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Cheerfully?

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT
http://bible.com/116/2co.9.7.NLT

Many will take this verse out of context as an excuse for their not giving at all or not tithing faithfully to the church. But if you read the context of this passage,  it isn’t about tithing,  but it is about a gift from their group to help another group in need. This is about a gift they had promised, and the time was drawing near for them to gather the gift for those in need.

This verse does not mean that “we don’t have to give if we don’t feel like it”. Just like the many passages about freedom do not mean “we don’t have to obey if we don’t feel convicted against it”. And there is nothing false in these statements alone,  because God does give you the opportunity to choose, but the answer (your choice) does speak to your heart, and there are different consequences depending on whether or not your heart is self centered or God centered.

You’re right. We don’t “have to” obey God. But do we also understand that there are consequences?

Do we understand yet that complying out of obligation doesn’t even meet the mark of living a life surrendered as a willing,  cheerful,  humble servant of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

Do we understand that our answers to these questions, about the state of our hearts, and the reasons behind our actions – can give us insight into the deceitfulness and trickery of our own thoughts and desires? It can help us examine ourselves to find out whether or not we are standing firm upon the foundation of Christ.

And who are we to measure ourselves by? Not one another. No,  that will only lead us into judgement, condemnation,  and pride. We are to measure ourselves against the way,  the truth,  the life of Jesus Christ – and finding ourselves insufficient,  we are to lean upon His grace and His righteousness.

At this point, let me interrupt for an important distinction. If you are relying upon grace to excuse your remaining a slave to sin – you must examine your heart closely,  because grace is no license to sin – cheap grace with no repentance is no grace at all and you do not yet know Christ. You may know “about” Christ,  but how can you claim that you know Him and He walks with you when you are still controlled by your true master? And if you have reached that state where you believe yourself righteous and walking in right standing with the Lord by the law – you must examine your heart closely,  because spiritual pride and good works is no stairway to heaven – sacrificial living with no love and mercy is empty religious practice from those who do not know God, those who do not desire to know Him closely and love Him personally.

So having said all of this, can we agree that at times in the past we have dolled ourselves about what being a Christ follower and believer means?  Can we now see why being a cheerful giver is the goal?

Can we speak spiritually for a moment about this subject as well?

If I am led to give because of obligation,  do you see how that can be flowing from a wrong spirit (shame, guilt, condemnation, etc)? If  I am led give so that others will think highly of me,  do you see how that can be flowing from a wrong spirit (pride, seeking honor from men,  etc)? If I am being led to give because I’m expecting payment in return, do you see how that can be flowing from a wrong spirit (manipulation, chasing worldly prosperity, etc)?

But isn’t it clear that if my reasons are loving God and loving others – and if I’m led to give out of grattitude for what, He has given me, isn’t it clear that I am being led by that Holy Spirit that bears the fruit that fulfills the law?

Yes, we have quickly let ourselves step into high minded words and thoughts about His ways,  about spiritual things, about those things so far above our own understanding – even while our actions humble us and keep us safely at the foot of the cross. Let’s not let such high thinking leave us anywhere but as a humble servant and follower of Jesus Christ, the Word of God come in the flesh to dwell among us, He who is from the beginning and who shall be evermore.

And knowing this,  believing this,  how could we not want to give generously and cheerfully? How could we cling to what is worthless and temporary – instead of clinging solely to Christ who is our portion and our prize eternal?

We must examine our hearts,  friends. And when we k know our heart is not quite right,  when we realize that we fall short of the mark,  we should continue to pray for growth and healing in that area of our lives – we should talk with Him and walk with Him, under His guidance both in heartfelt prayer and in earnest seeking through the written Word of God. He is here,  He is available to us,  friend. Our life choices are opportunities to be drawn closer to Him by leaning to Him – or to choose separation.

I hope we will lean to Him today, friends. I hope we will know the love of His annointing of the Holy Spirit and that we will pour out His love into the world through our cheerful giving,  through generosity,  through charity, through seeing the needs of the world and not turning away.

May we be cheerfully generous, friends.

hballingerLeave a comment

Giving the best gifts

Today is my daughter’s birthday party. Christmas is just around the corner. So giving is on a lot of our minds right now. 

Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us —I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
2 Corinthians 8:7-8 NLT
http://bible.com/116/2co.8.7-8.NLT

Paul in his second letter to the believers in Corinth offers them constructive criticism. It reminds me immediately of a recurring theme,  whether in his letters to Timothy, or the warnings for the 7 churches in Revelation, or in the way that he patterns most of his letters. And isn’t this the way of the Holy Spirit, the way of God towards those that He loves and that love Him in return? He doesn’t sit on the mountaintop waiting for an opportunity to destroy us,  but He draws close to us and gives to us graciously.

And the best gifts that He gives to us are not the things of this world, but they are gifts and treasures eternal. The best gifts that He brings to us are things like grace,  mercy,  peace,  patience, joy,  love, hope, faith – because these things are not common,  nor are they cheap. All of them come at a heavy price,  and, He is gracious and teaches us through His costly love for us how we are meant to love one another.

So today,  there will be presents that we give our daughter that we have bought,  and that are things of this world – and we are happy and gracious and thankful to be able to provide for her. But the greatest gifts that we will give her today is in introducing her to those gifts eternal. We will teach her that the loving people sharing in the celebration with her are far more valuable than the presents and the cake. We will demonstrate to her that helping those we know are in need today is more important than piles of presents under the Christmas tree.

And we won’t do this because it is an obligation,  or that we feel commanded by some religious commitment to do these things. We will do it because we want her to have the best gifts. We want her to receive and know and recognize those gifts that come from God that are so much more valuable than stuff and things that the world tries to sell us in a commercial.

Generosity is the inevitable result of grattitude. And gratitude is the inevitable response of someone who receives something that they do not expect or “deserve” or “feel entitled to”. And do you see how if we got our hope,  our attitudes in line with seeking God’s nature of generosity and gratitude in our own lives that these two will feed each other? Can you imagine how quickly these two traits could set fire to the nations with the loving example of true Christian living? With one’s generosity feeding another’s grattitude,  and their grattitude fueling their flame to pass it on in generosity towards another?

But if we don’t see past the presents,  we will never see the flame. If we don’t see past the obligation of buying a gift for each person and instead see an opportunity to be generous and loving towards each other – won’t we miss an opportunity?

And don’t think that I’m encouraging you to go into debt spending money outside of what a responsible budget allows – I’m talking about the most excellent gifts that you can give. Isn’t it better for us to give our love, and to encourage hope, and to offer our time and attention to the needs in each others lives than to add to the piles of things cluttering our homes? Yes, this perspective and attitude takes more time, more focus, more effort,  more actual caring for others – but isn’t that the very point?

Do we want to give the best gifts today? Or are we weary and just ready to get it all over with? Let’s be honest with ourselves and understand the opportunity we are missing out on by not feeding that self propelling engine of grattitude and generosity working side by side with one another.

Look for opportunities today to be generous,  friend. Help someone who cannot repay you. Show love even to someone who may not “deserve it”. Offer forgiveness to that person that hurt you even though they aren’t sorry about it. And not because it’s a commandment and a requirement, but because you know that is exactly what Christ has done for you.

May God bless your life today with the best gifts, those blessings eternal,  friend.

hballingerLeave a comment

Today is the day, Now is the time

For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT
http://bible.com/116/2co.6.2.NLT

The Word of God is focused on what some call “living for today”. And that idea,  that concept is that we should be awake and aware of our ability (even our responsibility) to make the most out of THIS moment, this “now”. And if that is our perspective and we are believing and following “now” in each step we take, as an awake and alive person being led by the Holy Spirit – it is then that we can know that we are tapped into the vine of life.

The point isn’t to think heavily upon the things of yesterday,  because those might lead us into either guilt and shame over our failures or into pride over our successes. Nor is the point to think too heavily about the future, because that might lead us into anxiety or stress. By remembering the price that Christ paid upon the cross for us and believing now, we will follow Him, He will be our way and our example and our teacher and our guide.

The point isn’t too ask ourselves if we “once upon a time” received Christ into our lives. Nor is the point to hold off for the future saying “as long as I ask forgiveness before my last breath”. No, those attitudes can be an example of someone who is acquainted with the words of religion but who has no relationship with the Word of God.

Don’t you know that Jesus Christ is the Word of God come in the flesh to die on the cross and be raised to life? Don’t you know that those He loves have the Word of God written on their hearts? Don’t you know that He sends the Holy Spirit,  that same power that raised Christ from the dead to live in you,  Christian? Don’t you know that Holy Spirit is our Helper,  guide,  teacher,  comforter,  and even our disciplinarian?

So for us who say we follow Christ, today is the time for salvation,  now is the opportunity to demonstrate “His Kingdom come, His will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven”. The “right time” for us to walk as Christians in His righteousness is NOW.

And isn’t that the choice of all choices?  Whether we will remain awake and conscious and alive and participate in God’s will for our “now”, or whether we would rather sleep in the arms of the enemy, letting our old nature that is focused on self and the pleasures and comforts and sinful things of this world rule or lives – it is our choice.

Do you want to be alive? Even if that requires the focus and attention, yes,  even the work and sacrifice of being a true follower of Christ today,  now?

I pray that you will not be satisfied slumbering now, awaiting destruction,  relying on either your past or your future to prove you a faithful servant of the Lord. I encourage you to instead set your eyes upon Christ now,  and see salvation played out in the fruitful life of a humble servant today,  now.

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Life: A time for Birth, A time for Death

The time passes so quickly. 

Just 5 years ago. 

Excited about the new life on its way.
Crushed by the word cancer.

A new life arrives that touched us so deeply and changed everything.

Little Mia comes home from the hospital just in time for a white Christmas.
But as she comes home from the hospital,  another enters.

Empty seats at the Christmas table as we each faced our torn responsibilities.
Hearts stretched to the limits in joy and pain and searching for understanding.
A family faced with so much change,  so much change,  so much…

And along with the new year’s arrival, we found that our family was the same size it had been,
Missing one we knew and had memories with,  but holding one to make more memories.

Oh,  let’s make those memories count.

I love you Granddad. I miss you.
I didn’t get those last days with you,
You know my heart, you know my love,
Until that day when we are reunited –
We love you,  and hope we can carry the Ballinger name,
To God’s Glory and to your memory,
Thank you for your life,  your example,  your faith.

The ring placed back into my grandmother’s open hand,
I can’t hold back the rush of emotion even now.

The words and handshakes of an endless line of loving people,
Whose words I couldn’t even hear through the deafening numbness.

And the joy of baby Mia and the crushing responsibilities of being a new dad,
Gave me a distraction from my mourning and loss,
I stumbled through it all barely awake,  barely alive,
But we made it,  and we are making it,

And God honors your life and showed mercy on our family greatly,
Knowing the hole would be so great from your departure,
That He gave us Mia as a blessing and a renewal,
Just when His timing was perfect.

Thank you,  God,
Your ways are amazing.

———————

Miss you,  Granddad Ballinger. Love you.

“Remember when old ones died and new were born
And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged
We came together, fell apart
And broke each other’s hearts
Remember when

Remember when the sound of little feet was the music
We danced to week to week
Brought back the love, we found trust
Vowed we’d never give it up
Remember when”

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT
http://bible.com/116/ecc.3.1-8.NLT

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I’m sick, praise the Lord!

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT
http://bible.com/116/2co.4.17.NLT

Things lately have been extremely hectic. At work, it seems like so many things are a challenge. In my relationships with others, some are strained and stressed out over the hustle and bustle of the holidays. And yesterday,  I started realizing that I was  coming down with a cold. I woke up this morning with full blown, can’t drink water workout it hurting my throat, can’t move my head without it hurting, eyes crusted closed, nose stopped up completely, and lips so chapped they feel like a gravel driveway. And this too is worthy of praising God.

The past couple of years,  my health has kept me out of work for various problems,  be it eye surgery,  kidney stones, sickness,  etc. And I’ve used all of my PTO days so I inevitably end up having to take time off without pay for periods of time, which has an effect on our cash flow and our monthly budget.

And you see,  we are on a very strict budget as we are doing the Dave Ramsey thing and getting ourselves or of debt, so there is so little wiggle room in our budget that a loss of any amount of money truly affects us. And while digging out,  we’ve started a weekly ministry out of our home providing meals and Bible Study and even providing Bibles to those in the jail that I visit each week. And food for a group and buying Bibles doesn’t come cheap.

But in all of this seeming chaos, as my body is weak and fights against me in sickness, and as my finances aren’t going exactly to plan – I get to see some amazing things happen in my life.

As I suffered multiple times with kidney stones,  wracking my body with pain, I was reminded of Jesus Christ who suffered for me. As I am humbled at times and made to wait patiently for the things that I have planned,  I’m reminded that it is His timing and His purpose and that perspective helps protect me from pride. Even as I go through trials and experience pain and struggle, I’m reminded that my life here is like a breath compared to eternity. And I realize there is not quite as strong or undeniable testimony for others than someone facing hardship and circumstances that they don’t allow to steal their peace or joy.

You see,  my challenges are an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power. And I’m not talking about miraculous healings, even though I will joyfully take that – as much as I am talking about my backing up my words about faith through my actions – even in the midst of challenging circumstances.

And what is a cold,  or even kidney stones, or even the loss of a loved one compared to the struggles and trials that many face in this life? Don’t I know those living on the street with so little? Don’t I know those battling addiction and all kinds of serious and terminal health problems? Don’t I know those who have made poor decisions that have landed them in prison where their time will click away a day at a time until they might ever be free again? Don’t I know that there are those who are locked up in a spiritual prison,  far from God and facing the eternal flames because they are lost?

So yes, I’m sick,  and it’s very much worthy of praising Him. Because I know His plans for me are greater than the distractions and trials of this life. You see, I used to allow my circumstances to dictate my attitude (and yes, I still fall short at times in that area) – but now I have  a hope eternal. And it provides a freedom and a peace that is being what I could have understood previously. So I’m going to praise His name today,  even for this cold – especially for this cold.

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Closed doors present new opportunities

Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.
2 Corinthians 1:23-24 NLT
http://bible.com/116/2co.1.23-24.NLT

Sometimes I want to help people that I see in need, but their ways and their words and their visible actions make it clear that they are not interested in the help that they truly need. And sometimes the Holy Spirit allows me to extend grace and bring gentle encouragement to them by helping them in both their physical needs and their spiritual needs. But at times, even when my plans were to help, the urgings of the Holy Spirit will guide me away from those plans and lead me along a path that I didn’t expect or close a door in front of me.

I used to get frustrated with myself for not always helping in every instance because I didn’t want to be without compassion. I looked at 1 John 3 and knew that I had not been living and compassionate towards others in my life,  so being compassionate towards those in need is a continued focus in keeping my prideful nature under control.

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
1 John 3:17-19 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1jn.3.17-19.NLT

But as a watchman and as a keeper of my brothers and sisters, when I see others in danger of destruction,  I cannot hold my tongue and allow them to go on to destruction unaware of their final destination – so when others’ lives demonstrate that they are still a slave to those things that the Word of God tells us “will not inherit the Kingdom of God”, I not only want to warn them so that they might turn to Christ and know salvation, I also have a duty myself to share the Truth and the Good News of Christ.

But there are those who have heard the truth but who do not have ears to hear. There are those whose hearts are hardened against the truth. There are those who are not ready to yield their lives to Christ. And these people are not uncommon,  many of them even sit in pews or carry the title of Christian even though they have no interest in bearing His name in their daily lives as a living example and sacrifice. I know,  because I used to walk that lost sheep walk as well.

And when I was deep in darkness and turned away from God’s will,  separated from fellowship with God, I had no real interest in hearing His voice – so even an encouragement or even a rebuke would not have produced the immediate response that someone would have wanted in return. You see, I was a pig, and casting pearls to me could have put them in danger of me turning on them. And I wouldn’t have turned on them because I hated them, but, I could have turned on them because my flesh hated the truth of the light and what it exposed in my own heart.

You see,  sometimes the Lord protects us by not allowing us to jump in the mud with the pigs and get torn to shreds by our compassion and benevolence towards those who might be a danger. There have been times that I intended to help someone and the door was closed. I used to let the enemy use that against me as I would let guilt and shame creep in. But now,  I understand that a closed door is sometimes for both my protection and for their protection. He knows best.

And don’t misunderstand what I am saying – make no mistake, if I use this as an excuse to have no compassion towards others,  I am blind and stumbling and lost. But walking in the Spirit is more than a set of “if this, do that” rules for our lives.

Many are not ready to hear the truth. Many are not ready to yield to His will. And I believe that in this case c with Paul and the church at Corinth, that Paul wanted to go see them and help them. But it was clearly evident to God who knows all things what Paul’s required response would have been towards the state of their lives of those in Corinth at that moment, and knowing what was best both for Paul and for the people, He closed a door on Paul’s plan because, He had a better plan in mind.

By bringing Paul’s motives into question in the minds of those at Corinth who expected Paul to follow through on what he said he was going to do – Paul’s plan to return to them – it put them in the right frame of mind to receive a message about them not following through on what they said they were going to do when they accepted Christ. And it closed off the door of them being in a defensive stance where they might have seen a rebuke from Paul as judgemental and condemning – even though he would have been fully justified in rebuking them for their rebellious lifestyles.

Isn’t it amazing how His ways wind and turn and shift things so that even the closed doors, even the broken plans, can be worked out for good when we are faithful. And it wasn’t even the people at Corinth that were faithful in this instance,  but they received a blessing and an encouraging correction in the right time and in the right way because Paul was faithful to follow the guidance of the Lord instead of insisting on adhering to his original plan.

So there are a few points that I pay attention to in this lesson:

1) that the letter of the law isn’t meant for us to use to domineer over others who are lost – it isn’t a sword to be drawn against the lost and used to slay them – but they need to hear and know the truth of sin and the good news of Jesus Christ

2) that the Word of God and the Law of Christ is meant for His Children and that we should stand firm upon it so that we enjoy the fullness of a life redeemed and abiding with the Lord – or we need a correction or a rebuke

3) those of us who have the spiritual discernment to understand what is happening and can identify the dangers and snares should be ready with encouragement,  correction,  or even a rebuke

4) that we should be Holy Spirit led and accepting the doors that are opened and closed and having faith that He is in control and that His plans are better than our own

5) that we shouldn’t see correction or rebuke as any less loving than simple encouragement,  as long as it is spoken in truth – otherwise are we seeking God’s will for our lives or just seeking others to join us in justifying our own sinful lives that are headed to destruction

Have Faith & Walk Upright, Child of God.

hballingerLeave a comment

Let’s take a walk…

…will you stay with me to the end?

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SINNING = LAWLESSNESS = DEATH

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
1 John 3:4-10 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1jn.3.4-10.ESV

UNRIGHTEOUS = NO HEAVEN

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God

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DEFILED = POISON FROM EVIL HEART

Mark 7:20-23 ESV
And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.

SIN = WORKS OF THE FLESH

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 ESV
http://bible.com/59/gal.5.19-21.ESV

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SLAVE TO FLESH/SIN = DEATH

Ephesians 5:5 ESV
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

SLAVE TO SIN = NOT A SON = DEATH

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:34-36 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.8.34-36.ESV

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WASHED = JOINED = SANCTIFIED
DOMINATED BY SIN = SEPARATED

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
1 Corinthians 6:11-12, 14, 17 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1co.6.11-17.ESV

WASHED = LIFE
DEFILED = DEATH

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Revelation 22:14-15 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rev.22.14-15.ESV

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PASS THE TEST = LIFE
FAIL THE TEST = DEATH

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 ESV
http://bible.com/59/2co.13.5-6.ESV

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CONTROL & DISCIPLINE= PRIZE
LACK OF DISCIPLINE = DISQUALIFIED

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1co.9.24-27.ESV

LIVE BY FLESH = DEATH
LIVE BY SPIRIT = LIFE

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:13-17 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.8.13-17.ESV

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LAW = KNOWLEDGE OF SIN

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;  no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 
“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.” 
“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;  in their paths are ruin and misery,  and the way of peace they have not known.” 
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:10-20 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.3.10-20.ESV

THE LAW DOES NOT JUSTIFY
FAITH & LOVE = OBEDIENCE
GODLY LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.  You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Galatians 5:4-8, 13-15 ESV
http://bible.com/59/gal.5.4-15.ESV

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BELIEF RECEIVES GRACE
GRACE PRODUCES LIFE

“For  God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.3.16.ESV

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GRACE = FREE GIFT
GRACE = JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
FAITH UPHOLDS THE LAW

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Romans 3:21-25, 27-28, 31 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.3.21-31.ESV

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BATTLE = FLESH DESIRES VS SPIRIT
HOLY SPIRIT LED = GRACE COVERED

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:16-18 ESV
http://bible.com/59/gal.5.4-18.ESV

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GRACE PRODUCES FRUIT
FRUIT = LOVE

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:22-26 ESV
http://bible.com/59/gal.5.4-26.ESV

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LOVE RESULTS IN OBEDIENCE

“If you love me, you will  keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
John 14:15-17, 21 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.14.15-21.ESV

BELIEF = PEACE IN CHRIST
BELIEF = TRIAL IN THE WORLD

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?  Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:31-33 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.16.31-33.ESV

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TRIAL SEPARATES TRUE FROM FALSE

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
2 Timothy 3:1-9 ESV
http://bible.com/59/2ti.3.1-9.ESV

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Strong in Love

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1co.16.13-14.NLT

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We face spiritual attacks upon our lives daily – but once we have Christ in us,  these “attacks” shift into being tests, into challenges – and once we set our hope firmly upon Jesus Christ as our Savior, we can recognize them as opportunities.

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The world might ask, in what kind of mad,  twisted realm do trials,  sufferings and persecution become opportunities? And we can explain to them that our own nature, we can understand the normal reaction of the flesh towards these things – we understand that being hurt by another,  the flesh cries out for payment of revenge in return. But we also have another voice that is active and alive in our lives, which tells us that even when it is to our clear detriment in this life,  even when it will not clearly benefit us in any way,  that we have the opportunity to choose to bring love,  peace, patience,  joy,  kindness,  goodness,  faithfulness,  and self control into this world even as a response to the evils of this world.

And when we do,  and when it is clear that it was not for our own benefit or gain or manipulation – what clearer and undeniable testimony might we raise up so that another might realize the truth of Christ who lives in us? How can someone who considers themselves or enemy and considers themselves an enemy of God deny our pouring out blessing upon their lives as repayment for the pain and hurt and disappointment they have dealt or to us? But isn’t this the very example of Christ,  that He loved us even when we were still sinners – that He went to the cross for each and every one of us who might choose to turn to Him and bear His name upon our hearts and our lives?

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So we have a great encouragement for standing guard against the attacks of the enemy,  but we have a great opportunity to see them with open eyes for what they really are – moments on this earth in our own lives where we might be like Christ in the garden at Gethsemane – where we might say,  take this cup from me Lord if you will, because it is bitter for me to drink, but it is better that your will be done than my own.

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And what is amazing is that once we are on other side of the trial,  once the Lord has moved that mountain and cast it into the sea because of our faith as small as a mustard seed that proved us faithful and clinging to Him firmly – we find that He is faithful and true and that He does bring us through and provide for us and bless us. And as we learn to do this,  moment by moment,  decision by decision,  as we serve the one that we have chosen to be our master,  we are molded,  we are shaped to be more and more like the thing that influences and directs our actions,  more like whatever is master over our lives.

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So we remain on guard because we should know who is in control. Are we still a slave to sin that is holding us captive and controlling or lives?  Then we need to find freedom from our captors,  we need to ask Christ to break those chains, and we need to walk out of that prison cell as we are sent on our mission to bring Christ to the world by being Christ in the world. We are the body of Christ,  being led by the Holy Spirit, bringing His good work and love and truth into this world – or we are dead flesh, waiting to be tossed into the flames with the sin that we have chosen to worship by allowing to have mastery over our lives.

If you admit that you have sinned, that is good,  because otherwise there is no truth in you and you would be a liar in the deep depths of darkness. But do you realize that there is one who offers you a spirit of power and strength and confidence over sin?  Do you realize that the Holy Spirit is not a voice of timidity or fear or guilt or shame – but one of deliverance,  of renewal, of victory over sin and temptation and the tricks of the enemy?

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So how do we walk in strength when we are so weak ourselves in the flesh? We choose to walk in His authority and power,  we choose to accept His annointing upon our lives. We seek for His will to be done in our lives, knowing that whatever the cost, He is the only prize worth receiving. 

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.  But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”
Luke 10:19-20 NLT
http://bible.com/116/luk.10.19-20.NLT

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord ’s favor has come. ”
Luke 4:18-19 NLT
http://bible.com/116/luk.4.18-19.NLT

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.13.34-35.ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:7-12 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1jn.4.7-12.ESV

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14 ESV
http://bible.com/59/gal.5.14.ESV

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Romans 13:8-10 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.13.8-10.ESV

hballingerLeave a comment

Do you know love?

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1co.13.13.NLT

Love is not a feeling.

The world is confused about the word love. Those who don’t understand it and those who don’t have it try to substitute lesser things to explain love.

Love is action.

“Love is the greatest of all human qualities, and it is an attribute of God himself. Love involves unselfish service to others; to show it gives evidence that you care.” – Life Application Study Bible

This is why James tells us that Faith without works is dead – because He is trying to explain to the deceived that Hope and Faith will manifest Love – it will produce action.

Hope is our focus and attitude and direction being set upon the things of God.

Faith is the foundation and content of God’s message, of His divine instruction for our lives,  it is His Word written upon our hearts. It isn’t just about trusting God, even though that is a necessary component. It is about knowing God too. Faith is the tie that binds us to God and to other believers in both unity and purpose.

When faith and hope are in their proper orientation between us and our creator,  Lord,  and Savior – when our focus is upon Him and we are walking the narrow path of Discipleship,  not deceived by the tricks of ththe enemy, we are free to love completely because we understand how God loves.

Love is action.

Love is Christ’s very nature that is alive in us, pouring out onto a world in need of His love, in need of His presence, in need of His redemption.

The Christian walk only begins at salvation,  at that point where we find our Hope in Jesus Christ. That moment of Hope in surrendering to Christ is not our crossing the finish line, it is the start of us choosing to run the proper race, it is our eyes being opened to understand and see the narrow path dimly as if through a fog.

Faith is the path itself as we head back to our Father’s house – as we learn and apply His divine instructions in our hearts, as our thoughts and desires and self control are brought more in line with His nature,  with His righteousness.

And love is the action. It is not empty words. It is not the hunger of lust. It is not the bubbling feeling of anticipation and butterflies. It is not thetrading and bartering of politeness towards one another through manipulation. Love is the inevitable outward result of a life no longer focused on self,  but focused on God and others. It is active and it is alive, it is the very nature of God,  alive in us.

Do you know love?

Do you love?

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1co.13.1-7.NLT

Do not settle for anything less,  friend. Do not settle for religion or lust or anything in this world that falls short of Christ alive in you – that falls short of love.

If you love me, obey my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 14:15-17 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.14.15-17.NLT

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
John 13:34-35 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.13.34-35.NLT

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.  You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.  A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.  So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.  Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’  But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
Matthew 7:15-23 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.7.15-23.NLT

If Hope,  Faith and Love are eternal – aren’t these the very blessings and treasures that we want to store up for eternity? Isn’t it clear that these are the truly valuable blessings that nourish our eternal soul? Isn’t it clear to us the characteristics of the fruit of a good tree?

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
http://bible.com/116/gal.5.22-23.NLT

So let’s be sure that we’ve set our eyes upon the treasure that is eternal and will not rot or rust.

Let’s just not be claimers of the name of Christ,  let us be bearers of the Spirit of Christ.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
1 John 4:7-13 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1jn.4.7-13.NLT

hballingerLeave a comment

Habit or Love?

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:25 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1co.11.25.ESV

Life Application Study Bible
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Jesus said, “Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” How do we remember Christ in the Lord’s Supper? By thinking about what he did and why he did it. If the Lord’s Supper becomes just a ritual or a pious habit, it no longer remembers Christ, and it loses its significance.

Personal Commentary
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It’s supposed to be about our hearts, not just our minds or our outward actions.

This is why we can’t argue theology hard enough to bring someone to Christ – that will only teach someone how to study religious things closely. That might win what Jesus called a “religious convert” when He was rebuking the Pharisees and explaining that they cross the oceans to win converts who were twice the devil they themselves were. Religious practice, even works, if they are void of love,  if the Holy Spirit is not the one actively manifesting those things,  then they are nothing but empty religious sacrifice,  like filthy rags in the eyes of God.

Practicing religion doesn’t buy you a stairway to heaven. Attending church and tithing doesn’t pave the way to earning God’s favor. Doing great works for the needy doesn’t convince the Lord that you are worthy of His love. Yes, all of these things are morally good, and if a person is Holy Spirit filled and led, these things should be manifest from the love that fills our heart towards God and towards others, our of the grattitude that we have for this gift of grace that we have received.

But if it comes out of obligation to try to meet the requirements of the law,  if it comes from our trying to be perfect,  or our trying to earn honor or respect our titles or position – we must ask ourselves if we are striving in vanity and pride or if we are humbly seeking a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior.

People can trade in their opportunity for the Word of God to bring them closer to understanding and knowing Him and settle instead for intellectual pursuit of high minded theology and understanding. But His resolve is for us to lean not upon our own understanding,  but to trust in the Lord. Do you see that He’s bidding us to participate in a trust filled relationship with Him – not a religious or theological exercise. Isn’t this part of what He means when He tells us that He desires mercy and not sacrifice?

When we look through the repeated examples of those imperfect people mentioned in the Bible,  don’t we uncover a recurring theme that proves that He uses imperfect lives, imperfect people, even people with clear and visible faults and failings – but when they truly desire a close relationship with Him, that His power and His grace and His glory is demonstrated perfectly and clearly as His work and not their own. I wonder why this is such an easy message to overlook? Is empty religious practice maybe one of the most slippery and sly tactics of the enemy use to tempt us to take our hearts and our eyes off of a close,  restored relationship with the only prize worth having?

Isn’t this why even the religious will look at a sold out, Christ loving, life surrendering, self sacrificing disciple filled with Christ the hope of glory who lives in them – and they will be confused about a God that draws near and close to His children and that is involved in every aspect of their lives,  both blessing and disciplining those who are His, and providing for them in every way that is best for their eternal growth, many times at a cost to their worldly comfort and pleasure that the world can’t understand is a blessing of sharing in the sufferings of Christ. The religious happily lift things to their “gods” on occasion as ceremony and practice,  but never draw close,  and are satisfied to put their religion back on the shelf whole they return to their worldly lives until it is time once again to offer sacrifices.

But this is not the story of a Child of God. This is not the description of you who love the Lord. You see, those who know the Lord,  those who love Him, those who truly seek to be drawn closer and closer to Him,  to be reconciled into His presence – those who seek Him not only as Mighty God, those who not only seek Him as Lord, those who do not only seek Him as Savior – but those who seek Him as their love,  as their portion, as their prize – this is us, friend.

Please, do not settle for religion when you can have relationship. Do not settle for practiced sacrifice when you can have presence and mercy and power. Don’t settle for ceremony when you can enter into worship and experience the breath of life touching and moving and stirring your heart. Don’t settle for surface examination of the Word of God,  or even in theological examination,  when you can let the Word of God be written upon your heart and applied in your life as we are changed and revoked in the potter’s hands.

Are you in His hands today? Are you close and in His arms, friend? If not, are you running back towards His house, seeking to return to His house,  His presence,  His love? His loving arms are open,  friend. His forgiveness,  His mercy,  His grace is there for you.

Do not settle for separation, do not think that one day, after you die you will see God – for that is true of many who will meet Him at judgement and who will hear,  “Depart from me,  I never knew you, you workers of iniquity!” Know Him today,  do not say,  “I will tomorrow” – you do not know that life will allow you another breath. Turn now from whatever is capturing your eyes and your desires and your ginger and your thirst for laser things that will only drag you into the pit of flames with them – and know and love the only one that has true, sacrificial,  godly love for you that will fill that emptiness in your heart forever.

Yes, He is your soulmate. Yes, He is the love that is meant to take over your life. Yes,  He is the all consuming fire that is meant to fill our lives to overflowing.

Has His love taken over your life?

Do you want it to?

Or are you “just fine” on your own?

Wake up, or realize today the death that you are walking in. One way or the other,  hear the warning cries of His messengers,  and decide not only who you will serve,  but who it is that you truly love.

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”  And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
Luke 10:25-28 ESV
http://bible.com/59/luk.10.25-28.ESV