God in Residence

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in us, which ye have of God…” (1Cor. 6:19)

         The Bible teaches that our bodies are temples, and temples are places of worship. In the old, traditional marriage ceremony, you will find these words as part of the vows: “With my body I thee worship.” Our bodies were given to us by God not only to be able to interact with the world He created, but as a vehicle of worship and service to Him. This is one reason why I am less inclined to relegate it to the place of disfavor some other Christians do. It may give us problems, but it’s what God gave us to work with. It’s all we have, materially, with which to glorify Him (v.20). One may choose to prostitute this gift to “the world, the flesh (different from the body), and devil,” but if we choose to dedicate it for its intended use, God the Holy Spirit will take up immediate and uninterrupted residence!

         I have long suspected that if verses nineteen and twenty of First Corinthians six could be fully integrated into our spiritual experience, it would translate into more holy living than all the hard preaching and dire threats ever could. The thought that God would condescend to house His Spirit within my body is almost as hard for me to grasp as His willingness to incarnate His Son in the womb of a young virgin. That Immaculate Conception changed the world; and the Indwelling Presence changes me. As I yield to Him, the influence of that Blessed Tenant grows within me, just as the Christ child grew within Mary. Do you see now why I say there is no greater incentive for holy living than this? If the enormity of God within me does not cause me to want to “possess [our] vessel (body) in sanctification and honour,” I doubt any other motivation will.

         Paul asks us twice, “Don’t you know your body is the temple of God?”(3:16). Maybe it’s because strange as it may seem, we’re apt to forget it. But it’s true, child of God; the Holy Spirit  breathes within us and will continue to breathe long after our lungs have taken in their last bit of oxygen. This Tenant did not take out a lease; He established a permanent residence! And when He slips out of this temple, He will take me—the real me—with Him. Until then, I want everything I do and say to reflect His presence within me, because God Almighty paid a dear price for the right of occupancy. 

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body…” 1 Cor. 6:20

The Versatility of Faith

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”  (Eph. 6:16)

         The shield was the most mobile component in the 1^st Century soldier’s armor, and the only one that actually protected the other pieces given for protection. For instance, the girdle and breastplate (v. 14) could themselves be covered by the four by two foot piece of wood and tough leather of which the shield was made; and the head (v. 17) and feet (v. 15) could be protected simply by raising or lowering the same shield. The sword, of course, was wielded to fight off the enemy, but the shield could keep a soldier alive if he dropped his sword momentarily. All the pieces are important, but there is some reason why the apostle emphasizes the importance of the shield of faith by saying, “Above all…”

         The helmet of salvation, the knowledge of our relationship to God, our Creator, through the sacrifice of His Son, is our protection from the illogical thinking of this cursed world system, but logical reasoning begins with faith in God and not vice versa. (“Through faith we understand…” Heb. 11:3). And our heart and affections, covered by the breastplate of righteousness are dependent on our ability to not see and yet love (“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” 1Pet. 1:8). The word of truth (the girdle) is only effective, says Paul, in those who have faith, and believe.  (“…when ye received the word of God…ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1Thess. 2:13); and “the gospel of peace” that determines our steps, profits no one unless it is mixed with faith. (“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Heb. 4:2) See what I mean about how indispensible the shield was in battle, and how vital faith is to our Christian life?

         Faith works in virtually any situation; and in some cases, it’s the only thing that does. Praising God is good, but it’s faith that pleases Him (Heb. 11:6). The Sword of the Spirit can divide and discern (Heb.4:12), but faith can put out the fires of the wicked before they scorch the soul. It’s a mighty weapon and it should be used without fear or hesitation. When you’re talking about faith in God, it’s always the right move. Take the shield of faith and battle the forces of evil that threaten you and those you love.

Doubt sees the obstacles; faith sees the way.
Doubt sees the darkest night; faith sees the day.
Doubt dreads to take a step; faith soars on high.
Doubt questions, "Who believes?" 
Faith answers, "I!"

                      (Unknown)

Them That Make Peace

 “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” Romans 14:19

         The fourteenth chapter of Romans proves once and for all that differences of opinion between believers are never settled once and for all. And the fact that there isn’t always a right or wrong answer does little to lessen the resolve of either party. No wonder Paul inserted verse nineteen in the mix. When you read the chapter you find several things that can be lost in such disagreements, like friendships (v. 3) and spiritual effectiveness (v. 20). Another victim is peace. And when any of these three is forfeited, no one is edified.

         Notice, too, that peace is something that doesn’t come naturally. It must be pursued, as 1 Peter 3:11, says. As sons and daughters of Adam, we don’t come into this world spreading peace and cheer. We’re all born with the proverbial “chip on our shoulder” (Job 5:7). Therefore, peace, especially between individuals, will perpetually be something we have to “follow after.” But this verse says there are things that “make for peace.” It’s like the godly woman whose epitaph was, “It was easier to be good while she was with us.” There are things in life that make peace easier.

         The first prerequisite is personal peace with God through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). “He is our peace,” Paul says in Ephesians, and any harmony with others will be short-lived without Him. God reconciled the world to Himself by Jesus Christ and has given to you and I, his children, the “word of reconciliation,” as well (2 Cor. 5:19). We’re commissioned and equipped to make peace, if we will.

         But nothing hinders our peace with others more than lack of peace with ourselves. As George Morrison so aptly puts it, “None is so ready to foment a quarrel as he who has a quarrel with his own conscience.” Pointing out flaws and failures in others is the first reaction to known sin in our own lives. But A.W. Tozer has said, “God never intended that we should hide our unconfessed sin behind the confessed faults of a saint.” Confess and forsake is God’s remedy for a heavy conscience, and a light conscience makes for a ready peacemaker.  

         Then, to really meddle, I would put forth the old adage: “Least said, sooner mended.” Proverbs says it this way, “A froward [contrary] man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends” (16:18); and “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth” (26:20). One who cannot bridle his or her tongue will never be a one of the blessed peacemakers Jesus talked about. The “quiet” in peace and quiet is very often a quiet tongue!

         Finally, I feel compelled to point out that peace at the expense of righteousness is a recipe for both inner and outer conflict. Lying, cheating, or moral cowardice, in order to “keep the peace,” is peace without honor; and will inevitably lead to turmoil and strife.

         Sometimes, being a peacemaker will exact a high price from us. It cost our blessed Lord His shed Blood on the Cross (Col. 1:20); so you and I should never be surprised when it costs us, as well. But, oh, the rewards! And if He sought to make a way of peace for us, should we not do the same for others? James has something to say about those who choose the God of peace and “the things that make for peace.”

     “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”  — James 3:18

Dealing With (Seeming) Failure

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” — Matthew 23:37

         We are told in the Gospels of times when Jesus displayed emotions outside of what you and I might consider to be his own description of Himself as “meek” (Matt. 11:29, 21:5). For instance, when He looked on a group of people “with anger” (Mk. 3:5); when He drove another group from the Temple by force (Matt. 21:12); when His crying to God for deliverance in the garden was so loud He could plainly be heard; and here, where He seems to succumb to frustration at the defiance and disregard of His will and His love. I am fully aware that the will of God cannot and will not be thwarted, but I also know that in this verse, Jesus says, “I would have,” but “ye would not.” I also know that the Man who was God in the flesh, was “touched with the feelings of our infirmities” and “in all points tempted like as we are” (Heb. 4:15). And He would have to have known what it was to feel a sense of failure. At least, as far as I’m concerned.

         When the great purpose of your life, outside of pleasing God, has been to influence others to know Him and live for Him, it can become painfully frustrating when you’re unable to accomplish that in some lives. For some reason, we forget the victories and agonize over the defeats. A pastor may question his effectiveness because of those who left, rather than rejoice in the faithfulness of those who stayed. And as believers, if our tributes have not matched our efforts, it’s easy to assume insignificance, or even failure, forgetting that real faith believes God is the “rewarder” (Heb. 11:6), not man.

         But perhaps the most devastating of Satan’s accusations against godly men and women is his suggestion that any sin or character flaw in their children is because their failure as parents. For we who consider our children to be a trust from God, any flaw we see in them is a strike against us and an evidence of our neglect to that trust. This is true in spite of the many instances we see in Scripture of godly parents, whose children fell far short of their parental advantages, not the least of which was God himself, who said, “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me” (Isa. 1:2).

         After He voiced the anguish of His soul in this verse in Matthew, Jesus went on to do the will of God and fulfill the purpose of His coming to earth. The moral victories that Jesus won in this life were won as a man. He knew what it was to be tempted by a sense of failure, but He refused to let it keep Him from doing the will of His Father. And it is possible for you and I to do the same thing.

The determination between failure and success is the prerogative of God alone, but there is one thing He has promised will never fail: 1 Corinthians 13:8a

A Paper Trail

1. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled.”                       1 John 1:1

         A paper trail is a written or printed record of someone’s activities. When those activities are illegal or even questionable, an individual will take great pains to eliminate any kind of paper trail, hoping that any accusation against him or her will not go beyond hearsay. Politicians and other public figures, as well as embezzlers and other felons are quite adept at this. Obviously, someone who would write and freely distribute a truthful record of his or her activities could be said to consider those activities to be above reproach, and possess a desire to make them verifiable. Now, if we consider a “hard copy,” a paper trail, if you will, to be the best means of provability, why should we expect anything less of God?

         I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God did leave us a paper trail. And as a matter of fact, I would contend that I possess an infallible copy of it. I am not forced to compare it to anything else; there is nothing comparable. I have proved it by both thorough examination and years of experimentation. When the blessed Holy Spirit first opened my heart and mind to the reality of God and the power of His Book in my own life, I found I was no longer proving Him to myself; I was proving myself to Him (2 Tim. 2:15). God has chronicled His redemptive history in the pages of what I like to call an “Authorized Autobiography” that not only tracks Him, but us too. His infallibility and our culpability are plain to see; but, O, praise His name! His remedy (the Cross and the Empty Tomb) and our release (repentance and faith) are just as plain to see.

         The fact that God has given me a Book that I can hold in my hands and read gives me the same thrill, I think, that the Apostle John must have experienced, when he wrote that first verse of his first Epistle, speaking of Jesus Christ. As he says, they heard, saw, and “handled” the “Word of life.” How about you? Is there such a Book in your own life? Don’t be satisfied just to say God’s Word is “out there somewhere.” God was always out there somewhere, too; but one day, He became flesh, and they were able to handle Him with their hands. And in the same way, God’s Word was there from the beginning, but one day it became something we could handle with our hands.

         God has left us a Paper Trail…follow it!