are so overwhelming that we don't know how to pray. I have also run into these times. When Nehemiah heard about the conditions of Jerusalem, he was heart broken. Look at his response. "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Neh 1:4) When I hit these situations, I lift up the emotions to God as a prayer. I ask Him to use my hurt, fear or whatever I am feeling as a prayer to accomplish His will. Unless I know, even in the midst of the emotional turmoil, what His will is, I try not to pray for anything specific. Instead I rely on Rom 8:26-27 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." This is a time to listen for Him and to let Him work in and through the emotions. The results can be astounding. Finish reading the first two chapters of Nehemiah and you will see that as a result of his prayer, which started with deep emotions, God gave him a plan to help Jerusalem. The second condition is to be self-controlled. "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:3) James made it clear that one of the ways to not be self-controlled in prayer is to have the wrong motives in the prayers. It seems to me that a person who is not self-controlled is also a person who generally has problems yielding to temptations and falling into sin. Again, have you known a person who is constantly asking God, with much emotion and conviction, to remove a temptation, but never seems to get out of bondage to the sin? Could it be that the problem is a lack of self-control to take the way that God has provided? "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Cor 10:13) I knew a young man who was trying to learn memory verses for a witnessing class and couldn't. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what was going on until he revealed that he had a problem with pornography and sins related to it. He told me about an incident that exemplified a person who was not exercising self-control to take the clear path out of the temptation. His father had purchased cable TV, but had excluded the Playboy channel. This young man told me that he had spent thirty minutes trying to adjust the tuner on the TV set, attempting to get a clear picture, which of course he couldn't. He blamed his father for getting cable, not his own lack of self-control. I know that sexual addictions are complex and I'm not trying to provide a one-verse-covers-all answer to his or any other person's problems. The main point is that a lack of self-control by not taking an obvious way out of temptation hampers your spiritual life. Self-control has the biggest impact on our prayers when we don't exercise it to pray in the first place. One of the greatest blessings I have received from the Lord is a firm belief and the practice of daily Bible reading and prayer. When times were difficult, when God seemed like a million miles away, I knew that Jesus wanted me to read His word and pray every day. I know that many people don't pray because it "doesn't work." They either don't feel better, or they don't see the results they expected. Going back to 1 Pet 4:7, these people are not clear minded (they expect results based on emotion or emotional results) or self-controlled (they pray outside of God's will, timing, or with wrong motives). Sometimes a combination of prayer that is fuzzy minded and lacking self-control results in a refusal to accept an answer of "no" or "later". I certainly didn't feel any better about my circumstances or the results that I was seeing. Having wintered those times, I have a much stronger faith in our gracious, compassionate, Lord God and Father than I would have if He had answered my prayers the way I wanted and had given me warm fuzzies about Him. Do you want a better prayer life? Then be clear minded in your prayers. Don't ask for things based on emotion or expect emotional answers. Be self-controlled. "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles..." (Heb 12:1) Get rid of sin and look out for the entanglements that keep us from putting prayer as a priority. Set a time to pray. Write down who and what you need to pray for. This will also help to keep your mind on track (clear minded). When someone ask you to pray for them, write it down. Remember that prayer is, first and foremost, talking with your Father. Tell Him how much you love and appreciate Him - regardless of the answers. How many times have we heard it said, "seek His face before His hand"? May you draw close to our Lord Jesus in prayer this week. In Jesus, Ray Ruppert Terri is the prayer chain coordinator for Canyon Hills Community Church and we are both "captains" of the e-mail and one of the phone prayer chains. Over the past year, we have heard and prayed for hundreds of requests. The majority of these prayers are for the healing of physical ailments of believers and unbelievers as well. We have been privileged to see miracles, prolonged suffering, as well as the Lord graciously taking some of His saints home to Himself. We have seen some on our prayer list come to salvation while we continue to pray for some of the most stubborn ones. We also get request for marriages and emotional problems. We have about 30 people who have committed themselves to pray for the needs of the Body of Christ. Isn't that awesome? As I was reviewing the subjects of our prayers, I began to wonder what God wants us to be praying about. I don't have any question that we need to be praying for all of the above, but I was wondering if there was more that the Lord want us to pray about. What did people pray for in the Old Testament and what did they pray for in the New Testament? It seems to me that most of the prayers in the O.T. were for God to heal the land of Israel. There were many prayers for protection and deliverance from their enemies. The prophets lifted up prayers for national forgiveness and restoration. There were also many prayers for individual deliverance and healing. The most memorable prayers were those of thanksgiving and worship of our Mighty God. In the N.T., I found similar prayers but the emphasis on national prayer had changed to prayer for the Church. There is more prayer for individuals as well. I think I also found some new prayer patterns that didn't occur in the O.T.. The first is for protection from Satan and for purity. The second is prayer for the spread of the Gospel. The first prayer for protection is found in "The Lord's Prayer" when Jesus was teaching His disciple how to pray. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matt 6:13) Then again, in the garden, He instructed them to pray. "On reaching the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.'" (Luke 22:40). Then, while Jesus was praying for His disciples and for us, He prayed for our protection. "...Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name..." (Jn 17:11) "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (Jn 17: 15) When Paul finished telling us of the spiritual armor and battle in Eph 6:10-18, he finished by saying "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." It is evident that while the O.T. saints prayed for physical protection from their enemies, the N.T. parallel is to pray for protection from Satan. The O.T. is an example for us and pictured in physical reality what the Church in the N.T. is like in the spiritual realm. Have we lost our awareness or our alertness to Satan's attacks? I know that we talk about his attacks, but so often we are talking about physical illness or problems, and not the spiritual battle that is raging. How often have you heard someone say that the devil certainly couldn't be after you because he has too many other things to deal with? If that is so, then why did Jesus pray specifically for us to be protected from the evil one? "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message..." (Jn 17:20) Hello! Is anyone home? Maybe it is time to start praying not only for ourselves, but our family, friends and especially for our Pastors and church staff (all the saints) to be protected from the evil one. Maybe we also need to be asking for these kinds of prayers for ourselves rather than having spiritual pride that we can do it ourselves and we don't need others praying for us in this area. Purity (sanctity) and Christian unity was closely linked to protection from the evil one in Jesus' prayer for us. The implication to me is that when there is disunity or impurity in the Church, Satan has been winning the battle and most of us didn't even know there was a fight. I think one of the biggest problems in the Body of Christ is sexual purity. I've heard Dr. Dobson and others comment about how the sexual activity of Christian high school students is not much different than that of the general population. When I was making lay witness calls, it was surprising how many "Christian" couples were living together. It was also rather disappointing to know "mature" Christians who would not confront them, but were "nurturing" them until they came to a point where they would realize they needed to get married. Unfortunately, tolerance of this and other sins hurts the Body of Christ, even when we aren't aware of it in our midst. This was brought to mind as I read "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it..." (1 Cor 12:26) The last elections were very depressing for me. I saw ungodly laws enacted and laws that were trying to stop just one form of abortion defeated here in Washington state. Why, with all of the prayers of the saints, did this happen? God wants us to pray for our country, but maybe we've been praying for the wrong things. If the Church is not holy, then we will not affect the world, which ties in with the previous comments on purity. "Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way." (Heb 13:18) We need to be praying for our purity in every way. Also consider the ending of Paul's spiritual warfare comments and the following passages: "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel..." (Eph 6:19) "Paul replied, 'Short time or long-- I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.'" (Acts 26:29) "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..." (Phil 1:4-5) "And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Col 4:3-4) I know that we are praying for our missionaries around the world to be able to share the gospel. I would be surprised to find a missionary that doesn't have that as one of their prayer requests. However, do we have that as a prayer request for ourselves, our family and for the members of our church? Are we praying for the people that go out to share the gospel on Tuesday nights (or whatever night your church has an outreach)? Are we praying for them to find people who don't know Jesus? Are we praying that our Lord to prepare the hearts that will hear the Word? "He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" (Luke 10:2) Are we praying that Jesus will provide more workers? In my opinion, if we are not praying for the spread of the Gospel and the purity and protection of the saints right here in our own neighborhoods and churches, all of our prayers for our country will accomplish nothing. If our lives are not showing the distinction between holiness and worldliness, we will negate the prayers for the spread of the Gospel. We are partners with all who share the Gospel, whether or not we are going door to door or preaching on TV. We need to be prepared to share the Gospel as well. "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Pet 3:15) Let's join together in advancing our prayers into the spiritual warfare. We've been praying faithfully for the physical needs of the saints, now let's go for the battle for the spiritual needs of the Body of Christ and the advance of His kingdom. And one other thing, when people ask how they can pray for you, let them know. Don't stop with the physical requests like health or job, but also ask for prayer to be able to resist (or continue to resist) the evil one. Don't be afraid to ask someone to pray for your purity and holiness. In this dark and depraved world, we are only a step away from sin as we are bombarded daily with temptations. I don't know anyone who has come anywhere near the holy life that Jesus lived; I certainly haven't. Pray for Terri, the prayer chain members and me. Being on the prayer chain is a spiritual battle and Satan would love to find ways to keep us from praying. Pray that the prayers of the warriors on the chain are effective in bringing about the changes that God wants in His people. Pray that as we mature as the Body of Christ, we will see more requests for help in significant spiritual battles. Pray for me and these e-mails as I desire to fulfill God's will in sending them; that they will reach the right people; that they will produce the results in their lives that God desires; that He may receive the glory. In Jesus,
Ray Ruppert Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? How many times have you asked that question? Several years ago, I was meeting with a bunch of men for breakfast and Bible study. One morning, one of the guys asked for prayer for his back. He was in a lot of pain and was not sure he would be able to do his job if it continued. We gathered around him and prayed. Miraculously, he was healed and the pain was gone. We had also been praying for our baby sitter, a young girl at Bellevue Christian High School, who, after losing hearing in one ear, was diagnosed (by x-ray) with a brain tumor. After a few weeks, numerous doctors, lost x-rays and much prayer, the tumor could no longer be found and her hearing returned, all to the glory of God. At that time, I learned that my mother had been diagnosed with cancer and only had a few months left to live. I asked the guys to pray and during our prayer time, I asked the Lord to heal her. Afterwards, one of the guys told me that he would never be able to pray for someone's healing because he was afraid that it wouldn't happen and he would lose his faith. I explained to him, as best I could, that even if my mother died, it wouldn't affect my faith in God, but more importantly, that if I didn't pray for her healing, then I would be the poorer for not having even asked. My mother died almost a year later, but before she left, she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She left with joy in spite of the fact that she died in the manner that she had feared most all her life. Why didn't God heal my mother as He had healed my friend and our baby sitter? I do believe that God always answers prayers (at least for those who belong to Him). However, our problems are usually with our expectations of how He answers and His answers can vary. Consider our expectations and the following verses. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Ps 37:4) This is one of my favorite verses, but often in our prayers, we switch this around and render it "Lord, Give me the desires of my heart and I will delight myself in the You." Jesus said "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." (John 15:7) Again, we like to put ourselves on the throne and say "Give me whatever I ask and I will remain in You and let Your words remain in me." Both of these verses point out that God's answers to our prayers depend on our relationship with Him. When our desire is to know Him, love Him and serve Him more than anything else, our desires will line up with what He wants for our lives. "Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" (Matt 22:37) He must be first in our lives. In John 15:7, when He put the condition of remaining in Him and His words remaining in us, He established the concept that we need to be vitally connected to Him in order to have our prayers answered in the way we want. When we know Him this way, it implies that we will not be asking for anything that is outside of His will. When we don't know Him the way He wants us to, we really don't have a clue regarding His will for us and our expectations will be out of line. Also, when we have read His word but don't put it into practice or when we are deliberately disobedient, why should He answer our prayers the way we expect? Even when we are close to the Lord, we don't always get the answer we want. Take the apostle Paul as an example. He certainly loved the Lord and apparently knew His will for his life. Did Paul ever ask for things outside of God's will? I'll let him tell about it. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Cor 12:8-9) Read through Acts and marvel at the way God worked through Paul, yet the Lord plainly said "No" to him when he asked for his own healing. Should we expect that God will always answer our prayers in the way we want or should we expect that He knows better what we need? Are the results of our prayers measurable? Can we rate our effectiveness in pray? These may have also been your questions, especially when regarding spiritual battles, pleading for the souls of loved ones or a break through for the Gospel in some country or tribe when there are no discernable results, from your viewpoint. It could be a personal prayer that remains unanswered because God hasn't given a clear "No", the way He did for Paul. He could be saying "Not now." We may not recognize or live long enough to see the answers to our prayers, especially in the realms of spiritual battle. We have all probably heard the stories of people getting saved only after the person who prayed for them died. However, I believe that prayer is always effective and we can see some of the results in the here and now if we are looking in the right direction. When we spend time with the Lord, we should be able to see a difference. Prayer is a two-way conversation. John 1:1, 14 says that Jesus is the Word. When we read the Bible, Jesus is speaking to us. When we are in prayer and the Word, a difference should be manifesting itself because we are not only talking to God, but listening for Jesus' directions as well as getting to know Him and what things are important to Him. Sometimes we see the answers develop slowly and other times more rapidly. We should try to measure the following things in our lives to see how effective our prayer is. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23) When we are praying for the relief of difficult circumstances in our lives, do we consider the outcome that had occurred in Paul's life? "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Phil 4:11-12) Consider the fact that he was in prison when he wrote this and as far as we know, he still had the illness that he spoke about in 2 Cor 12:9. "But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Tim 6:6) Dear friends, don't give up praying or give up on God because you haven't gotten the answers you sought. We must be diligent in knowing and loving our Lord so that we will know how to pray. We also need to look for the miracles of changed lives, starting with ourselves. Without all the answers but trusting Jesus, Ray Ruppert
Christmas time is joyous for me since I became a Christian. The first Christmas after I accepted Christ was especially awesome. I remember walking into the brightly and beautifully decorated department stores in downtown Seattle with amazement as I heard the refrains of Christmas carols proclaiming the birth of our Lord Jesus. I had heard most of these songs before, but now, they had meaning for me personally. I can relate to the meaning of the verse that says "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (Eph 5:14b) It was hard for me to believe that I had heard these songs since I was a kid and had never understood the clear gospel message and praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus. Unfortunately, there are many who wander around in darkness during the Christmas season and are still dead to Jesus. To many, the name of Jesus is a curse word, not the name by which we must be saved. Then there are those of us who, by our speech, do not honor the Lord. It grieves me when I participate in unwholesome talk or hear believers who do not reflect in their speech the forgiveness, grace and purity that Jesus demonstrated. In one of my earlier emails, I was talking about the commands that appear in the Bible. This is one that has been very useful for me in cleaning up my language and one that I need to review periodically to make sure that I am obeying it. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Eph 4:29) The first thing that I think about is the definition of "unwholesome talk" and have related it to the way I talk to people and because the rest of the verse tells me to have speech that is helpful to build up others and benefit those who listen. Sometimes, we use words that hurt and we don't realize that it does; other times, we use words that are intended to hurt. The latter is easier to recognize since it is blatant sin. The previous is subtler. I once worked in a ministry office where one worker used a pet name when addressing another worker, the second responded similarly. I could see that both were offended and the working relationship deteriorated until the second decided that he needed to leave. This verse and others in Ephesians 4 and 5 are very practical because they always tell what the improper actions are and then follow with a way of replacing the bad habit or sin with correct behavior. One problem we have is recognizing unwholesome talk. We can ask ourselves, "Will what I am about to say build up or tear down based on the needs of the hearer (not our own needs) and benefit those who listen?" Once we recognize the unwholesome talk, we need to replace it with things that will build one another up. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1Thes 5:11) Encouragement is something that will build others up. Instead of criticizing someone, we can encourage them and find a way to help them overcome difficulties. If they are headed in the wrong direction, we need to be able help them correct their aim without demeaning them. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." (Gal 6:1) We need to be very careful because there is a fine line between encouraging or correcting a person and falling into sin ourselves. Another way that our speech reflects badly on our Savior and encourages those who defame His Name is when we are simply crude in our speech and manners. "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." (Eph 5:4) In today's world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain purity in our speech because it is prevalent in our society, invading movies, TV, commercials, the work place, school and even our churches. Obscenity is obvious to most of us, but we should filter our expletives based not on what we think is an obscenity, but what may offend another. This applies also to the jokes we tell or pass around on the internet. Some jokes are funny and help lighten our day, but others offer no redeeming value and bring a laugh at the expense of others (many times, our elected officials) and include sexual innuendoes. How do these reflect on Jesus? Would Jesus tell this story? Since there are many wholesome things to laugh about, we don't need to pass on the trash. Some foolish talk that bugs me is the commercials for the Washington State Apple Commission. Do we really expect people to buy apples by glorifying rude and insensitive people? Yes, because these are the things that are funny to the world, but remember, these things are out of place for a Holy Spirit lead life. The solution on our part is to be giving thanks. "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1Thes 5:16-18) What comes to mind is when I hit my thumb with a hammer. In the comics, I am told to say "@#$&&*", however I am told in the Bible to give thanks. Which shall it be? By the power of the Holy Spirit and my desire to be obedient to Jesus, am I going to train myself to turn immediately to Jesus and thank Him, even in my discomfort, or am I going to excuse my mouth because of the pain? Believe me, what comes out of our mouths when we stub our toe or have been diagnosed with cancer depends on how we have trained ourselves to respond to our circumstances and how much we have yielded ourselves to the work of Jesus in us. May the Lord Jesus help you to honor Him during this Christmas season and all year long. In Jesus, Ray Ruppert When Jesus came to be born, taking upon Himself the nature of man as a little child in the manger, He denied Himself the benefits of the nature of God. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Phil 2:5b-7) Later, during His ministry, He told us that to become His disciple, we needed to deny ourselves as well. "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23) When we want to become a person's disciple, we want to be taught how to become like him and then to put that teaching into practice so that we will be like him. We wouldn't be a disciple unless we actually start putting the training into practice. So what does this denying oneself really mean? Jesus made it clear that it is one of the conditions of being His disciples. We can't do the same thing that Jesus did and lay our "God nature" aside because we didn't have one to start with and we already have a human nature. What are some of the things Jesus expects us to do when He wants us to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily? Just before Paul told us about Jesus giving up His nature as God, he explained some of the things that we can do to deny ourselves. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:" (Phil 2:3-5a) The first thing is to examine our goals in life to find out why we are setting them. Selfish ambition and vain conceit are not appropriate motivation for our goals. (Ops, I think I just stepped on my own toes with this one.) What are your goals in life? To be appropriate and pleasing to God, we need to remember why we make goals and attempt to achieve them. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Col 3:23-24) When we are setting goals that will puff us up and satisfy our egos, to sooth our selfish ambition or caress our vain conceit, we are missing the boat. When we set our New Year's resolutions, let's take a good hard look at them in the light of Phil 2:3. Perhaps taking up our cross is to do the job we hate - unto the Lord - because we have discovered, in analyzing our goals, that we are right where God wants us so that we can learn how to do any job for Him. Maybe we haven't been able to achieve our goals because they were not what God wants or because our motivation was incorrect. Denying ourselves also requires us to learn how to be humble and consider others better than ourselves. One of the areas that the Bible speaks clearly about is how we relate to the poor. "He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished." (Prov 17:5) However poverty isn't the only reason we don't associate with people. In Jesus' day, the Samaritans were the outcasts and it wasn't because of their financial position. Read the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-35 and you will see that the Samaritan had the financial means to care for the injured traveler. "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Rom 12:16) For a few minutes, think about the people in your circle of influence, in your neighborhood, work and at church. Are there people in these areas that you don't approach or interact with because they appear to be someone you don't care to associate with? Is it possible that we have inadvertently put someone on our list of "low position" not because we are biased, but because we have ignored or overlooked them? When we deny ourselves, we take another step beyond associating and being nice to others that we had considered lower, and make the mental and spiritual adjustment to consider them better than ourselves. Jesus made this clear when He told His disciples that they needed to be the servant of all if they wanted to be first in the kingdom of God. "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.'" (Mark 9:35) Consider the shock that must have been to them (much less us). They had just been arguing about who was the greatest and Jesus turned their thinking upside down. Denying ourselves turns our thinking upside down from the world's perspective. Perhaps taking up our cross is to reach out and become the friend of someone we would rather not associate with. We need to be able to look out for other people's interest and not only our own. This doesn't mean that we drop everything and neglect our own interest, but that we make room to help others. Other ways to look out for another's interests is to consider what is going on in their lives. Perhaps you have just received some good news but your friend has just had a disaster or vice versa. To deny ourselves would be to consider the other's need before our own and not simply please ourselves in sharing our joy or sorrow. "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." (Rom 12:15) We need to be strong in the Lord to do this because it isn't easy, especially when someone has rained on our parade. "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." (Rom 15:1) Perhaps our interests are in direct oppositions to the interests of another person; what should we do? Should we take up our cross and deny ourselves? "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." (1 Cor 10:24) I pray that we will be able to move forward in becoming His disciples. In Jesus, Ray Ruppert If you would like to know how to surrender your life to Jesus, click on Eternal Net on the left.
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